Smoke curled like restless spirits through the shattered remains of Indigo Plateau's eastern arena. What had once been a sanctuary of triumph and celebration now lay ravaged—cracked stone and twisted steel bearing the scars of shadow and fire. Flames flickered hungrily among the wreckage, devouring tattered banners as the air thrummed with raw, electric tension.
James stood at one edge of the battlefield, his once-pristine blue semiformal jacket torn and stained with soot. At his side, Arcanine growled low, the fiery mane along its back flickering with wary intensity. Nearby, Noland stepped forward, silver hair tousled from the fray, goggles hanging loosely around his neck. His Metagross hovered silently, its metallic form gleaming with unwavering resolve beneath the dim glow of the stadium lights.
J watched from the shadows, his weathered face unreadable, the long black coat trailing like a specter in the wind. The Gengar perched on his shoulder let out a chilling, guttural chuckle, crimson eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
Then, without warning, the battle erupted anew.
"Flamethrower," James breathed, barely audible.
Arcanine unleashed a roaring inferno, a scorching blaze aimed straight at Gengar—but the ghost vanished in an instant, leaving behind only a shadowy decoy that melted into the smoke. J was already moving. Gengar soared high, launching a pulsing sphere of darkness—Shadow Ball—hurtling toward Noland.
"Protect!" Noland commanded, and Metagross flared a shimmering barrier just in time. The impact sent ripples through its metallic frame, but it held firm.
James pivoted, eyes sharp. "Will-O-Wisp, then Extreme Speed. We corner him."
Arcanine's spectral flames surged upward, forcing Gengar to drift left. In a heartbeat, the blazing beast lunged forward, a golden streak slicing through the ash-filled air. Gengar barely flinched, but the disruption was enough—Metagross struck with a precise Psychic blast.
The ghost spun wildly, snarling, then retaliated with a flash of Sludge Bomb. Arcanine leapt aside, acid sizzling as it scorched cracked tiles and melted part of a support pillar.
"We have to force him to materialize," Noland muttered, eyes sharp and calculating. "No more tricks."
Gengar tried to vanish behind a Substitute, but Metagross surged with Bullet Punch, shattering the decoy instantly. James didn't hesitate.
"Fire Blast!"
From Arcanine's jaws erupted a blazing five-pointed inferno, engulfing Gengar as it tried to fade away. The ghost screeched, caught mid-phase. Noland followed with a crushing Zen Headbutt, slamming Gengar into the ground with a psychic shockwave.
The earth cracked beneath them, smoke billowing into the cold air.
Across the field, Lorelei adjusted her fogged glasses with a calm breath. Her white scarf, now stained with soot, fluttered behind her like a banner. Lapras stood proudly at her side, breath steaming in the chill.
L approached silently, a smirk playing on her lips. Her purple bodysuit shimmered faintly with static, Electabuzz snarling beside her, eyes glowing a fierce, unnatural red.
Just behind Lorelei, Daisy Waterflower arrived with her Slowbro, radiating serene psychic calm. The older girl's light-orange jacket flapped as she hurried to her friend's side, her expression sharp and focused.
Erika followed moments later, clutching her Poké Ball tightly. She released Gloom, who waddled forward with a determined glare.
L wasted no time.
"Shock Wave," she ordered.
Electricity crackled from Electabuzz in a sweeping arc. Lapras raised a quick Protect, absorbing the brunt. Daisy's Slowbro countered with Light Screen, weaving a fragile shield between them and the crackling chaos.
"Spread out," Lorelei commanded, voice sharp but steady. "Don't cluster."
Gloom unleashed a thick cloud of Stun Spore toward Electabuzz, who danced through the mist with unnatural reflexes, retaliating with a crushing Thunder Punch aimed at Lapras. The impact shook the ground, but Lapras held firm.
"Sleep Powder," Erika called, voice steady despite the tension.
The spores drifted in a graceful wave, but Electabuzz raised a hand, blasting a burst of Shock Wave to scatter them. Daisy responded with Calm Mind, Slowbro glowing softly as it charged a psychic strike.
Lorelei seized the moment. "Ice Beam—left flank!"
Lapras pivoted, unleashing a beam of pure frost that streaked across the battlefield, catching Electabuzz mid-turn. The corrupted Pokémon grunted as frost cracked over its limbs, but it surged forward, lunging at Gloom with a brutal Cross Chop.
"Gloom, Toxic, now!"
A noxious glob struck Electabuzz squarely, searing its chest as poison coursed through its veins. The mutant snarled, precision faltering.
Lapras summoned a swirling Blizzard. Ice and wind tore through the arena, snow whipping violently as the temperature plummeted. L shielded her eyes, gritting her teeth against the biting cold.
Daisy's Slowbro added pressure with Yawn, and soon Electabuzz's movements grew sluggish, fatigue creeping in. Erika ducked behind a chunk of rubble, heart pounding.
Still, L pressed on. "Low Kick!"
Electabuzz darted again—colliding with Lapras's side and sending the water-type skidding back. But poison and drowsiness were wearing it down.
Gloom darted in with a sudden Giga Drain, siphoning energy, followed by Lapras's final Surf that slammed Electabuzz flat against the stadium wall.
L clicked her tongue, frustration flashing in her narrowed eyes.
The dust settled.
James and Noland regrouped, advancing from their side. Arcanine limped, steam rising from his scorched fur. Metagross hovered solemnly.
On the other end, Lorelei leaned against Lapras's shell, Daisy checking Erika's sleeve for injuries.
Words were unnecessary. Their eyes met—an unspoken pact forged in exhaustion and resolve.
This war was far from over.
Somewhere deep within the ruined Indigo Plateau, sirens wailed and roars echoed, a haunting symphony of a battle still raging.
— Indigo Plateau, Secondary Arena (Stadium B) —
The battle was far from over.
Lance wiped a streak of blood from his cheek, eyes sharp despite the exhaustion. Dragonair coiled protectively before him, her scales bruised but still glowing faintly with ethereal light. Beside Karen, Houndoom snarled, ribs rising and falling with shallow breaths, fangs bared in defiance. The arena—once a pristine symbol of the League's glory—had been reduced to a shattered wasteland. Fire smoldered along the bleachers, ice cracked the floor, and black sludge dripped from melted walls like poison.
At the center of the chaos stood Piloswine—massive, grotesque, its breath steaming crimson in the cold air. Its eyes burned with a corrupted fury, reflecting the iron will behind its commands: H's voice, cold and merciless.
"Earthquake."
The beast reared, then slammed its forelegs into the ground with primal force. The earth shuddered violently, jagged fractures spiderwebbing across the battlefield. Houndoom leapt back, narrowly evading the shockwave. Dragonair twisted through the air, barely holding aloft.
They were trapped. Surrounded.
Muk had spread its toxic sludge in thick, noxious layers—[Sludge Wave] after [Acid Armor]—turning the terrain into a sticky, poisonous trap. Fearow sliced through the smoky haze with mechanical precision, [Drill Peck] tearing through the air. Sandslash slinked through the debris, spinning rapidly to scatter projectiles and seal off escape routes.
Lance's jaw clenched. His eyes flicked anxiously over his battered allies.
Magmar's flame flickered weakly. Hiro, still standing but drained, leaned heavily against a collapsed light fixture, sweat streaking his face beneath the shadow of his black cap. Clair trembled, barely holding herself upright, Dratini clinging tightly to her side. Seadra limped, each movement a struggle.
Behind Mantine, Ferma gripped her vest tightly, eyes darting with quiet determination. Mantine formed a shield with [Wide Guard], intercepting a deadly [Shadow Claw] from the corrupted Sandslash just in time.
Karen drew a sharp breath. "They're pressing harder."
Lance's gaze hardened.
Then—an opening.
H stepped forward, eyes locked on Lance and Karen. Her voice rose, sharp and commanding, preparing the next coordinated strike. But she didn't notice the subtle movements in the smog—Magmar's silent signal, Hiro's whispered command.
"Now," Hiro breathed.
Magmar unleashed [Confuse Ray], an eerie wave of light flashing directly into Piloswine's eyes. The beast roared, stumbling in confusion. Its tusks slammed into Muk, flinging the purple sludge against a pillar. Fearow screeched, its rhythm broken. Sandslash froze, momentarily lost.
"Go!" Lance commanded.
Seadra sprayed Smokescreen, mixing with the Clear Smog Magmar had begun releasing. The battlefield vanished in seconds—nothing but choking haze and flickering shadows.
Ferma stepped forward, voice steady. "Mantine—Aqua Ring. Cover them!"
A glowing veil of water enveloped the group, muffling sound and blurring sight. Then they ran—dodging rubble, ducking beneath collapsing arches, slipping silently through a ruined hallway.
Karen brought up the rear, hurling Sludge Bomb behind her, collapsing the last visible path.
Piloswine's scream echoed, the wall cracking but holding.
They did not stop.
They did not look back.
The team emerged through a twisted maintenance tunnel, gasping as fresh air hit their sweat-soaked faces. Their boots struck ash-covered concrete—scorched earth where once proud roads had run.
Indigo Plateau was dying.
Fires climbed the buildings like ravenous ivy. Distant screams echoed through the smoke. A section of the western tower had crumbled entirely. Drones buzzed overhead, their sensors picking up nothing but smoke and static.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Until they reached a broken bench beside a crumbled hedge wall.
Hiro collapsed onto it, laughter bubbling quietly from his lips. "Didn't think I'd make it out of that one."
Clair sank to her knees beside Seadra, clutching the water-type tightly. "We're okay. We're okay…"
Lance scanned the horizon, cape torn, one boot nearly falling apart—but he was standing. Breathing.
Karen leaned against a railing, brushing hair from her face, her arm trembling.
Ferma sat silently on a broken pillar, tending to Mantine's wounded fins with quiet care.
The silence was not peace. It was survival.
Lance looked to the others. "This isn't over."
Karen scoffed, exhaustion thick in her voice. "Obviously."
They had escaped.
But the war still raged.
P.o.V. Kaito….
The corridors beneath Indigo Plateau pulsed with flickering red lights. Sirens echoed off the cold steel walls, a dizzying rhythm that hammered like a frantic heartbeat—fast, erratic, on the edge of collapse.
Kaito didn't care.
He moved like a shadow—low, swift—the stolen black cloak whispering against his boots. His red eyes scanned every corner, fingers brushing the Poké Ball pendant hanging from his neck, where Spiritomb waited in silence.
Scrafty crept beside him, slouched but alert. They both knew this wasn't over.
Not yet.
Rounding a corner, Kaito miscalculated.
Three grunts spotted him before he could vanish back into the shadows. They shouted, two already throwing Poké Balls.
Too late to retreat.
"Come," Kaito said, voice cold as he unclipped the pendant and pressed it to the floor.
Black smoke hissed, whispering voices rising as Spiritomb emerged, its swirling keystone rattling with restrained fury. Its spectral face curled into a knowing grin.
The grunts unleashed a Skuntank, a Mightyena, and a Toxicroak.
"Don't hold back. Control the field."
Spiritomb surged forward like shattering stone, launching Shadow Ball at the Mightyena's flank, sending it tumbling.
Toxicroak lunged, fist glowing with Poison Jab—but Spiritomb vanished, slipping into Phantom Force, a misty wraith.
Skuntank tried to blanket the area with Smokescreen, but Spiritomb reappeared behind it, driving a Dark Pulse into its spine. The beast collapsed with a yelp.
Toxicroak spun toward Kaito—but Spiritomb's Hypnosis caught it mid-charge. The frog staggered, eyes fluttering.
"Finish it," Kaito muttered.
A brutal Shadow Sneak slammed Toxicroak to the floor, unconscious.
Only Mightyena remained, baring fangs protectively before its Trainer. Its growl filled the corridor—until Spiritomb unleashed Confuse Ray, swirling lights disorienting the beast.
Blinded, it lunged forward—crashing into its own ally, toppling them both.
Silence fell again.
"Spiritomb, recall."
The specter faded with a whisper of voices—some laughing, some weeping.
At the corridor's end stood eight cages. Inside, children no older than ten huddled—some crying, others frozen with fear. Behind thick glass, injured Pokémon lay collapsed, bleeding, chained with dark restraints.
Kaito's jaw clenched.
No words. No promises.
He knelt and reached for the locks.
"Scrafty," he murmured.
The Pokémon cracked its knuckles and slammed a Brick Break against the first lock. Metal screeched. The children gasped but held quiet. Kaito pressed a finger to his lips.
One by one, the locks fell. One by one, terrified children stepped free.
He guided them to a dusty maintenance alcove behind a loose wall panel and pulled a torn curtain over the opening.
"Stay quiet. Don't move."
Scrafty stayed behind to guard them.
Kaito turned back into the hall alone.
A figure stood at the far end—half-shrouded in a cloak stitched with the hunters' emblem. His face hidden, his voice calm and confident.
"We've been watching you, Kaito."
Kaito said nothing.
"You fight with no loyalty. No cause. But you hate weakness. Hate losing. That's the kind of strength we value."
Kaito's eyes narrowed. The hallway stretched long. Running now meant death.
The man stepped forward.
"You don't belong to them. You don't care about justice. So why not join us?"
Kaito tilted his head.
"Because I hate people like you more."
Unfazed, the man said, "You lost to James Morgan. You've been cast aside by the League. No crowd. No glory. You think saving a few kids makes you better?"
Kaito's lip curled. "No. I just don't want to be like you."
Three figures stepped from the shadows, rushing him. A clawed hand reached for his throat.
Kaito didn't stay to fight.
He dropped a flash canister from his belt. Smokescreen erupted, swallowing the corridor in black fog. The hunters shouted, swinging blindly.
Kaito ran.
Through half-collapsed tunnels, broken wall panels, and the edge of a loading ramp, metal scraping his side. Blood ran down his arm. He didn't stop.
He reached a rusted waste chute and dropped into the abyss.
The world reeked of oil and ash.
When he clawed out through a hidden supply shaft, the sky hit him like a punch.
Indigo Plateau burned.
Towers cracked. Smoke curled like dragon breath. Somewhere, a Gyarados screamed.
He stood, breathing.
Then pressed a small transceiver—lifted from a guard—against his lips.
"They've started. It's not a rogue squad. It's a full strike. They're inside. All the way in."
He shut it off.
No names. No explanations.
Kaito pulled his hood over his head and walked toward the smoke.