Charizard roared as he picked up speed, flying after where Kyurem had just entered.

Dame Hydraen was ahead of Charizard by several feet.

Charizard grunted as he struggled to keep up with the speedy Dragons, but he didn’t seem to be in the best shape right now.

“We’re almost there, Charizard!” I encouraged him, staring down below, trying to see through the mist around us.

Some sort of bridge was far below, just a long shadow extending out to the mountains ahead.

Dame Hydraen and Robin flew into the opening of the mountain where Kyurem had gone, Charizard, June, and I following after them a few seconds later.

The temperature dropped drastically as Charizard and Dame Hydraen dove down inside of the mountain.

Robin inhaled sharply as I lost my breath entirely, unable to even gasp as I squeezed my eyes shut and tightened my arms and legs around Charizard’s body, June crying out from the sudden shock of cold we all felt.

Dame Hydraen and Charizard let out stunned cries along with us.

I shivered helplessly as cold wind blew into me from Charizard flying down so fast, and I gripped my Pokemon’s warm body even harder as I slowly squinted through my eyes. The sight inside of the mountain almost made me forget about the cold for a second.

Everything seemed to be made of ice!

As I stared at the beautiful ice designs that stretched across the ice walls and stuck out at random angles, creating a dangerous obstacle for Charizard and Dame Hydraen as they maneuvered around them, headed for the bottom, I realized that what looked like steel ladders, beams, towers, and other varying, metallic objects were frozen in the ice.

“It’s like a castle made out of ice!” June exclaimed.

“It’s kind of cold,” I shook in my T-shirt. I was getting sick of things going from hot to cold back and forth.

“I hate the cold,” Robin complained. “Kyurem couldn’t have picked a place with a little sunlight?”

Full Court was coated in ice from the walls to the floor below, where…

“Kyurem!” the three of us yelled, Charizard and Dame Hydraen roaring with us.

Kyurem stood on the ground, looking up at us. It roared.

“Kyurem, stop!” I screamed at it.

Charizard landed with Dame Hydraen.

I leaped off of his back and stood next to him, glaring at Kyurem as I continued to shiver.

June jumped after me and cried out as she stumbled on the ice coating the floor, slipping into me and holding herself up as she grabbed my shoulder.

Robin also landed on the ground and stood by his Pokemon, holding onto her side.

“Kyurem, you’re being used!” June insisted. “What you’re doing isn’t right! I need you to relax and listen to what I’m saying!”

Kyurem opened its mouth wide and a white mist surrounded its body.

“It’s doing that attack again!” I took a step back.

Robin and June didn’t move.

“Kyurem, don’t! Just listen to me!” June pleaded.

“Kyurem, where’s Kiwi?” Robin yelled.

Kyurem roared in response, ready to attack.

A whitish-blue beam flew from out of nowhere and slammed into Kyurem.

Kyurem’s attack was interrupted and it roared as it was tossed backwards through the air. Its roar was increased as it slammed into the icy wall, the force causing the two spikes of ice on Kyurem’s wings to smash apart. Gray tendril-like appendages waved around in the air frantically, reaching out from where its wings had been.

I couldn’t read the Pokemon, but the change of tone in its roar easily told me that Kyurem was in pain, and I could see why.

Kyurem had just slammed into several sharp icicles that were jutting out from the wall.

The wall had a wide splash of blood on it now.

Blood was dripping rapidly to the floor underneath the Legendary Pokemon. It roared desperately, staring down at its body as it heaved hard, the large icicles jabbed through its back.

The entire court was shaking, small icicles falling from above and breaking on the ground.

Before I could turn to see what had knocked Kyurem aside, Robin yelled, “WATCH OUT!!”

I turned to him and saw him pointing up. My eyes looked up and I gasped. “KYUREM!”

June stared up and screamed.

Dame Hydraen and Charizard uttered a shocked noise as they also stared at what we were looking at.

Huge icicles were falling from the wall of the mountain and headed right for Kyurem!

Kyurem was struggling to free itself from the icicles that were still stabbed inside of it, stomping its feet and roaring helplessly.

Full Court quaked even harder.

The sharp shards of ice hit Kyurem, starting with one giant stab in its back, even more blood splattering the wall behind it instantly.

June’s breathe came out with a sickened lurching sound and she lowered her head.

Robin groaned in disgust and turned away, covering his mouth with one hand.

Dame Hydraen let out a cry and turned away, also covering her mouth.

Charizard just watched in shock with me.

Another shard of ice landed in Kyurem’s lowering back, spurting out a large amount of blood and dropping the roaring Dragon to its knees. Two more icicles followed suit, one stabbing through Kyurem’s back while the other one stabbed its left arm, more blood spraying out. The Pokemon was forced down to its face, breathing hard, its breath coming out in painful gasps as blood ran down from the wounds on the creature.

“Kyurem!” June ran towards the injured Pokemon.

“Don’t take another step!” a voice ordered.

June tried to stop and she slipped to the frozen floor.

We all turned to see who had spoken.

“You won’t be getting in the way, June,” Kiwi said nastily. In her hands was a large cannon!

This item was thick and almost as tall as the short Kiwi herself. Three small dots on the side of it sat near the barrel, which was thicker than the rest of the gun. A black screen was at the top of the cannon, barely visible against the gray weapon. A red dial was near the trigger, where Kiwi’s finger was wrapped around. Several black buttons sat behind the trigger.

“I don’t need your Pokemon talking powers to ruin what I’ve worked so hard to accomplish. You won’t interfere! Back up!”

June looked from the weapon in Kiwi’s hands, to the weakly moaning Kyurem. “You hurt Kyurem…” June said fearfully.

“I’ll kill you on the spot if you don’t get back with the other two and their rotten monsters,” Kiwi threatened, pointing the gun at June.

Me and Robin’s Pokemon growled at Kiwi.

Kiwi didn’t bat an eye.

June didn’t move.

“June, just get back here!” I insisted, fear bringing my heart into my throat.

“June, please! We can’t help Kyurem now, anyway!” Robin begged. “Not with Kiwi in the way!”

June turned to Robin, then to me, then to Kiwi, and finally to Kyurem.

Kiwi grabbed the dial of her familiar looking cannon and twisted it.

The screen by the top of the cannon glowed white, displaying a series of rapidly spinning black numbers and letters.

I gasped as I now recognized the large item Kiwi held. “June!”

June crawled backwards immediately, keeping her wide eyes on Kiwi.

Kiwi sneered at June and released the dial, nodding slowly.

The white light from the screen of the cannon faded quickly to black.

“Now, return those two.” She waved her cannon at Charizard and Dame Hydraen.

They both snarled viciously at Kiwi before Robin and I returned them, our glaring eyes on her cannon.

“You three will be able to witness the events that will give the planet Earth new meaning. That will redefine everything!” She turned to me and snickered.

My eyes were glued to her weapon.

“Familiar with this, aren’t you?”

I didn’t answer her, but I did look into her eyes.

They were cold. Uncaring. So unlike the girl I had grown up with. “I know what occurred in Ghyst Town. The brown child with a gap between his front teeth, and the redheaded white girl. That was all I needed to know.”

The cannon in Kiwi’s hands looked almost exactly like the one Ray was using in Ghyst Town when the Litwick were taking over. The cannon that was able to utilize Pokemon attacks and increase their power to incredible levels.

“You two, plaguing Team Solace for so long.” Kiwi shook her head. “Even if Isaac had actually succeeded with his plan at the Pokemon League in Kanto, it wouldn’t have been enough. A set of bombs blowing up only two-thirds of the Kanto region? Tsk, tsk. That isn’t enough to create worldwide fear and control. I love Isaac, but he was not only defeated, he was killed. He wasn’t immortal, so he wasn’t perfect. He was not the true God. He had flaws, and he was unable to see them.”

“Kiwi, nobody lives forever,” I said carefully. “All people have flaws. Me, June, Robin, you. Nobody’s-”

“I am God!!” Kiwi bellowed at me. “I am perfect!! I will never die!!” She rubbed the cannon in her hands. “And with this right here, I can prove it. I can prove once and for all that Pokemon are evil, as Team Solace has proven all this time, but thanks to fools like the three of you around, constantly defending Pokemon, our message has not come through to everyone like we wanted. So, those against us will suffer. Ignorance will not be bliss in this new world I create.”

“No, Kiwi,” I said determinedly. “You’re wrong.”

“We’ll see how wrong I am, Gary. We’ll have all the answers after this.” She looked at her gun and grabbed the red dial on it.

“Pokemon aren’t perfect, Kiwi!” I said loudly to her.

Kiwi squinted at me.

June turned to look at me, Robin also staring at me.

“Pokemon were never perfect, Kiwi. They wreck this planet daily, kill people and each other, and make a lot of things a lot more difficult than they have to be in this world,” I said shakily.

Kiwi stared at me blankly.

June and Robin were also silent.

“But, so do people!” I continued.

Kiwi sneered and shook her head.

“People do just as much evil as Pokemon! Team Solace has proven this perfectly! People and Pokemon get along in this world, benefit each other, and make this planet far more enjoyable, together! Without the other, I can’t even imagine how much more different this world would be! Both people and Pokemon also both destroy each other. There’s good and bad in both species. Team Solace failed to prove Pokemon are evil. They never did that! Pokemon aren’t perfect. Nobody and nothing is! That’s all Team Solace has proven, if anything. Nothing else. You’re not a god, Kiwi!!”

“I am the God,” Kiwi responded calmly but sternly. “But why waste time arguing this when I can demonstrate, once and for all, exactly how and why?”

Kyurem called out weakly from the ground, grabbing our attention. Blood was pooled around the Pokemon. It groaned with heart wrenching pain, a sound which would have brought emotion through the body of anyone with a soul.

Surely Kiwi can sympathize with this Pokemon, I thought, holding back tears. She can’t be so cold as to see past the pain she’s putting it through. “Wait.” I turned to Kiwi as I realized what was going on. “Kiwi! You attacked Kyurem?”

Kiwi turned to me. “Duuuhh.”

“But, why?” June cried from the floor, taking the words right out of my mouth. “I thought you were using Kyurem to rule the world or something! You think you’re some great hero for Kyurem, don’t you? Why are you attacking Kyurem, then?”

Kiwi smiled at June. “I am the hero for this world. I used Kyurem to prove it. How could I control such a powerful, Legendary Dragon type so easily if I weren’t the hero? You witnessed this for yourselves, and yet you still oppose me. You’re far more than just innocently ignorant. You’re actually stupid. With Kyurem as my proof that I am meant to reign, I no longer need it. It’s now disposable.”

“How sick can you get?!” June screamed shrilly. “You used Kyurem to make some kind of point to yourself, and now you’re just going to kill the poor creature??”

“Kyurem only proved how kind Pokemon can be!” I yelled out.

Kiwi turned to me.

“If Pokemon are so evil, why didn’t Kyurem just kill you on the spot?” I demanded. “It didn’t! It helped you! This just proves how good Pokemon are!”

Kiwi burst out laughing. “Good? A good Pokemon burns down cities? Didn’t you see what it did to Roshan City? Lacunosa Town? Is that the good you are trying to prove Pokemon are for this world?”

“You ordered Kyurem to do that!” June accused.

“I’m not its Trainer,” Kiwi shrugged. “It attacked on its own free will.”

“You manipulated Kyurem!” June argued.

“Enough!” Kiwi turned the dial on her cannon, the screen lighting up again. “All of this damn talking has gone far enough. You’ve all proven exactly how worthless you are to even breathe on this planet, let alone think logically. You can’t see what’s clear, so I’ll just have to rid the likes of all of you at once.”

June got to her feet and stumbled over to me. She grabbed my arm with her hands. “That’s that weapon that can use Pokemon moves,” June stated, keeping her eyes on the gun. “She’s got one, too.”

“What?!” Robin looked at June as if she had just turned into a Pokemon.

Kiwi looked up at June. “This is actually far more advanced. The one you two are familiar with was just a prototype. I would never let anyone use this one. This was made specifically for me. The strength of the moves I can control is even greater than the prototype. The move list for this cannon is far more vast. But, really, there is only one move I need to bring in the new world.”

“What move?” I asked hesitantly, not really wanting an answer. I just wanted all of this madness to end already!

“A move fit solely for God.” Kiwi lowered the bottom of her cannon to the floor and stared at us all in turn. “Arceus, ‘The Original One,’ as some claim it to be. A Pokemon that supposedly created the Sinnoh region, and some even say, the entire Universe. I’ve read that, in ancient times, Arceus protected the destruction of Earth by slamming into a meteor that threatened the planet. Arceus was saved by some guy who came around and Arceus lent the man some of its power to rebuild the land that was dying. The man returned the power to Arceus, and Arceus said it would return one day in the distant future. It did, and it was pleased with what it saw, and then departed again. But then, there are rumors of another story of Arceus that’s entirely different…”

I have to figure out a way to get through to Kiwi, I thought. While she’s talking, she’s keeping busy by not attacking with that cannon. If I can get that thing away from her, she’s helpless. No Kyurem to battle by her side or anything!

“There’s a contradicting tale that states, when the man was supposed to return the power to Arceus, he was put under some kind of spell that made him betray and attack it,” Kiwi went on. “Arceus was hurt, but in a rage, attacked back with devastating force before leaving the planet. It rested after this fight, promising to return to deliver justice to humans. When it did return, the descendents of the people who betrayed Arceus attempted to return the power to it, but they didn’t know they had a fake version of it. Arceus was pretty pissed, thinking it was a purposeful trick by humans, and it attempted to destroy the planet, but the Legends, Palkia, Dialga, and Giratina, supposedly the rulers of space, time, and antimatter, appeared and used their powers to clear up the misunderstanding, and the wrath of Arceus was subsided. But the details are unimportant, honestly. It’s Arceus that’s the interest, here.”

“What about it…?” I asked her cautiously.

“The move Arceus was going to use to bring justice to Earth is… Perfection,” Kiwi smiled at me.

I squinted in confusion. “Perfection?” I didn’t recognize the move.

Kiwi nodded. “The perfect move. A move that can only be used by God. A move that will attack the planet and destroy all life on it, except for the lives of those who have sided with Team Solace. The ultimate move! A move called Judgment!”

The move is called Judgment, then? I questioned. “But, if Arceus can use that move, then it can’t be used as you say!” I reasoned. “Arceus wouldn’t have a move to spare people who are against Pokemon! Arceus is a Pokemon! You’re not making any sense, Kiwi. I really think we should talk this over.”

Kiwi shook her head and patted her gun with one hand repeatedly. “You misunderstand, and underestimate, the power of this device. I control the move. Judgment will react according to my will!”

“You crazy bitch. I’ve had about enough of this!” June’s bag dropped to the floor and she opened it, digging inside before standing up with a Poke Ball in her hand. “You’re done, Kiwi! Electivire, let’s go!”

“June!” I tackled her to the icy floor and we slid to a stop. I grabbed her wrist and held her down. “We can’t attack her!”

“Gary!” June shouted at me, and she shoved me off of her. She got to her feet and pulled back her hand holding the Poke Ball.

I leaped to my feet, trying not to slip on the ice, and I blocked her, extending my arms. “No, June! I won’t let you!”

“Get out of my way!!” June barked at me.

“NO!” I said firmly. “I won’t let you!! Nobody has to get hurt here! Nobody has to die! Nothing is going to go wrong! Kiwi won’t do it! She won’t!” I turned to Kiwi. “Don’t you remember Aly?”

Anger took over Kiwi’s face. “How dare you speak her name,” she growled. “You’re not worthy!” She raised her cannon and pointed it at me.

I jumped in reaction, my heart nearly popping, but I stood my ground. “I’m not running!” I told Kiwi. “Not anymore! Not from anybody! Not from anything! This can’t be about Aly! Aly believed in Pokemon! She knew they were good! Killing them isn’t what she would have wanted!”

“She was brainwashed like you three! A sacrifice for what is next to come!” Kiwi insisted.

“She was a Pokemon Trainer, like you!”

“I didn’t know better, and neither did she! She didn’t live long enough to understand! She would have come around!”

“She died refusing to side with Team Solace!”

“She died because of Pokemon!”

“Pokemon are our friends!” Aly had screamed in the Lavender Radio Tower, taking a step towards Isaac who had been speaking about Team Solace on the radio, live, while holding the entire station hostage.

“Stop it!” I had shouted, pulling her back.

“NO!” Aly had screamed, squirming out of my grasp.

Guns were being pointed at us by other members of Team Solace.

“I’m not afraid of these bullies!” she had told me. “You have to stand for what you believe in. You can’t just cower away! How can we win if we let people like this step all over us?”

I shook my head. “Aly died for the Pokemon! They were her friends! We were her friends! I’m not cowering away from you! I’m standing my ground! For Aly! People like Team Solace won’t step over me, Kiwi! Don’t let Team Solace step over you!”

“I think at this point, killing you will be a pleasure,” Kiwi leered. She grabbed the red dial of her weapon.

“Your path is only that which is laid out depending on the things you encountered, what you learn, and how you will react,” Gene had told me.

What I’ve encountered… I repeated to myself, my eyes on Kiwi’s hand twisting the dial. What I’ve learned… How I will react…

“Believe in your power, Gary,” Gene had said.

Believe in my power… I told myself, glaring into Kiwi’s eyes. This is it. Right now. Whether I live or die from this, I have to believe in myself! This is the gray area. “Take your best shot, Kiwi!!” I said bravely. “I’m not running!!”

Kiwi kept her eyes on mine, pressing a couple of the black buttons that sat behind the trigger. “Suit yourself.” She squeezed the trigger and the three dots near the barrel lit up in turn.

“CATHERINE, PROTECT!!” Robin ordered.

A large, white shape formed in front of me, and it gave way to the body of a Blastoise! “BLASTOOOOOOOOISE!!!” A blue force field surrounded me and Blastoise as a large, silver beam was fired from Kiwi’s gun and took the form of a huge, spinning drill.

The silver drill hit Catherine’s Protect and tried to drill its way through, white sparks shooting off between the struggle, but in the next couple of seconds, the drill disappeared.

Catherine looked back at me and smiled. “Blastoise!”

The Protect faded from around us.

“Catherine!” I smiled.

“Blastoise! Blast!” she exclaimed happily.

“You… You saved me! Catherine!!”

Robin ran past us and stopped in front of his Pokemon. “If you’re not siding with Aly, then you’re against her!” he pointed at Kiwi angrily. “You’re against all of us! I’ve heard more than enough! I hate to say this, but there’s no way to end this peacefully!”

June also ran forward, stopping next to Robin. She had her Electivire’s Poke Ball in her hand and her bag was open, hanging from her right shoulder.

“You guys can’t do this!” I ran desperately, my feet slipping on the ice, but I kept my balance and ran in front of my friends tearfully.

“Gary, it’s time to stop being so stupid!!” Robin looked furious. “She just tried to kill you again! We have no choice but to fight! I know it’s Kiwi, but that doesn’t matter to her, so it shouldn’t have to matter to us any longer!”

Several white beams of light flew out from June’s bag and landed on the ground, causing June to cry out in surprise and stare at her bag in confusion. The beams of light took the form of individual creatures.

Ampharos bleeted determinedly.

“Magnezone!” Magnezone cried.

“Pika!” Pikachu shouted.

“Manectric!” Manectric growled.

“Blllitzle!” Blitzle exclaimed.

Lanturn cried out at Kiwi with a serious look.

“Galvantula!” Galvantula hissed.

Rotom cried out, smiling.

“Vaporeon!” Vaporeon said, looking elegant on her legs, her tail in the air.

A white beam fired from the Poke Ball in June’s hand as the Pokemon broke free from the capsule.

“Electiviiiirrrre…” Electivire growled, flexing his muscles.

“Yeah!” Robin nodded with approval, smiling. He grabbed his Poke Balls from his waist and tossed them.

A big blue Pokemon landed on all fours and cried out loudly, a long, beige horn reaching high into the air, sticking out from its head.

Breakfast raised its spoons. “Alakazam!”

“Audino!” an Audino cried, staring uncharacteristically seriously past me.

A strange looking creature appeared as another one of Robin’s Pokemon. It was wrapped up in blue cloth and had a disgruntled face. It said its name in as nasty a voice as the look it had in its eyes.

Dame Hydraen roared dangerously and stomped once on the ground, taking a step forward.

Kiwi laughed. “Here I am.” She waved her cannon with both hands. “You have no idea what you’re messing with. It must be an honor to be destroyed by God. To even be allowed to battle against me when I could so easily smear your blood along this frozen floor in one motion.”

I ran past the Pokemon and their Trainers, stopping in front of Kiwi, and I turned my back on her, extending my arms out in front of me. “Just wait, you guys!! All of you!! June, Robin, Kiwi! Look at what’s happening between us!!”

“Gary, you’re really starting to tick me off with this peacemaker crap!” Robin snapped at me.

“Move it, Gary, or you’re gonna get hurt!” June warned me.

I narrowed my eyebrows and my hands fell to my sides. “What do you mean, ‘hurt’?”

June swallowed and then spoke, “Move it! If I have to get you moved myself, I’ll do it!”

“Are you threatening to attack me?” I gasped.

“Gary.” June stopped, glaring at me.

“Gary, there’s no time left! Get out of the damn way or I’ll do it!” Robin’s hands were in impatient fists, his teeth bared and his body shaking visibly.

So it’s come to this, I realized.

Robin, and his Pokemon waiting for their Trainer’s orders.

June, and her Pokemon waiting for their Trainer’s orders.

Kiwi with a cannon with the power to kill all life on Earth.

And me.

I refuse to fight, I told myself determinedly. “THEN DO IT!” I raged at June and Robin.

A white beam flew out next to me, and a roar made me stumble back a couple of feet.

“Charizard!” I smiled up at my Pokemon.

Charizard stomped past me angrily and roared at the opposing Pokemon, his voice echoing terrifyingly.

June swallowed again and took a nervous step back.

Robin stood his ground, but his angry face did soften up with fear at my Charizard.

“Charizard, no!” I ran in front of him and faced Robin, June, and their Pokemon, pushing out one hand behind me, holding back Charizard. “We’re not fighting!” I pleaded, my voice cracking with emotion. “None of us are going to fight! We don’t have to fight!”

“I’m tired of you saying that, Gary!!” Robin shouted at the top of his lungs.

June looked away from Charizard and glared at Kiwi behind me. “Then screw it!” She bared her teeth with her next words: “Pokemon, attack!”

“GOOOOOO!!” Robin pointed at me.

June’s Pokemon came at me on cue, without any hesitation.

Ampharos’s body was outlined in electrical sparks.

Magnezone flew forward.

Manectric bared her teeth, her body sparking.

Electivire’s fists were sparking with electricity as he roared.

Pikachu’s cheeks sparked.

Lanturn bounced hard to get to me.

Galvantula’s body sparked brightly.

Vaporeon ran quickly, faster than the rest of June’s Pokemon.

Blitzle’s mane flashed yellow as he ran to attack me, sparks flying from his body.

Rotom’s smile faded as it flew above the Pokemon, headed for me, its ghostly appendages waving at its sides, lighting up from electricity.

Five of Robin’s collection of Pokemon charged towards me with June’s Pokemon.

Catherine and I met eyes for a second.

She was the only one of Robin’s Pokemon to not move. That changed in the following second.

My eyes were glued to hers as she took one step forward.

This step was followed by a second step, and then she closed her eyes. “STOOOOOOOISE!!” She narrowed her closed eyes and ran forward blindly, joining the Pokemon who were nearing me.

I don’t really know what Gene was talking about, I admitted, my eyes on the Pokemon approaching me. And really, it doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll die for what I believe in.

The Pokemon were only feet away.

I’ll die alone, with my friends fighting against me, I told myself as Charizard roared behind me. I won’t be silenced. Just like Aly.

Charizard ascended into the air and flew past me, to the crowd of attacking Pokemon, roaring powerfully.

A ball of white light flew in front of the raging Pokemon and suddenly…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

The ball exploded in a bright flash, blinding me, and screams were heard everywhere, including from my own throat, as the explosion threw me through the air.

I coughed out in pain as I bounced along the floor and ended up tumbling. When I came sliding to a stop, I was still choking, gasping for air and trying to catch my breath. My ears were ringing from the noise of the mysterious object that blew up, my heart sitting right on my tongue, throbbing within my mouth. I was trembling on the ground, afraid to even open my eyes.

The sound of glass, or perhaps ice, breaking, sounded continuously for a moment.

Groans from the Pokemon filled the air.

June coughed weakly, moaning.

Robin was grunting and muttering something I couldn’t hear from far away.

“Your stupid bickering has gone far enough,” Kiwi’s voice said, and I heard footsteps approaching from behind me.

Groaning, I managed to roll over and opened my eyes slowly.

Kiwi had her cannon in her arms, walking over to me. “I just took out every Pokemon there with one Explosion attack. I didn’t even have it set to half the maximum strength I could have set it to. What do you think you can truly do to stop me? Stop fighting the inevitable. Concede to my power. Admit to my superior strength and maybe you’ll be spared Judgment’s destruction.”

I glared at her, but sighed weakly. I was out of strength to argue with or fight her. I was defeated.

Kiwi smiled down at me evilly.

A sharp chittering noise from above me reached my ears.

I wouldn’t have had the energy to look up to see what it was if Kiwi hadn’t looked up in surprise. I rolled onto my back and looked up at a Pokemon! “Rotom,” I whispered.

Rotom glared down at Kiwi and charged up a Shadow Ball!

Kiwi smiled and raised her cannon at Rotom, turning the dial, causing the screen to turn on, and she quickly pressed a button.

With a cry, Rotom tossed the attack at her.

Kiwi squeezed the trigger of her gun and the three dots near the barrel lit up in turn before the weapon fired a much larger black ball at Rotom.

Rotom’s Shadow Ball was torn through easily and Kiwi’s attack slammed into Rotom!

Rotom wailed out and was dropped to the floor of the mountain.

That was when I got the chance to see the collective behind me.

Charizard, Ampharos, Breakfast, Audino, Pikachu, Lanturn, Manectric, Galvantula, Magnezone, Vaporeon, Dame Hydraen, Electivire, Catherine, Rotom, Blitzle, and Robin’s last two Pokemon I didn’t recognize were all laid out far apart from each other, motionless on their backs.

June was on her knees by her Lanturn, her hand on her Pokemon’s stomach as she gazed down at her Rotom in disbelief.

Robin was by Catherine, laying shakily on her stomach as he stared at Kiwi weakly.

“Now that’s how you use a Shadow Ball!” Kiwi cackled mercilessly.

The sound of her laughter rang through my ears, filling my head. My teeth grit against each other and I shakily got to my feet as my eyebrows narrowed, keeping my eyes on my friends and their Pokemon. What have I done? I’ve jeopardized the lives of my friends, myself, and our Pokemon. And for what?

Kyurem wasn’t moving, laying in a wide pool of its own blood. Possibly even dead.

Kiwi continued to laugh.

I couldn’t take it anymore! I whipped around to see Kiwi staring right at me. I grabbed at my waist. “Kiwi, you’ve gone too far! You’ve been gone too far! I should have put an end to this a long time ago, but I tried to reason with you! No more! Darmanitan, Sawk, Seismitoad, go!” I threw three Poke Balls.

“Seismitoooooad!!” Seismitoad gurgled angrily.

“DARMANITAN!” Darmanitan roared, slamming both fists to the ground threateningly.

“Sawk!” Sawk bowed before Kiwi before taking his karate stance.

“Hydro Pump, Seismitoad! Darmanitan, Flare Blitz! Sawk, use Close Combat!” If they all attack her at once, she won’t be able to focus on just one of them, I told myself. One of these three guys has to land an attack. It’s all I need! Just one hit!

Seismitoad inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest, and then he sent out a huge stream of water from his mouth.

Kiwi twisted the dial of her gun, smiling.

Darmanitan charged forth and his body was covered in flames. He leaped at Kiwi.

Kiwi pressed a button.

Sawk ran to Kiwi, ready to strike.

Kiwi squeezed the trigger of her weapon.

The gun sent out a turquoise beam that immediately stopped in midair and formed a wall in front of her.

Seismitoad’s attack hit the wall and didn’t go any further. He cried out in frustration.

Darmanitan and Sawk both collided with the wall, the fire dying from around Darmanitan’s body as he hit it and flew backwards, Sawk swinging punches and kicks at it before backing away and yelling out.

“Protect,” I muttered bitterly.

Kiwi turned the dial on her gun around and then pressed a couple of buttons.

“Kiwi’s next move!” I shouted.

The Protect faded and Kiwi aimed her gun and squeezed the trigger.

A beam bluer than the waters of the ocean fired out and then transformed right before our eyes into a lengthening, widening wave of water!

“Surf!” I screamed out.

The wave crashed into my Pokemon and they all screamed out in a sound that could only be described as defeat.

I looked down at them as they all slid to a stop in a heap near my sneakers, and I swallowed in shock. “You guys…” I said weakly. I stared up at Kiwi.

“You haven’t even seen the worst, yet, Gary!” Kiwi laughed, and she turned the dial of her gun again.

We can’t even touch her with that weapon, I realized. She can do almost any Pokemon move, and with unbelievable power! I looked down at my three wiped out Pokemon, and then I glanced back at the crowd behind me, June and Robin turning to me, all hope gone from their faces. What was I thinking? I wondered, turning to Kiwi as she pressed several buttons on her dangerous toy. She took out… ten… sixteen… seventeen Pokemon in one hit. What did I think I could really do with just three? I got my Pokemon hurt for nothing.

Kiwi stared up at the ceiling and pointed her gun into the air carefully, seeming to be aiming for the opening at the top of the mountain. She looked down at us all with satisfaction. “Gary, June, Robin, and all your filthy creatures before you,” Kiwi addressed us. “Judgment Day is here. Take your final breaths and watch, before your very eyes, Judgment!” She squeezed the trigger.

The mouth of the gun glowed brightly in a shimmering gold color.

I stumbled backwards in amazement, watching this move take place. Is there really no way to stop this? I thought, watching her gun. A way to stop her gun…

“No!” June begged Kiwi.

Taking me by surprise, a beam of white light fired out from close by me. My eyes landed on the white light that took shape before it faded away to reveal what it truly was. “Hey!! What are you doing?!”

June gasped.

Porygon-Z looked down at Kiwi and started spinning in the air like a clock, keeping its eyes on the glowing attack before it.

Staring at my Porygon-Z, a last second idea suddenly came to mind.

Before I could stop myself.

Before I could think the thought all the way through…

I opened my mouth. “Porygon-Z! I need you to listen to me!”

Porygon-Z whined and turned around to face me.

My chest expanded as I took the deepest breath I could possibly take. “GET INTO THAT MACHINE!!!” I bellowed.

Porygon-Z whined and shivered in place for a second before flying at Kiwi.

“It’s too late!” Kiwi screamed at me, her now enraged eyes on Porygon-Z.

An orange orb formed from the mouth of the gun.

“Oh, my gosh! Gary!” June gasped in horror.

Porygon-Z neared the gun, and a glowing white hole appeared on the side of the weapon itself.

Kiwi gasped and shook her large gun frantically, but the white hole didn’t move from her cannon. “What is this thing?!”

A cry was followed by a little figure that zipped right over my head.

“ROTOM!!!” June shrieked. “GET BACK HERE!!!”

Porygon-Z zipped right into the hole, and Rotom flew as fast as it could, entering the hole just a couple of seconds later.

The white hole closed up behind Rotom and disappeared.

In the next instant, the orange orb from Kiwi’s gun faded away, and the gold glow around the mouth vanished.

Kiwi’s eyes bulged out in shock, and she shook her gun. “What?!” She shook it again, which was visibly hard to do with such a large, and surely heavy, weapon. She squeezed the trigger.

Nothing happened.

“Whaaaaat?!?!” She smacked the gun several times and then squeezed the trigger repeatedly. When nothing occurred, she whipped her head to me, resembling Medusa.

I turned to stone, unable to move, terrified but happy that Judgment had just been stopped. It really worked!

“You little mother f-” She squeezed the trigger and the mouth of the gun started glowing gold again! She gasped and smiled. “Yes!” She aimed the gun at the ceiling of the mountain and turned to me, looking at me like I was freshly puked. “You didn’t really think you’d be able to stop me, did you? You little shit. You can’t stop the plan of God! FACE MY JUDGMENT!!!”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!

I wasn’t sure what had exploded. Smoke filled the place and I was forced backwards, sliding on the ice until I came to a stop against something. Choking repeatedly, I squinted through the smoke, but I couldn’t make out anything.

The sound of more ice crashing to the ground was heard, coming to a stop shortly after.

“Rotooooom!!!” June called out.

“Gary!! What’s going on?” Robin’s voice cracked.

I swatted my hands through the air, trying to clear it in vain, and my hands collapsed at my sides. I wanted to call out to my friends to let them know I was okay, but I would have rather just slept. Passed out. I was too low on energy to do much else. Except for one thing.

The Pokemon behind me groaned loudly.

The noises startled me. I was unaware that I had landed so close to them. Coughing a few times, I managed to burst out, “KIWIIIII!!” The energy used to scream caused me to hack loudly several times. I didn’t hear anything from Kiwi, but as the smoke began to clear out, I could make out a figure up ahead of me, floating high above. I squinted up at it. “Kiwi?”

No. It was Rotom!

“Rotom!” I smiled at it tiredly.

“Rotom?” I heard movement from somewhere behind me. “Rotom!”

Rotom didn’t even respond to its own Trainer.

I was starting to see more clearly now, and I realized that Rotom was staring down at something.

The usual smile on its face was nowhere to be seen.

I looked down to see what it was staring at. “NO!” I scrambled on the slippery ice on my hands and knees to the thing lying underneath Rotom.

“Kiwi!” Robin’s footsteps pounded into the ice as he ran towards, and then past, me. He stopped running several feet away and knelt down next to something on the ground.

June let out a startled cry behind me. “Please, no…”

My hands rested on the center of attention between me and Rotom, the air around us clearing out more as time passed. I felt as if an icicle from Full Court had forced its way through my chest and into my heart, my heart now bleeding nothing but pain and sadness, the chill from the icicle gripping my body, freezing me solid.

“I have to get her to a Pokemon Center!” Robin called out. “Dame Hydraen, please! I need you!” Robin ran away from Kiwi. As he ran past me, he slowed down, glancing at what I had my eyes on. He then ran even harder past me.

I didn’t look behind me to see what he was doing, but I heard Dame Hydraen grunt weakly.

“Dame Hydraen, we don’t have much time,” Robin said softly to his Pokemon. “Please!”

The sound of Pokemon being returned to their Poke Balls sounded.

“Dame Hydraen, are you okay to carry me and Kiwi out of here?” Robin asked his Pokemon.

Dame Hydraen cried out an answer with much more strength than before.

Robin grunted as he ran past me again, glancing back at me, and a cold gust of wind blew past me from Dame Hydraen flying after him.

The Dragon type lowered herself to the ground.

Robin struggled to lift up the motionless Kiwi as he just barely managed to get her onto Dame Hydraen’s back. Robin then climbed on the back of his Flying type. A couple of minutes later, he called, “Gary!! June!! I’ll get Kiwi to safety! I’ll get help back here!”

I didn’t say anything, tears dripping on the lifeless form as my hands tightened around its body.

“I-I-I’ll check on Kyurem…” June whispered to someone, and she slowly walked away from me.

Dame Hydraen flew into the sky at the speed of light, out of sight and out of the mountain in perhaps a second’s time.

I heard the pained groans of the remaining Pokemon behind me.

June’s slow footsteps came to a stop near Kyurem.

I could hear her whispered voice say soft words inaudible to my ears.

Several Pokemon walked over to join June, moving away from me slowly, while another group of Pokemon stayed behind me.

I could hear Charizard’s low growl of a cry.

Sawk’s deep voice muttered behind me.

Seismitoad gurgled sadly.

Darmanitan let out his breath lowly.

My hands pulled Porygon-Z into my arms, and I cradled its still body.

Its appendages and tail drooped lifelessly.

Its head remained on the ground, silent.

*

“It’s really great that your mom is letting you do this,” June said softly.

I simply nodded once, gazing at the boardwalk.

A small number of people were walking by us as we sat on a bench underneath the hot sun dazzling above. Several stands selling food, toys, clothes, and a variety of other things were lined up on either side of the boardwalk, bored and otherwise hot vendors inside, gazing at the beach beyond. The sounds of kids laughing, adults calling out, and splashing water was constant.

Seagulls were mixed with Wingull, both creatures crying out from above the sand, flying around slowly in the blue sky dotted with large, puffy white clouds.

Pelipper and another group of seagulls flew over the water in wide, slow circles.

I gazed down the boardwalk that led off of the beach and to a wooden pier that stretched out alongside the ocean, stopping several feet past an enormous ship that sat docked.

“Are you alright, Gary?” June asked me.

I squinted down at my black sneakers. “How do you feel?” I asked her, turning to stare at her.

She brushed aside her red hair. She couldn’t even hide her smile. “I’m excited. I’m happy to be going back home. To be back with my family.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “I’m gonna be a Gym Leader again!”

I smiled and nodded. “That was a pretty serious phone call.”

“You have no idea! When I had spoke to my parents, and they told me to call Lt. Surge the next day, I was practically losing my mind with anticipation! I had no idea what could be so important that he had wanted to speak to me, but they told me he wasn’t home and that he’d be back in Vermillion the next day. I wasn’t sure I’d have the privacy at any other time than during your match with Courtney that day, so I took it as a chance to speak to him. I never would have imagined he would be asking me to return as a Gym Leader!”

“Well, finally mastering Electivire and building a relationship with him must have really shown him your growth,” I told her.

June nodded. “I’m glad I told my parents. I’m glad they passed that on to Lt. Surge! This is all just so wonderful!”

I smiled wider at her joy and looked away from her to the wooden planks of the floor beneath us. A funny feeling built up in my eyes and I decided to look up into the sky instead. My eyes closed against the sun. Inhaling deeply, I held my breath.

“My ship will be leaving soon,” June said quietly.

I opened my eyes and exhaled, squinting against the sun in the sky. “Yeah.”

Neither of us spoke after that.

The sound of a camera going off made us turn around.

A girl lowered her Pineapple smartphone from her face, the back of the thin, short device showing a design of a diced, shiny golden pineapple. She beamed excitedly at me. She was pretty and had very nice eyes, but thick eyebrows. The girl ran up to me and jumped in front of me repeatedly. “You’re Gary! You’re Gary!! Oh, my, gosh!! Can I take a picture with you?!” Before I could answer her, she grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

“Whoa!” I cried out.

The girl rested her head on my shoulder, smiling, and held her phone in the air, the front facing us.

I could see my stunned, awkward face on the screen next to her gleeful one.

The girl snapped the picture. “Smiiiiiile!” she sang out, and turned her body to the side, her curvy behind showing off in her brown stretch pants. She puckered out her lips and landed a kiss on my cheek.

My eyes widened to the size of basketballs and my face felt like it was broiling in an oven.

She took the picture. The girl then used her free hand to push up the side of her curly brown hair and look cute. She blew a kiss for the camera and then took another picture, this time, my face looking down at her wearily. “Thank you soooo much, Gary!” the girl said excitedly. “My name’s Nova, by the way. So awesome to meet you!” She turned to June. “Sorry for interrupting your date.” She winked at June.

June’s eyes had been wide the entire time, but now, her face was also going red at Nova’s last sentence.

Nova flipped through the pictures we took and stopped at the one where she kissed me. “Dat ass, tho!” she giggled. She looked at me and sighed. “Thanks for saving us all, Gary,” she said sincerely. “You’re a hero.” She waved at me. “I’ve gotta go, now. See you!” She ran away from me, pressing on the screen of her phone repeatedly, and then raised it to her ear.

I turned to June, my face still flaming.

June sighed and smiled at me sweetly, caringly. “You better get used to that, Gary.”

“As long as I don’t have to hear the word ‘hero’ for as long as I live, I think I’ll be okay,” I sighed, managing a weak smile. “I’d rather just forget about it altogether.”

“Yeah, but you know that’s not gonna be possible.”

We smiled at each other for a moment.

June’s smile suddenly faded and she looked towards the ship. “I’ve really gotta get going, now…” She got to her feet and stared at me, but she didn’t move.

I nodded. “Okay.” I opened my arms and waited.

“Ha.” June seemed to want to say something, but she just shook her head and let out another laugh, walking quickly towards me and pulled me into a hug.

Her hug could have suffocated an elephant, but I didn’t mind, and I did my best to match her squeeze, closing my eyes just as tight.

We stood there for a while, refusing to let go.

I didn’t want to let go of June. I couldn’t. But I knew I was out of time. I had to let her go. Tears tried to make themselves known in my eyes, but I refused to let them show, using all the strength inside of me to keep them away. My eyes opened as my arms slid down June, and I gently held her by her sides. “June.” I pushed against her, and she finally let me go, sniffling and turning away from me.

June wiped at her eyes with her arm and gave me a gentle smile. “Sorry.” She sniffled again, her eyes shimmering behind her tears. “I’m just gonna miss ya, you know? We’ve been through a lot.”

“I’ll miss you, too, June,” I told her, pursing my lips together, smiling slightly.

She inhaled deeply and then let it go. “Are you sure you’ll be okay without me, Gary?”

“I’ll be fine,” I insisted.

A teardrop rolled down one cheek and she wiped at it. “Okay, then. I’ll leave you alone now, Gary.” She laughed and grabbed my shoulder with one hand.

I raised one hand and placed it on hers. “Good luck, June. You’ve accomplished so much. You’re gonna be great.”

“You just make sure you visit my Gym before it gets shut down, you hear me?” she laughed.

I didn’t laugh with her. I stared into her pained eyes solemnly. “We’ll meet again. Real soon.”

“I know.” Tears were practically streaming down her face now. She swallowed, keeping her smile. Her mouth opened, but only her breath came out and she closed it again. She lowered her eyes, shaking her head, and then looked back at me. “Buh-bye…”

“So long.”

June pulled her hand away and walked past me.

I didn’t want to watch her walk away, so I kept my eyes on the spot she had just been standing on just a couple of seconds ago, hearing her footsteps pick up speed as she got further away from me.

A few people were watching me, walking both towards and away from me, seeming interested in what was happening with me and June.

My eyes on these people, I smiled. Quickly, I turned around to see June walking at top speed, still on the boardwalk. “JUNE!” I called out to her.

June stopped instantly.

There were people on the other side of the boardwalk, headed towards and away from June, watching her.

June turned around, her cheeks soaked in tears.

“Wait.” I walked towards her and stopped several feet away.

She stared at me sadly.

I stared back firmly. “There’s one last thing I want to ask you, June.”