Inside the speeding train

The lights flickered again as the line of grunts in the next car began moving forward, each step in perfect sync. Their faces were hidden behind masks, their hands hanging loosely at their sides, until the first one abruptly reached for a Poké Ball.

"Here we go," Surge growled, Raichu crouched at his feet, cheeks sparking.

"Don't overdo it. There are still people here, we don't want to hurt them too much," Misty warned, keeping her eyes locked on the grunts. "Something about the way they're moving… it's not right."

Whitney's Miltank pawed the floor impatiently. "Not right or not, they're blocking the way forward."

The nearest grunt released a Golbat, the bat's shrill screech echoing down the car. That was the signal, Poké Balls clicked open in unison, and the narrow space filled with hostile Pokémon: Raticate, Weezing, Machoke, Electrode, Muk.

The problem was, the Gym Leaders couldn't use many of their stronger, larger Pokémon, there wasn't enough space in the train car, and they'd just end up hurting themselves. Brock couldn't use most of his team due to their size, and Jasmine couldn't use hers since they were too heavy. The same applied to everyone, so most were forced to rely on smaller Pokémon… or just their own hands to fight.

But before the enemy Pokémon could attack, they suddenly began glowing and floating into the air, then were hurled back, crashing against the wall and into each other. Behind everyone, Sabrina stood with her eyes narrowed, psychic energy radiating from her. She'd been using her powers for a while, but now she was slightly out of breath, a bead of sweat sliding down her temple.

"Come on… how many more…" Sabrina mumbled, shoving another group back into the other car before slamming the door shut with a flick of her wrist.

"Sabrina, please slow down, you'll use too much of your energy!" Erika said, worry in her voice.

"I can't slow down," Sabrina replied quietly as she straightened again. "If they swarm us in here, it's over."

"There has to be something we can do," Jasmine said, releasing her Lucario and ordering it to knock out as many enemies as it could.

Blaine scanned the group, speaking at last. "If we can get to the front of the train, I should be able to override the controls."

"Will that be enough? We still don't even know where we're going," Erika pointed out, supporting Sabrina while her Leafeon stood guard beside Espeon.

"As far as I see it, that's the only plan we have," Morty said, tossing out his Cofagrigus, whose shadowy hands reached forward to grab grunts and fling them aside.

Whitney stepped forward with Miltank. "Good. I'm in the mood to clear a path."

Misty shot her a quick glance. "Try not to level the train in the process."

Behind them, Bugsy looked up nervously. "Uh… not to ruin the plan, but I think the 'not right' thing is getting worse."

Everyone turned just in time to see the grunts on the other side of the glass door tilt their heads in eerie unison, every mask turning toward them at exactly the same angle.

Then, from behind the train, they saw even more grunts, but that wasn't the worst part. As they looked out the window, they realized they had left the underground tracks and were now racing along tracks above ground… and there were things following them.

On both sides, they spotted at least five pairs of Ho-Ohtwos and Lugiatwos keeping pace, and judging by the look in their eyes, they definitely weren't there to help.

The train rattled violently as a shadow passed overhead, sunlight flickering under the massive wings of the Ho-Ohtwos. Their feathers shimmered unnaturally, like oil on water, and their eyes glowed with the same hollow malice as the masked grunts.

"What are they doing?" Bugsy breathed, pressing closer to the window.

"Looks like they're after us," Blaine said grimly. "On the screen, I saw ten of the abominations, so the other five must still be at the stadium."

A screech from above rattled the glass as the Lugiatwos dove low, their wingbeats sending a shockwave of air that made the train shudder. Several grunts stumbled, but their heads snapped back up in perfect unison, masks fixed straight ahead.

Sabrina braced herself against a seat, her Espeon's gem glowing faintly as it intercepted a Golbat mid-flight and slammed it into the ceiling. Sweat dotted her brow. "I can't… keep this pace much longer."

Morty's Cofagrigus lashed out again, tendrils of shadow dragging another grunt into the wall. "Then we need to move, now."

"Right," Whitney said, clapping her hands. "Path-clearing time!"

The next few seconds were chaos, Miltank barreled forward, knocking a Machoke into two Weezing; Raichu darted low, tail whipping to trip up a Raticate; Jasmine's Lucario weaved through the fray, striking with precision to knock out Pokémon without injuring their Trainers too badly.

But the grunts weren't slowing down. Even after being slammed to the floor, some simply stood back up as if nothing had happened, eyes vacant behind their masks.

"They're not even flinching," Misty muttered. "It's like they don't care if they get hurt."

The lights flickered again. Somewhere ahead, there was a loud metallic clang, the sound of something heavy landing on the roof.

Blaine's eyes narrowed. "We've got company up top."

Almost on cue, the ceiling above the middle car buckled inward, metal screeching. A talon, curved, gleaming, far too large, punched straight through.

Bugsy stepped back. "Tell me that's not—"

A Ho-Ohtwo's face forced itself through the torn roof, its eyes locking on the group inside.

Surge grinned as he stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You guys keep going, I'll stall them."

"Are you sure? There's a good chance more will come after you," Blaine said, glancing back.

"I'll be fine," Surge smirked. "Just leave it to me."

Blaine hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's go!"

The others didn't waste time arguing. Blaine took point, pushing forward with Jasmine and Morty close behind. Misty and Whitney moved with Erika, while Brock and Sabrina covered the rear.

Behind them, the Ho-Ohtwo tore the rest of the roof open with a scream that rattled the windows. It ducked its head inside, its beak snapping at the air as it began charging an attack.

Surge smirked as he pulled out a Poké Ball. "Heh, so this is why you came to me, you needed someone to take these rotisserie chickens down. Alright then, let's do this!"

Surge threw out the Poké Ball just as Ho-Ohtwo fired a [Sacred Fire]. As the flames closed in, the ball burst open, Raikou shot out like a bullet, tearing through the fire and slamming into Ho-Ohtwo with a crack of thunder. The bird screeched as electricity surged through its body.

When Raikou leapt back to land inside the train with Surge, Ho-Ohtwo reeled from the hit, knocked back and sent tumbling down the mountainside. Surge watched as, upon impact, the bird began to melt into a gray sludge until it was nothing but a puddle.

Surge blinked. "That's… weird…" He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Around him, the grunts were still marching toward him like zombies.

"Guess the fun's over. I've got to get back to everyone," Surge muttered, returning Raikou to its Poké Ball and sprinting in the direction the others had gone.

—

Meanwhile, with the rest of the group, they pushed forward toward the controls, cutting down any grunts that blocked their path.

The train jolted hard, nearly throwing Whitney into a wall. Miltank caught her with a solid nudge before charging back into the fight. For every grunt they took down, two more seemed to take their place.

Blaine's eyes narrowed at the far door. "We're close. Two more cars and we'll hit the control cabin."

"That's two too many," Misty shot back, spinning and pointing at Starmie. It fired a blast of water down the aisle, sweeping a Raticate and its Trainer back into the crowd.

Jasmine's Lucario ducked low, sweeping the legs out from under another grunt before pivoting to block an incoming Muk. A [Force Palm] slammed it into the ceiling, pinning it long enough for Bugsy's Scizor to dash in and smash it against the wall.

A sudden metallic crash from above made the lights flicker again. Multiple heavy footfalls thudded on the roof, accompanied by the screech of metal being scraped.

"Oh, great," Whitney groaned. "Guess Surge wasn't enough of a snack for 'em."

The roof above them buckled in three places at once before tearing open with a deafening rip, revealing not one, but two Lugiatwos looming overhead. Their dead, glassy eyes glowed as they screeched, a sound that made every Pokémon in the car flinch.

The Lugiatwos struck almost immediately, one thrust its head down through the gap, while the other swept a massive wing along the roof, shearing metal like paper. Wind roared in, nearly knocking Bugsy off his feet.

Morty's Cofagrigus surged upward, spectral arms latching onto the nearest Lugiatwo's head and yanking it back. "Go! I'll hold this one!" he shouted.

"I'm staying too!" Jasmine called, pointing upward. "Lucario, double time!"

Lucario shot through the torn roof like a steel blur, landing on the Lugiatwo's head and driving a glowing fist down with a [Meteor Mash]. The creature shrieked, rearing back and thrashing into the other, preventing it from lining up a clear shot.

Morty gritted his teeth as Cofagrigus' spectral limbs tightened, holding the Lugiatwo just long enough for Lucario to follow up with a [Close Combat] to the neck. The clone's head snapped back, sending jagged fragments of roof metal scattering into the car.

The second Lugiatwo dove into the opening it had made, beak first, aiming for the aisle. Blaine snapped his wrist, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. "Magmar, [Flamethrower], straight up!"

A torrent of fire roared into the creature's face, forcing it to recoil with a guttural screech, but it looked weird, like whatever Blaine just did both didn't hurt it and hurt it a lot.

"…That's new," Blaine muttered.

"Blaine, leave the rest to us, you keep going," Erika said as she pointed up, and her Leafeon leapt to fire off a [Leaf Blade] that sliced across the Lugiatwo's wing joints. It flinched, buying them precious seconds.

"Move, move!" Misty barked, Starmie spinning forward and unleashing a [Rapid Spin] that bowled over three grunts in the aisle.

Blaine looked back at them as they nodded, Morty, Jasmine, Erika, and Misty were planning on staying here to take care of these two, buying Blaine some time as he took Whitney, Brock, and Sabrina.

"Stay safe, then, we'll get this thing off as soon as we can!" Blaine called out as he turned and started running with Whitney, Brock, and Sabrina behind him, leaving the rest to take care of this 2 v 4.

—

Inside the Stadium

The roar of the crowd had turned into chaos. Half the stands were already empty, the other half filled with people shoving toward exits that weren't nearly big enough. Masked grunts poured in through the gates, moving like the ones on the train, silent, stiff, and utterly unshaken by the Pokémon attacks striking them.

"Keep the exits clear!" Falkner barked, flashing his police badge and waving people to the exits as his Pidgeot swooped overhead to buffet a group of grunts with a [Hurricane], knocking them into the railing. "The priority is civilians!"

"Already on it!" Janine's voice came from the opposite side, her Ariados scuttling across the bleachers, firing sticky [String Shot] webs that tied up advancing grunts before they could reach the crowd. She dropped down in a blur, two smoke bombs bursting at her feet to cover the retreat of a group of terrified children.

Chuck, muscles flexing under his gi, stood in the main concourse like a living barricade. His Poliwrath intercepted a Machoke, catching its punch mid-swing before flipping it clean over its shoulder into a pair of Weezing. "Everyone MOVE!" Chuck bellowed, shoving an older man toward the nearest exit. "You see one of them coming? You run, you don't fight, that's what we're here for!"

Above them, the first Ho-Ohtwo descended; beside it, the Lugiatwo dropped lower, a screech rattling the stadium's steel supports. And before anyone could react, the third, a second Ho-Ohtwo, burst through the scoreboard, shattering glass and steel like paper.

Giovanni stood at the center of the field, coat whipping in the sudden wind, eyes locked on the newcomers, "Three at once…" he muttered, then smirked coldly. "Fine. Let's see what you're worth."

With a flick of his wrist, he threw out a Poké Ball, releasing Nidoking, his second strongest. The only reason he wasn't using his strongest was because he had to represent the Ground Gym.

The first Ho-Ohtwo screamed and unleashed a wall of [Sacred Fire], but Giovanni didn't flinch.

"Nidoking, [Earth Power]."

A surge of golden energy erupted upward from Nidoking's stomp, splitting the [Sacred Fire] apart before it reached them. The air still sizzled with heat, and the turf caught fire in patches.

The Lugiatwo's wings folded back, and in the next heartbeat, it fired an [Aeroblast], the spiraling wind tearing through the remaining scoreboard panels. But before it could reach Giovanni, the first Ho-Ohtwo dove beside it, combining its own [Sacred Fire] into the vortex.

The blast became a flaming hurricane, the rushing air making the fire burn hotter.

Giovanni narrowed his eyes and raised his arm. "[Protect]!"

Nidoking roared and slammed both fists into the ground, a massive [Protect] barrier flaring around them. The impact shook the stadium, shattering the glass in the VIP boxes even though they were far above. The [Protect] cracked under the assault, but the Lugiatwo and Ho-Ohtwo kept blasting, trying to break through.

Giovanni gritted his teeth. "Strong… but not invincible." He pointed forward sharply. "Nidoking, [Stone Edge]!"

As Nidoking held up the barrier with his arms, he stomped down, and jagged spires of rock erupted from the ground beneath them, slamming into the Lugiatwo's wing and clipping the Ho-Ohtwo's side. The Lugiatwo flinched, forcing them to stop blasting for a few seconds.

The second Ho-Ohtwo swooped low, talons glowing. But Giovanni had trained his body all his life; he easily leapt to the side as they tore through the turf where he'd stood.

Above, the Lugiatwo beat its wings again, whipping up another spiral of wind. The wounded Ho-Ohtwo tilted its head unnaturally, flames gathering in its beak.

They were going to combine the attack again.

"Not this time," Giovanni muttered.

But before the attack could launch, a deafening roar rolled across the stadium, so loud it made even the Lugiatwo hesitate.

From above, a crimson blur streaked downward, smashing into the Lugiatwo's back and sending it spiraling off course. The blur unfolded into Dragonite, wings blazing with momentum, as Lance landed behind Giovanni in a single fluid motion.

"Need a hand?" Lance asked, already pointing forward with a smirk.

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. Of course, he had to keep his secret. "You're late. I could have used the support earlier."

Lance raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, had to invite someone else."

On the opposite side of the field, a sudden rumble shook the earth. From the north gate, Garchomp burst through the concrete wall, skidding into place between the second Ho-Ohtwo and Giovanni. Cynthia strode in behind it.

"Three at once?" she said coolly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You were going to share, weren't you?"

The first Ho-Ohtwo shrieked, wheeling upward to dive again, only for Dragonite to intercept midair with a bone-rattling [Dragon Claw]. The Lugiatwo tried to flank, but Garchomp was already there, jaws flashing with [Crunch] as it caught the clone's wing and yanked it out of formation.

The second Ho-Ohtwo unleashed a [Sacred Fire] at Cynthia, but a wave of shimmering golden light from her Spiritomb intercepted it, dispersing the flames into harmless embers.

"Keep them apart," Cynthia called. "If they sync their attacks, the damage will multiply."

Giovanni's eyes narrowed. "That much was obvious, the wind from the Lugia makes the fire from the Ho-Oh stronger." He didn't say more; since Cynthia had only recently become a Champion, he cut her some slack, also to build relations for when he expanded into Sinnoh eventually.

Then Giovanni looked back into the sky. "What about the other three? There should be two more Lugia and another Ho-Oh."

"Don't worry about them, Blanche, Spark, and Candela said they'd take care of it," Lance answered.

Giovanni nodded. "Fine. Let's take care of these ones, then go after the rest."

There was something to note, none of them had any way of knowing this, but these clones were stronger than the ones the Gym Leaders were dealing with. The only person who could tell was Ash and he… well, let's just say he was busy doing other things.

"On it," Lance said, Dragonite already hammering the Lugiatwo with a storm of [Thunder Punches], driving it higher and higher.

Cynthia nodded. "Then I'll cover you, take the lead."

Giovanni nodded and took her up on that, as Garchomp and Nidoking moved together, Nidoking's [Stone Edge] pinning the Ho-Ohtwo's movement while Garchomp darted in, tail glowing green with [Dragon Tail] to smash it into the stadium wall.

The third clone tried to regroup, wings flaring wide, but Spiritomb's shadows wrapped around its talons, locking it in place for Nidoking to drive a [Poison Jab] deep into its side.

All three of them pointed forward.

"Dragonite [Hyper Beam]!"

"Garchomp [Draco Meteor]!"

"Nidoking [Earth Power]!"

–

[Outside the Stadium – City Outskirts]

The elevated freeway shook with each impact as the other three clones, two Lugiatwos and one Ho-Ohtwo, pursued their prey. Cars had already been abandoned, their doors hanging open, alarms wailing faintly in the wind.

"Keep moving!" Candela shouted over her shoulder, her Arcanine sprinting at her side. One of the Lugiatwos let out a piercing cry, its wings slicing the air as it dived toward them.

Spark's Ampharos turned, eyes narrowing. "Not today, [Thunder]!"

A bolt of electricity crashed from the cloudless sky, catching the clone mid-dive and forcing it to bank away, but not before the shock sent a ripple along its body, like it wasn't fully… solid.

Blanche, running a step behind, didn't miss that detail. "Spark, again, target the distortions!" they ordered, releasing their Alolan Ninetales in a swirl of frost. "Ninetales, [Aurora Veil], now!"

A shimmering curtain of ice and light formed between them and the incoming Ho-Ohtwo, the Sacred Fire it launched hissing harmlessly as it struck the barrier. The heat still radiated through, though, making the air shimmer.

Candela swung herself onto Arcanine's back, voice sharp. "We split them, keep the birds from working together. If the Lugia feed wind into that fire, we're toast!"

"Easier said than done!" Spark shouted as the second Lugiatwo swooped overhead, a wall of pressure and wind pushing them toward the railing. Ampharos dug in, sparks crackling across its wool, trying to hold its ground.

Blanche was already calculating distances, eyes flicking between the freeway's gaps and the clones' attack patterns. "Spark, draw the rightmost Lugiatwo west, Candela, you take Ho-Ohtwo south. I'll deal with the other."

"Love the confidence!" Spark yelled, already sprinting toward a side ramp, Ampharos baiting the Lugiatwo with a burst of [Signal Beam].

Candela nodded, patting Arcanine's neck. "Let's do this, [Extreme Speed]!" They became a red-and-gold blur, dashing along the freeway as Ho-Ohtwo banked to pursue.

That left Blanche alone with the last Lugiatwo. Their Ninetales stood ready, breath misting in the warming air.

The clone let out a low, unnatural cry and dove. Blanche didn't move, waiting until the very last second.

"Ninetales, [Blizzard]!"

A roaring wall of ice exploded upward, catching the Lugiatwo full in the face and sending it spiraling. But instead of retreating, it twisted in midair, its form flickering as if struggling to hold shape, then dove again, faster.

Blanche adjusted their posture, waiting. "If you're an imitation… let's see if you can calculate as fast as I can."

They reached for a second Poké Ball. "Metagross, help out."

The steel titan landed with a crash, claws gleaming. It didn't wait for a command, Blanche's team moved like a machine. Ninetales froze the freeway under the Lugiatwo's path, Metagross hammered the ice with [Meteor Mash], shattering it upward into jagged spears.

The clone swerved to avoid the shards, straight into Ninetales's second [Blizzard].

—

{Meanwhile back in the VIP room}

Bruno's Machamp surged forward, four arms grabbing hold of Will's Exeggutor's necks and leaves in a controlled grapple, muscles straining to keep the thrashing Grass-type from unleashing another psychic wave.

"Hold it steady!" Lorelei called, her Lapras sliding sideways to intercept Karen's Houndoom with a wall of ice. The hellhound slammed into it with a snarl, shattering it in a burst of frozen shards, but the impact slowed it just enough for Koga's Crobat to swoop down and coil its wings around the beast's head, disrupting its vision.

"Karen! Will!" Lorelei's voice was sharp, trying to cut through whatever was in their heads. "You're being controlled! Fight it!"

Neither flinched. Karen's eyes glowed faintly beneath the mask, her lips curling into an unnerving smile. "You're wasting your breath. We are exactly where we're meant to be."

Koga didn't bother responding, he flung a small smoke pellet at their feet, filling the center of the room with a blinding haze. "Go for their Poké Balls, if we can get them away from their Pokémon, they won't be a threat."

The smoke rolled across the VIP room in a choking cloud, obscuring the chandeliers and scattering the bright light into dull, flickering halos.

Bruno's Machamp didn't loosen its hold, using the cover to wrench Exeggutor backward. "Machamp, pin it, but don't crush it!" The four-armed titan dropped to one knee, pressing the Grass-type's heads gently but firmly toward the ground, forcing it to its knees while its psychic glow sputtered.

"Careful," Darwin said, looking back and forth as he threw out his Flygon with a snap. "[Sandstorm], just to blind them."

Flygon spun and used a soft sand attack to cause the Sandstorm, so no one would take chip damage.

"Tempest, now!" Koga barked.

Tempest was already moving, her Manectric darted forward in a crackle of gold, discharging a precise jolt less than a [Thunder Wave], just enough to make Houndoom's legs seize for a fraction of a second.

"Damian, your turn!" Tempest shouted over the hiss of static.

Damian took a breath as his Gengar floated above the chaos, releasing a pulsing wave of Hypnosis toward Will. The spectral ripple washed over him, his movements slowing, but just as Will looked like he was about to fall asleep, his eyes shot open again and he stood ready to keep fighting.

"They're resisting it somehow," Damian muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.

Lorelei tried one more time. "Karen, listen to me! You're stronger than this!"

Karen didn't answer, she only flicked a Poké Ball from her belt with unnerving precision, releasing an Umbreon that immediately melted into the shadows.

"Eyes up!" Koga warned, spinning in place to catch movement in the corner. His Crobat dove into the gloom just in time to intercept Umbreon's [Feint Attack], the impact sending both Pokémon tumbling.

From somewhere inside the haze, Will's voice floated out, "You won't win. You can't even strike us properly."

Bruno's jaw tightened. "We don't need to strike you. We just have to hold you until the others finish this mess outside." His Machamp twisted, grabbing Exeggutor's Poké Ball from Will's belt in a single snatch. He tossed it back toward Lorelei, who caught it without hesitation.

"One down," Lorelei called. "Now, Karen—"

But Karen was already moving, her Umbreon slipping back into the haze, flanking toward Darwin's side. Darwin's Flygon shifted just in time to cut it off, wings kicking up another burst of grit.

Darwin looked back to Tempest. "Tempest, we need you to taser her."

Tempest hesitated. "It could hurt her."

"Not if you trust your aim, you got this!" Darwin said.

Tempest took a breath and nodded as Manectric sprang again, electricity snapping in a thin arc. As the current hit Karen, her muscles locked up just long enough for Koga's Crobat to loop around and yank Karen's last Poké Ball from her belt.

"Alright, that's down, now we just need to hold them," Darwin called out.

But then, now that Will and Karen didn't have their Pokémon, they straightened, eyes brighter, voices speaking in eerie unison. "You think you're saving us. But you're only delaying the inevitable."