Chapter Seventy Eight

Macro rolled to the side as a huge boulder crashed down where he'd been standing, cutting him off from Anchor. The mawile clambered to his feet and spun, shattering the boulder with his horn. Shards of rock went flying, pelting Anchor's arms as he shielded his face. He lowered his paws and muttered a thanks as he leapt to Macro's side.

"I've never fought anythin' like this," said Macro. "But I'm gonna guess we take out the tendrils."

"If we wanna get close to the mansion, then yeah!" Anchor whipped Macro aside, narrowly dodging one of Distortion's tentacles. It left a nasty burn mark on the concrete. He grabbed Macro in his arms and rolled them both out of the way of another swipe, then launched a sucker punch at it as it retreated.

They both stood up and looked back at their allies. Tracer fired off flamethrowers to drive back the tentacles. Widget buffeted him out of the way of falling debris, then launched himself into a full-body tackle. The eevee flew through the tentacle, severing its end. Widget screamed as fire seared his fur, but the end of the fiery limb lay writhing on the floor. The rest of it retreated into the ground as a deep growl filled the air.

'Don't you get in my way!'

Two more tentacles erupted from the floor, scooping up Tracer and his allies. Defrag screamed as she fought against it, smacking the flames with ice punches.

Macro cupped his paws around his mouth. "Use your Z-Moves!"

Tracer struggled to get his paw free. His stick fell to the floor and he howled with frustration.

A flutter of feathers leapt into the fray, glowing with a white light. But it fizzled out before Switch could get his Supersonic Skystrike to work. He landed in a crumpled heap beneath the flames. Macro shook himself and rushed to the talonflame's aide, dragging him out of the chaos. A small tendril swooped across the ground, sweeping Macro off his feet and separating him from Switch.

'You are pests!' Distortion roared. 'Nothing but fleas on the body of my world!'

Hundreds of tendrils exploded from the ground. One of them speared Macro in the back, tossing him into the air. He roared with pain, and red flashed across his vision. When it cleared, all he saw below him was a spiralling, crimson inferno. He flailed his paws, desperate to avoid falling into it. But it subsided, revealing Anchor standing in a circle of black. All the tendrils around him were gone. Distortion roared, shaking the very ground. Macro came crashing back down onto Anchor, winding the granbull. Macro rolled off his friend and thanked him, before looking around to gather his bearings.

"He didn't like that," Anchor muttered as he pulled Macro to his feet.

Switch flapped his way out of the purple flames, gasping with each step. "This is crazy! We don't stand a chance!"

"I advise optimism," Anchor grunted. "Come on, I've got an idea."

Macro stared mournfully at the chaos. His friends writhing in Distortion's grasp, or desperately trying to avoid being speared while fighting back. "Well, I hope it's better than mine."

"We grab as many allies as we can, and fight our way inside, while everyone else distracts the building." He grunted and leapt back from a tumbling rock. "There's words I never thought I'd say."

A few toots drew their eyes to Buzzwole. The huge insect barrelled through several tendrils, destroying them with his bug buzz. Then he landed beside Anchor and flexed.

"Well done." Anchor grabbed his arm. "You're with us. Kartana! This way!"

Macro grabbed Switch's wing and tugged him after him. "Sorry, Switch, but you're not much use in this battlefield."

"Hey, I'm trying!" Switch protested.

Macro ignored him, craning his head back to spot the rest of his crew. "Matrix!"

There was no time to wait around. He dived ahead of him as a flaming tentacle crashed down between him and Switch. The talonflame squawked, flapping his wings and scattering feathers.

"Move it!" Macro barked, reaching back to throw Switch ahead of him. "Follow Anchor!"

Switch didn't protest. He scrambled after the granbull, hopping and flapping as he strained to fly in Distortions crazy gravity.

Macro sprinted after him, desperate to reach the mansion. Anchor had already made it, thumping any tendrils that got in his way. The ground rumbled and another flurry of tentacles erupted through the ground. Macro squealed and fell backwards as he scrambled way from them. Sparkles and explosions tore through them before they provided any real threat, and they retreated back with another angry roar.

Rave landed before him and bowed his now tiny head. "I think a plan is needed, Captain."

"Great timing," said Macro. "Anchor has one, but we can't get it to everyone. We're kinda winging it. Tell Time Archeops and the Ultra Beasts, and anyone else you can find, to provide a distraction. But I need Matrix and DL, stat!"

"Roger!" Rave leapt into the air, diving over Distortion's flaming weapons. Flamethrowers and shadow balls severed them, beating them back from the space pirate as Rave rushed to deliver his message.

It didn't take long. Macro heard Rave's telepathic voice in his head in a matter of seconds. But whether or not Distortion could hear it was another matter entirely.

Macro desperately hoped not.

Anchor, Buzzwole and Switch waited just inside the mansion gates. Macro scurried in, casting a glance back over his shoulder. Matrix's tiny form weaved between tendrils as they chased after him, desperate to stop him reaching the mansion. Macro began to miss his weapons. A few laser fires and he could pick them off to aide the ribombee. Switch reared up beside him and fired off a series of embers. They struck the tendrils, causing them to flinch back and allow Matrix through unscathed.

"How's that for useless?" Switch muttered.

"I didn't mean..." Macro dragged his claws down his face and groaned. "There's no time for this!"

The ribombee buzzed beside Macro's head. "Rave said you want me?"

"Yeah." Macro ushered Matrix across the garden. "I need you to stick by Switch. Once we're inside, you need to find the computer and fix him up."

"So I'm on memory duty?" Matrix shrugged. "Okay, I can dig it."

"Now how do we find a way in?" Macro asked. "I'm guessing not the main door."

"No. That's fairly obvious," said Matrix. "A back entrance is much more sneaky. The front is likely heavily guarded."

"Gaming knowledge?" Switch asked.

Matrix paused and tugged at his antenna. "Come to think of it, all entrances are likely heavily guarded. But as memory serves, the computer used to remove Switch's memories was in the basement, and I'd personally like some ease here."

Flaming explosions lit up the sky. N0ize leapt across the purple flames, striking each one with a fire punch. The result was an explosion of purple and red, and it lit up the immaculate garden. He dropped to the ground beside them in a crouch and grinned.

"You ain't havin' all the fun. Count me in."

Macro placed a paw on his hip and frowned. "We could use some extra muscle. Have you used your Z-Move yet?"

"Not yet," said N0ize. "Why, was I meant to?"

"Not unless you needed to," said Macro. "If you haven't yet, save it for battling Distortion."

N0ize clasped his fist, flashing his Darkinium-Z. "You got it. Bring it on."

"I love the enthusiasm. But first, we've gotta get in." Macro nodded at the building.

"Aye. You didn't happen to see a basement door from up there, did you?" Anchor asked.

"As a matter of fact..." N0ize gave them a toothy grin.

He turned with a flourish and led them around the edge of the building. Flailing tentacles reached up above their heads, swiping at the nihilego. At some point the gravity had shifted, allowing the Ultra Beasts to fly. Maybe the distraction was working?

"Here you go." N0ize stopped with his paws on his hips and nodded at the ground. "Basement door. Looks like this guy found it first. Keyed me in."

The door lay at an angle at the building's base. Beside it, a xurkitree lay sparking. One of its limbs was bent at an odd angle beneath it.

"What happened to you?" Macro stooped to help the xurkitree up.

It babbled at them in its strange voice and struggled to its feet.

"Best keep it with us," said Anchor. "We can't send it back out there into battle in this state."

The xurkitree babbled again, turning its spiky head left and right.

Anchor stooped to grab the door and pulled. Once. Twice. He grunted and released it.

"Won't budge," he said.

"We could burn it?" N0ize offered.

"No, I don't want to risk it fighting back," said Anchor. "We're gonna need-"

Buzzwole leant towards it and grabbed the door. His muscles bulged as he wrenched on the handle. The plastic splintered around the catch and it swung open, creaking loudly on its strained hinge. Beyond it was a flight of stairs leading down into the basement, lit up by a dim, purple light.

"Hey, would you look at that!" Anchor grinned, stepping forward onto the stairs. "We're in!"

"Way to go!" N0ize cheered, flexing his arms.

Buzzwole released the door and flexed triumphantly. It swung back on its hinges, slamming Anchor in the back. A loud yelp came from beyond it, followed by a repetitive thud as the granbull tumbled down the stairs.

Macro stared at the door aghast.

N0ize placed his paws over his mouth, exchanging glances with Buzzwole. "Oops?"

Buzzwole copied him, placing his huge paws over his proboscis.

Matrix chuckled. "Classic!"

Macro shook his head sharply and grabbed the door, straining to pull it open.

"Buzzwole, hold the door," he said. "We're goin' in!"

It was oddly quiet. Even the sounds of battle outside were greatly muffled once the door was shut. The dim lighting created long shadows ahead of them, chilling Macro to the core. Anchor waited for them at the base of the stairs, nursing his shoulder.

"Rats," said Macro. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Anchor. "I can fight."

Buzzwole tooted sadly and held out a paw. Anchor took it and gave it a shake.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "You didn't know it would slam shut on my tail!"

Macro glanced back up the stairs. Where was DL? He desperately hoped she was okay, and hopefully just held up aiding her team. Macro moves past Anchor towards the next door barring their way. Matrix hovered beside it, running his computer over the lock panel.

"We're in." He pushed on the door and it swung away from them. "After you."

Macro slipped past the ribombee, mechanical paw ready at his side to defend himself. The room beyond seeped purple light into the stairwell. The walls were filled with eyes that lit up red as they entered. Purple fire clung to the surface. The room looked like a tornado had hit it. Tables and desks were upturned, and metal objects lined the floor, reflecting the purple light. A computer lay at an angle, propped against an upturned desk. Its screen flickered, displaying a corrupted error message.

Matrix's arms slumped at his sides. "Well, looks like I've got my work cut out for me."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, the flames intensified. Purple flamethrowers erupted from the walls, driving the pokemon back into the stairwell.

"How do we get past that?!" Matrix squeaked.

"We don't!" Anchor barked. "At least, that's what Distortion wants us to think. I guess the fight starts here?"

N0ize let out a triumphant roar and leapt over their heads. His fist lit up with flames and he brought them crashing down against the wall. Purple fire washed over his body, but he barely flinched. The eyes on the wall grimaced from his attack, temporarily shutting down their flames. He moved on, striking another section of the wall. Then another. The flames cut out wherever he hit. But as he reached the computer, the first set of eyes gathered themselves and spewed out their attack, cutting Macro and the rest of his team off from the room.

"It's the eyes," he said. "But there's too many. How do we attack them all at once?"

The xurkitree babbled and skittered into the room. Its body lit up with electricity and light pulsed from its body with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Then it flashed. Macro yelped, covering his eyes. A roar split the room, making the very walls tremble. Dazzling spots danced across Macro's vision. He blinked them away, bringing the xurkitree and the room back into focus. The purple fire had gone, and with it, all the eyes.

N0ize laughed raucously from the other side of the room. "Nice!"

"Excellent!" Matrix buzzed past them. "I'll get to work on this computer. Switch, if you would?"

The talonflame skittered past them to join Matrix's side.

"We'll move on," said Macro. "Join us when you're ready. I'll leave the xurkitree with you, in case those eyes come back."

The xurkitree babbled to itself as it moseyed around the room.

Macro followed the path to the next door. A deep sense of dread flooded him. It was all too familiar. The last time he'd taken this path, everything had gone horribly wrong. He looked up at his allies.

"I've no idea what to expect beyond this door," he said. "Brace yourselves."

Scrambling claws drew his eye back to the stairs and he felt his heart lurch. DL stumbled into the room, her fur scorched in places. The three kartana soared around her, swishing their blades in their unusual language. She stopped beside Macro and doubled over with her paws on her knees, panting to catch her breath.

"DL..." Macro raised a paw to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she gasped. "I'm just... glad I'm not too late..." She stood up and smoothed out her fur as best she could. "Rave said you wanted me."

Macro lowered his paw and diverted his gaze to the door. "Right now, I kinda want everyone..."

The lead kartana clanged its arms together twice, drawing Macro's gaze. Buzzwole stood beside it and flexed.

N0ize chuckled and thumped his chest twice then placed an arm across Buzzwole's shoulders. "They're right. You've got all of us. And the way I see it, so long as the rest of our allies are outside fightin', Distortion's attention is divided, givin' us more of a chance."

Macro gave a stiff nod and reached for the handle. "Well... here goes nothin'."

He pushed the door open and they stumbled into the room. Macro blinked at the immaculate walls. It looked every bit like the entrance hall to Socket's mansion. The very place they'd fought her. Not a hint of damage in sight. The only blemish was the blood stain on the tiled floor. The memory of it twisted his gut and he battled the urge to back into the basement and flee for his life. The small glint from his Z-Crystal settled his stomach and he pushed himself into the hall.

A long desk sat across it, the only anomaly in the room. A long, gold name plate perched on it, sporting the words 'Mayor BackDoor'. The hoopa android leant back on a seat with his arms folded behind his head. His eyes were closed as he pretended to snore. Beside the name plate sat Tweak. The little chingling slurped at an over-sized mug of tea. He looked up as Macro's team entered and swiped a paw across his mouth, scattering tea droplets.

"Mayor BackDoor is on break," he said. "If you have any complaints, you'll have to come back later. Or... I could always take a message. But I'm kinda enjoying my tea right now and don't wish to be disturbed."

He slurped loudly, tipping the huge cup back as far as it would go. It shrouded him from view. Once he'd finished, he dropped it and reached for a pen.

"Done!" He chimed. "What's the message? Water quality? Air quality? Plight of the water dwellers? Not enough land for fruit trees?" He looked up and grinned. "War?"

"No, no, no!" BackDoor sat up and threw his arms in the air. "You're do-do-doing it all wrong! We rehearsed this!"

Tweak waved his pen and shrugged. "I was going for 'sinister'!"

BackDoor swiped the chingling from the table. Tweaks internal bell jingled as he rolled away across the floor, scattering his pen and pad in the process. The hoopa twisted his head back to Macro and his lip curled in a sneer.

"Given he made a meh-meh-mess of things, I guess it's down to me." BackDoor's voice distorted and he rose into the air. "Distortion can't see you right now. Allow me to show you the exit."

BackDoor removed a ring from his horn and tossed it behind Macro and his crew. The mawile leapt away from it, feeling the tug as the gravity tried to suck him in. The kartana whizzed over his head, making a beeline for BackDoor. Their blades sliced at his metal hide and he screeched, zipping back from them. Another ring appeared in his paw and he lobbed it towards the kartana. They split apart, giving the gateway wide berth.

With no lasers, Macro had to get close to BackDoor. But it wasn't going to be easy. Both he and Anchor were in a similar situation. DL leapt between them, firing out streaks of electricity to short the android's circuits. He deflected them with one of his rings and tossed it into the fray. Between three gravity fields, Macro's limbs grew sluggish. He fought against the new gateway and threw himself at BackDoor. The lead kartana leapt in from the other side, sticking its blades into BackDoor's shoulder. He wailed, his voice breaking and sputtering with static. Macro brought his horn up and socked the android in the chin. His head snapped back and he whizzed away from Macro to land amongst Anchor and N0ize.

The incineroar brought his flaming fist down onto BackDoor's head. The shell forming his skull cracked, revealing the circuits inside. BackDoor brought up his paws and grabbed the incineroar. Electricity coursed through his arms and engulfed N0izes body. His fur stood on end and he fell back, spasming and sparking. BackDoor whipped himself free of Anchor, firing another jolt of electricity for good measure.

"You can't win this," said BackDoor. "You're just mortals!"

The final 's' dragged out into a 'z' and he raised his paws, grabbing a ring from either horn. He clashed them together, and several gateways appeared around the room. They vanished and reappeared randomly, causing the pokemon to leap from one spot to the next. BackDoor floated amongst them, using them as a shield to keep the pokemon and Ultra Beasts at bay.

BackDoor growled as he watched them desperately avoid the gateways.

"You're nothing but pests!" he crackled. "Annoying little pests! Why do you so desperately want to ruin my plans? I thought you wanted Socket out of the way? Well guess what! She's gone! I got rid of her, and you ungrateful little worms are trying to get rid of me, now, too?!" He clapped his paws. "Tweak!"

The chingling teleported next to him. "Yep?"

"Teleport each one of them to a ring," said BackDoor. "Make sure it sucks them in."

Macro's eyes widened and fixed on the chingling. No... they couldn't fight that. He looked over at N0ize and Anchor. Both of them knew dark type moves, like he did. Buzzwole had bug buzz at his disposal. But DL? The kartana?

"Kartana? DL?" Macro called out. "Pick a buddy! Make sure Tweak can't get to you!"

DL was too far away for Macro to grab. She locked onto N0ize while the kartana zipped over to Macro's side. A flash of purple appeared by Anchor. He brought up his fist and struck Tweak, sending him careening over to Macro. He brought up his horn and smacked the chingling like a tennis ball. Tweak let out an ear splitting scream as he soared across the hall to land at the entrance of one of BackDoor's gateways.

"Useless creature!" BackDoor hissed.

He lifted his arms and the rings vanished. Gravity returned to normal and Macro resisted the urge to fall to his bottom.

"Fine. Have it your way." BackDoor growled. "I need him."

Tweak looked up from his spot on the floor and a broad smile spread across his face. "Really?"

"Yes," said BackDoor. "Help doesn't-t-t come cheap."

Tweak ignored the back-handed insult and cheered, clapping his stubby paws. "What else can I do?"

While BackDoor's attention drifted to Tweak, DL crawled away from N0ize. The hoopa sneered at the chingling and pointed a mitten-paw at the door.

"Go and sto-o-op that ribombee!" He clapped his paws together to urge Tweak on. "I want him and that human in here. And that Ultra Beast! If they're gonna mess with my plan, they're all gonna die together!" He swivelled back to Macro and his group. "I'll pull each and every one of you to pie-pieces just like I did with Zero D-D-Day!" His voice cut off with static as electricity flooded his body.

BackDoor's limbs spasmed and jerked in an unnatural fashion and he slumped to the floor. Sparks bounced from the crack in his face and flooded from his back, dancing over the tiles before they vanished into the floor.

Macro stood over him, his mechanical paw clasped into a fist. He deeply hoped it was over, but deep down he knew it wasn't. They still had Distortion to contend with.

"Way to go, DL," he said.

The pachirisu stood up and dusted herself down, but her eye went to the window.

BackDoor let out a distorted groan and pushed himself up. His head lolled and wobbled, and one of his eyes whirled back into its socket.

"You... jerks..." he crackled. "You think... you've won...?" A raucous laugh. Distorted. It cut off as sharply as it had started and he fixed his lone eye on Macro. "Don't make me laugh."

The window exploded inward, glass flying across the room and snagging fur and flesh. DL launched herself at Macro, knocking him onto his back. She screamed and blood splattered Macro's face. He opened his eyes, fixing them on DL. Blood trickled over her shoulder and she clenched her jaw. The culprit lay beside him and he kicked the shard of glass away. Fiery purple tendrils filled the room, the heat from the flames burning into his horn. At his feet, Annie pushed herself up. Her clothes were riddled with holes and burns, and through them her flesh had been burnt raw. But she stood up and reached for the skuntank beside her. The flames retreated back, revealing most of Macro's team. Celesteela lay at an odd angle, her bamboo head and one of her cannons being the only parts of her body in the hall.

BackDoor rose into the air, sparks flying from his body.

"If you want a fight..." His voice was deep, and seemed to come from the very walls. "Then I'll give you a fight. One you'll soon regret!"

The purple flames flooded from the walls and filled BackDoor's body. He shrieked a mechanical scream as his body twisted and cracked, stretching out further than it was designed to go.

As the flames subsided, BackDoor drifted in the middle of the room, his form warped wildly out of shape. Macro's jaw went slack. He recognized it as Hoopa Unbound, except the ring in his gut turned his body into a donut. It shimmered with its own ultraviolet light.

"This world is no longer yours!" Distortion spoke through BackDoor. "It is mine! In it, you are merely vermin!"

Widget scrambled to his feet from beside Tracer's dazed form. The eevee spat out bloody spittle and crouched.

"Vermin, eh?" He chuckled.

BackDoor turned his head towards him, but before he could retort, Widget leapt. His body began to glow and his four paws became a blur as he raced through the air. He covered the short distance in a flash, striking the hoopa in the side. More cracks exploded across his body and he shrieked, bringing two of his paws around to smack the eevee just as the light left his body.

Widget rolled back across the room, landing against the stairs with his bottom in the air.

"Urgh..." He coughed, expelling more blood. "Lucky shot..."

"Does anyone else want to try and take me?" BackDoor hissed. "Bring it on!"

Before anyone even had the chance to answer, one of BackDoor's disembodied hands leapt forward and grabbed hold of a nihilego. It tinkled furiously, fighting back. Its tentacles wrapped around BackDoor's limb, trying to take control of him.

Macro shook himself and leapt away from DL, bringing up his horn to strike BackDoor in the rear. Instead, the android span around and socked Macro with the nihilego. He went flying back in a tangle of tentacles. The nihilego worked its way around him, cushioning his fall with its gelatinous body.

The entire room leapt into an uproar. Ultra Beast and pokemon alike threw themselves at BackDoor. He swatted them aside with his six paws as if they were nothing, deflecting their attacks with his rings before tossing them across the room.

"Fight all you want!" he roared. "You don't stand a chance!"

Gateways appeared around the walls, dragging the fighters back. But they fought back, sending any long range attack in their arsenal at the hoopa. Gunk shot, thunder bolt, spirit shackle... any attack fired his way, he raised his body to swallow it in his void. Then it reappeared from one of the gateways to spear an unsuspecting pokemon.

Macro's heart sank. BackDoor was right. They didn't stand a chance.

...

Matrix busied himself with the computer, ironing out the final errors. Numbers rained down his pocket computer's screen as it analysed and corrected any and all issues on the ancient contraption.

Thuds and screams came from behind the closed door. Muffled shouts and yelps of distress. Switch cowered beside the xurkitree, eyes fixed on the door.

"Hurry," he urged Matrix. "They need our help!"

"I'm going as fast as I can," said Matrix. "Don't rush me. Do you want a corrupted brain or not?"

Switch tightened his beak and turned back to the door. Matrix was right. With his lack of combat knowledge, Switch wasn't much help. He needed his memories back if he was going to use his Z-Move.

The red eyes reappeared along the walls and the xurkitree rose up, letting another blinding flash fill the room. Matrix blinked spots from his eyes, remaining focused on his task.

"Thanks," he told the xurkitree.

It babbled a reply and settled back down beside the talonflame.

"And done!" Matrix unplugged his computer. "Now to search this thing's database."

His claws flew over the keyboard. Window after window brought up hosts of dubious files that likely contained a fountain of information. But there was no time to check over it all. He needed to find Switch's memories. Any documents the computer held could wait for later when events would need to be documented.

But Matrix couldn't deny with the information Yobi's computer likely held, books could be written about his and Socket's plans.

"Aha!" Matrix grinned as he spotted a promising file.

Download Database Mark2.

He opened the file, displaying an array of text similar to DL's memory disks.

"I think we've found it," he said.

Switch shuffled over with the xurkitree and eyed the screen.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "It's not going to... make me someone else, is it?"

"I can't lie to you, Switch," said Matrix. "Well... I can, but I won't. It probably will make you someone else. So I apologize in advance if I turn you into DL." He grabbed the end of the jack lead and looked up at Switch. "Now... sit."

Switch's beak hung open as he stressed over Matrix's words. Then he squatted down and let Matrix plug the jack into his skull.

"Will I feel anything?" Switch asked.

"DL never complained." Matrix's claws glided over the keyboard. "Incoming data dump!"

Switch's eyes went distant as the files downloaded into his brain. Matrix sat patiently, watching the percentage crawl across the screen as he idly twirled his antenna. Once it was done, the xurkitree babbled a jovial little tune.

"Yup! Done!" Matrix unplugged Switch and watched his eyes flutter open. "Feeling any better? Back to reality?"

Switch sat back and pressed the button on his watch, allowing his human form to take over. He ran his hands down his face and sighed.

"Well that was an experience," he said.

"You haven't really answered my question," said Matrix.

Switch looked over at Matrix and the xurkitree. Sounds of chaos worsened and he diverted his eyes to the door.

"Come on," he told his friends. "We've got a war to win."

He switched his form back to a talonflame and soared towards the door. His feathers coated with flames and he barged through, scattering molten plastic and heated metal. Then his body lit up with a white light. A loud screech split the air and his body surrounded with the form of a glowing, white bird. He crashed into BackDoor, knocking the distorted hoopa from the air. They crashed into the floor, shattering BackDoor's shell.

Pokemon scattered as sparks flew around the room. And in a flash, each and every gateway blinked out of existence.

Switch stood up, returning to his human form. He stared down at the remains of BackDoor, his crushed form barely recognizable.

BackDoor pushed himself back up, trembling as his body rose back into the air. Two glowing orbs fixed on Switch, and the android's mechanical voice stuttered as sparks flew from the cracks in his face.

"You wretched human! I'll make you pay for that!"

BackDoor lifted his six paws and roared. The void in his stomach swirled, dragging Switch and anyone else close enough across the floor towards him.

Switch covered his head with his arms and fought back, straining against the void's pull. Then BackDoor let out an ear piercing shriek. Electricity engulfed his body and the void stopped. All caught in its pull slumped to the ground, Switch performing a neat roll.

The electricity died out and BackDoor collapsed to the floor, smoke curling up off his wires. Standing behind him was Yobi, gasping for breath. Machinery covered his right shoulder and the entirety of his arm, ending in the pincers of the vikavolt android. Its legs held it in place, and curled over his clavicle.

The sparksurfer raichu caught his breath and spat on BackDoor's smoldering remains.

"That's for killing Socket, you wretched hunk of junk!" he hissed.

The room fell silent.

"Is... is it over?" Macro's voice was barely a whisper.

The pokemon and Ultra Beasts gathered around BackDoor's corpse. All eyes except Yobi's went to the window. Outside, it was still distorted.

The walls began to shake as a deep rumble filled the room, and hundreds of red eyes spread across the bricks.

"Fools," Distortion hissed. "You fools!"

Mist flooded from the eyes, coalescing in the middle of the hallway. Distortion's insectoid body filled the room, stuttering between its draconic form. He fixed his crimson eyes on the small army.

"No," he said slowly. "It's not over."

He opened his mouth wide and a distorted, screech-like roar sliced through the air. The world around them twisted and spun in a cacophony of ultraviolet light. Lightning flashed in the distance, showing after images of Socket's entrance hall.

Distortion's form warped as tattered wings appeared over his shoulders. Six legs appeared beneath his body and he leered down at them. Hundreds of red eyes flashed around the room, leaking purple dragon fire.

"The battle," said Distortion, "is just beginning."