-28: Reunited at long last, but the group only find themselves up against a greater threat, once which could destroy them all.

Pokemon and all related trademarks belong to Nintendo. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author’s permission.

The Chimera Saga and the Legendary Dragons belong to Theo ‘Blitz’ Leung and are used with permission.

(http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=23675)

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Yoake Mae: Before Dawn

By Gregory Stephen nightdragon0@hotmail.com

Nala

“Sis? Sis, please wake up.”

I became aware of something licking my face. Groaning, I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a brown-eyed, reptilian-like face. I felt its breath against my neck and caught sight of the fangs.

I started screaming.

The creature wrapped its wing around my mouth.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that sis. I have awfully sensitive ears you know?”

I struggled for a while more until I managed to get it to my head that the ‘monster’ was actually talking to me. I looked over it closely and realized I’d seen a picture of it somewhere before.

An Aerodactyl. This one was a female, and a relatively young one considering she was only slightly higher than my eye level as I sat down on the floor.

She must’ve felt me calming down and released me from her hold.

“Riot is my name. Delighted to meet your acquaintance.” She introduced. “It will be a great pleasure working together sis.”

“I…erm…who…what…?” There were about a thousand questions I could’ve asked then, but I couldn’t get a single one out.

“Something the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

Ho boy, a talking Aerodactyl with a British accent. I’m dreaming or something, right?

“Why so startled sis? Something wrong with my accent?”

“No! I just…erm…”

“2 minutes till self destruct.” The intercom system announced.

“OH no!” I gasped, remembering our predicament. “Riot! The self destruct! We’ve got to get out of here!”

“The self what?”

“Never mind! Just blow a hole in the wall or something! Please tell me you know Hyper Beam or another relatively explosive technique?!”

Riot responded immediately and I had to cover my face to shield myself from the flying pieces the busted wall.

“Is this what you had in mind?” The Aerodactyl asked.

I could see a forest outside. Riot had apparently chosen the correct wall to aim at. I sprang up and clambered onto her back.

“GO! Fly! Get out of here now!” I ordered.

“Hang on!”

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Hazuki

“Everyone out?” Serac asked.

[Those who were with us, at least.] Luminair panted. [But how about Nightslice and Firestorm?]

“I hope they were able to make it.” Serac muttered, shoving a branch away to look back at the building we’d run out from. “I’ll run round the perimeter and see if I can find them. You guys should be able to wait here, but move further away. You’ll want to be at a safe distance when the fireworks start.”

“Don’t worry.” I assured her.

“I’ll be back.” Serac winked before sprinting off.

I glanced from her direction to the base, and the area around. Something just felt like it was missing.

[You OK, kid?] Luminair said to me.

“Huh, oh I’m fine. Really.”

[Heads up guys!] Ahsura alerted us to a side of the building that had abruptly been blown open.

A bird-like shape leapt out and took to the sky. Actually, it was more like a flying reptile, with a rider.

“WHOA! Riot, easy on the turbulence!” The rider yelled.

“Sorry about that.” Her Pokemon replied. “I have been dead for a few million years, you know?”

“Watch it! Yargh!”

Flying too near to the treetops, the pair had swerved to avoid hitting a branch and had lost control after that. With their respective yells, the plummeted to the ground, stirring up leaves and snapping branches.

[Ouch.] Ahsura muttered.

[That was Serac’s friend, wasn’t it?] Luminair wondered.

“Yes, I’m sure of it.” I said softly as the Pokemon turned towards me. “We’d better go help. Besides, we need to move further away from here.”

The pair nodded and took off first. I was about to follow when I heard the bushes nearby rustle.

“Hmmm?” I took a step closer and got a fright when I saw a pair of glowing blue eyes staring back at me.

<Do not fear me child. > A voice spoke into my mind. <I mean you no harm. >

Now more curious than afraid, I pushed through the bushes. I found myself facing a purple, feline-like humanoid. Some kind of Pokemon I didn’t know of.

She too, turned towards me and out eyes met. For a long while, neither of us spoke.

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Nightslice

“Whoa! SHIT!” I swore.

BAM! The compressor slammed down inches away from my face. I’d barely managed to roll away in time.

With one of my arms pinned down between the two metal sheets on the conveyer belt, my evasion tactics were strictly limited to left or right, on rolling either onto my chest or back. The metal sheets did absorb most of the shock from the compressor, but that didn’t help very much at all.

Both trying to avoid being flattened and attempting to slash myself free at the same time was a daunting task, one even my trained reflexes had trouble keeping up with.

Damn! Can I speed this up?! I can’t use Hyper Beam at this range!

In that one moment of distraction, I mistimed my roll and ended up face down against the sheet, my claws beneath my chest, right at the instant the machine brought another metal sheet down, pinning the rest of my body down.

I screamed more out of panic than pain as the next compressor slammed down onto my back, the one after fastening the sheet down. That left me sandwiched between the layers, with only my head being partially free. There was a large bulge in the sheet because of my trapped body.

It might actually have been funny if not for the current time crisis.

“3 minutes until self destruct…”

I cursed furiously under my breath. There was no way I could get out of this in time!

Hey, I’m immortal, right? I tried to assure myself. Euphoria said that I would be resurrected even after incineration. I hope she wasn’t joking about that part. Now, the other thing that could really kill me besides the Scared Skills was…

That was when I noticed the blade, meant to trim off uneven ends of the metal sheet. And my head was right in its path.

…decapitation!

If incineration couldn’t kill me, how come this could?! But assuming she was right, then that was what was about to happen.

“RRRaaaggghhhh!” I roared in panic, unable to turn my head enough to do anything about the deadly blades.

Stupid! Stupid! DAMMIT! Not now! It can’t end now!

The blade was getting closer and closer to my neck. I closed my eyes.

However, I suddenly heard the gears spluttering. The machinery, conveyer belt included, creaked and halted. I heard the twisting of metal and felt several small pieces flying and hitting my head.

I opened my eyes to find a sword stuck in the blades, inches away from my face. My sword.

What the?!

I’d barely even had time to comprehend that my head was still on my shoulders when my body was suddenly free. The sheet pinning me down had been sliced off.

I quickly freed my other claw and turned to find my rescuer.

“Storm? Dracia?” I called upon finding no one.

My eyes caught a flicker of movement in the darkness. It was some reddish shape darting away.

A Scizor…The scent came to my mind. Alugard…he evolved?!

He’d saved me, but why?

I quickly forgot all about it as I noticed the figure on the raised platform above me. It was another Scyther…one that seemed so…familiar.

“KRIS?!” I gasped. Somehow, the thought just hit me.

Kris, the Scyther, just stared back. In those few intense seconds, thousands of things ran through my mind. Everything I wanted to say, I wanted to do…after so long.

She too seemed lost for words. Silently, she turned towards the floor and closed her eyes. Then, she sprinted off.

Horrified, I suddenly remember the dreams I’d constantly been having. And now, they were coming true.

“Kris! No! Please! Don't go!” I pleaded, running in the direction I’d seen her go.

An explosion threw me back, at the same time blocking off the pathway.

“NO! NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“1 minute till self destruct…”

Despite my own emotions, the computer’s completely impassive voice hit me like a jackhammer on the head.

I ran, pausing just long enough to grab the sword between my jaws and pull it free.

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Dracia

I became aware of someone screaming my name. Even through my body groaned in protest, I struggled back to consciousness.

[Dracia!] The voice again. I felt heat, something burning on my back.

Mirage…MIRAGE!

I sprang up, realizing the Ponyta had used her fire attacks to shove the debris off my back.

“Mirage!” I gasped, remembering the dire situation. “Where’s the keycard!”

Frantically, I glanced around, ignoring the heat of the small fires in the room.

[Get out of here, now!] Mirage shouted in an authoritative voice.

“But…”

“20 seconds until self destruct…”

“Oh my god!” I cried. Mirage was still tied down and there was no way I knew to get her out without setting off the C4 strapped to her. Not without the keycard at least.

[Just save yourself and go!] She yelled.

“No! I could never…” I protested. The fire elemental Ponyta might have had a chance of surviving the flames, but not the bomb.

[Go, please.] Mirage begged.

“15 seconds…”

“NO! It’s got to be here!” I was on all fours, groping around wildly. I was coughing as smoke begun to fill the room.

[It’s too late Dracia!] Mirage insisted. [Go while you can!]

“Can’t…hargh! Give…up…” I coughed. “I’ll never forgive myself if I let you…”

“10 seconds…”

[Dracia, for god’s sake! Please go! I don’t want you to die too!]

“9 seconds…”

“Mirage…” I staggered.

[Go dammit!]

“No!”

“8 seconds…”

[Go, or I’ll make you!]

“Mirage!”

“7 seconds…”

Furiously, she fired off a Fire Blast, throwing me backwards, closer to the door.

“6 seconds…”

“Mirage!”

“Goodbye Dracia.” Mirage whispered softly. “I’ll let you know what heaven’s like…”

With a roar of fury, I ran. I don’t know what made me do that. But somehow, I found a window at the side of the adjoining room.

“5…4…”

I smashed it open and turned back. I could still see Mirage through the open door. But not for much longer…

“…3…2…”

As I finally forced myself to jump, Mirage smiled at me. I couldn’t have imagined what had been going through her mind.

Her smile…that image…would forever remain in my mind.

“…1…0…Thank you and have a nice day.”

That was the last thing I heard before the explosion drowned out my entire world.

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Firestorm

“….Thank you and have a nice day.”

Damn, they had a really sick sense of humor. Luckily, I managed to haul Jade and toss him out the window, barely having time to make it myself.

The explosion deafened me for those few moments. Its force threw both of us quite a distance into the forest. Branches and twigs snapped as two Charizard smashed through them, spinning uncontrollably.

I wasn’t out for long, but when I got up, I saw the dark forest glowing with the crimson-like glow of the fire. The building, whatever it had been, was no more.

Various pieces of debris had been thrown even to this distance and Jade was pulling himself out of a pile of concrete chunks.

“You OK?” I asked.

Jade nodded, through he was clearly still dazed. Suddenly, his head snapped up.

[Watch out!] He roared, ramming into me.

I hadn’t noticed the tree behind me had been shaken by the explosion and was on the verge of collapsing. To add to that, it was a huge and very thick oak tree too.

And all that went down onto Jade’s head as he took the blow for me.

“Jade!”

I pulled him out from beneath the fallen log and shook him, trying to get him to wake up.

“Come on! Come on!” Finally, I stepped back and charged up my flames into my mouth, hoping to arouse him with a fiery burst.

[Ugh…] He moaned, opening his eyes.

Too late, I gave him a good torching.

[Ow! Hey Storm! What the f*** are you doing?!] He roared furiously. Jade’s head turned as he looked around. [Hey…where is here anyway? What happened? Did we get Alugard?]

I stared at him, mouth opened. That phrase was something I’d never been so relieved to hear.

“Jade! You’re back to normal!” I cried happily.

[Excuse me, normal?!] Jade said, slightly confused. [I’m a human stuck in a Charizard’s body! That wouldn’t qualify for normal in my book…]

“WOOOOOHHHOOOOOOOOO !!!! YOU’RE FINALLY BACK!!!” I roared, leaping onto him, shoving Jade to the ground and licking his face.

[Back from what?] Jade frowned.

However, I was too excited to answer.

[Hey! Get off already!] Jade heaved up and threw me off, climbing to his feet. [What’s with you? I don’t know what’s going on, but I…]

At that moment, Serac came running up behind Jade. She put her finger to her lips and I was unsure of why until she revealed the metal bar from behind her back.

In horror, I realized it must’ve looked like we were fighting to her. And she was doing the only logical thing.

“NO! Don’t…” I began.

WHAM!

The bar bent at an angle after Serac slammed the back of Jade’s head with it. Jade’s eyes went wide before he collapsed again.

“Serac!” I screamed. “What the blazes was that for?! We weren’t fighting if that’s what you were thinking!”

“Even if that were so,” Serac winked. “I was thinking about how Jade lost his memory when he got the rock smacked on his head. So, I concluded that another hard whack would snap him back to normal. It may sound odd, but I think it’ll work.”

“Yeah, I know it will.” I muttered. “Cause it already happened before you came butting in and smacked the poor sap again!”

“Well, how was I supposed to know!” She protested.

“You could’ve told me!” I yelled.

“If I’d told you, then he would’ve heard as well!”

Both of us were so busy arguing that we didn’t notice Jade standing up until we heard his growling.

“Rrrrggggrrrrhhhhhh….”

“Eep!”

“Yikes!”

Serac and I cringed, backing away as Jade gave us a nasty stare.

“Not again!” I moaned. “Jade! Try and remember!”

[Owwwww! GGgaarrgghhh! Goddammit! Why does everyone have a grudge against me today?!] He roared. [Dammit Storm! Explain to me what the hell is going on right now!]

“He’s still normal.” Serac realized.

I breathed a long sigh of relief as Serac and I collapsed.

[Hey, did I do something wrong?] Jade wondered. [But how many times do I have to ask what’s going on?]

“You really don’t remember?” I asked from my spot on the floor.

[Remember what?] Jade asked, confused. [And who’s the girl?]

“This is going to be a long story.” I sighed.

“Hey guys!” Nala called, jogging towards us.

She was accompanied by Ivysaur, Jolteon and an Aerodactyl, the latter three supporting Nightslice (in Scyther form) between them.

“Wait up!” A blue haired girl came up behind them.

“Is this everyone?” Serac asked.

“Wait! Dracia and Mirage aren’t here yet!” I realized.

As if on cue, a badly charred Dragonite shoved her way through the trees and hit the ground near our group.

“Dracia!” I ran over and pulled her to her feet. “Are you all right? Where’s Mirage?”

“I’ll…live.” Dracia gasped. “But Mirage…she…I…I…I…”

The female Dragonite couldn’t get it out and I begun to fear the worse.

“Dracia, where’s Mirage?!” I demanded, grapping both her shoulders with my claws.

“I…I…couldn’t…she…” Dracia immediately broke out in tears. “I’m…I’m…sorry…”

“No…” I realized. “Sorry’s not good enough Dracia! Why! How could you let her die!!!!!”

“I…I…”

“Firestorm, stop it now!” Serac ordered. Together with Nala and the Aerodactyl, they shoved us apart. “Stop it now. What’s done is done. Right now, we have to get away from here and find someplace a little safer.”

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Swordia

“Whew…will you…slow down?” Alugard’s voice came from behind. “The base blew up already! There’s no need to run!”

I ignored him and just kept at it. I just needed to drive that scene out of my head somehow. Finally, my legs gave way and I hit the ground.

“You all right?” Alugard asked, offering a claw to help me.

I stared off into empty space, unwilling to answer.

“If it’s about Nightslice, you’re the one who wanted to help him. Luckily I managed to cut him out in time, or he would’ve lost his head.”

I nodded, only half listening.

“That IS still bothering you.” He pushed.

“It’s just that…” I said softly. “That he recognized me. I didn’t want him to see me like this.”

“Why? You could’ve just gone back with him.”

“Not now.” I growled. “I don’t want him to get involved in this. Not until I utterly destroy Sliph! And Team Rocket too!”

I roared, slashing nearby tree down.

“Guess you read the part about the virus too.” Alugard realized. “You starting to understand my point of view now?”

“Completely.” I nodded. “I see why you acted as you did when we met in the past. But I still disagree on you attempting to wipe out all humanity.”

“That was an error of the past.” The Scizor admitted. “One that will not be made again. But back on the current topic, you would’ve made it easier if you had managed downloaded the file.”

“I apologize for that. It won’t happen again.”

When I’d run off after seeing Nightslice on the monitor, I’d left the downloading device behind, carrying out its job. By chance, I met up with Alugard a couple of levels below. I’d asked him for help and we arrived at the metal works factory just in time to save my half brother from his ridiculous predicament, and from having his head cut off.

There had been a sword lying around and I’d grabbed it in my jaws and tossed it into the blades while Alugard cut Nightslice free.

Alugard had fled immediately after, but I’d hesitated. Enough for a long stare at someone I’d lost in seemingly another lifetime. That was when the fury hit me. I didn’t want to talk to him and I couldn’t stop running even outside when Alugard realized I didn’t have his downloading device.

After that, it had just been running and running.

There was a blue flash of light as two shapes materialized beside us.

“Ow! Hey!” Scantrix moaned as Syndrea landed on top of him.

<Sorry, not used to teleporting yet. > The Mewtwo apologized, standing up.

“Glad you two are all right.” Alugard said.

“Oh, by the way, I think you’ll be happy to see this.” Scantrix reached his beak beneath his wing and whipped out the rectangular data capturing device.

“You’re such a piece of work my friend.” Alugard laughed, taking it in one of his pincers. “I’ll look through it and see what I can find.”

“Unfortunately, those Sliph Special Forces got away.” Scantrix continued. “Their leader is some Jubei fellow.”

<Just the mercenary SFs now. No longer do they belong to Sliph. > Syndrea’s telepathic voice came up suddenly. <Their leader’s greed has made him over ambitious. >

“How do you know that?” Scantrix asked.

“From what I’ve heard, she’s probably now one of the most powerful psychics on the planet.” I told them. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Syndrea could sense everything going on in the building just now.”

<The currents of magic are in upheaval. > She nodded in approval. <Something is coming, blocked to even my mind. Something that will involve not only that human, but us as well. >

“This is all very intriguing, but if you’d excuse me, I have to go arrange for our troops to be on the lookout for the SFs.” Alugard interrupted, taking a slight bow before leaving. “I’m sure Stormwind and Firefly will be happy to have something to do.”

“Just what DO you see anyway Syndrea?” I asked, turning towards the Mewtwo.

<I see dead people. > She replied solemnly before walking away as well.

“Huh?” I muttered, completely baffled.

“Very mysterious, isn’t she?” Scantrix hopped over beside me.

“Yeah.” I muttered.

“Well, since it looks like we’ll be free for a while, you want to take a short flight?” The Skarmory asked.

“No harm in it I guess.” I nodded, spreading my wings.

In silence, I flew behind Scantrix as he led me to a small hill. Unlike the rest of the forest, it wasn’t covered it trees, allowing us to clearly see the morning sun rising over the horizon.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He commented.

“Every time I see it, I remember…” I realized I was speaking out loud and stopped myself. “Nevermind. It’s nothing.”

“Swordia, can I ask you something?”

“Hmmm?”

“Do you love me?”

“What?” I gasped, staring towards him.

“I said ‘do you love me’.” He leaned forward.

“Scantrix, you shouldn’t be asking me this…” I muttered.

“Swordia, it’s a simple question...”

We’d been getting closer all the time. Finally, our snouts met, and we nuzzled each other.

It was a moment I never wanted to end.

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Nightslice

As the morning sun rose, the scene was camp was a truly bittersweet one. There had been so many stories exchanged, new faces to meet and old ones who’d left.

I’d been dealing with my own inner demons. Alugard had been there, and so had Kris. My father and ‘half-sister’…working together? I didn’t know for certain, but I tried my best not to think about it.

Firestorm sitting next to Jade at the fire, probably still telling Jade his tale. I still found it odd seeing Jade was the Charizard and Storm was in human form. Fortunately, someone had an extra shirt to replace the one Storm tore in our battle. As if on cue, a strong gust of wind blew the fire down. Storm promptly grabbed Jade’s flaming Charizard tail and used it to relight the flame.

Jade gave him a nasty stare, but Storm replied with something about ‘getting back’.

The rest of the group (all the Pokemon and the humans) was currently listening to Nala and Riot’s story. I walked over and joined them, crossing my legs and resting my bladed claws on the ground.

However, Dracia was in an utter state of depression, lying off at the edge of camp on her stomach. I felt like trying to comfort her, but I hadn’t been around the Dragonite very much at all. Firestorm was apparently still mad and keeping himself occupied was his way of also trying to keep his cool.

Instinctively, I nudged the closest person to me, Serac, and gestured towards Dracia with my snout. The blond haired woman nodded and stood up, walking over to depressed Dracia.

“Excuse me, what do you meant I have your blood in me?” Nala was asking.

“It’s exactly as I’ve said it.” Riot, the Aerodactyl, answered. “Well, perhaps not directly, but I can feel it.”

“I think she means her DNA.” Hazuki suggested. “Having part Pokemon DNA is what makes you a Chimera. I was one from birth, but…”

“I just got it shot into me.” Nala finished, rubbing her arm. “Maybe that’s why they were jabbing those needles into me.”

“This is all truly intriguing.” Riot spoke. “I do believe what they did to you was simply a test of implementing the Chimera process on an already living subject.”

Everyone stared, mouthed opened.

“If you’re an ancient Pokemon who’s been dead for a few million years and who was revived from a fossil, exactly how do you know all this?” Nala staggered.

“Hmmm…I’m not sure really.” Riot thought hard. “I just…seem to know all this, but as hard as I try, I can’t recall any memories of my past…”

[Perhaps her brain had been modified as well.] Kyle thought, who as out of the Pokeball and lying on the grass. [Some sort of computer enhancement perhaps?]

“It’s a thought.” Hazuki nodded.

“One thing I’m confused about through,” I added in. “why would the enemy seemingly instill as advantage upon us? I mean, it’s more difficult to fight a group of Chimeras than to just fight a group of humans.”

The conversation had caught Firestorm and Jade’s interest as well and they came over.

“You know,” Storm recalled. “back in the building, I heard the SF leader say they’d taken blood samples from the group of us. Namely Serac, Hazuki and myself. And provided Riot is correct, they used Nala to test out implementing process on a living subject.”

“What are you getting at Storm?” I asked with interest.

“He’s got something planned out, something that required not only several DNA samples, but needed to be tested as well.”

“Could it be about that virus thing?” Hazuki wondered out loud. “The project V-X?”

“How’d you know about that kid?” Storm asked.

“The purple cat told me…oh! I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone!”

[Purple cat?] Luminair muttered.

[A Pokemon?] Ahsura queried.

“See, I met her just after the two of you left.” Hazuki explained, standing up. “Well, it was really weird. We were just staring at each other, and then she came over and touched my forehead. I was actually too frightened to move, but she didn’t hurt me or anything. She said that I’d best keep our meeting a secret and left. Then, I just get this bunch of information in my mind.”

[It sounds like a psychic or something.] Kyle noted.

[You know what a Mew looks like?] Jade asked. [Was that it?]

“No, she was taller than me.” Hazuki replied. “It definitely wasn’t Mew. But I remember she gave me some really important information about the virus being able to affect Chime…urgh…”

“Hazuki?!” I gasped as she toppled over. I caught her using the flat sides of my blades, being extra careful not to cut her, and laid her down on the grass.

“Is a human supposed to feel this warm?” Storm asked, putting his hand to Hazuki’s forehead over.

Serac came running over as Nala stepped up to take Storm’s place.

“God, she’s burning up!” Nala whispered, shocked.

“What could’ve caused this?” Serac wondered.

[The virus we were talking about?] Jade suggested. [But that would mean…]

“Goddammit!” I shouted, arousing stares from everyone.

[Nightslice?] Luminair asked.

“Any scientist knows he need to field test a product to ensure its working.” I growled. “And Hazuki’s the…”

“There’s no end to this inhumanity, is there?” Serac muttered. “But if she’s infected, then are the rest of us…”

“Don’t worry, the virus isn’t transferable through airborne means…yet.” Hazuki said from her lying position on the floor. “I’m OK for now. It’ll take a while before I’m down…”

“But why make a virus to kill Chimeras?” Nala asked. “I’m sure it wasn’t for the express purpose of taking care of us.”

“No, it goes further than that.” I said. “I feel it has something to do with the rivalry between Team Rocket and Sliph.”

[You kill all the rest of the Chimeras, and if you have only ones left, you can easily sell yours to the highest bidder. They’ll pay millions, or more.] Jade thought. [That’s what I think, at least.]

“Who’s stupid enough to do that?” Storm roared.

“You’ll be surprised at what people can do.” I said, shaking my head. “But now, our course of action is clear.”

Everyone gave me their full attention as I spoke.

“Jubei and his SFs will definitely have some antivirus. We’ll need to get it from them.” I glanced over to Hazuki. “Then, for the sake of us all, we kill every single one of those f***ing b*******.”

[Since when do the good guys do that?] Kyle muttered.

“I’m in for it.” Dracia growled, walking over, speaking for the first time in hours. “Kill every one of them! And make sure they suffer!”

“Dracia…” Serac whispered.

The Dragonite smashed her claws together and cracked her knuckles. There was something very different about the tone of her voice too. Gone was the gentle, humorous voice I remembered.

“Aren’t you chaps forgetting something?” Riot asked. “We need to find them first.”

“I think someone already has.” I grinned, pointing my head up and alerting everyone to a soft beating of wings.

[A Crobat?] Ahsura said, looking up.

“Koga was kind enough to lend him to me to aid in searching for you.” A familiar voice spoke with an ever calm tone. “Even a psychic like me can’t exert her powers to much trying to do that.”

“Sabrina!” Storm gasped as the Gym leader stepped into view. “You heard everything?”

“Indeed.” She nodded. “I’ve been in touch with Koga and Blaine. We’ve done some recon work of our own, but we’ve pretty much ended up with the same information you’ve already concluded.”

[Uncle Blaine?] Jade muttered.

“You did mention me to him when you told your story, Jade.” The psychic replied. “Which reminds me…”

She tossed a couple of Pokeballs, releasing an Electabuzz and a Blastoise.

“Hey, Ehrgeiz!” Firestorm gasped, recognizing his old comrade.

[Yo!] The Electabuzz waved.

[It’s you! Wartortle, old buddy!] Ahsura said happily.

[Yeah, I evolved. Cool huh? By the way, they named me Azure.] Azure, the Blastoise laughed. [Nice to see you again.]

“My fellow gym leaders send their regards too.” Sabrina continued. “But I’m afraid you’ll need to have your group reunion later. When you’re ready, I’ll mass teleport you to where you need to be.”

I’d pretty much been promoted to the leader of this group. I stepped forward and looked over my friends.

Storm and Jade, looking firm and resolved. Hazuki, on her feet, but being supported by Kyle. Next to them, Serac and Dracia. Nala and Riot, new partners, but definitely reliable ones. Luminair and Ahsura, Ehrgeiz and Azure…all awaiting orders.

“Let’s end this.” I declared.

Indeed, I knew it. The end was near…