Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 17
The Power Within
“You’re completely different with your armor on,” Nicholas mused. He heard Nessa huff but didn’t turn his head. “Nessa, I’ve told you, you’ll get your chance.” Now he turned to fix her in a sideways glare. “There’s a fine line between being rude, and being assertive.”
“Please, Master, do not blame her for loving you as much as I,” Ryuko stated. She was still clad in her armor, although her helmet had melted away to reveal her face, removing the voice change but leaving the newly evolved Scizor absorbed in her devotion. “It is only natural.”
“I don’t grovel at his feet like you three,” Nessa snapped. “He doesn’t like it and you bitches are too self-absorbed to understand!”
“And now we’ve crossed the line,” Nicholas said calmly. “Nessa, you’re done. Walk away.”
Nessa bit back her retort and sullenly walked to where Miyuki and Sera were waiting.
“Ryuko.” Nicholas turned back to the Scizor. “Why did you become a different pokegirl with that armor on?”
“I do not understand the question, Master,” Ryuko replied. “Have I not always been your servant?”
“Yes. You are my servant.” Nicholas shook his head. “But not like this. We had a relationship, not a one-way street.”
“Then perhaps I was misguided.”
Nicholas gazed at her for a while. Finally he spoke. “Days after meeting a Scyther in Goldenrod, she attempted to become subservient. To sacrifice her own free will to me. I rejected her then. I reject you now.”
Ryuko jerked as if stung and Nicholas watched fear cross into her eyes. Then, finally, he saw Ryuko again. “M-Master?”
“There you are,” Nicholas whispered. “Look at me, Ryuko. Look at your Master.” He reached up to hold her head steady and gazed deep into her eyes. “To allow your devotion to control you is failure. Weakness. Do I take weak pokegirls into my harem? Do I tolerate failures?”
Ryuko clutched his arm, tears beginning to bead in her eyes. “No, Master. Such a thing is impossible.”
“That’s right.” Nicholas smiled and tenderly kissed her lips, pulling back after a bit and releasing her. “Congratulations, Ryuko.”
Ryuko let out a trembling sigh and Nicholas watched the armor liquefy, flowing back into her skin. “Thank you, Master. Thank you.”
“I want to do things with you. But I should talk to Nessa first.” Nicholas turned. “NESSA!”
He had been turned away when Ryuko’s armor fully vanished so now when he turned back he was surprised to see how her body had changed.
In the gym he had been focused solely on Jasmine, his anger keeping him from observing the newly evolved Scizor until well after she had summoned her armor. But now, with nothing else distracting him, he took in her new appearance. The long blonde hair that had once reached only to her chest now cascaded all the way down to her waist. And it wasn’t blonde. Not anymore. It was tinted red, the same color as her armor.
Besides that, however, the evolution had been rather normal. A few inches of height maybe, he could see more cleavage beneath her shirt… the main change had been the loss of her carapace, and the acquisition of her ability.
“What,” Nessa grumbled, coming to a halt next to him. “I’m not going to apologize. Hearing her harp on and on about her servitude and shit pisses me off.”
“I should be apologizing, Nessa,” Ryuko said before Nicholas could respond. “You were correct. I lost my way. Our Master has shown it to me again.”
Nessa blinked in surprise. “Ryuko? A minute ago you were insufferable.”
“I allowed my devotion to control me,” Ryuko explained quietly. “I will be counting on you, as well as Master, to stop me if I fall into it once again.”
“You shouldn’t need us to do that, Ryuko,” Nicholas said. “Remember? To lose yourself…”
“…is failure. And I am not a failure.” Ryuko lifted her chin. “I understand, Master. But now I feel emotions I did not this morning. My devotion is no longer just present in my words and actions. It has become my very being, the strength I draw from, and I will inevitably draw too much. It is during these times when I beg you will remind me of my oaths.”
Nicholas looked at her thoughtfully, and after a minute he nodded. “I believe I understand. That will be our first goal; to find a balance that prevents those occurrences as much as possible.”
Ryuko bowed her head. “Thank you, Master. I will strive to be the servant you demand I be.” After a moment she lifted her eyes again to Nessa. “And thank you, sister. Once I believed myself to be your better, but your words today have proven that I, too, have much to learn.”
“Um. You’re welcome,” Nessa replied awkwardly. “I apologize for, you know… taunting you.”
Nicholas took a step back to allow the two pokegirls space. “Please do not. It showed that you value me as a rival.” Ryuko smiled. “To pokegirls, is that not the highest praise we can give?”
Nessa slowly returned the smile. “I suppose. Should I do it more often?”
Ryuko let out a low chuckle. “Only if you are confident you can survive my response.”
Nicholas had drifted to the others and Miyuki tapped his arm when he got close. “Are they okay?”
“Seem to be.” Nicholas surveyed Nessa. Besides the obvious changes he had seen on her face she seemed much more forward in her attitude. A side effect from the evolution, and her body solidifying into the ‘juggernaut’ physique, he assumed. She’d gained confidence. He wanted to see her in battle as soon as possible. That’s why he had taken the harem straight north from the city, back along the path they had traveled over a week ago. He wanted to go back to Ecruteak but more importantly he wanted to train.
Miyuki was watching the two when she felt Nicholas’ arm wrap around her. “Huh?”
“You didn’t think I’d forgotten about you, did you, Alpha?” Nicholas purred into her ear. “I’ve watched as you kept the peace within the harem. Nessa and Ryuko followed your lead today without needing a single word from me. But the Alpha leads not only with her attitude, but in battle. Isn’t that right?”
Miyuki shivered, her ear twitching from Nicholas’ breath. “Y-yes, she does.”
“Today we turn back towards Ecruteak.” Nicholas pulled back slightly to give Miyuki room to breathe. “By the time we arrive, you will lead this harem fully. In combat as well as out.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Meditation?”
Nicholas nodded. “Ryuko believes it will help.”
Sera sighed and settled back against him. “I don’t see how, Master Nicholas. Doesn’t she need to awaken her instincts?”
Nicholas shrugged. Ryuko and Miyuki sat across from each other, each of their eyes closed. Ryuko was unarmored, as she had been for most of the trip so far, and once in a while she would say something to Miyuki. “I’ve tried to find that for her over the last few days. It hasn’t worked. So I’m letting Ryuko have a try.”
“She’s been settling down,” Sera observed. “I’m happy to see it, Master Nicholas. I feel like our bonds are returning to normal.”
“You and Ryuko.”
“Yes.”
“Yeah. I’m happy that the two of you are still getting along.”
“More than that,” Sera whispered. “As I watch her struggle to control herself, I have to wonder… if I became like her, would I lose myself as well? If, instead of my emotions fueling me, they became everything I am… could I be as strong as she is?” Nicholas turned to see her eyes longing for him. “Would you still accept me even if I could not?”
“If you lost control, and became like Ryuko with her armor?”
“Yes.”
“I believe you already know the answer to that,” Nicholas replied, turning back to the meditating pokegirls. “I remember giving you an order.”
Sera stared at him until she blinked. “You… did.” Her face grew confused. “If I became like that, would I remember?”
“I would remind you,” Nicholas replied. “Just like I have reminded Ryuko. I believe in you, Sera. If that day ever comes I know you’ll be able to pull yourself back.” He turned back. “I trust you.”
Sera’s face began to blush and she dove on top of him. Nicholas held her close while they waited for Ryuko and Miyuki to finish.
It was a few hours before Ryuko got to her feet, Miyuki opening her eyes shortly thereafter. “How do you feel, sister?” Ryuko asked.
Miyuki slowly stretched. “I feel what you were describing. But how do I harness it?”
“Like me, I believe you require a focus,” Ryuko replied. “Master has talked about how you, as an Eevee, are a blank canvas. An evolution could be your focus, but until then, you must find something else.” She surreptitiously glanced at where Nicholas and Sera were napping. “I believe there is an obvious choice.”
Miyuki nodded slightly. It was true. Using her feelings for Nicholas, her Master, would be the obvious choice. It was what Ryuko held onto when she summoned her armor. But… she didn’t want to lose herself. It had been one of things she had clutched to, ever since first meeting Nicholas. But who was she?
She was not the high priestess-to-be of the Ecruteak convent. She was not a servant of Ho-oh and Lugia; not anymore. She was his servant now. So, did that mean he was her focus? Her purpose, as the eternal ones had once been?
As she gazed at the sleeping man a realization slowly came to the surface. He did not demand anything from her. He never had. Surely he would accept her if she decided to become like Ryuko and Sera, but deep down in her heart she didn’t want to. She was his. But she was also not.
As she finally understood her own deepest emotions she felt a change in the energy within her that Ryuko had described. It filled her from head to toe and when she turned to look at Ryuko again the Scizor took an unconscious step back from the look in her eyes.
“Thank you, Ryuko,” Miyuki said. “But I am not your sister. Do you know who I am?”
Ryuko swallowed nervously. “Yes, Alpha.”
“Alpha,” Miyuki breathed out. “Your Alpha, and the high priestess of our Master.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Ryuko whispered again.
“Find Nessa. We’re training for the rest of the day.”
Ryuko bowed one last time before sprinting from the campsite.
Sera felt someone nudge her foot and she grumbled, pushing away from Nicholas before blinking her eyes open. “Whozat.”
Miyuki stared down at her. “Sera. Get up.”
Sera felt herself jolted awake by the command and she struggled upright. “Miyuki? What’s wrong?”
“Look at me.”
Sera stared at the Eevee until she also saw what Ryuko had seen. “…You look like…” she trailed off with a shiver. “What happened to you?”
“I have realized what I was missing,” Miyuki stated. She looked down when Nicholas stirred. “Nicholas?”
“Yeah.” Nicholas scrubbed his eyes and yawned. “Phwoah. Miyuki?”
When Miyuki saw his eyes meet hers she felt lightning jolt through her body. Yes. She was his. But the harem he had entrusted to her was hers as well. It was as it should be. “I’m ready.”
Nicholas slowly got to his feet. “Ready for what?”
“To battle,” Miyuki replied simply. “It is time the Alpha proved her place.”
Nicholas looked at her warily. “Are you okay?”
Miyuki’s teeth glinted when she grinned. “Thanks to Ryuko, I have never felt better.”
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“So, it’s a base instinct?”
Sera shivered again. Miyuki and Nessa were sparring in front of them and, even though the Feraligatr had a massive physical advantage, the two appeared evenly matched. “When I looked at her, it was as if you were looking back at me, Master Nicholas. I can only remember having that feeling once before. From when I was feral. When the pack Alpha had her attention on me.”
“Miyuki is your Alpha.”
“She is my Alpha,” Sera immediately agreed.
Ryuko stirred in her position beside them. After finding Nessa she had returned immediately to Nicholas’ side and, after some time had passed, had begun practicing her summoning. Currently only her arms were covered, even her body displaying nothing but skin; her clothes had been folded neatly and put away in anticipation of her own time sparring.
“My Alpha has accepted herself,” Ryuko explained. “It was by her pack- her harem’s will that she was elevated, and so by their will will she remain.”
“Because you three chose her while I was in the hospital, there’s a much more instinctual hierarchy,” Nicholas mused. “If I had been the one to nominate her would you feel the same way?”
“Unlikely, Master,” Ryuko replied. “Though I can not tell you why I feel what I do, I can tell you what I feel. And that is that you are my Master. And Miyuki is my Alpha.”
“No questioning, no room for dissent.”
“No, Master.” Ryuko gazed at the Eevee. “It is strange. This morning I did not yet feel this way about her. Now I can not imagine feeling anything else.”
“With what Sera said, and what you’ve explained, I think I can guess why.” Nicholas gestured at the fighting pokegirls. “Miyuki, for most of her life, was being forced into a role she didn’t want. Eventually she ran away from it and that led her to us.” Nicholas smiled. “But just because she didn’t want it doesn’t mean she wasn’t suited for it. You helped her today, Ryuko. You did for her what I needed someone to do for me. You helped her accept who she is.”
Ryuko frowned slightly. “What are you talking about, Master? I have never seen you be anything but what you are.”
Sera leaned towards Ryuko and lowered her voice. “Back when you first joined the harem. Remember I told you? About Miyuki and Master Nicholas…”
“As you know, this isn’t my first journey,” Nicholas explained. “Years ago I was just a research student. I thought I’d become nothing more than a scientist, or maybe a professor, live my life until I knew what I wanted to do. Then Professor Oak invited me to his lab in Kanto. And everything changed.” He smiled wistfully. “Back then, even as I earned badge after badge, growing my harem with pokegirls who adored me, I never thought of myself as a good tamer. I was lucky, I thought. I’d found strong pokegirls who would put up with me. I even thought as much when I met my girlfriend for the first time.” He sighed. “I didn’t even realize after I became Champion. Everything had changed, but I had not. Not until soon before I met you. If I hadn’t met…” Nicholas trailed off. Celebi had… helped him. Even though he hadn’t been kind to her, she had helped him. Was that what he had wanted to say…?
He shook the thoughts from his mind. “Anyways, someone gave me the help that I needed. And I finally realized that I had been hiding from my true self all these years.” He shrugged. “And you know the rest.”
“I owe my devotion to this person,” Ryuko stated. “Please, Master, if we meet again, allow me to thank them.”
“Yeah. Sure.” Nicholas sighed. If they met again.
“Enough.” In the arena Nessa slowed and came to a halt. Miyuki’s chest heaved, highlighting her fatigue against the barely panting Feraligatr. “We’re done.”
Nessa winked. “Yes Alpha.”
I’m not physical, like Nessa or Ryuko, Miyuki thought. Maybe… ”Sera!”
Sera flinched. “Shit.”
“Join me.”
Sera whined but got up from her position on Nicholas’ lap. She kept her eyes straight ahead when Nessa’s lit up and the Feraligatr dashed past her to panicked shouts from their tamer. “Alpha?”
“When you fight. You use your fangs or wings, right?”
Sera blinked. “Well… I suppose so. But now that I have arms I like to use them too.”
“Sure. But when you close in, it’s to bite. Not to punch.”
Sera nodded. “That is true.”
“Okay.” Miyuki sighed and settled back. Sera wasn’t like her either. Sure, she used techniques, manipulated the energy in her body… but so did Nessa. So did Ryuko. All three of them used those techniques to augment their physical power. The way she was now, she didn’t have that. She needed to use her techniques to give her power.
The thought of evolving snuck in once again and Miyuki angrily pushed it away. She wasn’t ready. She may never be ready. She’d only just come to terms with her own personality - to force herself to change, before she understood how she should, would be stupid. She’d lose everything she’d gained.
With a start Miyuki realized her lips had curled back and Sera was a foot further away than before. “Sera?”
“You, erm… started growling, Alpha,” Sera sheepishly explained. “Is everything all right?”
Miyuki relaxed her face. “Sorry. Thinking.”
“Ah.”
Miyuki gazed at her for a while, long enough for Sera to start fidgeting. How should she fight? She couldn’t match the others with her fists. She couldn’t fly, or fire energy, or summon equipment. She was completely… normal.
If she was, then what could she use her energy for?
Sera finally relaxed when Miyuki looked down and began running her fingers over her teeth. She had fangs. She looked at her hand, flexing slightly to bare her claws. She had claws. She had a tail, but it wasn’t useful for anything besides… having Nicholas pet it. She had good hearing, and a good nose. What good was that?
Her claws, her fangs. That’s what she would focus on for now. Learning to augment them with her energy. “Sera. When you bite, aren’t you worried that your teeth might break?”
Sera frowned at the question. “Well, it’s always a possibility. But I usually don’t bite unless I’m planning to leech my opponent, so most of the time they’re just focusing my attack.”
“You use your energy to strengthen your teeth?”
“No, it’s like…” Sera thought for a moment. “I could probably attack without biting, but I’m used to it by now. I focus on the bite and it allows me to siphon energy more easily.”
Miyuki cocked her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Watch.” Sera opened her mouth and after a second Miyuki saw her fangs glowing with energy. “There. But if I wanted to drain you…” Sera closed her mouth and pointed. For a while nothing happened, the Golbat growing more and more focused, until Miyuki felt a sharp sting in her chest and a stream of glistening energy twisted through the air to Sera’s finger. Immediately she gasped and lowered her hand. “That was so much harder.”
Miyuki rubbed where she had felt the attack. “Ow.”
“Sorry, Alpha,” Sera quickly said. “I needed to demonstrate.”
Miyuki gave her a sidelong look. “I get it. Thank you.”
Sera swallowed hard and retreated. When Miyuki didn’t speak she dashed back towards the others.
Use her teeth to focus her energy. Miyuki traced her fangs again with a sigh. She had some time to figure it out. She would. She needed to.
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“We’ll be back in Ecruteak tomorrow.” Nicholas looked around the harem with a smile. “I am so happy to see how each of you have grown.”
There was a low murmur from the pokegirls before Miyuki spoke up. “What do you plan once we get there?”
She immediately regretted speaking when Nicholas leered at her. “Well, Miyuki, I seem to remember making Morty a promise. You’ll be leading our gym challenge.”
Scattered laughter broke out as Miyuki shrunk back. “Already?”
“You seem to have been practicing something the last few days. I believe in you,” Nicholas said with a smile. “You want to show Morty that leaving was the right choice don’t you?”
Miyuki took a deep breath. “I do. I’ll be ready.”
“Attagirl.” Nicholas turned to the others. “Morty uses Ghost-type pokegirls. If you all remember Ashlyn, that’s what we’ll be facing. It will require a bit of extra strategy. Especially from you, Ryuko.”
Ryuko frowned. “How so, Master?”
“Physical attacks won’t work very well.”
Ryuko smiled slightly. “I believe I have ways around that, Master. I look forward to displaying them for you tomorrow.”
Nicholas raised an eyebrow but didn’t press her. “In that case I want all of you to be ready. Miyuki will lead us in.”
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Nicholas noticed Miyuki slowing down as they approached the gates of Ecruteak. She kept looking up at the ornate wood and with every glance her steps faltered.
Nessa had noticed too. And before Nicholas could step in the Feraligatr was already wrapping one arm around Miyuki’s shoulders.
“Hey.” Nessa rubbed Miyuki’s arm. “You good?”
Miyuki let out a trembling sigh. “I don’t know.” She looked up at the wood again. “I just… keep coming back here. Every time I’ve changed. Has it been for the better? Is it all just a dream, and this is the time it’ll come crashing down?” She shook her head. “I’m still afraid. Afraid that if the convent tracks me down while I’m here I won’t know what to do.”
“Your harem will stand behind you, Alpha,” Nessa replied with a smile. “Or in front of you if necessary. Until you figure it out.”
Miyuki nodded. “Thank you.” She rested her head against Nessa’s shoulder with a whisper, “thank you.”
“I’ve told you before,” Nessa murmured. “I’m never letting go.”
Nicholas’ attention was on them until a voice pulled him away. “Master Nicholas!”
Nicholas turned. “Sera?”
“Are we going straight to the gym?” The Golbat asked curiously. “Or are we waiting?”
“Straight there.” Nicholas turned back to the road. “Win or lose, we’ll visit the Burned Tower again and then leave.”
Sera cocked her head. “The tower?”
“Yeah. I want to see it again.”
Sera peered at him. Her Master’s impatience she could understand. Ever since they had found Team Rocket near Cianwood he had seemed distracted. Always, no matter the activity, even when they tamed. His mind was busy planning. Her fangs glinted when she snarled. She hated it. She wanted him to be focused on her. Not on them.
Whatever he thought he would find at the Burned Tower would help bring them closer to finding Team Rocket once again. And so, even though she did not understand what it could be, she would gladly go along. For the sooner they found Team Rocket, the sooner she could dismantle them. The sooner her Master would be hers again.
In the well, she had failed. In Cianwood, she had tried her best. It had not been enough. The next time, she would not fail. She would not simply try. The next time those criminals threatened her Master, they would die.
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Morty was chatting with one of his assistants when a call from the front of the gym got his attention. Turning he saw Nicholas standing in front of his harem. “Oh-ho! Nicholas! Welcome back to Ecruteak.”
“Thanks, Morty. It was a good trip.” Nicholas smiled and crossed his arms. “But just like I promised, I’m here for your badge.”
Morty laughed, the assistant moving away. “We accept.”
Very little of the gym was lit up in the first place but when Morty spoke the lights nearly went out. Nicholas blinked, peering from the oasis of light to try and pick out the gym leader. “What are you doing?”
“Find me, Nicholas,” Morty’s voice replied from somewhere within the inky blackness. “Find me and we will battle.”
Nicholas gingerly reached out one foot, feeling the edge of a pathway just out of sight. “I’m supposed to just stumble along in the dark?”
“Assistants are hidden as well,” a man’s voice came from the darkness. “If you find us, you will have to battle; win, and we will reveal part of the correct path.”
“There’s enough ground out there for multiple arenas?” Nicholas muttered. “Well… shit.”
A hand taking his made him start and he turned to see Miyuki stepping forwards. “I… can do this,” she whispered, more to herself than to him. “I thought they were useless but I can do it.” She finally looked at him. “I can find the path.”
“How?”
“With everything so dark, I can’t see. If I can’t see…” Miyuki closed her eyes. After a second her ears twitched slightly. Then her nose. “There is an assistant waiting for us… there.”
Within the darkness the tamer cursed softly as Miyuki’s free hand came up to point directly at him.
“How do you know?” Nicholas asked in awe. “Miyuki that’s incredible.”
A blush began to spread across Miyuki’s cheeks but she kept her eyes closed. “To learn to fight I had to figure out what I could do. I thought my senses were useless but here, I can be of use.” She turned, eyes still closed, to him and Nicholas was shocked to see tears leaking out from beneath her eyelids. “I’m not useless.”
Nicholas grabbed her other hand and yanked her into a crushing hug. His nose ended up buried in her hair, between her ears, and he squirmed slightly so his lips were tickling the base of one of them. “You have never been useless, Miyuki,” he whispered. “Never. One day I will hold your hand and we will celebrate together, because you will have realized that for yourself.” He held her tighter when Miyuki hiccuped. His own pain, the years of self-doubt, they all were in his voice as he let out a few strangled words. “I am here. And I understand.”
Miyuki wailed, her head burrowing forwards into his neck. They held each other tightly for a few minutes before Miyuki hiccuped again and pushed away. Her eyes were still screwed shut and she turned back towards the dark gym. “Th-this way.”
Nicholas allowed her to lead him into the darkness, not letting even a moment of hesitation destroy the bond of trust between him and the Eevee. Lights kept flicking on behind them but Miyuki forged ahead, weaving her way along the path with her senses straining at every step.
And suddenly, she stopped. Nicholas could hear Morty chuckling ahead of them before the lights across the gym turned on again. The gym leader was staring at Miyuki with a satisfied smile. “Welcome to the Ecruteak Gym, challengers. As you well know, here in Ecruteak we revere our pokegirl partners. We have even been host to the eternal ones, and many worship them and the pokegirls they are close to.” He gazed at Miyuki. “One of those pokegirls is Eevee. A tamer who an Eevee follows is celebrated here.”
Nicholas squeezed Miyuki’s hand. She had opened her eyes now to stare at Morty. “I’m honored to have her.”
Morty nodded. “I know. And I am desperately curious to see you in battle.” He gestured around them. “As you see, I live in darkness. The shadow of the world. Our legends speak of a truly powerful tamer who will stand among the eternal ones, and I have always hoped that would be me. To achieve that goal I have trained in shadow my entire life. Over time, I learned to see what can not be seen. It is this ability that led me to Ghost-types. And now it shows me a shadow. The shadow of the legendary tamer.” Morty raised a hand, a pitch-black pokeball revealing itself from the shadows across his body. “Is that person me? Or, Nicholas, is it you?” Morty’s eyes narrowed. “The shadow is close now. The day when the rainbow one returns is nigh. Will I stand in your shadow? Will you stand in mine? Battle me, Champion! Show me your worth, or be my next step forwards!”
“My tamer is the one of legend,” Miyuki called clearly. Morty’s eyes widened when she let go of Nicholas’ hand and stepped forwards. “Leader Morty, you serve her faithfully. But my tamer does not serve. He will stand among them, and I will be his high priestess.”
Morty flicked the pokeball as his voice grew quiet. “Then prove yourself, high priestess.”
“Miyuki-“ Nicholas sighed when a shadowy pokegirl materialized. “It’s fine if we lose here. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I know,” Miyuki whispered back. “But even still. I will show him your worth.” She took a deep breath. When Morty had talked about shadows she had felt a memory stir. It was a shadow that hung over her as well, even now. The shadow of her servitude. The shadow of her fear, her uncertainty, everything that had held her back. Slowly, Nicholas had brought her into the light. She still had shadows clinging to her but maybe that was okay. They couldn’t control her. Not anymore.
Nicholas watched the Gastly uneasily. He was afraid of whatever technique John’s had used in their battle and he hadn’t thought to ask Morty about it or research it himself. “Miyuki, if she starts hurting herself, we’re done.”
“I don’t instruct my pokegirls in that horrible technique,” Morty replied loudly. “Powerful it may be, but only a coward would rely on harming their own pokegirls to claim victory.”
Nicholas nodded and the arena barriers came to life. In front of Miyuki the Gastly wavered, her form flickering in and out of sight as she drifted closer to the Eevee.
With a sigh Miyuki focused on her mouth. Her teeth, fangs, and jaw. She wouldn’t be able to hit the Ghost-type otherwise. Then, when the hovering girl got in range, she pounced.
Nicholas gasped in shock when shadows burst from Miyuki’s mouth. The roiling energy cleaved through the Gastly’s smoke and the girl screamed in pain when Miyuki’s teeth somehow sunk into her incorporeal body. Miyuki dropped to the ground on top of the Gastly, releasing her temporarily before lunging again. The Gastly sobbed when Miyuki’s teeth found her throat and her struggles slowed until she was lying still beneath the Eevee.
“Intriguing.” Morty recalled his Gastly. “Thank you for helping her to grow, Nicholas.”
Nicholas inclined his head slightly.
“But I don’t intend to lose.” Morty released another pokegirl, this one more humanoid with a string of purple pearls gracing her neck. “I’m sorry, Miyuki.”
Miyuki was getting up, her eyes wild, when the pokegirl raised her arms. A keening wail sounded from her mouth as the air within the arena whipped up, whistling past Miyuki while she struggled to keep upright. Ice began creeping along the floor towards her, spreading from the pokegirl and all across the arena until it reached Miyuki’s feet.
Miyuki had started shivering in the biting cold wind and when she tried to take a step she found her foot stuck to the ice. With a pained cry she tore herself free, stumbling forwards as she tried to reach her opponent.
Morty flinched when his pokegirl lowered her hands and blasted a shimmering beam of light into the staggering Eevee. When the attack had cleared Miyuki could be seen lying motionless on the spreading ice.
Nicholas recalled her and stared at the blowing snow. Who could stand up to that?
“Allow me, Master.” Ryuko stepped forwards clad fully in her armor. “I will avenge my fallen Alpha.”
Nicholas glanced at her. All Ryuko had was her armor. He didn’t see a weapon or anything. He hadn’t seen anything the whole trip there. “Are you sure, Ryuko? How are you going to fight?”
Ryuko smiled within her helmet. “I will show you, Master. I am your sword and your shield. You have yet to see my sword.”
Nicholas watched her step into the wind. Morty’s pokegirl raised her hands again, refreshing the storm, as Ryuko raised hers.
With a battle cry Ryuko dove into action. The metal on her arm elongated, extending her gauntlets into massive blades that she immediately swung at the Ghost-type. The girl screamed as the living metal slashed through her, Ryuko’s energy disrupting hers and sending her flailing backwards. Ryuko landed, twisting towards where the pokegirl had retreated, and leapt again. This time she was out of range and Nicholas gasped.
As Ryuko had jumped her armor had split open to reveal a pair of glistening metal insect wings. The wings buzzed, faster and more angrily than Ryuko’s had as a Scyther, as Ryuko bore down on her target.
Morty spoke a command and his pokegirl turned. The blowing winds died down when she pointed, light flashing between her hands before a torrent of blue flame spewed at the attacking Scizor.
Ryuko screamed when the attack swept over her and Nicholas winced. Her armor wouldn’t protect her from the heat.
Ryuko was distracted when she slammed into her opponent so the Ghost-type managed to escape with only minor damage, turning back to Ryuko as shadows gathered in her hands.
“Ryuko! Down!”
Ryuko grimaced. Whenever she moved she could feel burns across her skin where her armor had conducted the heat. It appeared her armor wasn’t as impervious as she had thought. A lesson for another day.
Hearing Nicholas’ warning she turned to see her opponent raising a writhing ball of shadow. With a yell the girl hurled it and Ryuko felt her breath ripped away when the energy swept over her. She couldn’t even scream, watching helplessly as the shadows swarmed over her before vanishing as quickly as they had come.
Nicholas stared. Ryuko had taken the attack head on but she was still standing. “Ryuko?”
Ryuko slowly fell to her knees. Her body was limp; the Scizor was unconscious.
Nicholas recalled her and glanced at the hovering pokegirl. “Sera. I need you to take her down.”
Sera nodded and moved into the arena. Before the pokegirl could start her ice attack again she took to the air, gaining height to match and banking around to start an attack run.
“Remember. She won’t take much from direct hits,” Nicholas cautioned in her ear. “Maybe try blowing her away with wind?”
“No, Master Nicholas.” Sera flapped harder to pick up speed. “I have a way.”
Nicholas watched her rocket into the pokegirl. Sera looked like she was going to go straight through her incorporeal body before the Golbat’s wings flared and Sera’s hands grasped for the pokegirl’s arms.
“Nothing but energy.” Sera’s fangs sprang to life when she hissed in the suddenly terrified girl’s face. “My energy!”
Morty instantly recalled his pokegirl when she let out a wail, rivers of stolen power flowing from her through the connection Sera had made. The Ghost-type’s body was completely translucent by the time the recall beam took her and Sera flapped backwards while the energy swirled around her.
“Well fought,” Morty called. “But can you finish me off?”
Sera hissed quietly when a woman in a mask appeared. Nothing but a mask. As the pokegirl looked up at her eyes sprang to life all across her body and she exploded.
The Gengar’s mask vanished into her shadowy body and Sera screamed in fear when the eyes appeared surrounding her. She struck out, feeling nothing as the unblinking stare continued.
Nicholas reached for her pokeball and cursed when the Gengar’s shadows swept across his view. “Sera!”
Sera whirled, searching for a point to strike, anything but the infinite gaze on her. She was so focused she didn’t notice when part of the shadow bubbled, the Gengar rising from it and opening her massive mouth in a savage grin.
Sera’s scream cut off and Nicholas watched her body pop out of the shadowy sphere the Gengar had erected. A second later the sphere itself collapsed, flowing back to where he could see the Gengar floating in midair, her long red tongue lolling out of her mouth.
He recalled Sera. “Nessa. I know I’ve been saying this every time.” He turned to look at her. “But this is a bad fight. You won’t do much physically.”
Nessa gazed up at her floating opponent. “I will wash her away.”
Nicholas turned as she stepped past and into the arena. The Gengar looked at her. Nessa stared back. Nessa roared a challenge. The Gengar smiled.
Nicholas winced as Nessa’s screams filled the gym.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Zephyr Badge
Hive Badge
Plain Badge
Storm Badge
Mineral Badge
Harem:
Miyuki, Eevee (Alpha) – Level 31
Nessa, Feraligatr – Level 32
Sera, Golbat – Level 32
Ryuko, Scizor – Level 31