pokemon Fighting Dreamers

RKS Laboratories, foot of Mount Coronet.

"Danika, Quillon, thank you for coming here so fast." The leader of said building with his Mime Jr. on his shoulder, greeted the two chasers as they entered his office.

"You got a mission for us, Professor Amaranth?" Quillon asked.

"Yes, indeed, tell me, do you know about the Galarian forms of the Legendary birds?"

"I heard about them the other day." Danika raised her hand.

"I've read some articles." Quillon added with a nod.

"Great, then there's no need to explain the basics, this is the thing, an old friend of mine, Peony, is ex-champion of Galar and the Gym leader of Freezington, a town close to where the birds seem to reside in the Crown Tundra, he has sent me a call for help, apparently, the birds attacked the people of his town and have been destroying the place."

"Is that so?" Quillon asked. "Those birds were mentioned to be more "evil" that the Kantonian variants, but I didn't expect actual violence against humans."

"Aside from being an interesting chance to finally study the Galar birds, there's people in need, so I'll be sending you two to assist Peony against the birds."

"Against?" Danika asked. "You want us to fight them?"

"Yes, I'm afraid these birds don't seem to understand through words, although it's not totally necessary that you fight them, if you could find a way to keep them away from Freezington so they don't hurt more people it should be enough, understood?"

"Understood, we'll be in our way to Galar." Quillon bowed down and left the room, being followed by Danika, the two chasers then found the lab's newest member in the hall, carrying a pile of papers along his Scizor.

"Oh, hello guys."

"Nice to see you, Goh." Danika was the first to greet him. "Still working your way up?"

"Yeah, I have to take the staples out of this things, Scizor's gonna help out, although I would prefer that Professor Amaranth gave me actual missions more often."

"I'm sure you'll get some eventually, by the way, how's everything with you and Chloe?" Danika asked. "She hasn't visited the base in a while."

"I, uh...the situation has been better." Goh then tried to change topic. "Anyway, where are you guys going today?"

"We're onward to the Crown Tundra." Quillon told him.

"Crown Tundra?" Goh asked with interest. "What a coincidence, maybe you guys could help me with something."

"No." Quillon quickly shut him off. "We're not gonna take you with us, the last thing we need is a random kid tossing Poke Balls all around without thinking."

"Hey, I do more than just tossing Poke Balls around!"

"Like what?" Quillon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh..."

"Do I have to remind you what happened with that Suicune mission?"

"W-Well, I-"

"He used Ice Beam on you and you were frozen for 3 days all because you thought it would be a good idea to toss a normal Poke Ball to a Legendary with full health! It had already defeated all those Pokemon Hunters! They literally call him a LEGENDARY BEAST! That doesn't set any red flags?!"

"Alright, Quillon, let him be." Danika tried to calm down her partner. "Is there something you need, Goh?"

"Yeah, listen, they sent us this video the other day, some tourists skiing on a mountain in the Crown Tundra apparently got a glimpse of the Legendary Pokemon Calyrex, who has been missing for years, however they recorded him while they were going down so the view isn't clear enough, I've been trying to analyze the video but I still don't have a conclusion, since you're going to the Tundra maybe you guys could check the place yourselves."

"Sounds good, we'll take care of that." Danika nodded as Goh put the papers down for a moment to sent the data to her tablet.

"There, I sent you video and location, thanks guys." Goh then walked away along his Scizor.

"...He's an idiot." Quillon said once Goh was far enough.

"Well, at least he...uh, he does his best...which is not much honestly...but at least he tries, anyway, back to our mission, it sounds like a simple find and take down." Danika said to her partner.

"Don't get confident, the birds might not even appear if they sense trouble, the hardest part of the mission could be finding them."

"More troublesome humans."

"Uh...found them?"

Quillon and Danika had entered the Crown Tundra and while they were on their way to Freezington, the three Galarian Birds suddenly appeared in front of them, Danika was worried at first, but she quickly noticed Zapdos and Moltres were injured.

"Seems like they were in a fight not long ago." She said. "May be the reason why they haven't attacked us yet, perhaps we could-"

"Throh, Rock Slide!" Quillon called out the Judo Pokemon who raised his arms as various rocks fell from the sky over the birds, but Articuno simply destroyed them using Freezing Glare.

"Q-Quillon!" Danika exclaimed. "Even if they're hurt, those are three legendaries! Don't push your luck!"

"We came here for them, if we can stop them now then I don't see the trou-" Quillon was suddenly interrupted by a Freezing Glare that hit him on the chest, making him fall to the ground.

"Sawk, Protect!" Danika called onto the Karateka who crossed his arms, standing in front of them and summoning a shield, but Articuno didn't bother to attack again.

"Enough, we don't have time for this." Articuno raised his wings as he summoned another Blizzard and the birds disappeared in the snow once again.

"Well, that...could have been better." Danika said. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Quillon simply answered while standing up.

"You sure? That attack hit you directly."

"I told you I'm okay."

Danika was about to keep insisting, but the duo heard various stomps that were getting closer to them.

"What is it now?" Danika asked.

"KAWBRAAAAAA!" A metallic scream was heard in the distance.

"Prepare yourselves to fight!" Quillon shouted.

"Oh, hell nah man! We're out of here!" Danika took his wrist and ran, dragging Quillon with her as their Pokemon followed them.

Meanwhile, the cause of that noise suddenly stopped to cough.

"What the hell was that cry, Cobalion?"

"Sorry, Virizion, this place is catching me a cold."

Quillon and Danika kept running and eventually made it to Freezington, bursting into the door of the first house they could find.

"I'm really sorry, civilians." Danika started talking. "My name is Danika and this is my partner Quillon, this is an official RKS mission and we're in a hurry, so we'll have to take cover in your...OH MY GOSH! IT'S ASH KETCHUM!"

"Just what I needed..." Quillon trailed off annoyed, he then felt a pinch and fell to the ground holding his chest.

"Quillon!" Danika knelt next to him and opened his jacket, revealing that his chest was fully covered by ice that kept freezing over the rest of his body.

"What happened to him?" Peony asked.

"It was Articuno's Freezing Glare." Danika answered. "Hang in there, I'll think of something."

"Infernape, can you help him?" Ash asked and the fire starter got closer to him, placing a hand over the ice and building up heat, safely thawing away the ice.

"There." Quillon breathed in relieved.

"Thank you." Danika placed a hand over Infernape's shoulder and then looked at Ash. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ketchum."

"Mister?" Ash asked.

"And you must his Mrs." She pointed at Bea.

"Uh..." Bea blushed at the thought. "Not quite."

"Now that the danger passed, let's do a proper introduction, my name is Danika Sakuma, at you service, this is my partner, Quillon Ohtori." She pointed at him, while Quillon simply raised his hand with a salute still trying to recover, Danika then continued the explanations. "We are chasers of the M.E.W. division of Project RKS, an organization that investigates Legendary Pokemon to discover the truth about the origin of the species, we also do rescuing and return Pokemon to wildlife, we're kinda like elite Pokemon Rangers, this is my fella, Sawk."

"A Sawk!" Bea exclaimed excited as she stood in front of the Pokemon. "Nice to meet you! I've always wanted to see a Sawk in person." Bea shook hands with the Karate Pokemon as Throh stood on a side in loneliness.

"So you're the help Amaranth said he was gonna send?" Peony asked.

"Correct, please excuse the delay." Danika apologized as Peony laughed.

"Don't mind it, gal, at least you're finally here."

"Hey, I...I think I've seen you before..." Ash said at Danika.

"You're confusing me with Solana, aren't you?" Danika asked with a sigh. "It's alright, happens a lot."

"No, it's not that, give me a sec." Ash looked for his Rotom Phone, finding the picture Gloria showed him of his Galar fan club. "You're this one, right?" Ash pointed at a blue haired girl wearing a shirt with his face stamped celebrating his victory.

"Hehe...yeah, that's me." Danika admitted embarrassed. "But how did you get that photo?"

"Gloria gave it to me when we met." Ash answered.

"Woah, you met with Gloria? Boy, I bet she totally freaked out!"

"So you're another Ash fangirl?" Bea asked.

"More or less." Danika answered shrugging shoulders. "I'll admit Mr. Ketchum's battle style is truly something, but what interests me the most is his encounters with Legendary Pokemon, like, you do realize that after all that you've seen, you're pretty much cursed with knowledge? You could really help our organization, there's so many things I'd like to ask."

"I'll give her a point there." Quillon said finally standing up. "For someone so young, you've definitely been through a lot, most people would have already fall on the insanity, but you seem to hold on very well."

"Uh, thanks...I think." Ash wasn't sure if that was meant to be a compliment.

"Back to the topic." Quillon continued. "As Danika mentioned, we investigate Legendary Pokemon, we're here for the Galarian Birds, there must be a reason for all this destruction."

"There is." Bea said. "Well, the birds told us they're looking for some kind of relic."

"That relic being?" Danika asked.

"We don't exactly know what it is." Ash answered. "They just told us they were trying to find something that Calyrex took from them."

"Then we have to find Calyrex." Quillon said.

"You two know where Calyrex is?" Bea asked.

"We have some clues." Danika answered as she got closer to a window and checked the information that Goh sent her. "That mountain over there, there was a sighting by some tourists a few days ago, it might be nothing, but it could be worth the shot."

"We have to go there and find him." Peonia said.

"Correct, we are gonna go there find him." Quillon opened the door and was about to walk away but Danika stopped him.

"Hold on a sec, Quillon, maybe they could help us."

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"I am, you know about the things that Mr. Ketchum does, he has saved the universe like a billion times."

"I am well aware." Quillon sighed. "It's required study at the Chasers' Academy."

"Required study?" Ash asked. "You're saying there's a whole class about me?"

"Chapter and a half in the anomaly section." Quillon answered. "You are described as a -Kind-hearted chaos magnet-."

"Oddly accurate." Bea said.

"...Fine, this is the plan." Quillon talked again. "That Calyrex sighting could still be a false alarm, so Ash, you go to that mountain and try to find if Calyrex is truly there, Danika and I will stay down here in case the birds return, there must be something else we're not seeing in all of this."

"You can count on me." Ash said.

"I'm gonna help you." Peonia said to Ash. "I know these mountains like the palm of my hand."

"Thanks, Peonia."

"You're coming with us too, right, Bea?" Peonia asked her.

Bea looked at Ash waiting for him to say something, but he simply looked into another direction. "...Of course I'm going." Bea answered with the look down.

"You sure you can handle this, Nia?" Peony asked slightly concerned.

"Of course dad, we gotta protect the town, right?

"Fine, make sure to take the adven-tour gear on your room, alright?"

"You just had to say it." Peonia sighed. "Sure, I'll go get it right now."

"Fine, guess I'll help you two." Peony looked at Danika and Quillon. "You say the birds attacked you? If you show me where that was, maybe we could be able of finding out where they're heading."

"We'll take you then." Quillon nodded.

After preparing everything, Ash, Bea and Peonia started to climb the mountain, the grade was quite low so they could simply go up by walking, the first minutes were no trouble at all, but a blizzard suddenly started to rage, growing stronger and stronger the higher they went.

"Make sure to stay together, guys!" Peonia shouted leading the way.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Bea asked. "The blizzard is too strong, I can barely see anything."

"You're kinda right, let me try something." Peonia searched for a Poke Ball and released her Amaura. "Hey, girl, can you give us an Aurora Veil?" The fossil nodded and cried out as the sails on her head illuminated, summoning a rainbow-colored veil that protected them from the blizzard.

"Great job, this will give us some time to settle down and think." Peonia took her Rotom Phone and opened a map application to see their current location in the mountain and compare it to the location that Asahi gave them of the sighting. "We are still pretty far, the blizzard will probably get stronger the more we go up." Peonia then looked at Amaura who was struggling to keep the Aurora Veil up. "That shield won't last forever, we need a plan, quick."

"Uh, you guys are seeing that?" Ash asked them.

"Seeing wha..."

The trio spotted a single yellow light floating in the distance and getting closer to them, other several yellow lights then appeared by its side as they kept approaching them, Bea and Ash called out Infernape and Cinderace and Peonia released a Bastiodon in case they needed to fight.

Once the lights were close enough, some silhouettes could be seen, these silhouettes kept walking to them until the light could was bright enough to reveal that they were a pride of Luxray, Luxio and Shinx, using Flash with the tips of their tails.

"Raaaay..." The Luxray who seemed to be leading growled at them.

"They want us to follow them." Cinderace said to Bea.

"Looks like we don't have much of a choice." Bea said.

After Bea explained, the lions led Ash and company to a near cave in the mountain where they could protect themselves from the storm until it passed, one of the female Luxio then spent a while talking with Cinderace, as she explained what they were doing in the middle of the blizzard.

''Alright, listen to this." Cinderace went to talk with Bea. "Some years ago, a Luxray died protecting a kid from a blizzard when they got lost in a forest, not far from here, since then this Luxray and his pride have guided people and Pokemon around the Crown Tundra during snowstorms to make sure that never happens again, they call themselves 'The Lux guard.'

"That's quite the story." Bea said. "Can you ask them about Calyrex?"

"I already did, Luxio told me they know where he is, give me a sec." Cinderace went to talk with the lead Luxray and got to an accord, she then went back to Bea along the Luxio she was talking to.

"This gal will guide us, the rest of the group has to keep looking for other People and Pokemon affected by the blizzard."

"Great, still, let's wait until it dies down a little." Bea looked at the snowstorm that was still going strong.

Cinderace nodded and went with Infernape and Pikachu, who were helping Peonia prepare a Campfire, Bea then looked at Ash, who was sitting next to the entrance of the cave, simply looking at the Blizzard.

"Bea, you have to talk with him." Cinderace told her.

"I know, but...what am I supposed to say?" Bea sighed and gave in, deciding to sit next to Ash, but he kept looking outside.

"Hey, Ash, uh...Cinderace says that the pack knows where Calyrex lives, so one of the Luxio will take us there."

"...That's good." Ash answered still not looking at her.

"Are you gonna ignore for the rest of the travel?" Bea asked both concerned and annoyed.

"..." Ash didn't answer, but Bea took that as a yes and she started blaming herself.

"...Am I really such a bad person?" She asked, hitting a nerve on Ash.

"Bea, listen when I say this." Ash looked at her for a brief moment. "You are not the problem."

"B-But why do things have to be like this now? Flannery confessed to you when she started to travel with us and you never acted weird around her."

"But you're not Flannery." Ash looked away again.

"Then what am I?!" Bea got up and stood in front of Ash, trying to get his attention so he would at least look at her. "I just...I just don't get it! Is all of this really because I didn't confess quickly like the others?"

"It's not that, I mean, I would have preferred if you had told me sooner, but I just...I feel stupid for not noticing earlier, you asked me to two dates, you get mad everytime I talk to a girl, you blush everytime I touch you!"

"Hey, that last bit ain't true."

Ash simply got up as well putting a hand over Bea's shoulder and looking at her. "...Hey."

"Heeeeey..." Bea obviously blushed. "That's not fair."

"What is wrong with me?" Ash asked himself sitting again.

"I guess it's my fault too, for not being honest with my feelings..."

"I'm sorry, I know I've been acting like an idiot, but...I really don't know what to tell you, I don't wanna end up hurting you...I don't wanna lose you and what we have."

"I don't wanna lose you either, but that may be the reason why I want to be something more with you, to try and don't ever lose what we have." Bea then squatted in front of Ash and held his hands together as an idea ran on her head. "...Could you take off those gloves for a moment?"

Ash didn't understand, but he did what she asked anyway, Bea sat next to Ash again and took off her gloves too, she then took one of his hands, interlocking their fingers as she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Ash asked.

"Your hand..."

"What's wrong with my hand?"

"It's...so warm..." Bea smiled with a blush as she held him tighter. "I love holding hands with you, I've always wanted to tell you this kind of things, but I could never bring myself to..."

"And what changed now?" Ash asked still not maintaining eye contact.

"I changed, I want to change...Ash, you make feel so weird, yes, I get crazy jealous sometimes, there are moments when I even forget how to speak, all of that because of you...but I like feeling all that."

"Why would you like feeling like that?"

"...Because I know you're the cause, I like feeling this way with you...I've been holding this feelings back for so long, there were times I thought it would be better to move on, but...but I won't do that, I've already made up my mind, I don't know how I'll do it, but I'm determined to win you heart! ...to think all I needed to say it was a little push...well, plenty of big pushes."

"..." Ash blushed at all those declarations, but he simply looked away again.

"Fine, you asked for it." Bea took a deep cold breath and suddenly sat on Ash's lap, taking off his cap and cupping his face, forcing him to look at her, while Bea gave him a menacing glare. "Ash Ketchum, you better stop ignoring me this instant or else."

"Or else what?" He asked. "You're gonna do a suplex on me?"

Ash closed his eyes, expecting to be hit, but Bea suddenly hugged him.

"...or else I'm gonna be really sad." She trailed off with pain on her voice.

"Bea..." Ash sighed but he hugged her too.

"I already told you I'm not giving up on us, so neither should you." Bea cupped his face again and lowered it, giving him a kiss on his forehead that caused them both to blush, Bea then looked down at him. "Heh...Flannery was right, it's really easy to get you embarrassed." Bea giggled as she gave him another kiss on his forehead and then another hug.

"...Are you, uh..." Ash did his best to process the situation. "Going to stay there?" He asked after a minute or so.

"Gotta keep the body heat." Bea simply answered. "I like hugging you too, you're kinda soft but you're a bit firm too...I'm just sounding stupid, aren't I?"

"Maybe just a little bit." Ash replied finally letting out a small laugh much to Bea's satisfaction.

"...Whatever those two have going on." Peonia looked at the scene from afar as their Pokemon smiled.

After roughly 15 minutes, the blizzard finally died down, the trio now lead by the Luxio kept making the way though the mountain, after a few minutes of walking, Bea got closer to Ash and took a hold of one of his hands, both were wearing gloves again, but their hands were still somewhat warm, Ash quickly reacted at this, but he pulled his hand away from Bea.

"Ash?" Bea called him surprised by the movement.

"I...s-sorry" Ash looked at her for a brief moment and simply kept walking forward, leaving her behind.

"I-I...I thought we had-"

"Bea, I already told you I don't-"

"Why won't you- Why won't you stop ignoring me?!" Bea finally shouted.

"I'm not doing that!" Ash shouted back.

"Yes, you are! Nessa and Flannery spent day after day pretty much harassing and you didn't mind it at all, but when I try to get closer to you, you don't let me!"

"Y-You don't have to do this..."

"Yes, I do! I'm just...I'm just trying to get you to see me the same way I see you! Is that really a bad thing?"

"Bea, this is not about-"

"I just want you to fall in love with me too!"

"But I don't want to!"

"...what?"

"...I don't want to fall in love with you, Bea." Ash said under his breath, but Bea heard him clearly.

"Wow, that escalated way too quickly." Cinderace commented from her side.

"Guys, stop screaming." Peonia tried to say quietly. "You're gonna cause an avalanche."

"Shut up, Peonia!" Ash shouted at her. "That only happens in movies! There's not going to be an avalanche here!"

Meanwhile in the upper part of the mountain.

"Hey, Keldeo, wanna see me make an avalanche just by jumping?"

"That sounds super cool, Terrakion."

"Then look at this!"

Peonia suddenly heard a rumble and the mountain started to shake slightly. "Uh, guys?"

Ash suddenly realized what he just said. "S-Sorry! Bea, I-"

"Why not?" She interrupted. "...Why not me?" Bea asked between tears.

"G-Guys?"

"Y-You said I wasn't the problem!" Bea continued to shout.

"And you're not!"

"Well, that's one way of telling me!"

"GUYS!" Peonia shouted looking up at the avalanche.

"If you like Nessa so much then go and f-"

"This is not about comparing you with Nessa!"

"Of cooooourse! But you had no trouble at all whenever she tried to get in your pants!"

"At least Nessa was honest with me since the beginning!" This words caused Bea to back down a little. "Flannery told me right away! Jasmine told me right away! And then there's you waiting a whole month! If you had just told me when you started feeling like that, maybe you and I would already be-"

"TRUUUUUUUUM!" Peonia's Tyrantrum was called out and roared trying to drag attention.

"WHAT?!" Both Ash and Bea shouted noticing the avalanche that was running down the mountain at them.

"Just what is your problem?!" Peonia exclaimed desperately.

"Peonia, return your Pokemon and get behind me!" Ash shouted as he stood in front of them.

"Uh, s-sure!" Having heard of Ash's adventures, Peonia simply decided to trust him and do as he told. "Bea, come on!" Peonia drag the girl who was standing motionless until she was behind Ash.

"Shield ex Machina, don't fail me now." Once the two girls were behind him, Ash bumped his left hand and right fist, building up energy around him, both hands then changed turns and Ash bumped them again, he then put his hands in front of them, creating a bigger shield than usual, the avalanche crashed against the shield, but Ash managed to hold on and the snow went to the sides, leaving the trio unharmed.

"There." Ash sighed relieved and the shield went down. "I'm finally getting the hang of this thing."

"Well, that was...quite unconventional." Peonia said.

"You okay, Bea?" Ash talked to her, but now she was the one who didn't want to talk, Bea started to walk down the mountain, leaving Ash and Peonia alone.

"I..." Ash hesitated a moment, but he quickly started to follow her, Peonia decided it would be the best to stay behind and don't bother them, so she sat in the snow along Luxio, Pikachu and Cinderace to wait for them.

"Bea, wait, listen, I didn't mean to say it like that." He called her but she didn't respond. "Where are you even going?"

"Why do you care?" Bea kept walking away, but Ash held her wrist. "Ash, I'm really considering that suplex you mentioned earlier."

"Bea, just what do you want from me?"

"I just want a chance..." Bea looked at him as she did her best to dry off her tears. "I know I waited for too long, but I...I really love you and seeing you ignore me like this, it hurts a lot...you said that whatever happened we were going to be together, why is this different?"

Seeing her crying like that was really a breaking point for Ash. "...Bea, I'm not worth all of this."

"Yes, you are." She answered firmly. "The fact that you don't to recognize it just proves it...Ash...why don't you want to fall in love with me?"

"...I think I already did." Ash admitted with a blush while Bea gave him a confused look.

"Y-You did? Then why are you-"

"Bea...since we met you've been the best friend I could ask for and I was really happy with just that, but since you confessed I've been feeling weird, I'm seeing you with different eyes, you are suddenly one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met, you're confident, strong, protective, funny, a bit stubborn, I could keep going all day, you are everything I could as for in a girl." The two blushed as Ash continued. "I look back at all those things we've done and I just...the thought of it makes me both excited and embarrassed, I'm suddenly seeing all those things as if we were acting like a couple and not just friends...the point is that, I think I like you too, but...but that's exactly the problem, the way I'm starting to feel with you is exactly how I felt with Nessa back when she told me all that in Hulbury, and the more I think about Flannery and Jasmine, their confessions and all they did, the more I feel like that too, that's the reason...I'm not even sure if this is truly love, but if I actually fell in love with you and I'm still feeling the same way with the other girls, then that means I fell in love with them too and...Bea, if that's the case, I really don't know what I'll do, but I can't just act like they don't exist."

"It sounds better than acting like I don't exist..."

"...Sorry, for some reason, I thought that ignoring you would be the best thing to do for the moment, like I told you, this is not like what happened with Flannery, We've been partners for over a month and knowing that you've liked since we started traveling together is...a bit confusing."

"You said that if I had told you back then, you and I would already be...would that have really mattered...would it have actually made a difference if I had told you earlier?"

"It would have made it...at least for me."

"Fine, that one's on me...Ash, remember when I found out you were a champion? You asked me to treat at you as my friend despite all that, not as a champion, so until you make up your mind...please, treat as your friend at least...just stop ignoring me."

"I will...sorry again." Ash gave in and Bea trapped him into a hug once more.

"So that's all this trouble about? You're thinking about the other girls too?" She asked and Ash simply nodded ashamed of himself.

"I know I'm sounding selfish, but...just like you, they all really like me and I feel like whatever I do, someone's gonna get hurt...and I'd rather have that one to be me than any of you."

"If that's how things are, then I guess I'll have to take it as a challenge."

"A challenge?"

Bea broke the hug and put her hands over Ash's shoulders to look at him firmly. "I'll have to do more than just make you fall in love with me, I'll make you fall in love so much that you won't think of any girl besides me, that way you won't have to worry, so brace yourself Ketchum, these next days will be fun." Bea once again leaned in to Ash, this time giving him a peck on his nose. "Well, they say third's the charm, right?"

"B-Bea..." Ash simply stuttered with a massive blush.

"As I told you, I'm taking this a challenge, and like any challenge, I'm hoping for a reward after all the hard work." Bea then put her index finger over Ash's lips. "This right here will do."

"Uh, I..." The more Ash blushed, the more he struggled to try and say something. "I-Is this how things are going to be from now on?"

"Yup! Now come on, we got to move, world saving nananana." Bea stood by his side and held his hand again, Ash hesitated, but she squeezed her harder this time, refusing to let go, Ash blushed even more at this, but he eventually squeezed back. "You and I?" Bea asked.

"...You and I." He finally smiled and looked at her.

"I just love that smile." Bea suddenly gave him yet another kiss, this time on his right cheek. "One for the road!" She laughed as they both blushed even more, at that point it seemed like their faces were competing to see which one of them could get redder.

"H-Hey!" Ash tried to complain but she simply kept laughing. 'This new side of Bea won't be easy to get used to.' That's what he thought, although he wasn't totally against it.

Ash and Bea went back with Peonia and Luxio kept guiding them, eventually they made it to their destination, a giant rock resting on one side of the mountain close to a cliff, the rock had a Calyrex inscription on it, along with other two inscription similar to chess knights.

"Uh, Luxio, we need the real Calyrex." Peonia said as Luxio tapped the rock and growled at it.

"Lux!" Seeing that the taps didn't do anything, Luxio started to try to push the rock.

"What's the matter, gal?" Cinderace tried to ask, but Luxio ignored her and kept pushing, the trio didn't quite understand either, but Bea finally caught the idea.

"It must be a door or something, right?" Bea asked and Luxio nodded.

"So he's on the other side." Peonia said.

"Calyrex are you there?" Ash asked getting closer to the rock.

"We come in peace!" Peonia continued.

"We just have some questions." Bea said.

"...It's about the Galarian Birds." Peonia talked again.

The rock suddenly started to glow blue as the Calyrex painting illuminated, the rock then moved to the side, revealing the entrance of a cave, where the legendary Pokemon was floating, looking at them with curiosity.

"...What do you wish?" He asked.

"I-It's another to meet you!" Peonia was the first to talk despite stuttering a bit. "I mean, an honor, my name is Peonia, these are Ash and Bea, listen, the Galarian Birds have been destroying Freezington, they said they're looking for a relic, something that you took from then, so we came to you to ask you about it."

"Something I took from them...You may come inside." Calyrex floated back inside the cave and the trio followed him, a few steps after the entrance the cave ended in a room with a shelf, a couch and nothing else, Calyrex then sat on the couch as he looked at our heroes. "You know that some human children shouldn't mess with that kind of things, right?"

"Sorry but, messing with this kind of things is is kinda like our thing." Ash told him.

"Hmmm...and what do you want with me then?"

"Well, you are the king of the Crown Tundra." Peonia said "Why don't you come on down and help us fight them?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, I'm not the king, perhaps I was someday before, but not any longer, sorry human children, I don't do that anymore, I'm retired ...mostly just tired.'' Calyrex sighed as he looked for a small book. "Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it, Four o'clock, wallow in self pity, Four thirty, stare into the abyss, Five o'clock, find the meaning of life; tell no one, Five thirty, jazz-ercise, Six thirty, dinner with me. I can't cancel that again, Seven o'clock, wrestle with my self-loathing..."

"Okay. All that taught us is that you're pathetic." Bea interrupted. "If you're not going to help, at least tell us what they're looking for."

"..." Calyrex floated up, picking a small chest from the shelf, he then showed it to Ash and co. and opened it, revealing a black and red feather. "They're looking for this, a dark silver wing."

"Is that what I think it is?" Peonia asked with a worried tone.

"I'm afraid so, this feather belonged to Shadow Lugia."

"Shadow Lugia?" Bea asked.

"Let me tell you a story, human children." Calyrex began to say. "Across the centuries, this world has seen many antagonists, but Shadow Lugia was something beyond that, he was an especially evil Pokemon, seething with dark energy, he had mysterious powers, an eerie way of getting into his enemy's mind and controlling it, but his thirst for control didn't stop there, Shadow Lugia was determined to conquer everything and everyone." Calyrex then took the feather on his arm to look at it. "We don't know where he came from, we only know that he is... different. He creates strange things to serve him."

"Things like the Galarian Birds?" Bea asked and Calyrex nodded.

"The Galarian birds used to be normal Kanto birds that inhabited the Crown Tundra, they were kind of generals to me, they helped keep the peace. Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres tried to fight Shadow Lugia when he appeared, but they were quickly defeated, they did not have a strong enough willpower and ended up getting corrupted by the pull of Shadow energy, becoming slaves to Lugia ... I managed to defeat Shadow Lugia, with the help of Zarude, the Regis and the Urshifus, destroying him in the process, but we spared the birds, hoping there would be a way to return them to their normal state...but we never could, They were rotten to their core, this feather is all that's left from him and...If the birds are trying to find this wing then I'm afraid they must have found a way to revive Shadow Lugia."

"Why would you keep something like that?" Bea said. "Wouldn't it have been better to destroy that feather?"

"It's a souvenir, as you might call it...my only memory of who I used to be... people forgot about me...nowadays, they treat me as a simple fairy tale...and if I'm not real to them...am I real at all?"

"Maybe if you return, people will remember who you are." Peonia said. "You never wondered how it would be like if you went back?"

"No, I never did, and to explain you why, I think I should tell you my own story, human child." Calyrex took a small pause. "I used to rule the world...Seas would rise when I gave the world, now in the morning I sleep alone...swe-"

"Please, don't tell me you're going to sing." Bea interrupted him.

"Leave my house, would you?"

"This isn't even a house, it's a hole in a wall."

Ash's Rotom Phone suddenly ringed and he accepted the call.

"Mr. Ketchum, you guys hear me?"

"Danika, we found Calyrex, it seems like he won't help us, but he has what the birds are looking for."

"That's a serious problem!" Danika exclaimed. "We saw Articuno flying on direction to the mountain!"

"What?"

"Of course! It all makes sense!" Articuno suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave, Calyrex quickly reacted and tried to close the door with his Psychic powers, but Articuno kept it open with his own. "The one place I'd never think to look! You had it the whole time! I must thank you, humans, you helped me find him, and to think I actually considered you a threat!"

Articuno flapped his wings furiously creating a wild gust that took the feather away from Calyrex and close to him as he held it with his Psychic powers.

"Enough, Articuno!" Bea called him with various Poke Ball on hand. "You can't defeat all of us!"

"Oh, but I don't have to, darling." Articuno's eyes glowed with a pink light and bright rings came out of them putting everyone in the cave in a drowsy state.

Everyone was starting to fall sleep, but Luxio held on and roared using a Electric Terrain to wake everyone up.

"LUX!" Luxio jumped and tried to attack Articuno with an Iron Tail but the latter created various copies of himself, Luxio hit one of the fake ones and this gave Articuno time to fly away from the mountain as he summoned another Blizzard to cover his tracks.

"What do we do now?!" Peonia exclaimed seeing Articuno disappear in the distance.

"We have to get out of here and stop whatever he's planning!" Ash said.

"It'll take us hours to go down the mountain!" Peonia continued. "And we can't go flying, the blizzard is too strong!"

"Ash, your shield!" Bea said. "You think we can use it as a sled?"

"That could work." Ash put his hands on the floor and summoned a slightly bigger shield, Pikachu then jumped in. "Hang on!"

"Luxio?" Bea asked at the Pokemon seeing it was hesitating. "What? Scared of the sled? If that's the case, seeing how you became so close to Cinderace...Luxio, would you like to come with me?" Bea offered the lion a Great Ball, but she quickly shook hed head.

"Are you sure, gal?" Cinderace asked her. "Bea's a great trainer, she's very caring."

"Luxio lux..."

"I see..." Cinderace said.

"What's wrong?" Be a asked.

"Xio..."

"She says that she must stay here." Cinderace explained. "This is the place where she belongs, keeping guard in the mountains, she can't go with us." Cinderace then petted the lion's head. "I would have liked it to have another girl in the group, but well, take care gal."

"Alright..." Bea sighed with a bit of sadness. "Take care and thanks for helping us out."

"...Been there." Ash said to Bea as she hopped onto the sled as well. "It's always hard to let them go."

"Calyrex, you have to come with us!" Peonia looked back at the Legendary who was simply looking at the insides of the cave.

"...There's nothing I can do, human children." Calyrex simply started to float back to his liar. "This world doesn't need me anymore."

"Peonia, come on!" Bea called her. "We're running out of time."

"If it serves of anything..." Peonia walked to the legendary again. "I've always believed in you."

"...It doesn't matter." Calyrex answered. "It's been a long time since I've believed in anything, begone, children." Calyrex raised his hand and the rock started to roll back to block the entrance of the cave. "I have nothing for you."

"..." Peonia then sighed and jumped into the sled.

"Well, this could go quite epic or horribly wrong." Ash said.

"It'll be fine, you can do it." Bea said.

"Let's try this." Ash took the front part of the shield with his hands as it started to go down, picking up speed as Pikachu and the two girls held onto Ash and the sled drove down the mountain.

"Hey, it's working!" Ash said in a rush of adrenaline.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Bea asked.

"...Rotom, call Danika." Ash said.

"On it." The phone answered still on his pocket.

"What happened Mr. Ketchum? You guys, okay?" Danika asked once she accepted the call.

"Articuno's got a wing that could help him revive Shadow Lugia." Ash explained. "Can you see where he's going?"

"Yes, I finally got to create a stable sign for the birds, give me a sec." Danika then used her tablet and traced Articuno's signal. "I got it, Articuno seems to be heading to the Crown Shrine, it looks like Moltres and Zapdos are there too, we're pretty close, we'll be in the way."

"We'll go there too, thanks." Ash said as the call was cut. "Crown Shrine, Peonia, you know where that is?"

"Of course, we have to go to the left." Peonia said.

"Then hang on!" Ash said out loud.

"Look out!" Bea shouted.

"Uh?"

"Oh, hello chosen one!" Regidrago greeted them as the sled crashed onto him and stopped flat, not damaging him at all, although Ash, Bea and Peonia were sent flying a few meters in the snow. "Nice to meet you again." The Dragon said as they recovered from the fall. "Seems like you took in consideration coming to the Crown Tundra after all."

"Uh, Regidrago, what are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"I just like taking strolls." Regidrago raised his shoulders. "Isn't this mountain a bit high for sledding though?"

"We're not here for that." Bea told him. "The birds are trying to revive Shadow Lugia, we came looking for Calyrex but he's not gonna help us."

"Is that so? Then I shall assist you again."

"That's great, we're heading to the Crown Shrine." Ash explained.

"I will find Regieleki and we'll meet you there, take care, chosen one."

Regidrago left the place as Peonia noticed they were quite close to the shrine. "Come on people, we'll end the track by foot!" Peonia started to run as Bea and Ash followed her.

"It's time, brothers." Articuno met with Zapdos and Moltres and showed them the wing as he flew inside the shrine, the birds then stopped in front of a pedestal and Articuno placed the feather on it, the pedestal started to power up as various red lines appeared on it and the feather started to shine.

"That's enough, you flockers!" Peonia shouted as she entered the shrine and stood in front of the birds along Ash and Bea.

"You're just too stubborn, aren't you?" Articuno scoffed looking back at them.

"We defeated those two already." Bea said while Ash and her released their whole teams. "Adding you to beat up mix shouldn't be a trouble."

"That's where you're wrong, kiddo." Articuno used a Freezing Glare and he powered up the feather, as it absorbed the Psychic energy and then began to shake, absorbing energy around it.

"This is it..." Articuno smiled. "The day of unity, my brothers, join me!"

Zapdos and Moltres attacked with Fiery Wrath and Thunderous Kick, both moves were absorbed by the feather as three dark whips came out of it and these wrapped around the birds, surrounding them in a burst of dark energy. "All this power!" Articuno laughed maniacally. "All this power with just a minimum fragment! HAHAHAHAHA!" A dark implosion succeeded by a explosion then occured as Articuno's laughs still filled the place, a single silhouette standing now where the three birds were.

"I AM COMPLETE!"

"Fuuuuuu-uuuuuck!" Cinderace sang.

"Language!" Gallade scoffed at her.

"They...fused." Peonia trailed off, terrified at the sight, Articuno's body and face remained mostly the same, but now he had four wings, two of his own, plus two more on his back, one of Moltres' at the left and one of Zapdos' in the right, on top of that, Zapdos and Moltres' heads were on Articuno's shoulders motionless with blank eyes as the Psychic just kept laughing, the three whips of dark energy were still coming from the feather, now wrapping around the fusion.

"I'm in control..." Articuno trailed off. "We are...ARTICUNO X 3!" The fusion raised his wings menacingly but he quickly lowered them. "...no, wait, that doesn't good, uh...Zapmolcuno! ...meh, sounds like some weird perfume... how about...THUFIZER! ...yeah, Thufizer, that'll do."

Somewhere else in the Crown Tundra

"I sense trouble!"

"Cobalion, calm down, we're here for vacation, nothing's going to happen."

"I am calm, Virizion, look I got this fancy scarf and everything."

"Yeah, sure, just chill out, I'm trying to get a freeze tan."

"Pfft, if I was more chill, I'd be literally frozen... Cobalion mission log #03071844, Rock and Water are out for a stroll and exploration, Grass is lowering her guard while I'm the only member of the team willing to step up and fight if needed."

"Cobalion..."

"I told you I'm calm!"

"What in the-"

"Now you see?" The fusion asked, Articuno's voice being the one to talk, showing how he was the one in control. "We do not intend to revive Shadow Lugia, he has told us that's not possible, but we can still use the powers contained within this feather, we can still fulfill his dream, the dream of watching this world burn!"

Thufizer set itself free from the whips as the dark feather stood in the pedestal, pulsing with red energy, the fusion then screeched as a dark cloud covered the sky, hail, flames and lightning started to fall down all over.

"Once we absorb the full power of this feather, your breed and every other meaningless bug in this world will drown in blood under our feet!" Thufizer screeched again shooting a Thunder at our heroes.

"Not in our watch!"

Regidrago shouted as he entered the scene along his twin, Regieleki then jumped Infront of the Thunder absorbing the electricity.

"That's some nice energy!" Regieleki laughed. "Have it back at ya!" The transistor Pokemon then expelled a giant lightning at the fusion but this was absorbed by it, thanks to Zapdos being part of it. "You think you can play my game? Taste the thunder, motherclucker!" Regieleki intensified the power of the lightning, but he was doing nothing at all, as Thufizer kept absorbing the electricity, the electric type then tried to stop attacking, but the fusion kept stealing his energy. "What... what's going-" Regieleki then bumped into the ground fainted as it reserves of energy were fully drained by Thufizer.

"...Well, shit." Regidrago then used Dragon Dance and roared trying to hit Thufizer with an Outrage, Despite a successful hit that knocked down the fusion, Regidrago was quickly overthrown by a combination of Fiery wrath and Freezing Glare.

"Guys! We're..." Danika, Quillon and Peony made it to the Crown Shrine only to stop flat at the sight of Thufizer. "What the hell is that?!"

"Oh, this? This is just the pinnacle of perfection!" Thufizer boasted in his own glory.

While all this happened, Peonia noticed the feather was surging with energy, she ran at it and took it out of the pedestal as it powered down and Thufizer could feel how his powers weakened.

"He can only use his powers while the feather is on the pedestal?" Peonia asked herself.

"Correct." Thufizer talked to her. "But this is just until we can fully absorb it, unfortunately, we need to get rid of you and the other nuisances to have time to do it, until then our own powers will suffice." Thufizer suddenly aimed at Peonia with a Fiery Wrath.

"Gallade, Shadow Sneak!" Gallade turned into a shadow and jumped Infront of Peonia, he then returned to his normal form and blocked the hit to protect her, his ability Justified was activated but the Fiery Wrath kept going and he was about to be overwhelmed by the attack.

"Gar!" Seeing this, Ash's Lucario jumped to help him, receiving the attack too.

"Lucario, Wait!" Ash was about to call out, but Lucario was surrounded by an orange aura just like Gallade.

"Lucario has Justified too?" Bea asked.

"Would you look at that..." Gallade trailed off.

"Looks like you still have some things to teach me." Lucario smiled at him.

"Aura Sphere!" Ash and Bea shouted together and the two Pokemon combined their moves attacking in unison and giving time for Peonia to run away with the feather.

"Peonia, keep that feather away!" Quillon said with Poke Balls on hand. "Alright everyone, release your full teams! We'll take him out together!"

"Not so fast!" Thufizer suddenly raised Peony, Quillon and Danika with his psychic powers and pulled them closer to him. "You all have really screwed me up since you put your feet in my land, but it ends now!" Thufizer then rose them up until they were at the same height of the sacred sapling. "Put the feather back in the pedestal or else..."

"Dad!" Peonia shouted as she topped her run.

"I'm ok, Nia!" Peony shouted. "Don't listen to this bully! I'll be fine!"

"Dude, he's holding us over the highest tree in Galar, I really don't think so!" Danika exclaimed.

"I always knew it would end like this." Quillon simply sighed.

"Of course, you can always try to catch them before they hit the ground, but are you really willing to take the bet?" Thufizer looked down at Peonia.

"Ok! Fine!" Peonia ran back to the pedestal and put the feather back into it as it powered up again and energy surged on Thufizer, Peonia then looked back at Ash and Bea. "I'm sorry, guys."

"Now that's better." The fusion laughed.

"Ok, psycho, I did what you asked!" Peonia shouted. "Now put them down!"

"Willing to put a whole word in the verge of destruction for three mere humans?" Thufizer laughed again. "That's the thing with friends and family, isn't it? The more you love them, the more it hurts when they leave, my brothers however, never were much of the matter to me, as you can see, I had no problem getting rid of them when the situation demanded it."

"I don't care about your family trauma shit!" Peonia shouted again. "Let my father go!"

"Hey, we're here too!" Danika shouted.

"...Very poor choice of words." And like Peonia asked, Thufizer stopped using his psychic powers and let the three fall down.

"Peony!"

"DAD!"

"Why does nobody cares about us?!" Danika exclaimed as her partner remained calm. "Quillon, why aren't you screaming?!"

"I find it doesn't help, just hurts the larynx." He answered arms crossed.

"I LOVE MY DAUGHTER!" Peony shouted mid fall.

"ENOUGH!" A voice echoed from afar as the falls were stopped by green psychic energy. "This nightmare has lasted too long, Articuno!" Calyrex shouted as he entered the scene.

"Pathetic." Thufizer raised his wing and charged a Psycho Cut, but all of Ash's and Bea's Pokemon attacked at him together, giving Calyrex time to put Peony, Danika and Quillon down safely.

'Ash, Bea, can you hear me?' Calyrex called them with telepathy.

'Calyrex?'

'What are you gonna do?'

'Listen, I'll try to delay him, but I can't win, not in my current state, you two have to find my steeds, take this.' Calyrex tossed two small seeds, each to one of them. 'Ash, go to the Snowslide Slope, Bea to the Old Cemetery and plant those seeds there.'

'And what do we do then?' Bea asked.

'You'll find out.' Calyrex answered. 'Now go!'

Ash and Bea looked at each other and nodded, returning their Pokemon and going on their separate ways, Calyrex then looked at Peonia.

"You came back?" She asked.

"...Your name was Peonia, right?"

"Yes, Lord Calyrex." She answered with respect.

"No, I am merely Calyrex now...I need your help too, you say you still believe in me?"

"...I do." Peonia assured with a nod.

"You know what this is?" Calyrex offered her something similar to blue flowers.

"Radiant petals?" Peonia asked as she recognized them. "Wait, are you trying to-!"

"Indeed." Calyrex nodded.

"I'll do my best." Peonia took the petals and then helped her father to get up, she then released an Aerodactyl and as both escaped on it, Danika and Quillon then stood next to Calyrex.

"I suggest you to take cover." The legendary said at the two chasers.

"That thing has caused way too much trouble." Danika replied.

"We're not going to leave." Quillon added.

"We can't win this battle, I'm just trying to buy Ash, Bea and Peonia a few minutes."

"Then we'll help you double that time." They said together and looked at each other with a smile.

"...As you wish." Calyrex nodded and then floated up, stopping once he was a few meters away from Thufizer. "Articuno, you have to stop this, you know very well what Shadow Lugia's powers are capable of doing."

"Of course, and you know very well why I can't stop this." The fusion laughed. "In Lugia we saw me our messiah, one to free us from censure and morals, we were his flock, but now? WE are the flock and wherever we go, people will know death is coming for them, death with my face on it!"

"Moltres, Zapdos, you're somewhere there! Don't you see? Articuno is using you as tools! How can you allow this?"

"War..." Zapdos' voice was heard. "War is the only constant, with Lugia's powers, we will conquer all who oppose us... starting with you!"

"Think about all the destruction that Lugia brought back then!" Moltres' voice continued. "Imagine what we'll do with such power! Get out of our way! We must get Lugia's darkness!"

"Just a few minutes." Articuno took control again as he created a psychic barrier around the feather. "In a few minutes we'll fully absorb the powers of the wing and there will be no one to stop us, everyone and everything you know will be gone!"

"Ash, Bea, Peonia, please be quick, the destiny of the world is in your hands...I should stop trusting kids with this kind of things."

"Snowslide slope..." Ash quickly found the place with the help of his Rotom Phone and now he was entering it along Pikachu.

Just like Calyrex told him, Ash planted the seed in a random spot of the snowy field, the seed quickly shone with a white light and turned into an icy carrot, Ash was confused at first but he pulled it out to look at it.

"What is..." A strong neigh interrupted Ash as he looked back to find a white horse-like Pokemon walking slowly at him, Ash looked at the carrot once more and carefully put it on the ground, taking a few steps back, the Pokemon then stepped forward and lowered his head to eat the carrot, he then raised his head looking at Ash expectantly, the Pokemon broke the silence and neighed and he rose his hooves and stomped the ground with force, summoning various icicle spears that rose from the ground surrounding Ash and him in a circle, the horse then neighed again preparing for battle.

"Pikachu?" Ash called his partner who simply hopped off from his shoulder and he pulled out his Rotom Phone to scan the equine. 'Glastrier, the wild horse Pokemon, it emits intense cold from its hooves, and the mask of ice covering its face is 100 times harder than diamond.'

"Let's go, Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped and landed the move cleanly on the horse's face but he didn't even cause a scratch.

"Harder than diamonds, uh?" Ash asked.

Glastrier then pressed the ground with his hooves, turning the snow into an ice landscape.

Pikachu jumped to not get frozen too, he almost slipped on the ice, but he managed to stay up as he calmed himself.

"It's just an ice field, Pikachu." Ash said. "Nothing we haven't done before."

Using the now frozen zone, Glastrier could slide along and move a lot faster, but Pikachu still had the upper hand in speed, the mouse jumped with another Iron Tail, this time aiming at Glastrier's side and a managing to do some damage, Glastrier then neighed shooting an Ice Beam at Pikachu, but he quickly jumped to avoid it.

"Use Surf!" Pikachu jumped and summoned the wave, but Glastrier quickly froze it stiff, just what Ash and him were expecting. "Now Iron Tail!" Pikachu landed with his tail, breaking the frozen wave and the batting the fragments as projectile at Glastrier.

"Use Knock Off!" Pikachu's hand was surrounded by black sparks as he jumped and tried to punch Glastrier, but the latter quickly reacted and used Double Kick to counter and sent Pikachu back at Ash.

Glastrier neighed again, four long Ice Crystals rose around of him and then shoot themselves at Pikachu, hitting him clean, Glastrier then rushed towards him as his body was surrounded by an orange aura and slammed onto Pikachu.

"Thunderbolt!" Pikachu did as told and Glastrier tried to counter with an Ice Beam, but he was ultimately out powered by the electric move. "Iron Tail!" One more time the move aimed at Glastrier's face, doing nothing at all.

"Still not a scratch, those are some real defenses..." Ash thought for a moment until he remembered something. "Let's try something Pikachu, start storing electricity in your tail but don't let it go unless I tell you, got it?"

"Ka!" Pikachu nodded as jolts of energy started to focus on his tail.

"..." Glastrier raised his head as various snowflakes fell from the sky, the snowflakes suddenly stopped midair as they bent into arrowhead shapes and pointed at Pikachu.

"That doesn't look good..."

Glastrier neighed again as the snow arrows shoot themselves at Pikachu, the latter managed to dodge, but the arrows kept going to Ash, he ducked avoiding most, but one of the arrows left a small cut on his right arm as he let out a brief groan of pain.

"Pika?!" The rodent looked back at him worried.

"I'm okay!" Ash simply put some pressure over the cut. "It was a small one, let's keep going, Surf!" This time Glastrier didn't have enough time as he was washed away by the wave, he quickly stood up attacking with Ice Beam, but Pikachu jumped forward punching him with a Knock Off.

Glastrier then raised his head again as the snowflakes started falling.

"Here it goes again! Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped with the move around, destroying all the snow arrows and aiming at Glastrier, however, the equine managed to move just in time to catch Pikachu's tail with a Crunch, but the electricity stored on it discharged slightly on him causing Glastrier to release Pikachu from his grasp as he was paralyzed for a moment.

"Let's do it, Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped charging the move and Ash finally gave the order before he fell down. "Unleash all that energy, Shocking Tail!" At the moment Pikachu slammed his tail onto Glastrier, he released all the electricity contained on it with the single blow, creating a massive electric explosion, Pikachu jumped out of the smoke, Ash and him then heard a strong thud on the ground as Glastrier fell defeated and the ice spears that confined them disappeared.

Ash quickly went with the Pokemon and gave him a revive and a full restore, after what happened In that cave in Sinnoh, Bea and him make sure to always carry enough medicine, Glastrier quickly regained conscious and stood up as he looked at Ash.

"You okay?" Ash asked and the horse nodded at him. "Great, listen, Calyrex needs your help, can you come with us?"

Glastrier nodded again and lowered himself, Ash understood the message and hopped on his back, Glastrier neighed one more time and took off as Ash and Pikachu held tightly.

"This is the Old Cemetery." Somewhere not far and much like Ash, Bea and Cinderace used her Rotom Phone to locate the place, quickly finding the graveyard, Bea then planted the seed, a purple carrot taking its place, the moment Bea took it out of the ground, she heard a neigh and spotted a purple horse walking at her, Bea tossed the carrot at him and the horse ate it, looking at her after it did.

Various wisps suddenly emerged from the equine and surrounded them in a circle as the Pokemon neighed.

"What do you say, Cinderace?"

"Let's do this." Cinderace stood in front of Bea as the latter scanned the Pokemon with her Rotom Phone.

'Spectrier, the shift horse Pokemon, it probes its surroundings with all its senses save one—it doesn't use its sense of sight. Spectrier's kicks are said to separate soul from body.'

"Any tips?" Cinderace asked.

"Yes, don't let him kick you." Bea replied.

"OH, you THINK?!" The rabbit asked again with a sarcastic tone. "You think that's a good idea, little Bea?"

"Yes, that's why I'm telling you."

"I mean, I was gonna stay here and let him kick me, but since you gave me the go ahead, I'll start to respect the fact that THAT THING IS A LEGENDARY POKEMON AND IT MIGHT NOT BE SAFE TO TAKE A HIT FROM IT!"

"Holy Miltank, what is your deal?"

"Now let's do this!"

"Gunk Shot!" Before Cinderace could even charge the attack, Spectrier quickly shifted away, moving so fast that it looked like he teleported.

"What the-" Cinderace tried to react, but Spectrier appeared behind her and shot a Shadow Ball directly to her face.

Spectrier's mane then started to glow white, the legendary Pokemon then swayed its hair around, using Swift to shot various white stars from it.

"Use High Jump Kick to break them!"

"On it!" Cinderace did as told and broke the stars with various quick kicks, but Spectrier shoot a Dark Pulse and knocked her down while she was distracted breaking the projectiles.

Spectrier then dashed around Cinderace, quickly changing spots in the blink of eye while the fire starter was doing her best to see where it would come from.

"He's too fast!"

Spectrier then jumped above Cinderace and his hooves were surrounded by light as he tried to stomp her, the rabbit managed to move away in time, but the stomp broke the ground beneath, shooting various splinters at Cinderace and knocking her to the ground again.

"This won't do..." Bea thought for a moment. "Let's try something." Bea quickly took her backpack, taking out the TR Case and finding the one she was looking for. "Cinderace, catch this!"

"Shadow Ball?" Cinderace looked at the move after catching it. "We've never tried a Ghost move before."

"Then let's see what happens."

"Alright, Gokai change!" Cinderace shouted putting the disc Infront of her.

"The what?"

"I'm just trying to spice this up...how about?...Libero Change!" As always Cinderace and the disc were surrounded by light and once the light disappeared the disc did as well. "Meh, it sounded better on my head...I'm going ghost!" Cinderace's eyes turned purple, she then put her hands together and formed the Shadow Ball between them, Cinderace then tossed the Shadow Ball to the skies and jumped kicking it to Spectrier and landing a clean hit.

"That's a taste of your own medicine! Ha!"

"C-Cinderace..."

"What?" Cinderace noticed she didn't fall after the jump, she looked around and then down, finally realizing she was floating in the air like the typical ghost. "What the- I can fly!"

"You can fly?!"

"Dude! I'm so gonna use this type now, look at this!" Cinderace then made quick succession of poses while still in the air. "Do-do-do-do-do-do-do, she's a phantom!"

While Cinderace was distracted, Spectrier had time to recover and take her down with a Dark Pulse.

"Shadow Ball Again!"

"At your service!" Cinderace tossed the ball to the air and the headbutted it to Spectrier, hitting clean once more.

Spectrier then neighed and stomped the battlefield, shooting various splinters at Cinderace, who trespassed the ground and then rose up again landing an uppercut on Spectrier. "Dude, Ghost types are so broken."

"Alright, let's try another one!" Bea took out a black TR from the case.

"What?! But this is so cool!" Cinderace complained.

"Work with me here!" Bea tossed the disc.

"Ugh, fine!" Cinderace absorbed the move nonetheless. "Sucker Punch?! Are you serious?! Out of all the things-"

"Just do it!" Bea shut her off, Cinderace sighed but performed the move quickly dashing at Spectrier and punching him.

"Pyro Ball!" Cinderace made the move with a bicycle kick, Spectrier tried to counter with Swift but the ball easily broke through the stars.

"Hey, that gives me an idea." Cinderace tossed a Pyro Ball to the skies, she then created a Shadow Ball and let the Pyro Ball fall onto it as both moves combined. "Taste the Breath of Ugin, bitch!" Cinderace kicked the ball with all her might, leaving a trail of ghostly fire on the ground and exploding the move onto Spectrier who quickly fell defeated on the ground. "Princess Luna is down!" Cinderace laughed.

Just like Ash, Bea aided the Pokemon with a Revive and a Full Restore, Spectrier got up and looked at her as well.

"Looks like Calyrex wanted us to find you, you have to come with us." Spectrier nodded and lowered himself, Bea and Cinderace hopped on his back and the horse then took off onward the Crown Shrine.

Meanwhile in Freezington, Peonia had just bursted into the door of her house as she dragged her father along her.

"Nia, wait, why did you even bring me here? I could have helped Tsurugi and Asahi."

"I brought because I need your help, Dad."

"You...you do?" Peony asked between tears. "You need Papa's help."

"Look, I know we haven't been that close lately, but I'm growing, you don't have to watch over me as you did before, I'll start to take care of myself...but, even so, you're still my father, I will always need your help, and now Dad, I really need it."

"...I'll do anything you need, Nia." Peony hold his tears and smiled at her.

"Great, where is the mortar?"

"Uh, what?"

"The mortar, I need you to bring it."

"...That's why you brought me here?" Peony asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I haven't been in the house in a while and you're always moving things around."

"Sigh...I'll go get it." Peony then walked upstairs.

"Let's get into it." Peonia took an old story book and a box of Paracord she had in her backpack to the living room, following the instructions of the book, she took various white strands, cutting them and then arranging them side to side in four groups, Peonia then released her Aerodactyl, ordering him to use Incinerate to heat-seal one of the ends together, Peonia then braided the strands and Aerodactyl burned the other end, this process was repeated until Peonia had four white reins and Peony still hadn't come back. "Dad! Just where is the mortar?!"

"I'm going! I'm going!" Peony finally walked back in the room with the mortar on his hand. "Geez, you were right, I totally lost track of this thing."

Peonia took the mortar in her hands and put the radiant petals on it, smashing them with the peddle until they turned into a blue powder, Peonia then released a Tirtouga and commanded it to use Water Pulse on a vase, she then mixed the water with the powder and put the four reins inside of the mix, an intense blue light came out it and Peonia then took them out, the reins were now deep blue and emitted a warm light.

"I made them!" Peonia exclaimed thrilled. "I made the reins of unity!"

"Ho boy, it's like a perfect sandwich!" Peony laughed. "Congrats Nia, now you're part of the legends, aren't you?"

"It's time to take back the Tundra!" Peonia shouted raising the reins over her head as she ran outside the house with Aerodactyl and flew away on top of him, leaving Peony there.

"Nia! Wait, you left me here!"

"Uh, Peony, what is all this ruckus about?" A man asked as he approached the house.

"Curly!" Peony greeted him.

"I told you not to call me that!"

Back in the Crown Shrine, Danika and Quillon were doing their best to help Calyrex contain the fusion, but they haven't done much, the chasers ordered their Zangoose and Seviper to help Calyrex, Sawk and Throh distract Thufizer, while they used his Heatmor and her Durant to try and break the barrier surrounding the feather, something which was ultimately done by Durant's X-Scissor, sick of this tug of war, Thufizer caused hail, thunders and flames to fall from the sky, successfully taking down all the Pokemon but Calyrex.

"Enough of this foolishness!" Thufizer placed the feather back into the podium summoning another psychic shield. "Our triumph is at hand! And now, behold, the destruction of the entire Crown-" Thufizer was suddenly interrupted by a combination of Ice Beam and Shadow Ball as the horses appeared in the scene with Bea and Ash on their backs, the two walked until they were infront of Calyrex and neighed.

"It's nice to see you two again..." Calyrex smiled at the horses as Ash and Bea hopped off them.

"Calyrex!" Peonia called from above with her Aerodactyl, her Pokemon then landed and she presented the reins to the Legendary. "How are they?"

"Better than I could have imagined." Calyrex answered.

"You don't get it?! I've won! It's over!" Thufizer exclaimed after quickly recovering from the hit. "You pathetic pests! You don't matter! And in a few seconds you won't even be matter! Do you really think we'll just stand there while you-?"

Ash's Weavile suddenly slashed the psychic shield and Ash's Zigzagoon took the feather from the podium causing the fusion to power down.

"YOU FLEA!" Articuno shouted as be attacked Zigzagoon with a Freezing Glare, but Weavile stood in the way, blocking the hit and giving time Zigzagoon time to escape, Bea's Rufflet then took the raccoon with his claws and flew him to Chesnaught who protected them with a Spiky shield, sealing the feather away from Thufizer.

"NO!" Thufizer tried to approached them, but Ash and Bea stood in front of them along the rest of their Pokemon.

"Calyrex! Peonia!" Ash shouted. "We'll slow him down, do what you need!"

"Now it's the time." Calyrex nodded at Peonia with a smile and then looked at his steeds. "You two know what to do."

Spectrier and Glastrier lowered their heads to let Peonia put the reins on them, Calyrex then took the ends, a purple icy chariot started to form behind the horses as Calyrex stood on it. "No time to think, got to keep moving on." Calyrex trailed off as the chariot kept forming. "Just can't stop, until we're done...now there's time in our hands, maybe there's hope for these lands...so let's bring back the rising sun...Keep on driving until we've won..."

Once the chariot was complete, Calyrex simply looked firmly at Thufizer and then at Ash and co.

"Stand aside, human children." Calyrex said and Ash's and Bea's Pokemon stopped attacking Thufizer. "You've done too much already, this fight is my duty." Calyrex pulled the reins as some of the ice on its wheels broke, the chariot started to gain speed and now it was heading towards Thufizer. "...Let's play."

"This?! This is you last resort?!" Thufizer exclaimed. "A carriage?!"

"You'll find out is more than enough." Calyrex smiled.

Thufizer screeched and then attacked with a Shadow Ball trying to stop them, But Spectrier and Glastrier attacked together with a combination of Ice Beam and Dark Pulse that kept going and exploded onto the fusion.

Calyrex then raised one of his hands as an icy spear formed on it, he then tossed the spear at Thufizer who barely had time to stop it with a Freezing Glare, Calyrex then rose his other hand, several purple orbs fired at Thufizer, the latter tried to counter with Psycho Cuts but Calyrex's move ultimately beat him, leaving the bird on the ground.

"Single Column! Single Column!" Calyrex shouted as two giant ice walls surrounded Thufizer, the walls then closed onto the fusion and he flew up to avoid them, but his tail was caught in between.

Calyrex then formed his spear again and tossed it to Thufizer, who barely had time to set himself free by slicing the ice wall with Psycho Cuts and avoiding the move.

Thufizer then tried to land an Sky Attack, Calyrex's eyes suddenly illuminated with a green light, summoning a Leaf Storm that stopped the enemy move and knocked the fusion from the skies, Glastrier and Spectrier combined Dark Pulse and Ice Beam one more time, momentary keeping the bird on the ground.

As the fusion tried to get up again, the chariot got closer, Calyrex formed the spear one more time and the purple orbs spun around the lance, he tossed it at him, creating a massive explosion that separated the fusion, Zapdos and Moltres fell to the ground fainted while Articuno was still capable of keeping himself in the air.

"N-No!" Articuno screeched weakly.

"You've failed, just like your master before you." Calyrex said. "And this time, Articuno, I'm really considering not sparing you three."

"I...I surrender." Articuno begged desperately and lowered his head as Calyrex put down his weapon, the steeds then kept the chariot getting closer to him. "Please, this was...cough...this was all Lugia's idea, I had nothing to do with this, you have...you have to forgive me..."

Once Calyrex was close enough, Articuno smirked, he then suddenly tried to charge a Psycho Cut, but Calyrex tossed his lance, missing Articuno's face on purpose just for a few centimeters, the spear along the wisps kept going, destroying several tress that were behind him and ending with a powerful explosion, Articuno then looked back at the destruction with terror.

"I won't miss next time, Articuno." Calyrex warned him.

"What kind of move was that?" The psychic asked.

"...If you want to learn, I can teach you." Calyrex answered.

"And why would you do something like that?"

"Because I know you're still there, somewhere deep down, you're still the three birds who once helped me keep peace in the Crown Tundra, none of us has a way of returning to who we once were, but you can't just accept this as your fate, Shadow Lugia isn't here anymore, you're free to do what you want, we are what we choose to be, Articuno." Calyrex raised his lance again. "Now choose, engaging in a selfish battle again and again until you're dead...or finally getting back the peace you once had."

Articuno looked at him and floated down until his feet touched the snow, he then bowed at Calyrex. "...your highness."

Moltres and Zapdos finally got up and seeing this, the two bowed down as well.

"Uh...what did we miss?" Regieleki asked as he regained conscious.

"The king...has returned." Regidrago took a knee at Calyrex.

"At least it's over." Bea let out a sigh of relief.

"We're still missing something." Ash said. 'Zamazenta, you there?' He asked in his mind.

'I'm here.' The shield Pokemon answered.

'We're here with Calyrex, is there something you need to tell him?'

'Hmm, Ash, could you look at your left hand?'

'What do you?" Ash raised his hand, finding a round yellow crystal. "Uh, this is yours?'

'Yes, please give it to Calyrex, we'll use that to stay in contact with him.'

'Got it.'

'Perfect...Thanks again, Ash.' The legendary said before cutting the call.

Ash then walked to Calyrex and offered him the crystal. "Zacian and Zamazenta sent you this, they want to stay in contact with you."

"Is that so?" Calyrex asked while taking the crystal. "Zacian and Zamazenta..." Calyrex looked at Ash and Bea again. "So you two are the new heroes?"

"We are." Ash and Bea nodded together.

"...Should have know." Calyrex smiled, Zigzagoon then walked to him and offered him the feather, which Calyrex took. "Thank you...be safe, Sword and Shield." Calyrex's chariot then started to roll.

"Calyrex, wait!" Peonia called and he stopped. "Why did you came back? ...what made you change your mind?"

"You...you did, human child."

"Wow, just wait until all the people of the town hear this."

"That won't be necessary."

"Why not?"

"As I told you, this world doesn't need me anymore, humans have moved on from me and that's fine, but whatever happens I'll be taking care of them, I'll be watching over all of you." Calyrex 's chariot then rolled away and the three birds and the Regis followed the king from up close.

"Wow, that was-"

"Mr. Ketchum, you were amazing!" Danika exclaimed.

"Let's not go crazy; He was serviceable." Quillon rolled his eyes.

Ash chuckled a little. "Uh, thanks, Danika, but we all did our part, and please, call me Ash."

"Sure! Thanks, Ash. So, uh." Danika pulled out a Notepad and pen looking at Ash expectantly. "Would you mind if I ask you a couple billion questions about Legendary Pokemon?!"

"Um, well I-uh..."

"All right, Ash, it's been a long day and we have a lot to tell to our superiors, so we're going back to the base." Quillon explained.

"But, it's the Ash Ketchum!" Danika exclaimed as she rapidly clicked her pen. "I've been waiting so long to ask him questions, we could learn so much!"

"I said we're back to the base." Quillon simply pushed his partner away.

"Hey, where's Peony?" Ash asked.

"Oh...right." Peonia laughed nervously.

The trio then returned to Freezington and to Peonia's house where Peony was waiting for them, the first thing he did once they entered was give his daughter a big hug.

"You guys made it?" Peony asked.

"Calyrex defeated them." Ash replied. "The birds won't bother you anymore."

"That's good to know." Peony smiled. "You truly live up to your name, Ash, and that reminds me, there's someone that would like to meet you." Oleana came downstairs along a business man who stood next to Peony, their similarity causing Peonia to laugh.

"Good grief...it's great to finally meet you in person, Ash, you know who I am, don't you?"

"You're Chairman Rose, aren't you?" Ash asked.

"Correct, I just happened to be paying a visit to my little brother here."

"Hardy har." Peony ignored the little joke.

"Nice to see you, Uncle Rose." Peonia greeted him.

"Hello, dear Peonia, how is this Gym Leader in the making?"

"Exams are done, but the league is still looking for someone for my qualification battle."

"Is that so? Well, I think we just found the perfect foe for you."

"You mean?" Peonia looked at Ash.

"What do you say, Ash, would you like to help Peonia complete her test?"

"Sure!" Ash exclaimed. "I'll be glad to help you."

"Y-You really would?" Peonia asked with a blush. "Ash, thank you, you don't how much that'd mean to me."

"Excuse me, Chairman." Oleana talked to him. "I must remember you that the qualification battle needs to be against a certified member of the Galar League, and Ash doesn't meet the terms for that."

"Come on, Oleana, I'm the Chairman, I can do what I want, besides, what's a bit of paperwork for the sake of my niece?"

"Thank you, uncle Rose."

"Just one thing, Peonia." Rose said. "Since this is a special occasion and Ash is quite the trainer I want you to put the terms for the battle."

"S-Sure, you ready Ash?"

"I'm all ears." He said.

"This is my idea, as I told you I am fossil specialist, my conditions are as follow: We will have a 4 on 4 battle, but you have to use at least one fossil Pokemon and you can't switch during the match."

"I...but I don't have any fossil Pokemon." Ash said.

"You don't have to worry about that." Peonia assured him. "This is the Crown Tundra, there are fossils everywhere around, you just have to dig anywhere, I'll help you."

"Well, if you'll help me find a fossil then I accept your conditions."

"Great!" Peonia suddenly hugged Ash. "First we helped Calyrex save the Tundra and now we'll have a battle so I can become a Gym Leader! It's about to get wild!"

"Very well, guys." Rose got their attention again. "This is a qualification battle so it doesn't matter who wins or lose, if the battle meets the expectative, Peonia will officially become a Gym Leader and Ash will receive a Badge, understood?"

"Understood!" Ash and Peonia said together.

'Here we go again.' Bea thought for herself with a frown but then she smiled. 'This challenge is just beginning.'

Up in the mountains, Calyrex now had the dark feather on his hand as he looked at a campfire he asked Regidrago to set, he also asked the legendaries to leave him alone, Calyrex had a bad feeling and he looked firmly at the feather. "I should have done this long ago." He tossed it to the fire, the feather got consumed quickly, but the fire suddenly turned black and bigger as two red eyes appeared on it.

"I knew it." Calyrex looked at the fire unfazed. "Your plan was to live again inside Thufizer's body, once the power transfer of the feather had ended you'd take full control of the fusion, the birds were too blinded by the power to realize it."

"Looks like you're still Mr. big brain time." The fire answered.

"...The birds won't follow you anymore." Calyrex continued. "And without the wing you have no way of returning.

"You think I need those idiots?" A cut laugh was heard. "I'll find a new way back, I'll create more shadow Pokemon, I'll build a new Army, no matter how long it takes!"

"If you do so, my spear will be awaiting for you at the end of the tunnel, so I suggest you to save yourself the trouble...you'll never return to this realm...at last, it's over."

"Over?...No, it's not over...at least, not for you..." The fire returned to normal and Calyrex simply sighed.

"...I'm getting too old for this kind of things." Calyrex then looked at the crystal Ash gave him, he pressed it and the crystal illuminated, summoning something similar to a screen, where Zacian and Zamazenta were looking at him.

"Calyrex, thank you for accepting our message." Zamazenta greeted him.

"May I know what deeds you have with me?" Calyrex asked.

"With due respect, we want to ask for your help during the Darkest Day." Zacian started explained.

"Eternatus?...I thought you two could handle that."

"The situation is far more complicated than we first thought, unfortunately." Zacian said.

"In what regard?"

"Eternatus is not going to be our only problem...ghosts from Ash's past seems to coming back to hunt him."

"In short, bad people, they have Legendary Pokemon on their power, definitely will be a trouble." Zacian explained more clearly as she didn't like it when Zamazenta used metaphors.

"Can we count on you?" Zamazenta asked.

"Of course, I'll be honored to fight alongside you, I'm sure the birds and the Regis will be willing to do it as well if I ask them."

"Perfect, the more the merrier, keep that crystal, Calyrex, we'll be in contact."

"Be safe." Calyrex replied as the call was cut.

"The darkest day is close, sister...but we're not alone anymore."