Nicole rushed into the cavern to find an anxious Aqua waiting for her. “Aqua!” the girl cried as she ran over.
Aqua dashed to her trainer before tackling her to the ground, relieved to see her again. “Napor!! Vaporeon Vaporeon Por?” asked the water type.
Nicole giggled as she fell before nodding. “Well...A Talonflame pecked at me but that’s not important right now! We have a situation!” she announced with a worried look on her face.
Luna frowned. (Situation? Of what kind?)
Nicole sighed. “We’re not the only ones on this island anymore and the way they struck me...I don’t think they’re up to any good.”
(And what are we going to do about it? We don’t know who they are or why they’re here or if they even have any bad intentions!)
“Well does a skull and flaming crossbone prove anything because that’s what I saw on their flags and uniforms! They could be pirates or some gang of power crazed Pokemon thieves!” Nicole assumed.
(Perhaps I can shed some light on that, fellow kindhearted travelers.)
Nicole and her Pokemon looked around for the source of the voice only to realize it was being projected into their minds.
(...In here…)
Looking deeper into the cavern, they could make out a faint equine shape and appearance much like the Poneigh Nicole had captured but much taller with large majestic wings and a long sharp horn. A long swirly purple mane and tail with a yellow streak adding to the beauty of its soft pink coat. It appeared to be donning a type of bronze armor on its hooves, chest, neck, and head. It’s eyes glowed a faint white.
Nicole quickly pulled out her Pokedex and pointed it at the creature. “What the…”
[Amare, the Love Horse Pokemon.]
[Believed to be the guardian of Love in many tales and legends, Amare has been sighted only a few times. It is said to appear in times of hope and desperation as well as in times of love.]
The strange Pokemon smiled. (Only half of that was true. So you, young lady, are brave enough to defend my island from the wickedness that has befallen it? It is rare to find other humans setting foot here, let alone other humans that are capable of such bravery. First of all, I believe introductions are in order? You know me now, the guardian of this island. But I do not know who you are.)
Nicole smiled. “W-Well my name is Nicole and I’m a marine biologist from the Beya region. “These are my Pokemon; Aqua, Luna, and Goldmight.”
The Amare smiled back. (It is very nice to meet you all. It’s been so long since I’ve seen any humans on the island but I suppose it is true when they say that you should be careful what you ask for...now those greedy pirates are destroying my home…)
Nicole sweatdropped. “Uh I think the correct way of saying it is ‘Be careful what you WISH for,’ and...they’re pirates? Then again the skull and bone thing made it obvious but the uniforms just threw me off…”
(Actually, you were correct on your other answer. They aren’t just searching for treasure. The wild Pokemon that inhabit this island are being targeted by those ruffians and what’s worse is that they plan to take them back and distribute them in some sort of ‘dark market.’) The Amare added.
“What?! That’s awful! Now we really have a reason to stop them, Luna! Besides! We’ve faced evil before so this is no different! We’re the only ones out here that can do this!” Nicole replied before sweatdropping again. “And the correct term is ‘BLACK market, Amare.”
Luna nodded. (So what’s our plan, Nicole? We can’t just charge in there and demand that they release all the Pokemon they’ve captured. And you can only have so many Pokemon out at one time.)
“I know, Luna...and we don’t have much time here either. It’s supposed to disappear after one or two days like all Mirage Islands.” the girl recalled. “But if we did have more time, I guess we could make our move once night comes. We’re easily hidden and they won’t expect us by then.”
Amare sighed. (It has a slight chance of success but If I were to combine my psychic powers with that of your Gardevoir, we might be able to keep the island in a sort of...frozen space. If we can, the island will be stuck in a temporary time loop, giving you some extra time to do what you must. But as I said before, it has a slight chance of success…)
Nicole smiled, feeling rather hopeful. “Well...it’s worth a try! How about it, Luna? It could be our only way of saving all those Pokemon those jokers have taken.” she asked, looking to the psychic/fairy type for an answer.
Luna thought for a moment or two before answering with a nod. (The amount of energy I’ll be putting into this will leave me rather drained for a while...but it’s as you said before: We’re the only ones who can stop them.) she then turned to Amare and nodded.
The psychic/flying type nodded back before focusing.
Luna did the same and the two began merging their powers, generating a sort of gap in spacetime.
Slowly, the gap increased in size and intensity before engulfing the entire island...only for a loud burst of energy to startle the two and halt their progress, causing the gap to collapse and disappear into nothingness.
Both Luna and Amare recovered, panting and struggling to keep their balance.
Nicole made her way towards the Gardevoir with a worried expression. “Luna? Are you ok?” she asked.
Luna nodded. (A bit drained...but I’ll be alright.)
Nicole nodded back, smiling before turning back at the sound of a gasp. “Huh?” The girl managed to catch a glimpse of Amare vanishing in a flash of light before hearing a sudden click from behind.
“Eon!!” cried Aqua.
In a span of about ten seconds, Nicole’s eyes darted towards her Vaporeon to find her captured in a net, then she noticed a man in a familiar black and red uniform holding a large weapon. “What in the?!”
The man grinned. “Say cheese!”
The gun fired another net at the girl and her Gardevoir, trapping them both.
Nicole gasped as she realized what was happening. “They found us!! Luna! Teleport!” she cried.
(I can’t do anything! I’m drained, remember?) Luna reminded as she struggled against the trap.
Nicole quickly turned to Aqua with a look of desperation. “Aqua! Try to break out!”
Aqua found herself struggling as well with Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail, Shadow Ball, and Swift, each attack doing nothing.
The man laughed. “Keep trying, babies. These nets are specially designed to be attack proof, especially from the inside! And watch this!” he pressed a button on the gun and suddenly, the two nets merged into one as if made out of a sticky gelatinous substance. “Pretty cool huh?”
Nicole glared. “No! Not cool at all! As an official protector of these oceans, I demand that you let us go! Your days of illegally selling these poor wild Pokemon for your own greedy and selfish gains are over!”
Aqua let out a hiss, adding to her trainer’s warning.
But the man remained unphased. “Sorry kid. Even if we wanted to, when our boss wants something, she gets it! And we’ll take out ANY unsuspecting do-gooders who dare get in our way! But I’ll tell you what! I’m a reasonable man. If your Goldmight can beat my newest catch, I’ll give you a chance. What do you say, kid?”
Nicole nodded. “I say you’d better hit us with your best shot, right Heavy?” the girl asked.
At first the Goldmight seemed confused until realizing it had a new nickname. “Might!” it proudly grumbled, staring down the man.
“Heavy? Pretty poor name but whatever floats your boat!” the man grinned before tossing a Pokeball and taking a few steps back. “Let’s crush some rock, Dergroppale!”
Nicole was shocked. “Dergroppale?!”
In a flash of light emerged an incredibly tall and thin humanoid figure. It resembled a human wearing a neatly tailored black suit and black tie. With long, pale, and sharp bony hands along with a pale blank face made this creature look like a nightmare.
Nicole quickly pulled out her Pokedex despite the restricted space from the net. “Could it be the same one from…?”
[Dergroppale, the Slender Pokemon.]
[Believed to have been around for centuries, it has been the subject of many horror stories, myths, and legends. Dergroppale can cause extreme paranoia, coughing fits, strange mood swings and in dire cases, insanity. It has been blamed for the disappearances of many missing children and Pokemon.]
Nicole gulped as a flood of memories washed over her and her Pokemon. “Yep...that sounds like the one from Florinda Forest…”
The man laughed. “I see you’re shaking already! Now turn that heap of rock and jewels into dust! Use Shadow Ball!”
The tall, thin, and faceless Pokemon began to charge up energy into a shadowy mass of blob before launching it at the opponent. “...”
Nicole watched as her Goldmight was hit directly, a large explosion engulfing the rock/steel type. “Heavy!”
Once the smoke cleared, Heavy remained standing, acting as if it had never suffered any hits. “Grah!”
Nicole smiled. “That’s it, big guy! Now it’s our turn! Use Rock Tomb!” she commanded.
Heavy began to smash at the ground in front of him, unearthing a few rocks that had been poking out and launching them at the opponent. Finally, he picked up a large boulder from nearby to finish the job. “Ragh!” he yelled.
The man laughed again. “Throwing rocks? That’s it? If that’s the best you can do, prepare for a massive beat down! Dergroppale, use Night Slash!”
The Dergroppale bent forward slightly as a set of multiple tentacles appeared to grow out of its back before the Pokemon vanished into thin air, immediately reappearing directly in front of Heavy, ready to attack with its tentacles which glowed a crimson red.
Nicole’s mind raced. “...Ah! Flash Cannon!” she yelled, hoping her Goldmight was in fact familiar with such a move.
Heavy quickly gathered energy from the light radiating from its golden ore body before unleashing it as a beam of bright and powerful energy. “AAAH!!”
The opposing Dergroppale flew backwards before striking a palm tree, causing it to shake. “...”
Nicole sighed with relief. “Whew…”
But the man was far from done. “You think that’s it? Dergroppale! Shadow Sneak!”
The tall black creature suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving both Heavy and his trainer in a desperate panic. Suddenly, the Dergroppale appeared from behind and unleashed a powerful swipe with its tentacles.
Heavy was sent flying into the air before coming back down with an earth-vibrating thud.
Nicole frowned. “C’mon Heavy! We’re not gonna let a little scary looking stick figure bring us down, are we?”
Heavy stood back up and let out a mighty roar in response.
Nicole nodded. “Right! Use Earthquake!”
Heavy began punching the ground repeatedly, causing it to shake. “RAAAGH!!”
But the man remained smug. “Dodge it!”
The Dergroppale began to teleport around, avoiding the rising stalagmites and sudden chasms and pitfalls.
Nicole growled, starting to grow impatient. “Earth Power!” she yelled.
Heavy’s body began to glow with a golden aura before slamming both fists on the ground with great force, causing a violent tremor as well as large cracks in the ground. With one more slam, a large mount rose from the ground, emanating incredibly hot steam before eventually erupting, sending chunks of hot rock in many directions.
The man had a look of surprise as he watched the geyser burst, sending a large chunk at the Dergroppale.
Even Nicole and her other Pokemon were impressed. “Whoa!! I don’t think I’ve seen an Earth Power like that before!”
The Dergroppale used its tentacles to shove the smouldering hot boulder off before standing back up as even more tentacles appeared from its back, giving it a closer resemblance to a spider.
The man smiled. “Ok! I’ll admit that was pretty cool but I’m afraid playtime’s over, girly! Dergroppale, use Jumpscare!”
Nicole froze. “Wait...Dergroppale can use that move too?!”
The nightmarish Pokemon began to shroud the entire area in a thick heavy fog, allowing it to fade out of view.
“Don’t let it get to you, Heavy! It wants you to be scared!” Nicole warned.
But unfortunately, the eerie fog and paranoia caused by the opponents possible whereabouts made it rather difficult to be brave.
...when suddenly…
A multitude of hellish screams and pained cries accompanied the startling appearance of the Dergroppale right in front of the Goldmight’s face, giving it one hell of a fright! “GAAAAH!!”
“Now finish it with one more Shadow Ball! Full power!!” the man ordered.
The fog immediately lifted as the Dergroppale charged another ball of shadowy mass before launching it at the opponent while it was still dazed from the Jumpscare.
The attack found its mark, engulfing the rock/steel type in a massive explosion
Nicole watched in disbelief as the smoke cleared to reveal Heavy on the ground, motionless and eyes swirling. “Heavy! No!”
The man returned his Dergroppale with a smug smile. “I guess that’s that. I win so now you and your Pokemon are coming with us!”
“Us? What do you mean ‘us?’” Nicole asked in confusion as Aqua let out another hiss.
With a snap of the man’s finger, the same men and women that Nicole had seen earlier emerged from the nearby bushes and shrubs. Together, they grabbed the net and began carrying the hostages back only to be stopped by the supposed leader of the group. “Hold on. We don’t want any drama so let’s put them out first.” he ordered.
The team nodded before one of the members sent out a Skuntank.
“Knock them out.”
The skunk like Pokemon nodded before raising one of its hind legs and spraying out a foul gas.
Nicole and her Pokemon tried to resist but eventually succumbed to the horrible smell, losing consciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“....ugh….Aqua? Luna…?”
Nicole slowly opened her eyes to find herself...suspended somehow. As her senses slowly returned, she remembered the net, the man and his comrades, the flaming skull and crossbone design, and finally, why she was waking up.
Looking around, the girl saw that she was still in the net but Aqua and Luna were nowhere to be found. Her eyes fell on the many men and women she had seen, along with a new face. A fiery haired woman in a dark red bikini top, black jeans, and high heeled sandals, her left hip bearing the same design as the uniforms of the others. With fiery red lips and eyes, she gave the girl a mischievous grin. “Hmm...Look who’s awake! Our troublesome pesky little brat, Nicole. What a pleasure to finally meet you!”
Nicole glared, locking eyes with the woman. “How do you know my name? And who are you? You’re the one who’s in charge of this entire operation, aren’t you?” she questioned.
The woman nodded. “Aren’t you a smart one? Before we continue, I should introduce myself...you might as well have your final requests anyway. I am Ignacia, the burning leader of this wonderful gang of mine. And how do I know you? Well you can thank your Gardevoir for that. I’ll be honest, she was one hell of a fighter though but I’m sure she’ll sell for a high price along with your other Pokemon.”
Nicole gasped. “WHAT?! Where are they?! You let them go right now!!” she ordered.
Ignacia chuckled. “As we speak, they’re being loaded onto the ship, ready for transport, but don’t worry. We’ll be sure to send our condolences to them saying you were such a heroic and good person.”
Nicole was confused. “Condolences? What the heck are you…?!” the girl looked down to see herself suspended high above a raging waterfall before looking back and noticing Ignacia holding a rope with the help of some of her members.
“I know we only just met but unfortunately, I can’t have anyone interfering with my operation. My boss just wouldn’t be pleased with me. You understand how it is…” Ignacia said before loosening her grip on the rope.
Nicole suddenly felt herself drop a few inches before stopping. “You can’t do this! Ever hear of ‘what goes around comes around?’ You’re the one who’s really gonna pay!” she warned, hoping to talk some sense into this greedy woman.
Ignacia sighed. “How long do you think I’ve been doing this for? Sorry kid but I’ve gotta get going soon. I’ve enjoyed our little talk though. Goodbye.” she grinned before letting go of the rope then signaling the rest to do the same.
Nicole let out a terrified scream as she fell, the sound of the waterfall becoming quieter as opposed to the howl of the air and wind as bottom of the waterfall became clearer and clearer. She tried to reposition her body in an attempt to hit the water feet-first to reduce the impact and shock. A large splash followed bubbles billowing out as Nicole tried to resurface for air only to sink deeper and deeper from the weight of the rope and the limited space inside.
The deeper she went, the darker and colder it got until she finally reached the bottom, still struggling to free herself from the net.
Nicole looked around in desperation, looking for anything that might save her. ‘If this is what River goes through on a daily basis, I feel so sorry for her…’ she thought before looking up at the glimmering surface. ‘Aqua...Luna...Aria...My Pokemon...I have to get out of here. But how?’
A faint burning sensation began to grow in the girl’s lungs as she continued to pull and tug at the ropes in a desperate attempt to escape.
Nicole exhaled a bit to try and ease the pain in her body. The burning faded but she knew she’d reach her limit soon. ‘Is this really it…? I’m powerless without my Pokemon and I’m obviously not getting out of this net...I don’t have my mouthpiece either…’
“...glublrb…”
Nicole quickly covered her mouth, realizing all the energy she had put into trying to escape had depleted her breathholding time by a large amount. ‘I need...to breathe…’ The burning in her lungs now felt like the inside of a volcano. Nicole struggled to hold onto what little air was left as her body began to feel numb. Shutting her eyes, the girl began to accept her fate as her mind thought back to all the highlights in her life…
...until a bright glow surrounded her body…
‘...huh…? What’s happening?’
The glow began to overtake Nicole’s vision until white was all she could see.
‘Am I already dead? But it can’t be…’
A sudden spasm shot through her body, forcing out more air and causing her to inhale water. Nicole began to panic and struggle, gurgling and grasping outward for some form of salvation as the water invaded her body.
‘...no…’
The next thing she knew, Nicole was laying on the ground out of the water, coughing so hard she could see stars and spirals. With every cough and gasp, her lungs burned and ached, but she was alive...somehow.
(...Nicole! You’re alright! Take slow deep breaths!)
The brown haired girl turned to see the world around her, now free from the net that had almost sealed her doom. The lush vegetation, the bright afternoon sun, the blue sky, and the welcoming fresh air. “...I’m alive…?” she coughed.
(Thankfully...I’m so glad to see that.)
Nicole sat up and looked around before spotting a familiar equine Pokemon looking at her with a worried face. “Amare...Was that bright glow your doing?” she asked.
The pink horse Pokemon nodded.
“You saved me...thanks Amare…” the girl wheezed.
Another nod from Amare and a smile. (Of course. We are friends and we must stop Ignacia and her gang from getting away with my subjects and your Pokemon!)
Nicole gasped as the memories of Ignacia flashed into her mind. “...You’re right...Do you know where they are now? Wait...but even if we do find them, I can’t do anything! I’m powerless without my Pokemon!”
Amare gave a brave and reassuring smile. (Yes but I’m still free! For the safety of my subjects and your friends, I shall stand by your side, Nicole!)
“You mean...You’ll act as my Pokemon?” asked the girl.
Amare nodded.
Nicole nodded back with a smile. “...Really? Well...thanks!” she chuckled. “So...which way did they go?”
Amare flapped her wings and took off, staying close enough to the ground for Nicole to follow. (This way! Post haste!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I think we finally have enough Pokemon to call it a day. Alright everyone. Time to pack up and get moving! Let’s go people!”
Ignacia chuckled as she ordered her crew onboard the massive iron-clad cargo ship before boarding herself as final preparations began.
One of the men stopped her shortly after boarding. “Ignacia! We’ve detected another Mirage Island about 10 miles away. Shall we land for more captures?”
Ignacia pondered for a second before nodding. “More benefit for us! Start the ship immediately!” she ordered.
The man gave a quick salute. “Yes ma’am!” he exclaimed before walking off to give his orders.
A loud roar filled the area as Nicole and Amare arrived to see the large ship starting to pull away from the beach. A sense of panic grew inside the girl as the great vessel got farther and farther away.
“Oh no! They’re leaving!”
Amare’s mind began to race. (...Nicole! On my back! I’ll fly us aboard!) she instructed, readying herself for takeoff.
Nicole nodded before climbing on the equine Pokemon’s back and clinging tightly. “Ok! Ready whenever!” she sighed, gathering her courage and determination.
Amare took off towards the departing ship, flapping her wings harder due to the extra weight on her back.
After flying up to the main deck, Amare landed with a huff as her human passenger climbed down carefully.
The large deck carried many colorful metallic crates and containers all filled with captured Pokemon. A large crane stood tall near the back of the ship which was currently at work loading the containers down into a large opening in the middle of the deck. Once finished, two long and large plates of metal slid together before shutting tightly, converting the opening back into the floor of the deck.
Nicole looked around for any signs of the crew members. After a moment of no activity, Nicole turned to Amare and motioned for her to follow as she slowly opened the door to one of the ship’s rooms, leading deeper into the belly. “C’mon,” she whispered.
Once inside, Nicole shut the door as quickly and quietly as possible before looking around to see a dimly lit passage heading downwards. The faint cries of Pokemon could be heard coming from the other side.
Amare smiled. (My subjects! They have to be at the end! We must help them now!)
Nicole nodded before looking up and noticing a blink red light. “Hold on...I think it’s a security camera!” she warned before her mind began to race for a possible solution. “...Can you turn us invisible or something? We have to get down there without being spotted!”
Amare nodded back. (I can try…) the pink equine Pokemon began to concentrate, its horn giving off a faint glow before shrouding both the Pokemon and Nicole in an odd aura, giving them a transparent appearance.
Nicole quietly gasped as she looked down at her clear and transparent body, giving the illusion as if her skin and clothes were made of glass. “Woah…”
Amare pointed forward with a hoof, turning to the girl with an urgent look on her face. (We must hurry! It’s effects are temporary!)
“Right! C’mon!” Nicole said before continuing downwards into the corridor with Amare following closely.
Upon reaching the end, Nicole and Amare were relieved to find a sign bolted to the metal door which read CARGO BAY ENTRANCE 01.
But to their disappointment, Nicole tried to open the door only to find it locked. “Of course…” she sighed.
Amare frowned. (Oh no! What are to do now?)
“Hey...Can’t you use your psychic powers to unlock it or something?” the girl asked.
Amare shook her head, feeling slightly ashamed. (I can’t do it without applying force. The crew will hear us for sure!)
Nicole grunted in frustration.
(...But I can distract them. Since I am a rare sight, they’ll want EVERYONE to try and capture me! Meanwhile, you can look for some way to open the door and free the Pokemon!)
Nicole hesitated for a moment before nodding in understanding, seeing she really had no other option. “...Well...It’s a crazy plan but we don’t have any other choice! Alright Amare...just be careful!” she warned.
Amare nodded before vanishing in a flash of light.
Nicole anxiously waited for some kind of signal when a sudden burst of static from a nearby intercom snapped her back to attention, accompanied by the wail of an emergency siren.
“ATTENTION ALL CREW MEMBERS! WE HAVE A RARE POKEMON SIGHTING ABOVE THE BOW! WE NEED EVERYONE ON DECK TO ASSIST WITH CAPTURE IMMEDIATELY!”
Nicole smiled before realizing that her body had regained visibility. “As long as no one’s watching those cameras and Amare doesn’t get caught, I can do this,” she paused before examining the door, looking for some kind of weak spot. Her eyes fell on a series of wires from the door, trailing to another dimly lit corridor. “...maybe the door opens if I shut off the power!”
With a smile, the girl followed the wires into the other corridor, eventually finding herself standing in front of another metal door labeled ‘ENGINE ROOM AND MAIN POWER GENERATOR.’ The door was unlocked, allowing the brown haired girl to enter.
Meanwhile, Amare soared high above the ship, successfully drawing the attention of most of the crew members onboard. She sped around, flying erratically to avoid the oncoming swarm of Pokeballs and Pokemon attacks from the crowd below, determined to catch the rare creature. “Mare!! Amare! Ama! Ama!” she neighed, taunting the people below. ‘Please hurry Nicole! My wings can’t keep me flying forever!’
Suddenly, one of the women readied a familiar looking weapon before taking careful aim. “That’s it, my little pony...stay right there…”
Before Amare could react, a large and heavy net fired from the barrel of the weapon, deploying itself and successfully subduing its target, sending her falling onto the deck below but not before hearing the ship’s engine and equipment suddenly fail, getting the attention of everyone. (Oh no! They’re heading for the main source of the ship’s power!) the pink equine mentally exclaimed, hoping it would be able to reach the girl.
Luckily it did as Nicole quickly rushed out of the room and darted towards the cargo area. This time, the door opened and without a moment to spare, the girl rushed inside and shut the door before looking around for a place to hide, knowing the crew members would start to suspect something.
The cries of Pokemon filled the large room which was filled with crates, containers, cages, and glass tanks of many sizes. Just like the corridors, the large room was barely lit, making it rather difficult to navigate. The air was thick and filled with the scent of metal and iron.
The door suddenly flew open as Ignacia looked around with a look of suspicion on her face. “WHO’S IN HERE?!” she yelled.
Hidden and crouched between two metal crates, Nicole stood still and quiet, hoping she hadn’t been found out yet.
“SHOW YOURSELF NOW!!” Ignacia yelled, continuing to examine the room before finally entering, feeling another presence.
Nicole’s eyes darted around frantically before catching the sight of a familiar Lullamera inside of a large aquarium-like tank stacked on top of another tank in the distance. ‘Aria!! If she’s over there, then my other Pokemon have to be in that location too! I just gotta get to her without getting caught…’ she thought to herself before looking around one more time for any signs of Ignacia. Once clear, the girl quietly started towards the Lullamera’s tank.
Ignacia froze as she heard the faint echo of footsteps in the distance, confirming her suspicions. “I hear you! Show yourself already!” she loudly said.
Nicole began to go faster as the clacking of high heels began to slowly grow louder.
“The game is over! Come out now!” Ignacia turned to her crew members still standing at the door. “Why are you deadbeats just standing there?! Get over here and help me find the intruder or you’re sleeping with the Sharpedo!” she threatened.
“Yes ma’am! Apologies!” one of the men said before the rest got to work, fanning out and searching for the intruder.
Nicole continued on, looking behind and around for any of her pursuers as she slowly picked up her pace, careful not to make any noise.
Aria looked around with a frightened and confused expression, wondering why Ignacia and her members were on such high alert. Suddenly, a familiar figure entered the water/dark type’s sight, much to her delight. “Lul…? MERLA!! Lullamera!!” Aria cried out.
Nicole’s blood ran cold as she looked at her Pokemon with a look of fear, desperately motioning for her to stop. “QUIET!” the girl mouthed.
Aria froze as the gestures clicked in her mind. Not wanting to spoil her trainer’s cover, she tried to play along by banging against the glass and frantically looking around, trying to make it seem as if her sudden exclamation was just another panicked plea for help. “Lulla!! Lulla!!” she cried.
Nicole finally reached Aria’s tank with a relieved sigh as her eyes fell on the rest of her Pokemon, all in glass containers.
Luna gasped before turning to everyone and ordering them to be quiet. (Everyone! Silence! Nicole’s presence mustn’t be known!)
Nicole smiled. ‘I’m here to free you guys along with every Pokemon on this boat! And I think I have an idea!’ she thought.
Luna nodded, smiling back as she communicated telepathically with her trainer. (We’re all glad to see you’re alright, Nicole! What’s the plan?)
‘That glass container...it’s probably resistant to your attacks...but it can still shatter with enough force, right?’
Luna frowned. (Perhaps...but humans clearly aren’t strong enough to break it…)
Nicole grinned. ‘But maybe a fall can!’ she then pointed to Aria’s tank.
Luna was about to answer until she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. (Nicole! Hide!)
Nicole quickly hid behind a metal crate just as one of the men rounded a corner with a flashlight. After a minute of looking around, he eventually lost interest and walked away, giving the girl her chance to come out of hiding and continue planning. ‘Ok I gotta do this fast! Tell Aria she might want to take a deep breath, Luna!’
Aria watched as Nicole jumped up and grabbed hold of the surface of the first tank before hoisting herself up and making her way towards the water/dark type’s tank. “Merla! Lulla Lulla!” she happily exclaimed.
Nicole smiled back before placing her hands against the glass only to turn away as she realized that the crew had spotted her. “Uh oh!”
“Hey! It’s the girl! She’s still alive!!” one of the women yelled.
Ignacia gasped. “WHAT?!” she growled as her eyes fell on the girl on top of the tank. “NICOLE! STOP HER!!”
Ignacia’s crew members started for the tank, making their way through the maze of containers while others just climbed their way over.
“Aah! Aria! Help me push the tank over!!” Nicole exclaimed before pushing against the glass with all her strength.
Aria did the same, struggling to push the glass over the edge.
Ignacia and her crew were now closing in on the girl, getting closer and closer with every passing moment.
Nicole continued to push when suddenly she felt as if something was grabbing her foot. She looked down in horror as one of the men had finally reached her, determined to pull her down and stop her. “Hey!! Let go!!” she cried, still trying to push over Aria’s tank when a woman caught up and grabbed her.
Aria however, wasn’t going to give up, seeing that the tank was now nearing its tipping point. Repeatedly banging her body against the glass, the water inside churned and sloshed around, slightly adding to the force until the tank finally began to tip over the side.
Nicole struggled with her captors as she saw the tank falling over. “Aria! Deep breath! Then use Siren’s Shriek!”
With a loud crash, the glass shattered upon hitting the floor, allowing hundreds of gallons of water to spill all over as well as granting the siren Pokemon her freedom.
Aria had followed her trainer’s instructions, inhaling as much water into her body before hitting the ground then unleashing a deafening scream accompanied by black ominous sonic waves spreading throughout the cargo hull. The sounds of glass shattering and water running faintly filled the entire area as the glass containers had apparently been designed to withstand internal force only.
Ignacia and her crew were forced to covered their ears in a weak attempt to protect themselves from the sound based assault, letting Nicole go free and finally reuniting with her Pokemon.
Once the attack subsided, Nicole felt a vibration in her back pocket. Curious, she pulled out her Pokedex to find a new text message from Trent. She flipped the device on and quickly read the message to herself.
‘POLICE ON THEIR WAY. FOUND SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY NOT FAR FROM YOUR BOAT. STAY SAFE AND BE CAREFUL. ♥’
Nicole felt a sense of relief knowing she wasn’t completely alone with her Pokemon. “...Just gotta hold them off until help arrives.” she said to herself before looking up at an angry Ignacia, standing just a few feet away. “It’s game over, you greedy witch! Let these Pokemon go now or I’ll have to do things the hard way!” the girl warned with her Pokemon standing right beside her.
Ignacia laughed at the adolescent girl’s words. “Me? Give up my operation when I’ve come this far? Over my dead body kid!” she growled, holding out a Pokeball. “Go Dergroppale!”
In a flash of light, a tall skinny humanoid figure appeared. It had the appearance of a man in a neatly tailored black suit with a black tie with long and bony-ish white hands and a pale white face...or rather lack of face. The creature stood tall and filled the area with an ominous and frightening dread.
Nicole gasped before pointing her Pokedex at the creature. “Could it possibly be the same…?” she wondered as a flood of terrifying memories filled her mind.
“Dergroppale, the Slender Pokemon.”
“It is believed to have been alive for centuries, spawning many myths, tales, and legends of its existence. When in its immediate vicinity, it’s been known to cause paranoia, memory loss, coughing fits, extreme mood swings, the malfunction of media devices, and in rare cases, insanity. It has been repeatedly blamed for the mysterious disappearances of children and Pokemon”
Nicole gulped. “Yep...sounds like the one from Florinda Forest!”
Aqua shuddered before seeking refuge behind her trainer. “Vapor…”
Ignacia laughed. “What’s the matter? Too scared to fight? Prepared to let down all these poor Pokemon? That’s just too bad!” she mocked.
Nicole glared as she gathered up every bit of courage, an idea in her head. “Just a little but I’m not losing to the likes of you! Besides, I’ve got a piece of nightmare fuel myself!” she exclaimed before turning back with a confident smile. “It’s time to shine, Animareic!”
From the shadows emerged a large robotic creature that resembled a human female ballerina with an advanced, futuristic, but broken appearance. Unlike other Animareic, this one appeared to be made completely out of metallic plating as evident by the seams and lines all over its body. It was a pale white color with pink cheeks, purple eyeshadow and hair, a purple tutu with matching shoes, and a blue design resembling an athletic-like midriff. Its mouth appeared to be incapable of movement but the endoskeleton’s mouth inside was. It’s eyes were also shut tight yet it navigated as if it could see perfectly.
Ignacia was a bit startled at first. “Yikes! That’s an Animareic? It’s pretty flashy and shiny though!”
Nicole nodded. “I was pretty surprised too. The Pokedex says they’re specially designed with state of the art features as opposed to the one’s you’re probably used to.” she explained before activating her Pokedex and flipping to the entry page.
“Animareic, the Possessed Animatronic Pokemon.”
“Believed to be possessed by the spirits of lost and vengeful children, these Pokemon become active mostly in dark areas or at night. This model was recently discovered in an underground storage facility. Along with the rest of the set, they are equipped with state of the art technology and design choices that were unfortunately prone to untimely malfunction.”
Nicole’s Animareic twitched and spasmed violently, causing its face plates to momentarily swing loose and exposing its endoskeleton which appeared to be constructed of hundreds of metallic hoses and wires. The mouth aligned with many dangerously sharp and pointed teeth. “...H-H-Hell-Hell-Hello. M-M-My name is---we are going to have a wonderful ti-i-i-ime getting fit while we eat some delicious people-le-le-le---delicious pizza! But don’t overdo it! We must keep a healthy---”
Both Nicole and Ignacia stared at the animatronic Pokemon in speechlessness as its face plates shut themselves closed. Even Ignacia’s Dergroppale took a step back in supposed surprise.
Luna, however, smiled. (Do not fear, Nicole! Remember that Animareic take pleasure in terrifying their trainers but they mean no real harm!) the psychic/fairy type reassured.
Nicole calmed herself as she saw the Animareic’s eyes finally open, revealing pale orange pupils that seemed to stare at the girl in an apologetic and friendly manner. “...Just when I thought the nightmares would finally end…” she sweatdropped.
Ignacia shook herself back to reality. “Enough chatting! Time to finish you off once and for all, you little brat! Let’s set the battlefield first with Mist!”
From seemingly nowhere, a heavy foggy mist shrouded the entire cargo hull, reducing visibility by an inconsiderable amount!
Nicole looked around in surprise and slight worry. “Uh oh! Hey wait...you’re eyes may be closed but you get around by listening, don’t you?” she asked.
The Animareic nodded without turning back.
Nicole began to feel confident once again. “Ok! Then let’s start off with Shadow Ball!”
The animatronic Pokemon conjured up a sphere made from a shadowy bloblike mass all while listening for any indication of the opponent’s presence.
Suddenly, Nicole let out a surprised gasp. “In front of you! Look out!”
The Shadow Ball attack immediately caused an explosion, damaging both Animareic and Ignacia’s Dergroppale and sending them stumbling backwards.
Nicole ran over to her injured Pokemon. “Are you ok??” she asked.
The robotic creature quickly recovered as it assembled its unhinged metal plates on its face and body blown loose by the blast. After getting to the tips of its toes, it turned its head down at its trainer and nodded before stepping back into battle.
Nicole frowned. “That didn’t work but we’re not giving up! That explosion must’ve damaged Dergroppale atleast a little so atleast we did something! Now let’s try Flash Cannon! On my signal!”
The Animareic’s metallic body began to shine brightly as light-filled energy gathered. Once it had charged enough, the animatronic waited for her trainer’s command.
Nicole looked around in the foggy dimly lit darkness for any signs of the opponent, becoming desperate and worried with each passing second for the Animareic’s ability to hold the attack. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a faint but noticeable figure in the distance. “Now!!”
But just as the Animareic finally unleashed the blast of light filled energy, the figure vanished, nullifying the attack.
Nicole growled. “It missed!”
Ignacia laughed from somewhere ahead. “Good luck landing any hits! As fancy and terrifying your robot may be, Dergroppale is a silent killer! We’re gonna turn that bot into scrap!” she exclaimed. “Now Dergroppale! Shadow Sneak!”
Out of the sudden shadows, Ignacia’s Dergroppale emerged before grabbing the animatronic Pokemon with a multitude of tentacle-like appendages appearing to protrude out of its back, and slamming and tossing the opponent around, finishing by throwing it into a nearby crate before disappearing back into the shadows
Nicole growled. ‘C’mon Nicole! Think! How are we supposed to find something we can’t see or hear...wait...what about feel…?’ the girl quickly turned to face her recovering Animareic, now getting back on the tips of its feet again. “Every time you’re attacked, don’t you get some kind of malfunction or weird feeling...Well...BEFORE you’re attacked?” she corrected herself.
The Animareic nodded before its head began to twitch.
Nicole smiled. “That’s how we’ll know where to aim! That Dergroppale may be silent but electronics always malfunction in its presence! And you’re basically a sentient electronic...oh...sorry if I offended. You get what I mean?” she asked.
The Animareic nodded again before stepping back into battle, waiting on its trainer’s orders.
Nicole nodded back. “Use Iron Head once you feel he’s close enough. I don’t think we’re gonna get far with ghost type moves anyway.”
The Animareic waited anxiously in the foggy darkness when suddenly it began to feel a disturbance in its components and servos. Dergroppale was getting closer. The malfunctions slowly got worse as its head began to twitch and shake. Once it became unbearable, the animatronic shot forward and surprisingly headbutted something. Something softer than the containers lined up everywhere.
Nicole gasped. “It hit!”
Ignacia was surprised. “Gah! Lucky hit!”
But Nicole wasn’t going to let her Pokemon suffer through the anticipation and malfunctions. “Hurry and use Jumpscare!”
Quickly retreating into the shadows, the Animareic listened for the stumbling footsteps and movements of the opponent before revealing itself, jumping out at the Dergroppale before opening its face plates, exposing the horrifying endoskeleton and letting out a heartstopping screech.
“Now how about a Gear Grind?” Nicole exclaimed, admittingly not expecting an Animareic to know such a move.
But to the girl’s surprise, the distance between the two Pokemon allowed the animatronic to open its torso plates and unleash a mechanism that caught the Dergroppale’s arm, grinding it between two tightly positioned gears!
Nicole pumped a fist into the air, her spirit rekindled with determination and confidence. “Way to go, Ballora!” she praised.
“B-A-L-L-O-R-A….H-H-Hell-Hello there. My name is Ballora.” The animatronic said.
Nicole nodded. “Your new name!”
“Th-Th-Thank you-ou-ou-ou...N-I-C-O-L-E. Nicole. What a nice name for such a nice child-ild-ild-ild. It’s nice to meet you, Nicole!” Ballora kindly answered.
Nicole’s attention was suddenly drawn back to the darkness with a gasp as she saw a familiar series of tentacles lash out from the darkness. “Look out!”
With no time to react, Ballora was immediately wrapped before feeling the intense gripping pressure beginning to crush her.
Ignacia laughed. “Lucky hits kid! But I’m afraid the battle ends here! Dergroppale, use Dark Pulse!”
The slender Pokemon’s body began to glow a sinister crimson red before unleashing a wave of dark ominous energy on the animatronic Pokemon.
After being let go, Ballora immediately collapsed to the ground in a smoking sparking heap.
Ballora had fainted.
After a moment of letting it sink in, Nicole looked at Ignacia with a nervous expression until…
“THIS IS THE BEYA POLICE! WE HAVE YOU COMPLETELY SURROUNDED! ALL ABOARD COME OUT NOW WITH YOUR HANDS UP OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED BY FORCE!”
Ignacia glared at Nicole. “...”
The girl and her Vaporeon smiled. “Let’s just say...I’m not alone here! And I’m not referring to just my Pokemon!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back on the Mirage Island, Nicole and her Pokemon stood on the shore as they watched the squad of police officers and authorities make their arrests as the sun began to set over the horizon. Now back in possession of her backpack and Pokeball belt, the girl felt like another day was drawing to a close. With a sigh, Nicole turned to her team members with a smile. “I don’t know about the rest of you but after an adventure like that, I just wanna head back to Paloma and take it easy for a while. But first, I think a trip to the Pokemon Center is a must.”
Aqua, Luna, Aria, Static, Ballora, Heavy, and Pinkie all nodded in agreement before being returned into their Pokeballs with the exception of the Vaporeon.
“Vap Vaporeon, Napor!” Aqua mewed happily before walking to her friend’s side.
Nicole chuckled before stopping in her tracks to the sound of a familiar yelling coming from the direction of the police boats.
“NICOLE PORTER! YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME, YOU BRAT! YOU MAY HAVE RUINED MY OPERATION BUT I WILL GET YOU SOMEDAY! THIS ISN’T OVER!!”
Nicole rolled her eyes before turning towards the boats with a confident smile. “Yeah! Good luck with that, Ignacia! Remind me to write my will once you get out of prison!” she laughed.
“I’LL GET YOU, NICOLE PORTER!!”
“Yeah! Whatever!” the girl added.
Aqua giggled. “Vaporeon Vap Vap Vap!!”
Nicole shook her head before leading her Vaporeon back towards her research trawler only to stop upon sighting a familiar equine Pokemon.
Amare smiled as she unfolded her wings. (Hello again, Nicole. I can only assume that you’re leaving?)
Nicole nodded. “Unfortunately, I am...then again I don’t really have any other option. This island is gonna disappear soon and I also have a job to keep. That with friends, my Pokemon...yeah...I guess this is the big good-bye isn’t it?” she asked.
Amare paused for a moment. (...Perhaps...or we may cross paths again someday. But I must take this moment to say how grateful I am to you. You saved all of my subjects from ending up in illegal exchange and other selfish matters. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I can also only hope that those two Pokemon you’ve captured will become a valuable addition to your team. But you also must promise that you’ll take extra good care of them.)
Nicole nodded. “Don’t worry, Amare! They’re in good hands! And well...what can I say? I’m just doing what’s right! But I couldn’t have done it without some help from you too! You should be proud!”
Amare nodded back. (I am. I take great pride everyday as I watch over my subjects as well as this entire island, keeping it safe from harm. And I will continue to do so. I hope you take pride in what you do as well.)
Nicole chuckled. “Of course I’m proud! Not only am I making a living out of helping innocent wild Pokemon but I also get to enjoy my time out in the ocean with MY Pokemon too! Anyways...I should probably get going! Who knows when my boss is gonna start bothering me again for more work!”
Aqua chuckled at her friend’s remark.
Amare did as well. (I understand. May your life be filled with never-ending joy and happiness and once more...on behalf of my island and all my subjects, I thank you, Nicole. May our paths cross again as we await your much welcomed return. Farewell my dear friends!) with a flap of her wings, the alicorn Pokemon took off towards mountain in the distance before fading into the air.
Nicole smiled as she watched her new friend go before turning to the water-type with a smile. “C’mon sis! We’d better start sailing too! I can’t wait to see Trent again! And I bet you feel the same about Shadow, don’t ya?” she asked.
Aqua nodded with a faint blush. “Por…”
Nicole giggled before giving her friend a few pats on the head. “Hey! Nothing to be embarrassed about! Let’s go! I think I still have one more Pokepuff laying around in the kitchen somewhere! It might just be green!” she insisted.
Aqua immediately began licking her lips before following her trainer back to the research trawler, ready to finally relax after their tiring adventure.
Once onboard, Nicole headed for the small kitchen area and began rummaging through the fridge before smiling. “Aha!” she exclaimed before pulling out a green frosted Pokepuff and shutting the door then turning to the anxious water type. “Here ya go, sis! Just as promised!”
Aqua happily and hungrily took the treat from the girl’s hand and began to eat, savoring every last bite.
Nicole watched the sight before her with a giggle before heading for the helm, eager to check her Pokedex for any new messages. “Let’s see...River...and Trent.” she pondered on which one to answer first before finally pressing on the screen.
“You called, honey?”
Nicole smiled. “You were the one who messaged me first, baby! What’s up?” apparently River’s call would have to wait a little…
“Well yeah. I also texted you. I was trying to warn you about-”
“Don’t worry about it, sweetie! I took care of it...well...the police did most of the work but I managed to hold those smugglers off until help arrived but you know what I mean! And me and my Pokemon are all ok! We’re heading back to Paloma for a break and a trip to the Pokemon Center right now anyway! Everything’s just hunky-dory!” Nicole reassured.
“That’s great to hear! Also...you know how I’ve told you about how Unova’s gonna be holding its first Pokemon Contest?”
Nicole froze for a second. “Uh yeah...what about it?” she asked.
“Well...I was watching the news for a bit and I think I saw that River girl performing with some other girl who...I swear...it looked like...Ashley. I couldn’t make it out cause the live feed just suddenly...went dead. I thought that was kinda strange...also makes me wonder what Ashley’s up to nowadays. It’s been awhile since we’ve last met with her hasn’t it?”
Nicole nodded as she began to think back to her high school days with a sigh. “Yeah...I kinda miss her...we were best friends after all…”
“Hey sweetie...don’t let it get you down! I’m sure she’ll pop up again soon! It’s not like she could’ve just vanished into thin air, right?”
Nicole chuckled a bit. “Well...I guess that’s true. So uh...I don’t suppose you’ll be busy during my little pitstop at Paloma?”
“Unfortunately I kinda am...but hey! We’ll definitely be seeing each other next week for the Halloween Bash! Can’t wait for that!”
Wiping a small tear from her cheek, she smiled before starting the research vessel’s engine and raising the anchor, ready to sail off. “Me neither! Anyways, I got another missed call and who knows when my boss will be giving me one too. So I’ll talk to you later?”
“Will do, my Luvdisc! Love you!”
Nicole giggled. “Love you too, my Hunk-tail!” ending the call, she sighed before looking at the water ahead with a confident and optimistic smile. “...If Ashley’s out there somewhere enjoying herself...I should be doing the same too. And it’s just like Trent said...I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again…”
As the sun sank lower below the horizon, Nicole steered her vessel back for Paloma City, eager to relax and prepare for another day at sea...
Aqua dashed to her trainer before tackling her to the ground, relieved to see her again. “Napor!! Vaporeon Vaporeon Por?” asked the water type.
Nicole giggled as she fell before nodding. “Well...A Talonflame pecked at me but that’s not important right now! We have a situation!” she announced with a worried look on her face.
Luna frowned. (Situation? Of what kind?)
Nicole sighed. “We’re not the only ones on this island anymore and the way they struck me...I don’t think they’re up to any good.”
(And what are we going to do about it? We don’t know who they are or why they’re here or if they even have any bad intentions!)
“Well does a skull and flaming crossbone prove anything because that’s what I saw on their flags and uniforms! They could be pirates or some gang of power crazed Pokemon thieves!” Nicole assumed.
(Perhaps I can shed some light on that, fellow kindhearted travelers.)
Nicole and her Pokemon looked around for the source of the voice only to realize it was being projected into their minds.
(...In here…)
Looking deeper into the cavern, they could make out a faint equine shape and appearance much like the Poneigh Nicole had captured but much taller with large majestic wings and a long sharp horn. A long swirly purple mane and tail with a yellow streak adding to the beauty of its soft pink coat. It appeared to be donning a type of bronze armor on its hooves, chest, neck, and head. It’s eyes glowed a faint white.
Nicole quickly pulled out her Pokedex and pointed it at the creature. “What the…”
[Amare, the Love Horse Pokemon.]
[Believed to be the guardian of Love in many tales and legends, Amare has been sighted only a few times. It is said to appear in times of hope and desperation as well as in times of love.]
The strange Pokemon smiled. (Only half of that was true. So you, young lady, are brave enough to defend my island from the wickedness that has befallen it? It is rare to find other humans setting foot here, let alone other humans that are capable of such bravery. First of all, I believe introductions are in order? You know me now, the guardian of this island. But I do not know who you are.)
Nicole smiled. “W-Well my name is Nicole and I’m a marine biologist from the Beya region. “These are my Pokemon; Aqua, Luna, and Goldmight.”
The Amare smiled back. (It is very nice to meet you all. It’s been so long since I’ve seen any humans on the island but I suppose it is true when they say that you should be careful what you ask for...now those greedy pirates are destroying my home…)
Nicole sweatdropped. “Uh I think the correct way of saying it is ‘Be careful what you WISH for,’ and...they’re pirates? Then again the skull and bone thing made it obvious but the uniforms just threw me off…”
(Actually, you were correct on your other answer. They aren’t just searching for treasure. The wild Pokemon that inhabit this island are being targeted by those ruffians and what’s worse is that they plan to take them back and distribute them in some sort of ‘dark market.’) The Amare added.
“What?! That’s awful! Now we really have a reason to stop them, Luna! Besides! We’ve faced evil before so this is no different! We’re the only ones out here that can do this!” Nicole replied before sweatdropping again. “And the correct term is ‘BLACK market, Amare.”
Luna nodded. (So what’s our plan, Nicole? We can’t just charge in there and demand that they release all the Pokemon they’ve captured. And you can only have so many Pokemon out at one time.)
“I know, Luna...and we don’t have much time here either. It’s supposed to disappear after one or two days like all Mirage Islands.” the girl recalled. “But if we did have more time, I guess we could make our move once night comes. We’re easily hidden and they won’t expect us by then.”
Amare sighed. (It has a slight chance of success but If I were to combine my psychic powers with that of your Gardevoir, we might be able to keep the island in a sort of...frozen space. If we can, the island will be stuck in a temporary time loop, giving you some extra time to do what you must. But as I said before, it has a slight chance of success…)
Nicole smiled, feeling rather hopeful. “Well...it’s worth a try! How about it, Luna? It could be our only way of saving all those Pokemon those jokers have taken.” she asked, looking to the psychic/fairy type for an answer.
Luna thought for a moment or two before answering with a nod. (The amount of energy I’ll be putting into this will leave me rather drained for a while...but it’s as you said before: We’re the only ones who can stop them.) she then turned to Amare and nodded.
The psychic/flying type nodded back before focusing.
Luna did the same and the two began merging their powers, generating a sort of gap in spacetime.
Slowly, the gap increased in size and intensity before engulfing the entire island...only for a loud burst of energy to startle the two and halt their progress, causing the gap to collapse and disappear into nothingness.
Both Luna and Amare recovered, panting and struggling to keep their balance.
Nicole made her way towards the Gardevoir with a worried expression. “Luna? Are you ok?” she asked.
Luna nodded. (A bit drained...but I’ll be alright.)
Nicole nodded back, smiling before turning back at the sound of a gasp. “Huh?” The girl managed to catch a glimpse of Amare vanishing in a flash of light before hearing a sudden click from behind.
“Eon!!” cried Aqua.
In a span of about ten seconds, Nicole’s eyes darted towards her Vaporeon to find her captured in a net, then she noticed a man in a familiar black and red uniform holding a large weapon. “What in the?!”
The man grinned. “Say cheese!”
The gun fired another net at the girl and her Gardevoir, trapping them both.
Nicole gasped as she realized what was happening. “They found us!! Luna! Teleport!” she cried.
(I can’t do anything! I’m drained, remember?) Luna reminded as she struggled against the trap.
Nicole quickly turned to Aqua with a look of desperation. “Aqua! Try to break out!”
Aqua found herself struggling as well with Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail, Shadow Ball, and Swift, each attack doing nothing.
The man laughed. “Keep trying, babies. These nets are specially designed to be attack proof, especially from the inside! And watch this!” he pressed a button on the gun and suddenly, the two nets merged into one as if made out of a sticky gelatinous substance. “Pretty cool huh?”
Nicole glared. “No! Not cool at all! As an official protector of these oceans, I demand that you let us go! Your days of illegally selling these poor wild Pokemon for your own greedy and selfish gains are over!”
Aqua let out a hiss, adding to her trainer’s warning.
But the man remained unphased. “Sorry kid. Even if we wanted to, when our boss wants something, she gets it! And we’ll take out ANY unsuspecting do-gooders who dare get in our way! But I’ll tell you what! I’m a reasonable man. If your Goldmight can beat my newest catch, I’ll give you a chance. What do you say, kid?”
Nicole nodded. “I say you’d better hit us with your best shot, right Heavy?” the girl asked.
At first the Goldmight seemed confused until realizing it had a new nickname. “Might!” it proudly grumbled, staring down the man.
“Heavy? Pretty poor name but whatever floats your boat!” the man grinned before tossing a Pokeball and taking a few steps back. “Let’s crush some rock, Dergroppale!”
Nicole was shocked. “Dergroppale?!”
In a flash of light emerged an incredibly tall and thin humanoid figure. It resembled a human wearing a neatly tailored black suit and black tie. With long, pale, and sharp bony hands along with a pale blank face made this creature look like a nightmare.
Nicole quickly pulled out her Pokedex despite the restricted space from the net. “Could it be the same one from…?”
[Dergroppale, the Slender Pokemon.]
[Believed to have been around for centuries, it has been the subject of many horror stories, myths, and legends. Dergroppale can cause extreme paranoia, coughing fits, strange mood swings and in dire cases, insanity. It has been blamed for the disappearances of many missing children and Pokemon.]
Nicole gulped as a flood of memories washed over her and her Pokemon. “Yep...that sounds like the one from Florinda Forest…”
The man laughed. “I see you’re shaking already! Now turn that heap of rock and jewels into dust! Use Shadow Ball!”
The tall, thin, and faceless Pokemon began to charge up energy into a shadowy mass of blob before launching it at the opponent. “...”
Nicole watched as her Goldmight was hit directly, a large explosion engulfing the rock/steel type. “Heavy!”
Once the smoke cleared, Heavy remained standing, acting as if it had never suffered any hits. “Grah!”
Nicole smiled. “That’s it, big guy! Now it’s our turn! Use Rock Tomb!” she commanded.
Heavy began to smash at the ground in front of him, unearthing a few rocks that had been poking out and launching them at the opponent. Finally, he picked up a large boulder from nearby to finish the job. “Ragh!” he yelled.
The man laughed again. “Throwing rocks? That’s it? If that’s the best you can do, prepare for a massive beat down! Dergroppale, use Night Slash!”
The Dergroppale bent forward slightly as a set of multiple tentacles appeared to grow out of its back before the Pokemon vanished into thin air, immediately reappearing directly in front of Heavy, ready to attack with its tentacles which glowed a crimson red.
Nicole’s mind raced. “...Ah! Flash Cannon!” she yelled, hoping her Goldmight was in fact familiar with such a move.
Heavy quickly gathered energy from the light radiating from its golden ore body before unleashing it as a beam of bright and powerful energy. “AAAH!!”
The opposing Dergroppale flew backwards before striking a palm tree, causing it to shake. “...”
Nicole sighed with relief. “Whew…”
But the man was far from done. “You think that’s it? Dergroppale! Shadow Sneak!”
The tall black creature suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving both Heavy and his trainer in a desperate panic. Suddenly, the Dergroppale appeared from behind and unleashed a powerful swipe with its tentacles.
Heavy was sent flying into the air before coming back down with an earth-vibrating thud.
Nicole frowned. “C’mon Heavy! We’re not gonna let a little scary looking stick figure bring us down, are we?”
Heavy stood back up and let out a mighty roar in response.
Nicole nodded. “Right! Use Earthquake!”
Heavy began punching the ground repeatedly, causing it to shake. “RAAAGH!!”
But the man remained smug. “Dodge it!”
The Dergroppale began to teleport around, avoiding the rising stalagmites and sudden chasms and pitfalls.
Nicole growled, starting to grow impatient. “Earth Power!” she yelled.
Heavy’s body began to glow with a golden aura before slamming both fists on the ground with great force, causing a violent tremor as well as large cracks in the ground. With one more slam, a large mount rose from the ground, emanating incredibly hot steam before eventually erupting, sending chunks of hot rock in many directions.
The man had a look of surprise as he watched the geyser burst, sending a large chunk at the Dergroppale.
Even Nicole and her other Pokemon were impressed. “Whoa!! I don’t think I’ve seen an Earth Power like that before!”
The Dergroppale used its tentacles to shove the smouldering hot boulder off before standing back up as even more tentacles appeared from its back, giving it a closer resemblance to a spider.
The man smiled. “Ok! I’ll admit that was pretty cool but I’m afraid playtime’s over, girly! Dergroppale, use Jumpscare!”
Nicole froze. “Wait...Dergroppale can use that move too?!”
The nightmarish Pokemon began to shroud the entire area in a thick heavy fog, allowing it to fade out of view.
“Don’t let it get to you, Heavy! It wants you to be scared!” Nicole warned.
But unfortunately, the eerie fog and paranoia caused by the opponents possible whereabouts made it rather difficult to be brave.
...when suddenly…
A multitude of hellish screams and pained cries accompanied the startling appearance of the Dergroppale right in front of the Goldmight’s face, giving it one hell of a fright! “GAAAAH!!”
“Now finish it with one more Shadow Ball! Full power!!” the man ordered.
The fog immediately lifted as the Dergroppale charged another ball of shadowy mass before launching it at the opponent while it was still dazed from the Jumpscare.
The attack found its mark, engulfing the rock/steel type in a massive explosion
Nicole watched in disbelief as the smoke cleared to reveal Heavy on the ground, motionless and eyes swirling. “Heavy! No!”
The man returned his Dergroppale with a smug smile. “I guess that’s that. I win so now you and your Pokemon are coming with us!”
“Us? What do you mean ‘us?’” Nicole asked in confusion as Aqua let out another hiss.
With a snap of the man’s finger, the same men and women that Nicole had seen earlier emerged from the nearby bushes and shrubs. Together, they grabbed the net and began carrying the hostages back only to be stopped by the supposed leader of the group. “Hold on. We don’t want any drama so let’s put them out first.” he ordered.
The team nodded before one of the members sent out a Skuntank.
“Knock them out.”
The skunk like Pokemon nodded before raising one of its hind legs and spraying out a foul gas.
Nicole and her Pokemon tried to resist but eventually succumbed to the horrible smell, losing consciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“....ugh….Aqua? Luna…?”
Nicole slowly opened her eyes to find herself...suspended somehow. As her senses slowly returned, she remembered the net, the man and his comrades, the flaming skull and crossbone design, and finally, why she was waking up.
Looking around, the girl saw that she was still in the net but Aqua and Luna were nowhere to be found. Her eyes fell on the many men and women she had seen, along with a new face. A fiery haired woman in a dark red bikini top, black jeans, and high heeled sandals, her left hip bearing the same design as the uniforms of the others. With fiery red lips and eyes, she gave the girl a mischievous grin. “Hmm...Look who’s awake! Our troublesome pesky little brat, Nicole. What a pleasure to finally meet you!”
Nicole glared, locking eyes with the woman. “How do you know my name? And who are you? You’re the one who’s in charge of this entire operation, aren’t you?” she questioned.
The woman nodded. “Aren’t you a smart one? Before we continue, I should introduce myself...you might as well have your final requests anyway. I am Ignacia, the burning leader of this wonderful gang of mine. And how do I know you? Well you can thank your Gardevoir for that. I’ll be honest, she was one hell of a fighter though but I’m sure she’ll sell for a high price along with your other Pokemon.”
Nicole gasped. “WHAT?! Where are they?! You let them go right now!!” she ordered.
Ignacia chuckled. “As we speak, they’re being loaded onto the ship, ready for transport, but don’t worry. We’ll be sure to send our condolences to them saying you were such a heroic and good person.”
Nicole was confused. “Condolences? What the heck are you…?!” the girl looked down to see herself suspended high above a raging waterfall before looking back and noticing Ignacia holding a rope with the help of some of her members.
“I know we only just met but unfortunately, I can’t have anyone interfering with my operation. My boss just wouldn’t be pleased with me. You understand how it is…” Ignacia said before loosening her grip on the rope.
Nicole suddenly felt herself drop a few inches before stopping. “You can’t do this! Ever hear of ‘what goes around comes around?’ You’re the one who’s really gonna pay!” she warned, hoping to talk some sense into this greedy woman.
Ignacia sighed. “How long do you think I’ve been doing this for? Sorry kid but I’ve gotta get going soon. I’ve enjoyed our little talk though. Goodbye.” she grinned before letting go of the rope then signaling the rest to do the same.
Nicole let out a terrified scream as she fell, the sound of the waterfall becoming quieter as opposed to the howl of the air and wind as bottom of the waterfall became clearer and clearer. She tried to reposition her body in an attempt to hit the water feet-first to reduce the impact and shock. A large splash followed bubbles billowing out as Nicole tried to resurface for air only to sink deeper and deeper from the weight of the rope and the limited space inside.
The deeper she went, the darker and colder it got until she finally reached the bottom, still struggling to free herself from the net.
Nicole looked around in desperation, looking for anything that might save her. ‘If this is what River goes through on a daily basis, I feel so sorry for her…’ she thought before looking up at the glimmering surface. ‘Aqua...Luna...Aria...My Pokemon...I have to get out of here. But how?’
A faint burning sensation began to grow in the girl’s lungs as she continued to pull and tug at the ropes in a desperate attempt to escape.
Nicole exhaled a bit to try and ease the pain in her body. The burning faded but she knew she’d reach her limit soon. ‘Is this really it…? I’m powerless without my Pokemon and I’m obviously not getting out of this net...I don’t have my mouthpiece either…’
“...glublrb…”
Nicole quickly covered her mouth, realizing all the energy she had put into trying to escape had depleted her breathholding time by a large amount. ‘I need...to breathe…’ The burning in her lungs now felt like the inside of a volcano. Nicole struggled to hold onto what little air was left as her body began to feel numb. Shutting her eyes, the girl began to accept her fate as her mind thought back to all the highlights in her life…
...until a bright glow surrounded her body…
‘...huh…? What’s happening?’
The glow began to overtake Nicole’s vision until white was all she could see.
‘Am I already dead? But it can’t be…’
A sudden spasm shot through her body, forcing out more air and causing her to inhale water. Nicole began to panic and struggle, gurgling and grasping outward for some form of salvation as the water invaded her body.
‘...no…’
The next thing she knew, Nicole was laying on the ground out of the water, coughing so hard she could see stars and spirals. With every cough and gasp, her lungs burned and ached, but she was alive...somehow.
(...Nicole! You’re alright! Take slow deep breaths!)
The brown haired girl turned to see the world around her, now free from the net that had almost sealed her doom. The lush vegetation, the bright afternoon sun, the blue sky, and the welcoming fresh air. “...I’m alive…?” she coughed.
(Thankfully...I’m so glad to see that.)
Nicole sat up and looked around before spotting a familiar equine Pokemon looking at her with a worried face. “Amare...Was that bright glow your doing?” she asked.
The pink horse Pokemon nodded.
“You saved me...thanks Amare…” the girl wheezed.
Another nod from Amare and a smile. (Of course. We are friends and we must stop Ignacia and her gang from getting away with my subjects and your Pokemon!)
Nicole gasped as the memories of Ignacia flashed into her mind. “...You’re right...Do you know where they are now? Wait...but even if we do find them, I can’t do anything! I’m powerless without my Pokemon!”
Amare gave a brave and reassuring smile. (Yes but I’m still free! For the safety of my subjects and your friends, I shall stand by your side, Nicole!)
“You mean...You’ll act as my Pokemon?” asked the girl.
Amare nodded.
Nicole nodded back with a smile. “...Really? Well...thanks!” she chuckled. “So...which way did they go?”
Amare flapped her wings and took off, staying close enough to the ground for Nicole to follow. (This way! Post haste!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I think we finally have enough Pokemon to call it a day. Alright everyone. Time to pack up and get moving! Let’s go people!”
Ignacia chuckled as she ordered her crew onboard the massive iron-clad cargo ship before boarding herself as final preparations began.
One of the men stopped her shortly after boarding. “Ignacia! We’ve detected another Mirage Island about 10 miles away. Shall we land for more captures?”
Ignacia pondered for a second before nodding. “More benefit for us! Start the ship immediately!” she ordered.
The man gave a quick salute. “Yes ma’am!” he exclaimed before walking off to give his orders.
A loud roar filled the area as Nicole and Amare arrived to see the large ship starting to pull away from the beach. A sense of panic grew inside the girl as the great vessel got farther and farther away.
“Oh no! They’re leaving!”
Amare’s mind began to race. (...Nicole! On my back! I’ll fly us aboard!) she instructed, readying herself for takeoff.
Nicole nodded before climbing on the equine Pokemon’s back and clinging tightly. “Ok! Ready whenever!” she sighed, gathering her courage and determination.
Amare took off towards the departing ship, flapping her wings harder due to the extra weight on her back.
After flying up to the main deck, Amare landed with a huff as her human passenger climbed down carefully.
The large deck carried many colorful metallic crates and containers all filled with captured Pokemon. A large crane stood tall near the back of the ship which was currently at work loading the containers down into a large opening in the middle of the deck. Once finished, two long and large plates of metal slid together before shutting tightly, converting the opening back into the floor of the deck.
Nicole looked around for any signs of the crew members. After a moment of no activity, Nicole turned to Amare and motioned for her to follow as she slowly opened the door to one of the ship’s rooms, leading deeper into the belly. “C’mon,” she whispered.
Once inside, Nicole shut the door as quickly and quietly as possible before looking around to see a dimly lit passage heading downwards. The faint cries of Pokemon could be heard coming from the other side.
Amare smiled. (My subjects! They have to be at the end! We must help them now!)
Nicole nodded before looking up and noticing a blink red light. “Hold on...I think it’s a security camera!” she warned before her mind began to race for a possible solution. “...Can you turn us invisible or something? We have to get down there without being spotted!”
Amare nodded back. (I can try…) the pink equine Pokemon began to concentrate, its horn giving off a faint glow before shrouding both the Pokemon and Nicole in an odd aura, giving them a transparent appearance.
Nicole quietly gasped as she looked down at her clear and transparent body, giving the illusion as if her skin and clothes were made of glass. “Woah…”
Amare pointed forward with a hoof, turning to the girl with an urgent look on her face. (We must hurry! It’s effects are temporary!)
“Right! C’mon!” Nicole said before continuing downwards into the corridor with Amare following closely.
Upon reaching the end, Nicole and Amare were relieved to find a sign bolted to the metal door which read CARGO BAY ENTRANCE 01.
But to their disappointment, Nicole tried to open the door only to find it locked. “Of course…” she sighed.
Amare frowned. (Oh no! What are to do now?)
“Hey...Can’t you use your psychic powers to unlock it or something?” the girl asked.
Amare shook her head, feeling slightly ashamed. (I can’t do it without applying force. The crew will hear us for sure!)
Nicole grunted in frustration.
(...But I can distract them. Since I am a rare sight, they’ll want EVERYONE to try and capture me! Meanwhile, you can look for some way to open the door and free the Pokemon!)
Nicole hesitated for a moment before nodding in understanding, seeing she really had no other option. “...Well...It’s a crazy plan but we don’t have any other choice! Alright Amare...just be careful!” she warned.
Amare nodded before vanishing in a flash of light.
Nicole anxiously waited for some kind of signal when a sudden burst of static from a nearby intercom snapped her back to attention, accompanied by the wail of an emergency siren.
“ATTENTION ALL CREW MEMBERS! WE HAVE A RARE POKEMON SIGHTING ABOVE THE BOW! WE NEED EVERYONE ON DECK TO ASSIST WITH CAPTURE IMMEDIATELY!”
Nicole smiled before realizing that her body had regained visibility. “As long as no one’s watching those cameras and Amare doesn’t get caught, I can do this,” she paused before examining the door, looking for some kind of weak spot. Her eyes fell on a series of wires from the door, trailing to another dimly lit corridor. “...maybe the door opens if I shut off the power!”
With a smile, the girl followed the wires into the other corridor, eventually finding herself standing in front of another metal door labeled ‘ENGINE ROOM AND MAIN POWER GENERATOR.’ The door was unlocked, allowing the brown haired girl to enter.
Meanwhile, Amare soared high above the ship, successfully drawing the attention of most of the crew members onboard. She sped around, flying erratically to avoid the oncoming swarm of Pokeballs and Pokemon attacks from the crowd below, determined to catch the rare creature. “Mare!! Amare! Ama! Ama!” she neighed, taunting the people below. ‘Please hurry Nicole! My wings can’t keep me flying forever!’
Suddenly, one of the women readied a familiar looking weapon before taking careful aim. “That’s it, my little pony...stay right there…”
Before Amare could react, a large and heavy net fired from the barrel of the weapon, deploying itself and successfully subduing its target, sending her falling onto the deck below but not before hearing the ship’s engine and equipment suddenly fail, getting the attention of everyone. (Oh no! They’re heading for the main source of the ship’s power!) the pink equine mentally exclaimed, hoping it would be able to reach the girl.
Luckily it did as Nicole quickly rushed out of the room and darted towards the cargo area. This time, the door opened and without a moment to spare, the girl rushed inside and shut the door before looking around for a place to hide, knowing the crew members would start to suspect something.
The cries of Pokemon filled the large room which was filled with crates, containers, cages, and glass tanks of many sizes. Just like the corridors, the large room was barely lit, making it rather difficult to navigate. The air was thick and filled with the scent of metal and iron.
The door suddenly flew open as Ignacia looked around with a look of suspicion on her face. “WHO’S IN HERE?!” she yelled.
Hidden and crouched between two metal crates, Nicole stood still and quiet, hoping she hadn’t been found out yet.
“SHOW YOURSELF NOW!!” Ignacia yelled, continuing to examine the room before finally entering, feeling another presence.
Nicole’s eyes darted around frantically before catching the sight of a familiar Lullamera inside of a large aquarium-like tank stacked on top of another tank in the distance. ‘Aria!! If she’s over there, then my other Pokemon have to be in that location too! I just gotta get to her without getting caught…’ she thought to herself before looking around one more time for any signs of Ignacia. Once clear, the girl quietly started towards the Lullamera’s tank.
Ignacia froze as she heard the faint echo of footsteps in the distance, confirming her suspicions. “I hear you! Show yourself already!” she loudly said.
Nicole began to go faster as the clacking of high heels began to slowly grow louder.
“The game is over! Come out now!” Ignacia turned to her crew members still standing at the door. “Why are you deadbeats just standing there?! Get over here and help me find the intruder or you’re sleeping with the Sharpedo!” she threatened.
“Yes ma’am! Apologies!” one of the men said before the rest got to work, fanning out and searching for the intruder.
Nicole continued on, looking behind and around for any of her pursuers as she slowly picked up her pace, careful not to make any noise.
Aria looked around with a frightened and confused expression, wondering why Ignacia and her members were on such high alert. Suddenly, a familiar figure entered the water/dark type’s sight, much to her delight. “Lul…? MERLA!! Lullamera!!” Aria cried out.
Nicole’s blood ran cold as she looked at her Pokemon with a look of fear, desperately motioning for her to stop. “QUIET!” the girl mouthed.
Aria froze as the gestures clicked in her mind. Not wanting to spoil her trainer’s cover, she tried to play along by banging against the glass and frantically looking around, trying to make it seem as if her sudden exclamation was just another panicked plea for help. “Lulla!! Lulla!!” she cried.
Nicole finally reached Aria’s tank with a relieved sigh as her eyes fell on the rest of her Pokemon, all in glass containers.
Luna gasped before turning to everyone and ordering them to be quiet. (Everyone! Silence! Nicole’s presence mustn’t be known!)
Nicole smiled. ‘I’m here to free you guys along with every Pokemon on this boat! And I think I have an idea!’ she thought.
Luna nodded, smiling back as she communicated telepathically with her trainer. (We’re all glad to see you’re alright, Nicole! What’s the plan?)
‘That glass container...it’s probably resistant to your attacks...but it can still shatter with enough force, right?’
Luna frowned. (Perhaps...but humans clearly aren’t strong enough to break it…)
Nicole grinned. ‘But maybe a fall can!’ she then pointed to Aria’s tank.
Luna was about to answer until she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. (Nicole! Hide!)
Nicole quickly hid behind a metal crate just as one of the men rounded a corner with a flashlight. After a minute of looking around, he eventually lost interest and walked away, giving the girl her chance to come out of hiding and continue planning. ‘Ok I gotta do this fast! Tell Aria she might want to take a deep breath, Luna!’
Aria watched as Nicole jumped up and grabbed hold of the surface of the first tank before hoisting herself up and making her way towards the water/dark type’s tank. “Merla! Lulla Lulla!” she happily exclaimed.
Nicole smiled back before placing her hands against the glass only to turn away as she realized that the crew had spotted her. “Uh oh!”
“Hey! It’s the girl! She’s still alive!!” one of the women yelled.
Ignacia gasped. “WHAT?!” she growled as her eyes fell on the girl on top of the tank. “NICOLE! STOP HER!!”
Ignacia’s crew members started for the tank, making their way through the maze of containers while others just climbed their way over.
“Aah! Aria! Help me push the tank over!!” Nicole exclaimed before pushing against the glass with all her strength.
Aria did the same, struggling to push the glass over the edge.
Ignacia and her crew were now closing in on the girl, getting closer and closer with every passing moment.
Nicole continued to push when suddenly she felt as if something was grabbing her foot. She looked down in horror as one of the men had finally reached her, determined to pull her down and stop her. “Hey!! Let go!!” she cried, still trying to push over Aria’s tank when a woman caught up and grabbed her.
Aria however, wasn’t going to give up, seeing that the tank was now nearing its tipping point. Repeatedly banging her body against the glass, the water inside churned and sloshed around, slightly adding to the force until the tank finally began to tip over the side.
Nicole struggled with her captors as she saw the tank falling over. “Aria! Deep breath! Then use Siren’s Shriek!”
With a loud crash, the glass shattered upon hitting the floor, allowing hundreds of gallons of water to spill all over as well as granting the siren Pokemon her freedom.
Aria had followed her trainer’s instructions, inhaling as much water into her body before hitting the ground then unleashing a deafening scream accompanied by black ominous sonic waves spreading throughout the cargo hull. The sounds of glass shattering and water running faintly filled the entire area as the glass containers had apparently been designed to withstand internal force only.
Ignacia and her crew were forced to covered their ears in a weak attempt to protect themselves from the sound based assault, letting Nicole go free and finally reuniting with her Pokemon.
Once the attack subsided, Nicole felt a vibration in her back pocket. Curious, she pulled out her Pokedex to find a new text message from Trent. She flipped the device on and quickly read the message to herself.
‘POLICE ON THEIR WAY. FOUND SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY NOT FAR FROM YOUR BOAT. STAY SAFE AND BE CAREFUL. ♥’
Nicole felt a sense of relief knowing she wasn’t completely alone with her Pokemon. “...Just gotta hold them off until help arrives.” she said to herself before looking up at an angry Ignacia, standing just a few feet away. “It’s game over, you greedy witch! Let these Pokemon go now or I’ll have to do things the hard way!” the girl warned with her Pokemon standing right beside her.
Ignacia laughed at the adolescent girl’s words. “Me? Give up my operation when I’ve come this far? Over my dead body kid!” she growled, holding out a Pokeball. “Go Dergroppale!”
In a flash of light, a tall skinny humanoid figure appeared. It had the appearance of a man in a neatly tailored black suit with a black tie with long and bony-ish white hands and a pale white face...or rather lack of face. The creature stood tall and filled the area with an ominous and frightening dread.
Nicole gasped before pointing her Pokedex at the creature. “Could it possibly be the same…?” she wondered as a flood of terrifying memories filled her mind.
“Dergroppale, the Slender Pokemon.”
“It is believed to have been alive for centuries, spawning many myths, tales, and legends of its existence. When in its immediate vicinity, it’s been known to cause paranoia, memory loss, coughing fits, extreme mood swings, the malfunction of media devices, and in rare cases, insanity. It has been repeatedly blamed for the mysterious disappearances of children and Pokemon”
Nicole gulped. “Yep...sounds like the one from Florinda Forest!”
Aqua shuddered before seeking refuge behind her trainer. “Vapor…”
Ignacia laughed. “What’s the matter? Too scared to fight? Prepared to let down all these poor Pokemon? That’s just too bad!” she mocked.
Nicole glared as she gathered up every bit of courage, an idea in her head. “Just a little but I’m not losing to the likes of you! Besides, I’ve got a piece of nightmare fuel myself!” she exclaimed before turning back with a confident smile. “It’s time to shine, Animareic!”
From the shadows emerged a large robotic creature that resembled a human female ballerina with an advanced, futuristic, but broken appearance. Unlike other Animareic, this one appeared to be made completely out of metallic plating as evident by the seams and lines all over its body. It was a pale white color with pink cheeks, purple eyeshadow and hair, a purple tutu with matching shoes, and a blue design resembling an athletic-like midriff. Its mouth appeared to be incapable of movement but the endoskeleton’s mouth inside was. It’s eyes were also shut tight yet it navigated as if it could see perfectly.
Ignacia was a bit startled at first. “Yikes! That’s an Animareic? It’s pretty flashy and shiny though!”
Nicole nodded. “I was pretty surprised too. The Pokedex says they’re specially designed with state of the art features as opposed to the one’s you’re probably used to.” she explained before activating her Pokedex and flipping to the entry page.
“Animareic, the Possessed Animatronic Pokemon.”
“Believed to be possessed by the spirits of lost and vengeful children, these Pokemon become active mostly in dark areas or at night. This model was recently discovered in an underground storage facility. Along with the rest of the set, they are equipped with state of the art technology and design choices that were unfortunately prone to untimely malfunction.”
Nicole’s Animareic twitched and spasmed violently, causing its face plates to momentarily swing loose and exposing its endoskeleton which appeared to be constructed of hundreds of metallic hoses and wires. The mouth aligned with many dangerously sharp and pointed teeth. “...H-H-Hell-Hell-Hello. M-M-My name is---we are going to have a wonderful ti-i-i-ime getting fit while we eat some delicious people-le-le-le---delicious pizza! But don’t overdo it! We must keep a healthy---”
Both Nicole and Ignacia stared at the animatronic Pokemon in speechlessness as its face plates shut themselves closed. Even Ignacia’s Dergroppale took a step back in supposed surprise.
Luna, however, smiled. (Do not fear, Nicole! Remember that Animareic take pleasure in terrifying their trainers but they mean no real harm!) the psychic/fairy type reassured.
Nicole calmed herself as she saw the Animareic’s eyes finally open, revealing pale orange pupils that seemed to stare at the girl in an apologetic and friendly manner. “...Just when I thought the nightmares would finally end…” she sweatdropped.
Ignacia shook herself back to reality. “Enough chatting! Time to finish you off once and for all, you little brat! Let’s set the battlefield first with Mist!”
From seemingly nowhere, a heavy foggy mist shrouded the entire cargo hull, reducing visibility by an inconsiderable amount!
Nicole looked around in surprise and slight worry. “Uh oh! Hey wait...you’re eyes may be closed but you get around by listening, don’t you?” she asked.
The Animareic nodded without turning back.
Nicole began to feel confident once again. “Ok! Then let’s start off with Shadow Ball!”
The animatronic Pokemon conjured up a sphere made from a shadowy bloblike mass all while listening for any indication of the opponent’s presence.
Suddenly, Nicole let out a surprised gasp. “In front of you! Look out!”
The Shadow Ball attack immediately caused an explosion, damaging both Animareic and Ignacia’s Dergroppale and sending them stumbling backwards.
Nicole ran over to her injured Pokemon. “Are you ok??” she asked.
The robotic creature quickly recovered as it assembled its unhinged metal plates on its face and body blown loose by the blast. After getting to the tips of its toes, it turned its head down at its trainer and nodded before stepping back into battle.
Nicole frowned. “That didn’t work but we’re not giving up! That explosion must’ve damaged Dergroppale atleast a little so atleast we did something! Now let’s try Flash Cannon! On my signal!”
The Animareic’s metallic body began to shine brightly as light-filled energy gathered. Once it had charged enough, the animatronic waited for her trainer’s command.
Nicole looked around in the foggy dimly lit darkness for any signs of the opponent, becoming desperate and worried with each passing second for the Animareic’s ability to hold the attack. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a faint but noticeable figure in the distance. “Now!!”
But just as the Animareic finally unleashed the blast of light filled energy, the figure vanished, nullifying the attack.
Nicole growled. “It missed!”
Ignacia laughed from somewhere ahead. “Good luck landing any hits! As fancy and terrifying your robot may be, Dergroppale is a silent killer! We’re gonna turn that bot into scrap!” she exclaimed. “Now Dergroppale! Shadow Sneak!”
Out of the sudden shadows, Ignacia’s Dergroppale emerged before grabbing the animatronic Pokemon with a multitude of tentacle-like appendages appearing to protrude out of its back, and slamming and tossing the opponent around, finishing by throwing it into a nearby crate before disappearing back into the shadows
Nicole growled. ‘C’mon Nicole! Think! How are we supposed to find something we can’t see or hear...wait...what about feel…?’ the girl quickly turned to face her recovering Animareic, now getting back on the tips of its feet again. “Every time you’re attacked, don’t you get some kind of malfunction or weird feeling...Well...BEFORE you’re attacked?” she corrected herself.
The Animareic nodded before its head began to twitch.
Nicole smiled. “That’s how we’ll know where to aim! That Dergroppale may be silent but electronics always malfunction in its presence! And you’re basically a sentient electronic...oh...sorry if I offended. You get what I mean?” she asked.
The Animareic nodded again before stepping back into battle, waiting on its trainer’s orders.
Nicole nodded back. “Use Iron Head once you feel he’s close enough. I don’t think we’re gonna get far with ghost type moves anyway.”
The Animareic waited anxiously in the foggy darkness when suddenly it began to feel a disturbance in its components and servos. Dergroppale was getting closer. The malfunctions slowly got worse as its head began to twitch and shake. Once it became unbearable, the animatronic shot forward and surprisingly headbutted something. Something softer than the containers lined up everywhere.
Nicole gasped. “It hit!”
Ignacia was surprised. “Gah! Lucky hit!”
But Nicole wasn’t going to let her Pokemon suffer through the anticipation and malfunctions. “Hurry and use Jumpscare!”
Quickly retreating into the shadows, the Animareic listened for the stumbling footsteps and movements of the opponent before revealing itself, jumping out at the Dergroppale before opening its face plates, exposing the horrifying endoskeleton and letting out a heartstopping screech.
“Now how about a Gear Grind?” Nicole exclaimed, admittingly not expecting an Animareic to know such a move.
But to the girl’s surprise, the distance between the two Pokemon allowed the animatronic to open its torso plates and unleash a mechanism that caught the Dergroppale’s arm, grinding it between two tightly positioned gears!
Nicole pumped a fist into the air, her spirit rekindled with determination and confidence. “Way to go, Ballora!” she praised.
“B-A-L-L-O-R-A….H-H-Hell-Hello there. My name is Ballora.” The animatronic said.
Nicole nodded. “Your new name!”
“Th-Th-Thank you-ou-ou-ou...N-I-C-O-L-E. Nicole. What a nice name for such a nice child-ild-ild-ild. It’s nice to meet you, Nicole!” Ballora kindly answered.
Nicole’s attention was suddenly drawn back to the darkness with a gasp as she saw a familiar series of tentacles lash out from the darkness. “Look out!”
With no time to react, Ballora was immediately wrapped before feeling the intense gripping pressure beginning to crush her.
Ignacia laughed. “Lucky hits kid! But I’m afraid the battle ends here! Dergroppale, use Dark Pulse!”
The slender Pokemon’s body began to glow a sinister crimson red before unleashing a wave of dark ominous energy on the animatronic Pokemon.
After being let go, Ballora immediately collapsed to the ground in a smoking sparking heap.
Ballora had fainted.
After a moment of letting it sink in, Nicole looked at Ignacia with a nervous expression until…
“THIS IS THE BEYA POLICE! WE HAVE YOU COMPLETELY SURROUNDED! ALL ABOARD COME OUT NOW WITH YOUR HANDS UP OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED BY FORCE!”
Ignacia glared at Nicole. “...”
The girl and her Vaporeon smiled. “Let’s just say...I’m not alone here! And I’m not referring to just my Pokemon!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back on the Mirage Island, Nicole and her Pokemon stood on the shore as they watched the squad of police officers and authorities make their arrests as the sun began to set over the horizon. Now back in possession of her backpack and Pokeball belt, the girl felt like another day was drawing to a close. With a sigh, Nicole turned to her team members with a smile. “I don’t know about the rest of you but after an adventure like that, I just wanna head back to Paloma and take it easy for a while. But first, I think a trip to the Pokemon Center is a must.”
Aqua, Luna, Aria, Static, Ballora, Heavy, and Pinkie all nodded in agreement before being returned into their Pokeballs with the exception of the Vaporeon.
“Vap Vaporeon, Napor!” Aqua mewed happily before walking to her friend’s side.
Nicole chuckled before stopping in her tracks to the sound of a familiar yelling coming from the direction of the police boats.
“NICOLE PORTER! YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME, YOU BRAT! YOU MAY HAVE RUINED MY OPERATION BUT I WILL GET YOU SOMEDAY! THIS ISN’T OVER!!”
Nicole rolled her eyes before turning towards the boats with a confident smile. “Yeah! Good luck with that, Ignacia! Remind me to write my will once you get out of prison!” she laughed.
“I’LL GET YOU, NICOLE PORTER!!”
“Yeah! Whatever!” the girl added.
Aqua giggled. “Vaporeon Vap Vap Vap!!”
Nicole shook her head before leading her Vaporeon back towards her research trawler only to stop upon sighting a familiar equine Pokemon.
Amare smiled as she unfolded her wings. (Hello again, Nicole. I can only assume that you’re leaving?)
Nicole nodded. “Unfortunately, I am...then again I don’t really have any other option. This island is gonna disappear soon and I also have a job to keep. That with friends, my Pokemon...yeah...I guess this is the big good-bye isn’t it?” she asked.
Amare paused for a moment. (...Perhaps...or we may cross paths again someday. But I must take this moment to say how grateful I am to you. You saved all of my subjects from ending up in illegal exchange and other selfish matters. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I can also only hope that those two Pokemon you’ve captured will become a valuable addition to your team. But you also must promise that you’ll take extra good care of them.)
Nicole nodded. “Don’t worry, Amare! They’re in good hands! And well...what can I say? I’m just doing what’s right! But I couldn’t have done it without some help from you too! You should be proud!”
Amare nodded back. (I am. I take great pride everyday as I watch over my subjects as well as this entire island, keeping it safe from harm. And I will continue to do so. I hope you take pride in what you do as well.)
Nicole chuckled. “Of course I’m proud! Not only am I making a living out of helping innocent wild Pokemon but I also get to enjoy my time out in the ocean with MY Pokemon too! Anyways...I should probably get going! Who knows when my boss is gonna start bothering me again for more work!”
Aqua chuckled at her friend’s remark.
Amare did as well. (I understand. May your life be filled with never-ending joy and happiness and once more...on behalf of my island and all my subjects, I thank you, Nicole. May our paths cross again as we await your much welcomed return. Farewell my dear friends!) with a flap of her wings, the alicorn Pokemon took off towards mountain in the distance before fading into the air.
Nicole smiled as she watched her new friend go before turning to the water-type with a smile. “C’mon sis! We’d better start sailing too! I can’t wait to see Trent again! And I bet you feel the same about Shadow, don’t ya?” she asked.
Aqua nodded with a faint blush. “Por…”
Nicole giggled before giving her friend a few pats on the head. “Hey! Nothing to be embarrassed about! Let’s go! I think I still have one more Pokepuff laying around in the kitchen somewhere! It might just be green!” she insisted.
Aqua immediately began licking her lips before following her trainer back to the research trawler, ready to finally relax after their tiring adventure.
Once onboard, Nicole headed for the small kitchen area and began rummaging through the fridge before smiling. “Aha!” she exclaimed before pulling out a green frosted Pokepuff and shutting the door then turning to the anxious water type. “Here ya go, sis! Just as promised!”
Aqua happily and hungrily took the treat from the girl’s hand and began to eat, savoring every last bite.
Nicole watched the sight before her with a giggle before heading for the helm, eager to check her Pokedex for any new messages. “Let’s see...River...and Trent.” she pondered on which one to answer first before finally pressing on the screen.
“You called, honey?”
Nicole smiled. “You were the one who messaged me first, baby! What’s up?” apparently River’s call would have to wait a little…
“Well yeah. I also texted you. I was trying to warn you about-”
“Don’t worry about it, sweetie! I took care of it...well...the police did most of the work but I managed to hold those smugglers off until help arrived but you know what I mean! And me and my Pokemon are all ok! We’re heading back to Paloma for a break and a trip to the Pokemon Center right now anyway! Everything’s just hunky-dory!” Nicole reassured.
“That’s great to hear! Also...you know how I’ve told you about how Unova’s gonna be holding its first Pokemon Contest?”
Nicole froze for a second. “Uh yeah...what about it?” she asked.
“Well...I was watching the news for a bit and I think I saw that River girl performing with some other girl who...I swear...it looked like...Ashley. I couldn’t make it out cause the live feed just suddenly...went dead. I thought that was kinda strange...also makes me wonder what Ashley’s up to nowadays. It’s been awhile since we’ve last met with her hasn’t it?”
Nicole nodded as she began to think back to her high school days with a sigh. “Yeah...I kinda miss her...we were best friends after all…”
“Hey sweetie...don’t let it get you down! I’m sure she’ll pop up again soon! It’s not like she could’ve just vanished into thin air, right?”
Nicole chuckled a bit. “Well...I guess that’s true. So uh...I don’t suppose you’ll be busy during my little pitstop at Paloma?”
“Unfortunately I kinda am...but hey! We’ll definitely be seeing each other next week for the Halloween Bash! Can’t wait for that!”
Wiping a small tear from her cheek, she smiled before starting the research vessel’s engine and raising the anchor, ready to sail off. “Me neither! Anyways, I got another missed call and who knows when my boss will be giving me one too. So I’ll talk to you later?”
“Will do, my Luvdisc! Love you!”
Nicole giggled. “Love you too, my Hunk-tail!” ending the call, she sighed before looking at the water ahead with a confident and optimistic smile. “...If Ashley’s out there somewhere enjoying herself...I should be doing the same too. And it’s just like Trent said...I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again…”
As the sun sank lower below the horizon, Nicole steered her vessel back for Paloma City, eager to relax and prepare for another day at sea...