Several hours earlier...

Adrie was nervous, I could see it on her face as we stood outside Ardua castle. I yipped and smiled at her, she looked at me in surprise, then smiled.

"You're right Pixie. Let's go."

We entered the castle, Adrie had remembered the route to the gem on her first time around, Tertle, Glair and I followed her.

Up the stairs (More stairs? Why?! Hecking stairs man. Authors note; I love stairs. Stairs are great. Deal with it.) We arrived at the top of the stairs and found ourselves in front of a large ice-covered floor. Large icicles stuck out from the ground, there were no walls, only an empty space.

Adrie slid across the floor and bumped into the icicles, coming to a stop, she pushed off and bumped into another icicle, she kept going, slowly making her way across the room.

I followed slipping on the floor, I missed the icicle and went wide, I was reaching the edge, there was no wall, I did not want to fall and climb up those stairs again.

"Nope, nope, no, no noooo." I fell off and found myself on the first floor staring at the bottom of the stairs, this was going to be a long day. I climbed back up the stairs and was greeted by an amusing scene.

Glair was skating circles around Tertle. Tertle looked sick, he was spinning helplessly, Adrie was standing on the far side of the room in front of a door, she was not amused. "Come on guys we need to keep moving!" She was right.

Glair skated towards her, Tertle used Aqua Jet to fly over, I lit my feet on fire and ran across, burning the ice beneath me as I went. We got to other side and went up another set of stairs. (Stairs, yay.)

Before us lay winding paths that wrapped around the room, sometimes doubling back but never overlapping. It was like the obstacle from Sundown Temple but now there was no sand-ball traps and the floor was made of ice, it looked like it would break underfoot. On the other side of the room was a stone platform and a door.

Adrie looked down at me and Glair. "You two hop on. Sorry Tertle, you're a bit too heavy for me."

Glair and I jumped on Adrie's shoulders. The young female took off quickly, she sprinted along the ice-blocks and they broke, she slid across the ice, making sharp turns. Straight, left, left, right, right, straight, right, left, nearly there. Adrie slipped but was up again quickly, too slow. The ice was breaking. We fell, Adrie's fingers gripped the stone platform. She grits her teeth, Glair and I climbed up and pulled Adrie after us. (How? I mean I guess Pixie grabbed Adrie's sleeves with her mouth. But Glair? How did she? She's got claws... Poor Adrie)

Tertle used Aqua Jet to fly after us again. Adrie sat on the floor breathing heavy, I placed my two front paws on her leg.

"Vul?"

She laughed and shook her head. "I'm okay, Lucario's on the floor above us, let's end this and get back."

We walked up the last flight of stairs and entered a large throne room. Directly in front of us stood a large stone throne, the last Tear floated above it. A Lucario sat meditating half-way between us and the gem.

He opened his eyes and spoke using telepathy (This meant Adrie could understand him!).

"So, you've returned, do you still seek the gem?"

Adrie swallowed her fear and steeled her nerves.

"I do."

"Then I shall protect it from you."

The Lucario stood, around his neck hung a small chain from which a Lucarionite dangled.

He glowed a soft blue then a bright white, when the light was gone a Mega Lucario stood before us. His power was terrifying.

Boss Fight Start!

He gave us a bored look and said; "Let's begin."

He disappeared. He reappeared next to Tertle and delivered a powerful Bone Club, Tertle went flying.

I shot a Flamethrower at the Lucario, he deflected it with his clubs and ran for me. Adrie called an Alolan Ninetales from its Poke-ball and she shouted; "Elsa Dazzling Gleam!" (Sorry, couldn't help it).

The Ice and Fairy type saved me by launching a wave of... Glitter? Lucario jumped back and assessed his new opponent. Glair charged in with Sky Uppercut, Lucario countered with Power-Up Punch but was hit in the back by Tertle's Aqua Jet.

He stumbled, and I tried another Flamethrower, but he blocked it. He was surrounded on four sides, we all readied individual attacks. He raised an eyebrow.

"I might actually need to try for this fight."

He used Force Palm on the ground, the attack sent shockwaves which knocked Glair, Tertle and I off our feet, Elsa jumped and fired a Moonblast. He disappeared again, appearing behind her, he raised his Metal Claw and brought it down hard, on nothing.

Elsa was gone, nowhere to be seen, he closed his eyes and reached out with his Aura. He jumped backwards, and she burst from the ground where he'd been not a second before. He rushed in and this time his Metal Claw found its target. It was a hard hit and the Ninetales stumbled, Lucario tried to finish it but I leapt from the ground and hit him with my Dig attack.

He landed and was hit by Glair's Double Hit, his Counter returned the blow twice as strong. Tertle tried an Ancient Power but Lucario merely blasted it away with Aura Sphere, Tertle got hit by the attack and disappeared amongst a pile of rubble against the far wall.

"Tertle!" I shouted.

The Lucario used my distraction, I got hit by his Bone Club and fell. Lucario was the last one standing. He looked at Adrie. The terrified Girl was clutching a Poke-Ball to her chest. She whispered to it.

"Please, I have to save you, but I need your help."

She looked up with determined eyes and threw the Poke-Ball.

A flash of white as the Pokémon appeared. The Fire-Monkey turned to Adrie and gave her a thumbs up before facing his opponent.

The two stared down, everything was silent and still, then the challenger unleashed his battle cry and sprang into action.

"In-In-Infernape!"

Infernape ran in with Close-Combat, the Lucario kept dodging but was caught by surprise when a first struck him across the face. The Gem Guardian stumbled and glared, his opponent roared again.

Lucario charged with Bone Club, Infernape used Dig. The Lucario dodged but Infernape went straight into a Flame Wheel. Lucario was hit and fell back.

Infernape paused for a second, then glowed red and roared loudly. Infernape unleashed his Blast Burn. Lucario's eyes grew wide as the large explosion hit him.

The dust settled and cleared, and still the Lucario stood. Infernape's jaw dropped, Lucario smiled weakly.

"Endure and Extreme Speed."

He ran at Infernape with blinding speed and threw the final punch. It never hit Infernape, it was caught by a large blue hand. (Hand? Are they hands or are they Fins or Flippers, I must know!)

A Carracosta stared at the Lucario. Tertle raised his non-existent eyebrows and slapped the Mega across the face. Lucario slammed into the far wall and sunk to the ground, fainted.

Everyone stared at Tertle in shock, he just looked at them. "What? Someone had to do it."

Everyone cheered, everyone except Adrie, she walked towards the Infernape and hugged it tight.

"I'm so sorry, soon, soon this'll all be over, please just wait a little longer."

The Infernape grinned. "Ape!" A flash of red and he disappeared back into the Poke-Ball.

Adrie wiped tears from her eyes and smiled brightly, she returned Elsa to her Poke-Ball and grabbed the last gem. A blue Portal appeared, like the one at the Sundown Temple and they saw the entrance to the castle.

Adrie turned to her companions.

"Let's go gang, we've got a war to win!"

"Vul!"

"Gligar!"

"Costa!"

They walked through the portal and vanished.

*Authors note; The reason Infernape didn't go crazy was his close proximity to the Prince's Tear which counteracts the Shadow Crystal.