Before Kyla and Chaz are even halfway to the island, Moltres fires a massive towering column of fire into the air, as a warning to all who would approach. Chaz stops, hovering in position.
"What's wrong?" Kyla asks.
Chaz stares intently as Moltres, still reffed in molten lava, slowly turns her head and looks straight at them. The look is not one of anger, but rather pledging for mercy. Chaz's expression changes to one of understanding, as he answers Kyla with low gentle grunts.
Kyla looks between him and Moltres. "She was hurt?!"
Chaz nods.
Kyla is speechless. Thoughts fly through her head, as Moltres continues to slowly rise out of the volcano, constantly aware of their presence. Kyla watches conflicted as to what to do. On one hand, she could leave Moltres alone and hope she gets another chance to capture her. However, if she attacked first, she might have a better chance of capturing her now.
Kyla scratches her head furiously with both hands. "WHAT DO I DO?!" She shouts, overwhelmed by the argument growing inside her mind.
Chaz grunts and points down to a splinter of the island, untouched by lava.
Kyla follows the path of his motions. "Do.. you think it is safe?"
Chaz nods.
They land, but as they do so, a sound catches their attention. It sounds like a screech, coming from the north. Kyla pulls out a pair of binoculars and looks in the direction of the sound. To her surprise, she spots Articuno flying straight towards them.
"That has to be Hermit, but..." Kyla thinks for a moment. "If he is closing distance this fast, he must think Moltres is a threat to the island." Kyla surveys the scene of lava. "He might not be completely off the mark, but..." Kyla looks up at Moltres, who continues to ease herself out of the lava. "She is making no effort to attack anyone."
Chaz grunts frantically.
Kyla nods. "If Moltres sees Articuno, her first instinct will be to defend herself. We have to stop Hermit before he gets too close."
As they take off, as fast as possible towards the north, Moltres watches curiously. As they finally near Articuno the two Pokemon come to a hover in front of one another.
"What are you doing?! Move Kyla! We have to seal the volcano up before it does serious damage to the surrounding islands!" Hermit barks.
"Listen.. Hermit, Moltres is not a threat to the island....."
Before she can finish, Hermit and Articuno fly by Kyla and Chaz, on a direct route to Moltres. Chaz whips around and follows, but can not keep up the same speed.
"Chaz, Mega Evolution, GO!" Kyla orders, as she outstretches her arm.
Chaz glows and begins to emit black flames, roaring loudly as he emerges as Mega Charizard X. Kyla hangs on tight as Chaz forcefully shots forward, catching up with Articuno. Chaz glares at Articuno, as she glares back.
"I have this handled, Hermit! Don't make it worse for me!" Kyla yells.
Another Flamethrower shoots into the air, from the volcano, as Moltres announces she has spotted Articuno. Moltres frees herself quicker from the lava, shining bright with molten fire.
Kyla and Chaz stop in front of Articuno and Hermit. "You are about to cross a line, Hermit."
Hermit scoffs. "I was about to say the same thing to you."
Articuno charges up an Ice Beam and fires it at Chaz. Chaz responds quickly with a Flamethrower. The two attacks create a thick cloud of fog, from which neither trainer can see each other.
Kyla sees the opportunity and calls out Pidgeot. Leaping onto her back, she looks back at Chaz. "Keep them busy, I will be right back."
Chaz nods and flies into the fog.
Kyla and Pidgeot return to the main island. Kyla calls out Lapras, Blastoise, Gyarados, and Poliwrath. "If any Lava comes near this island, shoot it down." She orders.
All the Pokemon nod.
Kyla and Pidgeot fly back to the fight, as quickly as possible, as Chaz takes hold of Articuno's wings and brings her down onto the second island. Hermit is thrown from her back and now lays unconscious.
Kyla lands in front of an enraged Articuno. "Stop, Articuno! You are only going to make things worse!"
Articuno struggles against Chaz's hold on her, charging a Hyper Beam right in front of Kyla. Chaz sees this and leaps upon her neck, holding her beak shut. Articuno takes off, with Chaz still hanging on tight. Articuno finally shakes him off and unleashes her Hyper Beam in Moltres' direction. Moltres shields herself with her molten wings as the attack hits her. When the beam dies down, Moltres looks out from her wings angerly.
Kyla whistles loudly as she recalls Pidgeot and leaps on a passing Chaz's back. "She has done it now!!"
Chaz roars as he headbutts into Articuno, knocking her into the island again. Just then Moltres takes off, flying straight for Articuno, but a bolt of lightning stops her in mid-flight.
Kyla looks up to see Zapdos in the sky, followed closely behind by David on his Dragonite.
Kyla shrugs. "This is turning into an absolute shit show."
David reaches Kyla, as Zapdos hovers between Moltres and Articuno. "Sorry, but the only Pokemon that can stand between these two is Zapdos."
Kyla smirks. "Are you forgetting we beat Zapdos in the tournament?"
David smiles. "Do you want to capture Moltres or not?!" David throws Kyla an Ultra Ball. "Call this one on loan. You owe me!"
Moltres defiantly screams at Zapdos, as Articuno regains her footing.
David smirks. "I will deal with Articuno, you take Moltres."
Kyla nods. "Good plan, babe!"
David shouts to Zapdos. "Zap, play backup for us!"
Zapdos nods and unleashes a massive Thunder attack, hitting both Moltres and Articuno. They stagger, as Articuno becomes partially parilized, unable to fly.
Moltres shakes off the attack and fires a Flamethrower at Zapdos, but Chaz intercepts the attack with his own Flamethrower.
Kyla holds out the Ultra Ball. "Moltres, I hereby challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"
Moltres stops her attack, staring unhappily at the Ultra Ball.
Chaz grunts, taunting Moltres.
Moltres' expression changes from unhappy to anger as she charges up a Hyper Beam.
Back on the island, Zapdos hits Articuno with another Thunder attack. Articuno hits the ground, struggling, in anger, to glare at Zapdos.
When Moltres fires her Hyper Beam, Chaz dodges, resulting in the Hyper Beam hitting Articuno. Between the Thunder and Hyper Beam attacks her muscles begin to convulse wildly, unable to move and on her last HP, all she can do is wait for Hermit to awaken and recall her.
Instead, David walks over with Hermit's Ultra Ball. "Ready to give up, Articuno?"
Articuno does her best to nod, as her body continues to uncontrollably convulse.
David recalls her and returns her ball to Hermit's bag. David stands by Hermit. "Okay, Zap, we are standing guard here now."
Zapdos looks disappointed.
"I know, but that battle belongs to Kyla now." David waves his hand.
Zapdos looks up to see Chaz and Moltres locked in battle. Zapdos screams at Chaz, just as he contacts Moltres with a Focus Blast, followed up by a Thunder Punch.
Moltres falls backward and lands with a crash, at the edge of the mouth of the volcano.
Kyla sees this. "Dive, Chaz, Dive!!!!"
As he dives at Moltres, she turns over into the volcano.
"SHIT!!" Kyla exclaims.
The volcano begins to erupt, sending lava into the sky.
Zapdos shields David and Hermit, with her wings.
David looks nervously out from around Zapdos. "Things just got ten times worse...." He pats Zapdos' leg.