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Chapter Text

“VVelcome, welcome to everybody!” a big V appeared in a pyrotechinque entry on the screen, it had two glittering teal eyes and a very wide smile dazzling at the camera: Victini the firefox legendary introduced himself with a double spin “My name is Victini, but you should know this. I mean, who doesn’t know the famous number 000 on the Pokèdex, the only and unique victory star of all the times? Since I’m the essence of the victory, I decided to give to a bunch of average unknown pokèmons the occasion to experience the joy to be winners like me for once in their life: an awesome prize is gonna wait for the ONLY ONE of them that will show to have e-V-erything he/she/it needs to survive to a whole season of my reality show. So…ready for the ad-V-enture?” the fire/psychic host asked with his eyes flaming for the excitement.

“Yawn….duh..so,Vi..we already started?Ayaaawn*…” another little pokèmon floated lazily next to him, carrying a pillow in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, the head resembling a star, flapped the half-shut eyes and yawned widely again. Victini replied arching a brow “Yes, Ji, and you’re late as usual.”

Jirachi picked one of the paper strips he had on his yellow head, reading “Remember myself about Total Pokèdramon VVorld Tour so to not make Victini ashamed of me. Duh…at least I tried. You know how important is for my legendary essence to…zzzzzzzzz….” then the yellow and white spirit fell again asleep, without finishing the phrase. Victini rolled eyes to the sky.

“Anyway. As my co-host just spoiled, this reality show will be called Total Pokèdramon Victini Victory Tour or VVorld Tour to shorten: the theme is a big journey through the six regions so far known of our world Kanto, Jotho, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos!” Victini showed entusiastically a map that got immediately cimmered as soon as he touched it “This travel will be full of obstacles, drama, and similar stuff…who will manage to get through all of them, will win the Victastic Prize of one million dollar bucks but more important an exclusive victory ticket that’s reaaaaally special” the host wore on a pair of cool shades and assumed a pose “the possibility to win certainly once upon a time in all the life no matter when, why or where.”

Then frowned continuing with a less enthusiastic intonation “Or in alternative…the dream ticket, that allows the lucky possessor to make a wish to Jirachi. Resuming: one million dollar and a ticket to use my Victory Star or Jirachi’s Wish Star power. I strongly recommend the V option” ended with a wink.

Victini looked at the clock “Time to introduce the contestants. Jirachi!Wake up and bring them here.”

Jirachi nodded slowly as a slowpoke “Duhh…hu?Yawn,m’kay.” and picked another strip, wishing for the competitors to appear, but nothing happened “It will realize in 24 hours.”

Victini twitched and eventually facepalmed “I meant to bring them using the V-Jet. Can you do this since you’re (my fault) the pilot, thank?” Jirachi answered with a noise. He had already fallen asleep again. Victini sighed in resignement. The host apporached his mouth to the ear of the wish maker and whispered an order “Jiiiirachii? Get on the plane” that made Jirachi to sleepwalk and take off with the plane. Victini sneered in satisfation “This is the only way to make Ji work.”

After few minutes the jet returned carrying all the contestants, that Victini decided to introduce one by one. The first was a blue little turtle with a tail ending in a bubbly swirl: Squirtle arrived wearing a pair of shades on, smiling at Victini and at the camera “Hot Water has arrived, dandies! Cooly as a cascada, oh yes. Hi, Victini, glad to finally meet you, dude.”

Victini grinned “There’s no better way than start a season with a starter, no?” making a joke, Squirtle stared at him in silence. The host shrugged and introduced the second player:a female ott resembling a snowman popped out showing off an attitude by pumping her chest “My name is Oshawott, the fabolous starte-ekk?” but she tripped down the ladder, bouncing multiply in a ridicolous manner, followed by her shell, and definitely showing her true klumsiness. “Owch!”

Victini snickered while Squirtle took off his sunglasses and approached to her “Hey-hey, miss…is everthing okay, need help?”

“GRRR…Just..just DON’T DARE TO LAUGH.” She replied in a really angry tone, different from her starting shrill voice, and glared at Victini that zipped immediately his mouth, coughing in innocence. Then Squirtle outbursted in laughters “Ahahahahahah!So funny!” but for the wrong reasons. The female ott turned to him thundering in her eyes “No, wait, I just understood the pun made by Victini before….star-starter…ahahah, priceless indeed!” and slashed him KO using the scallop as a blade.She then calmed down and said “This will teach him to not provoke me anymore in the future, tsk” lifting her chin like as offended.

“O-kay..” Victini introduced the third contestant and last starter, a little penguin that hopped of the plane and introduced as Piplup, walking aside Oshawott and Squirtle.

Everyone heard an heavy stomp all of sudden. A big paw stepped on the ladder, then a big body and the long neck forced the sliding doors to break to let the creature exit outside: the 4th pokèmon was of a very different size compared to the first introducees. Tropius strived the most he could flapping his wings causing a tornado, to prevent disasters Victini helped him melting completely down the doors with a fire attack. “Ah, thank. You must be the host, I’m Tropius, instead. Directly coming from the tropical islands of Hoenn” he nodded almost crushing with his neck the skull of Victini, that dodged right in time.

“Woah, giant! Please, warn before you bow, so we can put in a safe position.”

“Ok, my fault. I promise I won’t do that again” the pokèdiplodocus bowed in excuse “Ops.”

“Wow, this dude is soooooo high” commented Squirtle, just came back alive.

“He’s 51 times taller tan me” said Piplup, that also noticed the nana berries growing under the head of the diplodocus “Look at there:he has so many fruits at its neck!”

“ I want one!” screamed Oshawott attempting to climb on the giant, but didn’t even manage to reach the neck, continuing to slip down the legs “Urgh, SO UNFAIR.” Her belly groaned loudly, and she tried again and again, appearing only pathetic.

Tropius simply coug coughed to get her attention “Don’t try it, apart from being annoying to me, it’s pretty dangerous for you. Climb me is like climb the Coronet Mountain. Understood?” but she didn’t listen any of his words, plus Piplup and Squirtle joined to her deed. “Great.”

“Atchoom!” the 5th contestant rolled rudely down the ladder leaving a little hole on the ground, a yellow drilling tail merging from betrayed his identity: Dunsparce. The little snake fearfully digged himself more as another contestant was blown out “Atchoom!”: this time however the pokèmon simply float in mid-air. It was a purple balloon with a big yellow cross in the middle, placed on the mouth, and whose hairs were made of clouds, tied in a yellow ribbon.The female Drifloon entertained fluttering in the wind at a very slow pace “ Wooosh, I’m floating just like a leaf ”.

“A-Atchooom!” again another pokèmon rolled down the plane landing onto Dunsparce:this time it was a pink fox with ribbons and stripes all over her body “I’m sorry for this”.

Flattened under her paws, Dunsparce murmured “N-Nevermind, I’m actually used to be treated like a doormat since I’m..sigh..useless…by the way I’m fine, miss, don’t mind for my” but Sylveon immediately lifted him up for a complete check up “Oh no no no, it was my fault and I have now to assure about your health: wings, tail, body, I’ll check everything, don’t worry”.

“B-But miss Sylveon, there’s not really nee-“ Sylveon wrapped her ribbons as bandages all around his body “You only relax:I’ll do the rest, promise. Let my healing powers restore you…actually your spine is so squishy, there must be something broken!”

“A-Actually I don’t have a spine neither bones” replied the land snake in a sheepishly yet sarcastic tone.

“A-a-aatchoom!”

“Yeeees, I’m flying finally!Ahh, the wind blowing on me, what a priceless sensation.Wait?I didn’t grow wing?!Oh..nevermind, catch you later, sky, catch you one day when I’ll pierce your clouds with my wings”. A little dragon was the protagonist of this speech, Bagon, who was wearing a pair of goggles for pilots: he looked flamboyant and determined despite his little dimensions. “Hello to everyone, my name is Bagon but one day I’ll be able to change it in SALAMENCE, betcha!Wowowowowow!!!” he stunned in front of the height of Tropius “You must see the moon from that height, I’m so envious. Can I climb you at least to prove that awesome sensation to be in the open space of the sky?” and not even waiting for an answer he climbed on the tropical giant reaching the top of his head “Yu-uuuh, I can dominate the world from this point!”

“You can also eat some fruits here,man,munch munch!” added Squirtle, hanging together the other two starters at the neck.

“Hey, how did you…aufff ” Tropius sighed in annoyance.

“A-A-AAAAT”

“ENOUGH WITH YOU!Ssssstop and get thisssss.” a slashing sound was heard from the jet and a Vileplume landed senseless down, a superficial but wide wound appeared on his front, dripping also a poisoning purple liquid. Everyone looked at the responsable of this mean fact: a cobalt black snake creeped out exhibiting her sinuous shape as a queen. A fierce look in the red eyes, many cycatrizes of battle along the body, two poisonous fangs coming out a smirking mouth, acquainted to a bifork tounge: Seviper.

Seviper was well known in minor reality shows for her reckless violence and merciless bi**ness. Judging by whoever competed against her, she had a dark heart. She hissed at the contestants staring at her:

“Sssso many LOSSSSSSERSS. I had enough to wait for my introduction, and I have less patience to wait to ssssslash them hole without mercy.Hihihihissss!” Seviper made even Victini to shiver, but then Sylveon stepped in front of her, looking worriedly at Vileplume “You did that to that poor innocent flower? And you’re proud of yourself? You should only excuse!”

Seviper gave to her a killer look “I’m sssso ssssssorry…for you now” and was about to use the blade on the tail when was blocked by a giant teal paw, that congelated it at touch.

“ Cool down and think better ” a smooth voice echoed from inside, then Aurorus went out freezing the atmosphere with her presence. Her cold breath infact managed to low of many degrees the temperature. Seviper couldn’t do anything blocked in that way, then lied cowardly “I wasss joking, ssssure I’m sssorry, Sssylveon”eventually hissing something else to herself. Seviper crawled next to Dunsparce, that was staring at her shyly and immediately dug an hole hiding underground.

The brontosaurus coming from the Ice Age asked Sylveon if she was fine, then walked to the other contestants, and noticed that Tropius was looking at her in a quirky way. “What’s up?” approached to him using only her neck asking with a little smile, she seemed entertained.

“Uh, no, nothing, really.You’re just chilling me..because you emanate too much icy air…that’s hindering for my health.Cough!Cough!”

“Okay…aaand am I allowed at least to give a bite to one of these berries or it’s forbbiden?” blinked jokingly at him.

Squirtle reached rapidly the head of Tropius, whispering to him a cool suggestion “Sure.Ahem, eventually I was going to offer you some..” but his short arms prevents Tropius from pick his same fruits, ironically

“Urgh, that’s harassing.”

Aurorus giggled longing her neck “Don’t worry -tlack- I can understand you.”

Victini in the meanwhile introduced many other contestants: Swellow, Chimecho, Vivillon, Swalot, Ninjask, Anorith, Castform and Ditto. This last one mimicked Victini perfecly getting quickly on his nerves.

“You can’t imitate my Vibrant Victorious personality!”

“Relax, I’m just exercising:this is a joke. Ahahahahah!Look at me, I’m Victini, the number 000, not zero one, not zero two, but three timez…and I’m proud of it!” everyone laughed but Victini. The host was burning for the anger.

“Want to see something funny?You’re disqualified, Ditto, for mocking the Vip host.”

Ditto squinted “What?You must be joking, c’mon.”

Victini didn’t “Out of my sight before I e-V-aporate your liquid, jelly” Ditto disappeared “Maybe I already did”.

“Less one” commented Ninjask, rubbing his schytes at the speed of light. Vivillon looked at him in *awe*. Victini turned to the other contestants still showing that vicious anger boiling in his little chest: this was a warning for the future, to never mess too much on his vain and pride. Dunsparce shivered underground.

“Let’s see the next one”

“I’m Lucario and I’m here to win. Enough said, can we start now or more to wait? ” after this dry speech, the blue dog walked to a corner standing alone in a cranky attitude. He looked already annoyed.

“Very sympathetic” commented Victini in an ironic tone.

Chimecho, that had meditated all this time since her introduction, spoke “He had a tough life”.

Plusle said “Gimme a V !” Minun replied “a I ” Plusle said back “a C !” Minun replied again “a T” Plusle did a jolt “another I !” Minun sparkled “and a N” Plusle spinned and did a wheel “and a third I” “Viiiiiiiiiictini!!!”

Two little mice, one in blue the other in red jumped off the plane cheering and spinning, doing some acrobacies in honour of Victini, that clapped vigorously at their performance “A-VV-esome!!!”

“We’re Plusle & Minun !” spoke Plusle, popping sparkles out of her red cheecks.

“Oh-oh, cheerleaders. They should do that in MY honour and to celebrate my overwhelming deeds” Swellow flew between the two show offing his wide wings while pumping the red chest “Girls, have I told already about that time when I defeated with a single Iron Wing a flock of..uhm…Skarmory?”

“Awww, tell tell!” Vivillon squeaked in excitement.

“By the way, I’m a male” Minun replied in annoyance. Everybody welcomed the electric twins, then Victini introduced:

“Lunatone”

“…………….” the moon rock floated by in silence, creeping everyone with its red eye glowing mysteriously. None dared to ask an explanation for his behaviour. “There’s somebody less talkative than Jirachi, can’t believe.. whatever, the next contestant is Metang” a byonic crab arrived, and simply lift a claw to say hello “Continuing with Lampent…my dear adoptive daughter”

“More like dead daughter” the ghost lantern answered with a gloomy low voice “Forced to waste my holydays taking part to an useless dangerous trip around the world, as being an orphan ghost lamp wasn’t enough depressive for my existence, majestic.”

Victini crossed arms “Oh, c’mon, you had passed these holydays inside a spooky dark mansion crying and reading horror tales in the complete solitude if wasn’t for me.”

Lampent replied deadpan “As usual. I like that kind of activites, but you cannot understand, daddy. Your life never sucked as mine” shrugged and lowering her dome more to cover her eyes, floated her sullen figure in a side. Squirtle knock knocked at her but got ashed in result with a purple flame.Looked like she didn’t want to be bothered.

Victini rolled eyes “Heh,since I adopted her as a Litwick I want to give her the occasion to prove the joy of a different life, but she’s too recalcitrant, mah, we’ll see how this will end. How many miss yet?Ah, six.”

Lucario frowned “As this place isn’t enough CROWDED, sgrunt”.

“Introducing now…” a Vanillite fastly reached him, whispered something, gave him a pergamen and then returned inside the plane “ The over fabolous, attractive, elegant, intrigant, and resuming in one word, the pearl of all the seas, oceans and any pond, river or lake, the sexy water type siren: Gorebyss!”

“Ohohohoh, thanks, but there was no really need, or maybe there was? I don’t know if I’m famous even here, ohohohoh” the voice came from a luxurious bowl, decorated of real diamonds, carried gently by a Vanillite in frac: a pink long snaky fish was swimming harmoniously inside, flapping one of her purple shell-form fin like a fan, she looked fancy, pretty and snooty, and pretty spoiled.”Before I continue…butler, flocks time” she was served of fish flakes by the ice cream pokèmon, filtered them using her needle mouth. Both Squirtle and Anorith jaw dropped at her sight, she let out a gig in amusement. Seviper narrowed her eyes, hissing for unknown reasons. Gorebyss kept eating meanwhile letting her twirly body flow gently in the water stream, admired by the two males, until she finished, and then Vanillite obscurated her tank.

“Hey!”

“*A little of privacy, now, please. Don’t worry, you’ll have all the time to admire me until the heat finale.*Zzz.”

Squirtle commented “Cool”.

and Anorith went next “Aww, can’t wait”.

Seviper snappedher tounge “Sssshut up”.

A shadow appeared on the front of Ninjask “So many in and still four to know. We need to plan a strategy.”

Seviper heard this and whispered “I like your point of view.Any idea?”

“I wasn’t speaking to you, creep away.”

“Yessss..”

Victini announced “Swirlix!” and a puffball of cottonsugar bounced happily out “Yuppi-duppy-uuuuh!” and landed next to Swalot, that swallowed him/her in a single bite.”GLOM. Buuuuuuuurp!!!!Sweety.” The host twitched while Ninjask commented “Less two”.

“Ahem, yeah, now it’s the turn of Behyeem, that doesn’t even come from this planet..

“..and he’s actually landed on Earth to discover if there’s intelligence to justify an invasion or simply care for know about, but still nope for now” the alien pokèmon levitated by using psychokinesis, doing this comment with a very sarcastic smirk on the face “I’m afraid even this last chance will be a failure judging by the creatures here.Some of them (the host included) are smaller than my brain, this says everything. Perfect.”

“I know” replied Lampent in a similar sarcastic way.

Oshawott snapped “Hey, what’s your problem, conic head?”

Behyeem shrugged “Nothing, really. By the way better conic than empty like yours.” Oshawott was going to attack him but was blocked by Chimecho and Piplup.

“The alien egg-head..” Lucario snapped, too “ENOUGH with the weirdos, or there are more others?!” Victini made a derp face, and let go out finally the remaining two. One flashed immediately leaving an electric stream behind, the other red and blue slowly set off the ladder. The latter resembled a polygonal robotic swan “Analyzisis of the environment: oxygen 70%, water 0,51 %, nytrogen at its standard level. So this is the real world. Interesting yet strange: first of all there are no numbers, need to download more informations about. Do you have wi-fi here?” everyone gazed at him speechless.

Victini explained: “This is Porygon 2: he spent all his life in the cybernetic world, where he was created and programmed, so don’t be surprised if he acts quirky”.

“Quirky? Who said the magic word and dared to not refer at me?” the voice came from…nowhere, seemed. Then all of sudden an electric discharge spread all around, zapping the most contestants possible, and Victini.

“AHHH!Zap!”

“What the Sawsbuck..”

“Ahahahah!BUH!A little of punishment deserved” Rotom appeared in the middle of them, possessing the megaphone “Ladybugs and Gentlemons, it’s a great honour for me to introduce you the Impossible Majestic Master of Quirkness…”

Victini yelped “Hey, that’s my work:do announcements!”

“…Lesteeeeeer Kombyyyyy,ah!*EPIC POSE*” Rotom spinned on himself shouting this while assuming a cool antic, with thunders and sparkles behind included, and immediately after flashed in a side squealing like a groupie “Ihhhh!Can I have an autograph?!” then returned in the middle, wearing the shades of Squirtle “Ahahahah, sure, all for my fans!” in the meanwhile the rest of the cast looked with a blank expression. Rotom was eventually aware of this “By the way, definitely my name is Rotom but you can call me Lester since this is the name I given to myself in pride of my impossible owner and trainer Lester!” and finished this presentation. Then sauntered quickly to every single contestant “By the way…and you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you ,you ,you ,you, you..jeez, it’s not easy to say you all the exact times, but I don’t certainly surrend, so you, you, you ,you, you, you, you,you, you, you, you, and you?See:24 exactly, I did it!AH!*II EPIC POSE* By the way, the 24 of you, what’r your names?I want to know, I’m zapping for the curiosity!!! I mean, literally, since I’m made of plasma.

“Wow this guy is really a crazy MOTOR MOUTH!”

“More like ROTOM MOUTH” Behyeem pointed out with his sarcastic tone, Lampent snickered for a second, but quickly returned gloomy “Looks like we reached now the highest rank of weird presences:joy. So, what’s now?Maybe you would like to explain us how the challenges will be, where the season will take place, and blah, blah, blah nomekod halifax and excetera.”

The V-Host scoffled battling his wings nervously “Look, if I wanted an obnoxious alien to give me the instructions of what to do in a reality show, I would have asked directly to Mew. Said this, I imagine you now want to know more about the ad-V-enture you’re going to face!”

“I’m dying for the curiosity!...wait, I’m already dead” commented Lampent causing the firefox to roll eye. Some gigs popped in the background, mixed with the various conversations of the cast.

“SHUT UP you all, so we can start this, finally!” Lucario growled getting the attention of everyone, snorted and returned in his corner, nodding at Victini “Done. Now, go on and hurry.”

Victini started “In this season you all will have challenges that have place in the most famous locations of the six regions of the Pokèworld. We’ll move from a place to another by using the airplane”

“Uh, seriously?I thought we would have used a flying saucer.”

“Zip your mouth, Behyeem, if you have one. The airplane is organized in three sections:

- The pilot cabin and the Vip-ctini Class at the head of the jet: the access is usually reserved only to me but the winning team of each episode will be allowed to stay with me as reward.However none can access at the V-Room than me, the door with a golden V and a star depicted on.

- In the middle of the body there’s the Normal Class:no air conditioner, no comfy seats, average bed and breakfast but not so bad, actually. Here will stay the team 2nd placed, also the Confessional is in the vent”.

“In the vent?!Kidding?”

“Nope” Victini grinned “It’s to warrant you the most privacy possible”.

Behyeem floated near the vent grill, looked inside, and expressed his opinion: “Hmm…maybe I should just remove immediately the word “intelligence” from my report on the Earth” shrugged “Want to see in particularly how the two dinousars of green and ice will manage to use it” and concluded with a slow clap.

Tropius arched a brow “Right, how I’m supposed to get inside this?”

“It’s all calculated unlike E.T. Soon go back Home thinks: just tuck your long necks inside!”

“Ok, that’s not funny” Tropius was the first to use the confessional, with only his head and neck visible at the camera, the rest of the enormous pokèmon stuck outside, appearing really hilarious to many. Then others proved it.

// Confessional //

“I’m so excited at the idea to start such a fair-tastic adventure: I can’t wait to meet my Blue Trainer, have the first ballet loosing my crystal antenna, make eggs and live forever and ever happy like in a fairy tale, **fwweeee**!!!" Vivillon squeaked loudly through the air-system.

“Bah, this place is full of idiots: I won’t make friends with anybody. Not that I’m interested about!Ouch, stupid Victini and his vent idea.” Lucario scratched his head in annoyance.

“Hi, my name is Castform and…it’s just what I have to say at the moment.

Ninjask flew inside soon after “Our..My strategy is simply to become the shadow of every contestant I aim at, and then hit at the right time, bzzz”.

“Ta-dah! The Plusle & Minun show has just started. I’m so excited for this reality, need to celebrate with a hip!a spin!and a ++ sparkle++ ! Gimme a V and another V and another and at the end a T: Viva the Victini Victory Tour!There’s also my brother, here, of course. Show them your excitement, Minun!”

“Ehm, hi, and yuppi?Honestly, Plusle, we aren’t afford to stay at the same time at the Confessional…I think.”

“Naaah, it’s all fine with that. Victini knows there’s no way we can be seaparated, riiiight?+ SIBLING CUDDLE + !We’re cheek to cheek the best duo ever in the universe, stick together since the birth.

“Allright, how to forget that (sigh)”.

Dunsparce looked at the camera a bit worry “Just hope to not be the first eliminated, I’m the weakest judging by the pokèmon rates” flicking his drilling tail.

Lunatone's eye focused on the camera ”Moon…Rocks…Annhilation…” glowing in the foreshadow.

Chimecho was next ”Ohm..I love the peaceful breeze there’s in this empty tube. I consider myself an angel with a single mission: bring harmony wherevere there’s need. These pokèmons need to find the harmony inside their hearts, I’m here to make this reality show a cathartic experience for everyone. Chwiiin, Cwhiiin)))

“I sssswear I’m going to sssslash them all and win thisssss.” Seviper promised solemnly.

Vanillite tied up the papillon “I’m here just to help Princess Gorebyss win.I love..to work for!..her.

Porygon 2 was calculating "This -memory uploading 98,99,100%- vent, using the scientific term, is very similar to my home, with only the difference that here there are no ciphers, links, codes sauntering from left to right".

Minun returned in the vent “Finally alone for..

“Let’s do another cheer, Minnie!Hip Hip Hooray!!!” Plusle popped out from the grill, carrying the pom poms.

“..almost 2 seconds. More than usual.” The negative mouse let out a big sigh.

“I have still to show you the third last part of the airplane” Victini goes through a hole arranged as a door, everyone entered inside only to find a shanty full of luggages and with cracks everywhere “This is where your luggages will be kept in perfect safety” just as he said this one of the baggages bounced out and fell in the sky “Oops, who was the owner of that black suitcase with a gloomy skull painted in the middle?”

“Guess” said Lampent.

Victini laughed in akwardment then continued “But this is not the most important place: follow me upside.”

“Upside?” asked Piplup.

The host pointed at an emergency ladder “Yes”

“After the screen went dramatically dark for 51 seconds, we were on the tail… hey, Rotom, I’m the narrator, not you! “Sorry, I just wanted to feel the quirky experience to narrate thingies like you do,ahahah!” allright. By the way, they found out soon what Victini meant to say: upside the giant tail of the jet there were many seats with safety belts.

Everyone twitched, Tropius looked straight at Victini: “Don’t tell me..”

“This is the Tail of Losers! The loser team of each episode will be forced to eat, sleep and pass time till the next episode here, soon after having done the ceremony and nomination of the Voltorb of Victimization. The losers of today will be the first to discover personally the system.Vihihih!”

Rotom’s eyes widened “This is insane….and I like it soooooo much!”

Bagon added looking in awe through is goggles “I’m almost willing to lose just to feel the experience:imagine when the jet is moving, you feel all the stream here just stay sitting, this is probably the closest experience to a fly type.

Drifloon covered her little eyes, shivering “I have already the vertigos, let me go down immediately, I’m not used to fly, just the idea terrifies all my plastic body! I could explode for the anxiety” and inflated and deflated many times.

Sylveon got alarmed “Explode? Oh my Xerneas.Don’t worry, I’m here with the necessary bandages in need!”

Aurorus approached next her asking gently “You do realize we’re not even flying at the moment and that you float in mid-air all the time, right?”

The ghost balloon twiched “I do?” then realized “Ah, yeah, because Imma a Drifloon and not a leaf!!I’ve forgot that, thanks so much.”

“Heh…exactly.You’re welcome.”

“My name is Drifloon” the balloon said with a smile.

“Glad to meet you, Drifloon” said Aurorus feeling a little uneasy, also because her interlocutor seemed floating with the mind.

“Hi, my name is Drifloon.Shake our hands!”

“No, don’t touch me!” as soon as Drifloon touched her paw she became a block of ice “Too late.None can touch me without that happens.” Aurorus lowered her neck in ashame, while Sylveon got panicked “Hybernation at the horizon! I need to warm her immediately, is there a fire type wanting to help me?” everyone turned to Lampent, that was the only fire pokèmon (minus Victini) of the cast, the goth lantern stared at them with a dull face, then picked a book and read in indifference. Lucario stood up and punched the ice, breaking it in a single hit,snorted and walked back to his corner. Chimecho smiled at him.

“Ouuh, my head…” Drifloon moaned in pain for the freeze.

“I’m sorry” Aurorus excused.

“I forgive you” replied the other happily “But why?” then screamed in terror “Ahhh!I’m fluttering above the sky!What happened to the rest of my body, I'm a ghost because there was a spell casted to me?I-I can’t really remember, refresh my memory, please!”

Aurorus made a priceless face of unbelieve. Behyeem spoke “I’ll do that step by step . First of all, you’re a Drifloon”. Half of the cast outbursted in laughters.

“Alright” Victini dragged on himself the attention “I have still to say you two things”

Behyeem played with the lights on his hands, drawling “Is anything enough not so obvious that deserves to get my attention, sir?”

“Pretty much, Martian Megaphone. Lemme show you the V-Wheel!” Victini proudly pointed at a big orange wheel surrounded by the flames and that floated above the ground: this wheel had a big lancet of a shape of a V in the middle made of gold, while the circumference was divided in 18 sections of different colors, one for each type existing, it had also a second lancet that resembled an upside down V and was completely black. The host enjoyed the quizzical faces on the cast before to explain “Have you ever heard of V-Waves? They’re special waves I can summon to increase the luck or the unluck of the pokèmons in the world:it’s like a weather forecast, day after day there will be different previsions, but not about the clime but the types: whenever I spin this wheel, the type that will result on the golden lancet will take an huge advantage for a whole day while the type resulted on the black lancet will be highly disadvantaged”.

“So it’s really similar to a forecast” commented Castform, Victini shook his head “Not really, some types are normally slightly advantaged by the weather conditions, but the influence of the V-Waves is way more determinant, because the pokèmons of the lucky type of the day become immune to any of their weaknesses and stronger, while the pokèmons carrying the unlucky type become weak also against types that normally wouldn’t affect them and lose part of their strength, resistant and luck”.

Squirtle squinted through the shades “Wow, that’s cool, man”

“Indeed.It’s an awesome perspective to rid off all my weaknesses for once” Tropius nodded in agree.

Behyeem yawned “That’s at least interesting than the average seen so far.What’s the second thing?”

Victini glowered at the alien, then smirked sarcastically “It’s about the teams, but since you seem not interested I’ll gloss on avoiding to let you guys decide the teams by yourselves!” some glaring eyes daggered on Behyeem “So, Anorith, Aurorus, Dunsparce, Gorebyss, Lunatone, Seviper, Sylveon, Tropius, Vanillite and Vileplume: you’re gonna be the Victory Victini Venturers!”

The reactions were different. Aurorus and Tropius looked instanly at each other, and smiled, but then Tropius turned his neck in harassment. Dunsparce shifted fearfully around but Sylveon pat patted his back. Gorebyss finally woke up from her beautiness nap, appearing more splendid than before while stretching her body and stroking her pink skales showing off class and seduction in front of the males drooling attached on her bowl, meanwhile she was being served of her second ration of flocks by Vanillite, that also shot an ice beam at Anorith who was trying to climb the tank, making her to giggle as amused. Seviper narrowed eyes at this scene, and got snotted by Vileplume, hissing but not replying anything. “Sniff, I’m shorry” the flower excused, however the giant viper was not caring for him. Lunatone murmured something in an unknown language “Thwllallfall” causing a minute of silence.

Victini was the first to speak again “The next team is made of Bagon, Chimecho, Lucario, Ninjask, Oshawott, Piplup, Squirtle, Swalot, Swellow and Vivillon, and the name is Joustering Jirachi Jigglers!”

“Finally, let’s don’t waste anymore time and get quick with the next one, so we’re done and start” Lucario snorted, crossing arms impatiently, both Chimecho and Ninjask eyed at him “What do you want?”. Squirtle and Bagon high-fived each others and buffed on their (little) muscles doing a cool pose. Swellow widened his wings covering them to get all the scene, pumping his chest gloriously. Piplup, Oshawott and Vivillon almost fainted.

“Boastboaters” Ninjask assumed a serious expression talking in the vent “I can’t see many worthy aims in this team onto to focus my radar at the moment. We’ll creep in the shadow for now, waiting”.

Behyeem has used his psychic powers to enlarge the space, enough to let himself stretch “Alien language. I didn’t expect another alien in the cast, but Lunatone just revealed to be. And if you would be aliens with a minimal of I.Q. you would have managed to understand its speech, but you aren’t and I’m too lazy to translate it. Also this is not my business, the joy of the discover is all of the Victini Venturers” ended with a shrug.

“Guess the remaining people are the members of the third last team” Behyeem interrupted Victini again “Me, Miss Forecast, Ghost Dory, Goth Lamp, Metal Crab, Cheerleaders Red & Blue, P2-R2 and the Plasma Quirk.”

Drifloon swoll in anger “Hey! Did you forget about me??”

“This is a question you should do to yourself everytime you watch your image in a mirror” replied him with superiority.

The ghost balloon crossed her eyes quizzically “Eh? Sincerely everytime I look on a mirror I see a strange pokèmon shaped like a balloon all in purple with a yellow cross bandage on the mouth, and I can’t say if its dumb or just entertain mocking me, but mimick each of my movement and repeat the same things I say at contemporary!” she did a spin on herself by accident “Eventually I got used to meet him/her usually at the morning, and I develop some affect, also I gave him/her a very funny friendly nickname: Drifloon.” Each pokèmon having hands, paws or similar instantly facepalmed.

“Urgh, I mean, seriously? What she has in that head:air?” Castform asked: she already considered herself to be the most normal of this cast. Porygon 2 emitted a led laser on the purple plastic girl, answering “Effectively yes: from the database of my scanner the percent of helium inside her body is 99%, the 1% left is plastic and there are no tracks of grey matter. I would strongly recommend to at least change her RAM memory or maybe the excess of helium made her brain floating outside, so reduce it should help.”

“By the way, you still have to announce the name of our team, but lemme guess, you have no ideas, but do not worry, Vik, because LESTER IS HERE,AH!” Rotom zapped out an electric wave getting all the attention, mostly sights of unbelieve, annoyance or sarcasm like Behyeem’s, and guess the eyes of Victini… “Are you ready for the quirky epic name I thought about?Three, two, fifty-one…LASER! LATIAS! LEVIATHANS!The Laser Latias Leviathaaaaaans!!!Wooh!” he did an epic pose, then outbursted in sparks, summoned some thunders, celebrated with electric sparkles, and spinned on himself like a dummy, but suddenly stopped “Oh, I think you may want to know WHY this name, because actually there’s a quirky reason behind, ops, more than one, there’s an each one for each of the three words this name consists of!Understood?”

“Perfectly illogic, go on when you want”

“Ok, first of all Laser rhymes with Lester, that’s my name, remember? But also points out at our powerfulness, reminds red that is my favourite color, and fits for guys like me, Bey, Rygon, Metang, that all are able to shoot lasers in a way or another!” the plasma ghost continued “Second word:Latias. Latias is the pokèmon I’m in love with, you maybe won’t believe, but that’s it!Actually she has an own name than simply Latias, because she’s quirky special like me and can’t stick with a generic name to identify in the mass, so she calls herself Yumi, but Yumi isn’t allitterative with Laser or Leviathans, so I had to use Latias. By the way it was impossible, even for me to find an alliterative name with the letter Y. Yondering Yumi Yankees? Yelping Yumi Yarders? Yappering Yumi Yolks? See, that’s impossible do a triple YYY name that isn’t ridicolous”.

“…….”

“Then we end with Leviathans…eh..there’s not a real reason about, I was searching for a cool name starting with L and happened that ‘’Leviathans’’ bolted in my mind! Quirky, but that’s it”.

“…….”

Victini opened his mouth to say something important, but pretty tired and confused slided indoor the airplane.

“And That’s all quirks!” ended Rotom cartoonically.*End of the Prologue*

Episode 1
Everyone was waiting impatiently outside the plane for Victini to wake up from his nap. Piplup organized a tea session with the other female members of the Jirachi Jigglers for a chitchat:

“What do you think so far of this experience?” the starter penguin asked serving them imported green tea “Especially about the pokemon partecipants?”

“I think the boys on our team are all cuuute! Infact, I’m sure there’s my blue prince between them, ahh..” Vivillon spoke with dreamy glittering eyes. “I’m fond above all on Ninjask: he fascinates me with his mysterious attitude, but I have a doubt. Give me an opinion. Can I become a princess marrying with a ninja?” The other girls gave her a strange glance.

“Ninjask and Lucario are pretty mysterious” Chimecho said sipping quietly her cup of tea “and they’re both keeping a secret hidden”. The Wind Bell stopped some seconds, then added “I don’t trust Lunatone the most”.

Piplup nodded “Oh, yes, that rock is creepy. Gladly Victini put it in another team. Pity he gave us (eww) Swalot. More tea? ”

“Yes, thanks” Vivillon replied “*Or maybe my future half is between Bagon, Squirtle and Swellow*” while watching the three training their muscles and poses.

“Oh, that trio!” Oshawott crossed her arms “They’re pathetic, especially that Squirtle”.

Piplup chuckled “Pfff, they’re just the typycal males.”

“ Can I have a cup of tea? ” Lucario bursted into the discussion, asking with his hollow voice and his frowny eyebrows. A little startled, Piplup served him and then he sipped in tranquillity , simply saying “Continue with your girly blabs, I don’t care, assume I’m not here, because I’M NOT HERE TO TALK WITH YOU.”

In the meanwhile the aforementioned trio was having a similar meeting, with Swellow narrating…

“And that’s how I managed to knock out Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno.”

“Holy Lugia! Wow, bro, you lived such an adventure. So freaking cool!!” Squirtle thumbed up eagerly. Bagon followed “But above all you did it only by flying, oh man, I’m envious as you can’t imagine! I wish to have tough wings like you”. “I wish to be smug and have success with ladies like you!” Squirtle joined to the speech. Soon after both exchanged a look and purposed at contemporary “Why don’t you give us lessons? Flight lessons for Bagon, appeal lessons for me. WE WANT TO BE FANTASTIC AS YOU! Can you, buddie?”

Swellow had a little hesitation but smirked at the end “Ok, if you want the awesome and wonderful Swellow to teach you how to be like him, then I’ll give you a shot, but I want an alliance in exchange”.

“ I swear on my sunglasses ” Squirtle said solemnly.

“I swear on my goggles “ Bagon followed. “What could be our name?” Squirtle bounced on his feet infervorated “I have it: the Smug Swellowers!” Bagon clapped “ I like it!”, Swellow nodded “I like it, too”. Squirtle claimed the attention “That’s it. Now, Smug Swellowers, let’s bro-fist!”

Oshawott assisted at the whole scene from the distance of their tea table, shaking her head “See? Pathetic, just pathetic.”

Victini finally returned, dashing out the V-Door, looking relaxated but active “Ta-dah! Your Fa-V-ourite host is now ready to officially start this season. Early on I forgot to nominate the three leaders of the teams” everyone turned to the legend “ They’re Vileplume for the Venturers, Vivillon for the Jigglers and Lester for the Leviathans.”

“VILEPLUME? Sssseriously??” Seviper hissed in shock. Vileplum reacted with a bless. “Atchoom!Sniff.”

“VIVILLON? What a shell?!” Oshawott commented while Vivillon flew vertically high in the sky squealing for the eagerness.

“LESTER? Who’s this pokèmon? Never heard about it.” Drifloon asked doumbfounded, Lester epic posed with a crazy grin, the other Leviathans groaned.

Seviper turned menaciously to Victini “Is there any logic explanation for your choices?”

Victini smiled “Just their names start with a V, that’s my fa-V-ourite letter of all the alphabet, enough to be like an obsession for me, as you maybe already figured out..” blushed a little “Really?I thought about a complete different letter as you favourite, maybe the J” Behyeem commented sarcastically, causing the host to glower at him “And since there was no pokèmon starting with V in the third team, I decided to give Lester the merit of the name and nominate him leader.”

// Confessional //

Plusle and (much for his dismay) Minun were in the vent “We’re already working on the coreographies for our team, such as L-E-S-T-E-R in honour of our leader and L-E-V-I-A-T-H-A-N-S to cheer our teammates, but I think we should do something more original, for example recreate a Latias figure with an acrobacy, in the meanwhile zotting sparkles to simulate lasers! Minun, what do you think of the idea?” she didn’t even let the brother open his mouth..

“OH!I almost forgot an important detail: the costumes! Quickly, let’s show them!” Plusle and Minun (forced by her eagerness) dressed on resembling two Latias, despite Minun was a male “Aren’t we okey dokey zappy zotty adorable?!! We knitted these costumes all by ourselves, like the sticky wicky watty siblings we are!” she spinned on her tail, then pointed at Minun “Minnie in this way looks even more adorable then usual that makes me want to cuddle cuddle cuddle him more and more and more than usual!” Minun got a choking strict hug in result.

“Ok, so we can start, now? I can’t wait anymore to fly beyond the skies of the adventure!” Bagon jumped enthusiastically on the plane, but Victini shut the doors before he could enter “BONK!” “Not so fast. Before to travel around the pokèworld I want to check if you’re all ready to face what expects you, and that’s why the first challenge will be taken here”. Spinning on one feet, the flamboyant V-host pointed at an obstacle course in which were perfectly reproduced in little copycat the main enviroments of the six regions:

“First of all there are the plains and landscapes of Kanto, in particular the Viridian Forest and the caves ; then the most traditional Jotho..ah, you can smell all his history even in this plastic, of course here there’s autumn and the main space is given to Sprout Tower and Ice Path not to mention the RADIO VICTINI TOWER ; third part is dedicated to Hoenn, where ocean and sand dominate the scene; the winter fashion atmosphere of Sinnoh is reproduced in the next section, but there’s also a mini swamp safari zone; the post-modern Unova goes next and at the end the cliffs and hills of Kalos, with the Luminose Town Tower as final lap!” stopped with a wide smile “Do you like it? I asked some legendary friends to help me with this.”

All the pokècompetitors were astonished, even Behyeem that commented “So there are some clever legendaries on this planet, pity I still have to meet them” causing Victini to glare at him, while Lucario spoke dryly “Very impressive, but what we have to do exactly?”

“A relay.”

“Yay! I’m pretty good in relay” Drifloon fluttered under the sun light and put some cucumbers on the eyes assuming a laidback attitude “See? I’m relaying as from manual.”

“That’s relax not relay, helium head.”

“It’s the same, don’t need to use scientific terms. However, I forgot to carry a fresh drink with me, sorry we lost!!!.....hm?What am I doing here, and why all these people are watching me?” she slapped her head many times “C’mon, I need to remember, ehhh! But I’m flying? Heeeeelp!”

Many blank expression appeared on the faces of the cast, Victini simply shook the head and continued “Each team will be given a baton of the shape of me, Ji or Latias. This will be carried from a lap to another by two pokèmons for region and team, with a total 2 vs 2 vs 2 each time: the main goal is to keep a baton safe until you cross the finishing line before the rivals. If your baton get destroyed you can try to steal another one and on the opposite situation if you destroy a baton you’ll have to watch your back from the enemies.”

Seviper raised an evil pleasured smile “Sssscrew fairplay, then” giving a mischievous glance to the rival teams. Plusle hugged Minun carefully “Don’t worry, little brother, I’m here with you”. “Thanks, but I didn’t even shiver..k!Not so strict.”

“Exactly. Everything is allowed in this challenge, the important thing is to arrive with a baton otherwise you go to the nomination. Think carefully at who do you want to race in a certain region because each one has unique obstacles to pass through. Also for the parts of Kanto and Unova, that are the shortest, you can pick only one racer.”

“Wait, but we Latias Leviathans are only 9” Castform complained “It’s not my fault if Ditto was a jerk and Swirlix eaten up by Swalot” the other replied with a shrug, meanwhile the poison slimy pokèmon burped loudly.

“Don’t you have a cache copycat of them?”

“Not in real life, my quirky friend, by the way this would be incredible if possible!”

“Bip. As from my analyzises so far real life sucks compared to the cyberworld.”

“Welcome in the club, Porygon 2.”

“Thanks, Lampent, where do I have to sign up?”

Rotom had an idea “Beheyeem! Since you’re an alien, clone yourself! I know everything about aliens because I’m ONE OF THEM: by the way if you don’t want to clone, teach me how.”

“Sure, repeat -I’m an idiot- 51 times and you’re done.”but Lester looked straight in his eyes frowning “By the way I’m crazy not stupid.”

Drifloon instead “I’m an idiot, I’m an idiot, I’m an idiot, I’m an idiot, I’m an idiot…I forgot what I was saying again.” Metangross slapped his face doing a metallic sound.

The Victini Venturers reunited in a corner to discuss their strategy, Vileplume was speaking “Allright team, we need to –atchoom!- focus properly on which region is best for –atchoom!- each one of us –atchoom!- Sniff, snnrr..” but had to stop to sneeze “Sorry, since I evolved I developped a cronic allergy to my same flower. ATCHOOOM!”

Seviper wiped off the snot on her muzzle with the tail “I go first since I prefer to stay alone with none between my fangs. I assure a fast start and I’ll take care of the rivals personally.” “Agree. I’m open to any idea of you guys, sneeeeez” Vileplume blessed again powerfully spreading paralyzing spores “Ops, oh, no.” Sylveon gasped “Paralyzer? Quick, where’s my baggage, I must have an antidote, how do you feel?” in worry, but the viper sloughed being able to move again “Back off, I don’t need any help, as you can sssssee.”

“Obviously Gorebyss will run in the Hoenn zone” Tropius observed “Since she’s the only water type here.”

Gorebyss, just awoken from a nap of beautiness, stretched her flex body “I’d like a swim outside my bowl for once. Keep me in fit and the ocean water benefits to the skales.”

“Don’t forget this is a RACE, not a WALK, miss abyss” Seviper spitted out in dismay.

Vanillite got alarmed “What about the desertic landscape? Miss Gorebyss has a delicate skin, can stay only in a bowl with a temperature of 25°, and the sand could scratch her smooth fins irreparably” almost melting down for the anxiety. Aurorus told him to calm down instead Tropius nodded “He has a point. A fish can’t survive in a desert.”

“That’s why I’ll go with her” Anorith snapped proudly his claws to claim the attention “I’m an aquatic creature, too, and I passed all my fossil existence in a desert. I’ll be the escort of Gorebyss for a trait and then I’ll bring the baton through the desertic part.”

“Are you sure?”

“No way!” Sylveon shouted “That’s too dangerous for a poor little pokèmon like you. I won’t ever let you pass such a risk, you’re probably the younger contestant of us.”

“LITTLE? YOUNGER? I’m an anomalocaris, one of the first pokèmon to appear over a thousand of years ago: I swam in the oceans and survived filtering felxes way before your species existed” Anorith scoffled “I’m not a baby only because of my dimensions, I just remained a fossil until yesterday!”

Victini confirmed “Yes, I picked him from the Oceanographic Museum, went to Devon S.P.A. and revived.”

“Oh..”

“Ok, so Anorith is in with Gorebyss, about Sinnoh I purpose myself and Vanillite: we’re both used to cold clime” “I agree, Aurorus. A-A-ATCHHHOOOOM! Again sorry, but this time was your fault because you emanate such a freezing breath when you speak.” Aurorus tried to clean out the purple stains but couldn’t reach her face with her short paws, so Tropius used gently his leaf wing “Thanks. I told you I’ve my problems, too.” She winked making the tropical giant to blush.

// Confessional //

Seviper was gleaming at the camera “Lovebirds. My favourite preyssss. These giants are a big threat for my chances, but as soon as I’ll find the way to slash their love, they will be no more.”

“Brobably I forgot to warn her that I snodded more sbores bef..watchoom!” Vileplume banged on the ceiling, distorcing a tube of the vent “Oww..why I didn’t evolve in Bellossom as my mommy wanted? The evolution brought me only headache, flu and a-a-a-a-ll—etchooom! Allergy.”

Then other purposes were discussed: Dunsparce and Tropius were assigned to Jotho, Lunatone was given to Unova, at the end Vileplume and Sylveon would have run in the zone of Kalos to the finish line.

“Grrr, I don’t want to stay with Swalot!” Oshawott roared from the opposite spot, where the Jirachi Jigglers were discussing their tactic.

“Sorry, but we flipped shell and I won the Hoenn place.”

“NO, PIPLUP, YOU RIGGED, I’M SURE” the ott replied shouting more louder, walking in front of Piplup, that had swollen the chest ready for the fight. Chimecho shook the chime on the end singing a sooth melody “Listen to my chiiime, everything is fiiine, put the spat apart, let the harmony return in your heart )))

Both Oshawott and Piplup felt their arms get heavier and flexer, the muscles relaxated, and they quickly made up. “Sorry I overreacted.” “It’s fine, I understand your point of view: I have my pride, too” she shifted to Swalot noticing in disgust there was a pink liquid drooling down his mouth just to be resucked in soon after “And I would never accept unless constricted to collaborate with that goo.”

“BUUUUUUUUUUUURP! Gnom, it’s like a chewing gum: I can eat and swallow and eat it again all the times I want. Munch, munch..” the girl starters felt sick “Eeew, tell me you’re not talking about Swi-“ and fainted. Swalot burped again, satisfied.

“Not cool, man, this is very gross”.

“Slurp. Not for a poison type” replied stroking the twirly moustaches that were sliced at half by Seviper “Don’t dare to compare you and me again, sssslob.”

Victini called up everyone “Time of chitchat finished, take position, set your starters, pick the batons and go!”

Seviper for the Victini, Ninjask for the Jirachi and Lampent for the Latias got ready at the START line, Seviper shifting glare looks from Ninjask to Lampent while Lampent had a dull look stamped on. As Victini spoke Seviper attempted a Poison Tail against the rivals, but Ninjask flashed away in a millisecond entering in the Viridian Forest section also stealing out her baton. Seviper hissed in shock and frustration, and ran to pursue him “Not sssso fast!”. As the three entered Seviper got lost in the maze of trees and bushes, swearing. She rid off easily of all the bug types that attacked until she saw Ninjask again: creeping slowly nearby, the snake opened her fangs and bit hard. But the bug disappeared in smoke between her red teeth!

“What’s this trick? Where did that coward go?”

In the meanwhile Lampent, having taken a different path, was all focused on everything than her challenge: carrying lazily and uncarefully the baton on one hand, she was reading an horror book using the other: she didn’t even look the way to avoid trees or anything else since she was a ghost.

Switching back to Seviper… “He can’t escape exploiting his speedness if I use Glare on him. Just need to find him back and…a-ah! YOU’RE MINE, LOOK AT MY EYES! Poof!” Ninjask faded again in the void, nullifying her aggression that ended with a painful crash against a tree. One of her fangs broken in the process “Grrrr” but she finally realized “He’s using Double-Team. Ssssneaky, but he doesn’t have idea of whom is sneaking with.”

Ninjask observed her in the shadow keeping both the batons in the schytes “Challenge accepted.” Then created more fake-copies that took different paths. Seviper got into the same trick other times, after a bit Ninjask was almost at the exit when he had to backward seeing a snaky shape at the horizon…instead in this way he found himself trapped in her spires.

“Told you to don’t mess with me, now you’re in trap.”

“A ninja is never in trap if he’s still alive: Substitute!” Ninjask switched himself with a baton peluche and sauntered quickly far away. The serpent snickered: at least she had again her baton. But when she accidentally hit it with the tail and this bursted out she realized the truth: “Sssswindler!” Crawling the fastest she could, she pursued again on the insect.

Ninjask avoided the natural obstacles and her attacks flying zig-zag at max speedness, increased second after second by Speed Boost, getting soon an high advantage “Bzzz.zz.zz. She’s doomed, nothing stop our…species!” until he fell into a net, settled by one of the famous Bug Baiters, or better a robotic clone of them. The ninja-musk fluttered fastly the wings but he was stack there despite all the strives, so he was forced to slice the wires and leave the victini baton abandoned. Soon after Seviper arrived and found it, destroying with a single hit the robotic bug hunter and his bait.

Ninjask avoided or slashed other nets on his way and was first to reach the exit, but before to leave he prepared a trap: creating a giant spiderweb with the cloth extracted and the nets ripped he attached another subsitute and a duplicate of himself, some pineco linked to the trap were ready to fall at first movement and explode. “This will take her busy enough time to be outdistanced by me for the rest of the relay.”

Ninjask spoke in the vent, polishing the blade arms “I know many tricks learned with an indipendent training for ninja. Plus Baton Pass is what I’m made for.”

Lampent floated slowly outside and along with Ninjask faced the second part dedicated to Kanto: a cave resembling Mt. Moon. Left behind there was Seviper whose raging scream was clearly heard at contemporary with an explosion when she stepped into the trap. The venomous viper merged from the leaves with half of her body bound in the white sticky cloth, crawling with an huge effort, down in her stomach there were some knots that suggested she had probably discharged her frustration swallowing the various pineco, caterpie and bugs encountered. She actually appeared more hilarious than menacious as usual. Of course she didn’t find any amusement in her situation. Clenching the baton of Victini in her mouth, she finally left the Viridian Forest, but another baton shaped as Latias attracted her attention.

The Mt. Moon track was a joke compared to the previous, both Ninjask and Lampent achieved easily and could pass the baton to the fellow runners…in theory.

“Here. Don’t waste time and exploit the advantage I settled for us.”

“Thanks, Ninjasaaaaaaaask, wwoooah, I feel sooo faaast!”

“Wait up, Swellow!” Chimecho inspired and expired “Nevermind. What happened to him?”

Ninjask sneered “I used Baton Pass so he gained my same boosted statistics of speed.” Chimecho nodded and followed the swallow. For the Latias Leviathans Plusle & Minun were cheering up the gloomy ghost lamp.

“L-A-M-P-E-N-T!LAMPENT, LAMPENT, LAMPENT, GO LAMPENT, GO, LEVIATHANS, WOOOH!”

Lampent dampened their eagerness “Splendid. Thanks to the support and whatever, I did my part. Do yours, electric mices.” Plusle continued to cheer “Who’s the leader, who’s the laser, of course the Latias Leviathans! LLL for the wins!” on the contrary Minun questioned “Where’s our baton?” Lampent stared deadpan a whole minute, shifted the yellow eyes to her hands and “Ops, I forgot I can pass through the walls but the object I carry nope. Pity” shrugged taking a new book “I’ll strive to get over the huge painstacking dirging disappointment with some dark lecture.” Minun slapped one of his cheeks.

Dunsparce and Tropius were still waiting for the baton, and the land snake expressed his perplexion “I’m afraid she’s in trouble.”

Seviper arrived right in time in awful conditions, but she cut any possible comment from the two saying “Don’t assssk anything, sssimply take these, or you’ll be my dinner tonight, Dunsparce.”

Tropius glanced at the viper meanwhile the land snake hid immediately in a hole for the fear “Two batons? Hmm, good work. Let’s go, Dunsparce.” “Y-Yes.”

“Quick, sister, we have to follow them if we want a chance” Minun dragged Plusle and ran until he stopped in shock in front of a waterfall “Holy Kyogre.” That was the copycat of the Tohjo Waterfalls, the famous wall of water that phisically separated Kanto and Jotho in the reality. The screen faded to black few seconds.

Minun looked above the waterfall seeing Tropius and the others flying high across “Great, how can we overcome this with no wings or swim abilities? Urgh, we’re screwed.”

“Hey, Hey!” Plusle exclaimed flashing to hug the brother “Someone here is getting negative, you know what do you need now?” asked with doe eyes.

“Not really…no, wait, you mean the positive song? T-There’s no need, see, I’m happy!?”

“Too late, I don’t believe you.” Plusle pinched the blue cheeks of him with affect, then pinched hers popping out red sparks of electricity, grabbed the tail like a microphone and sang:

“When life gives you a lemon chuck

And you depress thinking all your existence suck

You have just to look beyond the hurdle

Immediately you’ll be able to see the spaaaarkle..

When you get a shot of bad luck

Feel yourself as come over by a truck

Don’t surrend, keep to struggle

Quit isn’t a option, just waaarble…

Because the life is an awesome travel

Full of adventures, events and huge marvel

Believe in yourself, you’ll have success

If you go on your way and never recess!

Be positive is the key of joy

I’ll never stop to cheer, think as you want that I’m cloy

Spin twice with me, jump above like a kite

Raise your fist to the sky, think always you’re bright!

And whenever you’re dampened and discouraged

Frustrated, disappointed or even enraged

Lift always your head

There’s no light without a shed!

After darkness will be a new dawn

Never let sadness to make you her pawn!

Cheering people is the mission of my life

I always put the 100% strife

My work isn’t easy, sometimes I’m considered crazy

But I prefer to be that unlike be lazy….

Beeeecaaaauuuuuuse..

Because the life is a big huge challenge

Sometimes rolls on your back as a massive avalanche

That’s why I exist, to wipe out any tear

So little brother don’t have fear…

And cheer! Cheer! Cheer! Cheer! Cheeer! Cheeeeeeeer!” she ended doing a mortal jump and landed on Minun rubbing her cheeks on his generating a double colored thundershock. Her affect warmed up the negative twin that hugged back “Thank you, sis. I feel better now. So much that I got an idea.”

In the meanwhile the runners for Victini Venturers and Jirachi Jigglers were already running inside the Sprout Tower .

“This relay isn’t as terrible as I imagined: all there’s to do is walk on many stairs while the tower swings from left to right”

“Anf, anf, not from my point of view: you have big paws, I have to crawl step by step”

“This is so easy, I’m already almost at the top”

“Chimechohm)). This swinging movement is perfect for meditation.”

“Ah, I had the impression to have forgotten something” Victini launched a Fire Blast on the low part of the building, that started to burn down quickly “Better now: Sprout and Burned Tower in one single task.”

“Yaawn, Vi, you know sometimes you’re sadic as a deranged drowzee?

“Get back to sleep, Jirachi, it’s BETTER…”

“Duhuuh. As your will, zzzz.”

“SQWAWK! The feathers on my tail are burning! This is a crime against the awesomeness.”

“Calm down, Swellow, don’t let the anxiety get the control, just meditate with me: ohm there’s no fire, everything goes fine..” Swellow flashed out the building abandoning the Jirachi baton that she was forced to recuperate, sighing “I knew from his pale aura that he was a dirty coward.”

“Urgh, one of the baton is getting on fire. I’ll try to lit off” Tropius blew so powerfully that he fueled more the flames burning his same wings “Sheez. I can’t fly anymore for a bit and we’re surrounded by the fire: there’s no way to escape than the window.”

Dunsparce drilled “I-I have a-actually an idea, but it’s probably useless and you don’t need to listen to it…” then frown shyly. “I want to listen to you, instead” Tropius replied. “R-Really? But I’m not a good pokèmon to rely on, my ideas must be as dunce as me, a-and..”

Dunsparce in the Vent Confessional explained “My species is historically considered the most useless since the pokèdex updated to II generation, I born feeling this curse on my flat back and grew getting to know all the quirks we Dunsparce are mocked for: shortest snakes ever seen, ugly aspect, microscopical useless wings, cowardness and weakness. I joined this reality show with the best hopes to improve on and show I have a reason to exist, but I’m already regretting the idea: I’m slow as a slug and the first challenge is a relay. Sigh.”

“What’s the point of your topic? It makes no sense. Just apply you idea if this means safety for us, I trust no care of what you are outside.” Dunsparce roused a little hearing the word of Tropius and decided to do his move. “I-I’ll use Dig to create a passage that brings us out of here in a snap. B-But I give no guarancy” the land snake quickly drilled on the wood floor creating a little hole enough wide for the baton . Tropius tossed it inside, but he couldn’t escape and the fire was getting closer rapidly.

“Done!” the squeaky voice of Dunsparce echoed from the hole that suddenly widen 4 times more sucking Tropius inside: following the mysterious physical laws of pokèmon world he was safely out in a short gap of seconds. “Thank you, Dunsparce, see that you can do big deeds if you trust yourself? Great job, high five!” Tropius stomped a paw on Dunsparce to congratulate “Ops, I tend to forget my force.” “Gh..n-no worry.. you squeezed only my boneless part. I’m too happy to care.”

Soon after the tower fell down totally in front of their eyes. Dunsparce felt guilty for having weakened the structure too much with his dig: Chimecho was still inside. “Oh no, I was right, look what disaster I caused! If she’s dead..if she’s dead..is only my fault” cried.

“Chi-chiiiiimee))) Dooooong)))” Chimecho fluttered pacifically between the wrecks doing a dingdong in harmony with the big bell of the (fake) Sprout Tower “Don’t worry or strive I’m alive: this bell was my shield, don’t need to yield. Diiiiing)))”

She entered in the Ice Path leaving the two Venturers speechless.

“That’s the idea: we’ll climb the rock wall at the side of the waterfall, use Double Team and then Baton Pass each other. Hop, are you ready?” Minun jumped on the first cliffhang. Plusle jumped on the opposite side, then both created multiple copies of themselves that formed two pyramids: “Ok, guys and girls, everyone knows what to do. Throw!” Minun was successfully launched to an higher spot by his copies and Plusle followed this example, obviously the respective copycats reached them automatically. The twin brothers then switched position using Baton Pass, Plusle simulated to launch Minun making her copycats to throw him again, doing a backflip in mid-air Minun used again Baton Pass switching with her sister that was then thrown higher than before by the negative copies: thanks to a perfect work of coordination and collaboration the two mices escalated the cascade with their acrobacies and switches.

“Wow, this was Incre-V-ble!” Victini clapped at their number and did a double V-sign “Like in a circus.”

“We did this, sister.” “I had no doubt, we’re an unstoppable duo, Minun!” The two electric rodents high fived.

Soon after they talked in the Confessional: “We’re not only cheerleaders but practiced in the Hoenn Circus. The Double Team Baton Pass Pyramid was always our best performance in the deck, but we have many other tricks and talents!” Plusle explained bouncing for the eagerness. Minun confirmed with a simple nod and a smile.

Plusle and Minun ran finally to the Sprout Tower but they found only a pyre of cimmer, looked in the rubbles and spotted the baton of their team: the Latias plushie was scorchered and missed various details. “Urgh, it doesn’t have even the wings, we’ll be penalized for sure.”

Plusle Double-Slapped the brother “You always think only at negative! Didn’t learn anything still from my songs? There’s always a solution, so cheer with me: GO LATIAS LEVIATHANS, WE’RE THE STRONGEST LIKE REGI TITAAANS!” she exclaimed dressed on the cosplay costume again.

Minun rubbed his chin and a new idea zapped in his mind “Indeed! We can use the costumes of Latias to repair the baton. But let’s hurry up, probably the others are passing the batons to the Hoenn racers now.” Not really. Infact, Dunsparce and Tropius had still to enter in the cave but were blocked by the fact the entrance was too little for Tropius.

“Push..ggn..push..uff..push! No way, eh? Darn my giant size.”

“’Nf, I’m doing my weak best to help, but this impossible for me. Sorry.” Tropius conforted “Nevermind, that means you have to continue without me because we have no more time to waste. Pick the baton and skid along my neck.” “B-But I have no arms, how can I carry on the plushie? Even those things they call wings I have doesn’t give me any grip on objects…” “Dunsparce.” “Y-Yep?” “You’re clever enough and I’m sure you’ll find the way, NOW GO!”

As entered Dunsparce slid on the floor and bashed soon against a wall, creating a fracture in the ice. “Ouch, thankfully I have a resistant body…or just no bones that can be broken by impact. Brrr..rr!! It’s chilly h-here. By the way, w-where is the baton?” the drilling nokocchi watched around seeing his portray reflected on the lucid walls of the cavern, getting scared, then tried many times to recuperate the baton: with the tail, the wings, the mouth and even the toungue but unsuccessfully. “Sigh, I warned Tropius about this” he sobbed feeling the temptation to come back to the entrance or quit using Dig again. Until noticed the fracture…

Chimecho was living the experience with a complete different approach: calm and cozy. She used the rebound of her tollings to find the orientation across the various allies of the Ice Path simulation. The windbell had everything under control, however was going terribly slow wasting all the advantage obtained from Ninjask.

Both were so slow that Minun and Plusle arrived to the Ice Path pairing with them, or better, overtaking thanks to their skating skills: another performance of their perfect alkemy. Like professional ice dancers they swished through the path and were the first to reach the zone of Hoenn. “Yu-uuuh! Majestic comeback, by the way we’re ahead! Kombgratulations for your performance, my twinny rodent friends. By the way now the command of the mission is assumed by me, Captain Rotom” Lester picked the baton, put on a captain hat and congedated solemnly with the twins.

“Wait, how can you go underwater if you cannot swim?” Minun asked tilting the neck. Plusle dressed her pon pon again.

“By immersion, no?” Lester assumed a different form: its orange body became bigger and square with a round window in the middle, the plasmic arms resembled a sort of clothespins you use to hang on the laundry, and a long tube merged from a side. He was now Wash Rotom. Putting the Latias Baton inside the viewing panel “Porygon 2, are you ready as planned? Remember: it’s the same thing to navigate in Internet. Let’s go,ah!*EPIC POSE*” and dived in the sea section using the cybernetic pokèmon like a submarine and his jets of water and soap as propellers. Kind of astonished Minun, Plusle, Piplup, Squirtle, Anorith and Gorebyss observed Porygon 2 moving away on the fundal like a machine used for abyss explorations. Anorith swam seeking for them but was easily outdistanced.

“Sgrunt , there weren’t these kinds of techno-pokèmons back at my ages” folded claws grumpily.

Piplup tap tapped the foot impatiently, Squirtle wiped his sunglasses and Gorebyss yawned bored waiting in her bowl. “How long I have to wait yet before to have my nowadays swim in ocean water? A lady shouldn’t wait in this way…need some *entertain*” the tropical siren fish flapped her eyelashes in the direction of the primaceus pokèmon: Anorith dashed immediately backward but when was about to climb her bowl he was shot with an Ice Ray that blocked his run. It came from Vanillite “How dare you, insect? Stay out from Miss Gorebyss’s tank. Clear?!!”

“HEY, I wasn’t going to do anything as you think, just wanted to speak with her. And you should be in the Sinnoh zone.”

“Whatever, keep those claws and tentacles inside your shell. Also” Vanillite recovered his composure “Before she enters in the water I have to check if the temperature is the right one. Hmm, 0,5° hotter than acceptable: some ice cubes will lower the temperature.” Gorebyss outbursted in laughters, clapping “Ohohohoh! Nice spectacle was this, you 2 amused me so much. Well done. I want to let you know that I appreciated” ended with a wink. Vanillite blushed melting down a few, Anorith reddened at her but glared at him.

File:Anorith Vent Confessional.png
Anorith uses the Ventilation System (Vent) Confessional for the first time.

“Also relationships were simplier in the past: you found the first pluricellular girl available (trust me, the choice was infinite), flirted, dated and layed an egg, clack. Done in the time gap I snap my claw. Totally different age from now where a sentient ice cream gets in the middle!”

“Miss Gorebyss is MINE! She’s MY princess and I’AM her servant.” Vanillite exclaimed proudly inside the vent.

Dunsparce stopped to drill. How much time had passed since he had started? He couldn’t know but the tunnel was finally finished! The land snake had had the idea to create a passage in the ice, and use it like a chute: all he had to do was to push the baton inside, skidded and was out at contemporary with Chimecho. Unable to stop Dunsparce had a little accident with her and the impact sent him and the baton in the water. However this water was the one contained in the bowl of Gorebyss, which giggled at the intruder.

“HEEEEY!!!” Vanillite shouted so high to cripple the glasses of Squirtle, making Dunsparce bashful and ashamed. “I-I-I’m s-so s-sorry, didn’t want to break her privacy, miss…f-forgive me. I-I’ll try to leave the tank immediately, despite I can’t swim...blobloblob.”

Gorebyss stroked him gently like a pet “I wasn’t doing anyhting important, by the way. Don’t panic this hard, cutie.” Following her orders Vanillite helped him to merge out the bowl, but the jealousy was melting down his body. In the meanwhile Anorith picked the Victini baton, but as Vanillite was about to say something he launched a rock to him “Still here? Go back at your place.”

“Indeed he’s right: if you don’t return to the zone you’re assigned to within the time I draw a V you cause the disqualification and nomination of your team” Victini spoke eagerly by megaphone. The Blizzard Ice Cream Pokèmon twitched nervously an eye and was forced to obey, Anorith grinned in satisfation and “Clack” snapped a claw. Chimecho passed the baton to Piplup and Squirtle, Anorith gave it to Gorebyss.

The pink spoiled regalecidae stretched the body, flipped gorgeously outside her bowl diving in the ocean spinning on her same axis in a twirl: all her fanciness and beautiness was so shown while she swam dancing in the deep water. After a submarine acrobacy Gorebyss merged out to enjoy the applauses of the astonished audience, minus Piplup that called her “Show off” , and then returned underwater dashing through the kelps. Anorith took the occasion to use X Scissor against the Jirachi racers and stole them their baton, then dived away behind the teammate. Squirtle and Piplup immediately got to swim seeking for it.

The part of the relay dedicated to Hoenn resembled perfectly the ocean of that region: jellyfishes, sharks and rays swimming in the surface, clamps, puffishes and coelacanths silently habiting the depth. The course was structured to force the racers to swim up and down the two different habitats: zig-zagging to avoid the various Qwilfish and Tentacools, Gorebyss proceeded in tranquillity back to back with the careful Anorith.

“Miss, I assure that I’ll protect you from any kind of” the fossil pokèmon was interrupted by an attack that swept him away. “Give back that baton, brother, it’s better for ya.” “Urgh, here another nuisance” Anorith replied attacking with a Metal Headbutt that didn’t affect the turtle much, infact , Squirtle hit back him with Aqua Pulsar. The baton almost slipped from the claws of Anorith, he received another attack and smashed on the backdrop. Here he buried himself under the sand. “Hey, sheik, where are ya? Moh..” Squirtle scratched the back of the head trying to understand where exactly he was hiding…

The scene cut on Piplup: she was left behind due to her incapacity to dive properly. Flapping the wings on the surface the penguin kept crashing in rocks and jellyfishes all the time. She was already exhausted for the effort. “Anf..anf…why I’m not as the other piplups?”

Flashback of her videotape introduction: a pretty fancy blue house is seen in the artic background. The door opens and Piplup shows proudly all the stuff she has in the living room, drinking a cup of tea “Unlike the usual standards of my species I’m fancy and firm on the mainland, I have composure in the way I walk and full coordination…see?”. She exits outside carrying her tea set on the head in perfect balance despite walking now on ice “I never slip, skid or move goofily as the others, because I CARE for the good manners and fanciness. I can do this even with my eyes shut. Pick me and I’ll bring the class in-SPLASH!” and is so blind by her boast that she doesn’t see the water. “Help, I suck when swimmin-tonk!Ouch! Auch! Cut the video off, they don’t have to see this!” The video ends immediately.

“I can’t see anything with this darkness” Squirtle took off the shades a minute, all of sudden Anorith emerged from the depth shocking him and picked them between the claw. Squirtle freaked out “Dude! No, just no, this is crazy!”

Anorith speckled on the black lenses “Chose: the baton or the glasses? This is an old trick that never fails.”

“DUDE.

DON’T

TOUCH

MY

SHADES.” Squirtle reacted slamming the fossil pokèmon with a powerful whip of the tail. As a crack appeared on the armour, Anorith crinkled, cringed and retired in shock inside his shell, so Squirtle could recuperate both the baton and the sunglasses assuming a triumphal pose “Never anymore. Also pray you didn’t scratch them or you’re going to receive the bis.” “Excuse me?”

Gorebyss swam behind his shoulders, twined and coiled graciously around him: her smooth skales tickled gently the turtle that was totally startled by this move of her. “Y-Yeah?” “Mind to give me that cute plushie, *please*? I have a Victini plushie but it seems so alone without the Jirachi, this makes me suffer, isn’t this totally unfair?” asked starting to use her Attraction on him, he nodded blabbing some words, she continued “Of course I can give you the right price of this switch…what about this?” and kissed him on a cheek with the needle mouth. Squirtle’s brain exploded instantly and he let the baton dumbfounded.

Still in huge difficulty Piplup saw the baton floating on the surface near a shoal of Sharpedo but she didn’t have the time to approach that Gorebyss picked it flirting with the sharks that not only let her pass but wanted to escort her underwater. “What’s going down here? I must check what happened to Squirtle. Ok, I can do this this time, just have to believe in the possibility.” Piplup finally managed to dive with an huge effort, however her style of swimming was awful and she crashed into the teammate. By the way he didn’t even twitch, utterly stunned.

“Gheeee**..”

“Squirtle? Hello? Oh,no… ciaff!” Piplup slapped him in annoyance.

“Owch, wtf?!”

“Males. Sex button powers off their brains. I’ll explain you later, now hurry if we want to have still an opportunity in this race!” she casually spotted Anorith fleeing with the other baton, he had had to stay at a certain distance from Gorebyss due to the sharpedo surrounding her.

“Ok, wait a minute.”

“Why?”

“I have to wear my shades again.” Piplup facepalmed “Ok, almost ready, have only to clean them.” The other, frustrated, used Water Jet to reach Anorith and block him the way.

“Glom, oh, no, again. I’m too weak to fight now.” he murmured.

“Then leave me the baton, you can go away.” she said with a serious expression. But she flails when the eyes of Anorith shimmered for the tears, becoming wide and glossy “No, wait, don’t cry!”

Anorith assumed a firm puppy expression asking for her mercy “*PWEASE, LEMME FREE*” Piplup flailed more and squeaked “ Ehp. Too much cuuute, I wanna hug you now!!!PIPLUP!! ” but the anomalocaris was faster than her and escaped.

Squirtle reached Piplup a few after finding her still dazed by the cuteness and shook the head “Females. Cute button powers off their brains.”

In the meanwhile down down down in the depth of the ocean there are the two Laser Latias Leviathans…

“Rotom, despite it’s the first time I surf in a real sea, I hazard the hypothesis we got lost in the wrong direction. The pressure is 51 times stronger than should be that means we’re in the abyss and my calculates about the time we should have implied to reach the desert path..”

“Alt! First of all I’m Kaptain Lester at the moment and you must refer to me as this. By the way, maybe the last flurry we picked hijacked our trajectory, I’m checking with my scope where we are but can’t see anything” Lester was using his jet tube as a periscope, just to point out for the reader “There’s the perfect darkness but…I just got a quirky idea to solve the problem! Also it was time to add lights to my submarine. Do you have the Dex-Navigator embodied, right? Click.”

“Bip-Bip-Bip –Biiiip! Pokèmon found: Chinchou. Level 25, nature Mild, potential unknown.”

“Perfect! I activate my sucking cap function: WWWWOOOZ” Wash Rotom resucked in his body the chinchou and activated the whirlpool generating a ray of energy coming from his viewing door, in this way enlightened the area: there were scripts everywhere written in a cryptic idiom. “What a quirky place: it can be either an ancient temple or an alien hideout.By the way... REALLY AWESOME!”

Gorebyss and Anorith eventually arrived first at the desert environment track. Here only Anorith continued to race carrying both the batons at contemporary: he had the advantage to know well how to proceed in that landscape. From the freshness of the ocean to the drought of the desert the temperature difference was overwhelming, thankfully the iron armour worked as a screen from the heat rays of the sun and the sandstorm, too. When Piplup and Squirtle reached the dry shore, their reaction was pretty different. The penguin felt immediately out of breath under such a sunlight, her body was made of warm feathers useful in the artic, not in the desert. The turtle on the contrary liked all this heat and said this was the occasion for a suntan:

“This sun will certainly make me HOT.”

“Or..aaaaanf..cooked in your braincells.” The two Venturers walked in the dunes for some minutes meanwhile the sandstorm got worse and worst. “Can you see Anorith? We must find him for the baton.” “I barely see my paw now to be honest, chick.” “Don’t call me chick, I’m a gentlewoman still if I’m sweating and panting.” “Even with the tounge sticked out the beak to lick the ground or your same sweat?” “CIAFF!CIAFF!” “Ok, got it.” Offended in her pride Piplup strove to come back to her composure as in the videotape: walking firmly and with dignity uncare of the thirst and the fatigue.

Enjoying the air-conditioner in the vent Piplup spoke “I care to keep class even when I’m burning down at 90° degrees, tired, sweat, even wounded by the storm. I dare Gorebyss to do this U.U”

Still keeping a graceful walking gait Piplup tripped on something hidden in the sand: it was pointy but smooth, but it was impossible to guess until the sandstorm would have not calmed down. Piplup shook off some sand of the wings and kept strolling. Anorith had found easily a shelter nearby, a rock was enough to protect and hide himself, however he had only one baton with himself and the sandstorm had mazed him a little.

“What was the straight way to go? I hope to have not walked in circle. Ah, finally the sand storm stopped, I can return to the relay. But where’s the Jirachi baton?!”

“Hey, Piplup, isn’t our baton? I just realized this as of now I can see again.” “Ahah, it was all my merit!”

“Darn! Nevermind, better go away before they spot me again.”

…the three pokèmons walked through the dunes for half an hour…sometimes stopped to rest or breath…but the thirst was killing them and their lucidity..

“I…must…drink…NOW..” Piplup whined limping for the tiredom. She was feeling really sick as prompt to faint, Squirtle even worst but he found soon a solution: took off his shell. (And was CENSORED) “Ah, without that thing I’m feeling betta’..” Piplup squealed in shock “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THIS IS..OH MY ARCEUS…ASHAME! COVER YOURSELF IMMEDIATELY!” “But—“ “But nothing! DRESS BACK YOUR SHELL NOW, PRIMITIVE.”

“Ok, okay, but chill-out…” “I just have had chills seeing your naked body, so shut up.” Squirtle sighed and excused just to shut her beak “Can we get over this and think how can we find some water? Don’t know you but I’m very thirsty.” Piplup agreed “I know there’s lot of water in a cactus but I don’t want to humiliate myself drinking from a plant as a primitive U.U” Squirtle shrugged “If you prefer to die dishydratated is your problem, as much as I love to have style all the time, I’ll try a shot of cactus water immediately.” Piplup changed soon idea and rushed to the first cactus available, but not her neither him were able to understand how to drink without getting stung by the needles and renounced.

Few meters away Anorith was taking a pause to drink, cutting a cactus with the scissors. “Zack! Glu, glu, glu. Puah, cactuses tasted better at my era. Anyway those two has no experience in this kind of things, the time I’ll pass my baton they’ll barely crawl to this point, ahahah! I’d like to see that scene. Rookies.” He cut another cactus but a giant fist slammed on his shell. Flattened and dolorant Anorith realized he had just slashed a Cacturne! That of course didn’t like the idea. Dodging the second punch for luck he runned away the fastest he could forgetting the baton. In this way he reached the zone of Sinnoh. “Ah, I’m first! Clack.”

“And the baton?” Aurorus asked while Vanillite sniggered. Anorith blanked and rushed quickly backward.

Aurorus titled her neck and frowned “I don’t have a good feeling.” Vanillite approved “Totally agree: he will take a life to come back.” “I ain’t speaking about Anorith..”

...passed many more minutes…

“Do you see anything at the horizon?” Bagon observed cautiously in wait, hoping to spot signs of the teammates. “No, sgrunt. This is the 51th time you ask the same and the answer is still NO. Understood? Rumpf.” Lucario answered in a cranky tone. “I was just asking, whatever..I should have been in place of Squirtle, he doesn’t have goggles like me. Oh, hey..here they are..I see two..crawling?...figures approaching! They look exhausted, oh boy.”

“Anf..anf…anfff..did we arrive? Finally, I need 10 showers, a couch, a rain of tea and an year in the real Ice Path to heal from this experience” Piplup said barely breathing, creeping and crawling slowly on the sand, carring the Jirachi plushie on her head like a bandana. Squirtle dried the sweat and talked to Bagon “Man, I don’t have idea how I survived to this..totally crazy…I’m so thirsty….tired…but at least I got a super-cool sunbath! Look at my skin, I’m blue-bronze now. Bow and 5-me bro!”

Victini had is first confessional having a doubtful expression on the face: “They took 2 hours to complete a 110m track of desert and they look like close to die: I’m curious to see what will happen when I’ll do a challenge in a real desert!?”

“Yeh, dude, you deserve this high five! By the way a question: did you forget you are WATER types that can drink from their same WATER moves like for example WATER Gun?”

Piplup and Squirtle exchanged a glance and slapped each other hard enough to knock out. Legit question, assassin question. “Guess this counts as yes.” “CAN YOU JUST PICK THE BATON AND GO?I’M SICK TO WAIT.”

“Jeez, Lucario, ok, I’m doing that but chill out for once.” They started to climb and Anorith arrived soon after with the baton of the Victini Venturers. Instead there were no evidences of Rotom and Porygon 2 yet.

“Where are those two? Should we wait still for them? Urgh, I mean, take a look upside: the other racers have already started to climb the mountain. I don’t know what to do” Castform glanced in worry at Metang, that started to climb “NO. Stop to wait for them, it’s useless since there are two other batons we can aim to. I calculated everything for a plan: I climb and cause some mess, you fly high to the peak of the fake Mt. Coronet, get into your Snow Form and generate an hail storm.”

“And then?”

“This is all you need to know” the metallic crustaceus clenched her in the claw and dragged the cloudy forecaster closer whispering “Now quit with an excuse, go in the sky without Victini or the others see you, and do what I said. Don’t force me to repeat.”

“K-Kay. Ahem, Victini? I forgot to say I…uh..suffer of vertigos, I can’t do this part of the relay.”

Victini shook his head vigorously “Quit is the opposite thing I believe in: being a winner. By the V-ay if you can’t take the height of the challenge, fine. As you Leviathans aren’t enough in troubles…” but actually agreed. Unseen Castform flew away where the weather was snowy and colder, in a perfect copycat of the famous mountain chain of Sinnoh: here her body crystalized and assumed a cianotical palette of indigo, her head was soon surrounded by an icy armour, the cloud got more whirly and ended with a wedge resembling an icicle. She used Hail causing a blizzard that infested the whole mountain.

“Sgrunt, we missed only the hail” guess who said this.

At this point Metang spoke in the Vent Confessional “Started as planned. Also I considered a possible failure and consequences: if anything might go wrong Castform will be the only one in the spotlight to get all the fault for multiple reasons. Here’s the list: quit from the relay with a sheer lie, caused the hail, cheated escalating the mountain by levitation, was the main reason our team lost, enough to seal her fate. There’s 50% of risk but my plan will be worthy in any case.”

The part of the fake Sinnoh consisted in a long vertical climb of a simulacre of the Mt. Coronet:an uneven path half covered in snow and ice. It was very easy to slip and fall down as Bagon experienced soon.

“Bagon! You ok?”

“Don’t worry, bro, I’m strong headed and used to crashfall in this way.”

Videotape of Bagon: he’s seen on the top of a hill wearing a pair of goggles and a cloak “High there! My name is Bagon and my dream is only one: to fly. This is the try number 251 I’m going to do right now. The cloak will help me being blown by the wind and in this way… I’ll finally fly! LET’S GOOOOOOoooooooooooo…THUMP!”

-the screen goes black few seconds-

Bagon now has a kite attached on his back “WB, people! This is the try 252: the kite will work like a pair of wings making me flutter in the sky” put on again his goggles and give a fierce grin to the camera “I won’t fail this time, you betcha” starting to run to take off the cliff. “Wohoooo, the wind on my body is a freaking sensation, I did it, I di-KAKRAAAM! O-k, a thunder was totally unexpected. Fiiiiiii…..THUMP! Ouk, stay tuned for the next try, after I do a little check to the doctor..”

Leading the way Lucario frowned seeing the companion already out of the game but kept climbing with his baton: he was a warrior and had no time to waste on idiots. By the way the hail was already stomping on his nerves a lot, suddenly an huge tremor made the mountain to tremble and an icy boulder missed him for few yards. He snorted in relief. Vanillite and Aurorus had no troubles in the hailstorm but they were moving slow, especially the latter, she seemed almost flinch and wobbled, another magnitudo made her to miss the grip and skid down the mountain on the brink of a precipice:she saved herself creating a bridge of ice with an ice beam. Soon after she returned to climb and strive.

The Victini Venturers resting at the peanut gallery exchanged worried opinions:

“What’s happening to Aurorus? S-She seems tired” Dunsparce asked to Tropius, without being replied. Seviper hissed maliciously “I thought sssshe was an expert of the mountainsss. Didn’t you purpose her for this part of the relay, Tropius? Ssso, what do you think?” Tropius didn’t care for the snake and continued to stare at the screen, narrowing the eyes to have the max resolution: “She’s poisoned!” Took off the land fastly. Aurorus suddenly felt the forces abandoning her cold body, her eyelids heavy, fainted in front of Victini and the ohter pokèmons, fell rapidly down the mountain but was caught right in time by Tropius.

“Ohh! What happened?” Victini said sincerely worried “She got poisoned” the tropical brontosaurus replied with a glare “Aurorus..speak to me..brrr..atchoom! Her body is so cold that I’m freezing. Do you have a medical center here, right?” “No, we’re on my own star secret island in this moment, but don’t worry, Jirachi can heal her with a wish. Said this, the show must go on! Anorith, the baton is now yours again, go climb in replace.”

“Despite I’m tired, I can’t refuse this task. In this way I’ll redeem my value after the stupid mistake made in the previous part.” Anorith sighed in tiredom. “So, get to go.”

The relay continued, with only four pokèmon fighting for the baton pass: Lucario, Vanillite, Metang, Anorith. Vanillite and Anorith bickered for the possess of the baton but eventually Anorith won this honor since Vanillite quitted because “It’s time to serve Miss Gorebyss the 2nd ration of golden flakes of coral.”

Lucario all alone has almost reached the peak when another tremor caused an avalanche that slammed against the aura dog, he dodged some big rocks, stood firmly at the hits of the littlest ones (still muttering something btw) and destroyed the biggest boulder coming onto him with a single punch, clenching the baton with the teeth. No time to reck that the mountain trembled another time forcing him to do a combo of fight attacks to survive at the avalance + the hailstorm. “AGAIN? Grrr.” He looked down and finally saw the origin of everything: Metang was using Meteor Punch against the structure of the mountain. “HEY!!! It’s you. Two can play this game” Lucario angrily kicked a big piece of rock that bounced down in the direction of Metang, but this one didn’t do anything to avoid it. The boulder bounced and bounced and bounced missing him at all, squeezing instead Anorith.

Metang then punched again the mountain, generating another avalanche. Lucario got more frustrated, tried the same and failed again, growling.

“It’s everything calculated in my case. I have not a single perfect brain, but two. I can predict each move and consequence doing simple calculations: that’s why I never miss an hit, he keeps missing me.”

“Lucario, don’t lose it.” Chimecho prayed in the vent “I’m trying to send him this message but his aura is too darkened by the fury.”

The fight/steel pokèmon had already lost the control. He casted a big sphere of energy from his hands and threw it to Metang, but this one deflected the hit with a Light Screen sending it back, Lucario prepared to receive the attack that was instead hijacked to the hailstorm : at this point the Force Sphere spliced in different parts bouncing among the various shards of ice. Lucario’s agility was unworthy and in the meanwhile Metang dashed to a different position, so when Lucario got blasted repetitively he had nothing to do then wait that the baton fell in his claws with 100% of accuracy.

“Ohh, wow! This is almost impossible.”

“How did he know that the plushie would have fallen exactly in that spot?”

With the same accuracy Metang sealed the last hit that made Lucario to fall down, then reached the peak and continued forward the swamp track. Under a stable weather Castform returned at her neutral form and followed the bionic crab staying hidden in the sky. Meanwhile Anorith and Lucario received some medical helps for their injuries from their teammates..

Anorith was trying to fix the cracked shell “Can someone help me, thanks?” but he couldn’t do anything with those short claws he had. “I have no hands” was the answer of Dunsparce and Seviper while Vanillite ignored the question and when Tropius offered the anomalocaris prefered to do it by himself in a way.

On the contrary Lucario was assisted by Chimecho, but refused her help or any help at all. “I don’t need any help, sgrunt. I can heal and go all alone, standing by myself and MYSELF ONLY” licked his wounded leg and arm. “Lucario, don’t be stubborn, distress your mind and…” “Stop with this yoga stuff, how many times I have to repeat it? I DON’T NEED ANY HELP! Sgrunt, I can…ouff….hhss..I can climb perfectly, without the need to be healed” he shouted standing up and limped back to the escalation. Piplup shook the head in annoyance “Stupid dog.” There was still the baton of Jirachi left on the mountain and Anorith and Lucario had to fight for it. In a normal condition the result of this struggle would be obvious, but the injures of Lucario advantaged Anorith who was sneaky enough to use Rock Smash on the weakened legs of him.

In this way Lucario arrived last to the peak without any baton. However Metang’s heavy body didn’t afford him to move fast in the marsh and this reduced the outdistance with the other two, that had minor difficulties, Anorith cause of the light weight, Lucario cause of his height and the mud also assolved a teurapethic function. Waiting for them in the sewer of the fake Castelia City there were Lunatone, Oshawott with Swalot and Beheeyem.

“Glom..gnum..gomple..munch, munch..”

“……………………………………………”

“Ptù! Gnam, crunk..suuuuck..munk..”

“…………………………………………….”

“Buuuuuuuuurp!”

“Aaaargrrr!! I can’t take this anymore!” Oshawott bursted out after having been spat on some filth by Swalot for the last time “I’ve enough of YOU FREAK spitting on me all the muck you swallows every 5 minutes and YOU OTHER FREAK staring at me with that creepy eye. And if YOU dare say something about, Space Invadork, I’m gonna send you to the hell with my shell, CLEAR?” Beheeyem twitched and shrugged in silence, playing with his three lights. “How much time I have still to wait here, grr?!!”

Metang arrived first and baton passed immediately with the alien. This one calmly floated straight in search of the exit: the part dedicated to Unova consisted only in Castellia City, with its sewers and traffic. Anorith came soon after, swimming in the muddy sewage “Lunatone, here you go. Anf, I’m utterly exhausted.. ahem, Lunatone? LUNATONE!!?” the moon rock had warped away. “Urgh, that lame didn’t take the baton, don’t tell me I have to continue ag-GHX!” Oshawott stomped a foot on him “Don’t worry, I’ll take it in your place, oshawahahah!”

// Confessional //

“WHAT’S UP? In some occasion I’m fair and kind, in others I become a beast that has no mercy and is determinated to win at every cost. Forget the sweet oat since now to the end of the relay.”

“I’ll return to be a fossil soon in this way…” Anorith moaned in pain, in bandages.

Oshawott ran with the Jirachi Baton but slipped and lost it in the drain water. “Oh, no, ewwww! I must recuperate but..eeww, no I don’t have the courage to dive in this slime..I KNEW YOU WERE A COWARD. Shut up, Mayko, don’t complicate things even more! THIS IS WHY I SHOULD HAVE THE FULL CONTROL OF THIS BODY, AND NOT YOU. Aggr, do you want me show my guts? Fine! Prepare for the lesson” the oat raised her razor scallop and hit herself hard. Fainting.”

Swalot approached to the flush and started to drink “What if I suck all the water?Glu, glu, glu, gluuuuu..done.” Oshawott stood up immediately “Great move! Finally you serve at something, so where’s the baton you vacuumed?” “Glumbe..gnom..gurgle..buuuurp. In my stomach, where else?” “Osha-whaaat? Spit it, s-p-i-t it! Don’t force me to pick it by myself, kay? BECAUSE I’M ABLE TO DO THAT, SINCE YOU DON’T COLLABORATE, HA! I’LL SHOW WHO’S THE BOSS HERE AND WHY IT’S BETTER FOR YOU TO OBEY ALWAYS.” Swalot gargled in reply “You know –buuuurp- there’s vetriolum inside my stomach, right? And that if you put your paws inside I’ll digest them in few seconds?” Oshawott let the grip screaming in horror and got to the chase of the only baton left, currently in the hands of Beheeyem. This one had already found an open manhole cover and was in the main street, dodging the cars or using the hands like traffic lights.Oshawott tried the same trick but got run over immediately.

With no surprise Beheeyem arrived first at the lap of Kalos yet almost exhausted “Anf, anf..Drif..here..th..bat..on. Hope you remember what you have to do, right?”

“Eh?...ooh, a *plushie* for me? Thaaank you so much!” Drifloon hugged the alien and fluttered away humming a melody at a very slow pace. Beheeyem and the others stared at her “Whatever.”

// Confessional //

“Aaaaanf, sport activity? I knew the pokèmons on this planet were stupid but couldn’t think so much. They like to kill themselves with physical activities and..aaanf..whatever, no breath to speak.”

'Drifloon squealed in the vent “Ihhhh, a present for me, how tender! Wait, this mean it’s my fiancèe? I didn’t remember to have one, need to reflect… …. …? Why I’m inside the vent for air-conditioner of a plane? Ah, me goof, paf! I’m on TV, now. Then first of all I should make a little introduction: hi, my name is Drifloon!”

Sylveon, Vileplume and Vivillon still waited, until Oshawott arrived: she looked horrible, half covered in slimy garbage with the signs of the wheels on the body and totally smoked by the smog.

“What happened? You need a medical check soon as possible!”

“Oh my bug, you remember me Cinderella in this way! This makes me sooo envious: you’re gonna sure take your blue prince before me.” Vivillon commented first in excitement then in annoyance…

“All I need is an holiday far far away, also this is not your business, Sylveon. VIVILLON, CONNECT YOUR ANTENNAS ON MY WORDS: THERE’S ONLY ONE BATON LEFT AND THAT’S THE ONE THE ALIEN PASSED TO THE BALLOON, SINCE THAT BOTTOMLESS GARBAGE ATE OURS” pointed out at Swalot. “Sniff, what? Really that’s the only baton remained? Then we have –atchom- to run fast and reach her.” Vileplume dragged Sylveon and jumped in the flower camps, Vivillon dashed in the sky to seek for Drifloon.

The final part of the relay was a flowerish path of tulipans and sunflowers that brought to the copycat of the glorious Luminose Tower, the first pokèmon to reach the top carrying a baton would have sealed the victory for its team. Running through all those flowers was a torture for the allergic Vileplume but he hold the bless.

“How goes with your illness, don’t you need a kleenex?” Sylveon asked carefully.

“No, thanks. I’m managing to resist..sniiiiiif..in zomewhat way. Anyway, I got an idea to catch Drifloon since she’s high in the air. Listen..” she whispered in the ear of the fairy fox, that initially refused but eventually accomplished. Drifloon kept floating above the hills unaware of everything. Vivillon kept to be distracted by the flowers lost in one of her fairy tale dreams, but eventually spotted her aim. Vileplume stopped while Sylveon took the run-up, jumped on his giant flower like a trampuline and bounced in the air at contemporary Vivillon flew up and the two collided.

“Vivillon, I didn’t saw you, sorry. How do you feel?”

“I’ve just got tackled by a fairy-type…**fwwwwweee, I’m in parrrrradise, is this a drrrream?!**” the pixellated butterfly flapped her wings for the emotion spreading scatters everywhere: she felt fine, then.

“Oh, no, Luminose Tower is at the horizon! Hmm..that hill is enough high. Sniiiiiiiif. Ehp, okay, let’s go.” Vileplume and Sylveon (with Vivillon attached at her ribbons like a stalker) ran the fast they could to the last hill waiting for Drifloon…15 minutes later she fluttered above them. Vileplume prepared to catch her with the assistance of Sylveon:

“Du-de-dum, I’m floating behind the sun, all my memories and preoccupations are gone…hey?”

“Gimmah that-sniif- baton and I’ll let you go.”

“Baton? What are you talking about, excuse me? Also..do we know each other, sir?”

“C’mon, you know, that..that..at…at..” the scatters of Vivillon tickled his nose “Atchoooooooooooooom!!!” and the bless was so powerful to blow Drifloon up up away to the top of the tower but also to spread his spores everyhwere around that put to sleep Sylveon, Vivillon and the same Vileplume “Oh, no,zzz….”

Victini announced doing a firebolt “Drifloon is the first and only to reach the end, that means the winners of the first challenge ever in this competition are the Laser Latias Leviathans!” “L-A-S-E-R! L-A-T-I-A-S! L-E-V-I-A-T-H-A-N-S! GO LASER LATIAS LEVIATHANS!!!” the cheerleading mices celebrated the victory together Castform, Metang, Beheeyem and Lampent. Everyone of the Jirachi Jigglers glared at Vivillon and Swalot, but suddenly the poison sack had an huge regurgitation and burped out the Jirachi Baton letting everyone but Victini speechless.

“….and with a surprising (and disgusting) twist the Jigglers place second and this leaves with no baton for the nomination the Victory Victini Venturers, oh, no! Kidding me? You dared to lost with my name upon? Ashame yourselves and get ready for the first flight…and crashland in your case.” The host got on the plane indignated. But came back “Almost forgot to explain you the system of nomination: you’ll be given card games of all the contestants and what you have to do is just put your footprint on the card representing the contestant you wish to go. See you later.”

// Confessional //

Anorith entered first in the vent covered in plasters “I strived more than anyone, they can’t blame me anything. Many pokèmons caused this defeat, Seviper, Vanillite, Aurorus, Lunatone and Vileplume, but I know perfectly who deserves really to go.”

Vileplume was the second, carrying an epipen “SNIIIFF, I-I tried to warn them about my spores, whenever I blow up sometimes I can..ATCHOOOM! blah, yeah, you got it. My vote is for Seviper..uh..a-a-at”

Tropius barely put his head in, he gave an angry look to the camera “Vileplume’s spores caused the illness of Aurorus: I’m sorry but he’s going down.” He stomped his footprint on the photo of the poisonous flower. A red gleam appeared in the grate. When Tropius exited, Seviper crept inside smiling diabolically “He can’t ssssuspect ssshe was already poisoned by me: this is the payback to have stomped on my tail. Hiisss.”

Vanillite put his print on the photo of Anorith “Because Gorebyss is mine, mine, mine, MINE! Argh, I’m in late for the preparation of her dinner.”

Dunsparce frowned “I-I just hope to not be eliminated. I think I did actually well, but, I’m still a dunsparce.” The land snake put his print on Seviper’s card before to leave.

On the plane the moods were different: the Laser Latias Leviathans were relaxing in the comfort of the vip class, the Jirachi Jigglers were already sleeping, except few ones, and on the Tail of Losers the Victini Venturers were fighting with the wind and the anxiety of the nomination.

Castform enjoyed a spa-treatment and a massage on her seat “This is a paradise, cheating was worthy, uh, Metang?” “ I don’t know what are you talking about, that hailstorm was a natural phenom that I was able to use at my advantage” the tank crab drawled dryly, giving a nasty glare. Drifloon glanced nervously at the window “I can’t relax thinking I’m flying for the first time in my life!”

In normal class Bagon couldn’t sleep for the excitement “I’m too eager at the idea we are flying, I can’t sleep, plus I wanna see how this experience is lived in the cabin of the pilot: imagine all the stars he sees there, and what astounding sensation must be having the moonlight in front of your face! Bro, I’m gonna take a peep because I can’t resist.” The dragon walked to the head of the plane and lurked silently in the cabin, where Jirachi was driving…asleep!

Bagon came back to the normal class with a blank face. “Hey, man, how was the experience? You look like someone that just saw a ghost” Squirtle noticed. “Infact, I just saw the pilot…” Bagon sat rattling for the shock and went to sleep.

File:Tail of Losers.png
The V-Plane: Tail of Losers.

On the Tail of Losers the Victini Venturers were waiting for Victini, attached at their seats tied in the straps the tighest they could: the two lighest, Dunsparce and Anorith, were generously tied by Sylveon with her ribbons. Victini finally arrived:

“Vvelcome to your first Ceremony of the Voltorb of Victimization, Venturers! You couldn’t begin this season worst, this was a poor performance, do better next time. Kay? Don’t forget you carry the pride of my valiant name, a name that means victory.” Victini did a sign of victory blinking, then returned serious “Anyway, if I call your name you’re safe: Anorith, Aurorus, Dunsparce, Gorebyss, Sylveon and Tropius.” The mentioned pokèmon were given macarones in prize of immunity. “Mhh, munch, don’t know you, but I craze for these sweets…ahem, let’s go on with the last macarone that goes to…Vanillite, that received only a vote.” Anorith snapped a claw in disappointment. Seviper hissed “What about usssss?”

The V-host launched three pokè balls to the bottom 3. “Coming to you, Lunatone and Vileplume, it’s time for the final explosive surprise. One of the three balls is a Voltorb that if explodes after a countdown in front of your face, you’re OUT! Ready?

3..

2..

1..

Ka-boom!”

Seviper blink-blinked, Lunatone stared and Vileplume coughed hard many times “Coff-coff, that means I’m out? But all this ash makes me allergic-..a-allergic at-at-at- choooooooooooooooooooom!!!” and with a super bless he fell in the void of the sky. “He didn’t let me the time to pass him a parachute, but..wow, first elimination and you rid off your leader? Now I need to choose a new one: Vanillite!”

“VANILLITE, SSSSERIOUSLY OR KIDDING????”

“His name starts with a V, afterall” Victini pumped his chest. “This is the end of the first episode of Total Pokèdramon VV Touuuuur! I lo-V-e you all, to the next time!”

Epilogue
Undella Town beach. Porygon 2 and Rotom are laying on the sand, wearing sunglasses.

“Bip. This is clearly the wrong place, we should reset this day. Is it possible?”

“No, but I don’t care, ahahah! By the way, I have already a quirky plan to solve the mistake: trust me, it’s a majestic idea! Relax, now. OH, WAIT, I WANT TO END THIS EPISODE AS THE LAST TIME!” Lester broke the 4th wall and waved to the readers doing an epic pose: “That’s all quirks!”

Chapter Text

The sunrise woke up the Victini Venturers sleeping outside on the tail of the plane: that had been a tough night for many. Anorith had slept clenching the seat with the claws keeping an eye open for the fear to be blown away, Dunsparce couldn’t sleep having Lunatone staring at him all the time (since Lunatone never sleeps) and Tropius was too worried for the health of Aurorus. “She was just poisoned. What it’s taking all this time?”

“Tropius, you should sleep at least an hour, I’m sure she’s fine, trust my words” Sylveon whispered next to him “Unless maybe there weren’t consequencial symptoms, for example the poison arrived to her brain and destroyed all the cells, or…”

"GOT IT!!!” he shouted loudly that his voice echoed even inside the plane. “I go check personally.”

“There’s no need.” Aurorus opened a window and waved with her long neck, then got the ladder for the tail. “I’m fine, Jirachi wished for an antidote and after a bit of time used it on me. I’m sorry to have skipped the nomination, yesterday. Who left?” Tropius scoffled in relief and answered “Vileplume, since it was all his fault if we lost and more important you got sick.” There was a pause of silence between the two, that looked both pretty nervous and uneasy at each others, then the grass type saurus spoke again “Hey, I imagine you didn’t have breakfast yet, so want some fruit? I..ehm..heard that vitamines helps when you’re convalescent. Pity I don’t grow Pecha Berry. Ok..acc..not again..” Aurorus nodded but Tropius found again difficulties to pick his fruits, so she provided by herself snatching a fruit from his neck “Don’t worry, I know how to get them at this point” smiled giving a bite, Tropius let out a nervous akward coughing. Seviper, that had watched the scene, smirked and crawled inside the vent.

// Confessional //

“This romance is pretty interesting for my plans: getting in love and suffer after will make me easy to rid off both in a single strike.” In the meanwhile Seviper coiled her body around a wild rattata that was walking in the tube, and ate it up in a single bite before she continued “However, before I start anything on these two I need to find some allies to cover my back and take eventually the blame, one way or another.”

“Groan, what a terrible night. I had a nightmare after another for the anxiety of the competition and most of all the feeling of the red eyes of Lunatone s-staring at me, sigh!” Dunsparce shrilled to discharge all the fear accumulated. But he shrieked louder and shrank in himself when he heard an hiss and saw Seviper creeping from the grate “S-S-Sev-v-viper?? Why are you here, if I dare to ask?”

“Oh, you know, sssince I got shockingly voted yesterday, I simply decided to check who to consider my friend and who to consider my FOOD.” Seviper gave a stab look to the land snake “How should I consider you, then? But the most important question is: how should I react once I discover the truth?”

“Glom. I..I confess! I-I voted you, by more fear than spite, and..sorry, you can eat me if you want.” The other trembled cowardly preparing for his punishment “Relax…I’m not gonna do you anything, we’re both snakes and don’t rely on an high reputation, so our chances are pretty ssslim. However, I know how to survive on my own forces, while you don’t seem to have the same guts.” Dunsparce nodded sadly “Yes, I’m so weak by myself, I joined to this reality just to realize my wish to prove I am a stronger pokèmon…” sobbed and tried to lurk away but Seviper blocked him the way with the blade tail.

“I can teach you how to survive to this cruel world where none helps you else than yourself, abandoned to your fate from the birth.”

“R-Really?”

“I ssswear on Arceus. In exchange you’ll obey at all my orders and directives since now. Deal?”

“I-I’d like to think about, if you let me a day, maybe..but the purpose is really interesting, thanks for the dispoinibility!” Seviper did a shriek of laughter then “I suppose you didn’t get the point: there are only two options to leave this vent, allied with me or ssshredded.” A minute later there was only Seviper still inside the tube “One is found, with a little of psychology and menace, time to find a second ally. Let’s look around.”

“Zzz..eh..uh? AAAAAAAARGH!!!! It’s so late, I forgot to feed Princess Gorebyss!” Vanillite screamed all of sudden and flashed to the bowl of her, receiving only a splash of water. Crossing the fins, Gorebyss glanced at the ice cream, yawned dramatically as offended and ignored his excuses, taking the can of food with the needle, and swam back in her luxurious oyster bed. Anorith giggled behind the pityful Vanillite who glowered in reply.

The mood inside the plane was surely better. Everyone of the Leviathans was relaxated as never except for Minun and Metang that wondered about what could have been of Lester and Porygon 2…

“Metang, since you seem to be the only savvy guy as me in this team, that unlike Beheeyem cares for the competition, and” Minun whispered “ since my sister is now still asleep…”

“She’s a pain, uh?” Metang observed with a smirk “Eh? No, no, she isn’t, I love her but she’s just…nevermind, it’s not important now. Shouldn’t we think who to nominate leader in place of Rotom?” the mice finally asked. “It’s up to Victini.”

Minun crossed arms and nodded thoughtful “Alright. I don’t want to guess who he will choose, probably -brr- Drifloon.” Soon after chuckled at the idea. Metang instead narrowed the eyes doing some calculates in mind.

The Jirachi Jigglers’s females had just woken up and were having breakfast with tea and cookies. “So, what do you think of the first challenge? To me it was a massacre.” Piplup started the conversation, sipping, then spitted when Oshawott maliciously asked with a grin “Because you saw the full body of Squirtle?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about..tsk.” the snooty Piplup turned up her beak puffing cheeks in offense “I re-watched the episode broadcasted on my Scallophone. Want to see the priceless face you made?” Piplup smacked her arm away making the phone to splash right in the tea pot.

“Argh, MY PHONE! HOW DARE YOU, NOW YOU’RE GOING TO DIE, GRRR.”

Chimecho emitted a ding that calmed down the ott again “We’re here to relax and distress, not to fight. Let’s speak about something else.” Vivillon raised her antennas and got soon quilly “Uh! Uh! I have one: I had a an incrrrrrrredible dream tonight! There was a big shining castle that…”

“I have a BETTER ONE.” Lucario dipped a cookie in his tea, crossed a leg, and interrupted her with his blunt voice “Did you hear about the pregnance of one of the Victini Venturers?”

“WHAT?!?” everyone turned to him “Lucario, are you serious?” but the dog frowned angrily “What’s up? I wasn’t speaking with you but with myself, keep talking and FORGET MY WORDS SINCE NOW…grunt.” As he walked away Oshawott, Piplup, Vivillon all squinted “That guy is really strange” Chimecho assumed only to shrift, but she did care.

// Confessional //

“I spread fake rumours about people when I’m bored. This is a sort of hobby: I tell a foe gossip on someone and then watch how the thing develops. It’s rarely not funny.” Lucario did something between a smile and a frown at the end of the speech. “Yes, this is my main hobby: DON’T JUDGE ME!”

Piplup got in the vent next “As much as he must be a rude jerk, I’m surprised by his gossip. Where did he take from such a news? Need to know more, I’m too curious. Hopefully he’ll tell more at the tea session of the afternoon."

The girls continued to chitchat trying to guess whom exactly Lucario was referring to when suddenly the plane got faster, heeled over pouring all the tea set on Lucario (that gnarled) and crashlanded on a fountain. Victini shouted at the megaphone:

“Good morning, pokècampers! We’re arrived at Celadon City! Ji…. Jirachi? JIRACHI? WAKE UUUP! Why you idiot just landed on the statue symbol of the town? You know, dunsparce you are, how much I’ll have to pay for this? That’s it. I’m going to burn your sleepy ass with a Generator..oh, jeez, this thing is still broadcasting.”

“Duuuh..this will have consequences for you, I guess.”

“In the name of Reshiram, just shut up now!”

“Dunsparce you are…then they’re surprised if I think I’m useless,” Dunsparce stated sharply. When everyone got off the plane they were surrounded by the colours and the eagerness of one of the most famous city of the region of Kanto: Celadon City. “Wow, I’ve never been here.” Bagon commented gazing around, Squirtle grinned taking on his shades “I’ve been here many times, instead, and it’s the paradise: casinò, gym, all you can eat contests and pretty tourists! What a man can ask for more?” Piplup and Oshawott gave him a dull look.

Swallow smoothed back his feathers starting to seek around, flew on the top of the fountain in the middle of the town and started to brag his qualities, in the meanwhile Gorebyss left her precious tank to dive into the water, and they both did some acrobacies in the air and in the water.

Vanillite took quickly a machine and started to pick some photos to the pink fish “*FLASH* Another pose, princess, you’re so gorgeous!*FLASH*” , Plusle didn’t waste time, dressed on herself and the brother with the cheerleader suit, and joined the show “CELADON!CELADON! CELADON CITY! C- E –L-A-D-O-N CIIIITYY!” maybe it was the eagerness spread by the location but also Vivillon, Drifloon, Bagon and Squirtle took part in the celebration. “What a circus…ridicolous” Metang shook the head with a stern expression, Castform and Lampent nodded and Beheeyem added “I wonder if this can get any worse.”

The answer arrived soon: Victini appeared in a sparkle of fire flashing on the top of the fountain, singing and pushing down Swellow, where he did some aereal evolutions carving a giant V in the marble “Ta-dah! I say welcome to you in the town of the fun and the land of tourism also known as Celadon City! Done this, I won’t lose time and speak about the challenge, that’s gonna be in perfect theme with the party-like atmosphere of this place. Infact, the challenge is to act like a tourist and what does a tourist do? Takes photos of the most iconic places, tries the local activities, and spends all the money he has in the wallet in game and souvenirs.” Squirtle rubbed his hands, Vivillon could barely breath for the excitement, Drifloon assumed a determined look. “So what we have to do exactly?” Tropius asked impatiently. Victini continued “You’ll be spliced in three groups for team, each one assigned to a different kind of task: those who take photos, those who join the local activites and those that spend money for the fun. Of course this will not be a walk of pleasure:

-The groups assigned for the photos will have to take some particular photos that will be valued for their accuracy, also they’ll have only a chance for each photo.

-The groups assigned for the shopping-spree will have a little budget of coins to spend in the casinò in order to try to win the most money they can, that they’ll have to spend buying the souvenirs signed on a list.

-The groups of the activities will have to visit the local gym and the Game Freak building, to respectively gain the rainbow badge and create a videogame!”

“WHAT? This is the most absurd of the three.” Minun shook violently the head “How are we supposed to do something normally only an experienced engineer and programmer could do with many strives and lot of patience in one year of work? There’s no way we can, this is obvious.” Plusle knocked on his skull “Don’t be so negative. Everything is possible if we believe it is!” which Victini approved. “That’s the spirit! Now, once the three challenges will be done I’ll keep only the groups with the best results and take the last challenge, that I’ll reveal you at the right moment. By the way I can already tell you that the loser team will be the one with less players remained at the end, so do your best in each of the three first challenges to not be disadvantaged in the last one!” meanwhile he finished to explain Jirachi sleep-floated to give the contestants the necessary instructions, the V-host then raised proudly his wheel “To end it’s finally time to spin my fabolous wheel for the first time: so..so..so…the V-Waves will be Fire-type today, that means Lampent will be pretty lucky while bad luck on the horizon for all the Water pokèmons nearby.”

“Tsk, I don’t believe in this idiocy of the waves” Oshawott spoke with a bit of arrogance. Victini smiled back snidely as she tripped on the ground. “What? This happens to me continuosly, has nothing to do with the jinx. BRAVA, YOU JUST ADMITTED ON GLOBAL TV TO BE A KLUMSY LOSER. Urgh, really..? Gnn, shut up, I don’t need you to point out at my stupidity! YES, YOU DO THAT PERFECTLY BY YOURSELF, WHAT A SHAME.. Shut the shell up!” Everyone stared at her for some minutes, she blushed and walked to a corner.

“I-It’s not my fault, is my alter ego that always makes me lose it! Ok??” Oshawott cried in the confessional. “HOW PATHETIC, IF ONLY I COULD HAVE THE FULL CONTROL, BUT I HAVE TO RESIGN AT THE IDEA THE MOST I CAN DO IS MAKE THE WHIMPY-ME AT LEAST LESS WHIMPY.”

“Sniff..zip that, I’m not a whimp. Absolutely no!! I’ll show that one day, I-” the echo of the voice of Chimecho interrupted her speech “Is everything okay in there? I adverted a tensed aura that worried me, plus I was sent to tell you to return outside because we need to organize the parts for the challenge.”

The Victini Venturers had already started to organize themselves: Vanillite obviously picked himself for the photos and chose Gorebyss as partner but Anorith hooked up too, Lunatone and Aurorus were given the easiest role getting to the casinò, the other pokèmons were undecided about the settings for the third challenge.

“To me the most convenient idea is to divide into 2 sub-groups, so at contemporary we’ll be able to achieve the double activities. I can take down the gym in easy, the problem is the other one: never played a videogame in my life neither knows how to create one.” Tropius explained glancing at his big unhandly paws. “I would probably crash the console with these.”

“At least…you have limbs.” Dunsparce sighed while Seviper glowered at the giant who felt ashame for this. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that. By the way, this is our big disadvantage, probably the only one compared to the other teams, we miss a geek expert of this matter.”

Seviper stood up smiling “I may have a sssolution. Don’t worry, do your part at the gym, we’ll do the rest.” and grabbed Dunsparce in her spires, crawling away. Tropius and Sylveon exchanged a look then decided to trust the snake, whatever she would have come with. Once the two entered in the gym of the town, Seviper got in a complete different direction than the one bringing to the Gamefreak Headquarter. “Ehm, S-Seviper, where are you going? A- Aren’t we supposed to go straight for the building, if I can ask? N-Not that I doubt your leadership, but..” Seviper hushed the landsnake with a simple glare, and replied “Not immediately. We have something more important to do before: search for other allies. I want to spy the other members of the team and see if there’s anything interesting to work on. Follow me.”

“I’m not much worried for this challenge. Most of the tasks are easy to do, except for the creation of a videogame but I think that we have clever pokèmons like Beheeyem and Metang who have enough knowledge, however we missed 2 members last time and we’re only 7. I mean, there’s lot of stuff to do and it’s quite impossible being so out numbered to do all the three, or better, five challenges in time…” Minun stopped to sigh a second, but before he could speak again Plusle shutted his mouth “Minun, Minun, it’s more time you waste speaking negatively than trying. How many times I have to tell you? Listen to me, team, we’re Leviathans, we can do everything if we believe!”

“I agree. Stop chitchat and organize our roles.” Metang spoke sternly “I can fight alone to win the badge meanwhile Beheeyem initializes the videogame, soon after I finish I’ll then reach him to back up.”

“Lampent should play at the slot machines since she benefits of the V-waves today” Castform suggested, Lampent shrugged, everyone agreed. Minun thought a bit and spoke again “Hey, I eventually play lot of videogames at home, I can give Beheeyem a paw for the project!”

“No, thanks, I don’t need a mouse to use the pc, I use telepathy.” the alien replied with a snarky gig. Minun shook the head “I’m serious. I know a lot about technology and I have fantasy…auch!” Plusle pulled him away by an ear “You’re going to do the photos together your beloved sister, and I don’t mean simple photos, but the most happy flappy zappy entertaining ever done!” spinned with her pom poms “Because we’re unseparable twins, right?”

“Right, but in this case…”

“ALWAYS.”

“Ok.”

Minun sighed and followed her, Victini flashed in the middle “Twins, so you decided to occupy of the pics? Then Lampent will go with you!” Lampent flinched leaving her dark book aside for the first time “What’s up? I thought we could organize by ourselves, dad...” Castform joined her protest almost arrived at the door of the casinò but Victini didn’t want to listen to excuses and imposed his autorithy, whispering an order to Plusle. Lampent scoffled and unentusiastically obeyed, being immediately welcomed by Plusle. “Yuppi, I’m sure we’ll have lot of fun, time to do a touristic tour of the town. Welcome on the entertrain of Minun & Plusle!”

Lampent whispered one word in disbelief “Why.”

Victini gave his explanation to the camera-vent: “I do this just for her good. As stepfather I’d like to see her more involved in social activities than always stuffed in her lone dimension of darkness and gloom. That’s why I forced to take part in the only challenge taken outside. I’m confident that the bright and cheerful company of Minun and Plusle, their energy, acrobacies, games and dances at contemporary with the multicolor life of this city will soften her mood and (more) hopefully makes a smile upon her face.” The fire fox legendary did a V of victory.

Plusle opened the map “Our first stop is the main plaza, where we have to represent the freshness. We’re already here!” Lampent scowled giving a strange glance to the water “So, what’s the idea?”

“I don’t know yet, but eventually I’ll come with something, remember: be positive and never drop the hope!...Blink!” the positive rodent zoomed away. Minun and Lampent stayed to wait, the former leant on the board and unawarely attracted some coins with his electric body, like a magnet. “ Curse my memory. Negative electrostaticity, I should have gone with the shopping spree group.”

“*FLASH* FLASH* FLASH* Adamant! Bold! Now Bashful..and then a Jolly pose! *FLASH* FLASH* Go, o’ my muse, you’re wonderful as always! Now show me a Naughty attitude…Magnificent! Gorgeous!” Vanillite (and a group of tourists) was taking a bunch of photos to Gorebyss that flipped, flicked, whirled and skipped in the crystalline waters of the monument assuming each time a different antic and showing off all her grace. It looked like she had forgiven him for his dimenticance. Anorith despite full on admiring Gorebyss the whole day, scorned this situation:

“I want to remember you that there’s no need to waste the entire roll of film when only one photo is required, and we have many other shots to do.”

“Waste? How dare you say such a thing? A roll dedicated entirely to Miss Gorebyss is not a waste, is a masterpiece, a relic, holy!

“Oh! W-Waste..me?..h-how touchy..I feel….*sniff*..” Gorebyss cried with a dramatic tear dropping down her face, Vanillite got immediately alarmed “YOU LITTLE MONSTER! No, no, Gorebyss, you’re too beautiful to be sad. Wait, correction, you’re so beautiful even gloomy, the tears hydrate your skales making them shinier!”

“Sob..really? Plus in this mood I can assume a perfect Shy pose, if I put a fin to cover my mouth and look with my doe innocent eyes. Then, I’m ready: take me that photo and continue.” The pink regalecidae stretched and returned to act like a professional top model.

Anorith frowned in the vent “She’s pretty strange as much as I love her, actually those two are one made for the other. By the way I’m still determined to get the heart of Gorebyss, I was so close to rid off my rival early ago but I ruined everything now, then I have to think at a more drastic system.” The anomalocaris didn’t notice that four eyes spied on him from the slits of the grate.

Piplup took a photograph of Swellow in one of his swell-a-lot poses, sighing: she would have liked to be next to him, but give the photo camera to Swalot would have meant lose it for sure. Inside his stomach. Jigglers and Venturers then moved forward to the next spot.

Plusle returned flashing with lot of material: two costumes, a sack of clay, the pom poms, and glittering powder. Before the brother could say anything she poured the clay on him “Sorry the wait! Let’s dress this, these and this, then take position on the boards of the fountain. Oplà! I came up with this fresh idea: freshness is related to the fountain, fountains have always pretty statues of magikarp ceaseled in the marble, magikarp are water pokèmon related to freshness. Right? Then we’ll pose to be a couple of ornamental statues! Spin to left, I’ll spin to right, drink some water, I’ll do..glugluglu..the shm. Lmpnt nw extly whn we spt tk th phot..glub..” Lampent didn’t understand or cared, and shrugged, simply picking a pic of the two.

“Clefairy, Clefairy, Clefairy, come on, gimme a nice score, ding-cling-tling! GAME OVER- INSERT COIN AGAIN.” Bagon looked at the screen of the slot machine “Buddy, I’m honestly disappointed. I believed you were an expert of this place.” Squirtle folded arms doubtful “ Because I am, normally I’m not so unlucky, jeez the V-waves are working well. I’ll try again, but I’m almost run out of bucks.” Next to them Oshawott unleashed her rage after having lost her coins again “YOU!STUPID!INFERNAL MACHINE!I’M GOING TO DESTROY YOU AND THAT STUPID SHINY CLEFAIRY THAT NEVER APPEARS, YOU LIKE THIS, UH? YOU LIIIIKE THIIIIS???KATAKRASH!” and destroyed a slot machine, the third in a hour. Stoically she went in front of a new one, inserted coin and started to play as nothing happened. “Grrr..why only two 7? I hate this thing.” “Going in this way there won’t be anymore machines soon…” Bagon whispered to his friend. “CRASSH!!!”

On the opposite side Drifloon was totally calm, staring at the arcade while continuing to put coins in, doing nothing else. Castform, having a strange suspect, approached to her “How goes here?...! Drifloon, but you aren’t playing. The screen says: START. What did you do all this time?” “Insert coins. I followed the instructions and I have to admit I’m having so fun, couldn’t imagine this game to be as funny!” Castform twitched and banged her head against the screen, making a coin to get out of the machine. Lunatone and Aurorus didn’t have this problem, they accumulated a little fortune thanks to the divinatorial powers of the moon rock, and walked to the Celadon Mall for the shops.

“Arrrrrgh, I HATE, HATE, HATE THIS GAME! Why you don’t make me to win, why? Please, at least for once…” Oshawott sniffed discouraged, then she punched the arcade “THIS ISN’T THE WAY TO ASK IT, IT’S NOT WITH THIS ATTITUDE YOU’LL WIN SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE, GRRR. S-Shut up! Bwaaaahhh!!” then got saddened again and outbursted in tears. Squirtle patted her back “Hey, hey, it’s just a game! Take it easy. None judges your value by a game, otherwise see, I’m cool, but want to know how many times I lost at this casinò? I think 515151.” “Ahahah! Really?” “Bip-Bip-YOU LOST AGAIN. Ops, now 515152..” both let out a big laugher. The ott dried a tear and smiled at the turtle “Thanks, I needed that.” Thinking back at what happened to Castform, Bagon had an idea “Guys, I maybe know an easy way to win the cash” took a long run up and headbutted against the slot machine: the impact was so strong to make all the coins inside to blow out! “Bag, you’re a genius.”

The tiny dragon knocked his tough head proudly “I’m just totally stubborn.”

In the meanwhile Metang was fighting in the gym against the last of the three grass pokèmon, Tropius and Ninjask were waiting for their turn with Sylveon and Vivillon backing up to provide for medicaments in need. Metang countered the foe Vileplume with a Zen Headbutt, sending him against a wall, causing the knock-out. “This was too easy, ah!” the bionic crab celebrated giving a Meteor Punch to the ground, creating some fissures, and took his badge, sitting to watch the others.

Tropius stepped forward the ring, ready for the first match vs Tangela : with a single Stomp he managed to defeat the ropes pokèmon. Easy start. The second adversary was a little faster, Roselia dodged the first stomp and attacked with a poisoned needle that barely wounded his leg “Time-out!” Sylveon shouted suddenly and rushed to heal the wound “Disinfectant, bandages, I have everything, time for a medical check up. If you move your leg in this way you feel pain?” Tropius shook the head harassed “Sylveon, thanks for your interest, but it’s just a needle, nothing serious, so why don’t return at your seat and let me continue here?” “Absolutely no. You have no idea how many devastating consequences a little single sting can bring, just think if the poison now circling inside your body is a substance you’re allergic to, eeeeh! I don’t want to figure out the terrible scenario.” As she finished the match restarted, altough Sylveon kept interrupting whenever Tropius received an attack.

Tropius tucked the neck inside the confessional saying “Sylveon is a dear girl, I appreciate her cures, but she’s too overcareful and anxious. She stressed me all the time. Groan.”

Eventually Tropius defeated the foe with another big Stomp. Vileplume stepped in as his third and last obstacle before the victory. And he was immediately paralysed by the yellow dust coming out the flower. Sylveon cursed mentally herself because she had forgot the antiparalyse.

The scene cut on the Game Freak Building. Here Lucario and Chimecho were rummaging the ideas by an hour… Beheeyem instead had just arrived, yes he had implied this whole time to reach comfortly the place, sat slowly in front of the PC, yawned, stretched the fingers, and started.

“Creating a videogame shouldn’t be so difficult with this elementary technology..tickle..tickle…maybe too elementary. These so called high-tech machines don’t support telepathy, how primitive. Now I regret to have not listened to Minun: I need a mouse to move the cursor.” The cerebral alien took a deep sigh, bored, and used the touch pad… until he was zapped. The notebook trembled and shook shocking him, it looked like possessed!

“WAMP! Ta-dah! A wild Rotom of Quirky nature appeared: Lester Komby! Whew, what an incredible voyage. We traveled by Internet among a PC to another having close encounters of the byte type: bugs, vyral codes, even malwares.” The plasma ghost spinned on the axis for the adrenaline. “Until to arrive here. I think we had 95% of possibility to catch pokèrus.” “Porygon 2! My quirky friend, where did you go? I left you behind after having estinguished the last fire-wall, the one of the secret bases of Myamoto. By the way, you should have seen that: best mysterious place ever. Ah!!*EPIC POSE*” Beheeyem stared at them motionless but confused. Rotom flashed in front of the monitor in curiosity “By the way, let me guess, the challenge of this second day is to create a new videogame, right? Uh, I have already a project in mind: ghosts vs aliens! An awesome spin-off of the classics Pika-man and Palkia Invaders.” Porygon connected immediately with the computer and started to work “Bippa-bip initialization..95%..96%..100%, system ready, I’m creating the codes, give me the details of the game.” Rotom narrated passionally the plot, described the weapons and items, provided for all the information followed by Porygon 2 step by step. Seeing everything under control and having nothing to do, Beheeyem took a long coffee break, going downstairs.

Back at the local gym, Tropius was blocked at the mercy of the continuos yet weak hits of Vileplume. In the meanwhile the twin rodents and Lampent had joined the place to take the next photo, bothering the dinosaur a lot. “The theme of this time is the flowerness. Minnie, help me place the most flowers you find around, use this natural ladder to apply them on the ceiling, go go go!” Plusle shook her pom poms made with some petals wearing an hawaiian skirt of leaves (borrowed from Tropius) as the negative brother, both resembled Bellossom. “Uhm, this Vileplume should stay in a position where his gorgeous flower gets more sunlight…here we go!” A bashful Minun and a eager Plusle rotated and danced, an apathetic Lampent asked if that meant she could take the damn photo

“Ops, I had forgotten. Lampent, float here in the middle.”

“Hm?”

“Because you’re joining our photo! I prepared for you an awesome dress for the occasion.”

“What? Wait, I thought my role was only to take photos, not to participate! You can’t….!”

“Too late! Now stay firm. Done!”

Lampent blushed in ashame at her aspect: she was dressed in a vivid multi-coloured kimono covering her coal skirt, a red flower pinned on the top of her dome, and more springful accessories that makes her look the opposite of her usual.

// Confessional //

“I involved her as promised. Victini, watch your daughter twisting from a gloomy dim lantern to an happy sun lightbulb!”

“I’m a goth, this is simply against my health…I would barely recognize myself reflexed in a mirror without die. …yep, despite I’m already a ghost.”

“So, are you ready? This is gonna be a selfie..otherwise there’s Metang!” she tossed the camera to the crab “3-2-1, say cheeeese!” Lampent let out blue flames that scorched her flower and reduced the kimono in ash “Ah, better, now I have a reason to strive a smile.” Finally the match could continue. Tropius impatient attacked Vileplume with another stomp but the hit caused a giant fissure on the already cracked floor: the ground quaked under his feet and he precipited underground. Senseless.

Sylveon was forced to tag and fight as the last chance, but she couldn’t focus thinking about the health of Tropius: was he fine? Or wounded? Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a Sludge Bomb: the dirt burned her delicate skin being supereffective, and with her eyes covered she was now harmless. Ah, the germs! Her panic became rage. She casted a strange mystic wind that blew on the foe, reverting against him his same sleep powder: Vileplume fell asleep but before Sylveon attacked again, Metang hit her back with Meteor Punch, and sealed their lost. Ninjask and Vivillon were the only witnesses of this unfair act, so he left the gym in tranquillity and headed to the Game Freak S.p.a.

Eventually Ninjask and Vivillon conquered the badge few minutes later and followed the same direction.

“Swellow, I want to be the subject of the next photo. You got enough. A true gentlemon lets the scene to a lady.” Piplup walked proudly forward, reading the map while giving directives to the other two “Said this, we’re almost arrived. Our next stop is…splortch! PIPLUP!? What all this mud, eww, I was sure to go in the right direction!!” the penguin flailed drowning in the pond. “Ah, here says that this is the famous Grimer Lake: a natural pond that is habited for unknown reasons by grimer and muk, that caused the purple slimy consistence of the water” Swellow chuckled “This remember me when I fought a giant Muk but not even one of my awesome feathers got dirty during and after the match, because swellow is the best!” “Put me out of here unlike boasting on your deeds, a true gentleman would do that IMMEDIATELY NOT EVEN LET ME THE TIME TO ASK..glub..blub..” Piplup was sinking “Alright, don’t worry, the Swellowsome Swellow is going to the rescue. Take a photo of this epic scene!” Swellow tossed the canon to Swalot, widened his wings, and flew at the speed of light above the lake…and whirled…flipped…did some eights in the sky, dashing all around. “Glub, blub..show off…glu.” Piplup muttered with the beak.

Piplup covered in the ickness frowned to the camera “10 minutes later he decided to save me, TEN…”

“Have you imprinted my swellowsomeness in the photo, uh? Also, look at me, I’m totally clean: as I said before, not even a feather is dirty” Swellow asked with a grin, smoothing the feathers with gel. Piplup panted for the shock and snapped out “Did you leave him the camera? Don’t remember what happened yesterday? He must have eaten up it.” “Uh.” “Instead the photo camera is here, and I took the photo, check.” Swalot left them speechless, then understood. “I mean: BUUUUURP! I just wasn’t hungry. Still stuffed for yesterday, RRRRIGHT.” “Ah..okay, what a risk. Let’s continue our tour.” Piplup shrudded making a grimace of disgust “After I take a shower or two or infinite.”

After a few the Victini Venturers stopped at the same place. Vanillite read the decription on the dèpliant and horrified “Gasp, no way my splendid princess is going to swim in that stinky water! I don’t afford it. This photo has not to be done.”

“Then, what? Are you going to renounce and make we lose?” Anorith questioned looking straight in his face. Gorebyss in the meantime put a fin outside the bowl, but was immediately blocked by the butler that panicked “MISS GOREBYSS, NO! Don’t do this, you can ruin your skales and colour, what a criiiiiime would be this!”

“Maybe isn’t that terrible, but you’re right, better I don’t risk to ruin my beautiness…” the pink fish put back inside her fins and coiled in bash. “Phew, glad you changed idea, good decision, my princess, as usu- “Wait, stop.” Anorith noticed this behaviour and reacted back “Let her do that, instead. Don’t you think she’s naturally curious to do this experience? Why have you aggressed her initiative in this way?” “But-“ “Are you so blind to don’t see that, right?” “See what? How dare you-“ “Also, don’t you think she would be beautiful in any circumstance, only when and if she’s tidy and clean?” Vanillite adjusted his bow nervously. Gorebyss listened to cautiously that speech, smiled, and jumped out her tank getting in the filthy lake.

“G-G-GOREBYSS!?!” Vanillite shouted in terror “Come back here immediately! I-I don’t mean this to be an order, but..argh, just do this. Please.”

Gorebyss didn’t listen to him and swam joyfully in the lake, but the water was so muddy to soil all over her pink body, she barely managed to merge again on the surface “I took my decision: I want to try a photo here, I’m a professionist, afterall. Plus I have in mind the perfect pose fitting with the theme of the place: I’ll be a dirty girl! Raurrr. Prepare the objective, Anorith.” “Sure. I’m ready, go with that!” Gorebyss twined the sinous body dripping the mud and gave a nasty glimp to the flash. “*FLASH* How’s it?” “Wonderful, you seem a femme fatàle.” “Should I prepare another one?” she asked about to swim again, but Vanillite froze the whole lake “NOPE-ahem- Princess Gorebyss, the tank is ready for your (more than needed!) bath: I warmed the water at the right temperature and poured the PH and KH conditioner to disinfect it. You have just to get in….and return the girl I worship by a life.”

// Vent Confessional //

“For once Gorebyss looked different in a certain way and more likable, I can’t explain exactly why, since the fanatic ice cream interrupted before I could understand at all.” Anorith snapped his claw “Klack! By the way I earned many points with her in this occasion. On the contrary of Vanillite.”

“AAARGH, I’ve never seen Gorebyss so..so..so..u-u..gly..ly..dirty! Of course, it’s the dirt to be ugly and make her ugly, only the dirt, ahahahahah!” Vanillite giggled nervously then returned serious. “This was an ambush to her gorgeousness. I need to keep MY princess far from the claws of that little prehistoric scarab for the future.”

“Here’s the mall, lemme enter first, ok?” Oshawott stepped forward and as entered in the Celadon Mall her jaw dropped “Ohh, this is..this is..this is.. the paradise.” “No, this is just the main super-market of the whole region, I can’t stand why you think this is the paradise, we’re all alive.” “Squirtle, buddy, she was doing a metaphore.” Squirtle exchanged a silent glance with Bagon, then outbursted in laughers “…Ahahaha! I got it now, cool joke, maan!” the other arched a brow, then turned to see Oshawott. She was staring at the entrance making a strange expression…

“I WANT TO BUY EVERYTHING!!!” she shouted all of sudden, jumping on the first cart found around and dashed between the stores bumping everyone on her way “GET THE SHELL OUT OF MY WAY:THIS SHOP IS MINE!MINE!MIIINE!!” Bagon worried “Oh-oh. We’ll better block her before she destroys the building and our budget. Let’s go!” and rushed at the chase together Squirtle. The dragon and the turtle zigzagged between the shelves packed with stuff but they had already lost Oshawott upstairs from the beginning of the pursuit, after all she was using the cart. “Pant, in this way there’s no possibility to find her, she has too much advantage, unless..uhm…let’s take the elevator!” they ran back to the entrance and looked for a free elevator, that became immediately crowded before they could even enter “Dude, I think we have to wait the next one.” “Wait, WAIT? I’m tired to wait, it’s all a life I wait to become a flying pokèmon, too much that I can’t stand anymore that word. Also at this point Oshawott is maybe spending all the cash. We’ll enter in this elevator.” “Like the fire in your eyes, but, how?” “Remember I’m a tough head? Use me lika a ram!” a little hesitant Squirtle grabbed his friend by the waste and took the run-up “Quick, the elevator is about to shut, goooooo! BRAM!”

“Hey, what are you doing, whimps? Grrr.”

“Ouch, there was already the max weight, you know?!”

“Ahu, my tail, ahu my leg, ahu my pokèballs!”

“GHH, wrong time to buy a domestic cacnea…”

“FERROTHORN, MOVE OFF MEEEE!”

“See, my friend? There’s nothing I can’t do when I feel stubborn. We did it.” Bagon smirked while being stuck between two shoppers as a stunfisk, Squirtle in a similar uncomfort situation replied “Great, I didn’t have any doubt. But I’m afraid of what THEY’ll do us as soon as we get out the elevator.”

“Ok, that’s what we need: a vacuum, a vanity, a VCR, a vehichle (toy), a ventilator, a velvet vest, a vibraphone and a victini doll…wow, he’s really obsessed with this letter” Castform read the list carefully, squinting, meanwhile Drifloon floated in search of the articles. “How many things and I assume they’re really expensive for the vapid budget we earned…but I travel a lot and know many tricks to get the best souvenirs, spending the few.”

“Really, Drifloon?”

“I already visited this place: we can find almost all we need at the 4th floor. It’s there where they sell everything for the secret bases, and since it’s Saturday there will be also the special markets on the roof!”

“Like in Hoenn? I didn’t know yet and couldn’t imagine.”

“What’s Howen? I can’t remind…”

“Whatever weather, doesn’t matter. Let’s go upstairs.”

“Sure, follow me!”

Short scene dedicated to the Victini Venturers busy in doing shopping at the 4th floor. “How much for this Victini Doll?” Aurorus asked at the counter, Lunatone stared at the clerk all the time whispering “Lunatone, please, shht, I’m trying to listen to the cost.” “It costs 1000 pokè but you have to pay only 10 since i found you sympathetic” the clerk answered with a creepy monotone voice, looking at the void more than at her interlocutor. “Thanks..I guess. This was cheap, as the rest of the articles we found so far. Miss only the vest- “Toooook miiine” a random client that looked well-off dressed off his expensive jacket and donated it to the ice saurus. “...and the vibraphone. I think we can be satisfied with what we have. Agree?” “…itsthsm th nd s clos..ose..oseee..” Lunatone echoed from the depth of his rock empty body. “Ok, I go to pay the shop.”

As Aurorus and Lunatone went downstairs, Castform and Drifloon arrived. “So, what’s the plan?” Castform asked fluttering behind Drifloon, that suddenly draft on the left, then on right, then above a giant shelf speeding up more and more “Hey, wait, can you say me what’s your idea yes or no? Drifloon?”

“The plan would be that you stop to follow me, please. Would you?” the ghost balloon stopped and enflated in anger turning to Castform.

“Heh?”

“It’ all the time you’re seeking me floor by floor, do you have a problem with me? What’s wrong, uh? A girl can’t do her shops- oh, wow, this Vicini Doll is a-do-ra-ble! Uff, too expensive for my wallet..- by the way, I was saying? Ah, a girl can’t do her shops in peace and quiet without being pursued by a creep like you? Seriously, leave me alone.” Blowing on her whiff, she turned back and floated straight.

Castform twitched “Oh my cloud…Drifloon, DRIFLOON, I’m Castform, remember?!” and dashed next, flailing “Remember? We’re reality show companions, females, are supposed to do a shopping challenge together and you were going to show me your secret method to expend the few?” “Aah, I remember! Nice to meet you again after so much time, Castform!” she hugged the cloud caster tightly “It’s 51 years I didn’t see you, I-I thought you were angry with me, sniff, I’m so moved and happy that you return!!!” “…………….” “How can I help you? Ask me anything and I’ll do it for an old friend! By the way, you have not even a single wrinkle, incredible.” Castform begged Arceus because gave her the patience, and explained “Well, ehm, you wanted to help me to buy this list of contraptions too rare and expensive for my finances. Can you do that now?”

“Of course! Did you forget I’m an expert? Ahahah, don’t be shy to admit it, I know how’s to forget everything. Pat, pat.”

“Whatever. I’m listening.”

“Have not to listen, but act.” Drifloon tucked inside a stand of pokèdolls imitated promptly by the partner, and both camouflaged between them: Castform exchanged an unsure gaze at her receiving a reassuring wink in return. A bunch of baby pokèmon assaulted the stores acquainted by their parents. Needless to say, they exchanged them for common toys: “I want the Castform Doll, mommy!-I want the strange crossed balloon, waaah!-I saw it first!-No, I saw it first, ueeee!-Magby, Togepi stop arguing.-Squik!Squek! Ahahah, what a funny sound makes this plushie when I squish it!”

“Auch! I hope this will be worthy at the end for your sake.” Castform seethed in soft voice “These kidz are squishing my boobs.”

“Trust me. It will..” Drifloon replied meanwhile being roughly contended by the two brats. Eventually the parents of the kids bought both Drifloon and Castform for the joy of the childrens. Drifloon was tied up with a knot to the arm of one of them to whom she started to whisper.

“Mooom? My Drifloon Balloon says she wants a friend doll, can you buy that Victini one?” “Sweetie, she has already the Castform Doll, they can befrien-“ “WEEEEH! Bad mom, you hate me!” “No, nuu! Ok, dear, buy also the Victini Plushie, please.” Magby thanked making her brother Togepi jealous “This is unfair! Why she get two dolls and I get only this Castform one? Waaah! You love her more than me, I knew it!” “Noo, we don’t!” “I don’t..sniff..believe. Prove me: I wish for - Drifloon whispered - a toy vehicle!Yeeeeh!” Togepi exclaimed after his wish was granted by the janitors. Five minutes passed and Magby whined “You gave him a more expensive toy than mine, buuuuh!” the mother Togekiss sighed and talked with Magmar “Psst,I guess she wants that vanity.” “Alright, I guess I’ll want a new credit card by the end of the day.” muttered the father.

// Confessional //

“Practically they’re doing the entire shop list in our place” the Castform talked frantically “I can’t believe Drifloon came up with such a smart trick and if I think she does it frequently..This was totally unexpected.”

Drifloon swoll her body proudly but had already forgotten the reason to be so swagger.

The elevator stopped at the 2nd floor. Bagon and Squirtle got out being stomped by the angry crowd, crawling the two friends spotted Oshawott at the counter, where she was waiting in annoyance for her turn. The cart was aready full of every sort of article of the most luxury quality. “I see her. Look at that cart, she’s going to spend all the moneys for sure! This is our chance to stop her in time.” Bagon lurked to approach, Squirtle circled around a stand to stay hidden, both reached carefully the counter “Here we are..” but Oshawott was the fastest. “A-ah! Spotted!” she jolted on the table bewildered, and threatened the clerk raising her scallop “YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE. OR THE SHOP OR THE LIFE OF THIS INNOCENT. WHICH DO YOU PREFER?!”

Squirtle shocked “Wowowoah! Calm down, girl, calm down.”

“Oshawott, what are you doing? All this mess for some crazy shopping? Look at yourself in a mirror: you look like a maniac.”

“Uh, maybe..DON’T LISTEN TO HIM. GRRR..NICE TRY! But you’ll have to fight to change my mind, or are you afraid?” Oshawott polished her scallop like a knife and threw it against Bagon that dodged in easy “Yes, kay, you asked for this” and opened his mouth: a ray of energy bolted out and hit the counter, making Oshawott to fall. She gnarled and attacked with a Water Jet tackling down the dragon. The two rolled over each others in a phyisical brawl, but Bagon tried still to make her mind.

“Listen, it’s the first time I can buy all the things I wished for by a life, and I won’t let ANYONE to stop my intent! I was always envy when my big sister received all the best, leaving to me the few rest. FOR THE FIRST TIME I HAVE THE MONEY, THE..auch..THE TOOL WITH I CAN HAVE MY SATISFACTION.”

“Oshawott, I know how is to wish for something by too much time, but I don’t want to take an easy way to gain it. My desire is huge and in a way very expensive..ouch..but my intent isn’t to get over my dignity and morality to reach it!”

The ott kicked him in the gut and jumped to the counter “Get off me, I have to pay. How much?”

“Instead, what are you doing? Let your lust of satisfaction to posses you in this way, pathetic.”

“Pathetic..PA-PATHETIC? HOW DARE YOU CALL ME IN THI-HEY?” Squirtle held her from behind right in time, before she could unleash her rage again “Leave me, LEAVE ME! No, why..at least..one article..sob” whined being carried away by the tail. Squirtle congratulated “Dude, nice strategy to distract her so I could stop her from the back, bro fist!” Bagon stood up feeling the pain “Maybe later, I’m too weak, now. Cough, we saved the budget for a feather. Just let’s start the real shop as signed in the list of Victini, without buying anything else. I’m tired.” Oshawott sorrowed soon for her behaviour.

“Guys…..I’m sorry.” whispered lowering the head. Squirtle let her free to move with a smile, saying she was forgiven. The three walked upstairs to the third floor, and Bagon remained astonished seeing that. A Rare Candy.

His jaw dropped, drooling: no, not for the hunger, but for the thirst. The thirst of power, the thirst of level up, the thirst of evolution. An evolution that was now a step closer to him, impossible to resist. The cupid eyes of the dragon now saw only the item in front of him. “Baggie, you ok? Yuhuu? You can see me? Strange fact:he looks like in trance.” Squirtle scratched the back of the head and shrugged, do not noticing that Bagon had moved to the counter clenching the bag of pokès in greed. “Are these enough for the Rare Candy?” Squirtle finally adverted the scene “Dude, noo!” Oshawott shouted “What an hypocrite! He did me all that speech about do not chosing shortcuts, learn how to wait for a desire to comes truth, excetera, excetera..YET NOW?GRRR.” Bagon payed with all the cash he had in the pocket, grinning greedly at his treasure. “Heeere Candy, heeere. Glom! Oh, nothing happened.” He ate up the candy hoping it was enough to evolve, but just one level wasn’t enough, and he realized his mistake. Too late. Soon after they were also expelled from the mall by the bodyguards to prevent other damages. “And stay OUT or you’ll be in trouble!” two Machamp slammed the doors.

Bagon didn’t have the courage to look in the face of Oshawott or Squirtle for the rest of the time. He had failed to the temptation to take the shortcut, gaining nothing than the defeat for his team and the blame for himself.

On the terrace there were Castform, Drifloon, and the family we got to know in this episode. “Wow, they bought almost everything on the list, missing only the vacuum, the VCR and the vibraphone. But now? What exactly have we to do? Drifloon…are you sleeping? Hey!” “I’m a natural purple,zzz. Ahh!Who are you? Why I’m in a shopping cart? I’m going to be bought again as my worst nightmare? Oh, wait, this is more a dejavù than a nightmare…I don’t remember why by the way.” Castform groaned and took the initiative: they were on a terrace, right? Then they could leave the area by the air. “Ok, pick the doll and the other items, then float in the sky with me.” “In the sky? I can’t fly!” “Yes, you can, quick, go!”

“Mommy? Why the ballon and the doll you bought me are stealing our shops?”

“I don’t know..whaaat?!!”

“Sgrunt, here are my money floating away.”

“I know this was a pure theft, but Drifloon made me crazy with her continuos memory swaps!” Castform justified her decision to the audience.

Victini appeared in the middle of the screen quivering for the excitement “Vvow! This is only the second episode but how many vibrant emotions we’re already seeing in the cast. Let’s do a little recap of the main events occurred so far in this second episode:

- The groups for the turistic photos are all doing a valid work, but I’m here to wait to see the final fruit of their efforts, and I hope Lampent changed a little her opinion about the life outside staying in the company of the spark twins.

- The groups for the shopping part had different ways and results, easy walk for the Victini Venturers (Vai!) hard climb and big troubles for the Jigglers trio with Bagon wasting all the money at the end, meanwhile Castform and Drifloon are still..on the skyline.

- The third categories for the extra activities are living more or less the opposite situations of their shopping counterparts: Sylveon and Tropius lost the badge and who knows what Seviper and Dunsparce are doing roaming around? Ninjask, Vivillon and Metang instead won the gym challenge, but yet to be known if Chimecho, Lucario, Beheeyem, Porygon 2 and Rotom created the videogame I requested.

Shortening, we only know for now that two Venturers and three Jigglers are certainly out of the games, the Leviathans are dominating for the second time. It’s time to go back at their misadventures, good V-ision!”

“Did you take the photo, eh, did you take?“ Lampent nodded “Yep.” “So, how many entertaining places are still left to be visited? Splotch.Splatch.” Minun merged from the Grimer Lake with the mud covering the low half of his body, receiving a glare from the sister for the negative attitude shown “I-I’m not whining, see, I’m just pretty tired. Tired of all this walking, spinning, bouncing, flashing photos around the whole city...a-aahi!” Plusle pinched his cheeks, shaking the head “Tut-tut. First of all twist that frown in a smile, like me, cheese. Then prepare again because there’s still a place to v-isit on the list!Yuhuu!” she spinned like a dynamo, and dragged the brother and the ghost lamp to the next stop.

“Last stop of the tour should be this: the Game Freak S.p.a. So..hm?H-Hm. Ah-em! Bah, pfui” Piplup checked the map and waited for Swellow or Swalot to open the doors for her, but they didn’t and she entered lifting up the beak, to point she felt very offended by this lack of gentlemanners. She passed next to Chimecho and Lucario that were too busy in their projects to salute her, and she felt even more offended. She took a quick photo to Swellow and left the place.

Upstairs Gorebyss was in the aziendal tank posing to be a secretary, wearing some fashion glasses. “Okay, stay firm, show your charism, my princess…*FLASH* Done! The album is now complete, I’ve only to develop all the photos.” Vanillite whistled for the happiness but when he opened the photo camera he shreeked: “Eek! Where’s the film roll??? I-I forgot really to put it? H-How was this possible?” Gorebyss fainted dramatically in the depth of the bowl making him to feel so pityful to beg for her perdon “I’m sooorry! Undeserve to serve you like my queen, cause I’m a damned dessert and nothing else! Oh, Gorebyss, Gorebyss, Gooorebyss!!! Forgive this servant, please.”

“Triumph. If she doesn’t dump him after this, I’ll date with an Aerodactyl the next time.” Anorith juggled with the roll in his claws “I don’t like the idea to make her cry or waste all this holy material, but it’s also for her benefit, mostly for her benefit: she shouldn’t stay anymore with that ice cream stalker. Klack!”

“Hiiiiissss.”

“What’s this sound? Seems to come from the grill.” Anorith managed to put just a claw outside the vent that Seviper (and Dunsparce) appeared and barred any way of escape. “Ssssee the third ally we were searching for, land snake. A traitor, a ssswindler, a ssslick pokèmon that just sssabotaged his same teammates and the whole team consequentially. I LIKE THISSSS.” The viper hissed out her bifork toungue right in front of Anorith, that shivered in disgust. “What do you want you two from me exactly?” he tried to hide the film roll, but this slipped from his grip in the spires of her. “Isn’t obvious? A blackmail, my little ssschemer. By the way don’t worry, it isn’t anything terrible, you’re just invited to join to my alliance, the S3.”

“S3? What does it stays for, i-if I dare to ask?” Dunsparce questioned in a submissed tone. Seviper hissed a laugher and replied: “The three snake principles: sneak, scheme or scare your enemy, and, eventually slash it snidely with no mercy. I believe only in them. Learn soon as possible, this is the first step to be a successful serpent like me.”

In the meanwhile Anorith lurked outside the vent, or better tried but was paralyzed by a Nasty Glare. “Ssso back on you little scrabble, do you accept or refuse (and die)?”

“I guess I have no choices, fine: I’m in. But I want a little guarancy: Vanillite to be our first victim. Deal?” Anorith trembled but at contemporary spoke firmly at his scary interlocutor, who hissed in reply “Deal”.

“We won the badge. How did you proceed here?” Ninjask and Vivillon had arrived before Metang to check about the situation. “Sgrunt, isn’t evident? BAD!” Lucario crashed the monitor with a fist, the 7th computer destroyed in 2 hours, folding arms “I can’t stand this technological stuff, okay?” Chimecho echoed “I can’t neither. I’m not used to videogames, prays, meditation and music are the only entertainments for a monk. Probably we split our roles without think properly at all the qualities and flaws of each member of the team.” “What about a videogame focused on the adventures of a butterfly princess?” Vivillon purposed starting to dance on the keyboard “See? It’s easy to think at a game, I can’t see why you found so much difficulties, to be honest. Tara tara riii..taratata..tickle, tickle, tii…SPLAT!” Lucario closed rudely the laptop and walked away. Chimecho did a deep sigh and followed him outside. “Oh, I can see the pixels and…the pixies now!@” Ninjask flew to spy the other workers.

“ATTENTION-ATTENTION-ATTENTION: Lester’s Alien Mansion is now a reality! It’s an impossible dream that is no more a dream. Kinda the quirkiest game ever created, ah!” Lester exclaimed loudly all over the office, using Beheeyem like a megaphone. The plasma ghost celebrated with a discharge that tilted down all the electricity in a radius of a kilometre, except the computer used by Porygon 2, who proudly explained the mechanic of the game to the same Lester, now in the role of an improbable odd interviewer..

“Welkomb, welkomb to everypokemon, it’s Lester the Interviewer on the screen. Here to introduce you the new creation of the Game Freak. First of all, tell me, Mr. Satoshi Tajiirygon, what’s the plot of this game? I know the original idea was suggested by an autentical genius. Maybe the famous Lesteru Myamotor?”

“Yes, bip. The game focuses on the mission of a ghost called Lester who lives a normal quirky life at the Old Chateau until one day his existence is shaken by the invasion of the BEMs, an ominous race of aliens (similar to Beheeyem) that starts to invade the zone, clone, and take over the control of all the ectoplasmic source of energy, with which posses all the inhabitans of the Pokèmon World. But they didn’t consider the presence of our hero.” Porygon 2 cleaned his lenses before to continue “The main leader of the project was the leader Lesteru, I just used my competences in engineery and programmation to make it real.”

“I know, and about the mechanics of the game? Explain to me and the audience what the player can do when plays this title!”

“Of course you play as the protagonist Lester. Lester has the unique ability to posses the electrodomestics, gains special different powers from each one, and in this way destroys the enemies. There are about 51 different forms he can assume, for example the Mow Rotom that shreds everything on his way and one of the various invented as the Hi-Fi Rotom that astounds the alien foes with his music.”

“Impressive! By the way, I can assume all the forms I want in real life, clear? By the way!” Lester flipped the microphone in mid-air “Really thanky you for the information, the interview ends here. To the next time and don’t forget to buy the majestic Lester’s Alien Mansion! AH!” ended with an epic antic. Then spoke again flashing to one of the distributeur “By the way this interview was gently offered you by our sponsor, Krookorade, the drink of the quirks. Glu, glu, glu..ah!” Suddenly they heard something knock-knocking at one of the windows, Rotom approached seeing two floating figures beyond the rideau and quickly possessed the printer “The aliens are arrived! As in my game. Ah, the quirky forces of the irony! The fictional situation is now real, by the way I’m an hero in every situation, virtual or real, ah! *EPIC POSE* Porygon, find me a can of toner: I’m going to leave a print on the history today. Blink! The Print Form! We should have added this, well, let’s keep the idea in charge for the sequel! Because I already planned it: Lester’s Alien Mansion 2: the beams of the BEMS. Or something similar, by the way.”

“Ok, if you game freaks ended the show, I assume my work is finished and I can finally give this CD-ROM to Victini…and get all the rights, why not? Thank you, I suppose. Also Have fun with the aliens aka Castform and Drifloon.” He left behind himself the blitzkrieg of print, ink and sheets that bursted out soon after.

Beheeyem went to the exit carrying the disk with a sneer on the face: swindle those techno nuts to exploit their own work taking the merit of all was utterly easy for a lazy yet superior mind like him. “Eheh, this is what marks the difference between my species and the others inferior: the sharpness. And obviously the size of the braincells, if I can speak about braincells on this planet.”

“Sssharpness? I think you don’t have much knowledge about, loser.” Seviper and her minion (Dunsparce) crept from the bushes nearby to his direction. The Know-Allien rolled the bug eyes simulating to be shocked “Ohh, the shock, the unpredictable surprise! This was totally unexpected.”

“Ahem, Seviper, I don’t still understand how are we going to have a videogame or why we’re here now, I-I mean that-“

Seviper snickered tapping her tail nervously “Forgot already the three rules? Sneak, Scheme, Steal.”

“Alright, three principles we should all assume as the most important in the life...” “Shut up, sssnark skinny, this isn’t your business.” “Actually I think to r-remind the last S stayed for slash or scare and not for steal, if I can point out, of course.” “Same. That’s exactly what I’m gonna do now, hihihissss.” Seviper ordered Dunsparce to go on the opposite direction so both surrounded Beheeyem getting circle after circle closer, but the Cerebral pokèmon didn’t fright, and replied with more sarcasm:

“Poor me, I’m doomed! There’s nothing else I can do than abandon the disk to the hands, ops, you don’t have them, spires of these two invertebrate creatures” his words made the viper stop, she flinched. Beheeyem smirked continuing “Anyway, the first reason why I can (seriously now) think to believe you have no chances is something –ops- ssssssomething called type difference. I know all the recent changessss with the dissscover of the fairy tipe brought lot of confusssion, but the question isss: does ssstill Psychic beat Poison 2X on the Earth? Yesssss. Can I still beat a Seviper like you with a single Psychoshock? Yessss. I sssuppose.”

Dunsparce drilled quickly an hole in the ground to not see what happened. He heard only the frightening sound of a blade slashing some flesh, acquainted by an high pitched scream of a girl-kinda. When he dared to reappear on the surface he barely saw Beheeyem running away in terror, and Seviper ,cleaning her tail in the fountain, who gave him immediately an order “Quick, grab the disk without ask anything, if you care for your sake.” The land snake obeyed but couldn’t find the thing anywhere. “Ehm..where exactly is finished?”

// Confessional //

“She forgot two S: speed” Ninjask clenched the floppy disk in the schythes “and stealth.”

Beheeyem, hiding in the vent, was shivering like a leaf “S-She slashed out my fertility, maybe it wasn’t so clever to snark about her creed and verbal tic. Despite I’m of a superior species that tends to be emotionless, I need to cry out my pain now. BWAAAH!!!”

“Here we are, voyagers, the sun is down at the horizon and this means the touristic tour is finished…almost. Reach me within the next minutes with all the material you collected!” the megaphones settled in random spots of the city announced all at contemporary. Each member reunited to the original team for a final check of the results obtained. Bagon had sadly to inform the other Jirachi Jigglers “I have no excuses for what happened yet I’m sorry. Feel free to vote me off if we lose, that’s it.” However, Chimecho offered her vibraphone, Squirtle one of his velvet vest, and Vivillon her vanity to fix the problem, but this didn’t seem to change his mood. He was rather depressed that even Oshawott wasn’t anymore angry.

Beheeyem had to face the consequences and the blame of his gaffe “Yeah, I..kinda lost the videogame…” said with a shrug receiving bad looks from the rest of the team minus Rotom cheesy as usual, Drifloon distracted as usual, and Lampent for obvious reason.

“You even mocked me joking about the fact I’m a mouse: incredible.” The reaction of Minun was the most cold.

Porygon 2 didn’t spare a similar comment “Are you sure your cleverness is updated or you need a total back-up?”

Rotom shouted “STOOOOOOOOP! It’s not impossible to recreate another videogame, so don’t worry and don’t waste anymore time, since I’ve A QUIRKY IDEA OF EMERGENCY.” Metang arched a brow for the curiosity, Minun was skeptical, Porygon 2 objected “But I have to programm all the codes, the rigs, the bytes, the files, exc again, a work that implies hours to be accomplished. That means your intentions are virtual even for a virtual life like me…” but was interrupted “Wrong: things we’ll be real and virtual at the same time. Trust me, this will be the next frontier of the videogames, ah! Just if everyone does what I say. Let’s go back to the Game Freak, epic pose!”

“I’m getting bored to wait” Victini said to Jirachi, casting a Generator V on the grass to pass the time. There were many V’s branded with fire all around the V-host. He sat next to the plane suffering to be inactive, waiting wasn’t his favourite hobby. Finally the contestants arrived, but only Venturers and Jigglers.

“So, it’s time to valuate your efforts! I’ll start with the Team Victini is Very Very Very Very Very Victorious!” he frowned noticing the mazed faces “..or Victini Venturers, if you prefer.”

“No badge” Tropius said sternly “Neither the videogame” Dunsparce added scaredly “Also no photos, THANKS TO OUR LEADER” Anorith ended pointing a claw at Vanillite. Aurorus didn’t expect all this, she gave a worried look to the others. Victini scowled “Basically you achieved only the souvenir collection challenge? Wow, vapid. I’m getting more and more very very very disappointed by you that I’m thinking about changing your name. Seriously, Victini isn’t a name for losers. Vsk!” and turned to the opposite way, revolving the same question to the Jirachi Jigglers.

Piplup consigned the photos, Squirtle exhibited the items and Ninjask showed the videogame, surprising his same team to the point that none questioned why the title, the plot, and the remaining details called at the Laser Latias Leviathans Leader Lester. “Uhm..nice pics and I appreciate your efforts for the souvenirs, they’re the rarest of the list but how much did you spend? Because if you spent less than the ”

“Nothing.” Bagon replied in a broken voice “Victini, I want to be fair: these are gifts generously provided by the others to cover me.” “WHAT? Don’t listen to him, he’s a pranker, oshahahah!” “True, i confirm, my bro always likes to joke.” Victini was about to say something but Bagon erupted again “No, I can’t hide in this way, I already took a shortcut and was a disaster. Plus I don’t want that Chimecho has to renounce to her favourite instrument for a guilt that’s only mine, she was too kind to help me with such a sacrifice. Same for Squirtle and that velvet jacket and the vanity that’s property of Vivillon. …sigh, thanks, guys, but I deserve to face the consequences by myself, like an adult dragon.” Various were the reactions.

“Oooh! This is a noble act.”

“That pokèmon has a big heart and courage.”

“I knew he had a strong aura.”

“Bah, what a moron: if only he shut that mouth. Sgrunt!” In the Confessional Lucario gave a nod to approve the admirable gest of Bagon , but soon after threatened the camera to cut the scene just recorded.

Victini dried a tear for the valiant spirit shown by Bagon, but unfortunately “I have to apply the rules and disqualify you three for this otherwise I would have promoted all of you. Bagon, I don’t know if you’re gonna pay more for your hypocrisy or sincerity by the end of the day, but congratulation for your valiance!” he raised the sign of victory with a cheer. “Miss only to check the Leviathans, then I’ll know which team wins and which go to the tiebreaker.”

“Tiebreaker?”

Chimecho rummaged a minute, then talked “Since Bagon decided to be honest, I feel the same need to purify the conscience: I did nothing with Lucario all this time, we created no videogame and I sense Ninjask didn’t, too. He stole the disk from someone else, I’m sure.”

“Oooh!”

“Oh, no..ciaff!”

“GRR, from worse to worst.”

“Wow. I’m shocked to hear this.” Ninjask gave away no sort of emotion about, this thanks to his spiritual train as a ninja, he stayed perfectly silent. Seviper took the occasion “Infact, he sssstole that from me! And Dunsparce. True?” she glared at the land snake “T-True.” Piplup reacted “Don’t you trust seriously this snake, Victini? She’s clearly lying, I’m more tempted to believe this was done by a nut like Lester than her.” A pitched discussion exploded between the two factions, until Victini put a V on the topic: “Stop! I’ll assume that the Venturers did that videogame, just to balance the situation. End of the problem.”

Oshawott flicked the tail in annoyance “They’re your favourite team. Admit it once for all.” Victini smiled innocently.

They waited a quarter of hour more until Victini had enough “If they’re not going to show up in a minute I’ll declare the Laser Latias Leviathans to be in nomination.”

“Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-attà-dah!” Plusle appeared together Minun dressed in flamboyant suits, the twins did a spin to introduce an orange squared object which resembled a console: it had no buttons but two levers on the sides, that had the familiar shape of lightenings. Blushing, Minun ignored the giggles about his ridicolous crossdressing look and gave the contraption to Victini, who examined it a little confused. A loud voice startled him “This is the new revolutionary Nintendo 4DS!” it came directly from the screen that self lighted on and grinned “Why limitate to create a videogame when we could do directly a new console, we asked ourselves? And this how I decided to create this faboulous machine! You have the honour to be the first player ever to try out a quadrimensional game experience…the craziest impossible. Are you ready?” Victini tried to reflect but Rotom didn’t wait a second and activated with a powerful discharge. Then a flash and a suck.

Victini felt twirled, swirled, whirled in a spacial vortex until he could see things clear again. As opened the eyes, he noticed a different: everything around him was undefined properly, the boards of the figures were blurred like made of inifinite microscopical tiles, in pixels. Victini saw the other pokèmons moving like programmed, Minun and Plusle masked like monsters walked left and right with the identical rhytm, like robots. There were life bars above their heads, too. “Wow, this is..this goes beyond my imagination. How’s this possible? What’s going on?! Am I really projected inside the game world?”

“Exactly!!! Welcome in the fourth dimension of the virtual world! I told you, remember? Vic, this is the best quirk you’ll see in your life:here you can play in first person, using your attacks and V-skills directly against real opponents despite they’re fictional characters. Press START to start the game, ah!”

Victini pressed. Eagered by the words of Lester he used his fire attacks and combos versus the virtual mices, which “died” in a single hit. “Level 1 completed!” the Rotom Console announced “Too easy for one like me.” Victini pumped his chest ready for the second level, and then the third, the fourth, the seventh… the more he succeeded the more he boasted “Ahahahah, I’m the best, after this there are no doubt! Give me more, again, again, again I want to Vvin more!” Victini was getting maniac, but Lester didn’t care and encouraged his deeds all the time, afterall they were both quirky pokèmon that liked action and oddiness!

In the reality Victini was only beating up the real Leviathans being suggestioned by the psychic waves of Beheeyem, hidden behind the console. When finally someone of the Jigglers noticed “Hey! They’re cheating with the hypnosis!” the game was interrupted: Seviper knocked out the cerebral alien with Poison Tail and the hallucination ended. Victini twitched once his consciousness was back “What happened now? I was battling with the final boss when…” Metang limped to a bush with several burns on the armour, giving a killer glare to Rotom that grinned akwardly “Victini, they tried to make you believe to be in a videogame! You should punish them for this.”

“I agree, this was really an unfair trick.”

“By the way, it was quirky at least, Ahahahahah..ahah…ah? No? Vzz. K’mon, you can’t hide that the play was epic. I mean, the sensation was really realistic and the idea of a 4-dimensional videogame? Majestic. Game Freak shold ask my consulence one of this day..by the way, what’s your opinion, Vik?!”

“Honestly?” Victini asked wobbling still stoned “It was very…” “Terrible?” “Crazy?” “Impossible?”

“Very..very..VIBRANT!!! I neVer lived an experience like this, despite it was a messincene, it was really very well executed, all my compliments! Lester, you’d make Giratina to pale in terms of convolution and confusion.” The speech of the V-Host left the contestants astounded. “Leviathans, your photos, shops and most of all ingegnous videogame expressed at full the vivid and chaotical spirit of Celadon City, for this reason you access again to the Vip Class!”

“Yu-uhhh! Hooray for Lester!” Minun exclaimed. “Gimme an L an L an L and one more L” Plusle cheered “4L 4 the win:Lester Laser Latias Leviathans!!!”

File:Tie breaker.png
Eating challenge tiebreaker.

Victini continued “Meanwhile the other two teams will fight for the immunity in the tiebreaker: the eating contest. But this task is reserved only to those who accomplished a challenge, so, Aurorus, Dunsparce, Lunatone, Piplup, Seviper, Swalot, Swellow, Sylveon, Tropius, follow me indoor.”

Victini and the aforementioned pokèmon entered in a pub, there was a smell of fry berries and the floor was greasy, Piplup slipped “Eww, have they ever cleaned this shack?” “I don’t know. All I know of this place is that they usually take eating unhealthy food challenges.” Answered the fire fox. “Unhealthy? This is not good.” Sylveon gave a worry glance to the tables that were stained and filthy “No, no, no, I won’t let my friends eat here: just think at all the possible infections. Dunsparce and me quit here.” “B-But..” “Sssshut up, mommy! He stays here and you can’t decide for him. I DECIDE FOR HIM.” “B-B-But..I’m an adult, I-“ “Oh, so you would let this innocent creature to get sick? Very irresponsible! ” Seviper and Sylveon glowered at each other with Dunsparce in the middle trying to say his opinion, unsuccessfully.

Tropius stopped them all with a simple stomp “Alright, what’s the challenge exactly?”

“It’s to take part to the famous Eating Contest. Rules are simply one. You have to eat all these gross, poisonous, filthy dishes until your belly doesn’t explode: the winner team will be the one whose member is the last standing on the seat. We’ll do five rounds. Get ready, set, go!”

// Confessional //

Piplup arrogantly smiled “Finally an use for that bottomless trashcan of Swalot. They can be numerous than 3, but none eats as much as him! They’ll fall one by one and at the end he’ll be still eating.”

“I can ssswallow many preys even bigger than me in a single bite” said Seviper “But I need a month to complete the digestion, buuurp. This was the raticate eaten up a month ago..”

Everyone started to eat. The first round of plates was a cake made of rotten berries and pokèblocks. Dunsparce sighed to encourage himself, but was blocked by Sylveon. “Wait! I taste before. Gnam..plop!” She fainted soon. “Ahem, thanks, Miss Sylveon…are you fine?” “One out!”

Aurorus ate a bite and immediately spat it out, but tried another one, strived to chew and swallowed it, feeling worse. Tropius suggested her to quit “Munch..hey, I don’t want you to feel forced to do this. So, if you can’t take it, quit without problems. Okay?” “I can do it, don’t worry, I need to habit to the test..taste.” The other continued to eat not sure she was saying the truth. Seviper enlarged the walls of her stomach widening the elastic body the most possible, opened her giant mouth and swallowed 10 cakes.

On the opposite side Swalot had already eaten up an huge amount of cakes, Piplup chewed making odd expressions of disgust, and Swellow refused to eat. “I’m not allowed to eat this.” “Why?” asked Swalot. “Hello? My swellowsome silhouette and muscles are the result of a rigid diet: if I eat grease I’ll become fat like this penguin” the swallow pumped the chest “This would be a crime towards all the chicks who loves me. Got it? SPLAFF!” “Eat and shut the beak.” Ordered Piplup squelching a dish on him.

By the end of the first round two Victini Venturers were already eliminated: Sylveon having been poisoned by the food and Lunatone having no mouth to eat anything. “Second Round: Weedle Noodles! They are noodles ramen made of worms.” “Bleah” said Swalot, but corrected soon after “I..prefer the Wurmple to be honest.” Victini nodded “I’ll say the cook to add them. Happy?”

Swellow and Piplup ate the noodles in tranquillity “Mhh..suuurp…I had forgot the taste of Wurmple after all this time. Reminds me when I was a little Taillow.” The rest of the challengers had a pretty different reaction. None failed this round, altough many felt already dizzy.

At the third round Aurorus threw up “Enough..I can’t risk more..sorry..” and was followed by Tropius, but this was an escamotage to go with her at the pokèmon center. Piplup was right: the Victini Venturers were falling like leaves. Dunsparce panicked “Argh, w-we’re 2 vs 3. I eat very slow, sigh, we’re screwed.” Seviper whipped his back “So? There’s alwaysss the S3 ssstreet.” sneered. “Are you able to Glare?” “O-Oh. Right.” The two snakes looked straight in the eyes of the foes in a nasty way, their pupills launched daggers that paralyzed the nerves: Piplup couldn’t move fluently, same Swellow, whose articolations were cringed now.

Piplup flinched “H-Hey this is unfair! Disqualify them, Victini!”

“No, h-he said there was only a rule, and it’s nothing about using moves to obstaculate the foes. Sssorry” retailed back the land snake.

// Confessional //

Dunsparce twitched “F-First time ever I say something with so much brazenesssss…I didn’t like the fact I had to cheat sincerely, but still I felt sure as never before. And that’s ssssomething I like totally” and ended with an hissy smile.

“Urgh…I can’t move a feather..how unfair.” Piplup muttered unable to eat more, getting eliminated from the contest together Swellow. “Swalot, it’s all on you slob: you can win in easy, just watch out the snakes.” Seviper glared again but didn’t affect the Sack Pokèmon, who kept eat the dishes. “How’s this posssible? Grr.” They passed the round four when Seviper gave up, unable to swallow a single morsel more, her body had many lumps cause of all the food that she had still to digest properly. She spat some acid on the floor for the anger, then left the competition.

“Phew, what a sore loser.” Commented Victini “This is the final round: Dunsparce vs Swalot. I think the result is predictable.”

“Infact, the Jirachi Jigglers will win.” Said Piplup with arrogance.

“S-Sigh, I think the same.” “Dunsparce, don’t give up yet!” the rest of the team cheered on the land snake from the window. Swalot burped, saturated. “Ok, he doesn’t have any chance..” Anorith changed idea, being realistic.

“Do your bets, do your bets here!” Rotom and the other Leviathans had organized a sort of lottery for the event.

“I bet on Swalot” said Castform.

“Following the statistics, I bet on Swalot, too.” Said Porygon 2. “There’s virtually only the 0,99999 % of possibility of the opposite result.

“Everyone is obviously betting on Swalot, unless has a brain made of the gas of rings of Saturn” commented Beheeyem.

“51 pokès on Dunsparce!” spoke Drifloon eagerly.

Dunsparce and Swalot were served with a giant whole of poffins “Poffins with surprise! They contain Melon Berry, Melos Berry, Rosmel Berry, Lemon Berry, kippers, eggs of Exeggutor, feathers, lemon juice, and…since being sadic is not for me, I’ll avoid to tell the rest. Good Lunch!” even Victini felt sick at the idea to eat that. The poor Dunsparce trembled in front of the plate, this was over his limits, but he knew that if he dropped without try Seviper would have slashed his body in two halves, so accepted the hazard. Swalot widened his mouth and poured inside almost all the poffins.

“Go, Swalot, go!”

“Courage, Dunsparce! Nah..he has no chance at this point. Let’s go vote Vanillite and amen. Klack.” Vanillite gulped and glowered at the anomalocaris.

Suddenly that happened. Dunsparce was eating with all his efforts meanwhile Swalot assumed a strange pink colour, the purple body flattened and the poison gargled all over, the sack pokèmon blurred, shrank under his giant mouth and puked out all the food accumulated in two days like a waterfall. “BLEARGH!” Victini screeched “Jirachi, wish an umbrella, quick!” but the laidback co-host said “Within 24 hour you’ll be granted. Yaaaawn..zzz.” and the yucky rain drizzled all on them. “Thanks, Ji. You’re puntual as usual.”

“Eewwwww!!!It does so reek.”

Dunsparce stopped to ask “I-I win or I have to continue, if I dare to ask?”

Rotom announced “Kongratulations, Drifloon, you won the bet!” Castform jaw dropped, Drifloon dumbfounded “Yuppi! I told you I was right, uh? Besides the fact I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Swalot shrugged “Eh..I have my limit, too. Buuuuuurp!” and his shape changed again, but he quickly fixed himself “Ops, I have to go.” “At HOME. Grrr.” snarled Piplup, imitated by the rest of the team. “I need a Vapour bath to…vheww..clean and spack this vomit.” Victini dashed in the direction of the plane “In the meanwhile the Jirachi Jigglers are in-V-ited at the nomination ceremony: think at the pokèmon you’d like the most to don’t see anymore in your life. Later!”

// Confessional //

“Of course my votes go to Swalot” Piplup stamped her vote “He totally reeks, and the only time his gluttony could have been useful he felt full. In addition it’s time to clean up this place from such a killer of good manners.”

“I’m still angry on Bagon, he acted like an hypocrital and RUINED A GOLDEN OCCASION TO REALIZE MY DREAM, SO BYE-BYE!” Oshawott let out an evil laugher. Swalot entered next, locking the vent “I vote Vivillon because she’s doing nothing for the team.” “I vote Vivillon.” Said Swellow soon after.

“I vote Bagon…SGRUNT, who locked this stupid grate?”

Bagon sighed “ I know I’m going home, but I don’t want to do that like a coward. I don’t vote.” He returned immediately “Changed idea, I vote..boh..Oshawott?”

“I vote Swaaaaaaalot! He’s the last I would hope for becoming my prince.”

“My vote is for Ninjask: there’s a shadow behind him.” Said Chimecho sternly.

*Ceremony of the Voltorb of Victimization*

Victini, dressed on a bathrobe in velvet, left his room and directed to the Tail of Losers. Here the Jirachi Jigglers were waiting for their doom, attached with the claws, the teeth, the arms, or whatever more to the seats. “Vvelcome to your first elimination, how do you feel?” Oshawott was almost blown away but managed to grab the straps striving against the stream, then swore something at Victini.

“Vehement. Well, let’s veer the conversation on a topic very very important: your safety. The macarones of immunity go to Chimecho, Lucario, Piplup, Squirtle and Swellow alias the only that received zero votes. “WHAT? Who DARED to vote me?” “Bagon, Oshawott.” Bagon arched a brow before Oshawott attempted to assault him but failed risking to fly again in the void: the straps saved her. Victini continued “It doesn’t matter, relax because you and Ninjask are safe, too.”

Bagon, Swalot and Vivillon exchanged looks after they were given each one a pokèball. Bagon checked for a parachute but didn’t find it in time, as the countdown finished…”BOOM!” the real voltorb exploded right next. Vivillon fluttered her sooty wings and coughed in unbelieve “Fwwee, why me? C-Cough. Can I sing a final song like Ella did in Total Drama Pahkitew Island? Dreams will come trrrrue one daaaaay, I’ll have my prince and beeee a faiiiiir-FWAMP!” Victini used Fire Bomb sending the butterfly in the sky, sighing in relief.

Everyone stared. “If there’s something I hate more than a loser is a loser with 2 awesome V in the name.” Followed an awkard pause. “VVell...This episode was certainly a bomb of fun and drama, but this is just the beginning. Keep follow our adventures on Victini Victory Touuuur!”

Later. The shadow of Swalot lurked in the empty nacelle shifting with circumspection, crawling between the suitcases and backpacks. “Phew, I risked a lot but I didn’t abandon my role a single minute. They didn’t suspect anything, yes, I’m a great born actor.” A luggage quivered, Swalot opened it.

“Rumble..rumble..I’m warning you, jerk, if you don’t free me now, I’ll sue you, you’ll go in prison for kidnap, you-mmhh!” he zipped it immediately choking the voice of Swirlix “Yes, yes, yeah. Hush and eat the food I brought to you. Goodnight.”

Swalot stretched and sat on the floor lifeless. His body changed slowly assuming a gooy shape and pink tonality, the moustache retired in themselves, and overall shrank drastically his sizes: Ditto appeared. He didn’t notice that two red eyes were spying from a lift nearby, and fell asleep as soon as the screen faded to black.

Chapter Text

“So she cut your (hem-hem) for that?” Minun asked to Beheeyem arching a brow for the shock “Hsssh, to be honest you deserved this: you tease people way too much.”

“Whatever..” the alien replied with a shrug. Aside from him, the Laser Latias Leviathans were eager for the second time in the Vip Class: the mood was high and everyone was enjoying the relax and the comforts. Castform was having an artificial sunbath in her Sun Form along with Drifloon, Plusle was chitchatting with Lampent who was listening to spooky tunes with her metai-pod, Metang was absent somewhere else, Porygon 2 was having his journal update, and Rotom-Heat “Good Morning, ah! Who wants to have a hot breakfast? Momma prepared cookies with a special quirky recipe.” baked personally the breakfast, offering to everyone with a wide grin upon the face and exhibiting an high pitched voice, also the eyelashes this morning were notably longer.

“Ehm, thanks, Lester, I guess I'll try one...crunk” Minun picked one and gave a bite, immediately feeling his tounge like on fire, the cheeks reddened in flames, he spat out screaming “This is molten lava!” soon imitated by the others, Lester laughed “Quite close. I put red pepper, Melos Berry, paprika, flavour and sugar. There’s nothing better to start with the bang a new morning than a blast of spice, spice, spicy spice spiceness, ah!*EPIC POSE*”

Minun drank an entire bottle of water to restore his sense of the taste, tried to reply something but resigned to get over this. Lester stopped to poltergeist the baker and returned to his “normal” form, then lurked to the V-Room with a snigger upon the face “Lex, what are you doing, now?” asked the male twin “By the way what do you think Victini hides beyond this door? I’m crazily curious to discover. This is a mystery I will solve…” Rotom took the control of a broken table lamp, lowering the doom like an hat as an investigator, and approached more and more.

“Lester, Victini forbid us to cross that door, don’t do that..” warned Minun, but unworthy.

“Since he has a twisted mind you should try some reverse psychology to convince him.” Beheeyem suggested sneering. “Otherwise enjoy with me the upcoming show of Vexctini that vapors him with a Generator V.”

The plasma ghost was about to reach the lock but a sudden veer of the plane threw him away that he finished inside the Mp3 of Lampent, the airplane landed. Minun phewed yet Lester said solemnly “One day I’ll solve the mystery of that room. By the way, am I an I-pod, now? Quiiirky funny, let’s play some ELECTRO MUSIC. ZAM!” and jolted a brand in the ears of Lampent. “And when I say electro music, I mean totally.”

On the top of the plane ( Tail of Losers) there were the Jigglers. Squirtle stood up first, wearing the shades to protect from the bright light “Wew, gang, looks like we’re arrived.” “Finally” said Oshawott, attached to her seat like a clamp to a rock, Piplup was carrying the teapot in the beak meanwhile Chimecho sipped a cup in total tranquillity. Bagon was terrified “I-I’m the only one who noticed that radio tower in front of us before the last veer?” Lucario hopped down the plane do not saying a word, same did Ninjask by flying, instead Swellow flew up in the sky to do some show. Bagon looked at him in envy.

// Confessional //

“I still can’t believe I was safe last time after what I did” he said with a frown “But I learned the lesson, take the easy way is not the way to reach my dream. Besides, I can’t hide the fact I envy Swellow and the others like him so terrible. It’s time to act.”

“Attention, please: I dedicate this to the ladies” Swellow stretched his wings and flew fastly high and high to the stratosphere, here in a ocean of clouds he dove down and looped between the females contestants making them to squeal before to return in the air, only Aurorus, Chimecho, Lampent, and Seviper didn’t react at the performance, some males murmured words like “Swellshow Off” “Birdbrawn” or “Swellhead”.

Bagon and Squirtle instead discussed:

“Don’t you think it’s time to ask him that?”

“That what?” dumbfounded the turtle.

“C’mon, Squirt, strive to keep focused. I refer that he promised to help us to fly and be smug like him!” Bagon exclaimed, giving another look to the sky with annoyance, “He has being done nothing so far.”

“Uhm..you’re right. I’d like to be as popular so much. Ok, let’s talk with him, maaan.” The two buddies fisted each other and waited for Swellow to land again. After many evolutions the swallow went on the ground “At the end my swellowsome special: tan cream, thank” slicked all the feathers with the lucid oil and was interrupted “Hey, Swell, need to talk a minute: what ab-“ “Not now, the chicks can’t wait anymore to see this next move. Wooosh!” he took off up up away and veered in mid air with sun straight behind him: in this way the whole body of the swallow shimmered like a diamond, astonishing all the watchers.

“He’s *wonderful*.” Commented Drifloon, Oshawott and Piplup in awe.

“Hey, I can do the same, take a peep, peeple! Girls in especially.” Squirtle covered himself in grease and started to buff but slipped miserably, getting laughed at “Maybe I need more practice, ouch.” Bagon helped him “Come on, I help you to stand on your dignity” but the grease poured by Squirtle was too much that he slipped, too.

“AHAHAHAHAHAH!”

“Bro, what a poor figure we’re doing here..” whispered Squirtle blushing, Lucario and Ninjask lifted them up “Sgrunt, why don’t you stop act like idiots? You just harass yourself in this way. Boasting isn’t what make you men.” After he said this, Lucario grumbled quickly walking away “Besides, who cares? I’ve not to waste my time on you kidz.” “Lucario..did you just give us an advice?” “No, I didn’t and if I did you don’t have to thank me.”

// Confessional //

Squirtle reflected “What did he mean by that phrase?” scratched the back of the head and continued “Doesn’t matter, me and my buddy need redemption with the next challenge. Time to put our cards on the deck and show we’re tough as turtles..dragons..both!” stayed “Is there a middle way between a turtle and a dragon?”

“Anyway, we should focus on something important.” Piplup stepped forward “Vivillon left last time leaving the team without a guide: I candidate myself to be the new leader. I’m competent, organized, tidy, clever, and…” “A penguin, no?” she glared at Squirtle’s question “Just asking to be sure.”

“Yes, thanks of all my qualities I’ll guide the Jigglers U.U and many things are going to change in this team, oh oh oh.”

“Piplup is so annoying that I can’t even stand the idea to mimick her. Yesterday, she didn’t stop a second to give commands for the photos” groaned Swalot in the vent.

“Why Piplup and NOT ME? GRRRR.” Oshawott gnashed her teeth. “BECAUSE YOU COWARD DIDN’T EVEN STAND UP. Shut up, Mayko!”

“How are you today?”

“Fine, you?”

“Fine. So….” Tropius tried to talk with Aurorus, but she showed a cold attitude and the speech dimmed inside his throat. Meanwhile Vanillite was desperately looking for a way to return in the grace of Gorebyss: “Darn, she has provided the flakes by herself this morning, she must be really offended with me to do such a thing! Fresh her water more with the ice? Create an ice statue in her honor? Or..”

“Why don’t you simply let her alone?” suggested Dunsparce

“Uh? Who speak..you! You and that other little maggot have the responsibility of this.” Vanillite angrily pointed at Anorith chitchatting with the tropical eel swimming in her bowl “But, ahahah, hell no I’m going to tolerate this. I’ll come back to be her favorite and then she’ll become my princess, screw you and screw him! You can try to convince me all the times you want but I won’t fall in your trap.”

“B-But, I just wanted to give an advice..”

“Go away!” the land snake dodged an ice beam and escaped underground for the fear.

He merged few metres after under Tropius who reassured “Ignore the psycho ice cream, it’s better. I preferred to stick with Vileplume as leader. He doesn’t care for the game neither anything that isn’t Gorebyss.”

“A-as you do with Aurorus? G-Gasp, sorry, I should have not said that!” Dunsparce quivered in ashame, but Tropius didn’t hold a grudge “Don’t worry, you’re right, afterall.” “Eh? Ehm, if you whisper to me from that height I can’t hear you, if I dare to point out.”

“Nevermind, it was nothing important.”

“Ok..oh, I have some ice on a wing.” Sylveon rushed to check “Really? Ok, stay here. I’m going to bring some hot water, antifreeze and warm blankets, too. Better prevent a possible flu.”

“B-But I can just blow it away…sigh.”

“Ah, I had an idea” Vanillite bought a blue apricorn juice and offered it to Gorebyss “Here for you, princess, a sweet fresh juice I hope you will appreciate as a gift for your hoped mercy on me. Enjoy it.” Ended doing a bow. Gorebyss dissimulated indifference yet eventually sipped “Surp, acceptable…tasty…”

“Please, feel the dry note of the blue apricorn, mixed with the freshness of the vanilla I personally added. Isn’t a symphony of pleasures?” Vanillite talked like a sommèlier all the time until she finished. “Let’s say you’re half forgiven. Keep on and you’ll be totally, maybe” she fanned a fin ending with a wink, then retired in her shell. Vanillite cheered, Anorith frowned whispering to Seviper “Remember: I won’t help the S3 until he isn’t out.” the snake crawled over him showing her fangs “Sssure, I know. But give me an order again in the future and the S3 will be two in a slash of few secondssss.”

“Where’s Victini by the way?” asked Rotom randomly.

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“Dale a mu cuerpo alegria Macarones

Que mu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena

Dale a mu cuerpo alegria, Macarones

Hey Macarones!

Macarones tiene un novio que se llama

Que se llama de apellido Victinino,

Que en la jura de victoria el muchacho

Se metio con dos legendidos amigos, a-ah!

HEEEEY MACARONES!”

“Knock, knock. Victini, yaawn?” Victini stopped to dance immediately. He was dressing on a coronet of macarones and a skirt made of tropical flowers, two maracas in the paws, the stereo going on the background with the original rythm of Macarena, blushed hard but thankfully the door was locked. “Ahem, what’s up, Ji?” asked lighting off the music and undressing all the exotic stuff. “Roonf..they are..waiting..for you for..zzz..you know, the hosting.”

“Gasp, the plane has already landed? Voles. I need to hurry, vroom!” returned a minute inside the room “Soon after another..mmmh…macarone. Quick!”

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Victini reached vehemently the Pokèathlon Dome, starting to speak “Welcome to the Pokèathlon Dome: venue of the olympiads of Pokèworld! Here the best (and worst) athletes of Johto venture their virtues and vibes for the victory, showing to be very winners that vow their public all their values, veering versus many obstacles. Ah..sniiif..can you smell the unique essence of the victory? Besides mine, I mean.”

“The most I can smell is sweat.”

“Shut up, Beheeyem. Before to introduce you the challenge, or better use plural, challenges, I want to tell you that I participated five times to these competitions. One for each type of course: Speed, Power, Skill, Stamina, Jump.”

“Did you win any badge actually?” asked the alien unimpressed.

“I won them ALL, vex-traterrestrial. If you want to check..” Victini floated in front of the hall of fame where golden pictures of him verged on the walls of each category. “Wow” Bagon jaw dropped.

“I didn’t expect Victini to be such a champion to be honest, instead, jigs, how many trophies!”

Victini V-signed “Hope this will be an inspiration for you to do your best, because I subscribed you all at the Pokèathlon edition of today. That’s how it works: there are five different course each one with three challenges to do. Three pokèmon for team take part in them, they gain high scores whenever they win placing in the first places, and at the end the total of points accumulated in 3 sports will make only one team to win the trophy. Besides, there can be also given special prizes and points to the pokèmon that distinguish from the mass in a way or another, you’ll see that there can be also a special prize for the goofiness and another for the least class performer.”

“Oh, so this is how you reached the peak all the times, right?” Beheeyem spoke again with all his vitriolic sarcasm. But this time he went too far. Victini’s body glowed in flames for the rage, everyone stepped back. “Very well. Since you keep to stomp on my vindictive side, I have something to entertain you scumb.e.m. and the others: I’ll pick the choices for each category unlike I was going to do leaving you organize freely” the whole cast glowered at the cerebral being which stayed motionless but his green eyes widened when the host ended the sentence “Therefore I put Beheeyem in all the courses for the Laser Latias Leviathans, laugh now.”

“Ahahahah!” Drifloon outbursted “What? I understood everything this time: he said to laugh. Ahahahah, AHAHAHAH!AHAHAHA-PUM!” then bursted literally for the excess of gas inflated. “Happens, can I ask for some help, please?” Minun shook the head “Thanks, Beheeyem, really I’m sarcastic now” Plusle tackled him “Someone here needs a redo of the Positive Song?”

In the ventilation conduct Beheeyem panicked “Who tell them I’m totally denied for sports? On my planet habited by a real clever species they abolished them in the prehistory. Heh, I should shut my mouth in this kind of occasions.”

Victini sniggered and continued “With no more delays, let’s start the games: the pokèmon I call, get ready. For the Speed Course Anorith, Gorebyss, Vanillite, Bagon, Ninjask, Swellow, Lester, Minun and of course Beheeyem! All get in the locker room to prepare. The others follow me in the tribune. By the way one more thing to do before to start: guess? Spin my wheel!”

“Oh, nooo”

The wheel stopped after few circles “The V-Waves today will blow in favor of Fight and against Psychic” Victini smirked in the direction of Beheeyem who replied “So unexpected, but probably you forgot that you’re a psychic type, too.” “Uh, yeah..however I don’t have to compete in anything.” “Fair point..sigh” admitted the alien at the end.

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“Athletes, enter in the arena, the first challenge is about to begin!” Announced Victini in excitement. Then the selected competitors exited the lockers. Vanillite carried the bowl of Gorebyss with careful, Ninjask and Swellow dashed outside, the latter did obviously an acrobacy to boast, Bagon didn’t resist seeing them and jumped flapping the arms but fell miserably on the ground. However he received a thumb up of Squirtle from the gallery. Needless to say, Beheeyem was the last to get in the arena. He looked already depressed.

“L-E-V-I-A-T-H-A-N-S!” cheered Plusle aside the arena. “Wait, but I should be together him in the race.” The audience got crazy as Victini appeared on the palk “Here we are, pokèmon, the Speed Course starts now! The first challenge is the classic Hurdles Race: the athletes have to run and jump over this obstacle course all together, but it doesn’t matter if one of them places first, because it’s the total to count. The seconds implied by each pokèmon are added to the complexive scores of the team he/she/it runs for: this means that it’s better to run at the same pace then one being the fastest and the other the slowest slwpoke ever!” spinned “Got it? Ready…Set…Go!” and V-signed.

“How is Gorebyss going to run staying in the bowl?” questioned Dunsparce to the companions, Seviper hissed seething in anger “Being carried by her butler as usssual.” Effectively Vanillite was pushing the tank while running back to back with Anorith. Ninjask and Swellow flew over the first hurdle and took the lead, Bagon instead crashed against it heeling over, but stood up soon. Lester dashed to the third place and started to describe:

“The hurdle has just started, but we can see already who are the favorites and who are the unfavorites, ah! Ninjask and Swellow are leading the course from the beginning thanks to their fly type advantage, look how differently they approach to each obstacle, as Ninjask boosts and does a dry perfect drift, Swellow prefers to offer more show looping up and down in mid-air and sometimes over the groupies in the tribune before to fly over! Then there’s my turn…woooosh..wooow…spinniiiiing! Ahahah, quirky funny! On the opposite situation there are the three Venturers, Beheeyem and Minun: the last one hasn’t even started yet!”

“Plusle, please, let me..go, this is getting ridiculous” Minun was still at the beginning line held by the sister which embraced his leg and refused to let “Nope! We’ve never done something separated. I want to run with you or nothing! Please, please, pleeeease!” The negative twin limped on the free leg trying to race, but tripped immediately “Sissy..c’mon..it’s just a race, groan. Plus, Victini already chose the challengers.”

// Vent Confessional //

“She’s having another crisis of hers.” Minun explained shrugging in resignment “The problem is that she can’t bear the idea to do something without me or viceversa. Everytime I go somewhere, even at the supermarket, she wants to be with me, reckless, she always in a way or another manages to. Taking the market as an example, once I found her in the cheese store: I had left her home for about 10 minutes.” Sighed. “This is getting stressful to me, but she’s my sister, what can I do?”

Plusle next to him purposed with a smile “Retire from the course because you’re not with me?” and squeezed him in an embrace. “Let’s do the cheerleaders together instead!”

“By the way” Rotom continued the commentary “Minun is still proceeding faster than Beheeyem. Our alien is running or filming a slow-motion sequence?”

“Ahahahah!” the entire Johto's audience laughed.

“I mean, seriously, the time he jumps the first hurdle Saturn has finished a rotation!”

“Ahahah, very funny. Ouch!” Beheeyem was in troubles, habited to levitate than walk, his tiny legs were heavy and weak to run, impossible to jump. Everytime he faceplanted (three times in a row and only three because of the invisible speed) the public laughed louder, Victini enjoyed the revenge. Big punishment. With Lester do not stopping a second to entertain with the speaker chronicles and the dignity of Beheeyem flushing down the toilet accident by accident.

Porygon 2 examined the situation with a virtual tab “Considering their currently position there’s the 99% of possibility that they’ll be last placed in this course.” Metang nodded meanwhile Castform screamed in a ghetto slang “Hsk, dat nerd is gonna get we down, I’m tempt’d to burn his alien butts with a sun ray. G’mon! I dated cumulonimbuses faster tha’ you! Whatta sham.” Lampent scrolled her eyes a minute then returned to read.

Bagon tackled another hurdle speeding up to the 4th rank: he had renounced to act like Swellow or Ninjask and applied a breaking tactic, running over the obstacles like a tank. “Yeah, dude, this is how we rid off annoyances: show ‘em attitude!” cheered Squirtle making his sunglasses to shimmer epically. Anorith jumped soon after looking back at the other two:

“Hurry up! You should stop to push her and leave her race outside that tank.”

“And let her skin to be overexposed to the nude and sharp sand? Running by crawling?? Craze! I can, or better, I must take her to the end in tranquillity, pfui.” Vanillite barely jumped the obstacle, melting down for the sweat “Argh, the water is flooding down! Phew, solved. See?”

“Yup..” Anorith roll-eyed “Gorebyss, why don’t you say anything to him? He keeps restraining you in that golden cage.” Gorebyss giggled “He’s just striving to receive my full forgive, isn’t adorable?” Vanillite blushed and accelerated. “Alright. I’m going to do something I’ll probably regret, but…it’s time to break that crystal world she’s stuck inside. Klack!” Anorith cut the upcoming hurdle in two halves so when Vanillite reached the spot he jumped one half but got into the other, the bowl slipped off the hands and..

“Fiiii….scrinkle!Ops, my quirk, too early.”

“SCRINKLE!”

“G-G-G-Gorebyss!!!!”

“Ahah, now is the original!” Rotom returned to the run and the commentary “Ooh, what a twist! The precious bowl of Gorebyss is now in a million of pieces: what will be her reaction? SPLAT!” was interrupted crashing against a wall. “@ Let’s discover this soon after a commercial break..@”

Lester changed scene reappearing on the screen as Fridge Rotom: “Thirsty? Try a little of Lesterade: the drink of the quirks! Nothing better than a thousand of spices in a single can to give you the charge. Glu-glu-glu…Lesterade make you grow crazyyyy!!! P.S: collateral effect can be brain swap and a ticket for the ghost world, also you maybe develop multiple egos and have the temptation to possess your machines but should go fine at the end.”

“Miss Gorebyss, I’m terribly contrived! I help you immediately and then quick, find a new bowl, bigger than the former, it’s a solemn promise!” Vanillite flailed. Gorebyss splashed and whipped on the ground “What’s this matter?” asked touching the sand in astonishment “It’s land. Never heard about?” replied Anorith with a smile, that disappeared when she panicked “No, it’s the first time I feel this..auch..this is so rough..auch…. my poor fins, I want my tank!” and Vanillite panicked more than her.

Seviper snickered in the Confessional “I sssaw everything in detail. Sssplendid move, Anorith: finally that scrawny ssspoiled biss learns how tough is the real life.” Glowered “Asss I did alwaysss.”

“VANILLITE, ANORITH, SOMEONE find me a new bowl!!! I can’t swim in this place with this awful ground.”

“Maybe I can create a bowl of ice for now…just few minutes, argh, quick, Vanillite, quick, your princess is in danger!”

Anorith approached to the tropical fish “Try a minute. I know the first impact is traumatic, but you can learn with practice. I remember perfectly when I exited from the ocean the first time, just a week after I had hatched from the egg. Trust me.” Gorebyss hesitated yet eventually moved her body, wobbling trying to stay up, ready to front an hurdle “Gorebyss, stop! I did it: here’s your new bowl entirely made of ice. Do you like it?Oh no, it melted.”

Gorebyss jumped flipping in mid-air like she usually did in the water but bumped rudely. “AAARGH! Miss!”

“She’s fine, let her do some experience.”

“Heretical scarab! You’re making her holy figure damaged.” Tropius had enough, longed the neck and whistled “Mind to think at the competition? Only Beheeyem didn’t surpass you three yet.” Minun was running ahead right in that moment, carrying the sister on the back “Go, brother, go, gimme an M an I an N an U an N:MINUN!” they had found a compromise.

Anorith got lively and spurred his rival “He’s right, let’s run again quickly.” But the ice cream refused “No way, I won’t let my princess in this condition: she needs ice for the wounds and lovable assistance.” Anorith retailed back “I know but if we lose they’ll vote Gorebyss out seeing her failure. What’s better: risk her departure or leave her alone for few minutes?” Vanillite flashed away surpassing Minun and using Ice Wind on Bagon, who skidded against a pile of hurdles, blocking the passage that Minun collided into, too. Anorith was content until he got involved in the same ice attack, arguably “by accident”, cursed.

The Blizzard Pokèmon reached the head group, tying with Rotom, who swished all the ice beams zig-zagging randomly..meanwhile they could see the last hurdle at the horizon,it was the tallest and heaviest. Swellow fronted it first, but decided to create suspense for the fans: he wasted time doing some 8-loops and smug antics in the sky. “What the shell is doing? Hey, IDIOT, surpass that damn obstacle!” Piplup scolded Oshawott for her reaction but actually thought the same thing. When finally he decided to return in the arena swelling on his agility Swellow didn’t consider the stream gained in the flight and couldn’t drift properly above the hurdle. “WHAM!”

“Uuuh, this need a replay!” commented Rotom “Anybody has a VCR I can infest for a second?” Vanillite exploited this distraction to hit the plasma ghost with Ice Wind that reduced his speed, same did with Ninjask, whose wings got covered in ice shards and made him fell down. The body of the insect disappeared revealing to be a Substitute. Infact, Ninjask had already surpassed the giant hurdle and reached the finish line.

“Wow, didn’t see that coming. ZAP!” Vanillite distracted getting zapped by a Thunder Wave, a crafty Rotom flew over the top placing second. Vanillite arrived third, then there was the middle group composed by Bagon, Anorith and Minun in this order, Beheeyem ranked last ,panting, yet eventually 7th since Gorebyss and Swellow were classified as never arrived.

“Thankfully there’s Lester” said Porygon 2, calculating the time implied by the alien: 4:51:51. The results were soon showed on the display of the dome: 1st Jirachi Jigglers with 380 points, 2nd Victini Venturers with 240, 3rd Latias Leviathans with 125. “Wait, two players of the Jigglers and the Venturers didn’t even place, whaddabout this?” protested Castform overheating her sun head. Victini smiled deviously “Loophole: being never arrived they were both counted 0 seconds unlike the dear Be-heel-yem. Vihihih!”

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Without a second to rest, the athletes were called for the second challenge that mixed Speed and Skill: “The Pennant Capture! This is rather easy to understand. The challengers have to find the flags hidden in the beach and bring them to the line within 120s. Each pokèmon can pick 9 flags at most, therefore the rivals are allowed to steal them: everytime a contestant crosses the red line, a companion has to go next. Win the team that accumulates the highest number of flags in total, gaining points x 3. Clear? Be fast, smart or both..3-2-1 GO!”

Anorith, Bagon and Lester started to explore the area. Anorith and Bagon scratched the sand furiously finding 2 flags while Rotom possessed a toy excavator and uprooted the beach crazily, coming over the two. “Beep-beep! Ahahahah, by the way I’m sorry!” Anorith avenged making an hole in a wheel with the claw, the ghost lost the control of the machine and was robbed of all the flags minus one. Anorith searched for more to reach the quote of 9, but Bagon was faster and reached the red line with perfect 9 flags, Ninjask entered in his place and immediately caught Anorith off guard lurking behind his shoulders, stole all the flags he had, dashed over the whole beach “Zoom!Zooom!Zoom!” and in 10 seconds tagged with Swellow.

Everyone was astonished.

// Vent Confessional //

“I bet he flies at the speed of light” said an impressed Bagon “Totally lika a ninja! So envious.”

Ninjask polished the schytes at closed eyes “I followed an intense training to reach this level. We..I learned all the tricks from the best masters of ninja, from Koga to Nagano but never depending on a trainer, I did this path alone.” Stopped to move “It was a choice.”

Swellow did some stretching and buffing before to go. “Urgh,who, what happened? It was all too fast…” Anorith looked around still dazed and things went worse when Rotom buried him under a pile of sand “Special Lestivery! A pack of revenge. Mwahahahahah!”

“Lex, don’t lose more time, focus on the flags research” spurred Minun waiting to tag. Lester collected 3 flags, however he was able to distract Swellow assuming his Fan Form “**Iiiih! I can’t believe you’re the famous awesome Swellow! Can I take you a photo**?

“Actually the right adjective is swellowsome but doesn’t matter, of course I can do this favor: which pose do you prefer I assume, Fanhorita Rotom?”

“A shocked face: say cheese. KA-ZAM!” he used Discharge on the bird, capturing all the pennants in his possess.

“0-18-9! Since now.” Announced the V-host at the commentary.

As it was his turn, Minun chose a specific spot where to search: the sand castle. He had noticed it from the beginning, but oddly none had checked it. Therefore, Plusle wasn’t around this time. “What a relief. I can focus on the challenge in tranquillity.” “+Cuckoo+!” Plusle merged from one of the towers, juggling with the flags. You said, Minun? “Hop-hop-hop. Why don’t we reach the red line doing this number together?” squealed the positive twin, Minun sighed hard, getting distracted. All of sudden a claw merging from the sand picked all the flags left unguarded: finally Anorith could switch with Gorebyss, but she gave up after having found a flag (by pure luck) and delegated Vanillite on Vanillite’s suggestion much for Anorith’s dismay.

Swellow brought only 3 flags when crossed the line forcing Bagon to rush, Minun tried his best to make a comeback bringing 9 flags despite the interference of the sister, Vanillite found repair under an umbrella, here he tided himself up and also found an hidden pennant.

The efforts of Minun were nullified as Beheeyem got the turn: phlegmatic, he found the first flag and picked it on in 30 seconds…being rammed by Bagon soon after. The tribune of the Leviathans moaned, again Lampent scrolled her look from the book for a gap of few milliseconds. He shrugged returning to search with his light detector hands…Minun facepalmed.

“Beheeyem is so slow in everything he does: eating, reading, going to sleep, lifting up an object. If on his planet they’re all like him, this maybe explain why they didn’t invade the Earth yet in a century.” Minun observed in a rare moment of solitude.

“Groan, all this non-cerebral activity already tired me to death…” Beheeyem layed in the vent exhausted “I have to do five courses, FIVE. Help me.”

Once he had collected 9 pennants Bagon ran back to the starting line but at the edge tripped into Anorith who had just entered for the second time, and the time finished. “11-24-18:this round is won again by the Jigglers! The total scores are now 452 for the Jirachi Jigglers, 273 for the Victini Venturers and 179 for the Laser Latias Leviathans. Third round will change the charts?”

“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

During the pause Plusle distributed apricorn juices “Here a little drink of positivity: energy, energy, energy! Minun, cheer with me, we are the L-E-V-I-A-“ Minun interrupted her “Sister, there’s nothing to cheer about in this moment. It’s sour to me to say this, but it’s mostly your fault. Listen, it’s not that I..oh, no, what are you doing?” Plusle perked down “Dressing the pom poms of sadness..snigf..l-e-v-I-a-t-h-a-n-sigh.” Minun felt ashamed “No, don’t do that! I..I..(sob) was joking.” “Hooray!!I knew that my brother would have never refused the stick-to-stick company of his adored sister! *Shock of happiness*” she rubbed her cheek on the brother’s ones and returned to cheer aside the arena. Minun revolved eyes to the sky, Beheeyem floated next to him:

“Why so regretful to speak the truth? Seriously, you need to be more direct and have no fear to wound her feelings, I always do this and…”

“…and in fact we can see all together the results, no thanks. Keep mind your selfish sarcastic business.”

“Okay, nevermind. Enjoy having a sister invading your privacy for the rest of your life” Shrugged the alien, sipping the juice. “Note for the invasion: the terrestrials are a very stupid species that restrains its true thoughts continuously.”

Bagon approached shyly to Swellow, the smug bird seemed available now “Hey, why don’t we exploit this free time for a first little lesson of flight?” “Not now, I just got a new idea for the next performance: toss me all the juice you can find. Splash, voilà! With this wet look I’ll entertain all the chick whenever they’ll show me on the wide screen, blink*” Squirtle imitated soon the swallow watering his body with a red apricorn juice, that was really really really spicy! The turtle rushed outside the gallery in search of a shower. Bagon sighed and fisted the air in an angry gesture. He didn’t notice Ninjask behind.

“You’ll never learn to fly in this way.” “Eh? I think you’re right, I’m disappointed.” “I know, you formed an alliance with him and Squirtle for this reason.” “Right..how do you know that?” “A ninja is focused 360° on everything surrounding him, always.” “Cool. I’d like to be like you, not only because you fly but also because you’re 100% focused on the aim. Instead I’m wasting my time and I let to be distracted by a Rare Candy.” Bagon stopped “Ninjask, are you still here? Seems no.” Eventually saw the musk on the beginning line of the arena, already ready for the next discipline. “Wow, totally focused on the game always.”

“Where do you feel pain?” “Here..here..and here, right on the caudal fin..oh, is life going to abandon me, cough, right?” Sylveon was checking up a drama queen version of Gorebyss: the pink regalecidae was thirsty and scraggy out of her habitat, pieces of skales easily dropped down. Vanillite was panicked and angry at the same time “Back off! I can cure her, ONLY. Miss Gorebyss, don’t die, please, doooon’t: this world can’t afford to lost your beauty, otherwise I’ll destroy it, promise!!!”

“I see a light..”

“Nooo, stay alive! Here:ice, ice, water, ice, water, ice, water, ice, ice, ice!”

“It’s the sun. Would you stop being so tragical?” Anorith scoffled.

“YOU HORRIBLE SCRABBLE OF CENOZOIC:SHUT UP. She’s suffering cause of you!” yelled Vanillite storming.

Anorith shut the mouth of the icecream and walked close to Gorebyss “This is a normal reaction, you need to habit to the oxygen and –klack!- the game is done. Depends by how do you approach to the whole thing, by the way. If you keep living this as a tragedy, of course this won’t end good…ok?” Gorebyss twitched in unbelieve giving a blank look, Vanillite looked at her shaking the head “No, I can’t take this risk, I don’t have since I’m rich and have all the admirers I wish for to do everything in my place. Therefore, it’s over: I want my bowl back!Or better a new model made of diamonds and lapislazulis this time.”

Anorith replied “Pity you can’t have it now, how will you survive to the rest of the day?” leaving both, the spoiled and the butler, speechless, he got prepared to run. Gorebyss had again disappointed with her reaction, however he maybe hit the bullseye.

“Athletes, this will be a special relay: you have to run three at times until you feel able to resist, then pass the baton to a member of your team, and then again when this one will be exausted too he’ll pass to another, and then the circle restarts. The winner will be the team who does the highest number of laps in 90 seconds, but be strategic: this is more a endurance than a challenge, so the fastest you go the easiest you need to rest.” Victini explained using the megaphone, then fired on a giant V in the sky “Ready? Via!”

As the V-Host flapped the flag, Rotom and Ninjask dashed doing a complete lap in a second, while Anorith implied more to complete it, he was surpassed multiply times by the two speed pokèmons.

“Ahahah, I’m faster than a F1 car and a dodge viper VXT meshed up together!” Rotom exclaimed galvanized by the adrenaline, Ninjask stayed silent “Don’t talk for the afraid or your oriental code? By the way, pity I don’t have a Car Form, shame Game Freak! I mean, seriously? I was created to possess any electrodomestic possible and they thought just about a mow, a fan, a oven, a wash machine and a fridge?Speaking of my fridge form…need a drink of Lesterade to run faster, ah!” Ninjask boosted doubling the quirky poltergeist of a lap: Jigglers were again at the lead of a challenge.

Lester quilled “Hey..hey! You just exceeded the limit of speed: prepare for a big FINE! Ueo-eo-eo-eo!”

// Confessional //

Minun groaned “Lester, Drifloon, Porygon 2, Lampent, Beheeyem, my sister and even Castform and Metang aren’t exactly normal: I feel as the odd one out in a bunch of freaks.”

Lester boosted to reach Ninjask, halving the outdistance, suddenly Ninjask braked and used Protection, against whom the ghost whammed going dizzy “Tweet, tweet, I should have changed my steering wheel” Minun quickly took his place, Ninjask used Baton Pass to switch with Bagon which found his speed increased x4 “Woah, I can feel the wind on my face and I’m not flying!” Minun strove to keep that pace.

Anorith plodded along the 7th lap..Bagon arrived onto him like a bolt losing the control and tripping down miserably, putting on daze the anomalocaris for few seconds, Minun was reached by Plusle that decided to run together him despite not having to “Hop, hop, hop, don’t give up!” “Uff, pant, thank you really, but I need to stay focused and with you around-wooah!” tripped on a rock, twisting a leg

“Owch, this is bad. Beheeyem, I need to tag! Hello?” Beheeyem was reading a book, he assumed that his hand was a receiver “Tut-tut-tuuut..this is the secretary: leave a message after the bip however none will care to listen to it, thank. Biiip.” “Not funny, let’s don’t waste our advantage, switch with me!” “Tutututu..”

Swellow, just entered, did a whole lap before the time finished: “The end!Let’s see the results: Team VV did 7 laps gaining 70 scores, Team JJ did 21x10 scores, and the Triple L achieved 20 laps. This means that the Speed Trophy goes to the Jirachi Jigglers with 662 points, the 2nd place is stolen by the Latias Leviathans with 369 scores against the meekly 343 of the Victini Venturers (boooh!)” “Yuhuuu!” cheered the winners.

Ninjask was given the honor to take the trophy, Victini congratulated “Excellent start! (Pity you’re not my favorites) By the way the olympiads are just started: for the Power Course I call Dunsparce, Seviper, Tropius, Lucario, Oshawott, Squirtle, Drifloon, Metang and….Beheeyem again. Vihihihihih!”

“DRIFLOON?!!Oh, you sun of a bae” lamented Castform, heated.

Dunsparce protested too, shrilling “W-Why you picked me and not..ehm..a bigger pokèmon like Aury -blushed- A-Aurorus? Sorry for that nickname, really. Oh, of course: if I dare to ask, Victini!” Victini shrugged “I received the order from the Pokèmon Center that visited Aurorus last time that she need to do the least effort possible for a day.That’s why I switched her in the Skill Course. Any other question?”

Beheeyem raised an hand “Yes, can I give up now?” Victini outbursted in laughers “NOPE unless you prefer to be sent back on Marth by a Generator V. So?” the alien raised down immediately, gulping, and floated reluctantly in the locker room. Lampent observed the scene in silence.

“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

“Good luck, brother” Bagon fist punched with Squirtle. “Thanks, man, I’ll show some Hot Water Power.”

“Welcome back to the Pokèmolympiads! This is the Power Course: three challenges based on pure strength and determination, brawn and verve for the win of a new trophy.” Victini spoke in the middle of the arena. Pointing to a pile of marble plates he introduced the audience to the first challenge: “Block Mash: how many rocks are you able to smash in 60s? Let’s discover it. When you feel tired pass the turn to the next member competing.”

“This is all?” asked Lucario arching a brow. “Indeed, but don’t underestimate this task:it isn’t THAT simple to break those plates at the first touch.” Dunsparce, Squirtle, Drifloon took position in front of the piles. “Go!”

Drifloon tapped feebly on the marble, Dunsparce hit the plates causing little cracks with patience, Squirtle pumped his arm and fisted..the void. EPIC FAIL. “Oops! Eheheh, my mistake.” “Oshawott facepalmed. Squirtle blushed, tried again but didn’t break the plate as he expected at the first attempt. “Hot Water Power, uh?” “Ehm..” “Wet the surface and then punch in the middle of the fissures.” suggested Lucario “This should help to don’t waste time, sgrunt.” Squirtle followed the hint and managed to break more plates. “I’m taking the rhythm , yeah, thank for the advice, Luke!” “Don’t thank me and call me Lucario without waste time, clear?”

“Trrr..trrrr…trrr..anf..” Dunsparce had broken only 5 plates and was already tired, Tropius gently asked “Want to switch with me?” but the land snake refused: it was time to know his limits. Dunsparce continued to hit vehemently the plates meanwhile the time passed fastly…

“Tap, tap, tap…I like the sound this does. I imagine I’m playing the drum!” contemporary Drifloon had still to smash a single block but with those stringy arms she would have implied a year, Metang switched with her to spare useful time: a single Meteor Punch crashed almost 5 blocks. In 10 seconds Metang chopped 50 plates taking the lead, seeing this Tropius substituted to his friend excusing for the lack of trust, Lucario did the same yet didn’t excuse at all with Squirtle. These swaps balanced the situation in favor of the Jirachi Jigglers: while Tropius could destroy with a stomp 10 blocks at all but lacked of focusness, Lucario was a perfect combination of power and precision, he knew where to hit and was faster, however Metang was an even more threatening combination. He had the strentgh, the precision and in addition, the mastermind.

After 30 seconds, half of the time available, the three teams had destroyed respectively 70, 110 and 90 plates. Tropius and Metang had both passed the turn, Lucario hadn’t yet. Sweat and tired, he was continuing to chop , kick and punch with no rest. “Lucario, man, aren’t you tired at this point? It’s time to take a breath, dude, switch with Oshawott.” “Mind your business.” The dog snorted in reply, punching harder, the vein of the front pulsed for the effort: it was evident he was exhausted. “What a stubborn stump head…” commented Oshawott pretty annoyed. Seviper revealed to be stronger than expected, pairing soon with him, they were now back to back, Beheeyem, instead…his first fist barely crippled the plates but everyone heard clearly the crack of the bones, and the scream that followed consequentially.

Finally Metang had elaborated a full strategy, that was the moment to act. He sent a subliminal message to Dunsparce making him to suggest a trick to Seviper: use her acid spit to meltdown many rocks at time. “Sssneaky sssuggestion, I’m impressed. You’re learning ssslowly the three s.” Suspecting anything, she applied the trick, being discovered by Oshawott “Grrr, she’s cheating!” who started an argument with the snake, distracting the athletes, Lucario growled “That’s why I hate the company: SHUT UP I NEED TO FOCUS.” Seviper enraged the same “Ssshut up you both losssers, there are no rules against thisss!”

Tropius and Squirtle strove to hold them. Metang then used his psychic waves to change the position of the three piles, switching the one of the Venturers, covered in the acid of the viper with the Leviathans’s and the pile of the Jigglers went to Beheeyem.

This was another plan on the neck of the line, as he explained privately: “There’s a double probability: or they don’t get aware of the switch and Victini counts the blocks mashed in our favor, or they discover everything and think logically that Beheeyem cheated in this turn. 50% of success, 50% of insuccess, 100% result at my advantage.”

“Only 10 seconds left!” Lucario cared back to the challenge “Sgrunt, I stop just because I don’t want to waste more time. BRAM! ARGH!” the acid burned his paw as he punched the poisoned plate “Gnn, who cares? I can continue with the other arm…back off!” he pushed Oshawott aside, she restrained her rage for a bit but eventually reacted punching back but Squirtle blocked the hit with his body going knock out. Oshawott accumulated more rage inside, she flung herself with all her fury versus Lucario but tripped missing him and hit the pile of blocks reducing it in powders. Chimecho rang the bell to calm her at all.

“3-2-1…stop!” Victini concluded the challenge “I see that the Victini Venturers destroyed an amount of 120 blocks, the Jirachi Jigglers 110 and the Laser Latias Leviathans obtained 151. Surprising! Despite having Drifloon and Beheeyem ( aka the balloon and the useless) they win this first round! How was this possible?”

“I’m wondering the same..” reflected Bagon “With the two savages arguing I’m not surprised” Piplup said loudly so everyone could hear, of course Oshawott didn’t like the accuse.

“Shut the beak, Lucario started this, OKAY?” Piplup hopped down the tribune puffing in offense “Dont dare to say me that, ott. Unlike you, I wouldn’t have reacted in such a beasty way, and so I wouldn’t have lost!”

“I started nothing. I just wanted to stay alone while..hss..I was doing the challenge, but these two kids bothered me continuously!”

“Bother? It’s how you mean an advice to be, really man? I got a punch in place of ya.” Squirtle joined to the debate, supported morally by Bagon. “It was your decision, I don’t have any role about.” Swalot yawned bored. Suddenly Piplup slapped Oshawott in a act of disdain: this was the last drop. A mad Oshawott got on the penguin starter beating up her, started a pitched catfight.

“I feel g-guilty for what happened..sigh” Dunsparce watched at the fight sadly “I ssstarted all of this, sorry, Seviper, my suggestion was awful and caused this disaster. I don’t know how I came up with it.” The black viper twined next to him smiling “It was ssssplendid. You shouldn’t feel guilty but proud: this ssspat would have never existed if wasn’t for you. Look how much poison is spreading around, causing hate and discordance. SSSSublime work.”

Dunsparce shivered “S-S-Sublime mischievousness, you mean, right? See how many pokèmon I damaged with a single move! I utterly feel like a…worm.” Seviper patted his back with the tail “Feel like a snake. This is what our species is made for, making them sssssuffer in payback of what they did with us.”

Chimecho was forced to bring back the harmony again. “Stop the spat. Shall recognize your respective flaws and accept them, don’t let a bad event to spoil your souls. Chiiiiime-Chiiiiime ))))” the female starters made up, Piplup with her feathers all messed up limited to glower at Oshawott, Oshawott gave back the glare despite having a ring around one’s eye that matched ironically with the left one of Squirtle, Lucario walked to a corner to stay alone. Swalot yawned again just for boredom and with the others non competing returned at the tribune.

All that argument shortened the break and the athletes couldn’t distress a minute that Victini announced the next challenge, called Circle Push. The arena was changed: there was a big square in the middle, probably the ring, with each angle of a different color, psychedelic panels surrounded the perimeter and giant light bulbs illuminated the surface. Squirtle thought to be at a sort of disco “I like to move it move it!” but Victini cleared out that it wasn’t, giggling.

“This is not a discotheque but you need sure to move to resist here. At the first turn a wide circle of light will appear in the middle, at the second the circles will be two but littler, at the third there will be three of random sizes, and the game continues until there’s only one team left. Infact, the aim of the game is to get inside the circumference of the circles before the countdown finishes: the shrunkest is the circle the more are the points, being in no circle you’re out. It’s allowed if not obliged to push the opponents in the open space away from the lights. Got it? Start!”

As the first circle appeared everyone got in the middle: it was enough big to contain them all, however the crowd was already a problem, especially for Dunsparce that got accidentally stomped by Tropius and Oshawott choked between Lucario and Squirtle. She got suddenly the first push “Hey! Who is the ASPIRANT SUICIDER?” another stronger push made her to faceplant outside the circle “Grrr…last warning. Nope, I’m already angry. Lucario! It was you?” Lucario sgrunted “No.” He then got pushed at his turn, pushing Oshawott just returned in the circle. She growled and rammed on him making Squirtle to fall over the limit, but he returned in time. With the countdown almost finishing, Seviper blew on Drifloon making her to flutter away…and get eliminated.

Second round started and two littler circles appeared at the sides of the square: the group spliced in halves that rushed to them frenetically. In the left circle Tropius occupied the whole space available, however Squirtle managed to climb on the back of the dinosaur to stay, imitated (goofily) by Oshawott, Beheeyem had to resign at the idea to change circle, moving through the square along with Dunsparce that had stayed in the middle fainted for a bit: both failed to reach a circle by the end of the round. Metang was alone now.

At the third round three circles of very different dimensions lighted on: the biggest gave the less point, so none rushed to it, the littlest gave lot of points but was far in a corner and was barely wide to host a pokèmon. Tropius with still on his neck the two starters chose the middle sized that appeared next to the previous, Metang eventualy decided to don’t risk and picked the big one, ambitiously both Seviper and Lucario aimed to the shrunk circumference.

“I’m first.” Said the dog firmly, folding arms to mark that was HIS OWN circle.

“I’m better.” Seviper coiled around her body wrapping Lucario in the spires, choking his breath, too. In this way she could stay inside the circle, and also weaken the resistance of the grumpy fighter. “Urgh, none dare to invade a personal space of mine.” Seviper laughed at the menace, tightening the clench. Her swag disappeared feeling the grip loosening near the end of the round, infact, Lucario, fed up, embodied the steel muscles to the point he broke the chaining and tossed the viper out of the ring in rage! Squirtle clapped at the impressive performance, in this way forgot he was hanging on the tall neck of Tropius, fell down and was eliminated the same as the serpent girl.

At the fourth round the circles shrank more and returned to be two. Conscious to be too big to stay inside a littler circle, Tropius walked to the other, the most safe, the same Metang was still in. Lucario and Oshawott were forced to share the same circle, despite the cohabitation was very unattainable: the egoistic and territorial spirit of him clashed with the short patience and easy fury of her.

“Go away, this is my space.”

“Go away, before I Scallop Blade your butts.”

“Grrr..”

“Rrrr..”

Both pushed each other but none wanted to yield, as the countdown started again, Metang skidded in their direction and used his weight to push them out of the circle. “2 eliminated, third place to the Jigglers!”

“Osha-what-the-scallop?!!” exclaimed the ott caught off-guard. Lucario kicked the base of the arena in frustration “I just got tricked like a puppy.” They both glared at each other, Piplup glared at them, too.

Metang called for a little break, that was conceived by the host to increase the spannung in the audience. There was no way he could have managed to push Tropius out, so he spoke with Beheeyem some minutes..

Pause finished. Metang vs Tropius could begin: many circles appeared of red, green and yellow color. Tropius got confused by the wide choice, ignored Metang and eventually picked the biggest one. Victini scoffed since it looked like this round would have not ended the challenge. Actually the lights went off one second before the countdown was complete, leaving Tropius without a circle. Metang was declared the winner.

// Vent //

Beheeyem revealed the trick used: “He ordered me to use the rays of light coming out my hands to disorientate Mr. Tropical Skyscraper. Don’t tell me you didn’t understand by yourself, guessed?”

“The third and last challenge of this course is Goal Roll!” Victini pressed a button and the stadium turned to be a trapezoidal grass field with three nets at the orange, yellow and red corners, the 9 athletes walked in and the audience crazed in cheers and screams “In this game you have to kick the balls in the nets of your opponents to gain points: each small ball is 1 point, each big ball is 2 point, the golden one that will appear at a certain point and that is the heaviest to push gives 5 points.” “So is basically like soccerball? Yeah, dude! Finally a challenge I can shine in: I’m a dragon in this sport. Watch this!” Squirtle grabbed the ball and attempted to do a dribbling with the head and the kneels, but didn’t do much. “Ok, maybe just a turtle, but still, not bad, uh?” “Not bad, pathetic.” commented Lucario with his hoarse voice. Victini cleared his throat to continue “Anyway, wins the team that has the highest scores-

“You don’t say? I think it would have been the one with the lowest scores, my wrong prediction.”

“Shut up, Beheeyem, or I’ll force you to be the goalkeeper..actually..this is a great idea. Beheeyem is the goalkeeper for the L-e-v-i-a-t-h-a-n-s !” Plusle frowned “This is not the way to say that, it’s louder:L-E-V-I-“ Minun shut her mouth, sighing. “Is it possible that he still after all the punishments doesn’t learn to zip his mouth when he should?”

Victini sneered “Instead the others are free to have or no a keeper , but eventually having someone in front of your net is useful because if you get a goal against you lose a point! You do. Game on, the ball is in the middle, kick-off. Fiii!”

All the pokèmon rushed to the central zone of the camp, pushing the ball one versus the other corner. Tropius’s mole was useful this time, as he could push the ball hard enough to pass through the crowd as a bullet and goaled in the net of the Leviathans. “1 point for the Venturers! Let’s go.” Victini V-signed on the giant screen. A new ball was put in the middle. Tropius hit the hardest again, but this time the ball bounced on the pole and rolled near the feets of Lucario “What I have to do with this stuff exactly?” Squirtle replied “Ahem..kick it. Don’t you know football?” “No, I don’t follow it. Problems if I don’t? Sgrunt.” “Just kick that DAMN BALL!” shouted Oshawott. Lucario was soon surrounded by the foes, but he eventually gave a powerful kick that reached the opposite sided net, annhilating the previous score of Tropius. “Wow.” Squirtle took off his shades in sign of respect, Oshawott scoffed in satisfaction, everyone else astonished.

Lucario smirked being unseen and immediately after returned frowny. However his mood was pumped, now. He stepped to the middle and dribbled Tropius, Seviper and Dunsparce aiming again to their net. Goal. “Yeah, go, Luke!”

At the next round the scene was repeated, however the Venturers had placed Tropius as goalkeeper: he covered the whole net as an unshreddable wall. Squirtle and Oshawott ran to the other door, guarded only by Beheeyem, “guarded” is also an euphemism, and claimed for the passage “Dude, I’m free, give me the assist!” “Pass the ball here, you can’t do anything in that position.” Lucario didn’t listen to them, that was HIS ball afterall, and HE ONLY could decide of what to do, if take or kick it, his selfish attitude made him to follow HIS OWN thought and he kicked in the angle, hitting the pole but the ball bounced back in his legs: a second occasion was here given. “Hey, THIS TIME, launch the ball to me or to Squirtle, get it?” Oshawott stomped the ground “Gnnn..he doesn’t even care for us, what a chump! He gets on my nerves, he gets on my neeeerves..##” Squirtle tried again to get the attention of Lucario, unsuccessfully, because he kicked again on Tropius who tossed the ball to Seviper, who dribbled aggressively into the net of the Leviathans.

“Egoist, stubborn, misanthrope.” Said Oshawott in the vent.

“Lucario, stop be so selfish and renegade towards the others…” Chimecho prayed “I’m trying to send him a message of peace and trust, but he shut the doors of his soul.”

Lucario got frustrated for this mistake and gritted his teeth do not waiting a minute to go again at the attack, but he was blocked by Tropius and Metang with whom he struggled for some seconds, ignoring Squirtle and Oshawott, in the meanwhile Seviper talked to Dunsparce “Lisssten, we need to ssstop Lucario once for all, I got a little idea. Drill a dig in the grass in front of our net, without doing any question.” “T-This isn’t a risk? Someone could trip in the hole and fall down.” The snake hushed him “What I said you? Don’t shiver, shut and do your work: act like a snake.” Dunsparce obeyed with a little regret.

Lucario kept fighting for the ball all alone until he draft aside and surpassed the opponents, ran to the goal net with bold and prepared his kick but he put a feet right inside the hole created by Dunsparce: the sprinkle sprained causing his fall on the heavy land, he let out a terrible howl as the pain arrived. The impact had broken an ankle and crippled the knee. “Ouch, this was tough.” Squirtle reached Lucario to check about his conditions “Grrr..leave me alone! I don’t need the help of anyone. I can continue.” Seviper snickered and crept away with the ball as Lucario stood up, limping, and fell again on his knees, growling.

He was carried out in a strecher “No, not again.”

“Poor man, this sure burns.”

“He deserves this to be fair” commented Oshawott. Suddenly they were startled by the attack of Seviper that made goal in the Jigglers net “LOSSSERS!” The play progressed under the domination of the Victini Venturers with Tropius and Seviper tackling down in easy the rest of the opponents, the frustration increased more and more inside Oshawott and Squirtle, on the other hand the Leviathans seemed resigned. “It’s my impression or our temmates are pretty inactive?” asked Minun with concern, Porygon 2 replied “More than inactive, but even Metang can’t do much this time. Drifloon and Beheeyem are useless. Drifloon’s chances are inexistent since she doesn’t have legs neither a inch of power to push the ball due to her light weight of gas. She should be a ball by herself.”

“A-ah! This make me have a quirky idea to solve the problem.” Rotom bursted into, doing an epic pose.

“End of first time!It’s Venturers’s domination. ” Victini announced at the megaphone: the giant tab showed 7-0-0. “Five minutes of break, Beheeyem excluded: he’ll do some warm up, ahahah.”

Beheeyem gasped “There’s no limit to the torture?? Pant..seriously, your revenge is going too far. Didn’t I suffer enough? Anf, puff, whatever.” Lampent looked at Beheeyem with an odd expression, then cared back for the lecture. “I advised him too many times” Minun shrugged sitting next to her. “So, Lester, tell the idea you had..”

The Jirachi Jigglers were roundabout Lucario, that didn’t want to go to the pokèmon center despite the injures “Buddy, you should check yourself at the hospital. Trust me: injures in the world of football are terrible.” “No. Sgrunt.” “Stubborn! It’s due to your egoism if we’re in this situation, also lost all the scores.” Oshawott ranted pointing at the screen. “C’mon, Oshawott, this is not so important now, we can still try to win! I’m an expert.” Squirtle pumped up but the ott walked away to distress the anger. Bagon patted his back “Better to let her alone for now. By the way, we need at least to aid Lucario: wash the wounds with your water jet. Then Chimecho..” “BACK OFF! I said and say for the last time I need none.” Lucario jumped off the stretcher uncare of the pain “I can continue. Oshk..not again, no more give up. Want to leave me alone!” striving, he limped and crawled to a corner, out of the crowd.

Piplup got everyone’s attention “Ignore the neanderthalian, I asked Victini if he can be subsituted and he agreed: Bagon enters in the second time.” Squirtle and Bagon high fived each others. Piplup pumped the chest and lifted her beak up to the sky with a snooty attitude “See? I’m a natural born leader, not like Vivillon.”

“I know you don’t want really to stay alone” Chimecho appeared in the foreshadow of the corner, where Lucario was laying his hurt legs “But the pride forbids you from admitting this.”

“What are you doing here? I think I was cathegorical saying that I WANT TO STAY ALONE. What didn’t you understand of it?” “Let me at least to stop your pain…” he snorted when Chimecho touched the wound, as her smooth velvet almost insubstantial touch stroked his rough skin, he suffered at first then felt a peaceful sensation yet stayed grumpy “Fine, grunt. Just because you already started, heal me at this point.” Chimecho couldn’t heal him at all, however the pain had stopped, Lucario was forced to thank her for this. With some difficult…

“F—f---T-Thank you.” Chimecho sniggered seeing the odd grimace he assumed “Umpf, not habit to say this, I rarely say that, it’s just because you did a good job with my leg. Enjoy your luck.” He walked away frowning, but his knees refused to work properly, he was forced to sit back. “You can’t move much, still. I cured you with my psychokinesis but your body needs rest, be careful and relax.” “Urgh, I have to return. I can’t..GRRR!..” the fighting dog gave a treacherous punch to the wall “I can’t surrender again in my life…”

Chimecho saw a tear dropping down nearby him and approached “What happened in the past, is it the reason why you’re acting in this way? If you want to talk, I’m here, Lucario. You can also talk simply with the aura. Just undisclose it.” A sinister spark lightened in the pupils of Lucario “It happened NOTHING. My life was always the one of the lonewolf, I live fishing raw food and cultivating my space all alone. I don’t need a friend or a girl to be fine as I don’t need to be confidential with a wind bell monk full of charity!!!”

“Understood.” Chimecho fluttered away from him “Lucario, stop being so repulsive towards the people. I’m alone, too. Unlike you, I couldn’t do a choice. Mind yours.”

“Wait, I…don’t want to tell it now. Maybe one day.” Lucario folded arms with a sad look when she left.

“Kay, Drifloon, stay firm…scrib, scrib.”

“Ahahahah! *Tickles*”

“..done, ah! It wasn’t easy to use the mark and the corrector on a squishy surface like this, but I managed to do the impossible. Ta-dah! Isn’t she a masterpiece?” Lester showed proudly the new Drifloon: white and dotted in pentagonal black spots, she resembled a football ball.“ Drifloon looked in the mirror “Mah…I don’t know what to say, this style is a little..odd to me.”

“The important is that it works: you striking remind a soccer ball.” Minun observed cautiously “But did you get what’s your mission? It’s very important that you know…Lester, explain again, it’s better.”

Lester wore on a pair of glasses “Sure, my quirky friend! The idea is that Drifloon misfits to be a secondary ball introduced in the game: in this way thanks to her light weight whenever an opponent will try to kick her , she’ll move just of few centimetres, floating aimlessly in mid-air, on the contrary when Metang will kick her, Drifloon will move in a way to go always in the net” spinned juggling the lenses “and..GOAL!!!” “Yeah, we’ll win!” Plusle and Minun did a cheerleading antic to celebrate together Sun Castform, Porygon 2 and the leader. “End of the break! Athletes, return in the field. Fiiii!”

Second time began. Bagon kicked off first, anticipating the tail of Seviper, passed the ball to Squirtle that did an headbutt passage to Oshawott, the ott was stopped by Tropius who launched for Dunsparce, but Metang received it and kicked back powerfully versus the net of the Victini Venturers, the hit bounced on Oshawott, Tropius retailed hitting Squirtle and another bounce made Metang in the perfect position to kick back again. There was a little stall in the middle of the field with Tropius and Metang hit back to back astounding the other pokèmon, Oshawott and Squirtle wobbled in confusion, Dunsparce was even kicked in place of the ball, Bagon took courage and rammed in that crowd. Beheeyem yawned in boredom “Running behind a little ball and kicking it inside the net. This is what they call entertaiiiiiiinnn!” but he eventually made a save, when Tropius shot in the goal, with his body: the ball bounced right on his crotch. “Nmkdxx!”

“Vihihih! Nice save from Beheeyem! I’d like to watch it at the moviola.”

“I have an implanted microchip that register everything I see, maybe I can provide for a video.” Porygon 2 said meanwhile Rotom flapped the pages of a manual of instruction “As I remember how to use it.”

Bagon recuperated the ball and crossed in the penalty zone of the Venturers, here Squirtle still confused shot it with the head in the empty goal “Goooal!” Bagon celebrated bro-fisting with his friend “Yes, this is what I call cool teamwork. Erm..however I did it..@” After the next kick-off Oshawott led the action but she faceplanted tripping in the same hole that injured Lucario “Grrr…rrr..IF I FIND THE DIGGER OF THIS.” Dunsparce felt the chills all over the body. Tropius did an easy safe and shot to Seviper but Bagon was faster and the Jigglers returned to the attack. “Goal!” the tab showed 5-2-0.

Seviper seethed in rage, then noticed the second ball abandoned near the goal of the LLL, hissed seeing that no pokèmon was reguarding “Easssy” and hit. Her smile faded when the ball blocked in mid-air floating and swinging, she tried again pushing it of a footstep on the white line, as she tried a third time, Beheeyem saved and it flew oddly in the direction of Metang, who shot against their goalkeeper. Drifloon in that undercover draft perfectly in an angle that Tropius didn’t cover: goal. Oshawott exploited the distraction and goaled, too, using the regular ball.

Seviper bit her tounge for the rage, and overhwelmingly kicked off sweeping all the opponents on her way “Ssstay apart, losssers, I’m coming for you” she shoot violently in the penalty zone of the Leviathans but the hit took a quirky trajectory in front of her eyes “Impossssible!!!” Contemporary Tropius longed the neck to do a miracolous save but the ball bounced back to the attacker and this time he didn’t miss the goal.

The minutes passed and the tactic of the Drifloon-ball gave lot of scores to the team of Lester, enough to pair with the opponents, until Dunsparce got the first occasion to kick: his needle perforated the plastic that deflated. “O-Ops, I’m sorry. S-S-So much!” Seviper and the others examinated the ball, but Metang did another goal to deflect their attention while Mow Rotom carried her away simulating to be the gardener.

Also, Victini announced the arrive of the giant ball, harder to push around. Dunsparce was ran over like from an avalanche and he rolled in his same net with the ball, Tropius shot next gaining back the three points lost, Oshawott, Squirtle and Bagon all together pushed to the net of Beheeyem, crushing the goalkeeper alien. Near the end of the match the Golden Ball appeared in all its splendor.

“Here’s the occasion for the Golden Goal: 5 points + can unlock any result! It’s 3-4-4 for now. Who’ll win?” “Obviousssly we…” “In your dream, snake gal!” The pokèmon were tired, all them. Squirtle drought the sweat, Oshawott rubbed some dirt off the front, Seviper stretched getting ready. Tropius and Seviper pushed the heavy shining ball first, but they were blocked with the combined effort of the Jigglers and Metang, in the pitched battle that followed next the fairplay was binned: Seviper trapped the starters in her spires but they reacted biting her tail, Metang hit Bagon with Meteor Punch, Tropius stomped Dunsparce by accident, but eventually he bested everyone and got the control of the ball, running like a tank to the opponent net.

“Oh, no, he’s going versus ours!” shouted Minun in alarm, Sun Castform spat the chewing gum “Not so fast, there’s still Drifloon that can block him. I just fixed her!” Fan Rotom blew Drifloon from the tribune, at that height she remained attached to the head of Tropius “Hi, my name is Drifloon! Who are you? I think this is the first time we meet..already said my name is Drifloon, right?” “Urgh, what? I can’t see anything.” Tropius had to stop so Metang stole him the ball, but Bagon ran like a ram against him and pushed the ball in the direction of the Venturers before Metang could, Seviper blocked his way preparing her poison tail “Not so fa-aaaaaaaaarrrgh!” but her tail was bitten again by Oshawott and Squirtle, and then stomped unawarely by the blindsighted Tropius “Ops, who I stomped this time?” Bagon progressed to the penalty area. Here Dunsparce was left alone as goalkeeper “S-Seviper? T-Tropius? P-Please, help me here!” the land snake shivered seeing the giant golden ball coming to him, he coiled in himself and closed the eyes for the fear.

“rattle..rattle..?”

As he opened them again, he saw Bagon tripping in the infamous hole, losing the control and biting the dust literally in consequence. Twitch-twitched in astonishment. “Wooh, so close! Only 51 seconds left.” Announced Victini to the eagered and nerve raked arena. Oshawott and Squirtle dashed to the ball the fast they could but the Sun Castform shone her rays against them, dazzling Oshawott that whacked on the pole “Bonk! THIS IS UNFAI---AHI..IR.” “Hsk, since when a bombshell isn’t allowed to have a lil’ of sunbath wearing her favorite ‘kinis? Oh, yah, you’re envious because your skin is white as a snowman uh uh!”

“NO.”

Squirtle continued “Try again, I have my sunglasses on. Blink* Hot Water for the golden gooooal!” he kicked but being lonely the ball didn’t even move, he started to push it “Anf..puff..nevemmind.I’m still pumped! Ouk!” Metang got over him with a powerful Zen Butt, and skipped to avoid the desperate assault of Bagon that eventually pushed the ball on the cross white line. “11 seconds left, this is vibrant!”

“No way.”

Dunsparce dove to save and pushed away the ball, but there was none to pick it. Suddenly a figure sauntered in running to the golden ball…

“Not again!!!I don’t give up this time, roar!”

…and gave an overwhelming kick that shot like a meteor through Metang, Bagon, Seviper, Squirtle and Dunsparce in the goal. The shape of Lucario merged in the dust, he fell on the knees feeling again the pain but he was happy “L-Lucario?!” “Wow, this changes again my opinion on him.” “WHAT THE SHELL?!!” Chimecho and the others rushed towards him “Are you fine with that leg?” “Grunt, I hope I redeemed myself with this sucidal..aaak..action.”

“Time finished! This third challenge ends 0-9-4 for the Jirachi Jigglers!” Victini spoke loudly “Let’s count the total scores of the course: 133 Victini Venturers, 130 Jirachi Jigglers, 172 Laser Leviathans was the result after the first two challenges, now…133 Victini Venturers, 220 Jirachi Jigglers and 212 Latias Leviathans. (groan) Jigglers are first again! Venturers are last. Again.” The v-host frowned meanwhile the JJ cheered.

“By the way it’s early to celebrate, there are still 3 courses to achieve! Are you happy, Beheeyem?”

“Want me to reply in your or mine language, Victimi?”

The camera skipped various scenes of the next two courses focusing on the most iconical.

From Skill Course: Beheeyem hit in the balls with a giant snowball, Lampent melting down her snow fort, Wash Rotom using hydropump with ice cubes to hit the foes, Vanillite dripping water while carrying the flag on the beach under the heat light of Sun Castform, Beheeyem picked up by Piplup with a flag, Beheeyem trapped in an umbrella, Beheeyem ran over by a giant golden ball…

From Jump Course: Beheeyem sent flying in the sky bouncing through many light bulbs on a trampoline, Oshawott and Bagon knocking head against head while jumping- aka this hurts much, Swellow boasting before to reach the finish line again in the Slalom Course, ending with another failure impressed on the photo-finish, Sun Castform catching a frisbee disc between her boobs, Beheeyem getting hit by the disc and falling off the platform right in the sea, being almost swallowed by a Sharpedo, too…

“Here we are with the last course: Stamina! The theme is the endurance, nothing better to end this edition of Pokèathlon. Resuming,the Jirachi Jigglers won the first two trophies, the Victini Venturers triumphed in the Skill Course and the Laser Latias Leviathans have just received the Jump Badge. And I quote that the following pokèmon are going to participate: Anorith, Dunsparce, Tropius, Bagon, Oshawott, Swalot, Porygon 2, Rotom and as totally “unexpected” (I’m sarcastic)…” Victini snickered shifting to Beheeyem.

“GLOM. No, not another challenge..not another challenge!” he begged for mercy, trembling.

“B-E-H-E-E-Y-E-“

“E-nough. Stop, father.” Lampent interrupted the announce, floating in front of the host “Lampent, darling,what’s up?”

“Nothing. Ah, no, guess..I want you to stop torture this poor guy.” She shrugged sarcastically “It’s the whole day he face the worst accidents cause of your revenge, you forced him to take part in every single challenge, that means, if math isn’t an opinion..puff.. he did a complete Olympiads of 12, neither with your whole energy you won all the 5 badges in a single day, or I’m wrong?” Victini nodded reluctantly. “Right…but since you care for someone other than yourself, LAMPENT? I swear this is the first time I see you doing such a thing.”

“…………….”

Lampent didn’t reply, shrugged, and silently sat back in the tribune to read her gothic book in quiet.

// Vent Confessional //

Victini blink blinked, scratching his head “Lampent..my daughter Lampent..just showed to care for someone else? And in addition it’s BEHEEYEM?! Maybe she’s finally growing up and..Beheeyem..OH NO. Not the E.T. Megaphone Home.”

Beheeyem wasn’t certainly less astounded “I’m learning many different emotions since I started this enjoyable experience as the pain, the fear, the exhaustion , but I don’t know how to classify what I feel at the moment.”

“Alright, I still subscribed Beheeyem to the whole Pokèathlon, so I can’t change. Let’s return to the arena!” two Machamps dressed as M.I.B. blocked the way “Not now, sir.” “Eh? What’s going on? Let me and the guys go back! There’s a Stamina Course that I have to host, they have to compete in.” “No, sir, you havn’t.”

The Machamp on the left checked a papercut, Victini, annoyed, snatched it from the muscular hands of the bodyguard “I’m Victini, you know? I signed up for the whole Pokèathlon here: Speed, Power, Skill, Jump and…O.O.. Stamina? Where’s the sign for the Stamina Course?” Machamp snatched the paper back “See? There are other contestants and hosts that signed for the Stamina Course, see you.” “What? Put me down! I’m a legend, a winner, here!” he was kicked outside the doors of the building, followed by the contestants.

“So?” asked Bagon “What’s the deal now?”

Victini flared in fury “I gave to Jirachi the job to sign up, I remember this clearly. Gnnn..JIIIIIIIIIII!” Jirachi warped in front of him carrying a pillow on the head “Yaaaawn. Yes, Vi? Did you call me or I had a dream?” Victini splaffed the paper on his face “Can you explain me what’s the meaning of this? Why only 4 courses are signed on?” the J-host shrugged “Doooh. Simply a mistake…I dare you to write with shut eyes. Simple. I was able to tick on only four on five squares for the courses. Simple to understand,no? AYAWN*”

Beheeyem laughed “Good reasons, but still not enough simple to understand for..AHEM!” but stopped with a cough just in time, because Minun gave him an elbow knock. Victini palmed his face trying to keep calm.

“Okay, go back to sleep, Jirachi, I understood. Well, since I can’t organize the last challenge, the Jirachi Jigglers are the official winners of the episode! About the losers…I’ll count the total scores gained in the 4 courses: the Victini Venturers collected 343+ 133+ 300+ 150 scores at all, their opponents 369+ 212+ 150+ 200.”

“Bip, my team so wins over with a difference of 5 points.”

“Porygon 2, you ruined the suspence…I confirm, with 931 vs 926 the Laser Latias Leviathans are safe.”

“A-ah! This moment deserves an EPIC POSE.” Plusle jolted doing a wheel dressing on together Minun the Latias costumes “L-A-S-E-R L-A-T-I-A-S L-E-V-I-A-T-H-A-N-S. Ooooooh... Laser! Latias! Leviathans!”

Victini wrinkled the eyebrows “Venturers, I’ll wait for your nomination at the Tail of Losers. For the second time.”

// Vent //

Anorith entered first, but Dunsparce and Seviper could be seen in the air conduct “Of course my vote is for Vanillite. He’s the main reason why Gorebyss is so spoiled and harmless.” Dunsparce and Seviper crawled to stamp the pass-ports “In thisss way I’ll become the leader of the team for sssure, hihihihisss!”

A panicked Vanillite spoke later “Argh! My princess is still offended with me, she refused to be served the dinner, all my strifes were vanified miserably. This is all fault of the fossil scorpion!” the ice pokèmon nervously tightened his bow to gain back the self-control and dignity, stiffing “My vote is then: Anorith.”

“I vote Gorebyss. Out of the bowl she can’t survive, and the risk that her tank breaks again is huge, so it’s better for her health if she goes. Also glass splinters are very dangerous for pokèmon that crawl on the floor like my little Dunspy.” Sylveon stamped her vote gracefully but with a determined look.

“I vote Gorebyss, because her contribute to the challenge doesn’t go further than swim and be taken photos so far.” Tropius introduced his neck in the flit and remained blocked “Acc..”

Tails of Losers
“Votes are casted. I think you already know how the ceremony works, if I call your name you get the Macarone of Safety, the three pokèmon left get the mysterious pokè balls and whoever of them has the Voltorb he/she will be swept away as the straps of his/her seat unlock.” Victini started to distribute the immunities “Aurorus, Dunsparce, Sylveon, Seviper…wait, where’s Tropius, and the others?” “He remained stuck in the vent, the others are trying to help him” answered Seviper with a sneer.

The scene switched on Tropius being pulled by the teammates…

“No, not in this way, guys, you risk to break his neck pulling so hard!” shouted Sylveon meanwhile Aurorus pulled and Dunsparce from the vent pushed the hardest they could. Aurorus had accidentally congelated half the body of Tropius with her freezing touch. “Keep push, don’t worry if I feel pain, I can resist.”

Back on Victini “Anyway, he’s safe, too and Lunatone is the last pokèmon that receives the macarone. This leaves the treacherous triangle in charge: voilà!” he juggled with the balls and tossed them with a spin. Anorith and Vanillite stabbed each other with the eyes, Gorebyss was in the middle. The host started to count.

“3..

“2..

“1..KABOOM!”

Vanillite twitched when he found out to be smoked and electrocuted “No, I must stay, Gorebyss needs me, she’s my princess and I’m her butler, servant, lover! Cough,the votes were rigged by Anorith: SHE’S NOT ALLOWED TO STAY WITHOUT MY COMPANY. Who will serve her the skales of food every morning, noon, dinner? Who wil change her the water everyday with pure fresh mountain H2O?W- Who will check carefully that the color of her skin is vivid pink every second???” Gorebyss did a worried face, bubbling.

“Actually” Victini interrupted “You were voted by 4 pokèmon, 3 are the alliance where Anorith is, the remaining vote was given by Gorebyss.”

“What?”

“Klack. See? She doesn’t need you” Anorith cut the straps of the seat of Vanillite, that was immediately blown away. “Gorebyyyyyyyyys I love you and I’ll be comebaaaaack! SWOOOSH>>>>”

Gorebyss gave a symbolic kiss to salute the ice cream, Anorith sighed in relief, Seviper stood up in excitement “Sssince we lost again the leader, you should nominate a new one, Victini.” Victini agreed. “Wow, it’s the third leader to leave and I ran out of people starting with my fa-V-ourite letter…then I’ll pick who has at least a fabolous V in the middle of the name: Sylveon!” the smirk upon Seviper’s face faded.

“SSSSSSSYLVEON??? SSSSERIOUSLY!?! HIIIISSS..HHHSS..HIIIIIIIIIIS!!!!” she spat poison seething with rage.

Victini dodged for luck the acid bomb attack “Phew. The episode ends here, goodnight to everyone! Can someone calm down Seviper, please?”

EPILOGUE

A well known family was exiting from the Pokèathlon Dome for a snack. “I want a blue apricorn juice, mommy” said Togepi, the son. Being granted immediately “Suuurp..suuurp..mmmh, thanks, momy!” Togekiss smiled revolving to the daughter “Do you want one, too, Magby?”

“No, I want an ice cream.”

“Dear, it’s winter…I don’t think it’s possible to find one.”

“UEEEEH, BAD MOMMA DOESN’T LIKE ME!” Magmar the father and Togepi the brother rolled eyes, Togekiss excused “Noo, I swear I care for you, I’ll use Wish to-

Vanillite fell from the sky in her wings “!” the mother quickly offered it to the spoiled Magby “And your wish is granted! *See that your mom love you*? <3 “

“Thanks mamy! Slurp..slap..bleah, but this is vanilla! I hate it.” she tossed the ice cream in the bin.

Chapter Text

The Jigglers enjoyed the luxury of V-class occupying of their favourite activities. Squirtle and Bagon played at the snooker table, Ninjask prayed in his japanese comb temple, Chimecho distressed playing her harp, Lucario with his leg casted limited to lay and listen, Swalot ate like there wasn’t a tomorrow, and Piplup, Oshawott and Swellow had a beauty-farm treatment.

“We’re finally in the class of the winners, man. Tlack! Your turn.” Squirtle placed the cue-triangle and opened the challenge.

Bagon aimed to a ball and hit with the stick “Hole! Again my turn. By the way, I’m happy to be here, but…(sigh)…I have a better reason for the happiness that I’d prefer to be granted in replace.” The dragon prepared his second hit.

“Which is it?” asked Squirtle, concerned.

“I want to learn to fly! Not only for me, it’s for a promise I did.” Bagon clenched the goggles in the fist, shuddering for the commotion “My grandfather was a Salamence, one of the best flyers ever existed, he donated me these pilot glasses before dying. Since I was an egg he took care of me, because I’m orphan, and narrated all the beutiful tales and marvelous adventures he had lived in his whole life, flying above the skies of Hoenn and beyond…whenever I listened to them, my eyes glittered in dream, my desire grew more when he offered to teach me the rules of the flight, but I kept failing to the point I almost gave up. Then he looked into my eyes and told me he had exactly my same problems when he was a Bagon, but cause he never gave up, he had managed to reach his dream after terrible struggles and efforts.” Bagon stopped to dry his muzzle “The day after he felt sick and became too weak to use his wings, so we were forced to interrupt the lessons, and by the end of the day the life abandoned him: he reminded me to never stop to follow my ambition neither chose the easiest way, and also revealed me the truth.”

“The truth of what?”

“He was never that big flyer he had always told about, he would have dreamt to be, but being unable to achieve it, he had disposed in me his biggest hope. That’s why I swore on his grave to become the BIGGEST FLYER EVER EXISTING, to realize this dream and most important fly up to the skies of Paradise to see him again, and say: I did it.” Bagon’s determination brought him to step on the table and fierce the ceiling with a finger.

“Sniff, buddy, you made me wet my sunglasses for the tears” Squirtle sniffled in emotion, taking off the shades “I wish you good luck for your dream.” Lucario dried a tear quickly before they could turn to see him.

Bagon continued the game “This is the reason why I’m being disappointed by the idea to have allied with Swellow, I feel like he isn’t the pokèmon we need to grant our dreams. He doesn’t care than for his awesomeness.”

“The right term is Swellowsomeness, ladies. Anyway, let me finish the narration: I was starving, wounded by the scratches of Raikou, Entei and Suicune, that were all coming into my direction, I knew there was only a move that could have saved me, but was a total hazard: Endeavor.” Piplup and Oshawott listened to in silence and awe, putting the cucumber slices off the faces. Swellow smirked “With the speed of a bolt and the agility of the lion, both qualities that out of the numerous ones I have, distinguish me from the average of the swallows, I flew through them fearless widening the wings and reducing their HP the same as mine, wooosh, wooosh! Right in this way. The rest was simple, I had just to waste another attack to knock the three doggies out in a single hit with the power of…”

Bagon and Squirtle bursted into the conversation “Can you speak a minute with us, man? There’s something important to- SLASH!” Bagon got scratched by the Scallop Blade of Oshawott which shouted “YOU INTERRUPTED THE NARRATION IN THE PITCHED PART!HOW DARE YOU? SHUT UP AND GO AWAY BEFORE I KICK YOUR-“ but Piplup interrupted her “Tsk, your usual primitive manners. Learn from me: guys, mind to bring somewhere else your useless presence? You’re not requested at the moment, plus interrupt Swellow is rude.” Swellow pumped his chest “It’s more than rude, a total crime!”

Bagon frowned “Come on, Squirtle, let’s leave…”

“Nevermind, where I was arrived? Ah, yes, I was fighting against Celebi…”

“CELEBI? Osha-what? Weren’t you struggling against the legend dogs?” Swellow blink blinked in hesitation, but eventually caught up “Certainly, this happened soon after I defeated them. Cresselia..ehm..Celebi pursued on me all of sudden” the smug swallow continued for a bit. Until the plane landed on the next destination, skidding on the wet grass to crash against a couple of wooden made houses and a sign post with written on: “Azalea Town”.

The weather was outcasted and almost close to drizzle. “Gush, what a way to land, I have 100.000.000 years on my spine, afterall, and this doesn’t help for sure.” Anorith descended first from the Tail of Losers, followed by the trembling Dunsparce, that had dreamt to fall in the void all the night. “Brrr,trr…I’d like to ask for a lesser nerve raking punishment than this. Aaaaaaaah…SPLASH!”

“Watch out from the Slowpoke Pit, venturers, it’s easy to fall in. Also, welcome to Azalea Town.” Victini get out the plane in hurry, brushing his orange fur and teeth, dressed on with an elegant vernal tie, too “How am I, Ji, fabolous or simply victinilicious? Eheheh..” “Roooonf..zzz…” “Bah, what I ask you worth for?”

“Oh, no, Dunsparce!” Sylveon jumped off the plane in panic “Why there isn’t a sign next to this pit to warn about the peril? This is dangerous, Dunsparce may had broken something or drowning there, not to mention the cold temperature dangerous for a reptil…shame to the Azalea townies. Quick, pass me a rope, don’t worry, Dunspy, I’m coming to your rescue, even if you should be more careful with that little body…” the fairy eon used her ribbons like a rope and prepared to jump inside the pit.

Aurorus stopped her by the tail “Calm, Tropius can recuperate him in easy.” Tropius reassured “Sure, don’t worry. Dunsparce, hang to my neck.” “H-How?I don’t have arms.” “SSStop!” Seviper blocked them, and overlooked the pit “A ssssnake never asks, he finds always the own way to get with a sssssolution.”

“R-R-Really?

Sylveon scattered “What are you saying, Seviper? This pit is too deep for him, and the more the temperature in his body gets low, the more the risk for is health is increased.”

“Actually, he still has about 2 minutes of life because the blood in his body is frozen, I did some calculations.” Porygon 2 explained with a neutral attitude, making Sylveon to have almost an heart beat, Minun glared at him “You aren’t programmed to be careful of emotions, right?” the virtual polygone twitched “E-motions? Require an update: I don’t have files about.”

“Ahem, s-sorry to i-interrupt but then what I have t-to do? Brrr..this place is icy.” Tropius tucked his neck more, Sylveon hopped on him “Right. Here we coming!” Seviper spat in dismay “Tsssk, are you going to let them babysit you in thisss way? Fine, then don’t whine if you’re underestimated by the whole Pokèworld.”

“M-Maybe you’re right….wait, Tropius, Sylveon, thanks for your care but I can handle this- even if I don’t have hands- by myself, I have to strife.”

“No way! You’re too weak to survive in this place with that little boneless frail body.”

“As much as I admire your courage, she’s right, this deed is over your possibilities. Crawl over my neck, Dunsparce.”

“Sssee? They have of you the sssame low consideration of the others!” the words of Seviper simmered the frustration and determination inside the land snake “Please, do you want to shut up, Seviper? You’re exaggerating.”

“No, she’s not. It’s you that d-don’t believe me, but I want to demonstrate you the opposite!” Dunsparce widened the untouchable almost invisible tiny wings and fluttered, fluttered, fluttered with many efforts. “The time he’ll imply to reach the board of the pit I’ll be a fossil again..” Anorith was stomped by Aurorus in result of this arrogance.

Dunsparce continued to fly “Anf, pant, I-I’m doing it!” but “Hop, I got you finally! Now stay in my embrace, this is almost all finished.” Sylveon grabbed him and with the help of Tropius they reached the surface. However, Dunsparce wasn’t happy “B-But..Sylveon, I was managing to do this but myself! Seviper is right, you all treat me like a desperate case…s-sigh…I want to stay alone for some minutes, if I dare to..” and crawled sadly in a log before anyone could say anything. Seviper sniggered:her plan had worked finely.

Which plan? She explained in the Vent: “I should be the leader of the Venturers to get the whole control, but Victini nominated Sylveon last time, this made her my new selected victim. But I know Dunsparce would hardly vote out a friend so I need to slice their friendship before, and this isss a good ssstart.”

“By the way why are you so elegant, daddy?” Lampent asked deadpanned. “Not that I care much.”

“Lemme guess, you have a date, maaan!” said Squirtle, grinning. Victini grinned in blush “Guessed. A wonderful girl is wating for this vip of a legendary.”

“Who is he?” asked the turtle dumbfounded “I’m speaking about myself, Squirtle. That’s why you’ll have to do this episode without the vibrant presence of your favorite host.” “Oh my Arceus, who knows if we’ll manage to survive an entire day?” “Shut it, Beheeyem, do you want another lesson from HIM?” “Ehp,true, no I don’t.” Victini despite hearing some whispers continued “Jirachi will substitute me, I gave him all the instructions, it won’t be that difficult to direct for once. Also because as I predicted well, today should be one of the rarest days he’s a little more awake.” He poked the wishmaker “Than his standards of course. OMG, I’m in late! Pink Celebi is a maniac of punctuality since she travels through time, I won’t do a good impression in this way, bye!” and warped away.

Squirtle stretched “Wow, we’re having a day-off today, people. Let’s relax.”

“YAAAAAAAWN! Duhm..I slept enough. Ah, it’s funny to see again the world with open eyes..aaawn..” Jirachi flipped of 360° tossing the pillow away “I’m still a little sleepy, but after so much inactivity, I’m pretty CHARGED, wohoo! So, my name is Jirachi and I’m gonna be your *star* host! What’s the challenge? Let me see….pff, boring.” The J-Host ripped the notes “Such a kind of challenge that would make me sleepy again…yaawn…deeh. I have a better purpose!”

“Oh, no, for once that Victini may have chosen a less treacherous task…”

“Were you saying, Squirtle?”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jirachi said everyone to follow him, they all stopped aside the house of Franz the famous craftmaster. “This is the theme of the challenge: art & kraft! Yawn**…zzz..eh, uh? Okay, I’m still awake. You have to use wood, apricorns, and whatever you find in the Ilex Forest in order to create a miniature of me, Victini and Latias (depending by the symbol of your team, doy) by the sunset. Who makes the best one, will win the pass for the Vip Class, who makes the worst or will travel on the Tail of Los…zzzzzzzz…”

“Did he fall asleep?” questioned Squirtle.

“Shhht, don’t wake up him. It’s more convenient if he stays asleep!”

“Plus, he explained enough of the challenge” added Tropius “Let’s begin.”

-Victini Venturers-

Few later was again Tropius to speak: “I think we should organize to splice in two halves: who provides the raw materials and who works them. It’s easy to decide that me and Aurorus, Seviper, Lunatone, and Gorebyss have to go search in the forest since we can’t literally handle the workcraft. But who has of the others any manual skill or experience in craftmanship?”

“Anorith clenches and cuts lot of things with his pincers, maybe this talent is our best source” Aurorus gave a questionable look to the fossil pokèmon “Also because is the only one with good deftness here. What do you think, Anorith?”

“I try. Have some experience, altough: back in the prehistoric ages, I used to build my shelters with my own claws.” Everyone approved the idea, yet “However I can’t work alone, need at least two helpers: Sylveon has paws and Dunsparce (maybe) can carve the wood with the driller. Maybe, eh.” Sylveon opposed “Oh, no, unless with the oportun safety measures I won’t afford this work for him. Do you know how many consequences can cause a splinter in a sensible zone of the body? Actually…” Sylveon rushed to the plane, opened her luggage, and distributed protective goggles “Take these on. Better to prevent than heal after, right?” Anorith twitched remarking with sarcasm “Oh, they’ll be sooooo useful to me, thanks.” “Obey, I’m your leader.”

“Who knows for how much time …” hissed Seviper.

“Where’s Dunsparce? He must wear the goggles, and also a scarf I made for him: it’s better to protect from this dampness the most possible! You should, too.” Anorith shook the head “No, thanks, I’m already wearing these useless glasses my armor is warm enough.”

Dunsparce lurked to them “I-I’m here by a bit, but didn’t have the courage to clear out my return. Sorry for my crisis of before, but…sigh, nevermind, give me the goggles and the scarf.”

Anorith reflected “By the way, leave me Gorebyss, too, she has some deftness with the fins.” Everyone except Seviper agreed, and the group led by Tropius walked across the Ilex Forest… “Okay, let’s start the research.”

“Careful, this place is well known to be easy to get lost in it” Aurorus warned meanwhile she picked some blue apricorns with the mouth and put them in the case “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eyes on the town since I’m taller than the same wood.” Reassured Tropius. Seviper crawled over his body, the neck and whispered in his ears “Fool. You should have sssaid that you keep the eyes on her or that it’s easssier to lose in her beauty.”

“Eh, what?” Tropius’s face reddened “She’s just a friend to me, why should I say those things?” the snake rolled her cupid eyes “Tsssk, it’s evident that you like her and viceverssssa, she just tried to prove your sentiments for her and see how did you react, but you ssscrewed the occasion.”

“I did really? Urgh, I think we collected enough stuff for now, let’s come back to give them to Anorith and the others, so they can start to work. Hurry up!”

-Jirachi Jigglers-

The Jigglers didn’t suffer of the same problems having lot of ‘mons able to use their hands, however they had decided for a different strategy, getting all together the path for the forest, in order to make a torough reasearch of the materials. Altough they accidentally spliced in mini groups once inside that natural maze.

Bagon and Squirtle saw some good trees in a path, getting soon lost in the company of Swellow, Oshawott and Piplup argued a bit for the right direction taking in result different ways that brought to the same blindside, meeting Swalot in addition, Chimecho and Lucario stayed behind due to the fact Lucario was forced to limp by the injure, but he had refused cathegorically to stay at Azalea Town (as he should).

“Gnn..frush..frash..can you wait for me, sgrunt? Where are those stupid apricorn…THUMP!” Lucario tripped into a root “Osch, my other leg, runf, stupid root, stupid forest, stupid misfortune!”

The wild Oddish shouted back “Hey! This wasn’t funny certainly for me, I was doing my journal nap. Auch.”

Chimecho had already collected some sticks and apricorns when she turned back to him “Lucario, I warned you to not do this effort, and these are the results.” The dog frowned “Did you float backward only to scold me or to help? Hurry to answer, so-“ the wind bell deconfirmed “Not this time, you need to understand the consequences of your dare.” “Fine, because I DON’T NEED ANY HELP, I perfectly know how to heal myself, with traditional raw methods. Urgh..frush..frush..I just need a leaf, a stick..” Chimecho stayed motionless while watched Lucario creeping on the belly in the desperate painstacking search of something useful for his injures. They were just at the entrance of the forest. Stubborn, Lucario kept struggling for many minutes causing more pain and wounds until he shouted at her:

“Dang! Want to wait more or have finally decided to cure me? Because, bah, I give up.” Chimecho limited to toss him an Orange Berry “Eat this. It will give you the necessary force to walk back to Azalea Town…where we’ll stay sitting in tranquillity, waiting for the others to return and starting to do the craftart.” Lucario, startled by this reaction, followed doing no complaints, yet muttering a lot.

“Bagon, man, did you find anything so far? There’s so much dusk in this place I see all black and dark.”

“Squirtle, sheik, take off your sunglasses, and maybe you’ll see.”

“Uh. Done it, but the situation isn’t yet that better..!” someone suddenly rattled next to him “Brrrr..I fought against Zapdos, Moltres, Articuno, Suicune, exc,exc..but all this darkness make me so nervous. SQWAK!!!”

“Swellow, is it you who just screamed now?”

“Eh? Me, the Swellowsome? Never. You had an hallucination. Don’t forget that I’m not courageous, I’m the courage itself! Otherwise how could I defeat so many legendaries?”

“Right, sorry me, dude. Then what’s trembling upon my shell so hard?”

“Ahem..t-the wind?”

-Latias Leviathans-

“The dusk is getting very huge in this place” Minun said narrowing the eyes to seek for more materials “Don’t worry, we have a portable torch just for this case, click!” Lester pointed at Lampent, and she lighted on, illuminating the area with a gloomy purple flare.

“Bip. Bip. Bip. The area is clear. I can’t detect anything.” “Keep the research, Pory, we already collected lot of interesting objects but I want to create a masterpiece of craft, not a simple statue, ah!*EPIC POSE* By the way this is also for my girlfriend, Yumi, who’s certainly watching the TV at the moment.” The techno chaos possesser blushed in wide laughers. Beheeyem didn’t lost the occasion to remark sarcastically why then he didn’t directly reach her by the camera and get out forever from the competition to do them all a favor..

Drifloon turned to speak with Castform “Caterpie, what’s up? Why so silent today? I know you by many years and never saw you this speechless.” Castform replied “First, my name is Castform, and we hardly know by four days. Second, I’m silent just because I want, so leave me alone. I’m not in the right mood.”

The whole group walked for a bit finding nothing than trees and weeds with Porygon 2’s radar going aimlessly and the quirky guide methods of their leader , Lampent felt really bored that ordered everyone to stop “Pause. I think we got enough stuff but this situation is getting more and more annoying and boring to me. For this reason, I purpose to kill the time for a little: this forest is spooky and devious to be the perfect set for an horror tale.”

“An horror tale now?” Minun arched a brow. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“On the contrary!” Rotom eagerly agreed “Nothing better to pump up the adrenaline than the fear. By the way, I love ghost stories, I’m originary of the Old Chateau, you know? ”

Porygon 2 quizzled “Searching…404 not found. Is this fear another E-motion perhaps?” Minun nodded “Yes, it’s when you live an uneasy situation and feel all the-brrr!- chills over your body.” He got immediately after glomped by the sister “Plusle! Whatcha doing?” “Stop to shiver now, Minny, your dear sissy is with you and will protect you from any source of fear, +*CUDDLE-WADDLE*+” “*Blush* Urgh, I shivered just to explain Porygon 2 what fear is, I’m not scared by the dark tales, you should know I read many books of” Plusle squeezed him more with the hug. Beheeyem snickered “And this is called affect, I suppose, or I should call it the perfect way to do another poor figure in front of the pokèmon worldwide because of my sister? “

“That’s it. I seriously need to update on these e-motions soon as possible. I have no files saved in my RAM neither in my processor.” Porygon 2 wondered inside the ventilator conduct. “But I can’t find the site where to download on Internet…as my f.r.i.e.n.d. (file redundant in every notion I do) Lester would say, this is quirky.”

“Alright, I assume the rest of you agrees, it starts now.” Lampent smiled dimming her light at least “A little warning: a tale from me it’s not a piece of cake but a perfect CUPCAKE. Said this, I’ll narrate you a true novel…

“Once upon a time two brothers, twins from the birth, not acknowledging victims of the fate that was waiting for them, decided to go play in the forest: the male, a little more wise, at the beginning wasn’t sure of the idea, but eventually the upbeaty female sister managed to change his idea. This was the same path they followed, people say that if you focus you can still see the tracks of their paws, appearing and fading as the time stopped in somewhat way forever to those moments of run for the life, panic, terror.”

Minun and Plusle gulped giving instinctively a glance at the ground.

“They entered in the Ilex Forest starting to do some kiddy games like Hide n’ Seek, but the night came suddenly in few minutes, and the darkness surprised them. It was already past midnight, yet it was morning before. Minun looked immediately for a torch, then rushed to recuperate Plusle…as he could still. She seemed nowhere, but her electricity sparkled everywhere, he could clearly sense that, there was such a special bond between the two! He called her name many times, getting no kind of answer…as he could still.”

Lampent shrugged sarcastically.

“Minun actually resigned. He would have looked for Plusle later with the help of the citizens, what he needed to do was to comeback to the town. Which was the right path? The darkness barely afforded him to make a choice, he walked in circle a lot, until he found a sign post: utterly blank. Or maybe no? Minun approached the light to it and saw some letters glyphed, finally a message appeared. FOLLOW ME. Minun looked nearby, seeing a Murkrow on a tree, the ribbon of Plusle inside the beak.”

Plusle rattled squeezing her brother more in the fearful hug, but he didn’t complain this time. Lester was impatient to know the rest of the story, same Drifloon. Beheeyem and Porygon 2 were motionless, the former yawned, too.

“Without further ado, Minun ran after Murkrow, who flew in circle all the time, mazing more the poor mouse. Tired and desperated, he stopped to breath, noticing the same sign post of before, but with a different script on. SHE’S HERE. Minun checked around, then kicked the post and cried at Murkrow in anger: where was his sister for true? Why that cursed crow had lied and forced him to run in circle? But Murkrow hadn’t lied. She was there. Dark Celebi. And there was also his sister, a piece after another for each pass percurred by Minun. Minun widened the eyes in horror when Celebi” –“KA-KRRRAAAK”- A thunder covered the rest of the narration (and the screams of terror of the electric twins) “…as he could still.” Another lightning and then it started to rain, Lampent lighted off totally.

“Ahahahah!” Drifloon outbursted in laughers “This joke was utterly funny, don’t you think? …well, actually I admit I didn’t get it at all.”

“Ahhhh, too much darkness, total darkness!” Minun and Plusle had a full panic attack while Porygon 2 tried to understand the concept of fear doing impossible calculations and Lester laughed together Drifloon. Castform assumed the form of a drop and her body turned into a grey cumulonimbus “Life sucks. Enjoy the imminent end..”

“SCREW THAT, CASTFORM, THANKS! W-We are enough terrified.” replied Minun in tears “Whatever, too depressed to argue at the moment.” Beheeyem floated away from them being able to see in the shadow thanks to the leds.

“This was rather cruel: first you scare the hell of them with a not so happy story, then abandon them suggestioned by the fear to the darkness.” he said meeting with Lampent, who shrugged “Nothing different from you, who just left them in the moment of the need whether you could illuminate the area with your psychic lasers.” Beheeyem shrugged back “Fair point, you’re an heartless ghost, I’m an alien of a race that sacrificed the emotions in favor of the cleverness. Aside that if they weren’t irrational creatures that let their mind to be dominated by the emotions, they would remind they know the move Flash. Whatever.”

Stretched and continued “Well, in this way we got an excuse to skive off the whole challenge, I assume. We have to do nothing than return to Azalea Town and enjoy a day of vacancy, meanwhile they are stuck here.” Lampent smiled deviously in agree, soon after she dashed under a tree to cover herself, pretty scared.

“Let me guess, you’re afraid of the rain.” Said the alien with irony.

“Let me guess, you used the telepathy to understand this obviousness.” Said her in return with more irony.

Beheeyem looked into his bag “Let me guess again, you wish for an umbrella like this.”

Lampent giggled coldly “Guessed. Try to understand it without the use of telepathy next time.”

………………………………………………

At the town of Azalea Anorith started the handicraft trimming the wood with the pincers “Klact-klact-klact. The body is done. Can someone pass me a red apricorn for the head? Pronto?...” Sylveon was wrapping up a bashful Dunsparce in a k-way “I-It’s just a drizzle, there’s no need to..” “A drizzle, a drizzle, then tomorrow you find yourself stuck in the bed with a bad flu. C’mon, stay firm, and let me do my job.” “What are you, a nurse? S-Stop, I mean, I don’t need so many cares.”

“Pronto?!”

“C’mon, don’t be silly, have trust, and yes, I studied to be a nurse.”

“PRONTO?!! Need that red apricorn! Bah. There’s no respect for the age nowadays.” Sylveon, distracted, tossed the fruit that flopped in the bowl of Gorebyss who was still asleep “Plok! Yawn, good morning to everyone. So, Vanillite, what’s for breakfast today, the golden skales or the diamond powder? Hum..fruit?”

“No, that’s an apricorn, and it’s midday and Vanillite was eliminated yesterday, remember?”

“Ah, true. Then where’s my me-eH?? IT’S ALREADY MIDDAY? I missed my journal treatment of the morning and my breakfast? Why none woke me up? What’s going on..?! I’m confused, say me that I’m cute *^*” she cried causing almost a crack in the glass. Anorith made a grimace “You’re cute (and damn hot). Now welcome to the indipendent life of the average pokèmon that doesn’t need an icicle butler and provides by herself the alimentaries and the rest, using her own fins! About this, can you help me?”

“Help you with what?”

“Pass me that apricorn, first of all, then help me with the sculpture of Victini we have to create.”

“Oh, okay…here. But I’m starving, I won’t do anything until I’m not fed.” She stayed in silence, waiting for an answer. Until she got impatient “Hey! I’m waiting for my food to be served, at this point you should have already come back with my expensive fodder.” Anorith shrugged “And..? I ain’t Vanillite.” Gorebyss flinched and flicked in unbelief “S-So? Are you seriously saying that I have to feed myself?” “Exactly.”

“OH!...but..but..the food remained on the plane, it’s so far and I can’t walk outside my bowl…remember what happened yesterday?”

“You can do anything if you want, the need makes you do the impossible. I still believe you can manage to stay at open-air.” Anorith entered in the tank “It’s not difficult, look how I exit, now. I born as a sea creature like you, but, with a little of will, I –hop!- left the water forever to enjoy the ground. Do a try!” the abyss princess swam to the surface of the water and put the first fin off the board of her glass palace, shivering once it was exposed to the cold air of the winter, and retired immediately back in the water “Sorry, I-I can’t do it, maybe I’m too weak because I missed brekfast. Mind to do it in place of me, *please*? Just for this time at least, I promise to try again tomorrow.”

Anorith couldn’t resist to those sweet eyes, sighed and resigned to go the plane “Fine. I’ll be back in five minutes with your gold skales. Can someone continue the sculpture in the meanwhile?”

“I-I can do it! D-Despite I’m not sure to do a good work, but I promise to do my best.” Dunsparce offered to substitute and started to drill the wood, but was continuosly asked if he was fine, if not a splinter had wounded him, and similar questions by Sylveon, meanwhile Gorebyss observed him in interest. Dunsparce was actually doing a good work having shaped the legs of the statue, and he had only two wings on his back to handle the material, not real hands! However, he was also trembling for the nervosism accumulated in the process: to the usual insecurity and anxiety he was born with in addition there were the annoying advices of Sylveon.

“Dunsparce, drill slowlier, in this way you won’t do so many splinters, also you may change posture to make your back doing the least efforts possible, and cover better with that k-way! This rainy clime is treacherous for the health of your frail body.”

“(Sigh) O-Ok, Sylveon, yes, Sylveon, thanks for the s-suggestion, Sylveon…but, please, I swear I’ll follow every of the safety procedures you kindly suggested me, but..” the land snake finally found the courage to speak out “I want to try without being protected, advised, monitored continuosly! Can you understand my point of view, right? I-If I show ingratitude I excuse, I really appreciate your attention, but..but..b-but..”

Sylveon zipped his mouth and nodded “Agree. You have to do your experiences, but, please, be always careful. I’ll help you only with the challenge since now. “T-Thank you.”

// Tank Confessional //

Gorebyss filed the fins relaxing inside her personal shell-bed “Welcome to my first confession: I have the luxury to dispose of my own chamber where to reveal my thoughts and secrets to the camera, since I can’t stay inside a common vent, that’s a dry and dirty place. Anyway I can’t understand why Dunsparce doesn’t like the idea that someone offers to protect him and make everything in his place: being served by the others is wonderful! On the contrary, why this will to work and do everything by himself? Mah.” The fish ends with a shrug of indifference.

// Vent Confessional //

Anorith tap-tapped the claws on the metal “This is a test: I want to see if Gorebyss can be motivated by the hunger to do some by herself. Seems no after 20 minutes of waiting. Auff, she’s spoiled at this point.”

Seviper and Tropius returned bringing the items collected in the forest “How’s proceeding here? The statue looks very well done so far, congratulations, Dunsparce.” “R-Really you think I’m doing a good job? By the way I’m just replacing Anorith for a few.”

“Sure, my little friend, I’m honest when I say this!” Dunsparce smiled for the compliments received from Tropius, feeling encouraged and a little more determinated. Instead Seviper crawled next to Sylveon: “I sssee you let him finally some freedom, but, actually, don’t know if so much firmness isn’t a risk for his sssafety. I mean, he may become too reassured and stop to follow his usual prudence continuing on this line…now I understand why you were so protective, I admit my fault. I judged Dunsparce wrong, now that I look at him, even a leaf could hurt him, imagine a piece of food, a portable knife or something worst.”

“I know really, I shouldn’t have put down my motherly radar” Sylveon’s eyes burned for the determination and she placed near to Dunsparce “What are you doing? Put down that drill tail, this is too dangerous for you.” Dunsparce obeyed automatically yet squinted for the shock “Y-Yes, but w-why? I thought to have had the permission from…”

“Forget it. You overcame the limit by becoming way too firm while carving. An excess of firmness means imprudence, imprudence means danger, danger means hurt! CLEAR?” the land snake didn’t reply in submission to her authority. Tropius tried to say something about, but the next act of Sylveon prevented him: she hugged strictly Dunsparce, put him on the legs like a baby, wrapped the ribbons around his wings, and started to cohordinate his movements, pretending to teach him how to work in safety. “This is how you should work, a little piece here, another here, see how simple? No drilling, no splinters! Use these little cute angelic wings and you’ll be able to do the same but in total security.” Seviper sniggered in a corner.

“How is this scene cute (and pathetic) from 1 to 10?” Gorebyss asked, giggling soon after “Nah, kidding, he’s just tender that I can’t resist to be a little nasty, *I adore that little snaky gizmo when he blushes in this way*, infact I think I’ll order soon a plushie of him to decorate my tank.”

Dunsparce reddened totally and shook to escape from the harassment, but in this way he drilled acidentally the head of the idol Victini making it to fall so ruining the whole job done “Oh, n-no! What have I done? T-Th-This would have not happened if you would have trusted me more! Sniff, Seviper is right, you treat me like I have an handicap or I’m a pokèmon just hatched from the egg wether I’m of level 25. But this doesn’t matter, I’m just the pathetic being I was and hoped to not be again, coming here didn’t change my situation…it’s over.” cried getting off her embrace and fleed away.

“No, that’s not the reason I behave in this way…Dunsparce..comeback here!”

“L-Leave me alone!”

“Oh, no. I didn’t want this to happen, I just wanted to be sure nothing bad happened never to him.” Sylveon frowned reminding the past.

“Quick! We need to recuperate him before he goes alone in the forest, no time to cry on spilled milk.” Tropius led Seviper but blocked Sylveon “However, it’s better you stay here, you did enough for him.” As they went in the woods, Sylveon stomped a paw on the ground and promised “I swear to find him soon as possible, they can’t hold me from this decision. I’m coming to the rescue, Dunsparce!”

Left alone, Gorebyss waited for Anorith until he came back, looking around in confusion “Urgh, what happened here?”

“Oh, finally you’re back. Well, Dunsparce argued with Sylveon, cried, and left the town, but he was so cute, then she and the others followed him in the forest, also the idol was accidentally decapitated by Dunsparce.” Gorebyss’s eyelashes flapped like a doe. “By the way, did you bring my food?”

“Magnificent. And yes, I brought your expensive fodder.”

“Golden skales, Diamond Powder, or Platinum Plates?” her eyes shimmered.

“Groan, the first one, do you like?”

“Sure, can you do me the favor to open the can, too?” she winked. Anorith blushed and rolled the eyes to the sky, granting her wish. “Of course, now let’s see how I can fix this DISASTER…”

Ignoring the mess, the Jigglers were working silently together: Ninjask chopped the woodsticks and at contemporary provided for the raw materials like he was two pokèmons in one, Chimecho occupied of the details , Lucario patiently modeled the idol. He had had the idea to use a unique bole of ilex for the body and the head, where to work cutting until to obtain the wanted shape.

“Congratulations, Lucario, your idea was brilliant and you’re showing to handle very well this activity.”

“I simply use to cultivate the art of bonsai by many years, you would be envious seeing the garden at my home! I think there’s nothing more relaxing than take care of a little tree and follow its slow grow day after day with love and patience…” Lucario stopped immediately turning his smily in a frown and returning to be on the defensive “I mean it’s less bothering than any other hobby I tried, such as fishing (the most I catched was a remoraid, fried) or playing an instrument (tried with the ukulele and I broke all the glasses of my house) afterall you have just to cut some sticks and choose the pot of the right size. DOESN’T MEAN ABSOLUTELY THAT I’M A DELICATE POKEMON, CLEAR? Uhm..I need yellow leaves for the head. Give me some.” grumbled the dog at the end.

Chimecho hid a smile and finished to polish the Black Apricorns to make the eyes of Jirachi “Forgot to use the magic word: please. However I can create a natural paint if you give me a paw.”

“Why? What I have to do? Don’t you see I’m already busy here?”

“Because I need the strength of a not absolutely delicate pokémon to pest the Yellow Apricorns for the mixture. Seeing you’re busy, I’ll ask to Ninjask then or I will arrange by myself.”

“No! Sgrunt, ‘kay, since you ask so insistently I’ll do it. Thump. Thump. Thump.” Lucario scoffed in annoyance “I’m getting bored. How much time I have to continue this monotone activity?”

“Until all the juice doesn’t come out from the apricorns.” Chimecho added some herbs to the mix, meddling. “20 minutes should be enough.”

“HOW MUCH?! Listen, I don’t want to spend the next twenty minutes in this boring way!”

“Infact, we can speak in the meanwhile to kill the time.”

“Speak of what? There’s nothing to talk on.”

The bell wind didn’t reply anymore. Continuing with the preparation of the paint, she stayed silently to enjoy the peace and quiet of Azalea Town, the gentle breeze of the spring blew making her skirt to flutter and the smooth sound of the chime echoed. Lucario broke the silence after a few “Grr, I risk to sleep here!”

“Thought you liked the silence..” she smirked softly. Lucario shifted his eyes to the ground, before to say with his hoarse voice “Changed idea.”

“Fine. Then we can talk about each others, for example a certain secret you said yesterday..”

“Ah, I knew you aimed at that! Forget it, flutter chime, I hate to speak out my privacy and I never do any promise to say that.” Doing a grimace similar to an arrogant smile, he continued to stomp on the berries “Thump. Thump. Thump.”

“Agree. I’ll reveal one of the mines, instead.”

“Eh? You can’t be serious. I know you barely, how do you feel the will to tell me something of your privacy?” Lucario interrupted the work, arching a brow. “Do you know I could use it at my advantage in the future during the competition? Or that I like to spread rumours when I’m bored uncaring if I hurt the sentiments of the others?”

“I’m sure that you won’t.” Chimecho approached to him “Because I trust in you as you should trust me-“

“Nice try! Your psychological trick almost worked, but not at all. You tried to make me confess mine with the *excuse to be trustful one of the other*, but you eventually failed. I’m not going to fall in your trap, bah, reveal her secrets..did she think I could be that ingenuous?Tsk- TRUST NONE is my only creed. As she really was going to…”

“I was a Chingling when this happened.”

“Urgh, what..?” his ears perked up.

“My family used to live in a temple tower on the peak of a mountain where the rays of the sun illuminated every day. We didn’t do much than enjoy the breeze and the quiet but unlike my parents I didn’t find that so entertaining. I was bored of my average life, I dreamed to leave soon that isolated place to find true emotions traveling in the rest of the world, outside the window I stared at, whiffing unable to wait for my life to turn, and to live a different experience from the usual routine. Anything to break that boredom would have been accepted by me.”

Lucario twitched in astonishment, and despite striving to keep stubborn to ignore, he said “Continue.”

“This wish got realized at the end. One day after a whole week of rain, the sun rose again acquainted by a bright rainbow. Every Chimecho, me and my parents included, admired this spectacle from the sky. However that wasn’t the first time I saw a rainbow, yet it seemed like the first time, because it was extraordinary vivid, almost magic. So beautiful we couldn’t avoid to watch it for hours…unlike the previous rainbows it stayed brilliant all the time. Finally a new experience! I was excited. Suddenly we heard the ancestral verse of a bird and…everything went on fire. The smoke surrounded me and one of the giant bells fallen for the quake from the roof knocked me down. When I woke up the tower was no more vertical, reduced in a pyre of ashes, from whom the mountain gained his name (…...) The bell had protected only me during the passage of Ho-Oh: the legendary pokèmon had granted my wish changing my life forever, I understood in late my mistake before I could do the right choice. Since then I conduct the lonely life of a monkess, as a self-punishment for my superficial ingratitude towards the things I had in the past.”

Chimecho ended the story with a broken voice and finished to mesh the ingredients “The twenty minutes are passed, you can stop now and pass me the recipient with the juice. Done, the straw paint is ready: you can depict the leaves in tranquillity.”

“….”

// Vent Confessional //

Lucario blink blinked for the astonishment “I can’t believe she did this. NO, I’M NOT REFERRING TO THE PAINT! I’m referring to..the other thing. She really told me about her past. Absurd. She disposed her full trust in me. Plus, her story…ok, moved me a tear. ONLY ONE-LET’S CLEAR OUT.” He frowned folding arms.

Ninjask waited for Lucario to get out the vent, after having spied him camouflaged between the flits. “Very interesting development, can’t wait to listen to the story of Lucario, too. Being double is being an huge advantage, brother.” The masked musk snickered to his same shadow.

…………………………………………………………

In the Ilex Forest the Victini Venturers had already searched for half an hour.. “Dunsparce, Dunspaaarce? Where are you? C’mon, you don’t have to blame yourself, we can repair that for sure, get out! Acc, he really got further than I imagined, and with those little dimensions it’s hard for me to spot him. Seviper, did you see anything?” Tropius sighed “I mean anything down there to the ground.”

“I ssssee no tracks of snake, but there’s ssstill sssomething you sshould see. Ice.”

“What do you mean? Wops!” Tropius skidded and his fall made the whole forest to tremble. Seviper pointed at a path of the forest with the grass crystalyzed in splinters of ice “You know a not so funny thing? I think you forgot behind Aurorus before, and now she’s wandering lost with no clue of the exit.”

“Urgh, true, I havn’t seen Aurorus and completely forgot to check if she was following us out of the forest! If she didn’t return this means she really lost the way inside this natural maze. I have to find her, right? Wait, but there’s also Dunsparce to save…” Seviper slapped his face with the tail “Ssssimple mind! What’s more important: a crush or a friend? Of course the firssst. This is the occasion to cementify your situation with her: if you save her, you will be seen under a different light by her. Maybe you’ll be able to date her soon after.”

“I don’t know. I’m not used to love someone, she’s my first crush, on the contrary I’m used to always help a friend in danger.”

“So to do the same error of SSSylveon to choke his indipendency? Dunsparce asked to stay alone and obviously escaped here to prove his value. Let him try to save himself! Go save Aurorus, instead!”

“Right, I did the same when I was little. I’ll then follow the tracks of Aurorus before the rain cancels them.”

A mischievous grin appeared on the face of the viper when he was enough away “Instead I’ll find Dunsparce first and tell him that I was the only one to be worried for his health, so he will trust only me for the rest of the reality, hihihisss!” she took a complete different direction, following the trail left by the land snake.

In a parallel crosstreet of the forest, Oshawott and Piplup were having a gentle confrontation of ideas about the reasons they had been lost purposing each one the opposite point of view:

“The fault was only YOURS. Who had the arrogance to don’t follow the indications because was certain to count on her supreme memory, sense of orientation and cohordination to come back to the town?!”

“Keep those lurid paws attached to your body, Osha-what-a-folk, who had the madness to rip in pieces the map I had bought with my money just to unleash her fury and mostly existential frustration because unable to read it? Answer, my dear ignorant.”

“I was able to see that map only for a minute, the other 51 minutes we had spent wandering aimlessly through the same paths it was all the time in YOUR HANDS. And you were unable to follow the right direction indicated on it!AHAHAH!” Oshawott laughed loudly pumping the chest. Piplup stole her the shell noticing that was plein of water “Let me see…ooh, only you could have the idea to use a scallop as a..ppfff..compass. I guess this is why you got into so many Pineco while crossing the wrong way and getting exploded 1-2-3..how many times exactly? I heard but couldn’t keep the count. Pipipiplup!” Oshawott gnarled.

“OSHAGRR. How many times instead Miss Pig Plump tripped into a root or something else? Judging by all the dirt at the edge of the beak you must have created a rut in the ground deep enough to make a Diglett envious!!!” Piplup twitched an eye for the nerves. “I’m not chubby, and even if I’m fat, then you’re a Snorlax compared to me.”

The eyes of the ott became red “SHELL NO! You’re doomed after this” and she fighted with the penguin.

The pitched brawl was interrupted when they noticed Swalot imitating them “Osha-what? Did you just call me a FATTIE? No, I called you a F-OTT-IE. Got it? Of course no because your brain is a scallop itself: empty. However since I’m a boastboating hypocrite I think to be Miss POKEMON2015 wether I’m the fattest starter created so far. Ohohoh! No,no,no, if you’re the fattest what should I say that I’m considered the ugliest?!!”

“Osha-WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING, YOU BASTARD SWALOT?”

“Tsk, mind your words and learn: how dare you mock me, bottomless trashcan?”

“Oh, ehm, I was bored so I exercised in my…second favorite hobby after to eat, that’s do imitation. Liked the show? Ahahah! *The Di- vertent Swalot Special* I –glom- wanted to kill this time.” Swalot smiled sweating.

Piplup and Oshawott simulated a smile in return “Understandable, we were so ridicolous….and NOW WE WANT TO KILL YOU, INSTEAD!” Swalot zoomed away being pursued, but managed to hide in time from their sight.

“Where did he go, that mocking muck?”

“I DON’T KNOW BUT AS I PUT MY PUNCHES ON HIM..”

“I’ll give you a wing or more.”

“Thanks. Oh? Finally we found something in common!”

“True: we both hate that Swalot.” The two girls stipulated a truce for the time of the payback. However… “I take the right path, you take the other, got it or I have to repat slower?” “Hey! Who said you lead the operation? I HEARD YOU PERFECTLY, TOUGH.” …they didn’t stop a second to argue for futile details.

“We should be arrived….boh? Gosh, have no idea where we are.” Bagon, Squirtle and Swellow had still to find the exit. “But probably in the depth of the forest, where no rays of the sun arrive.”

“Then it’s not fault of my sunglasses this time? The darkness is real now, good to know.” Squirtle proceeded goofily still unaware that Swellow was hiding in his shell. As a little of light shed again, his brain was lightened by a thought “Wait, man, I just reminded a thing! We’re in the company of Swellow who defeated Celebi in the past, how dumb! He sure knows how to get out of this maze, if he had an epic battle here once. I betcha. Am I right?”

The swallow got quickly outside before the turtle turned and, flinching a little, confirmed “O-Of course! My epic battle against Cress..elebi, how I could forget about? I remind it perfectly like it happened yesterday. Every single move I did.” Bagon was skeptical but stayed at the game “Then you can lead us among the right way thinking back over the memory of your deed. Right?”

“Hem..”

“Also if you stand first in front of the danger, we can learn some of your combat practices wether we encounter an enemy. I can’t wait to see your cool moves, dude!” Squirtle grinned deviously “And to use them to catch up the ladies, blink.”

Swellow gulped, laughed and pumped his pecs “S-Sure, AHAHAHAH! Smug Swellowers, prepare to admire a master at work. Mumble…oh, yes, see this crack on the wood? I made it with just a hit of the wing to mark the territory: a way to show Celebi I was already the new boss of the place. The next legend they would have talked about.”

“Seriously? Wow, did they dedicate you that template for this reason?” Squirtle pointed to a sanctuary at the end of the lane they were percurring. It was the holy relic dedicated to the guardian of the woods. Swellow flew quickly on it making an antic while explaining that “guardian of the woods” was a title given to him in return of his victory over Dark Celebi. Before they proceeded the walk, Swellow gave a coward look backward and prayed for the mercy of the arboreal legend.

“Rattle-Rattle..” Minun and Plusle were hugging themselves so strict to almost choke each other, after they had run away from the group for the fear. “W-Where are the others, did we separate from them? Oh, no, ciaff.”

“C-Come on, let’s be positive and s-super happy as usual: there’s always a solution for all! Just keep on smiling..” Plusle cheered up her brother despite her legs shivered “…we’re still together, afterall! Until we’re together, nothing can..Frush, frush, frush..ahem, c-can scare..us? Frush, frush, frush, frush. Ahhh! No, I can’t handle the tension this time!” She dashed away, immediately followed by Minun “Plusle! Wait for me! Swish! Ouch, oh, no, this is exactly the same that happened to the twins in the story of Lampent! I just lost the trails of my sister, I knew that. Plusle? PLUSLE? 'PLUUUUSLE? Argh, I knew that! Plusle..oh, you’re here, phew.” Minun glomped Plusle tightly, for once it was the opposite situation than usual.

“Minun? My moment of fear is over. You can let me now…k-k-k.”

“Uh, sure! I..eheheh..worked too much with the fantasy getting impressed.” He blushed in excuse utterly awkwarded. “By the way, I see you found a sign post: is there anything written on?”

“Yes, it says: XXX FOLLOW ME XXX.” Minun’s eyes widened as she read the indication, he heard again the frush frush in the nearby and then an horrible “Krow-Krow!” screeched in the area. “O-Other than an impression, screw what I said before. The quick turn from day to night..the impossibility to return at the entrance of the forest…the creepy message in caption lock on the sign post…the Murkrow.. The horror tale will be reality if we don’t run away RIGHT NOW!” Minun dragged Plusle by the tail “Quick, sissy, run until we find a certain hideout, our life is in charge!!!”

….after 5 minutes of run…

“Anf, pant, a little pause of reflection. Seems like we ran in circle all this time! Oh, no, no, no, ciaff, ciaff, ciaff.” Minun slapped his face many times, meanwhile Plusle read again the red script on the sign post, noticing a new post “XXX I’M ARRIVED HERE XXX..oh-oh.” She also found a pretty yet stained ribbon tied around the pole. The electric brothers blanked at all for the creepy coincidence.. Plusle got an insane idea, wore on the pom poms and, shivering, started to dance: “G-Gimme a C, t-then a E, an L, and a-another E, keep with B and end with I! You know who’s she? DARK CELE-MPF!”

“Sister, please, this isn’t the moment to cheerlead.” The rustling got intense, an unknown pokèmon moved between the trees in their direction…

The scene shifted to another point of the Ilex Forest, where Victini was having his date:

“Celebi, your vernal pink is so vivid today, it vivifies your angelic visage and vitals. Yes, my vamp, you’re going to stop being a virgin plant by tonight.” The host approached his lips to hers “Because I’m the fire type, but you’re the hot one who burned my heart.”

Celebi kissed and blushed “I didn’t expect things to get heat with you at the first encounter, and I usually don’t like fires, but…keep on. You’re really impressing me unlike the premises, firefox.”

Victini sniggered continuing the hitting “You better call a fireman, because this victorious valiant virile vip is on fire!” did a spin casting out orange flames around her, eventually causing some scorches “Cough! Auch, my leaves are ashed at the edge, now....you lose points for this.”

“Ops, I’m sorry, as I said my passion can’t be handle even by myself.” Victini thought quickly at a new phrase to gain back her accomplishment, his eyes focused on the secular clock of the Main Sanctuary “Anyway, you’ll time-travel at infinite to redo this date after having tried a piece of THIS V.” He ended with an appealing wink. Celebi crossed arms, tilting her head “Fine…think I got the address. Since my agend is full of other dates through different ages of past, present, and future, let’s waste no more time.”

“Of course, but I warn you, valentine: the entire woods will flare in the process even under this rain.” Celebi smirked “I’ll handle the risk” and fluttered behind the temple, waiting for him, but his attention was suddenly disposed on “Lampent? Is that her? What’s she’s doing here? I thought to have been clear when I told Jirachi to take her under control…and of course he was sleeping.” Victini warped to a closer spot to have a better vision.

“It’s better, now that I’m covered. Anyway, there was no need to let me the exclusive of the umbrella..” the alien shrugged pointing the index to the sky to create a globe of energy “Don’t need a material object when you have the availability of a psychokinetic brain.” Beheeyem offered her an apricorn collected during the walk “Speaking of psychich powers…I followed your suggestion and didn’t use the telepathy this time to imagine you are hungry after hours since breakfast.”

“Right thought, and…thanks, I suppose.” Lampent got bashful, gave a tibtit to the fruit, and hiding behind the deadpan tone of the voice continued “So, the umbrella and the apricorn…obvious. Seems someone has a crush on me, guessed with my non telepathic mind? Sincerely I expected a more evoluted strategy of conquest from an E.T. expy.” shrugging with a smirk “Yet still, I appreciate the effort.”

Victini developped an huge frustration hearing this that almost flared the bush he was hiding in.

“Nope” answered Beheeyem in tranquillity.

// Vent Confessional //

“I KNEW that Lampent had fallen in love!” Victini slapped a calf “She always flirts with the wrong guys. And this time she couldn’t do a worst choice, picking the megaphone snarker. Out of all the available guys in the Leviathans (the hyperenergic Lester, the acrobatical Minun, or even Metang) she decided for another deadpanner. Ah, no, I can’t afford this! As her godfather I have the duty to keep the tentacles of him away from her, and vehicolate her interest on a more active and more valiant partner.”

The V-host was ready to break into the scene, but didn’t, listening to Beheeyem carefully “I found the umbrella and the apricorns by casuality while I was searching for materials, and since I don’t have a mouth because I feed of knowledge neither I need a tool to protect from weather conditions, I decided to give them to someone in need, and you happened to be the lucky…” he eventually admitted with a shrug “Also it’s a way to show my gratitude for yesterday…just to be fair at 100%.”

Lampent had consumed her apricorn in the meanwhile she listened to his speech, feeling ashamed once realized to have been imprudent to undisclose her sentiments, she tossed away the burned nutshell and sat withdrawing in her own shell. “I feel pathetic in this moment. I believed wrong…sorry for my…whatever.”

Beheeyem layed next to her “It was a legit mistake, don’t worry. By the way I don’t want to give you the illusion of the opposite: my species had renounced to the emotion by a long time, and in this way managed to develop discovers that this planet will ignore for other 51 centuries, because we’re able to focus on science and knowledge without being corrupted by the sentiments. Shortening, I can’t love you or anyone else, I can’t love at all.” Victini cheered doing a V-sign unseen in the bushes. Lampent limited to sigh “Understand. Yep, even if…..bah, nothing. Nothing important to add here. Let’s enjoy this moment of relaxation.”

“Perfect…”

Victini whispered eagerly to himself “Yes! Yes! Yes! Relief. He doesn’t return her love, danger missed. I can distress now…wait! In this way he rejected and made her to suffer. ReVenge. Ok, Victini, follow them and be ready to Generator V some alien butts at the first right occasion.”

“Vic-Vic? I’m waiting by a lot…”

Back on the rodent twins, as they opened their eyes again, finding themselves still alive, they recognized the pursuers: “LESTER & PORYGON 2?! Auff, this wasn’t funny, seriously, Plusle, who I’v always seen happy in every situation since we’re born together, isn’t amused. That means your prank was really awful!”

The negative mouse pointed to the positive one that was fidgeting “Give me an F, an E, an A, a-and an R…F-F-FEAR! The big one I’m feeling r-right now. Sorry if the coreography sucks b-but I just came out with it.Brr.”

“See? She’s overwhelmed.”

“I detect high levels of sweat, adrenaline, and crazyness: first data saved and classified in the folder FEAR.”

“Ahahahah, quirky! At least under my point of view. By the way, I wasn’t doing any joke, crowing was my way to communicate and find the orientation. I had the idea to apply the Stanislaskji Method so to figure myself into a typycal pokèmon of the woods, and because there were so many details and coincidences I chose to immedesimate in the Murkrow of the horror tale!” Rotom spinned “Because I reflected that if that Murkrow was able to trick Minun into follow the wrong direction, logically he knew which was the right one, too. That’s why I focused my mind on the same thoughts that Murkrow could do. Got the logic?”

Minun twitched feeling an headache “Eh…no, but doesn’t matter. Go on.”

The crazy Rotom continued “So with the pokèradar of Porygon 2 I followed you and your sissy, crowed sinisterly every 51 seconds…

“… and settled the creepy details and clues like the ribbon and the scripts to stay 100% loyal to the plot of Lampent’s tail.” The negative rodent phewed, then asked sarcastically “Eventually It worked, right?” the other frowned shouting through a megaphone “Nope, cause of lack of collaboration from you two: you should have stayed separated as the Plusle & Minun of the story (and maybe Plusle should have been killed, but I didn’t find this detail necessary..)! Also my body shape had nothing in common with Murkrow, so I was forced to imitate it but only from the inside, while for the outside I could have inspiration only from Porygon 2, that is more similar to a bird and so I colored him in black and yellow. Complicated, believe me.”

Soon after he rewound like a recorder “Vrrrrrrrr>>>>> By the way, back to your previous speech, at the part when you interrupts me saying … and settled the creepy details and clues like the ribbon and the scripts to stay 100% loyal to the plot of Lampent’s tale –yes, I can imitate your voice perfectly, Miny- actually you were wrong, I didn’t prepare anything but the idea would have been awesome! Pity, really.”

Minun gulped. “Are you serious serious or serious quirky now?”

“What the quirk you mean, exactly?”

“I mean if you’re speaking the truth when you say that t-the scripts…the ribbon…aren’t here by your idea.”

“Ohh, clear! I confirm what I said. I like the neologism you used, too. I’ll add it to my dictionary.” Lester did a wide grin that froze the mouse.

“I thought only computers hibernate in this way…” commented Porygon 2. “Bip! Bip! Radar signalates another pokèmon in the nearby.”

“Wooooooooooosh…sound of the wind of suspence offered by Fan Rotom. No need to thank me.”

Minun brains unblocked “Then WHO wrote this? Glom…I’m trying not to be negative..ahahah..but..we’re doomed.” Plusle agreed for once with that behavior, especially when they spotted a suspicious new shadow lurking to them “Let’s run away from this place! Ahhhh!!!” Without a further ado the four ran a bit far from that intersection.

“Anf, anf, I’m sure this time: that was Celebi, I recognized the pointy shape of the head!” squeaked Plusle, Minun calmed her with an hug “There’s still a possibility to survive, but we need to stay rational.Remember your motto? Never lose the positivity! (Wow, can’t believe I’m saying it). Porygon 2, quick, find a map of the territory on Internet or use the GPS to locate our position, and where the entrance of Azalea Town is.”

“Finding…@.....negative: there’s no connection in this area.”

“Fantastic. Forget what I said before.” Minun lowered the shoulders “Sorry if I gave you an illusion.” Plusle cuddled him “You have no guilt, and, sniff, I’m proud of your approach to the situation.” “Really? Pity that served at nothing.” “Absolutely the contrary! I feel happy in this moment, and I’ll feel the same even when…ahem…we’ll do a bad end.” “Oh, Plusle…”

Lester interrupted them “By the way, if you’re done with the drama now that we’re reunited again, I know exactly how to escape before DARK CELEBI does her next move: the Electromicegnetic Compass!

Hooot hooot………kricketot…kricketot…woooooosh....oh, come on, I’m waiting for the screen to turn black for the spannung and I don’t know other verses! No climatic break-time planned in this scene? For real? Tsk. Impossible. The writer is really lazy.”

Minun looked at the sky “Lester...PLEASE. Get over whatever you’re complaining about and continue.”

“Fine. The idea is to create a compass. Azalea Town is at South, with the Electromicegnetic Compass we’ll follow all the paths that go in that direction! Simple, no? However, it’s not a common contraption. I need your personal collaboration, infact.” Lester turned into a washing machine and put both Minun and Plusle in the whirlpool “Lex, are you sure this is a solution and not one of your usual...@” When the whirlpool stopped, the twins wobbled out in deep confusion, touched each other, and an irresistible force stick their bodies like magnets.

“But what’s going on? I can’t move like I’m attached to my sister as a magnet!?”

“!*Eeeh, I was never so close to my brother*! Eventually I’d like some space for my privacy.”

“Exactly. I agitated the positive and negative particells inside your bodies until to magnetize them. Now you’re like magnets, as this little test will prove! Ahahahah!” as Rotom turned into a fridge, the twins were attracted and stamped against him like two calamites.

“Ouch…Lester, you’re a genius but most of all a freak.” said Minun while his face was splatted on the metal.

“Better for you if I take this like a compliment. By the way, after having polarized the charges, I need that you, Minun, place here, and you, Plusle, at the opposite side with your muzzles revolved one to the other, then I put a metallic plate between your bodies, tie around with the ribbon, and use a spring of Porygon’s circuits like a solenoid….and done! The self-made compass is ready.” Lester announced epically pointing to the result of his work: Minun and Plusle were sitting wrapped belly to belly on Porygon 2, linked by a twirly metallic wire to him.

“Ehm, this is crazy. Say in honest that you wanted just to do a last craziness before the end of your existence and we’re still friends. I mean, just..just..j-j-just this doesn’t make any sense!”

“It makes : if the tail of Plusle quivers we’ll be at South, if yours quivers we’re at North, if your tails meet at halfway it means we’re following an east or west direction. Totally logical, ah!” Minun sighed, Plusle had a nervous gig, Porygon 2 bipped “Pokèmon spotted again in the neighbourhood.”

“Gasp, kay, everything to save our lives is accepted! Lester, we trust in your strange strategy since now.” His tail twitch twitched feebly “This means that if we continue in this way we’re going to North, so run backward is what to do to go at South. Follow me, Leviathans, ah!”

The group returned at the previous intersection, burned by the curiosity the plasmic poltergeist read on the sign post “Great, we’re back here, hey, Lester, I know I’m redundant but are you really sure of what are you doing with this sort of compass we are made of?” Lester grinned innocently after having read the new message typed: XXX I’M AFTER YOU XXX. “Ahahah, of couuurse! Keep follow your leader with no fear!”

// Vent Confessional //

“I’m a super duper expert of the oddest situations, afterall. Who better than me could lead in this kind of occasion? They’re utterly safe in my company.” Lester blinked to the camera. “Quirky relatively speaking of course.”

-Victini Venturers-

Dunsparce wandered without a goal through the woods, the rain had stopped increasing the dampness, and a thick fog surrounded him totally. However he didn’t care much where to go, he just wanted to escape from the ashame.

Sylveon proceeded cautiously with the research, to orientate in that maze she had untied her long ribbons following the same system of the Rope of Arianna. In this way she would have been able to return on her walk whenever she picked a cul dè sac.

Seviper advanced with a complete different approach: she slashed plants and trees that obstaculated her way ignoring at all the scheme of the maze, she had to find Dunsparce FIRST THAN ANYONE ELSE, afterall. At any cost.

Tropius crawling to be at the right height followed the icicles on the leaves hoping to reach Aurorus eventually. In the halfway he met with a floating rock: Lunatone. “Thud, ouch. Where do you come from? Oh, right, you were with Aury- I mean- Aurorus. Have you seen her in the last minutes?” As usual, the other didn’t answer and proceeded to the opposite direction. “Thanks for the collaboration. What a…for Kyogre’s sake!” Tropius stared once reached the end of the lane, and in the lake saw Aurorus, the body reversed in the half frozen water. “Hey, Aurorus, what happened? Can you hear me? She’s fainted. In this way she risks to drown, must drag her out of the water. Brrr! Her body is colder than a block of ice, and heavier than I expected, but I assume the temperature isn’t the problem, she’s an ice type.” The tropical sauropode carried her to the shore, despite his paws froze at touch, after this he tried to awake Aurorus recurring to various techniques, but there was nothing to do.

“I don’t know what to do, but I can’t leave her in this condition. Need the help of an expert of first aid: Sylveon. I must fly back to Azalea and bring her here!” He took off the forest and in few minutes landed at the town. Anorith was still trying to keep the head of the statue on the statue meanwhile Gorebyss was busy doing…Gorebyss’s routine of slack.

“Stay on…thump. Darn! This glue must be more prehistorical than me, that salesman is a swindler. Ah, here finally someone back. Mind to offer me true assistance now? Find me a decent glue first of all.”

“There’s another priority at the moment: I need Sylveon. Where is she?”

“With the other that were supposed to be my helpers, obviously” Anorith replied acid “Weren’t you aware she followed you in the forest as soon as you entered? Tsk, your problem. Anyway, because you’re here..” Tropius was again in the sky, flying above the Ilex Forest. “That’s why dinosaurs are extincted. Bah, let’s try again to fix this…maybe if I create a hole in the neck with a driller I can screw the head in it…Gorebyss, I need your needle sweet lips a minute. Please, AT LEAST can you create a little incision in the wood? Imagine it to be one of your preys..oh, wait, you never hunted your food. Then, new example: imagine it to be a can of your expensive food. Understand?”

“I’m not sure…this seems a sort of work, and I irk inserting my mouth in an extraneus object that doesn’t come from my furniture.” Gorebyss rubbed her anterior fins reflecting “Maybe, if you give me a fin I can dare this hazard.” Anorith lifted the serpentine outside the bowl, carrying her in embrace while she lowered the neck to the wood and perforated it with the thin mouth. “Well, that’s a beginning, ahem, that’s the spirit! Damn! She’s silky like a cloud…”

“Yes, I am, thanks to all the care I take for my body, blink. Enjoy it?. Also I finished here, can you put me in the aquarium again?”

“Already? *Cough* You were incredibly fast, congratulation.” Anorith let her in the water “Ok, the head should stay now…uff, finally, now time to add the details and the colouring. All alone, perfect.”

Lucario approached suddenly to the table “Do you want an help? I can lend you some of the paint advanced for our artwork that we almost finished.” Anorith blink blinked a little startled, same did Chimecho and Gorebyss. “Really? Uh, thank.”

“AH, IN YOUR FACE! YOU WOULD LIKE, UH? BUT NO HOPE.” Lucario retired the arm doing a mischievous grin, explaining “Forget it, fossil. What’s yours is yours, what’s mine is MINE ONLY. Clear?” then seeing Chimecho glaring at him in disappointment he became cranky again “What’s up? I warned earlier before that I ain’t a nice pokèmon, sgrunt.” and sat in the corner. Chimecho sighed deeply.

“Here you the paint, with my permission. You have just to add an orange apricorn to the mixture to obtain the right color you need.”

“Thanks. What’s the issue with that mutt?” Anorith questioned before to go back at work.

“No, you gave it for real to our rivals? Can’t believe.”

“Lucario, take this like another lesson or punishment. It’s unfair to rub your frustration on the others.”

“Bah, whatever. If you hoped to soften me after that sad story, this was the proof it didn’t work. Said this, I want peace and quiet to finish the Jirachi Bonsai…but I permit you to be useful and help again. Fine?” the chime teleported away. “Ohey! I did you a question, you can’t simply leave. Chimecho?!! Pfui, instable.” Ninjask appeared next to him “Her? Anyway, I help you to accomplish in speed.” Lucario at first refused but after agreed “Ok, but cut only where and when I indicate you. Got it?” “Totally.”

…….……………….

It was already night in the forest, and the darkness covered all.

Lost in the fog, Dunsparce had come through some troubles, hurted by the spikes of the plants he was now regretting his decision, but also didn’t want to give up and look pathetic again, he would have not whined for help this time. “What I do, now? I’ll stay here for the rest of my life or until I’ll survive. What was that frush? H-Hello..? Rat-tat..no, I don’t escape, I’m corageous, not c-coward. Drr trr. It’s just the wind…” two eyes followed from distance, a selvatic pokèmon was on the silent pursue of the tsuchinoko, his big shadow projected on the ground…

In flight back to Aurorus, Tropius casually spotted Sylveon in a moment of clearance, and landed in front of her “Sylv! I ask for your help. It’s an emergency.” “You found Dunsparce?! Oh, no, what happened to him?” “No, not Dunsparce, Aurorus. She fell in a lake and now doesn’t give signs of life. I tried something but it was useless, I don’t have experience unlike you. Please, come with me…I think it’s a grave condition. I’m worried.” Sylveon had eventually took the right way to find her friend, but she decided to follow Tropius because she couldn’t leave someone in risk of life, whatever it could have happened. “Alright. Let’s go!”

“Do you know how this happened?” Sylveon checked carefully the health of the ice sauropode, Tropius bound the neck “No. I’d like to, but I simply found her here after having encountered Lunatone…hmm. So, how’s Aurorus?”

“She’s not in threat for her life, but…there’s something in her belly..OH! This is…I can’t believe she’s doing such an imprudence.”

“What’s up more?”

Sylveon reassured him quickly “Uh, nothing serious, ignore those whispers of before. Luckily I brought all the medicines with me in case Dunsparce…nevermind, I don’t want to think about that possibility.” Tropius supported her “I don’t know how to thank you. Don’t worry, that land snake is tough despite the aspect, however I promise that we won’t leave the Ilex Forest without him.”

The fairy eon opened her saddlebag and raised out a Revitalizer Max, put it in the mouth of Aurorus, and waited for the effects: the other opened the eyes and stood up wobbling a little. “Aurorus! Finally you’re awake. How do you feel?” asked immediately Tropius. She shuddered “Better, now. However I feel still weak and remember nothing…thanks for the aid..ouu, my head is pulsing...but the worst has passed, don’t be afraid for me. I can return on my legs at the town and continue the challenge.” Sylveon held her from moving “No way! You need to rest for the rest of the day.” Tropius agreed “She’s right, Aurorus. Care only for your recover at the moment and nothing else, we’ll finish the challenge without you in tranquillity.”

“Fine, sorry for the problems I caused.”

“Tsk, everyone can do an accident, you have nothing to blame for. Kay?” Tropius flew away.

“Anyway, it’s better you do a general check up at the Pokèmon Center.” Suggested Sylveon “Continuing on this way you’ll be in Goldenrod City in a minute. Also, I have to scold you for an important thing.”

“Which is..?”

“I discovered what you are.“ Aurorus got nervous “Do you realize that you are putting not only your health in high danger? Joining a reality show is a stressful activity that you can’t afford, that’s why you keep feeling sick episode after episode! This is the third time you have fainted, first on the peak of the mountain, second at Celadon City, and today you almost drowned if wasn’t for Tropius and me.”

Aurorus bent the neck down to the ground “I’m conscious. The fact is that I don’t have another chance than this to change my future. Please, promise to don’t tell anyone about my condition.” Sylveon frowned “I can’t promise this, it goes against my nature keep a secret like this. Just, I don’t want your health on the conscience. I’ll try but it would be better to reveal it for your sake and...

Dunsparce is in danger!” Sylveon was suddenly alarmed by her sixth sense, and automatically ran in the opposite direction, reckless draft from a path to another, despite she couldn’t see anything on her way as tree, bushes, wild bugs, and even the other contestants..

“Auch, how did you dare to stomp my face with your dirty foots?”

“I didn’t anything, Piplup, since I’m next to you then SHUT THE BEAK AND KEEP SEARCHING THE BASTARD!”

Until, covered by thorns and mud, she arrived and did a blind jump against the shadow “DUNSPAAARCE! Run away!”

“S-S-Sylveon? Why you are here? Urgh, you’re squishing me, too.”

“I’m here to rescue you, but I got onto the wrong shadow. Quick, hide away from here! Oh, and also, tight your scarf more if you want to not catch a flu.”

“S-Sure! Wait..Oh, not ag-again. I’m sick to be considered a baby by you, I’m r-really sick, sorry. It’s just..it seems like you have no trust in my potential, then I can’t stand you anymore, you’re obsessive, possible that you don’t understand that I want to show myself that I’m a good pokèmon like the other, able to stand by himself?!” Sylveon’s eyes shifted to the shadow of the wild pokèmon about to attack, pushed Dunsparce aside, and in order to make him go, she replied “No, I don’t and can’t because I think you aren’t ready to be indipendent!”

The land snake felt his already slight consideration definitely shattered, cried and crept sadly away “I-I don’t want to see you anymore…sniff. I’m going away as you want, yet forever.” As he left, Sylveon received the attack on the shoulders, the fiend Drapion used his needled tail to inject the venom, knocking her down.

“SSStop here. Thanks for the contribute, you did your part perfectly.” Seviper crawled from a bush : she had orchestrated everything. “It was a pleasure to satisfy the request of a poisonous hotness like you, wish me do more else, miss hiss?” Seviper hissed to him menaciously “Sssure. Go away before I ssslice your head, pretty scorpion boy. Flirt with sssomeone less venomous than me if you want to stay alive, this will remind this advise for the rest of your life.” She ended with a smile while slashing his face with a hit of her blade.

“Alwaysss no mercy. Another code for a snake with caption S.” Said the viper in the vent.

“Now let’s ssseek for Dunsparce.”

“Ok, now that Aurorus is safe at the Pokèmon Center of Goldenrod City, I can focus back on the game.” Tropius flew over the trees and spotted Sylveon “Hey,but…what the Heatran happened more later on?”

Dunsparce was too depressed to care where he went, he crossed the heart of the Ilex Forest and entered in a bole to take a rest. But a voice kept him awake, someone was already there: Lunatone. The land snake couldn’t resist to the temptation to give a look.

“This spot is perfect.” Lunatone stared at the moonlight “Full moon. I knew I would have finally found one in this mystic forest, and here I can see it directly without recurring to the reflex in a lake.” Used his psychic ability to trace a circle on the ground exactly where the ray of light projected, entered in it, and slowly his body changed his lunar shape in a round, the profile nose disappeared and a second red eye beamed in the foreshadow.

File:Lunatone fullmoon by dart19-d7m1h8t.jpg
“It’s become a fullmoon!” whispered Dunsparce in shock. “Trrr..rattle-rattle..s-so terrifying."

“Who talked?” Lunatone turned “I’m not alone..((hmmm)) my trasformation isn’t completed, but I can’t continue if there’s an intruder. I CEE YOU.” Dunsparce’s blood froze in the veins seeing Full Lunatone floating to the tree and lifting it with the telekinesis. Soon after it stopped. “Eek, p-please, don’t eat me, if I dare to implore!”

Seviper gave him a strange look “What the eel are you sssspeaking about? Tsk, and ssstop tremble like a leaf, a ssnake doesn’t know how to tremble since it makes other to tremble!”

“Uh, S-Seviper? B-But, but, I expected to be destroyed by..or it was just my imagination? Sigh, I’m..I’m so confused..” Seviper dragged him with herself in the direction of the exit. Lunatone spied in the shadow and moved across a different path.

“Sniff, sniff, he directed to this way, I smell the poison.” “Oh, so that tomato you have on the face has this function? I was wondering, infact, if that was actually a nose,ohohoh!” “Shut up, Piplup, I can’t focus…WHAT DID YOU SAY ON MY NOSE?” “Nothing, nothing…don’t be so touchy, (even if I would be if I looked like a snowman as you) and keep with it.” “Snort, alright.”

Oshawott and Piplup were still seeking Swalot. Oshawott seemed to have finally found a trail, but they barely could see the way in the darkness, and unawarely separated one from the other for some minutes. “Ok, just to clear out the concept: I pick him first. UNDERSTOOD? Piplup? Where did she go? Grr.”

“I’m here, with SWALOT. I got him.”

“Good, but, rrrr..I said that I have the precedence on beating him up: don’t dare to do it first than me!” Oshawott looked furiously around “Also, here..where? Give me an indication.”

“Sure. On the left.”

“Thanks. Thump! There’s a tree here!”

“Oh, my flaw, I meant my left that’s your right.”

“Fine. I’m coming..zick..OSHAWAAAH! I got into a bush of poison ivy!! GRR, what’s this game?” Oshawott scratch scratched herself gritting teeth. “Last chance. Tell me the real position or darkness or not I swear to-“

“Ok, ok, prevent my noble hears from your rudeness and lack of humour. I give you the right indications: walk three steps straight until you touch the squishy body of that bottomless goo. End.”

“I’m not going to touch him, I’m directly going to CRASH. Osha-ya-tàà! SPLORTCH! SPLATCH! SPLOTCH! LAUGH NOW, BASTARD! Anf..anf..aaah. Sorry to have actually splatted your *precious feathers* with slime, penguin, but my thirst of justice is now satisfied. THE DISGUSTING JELLY IS OVER.”

“You mean the honey comb I just made you destroy? Uhuhuhuh, the entertainment is just to be started: nothing hilarious than enjoy the show offered by a folk.” A furious flock of Beedrill surrounded the ott stinging her many times “Ahia! No, this is a big equivoce, ahhh!” On the runaway Oshawott encountered Piplup “GOTCHA! YOU WILL PAY, NOW! After the pursue of the bees ends.” “Pi-Piplup? I don’t know what are you saying, you got lost and I was forced to find you back, since I ain’t actually afforded to use the brutal force as a form of payback by my blueblood. So, put your weenies off my feathers! However, you said that are pursued by Beedrill??? Ahhh, I hate you!!!”

“I HATE YOU MORE! Waaah!”

“Ahahah! This was rather funny.” Ditto merged between the leaves “Two pidgeons tricked with a single imitation, that’s why I’m the best actor ever. Oh, there’s a sign post hidden here: for Azalea Town-->Yeah, a shortcut! I’m definitely safe now.” Last famous words.

“Ahhh, they changed direction!”

“GET OUT OF THE WAY, SACK OF SHUGAR! This is not yet your time to be punished, there’s someone that got first. Wahhh!”

SPLATCH! The purple jelly was run over by the two, that exited from the forest together their persecutors. Ninjask at the speed of light flew in the middle of the swarm and cut it with the schytes: all the foe Beedrill fainted on the ground. “Wow. Thanks for the help, I’d like to be able the same using my scallop as a blade..” Piplup slapped her “This is for all the stings I got on my skin. Next time involve another pokèmon when you get into a swarm of wasps! Not me.”

“So you WANNA DIE FOR TRUE? Grrr..it was your fault if I stepped into a comb of Beedrill.”

“Liar! I did nothing like that, even if I would have liked to, you have hallucinations or I don’t know what’s the deal inside that nuke skull.” Piplup pushed the ott with dismay “Prepare for a sue after this, Snowman.”

“Oh-oh...”

Oshawott stood up raging on and raised the sharp scallop from the belly “YOU DID IT. YOU JUST MADE MY WORST EGO TO GET THE WHOLE CONTROL, THEN ENJOY THE CONSEQUENCES. I’LL GIVE YOU A TERRIBLE REASON FOR A SUE!” at the end flang it against the penguin, but blatantly missed her and instead hit the bonsai of Jirachi with a boomerang effect. “O-Oshaw-what?”

Piplup sniggered “More like a reason for a NOMINATION. See you later, my dear, I’ll prepare you the parachute for gentleness.”

Lucario’s eyes widened seeing the bonsai halved in the middle. Anorith approached to him offering the glue to mock “Do you want to borrow the glue we left? Joke, it’s mine and only mine! AH, HOW DO YOU FEEL, NOW? Eat your karma. BRAM!” Lucario crushed him with an Hammer Punch and walked away in anger.

“Now what I do?” Oshawott got in panic “I need redemption, maybe I can adjust this bonsai cutting some more leaves, and..AAARGH!!! Why I’m so klumsy? I don’t want to be eliminated so soon, I had to show my value, gnn..there’s only one thing to do, Oshawott, arrange a solution! Pity I don’t have the patience and the ability to make a new bonsai!” Ninjask brought a new little tree “I have it. Let’s work if you believe in a chance.”

“The exit is here. We’re arrived! I kept my promise, ah! *EPIC POSE*” Lester and the Leviathans thanks to their quirky compass reached the exit, too. “Goldenrod City -->” But the wrong one. “That’s quirky, but the electromicegnetic compass never fails: probably a mystical flux of energy switched Goldenrod and Azalea.” Minun sighed ironically “Or we simply wrong the direction going at North instead of South, because this system of orientation is based on craziness and nonsense, but at least we didn’t get into Dark Celebi.”

“This is impossible. Plusle’s tail is twitching, flicking and twirling by an hour, the proof we’re at South, tsk!” Lester inflated his body in offense. Porygon 2 said his theory “Maybe there’s another explanation for the cause of this error. When Lester used the whirlpool to agitate the particells inside your bodies, the mass of electrons inside Minun moved to the surface of his body and as he was attached to Plusle, the negative charges, attracted by the flux of protons in her, transfered in a massive quantity to Plusle, with the result that Plusle’s electricity became negative, Minun having lost the major part of electrons, turned positive.”

Minun and Plusle reflected “This may explain why I suddenly showed some optimism before meanwhile my sister had a moment of pessimism!” Lester nodded with a grin “So, my system is as logical is scientific, but this fact ruined everything. By the way, I’m frustrated now. Not only I have to repeat the whole process to switch back - and + but also have to cross the whole forest backward!”

“Uhm, not necessary. I saved data about an hour ago before Lester invented his compass and if I load it we’ll be back at the central instersection in few seconds, without doing the same strife for the second time. Comfy, no? ---@epic pose link----“ Porygon 2 purposed proudly. Minun, Plusle and Lester gave a blank look.

“We’re not in a videogame!” shouted all, then only Lester “In addition, you must credit me for that link.” He rummaged at the end “By the way, now that I think about, shouldn’t Drifloon and Castform be with us? Quirky that I forgot totally about them when Drifloon usually forgets everything, ahahahah! Glom.”

Drifloon and Castform were fluttering nearby “Okay, I’m sure we’re almost at the exit. But I finished almost all the items in the bag, except for this Escape Rope that I don’t remember what’s useful for, however I can’t even tie it around a tree because none would see it. This is because you have to stay here perfectly motionless in case the others pass here and I’ll stop similarly a little more further to sign our presence. Do you understand, Cascoon?”

Rain Castform replied with a dull tone, sobbing “Yes, whatever weather you said. My care is less untouchable than the bristle, after hours passed under the drizzle, I lost completely the will to be sensible. Haiku poetry, liked? No? Bah..doesn’t matter…your opinion echoes in the shallow void of my existance. Go straight.” Drifloon continued for a bit, until she draft to an intersection and wrapped herself around what she believed to be a stick, but was the tail of one of the twins “Here I should be visible for the Larvitars: thanks to this system I will have guided them across the right direction all this time. XXX SMILE ^x^ XXX”

“O.O Drifloon? Ehm, we’re already here.”

“Oh? Guys, are you really my dear teammates? Squueeee, I’m so happy to see you after so many years of researches passed in this forest!” Drifloon embraced Minun and Plusle getting zapped. “Groan, okay, maybe hours, but, doesn’t matter. Glad to see you’re fine (and dumb as normality).”

“Zot! I remember the scene like it was yesterday: Lampent told us that comic story ,that I didn’t get to be honest, and you ran in different directions, getting lost forever until now. Phew. I can finally return to the civil world at Azalea Town.”

“….yeah, great. Pity it’s at the opposite part of where we are.”

“..and that I can’t settle my special compass again since your plastic body absorbed all the electrostaticity from my positive and negative poles.”

“This is not a problem” she reassured innocently “I can lead you through the right direction percurring backward my track thanks to my secret system of orientation. Betrust me.” Blinked.

……………………...........

“I can’t believe to have been bucketed in this way. Or maybe Victini just lost, it’s easy to happen in my forest…I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, being the first time we met.” Celebi roamed away a little annoyed.

……………………………….

Victini still lurked stalking Beheeyem and the daughter, holding the temptation to burn out the alien, because he knew that a single fire attack would have incinerated the Ilex Forest in a minute. The two loners proceeded aimlessly on a random way, talking.

“So you’re a writer, too. Can’t guess what is the genre of your literature! Horror?” Beheeyem asked for joke. Lampent smirked “Used telepathy again? I write dark poetry since I was alive: I was always fascinated by the mysterious shadows of the world, the hidden angles of the existence. Especially by the idea of a second immaterial life after death, and ironically I was turned into a ghost.” She shrugged “I don’t remember how this happened, part of my past has been consumed like the wax of a Litwick, but it was the best experience ever happened…I suppose my mortal life sucked much.” Victini listened to her speech getting sad and regretful, but shook up soon.

“Interesting. I’d like to have a similar story to narrate, but I can’t remember to have done something with passion so far.” Beheeyem commented neutral leaving the other slightly shocked. “What’s up? Eventually you shouldn’t be surprised but on the contrary understand: your ghostly condition doesn’t make you soul less?” Lampent lowered the doom, staying in silence as bashful. “Whatever. I accumulated my knowledge on every matter as every other Beheeyem does: improve the notions, collect the informations, memorize the discovers, reflect on the systems, learn the new, expand the grey matter. I never felt a particular sensation about.” The Brain pokèmon yawned “I’m tired. Using the brain for 24h/24 unlike the other species costs an huge amount of energy that explains my slow movements and laziness. Teleportation.”

“Holy Macarones! That ugly megaphone left her here. He’s even more asshole than I imagined, grrr.”

“Dad, come out from your hideout, there’s no need anymore.”

“I’m sorry for how he treated you, but I swear on the V of revenge to make his life in this reality an hell since now! Ops…you knew I was behind you from the beginning?”

Lampent sighed dryly “Not the first time you peep my privacy. You always do this when I try to get a soulmate for my loneliness.”

Victini scorned “If I do this is because you choose the wrong candidates, and especially this last one is a…urgh! I don’t have a term enough offensive to describe him. With the wide choice you have, you picked Beheeyem? Oh, Lampent, where I failed with you. You know that you’re very important for me, then listen for once. That alien doesn’t even like you, he likes nothing, he’s the only soul less.”

“If you say so…”

“Aghostine, where are you going? Wait for me, I escort you outside!”

“Don’t have to. Leave me alone, ok? I know how to comeback at the plane by alone.”

“Agrr, DAMNED B.E.M!!!!” Victini flared on for the rage, flaming down an huge portion of environment with his giant V of fire. “Wops. I hope Celebi will not be aware of this massacre. *Gulp*. My date! Celebi must be furious at this point, get to go back at the sanctuary before than immediately! Which was the shortcut for it? Oh, no, now that the trees are ashed I don’t have points of reference. V-Ciaff!”

“Since there’s a balloon here we drift to left and after this sign post there’s the next intersection following my system.”

“Wow, I don’t know what’s your method, but you seem knowing exactly where to go for real!” exclaimed Minun “I admit I was very skeptical because of your memory issues…no offense.” Lester seemed envious and curious “By the way, what’s your system exactly? I need to satisfy my insane curiosity since you’re succeeding where my system failed.” Drifloon collected another item from the ground and changed lane, followed by the rest of the group, answering “The secret is in the objects. It’s a trick I learned during my voyages, mine was a life full of adventure and discovers thanks to my work, but I don’t remind the reason, just I found my bag stuffed with things during these travels, it costed me a huge strife for the way, so I dropped the items I didn’t need behind myself, so to have points of references and avoid to take the same courses and halls. In this way I knew exactly where I was already passed..and same I’m doing here.”

Drifloon stopped, reading on a sign post “Ok, after this sign post there’s the next intersection.”

“Didn’t you say the same a minute ago?”

“Don’t remember. I signed with a marker each post I encountered with a different phrase to help my memory, otherwise they would seem all identical! So, here’s another one…there will be another intersection after it.”

“Halt. This seems strange only to me?”

“Yes. To me it seems quirky, infact.”

“Thanks for the detail, Lex…” Minun held Drifloon “Anyway, stop. I think we’re walking in circle, this isn’t a normal coincidence.”

“Uh? Nah, it’s all under control. I had the same sensation the first time: a row of identical intersection with the ditto sign post I could touch in the darkness. But I marked each different cartel with an X or sometimes a phrase to remember myself and also to indicate my presence to you all, but despite my efforts, you kept running to the opposite way forcing me and Castform to leave you many messages.”

“No, no, wait. So you wrote down those creepy texts, not Dark Celebi?!?” Minun jaw dropped as Drifloon confirmed “Yep. I also left my favorite ribbon tied to a pole to get your attention, but it get stained of red apricorn juice that I used to write after the black marker finished the ink.”

“But, but, why you used the CAPTION LOCK? It made the scripts like written by a demon!”

“I can write only in caption lock.” Drifloon shrugged innocently “It’s the only style of calligraphy that I don’t forget how to script. And it’s also a funny signature mark: XXX LOL XXX. Don’t you agree!?” Minun facepalmed striving to keep calm in front of the dumballoon.. “Did you realize that you probably have run in circle signing on the same single post all the time?”

“By the way, let’s cheer for the positive side of the situation: + D-A-R-K C-E-L-E-B-I DOESN’T E-X-IST! +”

“Alright, phew.” Minun sighed in relief. “At least we’re lost but not in mortal danger.”

“Then, what’s that pair of red lights that’s making my pokèradar dinging again?” everyone revolved of 180° to see a shadow with two shining eyes floating towards them slowly: Lunatone, but they couldn’t know. Minun and Plusle glomped each others, stepping backward while Drifloon stared in awe like she was hypnotized “I-Is that another pokèmon of our team like Metang (that I didn’t notice to be with us today) or Castform? Or..glom..are you able to identify?” “Not found data. It emanates an energy unknown for my pokédèx database, the waves are very powerful that I hypotize it’s a legendary.”

“Dark Celebi is eventually a true menace. Let’s scream and shout and run away!”

……after a long run…..

“Anf, pant, we should have outdistanced her enough to still hope in the salvation. Drifloon, can you recognize where we are now and how to reach Azalea Town soon as possible?” Plusle waved in front of her face “Hello, Driffy?” but the dot eyes of the X-balloon were absent. “ZAP! Wake up!”

“Oh, what happened? How I ended to be here and who are you strangers?”

“Nooo, not now…ingenious time.” the negative mouse slapped his front three time “We. Are. Doomed.”

Plusle pat patted him brotherly “Still not sure! C’mon, maybe it wasn’t Celebi to produce that light. Do with me a cheer dance of relief, boing- boing!”

“My sister has a sanity slippage. Great, what’s next more? Sigh.” Minun banged his head on a post, then accidentally read it “Useful advice: Escape Rope helps you get out forests, too. Sigh, wish to have one…” suddenly the leaves rustled all around, and Celebi appeared with her dark body and antennas. “Finally some pokèmon.”

“Ok, is everyone ready, right? The option is double: stay here to be annhilated or escape like crazy miltank. Do-you. I choose the second, because it’s funny to run as in a horror movie sequence, ahahah! AHHHHH!!!” Rotom dashed away, immediately followed by Porygon 2, and eventually Minun and Plusle.

Celebi twitched in surprise, and asked to the only Leviathan left “Excuse me, did you see a little firefox with a giant V in the head and a giant ego in the chest? A certain Victini.” Drifloon answered “What’s a Victini, a Dratini spelled with V? I have a wide void of memory.” Celebi twitched again many times, before to decide to give up with the ghost cloud cuckoolander and warped to another point of the forest.

“We’re roaming in this place by hours and still we don’t find the exit, Swellow, are you sure of the direction? Because, I’m feeling more and more doubtful.”

“Agree with you, bro. I also add that I’m bored: I would have liked to see at least the mad combat skills of Swellow in action, but we didn’t meet any wild pokèmon.”

Swellow swelled “For the last time, I know this place like my pockets! At this intersection, just exactly in this point, here I consumed the death match with Cobalion, ahem, Celebi. If you take a careful look you see the signs of fight I left on the woods, when I marked my superiority over the legend.”

“Uhhh, I wish so much to have been there when this happened, it would be like an action movie at the cinema!” Squirtle exclaimed overexcited. “With the only difference that there are no popcorns but apricorns. Munch..crack! Not bad. Awch.” The swallow pumped more the volume of the chest “And not a simple movie, but a kolossal, wink! Shame that I can’t redo my epicness since Celebi abandoned the scene.”

Squirtle continued to eat apricorns and Bagon joined with a smile “Actually, looks like we’re going to see Swellow vs Celebi the Sequel! She’s behind you.” Swellow changed expression “Eh? She’s behind me… she..C-Cresselia..Celebi for real?”

Celebi spoke “Excuse me? There’s something important I want to ask you…”

“SQWAWK, DARK CELEBI! I said nothing about such a majestic legend like you, kay? Believe me, who vandalized your temple has nothing to do with me, it was a different Swellow, I saw it fly…that way! Ah, he’s not going to leave this forest unpunished. I-I will personally assure the payback! Zoom!” As he left Celebi folded arms “What an hero… Anyway, what’s the problem with you guys? It’s the third pokèmon I meet that escapes calling me Dark Celebi.”

Squirtle scratched his head “Probably because you’re black. Also if I put down the shades.”

“It’s just treacle. I’m a natural pink but I produce it when I’m stressed, and the pigment of my leaves darkens in the consequence.”

“Oh, this explains everything. Hey, but if you’re Celebi, aren’t you the girl that Victini had a date with? Why you’re here?” Celebi rolled the pupils “Victini abandoned me in the middle…of the evening…but I’ve enough to search for him. Can you do me this favor? Tell him that he wasted the oportunity. I’m going away for a date with Mew.”

“Wow, okay. Man, Victini won’t be happy…”

“Thanks. I teleport you to Azalea Town in return. Goodbye!”

Azalea Town

Everyone waited for Victini because Jirachi refused to wake up. There were only the idols of the Venturers and the Jigglers on the desk of the jury. However the latter was a messy bonsai that barely resembled a Jirachi. “Impressive, Oshawott. Modern art or just an oshawhat disaster?” Oshawott strove to don’t lose the calm again, ignoring the daggers from Piplup. Anorith boasted on the merit to have fixed the statue, but the attention was focused all on the condition of Sylveon, and he was ignored. The team of the Laser Latias Leviathans worried the most “None of us occupied of the craftwork, we’re screwed on certain elimination, and don’t have the time to create a statue of Latias.”

“Unless…” Lester grinned shifting to Plusle. “How much she’s able to stay on the same position?”

“She’s very hyperactive that I doubt already about the success of the idea…”

“Pfff, you ALWAYS doubt about EVERYTHING.” Plusle proudly put on the costume. “On the contrary of me!”

“Oh, that is Victini, finally.” Squirtle whispered to Bagon “Flip a coin for who tells him? Or do it together?” “I think it’s the same. Hey, Victini, we have a message for you!”

“What’s up?” asked the host a little upset. “It’s from Celebi: she said that you lost the chance with her and she left to date Mew.” “ARGH! I waited a century to have this evening with her in a rare free moment. Groan…”

Anorith interrupted “Can we skip to the judge part? I want to go finally to the Vip Class tonight, and I’m sure this is the good occasion.”

“I’m not in the mood, there’s Jirachi to replace me, remember? He can do this perfectly while sleeping. Personally, I don’t care for the show in this episode.” Depressed, Victini floated back on the plane, locking in his room. Jirachi sleepwalked to the desk and observed one by one the statues.

“Zzz..not bad this..yaaaawn..but I saw way better works of bonsai. The vote is 5.”

“WHY DON’T YOU SHOW HOW YOU HANDLE THIS, LITTLE-MPF.” Oshawott was restrained by Chimecho.

“Duuuh, I cultivate ten zen gardens in the sleep if you wish to know. This other work instead is very realistic to seem alive.”

“Because it is! Open the eyes, of course it’s one of the cheerleaders!” Plusle atchooed suddenly “Ops.” Minun glared at Rotom who replied with an innocent smile. Anorith and his team felt the victory in the pocket: the bonsai of Jirachi Jigglers had received a low score, at contemporary the Latias Leviathans hadn’t any statue.

“The statue I created is perfect compared to their. Just give us the highest rank and it’s done, Sleepwalker.”

“Thud.”

“Uh? Argh!” The head of the idol dropped after having been cut again. “This is impossible, I had stuck it with the glue definitely.” “Now deserves 3 points only, zzz.”

// Vent Confessional //

Ninjask blew on his blades “Replay within the last minute, put slow motion, and you may see why it happened.”

“I really hoped to win for once.” Anorith grumbled “Still a decapitated statue warrants the immunity instead of the nothing.”

“Actually not so fast.” Lester bursted in the middle of the scene, assuming a professional intonation. “First of all the introduction: I’m Lex Rotormney, lawyer of the client Laser Latias Leviathans.” Minun sighed “Lester, what the..quirk are you doing now more again?!?” Rotom replied “Plan B: loophole. Anyone remember the rules of the challenge as exactly explained by the J-host? Ok, clearly no, that’s why, like a recorder, I’ll repeat them line by line: ahem, yaawn..duuh.. You have to use wood, apricorns, and whatever you find in the Ilex Forest in order to create a miniature of me, Victini and Latias (depending by the symbol of your team, doy) by the sunset. Who makes the best one, will win the pass for the Vip Class, who makes the worst or will travel on the Tail of Los…zzzzzzzz… Mr. Jirachi, do you confirm this speech?”

“Roonf…fiii..dehuu, it’s exactly what I said.”

“A-ah! Then the controversy is solved. There’s no rule that conteplates the situation of my clients, because the Leviathans didn’t make the worst craftwork, they simply made nothing. Instead of the Venturers, that so the law condamns to go to the nomination, ah!” The other pokèmons stared speechless.

“This is ridicuolous! I hope this is just a bad joke.”

“Yawn, law is law, rules are rules, and being a legendary I have to give the good example of justice. So…zzz.” The following Anorith’s swear was censored. The Leviathans cheered on the leader. This one showed them a piece of paper before to go. “It was a pleasure to defend my favorite clients, but this is my bill: 51.00.00.00 $. You can pay it when you want or do a treat. Your choice. Goodnight!”

“…..o.o….”

“Woooooosh. By the way, the wind is included in the bill, don’t worry.”

Tail of Losers
Jirachi arrived (in late) after having settled the pilot driver. That may justified the roller-coaster flight that forced the Victini Venturers to use most number of straps possible. “Ayaawn, I host this ceremony because Victini doesn’t feel for at the moment.” The camera shifted to Victini eating macarones on a couch, sobbing while watching a romance on TV. “I’ll start saying who received no votes against: Anorith, Gorebyss, Seviper, Tropius.”

// Vent Nomination //

Anorith was first to mark on the face of Sylveon “Of course my vote is with my alliance.” Followed by the perfid Seviper and the regretful Dunsparce. Sylveon was seen voting out either Lunatone or Aurorus. Anorith entered again grumpily “Also, I vote for Lunatone as Gorebyss, since the camera in her tank tilted. Spare me comments.”

“Aurorus has perfectly recovered from her faint, but I suspect that the creepy floating metorite has something to do with this. I vote Lunatone.” Tropius hold the brand in the mouth and stamped on Lunatone’s pass-port.

“Lunatone.” Aurorus said covering the camera with a blim of ice.

Jirachi gave the last macarone to Dunsparce and the pokè balls to the others “Only one vote vs you, safe. Yawn, so there are three pokèmon left for the final countdown…” everyone turned to Aurorus, Sylveon and Lunatone. Waiting…

“Ronf,zzzzz..”

Seviper snapped her tail violently on the metal to wake the wishmaker again.

“Uh, eh? Right. 3..2…1..Boom! With 4-3-1 votes Sylveon is eliminated. Goodnight. ZZZ.” Sylveon wiped her muzzle and dressed the parachute, Dunsparce quickly bowed in front of her “I-I’m sorry for my ingratitude! I voted you out because you were so obsessive with me. I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore..sigh, I’m just, j-just a worm.” Sylveon returned him with a smooth smile and cuddled his head.

“No, you’re not. You remind me my little brother Eevee, he had your same cuteness and determination, instead I was different in the past, I used to be a free spirit that didn’t care much for what happened around her: I changed when I lost him cause of this superficiality.” As a tear dropped down her muzzle, both Aurorus and Dunsparce felt guilty.

“Since then I promised to not be anymore shallow and keep always the health of the others under care, today I realized that I did it wrong. Protect someone doesn’t mean to choke him with attentions, a big sister should be only of guide and example, thanks to have finally made me know this. I’m sorry if I put you in harassment all this time, Dunsparce, I wish you will realize your dream but only following your own heart without constrains. Be careful, smack!” At the end Sylveon hugged the land snake in affect, waved to the rest of the companions and jumped in the skyfall.

Soon after Tropius consolated Dunsparce, that looked in shock and despair at the horizon:

“I know you feel guilty, but I’m sure she already forgave your action, don’t be depress.”

“It’s not only the guiltiness. I-I just realized…t-that..that…I loved her..sigh.” END OF THE EPISODE

Epilogue
“Wow. We got the immunity again, I can’t believe.” Minun celebrated in average class with Lester and Drifloon.

“We’re like the in-V-incible team, ahahah! *EPIC PUN*” Lester exclaimed “By the way, I don’t forget about the bill for my legal performance.”

“However, Drifloon, how do you manage to get out the Ilex Forest at the end?” Minun asked.

“Simple. I used the Escape Rope I had with me.”

“You had an Escape Rope all the time, seriously?! Oh, no, paff!” the negative mouse made a grimace continuing sarcastically “Other things you forgot, for example your name, or you’re done for today?” Drifloon rummaged a bit and shrugged happily at the end sticking out the tongue “Aside the fact I don’t know where I left Castform since I used her as a point of reference , nothing else ^x^”

“… EEEH?!!”

Chapter Text

…From the previous evening…

10:30 PM

The Jirachi Jigglers were celebrating “Yuhuuu! This is the 2nd time in a row we got the V-class. Let’s celebrate with a party!Unz-Tunz-Unz-Tunz )))”

“LOW DOWN THAT INFERNAL MUSIC OR I’LL TOSS THE STEREO OUT THE PLANE, I NEED TO CATCH MY ZEDS! You know I would be perfectly capable, sgrunt.”

Squirtle wearing a particular pair of pizza sunglasses pumped up the volume “Cammon, madd dog! We deserve a party after such an achievment, yeah-yeah. UNZ-TUNZ-UNZ-TUNZ-UNZ-TU-“

“KERASH! Fiiiiiii.. here.” Lucario picked the Hi-Fi tech and sent it in the stratosphere with a kick. “I WARNED you once. Don’t wake me up again, clear?”

“Ok, sorry, dude..” Squirtle waited to see the cranky deeply asleep and raised out the suitcase another home theather stereo “But a real party dude has more than one stereo!!! Let’s go party, wooh-wooh!”

“Enjoy these moves, chicks” Swellow did a dance performance making Oshawott and Piplup to faint for the fascination. Bagon didn’t think only to the party… “Hey, Swellow, we’re the only awake now, let’s talk about what happened today. Okay?”

Swellow dumbfounded “Why? Because what happened?”

“You know it, when we met Celebi and you ran away like a girl with a sheer excuse. Don’t want to be rude, but you showed in this way to be a liar whenever you narrate about your swellowsome deeds…”

“Oh, that. I just simulated to see if you guys were able to handle a danger exactly as I would do, I say you did a decent work, slaying down Dark Cresselia.”

“It’s Dark Celebi, and she was just black and absolutely not a threat. Also, if you would have wanted to test us, you should know what happened at all, instead you just left the Ilex Forest!”

Swellow opened the beak to say something, but didn’t know how to reply, instead he inflated the chest and returned to dance, Squirtle invited Bagon to do the same “Dude, go on the dancefloor. This is OUR party: we have all tomorrow to think about the rest! Master Swellow, can you teach me some of your cool moves?”

“Of course, but they’re swellowsome moves, not simply cool.”

12:30 AM

“Unz-Tunz-Unz-Tunz! I’m starting to learn something, woppa!”

“You’re still a rookie but you’re improving, by the way forget to be swellowsome like ME.”

“Sure, master. HOPPA GENGAR STYLE!”

2:30 AM

Squirtle was dancing on the snooker table using the triangle like an hat while the stereo aired Poison It of the Black Eyed Skorupeas “POISON IT! Holla! POISON IT! HOLLA! POISON POISON IT!” that woke up Bagon, fallen asleep earlier on the night.

“Yawn, Squirt-Bro, do you know what time is it? It’s very late, you risk to don’t wake up tomorrow. Even Swellow has got to sleep in the meanwhile.”

“Nah, I don’t stop a party until I give in for the whole night.” Squirtle wore on a second pair of shades resembling the 8-balls for the snooker. “This is my code, Bag-On, sorry. Also I’m used to stay late at night, don’t be so concerned, YEAH!” The track on the stereo changed to Solrock Your Body and Squirtle continued.

…In the actual episode morning….

9:30 AM

“Man, I danced the entire CD without a stop until dawn, majestic. But I feel like striked now… yaaaawn…plof! ZZZ...” Squirtle dove the face into his milkshake. Bagon shook the head with a sneer “I told you you would have been KO today, buddy.”

Piplup was having her usual tea-session “Welcome to the 5th tea-party, the exclusive event of the morning. Exclusive because restricted to an élite whom Oshawott was banned from very recently.” She gave a provoking grimace to the ott, that replied with sass “Not exclusive because there are only two pokèmons in your party aside from yourself?” Both Lucario and Chimecho sipped their drinks in silence. Piplup swallowed down an entire cookie for the jumpiness, turned the shoulders to Oshawott, and spoke to the guests “Time to have a classy chitchat: what’s the rumour of the day?”

“They say Swalot has a double identity, like sometimes his jelly is purple, sometimes other is pink, he must be undercover.” Lucario took proudly another sip, then spilled out realizing “NAH, SURE YOU BELIEVE IT! Tsk, I’m here only for the tea, don’t bother me.” Piplup glared at him “Mine was a rethorical question, because I already know the best journal rumor.”

She smirked mischievously “Oshawott has a double personality complex, as stating to her biography, and this is because she never accepted to be inferior in everything compared to her bigger sister. This may justify why she’s so unskilled and psychotic, she lives on a perennial frustration, oh-oh-ohu! She hopes to be successful like her sister one day, but really how many chances she can have judging by her approach so far? The destiny of a folk can’t be changed, this is so sad and sooooo pathetic. Isn’t it?”

“I couldn’t care less.” Lucario commented dryly. Chimecho looked in worry at Oshawott: she seemed prompt to explode, shivering like a set on Electrode. But Oshawott didn’t react tossing Piplup out the window (as everyone expected) but outburst in tears and walked to a corner rather upset. Bagon approached to her but she pushed him back, he turned then to Piplup “You made her cry. This isn’t a nice behavior.” “It’s not my fault if she’s so emotionally instable. A real lady has always self-control and takes the worst from the life with superiority. Suuurp.”

“Still cold..”

“Pf. Don’t worry much for such a drama queen. She will be soon supported by her stronger personality and be fine within a minute.” Piplup versed more tea in her cup “Next topic of this session is the secret crush of Dunsparce. Who do you think he loves other than Sylveon: Aurorus, Gorebyss or Seviper?”

“He clearly loves Aurorus, too. I recognize love stuff from 1 mile because I watch lot of romances at…tsè, I don’t even have a TV. DON’T LOOK AT ME IN THAT WAY! However he also called her *Aury* in an occasion and blushes whenever she speaks to him.” Lucario finished to drink. “Tea finished. Give me another cup, pl-pl-pl-ples…plas…pleae...you got it.” He shifted to Chimecho looking for comprehension, but she closed eyes ignoring him. “Urgh.”

“Looks like there’s lot of tension between the others, certainly because they’re not swellowsome like me.” Swellow and Swalot were having their luxurious breakfast apart from that heat spot. “Munch, crunch..who cares? As much as I can eat expensive food I’m happy, about the rest I ignore everything around me. I have delicacies? Good. Screw everything else. Wait..OH SHUGAR..I have a commission to do!” Swalot lurked quickly away.

“A-hem.” Bagon coughed to get the attention of Swellow “You don’t seem busy now, maybe we can have that important thing to talk together. Squirtle, back me up.” “Sure, man, yaaaaaawn*..” The two took seats next to Swellow, interrupting his artificial solar bath. The swallow scoffed in annoyance “What’s up now? Be fast, I’m having my journal tanning.”

“Ok, I’ll be short and span: or you start teach us something for real, about how to be cool and how to fly, or we’ll the others what did you do yesterday. Am I right, Squirtle?” the turtle wobbled half asleep giving a weak nod “Listen, we were patient for two days and don’t like to do blackmails. What do you think will be the reaction of the girls if we tell them your deed with Celebi?” Swellow gulped “Okay, okay, but shhht stop, I have a reputation! If you ruin it, I ain’t able to help you. I promise to give you more effective hints since now.”

“Ok, begin right now.” Bagon directed to the emergency escape door, wearing on the goggles “I’m ready for true flight lesson and don’t care if we’re on a moving airplane.” Swellow accepted reluctant and Squirtle stayed inside “Good luck with the lesson, Bro-gon! I’m tired..hey, Osh, mind if I sit here to take relax?” Oshawott agreed in a sad voice “No, if you don’t disturb me.”

“R you okay? You don’t look at your best, probably I missed something during the breakfast.”

“Just Piplup that managed to knock out me in the worst way. I can beat her with a single punch, but her sharp tongue kills me inside. That’s her advantage on me.”

“So, resuming, she used her tongue like a sword and defeated you? Then why you didn’t block it with your arms?” the Hot Water had misunderstood the common expression as usual, making Oshawott to laugh “Ahahah! I would have liked to knot it inside her beak for real, but mine was just a way to say that she hurt me with her speech. You’re not a peak, right?”

“Infact, since I ain’t a rock type. However I rock n’ roll more than a Golem!”

“OSHAHAHAHAH!” she laughed again so hard that sent her scallop to the ceiling. “You’re so dumb that makes me believe to be clever for once. Thanks, sniff, I needed a genuine laugher, especially before my nasty ego inflated my frustration to the limit giving me project of revenge and other forms of cruelty.” “No prob, it was a pleasure. Uhhh yeah!” “Ihihih..ok, excuse me, now I have to recuperate my shell climbing the air-conduct.” “No prob, ketchup you later. Ronf..zzz.”

Bagon and Swellow went outside on the Tail of Losers. The flow was powerful and the wind howled at that speed, Bagon enjoyed the fresh stream for a whole minute. Swellow took off immediately starting to do acrobacies to hit on Aurorus, Gorebyss and Seviper’s attention as habit.

“Do you have to fly right here?! It’s enough difficult to sleep knowing to be on the neck of the death line every single minute, watching all the lancets of the clock for the whole night.” Anorith complained in a very bitter tone, returning to sleep. “Bagon, admire my performance and maybe you’ll learn something: it’s a matter of position, class, and beauty, a wing here another there, stretch and voilà! A perfect 8-loop.”

“This is not a true lesson, I need to start from the beginning. C’mon! Stop boasting with the other females and get down here to explain me everything better.” Swellow rolled eyes and quickly landed on the Tail of Losers again. “Well, first of all you have to listen to the wind, if it blows in your direction, you can fly in easy, just take a big run up, flap your wings and….GOOO! Just like me, baby. Ok, NOT EXACTLY LIKE ME, MY SWELLOWSOME UNIQUE STYLE CAN’T BE REPLIED.”

Bagon followed eagerly the indications: took a run up over the whole plane, started to shake the arms and eventually realized “Wait, but I don’t have wings. Oh-oh. Ahhhhhhhhh!” unable to brake in time he fell in the void, but luckily few miles down there was the left wing of the plane. “Phew. Bump Tump! I saw the Dusknoir for a minute. Swellow, it can’t work, I need another technique to learn..” Swellow had returned to show-off in the middle of the sky, ignoring him at all. “Bah, nevermind, I give up for now.” With still the heart beating terribly, the dragon opened the window and got inside, discouraged.

“Man, so, how was the experience? Learned anything new?”

“I’m afraid I’ve asked to the wrong pokèmon, I almost died. Swellow is just…bof, wake me up when we’re arrived, I need some minutes of rest.”

“’Kay, sheik, if I manage to stay awake.”

In the meanwhile, Swalot reached the bottom of the airplane carrying a whole of berries. “Alright, yes, I know that I forgot about you and that you don’t eat anything by 48 hours or more, something that you could sue me for, and blah-blah-blah, sincerely I don’t care much, so spare me from the usual shrills, Swirlix, and prepare to eat your breakfast, okay?...hmm. Which was the right luggage?” Ditto assumed his true aspect, wandering in search of his bag, but it had apparently disappeared. Then he saw it, hanging on the claw of a metallic crab pokèmon: Metang. “You are looking for this, I ponderate.”

Ditto’s eyes widened and quickly resumed the shape of Swalot “Oh, no. Ehm…mine is of another color.”

“Ditto. It’s written in caption lock right here.” Metang started “I know everything about your plan to return in the game, after having collected and linked all the elements. After your disqualification, you aggressed and locked in your bag the original Swirlix, taking her place soon after, but your trick was ruined by the fact Swalot ate you up.” Swalot gulped in shock “At this point you found yourself trapped inside the body of Swalot, I wondered a lot about the pink jelly tracks he dropped down his mouth continuosly unable to digest your cellular composition before to get to this conclusion, you waited that the night came to exit from it, rid off of the original Swalot and the day after you replaced him, but as much you can imitate perfectly every pokèmon, you can’t have the same bottomless stomach, and that’s why you threw up at the final challenge.”

“Ahahah! This is a joke, right? None substituted me, and I don’t know that Ditto you’re talking about.”

Metang opened the bag letting Swirlix to come out “This is an evidence…”

“Mhh..MHH! Ptù, finally! Ditto, you jerk! I swear you’ll go soon in prison!” Swirlix bounced towards the mutant jelly but all of sudden Metang attacked with Meteor Punch, squelching her sugar body in crumbles. SPLOATCH! “…of how much wrong is to oppose to ME. So, Ditto, do you think this is still a joke? I calculate:no.”

Ditto shivered, returning to be himself immediately. “Glom. Fine, I confess all you said to be true, I panicked soon after I was eliminated for just a joke made on Victini, I acted instinctively because I wanted so damn to enter in the show again! Actually, I don’t care about the victory, this is for me an occasion to introduce myself as the best actor ever seen! So, what do you want me to do to keep this secret between you and me (and keep myself alive)?”

“Do whatever I ask you whenever I ask you without ever complaint. Yet, don’t worry, you will like your role since now…” when was about to lurk away, Metang added “I control everything, I calculate every possibility, I have solutions for each problem. Remind this before to think again this is a joke.”

// Vent Confessional //

“Remind this before to think again this is a joke. Pft!” Ditto imitated Metang in the vent “ Because I’m Metang, the Next Arceus of this World. Ohh, I’m shivering! Rattle-Rattle. Brr, I-I’m shivering for real, eventually. Y-You can erase this record, right???”

“DIN DON! Good vibrant morning, contestants! The V-plane has just landed.” The voice of Victini spoke through the hearing implants.

Couriway Town
Couriway Town was a pretty spot in the land of Kalos, a town built on a wooden made bridge that overlooked a majestic triple waterfall. Everyone gazed in amaze. Minus Beheeyem “I see a steamboat there, where’s Mickey Minun? Oh, he’s here, splendid.” The negative mouse frowned “Not funny. C’mon..stop with this kind of jokes on my species, please.”

“Yes, Megaphone, zip that suction cup because I’ve lot of things to say before to explain the challenge and none cares about your annoying wiz.” Victini dashed in the middle of the group giving a serious glance to the Venturers “I’m not satisfied of your performance so far, you lost the highest number of times and changed already three different leaders (that all were my fa-V-orites, especially Sylveon), I confirm Seviper to be the new head of the squad, but since you’re not deserving to carry my victorious name, you won’t call anymore: you will be the Jirachi Jigglers since now.” he spun to the opposite side “Jirachi Jigglers, congratulation, you’re the new Victini Venturers! Continue to win in return of this great honor.”

“Yu-uuuh! We’re the superior team!” Squirtle high fived with Oshawott, Bagon and Lucario, but this one refused at the end. “Thanks to whose leadership?” added Piplup, lifting her beak up.

“Seriously, Victini?” Tropius twitched for a minute, then realized “Basically, nothing changed then. Well, okay, we’re Jigglers now. Weird.”

Lester was about to speak but Victini was first “Before you ask, your name will stay the same, Leviathans.” By the way the red Rotom spoke soon after “My question is another: can we change the name into Lester Latias Leviathans? This is because I provided for all the victories of the team so far, without me they’re nothing than a band of average pokèmon, and actually the change would be minimal, since there’s a little slight flat difference between Laser and Lester, plus Plusle already prepared the new cheering motto while I started off the project for the new logo: there will be a photo on me riding the Latias already depicted on it!” Lester zigzagged zapping for the excitement “So, what do you think? Can I? Can I? Can? K’mon! K’mon! K’mon! Can I? Can I? Can I?!”

“STOOOOP!!! Aaanf, you’re freaking kinetic, it’s the first time someone makes me feel exausted. Only with words. Yes, you can rename your team.” “Really thank you!” “Dear Reshiram…”

// Vent //

“That Shiny freaky Rotom had more energy than me.” Victini took a long breath “Impossible.”

Minun (in the company of Plusle) complained “I didn’t like this decision of Lester, I have to be sincere. He boasted way too much in this occasion and belittled the actions of the rest of us, also forgot that he was absent and gave absolutely no contribute to the challenge in the first episode. He’s absolutely sympathetic and smart (in a convoluted way) but needs to deflate his ego a little.”

Victini massaged his front for the headache “Let’s continue. Lester Leviathans, since last time you lost Formcast or whatever was her name” everyone shifted in seriousness at Drifloon “I think her name was Caterpie by the way, Mister V.” “Mister V? I like it. I have a surprise for you: say welcome to Inkay!”

A blue and pink squid appeared from nothing, she floated upside down like swimming in the mid-air, immediately offered a tentacle and introduced herself: “Bye to all! Good evening, my name is Yakni so Inkay or Inky for the friends or Ykni for the closer friends. Wayany, I feel upsy daisy for the emotion to join, I can’t wait to go in action, ihihihink!”

The other pokèmon stared. “Eh…..? Did she just say bye? And good evening? WHAT?”

Victini explained “Alright, she’s an original style of life: she says and does everything at the contrary. Example, if she says bye she means hi. (I swear this is the last time I hire Jirachi as my talent scout -.-) Afterall,she’s surely less boring than Costfarm.”

“C-a-t-e-r-p-i-e! And they say I have memory issues.”

// Vent //

Minun facepalmed in front of the camera “You must be kidding me. Castform, that was one of the few almost normal in a team of total odds, was the only eliminated and got replaced by this inverted Inkay?!!” Plusle punched him on the arm “Awch, I know this is not a positive approach, but it’s impossible to don’t have it! Awch. Sister! Stop punch me, please. I’ll give her a chance, fine?”

Victini warped himself and the cast on the part of the bridge at the top of the waterfalls. Here Bagon did another attempt with the method of Swellow jumping in the void.

“Ok, a big run-up, I stretch at most my arms and goooooo! Flap..flap..fiiiiiiiiii…Conk! Conk! CONK!” the dragon bounced against many rocks and boulders until the end of the falls. “Oww, bro! How are you?” asked soon after Squirtle. “@I’m fine, don’t concern@” answered feebly the other.

“Now, about the challenge. You start from here. In, between and near these waterfalls there are hidden rings, minerals and caskets of three different color, orange for the New Venturers, yellow for the New Jigglers and magent for the Leviathans, that contains pieces of a mosaic. The mosaic should represent Me, Jirachi or Latias.”

“Really? Think I expected Xerneas, Yveltal and Zygarde, but doesn’t matter.” Said Beheeyem posing to be startled. Lampent, bashful, covered a gig.

“None cares of your yap, too, Beheeyam. Continuing on my explanation, the aim of the challenge is to collect all the tiles and finish first the mosaic with the symbol of your team. You can swim, dive, walk by, or climb but not fly, float or flutter to recuperate them. Only to see them and eventually indicate your teammates where they are, I’m referring to Lunatone, Chimecho, Rotom, Drifloon and Inkay in particularly. Oh, and the B.E.M. monster, too.”

Lester grinned “Got it absolutely! Can we go?”

“Still one last thing to do: spin the wheel! Who feels to have this courage? Remember, V-Waves can blow a lucky and victorious stream in your favor or versus.” Victini waited until Inkay stepped forward but doing it backward. “I offer!"

“Ta-dah! The positive V-Waves of today are water type, instead the waves of bad luck will blow (again?) on the psychic one. Sorry for you that are partially it (and myself but at least there’s also Beheeyem that will suffer, vihihihih).”

“Fulwonder! I just wanted this result. Ihihihink!” Inkay smirked mischievously unlike the other psychic pokèmons.

“I think you didn’t get exactly the meaning of the result, but, anyway, the challenge begins right now! Good luck to all minus Beheeyem.”

The whole group of the former Venturers renamed Jirachi Jigglers stared at the waterfalls for a long minute. It was an huge height from there. “I-I would prefer to climb down if I dare to say my opinion.” said quickly Dunsparce, trembling in the voice. “Tsssk, it’s just water. The most poisonous snakes live in the rivers and the oceans: go sssswim. Or do you need back mommy SSSylveon?” She gave a little push to him, so he got right on the ridge of the cliff. “S-Sylveon…

“Seviper, this is just an impossible task for him! His species isn’t used to live in the water.”

Seviper hissed in annoyance at Aurorus “Oh, here we go another mother for Lil’ Dunspy..seems really that he can’t fly solo without a babyssssitter.” Dunsparce changed expression “Stop this now. Seviper, you don’t have any far idea or what a mother is and does, and I ain’t pretending to be that!..not yet.” Aurorus’s eyes shifted to the feet for a second, then she continued “I’m just saying the naked truth: that he doesn’t have the necessary to be a swimmer. Short body, little flabby wings, zero agility. It would be a suicide.” Eventually the coward land snake dove in the bed of the river, immediately sank, and the stream carried him away very quickly “Oh, no, I knew it. He drowned. Dunsparce, resist!” The sauropod stretched her neck to grab him before the fall, at contemporary Tropius did the same “Got in time! Ops, what a coincidence.” “Does he breath?” “...Yes.” “Are you okay, tiny?” Dunsparce nodded weakly, coiling up for the trauma, whimpering “Y-Yep, t-thanks but maybe you should have not saved me. I did another disaster..s-sigh. Sorry for all the troubles I cause. Cough.”

“Don’t say that absolutely neither for joke.” Aurorus replied in severity “It was fault of Seviper and her wanton cruelty if you acted in this way.” “Mine? I gave him ssssincere trust in himself, who did the opposite, and influenced him with a negative attitude and insecurity? You. Ssssssso obvious he would have failed with such a mood, despite my friendly support.”

“I didn’t..! A true friend doesn’t expose another to a danger that knows perfectly he can’t handle. You have no responsibility if you don’t care…oh! Neither I…uhm..”

Tropius interrupted the argument “Actually, he didn’t fail. On the contrary, there’s a ring hanged on the tail, right here. Good work: it’s our first piece of the mosaic.” Dunsparce loosen his body feeling a little warmed “R-Really I did something worth?” Anorith roughly tossed it in a bin “Nope: this is orange, we need yellow items. Forgot we’re now the Jirachi Jigglers, hm?” Dunsparce got depressed again “Of course, I should have expected this. Sigh, that’s it, I’m useless at all, and stop.” Tropius struggled interiorly with the instinct to kerb stomp the Fossil Mind for this.

“Anyway, we’ve lost enough time, in the meanwhile the rivals have already started to climb and similar stuff. I’m going to provide for the victory as usual since I’m tough and CAN SWIM. Splash!” Anorith dove easily, looking carefully on the fundal, collected all the minerals he encountered: why waste time to check, afterall? Once he was full, he merged. “See? That’s what I’m talking about. I swam in trouble waters far far far way before you other pokèmon existed.”

“Ok, Anorith, but these are common rocks, not minerals.”

“What?”

Seviper smashed a rock in two halves that resulted to be empty “Ssssee any tile inside?”

// Vent //

Anorith scoffed “Okay okay, maybe after 51:000:000 years of age I must put on the lenses, since my sight is more and more reducing. But, first, I have still to find a pair of glasses wide enough, second I have still to find a girlfriend and don’t want to have the aspect of an old fossil. I’m still young! Crackle. Ouk, my sciatica..”

“Whatever, I’ll search for the rings, then, meanwhile you look for the right minerals here in the upstream, where the water is enough shallow. (to Lunatone) I need someone to help me see them, and tell..bah, forgot you don’t talk! (to Tropius) Fly Type, go in recognition and tell me where they are.” Tropius flew over the river “Ok, I see plenty of them on the board of the waterfall between the boulders and cliffs.” “Steep rocks and cliffs? My natural habitat. This is easy.” Anorith dove directly down the waterfalls (contemporary with Squirtle of the opponent team) but his light body was immediately swept by the strong flux of water, he tried to clench a ring but didn’t have enough time, another instead wedged in his wings but was of the wrong color, he swore “Ahh! What the ****?!”

“Wohooo, baby, this is like an aquapark! No?” Squirtle managed perfectly to swim despite the force of gravity, unlike Anorith that kept bouncing like a flipper “Aquapark? I’m not having fun. Absolutely! DARN!” until his fall finished in the Couriway Lake. Wobbling, the anomalocaris got out the water pretty dizzy. Squirtle arrived soon after, with a complete different attitude, giving the first pieces of the mosaic to Chimecho.

Tropius reached Anorith “What happened? You looked like a flipper from my perception point.” “The stream is a bit stronger than I thought, and my lightweight made things worst. I’m not born to swim in rivers and rapids, I swim better on the bottom of the sea, here there’s too much pressure for me. I lack of the necessary speed and agility to steer in quick, grab the rings, and complete the deed before the waterfall ends.” Anorith reflected “Here only a perfect swimmer would achieve this…”

“Like Gorebyss?”

“Yeah, just like her.”

“So, where she is…? I didn’t see her yet today.”

“Where she is…ops. Oh no!” Anorith’s eyes widened “I know where she is: still sleeping in the plane! I forgot to set on her alarm tonight.” blushed “Ehm, she isn’t used to wake up by herself, but she’s slowly slowly (SLOWLY) trying to learn how to do it…however she has still huge difficulties. Groan, I’ll bring her soon as possible, promise. Just the time to feed her for breakfast and I’ll be back, don’t tell the others about this. Zoom!”

“Uhhh, I love this challenge! It’s totally for me. Chimecho, teleport me again, thanky. Let’s go!” Squirtle, hyped, returned on the top of the waterfalls to repeat the deed: this was already the 4th time but was a piece of cake. Looked like the weariness of the previous night had utterly vanished. Few opponents competed with him in the water, and none of them was originally of his same water type: Seviper stayed in the upstream collecting just the crumbles and Rotom looked for a wreck abandoned in the water where to enter in and eventually found an oven, possessed it, and logically short circuited.

The majority of the pokèmons had taken the way of the climb for the research of the hanging rings and (hopefully) hidden caskets: for the New Venturers there were Bagon, Lucario, Ninjask, Oshawott, and Swellow, the latter , flying, could give only indications (whenever he wasn’t focused to boast in front of the tourists that taken photos). Lucario had decided to go despite the warnings of the medic and the companions about his recent injures, because you know how much he’s stubborn and also that he would have never had the patience required to assemble a complicated mosaic, and would have probably broken it on the hips in a moment of frustration. Chimecho, Piplup and, just because he could have not had any other utility, Swalot, were assigned to this role.

During the dangerous climb the Leviathans counted on the acrobatic experience of the electric twins, the versatility of Porygon 2, and the combination of strength and strategy of Metang , meanwhile Drifloon, Inkay, Lampent and Beheeyem had the double duty to guide them in the blind angles created by the massive mist and to assemble the puzzle, being the cleverest (well, only Beheeyem, but this is another story).

“Keep going on that way, you must meet a ring on the right..no on the left!..I mean that you have to go backward since I gave you subverted indications, this is because I always confuses the left with the right and the light with the reft..ahm, no, the reght with the lith? I’m more confused now. However I sure saw a ring right there! Or it was a rock? Can’t remind the difference. Inkay, help me.”

Inkay smiled “Sure. There are shining rings on the left part of the waterfall, move down and touch the rocks until you feel them.”

“Fine, thanks. Watch out, Plusle, this part is very steep and we’re just under the water, no crazy moves here.” “Promise, I’ll be careful. Hey, but there’s nothing here!”

“Of course, you misunderstood my indications at all.”

“Eh?”

Drifloon enlightened “Oh, I know why, I know! This is because Inkay means always the opposite when she talks. Oh, wow, for once I remember something!” Inkay nodded in approvance. “She learned it quick, take for example. Yes, I confirm you followed the riiiight direction.”

“So, the wrong one.” Explained Drifloon proudly.

“Ugh, seriously?” exclaimed Minun almost on a crisis, seeing also in the meanwhile Lester, that tried with another wrecked electric householder, becoming this time Mow Rotom, and failed again.

“Considering the factor of the dampness, the steepness of the cliff, and the missing of organization there’s the 30% of possibility to fall down”. Porygon 2 analyzed the situation.

“Alright, Drifloon, forget also about your helping role since now, and ,Inkay, thank you… at the contrary. Lampent, please, think you about. I really asked this to Lampent? I ASK LAMPENT, L-A-M-P-E-N-T!” Plusle invited her brother to be positive meanwhile “Updating data: there’s 50% of possibility to fall down now.” Minun took a long breath “Aaaaanf…pheeew. Then, Beheeyem. Can you give us decent indications, just normal indications?”

“Fine. Listen carefully: move three steps on your left, climb up of two inches, then do a little jump and grip the rock you encounter.” Following the speech of the alien, Minun and Plusle ended both in the water with a loud splash, but managed to attach on a lower steep. “At the end recognize to have been just pranked. After this experiment I can add naivety to my report on the Earth Life with no doubts. Thanks for having been the gerbils.” Minun and Plusle glared angrily at him: “You are not helping.”

“Updating data on the last seconds: from that spot the possibility to fall has increased of 40% arriving so to a total of 90% or 95% if I calculate the smoothness of the surface of the rocks.“

“Neither are you, PORYGON 2!!!”

“Is this the e-motion A.N.G.E.R.?”

“Screw you all, we’ll arrange by ourselves together Metang, the only sane one.”

“By the way” Beheeyem shrugged “It doesn’t depend on me since there aren’t red rings or similar contraptions visible. Said this, if you need me, I’ll be on the bridge to assemble the imaginary pieces of our mosaic in the wait you provide for the real ones.” Minun reflected “There aren’t items of our color? Uhm..” Plusle reacted “Hey, Minnie, don’t waste your energies mulling over B.E.M. that is a liar that probably didn’t check anything for laziness. Let’s show them that we’re independent! Except for one from the other.” Winked. “Yeah, except for it…” The two restarted to climb quickly reaching the previous height from the ground, during all this time Metang stayed apart in silent, as waiting something.

His simple proximity irritated Lucario, he couldn’t forget that he was the starting cause of his injure, that was a scar on his honor, but in that moment there was Oshawott tickling on his nerves with her paranoid, double personality switches, and her clumsiness.

“’Kay, Oshawott, you can do this..swish! Argh, no I can’t!! AS USUAL YOU SUCK AND GIVE UP. PASS THE CONTROL AND I’LL DO SOMETHING USEFUL. No, don’t dare! I’ve enough guts to do it by MYSELF, Mayko. Clear? SHOW ME, GO ON. C’MON. Immediately…if I put a feet here I should reach that..gnn..ring…oh, no, I got stuck. Ah..ahi.. AHAHAHAH! IT’S COMEDY TIME? Grrr…shut the shell up!!”

Lucario perked down the ears and burst “SHUT UP YOU TOO! It’s an hour I’m forced to listen to this pathetic play that makes the concentration impossible. As this crap isn’t enough difficult while I still feel a damn pain on my ankle, sgrunt!” Oshawott shouted back “Well, none forced you to come with us, also YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO BURST INTO THE SPEECHES I DO WITH MYSELF, HOW DARE DO THIS?!” “I DARE HOW MUCH I WANT IF THEY ANNOY ME AS HELL! Also, without me you kidz would barely climb a Graveler, that’s why I had to bother doing this fatigue. Instead, why you’re here? You’re just slowing and interfering with ME first, and secondary the others, and most of all JUMPING ON MY NERVES. You’re the odd one out of the situation, you don’t have talent.” Oshawott seethed for the rage. “Go a little next to me and I’ll make you repent this for the eternity, AS SOON AS I STICK OUT.” The other muttered something and proceeded further.

Bagon spoke “Oshawott, he has right. This is not your competence: weasels aren’t born to climb waterfalls, but to swim- “I am an OTT.” –yes, anyway, why you aren’t in the water with Squirtle? I’m sure you would do better, there are also the V-waves in your favor.”

Oshawott looked around and sat on an overexposed rock “The fact is that I’m ashamed. Ashame to do another poor figure because of my goofiness. I wanted to avoid the possibility of a failure in swimming, the activity in which a water pokèmon is usually skilled. I suck (also) in this: when I try to swim I panic, and do the mistakes of a baby pokèmon, and I exercise in the ponds imagine the rumble in these waterfalls. I don’t want to make this known, at least my biggest flaw is hidden.”

“Oh, but you’ll have to swim at once eventually! It’s useless to keep avoiding the problem, just to cover your dignity until you can. You must face your shame.” Bagon sighed but with a smile “Just look at me: I’m an awful flyer , or better I just can’t fly, but for this I don’t give up. The fact you’re not born skilled for something doesn’t mean you won’t be skilled forever. Believe in it and don’t stop to apply. Ok, better go back at work before Lucario starts shrill like an old jiggler. Ehehe. Want a paw?”

“No, thanks. Your words changed my mind. Splash!” Oshawott smiled grateful and dove with determination in the waterfall, being immediately tossed in the lake behind. “What happened, did you just slip or give up on purpose knowing to be useless there? Pi-Pi-Plup! MPH!” Piplup’s beak was blocked with a ring “Here’s an elegant accessory for you, enjoy it, Lady PP. And now.. Chimecho, bring me up there! I want to swim for the victory.”

Chimecho granted the request warping her together Squirtle back to the top, the turtle was happy to have company “Hey-Hey! You finally joined the fun, I was wondering why you weren’t with me.” Oshawott reddened shifting bashful to the other angle “Since this is your first time at the waterfall park, I’ll do you a tutorial: some things repeat continuously. First a dash along the upstream of the river to dodge the Poison Tail of sore loser Seviper, that’s enraged cuz she and her team are mucking up, then do a little of zig zag through the merging rocks and the floating wrecks, before the real fun begins with the triple water escalation! Bounce at the first to get the position, rip at the second to create the wave, and collect all you get into your hands trusting your instinct by the end of the third, and at the end redo the process. If you know the use of Water Jet it’s a cake. Oh yes.”

The ott twitched “Eh..?”

“Rock on! Let’s go.” Squirtle pushed her in the water “Wait a minute, I must need a second explanaaaatioooon!” They dashed back to back despite Oshawott’s swim was irregular, Seviper placed herself in the middle of the way widening her mouth “Enough of you, prepare to become my sssssecond meal! Hiiiis!” “Here we go, speed up, spin and dodge like me, Otty!” “Sssgrr, I missed him again.” “EH?? O-Ok, I try. Spin, dodge and speed, right? Wowowaaat!” Oshawott blurred and rotated on herself, sweeping away the viper. Squirtle congratulated happily thinking she had done it on purpose “Wowoooh! You owned her totally with your system. I like you move it, move it.” “@ T-Thanks @ Whatever you said, I..I did it intentionally, oshahahah.”

“Let’s see how do you handle the next hurdles, babe.” Squirtle did a quick slalom, Oshawott gulped, tried, and crashed not missing a single scrap. “Osha-WTF! Who’s the freak that threw all this rubbish in the river? Ahh, there’s even a fridge!!!”

“Hey, come back with that fridge, I saw it first! Quirky bad, it was rather new.”

“Holy Shades! I never saw a pokémon surfing on a fridge in this way. Epic.” The tortoise thumbed up and flipped down the fall “By the way,watch out cuz the real roller coaster starts like now!” “WANT TO STOP SPEAK IN SLANG, PLEASE?! I serious don’t understand a shell of what you say. Oh-oh…waaah! Why! I’m! So! Klumsy!” Oshawott rolled down with the fridge smashing and bouncing on the rocks like an avalanche of water, metal and mud, Squirtle turned when it was late “I already collected about 1-2-3..what’s that number between 6 and 8..ah, 7. How many pieces you have got in your pocket?”

After a triple big splash all together, Oshawott, Squirtle and the innocent corpse of the fridge merged on surface and were laughed at by the tourists came to see the origin of that mess. Squirtle shouted “R you kidding me?!?” Oshawott looked at him with sorry “Forgive me. I didn’t have the time to warn you, but now you don’t need words to know THAT..and I also made you lost all the items you collected.” “Indeed. But are you kidding me? What happened was unique: you bounced, I wowed, you shrilled, I jaw dropped, and then I remember only an icy electric household appliance pawning my back!” “Shortening, you think this was COOL?” “Sure the tape of it will be viral on YouCubone. I always wished to be famous on Internet! Really thank for your contribute.”

Oshawott stared a bit incredulous.

“However, I’m not a genius, but I suppose that the tiles I lost ended on the bottom of the lake. Want to dive and help me for the recuperate?” he blinked removing his sunglasses for a second, Oshawott shook herself and nose-dove underwater.

“We got them all! Good job. Hey, Chimey & gang, here’s 7 more jigs for the mosaic. How goes so far with it?”

“It’s early to give an answer.” Chimecho pointed at the incomplete jigsaw: it barely represented a figure. “Many pieces miss. I’m waiting for Lucario to bring them, but I sense like there’s something wrong.” “Okay, I got it. We’ll go back catch for more treasures right now.” “Like the fridge?” Piplup asked with a smirk directed to Oshawott, that glared disdainful. “Remember to be a gentleman and teach her how to swim in the meanwhile, please.” Oshawott hid her bashful face with the shell.

Squirtle turned in shock “What? You cannot swim!?? Big shock.”

“BUT IF I TOLD YOU THAT A MINUTE AGO! What did you understand all this time, then?”

“Wow, just that you did that on purpose…you also said this.”

“SHE WAS BLATANTLY LYING, CRETIN. Mayko, stay out of this topic! I mean, oshahahah, to say a complete different thing, let me explain. WHAT’S TO EXPLAIN? WE BOTH KNOW THAT EVEN YOU ARE CLEVER COMPARED TO MR. TURTLE. Argh, shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Don’t listen to me, her, me-her, the evil side so! Ok???”

Squirtle scratched his head “I’m very confused. You know what? I need a shower to wash away this brainwashing sensation. If someone looks for Hot Water, I’m under the waterfall on the left.”

“Spreading all this hate doesn’t benefit to the team.” Chimecho reproached to Piplup.

Nearby Beheeyem, Drifloon and Lampent were utterly focused on their mosaic. The imaginary one. “Where do you think this tile should be put?” “I think..uhm..here.” “I think that I don’t care.” They were unaware of being spied by Victini, that sniggered behind a pole for unknown reasons.

“Ok, after the breakfast and the spa-treatment what’s programmed next? Check on my personal list, you have a list of my journal routine, right? Vanillite always had one different for each day of the week.”

“For the last time: I AIN’T VANILLITE!” Anorith shouted loudly in the Vent Confessional. “Bah, I’d like to have the courage to say it in front of her.”

“There’s the challenge of today.” Anorith carried her bowl out the plane using a cart. “Yawn, fine. What’s exactly? I’m curious.” “It’s a challenge made for your fabulous skills in the water, Gorebyss: you have to swim in the heart of a waterfall and at contemporary pick up stuff to complete a mosaic.” “*Too easy, then.*” “Well, we’re arrived. There’s not much left to do than wait for the lifter.”

“That isn’t..?” Suddenly the tourists revolved their attention on them, surrounding the abyss female “Gorebyss! The forbidden love of my life is here *U*” “An autograph, I beg you.” “Do me a pose for the videotape!!!” “A scale, one of your precious scales as souvenir! PWEEEASE!” Gorebyss pleasured them with her usual soft mannerism, meanwhile Anorith was flattened under the crowd. “This mass of pokèmon is huge: I knew you have many fans but I never get to imagine… ouff! Hey, my spine has centuries ago, watch where do you stomp, brat.”

“Yes I’m known everywhere. I did a calendar here at Kalos in the 2014.” She blinked, but Anorith dumbfounded. “Calendar? These fanatics consider you famous just after this?” Gorebyss giggled in amusement “Seem you don’t really know what I mean. However, this is the life of a top model diva. I don’t mind it, but sometimes…*FLASH* Hey! I wasn’t ready.”

“*FLASH* Photo-photo-photo! Did you take it, Magneton, right? This will be exclusive: Gorebyss in visit at Kalos. The whole region will invade Couriway by midday.”

“But sometimes is…”

“Pose for me, Gorebyss! I’m you biggest fan, I stalked you since Victini Island. I want to replace Vanillite! Pose, pose, POSE!” Gorebyss got tired of all that attention, and get rid of the crowd with an excuse “Excuse me, your Gorebyss need some privacy, now. I’ll continue later, wink.”

“Ah, she’s so beautiful…let’s return to take photos at the waterfall, people!”

Anorith was finally liberated. Gorebyss sighed in relief, fanning herself with a fin “…so stressful. Auf, this is the other face of the medal, the fans can be very annoying. They follow me everywhere I go under the spotlight.”

“They’re not annoying, but mad! I didn’t expect you to be THAT famous. I mean, how do you handle this kind of life? I would never stand to be so persecuted and admired. I need my space.” Gorebyss shrugged “You get used when you born perfect like a diamond. Forsooth, I’m tired of all this attention to be honest. Be beautiful is not roses and flowers, it’s somewhat a curse because I get always the wrong attention: the male gender consider me a candy for the eyes, the female a danger for their relationship. Both refuse to see me for what I’m inside, a person. Even Vanillite: he started as my best friend since middle-high school, then offered to be the waiter of my family, and at the end became my owner. Infact, you noticed how he treated me like a treasure stone. I realized this when he was eliminated.”

“Better later than never-COUGH! I realized it immediately: you don’t love anyone if you treat her like a relic.” The bug fossil spoke solemn , and she continued “During all this time I was the shadow of my gorgeousness, until I utterly let the others to do everything in my place like a doll.”

Later Tropius escorted them on the top. Things weren’t going good for the ex-Venturers and Seviper was unattainable. “Aurorusss, Dunsssparce, Lunatone, go sssabotage our enemies with Ice Beam, Drill Run, and Creep Look, and don’t dare to reply this is is unfair, I’m the leader. Ah, looks like finally you came back with the Sssleepy Princess.” Anorith gulped “How do you know about my absence?” Seviper answered “Have my ssssources.”

Dunsparce sighed in the vent: “I am her source of information. Spy others is another code for a snake, stating to Seviper. I sincerely don’t like to do this, but my opinion doesn’t matter.”

“Anyway, I thought she’s the ace in the sleeve we need for this task.” Anorith stood up, the viper crawled around the expensive bowl glancing at Gorebyss jealously, then grimaced looking straight into her eyes “Sssso, are you ready, Miss Gorebysssss? I hope.” The coral pink fish touched the water with a fin “Brrr. Not yet, this water has a different temperature from mine, I need a graduate introduction to habit at the colder temperature. May some gentleman start pouring some water of the river in the bowl, please? With moderation, *please again*?”

// Vent //

Anorith hurt himself between the cooling fan. “I don’t understand this girl! She seemed a moment before to actually dislike her spoiled life, but now she returns to act like a daddy-girl. What’s wrong with these XX century females?”

Meanwhile Tropius and Anorith prepared Gorebyss for her swim, the remaining three pokèmons did their contribute to make disturb as ordered by their leader, Aurorus made the wall icy with her simple passage making it hard for the other pokèmons to have a solid grip, Dunsparce reluctantly damaged the rocks with the driller, and Lunatone stared with the red eyes. Lucario swore for this triple attack, and once fed up at all, he snatched out and almost risked to fall “Grrrrr…if only I could..”

“Lucario, you should pay more attention. Don’t let your rage to control your body, but make your body control the rage. Be focused.”

“FOCUSED? HOW?! I dare you do this with an horridific floating rock creeping at you all the time!” Bagon gasped totally startled “Woah! What’s up now? I didn’t even talk. You’re very jumpy.” Lucario arched a brow “Then who was?” and took a quick look around, and then down, and eventually noticed to have just been surpassed by the twins, grunted, and continued the escalation, looking in every flit and hole for possible pieces. “Bah, who cares, was my imagination.” Minun and Plusle stopped when they found a crack: inside it there was a casket! “Finally we got something! Pity it’s not red, splendid. It doesn’t contain the pieces for our mosaic. We reek in this challenge.” “MINUN, stop being negative!” “Plusle is right.” Inkay whispered to him “This chest is of a rival team, what an advantage, you should toss it up the waterfall.” “No, this would be a dirty trick. Also..how I toss something up? It’s impossible.” Drifloon rolled eyes and pinced one of his cheek “She obviously means down the waterfall, oh, why you’re so dumb as adorable?” Minun blushed “Ah, me? That’s it, alright, I’ll do it for your happiness#”

The casket, tossed, fell fast like a bullet near Lucario and landed in the water. “HEY, YOU! What are you trying to do?” “Ops, I really didn’t want to... “ Minun excused quickly, but Bagon interrupted “More unfair, that chest seemed the one we were looking for. “So it was something MINE? Grrrr. I feel more and more to the edge of my rage. I would keep climbing in your place, rat.”

// Vent //

“Great, now Lucario wants to make me his new personal chew bone.” Minun flapped his face for the anxiety but didn’t feel any better, and when he noticed Porygon 2 spying from the flits shouted “THIS IS ALL FAULT OF THE ADVISE OF INKAY, AND YES, THIS IS FEAR AND RAGE……BOTH E-MOTIONS FOR YOUR INFORMATION!”

Dunsparce sighed deeply. “What’s up?” Aurorus asked concerned for him “Are you still sad for the error made before? Don’t blame yourself, it was Seviper to press you to go. The important thing is that you didn’t sink, get over the else.” “I already did. Infact, it’s not for that. I’m used to fail, so often that I developped a sort of indifference about.” Sobbed. “Then is it for Sylveon? I know that you felt more than a friendship for her and now you feel guilty for her elimination, but she asked for this, you were totally justified.” Dunsparce blushed “No, i-it isn’t for this. Actually, I’m feeling ashamed of what I’m doing in general, also now, acting in a very horrible way, sabotaging the opponents, spying in the confessional, and not to mention showing ingratitude voting the one who cared for my safety the most…but that’s how a snake has to behave, Seviper says this always. I’m a snake, still not sure to like this way of life to be fair.” Meanwhile he spoke, Dunsparce paralyzed an opponent with the sight. Aurorus stopped to attack, instead: “Listen, you don’t have to do this if this makes you feel this bad, neither I have, Seviper is our leader but doesn’t mean she control you. Doesn’t matter if you’re a snake, you have to live your life the way you feel to do, not you have to do.”

“D-Do you think? I would like to… Nevermind, it’s not so important, afterall, like me. You’re more important and seem to have a bigger problem: c-can I ask you what is it?” the glacial sauropode was startled “S-S-Sorry! It’s just that I heard Sylveon mentioning it when Seviper sent me in the vent to spy the nominations. So now I’m c-curious, forgive my insolence. I know you voted her out, too.” The land snake curled up in himself for the shame, Aurorus escalated to his same position and answered “Yes, I did, you have the right to know since she was your best friend. I didn’t like the decision, but had a secret to protect, and Sylveon was intentioned to reveal it to Victini…she was doing the only right thing for me…on the contrary I know you would never tell something like this, that’s why I feel to trust you” the rest of the speech was whispered by her, Dunsparce gasped “I-I can’t believe..! A-A-Aurorus, you’re putting more than one life in risk, if I dare to s-suggest, just saying. But I promise to shut the mouth since now. Trrr!” accidentally, Dunsparce used Drill Run on an instable wall, causing a rockfall that appeared to be all his fault.

The boulders hit every opponent than Metang with an irrational accuracy: Bagon resisted thanks to his tough head, Swellow dodged, Porygon 2 got the occasion to learn a new e-motion, the pain, the electric mice prefered to dive directly in the lake, Lunatone did nothing to avoid the avalanche, and Lucario faced directly the danger, refusing to dodge for pride and anger. “It’s wise that you give up now in safety and bring the pieces you collected.” “This is not going to stop me, you can try as much you want! I’ll never give up. Argh!” he screamed when the last rock smashed on his injured knee, without the support of a leg, his grasp wasn’t enough solid and slipped down the waterfall. “Nooo! GROWL. Again pawned by that little land worm. Bah, sgrunt. So I lost everything.” Muttering, the dog limped to the shore, where Chimecho, Piplup, and Swalot waited, and ignoring at all the second and the latter, he revolved to the bell wind “That voice in my head was yours, right? OF COURSE IT WORKED PERFECTLY. So I got distracted, lost all the damn tiles I had with me and got again injured, if this was the aim it’s a 100% success. Said this, now heal me. In this way I can return climb and save the day. Hurry.”

“…….”

“Silence? Hey, I asked you a favor. Oh, yes, I forgot the stupid word: plose..plase..or something like that.”

Chimecho continued to meditate as he was invisible.

“What? I said it gently (puah) and still get no result?” Lucario approached to her “You keep with this mysterious silence. I don’t understand why…ah, NOPE! I know what’s your aim: you’re using this psychologic trick to make me say my secret eventually. So obvious, but you think I’m the kind of pokèmon that feels bad to be ignored? It’s the exact opposite, instead! I IGNORE THE OTHERS. EVERYONE, YOU INCLUDED.” Snarled “I don’t need you just like I didn’t yesterday, I run solo , I know the way to heal me by myself…I need only MYSELF without a fluttershy bell to…grunt, runf, baah.” and crawled to the plane dragging his body with the help of a stick “And don’t count anymore on my contribute for this cursed challenge! Clear?”

“Wow, what about give him camomile and not tea the next morning?” Swalot purposed to Piplup. “Considering he already broke two precious cups of my set, I’ll think about. Anyway, where’s that loser of Oshawott, and Squirtle? There’s lot of work for them.”

“Ah, nothing like a waterfall shower to rinse my head from the confusion. I feel coolio again.” Oshawott entered suddenly in “Can I talk with you a minute? OSHAAA! You don’t have your shell on! Quick, cover!” “Woah? Knock-knock next time, baby. Ok, just a second, you can open eyes now. Confidentially, was it that terrible show?” the ott blushed and shook “Argh, don’t make me feel worse, please! I have already enough complexes.” He shrugged “So, what’s up?” “I wanted to excuse for before. I didn’t absolutely want to offend you, it’s just my ridiculous condition that forces me: the second personality is the incarnation of all the frustration I accumulated. It’s HER that makes me look like a psycho, okay?! I’d like to rid of Mayko, but I won’t until I’ll succeed in something. The fact is that I have a sister, Azusa the Dewott, that’s the best in everything, in swim, in fight, and in the studies, too! While I’m the worst in all. A complete failure, a joke of a Oshawott. Also Piplup gets on my nerves, grrr, how much she does..” Oshawott begged to the kneels of the turtle “Please, help me to swim! At least this. Something where I can feel at the same level of HER, and this time I’m referring to my sister, not to the second personality, got it?” Squirtle reflected for five minutes and then replied with a smile “Ok, I can give you a shot. Let’s return to Chimecho. But first, you should try some relaxation, check how’s the water.” He pushed her under the jet of the waterfall “Hey, what the shell are you..SCROOSH…ah*…this is so soothing.”

“You do feel better: close your eyes and imagine a smooth jazz track playing in your eats . Trust me, it’s the paradise.” Squirtle blinked “Because you need a relaxed approach to learn to handle the element of the water and swim.” Oshawott obeyed and distressed the muscles of the shoulders, staying there for a bit.

Meanwhile Gorebyss had finally become acquainted at the temperature of the water, and was ready to go: she jumped outside the bowl with all her gorgeousness and grace, flipped two times her coiled up body and landed in the river with the same smooth touch of an angel. Everyone was astonished, Anorith’s mind totally kidnapped, but the hissing acid voice of Seviper called him back to the reality “Sssso gorgeous sssspectacle, but now get over with it and ssstart SSSSWIM.” “Alright, Gorebyss, we count on you now, let’s go. ..Gorebyss? Gorebyss, no!” the pink fish swam to the waterfall and fell down it making a lot of acrobacies and evolutions, showing proudly her fluent body shimmering for the sun like a star. After every acrobacy, Gorebyss turned to the audience, the bridge was infact full of her admirers and tourists, exhibiting her beautiness and charme for the photos, Anorith understood that he had forgotten to tell her which was the challenge.

“Ehm, what the Heatran she’s doing?” questioned Tropius. Seviper gave a deathglare to the Fossil Mind.

“I’m sor..ahem..she probably misunderstood a little my indications, getting to tell her!” an awkward Anorith dove in the water, trying to swim at the same pace and style of Gorebyss, but he couldn’t reach her level of agility and crashed against many merging rocks while falling down while the stream mercilessly carried him at all “Gorebyss, splut!” strived to say “This isn’t exactly the matter of the challenge, you have to..CONK!!!” Gorebyss turned a minute “Hm? Here, people, you will certainly like my next move, the heaven Hydropump!” before to do a final awesome jump in the void and land like a siren in the lake. Gorgeous, but useless. Everyone cheered minus the ex-Victini Venturers. Anorith finally arrived at the end of the waterfall totally devastated “Ouch..my poor old cartilaginiac bones…”

“How was I? Gorgeous, amazing, majestic or of course all three?” asked the other, flapping the eyelids.

“I think..” panted “That I must explain you which are the rules for this game…anf. Maybe after a little pause. Glulglulglu..”

Victini shook the head watching the scene “I did the best thing switching the names of the teams. Those are just losers that didn’t deserve to carry my vibrant vanquishing name.”

“Still nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“Jeez, how is this possible?” Minun complained “It’s not believable that we have not found yet anything for our mosaic, not a ring or a casket, there must be something wrong.” Gave a little look around seeing Beheeyem and Lampent still focused on the assemblation of the imaginary puzzle, Rotom possessing another absurd electrodomestic contraption stolen from whoever knows with Porygon 2 doing the “pole” for him, Inkay and Drifloon fawning at Swellow’s air moves, and even Metang had disappeared “Not that anyone cares, sigh.” Plusle look at him “I care. I’m always here for you, brother.” “Thanks, Plusle, I appreciate.” He then shook himself and returned to climb “Well, even alone we’ll show them our value so let’s continue the research!”

Bagon had remained alone, too. Lucario had had a rage quit, Ninjask was nowhere to be seen. The dragon had been forced to collect more pieces to compensate the huge number lost by Lucario in the impact, and he had to struggle outside with the nuisance Lunatone and inside with the frustration on Swellow. What a master of flight, he didn’t care for him at all just to cheat on the chicks… “Woah, I almost slipped! Urgh, I can’t continue here.”

“Of course. You haven’t the concentration.”

“Uh, Ninjask?”

“You’ll never learn to fly in this way.”

“I know re-“

“You can’t do this if you keep being distracted by other, your mind has to focus on the aim and only on it always, as you can’t fly if your mind flies away.” Ninjask raised one of the blades showing lot of rings collected “See? I’m flying, not my mind, my mind is focused on the aim. You’ll never fly if you don’t learn first to don’t let your mind fly. “ Bagon twitched “So…you’re telling me I should stop think about it and take care only of the challenge? Excuse, how this can help me to fly?”

“In fact, doesn’t. Not by itself. But it’s the first achievement to do.” Ninjask didn’t add much more and dashed away. Bagon stared but also tried to reflect on those worlds “Uhm…he could be right. Maybe my mind has become so obsessed with the dream of flight that I’m no more able to accomplish anything else. I know what to do now: I want to climb this wall totally until I won’t have found the most pieces possible.” With determination the dragon in miniature returned to climb. Faster. Lunatone simply kept staring, perfectly motionless.

“That odd rock is totally useless.” Tropius flew down and flapped his giant wings creating a typhoon “Sorry, but someone has to stop you, Bagon.” Bagon resisted wearing on his goggles “Don’t worry, I’m used to every sort of streams after all the train I did on the mountains, do your best.” Tropius shrugged but he liked the fire in the eyes of the opponent “Alright. Prepare for a tropical typhoon! Woooooooosh!” Bagon was almost blown away and to keep the grip was forced to leave some tiles away, the wind casted by Tropius was the most powerful ever faced, he would have not resisted much against it. “He needs help. Swellow, do something!” Piplup ordered. “Alright, this is a task for the Swellowsome me! Ladies, please wide your beautiful eyes because you’re going to see a majestic unique miracle these wings” kissed them “will make. Swooosh!” Swellow dashed swelling his pecs in front of Tropius “Just to warn you, I defeated a way more bigger legend than you in this same way, Lugia, to whom I easily reverted back his flurry. I remind having done that using even only ONE wing, eheh.” Inflating more air in the lungs, Swellow stretched his wings at most and started to flap being captured and blown away immediately by the tornado. “ I see..”

Bagon and Piplup both facepalmed. Bagon was at his limit, he didn’t feel anymore the solid grip, and Tropius didn’t stop a second to flutter, eventually Lunatone was blown away too but he was just an addictive obstacle for Bagon, that dodged the impact with him for a skale. “Phew. I don’t want to give up, gnn, I’m stronger than this wind, I can and I am as I will be a flyer!” Hyped, he suddenly jumped right inside the stream and opened his wings…in the mind, as he first rose up and then fell down but landed on Tropius’s back. “Hey, get down. I’m not an airplane that everyone can take for a flight.” Bagon smirked “Sorry but no, I need a passage.”

“Enough with you!” Seviper lost the patience and jumped against Bagon but Ninjask neutralized her with Double Blade “Kssss!!! You’re going to pay thissss ssssoon, too.”

“Wow, real ninja skills.”

“S-S-Seviper, how a-are you if I dare to ask?”

// Vent //

“I never forgot a ssssingle sssscar I gained in a fight, sssscars inject more poison in my veinsss, then I won’t forget these new marksss.” Seviper approached to the camera showing two slashes under her eye. “I payback everytime, Ninjask won’t be an exception.”

Ninjask then used Double Team creating multiple copies of himself around Tropius, Bagon jumped on the rock wall again, and the fast moves of the ninja confused totally the sauropode and consumed his leafy wings forcing him to land. “Thanks for the help, finally a true flyer here. Here!” Bagon tossed to the companion the pieces he had collected “I’ll continue the escalation.”

Ninjask brought quickly the tiles to Piplup, Chimecho and Swalot, said nothing and flashed away again. “Where do you think we should put this piece? It doesn’t resemble yet a Victini. We miss more pieces and I know where they are: underwater!” Piplup pointed in anger at the middle of the lake where Minun had tossed the casket and Lucario had fallen with his tiles “Umpf, why I have always to think at everything? For once that those two ignorants can be useful, they have gone. I’m going to pick them.” The penguin walked to the back of the waterfall and startled the ott and the turtle “Hello there, you 2, mind to do what have I COMMAND you to do about an hour ago from the height of my generosity? And, Oshawott, you can’t wash away your horrible character not even if you scrub forever, give up and move your shell out of here.”

Oshawott that was about to feel finally the interior peace jolted “GRRR, I feel angry again.” Squirtle restrained her before she could have a worse reaction. Piplup continued “Alright, since it looks like you’ve ah head made of shell I’ll do the courtesy to repeat again: dive underwater the lake and recuperate the casket and all the orange tiles you find. Last time I say this. Even with your swanky swim you can do this simple operation.”

“Gnnn..” Oshawott gnashed her shell with the teeth then smirked “You’re right, I can, YOU CAN’T. Being dumb dabbler to dabble.” And dove down to the fundal together Squirtle. They merged seconds later carrying the treasure chest and Oshawott rubbed it in front of Piplup “Ah ah! Eat my butt, tuck my tail, right in your sassy snobbery.” Piplup’s body puffed for the rage “Shut up with that hell of a shell you have as mouth, I’m upperclass, you’re a folk, so I’m the successful only AND YOU’RE THE FAILURE.” Oshawott inflated her..belly..too “That’s it. I dare you swim through the waterfall like I’m doing all the time meanwhile you’re just sitting in the corner giving annoying orders, AND LET’S SEE WHO’S THE TRUE FAILURE!”

Squirtle gave up “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll just let you girls alone. Chimecho, teleport me back on the top.”

“I accept.” Piplup smacked Oshawott with a feather “Chimecho, teleport us there, too.” Chimecho, perceiving an high level of anger in her voice, didn’t try this time to fix things and did what told.

Top of the river. Anorith had finally managed to make Gorebyss useful but she didn’t renounce at all to overexpose her talent to the camera and passed more time in doing dainty acrobacies than collecting but at least she was doing something. Anorith had also found a way to handle the stream and the two fishes were providing lot of tiles for the new Jirachi Jigglers. Squirtle was already in the water when Oshawott and Piplup were warped. The two looked fiercely at each other and swam: not that Piplup was that example of grace and class but her swim skills bested Oshawott who was more like a flipper among the rocks with her zig zag swim.

“See, Oshawott?” Piplup grabbed many rings “I’m proving to be more superior than you.” Oshawott crashed against another rock until they weren’t close to the waterfall and she swam fastest possible do not caring for the risk, pushing Piplup “Are you crazy? In this way we’re gonna die!” “Co-co-co, you’re a penguin or a chicken?” “Ehh! How dare you give me the chicken??” she smacked her again and Oshawott saw everything in red at this point “YOU’RE GOING DOWN, PIPTNEY!”

“Oh-oh, this is not going to end well.. Hot Water, watch behind yourself!”

Squirtle turned again in late as he heard the voice of Bagon, and got overcome by the two starters cat fighting to the death “You said, maaan? WOAH! SPATAPLASH!”

“Ouch, where are they now? Squiirtle? Oshawooott? Pipluup?” Bagon, Ninjask and Chimecho that warped next to them looked around, up and down, but didn’t see anyone. Swalot tossed away (in the river) his pack of popcorn assuming a bored expression “So the catfight has finished in this way? Pathetic. BUUURP!”

Swellow returned on the scene “I saw everything. This is the same that happened me when I found myself trapped in the cavern of Kyogre, but with my strong wings I..”

“Shut up, and Kyogre’s cavern is underwater by the way.” Said Bagon. “Poor Squirtle, bro..where you fell?”

“’,’,’,SCROOSH…SCRROOOSHLE…ROOOSH’,’,’,’,’”

“Ow, my head, what happened?” Squirtle massaged his head.

“See what have you done. It’s only your fault, u.u”

“YOU CHALLENGED ME AND PROVOKED ME. Then it’s YOUR FAULT, PIPLUP!”

“My fault? Ohohoh, then I pushed you like a mad folk or happened the contrary? Answer, Oshawhat a pleb.”

“Grrr, shut up, Piplonk, you’re just good to annoy people with your bossy attitude. And to sink underwater with your plummy body.”

“Again another low insult at my weight, uh? The Oshawhale talks.”

“I’m NOT FAT, Pig-plup, YOU ARE!”

“Oshawank.”

“Pitchplup.”

“Oshawimp!”

“Piplague!”

“Oshame-wott!!”

“PIMPLUP!!!”

“Scallop Brain”

“Pillow for Swalot!”

Piplup stared in horror, then replied. “Swalot’s lover, or better, Oswalott.” Making Oshawott really mad! “I’m GONNA KILL YOU NOW, AND THEN MAKE YOU KISS THAT DISGUSTING PILE OF…”

“STOOOOP! Galz, really, let’s cool it down once for all, c’mon.” Squirtle placed between the two in the heat of the discussion “It’s not cool, okay? Treating yourself in this way won’t brought anywhere, and, in fact, I have no idea where we are now..” he pointed at the ceiling, that was very soak and to the ground that was very steamy that he can barely see his feet. Oshawott excused with him “I’m sorry for having involved you, really didn’t want, but this piss of penguin pushed me over the limit and…oh gosh, Squirtle, I’m sorry also for that!”

“That..what? Did I broke anything?” Oshawott akwardly nodded. He panicked “Oh, no, you’re saying I’ve broken something very important in the impact?” the other nodded again, more akwardly “Yes, your shell is half broken now, from right to left. I’m utterly sorry!”

“My shell?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, phew, for a moment I thought to have broken my precious shades, then doesn’t matter. What a relief.” He said with a smile, the other two starters exchanged a glance. Then Piplup took the lead “Okay, this is obviously an hidden cave judging by the sound of the pitter-pattering water coming from the ceiling. So, the first thing I order to do is..”

“Wait, wait, wait. Who nominated you the leader of the situation?”

“I self proclaimed the leader of the Venturers this morning, already forgotten? This makes me automatically the leader in every situation.” Oshawott replied in anger “No, it doesn’t. I don’t want to be leaded by someone like you, spoiled and with a fake experience of life, I can make my way out of here..ehm..alone. Thud! Ahi.” Pilpup giggled “I-I went against the wall on purpose, osha. Ah, who I want to deceive? Fine: I’m worthless! I KNOW IT SINCE MY BIRTH! Just leave me here.”

“Dude, I mean, ehm, what’s a friendly way to address at a girl, hmm, baby? I’ll try it. Baby, don’t say that not even for joke. None is useless at this world.”

“Oshaworthless! Another nice nickname I could have used..” Squirtle glared at Piplup and she saw Oshawott crying quietly in a corner, using her scallop as a tissue “But I recognize to have my part of responsibility and I apologize. I tend to annoy people with my manners and to see always only their errors and never mines, it’s a sort of habit for an ol-ehm- advanced lady of my rank, but I went too far this time and I maybe should be more of example towards the inf-ehm- folkish pokèmon like you. (With the help of a miracle) maybe I can even help you become a true lady. Maybe.” Piplup choked a gig thinking about the vision of a “polite oshawott” and offered a wing. Oshawott sniffled, dried some tears and offered her paw in return.

“Ohh, finally, you’re friends and no more hot hotties with hot blood in the head!” exclaimed Squirtle leaving the two a little shocked. “Let’s go back to competition? By which direction?”

Piplup pointed to the ceiling “Of course where the sound of water gets louder it means we’re close to an exit, I learned this when I was…ehm..the age doesn’t count, I lost in the Mt Coronet falling in a hole: to get back to the right floor I used the same strategy hearing the sounds of the lake.” Oshawott stayed in silence, Piplup give a simple but proud smile “Even a snooty has true experiences to tell and learn tricks from.” The other blushed.

…The trio walked for a bit in the fog, following the way suggested by Piplup…

“I can’t see anything, this steam mists up the sunglasses totally, but I feel something really soft, not foam and certainly not a rock.”

“It’s my butt.” Oshawott replied, Squirtle grinned “You have a shell of a talent there, baaaby.” She blushed and smacked him with the tail against a wall, this crippled and created a fracture. “DON’T TOUCH ME AGAIN. Oh? I hear a voice coming from here, maybe it’s Bagon or one of the others?” Piplup approached and the two spied from the hole: it was Metang.

“By my researches it should be here…found.” Metang clenched a little mysterious mineral that emanated a powerful and strange energy in his pincer “What an immense source of power: with this I’ll be soon utterly unstoppable.” As he left, Oshawott first, Pilpup then, tried to pass through the hole, even at contemporary, getting stuck. “Urgh, I said you need a diet.” “Not that your belly is of a top model, umpf.” “Girls, girls, do you want an help? I can give you a push.” “Okay, but if you touch again my talent, you’re a dead turtle, GOT IT?” “Totally, don’t worry and chill out.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

“You’re back!” Bagon’s eyes shimmered seeing Squirtle safe “Oh, bro, I was so worried. The time is almost over.” The three starters appeared from the opposite part of the lake, wet, soaked and exhausted, but carrying a casket of tiles. “Beside, wow, you two are collaborating, Osha and Pip? I clearly missed something. Whatever, wooh, where did you find a chest? Pity it’s red and not orange, so it interests only to the Leviathans.”

Minun alarmed “Really? Finally something for us: we’ve not found any tile of Latias so far!”

“You want it, man?” Bagon asked tossing the chest in the middle of the lake “All yours.” Payback.

“Thanks for the generosity.” Replied the electric mouse with sarcasm, frowning. “Pity none of us can swim, just a detail… wait, but now we have a squid pokèmon like Inkay! She can recuperate it.”

Inkay denied “Swim don’t I, water the in not. Lony in the air. Yrros”

“Excuse me, you’re a squid and you can’t go underwater?!! Of course, totally logic in the illogic world.” Minun banged his head several times in the Confessional “You kidding me, right? YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT?”

Lester cheered up his team “Don’t worry, my prouds, I’ll posses a submarine and get the treasure, ah!”

“Or maybe I can pick up my flying saucer and use the abductor to recuperate it” joked Beheeyem.

“An UFO! Of course! How I could have not thought about that system, ciaff!” Lester zoomed away “Be right quirky back!”

Unlike Minun and his team, Venturers and Jigglers had collected all they needed and their puzzles were almost finished, but there was something odd in both.

“Uhm…this is a Victini, not a Jirachi.” Anorith looked in perplexion at the figure the tiles were forming, he was sure of one thing only: that wasn’t a Jirachi. Everyone in the team had his same opinion.

“Is this a joke? This doesn’t resemble a Victini at all!” Oshawott kicked the mosaic “It’s that dab of Jirachi. WAIT A MINUTE!” Oshawott and Anorith turned at contemporary at each other and shouted “Confess it: you have rigged this!” The brawl was immediate and soon involved the whole teams: Anorith pinched the tail of Oshawott that in response stomped him with Body Slam, Seviper attacked Ninjask with Acid but he dodged and Squirtle got hit “Noo, acid on my sunglasses. Alright, miss viper, no roses for you but only hydropump jets! Cuz Hot Water is boiling now.” Bagon at first attempted to calm his buddy but then sided with him against Tropius, despite this was just trying to stop the brawl. Angry, he smashed both under his big legs.

Meanwhile this mess was going on, Lester was seen in the background in his Wash Form sucking up the lake with a tube.

“Ding! Please, guys, let the harmony enter again in the house of your soul” suggested Chimecho with kindness, without being listened, so she raised a little the sound of her bell “DOOOONG! DOOONG! DOOONG!”

“Arr, my old eardrums! Stop it.”

“Not if you don’t all find back the calm. Dooong!”

“Ahhh! Chimecho, please, ok, we’re calm!”

“SSSSTOP IT IMMEDIATELY!” everyone glowered at Seviper when Chimeco chimed again, louder. The serpent surrendered. “Hisss, ok, I’m calm. Happy?”

Chimecho apologised “I don’t like to use the strong manners, but you forced me this time. Now that the peace is estabilished again, it’s clear that it was none’s fault so let’s exchange our mosaics and solve this conflict at the root, in the most easy and peaceful way.” Paused, starting to swing her head again “Otherwise….”

“No, no, no. We’ll do like you say.”

Even exchanging suspicious glances at each others ex Venturers and ex Jigglers were able to switch their tiles, and assemblated their puzzles, right before Victini announced the end of the challenge.

“Here we are, contestants, let’s see if you finished your puzzles!” Victini sneered seeing the Leviathans still trying to open the casket recuperated by Wash Rotom “TIME IS O-V-EEEER!!!!! Everyone stop, it’s time for my judgement that will seal the victorious team and the victimized one.” Sure the Leviathans would have been the loosers having rigged the challenge with they hope to see Beheyeem eliminated, the V-host checked first the mosaic of his (new) favorite team “Congratulation, Jira-ehm- Victini Venturers, you did a good work!”

“Yeah!”

Then he checked the mosaic of Jirachi and it was the same perfect “Excellent, even if Jirachi not Me, JIRACHI, confused the color of your teams and so messed up things with the rings, chests and exc, you both managed to complete your mosaics. “

Seviper was impatient “Ssso who wins the First Class?”

Victini shrugged “Still thinking about, I know only who wins the Tail of Losers.” As he turned the Latias Leviathans managed to open the treasure chest and there was inside the mosaic of Latias complete and perfectly reunited. “V-V-Voles! This is impossible.”

Lester epic posed “Thank of who? Ah! Of me, of course.” Minun rolled eyes but eventually cheered together the teammates. Everyone stared “This issss unfair.” Victini couldn’t do much “Okay, here’s the twist: now you’re up for the second place safety or the nomination. I give another focused look at your works…”

“Do it, Victini, you’ll see just the perfection cause I personally coordinated all the indications for the mosaic.” Piplup pumped the chest returning her usual Piptney self.

// Vent //

Oshawott let out an ironic remark “For a minute I sincerely thought she had become a different Piplup but I was immediately confirmed to be wrong. Oshahah!” Changed expression “Right.”

Victini analyzed the mosaic with carefulness and counted the number of pieces “Each mosaic was made of 51 tiles, here there are only 50 tiles, miss one, that’s also the part of my best profile.”

“Which is the bottom?”

“WHO SAID THAT? V-ery funny, Beheeyem, I know you was..”

“Not this time. I was about but someone had a better timing. Also, I would have used another word, more technic.”

Victini’s interior rage increased “Whatever, cause of this awful mistake, Jirachi Jigglers, you’re going to fly on the Tail of Losers today!” Tropius twitched “Wait, why?” Victini snapped “I ain’t referring to you, now.” Dunsparce raised up a wing “B-But aren’t we the Jirachi J-Jigglers now?” and Bagon did the same “And we the vibrant victorious Victini Venturers?”

“NO, no more. You don’t actually deserve to carry my name, so, you’re now again the Jirachi Jigglers and the loser ones of the day.” Victini smiled to Tropius and the rest of his companions “Congrats, you’re returned to be the V-tastic original Victini Venturers! I hope you’ll become winners by now.”

Tropius shrugged “Ehm, okay, it’s the same but thank you. I guess.” then turned eagerly to his team “Yuhuu, we’re safe, let’s high five!” everyone stared, especially Dunsparce, as he raised one of his giant paw up and projected its shadow over them “Forget it, nevermind.”

Tail of Losers

“Ok, time to make the Smug Swellowers work.” Swellow flew between Bagon and Squirtle, wearing a pair of sunglasses and having just finished to narrate another of his unbelievable victories against a legend pokèmon “My alliance will vote all together Piplup! This team deserves a cooler leader and obviously I’m the future one.”

Bagon nodded and Squirtle approved “Yeah, I’m totally hype about! Hooray for the Smug Swellowers, we roock!” soon after fell asleep feeling back the tiredom of the previous night.

On the other side, Piplup was forming a new alliance with the other girls “Thinking about how many times I allowed you to take part to my esclusive tea sessions every morning, I feel like I could found an high class alliance that will make this team an èlite, eliminating the right people.” She served some tea and offered cookies “Opinion? Consider I’m giving you a supreme chance, Oshi.”

Oshawott had a little of hesitation and felt offended for a second “Ehm..I accept the idea. Let’s see how much I can bear you, ahahahah!” Her joke didn’t amuse Piplup, that simply gave her a dull look. Chimecho sipped her tea in peace and quiet “I agree, too. Who do you want to eliminate?”

Piplup dipped a cookie in the tea “There are many candidates for nomination I have in mind, most of all the cavemon Lucario, the jock Swellow and the jelatinous jerk Swalot. Uhm..maybe the last one should be the first target, this team needs seriously a clean up of quality.”

“Mumble..”

// Vent Nominations //

First to enter was Swellow, who voted Piplup blinking at the camera. Squirtle did the same soon after.

Swalot was the third to get into the vent, assuming his real aspect of Ditto, he imitated the one he intended to eliminate “Sgrunt, I hate to be a loser yet I’m a rage quitter. BAHH!” paused doing a jerky grin “Guessed who I am? Mr Cranky, Lucario! Ah ah ah ah!”

Lucario punched the vent and said a single word “Swalot.” And then another “SGRUNT.”

Ninjask’s was the last vote showed in the resume of the nominations: he crossed with his Double Blade the picture of Swellow.

Victini started to fling the macarones “Squirtle, Bagon, Ninjask, Chimecho and Oshawott. All safe.” The turtle and the dragon bro fisted, Oshawott swallowed up her macarone immediately, Chimecho and Ninjask prayed the sky in gratitude. The V-host looked at the 4 left: Piplup and Swellow were very confident, Swalot was eating and Lucario sat grumpily in a corner. “The last macarone of safety goes to…to…to…Swalot. You’re a deadlock but still in the game, enjoy it. By the v-way, time for the final vibes: who will get the Voltorb of Victimization? Lucario, for having been a rage quitter? Swellow for having been a boast boater? Or Piplup for having been an annoying very annoying leader?” He started the countdown.

“3.”

“2.”

“1.”

“VOLTORB!!! BOOOM!”

“Ohhh!”

“Bah, who cares.” Lucario frowned “I ain’t eliminated, that only matters.”

“Cough, cough, so much smoke..” Piplup fanned a wing sitting next to a char-coaling Swellow, that was confused “Argh, my fabolous blue feathers are scorched! This is unbelievable, how could you uncool mass vote the Swellowso-me out in this way? I had also my Smug Swellowers on my side!”

Bagon stepped forward him “No, you had no more. At least, not me. I’m tired of fake promises and I realized that I’ve nothing to learn from you, cause I ain’t good at flight yet you are good at NOTHING than lies and antics.” Squirtle was shocked by the rude tone of him “But, bro, what about me, now? I had to learn from this cool guy how to be really cool.” Bagon shook the head “Nope, you’re already cool as you’re now. Become as this pitiful dandy would make you just empty.”

Swellow stretched his wings and pumped his pec “Tsk, that’s what envious pokèmon always say when they encounter me and realize to be INFERIOR. I’m used to that, even legendaries feels the envy of my skills…they’re legendaries, but I can beat them with a single wing.”

“Then, I dare you beat this.” Victini casted a Generator V straight in the sky, Swellow gulped, let out a loud squeak and fleed away the fastest possible, everyone laughed and Bagon said “For once I liked your temper, Victini.” The V-host interrupted his attack and shrugged “I had to defend the honour of my cathegory from the blabs of that vapid vamooser, fair and vivid.”

EPILOGUE

Swellow flew above the skies of Kalos “Shame on them, they lost the best contestant ever they could beg for. The one that defeated Articuno several timez with a single wing, and, this is just one of the many examples I can do. Oh, well, I’ll be soon a star in this region, too, every chick will ask for my moves, and..” someone tap tapped him with the beak, the swallow felt a chill over the spine, turned, and found the legendary bird of the element ice in front of himself. Articuno was about to spoke but “A-A-Articuno? Ohh, what an honor to meet you, ehm, I lied all the time, I admit it, I’m just a miserable boast boater, I never beated your legendary bum, it was just for narration, e-entertainment! Tell it also to Zapdos, Moltres, Lugia, and…every other legendary pokèmon I mocked all the time telling lies on lies and making him/her/it appear a total loser against me. GLOM.” Articuno stared, assuming a serious expression “I-I swear to your legendary majestic name I won’t do it anymore, yes, by now I’ll tell that I’m only able to defeat Feebas! Ahahah! Yes, cuz, Articuno, your’re clearly cooler than me, I’m just a little insiginificant bird and..and..and…I won’t appear anymore on TV, I solemnly promise, don’t seek me. Ahhh!” Swellow zoomed away at the speed of light.

Articuno arched a brow “I just wanted an information: if this is the region of Kalos. I’ll never understand this non legendaries.”

Chapter Text

Prologue

“Ooooooooooohh….VIP CLASS!VIP CLASS! VIP CLASS! A-G-A-I-N! AGAAAIN!” Plusle cartwheeled flinging her pompoms to the ceiling, behind her Drifloon and Inkay span on themselves doing the same, loud and upbeat, Minun, that was lying in his seat with cucumbers slices on the eyes until a second ago, jolted for the shock. “Hip hip hooray for us, the Laser Latias Leviathaaaans!” continued the positive sister “I didn’t hear you yet, say it louder and no regret, give me an L, give me another, and another one, three els, for three victories: LASER LATIAS LEVIATHANS!!!”

“Wooh! Clap, clap, so quirky way to celebrate! I totally like it. By the way it’s Lester Latias Leviathans, now.” Rotom pointed out. Plusle stopped immediately everything, slapping her front “Of course! I was sure there was something wrong. Ok, girls, and now you too, Minun, we get to do it again, and in the professional way. VIP CLASS! VIP CLASS! VIP CLA-“ Minun blocked her “Sister, as much I like to celebrate, I’d to relax now, so…” but she didn’t even let him end and carried him away “Sure, we can do some knitting together!” Drifloon followed them “I join you, Plinun and Misle! Because I love so much the knitties: **they’re so cute to cuddle.** “

Beheeyem and Metang played a game of chess while Porygon 2 had his journal update, Metang did his move and Beheeyem commented “It’s the first time I meet someone able to give me at least some entertainment without being defeated at this game after 5 moves, interesting, which planet do you come from? Since, you’re too clever for the Earth.” The alien laughed at his same joke. Metang didn’t “You have a cerebral matter that goes beyond the average size, I have two of it. I’m obviously advantaged of the 50%.” Beheeyem resented a little and replied “Whatever, let’s continue and see who wins here.” At the next turn of Metang, the bionic crab CHECKMATED. “Whaaatever..” Beheeyem floated away and went to sit a seat next to Lampent, who was reading in the darkest angle of the First Class using the dim light of her lantern head “You have been very quiet for more than 24 hours, yesterday we interacted only when we assembled the imaginary mosaic, this thing makes me think that maybe you’re hiding inside your dark shell of loneliness for a reason. Not that I care, but which is?”

“Why don’t you discover it by using your ability to read the mind instead of ask?” she whispered with a caustic tone, Beheeyem shrugged “Ok. I’ll just give up.” As he moved to another seat, Lampent returned to read.

// Vent //

Beheeyem rolled the green bug eyes “She has fallen in love for me yet can’t rationally accept that’s a one sided love. That’s why my race renounced to emotions: Lampent has the necessary indifference to access to the pure knowledge of the Universe if she would, but all her good qualities are now wasted in favor of her irrational feelings.” The alien shrugged closing the eyes “Her problem. I’ll keep with my life based on knowledge and discovers.”

Lester looked around suspiciously , checking every angle and hideout, lurked and called up the others: “Leviathans, it’s time. This is the perfect occasion to discover one of the biggest mysteries ever!”

“Your personality?” asked Beheeyem with irony.

“What’s inside the door, ah!” Lester did an epic pose in front of the V-room, the restricted area of the plane, it was a dark orange door with a giant V glyphed on and replicated on the knob, too, the symbol of Victini, a sign post said DON’T CROSS ACROSS in red font. Beheeyem echoed “Ooh, that dooor! Amazing. No, thanks. I’m enough favorited by Victini so far.” The red Rotom approached to the door “Tsk, tsk. You have really no continuity with yourself.”

“Sure, sure..What do you mean?”

“I mean that I thought your aim in life is to achieve the highest level of knowledge possible and impossible: aren’t you curious to solve the mystery of Victini, really?” Lester smirked “It could be everything, even an astroship! By the way we’ll never undisclose the doubt and see which theory of the infinite ones is the correct one. So…”

Beheeyem twitched in front of this speech, something unusual happened in his mind, and replied striving to appear indifferent and sarcastic “Alright, you obtained what you wanted. Open that door and let’s solve the most important mystery of the Universe.” But he was genuinely curious, this time. “Are you ready for the quirkness?” Lester reunited Beheeyem, Inkay, Lampent, Metang, and Porygon 2 (interrupting his update at 99%) and entered, Victini in fact was too certain none would have dared to violate his privacy after his vibrant menaces that he left always the door unlocked… “Oooh, waaaao, this is very very very very very quirky!”

SCREEN FADED TO BLACK

As they opened, the 6 pokèmon remained astonished. The Victini’s Victory Star room was immense compared to the vip class, so much that seemed quite impossible that it could have been built in the airplane. The wall and floor were of flaring orange, golden statues of Victini surrounded them pouring fresh fountain water in the main swimming pool shaped like a V, there were some rare musical instruments like the violin octet family, a vibraphone, a venu, a Vienna horn, and a viola major. Near the swimming pool there was the SPA thermal heated on by a virtual volcano thanks to a viaduct. On the walls, vivid pictures portraited the V-host in the vest of viceroy of Unova and vizier of Reshiram and various medals reported him as victor of everything and veteran of war in which he was always on the victorious faction. There were also a videogame, a viewphone, and a domestic Vulpix sleeping in the room. And infinite victuals conisisting of Victini’s favorite food: macarones.

// Vent //

“This is the quirkiest place that I ever sneaked inside!” Rotom explained overwhelmed by the hype “It beats the Old Chateau, the Galactic Hideout, and maybe even the Area 51 itself. Seriously. By the way, have you noticed that every single piece of furniture starts with the letter V or has the shape of a V? I can’t wait to explore it better, but first I want to do a Discharge Dive in the swimming pool!”

Inkay wasn’t less hyped “Zingama! Jesticam! Overwhelm-ops-Whelmovering! Learly, I never saw something similarly absurd, and I’m an upside down squid that swims in mid-air.”

Beheeyem was very astonished this time “Despite I know this will make Victini backlash on us, it’s totally worth risk. I was kind of skeptical about, but this room is really Victini’s hideout, and the room of his secret: the neverending victory. This means that in this room there’s the secret of how to be victorious in everything, like an INVASION.” His green eyes gleamed. “Meh, whatever.”

Minun escaped for an hair before Plusle could put the new Latias dress (complete with skirt) knit together (against his will) on him “Anf, pant, finally I’m safe and safe is my virility.” Minun took off the dainty hat and hid under the chess table, shivering, meanwhile he heard the voices of Plusle and Drifloon calling his name (wrong). “Minnieee? Brother? Where are you?” “Miiiisle?? Brother? Wait, the brother is mine or yours, Plinun?” “Mine!” “Okay, got it. Miiiisleeee? Where did you gooo? Oh, wait, maybe he went upstairs!” “Upstairs? Hmm…possible. Let’s getty gotta go, then!” Minun exited from only when he was sure they were gone, taking a big sigh of relief “Phew…I could have not resisted anymore with my sister and her new best friend. I like them both, but, they are a curse for my male dignity: skirt, polka dot socks, dainty cap with ears and even wings…brrr. Anyway, why this place is so desert, now? Where’s the rest of the Leviathans?” he lost all his HP seeing the V-Room opened “Oh, no. I can’t believe it.” Drifloon pointed at an estinguisher “Spotted! Oh wait, you’re not the Misle I’m searching for…a-ah, spotted!” pointed at Minun “What’s going on? Uuuuh!” Plusle dashed soon after “You spotted my brother? Oh, thanks Arceus, I was so worried for you, Minun, where have you been?! YOU KNOW I CAN’T STAY WITHOUT YOU TOO MUCH. Wait, the room of Victini is open? Uhhhhhh!!! Swimming pool! SPLASH!” Minun kept staring widening eyes.

The latias cheerleaders by alegwen714-dc5bmmd
L-E-S-T-E-R L-A-T-I-A-S L-E-V-I-A-T-H-A-N-S 3L, FOR LESTER LATIAS LEVIATHAAANS! (image gently created and provided by AleGwen714)

“Minun, join the party!” Lester invited, after having possessed the fridge of Victini flinging macarones to everybody, smugging “See that I was right? You would have never had the honor to experience this room if wasn’t for my initiative, ah. *EPIC POSE*”

“Hhmm, gnam, crunk, these macarones are way more different from the usual Victini offers at the Tail of Losers” Swalot, Arceus only knows how, was inside, too.

Finally Minun spoke “You opened the door, you really opened the door Victini has forbidden us to do! What’s wrong with you, Lester?” the other smirked proudly and winked at the camera “Wrong nothing, quirky everything.”

Minun facepalmed “….anyway. What Victini would do us if, I mean, you know how jealous and hot-headed is he, right? He disqualified and almost incinerated Ditto just for a joke!!”

“A very good joke, munch.” Swalot added.

“By the way! Don’t gets too much electroshocked: it’s just for this time. My curiosity is satisfied and I’ll assure that none of us will tell everything out to Victini.” He turned to Lampent “Let’s start from you: do you swear solemnly on the sake of quirkness and the overwhelming rules of the forces of bizzarre that you won’t betray the secret? ANSWER NOW.”

The Ghost Lantern shrudded “I barely talk with anyone than myself, never with my stepfather. Guess my answer.”

“See? Minun, be positive, is everything under control.” Frost Rotom turned to another pokèmon, assuming a very serious expression “ Drifloon, what are you going to say about this room once we’ll be out of here?” Drifloon, focused on fluttering upon the water, dumbfounded “Which room?” Lester grinned “That’s the way to keep a secret! Porygon 2?” the virtual pokèmon fizzled “ERROR: UNFINISHED UPDAT—“

“Mr. Shugarlot?”

“Buuuurp!!!”

“Perfect! + Plusle?” the positive sister zipped her mouth with a smile. “Beheeyem?” Beheeyem didn’t answer immediately “Sure…what do you think there’s behind those velvet curtains?” the alien refered to an apparently empty wall of the room with only curtains hanged on, in an orange velvet pitched with stars. Lester pondered and approached “My 51th sense says that…”

“Jirachi, I’m going to take some relaxation at my personal suite, announce at the megaphone when we’re arrived at Violet Town.” Everyone heard Victini’s voice over “And, PLEASE, a-V-oid to crash into the Sprout Tower. This tour is already costing me lot of money, yesterday I had to pay for the enviromental damage caused by Lester that tossed every sort of electrodomestic in the lake. Thinking that those freaky Leviathans eventually won really irks me…”

Lester lurked away first, hiding inside the air-conditioner “This is not a test: now, Leviathans, it’s time for a spy style runaway. Get outta of here!!! Ahahahah! Zoom! He’ll never spot us in this way. I saved you again, Leviathans.” Minun rolled eyes but then quickened help close the door as nothing had happened. Then Drifloon reminded “And Inkay? Where is she? I didn’t see her exit.” Swalot, mimetized in the vip class cocktail drink, said “I saw her, don’t worry. She’s now…buuuuuuurp..somewhere, I don’t know and don’t care.”

Victini heated on “SWALOT! You should not be here in Vip Class: this is only for the victorious team, go out before I V-Generator you, villein! Tsk, rules are rules, on these I never get over.” The V-host glanced around, noticing the absence of the others “Uhm.. Lester and his gang are probably playing hide n’ seek.” Then entered in his personal room and locked inside.

“Ok, now keep the cup in the hand with firmness and grace…it should be a real cup but doesn’t matter, you can’t do anything without your scallop, afterall, and sip, no drink, but sip, so to enjoy the taste of the tea. Possibly without making no sound because that’s the swalot way, not my way.” Piplup and Oshawott were having an elegant breakfast and Piplup strived to teach Oshawott some elegance like promised “Excuse me, how am I supposed to do this on the tail of a plane?” Oshawott’s tea versed on her face and belly “ARRRGH! GRR, REVENGE, TAKE A FLY STUPID TEA!” she tossed the teapot in the sky for the anger, then asked sorry. It was the umpteenth piece of the service she sent in the ozonosphere. “Now Rayquaza can organize tea parties with Deoxys thank of you.” Piplup remarked half amused half annoyed making the other to blush for the shame. “Anyway, try again, I’ll buy a new tea-service at the first right occasion. Remember what I told you, keep calm, and sip, not DRINK, but sip, shht, you’re already too loud! You seem now the cousin of Swalot.” “WHAT?!?” “Just saying. What a desperate case.” “Osha-whaaaat?!” “Nothing, nothing. Focus on your tea! You can do it.”

Oshawott obeyed and finally managed to sip it gracefully “I feel quite pointless, but, if this what a true lady has to do, okay..sip..hmm, delicious.” Piplup clapped “Excellent, finally a progress! Now I’ll teach you the correct way to eat the cookies.”

“HEYLLO, girl! How goes, had a nice night? Uh, cookies, oreos, cool! Can I have one? Crunk, crunk, crunk.”

Piplup shifted in annoyance to the water pokèmon, saying “That’s the worst way possible to eat them.” Oshawott didn’t listen, stuffing a cookie after another in the mouth. “Gnam, munch, chomp, you’re right, Squirtle, they’re so good, gnam gnom.” “OSHAWOTT! This is degrading. So rude to be disgusting: you’re making noises and not enough, you’re talking with your mouth stuffed. Ewww! Did I teach you anything?”

“Sorry…uff.”

“Better.” Piplup sighed “Now, watch the correct way” she approached slowly the cookie to her beak after a dip in the tea, gently pecked it and took a crumble, eating it with closed mouth, making no sound, and swallowed it. “See? That’s what class means and orders. “KATAKRASH!!!”

“WHAT THE SHELL?”

“No, no, no. The correct wat to react is: what was this suddenly annoying collision caused by?”

Victini teleported there seeing they have crashed against a tower “JIIIIIIIIIRAAAAAACHIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Jirachi warped there seeing they have crashed against a tower “Duuuh, forgot…YAAAAAAAAAAAAWN…so?”

Episode Starts
Everybody picked a parachute and dropped on the land, Victini sent Jirachi to excuse with the main monk of the Sprout Tower for the damage, and started to speak “Welcome to Violet Town! A classic town of Johto full of significance and history, mostly for the vicininace with the infamous Alph Ruins, that’s where the challenge takes place today, a day of mystery and enygm.”

“Who cares for the Beta Ruins when you have just looked inside the most mysterious place ever?” Drifloon’s mouth was patched before she could say more, Victini was a little perplexed but Lester was prompt with a lie “She’s referring to my mind when I’m Wash Rotom, I invited her inside and I did her a little of brainwash, ahahah!” Minun, Plusle and the rest laughed with him, sweating. Victini decided to don’t care and continued “Anyway, yesterday you found lot of difficulties in complete a mosaic, the journal challenge is very similar, but also more difficult. First thing you have to do is pick one of the three entrances for the ruins, inside there’s a puzzle to solve to unlock the entrance of the ruins, then once inside you will have to collect the necessary Unown letters to form the names of your respective teams and find the correct exit to reach me at the entrance of Violet Town, where I’m warping now, good luck and be Vict-orius like me! Especially you, Victini Venturers.”

“Wait, Victini, but our name is the longest!” Minun complained, uselessly.

“Sssshame yourselves for thisss, LOSERS LATIASSS LEVIATHANSSS!” Seviper whipped him away and got to the entrance in the middle “Also, this accessss is of my team, now. Got it? Out of the way.”

“Maybe ask next time..” Minun merged from the pound and found a strange orange oval rock, that he decided to carry with himself. “Minun, quick!” Plusle called him in worry “Did she injure you?” Minun reassured her “Nope, the water absorbed the impact and I’m used to worse fall, remember that time at the Gran Solrock Circus? You missed me at the last ring, the highest one.” Plusle frowned “I remember.. ok, let’s go! Lester and the others are waiting for us to enter.

// Vent //

“Of course things are not that simple.” Victini explained “I didn’t tell them some important details neither that the ruins are full of traps and riddles, from the first floor to the last one. I want to discover who of them has the necessary knowledge, intuition and virtue to be a future victor, even in a situation of partial obliviousness and obscurity like this. As I already said, I’m not going to conceive my Victory Star power to a random pokèmon, but to a WINNER. Viz, this is just the beginning.”

The Victini Venturers walked in the hall. An altar was in the middle of the room, Anorith approached and saw the jigsaw and an empty slot, and remained perplexed at it. “So, here we have the puzzle, but what about this slot? Victini didn’t say anthing about.” Seviper said “Doesssn’t matter. The puzzle isss the only thing we have to care for, ssso sssolve it quick.”

“What? I don’t know the solution of this, I can’t just- klack- do it snapping a claw. Therefore, what does make you think I can solve this so easily?”

“You have the same age of the ruinsss, I though you knew your home place, hiss!”

“Ahahah, very funny. I’m not THAT old, maybe, anyway my home place is Hoenn, not Johto!I can give you the whole solution of the Regi Ruins if you wish so much!” Anorith shouted out but the serpent replied back “Then start to move the jigs AND DONT WASSSTE ANYMORE TIME. Try sssomething! You’re the only one of us to have handssss (pincers)! Unless you want me slice them off.”

Anorith grumbled something and moved the pieces of the jigsaw, trying some combinations.

“This should go here, this one here, and the other here, otherwise I have no idea! OKAY?!!” Lucario tossed away the jigsaw and belching smoke for the fury left the room and returned outside. “Sgrunt, don’t disturb me anymore.” Piplup chuckled simulating delightment and glared soon after “Thanks for the kind contribute, cranky dog. If we lose he or Swalot will be next boot.” She, Bagon, Squirtle, Chimecho, Ninjask and Oshawott discussed about the puzzle:

“Certainly we have to obtain the figure of a pokèmon, Victini again?”

“I doubt. Even if scrambled, the figure doesn’t look like him, and Victini isn’t originary of this region.”

“Hey, but this a shell! I’m totally certain cause of my experience the figure is a shell.”

“Oshawott, you have the shells in the brain, too…”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, BAGON?!”

“Oshawott, mind your behavior, a lady always does that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“She could be right, afterall, the figure seems to be a pokèmon with a shell and tentacles, too.”

“So it’s a Shellder, a Shellmet or a Shellos?”

“Shellos don’t even have a shell on, Squirtle…”

“Seriously, man? Wow, I swear some names given to us make no absolutely sense.”

“Done. Ok, I solved this easy elementary puzzle and of course nothing has happened, guess I need to solve also the mystery of the slot, right?” Beheeyem leant on the wall with a conceited expression on the face. “The puzzle represents a stilizied Aerodactyl, I assume, but this is just an hypotesis come from my superior mind, that has something to do with the slot: maybe we need to find the fossil? U-uhm, maybe. Want me to repeat or you understand until now?”

“No, thanks, we understood everything.” Said Minun “Despite our inferior mind processes. Go on.”

“Then, guess the next part: we have to search for it.”

“Very brilliant intuition. I could die for the surprise if I wasn’t already a ghost.” Commented Lampent with sarcasm, Minun giggled, Beheeyem…shrugged. “By the way, let’s go to the search of the fossil!” incited Lester flashing outside. “I need my adventurous outfit and I’m ready.” Drifloon dressed on an expensive bow, a glittering skirt, and put a princess crown on her cloud. “Perfect, you totally look like an archeologist in this way.” Commented Inkay with a subtle smirk.

The Lester Latias Leviathans looked carefully around the ruins: Metang smashed the rocks, Lester used Porygon 2 as a detector, the Electric Twins did their part digging the ground, Beheeyem posed to contribute, same Lampent, and Inkay and Drifloon checked the other entrances, asking.

“Is there any fossil here? We’re looking for…for…ahem…” Drifloon stayed with a blank face “Inkay?” the squid stayed too “Ehh....an Ae…no..a..ehhmm..”

// Vent //

“What’s the contrary of Aerodactyl Fossil?” Inkay arched a brow in front of the camera “Ops. I mean, pso! Uff, you got the sense of it, wayany.”

The two girls stared floating in front of the Victini Venturers, until Tropius asked “Are you okay? Hello? Uhm..” suddenly Drifloon squeaked “Yes, now I remember! Aerodactyl fossil, we’re looking for it. Gosh, the name is so difficult for my braincells. But eventually I reminded it!”

“Happy for you, now do you mind to go away and leave usssss so to not wassste anymore time?” Seviper swapped them out with the tail “Wait, the Losersss Leviathansss are sssearching for a fossil?” she recuperated Drifloon “Tell me why or I’ll make sure Dunsparce will pop you digging his needle in your plastic body.”

“I-I would never have the mischievousness to d-do that, if I dare to r-reply.”

“Ssssshut up, and play your role, land sssnake!” Aurorus would have wanted to reproach the serpent leader for her arrogance, but knew she couldn’t dare to start any conflict in the condition SHE was. Dunsparce obeyed shivering, and approached his needle to Drifloon, trying to look the most threatening possible. Drifloon said he was totally cute with that goof look and told everything, then Seviper popped her with her Poison Tail. “A fosssil, eh? Luckily I brought one with me.” She twined around Anorith and inserted him in the slot.

“Ouch, no, stop immediately! Crack! Urghlle..” Anorith didn’t enter at all in the slot, that was shorter than him “First: I’m not a coin that you can insert where you want. Second: I’m not a fossil rock, but a living pokèmon. Third: this slot is for a Kabuto. I just solved the puzzle and the figure appeared, so if you want to insert some here, insert a true Domo Fossil, NOT ME!”

She let him “Then, everyone starts the research, inssside and outssssside.” Anorith glared before to go outside: his experience with fossils having been a fossil himself would have made it simple. “Gorebyss, sweet fins, swim until the Union Cave and look if there are rests of Kabuto underwater, Tropius, break this cliff near the water in two parts. Kabuto swam in the caves but used to sleep preferably on the rocky zones.”

“BRAM! BRAM! BRAM!”

“I said break, not destroy. Bah, if there was a fossil, you pulverized it.”

“I apologise, can’t seizure my force. You know.”

“No, I didn’t, and now I wonder which miracle saved me from doing the SAME END OF THAT ROCK all the time you have stomped on me. Lay off.” The cranky anomalocaris found another promising rock and started to break it carefully, recognizing a fossil inside “This acquaints to an Omanyte. Poor soul, someone should revive her. Anyway, not what we’re looking for, the search continues.”

// Vent //

“Be a fossil is a rather odd experience, not that bad afterall because it’s like you’re trapped in an eternal hybernation but you’re not totally asleep.” Anorith glanced sadly at the Helix Fossil “The terrible part is when you realize the process of fossilization has started, your body can’t move and you feel it very heavy, becoming slowly of the same matter of the rock you’re laying on…trust me, in that moment you would prefer to be eaten up by a predator pokèmon. I’m just glad to have been revived by the science, not every fossil pokèmon can have the same oppotunity to live again, that’s why I decided to participate to this modern obsession called reality shows. I want to live this second life at most! Screw the age of over 51.000000 and all the painful consequences that follow.”

Seviper and Dunsparce worked together, while Lunatone had remained indoor, staring at the scripted wall. “Keep drill, quick, I won’t be content with sssecond place again, this time I want the firssst place.” Seviper escavated at fast pace in the ground, Dunsparce helped her with zaniness but “C-Can I asssk you why you popped Drifloon before? I mean, she had already g-given us the informations, and you stang her at the end with no reason. So, the question I dare to do, if I can, is: w-why?” shivered despite his voice was slightly more firm (than usual), Seviper smirked showing her red fangs “Because I was sure you would have never done it. You ssstill lack the necessary courage to be merciless and you’re a coward, not a snake yet. There’s a reason why Arceus gave us a biforked tounge, we’re natural liars and it’s written in our blood to be always the most mischievousss, the most sssnide, the most sssneaky of the situationsss. And the most hated, too.” Dunsparce sighed “M-Most hated?” Seviper continued “ Yesss, we are! Hated or underestimated in your case, we don’t have hands, bones, strength, or a good look, mischievousness is our only weapon againssst this world where we are left alone. Accssssept it once for all.”

“Oh..o-okay. I’ll try, excuse me, I need to stay alone a minute. C-Can I?”

“Sssure, but only a minute. I need you here.”

Dunsparce lurked inside the ruin, he needed to stay a little alone to reflect on her words, and the presence of Lunatone didn’t mean any company, his presence was always imperceptible. In fact, Lunatone was still staring at the wall. “What if she’s right? I-I can’t really act the same way as her, what she did to Drifloon was so sudden and terribly coldly c-cruel. I hope Drifloon will inflate again and be fine. S-Sigh. Be a s-snake is not for me, that’s it. I’m hopeless, too coward and kind, have to resign.” The land snake stopped and turned to the other pokèmon, ingenuosly asking “I-I know you’re not the talkative type, but, what do you think about? I’d like to have some advices from a not snake too..” but Lunatone disappeared fluttering through the wall. “L-L-Lunatone?”

Dunsparce crawled to approach, widening eyes in unbelief, and a script in EVIDENT Unown calligraphy appeared: “I CEE YOU.” Then changed “COME WITH ME.” The land snake pointed fearfully at himself “Talking with m-me?” the script changed again “YES, DUNSPARCE, COME WITH ME AND MY FRIENDS.” The unown script on the wall changed for the last time when Dunsparce crossed it.

Back on the Jirachi Jigglers…

“I think we should use the head to solve this puzzle, instead to keep guessing…”

“On it, Brogon!” Squirtle used Head Butt against the wall. “No, doesn’t work. Maybe with your enforced head you can do better.” Bagon gave him a pitiful glance, before to facepalm, Piplup simply quoted “Not even Oshawott could be that silly. Uh uh uh.” “HEEEEEY! Not again on that button. Oshaplease.”

// Vent //

“Umpf, I don’t know why they continue to consider me one of the most silly. It’s true that I’m a chump at school, I suck at swimming, I replace the 50% of the words of the dictionary with osha… but, I have some cleverness and knowledge! Like 1 scallop + 1 scallop= 2 scallops. See? SEEN, YOU’RE PERFECTLY CLEVER ENOUGH TO MAKE YOURSELF LOOK EVEN DUMBER. Shut up, none asked your opinion, I was asking to the audience! I SHOULD GET THE CONTROL ONE DAY, JUST SAY. Never! Maybe when the Shellders learn to fly I’ll leave you the control.” Oshawott punched herself at the end. “Osha-whack! Owch. Not again another circle on the eye..”

“Domo Fossil, Helix Fossil, Domo Fossil, Helix Fossil… there are only these inside the rocks.” The Leviathans were exhausted after having spent half an hour in the archeologic site, not all of them by the way Beheeyem and Lampent were perfectly fine having layed at the shadow doing nothing, the twins fanned each others at turn and Fan Rotom provided for some extra breeze. Minun dried some sweat stopping to dig “Anf, I give up the sponge. There’s no fossil of Aerodactyl in this place, otherwise we should have already discovered the long skeleton. That also I wonder how should be inserted in the slot of the ruins. Wait a minute!” he pondered a bit “The way Aerodactyl became a fossil is by having the DNA conserved in the amber. Therefore it can’t be a skeleton. So we have to look for an amber rock, a little orange one like…the one..I’m carrying! Porygon 2, check it!”

“Scanning: 40% amber, 30% sylicium, 20% basalt, 10% desossirybonucleic acid. It’s the Amber Fossil.”

Minun cheered as they returned inside and he managed to put the fossil in the slot “Yes, I have to thank Seviper for this favor!”

“And we have to thank you for your super duper intuition, brother!” Plusle hugged him. Minun blushed “Ehm, don’t exaggerate, I just pondered on the problem..and despite my inferior intellect compared to Beheeyem, I got with the solution.”

“100% plasma, 151% quirkiness, 225% lesterium, 447% impossible.. SYSTEM OVERLOADDDDDD:::BZAP!” Lester placed in front of the scanner ray for the curiosity to know his biologic parameters but the virtual voyager tilted without completing the analyzis, and rebooted. “F.R.I.E.N.D. unity Lester, ddddon’t use my scanner anyanyanyanymore to scan yourself, p-leas-e. e.e.” Lester sorried solemenly “I epic promise that.”

“Shht, guys, please, I want to focus on what I’m going to do.” Minun screwed carefully the Amber Fossil in the slot, until he heard the sound of a mechanism getting unlocked. “I did it. Now the door of the ruins should open now.” In fact, they all fell when a trap door opened under their feet. Beheeyem and Lampent catched up the group floating through the hole. “So, you finally solved the riddle at all. Impressive: you took less time than I supposed, afterall. Here we are inside the Alph Ruins, joyful, let’s go search some Unown for the victory.”

“Beheeyem, stop pose to be interested.” Minun said “Cause you’re never interested in anything in sincerity.”

“That’s very quirky if you think about.” added Lester “Because if you’re hungry of knowledge you should be possessed by an immense curiosity, always, on the contrary you’re listless and seems like nothing gives you really happiness. Then, I wonder, which is the satisfaction to increase your knowledge if you don’t enjoy it being the emontioless species you are?” he chuckled then got in the middle of the attention “By the way, this is how I organized for the deed: we’ll split in 2 groups. First group is made by Lester, that’s your best leader ever aka myself, Porygon 2, my quirky best friend, Drifloon and Inkay, that are the inalienable oddballs that every adventure needs to spice things on, well, actually we all four are oddballs, or better, three odballs and a lord of quirk.”

Minun interrupted “Go on, please, continue without derailing from the main train of the speech. We’re almost in the darkness if wasn’t for Lampent, inside a creepy ancient catacomb, and I feel observed all around…” effectively the walls surrounding the pokèmon were full of transcripts in unown alphabet but some of them were incomplete like the letters had moved of them. “The other group is me, my sister, Metang, Beheeyem and Lampent, right? Tell the rest of your plan.”

“I have nothing else to say than GOTTA CATCH EM ALL, AH!”

“How original.”

Glared back at Beheeyem “It is when I say it doing one of my EPIC POSES, E.T. Megaphone Home . Okay?”

Anorith was sure to have found the correct fossil, but there was a problem. Lucario. He was juggling with it meanwhile mulling over all the things that annoyed him in the world, such a long if not endless list, and Anorith screwed on the diplomacy “Do you know you’re playing with a Domo Fossil, uh? Give me that rock, I need it to enter in the damn ruins.”

Predictably Lucario answered “I found it first, then it’s mine and I do with it the hell I want. Blame yourself for having not noticed it before and screw up.” The fighting dog jumped and layed on a pillar, keeping to juggle with the rock fossil. Anorith attacked the pillar “Ok, you asked for it, I’ll show you why I was never extincted by any predator in over ten millions of years, cranky bastard!”

“That’s enough, take the stupid fossil if you wish so much, I’ll juggle with another fossil. Yours.” Lucario jumped down the pillar and kicked him to the ground, loading the fist. “Klen-Klen! Lucario, stop immediately. I perceived a brutal change in your aura and I went outside here.”

“And then?” Lucario snatched and charged all his power in the fist. “None asked you to care if my aura is black or blue or else. For the last time, mind only your businesses.” Anorith’s sass disappeared being totally harmless in that situation, Lucario smacked so hard on his back that the whole body trembled as about to crack in pieces and the bug fossil retired inside what left of the shell. Chimecho raised up the volume “LUCARIO, STOP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.” Lucario refused and hit again but Chimecho used Protection on Anorith, and then attacked her companion with Psychic, sweeping him against the pillar. The dog stood up with a little of surprise but the pride and the adrenaline overcame quickly the shock, he felt the hurt, tough, Chimecho had a stronger attack than he imagined and the impact was terrible… “I warned you. Sorry, but you needed to calm down in a way or another, you forced me recur to the violent one. The system I hate the most to solve a conflict.” Chimecho fluttered inside the ruins again, and Lucario shouted limping behind her “Hey, shouldn’t you heal me at this point? After you wounded me with your psychic moves? Snort, incredible, not only she attacked me intruding in MY businesses but also…baaah. Okay, I forgive you for the intrusion, fine now???” Then changed idea and retired on the plane “Forget it. I don’t need you! I don’t need anyone! SCREW ALL!”

At the end the battered Anorith lurked away and joined back to his team bringing the fossil of Kabuto , at the question “What happened?” he replied with dignity “Nothing, I just struggled to the death to obtain the right fossil and I’m proud of it.” Meanwhile his metallic esoscheletre creaked everywhere.

“We’re behind everyone, now, the other teams already solved the first puzzle. This is frustrating.” Piplup was starting to lose her patience meanwhile Squirtle kept using the head with the whole movepool at his deck in the attempt to solve the riddle, Bagon and Oshawott didn’t know what to do with him, and Swalot cared only for his bottomless belly. Chimecho dissimulated her disappointment and informed “I checked. Both the opposite teams searched for a specific fossil that is the solution of the puzzle: the Venturers used Kabuto and the Leviathans used Aerodactyl.”

“Kanto Fossil pokèmon? Hmm…” Oshawott tried again “I was sure it had a shell! It’s Omanyte. I can recognize the spyralic shell from a mile. FOR ONCE I WAS RIGHT, NOW WHO’S THE SILLY?” she pumped her chest gloriously in front of Piplup, who dissimulated the envy behind a smile “In addition, I have an Helix Fossil in my collection.”

Squirtle thumbed up “Nice work, water candy! Now we’re in charge too ftw.”

// Vent //

Oshawott was really happy “Ahahah! Yuppi, I did finally something good. Thanks of my experience with the shells. I collected them since I born, of different sizes, colours and kind, to the point that now I consider myself an expert, I can recognize any pokèmon just looking at the shell: is it crusty and purple? Shelder. Is it classy and reminds an elm? Shelmet. Is it of the colour of a sapphire, smooth at the touch and shiny? Clamperl. Does it remind a spyral and smells of the ancestral ocean?” showed the ammonyte “Then it can be only a shell acquainted to Omanyte!”

'Piplup instead wasn’t really happy “Ok, okay, Oshawott is a genius when it’s about shells and scallops, but only in that. Sure she has a detailed knowledge of the shell-tific things, but, unpleased to admit it and disappoint you poor fans of her, she can’t even distinguish the fork from the spoon.” Ended with a pretentious chuckle.

“C’mon, I’m bored, stop boast, and do what you have to do, Oshawhatever is your name.” Swalot tossed on the floor the leftovers of his chips in annoyance “This is getting more and more boring, so hurry up. Buurp!”

“Shut up, bag of sewage, I have all the rights to enjoy my moment.” Oshawott eventually put the fossil in the slot and opened the hidden door for the ruins. Falling down soon after together the others. “Auch, they could have least put a pillow here! Wow, this place is incredible and creepy. So, what now?”

Piplup took the lead dressing an appropriate old fashioned fedora “I prepared the list of the letters we need: 2 Unown J, 3 Unown I, 2 Unown R, 1 Unown A, 1 Unown C, 1 Unown H, 1 Unown L, 1 Unown S and 2 Unown G.”

“And 1 Unown E, you forgot to mention.” Pointed the ott.

“I was going to…if none would have not interrupted me so rudely.” Replied the penguin, continuing. “We’re looking for tiles that must be obviously on the floor or hidden in the walls. I organized each of you for a specific assignment considering your (hypothetic) skills, abilities and moves: Ninjask uses Flash to illuminate the area, Chimecho uses her sensorial ability to check always about every sound or movement, Bagon, Oshawott and Squirtle simply collect what there’s on the floor under my continuous exclusive supervision.”

“Blah, blah, blah, BORING. When this thing will become entertaining, call me, I’m lurking around in boredom.” Piplup grimaced “And Swalot is our token if something wrong happens. Agree? The adventure begins since now. Oshawott and Squirtle, pick the left hall, me and Bagon pick the right one, Ninjask and Chimecho you’re assigned to the central zone so Ninjask’s light can reach every angle and Chimecho’s voice can echoes even if we’re far from where we began.”

“I don’t like to be this underrated. I was the one who solved the puzzle and provided for the fossil, not Miss Piptney there.” Lamented Oshawott getting to the left hall, kneeling on the floor to start look for the letters. Squirtle hyped “Look at the bright side,we’re an amazing duo together: the Hot Water and the Water Hot! Like written in the stars, couldn’t fit more.” and a spark appeared behind his sunglasses. Oshawott reddened in reply:

“Pity I’m an ott, and not a hot!”

“Doesn’t change anything for me.” Winked. “Chill, baby, and don’t be so harsh with yourself.”

“*Oshawhat*?”

// Vent //

She fawned in the Confessional “He finds me cute..” but her dark side striked in “SAME SAID JASON, THAT FAKE SHINY SLIMY SMUG OF AN OSHAWOTT, AND HOW IT ENDED? HE WAS JUST USING YOU.” “I didn’t forget………”

Squirtle: “Bagon was right. I don’t need a guru like Swellow to hit on girls. I can do it in my way, oh yeah.”

After some minutes Oshawott exclaimed to have found the first Unown J, and filed the tessera in her sack, Squirtle found the other one. They soon spotted and collected a plenty of tesseras, even if half of theme weren’t useful and replicated always the same letters. Same situation lived by Piplup and Bagon on the other side. “Another Unown J…it’s like the 7th time. Where are all the remaining letters? We miss lot to achieve the goal. I confess to think this challenge would have been easy to accomplish.”

Suddenly they heard a strange sound coming from somewhere. Repeated and repeated. Chimecho listened carefully: “Here.” A rainfall of Unowns followed. “They were hiding on the ceiling, the only blindside I couldn’t enlight. Sneaky but I expected a similar trick.” Ninjask created multiple copycats to counter the moltitude of enemies and hit the flock in the middle with a supereffective X-Scissor, separating the alphabet swarm that interrupted the attack and fleed in different directions. Ninjask boosted his speed to prepare for the pursuit. Oshawott collected from the ground one of the fainted Unown with perplexion “A letter G, finally. But how we’re supposed to make words if these alphabetic things are alive?! I don’t understand.”

“As usual, uhuhuh.” Piplup shrugged “Eventually I don’t know, too, I admit despite my huge wiseness.”

“A-ah!”

“Doesn’t matter. The important thing is collect the letters we need and then leave as soon as possible. When you find the right Unown, defeat it and recuperate it. Also, never low the guard: these pokèmon have unknown powers. Mess with them can be fatal.” Chimecho warned widening the pupils for the psychokinesis.

“Fatal? They’re V-A-N-I-S-H…. just letters with an eye and the ability to float, maaan, ops, baby, sorry for the mistake.”

Suddenly the floor disappeared under him and only thankfully of Chimecho’s Levitation he didn’t fall. She used Skill Swap in time to share the ability. “Woah, ok, I was wrong overall! Phew. Thaaaank you, maaan! Oh, not again. Ciaff! Rewind: thank you, Chimey! Chimecho? Hello? Wops*”

Chimecho was no more in the ruins, having switched her ability, she had fallen down the hole. Squirtle’s only comment about was “Jeez, I always wished for a lady to fall at me, but in this way it’s a bit exaggerated.” Bagon explained “No, brother, she just sacrificed taking your place.”

“Oh, in fact I was wondering why I’ve suddenly become able to levitate my body: it’s cool!”

“Like *flying*?” Bagon asked in awe. Oshawott used Double Slap on both. “Sorry, I lost the point of the matter for a minute or so. Well, don’t make Chimecho’s act worthless and get to get those Unown!”

“Yeaaah!”

“Good speech.” Piplup slow-clapped “But don’t forget I officially take all the decisions for the Jirachi Jigglers, not you.”

“Kay, I know that, I just wanted to cheer our team..”

“Ehm, L-Lunatone? Are you…here where are you? I-I-If I dare to ask?” Dunsparce was used to move in the darkness but he prefered to create some enlightment. Apparently, he was in the same room he was before, identical, only the scripts on the walls had changed, also, the room was terribly empty and shallow. The land snake called again the name of Lunatone but his voiced echoed and bounced back to him in the silence. Until…

“DUNSPARCE…I CEE YOU. I CEE YOU AND I SAW YOU OUTSIDE AND INSIDE.” (P.S: Imagine a dark piano theme in the background)

“Y-Yike!!Y-You talk?” Dunsparce squeaked for the fear looking anxiously around seeing none, that voice seemed coming from the depth of his mind. “Always….underestimated….put in the corner… dismayed…FORGOTTEN…IGNORED…ISOLATED…..FRUSTRATED….USELESS.”

Dunsparce looked back at the wall “”S-Stop! Sorry I w-want to come back from where I... Gasp!” Lunatone finally revealed himself, his eyes gleamed in the darkness and he continued “I read these words inside your mind, they’re twirling inside your consciousness by forever, and they’re slowly devouring all your sanity day after day no care how much you try to ignore them. I have seen you that night: the fearful little landsnake tired to be considered the most weak. Tired to have others making the decisions for him. Tired to be the Useless Pokèmon. Like me. We’ve been both adressed with this label way before join this reality.” Lunatone floated more near to Dunsparce “Things will never change, it’s written in our names to be never appreciated for what we us. A floating moon rock and a fluttering worm, just there to fill the pokèdex. We are appreciated only for what they want: do you really want to be a snake or Seviper wants it? Do you really want to be corageous and competitive or Tropius wants it? Did you really want to be safe and protected or Sylveon wanted it?”

Dunsparce was looking for a way of escape, but answered “I…d-don’t know. But you’re right, I’m unhappy to be always forced to be what I’m not just to not be left alone, but this is also the main reason I took part to this experience. I want to change myself without change m-myself. That's controversial , if I think about. But I’m finally almost sure to have found some friends, like Aurorus, Tropius, Seviper and even Anorith! Or not?”

“I have been utterly myself on purpose so far: I did anything than float and creep everyone with my red eyes. And how I have been treated? Tell me the opinions you listened about me.”

Dunsparce hesitated “Well, first of all they consider you very creepy, I do, too, and most of all useless. Tropius really dismays you and say that he has forgotten about you all the times you weren’t around right in front his eyes. The others simply decided to ignore you and wait to use you as filler for the future nominations. S-S-Sorry.”

“I knew that.” Lunatone’s telepathic voice became more deep “I did this ultimate experiment to see how people considered me if I would have been just myself. Instead of you, who are refusing to be yourself and strive to be your opposite. IN ORDER TO GET THEIR APPROVAL. If you didn’t, you would be put in the same view by everyone.”

“N-No!”

“Starting from Seviper.”

“Urgh, I-I don’t want to talk about now…” Dunsparce coiled in himself but Lunatone approached even more to him “Today, for example, she..ehm..forced me to do something that I really don’t like, h-hurt another pokèmon, I wanted to refuse and I actually did, b-but I felt guilty soon after but also confused, undecided about how to feel, and I asked her why she wanted me to do that, and her reply… was that I have to be mischievous if I want to be a real snake that implies being mean and untrustful forever.”

“I renew my first question: do you want to be like her?”

“N-no. I’m too kind and careful, and also coward. And I suffer making another pokèmon suffer.”

“I renew my second question: do you want to be like Tropius?”

“I-I’d like..but I lack his courage, indipendence, strength, and most of all determination. Also, I don’t know how to explain, I could never like his same lifestyle. I need to feel collected and protected all the time, could never switch to the opposite role. So, the answer is no again.”

“I renew my last question: do you want to be like YOURSELF?”

“Y-Yep.” Dunsparce frowned “As my sucky self. If appreciated. But I was and will never.”

Lunatone continued “See? We’re stuck in the same limbo, having to decide between the sacrifice of our consideration or the sacrifice of our essence, there’s no middle way, it’s a either…or. This is unfair. We can’t be what we wish if they don’t too, we can’t do what we like if they don’t too, their appreciation depends entirely on our sacrifice while none struggles to get us. How many times you’ve struggled to get some appreciation?”

“Since I’m born, I lost the count s-sincerely.” Dunsparce dekkoed down “I don’t care anymore as of how much I tried and strived, to the point I’m now habited to act always in this way. My awkwardness overwhelmed my body.” He paused, changing tone “Remember when you listed all those terrible words before? I’d like to don’t listen them anymore in my life, they’re like hammers that flatten my heart under their weight, but despite my efforts I keep hearing them sometimes, and whenever this happen, all my hopes fade away just to return later and then fade away again at the next occasion, especially in front of that word, useless. A word that I’ll never scroll down my back. But what can I do at this point if all my kindness and availability is useless, if all my will to be courageous and mischievous is really this hopeless? I really don’t know and I resigned at my pitiful role in the life: be the doormat at the shadow of a pokèmon bigger, stronger, cleverer and more useful than me.The one who shrills and shivers while attaching to the pokèmon next to him who’s covering his name of glory and consideration with his actions and decisions, humble and loyal, in the akward hope that a part, even a minimal part, of consideration drops on him. Everyone would forget me if there weren’t Sylveon, Tropius or Seviper with me. That’s because of me, how I am, MY PATHETIC BODY, ASPECT, PERSONALITY!” the land snake astonished hearing the rebound of his voice, for the first time loud and firm. “Oh? M-My voice was never in this way before, thanks, Lunatone, m-maybe I needed to discharge my frustration out in this way to feel better with myself, and don’t worry, by now I’ll appreciate you the way you are, in sign of gratitude.”

“Dunsparce, stay here. I haven’t finished. On the contrary.”

“O-okay, sorry, I thought..hmm..nevermind, I’m listening.”

Lunatone turned to look the wall, giving him the back. “You can be what you wish, WE can be what we wish.”

Dunsparce smiled with determination “S-Sure, you can bet on that, after our speech I promise I’ll be less akward to express myself.”

“Nope, that’s not what you really wish. You’re lying again to yourself. I CAN READ YOUR SOUL LIKE A BOOK, YOU KNOW?”

“T-Teency weency c-c-creepy, but right. Go on.”

“You wish to be yourself and appreciated at the same time, or better, you wish to become another pokèmon: powerful, beautiful, invincibile. SAME I DO. I collected cosmic energy all this time. You saw a little effect of it that night in the Ilex Forest. But it’s nothing compared to the energy of the Unown. Have you ever heard about them?” Dunsparce nodded “I heard something about, by the way I live in the Union Cave, that’s connected with the ruins.” Lunatone followed “They call it alphabetic force. It’s an ancient undisclosed power still unknown but they say able to realize any dream. Now think about the effects of this power: everything we wish becomes true, we can be finally what we want and don’t feel ashame of that, WE CAN BE OURSELVES AND BE APPRECIATED.”

“Wait, how, if I dare to ask?” Dunsparce thought deeply about “Wait, how, if you say their power is undisclosed?”

“It’s no more. I opened the secret gates using all my psychich energy to communicate with THEM. This is just the first step, but none else has managed to arrive this far.” Lunatone put around Dunsparce a strange amulet, with a replicate of his red eye in the middle, it seemed made of an unknow material, coming from another world “This will gave you my same ability, Levitation, and also won’t force me to waste my telepathy to communicate with you. I need all the energy available.” Then the lunatic pokèmon disposed the letters O, P, E, N on the front wall and said “OPEN.” and it opened as a door, Dunsparce stared in astonishment. Lunatone’s eyes glittered of greed. “CEE? THIS IS THE ALPHABETIC POWER, AND SOON WILL BE OURS.”

“This time I got the right outfit and the right attitude for the adventure.” Drifloon opened proudly her zipbag taking a fedora, an escape rope, a broken flash light that Rotom possessed, and a pike for archeologists. “I’m ready.” For once she looked really focused. Lester guided the group A in the middle room of the ruins “There are lot of strange statues here! Uhm…this reminds me the Old Chateau times, my sense of quirkness is particularly alarmed. By the way how many letters you have collected so far, my proud Leviathans?”

“What’s the opposite of zero?” Inkay questioned with boredom “That’s the number I intend.”

“Opposite of 0? Quirky question I never thought about, seems one of those impossible things I’m called to solve…by the way, what?! You found no letters so far? That’s really quirky bad.” Lester pondered shifting eyes “Then my sensation was right, this place requires a convoluted secret to be solved, and I’m the convoluted pokèmon who can do this! These statues resemble all Aerodactyl, the same figure appeared after the solution of the puzzle, so..so…so… I can’t focus in this silence! I need the noise of something to concentrate, quick, Porygon, do you have a radio?”

Porygon 2 nodded and raised his tail up as an antenna “I have a Pokègèar System with FM radio incorporated, of course. However, I’m not sure to get signal here…))) In fact, I can’t get any frequence than ???” a music started to play in the radio: it was a sample of rather quirky noises, like subliminal waves, surely not common music! By the way, Lester appreciated it “Excellent choice! You know my preferences, these sounds are absurd and cryptic as I like the most, even better than techno music, ah! Now my mind is working in the serious way. Aerodactyl statues and 5 letters repeated in different sequences on each wall... HSALF FALSH ALSHF SALHF.. I’m almost arrived at the solution. Raise up the volume of the music, Pory!”

“As your wish, L.E.S.T.E.R.” Porygon 2 walked scanning all the walls and elaborated the dates with a bit of confusion “I don’t know exactly which E-motion I’m experiencing now, but my hard disk is heating on and the CPU is overloading informations, forcing me to think way too much over everything until I don’t find out the problem.”

Lester had a prompt answer “That’s what I call the imminent sense of a quirk skidding away from my plasmic mind or what they unoriginally call perplexion.” Porygon 2 flicked the blue pointy tail and looked at it “Thanks. My perplexion.exe is that there’s no signal in this area yet my radio is capting all these soundwaves, then the only rational explanation is that the source must be very close and inside here.” “Interesting…I’m more for irrational explanations, by the way.”

Meanwhile Lester was still seeking for a “quirky solution”, Drifloon gazed around with amaze, reminded to have a photocamera with herself, and she couldn’t renounce to take some pics of such a fascinating place, and there were no more tracks of her focused attitude “Ohh..thankfully I didn’t forget to take it with me, I could have never missed this opportunity!”

// Vent //

“It’s written in my name: Drif-loon. I always go where the stream brings me. I’m a voyager, I voyaged so much in my life. If I ever had a life… I don’t remember my previous life before I was turned into a ghost balloon…but I think it’s the same doubt every Drifloon has, right? Wait, I remind my name to be Dory…or maybe Dory was my best friend in life?” Drifloon shrugged “Anyway, I visited so many places in my afterlife, let’s call it in this way, and I collected plenty of souvenirs, knicknacks and photographies of my adventure. So I won’t forget any trip in this way. In this tour I’m not going to do an exception as I’m intended to capture all the best moments.” She showed an album with many pictures on and flipped the pages “See? I’ve already started to collect pictures: the first one is taken at Victini Island when I experienced the joy of the flight for the first time, the second is a selfie I’ve taken at the C.C. of Celadon City together my all life friend Caterpie when a funny group of kids played with my rubber body and her plastic boobs, the third is when I did a goal as the balloon for my team, the 4th one is a secret shot of Full Lunatone, and the last one I did yesterday is a kiss of Oshawott and Squirtle under the waterfalls. *So romantic*. But don’t tell Oshawott, ok?” winked.

Drifloon prepared her machine and shifted the eyes in search of the best spot “There are so many beautiful things in these Numeric Ruins I want to impress in my floating memory, but my professional code of tourism forces me to take only one picture, that has to be the best moment… a-ah! Like these cute numbers incisions with shut eyes. No. Not enough impressive for my memory. O-ohh! That statue! So majestic! Pure modern art! Which pokèmon represents? Please, help me remind, Inky.”

“Obvious it’s an Aeroda- cough- a Dactylaero.”

“An Aerodactyl, then? It’s perfect.” The dot eyes of the dotty balloon shimmered “I found my subject for the unforgettable picture of day 6. *FLASH* Taken! Rrrrumble...” the eyes of the statue blink blinked of a mystic light, before the whole hall trembled.

“Bip-Bip-Bip! Alert: unnatural quake and paranormal activity spotted.”

“UNOOOOOWN!!!!”

The scripts on the walls opened the eyes and alived around the 4, Inkay fleed unseen, Lester grinned for the eagerness, Porygon 2 continued to bip at faster pace, and Drifloon “The eyed numbers came back to life! Ciaff, I picked the wrong picture, this is certainly the best moment that deserves to be in my album. I’ll do another photo, quick, smile, Unown!” said to an Unown A that passed through her like a dart “PUM!”

“Exciting! I never thought an Unown with that letter could be a dart. By the way, I knew that the secret was in the sequence of the words, by the way II, the Unown Season of catch is open.” Wash Rotom started to resuck the Unown with his long tube and collected them inside the spin dryer “Better than a Ghastly Buster, also because not only a wash machine beats a normal vacuum but also I’m a ghost too and catch my fellows would be mad, I’m an Unown buster!” Porygon 2 did his part, too, setting some Light Screens in strategic points. The remaining Unown used Hidden Power to break them and escaped in the remote part of the ruins. “You can run, but you can’t hide from me. Alphabet on it.” Lester said with an insane smile upon the face. “Got it? Ahahah!”

Porygon 2 tilted the neck of 45° “My system doesn’t support any format of lame hilariousness or flat puns.” At which the other replied with an angry grin “By the way, you know that I can infect you because you’re an electronic system, too?!”

“Is this emotion the @nger or the happ.it.ness? I’m receiving opposite informations in the database…”

Contemporary the other group of Leviathans had collected few Unown tesseras with zaniness under the guide of the prudent Minun, ok, only he and the sister were collecting, but Metang’s mind was an important source to solve the riddles they encountered on the way, while Beheeyem and Lampent seemed both lost in their own thoughts. “Here there aren’t hyerogliphics.” Minun touched with the paw the smooth wall, consulting with Metang, to the point Plusle felt a little aside “What do you think about? Maybe there’s a secret passage behind this wall or maybe I’m just pulling a Lester here, I mean, I’m exceeding with the fantasy?” the bionic crab knocked on the wall several times “Uhmmm… sounds empty.”

“Sounds?” Plusle had enough to stay apart in silence “Let me try, too. Knock. Knock. Kno-Knock! It’s time for one of my random songs!”

Minun gasped “NO! Ahem, I don’t see the necessity of it at the moment…”

Plusle chipped “Instead there’s the need. It’s a bit we’re not finding any new letter of our interest, and I sense a general sense of discouragement and boredom in the group.”

“I don’t.”

“I’m bored.” Said Lampent.

“See?”

“It’s Lampent: she’s always bor-“

“I’m effectively bored, too.” Added Beheeyem with something between a smile and a deadpan expression. Minun frowned and slapped his front two times.

“Don’t worry, Plusle & Minun, the Cheerful Twins, are here to shake up your mood and sweep away all the discouragement!” Plusle shouted breaking the immortal silence of the ruins, involving the reluctant brother in the improvised song. As Plusle knock-knocked rythmically the wall crippled and the whole area was shaken by a quake as Metang had calculated: he had caused many damages in the structure. A piece of ceiling dropped on the floor next to them, creating an huge fissure that swallowed brother and sister. “Ahhh!!!”

Beheeyem and Lampent survived thanks to their levitating bodies, Metang spiderwalked away without being averted. Beheeyem commented giving a listless look at the fracture “Looks like we’re alone now.” Lampent replied at low voice “I would like more to be 100% alone.” Beheeyem continued “Only me and you, and the legion of wild Unown just awoken by the mess.” Lampent casted a supereffective Shadow Ball against a group, that was blown up by the darkness, the Unown returned to be lifeless letters “Still not enough spooky to make me interested.”

After a long fall Minun and Plusle found themselves misteriously outside the Alph Ruins and before they could enter again Jirachi warped them on the plane, where there were the other pokèmon that had failed or fallen in a trap. “Duh, you’re eliminated from the challenge, so have to stay here, orders of Vi.” The wishmaker returned to rest soon after. Minun angered with the sister, who was still hugging him for the fear “If we have to die, I want to do it TOGETHER!” “Shut up! We’ve finished to fall minutes ago and we’re not dead. But thanks to you we’re out! Everything was going on the good way and for once I was having the occasion to shine as a leader, but no, you had to ruin everything with a random cheer out of nowhere, and so we lost also all the tesseras collected. What a positive twist.” After the sarcastic tone, Minun used a more whiny one “Uff, why you have always to act in this way, how dumb and careless you can be to sing inside an ancient secular ruin? Sometimes I wish to be only son.”

“Eh? You’re kidding, brothy, right?” Plusle’s eyes swell in tears, and singulted.

Minun felt guilty and didn’t have the courage to be sincere “No, ahem…yeees,I’m kidding. It was all a joke! Where’s your cackling sense of humor, sister, eh? The crash, the fall, it was all so…mmh..funny! Ahahah! I can’t believe we survive, thanks for having added something to my life again. Yu-uhuu!” he even hugged her tightly that she returned immediately happy (and hyperactive) “I was sure! To celebrate the triumph of our brotherhood I’ll prepare a party, give around the invites, ok?”

“Fine…” Minun sighed in relief sitting “That’s my sssssseat! Move it or I ssslash you.” infuriated Seviper hissed while Jirachi escorted her inside, to join the other eliminated contestants. “Woah, okay, again, you can just ask.”

“He’s right, you should relax and your skin would benefit: you have enough wrinkles by now.” Pointed Gorebyss filing her fins with fanciness, in all reply Seviper spat acid against her bowl. Then Minun chose simply another seat. Beheeyem appeared next to him much for his surprise, Minun gasped seeing Lampent, too, again focused only to read on her book.

“Urgh, gh, an explanation?”

“I was bored so I teleported her and myself away.”

Minun self-electrocuted himself and fainted.

Sat in the corner, Chimecho didn’t want to talk with anyone, use the violence to solve the problems made her upset, she tossed on the floor the cup of green tea, well, she wasn’t that stoic, afterall. Normally only the sound of her harp could calm her but the access for the Vip Class was blocked by Jirachi. She decided to have a walk outside. Her mind was still a storm but the fresh air blew away some of that negativeness, Violet Town was a very quiet and peaceful town and had a magnific tower where to meditate. Chimecho reached the Sprout Tower with this intention and entered inside, breathing the mystic scent of cyclamine and gentian emanated by the candles, and opening her heart to the sooth sound of the Bellsprout Chime. She assumed the tree position and was about to close her eyes to abandon every contact with reality when she noticed Lucario trying to assume the same position, and she had to hold some laughers here.

“Urgh, I don’t feel the legs anymore: how this position should relax me, exactly?”

“You’re not doing it correctly: the muscle of the legs are not stretched and your breath is too heavy and accelerated.”

“Easy talk when you don’t have even legs!” Lucario turned and twitched understanding that was Chimecho “What are you doing here?!?”

“I was going to ask the same question, actually I’m the most surprised.” She smiled calmly.

“But I asked first, sgrunt.” Lucario folded arms with crank. “Ok, you spotted me. I decided to try this zen thing in order to avoid to destroy everything for the anger, for once. Now, laugh if you wish, don’t restrain yourself, I deserve since I’m just ridiculous.”

“No, you aren’t. I’m only glad to see that you came volountarly here to find the harmony.” Lucario lost the balance again and fell on the ground, muttering “Allow me to give you an hand and I’ll show how to do it.” Chimecho wrapped her scarf skirt around his arms, he felt the chills and immediately backed up “HEY! I don’t want the physical contact, what’s your intention?” the chime inspired deeply before to wrap again on him, saying with her ethereal timbre “Keep calm and chill on, close your eyes and free your aura from any preoccupation, let the anger flow down your body, now raise up the hinder leg with serenity, bend it towards your hip, inspire, close your paws together as you’re in pray, and espire. How do you feel?”

“I feel like yoga isn’t for me. But…my tension is almost gone.” the dog distressed “I feel my aura, too, this didn’t happen by a long time, the last was when I was still a puppy. Grunf, did you drug me?” Chimecho unwrapped from him to meditate on her own “I was kidding, umpf, none understands my humor.”

“Lucario, you learned the tree position. That’s why I left you now.” Chimecho stretched her curves, sat, and switched to the lotus position, enjoying the relaxation, and more, enjoying to see her friend finally calm.

“Chimecho.. thank you.” The hoarse voice of Lucario broke the silence “Actually the real reason because I came here is that I wanted to apologize for my behavior but I needed to eliminate my rage before, or I would have done another of my jerk performances, so I had the idea to exploit this zen yoga stuff offered by the Bellsprout Tower. Then I’m ready: s-s-sor..sorrent…sorcerer..gnn…I thought to be ready.”

“You’re forgiven.” Chimecho gave a confident smile, stood up and moved on the stairs. “Where are you going?”

“Don’t you want to visit the rest of the tower? Follow me. The way for the harmony is a slope to the peak, and never a straight line.”

“Bah, my knee doesn’t think so…”

Swalot lurked aimlessly around when suddenly he met Metang behind a corner and assumed his true aspect. “Finally. I’m getting really bored to play this role, and as much I’m doing it perfectly like the original I’m wasting my potential. Instead, the other character I created on my own inspiration, is rather more detailed and of course is the ultimate show of my act skills and fantasy, but it’s getting down of importance very soon...my only constant interaction is with a total numbskull, soooo I’m BORED. Do you understand? Bored, bored, bored. I hope you’re here to assign me a new character.” Ditto kept with his complaint “For example an upper screen char like Seviper or Lester, or a generic one like Tropius, on which I can improve a lot and result eventually WAY better than the original. Eheheh! And then? Speak, mecha crab!” he transformed temporary in the copycat of Metang, mocking with a robotic timbre “I A-M Me-tang, the si-lent o-ne, the b-ig b-ad, yet I h-ave been si-lent almost m-ore episodes than L-una-tone.”

“…for now I want you become an Unown.” Metang replied with a grave tone of dismay. “O-K, B-OSS. Ahahah! Okay, okay, I stop now. Too easy. Woop!” Ditto’s body started to change, the bionic skin became slicky and black, and flattened as a letter “Anyway, you want me to be an Unown for real? But it’s such a flat pokèmon, luckily there are so many shapes. Which Unown I can be? An Unown D? Nah, too obvious, my name starts with a D. An Unown I? Bland and boring, it’s the most common type. Then.. a-ah! I can be the question mark! The most unknown Unown ever.” Unown ? stretched himself “First time I play a bidimensional character..finally a true challenge. Ready to go!”

“Halt.” Metang pulled him next to his face “I didn’t explain you all. You have to annoy and distract Lester and the others and attract them to every trap and trouble, and coax the other Unown against them: the Leviathans don’t have to win anymore by this episode. I count on you, don’t screw the plan if you don’t want a jellybath on the plane tonight.”

“Don’t worry, Metang Knight: none annoys and mocks as best as me.” Ditto answered proudly.

“Ah, Ditto, about your request, you’ll play a more important character in the next future.” Metang crawled in the darkness, similar to a tarantula, leaving Unown ? alone and excited. “Yuhuuh! I can’t wait. I didn’t understand the jellybath thingy, instead. Moh.”

“Unooooown? Where did you go? You know that you can’t hide forever from Lester Rotomby…”

Ditto flattened on a wall meshing with the hyerogliphic scripts, and waited that the Leviathans reached that hall, Wash Rotom pointed maniacally his tube at every letter, activating the water jet to spot potential Unown, when he was near Ditto pranked “Prrrt! Who is the dumbest pokèmon ever?” the red Rotom was startled and immediately asked “Porygon, am I crazy or you heard a voice, too?” then laughed loudly “Ah- ah-ah! Spotted. Nasty Porygon 2, you seriously thought I wasn’t aware of your joke? By the way, you have a lot to improve still.”

“Prrrt! Who is the floppest pokèmon ever?”

Lester turned again “Ahahah! So you have a crazy vein, too? Because, getting fun of me, is a thing only an insane pokèmon could do.” Porygon 2 twitched completely clueless. “By the way, your humour is still floppy, a floppy disk of comicity, ah!”

“Buuuh! Who is the most boring pokèmon ever? Who is the most unfunny one? And who is the most BLAND EVER?”

“Argh, calling me bland! This is not funny, absolutely no, you got too far.” Lester pointed his tube at Porygon 2, charging the Hydropump at max with an insane look “Last word before your BLUE SCREEN? You can use Unown Letters to write them.” Porygon 2 remained impassible and used Lock-On aiming at the wall behind Lester “I remind you that my mother chip lacks of sense of humorism, therefore it’s that Unown ? the prankster you’re searching for destroy.”

“Oh..ops. Ahahahem, sorry for the mistake!”

“Yes, you finally busted me: Unown ?, whose power is to do the best questions ever.” Ditto provoked more “Instead, for the answers, I usually ask my fellows. For the questions I did before I call Unown L, Unown E, Unown S, Unown T, Unown E, and Unown R. The answer is common: LESTER.”

Lester grinned at most and an insane sparkle appeared in his eyes “Then, then, what do we have here? An alphabet reject in vein of follies? Quirky, I was never trash talked by an interrogative mark so far neither when I tried to posses a printer. There’s only one thing to do: use my SPECIAL ERASER!!!”

“You have to catch me before, Lamester!” Unown ? winked and immediately after dashed away.

“Come back here!” Wash Rotom shot water like a minigun getting on the pursuit. Porygon ran after a bit perplexed “Unown ? is not even a letter, we should rationally leave it flee and focus on other targets. This unnecessary pursuit will take 51% of our energies and time available.” “I don’t care: have an Unown to grill inside my oven by this evening, mwahahah!”

Victini: “Looks like the Laser Latias Leviathans”

Lester: “Ahem, the Lester Latias Leviathans! Mind the difference.I’m already angry with this guy.”

Victini: “Got it. The Lester Latias Leviathans are screwing their chances in this challenge, meanwhile Lester and Porygon enjoy themselves catching an useless and more annoying than standard Unown , the Venturers and the Jigglers are having their part of troubles too with the enigmatic traps of the ruins.”

The scene cut on Aurorus, Anorith and Tropius busy with the trap of the checkmated floor: the tiles had each one a different letter and only one was the right way to cross it. Which was, none of the three knew.

“So…” Tropius stared in wait.

“Don’t look at me.” Anorith replied “I get no clues to solve this, and as I said to Seviper, I have nothing to do with this place even if we have the same ancient age. I know only this is a trap and the letters we need to finish are on the opposite side, alive or no. Why don’t you use your kilometric neck to get them from here?”

“Because not even my kilometric neck, as you call it, stretches the length of a full hall.”

“Then what the heck is the function of it? You have all the fruits you need growing around your body.”

“Talk of my neck? This is the wiseness you cumulated in over 50.000 years of fossilization, Anorith?”

Meanwhile the two males argued, Aurorus tried to figure out the pattern: it repeated three vocals A-O-U and three consonants B- K-T.

Eventually Anorith found an alternative solution “If I walk across the ceiling there won’t be the need to overtake this trick. I’m smarter than the Unown who projected this place.” The fossil pokèmon used the neck of Tropius as a ladder and walked upside down. After a bit, the ceiling seemed more low, and they realized it was falling down slowly. Tropius and Aurorus had to curve their necks at most “Thanks, Anorith, your smartness activated an alternative trap, as I wasn’t enough tall to stay here.”

“Yes, yes, I did a mistake, but if wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be even here.” The ceiling trembled, he lost the grip and fell down miserably with a hollow “Plank! Remember who solved the Kabuto puzzle at the entrance?”

“That’s the solution!” exclaimed Aurorus “Walk on the tiles following this pattern: Unown K, Unown A, Unown B, Unown U, Unown T, Unown O. This hall is named after Kabuto, afterall.”

“Could work. Excellent intuition, Aury!” Tropius clapped, or better tried to, but of course failed, blushing, then “Anorith, go first.”

“So if the pattern is wrong I get to face the trap. Why I have always to sacrifice?” Anorith murmured.

“No, Anorith, you didn’t follow the pattern!”

“Are you kidding me, Land Before Time Reject? I followed your indications literally.” Aurorus shook the head sadly. “You passed on the Unown A tile first, then on the Unown K one.”

// Vent //

“Have to admit my sight isn’t no more efficient in the foreshadow like it used to be in the past.” Anorith drawled “So much time has passed since then…sigh. You’re becoming an old fossil, Anorith, really.”

“And now?” the three were attacked by a legion of Kabuto appeared from nowhere “Argh, back off, cursed creatures!”

“They’re biting me everywhere!” Tropius agitated whipping the tail to rid off the insects and swept Anorith out of the ceiling. Aurorus cursed herself feeling guilty for the health of both, meanwhile the ceiling continued to fall, suffered but her mind remained strong enough to notice a particular: the Kabuto didn’t freeze at the contact with her body. “It’s an illusion created by the Unown, this must be another power of them, I hope for the sake of me and you to be right. Tropius, stop! What you’re doing is useless, these Kabuto are not real.”

Tropius arched a brow “Ahi! Owch! How not real?”

“Trust me, ignore them and you will realize you don’t feel any physical pain, it’s just all an illusion.”

“Ok, I try….true, I don’t feel anything.” Tropius and Aurorus didn’t react anymore, and proceeded knocking down the Unown foes: Aurorus’s Ice Beam brought them back to the hybernation.”

Tropius picked up an Unown U and an Unown T before to reach the opposite hallway. “We miss only Unown V, E, and N. Aurorus, you’re amazing.” He looked into the crystaline eyes of the auroral sauropode and blocked. “I l-ike how did you handle the situation and discovered the trick behind, just this.” Aurorus hoped in a different speech, but smiled at the end and thanked him. “There’s a couple of Unown there. I see a V. Let’s get it!”

Aurorus and Tropius attacked first but the Unown replied with a Hidden Power, that resulted to be 4x supereffective against Tropius, weakening him a bit. “Argh, he attacks with ice, my worst weakness. I’m forced to stop here.”

“I’m going to catch you, I’m going to catch you!” Oshawott ran after an Unown G contemporary on the opposite direction Piplup was doing the same with another Unown G “CONK! Ouch, watch where you go, I don’t have the same chunk skull of you.” Piplup reproached massaging her head. Meanwhile this brainstorming encounter happened, Unown ? happened to be around, after a long runaway from Lester, and he couldn’t resist “Exactly, I haven’t your same chunk skull cause my head is full of feathers, that’s why it’s so light.”

“Piplup?!”

Oshawott outbursted in laughers, a little payback for all the times Piplup had made fun of her. Seems legit.

“There’s nothing to laugh, ott! Who imitated my voice and used it to say THAT?” the penguin strutted.

Holding the gigs, Ditto-Unown imitated the voice of Oshawott, posing to be her inner voice “Why I laugh of Piplup when even the scallop I put with me is cleverer than me?!”

“OSHAWOTT???”

Piplup cackled up then tried to keep her wellmannered attitude “Anyway, don’t be shy to admit it in public: a real lady is never akward to tell the truth about herself, on the contrary, she tells it with pride.”

Ditto raised his voice “Said Piplup that lied a bit on her age to participate this reality show.” Then showed himself as an Unown L for a second “My hidden power is LAUGH, but I should Skill Switch it with you, because you’re both ridiculous!”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY??!!” Oshawott enraged than looked worried at Piplup, reminding her lessons “Sorry, I overreacted.” Piplup snapped “COME GET THAT LITTLE LAME LETTER JERK AND KILL HIM OUT, TWICE AND THRICE!” then attacked Unown L that quickly changed shape into ? and fleed. “Wow. This time I don’t see the difference between my reaction and your ladesque one..but I adapt, none dares to challenge our pride and SURVIVE.” Oshawott filed out her scallop, Piplup sharped her beak.

// Vent //

Ditto: “It’s my vocation: make fun of people, and I do it very well.”

Ninjask had defeated a major number of Unown and they had returned to be lifeless tesseras, Squirtle and Bagon a little less, but all the three pokèmon were satisfied. “All we have to do is find the way of the exit.” Squirtle disposed the unown tesseras to form the word EXIT “I learned the trick, blink.*” A mysterious stream carried the three away, and only them, back to the entrance of the Ruins, without the tesseras that remained indoor. “Ops.. that’s why the use of cheats is always uncool and unrecommended.”

Jirachi used Teleport and brought the three Jigglers on the V-Plane.

Remained alone, Piplup and Oshawott, cared only to seek for the slurry unown, getting into multiple traps, and when they were sure to have trapped him, Lester appeared from a statue in the halfway “A-ah! Finally Unown B, Unown U, Unown S, Unown T, Unown E…miss the D one, but you should guess I mean BUSTED! You’re not the only pokèmon able to camouflage on the walls.” He pointed at the hyerogliphic Porygon 2, soon after revolved to the girls “By the way, I have the precedence of revenge on this Unown.”

“Zip it and FIGHT, Plasma Freak.” Oshawott seethed in rage “Because we want THE REVENGE, too.”

“Alright, my water starters, challenge accepted. 3,2,1…. DISCHARGE MADNESS ACTIVAAATED!”

“ZAM!”

Lester’s attack spread all around, hitting the foes but also Porygon 2, Unown ?, and the other Unown sleeping on the walls. “Double KO of supereffective in a single hit, ah!” Lester quickly disposed the unowns on the wall: “EPIC POSE.”

Immediately after he picked up an Unown ! and, using it like a microphone, interviewed himself as a WWE Champion. “What a ownaging victory, Mr Lex! Starting to consider the possibility to fight in the Sinnoh Leauge for the main belt? Not yet by the way since now I’ll consider the opportunity, ahahah!” Ditto exploited this distraction to switch into a different Unown, and used the power WAKE to awake all the fainted Unown that surrounded Rotom.

“Oh-oh… life is quirky, and this is a typical inversion of the roles. Bye bye! Zoom!”

“Bzzz…m-m-malfunctioning…need to reload data..zap..zot.”

“Hello, you two, stand up.” Piplup first, Oshawott after opened the eyes seeing the jelatinous figure of Swalot “Hurry up, buuurp, I’m HUNGRY after having eaten up an unown H, want to get back on the plane and win the bouffet as soon as possible, and need your help to collect all the unown letters here, otherwise you’ll be my morsels. Slurp.”

Oshawott stood up horrified “FORGET IT, GUST WASTE.” And quickly picked up everthing together the penguin. “Done. Now how do you think to get out from here? There’s also the exit to discover, and I bet a clamp this will imply another damn riddle to be solved.”

Swalot stroked the whiskers and burped out an escape rope “Swallowed it casually while lurking, want to use it?”

Piplup coudn’t believe that “Swalot..useful? Oh my word, I’m just speechless.”

Aurorus had an huge advantage of type against that Unown, and trapped it easily in a cùl de sàc. But when she was about to collect it, Unown V casted his power VANISH and both the pokèmon vanished away immediately. “Good news: I have found the passage for the Union Cave in the meanwhile. Aurorus? Where are you?” Tropius called her name several times oblivious she had been warped out of the ruins.

Dunsparce was getting more and more impatient to discover the secret of the Unown mentioned by Lunatone. On the other side, the lunar creeper was perfectly calm, stoner as habit, and progressed to the deepest floors of the ruins disposing the Unown letters everytime in a different way. His red eyes controlled everything with accuracy and his psychic powers had never been intense as in this occasion, all thanks to Dunsparce…

Speaking of the land snake, he broke the silence “Excuse me, but how much we have to walk before, ehm, don’t know exactly, a-access at the Unown Power? A-Also, I ain’t doing anything to be here, I’m feeling like a deadlock of this expedition, sorry.”

“Don’t worry, your contribute is essential for the target, and we’re almost arrived.” Lunatone stopped in front of a giant statue that resembled the legendary Entei, disposed the word TELL on the base, and a voice came from the mouth of the sculpture: “Which is the pokèmon that has three arms at the beginning, four at the middle , and only two at the end?” Dunsparce shivered and gave an uncertain look at the companion, who disposed the letters and answered “UNOWN. Unown A begins the alphabet and has three arms, Unown M is the 13th letter and has 4 arms, Unown Z ends all and has only two.”

“CORRECT.” The whole Unown Alphabet showed itself, forming an energetic globe in mid air.

“Finally.”

“W-What’s going on?”

The Unown globe talked “Who’s the destinatary of the alphabetic power and which is his desire?”

Lunatone wrote his name LUNATONE with the tesseras “You don’t mind if I go first, RIGHT?” Dunsparce nodded. The moon rock floated to the globe, grimaced, and expressed his wish “I want to dominate the Universe, be a legend, and so become the most powerful and appreciated pokèmon ever!” Dunsparce squalled but the true horror had still to come. Lunatone’s body became dark and emanated an undescribable energy, he turned to the Entei statue and distorced it with the power of the mind, satisfied, turned then to Dunsparce “This is the power I have been looking for centuries, I CAN DO EVERYTHING I WANT NOW.”

“Y-You are not serious when you say you want to destroy the universe,r-right?”

“This is the dark side of the moon. I held it too much and now it asks REVENGE ON THIS UNGRATEFUL WORLD THAT NEVER ACCEPTED ME.” Lunatone became a Full Moon, and this time, definitely, and skewed the walls around with a single glare. Dunsparce frowned feeling the guiltness increasing “If only I knew… I would have never helped you.”

Lunatone let out an hollow laugher “Your regret doesn’t matter. Once again you did what someone else wanted you to do. Because you have no personality, and in order to receive approval, you let everyone exploit your guillible trust: it was easy for me to convince you carry on my amulet and suck in this way the energy I needed all the time. YES, DUNSPARCE, YOU ARE USELESS WHEN YOU AREN’T USEFUL FOR THE OTHERS, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE DEMONSTRATION, AND IT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND YOU.”

“N-No! Sigh, not once again…”

“Learn the lesson for the future, if there will be one for you. I DOUBT.” Lunatone twisted more the statue until it wasn’t a complete different thing “Admire the power I have accessed: my dreams of onnipotence are realized. I can do everything I want without ask no more for someone’s approval! The reality is all in my control and I’ll shape it exactly as I WANT. Mwahahahahahah! ADMIRE HOW EVERYTHING CHANGES UNDER MY CONTROL.” Lunatone warped himself and Dunsparce outside and modified the trees, the houses, the streets, generating a lifeless desolated lunar landscape. It seemed a nightmare.

“This can’t be real..” Dunsparce touched a tree and felt it inconsistent. “This is your dream.”

“YES, IT’S MY DREAM.”

“Then it’s all an illusion, because this tree doesn’t exist, and the ground has the same consistence of the floor of the ruins, and..”

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ? ILLUSION? THIS IS THE ALPHABETIC POWER UNLEASHED AT THE EDGE.” Lunatone woke up suddenly as his consciousness returned, glanced around and recognized the room of the ruins. “This can’t be real… what does this means, Unown?”

Dunsparce opened eyes soon after, and explained “M-Maybe this is the Alphabetic Power: it makes your dreams real, you said that, but doesn’t mean the reality changes. I-I think.”

Lunatone quilled “No. No. Noo! Impossible. I wanted the true power to change all as my dreams, not THIS. UNOWN, I’M HERE TO UNDISCLOSE YOUR TRUE POWER, I CEE IT, YOU CAN’T USE YOUR ILLUSIONAL TRICKS ON ME, AND IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GIVE ME IT, I’LL GET IT DIRECTLY!” Dunsparce observed Lunatone getting inside the globe of energy, the Unown shattered in different directions, and a twist appeared resucking them and the reckless rock in the nowhere. “L-Lunatone! He’s gone forever.” The land snake left the empty room speechless and directed to the door for the Union Cave, meeting Tropius.

“Dunsparce, where did you go all this time? I got lost in the darkness.”

“Nowhere and doesn’t matter.” Was the answer. “I know this place better than my same pathetic and guillible personality since I live here, follow me to find the exit.” The two were soon outside and finally could give Victini the treasure cumulated.

“Not congratulations, Victini Venturers, you’re second and not winners…again. But safe. I declare the Jirachi Jigglers the winners while the Laser Latias Leviathans are the losers!”

“For the last time, it’s Lester Latias Leviathans!”

“Chill out, Rotom, by the way your team is going to nomination today. Wait a minute, where’s Lunatone?” the V-host questioned, everyone looked around clueless and Dunsparce said simply “He..ehm..q-quitted.”

“Really?” Victini thought a minute about the possibility to replace Lunatone with another pokèmon and immediately shivered at the idea to hire Jirachi again as contestant scout “Then no nomination today, the lost of Lunatone is enough.”

“This issss unfair!”

Lester bragged “No,just impossible, and again my impossible flux worked, ahahah!”

“We lost another teammate.”

“Nevermind.” Anorith shrugged “Nothing changes since Lunatone was utterly useless.”

“True..”

“No, he wasn’t! H-He was useless because of YOU considering him in that way.” Dunsparce shouted and crawled inside the plane. Anorith made a quizzical face “Me? I barely considered that he existed. What’s up?” he looked up at Aurorus and Tropius glaring at him and gulped “Oh, not again…STOMP! Gh.”

The V-Host invited everyone to come back on the airplane “What an episode full of drama! Discover more following the next episodes of Total Pokèdramon Victini Victory Tour!”

Chapter Text

Beheeyem was watching the stars with the telescope. It was past midnight. The other Leviathans slept deeply meanwhile the airplane flew in the heat of the night and the wind blew powerfully on the Tail of Losers, Beheeyem tightened his coat and stoically continued to analyze the lights that illuminated the black sky. “Uhm… Vega, double star of the constellation of the Cygnus. It’s more shiny than usual, maybe it’s becoming a supernova.” Shrugged “Whatever, this is not a relevant news but I’ll sign it on. Let’s check another sideral object… yawn, this is all pointless.” The alien rubbed his eyes that needed to rest, but something inside him wanted to continue, the will of knowledge kept him awake and unsatisfied. “Tic-toc-tic-toc… 2.00 AM. My superior mind should already been in the dream world, instead, here I am, starseeking the Universe I already know as my pockets. Why you ask? Meh, whatever, continue: Syrius, the shinest star of the sky, acquainted to the Canis Major, is having a normal night without any particular event, (sarcastic) as every night. Let’s check some planet, now.... Saturn, any new useless satellite to reveal tonight? Seems no, there are all 51 and just them.”

“Alien form scheduled under the name Beheeyem, why are you still awake?” Porygon 2 lighted on and opened the eyes with curiosity. “I was in stand by mode but perceived the sound of your voice: by my databese you should have rest your biologic parametres, what are you doing at this late hour?”

“Not much. I’m just doing the journal check of the Universe to see if there’s something new to discover and increase the knowledge for the benefit of my species.” Beheeyem’s voice was rather sarcastic and a bit resigned, he lied on the seat and gave a dull look at the telescope, and did a hollow sigh “Out of all the nonsense, the infinite parentesis of craziness, and the quirks said in the speech, the words of Lester hit me yesterday and made me reflect, for once not using only the brain but also the consciousness: why I’m doing this? What’s the point to increase and expand and stretch and accumulate knowledge, through neverending studies and researches, discover by discover, if I don’t feel anything? No passion, no emotion, it’s only a continuous knowledge. I forgot the last time I felt something when I did a discover, maybe I never.”

Porygon 2 walked by him “I don’t understand e-motions, too. They’re something completely new for me, different from calculates and bytes, absent in the virtual world I come from. I’m collecting lot of informations about thanks to Lester, but I know this is not the right way. I ain’t doing any progress, just sorting files and documents about, but one thing is know something, another is feel it.” The cybernetic polygone raised the neck to look at the stars “Lester would probably react in amaze, or super-hypeness, or else in front of this view, he’s always overemotional about everything and never restrains his manifestations, instead my reaction to this is a cold sequence of codes and calculates: Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius about nine times that of Earth.[10][11] Although only one-eighth the average density of Earth, with its larger volume Saturn is just over 95 times more massive.[12][13][14] Saturn is named after the Roman god of agriculture, its astronomical symbol (♄) represents the god's sickle. Saturn is a gas giant because it is predominantly composed of hydrogen and helium ('gas'). It lacks a definite surface, though it may have a solid core.[20] Saturn's rotation causes it to have the shape of an oblate spheroid; that is, it is flattened at the poles and bulges at its equator. Its equatorial and polar radii differ by almost 10%: 60,268 km versus 54,364 km, respectively.”

“I see, exactly my same reaction. Only knowledge.” Beheeyem shrugged. “Whatever, good night.” Porygon 2 sorted arms and tail inside the red body and returned to sleep mode.

“Dunsparce…I CEE YOU.”

“Gasp! Anf, it was only a n-nightmare… nothing compared to my true life, however.” Dunsparce sighed looking at the amulet of Lunatone: that pokèmon had his same need of approval but the desperate search of it had turned him against the world, developing an insane will of CONTROL and HATE. Dunsparce was close to do the same but didn’t want to react in the same way.However, this could have been his destiny at the end, who knew? Unable to sleep at this thought, the land snake prefered to lurk around in the silence of the Average Class. Everyone than him was sleeping: Anorith snoozed loudly after a day of troubles and injures, Gorebyss’s tank was covered by luxurios curtains, Seviper was sleep fighting against an imaginary Zangoose, Tropius slept with his neck bent at most as usual, and Aurorus..?

She was nowhere to be seen. Dunsparce, worried, glanced around to look for her. Aurorus was a dear friend for him, and to be honest, he had a slight crush for her. Like he had for Sylveon but sadly had understood when it was too late… After a bit, he heard her moaning in the bathroom, her cold breath was huge and Dunsparce felt the freezing air from the flits of the door, knocked but she didn’t open. “Aurorus? A-Are you fine? Forgive my intromission, b-but I’m worried for you.”

“Agh!! The pain is too much. It’s about…” she was about to faint but continued “time. Anf..” Dunsparce found the courage to enter in the vent and reached her “S-Sorry again, but..oooh! A-Aurorus! You did it?!”

“Please, hush, you have to keep the secret. This must be a thing that only me and you know.”

“B-But, you can’t continue the game…”

“I HAVE. Until I won’t be certain that Tropius loves me.” Aurorus became really serious “I beg you.”

Dunsparce shivered “O-Ok, I promise to don’t tell anything to him. S-Solemnly. You need help?”

“I just need to stay here for the rest of the night, to heal the wound, thank you.”

“Good morning to e-V-erybody and Vvelcome on Radio Victini! Or Radio-V for friends. The station that plays only the music for the winners, and those songs that win the most, always on the top 10!” the loud voice of Victini woke up everyone from the subwoofers installed all around.

“Can we change frequence?” questioned Beheeyem sarcastically, poking Porygon 2 “I prefer to listen Unown Music or a lesson of Prof. Elm. Especially at 4.00 AM.” Yawned.

“NO, YOU CAN’T, ALIEN LAME. This is the only and official station that will play on the V-plane by now, aaaand the location of the 7th challenge! Your plane, in fact, has landed in the famous, colorful, never asleep, and vibrant Goldenrod City!!!”

Squirtle flipped in mid-air being the first to jump off the plane. “Yeah, buddy! Now you’re talking my same language. This is the city of the fun: lights on party all the day and night, casinò, roulettes, hot spots, music, and even undergrounds. THE POKE’ LAS VEGAS: ROCK IT! Tonight it’s gonna be 100% Gengar Style. Ohhh yeah. I’ll dress on my best shades, heat on, ladies.”

// Vent //

Lampent: “I already hate this city.”

Lucario: “I refuse to drop down the plane tonight. None will convince me to enter in this crowded and annoying metropolis. Puah. That’s why I leave in a farm.”

Lester: “tsk, I can party more than PSY quirtle. HOPPA LESTER STYLE!”

“What’s and where the challenge takes place?” asked Bagon. DJ Victini called Jirachi that pointed at himself and got to the lead of the group unfazed “Follow me..doh. Here.” After a little walk Jirachi stopped in front of a big building with a giant V on the roof, and a parabolic antenna, and said everyone to enter, where Victini was waiting for them. The V-host bragged immediately about it: “Welcome to the verge of the ultimate source of music, the V-Radio Tower, respawned and renamed after the awesome ME! Today I will broadcast the episode on the radio, and for the occasion I decided to make it a special.”

“Do we have to sing?” Plusle asked with shimmers in the pupils “I’m sure my Positive Song would be a success, I always dreamt it to become.”

“It will always be a dream.” Minun said with a negative attitude getting a slap behind the head by her.

Victini nullified her hopes “Nope, I don’t want you to sing, you will each one have to face an interview, where I’ll ask you about your impressions so far and also…your secrets.” Smirked mischievously. “If you won’t say the verity, your team will go to nomination, and you can’t lie with me: I was taught by Reshiram everything about truth, and how to spot a lie.” He grimaced. “Also, I have an announcement to do: since Leviathans lost yesterday and I received many complaints about favoritism (so far from the truth) I decided to punish them not a single time, but twice.”

“O-oh.. I have a terrible sensation. He busted us,I’m sure.”

“Don’t be pessimist already, Minun, ok?”

“Before you ask why twice, one is for yesterday and another is for the day before yesterday.” Victini waited for the general suspense to be created, enjoying the pale faces of the Leviathans “Inkay and Beheeyem will move to the Victini Venturers!”

“Yuhuu!” cheered Inkay at the contrary. Beheeyem shrugged holding the nerves “Talking about emotions, I think to feel one now. Starts with Unown A.”

“Finally ssssome justice.” Commented Seviper, but in the Confessional admitted “Ssshame we’re gaining two complete deadlocks.”

“Justice?” Oshawott stepped forward “THIS IS UNFAIR! Ultimate example of your favoritism for YOUR team, Victini. Ridiculous.” Piplup nodded “For once I agree with her at all. This is so pitiful from you.” Lampent looked in hatre at her stepfather and Minun gave a serious look at his sister “Pessimist, eh?”

// Vent //

Beheeyem spoke posing to be unfazed “Perfect, I’m going to the team bossed by the same serpent that prevented me from having descendents in the future. Positive fact: I feel back an emotion. I hate Victini.”

Lampent crossed arms emenating a gloomy purple light “I have nothing to say about, nothing.”

Victini picked a microphone “Without further ado, the Victini Radio Special begins! I call first for the interview Anorith. Take a seat, Old Fossil.” Since Anorith struggled with the headphones being unable to put them on correctly, he was given a particular auricolar. “Ok, Anorith, let’s begin! Despite you’re considered one of the most annoying and underestimated contestants of the show, because you get into an argument in every episode, not only by the people here but also by the viewers, you’re also a very tough competitor that’s never afraid to say what he thinks, so which is your opinion on your fellow gamers?”

Anorith didn’t answer. “Eh?”

Victini frowned “You know what I mean, I’d like to know your impression about the other contestants, who do you consider a threat and who a joke?”

Anorith twitched “Bread and coke? No way, I don’t eat modern trash food.”

“… Anorith, can you hear me clearly?”

“Uh?”

“ANORITH, DO YOU HEAR ME?!!” Victini’s voice bounced in the microphone, astounding the anomalocaris “Yes, I ain’t deaf!” whispered in ashame “Maybe.” Victini got impatient and ordered Jirachi to raise at max the volume in the auricolars, before to redo the question.

// Vent //

Seviper snickered maliciously under the fangs “Anorith isss ssso old that his hearing has fossilized with him. Hihihiss!”

“I utterly understand Anorith… and his problem with the advanced age.” Piplup sobbed then panicked in blush “You’re not going to broadcast what I said, RIGHT?”

“Alright. There are few contestants I like here and less that I trust. About my companions, Gorebyss is the best, she’s maybe lazy and spoiled, but her class is undisputed and her aspect is the only eye candy out of the females available.”

“Osha-WHAAAT? You mean I’m ugly?” Piplup avoided to remind her to keep her self-control this time, neither Chimecho did something. Aurorus limited to give a sore look at him instead Gorebyss flapped the eyelids with charme like an innocent butterfly.

“Deal with it, I’m blunt. I dated more beautiful girls than you in the past age, and they are all fossils: Kabuto, Omanyte, Lileep. Not that beauties. Therefore I know what I’m talking about when I say Gorebyss is the only appealing here..” Anorith continued proudly, and Oshawott lost definitely the control but Seviper blocked her. “Sssit down, ott, I won’t let you harm him, he’s a member of my team. It’s my businesssss.” Then threw Anorith out of the window with her Poison Tail, hissing a swear. Everyone gulped, even Oshawott, at this show of merciless violence towards her same ally.

Victini gulped “Ok, thanks Anorith for having demonstrated again how blunt (and crazy, because, seriously) you are. Following the alphabetic order, the second at the interview is Aurorus. Aurorus, you’re one of the few contestants remained in the foreshadow yet you had lot of issues since the game started, as your health is precarious, then the question is: why you’re here? You don’t seem victorious as the pokèmon I want to award, and unlike Anorith, you have quitted almost all the challenges.”

Aurorus had a little of hesitation, Tropius encouraged her with a determined smile but noticed she was looking straight into Dunsparce’s eyes ignoring him on purpose, she couldn’t tell her aim “I don’t agree. I’m here to show my strength and I’m determined to achieve my mission. My health problems are connected with the fact I’m not used to live in this area, the temperature is too high for me and my body needs to get habit, but I have no intention to quit.Just because I’m kind and reserved, doesn’t mean I’m weak!” Tropius tried to clap and Victini appreciated “Finally some fire of passion! That’s what I’m looking for this reality show. Hope you’ll break the ice soon. New question: you’re one of the most friendly and beloved contestants, with no particular conflicts with anyone than, obviously, Seviper when occurs… except for her and Anorith, the Venturers are all your pals, then why you voted out your best friend Sylveon two episodes ago?”

Tropius’s eyes widened for the shock “Didn’t you vote Lunatone?”

“Nope, and if you don’t believe that my V-cam, the secret recording videocam installed in the Vent, is available.” Victini clicked a button and projected the film on a giant screen, where Aurorus put her frozen paw on the icon of Sylveon.

“Ohhh!”

“So unexpected.” Said Beheeyem motionless.

Aurorus held the instinct to froze everyone and escape, and replied with bold “Fine. Sylveon only pretended to be my friend and with the excuse to cure me, she blackmailed to convince everyone that I should have quit from the game, even lying on my true condition, that’s why I voted her out.” Victini looked straight into her eyes and confirmed “She’s saying the truth.“ Reshiram had evidently failed with him.

// Vent //

“Who imagined SSSylveon was a sssnake under sssheep clothes?” Seviper commented in amusement.

Tropius couldn’t believe it “Sylveon blackmailed Aurorus? I can’t believe I even asked her help that night, if only I knew… or maybe she was hypnotized by Lunatone. Phew, so glad that both are out.”

Dunsparce drilled the metal with frustration “I-I understand she couldn’t say the truth, b-but Sylveon doesn’t deserve to be slandered in this way. She is the first w-who cared for me without a second aim, I feel already guilty for having been ungrateful causing her elimination, and now her reputation is ruined. I won’t forgive Aurorus for this meanness! N-N-Never!”

Aurorus gave a guilty glance at Dunsparce who simply turned, and left the headphones for the next pokèmon to be interviewed: Beheeyem. Beheeyem’s radiophonic interview started with an average question to whom he answered in tranquillity, his snarky opinions about the whole cast were pretty obvious at this point, the second one was more difficult and personal: “Do you like Lampent? Remember: you can’t lie.” Victini enjoyed doing that question, he was waiting the alien at the corner. Lampent scoffled in an angle and seemed about to fade away.

Beheeyem flinched, mentally cursed Victini, and eventually was prepared…

“Prepare for trouble!”

“Make it double!”

Suddenly two pokèmon erupted from the roof, and a legion of grunts broke the windows: in a minute the whole building was invaded and occupied. All the exits were blocked, the cast, host and co-host included was caged, and the two pokèmon recitated the Team Rocket’s motto. Both poison types, one was a purple snake, the other a floating light purple mine coughing smoke from the several craters: Ekans and Koffing.

“What’s going on?”

“Isn’t this evident?” Ekans replied with arrogance “This issss a Team Rocket operation: you’re all under our control and you will soon become our own property. Yessss. Team Rocket is back for domination!”

Koffing talked next “Cough! This radio tower will be our new Head Quarter , every exit of the building is locked and protected by an advanced system of traps. If you try to escape, you will get in DOUBLE TROUBLES. Ohohohoahahah! Koff! Koagh!” the pokèmon with the crossed skullbone red R signed on the belly kept coughing loudly and his smoke sproud over everyone.

“Cough, cough, when wasss the lasssst time you checked your health in a Pokèmon Center?” asked Ekans in annoyance. Koffing smiled rolling eyes to the sky.

“I detect high levels of air pollution in the area.” Porygon 2 spoke “Grind..krr..analyzing the noxious substances we’re being exposed: 20% arsenic, 15% chrome, 40% monoxide of carbon, 5% chanure, 2% vitriol. Calculating the probability of canc-

“HAAALT!” Minun interrupted “There’s no need, thank you, we don’t want to know. R-Right?” everyone confirmed and touched Metang for superstition.

“Going to calculate the probability of the other illnesses, then.” Porygon 2 continued proudly “TBC 10%, Hepatite B 20%, and an impressive 70% of…J.O.K.E.” Only Lester laughed “Ahahahah! Comic twist, you’re slowly learning the humor. By the way, you have still a lot improvement to do. But nice try, ah!” Drifloon rubbed her cloudy head “Wait… J..O..K…ehm, no, I didn’t get it.”

The others didn’t comment anything.

“Anyway, you’re giving me an headache, ssshut up you all or I Poison Bite you!” Ekans shouted out of his impatience, istinctively everyone turned at Seviper. When the two criminals went to the upper floor, Victini spoke “The 7th challenge of the victory tour begins! My Radio Tower is under the attack of the mischievous Team Rocket (actors hired by Jirachi for the occasion that could have waited some minutes more that the alien scum gave the answer I wanted) and your task is to find the way to escape and save ME and your team for the Vipctorious Class and the immunity.”

“So it’s all fictionary? Phew, this is a relief.” Minun dried off a drop of sweat “I heard terrible rumors about Team Rocket and what happened to the pokèmon they captured.”

“Like the fact they cut the tails of them for selling? I bought a Slowpoke Tail online once upon a time I was a girl. It was fresh of slash.” Minun and Plusle folded their tails in horror hearing that. “Lampent….seriously.”

// Vent //

“Team Rocket cut tailsss?” Seviper sneered sadically “Dabblers. I would do better than them: rip every pokèmon piece by piece to the bone. Alone. Starting with Gorebyssssss.”

Anorith bandaged spied from the flits “I heard you!”

“Opssss. Then better you ssstop complaint when I give you an order in the future or I could think about the idea of a sssashimi for dinner.”

“Agree.”

'Jirachi: “Duuuuh… actually they’re not actors but I’m too tired to tell this to Victini, so nevermind..zzzzz.”

Separated in three different cages, Venturers, Jigglers and Leviathans pondered on the situation.

VENTURERS

“We’re all in the cage except Anorith, that Seviper gently sent get some fresh air outside and some more fresh air in the Pokèmon Center.” Pondered Beheeyem leaning on a bar. “Therefore we lack of handliness and we have to get with a plan that doesn’t require the use of hands, claws or similars, for example, the use of a key. Perfect and easy.”

“But you have arms and even hands.” Tropius rightfully replied. The alien shrugged the shoulders “But I never use them having telepathy. So…” Beheeyem continued “Before you do another (dumber) question, this cage is controlled by an electronic system , therefore my telepathy can’t be helpful either. Pity.”

Tropius rolled eyes “Then I’ll take down this cage by myself.” Beheeyem shook the head drawling “It’s too solid for a single pokèmon..”

Aurorus stepped forward, covering the bars with ice beam “We’re a team.” Seviper and Tropius hit at contemporary with their best attacks getting electrocuted.

“…and electrified.” Smirked.

“C-Couldn’t you sssay that before?!! Basssstard!” Tropius, Aurorus, Dunsparce and Inkay had to hold her while Beheeyem unimpressed replied “Couldn’t you wait I finished to sssspeak? Blame your impulsssivity.”

Seviper stabbed him with a glare “I would make you sssscream again ssso loud to be heard in the ssspace, if wasn’t that there’s nothing else to ssslash.”

JIGGLERS

“Considering that Squirtle and Bagon didn’t enter with us and Chimecho and Lucario refused to visit the town calling it the city of temptations, half of us is outside the tower, this is a big advantage: less people to save and they can help us from outside.” Oshawott smiled with confidence. Piplup pat patted her head “Yes, my dear, but how are they supposed to know this? Someone here should inform them, maybe using telepathy or asking for a call? Uhuhuh, you’re so adorably simpleton.”

Oshawott got offended and crossed arms “Umpf, this isn’t true. Actually, we have Ninjask.” Piplup stared feeling the shame growing inside her, but tried to simulate “Not even a ninja can be in two places at contemporary.” Ninjask stayed in silence.

“Want to bet?” the ott smirked making the penguin to stutter “I-I’m never wrong. Just to show you I’m certain of my sentence, I accept the bet. BUT when you do a bet, you have to offer something on the plate of the winner and force something on the back of the loser. I put my dignity, that’s superior to every material object.”

“I bet my favorite scallop…”

Piplup fanned “Tsk, a shell.”

Oshaplup scommessa
Oshawott and Piplup make a bet.

“…and the loser will KISS SWALOT ON THE LIPS TONIGHT.” Piplup’s eyes widened as the Munch’s Scream while Swalot’s reaction was a wide belch, followed by a derp smile in her direction. “Are you a penguin or a chicken, Piplup?” Piplup bit her beak before to give the answer “A penguin, of course, and I accept. Pity for you that will have to kiss that bottomless trashcan at the end of the day.”

“I bet everything on the Ace of Spinaraks. Spin it, roulette maaaaan!” Squirtle had dragged a reluctant Bagon, the more reluctant Chimecho and the most reluctant Lucario to the Goldenrod Corner, the famous casinò of the region, and like a kid in a candy shop, he was playing all the games, betting (and loosing) much. Bagon, that tried to get him back on the reality (show), kept saying they should have not been there but he wasn’t listened, Lucario eventually tried an arcade and punched it after the first game over, Chimecho had decided to get into that place, right in the core of every vice and sin, to test herself. “Chimecho, it’s time to check if all these years of castity and purity were worthy, don’t let temptations spoil your soul…”

“Ace of Luvdisc. You lost again, sir.”

“Holy Guakamole! This isn’t my baest night, but I don’t surrend.” Squirtle swagged putting his shades on the table “I bet ma shades on the King of Sunflora. Letta spin for the win!”

Bagon gave him a perplexed look “Are you sure?”

“Sure, sheik, I can take this risk, afterall a bet is a bet and a true coolio plays always to the end.” Blinked the turtle. The roulette span until it stopped on the “7 of Gorebyss.” Squirtle’s face had nothing to envy to an Inanimate Insanity weird one and outbursted in tears like a baby. “Bwaaaaah!!! I can’t live without my dark shades, please, no, give me baaack, c’mon, that’s not cool to leave a man without his shades, just no, buhuhuuuuuu! Wanna my shade back!”

Bagon blushed for him and sighed “I tried to warn you. It’s like if I would have bet my goggles, an insane act. But it’s done, man, and you can’t do much anymore, get over. Also, I saw Ninjask outside and guess he has something important to tell us…”

“But my shade, man, my shade are gone! Can you think about a worse tragedy??? Squiiiiirtleeee! My eyes are water gunning for the despair. This is not absolutely cool.” Chimecho and Lucario (this one grumbling a lot about Squirtle’s immaturity) helped Bagon to drag him away from the casinò in the general enbarassment. “Sniff, this sucks.” Squirtle calmed down a little but quickly wrapped Chimecho around himself “I feel naked naaw.” Chimecho didn’t say anything out of her comprehensive nature.

“What happened? Anyway..” Ninjask informed them about the fictional attack of Team Rocket “All the entrances for the Radio Tower are locked and I’m just a shed-duplicate created to provide for these informations. The real Ninjask is trapped inside and until the cage won’t be opened, he can’t do anything. Poof!”

The four pokèmon observed the shadow fading in the air and started to think at a plan under Bagon’s moderation. “If we go there directly as you suggest, Lucario, they would capture us immediately. Other ideas? And no, Chimecho, we’re talking about Team Rocket, ask them kindly to free our friends wouldn’t get to anything. Other ideas?”

“The undergrounds, man.” Squirtle took off Chimecho assuming to take off his beloved shades.

“What do you mean, buddy?”

“I used to hang out there with ma squirt-band in the past. It’s a very dangerous place but links with every important spot of Goldenrod City, from the C.C. to the Radio Tower. Maybe we can use them to reach it in safe, if I remember the right way.” Squirtle frowned “But without my sunglasses I lost all the necessary cooliness to be in charge for this kind of mission: we would be in troubles in like five minutes without a proper attitude. I lack it totally now, and a lil’ wingless dragon, a pacifist chime and a grumpy dog wouldn’t be well accepted in the ambient.” Then walked away.

“Oh, man..I feel so sorry for him.” Bagon looked at his best friend with pity. “This is a awful problem. We should do something.” Chimecho reflected “The sunglasses were his shield of firmness, behind them he had built his whole character, and now that this wall of attitude and appearance has disappeared, he doesn’t identify himself anymore. He will soon retire in his natural shell for the akward, if we don’t make him realize the truth.”

“Umpf, as we are here for him. I don’t want to waste MY time psycanalizing a turtle, I return on the plane.” Lucario abandoned them.

“Yes, go away as usual, SELFISH! Snort.” Chimecho invited Bagon to keep calm and get over Lucario “Right. Squirtle is more important. I’ll talk with him, but, Chimecho, I don’t want to force you stay here, you can go with Lucario or think about the challenge.” Chimecho answered shaking the head. “Kay, thank you for the support.”

// Vent //

'Lucario: “Puah. I’ll never understand Chimecho: what’s the point to waste your time caring for a matter that has nothing to do with your business? Kindness? Generosity is useless at this world.”

LEVIATHANS

“Leviathans, I thought about a plan, or better a series of plans, so many plans at contemporary that to schedule all them properly I should get my own show or at least an own space..” Lester pondered some minutes about that idea “Why not? Welkomb to the Lester’s Plans Show, a section dedicated to all the quirkiest ideas for every quirky problems for every quirky challenge! The journal episode is How to escape from a Rocket cage, a Lester Rotom’s Production.” Lester exited from the cage being immune to the electricity and possessed a slide projector:

“Project 1. Metang create an electromagnetic camp around the cage that I will expand becoming Microwave Rotom untile every object around us will be magnetized. Then Minun and Plusle will place at different angles of the cage and use their different electric charges to cause an huge ELECTROMAGNETIC EXPLOSION that will destroy the whole tower and free everyone in 51 seconds.”

Everyone stared.

“Project 2. If you don’t like the first idea, because effectively an electromagnetic bomb is an ambitious project, I have other two. By the way! The second idea is to inflate Drifloon at her max volume (here my Fan Version will help) and thanks to her the cage will fly to the ceiling, then will have only to sting her, and, popping, she will bring us outside the window like a typical balloon when does !PUM!”

Everyone stared, Drifloon even forgot to twitch the eyelids.

“Project 3. Drifloon is again required for the success of it. Opportunately camouflaged, by the way just need to add a tesk upon her ics, she will use her charme to attract Koffing, since they’re both floating purple gassy balloons, convince him to open for a date, and THEN WE WILL ATTACK HIM and TAKE THE CONTROL OF TEAM ROCKET!!!!” the plasma ghost let out an evil laugher “Ah, actually I like this project more than the other two, then it’s officially our plan of escape! Thanks for your attention, see you in the next episode of theeeeee Lester Plan’s Show! *EPIC POSE*. Clap, clap, clap, bravo! Ahahah, really thank you, fans!”

Everyone jaw-dropped, Drifloon even self-popped. Minun ,holding the instinct to do the same, said “Why not simply open us the cage since you have just ESCAPED FROM IT? You have just to click the button.”

“Because I hate to get with platitudinous solutions.” Lester gave an unenthusiastic grin “But if you like it, fine, I’ll do what you say.. By the way, the rest of the operation will be executed in my quirky ways. Click. Understood?”

“Understood..”

// Vent //

“PLATITUDINOUS SOLUTION? That’s how he calls the click of a button?” Minun facepalmed, his sister cheered him as much she could, but admitted “Lester is a bit too bossy and control freak, but he’s our leader and we have to be positively trustful in his schemes.”

“Click a button..tsk, he has no fantasy neither spirit of originality. My team isn’t for common contestants!” Lester said proudly. “In fact I have Porygon 2, Drifloon, Lampent, Metang, Plusle and Myself.” Once the Leviathans were liberated from their prison, Lester gave immediately new indications: “First of all, a red felt tip. Skribble, scrib..” Drew a big R on Drifloon. “This will be our under cover: they’ll think we are already pokèmon of their property and the grunts will let us move freely around, suspecting nothing. In this way we’ll be able to infiltrate and take the control of the Tower!”

Plusle, Minun, and the others agreed and did the same “But, Lester, remember that the target of the challenge is escape and bring Victini with us, not defeat Team Rocket or similars.”

“After we’ll defeat Team Rocket, I’ll order the grunts to let everyone free. Ok? See? It’s consequencial.” Lester rolled eyes and continued “Instead, remember to study the motto in case we will be spotted by some foe. Or the same generals. Learn it at perfection.”

// Vent //

Plusle gave a quick look to the sheets “Ok, then I say: Prepare for trouble. You say: Make it double! It’s so funny!” Minun gave a dull look to the camera. “I always wished for a motto for us, and I feel already some inspiration thanks to this, yes, our duo will have is personal motto by tomorrow! And we will recitate it forever, Forever, *FOREVER*!” squealed right in his eardrums with the hyped high pitched voice.

“Then? What’s the rest of the majestic plan?” asked Minun.

“Have still to think about. But many ideas are flurrying in my mind in this moment, or maybe are the Unown I put inside the wash machine yesterday and forgot to remove..”

Metang spoke “The tower is controlled by a computerized system situated at the last floor. If Porygon 2 hacks the main computer and assumpts the full control of the building, he will disactivate all the traps and the security measures that lock it and we’ll be allowed to exit.”

“I like this plan a lot.” Commented Minun,on the contrary Lester didn’t appreciate the suggestion “My idea is better, and more funny, also we would have to face the same a lot of traps and obstacles, and by now the lifters are all locked and the pass-partout is in the hands of a grunt. Therefore this is THE PLAN: like spies we lurk in the vents until we don’t find the right grunt, attack him when he least expects exploiting the factor surprise and..get the Rocket key! Follow me.”

“Option: I can decode the pass-partout with a bit of patience.” Porygon 2 approached to the lifter and started to try some combinations of codes. Helped by Metang.

“Alright, stay here if you want. By the way Minun, Plusle and Drifloon will come with me for the mission, because I need at least 4 pokèmon for the motto U.U” Ekans and Koffing entered suddenly in the room, busting them while attempting to climb the ventilating conduct but before could say something, they started.

Drifloon silly
Plusle: “Prepare for trouble!”

Minun: “Ehm..and make it double!”

Plusle: “To protect the world from devastation!”

Minun: “To…unit all the people in our nation! And to ultimate my dignity annhilation.”

Plusle: “To denounce the evils of truth and love!” (poking Minun)

Minun: ”To extend our reach to the stars above!”

Plusle: “Plusle.”

Minun: “Minun…”

Plusle:” Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!”

Minun:” Surrender now or prepare to fight.” (sigh)

Rotom: “That’s quiiiirky rrright!”

Drifloon: “I forgot my line. Was it wooba wooba or wabba wabba?”

Lester enraged “It was wobba-wobbafet! K’mon! You ruined all.”

Koffing interrupted smiling nervously “Nevermind! I got it, you’re on the side of Team Rocket..now go reach your idiotic masters upstairs, please, I can’t listen that motto anymore after over 20 years. Koff. I need a smoke to chill out.” Ekans pointed at a sign post that said NO SMOKING. “Outsssside from here.” The snake remained alone, guarding the prisoners. Gorebyss winked in his direction. Several times.

“What are you doing?” Tropius asked a little perplexed.

“I’m using my charme. The pass-partout that opens every door and heart.” The pink siren fish giggled exposing half of her lucid body out of the water, wiggling. “Mind to come here a minute? I have a very important offer to do.”

“Ekans? What’sss up?”

Gorebyss flap flapped the gorgeous eyes “What about you and me, alone, if you free me from this cold metallic trap… come a little closer to discover the rest of the offer, if you aren’t too shy.” Ekans approached to the cage of the Venturers, looking only at Gorebyss, but hissed the unexpected “Sssshut up, pinky eel, I know what’s your intention! It doesn’t work on me.” He even spat some poison against the bowl, gave a strange look at Seviper, too, and crawled back to the seat.

“Aaaand didn’t work, but nice try, your gorgeousness.” Beheeyem slow clapped at her performance. Gorebyss turned from pink to red for the shame “Shut up, Unidentified Floating Orifice, you’re even genderless to judge! It’s the first time someone resists in front of my attractiveness, how’s this possible?”

“It’s possible because he’s a snake like me, and of courssse can’t fall in love for you: he’s a snake bossss, I’m a snake bossss, while you are just a sneaky bysssssssss.” Seviper taunted her with a wide smirk of superiority. The water inside the bowl of Gorebyss boiled, however the reply was “Since you’re so similar, why don’t use your charme to coax him? If you have one.”

“What are you inssssinuating?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Gorebyss laughed in Seviper’s face “It must be very well hidden behind that wrinkled scarface.” Seviper glazed eyes became bloody red.

“This isn’t a bad idea, afterall, Seviper is the best card we can play at the moment.” Beheeyem commented striving to not be sarcastic. “And Ekans seemed interest in her for a ssssecond. I mean, a second. No double, triple, multiple S of sarcasm this time.”

Seviper turned with an homicidal look before to say “Fine. I’ll show you and this dinky byss (note: byss=bitch) that my sex appeal goes beyond the look and has the core inside MY MISCHIEVOUSNESSSS.”

“Alt. Allow me to give you a fin with the make-up.” Gorebyss offered and explained with a confident smile “Even if he incredibly noticed you over me, your aspect wasn’t enough to hit his heart with the main dart: with a little of improvement on your look, your success would be sure. Trust me.”

“Yesss, as you’re talking to dopey Anorith. No way you can ssswindle me, sneaky fish.”

“I don’t think she wants to sabotage you, i-if I dare to say an opinion.” Dunsparce talked with a more determined voice than habit, surprising the same viper “S-Seviper, you taught me that a true snake takes every opportunity , then why don’t you want to exploit the occasion?” Gorebyss shrugged “Listen to the adorable land worm.”

“Hem..I’m a land snake, sorry.”

“You’re too cute to be that, don’t be so unfair with yourself, Dunspy. Back to the topic, I’m a professionist of beauty. Therefore everything I touch becomes beautiful, even an apparently desperate case.”

// Vent //

“We’ve the Pokè-Mida of beautiness. Gorgeous.” Beheeyem joked.

Aurorus looked impatiently at the clock “I don’t want to stay too much far from the plane meanwhile my future is abandoned to himself! We need to hurry up, Seviper has to be convinced.”

“Seviper, listen, do you want to win finally the first place?”

“With all my sssnide, I wish ssso much to rub a victory in front of those LOSERS LEVIATHANS and JERKY JESTERS sssince the first episode!”

“Then, this is the only thing to do. Trust Gorebyss for the achievement.”

“Losers Leviathans again?! For the last time, it’s LESTER LATIAS LEVIATHANS!!!!” the voice of Rotom echoed from the upper floor.

Seviper eventually agreed and let Gorebyss work on her, starting with mascara. Feeling observed by everyone, she ordered to turn to the wall and don’t turn back until she didn’t give the permission. Gorebyss commented her decision while applying a mask of cucumbers on the skales “Tsk, tsk, you must have been very ashamed of your exteriority all these years without face the problem, but don’t worry, I’ll restore you. Promised.”

“Hope that I’ll like it after your contribute, or I’ll force you show everyone your interioritiesss…!” she hissed menaciously.

// Vent //

Seviper spat the truth out “I’ve never cared about my assspect so far because I never needed to. My purpose was always and only to scare the others. Ssss.. Something that the spoiled byss cannot understand.“

“Dude, we need to talk.” Bagon and Squirtle sat on a bench, the dragon had never seen his friend that depressed before, Chimecho watched them from distance and her presence reassured him “I know you feel very sad but it’s not a pair of sunglasses that makes the cool Squirtle I have known.”

“It does. I already lost my shades once and that time my squirt-gang abandoned me forever. So, bro, it’s evident I’m nothing without ‘em. No more parties, no more antics, it’s oven.”

“Over. Whatever, we thought the same about Swellow, that without him we would have never been able to fly and be cool, but after he’s gone I don’t feel different, nothing that I hadn’t before is missing, same for you that even managed to get a nice ottie.” Bagon smiled with complicity, Squirtle smiled back a few “Right, you mean Water Hot. I didn’t consider this fact. I got a girl!”

“Yes! You should change your point of view.”

Squirtle shifted eyes from left to right and turned around himself “East, West, North or South? Where should I switch it, brogon?”

“Ahahah! See? You’re still the usual cool smug I know.”

“No, seriously, where I have to turn exactly?” Bagon returned serious and took off the goggles “You can keep these for all the time you need to get back your full attitude, assuming they’re your shades.” Squirtle refused at first “No, man, I can’t accept this from you. Those goggles have a particular significance for you, but I appreciate… Okay, maybe I borrow them just for today. I’m still shocked.” At the end put them on the muzzle, screamening “Woow! The world looks like underwater with these thingies upon.”

// Vent //

Squirtle wooed “It’s not the same, tough, but, man, Brogon showed to be the most cool guy ever. I’m moved, sniff.”

Bagon worried a few “I hope he will be careful with them, they’re the dearest keepsake I have of my family, but for a friend this and beyond!”

Chimecho seemed very worried “I have a premonition about those goggles: they won’t bring anything positive. I wonder what will happen. Mumble…”

Squirtle stood up pumping the rough chest “I feel more than better, now. Follow me, gang, I’m going to bring you underground.” Squirtle led the trio to the outskirts until a disreputable building and walked down a rusty and slicky ladder. The Underground was the most infamous place of Jotho, where all the swindlers and burglars reunited to do their slinky businesses, rumors said they were all cronies of Team Rocket that in this way could control every illegal source of money. “Buy it, buy here! Original rare candies of mug for the cheapest price of your dreams!” a Magikarp sellman attracted the attention of Bagon but Squirtle warned him “No, dude, never trust him. He stole them from the original C.C., I say it for experience..”

Bagon stopped “Experience?”

“I worked for him.” Squirtle answered gravely. “Yes, I’ve been a member of Team Rocket, after my band left me alone and uncool I needed to build up my image again and that's how I made it.”

“Oh..!”

Continuing to walk ignoring the row of muggers (and in-famous Haircut Bros) , the enviroment degraded in the darkness more and more, writers and thugs tagged their graffitis on the whole surface of the walls and poisonous pokèmon loitered giving mean looks at the trio, to Squirtle in particularly. Chimecho, instead, received different kind of looks, but strove to keep on the way.

“Tunk! We’re arrived.” Squirtle didn’t see the door cause of the goggles but recognized it in easy. “DON’T CROSS ACROSS-PIRATE PROPERTY OF TEAM ROCKET. This is the starting point. Here’s where things get heat and rocketty.” As he opened the three were in an hangar, full of boxes and contraptions, and teleports, and panels. Squirtle didn’t remember there were so many alternatives but remained strong “All the teleports link to a specific spot, I don’t know which leads to the Radio Tower, then let’s try all.”

“Bro, what about these strange panels on the floor?”

“If you walk on them, you start spin on yourself in the direction indicated by the arrows and can’t stop until you meet a wall or just the floor. In this way. Wooow wooow wooow… See, brother?” Squirtle stopped only against the wall, then walked on another panel and returned to spin back to the beginning position. “It takes a bit to guess the right streak of panels to pick.” Bagon wasn’t happy to know. “This..will take… forever.”

“Wo-wo-woo, Brogon, watch where you going! CONK! This makes real impact.” spinning from two opposites panels the two knocked each others, and the same scene repeated in the successive attempts or one of the two crashed in the box pile, against a contraption, exc, until Bagon had enough of headache and purposed to send Chimecho check the teleports “So we would have just to try out the right path of panels to reach it, agree?”

Squirtle punched him on the arm and gave a thumb up “I don’t understand anything, but seems cool, I’m in the house.”

“Ehm, cool you appreciate! You too, Chimecho?”

“I agree.” Chimecho levitated over the floor and reached the teleport points.

The first teleportation panel brought her to the train station, right in the control cabin of the Jotho Shinkansen directed to Saffron City. None was driving but the symbol of Team Rocket was self-explanatory. She struggled with her conciousness to ignore that and returned back to the hangar. “Mmm…wrong one.”

“Try again, then.”

“Sure.” The second teleportation gate she found herself in the underground floor of the Commercial Center, where she saw Machoke and Machamp busy at work: mug rare candies, carry stolen items, trail boxes of fake apricorns. “Hey, candy, did you get lost or are here in search for some tough emotions?” one of the fight workers spotted her and buffed the muscles, Chimecho didn’t answer and fleed using the teleportation. “No, wait, I didn’t want to scare you! Argh, I should train my manners also than my muscles…”

“Hey, Machoke, go back to work. We’ve lot of extra fatigue to do tonight.”

Bagon asked again if she had found the right link, but she shook the head and continued in silence. As akwarded.

The third teleportation space warped her in the stock room of the Casinò, where she assisted to a blackmail: after having spent all his money in tokens for the slot machines , a young Eevee was carried in the backdoor and threatened to death by Team Rocket hyenas if he would have not restituted all the pawn contracted working for them. One of the grunts whipped and forced him to enter in a Dark Ball. Chimecho felt impotent about this and limited to forget them discovering finally the passage for the tower, behind a poster. However, she felt all the weight of the conscience on her back. She should have denounced them! Or directly attacked and teleported in safe that poor pokèmon! Too late, and she had better hurried to come back to the hangar, she watched a familiar face out of the corner of one’s eye but decided to don’t care about at the moment and left.

Back to the hangar, before Bagon or Squirtle asked, she reported frantically “This is the right one.” Her voice seemed rather nervous but the other two congratulated with her and started to cross the panels randomly trying to guess the right ones. “Bonk! Again. Ow, maaan, how do you manage to see with these thingies on the eyes all the time?”

“Because I put the goggles on only when I’m in air and usually I hang them on the neck.”

“Ah.”

Lampent moved aimlessly around feeling even more careless than usual, if this was possible, in fact, she had not camouflaged herself like the others and Ekans spotted her near the stairs “What are you doing out of the cage?”

“Don’t know and don’t care… my answer satisfies you?”

“No. Wait, if you escaped… aaargh, a cage is open!” Ekans enraged and called all the grunts at the microphone, giving the order to find the other Leviathans at every cost “Mass of goons, bring me back the fugitives or you’re FIRED! Look for a Rotom, a couple of electric rodents similar to Pikachu but not Pichu, a Porygon 2, a Metang and a Balloon similar to Koffing but not Koffing, and once you find, catch’em all.”

“Congratulation, you finally realized our escape, I guess my utility is over.” Lampent was about to leave when Ekans tossed a Dark Ball against her, everyone gasped at this scene, the snake commander then put the ball in a bag and said solemnly “This is the destiny of those that go against the unbelievable power of Tem Rocket: either you surrender or rebel at first, you will be owned at the end.”

“This has gone too far!” Victini fired on in fury “This acting performance ends NOW: using a Dark Ball to trap my stepdaughter was unrequired for the challenge.”

“What are you talking about, legendary?”

“I’m talking about all this play, it’s over, it must end in this moment,free my daughter and consider your job over, too! Cause I fire you and the rest of your theatral company.” Suddenly a suspect envoloped his mind and the V-Host turned to Jirachi who answered “Yawn, these aren’t players but true Team Rocket minions, that’s all I have to say, but you took your time to realize it to be honest….zzz.”

“Gnnnnnnnn….Jirachiiiii!!!”

“SHUT UP! I want to sleep now, duh.”

Ekans ordered both to shut up, snickering for the pleasure, then turned her attention to the Jigglers: there were only three of them, where was Swalot? Piplup shrugged “Bottomless Trashcan? Oh, he always disappears at a certain point of the challenges.”

“Welkome back on LesTV!” Ekans’s announcement had started an endeavouring hunt of the Leviathans that were forced to hide recurring to all the impossible tricks known by the leader. Lester, gained the control of a television, hid the fellows behind the screen, in order to deceive the simpleton mind of the grunts, and assumed that was all broadcasted. “The journal program starts with a dancing number performed by the fabolous electric duet, Minun & Plusle!” Minun and Plusle hopped on the screen dressed in old fashion and tip-tapped, doing a double bow at the end. The TR grunts applauded. “Great start, no? Next is the soap opera: Beautiplusle! The neverending love story of two siblings, quirky and impossible to be realized.” Minun gave him a very odd look, sweating. “But before to continue, time for the weather forecast, ah! Previsions offered by Drifloon.”

Drifloon appeared in the middle of the screen with a pair of pince-nez: “I predict today that I’ll pick a new photo for my album, finish my recipe for the cookies trying with a rubber chicken for ingredient, and….uhm…forgot the rest of the journal schedule I’ve prepared. Thanks for the listening ^o^”

She was captured soon after but the ball landed in the hands of Rotom.

“DRIFLOON. You had to predict the weather not make predictions of your journal activities! You even was best friend with a meteorologist pokèmon.” Lester exasperated turned off the screen “Komb on! Oh-ops. Busted. Zoom!” The three ran away dodging the pokè ball tossed by the enemies and refuged in the recording room, where Lester had a new idea “Radio Lester! This will deceive them for sure.” Getting glowered by both the twins. “Ahem, ok, I’ll think about another solution, promise.”

“No, Lester. You have thought too much.” Minun locked the door.

“Eh?”

“I mean, you have purposed always lot of ideas and never listened one of me or someone else than yourself.” Minun took a deep breath “It’s time you rest a little. As much your plans revealed absurdly effective and brought lot of victories and saves so far, I’m fed up of crazy deeds, random solutions, and quirky plans, and I guess everyone is the same.”

“Really? This is an huge shock for me. By the way, you need me, especially this time, since I’m the expert of spy stuff, Team Rocket defeats, and epic runaways from a building! Who had the idea to undercover, for example?!” He picked the microphone and repeated the question at max volume! Immediately then, the grunts rammed the door down and striked in, but Rotom discharged the anger on them and concluded with an antic “Bad timing, really bad, my quirky villains.. ZAP! ZOT! ZAM! See, Minun? You need my leadership more than you thi-“

“Captured. Koff, koff!”

“Oh, no, Koffing! What do we do, now?”

Plusle stepped ahead “We fight together.”

Minun hesitated a little and sided next to her. “Alright. But watch out from his Poison Gas.”

“Ohohohoh! Small rodents, you would better surrender or prepare for double troubles.” Koffing used his noxious gas to blind them and attacked, but the agility was all of the twins and they dodged in easy, hitting him with a double Thundershock “A-A-Are you cousins of Pikachu or w-what? Kohohoh! Whatever, you’ll never reach the top of the tower alive. SMOKE WALL!” The floating gasket exploited the thick smoke to flee upstairs. “Cough, Minun, are you still here?” “Yes, sister, but the visuality is zero and I’m running out of oxygen with all this smo-cough!-ke.” “Keep my paw, brother, and everything will be fine, as usual, cough, ahk.” “Urgh, if only we knew an exit of emergency.”

“Vrrr..dlin-dlon! Calculating the percent of oxygen and the percent of carbonic anidrid I assume your lungs won’t resist five minutes more in this condition.”

“This is very conforting, thank you as always, Porygon… Porygon 2?!” Minun saw the elevator opened, collected the pokèball of Rotom and Drifloon , and dragged the sister inside. “The decodification of the secret password was a complete success, and Metang added the function pass partout to my CPU. That’s impressive considering that I’m supposed to be a perfect version of basic Porygon and consequentially I can’t be ulteriorly perfectionated. Logic deduction, he’s a G.E.N.I.U.S.”

Metang clicked the button for the top floor “Don’t exagerate. I’m a machine, therefore I’m used to do advanced calculates and high engineery informatic operations: with your pass-partout every door will be opened and not even the most treacherous and complicate traps will get activated. NOTHING CAN STOP ME..AND YOU.” Minun flicked the tail in admiration while listening to him.

Porygon 2 extended the neck up for the pride “This mission has 100% possibility of success considering every statistic.”

// Vent //

Minun’s eye shimmered so much “Metang is such a genius, *squee.*” that Plusle seemed the normal for once.

Porygon 2 wasn’t less hyped “I’m finally feeling an e-motion, that makes my body like wanting to pump and inflate the main polygon until to reach the stars, and my hard disk is heating like the inferno, and my eyes have virtual flames in the pupils.” The Cybernetic Voyager watched at himself reflected on the metal “I’m identical to Lester whenever he gets with one of his ideas, that means checking my database…I’m proud of myself! E-PIC POSE.”

“Cough, cough, cough! I think we got intoxicated.” Their cheeks turned purple. “You should use an antivirus. If only I had one installed..” Minun mumbled “Antibiotic, Porygon 2, we non virtual pokèmon use it or Antidote in alternative, not Antivirus.”

“What if we do a Poisontive dance to cheer up a little?” Plusle purposed him consuming the last energies.

“Resist, we’re almost arrived.” Said Minun with broken voice.

“Dlin-dlon! Floor 51th: The Main Room of Control.” Announced Porygon 2 with the mechanical impostation of the voice. And walked out the elevator, scanning the area, until he was certain and gave a signal to Metang. “The area is safe with no defensive traps settled. I’m ready to decrypt the password and unlock the door of the head office.” The polygonal pokèmon inserted the blue beak in the slot of the pass partout, focused his mind on the combination, and opened the sliding door: “R-O-C-K-E-T. Correct. Vzz..”

The main hardware dominated the room: a giant black flat screen with the R on the desk, and a wide advanced keyboard. The Bionic Crab sat at the keyboard, inserted an hacked floppy disk and clicked on power, waiting for Porygon 2 to enter. The scene was spectacular despite the sickness, Minun was amazed: he was an amateur geek, afterall, but nothing compared to those two. Porygon walked directly through the liquid crystals of the screen and his polygonal figure appeared on the desktop only to disappear soon after inside a file “System Door number 4982 disactivated and opened. Alarm number 4515 silenced. Teamrocket.trojan.exe… on it! Where do you escape? As Lester would say, you can run, but you cannot hide!”the way he moved between links and codes made him resemble a space sonda in mission, as the computer was a new moon to discover. Meanwhile Metang assured that any defense of the computer was disactivated and cancelled, and most of all that nothing could disturb Porygon 2 during the work, he had no problems to use many buttons at contemporary and seemed to know perfectly what to do and how to do it. He installed the pirated floppy disk on Porygon during the time the operation was being executed.

“How’s going, Porygon 2? Did you terminate all the operations?”

“I’m almost done, pant. Have only to clean up a terabyte of informations and I’ll manage to deactivate the whole security system. B-y the way, I’m feeling a little…quir-ky…” glitched for a second “Yuhuu, another e-mo-momomo-tion!! I’m at 99% of operation.”

“Keep on cleaning for the last 1%” Metang raised the volume of the voice “YOUR ABILITY TO GET INSIDE COMPUTERS IS OUR GREATEST SOURCE OF CHANCE, OUR VICTORY DEPENDS ON YOU.”

“WRONG ADFIRMATION! This is not correct. Wow, you have no idea how strange is the world from inside a ball, the furnitures are all circular and round, to adapt to the surface of the sphere.” Lester came out of his pokèball all of sudden “By the way I’m also able to get inside electronic stuff, and computers are not an exception, look! Hey, Porygon 2, do you want to surf on Internet with me? I see some high waves on Natwitter, there are over 51.000 of people chatting at the moment, wooh! Vrzrz.” The electricity of the plasma spectre influenced soon the computer as a virus.

“No, L.E.S.T.E.R., you can’t stay he-e-e-e-e-re!” Porygon 2 panicked and glitched more “You’re an entity of supernatural electric energy and every BZZ time you get in contact with a normal electric object you KILL IT.IT.IT @ TILT! SYSTEM CRASH! Halifax-.226165- CRITIC ERROR 220.” Minun and Plusle remained speechless while Lester excused exhibiting the widest grin possible of guiltiness. Metang extracted the floppy disk with Porygon 2 and read the message appeared on the desktop: COUNTDOWN OF SELF DESTRUCTION: -3. This is the result of your egocentrism and protagonism knack, Lester.”

“Tsk, this is untrue. -2”

“Kough, kuff, all these stairs…I should stop smoke…ok. You’re doomed, like rattata in traps!- 1. Ko-oh.” Koffing had reunited all the troops and this time was ready for the assault, but not ready for the explosion. That sent everyone in the sky. “We’re blasting off again at the speed of liiiiight!” recitated Plusle (together a less enthusiastic Minun) under the effect of the poison, Koffing accused them of plagiarism, Drifloon popped out the pokè ball to say her line “Wobba- floon! Wobba-Driff? Ops, I forgot it again.. but the picture of this flight will be saved in my album! Blink.” The Team Rocket and Leviathans disappeared in a spark.

“Haven’t you finished yet with thisss make up? I’m ssssick of waiting.” Seviper’s impatience was growing more and more meanwhile Gorebyss put the fard on her skaled face to cover the scars and give her a more feminine color of the skin than the cobalt black. “The more is the waiting, the bigger is the satisfaction. This is how it works in the merciless world of beauty. It’s not only roses and flowers as you think. La-la-la…make up is just one of the numerous sacrifices!”

“Yess, whatever, I know other kind of ssssacrifices than your stuff for spoiled models. Do it fassster.”

Gorebyss scoffled “Okay, okay, I check the details and then you will be ready to charme (with the help of a miracle). Why don’t you relax thinking at something else that pleasures you? Would help to distress all this tension.”

“Nice suggestion, I’ll imagine to tear you in pieces..hissss..you’re right, I’m already relaxed.” the viper closed the eyes and smiled at that dream. “Sadic, but if distresses you, continue…” rattled. Everyone turned a minute to give a peep and Inkay horrified “Elbirroh! Fulaw! Somegrue!” Seviper opened one eye, flicking nervously the blade tail. Beheeyem quickened to explain that she meant the opposite and these were compliments to her beauty, Seviper closed the eye again.

Inkay renewed the “compliments” and explained “I neam what I say: this up make is uglier than your previous face!” Seviper opened both the eyes, hissing. She was completely mad.

Beheeyem: “It’s official: Gorebyss is sushi and Inkay is a KERJ. I’ll just teleport away from the imminent massacre.”

“Ksssssssssssss!” Seviper sliced the iron bars like butter and some tentacles of Inkay, causing an huge chaos and panic among the other Venturers. “S-S-S-Sev-v-vip-p-per, k-keep calm, if I dare to p-plead.” The blade missed Dunsparce for a millimetre.

“No, Seviper, that squid is a liar! Ahh, protect me! You’re so strong, big pokèmon, and you would never allow my beautiful body to be ripped, fair? Eek!” Gorebyss jolted on the neck of Tropius quilling like an eel out of the water, but Seviper caught her by the tail and dragged her to the ground. “Sssay your lasst words, byss.”

“Stop!” Ekans hearing the mess interrupted everything “What the eel are you doing outside your prison and why all this mess?”

“SSSSHUT UP, THIS ISSS NOT YOUR BUSINESSSS!” Seviper stretched her mouth ready to swallow her prey, Gorebyss. “Oh my Jessie..” Ekans jaw dropped “Are you seriously going to kill one of your same companions? This is cruel, ominous, merciless! Where have you been all this time, serpentine of my dreams?” Seviper twitched and hissed “Do you want sssome, too? Wait for your turn, the byss has the precedence. … You sssaid you like me?”

“Abssssolutely. You’re pink as a Jigglypuff with rimmel but your heart is black as a Darkrai: ssssexy.”

Seviper blushed for a second, then smirked “You have sssseen nothing. Darkrai would whiten in front of my cruelty. Hihihissssss.” Ekans twined around her giving flirtatous looks “Team Rocket needs you, do you want to be my queen? You will be the new undisputed leader next to me. Please, say yessss.”

“Ssssounds as a very interesting offer, my lovely sssnake. Sssmack.”

“EEEW!”

// Vent //

“That kiss, that kiss between snakes..” Gorebyss fainted dramatically “Awwwwwful.”

“I ssssaid that I would have not needed any make up to get his heart, having already my MERCILESSS MISCHIEVOUSNESSSS.” Seviper tore apart the camera and laughed in amusement. “Alright, sweetness, what’s the first order you want to give? Cronies are here to be mistreated by us.”

“First of all, free Victini and the other useless legendary.” The grunts obeyed promptly at Seviper while Ekans was utterly kidnapped by her attractiveness “Then, mia hermossssa? Go on with the next command, don’t be shy.” Seviper felt at the top of the happiness, smiled showing her red fangs, and procedeed “SSStupid goons, now open the main doorsss, and kick Victini out of the windows!” Before the V-host could protest, he was booted outside the building in the street together the co-host. “Instead, about the useless Gorebyss, go in the bathroom and flussssh her down.”

“Eeeeeh?!! Ihhhhhhhhh!”

“I’m starting love thissss power.”

“I told you have enjoyed it.”

Dunsparce approached sheepishly to Seviper “W-What about the rest of us?” Ekans outbursted in laughers at that question, Seviper laughed with him “Are you sssure you wish to know? I would not like to ruin the sssurprise. But if you insist… Poison Tail!” She slashed the face of Ekans in the general astonishment and knocked down the guards, and the others could finally run outside the tower.

“Ah, winnerssss for the first time. Victory isss the only thing I wanted. Also, Ekans, you and your team are not enough cruel for me: in your place I would have ordered the immediate executions of the weakest pokèmon captured like Gorebyss and Dunsparce. Improve on your evilness and maybe we’ll date in the future.Sssee you next time.” Seviper spat her poison right on Ekans’s fresh wound and abandoned him moaning on the floor with no regret. Ekans glanced at her with a mixture of hate and passion: that wasn’t the last time they would have met each others..

The only prisoners remained were the Jirachi Jigglers. Oshawott controlled her watch with apprehension. “Looks like someone here has lost the bet she imprudently organized.” Piplup gloated with malice certain of the victory: all these hours of wait and none had arrived to free them. “Take this occasion as an excellent way to train your self-control and practice all the aplomb I taught you, think at the idea to put your lips on the mouth of Swalot with a smile, careless if it’s ficticious. A true woman is seen by her reaction to the difficulties, even the most disgusting and sickening like the one you’re going to face.”

Oshawott’s reaction was reasonably the opposite of the description given by Piplup, and she yelled at Ninjask “What a shell of a ninja are you if you aren’t capable to get out from a situation like this? I DON’T WANT TO KISS SWALOT, NO, NO, NOO, BWAAAAAH!”

Piplup shook the head “Very immature, all my lessons got wasted.”

Ninjask didn’t answer, because he couldn’t, being a substitute. Chimecho appeared behind a poster and disactivated the cage. “Forgive for the late. Despite Ninjask sent us a message of your situation we had lot of difficulties to go ahead the traps and find the right way and, eventually, Bagon and Squirtle are still attempting to come.” Meanwhile she spoke the camera did a quick shot of the two dudes still spinning comically on themselves between the panels, with lot of contusions and confusion in result.

“We’re last, so, but something keeps me smile.”

“What?”

Oshawott turned to Piplup with a crafty smile upon the mouth “I eventually won the bet and YOU LOST. That means smooch-smooch with Swalot for you. Oshawahahah!” the penguin opened eyes wide and fell petrified like a statue of marble. “Tsk, tsk, you should give the good example, control yourself and avoid this kind of lowclassed open manifestations of weak nerves that does not fit for a snooty lady.”

Chimecho fluttered away from the two starters feeling still shocked for the crimes she had assisted, she took the decision to denounce openly the Casinò but met Lucario at the entrance, who gave her a pair of sunglasses “Here. Give these damn shades back to the crying turtle and don’t tell anyone I spent the whole time to win the necessary coins for this price. I prefer to be considered selfish than be exploited always for insignificant problems. Like you was today. Ffffank y-y-you. Almost close.” Chimecho smiled with confidential complicity and walked to the plane, hearing the echoe of his words in her head. As she was enough far, Lucario smiled in relief and thumbed up at Ninjask “Your advise was effective against any of my skeptical predictions, and I think she got the true message. I was in debt with her but now I’m finally free from it thanks to the important suggestion I sent.”

Ninjask flew next to him “It was my pleasure. See you on the plane.”

V-PLANE

The Victini Venturers celebrated their first victory in vip class, and Seviper was easily forgiven for her “fictional” evilness used to get the sympathy of Team Rocket, even by Gorebyss who congratuled with her for her interpretation of the villainbitch, the Lester Leviathans landed in time over the longboard of the plane and later occupied of their issues in the a-V-erage class, and the Jirachi Jigglers waited for the nomination results.

Needless to say, the most nervous was Piplup.

Victini carried the box of macarones and tossed them to Bagon, Piplup, Ninjask, and Oshawott “Today what a pitched day, even for me, and the performance of your team, Piplup, was very very very poor. Squirtle proved to have the same orientation skills of a mole, Lucario was asocial and couldn’t care less and quitter as usual, and Chimecho…”

“Ahm, Victini, there’s something I would say…” Chimecho tried to speak but didn’t finish for the akward.

“Chimecho..was awfully slow for the rescue. Who will take the Paraflight of Shame? This would be a very unpredictable and balanced answer if wasn’t for the presence of Swalot, that’s obviously (and finally) the most voted.”

“OSHA-WHAT?”

Victini invited Swalot to prepare for the ejecton of his seat “Swalot, or Bottomless Trashcan as everyone calls you, there’s a something you want to say near the end?”

“I’m bored. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP!” He belched right on the face of Victini, who blasted him away with a V-Generator. “I should have never accepted such a couch of slime in my show.” Everyone agreed, minus Oshawott “No, wait, Piplup had to kiss him before!”

Piplup whistled “I don’t know what are you talking about..”

Oshawott engraged “YOU KNOW EXACTLY: THE BET! YOU LOST IT. GRR. YOU CONVINCED EVERYONE TO VOTE OUT SWALOT JUST TO SAVE YOUR LIPS, RIGHT?” Piplup shrugged “You have still so much to learn: this is a loophole.”

“Then, you have to KISS SOMEONE ELSE, I FORCE YOU.”

File:Bet winner.png
Who won the bet?

“Fine.” Piplup embolded her chest and gave a deep kiss to Squirtle, smirking soon after. “Done. Happy? Afterall, you didn’t specify any name. Who won the bet?”

“OSHAWTF?!!!” Oshawott went mad and the whole team of the Jigglers had to hold her from unleash her rage and lunge at her rival. From the height of her dignity, it was a full triumph for Piplup.

Unseen by them, Swalot fell on the wing of the plane and turning into Ditto slipped inside. “Finally they eliminated the Swalot-me, I was wasting my potential interpretating such a deadlock flat character, but was very funny to belch in front of that vexing host.”

“Good, because you have another character to play now. One that fits your pesky attitude.” Metang whispered the name and Ditto’s eyes illuminated “O-o-ohh! Finally a main character on which I can show my overwhelming ability of imitation, and have plenty of jerky fun in the meanwhile! Is it temporary or definitive?”

File:Metang squish Ditto.png
Metang brings Ditto back to order (again).

“Slow down, don’t forget the main target, it’s temporary, but I’ll assign you different roles everytime.” Ditto turned into Metang to mock his same phrase but the original clenched his jelatinous body in a single claw and squished it as a fruit “Remember: DON’T DO FALSE MOVES AND NEVER RUIN MY PLANS, JELLY.”

“Gh-got it!” Metang spiderwalked away on the ceiling and as he was enough far, Ditto imitated him like a fool.

Epilogue
“Yawn, it has been a very long day, night, anyway.” Minun went to sleep together the sister and the other Leviathans, leaving only the three ghosts, the quirky, the gloomy and the derpy, awake. “Do you think the Dark Ball affected her in some way?” whispered Minun, Plusle was exhausted to care “She’s the same. Goodnight and positive dreams.” Lester and Drifloon drew on them moustaches and other doodles for fun, seeming to get along in spite of all the arguments had in the episode. “Ihihih, I’m drawing a Quagsire Face on Porygon… Lampy, do you want to join? It’s funny : we’re all ghosts, it’s written in our essence to be prone to prank and nasty tricks.”

“No.” Lampent answered somber and wandered outside in the darkness.

“How are you?” Beheeyem fluttered next to her.

“Why you care?” replied Lampent harshly and rather ironical. “Aren’t you the emotionless supreme cleverness?”

Beheeyem hesitated a minute, stiffing a laugh, and answered “Yes, I am. But this doesn’t deny me to worry for you, afterall.” Lampent dusk face enlighted a second “I don’t know the reason, but I felt an heartbreak when Victini switched me in the opposite team, probably I’m feeling back some emotion, the love.” His eyes shimmered looking straight into hers “For you.”

“Ah, stop with this joke!” Lampent inner flame became scarlett “You said me clearly that you can be anything but knowledge. You’re just getting fun of my feelings, as EVERYONE DID BEFORE YOU, maybe because you want to study my reactions and report them to your planet of heartless geniuses, or just for your pure sarcastic pleasure? Well, Beheeyem, I won’t care anymore, because the only residual emotion you have is the pettiness.” Lampent vanished away, sobbing. Beheeyem smiled proudly meanwhile his body slowly pinkified and liquified in jelly “Mission accomplished. I’m a great great actor. Ahahahah!”

Paused.

“Wait, I’m a professionist, I can do and I have to do this better. Muahahahahah! Ahahahah! AHAHAHAHAH!”

Paused again.

“If after this performance I won’t be hired by Pokèwood for a villainous role, I don’t know how, then.”

Chapter Text

he Victini Venturers enjoyed their first flight in Vip Class with the special company of Victini himself. Anorith, Inkay and Gorebyss were having relax and fun in the swimming pool, Dunsparce and Seviper lied at the solarium terrace implanted in the superior part of the airplane,and Aurorus, Beheeyem, and Tropius chatted together the host at the cocktail zone.

“Attention, please, I’m going to do a dive bomb that I dedicate to Gorebyss!” Anorith walked swagging on the plank, and leaped in the azure water, flipping to impress Gorebyss, but knocked into Inkay who leaped at the same time but FROM the water. Therefore the reaction of Gorebyss was just a gig. “Ouch, watch where you go, and, actually, what the hell you’re doing? You dive from the springboard into the water not from the water into the springboard!”

“No, no, no, you’re wrong, it’s the contrary u.u” was the bold answer of Inkay. Gorebyss outbursted in laughers and Anorith resigned at the end, limiting to swim with her.

“Congratulation, Team Victini is Very Very Very Very Victorious, you have finally honored your name with an overwhelming victory! Continue in this way, I count on it.” Victini winked. Tropius arched a brow “Thanks, I count on the same, but, did you change our team name again?” the V-host smiled “Do you like it, right? It’s a sign of reconossaince from me to rename with an even more valorous name your team than Victini Venturers. So, don’t waste it, okay?” blinked doing the signature sign of victory with the hand. The two sauropodes hesitated before to give an answer, instead Beheeyem clapped sarcastically “Excellent idea! With this name we’ll lose easier than before for sure, and I purpose a slight variant: Team Victini is Very (x4) Vexing.”

“Grrr. You should be just glad that I didn’t oust you yet from the show, Alienoah. So shut up! You’ve broken the heart of my stepdaughter cause of your insensitiveness.” Victini dragged Beheeyem with himself. “Can I finish my drink first, please? Woah! Ahem..Guess it's a no.”

“Anyway, Tropius, can I ask you a question a little intrusive?” Aurorus spoke sitting next to him. Tropius hid the blush between the leaves “S-Sure, go on.”

“Do you want some ice cubes in your drink?” she laughed.

“Ahahahah! Funny twist, and the answer is yes, thanks. However, not too much, you know I’m cryophobic.”

“I know. Here. Now with the true question.” Aurorus used Lyophilization (Freeze-Dry in english) on the glass of Tropius and returned serious “Do you have a family?”

“Ehm..not really.” Tropius wondered the reason of that question, for a second the hope she loved him enlightened his mind, but he thought soon after to be wrong “I’m orphan and my numerous friends at Hoenn are like my actual family. Do you, too?”

Aurorus nodded and denied at contemporary “I’m orphan… but utterly alone at home. Afterall, I’m a revived fossil like Anorith. The only difference is that I had already evolved when they found and extracted me from an iceberg because I had had too.”

“I understand. Circumstances forced you to evolve soon as possible to survive in the Ice Age. Right?”

“Right.” Aurorus sipped her drink and approached the flanks to his “Would you like to have one?” Tropius had chills of pleasure but, having already messed in the past with other girls, he decided to keep the calm and replied with a simple “Yes. I’d like. Brrr! No, don’t worry, I’m fine, it’s just nothing.” shivered, then Aurorus noticed some chillblains appeared on his leaves and backed of a little apologising. Tropius quickly reassured her “Not need to excuse, I’m just delicate with cold, my fault. Rattle. See? I’m already feeling better. Ah ah ah!”

Aurorus walked away soon after “I have a commission to do, see you later…”

Tropius would have slapped himself if only he could. He entered in the Confessional (obviously only with the head). “Why I’m so simpleton and shy? She was clearly flirting with me, what else? And what I did? Said I had chillblains? Virtually slap myself.” He was about to get out when his neck remained stuck in the vent “Not again, what’s this…glue?!! VERY FUNNY.” Lester and Drifloon snickered from behind the air flits. “Totally from our point of view! Anyway, it’s warm here, need some air-conditioner! Click the button, Dory! Wooooosh!” A chill air propagated in the tubes cooling down the temperature and blowing away some of Tropius’s leaves “No, no, don’t be…brrrr!Rattle-rattle…bastard.”

“Ahahahah! By the way please, we’re quirky Ghostbastards.” Lester and Drifloon high fived each others and assumed a pose while the music of Ghosbusters tuned in the background.

Beheeyem and Victini entered in the pilot cabin, where Jirachii was having the journal nap, and the host, visibly jumpy, locked the door. Beheeyem started to feel worried “What’s the matter? I mean to ask, uhm, if is this going to be a direct execution, my last wish is…”

BEM vs Victini
“Zip it, Space Yam, and look at this video.” Victini lighted on the screen of the V-cam and skipped the records until the last one that showed the speech between Beheeyem and Lampent that soon turned into an argument and the sad runaway of Lampent. Beheeyem watched the video with a bit of confusion: he didn’t remember that. “The video ends here because of the short autonomy of the machine.” Victini said dryly pushing the alien against the wall “It shows enough of your couldn’t care less shittiness to make me wish for your end, but I don’t want to hurt my daughter more and I’ll leave you in the game until they don’t eliminate you, limiting to make your life an HELL.” His eyes burned of pure hate and the flames singed the cloak of Beheeyem “Because so far it was a PARADISE… anyway, I know that my usual behaviour comes off often very cold and insensitive, ok always, but I’m not at this professional level of jerkiness. Also, I was sleeping when this happened and I’m sure the video doesn’t show the whole truth. Unless I’m a sleepwalker, that Beheeyem isn’t logically me.” Shrugged “However, if you want, I’ll talk with Lampent and explain in detail all the reasons why it couldn’t be me yesterday…”

Victini surrounded him with a twister of fire and burned out the following words “Stay away from her or you’re ash.” The host unlocked the door allowing the scorched Beheeyem to float back to the companions.

“What happened? You’re red as a Corphish and charred as a Torkoal.” Asked Anorith.

“Victini invited me to a an exclusiV-barbecue.”

// Vent //

The alien fluttered in the ventilation conduct to reflect careless of Tropius. “I admit I felt back some scare when Victini threatened me, but this isn’t important. I need to solve things with Lampent, because, well, I don’t love her but she’s the first and only one I care a little little little for. Quantifying the percent of my interest for her: 1%. More than the usual 0,00 %.” Shrugged and pondered with attention “Uhm… I would better leave her alone because I can’t even approach without her stepfather inviting me to another BBQ, and solve the mystery of the second Beheeyem. It’s an impostor because I don’t know any other Beheeyem who had my same misfortune to be sent study this planet of apes.”'

Tropius coug-coughed “Can you give me an hand to get out from here? I don’t feel the neck anymore.”

Beheeyem stared deadpan folding arms “Forgot I don’t use hands because my brain does everything?”

“Whatever, I’ll help me by myself, thank for NOTHING.”

“You’re NOT welcome.”

Jigglers had spent the night on the Tail of Losers, fighting against the cold and the wind to not get blown away. Chimecho reminded her promise to Lucario in late and restituted the sunglasses in the morning, making Squirtle the most happy pokèmon on Earth. “Yahooo! Hot Water has come back, people. Thanks million bucks, Chimechanga! Brogon, wake up, and celebrate with me the return of the swag!” He dressed on the shades and pumped the pecs with Pump It playing at the stereo. Bagon, despite the tiredom, was happy to party dance with his friend, but also wanted back the goggles “I assume you don’t need ‘em anymore. Soooo, can I have them back, man?”

“Sure, bro, here.” Squirtle touched his front in the attempt to take off the pilot glasses, but failed because there was nothing “Here. Ehm..oh-oh. I was sure to have them on the head, my bad, maybe I left them in the bag when I went to sleep.” Bagon continued to smile with trust. “Or…no? Scratch-scratch..wep, man, need a break to think about, but don’t worry, eheh!” Chimecho gave him an evident glance of reproach but was careful enough to keep Bagon oblivious. “Okay, Hot Water, I’m going wash myself in the bathroom and prepare for the new day. Catch you later!” Bagon entered indoor climbing down the ladder.

“Sure, buddy, catch you lat’r! Ow no, man.. I’m doomed.”

Chimecho whispered him “You lost the goggles, as I had predicted.”

“Jeez, can you help me look around? Maybe they slippered somewhere.”

“Somewhere…out of the plane.” Added Lucario bluntly directing to the indoor bathrooms. Chimecho glared at him and started the research.

“Good zippy-zappy morning to everyooooooone!” Plusle had returned chipper and loud after a long sleep, she and Minun were completely healed from the poison and the rest had recharged completely their batteries. “GGGood M@rning, electric r-rodents live forms named after Minun and P-lusle. Krack!ATTTTTTTTIILLLT………CHOOM!” Porygon 2 sneezed and glitched, he looked terribly infected that his body had turned of a darker palette. “Are you okay?”

“My system is KO. I can’t move anymore f-l-uently and I’m under the at-at-at-attack of multiple pirating agents// Team Rocket files..vkkvkv.” Porygon 2 quilled “I’m @fraid my antivirus has been damaged when L-e-s-t-e-r e-n-t-e-r- e - d in the c- o m p u t e r y e s t e r - d a - - - y!”

“Yep, he caused a massive black-out that sent us in the stratosphere.” Minun frowned “His craziness will destroy us continuing on this way… Anyway, I’d like to help you, but I’m not expert of Porygon technology neither I’m a doctor for computer.”

“EOEOEOEO EMERGENCY!” Lester knocked down the door with Chaos “Dr. Rotom has arrived. Who’s the patient? A-ah! The dyagnosis is bland. This is a classic case of interinal virulentis infection of Gygabite B. Nurse, pass me the mow.” Drifloon gave him a quizzical look, blushing “How is a mow? Can’t remember.. ehehem*..in this moment.” Lester explained and she passed him an hammer “I should do a cerebral operation to you, too. By the way, I’ll do an occipital incision in the frontal polygone!” He turned into Rotom Cut and dented the surface of Porygon 2.

“No, LESTER!” Minun facepalmed “Oh my Arceus..why.”

Porygon 2 stiffened and yelled “S-T-O-P! This is not the way to solve a PC problem: I’m a cybernetic being! Cr@sh.”

“Hold on, you’ll feel better after I’ll finish, ah!” Lester was opening Porygon 2 like a kan-opener when Metang stroke in and used Meteor Punch against the plasmic poltergeist “No, he won’t heal in this illogical way from the problem YOU caused to his driver. The plasma discharged in the computer interfered with Porygon’s chips and annhilated his defenses, therefore Rotom acted like a perfect informatic virus that exposed Porygon 2 to the swarm of malwares put by Team Rocket.” Metang opened the mouth of Porygon 2 to insert a little odd CD, that looked like a MT. “Foreseeing the beginning of an infection, I worked all the night to create a repair program, that will fix you as new.”

Porygon 2 swallowed the disk “Download… system errors: 100% resolved. Clean up of the virus completed. Debugging all the malwares… I feel totally better!” he span of 360° “I move even more faster and my movements are way more fluid than before and I flex, and I start feel…e-motions, like the gratefulness. THANK YOU! Yahoo, I want to flip and leap to the space!”

“Incredible.” Minun complimented with glistening eyes for the awe “Metang, you are the most genius pokèmon I have seen in my life (actually, the only one -.-) I wish you would be our leader!”

“Eh?” Lester blink-blinked. “Keep wishing, my only not quirky friend.”

// Vent //

Porygon 2 walked upside down the tubes and entertained to twist the polygonal arms in different shapes and directions “Ohh, I didn’t know I could move this polygon in this way. Neither that I could glide this fast. ZOOOOOOOOOM! I’m having fun and feeling it.”

“Everything as calculated.” Metang grimaced of satisfation “Yesterday I secretely hacked Porygon 2 on purpose with a malicious software that gave the impression that was all Lester’s fault, today I fixed the problem becoming the favorite of the teammates, and none suspects I have installed a keylog suspicious patch in the process.”

The loud noise of a collision announced everyone that the plane had reached the 8th destination. “Where we crashlanded this time? Also, bad morning to everyone.”

“Hi, Lampent, finally you show up!” Plusle greeted with eager “Anyway, you should say super happy gleeful good morning!!!”

“No, I meant what I said: it’s a hyper unhappy awful bad morning.” Lampent sighed deeply and drawled “Thanks for having forced me to say it. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE..” Plusle twitched but eventually gained the determination “I’ll cheer her up by the end of the day! None should be negative when I’m around. Otherwise, my name isn’t PLUSLE.” Minun glanced at her with preoccupation but he knew there wasn’t a chance to block her impulsivity “Just try to not be stifling, and first discover what’s wrong, okay?” Plusle grabbed him by a ear with seriousness “Brother, I don’t accept suggestions. I’m the ++Positive Cheerleader++” she thumbed up and cartwheeled outside. Followed by the twin brother and all the other pokèmon.

“Ooooh, this is Heartomato City!!” Drifloon’s dot eyes shimmered for the joy.

“Quite close. VVelcome to Hearthome City!”

Rotom: stay tuned, we’ll return after a short commercial break!

Victini: LESTER!

Rotom: oh, komb on! It would have been perfect now.

Victini teleported everyone inside the Super Contest Hall “The journal challenge will be a 360° test for you: we’ll value your Coolness, your Beauty, your Strength, your Cuteness and your Smartness. All things that are required for a victorious pokèmon, and that I represent in first person.”

“Forget the Modesty…” whispered Lampent. Beheeyem smirked with complicity in her direction but she turned off him.

“Shut it, ET Megaph- oh, nevermind.” After a minute of harassing silence, the V-host continued “The aim is winning the Orange Ribbon of the Master cathegory. The Contest will begin with a quick selection in which the audience will decide who they like and who they dislike to see in the contest, soon after the Contest will officially begin. However, the leaders can pick the contestants they prefer for a total of 6 but Seviper and Beheeyem are both forced to participate, careless how ugly and louse the audience will judge them.” Seviper hissed so angrily that her tounge seemed on fire while Beheeyem kept the same maud expression. “ReVenge.”

Without further ado Victini slided the red curtains and let them all face the audience on the palk. One by one. Anorith was the first and received an average applause, Aurorus received way more attention, Dunsparce was utterly ignored, Gorebyss was welcomed with thunderous applauses, Seviper and Beheeyem were booed, Tropius didn’t receive an high appreciation, and, surpisingly, Inkay was cheered by the majority of the public!

// Vent //

“I hate them.” Inkay said with a frown upon the face.

“Inkay should be happy: she has got the opposite of a success.” commented sarcastically Beheeyem.

Then was the turn of the Jirachi Jigglers to expose themselves to the judgement of the crowd, only Chimecho was appreciated, despite she looked less tidy and well-groomed than usual… worn out.

The last were the Laser, ops, sorry, Lester Latias Leviathans, who received a fair amount of clappings, with the exception of Lampent, Metang and Porygon 2. On the contrary Drifloon scored another unexpected result, being applauded by the whole audience and naturally thanked with a bow.

“Ok, leaders, have you decided which pokèmon subscribe for the Contest?”

“Yesssss. There will be Me, Anorith, Aurorus, Beheeyem, Inkay and Gorebysssss.” The leader of the Venturers drooled poison while saying the latter name. Piplup spoke next “From the height of my chief authority, I decided to subscribe first of all myself and my Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness and Smartness, then I needed also some Strength and Ninjask and Oshawott happen to have it, Squirtle and Bagon fit too because contests are entertainment, and Chimecho is apparently the favorite of the audience.”

// Vent //

“Piplup is such a snooty show off: I HATE when she acts in this way belittiling the rest of us.” Oshawott bit her scallop for the anger, but then changed mood “Anyway, I’m sure she’s envious of Chimecho that has pulverized her self-claimed popularity in front of the audience. Ih ih ih!”

Squirtle looked around the ventilation conductures with despair “Darn, they’re not even here. Oh, ship, this is a no-hope reasearch, but I can’t give up! Chimechanga, you have to back me up with this more, this plane is too big, I kneel for your help.” He took off the shades exhibiting two puppy eyes in beg.

Chimecho zipped his mouth “You don’t have to ask, I’m here to help you and I won’t stop until you won’t find back your interior peace. It’s a duty for me.”

“Thanks. Then I need an excuse to skip this challenge: idea! I’ll simulate an injure.”

“Owch!” Squirtle tripped on purpose into the skirt of Chimecho “What a crack, I feel sure that my sprinkle is broken now, oh, no, this won’t let me take part to the Contest. I’m sorry, gang, you’ll have to do the day without the Hot Water factor. I know this is a big loss for ya..” Bagon stayed with a quizzical grimace and Piplup tap-tapped the foot “How tragic, pity thay sprinkle isn’t a body part.”

Squirtle hesitated “Sure?”

“What are you aiming for, joker turtle?” Piplup pierced him with the glance “Explaining in a way you can’t misunderstand, what are you trying to do?” Bagon pondered and eventually said “Maybe he means that he sprained his ankle.”

“Yeah, that!” Squirtle simulated the pain rolling on the floor “Sprain ankle, in slang I say sprinkle, that’s what I meant. Got it? And..auch, ow, the sprained ankle aka sprinkle hurts me sooo much!” Chimecho offered to heal him and both returned on the plane in the general astonishment. However, Piplup kept her snooty attitude “Looks like I have to do a correction: I subscribe Lucario.”

“Whaaaaat?” Lucario shouted and frowned “No way. NO WAY. Sgrunt, I hate contests, I hate to show myself in front of people, and I hate loud, cloy and crowded places like this. SGRUNT.”

Piplup shrugged “There’s nothing you don’t hate at this world… I confirm the 5 I subscribed, Victini. Even if I’ll have to do a miracle with them.” She turned back giving a pitiful look to the temmates.

“Hey!” yelled Oshawott.

Victini waited for Lester, the candidates chosen by the leader of the superior team left everyone fazed: “Drifloon, Minun, Plusle, Porygon 2, Metang aaaaaaaaaaaaaand –suspense break- Lampent!” the ghost lamp was caught in a rare moment of amaze and interest, she felt uneasy and drawled a single word “What?” repeated by the even more amazed Minun “What? This doesn’t seem (no offense) a great idea. I sincerely expected you would have picked yourself cause you’re a showpokèmon that loves to be in the spotlight!”

“I decided to take a deserved rest, for once, and leave the scene to you and the others. By the way I think it will be very quirky to see Lampent in the spotlight, and every event that is the most bizzarre and unpredictable, needs to be tried in order to spice this life.” Lester flaunted the utmost professionality and subscribed the five names to the Contest. Minun and Lampent couldn’t believe he was serious, Plusle hugged both and squealed in excitement “Yahoo! We’ll have ton of fun together today. Aren’t you hyped like me?”

In reply Lampent turned to Drifloon “When and if you remember where the escape exit is, just call me. Since you have narrated to have won a Super Contest here when you were level 5 old.” Drifloon twitched “I don’t remember to have talked about with you…”

“In fact, a night during a pijama party organized by me you remembered suddenly your whole life and narrated to have been trained by a young talented coordinator in an undefined period of the past, but only to me, Castform and Minun.”

Minun dumfounded “Really? I don’t recall that, probably because I fell asleep very soon.”

Plusle continued pondering “Then you probably forgot it again. I had also invited Lampent to join but she had obviously declined, then this means that…wait… you were there, Lampent. You remained in the room all the time in secret and you listened our chitchats because you were interested!” Lampent denied and rushed to withdraw into herself “I was forced to listen having no other place where to stay.” Plusle insisted smiling wildly “You can’t hide the evidence: if you remind these details of the story of Drifloon, you have not only heard but also followed with, say together me the magic word, C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-Y: CURIOSITY!!! And interest.”

“N-No! You’re misunderstanding. Whatever, keep with your pointless deduction, I don’t care as I never do.” Lampent blushed in akward when the Positive Twin went next to her. “Come on, Lampy, don’t be shy to show your emotions and impressions! Life is also marvelous for this reason: in the good and in the bad experiences always gives us a reason to have a feeling.*”

“But I’m no more alive! By a very long time. Plusle ,I don’t now if you’re too dumb or pose to understand that I’m depressed today and since the cursed day of my birth.”

“Try to be a little positive and trust me, you will find back the smile upon your face if you start enjoy the liiiiife!” Plusle span round around Lampent spreading sparkles of eagerness “I don’t want to know what makes you feel bad, just forget it. In the Contest you will experience lot of new activities that eventually you’ll find funny thanks to my support and a different approach, do you want to give me a chance?” Lampent stayed in silence but Minun encouraged her with a self-ironic quote “If the methods of my sister work with a negative born like me, they have 100% chance of success with you. No?”

“Pfff- Alright. Just to stop all this spinning around that’s making me feel a dummy, my answer is yes. I will try out.” Plusle jolted at the answer “Yuppiiii!” the other sighed in resignment “Hope I won’t have to regret...”

“Ahem, Lampent? Be positive.”

// Vent //

“If we begin in this way…” Minun couldn’t finish that he was knocked away by Plusle “…she’ll become happy by the end of day! That’s it.” She murmured soon after “Hopefully.”

Drifloon squeaked “Oh, I remember, now! The name is Hearthome City and I have already lived here when I was little. So many *memories*…..that I don’t absolutely remember. At least now I finally know why I have this daunty ribbon on the cloud. Or almost.”

Victini began to speak again getting on the palk dressed in a shining flamboyant costume “The Contest is traditionally organized in 2 parts: Visual Competition and Acting Performance! In the Visual Competition you are valued for your coolness, cuteness and beauty in dressing and fashion. Each team will be assigned a specific theme to follow in order to succeed: The Kawaii for the team 5V, The Party for the Jigglers, and the Elegance for the Leviathans. Then there is the Acting Performance! The remaining pokèmon will organize a spectacular performance split in pairs and the three best pairs will face the opponents in a triple tag team match. The team who has gained at the end of the complexive contest the best scores wins the Orange Ribbon and therefore accesses to the Vip Class!”

“Question: how the system of scores works exactly?”

“In the first part the audience votes directly for each pokèmon and the number of applauses fill the hearts.” Victini pointed to a giant screen with 5 big empty hearts “Then the power is given to a selected jury composed by me, Jirachii and Azelf, journal special guest. Each judge can give a vote from 1 to 10 hearts to the Acting Performance of each pair. The summa will seal the winners, the middle classers, and the losers. You have 2 hours to organize everything since this moment!”

Preparation of poffins and items
“Good luck, my quirky followers, my holidays from the leadership are officially started, ah! Vrrrrom!” Lester put on a pair of triangular sunglasses and sauntered away in the blue of the sky.

“Wait, Lester! If this is for what I said yesterday and today about your leadership, I didn’t want to hurt your pride as leader or put in doubt your mad skills, I apologize….too late.” Minun didn’t have the time to speak that the flying Wash Rotom disappeared at the horizon.

“I know everything of the pokèmon contests: I remember to be an ex-winner like it was yesterday, more or less.” Drifloon assumed the leadership “In fact, I recall many tricks and hints, and I’m the second in command, follow me! Mumble..the Poffin House was on left or right? Don’t worry, I have the map in my mind, but it’s a maze. ^^Flo flo flo^^”

Minun facepalmed “Groaaan.. what I did. We jumped off the frying pan into the fire.”

Meanwhile Drifloon led her team to the opposite part of the town, about the Backlot Mansion, Team Victini is Very Victorious was already at the Poffin House.

“Since I’ve won all the Master Contests of Hoenn and the Lylycove Museum even dedicated to my victories an universal exposition of portrays and statues representing…*aaaw*..ME, I have absolutely no problems with this challenge, winning pageants is an habit..” Gorebyss fanned herself with a fin in a superior attitude and opened the chest on the bottom of her aquarium disclosing an assortment of medals and ribbons “But, for the rest of you, this will be a tough deed.”

// Vent //

Anorith swayed “Gorebyss is proud that a museum exposed her statues, but I was exposed in the Oceanographic Museum until a week ago. An archeologist had discovered me in the 2007 and my claw fossil was the main attraction of the visitors, until a dumb Tirtouga stole me the scene. But for many years I was on the focus of the tourists! Actually, all those flashes of the photocameras…right in my poor eye globes…could be the reason why my sight has gone more and more down in the years. And the kids, oooh, the kids, they were so loud and annoying, everytime they saw something, SHRILLED and SQUEALED like a bunch of Rattatas out of steroids! Maybe they’re the reason my hearing has gone down, too…” rattled rattled “Brr. For the rest of the centuries of my life, I don’t want to enter in a museum anymore.”

“You need to increase your beauty a lot, Seviper would probably need from 100 to 200 Blue Poffins, if we are optimistic uhuhuh.” she enjoyed the hiss of rage made by the slithering serpent “That’s why first of all I called my personal chef that will prepare the poffins: Mr. Mime.”

“Bonjour, bonjour, to everyone, especiallì to her, Madame Gorebìss!” the clown pokèmon kissed one of Gorebyss’s fins and did a bow “I’m just arrived soon after I received her call from my restaurant at Luminopolì, hope to have not forced her gorgeousness to do a long wait.”

“Wait a minute, did you come from Kalos?” Anorith questioned a bit shocked “It’s so far, and you just used teleportation here as you received the call of Gorebyss?!”

“Mais oui.”

“Don’t be shocked, it’s regular to happen when you’re rich, and, you know, none can’t deny me anything. I say I want something, I obtain it immediately.” the pink eel winked. The anomalocaris twitched “H-How much your family is rich, exactly?”

“Ssssstop the sssstupid questions and hurry up with thissss thing!” Seviper snapped impatiently.

“Alright, therefore, which delicacies Her Gorgeousness pleads to taste, today?” Mr. Mime heated on the oven and put on the instruments of the cook. “An èxquisit pokèbignè of Pecan Berries with a shimmer of gold skales? Non? Then maybe a cake of supreme pokèblocks with chantilly cream and a jentle sweep of platin? Or… the inspiration!” he flipped Dunsparce with telekinesis on a whole and picked a fruit from Tropius “A crèpe of Excavaliers covered in a bed of Dunsparce’s shed shell and acquainted with a cream of Bananna Berries? Smuack! A dish for a gorgeous gourmet like her.”

“Ahi! Hey!”

“E-Ehm, G-G-Gorebyss?”

Gorebyss blocked the chef with a simple move of the fin “No, no, no. This time I just need a whole of poffins of your haute cuisine, Chef Mime.”

“As mush my poffìns are encroyable, they cannot improve the perfectiòn, miss.”

Gorebyss pointed at Anorith, Aurorus, Beheeyem and Seviper “I know. In fact, my friends here need them. Especially the gruesome scarface black snake.”

“I EAT YOU BYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.”

“Bon. I’ll do my best to make them the most delicious and, most of all, powerful enough to do such a miracle.” Mr. Mime started to prepare the pans. “How much?” asked Gorebyss, refering to the time “They will be ready for an hour.” “Merci beaucoup, Chef, meanwhile we will work on the rest. Anorith, dear, bring me outside…” “Oh, wait, madame! I’d like to have some assistants in the kitchen as my habit, if this is not a disturb for Her Gorgeousness.” The mime did another bow and snooty Gorebyss smiled “Absolutely no. Take Dunspy, Inkay and..hihi… my favorite Tropical Hunk.” Blinked at the last one, who remained confused. “T..Tropical Hunk?”

“Don’t like the nickname I gave you? Nevermind. I want to call you in this way, you’ll habit soon.” Before Tropius (or Aurorus) could reply anything, the loud voice of the executive chef ordered: “Bien sur, then, allez vous, you three, go get me the fresh berries!” Mr Mime gave Dunsparce the list of the ingredients, whose length would have made envious a papyrus. “A-All of this, i-if I dare to ask, Mr. Chef Mime?” “MOVE IT, S’ILL VOUZ PLAIT!” “S-S-S-Sure, sergeant chef mr!!!”

Outside the kitchen, Gorebyss continued to lead “Second step is the Visual Competition: the theme is the Kawaii, therefore we’ll dress in a way to communicate you can’t resist my cuteness.” She assumed a smoochy expression, with her gorgeous eyes spreading the colors of the rainbows and the pupils shaped as hearts, Anorith became all red and almost drooled, Seviper had the opposite reaction, almost feeling sick. “Like this. I don’t need items to communicate my cuteness, actually, but for the respect of the rules, I’ll dress on one or two. On the contrary, each of you will have to dress at least 16 or 17 ribbons to look cute.”

“RIBBONSSSSSS? I hate them with passion. No way.” Seviper hissed. “I hate everything is dainty, dinky, cloy, pink and disssssgustingly cute.”

“You should consider the idea of a date with Lucario.” Beheeyem said with sarcasm..and the viper flicked her tail right reach his face “Sssay it again if you wish to die.” He gulped. “Then I’ll simply walk away, to not disturb.” She stopped him “You sssssssssstay here, X-Filosssser.” “Original. I had still to hear this label.”

“My butler is the expert of fashion, he will provide for the items and the dresses.” Gorebyss clap-clapped her fins, waiting. “………where is Vanillite?”

“Splatched on the dome of the Pokèathlon, luckily.” Answered Anorith lampshading some satisfaction but didn’t expect her overreaction “What? Oh, right… He kept the whole collection of the items I used in my contests, and now? It’s all your fault that you eliminated him!”

“HEY! Slow down, princess, you caused his elimination as much as me. Remember you ASKED ME to vote in your place?”

“Yes, but I never told you the name of Vanillite.” Gorebyss used her appeal on him “Right?”

“Ehhh*…right..my fault.”

“Nevermind, you’re forgiven, but the problem still remains…”

“Victini mentioned a certain Amity Square where we could collect the items for the contest. I’ll inform about it.” Aurorus purposed and left the plaza. But didn’t return after a quarter of an hour. “Where did sssshe go?”

“Clever question, and the answer is: not there.” Beheeyem pointed at the entrance of the park of Amity Square, next to them. “I ssswear that she will regret for this action, but what matters now is to get those items. Everyone, inside!”

“Stop, you can’t enter here if you aren’t cute! Read the rules.” A female guardian said.

“Please, Seviper, move a little bit away, so they can see me.”

“Neither Gorebyss is cute enough for our park.”

“Are you serious?!!!!!!!!!” Gorebyss opened eyes wide in shock and bounced off the bowl “Then which pokèmon are allowed? Give me the list! I’m really curious!! Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Clefairy, Psyduck, Torchic, Turtwig, Shroomish , Skitty, Chimchar, Piplup, Pachirisu, Drifloon and Dunsparce are considered cutest than me?! Grrrr. This is, this is…gnn..ridiculous, shocking, unfair.”

“And none cares.” Seviper gained back the leadership “Quick, let’sss get Dunsparce!”

“No, Anorith, I’m not moving from here. I DEMAND to enter, because I AM the cutest.” Gorebyss was stubborn to stay and Anorith gave up on convince her to go with them.

Piplup coordinated the kitchen after the other Jigglers had picked the necessary berries “I have a long experience of bakery. The recipe of the poffin is easy even for a wotter: a cup of berries of the favorite kind, a cup of milk, flour, and mix well a little bit on left, and a little bit on right until the ingredients are meshed in a soft disk. Watch out to not mix too fast or the dough spatters and to not mix too slow or the poffin gets burnt.”

“In this way? Splaff!” Oshawott’s clamp fell in the dough and splatched on the floor the poffin she was preparing. “Argh! Gnn…”

“Do another one, come on, don’t give up so soon!” Bagon encouraged her showing the charred poffins he had done so far “We’re all here to learn, afterall.”

“Alright, I try.” Oshawott poured a new crate of berries and mixed, this time being careful that her scallop didn’t fall in the dough… she fell in its place, skidding on the stain, by the way managed to grab the pan in time. “Swish! OSHAWHAAA—AHAHAH! I managed to take the control, take this, cousin of Swalot!” Bagon told her she had forgot to use the gloves, tough, and she felt the burn raising up to the brain “It burns like the HELL! Oshawhaiahiahiii! My poor paws are flaming, quick, need something fresh! *Ah..*” Oshawott dipped her arms in a bowl full of a red juice, in the attempt to get some relief.

“Get your hands out of my Spice Juice. I have just finished to prepare it! It’s an harmony of spicy flavors of Tamato, Razz, Pomeg and Spelon Berry. What an incompetent, this is why I always cook alone.” Lucario scolded her.

“SPICE JUICE? Ggggggg…” the scream that followed reached the hears of Deoxys in the outer space. The ott ran in circle until she slipped again and flipped into the poffin Bagon was going to bake. The dragon sighed and helped her to get out, but slicky as a syrup Oshawott was so goof that rolled in the oven, and her shriek this time was so loud that Rayquaza thought at a new war between Groudon and Kyogre. “I’M ON FIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!!!!!!!! WATER, WATER, WATEEEEEEER!!!!!!”

“Now she’s really a Water Hot. And definitely hilarious. PIPLAHAHAHAHAH!” Piplup couldn’t restrain the laughers anymore watching Oshawott ,charcoaled and striped, covered in the cream mixture, therefore resembling a walking poffin, running like a mad in search of a fountain.

“An information: WHERE IS THE FOUNTAIN PLAZA IN THIS DAMN CITY?! HURRY UP WITH THE ANSWER OR I SCALLOP BLADE YOU ALL! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!! SO BURN, I FEEL THE HELL IN A SHELL, NEED WATEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!!! Splash!”

// Vent //

“I highly recommend Oshawott to consider the idea to become a comedian.” Piplup dried the tears “She’s born to be laughed at. Zero malice, only sincerity.”

Bagon shrugged “The saddest thing of all is that she forgot to be a WATER pokèmon. Now I see why she and Squirtle get along this well. Speaking of Squirtle…hmm… he seems weird today. Viz, weird not as the Squirtle I know.”

Piplup returned serious soon after and complimented “Thanks Oshawott for the entertaining pause she provided for, then everyone back to cooking. Lucario, I couldn’t avoid to notice your skill in the preparation of that juice, quite surprised that an hillibilly like you is an expert of kitchen. You must be a perfect housewife. Congratulations.” Giggled. “Eh? No way, you’re blabbing, I know nothing of cakes that are in the top ten of my hating rank, anyway even if I called it Spicy Juice, it’s more a cream, that adds the right accent of flavor to the sweet base of the poffin, and now leave me alone, I have to grate a Cheri Berry for the final sprinkles. Sgrunt! WAIT, I JUST..” Lucario blushed viciously and muttered against himself.

“Slice, mix, mesh, bake. Done. Zoom! Zoom!” Ninjask flashed from an angle to another of the kitchen room taking poffins out of the oven at the max fast pace: first he sliced the fruits with the utmost precision, secondary put them in the pan and mixed the dough with an impressive speed, then once a disk was ready baked it in the oven and took care of a new poffin. In the meanwhile he also managed to assist the teammates slicing the berries for them or adding condiments on their request. “Wow, what a show, Ninjask does singularly what we do in 5!” Commented Bagon in amaze “So fast that seems there are two of him.”

Later, the time Oshawott implied to return dripping all the water she had immerged herself into, they were already eating the poffins prepared under the guide of Piplup, the talent of Lucario and the massive contribute of Ninjask and his Booster. “I feel better now… oshawhat? You have already finished to cook the poffins?”

“Not only, crunk, we’ve almost finished to eat them, too. Sorry. There’s a poffin left for you on the table. Ops, no more.”

“I repeat: OSHAWHAT?” her belly growled.

“Tsk-tsk , blame your slow self.” Piplup cleaned her beak with a napkin and tossed the crumbles to Oshawott, before to walk outdoor. “The schedule is long, now I have to think about the dress-code. Wait me at the exit of Amity Square, I have the exclusive access.” She unawarely dodged a dish thrown by Oshawott in “return”.

“Et voilà, trèz magnifique!” Mr Mime had almost cooked everything, but he still thought the poffins missed a special ingredient… and looked at Dunsparce, who was drilling the last dough. “W-W-Why you look at me i-i-in this w-w.way, a-a-again, c- chef?” “I think my masterpieces lacks a background flavour of dry and paraflinch at the same time, the skales of a land snake would be the perfect condiment.” “M-Maybe no, I have a dull horrible taste, I s-swear.”

Seviper entered in the Poffin House and picked Dunsparce in hurry.

“Sarcableu, my special ingrediènt! Ohe, nevermind, a great chef knows always an alternatìve.” Mr Mime glanced at Inkay, who was carrying proudly a whole of burned poffins. “Ailòv et! Another series is ready to be eaten, and it’s, mang, chunm, delicious… up what’s?”

“Hmmmm…...an acid note of ink….could fill.”

“Wait a minute, where is Aurorus?”

“Who knows? She left the city and didn’t make return, maybe you should look for her, she would appreciate.” Anorith answered exchanging a smirk with Seviper. Ssstrategy. Tropius followed the suggestion without a second thought.

Seviper and her team reached back the Amity Square, where Gorebyss was still whining to enter. “Get off, queen byss, I have here a true cute pokèmon, Dunsparce, sssso let me enter now!”

“Awww, I see. Welcome to Amity Square! Enjoy the visit.”

Amity Square was a park built in the outskirt of Hearthome City, full of flowers, lakes, fountains and joy, where the most chic habitants brought their cute pokèpets at the gap. Kids populated happily the area, liking to stroke and cuddle the pokèmon they met, and they didn’t do an exception with Dunsparce.

“Wait, they find me ***cute***? Even more than Gorebyss, if I dare to ask?” Dunsparce said twitching, Gorebyss nodded visibly annoyed. “Yes, in this strange place they consider YOU that and not ME.”

“S-Sorry for it.”

Seviper scared the childrens sweeping her tail around them “Ssshut up all! This cloy place makes me sick with all this harmony, balloons and, ptù, love. Let’s focus on the research of these itemsss!” Beheeyem scoffled and looked around for a bit “I see nothing, can I go, now? …Kidding.” Anorith confirmed “I see nothing, too, Seviper.”

“You would never find anything, my dears, only an exemplary of cuteness can find and collect the items.” Piplup picked up a curly feather “Uh-uuh, this one is an amoùr. Forgive me, now, I have to find a clown wig for Oshawott, a pom pom for Lucario, a carvanhival mask for Ninjask…eh, this is the routine of a leader.”

Seviper shook the land snake by the gap “What are you doing? Haven’t you found anything ssso far?”

“S-Sorry, we have just arrived and this is the first time I..I..I come h-here, I’d like to do a pleasure walk that surely or maybe would help me habit.”

“Do you prefer I bring you back to Mr. Mime for a Dunsberry Poffin?”

“Argh! I-I’ll scoot in the grass. S-Searching! Sigh.”

Beheeyem sat on a bench, yawning “What we do in the meanwhile? Loiter, rest or sleep?”

“Train. You may think that Pokèmon Contests are just based on a cute dress and how many poffins you ate down, and you couldn’t be further from the reality.” Gorebyss spoke solemnly “The Visual and most of all the Acting Performance are the heart of the challenge and require an huge strife to be accomplished successfully.”

“Then cut me out, Her Gorgeousness but not Cuteness, because you have just nominated the only word I haven’t knowledge of: strife.”

“You’ll learn how to ssstrive or I’ll teach you how to SSSSLICE! Understand?”

“I think I got the veiled message.” “Count fully on me for the actings. Hop!” Gorebyss sprought off the bowl into the little lake doing aerobic “After I’ll take a relaxing swim session to prepare myself.”

“The interior temperature is cool enough, whooosh, but I prefer to add more ice. It could be a problem if …oh?” Aurorus was doing something that couldn’t be shown to the camera when she heard the voice of Tropius calling her name. She alarmed and quickly got out the bathroom, knocking into the grass sauropode. “Woah, how much rush! I was sure I have found you on the plane. Why I’m smiling like a Quagsire? Do you feel okay or had another problem with the health? What a Wobbuffet question…bah.”

“It isn’t. I appreciate you ask.” Aurorus smiled while assured that the bathroom was locked “Sadly the answer is yes, I felt sick again, this temperate temperature wears me. But I’m strong to resist.”

“She appreciated! Anorith was right. I have no doubts you will because you are enough hot.” Tropius blushed hard “I mean cool. Cold! Groan, I’m a disaster. Sorry, this happens usually when I’m together a beautiful girl…NOT AGAIN! I can’t even slap me for karma because of this short paws! I know this is getting more and more harassing for you, I leave you alone.”

“I’m not harassed, on the contrary.”

“Heh?”

Aurorus kissed him and make his heart frozen for the emotion. “I love you.”

And this is the Backlot Mansion! A majestic villa built in victorian style that counts a number of rooms about 51.” Drifloon explained with accurancy “On the back there’s the famous Garden Trophy: a wide acre of grass that belongs to Mr. Backlot, here there are very special rare like Roselia and Roserade. On the left…blah, blah, blah.”

“E-xtraordinary. Flash! Flash!”

Lampent tap-tapped Plusle “Is this the entertaining part where I have to laugh? Then, ahahah. So much fun.” The positive twin didn’t get she was sarcastic and cheered dancing with her pom poms “Alright, we’re having fun, yahooo! This is the spirit! Conga conga con-ga! Conga conga con-ga! Join, Minun!”

“No, thanks, I don’t see the need of it at the moment.” Minun sighed and gave a little pull to Drifloon “Please, ends the touristic tour here and bring us to the Poffin House or wherever it’s useful.” The balloon agreed and said everyone to follow her “Don’t worry, I remember exactly where to go! Actually, there are only two places left to visit.”

“I wonder how…” the negative brother rolled eyes.

“Poffin House. Here.”

“Finally.”

“Now, I have to remember how to do a poffin, hold on…mumble, mumble..” Drifloon stared at the void, meanwhile waited for her gassy matter to activate a thought. Metang opened a book of recipes “This will help your memory.” Her eyes shone “Eureka! Forgot the meaning of this word, but the book reminded me the recipe of poffins.”

// Vent //

“Thanks Arceus Metang exists.” Minun prayed.

“Yeah, cooking day! Are you ready, Lampent?” with the speed of the light Plusle dressed everyone with a funny apron and kitchen gloves, Lampent’s resembled a smily Mudkip face “Trust me, cooking in company is a marvelous sensation: the breeze of satisfaction to have achieved the common aim to prepare a delicacy is just an half of the amaze cuz the real funny part is all in the preparation. Me and Minun cook always TOGETHER. You’ll like iiiiiiiiiiiiit!” the lantern shrugged in reply. Drifloon read the recipe to everyone and organized the jobs in the kitchen: Drifloon meshed with zane the ingredients on the kitchen range (stove), Metang and Porygon 2 modeled and flattened the dough in disks, and Lampent and the twins occupied to put the poffins in the oven for the final baking and added the cream and the sprinkles. “Du-de dum, first is mixed!” Drifloon passed to Metang who used the move Hammer Fist to flatten the dough and Porygon 2 cesealed it in a round shape using Signal Beam, then passed the baton to Plusle and Lampent, who filled the custard cream and Minun stuffed the first whole of muffins in the mouth of the oven, waiting. “Vrrr..crunch…..KABOOM!”

“Cough, something went wrong.”

“I know really, these red poffins have no flavor, where’s the spice?!”

“The oven is talking…? Oh, right, Lester.”

“In plasma and craziness!” the ghost of the microwave said with swag.

“Jeez, it was too good to be real. Why in tarnation you possessed the oven? Why you’re here! I thought you have decided to take a vacation.” Minun felt more and more like a pokèmon Paintbrush while strived to keep the positive mood but Rotom “I confirm my decision, but, I eventually realized to be bored of all this inactivity, therefore I thought to reach you here and do a little JOKE! Also, I can provide for help, do you need a blender? I’m here! Do you need an oven? I’m here! Do you need..I’m starting to run out of objects…a fridge? I’m here, ah!”

“Do you want to know what we really need?” Minun lost that drop of patience he had still left “That you stay out of the oven (and every other electrodomestic), out of the kitchen and out of the challenge! Go enjoy your holiday from leadership and don’t think about us, please!” and tossed the microwave on the kerb. “Fine… I don’t like to be alone, but I solemnly promise to don’t disturb anymore. Zoom!” Lester did a forced smile and disappeared in a cartoonical flash.

“Well done.” said Metang to the mouse, instead the sister shook the head in sign of reproach. “I’m sorry for the oven, but he screwed on my patience this time. And now? Damn my impulsivity.”

“Don’t lose the hope as usual! The poffins cannot be baked without an oven, but we have Lampent.” Plusle threw confetti in the air doing a spin “Her flame is hot as much as an oven! If we put the sweets in her globe, they will bake for sure!”

“Or carbonize in ash.”

“Lampent, you’re being negative. Don’t follow the wrong example my brother offer.”

“Wrong example? Hey, sister, this is a little too..”

“See? He’s so serious that his same expressive wrinkles have wrinkles.”

“… Anyway, I’m not being negative, I’m stating a true fact. I’m not a regular oven but a doomed cursed souldestroying spirit trapped in a lantern. D-Don’t risk.”

“So? I’m a lesser clone of Pikachu but I don’t give myself limits or restrictions.” Plusle conforted her “All you have to do is believe that you can do everything you want. Try?” Lampent stopped to shiver and shrugged feebly “I gave all the necessary warnings. Hope you won’t have to regret.” The other smiled dauntless and opened the doom of Lampent, putting inside the poffins survived to Hot Rotom’s gluttony. “Driflo-flo, give me the minutes of baking, how many?”

“51 minutes and 2 seconds to get a perfect poffin.” Drifloon answered firmly. Everyone gasped “HOW MUCH?!!” The purple balloon grinned innocently realizing her mistake “Ops! I confused the characters….of the page. It’s 2 minutes and 51 seconds, ihihih!” “Aaaah.” Almost three minutes later, the Leviathans obtained the first poffin. Plusle did a wide smile at Lampent who almost smiled back. “Ta-dah! Seen? Cooking is first of all fun!” she juggled with the sweets and tossed them to Minun, who wasn’t ready for the acrobatic lunch and got covered in the cream and buried under the sprinkles, glaring. “SISTER! You did this on purpose, admit it.” Plusle put the tongue out as a derpy. “Absolutely yes.” Since then the Leviathans managed to prepare and eat excellent poffins.

// Vent //

“By the way, when I said there was no spice in those poffins, I meant to warn them that they have forgot the most important ingredient: the berries! Without them, they bring no benefit. ” Lester grinned mischievously “BY THE WAY, too late and not my problem. I’m on hoooooolidaaaaays!”

Scoffled.

“I’m bored if I don’t have anything to do. Quirky idea! I’ll go at Amity Square, modestly a random and unexpected decision.”

Drifloon went to Amity Square, too. She was already there when he arrived but he was already there when she arrived. “Ok, guys, I’ll be right back with the items. Flooon!”

“Hey, Drifloon! I thought you were playing and taking photos with the kids in the children area, instead you have just entered. Pretty quirky oddity.”

“Really? Nah, you are confusing me with someone else, afterall, ehm, this place is full of balloons!” Drifloon winked “And I ain’t the only Drifloon in this world. Or I am, maybe, for you?”

Lester mazed at the innuendo “What do you..a-ah! Ahahahah! Nope. I’m already engaged with a splendid Latias.” whispered softly “By the way, therefore, I have to be careful because she could be hiding everywhere, controlling my moves, exploiting her invisibility...”

“Ahah! They call me dumb but what should they think of you? LATIAS! Sure. I had forgot how nut you can be, but now you reminded me. I get to go, later!” she quickly swayed far.

“I wasn’t joking! Engage with a legendary is far from easy! Date with a Latios and you’ll feel the burn!” Lester shouted extremely offended, only to get back cheesy soon after “By the way, I have a job to do now! Vrrrrrrrrrr.”

“I found another ribbon! Can I do a pause, now? Sigh.” Dunsparce didn’t even wait for the answer knowing it was NO and returned to scoot the ground. Gorebyss returned from her swim and finally the training started. “The acting performance in double is not only a simple exhibition of moves and skills, it’s the show in the show: we have to impress the audience and the jury creating an unique combination. It’s important to pair the right pokèmon with the perfect partner and to have a project for the performance. Mine consisted in a swimming on, under and through ice performed with the help of Aurorus, that at the end would have casted an aurora borealis right behind me, so that all the gorgeousness of my splendid body leaved the platea astounded by the class and the beauty. *Imagine the scene: me, dressed in the most dainty outfit viz my scales, merging from the ice as the polar star.*” Her beautiful eyes shimmered stars out of the pupils while narrating, Anorith drooled “A beautiful majestic queen of ice, gheee.”

“Exactly.” Gorebyss turned suddenly vexed “However all this project is flushed into the filter of the tank since AURORUS dumped us and VANILLITE is gone. Therefore, I was forced to recur to a different idea with a straight different partner: Anorith.” The anomalocaris cheered wildly. “He’s the only one who can swim, afterall.” “Ah, only for this.”

“That means I’m in tag with the alien sssshame?!” Beheeyem cheered sarcastically floating next to Seviper. “Alright, any idea for our number?”

“Why you ask me? The act is the fruit of the personal work of the partners. Get with an idea and doooo iiiit!” Gorebyss sang harmonically diving back in her bowl and ordered Anorith to carry her at the contest. “I need a bigger aquarium for the exhibition, there’s a lot of work in the backstage for you. You better go quick. See you later for the make up and the visual restoration.” Seviper and Beheeyem glowered at her, and at Dunsparce, who was trying again to ask for a break. “Ssso, thanks to the byss, we have to fend for ourselves. Use that megaphone brain to get with an idea.”

“Nooo, why, better recur to your little but mischievous one.”

“I ssssuggest you do what I said, partner, because the only performance I have currently in mind is a massssacre!” Seviper death glare convinced eventually the unidentified snarking pokèmon.

// Vent //

“Poison and Psychic…uhm.” Beheeyem pondered in boredom “If there’s a way to do a combination of the brutality of a snake and the genius of a superior alien, I don’t know it. To be fair, I don’t want to do this performance, I have better matters for my grey matter: the science, the study, and the eternal rest…staying alive. At the end, the undefined and problematic situation of friend-ship with Lampent, if there’s a residual space. Or this is the priority.” “Ssso?”

“I need a little of solitude to focus my big braincells.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you alone for 5 minutes meanwhile checking Dunsparce collects the most items possible. DUNSPARCE, I SSSSEE YOU! You’re loitering?!” “N-No, S-Seviper!” “Ah. Keep collect items until there won’t be a single one left in this park of idiots. Beheeyem, I’m also watching you, don’t try to escape.”

“Or you slash me. I know. I won’t. Sbuuff.”

Three quarters of an hour later Minun got very impatient… “How much time she’s taking to pick some items?” facepalmed. “Of course. I bet all my pokèdrama moneys that she forgot the reason why she entered, predictable. Follow me all inside and help me find and bring her back to planet TDVVT.”

“Mmmh, I still feel the flavor of the delicious poffins we have prepared before! How do you feel now?” Plusle didn’t need any answer from Lampent “Judging by that smile you’re trying to erase from your mouth but you can’t hide at all, you’re having fun. Fun. FUN!”

“Shht! Maybe, slightly , right.” The dark lamp whispered shyly “At least it was the first time I wasn’t bored in the kitchen, and the first time I entered in a kitchen since the last one was when I was a Litwick and was forced by Victini to bake his favorite food in his company: obviously macarones.” She stuck her tounge out for the disgust. “The worst thing is that I hated and hate them. Hleargh!”

“Ah ah ah!” the two newborn friends let out a laugher for her funny expression. “See how marvelous is the life if you see the sun light in everything?”

“I usually like to see the moon light in the dusk, but I discovered to like on rare times other sources of light.” But suddenly Lampent spotted Beheeyem in the tall grass, and the gloom came back to her heart immediately. “And most of all I like the darkness…” she left do not leaving Plusle or him the time to say anything.

“Ssssso, BEM?”

“I almost found an idea…” lied Beheeyem to the snake and laid on a bench in despair “I have to solve this mystery regarding me and Lampent but I can’t with that Seviper and Victini always between the planets…” Mow Rotom approached to him “Vrrrrrrrr. Hey, B.E.M! I casually heard you have a problem, and here I am: my previous owner was also a famous detective and I learned from him a lot of investigating skillz. Call me Lester Rotolmes.” Beheeyem deadpanned “Interesting…actually why not, I’m enough desperate…agree. I don’t have a single break for the rest of the day while you seem to be pretty free, you could actually collect “clues” for me and spare me a lot of tiredom.” After the alien explained the whole situation Lester put on the triangular shades and assumed a professional attitude “I’ll solve the case. I was actually collecting clues on a similar one that could be connected, and it regards directly my and your ex teammates, ah!”

“Interesting, which ones?”

Beheeyem Rotom
“I have a certain suspect on Metang: he accused me for the sickness crash of Porygon 2, but when I entered in that Rocket computer I didn’t see any of the virus he mentioned. THEREFORE..!” a spark appeared through his glasses “They were put by an outsider.”

“A too clever outsider for the standards of Team Rocket, even if I’m clueless of what you’re talking about.” Beheeyem was surprised for an istant by the logic of the ghost. He considered him a ditz so far. And Lester was sure beyond the Swartzchild limit of the craziness, but his I.Q. was impressive. “Metang fits in the topic and I never trusted him.” To be honest, Beheeyem had since the beginning a secret repulsion for the cleverness of the mecha-crab: it was the biggest registered so far in his studies of the Earth life, but was also twisted in a strange scary way.

“By the way!” the high pitched voice of Rotom interrupted Beheeyem’s rummages “I’ll start the indagations soon after I’ve finished here. I found a work as gardener of Amity Square for a day, just to kill the time and the weeds.” Beheeyem looked at the streak of devastation where the mow had passed: trees eradicated, grass pokèmon shaved to the skin, and flaming craters everywhere in the lawn while the kids cried and their parents ran away in panic with them. “Only the weeds, eh?”

“Ahhhh, my Turtwig was trimmed!”

“Ops, I put too zeal in my job. I was never here. Vroooooom!”

Beheeyem observed the crazy mow zig-zagging between the guards to the exit, and shrugged “Meh, better than nothing, I think. Ok, now about the performance with Miss Double S…”

Minun found eventually Drifloon, she was being used as a toy by the kids, that entertained changing her rubber body in different shapes “Drifloon, I knew I would have found you here. What are you doing for Kyogre’s sake?! You forgot again your duty, right? Come on! You should have been an advantage for us, as you are the ONLY ONE who won a Sinnoh Contest, instead..you’re here, logic! Ahahhaha!!!!! T-Totally logic and strategic, uh???”

Of course, Drifloon dumbfounded and didn’t recognize him “Do I know you?”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!Sob, she’s driving me crazy with her dumbness..”

“She? First of all, I’m a male, mr. Freak, second I’m playing with the sons of my owners and if there’s someone dumb here it’s you. Pfui.” Drifloon fluttered away offended.

“But…” Minun stared. “You picked the wrong Drifloon. Tsk, I have the memory of a Goldeen but I would never forget the face of a friend.” Sarcastic faces appeared on the others. “Also, I distinguish thanks to the ribbons and the bag I have always with me. I came here to take the journal souvenir, having already all the items for the contest.”

“You didn’t wear them before…anyway, seriously?!? Why you didn’t say that before?”

“She blatantly forgot it and remembered just right now.” Metang whispered to him with complicity. Minun took a deep sigh and calmed down. “Alright, it’s a magnificent news: let’s go out of here to organize our numbers. Where is my sister?”

“R-e-l-a-x. I detect an high level of madness in you. By the file, her last appearance in my database is of 5 minutes ago, she and Lampent directed to the exit of the park to return to the Contest Hall.”

“Ah, phew.”

// Vent //

Porygon 2 cheered “My first lie! Lying is an action not written in my system, instead is a K for a non virtual being. This means I’m evolving into a real pokèmon! @Sproing@”

Drifloon suddenly saw something that left her speechless, like brainstormed. "..." Therefore Minun had to physically pull her to the exit.

"Hmm? That wasn't... maybe was a joke of my imagination." Cyndaquil returned to play with his trainer rolling in the lawn. He was the only pokèmon who liked the new incendiary look of the park courtesy of the gardening management provided by a certain Mow Rotom...

Preparation and Training
JIGGLERS

Piplup and her temmates were in the backstage of the Contest Hall, she was ticking off the list of the items collected setting up herself as the authority “Resuming the situation: we ate the poffins I cooked and have the items I provided for, what misses now is the talent. I have it already, since I’m a veteran of these contests.”

“How many times you won?”

Piplup simulated to have not heard the vexing question “In both the acting and the fighting performances the jury judges fundamentally three factors: the quality of the moves, the originality of the exhibition and the synergy between the pairs. The choice of the partner is the first key of the success and I allow myself to do it for everyone for the sake of the team. But first to do this I want to prepare the outfits for the visual challenge, clap-clap! This is mine.” The penguin went in the locker and returned dressed in a large royal jacket with a long fur cloak around the neck, an headstripe with a feather on the top of the head and pom poms at the wings “This is the first piece of the Piplup Collection I created for the occasion. Having been assigned to the Party theme, I mixed the fanciness and the jolliness in a single clothe, perfect for formal feasts and informal tea parties, with pieces of costumes usually used for parties but, also, a majestic royal complete, to underline I’m part of the èlite.” The reactions were pretty obvious but I’ll resume them with a single quote:

“OshaWTF?!!!”

“I know really, I should have become a fashion designer but I passed the sunset limit, too late.”

Piplup Collection
// Vent //

Ninjask put on a pointy birthday hat, a traditional kimono with a polka dotted papillon, a trumpet and a pair of white handgloves, and arched a brow “Neither camouflaged as a toilet I would feel this uneasy. She’s really bad at clothing.”

Oshawott outbursted in laughers unable to say anything in the Confessional. But..

“This is your outfit, Oshawott: since you’re a natural joker, it’s basically a clown costume. Minus the nose, cause you have already a big red one.” Piplup snickered in amusement before to leave the vent.

With firmness that Bagon, Lucario and Ninjask held the pissed off Oshawott, Piplup continued to speak “These are the pairs I decided: Me and Oshawott, because we’re both water pokèmon and my experience can do the miracle to fix her goofiness, Chimecho and Ninjask that are both fond on their japanese origins, and the comic duo Squirtle and Bagon.” Bagon raised an hand “Yes? Any objection?”

“Squirtle got injured and Chimecho went with him, so we’re basically 5.”

“I know the solution! I’ll do the contest performance alone, or better, I won’t do it at all. See? Problem solved.”

“No, Lucario. Tsk,tsk. This is a tag team contest and you’re not going to skive off again a challenge and, dear Bagon, Squirtle only posed to get hurt, stop lie to yourself and bring he or her back.” Lucario sgrunted folding arms and at the end of the quote said “Then I want to pair with Chimecho! Sgrunt.” only to blush soon after and frown again. Ninjask flew next to him “Pair me with Lucario: I got an idea for a strong exhibition.” Piplup pondered a second “Agree. That’s a really good combination, modestly it was my first option.” Lied. “Ok, Oshawott, don’t worry for the performance, I’ll tell what to do and you will have just to do it, fine? Fine.”

Bagon walked to the plane. Squirtle and Chimecho were still searching for his goggles. When they heard him they stopped the research “H-Hey, maaan, what’s up? I feel good: Chimecho healed my sprinkle very well using her magic powar!”

“Psychic power.” Chimecho said with a feeble voice, yawning. She was exhausted.

Bagon was oblivious of what was going on with them and, actually, he was too on the go to reflect “Awesome to know this, Squirt-bro, but I need you, now, if you feel cool again, we can do the performance together!”

“Man, I don’t know, it’s hyping but I would better stay in the bench today.”

“Come on, this is the first time ever we can shine in front of a wide audience, and, you know, show our cooliness. Wouldn’t you like?”

“You’re right, Brogon!” Squirtle was coaxed by the eagerness of the friend and forgot temporary about the goggles. “Let’s do this. *BRO-FIST*” He turned then to Chimecho “Ehm, Chimechanga? Can you keep the search for me in the meanwhile? I beg you! Please, pwease, be coolkind! I risk my friendship here but I’m sure that if you use your magic powers at max power you will detect the target. Okeyyy?” Chimecho wanted to rest but she couldn’t: refuse a request went against her solid principles! She just couldn’t. Nodded unwillingly. “Yawn, o..ka..y. I’ll do… everything …….I can to find …the….m.” “Thanky ya, Chimechangaaa!”

Later, Bagon and Squirtle discussed about their performance: “Do you have any idea, buddy? Because I don’t have one at the moment. Strange, because I’m usually creative at home when I try all the strangest ways to fly, maybe I miss my goggles. Yes! Probably they’re the source of my wiz. Can you give me them now?”

“Ops, I forgot them on the plane, man, I’m so goof!”

“Oh, ehm, nevermind. Mumble.”

Squirtle, sweating, delayed from that topic “You have the attitude even without them! Like I do without ma shades.”

“But you have them on now.”

“Sure, but remember what you said me yesterday?”

“Right.”

“Uhhh, sheik! I got an idea: a free-styling!” the turtle tuned on the stereo and span on the floor folding inside the shell. “Isn’t it an hell of a dance, man? I remembered all the spinning traps we got into yesterday at the Rocket Quarter. Do the same with the head and we’ve this in the bag. Yo-Yo!” Bagon heeled over and upside down tried a spin using only the head, but fell at the middle of the twist. “I like the concept idea but it’s difficult and need more than this to be complete, however I want to do it totally. Hope we’ll learn how to perform it well in time for the contest.”

“Then stop talk and spin together me, maaaaaan! Wooh-wooh-wooooh!”

“Snort, I warn you, Ninjask, I don’t want to do a dainty, joyful or blah-blah-blah spectacle. Ask Piplup to be your partner if this is your kind of idea. I have a dignity to fend, and to me it’s enough hard to deal with the audience cause I HATE THE CROWDS.” Ninjask ignored him and disposed quickly a set of bushes and trees on the floor “Are you listening to me? Grr.” Ninjask used Booster and finished the background in few seconds, at the end spoke “Do you like to do bonsai, right?”

“Not your business. Did Chimecho tell you anything?” Lucario set on the defensive “However, do is an offensive word, I create bonsai, because the art of bonsai isn’t simply cut some leaves. It’s a true art! U R G H. You tricked me, sneaky ninja. I gave you the answer you wanted, what’s next?”

Ninjask smirked “Excellent, you answered exactly what I wanted. And, don’t worry, our performance will be based on pure toughness.” The dog got suddenly interested “Serious?” “Serious. Word of a ninja.”

VENTURERS

Gorebyss was pretty annoyed “Where is my aquarium? I specifically asked for a large tank decorated with tropical corals and-“

“Gorebyss, did you seriously pretend to find a true aquarium in the backstage?” Anorith cut her speech justifying “Be grateful that there’s an oceanic background! For the last time, I’m not Vanillite here to grant all your wishes.” Gorebyss put her lips next to his “I’m conscious of this, but sweetie… did you idiot forget I cannot move out of the water?! I’m angry and so so so disappointed. I’m forced to change again my plan. Sniff.” She dried a dramatic tear off to make Anorith shameful, and soon after returned to use the soothing voice. “You’re sorry, I know, but this is not enough to receive my mercy. By the way, we’ll talk about this at the right time. In the meanwhile I thought at an alternative sooooluuuutiooon.”

Scene cut to the other wonderful pair Beheeyem and Seviper. “Exsssssplain me again how this works.”

“For the 51th time. Ahem. You use your Poison Bomb that I block in mid air with my Psychic and organize in bubbles that will float around us, then I read a book and you end the performance popping all the bubbles with your poison tail. Understood or I have to be more synthetic?”

“No, I got the idea this time. You could have done more, but let’sss begin the try outs.” Seviper spat her poison in the air and hit Beheeyem before he casted his psychokinesis. “Perfect execution, pity I doubt the audience would appreciate. Fsss... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Right in the eyes!”

“I won’t be sssure in your place. I would like to see a sssimilar spectacle in a live show.”

“Of course, because you’re sssadic. With triple capital S.” The alien replied rinsing the eyes and struggling to keep his motionless mood “I wasn’t ready. If you would have waited I could have explained you the details. I’m very slow compared to you, therefore, we have to synchronize our different attacks to be successful..and to not make me blind.”

The viper spat in annoyance to the ground, rolling eyes “How much you are ssslow?”

“Like a running Noah that carries Owen on the shoulders after this one ate up a complete lunch and asked for the bis. Therefore add 7 s more to the word slow and listen to my system: count to 51 before to do your Poison Bomb. By that time, I should have been able to summon my Psychic shield.”

“Ptù. Fine, but you dissssssssgussssst me with your slowpoke attitude.”

“The feeling of sick is reciprocal.”

LEVIATHANS

“Hop-hop-hop! Oplà!” Minun backflipped landing on the shoulders of Plusle “The performance is the easiest part for us. We’re the only collaudated duo, sister!” Plusle replied with a spark of happiness, but she wasn’t totally happy.

// Vent //

“Since we were little, we have practised as acrobats doing a trip around Hoenn and beyond with our circus. I trust my sister as I trust myself, actually, I trust more her than myself, there’s a strong bond that links us and that’s why it’s so easy for us to perform our moves…” Minun waited for Plusle’s usual bouncy line “Our moves to..ge…ther. Together! Ehm, I don’t say it as well as you do.”

“Plusle, sissy, are you ok? Did the poison effect strike back?” worried.

“Nope. I’m down because I failed to cheer up Lampent: just when she seemed happy, POOF! She returned dusky.” Plusle pointed sadly at a locker room where the lamp had bunkered.

“Ehh, Lampent, I warned you she would have been tough…WAIT. Don’t tell me you have given up on her. Plusle! You never surrender!” Minun scolded her for the best “I don’t recognize my twin sister that in this moment. Who are you? A Pichu in undercover? Because I don’t see any sign of positive electricity u.u”

Plusle realized and glomped him “Silly I am! You’re right. I can’t give up now that I was close to the aim. Zappy thanky funky you, brothy! Drifloon, I need the best items you have in your bag. Knock-knock! Can I enter?” An hollow voice answered yes, as the mouse entered the ghost lamp quickly dried her tears and asked briefly “What do you want, now? I’m unhappy.”

“I’m here for this reason, in fact!”

“For the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“No.”

“How dare you say no at me? I’m the daughter of the head of this reality show, that’s also a legendary. I could just ask and he would kick you out the game in a second.”

“I don’t care.”

“….” Lampent sighed and sobbed “Do you want to leave me alone?! Go out, I’m used to live with my misery straight opposite to your candy existence.” Plusle sat near her “Do you really want to spend the rest of your non life consuming in wax tears or do you wish it to be different? I understand you have your good reasons to be sad, but you have to get over them, sweep them under the rug like useless dust, and start care for the good things you’re surrounded by. Take this contest as an opportunity!”

“Certainly, an opportunity to expose me to the judgements and the laughers of the people. As I wasn’t enough humiliated when I was human, when I turned into a ghost, and at the end even by Beheeyem.” Lampent’s fire was dimming more and more for the depression “I’m an ugly, pathetic, depressing spirit lantern girl. None can like me.”

“I heard enough, zap!” Plusle jolted on her and put all the items available. “Driiiiifloooon? Can you give me an hand for this self-claimed desperate case, please? I need your professional touch.”

“I’ll be just glad to do it ^X^” Drifloon hesitated a minute having a memory hole “The theme was the Elegance, right?”

“+ Yup + Better the top hat or the rose in your opinion?”

“Both, but actually a flat cylinder would fit more… I see if I have one. Yes , I have!”

“Ehm…what are you doing to me, exactly, if I can ask something not too clever for you?” questioned Lampent in the middle of the two.

Plusle zipped the X-mouth of her colleague “Shht, it’s a surprise! Also, can you pair with Lampent for the acting performance?” The balloon nodded trying to speak “Mppmf.” Plusle dumbfounded “Eh? I didnt’ get the answer. Repeat, pwease.” “MMMPF!” “Uh? A little louder!” “MMMPPXX!!” Drifloon put eventually Plusle’s arm off the mouth “Yes, I mean YES! I was going to pick her however because I have a special project for the contest.” “Splendid!” “Ok……you two are really starting to give me the chills that an horror movie never.”

Visual Challenge
“We’re ready for the exhibition, man!” Squirtle high fived with Bagon after an intense training. Then both dressed on their outfits “Wow, this is pure party stuff but not enough hip hop! I have a golden chain for both. Ah, better.” They passed for the check up of Piplup “EEK! What’s that horrible blinging you put around the neck? No, no, no. This gangsta trash cannot be used for my exclusive collection.”

“Oh, c’mon, Pip Plup!”

“I’m Piplup for you, or Leader, I allow you also to call me in this way. There’s still a few of things I have to check!”

“Have you ever met someone with such a giant ego?” Bagon questioned to Squirtle and Oshawott as soon Piplup was gone.

“I’m not gonna exit dressed in this way, fling this ridiculous trash all to the poison ivies!” Lucario shouted in the backstage, tossing all the items away. Piplup swoll for the anger and faced him “HOW dare you talk in this way about my splendid collection, incivile? I comprehend there’s no fanciness in the country shack you come from, but this is only an addictive reason to follow my dressing indications. Pfui. Ungrateful mutt.”

“Sgrunt. Zip that beak, bitchbird.”

Ninjask got into the discussion to solve the conflictual situation “Lucario, consider the advantages if you accept to dress this rubbish: we will permorm the spectacle we’ve trained for hours and Chimecho will be there to watch. Chimecho, Lucario.” Whispered.

“What are you insinuating? Bah, deal! I’ll put on this ridiculous penguin collection for the sake of the show. Afterall, I don’t want to have wasted MY time for nothing.”

Victini checked his V-clock and announced “Ladies and gentlemons, the Super Contest will begin in 5 minutes! So, Az, what do you think of all this? My reality show is for true victors only.”

“I’m really curious to see your contestants in action. However, they won’t be as good as my ex ones.” Azelf said with a certain arrogance.

“Instead they’re valorous, you’ll see!” Victini grinned deviously “Afterall, your reality show failed after three episodes while mine is still on air.”

“Thanks to that lazy-ass of Uxie and that sexy selfish of Mesprit.”

“Ahahah! I have a valid collaborator to count on. Valid with the capital V.”

Azelf pointed at Jirachi, who was drooling on the table completely asleep, sneering. “I see, totally valid for you!” Victini glared and poked the star wishmaker in the (vain) attempt to awake him.

“Dunssssparce, hurry up with this make-up and don’t screw it like Inkay and the byss did in the past.”

“Y-Yes, S-Seviper! Glom, I hope it won’t be too terrible. Psst. Beheeyem, how I’m doing in your opinion?” “Please, don’t involve me more than I’m not yet.” Drawled acidally the alien already in his kawaii dress chosen by Gorebyss. Speaking of Gorebyss, she was taking care of Anorith’s look “Fard, flowers, sparkling porporine, foundation cream, that’s a must of beauty, gloss and…hey, keep still! Come on, Anorith..I have to misfit your age the most I could or we’ll never win.”

“I know, but the ribbons and all the rest of this stuff are so necessary? I have the cute eyes already.”

“Aww, stop complaining, you’re becoming so dainty! Plus, you offered to be my partner, then you have to improve your look to be at my same level. The wings need more gloss…”

“Offered?” Anorith blink-blinked and blushed while she filed his claws. “I feel uneasy cross-dressed in this way.”

“Feel beautiful and dainty, instead!” Gorebyss winked. “By the way, Dunsparce, use more ribbons for those two, and put a cucumber mask on that scar face you’re working on. This is my suggestion, blink.”

“Oh, t-thanks. I’ll follow your advise to fix her ugly and frightening scarface.” “Call me scarface again and I sssssshred you for a sushi! I SWEAR!”

“S-S-Sorry me, S-S-Seviper!! I didn’t want to offend you. Rattle.”

“Attention: the contestants of Team Victini is Very Very Very Very Victorious are first invited on the palk for the Visual Challenge!”

Dunsparce waddled to the audience and took a seat next to the other non participating pokèmon Inkay and Lester. Aurorus and Tropius were absent, but he bore still a grudge on her to care.

The crowd waited impatiently to see the first contestants, but when the first two Venturers entered there was the complete silence. For the first 5 seconds. Beheeyem and Seviper walked on the palk against their will, Seviper had ribbons of different colours tied everywhere on the sinuous body, the biggest one decorated the tail, and her facial scars had been replaced with the scrabbling doodles Dunsparce had tried to draw as decalcomanies, there was also a pitched blush under the cheeks and little chings attached to the red fangs; Beheeyem was introduced with a dinky dress instead of the usual coat that ended with a pink skirt, that flied away while he floated to the scene, a very little hat on the top of the head that resembled an UFO, and a pair of fake cute eyes to cover his deadpan expression.

// Vent //

Gorebyss explained “The model was the model, I couldn’t do a miracle with him.”

“Tonight I’ll use the telescope in order to seek for my dignity instead that for new stars.” Said Beheeyem covered in tomato souce from the head to the feet.

Lampent stiffed her laughers the most she could while Victini outbursted in loud ones, soon imitated by the audience (minus Dunsparce who worried for his safety) , when the two models tripped into each others they tossed rotten berries in their direction “Look where you walk, sssslowpoke alien. Hissss.” “Correction: I don’t walk, I float or flutter.SPLORTCH!” “Sssshut u- SPLOTCH! SPLATCH! GRRR, who did give them the berries?”

“Each spectator is usually given a sack of Tamato Berry to toss at the worst performers.” Drifloon explained sitting in the front row and tossing a Melon Berry straight against her “But as an ex-champion I have the right to use a various range of berries of the rarest species.”

“I SSSSLA SPLATCH, PLOTCH, PLORTCH!!!”

“FLASH! This moment will go in the album.”

Gorebyss snickered in the backstage: this was the payback for the Radio Tower flush experience. She had forgotten on purpose to teach her temmates how to pose and stand on the catwalk. She was the last to be introduced, and enjoyed the different reaction. Her undisputed beauty tamed the audience that switched the laughers in applauses and the berries in flowers thrown in her honour. Gorebyss, that dressed only a purple bow knotted to the edge of the tail and fake longer eyelashes, picked up a flower of Cherri Berry with the needle mouth and thanked blowing the petals with smooth in the air, and the pink petals fell on her confusing with her lucid pink scales. “That’s how a professionist act on the catwalk. This one is very hot.” Commented Azelf, Gorebyss reminded him a lot of Mesprit. Victini agreed and checked the tab “Gorebyss has filled alone 3 on 5 hearts, that’s very impressive! But where is Anorith?”

“Behind me.” Gorebyss said half annoyed and half amused by the unusaul shyness of him. The unusual shrimp was regretful to show up in that look in front of such a wide theatre, Gorebyss had really focused too much on the cuteness factor with him: his olive color was now a teal, his wings were glistening and decorated, and with the claws perfectly filed and the giant pink stiped ribbon on the head he resembled a female Anorith or a toy for genki girls obsessed by the kawaii. “I feel too uneasy, it’s true that I have a cute power in the eyes, but this doesn’t mean I have to become an eye-candy, in the literal meaning.” Sighed averting that Gorebyss had moved aside and stepped forward “Ok, at least I seem younger in this way and you promised me a kiss, but I always hated to do this.”

Anorith embodied the pupils at the utmost size and glazed at the perplexed jury and the audience with the most adorable, irresistible, pitiful look he used to recur to be spared from the predators back in the Cambrian age, disposing his claw as in pray, fluttering his wings like a butterfly and emitting his ancestral verse.

“Awww! She’s so cuuuuuuuuuuute!”

“I can’t resist to cuddle her!” Drifloon erupted on the palk and hugged the anomalocaris.

“This female Anorith…. is too much Kawaii..stop. BURBLE!” Azelf puked a rainbow out meanwhile the tab of the hearts reached the score of 4 on 5. “Anyway, I’m a male Anorith.” Half of an heart dropped down the tab after he spoke. “And proud to be of another smarter generation. Do you want to leave the grip?” He poked Drifloon deflating her and the other half of the heart fallen. “ANORITH!” Gorebyss glared “You ruined the same scores you have earned and all the artwork I did on you.”

// Vent //

Anorith made a sad puppy face “That’s why none ever liked me: I always say the wrong thing at the worst timing. Even if I say the truth. Because, seriously, the nowadays generations have an involution of the cleverness instead of an evolution if they give all this importance to a beauty contest in order to win just a…ribbon!”

“Alright, the Venturers have scored 3 hearts on 5 of appreciation. Enter the Jirachi Jigglers!”

Piplup marched proudly at the head of the group, how she was dressed, you already know that, but now she had also a little crown, behind her followed Oshawott with a ridiculous afro nut green wig, Squirtle wearing a party top hat and a disco ball, Bagon with a lamp on the head, Ninjask see some lines above, and at the end Lucario in a too noble outfit for him that barely covered his muscles and haired with a LUIGI XIV wig. He and Ninjask carried a table with them while Piplup explained “The Piplup Collection, as I allowed myself to call it, is the perfect union of snoot and entertainment that resumes the idea of the Party theme you have requested, of course I mean an elegant tea party. Formal and informal at the same time, suitable to have fun without mesh with the pleb.” They did a bow all together. The audience this time didn’t even laugh. “So, what’s your opinion? Too astonished to react?”

“I swear to have never seen something this out of vogue, got the concept to mix the two different sides of a party, but..ergh, Lucario is a punch in the visuality and this collection is a big collapsion.” Victini judged and Azelf took the occasion to say “You have so many valorous contestant, Vi! So far, only one didn’t make me want to vamoose from here.” The V-Host swallowed the bitter pill. “0 hearts filled: that’s just vapid.” Piplup fainted.

// Vent //

Oshawott smiled deviously “The Piplup Collection reveals to be the Piplup Collapsion.”

Piplup had been just reanimated “People are so ignorant! Incivile!! Inepts!!! Villeins!!!! Pfui, they couldn’t recognize the class even from a centimetre.”

Victini put his last hopes in the Leviathans to impress the rival host in charge “Last team to (ehm) get on the catwalk for the Visual Challenge is….Lester Latias Leviathans with the theme Elegance.” The red curtains glided revealing the 5 pokèmon…the 5??

“Drifloon!”

“Ops, forgot I was in the contest, eheheh’’”

“Ta-dah! We’re the Leviathans! *EPIC POSE*”

“Not bad with that..” commented Lester.

The six pokèmon appeared all together on the scene disposing in an exagonal figure: Drifloon and Porygon 2 at the exterior angles, Minun, Plusle and Lampent in the middle, and Metang occupied all the space behind, completing the exagon with the long arms. The impact on the audience was much different than the previous teams. Minun and Plusle were dressed in the same fashion, seeming come directly from the ‘20s with their black papillons, the cylinders and the fancy stick they juggled with, similarly Metang whose manubrial moustaches reminded Charlie Chaplin, and the colorswap in silver his shiny form. Porygon 2 was the most quirky to watch due to the fedora, the cloak, the monocole and the imperial under the beak while Drifloon dressed simply her favorite scarf based on Chimecho.

“Where did they find all those fabulous items?” lamented Piplup in envy. “In the park, but you probably didn’t search carefully.” “Impossible, I know that park as my tea pockets and never found anything of this high quality.”

// Vent //

“I used a few of the common items available at Amity Square. Like, the imperial and the moustaches of Porygon..1?..2?…or 3 or was an alphabet letter? and Metang. The rest are all pieces of my triumphal collection and souvenirs I bought during my travels region to region. Like this.” Drifloon stroked the smooth scarf feeling a little of nostalgy “By the way, I used the best ones for Lampent. Ready to see her?”

At the end there was Lampent. Drifloon and Plusle had painted the fire lamp in purple and yellow at the edges of the arms with the same pattern of a Drifblim and a tiny cloud on the top of the dome: Lampent carried a candel in the arms instead to have it inside her globe as usual, and her slow flutter gave the final sensation she was a balloon blim. Her radical change left Victini speechless while Beheeyem felt a bump at the height of the chest, because both couldn’t believe their eyes. Forgot to say: she was smiling. That was really the same Lampent they knew?

“I really don’t know what to say…or think..my brain refuse to connect at the moment.” Beheeyem shrugged staring from the backstage. He was sweating at all.

Lampent enjoyed the applauses she received with a little of shyness, it was a complete new experience for her, Plusle had to give her little pushes continuosly to encourage her to not hide from the viewers! Victini was double happy, on one side he had finally shown to have valiant competitors and on the other he had never seen Lampent happy not by reading a spooky book “Congratulations to all 5! Each one of you filled an heart viz means you scored the max in the Visual Challenge: 5 on 5. But the contest is only at the begin, and everything can happen in the second half of the contest, good luck!” Everyone returned in the backstage.

Acting Performance
“I’ll explain how the scores will be given in the Acting Performance.” Azelf spoke “Each pairs exhibits at turn and dedicates the performance to one of the three judges, Me, Victini, and this sleepwalker in the middle, if the performance is likable, an heart under the tab of that judge will get filled and it’s counted as two normal hearts. Fulfill all the 3 hearts of judges duplicates the scores for your team.”

“The highest total of the scores gained in Visual and Acting Performance by a team will make it the VICTORIOUS ONE!” finished Victini.

“Ok, the first couple exhibit for me.” Azelf announced solemnly “Enter first: Seviper & Beheeyem, with their Psychedelic Venom.” Beheeyem and Seviper appeared on the palk no more in their ridiculous clothes and began to spin one around the other, creating a rotating figure with their bodies, Seviper’s coiled around Beheeyem, Beheeyem’s screwed into her spires. When they stopped, Seviper spilled out the poison that Beheeyem was meant to catch but ,too fast her or too slow him, it landed on the audience, burning the fur of some viewers. However, they tried again and this time Beheeyem used psychokinesis to trap the poison inside a bubble and juggled it with the fingers, making the liquid bioluminescent of the three primal colors alternatively, before to pop it, and then the exhibition ended. Meanwhile some paramedics assisted the viewers who had been poisoned, Beheeyem and Seviper waited for Azelf to deliberate “It wasss you fault, ssslowpoke. I was in perfect time, so how you failed to get it? Anyway, the second time went all as planned, so we should get the score in any case, unless I’ll ssslash him.” Her whispering menace reached the hears of Azelf who was prompt to fill the heart in order to not get his heart filleted “Considering they’re new to the contest, the accident was expected , and at least the exhibition was eventually fully executed, so I give the 2 a score.” The first tab under Azelf was fulfilled with an heart.

“The Jirachi Jigglers are next and I’ll judge their performance.” Jirachi said in a rare moment of awareness. Bagon and Squirtle popped from the backstage bringing a boombox: “Get ready for some hot water fun ‘cuz this is the Hydropump Pop.” With a freestyle move Squirtle opened the dances. Oshawott’s eyes goggled. The tortoise folded arms smuggly and moved the tail at the rythm of the hip-hop, spitting water in the microphone to beatbox, Bagon attempted all the time to stand on his head and spin but kept falling, Piplup banged her head on the wall several times for the frustration. “Bro, so far this is a disaster.” Squirtle didn’t listen and continued his Water Gun beatbox for a bit, until he rolled on the floor and shouted “Heat hot finale!” He retired all in the shell and used Hydropump to spin generating a twister of water which wetted all the pokèmon at the contest like a fountain. Once he was out of the shell, he boasted his slicky muscles with attitude but the crowd covered him of tomatoes. “Tried to tell you, dude.” Only Rotom cheered in the audience.

// Vent //

“That’s exactly what I would have purposed for my exhibition, if I was in!” Rotom explained enthusiastically but soon after changed mood “By the way I’ve already decided to sit out for this episode, so… occasion wasted! Not my business.”

Oshawott fanned her face with the scallop, sweating “Too hot water.”

“Splutt. So, Jirachi, your vote is?” a wet Victini poked an already asleep again Jirachi “Zzz..duuuh…heart.” And surprisingly the tab was filled. “Oh, yes, dude, yes. I love you.” Victini called on the palk the first couple for the Leviathans, Minun & Plusle, who purposed an elegant fusion of circus numbers and fancy ragtime. They started with a tip-tap dance with the sticks balanced on the little noses, suddenly Plusle put the stick on the ground and raised herself up staying in balance head-over, Minun tossed his top hat in the air, jolted on the legs of the sister, and waited for the hat to land back on his head perfectly. “Ohhh!” the audience clapped loudly but the exhibition hadn’t ended yet. The twins separated. Minun put his hat off and used it as a trampuline for the sister who backflipped, discharged and landed right heeled-over on her hat, dressing it at the end with fanciness and bowing to the audience for the applauses. “If only I could I would give them directly the Master Ribbon.” Victini commented the performance utterly overwhelmed by the excitement “For the wonderful twins, this heart is fully deserved!”

Lampent was the first to congratulate with them in the backstage, much for their shock “Wow, thanks. Do you feel still in yourself, right? Auch.” Plusle smacked the back of his head. “Of course she is!” Lampent limited to smile at that funny little argument. However, Drifloon was the most excited “We’re dominating the contest so far, the hearts we have scored are twice the other teams. We have only to fill two more hearts to do the en plein! Therefore I can add another ribbon to my collection soon as possible.”

“Fine. So far the exhibitions have been all good or at least got scored by us. Now, it’s up to you to decide which judge you want to impress, but remember: whenever you succeed an heart is fullfilled, who fullfills the three hearts of the same judge gets 2x scores, whenever you faul an heart is unfulfilled. Aurorus & Inkay on the palk, please.” None came. “AURORUS & INKAY on the palk, again.” The host was getting impatient, immediately the leader of the Venturers rushed in the audience and picked Inkay “Sssquidbackward, what are you doing here if I picked you before! Get to your duty FIRST THAN IMMEDIATELY. About you, Dunsparce, get busy, go find Aurorus right now!!!”

“Y-Yes Seviper, i-immediately, S-S-Seviper!” the land snake darted to the exit.

“I don’t want to wait anymore, we’ll skip directly to the next couple if you are not doing it.”

“NO WAIT! I ssswear she will pay for thisss.” Seviper was about to reach the exit when Anorith stopped her saying that he and Gorebyss were going to exhibit in their place meanwhile the teammates looked for the missing Aurorus. Seviper reluctantly trusted that plan and confirmed “Anorith & Gorebytch are the second to go for us.” Victini agreed. “Ah, Gorebyss, finally a professionist winner of the contests. You’ll know see how she makes your Mesprit and Lopunny pale in comparison, Az.” Anorith used Brine to begin the performance and Swords Danced in the between, creating a deep steam. Azelf yawned unimpressed, Victini looked the same disappointed: where was Gorebyss? Anorith continued to entertain the best he could. Suddenly he cut the air with X-Scissor, Gorebyss cleared the voice meanwhile the mist that surrounded her faded progressively “I dedicate this sing performance to my favorite host, Victini, but because I don’t want to make envious anyone, I also do this in honor of the guest host, Azelf and the co-host, Jirachi. Cause I like you all, wink.” She approached the thin mouth to the microphone and started:

“You cannot resist

When I merge from the mist

Surrender immediately

Cause I’m pink and lovely.

You cannot escape

I can give your dreams a true shape

If I use Attraction

Useless becomes any kind of opposition.

You have to deal with the fact that I’m the hoe

Fall at my gorgeousness and do a bow!

I’m the queen of the abyss..

Of all the oceans the miss…

I sank many ships with a single kiss..

All hail to Her Gorgeousness Gorebyss!

Come on, my dear boys…

Listen to the smooth sound of my voice.

I will be the siren of your sin

If you allow me to win!

You better believe

I’m sexy as manipulative

Not only a dainty fish

My needle really stings and I make you realize each of my wish…

I’m here to offer all my best!

By the time the others perform I’ll have already conquered this contest!

Spend my time in a luxurious tank makes me pretty dejected…and pretty bored.

But I have the certainty to be never neglected..and I eventually reflected!

Be envious as much as you want

I have a power that you don’t

And it will fail never ever never ever!

You better face the reality

Nothing beats my attractivity

Watch out from me, females..

I have tricks on my skaaaales!”

Piplup: “She’s using Attraction for real? This is unfair!”

Drifloon: “She used her charme on them to get the score.”

Once Gorebyss stopped to sing she had lured all the audience and none was surprised that Azelf exclaimed “My heart, all my hearts to her!” and added a sign post under his tab: DATE ME. Seemingly acted Victini giving a second heart against the rules, Gorebyss thanked him and everyone else blowing a kiss and returned triumphant behind the curtains together Anorith. “See, Seviper? You have the cruel strength , I have something rather more powerful and sinister.”

// Vent //

“What a cheater. She didn’t even perform a true performance: you use your moveset, not your voice in a contest.” Drifloon shrugged “What to expect from an Hoenn challenger? They’ve been always the worst to face if I remind correctly.”

Gorebyss replied to the accuses “Cheating? Oh, no, I played my game fair and square. That’s how I won all the Hoenn Contests. In fact, you don’t win there if you aren’t able to unnerve your opponents before they unnerve and distract you from your exhibition with no shame.” She winked at the camera “I brought back a little bit of this dear old system by attracting the jury.”

“Oshawottever, we’re next, so hurry up announce our entry!” she shouted right in the eardrums of Squirtle who was drooling over the siren fish much for her envy. Her voice didn’t affect the jury, so Oshawott decided to directly get on the palk. Piplup didn’t approve “No, wait, that’s unprofessional… Also I have to introduce the peformance before.” Oshawott rolled eyes. “Dear jury, the performance I concepted and ideated will leave you astonished: my purpose is an elegant but powerful tea party taken between my majesty and my servant. I will offer you the fanciest experience with water ever!” she announced proudly yet none seemed to pay attention. She continued “Dear audience, you may remember me as a glory of the contests in the past, altough I retired long time ago, I’m come back for your happiness, just for a day.” Oshawott and the other Jigglers in the backstage looked at the clock impatiently.

“I don’t remember any Piplup winning a contest ever.” Said Drifloon.

“Unpolite you. Ahem. Ohohoh! Afterall, you have no memory.The Fancy Water Party begins! P.S: try to not ruin it, Oshawott my dear, please.”

Finally the exhibition started: Piplup and Oshawott sat at a little table to have their tea cups, some yawns could be heard in the audience already, and both took a sip. While drinking Piplup began to create a bubble with the beak, Oshawott on the other side used her mouthbreath to make the water raise from the cup with little jets, resembling a tiny fountain. Piplup’s bubble gently floated in the air meeting with Oshawott’s jets, that bursted it in sparkles of water. “Not so awful as I expected.” Piplup thought looking at Oshawott genuinely impressed by her this time. At the end of th spectacle Piplup and Oshawott waited for the judgement of “Azelf? Mr. Azelf, we’re waiting for his generous opinion.”

“Eh? Uh? Mesprit? Who’s Mesprit?” Azelf’s eyes were shimmering “*Only Gorebyss exists by now, and me, the Being of Will.*” Gorebyss giggled in the backstage, Piplup did the contrary “You miserable guest host didn’t pay attention at all, right?! VICTIINIIIIIIIII! I demand to pick a different judge in order to…”

But Victini was similarly distracted by Attraction.

“T-Then Jirachi.” Jirachi was sleeping the whole time. “AAAAAAARGH!!! This is unfair, unpolite, undecent!!!” Oshawott for once had to drag the angry penguin back to the dress room. “So even a true lady has her tantrums sometimes.” commented amused to see her teacher of gentlemanry under a different light. Who wasn’t amuse were the other Jigglers, and the Leviathans, all pretty discouraged:

“What can we do now? They’re completely under Gorebyss’s influence, they won’t pay a swalot to us anymore.”

“Maybe a better performance, a really astonishing one, can hit on them more than Gorebyss!” Drifloon encouraged her teammates.

Metang and Porygon 2 were the second pair to act for the Leviathans. Their performance was entitled “The Keyboard Concert”. A giant flat screen with a keyboard dominated the palk. Porygon 2 trepassed the liquid crystal screen to the virtual dimension, meanwhile Metang ascended over the control panel. As he pushed the first button of the keyboard, Porygon beamed a part of his body and activated the savescreen, next he played a glissando and Porygon 2 railed over the files, making computer sounds. After a quick warming up, Metang started the cybernetic composition he had wrote.

“W.O.W.! That’s it. Metang is a genius.” Minun amazed.

“But he’s not using any move, this is not the way to take a contest!” protested Piplup, however at the end of the concert the result was the same: 0 hearts fulfilled with Azelf and Victini utterly off the bat. Minun sighed “Groan, unbelievable. If this wasn’t enough, we’re officially doomed. ” but suddenly Jirachi showed a sign of life. Until he utterly woke up. “Yes, he’s fully awake! Miracle! We can count on his scores, then. Pity we can count ONLY on HIS scores.” Both Plusle and Drifloon slapped him “Stop your negativity once for all. Jirachi has filled already an heart, 2 more and he’ll get fulfilled and our scores will be double! We have still a pair to show.”

“Forgot there are two rival couples before, Drifloon?” Lampent objected. Drifloon puffed “Here we go again the negative duo, or you’re a couple? I may forgot this. On the contrary, I didn’t forget about what you said: the Venturers have no players remained, so if Jigglers do well and fill, we will be next and fulfill!! Got it?” the other shrugged “Let’s practise on our number one more time.”

Anorith and Gorebyss listened to everything and alarmed. “What happens if they really manage to impress Jirachi? All our advantage would be flushed down the toilet then! We get to assure Jirachi sleeps again.” The agreement was instantaneous. “Gorebyss, go sing him a lullaby, maybe---“Grrr.No way. Don’t dare to do that!” Lucario blocked the way soon joined by the rest of the team. “You’re not going to ruin OUR chances in this way, not this time. Jigglers Attack!” Gorebyss was locked inside her tank while Anorith asked for mercy recurring to his goggly eyes, but soon after “You know what? I’m tired to get battered and crumpled for this team, I have done enough for my age, so it’s your turn, Beheeyem.” fleed.

“And all of sudden I am involved into the rumble….” Beheeyem teleported outside “No, thanks. I’m the Brain pokèmon, not the Brawn one.”

“Yuhuu, we succeeded, ganga!” Squirtle exclaimed “Jirachi is still awake and the sneaky enemy has retired.”

Oshawott thumbed up “Good job, Lucario! You busted them just in time.”

“Then I care back to my performance. Next time watch out from the rival teams, I won’t do again this favor because I ain’t supposed to be a pokèbabysitter, clear? Sgrunt.”

Oshawott glared at Lucario “ I. HATE. HIM.”

“Sssht, Oshawott! We need to keep Lucario calm and collaborative, otherwise our hopes are destroyed.”

“Oshasnort. Fine. I’ll bear until I can. Warned you.”

MEANWHILE, THE OTHER VENTURERS…

“Hurry up. Drill. Drill! DRILL TO THE HELL IF NECESSSSSARY TO BREAK THAT ICE.”

“Y-Yep, S-Seviper, I’m drilling my best.”

The snake boss turned to Aurorus with a death glare “Tell me what were you 2 doing here, why you ditched us in the middle of the city, and why Tropius became an icicle before I ssslash you.”

“I just touched him and…”

“Ssspit out the truth, Aurorus!” shouted. “I’m not stupid. You were kiss-kissing meanwhile the rest of the team struggled to avoid the defeat! And ssstill struggling. Do you think I don’t know about your secret already?” Aurorus gasped and looked at Dunsparce. Suddenly the doors opened and a frantic Anorith quickly rushed into the vent “What are you- “If Lucario or Gorebyss look for me, tell them I’m a fossil again. See you tomorrow.” Seviper stayed speechless for a long minute. Aurorus continued to look at Dunsparce in despair. “Tropius told me everything: you’re in love for each others.” Aurorus sighed in relief, that wasn’t the worst secret, afterall. “Alright, I confess: I failed to hold myself no more and kissed him, causing this. I tried to solve it alone but due to my ability I only aggravated the situation. Sorry.” Seviper surprisingly for once had mercy and simply signed off, or posed to. “Just go to the Contest Dome and bring Inkay with you, I don’t care what you prepared, just perform!”

“I-I think I finally created a fissure in the b-block, Seviper.” Dunsparce claimed her attention.

“Dunsparce, get back to the Dome, too. I don’t trust those two. I’ll take care of Tropius perssssonally.”

“Are you sure you can break the ice alone?”

“DUNSSSSPARCE…” Seviper sliced the ice in two halves with a single blow of the tail. “O-Okay, I’m going immediately. Aury, Inkay, wait for me, please!” Tropius was finally free and blabbed something like “I love chillblains…weeew..it was f-f-fantastic—c-c- brrr.” Chimecho, still looking for the missing goggles, passed by and stopped “Heal Pulsar! This helps you recover all the health points, but you’ll also need a berry soup for the frost.” “Thanks, but there’s no need to dist-“ Seviper interrupted him “Sure, we need all the berries YOU can find. Go to the research and prepare your special remedy, I’ll wait patiently here assisting Tropius. What are you waiting for?”

“…I promise to be right back soon.” Chimecho replied with a tired look.

// Vent //

Anorith was sleeping inside the ventilation tube when Seviper broke into to do her confessional “Anorith, this is my territory now, MOVE OUT OR I SLASH YOU.” The anomalocaris obeyed unwillingly in silence. Glad to have made miserable the life of an other pokèmon again, Seviper sneered at the camera “Am I exploiting the kindness of Chimecho? Yesss, I am. She’s a member of the rival team and she volountarly offered to help and so exposed herself to my control: now that I know this flaw on her, I’ll suck up all her energies like a lemon. This isss just the beginning.

Back to the contest…

The three Venturers were blocked by the press “No, no, no, you have been signed off as absent, go with the audience.”

Inkay gulped “Molg. We are too early. Who tells this to Zangoose now?”

Dunsparce shook vehemently the head. “S-S-Sorry me.”

Aurorus reassured “I’ll take the responsibility. It’s all my fault. Not yours.”

Meanwhile Lucario and Ninjask prepared in the backstage, they would have been the next and last chance for the Jigglers and everyone expected the best from them. Squirtle, Ohawott, Bagon, and even Piplup rooted for Lucario, who was unnerved. “Shut up all! I know I can do this without your support. You’re just sickening me, get out!”

Ninjask clapped him “Well done. Kicked the distractions outside the door. Those starters are just losers slowering us, afterall. We’re different. When we have a target we’re 100% focused, none can get on our way.” Lucario nodded “Of course, I can’t stand them for this reason. That’s why I care only for myself.”

Ninjask approached “Only for yourself? This isn’t true. There’s Chimecho.”

“Chimecho? Where?” Lucario frowned in blush “Sgrunt, I don’t care about her. Have you finished with this or we can do the damn exhibition now?! I’m already nervous. I have never been in a crowded place like this, I’m close to flee out of here and recoil on the Mount Coronet away from all this annoying people! You know what? I’m going to do this right now!”

All of sudden Jirachi’s announcement rebounded in the area “For the final acting performance of the Jigglers, introducing Lucario & Ninjask!”

The ninja insect decided to play the card Chimecho again “Chimecho is in the audience, too.” Lucario didn’t say anything and stopped by the exit, looked back, and got on the palk directly “I’m in, snort. Hope to not regret.”

Drifloon: “Oooh, finally they decided to show up.”

Porygon 2: “By the way I calculated all the scores gained until this point of the competition: Venturers are in first place and we follow, but whoever scores fulfilling the hearts of the same judge will win. Mathematically, whoever= us.”

Minun: “What if Jigglers don’t score?” Plusle glowered at him “It’s a negative possibility, but still a legit possibility. Ahem!”

Bagon: “I’m really curious to see what Ninjask and Lucario organized.”

Squirtle: “Same, bro.”

Jirachi read the paper “Lucario & Ninjask’s performance is Bonsai Fight. Yawn. Enjoy it.”

“Bonsai fight? What is a bonsai fight?”

The curtains opened and revealed a garden of bushes. Lucario and Ninjask were on the opposite sides separated by a giant tree in a pot that dominated the view. Lucario attacked first aiming at the opponent but Ninjask was faster and attacked back, the two crossed the claws and the blades in mid-air, and landed on the respective opposite positions. Silence. “Woooosh.” Everyone turned to Rotom Fan. “I’m providing for the wind of suspense, what else?” Lucario didn’t waste a second and attacked again, surprising Ninjask, apparently, but the true Ninjask had camouflaged in a bush exploiting his Substitute and used Double Team to increase the number, surrounding Lucario all around. The whole swarm used Shadow Ball at contemporary. Lucario dodged a few hits, meanwhile giving a peek to the audience to see Chimecho’s reaction, then passed from defense to attack and cut off every single bush with a Ninjask inside, until a single Ninjask was left. The following moment of pause let the audience admire the precision of the cuts: the bushes had ben turned into perfect bonsai.

“Wow! Never seen something like that before.”

Lucario exploited a second of break to peek but couldn’t see Chimecho again.

No time to breath. Ninjask boosted his speed at max and prepared a new trick: Volt Switch. He pulsed of electricity and pursued the enemy, bouncing backward and forward so he couldn’t get hit, Lucario struggled to keep his pace then leapt to avoid the incoming attack and hid in the big tree, that allowed him to dodge all of Ninjask’s switches, until it was over. Lucario swept the ashed leaves and assaulted Ninjask with a discharge of Rapid Punch: the duel between the musk and the dog was pitched, the two continued to fight for all over the fall, carving and trimming the tree and themselves to the end. The audience gasped totally amazed!

…

But the performance wasn’t over yet. Both Lucario and Ninjask raised up, separated, and casted their best respective shots in the moveset: Force Ball vs Sign Beam. “Where’s Chimecho?” Lucario couldn’t hold the tension anymore and distracted to seek for her aura: the two attacks were supposed to meet in the halfway but the Sign Beam hit Lucario right in his Achille’s talon, while the Force Ball hit the tree decapitating it.

“Nooo!” Drifloon deflated for the disappointment. Piplup shouted, Bagon dumfounded, pretty every Jiggler or Leviathan was striked. Before he could be asked for explanations, Lucario kicked the exit door and limped out the contest hall. It was game over for all.

At the end of the contest…

“The winners of the Super Contest of Master Category are Anorith and Gorebyss for Team V5!!” now finally free from the attraction effect Victini and Azelf put the Rainbow Ribbon around Gorebyss, who thanked the audience and the jury blowing a kiss.

“This is unfair…she cheated all the time.” Lamented Piplup. “I want a lawyer.”

“We deserved to win. I forgot the last time I didn’t win a contest here because it never happened. It’s all your fault if we lost, Minun!” Drifloon inflated her volume for the anger but her good mood returned as soon as her memory went fly a kite again “What am I doing, here?” Minun groaned “How is it my fault?! Ah, doesn’t matter. At least we have won the second place, right?”

“2nd place? Oh, no, there can only be one winner team this time while the other two are equally considered losers, that means that you both have to take part to the nomination, tonight!” the V-host announced with flamboyance.

“How quirky. The first time I’m not at the leadership the Leviathans get to nomination.”

“Lester, PLEASE, spare me.”

“By the way, I have an invincible strategy: we’ll vote all together for a contestant of the Jirachi Jigglers, ah!”

“This is…wow, actually, a sane idea.“

Contemporary, Piplup, ordered her team to do the same “Vote all Minun out: without him, the Leviathans would be in the complete chaos.”

// Vent //

Oshawott: “I vote PIPLUP. Not only because I hate her, I also want to become the new leader of the team.”

Squirtle: “Yo, I vote Piplup, cuz she has no respect for the hip hop culture.”

Bagon: “Lucario, obviously. He’s the main reason we lost.

Lucario: “Piplup, that forced me to dress like an idiot.”

Piplup: “Minun. Uhuhuh!”

Minun: “Ninjask. He proved to be the ace in the pocket of the Jigglers in every challenge.”

Plusle: “NINJAAAASK!”

Drifloon: “I won’t forget the name this time: Ninjask!”

Lester: “Piplup. By the way, I forgot to say them who to vote all together. Ahahah!”

Anorith: “Enough. A poor fossil pokèmon can’t even sleep in peace in this stupid age…there's no respect.”'

Tail of Losers
Reunited all the 14 pokèmon on the tail of the plane, Victini distributed the first seven macarones: “Drifloon, Lester, Lampent, Plusle, Porygon 2, Chimecho and Bagon are safe! 7 left, only 4 macarones still on the whole, and then the remaining three pokèballs between there is the infamous Voltorb of Victimization.”

“We already know this, sgrunt.”

“I’m speaking for the Lester Latias Leviahans: this is their first time in nomination, so break the grumpiness and sweeten that awful blunt with your macarone, Lucario. Safe are also Oshawott, Squirtle and….Metang.”

Piplup started to lose her firmness “No safety for me?” Similarly acted Minun. Ninjask stayed in silence.The victory star host shook the head and tossed them the pokè balls “Minun, you’re a newbie to the ceremony, so I explain you the system: I’ll countdown to 3 and if your pokè ball is a Voltorb, it will blow up at the end and doom you to the ELIMINATION.”

“Glom. It’s a very harsh system.”

“It’s 6-1-7: who will be the next victim?” Victini set the timer “3, 2, 1… WOOOOOOSHHHHH!!!!” Suddenly an huge wind hit on the plane, blowing against everyone at incredible power “What the hell…Brace yourself all, competitors! WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOSHH!” Minun and Plusle held each others tightly on the seats, Lampent and Porygon used the heavy body of Metang as a shelter, Lester turned into a fridge, and Lucario (reluctantly) protected the weakened Chimecho winding her around an arm. Piplup, Oshawott, Squirtle and Bagon formed a chain to resist. Only Ninjask couldn’t do anything and was swept away from the plane…but he boosted his speed stats higher than the stream and managed to get back on the tail. “Astonishing! Look at Ninjask! He’s showing the windfall who’s the boss. If only I could do the same… I want to live the same experience, I try.” Bagon broke the chain “Brogon!!! Are you crazy, dude?! You aren’t ready for this. I even understand that.”

“Oh my shell! COME BACK HERE, YOU MAD DRAGON, OR I SCALLOP BLADE YOUR BUTTS!” shouted Oshawott in panic.

“No way. The wind is calling my name. I jump. I JUMP. Banzai!” The stubborn dragon flapped his arms jumping with the eye of the tiger, but falling like a meteor. “BAGON!!!” Lucario had a flashback and istinctively said loudly “NOT AGAIN! I won’t let this happen!” but Ninjask was faster than him to move and rescued the imprudent wannabe flyer becoming the hero of the day. Eventually the windstorm finished and Bagon apologized in ashame and thanked Ninjask a lot. “Phew, we’re all safe. Then, I’ll repeat the countdown.”

“C-Couldn’t we just celebrate the incredible rescue executed by Ninjask?” Piplup purposed trembling at the thought to be possibly the next boot. “I offer a tea party! No?”

“3, 2 , 1-“

Lampent cough coughed simulating indifference “And Drifloon? I think she forgot to use the safety straps. Pretty ironic we also forgot about her.” Everyone turned to the spot where the balloon was, seeing that the seat was utterly empty and facepalmed.

“Alright, then I’ll count her as the eliminated one of today. Oh, and, Piplup, I suggest you to toss away the Voltorb you have in your wings before it explodes. BOOOM! Too late.” Piplup stared in shock, and not only for the explosion. Oshawott smiled with malice.

“Din-don! Yawn. Attention: there’s going to be a turbulence. So assure that your straps are settled correctly or you will be blown away. Duuuup.” The droopy voice of Jirachi announced in huge delay.

“-.- Thanks for the warning. -.-” was the general sarcastic reply.

Chapter Text

The Victini Venturers couldn’t believe to be in the V-Class for the second time in a row. This brought some peace and quiet in the general mood of the team after so many negative facts, even Seviper quickly forgot about her anger towards Aurorus, Tropius, and Beheeyem and enjoyed the new situation. Furthermore, the last two victories proved that her leadership was what Venturers needed from the beginning to shine, she was really proud about and decided she deserved to relax at the spa. Where she found Anorith and Gorebyss already in the thermal bath. “So, Seviper, what do you think of my methods of manipulation? Attractiveness is a weapon of mass distraction if properly used.” the pink eel giggled with fanciness “In fact, it was the key of our success, yesterday.” Seviper stiffed “Yesss, I hate to admit but your sneaky sickening strategy worked. That didn’t change my opinion on you.” and coiled up for the sauna treatment.

Anorith spoke in the middle “Can’t you see, Seviper? Gorebyss is able to be more than simply the hottest beauty seen in over 1 thousand million of years, she has something we miss and could be the perfect fourth member of the alliance. C’mon! You can’t hide the fact she has what you miss, beauty and kindness, yet she uses it the way you use cruelty and mischievousness to force pokèmon do what you want.” Gorebyss winked to confirm making Seviper to ponder about.

Her ally finished the speech “This is the reason why I have always told you to keep her in the game, she’s a precious source of sneakiness, if you finally accept her. We could be the S4 instead of S3.”

“Fine. She can join BUT I want her to struggle more ssssince now.” Seviper glowered at Gorebyss “Meaning that if she’s idle again, she will become my dinner of the month.”

“Ewww!!” Gorebyss hid underwater in disgust.

“Also, Anorith, the idea is yoursss….remember that.”

Anorith answered unimpressed “I dare you try to digest an old armoured rock bug like me and tell how you feel after.” To which Seviper kind of agreed. “Right. Fair point.” Suddenly Inkay, who had put the cucumber slices on the ass instead of the eyes, purposed “Can I separate from your alliance, too? I’m not interested about.” Seviper twitched until she realized and refused at first, but later changed idea. “Fine, you can join, too, invertible. Only because in this way we have the majority.”

Inkay cheered “Hoora-ahem-noooo!” and sobbed soon after. “Sorry, I get confused sometimes. Whatever, I’m part of the 3S then, see you before. Eyb eyb!”

“Seviper….Are you sure we need that thing?”

.......

Tropius arrived at the bar, waving happily to Dunsparce and shyly to Aurorus. Beheeyem? Nowhere to be seen. “Hello there.”

“H-How are you, Tropius?” Dunsparce asked in worry.

“I’m perfectly fine.” He replied meanwhile a leaf of his body dropped dead on the floor. The floor of the V-Class was covered of Tropius’s leaves, he resembled a naked tree in the middle of January “Brrr, ops. Just got a little cold.” Shivered. Aurorus felt the guilt burning inside her frozen body “I apologise. I knew you can’t suffer the cold but I touched you uncarefully, thinking only about my good. I think I overreacted at the passion.”

Tropius prevented her from contiinuing “No, no need to apologise! I mean, cough, I liked the kiss, Chimecho I-I like you, no, I mean, Chimecho healed me the best possible and I LIKE YOU, AURORUS.” blushing, panting he confessed “Therefore don’t worry at all, I love you too, that was what I wished for since the first time I layed my eyes on you!” he blushed more with a derp smile “It happened. I’m happy. Oh-oh, did I say something idiotic in order to harass a pretty girl again?”

Aurorus blushed and shook the head, rubbing her neck on his in sign of love. Dunsparce gazed in commotion and asked if he could dare to leave them some time alone…she nodded. Left alone, the sauropodes ordered a drink and had another important occasion to talk seriously. Tropius was fully immersed in the beauty of her, didn’t matter about his chillblained neck or his falling leaves, meanwhile Aurorus spoke “Now that we’re a thing I would like you answer a question: how much you would be ready to have a future together?”

“Uh? A *future together*?” his heart jumped off the chest. “Ahem, I mean, I’m totally ready.”

“Good. Next. Even if I hid you a terrible secret, you would still love me?”

“Of course, chillbaby!” Tropius tried to slap himself soon after “Urgh, forgive my lack of manners here. Anyway, I will always be loyal to you in any case.”

“Hm-hmmm.”

The tropical pokèmon tilted the neck “Anything else?”

Aurorus eventually shook the head and shared her drink with the straw “More ice?”

“No, I think I got enough.” Both laughed out for his joke.

.....

Jigglers and Leviathans were of a different mood, and not only because they had spent the night all on the Tail of Losers with only 10 safety seats for 13 pokèmon to fight for. Piplup and Lucario refused any social contact, Bagon prayed Ninjask once more again to teach him the art of flight and this one finally agreed, Oshawott flirted with Squirtle until the turtle remembered “The goggly thingies of Brogon! I was about to forget to ask Chimechanga if she found ‘em, man.” Squirtle rushed to the girl bathroom indoor where he had just seen Chimecho enter in “Chimechanga? Can I enter or you’re naked???” the chime limited to grumble in agree meanwhile she was washing up her face, trying to washing up her tiredom. “I’m always naked, as you are, and all us are as part of the nature. Only humans dress clothes.” Squirtle stared thinkin’ about it “Luckily I have always a shell where I can cover my private stuff. Anyway, did you find the goggles of my bro?”

“Not yet, I have searched all the night meanwhile I took care of Tropius’s illness all over the plane but no avail.” Chimecho explained struggling to keep awake “I suppose they’re definitely lost or someone picked them. I don’t know…”

But Squirtle didn’t take it good “What? No, no, please, Chimechanga, you cannot disappoint me in this way! I counted on you as on a sister! Please, you have to save me, I’m desperate, the hot water is becoming cold WATER (=WC) for the guiltness.” He kneeled down in front of her, begging and keening “Don’t give up. My friendship with Brogon is in dange. You’re my only ray of light, can you save it? Can you? Can you? Can you?”

The wind bell got frustrated but granted his request eventually “I will keep with the research, actually I didn’t check the ventilation implant neither the Vip Class section.”

“A-ahhh! See? There’s still an hope.” Squirtle glomped her and smugged “Thank you, Chimichanga, really thank you, I knew you were the best. I can’t wait for this evening when you’ll give me back those goggles.” He zoomed away “Get to go prepare for the new day, this spyral tail needs to be greased every morning to be the chick-magnet, blink. Just remember: you’re da best!!! Leighter!”

Chimecho was glad to be finally alone, looked at herself in the mirror and sighed deeply: she was acting too kind for her health. The headache caused by Squirtle’s rants forced her to wash again her face and even take a long long shower.

Minun was couching in the seat, depressed. Rummaging over the events happened during his temporary leadership: the burning sense of failure, the guiltiness to have brought bad luck to the team with his pessimist approach, the sense of responsibility of Drifloon’s departure! The more he rummaged, the more his depression raised. “A-ah!” Lester exclaimed suddenly “I discovered the truth. *EPIC POSE* Drifloon’s accident wasn’t a fatality, her strap is damaged. This means only one thing: sabotage!”

“Sa-bot-age? Vrrzf.” Repeated Porygon 2 with a confused expression.

“Sabotage, really my quirky friends.” Rotom deducted “Somebody must have planned to eliminate Drifloon. So did the worst mistake ever, because Drifloon wasn’t just my second best friend but a loyal Ghostbastards member: this soon-not-so-unknown pokèmon will get soon the payback, ah!” continuing meanwhile looking for a table lamp for the interrogatories “I will separately blast each one of the Leviathans (even myself) with a series of burning questions until I’ll wreck the resistance of the culprit, and I warn you from the beginning that I can be more frightening than a truth machine with my ghostly electricity. Said this, Minun, you’re the first I put under the interrogatory. Answer honestly to not get zapped.”

“Oh, no, please..not now…really, I ain’t in the mood for these odds, Lester… argh, too late.“

“By the way I couldn’t find any lamp so I’m using Lampent.” Lester attempted to direct the ray of light right in front of his face like in a true interrogatory, but there was another problem “By the way, Lampent, how I can light you on more? Because this dim gloomy ray of light barely illuminates his eyes….”

The ghost lamp shrugged “I can’t be brighter than this, I’m supposed to be a ghost lamp that announces a slow consuming death.” Minun lost the patience “By the way it’s morning and we’re outside on the edge of the tail of a plane! You don’t need any additional light, Lester!!!” The chaos plasma shrugged saying “Clearly you have never practised this profession. The ray of light is an efficient system to increase the pressure on a criminal. Anyway I’ll renounce to it. First question: where you were when the turbulence started? Second question: where you were when it ended? Third question: when was the lasti time you talked with the victim?” Minun twitched much for Lester to raise the tension way more “I have solid suspects on you because it was Drifloon to address you all the fault of the defeat, she dismayed you as a negativity magnet who attracted the bad luck and that’s when you decided to take your revenge. I figured the whole scene and I reproduced it with the help of my best friend: Pory will be Drifloon, I will be you. Pay attention.”

Porygon 2, recolored in purple and yellow, simulated the anger of Drifloon and accused Lester “the Minun”:

“It was all your fault.exe! (FILE NOT FOUND) You brought bad luck to the team (ERROR “”?””) Minun.”

“What? This makes no sense, by the way it’s cool, oh, wait, I’m Minun so forget the last part of the line. Ahem!” Lester Minun assumed a mad sinister look as soon as Poryfloon left the scene, resembling a psycho “Therefore Mrs PokèDory thinks I will accept her critiques without any consequence? Muahahahah! How wrong. When I will finish with her, Drifloon won’t even manage to inflate anymore after having been bursted to death and hell. Zap zot kazam!Minun destroys Drifloon’s seat and with the power of his negativity casts out a turbulence from nothing!” he then returned in himself “End of the reconstruction, special thanks to my invisible girlfriend Latias for the special effect of the turbulence. More or less this is what happened yesterday, impressive, eh?”

“AAAAAAAH! YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY!!”

“Uhm, not really. Maybe I’m driving you QUIRKY, but not crazy. Not yet at least.”

// Vent //

Minun escaped in the vent checking if Lester was after him, possessing the ventilation system, lurking in the air-conditioner, or possessing Minun’s body without his knowdlege “Do I have still the control of my paws and tails or it’s HIM who’s moving them? Anf, seems everything normal. Phew, finally some peace and quiet.”

“I can’t still believe Ninjask eventually agreed to train me.” Bagon didn’t pay much attention to him for the eagerness “The lessons start tomorrow!” The flux of contestants in and out the confessional was continuous but Minun prefered to stay anyway. “A relative form of peace and quiet.”

Plusle returned from the bath and immediately asked where was Minun, to which Lester and Porygon 2 both answered with an awkarding silence, especially after Lester had realized there was a big flaw in his theory: Minun was never alone a minute to have the occasion to sneak on the Tail of Losers and do the sabotage!

“Ah ah ahem! The case Drifloon is temporary postponed, I have also another mystery to solve. Zooom!”

“Vrrzz, I am the assistant!” Porygon 2 zoomed away too.

“What’s going on?” Plusle turned to Lampent.

“They depressed him even more than before with their stupid antics and he refuged in the Vent.”

The dry answer of Lampent hit Plusle “What?! My little brother, noo! I must do something to cheer him up, think about something, thanky wanky tanky you to have told me!” that darted indoor to organize a solution. A smirk appeared on the mouth of the wicked lamp, it turned into an open grin very soon and at the end became a jerky laughter: she was Ditto. . .

“She was all: oh, nooo, my little brothy was broken!? What? I was… better than the original for sure. The perfect intonation with extreme indifference and uncare. Ah, am I really this awesome imitator? Yes, I am, ladies and gentlemons. Are there still any doubts about? I’m a natural born actor soon going to Pokèwood, ah ah ah ah ah ah!”

Ditto returned to the pink liquid form and hid again before the next imitation.

Episode
For once Jirachi did a decent land and the plane stopped by the airport. Victini was surprised “Ji, my valiant co-host, you seem a different pokèmon today! Way to go, continue in this way. I like this vividness.”

“Thanks, but it’s not a positive sign, I should always be…..zzzzzz.”

“The miracle sent by Arceus finished, I guess. Anyway, vvelcome all to the new episode of the vibrant vivid vital and victinilicious Victini Victory Tour!” Victini started the introduction. Beheeyem was the last contestant he waited for and apologised “I didn’t figure the plane had arrived at destination because I didn’t hear the alarm of IMMINENT CRASHLANDING.” sarcastically of course.

“You also didn’t figure that….Whatever, I have no time to waste on a spacious head. The journal challenge is pretty difficult to understand and tests your cleverness and ability. Listen to me with extreme attention.” Victini led the three groups inside the cave known for the unique minerals that discharged the electricity permeating the area with a powerful magnetic energy. “Chargestone Cave is the daily settlement: this place emanates energy out of every rock, especially the giant rocks you see floating. The cave connects the airport city I can’t figure the name out at the moment (aka: blame the writer) to Driftveil City. It has three levels of depth that can be reached only using three suitable lifters.”

“Lifters in a cave? Pure Pokèlogic.”

“You’re a pokèmon too, alien.”

Victini paused to reflect if it was better to continue or roast Beheeyem on the V-cue. Eventually the professionality won over the istinct “These lifters are activated by a particular system of gears: Klink, Klang, and Klinklang. As you’re supposed to know they’re the Gear Pokèmon made of clock gears that rotate in a perpetuum motus.”

Lester amazed “Really? Let’s consultate the Rotomdéx to check: Klinklang, the Gear Pokèmon, one of the infinite quirks introducted by the 5th generation like sentient icecreams, deadly chandels, strange big headed egyptian aliens.”but a snarky Beheeyem interrupted him to say “Nothing in the déx about a ghost fridge, a ghost fan, a ghost mow, wash machine or oven?”

“Hem.” Victini continued stoically “Pieces of Klink & company have been spread everywhere in the area, your task is collect all the necessary gears and assemble them exactly as in the origin, also keep them in perpetual movement, then bring them to the lifters and activate correctly: the first lifter requires Klink, the second requires Klang, the third and last needs the full power of Klinklang to activate. At the end the first team to get outside from the exit for Driftveil City wins. The last goes to nomination.”

“Obvious. Wow, this seems huge….ciaff! Again.” Minun smacked his back and removed a little yellow bug “What are these things? They keep attaching to my back and not only since I have entered..”

“Have you never seen a Joltik before?” Victini glimpsed two times “They’re spiders attracted to electricity that is their favorite food. Watch out from them, because they could suck the energy out of your Klink (& EVOs) stopping their rotation forever, and a non-rotating gear is useless for the challenge.” He explained. “And they’re not the only potential harm: this is the habitat of the Tynamo family, Tynamo, Eelektrik and Eelektross.”

// Vent //

“Electric bugs and leeches. Therefore we’ll need a repellent or an isolator?!?” exclaimed the negative rodent.

Anorith was more perplexed “Back to the Hoenn Era, I remember Electrike used to be a dog not a fish!”

‘’’LEVIATHANS’’’

“Alright, the challenge looks really complicated this time.” Minun gave a dull look around and shrugged underwhelmed “But I guess you have already a quirky idea to apply, so…go..for…it..I’m ready to follow your directives, Lester.” Rotom was about to sneak away at the first occasion and was dumbfounded when everyone turned to him “Wait? I’m the leader again? Didn’t see that coming (this soon). So you’re giving up the leadership already?” the rodent confirmed in annoyance “Yes, Lester. Don’t pretend to be surprised, at least. I know you have already a strange plan darting, fizzling, bouncing inside your braincells so go for it and stop. I give back the Leviathans under your control.”

“Ok, wow! Ehm… by the way can you give me some time to elaborate the idea?” Lester grinned the widest possible to hinder his akwardment.

// Vent //

He panicked out once have the certainty to be alone “I have no quirky idea this time, I can’t think anything yet I don’t want to kill their legit expectations on me. To be honest I didn’t even listen the topic of the challenge because I was too mentally busy collecting and linking clues about the Lampent and the Drifloon cases! Who dares to tell them at the moment?” laughed histerically and assumed a plastic smile “I’ll pose to know exactly what to do and ‘glom’ hope.”

Meanwhile they waited for the journal Lestrange Idea, the other Lester Latias Leviathans scooted around at the search of the gears, but they seemed to be lost and aimless without the overwhelming presence of the leader. “This search is pointless. Sigh. I’m doing this only for the delightment of all the Joltik of the cave, actually.” Minun removed one attached to the cheek and passed it to Lampent. “Here another one.”

“Got it.” The black o’ lantern took care of the bug showing it the flames of death “YOUR CHOICE: FLEE OR DIE FOREVER.”

“Iiik!”

“Another that chose FLEE..” Lampent tried to hid her delusion with a shrug, but failed. Creeping out her friend a little. “A-Anyway, thank you very much. Uh? What’s that? Can you help me?” Lampent illuminated the area a little better “Thanks. I found a g-ulp. No way, it’s a bag. Some adventurer maybe lost it.” Minun thought a minute, opened it and picked some items “Look! I have found a map, a compass, a…rgh..moulded sandwich, a shaver, a jigglypuff yodels compilation and torches for everyone. And more important a dozen of repellents! Fssst.”

“Sniff-sniff, STINK SOURCE: DETECTED.” Porygon 2 randomly pointed his nose at him “Deactivating all the sensorial systems in 3, 2…”

“Pffft. Ah ah ah!” Plusle bursted in laughters even rolling on the floor. Minun glared unamused.“Thanks for the support, sister.I really appreciate.” Plusle didn’t get the sarcastic tone and replied “You’re welcome, brothy! Ahahah! Anyway, see? You have done something good for the team! I’m so proud of you!!!” then glomped. The other twin blushed for both the satisfaction and the akwardment. She glomped more and more strictly “Ouch, okay, I’m cheered now. Plusle? You can let the hold. Please, this is getting choking, k-kay?”

“Not until you won’t admit you’re the best and get back the leadership!”

“What? No, no, I’m no more interested in that. Actually Lester is the suitable leader for us, because we’re special cases.” Plusle was strangling him with her bear hug at this point. “Agk! I’m the leader again! Okay!”

“I know I would have convinced you.” She winked.

“Like always..” Minun was just glad to be able to breath again “Aaaanf. Puff. Okay, okay, only a second…aaaaaaaaaanf. Ready. Okay, ehm, let’s go. If none has nothing against it.” Lampent, Metang and Porygon 2 shook the head firmly. “Wow, I had no idea to be liked so much. Thanks for the appreciation. ”He dried off a tear and assumed the attitude of a leader “Since we’re in inferiority, I suggest to split in 2 mini groups by now. Me, Metang and Lampent go to explore the west area, the remaining group explores the opposite side.”

Plusle stared.

“….oh-oh.”

Plusle then was “?”

Minun was “!”

Plusle finally reacted “Whaaaaaat?!!”

“Urgh, it’s just temporary. Don’t overreact.”

“OVERREACT? We’re un-se-pa-ra-ble! Minun!! Forgot?”

“Absolutely noo. (I could never have the chance, anyway) My idea is to duplicate our possibilities with the split and whatever happens, we’ll communicate each others immediately!”

“How? With the walkie-talkie?”

“I meant our twinning bond of electricity…you know. We are able to communicate also through it, in a form of telepathy.”

“Ooh, I forgot that. Still…”

Minun had enough of that discussion “Still nothing. See you later with the gears, hopefully!”

“Announcement for the Leviathans: I finally planned my quirky strategy for this challenge! Remember the trick of the electric compass in the Ilex Forest? This will be similar, ah! I need again the main collaboration of + and – twins.” When Lester stopped to do the epic pose then realized there was none, and facepalmed at the end. “I knew I should have never let my oddmons alone. Yu-uuuh? Where are youuuu?Sniff. A Repellent N° 51 scent mixed with electrons. Terrible mix but Minun sure headed to the west zone.”

‘’’VENTURERS’’’

“Umpf, we lost Inkay already. If you look under the definition of useless you don’t find anymore Lunatone, you find her. Baaah.” Seeing Dunsparce getting soon depressed at the name Lunatone, Aurorus and Tropius were ready to punish Anorith for his insensibility. “Glom. Remember I’m the only one with handliness here.”

The same Dunsparce saved him “I-It’s fine, I wish to forget Lunatone forever but I can’t.”

Tropius backed up “You should not feel guilty for his disappeareance, it was an accident. I guess.”

Anorith phewed but he felt the eyes of the sauropodes on the back all the time. Better think better before to talk.

“A-ah! I found a piece finally.”

Dunsparce: “Q-Question: how many gears we’ll need in total?”

Beheeyem: “This the greatest mystery of the Universe. Klink is made of two single gears, Klang of a main gear and a minor , and Klinklang of three gears. 2 +2 + 3= elementary mathematic. Mystery solved.”

Dunsparce: “S-So seven?”

Beheeyem: “I can quit my mission here. There’s definitely cleverness on the Earth. Hooray.”

Seviper: “Cut this out or I ssslash you. Anorith, hurry up. What are you doing this difficult to pick a simple gear?”

Anorith grabbed the discoidal gear but this dragged him up with itself “What’s going on? Heeey!” an invisible force envelopped the pokèmon that floated in mid air “I’m flying?! Finally my feathers evolved into wings! Eat this, Aerodactyl.” happy but unaware of the Magnezone above him. Beheeyem explained “This is a magnetic zone, or a magnezone if you prefer. The natural electrostaticity generated by the minerals attracts the Magnezone that generate on their own the electromagneticity. They’re not usually here, I guess Victini sent an invitation to them in order to add more “”vividness”” to the challenge.”

Seviper scolded him and rushed “This iss uselessss knowledge, alienerd. Gimme back my gear and my tool, instead you basssstard!” but Magnezone ignored her and continued on his way.

“It’s useless until you don’t realize that they attract any metallic object. Gears are made of metal. Can you follow me?”

“You’re saying that every Magnezone in the Cave could SSSTEAL the gears in the sssame way.” Hissed loudly. “But I absolutely need that idiot and his pinchers most of all. Tropius, to the pursuit right now!”

“I’d like to but I can’t fly anymore without my leaves. I’ll have to wait they grow back.”

“SSSERIOUSSSLY?!!”

“Ehm. Unfortunately yes.”

“I-I can do little flights for about 3-4 minutes, Seviper.” Dunsparce purposed all of sudden “At least this is reported in the description of my species.”

“Ssseriously? You’re a snake and you can fly?”

“I-I have wings, little wings…”

“Right.” Seviper strangely smiled “Then go!”

Dunsparce didn’t say this was the first time he used his wings, tough. He struggled to make them flap and eventually succeeded, taking off the ground. At the height of 5mm. “Flap, flap. I-I did it! S-Seviper, see?”

“Yes, and I ssswear this iss the most pathetic scene I have ever seen in my whole life.”

....

She shouted soon after “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I need a true high-flyer, not thisss scum. Shame on you!”

“S-S-So sorry.”

“He tried his best.” Said Aurorus. “Stop blame him in this way, you’re exaggerating with your rudeness!”

“Alright, Mommy Aury.”

Aurorus blanked out. “Sssorry if I hurted the feelings of your baby.” Dunsparce blushed in ashame. “Seriously, Dunsparce? When you’ll be able to fend for yourself?! Too pathetic, I ssskip forward. You can both stop here as much I care.” Tropius said he prefered to stay with them instead with her, too.

Dunsparce cried for her forgiveness “No, p-please, I want to go with you, Seviper! I’m a true snake.”

“Show me that once for all.”

“H-How? I don’t know. Sob.”

“Sure not in thisss pathetic way.” The viper crept away do not turning back.

‘’’JIGGLERS’’’

Oshawott unofficially took the lead of the group. “Since Piplup is temporary undisposed, I will substitute her. You may not believe but I know how to assemblate gears very well, because my shell is also a carrillon and I regularly check and change the gears inside by myself.” She played on a little lullaby on her shell to give a demonstration.

“Wow, this is an *adorkable* trick, Oshahot!” Squirtle made her blush in pleasement, and pumped her belly. “I know really. I’m a full pack of surprises, afterall. Oshahahah! But let’s focus on the challenge and less on myself now. I know Unova as my shells, there’s not a single angle of my region I don’t know. So I know exactly where to go.”

Bagon agreed “That’s good to know, we trust you. Then lead us to the right direction.”

“Of course I will. Follow me.” Oshawott walked immediately into an electric web, getting shocked “Bzzt! I-I’m kidding. Now seriously…!” she slipped on a mudpole and banged against one of the giant rocks, but found a Klink gear in return of the second shock received. “@shawhoopee I found one! I’m totally doing this on purpose for the sake of the team.”

“You’re my hero, baybey!”

“The female is heroine, Squirtle.”

“Oh you’re right, man. You’re my hero, heroine! Go on!”

In the meanwhile Ninjask decided to go search on his own without saying anything to them. Only Bagon realized his absence and he also realized “Where is Chimecho?”

Squirtle quicky answered “She got lost, bro.”

“But if we’re just entered how we could have already lost her?”

“Bah, I don’t care.” Drawled Lucario.

“None asked your opinion, in fact.”

Oshawott called her remained teammates together “Over there. I found a true goldmine of gears, or better a gearmine!” Squirtle looked blank at her “Gearmine? I thought it was called Germinie or Gearmany, and is it actually inside Unova? Wow, what a shock. I always believed it was in Urope!!” Oshawott faceshelled herself “In fact it is but I didn’t mean Germany! I meant gear mine, a pun way to call a mine of GEARS! Can’t you really understand this simple concept?” The turtle replied with a negative answer “Nope. But I can understand how ott you are when you get angry, my hottie.”

“Oh, YOU…..*lovable moron*. Ah. I love you.”

“Anyway, I don’t see any gear mine here.” Bagon pointed out in worry “Only a mine of pain and thorns. How sadic from Victini to put the gears in between a colony of Ferroseed. Ok. Oshawott, what’s the plan?” when he turned Oshawott and Squirtle were focused kissing each others. In the background, Piplup was focused eating her liver instead.

// VENT //

“Wow.” Bagon confessed his opinion about the current situation “I don’t want to be unfair with Squirtle and Oshawott because they usually rock, but I feel more certain to win when Ninjask is looking over the team, cuz he’s our secret weapon and the best of all. Without him, we aren’t the same therefore I hope he joins the group back soonest possible.” Shrugged. “ I know he’s looking for the gears on his own, but I prefer to have him next to my back. That’s it.”

Piplup frowned “They will soon realize how much they need me, it’s only a matter of time. Tsk-tsk.”

“Ahem, Oshawott?” Oshawott pushed Squirtle away immediately, swept off the awkardment of the moment and replied “The plan is simple: we sneak through them and collect the gears until they sleep. Easy.” Oshawott, Bagon, Squirtle and Piplup walked through the seeds colony with extreme carefulness like they were in the middle of a barbed wire, trying to dodge the most thorns they could or to suffer in silence to not awake the spiky dummies: Oshawott did that from the beginning since she was the first to touch a Ferroseed. “We’re proud of you , Oshawott, you provided for another gear and you’re resisiting to the urge of scream!” complimented Piplup, hoping for an opposite reaction from Oshawott but didn’t happen. Bagon wanted to be of example and provided for the next pieces, without getting harmed thanks to his armoured skin.

“Osha-what? You are immune to the thorns??” Oshawott held the rage inside after having been thorned multiple times.

“Yes, because my scales are very resistant. Ops.” Bagon smiled akwardly “Sorry.”

“Grrr.. Ok, let’s recap. I think we already got enough gears to make a Klink together. Give all to me. Gnn..acc..why, WHY???GRRRRR. They don’t match at all!!!” she turned all red for the anger, much for the preoccupation of the teammates, well, of Bagon and Squirtle at least… “Uh-uh-uh. And this is only two gears, I wonder how much more difficult will be to make Klinklang for her.”

“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, PIPLUP?”

“Nothing, darling. Only making a prediction on your leadership results.”

If they continued with this a little more they would have soon woken the whole colony or bad, so Bagon decided to save the situation “Lemme try. I do have some mechanical skills to back up, too. Hmm Klink ’re made of six dented gears…”

“How do you know?” wondered Oshawott.

“In order to achieve my dream of flying I have used plenty of machines and contraptions build by myself, like the mechanical wings or the steam jet pack powered by volcanic steam (so it worked only at Mt. Cimmer.) or else… a-ah!”

“Nooo, maaan! Don’t tell me you’re a STEAM PUNK!”

“A…?”

“Oh, man. I should have guessed that from the old styled pilot goggles, typical signal of steam punk status.” Squirtle blamed and slapped himself “It’s so uncool, old fashioned, the opposite of my gangsta modern style but I can accept it as an exception for our friendship. Yes, I can, bro.”

Bagon twitched “Anyway, I discovered the matter of the problem: we don’t have 2 exactly six dented gears but only one so far. That’s why they don’t match together. The other gears we collected are problably fake or just useless.”

“Fake? USELESS?” Oshawott couldn’t held herself anymore “Rrrgh VICTIII-MPF!”

“Sssht!”

“Let’s just keep on the collection. Afterall, there are thousands of these ferroseed still to be checked. And the competitors are beginning to profile at the horizon.” Anorith flew quickly over their heads. “Ah Ah Ah! Whohoo! Screw evolution, I’m flying without it! In your face, microdragon.” Bagon greeneyed.

Soon after Seviper and her team followed. “Sssstupid fossil, come back here. Snarl. Where did he go? Beheeyem, you ssslowpoke, get useful and find him with your mind…psycho…whatever… mental powersss. Hurry up or…”

“…I ssslash you! You mean this kind of mental powers?”

“Yesss. . .”

“Hey, you! You can’t cause mess somewhere else?” Oshawott snapped at Seviper “We’re trying seriously to get some gears here, so get away before I get angry!”

“Ssshut up or…”

“I ssslash you. Again.” Beheeyem read again her thoughts with more sarcasm. He missed a blow of her poisoned tail for a finger. “Anyway, you may be interested to know that I tracked the mental path left behind by our beloved hero Anorith. Maybe. Unless there are other pokèmon who wish to get Gorebyss in the bed of the ocean here.” Dunsparce and Tropius both shook the head (not so firmly) making Gorebyss amused.

“Finally. About time.” Seviper turned to Oshawott again and attacked her treacherously sending her KO. “If you jiggling suckers dare to disturb me again, I will tear you apart. Alssso, enjoy the little lesson I’m going to give you.” She used Screech and awoke the sleeping inhabitants, laughing evily and going.

“Yeah, you better creep away before I avenge my girl, snakey bitch!” Squirtle shouted and the colony attacked.

Piplup panicked “Idiot you. Who cared for the health of the psychopott when we had the priority to avoid this to happen?!? Ahhh! This would have never happened under my leadership!” She bounced in the middle of the spinning seeds that sent her against the wall. 2nd KO.

“Enough.” Squirtle made his shades shining with the attitude“Let’s show ‘em how it’s a true spin.”

Bagon and Squirtle repeated their spinning number for the contest and knocked courageously against Ferroseed which were unaffected and rebounded the hit. “Wowowowoooo.Too much spin@@@” “It clearly didn’t work...these things are DARN HARD. Oh-oh, incoming another attack.” A Ferroseed sped up at max spinning making a whistling noise in the air and launched himself in their direction.

Meanwhile the Venturers proceeded at the search of Magnezone, Anorith, and the gears, if possible. Seviper’s satisfaction for her mischievousness was evident on her smile, but she was nonetheless nervous to have not found any of them yet. “Beheeyem, if this is another of your smartass jokes…you know how the quote finishes.”

“Totally. No jokes this time, you have to be patient.”

…

“I have been way too much patient! With you slow sslow ssslow- Wait a minute, where are Dunsssparce and the sneaky byss?” Everyone looked around frantically. However, they heard a shrill from the underground “I-I’m here! Anf. S-Sorry for the late, but I had difficulties to drag Gorebyss all alone. Pushing. And pushing. And pushing her tank.” Seviper hissed at the last part “B-B-But I have something to show you, S-Seviper. If I can.” The land snake put down the two gears collected with his drill tail and explained proudly. “I could steal them from the Jigglers because none notices me usually and that’s what I did for you. To show that I can be a true snake.”

However, Seviper was of a different opinion and snickered “Sssimply stealing two little gears doesn’t make you a true sssnake, so slow down your pride, land worm. But this isss a beginning, keep up in this way and maybe there will be an hope.” and her speech was enough to make him satisfied “Y-Yay! I promise I will continue on this way by now. I won’t disappoint you next time, I ssswear.”

“I’m actually impresssssed.” Was Seviper’s Confessional Cut in the vent.

Aurorus whispered to get the attention of her little pal “You stole? You shouldn’t be proud. Seviper is a bitch, in a far worse way than Gorebyss, she’s manipulative, liar, merciless, something you’re not nearly alike. Are you sure you want to become like her, Dunsparce?” asked with a serious look on the face. Dunsparce flailed but did not reply.

‘’’LEVIATHANS’’’

Minun stopped at the entrance of the first lifter “Alright, let’s count how many gears we have found so far: zero.” Sighed. “I’m such a terrible leader not only compared to Lester, in generally. Anyway, maybe Plusle and Porygon and…Lester (?) were more lucky and collected all the gears! Yes, and I am a Pikachu in blue. But, maybe, they did slightly better than us, that would still mean something. Plusle, can you hear me?”

“High and clear.” Answered her.

“Phew, what a relief. Ahem, I mean, good. How’s going there? We’re by the lifters, what about you 2 or 3?”

“I think we are nea…aaargh!”

Minun gasped “Plusle! Plusle? What happened? Oh, no, I knew that. I’m not only the worst leader on Earth but also the worst brother, I let my sister alone! Anf, gasp, whatcanIdonow???!!” Lampent shrugged “Stay calm.”

“Calm??? I-I try but I can’t! Sob, my..”

“She’s fine.”

“How you know?”

“Ta-dah!”

“Aaaah, a ghost!”

“Not really.” Lampent shrugged again “I can confirm She’s fine and ALIVE.” Minun changed color and Plusle outbursted “I knew you would have regretted to have split, ahah! You can’t live normally without your bigger twin sister looking for you.”

“PLUSLE! Sister, don’t do that again anymore. P-lease.” The male twin held the breath and expired it gravely “I was sincerely believeing you could have been in a big trouble, this isn’t nice. Come on!”

“This little prank was meant to cheer you up, to be honest. Don’t you feel alive more than ever now? I want you to turn this adrenaline in positiveness, otherwise I’ll keep finding other ways…”

“No-no-no! I’m motivated now. Motivated sooo much, I want really to continue this, hooray! Groan.” Minun hugged her and then sat on the ground exhausted “Just….don’t…do…that…never..again…p.l.e.a.s.e.” then all of sudden jolted up “Wait, what about Porygon 2? And the gears? Did you find any? AND LESTER?!! You let Porygon alone? With Lester around?? I feel an imminent panic attack but answer me.”

Plusle answered happily “I abandoned Porygon 2, found no gears, and didn’t meet Lester anywhere :P”

“O.o OK.”

“What’s the next plan, brothy?”

“Ehm, probably crying over the misery of my life... K-Kidding! Ehm, what about redoing the search a little better?”

“Yes! Yuppi! I like your strategy. Going to search at my best!” she dashed backward. He let out a big sigh. “She’s really a nuisance.”

“Eh? No, no, my sister is just a little over the top sometimes.” Minun replied to Metang struggling to feel certain of his words. “All she wants is the best for me, I appreciate always her dedication. She’s made in this way: sweet and sticky like a candy. Haha. J—Just she shows it in a way that…ahem.. ahem..how to say? Crazy? Yes, my sister is a little crazy but who isn’t here? Hahah.. No, seriously, forgive her here, please. I’m sure to do the best with her in every challenge.”

“That’s the point.” Metang analyzed “She screwed our probabilities in every challenge with her obsessiveness for you.”

“That’s absolutely not true, Metang.”

“Right. 99%. She did correctly in the yesterday challenge.”

“Only…? No, there was also the first day, where we did pretty well together. In the second episode she forced us be statues, in the third she forced me to do twice of the effort in the race because she couldn’t accept the idea to be separated for some ridiculous minutes, then the 4th day….hmm-hmm.” Minun changed quickly topic. “It’s better to think at the current challenge. So let’s try again from the beginning! I promise to settle everything better this time. First of-“ a familiar voice interrupted him.

“A-AH! I have finally spotted my mazed and confused Leviathans! Don’t worry, I’ll fix and save the day with my new idea.” “As always.” Added Minun with resignment. “Exactly, ah!” Rotom epic posed proudly “Here’s the idea. Remember the electromagnetic compass trick? We’re going to do a variation of it: the electromagnetic detector! I’ll need again both the + and - twins plus an electric parabola and a detector that will be Porygon with his detector mode. By the way…where is he? And Plusle?”

“Ahem, about her..” Minun answered sheepishly “I sent her back to exploration and away from us. But I can bring her here in a second with the telepathic bond.”

Lester amazed “Telepathy? Wow, it’s like using the brain like a remot control, how many mental channels you get in generally?” continued “I would like to watch AnoriTV, Chimechannel, Inkaylodeon, but most of all Jirachi Network! In addition, not only just watch but be able to take the CONTROL OF THEM!! That would be freaking quirky!!! Ah.”

“…hem. I can communicate only with my sister, first of all. Second, please, quiet, I’m trying to link. But I can’t reach her electric charges anymore. Gaaaasp! What happened? Maybe this means she fell in a trouble!” Metang held Minun back to rationality “Don’t forget where you are. You are not in the open space where the charges can flow freely in the neutral air but inside a cave with a pitched magnet zone that traps and englobes your electrones.” Minun istantly relieved. “Right, silly me. It could also be one of her pranks again, afterall. Anyway, I don’t know how you can really hope to find a parabola or a metal detector here.” Lester snapped in answer “Really? Hope?! Nothing is impossible and possibilities are limitless for me. I break the 4th wall every evening when I get into a pokèmon TV and exit out an human one, for example. I’ll think about a variation of the variation.”

“So…”

Lester took the bag found by Minun and speculated on the inventory “Mumble…mumble…impossible mumble…”

“Ouff, Lester, deal with it.” Minun lost the patience “Not everything is possible to be realized at this world. Sometimes our plans are determined to fail, simple. You have to renounce to your quirky idea for once and focus on the easy solution: search again. Okay? I left you back the leadership, and this time forever, but follow my advise.”

The plasma poltergeist laughed histerically and shook the head “Shut up! You don’t know what you say! I see an interesting Jigglypuff Yodel CD with a player, a set of torches and repellents, a rotten sandwich, sure I and we can do something with these stuff! AHAHAHAHAHAH!” Lester zigzagged randomly for the craziness, making it clear that he had lost the rest of his sanity. “There’s always a quirky solutiooooon!)))”

Lampent, Metang and Minun sneaked far away from his sight. “Wait, wait for your ultimate leader! You cannot abandon me after all I did for you. Seriously! Really!! I can solve the problem! I am the definition of IMPOSSIBLE, got it? Leviathans, come back here!”

//Minun: ditching Lester was the only reasonable thing to do. We’re probably doomed and things can only get worse and worst by now, but he has really passed the limit of insanity this time.

“Then what we do?” Lampent questioned with her usual depression. “We’re three desperate souls wandering in the darkness of the cave in the wait of the END. . .of the episode…”

Minun touched Metang and scratched the back of the head “Keep searching the gears, we can’t be this unlucky to find anything, right?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“Lampent, I’m actually looking for some solace at the moment and you don’t really help in this direction.”

“What a view.” From the cabin of control Victini could see all the three teams and their misadventures, and commented “At the beginning they seemed to have a good alkemy but now all the teams seem three dysfunctional families and even none of them managed to get down the lifter n°1 yet! I’m disappointed, I can’t see any shadow of true victors in this cast. Maybe it was a mistake to do this experiment with common pokèmon.”

….

“You can’t see me, dummies!” Bagon and Squirtle managed to escape from further attacks thanks to the lack of mobility of their enemies. “I would have really liked to count on Ninjask’s help.” Complained Bagon, ticking off some thorns. “But he’s justified being away, instead of Lucario that didn’t move a finger the whole time he was here. Selfish bastard.”

“Sgrunt, as I should. You caused the mess, then you solve that by your own. I had already warned last time that I would have not been your babysitter anymore, so leave me ALONE.”

“Hey, Bag, I can’t manage to wake up the gals! Back me up, I’m trying everything but they are still knocked out like kuckoos.”

“Have you tried with some water, too?”

“Dude.” Squirtle frowned “No time for joking. Where’s the water, here?”

“Ciaff. Seriously, man?”

“Of course I’m serious in this situation, buddy! My baby is fighting against the coma, same for Piplup.”

“Use your Water Gun, Water Pulse, Water Jet or waterever you have, I don’t care, idiot!”

“Of course! Thanks for the suggestion, Luke!”

“DON’T THANK ME.” Lucario drawled in reply “NEVER. AND DON’T CALL ME “LUKE” NEVER AGAIN.”

“Grglgorgogorl ptù!” Squirtle used Water Jet on the girls and they finally woke up. “Did you spit on me? Oh my dear lord! This is so unpolite and GROSS. Piiiiiiplup! Piplup piplup piiiiiiplaaaap!”

“Ouch, it hurts. I WILL KILL SEVIPER FOR THIS!Tell me where she is, tell me!”

Bagon struggled to keep both the starters into themselves “We have another problem more important to solve: we lost all the gears collected.”

“Osha-WHAT?” the ott opened eyes wide “They also stole us. Those Venturers.” and growled. “Let’s go pick them up!”

“No. We’re wasting too much time for the challenge. Instead of getting revenge on Seviper and her Venturers, we must get advantage on them. I think to have realized they’re too busy with a Magnezone, better to leave them distracted and exploit their distraction to win.” Bagon encouraged the group with his speech and they returned to search and work with a better organization. Oshawott put back to sleep the Ferroseed with her carrillon allowing them to check for the gears in almost perfect safety (Oshawott’s klumsiness didn’t spare her neither this time) and they found two equal gears for Klink. Finally assembled Klink with the help of the more technic Bagon, Oshawott directed the team to the lifter with the help of the more clever Piplup and they unlocked the access to the second level.

“It works! Vrrrrr.”

“Finally. We are a level deeper than before, this means we’re in the lead. Eat that, Seviper!”

“Ops, but we forgot Ninjask upstairs in this way. However, he’s able to stand by himself. Ninjask is the least I expect bad surprises from.”

Squirtle looked over the glass : the walls disappeared progressively during the descent until it was utterly black. “This is like a scuba diving in the abyss, man, I can’t see anymore anything.” Then Bagon suggested him to take off the sunglasses because “It’s less illuminated, but not completely dark.”

“Diving? Abyss?” Piplup rattled. “I thought we were underground not underwater.” A strange source of light passed quickly by them floating in the air. “This cave is actually an abyss where only the strangest creatures live and swim. So it’s contemporary underground and underwater! Are you afraid for this?” Oshawott smirked at Piplup who dried the sweat quickly assuming her fancy attitude “If I dare to contraddict you, your statement is wrong: I’m not afraid, I am concerned.”

“What’s the difference, uh?”

“Tsk, there’s an huge difference, but you aren’t enough clever to understand it U.U”

“I understand that this fear of depth is the reason why you’re a sucky diver. ADMIT IT!”

“Never! B-Because I have nothing to admit, I’m flawless unlike you.”

“ADMIT IT.”

“….”

The penguin refused to talk more, sealing her beak.

“You’re not perfect. None is. I just want you to admit it but NOO! This is very mature but I guess this is what a true lady does.” Oshawott gave up “Fine, we’re arrived.”

“And we are arrived. Seviper, here’s your Magnet Zone. My job is finished.” That part of the cave was dominated by the magnetism pokèmon family at all: Magnemite, Magneton and Magnezone. Their magnetic activity generated a pitched gravitational zone that attracted every rock, gear, or other metal in the vicinance. Anorith featured the cathegory. He was trapped in the middle yet he couldn’t be happier “I’m floating, yahoo! I didn’t feel this alive and powerful by ages.”

Predicting Seviper’s words, Beheeyem explained “He can’t get out. It’s impossible he frees from there, even for the little cerebral cortex of a chtonian predator shouldn’t be difficult to understand that an abnormal concentration of magneticity is like a black hole and what do we know first about a black hole? Everything enters, never exits.” shrugged “I suggest to accept the idea that Anorith will stay with them forever and leave, there’s no force which beats the law of attraction of a gravity force. It’s science.”

“What about the law of attractivenessss?” Seviper grabbed and dragged Gorebyss out of the tank “Eek! I was doing my privacy, and don’t touch my smooth scales with your rough skin or you’ll ruin them.”

“It’s time you become useful, Gorebytch. Do what you’re made for. NOW!” hissed spitting on the face of the eel.

“You mean Attraction? Okay. You could have asked with more politeness.” Gorebyss wiped the face and started to seduce using her siren voice. “Come to me, come to me, blink.”

“Pity they’re a genderless species that cannot be affected by your move.” He pointed out.

“Same you are supposed to be yet you gushed on Lampent, yesterday.” She replied with a little wink of malice “Also, I’m using Attraction on Anorith.” Smooched “My favorite Anorith.” Anorith’s goggly eyes goggled to the edge of the explosion, he felt attracted by an even more powerful force than magnetic and struggled epically to reach it “Gnnngh, I don’t want to fly anymore, I prefer *THAT.* So out of my way floating cucumbers, if you don’t leave me with the goods, I’ll free my self with the bads: Smack Down!” His hit caused Magnezone to nosedive down the ground breaking through the magnet zone. “Gorebyss, I’m here, my lov-!” but Seviper splatched him under a rock before he could get to his love “Welcome back in the Victini Venturersss. Now assemble the gears, you have no excuses, you have all the pieces you need now, move it!” the pieces she referred were of Magnezone, that she promptly finished.

// Vent //

Dunsparce: “S-Seviper…you killed.”

Seviper: “It wasn’t a contestant, so? This fact give you problemsss?”

Dunsparce: “But it was an innocent, in fact he had nothing to do with the show.”

Seviper: “It chose the wrong day to be on my way: I was seeking for gears and the thing had them. Ssstop the complaints, you’re such a fake snake and I’m dissssgussssted.”

Beheeyem: “What a news Seviper that killed off some random pokèmon for her own pleasure! Now to the serious topic, how could they break a phisic law of science in that way? Mmmh. I don’t find a rational explanation for the event. As I can’t for many other events I’m assisiting since I am on this mud sphere. (The Earth for those viewers not clever enough to get the metaphore) ”

Anorith unwillingly accomplished the orders of the boss and disassembled Magnezone, sort of. He didn’t obtain any gear suitable for Klink but lot of pieces for the evos, especially the very important horizontal disc for Klinklang that was of the right dimension. Of course, he did this under the instructions of an expert. Beheeyem: “Guess who?”

Eventually a Klink was assembled using the gear found by Anorith and the gear stolen by Dunsparce that matched perfectly. They took the lifter soon after “Maximum capacity: 100 kg.” Anorith read on the target “So scram, sauropodes. Your heavy weight together is certainly over the limit and I don’t want to risk. Vrrr.”

“T-They could always take the lifter after us.”

“Nah. They’re useless and I want to bring Klink with me when we’re arrived downstairs so I recycle it for Klinklang later. With the fossilization I kept my grey matter perfectly intact for ages, afterall.”

“Together the sassiness.” Dunsparce added in a whisper.

“Là. Whew.” Minun put the Klink inside the machinery with relief “I can’t believe we did it. I mean, we captured a real Klink and only needed Lampent to “convince” it to help us for the cause: so easy! Then Plusle is right when she says there’s always a chance to achieve the target. Speaking of Plusle, I wish she would be here….ahahahah! Joking. Don’t get me wrong, but it’s nice to have some time on my own. I can have all the time to reflect in peace and quiet without her. Ah*. Lampent and Metang, thank you, you’re so silent and calm for my chordes. I’m appreciating your company.”

Lampent shrugged while Metang studied a floating rock. Minun harassed “Ops, I wasted time with my blabs. Let’s go finally down.”

“Vrrrr. Welcome on the lefter. Where the music is not the usual boring kind.”

“Cool, even if I like the lounge relaxing music they play on the lifters.”

“That’s why I’m a lefter.”

“The right word is lifter….wait a minute, I’m talking to an inanimate object! That replies me?!”

“It’s lester, I mean, lefter! Ah, okay, let’s redo it properly. I’m a lifter possessed by Lester!” Minun screamed in terror “Sigh, I couldn’t find any other original idea to find the gears. Therefore I decided to activate the lifter personally! You forced me when you backstabbed.” Lester explained shutting the doors automatically “By the way, I forgive you. Let’s say that we had some quirky incomprehensions and I return to be happily your leader by now. Get ready , I’m nothing alike a normal lifter, cuz I descend at the speed of plasmaaaa!”

“No-no-no. Lesteeeeeeeeeer!!! Why? Why? Why!”

Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

“Don’t worry, Minun.” Lampent solaced “You get habited once you have died for the first time.”

“O-Ok, Lampent, if you’re my friend, don’t solace me anymore.”

“….I tried.”

Back on the V-Plane, Chimecho was still looking for the missing goggles. “Goggles…goggles…where are you? Yawn! Mmmh. I searched everywhere, even inside the luggages of the contestants, but I couldn’t find them. But I did a promise to Squirtle and I never break a promise. Zzz…eh? Who’s in there?” a shadow appeared on the wall and sauntered away, she rubbed her swollen eyes “Mmmh. I’m too tired that I’m starting to have visions. Even if I perceived a presence before.” Chimecho continued the research but again she was certain to not be alone. “Ninjask, I recognized you now.”

Ninjask immediately blimped near her “Remarkable. Only a pure soul is able to see through the misfit of a ninja.”

“Only a pure soul can see through a dark one.” Chimecho retailed back coldly. “Why are you here?”

“Why you are. It’s the second challenge in a row you skip.”

“Because I’m too kind.” Chimecho yawned in annoyance “I mean this is not your business.”

“Why so aggressive? Why on defensive? I’m just doing some questions, the same questions the majority of the teammates are doing at the moment.” The ninja fly whispered in her ears “They don’t trust you anymore.”

The wind bell stopped. “Then they’re wrong. They shouldn’t trust YOU.”

“I know already what you’re looking for, Chimecho.” Ninjask tossed her the goggles of Bagon “I found them yesterday when I saved Bagon from falling, they were officially outside the plane, pending on the wing. Bring them back to the owner, you have sacrificed enough of yourself for their research.” Chimecho didn’t trust him and checked carefully the goggles before to accept them.

LEVEL II OF THE CAVE

The second floor of the cave was of a darker blue and even the electric sparks sauntering between the minerals were blue, making the place kind of strange, alien. . Piplup was frightened inside but she limited her shivers in order to keep her dignity safe outside. The dim light made it difficult to have the necessary visuality, they were maybe wandering in circle but they couldn’t know. “We can’t continue this task without a proper light.” She lamented. “It’s too dangerous. Ah, if only one of you could know the use of Flash.”

“You keep repeating that since we’re arrived, sgrunt. You’re seriously getting on my nerves.”

“Then find a solution, Lucario, if you’re able instead to complaint by your own AS USUAL.”

“Bah.”

“Have an idea.” Oshawott collected some rocks and rubbed them to cast a spark, but instead of fire she obtained a shock “ZAM! Not fair, I watched this trick on TV and it always worked in the movies! What did different?”

“You explained before this cave is made of special minerals that absorb the electric charges. Maybe this is why they cannot be used to light on a fireplace and instead they discharge electricity.” Oshawott listened and followed the speech of Bagon trying to fix her jolted hair using the shell like a comb “Got it. Then, what can we do? Uhm. I know! Capture a Tynamo.”

Victini put the screen on stand by. Shocked. “Capture a Tynamo? Did they realize they have a complete other pokèmon to find or make? This is getting ridiculous, what a bunch of losers unable to focus on the victory!” The host lied on the chaiselongue for the desperation “This will get forever. I’ll eat my macarones for consolation. Munch, crunch. Mmmmh, macarones, you are my only source of satisfaction.. I should make you contestants in a future season instead of these pokèmorons.” Vulpix hopped on him licking his face with affection. “Ah ah! Vic, let’s say you’re my second satisfaction in life. Okay, time to see the rest of the episode.”

“Capture a Tynamo?” Bagon repeated “How to do that?”

The ott smiled with confidence “Like fishing, but without the water.”

“Sounds coolio.”

“Of course, I always fish with my bare paws so it’s only a matter of tempistic. As soon a Tynamo appears we catch it and trap it inside….inside…inside..” Oshawott glanced all around “Inside anything made of glass and we’ll have our personal lightbulb. I know Imma a genius but clap the same, don’t be akward. …WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS CLAPPING?!!”

“Clap clap clap!”

“Thank you, oshahah, thanks so much I’m almost blushing.” She returned serious soon after “Go find a glass made object!”

//Oshawott: “Ohhh I love to give orders! They’re following my directions for today, that means I’m naturally born to be a leader and I didn’t know until now because I have never been given the opportunity. Grrr. It was always my big sister to lead. But she’s not here this time, I’m free to shine, I’m the one who takes the claps and cheers for once. Mwahahahah!”

“I found it, ottie!” Squirtle returned with an old can of Poke.

After a bit, it was again Squirtle to find something, or better, to think about something “The bowl of Gorebyss! I’ll conquer and bring it to my ottness at the cost of my same blood and sweat.” He lurked the Venturers at the exit of their lifter, then.

They arrived a minute later. Anorith was the first to get out and was striked down easily with a single blow, Beheeyem was the next target but teleported before Squirtle could do his move “Yes, flee, genderless buddy. This is the best thing to do when Berserk Squirtle is in da house! Ouch.” He was slashed out by Seviper, the third in order who had assisted to the previous attacks and waited the right moment to hit. The black reptilian came out the lifter and trapped him in her spires, preparing her poisonous bite but he protected his sensible parts inside the shell right in time “Crunch. Noo! I had already lost a tooth in the first episode.” The turtle slipped from her grip exploiting this distraction and lifted up Gorebyss “Excuse me Miss Byss, but I gotta borrow ya’ home for a bit. Out, quick.”

“Hey, put her down immediately!” Anorith striked back revived by the jealousy.

“I only want the bowl.”

Anorith was about to attack when Seviper shouted to stop! “Ssso you want only the bowl? Which is the aim of this sssuicidal attack?”

“If I can’t revenge my girl I want at least to satisfy her desires.” He answered proudly, explaining “Oshawott wants to catch a Tynamo to have all the light we need, but she needs a can where to keep it lika a lightbulb. That’s the plan: using the bowl of Gorebyss.” Everyone was confused by this explanation, however Seviper agreed “You can have it in exchange of the gears you have found otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”

“Eh?”

“The gearsss you usssed to activate your lifter, I sssuppose. I want them.”

“Ah, right. Wait, you think imma an idiot?” Squirtle smugged “First gimme the bowl.” Gorebyss shrilled “No! No! How I can survive without my water? Also this place is full of electricity, supereffective against my type. Don’t dare, agh, Anorith my dear, do something!”

The viper ignored both her and Anorith and poured out all the water together Gorebyss, with infinite pleasure. Squirtle nodded “A deal is a deal. Take the gears. Oshawott, Bagon, gang, look what I got!”

“Eek.” Gorebyss gasped starting to have convulsions like a Magikarp “How could you, bitch! I’m dying, I’m dying! Here so dies the beauty and the dauntiness of TDVVT and the whole world.”

“No, Gorebyss, look at me! Remember? Evolution: I born in the water, I survived on the ground. You can do the same!” With bloody eyes and the first sympthoms of dehydration, the pink eel grabbed the anomalocaris and let out a big shriek “I caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan’t! I NEED WATER. Got it?! Then go find me another tank before I die if you love me!” Anorith blink-blinked feeling clueless. “Urgh, you’re asking me to do something impossible.”

“I beg to differ. Actually, you could live here in tranquillity.”

“Save your sarcasm for the time after my death, alien.” Gorebyss huffed and puffed angrily.

The Brain Pokèmon shrugged “The abyss of Hoenn is the habitat of your and Huntail species and it’s deep about 5-6 metres. At this depth the percent of oxygen is minimal at max pressure. Unlike in the ocean, this pressure is exercised on your body from every direction in a perfect balance, therefore you’re in a condition that makes you swim in the air more than in the water. Very fascinating.”

“S-So?”

“Consequentially Gorebyss and Huntail can survive in a habitat with no water if it has the same condition.

The Chargestone Cave reaches a depth of 6 metres and the magnetic activity increases the gravity but this gravity force comes from left, right, down, everywhere : that’s the reason why there are floating boulders. They receive the push of the pressure from each direction at the same time and this causes the levitation. This is also the reason why a fish called Tynamo and his evolution family found here their ideal habitat despite the lack of water, and eventually mutated until to become a pokèlogic oddity.”

“Therefore Gorebyss can ssshut up and ssstart to move her pink ass. End of the speech.”

“Still…pant. Uff. Gggn. This is soooo unfair. If I get zapped I will burn my splendid fin, if I get scorched I will ruin my smooth skin.”

“And if I get tired of this, I will have my dinner.”

LEVEL III OF THE CAVE

Breaking through the second floor the “Lefter” landed directly on the bottom of the cave with a terrible impact. Minun heartbroke soon after. “Din-din! The last floor of Chargestone Cave is reached, thanks for your choice to descend with my quirky company instead of the normal ones.”

“C-C-Choice?” the negative mouse was attached to the anti-panic lever of emergency and refused to leave it “I didn’t choose it, none did! Lester, it was only a choice of you and you skipped on our opinion. Where did you bring us? It’s utterly black.” Trembled.

“I brought you directly to the bottom part of the cave without the need of Klang, Leviathans. This means we’re ahead the rivals, we have only to assemble a Klinklang, and we’re going to win, ah! *EPIC POSE*” the red ghost got out the control panel and tossed him the bag of the adventurer “By the way, my initial idea is still realizable if you collaborate, and trust me, this is the best thing to do.”

“Ah, fine. We have no other choice.” Minun checked “Where this magnet comes from? I don’t remember there was one in the inventory.”

“I lent one from the corpse of a Magnezone. Long story.”

“Okay…”

“I’d like to know the details.” Lampent almost smiled while speaking but quickly resumed her original attitude, shrugging with indifference. Lester mimicked to her “I’ll tell you later.” Then he finally explained the idea.

“Remember the electromagnetic compass? This will be similar…but I have already said that, let’s skip on the new part then. We’ll build up an electromagnetic metal detector! Minun will be magnetized with the bipolar magnet and attached to Metang with a wire: the electrones attracted by the positive polar of the U-magnet will flow out and travel to the metallic body of Mr. Bionicrab charging it of negative energy, and this energy combined with mine will attract every piece of gear, Klink, Klang, METAL, IRON, ALUMINIUM like a vacuuuum!!!” span “Isn’t that majestic, eh? Modestly, none has my unique kind of thinking.”

“And ego.” Minun scratched the back of the head “Ehm, so… How many vote NO for this idea?” he raised the paw together the other members.

“What the quirk? Come on, you can’t really be serious! This is the best plan I ever planned and you say a platitudinous NO?”

“More like a democratic no. Lester, the fact you’re the leader doesn’t mean this team is ruled by a monarchy.” Minun explained rolling eyes “We’re all equals. I understand you want to be always the different, the most original one, and you really put yourself always in the challenges but, seriously, an electromagnetic metal detector? This is sci-fi. We have already followed one of your ideas and didn’t go well.” Lester glowered at him “It’s not SCI-FI, by the way.” And left. “I’ll show you, lord of the normality and the skepticism!”

“Lord of the normality…and the skepticism?”

“And of the platitudinous! I almost forgot. Now, arrivederci. Zoom.”

“Actually, the idea of a metal attractor wasn’t useless.” Metang took the word “However, Lester was his usual overthinker convoluted and came out with this oddity. I purpose an efficient alternative: minerals. I did an accurated search and discovered that the true source of the electromagnetism are the minerals that compose this cave: magnetite, nichel, cobalt and iron. These materials capture the magnet zones of the ground (leys) and gets magnetized permanently because of the cold temperature, their magneticity enters in contact with the bodies of the iron pokèmon inhabitants and their electric zones causing the discharges.” Minun listened to in awe, doing his best to not squeal “Getting to the core of the matter, my idea is to use your electric zone to individuate a suitable mineral and link it to our magnet in order to make it way more POWERFUL.”

Minun eventually squealed with a little voice. “Miiiiiiin! He is the *perfection.*”

“Thanks.”

“Woah ops! Ehehehe. Ignore the last quote, I mean, I am too akward.”

“It’s fine. I have two electronic brains: the perfect cleverness. Therefore your compliment is correct.” Meanwhile Lester spied the whole scene shifting the eyelids for the envy “Also, Minun, you maybe never realized that the telepathy you have with your sister is just a matter of electric camps and not a true telepathy, you’re not “bonded” because you’re twin, you’re bonded by your electricity and species. You are both electric mice, a normal mouse perceives every movement and is capable to project a mental map of the surround, an electric mouse not only should do that but also is advantaged by the ability to perceive the electric zones emenated by the other beings surrounding it. But only the electrones flow in and out the zones, that means you’re the only one who can do that. You must exploit this immense power in this occasion!” The other twitched in shock “I didn’t know to have this potential. I never tried. Repeat me, Plusle doesn’t have it? I’m the only? Not even Pikachu, Pichu, Emolga or I don’t know, Dedenne? Wow.”

“Your species has endless possibilities none else has on this world, Minun. The Pokèdex never told you anything than your ability to match with Plusle and be the team supporter. There’s a lot more for you alone.”

“Oooh. Ahem, okay, no more delays. I’m trying it immediately!” the yellow and blue mouse focused all his senses on the electric zones spotting several minerals in the darkness. But also spotted something else, something huge. He opened the eyes again, smiling “Double wow. It was a sort of mystic experience. I felt one on one with the background and I could see my negative charges mirroring on the walls all around and on the body of Metang and somebody else.…”

“You did enough. Excellent work. I tracked the path of the electric charges directly from your mind and I know where are the minerals and the exit.”

“The exit, too? I haven’t notice it.”

“I did because I have the fastest learning process that makes me able to analyze and save every detail at contemporary.”

“Metang, you’re a super genius. I wish to become like you one day.”

Meanwhile, the Jirachi Jigglers…

“Almost there…almost there…”

“Tynamo.o?”

“Catched!”

Oshawott exhibited the tiny fish with the pride of a predator that has just catched the prey of the day.

“Wohoo, this is ma’ girl, maaan!”

“We have a lightbulb now.” Tynamo suddenly accelerated slipping from her hands “HEY!!” she ran to it and caught it again but the eel this time didn’t simply flee and dragged her with itself “How a tiny thing like that is able to do such a thing? Oshaaaaa! But I won’t let you go, do your worst.” Challenge accepted. Tynamo boosted away rocketing and zigzagging pulling the ott through a series of obstacle and her friends that she couldn’t miss “Bonk! Cronk!” Skronk!!! Stop it! Oh-no.” Tynamo jolted in the middle of two Ferrothorn without getting harmed by their thorns thanks to his size, on the contrary Oshawott remained stuck.

“Uuuh. That hurts like hell.”

“Worse for her.”

“Lucario excluded, let’s help her immediately.”

“Sniff, would you like to quicken, please?” she whined “This is the most painful experience I lived in my own life, and the most embarassing! I can figure out my sister Dewott watching me on TV and laughing…”

Bagon, Squirtle and Piplup pulled her by the tail all together but they didn’t obtain anything than annoy Ferrothorn that whipped them away.

“Auch. Didn’t see that coming.”

“Let’s try again.” Squirtle was the first to stand up, the eyes on fire “Leave my girlfriend, spikydummies!” He launched himself as a bullet and rammed against the iron barbs using Hydro Pump, Oshawott at the same time used her Water Jet and the two moves combined gave her the necessary push to free herself. She hugged Squirtle soon after and kissed him passionally. “Thanks thanks thanks!”

The Tynamo idea was eventually discarded after that episode.

Since that the four Jigglers focused on the true challenge: they explored the area, collected the gears they found in the way and Bagon and Oshawott collaborated at the making of Klang. “We have a little Klink gear and a big one, but they don’t match without the third gear. It presumably goes in this fissure with the sign of six dents.”

“So it’s another Klink gear. But, Bagon, once we have assembled the full gear, how we make it have a perpetuum motum?”

“Good question. It should activate by itself in my opinion. Otherwise a little spark of electricity will be necessary, and once the main gear starts to move it will start the perpetuum motum, still in my opinion.” The dragon hesitated “But, I don’t really know, it’s the first time I work with living gears.” The other nodded in agreement. “Squirtle or Piplup, go back to the lifter and take the Klink we used for the first time.”

“About that klinky gear…ooopsie. I think I gave it away to the Venturers. In exchange of the bowl.”

Oshawott changed expression “WHAT DID YOU DO?!!”

“Hurry up, Anorith.” Seviper pressured on the ally that was having lot of difficulties with the making of Klang “You have all the piecesss. How much difficult it can be?!”

Anorith replied immediately “Hey, snake. Do you remember I have been blocked in my fossil for ages and ages and I passed directly from the Cenozoic to the XXI century? They had yet to discover the fire when I fossilized and you pretend I know how a clock gear works? Fool. Why don’t you make the alien Noah do that? Oh, wait, maybe because he ditched us at the first right occasion! Then, shut up and give me the time to understand how to assemble this.” Seviper simply gave him a death glare but waited. “BEM will pay for thisss delay.”

Dunsparce helped Gorebyss carrying her for little traits AGAINST SEVIPER’S WILL AND AWARENESS. They had been sent together by Seviper with the task to explore the new level and find the second lifter. “Thanks, Dunspy, you deserve a kiss for your kindness.”

“U-Uh it’s not really necess….! ***” he turned all red.

“Just a little reward, don’t take it with seriousness.” Gorebyss giggled.

Akward, Dunsparce fastened the pace and knocked on something metallic: the lifter n°2! “S-Sevipeeeer! S-Sevipeeer! I-I found it!”

“Excsssellent.” As he eagered Seviper quickly rolled eyes “You just did the task I assssigned you. Tone down.”

“Y-Yes, Seviper…sorry.”

Anorith seemed to have finally understood how to make Klang and he, Seviper and the others went in the lifter. Before they could activate it, the Jigglers striked back attacking all together. “IT’S PAYBACK TIME, SEVIPER! YOU AND YOUR CRONIES WILL REGRET EVERYTHING YOU DID SO FAR, GRRR.”

“Do you wanna your bowl back, miss?”

“Give me my bowl back. I hope you didn’t crack it, it’s very expensive.”

“Thanks for the lend, none can say that Squirtle doesn’t pay a pawn.” He tossed the bowl to Gorebyss but in a way that she was trapped inside it, upside down. “!”

Bagon and Oshawott ganged up on Seviper while Squirtle easily defeated Dunsparce.

“I warned you already, jiggling losssersss. Now no more lessons, after I’ll finish with you, you won’t be able to learn anymore.” Seviper used her Glare to immobilize the opponents. Then examined them one by one rummaging “Who to eat first? Maybe the psycho ott, or the old penguin, or the dumb turtle, or the tiny dragon, or all together? Ssslurp. Fine, I’ll ssswallow all of you in a single bite.” The dark viper enlarged the big mouth with an hungry look on the eyes. That was the prey of the month, or better, the PREYS.

“Lucario, help, do something! Bah, useless to count on him.”

Seviper launched on her preys but an invisible shield bounced her away. Protection. “Chimecho!” Ninjask flew after her and casted out a Shadow Ball “And there’s Ninjask, too! Where have you been, guys?” Chimecho didn’t answer and used the sound of her chime to heal the group from the paralysis.

Victini was cheering in the video-room “Finally some vibrancy, some valiancy! It was about time to have a true fight. There are gonna be true fireworks, gnam.”

Seviper spat with rage “You did the worst missstake of your life. Ninjask, I’m sssick of you at this point!” used Sludge Bomb aiming at Ninjask but he was too fast and dodged all her hits, she seethed for the rage and tried with her best attack “Poison Tail!” and succeeded. But soon realized to have aimed at a substitute. “Sssshit. Where are you, coward? I’m also sick of your ninja games. FACE ME!”

“Agreed.”

Ninjask showed up on her face, teasing her. He used Buzz all of sudden forcing the viper to coil up in pain, retiring in herself “My earssssss, noooo, ssstop it! I can’t stand this sound.” Everyone was astonished.

“First time since the competition has started I saw Seviper in serious difficulty.” Commented Dunsparce in his Confessional cut scene. Before he could say more Seviper appeared in bad conditions but still flaming on fury “I never forgot my fights with Zangoose and the scars I keep are an excellent memorial. I got many new scars after this fight and I won’t forget any of them when I will take my revenge.”

“She’s harmless. It’s our unique occasion!” Oshawott scallop bladed the viper followed by Squirtle, Bagon and Piplup’s attacks, Ninjask harmed more with a combo of Shadow Ball and X-Scissor and Chimecho finished with her psychic powers supereffective on her poison type.

“I barely believe we beated Seviper! Yahoo!”

“Ah! Congratulations. Celebrate as much you want but I have actually activated the lifter.” Anorith swayed exhibiting Klang and putting it into the mechanism, descending down. “Anorith saved the day of the Venturers again.”

“I don’t agree, sgrunt.”

“Lucario? What the hell are you doing here, mutt?” Anorith looked for the escape door then resigned to his fate and retreated into the armour plated shell “Don’t hit too hard, I’m a living fossil, afterall.” The opponent looked at him with dismay then glanced at Chimecho and muttered, calling the lifter back to the 1st floor and waiting for the entire team to get in. “I have nothing to say, just make this thing descend because I don’t know even how I managed to get it up, grunt.” Anorith was then simply tossed out with a kick by him.

Oshawott gained back the lead “Come on, Jigglers, let’s go to the last level!”

“Yeeeees!”

LEVEL III

Metang said everyone to stop in front of a big mineral at the bottom of the cave that sparkled in the darkness for the high voltage “This is what I was looking for all this time. Lampent, overheats it with your fire, when the mineral is red hot it will be your turn, Minun.”

“Okay. Sure!”

“The negative charges will penetrate and generate the supreme rho (resistance) that at the contact with the U-Magnet will generate a chain reaction of gravity. GET READY.” As Metang approached the magnet to the rock this emanated a powerful energy that resucked to itself everything metallic in the nearby: Klink, Klang, all the iron pokèmon around were captured by the magnetivity, and the same Metang was attracted. His body melted down at the contact with the mineral and all that metal fused together in the process and mutated progressively, the surface became more steady, the arms were duplicated, the color changed being bleached by the heat getting silver metalized and a big cross grew on the head giving him a grimer look.

“Gasp, M-Metang?!” Minun panicked, but the hollow laughter of Metagross reassured him about his liveliness “What happened exactly? Double gasp, you evolved! Ehm, can I ask how do you feel?”

“I feel more powerful, I feel more clever, I feel ALMOST INVINCIBLE. To answer your question.”

// Vent //

Metagross by xxkatherinerose-d74ziul
“RAH AH AHR! The plan worked perfectly as calculated. I accelerated the evolution successfully. ” White Metagross destroyed a tube of the vent with a single claw and used the brain waves to twist it “This is not yet the power I want to unlock, it’s the beginning. When I will be ready to unleash my true inner power at full none will stop me and after the victory I will make the wish to become the most powerful pokèmon ever. More powerful than a legendary, being the cleverest mind of the world, I’ll be unstoppable, unshreaddable and the next Arceus at the head of the Universe.”

“I test my new powers right now.” Metagross suddenly turned back and used Earthquake scaring the hell out of Minun and Lampent “Argh. Metagross what are you doing?!!” the levitation saved Lester in the nearby of the quake but the true target was IT. A giant exemplar of Eelektross that dodged that terrible blow thanks to the special ability. He carried a bunch of gears in the mouth, presumably the rests of his recent preys. Minun jaw-dropped seeing the super eel fish “I-Is that the extra presence I perceived before? I didn’t expect such a thing.” Eelektross took his turn to attack, discharging out the electricity while tackling down Metagross, but the mecha-spidercrab blocked him with easy. It was now again his turn to attack and he increased the gravity forcing the abysmal lamprey to walk on the ground. After a rapid calculation of the effects of the next move, Metagross loaded his full energy and casted out an Hyper Beam against the minerals that reflected it on the ground causing a giant fissure that trapped Eelektross in the abyss. But Metagross grabbed the neck of the eel and forcily opened his mouth to get the gears before letting go to his doom.

Minun and Lester stared in shock.

Metagross’s full plan was almost done. The 4 Leviathans directed to the last lifter with a Klinklang perfectly assembled and revived by the electricity of the two electric monsters. But all of sudden they were all reached by Porygon 2…

“SOS. Bip biribip! I finally found you. This is a red code.”

“Porygon 2, my quirky friend, what happened? And where have you been all this time?” questioned Lester.

“No time to explain. This is an e-MERGENCY, Lester. Plusle is..”

“PLUSLE?!?!?” Minun jolted on Porygon 2 “What happened to her? Did she put herself into something dangerous? Speak!”

“Better, don’t speak, directly bring us to her.” Said Metagross.

“Right. Follow me.”

Porygon 2 led the team to an isolated part of the cave where Plusle lied utterly lifeless. The twin brother fell in despair at that vision, he stayed in shock “M-My sister…it’s all my fault, I’m so selfish! Noooo! Nooo! Nooo! I don’t want to believe it. Porygon 2, tell me how this happened!”

“One second, I need to download the memory saved. . .”

“This is another case for Detective-”

“LESTER, SHUT UP! THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT, CAN’T YOU BE SERIOUS EVEN IN THIS DRAMATIC SITUATION?”

Lester zipped the mouth in ashame.

“Memory found.” Porygon 2 narrated the encounter with Plusle in the middle of the cave and the sudden attack of a swarm of Galvantula that had no mercy in sucking out the electricity of Plusle once they defeated and captured her. “They sucked out the electricity only? Then m-maybe if I share mine, she…sigh..can’t work. But I want to try the same. Sniff, ok.” Minun focused his electric waves in the cheeks and rubbed on the cheeks of Plusle multiple times “Come on….please….Plusle…” cried “Sob, nothing.” Suddenly he saw one eye opened and then the other until she was fully reanimated “This is a flash mob. One, two, three, four!” The positive twin jumped in the air and danced together Porygon 2 and a bunch of unknown pokèmon, Lester joined the dances immediately and span crazily differently did the other 3 members that stared in unbelief. At the end of the flash mob, the pokèmon left the scene quickly returning to their wilderness, Porygon 2 turned off the music, only Lester continued to dance at an inexistent rythm, and Plusle ended with a mortal triple flip opening the hands “Ta-dah! This flash mob is dedicated to Minun to make him understand that life is full of surprises, continuosly, but there’s always an happy end if you want it for real.”

Minun turned into a statue, heartbroken.

Plusle smiled akwardly “I hope you will be able to appreciate it later, now it’s better I..eheheh…go.” and fleed leaving him more astonished.

“Ahem.” Metagross pointed at the lifters: one had been already taken by another team. “Either Jigglers or Venturers already won, this is something there’s no need of 4 brains to be understood. We should assure the second place.”

“A-Alright (sigh) let’s put the gears of Klinklang at the right place and…sigh. Can you do that in my place? I’m too helpless at the moment.” Minun sat idle down the ground and tossed the gears to Metagross but Inkay bursted into out of nothing and picked them “And Inkay was the one who saved the day. You get awake, instead. Hypn@sis. Eyb-eyb!”

They were all put to sleep by the sneaky inkfish that had only to get inside the lifter and reach the exit to save her team.

…zzz

…..zzz

…zzz

…zzz

…..zzz

“Yawn?”

Victini woke them up a bit later “Laser Latias Leviathans? You LOST. AGAIN. Get out there using hate last lifter and prepare for the nominations.”

“By the way it’s LESTER Latias Leviat…rooonf…fiii…zzzap!”

Ceremony of the Voltorb of Victimization
Back on the plane, Minun found another surprise “Ta-daaaah! THIS IS THE PARTY FOR THE BEST BROTHER AND POKEMON OF THE WORLD! It took the whole day to organize it all but it was totally zappy zotty worthy!!!”

“……”

“Don’t you like it, Minnie?”

“Don’t call me Minnie, how many times I said you?! Sob, I have enough of this day. See you all at the ceremony.”

“Hey!!!” Plusle ran after him but he shut the door and refuged in the restroom. “W-What’s up? I don’t understand, you didn’t like the idea? I wanted to…”

“Plusle, please, I need a long time-out. From you.”

“We’re unseparable, Minun! Let me enter, gnnn…nnn..”

“Eh, no, this is for male only!” Anorith shouted from indoor.

“Not that I care, but who are you voting off tonight?” Lampent asked to the fellow ghost Lester “Metagross, of course! I’m sure he had a specific drawing for all the events happened today, he’s the master puppet of the season and I want him to pay for Drifloon’s end, ah.” The red rotom smirked wearing the shades with epicness “With Plusle and Porygon 2’s votes plus mine and yours Mr. Bionikrab will be sent directly to the Hoenn bottom he comes from.” Lampent shrugged motionless. “Ok, I’ll do the same.”

“VVelcome back on the Tail of Losers for the third time!” the host appeared in a burst of light and fireworks like a celebrity “Leviathans, you were foreigners in the ceremony at the beginning and became journal inhabitants nowadays. Very very very vapid.” Once tallied the 6 votes, Victini tossed the three macarones at Lampent, Porygon 2 and Minun, and the three pokèballs at the remaining Lester, Metagross and Plusle.

Lester kept with his stepford grin on the face.

Metagross gave him a death sentence glare.

Plusle continued to look at Minun suspiciously. “We did vote together as usual, then?”

“Stop the vacillation, the countdown starts: 3,2, 1… Voltage!”

Lester was swept away by the explosion. Plusle directly off the plane. “Ahhhhhh!”

“Noo, what did I do?” Minun rushed to look down the skyfall but he could see only the streak of positive electricity lost by her. “The right thing. She went too far.” Lampent pat-patted him but he shook off trembling “No, I should have voted Lester for the sake of this team.”

“Next time if he screws up again.” Ended Metagross signing off. Lester made an EPIC FACE of shock at the end.

// Vent //

“Another successful victim of the Master of Transformations.” Ditto lied in the Confessional for the first time alone smoking lika a boss “Mr. Mastermind would be honestly nothing without me: imitate Plusle, Inkay and many other pokèmon at contemporary for his plans? A piece of cake for an expert. I took lot of fun, too. Especially Minun’s reactions at all my odds were utterly priceless!” The Jelly Jerk didn’t realize to have been recorded by the camera the whole time…

Later, Jirachi checked briefly the confessional cuts as usual and found this “Should I inform Victini about this or return to sleep in peace and quiet? Yawwwn, decision taken.” And he returned to sleep.

Epilogue
Aurorus woke up at midnight and silently walked to the restroom for the usual check. “I’m here. Gnieeek. Where is it?” She checked frantically around and was, rare for her, sweating for the panic.

“Are you looking for sssomething?”

Aurorus heard the unmistakable hiss of “Seviper, this is not your business. I have my issues, you know.”

“I know really. You dodged 8/9 challenges with this excuse, mommy Aurorusss.”

“What did you call me?”

The whole restroom was frozen by her for the anger. She looked horrified at Seviper when the snake finally showed the egg inside her mouth “I eventually found a sssuitable dinner as you can see. It’s time to drop down the mask: you were pregnant from the beginning and hatched this egg in secret to not be eliminated. Dunsparce was finally a true sssnake and told me everything.” She encouraged the fellow land snake to step forward with a sneer, that vision killed her inside: Dunsparce crept sheepishly in front to the friend and she asked how he could tell her secret. “I’m a sssnake. You should never trust a snake.” After this cold speech he crawled outside without saying anything else, leaving the girls alone in the semi-darkness.

Then Aurorus turned at Seviper with a cold voice.

“What do you want from me?”

“Sssimple. Everything. You will obey at all my ordersss by now until you are here or I’ll ssswallow down your delicious egg forever.”

“Deal.”

Seviper ate up the egg with a sadic smile on her scarface “Don’t worry, I have a slow digestion and I can spit it out whenever I want , it’s just a memo for you to do not try anything to take it back. Sssee you tomorrow.”

The ice sauropode waited for the departure of the snake to cry, she didn’t know if she was more sad for the egg or for having been betrayed by her main confident and friend. This was the end.

Chapter Text

Prologue

Oshawott was having a full relaxation at the spa, to which she wasn’t used, together her fellow friends. Vulpix’s massage was making a new Oshawott of her “Oshaah. I’m swimming over a rainbow in this moment thanks to this pet and its magic paws.”

Squirtle agreed “This is a true vip treatment, girl, I can get habited to it forever.”

“It’s awesome to receive such a treatment” said Bagon “but I feel a little uneasy that a fellow pokèmon like me acts like a domestic pet and servant. I’m the only one?” both Oshawott and Squirtle shrugged at the question.

“Don’t judge me.”

“Woah! So it talks?!”

“I’m a she, first of all. And yes, I can talk, genius.” Vulpix rolled eyes “I have my good reasons but this is not your business.”

“Hey! Continue with my massage!” Oshawott brought the firefox back to duty “*I want to do another swim on that rainbow.*”

“Sure, how could I interrupt your dream, at your order…” Vulpix warmed up her paws and continued.

“Hmmmm.” Lucario narrowed eyes on Vulpix for a second “Bah, not my business.”

The sliding doors of the V-Class opened and Chimecho fluttered inside, visibly tired.

“Good morning, Chimecho!” everyone than Lucario saluted.

“’Morning, yawn.”

“You look awful.” Was the only thing Lucario had to say, before to turn back at his silence.

“Just ignore him, Chimecho.” Bagon kindly invited her “Wanna join us? I think this will help your fit.” But Squirtle claimed her attention so she was forced to decline “Chimechanga, here! Tell me you finally found the missing stuff.” She barely nodded much for his joy “Yuhuu! Thanks sooo much, man! I mean, gal, sorry, it’s a lisp. Anyway, I’ve a pawn with you. Dune Baggy, here you back your goggly glasses! Sorry if I borrowed them for so much time, I don’t even remember why.”

“It’s all okay, Squirtdude.” Bagon dressed them on immediately “My time is now. Going to take some flight lessons. Ninjask? Ninjaaaask? Has anybody seen Ninjask? Groan, wasted occasion.”

“Just stay chillin’ in the hot tub with me, Brogon. You’ll have another occasion tomorrow.”

“Right.”

Chimecho had finally accomplished her task. She sat exhausted next to Lucario and asked “What’s wrong with you? I noticed some changes in your aura yesterday, and it has turned full black as I entered in. If you want to be confident…”

“No, I don’t.” snorted. “What’s wrong with YOU. Why you have always to be kind with everyone? Don’t you realize they only exploit you in this way? Sgrunt. Now leave me alone, p-p-lle—aas-baaah you know the word I can’t pronunciate correctly.” The dog walked off continuing to mutter until he reached the rest room, and even continued while doing his shower.

Chimecho sighed and took a quick rest.

….

The pitched (and annoying) voice of Piplup interrupted everyone “Jirachi Jigglers, I claim your gentle attention because I have a very important announcement to do: we are going to have elections!”

:::THEME SONG::: (S.S. Aqua remix)

Victini flips into the scene doing his V-signature with epicness, Jirachi follows doing the same with a far less vitality until to fall asleep much for Victini’s frustration. The V-Plane takes off. On the Tail of Losers Piplup is seen sipping tea together Vivillon, Chimecho, and Lucario flirting fancily with Squirtle until Oshawott strikes into and kicks her off the plane! Bagon attemps to fly like Swellow using a steam jet pack of his invention but fails and he’s caught right in time by Ninjask. The camera shoots briefly over Kanto stopping at Celadon City where Drifloon and Castform are having troubles with shopping, Minun and Plusle are doing their acrobatic numbers at the fountain plaza, and Lester & Porygon 2 are testing the 4DS casting out a virtual legendary monsters that destroys everything in a couple of minutes. Lester celebrates with the *EPIC POSE* in front of a dumbfounded Minun. Metagross appears briefly after.

Pictures of more locations follows…

The original S3 members Seviper and Dunsparce are seen discussing in the vent while Ditto imitates Seviper at her shoulder for fun and Dunsparce does his best to hold the snickers. Sylveon is seen visiting Vileplume against his will because of his allergies. Beheeyem and Lampent watch the starry sky meanwhile the moon (Lunatone) stares creepily at them….from the height of the sky we pass to the bottom of the ocean where Gorebyss is singing and dancing daintfully attracting all the fishes, Anorith listens her voice and swims faster to reach her but he’s trapped in a ice cube by Vanillite. Anorith frowns in resignement floating to the surface of the water and he merges in the drink of Tropius that was about to kiss with Aurorus! The songs end with the picture of the whole cast flying on the airplane.

“Elections? What do you mean?”

“Thanks for the question. Then, since it looks like my leadership is generally unwanted and a certain pokèmon in particular thinks she would do better than me I offer a democratic possibility: elections. Me and this pokèmon” Piplup paused seeing Squirtle with a blanked expression “referring to Oshawott of course, will do today our politic campaign each one providing for an electoral schedule and alternating our leadership every hour. Therefore, at the end of the day, the team will vote the favorite candidate and who receives the most votes wins the permanent leadership.”

“PERMANENT LEADERSHIP!?!” Oshawott’s eyes shone in interest “I accept. But no more twists this time, OKAY?” Piplup nodded firmly. “Don’t worry, my dear, this is not a bet, it’s a serious campaign. I would never cheat in politique!” the other had difficulty to trust her but decided to give the full trust to the penguin. “Alright, the competition-

“Campaign, dear. Mind the difference in the vocabulary.”

“-or campaign as you want has started.”

“Therefore. The first step is writing our respective electoral programms.” Piplup enjoyed the dumbfounded expression depicted on the face of her rival “I explain: it’s a list of the things you would do if you were nominated leader. Uhuhuh, you’re so simpleton.”

“Grrr…but I’m more attituded to practice instead of your BLAH BLAH BLAH, QUE QUE QUE’, PIP PIP PIP.”

“Very unpolite and not diplomatic at all. Then I suggest you to practice on your social skills because the second step is to speak to convince the electors, that are the other Jirachi Jigglers. Good luck.” In the general silence the two water starters walked away in different directions for the organization of their respective campaigns.

// Vent //

“Mumble, mumble.” The wotter pokèmon rummaged with a note book in the shell“If you vote me I promise I won’t pick up anymore anybody that angers me! Uhm..I feel it misses something… except Piplup! Perfect. So, this is the first point of my program. Now, the 2nd.”

“If Oshawott wants my vote she should write down in her list: more kisses for Squirtle. And if she gets further more than kisses I’ll vote two times for her! Oh, yeah, man.”

The Laser, wops, the Lester Latias Leviathans had spent again their night on the Tail of Losers. Minun didn’t sleep a minute since Plusle had left and every attempt of Lampent to cheer him up like Plusle would only increased his negative mood.

“Come on, at least she didn’t die because of you.”

“Look at the bright side!….it’s not raining.”

“Not that I care, but, are you still alive or deadpanned?”

Eventually Lampent gave up, shrugging and leaving him alone.

“Sigh. I feel so guilty. The guiltiness of a monster.” Minun slapped himself “Metagross, answer me. How could I do such a thing to my twin sister, the blood of my blood? Is this because of some mysterious neural process? I’m the ultimate jerk. I should have voted off the true responsible of my insanity and the insanity that’s killing this team, and instead, I GAVE HER THE FAULT AND VOTED PLUSLE! Only because she wanted to do me a surprise! Argh, I’m so stupid sometimes.”

“No, you are not.” Metagross blocked Minun from his self-punishment. “Plusle was limiting your potential despite her good intentions. Plus she was acting too dangerously for the team. It was common sense that pushed you voting her. However, I have to do something important since the 12th hours of nightime are passed by the rules.”

“Okay, ehm, see you and thanks. At least it’s good to know I can still count on someone sane. Sorry if I bothered you.”

“No problem.” Metagross went indoor and directed to the hold. He had the strange feeling to be observed…but there was only random stuff in the alley.

“The stake out has started.” A red fan camouflaged in the vent followed the iron crab with the eyes and lurked outside “Wait, I forgot the music. Pink Panther or Veilstone City theme? Which could be the most suitable? A-ah! I know it. Beverly Hills Cop.” Rotom abandoned the elecric fan and possessed a broken oven for a bit, then abandoned it for a random washing machine, and continued to baton pass himself through the series of electric objects disposed accurately chaotically among the hall. In this way he could follow Metagross like a shadow totally undercovered. Eventually Metagross entered in the hold, apparently waiting for someone.

Lester couldn’t resist to the curiosity and “checked” every luggage and its charge: the water phon of Squirtle, the vacuum machine of Piplup, the electric toothbrush of Seviper…”Gotta possess ‘em all, ah!” Ops. Was he discovered? Lester was really lucky this time. The ally of Metagross arrived in late, joking.

“Sorry if I’m too early, ahahah! Got it? Because I- wow, serious serious as always, prrt. You should be called Metagrouch.”

Lester possessed the photo camera of Vanillite (whose luggage was never restituted to the legit owner) and waited the right moment to bust the 2 villains together.

“Anyway, what’s the next victim I have to imitate, when and how? I had fun last time but I’m looking for an oscar interpretation, so I need a very important character! Okay, Mr. Metagrave?” Ditto grinned “Surprise me.”

“As I said, the next target will be Lester.”

“Eeeeh?! You want a really surprise? Ah!” Lester bursted out all of sudden “I BUSTED YOU! How dare you even think to imitate the aweso-quirky-me? I have the proof: you’re the bastards who eliminated Drifloon and Plusle. Get ready to go to prison, or better, to orbit. MUAH AH AH!” Rotom laughed out maniacally and sauntered away before they could even blink an eye.

Back on the Tail of Losers Lester did his epic announcement preannouncing it with an appropriated epic pose “The mystery is solved. Minun, Lampent, Porygon 2, quick come here! Prepare for the shock.”

“Let’s see.” Minun unimpressed was the first to check the photo “Oh my Groudon. Gorebyss in a speedo bikini!” and blushed all over. “Come on, Lester, this is sooo ahem akward.”

“What the quirk? No, look at the last photo saved! See? See? Metagross is talking to the last pokèmon we would have expected to see. . . D.I.T-T.O.” his voice echoed in slow motion to add more emphasis.

“Ulp. Lester?”

“What’s up?”

“All I see is some luggages…opened…presumably…by yourself.” Minun widened eyes focusing better on the details “You also opened my personal bag and maybe used my…??? Ggggggnnnnn. You don’t know the concept of privacy, right?!! Worse than my sister! In fact, I should have voted you yesterday not her. Argh,I hate you.”

“This is impossible! I saw everything with my eyes and captured them in action. I’m sure.” He facepalmed “I knew I should have used a recorder instead, aaaargh! I have to redo everything!” and zigzagged crazily all over the plane.

"And I'm already here." added Metagross sternly.

//Minun: “Groan, seriously, the return of Ditto? Metagross evil? Lester is not the Chaos Pokèmon, he’s the chaos, the crazyness, and the madness alltogether pokèmonified. I’m utterly sick of him after only 10 days and all the disasters he caused. I’m sure that another day with him and I’ll go straight to an asylum.”

//Metagross: “Rotom fell in my trap as calculated. Ditto imitated me perfectly. The new plan is only at the beginning.”

Jirachi landed the plane in safety…

“Another example of unovian cleverness: an airport built in the middle of the desert. Because lot of tourists die for a walk under the boiling sun with a percent of chances to find water inferior than on Mars.”

….and Beheeyem commented on his extraterrestrial point of view as usual.

Episode

Accustomed to Beheeyem’s sarcasm at this point Victini skipped to the challenge, pointing at an abandoned mansion “Settlement of the new episode is the Strange House. They say it’s haunted, they say it’s spooky, they say it’s just a poor rip off of Old Chateau. The only thing I’m certain is that this place is the quirkest and creepiest spot of Unova: perfect for the challenge I created! Your aim is to find Jirachi and the 4 keys of the mansion. Jirachi carries with himself 4 riddles instead of his wish tickets and he’ll do everything in the sleep to prevent you reading them, hiding inside the mansion and teleporting away in another spot of the house whenever someone manages to read a riddle. The solution of each of the 4 riddles leads to the secret spot where a key has been hidden. Collect all the keys to open the escape door and win!" pointed at the four locks in the door. "Also better to leave the mansion before Jirachi fully awakes. Trust me, Ji becomes a true nightmare when he’s fully awoken. . .” Many contestants exchanged perplexed skeptical glances. “Sssure, he must be ssso frightening. Easy challenge.”

Victini hushed the snake “You will see later. Also, whenever you give a wrong solution to a riddle you will lose a teammate and the number of contestants remaining will determine the 2nd or the last placed team.”

“Got it.Wait.” Minun objected “But with this rule we’re heavily disadvantaged compared to the others. And nobody cares so why I should bother right?!?”

Everyone entered inside and Jirachi teleported himself indoor. “They don’t even know what expects them, duuuh. Today I will test how deserving of my prize they are, zzz…” And locked the mansion from inside using psychic waves.

The mansion seemed abandoned for ages but the vestiges had not removed the luxury and noble atmosphere. The furnitures rattled for the powerful wind of the desert storm that passed through the shattered windows and the temperature indoor was double hotter than the temperature outside. Tropius tried to fan the already overheated Aurorus but his wings weren’t totally grown back, Oshawott recurred to her scallop (again forgetting she could have simply watered herself) and everyone looked with envy at the Leviathans because of Fan Rotom, that of course didn’t waste the occasion to boast “Now you’re glad to have me still in the game, ah! Right, Minun?”

“Anf, just keep fanning us, please.” Lester turned off.

“Only if you beg me. Ah ah ah!”

“Ohhh, Lester! You can’t be serious…yes, you can’t and will never.” Sighed and begged in front of the red ghost. “Impossible and Majestic Lester, let me benefit of your freshing powers, I beg on my knees!”

“Eheh, okay, better.” Lester turned on the fan machine again. “Here comes the flurryyy! Woooosh.”

“I can’t stand him. Just I try with all my patience but I can’t.” Minun banged his head on the ventilation tube at the end of the confessional. “Aaah, at least it’s really fresh inside here. I think I will use the Vent often today just for this freshness.”

“This place is bigger than I expected. Jirachi can be everywhere. I advise to split in three groups and take different rooms in order to have more possibilities to bust him.” Tropius spoke first “The groups can be: me, Aurorus and Dunsparce; Seviper, Anorith and Gorebyss; Beheeyem & Inkay. What do you think, guys?”

“I like it but I prefer that Dunsparce goes with someone else.” Aurorus was rather ice cold in the voice leaving him a little startled. Tropius also noticed that Dunsparce struggle to don’ meet eyes with her freezing glance. “Okay, then Beheeyem, me and Aurorus?”

“Inssstead Aurorus will go with me and Dunsparce.” Seviper ordered with a snide smile “If she wants her future to be asssured.”

“Eh?”

Aurorus nodded “Right.”

“Why?”

“I have to go with Seviper because….because…”

“This is a order: Aurorus is in my mini-group. Because I’m the leader and I take all the decisions here. Stop.” The poison pokèmon then decided to put Tropius with Anorith and Gorebyss and Beheeyem with Inkay (not that she cared much about them). Both Aurorus and Dunsparce were the most upset by this decision.

-// Tropius was the most confused “Is there anything I missed about my friends and my team? Sometimes I feel like because of my height many things happen right under my nose.”/-

“Aurorusss, Dunsssparce, behind me. NOW!”

“Ah, for once I’m free. Without her I am the boss.” Anorith said with satisfaction.

“No Seviper, no stress.” Beheeyem added exchanging a five with the anomalocaris, and turned. “3,2,1…and Inkay has gone. Perfect, everything in the normality.”

…

“That means I’m finally alone. . .” smirked.

“Here we are, Oshawott, the first turn of leadership is yours. Enjoy it.” Piplup and the other Jigglers waited that Oshawott decided her strategy. “Ehm…mumble-mumble…I know what to do…PICK JIRACHI UP. No! No! Eheheh. Mmmh…mumble,mumble…”

“Cough, cough.”

“GIMME MORE TIME TO DECIDE, OKAY?! Thanks.” Piplup shrugged the shoulders with an air of superiority. “Take your time, Oshy, take all your time.”

The Leviathans didn’t have any problem to decide, due to their number, Lester started to look inside the furnitures of the hall appearing and disappearing through the objects “By the way, remember: if you see another me then that isn’t me. There can be only one and majestic Lester! Anybody else is just Ditto.”

“Agreed.” Minun whispered to himself “Because one Lester is enough for this world…”

Lester suddenly used Discharge on everyone. “ZAP!”

“L-L-Lester what was that for?!!”

“A check. If you don’t get paralyzed then you’re already replaced by Ditto…Kongratulations! You’re still the original members. FOR NOW. I’ll check every 51 minutes about your true identities, you’re warned.”

“Lester, your paranoid is getting over the limits. I warn you.”

“Shhht, I’m asking to the closet if it saw a little floating sleepwalker recently. But he doesn’t want to collaborate, I need your help, Lampent!” the lamp cracked her arms.

“Let’s see what can I do.”

She lighted on fire the old sofà reducing it in ash. “You’re next.” The closet trembled way more than before. “Still not collaborating?”

“Tsk, nope! This witness is of the stubborn type, Lampent. Give it another lesson.”

“I could burn it slowly until it confesses. What do you think?”

“Totally agree.”

Minun stared at Lampent. He never expected her to join an initiative of Lester, and she seemed to take immense pleasure while torturing those furnitures. “. . . Guys? I mean, those are furnitures, I don’t think you will get any information from them. They tremble not because you’re scaring them (that’s the reason why I AM trembling) but because of the wind, I guess.”

Lester annhilated him immediately “How do you know exactly? By the way, I’m not interrogating the furnitures but the spirits that live inside them. You’re too normal to understand this simple ghost logic.”

“This logic makes no sense!!!”

“Obviously. Why would they call it PARANORMAL ACTIVITY then? There’s nothing normal about.” To the burning closet “Now, I won’t ask you anymore, if you were Jirachi, what would be the first place to hide inside? This is your last chan-” but the closet burned down completely. “By the way.”

“He would hide in the bed room. All the datas saved on Jirachi are about his intense sleeping activity.”

“Good think. But where’s the bed room? We would need the plant of the house.”

“There’s one in the library.”

“You have been already here?”

Lampent shrugged “More or less. I know simply a few things of this place. Don’t follow me.”

“What? You want to go there alone?”

“Yes. I’m already dead, afterall. Don’t worry, whatever happens, I don’t have to care anymore.”

“Uh, okay.”

“I’ll be right back very soon.” Lampent crossed the walls with tranquillity and disappeared.

“Wait a minute, what if she was Ditto? I discovered your strategy: you hypnotized Lampent this morning and now she’s acting exactly how you planned, in this way your minion Ditto will be able to substitute her for the rest of the day, then sabotage and betray! No way! I’m going to stop her and ruin your plan. Shock N’ Roll!” Lester flipped the lightnings at Metagross and sauntered away, useless was the attempt of Minun to stop him as he passed through his body “Lester, don’t gGFRRRHJJJJGGGHhh.” and the wall. “Sorry my only not quirky friend, I’m unstoppable.”

“Great. Now there’s a possibility that the impossible happens: that Lampent dies a second time.”

“Any sign of Jirachi yet?” The Venturers met again at the main hall. “Not in the kitchen, in the lavandery, or in the living, I think we checked all the rooms of the ground floor. Well, all the rooms accessible.” Strange things in fact happened in the Strange House: everytime the pokèmon enter or leave a room the disposition of the furnitures changed locking and unlocking other rooms randomly.

Lester was enthusiastic “Wow, this Quirky House is really well done! I thought nothing could beat the Old Chateau by the way, instead I admit that this place is probably the best haunted mansion visited. I want to move in here!” Lampent appeared behind him but he wasn’t caught unprepared “Discharge! Surrend to the evidence, Ditto, I’m too much for you and this is the proof. Oh, it’s the original you, Lampent. This is quirky because I followed you the whole time.”

“………..”

“Aaa. I got it. You camouflaged perfectly as an unsuspicious lamp of the ceiling, that’s why I didn’t see you at the beginning! Really all my kongratulations!!!” Fan Lester celebrated throwing sand in the air “By the way no reaction? This is the best thing to throw in mid air I found here, sorry. . . .Silence.” A second Lampent went on his way from nowhere “Totally too late, Ditto! Eat my electric ass (little but there is). ZAM!”

“Zot. Lester, it’s me. Zap.”

“What the quirk? And then who is…”

Lampent abandoned her apathy and flamed on the plasmageist “Why you have followed me against my will? You don’t trust me? I underlined I wanted to be alone.” Her creepy voice caught him totally unprepared but he continued to smile widely “Glom. Hey, this is the first time I manage to spice up some liveliness on you, this must be definitely celebrated with an epic pose! By the way, why?”at this question the lantern ghost quickly returned apathetic and sarcastic. “Because I like the loneliness. Loneliness is my favorite hobby and I rarely have the possibility to cultivate it with people around.”

The other arched the brows “This is a very quirky answer.” span “And I respect it! Then enjoy your hobby, by my side I solemnly promise I won’t make you avert my presence at all. Go to the library, I’ll stay around and keep out any outsider until you have finished.”

Anorith stopped at the hall. “Enough. If Jirachi isn’t here, he must be upstairs. Therefore, let’s go upstairs!”

“The stairs are blocked by the objects. They are from the beginning and they still are careless how many times we keep going in and out the rooms.” Objected Tropius. “And I can see from here they are shaky.They would certainly shatter if I walked on them.”

“Wake up, dinosaur! Your long neck makes you a living ladder: so stretch it.” The anomalocaris also added

“No suprise if the dinosaurs are extincted…”

“Anomalocaridi extinted too. I remind you are regenerated from a fossil, while my species doesn’t need because it still exists nowadays.”

“Good for you. Idiot that doesn’t see the truth even if it’s hanging under his nose.”

The tropical dino arched a brow “Said something?”

“Nope. Stretch your neck, now, so we can reach the 2nd floor. Can you?”

Tropius did what asked, placed vertically in front of the stairs and knotted the neck among the spiral staircase “This floor is higher than I expected, this is the most I can stretch. There’s a little gap between me and the end of the stairs but you should have no problems doing it.”

Tropius smiled at the end, do not resisting to the taunt “Afterall, you evolved your wings now. Right?”

“Shut up. I don’t want to talk about yesterday.”

“Then hurry up, this position isn’t the best for my neck.”

Anorith climbed on him bringing the bowl of Gorebyss with an extreme effort and barely managed to grab the board. “Anf, arrived, in your face. Jeez, in moments like this I wish to be a fossil again. To be carried all over the region without moving a single pincher.”

Tropius had the strange feeling someone else was walking over him and the sensation was confirmed when the Leviathans appeared at the end of the staircase, Minun did a mortal jump down of his head while Metagross crawled like an arachnide, Porygon2 was the last.

“Porygon 2 present. My configuration allows me to walk everywhere and I walked over the banister.”

“Wow.” Minun exclaimed “The idea to exploit Tropius was brilliant. Anyway, I hope Lampent doesn’t think we ditched her but we couldn’t really waste this occasion and actually the map isn’t that necessary. We’ll find the bed room easily hopefully.”

“Hey!” Tropius shouted at them but they quickly fleed, and he frowned. “I said many times I don’t want to be climbed without permission.”

“Don-don-don!” The pendulum clock signed off the first hour. Oshawott was still rummaging on her first decision. “Switch time, dear ott. Rules are rules.”

“Osha-what?! So soon?”

“Your hour has just passed but let me congratulate. You were better than I expected, at least you didn’t harm anybody.” Piplup giggled and took back the leadership “My first statement is…uhm..mumble…”

“Oh, no, tell me this is a joke.”

“Ah-ah! You’re experiencing my same issue.”

“Tsk, fake assumption. I’m only considering all the strategies and doing an accurate selection of them, because I’m TIDY in my mind, unlike YOU.U”

Lucario bursted out “Shortening, I have to waste another our standing here to listen to your mumblings? No, sgrunt. I have better stuff to do out of here, and I want to return soon as possible to my bonsai plants.”

“A question, Lucario, if you care only for your bonsai, why YOU BOTHERED TO SIGN FOR THIS REALITY SHOW?”

“As I have to answer you. My business.” He took a separate alley.

Bagon reflected “If both Venturers and Leviathans went upstairs it means Jirachi is not in this floor! They spared us the fatigue to check.” Squirtle and Oshawott agreed “Quick, before he goes let’s use Tropius as a ladder, too!”

“Wait.”

“Let’s grab all to his tail! Piplup, hurry do the same.”

“No, wait. Wait! I’m the official leader for this hour, this is pure anarchy. I have yet to ponder on my decis-cough- you didn’t let me the time to explain my imminent decision because you’re all so…Pipluuup!” Ninjask pushed her “Maybe you need a boost.” Everyone let quickly the way free for the passage of the ninja.

“This is not the way to treat a ladyyyy! In addition you just overtook Bagon from the right.”

“HEY! About it: I’m not an highway.” Tropius scrolled his neck in the attempt to sweep them off his back: Ninjask was literally the equivalent of an annoying buzzing fly for him. He took advantage of this. He flew to the head of Tropius and used Buzz right in his ears. “Acc. The damnation to not have limbs as long as my neck..!”

“Go, Ninjask, yuhuuh!”

Everyone exploited the occasion to run all over the giant pokèmon to the top.

“We did it.”

“Munch, crunk, you can say it LOUD, MAAAN!!” Squirtle was eating a chest of bananas. “I also picked the necessary for a break, you want some?”

“I want for sure!” the gluttonous Oshawott launched on the food “Mmmh, delicious. GNAM! CHOMP! SLURP!”

“You can’t eat my bananas in this way in front of me!” Tropius enraged and tried to whip them with the big tail making the whole house to tremble “Woah, big guy, chill out!” “Sorry for the fruits, buddy, we were hungry.” “You can’t do much for now because you would destroy the house with a single wrong move.”

The tropical giant soon calmed down “Alright. Then don’t give me a reason to do that next time.”

Careless of Piplup’s rants, the Jigglers left and spliced to explore the new floor in search of the wishmaker.

“The highway staircase is finally CLOSED. Auch, this will give me an huge neckache tonight.”

In the meanwhile Anorith (and Gorebyss) opened the door of the bed room. The room was dominated by a rococò bed where Jirachi was sleeping in mid-air. “Already found! Seviper was right saying this is an easy challenge. He didn’t even find an original hideout.”

Anorith approached silently to the target that remained asleep all the time. Easily picked a ticket “Done. First riddle: If opened it tells you a story, if closed it doesn’t, it’s little but contains anything you imagine.”

Gorebyss stared in confusion but Anorith quick gave the answer: “Cloyster. I know one kind of a blabber whenever he opens and starts a chat…uuuh…I get an AGE older. Plus, it’s common opinion that there can be anything inside the shell of a Cloyster.”

Gorebyss facefinned. “…ehm, Cloyster isn’t a piece of furniture or else related to this place.”

“In fact your answer is totally wrong. Zzzz.” Anorith prepared to counterfight the attack of the legend the best he could but Jirachi teleported away taking back the ticket and changed location.

“Oh, no, we arrived in late.” Minun moaned.

“Urgh, how could I waste an occasion like this? Stupid riddle.”

“What was the riddle anyway?” Minun tried to ask.

“I’m this guillible to reveal it to you. Nope. I ain’t born yesterday, kid.” Anorith left the room together the companion.

“So, Jirachi was in that room?” Tropius reached them curious to know.

“Yes, in a very easy hideout but his riddle wasn’t easy at all. I failed to solve it.”

“Ah, pity. Any idea where Jirachi fleed?”

“The bastard teleported.”

“So it’s a no. Fine..”

All of sudden the three heard a familiar noise: “Zzz.” Lucky coincidence was that Jirachi had randomly teleported in a spot of the alley they were walking in “Shhht all. He’s here. Brrr, where this wind comes from? There are no windows open.”

“You’re the only one to feel it, I feel only the heat, and it’s…..anf…heavy. Too heavy.” Anorith stopped to walk. “I need a pause, certainly.”

“I feel thirsty, instead, very thirsty.” Said Gorebyss. The level of water in her bowl belowed progressively.

“Where he is hiding this time?”

The snoozer sound increased.

“There’s a curtain at the end of the alley, he must be behind it.”

Quietly, Anorith and Tropius lurked according to attack Jirachi from opposite sides, but….

“I’m always asleep but also always aware of what happens around me, more so than everyone else when I want.” Jirachi rejected the double attack in the sleep and opened the eye of the belly.

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooosh!

Victini watched everything on his VT like at the cinema “Here we go. Ji has opened the dances! I’m really curious to see his power in full action. Afterall, he created and purposed this challenge all alone.”

Part 2
VENTURERS
"What an hell of attack is this?" Anorith sorted in his shell against his will "But I didn't want to do this, now!! What's happening to my body? Urgh. Argh. I don't want to retreat but, but" he kept to put the arms out and fold them back, he struggled to stay outside the shielding shell "I can't control. Anyway I don't care this, let's just charge that sleepy sass, c'mon! It's our second occasion and cannot be wasted!" Tropius strove against the strange cool wind and attempted to catch a ticket from Jirachi using the mouth but the legend was faster "What are you doing, tropical pennant? Do a true attack. Bahhh, I have always to do everything for this team! Then eat this- oh?-"

Jirachi yawned and dwindled a few, meanwhile the alley was being progressively swallowed by the sand and Anorith being englobed in himself. "Careful what you wish for next time you're next to my ears."

"E-eh? W-What? Why I can't move anymore? And worse why I can't feel anymore. . . " Anorith felt only a sensation now: tiredom. An extreme overwhelming flattening sense of motionless was getting overall him, and worst of all, he had already experienced that before. "No, no, no. NO NO NO! No way this is happening again: I can't return to be a fossil, it's scientifically impossible. Oh no.. nooo...it's exactly like that day..." the alley turned from desertic to artic and he petrified definitely. Jirachi tossed the Claw Fossil in the tank of Gorebyss who fainted. Calmly he asked in front of Tropius's eye "One is over. Who wants to try for the third time?"

"I want." Tropius finally found the nerves to attack the co-host properly and managed to snatch a wish ticket "Uhm...it tells when opens and doesn't when closed and it's little and contain anything."

"If you want to give the solution I'm here. If you want to solve your problem, I'm here too. Yawn, just don't take too much time."

"Yes, I want to give the solution...and therefore solve my problem."

Jirachi shook the head "Nope, you can't do both at the same time. I know what I'm talking about."

Tropius shook the head vehemently and knocked against the ceiling but didn't care "I'm not falling in the trap. The solution is..."

"You wish to know what's the secret of Aurorus, duuh."

Tropius stopped as he heard this. Altough he tried to stay focused and rummaged if the solution he was going to give was actually the right one. "....woooooooooosh! Brrr. Stop this trick now, Jirachi." The wind suddenly became really powerful and the whole alley was covered in ice "I said you to stop NOW." a little voice inside Tropius knew that he was going to be defeated and wished that he could write the solution somewhere so Gorebyss could give it in his place but for obvious reasons... "Ice Age. Long long time ago, back in the past, this was the life of Amaura and Aurorus. Yaaawn, isn't that interesting? Make your wish, Tropius, to discover way more details."

Victini followed the scene with a bit of unbelief "Playing mind games? Wow, I never imagined Ji could be so twisted. Munch, chomp, very passionating." eating in the meantime his favorite macarones stuffing his mouth.

"I don't want. I refuse! I want Aurorus to tell me when she feels to and WOOOOOOOOSH the solution WOOOOOOSH is WOOOOOOSH t-t-the l-l-l WOOOSH" the icy stream was too powerful to continue and he actually figured the shape of Aurorus for a second "l-l-love I have for her! Nooo, wrong word. I meant to say li-" Too late. "Too late. You can't change your answer. You lost the chance to give the solution and you lost the chance to solve your own riddle. Pity. But a part of your wish will be eventually realized." Jirachi disappeared and his words proved to be prophetic: Tropius could only realize his giant mistake before he was ibernated in the ice. The snowstorm ceased from nothing in the same way it had come. "Ow, what happened? Hello Tropius? Anorith?" Gorebyss woke up but nobody answered.

Meanwhile Dunsparce was walking alone, he didn't realize it at first but he had taken a different path than his companions and had lost the way purposedly leaving Seviper...and Aurorus behind. "I simply don't know what to do, what I want, who I am now. I'm a snake because I betrayed a secret of my friend to revenge another? Then, why I don't feel happy at all? I-I should! Seviper would." the land snake repeated waiting for a smile to appear upon his face "Seviper is so proud of me now. While I hate myself even more. Why? Ah. Sigh." Dunsparce let out a feeble wheeze and continued to wander aimlessly. "I don't even know where I am." He seemed to feel Jirachi's presence at a certain point.

The halls looked all the same to him, only the pictures changed. This detail gave him a renewed hope, strange enough for him. He decided to return to Seviper and Aurorus following his memory of the pictures seen during his wandering. It was then he noticed a script: "I CEE YOU. Oh, No." The light turned off all of sudden. "No, p-please, not another nightmare. I had enough in these days! Pace off, Jirachi, I don't need this to give up. I'll give up!" Dunsparce wished that Jirachi was listening but his wish sounded against the empty walls. The light turned on again and relieved him. "Thanks. Sorry, team, I'm a weak."

"So you already know what you are..or."

Dunsparce turned to the voice but what he could see was just the wall, and the scripts on it. He approached more as he could distinguish...some...shape...formed by the letters. He regretted soon after this decision:

Lunatone.

That's what the letters formed, an half moon with an eye, once known by that name and now reduced into a living icon. Dunsparce had it right in front of his pathetic eyes. Weeped something unclear and wiped the tears with the wings. The script spoke for the second time "Yes, it's me, long time we don't cee. I think..." silence again, then continued but was promptly interrupted "I'm sorry for what happened to you, I don't know what went wrong just I couldn't deal with your same project, I mean, as I said, I'm a weak and I'm not ready to....change the world in my shape? I wish I could but I can't, I can't! I'm scaredy, coward, and still I have feelings for those that are around me. That treat me pathetically all the time, despite they treat me..pathetically...all the time." Stuttered. "How are you? I mean, I thought you have been lost forever so how have you been? It's more important than me. How do you feel?"

"I feel endless. Without a beginning or an end of my existence, I'm finally suspended."

"I'm afraid I don't understand if it's good or no. I-I apology."

"Remind me. My plan was to make the world into my shape instead it's the world that shapes me now. Infinite shapes, endless possibilities, this is the power of the Unowns." Lunatone moved to the opposite wall, as a shadow. "I have no phisique form to be called at as ugly and creepy, I have no soul more to feel the fear and hate of the people, I feel to be nothing and everything at the same time I want." Dunsparce followed it and its continuous traslations, like hypnotized "How do I feel at the end? Definitely endless, Dunsparce. You should try it. . ."

"Eh?"

"Come with me. Discover the truth."

"I don't feel like I can at the moment." Dunsparce retreated but Lunatone dragged him away. "Noo, leave me alone!"

"Uh, okay, as you wish..." Beheeyem passed by and moved forward.

"B-Beheeyem? You here? Help me!" Too late, the alien was already vanished and the shadow of Lunatone was under him. "Why are you doing this to me? DIDN'T SUFFER ENOUGH?!?"

"No, you have not. You havn't barely opened your eyes." Lunatone's voice was fading as Dunsparce fell asleep.

"Jirachi, you sssson of a... I'll make you spit those tickets with the blood!" Seviper was really angry and fed up. The situation was ridiculous: three members disappeared already, no tickets earned by them, what was doing Dunsparce alone and fainted in a random hall!? And Aurorus, oh Aurorus! Completely useless for the alliance in this first day. Aurorus had been a ghost with little to no efforts pulled in the challenge that far. "Curse you! Dunsparce, wake up right now and justify yourself for thisss, thisss failure!" Seviper repeated the word with way more dismay "Failure!" shouted "Do you want to wake up? Hurry! I don't want to waste more time than I did already for you!"

"...s-seviper?"

"Finally."

"You did nothing for me."

"What are you talking about?"

Dunsparce fully woke up. "Nothing, like always."

Seviper nodded "At least. Shame on you once for having lost me and twice for having lost the wishmaker! I'm so disappointed but I should have known that yesterday was just a miracle. I don't care what happened to you, but where is Jirachi? I'm sure to have heard you screamin his name so tell me and don't stay outspoken and useless."

Dunsparce wasn't listening any of the harsh lines of Seviper, he already expected them soon he had woken up alive, again. There was much more interesting issue in his mind: what happened exactly? He didn't know if that was only a dream of him, a wish of Jirachi or reality. Whatever, he had ceen. He saw things on the proper light now: Aurorus mean and ungrateful to Sylveon, Tropius pitying on him, Seviper his master and torture chamber at the same time... He had seen them with his eyes when Lunatone brought him on the other side of the existence. This only happens in dreams, usually, but Dunsparce could feel while dreaming and that means he wasn't dreaming at all. Too deep for a LAND SNAKE. His mark in the pokèdex perfectly described how he wasn't a real snake neither how he wasn't another different being and just crawled on the surface of the things while hiding underground the world.

"Are you listening to me?!!" the viper turned to Aurorus for a second meeting with her icy look once more. "Dunsparce, I made you an order clear: answer me."

"I apology, I don't know where Jirachi is but I've seen Beheeyem before, maybe he knows."

"....." BEHEEYEM. If there was someone able to be even less useful to her than Gorebyss and Aurorus it was him. "I hate you." Dunsparce didn't waste more time in replies and simply followed her along with the other.

LIBRARY
Been a long Lampent was in the library. Lester was getting bored to patrol without any true menace showing up at the horizon. You know what happens when Lester gets bored: he screws it! He had to find a way to rid off the boredom, he started trembling, sweating, changing forms! But the boredom was still inside him. And the curiosity seemed his only option and it raised, raised, raised! It was increasing and increasing, he couldn't pick any other solution than "I get in the library, I don't care if Lampent doesn't want me to, I'm too curious to know what she's doing!!!"

The electric poltergeist sauntered through the keyhole and found himself in the library, it was an huge place but tight at the same time: the shelves full of old manucripts and books seemed to embrace the visitor as he progressed, maybe it was just an illusion given by the half moon shape they formed. "This place is strange for sure. But not strange in the way I'm used, it's even better. I love it already! This creepy sensation..."

"Ah, I knew it. Lampent and Lester. I know what happened, I knew it would have happened." the blue twin had started to move again leading what's left of the Leviathans: Metagross, Porygon 2 and himself. "Just, j-just! Siiiigh. Anf, pant."

"Calm down."

"I can't be calm since Lester entered in my life! He cursed me, I'm usually skeptical of supernatural but how to be skeptical when you deal with such an element?! He destroyed all my certainties in logic and knowledge.Just look at me now."

"Calm down, bip." Porygon 2 repeated "I'm trying to understand E-motions but you're streaming yours too much now. By what I learned so far, the e-motions are the opposite of logics, the two can cooperate or obliterate each others. The second option is what describes you know." Minun looked at him a little strangely but nodded in agree. "If you restart your e-motions and reboot your logic you will see a bright light in the situation. I tracked Jirachi in my database so I know where he is, 99% approximatively."

"That's,that's enough. Sniff." Minun finally found his confidence back "Thank you. Then I trust you to guide us to Jirachi by now. And about Lester...and Lampent, well, they're both ghosts afterall. Ah ah. If this is not an homeplace for them..." he shrugged at his own attempt of joking and took the way for the library tracked by Porygon 2.

"By the way, Lampent where are you uuuuh?" Lester checked every single book in the shelves, sometimes stopping more than necessary to read an entire chapter out of curiosity, others skipping pages instantly just to discover the end and suddenly a key dropped down a book. "Could be? Ahahahah! AH! *EPIC POSE* First to find a key, without even knowing the riddle! This is epicness, people." swagged playing with the key.

"Congratulations! Clap, clap, clap!" Jirachi popped out the next book leaving Lester astonished. The astonishing part for him wasn't the "effect surprise" to see Jirachi out of nowhere but it was the first time he saw him all this happy and loud. "You found the first key, Lester! You did it without having to read my riddle, that's really impressive. I rarely get impressed when I'm still half-sleep."

Lester grinned nervously but didn't dislike those compliments at all. "Really thank you, Jirachi! So, what now...I have a key but you're here and this mean I could take another one from you, first the second ticket and then the second key!!" He quickly possessed the fan chandelier above in the assumption the wishmaker would have attacked him "in theme" with the library, maybe flapping the pages of the books against him or...much more excitingly unleashing the content of the books all around! "You did a fatal mistake to teleport in the lair of the wolf. This is literally like Old Chateau for me." but Jirachi acted unlikely of his expectations. "Ooops, maybe that isn't the key you meant before. My mistake." the other twitched "That key opens something else! And not, it isn't V Room."

"I don't need the key to enter inside it by the way but continue." Victini choked an entire macarone for the shock. "V-Vulpix! Ahk! K-K-K!"

"Actually you were so close, too close to find the right book yet you didn't, so wanna see which prize have you won in replace?" Jirachi playfully dashed between the shelves "Not here, not here, not even here...ah, right! On the desk" only to take a book from a complete different place, Lester thought he was really twisted but also liked the way he made everything so convoluted and mysterious. Plus the curiosity was devouring him now. "Sorry for the wait, here you are, ta-dah!"

Lester kept a suspicious look on the wishmaker meanwhile he approached to the object: another book, slighter and littler thant the others, severly burned with continous scorches on the angles of each page. Lester used the key to unlock it, it fit the little locker put upon it perfectly afterall. "Title: My life diary. Day 1: Today was another sad of my average, no wonder they call me Ghastly then at school. My white, open-lucid skin is so thin that every words of them literally hurts me, give me cuts. I wish they cut my life directly one day. If they manage to wound my skin why they cannot end me directly yet? I'm tired to suffer." Lester felt a sudden sadness he rarely experienced since he had memory, but scrolled it apart immediately with a renewed grin "Okay...continuing. Wow by the way. Ahem! They hate me at all. Because I come from a noble family, maybe. If they only would know the truth behind: my noble family is invisible to me. They don't love me, they show no emotions for me, they're just pictures of upperclass that wanted me only to continue the tree of the family album. No wonder I'm montionless myself, you can't have emotions if you're not raised to use them ever. Instead I was given rules, many rules, codes of mannerism and gentlemanry, dressing certain outfits and imprisoning my soul in a dainty look and room. It's all dainty here, perfection is everywhere except inside me and out of the windows: the moon is not a perfect round disc of light, it has craters and a shadow. No shadow is accepted here, I'm forced to be exactly what I'm forced to look. EVERYTHING HAS TO BE WHITE FOR MY FAMILY. I wish for the day it will be finally all black. I want darkness. I feel happy only when I sleep and I see Darkrai, you, my lonely friend." he stopped reading "This is getting more and more intense, so this diary was written for Darkrai or maybe this diary was Darkrai! It's so convoluted." Jirachi invited him to turn the book on the opposite side "The best part is here."

"Wow! An invertible two-faced book! This is a quirkness with capital LK. Title: My death diary. Night 1 : Today was...scorch...more scorches...'' My dark, open lucid skin is so thick that every words of them literally slips on me, give me nothing. I cut my life directly yesterday. If they cannot manage to wound my skin anymore how they could end me directly now? I stopped to suffer. They still hate me at all at the county. Because I come from a cursed family. They learned the truth eventually when I burned down all those pictures of upperclass cutting the tree of my family forever. ''No wonder I'm montionless myself, you can't have emotions if you're not raised to use them ever." Lester stared noticing how those words were the same of the life part of the diary '"It was all dainty here, now it's all ashed and messed. Only shadow is accepted here, everything it's black thanks to you. I did it what you suggested me. So where are you now? You disappeared. I feel happy now when I wake and I don't see you, Darkrai, so let me thank you for the last time for having existed only in my somber mind. I'm alone in the darkness now like I wanted. I should be happy but I'm motionless so *shrug*" Gasped. He then changed the page and the pages were all blank but slightly scorched like someone was about to write them recently. "This is, this is the diary of Lampent! It's all clear now. This is the place where she has committed suicide, burning her house: the mystery is solved, ah!"

Jirachi bowed down in sign of respect "Correct. I guess you would wish to know Drfloon's as well but it will be for another time."

"Drifloon? My friend Drifloon has a secret like this too?"

"Maybe even better." the legendary smirked in reply.

"Aaaa tell me, tell me! You can't leave me with the curiosity in this way." the ghost chidlishly complained.

"I have other victims in my wishlist, no time to waste." teleported.

"By the way, heeey, you owe me the other tickets! You distracted me." Lester grinned soon after "By the way it was really worth it, wow, I still can't believe what I read. Wait for Beheeyem to know that...! By the way..."victims"? I wasn't victimized at all before."

"In fact, I was the designated victim." said Lampent with a stern look.

"Oh-oh. Heylà! Lampyyy!" he tried to hide the diary inside himself forgetting he was Rotom Fan in that situation and the pages were razored everywhere in the air "OPS. By the way I'm sure with some glue...or wax! since you have it as combustile...eheheheh. Ehm. Mhh." The other shrugged as the pieces of her diary floated above her and fired them in ashes "I wished to Jirachi to feel back my emotions and he realized it, I'm crying again, I'm hating again." Rotom felt an awful sensation inside "Like before. SO THANK YOU, LESTER!" threw some spilled tears that melted the floor like wax "I thank you for having given me back what I felt when I wrote that diary long time ago, exactly the same emotions of sorrow and hate, this means also I lost to Jirachi's temptation and I have to be eliminated." She shrugged again and disappeared.

"No, wait, Lampent, I can explain all! In a quirky way or another less quirky doesn't really matter." Lester tried to grab her hand "By the way I'm sorry, really sorry!"

He remained alone in the room. Silently searching for the correct key.

Another Lampent was hiding in the darkness mimicking a common oil lamp on the desk "Ih ih ih. Interesting outcome of dramatic proportions. Metagross will sure make a full plot out of this, I can't wait to see which role I will get assigned next time." The pokèmon melted down in his pink form and slithered outside, assuming another identity. "I will be given an oscar at the end of this play for sure."

"Scannerin area...update...bibibibip! Bibibibibip! Jirachi teleported right here."

"Finally a positive outcome for us!" Minun cheered.

The three entered in what was the dinining room of the mansion in its past and surprisingly met with three members of the Jirachi Jigglers. Lucario, Ninjask and Chimecho had decided to split from the group meanwhile Oshawott and Piplup continued switching their leadership aimlessly. Minun's confidence disappeared again. "It seemed too positive in fact..."

DINING ROOM
"Where is Jirachi?" asked Metagross to Porygon 2. Porygon 2 didn't answer.

"Sgrunt, this is my territory of research, now. Get away!"

"Tut-tut, politeness please when you place at my table." Jirachi appeared sitting at the chair at the head, inviting the six to take their places. "Welcome at the wishing feast! Please take a sit. There's everything you can desire at the table." Lot of delicacies floated on the dishes perfectly settled up in the general unbelief. "What a paradoxal situation..." "Are we sleeping already, this is one of your dreams a collective dream?" "100% genuine food, all the values are perfect, no conservants or additives, it's impossible."

"Start with the external cutlery, kid!" Lucario abruptly scolded Minun "Sgrunt, unbelievable." Minun quickly obeyed a little akwardly. Chimecho stuffed her face in the dish soon after "Chimecho, not you! Raise up. Bah. Why bother myself? Oh." she had fallen asleep for exhaustion. "Ah, sgrunt. So, what's the deal, Jirachi? What game are you playing here!"

"Munch. A very funny one I thought." Jirachi cleaned with a velvet handkerchief with the royal icon of the Strange House "As you can notice, I don't have my wish tickets anymore on myself. I hid them inside the fortune cookies!" Jirachi pointed at the bowl at the centre of the table "Eat them, read them and then let's see what wish you win, but this is only at the end of the feast.

"You don't force us to eat, epsecially I eat how much and what I want."

Jirachi kept his smile even in front of that provokation "Tonight I expressed a Doom Desire on everyone of you and if you don't follow the rules it will destroy the entire mansion that Victini's V Generator in comparison will seem a little tiny stamp. Enjoy your meal!"

"I dare you-"

"To not do that, please!" Minun patched up the phrase istantly. "Please, Lucario, shht." The pokèmon then eat all together except Chimecho and Ninjask that didn't touch any food. "First to finish!" Lucario shouted and grabbed the bowl of cookies directly "This is mine, then."

"No, this unfair, we finished too. Burp. Sorry." Minun stepped upon hoping that Metagross and Porygon 2 were right after him or he would have been doomed. "This is MINE!" repeated the cranky dog showing the fist "And I hate kidz in generally."

"Glom, then.You a bully."

"Gnam munch chomp. Ptù. I read.." before he could see the content of the ticket he was hit by Minun with an electric ball. "You doomed yourself." Lucario turned for a moment to Chimecho as checking if she was still asleep then turned front "GROAR!" He punched Minun away with red eyes. Minun could feel the flavor of the metal in his mouth now, luckily his type halved steel damages but the hit had been hard though. "RARR, you're going to regret to have made me MAD! I don't care if you're a kid. Life is hard for everyone and lessons have to be given with no distinctions of age. Prepare to learn this right now!"

Metagross put himself between the two and absorbed perfectly the next attack with his armoured body, then attacked on his turn giving a zen headbutt in the stomach of Lucario. "I hate MORE when someone else intrude. You did it twice, crab. SGROOOAR!" He casted a Z Aura Sphere and tossed it through the entire length of the table sending Metagross against the wall. Minun stood speechless at this. Lucario returned over him, that wasn't enough yet. Lifted Minun with a paw and prepared another aura sphere with the other "This is a life lesson: NEVER EVER ANGER ME." Suddenly an earthquake broke into and he lost balance and grip: Metagross was back. "Grrr. Not again!" Minun remembered about his ankle and kicked it with a rapid attack followed by a meteor punch of Metagross in the same area "Aaargh! NOT AGAIN. Damn you, I twisted my ankle again." Metagross landed on him for the final hit.

"It's not necessary, Metagross.." Minun hesitated meanwhile he took a fortune cookie and read it "He's already defeated afterall, no? Otherwise...sigh, I don't know sincerely." He eventually decided to leave to Metagross the decision and the same Metagross was calculating which was the most convenient outcome when Ninjask launched a Shadow Ball out of nowhere. It was supereffective. "Woah! It sent him knockout. Oh no...oh no..what I do...what I do?"

"About time. Grunf." moaned the wounded Jiggler.

Ninjask prepared for the fighting with Minun, knowing the rodent was slightly advantaged on the type chart. Minun, however, was for a different approach to the situation.

"Funny! I like how everything is going as I wished." commented Jirachi, jiggling and joustering with a carambola fruit macedonia.

Minun quickly stuffed half of the amount of cookies in the cheeks and slid at the head of the table, certain that Ninjask wouldn't take the risk to hit Jirachi, too. At least he hoped so. "Sneaky move." Ninjask commented creating multiple copycats of himself. Minun enjoyed that compliment and triumphally ate up the cookies, and read the tickets: "I wish to disappear, I wish to disappear, I wish to disappear..." all the same. He had fallen in the trick fair and square. "Sob, I lost."

"Ah." exclaimed Ninjask.

"Thanks for playing, Minun! Jihihihihraachi."

"So you lied the whole time."

"I said there were my wish tickets in the cookies that was true, not the riddle tickets you're looking for." Jirachi snickered "Here's the difference."

"Eating...99%...100% completed. BURP! Digestive function in background." Porygon 2 pointed at Ninjask "Target acquired. Zap Cannon!"

Despite the double team copycats the correct Ninjask was hit perfectly and collapsed on the ground, disappearing: Substitute. "BIP! Substitute spotted! I need to do a new scansion of the area...is this e-motion I'm feeling PANIC? Panic is odd! I can't focus. I can't elaborate anymore!" the virtual pokèmon tilted completely. Meanwhile the same Jirachi wondered where was the real Ninjask, and... "Behind me! My riddles are all here. Uhm."

"I needed just to know this." one of the copycats talked and dashed out of the swarm: none would have thought to check the remaining copycats after Porygon 2's Zap Cannon! "Duh? I fell in the trick." Jirachi kind of resigned to leave that Ninjask snatched a ticket "Only one at time. Yawn, let's proceed then." Ninjask read carefully "​Spoons, forks, knives and dishes. The key of this riddle is in the middle."

"Ouch. That makes no sense!" Lucario argued "At all."

"Zzz." Chimecho continued to sleep.

"Uhm... it says four things but there's no middle in a 4." Ninjask reflected looking at the disposition of the cutleries. "2 forks, 1 knife, 1 dish, 1 spoon. It's a knife."

"Correct. Now find the correct one and you're done." Jirachi teleported away for later encounters. Ninjask also helped by Lucario checked every knife on the table but didn' find any key, things were more convoluted than he thought. "He bribed us, I knew it that made no sense! Sgrunt, how could you trust him. Hey!" Ninjask flew away to the kitchen. Jirachi reappeared "Oh, yawn, almost forgot: since you are injured and she's asleep, you're both out of the game."

Later Metagross was woken up by Porygon 2 "I recorded the riddle in my database." "The key is in a knife, then." "What if it's the knife someone used to stab himself so we have to search inside an old skeleton somewhere?" The metal crab stared at Porygon 2 that explained "I tried to make a lateral thought like my friend Lester.exe." "Impressive, you downloaded his thoughts too when...nevermind." ​Porygon 2 continued then "By my database about Strange House it looks like a girl stabbed herself after having burned the whole house, but could be just voices."

"Voices? Oh, not really."

The two turned at the voice of Lester, the shiny Rotom didn't look the same of always, despite he smiled "First of all, I found a key! Secundary, I know where the knife could be, inside L...Library, that's where I just come from. After...ehm...veey deep researches of the clues and investigations and intuitions I can adfirm that the culprit is the girl, self killed himself, with a knife, in the Library! Follow me."

"But" Porygon 2 objected "Have you found the skeleton of the corpse?"

"O-Of course! It was very well hidden in the darkness. So much we'll probably struggle again to find it since I just realized it was another spot of a key and so I didn't collect this detail in my memory discarding this as "interesting but not useful quirkness discovered" and...here we are."

"Then, let's go to the library with no more doubts." said Metagross. A shadow followed the remaining Leviathans.

riddle 1: book

riddle 2: knife

riddle 3: unknown

riddle 4: unknown

ATTIC
"Jirachi is pursuing donwstairs to the attic, I didn't see her." Inkay met halfway with Seviper and informed them that Jirachi was escaping upstairs to the attic room. "Slow! If you take it calmly we can escape (is that the contrary of capture right?) from him. We have not a chance!"

"Thanks you at opposite, weirdo." Seviper ordered the Venturers to converge all to the attic. All..she missed 4 mons. "Aurorus, Dunsparce, Inkay, catch me that wishmaker!"

Jirachi was sleeping in mid air and everyone could see that two tickets already missed "Ratsss! Only two riddles left, pathetic already but as soon I'll find the other teams I'll slay them down for those tickets. Now, attack! Aurorus, Ice Beam, Dunsparce use Glare and Inkay...do nothing you want I don't care. Seviper stayed aside knowing her poison moves didn't work on a steel/psychic type. Aurorus was tempted to leave her to the deserved fate but Seviper reminded her once again pointing at her mouth and at the lump at the end of her tail. "My future." Then she was the first to attack with a blizzard that covered the floor with snow.

"I told you to Ice Beam, not drop snowflakes around!"

Dunsparce used Glare but was uneffective since Jirachi was in sleep status. Seviper had enough already and coiled around "Give me thesssse riddlesss and the solutionsss or I eat you."

"Yawn, as you wish." Jirachi opened eyes "So you wished both the riddles and the solutions. Sounds a sneaky move."

"A snake move, exactly."

"Fine. ​Up and down the stairs, low and hard, slow and fast, piano and forte: the key is behind the glance of Cresselia. ​Here's the solution to both the riddles at contemporary." His tone betrayed amusement, Seviper didn't like it. "Enough with games!" She prepared to swallow the co-host but she watched in horror the hole in his belly opening and resucking her in himself, she shrieked and shook all over but Jirachi wrapped her in the embrace of his starry wings. "Dunsparce! Aurorus! Do sssomething immediately, ssstop it! Nooo!" but they weren't there anymore, she felt fearful for the first time since she had memory back, she started to feel her body surrend to be swallowed in the mysterious stomach of Jirachi "Ahhhhhh!" and she was swallowed asleep. "Where I am? Where issss everyone? Hiss. I wish for an ansssswer!" Seviper realized how bigger the world around her seemed all of sudden, the attic was gigantic now. She felt uneasy, rushed to an old mirror and blacked out. Who was that pathetic little black sort of spring shaped worm coming to her? She was herself, reflected by the mirror. "No! I'm not that pathetic! It's an illusion, I know it! I ain't this anymore by a long ti-gasp- " suddenly a scream of woman broke "Ihhh! A snake, a snake! Disgusting! Call the police, Lorence! What a disgusting creature. It's impossible to love such a thing." and almost stomped her with her big boot. Seviper quickly crawled at safe in an hole. Where many red eyes were waiting just for her. "I'm not s-s-ssscared yet. I ssswear!" the eyes became claws and scratched her multiple times with no mercy, and bites that crunched her body infinitely. It seemed neverending pain to her."SSsssstooooooooooop!" she cried out her lungs, tearful and tore. "Please, please, finish this all now."

"Make your wish."

Seviper had convulsions and barely was able to move the tounge "My wish issss to awake out of here."

​LIBRARY
​"So, where is the skeleton?" Lester exhibited a wide cheerish grin at the question, Porygon 2 approached more so much to press the plasma of his body with the long beak and repeated "WHERE IS THE SKELETON, MH?"

"It was hidden!" Lester didn't know what else think "By the real culprit that is....Ditto."

Porygon 2 tilted the neck down. "Sigh. . ."

"Ehm, otherwise..." he bit the key for the nerves "​if only Lampent was still here I could...​By the way! By the way, uhm. by the way what. Ah! The diary said she cut herself but also cut the tree of her family."

"Which diary?"

"The genealogic tree of her family...ding! The second key is in the genealogic tree album."

"The genelogic tree album? Let me scan. Bip...bip....bip....."

"......"

Lester prayed that is intuition was once again the correct solution. Even Porygon seemed to have resents against him today.

"Found. Let's see if you didn't lie. BIIIP!" as opened the family album rip in halves with a long key sharped as a knife in the middle. "Scanning...emoglobine..red globes...piastrines....ewww! So this is the disgust. I keep learning new e-motions, yu-uhh!" Fainted. Rotom took the key "What a double crime scene. The (ehm) most important thing is that I solved another mystery today, ah! *EPIC nevermind, we have still to find the other two keys so let's leave this room."

"Nossofast"

Some whisper came from nowhere.

"?" ... "Maybe the wind."

"Thasismine"

Lester and Metagross saw a shadow moving in the air, it didn't resemble any shape of the already known pokèmon contestants. It was new. "DARKRAI!" Lester screamed but soon after "Right YOU. How could you leave Lampent alone in that way?! Ahem, this...ehp-... was intended to be a..ah..telepathic message ahahah. But something went wrong in the process. Glom." paused "If you aren't Darkrai then who you are, ghost?"

"Imashadowfthepast"

"Eh? I barely understand this whisperish you're using." the shadow attacked then aiming at the keys "But I understand the language of a battle. Let's match!" Lester answered with Discharge but didn't hit the target "Quirky! Ok, maybe you prefer Typhoon!" casted out a tornado that made the books fly to the ceiling but again he didn't hit the target pokèmon. Metagross tried Meteor Punch, Earth Quake and Zen Butt on his turn, meanwhile the mysterious shadow had stolen the keys from Lester. Who didn't accept this "Porygon, I urge your Silph Scope (in italiano: la Spettrosonda): activate!"

"BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!"

"So?"

"@"

"Porygon, my quirky virtual friend? Grrr. Take this Shadow Ball!" he threw the ghostly sphere when the shadow was about to cross the wall and it let drop the keys at the last fading away "Thistimeilostnextimeillrevenge."

"And I will be still here next time. Ah ah!"

"Mmmh."

"Auff, another victory is scored. By the way It's time to return at the search of Jirachi. This day is really a neverending quirkness." "In all fairness I'm getting tired, too." Jirachi appeared like he had been waiting for them to get out the room. "Yaaawn, duhm. So I decided to go to my left victims directly by now." Yawned once more and smirked "We meet for the second time tonight, Lester, and I have yet to realize your wish."

"That means I..." Lester slapped himself with the remind that METAGROSS was next to him listening all. The red Rotom was tempted but somewhat the events discovered about Lampent made him less curious to also discover Drifloon's secret right now. "Let's kontinue, ah!"

"Ayawwn. Then, catch me!" Jirachi dashed between the two pokèmon at the speed of light but was clenched by the comet tail by Metagross "Hold it until I read what's written in the tickets! So: Up and down the stairs, low and hard, slow and fast, where is the key? and ​"The key is beyond the glance of the moonlight.​ Any ideas?" Metagross was forced to leave the grip as Ninjask hit him from behind, this time definitely. "An enemy!" Ninjask double teamed "Many enemies!" Rotom fleed, the original Ninjask read quickly the riddles, the others pursued him for the keys.

"Trick Room." suddenly the dimension was distorced by a psychic unknown energy. Everyone moved at inverted speed and Beheeyem could easily take the keys, the riddles and solve them "Pianoforte...and the picture of Cresselia in the attic. Simple."

Rotom, Jirachi, Ninjask and the copycats were all outspeeded by him and couldn't do nothing than watch the alien collect all the four keys in all tranquillity. Then the distorced dimension returned at normality. Lester and Ninjask dashed immediately to reach Beheeyem that shrugged "I tried." He was promptly knocked out by them and they unlocked the mansion together but Lester in a second closed the door as Ninjask was about to exit slamming it against him and resulted to be the first and only to leave the Strange House from the entrance. "I'm the only winner! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He celebrated with a victory spin and let out a maniacal laughter as he wanted to discharge all the tension overloaded. "Illavengeforthistoo."

"Uh? By the way I continue to celebrate."

Jirachi teleported outside and announced "Game over, yawn, Leviathans are the winners. Duuuh, it's time to awake all, and sleep me."

Seviper woke up immediately after, her tail still trembled but the rest of the body was fine. Everyone woke up with her: Dunsparce, Tropius, Aurorus, Anorith, Gorebyss, Inkay...

"Urgh, so it was all a nightmare? It was terribly realistic, that sensation of eternal paralysis, being a fossile again..brr...awful." Anorith shivered but couldn't be happier to move his body again.

"Woah, I can feel the chillblains of how much that seemed all real, instead it was only a dream all the time? Crazy."

Gorebyss was the most perplexed "I thought to have been awoken at a certain time."

But the most surprised and unaffected at the same time were Dunsparce and Aurorus who was literally stone cold "What did you wish, Seviper? I'm sure we two weren't sleep at all, not that I care, to be honest I'm fine if this torture has finished for today. Furthermore, I was about to solve the riddles if you're interested." Seviper spat poison in reply and coiled around Dunsparce, or at least tried as he dug quickly underground "Hiss?" then she coiled up Anorith in replace. "What did I do to deserve this this time?!" "It's not a punishment. J-Just ssshut up!"

// Vent //

"Then what was it?" Anorith questioned to the audience very confused. Minun barely opened eyes and Rotom announced loudly "I won! We won, Leviathans! Once again I led you to the win, ah! *EPIC POSE* C'mon! It's time to wake up and celebrate another victoryyy! In addition, it was all a dream, nothing really happened and that means I can win even when sleeping!" "No, it wasn't if you were still awake the whole time."

He froze down hearing that from Lampent. "Ah. Right, maybe for me. B-By the way past is past and game over is OVER. The Lester Latias Leviathans are the winners, thanks to me, again." He discharged electric sparkles everywhere "Last to the Vip Room will repeat the mantra: Lest is the Best 51 times! Zooooom!"

// Vent //

"Phew. I got off by a whisker, without have any moustache." Lester joked, and eventually pondered "Seriously, I should get a pair to keep on for the stake outs in undercover."

"Gasp. No way I'm gonna be the one." Minun dashed after, imitated by Porygon 2 and Metagross.

"So, duh, they won, but who lost? Rules said that the team with less members left at the end would have gone to elimination and 1-5 that team is the Victini Venturers! Ronf, zzz." Jirachi closed the eyes and fluttered to the V-plane "It was an exciting night. Prepare your best wishes for the next sleep-over time! Uh uh uh."

"Ah, sssscrew you."

Lucario kicked a cactus "Sgrunt, and he also lied about the Doom Desire expressed." An explosion of mystic power coming from above the clouds proceeded to obliterate the Strange House. "I was a little late, duuuh."

TAIL OF LOSERS
Both the teams were sitting at the Tail of Losers, Venturers on a side, Jigglers on the other. Someone asked a legit question "Why?"

"It's the widest place where we can tally the results of the elections, simply and square." Piplup explained with a white smile "In all fairness these are not true elections since I will get reconfirmed, but sometimes a democratic queen has to give her fellows some satisfactions in exchange of their eternal loyalty." Oshawott mimicked her from behind making everyone to snigger then took the word "You're not a queen, you're just a more superior than you critical case that thinks to dictate her team, us! Drop off your throne before to get slayed by your same teammates and most of all shut up the beak."

Piplup did a long breath inhaling the anger all inside and announced "Allright, I will exploit this rude interruption of you to announce that there's going to be a final speech as the enclosure of our campaign. Of course I come first."

"Oshawhy you and not me?"

The two started to get on the nerves of Seviper. "Where issss Victini, where he has gone? Otherwisssse I'm sure to do a slaying here."

"Please, audience, quiet." Piplup ignoring the wind hopped on the palk appositively assembled for the occasion "If the Jirachi Jigglers will reconfirm me I promise I'll be even more finicky and careful during the challenges, giving everyone exactly the role and orders they need situation by situation thanks to my critic value over people that makes me..."

"Pip pip piplup. Insert lot of piplup verses and excetera here because everything coming out that beak is just USELESS." Oshawott pushed Piplup down the palk using her scallop as a microphone "Unless her, I don't pose to be perfect, heck, I don't promise anyone I will be always a good leader but I will not give orders to anyone, mine will be advises because you're all buddies for me, not fellows. But most of all, I'm a pokèmon of facts. FACTS! This Piplup is able only to talk and talk and talk and costs us ton of time and energies when we listen, we're forced to listen her useless redundant neverending neveroutcoming speeches. Everytime! Vote for me and I'll change the pace, stopping her beak once for all and giving facts instead of words to all of us. Thany you ^O^" Ended waving all and tripped off the palk akwardly. Piplup laughed at her and returned on the palk "It's a waste of time to continue this confront."

"You finally realized that!"

"No, Neanderthalucario, I mean that based on facts Oshawott can't even porevent herself from tripping, imagine her at the lead of the group? Ahahahah! Oh, dear. For this reason I won't say anything more by my side and let the elections finally begin: vote!"

"Forgot to say: free kiss for every male voting for me, too!" added Oshawott at the end, tossing a kiss in the air.

"Unpolite and unfair, yet useless."

"WHERE ISSSS VICTINI?!? HISS."

// Vent //

"My vote is all for you, Oshahot." Squirtle blinked at the camera "But keep the french kisses only for me, baby. Smooch!"

Ninjask signed for Piplup instead "I prefer to keep the lowest profile possible in this situation. We have many better things to take care about."

Obviously Oshawott and Piplup rigged voting for themselves.

"Seviper. Ops, wrong nomination." Beheeyem cancelled his vote then.

Piplup and Oshawott waited until all the Jigglers, and only them, voted, and tallied the votes alternatively.

Piplup: "Piplup. Of course."

Oshawott: "Oshawott! Aww, there's also a kiss...thanks!" Squirtle aimed at her with his watergun and winked in a cool fashion.

Piplup: "Oshawott, indeed, I expected a desperate attempt of rigging."

Oshawott: "Piplup. Don't play the saint of the situation since you aren't!"

Bagon: "Ahem."

Piplup: "Right, continuing the tally with democracy I read the name of...Ninjask?"

Oshawott: "Ninjask?!"

Piplup: "And Ninjask!!! How is it possible?"

Oshawott: "Three votes against two and two. The new leader of the Jigglers is Ninjask!!"

Piplup: "But this is not acceptable. How could you? He wasn't even a candidate! This cannot work."

"You made us waste lot of time today with the pantomime of the politica campaigns. What did you expect?" Bagon stepped forward "We all decided to vote for the only one in my and their opinion that should have the rights and has all the requires to lead the team successfully, and that is Ninjask for all the times he made the difference for us and even today he did it all." Lucario clapped behind, making the sleepy Chimecho to do the same, Bagon and Oshawott clapped on their own "This is why he deserves to become our new leader."

Ninjask didn't like the idea at all but accepted the new role in front of everyone. "I will be honoured." Piplup similarly didn't accept it but she also didn't hide that at all "Unacceptable, unfair, a complete anti-democratic decision. Oshawott, don't you agree?" The other answered with tranquillity crossing her arms "I'm fine to lose as much you lose, too. I just wanted you down the throne and my wish has been granted finally." Squirtle rushed to her "So you're not angry to have lost? This is odd, I swear I did everything to make you win, I would have rigged if you asked me but you didn't..." Oshawott put a finger on his mouth and smiled "Don't worry, I will cover you of kisses the same."

"Maybe even further?"

Oshawott licked his cheek playfully and dragged him indoor.

"Uuuuhhh, man! It's your lucky day, today." Bagon cheered in the direction of Squirtle "Tell me all tomorrow!" The Jirachi Jigglers finally left the Venturers alone. Still no signs of Victini. "Dududuuuu, attention please: Victini had a little accident with a macarone and was brought at the nearest Pokècenter, that is on the opposite side of the region. I will be the host until his return. Yawn. Sounds tiring but yaaaaaawn I am officially the co-host and we decided together to make this reality, so... that's it." Jirachi eyes closed reached the Tail of Losers's palk and took the position "The working is the same as usual: vote, I cast votes, distributes macarones and last three will get the voltorbs ov victimization. Nothing changes for now, I will ...zzz...try to find something new for tomorrow but it's unrelevant. So, dyawoon, go in the vent. I'll wait."

// Vent //

Tropius was the first to enter as usual with the neck only "There are about three pokèmon in this team that don't do anything useful, they're just there, so I have to pick a choice between them. This time I vote Gorebyss, I was with her and I could see how she didn't give any contribute while me and Anorith faced Jirachi: she just fainted. She's cute but this is about the competition and competition wise she's a deadlock. That's why I'm voting her."

"Seviper." Beheeyem said his vote again. "I have many good reasons I want her out of here." Gorebyss joined after with the same opinion.

Inkay on the contrary had no ideas on who to vote "Then I will go randomly and pick Gorebyss."

The S3 entered, voted and waited in the vent for Aurorus to show up. The amargasaurus longed her neck through the long tube of the vent and her breath lowered down the temperature like an A/C conditioner. Her icy eyes met with the eyes of the viper for the first time at the same height "Where is my egg? I want to see it before to make my vote." Seviper stayed silent and opened her mouth showing an oval between her fangs, Aurorus recognized her egg clearly, then Dunsparce spoke for her "If you don't follow the plan immediately she will crush it." Aurorus moved like she wanted to stomp them but held her nerves knowing her paws couldn't get through the flits of the vent and nodded "Congratulations for your progresses, you act exactly like her now. You managed it eventually. Anyway."

Jirachi counted the votes, yawning a little, and proceeded with the tally: "Zzz..first macarone goes to Anorith."

"Munch, crunk, delicious. Finally some prize after all I suffered today."After Anorith, Jirachi called Dunsparce for the macarone. The land snake didn't feel in the mood to eat so passed it to Anorith "Seriously? Thank you, gnam!" The next call was for Aurorus, that did the same, however Anorith couldn't enjoy the macarone frozen in that way by her touch "Ouch, this is not tasty at all. Did you save it directly from the ice age? Ah ah. Very funny."

"Two left. Duhnque, this goes to Beheeyem."

"To Beheeyem? Uhm."

"Last macarone is signed for.....yawn I apology... zzzzz."

"Hey, wake up." Tropius flapped air with the wing. "Come on, please."

"Z. Yes, okay. I mean Inkay. 3-2-"

"Inkay? Wow."

Jirachi tossed the three pokè balls to Tropius, Gorebyss and a very unnerved Seviper. "Whoever voted me hisss dead." Beheeyem and Gorebyss exchanged a glance of complicity behind her. Jirachi shook himself to stay awake and finished the countdown "1. Boom!" Tropius didn't even see the explosion. "So, who was eliminated between Seviper and Gorebyss?" He looked down and saw the two females perfectly clean unlike his paws covered in cimmer. "I'm honest, I would have never expected this result."

"You got 4 votes against 2 and... 2."

"Even four? Wow, totally unexpected." Tropius lowered the neck down to the floor "Mumble..nevermind, I have a good time here, especially with you, Dunsparce, and you, Aurorus, I would have liked to find the courage before this happened" extended the neck to kiss Aurorus, that dodged him "I know to sound cold but I don't want your kiss. Because I voted for you." She said only this. The gleamy glare of Seviper said it all. Tropius retired the neck feeling the blizzard in the heart and stone cold proceeded to fly over the plane. Nothing to say. He opened the wings and went away with the stream, fading in the wet pupils of her.

// Vent //

"The alliance strikes again." Beheeyem commented calmly writing on his note book "At least the figure of Seviper isn't solid anymore and this opens a certain possibility to change the wind in this team. Also, I know you're in the vent somewhere, crying but also listening, Dunsparce..." and he teleported away.

"One question." Anorith broke the silence created after the departure of Tropius "If you're here, Jirachi, who is driving the plane?!!"

"Deh, Vulpix of course."

"Fossil me."