Dusk looked around the forest for any sign of familiarity, but he had no luck finding it.  He had to take Lightning back home.  At least there they'll have a reference point to begin searching for that Infernape.

"How far did they take us..." Dusk asked himself loudly.  He saw an opening through the trees leading to a clearing.  "Hey Lightning!  There's a clearing over there let's try heading that way," he told her.

"Ok" she answered and they went into the forest.

They managed to head into the clearing and see they were on a hillside overlooking the forest.  Dusk was already upon them as the sun nearly disappeared behind the mountains.  He surveyed the area for a way back home for them.

"Wait, this place looks familiar to me, we're almost to my home" Lightning replied to Dusk happily.

Dusk smiled back at Lightning.  "That's perfect Lightning!  Let's cover as much ground as possible.  It's almost dark," he told her as he'd already mapped a path down the hillside.

"Ok" she replied. They continued walking until they spotted some lightning bolt shaped tails. "This is it! We made it!" she started to run towards her family.

Dusk ran after her into the village.  They made it at the nick of time before nightfall hit.

He looked around to see if the Infernape caused any damage to the village in their absence.

The village looked fine for now, but Lightning was worried about when the next day will hit. What if they woke up too late? What if the world was all statues, and they couldn't save it?

Dusk noticed Lightning was feeling distressed and he sat at her side placing a paw on her back.

She looked up at Dusk worriedly. "Will we be strong enough to stop Yveltal if he awakens?"

His face dropped a bit.  "I'm not sure..." Dusk said sullenly.  They sat in silence until they came to a realization.  "If we do cross that road, we'll need to find Xerneas."

Dusk still sees her worried expression.  "Lightning, I just want you to know that you and me together, we'll make it through this.  We'll stop Infernape from destroying the forest and turning everyone to stone." He says to her confidently."By awakening Yveltal and- "Dusk was interrupted by Lightning.

"Yeah, Xerneas can help us defeat a dragon type like Yveltal" she replied to him.

"Well...technically he's dark/flying but.... yeah," Dusk let out a yawn.

"Oh...." Lightning laughed giving out a yawn as well.

"Well we better get some rest" Lightning replied laying down.

"Ha-ha c'mon Lightning.  Let's get some rest," Dusk tells her as they had rested themselves to a nearby tree.

Dusk laid down beside her and wrapped his paws tightly around her.

"Goodnight Lightning," Dusk says to her as he nuzzled her cheek.

"Goodnight Dusk" she replied to him, just before she fell asleep.

Dusk watched her angelic face one last time before sleep takes over his body, sending them both to dream world.

In their dream, they woke up staring over the same outlook they stood on earlier that night.  The sky was a dark menacing mix of grey and purple as an ear piercing screech filled the air.  Dusk tried to look around to the source but his neck wouldn't budge.  Not even his eyes would respond.

"What was that?" Dusk said...or he would have said if his mouth would have moved.  "What happened to me?" he thought to himself.  "I can't move, talk or even...breathe?"

"What is happening? I can't move, speak, or breathe" Lightning thought in her mind, "I feel like a statue".

"Pathetic children.  Did you really think you stood a chance against Yveltal," a voice told them from behind. "Now you can both witness as the world burns at the hands of the Pokémon of destruction."

"Wait...does that mean that we.... w-where's Lightning!?!?" Dusk thought panicking.

Soon enough, a dark-purplish beam hit the land turning everything in its path into stone.

"No.....no!"  Lightning yelled in her mind.

"Hehehehe maybe we should let them see the looks on their faces right boss?" Primape cackled.

"What was happening to our world?Yveltal is destroying it all! NOO!" Lightning thought.

"I think they understand the fate of their world, might as well give them their last look at each other," Infernape said.  Soon enough they are both turned facing each other.

"Lightning.... no..." Dusk thought as he saw her petrified body.

Dusk took in the sight every part of her.   Her horrified expression frozen on her face, her once sparkling amber eyes now turned to lifeless grey orbs, her hand outstretched pleading for mercy, and her adorable pink bow now turned into lifeless and dull rock.

"No, Dusk!" she thought. He was an Eevee statue and the blue bandanna he wore, was now a gray rocky bandanna around his neck. The Pokémon world was now ending.

"Hehehe can't save your girlfriend now can you?" Primape taunted as he draped an arm over her rocky shoulder and rubbed her outstretched hand with the other.

"Don't touch me, you crazy Mankey!" Lightning thought, wishing she could move her arm away from him and attack him.

"Don't touch her you creep!" Dusk shouted in his mind.

"I think I'll keep her for my own," he said rubbing her side, "she'll be my own personal trophy."

She gulped while he tried to move her gray frozen body away from Dusk.

"No!  Lightning!  Leave her alone!!" he protested as he remained locked in his stone prison, forced to watch as the Primape caresses her.  "I'm sorry Lightning .... I failed you..."

The Primape manages to pick her up and holds her bridal style facing him.  "Don't worry your pretty face missy, I'll take perfect care of you," he laughed as he took her away into their lair, away from this place, away from this world, .... away from Dusk....

Dusk watched as she was taken away from him.... all will to press on and fight diminished...he has failed...filled with dread as he thought of never seeing her again fills his mind...

Dusk and her whole Pikachu family were taken away from her. All her friends turned into stone and gone forever.

Lightning's eyes shot open from the horrible nightmare she just had; it was morning.

Dusk still remained asleep, quivering and whimpering, tears stained his face as he kept whispering in his sleep.  "I'm sorry.... I'm sorry......I'm sorry...."

Lightning looked at Dusk and nudged him. "Dusk wake up!" she yelled.

Dusk's eyes shoot open as they locked onto her amber ones, full of life once more.  He pulled her into a tight hug.  "Lightning I was so scared.... I thought I would lose you for good..." he said to her.

"Me too" she whispered, blushing from his hugging.

Dusk continued hugging her for some time.  "Lightning...please don't ever leave me...I don't want to be alone again...."

Dusk continued holding her fearing the worst if they do fail.

"It's alright. I will never leave a friend behind" she responded.

Dusk smiled at her as he continued to hold her.  But he now questioned what they would do if they were turned to stone...

Lightning looked down frightened. "What if the world does end?" she thought to herself.

Dusk looked at her face and tried to recompose himself.  "I can't think like this.  I have to be strong for Lightning," he thought to himself.  He looked into her eyes. "Lightning?"

"Lightning no matter what happens, I promise we will put an end to Infernape's scheme.  We won't let him and Yveltal destroy this world," Dusk assured her with confidence returning to his voice.

"Thank you, Dusk" Lightning smiled at him. She became happy again by his kind words.

"You're welcome Lightning" he beamed back at her.  "Now let's get some breakfast and find Infernape!"

"Agreed" Lightning replied to him following him to look for some berries in the forest.

Dusk searched around and found a Rawst berry bush.  "Oh my Arceus..." he said as he licked his lips.

He rushed towards the Rawst berries and picked several bundles.

Dusk couldn't help but take a bite of one of the berries.  "Mmmmmm soo goooood" he said as the berry juice slushes around in his mouth.

Lightning started to giggle when he handed her one and she took a bite. "He is right, it is good" she thought nodding to him, still chewing the berry.

Dusk laughed as well as they ate the berries.  "Mmmmm. Those were amazing..." he said as his mouth was covered in berry juice.

Lightning started to giggle some more taking another bite of the berry.

Dusk licked his lips cleaned and laughed as he sat beside her and watched her finish eating.

Lightning finished eating her berry and stood up. "Well we should be going now, if we are going to stop them before they awaken Y-" she stopped, trembling in fear before she even said his name.

Dusk takes note of her fear of encountering him and holds one of her paws with his.  "Yeah, let's find them quickly."

He got up to his paws still holding her paw, as he continued to smile at her.

"Ok" she smiled once more and they went along the forest still holding paws.

Dusk held a blush on his face as they continued walking through the woods.  He felt so happy being with Lightning right now, despite the stakes at hand.
She feels safe with Dusk.

He felt at peace with Lightning.  He'd only known her for a few days but he felt so close to her.  Maybe she really is the one for him?  Maybe they can spend the rest of their lives together after this is all settled...

She felt happy with Dusk just like he was part of her Pikachu family. Maybe he is the Pokémon for her?

They continued walking hand in hand deep in thought as he glanced over to her, seeing her angelic face.

Lightning stared at Dusk's brown eyes as well.

His brown eyes locked onto her amber ones as they completely stopped in their tracks.

"Lightning...." Dusk whispered as he turned his body to face her.

"Yes?" she asked him.

"I....I know this is a bad time but...I... I really enjoy being with you," Dusk told her.

"What am I doing!?" Dusk thought to himself.

"R-Really?! You really feel that way Dusk?" Lightning asked him.

"Y-yeah...I just feel so happy around you Lightning.  I-I just...." his face became redder.

"Just what?" Lightning asked blushing a bit.

"I...I..." he takes a deep breath.  "Lightning....I l-...I lo-...." he continued to stammer as he blushed harder.

"What?" she asked him.

".... I love you...." he tells her, quietly

"What?" she asked him again.

"I said that I lo-" he was about to finish when a loud blast echoes from the mountain.

"What was that?" Lightning asked, her ears perked up.

"I-I don't know!" he answered.  "Let's investigate!" he takes her paw and rush up the mountain.

"I-I hope it wasn't the c-cocoon" Lightning tried to say.

"M-me either..." he said as they climbed up the mountain to the source.

"Oh no! Not them!" Lightning yelled ears drooping, when she spotted the Mankeys, Primeape and Infernape.

"It looks like they're entering some sort of cave," Dusk says to her.  "We better be careful checking it out or else they'll overwhelm us."

"Agreed" she replied.

They walk up to the mouth of the cave.  Thankfully no one was posted at the entrance.  Dusk turned to Lightning and nodded to her as a signal I'm ready when you are.

Dusk can hear the Mankeys echo through the cave.  "Sir I found something..." he heard faintly as his ears perked up attentively.

Lightning walked towards Dusk. "What are they doing?" she whispered to him.

"I don't know Lightning" Dusk whispered back.  "Though from the sound of it they found something valuable"

"Oh no, I hope it isn't the cocoon" Lightning whispered.

"Me neither...I hope we aren't too late." Dusk whispered back.

They walked deeper into the cave until they reached an opening with the Mankeys, Primape, and Infernape circled around a rock in the middle of a pool.

"Oh no..... they did find it..." he whispered to her.

Lightning started to tremble in fear thinking about last night's nightmare.

Dusk held her paw firmly to comfort her, trying to mask his own fears from her to bring her courage back.

She calmed down only a bit and looked through the opening as well to see them poking the cocoon of destruction with a stick.

"We still have time to stop them from awakening Yveltal, but how do we stop them." Dusk thought out loud whispering.

"I don't know, but we got to find out how" Lightning whispered.

Dusk nods at her.  "Maybe if we can find a way to distract them," he said looking around the room for a plan.

"Hmmm..." Lightning tried to look for something as well. "I can't find nothing to distract them except dull rocks, but all we can do with them is to throw them at that group of Zubat over there" she responded pointing to a few sleeping Zubats on the cave ceiling.

Dusk looked up.  "Lightning you're a genius!"  he says to her as he picked up a couple of rocks.  "Ok I'll chuck these at you and you hit them with iron tail at the Zubats closest to the Mankeys as possible.  Sound good?" he asked her.

"Ok" she grinned, "whenever you're ready".

"Okay here it comes!"  Dusk said as he chucked the rocks at her.

Her tail turned into iron and she hit them like a bat at the Zubat. The Zubat were hit and they awaken. They let go of the ceiling and flew towards the Mankey, Primeape, and Infernape. They ducked for cover.

"Home run" Lightning smiled.

"Nicely done Lightning!" Dusk says as he high fived her.

The Mankeys begin to scatter in panic, however Infernape takes notice of their plan unbeknownst to them.Lightning began to tremble as she gains sight of Infernape.

"What happened?" Dusk asked her confused until his gaze falls onto Infernape watching them.  "Uh oh..."

"You two!  I thought we disposed of you both," he said venomously to them.

"Nope" Lightning replied, "we escaped your stupid vine prison!"

"Well then I guess we aren't as weak as you consider us," he growled back.  "We're not letting you summon Yveltal!"

Infernape laughed.  "I'd like to see you try and stop me," he laughed as he approached the cocoon once more.  "Stop!" Dusk yelled as he fired a shadow ball at him only for it to be countered with his flamethrower.

Lightning used thunderbolt on him trying to shock him.

Infernape dodges swiftly and charges at them with blinding speed.  Dusk charged at him with quick attack to get a hit on him.

Infernape comes in to hit Dusk with blazing kick but he ducked and slid under him, tripping him with iron tail.

Lightning used thunderbolt one more time on him. At last the attack hit.

"Argh!" He screams in pain and becomes paralyzed. "Nice one Lightning! We have the upper hand now!" Dusk yelled as he bit down on Infernape's leg.

He yowls in pain and tries to bite Dusk back.

Dusk backed away in time and hit him with shadow ball launching him towards the cocoon.  He struggled against the paralysis to stand up.  "Ready to finish him off Lightning?" Dusk asked her.

"Yeah" she replied with a grin, "ready for our ultimate power move" Lightning thought.

Dusk walked towards her as he charged up shadow ball.  "Ready when you are Lightning!"

Infernape watches as they charge up their attacks.

"Ready!" she grinned, charging up her electro ball.

"Fire!"  Dusk yelled as he fired his shadow ball at Infernape.

Infernape watches as the attack approaches him.

Lightning used electro ball and he watched as they went together to create the ultimate electro shadow ball technique.

Infernape grins as the attack approached him.  Just when it was about to hit him, he dodges and their attack directly hits the cocoon.

"No!" Lightning gasped in horror watching the cocoon crack.

"Hehehehe...thanks for finishing our work for us." Infernape cackles as he ate a Cherri berry he held on himself "consider this your reward" he sped toward them and grabbed their necks," you two are way over your heads to think you can save this world on your own".

"Urk!" Dusk struggled to escape his grasp as he flailed around aimlessly as a desperate means of escape.  "Come on everyone!  We are leaving!" Infernape calls to the Mankeys and Primape as he tightens his grip on them.

"Y-you...are...gonna...pay for...this" Lightning coughed using Thunderbolt on him, electrocuting him and he let them go.

Infernape cries in pain and growls "insolent pest!!" He uses blazing kick on them and launches them into the water in front of the cocoon.  "You may have escaped our vine prison but let's see you escape a stone prison!" He yells as he leaves them alone with the cocoon cracking and crumbling.

Lightning tried to get up out of the water, but fell down again; her paws were aching.

She watched in horror as Yveltal flew out of the cocoon and roared in rage.

"Are you crazy! W-why was y-your monkey business r-related to w-waking up Y-Yveltal. You are just going to destroy y-yourselves" she coughed, but they were already gone.

Dusk struggled to get up as well as Yveltal looks down upon them enraged from his abrupt awakening.  "L-Lightning..." he coughed out.  Yveltal lets out about roar of rage as he charges his signature move to attack them.

Lightning gulped and struggled to get up but fell into the water again. "It's no use I can't move. Dusk save yourself! Run!" she yelled back to him falling in the water again.

Dusk looked up at Yveltal and back down to her as he fires oblivion wing "No!!" he yelled as he rushed towards her to save her from the beam.

"No! Dusk!" Lightning screamed.

Dusk managed to reach her in time only to have their tails be grazed by the beam.

Lightning fell to the ground with him on top of her. She squealed in pain.

Dusk winced in pain as well and Yveltal roars once more before flying outside the cave.

"A-are you...o-ok...L-L-Lightning...?" Dusk asked her breathing heavily.

"Yes, I'm fine thanks to you" Lightning replied.

Dusk smiled at Lightning.  "I'm glad, I don't know what I would have done if you were turned to stone in front of me," he said to her.

"Oh no we got to stop it before it destroys the whole forest!" Lightning yelled.

" Y-yeah...l-let's go...." he got up and helped Lightning to her feet.  "We need to find Xerneas"

Dusk pulled her up to her paws.  "Can you walk Lightning?" he asked her with concern.

"I don't know if I can, but I can try" Lightning replied to him.

"I'm here at your side, let's start walking Lightning" Dusk said as he let her lean against him.

Lightning took a step and fell again, but Dusk caught her before she hit the ground.

Dusk fell a little further than expected from the weight but held himself up.  "Oh Arceus... you may have a sprain.... here climb on my back Lightning, I'll carry you out." he tells her.  "why do I feel so weak..." he thought to himself.

"How are we going to stop Yveltal if we are too weak to move?" Lightning asked, "Wait maybe an Alomomola can help heal us".

"Maybe so...where's the nearest one, though...?" Dusk asked her.

"I saw a stream down the hill" Lightning replied pointing to the way they came to get there.

"Good idea Lightning, let's hurry!" Dusk says as he carried her outside but by the time he does, they see a horrifying sight.  Half the forest has already been petrified.

"Oh no! We better hurry before the rest of the forest is destroyed" Lightning replied.

"I agree.  Let's find that stream." Dusk answered back as they raced down the hill, but his front paw goes limp making him lose his footing as they tumbled down the hill together.

Lightning's paw started to hurt even more. "Ow!" Lightning squealed.

When they spotted the stream right next to them. "Perfect! That was quicker than I thought" Lightning replied, sarcastically.

"Perfect! Let's go see the Alomomola," Dusk said hoping that they haven't been turned to stone yet.

Dusk picked Lightning up onto his back once more and carried her to the stream.

They checked the water for any Alomomola.  After 5 minutes of searching they still find no signs of them.  "Oh no... please don't tell me Yveltal got them..."

"I don't know. But I hope-" suddenly, a Magikarp appeared out of nowhere and slapped Lightning in the face with its tail, getting her soaked. "-not" She finished, looking at the Magikarp angrily, trying not to electrocute it afraid to zap an Alomomola. She was especially afraid about it evolving and harming them if she did decide to attack.

Dusk couldn't help but stifle a snicker at the humorous scene but quickly return to a more serious demeanor. " Let's continue searching, if the Magikarp are alive then Yveltal hasn't petrified all the sea Pokémon."

Dusk carried Lightning down the stream in search for an Alomomola to heal up to battling conditions.

Suddenly, Lightning spotted a pink fin; it looked like an Alomomola's.

"I see one" Lightning replied pointing to the fin.

"See anything yet Lightning?" Dusk asked her looking in the opposite direction.

Dusk looked toward where she was pointing.  "Nice!  Hey Alomomola! " Dusk called out to it.

The Alomomola swam towards them.

"Yes?" she asked joyfully.

"Hey Alomomola," Dusk said politely. " My friend and I were badly injured in a battle.  Can you please heal us?"

Yveltal's roar echoes across the sky at that moment.She looked up to see if she could see the roaring creature but heard and saw nothing, then looked back at them.

"Sure" she replied wrapping her fins around Lightning's scratched up ankle. Her healing fins felt nice and as soon as she finished, her ankle was healed. She did the same with Dusk and as soon as she finished with him, he was healed as well.

"Thank you" they thanked. "You are very welcome" she replied cheerfully and swam away.

"Alright let's hurry to your Pikachu family, we need to get them out of here," Dusk says to Lightning.

Dusk started rushing through the forest taking her paw in low.  They hoped that her family was ok, but by the time they reached the village what they saw devastated them.  Almost everyone but three Pikachus in the village had already been turned into stone, most were frozen with an expression of surprise and fright.

"No!" Lightning screamed running towards her family. What she didn't see was Yveltal close behind her and the surprised and frightened Pikachu who weren't statues yet.

"Lightning wait!" Dusk yelled out to her not noticing Yveltal until it was too late as they were in his sights once more.