Chapter 39: VS. Ninjask!
Once the Galactic Goon entered the cave, he carried a large device, most likely a hieroglyphics translator, with him as he approached the back wall. The cave wasn't really all that deep and it appeared to have man made structures: tiled floors and a stairwell leading to a back wall containing paintings of three Legendary Pokemon. The Goon place the device on the wall as it scanned the paintings and said in an electronic feminine voice, "The trio of the three Sinnoh Lakes: Acuity, Verity, and Valor. Uxie, the intelligent being. Mesprit, the emotional being. Azelf, the willing being. It is said that each of these Pokemon are have somehow been connected to three human beings of each generation. However, it is extremely difficult to locate these beings. Some generations may never discover which three beings are connected to the Lake Trio."
The Goon nodded his head and said, "So, that's why the boss wants to capture the Lake Trio; that, and he needs to awaken Palkia to create this new world. Hm, I can assume that the three beings connected to the Lake Trio are the Galactic Commanders: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. However, Neo Team Rocket want to capture them as well, what with Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto." He removed the translator device from the wall and placed it in his bag. This Goon, unlike the others, was very smart and resourceful, "But Boss did mention three other beings: the Rowan Trio. Could it be possible that they are somehow connected to the Lake Trio? Ugh. This is so troublesome, this research. When boss gets world domination, I'm taking a vacation."
With that, the Goon packed his things and prepared to leave... until he was encountered by Pearl and Dawn, that is. Smiling, Pearl pointed at the Goon and said, "Normally, we don't like to do the confronting, but in your case, we're willing to make an exception."
"Yeah," Dawn agreed as she took out Pokeball from her bag and touched the pressure sensor. As the ball burst open in a flash of white light, out came a large, purple Pokemon. It appeared to be a living hot air balloon Pokemon. Its eyes were red and set far apart. It's four limbs were a pale purple color, with yellow tips. Its bottom was red and looked torn. Rugged grooves ran from the top of the body to the bottom. On top of the Pokemon's head was a white puff, looking similar to a cloud. On its face was a yellow "X", looking similar to tape sealed against a broken balloon.
"Drif...buh-lim." It roared as its body expanded to its normal proportions.
Dawn smiled and said, "Peep's evolved into Drifblim since you've last seen him, Pearl. But..."
The Goon countered and released a Ninjask. A female one at that. Peep's eyes widen with instant attraction as the Ghost/Flying-type Pokemon floated towards Ninjask. It's limbs tried to wrap around Ninjask, sexually.
"...but, he's still perverted as ever. I've given up hope." Dawn smacked her forehead.
Pearl grinned and said, "Aw, Peep's just a ladies' man, like me," he took out a Pokeball of his own, "I think it's time I used this little girly here." He tossed the Pokeball forward and watched it burst open. After the light settled, in front of Dawn and Pearl was a new Pokemon of Pearl's.
"Mag...mar!" it said slowly and began to shake its head violently. The sphere's on its forehead were much larger than the average Magmar. Pearl grinned proudly at his recently acquired Magmar, "Now use Fire Spin to catch that Ninjask, Kano!"
Just as Ninjask got out of Peep's grasp, Kano reared back and unleashed a flaming beam towards Ninjask. The fiery beam formed an oval and surrounded Ninjask slowly. Then it trapped the Ninja Pokemon.
"Ha! Let's see it get out of
that anytime soon!" Pearl smirked and wiped his nose.
Just then, the small torches scattered across the room, before decreasing into bits of ashes. Ninjask had escaped the Fire Spin in a mere ten seconds! Peep came at Ninjask once more, but Ninjask dodged it with great agility.
"Fire Punch!"
Kano's fist became surrounded with a thin fire layer. The Magmar jumped up at Ninjask and lunged its fist at it. However, Ninjask managed to use Speed Boost in the nick of time. It countered the punch with a full fledged Fury Swipes across the face of Kano. While doing so, Peep came from behind it, after receiving orders from Dawn. Peep's limbs lifted and slammed towards Ninjask, but the Ninja Pokemon was too quick! The limbs ended up slamming Kano in the face, hurting the Magmar even further than it was. Thusly, Kano launched an amazing Flamethrower at Kano, burning the Balloon Pokemon like there was no tomorrow.
The Galactic Goon found this very hilarious and quite entertaining, "Ha! Two thirds of the Rowan Trio and they aren't even able to beat me? A single grunt? I guess it's understandable. I am a top of the line grunt; not just one of those illiterate fools back at the headquarters. Ninjask! Let's get out of here! Silver Wind!"
Ninjask flew up towards the top of the cave near the ceiling and began to rapidly flap its clear wings. The gale of the flapping produced a lime green wind that hacked and slashed at Kano and Peep. Not only were the Pokemon hurt, Pearl and Dawn were hurt as well. The trainers and their Pokemon were sent slamming into the back wall.
"Heh," the goon scoffed, "Pathetic." He turned to walk out the exit, unharmed, until he saw two figures standing in the entrance. He couldn't really make out who they were because the light from the outside blinded their physical appearance. He could only see silhouettes. One was a familiar male body, while the other was a short old lady, holding the Old Charms.
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Pearl groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah. He's tougher than I thought." He returned Kano as Dawn returned Peep.
"Yeah, but it seems we have reinforcements!" She pointed to the entrance.
Diamond stared at the Grunt who stood before him and the old lady who stood by his side. He looked yonder and noticed Pearl and Dawn on the ground, tending to their wounds. Snorting, Diamond muttered, "I leave you two alone for a few hours and I find you getting wiped to the floor by a Galactic Goon? I see why you two keep on begging me to help you guys." He folded his arms as the Goon stared back at him.
"Hm, and I suppose you're Riley's kid, Diamond?" questioned the Goon.
Diamond nodded as he took out a Pokeball, "And I suppose you're smarter than you look... " He tossed the Pokeball forward, releasing Rose, his Skuntank. The plan was already set from the get go, "I noticed that your Ninjask was extremely fast, obviously. Almost invisible. The only way to even the playing field is to be equally as invisible right?"
The Goon blinked, "I... I guess you're right."
"Well," Diamond closed his eyes as the elder lady stood beside Pearl and Dawn quietly, "let's test my theory, then. Rose, Smokescreen the entire cave until you cannot any further!"
The female Skuntank snorted, which in retrospect was flatulence. She turned her back to the Goon and Ninjask as dark, black smoke exited her buttocks rapidly and shrouded the entire cave.
Pearl covered his nose as he shouted, "Ugh! Oh my gosh! I'll never get used to that smell."
Dawn did the same and said, under gripping her nose, "Keep quiet, Pearl. I'm trying to understand exactly what Diamond is doing! He's an excellent strategist, beyond his years if you've ever really watched him!"
Pearl pouted, still holding his nose, "Who watches a battle just for the strategy!? It's all about blood, sweat, and tears! The one with the most will power will be victorious!"
"You can't even spell victorious... " Dawn rolled her eyes.
The old lady merely just chuckled at the conversation as the battle resumed.
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Now the entire cave was in smoke. Visibility was literally zero. You couldn't even see the back or front of your hand in front of if you held out your arm at arm-length. Diamond quickly returned Rose and released his Yanma, Pilot. The Goon was looking around, upset, "Wha-what's going on?"
"What's going on?" Diamond repeated his question, rhetorically, "I'm about to defeat you:
That's what's going on. Not only can Pilot's accuracy increase by 30 percent, he also can increase his speed using Speed Boost. Your Ninjask isn't the only Pokemon with this ability."
Ninjask floated in the air, scanning around the fog in an afraid manner. Pilot came from behind it, just as Diamond commanded an Uproar attack. Sound waves were produced from the flapping of the Yanma's wings. The waves continued to bounce off the walls and injured Ninjask.
"Ancient Power!" Diamond shouted as the smoke started to thin. His eyes stared directly into the Goon's eyes. He noticed that they weren't as confident as they were before. Diamond had trapped him.
Pilot flapped its clear wings rapidly at the ceiling. Tons of giant, ancient rocks fell from it and collapsed on top of Ninjask, gravity sending it hurling to the cold, tiled floors. The only thing that was visible from under the rock was Ninjask's twitching, left arm.
The Goon collapsed to his feet and said, "I... I lost?" He quickly gathered his things and sprinted out of the cave, not before saying, "You'll be sorry! You just wait and see!"
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After Ninjask was cleared from the cave, Diamond walked over to the back side of the cave and looked at Pearl and Dawn, who said nothing to him for the moment. Diamond sighed and scratched his head, looking to the elderly woman, "Ah, look. Anyway, this woman is Cynthia's grandmother, Elder Maryland." He nodded to her, "She says she has some information, relating to us."
Elder Maryland thanked Diamond and stood in front of the cave paintings of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, "As you three already should know, the three Sinnoh lakes are protected by these three Pokemon." She motioned her hand to the pictures, "For generations, they have been connected to three individuals. When they first were discovered, they helped Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina save Sinnoh from a dangerous, unknown, dark force."
Dawn folded her arms as she rested her bag on the floor, "I've heard of Dialga and Palkia. The statues in Eterna City give a great explanation. But, Giratina, I've never heard of."
Diamond and Pearl nodded their heads in agreement.
"Well," Elder Maryland started, "Dialga is the ruler of Time. Palkia is the ruler of Space. But, Giratina is somewhat of a mixture between the two."
"What do you mean?" Pearl questioned.
"Giratina is described in historical books as the ruler of Dimension. There have been stories of another Dimension, not similar to our world. When Giratina appears, it is said that several dimension could possibly open for an extended time period. Could be days, weeks, months, or even years. No one knows," she sighed. Her back faced the trio as she stroked her hands on the paintings, "I have always wanted to live to see the three individuals connected to Lake Trio, but, I have been unfortunate for 87 long years."
Diamond had a determined look on his face as he slowly stepped forward and faced the painting of Uxie,
"The intelligent being." Steadily and cautiously, he lifted his arm up and extended it towards the painting. Diamond's bare palm touched the head of the painting as a golden light outline every detail of the Uxie. The light then came off of the painting and surrounded Diamond in a barrier-like manner, before dispersing and settling down. The echo of Uxie's cry echoed through out the cave walls.
Elder Maryland felt goosebumps on her arms, "Oh my... you're the intelligent individual!?"
Diamond faced her and said, "I... I... I suppose I am..."
Pearl, being jealous, stepped up to the cave wall as well. Dawn trailed behind him as the two stopped beside each other, facing the paintings. Dawn beamed at the pink Pokemon, Mesprit.
"Oh... it's so adorable!" she quickly extended her hands on to the painting as a pink, glowing light outlined the painting in its entirety. In a similar fashion as earlier, the light wrapped around Dawn before dispersing. Mesprit's cry echoed in the cave.
"The emotional individual... " Elder Maryland commented, her excitement growing.
Pearl dusted his wrists off, "Heh, I best they save the best for last." He tightly closed his eyes and did a few moves with his arms. Finally, he pressed against the wall. but nothing happened, "What the heck?"
Dawn slapped her forehead as Diamond said, "You gotta actually touch the painting. You're touching just the wall, Pearl."
Pearl blinked and noticed that his hand was really touching the wall, barely missing the painting of Azelf, "Oh yeah." He shifted his hand to the left as he touched the painting. The Azelf portrait was outlined in a light of sky blue. The light surrounded Pearl before dispersing. Azelf's echo could be heard through out the cave before silencing.
"And... the willing individual... Truly amazing. Legendary!" Elder Maryland exclaimed as she escorted them out of the cave.
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Meanwhile, the Goon from earlier contacted his boss, Cyrus via PokeGear, "Boss! We've got trouble in the Celestic Cave!"
"No worries, Goon, I'll be there shortly!" Cyrus exclaimed. He still was flying in the skies on his Crobat, but was now above Celestic Town. He saw the cave from above and ordered Crobat to descend the skies. Eventually, he landed on the ground, a few feet away from the cave. Lifting his hand, Cyrus returned Crobat to its Pokeball as he folded his arms, watching Diamond, Dawn, Pearl, and Elder Maryland exit the cave, "Hmph."
Diamond stood guard as he said, "Cyrus!?"
"The one and only... " He took out another Pokeball, "No more questions. I want all three of you. Right here -- Right now."
(Next: Chapter 40: VS. Gliscor!)
Author's Note: Hard to believe we're only three chapters in to Volume 4! So much is about to happen!