Pokemon Shine Diamond

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 12b: A Staravia is Born! (part 2)

Previously, on "Pokemon Shine Diamond"...

"What's taking so long?" Ash wondered as he paced the grass. "Estrella should've been back by now..."

"Maybe she got lost?" Brock suggested.

"All the bird Pokémon use the valley path, so it's possible that your Starly and the other Pokemon are there." Rosebay suggested.

"Come on!" Ash led the way down the hill. "Estrella might be in trouble!"

Meanwhile, Estrella waved a wing at another cage, where a Hoothoot sulked. [Hey...]

[Hm?] the Hoothoot looked up. [Who are you?]

[A fellow captive.] Estrella explained. [Only, I have a master.]

[Really? Wouldn't he--or she--be worried sick about you?] the Hoothoot wondered. [If I had a human master, they would likely worry.]

[I know my master and his friends are coming to save us all.] Estrella smiled. [But for now, I may have an idea on how to get out of here...]

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"Okay...out of all the bird Pokemon we have thus far, which ones do you think Cyrus would like?" Mars asked as Jupiter took inventory of the cages. "The little Starly whose energy is off the charts, or something bigger and more powerful?"

"Good question...both of those are intriguing options." Jupiter mused. "So why not settle the matter with a good old game of 'Rock Paper Scissors'? Winner decides what we take to Cyrus."

"You're on!" Mars smiled.

"Okay..one, two, three!" Jupiter called. But both admins sweatdropped when they discovered they had both displayed scissors.

"So, what if we do if it's a tie?" Mars wondered with a sigh.

"A tie or a loss is not the end of the world." Jupiter assured Mars. "Let's rig another trap for now."

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The group arrived at the top of the hill some time later. Ash noticed Mars and Jupiter checking their trap, which had caught a Pidgeot. "Those two don't look friendly at all!"

"No normal person would catch any Pokemon in a net." Rosebay agreed before noticing a familiar insignia on Mars' uniform. "Those two are two admins of Team Galactic--Mars and Jupiter."

"Admins, huh?" Dawn mused. "Why would they be doing something that's grunt work?"

"Perhaps the boss trusts them that much." Brock replied. "These Galactic guys definitely sound worse than Team Rocket..."

"Yeah--they have bigger Magikarp to fry than going after Tintri all the time." Ash agreed.

With Brock occupied telling Rosebay about Team Rocket, Ash motioned to Tintri. "Tintri...think you can go save that Pidgeot in the trap?"

[Okay!] Tintri replied before darting off towards the net. After gently charring the knots that held the Pidgeot, he smiled. [Are you okay?] he asked as the Pidgeot fluttered free

[I think so...thank you for releasing me from those hoodlums!] the Pidgeot replied. she flapped her wings a little to ease the stiffness of being trapped.

She noticed Ash on the hill. [Is the hat-human your master?]

[He is--he asked me to save you.] Tintri replied. [He'll know what to do to save the other captured birds!]

[Climb aboard, then.] the Pidgeot smiled.

Ash smiled as the Pidgeot arrived with Tintri aboard her. [This is Avis.] Tintri explained. [She's willing to help us save the other birds.]

"All right...I want you and Avis to gather as many bird Pokémon as you can find." Ash instructed. "We'll infiltrate the base to free the Pokémon Mars and Jupiter already captured."

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"Easiest spy mission ever--those Galactics left the door wide open." Dawn grinned as the group climbed into the base. They made their way into an underground tunnel containing monitors for the security cameras.

Ash froze when he saw Estrella directing the other bird Pokemon in digging an escape route. "There! There's Estrella!"

"Eh-streh-yah!" Brock corrected Ash. He retrieved his bow in preparation to shoot down any appealing targets.

Back outside, Jupiter gasped when she saw a very large group of bird Pokémon flying towards their base. "What on earth? Who could've rallied this many bird Pokemon in so short of time?"

Mars was stunned when she saw Tintri riding Avis. "That Pikachu! He's leading the birds!"

[Bombs away!] Tintri cried, prompting the massive flock to swoop in and attack the net, ripping it to pieces.

"Come on!" Jupiter motioned to Mars to follow her underground, away from the flurry of beaks and talons. "Someone must've messed with the security cameras!"

"You work on those, I'll go see if the rest of the base is secure." Mars replied before hurrying off to the cage area.

She smiled when she found Estrella watching the other Pokémon leave through the escape tunnel. "Well well, what have we here?" she smirked.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Estrella!" Ash warned as he led the others into the room.

"All right, I will honor your request." Mars replied before pressing a button on a small remote marked "CALL BOT".

Ash watched in awe as a humanoid-shaped wooden mecha rose up from the ground. "Whoa...that's way more complex than any Team Rocket mecha..."

"I'll say..." Brock agreed as he watched Mars' and Jupiter's Pokémon climb the ladder into the mecha. "They even Tintri-proofed it by building it from wood."

"This way!" Dawn led the way into the escape tunnel. The mecha transformed into a miniature tank to pursue the group.

A large game of Meowth and Rattata ensued as the group and the Galactic admins chased each other. After what seemed like an eternity, Ash heaved a sigh of relief when he saw sunshine in the distance. We did it! We're home free! he thought.

The group emerged onto an overlook, where the captive bird Pokemon had gathered.

He gasped as the mecha emerged from the hole some moments later. As he watched, it broke apart because of damage it had sustained from the rocks, roots and thorns in the tunnel.

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"So, does Team Galactic have some kind of a motto?" Ash taunted as Mars and Jupiter emerged from the wreckage of the mecha.

"You're not in Kanto anymore, hat-boy." Jupiter shot back as she summoned a Zubat. "Besides, actions speak louder than words, so we don't need to say a dumb motto."

[HAH!!!] Estrella cried as she flew to meet the Zubat Jupiter had summoned with a Wing Attack.

"Algol, use Gust!" Jupiter commanded.

Ash watched as the Zubat flapped up a powerful wind gust. "Whoa, that Zubat is powerful..." he noted as Estrella went flying into a tree.

"Leona, aim a Hyper Beam at the Pikachu!" Mars called as she summoned a large gray and white cat Pokemon.

"Argent, I need your help!" Brock heaved a Poke Ball skyward, revealing the massive Steelix. Tintri leaped away from the familiar orange beam seconds later.

"Algol, try Gust again!" Jupiter commanded

She smiled as the wind gust drove the huge Steelix backwards.

Brock flashed an emerald ring with ivy inlays at Jupiter. "You forget I have a secret weapon!"

With that, he held the ring to the sky. Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...

"What in the..." Mars gasped as Argent was engulfed in a burst of green light, sparkles, and leaves. "How could your Steelix evolve even further?"

"Never underestimate the power of Mega Evolution!" Brock smiled as he looked over at his now Mega Steelix.

Dawn looked at the massive crystalline Steelix in awe. "Wow! Mega Evolution is AMAZING!!!!"

In all the confusion, a blob squirmed inside Brock's bag. [What's going on? Is there a fight? Put me in, Brock! I wanna fight too!]

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"Algol, use Confuse Ray!" Jupiter commanded as the battle raged on some hours later.

"Argent, use Ice Fang!" Brock commanded. He watched as his Mega Steelix lunged to bite the tiny Zubat with sparkling teeth, engulfing it in ice.

The groups started charging toward each other, each side intent on destroying the other. But Ash stopped in his tracks as Estrella flew up high and started to glow bright white. "No way...Estrella's evolving!"

He smiled. "Estrella, use Aerial Ace!"

Dawn, meanwhile, read up on Estrella's new form as the aerial Ace sent Mars and Jupiter flying:

"Staravia, the starling Pokemon. They maintain huge flocks, although fierce scuffles break out between various flocks."

[Bye!] the Hoothoot called as it waved to Estrella. [And thank you!]

[Anytime!] Estrella waved back to the departing bird Pokemon.

"I can't thank you enough for saving the birds here." Rosebay smiled. "Anything you need on your travels, and it is yours."

"It's okay--just the fact that Estrella evolved is a reward enough." Ash smiled as he hugged his new Staravia.

"Eh-streh-yah!" Brock corrected Ash, prompting the others to laugh as Ash blushed in embarrassment...

To Be Continued...