Chapter 13 - "The Cold Intruders" (Patreon)

Vivi sat on the futon with her knees pulled against her chest, staring at the television without truly paying attention to it. Colorful Ponytas danced across the screen, singing cheerful songs about friendship and spells while Marian quietly sat beside her, eating the milkless cereal.

Vivi had lost twice.

Two Gyms.

Two humiliating defeats.

And the second one had been against someone she had spent most of the day calling Pizza Cutter.

The thought alone made her want to bury her face in a pillow.

—...King Buta fought until the very end —she finally muttered—. And I made him spend all that energy... I didn’t take into account his age… I’m so selfish.

Marian glanced at her but chose not to answer. After all, they just met and she didn’t feel the right to give moral support this early. “I am sure he does not think that about you” were the only words she said.

A few moments later, however, Marian suddenly frowned. A faint pink glow appeared in her eyes. Her psychic powers activated.

—… There is someone else here.

Vivi immediately looked around.

—What?

—This is a Ghost-type gym. I should have guess there would be ghosts here, as well.

—This place’s haunted?! —Yells Vivi while jumping from the futon.

Marian keeps scanning the room until she finally pointed beneath the futon.

Two red eyes stared back at them from the darkness.

—Is that a ...Marshadow?

—What?

The Mythical Pokémon immediately tried to hide deeper inside the shadows, but Vivi slowly extended her hand.

—Hey, I know you.

—You do? —asked Marian.

—Hey, there little fella. Don't be scared. What are you doing here? Did you come back for more cereal?

The little Pokémon hesitated before slowly emerging from beneath the bed. It glanced at Vivi, then at Marian.

Marian smiled.

—It seems like he likes you.

—Really?

—He thinks you are tough.

Vivi grinned.

—… Does he?

—And that you have good food.

—hehe… even better.

For the first time that night, Vivi actually laughed.

She opened her arms.

—Come here, little guy. That is the nicest thing anybody has said to me all day.

Marshadow hesitated for only a second before hopping into her lap and awkwardly hugging her.

—I guess something good did come from this day. But I have to admit, Vivi. You are quite lucky by having such a rare Pokémon liking you that much. I guess Fighting types are naturally attracted to brute people.

—not the moment, Princess.

—You are correct. I apologize.

The three of them spent the next several minutes watching My Little Ponyta together in peaceful silence...

… Then everything went horribly wrong.

The entire pagoda suddenly shook.

A deafening crash echoed from somewhere below, followed by shouting, explosions and the unmistakable sounds of Pokémon battling. The noise startled Marshadow so badly that he immediately vanished into Vivi's shadow.

—What was that?!

Before either girl could react, another explosion rattled the building.

The two rushed into the hallway and immediately found dozens of ninjas and their Pokémon running toward the lower floors.

—Stay in your room! —one of them shouted.

Neither listened.

Poké Balls already in hand, the girls sprinted toward the main hall.

The scene was chaos.

Entire sections of the lower pagoda had been frozen solid. Ice covered the walls, the floor and even parts of the ceiling. Several ninjas and Pokémon had been trapped inside enormous frozen pillars while others desperately tried to push the invaders back.

Standing at the center of the destruction were two figures dressed entirely in white.

Mr. Diamond.

Ms. Frost.

Beside them stood two terrifying Pokémon.

A Mega Baxcalibur.

A Mega Froslass.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop just from looking at them.

Another Blizzard erupted from both Pokémon simultaneously, instantly freezing an entire corridor and everyone unfortunate enough to stand inside it.

Diamond sighed.

—You are being unnecessarily loud.

Frost crossed her arms.

—No one knows who we are.

—That is not the point.

—Our superiors remain anonymous. The mission remains secure.

Diamond looked at the frozen battlefield around them.

—You are turning a pagoda into a glacier.

—And soon it will become a tomb.

Her cold eyes scanned the room.

—Besides, once we obtain Marshadow, nobody here needs to survive.

—That will alert the entire city.

—By then we will already be gone.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the hall.

A familiar cape fluttered dramatically.

Mukuro landed in the center of the room.

—How dare you invade the sacred domain of the Supreme Sovereign of Eternal Darkness!

Mukuro pointed dramatically toward the intruders.

—Go, Decidueye!

The battle exploded instantly.

Decidueye vanished into the darkness while Mukuro moved alongside him. Smoke bombs filled the room. Hidden wires snapped tight. Shuriken flew from impossible angles. Shadows seemed to move independently across the walls.

Mr. Diamond's relaxed smile disappeared.

Mukuro was genuinely dangerous.

Spirit Shackles emerged from every direction while the ninja coordinated perfectly around Decidueye's attacks. Several times Baxcalibur swung at an opponent only to discover he had struck a decoy.

Then Frost finally lost patience.

—Enough!!

She pointed forward.

—Blizzard.

Baxcalibur and Froslass unleashed a devastating double Blizzard that swallowed the gym leader and his Pokémon

The hall vanished beneath ice and snow.

For several seconds nobody could see anything.

Then the storm faded.

A frozen silhouette stood in the center of the room.

Decidueye.

—or so they thought.

Diamond blinked.

—What?

The snow finally fell away.

It wasn't Decidueye.

It was a Shedinja.

Completely unharmed.

—Impossible.

—… Wonder Guard —said Mukuro's voice from behind them.

The agents spun around.

Too late.

Mukuro and Decidueye emerged from the shadows while Shedinja floated silently beside them. Decidueye’s Z-Move struck Mega-Froslass from behind as Mukuro launched forward, cloak swirling dramatically behind him.

—The shadows themselves reject your existence!

For several minutes Mukuro successfully pushed the agents back. Decidueye's precision and Shedinja’s invulnerability forced Diamond and Frost onto the defensive.

—I guess we should have expected that from a gym leader —groans Ms. Frost.

—That’s why I insisted to keep our mission quiet.

Mukuro and his Pokémon were doing an incredible job keeping the enemy at bay… Then the difference in power began to show.

Mega-Baxcalibur was a monster and Mega-Froslass moved like a ghost through the battlefield.

Little by little, the agents reclaimed the advantage. No matter how strong Mukuro and his Pokémon were, the exhaustion was starting to show. The last defense from Grape City’s gym was falling…

… That was when two familiar voices echoed through the hall.

—MUSCLES!

—HASTUR!

Mukuro turned.

—What are you doing here?!

Vivi and Marian rushed into the battle.

Poliwrath, Hitmontop and Mimikyu joined the fight immediately.

—Leave, now!

—No thanks! —said Vivi.

—You will only get hurt!

—A little late for that.

Marian released another attack.

—Besides, somebody has to save you from your own dramatic dialogue.

Mukuro looked personally offended.

—King Buta would be useful right now —said Marian.

Vivi shook her head.

—Not happening. He's exhausted. I'm not putting him through this again.

The battle intensified.

Shadow Balls.

Ice Beams.

Powerful kicks.

Water attacks.

Spirit Shackles.

The enormous hall became a battlefield of flying debris and shattered ice.

—Not bad from a walking cringe —says Vivi.

—The same I can say from a lousy trainer —replies Mukuro.

—Now that is an attitude a real girl can actually fall from —adds Marian.

—I said I DO have a girlf- Can we just focus right now?!

During the chaos, Mr. Diamond finally revealed the reason for the attack.

—Our investigation confirmed that Marshadow is here. We wish no ill to you. We just want to complete our mission.

Ms. Frost continued.

—We captured it in Alola for that reason. Unfortunately, it escaped. It legally belong to us!

Diamond adjusted his gloves.

—Hand it over and perhaps some of you survive tonight.

—This might be a Ghost-type gym, but we don’t have a Marshadow!

At that exact moment, two red eyes peeked out from her shadow.

Silence.

Marshadow slowly realized everyone was looking at him.

Then disappeared again.

—You were saying? —smiled Mr. Diamond.

—...Oh, wow, thank you very much, dumb shadow —said Vivi.

The battle resumed immediately.

Even with Vivi, Marian and Mukuro fighting together, the agents continued pressing forward. The heroes were running out of options.

Then a window exploded.

Everyone looked up.

Two new figures landed inside the hall.

Hsu Ren and the mysterious woman, Elizabeth.

—We’re late! —shouted Ren.

—We’re here now, kid. That’s what matters right now —replied Elizabeth.

Ren released his Hisuian Growlithe. Elizabeth released a Skeledirge.

—Chosen One?! —Yelled Vivi.

—Vivi, are you ok?

—I guess we are now! Any help is appreciated!

The battlefield erupted once more as fire finally pushed back the ice. Skeledirge's flames melted entire sections of the frozen hall while Growlithe charged fearlessly.

For the first time since arriving, Diamond frowned.

—This is becoming inconvenient.

Frost nodded.

—Agreed… wait a minute. Isn’t that woman Elizabeth? What is Hoenn’s Champion doing here?!

—That boy’s face looks pretty familiar as well.

The battle continued for several more minutes before the agents finally reached the same conclusion. Elizabeth and Ren looked way more focused and disciplined. And their Pokémon were at a completely different level.

The agents could no longer keep fighting. Their Mega Pokémon were finally start to show exhaustion.

—Ms. Frost —said Mr. Diamond —Much I’m afraid we have to retreat.

—Tcht!... Yeah, you’re right.

Both agents retreated their Pokémon while a frozen mist released from their coats started covering the area.

Before disappearing, Diamond looked directly toward Vivi's shadow.

Toward Marshadow.

—We will meet again.

Then both agents vanished.

Silence slowly returned to the ruined hall.

Everyone stood there breathing heavily among shattered ice and broken wood.

Mukuro adjusted his hood.

—The darkness acknowledges your assistance.

—You're welcome, Pizza Cutter.

Mukuro sighed dramatically.

—Cruel fate.

Vivi then turned toward the newest arrivals.

—Chosen One!

Ren immediately looked relieved.

—… Vivi.

—Good to see you’re not acting like a jerk this time!!

—Is that the “Chosen One”? —said Marian while blushing — Oh my! You are more handsome that I expected! I guess that tomboy’s memories does not make you justice.

Ren finally noticed Vivi and Marian wearing pajamas… Then his soul left his body.

The girls were still wearing oversized sleep shirts and shorts.

Ren froze.

Turned red.

Opened his mouth.

And immediately suffered a catastrophic nosebleed.

—R-RED ALERT!

—What?

—W-WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THAT?

—It's called pajamas —said Vivi.

—A-AH—

The blood flow intensified.

Marian tilted her head.

—Should we be concerned?

Elizabeth completely ignored the situation.

Her eyes remained fixed on Vivi.

—So…

Vivi finally noticed her.

—Oh, you were with the Chosen One too, right? Who are you, again?

—… Elizabeth.

—...Okay?

—I'm a friend of your parents.

That got everyone's attention.

Even Mukuro looked interested.

Elizabeth calmly reached for a Poké Ball.

—And by their request, I have come to take you home.

The room froze.

Vivi stared.

—Excuse me?

—Your journey is over.

—WHAT?!

—Lady Elizbeth? —Confusedly asked Ren.

The exhaustion from the battle vanished immediately.

—No it isn't over!

—That wasn't a suggestion.

—And I wasn't asking!

The former Champion remained completely calm.

Vivi clenched her fists.

—I came all the way to Cresva to prove myself!

—And you did. You’re a useless trainer.

—You better take back!

—Make me.

Elizabeth raised her Poké Ball.

The room went silent.

Vivi slowly reached for one of her own Poké Balls, then stopped. All of her team was exhausted from the previous battle.

Then a small figure stepped out from her shadow.

Marshadow was ready to fight for the girl who fed him and saved him.

—Marshadow?

—“Shadoo!”

—You sure?

Marshadow nodded.

—Seems like you will not change his mind —said Marian.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed with interest.

Around them, everyone stepped back.

The ruined hall suddenly felt very small.

The battle was about to begin.

END OF SEASON 1