CHAPTER 30 — The Lenses of Evil

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Nero Jolteon and Beelzeby Luxray stared at each other with their fur bristling, the Pokémon began to walk slowly in a circle, waiting for the first move that seemed to never come. Amphy Ampharos wanted to warn Nero about something, but due to the effect of Beelzeby’s Throat Chop, which creates pressure in the throat, Amphy at that moment could barely breathe, let alone speak. The Ampharos firmly held the golden ring around her neck, seeking strength.
Amphy then noticed a scroll near her, a result of her earlier clash with the Luxray that had messed up that room, the Pokémon then decided to write a warning using the blood from her wounds as ink. However, when Amphy stretched to grab the scroll, a hidden green sphere appeared before her eyes, unable to react in any way, the Ampharos closed her eyes serenely, accepting her fate, and was then struck by its explosion:

— “AMPHYYY, NOOO!” — Shouted the white-scarf Jolteon, seeing his mother thrown against the wall due to the explosion. Nero left his position wanting to run to Amphy, only to come face-to-face with the hidden green sphere.

But, unlike his mother, Nero was not weakened, and the intense training with Raikou had sharpened his subconscious reflexes, allowing him to dodge by jumping backward from the explosion of the green projectile with a purple hue. The Jolteon gave a small growl, managing to recognize the move Hidden Power, and the color of the explosion made it clear it was of the Ghost Type.
At no point did Nero see Beelzeby activate that move. That kind of threat meant that the Jolteon had to be careful with every advance to avoid falling into a trap. However, the Jolteon had no time to devise a strategy against Hidden Power because the Luxray charged. Nero risked dodging and was rewarded, managing to escape the Throat Chop by leaping to Beelzeby’s left, taking advantage of his brother’s open guard. The Jolteon, using the strength of his hind legs, landed a kick with them to the Luxray’s face, who only laughed.
In fact, Beelzeby had already counted on his brother’s agility and impulsiveness, and now he could put Nero in another trap. The Luxray’s tail began to glow intensely, and this glow was fired at the Jolteon’s face, who was looking at his brother at that moment. Nero screamed in pain in his eyes, blindly moving away from Beelzeby with a few jumps along with the Quick Attack, farther and now feeling safe, he used the white scarf from his head to rub his eyes.
However, upon opening his eyes, he was horrified by his new vision. He was no longer in that room in a modified mysterious dungeon; everything was a void with a very dark purple color tending toward gray. He tried to move a little, and then realized that the ground he was stepping on was only a floating platform of rust-colored earth.
The Jolteon began to pant, suddenly, he felt as if he was going to float, and in response, he stepped firmly on that earth. It was as if the heavens and the earth were one, that gave him a sensation of vertigo and nausea. Nero then saw that both the Luxray and his mother Ampharos were on other platforms, far from each other, and in the same situation as him:

— “Where is your confidence, Nero? BEHOLD, MY PERFECT WORLD, FOLLOWING ALL MY WHIMS!” — Said Beelzeby boasting, the Pokémon with dark-red eyes then moved his front paws clapping them together, Nero then saw two chunks of earth coming toward him, frightened, he managed to escape before being crushed.
— “AND EVERYTHING IT CONTAINS BOWS TO MY POWER!” — Complemented the Luxray with a wicked smile. Already irritated, the Jolteon tried to advance with his Quick Attack, however, sharp trees began to sprout from the ground, blocking his advance.

Suddenly, more trees began to grow from floating chunks of earth around Nero. The Jolteon managed to dodge them all by leaping among the debris of that macabre place. However, all of that was yet another trap from Beelzeby, who manipulated the path so that Nero would end up face-to-face with him.:

— “Game over, Nero…” — Said the Luxray, charging a giant green sphere of Hidden Power and firing it toward the Jolteon. There was no more earth and nowhere for Nero to gain momentum to escape, yet the white-scarf Pokémon was smiling.
— “Huh, but now it’s getting fun…” — Just as he mocked his misfortune, a lightning bolt surged from beneath Beelzeby, hitting him and thus preventing him from releasing his move, which exploded in his face, throwing him back. The Jolteon then used Thunderbolt on the piece of earth where the Luxray was, cushioning his fall on it.
— “I didn’t spend all these years training with Raikou just to fall into such a silly trap. Come on, Beel, I wouldn’t fall for it when we were younger, let alone now…” — Mocked Nero while the Luxray recovered, growling. On the outside, the Jolteon looked confident, but inside, he was very relieved.

By using Rising Voltage on Beelzeby, some things became clearer for the white-scarf Pokémon. The first was that all that place was nothing more than an illusion. After all, to activate Rising Voltage, he would have to step on the ground at least once, and since all the platforms floated far apart, that wouldn’t be the case. The second was that perhaps all of that had been created through the move Confuse Ray, since the last thing Nero saw before falling into that nightmare was a flash of bright light.
According to Beelzeby himself, when he was still a Shinx, his move pool was extremely limited, and he had to make the best of the few things he could learn. And the third thing, the one that most relieved and worried him, was that the one in front of him was, but also was not, his brother. The Jolteon used himself as a parameter, after all, even after all his training, he still kept several “habits,” which the Luxray tried to take advantage of, however, Beelzeby himself was not using anything he was accustomed to.
Nero firmly tightened the knot of his white scarf, smiling at the thought that his brother could still be saved. The Jolteon then used Wish, not only to ensure he would remain strong in battle, but also to demonstrate how strong his desire was to have his brother back. Recovered from the shock, the Luxray wiped the dirt off his face and began creating more trees to strike Nero. However, this time, the Jolteon calmly walked toward his brother, even floating in a place without a platform and passing through the sharp trees:

— “Your perfect world is nothing but a lie, everything in this falsehood may bow to you, but I will stand firm and move forward.” — Stated Nero in a more serious tone. Beelzeby became even more furious at the Jolteon’s attitude.
— “DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME, NEEEROOO!!” — Roared the Luxray, launching dozens of objects toward Nero, in response, the Jolteon, while walking, used Rising Voltage and Thunderbolt, intercepting the attacks from all sides.

The white-scarf Pokémon had learned with Raikou to sense his Electric Type moves unconsciously as if it were a sixth sense. Thus, it was not difficult for Nero to know which of his strikes truly had impact and which did not. Even so, the Jolteon was impressed with what a Confuse Ray mixed with a Hidden Power could do, it almost fooled him.
Tired of studying Beelzeby, Nero used his Quick Attack, getting extremely close to the dark-red-eyed Luxray, and then delivered several kicks with his front paws to his face at high speed. With each kick, the illusion of the Confuse Ray move began to unravel, the floating platforms revealed themselves to be Hidden Power, the purple sky returned to being the dungeon ceiling. Finally, the gray walls of that place came back, including Amphy still fainted, leaning against one of them.
Beelzeby took so many kicks empowered by Quick Attack that he was pressed against the dungeon wall, his hatred growing more and more, and seeing the Jolteon’s smile as he kicked him only made things worse. The Luxray then let out a roar of pure rage, opening his eyes as wide as he could, and when he did, his dark-red eyes gained a very strange black silhouette. However, the worst part was that Nero began to feel his body burn with pain and then realized he was being burned by black flames, making him scream in agony.
Not far from there, Lory the Shiny Eevee had finished treating Sakuya the Snow Ninetales thanks to the Luminous water provided by Raijin Heliolisk, who was still trying to energize the Terastral Crystal once more. That was when, suddenly, Lory’s Anticipation ability activated, making her foresee the presence of enemy Pokémon approaching. The Shiny Eevee began looking around, feeling cornered, Raijin had already told them there that he did not know how to fight, and to make matters worse, even with the treatment it was risky for Sakuya to battle:

— “Lory, what is happening?” — Asked the Snow Ninetales, noticing her sister’s unease. The question drew the attention of the Heliolisk, who looked at the light-blue-scarf Pokémon.
— “There are more members of the Umbral Requiem approaching, I can feel them, I think it’s a matter of minutes before they enter this room.” — Stated Lory, trembling with fear. Raijin panicked and claimed that the Luminous water was useless, since he could not manage to activate the Terastral Crystal with it.
— “Uhrrmm, I already suspected that the crystal would not be activated like this, apparently, it is truly Magitronic, if not by the Terastral energy itself, it cannot be charged and just becomes an ordinary piece of stone, Arrrg, damn… I need to get up and fight.” — Said Sakuya, trying to stand firm. Fearful, the Heliolisk lay on the ground in a fetal position, but the Shiny Eevee, on the other hand.
— “We will fight, we must stand firm until Nero returns!” — Declared Lory with conviction, Raijin, on the other hand.
— “He will not return, master Keith made me create that cursed device and he, he implanted it… He implanted it on Beelzeby’s face, even if master Beelzeby is at his limit, it is not him pulling the strings… Another Pokémon is the true master Beelzeby, one even scarier than master Keith.” — Whimpered the Heliolisk, bursting into tears and bitterly regretting what he had done. The Pokémon with the jingle bell clasp turned red with anger upon hearing that.
— “YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT, FOR SOMEONE SAID TO BE A GENIUS, GRRRRRR… WHY, FOR A THOUSAND ORICORIO, DID YOU NOT SAY ANYTHING SO IMPORTANT BEFORE?!” — Questioned the Snow Ninetales furiously, to the point of wanting to strike Raijin, but she did not because the Shiny Eevee stopped her, stepping in front of her.
— “BUT I DID, I DID, I SAID EVERYTHING TO LADY AMPHY BEFORE THE KLAWF SEPARATED US, SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE IS DEALING WITH! AND SINCE MASTER BEELZEBY HAD NOT YET COME TO CONFRONT US, AND SHE WAS NOT IN THE LANDSLIDE, I HOPED SHE WAS STILL FIGHTING AND WOULD WARN NERO! Only now… I, I am very afraid… *sniff, sniff, sniff*” — Shouted the Heliolisk, despairing as he burst into tears. Sakuya lowered her head, no longer angry at the Pokémon upon seeing that he was just an innocent victim.

The Snow Ninetales needed all the help she could get and could not or would not force Raijin to fight, seeing the Pokémon’s suffering, however, counting on Lory would not be much better due to her sister’s pitiful moves.
Sakuya then imagined that if she could not strengthen the Shiny Eevee physically for the inevitable battle, she could strengthen her defensively. With that in mind, the Snow Ninetales reached into her bag and pulled out five evolutionary stones she had collected during previous missions. For a moment, Sakuya hesitated to show the stones to Lory, who was distracted trying to calm the Heliolisk, but since she had no options, she placed the stones on the ground beside the Shiny Eevee:

— “Lory, look at me, please…” — Asked the Snow Ninetales in a melancholy voice, she truly did not want to be forced to do something like that. Lory turned to her sister and saw five evolutionary stones on the ground.
— “These are some evolutionary stones I obtained while doing my work, the Ice Stone that will turn you into a Glaceon, the Fire Stone that will turn you into a Flareon, the Water Stone that will turn you into a Vaporeon, the Thunder Stone that will turn you into a Jolteon, and the Leaf Stone that will turn you into a Leafeon.” — Explained Sakuya calmly.

However, that explanation was not for the Shiny Eevee, who should already know everything her sister was saying, but rather to buy time for the Snow Ninetales. Or Raijin, or even Lory herself to think of another way to remedy the situation. Sakuya wanted to find a way to save them and spare the Shiny Eevee from deciding to change her body forever:

— “I always wanted to be a Sylveon, with her ribbons I could help many Pokémon and be more proactive… I always thought I would evolve near you and Fearles, but we must bear the consequences of our choices, I wanted to come here to help you, and now it is time to pay the price.” — Said Lory, trembling while forcing a smile. The Snow Ninetales firmly closed her eyes and, with her long paws, pulled the evolutionary stones away from her sister.

But, it was already too late, the Shiny Eevee had made her choice simultaneously with Sakuya’s closing of her eyes, grabbing the stone before her sister pulled them away. The Snow Ninetales opened her eyes, witnessing the magnificent glow of evolution. In the end, Lory’s light-blue scarf fell from her head due to her increase in size, for she had become a beautiful Shiny Glaceon:

— “So, this is what it means to evolve… I chose to become a Glaceon to be able to take advantage of your ability, Sakuya…, but I thought evolution would at least teach me an Ice-type move.” — Commented Lory, astonished by her new body and walking as she followed her tail to admire herself.

Even while having a panic attack on the floor, Raijin still explained that since the Shiny Glaceon had evolved through a stone, her learning was different from an ordinary evolution:

— “Forgive me, Lory, I wish there was another way that wouldn’t require sacrificing your future like this, and congratulations, you really thought carefully when choosing your evolution.” — Lamented Sakuya while congratulating her sister, blaming herself for what had happened. Lory approached her sister and touched her shoulder with her paw.
— “We would be sacrificing my future if we remained defenseless here, this evolution may give us a chance… Besides, it feels nice to finally be able to touch you without feeling cold on my paw.” — Said the Shiny Glaceon, softening her voice to try to console the Snow Ninetales. Sakuya then hugged Lory.

At that moment, someone began knocking on the swing door, making the Heliolisk shout and move behind the two sisters. They stopped hugging and assumed a battle stance, the Snow Ninetales briefly closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she had already activated her Snow Warning ability, creating snow inside the room.
The Shiny Glaceon placed herself in front of her sister. As soon as the swing door opened, Lory used her Weather Ball move, hitting a Honchkrow that had opened it and throwing him against the wall on the other side of the door. Behind the Pokémon were two Passimian and a Tarountula, all acolytes of the Umbral Requiem and wearing vests that showed it. One of the Passimian threw the ball in his hand using the move Fling toward the Shiny Glaceon, however, Sakuya had already activated her Aurora Veil move, bouncing the ball back.
That same Passimian caught the ball he had released with the Quick Guard move, while his partner Passimian charged toward the Pokémon sisters with Iron Head. Lory reacted quickly, using the move Yawn, a small white mist toward the Passimian, hitting him. Even so, the Shiny Glaceon was struck by the Iron Head, being thrown and rolling across the floor. The Snow Ninetales managed to keep her sister from being tossed even further, however, that moment of carelessness allowed the Tarountula to leap from the back of the Passimian and attack both with the move Sticky Web.
The sticky web trapped the two sisters to the ground, leaving them completely defenseless. The Passimian and the Tarountula were already boasting, and their eyes filled with intent showed how repulsive they were. Thanks to the Ice Body ability she had gained when she evolved, Lory recovered from the enemy’s blow; after all, that ability restores the Pokémon’s vitality when under snow.
Worried that the females might escape, one of the Passimian grabbed the Tarountula and hurled her with Fling toward the duo. The Bug Type, in turn, flew toward them with Poison Jab active. However, the Shiny Glaceon had already spat out an energy rod from her mouth, a little before firmly embracing her sister. The rod she launched was instinctively caught by one of the Passimian. Suddenly, both Lory and Sakuya swapped places with the Passimian who had caught the rod, leaving him trapped under the Sticky Web instead of them. Thus, he was the one struck by the Tarountula’s Poison Jab.
The Bug Type Pokémon alerted the other Passimian to intercept the sisters.
However, the Passimian who was free collapsed unconscious on the floor at the very moment he turned to catch the females, startling the Tarountula. It seemed, at last, that the effect of Yawn had taken hold, incapacitating the Pokémon. The Tarountula then tried to free her partner Passimian from the Sticky Web, ending the move. To the Bug Type’s misfortune, Sakuya used her Tera Blast, and the Normal Type burst hit the Tarountula, pinning her against the wall. The Snow Ninetales only stopped the move when the Shiny Glaceon used Yawn on the Passimian caught in the web.
Happy, Sakuya was about to congratulate her sister; but Lory was still ready to fight and ordered her sister to turn around. When the Snow Ninetales did so, she saw that the Honchkrow was recovering from the Weather Ball and looked far from pleased at having been caught off guard:

— “RAIJIN, GET UP FROM THE GROUND AND AT LEAST USE THIS BADGE, SEND ALL THE POKÉMON WE INCAPACITATED TO THE BASE IMMEDIATELY!” — Ordered Sakuya, while throwing her Punisher Badge at the Heliolisk, hitting him on the nape with the object. Raijin then got up and did as commanded, imagining that if they won it would be good, but if they lost, he could say he had been forced and thus escape the guillotine.
— “Come on, Sakuya, let’s give it our best. When Nero wins, we’ll all go home together!” — Affirmed the Shiny Glaceon, standing by her sister and preparing to face the vest-wearing Honchkrow.

A few rooms away, Nero was trying to recover, but the strange Hex move used by Beelzeby was so powerful it even incinerated the Jolteon’s white scarf. Nero, in turn, kept rolling on the floor to try to extinguish the black flames or at least ease the pain, but without success.
Then the Jolteon’s body began to shine in a golden light, that was the effect of the move Wish activating, not only healing Nero but also saving him from the black flames of Hex. Furious, the Luxray tried to strike the Jolteon again. However, knowing about the move made Nero even more careful in his approach, abusing Quick Attack to escape the range of Hex’s gaze.
The Jolteon’s great speed, combined with Beelzeby’s massive size, allowed Nero to land multiple moves at once, while the Luxray’s murderous gaze never reached him. Beelzeby’s rage only grew as he felt more and more humiliated. Then, in one of his failed attempts to hit the Jolteon, the Luxray unintentionally struck Amphy with Hex. Instead of canceling the move, Beelzeby smiled, seeing it as an opportunity:

— “STOP! YOU COWARD!” — Ordered Nero furiously, striking the Luxray with his Electric Type moves, and even though it forced Beelzeby to close his eyes and cancel the move, he always redirected his attention back to Ampharos and harmed her.

Closing his eyes in frustration and rage, the Jolteon roared, using Wish once again, and then leapt in front of Amphy on purpose to be struck by Hex, sparing his mother. Nero once more felt the overwhelming pain of the black flames corroding his body from within. Even so, it was a pain easier to bear than seeing a Pokémon he loved so much suffer.
Channeling all his anger at the Luxray’s cowardly actions, the Jolteon used Thunderbolt at the maximum power he could, managing with great difficulty to repel the Ghost Type move, locking in a power struggle between Hex and Thunderbolt. However, even strengthened by his determination, his Electric Type move was not enough, and the Ghost Type move was already close to Nero’s head. The Jolteon had a plan, he just needed time.
Roaring and unleashing Electric Type energy to the point his body was grinding with pain, Nero gave everything he had for Thunderbolt to win the power struggle against Hex. However, it was completely useless, Beelzeby smiled as his brother’s faith and hope vanished before his evil eyes. Suddenly, a burst of white light shot past the Jolteon’s head, striking the black beam of Hex. The moves blended, giving Nero the advantage in the clash against the Luxray.
Without turning his head, the Jolteon shifted his eyes slightly to the right, and with a few short steps, Amphy revealed herself, standing by her son’s side with her mouth wide open, showing she was responsible for the Dragon Pulse move. The Wish used earlier had not been directed at Nero, but at Ampharos. The Jolteon could have used that resource at several other moments if he wanted, but his desire for fair fights always made him compete cleanly, something that had become unfeasible due to Beelzeby’s cruelty and cowardice.
The Luxray then let out a roar. Nero’s and Amphy’s ears twitched, not from the roar itself, but as if it were a sense of danger. Both Electric Type Pokémon quickly canceled their moves and dodged the Hex beam. As soon as they did, the spot where they had been exploded; Beelzeby had conjured his peculiar Hidden Power, which nearly struck his enemies:

— “AMPHY, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! FEARLES TOLD ME VERY VAGUELY ABOUT THINGS, WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH BEELZEBY?!” — Demanded the Jolteon while using Quick Attack to assault his brother, while Ampharos found herself surrounded by Hidden Power and used the move Power Gem to conjure stone crystals and shield herself.
— “BEELZEBY IS USING A SACRED ITEM, WE NEED TO TAKE IT FROM HIM IMMEDIATELY, I’LL EXPLAIN THE REST LATER!” — Replied Amphy, defending herself from the green spheres, shattering them with her crystals. The Luxray was back to square one, failing to hit Nero with Hex.
— “SO, YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ITEM? KEEPING RAIJIN WAS TRULY A RISKY MOVE, I’LL MAKE SURE TO BURY MY SECRET WITH THE THREE OF YOU…” — Threatened Beelzeby, swishing his tail and creating several shining orbs. Nero immediately alerted his mother about the Confuse Ray move, and Ampharos then looked at the Jolteon.
— “HIS EYES, NERO, THE SACRED ITEM IS IN HIS EYES!” — Warned Amphy, after all, she had tried to target her son’s eyes since the moment she had been alone with him, but due to the Luxray’s strength and her lack of agility she could do no more than hold her ground.

Nero only moved his head, signaling that he understood the message. However, two things haunted the Jolteon’s thoughts. The first was how Beelzeby had managed to obtain a sacred item, and the second and more important, how he would manage to tear out his brother’s eyes, especially since that was the most dangerous part of his body due to Hex.
Unfortunately, it would be no easy task. Aware of his enemies’ plan, the Luxray kept Hex active along with his Hidden Power. Seeing the Jolteon’s difficulty in closing in, Amphy advanced using her Thunder Punch move, dissipating several of the Hidden Power green spheres. Beelzeby then focused his attention on his mother, aiming Hex at her. Knowing the risk of being burned by the black fire upon contact with the dark ray, Ampharos used Power Gem to intercept the beams. Taking advantage of the distraction, Nero propelled himself with Quick Attack and leapt onto his brother’s back. The Luxray roared, shaking violently in an attempt to dislodge the Jolteon, without success.
With his loss of concentration, Hidden Power and Hex dissipated, allowing Amphy to draw near. Seeing the Electric Type Pokémon almost reaching him, Beelzeby used the move Supercell Slam, striking her in the stomach with the powerful Electric Type attack, knocking her down. However, that move did not affect Nero, who used the energy his brother was releasing to unleash Thunderbolt. The power of the two brothers clashed at such close range that it caused multiple explosions, their electricity striking several scrolls and devices in the room, igniting an electrical fire:

— “BEEL, SNAP OUT OF IT, WE’RE YOUR FAMILY!” — Roared the Jolteon, gripping the black mane of the red-eyed Luxray tightly.
— “YOU ARE NOT MY FAMILY, MY FAMILY ABANDONED ME IN A DARK AND EMPTY PLACE. FOR BEING WHO I AM, I WAS LEFT TO MY OWN FATE!” — Roared Beelzeby, activating Hex and causing destruction around him. Ampharos was nearly hit by the dark optical beam, but was saved thanks to Nero, who yanked his brother’s head by his mane.

The explosion and fire spread. The Snow Ninetales was the first to notice the flames approaching, immediately warning Lory and Raijin. The Heliolisk ordered everyone to flee at once, justifying that his laboratory used a great deal of volatile energy, and if the fire reached it, it could cause an explosion capable of completely destroying the dungeon. However, at that moment of hesitation, the Shiny Glaceon was struck by a Hydro Pump launched by a Buizel of the Umbral Requiem. Sakuya used her Aurora Veil to protect her sister, while Raijin approached her, trembling, holding a vial:

— “I-it’s no u-use, t-these lunatics are all willing t-to perish f-for the mission. I d-don’t want to die; I don’t want to die trapped here!” — Said the Heliolisk, as he gave some Luminous water to fallen Lory. The Shiny Glaceon regained consciousness, gasping deeply as if she had been drowning.
— “Stay together, I’ll use my Safeguard to at least protect us from being burned, but if we don’t do anything against this fire, this precaution will only be temporary.” — Explained the Snow Ninetales as she activated Safeguard. Thanks to Aurora Veil, the three Pokémon were shielded from the acolytes, but with the smoke and heat rising, Sakuya’s and Lory’s moves began to weaken.
— “The fire is coming from inside the base…” — Affirmed Raijin. Surprisingly, it was as if hope had begun to shine again for the Heliolisk. The Shiny Glaceon touched the Electric Type Pokémon’s shoulder affectionately.
— “Nero and Amphy will make it. I have faith in Nero’s promise. Let’s just hold strong, OK?” — Said Lory softly. Raijin looked down, embarrassed for still harboring so much doubt.

The Electric Type Pokémon then looked around, and upon finding something high enough, asked the Shiny Glaceon and the Snow Ninetales to climb quickly to the spot he pointed out. Sakuya grew suspicious of his attitude, hesitating to obey. However, seeing that Lory had already done as asked, she followed only to ensure her sister’s safety.
Many acolytes of the Umbral Requiem began advancing through the flames toward the Pokémon. Raijin rubbed his two paws together and slowly spread them apart, his limbs glowing with an aquamarine color. In the end, the Heliolisk let out a roar and struck the ground with his paws, creating great waves that surged around his body. The waves were so violent that they not only repelled most of the acolytes but also halted the advance of the fire. The Snow Ninetales smiled, seeing Raijin’s Surf move drive the enemies back, and was about to leap down from the elevation with the intent to help, but was stopped by Lory, who clung to her sister:

— “It’s not a good idea to touch that water, Sakuya, look.” — Warned the Shiny Glaceon, pointing at the acolytes. Those who had resisted the Surf began trembling and collapsing unconscious to the ground.
— “*Huff puff*, I suspected this fire was electric, since the three Pokémon fighting all have that nature. The water may have extinguished part of the flames, but it’s still charged with electricity.” — Explained the Heliolisk, panting. He wasn’t experienced in battle, but his ingenuity was undeniable.

Sakuya thanked the Shiny Glaceon for stopping her from suffering a strong electric shock out of foolishness. Lory only smiled at her sister’s remark. However, she then asked Raijin to keep using Surf. The Heliolisk did as asked, and the Shiny Glaceon boosted her ally’s move with Helping Hand.
Thanks to the combo created by the Pokémon, the Heliolisk’s Surf was powered up, becoming stronger and with a wider range. The water spread so far it reached the room where the three Electric Pokémon were battling. Jolteon was the first to feel the water at his paws with the strong electric current running through it. Knowing that Amphy had no immunity to the Electric Type nature and wanting to spare her from more pain, Nero used Quick Attack to dodge Luxray’s strikes and grab his mother.
At first, Ampharos questioned the Jolteon’s action, but as soon as the electrified water touched Beelzeby, making him shudder in pain, Amphy understood her son’s motivation, impressed by his quick thinking. Nero placed Ampharos high up on the wall of the room, but before he could leave, Amphy grabbed the small tail of the Jolteon, saving him from being struck by a Hex blast. After all, even while in great pain, Luxray continued using his moves to prevent any approach. Suddenly, a blast from a strange place nearly struck the Pokémon duo. Nero looked toward the source of the attack and noticed a fragment of Ampharos’s mirror staff:

— “Mother, your staff’s mirror can reflect the Hex move. Now I know what to do, WISH ME LUCK!” — Shouted the Jolteon, leaping from the high spot. Upon stepping into the electrified water, thanks to his Volt Absorb ability, Nero only grew stronger from the energy.

Using Quick Attack, the Jolteon grabbed the shard of mirror in his mouth and charged toward his brother, easily dodging the Hex blasts. However, once face to face with Beelzeby, there was no longer any way to dodge, for he had to strike Luxray’s eyes directly.
Even with the involuntary muscle contractions caused by the electrified water, Beelzeby’s natural resistance allowed him to endure much more than an ordinary Pokémon. Thus, his Hex remained very intense, though unstable, forcing Nero to hold the shard of mirror with his paws to protect himself, using it as a shield. The problem was that the shard, due to the power of the attack, was shattering as the Jolteon advanced. It was only a matter of time before Nero was struck by the Luxray’s Ghost Type move.
Assessing the situation and seeing no other choice, Amphy removed the ring she wore around her neck. The item suddenly shone and changed form, becoming a U-shaped magnet with positive and negative polarities. Ampharos closed her eyes and placed the magnet on her forehead as if thanking and bidding it farewell. She then looked at her two sons and hurled the item toward Jolteon.
The magnet struck the back of Nero’s neck, making him cry out and raise his ears high. When he did, the magnet attached to one of them, becoming a golden earring. Nero then let out a mighty roar, his body releasing countless sparks. The Jolteon felt far more powerful than before. Harnessing his newfound strength, he used Thunderbolt on his own back, causing an explosion that propelled him forward:

— “WAAAAKE UUUUUP!” — Roared the Jolteon as he was launched at high speed, headbutting Beelzeby square in the forehead.

With the impact, the Luxray closed his eyes and staggered back. Upon reopening them, the last thing he saw was Nero flying toward him with the shard of mirror in his paw. Using the object as a blade, the Jolteon, in a single stroke, slashed horizontally across Beelzeby’s face, opening a massive wound and shattering a sort of glass that had been inside Luxray’s eyes:

— “YEEEOOOOOW! WRETCHED ONE, YOU’LL PAY, YOU’LL PAY, I’LL RIppp YOU APaRT!” — Swore Beelzeby with a voice that wasn’t his own. The Pokémon pressed both claws to his face and spun on the wet ground, bleeding heavily. Jolteon could see several shards of glass, a dark crimson color, spilling from Luxray’s face.
— “AaAaAAagGgGgGgG!!” — Howled Beelzeby in that strange voice. The Pokémon seemed to convulse, removing his claws from his face and crying tears of blood. The last shards of glass came out of Luxray’s face and were carried away by the water.

Nero then saw those shards trembling, and within them appeared the reflection of what seemed to be a Pokémon with black wings that looked like tentacles with thorns. But before the Jolteon could understand better, the dark crimson shards began to burst, shattering completely:

— “It’s over, it’s finally over… *SPLAT*” — Nero’s words of relief were silenced by the sound of Ampharos, who had fallen from above, landing belly-first into the electrified water.

Immediately, Jolteon used Wish both on his mother and on his brother, struggling to put the two of them in places away from the electrified water. Thanks to Wish, the wound on Beelzeby’s face eased, but it did not heal; to make matters worse, Amphy did not seem to have responded to his move, both urgently needed doctors.
Nero then used his Quick Attack, leaving the room with the hope of finding Lory; with his speed, it did not take long for him to see Raijin. The Electric Type Pokémon, upon seeing the Jolteon there, began to cry with happiness, assuming that at last Luxray had been defeated and he was safe. Even though he was apprehensive, Nero confirmed that with Amphy’s help he had defeated Beelzeby, immediately afterward asking where the Eevee with the light-blue scarf was, surprised by a majestic Shiny Glaceon who appeared from the sky:

— “*Gulp*… Lo-Lory?” — Asked the blushing Jolteon with his ears lowered, Nero had already thought the Eevee beautiful before, but he saw only perfection in the Glaceon; she, in turn, ran toward the Jolteon, giving him a hug, very happy to see him well.
— “NERO, DID YOU DO IT?! WHERE ARE BEELZEBY AND AMPHY?” — Asked Sakuya as she descended from the high ground where she was with Lory, a question that was very convenient, since, with the hug he was receiving, Nero had forgotten about the rest.

The Jolteon pushed the Shiny Glaceon away and warned everyone about what had happened and that his two companions needed medical care. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Lory took a little Luminous water from the Heliolisk and went with the Snow Ninetales to treat Beelzeby and Amphy.
Nero was ready to follow the pair, but Raijin cried out for help; turning, the Jolteon realized there were still many conscious members of the Requiem Umbral ready to attack. Nero’s worried face turned into a smile of excitement, the Jolteon’s love for battles always calmed his heart. Besides, he trusted that his companions would do their best treatment for his family. Nero then touched his earring, knowing it was the source of his new powers and excited about the idea of testing it on the clan that had harmed his family so much.
Far away from there, transported in a modest ark made of steel, a Zweilous received a message on his Gadget that left him worried. The Dragon Type Pokémon then headed to the front of the ark, where there was a Delcatty with a whip on her back. The Pokémon held two straps in her paws, which were the reins of two Gyarados that pulled the vessel. Next to the Delcatty stood a Bisharp completely covered with the item Covert Cloak, looking at the horizon:

— “Master Keith, forgive us for coming here to bother you… We received a message on our Gadget from one of the members of the base on the Calypso Continent… It seems that Skulla’s offspring has been defeated, and the base has been compromised.” — Reported the Zweilous, the Pokémon always referred to himself in the third person, and the two heads alternated speech.

Keith Bisharp removed the hood of the Covert Cloak from his head, still admiring the horizon; from inside the item, he pulled out a compass attached to a chain. Upon opening the item, there was an imposing photo of a Luxray wearing the Requiem Umbral brooch. The Bisharp then began to walk toward the front of the ark; Keith began to scream hastily, showing his hatred:

— “DAMN FLAMEY EMPIRE, THEY TOOK SKULLA’S SON FROM US, THEY WON’T GET AWAY WITH THIS… Skulla… you gave your life to the plan of bringing Giratina back, even giving birth to Beelzeby for such.” — The Bisharp’s words showed sorrow for the Luxray; upon reaching the bow of the ark, he looked down, seeing the tip of the vessel, and dropped the compass with Skulla Luxray’s photo, letting it sink into the deep sea.
— “Master, shouldn’t we change course and go to the Calypso Continent to rescue Beelzeby? Or perhaps use the Heliolisk’s lenses to create another vessel…” — Asked the Dragon Pokémon. The Bisharp turned his head sideways to see the Pokémon on his back, but then turned his attention to the sky as if in mourning.
— “No, Krauser… Skulla bore Beelzeby to be the perfect vessel; he even surpassed my expectations, there will never be another like him.” — Replied Keith, appearing furious at losing an alloy like Beelzeby. The right head of Krauser Zweilous seemed jealous of the Bisharp’s words, as for the other.
— “Then there’s no more reason to continue with this, after all, it is possible that they have killed Beelzeby, and without his body, we have no way to contact Giratina, the Requiem Umbral is finished…” — Declared the left head, crestfallen. The comment left the other half of the Zweilous furious, he was about to reprimand his other half; however, Keith commented sarcastic, completely changing his posture.
— “I might even agree with you, but fortunately, Emperor Koji took too long to get rid of Beelzeby; thanks to him, we know how to reach the power capable of surpassing Arceus…” — The Bisharp then turned to face the Zweilous, walking in his direction; the Pokémon stopped near him, looking only at the head that had spoken earlier.
— “Krauser, you are my second-in-command, tell me what we have achieved so far, refresh my memory.” — Ordered Keith. The right head immediately began to speak in a serious and calm tone.
— “NO! YOU DIDN’T…” — Shouted the Bisharp harshly, drawing the attention of everyone on the ark and silencing Krauser. Keith then crouched down, face to face with the left head of the Zweilous.
— “I want YOU to speak.” — Declared Keith with a beautiful smile on his face.

The left head of Krauser began to tremble in fear, shaking his head negatively and backing away, already imagining what awaited him just by seeing that smile. The other Pokémon on the ship whispered without taking their eyes off the pair, many even moved closer:

— “W-well, M-master K-Keith, we d-drained a-a-all the Luminous water s-s-sources o-o-of the Calypso Continent a-and f-from the s-sacred k-kingdom, w-we also exterminated a-a-almost all the E-eevee snif and their evolutions of Judicium…” — The left head of Krauser stammered in fear; with each word of his, Keith’s smile seemed to become more perverse, it was almost as if the Metal Type Pokémon was having an orgasm with his terror.
— “Master, please, he… I… We didn’t mean to say it wrongly, I beg you, spare…” — Pleaded the right head of the Zweilous. However, the Bisharp used the move Metal Claw, turning his hand into a blade and placing it on the neck of the same; the right head began to pant and immediately silenced itself, avoiding sudden movements. The Cloaked Pokémon then brought his other hand close to his own mouth, making a gesture demanding silence.
— “Shiiiii… No need for that, just let him finish.” — Said Keith in a cold and sadistic manner, the right head of Krauser only lowered, then the Bisharp brought his arms parallel to the neck of the left head, the Metal Claw move was activated in both hands, and it looked as if the Zweilous’s neck was inside a large sharp scissor.
— “What are you waiting for? CONTINUE!” — Ordered Keith, bringing his two hands close enough to make two superficial cuts on Krauser’s neck, the left head was sweating cold, even closing his eyes already accepting his cruel fate.
— “Thanks to Beelzeby making the bridge between us and Giratina we were able to devise a much more effective attack plan, through Beelzeby’s knowledge we succeeded in locating and damaging the sources of Luminous water from the Flamey empire, and through Giratina’s master plan we ruined the sacred kingdom of Judicium by taking the master key and strengthening it with the blood of the Eevee and their evolutions we exterminated…” — Stated the left head of the Zweilous without showing fear and speaking as fast as possible, the Bisharp seemed disappointed with such a reaction, canceling his move.
— “Good, good, do you still think the Umbral Requiem clan is finished?” — Asked Keith calmly, that psychotic and sadistic expression had suddenly passed, the Bisharp had even canceled his Metal Claw.
— “NO, NO SIR, FORGIVE ME, PLEASE!” — Begged the left head, then Keith placed his two hands on the face of the right head.
— “Good, very good…” — Said the Bisharp a little before reactivating the Metal Claw and ripping vertically across Krauser’s face, leaving him with two huge scars, all the Pokémon around were startled by the master’s act, he, without any sign of hostility or bloodlust, applied an attack to his closest ally.
— “The pain will make you never forget this, AND THAT GOES FOR ALL OF YOU TOO, THIS CLAN IS LIKE THE HEADS OF AN EXEGGUTOR DRAGON, ONE MAY FALL, BUT THERE ARE STILL THREE THAT WILL CONTINUE.” — Affirmed the Pokémon with the Covert Cloak, turning his back to the Zweilous and leaving him writhing in pain on the ground.
— “THE PLAN OF GIRATINA AND SKULLA CONTINUES, OUR HANDS ARE FAR TOO DIRTY TO SIMPLY WASH THEM, WE WILL EITHER GAIN EVERYTHING, OR LOSE IT ALL, ARE YOU WITH ME OR AGAINST ME?!” — Roared the Bisharp raising his two bloodstained claws, all members of the Umbral Requiem clan howled in adoration for their leader Keith, even the right head of Krauser who ignored his wounded half to worship him.

However, the wounded half while crying in agony swore by his spilled blood that stained the deck, never to forget the humiliation and suffering he was living there, that injustice of the Bisharp would not go unpunished for him and from that day on, no Pokémon would ever see him in that situation again.
Some time passed, the remnants of the Umbral Requiem clan were all captured, Nero Jolteon, Amphy Ampharos, Lory Glaceon, Sakuya Snow Ninetales and Raijin Heliolisk were considered heroes for their efforts and contributions to such, as well as some Musharna and Porygon-2 who managed to scour the members’ minds and their files respectively. However, even with the success of the capture, Fearles Zoroark considered his management of the crisis a great failure, wanting to take the blame, however, Lencia Charmeleon, even though she understood the gravity of the casualties, congratulated the Zoroark and kept him in his position.
As for Beelzeby Luxray, thanks to the testimonies of Raijin and Sakuya along with the defense of Fearles himself he was acquitted of all his legal transgressions, but the news for him was not so good. Unfortunately, both the lenses and the cut made by Nero damaged the Luxray’s corneas and eyes irreversibly, he would never again be able to see like a Pokémon of his species, being left with severe photosensitivity in his eyes condemning him to live his life in darkness.
Amphy Ampharos also suffered the consequences of the battle, the Pokémon who always had an admirable vitality seemed closer to death than ever, her body was very weak, barely able to sustain itself, and she looked like an elderly Ampharos. Every day and night, Nero stayed with both of them alternating his visits and blaming himself too much, on one of those days, Fearles accompanied by Sakuya and Lory went to talk to the Jolteon, the news was not good at all:

— “Nero… There’s no easy way to say what I am going to say now…” — Nero was in Beelzeby’s room sitting on a bench near his bed, the Zoroark imagined that the Jolteon had not listened to him, so he sat beside him in silence.

The shiny Glaceon stayed close to her brother, however, the Snow Ninetales could not enter, staying outside looking through the room’s window, for even after the words Nero had said to her in the dungeon, Sakuya’s chest was still heavy with guilt, seeing the Luxray lying unconscious, with a huge white bandage covering his eyes connected to various orbs and holistic stones only made her want to cry:

— “They destroyed my kingdom, didn’t they? As soon as I arrived in Zambeli I sent a message to my parents, in all these days I received no answer from them or from the royal counselor… I had already presumed the worst.” — Answered the Jolteon calmly showing acceptance, Fearles rubbed one of his eyes with his claw so as not to cry, the Pokémon in the white suit then scratched his neck uncomfortably wanting to gather strength, all he could do was move his head, confirming Nero’s premonition.
— “The Umbral Requiem has already gone beyond all limits, from the reports I received, Atila and Serah fought until the end, but it seems that, just like here, there were several infiltrators and that destroyed Judicium from within…” — The Zoroark explained how it all happened for the Jolteon’s kingdom to fall into ruins, Lory silenced her brother, complaining that this was not the moment to dump everything on the Electric Type Pokémon.
— “It’s all right Lory, to tell you the truth, I think my father and mother were already dead since that day I met Fearles, and he told me everything I had lost in the years I was away, including the civil war in the kingdom.” — Nero stopped talking for a moment wiping his eyes with his yellow paws, the Pokémon then leaned against the wall letting out a long sigh that almost turned into a roar and continued.
— “That’s why I wanted so badly to save Beelzeby and Amphy that day, I had nothing left but them, my father was always a very busy Umbreon, even when he became king, he still had the heart of a Justice-bringer. My mother Espeon, she was very kind, but since my father was always traveling, it was she who ran the kingdom…” — The Jolteon pressed his teeth against one another, the Pokémon had already accepted his parents’ death, but the details told by the Zoroark infuriated him.
— “I don’t doubt that my mother gave shelter to the traitors, I bet that until the end she trusted everyone, she was that kind of Pokémon. I just… Wish I cared more about their death, when I left Judicium… I was so happy, I was too trapped in the palace, I knew my responsibilities and was always reminded of them.” — Nero then lowers his head, he had begun to cry, even the guilt for the ruin of his kingdom the golden-eared Pokémon carried upon his back.
— “Before meeting Beelzeby and Amphy, my life was the kingdom, I did everything for Judicium, I just wanted to return as a Jolteon and see the look of pride on my father’s face, feel the loving embrace of my mother. I… I did everything they asked me and now… I feel like I lost everything, I feel like it was all in vain.” — Unexpectedly, while the Jolteon lamented, it was Fearles who moved first giving him a hug, when Nero lifted his head, he saw the Shiny Glaceon crying in front of him.
— “IT WASN’T IN VAIN, NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN, I BECAME A GLACEON BECAUSE OF YOU, BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED IN ME, AMPHY AND BEELZEBY ARE ONLY ALIVE BECAUSE OF YOU!” — Lory shouted in tears, then she startled herself, that wasn’t the place to act that way, the Shiny Glaceon wiped her tears getting closer to the Jolteon.
— “We are not your parents, we never will be…, But we love you, we love you so much, you are our friend, hearing you talk like this hurt, it hurts a lot. We just want your well-being, your kingdom wasn’t ruined, you’re still here, as long as you exist the kind and heart of your parents lives inside you.” — Lory added more calmly, she then held Nero’s paw and leaned against him, the Jolteon hugged both her and the Zoroark.
— “Thank you… I know what you want to tell me Fearles and Lory’s words gave me certainty of it… I’ll allow myself to be selfish this time, I lived life for my kingdom, but for now, I’ll let it recover on its own.” — Nero replied, Fearles widened his eyes shaking himself off, releasing the hug and looking the Pokémon in his eyes.
— “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! THEY NEED YOU… *COF, cof, cof, * sorry, I got carried away, but Nero, Judicium needs you, the Sacred Kingdom needs a king.” — Startled, the Zoroark began shouting, however, the Shiny Glaceon looked at him coldly, that look disarmed him making him try to speak with a velvetier voice, but he couldn’t hide his disapproval.
— “Yes, I know, I didn’t say I wouldn’t return, I just won’t return now… Fearles, you, Lory, Sakuya out there, Beelzeby and Amphy are my new family, I’ve already decided on that. I won’t step into Judicium until my parents have justice, and until I know all of you are safe and well.” — Nero replied, directing his attention to Beelzeby, Lory squeezed the Jolteon’s paw.
— “All right, but even so, Fearles has contacts with the kingdom, you will rule from afar and assist as much as possible, that’s what your parents would want. And you are a good Pokémon, I know you don’t want your people to suffer, let them know their prince is well, and that he is fighting to bring justice to the Eevee who lost everything.” — The Shiny Glaceon asked, speaking softly, she was so close to him that only then did Nero notice that on Lory’s ear was a bow made from the light-blue flannel she had once given him.
— “All right, it’s the right thing to do, as soon as Beelzeby and Amphy recover, I have scores to settle with the Requiem Umbral clan, and I will always keep an eye on everything happening in the Sacred Kingdom.” — The Jolteon affirmed, accepting the Shiny Glaceon’s proposal with some reluctance, the Zoroark was so relieved with the agreement that he even slumped into the chair.

Weeks passed after the conversation, Nero understood more and more each day what Lory had told him, he missed his parents, but the support his friends were giving him at that moment was invaluable to him.
Despite having had an abrupt beginning, the Jolteon began to rule Judicium from afar thanks to Fearles’ help, the Zoroark was always by the young prince’s side teaching him how to behave and even stepping in at times when he acted more like a Berserker than a Network. As for Sakuya, she helped with the more bureaucratic part, for she had as much experience as Fearles, having been his secretary and assistant for so many years, while the Shiny Glaceon helped both when it was time to speak with the subjects through the Gadget holographic screens and in the bureaucratic matters, restoring the kingdom from a distance was one of the happiest moments for Nero, just for being closer to her.
The prince, even with his royal responsibilities, still made frequent visits to his companions’ hospital rooms, however, as everyone’s tasks accumulated and time had become a luxury, there came a moment when the Jolteon could no longer be there frequently. Thus, with the help of the Malamar who worked at the Zabeli base, the four Pokémon received schedule spreadsheets, where they would take care of Judicium, handle their own duties and visit the hospitalized companions. At first, Nero hated the idea of being ruled in such a way, but since Lory and the others accepted, he found himself with no way out, and after some time the new routine made by Malamar proved extremely efficient.
Unfortunately, not everything was perfect, Sakuya still felt a strong sense of guilt when it was her turn to visit Beelzeby, the Snow Ninetales would only see him through the window not even trying to enter the room, however, on that very day, she saw through the window Raijin sitting on the bench next to the Luxray:

— “Shouldn’t you be with your parents far from here? It’s too dangerous for you to walk alone, there may still be members of the Requiem Umbral wanting revenge for what you did.” — Sakuya’s concern overcame her guilt, she entered the room, already speaking to the Heliolisk in a soft and friendly tone.
— “Sorry, I came to visit Mr. Beelzeby.” — The Heliolisk replied shyly without looking at the Snow Ninetales and keeping his focus on Beelzeby, Sakuya sat beside the Pokémon avoiding at all costs to look at the Luxray, for the guilt she felt made her believe that she should be the one suffering in a hospital bed, not her partner.
— “You know, I wanted to be a great inventor, I always loved the devices made by humans and by us Pokémon, but my parents were always poor and couldn’t get the materials for my inventions… I discovered that mystery dungeons had everything in them and I ventured into one, but I got lost…” — Raijin told, breaking the uncomfortable silence, the Snow Ninetales imagined that the Heliolisk and the Gigabolt team had a past because of what Amphy had said in the Requiem Umbral dungeon.
— “I was terrified, that’s when that Luxio appeared… I was so scared that I knelt down and put my head on the ground and used Discharge as strongly as I could, the closer he got, the more afraid I felt… That’s when he hugged me… ‘I’m here, don’t cry, you’re safe now.’” — The Heliolisk recounted, Raijin’s story made Sakuya raise her head and look at Beelzeby, knowing that only made her feel more guilty.
— “Since that day, Beelzeby is my hero, I wanted to repay the favor he did me that day and that blinded me, that Bisharp took advantage of my innocence, I thought I had created lenses that improved Beelzeby’s vision. But I made a means for Giratina to control him, he must hate me, right? I hate myself so much…” — Raijin lamented, clutching his head, falling into tears, the Snow Ninetales said nothing, she only hugged the Heliolisk and let him let out his cry.
— “He doesn’t hate you, Beel always seems bad-tempered, but he has a heart of gold.” — Sakuya replied, then she released Raijin from the hug and looked into his eyes, being able to see her reflection and realizing she too was crying, the Snow Ninetales then smiled while crying.
— “You must forgive yourself; we did everything we could, Keith was the one who caused all this, not us… We didn’t turn our backs on him and risked everything for him, and whatever fate reserves for us, we’ll face it with our heads held high, we’ve punished ourselves enough, let’s save this punishment for those who truly deserve it.” — Sakuya advised, the Snow Ninetales’ words touched the Heliolisk, who thanked her.

Both Pokémon then hugged again, Sakuya then looked at the bedridden Luxray, seeing him like that still hurt her greatly, however, she truly understood what the Jolteon meant in the dungeon, the Snow Ninetales could finally forgive herself for everything and move on.
At that same moment, Fearles was in Amphy Ampharos’ room, for just like the Pokémon with the jingling clip, that was the day of the white-suited Zoroark’s visit. Fearles always stayed there shuffling his magitronic deck praying for his companions’ recovery, the Zoroark then heard some muffled groans, the Pokémon quickly put his deck back in his suit and jumped closer to Amphy, the Ampharos finally opened her eyes and spoke still with great difficulty.
The Dark Type Pokémon wanted to scream with joy upon seeing that Amphy had regained consciousness, however, his first action was to call the Pokémon doctor as quickly as possible, immediately being assisted by a doctor Indeedee. Since the Ampharos woke up Fearles had not left her side, the doctor spent quite some time with Amphy giving her mashed fruits while using the move Heal Pulse to restore her strength, a little more than an hour after waking and with the Indeedee’s treatment, the Ampharos fully regained consciousness and could already communicate.
At that moment, Amphy thanked the white-coated Indeedee, but asked her to stay alone with the Zoroark so they could talk, the Pokémon bowed in respect and left the room shortly after. Taking advantage of the convenience of Fearles being there, the Ampharos asked him to send an urgent message to the Platinum Wing kingdom, using his connection with Empress Lencia, Amphy told him exactly what she needed and in the end:

— “I will immediately transmit the warning, before I go, I just want to ask you one thing Amphy…” — The Zoroark replied, the Pokémon then gently held the Ampharos’ paws with his claws, and then knelt at her bedside, resting Amphy’s paws on his forehead.
— “Forgive me, I wasn’t able to save you, even with all my power and influence, I acted too late, if I had gone with Lory and Nero, if I hadn’t sent other Pokémon… IF I HAD BEEN THERE BY YOUR SIDE, I SWEAR…” — Fearles lamented, almost crying, but the Ampharos shocked him through her paws, making the Zoroark not only shut up but also stand up due to the fright.
— “Don’t you dare lament for this, we know the consequences and their weight, if you should blame yourself, you should blame me for not retreating. Fearles, we have our responsibilities, not for a second did I blame you; I lived the way I wanted, I paid for everything and as long as I live, I will continue to pay.” — Amphy then stretched on her bed, Fearles closed his eyes and moved toward her, even with the Ampharos’ aged appearance, the Zoroark saw her as a beautiful Flaaffy, the two then shared a long and affectionate kiss.