Pokemon the Movie: Voice of the Oceanby Banshee531ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 1Author's Note Welcome, to the second Pokémon movie. Hope you enjoy it. Chapter 1 Pokémon. Dazzling awe inspiring creatures that live on this planet. In numbers too massive to even begin to count, numbering in the thousands, maybe even millions. With many amazing types and species so varied, it's impossible to count them and be sure. In this world, people and Pokémon exist as partners, friends, family and so much more. While many live together in a peaceful life, others work together to become stronger and battle others in order to gain the title of champion. And in this world, Pokémon of great power exist, those with the strength to move and shape the continents. There are ones that have the mystical control over the elements that make up nature and the weather, and ones that can even manipulate the vast and mighty ocean. And where there are Pokémon with that colossal power, there exists those wishing to claim that power for themselves. This is a story of one such individual and the efforts of those hoping to stop him before it is too late. The adventure begins in a beautiful city situated on the coast of the Equestria Region. Located at the base of a fifty meter cliff, the city was a mix of modern and ancient buildings. It was roughly ten miles wide, starting at the cliff and ending at the ocean while running along roughly fifteen miles of the coastline. The place had a very Venice-like structure, many streets having canals with boats floating inside. And as you would head further into the city, there is a large stone bridge that lead to an island about a mile off from the city. On that island was an ancient Greek temple with a statue above the entrance showing a horse-like creature with a fish's tail and fins along with a hexagonal crystal in its chest. It was on that bridge as the sun set, that the city's citizens could be found. They were all walking along the bridge, numbering over a thousand, all carrying candles that were driving away the approaching darkness. Not just humans, but Pokémon of many different types were heading to the temple carrying the lights. And at the front of the crowd were a trio of figures wearing the same white monk robes with hoods that hid their faces. As they made their way across the bridge, the three were all singing a soft calming song that was in a language only they could understand. And as they got to the temple, their song came to an end as they took off their hoods, revealing a trio of teenage girls. Roughly between fifteen and sixteen years of age, the girls all had very different appearances. The center girl had yellow skin, purple eyes and bushy orange hair that had yellow streaks running through it. To her left was a girl with pink skin, purple eyes and purple hair with mint streaks done up in a pair of pigtails. And on the right was a girl that had light blue skin, purple eyes and a ponytail hair style made up of two different shades of blue that were darker than her skin. Each girl was wearing a necklace with a red gemstone, the three bowing before the temple as the yellow one spoke up, "Oh great guardian of Vocanctus, we give our thanks to you for another year of protection. Please, accept our offering and let your rage sleep for another year." With that, the temple doors began to open, the three leading the large group into the temple. The insides of the building was very spacious, only being a simple walkway with many columns to the sides. Behind the columns and covering the walls were hundreds of weapons: swords, shields, lances and other dangerous object. All still showed their sharpness as the were aligned on the wall. And at the back of the room was another set of doors, which open up to reveal a room with rusted blue columns and a round blue stone platform in the middle that had a white image of a horse creature painted on it. The three girls stepped up onto the platform and stood back to back with the yellow girl pointing toward the visitors. They began to sing again, all the people and Pokémon walking as they sang. Almost two hours passed as this happened, each coming up and bowing while giving their thanks. Hours later... With the sun now set, the three girls were on a small yacht several miles away from the temple. The yellow girl cut the engine and turned to see her sisters sitting on the deck, both drinking some drinks. All three were no longer wearing their robes, instead dressed in extravagant outfits that most modest people would call inappropriate while the red gem necklaces were still around their necks. The yellow girl climbed down onto the deck and poured her own cup, sitting down before raising it up. "Well, that's another festival done with." "This makes ten straight years," the pink girl groaned, "Let's enjoy it while it lasts. Come tomorrow, we need to start working on a whole new song and spend the next year practicing it over and over and over until next year's festival." A long sigh came as she said these next words, "Then the whole process starts over again." The blue skinned girl let out a light chuckle, "Oh, come on Aria. It's not that bad." "Easy for you to say," Aria replied while rolling her eyes, "You're so dumb your head would probably explode if you saw anything other than this stupid city and that stupid temple." The yellow girl sighed at this, "She's right Sonata." She picked herself up and looked over the edge of the boat. "Don't you feel it? Inside you? Some kind of underlying tension that could bubble to the surface at any minute!" "It's the fruit punch, isn't it?" Sonata responded while picking up a bottle, "I knew I used too much grape juice. Maybe I should-ow!" The girl had just smacked the side of Sonata's head, "It's not the fruit punch, it's this place!" Aria then leaned over to Sonata. "But the punch is awful too." Sonata growled back, holding the bottle close to Aris's face as she replied, "And what do you know about good fruit punch?!" Aria quickly slapped it away from her. "More than you." Sonata responded by flicking Aria's forehead and saying, "Do not!" "Do too!" Aria replied while flicking her back. But as they were about to start yelling, the yellow girl spun around. "Enough!" They both halted, Sonata frowning as Aria just looked away, "Listen you two, we have bigger issues here than who knows more about fruit punch." "Sorry Adagio," Sonata muttered. "It's fine..." Adagio sighed before shaking her head, "Ugh...why did we have to be born into this stupid tradition?! We don't even know which of us is really meant to hold the title of priestess!" "Well it's obviously you," Aria spat, "You're the first born." "That doesn't mean the power was passed onto me," Adagio instantly replied, "We were all in the womb together. Just because I got out first doesn't mean I was imbued with it." She let out a frustrated groan, "Why can't that stupid Pokémon just show up and tell us who the priestess is?! Then we can finally get on with our lives." "But what would you do?" Sonata asked while tilting her head, "Would you leave Vocanctus?" "Why wouldn't any of us?!" Aria responded, "The only thing keeping us here is that stupid destiny! If I found out it wasn't me who was supposed to be the priestess, I'd be out of here faster than Adagio can do her vocal warm ups." Sonata's eyes darted between her sisters, doing a small gulp as she added, "B-b-but...we wouldn't be together anymore. One of us would have to stay here while the others got to leave." "And maybe that's for the best," Adagio chimed as she looked back at the sea. She took a deep breath next as she yelled out, "Hey! I know you're out there! Stop messing around and tell us who your priestess is! If it's me, then just say it already instead of leaving me hanging!" But as her voice echoed into the sea...nothing happened. A low growl came from the girl next, only for the three to suddenly hear a loud banging noise. They looked up, now seeing an explosion of lights and colors filling the sky. They saw it was a display of fireworks, the sight making them slowly smile. Adagio, Aria and Sonata stood side by side at the sight, Sonata then putting her arms around her sisters and pulling them close. Both rolled their eyes at this despite the smiles on their lips. "I don't care if I'm the priestess or not. All I care about it staying with you two, no matter what we do." Despite not saying it, Adagio and Aria felt the same way. But even though they wouldn't say it, their attention would soon be taken away form the fireworks as the boat suddenly jerked. All three were knocked off their feet, making them all fall over. "Ouchy..." Sonata moaned as she rubbed her butt, "What was that?" "Don't know," Adagio replied while picking herself up, "Stray current, maybe?" "Is that even a thing? The sea's supposed to always be calm, right?" Aria asked, her question going unanswered as the boat began to rock again. This time it started to tip slightly, all three crying out as they grabbed onto the sides, steadying themselves as the boat began to rock more. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Sonata screamed as she and Aria fell over. Adagio kept herself steady as she then looked over the edge, gasping as she saw the cause of the turbulence: A whirlpool. "Oh no..." she whispered as their ship was slowly being pulled towards the vortex. She quickly climbed into the control deck and kicked the engine to life, trying her best to drive away. However, it was already too late, the vortex sucking in their boat into a raging torrent. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" They all screamed as their boat was quickly pulled underwater, getting ripped apart and sending the three flying through the ocean in different directions. Sonata did her best to hold her breath, trying to swim as she flailed her arms and legs around. She soon saw that her sisters were doing the same thing underwater, only for the water to pull her away. And as she was yanked around by the tides, the darkness of the night began to shift over the sea, making her lose sight of the two. Her body and mind began to drift into unconsciousness at this moment, her eyes slowly closing as she was spun around, now looking down at the abyss that would be her grave. But in her last few moments in the waking world, she saw something. A dark shadow moving through the water beneath her, a blurry serpent shape that she thought could be a Gyrados or Milotic...only to see fin legs coming off its front. And as she stared, it got closer, only for a red flash of light to come from its chest. It was the last thing she saw before she suddenly felt herself able to take a large gulp of air, only to lose all consciousness. A low groan escaped her breath as she felt some water touch her face. Her ears were now twitching as the sound of waves crashing hit them next, making the blue girl blink as she slowly opened her eyes. "Ohhh..." she moaned as her brain caught up to reality, telling her that she was now face down in some sand. Slowly rolling over, she spat out the sand before rubbing her eyes, only to notice her clothes were soaked. "Huh?!" Sonata said as she sat up, blinking again as she now saw she was on one of Vocanctus's many beaches. The sun had just risen over the horizon, lighting the beach and giving her vision over the surrounding area. She saw the bridge to the temple in the distance, the sight making certain memories come into her mind. Her brain felt a distinct amount of fuzz as it tried to put certain facts together, only for the memories of the previous night to suddenly strike her mind, "Adagio?" she asked no one, her body reflexively getting up, only to start wobbling as she felt exhaustion consume her. Despite this, she began to walk over the beach as she said, "Aria?" She staggered across the beach while continuing to call out to them, "Adagio! Aria! Where are you?!" Tears began to fill her eyes as her mind slowly began to put the piece together, "ADAGIO! ARIA!" And where there was still no reply, the teen fail to her knees as her tears broke free. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Many miles away, at the bottom of the ocean, a submarine sat on the seabed. Inside its control room, a lone figure sat while staring at a screen showing images of the temple. This figure was clad in a bluish suit of armor, their entire body hidden beneath the metal shell. There was a crack in the right side of the armor's helmet, showing a single eye poking out. At the same time, leaning against the side of the chair was a long sword. The figure continued to stare at the screen as it changed to show an image from under the sea. But in the middle of the mostly blue image was a single black blurred silhouette, the same silhouette Sonata had seen the previous night. The sight made him chuckle as whispered, "Soon...soon you will be mine. And then the world shall know the name, Guile Hideout." Pokémon, the Movie: Voice of the Ocean! One year later... The sun was bright as the wind was charged with the salt of the sea, the gusts rustling the trees around a steep hill that had a staircase running up it. "Ri, oh. Ri, oh. Ri, oh." Springer the Riolu said as he ran up the stairs, jumping two at a time as he reached the top. Behind him was his trainer, Flash Sentry, followed by the rest of their friends. Twilight Sparkle, Spike and Time Turner were all huffing after ascending the stairs, Peewee the Terragon nestled safely on Spike's shoulder. It was here they stared at the top of the hill, seeing its flat top with ground covered in a layer of rubber. They turned to then see a child's playground, complete with a large plastic jungle gym, roundabouts, swing sets and a metal web dome. Beside it was several benches, which seated two girls. The first girl was laying back on the bench, and she was a white skinned girl with frizzy hair of both light and dark blue. She wore a white zip up shirt and white skirt with a musical note on it, along with purple leggings that had pink lightning bolts on it. She also had a pair of shades and a blue headphones on, with a Noibat sitting down beside her. Beside her was the other girl, who sat normally and had gray skin with long black hair. She was wearing a white shirt under a purple vest with a pink bowtie and a pink skirt with a classical music note, along with long white socks and black shoes. A Kricketune stood besides her, rubbing its arms together. The girls looked up, seeing the group as the white girl jumped to her feet. "Yow! What's up?" She asked, taking off her shades and pulling down her headphones as Noibat landed on her shoulder. "Names Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch." The others nodded back before the blue haired teen spoke, "Flash Sentry." "I'm Twilight Sparkle." "Name's Spike." "And you can call me Doc." "Ri/Terra." The gray girl got up and walked over with Kricketune. "My name is Octavia, it's nice to meet you." Vinyl then smirked, taking another step forward. "You know, there's an old unwritten rule that I love." She put her shades back on, "It's says that when the eyes of two trainers meet, they have to do battle. What do you say?" The others all chuckled at this, Twilight turning to her blue haired travel companion, "Go ahead Flash. Don't wanna break the rules, do you?" "No way," Flash laughed before pumping his arms. "A workout like this'll get me in shape for the Equestria League." "I like that attitude," Vinyl put her headphones back on as Octavia and Flash's friends stepped back. "But first, let's see if you're even in my league." Flash shined a big grin as he pulled out a Pokeball. "Well get ready!" He enlarged the ball and pulled it back, "Cause I always play to win!" Cue epic Pokémon music. The ball flew over the field, energy hitting the ground and taking shape to reveal Flash's Spranitor, Riptide. He stood ready for battle as Vinyl took out her own Pokeball and threw it, unleashing a Loudred that let out a mighty roar so strong that it pushed Riptide back a few inches. Loudred charged next, trying to tackle Riptide as the water lizard leapt back to avoid it before jumping onto Loudred's head and kicking off it. The action sent Loudred tumbling back, Riptide then spinning around to slam the Pokémon with an Aqua Tail. A yell pain came out of Loudred after this, slamming into the ground near a tree but stayed up and unleashed a Hyper Voice. Riptide covered his ears before firing a Water Gun, which flew through the sound and struck Loudred. As his attack came to a stop, Riptide charged with a blue glowing fist. With one good punch, Loudred was sent flying back from a single Ice Punch, his form slamming into the tree. The blow made him slump over, spirals filling its eyes. Vinyl cried out in shock while Riptide and Flash high-fived, the two then returning their Pokémon with Vinyl taking out another Pokeball and throwing it up. A Chimecho appeared in front of her, floating on the wind while Flash unleashed his Chitaleaf, Prongs. Prongs was the first to attack, firing several Energy Balls in Chimecho's direction. But the floating Pokémon simply let the wind from the attack push it away, dodging each as Prongs rushed the tiny Pokémon. Attempting to use Bounce, it was about to leap up as Chimecho's body began to glow a light blue. It opened its mouth before multiple light blue rings shot out, hitting the Chitaleaf head-on. The force of the blow made the deer stagger back, Chimecho then using Double-edge on him, slamming Prongs into the ground. And as swirls appeared in his eyes, Flash ran over to him as Vinyl, Octavia and their Pokémon did a unified victory dance. Flash returned Prongs and pulled out another Pokeball, throwing it up to reveal his Wingust, Skyler. Vinyl returned Chimecho and sent out a Chatot, which took the air as Skyler dived down. The two did an aerial battle, flying circles around each other while trying to peck, scratch and slap each other. Chatot eventually tried to use Chatter, but Skyler dodged it before flying up and arching around. He dive-bombed the Chatot, picking up intense speed until he shot past it before performing a V-shaped turn and uppercutted the parrot, sending it crashing with spirals in its eyes. Flash threw Skyler a thumbs up, the Wingust smiling down at him before he and Chatot were returned. And as Vinyl put her Pokeball away, Noibat chose this moment to fly past her and take to the stage. While this happened, Flash took out his Pokeball and threw it, opening to reveal his Anahakka, Viper, who spat out a small cloud of smoke as he prepared for battle. Noibat flew down with glowing wings, trying to use Wing Attack as Viper countered with a Flamethrower. The bat Pokémon cut his attack to evade the flames, flying up high before a bunch of powerful soundwaves flew out of its ears. The waves struck the ground, causing Viper to begin to go dizzy. As he swayed from left to right, Noibat beat its wings to unleash an Air Slash attack, striking the Anahakka and blasting him flying over to Flash's feet with swirls in his eyes. Flash pouted while Vinyl giggled as Noibat landed on her shoulder, Flash returning Viper as he and Vinyl took out another Pokeball. Flash's Velocirush, Hopper, appeared while Vinyl sent out a Palpitoad. The armless frog was the first to make a move, unleashing a bubblebeam attack. But as the bubbles came, the high-speed Pokémon used Quick Attack, dodging and slamming his head into Palpitoad. It staggered back but then spun around, unleashing it tongue and swung it around. Doing so shot a barrage of Mud Shots, Hopper hopping over this while his tail began to glow. The Velocirush swung his tail down, slamming the Palpitoad's head with a crushing blow. Palpitoad's body squished from the attack, only for the force to propel him backward, crashing into the ground before falling unconscious. Vinyl slumped over while Hopper ran over and jumped into Flash's arms, the trainer hugging him tightly as Vinyl returned Palpatoad. She then took out her Pokeball and sent out a Pokémon Flash had never seen before. It was rectangular in design, being a combo of black and blue. It looked like a boombox, its eyes being the speakers while a pair of fangs were coming out of the tape holder-like mouth. Most of its body was black, its mouth being blue along with four buttons on the section above it between the eyes. Below it were four blue cone-shaped studs that acted like feet, while from the top was a square blue handle and the sides of its head were a pair of yellow antenna. Hopper leapt out of Flash's arms as Springer ran up, using Extreme Speed to get up close and deliver and kick to the Pokémon known as Boomax. But before it could make contact, Boomax unleashed a Hyper Voice, sending Springer flying back. The Riolu flew into a swing set, landing on the actual swing that flew backwards. He saw this and got an idea, using the momentum from the swing to catapult him into the air. And as Boomax prepared another Hyper Voice, Springer suddenly multiplied into an army. Boomax tried to use Hyper Voice to wipe them all out, but could only get rid of a small chunk as the rest flew down. Each one created a tiny Aura Sphere, preparing to thrust them as Boomax launched another sonic blast. The attack kept the Riolu from getting close, knocking away all but one. "RIOLU!" The real Springer roared as he slammed the orb into Boomax's face, the explosion sending both backward. The trainers ran over to their Pokémon as they saw both fall over, Springer then getting to his feet while Boomax fell back and spirals replaced his eyes. Flash let out a cheer as he lifted Springer into the air, the Riolu spreading his arms and legs wide as he cried out in celebration. And as the battle ended, the two girls invited their new friends to have lunch with them. Soon, everyone's Pokémon were out and enjoying each other's company as they chowed down. After taking a gulp of her drink, Vinyl turned to the teen that had beat her. "I gotta admit, you're a rockin' trainer." "Thanks. You're not half bad yourself." "I would think so," Octavia added. "If Vinyl wasn't a good trainer, the last year of our life would have been a big waste." "Is that how long you guys have been on a journey?" Spike asked next. Vinyl nodded back, "Yup. I'm aiming for the Equestria League." "Who isn't?" Flash chuckled. "Me," Octavia chimed in, everyone turning to her as she continued, "I've been travelling with Vinyl so that I can see more of the world and find inspiration for my music. I've already written six songs that I believe will become big hits." "That's amazing!" Twilight gasped, "I'd love to hear one." "You'll get to hear them all if you come to the festival," Vinyl responded, the others raising eyebrows as she continued, "What, you don't know? The Voice of the Ocean Festival." "Never heard of it," Flash replied while shrugging. "Oh, you have to come!" Octavia clapped, "It's our home town's most celebrated event!" Lunch was done soon after, the group packing their things away before following the two girls as they headed down the other side of the hill and to a path that eventually forked. And where the group would have taken the left path, they now followed Vinyl and Octavia down the right path toward the beach. Springer was up in the trees that surrounded the path, jumping from branch to branch while following Peewee and Noibat. "So what exactly is this festival?" Doc asked the girls. "I've never heard of it before." "You probably wouldn't," Octavia replied, "It's not really an event that gets a lot of attention." "Don't know why, its awesome!" Vinyl added, "Tons of awesome games, awesome music and the fireworks at the end of the night are awesome!" "That's a lot of awesome." Flash chimed in with a chuckle. "And it does sound interesting," Twilight continued, "Though...what's the name of this city again?" "Vocanctus," Octavia replied. "It means holy voice." "What's with the whole voice thing?" Spike asked next, "Voice of the Ocean. Holy Voice. I don't get it." This caused the two girls to share a look before turning back to him. "You will. Once we get there, all will become clear." They then turned and said, "Speaking of which..." They ran off, the others following them up the path. They kept running for a good five minutes before reaching the edge of the forest, rushing out the trees to find themselves at the top of a cliff. And from here, they all got a great look at a city down below. The beauty and majesty of the sight was not lost on any of them, the calming sea breeze improving the experience. Octavia let out a chuckle as she pointed at the city, "Well my friends, welcome to Vocanctus." Meanwhile... On the ocean floor, a certain submarine was in almost the exact same position. Inside it was Guile Hideout, the man still sitting in his chair while staring at a screen. This time the screen showed images of a depressed looking girl with blue skin and hair, wearing a purple hoodie and blue jeans. A growl escaped his lips as he shut the screen off. "Nothing. It's been almost a year and she hasn't sung once." His chair spun around, causing him to look into the darkness of the sub. "Find her and bring her to me. If she will not sing willingly, I'll have to make her sing." Two figures stepped out of the darkness, both wearing armor that was covered in feathers and trim. One had black armor and trim while the other's armor was white. Instead of a helmet, their faces were covered by a glass mask you couldn't see through with large puffy feathers around the back of their heads. Beside the black figure was a Malamar while the white figure had a Cloyster beside them. "It will be done master," Black spoke with a feminine voice as they both bowed. Seconds later, Cloyster was covered in a white aura that quickly spread to the others, a flash of light coming next as the four then vanished. And as Guile was left alone, he turned back to the screens, now seeing a certain blurry image once again. "Soon." Chapter 2Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 3As soon as Flash walked through the waterfall, his whole body screamed at him, flinching as the freezing cold water slammed into him. The next thing he noticed was a light, seeing it to be a crystal torch which had a second one that was affixed to either side of the place. "A tunnel?" Flash whispered as he saw he was now in a rectangular tunnel that was hidden behind the waterfall, roughly eight feet in height and lit by the aforementioned torches. The light was incredibly bright, Flash now surprised that he couldn't seen them through the water. "Ri..." Flash turned to see Springer further down the tunnel. The teen careful walked over to him, now finding the Riolu standing at the top of a stone staircase. He saw it lead downward with the same torches lighting the way, unable to see the bottom as the staircase appeared to curve several hundred meters down. "What have I gotten myself into?" Flash sighed as he and Springer began to descend. The teen tried to count the steps as he climbed down, but lost count somewhere between a hundred and fifty and two hundred. Seeing that the staircase was built in a zigzag pattern, the duo weren't sure which direction they were always going as they went left and right repeatedly. And when they reached a straight tunnel, they saw it was devoid of the torches, as there was light seeping in through the exit of it tunnel several meters away. Springer ran ahead as Flash slowly followed behind, the two reaching the end soon before almost going blind by the light. As they did this, their eyes adjusted before going wide-eyed. They were in some kind of underground chamber that looked out of a fairy tail book. It was round and roughly half a mile in diameter, which half of it was filled with pools of varying sizes. Several large pillars came up from the floor, each having the same crystals that made up the torches from before. Large holes also adorned the walls, some expelling water while others just stood there. And the two of them weren't the only living things there, as many different Pokémon could be seen. Several kinds of Water-types were jumping in and out of the water, Flash noting most of them being Kelpool and Lokelpie, while small Flying-types like Zubat, Yanma and Noibat flew in from the holes on the ceiling. "Wow," was all Flash could say as the two of them made their way deeper into the chamber. "This place is... amazing." But as they stared, the two didn't notice they had been spotted by the Pokémon. The Water-types leapt into the pools while the flyers retreated into the tunnels. As this happened, a pair of eyes inside one of the pools glared at the intruders before swimming into a tunnel that connected that pool to another. Flash continued to look around in total awe at the sight, only for his eyes to fall on one of the pillars. Hiding behind it was the girl he had chased, though she had pulled her hood up. "Hey," he said as he started to move to her, only for Springer to suddenly sense something. "RI!" Springer leapt at his trainer and pushed him away from a nearby pool, seconds before something exploded out of it. "WHOA!" Flash yelped as he hit the ground, both him and Springer rolling to their feet. Then they saw what tried to hit him, which was a being currently wrapped in water and flying through the air, the cord of water curving through the air after missing the trainer. "What is that?!" Flash asked as he pushed himself to full height, only to see a pair of purple eyes glowing through the water along with a red light shining through it from further down. Their attacker then changed direction and dived into another pool, the two getting into fighting stances. But as Springer sense the presence of the enemy, the Riolu spun around before the pool behind them exploded. "RI!" Springer yelled, Flash turning to the approaching danger just in time for him and Springer to leap away. "Counter with Aura Sphere!" he commanded as Springer tried to fire an orb at the attacker, only for it go into another pool, "Shoot!" Flash growled as he got back up, "Be careful bud," He glanced at all the pools. "If these things are all connected..." They waited several seconds, both remaining on edge. Despite this, nothing seemed to happen. "Is it gone?" "Ri..." Springer muttered, only for both to hear a sound. The first word that came to mind was that it wasn't a random sound, It being too rhythmic to be anything but singing. Flash tried to listen, but all he could hear was the same 'ahhhhh' sound being played over and over in an almost hypnotic way. It was then that the pools of water around them exploded, the water flying into the air before curving around to shoot down at them. "GYAH!" Flash cried as he barely managed to jump back before one of the water blasts hit him, Springer doing the same while the singing continued. The music started to get louder as the two began to jump around, barely dodging the water until one attack hit Springer, "NO!" Flash yelled as his friend was sent flying, a water blast then hitting him as well. The two hit a pillar and slumped down with grunts of pain, the two clutching their heads as their attacker shot out of the pool, its body still covered in water. And as their senses returned to normal, they found the creature floating in place above them. It glared down at them for a few seconds before charging, Flash grabbing Springer in response as they both closed their eyes. "STOP!" a voice called out, the two flinching at the sound. They both opened their eyes next, now seeing the girl standing between between them and their attacker. The creature was again floating in midair while the girl stood firm with her arms out wide. "Enough..." she said sternly. "Please stop." It was here that the water exploded off the perpetrator, revealing itself to Flash and Springer. The being looked similar to the Kelpool and Lokelpie, but it was much bigger. The horse section of its body was light blue while its tail was dark blue, while its hooves were dark blue and the back of its legs had three dark blue spikes connected by light blue weeping. The same thing was on the side of its cheeks while on its back had four long curved spikes sticking out and were also connected by light blue weeping. On its forehead between it's ears were two dark blue antenna while embedded into its chest was a bright red gem that looked exactly like the one on the girl's necklace. Flash went wide-eyed at the sight, his mind suddenly flashing back to the many statues he had seen all around the city. "No way..." he whispered, "Sirenity." "Sai!" The Legendary growled at the girl. "You don't need to hurt them," she replied, "They're not here to hurt you." She glanced back at them, Flash unable to see her eyes because of the hood. "They're annoying, but they're not bad." She turned back to Sirenity, "They actually saved me before." Sirenity did a low hiss, the girl then stepping up and holding out her hand. "Trust me." "Ren..." it neighed before placing its snout into her hand, the girl patting it while scratching it under the chin. "Thank you." Sirenity pulled back and swam through the air before diving into another pool, Flash and Springer releasing a sigh of relief at the sight. "Thanks," Flash said as they picked themselves up, "You saved our butts." "You shouldn't be here," she instantly replied, her tone increasing in anger, "Leave and don't tell anyone about this place!" "But-" "Leave!" She turned away, doing a slight pant as she added, "Leave and...don't come back." She started to walk away next, making Flash yell, "Wait!" The girl stopped for a second, Flash then asking, "You know I can't just leave. No offense, but I need some answers. Who are you? What is this place and what was with those two weirdos that were trying to nab you before?" She remained silent for a few moments, only to let out a long sigh. "Alright." Flash watched as the girl removed her hood, revealing a blue ponytail as she turned to him. "My name is Sonata." The name instantly rang a bell, Flash now remembering back to the story Vinyl and Octavia had told him. "Wait...you're the priestess?" Sonata looked away, her mouth barely moving, "You know about that? Figures..." "I got told about it earlier," Flash replied, "And uh...I'm sorry about your sisters." The girl fully turned away from him, "Um...thanks." She moved over to a nearby rock, sitting down as she kept looking away. "Right..." Flash did a small gulp, unable to think of what to say next. He then felt Springer tug his leg, making him look down at the Riolu. Springer gave him a frown, Flash grimacing before looking back at the girl, "So...I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Flash Sentry and this is my partner, Springer." "Riolu!" She glanced back at them, "Nice to meet you two." "Same." Flash replied while doing a small nod, trying to form a smile on his face, "Now uh...do you just stay down here?" "I do." she responded before sighing, "I can be...alone here. Its something I need since...well, its been so hard since they vanished." "I'm sure it has." Flash added before hearing a splash. Turning to the noise, he saw Sirenity jump out of a nearby pool before moving over to a section of the chamber with several large rocks, the horse fish pulling itself onto the largest rock and laying out on it. "Is that really the Legendary Pokémon, Sirenity?" "Yup," Sonata nodded as Sirenity began to sing, "That's her alright." They watched as the other Pokémon came out of hiding, Sirenity's voice clearly putting them at ease. "This is where she slept all those centuries ago. But after she woke up, she made it the home for any Pokémon that don't feel safe in the outside world." She reached down and patted the head of a Poliwag that waddled over to them. "I guess that's why she brought me here." "She brought you here?" Flash asked as he sat down beside her as the Poliwag turned to Springer, motioning for him to follow. "In a way." Sonata sighed while leaning against the pillar behind them, "It happened about two weeks after...the incident." Her face scrunched at these words, her eyes squinting to hold back the tears, "I had just been released from the hospital after I was given the all clear. When I tried to sleep that night, I just...I just couldn't." She began to hug herself, "I just kept thinking back to that night and what I might have done differently." Flash slowly opened his mouth to respond, "You don't have to-" "That's when I heard it," she interrupted, "A voice, echoing through the night. It almost felt like it was calling me. I followed it through the city and eventually found the entrance to this chamber." She turned to legendary Pokémon, "That's when I met Sirenity." She got up and started to move through the cave, Flash following her as Springer continued to play with the other Pokémon. "Ever since then, I've come here whenever the world outside feels to overwhelming." She smiled as a Kelpool leapt out of a pool next to her, patting it on the head. "This place just makes me feel safe." "I get that," Flash added as he stared at the many Pokémon around them, all showing happy faces, "This place is amazing." He turned back to her. "So, what was with those two weirdos before? Did you know them?" Sonata shook her head. "No, I've never seen them before. But I'm willing to bet they wanted me to show them where to find Sirenity." Flash raised an eyebrow at this. "Every since Vocanctus was founded, there have been trainers coming here to try and capture Sirenity." "Seriously?" Sonata nodded back. "Yes. Many of them would come to the priestess and ask her where they could find it, but they would be turned away every time." "Well of course they are," Flash chimed in, "Isn't Sirenity the guardian of the city? It's the reason this place hasn't been wiped off the map by storms." "Exactly...but they didn't care. All they cared about was having a strong Pokémon they could use to become rich and famous." "That's terrible," Flash turned to the Legendary in question. "No wonder it attacked us." "Yes, and those trainers have almost ruined the festival." Flash glanced back at her, now seeing a huge frown on her face as she stared at the Pokémon, "Years ago, before I was born, the Voice of the Ocean Festival didn't end with fireworks. Instead, Sirenity would appear from out of the ocean and put on a performance, using her voice to make the water dance. But then one year, a group of trainers attacked Sirenity during the performance. They tried to capture her, but they failed. But ever since then, Sirenity's refused to show up during the festival." "Wow..." Flash sighed, "Talk about messed up. So it just stays here and hides away?" "Better then going out there and facing the evils of the world," Sonata replied as she walked over to the rock Sirenity sat on, "Out there, I'm all alone and have so many people looking to me to fulfil so many responsibilities. But I can't do it. Not without my sisters." She reached up and let her fingers dance across the necklace she wore. "But hiding from the world isn't gonna make the problems you have go away." Sonata turned to glare at him. "Don't get me wrong, I have no idea what you're going through. But you'll never be able to get over it if you just keep hiding away down here." He looked up at Sirenity, "Both of you are missing so much hiding down here." "And what's waiting for us up there?!" Sonata barked back, "My sisters are gone and everyone's expecting me to sing at the festival alone! I...I can't do that." She turned away, "Not...not without them." She folded her arms and stared down into one of the pools, silence taking the area. Flash opened his mouth, only to close it. His mind told him he had never suffered this kind of loss, his brain unable to come up with words. Instead, he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but pulled back at the last moment. "I'm sorry. I uh...I was rude. I shouldn't have pushed you there." He turned away, his feet shuffling as he started to make his way through the chamber, Sonata slowly turning back to him. She then felt something poking into her, the teen turning to see Sirenity staring at her. She sighed before looking back at Flash, "Hey." He glanced back, "Wanna see something cool?" Flash blinked at her, only to nod as she motioned him to come over to her. The teen hopped onto Sirenity's back next, Springer following her before she reached out her arm to Flash, "Come on." "Um...alright," Flash took her hand, both soon sitting atop the legendary as it pushed itself to full height on its front hooves. "Now what?" "Wait for it." Sirenity's crystal began to glow, radiating a light that began to surround them all. "Sai!" it yelled as it suddenly jumped up, floating and flying through the air like it was water. "Whoa!" Flash yelped as he and Springer started to tighten their grip on the Pokémon, "Awesome..." "You haven't seen anything yet," Sonata giggle as Sirenity shifted midair before diving down. It went right into the pool, Flash gasping as he and Springer took a deep breath as the legendary dived underwater. And as the water consumed them, a certain little Surskit walked out of the shadow of one of the pillars, its camera recording everything as Guile and his subordinates commented on the scene, "So, this is where it was hiding out." "Looks a little damp for my taste," White chimed in, "So what now? Want us to head down there and capture it?" "No." Guile instantly replied, "Without the song, we have no way of controlling it and I know a Pokeball won't work. But at least now we have a way of getting to it." "You think this is where she's been going to sing?" Black asked. "Maybe. It's very possible. I'm gonna need you to sneak a camera down there when nobody's looking. We're running out of time and we need to get a sample of her voice." The two nodded and headed out of the room as Guile continued to watch the screen. But to his surprise, Sirenity and the teens did not emerge from the water. "Where did you go this time?" As soon as they hit the water, Flash knew he wouldn't be able to hold his breath very long. The speed Sirenity was swimming made it almost impossible to keep his lungs filled. He almost instantly needed to take a breath, making his cheeks glow red as they started to puff out. Springer was doing the same, both watching Sirenity swim down a deep tunnel like a torpedo, the sight making them worried as they kept going further. That is, till Flash saw Sonata wasn't holding her breath. He blinked at her, confusion on his face as he saw her turn to him and giggle, "You can breath in, you know. Sirenity will protect you." Flash's cheeks kept puffing as he heard this, only to see Springer take a deep breath. "Riolu!" He cheered as he started breathing normally. Trusting his partner, Flash opened his mouth and took a deep breath. And when he did, he didn't feel the water enter his mouth. Nothing but pure, yet salty, air filled his lungs, making him whisper, "Wow..." Not having to worry about drowning, Flash found himself able to enjoy their trip as they winded through a barrage of tunnels. And when they reached an exit, the teen's eyes went wide as he saw they were now at the bottom of the ocean. The sight made him gasp the loudest gasp he could do. In front of him was vast fields of seaweed, large underwater sea-stacks that multiple Pokémon had built their homes into and around. And the amount of Pokémon astounded him. Schools of Remoraid, smacks of Tentacool and a troubling of Goldeen. A small tribe of Feebas swam by next, a Milotic going over them while a few Horsea danced behind the eel. This was followed by some Finneon and Lumineon, all swimming in unison as a lone Luvdisc tried to keep up with them. There was even a consortium of Krabby and Kingler scurrying along the seabed with a Buizel lazily floating over the group. "Amazing," Flash whispered, his eyes unable to stay on one thing. It was here that he felt Sonata let go of Sirenity, motioning him to follow. Flash and Springer followed her lead and let go as Sirenity swam away, the trio chasing it as it began to swim up to a large coral reef. There they saw a valley filled with multiple Corsola and Reefincer living on one side while a few Mareanie and Toxapex shifted over the other side of the reef. Flash and Springer kept their wide-eyed expressions as Sonata swam up to them and pointed up to Sirenity. Looking up, they saw the Legendary swim through the water as a bunch of Kelpool and Lokelpie swam up to it and got in a formation. Sirenity then began to sing a beautiful medley beneath the seas, the others horse fish beginning to swim around to the tune. The teen and his Riolu gasped as they saw the Pokémon swim around, performing what could only be called an underwater ballet that was in perfect sync with Sirenity's music. It was almost...magical how they danced, span, swayed and whatnot, Sirenity's voice just as majestic considering they were underwater. Slowly, more and more Water-types started dancing to the music, the show seeming to go on for hours until Sirenity stopped singing and Water-types swam away. Sirenity then swam down and motioned for them to grab on. They did so and were pulled back up to the surface, exploding out of the water and soaring through the air before they hit the sea again. The two saw the temple island in the distance, only for Sirenity to nosedive for the place. Before long, they were behind the building, Sirenity letting them off a small stack of rocks before diving back into the sea. "That...was incredible." Flash gasped, slumping down on one of the rocks. And as he sat down, he looked at himself and saw he wasn't even wet, almost like Sirenity had shielded him from the water. "Ri, ri, ri!" Springer cheered. Sonata giggled at their reaction. "I know, right?" She looked back at the ocean and watched as Sirenity and the other seahorse Pokémon dived up and out of the water a good distance away. "I remember the first time Sirenity brought me out here." She once again hugged her body. "It was amazing, but I..." "You wished your sisters could be there with to enjoy it with you?" Flash asked, Sonata nodding in return. "I'm sorry." "It's just...hard, you know." She then reached up and clutched the necklace she was wearing. Flash saw this, remembering her doing it and asking, "Is that something you got from them?" Sonata looked down at her necklace before shaking her head. "No. Our mom gave us each one when we were little. It's all we have to remember her by." Flash opened his mouth to ask, only for the girl to sigh as she continued, "When we were six, she got really sick and...I don't really remember her that well, but I do remember she was always kind and always found time for all three of us, even with the responsibilities of the priestess." "What about your dad?" Sonata just shrugged. "Never met him. He bailed before we were born. He was a trainer who showed up for the festival and met my mom, then left before finding out she was pregnant. I started life with two sisters and a mom...but now I'm all alone, with only my necklace to remember them by." Flash showed a huge frown on his face, his mind trying to form words. But when none came, he got up and placed a hand on her shoulder, the girl looking back at him as he began to speak from his heart. "Sonata....I have no idea what you're going through. I don't have any siblings." Sonata just blinked at him, only to see Flash reached down and scratch Springer's head. "But I know that if anything ever happened to Springer, or my other Pokémon, I'd be devastated." He bit his lip at his next words, seeing the frown growing on her face as he continued, "But...well...I also think that if something like that ever happened to me and I left those I care about behind, the last thing I'd want is for them to waste the rest of their lives crying over me." Sonata's eyes went wide at his words, her mouth opening to respond...only for nothing to come out. Instead, Flash continued to speak, "Your sisters loved you, right?" The girl did a weak nod. She knew they might not have easily shown it, but Adagio and Aria did love her. "Well then, if they were here right now, seeing what you were doing, what do you think they would say?" The girl looked away at this, closing her eyes as the image of her sisters suddenly appearing behind her. Her imagination took hold, and she suddenly clutched her head like something had just slammed into it. "Aria...Aria would have hit me over the head for being such a crybaby." Flash laughed at this as Sonata followed suit, "And Adagio would have mocked me for not being able to do anything on my own." Despite laughing, Flash couldn't tell if this girl had had a really good relationship with her sisters, or a really bad one. Instead, the teen stopped chuckling as Sonata continued, "The fact is, she's right." Flash saw the girl open her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes as she said, "Ever since I could remember, it was always the three of us. We did everything together. We played together, did chores together, hung out together and...sang together. That's how it always was. But now...now they're gone and I'm all alone. I'm not even sure if I'm capable of doing things on my own." "Sure you are," Flash instantly replied, patting her shoulder, "You just need more confidence." "But-" "Sonata, if there's one thing I learned about being a trainer, its that no one can do everything alone. We always need someone else to help us. The story of this place said the first priestess didn't stop the war alone, she needed the help of the warrior." He pointed to himself, "I want to be the strongest trainer ever, but without my Pokémon...heh, that dream wouldn't even come close to coming true." "Ri!" Riolu chimed in, nodding. He increased his grip on her shoulder, the girl fully staring at him as he shined a big grin, "Besides, even if your sisters aren't here, you're not alone. You have Sirenity and all the people of the city standing behind you, willing to give you their support." Sonata's face tried to form a smile, her hand wiping away a tear as she tried speak, "Thank you....but it's still gonna be hard to sing tomorrow in front of the whole city. I mean, what if I mess up? What if the song isn't great? What if..." "Honestly, who's gonna know?" Flash interrupted, making Sonata go wide eyed as he stared at her, "I heard your family is the only one that actually knows how to speak the language you sing in. That means no one will know if you mess up. Heck, you could sing an old TV theme song and no one would know." Sonata laughed at this. "And even if you mess up, I doubt Sirenity cares. She's clearly your friend, and I don't think she would destroy a whole city just because you messed up a song." Flash's words began to take root in Sonata's mind as she slowly replied, "Yeah...I guess that's true. It might not matter if I mess up or not." Flash let out a chuckle at this and nodded. "Just give it your best shot and you'll do fine." Sonata nodded back, "Besides, if you're really feeling nervous, I don't mind being there to show moral support." A smile began to show on her face as he continued, "And I know my friends will be just as happy to help once you get to know them." "I...I'd like that." "Good. Now come on, stop crying and show a big old smile!" And as the two continued to enjoy themselves and talk, a certain camera on the back of the temple pointed down at them. "There you are," Guile chuckled as he stared at the screen, watching the two now laughing. "That's it. Make her happy boy. Help her overcome her loss. Make her want to sing, and give me the key I need to achieve everything I want." It was here that he saw Sirenity return to them before the three grabbed on and was pulled back under the water. "Excellent. This'll be my chance. I can't afford to miss a second." He pressed a button. "Surskit, they're coming. Be ready to follow them and don't let the girl out of your sight." "Surs!" By the time Flash, Springer and Sonata got back to the chamber and made their way to the top of the stairs leading to the exit, the sun was beginning to set as they walked through the waterfall. Now that he wasn't chasing or being chased through the city, Flash had now truly got a chance to really look around and take in the scenery of the city. "This has gotta be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been too," he told her as they walked up some stairs. Sonata sighed and shook her head, "Trust me, it get old after a while." Flash turned to her with a raised eyebrow, "You alright?" "Yeah..." Sonata replied while nodding, "I was just...remembering something Adagio said last year. She and Aria were so desperate to leave this place." She turned to look up at the cliff overlooking their city, which had the rest of the region behind it just waiting to be explored. "They wanted to see what was really out there. To not have to spend every day of their lives in this city, constantly preparing for the festival. I...I guess they'll never get to know now." Flash placed a hand on her shoulder again, "You could still find out." Sonata just stared at the ground as she responded, "I'm...not sure. I mean, I have a responsibility to the festival." "The festival's one day a year," he reminded her. "Two actually. The first day starts tomorrow, and the second day is when I'm meant to sing." "Alright, two days. That just leaves..." Flash stopped for a second, "Three hundred and...sixty...two?" Sonata let out a small giggle as she saw steam come out of the teen's head, "Close enough." "Anyways, you've got a whole year to explore and be back in time for the festival." The girl gasped at his suggestion, "But...but to travel around the region, all on my own-" "Who says you'd have to travel on your own? I'm sure there are others who would love to have you join them. Do you know Octavia and Vinyl?" Sonata did a small nod back, "We went to school together." "I'm sure they'd be happy to have you along with them. And you wouldn't have to worry about them stopping their journey for you to come back because they'd probably want to do the same thing." Sonata blinked at his words, trying to respond before leaning down and giving Springer a pat on the head. "Do you think...I might be able to travel with you and your friends?" This made Flash raise both eyebrows, only to smirk and nod, "Sure. We'd love to have you along. The more the merrier, I always say." "Ri!" Springer added. "Thanks..." she replied as she looked away again, "I...I'll think about it. Though I don't even know if I'd be allowed to leave the city. If the mayor says no-" "What gives him the right to tell you what you can and can't do?" Flash interrupted, "It's your life, so you should have a say in what happens in it." Sonata looked back at him, Flash shining a big confident at his next words, "Come on Sonata, I'm sure the first priestess wouldn't want to know her descendants felt trapped because of her. If she and your sisters were here, what do you think they'd say?" "They...they would probably say to stop being such a wuss and do what I want to do. At least my sisters would. I have no idea what the first priestess would say." Flash chuckled at her response, Sonata now doing a small nod, "But...I think you're right. It is my life, and I don't want to spend every moment of it in one place." Flash and Springer smiled at these words, only for Sonata to come to a stop. She pointed at what Flash considered to be one of the largest houses in the city, which they were now standing in front of, "This is it." "Wow," Flash gasped, "You live here? All on your own?" Sonata nodded. "It's been in my family for generations. Now that I'm the last member of it...I'm all alone in it." Flash turned to her. "If you do decide to stay here, maybe think about getting someplace a bit smaller. The house looks nice, but this big? Its got to be lonely." "It is." Sonata sighed before going up to the door and turning back to the two boys. "Thanks for walking me home." "No problem," Flash saluted. "Oh, and if those two weirdos show up again, call the Pokémon Center and I'll be here as soon as I can." Sonata smiled and nodded, about to head inside. "Sonata." She stopped and glanced back at him, "Wanna hang out at the festival tomorrow?" She went wide-eyed at his words, the teen seeing a semi-smile on her face, "You could meet my friends and we're bound to have a blast. What do you say?" Sonata's smile fully formed as she nodded, "I'd love too." "Sweet! Though uh...where would you wanna meet?" "The festival always starts with the mayor giving a big speech in the town square. See you there?" "Got it," Flash gave another salute, Springer doing the same as Sonata went into her house. But as they turned to leave, Flash looked down at his Pokémon as a thought entered his head, "I forgot to ask for directions. Any idea how we get to the Pokémon Center?" Springer just shrugged, the two's heads dropping as they sighed. Once inside the large house, Sonata sighed as she began making her way through the building. She passed by both her sister's rooms, which had been left untouched since the incident, arriving at hers as she walked over to her bed and flopped down on it. The girl didn't bother to change, groaning as she laid there for a few minutes. And as she did this, she turned over, her eyes dropping on her bedside desk, its drawer now on full focus in her eyes. After about a minute of staring, she reached out and opened the drawer, pulling out an old notebook. Written on the pages was a song she had written when she was much younger, written in the language only she knew. She had written it for a previous festival, but never got the chance to use it since Adagio had always been the song writer. The girl sighed at the notes, remembering when she had first hidden the sheet away. And as she continued to stare at the book, she was completely oblivious to the Surskit staring at her through the window. The next day... The city was abuzz with activity as the festival was about to start. The many vendors were ready to start selling and the games were still putting up the prizes that could be won. Many musical acts were also preparing themselves for their time to shine, the festival looking ready to be one of the best ones ever. Flash and his friend all marveled at the sights around them as they made their way over to the main square, soon seeing both Octavia and Vinyl just a ways off. "Hey guys!" The shades wearing girl called out, "Ready for the best festival ever?!" "You bet!" Spike cheered before they heard a yawn coming from Flash, everyone turning to him. "Flash! No yawning! It's your own fault you're so tired," Twilight growled and pointed at him, "If you hadn't wondered off and got lost, you would have gotten back to the Center in time to have a proper night's sleep." "Yeah yeah...I know." Flash mumbled as he rolled his eyes. But as he fought back a second yawn, he felt Springer tug at his jeans, making him look down. The Riolu was pointing at the crowd, Flash following his paw to see Sonata at the edge of the street, wearing her hoodie again but now had a skirt on instead of jeans. "Hey!" He yelled, the others watching him wave at her. "We're over here!" The girl slowly walked over, her hood slightly tugged over her head as she smiled at the sight of Flash. Flash's friends all stared at the girl, only for Octavia to speak up, "Oh, hello Sonata. It's good to see you." "Sames," Sonata replied. "It's great you decided to come," Vinyl added, "I'm sure your sisters would want that." Sonata nodded back. "Thanks. I know they wouldn't want me to be mopping about like I was." She then turned to Twilight and the others, "Um...nice to meet you. Are you Flash's friends?" "We are," Twilight replied while nodding, "I'm Twilight Sparkle." "I'm Spike," the youngster cheered. "And this is Peewee." "Terra!" "And you can call me Doc." Sonata nodded, about to reply before the group heard a static like sound. Turning to the stage, they saw it was from a microphone as a pair of women walked up. The older one was middle-aged, with light pink skin and hair that phased from light to dark purple. She was wearing a dress that matched her hair color, along with a pair of light blue fingerless evening gloves that went all the way up to her shoulder. Meanwhile, the younger of the two was a teenager with yellow skin with light blue hair. She wore a pink beach vest and pink shorts, along with a pair of blue fingerless gloves. "Who's that?" Spike asked. "Novo, the mayor of Vocanctus and her daughter, Skystar." Novo stepped up and smiled at the large crowd. "Hello darlings. So nice to see so many people are here to celebrate our town's heritage." The crowd cheered at this, the woman pausing for a brief second before starting again. "Welcome to the Voice of the Ocean Festival. I do hope it'll be the best one yet." The crowd cheered again, this time Novo raising a hand to quiet them down. "But let us not just treat this as a day to have fun. It is also a day to give thanks to those who risked themselves to stop the war so long ago. To give thanks for Sirenity, who protects these lands, and of course, thanks and remembrance to those not here when they should be." Sonata did a big gulp at these words, knowing where this was going. "One year ago, an accident took the lives of two amazing young girls. It was horrible and pointless. Survived only by their sister, it would be wrong to simply continue the festival without remembering them and their efforts as priestesses." The crowd all nodded, those who had spotted Sonata earlier turning to give her their sympathy. "But let us not simply mourn them. Instead, let's celebrate the life they lived and try to make up for the life they didn't get to enjoy." The crowd all cheered in agreement, Sonata feeling Flash pat her shoulder again as she turned to him, seeing him nod. And as they looked back at the mayor, she spoke up and said, "So, without further ado, let the Voice of the Ocean Festival...BEGIN!" Author's Note Well, Flash officially meets Sonata and gets to see Sirenity in person. So how are things gonna go from here? Chapter 4To say everyone at the festival was excited was an understatement. As Flash and his friends travelled throughout the town, smiles and laughter filling the streets as they saw the many games and stands they could enjoy. "Incredible. There's so much here." Twilight commented as she saw a bunch of kids play a water gun game using water pistols shaped like Water-type starters. Beside it were several clowns handing out balloons shaped like Sirenity while a nearby stage was filled with musicians. "Hey guys!" the others turned to Flash, "Why should we be the only ones to have any fun?" Cue This Side of Paradise. He took out his Pokeballs and threw them into the air, unleashing Skyler, Riptide, Prongs, Viper and Hopper. The five all let out cries of joy as they appeared, the others smiling before pulling out their Pokeballs. "Come on out guys!" Twilight cheered as she threw her Pokeballs, Shine and Owlicious appearing. "It's party time!" Doc added, letting out Higear, Tockwork and Flitanium. The Pokémon all cheered, Vinyl and Octavia seeing this and brought out Noibat and Kricketune. The trainers and their Pokémon quickly all grabbed some food from different stands, scoffing them down as they started to venture into the festival. They first ran into cardboard cut-outs of famous Pokémon with holes instead of the heads, Flash and Springer doing it while Twilight and Doc took pictures. Laughing at the sight, Flash pulled Twilight into another cut-out, Shine joining her as she growled at the trainer. This was followed by Flash and Twilight needing to be pulled away from a ring toss game, mainly due to the anger and rage that was happening between the two over constant failure. While this was happening, Hopper used Iron Tail on a Test Your Strength as Shine used her psychic abilities to control the dart balloon popping game. Springer and Riptide played a maze ball game, Riptide using his Water Gun to push the ball away from any holes. As for Peewee, Skyler, Owlicious and Noibat, they were playing a Ball in a Cup game, all using their wings to blow the ball away from the undesirable cups. Once they had been shooed away from the games section for quote/unquote 'cheating', they headed over to an arcade. Everyone quickly rushed over to a game, Flash playing Sonic the Sandslash, Spike trying Munchlax-Man several times, but unable to get past the first level since the Ghastly kept getting him. Even Sonata got in on the fun, thrashing all challengers on a Ludicolo dancing game she was a master at. After that, they headed over to a more open section of the city where a bunch of carnival rides had been set up. They and their Pokémon got to ride a bunch of roller-coasters, almost hurling after riding a waltzer. The group split into twos after this so they could ride a Tentacruel styled octopus ride before almost getting whiplash while riding a Miami Trip. There was even a small obstacle course they could enjoy, Flash constantly being challenged by his Pokémon to try and beat him. Afterwards, Octavia announced her time on the stage was coming up. The group nodded back, all going over to the place so they could enjoy an hour of Octavia's beautiful cello music, improved greatly with Kricketune providing the some extra symphony with its arms. The many music lovers of the group were ecstatic by the performance, even with the ones that didn't really get classical music like Flash, Spike and even Vinyl. Despite this, they knew they were listening to something great. "YEAH! GO OCTAVIA!" Vinyl yelled above everyone else as Octavia finished her final song, the rest of the crowd letting out their own applause. As they did, Sonata looked around at all the smiling faces, unable to keep back a grin on her own face. The sight made her remember the speech Mayor Novo had made earlier, the looks on everyone's face showing they still remembered her sisters. They weren't just having fun for themselves, but for the two girls who couldn't be there. "I see..." She reached up and ran her hand over her necklace. "Adagio, Aria, I hope you're watching me." The girl then reached into her jacket and felt the book hidden within it. "I'm gonna live, and not just for myself. I'm gonna live enough of a life for all three of us together. So if you're watching, please wish me luck." Meanwhile... "Looks like somebody's happy." White commented as they watched the screens. "That's good," Black added, "If she's happy, that means there's more chance she'll sing and give us what we need." "Exactly." The two turned to see Guile walk into the room, adjusting his helmet with a slight pull, "And the more likely she is to sing, the easier it'll be for us." Black got out of the seat and let him sit down, watching as the group left the stage area. He also saw the happy smile on Sonata's face, making him grit his teeth under the helmet. "Yes...I'm so close now. Come on, sing for me." The group had grabbed a full lunch now, all sitting in a nearby square where the noise of the festival wouldn't drown out their voices as they spoke and ate. "That last song was really amazing," Twilight said first as they sat on several benches while the Pokémon sat on the floor. "Thank you," Octavia replied with a long nod, "I've been working on it longer then any of my other songs. I first came up with it in the first week of our journey." Vinyl giggled at this, "HA! Oh, I remember that! We got lost between towns and couldn't find the Pokémon Center. Octavia was totally flipping out because we had to camp out of the first time." Everyone laughed while Octavia shot her a glare. "Yes, well I had a hard time sleeping because of it. That's when I heard it. The forest Pokémon began to sing a song I had never heard of, one so majestic and radiant that I absolutely had to write it down. After that, it was just a matter of shifting the music so I could reconstruct it on a cello." "Well I think it came out perfect," Sonata assured her while the others nodded. "Thank you darling. I'm happy all my hard work was appreciated." It was at this moment that she finished her food, slowly glancing up at the sky next, "You know, that's when I realized the world of Pokémon is filled with inspiration if you're looking in the right place." "I couldn't agree more," Doc added, "Since travelling with Flash and the others, I've learnt so much more then what I would have if I'd stayed home." The others nodded in agreement, Twilight doing a small sigh as Shine jumped in her lap, "Sometimes I miss home...but I wouldn't trade my adventures for all the books I had at home." Everyone else chuckled at her statement, Sonata shining a huge smile at this. She then unzipped her jacket and took it off, everyone turning to see her wearing a purple leather jacket under her other one. As she took it off, she pulled her notebook out and held it close. And before anyone could ask, she spoke up, "I've been thinking about something my sisters wanted to do before they...you know. They wanted to go out and see the world, just like all of you." They all exchanged glances before nodding back, "I...I think that's something I want to do too. I want to go out and see the world beyond Vocanctus. And who knows, maybe I'll get inspired like Octavia was." "I'm sure you will," Octavia assured her. "But can you really leave the city?" "Yeah," Vinyl added, "What about your priestess role?" Sonata shook her head. "Flash told me something yesterday, he said my ancestor wouldn't have wanted the role she gave our family to trap us here. And I...I think he's right. I want to go on a journey and come back next year, with songs inspired by the world I've seen." She turned to Flash, "Is the offer still open to let me come?" Flash nodded back with a big grin before turning to the others, "You guys okay with another travel partner?" Twilight shined a wide smile, "I always love having another girl in the group. And maybe you can tell me more about the history of Vocanctus." "I don't mind," Spike added while giving her a thumbs up. "Just wait, travelling with us is awesome." "Welcome aboard," Doc finished with a small nod. "Thanks. I'm gonna talk to Mayor Novo about it after the festival is over. No matter what she says, I'm going on a journey of my own." With that, she sat back, letting out a long sigh of relief. She realized she hadn't had this much fun in over a year, now remembering all the good days of having fun. And as she reached the very peak of being relaxed, she did something none of her friends expected. She began to sing. Everyone turned to her in surprise as her voice sent out wave after wave of the rhythmic chanting, the soothing melody sung using the mysterious language only Sonata understood. Unbeknownst to any of them, they were listening to the song in Sonata's notebook, the melody she would be singing tomorrow for the closing act of the festival. They dare not speak or make any sound, not wanting to miss a single second of the song. The Pokémon were even quiet, most closing their eyes as the song flew through their bodies and calmed them. The melody was something of true beauty. But as this happened, a certain little Surskit watched the girl with a certain determined glare. "Yes," Guile exclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes!" He began typing away at the computer, recording software appearing on almost every screen. The sound, the pitch, the rhythm of every note now appearing on each screen. "That's it my dear, sing! Sing to your heart's content!" His fingers bashed the keyboard as the computer continued to record everything, decoding every single note. And as Sonata began to wrap up her song, he looked up with a big grin under his helmet. "Finally...after all that waiting." Guile chuckled, "With this, Sirenity will be mine!" "So what now?" Black asked him as she and White stepped into the room. "Simple. Now that I've analyzed her voice, I can use this system to simulate it and make it be like she's singing the song I want. Now all I need is her." "Then let's go get her," White chimed in. "Yes, let's." Guile replied while standing up, drawing his sword while pulling out a Pokeball. "And this time, nothing will stop me." Back with the others... Sonata's song had come to an end, everyone clapping as Octavia said, "That was amazing! It has to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard!" "And that language was so mysterious," Twilight added, "I wish I could learn it." Sonata smiled back while shaking her head, "I'm afraid the only people allowed to know that song is our members of my family. As the last surviving member, I'll have to teach it to the next generation." She then gave a coy smile, "The only ones getting to learn it will be my kids and their father." Only Springer noticed the girl's eyes shift to glance at Flash as she said that, quickly looking away before she was caught. "That's a shame," Twilight sighed. "It's probably for the best," Octavia chimed in, "Imagine if some scrupulous individual learned it. They could craft a song that might take control of Sirenity and use it for evil." "That's why it's safe in the priestesses hands only," Vinyl responded while shooting a finger gun at Sonata. "With you, even if the song falls into a bad guy's hands, you'll be able to stop Sirenity." Sonata blushed at that, "Yeah...no pressure there." Everyone laughed at that. But as she said this, a bright light suddenly caught their eyes, making them turn to see the light filling the area between them and the exit leading out to the festival. That light quickly faded, letting them see four figures inside, two humanoid while the other two were shapes Flash, Springer and Sonata all recognized. "Not you guys again," Flash growled as he got up, the light fading to reveal Black, White and their Pokémon. "Hello again," Black replied as Malamar and Cloyster moved in front of them. "I'm sure you know why we're here." Sonata's eyes shrunk at this, only to see Flash walk in front of her, "If you want Sonata, you've gotta go through me." "Riolu!" Springer added as he and the rest of Flash's Pokémon walked up, the others blinking at the sight. "Flash, are those two-" Twilight asked, getting a quick nod from Flash. No more words needed now, the girl along with Doc and Spike hopping off their seats as their Pokémon gathered around Sonata. "Uh...does someone wanna fill me in?" Vinyl chimed in next, Octavia nodding in agreement. "Yes! What on earth is going on?!" "Those two want to kidnap me," Sonata replied while pointing at them, "They attacked me yesterday, but Flash saved me." "And lover boy won't have as much luck as he did last time," White growled. "Oh yeah?" Flash barked back, "Because last time I was on my own and I did alright. Now all my friends are here with me," They all got into a battle stance. "I have to say I like my odds." "Really?" Black chuckled, "Then why don't we worsen those odds. Malamar!" The floating squid flew in front of them before the lights on its chest lit up. Twilight gasped, "Don't look into the lights!" The humans all closed their eyes, along with several Pokémon, but some of them didn't react in time, the group now hearing the sound of bodies slumping to the ground. When the light faded, they opened their eyes to see Peewee, Prongs, Hopper and Shine on the ground. Noibat and Kricketune had also been hit, both falling as well. "Not good," Flash grumbled before glaring at their armored adversaries. "Don't think that scares us! Let's go guys!" "RI!" Springer roared as he charged, Riptide, Viper Higear and Tockwork following as Skyler, Owlicious and Flitanium took to the air. "Cloyster!" The clamp Pokémon leapt forward, "Icicle Spear!" "Cloy!" It yelled as icicles shot out of its body, firing in several directions as it knocked its opponents back, allowing Malamar to attack. "Psycho Cutter!" The squid raised its large tentacles and swung them around, unleashing multiple pink crescent-like blades of energy. "RI/TOCK/CARRR!" Springer, Tockwork and Viper cried out as they were blasted back, the others dodging the attack. "Guys!" Flash yelled, Twilight turning to him. "Flash, you have to get Sonata out of here." He raised both eyebrows at this, "Get her back to the festival and tell the mayor or someone what's happening. We're all witnesses. There's no way she won't believe us." Flash sighed but nodded, "Alright." He grabbed Sonata's hand, "come on." He pulled her next, both running to the exit of the square, Black frowning under her helmet. "Oh no you don't," she pointed at them. "Malamar!" "MALAMAR!" The psychic squid roared as it leapt up and unleashed another Psycho Cutter, hitting the building above the two. An explosion followed this, knocking Flash and Sonata off their feet. Pain surged through their bodies, Sonata not noticing her necklace fly off her as she fell. And before she could notice, Flash picked himself up and grabbed her. "Hurry!" He pulled her up and ran, Springer now getting up while shaking his head. "Springer!" he turned to Twilight, "Go with him, just in case. We'll handle things here!" Springer nodded and ran after the two, "Owlicious, Mind Force!" "Owl!" Owlicious glowed blue before beating its wings, the light shining as it went after their opponents. "Protect!" Cloyster jumped in front of Black and Whire, surrounding them in a blue energy orb. The Mind Force was then negated, hitting the barrier before morphing into a shockwave. And while the Cloyster and girls were safe, the shockwave hit the sleeping Pokémon, causing them all to wake up. "Terra/Nee/Rush/Leaf/Gear/Noy/Tune?" The six yelped as they started to pick themselves up, now seeing their friends in the heat of a battle. As this happened, Spike saw they were getting up and yelled, "Guys! Use Dragon Breath along with Flamethrower and Energy Ball!" Peewee, Viper and Prongs turned to Malamar, all unleashing their attacks as the squid countered by opening its beak. "Flamethrower!" Black ordered, the squid unleashing a stream of fire that matched the three's attack. "Spike Cannon!" White told Cloyster, another barrage of missiles now coming out of its shell. "Steel Wing!" Doc ordered, both Skyler and Flitanium beginning to deflect the spikes. Shine then galloped ahead, preparing the attack Twilight was about to call. But before she could fire, Cloyster teleported away and put her in line with Malamar. "Psybeam!" Twilight ordered before Shine unleashed her psychic blast, hitting Malamar head-on, only for the evil squid to seem like it wasn't phased by the attack. "Zap Cannon!" Doc yelled, Tockwork firing a sphere of electrical energy at Malamar next. "Night Slash!" The tips of Malamar's large tentacles glowed before it spun like a top, cutting the Zap Cannon in half before hitting Tockwork head on. "Tock!" It cried as it was sent flying back, Kricketune and Noibat running past it as it fell over. "Use X-Scissor!" Octavia told Kricketune, whose bladed hands started to glow. "Air Slash!" Noibat beat its wings, a volley of wind blades now striking Malamar, stopping it from spinning. This left it open for Kricketune to slash at it with X-Scissor. But as this hit, Malamar seemed barely phased by this attack as Black gave her next order. "Flamethrower!" Malamar unleashed another burst of fire, hitting Kricketune head on. "Kricketune!" Octavia cried as her Pokémon staggered back, Hopper running past the bug while charging at Cloyster at high speed. "Iron Tail!" Spike yelled as the Velocirush spun around, his tail glowing. "Protect!" Cloyster was once again sealed within an orb of blue energy, Hopper's attack bouncing off it. "Mystical Fire!" The Galarian Ponyta unleashed a surge of fire from its horn, hitting the side of Cloyster's shell seconds after its Protect vanished. Cloyster didn't notice the flames, only for the increasing heat started to make it turn into a steamed clam. "Teleport!" It suddenly vanished out of the flame's path and appear above Shine, falling as it tried to crush the ponyta. But as it did this, Skyler flew down and grabbed Shine before it could land. Twilight ran over to her Pokémon, looking her over before glaring at the armored girls and their Pokémon. "They're good. Really good." "Yeah..." Doc added, "Even against all of us, they're holding their own." "So what do we do?" Spike asked next. "Keep fighting," Twilight replied, "And hopefully, Flash will be back soon and with some reinforcements." At the same time... Flash, Springer and Sonata were still running through the streets, the trio soon coming to a stop at a large deserted street, with one of the wider and deeper of the city's canals beside them. "Alright, this should be far enough away." He turned to Sonata, "Can you get us to the square from here?" Sonata nodded back, "Yeah, shouldn't be too hard." "Good. As long as the route doesn't take us close to where we just were, those two shouldn't be able to find us." Sonata nodded again before frowning back, making Flash ask, "What's wrong?" "I'm sorry Flash. It's because of me that you and your friends are put in danger." Flash smiled and shook his head before placing a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't your fault. You didn't ask to be the priestess, so stuff that happens because of it isn't your fault. And even if it wasn't you, it'd be somebody else. I would do this no matter who it was that needs help." Sonata blinked at this, a tinge of red appearing on her face before she replied, "You're right. Thanks Flash." As she said this, she instinctively reached up to her neck, only to gasp, "Huh?!" She glanced down, now seeing her neck was bare, "My necklace! Its gone!" The girl's eyes went wide, "Wha-where is it?!" Flash and Springer looked around, seeing if it'd fallen nearby. But as they did, a new sound caught their attention. Loud, heavy footsteps. They echoed through the street, getting louder with each stomp on the ground. "What the-" Was all Flash could say as Springer began to reach out and sense the owner of the footsteps. "Riolu!" He spun around and pointed at a nearby street, Flash and Sonata following his gaze. "Another one?" Flash asked as an armored figure walking up, a sword strapped to his hip. The knight came to a stop several feet away, his attention squarely focused on Sonata. "Ah...it's nice to finally meet you after all this time." "Who...who are you?" Sonata asked as Flash and Springer stepped in front of her. "Of course. Allow me to introduce myself." He drew his sword, "My name is Guile Hideout. And you, young priestess, will be coming with me." "She's not going anywhere with you," Flash growled back, Springer nodding in agreement. "Are you working with those other two?" "Of course I'm not working with them," Guile spat, "They work for me. Now, step aside before you get hurt." "I don't think so," Flash replied while pumping his fists, "You ready to take this creep down Springer?" "Ri!" Springer responded, getting into a battle stance. "Typical! There's always some wannabe hero." Guile sighed before snapping his fingers. A metallic sound rang out from his digits, his Surskit suddenly jumping down from a nearby rooftop. "Don't say I didn't warn you brat!" With that, Surskit charged at the duo, skating along the ground like it was a covered in ice. "Bubblebeam!" Surskit leapt up next, pointing its antenna at Springer while unleashing a stream of bubbles. "Dodge it!" Flash ordered before Springer sidestepped the attack, the bubbles now drenching the ground. "Extreme Speed!" With that, Springer's speed tripled as blue lightning began to spark off him. And as Surskit landed, Springer began to circle around him before unleashing a powerful kick right to its face. "SKIT!" It cried out as it was thrown back, Guile managing to catch it in his hands and see it was seriously injured by that one attack. "Ha!" Flash cheered, "This'll be easier then I thought!" Guile growled before placing Surskit on his shoulder and holding up his sword. "Don't get cocky kid. You may be able to beat Surskit alone, but against us both, you don't stand a chance." Flash and Sonata both raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" His answer soon came as Guile ran up with his sword, now holding it in a pre-slashing gesture. "What the-Aura Sphere!" Springer quickly formed the blue orb and fired it, the knight stopping his in tracks before placing the sword in front of him. The Aura Sphere hit the blade...only to reflect right off and hit its creator. "Ri?!" Was all Springer could say before the orb struck him, exploding and sending him flying back. "Springer!" Flash yelled as he caught him, he and Sonata both wide-eyed at the scene. "But...how?" Sonata asked as Guile let out a laugh. "Behold the mighty sword, Instant. Capable of deflecting any attack right back at its user. With this, nothing you do will harm me. Now you see what I mean when I said you didn't stand a chance." Flash and Sonata both glared at him as he prepared to attack again, Springer hopping out of Flash's hands. "Riolu!" "You're right Springer! We can't let that thing scare us!" Flash responded as he flashed his arm in front of Sonata, "Stay back Sonata, we won't let this creep win!" Meanwhile... Down below in it's underground home, Sirenity was relaxing on a rock while its subjects played. The legendary had a hidden smile as it watched Poliwag and Wooper chase each other, both firing tiny Water Guns in a playful manner. But as it watched, its eyes suddenly shot open before glancing at the ceiling. "Sir?" it asked itself, the Water-Fairy type now feeling a great dread. It feel like....something was threatening things. Something it treasured was in trouble. And as it picked itself up, its only thought was on one person: Sonata. "Sky Attack!" Owlicious flew up high as its body began to glow, now ready to slam into Malamar. "Night Slash!" Black ordered, Malamar spinning like a top as it charged at Owlicious. The two connected, both slamming into each other with enough force to knock them both back. Seeing this, the others started yelling attacks at Malamar while it was off balance. "Incinerate!" Spike yelled as Peewee fired a super strong fireball, Malamar barely managing to launch a Psycho Cutter at it, only to see Prongs, Viper and Kricketune running up to it. "Bounce and Flame Wheel!" "X-Scissor!" The three launched their attacks at the squid, slamming it in the chest. It fell back into Cloyster, who bounced over to it protectively. "Mystical Fire!" "Air Slash, Zap Cannon and Gear Grind!" "Hyper Voice!" The five launched their attacks, the flames, air blade, electro sphere, gears and sound blast all flying toward the clam. "Protect!" It created a force field that blocked the attacks, only for Riptide and Hopper to get up close. "Ice Punch and Quick Attack!" Spike called out as the shield disappeared, letting the two leap and throw their attacks at it. But Cloyster quickly withdrew into its shell, the force of the impacts pushing it back only a few inches. "Icicle Spear!" White ordered, Cloyster beginning to unleash a barrage of ice missiles outs of its shell. But Riptide and Hopper leapt back without getting hit as Owlicious flew in front of them. "Mind Force!" The Owlolar glowed before beating its wings, sending a psychic blast that struck Cloyster before it or Malamar could react. The clam Pokémon was knocked back by the explosion, the shockwave also flying through the square and hitting everyone. And when it hit both Black and White, the two suddenly froze before going limp, both clutching their heads. "Ugh..." Black moaned, "What's...happening?" "My head! It...hurts." White cried in pain. This caused the others to come to a stop, confusion on their faces. This confusion intensified when Malamar picked itself up and unleashing a bunch of Psycho Cutters at them, the explosions forcing them all back before Malamar turned to the two and flashed its chest lights. Black and White started at it for several seconds, once again going limp until the lights stopped. A huff came out of the two next as Black turned to the group, "Right. Now, where were we?" "What was that all about?" Spike asked his sister. "I'm...not sure." She didn't get the chance to really think about it as Cloyster got back up as White ordered another Icicle Spear. She gasped as all the missiles were aimed at her Owlolar, Twilight not having the time to call a counter before they struck. "OWL!" Owlicious cried as he fell back, hitting the ground hard. "NO!" She screamed while running over to him, Black laughing at this. "One down," she cackled before turning to the others. "Now, who's next?" The others just growled at her, their Pokémon doing the same as they stood by their side. "Drain Punch!" Flash yelled as Springer leapt forward, pulling his fist back to sock Guile in the helmet. But before it could land, the knight raised his sword and blocked the punch. Doing so caused the attack to hit Springer back, blasting him away with a yelp. "Now," he pointed at the teen with his sword, "Signal Beam!" Surskit focused its antenna at them before firing a pink beam of energy, Flash barely managing to grab Sonata to leap out of the way of the attack. "Gyah!" Flash cried as the force sent him and Sonata flying into a building, Flash spinning around to cushion the girl upon impact. "Augh!" he moaned they both fell over, Flash holding his ribs as he saw Guile and Surskit walking over to them, "Springer, Double Team!" Springer nodded as hopped to his feet before creating copies of himself, the Riolu army staring Guile down. "Seriously? You're using this party trick?" "Yes," Flash replied as he helped Sonata up. "Your sword's good, but it's clear you can only block one attack at a time." The Springer army leapt up next, each creating a smaller than usual Aura Sphere. "Take this! Aura Sphere, BARRAGE!" The Riolu fell toward Guile, each thrusting a tiny sphere as Guile chuckled at the sight, the knight taking out a Pokeball in response. "Times up. Come on out," he whispered as the ball opened. Seconds later, the Aura Spheres made contact, an explosion following this as it wiped out the army. The real Springer flew back and landed gracefully in front of the teens, smirking at the large cloud covering Guile. "Riolu!" "Way to go bud," Flash told him as he and Sonata watched the cloud begin to fade, only to go wide-eyed at the next sight. A large blue mass was now sitting where Guile once stood, the shape looking like a coil of curled up rope. The coil soon began to uncurl itself as the top lifted into view, revealing the face of a Pokémon known and feared world wide. A Gyarados. "GYAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!" It roared, the sound echoing across the whole town, even being heard over the noise of the festival. The rest of its body quickly uncurled itself, revealing Guile looking completely unharmed. "You were saying?" He asked as Gyarados growled at them, "I think it's time to bring this game to an end." With that, he charged at them as Gyarados opened its mouth, firing a Hydro Pump. Flash gasped before pushing Sonata out of the way, seconds before the Hydro Pump hit the ground, knocking both trainer and Pokémon flying back, "WHOA!" Flash yelled before hitting the dirt, "Blaugh!" "Flash!" Sonata cried as she saw him roll across the ground while Springer spun and landed on his feet. "RI!" The Riolu charged at the mighty water eel next, using Extreme Speed in efforts of getting there before it could unleash another super powered attack. But before he could hit it, Gyarados fired another blast of water from its mouth, this water attack spiraling and creating a whirlpool in the air. Springer let out a yelp before finding himself sucked into the whirlpool, the water swinging him around as he tried to hold his breath. "RIO!" He cried out as he flung out of the water, crashing into a building on the other side of the canal before falling over. "SPRINGER!" Flash yelled as he picked himself up, only to find Guile standing right in front of him before he slammed the butt of his sword into his gut. "AUGH!" Flash staggered back, Guile continuing his assault by slapping him with a metal clad hand before jumping back. "Signal Beam!" Surskit unleashed another pink blast, hitting Flash right in the chest. "FLASH!" Sonata screamed as Flash slumped over, his body falling to the ground like a brick. And as the girl tried to run over to him, she suddenly found a blade pointed right at her, making her backpedal, "No...stay away!" "I don't think so. You're coming with me." With that, he held up his left arm and Sonata saw some kind of watch strapped around it. "I have her, come and get us." "Understood," Black replied to no one as she turned to the others. "We're done here. Let's get going." "Finally!" White sighed, everyone knowing from the tone of her voice that she was rolling her eyes. "Let's blow these lamos." With that, she and the Pokémon joined up as everyone placed a hand of Cloyster's shell. "Wait!" Twilight yelled as the others charged at them, but Cloyster's shell glowed a light that surrounded the four before they vanished in a blink of an eye. "No! They teleported!" "But why'd they leave?" Spike asked, Doc humming at the question. "That girl in the black armor seemed to be talking to someone. Maybe they have a partner and they...oh no." "Flash," Twilight gasped before turning to the others, "We have to find them!" "Come on then," Vinyl almost yelled before running toward the exit Flash and Sonata had escaped through. The others followed suit with Twilight at the back of the pack. But just before she left, something glinted in the corner of her eye, making her turn and look down. "Huh?" She said as her eyes fell on the red gem sitting on the street, "Where did this come from?" She reached down and picked it up, only to go wide-eyed as she recognized it, "This is..." "I said stay away!" Sonata screamed as Guile continued to walk up to her. "Or what?" Guile cackled, "Your little bodyguards are down for the count. There's nothing you can do." Sonata's eyes shifted over to Flash and Springer, seeing them both laid out as panic started to consume her, "That's what I thought," Guile reached out to grab her. "Just come with me and don't make this difficult." But before he could touch her, the water in the canal behind them exploded. They all turned to it, now seeing a giant column of water before a creature Guile and Sonata recognized inside it glared down at them. He chuckled at the sight, "Ah...Sirenity. So you've finally shown yourself. Good, as that means I don't have to come looking for you." Sirenity growled as the water exploded off its body, the horse-fish floating in the air as the gem in its chest glowed. Seconds later, it unleashed a Hyper Beam right at Guile. "Gyarados!" He ordered as his sea-serpent fired its own Hyper Beam, meeting Sirenity's head on. The two blasts pushed against one another for several seconds before Sirenity's began to overpower Gyarados's, pushing it back and hitting Gyarados in the face. The Water Flying-type roared in pain as it fell back. "Yes!" Sonata cheered, Sirenity turning to her and letting out a song-like cry that she understood as 'run away'. She nodded, giving Flash and Springer a quick glance before turning to one of the alleyways. But before she could even get started, a flash of light exploded in front of her as Black, White and their Pokémon appeared. "Going somewhere?" Black asked, Sonata gasping as she heard Sirenity about to attack. This time, Sirenity aimed her Hyper Beam at Guile, Sonata turning to him as she yelled, "WAIT! DON'T-" But it was too late. "SAI!" It roared as the beam exploded out of its mouth, heading straight for Guile. But the knight simply smiled and raised his sword, the attack making contact with the metal before simply bouncing up into the air. "Ren?" It purred in confusion before seeing the blast curve around and head straight for it. "SIRENITY!" Sonata screamed as she tried to run to the legendary, only for Black and White to suddenly grab her arms, holding her back, "NO!" All she could do was watch as the Hyper Beam struck the Legendary before it could defend itself, causing it to roar in pain, falling back from the blow. "Malamar!" Black yelled as her squid flew over to Sirenity, flashing its lights in its face as it picked itself up off the ground. "Don't look!" Sonata cried, only for Sirenity's gaze to fall upon the light, its weakened state allowing the Psychic Dark-type to begin to put it to sleep. It tried to fight the squid's power, only to slump over. "NO! SIRENITY!" "HA! To think it would be this easy!" Guile laughed before turning to Sonata, "Now nothing can stop me." "No..." said another voice, the group turning to see Flash now picking himself up, only able to get on one knee, "I won't...let you take them." "Oh, how cute." Guile cackled, only to feel something flying toward him. "Huh-AUGH!" He cried as an Aura Sphere slammed into his head, the others turning to see Springer on all fours with one paw pointed at Guile. The force of the attack knocked Guile back, falling to his knees as his helmet fell off him. Flash stared at the helmet as it clattered onto the ground, soon turning to its wearer as he recovered. He raised his head and removed his hands, revealing a face that caused Flash's eyebrows to raise. "I...I know you." Guile's face was that of a middle-aged man, with tanned skin and a black beard running from both sides and down to his chin. A thin moustache could be seen on his lips and on his head was a blue bandanna with a stylized A on it. Flash's mind flashed back to a news report he had seen several months ago, announcing the sighting of the man standing right in front of him. "Archibald Kaito." The man chuckled as he picked himself up. "Seems my reputation proceeds me." He picked up his helmet next as he continued, "But knowing who I am won't help you. Malamar, Surskit!" Surskit leapt off his shoulder and fired a Signal Beam at Flash while Malamar unleashed a Psycho Cutter that hit Springer. "AUGH/RIOLU!" The two yelled as they were thrown back, both slamming into the ground once again. "NO!" Sonata cried before Malamar suddenly appeared in front of her. The girl closed her eyes, only for Black and White to force them open, making her stare into the light from the squid. Within seconds, Sonata felt herself fall under its spell and slump over. Archie chuckled as he placed his helmet back on him, pointing at Sirenity before Gyrados picked it up and placed it on its back. Once that was done, they all moved over to Cloyster and made sure they were touching its shell as it began to light up. As this happened, Flash groaned while cracking his eyes open. "No!" He yelled as he tried to move, barely able to hold out an arm as they vanished. "SONATA!" That was all he could say as his face slumped into the dirt, consciousness leaving him as he heard Twilight's voice echo in the distance. "FLASH!" Despite his eyes closing, he saw a blurry figure running up, several others behind it before blacking out. Author's Note Well, now you know who Guile is under the mask. For those who knew but kept it a secret, thanks. And now that he has everything he needs, one can only wonder what our heroes will do to stop him. Chapter 5At the temple, multiple Kelpool and Lokelpie were busy cleaning the place up, something that was kind of a ritual for them every year at the festival. They always made sure the temple was clean so the people could give a proper thanks to the Legendary they all served. But as they did this, a bright light from outside the temple drew them away from using Water Gun to get rid of a particularly difficult stain on the floor, only to see someone stomp up to the place. It was Guile Hideout, Black, White, their Pokémon and two people they knew all too well. "Lock!" One of the Lokelpie roared as it charged at the group, seeing both Sonata and Sirenity unconscious in their possession. "Don't so anything stupid," Guile told them. "We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your little friends, would we?" The Lokelpie didn't listen and leapt, ready to attack the armored man. "Malamar!" Before it could fire an attack, the floating squid appeared between them, its chest lighting up. The light hit Lokelpie right in the eyes, making it fall with a thud before falling asleep. The others all gasped at the sight before Malamar turned its lights on them, making the group slump over as Guile chuckled, "Alright, get them up." Malamar nodded and gave a command, each of the Kelpool and Lokelpie waking up before pushing themselves back to their feet. Each one had an unfocused look in their eyes, as if they were still asleep. "If only it were this easy to control a Legendary," he laughed before turning to his minions. "You two get everything set up here. I'll be back as soon as the recording's complete." Black and White nodded before Guile moved over to Cloyster and placed his hand on it, the Pokémon's shell beginning to glow before they both vanished. "Alright, let's get started." Black commanded the room, the Pokémon following her while White dragged Sonata along with Gyrados placing Sirenity down on the ground. Flash's body was killing him. He could feel every nerve tingle in his insides as he let out a groan, his eyes barely blinking. And as he did this, a voice hit his ears. "I think he's coming around." "Twilight?" His eyes fluttered open next, now seeing Twilight staring down at him, along with Spike, Doc and almost all of his Pokémon. Twilight let out a sigh of relief, "You're okay. Thank goodness." "That's to be decided," Flash moaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. As he did, he noticed his arms were covered in bandages along with a large band-aid on his cheek. His eyes darted around next, now seeing he was in some kind of fancy looking room that looked like something you would see in a hotel. "Where am I?" "You're in my house," he turned to see Mayor Novo walking into the room with Vinyl and Octavia behind her. "Your friends brought you to me when they explained what happened to you and Sonata." "Sonata?" Flash muttered out, only to go wide-eyed, "Sonata!" He then tried to push himself out of bed, only to let out a cry of pain, "AUGH!" "Don't Flash!" Twilight responded while grabbing his shoulder, "You can't get up. You were badly hurt by whatever happened to you, and the doctor's on their way." "I don't have time for a doctor," Flash groaned, barely pushing her arm away, "We've gotta find Sonata, and fast!" "You'll be no use to anyone if you kill yourself," Doc replied. "Here, maybe this can help. Chimecho," Octavia added as she took out a Pokeball, soon summoning the bell Pokémon. "Use Heal Pulse." "Chime," it called out as its body unleashed a pink aura that hit Flash, making him glow. Within seconds, the pain around Flash dulled as many of his injuries vanished. "Wow..." he pushed himself up to his feet, "I feel way better." "You're not completely healed, but this should keep you out of danger." Octavia said as Flash turned to thank her and Chimecho, only for the Pokémon to move to the other side of the room. There on another bed laid someone that made Flash gasp. "Springer!" He yelped as Chimecho used Heal Pulse on him, the light making his many injuries vanish as well. "Ri..." Springer moaned before opening his eyes. "Hey bud, you okay?" Springer nodded back, making Flash sigh in relief. "That's good." "Flash," the teen turned back to Twilight, "Who did this too you?" "Yes, and what happened to Sonata?" Novo added, "These children said you were with her last before she disappeared. What's more, they say that two strangely clothed girls appeared trying to get her. I want an explanation." Flash let out another sigh, sitting down as he replied, "Okay, but this is gonna take some time to explain everything." Sonata's brain prickled at her as she let out a groan, her eyes twitching open as she began to wake up. As she did this, she found she was upright, though not standing up. Not only that, her arms were raised above her head, and she could feel some ropes tied around her wrists. That and she was now in the temple, currently 'standing' on the podium she and her sisters had always stood on when they sung at the festival. "Huh? Wha...what is...going on?" She mumbled as she felt her feet touch the ground, making her see she was actually standing instead of hanging there, "Why am I in the temple?" The girl started trying to move, now feeling the long ropes tying her wrists before looking down, now seeing her legs were tied as well, her body now forced into a Y shape. Not only that, there were wires and cables scattered all along the ground and up the walls, the sight making Sonata follow them to see them going out a natural building hole in the wall. She blinked at the sight, seeing the sun had set behind the hole, making her realize she had been asleep for hours. "Ah, finally up I see." she turned to the door, now seeing Guile walking in, "Perfect. I wasn't sure if I needed you conscious for this or not." "For what?" Sonata asked before going wide-eyed at the something on the ground behind him. "Sirenity!" She pulled at her bindings at this, but they refused to move. "What are you doing?! Let us go!" "I'm afraid I can't do that," he replied before walking up and touched her chin, "After all, you two are the answers to all my prayers." "Prayers? What are you talking about?!" She asked as he backpedaled while holding a laptop in his other hand. "Guile," they turned to the door and saw Black and White walk in with their Pokémon, "The speakers are in place. Now we just need to hook them up." "Speakers? What speakers?" Guile chuckled at her question, "Speakers that will broadcast a song I have created. One that'll allow me to control Sirenity." Sonata's eyes went wide before shaking her head, "That's...that's impossible! You don't have to power to do that!" "I do now," he cackled as he pointed at her, "And it's all thanks to you." "What?!" She yelped before Surskit hopped off the wall and landed on his shoulder, Sonata now seeing the camera it was wearing. "Over the last year, I've been watching you carefully and waiting for you to finally use that pretty little voice of yours. But you decided to make things difficult and refused to sing for me. That's why I had to take more drastic measures." Sonata turned to Black and White, remembering their first kidnap attempt, "Unfortunately, that little punk got in the way...but luckily his interference became a golden opportunity." The girl slowly put the pieces together as he continued, "Thanks to him, you gained the confidence to sing again. And that was all I needed." He reached up and petted Surskit, "Thanks to my little friend here, I was able to record your voice and replicate it. Now I can use it, giving me everything I need to control Sirenity." "It'll take more than just imitating my voice!" Sonata barked back, "The song would need to be sung in the ancient language!" "And it will be," Guile opened up the laptop and pressed play. Seconds later, a voice Sonata recognised as her own began to sing from the computer...and it was singing a song written in the language only she should have known. "H-how?" She asked in shock, "How do you know this song?!" "I had two very good teachers," Guile pointed to Black and White before nodding at them. Sonata's eyes went wide as she saw them take off their helmets, her pupils shrinking at the next sight as they revealed their faces. "Archibald Kaito?" Vinyl asked as Flash finished telling them his story. He had told them about how he first met Sonata and followed her into the underground cave. What followed was the meeting with Sirenity and becoming friends with it before convincing Sonata to go to the festival. The trainer went over the fights next, running into Guile and losing before Springer managed to knock off the helmet, revealing the knight's identity. "I saw a news report about him a while back. I recognized him from it." "Really? But who is this Archie guy?" Spike asked next. "A dangerous man," Novo responded while looking out the window and into the night sky. "I remember hearing about it on the news. He's the former leader of Team Aqua, a terrorist organisation that caused issues throughout the Hoenn region years ago." "Like Team Shadow?" Twilight chimed in, Novo nodding back at her. "Yes. They believed that the world would be better with less land and more ocean. That's why they attempted to awaken an ancient Pokémon with the power to do so, but it backfired on Team Aqua and they were all arrested." "Clearly he got out," Vinyl added. "Archie was said to have been suffering from an unknown illness," Novo continued, "He was placed in a highly guarded hospital for treatments, but was broken out of it about a year and a half ago." "And now he's here?" Doc asked, "Does that mean he's after Sirenity." "Yes," Novo sighed as she turned to them. "And if he's after Sirenity, I suspect there's no length he won't go to to acquire its power." Sonata's entire body shook in horror, tears going down her face as she slowly whispered out, "Adagio? Aria?" Her sisters stood in front of her, alive and well while wearing the armor that had disguised them this whole time. Adagio was in the black armor while Aria was in white, both holding their helmets in their hands as they stood with blank expressions on their faces. "No...that's not possible." Sonata muttered while shaking her head, "They...they-" "I can assure you, it's them." She turned to Guile. "That little accident that happened a year ago was no accident. It was my doing." "Yours?!" "Well," Guile held up a Pokeball, "Me and Gyrados. He created the Whirlpool that sucked your boat underwater and then he grabbed your sisters and brought them to me." "You...you did all this?!" Sonata's wide eyes quickly narrowed as her face turned red in rage, "I just went through the worst year of my life and it was all your fault?!" "It's all for the greater good," Guile instantly replied, Sonata growling at him before glaring at her sisters. "Aria! Adagio! Why are you doing this?!" "They can't answer you," Guile deadpanned. "They're under my control. Surely that should be obvious." "What?" Sonata blinked at his words before saying, "Aria, Adagio, please! It's me....your useless little sister." Tears filled her eyes again, "please help me." Guile rolled his eyes and was about to tell her it was pointless, only to see girls' blank expressions beginning to fade as Aria reached up and held her head. "Malamar!" The squid quickly and jumped in front of them before unleashing the light from its chest, both girls then returning to their blank expressions. The sight made Sonata gasp, a gear turning in her brain. "You...you're controlling them," she gasped. Guile chuckled and shook his head, "You really are the dense one of the group." He then motioned the two girls, to leave, Sonata calling out to them, getting no response this time. And as they left, Sonata hissed at Guile, "Hey! Why are you doing this?! Why take my sisters from me and make me think they were dead?! And why were you spying on me to take my voice and control Sirenity?!" She glared at the outfit he was wearing next, "And why are you even wearing that stupid armor?" "Because I need it," Guile replied before pulling the helmet off, revealing his face. "Years ago, I made the mistake of using an ancient relic to control a Legendary Pokémon." Sonata raised an eyebrow at this. "Eventually, that relic merged with my own body and connected me to that Pokémon for a short while. But then I was defeated and lost both the relic and the Pokémon." "Still not seeing the point." "I'm getting to that. After I was arrested, I started suffering strange illness. My body slowly started to breakdown and cause me great pain. I quickly realized it had to be the backlash of the relic that merged with me. A punishment given to me by the Legendary. I had to undergo medical treatments, but nothing could stop it. It was just a matter of time before my body completely failed." He shined a huge smile at his next words, "That's when I was saved." One and a half years ago... Archie let out a moan as his eyes squinted open, now seeing a series of lights in front of him. Memories of before he had blacked out slowly appeared on the forefront of his mind, reminding him that he had been at a hospital until the wall suddenly exploded, making him lose consciousness. And as his brain began to wake up, he suddenly noticed his body was encased in something. Voices caught his attention next, allowing him to hear a man and a women talking. "Is it working?" The man asked. "All systems indicate his vitals remaining stable. Those ancient Equestrians sure knew their stuff." "So you think we can replicate the armor?" "First we need to see how well the original works over a long period of time. Wait, he's waking up." Archie's eyes came into focus at these words, now seeing a bulky looking man and a dark skinned women with green hair looking down at him. Both were wearing similar black clothing with a stylized S on it. "Morning sleepyhead," the women giggled. "Where am I?" He asked while trying to move his body, only to find it now stiff and heavy. "Huh? Wh-what have you done to me?" "We saved your life," the man chuckled, "And to answer your first question, you're at one of our team's secret hideouts." Archie blinked at the response, his body slowly getting up. He soon found he was on some kind of table, which he then fully sat up and swung his legs around. "You're trying to kill me or something? Why else would you take me from the hospital and put me in..." He looked down and saw he was in some kind of armor, "This? What is this?" "That...is the Eternity," the women replied, "An ancient artefact created centuries ago. It is what's keeping you alive at this moment." "What?" "It has to power to stop time for anything inside it," the man added, "Wearing that suit means you're pretty much immortal." "Immortal?" The women nodded. "As long as you're wearing it, you'll never age. Never need to eat or sleep. Never even need to go to the bathroom. And the sickness destroying your body will pretty much stop, just as long as you keep wearing the armor." "And if I take if off?" "You'll probably last about five minutes before the spells completely broken. According to the ancient text that the armor was found with, the power will only work on a person once. Once the spell's broken, you'll be pretty much doomed." "I...see," Archie then pushed himself up off the table, but when he placed his weight on his legs, they gave out, making him fall forward until the man caught him. "Easy there. Let your strength return before you try moving." "Thanks. But why are you doing this?" The women chuckled before moving to another table. "Our boss is a big fan of your work. Using a Legendary Pokémon to flood the land and force people to bow to your whims. Its...inspiring." "I wasn't trying to control the world!" Archie instantly replied, "I want to expand the sea so there'd be more places for Water Pokémon to live!" "Well, either way, you still impressed our boss." She giggled before pulling out a long rectangular case, "That's why he asked us to free you and give you the Eternity and Instant." "Instant?" His question was answered by the women opening the case and revealing a sword. "The Instant, another ancient relic. It has the power to deflect any attack. With it, you'll be a force to be reckoned with." Archie blinked at the sight, pushing himself back to his still shaky feet. He took the sword out next, feeling its slight weight before asking, "This still feels like you're after something else. I wouldn't give these kind of relics to someone who just impressed me. What do you want?" The two chuckled before the man replied, "You're smarter then you look." The women nodded in agreement. "Very well, we'll admit that we want something. You see, we've lined the suit with sensors to monitor your progress. Your case thanks to the relic affecting your body is perfect for our tests, as your body is in a state that's at its worst. We're hoping the data it gives us will help us replicate the armor's ability for our own uses, and there's no better test than a subject that has a body in the worst-case scenario and see how it improves them." "So I'm just a guinea-pig?" "A well payed guinea-pig," the man chimed in, "In return for letting us study the armor's effects on you, we're willing to help finance your next scheme." "I don't have another scheme," Archie responded while shaking his head, "I...I know now that there's no way to control Kyogre. Especially after what's it done to me." "But what about a less powerful Legendary?" The women asked before holding out a file. "You might be interested in this." Archie blinked at her before taking the file, his eyes gazing over the documents. And as he kept scanning them, a grin began to form on his face, the other two smirking at the sight as Archie chuckled, "Oh...this is good. Very very good. I like this." "We thought you would," the women giggled, "And as we said before, we're willing to help supply you with gear, information and even new Pokémon to use in your plans. Just as long as you're willing to help us if the need arises." Archie put the file down and nodded, "You make an excellent deal...but I think I'd prefer to talk directly to your boss." This caused the two to glare at him. "Our leader doesn't make a habit of associating himself with known criminals. Never know who's listening. All you need to know is that not knowing who he is is a form of protection." The man nodded before cracking his knuckles, "And I should warn you right now that if you think about crossing us, our boss will have fun making you regret it. Understand?" Archie could feel his hands about to clench into fists, only to reply, "Well...if I can get this Legendary under my control, I'm fine with the secrecy. So, yeah...I understand." "Good," the women chimed in, "Also, we'll need to think of something to call you. As far as the rest of the world knows, Archie of Team Aqua is dead. A new name will help sell that belief and protect you from being hunted." Archie nodded in agreement as a thought went into his head, "How about...Guile? He was known as an ancient Hoenn legend or warrior that controlled the oceans." "Just Guile?" The women asked, causing Archie to look around and remember what the man had called the place. "Guile...Hideout." Present... "And so my new mission began." As he said this, he suddenly felt an incredible burst of pain, making him quickly put the helmet back on. "The mission to claim Sirenity's power for myself and use it to bring about a perfect world." "How can Sirenity bring about a perfect world?" Sonata asked, turning to the Legendary. "It's simple really. With her, I'll destroy the land and use the debris to raise the sea level. Thus, my perfect world will finally come to pass." "What?! You're insane!" Sonata cried, "There's no way that would work!" "Oh, it'll work," he replied, "The laws of fluid dynamics speaks for itself." Sonata sighed while a long glare at the knight, "So...you kidnap my sisters, making everyone think they're dead, then wait for me to sing so you can mimic my voice?!" "That wasn't the plan originally," he told her as he moved over to lean on a pillar. "The original plan was to take all three of you, but you disappeared before Gyarados could grab you." Those words made Sonata remember back to that night, her memories telling her the last thing she saw before she blacked out. "Sirenity…" she whispered. "At the time, I thought it didn't really matter. I had your sisters, and once they were on my sub, I had Malamar put them under. I had them teach me the ancient language and with their help, I created a song that could force Sirenity to do my bidding." He let out a long sigh, "But something went wrong." "What?" "It didn't work," Guile growled, "One night, the three of us snuck in here and I had Adagio sing the song....but it didn't work. I then tried Aria, but that didn't work either. I then tried them both, and even that wasn't enough." "My sisters couldn't control Sirenity?" Sonata asked with now raised eyebrows, "But why?" "That's what I kept asking myself. And eventually, I came to three possible conclusions. One is that being under Malamar's control prevented them from truly using their power. The second was that I required all three of you to make it work. And the third, and likely most possible reason, was that neither of them ever had the power to control Sirenity." He pointed at her, "Meaning you must have it." Sonata let those words flow into her ears, making her go wide-eyed, "I'm...the true priestess?!" This thought made her go over the last year in her head again, remembering the accident, Sirenity saving her and concluded with Guile telling her this information. "We'll soon find out," he chuckled, "Once the system's hooked up, I'll broadcast the song. If it works, we'll know the truth." "And the reason you went to all this trouble to make me sing on my own-" "For all I know, my first two ideas are valid." He interrupted, "If I captured you and placed you under Malamar's control, there's a chance your power wouldn't work. There's also a chance I need all three of you to control it. And if the recording doesn't work, I'll simply put you under and try it that way. I can't fail." He turned to Cloyster, "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." Cloyster nodded as Guile headed out of the room, leaving Sonata to struggle against the ropes holding her. "Flash..." she whispered as tears reappeared in her eyes, "Please help me." Back at the mayor's mansion... Flash lay in his bed on doctor's orders. The doctor had said he would be fine as long as he didn't push himself, Flash thanking Octavia again for the Heal Pulse. Now he was just laying there, though he wanted to be out on the streets looking for Sonata. But he knew that would just result in an earful from Twilight, so he remained put. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get to sleep. After several minutes of trying, he let out a sigh as he pushed himself up and carefully made his way over to a door leading out to a balcony. He was being careful not to wake Springer up, the Riolu fast asleep so he would be fully healed by tomorrow. The trainer was now on the balcony, staring at the city while remembering how beautiful he had thought it was the previous night with Sonata. "Don't worry," he whispered, "I'll find you and save you from that creep." "Flash?" the teen spun around and see Twilight standing at the door, "Couldn't sleep?" "Yeah," Flash replied as looked back at the city, "I'm too worried about Sonata." "You really care about her?" Twilight asked, looking up at the night sky. "Of course." He responded while nodding, "She's such a sweet person. It's not fair that she's had so many terrible things happen to her." He let out a long sigh, "She's only ever known this city. She deserves the chance to see the rest of the world, but instead she's been stuck here and now she's been kidnapped over something she doesn't have any control over." He looked down at his bandaged arm. "The pain I feel is nothing like the pain she's suffered through. And I'm gonna make sure that suffering ends." Twilight chuckled as she saw the determination in his eyes, shaking her head at the conviction in his voice. "Figures. You love to help others, don't you?" She then pulled out a familiar red gemstone, "If that's the case, I think you should be the one to give this back to Sonata when we save her." "That's...thanks Twi," Flash replied, the girl nodding in response. "Now come on. You're not gonna be able to save anyone if you're exhausted." Flash nodded back as he returned to bed, Twilight leaving the room as they both promised to do everything it took to save Sonata and stop Guile. The next morning... Despite being stuck in such an uncomfortable position, Sonata had managed to fall asleep at some point in the night. But her slumber was quickly destroyed when Guile clanked his way into the room. "Finally!" he cackled under his helmet, "Everything's set up! This wouldn't have taken so long if this place actually decided to move into the twenty first century, and add an electric system to this place! Stupid culture and traditions…" Black and White also entered the room, helping him plug a bunch of the wires into several battery packs that had appeared while Sonata was asleep. And once everything was setup, Guile spoke up, "You two better head out and be ready. When the people hear the song, they'll quickly realize where we are and attack." Black and White nodded before heading out with Cloyster and Malamar, ignoring Sonata's outcry to her sisters. "Everything's finally come together." Sonata growled at him next. "You won't get away with this! Flash and the others will come and save me, count on it!" Guile laughed before taking out a Pokeball. "Even if he does, he won't get far." As soon as the sun rose, Novo called an emergency meeting, making the whole city's populace to go to the square. Flash, his friends and all their Pokémon stood at the side of the stage as she stepped up to the podium. "People of Vocanctus," she called out. "I bring grave news. Sirenity has been captured." This statement caused a wave of murmurs to occur, some shocked to hear this while others seemed surprised Sirenity even existed. "What's worse, the criminal who captured it has also kidnapped Sonata Dusk in order to take control of it." Now the crowd was collectively gasping, almost everyone there knowing and caring for Sonata, especially after what'd happened to her sisters. "I'm afraid that until the two are rescued, the festival must be put on hold." "Who cares about the festival!" one of the crowd yelled, "It can be cancelled for all we care! We've gotta find Sonata and Sirenity!" The rest of the crowd yelled out in agreement, Novo, Flash and his friends smiling at this. "Yes, finding and saving them is important." She looked out over the city's citizens. "Our ancestors built this city because of Sirenity and Sonata's ancestor. None of us would be alive right now without them. Every year we give thanks to Sirenity, but this year giving thanks isn't enough. Now we must do for it and Sonata, what Sirenity and her family have done for us for so many generations. We must protect them, the way they protected us." "YEAH!" Was the single word that radiated out of the crowd. "Alright, then we've got work to do." Novo nodded, "The criminal must still be somewhere in the city, so we need to start searching high and low for them." But before anyone could say anything else, a sound began to radiate through the air. This sound was actually a voice, singing a song in a certain language. "Is that...Sonata?" Spike asked. "Where's it coming from?" Vinyl asked while Octavia closed her eyes and listened, soon opening them again. "That way." She pointed in the direction of the temple, everyone quickly running toward the structure with Flash and his team managing to get to the front of the crowd. "Hang on Sonata, we're coming!" Sonata could only grimace as her voice was projected through the speakers system Guile had set up throughout the temple. Both she and Guile watched Sirenity's unconscious form, waiting to see if the armored figure's plan would actually work. "Please don't work..." Sonata whispered as she stared at her friend. "Please don't work." "Come on...come on!" Guile growled while tapping his finger, only for both to suddenly notice something. The raised circle Sonata was standing on was beginning to glow, making them look down and see it reacting to the voice. Sonata gasped as she felt something terrible wash over her, like it was sucking the energy out of her. The temple was reacting to her voice and using her power. They watched as the blue light spread across the ground toward Sirenity and began to envelop it in the aura, followed by the Legendary beginning to move. It was only a twitch at first, but with each passing second, the movement began to form as the Legendary pushed itself up onto its front legs before turning to them. And the look in its eyes said it all. They now glowed a bright red, while its body remained still. "NO/YES!" They yelled, the armored figure laughing as he activated the device, "With this, the power of the ocean will finally belong to me!" "SAAAAAAI!" Sirenity neighed, no emotions in its voice. "Sirenity!" Sonata cried out, "You have to fight this! Please!" "It's useless girl, Sirenity is mine. Now," he pointed to the exit of the temple, "GO! Bring about my perfect world!" Sirenity let out another neigh before jumping into the air, using its abilities to fly toward the exit. Meanwhile... When Flash and the town had arrived at the street leading to the bridge, they came to a halt as they now saw Black, White and their Pokémon standing in front of the temple. Not only that, every single Kelpool and Lokelpie that lived in Vocanctus stood in a group between them and the bridge. "What are they doing?" Novo asked as she, Twilight and the others pushed their way to the front of the crowd. "The Kelpool and Lokelpie are supposed to follow Sirenity. Why are they with them?" Twilight was also thinking the same thing, only to notice the expressionless looks in their eyes before her attention fell on Malamar. Her mind went back to their earlier battle, remembering what had happened when Owlicious's Mind Force attack landed. "Oh no...Malamar's controlling them!" "So what do we do?" Spike asked before Black called out. "ATTACK!" With that, the Kelpool and Lokelpie began firing their Water Guns and other attacks at the crowd, many screaming as the attacks struck the people. "I don't think we'll have a choice," Doc yelled, "We have to beat them!" But as he said this, Flash's eyes weren't on the army, but on the temple. And as he stared at it, he saw something that made him gasp. "Look!" He pointed up, everyone now seeing Sirenity fly out of the temple. "Its Sirenity!" "It does exist," Novo gasped before watching it fly off. "Wait...what's it doing?! Why isn't it helping us?!" It then dived into the water, making Doc yelp, "Guile must be controlling it!" Flash continued to stare at the temple, now knowing Sonata had to be in there. He shook in anger as his hands clenched into fists. "No matter what it takes, I'm getting into that temple and setting her free." "Then leave these guys to us," he turned to Twilight, seeing the huge smile on her face, "We'll keep him busy while you and your Pokémon sneak around them and get to the temple." "You sure?" Flash asked, she and the others all nodding. "Don't worry, we'll take them down no problem." "Yeah!" Spike nodded. "We got this!" Flash couldn't help be smile at them before nodding. "Thanks guys." He turned to his Pokémon and gestured them to follow, "Let's go!" The Pokémon all cheered as the seven ran away, making the two knights laugh. "Ha!" White chuckled, "Looks like lover boy got scared." "Don't be overconfident," Black added. "We'll deal with him later." "Let's go!" Twilight yelled as she, Doc and Spike lead the charge against the army of Kelpool and Lokelpie. The citizens all remained standing before two of them shared a look, both nodding before following with their Pokémon. "Let's do this!" Vinyl roared as Noibat flew ahead of her. "For Sonata and Sirenity!" Octavia chimed in with Kricketune preparing to strike with its arms. The rest of the city's populace shared a look before Novo called out. "ATTACK!" She and her daughter charged, the rest of the citizens following as they sent out their own Pokémon, a massive battle about to begin. "Mystical Fire!" Twilight called out, Shine unleashing the fire attack to knock back a Kelpool. "Now Peck!" Owlicious's beak extended as it swooped down and stabbed a Lokelpie. "Zap Cannon, Air Cutter and Gear Grind!" Doc's Pokémon launched their attacks, hitting several of the hippocampus, knocking them all back. "Dragonbreath!" Spike yelled as Peewee unleashed a burst of blue fire at one of the Lokelpie, only for the Pokémon to walk through the flames without a singe, "Huh?!" "Lokelpie's a Fairy-type," Twilight told her brother as Shine used Psybeam on a Kelpool. "Dragon-type attacks won't do anything." "Focus on the Kelpool Spike!" Doc added as Tockwork hit a Lokelpie with Bullet Punch. "They're just Water-types." "Got it," Spike nodded, only for a Lokelpie to leapt at him as its tail became engulfed in water. "Peewee, Wing Attack!" The small Dragon-type flew slashed the hippocampus with its wings, sending it flying back. "Hyper Voice!" Vinyl commanded as Noibat unleashed a burst of sound from its ears, hitting several Kelpool. "Slash!" Octavia called out as Kricketune swung its bladed arms around, knocking several Lokelpie back. All over the street, the citizens and their Pokémon did battle with their brainwashed enemies. And as this happened, Twilight and Shine had just taken out another Lokelpie when they turned to see Black and Malamar moving into the fray, Malamar using its Psycho Cutter and Night Slash attacks to knock down anyone that got in their way. "Ready for a real battle?" She asked, Twilight smiling and pushing her glasses up as Shine got into a battle stance. "Let's do this thing," he pointed at Malamar. "Mystical Fire!" Shine neighed as she unleashed the burst of fire. "Flamethrower!" The Malamar shot its own burst of fire, matching Shine's attack as it caused a wave of heat to spread over the area. "Now, Night Slash!" Malamar's tentacles glowed as it began to spin around, flying at Shine like a top. "Use Fairy Wind!" Shine raised her tail before swinging it around, the force creating a powerful wind that was filled with pink sparkles. The wind struck Malamar, pushing it back as Shine turned and galloped at the Pokémon. "Tackle!" Shine leapt and slammed into the still spinning Malamar, knocking it back. Black growled at the sight, "You haven't beaten us yet." At the same time, White and Cloyster were blasting their opponents with Icicle Spears and Spike Cannons. It precision was deadly, able to hit only its opponents while leaving the Kelpool and Lokelpie unharmed. It then spotted Owlicious using Sky Attack on a Lokelpie and fired an Icicle Spear barrage at him. But before they could hit, Flitanium flew in front of him, deflecting the attacks with its wings. "Flit..." it growled. "Annoying pest," White hissed before Doc walked in front of her. "We're your opponents," he said as Flitanium landed, "And we're not gonna let you hurt anyone else." "You can try," White replied, "Cloyster, go!" Cloyster fired a Spike Cannon at him, Doc just pointing at the enemy in return. "Steel Wing!" Flitanium unfurled its wings as they began to glow, the bird spinning as it deflected each spike with ease. "Now, Iron Head!" Flitanium then flew straight up before dive-bombing Cloyster as its helmet glowed, slamming into the clam before it could react. And as this happened, Flash and his Pokémon watched from the shadows of an alleyway. They were waiting for just the right moment, the opening inside the army. And as they saw the opposing forces accidentally split in two, he yelled, "Now!" They shot out of the alleyway and headed toward the gap, each moving as fast as they could. As this happened, one of the Lokelpie noticed the group approaching and tried to block them. "Springer!" His partner leapt up before firing an Aura Sphere at Lokelpie, the force of the attack knocking it back, only for an evolution pair to appear in front of them. "Water Gun, Air Cutter, Energy Ball and Flamethrower!" Riptide, Skyler, Prongs and Viper fired their long range attacks at the enemy, sweeping them all away. "Now, Quick Attack!" "Rush!" Hopper shot ahead at intense speed, zigzagging into the remaining enemies as it knocked them all away. "Great work guys," Flash added as the seven got onto the bridge, now in full sprint for the temple. "Yes!" Twilight cheered when she saw this, Black just shaking her head. "Idiot," she turned back to Twilight. "He may have gotten onto the bridge, but he's not getting to the temple." And on cue, Flash and his Pokémon got to the halfway mark of the bridge as the water beneath the stone structure exploded, a familiar serpentine beast coming out next. It landed on the bridge, all seven gasping as they now saw a Gyarados roaring at them as Flash whispered, "Not good." Inside the Temple, Guile was watching the battle that was going on. His eyes were darting between two screens, one showing a feed that Surskit was recording from the outside. Guile laughed as he saw Gyrados beginning its attack, Flash and his Pokémon doing their best to evade on the limited stretch of land they had. "That's it kid, struggle." He laughed again. "The more time you waste, the less chance you'll have to stop me before my plan is fulfilled." At the same time, Sonata was handing there in half-conscious. She was constantly being drained of her energy to keep the spell going, forcing Sirenity to do Guile's bidding. "Please..." she whispered with the last of her strength, "Save us." And as she dropped more into unconsciousness, she couldn't help but wonder what Sirenity was doing while under this madman's control. As for the Legendary Pokémon, it was still swimming away, soon coming to a stop at about ten miles away from the city. It then closed its eyes as it began to sing a song like none had heard before, this one full a malice and rage as the orb on its chest glowed. Once the Legendary's power reached its zenith, everything would end. "Extreme Speed!" Flash yelled as Springer charged. Blue lightning wrapped around the Riolu as it began dodging the water blasts as he got closer to Gyrados. "RIOLU!" he roared as he slammed a powerful kick into its face, the beast yelping as it was pushed back. "Water Gun, Energy Ball and Flamethrower!" Riptide, Prongs and Viper fired their attacks, all striking Gyrados in several places. But as it did this, the beast let out a hiss as it began to charge up a Hyper Beam. "Skyler!" "Gust!" The Wingust began flying around the Pokémon's face, annoying it as letting Hopper ran up until he was right under its nose. "Now, Iron Tail!" The Velocirush's powerful legs let him propel himself upward, his tail glowing as Gyrados just now noticed his presence. But before it could look down, Hopper spun around before slamming his tail into its lower jaw. "RAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!" It roared in pain as its face flew up, causing the Hyper Beam it had been charging to fire up into the air, harming no one. "Oh, come on!" Guile yelled, "Stupid kid! Stop interfering!" The barely conscious Sonata heard his outcry, making her barely smile, "Keep going Flash. You can...do it." Guile growled at this, taking out his sword and holding it up before flipping it over. Doing so revealed a small round indent in the crossguard. "No more Mr. Nice-Guy." he hissed as he held up a crystal orb that was a mixture of blue and green with a black pattern within it. He then placed it inside the indent before holding the sword up. "Keystone, respond to my heart and unleash true power that will obliterate my enemies!" With that, the gem began to unleashed a strange light that flew up the sword as he pointed it toward the exit of the temple. The light shot off the tip of the sword and flew out of the temple, hitting the Gyrados. Flash and his Pokémon saw the light, making them all gasp as they now notice a band that was strapped around the central head spike of the serpent, revealing another crystal. That crystal also unleashed a light that joined with the other, the two merging before it engulfed Gyarados. Over at the shore, Twilight and the others saw this light and gasped. "No way." The light then exploded off the creature, Flash and all his Pokémon staring in horror at the sight of the Mega Gyrados. The beast glanced down before letting out a mighty roar, the sound shaking the bridge beneath their feet. The rest of the city turned toward the mega, all terrified at its presence. Their mission to rescue Sonata and Sirenity had just gone from difficult to nearly impossible at the sight of the beast. But despite this, Flash refused to be stopped. "Get out of our way!" He yelled as he and his Pokémon charged, the mega unleashing a Hydro Pump at them. But before it could hit, Riptide jumped up and used Ice Punch to freeze the water, causing some serious freezer burn to the beast. It roared and began to swing its head around in pain, allowing Flash the opening to try and run past it. But Gyarados quickly noticed him and tried to swing its tail, only for Skyler, Prongs and Viper to fire an Air Cutter, Energy Ball and Flamethrower at it. The explosions caused the tail to flinch away, allowing Flash passage. Gyarados then tried to use its vine line whiskers to try and grab Flash, only for Springer and Hopper to leap up and smack the whiskers with a Drain Punch and Crunch. "GYRAAAAAHHH!" the serpent screamed. "Thanks guys!" Flash yelled back to them, "Keep this thing busy as long as you can." "RIO!" Springer roared back, giving Flash a thumbs up before he and the others turned to Gyarados. The mega now found it had enemies on both sides of it, Skyler, Viper and Prongs on one side while Springer, Hopper and Riptide were on the other. The battle to rescue Sonata and Sirenity was on, with possibly the fate of all Vocanctus on the line. Would our heroes win, or would Guile Hideout accomplish his goal? Only time would tell. Author's Note And thus, the final battle begins. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to next week. Chapter 6Flash ran as fast as he could into the temple, arriving at now wire-filled entrance. Every bit of pillar and roof was now covered in cords, the sight making him blink before seeing a certain person in the next room. "Sonata!" he yelled as he charged ahead, only for a sword to suddenly come out of a pillar, making him duck down, "Whoa!" The teen skidded across the ground, sliding back to his feet as he just avoided the blade by millimeters. He then saw Guile appear where he had ducked, only to glare back at Sonata, "Hang on, I'm coming!" He started his sprint again, only for a certain Surskit to leap down from the ceiling, blocking his path to the door. "SUR!" It roared before pointing its antenna at him, "SKIT!" A Signal Beam came next, Flash yelping as he leapt to the side, now rolling along the ground til he reached the wall. The Signal Beam instead hit the ground, making the temple shake as the weapons on its walls now fell over. One of these was the sword Flash had admired two days ago, which landed right beside the teen as he started picking himself up. His eyes darted between Guile and the Surskit, making him lean down and pick up the blade. His hands shook as he felt the weight of the sword, only to turn to Guile and point the weapon at him. "HA!" Guile laughed, "You think you can beat me with that old thing?! Just to warn ya, I've have over a year's experience training with this blade. You ever hold one of those before?" "No." Flash admitted more easily than he wanted to admit before glaring at Guile, "But I'm a quick study. And if this is how I save Sonata, then so be it!" With that, he charged at the knight, swinging his sword with a wide slash, only for Guile to easily block the blow, pushing it back next as the teen staggered from the sudden push. Guile then thrust his blade at the trainer, making Flash duck under the sword before trying to swing again, only for Guile to block it once more. A loud clang happened next as Guile let out a sigh, "Just quit. You won't stop me kid. No matter how hard you try, my plan will succeed." Flash let out a long pant as he hopped back, holding up the sword again, "If that plan involves kidnapping Sonata and forcing Sirenity to obey you, I'll make sure it doesn't happen!" He charged again, Guile causally swiping his blade as it deflected Flash's attack, the power of Instant knocking Flash back. And as Flash stumbled, Sonata's eyes drifted open, allowing her to see her would-be hero. "Flash..." She whispered before looking down at the device on the ground that was constantly projecting her voice out and controlling Sirenity. "You need to...destroy...the machine." But as she tried to say these words, they came as only a whisper, the sound being drowned out by the speakers along with the clashing of metal on metal. "Sirenity..." Down below the surface of the ocean, Sirenity continued to build her power. Her body trembled as the water shook around her, the beast taking one last deep breath. And with a roar, the power reached its peak as Sirenity opened its eyes, letting out a mighty neigh as the water around her began to spiral into an underwater tornado. The vortex then made its way to the sky, splashing out of the ocean before touching the clouds. It then turned its attention on the city it had long since protected. Back on the bridge... Springer and the rest of Flash's Pokémon were still fighting Mega Gyarados. The sea-serpent roared as water spiraled around its body, the liquid soon exploding outward. A whirlpool came for the five on the ground, Viper grimacing at the incoming attack. Seeing this, Skyler swooped down and snatched his friend as the others stood their ground, Riptide actually charging ahead with an Ice Punch. The attack froze the water, Springer and Hopper leaping behind the lizard as the rest of the water went past the now frozen shield Riptide had made. At the same time, Prongs stood strong as the water passed him without issue. Up above, Skyler pointed Viper at Gyarados's head before the Anahakka unleashed a Flamethrower attack at the serpent's face. The beast cried out as it was burnt, the Whirlpool attack coming to a stop as Springer and Hopper leapt over the ice shield. "Riolu!" Springer roared as he fired an Aura Sphere into Gyarados's chest, Hopper leaping past Springer next. The mega saw him coming and tried to crush him under its tail, only for Hopper to sidestep and use Crunch on water-snake's tail. Gyarados let out a cry as he began flailing around, trying to get Hopper off as Skyler let Viper go. "Carrr!" Viper hissed as he bit the end of his tail and began spinning, his body becoming wrapped in flames. The serpent glared up at the Flame Wheel, forgetting Hopper for a moment before preparing to fire a Hydro Pump. But before it could, Riptide and Prongs struck it on both sides with a Rock Smash and Energy Ball. The sea-serpent was now realizing that going mega might have been a mistake, for now it was weak against both Fighting and Grass attack. But its resistance to Fire remained, Viper's Flame Wheel hitting his head before the serpent flicked him off with just a scratch. He then slammed his tail down, forcing Hopper to let go before trying to hit the Pokémon, only for Springer to pull him out of the way of Gyarados's attack. And as the six recollected themselves, the stared up at the behemoth as it growled at them. Meanwhile... Twilight, Doc, Spike and their friends continued to battle against the horde of Kelpool and Lokelpie along with Black, White and their Pokémon. "Mystical Fire!" Shine launched the fire blast at Malamar, Black countering with a Flamethrower. The flames collided, Malamar's attack soon overpowering Shine's as it began to push her back, only for her to jump over the fire as Twilight yelled, "Fairy Wind!" "Nee!" Shine swung her tail, unleashing a barrage of pink wind that slammed into Malamar's face, knocking it back. But as it staggered, Black ordered a Psycho Cutter attack, its tentacles quickly thrusting at the ponyta. As this happened, Doc and Flitanium were facing off against White and Cloyster. "Icicle Spear!" Cloyster launched the barrage of ice spikes right at Flitanium, the Flying Steel-type simply deflecting them away with its metal wings. White growled at this before yelling, "Spike Cannon!" Cloyster fired some new projectiles at Flitanium, only for them to also bounce off the bird's metal body. "Ha!" Doc laughed as he pointed at White. "Those attacks might be effective against most Pokémon, but a Steel-type's are a different story. Now, Drill Peck!" Flitanium spun around, morphing into an air drill that flew right at Cloyster. "Protect!" White commanded as Cloyster closed its shell, causing an energy bubble to form around it as the air drill bounced off it. "Steel Wing!" Doc ordered as Flitanium broke out of the drill and spread its wings. "Teleport!" Flitanium swung its wings at Cloyster, but the bivalve Pokémon's shell glowed before it completely vanished. Flitanium found himself about to trip as he missed his attack, only to hear something above him, making him looking up to see the giant falling clam. "FLY!" Flitanium yelped as he barely hopped away from the crashing Cloyster, the Pokémon opening its shell as White gave an order. "Icicle Spear!" Cloyster fired the projectiles at Flitanium, the bird still in mid jump and had its wings curled up. As this happened, the icicles slammed into it, knocking it back before seeing its wings start to freeze over. "Not good," Doc commented as he saw the bird try to move his wings. At the same time, Spike, Vinyl, Octavia and the rest of the city continued to battle against the horde of brainwashed Kelpool and Lokelpie. "They just keep coming," Spike moaned as Peewee used another Wing Attack to knock a Kelpool flying. "I know it's hard," Octavia told him as Kricketune used Slash on a Lokelpie. "But we must endure it so the others can save Sonata and Sirenity!" "But we can't do this forever!" Vinyl reminded her as Noibat unleashed a Supersonic, making several Kelpool dizzy as they started hitting themselves. "Our Pokémon are gonna get tired eventually. Man, I really wish I hadn't left the rest of my team at home." As this happened, Twilight continued to battle against Black as she saw several people getting overwhelmed by the number of hypnotized Pokémon. "There's gotta be another way." She glanced over at the bridge, seeing Flash's Pokémon still fighting against Gyarados. "Wait...that's it!" Twilight turned back at the hypnotized Pokémon and yelled at her owl Pokémon, "Owlicious, Mind Force!" The giant owl nodded as it began to charge up the attack to fire at a Lokelpie. Black heard this and gasped, turning to Malamar as it used Flamethrower to force Shine to jump back. "HEY!" He glared back to her as she pointed at Owlicious, "Night Slash!" Malamar nodded before taking to the air, Twilight gasping as she yelled, "Look out!" Owlicious turned to her voice, now seeing Malamar coming as the squid swung its blade-like tentacles into him. "OWL!" He cried at the blow, smacking him down behind Twilight, she and Shine trying to run to his side, only for Malamar to land between them. "Hypnosis!" She heard Black call out, Twilight gasping again as Malamar's chest glowed. Owlicious tried to look away, but it was too late as he was now put under the sleepy spell. "No!" Twilight screamed as Owlicious slumped over, Shine shooting a Mystical Fire that forced Malamar to jump away. They then got to Owlicious, Twilight kneeling down by the owl, "Come on, wake up!" But Owlicious didn't respond, now letting out a small snore. "Too bad," Twilight turned to a laughing Black as Malamar landed by her, "Now it's just you and cotton candy head." Shine let out a threatening neigh as Twilight picked herself up. "And we're gonna win." "No, I don't think you will." Flash and Guile's swords clashed again, their foreheads connecting as they tried to push the other away. Both grunted as they began walking in circles, eventually completing a full rotation before pushing each other back. The two panted as they stared at each other, only for Flash to ask, "Why?!" "Excuse me?" "Why do all this?! Kidnapping Sonata. playing her voice and controlling Sirenity…why?! What purpose could this serve for your great plan?!" Guile chuckled for a few moments before letting out a sigh and lowering his sword, making Flash hesitate as he saw Guile remove his helmet. Archibald Kaito stared Flash down as he began what all villains with overblown egos do, monologue, "My dream is and always has been, to raise the sea level and create a better world for the Water Pokémon living in it. At first, I attempted to control the mighty Kyogre. But that plan ended in failure, and worse than that, I was punished for my impudence by having this curse afflicted onto me. However, I was lucky. Someone was looking out for me...and now I have everything I need. Sirenity is a much weaker Pokémon, but still perfect for my plan. As long as I have the priestess and her voice, it will obey me and create my perfect world." "How?" Flash's question went unanswered as Archie stared past him, his eyes glued on a hole behind Sonata. "See for yourself." Flash followed Archie's eyes, turning to the window before his eyes went fully wide. "No way..." Back with Twilight, Malamar had just deflected another Fairy Wind as Shine landed in front of her. Twilight growled at the sight, seeing how outmatched Shine was compared to Malamar. And with Owlicious still out cold, she knew they didn't have a way of countering its hypnotic abilities. "Stay strong," she told Shine as the Ponyta nodded and got into a battle ready position. But before Twilight could give another order, someone else called out, "HEY!" She turned to see someone pointing at the sea, "What's that?!" Twilight and the rest of the citizens followed his finger before gasping, the others turning to do the same. Everyone in the city were now staring at the ocean, unable to believe what they were seeing. It was a tidal wave, a huge one that was rocketing at them at incredible speed. It would be on them in only a few minutes, the size of it enough to completely wipe Vocanctus, and a mile or so of the land behind it off the map. "No way," Twilight whispered before turning to the temple, "Flash...Sonata...we need you to save us now!" "Are you insane?!" Flash yelled, "How is this going to create your perfect world?!" Archie cackled at his question, "Simple. That wave will strike Vocanctus and rip both it and the surrounding land to pieces, then drag the rocks back into the ocean. That'll raise the sea level. Then I'll have Sirenity repeat the process again and again. Eventually, all of Equestria will be sunk below the waves and my perfect world will finally be born." He exploded with laughter that was one part joy, one part excitement and about a hundred part cuckoo-for-cocoa-puffs. "But those waves are gonna hit this temple way before it hits the city!" Flash barked back, "If you're not crushed under the rubble, you'll just drown when you're sucked under the water with the rest of the city! Did you even think this through?!" "Of course I thought it through," Archie replied before putting his helmet back on. "As long as I'm wearing this suit of armor, I'm suspended in a single moment. That means I'm immortal!" With that, he charged as he swung his swords, making Flash hop back as he continued, "And even if I was pulled to the bottom of the ocean, my Gyarados and the others can easily retrieve me and get me back to my sub." He laughed as he thrust his blade, Flash quickly leaping away as the sword struck a pillar, "NOTHING WILL STOP ME!" He yelled as he pulled the blade out, cutting the pillar in half. The sight made Flash try to hit him with his sword, only for Surskit to leap down from the ceiling and fire a Bubblebeam. Gasping at the attack, Flash hopped to the side, only to see Guile now charging at him again. 'I can't let this nutjob's crazy plan go through,' he thought to himself as he kept backpedaling, his mind now playing horrifying images of all his friends as the wave hit. Twilight, Sonata, Spike, Doc, Vinyl, Octavia, his Pokémon and even Novo and the few people he saw in passing at the festival now being consumed by the water. If he didn't do anything, all of them would be pulled to the bottom of the ocean....only for the rest of Equestria to follow. The vision made Flash growled as he blocked Guile's next attack. "Just give up boy! I've already won!" "Not a chance!" Flash replied as he pushed the knight back, "I won't let you beat me!" "RIOLU!" Springer cried as he was struck by the powerful stream of water, knocking him back. Hopper caught him before he could crash land, both being pushed back a few inches. Springer glanced back and smiled at him before hopping off the Pokémon as Skyler flew up to Gyarados's face and hit him with a Gust, making it growl as Riptide, Prongs and Viper focused on attacking the rest of its body. "Let's go!" Springer told him in their language before the two charged. Despite the annoying bird flying around his head, Gyarados turned to them and began to charge up a Hyper Beam, only for Springer to suddenly multiply into an army of himself. Each created a small Aura Sphere as Gyarados launched its Hyper Beam, the army of Riolus being cut down by a spray of the beam. However, the real Springer was currently sitting on Hopper's back as the Velocirush used Quick Attack to build up speed, the Riolu also charging his own Aura Sphere. Gyarados saw this but flinched when Riptide used Rock Smash on its midsection, allowing Hopper to come to an instant stop as he propelled Springer into the air. The Riolu turned into a rocket as he flew through the sky with the Aura Sphere, only for Gyrados to thrust his large whiskers at him, wrapping them around Springer's waist. "Whoa!" He yelped as the whiskers tugged him, making him accidently throw his Aura Sphere upward, causing it to explode near Skyler, pushing the bird away from the battle. "SPRINGER!" The rest of his friends yelled as they charged, only for Gyarados to unleash another Whirlpool, the water exploding across the bridge and knocking them all back. "GUYS!" Springer cried as he saw them get smacked away, only for the whiskers to fling him upward. He let out a yelp as he found himself airborne, looking down to now see Gyarados jump up with its mouth wide open, ready to eat him. "SPRINGER!" He turned to see Skyler flying back into the fight, "GET HIM!" He beat his wings, firing a powerful gust of wind that stopped Springer midair before pushing him down at high speed. "Oh yeah!" Springer cheered as he formed an Aura Sphere in his paws. "Take this!" He threw the attack into Gyarados's face, an explosion following as it slammed the Mega into the bridge, causing both it and the temple too shake violently. "WHOA!" Flash yelped as he fell over from the shaking, Guile barely managing to stay on his feet while Sonata felt her body flail around. The tremors shook the ropes, making them snap as she fell over, her body slumping to the ground. "SONATA!" Flash yelled as he saw her not move, scrambling to get up. But before he could even try to get to her, Guile jumped between them with Surskit on his shoulder. The armored figure swung the blade, Surskit firing another Bubblebeam that Flash had to jump away from. And as he rolled across the floor before getting back up, he screamed, "Sonata! You gotta wake up!" "Don't bother!" Guile spat as he pointed his blade at the teen. "She will not wake up, and you'll soon be joining her." Back outside, Springer had been caught by Skyler, flying him down as Springer joined the others. "Don't let your guard down," the Riolu told the group, "He's still in his mega form." In that moment, Gyarados's eyes shot open, letting out a mighty roar before unleashing its Hydro Pump attack at the six. Viper and Riptide did there best to stop it, using Flamethrower and Water Gun to block it, only for the water to cut right through their attacks. The others quickly leapt back, Skyler grabbing Viper before the Hydro Pump could hit him while Riptide stood against the stream. Springer then used Extreme Speed, immediately appearing in front of the sea serpent as he slammed his foot into Gyarados's face. The blow stopped its Hydro Pump just as Viper, Prongs and Skyler fired their long rang attacks. An Energy Ball struck its stomach while the Air Cutters supercharged the Flamethrower, morphing it into a barrage of burning blades that struck Gyarados's throat. As this was happened, Hopper caught the falling Springer before charging at the beast, quickly reaching Gyarados's tail. Gyarados noticed this and thrust a whisker at them, only for Springer to leap off Hopper's back. The Riolu grabbed the vine-like appendage, spinning around until he could plant his feet on it before sliding down it Tarzan-style. Gyarados went wide-eyed at this before trying to flick Springer off, the Riolu ducking under the tail. As this happened, Hopper zipped around the serpent, getting to back of its head before slamming an Iron Tail right on the beast's crown. The pain made the serpent roar, unable to start up another Hydro Pump as Springer leapt at his face. With a mighty yell, Springer thrusted a Drain Punch right into Gyarados, smacking it back into the bridge again. But as the Riolu was about to land, another roar came from the beast before it unleashed another Whirlpool, knocking all the Pokémon back. The six cried out as the water buffeted them into the bridge, Viper especially in pain. And as Springer hit the bridge's fence, he fell to his knees before glaring up at the Gyarados, now seeing it prepare a Hydro Pump. "Not good..." he moaned as glanced at his team, all of them still in pain. "Not good at all." "NEE!" Shine cried as she got struck with another of Malamar's Night Slash attacks. "Shine!" Twilight yelped as she saw her Ponyta fall over, now looking very close to being beaten. Twilight then glanced at Owlicious, seeing him still sleeping. "You've got to hold on," she told Shine. "Just a little longer. I know you can do it." Shine nodded as she got back to her hooves. "Nee!" she roared before charging at Malamar again. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Black laughed as Malamar swung its tentacles around, unleashing a barrage of Psycho Cutters. "Of course not," Twilight replied as Shine jumped around the attacks, only for the squid to slap her. A cry of pain followed this, the Ponyta barely able to keep on her hooves before firing a Mystical Fire attack. The squid cut the attack with another Psycho Cutter, the Ponyta growling at this as Twilight continued, "We won't give up! It's something I learned from my friend Flash. Even when things look bad, there's always a way to turn things around." She glared at the wave that was getting closer. "I know there's a way to stop that thing. So we won't stop trying until the very last second." "Hmph. Then you're just a fool." Black spat before pointing at Shine, "Show her what I mean Malamar!" And as the squid began another attack, another battle was also going poorly. Flitanium's wings were still frozen shut, unable to properly defend itself as White kept giving commands. "Teleport!" Cloyster suddenly vanished, Flitanium looking up, only to see nothing. "Behind you!" Doc yelled, Flitanium unable to react as Cloyster taclked him. "STER!" It crashed into Flitanium, making it stagger before teleporting behind him again, this time firing a Spike Cannon into Flitanium's back. "TAY!" He cried before spinning around, trying to use his frozen wings as a club, only for Cloyster to use Protect to...protect itself. The wing bounced off the shield, making Flitanium stumble as Cloyster opened its shell with a smirk. "Bye bye, birdy! Spike Cannon!" White laughed as Cloyster prepared to fire, Flitanium now pecking at the ice with its beak. Doc saw the attack about to happen, his mind going over every possible strategy...only to come up with nothing. That is, till he stared at Cloyster, the thought of what Flash would do entering his brain. "That's it! Use the Spike Cannon to free your wings!" Flitanium went wide-eyed at this, only to shine a grin as he quickly repositioned his frozen wings. "No! Stop!" White yelled, but it was too late. Multiple spikes flew out of Cloyster, the projectiles quickly slamming into the bird...and the ice. Cracks appeared everywhere in the frozen water, letting Flitanium spread his wings with a mighty push, smashing the ice as the last spike struck. "FLY!" He cheered as he spread his wings and leapt up, soon soaring into the air. But as he did this, he let out a gasp of air, Doc seeing this and knowing his Pokémon was still really injured. "Shoot...need to end this quick." As he said this, the same results were happening all over. Spike, Vinyl, Octavia and the rest of the city were continuing to face off against the Kelpool and Lokelpie. But whenever they managed to beat one, another recovered and continued to fight, trying every way to overwhelm them. Every second was quickly passing as they continued to battle, Spike now turning his gaze to the temple, "Come on Flash, you gotta save us somehow. You've gotta save Sonata now!" Meanwhile... Flash felt his legs tremble as Guile continued to push him back. Their blades clanged again and again as Flash kept getting knocked away from the pedestal Sonata was on. And as this happened, the teen knew he couldn't break through the knight, knowing he had only one option. "Sonata!" he yelled as he dodged another blade swipe from Guile, "You gotta wake up! Sonata!" A Signal Beam from Surskit came next, Flash ducking under the laser as he continued to yell, "Sonata, you can't let this guy use your power to destroy your home! Wake up!" His voice made a stir in the girl, Sonata's eyes starting to move as Flash and Guile locked swords again. The teen could feel his feet grind on the floor as Guile pushed him back, only to leap away as Surskit fired a Bubblebeam. "This is your power," Flash yelled again, "Your's and no one else's." Guile then swung his sword down, Flash shifted his blade horizontally to block it. "You gotta fight it and wake up!" His words hit her ears, making her slowly get up and turn around, now seeing Guile kick Flash in the stomach, only for Flash to sweep his legs, knocking Guile off his feet. A loud clang followed this as Flash turned to Sonata, "You have the power to control Sirenity, not him! I know you don't want to use it because you're a good person who cares about others, but you gotta sing! Sirenity is-" "Will you shut up!" Guile roared as he hopped back onto his feet as Surskit fired another Bubblebeam at Flash. Flash jumped to the side, hiding behind a pillar as the bubbles exploded off it as he yelled, "This is your voice! He stole it and he's trying to use it to hurt those you care about. Sirenity, Vinyl, Octavia, Novo, even me and my friends." He glanced around to look at her, "You have to take it back!" Sonata just stared at him, only to lift her hand and point at the device with her voice's recording. Flash followed her finger before nodding, quickly jumping out from behind the pillar. Clutching his sword, he charged at the device as Guile chuckled. "Seriously?" He quickly raced up to Flash, Surskit firing a Signal Beams at Flash. But as he did this, Flash jumped side to side in order to evade both, about to get to the device. And as he got close, Guile swung his sword horizontally, trying to cut Flash's head off. But Flash repeated the action from earlier, sliding along his knees and under the sword. Guile growled as he spun around, just in time to see Flash pulled the sword back before throw it. Following it trajectory, Guile quickly turned and yelled, "NOOOOO!" The blade slammed into the device holding Sonata's voice, causing it to spark and shake before it exploded. The song instantly came to a stop, catching everyone outside's attention. "What?!" Black yelped, "How?!" Twilight laughed with a smirk, "Flash must have done it." "Way to go!" Spike cheered as Peewee fired a Dragonbreath at another Kelpool and knocked it down. "But it hasn't stopped the wave," Doc added as everyone turned back to the ocean, still seeing the approaching tidal wave, "There has to be a way to stop it. Come on Flash." At the same time, Flash pulled his sword out of the device, now glad he could no longer hear Sonata sing that terrible song. The joy soon doubled when the glow from the temple vanished, allowing Sonata to rest since she was no long being drained. But that smirk vanished when he heard Guile yell, "You little twerp!" He spun back around, only to narrowly dodge the sword as it was swung at his head. This was followed by another kick, this one hitting Flash's stomach. "Oof!" he yelped as the wind was knocked out of him, allowing Guile to backhand him with his metal glove. This made him stagger back as Surskit unleashed a Signal Beam, hitting him in the chest. "AUGH!" Flash screamed as he was blasted into a pillar of the temple, his sword clattering to the ground. The force of the impact also caused something to go flying out of his pocket, landing right in front of Sonata. "Don't think you've won!" Guile roared, "Sirenity will continue to direct the wave toward us. The spell's effects won't end until that order is carried out. All you've done is slow me down. My sub has the recording, so I'll simply start it again once I've wiped Vocanctus off the map." Flash could only let out a groan as he tried to get up, moaning as he saw the wave in the window. "No..." was all he could whisper as Guile raised his sword again. "Sorry boy, but I won't let some goody-two shoes beat me again." And as the blade swung down, Flash's eyes narrowed before he suddenly leapt for his sword. He rolled on the ground as he dodged Guile's attack, snatching his sword before trying to stand back up. As this happened, Sonata watched Flash not give up, trying to scramble away from Guile as the knight continued to try and hit him. But as she did this, a light hit her face, making her flinch before turning to the light and let out a gasp. It was her necklace, the girl now realizing Flash must have dropped it. She then saw the light from the sun starting to vanish from inside the temple, making her turn and see the wave had now blocked out the sun, now casting a mighty shadow over the city. "No..." she whispered before hearing another clang of metal. Turning back around, she saw Flash try with all his might to push Guile back, the knight easily overwhelming him. The teen's words rang through her head as she watched, only to stare at her necklace and weakly reach out and grab it. "Flash is right." she whispered as she pulled the necklace to her, "This is...my voice. My power." The girl slowly pushed herself back to her feet, pulling the ropes around her wrist off. "And I won't let it be used to harm others!" She took a deep breath, now holding her necklace to her heart. Sonata dug deep in her mind, remembering everything she had experienced over this year, from tragedy all the way to meeting Flash. All the joy. All the sorrow. Everything. And as the podium beneath her feet began to glow again, she sung. But this time, the song she sung wasn't one she had written or even heard of before. No, this song was one that hadn't been heard in over a thousand years. The same song her ancestor had used to first calm the raging Sirenity. The melody filled the temple, making both Guile and Flash turn to her. They gasped as they saw her put her necklace back on as she sang. Flash shined the biggest smile while Guile's hidden face became one of pure fear. "No!" He yelped as he quickly started to run at her, "Stop!" "Oh, no you don't! Back off ugly!" Flash yelled as he leapt in front of Guile, the two locking swords again. But as they did this, Guile easily pushed Flash back, about to knock him away...only to feel a force hit him back. "What?!" Guile yelped as he saw a blue aura appear around Flash, "What is...it can't be! Impossible!" Flash felt a sudden push of strength, his injuries and exhaustion fading as he finally shoved Guile away before looking back at Sonata. The girl smiled at him as she sang, Flash now realizing what was happening. Just like in the story, the one the priestess trusted most was getting powered up by the song. Flash smirked as turned back to Guile, "Now, time to make you pay for everything you've done here." With that, Flash charged as Surskit fired its Signal Beam at him. But Flash just swiped his blade at the laser, deflecting the blast with ease. "RAAAH!" he roared, swing his blade down at Guile, who barely managed to block it, but was forced down onto one knee. And as he started to overpower the knight, Sonata kept singing, the temple continuing to glow as it started projecting the power of her voice out into the city and out to sea. The first ones the voice hit were Flash's Pokémon, the group glowing as their wounds vanished and their strength returned. "Ri..." Springer whispered before smirking. They then turned to Gyarados, "RIOLU!" They charged next, the song continuing to spread across the city as it hit the Pokémon fighting against Guile's army. "This song?" Doc whispered as everyone began to glow. "It's so beautiful," Octavia gasped as Twilight's eyes went wide. "It must be...Sonata!" She then turned to Owlicious, the owl waking up thanks to the song. "Yes!" She glared back at Black, "Alright, let's end this!" Shine neighed as she got back into the battle while Owlicious prepared for the attack he knew Twilight wanted him to use. Out in the sea... Sirenity was swimming ahead of the giant wave as it headed toward the city, its eyes still glowing red. But as the power of Sonata's voice reached the beast, the song cut through the water and hit her ears. The red glow instantly exploded off its eyes, making it come to a stop. "Sai?" It blinked at the location, glancing around before seeing feeling a large shift in the water. It turned to see the wave, now seeing it was about to hit the temple. "REN!" it yelped as it began to swim after the wave. The creature then shot out of the water with a massive splash, hovering right in front of the temple, everyone inside now seeing her. "NOOOOO!" Guile screamed as he saw he had lost control of his mighty beast. He pushed Flash off and got back to his feet, only for Flash to shove him again. "Stop! Out of my way!" "Not a chance!" Flash yelled as the two locked blades again. As this happened, Sirenity stared down at the wave as the gem in its chest glowed. Its eyes began to do the same as it took a deep breath in, only to unleash a mighty burst of sound. "SIRENITY!" It neighed, firing a Hyper Voice that spread out across its entire front. The soundwaves struck the wave, stopping it in its tracks, water and sound now pushing against one another. Every battle stopped as they watched Sirenity fight against the very force of nature it had created. The fight lasted almost a full minute before the wave began to lose its power, the water soon falling back into the sea, allowing Sirenity's Hyper Voice to keep pushing the liquid away. Inside the temple, Sonata kept singing as Flash kept Guile from moving, "No!" the knight yelled, "No. No! NO!" Flash shoved Guile back again, this time pointing his sword at Guile's head, "Now do you get it? You've lost. The Voice of the Ocean will never be yours!" "Be quiet!" Guile growled. "I won't be stopped again!" He roared before charging at Flash, the teen doing the same as their clash knocked Surskit off Guile's shoulder, throwing it into a nearby pillar. "Yes, you will. And this time, it'll be for good!" Meanwhile again... Gyarados roared in pain as both Air Cutter and Energy Ball bounced off its body, Prongs leaping back while Skyler flew upward. Riptide, Viper and Hopper charged in next, Viper using Poison Fang on the serpent's tail as Riptide slammed an Ice Punch into its chest while Hopper swung its tail down on Gyarados's head. The beast roared again as the others leapt back, only to look to see Springer holding onto Skyler's legs as he got high enough. But as Gyarados spotted him, Springer let go and began to charge up an Aura Sphere with all the energy he had. Gyarados charged a Hyper Beam in response, only to be bombarded with a Water Gun, Air Cutter, Flamethrower and Energy Ball from different angles. "RUSH!" Hopper yelled as he tackled Gyarados at high speed, causing the beast to prematurely unleash its Hyper Beam. But due to its lack of proper charge, the beam wasn't at full power. This allowed Springer to thrust his Aura Sphere at the beam, hitting it head-on as the Fighting-type move cut through the Normal-type one before hitting the Gyarados's face. The mega could only gasp as its blast faded, revealing Springer as he fired another Aura Sphere, the Emanation Pokémon roaring, "RIOLU!" A minute or so ago... "Night Slash!" Malamar charged at Shine, swinging a tentacle at the Ponyta as Twilight ordered her to use Fairy Wind. She spun around, unleashing a pink wind right in Malamar's face, knocking it back as Owlicious took to the air. As he did this, Flitanium used Steel Wing on Cloyster, knocking it back, "Now's our chance," Doc told Flitanium as it flew upward, "Finish this! Iron Head!" Flitanium curled its wings in preparing to dive-bomb Cloyster. "Protect!" White instantly replied, Cloyster quickly using the shield move. But as it came up, Noibat and Peewee suddenly appeared in front of it. "Incinerate!" "Wing Attack!" The two launched their attacks, hitting the Protect bubble head on. The blows caused it to fade as Flitanium got in close. "FLY!" It roared before crashing into the Ice-type, sending it flying. The clam flew past White, hitting a building before slumping down spirals in its eyes. "Yes!" Doc cheered before throwing a thumbs up to Spike and Octavia. "Do something!" White screeched as ran over to Black. "I'm trying!" Black yelled back as she looked up at Owlicious. "Don't let that thing fire its attack!" Malamar began to pick itself up, ready to launch a Flamethrower at Owlicious. "X-Scissor!" Before it could react, it suddenly felt a mighty burst of pain hit its the back. Behind it, Octavia's Kricketune had slashed it, the Bug-type attack doing four times as much damage. The pain prevented Malamar's Flamethrower just as Shine galloped up close. "Mystical Fire!" The Galarian Ponyta's horn lit aflame and she quickly drew a circle of fire before pointing at Malamar. A fireball came next, coming through the ring as it struck it dead on. The pain was now combined with the X-Scissor and the previous damage, now too much for the evil squid as it let out a mighty cry of pain before falling back with swirly eyes. "NO!" Black and White screamed before looking up at Owlicious. "It's over!" Twilight yelled before calling out to her Owlolar, "MIND FORCE!" Owlicious glowed a blue light that it fired at the ground with a beat of its wings. All the girls could do was shake in fear as the orb flew down, knowing what would come next. At the same time... Flash and Guile were now standing face to face, the teen feeling the last of the boost Sonata gave him beginning to fade. He knew he needed to end this now, or else. At the same time, Guile was growling as he saw his Surskit was still out cold. "You little....that's it!" He roared as he turned back to Flash, his form shaking in rage. The knight let out a battle cry before charging, "I'll cut you in two, brat!" "Bring it!" Flash barked back as he did the same, both swinging their swords down as they got closer and closer. And as they did this, Sonata felt the last of her strength draining as she reached the final note of her song. The same moment came for Flash and Guile's blades as they clashed. Springer's Aura Sphere finally hit its mark on Gyarados and Owlicious's Mind Force attack struck the ground as well, both orbs exploding and filling the area with light. And as this happened, Flash and Guile's swords let out the loudest clang in their entire fight. The blue light that surrounded Flash shot into the sword as it collided with Instant, that light exploding and filling the entire temple. Author's Note Oh yeah. That was fun. Hope you enjoyed it. So, how will this all end. Only time will tell. Chapter 7KABOOM! Gyarados roared in pain as the sphere exploded in its face, the force throwing Springer back. Curling up and spinning until he reached the bridge, the Riolu landed spider-man style as the others gathered around him. The six Pokémon stared up at the Gyarados as the smoke slowly faded from its face, showing the beast with spirals in its eyes before it slumped over, its body soon shining as it crashed into the bridge, the light fading to reveal it back in its normal form. "Riolu!" Springer cheered as the others yelled in joy, only to see a bright flash of light catch their attention. They turned to see Owlicious's Mind Force attack explode and sweep over the area, soon stopping the crowd. Twilight could only watch as the Kelpool, Lokelpie, Black and White all stood frozen after the Mind Force swept over them....only for the army to all fall over. The girl and others ran over next, Twilight and Doc kneeling next to Black and White while the citizens began to check on the Pokémon. It was then that a blue light caught everyone's attention, making them turn to the temple and see that light fly out of its doors and windows. They all blinked at the sight, Twilight then seeing Flash's Pokémon begin to climb over the Gyarados's body as they tried to get to the temple, worry filling her at the unknown origin of the light. "Flash..." Inside the temple, the light kept pulsing, its shine getting brighter. Sonata couldn't see a thing, the girl now stopping her song as her throat started going dry, her body now close to running on empty. She slumped over, panting as she squinted at the light, now seeing the light starting to dim. But as she stared, she gasped as she now saw Flash and Guile standing there, their swords locked. The two glared at one another, both pushing their weapons against each other. And as they kept pushing, the sound of cracking suddenly filled the air. Both looked down next, now seeing a crack appear on one of their swords, originating from the point the other one had struck. That crack quickly spread across the rest of the blade, only to shatter in an instant. "No..." Guile whispered as he dropped the handle of his broken sword, "impossible." He then looked back at Flash, now seeing the teen raise his sword above his head, "NOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed as Flash swung the blade down, slicing down the center of his body before hitting the ground between his feet in the blink of an eye. Guile remained frozen at that spot, unable to move as time began to go to a crawl. And before he could even react, he felt his body get broken out of a trance by the familiar sound of cracking. He couldn't see the cause at first, but slowly realized what was happening as light began to seep into his helmet. The crack came up to his eyes next, slowly making its way from the top of his helmet and moving downward. Flash watched as the crack moved down his head, neck, chest, stomach and finally waist. Then, with one large shattering sound, the armor known as Eternity broke in half and fell off Guile's body. "Hey, are you okay?" Twilight asked as she shook Black, "Hello? Can you hear me?" "Whoa there Twilight! Don't we want her to stay asleep?!" Vinyl yelped as she and Octavia moved over to them, "They were just trying to kill us!" "It's not their fault," Twilight instantly replied, "They were under Malamar's control, just like the Kelpool and Lokelpie. But Owlicious's Mind Force should have snapped them out of it." It was then that they heard two sets of moans, the group now seeing Black and White begin to move. "My head..." White groaned. "Wha...what happened?" Black muttered as she put a hand to her head. "You okay?" Doc asked, White blinking at the teen. "Who the heck are you?" She then looked down, only to go wide-eyed, "And what the heck am I wearing?!" Her voice and the way she spoke resonated with Vinyl and Octavia, both exchanging glances as Vinyl said, "Hang on, I know that voice." "Yes, it almost sounds like-" Octavia started before gasping as the girl pushed the helmet off her head, "Adagio!" "Aria!" Vinyl yelped as the citizens now turned to their outburst, murmurs soon flowing over the crowd as they saw the girls, "How?!" "How what?" Adagio asked before holding her head, "Ugh...I've got a serious headache." "Same. Feels like a hammer slamming a nail in my brain." Aria grumbled as she gripped her head, "Ow...what happened to me? The last thing I remember was...our boat was getting sucked into a whirlpool." Adagio nodded. "I remember getting pulled under and-" She stopped at those words, her eyes going wide as she then yelped, "Oh no! Where's Sonata?!" Aria did the same expression, only for Twilight and Doc to grip their shoulders, "Don't worry. We know where she is." "Huh? You do?" Twilight then pointed to the temple, "She's in there." Sonata's body slumped over, about to fall to her knees as Flash ran up to her. Quickly sliding down, he caught her just as he threw his sword to the side. "You okay?" he asked as she fell into his arms. "Yeah..." she moaned, her eyes rapidly blinking as she replied, "But I'm really sleepy..." Flash chuckled back before helping her up, the girl barely able to walk. He quickly swung her arm over his shoulder, "I gotcha. Come on, let's get out of-" "AUGH!" They both turned to Archie as he clutched his stomach and curled up so his forehead touched the ground, his whole body shaking in pain. "NO! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" "What's happening to him?" Flash asked as they watched him whither in pain, Sonata now remembering what he had said before. "He's being punished," she barely responded, making Flash raise an eyebrow, "He told me that armor was the only thing allowing him to cheat his punishment. But now that it's gone..." She stopped as Archie pushed himself back to his feetm slowly trying to stagger to the door. He soon bumbled out of the temple, still feeling the intense pain now tearing through his body. But as he reached the staircase, his feet give out, making him fall and roll down the steps until he hit the bottom. He groaned in pain as he tried to push himself up, only to now see Flash's Pokémon glaring at him....and his Gyarados laying with swirls in his eyes. "No..." he whispered, "It can't end like this. I was so close." But as he said this, a loud splashing made him turn to the edge of the bridge, and go wide-eyed in fear. It was Sirenity, the Legendary glaring down at him as Flash and Sonata staggered out of the temple. There was a look of anger and vindication in its eyes, Archie now remembering the angry wrath of a previous encounter with angry Legendary Water Pokémon. "Wait..." he tried to say as he stumbled to get back up, "Let's not do anything rash." He then fell onto his butt, his body stil shuffling backwards, "This was all just a...big misunderstanding." The legendary just growled, the gem on its chest glowing as it started to sing. Archie's eyes slowly widened as a column of water rose up above Sirenity, the Melody Pokémon pointing its hoof at him as the column to bent down. "NOOOOO!" He screamed as the water hit the bridge and wrapped around him. The water soon turned into a giant bubble, grabbing him and pulling him up into the air. Before he could react, the bubble began to float him into the ocean. There the ocean began to spiral, forming a maelstrom. Archie started to swim upward, getting to the top of the bubble and poke his head out of the water, gasping for breath before looking down at his enemies. "Help me, PLEASE!" But before Flash or Sonata could do anything, the bubble popped. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he began to fall down into the whirlpool. Seeing what was coming, Flash pulled himself and Sonata away and spun them around. Both flinched as they heard a loud splashing that cut the screaming, both staying like that for several seconds before slowly turning back. Looking down at the ocean, they stared at the whirlpool as it continued to swirl for a few more seconds before vanishing. There was no sign of Archie, not even bubbles of air. "That...was brutal." "Maybe...but it was probably for the best." Sonata added, Flash turning to her wide eyes, "Don't get me wrong, I don't support it...but without that armor, there's no way he would have survived. He would have just kept suffering until it finally ended. In a way, this was Sirenity showing mercy." It was then that Sonata turned to the Legendary, who slowly floated over to them. Sonata let go of Flash and slowly made her way to Sirenity, almost tripping halfway but was caught by the hippocampus as it shoved its head in front of her. This made Sirenity smile as she slowly patted its forehead and chin. "I'm glad you're alright." "Ren," it neighed before Sonata pulled back and looked it in the eye. "I'm sorry. This all happened because I wasn't strong enough." Sirenity shook its head, telling her no before looking her in the eye. Sonata didn't know if it was a power Sirenity had or the connection she shared with it as the priestess, but she could almost hear what Sirenity was telling her in her mind. "No, this event has only proven how strong you are. When things were at their bleakest, you rose to the challenge and managed to unleash the power bestowed upon you. I am proud to call you the priestess of this temple." Sonata couldn't help but cry, smiling as she heard that. Sirenity then took this moment to use its powers to float upward, Flash, Sonata and the rest of the Pokémon staring up at her as she swam through the air, beginning to sing a calming song before diving into the water. Its descent was perfect, completely vanishing below the waves with a single swoop. They stared at the ocean for almost a minute after this, only to start hearing the voices of their friends. They turned to see the group running up to them, Flash now seeing the many citizens using their Pokémon to lift the unconscious Gyarados out of the way, but Sonata was too focused on the two girls leading the group. "Sonata!" Adagio cried as she and Aria ran up to their sister, Sonata tearing up at the sight. "Adagio...Aria..." she whispered before running up to them, the two pulling their baby sister into a hug as the three fell to the floor, kneeling as Sonata cried into their chests. "I thought I'd never see you all again!" Adagio and Aria both giggled, "Oh please." Adagio stroked her hand through the girl's hair, "You'll never get rid of us that easily." Aria nodded with a chuckle, "Been gone a year and you're still a crybaby, huh? Figures." Sonata giggled at their playful bullying, still crying as tears appeared in her sisters' eyes. The three soon all hugged again, embracing their crying sister. As this happened, Flash walked up to the others as Twilight commented, "You look like heck." "I feel like heck too," Flash replied before turning to the three girls on the ground. "But it was worth it to see that sight." He then noticed what Adagio and Aria were wearing. "Wait, is that-" "They were under Malamar's control," Twilight chimed in, "We were able to free them, and now they can return to their normal lives." "Nice." And as Flash said this, Novo walked up to him. "You have done a great service to this city," she stated before bowing. "We of Vocanctus will be forever grateful to you and your friends who helped protect this city and its citizens." The group all smiled and blushed at the same time, seeing the entire city populace bowing to them. They knew they had just come to enjoy themselves at the festival, only to find themselves now be considered heroes. Flash knew he wasn't one for hero titles, wanting just the title of champion instead, but after looking back at Sonata and seeing the happiness on her face, he knew he was fine to be a hero if it meant helping people find their smile. Several days later... The city of Vocanctus was now in a state of constant recovery. Its citizens had worked tirelessly to undo the renovations Guile had done to the temple, removing the many wires and speaker systems he had installed before repairing the damage done by the battles. Luckily, Gyarados's crashing into the bridge hadn't caused it to be structurally impaired. They had also been sure to inspect the weapons, and were happy to report not a single one had been damaged, not even the sword Flash had used to beat Guile. As this was happening, Sonata, Adagio and Aria had been getting treatment to make sure their experiences didn't leave any physical or psychological scars. Sonata had been diagnosed with serious fatigue due to using so much energy, both when it was drained and when she used it herself, but overall was in perfect health. Adagio and Aria, surprisingly, were also given a perfect bill of health. Luckily, Guile hadn't mistreated them while they were under his power, keeping them healthy and well fed. And since the two didn't remember anything that happened during the time they were captured, they were treating the situation like they had been in a coma. So once they had gotten used to losing an entire year, they were already back to their old selves. When the three were released from the hospital, the entire city came to cheer for them, telling them about a celebration they were planning for the trio. And while the girls were happy to be the guests of honor, there was something they asked could happen at this celebrations. The girls had asked for the chance to sing together publicly since they hadn't gotten to do that in over a year. Now Flash, Twilight, Doc, Spike, Springer and Peewee were backstage of the city's musical theater, looking out at a massive audience, now seeing the entire city's populace cheering for the girls to come out on stage. "Talk about sold out," Spike chuckled, "I don't think there's a single empty seat in the house." "Of course," Twilight added with a nod, "Everyone's here to show their support." "They're happy that Sonata has her sisters back," Doc chimed in, "And I think they're also thankful because she was able to save them from that giant wave." "I still can't believe she was able to stop that wave all on her own," Spike responded while Flash just smirked at him. "I can. Sonata's an amazing person. But up until now, she just lacked the conviction to really unleash her full power. Now she's strong enough to do anything, including stopping a tsunami." "Aw, thanks Flash." They turned to see Sonata walking up, dressed in a pink striped shirt and dark purple skirt. "But it wasn't just me who did it. Sirenity was the one who actually destroyed the wave." "Maybe, but you're the one who freed her from Guile's control. It's thanks to your power that we're all standing here today." He shined a big grin, "Your ancestor would be proud." Sonata blushed as she slightly looked away, "Thanks. I'm still having a hard time believing I'm the true priestess...but I am, and I'm gonna take that responsibility seriously." "Does this mean you're not gonna be coming with us?" Twilight asked as a frown appeared on her face, Sonata's slowly matching it while nodding. "No, I'm not. Sorry." "Sonata...you know you don't have to stay," Flash reminded her. "You can still go out and see the world." "I know," Sonata replied while a smile returned to her face, "And we intend too." "We?" "She means us," the others turned to see Adagio and Aria walking up, both dressed up as well. They stood next to Sonata, Adagio placing a hand on her shoulder. "Once this concert's over, we're blowing this place." "You're not coming back?" Twilight asked. "I am," Sonata chimed in. "We might if we feel like it," Aria added. "But all we care about is seeing what's out there." She then playfully elbowed Sonata, "And make up for the time we lost with this one." Sonata giggled at this before speaking up, "This last year, especially the last few days, taught me two things. The first is that I can do anything on my own if I set my mind to it." The others nodded back, agreeing wholeheartedly with that statement. "And the other is that even if I can do things on my own...I don't want to." She turned to her sisters before glancing at her friends, "Me and my sisters are gonna explore the world outside the city. Then, I'll come back for the Voice of the Ocean Festival and fulfil my duty as priestess." The others smiled and nodded at this as Flash spoke up, "I'm sure Sirenity will be happy to hear that. Who knows, maybe this is why she called out to you. To help you find the strength to stand alone and use her powers to keep Vocanctus safe." "I know." Sonata replied. "And like you've shown me, I'll get the strength both alone and with my sisters." And as those words left her mouth, the trio heard the crowd cheering louder and louder as one of the stage hands rushed backstage. "Okay girls. You ready?" Adagio and Aria nodded before running out on stage, the crowd's noise exploding to deafening levels while Sonata continued to stand where she was. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to see a smiling Flash, "Go on," he gave her a gentle shove. "They're waiting to hear you sing." Sonata took several steps forward, reaching the every edge of the back stage before stopping. She took a deep breath and clutched her necklace for a moment before turning back, "Thank you Flash." The two shared a smile before Sonata whispered out, "Love you." Flash just blinked at the girl, the other's going wide-eyed as they saw Sonata run onto the stage and say her hellos to the audience. As she did, Flash's friends came up to his side as Doc patted him on the shoulder, "Wow. You little heartbreaker." "I'm kinda jealous," Spike added while Springer and Peewee cheered as well. As they did this, Twilight stepped up to Flash and crossed her arms. "So what are you gonna say to her when the concert's over?" "What do you mean?" Flash replied as he turned to Twilight, blinking the glare she was now giving, "What did she say?" This reply caused his friends to all anime drop, Twilight the first to recover as she yelled, "What do you mean, what did she say?!" Flash stuck a finger into his ear, "The crowd's so loud I can barely hear you guys right now." The others all sighed before turning to walk away, Flash then saying, "What?! What did she say?! Hey! Don't ignore me!" They all ran off the stage next, going to the standing area of the audience as Octavia and Vinyl motioned them to join in. It was here that Flash spotted Novo and Skystar up in the VIP section, along with a pink skinned girl with blue hair and a yellow skinned boy with mint hair. The crowd went quiet as the music began. Cue epic Pokemon song As soon as the song ended, the theater exploded with applause. The girls smiled and waved at their adoring public while Sonata waved to her friends, the group all waved back and cheering at the top of their voices. The group's adventures in Vocanctus had been much more than they had expected. Meeting new friends, experiencing new Pokémon and saving the city from utter oblivion. Now having defeated an evil madman and reunited a family, the heroes could enjoy themselves once again before getting back on the road to continue their Pokémon journey. Outside the concert hall, out in the ocean, all was calm. You would have never had guessed that just days ago the very same sea was almost used to destroy everything. And as the moon hung low, its light reflected off the surface of the water, the ocean broke apart as Sirenity leapt into the air. As the beast reached the center of the moon, the scene froze before cutting to black. Cue awkwardly shoehorned in pop song that has nothing to do with the plot. Voice Cast Flash Sentry: Vincent Tong Twilight Sparkle: Tara Strong Spike: Cathy Weseluck Time (Doc) Turner: David Tennant Sonata Dusk: Maryke Hendrikse Adagio Dazzle/Octavia Melody: Kazumi Evans Aria Blaze: Diana Kaarina Vinyl Scratch: Jessi Nowack Mayor Novo: Uzo Aduba Guile Hideout: Sean Schemmel Author's Note And thus, this movie comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed reading it, I know I enjoyed writing it. For anyone who want to actually hear the song the Dazzlings sung, message me and I'll send it over to you. Licencing issues, you know.
Chapter 1Author's Note Welcome, to the second Pokémon movie. Hope you enjoy it. Chapter 1 Pokémon. Dazzling awe inspiring creatures that live on this planet. In numbers too massive to even begin to count, numbering in the thousands, maybe even millions. With many amazing types and species so varied, it's impossible to count them and be sure. In this world, people and Pokémon exist as partners, friends, family and so much more. While many live together in a peaceful life, others work together to become stronger and battle others in order to gain the title of champion. And in this world, Pokémon of great power exist, those with the strength to move and shape the continents. There are ones that have the mystical control over the elements that make up nature and the weather, and ones that can even manipulate the vast and mighty ocean. And where there are Pokémon with that colossal power, there exists those wishing to claim that power for themselves. This is a story of one such individual and the efforts of those hoping to stop him before it is too late. The adventure begins in a beautiful city situated on the coast of the Equestria Region. Located at the base of a fifty meter cliff, the city was a mix of modern and ancient buildings. It was roughly ten miles wide, starting at the cliff and ending at the ocean while running along roughly fifteen miles of the coastline. The place had a very Venice-like structure, many streets having canals with boats floating inside. And as you would head further into the city, there is a large stone bridge that lead to an island about a mile off from the city. On that island was an ancient Greek temple with a statue above the entrance showing a horse-like creature with a fish's tail and fins along with a hexagonal crystal in its chest. It was on that bridge as the sun set, that the city's citizens could be found. They were all walking along the bridge, numbering over a thousand, all carrying candles that were driving away the approaching darkness. Not just humans, but Pokémon of many different types were heading to the temple carrying the lights. And at the front of the crowd were a trio of figures wearing the same white monk robes with hoods that hid their faces. As they made their way across the bridge, the three were all singing a soft calming song that was in a language only they could understand. And as they got to the temple, their song came to an end as they took off their hoods, revealing a trio of teenage girls. Roughly between fifteen and sixteen years of age, the girls all had very different appearances. The center girl had yellow skin, purple eyes and bushy orange hair that had yellow streaks running through it. To her left was a girl with pink skin, purple eyes and purple hair with mint streaks done up in a pair of pigtails. And on the right was a girl that had light blue skin, purple eyes and a ponytail hair style made up of two different shades of blue that were darker than her skin. Each girl was wearing a necklace with a red gemstone, the three bowing before the temple as the yellow one spoke up, "Oh great guardian of Vocanctus, we give our thanks to you for another year of protection. Please, accept our offering and let your rage sleep for another year." With that, the temple doors began to open, the three leading the large group into the temple. The insides of the building was very spacious, only being a simple walkway with many columns to the sides. Behind the columns and covering the walls were hundreds of weapons: swords, shields, lances and other dangerous object. All still showed their sharpness as the were aligned on the wall. And at the back of the room was another set of doors, which open up to reveal a room with rusted blue columns and a round blue stone platform in the middle that had a white image of a horse creature painted on it. The three girls stepped up onto the platform and stood back to back with the yellow girl pointing toward the visitors. They began to sing again, all the people and Pokémon walking as they sang. Almost two hours passed as this happened, each coming up and bowing while giving their thanks. Hours later... With the sun now set, the three girls were on a small yacht several miles away from the temple. The yellow girl cut the engine and turned to see her sisters sitting on the deck, both drinking some drinks. All three were no longer wearing their robes, instead dressed in extravagant outfits that most modest people would call inappropriate while the red gem necklaces were still around their necks. The yellow girl climbed down onto the deck and poured her own cup, sitting down before raising it up. "Well, that's another festival done with." "This makes ten straight years," the pink girl groaned, "Let's enjoy it while it lasts. Come tomorrow, we need to start working on a whole new song and spend the next year practicing it over and over and over until next year's festival." A long sigh came as she said these next words, "Then the whole process starts over again." The blue skinned girl let out a light chuckle, "Oh, come on Aria. It's not that bad." "Easy for you to say," Aria replied while rolling her eyes, "You're so dumb your head would probably explode if you saw anything other than this stupid city and that stupid temple." The yellow girl sighed at this, "She's right Sonata." She picked herself up and looked over the edge of the boat. "Don't you feel it? Inside you? Some kind of underlying tension that could bubble to the surface at any minute!" "It's the fruit punch, isn't it?" Sonata responded while picking up a bottle, "I knew I used too much grape juice. Maybe I should-ow!" The girl had just smacked the side of Sonata's head, "It's not the fruit punch, it's this place!" Aria then leaned over to Sonata. "But the punch is awful too." Sonata growled back, holding the bottle close to Aris's face as she replied, "And what do you know about good fruit punch?!" Aria quickly slapped it away from her. "More than you." Sonata responded by flicking Aria's forehead and saying, "Do not!" "Do too!" Aria replied while flicking her back. But as they were about to start yelling, the yellow girl spun around. "Enough!" They both halted, Sonata frowning as Aria just looked away, "Listen you two, we have bigger issues here than who knows more about fruit punch." "Sorry Adagio," Sonata muttered. "It's fine..." Adagio sighed before shaking her head, "Ugh...why did we have to be born into this stupid tradition?! We don't even know which of us is really meant to hold the title of priestess!" "Well it's obviously you," Aria spat, "You're the first born." "That doesn't mean the power was passed onto me," Adagio instantly replied, "We were all in the womb together. Just because I got out first doesn't mean I was imbued with it." She let out a frustrated groan, "Why can't that stupid Pokémon just show up and tell us who the priestess is?! Then we can finally get on with our lives." "But what would you do?" Sonata asked while tilting her head, "Would you leave Vocanctus?" "Why wouldn't any of us?!" Aria responded, "The only thing keeping us here is that stupid destiny! If I found out it wasn't me who was supposed to be the priestess, I'd be out of here faster than Adagio can do her vocal warm ups." Sonata's eyes darted between her sisters, doing a small gulp as she added, "B-b-but...we wouldn't be together anymore. One of us would have to stay here while the others got to leave." "And maybe that's for the best," Adagio chimed as she looked back at the sea. She took a deep breath next as she yelled out, "Hey! I know you're out there! Stop messing around and tell us who your priestess is! If it's me, then just say it already instead of leaving me hanging!" But as her voice echoed into the sea...nothing happened. A low growl came from the girl next, only for the three to suddenly hear a loud banging noise. They looked up, now seeing an explosion of lights and colors filling the sky. They saw it was a display of fireworks, the sight making them slowly smile. Adagio, Aria and Sonata stood side by side at the sight, Sonata then putting her arms around her sisters and pulling them close. Both rolled their eyes at this despite the smiles on their lips. "I don't care if I'm the priestess or not. All I care about it staying with you two, no matter what we do." Despite not saying it, Adagio and Aria felt the same way. But even though they wouldn't say it, their attention would soon be taken away form the fireworks as the boat suddenly jerked. All three were knocked off their feet, making them all fall over. "Ouchy..." Sonata moaned as she rubbed her butt, "What was that?" "Don't know," Adagio replied while picking herself up, "Stray current, maybe?" "Is that even a thing? The sea's supposed to always be calm, right?" Aria asked, her question going unanswered as the boat began to rock again. This time it started to tip slightly, all three crying out as they grabbed onto the sides, steadying themselves as the boat began to rock more. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Sonata screamed as she and Aria fell over. Adagio kept herself steady as she then looked over the edge, gasping as she saw the cause of the turbulence: A whirlpool. "Oh no..." she whispered as their ship was slowly being pulled towards the vortex. She quickly climbed into the control deck and kicked the engine to life, trying her best to drive away. However, it was already too late, the vortex sucking in their boat into a raging torrent. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" They all screamed as their boat was quickly pulled underwater, getting ripped apart and sending the three flying through the ocean in different directions. Sonata did her best to hold her breath, trying to swim as she flailed her arms and legs around. She soon saw that her sisters were doing the same thing underwater, only for the water to pull her away. And as she was yanked around by the tides, the darkness of the night began to shift over the sea, making her lose sight of the two. Her body and mind began to drift into unconsciousness at this moment, her eyes slowly closing as she was spun around, now looking down at the abyss that would be her grave. But in her last few moments in the waking world, she saw something. A dark shadow moving through the water beneath her, a blurry serpent shape that she thought could be a Gyrados or Milotic...only to see fin legs coming off its front. And as she stared, it got closer, only for a red flash of light to come from its chest. It was the last thing she saw before she suddenly felt herself able to take a large gulp of air, only to lose all consciousness. A low groan escaped her breath as she felt some water touch her face. Her ears were now twitching as the sound of waves crashing hit them next, making the blue girl blink as she slowly opened her eyes. "Ohhh..." she moaned as her brain caught up to reality, telling her that she was now face down in some sand. Slowly rolling over, she spat out the sand before rubbing her eyes, only to notice her clothes were soaked. "Huh?!" Sonata said as she sat up, blinking again as she now saw she was on one of Vocanctus's many beaches. The sun had just risen over the horizon, lighting the beach and giving her vision over the surrounding area. She saw the bridge to the temple in the distance, the sight making certain memories come into her mind. Her brain felt a distinct amount of fuzz as it tried to put certain facts together, only for the memories of the previous night to suddenly strike her mind, "Adagio?" she asked no one, her body reflexively getting up, only to start wobbling as she felt exhaustion consume her. Despite this, she began to walk over the beach as she said, "Aria?" She staggered across the beach while continuing to call out to them, "Adagio! Aria! Where are you?!" Tears began to fill her eyes as her mind slowly began to put the piece together, "ADAGIO! ARIA!" And where there was still no reply, the teen fail to her knees as her tears broke free. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Many miles away, at the bottom of the ocean, a submarine sat on the seabed. Inside its control room, a lone figure sat while staring at a screen showing images of the temple. This figure was clad in a bluish suit of armor, their entire body hidden beneath the metal shell. There was a crack in the right side of the armor's helmet, showing a single eye poking out. At the same time, leaning against the side of the chair was a long sword. The figure continued to stare at the screen as it changed to show an image from under the sea. But in the middle of the mostly blue image was a single black blurred silhouette, the same silhouette Sonata had seen the previous night. The sight made him chuckle as whispered, "Soon...soon you will be mine. And then the world shall know the name, Guile Hideout." Pokémon, the Movie: Voice of the Ocean! One year later... The sun was bright as the wind was charged with the salt of the sea, the gusts rustling the trees around a steep hill that had a staircase running up it. "Ri, oh. Ri, oh. Ri, oh." Springer the Riolu said as he ran up the stairs, jumping two at a time as he reached the top. Behind him was his trainer, Flash Sentry, followed by the rest of their friends. Twilight Sparkle, Spike and Time Turner were all huffing after ascending the stairs, Peewee the Terragon nestled safely on Spike's shoulder. It was here they stared at the top of the hill, seeing its flat top with ground covered in a layer of rubber. They turned to then see a child's playground, complete with a large plastic jungle gym, roundabouts, swing sets and a metal web dome. Beside it was several benches, which seated two girls. The first girl was laying back on the bench, and she was a white skinned girl with frizzy hair of both light and dark blue. She wore a white zip up shirt and white skirt with a musical note on it, along with purple leggings that had pink lightning bolts on it. She also had a pair of shades and a blue headphones on, with a Noibat sitting down beside her. Beside her was the other girl, who sat normally and had gray skin with long black hair. She was wearing a white shirt under a purple vest with a pink bowtie and a pink skirt with a classical music note, along with long white socks and black shoes. A Kricketune stood besides her, rubbing its arms together. The girls looked up, seeing the group as the white girl jumped to her feet. "Yow! What's up?" She asked, taking off her shades and pulling down her headphones as Noibat landed on her shoulder. "Names Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch." The others nodded back before the blue haired teen spoke, "Flash Sentry." "I'm Twilight Sparkle." "Name's Spike." "And you can call me Doc." "Ri/Terra." The gray girl got up and walked over with Kricketune. "My name is Octavia, it's nice to meet you." Vinyl then smirked, taking another step forward. "You know, there's an old unwritten rule that I love." She put her shades back on, "It's says that when the eyes of two trainers meet, they have to do battle. What do you say?" The others all chuckled at this, Twilight turning to her blue haired travel companion, "Go ahead Flash. Don't wanna break the rules, do you?" "No way," Flash laughed before pumping his arms. "A workout like this'll get me in shape for the Equestria League." "I like that attitude," Vinyl put her headphones back on as Octavia and Flash's friends stepped back. "But first, let's see if you're even in my league." Flash shined a big grin as he pulled out a Pokeball. "Well get ready!" He enlarged the ball and pulled it back, "Cause I always play to win!" Cue epic Pokémon music. The ball flew over the field, energy hitting the ground and taking shape to reveal Flash's Spranitor, Riptide. He stood ready for battle as Vinyl took out her own Pokeball and threw it, unleashing a Loudred that let out a mighty roar so strong that it pushed Riptide back a few inches. Loudred charged next, trying to tackle Riptide as the water lizard leapt back to avoid it before jumping onto Loudred's head and kicking off it. The action sent Loudred tumbling back, Riptide then spinning around to slam the Pokémon with an Aqua Tail. A yell pain came out of Loudred after this, slamming into the ground near a tree but stayed up and unleashed a Hyper Voice. Riptide covered his ears before firing a Water Gun, which flew through the sound and struck Loudred. As his attack came to a stop, Riptide charged with a blue glowing fist. With one good punch, Loudred was sent flying back from a single Ice Punch, his form slamming into the tree. The blow made him slump over, spirals filling its eyes. Vinyl cried out in shock while Riptide and Flash high-fived, the two then returning their Pokémon with Vinyl taking out another Pokeball and throwing it up. A Chimecho appeared in front of her, floating on the wind while Flash unleashed his Chitaleaf, Prongs. Prongs was the first to attack, firing several Energy Balls in Chimecho's direction. But the floating Pokémon simply let the wind from the attack push it away, dodging each as Prongs rushed the tiny Pokémon. Attempting to use Bounce, it was about to leap up as Chimecho's body began to glow a light blue. It opened its mouth before multiple light blue rings shot out, hitting the Chitaleaf head-on. The force of the blow made the deer stagger back, Chimecho then using Double-edge on him, slamming Prongs into the ground. And as swirls appeared in his eyes, Flash ran over to him as Vinyl, Octavia and their Pokémon did a unified victory dance. Flash returned Prongs and pulled out another Pokeball, throwing it up to reveal his Wingust, Skyler. Vinyl returned Chimecho and sent out a Chatot, which took the air as Skyler dived down. The two did an aerial battle, flying circles around each other while trying to peck, scratch and slap each other. Chatot eventually tried to use Chatter, but Skyler dodged it before flying up and arching around. He dive-bombed the Chatot, picking up intense speed until he shot past it before performing a V-shaped turn and uppercutted the parrot, sending it crashing with spirals in its eyes. Flash threw Skyler a thumbs up, the Wingust smiling down at him before he and Chatot were returned. And as Vinyl put her Pokeball away, Noibat chose this moment to fly past her and take to the stage. While this happened, Flash took out his Pokeball and threw it, opening to reveal his Anahakka, Viper, who spat out a small cloud of smoke as he prepared for battle. Noibat flew down with glowing wings, trying to use Wing Attack as Viper countered with a Flamethrower. The bat Pokémon cut his attack to evade the flames, flying up high before a bunch of powerful soundwaves flew out of its ears. The waves struck the ground, causing Viper to begin to go dizzy. As he swayed from left to right, Noibat beat its wings to unleash an Air Slash attack, striking the Anahakka and blasting him flying over to Flash's feet with swirls in his eyes. Flash pouted while Vinyl giggled as Noibat landed on her shoulder, Flash returning Viper as he and Vinyl took out another Pokeball. Flash's Velocirush, Hopper, appeared while Vinyl sent out a Palpitoad. The armless frog was the first to make a move, unleashing a bubblebeam attack. But as the bubbles came, the high-speed Pokémon used Quick Attack, dodging and slamming his head into Palpitoad. It staggered back but then spun around, unleashing it tongue and swung it around. Doing so shot a barrage of Mud Shots, Hopper hopping over this while his tail began to glow. The Velocirush swung his tail down, slamming the Palpitoad's head with a crushing blow. Palpitoad's body squished from the attack, only for the force to propel him backward, crashing into the ground before falling unconscious. Vinyl slumped over while Hopper ran over and jumped into Flash's arms, the trainer hugging him tightly as Vinyl returned Palpatoad. She then took out her Pokeball and sent out a Pokémon Flash had never seen before. It was rectangular in design, being a combo of black and blue. It looked like a boombox, its eyes being the speakers while a pair of fangs were coming out of the tape holder-like mouth. Most of its body was black, its mouth being blue along with four buttons on the section above it between the eyes. Below it were four blue cone-shaped studs that acted like feet, while from the top was a square blue handle and the sides of its head were a pair of yellow antenna. Hopper leapt out of Flash's arms as Springer ran up, using Extreme Speed to get up close and deliver and kick to the Pokémon known as Boomax. But before it could make contact, Boomax unleashed a Hyper Voice, sending Springer flying back. The Riolu flew into a swing set, landing on the actual swing that flew backwards. He saw this and got an idea, using the momentum from the swing to catapult him into the air. And as Boomax prepared another Hyper Voice, Springer suddenly multiplied into an army. Boomax tried to use Hyper Voice to wipe them all out, but could only get rid of a small chunk as the rest flew down. Each one created a tiny Aura Sphere, preparing to thrust them as Boomax launched another sonic blast. The attack kept the Riolu from getting close, knocking away all but one. "RIOLU!" The real Springer roared as he slammed the orb into Boomax's face, the explosion sending both backward. The trainers ran over to their Pokémon as they saw both fall over, Springer then getting to his feet while Boomax fell back and spirals replaced his eyes. Flash let out a cheer as he lifted Springer into the air, the Riolu spreading his arms and legs wide as he cried out in celebration. And as the battle ended, the two girls invited their new friends to have lunch with them. Soon, everyone's Pokémon were out and enjoying each other's company as they chowed down. After taking a gulp of her drink, Vinyl turned to the teen that had beat her. "I gotta admit, you're a rockin' trainer." "Thanks. You're not half bad yourself." "I would think so," Octavia added. "If Vinyl wasn't a good trainer, the last year of our life would have been a big waste." "Is that how long you guys have been on a journey?" Spike asked next. Vinyl nodded back, "Yup. I'm aiming for the Equestria League." "Who isn't?" Flash chuckled. "Me," Octavia chimed in, everyone turning to her as she continued, "I've been travelling with Vinyl so that I can see more of the world and find inspiration for my music. I've already written six songs that I believe will become big hits." "That's amazing!" Twilight gasped, "I'd love to hear one." "You'll get to hear them all if you come to the festival," Vinyl responded, the others raising eyebrows as she continued, "What, you don't know? The Voice of the Ocean Festival." "Never heard of it," Flash replied while shrugging. "Oh, you have to come!" Octavia clapped, "It's our home town's most celebrated event!" Lunch was done soon after, the group packing their things away before following the two girls as they headed down the other side of the hill and to a path that eventually forked. And where the group would have taken the left path, they now followed Vinyl and Octavia down the right path toward the beach. Springer was up in the trees that surrounded the path, jumping from branch to branch while following Peewee and Noibat. "So what exactly is this festival?" Doc asked the girls. "I've never heard of it before." "You probably wouldn't," Octavia replied, "It's not really an event that gets a lot of attention." "Don't know why, its awesome!" Vinyl added, "Tons of awesome games, awesome music and the fireworks at the end of the night are awesome!" "That's a lot of awesome." Flash chimed in with a chuckle. "And it does sound interesting," Twilight continued, "Though...what's the name of this city again?" "Vocanctus," Octavia replied. "It means holy voice." "What's with the whole voice thing?" Spike asked next, "Voice of the Ocean. Holy Voice. I don't get it." This caused the two girls to share a look before turning back to him. "You will. Once we get there, all will become clear." They then turned and said, "Speaking of which..." They ran off, the others following them up the path. They kept running for a good five minutes before reaching the edge of the forest, rushing out the trees to find themselves at the top of a cliff. And from here, they all got a great look at a city down below. The beauty and majesty of the sight was not lost on any of them, the calming sea breeze improving the experience. Octavia let out a chuckle as she pointed at the city, "Well my friends, welcome to Vocanctus." Meanwhile... On the ocean floor, a certain submarine was in almost the exact same position. Inside it was Guile Hideout, the man still sitting in his chair while staring at a screen. This time the screen showed images of a depressed looking girl with blue skin and hair, wearing a purple hoodie and blue jeans. A growl escaped his lips as he shut the screen off. "Nothing. It's been almost a year and she hasn't sung once." His chair spun around, causing him to look into the darkness of the sub. "Find her and bring her to me. If she will not sing willingly, I'll have to make her sing." Two figures stepped out of the darkness, both wearing armor that was covered in feathers and trim. One had black armor and trim while the other's armor was white. Instead of a helmet, their faces were covered by a glass mask you couldn't see through with large puffy feathers around the back of their heads. Beside the black figure was a Malamar while the white figure had a Cloyster beside them. "It will be done master," Black spoke with a feminine voice as they both bowed. Seconds later, Cloyster was covered in a white aura that quickly spread to the others, a flash of light coming next as the four then vanished. And as Guile was left alone, he turned back to the screens, now seeing a certain blurry image once again. "Soon."
Chapter 3As soon as Flash walked through the waterfall, his whole body screamed at him, flinching as the freezing cold water slammed into him. The next thing he noticed was a light, seeing it to be a crystal torch which had a second one that was affixed to either side of the place. "A tunnel?" Flash whispered as he saw he was now in a rectangular tunnel that was hidden behind the waterfall, roughly eight feet in height and lit by the aforementioned torches. The light was incredibly bright, Flash now surprised that he couldn't seen them through the water. "Ri..." Flash turned to see Springer further down the tunnel. The teen careful walked over to him, now finding the Riolu standing at the top of a stone staircase. He saw it lead downward with the same torches lighting the way, unable to see the bottom as the staircase appeared to curve several hundred meters down. "What have I gotten myself into?" Flash sighed as he and Springer began to descend. The teen tried to count the steps as he climbed down, but lost count somewhere between a hundred and fifty and two hundred. Seeing that the staircase was built in a zigzag pattern, the duo weren't sure which direction they were always going as they went left and right repeatedly. And when they reached a straight tunnel, they saw it was devoid of the torches, as there was light seeping in through the exit of it tunnel several meters away. Springer ran ahead as Flash slowly followed behind, the two reaching the end soon before almost going blind by the light. As they did this, their eyes adjusted before going wide-eyed. They were in some kind of underground chamber that looked out of a fairy tail book. It was round and roughly half a mile in diameter, which half of it was filled with pools of varying sizes. Several large pillars came up from the floor, each having the same crystals that made up the torches from before. Large holes also adorned the walls, some expelling water while others just stood there. And the two of them weren't the only living things there, as many different Pokémon could be seen. Several kinds of Water-types were jumping in and out of the water, Flash noting most of them being Kelpool and Lokelpie, while small Flying-types like Zubat, Yanma and Noibat flew in from the holes on the ceiling. "Wow," was all Flash could say as the two of them made their way deeper into the chamber. "This place is... amazing." But as they stared, the two didn't notice they had been spotted by the Pokémon. The Water-types leapt into the pools while the flyers retreated into the tunnels. As this happened, a pair of eyes inside one of the pools glared at the intruders before swimming into a tunnel that connected that pool to another. Flash continued to look around in total awe at the sight, only for his eyes to fall on one of the pillars. Hiding behind it was the girl he had chased, though she had pulled her hood up. "Hey," he said as he started to move to her, only for Springer to suddenly sense something. "RI!" Springer leapt at his trainer and pushed him away from a nearby pool, seconds before something exploded out of it. "WHOA!" Flash yelped as he hit the ground, both him and Springer rolling to their feet. Then they saw what tried to hit him, which was a being currently wrapped in water and flying through the air, the cord of water curving through the air after missing the trainer. "What is that?!" Flash asked as he pushed himself to full height, only to see a pair of purple eyes glowing through the water along with a red light shining through it from further down. Their attacker then changed direction and dived into another pool, the two getting into fighting stances. But as Springer sense the presence of the enemy, the Riolu spun around before the pool behind them exploded. "RI!" Springer yelled, Flash turning to the approaching danger just in time for him and Springer to leap away. "Counter with Aura Sphere!" he commanded as Springer tried to fire an orb at the attacker, only for it go into another pool, "Shoot!" Flash growled as he got back up, "Be careful bud," He glanced at all the pools. "If these things are all connected..." They waited several seconds, both remaining on edge. Despite this, nothing seemed to happen. "Is it gone?" "Ri..." Springer muttered, only for both to hear a sound. The first word that came to mind was that it wasn't a random sound, It being too rhythmic to be anything but singing. Flash tried to listen, but all he could hear was the same 'ahhhhh' sound being played over and over in an almost hypnotic way. It was then that the pools of water around them exploded, the water flying into the air before curving around to shoot down at them. "GYAH!" Flash cried as he barely managed to jump back before one of the water blasts hit him, Springer doing the same while the singing continued. The music started to get louder as the two began to jump around, barely dodging the water until one attack hit Springer, "NO!" Flash yelled as his friend was sent flying, a water blast then hitting him as well. The two hit a pillar and slumped down with grunts of pain, the two clutching their heads as their attacker shot out of the pool, its body still covered in water. And as their senses returned to normal, they found the creature floating in place above them. It glared down at them for a few seconds before charging, Flash grabbing Springer in response as they both closed their eyes. "STOP!" a voice called out, the two flinching at the sound. They both opened their eyes next, now seeing the girl standing between between them and their attacker. The creature was again floating in midair while the girl stood firm with her arms out wide. "Enough..." she said sternly. "Please stop." It was here that the water exploded off the perpetrator, revealing itself to Flash and Springer. The being looked similar to the Kelpool and Lokelpie, but it was much bigger. The horse section of its body was light blue while its tail was dark blue, while its hooves were dark blue and the back of its legs had three dark blue spikes connected by light blue weeping. The same thing was on the side of its cheeks while on its back had four long curved spikes sticking out and were also connected by light blue weeping. On its forehead between it's ears were two dark blue antenna while embedded into its chest was a bright red gem that looked exactly like the one on the girl's necklace. Flash went wide-eyed at the sight, his mind suddenly flashing back to the many statues he had seen all around the city. "No way..." he whispered, "Sirenity." "Sai!" The Legendary growled at the girl. "You don't need to hurt them," she replied, "They're not here to hurt you." She glanced back at them, Flash unable to see her eyes because of the hood. "They're annoying, but they're not bad." She turned back to Sirenity, "They actually saved me before." Sirenity did a low hiss, the girl then stepping up and holding out her hand. "Trust me." "Ren..." it neighed before placing its snout into her hand, the girl patting it while scratching it under the chin. "Thank you." Sirenity pulled back and swam through the air before diving into another pool, Flash and Springer releasing a sigh of relief at the sight. "Thanks," Flash said as they picked themselves up, "You saved our butts." "You shouldn't be here," she instantly replied, her tone increasing in anger, "Leave and don't tell anyone about this place!" "But-" "Leave!" She turned away, doing a slight pant as she added, "Leave and...don't come back." She started to walk away next, making Flash yell, "Wait!" The girl stopped for a second, Flash then asking, "You know I can't just leave. No offense, but I need some answers. Who are you? What is this place and what was with those two weirdos that were trying to nab you before?" She remained silent for a few moments, only to let out a long sigh. "Alright." Flash watched as the girl removed her hood, revealing a blue ponytail as she turned to him. "My name is Sonata." The name instantly rang a bell, Flash now remembering back to the story Vinyl and Octavia had told him. "Wait...you're the priestess?" Sonata looked away, her mouth barely moving, "You know about that? Figures..." "I got told about it earlier," Flash replied, "And uh...I'm sorry about your sisters." The girl fully turned away from him, "Um...thanks." She moved over to a nearby rock, sitting down as she kept looking away. "Right..." Flash did a small gulp, unable to think of what to say next. He then felt Springer tug his leg, making him look down at the Riolu. Springer gave him a frown, Flash grimacing before looking back at the girl, "So...I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Flash Sentry and this is my partner, Springer." "Riolu!" She glanced back at them, "Nice to meet you two." "Same." Flash replied while doing a small nod, trying to form a smile on his face, "Now uh...do you just stay down here?" "I do." she responded before sighing, "I can be...alone here. Its something I need since...well, its been so hard since they vanished." "I'm sure it has." Flash added before hearing a splash. Turning to the noise, he saw Sirenity jump out of a nearby pool before moving over to a section of the chamber with several large rocks, the horse fish pulling itself onto the largest rock and laying out on it. "Is that really the Legendary Pokémon, Sirenity?" "Yup," Sonata nodded as Sirenity began to sing, "That's her alright." They watched as the other Pokémon came out of hiding, Sirenity's voice clearly putting them at ease. "This is where she slept all those centuries ago. But after she woke up, she made it the home for any Pokémon that don't feel safe in the outside world." She reached down and patted the head of a Poliwag that waddled over to them. "I guess that's why she brought me here." "She brought you here?" Flash asked as he sat down beside her as the Poliwag turned to Springer, motioning for him to follow. "In a way." Sonata sighed while leaning against the pillar behind them, "It happened about two weeks after...the incident." Her face scrunched at these words, her eyes squinting to hold back the tears, "I had just been released from the hospital after I was given the all clear. When I tried to sleep that night, I just...I just couldn't." She began to hug herself, "I just kept thinking back to that night and what I might have done differently." Flash slowly opened his mouth to respond, "You don't have to-" "That's when I heard it," she interrupted, "A voice, echoing through the night. It almost felt like it was calling me. I followed it through the city and eventually found the entrance to this chamber." She turned to legendary Pokémon, "That's when I met Sirenity." She got up and started to move through the cave, Flash following her as Springer continued to play with the other Pokémon. "Ever since then, I've come here whenever the world outside feels to overwhelming." She smiled as a Kelpool leapt out of a pool next to her, patting it on the head. "This place just makes me feel safe." "I get that," Flash added as he stared at the many Pokémon around them, all showing happy faces, "This place is amazing." He turned back to her. "So, what was with those two weirdos before? Did you know them?" Sonata shook her head. "No, I've never seen them before. But I'm willing to bet they wanted me to show them where to find Sirenity." Flash raised an eyebrow at this. "Every since Vocanctus was founded, there have been trainers coming here to try and capture Sirenity." "Seriously?" Sonata nodded back. "Yes. Many of them would come to the priestess and ask her where they could find it, but they would be turned away every time." "Well of course they are," Flash chimed in, "Isn't Sirenity the guardian of the city? It's the reason this place hasn't been wiped off the map by storms." "Exactly...but they didn't care. All they cared about was having a strong Pokémon they could use to become rich and famous." "That's terrible," Flash turned to the Legendary in question. "No wonder it attacked us." "Yes, and those trainers have almost ruined the festival." Flash glanced back at her, now seeing a huge frown on her face as she stared at the Pokémon, "Years ago, before I was born, the Voice of the Ocean Festival didn't end with fireworks. Instead, Sirenity would appear from out of the ocean and put on a performance, using her voice to make the water dance. But then one year, a group of trainers attacked Sirenity during the performance. They tried to capture her, but they failed. But ever since then, Sirenity's refused to show up during the festival." "Wow..." Flash sighed, "Talk about messed up. So it just stays here and hides away?" "Better then going out there and facing the evils of the world," Sonata replied as she walked over to the rock Sirenity sat on, "Out there, I'm all alone and have so many people looking to me to fulfil so many responsibilities. But I can't do it. Not without my sisters." She reached up and let her fingers dance across the necklace she wore. "But hiding from the world isn't gonna make the problems you have go away." Sonata turned to glare at him. "Don't get me wrong, I have no idea what you're going through. But you'll never be able to get over it if you just keep hiding away down here." He looked up at Sirenity, "Both of you are missing so much hiding down here." "And what's waiting for us up there?!" Sonata barked back, "My sisters are gone and everyone's expecting me to sing at the festival alone! I...I can't do that." She turned away, "Not...not without them." She folded her arms and stared down into one of the pools, silence taking the area. Flash opened his mouth, only to close it. His mind told him he had never suffered this kind of loss, his brain unable to come up with words. Instead, he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but pulled back at the last moment. "I'm sorry. I uh...I was rude. I shouldn't have pushed you there." He turned away, his feet shuffling as he started to make his way through the chamber, Sonata slowly turning back to him. She then felt something poking into her, the teen turning to see Sirenity staring at her. She sighed before looking back at Flash, "Hey." He glanced back, "Wanna see something cool?" Flash blinked at her, only to nod as she motioned him to come over to her. The teen hopped onto Sirenity's back next, Springer following her before she reached out her arm to Flash, "Come on." "Um...alright," Flash took her hand, both soon sitting atop the legendary as it pushed itself to full height on its front hooves. "Now what?" "Wait for it." Sirenity's crystal began to glow, radiating a light that began to surround them all. "Sai!" it yelled as it suddenly jumped up, floating and flying through the air like it was water. "Whoa!" Flash yelped as he and Springer started to tighten their grip on the Pokémon, "Awesome..." "You haven't seen anything yet," Sonata giggle as Sirenity shifted midair before diving down. It went right into the pool, Flash gasping as he and Springer took a deep breath as the legendary dived underwater. And as the water consumed them, a certain little Surskit walked out of the shadow of one of the pillars, its camera recording everything as Guile and his subordinates commented on the scene, "So, this is where it was hiding out." "Looks a little damp for my taste," White chimed in, "So what now? Want us to head down there and capture it?" "No." Guile instantly replied, "Without the song, we have no way of controlling it and I know a Pokeball won't work. But at least now we have a way of getting to it." "You think this is where she's been going to sing?" Black asked. "Maybe. It's very possible. I'm gonna need you to sneak a camera down there when nobody's looking. We're running out of time and we need to get a sample of her voice." The two nodded and headed out of the room as Guile continued to watch the screen. But to his surprise, Sirenity and the teens did not emerge from the water. "Where did you go this time?" As soon as they hit the water, Flash knew he wouldn't be able to hold his breath very long. The speed Sirenity was swimming made it almost impossible to keep his lungs filled. He almost instantly needed to take a breath, making his cheeks glow red as they started to puff out. Springer was doing the same, both watching Sirenity swim down a deep tunnel like a torpedo, the sight making them worried as they kept going further. That is, till Flash saw Sonata wasn't holding her breath. He blinked at her, confusion on his face as he saw her turn to him and giggle, "You can breath in, you know. Sirenity will protect you." Flash's cheeks kept puffing as he heard this, only to see Springer take a deep breath. "Riolu!" He cheered as he started breathing normally. Trusting his partner, Flash opened his mouth and took a deep breath. And when he did, he didn't feel the water enter his mouth. Nothing but pure, yet salty, air filled his lungs, making him whisper, "Wow..." Not having to worry about drowning, Flash found himself able to enjoy their trip as they winded through a barrage of tunnels. And when they reached an exit, the teen's eyes went wide as he saw they were now at the bottom of the ocean. The sight made him gasp the loudest gasp he could do. In front of him was vast fields of seaweed, large underwater sea-stacks that multiple Pokémon had built their homes into and around. And the amount of Pokémon astounded him. Schools of Remoraid, smacks of Tentacool and a troubling of Goldeen. A small tribe of Feebas swam by next, a Milotic going over them while a few Horsea danced behind the eel. This was followed by some Finneon and Lumineon, all swimming in unison as a lone Luvdisc tried to keep up with them. There was even a consortium of Krabby and Kingler scurrying along the seabed with a Buizel lazily floating over the group. "Amazing," Flash whispered, his eyes unable to stay on one thing. It was here that he felt Sonata let go of Sirenity, motioning him to follow. Flash and Springer followed her lead and let go as Sirenity swam away, the trio chasing it as it began to swim up to a large coral reef. There they saw a valley filled with multiple Corsola and Reefincer living on one side while a few Mareanie and Toxapex shifted over the other side of the reef. Flash and Springer kept their wide-eyed expressions as Sonata swam up to them and pointed up to Sirenity. Looking up, they saw the Legendary swim through the water as a bunch of Kelpool and Lokelpie swam up to it and got in a formation. Sirenity then began to sing a beautiful medley beneath the seas, the others horse fish beginning to swim around to the tune. The teen and his Riolu gasped as they saw the Pokémon swim around, performing what could only be called an underwater ballet that was in perfect sync with Sirenity's music. It was almost...magical how they danced, span, swayed and whatnot, Sirenity's voice just as majestic considering they were underwater. Slowly, more and more Water-types started dancing to the music, the show seeming to go on for hours until Sirenity stopped singing and Water-types swam away. Sirenity then swam down and motioned for them to grab on. They did so and were pulled back up to the surface, exploding out of the water and soaring through the air before they hit the sea again. The two saw the temple island in the distance, only for Sirenity to nosedive for the place. Before long, they were behind the building, Sirenity letting them off a small stack of rocks before diving back into the sea. "That...was incredible." Flash gasped, slumping down on one of the rocks. And as he sat down, he looked at himself and saw he wasn't even wet, almost like Sirenity had shielded him from the water. "Ri, ri, ri!" Springer cheered. Sonata giggled at their reaction. "I know, right?" She looked back at the ocean and watched as Sirenity and the other seahorse Pokémon dived up and out of the water a good distance away. "I remember the first time Sirenity brought me out here." She once again hugged her body. "It was amazing, but I..." "You wished your sisters could be there with to enjoy it with you?" Flash asked, Sonata nodding in return. "I'm sorry." "It's just...hard, you know." She then reached up and clutched the necklace she was wearing. Flash saw this, remembering her doing it and asking, "Is that something you got from them?" Sonata looked down at her necklace before shaking her head. "No. Our mom gave us each one when we were little. It's all we have to remember her by." Flash opened his mouth to ask, only for the girl to sigh as she continued, "When we were six, she got really sick and...I don't really remember her that well, but I do remember she was always kind and always found time for all three of us, even with the responsibilities of the priestess." "What about your dad?" Sonata just shrugged. "Never met him. He bailed before we were born. He was a trainer who showed up for the festival and met my mom, then left before finding out she was pregnant. I started life with two sisters and a mom...but now I'm all alone, with only my necklace to remember them by." Flash showed a huge frown on his face, his mind trying to form words. But when none came, he got up and placed a hand on her shoulder, the girl looking back at him as he began to speak from his heart. "Sonata....I have no idea what you're going through. I don't have any siblings." Sonata just blinked at him, only to see Flash reached down and scratch Springer's head. "But I know that if anything ever happened to Springer, or my other Pokémon, I'd be devastated." He bit his lip at his next words, seeing the frown growing on her face as he continued, "But...well...I also think that if something like that ever happened to me and I left those I care about behind, the last thing I'd want is for them to waste the rest of their lives crying over me." Sonata's eyes went wide at his words, her mouth opening to respond...only for nothing to come out. Instead, Flash continued to speak, "Your sisters loved you, right?" The girl did a weak nod. She knew they might not have easily shown it, but Adagio and Aria did love her. "Well then, if they were here right now, seeing what you were doing, what do you think they would say?" The girl looked away at this, closing her eyes as the image of her sisters suddenly appearing behind her. Her imagination took hold, and she suddenly clutched her head like something had just slammed into it. "Aria...Aria would have hit me over the head for being such a crybaby." Flash laughed at this as Sonata followed suit, "And Adagio would have mocked me for not being able to do anything on my own." Despite laughing, Flash couldn't tell if this girl had had a really good relationship with her sisters, or a really bad one. Instead, the teen stopped chuckling as Sonata continued, "The fact is, she's right." Flash saw the girl open her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes as she said, "Ever since I could remember, it was always the three of us. We did everything together. We played together, did chores together, hung out together and...sang together. That's how it always was. But now...now they're gone and I'm all alone. I'm not even sure if I'm capable of doing things on my own." "Sure you are," Flash instantly replied, patting her shoulder, "You just need more confidence." "But-" "Sonata, if there's one thing I learned about being a trainer, its that no one can do everything alone. We always need someone else to help us. The story of this place said the first priestess didn't stop the war alone, she needed the help of the warrior." He pointed to himself, "I want to be the strongest trainer ever, but without my Pokémon...heh, that dream wouldn't even come close to coming true." "Ri!" Riolu chimed in, nodding. He increased his grip on her shoulder, the girl fully staring at him as he shined a big grin, "Besides, even if your sisters aren't here, you're not alone. You have Sirenity and all the people of the city standing behind you, willing to give you their support." Sonata's face tried to form a smile, her hand wiping away a tear as she tried speak, "Thank you....but it's still gonna be hard to sing tomorrow in front of the whole city. I mean, what if I mess up? What if the song isn't great? What if..." "Honestly, who's gonna know?" Flash interrupted, making Sonata go wide eyed as he stared at her, "I heard your family is the only one that actually knows how to speak the language you sing in. That means no one will know if you mess up. Heck, you could sing an old TV theme song and no one would know." Sonata laughed at this. "And even if you mess up, I doubt Sirenity cares. She's clearly your friend, and I don't think she would destroy a whole city just because you messed up a song." Flash's words began to take root in Sonata's mind as she slowly replied, "Yeah...I guess that's true. It might not matter if I mess up or not." Flash let out a chuckle at this and nodded. "Just give it your best shot and you'll do fine." Sonata nodded back, "Besides, if you're really feeling nervous, I don't mind being there to show moral support." A smile began to show on her face as he continued, "And I know my friends will be just as happy to help once you get to know them." "I...I'd like that." "Good. Now come on, stop crying and show a big old smile!" And as the two continued to enjoy themselves and talk, a certain camera on the back of the temple pointed down at them. "There you are," Guile chuckled as he stared at the screen, watching the two now laughing. "That's it. Make her happy boy. Help her overcome her loss. Make her want to sing, and give me the key I need to achieve everything I want." It was here that he saw Sirenity return to them before the three grabbed on and was pulled back under the water. "Excellent. This'll be my chance. I can't afford to miss a second." He pressed a button. "Surskit, they're coming. Be ready to follow them and don't let the girl out of your sight." "Surs!" By the time Flash, Springer and Sonata got back to the chamber and made their way to the top of the stairs leading to the exit, the sun was beginning to set as they walked through the waterfall. Now that he wasn't chasing or being chased through the city, Flash had now truly got a chance to really look around and take in the scenery of the city. "This has gotta be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been too," he told her as they walked up some stairs. Sonata sighed and shook her head, "Trust me, it get old after a while." Flash turned to her with a raised eyebrow, "You alright?" "Yeah..." Sonata replied while nodding, "I was just...remembering something Adagio said last year. She and Aria were so desperate to leave this place." She turned to look up at the cliff overlooking their city, which had the rest of the region behind it just waiting to be explored. "They wanted to see what was really out there. To not have to spend every day of their lives in this city, constantly preparing for the festival. I...I guess they'll never get to know now." Flash placed a hand on her shoulder again, "You could still find out." Sonata just stared at the ground as she responded, "I'm...not sure. I mean, I have a responsibility to the festival." "The festival's one day a year," he reminded her. "Two actually. The first day starts tomorrow, and the second day is when I'm meant to sing." "Alright, two days. That just leaves..." Flash stopped for a second, "Three hundred and...sixty...two?" Sonata let out a small giggle as she saw steam come out of the teen's head, "Close enough." "Anyways, you've got a whole year to explore and be back in time for the festival." The girl gasped at his suggestion, "But...but to travel around the region, all on my own-" "Who says you'd have to travel on your own? I'm sure there are others who would love to have you join them. Do you know Octavia and Vinyl?" Sonata did a small nod back, "We went to school together." "I'm sure they'd be happy to have you along with them. And you wouldn't have to worry about them stopping their journey for you to come back because they'd probably want to do the same thing." Sonata blinked at his words, trying to respond before leaning down and giving Springer a pat on the head. "Do you think...I might be able to travel with you and your friends?" This made Flash raise both eyebrows, only to smirk and nod, "Sure. We'd love to have you along. The more the merrier, I always say." "Ri!" Springer added. "Thanks..." she replied as she looked away again, "I...I'll think about it. Though I don't even know if I'd be allowed to leave the city. If the mayor says no-" "What gives him the right to tell you what you can and can't do?" Flash interrupted, "It's your life, so you should have a say in what happens in it." Sonata looked back at him, Flash shining a big confident at his next words, "Come on Sonata, I'm sure the first priestess wouldn't want to know her descendants felt trapped because of her. If she and your sisters were here, what do you think they'd say?" "They...they would probably say to stop being such a wuss and do what I want to do. At least my sisters would. I have no idea what the first priestess would say." Flash chuckled at her response, Sonata now doing a small nod, "But...I think you're right. It is my life, and I don't want to spend every moment of it in one place." Flash and Springer smiled at these words, only for Sonata to come to a stop. She pointed at what Flash considered to be one of the largest houses in the city, which they were now standing in front of, "This is it." "Wow," Flash gasped, "You live here? All on your own?" Sonata nodded. "It's been in my family for generations. Now that I'm the last member of it...I'm all alone in it." Flash turned to her. "If you do decide to stay here, maybe think about getting someplace a bit smaller. The house looks nice, but this big? Its got to be lonely." "It is." Sonata sighed before going up to the door and turning back to the two boys. "Thanks for walking me home." "No problem," Flash saluted. "Oh, and if those two weirdos show up again, call the Pokémon Center and I'll be here as soon as I can." Sonata smiled and nodded, about to head inside. "Sonata." She stopped and glanced back at him, "Wanna hang out at the festival tomorrow?" She went wide-eyed at his words, the teen seeing a semi-smile on her face, "You could meet my friends and we're bound to have a blast. What do you say?" Sonata's smile fully formed as she nodded, "I'd love too." "Sweet! Though uh...where would you wanna meet?" "The festival always starts with the mayor giving a big speech in the town square. See you there?" "Got it," Flash gave another salute, Springer doing the same as Sonata went into her house. But as they turned to leave, Flash looked down at his Pokémon as a thought entered his head, "I forgot to ask for directions. Any idea how we get to the Pokémon Center?" Springer just shrugged, the two's heads dropping as they sighed. Once inside the large house, Sonata sighed as she began making her way through the building. She passed by both her sister's rooms, which had been left untouched since the incident, arriving at hers as she walked over to her bed and flopped down on it. The girl didn't bother to change, groaning as she laid there for a few minutes. And as she did this, she turned over, her eyes dropping on her bedside desk, its drawer now on full focus in her eyes. After about a minute of staring, she reached out and opened the drawer, pulling out an old notebook. Written on the pages was a song she had written when she was much younger, written in the language only she knew. She had written it for a previous festival, but never got the chance to use it since Adagio had always been the song writer. The girl sighed at the notes, remembering when she had first hidden the sheet away. And as she continued to stare at the book, she was completely oblivious to the Surskit staring at her through the window. The next day... The city was abuzz with activity as the festival was about to start. The many vendors were ready to start selling and the games were still putting up the prizes that could be won. Many musical acts were also preparing themselves for their time to shine, the festival looking ready to be one of the best ones ever. Flash and his friend all marveled at the sights around them as they made their way over to the main square, soon seeing both Octavia and Vinyl just a ways off. "Hey guys!" The shades wearing girl called out, "Ready for the best festival ever?!" "You bet!" Spike cheered before they heard a yawn coming from Flash, everyone turning to him. "Flash! No yawning! It's your own fault you're so tired," Twilight growled and pointed at him, "If you hadn't wondered off and got lost, you would have gotten back to the Center in time to have a proper night's sleep." "Yeah yeah...I know." Flash mumbled as he rolled his eyes. But as he fought back a second yawn, he felt Springer tug at his jeans, making him look down. The Riolu was pointing at the crowd, Flash following his paw to see Sonata at the edge of the street, wearing her hoodie again but now had a skirt on instead of jeans. "Hey!" He yelled, the others watching him wave at her. "We're over here!" The girl slowly walked over, her hood slightly tugged over her head as she smiled at the sight of Flash. Flash's friends all stared at the girl, only for Octavia to speak up, "Oh, hello Sonata. It's good to see you." "Sames," Sonata replied. "It's great you decided to come," Vinyl added, "I'm sure your sisters would want that." Sonata nodded back. "Thanks. I know they wouldn't want me to be mopping about like I was." She then turned to Twilight and the others, "Um...nice to meet you. Are you Flash's friends?" "We are," Twilight replied while nodding, "I'm Twilight Sparkle." "I'm Spike," the youngster cheered. "And this is Peewee." "Terra!" "And you can call me Doc." Sonata nodded, about to reply before the group heard a static like sound. Turning to the stage, they saw it was from a microphone as a pair of women walked up. The older one was middle-aged, with light pink skin and hair that phased from light to dark purple. She was wearing a dress that matched her hair color, along with a pair of light blue fingerless evening gloves that went all the way up to her shoulder. Meanwhile, the younger of the two was a teenager with yellow skin with light blue hair. She wore a pink beach vest and pink shorts, along with a pair of blue fingerless gloves. "Who's that?" Spike asked. "Novo, the mayor of Vocanctus and her daughter, Skystar." Novo stepped up and smiled at the large crowd. "Hello darlings. So nice to see so many people are here to celebrate our town's heritage." The crowd cheered at this, the woman pausing for a brief second before starting again. "Welcome to the Voice of the Ocean Festival. I do hope it'll be the best one yet." The crowd cheered again, this time Novo raising a hand to quiet them down. "But let us not just treat this as a day to have fun. It is also a day to give thanks to those who risked themselves to stop the war so long ago. To give thanks for Sirenity, who protects these lands, and of course, thanks and remembrance to those not here when they should be." Sonata did a big gulp at these words, knowing where this was going. "One year ago, an accident took the lives of two amazing young girls. It was horrible and pointless. Survived only by their sister, it would be wrong to simply continue the festival without remembering them and their efforts as priestesses." The crowd all nodded, those who had spotted Sonata earlier turning to give her their sympathy. "But let us not simply mourn them. Instead, let's celebrate the life they lived and try to make up for the life they didn't get to enjoy." The crowd all cheered in agreement, Sonata feeling Flash pat her shoulder again as she turned to him, seeing him nod. And as they looked back at the mayor, she spoke up and said, "So, without further ado, let the Voice of the Ocean Festival...BEGIN!" Author's Note Well, Flash officially meets Sonata and gets to see Sirenity in person. So how are things gonna go from here?
Chapter 4To say everyone at the festival was excited was an understatement. As Flash and his friends travelled throughout the town, smiles and laughter filling the streets as they saw the many games and stands they could enjoy. "Incredible. There's so much here." Twilight commented as she saw a bunch of kids play a water gun game using water pistols shaped like Water-type starters. Beside it were several clowns handing out balloons shaped like Sirenity while a nearby stage was filled with musicians. "Hey guys!" the others turned to Flash, "Why should we be the only ones to have any fun?" Cue This Side of Paradise. He took out his Pokeballs and threw them into the air, unleashing Skyler, Riptide, Prongs, Viper and Hopper. The five all let out cries of joy as they appeared, the others smiling before pulling out their Pokeballs. "Come on out guys!" Twilight cheered as she threw her Pokeballs, Shine and Owlicious appearing. "It's party time!" Doc added, letting out Higear, Tockwork and Flitanium. The Pokémon all cheered, Vinyl and Octavia seeing this and brought out Noibat and Kricketune. The trainers and their Pokémon quickly all grabbed some food from different stands, scoffing them down as they started to venture into the festival. They first ran into cardboard cut-outs of famous Pokémon with holes instead of the heads, Flash and Springer doing it while Twilight and Doc took pictures. Laughing at the sight, Flash pulled Twilight into another cut-out, Shine joining her as she growled at the trainer. This was followed by Flash and Twilight needing to be pulled away from a ring toss game, mainly due to the anger and rage that was happening between the two over constant failure. While this was happening, Hopper used Iron Tail on a Test Your Strength as Shine used her psychic abilities to control the dart balloon popping game. Springer and Riptide played a maze ball game, Riptide using his Water Gun to push the ball away from any holes. As for Peewee, Skyler, Owlicious and Noibat, they were playing a Ball in a Cup game, all using their wings to blow the ball away from the undesirable cups. Once they had been shooed away from the games section for quote/unquote 'cheating', they headed over to an arcade. Everyone quickly rushed over to a game, Flash playing Sonic the Sandslash, Spike trying Munchlax-Man several times, but unable to get past the first level since the Ghastly kept getting him. Even Sonata got in on the fun, thrashing all challengers on a Ludicolo dancing game she was a master at. After that, they headed over to a more open section of the city where a bunch of carnival rides had been set up. They and their Pokémon got to ride a bunch of roller-coasters, almost hurling after riding a waltzer. The group split into twos after this so they could ride a Tentacruel styled octopus ride before almost getting whiplash while riding a Miami Trip. There was even a small obstacle course they could enjoy, Flash constantly being challenged by his Pokémon to try and beat him. Afterwards, Octavia announced her time on the stage was coming up. The group nodded back, all going over to the place so they could enjoy an hour of Octavia's beautiful cello music, improved greatly with Kricketune providing the some extra symphony with its arms. The many music lovers of the group were ecstatic by the performance, even with the ones that didn't really get classical music like Flash, Spike and even Vinyl. Despite this, they knew they were listening to something great. "YEAH! GO OCTAVIA!" Vinyl yelled above everyone else as Octavia finished her final song, the rest of the crowd letting out their own applause. As they did, Sonata looked around at all the smiling faces, unable to keep back a grin on her own face. The sight made her remember the speech Mayor Novo had made earlier, the looks on everyone's face showing they still remembered her sisters. They weren't just having fun for themselves, but for the two girls who couldn't be there. "I see..." She reached up and ran her hand over her necklace. "Adagio, Aria, I hope you're watching me." The girl then reached into her jacket and felt the book hidden within it. "I'm gonna live, and not just for myself. I'm gonna live enough of a life for all three of us together. So if you're watching, please wish me luck." Meanwhile... "Looks like somebody's happy." White commented as they watched the screens. "That's good," Black added, "If she's happy, that means there's more chance she'll sing and give us what we need." "Exactly." The two turned to see Guile walk into the room, adjusting his helmet with a slight pull, "And the more likely she is to sing, the easier it'll be for us." Black got out of the seat and let him sit down, watching as the group left the stage area. He also saw the happy smile on Sonata's face, making him grit his teeth under the helmet. "Yes...I'm so close now. Come on, sing for me." The group had grabbed a full lunch now, all sitting in a nearby square where the noise of the festival wouldn't drown out their voices as they spoke and ate. "That last song was really amazing," Twilight said first as they sat on several benches while the Pokémon sat on the floor. "Thank you," Octavia replied with a long nod, "I've been working on it longer then any of my other songs. I first came up with it in the first week of our journey." Vinyl giggled at this, "HA! Oh, I remember that! We got lost between towns and couldn't find the Pokémon Center. Octavia was totally flipping out because we had to camp out of the first time." Everyone laughed while Octavia shot her a glare. "Yes, well I had a hard time sleeping because of it. That's when I heard it. The forest Pokémon began to sing a song I had never heard of, one so majestic and radiant that I absolutely had to write it down. After that, it was just a matter of shifting the music so I could reconstruct it on a cello." "Well I think it came out perfect," Sonata assured her while the others nodded. "Thank you darling. I'm happy all my hard work was appreciated." It was at this moment that she finished her food, slowly glancing up at the sky next, "You know, that's when I realized the world of Pokémon is filled with inspiration if you're looking in the right place." "I couldn't agree more," Doc added, "Since travelling with Flash and the others, I've learnt so much more then what I would have if I'd stayed home." The others nodded in agreement, Twilight doing a small sigh as Shine jumped in her lap, "Sometimes I miss home...but I wouldn't trade my adventures for all the books I had at home." Everyone else chuckled at her statement, Sonata shining a huge smile at this. She then unzipped her jacket and took it off, everyone turning to see her wearing a purple leather jacket under her other one. As she took it off, she pulled her notebook out and held it close. And before anyone could ask, she spoke up, "I've been thinking about something my sisters wanted to do before they...you know. They wanted to go out and see the world, just like all of you." They all exchanged glances before nodding back, "I...I think that's something I want to do too. I want to go out and see the world beyond Vocanctus. And who knows, maybe I'll get inspired like Octavia was." "I'm sure you will," Octavia assured her. "But can you really leave the city?" "Yeah," Vinyl added, "What about your priestess role?" Sonata shook her head. "Flash told me something yesterday, he said my ancestor wouldn't have wanted the role she gave our family to trap us here. And I...I think he's right. I want to go on a journey and come back next year, with songs inspired by the world I've seen." She turned to Flash, "Is the offer still open to let me come?" Flash nodded back with a big grin before turning to the others, "You guys okay with another travel partner?" Twilight shined a wide smile, "I always love having another girl in the group. And maybe you can tell me more about the history of Vocanctus." "I don't mind," Spike added while giving her a thumbs up. "Just wait, travelling with us is awesome." "Welcome aboard," Doc finished with a small nod. "Thanks. I'm gonna talk to Mayor Novo about it after the festival is over. No matter what she says, I'm going on a journey of my own." With that, she sat back, letting out a long sigh of relief. She realized she hadn't had this much fun in over a year, now remembering all the good days of having fun. And as she reached the very peak of being relaxed, she did something none of her friends expected. She began to sing. Everyone turned to her in surprise as her voice sent out wave after wave of the rhythmic chanting, the soothing melody sung using the mysterious language only Sonata understood. Unbeknownst to any of them, they were listening to the song in Sonata's notebook, the melody she would be singing tomorrow for the closing act of the festival. They dare not speak or make any sound, not wanting to miss a single second of the song. The Pokémon were even quiet, most closing their eyes as the song flew through their bodies and calmed them. The melody was something of true beauty. But as this happened, a certain little Surskit watched the girl with a certain determined glare. "Yes," Guile exclaimed, "Yes, yes, yes!" He began typing away at the computer, recording software appearing on almost every screen. The sound, the pitch, the rhythm of every note now appearing on each screen. "That's it my dear, sing! Sing to your heart's content!" His fingers bashed the keyboard as the computer continued to record everything, decoding every single note. And as Sonata began to wrap up her song, he looked up with a big grin under his helmet. "Finally...after all that waiting." Guile chuckled, "With this, Sirenity will be mine!" "So what now?" Black asked him as she and White stepped into the room. "Simple. Now that I've analyzed her voice, I can use this system to simulate it and make it be like she's singing the song I want. Now all I need is her." "Then let's go get her," White chimed in. "Yes, let's." Guile replied while standing up, drawing his sword while pulling out a Pokeball. "And this time, nothing will stop me." Back with the others... Sonata's song had come to an end, everyone clapping as Octavia said, "That was amazing! It has to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard!" "And that language was so mysterious," Twilight added, "I wish I could learn it." Sonata smiled back while shaking her head, "I'm afraid the only people allowed to know that song is our members of my family. As the last surviving member, I'll have to teach it to the next generation." She then gave a coy smile, "The only ones getting to learn it will be my kids and their father." Only Springer noticed the girl's eyes shift to glance at Flash as she said that, quickly looking away before she was caught. "That's a shame," Twilight sighed. "It's probably for the best," Octavia chimed in, "Imagine if some scrupulous individual learned it. They could craft a song that might take control of Sirenity and use it for evil." "That's why it's safe in the priestesses hands only," Vinyl responded while shooting a finger gun at Sonata. "With you, even if the song falls into a bad guy's hands, you'll be able to stop Sirenity." Sonata blushed at that, "Yeah...no pressure there." Everyone laughed at that. But as she said this, a bright light suddenly caught their eyes, making them turn to see the light filling the area between them and the exit leading out to the festival. That light quickly faded, letting them see four figures inside, two humanoid while the other two were shapes Flash, Springer and Sonata all recognized. "Not you guys again," Flash growled as he got up, the light fading to reveal Black, White and their Pokémon. "Hello again," Black replied as Malamar and Cloyster moved in front of them. "I'm sure you know why we're here." Sonata's eyes shrunk at this, only to see Flash walk in front of her, "If you want Sonata, you've gotta go through me." "Riolu!" Springer added as he and the rest of Flash's Pokémon walked up, the others blinking at the sight. "Flash, are those two-" Twilight asked, getting a quick nod from Flash. No more words needed now, the girl along with Doc and Spike hopping off their seats as their Pokémon gathered around Sonata. "Uh...does someone wanna fill me in?" Vinyl chimed in next, Octavia nodding in agreement. "Yes! What on earth is going on?!" "Those two want to kidnap me," Sonata replied while pointing at them, "They attacked me yesterday, but Flash saved me." "And lover boy won't have as much luck as he did last time," White growled. "Oh yeah?" Flash barked back, "Because last time I was on my own and I did alright. Now all my friends are here with me," They all got into a battle stance. "I have to say I like my odds." "Really?" Black chuckled, "Then why don't we worsen those odds. Malamar!" The floating squid flew in front of them before the lights on its chest lit up. Twilight gasped, "Don't look into the lights!" The humans all closed their eyes, along with several Pokémon, but some of them didn't react in time, the group now hearing the sound of bodies slumping to the ground. When the light faded, they opened their eyes to see Peewee, Prongs, Hopper and Shine on the ground. Noibat and Kricketune had also been hit, both falling as well. "Not good," Flash grumbled before glaring at their armored adversaries. "Don't think that scares us! Let's go guys!" "RI!" Springer roared as he charged, Riptide, Viper Higear and Tockwork following as Skyler, Owlicious and Flitanium took to the air. "Cloyster!" The clamp Pokémon leapt forward, "Icicle Spear!" "Cloy!" It yelled as icicles shot out of its body, firing in several directions as it knocked its opponents back, allowing Malamar to attack. "Psycho Cutter!" The squid raised its large tentacles and swung them around, unleashing multiple pink crescent-like blades of energy. "RI/TOCK/CARRR!" Springer, Tockwork and Viper cried out as they were blasted back, the others dodging the attack. "Guys!" Flash yelled, Twilight turning to him. "Flash, you have to get Sonata out of here." He raised both eyebrows at this, "Get her back to the festival and tell the mayor or someone what's happening. We're all witnesses. There's no way she won't believe us." Flash sighed but nodded, "Alright." He grabbed Sonata's hand, "come on." He pulled her next, both running to the exit of the square, Black frowning under her helmet. "Oh no you don't," she pointed at them. "Malamar!" "MALAMAR!" The psychic squid roared as it leapt up and unleashed another Psycho Cutter, hitting the building above the two. An explosion followed this, knocking Flash and Sonata off their feet. Pain surged through their bodies, Sonata not noticing her necklace fly off her as she fell. And before she could notice, Flash picked himself up and grabbed her. "Hurry!" He pulled her up and ran, Springer now getting up while shaking his head. "Springer!" he turned to Twilight, "Go with him, just in case. We'll handle things here!" Springer nodded and ran after the two, "Owlicious, Mind Force!" "Owl!" Owlicious glowed blue before beating its wings, the light shining as it went after their opponents. "Protect!" Cloyster jumped in front of Black and Whire, surrounding them in a blue energy orb. The Mind Force was then negated, hitting the barrier before morphing into a shockwave. And while the Cloyster and girls were safe, the shockwave hit the sleeping Pokémon, causing them all to wake up. "Terra/Nee/Rush/Leaf/Gear/Noy/Tune?" The six yelped as they started to pick themselves up, now seeing their friends in the heat of a battle. As this happened, Spike saw they were getting up and yelled, "Guys! Use Dragon Breath along with Flamethrower and Energy Ball!" Peewee, Viper and Prongs turned to Malamar, all unleashing their attacks as the squid countered by opening its beak. "Flamethrower!" Black ordered, the squid unleashing a stream of fire that matched the three's attack. "Spike Cannon!" White told Cloyster, another barrage of missiles now coming out of its shell. "Steel Wing!" Doc ordered, both Skyler and Flitanium beginning to deflect the spikes. Shine then galloped ahead, preparing the attack Twilight was about to call. But before she could fire, Cloyster teleported away and put her in line with Malamar. "Psybeam!" Twilight ordered before Shine unleashed her psychic blast, hitting Malamar head-on, only for the evil squid to seem like it wasn't phased by the attack. "Zap Cannon!" Doc yelled, Tockwork firing a sphere of electrical energy at Malamar next. "Night Slash!" The tips of Malamar's large tentacles glowed before it spun like a top, cutting the Zap Cannon in half before hitting Tockwork head on. "Tock!" It cried as it was sent flying back, Kricketune and Noibat running past it as it fell over. "Use X-Scissor!" Octavia told Kricketune, whose bladed hands started to glow. "Air Slash!" Noibat beat its wings, a volley of wind blades now striking Malamar, stopping it from spinning. This left it open for Kricketune to slash at it with X-Scissor. But as this hit, Malamar seemed barely phased by this attack as Black gave her next order. "Flamethrower!" Malamar unleashed another burst of fire, hitting Kricketune head on. "Kricketune!" Octavia cried as her Pokémon staggered back, Hopper running past the bug while charging at Cloyster at high speed. "Iron Tail!" Spike yelled as the Velocirush spun around, his tail glowing. "Protect!" Cloyster was once again sealed within an orb of blue energy, Hopper's attack bouncing off it. "Mystical Fire!" The Galarian Ponyta unleashed a surge of fire from its horn, hitting the side of Cloyster's shell seconds after its Protect vanished. Cloyster didn't notice the flames, only for the increasing heat started to make it turn into a steamed clam. "Teleport!" It suddenly vanished out of the flame's path and appear above Shine, falling as it tried to crush the ponyta. But as it did this, Skyler flew down and grabbed Shine before it could land. Twilight ran over to her Pokémon, looking her over before glaring at the armored girls and their Pokémon. "They're good. Really good." "Yeah..." Doc added, "Even against all of us, they're holding their own." "So what do we do?" Spike asked next. "Keep fighting," Twilight replied, "And hopefully, Flash will be back soon and with some reinforcements." At the same time... Flash, Springer and Sonata were still running through the streets, the trio soon coming to a stop at a large deserted street, with one of the wider and deeper of the city's canals beside them. "Alright, this should be far enough away." He turned to Sonata, "Can you get us to the square from here?" Sonata nodded back, "Yeah, shouldn't be too hard." "Good. As long as the route doesn't take us close to where we just were, those two shouldn't be able to find us." Sonata nodded again before frowning back, making Flash ask, "What's wrong?" "I'm sorry Flash. It's because of me that you and your friends are put in danger." Flash smiled and shook his head before placing a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't your fault. You didn't ask to be the priestess, so stuff that happens because of it isn't your fault. And even if it wasn't you, it'd be somebody else. I would do this no matter who it was that needs help." Sonata blinked at this, a tinge of red appearing on her face before she replied, "You're right. Thanks Flash." As she said this, she instinctively reached up to her neck, only to gasp, "Huh?!" She glanced down, now seeing her neck was bare, "My necklace! Its gone!" The girl's eyes went wide, "Wha-where is it?!" Flash and Springer looked around, seeing if it'd fallen nearby. But as they did, a new sound caught their attention. Loud, heavy footsteps. They echoed through the street, getting louder with each stomp on the ground. "What the-" Was all Flash could say as Springer began to reach out and sense the owner of the footsteps. "Riolu!" He spun around and pointed at a nearby street, Flash and Sonata following his gaze. "Another one?" Flash asked as an armored figure walking up, a sword strapped to his hip. The knight came to a stop several feet away, his attention squarely focused on Sonata. "Ah...it's nice to finally meet you after all this time." "Who...who are you?" Sonata asked as Flash and Springer stepped in front of her. "Of course. Allow me to introduce myself." He drew his sword, "My name is Guile Hideout. And you, young priestess, will be coming with me." "She's not going anywhere with you," Flash growled back, Springer nodding in agreement. "Are you working with those other two?" "Of course I'm not working with them," Guile spat, "They work for me. Now, step aside before you get hurt." "I don't think so," Flash replied while pumping his fists, "You ready to take this creep down Springer?" "Ri!" Springer responded, getting into a battle stance. "Typical! There's always some wannabe hero." Guile sighed before snapping his fingers. A metallic sound rang out from his digits, his Surskit suddenly jumping down from a nearby rooftop. "Don't say I didn't warn you brat!" With that, Surskit charged at the duo, skating along the ground like it was a covered in ice. "Bubblebeam!" Surskit leapt up next, pointing its antenna at Springer while unleashing a stream of bubbles. "Dodge it!" Flash ordered before Springer sidestepped the attack, the bubbles now drenching the ground. "Extreme Speed!" With that, Springer's speed tripled as blue lightning began to spark off him. And as Surskit landed, Springer began to circle around him before unleashing a powerful kick right to its face. "SKIT!" It cried out as it was thrown back, Guile managing to catch it in his hands and see it was seriously injured by that one attack. "Ha!" Flash cheered, "This'll be easier then I thought!" Guile growled before placing Surskit on his shoulder and holding up his sword. "Don't get cocky kid. You may be able to beat Surskit alone, but against us both, you don't stand a chance." Flash and Sonata both raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" His answer soon came as Guile ran up with his sword, now holding it in a pre-slashing gesture. "What the-Aura Sphere!" Springer quickly formed the blue orb and fired it, the knight stopping his in tracks before placing the sword in front of him. The Aura Sphere hit the blade...only to reflect right off and hit its creator. "Ri?!" Was all Springer could say before the orb struck him, exploding and sending him flying back. "Springer!" Flash yelled as he caught him, he and Sonata both wide-eyed at the scene. "But...how?" Sonata asked as Guile let out a laugh. "Behold the mighty sword, Instant. Capable of deflecting any attack right back at its user. With this, nothing you do will harm me. Now you see what I mean when I said you didn't stand a chance." Flash and Sonata both glared at him as he prepared to attack again, Springer hopping out of Flash's hands. "Riolu!" "You're right Springer! We can't let that thing scare us!" Flash responded as he flashed his arm in front of Sonata, "Stay back Sonata, we won't let this creep win!" Meanwhile... Down below in it's underground home, Sirenity was relaxing on a rock while its subjects played. The legendary had a hidden smile as it watched Poliwag and Wooper chase each other, both firing tiny Water Guns in a playful manner. But as it watched, its eyes suddenly shot open before glancing at the ceiling. "Sir?" it asked itself, the Water-Fairy type now feeling a great dread. It feel like....something was threatening things. Something it treasured was in trouble. And as it picked itself up, its only thought was on one person: Sonata. "Sky Attack!" Owlicious flew up high as its body began to glow, now ready to slam into Malamar. "Night Slash!" Black ordered, Malamar spinning like a top as it charged at Owlicious. The two connected, both slamming into each other with enough force to knock them both back. Seeing this, the others started yelling attacks at Malamar while it was off balance. "Incinerate!" Spike yelled as Peewee fired a super strong fireball, Malamar barely managing to launch a Psycho Cutter at it, only to see Prongs, Viper and Kricketune running up to it. "Bounce and Flame Wheel!" "X-Scissor!" The three launched their attacks at the squid, slamming it in the chest. It fell back into Cloyster, who bounced over to it protectively. "Mystical Fire!" "Air Slash, Zap Cannon and Gear Grind!" "Hyper Voice!" The five launched their attacks, the flames, air blade, electro sphere, gears and sound blast all flying toward the clam. "Protect!" It created a force field that blocked the attacks, only for Riptide and Hopper to get up close. "Ice Punch and Quick Attack!" Spike called out as the shield disappeared, letting the two leap and throw their attacks at it. But Cloyster quickly withdrew into its shell, the force of the impacts pushing it back only a few inches. "Icicle Spear!" White ordered, Cloyster beginning to unleash a barrage of ice missiles outs of its shell. But Riptide and Hopper leapt back without getting hit as Owlicious flew in front of them. "Mind Force!" The Owlolar glowed before beating its wings, sending a psychic blast that struck Cloyster before it or Malamar could react. The clam Pokémon was knocked back by the explosion, the shockwave also flying through the square and hitting everyone. And when it hit both Black and White, the two suddenly froze before going limp, both clutching their heads. "Ugh..." Black moaned, "What's...happening?" "My head! It...hurts." White cried in pain. This caused the others to come to a stop, confusion on their faces. This confusion intensified when Malamar picked itself up and unleashing a bunch of Psycho Cutters at them, the explosions forcing them all back before Malamar turned to the two and flashed its chest lights. Black and White started at it for several seconds, once again going limp until the lights stopped. A huff came out of the two next as Black turned to the group, "Right. Now, where were we?" "What was that all about?" Spike asked his sister. "I'm...not sure." She didn't get the chance to really think about it as Cloyster got back up as White ordered another Icicle Spear. She gasped as all the missiles were aimed at her Owlolar, Twilight not having the time to call a counter before they struck. "OWL!" Owlicious cried as he fell back, hitting the ground hard. "NO!" She screamed while running over to him, Black laughing at this. "One down," she cackled before turning to the others. "Now, who's next?" The others just growled at her, their Pokémon doing the same as they stood by their side. "Drain Punch!" Flash yelled as Springer leapt forward, pulling his fist back to sock Guile in the helmet. But before it could land, the knight raised his sword and blocked the punch. Doing so caused the attack to hit Springer back, blasting him away with a yelp. "Now," he pointed at the teen with his sword, "Signal Beam!" Surskit focused its antenna at them before firing a pink beam of energy, Flash barely managing to grab Sonata to leap out of the way of the attack. "Gyah!" Flash cried as the force sent him and Sonata flying into a building, Flash spinning around to cushion the girl upon impact. "Augh!" he moaned they both fell over, Flash holding his ribs as he saw Guile and Surskit walking over to them, "Springer, Double Team!" Springer nodded as hopped to his feet before creating copies of himself, the Riolu army staring Guile down. "Seriously? You're using this party trick?" "Yes," Flash replied as he helped Sonata up. "Your sword's good, but it's clear you can only block one attack at a time." The Springer army leapt up next, each creating a smaller than usual Aura Sphere. "Take this! Aura Sphere, BARRAGE!" The Riolu fell toward Guile, each thrusting a tiny sphere as Guile chuckled at the sight, the knight taking out a Pokeball in response. "Times up. Come on out," he whispered as the ball opened. Seconds later, the Aura Spheres made contact, an explosion following this as it wiped out the army. The real Springer flew back and landed gracefully in front of the teens, smirking at the large cloud covering Guile. "Riolu!" "Way to go bud," Flash told him as he and Sonata watched the cloud begin to fade, only to go wide-eyed at the next sight. A large blue mass was now sitting where Guile once stood, the shape looking like a coil of curled up rope. The coil soon began to uncurl itself as the top lifted into view, revealing the face of a Pokémon known and feared world wide. A Gyarados. "GYAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!" It roared, the sound echoing across the whole town, even being heard over the noise of the festival. The rest of its body quickly uncurled itself, revealing Guile looking completely unharmed. "You were saying?" He asked as Gyarados growled at them, "I think it's time to bring this game to an end." With that, he charged at them as Gyarados opened its mouth, firing a Hydro Pump. Flash gasped before pushing Sonata out of the way, seconds before the Hydro Pump hit the ground, knocking both trainer and Pokémon flying back, "WHOA!" Flash yelled before hitting the dirt, "Blaugh!" "Flash!" Sonata cried as she saw him roll across the ground while Springer spun and landed on his feet. "RI!" The Riolu charged at the mighty water eel next, using Extreme Speed in efforts of getting there before it could unleash another super powered attack. But before he could hit it, Gyarados fired another blast of water from its mouth, this water attack spiraling and creating a whirlpool in the air. Springer let out a yelp before finding himself sucked into the whirlpool, the water swinging him around as he tried to hold his breath. "RIO!" He cried out as he flung out of the water, crashing into a building on the other side of the canal before falling over. "SPRINGER!" Flash yelled as he picked himself up, only to find Guile standing right in front of him before he slammed the butt of his sword into his gut. "AUGH!" Flash staggered back, Guile continuing his assault by slapping him with a metal clad hand before jumping back. "Signal Beam!" Surskit unleashed another pink blast, hitting Flash right in the chest. "FLASH!" Sonata screamed as Flash slumped over, his body falling to the ground like a brick. And as the girl tried to run over to him, she suddenly found a blade pointed right at her, making her backpedal, "No...stay away!" "I don't think so. You're coming with me." With that, he held up his left arm and Sonata saw some kind of watch strapped around it. "I have her, come and get us." "Understood," Black replied to no one as she turned to the others. "We're done here. Let's get going." "Finally!" White sighed, everyone knowing from the tone of her voice that she was rolling her eyes. "Let's blow these lamos." With that, she and the Pokémon joined up as everyone placed a hand of Cloyster's shell. "Wait!" Twilight yelled as the others charged at them, but Cloyster's shell glowed a light that surrounded the four before they vanished in a blink of an eye. "No! They teleported!" "But why'd they leave?" Spike asked, Doc humming at the question. "That girl in the black armor seemed to be talking to someone. Maybe they have a partner and they...oh no." "Flash," Twilight gasped before turning to the others, "We have to find them!" "Come on then," Vinyl almost yelled before running toward the exit Flash and Sonata had escaped through. The others followed suit with Twilight at the back of the pack. But just before she left, something glinted in the corner of her eye, making her turn and look down. "Huh?" She said as her eyes fell on the red gem sitting on the street, "Where did this come from?" She reached down and picked it up, only to go wide-eyed as she recognized it, "This is..." "I said stay away!" Sonata screamed as Guile continued to walk up to her. "Or what?" Guile cackled, "Your little bodyguards are down for the count. There's nothing you can do." Sonata's eyes shifted over to Flash and Springer, seeing them both laid out as panic started to consume her, "That's what I thought," Guile reached out to grab her. "Just come with me and don't make this difficult." But before he could touch her, the water in the canal behind them exploded. They all turned to it, now seeing a giant column of water before a creature Guile and Sonata recognized inside it glared down at them. He chuckled at the sight, "Ah...Sirenity. So you've finally shown yourself. Good, as that means I don't have to come looking for you." Sirenity growled as the water exploded off its body, the horse-fish floating in the air as the gem in its chest glowed. Seconds later, it unleashed a Hyper Beam right at Guile. "Gyarados!" He ordered as his sea-serpent fired its own Hyper Beam, meeting Sirenity's head on. The two blasts pushed against one another for several seconds before Sirenity's began to overpower Gyarados's, pushing it back and hitting Gyarados in the face. The Water Flying-type roared in pain as it fell back. "Yes!" Sonata cheered, Sirenity turning to her and letting out a song-like cry that she understood as 'run away'. She nodded, giving Flash and Springer a quick glance before turning to one of the alleyways. But before she could even get started, a flash of light exploded in front of her as Black, White and their Pokémon appeared. "Going somewhere?" Black asked, Sonata gasping as she heard Sirenity about to attack. This time, Sirenity aimed her Hyper Beam at Guile, Sonata turning to him as she yelled, "WAIT! DON'T-" But it was too late. "SAI!" It roared as the beam exploded out of its mouth, heading straight for Guile. But the knight simply smiled and raised his sword, the attack making contact with the metal before simply bouncing up into the air. "Ren?" It purred in confusion before seeing the blast curve around and head straight for it. "SIRENITY!" Sonata screamed as she tried to run to the legendary, only for Black and White to suddenly grab her arms, holding her back, "NO!" All she could do was watch as the Hyper Beam struck the Legendary before it could defend itself, causing it to roar in pain, falling back from the blow. "Malamar!" Black yelled as her squid flew over to Sirenity, flashing its lights in its face as it picked itself up off the ground. "Don't look!" Sonata cried, only for Sirenity's gaze to fall upon the light, its weakened state allowing the Psychic Dark-type to begin to put it to sleep. It tried to fight the squid's power, only to slump over. "NO! SIRENITY!" "HA! To think it would be this easy!" Guile laughed before turning to Sonata, "Now nothing can stop me." "No..." said another voice, the group turning to see Flash now picking himself up, only able to get on one knee, "I won't...let you take them." "Oh, how cute." Guile cackled, only to feel something flying toward him. "Huh-AUGH!" He cried as an Aura Sphere slammed into his head, the others turning to see Springer on all fours with one paw pointed at Guile. The force of the attack knocked Guile back, falling to his knees as his helmet fell off him. Flash stared at the helmet as it clattered onto the ground, soon turning to its wearer as he recovered. He raised his head and removed his hands, revealing a face that caused Flash's eyebrows to raise. "I...I know you." Guile's face was that of a middle-aged man, with tanned skin and a black beard running from both sides and down to his chin. A thin moustache could be seen on his lips and on his head was a blue bandanna with a stylized A on it. Flash's mind flashed back to a news report he had seen several months ago, announcing the sighting of the man standing right in front of him. "Archibald Kaito." The man chuckled as he picked himself up. "Seems my reputation proceeds me." He picked up his helmet next as he continued, "But knowing who I am won't help you. Malamar, Surskit!" Surskit leapt off his shoulder and fired a Signal Beam at Flash while Malamar unleashed a Psycho Cutter that hit Springer. "AUGH/RIOLU!" The two yelled as they were thrown back, both slamming into the ground once again. "NO!" Sonata cried before Malamar suddenly appeared in front of her. The girl closed her eyes, only for Black and White to force them open, making her stare into the light from the squid. Within seconds, Sonata felt herself fall under its spell and slump over. Archie chuckled as he placed his helmet back on him, pointing at Sirenity before Gyrados picked it up and placed it on its back. Once that was done, they all moved over to Cloyster and made sure they were touching its shell as it began to light up. As this happened, Flash groaned while cracking his eyes open. "No!" He yelled as he tried to move, barely able to hold out an arm as they vanished. "SONATA!" That was all he could say as his face slumped into the dirt, consciousness leaving him as he heard Twilight's voice echo in the distance. "FLASH!" Despite his eyes closing, he saw a blurry figure running up, several others behind it before blacking out. Author's Note Well, now you know who Guile is under the mask. For those who knew but kept it a secret, thanks. And now that he has everything he needs, one can only wonder what our heroes will do to stop him.
Chapter 5At the temple, multiple Kelpool and Lokelpie were busy cleaning the place up, something that was kind of a ritual for them every year at the festival. They always made sure the temple was clean so the people could give a proper thanks to the Legendary they all served. But as they did this, a bright light from outside the temple drew them away from using Water Gun to get rid of a particularly difficult stain on the floor, only to see someone stomp up to the place. It was Guile Hideout, Black, White, their Pokémon and two people they knew all too well. "Lock!" One of the Lokelpie roared as it charged at the group, seeing both Sonata and Sirenity unconscious in their possession. "Don't so anything stupid," Guile told them. "We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your little friends, would we?" The Lokelpie didn't listen and leapt, ready to attack the armored man. "Malamar!" Before it could fire an attack, the floating squid appeared between them, its chest lighting up. The light hit Lokelpie right in the eyes, making it fall with a thud before falling asleep. The others all gasped at the sight before Malamar turned its lights on them, making the group slump over as Guile chuckled, "Alright, get them up." Malamar nodded and gave a command, each of the Kelpool and Lokelpie waking up before pushing themselves back to their feet. Each one had an unfocused look in their eyes, as if they were still asleep. "If only it were this easy to control a Legendary," he laughed before turning to his minions. "You two get everything set up here. I'll be back as soon as the recording's complete." Black and White nodded before Guile moved over to Cloyster and placed his hand on it, the Pokémon's shell beginning to glow before they both vanished. "Alright, let's get started." Black commanded the room, the Pokémon following her while White dragged Sonata along with Gyrados placing Sirenity down on the ground. Flash's body was killing him. He could feel every nerve tingle in his insides as he let out a groan, his eyes barely blinking. And as he did this, a voice hit his ears. "I think he's coming around." "Twilight?" His eyes fluttered open next, now seeing Twilight staring down at him, along with Spike, Doc and almost all of his Pokémon. Twilight let out a sigh of relief, "You're okay. Thank goodness." "That's to be decided," Flash moaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. As he did, he noticed his arms were covered in bandages along with a large band-aid on his cheek. His eyes darted around next, now seeing he was in some kind of fancy looking room that looked like something you would see in a hotel. "Where am I?" "You're in my house," he turned to see Mayor Novo walking into the room with Vinyl and Octavia behind her. "Your friends brought you to me when they explained what happened to you and Sonata." "Sonata?" Flash muttered out, only to go wide-eyed, "Sonata!" He then tried to push himself out of bed, only to let out a cry of pain, "AUGH!" "Don't Flash!" Twilight responded while grabbing his shoulder, "You can't get up. You were badly hurt by whatever happened to you, and the doctor's on their way." "I don't have time for a doctor," Flash groaned, barely pushing her arm away, "We've gotta find Sonata, and fast!" "You'll be no use to anyone if you kill yourself," Doc replied. "Here, maybe this can help. Chimecho," Octavia added as she took out a Pokeball, soon summoning the bell Pokémon. "Use Heal Pulse." "Chime," it called out as its body unleashed a pink aura that hit Flash, making him glow. Within seconds, the pain around Flash dulled as many of his injuries vanished. "Wow..." he pushed himself up to his feet, "I feel way better." "You're not completely healed, but this should keep you out of danger." Octavia said as Flash turned to thank her and Chimecho, only for the Pokémon to move to the other side of the room. There on another bed laid someone that made Flash gasp. "Springer!" He yelped as Chimecho used Heal Pulse on him, the light making his many injuries vanish as well. "Ri..." Springer moaned before opening his eyes. "Hey bud, you okay?" Springer nodded back, making Flash sigh in relief. "That's good." "Flash," the teen turned back to Twilight, "Who did this too you?" "Yes, and what happened to Sonata?" Novo added, "These children said you were with her last before she disappeared. What's more, they say that two strangely clothed girls appeared trying to get her. I want an explanation." Flash let out another sigh, sitting down as he replied, "Okay, but this is gonna take some time to explain everything." Sonata's brain prickled at her as she let out a groan, her eyes twitching open as she began to wake up. As she did this, she found she was upright, though not standing up. Not only that, her arms were raised above her head, and she could feel some ropes tied around her wrists. That and she was now in the temple, currently 'standing' on the podium she and her sisters had always stood on when they sung at the festival. "Huh? Wha...what is...going on?" She mumbled as she felt her feet touch the ground, making her see she was actually standing instead of hanging there, "Why am I in the temple?" The girl started trying to move, now feeling the long ropes tying her wrists before looking down, now seeing her legs were tied as well, her body now forced into a Y shape. Not only that, there were wires and cables scattered all along the ground and up the walls, the sight making Sonata follow them to see them going out a natural building hole in the wall. She blinked at the sight, seeing the sun had set behind the hole, making her realize she had been asleep for hours. "Ah, finally up I see." she turned to the door, now seeing Guile walking in, "Perfect. I wasn't sure if I needed you conscious for this or not." "For what?" Sonata asked before going wide-eyed at the something on the ground behind him. "Sirenity!" She pulled at her bindings at this, but they refused to move. "What are you doing?! Let us go!" "I'm afraid I can't do that," he replied before walking up and touched her chin, "After all, you two are the answers to all my prayers." "Prayers? What are you talking about?!" She asked as he backpedaled while holding a laptop in his other hand. "Guile," they turned to the door and saw Black and White walk in with their Pokémon, "The speakers are in place. Now we just need to hook them up." "Speakers? What speakers?" Guile chuckled at her question, "Speakers that will broadcast a song I have created. One that'll allow me to control Sirenity." Sonata's eyes went wide before shaking her head, "That's...that's impossible! You don't have to power to do that!" "I do now," he cackled as he pointed at her, "And it's all thanks to you." "What?!" She yelped before Surskit hopped off the wall and landed on his shoulder, Sonata now seeing the camera it was wearing. "Over the last year, I've been watching you carefully and waiting for you to finally use that pretty little voice of yours. But you decided to make things difficult and refused to sing for me. That's why I had to take more drastic measures." Sonata turned to Black and White, remembering their first kidnap attempt, "Unfortunately, that little punk got in the way...but luckily his interference became a golden opportunity." The girl slowly put the pieces together as he continued, "Thanks to him, you gained the confidence to sing again. And that was all I needed." He reached up and petted Surskit, "Thanks to my little friend here, I was able to record your voice and replicate it. Now I can use it, giving me everything I need to control Sirenity." "It'll take more than just imitating my voice!" Sonata barked back, "The song would need to be sung in the ancient language!" "And it will be," Guile opened up the laptop and pressed play. Seconds later, a voice Sonata recognised as her own began to sing from the computer...and it was singing a song written in the language only she should have known. "H-how?" She asked in shock, "How do you know this song?!" "I had two very good teachers," Guile pointed to Black and White before nodding at them. Sonata's eyes went wide as she saw them take off their helmets, her pupils shrinking at the next sight as they revealed their faces. "Archibald Kaito?" Vinyl asked as Flash finished telling them his story. He had told them about how he first met Sonata and followed her into the underground cave. What followed was the meeting with Sirenity and becoming friends with it before convincing Sonata to go to the festival. The trainer went over the fights next, running into Guile and losing before Springer managed to knock off the helmet, revealing the knight's identity. "I saw a news report about him a while back. I recognized him from it." "Really? But who is this Archie guy?" Spike asked next. "A dangerous man," Novo responded while looking out the window and into the night sky. "I remember hearing about it on the news. He's the former leader of Team Aqua, a terrorist organisation that caused issues throughout the Hoenn region years ago." "Like Team Shadow?" Twilight chimed in, Novo nodding back at her. "Yes. They believed that the world would be better with less land and more ocean. That's why they attempted to awaken an ancient Pokémon with the power to do so, but it backfired on Team Aqua and they were all arrested." "Clearly he got out," Vinyl added. "Archie was said to have been suffering from an unknown illness," Novo continued, "He was placed in a highly guarded hospital for treatments, but was broken out of it about a year and a half ago." "And now he's here?" Doc asked, "Does that mean he's after Sirenity." "Yes," Novo sighed as she turned to them. "And if he's after Sirenity, I suspect there's no length he won't go to to acquire its power." Sonata's entire body shook in horror, tears going down her face as she slowly whispered out, "Adagio? Aria?" Her sisters stood in front of her, alive and well while wearing the armor that had disguised them this whole time. Adagio was in the black armor while Aria was in white, both holding their helmets in their hands as they stood with blank expressions on their faces. "No...that's not possible." Sonata muttered while shaking her head, "They...they-" "I can assure you, it's them." She turned to Guile. "That little accident that happened a year ago was no accident. It was my doing." "Yours?!" "Well," Guile held up a Pokeball, "Me and Gyrados. He created the Whirlpool that sucked your boat underwater and then he grabbed your sisters and brought them to me." "You...you did all this?!" Sonata's wide eyes quickly narrowed as her face turned red in rage, "I just went through the worst year of my life and it was all your fault?!" "It's all for the greater good," Guile instantly replied, Sonata growling at him before glaring at her sisters. "Aria! Adagio! Why are you doing this?!" "They can't answer you," Guile deadpanned. "They're under my control. Surely that should be obvious." "What?" Sonata blinked at his words before saying, "Aria, Adagio, please! It's me....your useless little sister." Tears filled her eyes again, "please help me." Guile rolled his eyes and was about to tell her it was pointless, only to see girls' blank expressions beginning to fade as Aria reached up and held her head. "Malamar!" The squid quickly and jumped in front of them before unleashing the light from its chest, both girls then returning to their blank expressions. The sight made Sonata gasp, a gear turning in her brain. "You...you're controlling them," she gasped. Guile chuckled and shook his head, "You really are the dense one of the group." He then motioned the two girls, to leave, Sonata calling out to them, getting no response this time. And as they left, Sonata hissed at Guile, "Hey! Why are you doing this?! Why take my sisters from me and make me think they were dead?! And why were you spying on me to take my voice and control Sirenity?!" She glared at the outfit he was wearing next, "And why are you even wearing that stupid armor?" "Because I need it," Guile replied before pulling the helmet off, revealing his face. "Years ago, I made the mistake of using an ancient relic to control a Legendary Pokémon." Sonata raised an eyebrow at this. "Eventually, that relic merged with my own body and connected me to that Pokémon for a short while. But then I was defeated and lost both the relic and the Pokémon." "Still not seeing the point." "I'm getting to that. After I was arrested, I started suffering strange illness. My body slowly started to breakdown and cause me great pain. I quickly realized it had to be the backlash of the relic that merged with me. A punishment given to me by the Legendary. I had to undergo medical treatments, but nothing could stop it. It was just a matter of time before my body completely failed." He shined a huge smile at his next words, "That's when I was saved." One and a half years ago... Archie let out a moan as his eyes squinted open, now seeing a series of lights in front of him. Memories of before he had blacked out slowly appeared on the forefront of his mind, reminding him that he had been at a hospital until the wall suddenly exploded, making him lose consciousness. And as his brain began to wake up, he suddenly noticed his body was encased in something. Voices caught his attention next, allowing him to hear a man and a women talking. "Is it working?" The man asked. "All systems indicate his vitals remaining stable. Those ancient Equestrians sure knew their stuff." "So you think we can replicate the armor?" "First we need to see how well the original works over a long period of time. Wait, he's waking up." Archie's eyes came into focus at these words, now seeing a bulky looking man and a dark skinned women with green hair looking down at him. Both were wearing similar black clothing with a stylized S on it. "Morning sleepyhead," the women giggled. "Where am I?" He asked while trying to move his body, only to find it now stiff and heavy. "Huh? Wh-what have you done to me?" "We saved your life," the man chuckled, "And to answer your first question, you're at one of our team's secret hideouts." Archie blinked at the response, his body slowly getting up. He soon found he was on some kind of table, which he then fully sat up and swung his legs around. "You're trying to kill me or something? Why else would you take me from the hospital and put me in..." He looked down and saw he was in some kind of armor, "This? What is this?" "That...is the Eternity," the women replied, "An ancient artefact created centuries ago. It is what's keeping you alive at this moment." "What?" "It has to power to stop time for anything inside it," the man added, "Wearing that suit means you're pretty much immortal." "Immortal?" The women nodded. "As long as you're wearing it, you'll never age. Never need to eat or sleep. Never even need to go to the bathroom. And the sickness destroying your body will pretty much stop, just as long as you keep wearing the armor." "And if I take if off?" "You'll probably last about five minutes before the spells completely broken. According to the ancient text that the armor was found with, the power will only work on a person once. Once the spell's broken, you'll be pretty much doomed." "I...see," Archie then pushed himself up off the table, but when he placed his weight on his legs, they gave out, making him fall forward until the man caught him. "Easy there. Let your strength return before you try moving." "Thanks. But why are you doing this?" The women chuckled before moving to another table. "Our boss is a big fan of your work. Using a Legendary Pokémon to flood the land and force people to bow to your whims. Its...inspiring." "I wasn't trying to control the world!" Archie instantly replied, "I want to expand the sea so there'd be more places for Water Pokémon to live!" "Well, either way, you still impressed our boss." She giggled before pulling out a long rectangular case, "That's why he asked us to free you and give you the Eternity and Instant." "Instant?" His question was answered by the women opening the case and revealing a sword. "The Instant, another ancient relic. It has the power to deflect any attack. With it, you'll be a force to be reckoned with." Archie blinked at the sight, pushing himself back to his still shaky feet. He took the sword out next, feeling its slight weight before asking, "This still feels like you're after something else. I wouldn't give these kind of relics to someone who just impressed me. What do you want?" The two chuckled before the man replied, "You're smarter then you look." The women nodded in agreement. "Very well, we'll admit that we want something. You see, we've lined the suit with sensors to monitor your progress. Your case thanks to the relic affecting your body is perfect for our tests, as your body is in a state that's at its worst. We're hoping the data it gives us will help us replicate the armor's ability for our own uses, and there's no better test than a subject that has a body in the worst-case scenario and see how it improves them." "So I'm just a guinea-pig?" "A well payed guinea-pig," the man chimed in, "In return for letting us study the armor's effects on you, we're willing to help finance your next scheme." "I don't have another scheme," Archie responded while shaking his head, "I...I know now that there's no way to control Kyogre. Especially after what's it done to me." "But what about a less powerful Legendary?" The women asked before holding out a file. "You might be interested in this." Archie blinked at her before taking the file, his eyes gazing over the documents. And as he kept scanning them, a grin began to form on his face, the other two smirking at the sight as Archie chuckled, "Oh...this is good. Very very good. I like this." "We thought you would," the women giggled, "And as we said before, we're willing to help supply you with gear, information and even new Pokémon to use in your plans. Just as long as you're willing to help us if the need arises." Archie put the file down and nodded, "You make an excellent deal...but I think I'd prefer to talk directly to your boss." This caused the two to glare at him. "Our leader doesn't make a habit of associating himself with known criminals. Never know who's listening. All you need to know is that not knowing who he is is a form of protection." The man nodded before cracking his knuckles, "And I should warn you right now that if you think about crossing us, our boss will have fun making you regret it. Understand?" Archie could feel his hands about to clench into fists, only to reply, "Well...if I can get this Legendary under my control, I'm fine with the secrecy. So, yeah...I understand." "Good," the women chimed in, "Also, we'll need to think of something to call you. As far as the rest of the world knows, Archie of Team Aqua is dead. A new name will help sell that belief and protect you from being hunted." Archie nodded in agreement as a thought went into his head, "How about...Guile? He was known as an ancient Hoenn legend or warrior that controlled the oceans." "Just Guile?" The women asked, causing Archie to look around and remember what the man had called the place. "Guile...Hideout." Present... "And so my new mission began." As he said this, he suddenly felt an incredible burst of pain, making him quickly put the helmet back on. "The mission to claim Sirenity's power for myself and use it to bring about a perfect world." "How can Sirenity bring about a perfect world?" Sonata asked, turning to the Legendary. "It's simple really. With her, I'll destroy the land and use the debris to raise the sea level. Thus, my perfect world will finally come to pass." "What?! You're insane!" Sonata cried, "There's no way that would work!" "Oh, it'll work," he replied, "The laws of fluid dynamics speaks for itself." Sonata sighed while a long glare at the knight, "So...you kidnap my sisters, making everyone think they're dead, then wait for me to sing so you can mimic my voice?!" "That wasn't the plan originally," he told her as he moved over to lean on a pillar. "The original plan was to take all three of you, but you disappeared before Gyarados could grab you." Those words made Sonata remember back to that night, her memories telling her the last thing she saw before she blacked out. "Sirenity…" she whispered. "At the time, I thought it didn't really matter. I had your sisters, and once they were on my sub, I had Malamar put them under. I had them teach me the ancient language and with their help, I created a song that could force Sirenity to do my bidding." He let out a long sigh, "But something went wrong." "What?" "It didn't work," Guile growled, "One night, the three of us snuck in here and I had Adagio sing the song....but it didn't work. I then tried Aria, but that didn't work either. I then tried them both, and even that wasn't enough." "My sisters couldn't control Sirenity?" Sonata asked with now raised eyebrows, "But why?" "That's what I kept asking myself. And eventually, I came to three possible conclusions. One is that being under Malamar's control prevented them from truly using their power. The second was that I required all three of you to make it work. And the third, and likely most possible reason, was that neither of them ever had the power to control Sirenity." He pointed at her, "Meaning you must have it." Sonata let those words flow into her ears, making her go wide-eyed, "I'm...the true priestess?!" This thought made her go over the last year in her head again, remembering the accident, Sirenity saving her and concluded with Guile telling her this information. "We'll soon find out," he chuckled, "Once the system's hooked up, I'll broadcast the song. If it works, we'll know the truth." "And the reason you went to all this trouble to make me sing on my own-" "For all I know, my first two ideas are valid." He interrupted, "If I captured you and placed you under Malamar's control, there's a chance your power wouldn't work. There's also a chance I need all three of you to control it. And if the recording doesn't work, I'll simply put you under and try it that way. I can't fail." He turned to Cloyster, "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." Cloyster nodded as Guile headed out of the room, leaving Sonata to struggle against the ropes holding her. "Flash..." she whispered as tears reappeared in her eyes, "Please help me." Back at the mayor's mansion... Flash lay in his bed on doctor's orders. The doctor had said he would be fine as long as he didn't push himself, Flash thanking Octavia again for the Heal Pulse. Now he was just laying there, though he wanted to be out on the streets looking for Sonata. But he knew that would just result in an earful from Twilight, so he remained put. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get to sleep. After several minutes of trying, he let out a sigh as he pushed himself up and carefully made his way over to a door leading out to a balcony. He was being careful not to wake Springer up, the Riolu fast asleep so he would be fully healed by tomorrow. The trainer was now on the balcony, staring at the city while remembering how beautiful he had thought it was the previous night with Sonata. "Don't worry," he whispered, "I'll find you and save you from that creep." "Flash?" the teen spun around and see Twilight standing at the door, "Couldn't sleep?" "Yeah," Flash replied as looked back at the city, "I'm too worried about Sonata." "You really care about her?" Twilight asked, looking up at the night sky. "Of course." He responded while nodding, "She's such a sweet person. It's not fair that she's had so many terrible things happen to her." He let out a long sigh, "She's only ever known this city. She deserves the chance to see the rest of the world, but instead she's been stuck here and now she's been kidnapped over something she doesn't have any control over." He looked down at his bandaged arm. "The pain I feel is nothing like the pain she's suffered through. And I'm gonna make sure that suffering ends." Twilight chuckled as she saw the determination in his eyes, shaking her head at the conviction in his voice. "Figures. You love to help others, don't you?" She then pulled out a familiar red gemstone, "If that's the case, I think you should be the one to give this back to Sonata when we save her." "That's...thanks Twi," Flash replied, the girl nodding in response. "Now come on. You're not gonna be able to save anyone if you're exhausted." Flash nodded back as he returned to bed, Twilight leaving the room as they both promised to do everything it took to save Sonata and stop Guile. The next morning... Despite being stuck in such an uncomfortable position, Sonata had managed to fall asleep at some point in the night. But her slumber was quickly destroyed when Guile clanked his way into the room. "Finally!" he cackled under his helmet, "Everything's set up! This wouldn't have taken so long if this place actually decided to move into the twenty first century, and add an electric system to this place! Stupid culture and traditions…" Black and White also entered the room, helping him plug a bunch of the wires into several battery packs that had appeared while Sonata was asleep. And once everything was setup, Guile spoke up, "You two better head out and be ready. When the people hear the song, they'll quickly realize where we are and attack." Black and White nodded before heading out with Cloyster and Malamar, ignoring Sonata's outcry to her sisters. "Everything's finally come together." Sonata growled at him next. "You won't get away with this! Flash and the others will come and save me, count on it!" Guile laughed before taking out a Pokeball. "Even if he does, he won't get far." As soon as the sun rose, Novo called an emergency meeting, making the whole city's populace to go to the square. Flash, his friends and all their Pokémon stood at the side of the stage as she stepped up to the podium. "People of Vocanctus," she called out. "I bring grave news. Sirenity has been captured." This statement caused a wave of murmurs to occur, some shocked to hear this while others seemed surprised Sirenity even existed. "What's worse, the criminal who captured it has also kidnapped Sonata Dusk in order to take control of it." Now the crowd was collectively gasping, almost everyone there knowing and caring for Sonata, especially after what'd happened to her sisters. "I'm afraid that until the two are rescued, the festival must be put on hold." "Who cares about the festival!" one of the crowd yelled, "It can be cancelled for all we care! We've gotta find Sonata and Sirenity!" The rest of the crowd yelled out in agreement, Novo, Flash and his friends smiling at this. "Yes, finding and saving them is important." She looked out over the city's citizens. "Our ancestors built this city because of Sirenity and Sonata's ancestor. None of us would be alive right now without them. Every year we give thanks to Sirenity, but this year giving thanks isn't enough. Now we must do for it and Sonata, what Sirenity and her family have done for us for so many generations. We must protect them, the way they protected us." "YEAH!" Was the single word that radiated out of the crowd. "Alright, then we've got work to do." Novo nodded, "The criminal must still be somewhere in the city, so we need to start searching high and low for them." But before anyone could say anything else, a sound began to radiate through the air. This sound was actually a voice, singing a song in a certain language. "Is that...Sonata?" Spike asked. "Where's it coming from?" Vinyl asked while Octavia closed her eyes and listened, soon opening them again. "That way." She pointed in the direction of the temple, everyone quickly running toward the structure with Flash and his team managing to get to the front of the crowd. "Hang on Sonata, we're coming!" Sonata could only grimace as her voice was projected through the speakers system Guile had set up throughout the temple. Both she and Guile watched Sirenity's unconscious form, waiting to see if the armored figure's plan would actually work. "Please don't work..." Sonata whispered as she stared at her friend. "Please don't work." "Come on...come on!" Guile growled while tapping his finger, only for both to suddenly notice something. The raised circle Sonata was standing on was beginning to glow, making them look down and see it reacting to the voice. Sonata gasped as she felt something terrible wash over her, like it was sucking the energy out of her. The temple was reacting to her voice and using her power. They watched as the blue light spread across the ground toward Sirenity and began to envelop it in the aura, followed by the Legendary beginning to move. It was only a twitch at first, but with each passing second, the movement began to form as the Legendary pushed itself up onto its front legs before turning to them. And the look in its eyes said it all. They now glowed a bright red, while its body remained still. "NO/YES!" They yelled, the armored figure laughing as he activated the device, "With this, the power of the ocean will finally belong to me!" "SAAAAAAI!" Sirenity neighed, no emotions in its voice. "Sirenity!" Sonata cried out, "You have to fight this! Please!" "It's useless girl, Sirenity is mine. Now," he pointed to the exit of the temple, "GO! Bring about my perfect world!" Sirenity let out another neigh before jumping into the air, using its abilities to fly toward the exit. Meanwhile... When Flash and the town had arrived at the street leading to the bridge, they came to a halt as they now saw Black, White and their Pokémon standing in front of the temple. Not only that, every single Kelpool and Lokelpie that lived in Vocanctus stood in a group between them and the bridge. "What are they doing?" Novo asked as she, Twilight and the others pushed their way to the front of the crowd. "The Kelpool and Lokelpie are supposed to follow Sirenity. Why are they with them?" Twilight was also thinking the same thing, only to notice the expressionless looks in their eyes before her attention fell on Malamar. Her mind went back to their earlier battle, remembering what had happened when Owlicious's Mind Force attack landed. "Oh no...Malamar's controlling them!" "So what do we do?" Spike asked before Black called out. "ATTACK!" With that, the Kelpool and Lokelpie began firing their Water Guns and other attacks at the crowd, many screaming as the attacks struck the people. "I don't think we'll have a choice," Doc yelled, "We have to beat them!" But as he said this, Flash's eyes weren't on the army, but on the temple. And as he stared at it, he saw something that made him gasp. "Look!" He pointed up, everyone now seeing Sirenity fly out of the temple. "Its Sirenity!" "It does exist," Novo gasped before watching it fly off. "Wait...what's it doing?! Why isn't it helping us?!" It then dived into the water, making Doc yelp, "Guile must be controlling it!" Flash continued to stare at the temple, now knowing Sonata had to be in there. He shook in anger as his hands clenched into fists. "No matter what it takes, I'm getting into that temple and setting her free." "Then leave these guys to us," he turned to Twilight, seeing the huge smile on her face, "We'll keep him busy while you and your Pokémon sneak around them and get to the temple." "You sure?" Flash asked, she and the others all nodding. "Don't worry, we'll take them down no problem." "Yeah!" Spike nodded. "We got this!" Flash couldn't help be smile at them before nodding. "Thanks guys." He turned to his Pokémon and gestured them to follow, "Let's go!" The Pokémon all cheered as the seven ran away, making the two knights laugh. "Ha!" White chuckled, "Looks like lover boy got scared." "Don't be overconfident," Black added. "We'll deal with him later." "Let's go!" Twilight yelled as she, Doc and Spike lead the charge against the army of Kelpool and Lokelpie. The citizens all remained standing before two of them shared a look, both nodding before following with their Pokémon. "Let's do this!" Vinyl roared as Noibat flew ahead of her. "For Sonata and Sirenity!" Octavia chimed in with Kricketune preparing to strike with its arms. The rest of the city's populace shared a look before Novo called out. "ATTACK!" She and her daughter charged, the rest of the citizens following as they sent out their own Pokémon, a massive battle about to begin. "Mystical Fire!" Twilight called out, Shine unleashing the fire attack to knock back a Kelpool. "Now Peck!" Owlicious's beak extended as it swooped down and stabbed a Lokelpie. "Zap Cannon, Air Cutter and Gear Grind!" Doc's Pokémon launched their attacks, hitting several of the hippocampus, knocking them all back. "Dragonbreath!" Spike yelled as Peewee unleashed a burst of blue fire at one of the Lokelpie, only for the Pokémon to walk through the flames without a singe, "Huh?!" "Lokelpie's a Fairy-type," Twilight told her brother as Shine used Psybeam on a Kelpool. "Dragon-type attacks won't do anything." "Focus on the Kelpool Spike!" Doc added as Tockwork hit a Lokelpie with Bullet Punch. "They're just Water-types." "Got it," Spike nodded, only for a Lokelpie to leapt at him as its tail became engulfed in water. "Peewee, Wing Attack!" The small Dragon-type flew slashed the hippocampus with its wings, sending it flying back. "Hyper Voice!" Vinyl commanded as Noibat unleashed a burst of sound from its ears, hitting several Kelpool. "Slash!" Octavia called out as Kricketune swung its bladed arms around, knocking several Lokelpie back. All over the street, the citizens and their Pokémon did battle with their brainwashed enemies. And as this happened, Twilight and Shine had just taken out another Lokelpie when they turned to see Black and Malamar moving into the fray, Malamar using its Psycho Cutter and Night Slash attacks to knock down anyone that got in their way. "Ready for a real battle?" She asked, Twilight smiling and pushing her glasses up as Shine got into a battle stance. "Let's do this thing," he pointed at Malamar. "Mystical Fire!" Shine neighed as she unleashed the burst of fire. "Flamethrower!" The Malamar shot its own burst of fire, matching Shine's attack as it caused a wave of heat to spread over the area. "Now, Night Slash!" Malamar's tentacles glowed as it began to spin around, flying at Shine like a top. "Use Fairy Wind!" Shine raised her tail before swinging it around, the force creating a powerful wind that was filled with pink sparkles. The wind struck Malamar, pushing it back as Shine turned and galloped at the Pokémon. "Tackle!" Shine leapt and slammed into the still spinning Malamar, knocking it back. Black growled at the sight, "You haven't beaten us yet." At the same time, White and Cloyster were blasting their opponents with Icicle Spears and Spike Cannons. It precision was deadly, able to hit only its opponents while leaving the Kelpool and Lokelpie unharmed. It then spotted Owlicious using Sky Attack on a Lokelpie and fired an Icicle Spear barrage at him. But before they could hit, Flitanium flew in front of him, deflecting the attacks with its wings. "Flit..." it growled. "Annoying pest," White hissed before Doc walked in front of her. "We're your opponents," he said as Flitanium landed, "And we're not gonna let you hurt anyone else." "You can try," White replied, "Cloyster, go!" Cloyster fired a Spike Cannon at him, Doc just pointing at the enemy in return. "Steel Wing!" Flitanium unfurled its wings as they began to glow, the bird spinning as it deflected each spike with ease. "Now, Iron Head!" Flitanium then flew straight up before dive-bombing Cloyster as its helmet glowed, slamming into the clam before it could react. And as this happened, Flash and his Pokémon watched from the shadows of an alleyway. They were waiting for just the right moment, the opening inside the army. And as they saw the opposing forces accidentally split in two, he yelled, "Now!" They shot out of the alleyway and headed toward the gap, each moving as fast as they could. As this happened, one of the Lokelpie noticed the group approaching and tried to block them. "Springer!" His partner leapt up before firing an Aura Sphere at Lokelpie, the force of the attack knocking it back, only for an evolution pair to appear in front of them. "Water Gun, Air Cutter, Energy Ball and Flamethrower!" Riptide, Skyler, Prongs and Viper fired their long range attacks at the enemy, sweeping them all away. "Now, Quick Attack!" "Rush!" Hopper shot ahead at intense speed, zigzagging into the remaining enemies as it knocked them all away. "Great work guys," Flash added as the seven got onto the bridge, now in full sprint for the temple. "Yes!" Twilight cheered when she saw this, Black just shaking her head. "Idiot," she turned back to Twilight. "He may have gotten onto the bridge, but he's not getting to the temple." And on cue, Flash and his Pokémon got to the halfway mark of the bridge as the water beneath the stone structure exploded, a familiar serpentine beast coming out next. It landed on the bridge, all seven gasping as they now saw a Gyarados roaring at them as Flash whispered, "Not good." Inside the Temple, Guile was watching the battle that was going on. His eyes were darting between two screens, one showing a feed that Surskit was recording from the outside. Guile laughed as he saw Gyrados beginning its attack, Flash and his Pokémon doing their best to evade on the limited stretch of land they had. "That's it kid, struggle." He laughed again. "The more time you waste, the less chance you'll have to stop me before my plan is fulfilled." At the same time, Sonata was handing there in half-conscious. She was constantly being drained of her energy to keep the spell going, forcing Sirenity to do Guile's bidding. "Please..." she whispered with the last of her strength, "Save us." And as she dropped more into unconsciousness, she couldn't help but wonder what Sirenity was doing while under this madman's control. As for the Legendary Pokémon, it was still swimming away, soon coming to a stop at about ten miles away from the city. It then closed its eyes as it began to sing a song like none had heard before, this one full a malice and rage as the orb on its chest glowed. Once the Legendary's power reached its zenith, everything would end. "Extreme Speed!" Flash yelled as Springer charged. Blue lightning wrapped around the Riolu as it began dodging the water blasts as he got closer to Gyrados. "RIOLU!" he roared as he slammed a powerful kick into its face, the beast yelping as it was pushed back. "Water Gun, Energy Ball and Flamethrower!" Riptide, Prongs and Viper fired their attacks, all striking Gyrados in several places. But as it did this, the beast let out a hiss as it began to charge up a Hyper Beam. "Skyler!" "Gust!" The Wingust began flying around the Pokémon's face, annoying it as letting Hopper ran up until he was right under its nose. "Now, Iron Tail!" The Velocirush's powerful legs let him propel himself upward, his tail glowing as Gyrados just now noticed his presence. But before it could look down, Hopper spun around before slamming his tail into its lower jaw. "RAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!" It roared in pain as its face flew up, causing the Hyper Beam it had been charging to fire up into the air, harming no one. "Oh, come on!" Guile yelled, "Stupid kid! Stop interfering!" The barely conscious Sonata heard his outcry, making her barely smile, "Keep going Flash. You can...do it." Guile growled at this, taking out his sword and holding it up before flipping it over. Doing so revealed a small round indent in the crossguard. "No more Mr. Nice-Guy." he hissed as he held up a crystal orb that was a mixture of blue and green with a black pattern within it. He then placed it inside the indent before holding the sword up. "Keystone, respond to my heart and unleash true power that will obliterate my enemies!" With that, the gem began to unleashed a strange light that flew up the sword as he pointed it toward the exit of the temple. The light shot off the tip of the sword and flew out of the temple, hitting the Gyrados. Flash and his Pokémon saw the light, making them all gasp as they now notice a band that was strapped around the central head spike of the serpent, revealing another crystal. That crystal also unleashed a light that joined with the other, the two merging before it engulfed Gyarados. Over at the shore, Twilight and the others saw this light and gasped. "No way." The light then exploded off the creature, Flash and all his Pokémon staring in horror at the sight of the Mega Gyrados. The beast glanced down before letting out a mighty roar, the sound shaking the bridge beneath their feet. The rest of the city turned toward the mega, all terrified at its presence. Their mission to rescue Sonata and Sirenity had just gone from difficult to nearly impossible at the sight of the beast. But despite this, Flash refused to be stopped. "Get out of our way!" He yelled as he and his Pokémon charged, the mega unleashing a Hydro Pump at them. But before it could hit, Riptide jumped up and used Ice Punch to freeze the water, causing some serious freezer burn to the beast. It roared and began to swing its head around in pain, allowing Flash the opening to try and run past it. But Gyarados quickly noticed him and tried to swing its tail, only for Skyler, Prongs and Viper to fire an Air Cutter, Energy Ball and Flamethrower at it. The explosions caused the tail to flinch away, allowing Flash passage. Gyarados then tried to use its vine line whiskers to try and grab Flash, only for Springer and Hopper to leap up and smack the whiskers with a Drain Punch and Crunch. "GYRAAAAAHHH!" the serpent screamed. "Thanks guys!" Flash yelled back to them, "Keep this thing busy as long as you can." "RIO!" Springer roared back, giving Flash a thumbs up before he and the others turned to Gyarados. The mega now found it had enemies on both sides of it, Skyler, Viper and Prongs on one side while Springer, Hopper and Riptide were on the other. The battle to rescue Sonata and Sirenity was on, with possibly the fate of all Vocanctus on the line. Would our heroes win, or would Guile Hideout accomplish his goal? Only time would tell. Author's Note And thus, the final battle begins. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to next week.
Chapter 6Flash ran as fast as he could into the temple, arriving at now wire-filled entrance. Every bit of pillar and roof was now covered in cords, the sight making him blink before seeing a certain person in the next room. "Sonata!" he yelled as he charged ahead, only for a sword to suddenly come out of a pillar, making him duck down, "Whoa!" The teen skidded across the ground, sliding back to his feet as he just avoided the blade by millimeters. He then saw Guile appear where he had ducked, only to glare back at Sonata, "Hang on, I'm coming!" He started his sprint again, only for a certain Surskit to leap down from the ceiling, blocking his path to the door. "SUR!" It roared before pointing its antenna at him, "SKIT!" A Signal Beam came next, Flash yelping as he leapt to the side, now rolling along the ground til he reached the wall. The Signal Beam instead hit the ground, making the temple shake as the weapons on its walls now fell over. One of these was the sword Flash had admired two days ago, which landed right beside the teen as he started picking himself up. His eyes darted between Guile and the Surskit, making him lean down and pick up the blade. His hands shook as he felt the weight of the sword, only to turn to Guile and point the weapon at him. "HA!" Guile laughed, "You think you can beat me with that old thing?! Just to warn ya, I've have over a year's experience training with this blade. You ever hold one of those before?" "No." Flash admitted more easily than he wanted to admit before glaring at Guile, "But I'm a quick study. And if this is how I save Sonata, then so be it!" With that, he charged at the knight, swinging his sword with a wide slash, only for Guile to easily block the blow, pushing it back next as the teen staggered from the sudden push. Guile then thrust his blade at the trainer, making Flash duck under the sword before trying to swing again, only for Guile to block it once more. A loud clang happened next as Guile let out a sigh, "Just quit. You won't stop me kid. No matter how hard you try, my plan will succeed." Flash let out a long pant as he hopped back, holding up the sword again, "If that plan involves kidnapping Sonata and forcing Sirenity to obey you, I'll make sure it doesn't happen!" He charged again, Guile causally swiping his blade as it deflected Flash's attack, the power of Instant knocking Flash back. And as Flash stumbled, Sonata's eyes drifted open, allowing her to see her would-be hero. "Flash..." She whispered before looking down at the device on the ground that was constantly projecting her voice out and controlling Sirenity. "You need to...destroy...the machine." But as she tried to say these words, they came as only a whisper, the sound being drowned out by the speakers along with the clashing of metal on metal. "Sirenity..." Down below the surface of the ocean, Sirenity continued to build her power. Her body trembled as the water shook around her, the beast taking one last deep breath. And with a roar, the power reached its peak as Sirenity opened its eyes, letting out a mighty neigh as the water around her began to spiral into an underwater tornado. The vortex then made its way to the sky, splashing out of the ocean before touching the clouds. It then turned its attention on the city it had long since protected. Back on the bridge... Springer and the rest of Flash's Pokémon were still fighting Mega Gyarados. The sea-serpent roared as water spiraled around its body, the liquid soon exploding outward. A whirlpool came for the five on the ground, Viper grimacing at the incoming attack. Seeing this, Skyler swooped down and snatched his friend as the others stood their ground, Riptide actually charging ahead with an Ice Punch. The attack froze the water, Springer and Hopper leaping behind the lizard as the rest of the water went past the now frozen shield Riptide had made. At the same time, Prongs stood strong as the water passed him without issue. Up above, Skyler pointed Viper at Gyarados's head before the Anahakka unleashed a Flamethrower attack at the serpent's face. The beast cried out as it was burnt, the Whirlpool attack coming to a stop as Springer and Hopper leapt over the ice shield. "Riolu!" Springer roared as he fired an Aura Sphere into Gyarados's chest, Hopper leaping past Springer next. The mega saw him coming and tried to crush him under its tail, only for Hopper to sidestep and use Crunch on water-snake's tail. Gyarados let out a cry as he began flailing around, trying to get Hopper off as Skyler let Viper go. "Carrr!" Viper hissed as he bit the end of his tail and began spinning, his body becoming wrapped in flames. The serpent glared up at the Flame Wheel, forgetting Hopper for a moment before preparing to fire a Hydro Pump. But before it could, Riptide and Prongs struck it on both sides with a Rock Smash and Energy Ball. The sea-serpent was now realizing that going mega might have been a mistake, for now it was weak against both Fighting and Grass attack. But its resistance to Fire remained, Viper's Flame Wheel hitting his head before the serpent flicked him off with just a scratch. He then slammed his tail down, forcing Hopper to let go before trying to hit the Pokémon, only for Springer to pull him out of the way of Gyarados's attack. And as the six recollected themselves, the stared up at the behemoth as it growled at them. Meanwhile... Twilight, Doc, Spike and their friends continued to battle against the horde of Kelpool and Lokelpie along with Black, White and their Pokémon. "Mystical Fire!" Shine launched the fire blast at Malamar, Black countering with a Flamethrower. The flames collided, Malamar's attack soon overpowering Shine's as it began to push her back, only for her to jump over the fire as Twilight yelled, "Fairy Wind!" "Nee!" Shine swung her tail, unleashing a barrage of pink wind that slammed into Malamar's face, knocking it back. But as it staggered, Black ordered a Psycho Cutter attack, its tentacles quickly thrusting at the ponyta. As this happened, Doc and Flitanium were facing off against White and Cloyster. "Icicle Spear!" Cloyster launched the barrage of ice spikes right at Flitanium, the Flying Steel-type simply deflecting them away with its metal wings. White growled at this before yelling, "Spike Cannon!" Cloyster fired some new projectiles at Flitanium, only for them to also bounce off the bird's metal body. "Ha!" Doc laughed as he pointed at White. "Those attacks might be effective against most Pokémon, but a Steel-type's are a different story. Now, Drill Peck!" Flitanium spun around, morphing into an air drill that flew right at Cloyster. "Protect!" White commanded as Cloyster closed its shell, causing an energy bubble to form around it as the air drill bounced off it. "Steel Wing!" Doc ordered as Flitanium broke out of the drill and spread its wings. "Teleport!" Flitanium swung its wings at Cloyster, but the bivalve Pokémon's shell glowed before it completely vanished. Flitanium found himself about to trip as he missed his attack, only to hear something above him, making him looking up to see the giant falling clam. "FLY!" Flitanium yelped as he barely hopped away from the crashing Cloyster, the Pokémon opening its shell as White gave an order. "Icicle Spear!" Cloyster fired the projectiles at Flitanium, the bird still in mid jump and had its wings curled up. As this happened, the icicles slammed into it, knocking it back before seeing its wings start to freeze over. "Not good," Doc commented as he saw the bird try to move his wings. At the same time, Spike, Vinyl, Octavia and the rest of the city continued to battle against the horde of brainwashed Kelpool and Lokelpie. "They just keep coming," Spike moaned as Peewee used another Wing Attack to knock a Kelpool flying. "I know it's hard," Octavia told him as Kricketune used Slash on a Lokelpie. "But we must endure it so the others can save Sonata and Sirenity!" "But we can't do this forever!" Vinyl reminded her as Noibat unleashed a Supersonic, making several Kelpool dizzy as they started hitting themselves. "Our Pokémon are gonna get tired eventually. Man, I really wish I hadn't left the rest of my team at home." As this happened, Twilight continued to battle against Black as she saw several people getting overwhelmed by the number of hypnotized Pokémon. "There's gotta be another way." She glanced over at the bridge, seeing Flash's Pokémon still fighting against Gyarados. "Wait...that's it!" Twilight turned back at the hypnotized Pokémon and yelled at her owl Pokémon, "Owlicious, Mind Force!" The giant owl nodded as it began to charge up the attack to fire at a Lokelpie. Black heard this and gasped, turning to Malamar as it used Flamethrower to force Shine to jump back. "HEY!" He glared back to her as she pointed at Owlicious, "Night Slash!" Malamar nodded before taking to the air, Twilight gasping as she yelled, "Look out!" Owlicious turned to her voice, now seeing Malamar coming as the squid swung its blade-like tentacles into him. "OWL!" He cried at the blow, smacking him down behind Twilight, she and Shine trying to run to his side, only for Malamar to land between them. "Hypnosis!" She heard Black call out, Twilight gasping again as Malamar's chest glowed. Owlicious tried to look away, but it was too late as he was now put under the sleepy spell. "No!" Twilight screamed as Owlicious slumped over, Shine shooting a Mystical Fire that forced Malamar to jump away. They then got to Owlicious, Twilight kneeling down by the owl, "Come on, wake up!" But Owlicious didn't respond, now letting out a small snore. "Too bad," Twilight turned to a laughing Black as Malamar landed by her, "Now it's just you and cotton candy head." Shine let out a threatening neigh as Twilight picked herself up. "And we're gonna win." "No, I don't think you will." Flash and Guile's swords clashed again, their foreheads connecting as they tried to push the other away. Both grunted as they began walking in circles, eventually completing a full rotation before pushing each other back. The two panted as they stared at each other, only for Flash to ask, "Why?!" "Excuse me?" "Why do all this?! Kidnapping Sonata. playing her voice and controlling Sirenity…why?! What purpose could this serve for your great plan?!" Guile chuckled for a few moments before letting out a sigh and lowering his sword, making Flash hesitate as he saw Guile remove his helmet. Archibald Kaito stared Flash down as he began what all villains with overblown egos do, monologue, "My dream is and always has been, to raise the sea level and create a better world for the Water Pokémon living in it. At first, I attempted to control the mighty Kyogre. But that plan ended in failure, and worse than that, I was punished for my impudence by having this curse afflicted onto me. However, I was lucky. Someone was looking out for me...and now I have everything I need. Sirenity is a much weaker Pokémon, but still perfect for my plan. As long as I have the priestess and her voice, it will obey me and create my perfect world." "How?" Flash's question went unanswered as Archie stared past him, his eyes glued on a hole behind Sonata. "See for yourself." Flash followed Archie's eyes, turning to the window before his eyes went fully wide. "No way..." Back with Twilight, Malamar had just deflected another Fairy Wind as Shine landed in front of her. Twilight growled at the sight, seeing how outmatched Shine was compared to Malamar. And with Owlicious still out cold, she knew they didn't have a way of countering its hypnotic abilities. "Stay strong," she told Shine as the Ponyta nodded and got into a battle ready position. But before Twilight could give another order, someone else called out, "HEY!" She turned to see someone pointing at the sea, "What's that?!" Twilight and the rest of the citizens followed his finger before gasping, the others turning to do the same. Everyone in the city were now staring at the ocean, unable to believe what they were seeing. It was a tidal wave, a huge one that was rocketing at them at incredible speed. It would be on them in only a few minutes, the size of it enough to completely wipe Vocanctus, and a mile or so of the land behind it off the map. "No way," Twilight whispered before turning to the temple, "Flash...Sonata...we need you to save us now!" "Are you insane?!" Flash yelled, "How is this going to create your perfect world?!" Archie cackled at his question, "Simple. That wave will strike Vocanctus and rip both it and the surrounding land to pieces, then drag the rocks back into the ocean. That'll raise the sea level. Then I'll have Sirenity repeat the process again and again. Eventually, all of Equestria will be sunk below the waves and my perfect world will finally be born." He exploded with laughter that was one part joy, one part excitement and about a hundred part cuckoo-for-cocoa-puffs. "But those waves are gonna hit this temple way before it hits the city!" Flash barked back, "If you're not crushed under the rubble, you'll just drown when you're sucked under the water with the rest of the city! Did you even think this through?!" "Of course I thought it through," Archie replied before putting his helmet back on. "As long as I'm wearing this suit of armor, I'm suspended in a single moment. That means I'm immortal!" With that, he charged as he swung his swords, making Flash hop back as he continued, "And even if I was pulled to the bottom of the ocean, my Gyarados and the others can easily retrieve me and get me back to my sub." He laughed as he thrust his blade, Flash quickly leaping away as the sword struck a pillar, "NOTHING WILL STOP ME!" He yelled as he pulled the blade out, cutting the pillar in half. The sight made Flash try to hit him with his sword, only for Surskit to leap down from the ceiling and fire a Bubblebeam. Gasping at the attack, Flash hopped to the side, only to see Guile now charging at him again. 'I can't let this nutjob's crazy plan go through,' he thought to himself as he kept backpedaling, his mind now playing horrifying images of all his friends as the wave hit. Twilight, Sonata, Spike, Doc, Vinyl, Octavia, his Pokémon and even Novo and the few people he saw in passing at the festival now being consumed by the water. If he didn't do anything, all of them would be pulled to the bottom of the ocean....only for the rest of Equestria to follow. The vision made Flash growled as he blocked Guile's next attack. "Just give up boy! I've already won!" "Not a chance!" Flash replied as he pushed the knight back, "I won't let you beat me!" "RIOLU!" Springer cried as he was struck by the powerful stream of water, knocking him back. Hopper caught him before he could crash land, both being pushed back a few inches. Springer glanced back and smiled at him before hopping off the Pokémon as Skyler flew up to Gyarados's face and hit him with a Gust, making it growl as Riptide, Prongs and Viper focused on attacking the rest of its body. "Let's go!" Springer told him in their language before the two charged. Despite the annoying bird flying around his head, Gyarados turned to them and began to charge up a Hyper Beam, only for Springer to suddenly multiply into an army of himself. Each created a small Aura Sphere as Gyarados launched its Hyper Beam, the army of Riolus being cut down by a spray of the beam. However, the real Springer was currently sitting on Hopper's back as the Velocirush used Quick Attack to build up speed, the Riolu also charging his own Aura Sphere. Gyarados saw this but flinched when Riptide used Rock Smash on its midsection, allowing Hopper to come to an instant stop as he propelled Springer into the air. The Riolu turned into a rocket as he flew through the sky with the Aura Sphere, only for Gyrados to thrust his large whiskers at him, wrapping them around Springer's waist. "Whoa!" He yelped as the whiskers tugged him, making him accidently throw his Aura Sphere upward, causing it to explode near Skyler, pushing the bird away from the battle. "SPRINGER!" The rest of his friends yelled as they charged, only for Gyarados to unleash another Whirlpool, the water exploding across the bridge and knocking them all back. "GUYS!" Springer cried as he saw them get smacked away, only for the whiskers to fling him upward. He let out a yelp as he found himself airborne, looking down to now see Gyarados jump up with its mouth wide open, ready to eat him. "SPRINGER!" He turned to see Skyler flying back into the fight, "GET HIM!" He beat his wings, firing a powerful gust of wind that stopped Springer midair before pushing him down at high speed. "Oh yeah!" Springer cheered as he formed an Aura Sphere in his paws. "Take this!" He threw the attack into Gyarados's face, an explosion following as it slammed the Mega into the bridge, causing both it and the temple too shake violently. "WHOA!" Flash yelped as he fell over from the shaking, Guile barely managing to stay on his feet while Sonata felt her body flail around. The tremors shook the ropes, making them snap as she fell over, her body slumping to the ground. "SONATA!" Flash yelled as he saw her not move, scrambling to get up. But before he could even try to get to her, Guile jumped between them with Surskit on his shoulder. The armored figure swung the blade, Surskit firing another Bubblebeam that Flash had to jump away from. And as he rolled across the floor before getting back up, he screamed, "Sonata! You gotta wake up!" "Don't bother!" Guile spat as he pointed his blade at the teen. "She will not wake up, and you'll soon be joining her." Back outside, Springer had been caught by Skyler, flying him down as Springer joined the others. "Don't let your guard down," the Riolu told the group, "He's still in his mega form." In that moment, Gyarados's eyes shot open, letting out a mighty roar before unleashing its Hydro Pump attack at the six. Viper and Riptide did there best to stop it, using Flamethrower and Water Gun to block it, only for the water to cut right through their attacks. The others quickly leapt back, Skyler grabbing Viper before the Hydro Pump could hit him while Riptide stood against the stream. Springer then used Extreme Speed, immediately appearing in front of the sea serpent as he slammed his foot into Gyarados's face. The blow stopped its Hydro Pump just as Viper, Prongs and Skyler fired their long rang attacks. An Energy Ball struck its stomach while the Air Cutters supercharged the Flamethrower, morphing it into a barrage of burning blades that struck Gyarados's throat. As this was happened, Hopper caught the falling Springer before charging at the beast, quickly reaching Gyarados's tail. Gyarados noticed this and thrust a whisker at them, only for Springer to leap off Hopper's back. The Riolu grabbed the vine-like appendage, spinning around until he could plant his feet on it before sliding down it Tarzan-style. Gyarados went wide-eyed at this before trying to flick Springer off, the Riolu ducking under the tail. As this happened, Hopper zipped around the serpent, getting to back of its head before slamming an Iron Tail right on the beast's crown. The pain made the serpent roar, unable to start up another Hydro Pump as Springer leapt at his face. With a mighty yell, Springer thrusted a Drain Punch right into Gyarados, smacking it back into the bridge again. But as the Riolu was about to land, another roar came from the beast before it unleashed another Whirlpool, knocking all the Pokémon back. The six cried out as the water buffeted them into the bridge, Viper especially in pain. And as Springer hit the bridge's fence, he fell to his knees before glaring up at the Gyarados, now seeing it prepare a Hydro Pump. "Not good..." he moaned as glanced at his team, all of them still in pain. "Not good at all." "NEE!" Shine cried as she got struck with another of Malamar's Night Slash attacks. "Shine!" Twilight yelped as she saw her Ponyta fall over, now looking very close to being beaten. Twilight then glanced at Owlicious, seeing him still sleeping. "You've got to hold on," she told Shine. "Just a little longer. I know you can do it." Shine nodded as she got back to her hooves. "Nee!" she roared before charging at Malamar again. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Black laughed as Malamar swung its tentacles around, unleashing a barrage of Psycho Cutters. "Of course not," Twilight replied as Shine jumped around the attacks, only for the squid to slap her. A cry of pain followed this, the Ponyta barely able to keep on her hooves before firing a Mystical Fire attack. The squid cut the attack with another Psycho Cutter, the Ponyta growling at this as Twilight continued, "We won't give up! It's something I learned from my friend Flash. Even when things look bad, there's always a way to turn things around." She glared at the wave that was getting closer. "I know there's a way to stop that thing. So we won't stop trying until the very last second." "Hmph. Then you're just a fool." Black spat before pointing at Shine, "Show her what I mean Malamar!" And as the squid began another attack, another battle was also going poorly. Flitanium's wings were still frozen shut, unable to properly defend itself as White kept giving commands. "Teleport!" Cloyster suddenly vanished, Flitanium looking up, only to see nothing. "Behind you!" Doc yelled, Flitanium unable to react as Cloyster taclked him. "STER!" It crashed into Flitanium, making it stagger before teleporting behind him again, this time firing a Spike Cannon into Flitanium's back. "TAY!" He cried before spinning around, trying to use his frozen wings as a club, only for Cloyster to use Protect to...protect itself. The wing bounced off the shield, making Flitanium stumble as Cloyster opened its shell with a smirk. "Bye bye, birdy! Spike Cannon!" White laughed as Cloyster prepared to fire, Flitanium now pecking at the ice with its beak. Doc saw the attack about to happen, his mind going over every possible strategy...only to come up with nothing. That is, till he stared at Cloyster, the thought of what Flash would do entering his brain. "That's it! Use the Spike Cannon to free your wings!" Flitanium went wide-eyed at this, only to shine a grin as he quickly repositioned his frozen wings. "No! Stop!" White yelled, but it was too late. Multiple spikes flew out of Cloyster, the projectiles quickly slamming into the bird...and the ice. Cracks appeared everywhere in the frozen water, letting Flitanium spread his wings with a mighty push, smashing the ice as the last spike struck. "FLY!" He cheered as he spread his wings and leapt up, soon soaring into the air. But as he did this, he let out a gasp of air, Doc seeing this and knowing his Pokémon was still really injured. "Shoot...need to end this quick." As he said this, the same results were happening all over. Spike, Vinyl, Octavia and the rest of the city were continuing to face off against the Kelpool and Lokelpie. But whenever they managed to beat one, another recovered and continued to fight, trying every way to overwhelm them. Every second was quickly passing as they continued to battle, Spike now turning his gaze to the temple, "Come on Flash, you gotta save us somehow. You've gotta save Sonata now!" Meanwhile... Flash felt his legs tremble as Guile continued to push him back. Their blades clanged again and again as Flash kept getting knocked away from the pedestal Sonata was on. And as this happened, the teen knew he couldn't break through the knight, knowing he had only one option. "Sonata!" he yelled as he dodged another blade swipe from Guile, "You gotta wake up! Sonata!" A Signal Beam from Surskit came next, Flash ducking under the laser as he continued to yell, "Sonata, you can't let this guy use your power to destroy your home! Wake up!" His voice made a stir in the girl, Sonata's eyes starting to move as Flash and Guile locked swords again. The teen could feel his feet grind on the floor as Guile pushed him back, only to leap away as Surskit fired a Bubblebeam. "This is your power," Flash yelled again, "Your's and no one else's." Guile then swung his sword down, Flash shifted his blade horizontally to block it. "You gotta fight it and wake up!" His words hit her ears, making her slowly get up and turn around, now seeing Guile kick Flash in the stomach, only for Flash to sweep his legs, knocking Guile off his feet. A loud clang followed this as Flash turned to Sonata, "You have the power to control Sirenity, not him! I know you don't want to use it because you're a good person who cares about others, but you gotta sing! Sirenity is-" "Will you shut up!" Guile roared as he hopped back onto his feet as Surskit fired another Bubblebeam at Flash. Flash jumped to the side, hiding behind a pillar as the bubbles exploded off it as he yelled, "This is your voice! He stole it and he's trying to use it to hurt those you care about. Sirenity, Vinyl, Octavia, Novo, even me and my friends." He glanced around to look at her, "You have to take it back!" Sonata just stared at him, only to lift her hand and point at the device with her voice's recording. Flash followed her finger before nodding, quickly jumping out from behind the pillar. Clutching his sword, he charged at the device as Guile chuckled. "Seriously?" He quickly raced up to Flash, Surskit firing a Signal Beams at Flash. But as he did this, Flash jumped side to side in order to evade both, about to get to the device. And as he got close, Guile swung his sword horizontally, trying to cut Flash's head off. But Flash repeated the action from earlier, sliding along his knees and under the sword. Guile growled as he spun around, just in time to see Flash pulled the sword back before throw it. Following it trajectory, Guile quickly turned and yelled, "NOOOOO!" The blade slammed into the device holding Sonata's voice, causing it to spark and shake before it exploded. The song instantly came to a stop, catching everyone outside's attention. "What?!" Black yelped, "How?!" Twilight laughed with a smirk, "Flash must have done it." "Way to go!" Spike cheered as Peewee fired a Dragonbreath at another Kelpool and knocked it down. "But it hasn't stopped the wave," Doc added as everyone turned back to the ocean, still seeing the approaching tidal wave, "There has to be a way to stop it. Come on Flash." At the same time, Flash pulled his sword out of the device, now glad he could no longer hear Sonata sing that terrible song. The joy soon doubled when the glow from the temple vanished, allowing Sonata to rest since she was no long being drained. But that smirk vanished when he heard Guile yell, "You little twerp!" He spun back around, only to narrowly dodge the sword as it was swung at his head. This was followed by another kick, this one hitting Flash's stomach. "Oof!" he yelped as the wind was knocked out of him, allowing Guile to backhand him with his metal glove. This made him stagger back as Surskit unleashed a Signal Beam, hitting him in the chest. "AUGH!" Flash screamed as he was blasted into a pillar of the temple, his sword clattering to the ground. The force of the impact also caused something to go flying out of his pocket, landing right in front of Sonata. "Don't think you've won!" Guile roared, "Sirenity will continue to direct the wave toward us. The spell's effects won't end until that order is carried out. All you've done is slow me down. My sub has the recording, so I'll simply start it again once I've wiped Vocanctus off the map." Flash could only let out a groan as he tried to get up, moaning as he saw the wave in the window. "No..." was all he could whisper as Guile raised his sword again. "Sorry boy, but I won't let some goody-two shoes beat me again." And as the blade swung down, Flash's eyes narrowed before he suddenly leapt for his sword. He rolled on the ground as he dodged Guile's attack, snatching his sword before trying to stand back up. As this happened, Sonata watched Flash not give up, trying to scramble away from Guile as the knight continued to try and hit him. But as she did this, a light hit her face, making her flinch before turning to the light and let out a gasp. It was her necklace, the girl now realizing Flash must have dropped it. She then saw the light from the sun starting to vanish from inside the temple, making her turn and see the wave had now blocked out the sun, now casting a mighty shadow over the city. "No..." she whispered before hearing another clang of metal. Turning back around, she saw Flash try with all his might to push Guile back, the knight easily overwhelming him. The teen's words rang through her head as she watched, only to stare at her necklace and weakly reach out and grab it. "Flash is right." she whispered as she pulled the necklace to her, "This is...my voice. My power." The girl slowly pushed herself back to her feet, pulling the ropes around her wrist off. "And I won't let it be used to harm others!" She took a deep breath, now holding her necklace to her heart. Sonata dug deep in her mind, remembering everything she had experienced over this year, from tragedy all the way to meeting Flash. All the joy. All the sorrow. Everything. And as the podium beneath her feet began to glow again, she sung. But this time, the song she sung wasn't one she had written or even heard of before. No, this song was one that hadn't been heard in over a thousand years. The same song her ancestor had used to first calm the raging Sirenity. The melody filled the temple, making both Guile and Flash turn to her. They gasped as they saw her put her necklace back on as she sang. Flash shined the biggest smile while Guile's hidden face became one of pure fear. "No!" He yelped as he quickly started to run at her, "Stop!" "Oh, no you don't! Back off ugly!" Flash yelled as he leapt in front of Guile, the two locking swords again. But as they did this, Guile easily pushed Flash back, about to knock him away...only to feel a force hit him back. "What?!" Guile yelped as he saw a blue aura appear around Flash, "What is...it can't be! Impossible!" Flash felt a sudden push of strength, his injuries and exhaustion fading as he finally shoved Guile away before looking back at Sonata. The girl smiled at him as she sang, Flash now realizing what was happening. Just like in the story, the one the priestess trusted most was getting powered up by the song. Flash smirked as turned back to Guile, "Now, time to make you pay for everything you've done here." With that, Flash charged as Surskit fired its Signal Beam at him. But Flash just swiped his blade at the laser, deflecting the blast with ease. "RAAAH!" he roared, swing his blade down at Guile, who barely managed to block it, but was forced down onto one knee. And as he started to overpower the knight, Sonata kept singing, the temple continuing to glow as it started projecting the power of her voice out into the city and out to sea. The first ones the voice hit were Flash's Pokémon, the group glowing as their wounds vanished and their strength returned. "Ri..." Springer whispered before smirking. They then turned to Gyarados, "RIOLU!" They charged next, the song continuing to spread across the city as it hit the Pokémon fighting against Guile's army. "This song?" Doc whispered as everyone began to glow. "It's so beautiful," Octavia gasped as Twilight's eyes went wide. "It must be...Sonata!" She then turned to Owlicious, the owl waking up thanks to the song. "Yes!" She glared back at Black, "Alright, let's end this!" Shine neighed as she got back into the battle while Owlicious prepared for the attack he knew Twilight wanted him to use. Out in the sea... Sirenity was swimming ahead of the giant wave as it headed toward the city, its eyes still glowing red. But as the power of Sonata's voice reached the beast, the song cut through the water and hit her ears. The red glow instantly exploded off its eyes, making it come to a stop. "Sai?" It blinked at the location, glancing around before seeing feeling a large shift in the water. It turned to see the wave, now seeing it was about to hit the temple. "REN!" it yelped as it began to swim after the wave. The creature then shot out of the water with a massive splash, hovering right in front of the temple, everyone inside now seeing her. "NOOOOO!" Guile screamed as he saw he had lost control of his mighty beast. He pushed Flash off and got back to his feet, only for Flash to shove him again. "Stop! Out of my way!" "Not a chance!" Flash yelled as the two locked blades again. As this happened, Sirenity stared down at the wave as the gem in its chest glowed. Its eyes began to do the same as it took a deep breath in, only to unleash a mighty burst of sound. "SIRENITY!" It neighed, firing a Hyper Voice that spread out across its entire front. The soundwaves struck the wave, stopping it in its tracks, water and sound now pushing against one another. Every battle stopped as they watched Sirenity fight against the very force of nature it had created. The fight lasted almost a full minute before the wave began to lose its power, the water soon falling back into the sea, allowing Sirenity's Hyper Voice to keep pushing the liquid away. Inside the temple, Sonata kept singing as Flash kept Guile from moving, "No!" the knight yelled, "No. No! NO!" Flash shoved Guile back again, this time pointing his sword at Guile's head, "Now do you get it? You've lost. The Voice of the Ocean will never be yours!" "Be quiet!" Guile growled. "I won't be stopped again!" He roared before charging at Flash, the teen doing the same as their clash knocked Surskit off Guile's shoulder, throwing it into a nearby pillar. "Yes, you will. And this time, it'll be for good!" Meanwhile again... Gyarados roared in pain as both Air Cutter and Energy Ball bounced off its body, Prongs leaping back while Skyler flew upward. Riptide, Viper and Hopper charged in next, Viper using Poison Fang on the serpent's tail as Riptide slammed an Ice Punch into its chest while Hopper swung its tail down on Gyarados's head. The beast roared again as the others leapt back, only to look to see Springer holding onto Skyler's legs as he got high enough. But as Gyarados spotted him, Springer let go and began to charge up an Aura Sphere with all the energy he had. Gyarados charged a Hyper Beam in response, only to be bombarded with a Water Gun, Air Cutter, Flamethrower and Energy Ball from different angles. "RUSH!" Hopper yelled as he tackled Gyarados at high speed, causing the beast to prematurely unleash its Hyper Beam. But due to its lack of proper charge, the beam wasn't at full power. This allowed Springer to thrust his Aura Sphere at the beam, hitting it head-on as the Fighting-type move cut through the Normal-type one before hitting the Gyarados's face. The mega could only gasp as its blast faded, revealing Springer as he fired another Aura Sphere, the Emanation Pokémon roaring, "RIOLU!" A minute or so ago... "Night Slash!" Malamar charged at Shine, swinging a tentacle at the Ponyta as Twilight ordered her to use Fairy Wind. She spun around, unleashing a pink wind right in Malamar's face, knocking it back as Owlicious took to the air. As he did this, Flitanium used Steel Wing on Cloyster, knocking it back, "Now's our chance," Doc told Flitanium as it flew upward, "Finish this! Iron Head!" Flitanium curled its wings in preparing to dive-bomb Cloyster. "Protect!" White instantly replied, Cloyster quickly using the shield move. But as it came up, Noibat and Peewee suddenly appeared in front of it. "Incinerate!" "Wing Attack!" The two launched their attacks, hitting the Protect bubble head on. The blows caused it to fade as Flitanium got in close. "FLY!" It roared before crashing into the Ice-type, sending it flying. The clam flew past White, hitting a building before slumping down spirals in its eyes. "Yes!" Doc cheered before throwing a thumbs up to Spike and Octavia. "Do something!" White screeched as ran over to Black. "I'm trying!" Black yelled back as she looked up at Owlicious. "Don't let that thing fire its attack!" Malamar began to pick itself up, ready to launch a Flamethrower at Owlicious. "X-Scissor!" Before it could react, it suddenly felt a mighty burst of pain hit its the back. Behind it, Octavia's Kricketune had slashed it, the Bug-type attack doing four times as much damage. The pain prevented Malamar's Flamethrower just as Shine galloped up close. "Mystical Fire!" The Galarian Ponyta's horn lit aflame and she quickly drew a circle of fire before pointing at Malamar. A fireball came next, coming through the ring as it struck it dead on. The pain was now combined with the X-Scissor and the previous damage, now too much for the evil squid as it let out a mighty cry of pain before falling back with swirly eyes. "NO!" Black and White screamed before looking up at Owlicious. "It's over!" Twilight yelled before calling out to her Owlolar, "MIND FORCE!" Owlicious glowed a blue light that it fired at the ground with a beat of its wings. All the girls could do was shake in fear as the orb flew down, knowing what would come next. At the same time... Flash and Guile were now standing face to face, the teen feeling the last of the boost Sonata gave him beginning to fade. He knew he needed to end this now, or else. At the same time, Guile was growling as he saw his Surskit was still out cold. "You little....that's it!" He roared as he turned back to Flash, his form shaking in rage. The knight let out a battle cry before charging, "I'll cut you in two, brat!" "Bring it!" Flash barked back as he did the same, both swinging their swords down as they got closer and closer. And as they did this, Sonata felt the last of her strength draining as she reached the final note of her song. The same moment came for Flash and Guile's blades as they clashed. Springer's Aura Sphere finally hit its mark on Gyarados and Owlicious's Mind Force attack struck the ground as well, both orbs exploding and filling the area with light. And as this happened, Flash and Guile's swords let out the loudest clang in their entire fight. The blue light that surrounded Flash shot into the sword as it collided with Instant, that light exploding and filling the entire temple. Author's Note Oh yeah. That was fun. Hope you enjoyed it. So, how will this all end. Only time will tell.
Chapter 7KABOOM! Gyarados roared in pain as the sphere exploded in its face, the force throwing Springer back. Curling up and spinning until he reached the bridge, the Riolu landed spider-man style as the others gathered around him. The six Pokémon stared up at the Gyarados as the smoke slowly faded from its face, showing the beast with spirals in its eyes before it slumped over, its body soon shining as it crashed into the bridge, the light fading to reveal it back in its normal form. "Riolu!" Springer cheered as the others yelled in joy, only to see a bright flash of light catch their attention. They turned to see Owlicious's Mind Force attack explode and sweep over the area, soon stopping the crowd. Twilight could only watch as the Kelpool, Lokelpie, Black and White all stood frozen after the Mind Force swept over them....only for the army to all fall over. The girl and others ran over next, Twilight and Doc kneeling next to Black and White while the citizens began to check on the Pokémon. It was then that a blue light caught everyone's attention, making them turn to the temple and see that light fly out of its doors and windows. They all blinked at the sight, Twilight then seeing Flash's Pokémon begin to climb over the Gyarados's body as they tried to get to the temple, worry filling her at the unknown origin of the light. "Flash..." Inside the temple, the light kept pulsing, its shine getting brighter. Sonata couldn't see a thing, the girl now stopping her song as her throat started going dry, her body now close to running on empty. She slumped over, panting as she squinted at the light, now seeing the light starting to dim. But as she stared, she gasped as she now saw Flash and Guile standing there, their swords locked. The two glared at one another, both pushing their weapons against each other. And as they kept pushing, the sound of cracking suddenly filled the air. Both looked down next, now seeing a crack appear on one of their swords, originating from the point the other one had struck. That crack quickly spread across the rest of the blade, only to shatter in an instant. "No..." Guile whispered as he dropped the handle of his broken sword, "impossible." He then looked back at Flash, now seeing the teen raise his sword above his head, "NOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed as Flash swung the blade down, slicing down the center of his body before hitting the ground between his feet in the blink of an eye. Guile remained frozen at that spot, unable to move as time began to go to a crawl. And before he could even react, he felt his body get broken out of a trance by the familiar sound of cracking. He couldn't see the cause at first, but slowly realized what was happening as light began to seep into his helmet. The crack came up to his eyes next, slowly making its way from the top of his helmet and moving downward. Flash watched as the crack moved down his head, neck, chest, stomach and finally waist. Then, with one large shattering sound, the armor known as Eternity broke in half and fell off Guile's body. "Hey, are you okay?" Twilight asked as she shook Black, "Hello? Can you hear me?" "Whoa there Twilight! Don't we want her to stay asleep?!" Vinyl yelped as she and Octavia moved over to them, "They were just trying to kill us!" "It's not their fault," Twilight instantly replied, "They were under Malamar's control, just like the Kelpool and Lokelpie. But Owlicious's Mind Force should have snapped them out of it." It was then that they heard two sets of moans, the group now seeing Black and White begin to move. "My head..." White groaned. "Wha...what happened?" Black muttered as she put a hand to her head. "You okay?" Doc asked, White blinking at the teen. "Who the heck are you?" She then looked down, only to go wide-eyed, "And what the heck am I wearing?!" Her voice and the way she spoke resonated with Vinyl and Octavia, both exchanging glances as Vinyl said, "Hang on, I know that voice." "Yes, it almost sounds like-" Octavia started before gasping as the girl pushed the helmet off her head, "Adagio!" "Aria!" Vinyl yelped as the citizens now turned to their outburst, murmurs soon flowing over the crowd as they saw the girls, "How?!" "How what?" Adagio asked before holding her head, "Ugh...I've got a serious headache." "Same. Feels like a hammer slamming a nail in my brain." Aria grumbled as she gripped her head, "Ow...what happened to me? The last thing I remember was...our boat was getting sucked into a whirlpool." Adagio nodded. "I remember getting pulled under and-" She stopped at those words, her eyes going wide as she then yelped, "Oh no! Where's Sonata?!" Aria did the same expression, only for Twilight and Doc to grip their shoulders, "Don't worry. We know where she is." "Huh? You do?" Twilight then pointed to the temple, "She's in there." Sonata's body slumped over, about to fall to her knees as Flash ran up to her. Quickly sliding down, he caught her just as he threw his sword to the side. "You okay?" he asked as she fell into his arms. "Yeah..." she moaned, her eyes rapidly blinking as she replied, "But I'm really sleepy..." Flash chuckled back before helping her up, the girl barely able to walk. He quickly swung her arm over his shoulder, "I gotcha. Come on, let's get out of-" "AUGH!" They both turned to Archie as he clutched his stomach and curled up so his forehead touched the ground, his whole body shaking in pain. "NO! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" "What's happening to him?" Flash asked as they watched him whither in pain, Sonata now remembering what he had said before. "He's being punished," she barely responded, making Flash raise an eyebrow, "He told me that armor was the only thing allowing him to cheat his punishment. But now that it's gone..." She stopped as Archie pushed himself back to his feetm slowly trying to stagger to the door. He soon bumbled out of the temple, still feeling the intense pain now tearing through his body. But as he reached the staircase, his feet give out, making him fall and roll down the steps until he hit the bottom. He groaned in pain as he tried to push himself up, only to now see Flash's Pokémon glaring at him....and his Gyarados laying with swirls in his eyes. "No..." he whispered, "It can't end like this. I was so close." But as he said this, a loud splashing made him turn to the edge of the bridge, and go wide-eyed in fear. It was Sirenity, the Legendary glaring down at him as Flash and Sonata staggered out of the temple. There was a look of anger and vindication in its eyes, Archie now remembering the angry wrath of a previous encounter with angry Legendary Water Pokémon. "Wait..." he tried to say as he stumbled to get back up, "Let's not do anything rash." He then fell onto his butt, his body stil shuffling backwards, "This was all just a...big misunderstanding." The legendary just growled, the gem on its chest glowing as it started to sing. Archie's eyes slowly widened as a column of water rose up above Sirenity, the Melody Pokémon pointing its hoof at him as the column to bent down. "NOOOOO!" He screamed as the water hit the bridge and wrapped around him. The water soon turned into a giant bubble, grabbing him and pulling him up into the air. Before he could react, the bubble began to float him into the ocean. There the ocean began to spiral, forming a maelstrom. Archie started to swim upward, getting to the top of the bubble and poke his head out of the water, gasping for breath before looking down at his enemies. "Help me, PLEASE!" But before Flash or Sonata could do anything, the bubble popped. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he began to fall down into the whirlpool. Seeing what was coming, Flash pulled himself and Sonata away and spun them around. Both flinched as they heard a loud splashing that cut the screaming, both staying like that for several seconds before slowly turning back. Looking down at the ocean, they stared at the whirlpool as it continued to swirl for a few more seconds before vanishing. There was no sign of Archie, not even bubbles of air. "That...was brutal." "Maybe...but it was probably for the best." Sonata added, Flash turning to her wide eyes, "Don't get me wrong, I don't support it...but without that armor, there's no way he would have survived. He would have just kept suffering until it finally ended. In a way, this was Sirenity showing mercy." It was then that Sonata turned to the Legendary, who slowly floated over to them. Sonata let go of Flash and slowly made her way to Sirenity, almost tripping halfway but was caught by the hippocampus as it shoved its head in front of her. This made Sirenity smile as she slowly patted its forehead and chin. "I'm glad you're alright." "Ren," it neighed before Sonata pulled back and looked it in the eye. "I'm sorry. This all happened because I wasn't strong enough." Sirenity shook its head, telling her no before looking her in the eye. Sonata didn't know if it was a power Sirenity had or the connection she shared with it as the priestess, but she could almost hear what Sirenity was telling her in her mind. "No, this event has only proven how strong you are. When things were at their bleakest, you rose to the challenge and managed to unleash the power bestowed upon you. I am proud to call you the priestess of this temple." Sonata couldn't help but cry, smiling as she heard that. Sirenity then took this moment to use its powers to float upward, Flash, Sonata and the rest of the Pokémon staring up at her as she swam through the air, beginning to sing a calming song before diving into the water. Its descent was perfect, completely vanishing below the waves with a single swoop. They stared at the ocean for almost a minute after this, only to start hearing the voices of their friends. They turned to see the group running up to them, Flash now seeing the many citizens using their Pokémon to lift the unconscious Gyarados out of the way, but Sonata was too focused on the two girls leading the group. "Sonata!" Adagio cried as she and Aria ran up to their sister, Sonata tearing up at the sight. "Adagio...Aria..." she whispered before running up to them, the two pulling their baby sister into a hug as the three fell to the floor, kneeling as Sonata cried into their chests. "I thought I'd never see you all again!" Adagio and Aria both giggled, "Oh please." Adagio stroked her hand through the girl's hair, "You'll never get rid of us that easily." Aria nodded with a chuckle, "Been gone a year and you're still a crybaby, huh? Figures." Sonata giggled at their playful bullying, still crying as tears appeared in her sisters' eyes. The three soon all hugged again, embracing their crying sister. As this happened, Flash walked up to the others as Twilight commented, "You look like heck." "I feel like heck too," Flash replied before turning to the three girls on the ground. "But it was worth it to see that sight." He then noticed what Adagio and Aria were wearing. "Wait, is that-" "They were under Malamar's control," Twilight chimed in, "We were able to free them, and now they can return to their normal lives." "Nice." And as Flash said this, Novo walked up to him. "You have done a great service to this city," she stated before bowing. "We of Vocanctus will be forever grateful to you and your friends who helped protect this city and its citizens." The group all smiled and blushed at the same time, seeing the entire city populace bowing to them. They knew they had just come to enjoy themselves at the festival, only to find themselves now be considered heroes. Flash knew he wasn't one for hero titles, wanting just the title of champion instead, but after looking back at Sonata and seeing the happiness on her face, he knew he was fine to be a hero if it meant helping people find their smile. Several days later... The city of Vocanctus was now in a state of constant recovery. Its citizens had worked tirelessly to undo the renovations Guile had done to the temple, removing the many wires and speaker systems he had installed before repairing the damage done by the battles. Luckily, Gyarados's crashing into the bridge hadn't caused it to be structurally impaired. They had also been sure to inspect the weapons, and were happy to report not a single one had been damaged, not even the sword Flash had used to beat Guile. As this was happening, Sonata, Adagio and Aria had been getting treatment to make sure their experiences didn't leave any physical or psychological scars. Sonata had been diagnosed with serious fatigue due to using so much energy, both when it was drained and when she used it herself, but overall was in perfect health. Adagio and Aria, surprisingly, were also given a perfect bill of health. Luckily, Guile hadn't mistreated them while they were under his power, keeping them healthy and well fed. And since the two didn't remember anything that happened during the time they were captured, they were treating the situation like they had been in a coma. So once they had gotten used to losing an entire year, they were already back to their old selves. When the three were released from the hospital, the entire city came to cheer for them, telling them about a celebration they were planning for the trio. And while the girls were happy to be the guests of honor, there was something they asked could happen at this celebrations. The girls had asked for the chance to sing together publicly since they hadn't gotten to do that in over a year. Now Flash, Twilight, Doc, Spike, Springer and Peewee were backstage of the city's musical theater, looking out at a massive audience, now seeing the entire city's populace cheering for the girls to come out on stage. "Talk about sold out," Spike chuckled, "I don't think there's a single empty seat in the house." "Of course," Twilight added with a nod, "Everyone's here to show their support." "They're happy that Sonata has her sisters back," Doc chimed in, "And I think they're also thankful because she was able to save them from that giant wave." "I still can't believe she was able to stop that wave all on her own," Spike responded while Flash just smirked at him. "I can. Sonata's an amazing person. But up until now, she just lacked the conviction to really unleash her full power. Now she's strong enough to do anything, including stopping a tsunami." "Aw, thanks Flash." They turned to see Sonata walking up, dressed in a pink striped shirt and dark purple skirt. "But it wasn't just me who did it. Sirenity was the one who actually destroyed the wave." "Maybe, but you're the one who freed her from Guile's control. It's thanks to your power that we're all standing here today." He shined a big grin, "Your ancestor would be proud." Sonata blushed as she slightly looked away, "Thanks. I'm still having a hard time believing I'm the true priestess...but I am, and I'm gonna take that responsibility seriously." "Does this mean you're not gonna be coming with us?" Twilight asked as a frown appeared on her face, Sonata's slowly matching it while nodding. "No, I'm not. Sorry." "Sonata...you know you don't have to stay," Flash reminded her. "You can still go out and see the world." "I know," Sonata replied while a smile returned to her face, "And we intend too." "We?" "She means us," the others turned to see Adagio and Aria walking up, both dressed up as well. They stood next to Sonata, Adagio placing a hand on her shoulder. "Once this concert's over, we're blowing this place." "You're not coming back?" Twilight asked. "I am," Sonata chimed in. "We might if we feel like it," Aria added. "But all we care about is seeing what's out there." She then playfully elbowed Sonata, "And make up for the time we lost with this one." Sonata giggled at this before speaking up, "This last year, especially the last few days, taught me two things. The first is that I can do anything on my own if I set my mind to it." The others nodded back, agreeing wholeheartedly with that statement. "And the other is that even if I can do things on my own...I don't want to." She turned to her sisters before glancing at her friends, "Me and my sisters are gonna explore the world outside the city. Then, I'll come back for the Voice of the Ocean Festival and fulfil my duty as priestess." The others smiled and nodded at this as Flash spoke up, "I'm sure Sirenity will be happy to hear that. Who knows, maybe this is why she called out to you. To help you find the strength to stand alone and use her powers to keep Vocanctus safe." "I know." Sonata replied. "And like you've shown me, I'll get the strength both alone and with my sisters." And as those words left her mouth, the trio heard the crowd cheering louder and louder as one of the stage hands rushed backstage. "Okay girls. You ready?" Adagio and Aria nodded before running out on stage, the crowd's noise exploding to deafening levels while Sonata continued to stand where she was. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to see a smiling Flash, "Go on," he gave her a gentle shove. "They're waiting to hear you sing." Sonata took several steps forward, reaching the every edge of the back stage before stopping. She took a deep breath and clutched her necklace for a moment before turning back, "Thank you Flash." The two shared a smile before Sonata whispered out, "Love you." Flash just blinked at the girl, the other's going wide-eyed as they saw Sonata run onto the stage and say her hellos to the audience. As she did, Flash's friends came up to his side as Doc patted him on the shoulder, "Wow. You little heartbreaker." "I'm kinda jealous," Spike added while Springer and Peewee cheered as well. As they did this, Twilight stepped up to Flash and crossed her arms. "So what are you gonna say to her when the concert's over?" "What do you mean?" Flash replied as he turned to Twilight, blinking the glare she was now giving, "What did she say?" This reply caused his friends to all anime drop, Twilight the first to recover as she yelled, "What do you mean, what did she say?!" Flash stuck a finger into his ear, "The crowd's so loud I can barely hear you guys right now." The others all sighed before turning to walk away, Flash then saying, "What?! What did she say?! Hey! Don't ignore me!" They all ran off the stage next, going to the standing area of the audience as Octavia and Vinyl motioned them to join in. It was here that Flash spotted Novo and Skystar up in the VIP section, along with a pink skinned girl with blue hair and a yellow skinned boy with mint hair. The crowd went quiet as the music began. Cue epic Pokemon song As soon as the song ended, the theater exploded with applause. The girls smiled and waved at their adoring public while Sonata waved to her friends, the group all waved back and cheering at the top of their voices. The group's adventures in Vocanctus had been much more than they had expected. Meeting new friends, experiencing new Pokémon and saving the city from utter oblivion. Now having defeated an evil madman and reunited a family, the heroes could enjoy themselves once again before getting back on the road to continue their Pokémon journey. Outside the concert hall, out in the ocean, all was calm. You would have never had guessed that just days ago the very same sea was almost used to destroy everything. And as the moon hung low, its light reflected off the surface of the water, the ocean broke apart as Sirenity leapt into the air. As the beast reached the center of the moon, the scene froze before cutting to black. Cue awkwardly shoehorned in pop song that has nothing to do with the plot. Voice Cast Flash Sentry: Vincent Tong Twilight Sparkle: Tara Strong Spike: Cathy Weseluck Time (Doc) Turner: David Tennant Sonata Dusk: Maryke Hendrikse Adagio Dazzle/Octavia Melody: Kazumi Evans Aria Blaze: Diana Kaarina Vinyl Scratch: Jessi Nowack Mayor Novo: Uzo Aduba Guile Hideout: Sean Schemmel Author's Note And thus, this movie comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed reading it, I know I enjoyed writing it. For anyone who want to actually hear the song the Dazzlings sung, message me and I'll send it over to you. Licencing issues, you know.
