*art by me and AkiCinnaBun

After walking down a long hallway, the two grunts shoved us into a wooded stall with metal bars and locked the door. The only light source was from a window looking at the ocean.

At least we've got a view.

Kat groaned before pacing around the small space.

"We've gotta get out of here," Kat said, "There'll be no turning back once this ship leaves the port."

Nodding in agreement, I pulled out my phone and tried to call Amora.

"Darn it; I can't get a signal." I said.

"There goes calling for help." Kat said, slumping against the wall.

Putting my phone away, I started removing the Team Xenon uniform, grinning when I saw Rina's colorful outfit. Kat sighed and began doing the same.

How are we gonna get out of here?

Libby then cried out with a grin on her face.

"What is it, Libbs?" I asked.

My Eevee cried out before slipping through the metal bars with ease.

"Libby, you're a genius!" I happily cried.

Libby mimicked my excitement as she bounced around.

"There's no time to waste," I said, "Libby, use Swift on the lock!"

Libby got in position and cried out before releasing star-shaped rays at the lock. In seconds, the latch broke and fell to the ground, allowing the metal door to swing open.

"Way to go, Libby!" Kat praised.

Angel smiled and let out a happy cry. Libby sheepishly cried out as she smiled.

"Come on, let's get going!" Kat said.

Nodding to my friend, the two of us sprinted out of the brig and down the hallway. When we ran out onto the deck, a battalion of Team Xenon grunts and their Pokémon were waiting for us. Before doubling back, more grunts came up behind us, the squadron surrounding us.

I should've predicted this...

Then, Gabriel walked up to us with an annoyed look.

"You two just don't know when to quit, do you?" he asked, "This ship is leaving with these Pokémon, now."

Then, I heard the ship's engine flare to life. Looking ahead, I saw the boat pulling away from the port.

Oh, no! We have to get these Pokémon off this ship before we get too far out to sea!

"Zora, we need you!" I said, tossing up a Pokéball.

"Goodra, I choose you!" Kat said, mimicking my movements.

At once, our Dragon-type Pokémon appeared. Gabriel chuckled and fondly shook his head.

"Truly, I congratulate you on making it this far; however, do you see how many of us there are?" Gabriel asked, gesturing to his battalion, "I strongly suggest you surrender already. It would be easier on all of us."

I growled as I scanned at the opponents before us.

"What are we gonna do, Era?" Kat asked.

I turned to Kat and grinned.

"We fight!" I said boldly, "Whatever it takes, we're getting those Pokémon back in the wild and to their trainers!"

Kat smiled and nodded. Then, a dark shadow fell over us. Looking up, I saw the silhouette of a large Pokémon.

Wait, is that...?

"Flygon, use Sandstorm!" cried a familiar voice.

The Pokémon let out a cry before whipping up a raging sandstorm.

"I can't see a thing!" a female grunt cried.

"Where did they go?" asked a male grunt.

Luckily, Kat and I, along with our Pokémon, were in the eye of the storm. Looking up, the Pokémon began to descend. When it landed in front of us, I smiled when I saw it was Amora and her Flygon. I took out my Pokédex and scanned the green and red Pokémon.

"Flygon, the Mystic Pokémon. Flygon whips up a sandstorm by flapping its wings. The wings create a series of notes that sound like singing. Because the "singing" is the only thing that can be heard in a sandstorm, this Pokémon is said to be the desert spirit."

"Amora! You came!" I said.

"You thought I wouldn't come back?" she asked, "Not in a million years."

I smiled and nodded to the redhead.

"The others are at the dock waiting for us so we can unload the Pokémon," Amora said.

"No, we have to get these Pokémon off this ship now," Kat said, "By the time we beat these guys, we'll be too far out to sea, and none of us have any experience with driving a boat."

"Kat's right," I said, "We'll just have to plow through the grunts while trying to get these Pokémon to safety."

"I'll lend you my Espeon and Mismagius. They both know Psychic. You can transport some Pokémon with their help."

Nodding to our friend, Amora tossed up two Pokéballs, and out came her Espeon and Mismagius.

"You two are gonna help my friends get some Pokémon to safety while we deal with some baddies," Amora explained, "Can you do that?"

The two Pokémon happily cried out and nodded. When I looked back, my eyes widened when I saw a Shadow Ball coming our way.

"Zora, use Dragon Pulse!" I cried.

At my command, Zora released a multicolored shock wave and destroyed the Shadow Ball attack.

"I'll give you guys some cover," Amora said, hopping off her Flygon, "You just focus on getting those Pokémon to safety,"

"Thanks, Amora," I said, "We owe you one."

"Don't mention it. Good luck!"

"Right back at you!" Kat said.

Sharing a firm nod, we sprinted off in different directions. As we ran through the sandstorm, we ran into three grunts with a Crobat, Ninjask, and Dusclops in front of them.

"Shadow Ball!" they all cried.

All at once, the three Pokémon charged their attacks and fired three shadowy blobs at us.

"Dragon Pulse and Moonblast!" Kat cried.

"Dragon Pulse and Swift!" I exclaimed.

Our Pokémon all cried out as they fired their moves, negating the opposing attacks. Using the smoke as cover, we ran past the grunts and out of the sandstorm. Looking ahead, I furrowed my brows upon seeing the caged Pokémon.

"We're gonna get you out of there!" I said, "Espeon, Mismagius. Can you use Psychic to unlock the cages?"

The Sun and Magical Pokémon cried out with a nod. When the pair walked in front of the cages, their eyes glinted blue. Encased in a blue aura, the locks fell to the ground. The cage doors swung open, and the Pokémon stepped out.

"All the wild Pokémon can go!" Kat cried, "You're free!"

The Swablu chirped out their cries before taking off to the skies. A Pidgeot chirped happily before taking to the skies with a group of Pidgey following behind it. The Ralts softly cried out with a smile before teleporting away. Then, a Sharpedo, Slowbro, and a Gyarados came forward and jumped into the ocean. The only Pokémon left were the ones stolen from Yelena's models.

"Mismagius and Espeon, please use Psychic on the Pokémon Pokémon that cannot fly," Kat said, "Gardevoir, you can help, too!"

The three Pokémon nodded as their eyes glinted blue. A blue aura soon encased the Absol, Manectric, Gallade, Audino, Houndoom, and Lopunny. The Espeon cried out as it hopped on the Altaria's back.

"Head to the docks," I said, "Our friends will be waiting for you guys."

The Pokémon nodded before floating off the ship and darting toward the docks.

"We did it, Era!" Kat cheered.

"We sure did," I said, "Even if things didn't go as planned, we still were able to rescue all of the stolen Pokémon!"

Our Pokémon all let out cheer-filled cries. Then, a shrill cut through the air, sending a chill down my spine.

"Amora!" Kat and I cried.

When we turned back around, the sandstorm disappeared. My eyes widened when I saw Amora and her Flygon surrounded by a squadron of Team Xenon grunts.

They look pretty banged up!

I growled before dashing over to Amora with Libby and Zora at my side.

"Eragona, wait!" Kat cried.

Then, I felt weightless. Looking down, I saw that I was floating. I soon noticed Gabriel wearing a confident grin on his face. Next to him was a Pokémon holding two spoons in its hands, and its eyes glinted blue. I pulled out my Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon besides the commander.

"Alakazam, the Psi Pokémon. Alakazam's brain continually grows, making its head far too heavy to support with its neck. This Pokémon holds its head up using its psychokinetic power instead. It has a thorough memory of everything that has occurred in the world."

"Where do you think you're going, little brat?" Gabriel asked.

"Put me down!" I exclaimed.

"You are in no position to make demands, my dear."

I struggled against the Alakazam's Psychic, but I couldn't break loose. I looked to Libby and Zora to see them in a similar predicament.

I have to get out of this to help Amora!

"Sylveon, use Swift!" a familiar voice cried.

Like a blur, star-shaped rays were fired at the Alakazam, causing the Pokémon to stumble back. When gravity took over, I landed in a lunge as my Pokémon landed beside me. I looked back and smiled when I saw Kat and her Pokémon sprint up to us.

"You handle Commander Brainiac; I'll go and help Amora!" Kat said, sprinting by us.

Nodding to my friend, I brushed myself off and glared at the commander as his fallen Pokémon began to stand.

"You have the will of a strong trainer; I'll give you that," Gabriel deadpanned, "I cannot wait to crush that little spirit of yours,"

"We'll see about that." I growled.

"We most certainly will."

When Gabriel brushed his chest, a shimmering stone could be seen.

Wait, is that...!?

"Alakazam, allow your intelligence to reach new heights, and Mega Evolve!" Gabriel cried.

When Gabriel's Key Stone began to glow, a light began shining at the end of one of Alakazam's spoons; the light soon consumed the Psychic-type Pokémon. When it dimmed, the Psi Pokémon was levitating off the ground with five spoons floating over its head.

Okay, the situation just got a whole lot worse!

"Libby, I need you to stand back for this one." I said.

My Eevee nodded before seating herself next to my leg.

"You ready, Zora?" I asked.

My Dragonair let out a bold cry with determination burning in her eyes.

"Alright, use Dragon Pulse!" I cried.

The Dragon Pokémon cried out as she fired a multicolored shock wave at the Alakazam.

"Counter with Shadow Ball!" Gabriel said.

The Psi Pokémon soon conjured a shadowy blob before firing it at Zora's attack, canceling it out.

"Ice Punch!" Gabriel said.

Before I could blink, Alakazam was already in front of Zora, its icy fist raised in the air.

"Dodge it!" I cried.

At my command, Zora quickly avoided the super-effective attack.

That was way too close. I guess Alakazam gets faster when it mega evolves. This is going to be tricky...

Zora then let out a cry as she charged at the Alakazam. Then, the orbs on its tail began to glow. Then, a small whirlpool started surrounding her.

Is that Aqua Tail?

Zora then slammed her tail against the Alakazam, causing it to stumbled backward.

"Zora, that was amazing!" I cried happily.

When Zora landed, she looked back at me and smiled.

"Get up, Alakazam!" Gabriel yelled.

The Psi Pokémon groaned before finding its center once more.

"Rain Dance!" I said.

Zora looked at the sky and let out a reverberating cry as its orbs started to glow. The skies grew darker and darker, and soon, rain began to fall.

"Shadow Ball!" Gabriel said.

The Alakazam let out a cry as it hurled another shadowy blob at us.

"Slice through it with Aqua Tail!" I said.

Zora cried out as the orbs on her tail began to glow. She then sliced through the attack with no effort.

By setting up the rain, Zora's Aqua Tail should be much stronger now!

"Dragon Pulse!" I cried.

Zora gaped her mouth and fired a multicolored shock wave at the Alakazam.

"Use Psychic to send it back!" Gabriel said.

When the Psi Pokémon's eyes glinted blue, the Psychic snared the attack. It then turned back around and darted at Zora.

I didn't know you could use Psychic like that!

"Quick, dodge it!" I cried.

Zora tried to dodge the attack but got hit by it anyway, causing her to get blown back.

"Zora, no!" I cried.

The impact of the attack left Zora unconscious. I sighed before retracting my Dragonair.

"You did very well, Zora," I said, "Libby, it's go time!"

Libby hopped up and growled at the Alakazam.

"From weak to weakest," Gabriel said, "Child's play."

"Shadow Ball, Libby!" I cried.

Libby gaped her mouth and launched a shadowy blob at the Psi Pokémon.

"Counter with Shadow Ball as well!" Gabriel exclaimed.

His Alakazam let out a cry before firing a similar attack. Both Shadow Ball attacks collided and caused an explosion.

"Swift!" I said.

Libby hopped up and released star-shaped rays down into the aftermath of the explosion. Luckily, we were able to hit the Alakazam.

"Double Team!" Gabriel said.

The Alakazam cried out before creating illusory copies of itself surrounding Libby.

Which is the real one?

"Swift, again!" I exclaimed.

Libby growled out a cry before releasing star-shaped rays at multiple Alakazam, only for them to faze away.

"Ice Punch!" Gabriel said.

All at once, the Alakazam charged toward Libby with icy fists.

"Libby, get out of there!" I cried.

Libby cried out as she dodged the incoming Ice-type attacks.

"Shadow Ball, quick!" I exclaimed.

When Libby jumped up to dodge an attack, she hurled a shadowy blob at the Alakazam, only for the Pokémon to faze away. Then, another Psi Pokémon appeared, only to bash Libby down with an icy fist.

"Libby!" I cried fearfully.

When the dust settled, Libby let out a strained cry as she tried to stand.

That Alakazam is too powerful!

"Libby, are you okay?" I asked.

My Eevee shook out her fur as she staggered, panting heavily.

Libby can't take much more of this. What am I going to do?

"Give up now, my dear," Gabriel said, "You can't win, especially not when your best Pokémon are in my possession."

I growled as I clenched my fist. Libby's sudden cry caught my attention, causing me to look at my partner. My Eevee wore a confident grin with determination burning in her eyes.

"You're right, Libbs," I said with a smile, "We'll see this through to the end!"

Libby cried out boldly as she glared at the Alakazam.

"Shadow Ball!" Gabriel said.

The Psi Pokémon grunted as it hurled a shadowy blob at Libby.

"Stand your ground!" I said.

Libby smirked as her stance changed. When the Shadow Ball hit, Libby was unfazed.

"It didn't do anything!" Gabriel exclaimed, "But how?"

"For someone whose the brains behind Team Xenon, you're not that bright when it comes to certain type match-ups," I said, "Ghost-type moves have zero effect on Normal-type Pokémon like my Libby, but their super-effective against your Alakazam! Libby, use Shadow Ball!"

Libby didn't waste another second firing a shadowy blob at the Psi Pokémon.

"Ice Punch!" Gabriel said.

The Alakazam's fist became cold as it punched away the Shadow Ball.

"Eragona!" cried a familiar voice.

Looking over behind Gabriel, I saw Amora and Kat sprint toward me.

"Sorry we took so long, but we took care of the grunts for ya!" Amora said.

"What!?" Gabriel asked in surprise.

The commander turned around and saw the Team Xenon grunts were all at the mercy of Kat's Goodra and Amora's Flygon.

"Let's get out of here, you guys," I said, picking up Libby, "We did what we came here to do."

The girls nodded in agreement. Gabriel scoffed as he watched his Alakazam revert to its previous form.

"I commend you on your tenacity, my dears," Gabriel said, "But don't think you've stopped anything. We of Team Xenon will fulfill our leader's dreams as if they were our own and turn her ambitions into a reality, whatever it takes."

I glared at the commander and shook my head in defeat.

"And we'll do whatever it takes to stop you for good." Amora proclaimed.

Gabriel scoffed and promptly rolled his eyes.

"Good luck with that." he said, turning his back to us.

When Amora whistled, Goordra and Flygon left the grunts and came over.

"Thanks for the help, Goodra. Return." Kat said, retracting her Pokémon.

"Flygon, can you fly us back to the docks?" Amora asked.

Flygon let out a cry as it hunched over.

"Are you sure your Flygon can carry the three of us on its back?" I asked.

"It's done it before, right, buddy?" Amora asked.

The Mystic Pokémon happily cried out as it promptly wagged its tail. Shrugging our shoulders, Kat and I climbed onto the Flygon's back with Amora in tow.

"Back to the docks, buddy." Amora said.

Obeying its trainer, Flygon took to the skies and flew over the cerulean water.

"Thanks for your help, Amora," I said, "Truly."

"Hey, I owed you one," Amora said, "You helped me back in Azalea Town; I thought I'd return the favor."

When we arrived at the docks, our friends, the stolen Pokémon and Amora's Pokémon, were waiting for us.

"You did it, guys!" Nina cried as we landed.

"Way to go!" Elsu said.

"Thanks," Kat said, "Are you and Rina okay?"

"We're fine," Rina said, "If Amora hadn't come to help us when she did, I don't wanna begin to imagine what could've happened."

I smiled as I slid off the Mystic Pokémon's back.

"Thanks for your help, Flygon," I said, "You, too, Espeon and Mismagius."

The three Pokémon smiled and happily cried out. Kat's sudden gasp startled us, causing us to turn to her.

"Oh, no! Eragona, your Pokémon!" she exclaimed, "Gabriel still has them!"

"What!?" Eric asked.

"When we were undercover, Gabriel took Libby and Angel, and the only way to get them back was if Eragona gave up Jet, Charcoal, and Kaiba!"

All of my friends stared at me.

"Eragona, you didn't..." Nina said.

I glanced at my friends and shrugged my shoulders.

"We gotta go back for them!" Amora said, climbing on her Flygon's back.

"No, no, no! It's fine," I said.

"It's not fine! Eragona, those are your Pokémon, and you're not even concerned?" Eric asked.

"They're in good hands, believe me."

My friends stared at me with shock and disbelief. Their confused looks made me laugh, startling my friends.

"Eragona, what's gotten into you?" Kat said.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself," I chuckled, "But really, my Pokémon are in good hands."

I then pulled out three Pokéballs and tossed them in the air.

"Show yourselves!" I cried.

My Garchomp, Charizard, and Altaria appeared at my command with mighty roar-like cries. My friends stared at us with wide eyes.

"Wha- How...?" Nina questioned, "I'm so lost..."

"You really think I would give up my Pokémon?" I asked, "No way!"

"But I watched you give Gabriel three Pokéballs." Kat commented.

"And that's exactly what they were; three empty Pokéballs."

Kat placed a hand on her chest and let out a relieved sigh.

"You really had us going there, Era." Amora sighed, sliding off her Flygon.

"Sorry about that, but I had to keep up the facade until we got off the ship," I said, "I would never give up my Pokémon for anything."

When I said that, Zora hopped out of her Pokéball and let out a happy cry.

"You and Libby did an amazing job holding your own against Mega Alakazam," I said, "Thank you."

Libby and Zora smiled before embracing me. I smiled and returned the gesture.

"Let's get these Pokémon back to the models," Rina said, "We still have a fashion expo going on."

After returning our Pokémon, the others and I weaved through the large crowds with the models' Pokémon in tow. When we arrived at the stage, we walked backstage and smiled when we saw Yelena.

"Yelena!" I cried.

When she turned around, her eyes welled with tears.

"You're back!" she said, "Did you find the Pokémon?"

After she asked that, the stolen Pokémon walked in and let out happy cries. The models jumped up and ran over to their beloved friends.

"Thank you, thank you!" said a female model.

"Thank you ever so much!" said a male model.

A chorus of thank yous erupted, causing the others and me to smile. Yelena straightened her posture and clapped twice, gathering the attention of everyone around her.

"The fashion expo can resume once more, and we have these kids to thank for that!" Yelena proclaimed.

The backstage erupted into applause and cheer.

"Now, let's put on a spectacular show!" Yelena said.

When the music started, Yelena's models walked out on stage with their Pokémon.

They all look incredible! I hope we do good for Rina to get recognized...

When Yelena walked out onto the catwalk, the audience grew quiet.

"Thank you all for coming, but don't leave just yet," she said, "Allow me to show off the next show-stopping outfits made by an up-and-coming designer!"

When Yelena said that, Eric and his Totodile walked out onto the catwalk and struck a pose.

"Wow! He's amazing out there!" Nina said.

When Eric came backstage, Elsu walked out with his Fletchinder flying around his head. The crowd marveled and applauded. As Elsu returned backstage, Nina skipped out with her Mawile. The Deceiver Pokémon twirled as it showed off its dress, colors mimicking Nina's outfit.

"Look at her go!" Elsu said.

When the redhead returned, Kat walked out with Angel at her side. The duo posed as they showed off the beauty in their outfits.

"Kat's a natural!" Rina said.

"Well, she was a Pokémon Performer back in Kalos. It would make sense." I said.

As Kat walked back, I took a deep breath and looked at my partner on my shoulder.

"You ready, Libbs?" I asked.

Libby nodded and let out a bold cry.

We can do this!

When Kat and Angel returned, I straightened my posture and walked out onto the catwalk. I extended my arm and had Libby leap off it. My Eevee smiled as she twirled around, showing off her adorable outfit. When Libby hopped on my shoulder, I turned my heel and walked backstage.

"You did awesome, Era!" Eric commented.

"A model in the making!" Nina said.

"Thanks, guys," I laughed, "You were all incredible as well!"

Yelena grinned before walking out onto the catwalk, the audience ceasing to silence.

"Wasn't that a wonderful display of fashion?" Yelena asked.

The audience's cheers only grew louder.

"Now, please welcome the designer of these lovely clothes: Rina!" Yelena proclaimed.

When I looked back at Rina, I saw she was hesitant. A frown adorned my features as I hummed in thought. Then, the perfect idea popped into my head.

This will totally work!

I turned to the others, and we shared a knowing look. Elsu took hold of Rina's hand and walked out onto the catwalk with the others and me in tow.

"What are you guys doing?" Rina asked.

"Standing by your side," Eric said, "'Cause that's what friends do."

The crowd couldn't get louder when they saw Rina's outfit and Snubbull's accessory.

"If you haven't guessed already, these outfits were all made by her hands," Yelena said, "Other than that, I have an extraordinary surprise for the young designer."

What Yelena said made the crowd go quiet.

"Since Rina has captivated me with her designs, I have decided to not only take her as my apprentice but fund her entire fashion designing career!" Yelena proclaimed.

As the crowd cheered, surprised smiles appeared on our faces.

"Oh, my gosh! Rina, your dream came true!" Nina said, embracing the pink-haired girl.

The others and I smiled as we embraced our friend.

"Congratulations, Rina!" I exclaimed.

"You've earned it!" Elsu said.

When I looked at Rina, she wore a broad smile and had teary eyes.

I'm so happy for Rina. This was her lifelong dream, and it finally came true! With Yelena's guidance, all over the world, everyone will know her name!

====. * ･ ｡ﾟ☆ ◓ ☆｡ﾟ･* .====

"Commander Gabriel, what will you tell Madame Calista when we arrive?" asked a male grunt.

The orange-haired commander sighed before standing up from his seat.

"I'm not going to lie to the woman, and I know I'm going to pay dearly for telling her," Gabriel said, "But we didn't completely fail; I still possess the Pokémon of that little brat."

The commander pulled out the three Pokéballs given to him and grinned.

"Say hello to your new master!" Gabriel said, tossing the Pokéballs.

When they hit the ground, no Pokémon appeared. Gabriel pulled back in shock and confusion. Picking up one of the Pokéballs, he opened it and saw that it was empty.

"What?" the commander muttered.

Gabriel opened the other two Pokéballs and growled when he saw they were empty. He growled as he clutched one of the empty Pokéballs in his fists.

"Commander? Are you alright?" asked a female grunt.

Then, Gabriel let out a frustrated yell as he chucked the Pokéball at a nearby wall, the tiny device breaking into pieces.

"Curse you, you little brat!" Gabriel yelled, his voice echoing across the sea.