Frank was having a good run in the tournament. His randomly picked Palpitoad had performed better than he expected, winning several matches with surprising ease. He'd quickly adapted to its unique abilities, using Mud Shot and Supersonic to keep his opponents on their toes. The battles had been fast-paced, and despite the oddity of the situation, Frank felt himself enjoying the challenge. His strategy—quick, decisive, and a little unpredictable—had proven to be quite effective. Palpitoad's defensive abilities, paired with Frank's sharp instincts, had carried them through several rounds. But as he leaned against the wall in the waiting room, his brief moment of satisfaction was about to be interrupted.
Suddenly, a flash of white light illuminated the room as a man appeared in front of him, accompanied by a quiet, eerie hum. Frank straightened, immediately sensing something off about the man. His gaze was cold, his posture rigid, and an aura of arrogance surrounded him like a thick fog. The man scanned the room before locking eyes with Frank, and Frank immediately disliked the way the man was looking at him—almost as if he were assessing Frank as nothing more than a meat. Or worse, an obstacle.
"Are you Frank Prochazka?" The man's voice was quiet, yet there was a sharpness to it that suggested disdain.
Frank raised an eyebrow, his instincts kicking in. "Who's asking?" he responded, his tone laced with caution.
The man's gaze didn't waver, but there was a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "Doesn't matter. You need to come with me."
Frank took a step back, his arms crossed. "Well, it matters. I don't just walk off with strangers who can't even introduce themselves properly."
The man's jaw tightened, and Frank noticed his patience thinning, as if he were dealing with someone who didn't know his place. "Are you the father of Monika Prochazka? If you are, you need to come with me."
Frank's demeanor shifted immediately. He stopped leaning against the wall and stood up straighter, eyes narrowing as he studied the man. Something about this felt wrong. The man's tone was too clipped, too urgent, and the mention of Monika brought a chill to his spine.
"Still haven't told me who you are," Frank said, his voice steady, but with an edge. "Is this some kind of scam? Is it really that hard to say your name?"
Around them, the murmurs of the other trainers grew louder. Frank could sense their growing discomfort at the scene unfolding. Eyes flicked between him and the stranger, clearly intrigued by the tension.
The man, clearly fed up with the back-and-forth, hissed through clenched teeth. "Okay, fine. I'm Viktor Vranitzky, chief leader of the blue team from this gym. There was an accident in the gym, and your daughter was involved."
Frank's whole body tensed, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no more time for games. His relaxed stance instantly evaporated, replaced with a determined readiness.
"Let's go," Frank nodded grimly, his voice no longer questioning but commanding.
Without another word, Viktor turned to his Xatu, and the three of them disappeared in a flash of light, whisked away by teleportation. Frank followed, his pulse racing as he braced himself for whatever was ahead.
They arrived in a room where the kids were exploring moments ago. The walls were adorned with paintings of previous gym leaders, but the atmosphere was anything but artistic. At the center of the room stood a large mirror, and in front of it, Mismagius and Oricorio hovered, feeding energy into the swirling portal that had appeared there. Frank's frown deepened as he instantly recognized the eerie glow—he'd seen something like it before, back at the ranch, after dealing with a sleeper agent.
"How did this portal get here?" Frank demanded, his eyes locked on the ghostly Pokémon. "And why are they maintaining it?"
Viktor, his demeanor still full of arrogance spoke through gritted teeth. "I'd like to know that too. But it seems something pulled your daughter through it."
Frank's world tilted. His stomach dropped as his worst fear began to take shape. "What?" he shouted, his voice echoing in the room, attracting the attention of the people standing around the mirror. "Monika was pulled through that thing?"
A small group of royal guards stood nearby, with Emily at the center, looking more anxious than Frank had ever seen her.
"Mr. Prochazka!" Emily cried, her voice trembling. "Monika was pulled inside, and then some other guards—along with Jake—followed her!"
Without a second thought, Frank's legs moved before his mind could fully process the situation. "I need to go after them!" he shouted. But before anyone could stop him, he bolted toward the mirror.
"Mr. Prochazka, wait!" one of the guards, called after him, but Frank didn't slow down. He jumped into the mirror with a single, desperate leap.
Everything spun around him, and then, suddenly, he found himself standing in a stark, empty room. Strange electronic devices beeped and hummed, but the most unnerving part was the disorienting gravity. Frank's stomach lurched as he realized that things were floating aimlessly in the air—objects, tools, even pieces of debris—all suspended in place as if gravity had no hold here.
He steadied himself, trying to make sense of the space, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. His instincts told him this wasn't just another part of the gym. This place was different, far more unnatural.
Suddenly, Frank's gaze shifted as a shadow flitted across the far wall. His heart skipped a beat, but before he could react, a familiar form leaped from the shadow—a figure he'd know anywhere.
"Goofy!" Frank exclaimed, startled. His loyal Houndstone emerged from the darkness, his fur glowing faintly in the strange environment. The Pokémon's tail wagged furiously as he bounded toward his trainer, licking his face with exuberance. Frank laughed, brushing away the slobber. "What are you doing here, Goofy?"
The Pokémon was earlier on the brink of fainting, when the guards and Jake jumped into the portal. All that Goofy managed was to enter into a pseudo-vegetative state and blend into shadows, where it started building its energy again. And Frank's arrival was enough to stir the Pokémon awake.
But the Pokémon had no way to explain this to his trainer; instead it began moving, its ears perked up as it sniffed the air. Frank followed its gaze and saw the unmistakable figure of a large Gengar floating nearby, its eyes glowing with a mischievous light. But the ghostly Pokémon was too busy channeling energy, feeding it directly into the portal, just like Mismagius and Oricorio had done back at the gym.
Frank's frown deepened as he turned back to Houndstone. "Do you know where is Monika? Can you track her?" he asked, his voice urgent.
Goofy barked twice and then darted off, leading Frank toward the unknown. The Houndstone's sharp nose was the key. Frank trusted him implicitly. Now, more than ever, he needed to find Monika—and fast.
Meanwhile, Jake and the guards were already searching for Monika. They managed to see totally exhausted Houndstone vanishing into the shadows and unfortunately, they had no idea that the dog-like creature could help them. So they went on exploring and trying to hunt down the abductor.
The distortion world stretched endlessly in all directions, a labyrinth of chaos and warped reality. Floating islands drifted lazily in the air, some upside-down with waterfalls cascading into nothingness. Jagged spires of stone spiraled toward a fragmented sky, where shards of glowing light hung suspended like shattered glass. Gravity played tricks on their senses, sometimes pulling them downward, sideways, or even letting them float weightlessly. Shadows shifted unnaturally, often hinting at movements that weren't there, as if the world itself were alive and watching.
Here and there, bridges made of glowing energy flickered in and out of existence, connecting floating landmasses. Pools of shimmering liquid hovered in midair, reflecting distorted versions of the travelers. It was a place where up felt like down, and the very air seemed heavy with an unspoken dread.
Jake and the four royal guards paused on one of the larger floating platforms, catching their breath. The group had been traveling for what felt like hours, with no clear sign of where to go or how to find Monika.
"Do we even know if she's alive?" grumbled one of the guards, his frustration boiling over. His Dragonite snorted in agreement, wings flaring in irritation.
"She's alive," Jake said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. Monika was out there somewhere, waiting for them to rescue her.
Natalie, the leader of the guards, placed a hand on Jake's shoulder as they stood near the edge of the platform. "Jake, we're not giving up. But this place—" she gestured at the surreal landscape, "—it's designed to disorient us. Without a way to track her, we're just... guessing."
Jake clenched his fists, glancing down at the swirling abyss below. "We have to try something. We can't just stand here."
Determined to keep moving, the group mounted their Pokémon. Natalie climbed onto her Salamence, offering Jake a hand up. Jake swung himself onto the dragon's back, gripping its smooth scales as its powerful wings spread wide.
The orange Dragonite flew alongside them, carrying its trainer, a stout man with sharp eyes who kept scanning the surroundings. Just behind, the shiny green Dragonite carried two riders—its trainer and Sceptile's trainer—due to the latter's slim, agile build. The Pokémon's shimmering emerald scales reflected the strange light, making it look like a living gemstone.
Sceptile, meanwhile, moved on its own. The nimble Grass-type adapted effortlessly to the shifting gravity, leaping from one floating island to another with precision. Sometimes it would cling to the underside of a platform, then vault upward as if gravity had flipped just for it. Its sharp eyes and keen senses made it invaluable, scouting ahead and signaling when the terrain became more treacherous.
The dragons flew in a loose formation, navigating through tight spaces where jagged rocks floated unpredictably. Salamence let out a low growl, wings buffeted by sudden gusts of wind that seemed to come from nowhere. Jake held on tightly as the Pokémon swerved to avoid a floating spire.
At one point, the group had to cross a wide chasm where the air seemed to shimmer with intense energy. Sceptile used a series of gravity-defying leaps to traverse it, while the dragons took a higher route, weaving through arcs of lightning that crackled in the air.
"Careful!" Natalie called, her voice strained as Salamence dodged a particularly large bolt of energy. Jake caught sight of the orange Dragonite barely avoiding a similar fate, its trainer cursing loudly.
As they pressed on, the weight of the distortion world began to wear on them. The guards were trained for high-stress situations, but this environment was unlike anything they had ever faced. The unpredictability of the terrain, the lack of direction, and the eerie silence except for the occasional distant roar or echo—it all combined to fray their nerves.
Jake, sensing the rising tension, tried to focus. He scanned the floating platforms below, looking for any sign of life or movement. "If Monika's anywhere near here," he thought, "we need a clue. Something."
Natalie patted him on shoulder. "Stay alert, Jake. If you notice anything, tell us immediately."
Jake nodded, but his thoughts drifted to Monika. "Just hold on," he whispered under his breath.
The group pressed on, their path twisting and shifting as the distortion world seemed to change around them. Somewhere in the distance, a faint, haunting melody echoed through the air, sending a shiver down Jake's spine. They weren't alone in this place.
The group came to an abrupt stop at the edge of a floating platform. Before them lay an expanse of nothingness—a swirling void where no visible path or platform existed.
Natalie sighed, patting Salamence on the neck as the dragon hovered in place. "Dead end," she muttered. "We can't keep wasting time like this."
Sceptile, perched on a nearby jagged rock, chirped softly, its sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. It tensed, muscles coiling like springs, and gestured subtly with one claw toward a cluster of floating debris nearby.
"What's it saying?" asked the trainer of the shiny Dragonite, nudging Sceptile's handler.
"He's noticed something," the Sceptile trainer replied, stepping forward. The Grass-type Pokémon made a quick slicing motion in the air, then pointed again.
Jake leaned forward on Salamence, peering into the misty expanse. "Yeah, something's watching us."
The guards instinctively tensed, their Pokémon shifting into defensive stances. The orange Dragonite let out a low growl, its tail flicking like a warning beacon.
Moments later, faint movements emerged from the mist. Small, glowing shapes materialized—Clefairy, its soft pink form shimmering in the distortion's eerie light. It moved cautiously, its wide eyes darting nervously between the humans and the chaotic environment around them.
"It's terrified," Jake murmured, sliding off Salamence's back before Natalie could stop him.
"Jake!" she called sharply. "What are you doing? Get back here!"
But Jake was already walking toward the Clefairy, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Hi. I'm Jake. Don't warry, it's okay," he said gently, though his voice trembled slightly. "We're not here to hurt you."
The guards exchanged worried glances, their Pokémon bristling as they kept watch on the surroundings.
Jake stopped a few steps away from the Clefairy and crouched down, closing his eyes. He let out a slow breath, extending his hand toward the trembling Pokémon. "I'm your friend," he whispered. "You don't have to be afraid."
The Clefairy hesitated, its tiny hands clutched to its chest. It tilted its head, staring at Jake with wide, curious eyes. Then, as if sensing his sincerity, it took a tentative step forward, its glow intensifying slightly.
Jake smiled. "That's it. You're safe with me."
As the Clefairy reached out to touch his hand, Jake felt a sudden surge of emotions—fear, confusion, and desperation. His mind filled with images: a swarm of Lunatones floating ominously through the distortion world, their empty, glowing eyes fixed on unseen targets.
"What's wrong?" Jake asked softly. "Why are you afraid of the Lunatones?"
Another image filled his mind—Sleepers in dark robes, chanting in unison around a swirling mass of miasma. The shadowy substance consumed several Pokémon, transforming them into Lunatones as the Sleepers laughed cruelly.
Jake gasped, the weight of the Clefairy's fear pressing down on him. At the same time, he remembered the old Cofagrigus and his warning "beware of the moon".
He turned back to the guards, his face pale. "They're scared of the Lunatones because they're not natural. Those people in robes—they're enchanting wild Pokémon and turning them into Lunatones."
Natalie frowned, her Salamence letting out a deep growl. "So, they're behind this chaos too. What else did it say?"
Jake hesitated, his voice trembling as he added, "They don't just turn them. They... do something like... eat their energy first."
The guards shifted uneasily, exchanging glances.
Natalie knelt beside Jake, her tone soft but urgent. "Jake, ask if it knows anything about Monika. We need to find her and get away from this hellish maze."
Jake nodded, turning back to the Clefairy. He closed his eyes again, focusing on his thoughts and emotions—his worry for Monika, the urgency to save her. The Clefairy shivered as Jake's emotions washed over it, its glow dimming slightly.
The Clefairy looked up at Jake, its tiny voice trembling as it conveyed another image: a man with a dark eyepatch, standing in the midst of the Sleepers' ritual.
Jake's heart raced. "That's him!" he exclaimed. "The man who took Monika!"
The Clefairy stepped back, trembling even more. It pointed with a glowing finger toward a faint, spiraling path in the distance.
"It's showing us the way," Jake said, standing up. "But it's scared of him. Really scared."
"We can help it and take it with us," one of the guards commented.
Jake turned towards the Pokémon with a raised eyebrow. But the emotion from the Clefairy were rejecting of the suggestion.
"It's saying that this place is its home. It wants to stay here."
"Whatever..." the guard snorted and rolled his eyes in disbelief.
Natalie interrupted them, her expression grim. "It told us the direction, so we need to hit the road. Quickly."
The group moved on, the guards mounting their dragons again. Sceptile took its scouting place at the front, signaling for them to follow. Jake glanced back at the Clefairy and gave it a reassuring smile. "Thank you. We'll stop him, I promise."
The Clefairy nodded weakly, retreating into the shadows as the group took off toward the path it had revealed, their determination to find Monika burning brighter than ever.
The group pressed onward, weaving through the chaos of the distortion world. The gravity fluctuated wildly, forcing Salamence and the Dragonites to adjust their flight paths constantly, while Sceptile darted and leaped from one floating rock to another, its movements precise and fluid despite the unstable and surreal environment.
As they flew, the two Dragonites—one gleaming orange and the other a striking green—stayed close to each other, their wings nearly touching. Jake, seated behind Natalie on Salamence, watched them curiously.
"They're so in sync," he remarked.
Natalie smiled, glancing over her shoulder. "They should be. They hatched from the same batch of eggs."
"Really?" Jake asked, leaning forward.
"Yep," another guard chimed in, stroking his shiny Dragonite's neck. "This little guy here was the runt of the clutch. Smaller than the others and shiny, too. A rare combination, but it made him a target for bullying from the others."
Jake frowned. "That's awful."
"It wasn't all bad," the guard replied. "The orange Dragonite—his sibling—took it upon himself to protect the shiny one. They've been inseparable ever since."
The guard riding the orange Dragonite chuckled. "Yeah, but being protected didn't sit well with this guy for long. He trained harder than anyone else, pushing himself to become stronger. Now, he's just as powerful as his brother—maybe even more."
The shiny Dragonite rumbled in agreement, its proud yet affectionate glance at its sibling showing their bond.
"They're amazing," Jake said, admiration in his voice.
"They're family," the guard replied, patting his Dragonite. "Just like we are. And we don't let anyone mess with family."
"Just like me and Monika," Jake muttered with determination to save his cousin.
The air grew heavier, a sinister presence seeping into the atmosphere. Ahead, a group of figures, many of them disfigured emerged from the mist—Sleepers, clad in dark robes, their faces partially obscured by hoods. Floating beside them were tens of Lunatones, their glowing eyes pulsing ominously.
The Sleepers froze momentarily upon spotting the group, their shock quickly replaced with cruel sneers.
"Well, well," one of them jeered, stepping forward. "What do we have here? Outsiders in the distortion world. You must be lost."
"Turn back now," another hissed, their voice dripping with malice. "Or you'll serve our dark lord, just like the rest of your world will."
Natalie didn't flinch. Instead, a smirk spread across her face as she patted Salamence's neck. It was a silent instruction for the Pokémon to start increasing its power with Dragon Dance. And Jake sitting on Salamence could feel how it was stronger by every second.
"Serve your dark lord? Not likely."
The Sleepers sneered, raising their hands in unison. "Then die!" they shouted, sending a wave of Lunatones flying toward the group.
Jake's heart pounded as the glowing crescent Pokémon surged forward. "There's too many!" he cried. He couldn't count that much, but it was almost fifty of them. Jake wasn't there when his father or his uncle struggled against the Lunatones. If he would have been there, he would now really understand how strong the royal guards actually were.
The four of them were not afraid of Lunatones or Sleepers. Instead, they were grinning. This was what they had been trained for. Also, after going around in this confusing place, there were really looking forward to a real fight.
The orange Dragonite and its shiny sibling flapped their massive wings in unison, whipping up a fierce double-Twister that tore through the Lunatones destroying them on touch. The whirlwind grew larger and more ferocious, sucking in the floating Pokémon and smashing them into each other before hurling the dust away.
At the same time, Salamence roared, its eyes glowing as it summoned a Draco Meteor. Fiery orbs rained down from above, obliterating the remaining Lunatones in a brilliant cascade of destruction.
Jake watched in awe as the three dragons decimated the wave of enemies with precision and power. "They're incredible," he whispered with eyes opened wide.
The Sleepers staggered back, their confidence shaken. "Summon more!" one of them screamed, raising his disfigured armless elbow. But before they could act, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently.
"What's going on?!" another crippled figure screeched.
Jake gasped, his eyes wide with fear, but before he could see more, Natalie reached around and covered his eyes and ears with her hands. "Don't look," she said firmly and whispered, "Frenzy Plant..."
Massive roots, covered in sharp thorns, burst from the ground, coiling and twisting like serpents. The roots lashed out, slamming into the Sleepers, strangling them, entangling them and tearing them apart. Their screams filled the air as the roots tightened, crushing Sceptile's prey with relentless force.
The cries of the Sleepers were quickly silenced, leaving only the eerie creak of the roots as they retracted into the ground. Sceptile landed gracefully on a nearby ledge, its eyes glowing with a fierce determination.
When Natalie finally let Jake uncover his eyes, all that remained of the Sleepers were torn robes and the faint residue of dark energy glowing in the air. Luckily the torn body parts and blood were swept away into an adjacent flow of violet waterfall.
"Let's move," Natalie said, her voice steady. "There's no time to waste."
Jake nodded, still shaken but more determined than ever. As the group resumed their journey, he couldn't help but glance at Sceptile with a newfound respect—and a little fear. The grass-type didn't look like it could rival the dragons, but it had a huge power and speed in its arsenal as well. Whatever lay ahead, he knew they were prepared to face it together.
The group pressed forward, their steps carefully measured in the unpredictable terrain of the distortion world. The air seemed heavier, charged with an unsettling energy. Occasionally, the Pokémon—Salamence, the Dragonite duo, and Sceptile—would falter, trembling and casting wary glances into the shadows.
"Easy now," Natalie murmured to Salamence, her voice steady but concerned.
"They're sensing something," another guard said, running a hand over the orange Dragonite's neck, before the whole group landed on a clear spot on floating rock.
Jake felt the tension rising in the Pokémon and thanks to his unknown instincts he quickly stepped in. "Let me try," he offered, sliding off Salamence's back. He approached the Pokémon with a calm demeanor, his hands raised slightly.
"Are you okay?" Jake whispered, looking into the shiny Dragonite's nervous eyes. "Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen while we're all together."
The orange Dragonite visibly relaxed, a low rumble of comfort emanating from its chest. Sceptile, too, straightened, its gaze sharp but less anxious.
Natalie gave Jake an approving nod. "You've got quite the talent, kid."
"It's like he speaks their language," Dragonite's trainer muttered in awe.
"How do you do it?" Sceptile's trainer asked.
"I don't know. I just do it."
He was not sure what his understanding of Pokémon meant and how exactly it worked. He remembered how his grandpa explained that their ancestor asked to go on a quest to find Jirachi and was granted a wish to better understand Pokémon. So this skill was very probably something in his blood. Now, he was just glad that he could help.
"You are Lindenberg, right?" Natalie asked.
"Yes, that's my name," Jake nodded with a grin.
"Makes sense," Natalie commented and the others nodded in agreement, before climbing up on their dragons.
After they took off, Jake asked.
"Why did you stop asking me about how I talk with the Pokémon when I told you I am Lindenberg?"
"There are many famous trainers from your family," Natalie explained making Jake feel a sense of pride.
As they moved deeper into the distortion world, groups of Sleepers ambushed them, accompanied by waves of Lunatones. The guards handled each encounter with practiced precision.
"Another group incoming!" Natalie shouted as glowing Lunatones swarmed toward them.
This time, they tried different strategy than during the last encounter.
The shiny Dragonite shot forward, launching a Dragon Pulse that blasted several Lunatones into pieces. Its orange sibling followed suit with a Hurricane, whipping the remaining Lunatones into a chaotic vortex before slamming them into jagged rocks.
Sceptile leapt ahead, its eyes gleaming as it executed a serie of Leaf Blade, slashing through the Sleepers' defenses. One of the Sleepers attempted to retaliate and sent a swarm of Lunatones directly towards the guards, but Salamence roared, summoning a blazing Dragon Rage that annihilated the charging attackers, left the ground scorched and instantly killed several hooded figures.
"Jake, close your eyes!" Natalie ordered each time they encountered the Sleepers, covering his face with her hand as Sceptile unleashed a Frenzy Plant, its thorny roots erupting from the ground and entangling the Sleepers. The screams were brief, muffled by the relentless vines.
When the area was clear of dead bodies, Natalie uncovered Jake's eyes. He glanced around, noting only the eerie silence and the faint glow of fading Lunatone fragments.
"We're doing what we have to," she said quietly, meeting his gaze.
Jake nodded, though he couldn't entirely suppress the unease in his chest.
The group soon arrived at a haunting scene. A circle of fainted Duskull lay on the ground, surrounded by an ominous dark miasma. Lunatones hovered above them, their eerie glow pulsating in rhythm with a group of chanting Sleepers.
"Not on my watch," Natalie growled.
"Take them out!" another guard commanded.
The Pokémon leapt into action. Salamence launched a devastating Draco Meteor, fiery orbs crashing down to obliterate the Lunatones. The Dragonite duo followed with a synchronized Twister, scattering the Sleepers and disrupting their chanting. Sceptile used a different strategy and summoned a Leaf Storm - tornado of razor sharp leaves that cut the cultists and Lunatones into pieces.
As the guards finished off the stragglers, Jake slid off Salamence, his heart pounding. Ignoring Natalie's shout to stay back, he ran toward the Duskull.
"Jake, stop!" Natalie yelled.
Before he could touch the miasma, Sceptile jumped over and grabbed the boy stopping him.
"Careful, you don't know what could happen, if you touch it!" Natalie frowned scolding him.
"Sorry," Jake mumbled after Sceptile lowered him to the ground, but his eyes were focused on the Duskull group.
The guards moved in, and the orange Dragonite stepped forward, using a Heal Bell to clear the dark energy. The miasma dissipated with a mournful hiss that gave Jake goosebumps. Dragonite followed up with one more Heal Bell, its soothing aura revitalizing the fainted Duskull.
The ghostly Pokémon stirred, their single eyes flickering to life. Slowly, they floated around the group, their movements hesitant but curious and they started to emit strange sounds.
"What are they saying?" a guard asked, her brow furrowed.
"Let me try," Jake said, stepping closer. He extended a hand, and one of the Duskull approached, its shadowy form brushing against his fingers.
Jake gasped as a series of vivid images filled his mind. He saw a group of Duskull led by a towering Dusknoir, their presence accidental in this reversed world. The Sleepers had hunted them relentlessly, capturing and corrupting them one by one.
The vision shifted to the powerful Dusknoir, battling valiantly against the Sleepers. But their dark miasma and chants overwhelmed it, twisting its form. The once-proud leader became a slave, corrupted and now hunting its previous friends.
Jake stumbled back, his eyes wide with fear. "They—they tried to turn Dusknoir into a Lunatone, but it didn't work. It made it stronger, but now it's under their control."
The guards exchanged grim looks.
"This sound horrible, but I know that we can handle it," Natalie said firmly. "Each of us has more Pokémon, not just what you see now. We're prepared for much stronger enemies!"
Jake swallowed hard, comforted by her confidence but still uneasy.
The Duskull floated away, fading into the shadows one by one. Just as the last of them vanished, the ground trembled.
"Watch out! Incoming!" one of the guards shouted as another wave of Sleepers appeared, accompanied by more Lunatones.
Natalie stepped forward, her hand on Salamence's reins. "Get ready, team. Let's show them how we dance!"
The air in the Distortion World crackled with tension as the group faced the Sleepers and their Lunatones. These enemies were noticeably stronger, their auras thrumming with malevolent energy. The ground beneath them pulsed with shadowy light, and the Lunatones began firing bursts of Psyshock and Moonblast, their attacks coming in synchronized waves that left little room for error.
Jake crouched low behind Salamence's massive tail, his eyes wide with fear. The dragon Pokémon roared, using Protect to shield the group from an incoming Psychic that exploded in dazzling shards around them.
"Hold the line!" Natalie commanded, her voice steady despite the chaos. "We've faced worse!"
"Not this many!" the trainer of the shiny Dragonite, grunted as his Pokémon deflected another barrage with a swift Breaking Swipe.
"They're overwhelming us," another guard added, her Sceptile leaping into action to slash through two Lunatones with a sharp Leaf Blade, only for three more to take their place.
"We need reinforcements!" Natalie commanded. "Don't hold back. And bring out your Dark-types!"
"You were holding back?" Jake gasped in surprise.
Trainer of shiny Dragonite released his Incineroar, which emerged with a ferocious roar. The bipedal tiger Pokémon's black-and-red fur bristled with energy, and the flaming belt around its waist ignited in a bright, fiery glow. Its piercing yellow eyes locked onto the incoming Lunatones, and it pounded its fists together before leaping into battle with a ferocious smile.
Sceptile's trainer followed suit, summoning Bisharp. The steel-and-dark knight Pokémon landed silently, its bladed arms gleaming under the eerie glow of the Distortion World. Its crimson armor reflected the swirling chaos around them, and its sharp, calculating gaze sized up the threats immediately.
With their two more Pokémon in play, the group managed to mitigate some of the Lunatones' relentless attacks, but they were still heavily outnumbered. The guards huddled together, their Pokémon forming a tight defensive ring around them. Dragonites and Salamence launched synchronized Twister and Draco Meteor to create a massive protective whirlwind around them and to keep the Lunatones at bay, while Sceptile, Incineroar and Bisharp focused on dismantling the psychic attackers with Leaf Blade, Darkest Lariat and Night Slash.
Jake, though terrified, couldn't help but marvel at the coordination of the guards and their Pokémon.
"They're relentless," a guard growled as his shiny Dragonite blasted another group of Lunatones with Hyper Beam, only for more to take their place.
Natalie's eyes narrowed as she observed the battlefield. "Enough defense. It's time to go on the offensive."
She reached for another Pokéball and tossed it into the air. From the white glow emerged a Ceruledge, its flaming blades sparking with spectral energy. The Pokémon's sleek, violet armor shimmered under the unnatural light, its glowing, hollow eyes burning with an ethereal fire. As it raised its fiery swords, the temperature around it seemed to drop, a chill running through the battlefield despite its blazing weapons.
"Ceruledge, into the shadows. Target those hooded fanatics!" Natalie commanded.
With a nod, the spectral warrior melted into the ground, vanishing in an instant. Moments later, the Sleepers screamed as Ceruledge reappeared amidst their ranks, slashing through them with precise Shadow Claw strikes.
"Help Ceruledge out!" the Sceptile's and Bisharp's trainer called out. "Focus on the Sleepers!"
"Dragonites, Salamence, guard formation!" Natalie barked. The three dragons formed a tight circle around the trainers, and keeping up the protective wall of Twister and Draco Meteor to shield the group from stray attacks.
Meanwhile, Sceptile, Incineroar, and Bisharp joined Ceruledge in the offensive. Sceptile used its good old Frenzy Plant, summoning massive roots that shot out from the twisted ground, ensnaring and crushing several Sleepers. Incineroar dashed through the chaos, spinning in a fiery Darkest Lariat, destroying anything in its deadly path leaving scorched earth and burned bodies behind itself. Bisharp quickly darted from target to target, its Iron Head and Night Slash leaving no room for retaliation.
The Sleepers tried desperately to summon more Lunatones, but the Pokémon's efforts were cut short by Ceruledge's relentless Phantom Force, appearing and disappearing with lethal precision.
Amidst the chaos, Jake stayed close to Salamence. Each time a particularly bright blast erupted nearby, Natalie would crouch beside him, placing a firm hand over his eyes. "Don't look, Jake. Focus on me and stay close."
Though shaken, Jake nodded, grateful for her protection.
Finally, the battlefield grew quiet. The Sleepers had been eradicated, and the remaining Lunatones crumbled to the ground, their glowing cores dimming as they collapsed into lifeless heaps.
The aftermath of the battle was eerily silent. Only the burned earth, still smoldering in patches from Incineroar's fiery onslaught, bore any evidence of the fierce skirmish. The guards stood in a loose formation, recalling their Pokémon one by one.
"Good work, everyone. Let's keep moving. We're getting closer to something—hopefully, Monika will be there," Natalie said, her voice low but steady as she stroked her Salamence's neck. Only the dragons remained outside, this time even Sceptile was called back to rest inside its Pokéball.
Jake watched as the guards murmured quiet thanks to their Pokémon before recalling them, their faces reflecting a mix of relief and determination. The strange, twisted beauty of the Distortion World surrounded them as they prepared to move on.