Rachi's Meeting: Part 1
Iona stared into the sky, as the hole in space and time burst open. It had been almost two days since she and Pip battled Kenya.
“You said you wanted me to come with, right? How do you anticipate I do so?”
Climb a tree and jump for the sake of survival. I’ll give you a boost if you need it.
“Great plan, Rai,” Pip said sarcastically. “Just one thing, how am I supposed to get there?”
Pokéball.
“I am NOT going into that thing!”
“And what about my bike?”
New plan: I'll just carry the bike with you two on it.
“That sounds a bit better,” Iona said, kicking up her kickstand as Pip climbed into the basket.
Rai latched a shadowy hand around the handlebars and Iona gripped tighter. They lifted off toward the hole in the very fabric of the universe, and Iona laughed at herself. It was so fun to look down from here, where the rest of the world looked tiny! She'd always thought it'd be terrifying, but really, it was the exact opposite!
But the hole was a different story. The turbulence nearly broke Iona's grip, and she ended up having to hold Pip with one arm, weakening it more. But, the good news was, she was able to keep herself from vomiting the entire time.
Finally, the trio landed in a a different land. An odd place: the ground was a glowing blue, and completely lifeless. The sky was a moonless night. The only sign that this place had other life lied inside a green, crystalline orb that on could barely see through. Inside, Jirachi slept. Rachi, Iona reminded herself.
The stars were portals, Iona realized. Like the one they had come through.
A green serpent with a boy on its back slithered through the sky. Rayquaza. It didn't come down.
A familiar form came down. How did she recognize it? Iona tried to recall. As the girl let go of the top pink ring and hopped to the ground, Iona remembered. Kenya. Ches jumped down after her. Cresselia.
Several other powerful Pokémon camd through holes, and Iona noticed that there was a lake or Ocean not far away. Kyogre came into that area. Suicune also stepped onto the water, and the Lake Guardians all eventually floated out above the waters, and Lugia came out into the ocean as well.
One by one, each legendary and mythical came through the portals, and Rai's voice echoed inside Iona's head telling her what they all preferred to be called. She only questioned one of them, Ogre for Kyogre. Rai laughed a bit, before explaining that several of the legendaries-Rai, Ray(Rayquaza), Don(Groudon), Zek(Zekrom), Luna(Lunala), Leo(Solgaleo), Tei(Entei), Tres(Moltes), Y(Yveltal), Gia(Lugia), Regi(one of the Titans, Rai refused to clarify which), Tia(Latias), Tina(Giratina), Xys(Deoxys) and Hoopa(Who was Hoopa? Hoopa, of course!)-rotated cally Kyo ‘Ogre’ during the meetings. Although, it was a bit difficult to continuously do so as Zy(or Guard, as they jokingly referred to Zygarde as) disliked the arguments at the meetings, as did Rachi.
Seemingly moments after the last Legend arrived, Rachi's orb began to glow, and the meeting came to order.
“Welcome to the ten millionth, eight hundred seventy-nine thousandth, three hundred first Meeting of the Legends!” Rachi announced. “Does anyone have any subjects of worry to speak of?”
“Ultra Beasts,” Kyo stated. “I've seen them in my Hoenn oceans recently. I often need Tia and Tia's help to send them back where they belong.”
“Perhaps, then, it's time we invite them to the Meetings of the Legends?” Luna offered.
“No! No. NO!” Kyo said.
“I agree with Ogre,” Ray brought up. “The other week, Roman, Tep and I were randomly attacked by a whole group of UB Symbionts! Roman was almost infested by one of the things!”
Inky, follow our lead. Don't let them realize we’re here. A female voice rang in Iona's head, different from Rai's.
Okay, Mal! A younger, more childlike voice, presumably Inky's rang.
Are you sure it was a good idea to bring Inky, Mal? A more masculine voice came.
Mar, it'll be fine! I think we can keep her out of any trouble! Besides, if it all goes down hill, everyone knows that even our pre-evolution can't resist our power! Mal's voice promised.
Are we sure that the Legends aren't more powerful than that? Mar argued.
Of course! We ARE Malamar after all, the world's greatest hypnotists! Mal confirmed.
I suppose now is the time to strike, then? Mar asked.
Look at them, bickering about Ultra Beasts! Of course it is.
Hey, Malamar, you know you're not being discreet. Iona desperately tried to communicate.
You-you can hear us? Mal seemed shocked.
Seems like it. But I don't think the rest of them can, so go ahead, before they do notice. I'll use my very nice advantage of knowing and pull my own hair while closing my eyes. You think that's enough to protect my mind?
All right then, let's crash this party!
As Iona saw the two Malamar and the Inkay float in, her eyes flew shut, and and with one hand, she covered Pip's eyes completely.
“Pip, use Pound on yourself!” Iona whispered urgently, removing her black sweater and folding it, before tying it over Pip's eyes.
“Tep, use Protect!” Iona heard a boy yell.
“Ches, tie my scarf over your face! Lia, you use my vest!” Kenya shouted. “Hoopa, I know you probably don't like me telling you what to do, but open up some rings to get as many people and Pokémon out of here! Diane, can you create opaque diamonds and fuse them together to make a few more blindfolds for people? Any other Pokémon know Protect?”
“Why?” one of the Legends asked.
“I overheard some Malamar talking about coming and hypnotizing all of the-”
Iona could practically sense the Malamar using their hypnotic powers, cutting off Kenya's sentence, even if she could also tell that they weren't effecting her as she tugged at her own hair as hard as she could.
Rachi's Meeting: Part 2
“They're gone!” a boy called.
Kenya removed the hat from over her face. “Whose left?”
“You, me, Tep, your Chespin, Ray and Cresselia. I also don't think Darkrai's girl is controlled, but she still went with them.”
“Add my Kirlia, since I don't think they got Lila through her Poké Ball.”
“Seven.”
“How can we free them?”
“Beat the Malamar. Does your Kirlia know any Fairy-type moves?”
“Disarming Voice.”
“Does your Chespin know any Bug-type moves?”
“Pin Missile.”
“Perfect. Get on Cresselia's back.”
Kenya nodded, swung one leg over Lia's body, and grabbing the top ring for support. She then removed the vest from over her face and buttoned it back up around her body. She looked down to see Ches trying to untie her pale orange scarf from over his face, and carefully bent down, untied it, lifted him, and placed the small grass-type in front of her, before tying the scarf on her neck as it was usually.
The boy jumped, a lot higher than Kenya anticipated from him, and Rayquaza flew underneath him, catching him. The Tepig ran up the lowest part of the space serpent’s tail.
“How much farther?” Ches asked at one point, surprising Kenya.
“Ah!” Kenya cried quietly, before calming herself down. “Oh yeah, I can understand you now. I don't know how much farther.”
A few moments later, Kenya felt something wrapping around her. It was semi-transparent and pink. Also hollow. She was trapped in a diamond shell! How?
Then the ring slipped over her and she knew that instant. She had been captured by the possessed Legendary Pokémon!
Another ring appeared inside the diamond, and a hand came through it, untying her scarf and stealing her hat and vest.
“Look who Diancie and Hoopa grabbed,” came a voice she'd heard before. Iona.
“You don't look as possessed as everyone else here,” Kenya commented.
“That's because I'm not. I made a decision and you can deal with the fact that I'm not the girl you thought you met the other night.”
“You seemed like a good person!”
“And I thought I was. But I'm not! I'm selfish, greedy, one might even say I'm evil!”
“All people have faults! Selfish doesn't mean evil!”
“Mal, shut her up!”
The Malamar created a bright light from her spots, which was reflected throughout the diamond, making it impossible for her to look away. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Now, now, Kenya,” Iona said. “Open yourself to new ideas. Join my side.”
Iona's words were so...compelling...with the Malamar already trying to rip her mind away. Kenya unwilling opened her eyes a little bit, weakening her control of herself ever so slightly.
“That's it,” Iona coaxed, “a bit more. Come on Kenya, we know you want to let Mal become your mind. Think of it, you'll never have to make the hard choices again. You'll never have to fight again. Your life will be easy from now on.”
It all sounded so...good! Could this Malamar make it real? No, she shook the thought from her head. This Malamar wouldn't help her; she would turn her into a mindless puppet!
“Mar, she's fighting back.”
Seconds later, Kenya felt herself weakening even more. She bit her lip, trying to think, and she found herself a little bit stronger. Pain helped! She dug her nails into her palms and began kicking herself. With each time she kicked, she found her focus a little bit stronger.
“Why are you kicking yourself? It must hurt, you should stop.”
It does hurt. Why would I hurt myself? Kenya realized that she was still responding to Iona's suggestions. I don't want to hurt myself, but it's the only way to hold myself together. Telling herself this seemed to calm the part of herself that wanted to listen to Iona and the Malamar.
“Kenya, you know resisting will only work for so long. Wouldn't it be nice to let all your problems go away? You would never have to worry, never have to feel pain. Mal and Mar could make your world perfect, if you let them.”
If I let them, I could live the rest of my life in a perfect world. Kenya fought it down. The world will be without problem, but also without joy. Not a good trade.
“Let go of yourself.”
Let go of yourself, every voice she had ever heard echoed in her mind. Everyone's already waiting. I should join them. Kenya's eyes fluttered open, closing quickly each time, until suddenly, she didn't want to close them. She wanted to become an extension of Mal, Mar and Iona.
The hollow shell that had lost its name lifted a Poké Ball and opened it. A Kirlia appeared.
“Accept their will,” the hollow shell commanded. “They can only help you.”
Deep inside of the hollow shell, a fragment of its former self argued with every move it made.
“Break the diamond.”
If I can't help fight off the Malamar, I can still keep myself trapped in here.
The fragment fought for control of the shell, winning for just long enough to return the Kirlia into the Poké Ball.
“Break the diamond.”
Each time the shell lifted its arm to smack at the diamond, the fragment fought strong enough to bring the arm back down. But the fragment couldn't hold control beyond that.
Rachi's Meeting: Part 3
“Where's the girl?” Roman asked.
"Che-chespin."
“He doesn't know. Something about a pink diamond. Great,” Tep said sarcastically, “Ray, go faster.”
I don't listen to annoying Tepigs.
“Tep's right, we need to go faster.”
Ray sped up, Roman clueless as to whether or not Cresselia was keeping up.
Then, through a ring, appeared Darkrai's girl, both Malamar, an Inkay and, trapped within a shell of diamond, the girl the Chespin screamed for help.
“Please break this diamond! I've pound on it uselessly! Iona says that the only way to break it is to attack the point on the very top.”
“Mal, Mar, it's time to get rid of her permanently. Use your hypnotic powers to turn her into an extension of yourself.”
The light was clearly coming, but Roman closed his eyes when it did, listening to the girl's pleading.
“All done!” the girl working with the Malamar said. “Now, Inky, please use Psybeam to send Kenya to join our army.”
The Inkay shot a Psybeam at the top of the diamond, causing it to shatter. Cresselia's chosen fell uncomplainingly through the ring.
“Who joins our side next?”
“Nobody,” Roman answered.
“I know! We've got Kenya, so now we should see if we can get Lia!”
“Pin!” Chespin sent a quartet of Pin Missiles, hitting each Malamar twice.
“Tep, time for a quick dismount!”
“Quick dismount?” the Malamar-sider seemed confused.
Roman swung his left leg over so as to put himself in the astride position in which he had seen several girls riding Ponyta and Rapidash in. He quickly slid down Ray's side, and Tep jumped down after him. Eventually, the freefalling fire-type reached his level, and Roman grabbed his Tepig. When they were approximately ten feet above the ground, Tep used Protect to break their fall. Ray followed them down as quickly as the Legendary could.
Chespin used Vine Whip to lower himself from Cresselia to the ground. Cresselia floated down as soon as the grass-type’s feet landed.
“Show-off,” she said, floating down with the Malamar.
Roman reached into his pocket and tapped the record button that had previously been added to his Pokédex “Double battle, no Legends,” Roman challenged. “If I win, the Malamar agree to release everyone they control.”
“Deal. But if I win, you agree to turn over Ches, Cresselia and Rayquaza. Mal, Mar, it was seems I need your assistance.”
“Tep, Ches, battle ready!”
Ches and Tep both jumped forward, ready to attack. Roman pulled out his Pokédex to check Ches’ moves, getting four moves spit back out at him. He had previously seen three of them in action, but he wanted to make sure he hadn't misremembered.
“Tep, use Flame Charge! Ches, use a Pin Missile!” The Tepig cloaked himself in flames, while five pins shot from Ches’ head. Each pin seemed to hurt the Malamar they hit more than the last, while Tep's Flame Charge plowed into the Malamar's abdomen.
“Mar, use Hypnosis!”
“Tep, quick, Magnitude!”
The Malamar's lights didn't even hit full power before the whole ground was shaking, hurting both Malamar and Ches.
“I'd say that's a nine,” Roman smirked.
“Looks like Mal and Mar aren’t the only ones that hurt. Mal, Psybeam, Mar, Night Slash!”
Each Malamar used a different move, both targeting Tep.
“Protect!” Roman commanded. “And now,” he rolled up his sleeve to reveal an odd bracelet-one with many screens, and a red stone at the top, “I give you...my Z-Research Ring!”
“Z-Research? Boring.”
“Shut up, I didn't make it! Finnar, X and that one old scientist…I forget his name.”
“You say it like not everybody forgets it ..,” Tep reminded Roman.
“Tep doesn't know either,” Roman stated, “but Finnar did all the work anyway. Tep, Flame Charge!”
Roman then began the poses. He knew them well by now; he'd done it so many times that he could do it without much thought into the steps.
Finally, the Inferno Overdrive came and went, taking out one of the Malamar.
Suddenly, a faint glow came from Tep's body. Then it got brighter. And brighter. To the point where Tep was only visible by his silhouette, which was already beginning to change. Until it stopped, the glow faded, and what was once a Tepig was now a Pignite.
“Look who just gained a fatal flaw,” his opponent smirked. “You're now weak to my Psychic-type moves.”
“Yeah, well, I took out your Psybeam Malamar. Tep, finish this with Magnitude!”
The ground shook again, and when it stopped, only Tep still stood.
“Seven.”
“Don't blame me, I don't choose!”
“It was good.”
“I'm rotten but I'm no liar. I'll leave you five to go do as you please.”
“The Legends,” demanded Roman.
“Already free. I chose Mal and Mar because they wouldn't hold up the deal. But, after being fainted, they don't really have a choice. Also because they refused to bring Pip.”
Does she refer to the Piplup holding the end of my tail?
“Ray, you could have mentioned the Piplup earlier,” Roman pointed out.
The Piplup stepped forward, and moved to stand by her trainer.
