Chapter 12 - "Piercing Eye" (Patreon)

The day had finally arrived.

A cold morning mist covered the Ancient Mist Forest. Tall bamboo swayed gently in the wind while thick fog drifted between the trees, making the entire forest feel mysterious and unreal.

Deep within the forest stood a hidden clearing. Mukuro waited there with his arms crossed while several members of his clan watched from the sidelines. A ninja referee stood beside him, patiently observing the fog-covered trails that led into the battlefield.

The referee glanced at his lord.

—Do you think they will find this place?

Mukuro remained silent for a moment.

—Pff… Yeah, sure.

The referee blinked.

—Really?

—One challenger possesses the subtlety of a rampaging Tauros, while the other lives to kill people with harsh words.

Several ninjas quietly nodded.

—The path requires patience, observation, and careful reading of the map.

Mukuro adjusted his cape dramatically.

—Qualities that seemed tragically absent during our previous encounter.

The referee could not argue with that.

—Still, the day has only begun. Let us see how long it takes them to arrive.

No sooner had he finished speaking than two figures emerged from the bamboo.

—Good morning!

Vivi waved enthusiastically as she stepped into the clearing. Marian calmly followed beside her as if they had simply taken a pleasant morning stroll.

The silence lasted several seconds.

—Oh C’mon!! —said the ninja leader.

—Good morning to you too, Hot Topic Hokage.

—… You arrived sooner than I expected.

—What can I say? That mysterious mystic map wasn’t that hard to read.

Marian nodded.

—Indeed. The route was quite straightforward.

In reality, Marian had quietly read the thoughts of the ninjas while they explained the rules the previous day, making the journey considerably easier than it should have been.

Fortunately for her, nobody needed to know that.

—So, are we fighting here or you’re taking us to The Village Hidden in the Angst?

—As disrespectful as always, I see… You are still wearing the Ogerpon cosplay.

—IT'S NOT A COSPLAY!

—It clearly is!

—It’s not!

—It is!!

—It’s not!!!

—It is!!

Marian stepped between them before another argument could begin.

—As entertaining as this conversation undoubtedly is, could someone please explain to us the third rule, now?

Mukuro took a few steps forward and finally adopted a more serious posture.

—Every Gym in Cresva possesses a special challenge in addition to the Pokémon battle itself.

He gestured toward the forest surrounding them.

—You have already witnessed this with Carlos of Orange Town.

Vivi rubbed her shoulder instinctively.

—Unfortunately.

—His challenge required challengers to either seize the trainer's handkerchief... or incapacitate the trainer directly.

—Yeah, I remember that part —said Vivi rubbing her elbow.

—My challenge is known as Piercing Eye.

The spectators immediately straightened their backs. Even the wind seemed to grow quieter.

—This forest has served as the training ground of my clan for generations. The mist is not an obstacle. It is the challenge itself.

He extended an arm toward the sea of bamboo and fog surrounding the clearing.

—The battle will take place throughout the entire forest. The mist will limit your vision and force you to rely on your other senses. Hearing. Smell. Instinct. Awareness.

For once, there was no mention of eternal darkness, cursed destinies, or arrows of fate.

Mukuro simply sounded like a Gym Leader. A very experienced one.

—The use of any equipment that may provide an advantage is strictly forbidden. No goggles. No binoculars. No thermal vision devices. No special lenses.

He looked directly at the girls.

—Only you, your Pokémon, and your senses.

Marian nodded.

—Understood.

—Each trainer may use only one Pokémon.

—Fine by me.

—The battle will continue until one of my opponents' Pokémon is unable to battle...

His visible eye narrowed.

—… Or until the trainers themselves are unable to continue.

Vivi immediately raised her hand.

—Can I complain about that rule?

—No.

—Because my entire body still hurts from Carlos.

—That is unfortunate.

—Easy for you to say!

—You accepted the challenge willingly.

—I did not know Cresva's Gym Leaders were insane!

Mukuro ignored them and reached for a Poké Ball.

For the first time since they had met him, there was no trace of embarrassment or frustration in his expression.

Only confidence.

Only focus.

Only the calm composure of a warrior standing on his own battlefield.

—Very well.

He tossed the Poké Ball into the air.

—Allow me to introduce my partner.

A flash of light exploded across the clearing.

When it faded, a Decidueye landed silently on a nearby bamboo stalk.

The Pokémon's feathers gleamed silver and black instead of the usual colors. A pair of sunglasses rested proudly on its face.

The bird crossed its wings and gave a confident nod.

Marian released her own Pokémon next.

—Hastur, I choose you.

The small Mimikyu appeared beside her and waved at the crowd.

Finally, Vivi stepped forward.

—Alright, King Buta! Let's show them what we've got!

The old Emboar emerged in a burst of light.

Several spectators gasped.

The referee's eyes widened.

Even Mukuro looked surprised.

—King Buta...

The old Emboar calmly snorted.

—I know that Pokémon —said Mukuro —. The strongest Pokémon in Orange Town. The pride of Blaze Ranch. One of the greatest warriors in Cresva.

The spectators began whispering among themselves.

Mukuro looked toward Vivi.

—I never imagined he would leave the ranch.

King Buta immediately bonked her on the head.

—OW! What was that for?!

The old Pokémon let out another deep grunt before placing one massive hand against his own chest. A moment later, he carefully lowered one of his enormous claws onto Vivi's chest.

The gesture was surprisingly gentle.

Vivi blinked.

—Huh?

King Buta grunted again.

—King Buta?

King Buta keeps groaning

—He says: "I am strong. Very strong. And you already know that." —translates Marian.

—Wait, did you understand him?!

—I understand Pokémon language.

—Since when?!

Marian shrugged.

—It seems to come with being psychic.

—You truly are full of surprises, Princess. Please continue.

—Correct. He said "I am strong. Very strong. And you already know that." And then said: "Do not mistake my strength for your own. The power I can offer you will be equal to the talent you show me."

The old Emboar nodded once more.

—"I will fight beside you. But I will not hand you victories."

Vivi looked up at her partner.

For a moment, her usual confidence disappeared. King Buta was a legend. A warrior respected even by Gym Leaders. A Pokémon who could probably carry her through many battles if he wanted to.

But that was not what he intended to do.

He wanted her to earn every victory herself.

Slowly, Vivi smiled. Then she stood up straighter and placed her fists on her hips.

—Good. Because I wouldn't want it any other way!

Then a satisfied smile crossed the Emboar’s face.

The referee raised his arm.

—Begin!

The instant the battle started, Mukuro and Decidueye leaped backward. For a brief moment their silhouettes appeared above the bamboo.

Then both vanished into the mist.

King Buta growled and narrowed his eyes while Hastur nervously adjusted the rag covering his face.

The girls cautiously advanced into the forest.

The deeper they went, the thicker the fog became. Before long, even the bamboo trees a few meters away had become little more than dark silhouettes.

—Can you find him with your psychic powers?

Vivi glanced toward Marian.

—That was the plan from the moment they explained the rules.

Marian closed her eyes.

For a moment, her expression became confident.

Then it immediately changed.

She stumbled.

—Whoa!

Vivi grabbed her shoulder.

—Hey! Are you okay?

Marian placed a hand against her forehead.

—Something is wrong.

—Wrong how?

—The psychic energy in this forest is overwhelming.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

—There are too many voices.

The fog shifted.

A distant voice echoed through the bamboo.

—As I suspected.

The girls immediately looked around.

Mukuro.

—There is something unusual about you.

His voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

—You are psychic.

Marian frowned.

—And what if I am?

A brief silence followed.

Then Mukuro answered.

—The Mist Forest is not merely a battlefield.

The fog thickened around them.

—For centuries, warriors of my clan trained and fought within these woods. Their memories linger among the bamboo.

His voice lowered.

—And so do countless Ghost Pokémon.

Vivi rolled her eyes.

—Here we go again.

—Psychic trainers are more common than you imagine. They are also the ones who suffer the most here.

Marian's headache worsened.

—Wonderful.

—Decidueye.

The command came suddenly.

—Spirit Shackle!

—THERE!

Vivi immediately pointed toward the source of the voice.

—King Buta, Flamethrower!

The old Emboar unleashed a massive torrent of fire. Flames tore through the fog and illuminated the bamboo in brilliant orange light.

For a moment Vivi was certain they had hit something.

Then she realized they had hit nothing at all.

—What?!

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

The attack had come from another direction.

Before anyone could react, a glowing arrow shot from the mist and struck Hastur directly.

—Hastur!

Marian ran forward.

The Mimikyu stumbled backward.

Then stopped.

The disguise had absorbed the attack.

Its ability had saved it.

Marian released a relieved sigh.

—Thank goodness.

Her expression quickly hardened.

—That will not work twice.

Somewhere within the fog, Mukuro chuckled.

—Correct.

The girls tightened their guard.

They could hear him.

They simply could not find him.

—Princess Fortune Teller.

—What?

—Can you turn your powers off?

Marian looked offended.

—That is not how being psychic works.

Another arrow flew past them.

King Buta swatted it aside.

—Then try!

Marian ignored her.

Instead she began quietly reciting passages from one of her favorite storybooks.

The strange psychic pressure immediately began to lessen.

A shadow suddenly burst from the mist.

—Above you!

Decidueye descended with frightening speed, one wing glowing as it prepared to strike.

King Buta reacted instantly.

—BOARRRR!!

His fist ignited.

Fire Punch collided with Decidueye's attack in a shower of sparks.

Battle Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ZffzA2l1M&list=RDa9ZffzA2l1M&start_radio=1

The impact shook the bamboo around them.

Both Pokémon slid backward.

Then Decidueye disappeared into the fog again.

—At least we found him.

—For two seconds.

The battle continued.

Again and again Decidueye emerged from the mist.

A glowing arrow.

A surprise attack.

A brief silhouette between the bamboo.

Then nothing.

King Buta answered each assault with overwhelming power. Flamethrowers scorched the battlefield. Fire Punch shattered bamboo stalks. The old Emboar's strength was undeniable.

But strength was not enough.

Decidueye was everywhere.

The Ghost-type should not have been faster.

Yet every attack seemed to arrive from impossible angles.

Every movement was perfectly timed.

Every retreat vanished into the fog before retaliation could arrive.

—How is that thing so fast?!

Vivi shouted.

Another Spirit Shackle narrowly missed her.

—He's using the battlefield.

Mukuro's voice echoed through the forest.

—Speed is meaningless if your opponent controls the hunt.

King Buta growled in frustration.

For perhaps the first time since joining Vivi, he was being forced onto the defensive.

Marian finally opened her eyes.

The dizziness had lessened. Not completely, but enough.

—Hastur.

The Mimikyu nodded.

At last, the little Ghost-type joined the battle.

Shadow Balls flew into the mist.

Psychic pulses swept through the bamboo.

For a few moments the pressure on King Buta eased.

Then Decidueye appeared again.

And once again proved why he was Mukuro's ace.

The owl slipped between attacks with incredible precision, retaliating immediately whenever an opening appeared. Even against two opponents, he never seemed overwhelmed.

Vivi gritted her teeth. Marian tightened her grip on Hastur's Poké Ball.

Together they had expected things to become easier. Instead they were beginning to realize something uncomfortable.

Mukuro had not designed this challenge to be unfair.

He had designed it for this exact battlefield.

And within the Mist Forest, Decidueye was fighting on his own terms.

The battle continued.

And little by little, the tide turned completely against the challengers.

At first, Vivi had assumed Mukuro's theatrics were hiding an average trainer. Marian had assumed the same. Now, as another Spirit Shackle narrowly missed her face, both girls were being forced to accept a painful truth.

Mukuro was the real deal. The self-proclaimed Supreme Sovereign of Eternal Darkness. The teenager who argued about Ogerpon cosplay, Shedinja hoodies and fake cheerleader girlfriends... He was also one of the strongest trainers they had ever faced. And judging by the discipline of his clan and the respect shown by everyone around him, there was a very good reason for that.

Another arrow shot through the fog. This one struck Hastur directly. The little Mimikyu cried out and stumbled backward.

—Hastur!

Marian's voice trembled.

The Ghost-type was exhausted. Its disguise had long since been broken, and every attack now landed directly.

Another Shadow Ball missed.

Another Spirit Shackle connected.

Another painful cry echoed through the bamboo.

Meanwhile, Marian herself was struggling to remain standing. Even after calming her powers, the psychic pressure of the forest continued gnawing at her concentration. Every ghostly presence felt like a distant whisper scratching against her mind.

She could still fight.

But every minute became harder than the last.

—We can't keep this up...

Another arrow flew past her shoulder.

The answer came immediately.

—Correct.

Mukuro's voice echoed from somewhere within the mist.

The battle had become a hunt.

And they were the prey.

King Buta roared and unleashed another Flamethrower, setting an entire section of bamboo ablaze. For a brief moment, the fire illuminated Decidueye's silhouette.

—There!

Vivi pointed, King Buta charged, Decidueye vanished. The attack hit nothing. Again, and again, and again.

The old Emboar's strength was monstrous, but every missed attack cost precious energy. The forest seemed endless. The mist seemed endless. Decidueye never stopped moving.

Time kept passing and, suddenly, a heavy sound came from beside her.

THUD.

Vivi turned. Her face went pale.

King Buta had fallen to one knee. His breathing had become rough. Labored. Painful.

—King Buta?

The old Emboar tried to stand, but his legs trembled.

—King Buta!

Vivi ran toward him and pushed against his arm, trying to help despite the enormous difference in size.

The old Pokémon growled softly, and then Vivi finally understood.

King Buta was old.

Very old.

The battle against Carlos had been brief. Direct. Efficient.

This one wasn't.

This battle demanded constant movement, concentration and pursuit. The old warrior was spending energy faster than he could recover it.

For the first time since leaving Orange Town, Vivi was seeing the limits of the legendary Pokémon beside her.

King Buta was powerful, but not invincible.

—No...

The old Emboar slowly rose to his feet. Breathing heavily, but determined to keep figthting.

Vivi clenched her fists. For a moment she wanted to tell him to stop. But she already knew he wouldn't listen.

The battle continued and it only got worse. Decidueye seemed unstoppable. Not a single attack has caused enough damage or even hit him long enough to work.

Soon even Vivi could no longer keep track of where the attacks were coming from.

The forest belonged to Mukuro, and within his own battlefield, he was overwhelming them completely.

Finally, the attacks stopped.

An unnatural silence settled across the bamboo forest.

Even the wind seemed to disappear.

Marian slowly looked up.

Vivi did the same.

Through the mist, a single silhouette appeared.

Decidueye.

Standing atop a bamboo stalk.

Motionless.

Waiting.

Mukuro's voice echoed through the forest.

—You have fought well… but this battle ends now.

The owl spread its wings.

A powerful aura exploded around it.

The spectators immediately stepped back.

The referee raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Even King Buta's expression changed.

He recognized what was coming.

—A Z-Move...

Marian whispered.

The Z-Crystal began to shine.

Dark energy gathered around Decidueye like a storm.

Mukuro's voice cut through the forest.

—Sinister Arrow Raid!

The world seemed to stop.

Then countless spectral arrows erupted from every direction.

There was nowhere to run.

Nowhere to hide.

The attack struck King Buta and Hastur simultaneously.

The explosion shook the entire forest.

The bamboo bent.

Leaves flew through the air.

The mist scattered in every direction.

When the dust finally settled, both Pokémon collapsed.

Silence.

The referee carefully observed the battlefield.

Then he raised his flag.

—Emboar and Mimikyu are unable to battle. The winners are Gym Leader Mukuro and Decidueye!

The spectators erupted into applause.

Vivi didn't move. Neither did Marian. Neither spoke. They just returned their Pokémon to their poke balls. The girls couldn't even bring themselves to look up.

The defeat had been absolute. They had been completely overwhelmed.

A faint sound came from ahead.

When the girls finally looked up, Mukuro was standing there.

Two ninja attendants stood beside him.

—The pagoda contains an infirmary. Your Pokémon will be treated there.

The girls remained silent.

—There is also a guest room available. You may stay the night.

Neither girl responded.

Mukuro looked at them for a moment longer. Then, without another word, he threw a smoke bomb at the ground.

FWOOOOOSH.

When the smoke cleared, he was gone. The battle was over, but the humiliation remained.

One of the ninja attendants finally stepped forward.

—Please follow us.

The other pointed toward a narrow path disappearing into the mist.

Without saying a word, Vivi and Marian followed.

That night, Vivi sat alone in the guest room provided by Mukuro's clan. The television was on, but she barely seemed interested in it. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen while her thoughts wandered elsewhere.

She had lost again.

Twice now.

Two Gyms.

Two defeats.

Back in Johto, she had imagined Cresva would be difficult. She had not imagined getting crushed every time she challenged a Gym Leader.

Part of her wondered if coming here had been a mistake.

But what bothered her most was King Buta.

The old Emboar had fought until the very end. Vivi could still remember his exhausted breathing and trembling legs. For the first time, she had seen just how old he really was.

A knock came from the door.

—Come in.

The door slid open.

Marian entered quietly.

—I wanted to see if you were feeling better.

Vivi blinked.

—That's... surprisingly nice.

—I am always nice.

—… right

Marian rolled her eyes and glanced toward the television.

Then she froze.

—Is that “My Little Ponyta”?

—It is. I really like it

—Huh, something I did not see coming, have to admit.

—Wanna enter or not?

—I apologize.

Then Marian simply sat down beside her.

—What are you eating?

—Cereal.

—Without milk?

—Forgot to buy it.

—… Very well.

A few moments later, both girls were quietly watching television together.

Neither mentioned the battle.

Neither mentioned the humiliation.

Neither mentioned Mukuro.

For the moment, colorful magical ponies were enough.

Hidden beneath the futon, a pair of red eyes watched the screen as well.

Marshadow had followed Vivi since yesterday…

Elsewhere, at the entrance of Grape City, two figures stood overlooking the sleeping city.

A man.

And a woman.

Both wore white clothing. Combined with their pale skin and white hair, they looked almost ghostlike beneath the moonlight.

The man adjusted his gloves.

—The Marshadow that escaped appears to be somewhere inside the city.

The woman nodded.

—We should have brought more agents for a mission this important.

—And attract attention?

The woman remained silent.

—Green Future Foundation cannot afford that. Especially not in a city watched by a ninja clan.

His tone became slightly colder.

—Be careful what you suggest, Ms. Frost.

Ms. Frost sighed.

—Understood, Mr. Diamond.

Without another word, the two entered the city.

At nearly the same time, another traveler arrived through a different entrance.

Hsu Ren stopped and looked toward the distant lights of Grape City.

His expression was serious… Then a woman's voice spoke behind him.

—So this is the place your mother mentioned?

Ren immediately turned bright red.

—Y-Yes!

The woman raised an eyebrow.

—You should relax. I am not going to bite you.

Ren awkwardly cleared his throat.

—Sorry.

The woman simply waited.

After a moment, Ren managed to compose himself.

—Come on. The agents are probably already here, Lady Elizabeth.

He adjusted his backpack.

The former Champion looked toward the city.

The hunt for Marshadow had begun.

NEXT CHAPTER: SEASON FINALE