Hard Enough - Chapter 348 - The battle of Ice and Fire

Forrest gritted his teeth as the sailboat that they were flying on bounced across another frozen wave.

“Are you sure this boat is going to hold?” he roared over the sound of screeching metal and thunder.

“I’m sure! And it's a ship! Not a boat! Don’t offend her like that!” Melody shouted back.

Ash stood at the front of the ship, not at all worried about being tossed off as he adjusted to each dip and hump expertly. His gaze was locked ahead and for the first time since Forrest had talked to Brock, saw some of the potential mentioned were on full display.

Ash was in the zone with a focus that beggared belief. 

At the back, Jessibel—”Just call me Jessie”—, James, and their pet Meowth hauled on ropes to keep the sails deployed. 

At Forrest’s side, Metang and Magnezone floated, helping the ship sail across the frozen ocean by adding levitation to it.  

“He’s just worried his girlfriend isn’t here where he can protect her!” sang a nasally tone. 

Forrest gave the Meowth another look. He hadn’t been sure of it when they first met as the only other talking pokemon he had encountered was a criminal Meowth… and that Slowking… so it was kind of weird. Then again, three instances of talking pokemon wasn’t all that crazy when you thought about it. 

Just weird that it had happened three times.

Melody giggled. “If you’re worried about your girlfriend, don’t be! Sabrina’s the most powerful trainer in the world so she’s safer there than with us!”

Forrest snorted. “If you think she’s the strongest you need to get out more!” Forrest shouted, recalling Sabrina and Yolanda both mentioning Cynthia as a powerful pokemon trainer.”

“I think I see some people!” Ash cut in, causing everyone to stiffen.

Rather than looking ahead they found Ash now pointing off to the side of the ship where a cluster of armoured men and women were jogging towards what looked like a smoking crater.

“Say? Isn’t that where the Zappy bird went down?” Meowth asked.

“I think it is!” replied James.

“Urgh! These people are like Ratata! They’re everywhere!” Jessie growled.

Forrest stiffened. “Zapdos fell there? If they’re able to capture a Legendary Cat why not a Legendary Bird?” he suggested.

That caused everyone to stiffen. Meowth sighed. “You had to go and say it didn’t you?” Now it’s  pretty much a foregone conclusion.”

Ash turned. “Melody! Turn the ship!”

Forrest whirled about. “Ash! No! We need to get to Ice island for the orb! They’re the most important part of this! The Proph—”

“Isn’t going to matter if Team Cipher gets hold of Zapdos!” Ash replied.

Ash and Forrest, not for the first time found themselves locking eyes as a battle of wills ensued. 

“Ahem,” cut in a dry voice.

Forrest and Ash turned to find Jessie standing. “Well Team it seems like we’re blasting off and leaving you here.” she pointed. “We’ll protect the downed Bird!”

James rose. “It’ll be like good Karma! We’re due for a lot of that!”

“Time to pay it forward and ply it rough!” announced Meowth as he grabbed an oddly long metallic case that Melody had given worried looks at a few times.

What was an M1A1?

With a wink and a wave the trio jumped off the back of the ship only to tuck and roll when they hit the ground. A moment later they were up, none the worse for their dramatics. Their pokemon emerged and soon they were riding a raging Gyarados towards the cluster of Team Cipher.

“Well it’s nice and all that they’re doing that, but we need someone else to take the sails now!” roared Melody causing Maron, who’d been sitting to the side to throw herself into pitching in.

It took Forrest a moment to catch on that Melody also meant him as Ash had turned back to watching the approaching Ice Island.

“Get ready! We’re going to have to launch ourselves!” Melody warned.

“What does that mean?” Forrest shouted as he heaved on a rope that was doing its best to rip through his fingers. He clenched his teeth and dug deep, dragging the sail into position.

“I’m going to open the panels and bounce us!” Melody replied with a grin.

Maron blanched. “That’s not how ships work!” 

“Do it!” Ash ordered and Melody’s grin grew wider.

Forrest shared a look with Maron. Melody and Ash were a match made in a nightmare!

“Maybe just land us on the—” was as far as Forrest got before something tossed them up into the air.

For a long moment, Forrest was weightless. He was attached to the ship only by the rope he was clinging to. He quickly anchored his feet before the rope could throw him off.

As they started to come down Forrest got a good look at the stairway Melody was aiming at. 

“No! The slope will have less friction!” he shouted, recalling a lesson from school only for Melody to ignore him as the ship slammed into the stairway where it lurched upwards as wind from the storm filled the sails.

“Hahaha! My ship sails any ocean! Rough, Frozen and even the sea of stairs! Hahaha!” Melody cackled.

Maron leaned over the side and grimaced. “Yeah… not for long,” she said as a screech rang out and flecks of metal spun away.

“I’ll rebuild her! Bigger and better than ever!” Melody shouted.

Forrest understood then. 

She was an idiot. Which made her and Ash perfect for each other.

He decided to not fight their madness and instead look ahead where the throne for Ice Island stood.

Unlike the other islands this one already had people around it.

Instead of all being one group however there were two definite groups.

“Why are futuristic knights fighting ninja?” Maron shouted.

“That’s Team Cipher and… Is that the ninja from Koga’s Ninja academy?” Ash suggested.

Forrest squinted at them. “Yeah that looks like them!”

“You mainlanders have Ninja Academies? Wild!” Maron shouted.

The sound of their ship and the back and forth sadly drew the attention of the two groups of combatants. One of the Cipher Peons raised a flare and launched it high into the sky.

“Haha! This island is about to be swarmed with reinforcements!” he shouted as he directed two pokemon towards them. Ash snorted at the Poliwhirl and Golbat coming at them.

“Pikachu! Thunderbolt!” he shouted and both pokemon were quickly lit up by the surprisingly powerful mouse pokemon.

“Pika!” Pikachu shouted in challenge. 

“Men defend the children!” shouted one of the ninja. Before Ash and Forrest could react, a trio of ninja were next to them causing Metang to stiffen.

Ash crossed his arms. “I don’t need your help! Melody! Park the boat!” he shouted.

Melody wrenched the steering wheel. “It’s a ship not a boat!” she roared as her maneuver saw the ninja getting tossed into the side.

The Cipher Peons suddenly found themselves facing a ship drifting through their forces.

“Their line is broken! Into them!” 

“Shit! Get another flare up now! We need back up!” shouted a peon. 

A trio of flares glowing red and ominous shot into the air.

Forrest grimaced. “Cool it with those flares! You’re going to—”

A shriek was the only warning they had before a wave of icy wind swept down from the top of the mountain. 

Forrest stiffened. “Get out the ship! We’re sitting Farfetch’d like this!” he warned as he threw himself off the side.

“He’s right! Get the children off and to the shrine!” shouted a ninja as they scooped up Melody.

Maron stiffened. “And the woman! Don’t forget her!” she added as Ash followed Forrest overboard. A ninja swept Maron off her feet and jumped over the side where he ran to the back of the ninja group.

Forrest rose, finding himself in the midst of a melee of pokemon. He released his larger pokemon while directing Magnezone to unleash around him with Shockwave which saw pokemon stiffening in surprise. 

Onix stayed close like Brock had taught him, forming a defensive barrier that stopped him from being targeted as an exposed trainer might.

Ash… was of course in the thick of it. Pikachu was lighting up everyone around him as he advanced towards the shrine. Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Lapras and even Charizard were fighting off people at his flanks while Snorlax advanced slowly behind everyone to keep Ash’s back safe.

Huh, seems the lessons disguised as beat downs by Brock and Sabrina had stuck, Forrest mused.

Another wave of Icy Wind swept through everyone and they shuddered but Forrest pulled on the nascent Steel-type energy he knew existed within him.

And just like that the cold didn’t bother him much.

Charizard roared as Articuno swept overhead only for Ash to lunge at Charizard. “Don’t! It’s just protecting its nest! We need to get in and out! We’re not here to fight Articuno!”

Charizard settled back with a soft growl only to instead focus his attention on roasting a hapless cluster of Gloom and Weepingbells that had come within range.

Oddly enough Ash’s words made Articuno pause and inspect him only to turn away and sweep a wing. The resulting Icy Wind caused several trainers and pokemon to curl in on themselves while others were knocked to the ground as large chunks of ice hammered into them.

Forrest moved in closer to his Onix. 

Had Articuno just used Hail on them?

A roar from out on the ocean caused Articuno to twist about and warble in anger. It flapped its wings once, causing another wave of frozen wind and more Icicles to slam down upon the battlefield before it took off.

Then a plume of fire shot across the battlefield and once again everyone paused. 

Forrest turned and found a tall musclebound man with a wild mane of hair was outlined standing next to a pokemon that he recognised from picture books. 

Entei stepped forward with a growl that tore through everyone causing them to take steps back. The cipher Peons looked extremely relieved that their ‘back up’ had arrived. They retreated towards Entei and the big man.

The hulking man stepped into the light and the red war paint on his face made him all the more striking. 

Forrest also spotted a necklace of pokeballs around his neck, meaning that this man had to at least have more than the three or four on average he’d seen each Peon use. 

“Stop getting in our way!” the man shouted. “What we’re doing is justice! Indigo needs to be punished for invading us and harming our nation!”

“Invasion?” Forrest reeled. “First of all we’ve never even heard of you people before a few days ago!” Forrest shouted back. “Second of all, you’re the ones attacking us out of the blue!”

Forrest waved a hand. “And thirdly? This is the Orange Islands not Indigo!”

The man snorted. “If you think I’m going to listen to your lies you’re mistaken! I’m a cool-headed guy, but you won’t like me when I’m mad little man!” growled the hulk.

“Dakim sir! We’ve got a runner!” shouted one of the Peons.

Everyone snapped to look at the Peon and then to where he was pointing. 

Forrest felt his stomach lurch as he realised that before when he thought everyone had stopped, he’d been wrong. 

Ash had kept going.

Now he was entering the Ice Shrine. 

That was supposed to be a good thing though, right?

“Tch! Pokemon out!” shouted ‘Dakim’.

Appearing around Dakim, Forrest was annoyed to spot a Metang, Golem, Swampert, Camerupt, Claydol, Flygon, Solrock, and a Foretress.

Forrest’s pokemon turned, squaring up against pokemon that Forrest knew a good deal about. 

“Earthquake!” growled Dakim.

“Counter and match it!” Forrest roared, sending his pokemon to the front of the battle line. 

The island erupted as the earth heaved under everyone’s feet. Forrest threw himself towards Metang who was levitating out of danger while Magnezone lined up to fry some flying types.

Forrest could hear Dakim roaring questions of his Peons. “Where is our target? What do you mean it took off before I got here? What are these people trying to do then if not defend it?”

The responses were lost in the din of fighting. Forrest found himself encircled by ninja a few times with them going out of their way to protect him.

Something that… he had to admit he was grateful for. This… this was a lot more than he’d expected.

He could see injured people and pokemon being left on the field to crawl out of danger. 

Often a speedy pokemon would leap in to drag any fallen ninja out of the way while the Cipher Peons had to make their own way.

Forrest thought things were stalling out for a moment which only seemed to enrage Dakim more as he barked something and all of a sudden it wasn’t just Earthquakes being used, but Weezing and Electrode being lobbed at their lines.

All of them being notorious pokemon for their explosiveness in the best of circumstances.

As the pokemon began to flash repeatedly a wave of Protect went up around the field on both sides.

Then there was light and force. Forrest felt Metang wobble a little underneath him but otherwise stayed up. 

He had to blink away the sudden flash of lights but he quickly enough adjusted. In front of their line of battle a solid chunk of snow and ice had been gouged out, forming a trench that was making pokemon unable to come to physical blows with each other.

“I got it! We can go!” Forrest turned to find Ash had reemerged from the Ice shrine.

“YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! I HAVE THIS ISLAND LOCKED DOWN!” Dakim roared, his eyes wide. He snapped his hand towards his Camerupt. 

The powerful Fire type began to twitch. 

“Oh that doesn’t look good,” Maron shouted from the back. 

“It’s going to blow!” Melody called.

“Sunny Day,” Dakim growled and from around the Camerupt several Sunny Day formed, causing the fire type to stiffen and then kneel as the concentrated power within geysered out in large balls of flaming rock as Eruption released.

“Squirtle and Lapras! Use Hydro Pump!” Ash called out making his pokemon shoot as much of the attack down as he could.

Forrest matched him with his Golem and Onix using Rock Throw while Metang raised Barrier after Barrier.

Cipher Peons also had their pokemon go on the offensive with waves of attacks launching out that forced various ninja to defend or throw themselves out of the way.

Sadly not all could and one man fell, only for a comrade to swoop in and drag them back to the shrine where other injured were being tended.

Dakim growled. “Again! Full offensive! We’re smashing them!” he roared and the Cipher Peons redoubled their efforts.

Forrest even thought he saw someone using a gun at one point, but he lost sight of them as a few voltorb were rolled out.

Another round of Explosions ensued, this time thankfully weaker but still damaging as not as many Protects were able to be used.

A ping on Forrest’s wrist had him ducking behind Onix for some cover before looking down to find that Brock was messaging him updates about Team Cipher.

At first he was about to ignore it only for a peek over the edge to reveal that the ninja were fighting back with a wave of Explosive pokemon themselves. 

Forrest ducked back down. Now was probably a good time to recover his strength. 

“Buff up!” he shouted as he began tossing out potions towards his pokemon. His actions triggered other ninja to copy him using the slight respite to recoup their strength.

Forrest inspected the message detailing Brock’s insight into Team Cipher.

Huh, simplistic tactics with limited exposure to pokemon and training? Limited understanding of pokemon typing and advantages. Targets appear to be Legendary pokemon due to the explicit power each demonstrates.

Hmmm Forrest glanced around. “We need to perform combination moves!” he shouted. “They won’t know how to handle those!” he called.

Ash was quick on the uptake. “Lapras! Squirtle use Surf!”

Forrest pointed and Magnezone targeted the wave as it swept past alongside Pikachu and other Electric types. 

The effect wiped five pokemon off the field and caused Dakim to force his fire type to retreat. 

Forrest began to wrack his brain for other quick tactics he and the others could use.

“If pokemon know switch outs use them!” 

And sure enough some of the Ninja pokemon knew them. What Forrest didn’t expect was for how aggressive they would be. They instantly sent their pokemon deep into Team Cipher only to return themselves with U-Turn or even simple recall functions.

Sadly Team Cipher wasn’t stupid, merely inexperienced.

With each simple tactic being displayed Cipher Peons copied and soon pokemon were leaping across the divide, sending out attack after attack only to be recalled a moment later.

While the Ninja had gotten a sizable number, Forrest despaired when he saw more Cipher Peons charging up the hill. 

One of the ninja approached Forrest. “You need to go. The intel we have states that it is vital you, Ash, and the orbs make it back to Shamouti!”

“I can’t just leave you guys like this!” Forrest denied.

“We are trained for this! You are not! Let us do this!” growled the man with a slash of his hand.

Forrest considered. He didn’t want to leave and most of his instincts were telling him to stay. To see the fight out. But… he had raised a good point. Ash needed to get to keep moving. 

“RAAAAAH! ENTEI ATTACK!” roared Dakim as he had another rage out. 

Entei responded by unleashing a huge torrent of flame that cut through the snowbank on the hill above Forrest.

For a second he wanted to laugh. Entei had missed. 

Then the ice melted and a huge river of water began to pour down the hill.

“Look out!” he gasped, realising they were about to be swept away.

Everyone turned but they knew they were too late.

Forrest was caught between making a final last ditch order to his pokemon to form a wall or to recall them when a four legged pokemon leaped high and landed atop the water.

“Sheer Cold!” shouted a familiar voice from atop the pokemon’s back and a moment later the water froze over to become merely a lump of ice.

Everyone stared at the new entrant as the blue four legged pokemon turned and glared down.

Forest felt himself quail at the look only to realise it wasn’t directed at him, but rather at Team Cipher, specifically at Entei and Dakim.

Misty leaned around the blue pokemon. “Is everyone alright?” she asked.

Dakim scoffed. “I should have known that venus couldn’t be trusted with one of our Aces!” he snapped. “Girl! Hand that pokemon over!”

Misty glared. “Over my dead body!” 

Dakim chuckled darkly. “That can be arranged! Entei! Attack!” Entei, rather than launching another super Flamethrower as Forrest thought of it, Entei blurred up the hill in a streak of purple miasma.

Suicune deftly leapt to the side with a growl. “Goooh!” 

Misty grit her teeth only to throw herself to the side. “I’ll trust you to take it from here Suicune! I’m going to help my friends!” 

Suicune nodded and Misty slid down the snowbank to join Forrest. “Looks like I got here just in time!” she said with a grin.

“I’ll say!” Forrest replied only to feel the ground shift as Dakim unleashed another wave of Earthquakes. 

“Counter!” Forrest growled urging his pokemon to match the force. Now that he had seen the threat, Forrest spared a glance back up the hill where some of the newly formed ice was starting to break.

“We need to move from here!” Forest called only to duck his head as Suicune and Entei attacked each other. A Fire Blast slammed into what had to be a Hydro Pump and the result surprised Forrest as the attacks nullified each other.

An explosion of steam filled the space and suddenly Forest found himself being grabbed up by a ninja.

“The mist will hide us!” whispered the man. “Recall your pokemon and we’ll move while Suicune covers us!” 

Forrest had to give it to the ninja, that was a good plan, the only part he didn’t like was how he was being carried like a princess away from danger.

Misty was likewise being carted away while Ash was sprinting while Pikachu stood guard on his backpack. 

Forrest glanced back to where the shapes of Suicune and Entei clashing with each other could be seen as the two pokemon blitzed in and out, snarling and yowling angrily.

Why had Entei’s attack not been blown away?

Forrest reconsidered the battlefield only to groan. He’d forgotten about the Sunny Day empowering Entei.  

They got a few hundred metres away before Forrest realised that some of the ninja had stayed behind in the mist.

“Hey wait we can’t just—”

“It is more important you get away!” growled the man carrying Forrest. 

He deposited Forrest and pointed down a set of stairs. “Go!”

“Eruption!” growled a voice to the side causing everyone to stiffen as part of the stairs were melted away in a cascade of molten rock.

“Again!” snapped Dakim as he stalked out of the mist with a team of Cipher Peons around him. Forrest caught sight of the Houndoom glaring at them while its nose twitched. Damn! They’d underestimated Dakim! 

He wasn’t just a muscle bound idiot!

Pokemon reemerged from their pokeballs as Camerupt began to throw molten rock into the air, but Misty beat everyone to the punch. “Blastoise! Starmie! Blow the lava away!” she roared and her pokemon matched her enthusiasm by dousing the attack before it could become a true threat.

Dakim just smirked as from the other side more cipher Peons appeared with Voltorb and Koffing.

Forrest flinched. “Protect!” he roared as the pokemon shot towards them flashing in a sequence Forrest was all too used to.

The Protect formed and Forrest had a moment to sigh in relief only to glance around and see that not every pokemon had escaped damage.

The ninja were already throwing out potions and saving their pokemon but it had taken a toll. 

Pokemon attacks began to launch straight away and Forrest grit his teeth.

“Barrier! Rock Throw! Earthquake!” he shouted pointing his hand in various directions to get his allies a moment of relief.

Dakim leered at them. “Ehehe! You knew you couldn’t win and tried to flee! But I already told you! You can't escape!” He waved a hand and his pokemon launched another wave of Sunny Day that lit up the area.

“Time for light’s out!” Dakim taunted. 

Forrest wasn’t surprised when Misty squared up against the guy but before she could say anything a powerful wave of fire cut through the battlefield, blowing away several of Cipher’s pokemon.

Once more everyone turned to find another new arrival.

Forrest felt his heart surge as Flannery grinned from atop a Rapidash. Around her Blaziken, Arcanine, Camerupt, Torkoal, and Houndoom strode with flames licking about their forms.   

“Thanks for the boost!” Flannery declared. “Your Camerupt’s cute, but let me show you how a true Fire Type Master fights!” 

And with that her pokemon exploded into action. A wave of fire washed out causing Dakim and the Cipher Peons to fall back as their pokemon suddenly found themselves being pursued. 

Before they could regather themselves, Blaziken was in the midst of their pokemon landing devastatingly powerful kicks that caused dark pokemon like Houndoom to go flying before twisting and blowing away Dakim’s Golem.

Forrest had to admit he was rather conflicted watching a Golem get smashed that hard but he quickly repressed the feeling as people began to recover.

Dakim growled in annoyance as more and more of his pokemon fell under the sudden intense onslaught. “We’re not done yet!” he roared, sprinting past the pokemon which caused Flannery to flinch.

“Flannery watch out!” Ash, Misty and Forrest all shouted as Dakim leapt at Flannery. 

Only for Rapidash to pivot and perform a Double kick that sent the huge man soaring. 

He rolled in the snow only to get up hacking and growling. Blood dribbled down his chin and he snarled. “I’m not done!” he said, sprinting towards Flannery.

This time he only got a few steps before a pair of ninja intercepted him.

Their fists flashed and Dakim stumbled only to growl and rise.

The two ninja squared off, preparing to fight.

Then Flannery marched past them and kicked Dakim between the legs.

Forrest and Ash tensed, feeling a sudden wave of empathy for their enemy as the huge man’s eyes bulged and a squeal escaped his lips. “Eeeeei!” 

Flannery grinned. “I might not be as good at hand to hand as Brawly but I know how to take down a raging man!” she declared only to glare. “Now give up your pokeballs and release your pokemon!” she declared.

Before Dakim could respond she kicked him again in the nuts causing him to collapse to the ground bonelessly.

Forrest turned away, a bit of bile rising up as Ash shuddered. “He was already down..” 

Flannery didn’t care, giving Dakim another kick. “And he’ll stay down if he knows what’s good for him!” she shouted. 

The ninja that had been lingering stepped forward to pluck Dakim’s pokenecklace from him. While another slapped cuffs on the man. Flannery glared. “I wasn’t done!”

The two ninja didn’t meet her eyes as they bowed their heads. “He’s down Miss Flannery, please be merciful!”

Misty snorted. “Heh, men are all the same!” she giggled. Flannery shot her a thumbs up but Forrest wanted to protest.

He’d like to see a girl that would like being kicked… 

Forrest frowned. Something about that… he ran what he’d said back over in his mind only to cough a moment later. 

He broke his thoughts off before they could go any further, just in case Sabrina suddenly appeared. 

He didn’t want to get teased for it later for thinking weird things! 

Flannery plucked a black ball that radiated smoke from it with a grimace only to toss it to her Blaziken. “Crush this!” she ordered.

When Blaziken grasped it in his claws only to strain with next to no result Forrest perked up. “Try having Camerupt stomp on it with an Earthquake!” he suggested. 

Flannery tossed the ball towards Camerupt who raised its foot high. 

When it brought it down the ground jolted causing a lot of people to stagger and stumble about. Melody used the chance to fall into Ash.

Ash lifted her off without batting an eye. “You’re really clumsy Melody,” he murmured, causing the girl to scowl. Misty and Forrest shared a look and a chuckle.

When Camerupt lifted its foot, the ball was destroyed.

Flannery sighed in relief. “Alright, that’s step one,” she said, glancing up to where Suicune and Entei were still darting back and forth.

It took a moment, but Forrest had to conclude that Suicune clearly had the upper hand.

Misty straightened. “I was able to get through to Suicune by—” 

“Water methods, I know. I read Brock’s notes, amazing work on that by the way Misty,” Flannery said before sighing. “But it needs to be personalised, or rather typified in this case.” Flannery gestured up the hill, can you call Suicune off? Fighting isn’t what we need right now.”

Misty tilted her head before nodding slowly. “Suicune! Pull back! We need to calm things down!”

Suicune leapt backwards, soaring over everyone’s heads until it landed on the slope where it dug in.

When it straightened, it stared straight ahead towards Entei who marched out of the mist leaking miasma and heat. 

Each step caused the snow and ice to sizzle and steam to waft upwards.

Forrest swallowed, feeling like he was suddenly in front of a furnace with how Entei was radiating heat.

Flannery didn’t back down though, she instead pulled two items from her pouch and stepped into Entei’s path as she tugged gloves onto her hands. 

“Entei!” she roared as she took a swig of something.

Entei didn’t even look at her.

Flannery stepped forward and raised something to her lips. 

A moment later a huge fireball erupted from her mouth causing everyone to stagger and Melody gasped in surprise.

Flannery held the fireball there for a few seconds before letting it fade.

Suddenly Entei was looking at her. 

Flannery struck her hands together and the gloves lit up with fire.

Rather than walk, Flannery began to weave in a dizzying fashion. 

It took Forrest a moment to catch her murmuring something under her breath and for him to realise she was dancing to a rhythm only she knew.

All of the fire pokemon that were out began to sway along, with some even crooning in approval as the flames swirled and danced to Flannery’s movements.

Entei watched her, moving in time with her as the flames went back and forth in a hypnotic manner.

When she got close, she twisted low and turned so that she had her hand outstretched while the rest of her body was pulled away. She did not meet Entei’s gaze but averted her eyes.

There was a lull as the flames licked at her gloves.

The small fire hung in front of Entei’s chest.

It flickered down until it was but a single tongue of flame lapping at her fingers.

It spluttered until it was but a smouldering wisp of smoke on her palm. 

And then it rose higher as Entei leaned in and allowed Flannery to touch it.

Flannery gasped in surprise as the flames in her hands rose. 

“Oh… that’s what Gramps was talking about,” she murmured a moment before a shimmer of something red and orange and warm coursed over her body, and then she took a deep breath and the flame connecting her and Entei grew.

The miasma that had pervaded Entei vanished, like mist on a hot summer's day.

Entei shook itself out and opened its eyes to reveal warm red eyes instead of bloodthirty crimson.

Forrest found himself sighing in relief.

Entei stared into Flannery’s bowed form. Then he leaned around her hand and licked her on the face with a deep rumble. Flannery chuckled. “Oh my goodness, it’s purring!” 

Forrest stared. His little brother was never going to believe this! Then he blinked. Salvadore!

His little brother would murder him if he didn’t get video! He raised his pokedex and pressed the record button. 

Entei gave Flannery another lick and she giggled in a slightly delirious manner.

“Oh… you’re welcome,” she muttered. Her hand moved around its mane, rubbing in different places and the Legendary pokemon allowed it.

Suicune stepped forward and called out to its fellow Legendary, causing Entei to look up, the rumbling purr vanishing instantly.

Flannery pouted but stepped away. 

Ash sighed. “Wow, that was amazing,” he whispered to himself, earning a nod from Forrest and Misty.

“Excellent work Flannery!” declared a firm voice that had Forrest stiffening. 

Everyone turned to find Koga sitting atop a boulder, a singed scarf fluttering in the breeze around his neck. Behind him, the Legendary Birds duelled with Shadow Lugia in the air, and Forrest swallowed. 

Was there another one up there, or was that just shadows and light of the fight playing tricks with his eyes?

It looked like it had intensified, if anything.

“Koga?” Ash said. “Where have you been?” he asked.

“I’ve been opening up Ice island,” replied Koga. “The beaches are clear of combatants now, you can depart for Shamouti young Ash.”

Dakim who was bound with two ninja standing guard above him sneered. “There are more of us coming! We saw the flares! Soon you will be overrun and Entei and Suicune will be returned to our control!”

Entei and Suicune growled at this and Forrest shuddered.

But it was Koga’s response that cut through Dakim’s confidence. 

“I did not mispeak,” Koga stared Dakim down. “I have cleared every beach of Agents of Cipher. Pokemon and man,” he declared firmly. “No reinforcements are coming for you.”

The ninja around Forrest grinned and some of them punched the air. “Koga!” cheered one of them.

Koga gave a firm nod at that and Forrest gaped. How many people and pokemon had Koga fought?

Dakim, despite being bigger than Koga physically reeled back from the smaller older man in shock. Koga turned away and Forrest spotted more tears in his outfit along with batches of darker purple that might have been blood.

Ash drew himself up. “So we need to stop the fighting right?”

Koga nodded. “The best chance we have for that is to get you to Shamouti.” A moment later a powerful Charizard landed next to Koga.

Ash’s Charizard straightened up with interest as both fire types nodded at each other. Koga glanced at Suicune and Entei.

“Entei, Suicune… I can’t order you about but will you lend us your aid once more by helping me get these young trainers to Shamouti island?”

Both pokemon nodded with Suicune stepping up to Misty while Entei nudged Flannery. 

Ash nodded. “I’ll ride Charizard!” he declared. 

Forrest gaped. Did he not realise he had a chance to possibly ride a Legendary?

Charizard also seemed stunned by this declaration but then something flashed through his eyes and Forrest realised that if Ash didn’t have it before, he had Charizard’s undying loyalty now.

Misty hopped on Suicune’s back and held a hand out to Forrest.

Forrest hesitated, looking back at his own pokemon.

They winked at him and he blushed. Damn Bertha! She corrupted them while they rested back at Pewter!

Forrest returned his pokemon and accepted Misty’s hand up as Melody joined Flannery on Entei’s back.

“Hold tight Forrest,” Misty said as she glanced over her shoulder. “Suicune isn’t known as the pokemon of the North Wind for no reason!”

Forrest blushed a little harder as he wrapped his arms around Misty’s stomach.

He was starting to feel giddy when a huge clap of thunder heralded a pained bird’s cry and something hitting the ocean.

Forrest swallowed. He sure hoped Brock was alright. 

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

Thanks also go to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!