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Assana’s eyes flicked between the Mienshao and Persian arrayed before her, Gemma crouched on all fours between them, and Zigar floating lazily above. The type match ups were slightly more even this time, with the Martial Arts Pokemon being an obvious threat. Furthermore, Gemma had still not entirely recovered from her first battle, and so Assana was determined to move her as little as possible. In her condition, a Fighting type attack could easily be deadly.

On the other hand, Assana had mitigated the threat by teaching her Protect, having seen her Stealth Rock have little use. Furthermore, the course of the battle had revealed that the Mienshao bore only two attacks that could actually cause harm, the other two being Meditate and Detect. This made it the perfect target for Zigar’s Taunt, controlling the threat very effectively. Between Gemma’s new Protect move and Zigar’s harassment with Aerial Ace, there wasn’t a great deal that the Mienshao could do. The Persian was virtually a non-threat to Gemma, and neither opponent could afford to stay within Gemma’s reach for long without taking serious harm. As it was, the concrete floor of the battlefield had nearly been pulverized to gravel by twin Earthquake attacks.

However, it was not her opponent’s Pokemon that concerned her the most. Instead it was her opponent, Laura Delune. The oversized trench coat she wore made it hard to make out most of her bodily features, but based on her face she must have been barely out of her teens. Most worrying of all, she had not said a word the entire battle, not even to command her Pokemon.

What is she doing? Assana couldn’t figure out if she was simply inactive, or if she was somehow communicating with her Pokemon nonverbally. The Mienshao seemed to be more in command than its trainer. It can’t be through facial cues. The girl’s expression would be better suited to someone whose age hasn’t yet earned its second digit. A psychic link perhaps? She couldn’t discount the possibility. There were numerous stories about Psychic Pokemon speaking telepathically to their trainers, and more than one trainer claimed to have psychic abilities of their own, the Kanto Gym Leader Sabrina being the most famous example. The kingdom of Illusio certainly seemed to have an unusually high incidence of them, and she still had no idea how the Key Stones and Mega Stones were connected to each other.

The Mienshao let out a short bark, and launched itself into the air, while the Persian attempted to run around behind Gemma. Assana’s eyes tracked the Martial Arts Pokemon skyward, watching as Zigar danced on the breeze. Again, Laura had made no move to command her Pokemon. The command certainly seemed to originate from the Mienshao. Is she really not doing anything? Her eyes narrowed as Zigar easily looped beneath the intended Bounce attack, rotating around to slam the Fighting type earthward with a poison-boosted Façade. Her coat looks familiar. Wasn’t there someone who had a similar coat, who also wore a Zoroark mask? Are they the same person? Where is her mask then?

A yowl split the air, pulling Assana’s attention from her thoughts. The Persian had apparently attempted to strike Gemma from behind with a Shadow Claw, but the more attentive Iron Armor Pokemon had swatted her aside with Dragon Tail. Her own commands had been rather sparse as well, absorbed as she was in trying to discern her opponent’s tactics. Assana gave her head a slight shake. Whether or not she was being played was irrelevant. She couldn’t afford to be distracted, not when she was doing so well.

The opposing Pokemon had regrouped, the Mienshao nursing an injured shoulder while the Persian was limping slightly. Assana let out a sharp whistle, catching Zigar’s attention. “Be ready!”

The Mienshao was the first to move, rushing towards Gemma with a green glow enveloping its paw. Obviously a Drain Punch. Bounce does too little damage, and it must have been hurting after Zigar’s Facade. The Persian, meanwhile, let out a soft mewl, forming a translucent pink heart to soar up into the sky. A lump formed in Assana’s throat. Attract. Perhaps a curse, perhaps a blessing, considering Zigar’s inflated ego. Still, there isn’t much I can do about it.

Turning her attention to the onrushing Mienshao, Assana was about to order Gemma to Protect, when a thought occurred to her, one that might accomplish multiple objectives. Gauging distances, she waited one heartbeat… two…

“Gemma, Protect!” As the Martial Arts Pokemon leaped into the air to strike, green light flowed across the Aggron’s armoured hide, a low growl rumbling deep in her throat. The Mienshao’s fist struck home just above Gemma’s horns, but aside from a gentle ripple of light that flowed away from the impact point, there was no discernable effect.

Assana smiled. “Grab it! Pin it down!”

Right as the Mienshao pushed off of her head, Gemma roared and rose up, lunging out to just barely catch one of the trailing whips of arm fur in her jaws. The Mienshao squeaked in surprise as it was jerked to a stop in midair, and when it swung down Gemma grabbed its other arm, releasing the arm fur from her jaws and striding forward to pin it beneath one heavy foot. Her other foot she placed on the Mienshao’s chest, pining it and placing it in a rather precarious position. Much of their physical strength came from sweeping movements and attacks carried at high speed. With both arms held captive, the Martial Arts Pokemon had no hope of moving an 800 pound mountain of flesh and metal, and the species was frail enough that if Gemma shifted her weight even a little, its ribs would instantly snap and its chest would collapse like a rotten Payapa berry.

The Persian yowled in fear and charged forward, desperate to save her teammate. Catching the movement, Assana barked out another order. “Zigar! Intercept her! Aerial Ace!” The blue-skinned Gliscor dropped out of the sky and slammed into the Persian’s side, though whether to attack or embrace was a question for another time. Scrambling back to her paws, the Persian hissed and spat angrily, but Zigar simply balanced on his tail and crooned in return.

For her part, Assana zoomed her camera in on her opponent’s face, keeping a close watch for any change in expression, anything at all that might indicate some sort of involvement in the battle.

Nothing. No change at all. The same wide eyed look of terror and despair as had been there from the moment the battle had begun. Assana couldn’t understand it. How can she still do nothing? Her Pokemon stands at the brink of death, and still she doesn’t react?

A mewling sound broke through her thoughts, and she zoomed out. The Persian continued to dance back and forth from Zigar, still hissing and spitting, but every so often she would stop and look over her shoulder at her trainer, mewling plaintively like a newborn.

She’s… calling for help... Assana’s eyes narrowed, and her fingers curled into tight fists, her nails digging crescents into her palms. She really isn’t commanding her Pokemon. She isn’t even trying! She could sympathize with the girl, she had no desire to do the things that she was doing in this tournament, but to not even try? Worse than unacceptable, it was unforgivable.

“<ENOUGH!>”

The word echoed across the battlefield, causing Gemma and the Persian to whip their heads around in surprise and the other girl to jump. Assana stalked onto the battlefield, broken shards of concrete crunching beneath her boots, and she let out a terse whistle. Gemma loosed a short snort, then released her captive and made her way to her trainer, while the Persian warily shuffled sideways. When Zigar moved to follow her, Gemma snarled and swiped her tail against the climbing structure in the middle of the field, the clang of metal on metal making the Fang Scorpion’s ears flinch, and backflipped into the air to float onto her back. Out of the corner of her eyes, Assana saw Dialga rise to his feet, but honestly could not care less.

When Assana reached the other side, Laura was a wreck, her fingers plucking nervously at the edges of her coat, eyes flicking everywhere but the scary girl standing before her. Assana glared at the cowering girl, fury turning her blood to thunder in her veins. Snapping her fingers, she pointed at the Persian, ears flattened and creamy white fur bristling along her back. “”

Laura blinked, her chin and mouth quivering. “”

“”

She flinched and retreated a step. “”

Assana turned, eyes searching until she found the Mienshao laboriously arrive, evidently having difficulty breathing. Mienshao. Longer yellow section on the whiskers. Male. “”

“”

She turned back to the other girl, eyes blazing. “”

Laura took another step back, brow knitted slightly as she tried to parse out Assana’s words. “”

“”

Again she jumped, quailing beneath the icy gaze that transfixed her. “”

“” Assana turned slightly and gestured to the two Pokemon, ignoring the warning hiss from Kassi. “” Memory flashed, further incensing her rage. “”

Further and further Laura cowered beneath Assana’s tirade, her eyes desperately looking for some means of escape, but paralyzed to do so against the fierce gaze of the other girl, as well as the Aggron that towered over them both. Kassi hissed angrily and tried to approach, but instantly leaped back when Gemma gave a warning snarl.

“” Assana’s body shook with her rage, barely able to contain herself as she was. “do something?>”

“<BECAUSE IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THIS WAY!>”

The sudden outburst surprised the entire group, and they watched as Laura fell to her knees, sobbing openly. “” She buried her face in her hands, the repeated words of “” muffled and broken. Kassi instantly leaped to her trainer’s side, butting her head against the girl’s chest and licking at her fingers, every so often turning to glare reproachfully at the human who had made her trainer cry.

Assana stood in stunned silence, and a wave of guilt washed through her. How did this happen? How did I get to here? How did she get to here? Biting her lip as Emmanuel sidled next to his trainer, Assana sighed and leaned back as she felt Gemma’s warm breath against her shoulder and neck. What a mess you have gotten yourself into, Assana. Grandpa would be disappointed in you.

“<*hic* A-all I whu-wanted *hic* w-was to he-help *hic* help people. I n-never wanted to *hic* hurt anyone. I’m n-not *hic* not a bad person.>”

The words, broken and muffled as they were, tugged at Assana heart, and she sighed again. “Sensō ni wa shōsha wa arimasen. Yuiitsu no ushinawareta hitobito, oyobi ika o ushinatta hito-tachi.”

Laura hesitantly looked up, frowning with tear-stained eyes at the unfamiliar words. “”

Assana knelt before her, raising her hands in peace when Kassi gave a warning growl. “” she searched for the words for a moment, “” She smiled gently as she reached out and cupped the girl’s cheek, brushing away tears with her thumb. “” Assana tried to swallow the lump in her throat, and failed miserably. “”

Hiccupping again, Laura smiled weakly. “”

“”

Shock, horror, and revulsion flashed across Laura’s face, and her arms instantly clamped around Kassi’s neck and shoulders, causing the Classy Cat Pokemon to mewl in discomfort. “”

Assana smiled slightly. Somehow, she knew that would be her answer. “”

Laura looked at Kassi, who licked her cheek and mewled, then to Emmanuel, who simply looked at her. “” she bit her lip, and fresh tears started brimming at her eyes. “”

“” Assana pulled the girl into a gentle embrace. “” If only it were that simple, but let’s keep it easy for now. She stood up, and held out her hand. “”

After a moment’s hesitation, Laura nodded, then frowned as she stood up. “”

When she glanced at her arms, Assana’s eyes nearly burst. There, in the Mega Armlet wrapped around her upper arm, her Key Stone glowed in a rainbow of colours, bright silver most prominent among them. In return, the Aggronite set in Gemma’s matching armband flickered varying shades of grey.

Assana smiled, giving Laura a sly look. “”

Laura nodded excitedly, and Assana turned to make her way back across the field, Gemma treading heavily beside her, humming deep in her throat. As she walked, she recalled again what her grandfather had told her. It is not enough to merely live. Everyone must have a code. Without a code, we have no honour. Without honour, life has no meaning. Without meaning in our lives, we are not truly alive. Forgive me, grandfather, and give me the strength to keep my honour in this fight.