In an instant, Play and Tess ran across the grass until they were right behind team Eclipse members.
"Give it up kid." A grunt cackled at Jake. Play noticed that despite being surrounded and presumably defeated, Jake didn't look particularly scared, in fact, he looked angry instead. Play knew that a week ago, Jake would have been crying at this point. Right behind of Team Eclipse, was their huge aircraft.
"HEY!" Play bellowed. In shock, the two Eclipse members at the front of the circle turned around, to Play's shock and horror, Eclipse admins Harry and Gabe turned around to reveal themselves.
"Well well well." Gabe uttered.
"If it isn't that little persistent brat." Harry laughed. "Back at it again."
"Get out of the way." Tess demanded. "We've come to get our friend back." Play tried to barge past but Harry and Gabe grabbed an arm of Play's each and hurled him back to the ground. Like twin, grinning clowns, the two Admins laughed.
"Don't you miss your mommy and daddy kid." Harry sneered.
"They're locked up cozily away at our secret base." Gabe sneered in response. Play was on his feet in an instant, his fingernails digging into his palms.
"Shut up!" He growled. "SHUT UP!" Gabe and Harry simply laughed even more. Meanwhile, Jake called out from inside the ring in a calm, collected tone Play had never heard from Jake before.
"I'm sorry you guys." He said. "I thought I was strong enough to protect everyone on my own."
"Zip it kid." A grunt said, small specks of spit flying from his mouth. Tess reached for a Pokèball of her own.
"Play, let's take these clowns." She hissed. Play reached for a Pokèball when all of a sudden, Gabe and Harry shared a conversation that froze Play's blood over.
"Now all we gotta do is wait for Tyler to get back." Harry whispered. "Then we can get out of here."
"Don't worry about those two." Gabe whispered back. "The boss'll be here any minute."
"The boss?" Play thought. Since he had started his pursuit of Team Eclipse, he'd long since wondered who the evil mastermind of Team Eclipse was. Who was pulling the strings? It could only be someone so callous, so cold-blooded, so..evil.
"Haha." Harry exclaimed. "Here he comes now." Play and Tess looked up to Team Eclipse's aircraft. A door to the side of the ship opened, a dark figure clearly visible in the shadow. A metal boardwalk extended from just below the door until it touched the ground. Then, like a malevolent shadow of death, the figure walked out into the sunlight, revealing their identity to Play.
Professor Cypress, slowly but surely made his way down the boardwalk until he was standing in front of Play and Tess. The other Eclipse members even parted to the side to allow him to pass through. Cypress seemed calm, a single, stone faced expression carved onto his face. His black suit wasn't a single scratch out of place, his black rimmed glasses stood as perfect as ever.
"Hello Play." He said. "It's been a while."
"P-Professor Cypress?" Jake asked with a mixture of hurt, and confusion.
"Professor?" Play asked, slowly, a terrible truth dawning on him. "What are you doing here."
"I suppose I should explain myself." Cypress said slowly. "You see, all this time, I haven't just been the Roria Pokemon professor." As he spoke, Cypress reached up to his black suit, before in one siwft motion, like a twisted version of Superman, tore his black suit in half, revealing his Team Eclipse uniform underneath.
"I'm also the founder and architect of Team Eclipse." He said, this time with a slight sneer. Play's entire world seemed to crumble around him in that moment, time slowed down. Jake fell to his knees in shock, his eyes and soul filled with pain. Play too, felt his legs turn to ice for a moment, his heart feeling weak in his chest. Tess didn't know exactly who Cypress was, but looking between Tess and Play, she could feel the idea.
"I suppose I should explain myself." Cypress said. "A long time ago, when I was a child, I had no friends. My only companions and joy were my Pokemon that I had befreinded. It's what fasicnated me, and made me want to study them as Roria's professor. But upon beginning my research, I learned that humans do not show the same affection for Pokemon as we get back. That's why, I discovered a new world, where society can be structered around the concept of Pokemon and humans being free." This speech clearly touched a nerve on Cypress's heart, as he doubled over slightly.
"Pokemon can finally be free." He whispered. "And not be the slaves to the humans that fight with them over nothing but entertainment. They'd be much better off without us." Play had no words. Everything he knew about Pokemon was being turned on it's head.
"That's why." Cypress said. "That day, when you chose your Piplup, and your parents told me about a portal to a new world they found, I had to have it at any costs. Even if it meant kidnapping them."
Play's breathing increased in rate.
"This isn't happening." He thought. "I'm not hearing this."
At that moment, a short, chubby man in a golden top hat and bright green eyes wandered up to where Cypress was standing and whispered into his ear.
"The bombs have been planted." The man whispered.
"What?" Tess asked furiously. "Now you're planting bombs?" Cypress slowly nodded his head.
"Indeed." He said. "As a parting gift to Anthian City, bombs have been planted right on the power core. As you know, this core is what keeps the city afloat. The bombs will obliterate the power core, and so, Anthian will fall."
"You're a professor, not a terrorist!" Tess reasoned, a new level of disgust in her voice.
"When we enter the new world." Cypress said with a smirk. "The current world will be destroyed anyway. There's no point." He then turned to the man in the golden top hat.
"Thank you Tyler."
"How could you justify such a thing?" Tess said.
"It's not justice." Cypress stated. "It's Revenge." Tess, Play, or Jake simply had no words for that. Cypress then clicked his fingers.
"Take the boy aboard." Cypress said. Standing in a formation of sorts, the Eclipse grunts stood in a semi circle around Jake and grabbed his arms, before walking up the boardwalk to the ship.
"Jake!" Tess choked out his name in a strangled whisper. Jake turned around one final time to look at them, he smiled briefly before he was hauled on board the ship.
"Ciao." Cypress said, before turning around and walking away.
"Wait!" Tess shouted. Cypress stopped. "We won't let you go without a fight." Cypress turned around, surprised that they had even dared to tell him to stop.
"Are you actually challenging the leader of Team Eclipse to a fight?" Cypress said.
"Play." Tess whispered. "You have to stop him." Play, for the last few minutes had simply been an observer, but he stepped forward.
"I'll do what I can." He said, reaching down for a Pokeball. At that moment, a bright white creature leapt out of nowhere and landed in front of Play.
"Absol?" Play asked, remembering the encounter he'd had with one not so long ago. Absol nodded, before turning in a fighting stance towards Cypress.
"I think it wants to fight with you, Play." Tess pointed out. Play looked at Absol's neck. Buried deep within it's white fur, was a rainbow stone, just barely visible.
"What's that?" Play whispered to Tess.
"Holy smokes." Tess said. "That's a mega Stone! It allows Pokemon to mega evolve."
"Mega Evolve?" Play asked, "What's that?"
"Can we get on with this, you foolish children?" Cypress asked. Tess suddenly reached into her jumper and pulled out a black object.
"Use this." Tess said. "When you're using Absol, trust me!" Play absorbed this information, before selecting his first Pokèball and throwing it, Just as Cypress grabbed his first pick.
"My stronger Pokemon are on the ship." He said. "But even my weaker set of Pokemon will crush you, even with the power of Mega Evolution!"
"Go Nidoking!"
"Go Venusaur!"
The two beasts of a Pokemon assumed their position on the grass as Absol stood back for a moment, watching.
"Sludge Bomb!" Cypress yelled. Venusaur's plant twitched slightly as a mass of poison was suddenly expelled from the top of it's tree. Nidoking, seeing this attack coming, crouched low to the ground before dashing forward, it's right arm coated in purple poison. Nidoking outran the poison before slamming it's fist into Venusaur's shoulder. The attack damaged Venusaur, causing Nidoking to swing it's other arm back and crash into Venusaur's face.
"Sleep powder!" Cypress said. Venusaur's plant expelled a purple like gas that as soon as it reached Nidoking, it's body swayed, it's eyelids fluttered, before it doubled over and landed on the floor.
"Crap." Play thought, as he returned Nidoking.
"Solar Beam!" Cypress told Venusaur. The grass type shuffled in place as it's plant, facing towards the sun began absorbing sunlight.
"Prinplup, GO!" Prinplup was sent out and landed on the field.
"Using a water type." Cypress said. "A bad mistake." Venusaur clearly agreed as with a flourish of it's body, an unstoppable, wave of green energy fired from it's plant, right towards Prinplup.
"Bide!" Play said. Prinplup took a deep breath as it's entire body was enveloped in green light, when the attack ended, it's body giving off smoke.
"Clever." Cypress said, gritting his teeth. Prinplup stood it's ground as Venusaur launched another sludge bomb towards Prinplup that it once again absorbed. Now free to move, Prinplup dashed forwards, leaping into the air before opening it's body up and letting a bright flash of light fly towards Venusaur, the combined power of Solar beam and sludge bomb knocking it back. The grass type was still standing, but breathing heavily.
"Venusaur, return!" Cypress said. "Firalligatr, GO!" The ground shook as the huge water type landed on the battlefield, letting a deep growl escape it's throat.
"Prinplup Return!" Play said, as he selected another ball. "Ampharos GO!" The electric type landed as Firalligatr already charged towards it with an attack, it's fist encased in ice.
"Dodge it!" Ampharos waited until Firalligatr was right on it before dodging to the right, unfortunately, Firalligatr's tail whipped out at the same time and struck Ampharos across the chest, knocking it off it's feet.
"Aqua Tail!" Cypress said. Firalligatr turned round and charged towards Ampharos, it's tail encased in high pressure water. Ampharos knew what to do. Just before the water type hit it, Ampharos yelled in effort as it's body was overtaken in lightning. A thunderbolt raced past Firalligatr's attack, and struck it in the chest. The alligator yelled in pain, and stumbled back from the sudden attack.
"Pokemon can finally be free. And not be the slaves to the humans that fight with them over nothing but entertainment." Cypress's words rang in Play's mind like bullets. But he pushed those thoughts away. Firalligatr let another growl escape it's throat.
"Earthquake!" Cypress said. Firalligatr yelled as it rose up before punching the ground with incredible force.
"Oh snap!" Play thought. "Ampharos, jump into the air!" Understanding the command as the ground shook beneath it's feet, Ampharos nodded before leaping into the air, avoiding the attack.
"Now go for a thunderbolt!" Play said. Ampharos fired an electrically powered bolt from it's chest that hit Firalligatr and caused it to howl before toppling over, defeated. This seemed to hurt Cypress slightly.
"Return Firalligatr." He said. "Venusaur, GO!" Still pretty tired from it's previous scuffle, Venusaur watched Ampharos with steady eyes.
"We can't afford to waste pointless energy." Cypress told his Pokemon. "Use one final Solar Beam! Venusaur began to charge sunlight once again.
"Ampharos." Play said, as Venusaur was around a third through it's process. "Get ready to throw every attack you can." Ampharos nodded as started charging up it's own energy as Venusaur prepared to fire it's deadly beam.
"Give it everything you've got!" Cypress said. Venusaur bellowed in effort as the beam raced across the ground for a second time.
"GO!" Play said. At once, Ampharos released it's stored energy and fired a huge thunderbolt that clashed with the solar beam and caused the ground to shift as the two attacks clashed. Ampharos, from it's mouth also fired a charge beam, that united with the thunderbolt. Venusaur was steadily running out of solar energy, but it didn't let on.
"Keep it up a little longer." Play said, noticing that the solar beam was decreasing in width, eventually, when it got weak enough.
"Now!" Play said. Ampharos increased it's energy output even further, as it's thunderbolt split the solar beam down the middle and hit Venusaur dead on. The grass type howled in pain, before collapsing to the ground, defeated. Just as hurt as before, Cypress returned his Pokemon before sending out his next.
"Samurott, GO!" Cypress said. Confused to why the professor was using a water type, Play commanded for a thunderbolt. However Samurott saw this coming and in a single dash, stepped forward, and using it's horn, slashed in a downwards arc at Ampharos's torso. After Samurott landed on all fours, a slashing noise could be heard as Ampharos let out a squeak, before crumpling to the ground. Play was stunned, he'd never seen a Pokemon own such intensity and speed all at once before. He returned Ampharos, before sending out Kirlia. The psychic type landed before facing down it's opponent.
"Samurott!" Cypress said. "Show what happens to those who mess with Team Eclipse!" Samurott nodded, as it stood onto it's hind legs. Twin blades extending from each of it's arms. And then, it dashed forward slashing with as much power and speed at Kirlia as it could muster. Thanks to being short, the psychic type was mostly able to weave around the water type's attacks, with some difficulty.
"Teleport to get out of there." Play shouted.
"Use ice beam behind yourself." Samurott turned around to eighty degrees behind itself before firing an ice beam. Sure enough, Kirlia re-appeared right where the beam was aimed and only just managed to pull up a weak psychic barrier that knocked it to the ground. Play then had an idea.
"Kirlia, use the strongest psybeam you can!" Kirlia did just so. "But don't fire it!"
"It's gonna take more than brute force to best Samurott." Cypress warned. Samurott then dashed forward, swinging it's blades again. Meanwhile, Kirlia was struggling to withstand the power of it's own attack. The stored energy seemingly warping the ground beneath the psychic type's feet.
"Now teleport the psybeam away!" Kirlia focused, and the psychic energy vanished. Samurott then jumped forward and with a single slash, struck Kirlia in the head. Kirlia hadn't been one for physical confrontations, and this showed when a single strike was all Samurott needed to knock Kirlia out cold. It's small body fell to the ground, not moving.
"He's got four left and I only have three left." Play thought. "I gotta make this count." Play selected another Pokeball and threw it. A sleeping Nidoking landed on the field, causing Cypress to chuckle.
"Aqua jet." Cypress said. Samurott coated it's body in water, and it propelled itself forward, but just before it did that. A portal opened up out of nowhere, and a psybeam fired out of the hole. Samurott didn't have time to react as the beam surged forwards and hit it mid attack. Smoke went up everywhere as the sudden noise caused Nidoking to wake up. It snuffled before noticing a shaking Samurott in front of it. Knowing what to do, it smiled before running forward a megahorn ready. Samurott finally got back to it's feet, just in time for Nidoking's horn to stab into it's neck, and shriek in pain.
"Half my Pokemon have been hurt because of you." Cypress growled, returning Samurott. "You won't get away with this."
"GO Delphox!" Cypress's Pokemon assumed the battlefield and faced towards Nidoking.
"Flamethrower!" Cypress shouted. Delphox aimed it's glowing branch forwards as a mass of fire shot forwards in a thick column. Nidoking simply turned around and raised it's tail. It's sturdy armour was more than enough to block the inferno.
"Poison Jab!" Nidoking, as the flamethrower ended, rushed forwards, it's limb coated in poison. Delphox however raised it's branch again, as a psychic barrier suddenly overtook Nidoking. The poison type stood there for a moment, not moving, before it was suddenly tossed backwards through the air and landed on the ground. Delphox's branch then glowed bright pink, before a wave of pink energy rushed forwards. Nidoking, instead of getting out of the way, stomped it's foot into the ground. A sudden barrier of poison surrounded it's body, protecting it from the attack.
"Is that some kind of protect?" Play thought. He got his answer when Nidoking controlled the poison to rush forward in a wide, deadly wave.
Nidoking: Moves: Sludge Wave learnt
Delphox panicked as it tried to block the wave with psychic energy, however it was just too much. Delphox was overtaken by the wave, before falling to the ground, unconscious. Cypress returned his Pokemon, a vein now throbbing in the side of his head.
"Torterra GO!" The ground shook once more as Torterra entered the battle. Play then used this opportunity to return his exhausted Nidoking, and look to his right to see Absol. Play nodded at the dark type as it stepped forwards to fight.
"Stone edge!" Cypress called. However, before Play could even call a single command, Absol's muscles flexed as it darted forwards. Weaving in and out of the path of the stone edge. When it got close enough, it's horn glowed a dark blue as it began slashing around Torterra's legs. The grass type was far too bulky to dodge attacks. All it could do was awkwardly buckle from side to side.
"Don't just sit there!" Cypress said. "WOOD HAMMER!" Absol jumped back as Torterra briefly heaved it's huge body back onto it's hind legs. A large, green wooden hammer appearing above it's body. Torterra crashed onto the ground to deliver it's strong attack, but Absol was already moving. It's horn extended slightly as it jabbed forward into Torterra's front. The ground type stopped, it made a faint wheezing sound, before, with a huge slam, it collapsed over into the ground, the wood hammer vanishing. Cypress was deeply saddened at this, and returned his Torterra.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. And then, he selected his final ball. "Blaziken GO!"
The Fire and Fighting type landed on the field and held up it's guard.
"Play." Tess whispered. "Use your mega stone. Cypress is on his last legs."
"Good idea." Play said. He then brought out the keystone and held it in front of him. Not knowing what to do, he simply held his finger down on the stone. Then, at that moment, he could feel a strange vibration in the keystone. He looked up at Absol, who had suddenly been overtaken in a powerful looking blue light. This wasn't natural evolution though, this was something different. Absol suddenly burst out of the light sphere, as it assumed a new form. Mega Evolution. A strange tingling appearing in his limbs, Play tested out the power of Mega Evolution.
"Absol!" He said. "Night Slash!" Absol moved even faster than before, it's horn extending as it lashed towards Blaziken. The fire type however threw up it's hands just in time and caught the attack in it's bare hands.
"Blaziken may be on my weaker team." Cypress said. "But on it's own it could rival even the strongest of Gym Leaders." Blaziken then flipped backwards and extended it's leg out, before diving downwards, it's foot on fire, it landed a powerful kick on Absol's face. Just as this happened though, Absol jumped into the air to stomp Blaziken in the dirt, before aiming a downwards megahorn to the ground. The fire type quickly recovered by flipping onto it's legs before positioning it's fist upwards and jumping in a Sky Uppercut. Blaziken completely cut off Absol's attack with an uppercut to the jaw, following with a kick tot he gut and then another fist to the head that sent Absol into the ground.
"Night Slash!" Play called.
"Blaze Kick!" Cypress called. Absol darted forwards with blistering speed, however Blaziken did the same. The two attacks met briefly in the middle, before the Pokemon parted to the opposite side. The two Pokemon looked behind themselves to see which attack had landed, and unfortunately for Play. Absol yelled in pain as it's body suddenly burst onto fire. Still not giving up, Absol turned round and began charging a pink orb in front of it's body.
"Give it all you've got!" Play said.
"Brave Bird!" Cypress said. Blaziken stepped back to get a run up, before performing the same brilliant move Play had just seen Stephen's Staraptor pull off. Dang, that felt like a cake walk compared to this. Absol launched the moonblast forwards as Blaziken shot forwards with even faster speeds that was possible. The brave bird completely shattered the moonblast as Blaziken kept on going before stopping in front of Absol. Blaziken then leaped a short distance into the air and spun in 720 degrees before nailing absol in the jaw with a deadly blaze kick. The attack seemed to halt all movement out of Mega Absol. It froze, before falling to the ground, at the same time, the mega energy wearing off. Absol was left lying there, in it's regular form.
"Even a Mega evolution was no match for Blaziken!" Play thought. "This is gonna be tight." Play reached for Nidoking's Pokeball and sent it out. Having been the longest serving Pokemon in this battlefield, Nidoking was tired. It dashed forwards with a Poison jab, clearly giving it's all, however Blaziken was having none of it. It hopped a short distance, dodged Nidoking's attack before uppercutting it with it's left fist. Nidoking stopped, before falling over.
"I've only got Prinplup left." Play thought. "He's my last hope." The water penguin was sent onto the battlefield, and ruffled it's feathers.
"A one on one for the winner." Cypress said. "My Pokemon's efforts will not be in vain." Prinplup launched itself forward, so did Blaziken. The water type trying everything it could to land a meaningful attack on the fire type, but the gap in power was obvious. Blaziken simply dodged Prinplup's attacks, weaving round it's feeble metal claws, and backflipping away when Prinplup attempted a long ranged attack.
"Lets end this." Cypress growled. "Blaziken! Blaze kick!" Blaziken understood it's command before racing forwards, it's right leg on fire. It then leapt into the air before coming crashing down on Prinplup, who only just managed to raise it's wings in time.
"Brave Bird!" Cypress called. Blaziken backflipped away, as it's body was surrounded by a white energy. It then came at such shocking speeds, Prinplup didn't even have time to move out the way. It was hit in the chest, before flying backwards. The water type was proud, and even near unconsciousness, it rose to it's feet, gritting it's teeth. Play began to stress.
"There's nothing I can do." He thought. "Cypress has me cornered."
"Blaze kick! And you know what? First, take out the kids!" Cypress bellowed. Blaziken stepped back for a final time, as it came running forward. Play and Tess trembled as like a malicious angel of death, Blaziken jumped high into the air, it's sharp toe pointed forward like a dagger. Play could feel his insides freeze. This is how he was going to end. Killed by the leader of the group that kidnapped his parents. He'd failed. But Prinplup stood as tall as it could. As the fire type came crashing down, a loud bellow came from deep inside Prinplup's throat. In a single movement, it dived in front of Play and Tess, just as Blaziken came crashing down. Play was nearly blasted off his feet by the impact. A huge cloud of fire and smoke erupted over the grass. In the distance though, Play realised what had happened.
"Prinplup." He whispered, feeling his eyes tear up. But then, a louder, deeper voice came from the smoke.
"EEEEEEMMMMM!" Play rubbed his eyes, and squinted them. "PPPPOOOOOOOOOO!" Through the smoke, he could see a much larger, more muscular Pokemon standing in Prinplup's place.
"LLEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Play's heart leapt. He'd figured out what had happened. "EEEMMMPOOOLLLEEEOOON!" Empoleon burst out of the smoke, catching Blaziken in the chest with one of it's sharp wings, using it's other leg to knock Blaziken back. Cypress couldn't belive his eyes.
"Out of all the times to-." He snarled. "It had to be now." Using it's new-found strength, Empoleon stood in place, before it's beak extended and it began to spin, deadly fast.
Empoleon: Moves: Drill peck learned
Empoleon darted forwards even faster than Blaziken had and in a single movement, stabbed into Blaziken's chest on the tip of it's beak.
"NOO!" Cypress yelled. Blaziken, still in shock, stumbled back before hitting the ground with a satisfying thud, defeated. Then there was silence. As three pairs of angry eyes were now on Cypress. He was trying to contain himself.
"This is unacceptable." He said, then he reached into his pocket and took out a key, before throwing it at the ground. "This unlocks the power core of Anthian city. Watch it up close!" He then turned around and ran up the metal boardwalk, before the door to Eclipse's ship closed as it took off into the sky. Empoleon stopped, before looking back at Play with a smile. Before they could though, a loud boom echoed through the city, chilling Play to the bone, and then, the ground started to shake.
"The Power core!" Tess cried. "We were too late!" Terrifyingly, the entire island then started to plummet down. Play and Tess falling through the air.
"I don't wanna die!" Play thought. But this time, there was no way out, no evolution that could save him. For the second time in one day, Play's life flashed before his eyes.