The Trial of Juno Saga [PG-13]

[Neo Emolga]

Chapter 13
A Sickening Turn

Recommended Listening: GRV Music & Epic Score - Prepare for the End

The audience seemed to be in chaos, totally in disbelief and thinking some kind of technical error had happened. I seemed to have a bit of an edge for now, but I was not about to suddenly depend on luck.

Mewtwo lay dazed and confused on the ground, not looking like he could handle any more. While Arceus was fine and ready to strike, Randy didn’t look too pleased, and seemed to be in complete denial that anything that happened during the last few minutes actually happened. And Jeff just stood there, and refused to acknowledge Mewtwo was out and unable to battle. Meanwhile, the audience was just looking on and some of them were standing up from their seats, many of them in total disbelief that one of Randy’s Pokémon actually fainted. Randy and Jeff certainly didn’t believe it.

"Come on, Mewtwo, get back in there!" Randy demanded. "Psychic Endgame on that Jolteon!"

But Mewtwo, despite his best efforts to try and make one more attack, just couldn't bear the exhaustion and pain, fully losing consciousness only a few moments later. Randy just held Mewtwo's Poké Ball with dismay, not sure if he could recall the legendary psychic Pokémon or if there was some way to get him back up and fighting again.

“He’s... he's gone, man,” Jeff told Randy softly. “Look, just recall him and bring out your third Pokémon. We’ll just forget this ever happened. I’m sure it was just an accident and he must have fainted on a technicality.”

"This doesn't make any sense!" Randy exclaimed as he pointed to his fallen Mewtwo and glared at Jeff. "He shouldn't have...!"

But he couldn't find the words for what he wanted to say. Or, as I suspected, he was about to say something that would make it obvious he was cheating.

"This... Juno..." Randy stated in growling anger and he clenched his fist, "I... don't know what he's up to. I don't understand how he's doing all this."

Then, Jeff looked curiously at Randy. Something else seemed to be picking at his mind, and I knew I would be thinking the same thing I would have been thinking in his position…

“And that Pikachu?” Jeff asked curiously, looking at Randy with an odd look in his eyes, "There's something... different about him, you know? Do you know him?"

“No…” Randy muttered back to Jeff, still trying to fight his disbelief, “never saw him before…”

I figured he couldn’t help but lie in this situation. Randy was just acting like he didn’t know me, but I knew deep inside his heart, this was really beginning to burn. Regardless, Randy decided not to squeeze blood from a stone. He pulled out Mewtwo’s Poké Ball, aimed the red recall beam at the unconscious Mewtwo, dematerialized him into a shroud of red energy, and returned him to his Poké Ball.

The audience had realized what had happened, and they had gasped. It was obvious Randy never had a Pokémon faint on him before, or at least in his world he hadn’t. Suddenly they became livid, and I could hear all kinds of anger, swearing, and jeering. I just tried to treat it as white noise and not even think about what they were saying.

Instead, Randy went back to his belt holding his Poké Balls, underneath his black leather jacket. He fingered through each of them, pulled out the one he desired, and held in tightly in his hand. The battle wasn’t over yet, and it was only just about to get worse. As I figured, Randy would use nothing but the best of the best when it came to Pokémon, and not the ones he truly loved and wanted.

“Juno, I’m not going to lose to you!” Randy screamed to me as he pointed an accusing finger. “You're mine! You can't defeat me!"

But I just lightly smiled in a way that said "oh, it's okay," as if I was forgiving him for a wrong he hadn't even committed yet. It was making him tense, but that alone wasn't going to defeat him.

“Go, Groudon!” Randy shouted as he forcefully clutched his Poké Ball and furiously tossed it into the arena.

Randy’s Poké Ball struck the ground hard, and a moment later and after an intense flash of light, a great shadow appeared over the three of us. As a little Pikachu, looking up at a Groudon, a giant red and black colossus juggernaut, is like looking up at a skyscraper that hates you and would love nothing more than to utterly crush you. Groudon looked like a walking wall of destruction. We nearly fainted just looking at him.

The audience shook off their anger and returned back to cheering for Randy. I had only knocked out one of Randy's Pokémon, and that still meant there were three other overpowered monstrosities I had to fight down.

“Oh man…” Jolteon remarked in hesitation, “this is going to get ugly real fast.”

“This kid is a freaking psychopath!” Weavile exclaimed in shock as he took a few steps back.

“Randy may have powerful Pokémon,” I told them both, “but it’s not over yet. We still have a chance at winning this. A good chance if we stick together.”

But Randy wanted to have fun. And to him, having a Pokémon faint on him was exactly what he didn’t want. He wanted to win, and he felt like he was entitled to it just because he was the one wearing the Quista necklace. I couldn’t believe him…

“Go, Groudon!” Randy screamed loudly as he pointed at his targets. “Use your Storm Chasm attack! Crush them both, and make them suffer!!”

Groudon let out a low growl, slowly took his foot off the ground, and slammed it into the ground. I instantly lost my balance and fell to the ground as everything around me shook violently and forcefully. I should have jumped earlier, but this earth-shaking superpower was unlike anything I could have imagined. The ground below us was ravaged with cracks, fissures, and jutting rocks ripping up and down from the ground. I shut my eyes and winced trying to clear as much distance away, not even wanting to watch the outcome. After a long phase and violent trembling, slowly, the terrible shaking decreased in magnitude, and everything became normal. I was far enough away from the mayhem, but Jolteon and Weavile were caught in the worst of it.

As if the attack Earthquake wasn’t bad enough, Randy had created something even more vicious than that. Storm Chasm was nothing but pure, earth-ravaging ruthlessness and mayhem. And the worst part was Jolteon had a weakness to it. As I slowly put my hands on the floor and lifted myself off the ground and stood back up again, Jeff was laughing hysterically.

“Jolteon is unable to battle, the victory goes to Groudon!!” Jeff laughed, announcing it to the whole stadium.

As soon as I heard that, and the audience roared with cheer and excitement, I quickly turned to see Jolteon. He was lying on his side, badly hurt and utterly exhausted from the earth-shattering tremors. Weavile was hurt very badly too, but he looked like he could still go on, even after a terrible attack like that. But Jolteon…

He had turned to me with the last bit of strength he had left. He wasn’t looking well at all with his body covered with dirt, cuts, and bruises. I grimaced at the sight and didn't expect him to continue at all. He had never faced anything like that before, and it totally took him by surprise.

“I’m sorry…!” Jolteon cried out to me, looking terribly exhausted, “I wanted to go further, further than this! I wanted… to win together, with you!”

“No, don’t worry about it!” I told him quickly with a reassuring smile, telling him he shouldn’t fear this. “There will be other days. You did an outstanding job, Jolteon. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Jolteon was silent for a moment, nodded lightly with a weak smile, but then collapsed from the exhaustion.

I then pulled out his Poké Ball, held it with both hands, aimed the recall beam at him and returned him to his Poké Ball. The audience was cheering once again, thinking Mewtwo's defeat was nothing more than just a fluke that had already been forgotten.

"Weavile!" I called out to him. "Do you...!"

"Don't worry about me!" he shouted to me. "I'm gonna make these two clowns pay for that!"

Weavile was going to need a supporting companion, and soon. He was working off of adrenaline now and I knew that couldn't go on forever. I needed to think of a new strategy, because Randy was going to believe I would use the same one again. It was obvious he wasn’t going to hold back now. I had defeated his Mewtwo in his world, and I could tell that was enough to drive him to anger.

But I refused to lose, I refused. Not after all I had gone through…

They were all waiting for my next choice, the next Pokémon I would decide on to continue this tribulation. I took a glance at Randy’s Pokémon, his Arceus was still in strong fighting shape while his Groudon gave me a cold stare, waiting for another victim.

I turned back to the Poké Balls on my belt, and went through them one by one. I couldn’t use Raichu, since he was the electric type and Groudon would just knock the stuffing out of him just like he did with Jolteon. As for Ariados, I wasn't sure if he could take attacks like these. It would be taking a serious risk…

And then, I came across one Poké Ball too long neglected. It was the Pokémon Black had given me, untouched and reserved for the moment I really needed it. Inside was a Pokémon that was also created from Randy's dreams, but I didn’t even know which one it was and if they would be able to help. However, deep inside, I knew if dreams were what created this world, I was going to have to trust them. I was, after all, one of them now.

I made up my mind. I took the mysterious Poké Ball, released it from the leather strap, and prepared to launch it into the arena. I could only hope it was a Pokémon that would be able to help me through this nightmare. I put both of my hands firmly on the Poké Ball, and then threw it forward.

They had all watched carefully, all of them, the audience, Jeff, and Randy. There was complete silence as the Poké Ball flew gracefully through the air, and then began to fall toward the ground. Jeff and Randy watched it carefully and anxiously, as if it were a grenade about to explode into pieces. When the Poké Ball struck the ground firmly, it opened with a flash of light.

When the blinding flash had died down, I realized who Black had sent to me as a helper, a protector for all of us. It was none other than the powerful crimson and snow white bird-like dragon and psychic Pokémon Latias. The jet-shaped legendary seemed to float and levitate effortlessly, and only just a second later, she opened her beautiful topaz-colored eyes and smiled, ready for anything. She floated in the air before Groudon and Arceus, smirking confidently and showing no fear what so ever.

“Nice choice…” Jeff remarked, unable to hold back the admiration…

“Shut up, Jeff,” Randy growled bitterly at him.

She had turned to me, and was a bit surprised I was the one who was her trainer. However, she lightly giggled, thinking it was cool and comical.

"Hey, so you're my trainer!?" The Latias smiled, thinking it was cute. "Wasn't expecting a cute, little Pikachu, but that's cool! You ready for this!?"

"I was born ready!" I smiled, really admiring this incredible Latias I now had as an ally.

She. Was. Awesome. Before, I wasn't sure if I was on the brink of anxiety, dismay, or even insanity, but her optimism and casual nature just washed away the fear and dread like it there was nothing to it.

“Go for a Draconic Hyperfire attack!” I shouted to her as I sent her the details of the attack, really happy to have a Pokémon like her as an ally. “Go for Arceus, we need him taken out!"

And then, at that critical second when I gave her the intense and ferocious imagined attack, her eyes suddenly went wide and she realized I certainly was no ordinary Pikachu. As I used my imagination and sent her the details of the attack in mind, which she was able to instantly learn, she had felt new power, and I was the source of it.

"Holy... sweet mother of mercy, how can you..." she replied before quickly just shaking off the surprise and heading into battle. "Ah, whatever, I'm going for it!"

Then, she flew off the ground, and rushed at a lightning speed toward Arceus, letting loose a loud screech from the wind that was blazing past her. All Arceus could do was look up, dazed and confused and unable to move, not sure how to respond to it. Latias stormed her way to meet her target, and in a split second, the air itself was sliced violently with a loud and furious screaming sonic boom, and Latias had hit her mark with flawless accuracy. The slash sounded like a sharp rake tearing into thick metal while green and jade-colored flames and embers were thrown violently in all directions. It sounded terribly painful. And then just as she flew away, Arceus was swept with a fiery, draconic explosion of golden-colored flames and fire.

“Ouch…” Jeff grimaced as Arceus took a nasty blow.

And in no time at all, Latias had returned to my side, almost to my own surprise.

I had just looked at Arceus, who just completely forgot about the pain in his chest and howled in agony over the terrible, burning pain in his face. After he had staggered to stay up, he had fallen onto his side, and lost the will to fight. No one could believe what had just happened.

“This cannot be happening…” Randy growled angrily. “No... freaking way!! NO WAY!!!”

“Arceus is unable to battle…” Jeff muttered calmly. “The victory goes to…”

“Shut your rotten mouth, Jeff!!” Randy furiously shouted at him. “I can’t lose, remember!? Just who do you think will be getting this victory, huh!? I’m not going to lose to a pathetic… little… Pikachu…”

There was a strong, dark feeling in the air as Randy recalled Arceus, not even thanking him or telling him he did a job well done. The audience had mixed feelings now. Some of them were angry, others were struck dumbfounded and silenced, while others were still rooting from Randy and thinking this was probably all just intentional.

I felt a very cold aura of anger and darkness as Randy decided on his final Pokémon. What freaked me out the most was he chose it very quickly. He yanked one last Poké Ball from his belt, and held it with a tightening fist, almost to the point of crushing it. Randy was brimming with fury and it was starting to get frightening.

“Now you’re dead,” Randy grinned maniacally with dark fury in his eyes. “You, him, her, everybody. All of you are gone! You won’t exist anymore!!”

He was truly losing it. This level of anger would make him reckless and impatient, but it would also make him merciless, destructive, and I was afraid he might just never stop attacking even after we lost.

Randy then grasped his Poké Ball, primed it for release, and then angrily threw it into the arena. The shiny Poké Ball struck the ground hard, and after a brilliant flash, we lay eyes on yet another, towering titan. The three of us looked up in shock and bewilderment as we saw one of the most powerful legendary Pokémon of all time, Lugia, standing before us like a skyscraper of destruction and mayhem. The massive silver and blue aquatic bird with whale-like skin looked down at us, using his long neck to glare at us with his sharp, blue-pronged eyes.

"Oh, what a day, man!" Latias exclaimed in surprise. "Look at that dude! He probably thinks we wouldn't even suffice for lunch!"

"No... kidding..." I replied.

Despite her surprise, she still wasn't giving up and neither was I. Her spirit was unlike anything I've seen before, and she just seemed immune to virtually any kind of fear or intimidation.

Lugia had looked down at us, flashing a sinister smile. I couldn’t stand the way his dark, menacing eyes glared at us. Between him and Groudon, it felt like I was seconds away from being stepped on and reduced to nothing but a puddle of goo.

“I'm going to shred away every last fiber of hope you have," Lugia taunted us. "And trust me when I say there's no one to clean up after broken dreams!"

Quickly, Randy wanted to keep the battle going. His reputation and dreams were on the line and he was not willing to give up to preserve them until the end of time.

“Go Lugia!” Randy shouted loudly. “Destroy that Weavile with an Ultra Nova Blast!”

Lugia just turned his back to us, looked at the suffering Weavile, and just looked curiously at him.

“Well,” Lugia remarked with a dark smirk, “this doesn’t look like much of a challenge…”

Lugia opened his mouth, and a brilliant, white sphere of power and energy took form in his mouth. As the sphere accumulated more energy, it become larger and larger until Lugia released his power, and fired a tremendous white beam at Weavile.

"Run!" I shouted to Weavile, knowing he had to find a way to fight the pain that was crippling him.

He really did try to dodge it and leapt as far as he could away, but there was too much to evade. It was like trying to doggie paddle away from a tidal wave.

“NO!” I shouted as I hopelessly watched the massive beam slam into Weavile.

Weavile cried in pain, just before the massive and deafening explosion silenced everything. Torrents of white energy created a shockwave and rocked the entire stadium. I couldn’t even see Weavile anymore, buried somewhere in that blazing white, explosive chaos. Latias and I quickly fell back to avoid being caught in the destructive mayhem, hoping to not be swallowed up by it as well. Thankfully, we were able to move away just enough, but I knew the situation was hopeless for Weavile.

When the explosion died down, I looked everywhere for Weavile, hoping there was anything left of him besides ash and dust. And then, I saw him, on the ground and completely motionless, crumpled up into a heap. Randy had just pulverized my second Pokémon. Even after all this effort, we were only even now.

"Weavile is unable to battle, the victory goes to Lugia!" Jeff cried out, seemingly relieved he had something to celebrate now.

As the audience roared in delight, I pulled out Weavile's Poké Ball and returned him. He had done the best he could, and that was all. Now, he needed time to rest more than ever after that level of anarchy. I secured the Poké Ball in the leather loop and then decided on my next Pokémon, the last one I could use. Once I made a decision, there was no turning back.

And then I made a choice I won’t long forget. I couldn’t grab the courage to send either Ariados or Raichu into a battle they could easily get clobbered in, but I couldn’t let Latias fight alone. She needed someone to help her…

I decided that if in the end I was going to lose to Randy, I wanted to know that I couldn’t have done it any other way. I reached for the buckle that held the leather straps of my belt together, and separated the straps. I then grasped the belt with my Poké Balls, and threw it aside, far away from the fighting area.

I knew what I had to do…