Author's Note:

Another chapter of Lumiose University for you all. After this one, there will be six more so we're nearing the end of this...long journey. Anyway, last time we had Clemont unleash a robot army on the hunters while Ash and Serena split up and Bonnie headed out to free Dawn and co. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 71: Class Action

Being tied up and held in a supply closet had been a pretty miserable experience for Dawn and her friends, especially after realizing it had been a so called friend who had helped put them there. Of course, it had only gotten worse when they'd been dragged out to be taunted with Raphael's intimidating message sent out to the city. Sitting in that room in the Pokemon Centre while the hunters laughed about what was going on throughout the city was one of the worst experiences Dawn had ever had. It didn't help when the occasional image would come up on the TV of students running while hunters mocked them. It all changed when Clemont appeared on screen, though.

Everyone's interest had piqued when the TV had started acting up, first showing flashes of regular programming, before suddenly flashing to an image of Clemont in some kind of workshop, with Luxray and a few other electric types in the background. Dawn, Shauna and Marie had looked at one another nervously at first, wondering if it had meant Clemont had been captured, but that quickly changed as he began to speak with a surprising amount of confidence. As he spoke, Dawn couldn't help but feel hope surging within her, despite their predicament. They were prisoners now, but this fight was still going on, and from the sounds of things, Clemont had brought some major reinforcements in.

"Don't get your hopes up, brats," one of the hunters muttered, glaring at the screen as Clemont's message ended. "Your little friend is gonna be overrun at that little gym of his."

Another hunter laughed, smirking as he stood up to shut off the TV that was just playing static afterwards. "Yeah, that little punk's next message is gonna be him crying for mercy!"

"Bet he's already cry-"

Dawn had been trying not to react to their taunts the entire night so far, but she realized that she was glaring at the hunters with pure hatred, and it looked as though Shauna and Marie were no different. They all managed to recover their composure, though, and each looked towards the door as a hunter opened it up quickly, following a surprised cry from the lobby that had interrupted the taunting. The hunter just emerging didn't look overly upset, but still somewhat urgent.

"What's going on out there? Don't tell me you guys are scared of that kid!" a hunter laughed out. He was standing by Casey, almost as though he was constantly reminding her he was there.

"One of the guards outside thought he saw some lights flashing in the street," the messenger hunter muttered, looking irritated. Dawn supposed he was being ordered by someone above him to deal with whatever it was. "We should go check it out in case that kid did something to the power?"

"Amateurs," the two taunting hunters growled, standing up to head out the door. One of them glanced back as they headed out, looking to the hunter with Casey. "Keep an eye on these brats and make sure they don't do anything stupid."

"We'll be on our best behaviour. No need to worry," Dawn told them, smirking as they narrowed their eyes at her.

As the two hunters headed out to check on whatever the disturbance was, Dawn made sure the other one wasn't listening to her and her friends, and then lowered her voice to whisper to them. "Do you think Clemont really managed to get something to help us fight these guys?"

"I don't know, but it seemed like he was pretty confident," Shauna whispered back, raising an eyebrow as she looked at the remaining hunter in the room. Casey didn't seem to be doing much, simply staring at nothing, but the hunter was standing on a table and looking out a high window.

"He was up to something the last few weeks," Marie murmured thoughtfully. "I don't know what it was, though. Whenever I asked, he kept on laughing to himself and saying 'the future is now thanks to science'. Maybe it has something to do with those Pokemon models he designed for the arena and performing theatre."

Dawn nodded. It did seem as though Clemont was quite proud of those. She just hoped they were enough. She was about to ask if Marie knew anything else about them, when suddenly, the hunter looking out the window grunted in surprise. She and her friends looked up quickly, eyes widening as they saw a light flashing outside.

"Those morons! What do they think they're doing out there!" the hunter yelled, jumping off his table and heading to the door quickly. He pulled a pokeball out of his pocket as he opened the door, before turning back and glaring at Casey. "You don't move a muscle unless it's to stop these brats from doing anything. I'll be back in a second."

When the door slammed shut, Dawn couldn't help but be tempted to ask Casey to help them. Of course, she could see that even if Casey wanted to, the Laverre student was too shut down to do anything about it now. Whatever the hunters had done to her, or threatened to do to her, she was too scared to act against them.

"What was that light out there?" Shauna asked, as Dawn watched Casey out of the corner of her eye. Most of her attention was split between the window and the door, but she wanted to know if Casey moved.

"Looked like some kind of spark," Marie said, sounding hopeful. Dawn realized why a moment later, and grinned as she looked quickly between the window and the door.

"You think it could be Ash?" she asked, hoping with every bone in her body it was. If it was Pikachu out there causing trouble, those hunters would be taken care of in a flash.

Suddenly, there was an urgent tapping at the window, and Dawn and her friends, along with Casey, looked up in surprise to see a hunter there. He looked worried, apparently trying to get Casey's attention. Unfortunately for him, there was no way for her to act in time. He looked to his right a moment later, eyes widening with fear, and then something carried him away in an instant. It appeared to be some kind of vine. Dawn winced as she heard a muffled crash, presumably from where the hunter had been tossed.

"That didn't seem like Pikachu. Um...what do you think could be out there?" Shauna asked nervously. "Do you think there's some kind of horrible monster?"

"It might be some kind of terrible machine the hunters created that they lost control of," Marie said, voice shaking. "That hunter looked terrified. It must be really horrible."

"Maybe it isn't Ash after all..." Dawn murmured, gulping as she and her friends shuffled away from the window and the door.

Casey looked uneasy as well, glancing back at them for a moment. "It...it might be something Raphael developed. He did a lot of experiments with Mega Stones and Key Stones. Maybe one of his altered stones caused a Pokemon to lose control..."

"What kind of Pokemon could it be?" Dawn asked.

"I...I'll go see," Casey murmured, taking a deep breath as she headed to the door. There was another sudden sound from the lobby. Dawn was sure it was the thud of a couple of bodies hitting the floor. She looked at the crack under the door and noticed a couple more flashes of yellow light.

"You should let us go. You can't fight that alone!" Dawn warned, eyes widening as Casey approached the door slowly.

Casey seemed to tense up at that. "You're still prisoners. We're not on the same team, Dawn."

Dawn sighed at that, shaking her head as she watched Casey approach the door and stop in front of it. There was nothing she and the others could do. If Casey wasn't going to free them and if she was going to engage whatever dangerous creature was out there, they were stuck. They just had to hope it wouldn't notice them. She went quiet, and her friends did as well, just as Casey opened the door.

"Nene!"

"AH!"

Dawn's eyes widened as Casey's head poked out the door and she was suddenly shot back into the room, sparks shooting up all around her and a yellow light flashing briefly from the doorway. "Guys," Dawn whispered, her friends tensing up next to her, "stay quiet and let's try to slowly get under that table." She nodded her head towards a table nearby them, hoping it could hide them somewhat when whatever it was entered the room.

Slowly, she and her friends began to shuffle over. They barely moved, inch by inch, and as they struggled, Dawn could see Casey wincing, trying to move but unable to with the electricity all over her. If they didn't get to the table, they had no hope. They weren't going to get there, though, and Dawn felt her throat tighten up as she heard something moving into the room.

"Nennene!"

"Ches!"

"Bun bun!"

"You found them! Good job, Dedenne! You too, Chespin and Bunnelby!" As Clemont's little sister entered the room, she looked over to where Dawn, Shauna and Marie were huddled nearby the table, their faces drained of all colour, and looking utterly stunned. "Are you guys okay?"

It took a moment for Dawn to recover herself, taking a deep breath before answering. It came out as gasp for air, but Bonnie seemed to understand. "We're...okay. Th-thanks Bonnie."

She giggled, smiling at Dedenne. "We're glad we could help!" Her eyes then went to Casey, and she looked concerned. "Oh no! I was only trying to hurt the bad guys..."

Bunnelby had scurried over to Dawn and the others after taking in the situation and chewed off the last bit of their bindings as Dawn answered, rubbing her wrists and sighing in relief. "Casey's one of them, Bonnie. I don't know if she's totally on board, but she's the one who attacked us and got us trapped here." Bonnie looked surprised by that, but nodded, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Casey again. "Is Clemont with you? Or Ash?"

"It's just me," Bonnie answered, looking back up as something flew into the room. "Bunnelby and Chespin helped me when I...when I left Clemont and Korrina. Then Vivillon found me and we came here. We knew some of you guys were probably stuck here."

Dawn and the others stood as she looked to the new arrival, realizing it was the Vivillon Clemont and Korrina had rescued. It made her realize they had to move quickly if they were going to get their own Pokemon out before more hunters arrived. "We've gotta go," she said, Bonnie and the others nodding quickly. "Our friends are going to need whatever help they can get."

As they began to head out of the room, Casey groaning angrily behind them, Dawn heard some crashing sounds outside, and she knew time was already running out. Marie seemed to realize it as well, taking the lead as she darted down a hallway. "I bet they'll have hidden our pokeballs in the back. I'll grab them. You guys check on what's happening outside."

Dawn nodded, leading Shauna and Bonnie towards the lobby as Marie headed the other way. It was a bit intimidating heading out with Bonnie, especially as she noticed an unconscious hunter in the hall and another couple in the lobby. She supposed she just needed to be happy Bonnie was on their side. She didn't seem bothered in the slightest, just looking ready to continue to wreak havoc on the hunters. Maybe Raphael won't be a problem to deal with after all, Dawn thought, grinning to herself as Bonnie ordered Clemont's Chespin and Bunnelby to scout outside and for Vivillon to check the windows.

As they waited for Chespin and Bunnelby, Dawn looked around the lobby, glad to see it wasn't too beat up. It seemed as though the hunters had managed to take it without much trouble thanks to Casey sneaking up on them all. They'd left a bunch of garbage around, but at least it wouldn't be too hard to get things up and running for healing up the Pokemon that were hurt during all this.

It wasn't too long before Marie came out of the back area, a bag in hand with pokeballs in it. Dawn was happy to see that Nurse Joy was with her as well. She'd apparently been trapped in another room. Apparently Serena's and Gabby's Pokemon were still resting, fortunately having been left and considered to be not much of a threat to the hunters while still tired from their battling. Marie had left them to sleep.

When Dawn had her pokeballs in hand, she immediately called out Piplup, hugging him as he emerged next to her. "I'm so glad to see you, Piplup! I was so scared without you!"

"Piplup!" the Penguin Pokemon cried out in response.

Shauna and Marie had called out Ivysaur and Jigglypuff as well, and it looked like the Pokemon were just as relieved to be with their trainers again. Now, all they had to do was find their friends and they could clear out these hunters from the city. Then it would be on to Raphael and the whole mess could be over with. Of course, Dawn doubted it would be that simple, and a moment later, Chespin and Bunnelby burst through the front doors to confirm that.

"Ches chespin!"

"Bun!"

Their cries were followed by the loud shouts of some very angry people. "Hunters," Shauna said nervously, looking to Dawn. "It sounds like they brought a lot of backup."

"We're going to have to hold this place," Dawn said, narrowing her eyes in determination. "Are you guys ready?"

"You bet!" Marie responded immediately, while Shauna clenched her fists and nodded.

Bonnie was most enthusiastic, though, giggling as she looked to Dedenne and her other Pokemon bodyguards. "Let's knock out some more bad guys!"

Dawn grinned. There was no need to worry. These hunters would be running off screaming in no time.

Serena had mostly been able to push her little moment with Ash to the back of her mind, trying her best to deal with the matter at hand, but whenever she and Gabby managed to get a few seconds of peace, the Laverre student was ruthless with her smirks and giggles. She didn't make fun of Serena, but she was certainly amused by the situation. It didn't help that battling was making Serena feel a little too warm and making her cheeks redder than they needed to be.

Both she and Gabby knew what was most important right now, though, each fighting desperately as they struggled through the city to get towards the Pokemon Centre. Pancham and Cubone had done extremely well, but it was clear both were tiring out, each having taken on dozens of hunters and their Pokemon already. As the two took out another pair, aided by the strange Pokemon robots Clemont had sent out when he'd broadcast his message, Serena and Gabby both decided it was time to recall the two Pokemon and send out fresh ones.

"You did great, Pancham," Serena told her Playful Pokemon as he sighed in contentment after knocking out a Magmortar along with a robot Pangoro. "Take a nice long rest." After Pancham was safe in his pokeball, Serena called out Sylveon, the fairy type narrowing her eyes and already prepared to fight. Meanwhile, Gabby had sent out an Espeon, who seemed glad to be fighting alongside a fellow Eeveelution.

"I'm glad Clemont got these robots activated," Gabby said, breathing heavily as she looked up at one running down a street up ahead. It looked to be an Arcanine robot. Serena was pretty sure she saw one of the Clembots following after it with one if its Pokemon used for examinations of students. "I was starting to get worn down, but it looks like we've got some life back in the city now."

Serena nodded, looking up as she heard a cheer in the direction of the arena. She had heard some students running towards it earlier, excitedly talking about Diantha having beaten back wave after wave of hunters alongside Wallace and Aria. She was relieved about that, too, as it meant they didn't need to worry about the hunters taking over such a big place. She and Gabby would be able to focus on getting to the Pokemon Centre.

"I wonder if Ash and my brother are doing okay..." Gabby then said, looking back in the direction they'd come from. It was a long way away now, but Serena followed her gaze. She was worried about Ash as well. And Anton. She knew they'd be capable of fighting off more hunters than she and Gabby, though.

"They're the strongest trainers here," Serena pointed out confidently. "At least close to it. And Hala and Kukui are at the lab, too, and they can use Z-Moves."

That seemed to give Gabby a little more confidence, and she smiled before looking back in the direction she and Serena were heading. "Then I guess we'd better get to the Pokemon Centre and get our Pokemon back. We'll be able to join up with them after that."

"Right!" Serena said, taking a deep breath as she nodded to Sylveon. "Let's-"

"Trevor, look out!"

"Marshtomp, no!"

BOOM!

Serena's eyes widened, and before she knew it, she was running ahead, Sylveon right at her side and Gabby not far behind her. She heard another couple of crashes as she darted down a street up ahead and rounded another corner, each one sounding louder and clearer as she neared. Then, as she rounded a final corner, she saw one of Clemont's robot Pokemon blocking the way as Tierno and Trevor pulled back a knocked out Marshtomp and Chimchar while a hunter and his Tyranitar stood menacingly in front.

"Tierno! Trevor!" Serena called, running up to them as they called back their two Pokemon, looking up nervously as the robot Pokemon, an awkward and smaller looking Onix, attempted to hold back the Tyranitar as it clawed its way forward.

"Serena?" Tierno said in surprise, looking at her, and then Gabby, with wide eyes. "You're not at the Pokemon Centre?"

"We were heading over to help Professor Sycamore when Raphael's message played," Serena said, eyeing the Tyranitar nervously. Clemont's robot Pokemon were surprisingly capable, but it was clear this one was outmatched. Fortunately, it was giving Tierno and Trevor enough time to recover, though. "Ash and Anton went ahead and Gabby came with me so we could go and rescue Absol and the others."

"It looked like the Pokemon Centre was..." Trevor looked uneasy, exchanging a glance with Tierno.

"I know," Serena said, standing straighter as she looked ahead to Tyranitar. It was roaring as it slashed at the robot Onix, Clemont's poor invention getting further mangled as it blocked its way. "We're going to rescue them, though."

Trevor nodded. "We'll be right there with you."

With that, he and Tierno both pulled out another pokeball, Raichu and Aerodactyl emerging in front of them. Gabby moved forward as well, her Espeon joining the two Pokemon just called out along with Sylveon. The four of them braced themselves as Tyranitar finished off the robot Onix, tossing it aside and stepping forward, growling as it sneered at them.

"Ready to be our next snack?" the hunter laughed, holding up his wrist. Serena's eyes widened, and she heard Gabby gasp. The stone on his wrist looked to be darker than normal, but Serena could tell what it was. "Yeah, that's right! A special Key Stone courtesy of Raphael! Tyranitar, Mega Evolve!"

Unlike with Absol's Mega Evolution, or any Serena had seen before, this one seemed very wrong. While the Armor Pokemon appeared to like the idea of attacking them, it almost seemed to roar in pain as dark lights engulfed it, extending from its own dark Mega Stone to the hunter's dark Key Stone. Serena actually felt bad for it. Of course, that feeling was soon replaced with fear, the light eventually dimming and revealing red eyes and spikes all over the massive Pokemon. It looked ready to tear anything in sight to pieces.

"We can't back down!" Gabby shouted. "Espeon, use Dazzling Gleam!"

Tierno and Trevor quickly followed Gabby's example, ordering a Thunder and an Ancient Power attack. Serena knew they were right, and narrowed her eyes as she called out her own order. "Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"

The four attacks appeared to swirl around each other, the stones from Aeordactyl's Ancient Power glowing in a blue light, before being picked up in a pink dust from Sylveon's Fairy Wind. A moment later, bright, shining pink lights surrounded the stones, before electricity surged around them. Then, in an instant, the attacks rushed towards Tyranitar, slamming into the intimidating Pokemon's chest and causing it to stagger backwards, roaring in rage. Its trainer didn't seem too pleased either.

"You wanna fight back, huh? I'll teach ya to respect us!" He smirked, his Tyranitar growling as he glared at the gathered Pokemon. "Dark Pulse!"

The explosion that ripped into the ground in front of them sent all four Pokemon flying into the air, and Serena and the others fell back as well, wincing and shielding their eyes from the dust and smoke. As they struggled back to their feet, Serena coughed, looking for Sylveon in front, seeing the fairy type wincing. Fortunately, she and the other Pokemon seemed to be managing to stand, but they all looked to be straining.

"We'll need to be more strategic," Gabby said, eyeing Tyranitar and the hunter nervously. "This thing is strong without Mega Evolution, and who knows what this other version does to it."

"Seems to make it more...aggressive," Trevor noted, pointing to Tyranitar's eyes. Serena could see what he meant. There was a crazed urgency in its gaze, as though it desperately needed to attack. She wondered why it hadn't done another quick one, though. Tierno seemed to figure that out a moment later.

"It's panting...and I don't think it's from our attacks," he murmured, taking a deep breath as he looked around, as though wondering if it was a trap. "It's like this version of Mega Evolution takes extra energy out of the Pokemon to attack. It's more powerful, but..."

"It might be more vulnerable," Serena finished, nodding as she realized it herself. "We'll need to keep our distance. If we can avoid its attacks, we might be able to tire it out without putting our Pokemon in danger."

The others nodded, quickly ordering their Pokemon to spread out. They would need to be cautious, but they would also have to keep up the pressure. Serena didn't want Tyranitar getting a chance to focus its attacks or any of their Pokemon could be targeted and seriously hurt.

"Sylveon, use Swift!" Serena then ordered, narrowing her eyes as Tyranitar locked onto Sylveon as she darted to the side, aiming her feelers ahead and firing off the golden stars. Just as she unleashed her attack, Trevor followed up.

"Aerodactyl, use Flamethrower!" he shouted, voice nervous as he watched Tyranitar bracing for the attacks. It made Serena uneasy as well, seeing that Tyranitar clearly felt it could take a lot of damage. They would just need to keep up the pressure, though.

"RARRR!" Tyranitar then roared, swinging its tail out to block Sylveon's Swift, the stars appearing to strike harmlessly off of it.

Fortunately, Trevor's follow up attack seemed to be well timed, the flames hitting Tyranitar in the side and making it thrash at them with a claw. Its distraction allowed for part of Sylveon's attack to get further through, making it further enraged. It only got worse as Gabby ordered a Swift attack of her own, her Espeon striking at Tyranitar's legs. And, as it roared in frustration at that, a Thunder attack rained down on it from above, Tierno's Raichu dancing out front and spinning as he unleashed the attack.

"Keep it up, guys!" Serena urged, wanting to keep the pressure on and force a mistake. Tyranitar used more energy in its attacks and if they could lure it into missing them, it could turn the battle. "Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"

"Veon!" Sylveon responded, darting to the left to attack a different spot, while the others had their Pokemon change positions as well. Before long, an Ancient Power, Dazzling Gleam and another Thunder were hitting Tyranitar at different points once more. It seemed to enrage both the Armor Pokemon and its trainer.

"Hit them with another Dark Pulse!" the hunter yelled, his cry almost like his Tyranitar's.

"RARRR!" Tyranitar roared in response, the rage clear in its eyes as it summoned all of it to attack, the massive blast of dark energy firing from its jaws and into the ground in front of it. It didn't directly strike Sylveon or any of the others, but the ground shook violently and pieces of stone shot out everywhere, some of them hitting Aerodactly as it tried to fly away and one striking Espeon as it attempted to duck underneath. Even without the attack directly hitting, it had its effect, and all of their Pokemon panted, looking uneasy. Fortunately, Tyranitar looked further exhausted as well.

"Do it again!" the hunter then urged. "You lousy beast! Wipe them out!"

Once more, Tyranitar roared in rage, its eyes shining red and the darkness around it seeming to warp the air. Serena felt her heart racing as she saw the attack forming, and she knew their plan wouldn't work. It was too strong. Even if it didn't hit their Pokemon, the impact it could have on the very environment seemed to be dangerous enough. She called for Sylveon to retreat, and the others did as well. Unfortunately, it didn't look like they would have the time. But then, something emerged to Tyranitar's side.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

"Elekid, Thunderbolt!"

A blue sphere of energy rushed towards Tyranitar's jaws, electricity following right after it and engulfing it just as it reached its target. The combined attacks exploded against the forming Dark Pulse, causing damage on their own, but also forcing Tyranitar's own attack to backfire. The second explosion shook the air around them, but the worst of it was up ahead, Tyranitar screeching in pain as it crashed to the ground, already glowing as the Mega Evolution faded. A moment later, the hunter, looking stunned, glared at the newcomers. Serena and her friends grinned.

"Clemont! Korrina!"

The two gym leaders emerged from the street to the side of the downed Tyranitar, each looking pretty tired, but relief evident on their faces at finding their friends. Lucario and Elekid looked as though they must've been fighting quite a bit already, but they also appeared to straighten up a bit at the sight of their friends. Elekid in particular looked quite pleased, especially as he eyed Tyranitar.

"Hey guys!" Korrina greeted, running towards them as Clemont watched the frustrated hunter. It appeared he wanted to fight more, but didn't want to risk the further uneven numbers and took off. Serena was disgusted, seeing him leave his Tyranitar behind. Fortunately, he'd left the pokeball as well, and Clemont went over to pick it up and recall the Tyranitar.

"Is the gym okay?" Tierno asked as the group came together, each of them looking desperate for the brief break. "We saw Clemont's message."

"We have it guarded pretty well now," Korrina said, smiling as Clemont came over, pocketing Tyranitar's pokeball, looking uneasy about it. "Clembot has a group of the robot Pokemon and some other Clembot prototypes with him and they're holding the place."

"It should be secure for the rest of the night," Clemont added, sighing, his exhaustion showing. "Those Pokemon models won't last forever, but they're at least giving people a chance to regroup. It looked like Diantha, Aria and Wallace were securing more of the area around the arena, and some of the other teams' IPL coaches have the training facilities defended. We managed to get a view of the university buildings a few minutes ago, too, and it looked like Flint, Agatha and Fantina have things going well there. Ash and Anton have Sycamore's lab defended well, too. The Pokemon Centre is my biggest concern."

"We need to get there as soon as possible," Serena agreed, looking to Gabby.

"Let's get going, then," Gabby nodded, looking back to Clemont. "We can do what that hunter should've done and get that Tyranitar cared for as well. Hopefully Nurse Joy is able to help."

Serena hoped so as well, and as the six of them took off down the street, she could feel her heart racing faster than it had been during the battle with Tyranitar. She desperately hoped that she'd be able to save Absol and Braixen. She didn't know what she would do if they were hurt. And poor Absol...these were the people that had tortured and tormented him for so long. He didn't deserve this. He deserved peace. He deserved to be content in the victory he had achieved with Serena and the others.

She clenched her fists, eyes narrowed and focused. Absol would be safe. He and Braixen and Altaria and Ninetales. She would make sure of that no matter what. If the hunters had them, she would free them if it was the last thing she did. This fight wouldn't end until they were done tormenting all the Pokemon like Absol. It had to end, and it had to end now.

Before she knew it, Serena was well ahead of the others, running with everything she had, Sylveon at her side. Her friends didn't seem to mind, simply looking determined themselves, ready to fight any hunter that got in their way. They were all ready to save the Pokemon at the Pokemon Centre. It was crucial they win this fight if they were going to stop the hunters.

Serena wasn't sure if it was because she was so focused on being ready to fight or if she'd just gotten used to the sounds of fighting, but as she rounded the last corner and saw the Pokemon Centre up ahead, the sounds of the battle raging out front hit her suddenly and she skidded to a halt. Her friends stopped suddenly behind her, staring ahead in surprise. It was quite the scene.

Out front of the Pokemon Centre, four figures were leading the fight, about a dozen hunters concentrated around them and fighting their Pokemon with all they had. Scattered around the area nearby, other trainers had come to help out, many fighting other hunters or helping injured Pokemon. There were even some of Clemont's robot Pokemon around, defending various trainers from attacking hunters. It was the heaviest fighting Serena had seen so far.

"Bonnie...she's there!" Clemont then gasped, an odd mixture of relief and fear in his voice. "She...she must've helped Dawn and the others."

Serena's eyes widened as she noticed Bonnie as well, Clemont's little sister looking quite menacing as she commanded her little Dedenne and Clemont's Chespin and Bunnelby. She was in no way a bystander, holding off two hunters and their Dodrio and Bisharp quite well. Meanwhile, Dawn and Piplup were taking on four hunters, while Shauna and Marie each battled three with Ivysaur and Jigglypuff. A few feet away, a Vivillon was driving off hunters that were trying to get around the group out front.

"Anton's Vivillon..." Gabby murmured, sounding amazed that the Pokemon once captured by hunters was fighting so well. Clemont and Korrina had done an amazing job helping it recover.

"Let's go and help-"

BOOM!

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the top of the Pokemon Centre, rubble firing out from it. Serena and the others fell back in surprise, and she realized they weren't the only ones. Their friends out front had fallen over as well, although fortunately they looked to be okay, simply looking surprised. The hunters fighting to get into the Pokemon Centre also seemed to have been taken off guard, most of them having fallen over, too. It almost made Serena wonder if it had nothing to do with them, until she noticed a few of them laughing, pointing into the air as something descended from the sky. It was a helicopter, and they seemed to know who it belonged to.

Serena wasn't quite sure what was going on, but suddenly, she saw a rope drop down from the helicopter, and someone getting lifted up by it. Her eyes widened as she recognized who it was, but Gabby was the one who called out, fury in her voice.

"CASEY! You traitor! How could you?!"

There was no response, but Serena could see the other Laverre student look towards them. She ignored a few follow up curses from Gabby as she was pulled up, before the helicopter moved a bit forward and lowered her back down, outside the Pokemon Centre by a group of more hunters. A moment later the helicopter shifted back over the new hole in the roof and something else dropped down. Serena wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't like the look of it.

"Is that a..." Her eyes widened as the helicopter began rising back up, higher into the sky.

It was a net, and Absol was inside.

As the helicopter took off, Serena ran, ignoring the shouts behind her.

Ash stumbled back as Pikachu and Rockruff skidded back towards him, wincing from the Dragon Pulse of the opposing Hydreigon. The two of them had been fighting extremely hard, helping the defence of the lab drive the hunters away from the entrance and making it much easier for those who were gathering the injured Pokemon and bringing them to safety. Unfortunately, the battle was taking its toll on everyone involved, and the hunters had more and more reinforcements coming. Even with Clemont's strange robot Pokemon helping out, it was a taxing fight.

"Get ready Rockruff and Pikachu," Ash said, knowing that this fight with Hydreigon needed to end soon. It had been one of the most problematic opponents since arriving on the scene, its trainer relishing the opportunity to cause damage. It had even knocked out Anton's Hitmonlee not long after he had called out the fighting type to join with his Marowak. "Pikachu, get in there with Iron Tail! Rockruff, follow up with Rock Throw!"

"Pika!" Pikachu responded confidently, straightening up immediately and leaping forward with his tail shining. "Chuuu PIKA!"

Hydreigon roared angrily as it staggered back, its middle head slamming into the one on its left. That seemed to give Rockruff his target, the Puppy Pokemon barking eagerly as he charged forward and unleashed a barrage of stones towards the head on the right. Hydreigon screeched again, stumbling, before managing to right itself at the last moment. Ash narrowed his eyes as he watched it panting. It was nearing its limit, but it could definitely do quite a bit more damage if they weren't careful.

"Hydreigon, get 'em back with Dragon Tail!" the hunter then yelled out, smirking as he eyed Pikachu and Rockruff, both easily within range.

Ash's eyes widened, ignoring the crashes and shouts around him as he saw the glowing tail swing out and slam into his Pokemon. "Pikachu! Rockruff!"

Both of them were struck with full force, their small bodies sent flying high into the air. Ash might've been able to expect them to right themselves, but at that moment, he noticed an opposing Flygon heading right for them, ready for the finishing blow. He called out, but he knew none of his friends could help at that moment, already engaged in their own battles, and he didn't have time to call out another of his Pokemon to help them.

But then, a familiar sight appeared in the air. Flygon was struck by a red shape, its flaming red leg slamming into the dragon type and sending it crashing hard to the ground, where its trainer ran to it and recalled it to its pokeball, fleeing with another hunter that Anton had just defeated. Then, a moment later, the red shape darted forward, catching both Pikachu and Rockruff in its arms, before plummeting to the ground and landing in front of Ash. It was joined a second later by a man in a red costume, similar to a Blaziken.

"Blaziken Mask!" Ash said in surprise, smiling as Blaziken, or Mega Blaziken to be exact, released Pikachu and Rockruff from its arms.

"Hello Ash," Blaziken Mask said, turning to him with a grin. "Glad to be of service once again. We seem to meet under interesting circumstances, don't we?"

Ash laughed at that, remembering Mega Blaziken catching him and Pikachu after his dive off of Prism Tower. What a day that had been. If only these hunters were as easy to deal with as one of Team Rocket's schemes, though. "I guess we both like to help out people and Pokemon in trouble so we're bound to end up in the same place sometimes."

"Very true," Blaziken Mask murmured, turning back to face the hunter with the Hydreigon. The hunter didn't look pleased to be up against a Mega Evolved Pokemon. And a fresh one at that. "Now, Blaziken, let's finish this one off with a Blaze Kick."

"Blaze!" Blaziken nodded, darting forward like a flash of red light. Hydreigon had no response as it was kicked in the chest with the flaming leg of its opponent. It fell over a moment later, the hunter recalling it to its pokeball and running off immediately.

"I think you should head off to find your friends, Ash," Blaziken Mask then said, turning to face the front of the lab, where Sycamore was fighting side by side with Hala. "I'll help hold the fort here. Your friends will need you. It looks like that clever young fellow Clemont has control of the gym, so I expect they'll be rallying at the Pokemon Centre."

"Serena was heading there," Ash said, nodding as he noticed Anton making his way over, his Marowak sagging a bit after striking down another hunter's Pokemon. "But we said we'd meet her in the forest. We think the leader of the hunters is there."

Blaziken Mask paused, looking thoughtful, but Sycamore's situation looked urgent, and he spoke quickly. "Very well. I'll stay here, and you find this leader of theirs. Without him, they won't have the heart to continue. Trust this battle to us, Ash, and we'll trust you with finishing the job out there."

Ash hesitated, but as Anton arrived, he could see his rival looking determined to continue. They had helped hold the fort here at Sycamore's lab, and now a fierce ally was there to help. It was time to strike the hunters where it could end this fight. "All right, we'll go. Thanks Blaziken Mask."

"Thank you as well, Ash," Blaziken Mask said, smiling as he leaned down, giving Ash a knowing look. "And thank you for helping my son become the Gym Leader he was always meant to be."

With that, Blaziken Mask and Blaziken ran towards the fighting, striking out with all the power they had. Ash's eyes were wide with shock at the revelation of who it was, but he knew he didn't have time to stand there and stare. He quickly nodded to Anton, and the two were off once more, waving to Kukui who seemed to realize what was going on.

"Give that Raphael a lesson he'll never forget, cousin! Charge in there like a Tauros, yeah?!" he called out, grinning as his Incineroar knocked out two Pokemon with a Darkest Lariat attack.

Ash nodded, giving him a thumbs up as Rockruff barked in answer. "We're on it!"

As Ash and Anton ran, they managed to clear out another hunter, who was attempting to sneak around the side of the battle out front. Rockruff and Marowak were quick in their strike, knocking down the hunter's Metang with a couple of quick blows. As the hunter retreated, Ash grinned, glancing back and seeing Mega Blaziken helping Kukui's Incineroar fight off a group of Houndoom. He and Anton were definitely leaving the lab in good hands.

"So we're going after Raphael now?" Anton asked, once they were heading down the street, which was surprisingly empty. Ash supposed the hunters were trying to concentrate their attacks now, with the city taking a stand.

"That's our best shot," Ash said, nodding. "We have to find him, and hopefully Serena and Gabby will have run into the others and can join us on the way."

"It'll be tough if it's just us, but I guess we'll have to make do. At least Scizor hasn't had to battle yet, and you've still got your Greninja fresh." Anton hesitated then, looking as though there was more he wanted to say.

"What is it?" Ash asked, glancing behind as he heard an explosion. He was pretty sure he could see a hunter running away in the distance.

Anton sighed, clenching his fists as he looked back at Ash briefly. "I'm hoping we can find out where they're hiding some of their stolen Pokemon. I...I need to find them."

Ash didn't push him for more information. He was pretty sure he knew what Anton was getting at. He was glad to know his rival wanted to make things right, though, and he was going to help Anton get his old friends back. "We'll rescue every single one of them, Anton."

They were silent the rest of the way as they neared the edge of the city. They managed to avoid most of the fighting, only needing to defend against a couple of hunters until one of Clemont's robot Pokemon managed to get there and distract them. When they rounded a corner and were heading towards the pathway that led out of the city and into the forest, Ash was feeling like they'd been pretty lucky. If they could keep themselves from having to tire their Pokemon out too much before finding Raphael, they'd be in a much better position to beat him.

Unfortunately, the luck couldn't last forever.

As Ash and Anton began to exit the city, the forest just up ahead, three massive and intimidating Pokemon blocked their path, three hunters standing behind them. The two of them skidded to a halt, eyeing their opponents cautiously, each of their Pokemon darting out in front and ready to fight, despite their exhaustion. Pikachu, Rockruff and Marowak looked miniature in comparison to the Typhlosion, Venusaur and Swampert in front of them.

"Ah, some little kiddies that want to flee the action, huh?" the hunter with the Typhlosion laughed out. "Got a little scary in the city, huh? Well don't worry. We'll let ya go as soon as you hand us those Pokemon and give us all your pokeballs."

"Maybe we'll give ya a little roughin' up anyway, though," the Venusaur hunter suggested a moment later. "I'd like to get some of the action the others are gettin'."

"You'll get your action," Anton muttered, pointing ahead to signal to his Marowak. "Bonemerang!"

"Iron Tail, Pikachu!" Ash added, hoping to finish this quickly. "And Rockruff, use Bite!"

"Marowak!"

"Pika!"

"Rrrruff!"

The hunters seemed surprised by the quick attacks, watching in shock as Marowak's bone swung out, striking Typhlosion under the chin and knocking the fire type back a few feet. That was followed a moment later by Pikachu darting in, tail glowing white, before leaping up and slamming it into the middle of Venusaur's forehead. Rockruff finished up nearly at the same time, jumping up and clamping his jaws down on the fin on Swampert's head and shaking roughly, before darting back to stand with Pikachu and Marowak.

The hunters definitely weren't going to let Ash and Anton get away with the quick strike, though, immediately ordering their counter attacks, their Pokemon righting themselves quickly. Ash and Anton were both surprised by the quick recovery, unable to respond as a Flamethrower, Vine Whip and Hydro Pump rushed towards their Pokemon.

Ash fell back as the strike hit, smoke and dust shooting up in front of him and Anton as their Pokemon cried out. They coughed as they attempted to recover, shielding their eyes and trying to see through the smoke in front of them. As it began to settle, Ash cried out in concern, rushing to Pikachu and Rockruff. Already tired from all the fighting they'd already done, they looked unable to stand, especially Rockruff.

"Take a good long rest, Rockruff," Ash whispered, recalling the Puppy Pokemon to his pokeball. Ash was proud of Rockruff, smiling as he thought of his desperation to help Kukui earlier. They wouldn't have held the fort at the lab without him. "You rest, too, Pikachu," Ash then added, picking Pikachu up as Anton recalled Marowak, who was also too tired to continue. Pikachu murmured tiredly as both Ash and Anton pulled out their next pokeballs.

"Ready to hand over your Pokemon, kids?" the hunter with the Typhlosion laughed out. "Or do ya want us to take your lunch money, too?"

Apparently that was quite amusing to the other hunters, as they burst out laughing. Ash and Anton ignored it, though, quickly calling out their next Pokemon. "Decidueye, I choose you!"

"Skarmory, let's go!" Anton added, his Armor Bird Pokemon emerging alongside of Decidueye. Ash was surprised at Anton's choice. Skarmory would be vulnerable to both Typhlosion and Swampert, but he supposed Anton had a plan. Apparently, Anton wasn't ready to waste any time with it either. "Steel Wing on Venusaur, now!"

Ash quickly followed up. "Leaf Blade on Swampert!"

"Skarrr!"

"Saiii!"

The two Pokemon shot forward, Decidueye unsheathing his glowing green blade, while Skarmory's wing glowed in a bright light. They struck at the same time, the Leaf Blade landing a super effective hit on Swampert and sending it crashing to the ground, while the Steel Wing caused Venusaur's knees to wobble unsteadily. Unfortunately, Typhlosion looked ready to counter quickly, his trainer quickly ordering a Flamethrower as Decidueye and Skarmory bounced back.

"Look out!" Ash yelled out, eyes widening as the flames burst forth. There was no avoiding it, the jet of fire striking both Pokemon in the side and sending them crashing to the ground, one after the other. It was only getting worse, too, with the other hunters quickly encouraging their Pokemon to follow up. Ash held his breath nervously, seeing Venusaur preparing a Leaf Storm, while Swampert prepared another Hydro Pump.

However, just as their attacks began to form, a massive, shining light, shaped like a dragon, struck all three of the hunters' Pokemon, knocking the three of them down like dominoes. The explosion shook the ground, and even Ash and Anton had a hard time staying on their feet. For a moment, Ash was uneasy, wondering if another hunter had decided to attack, deciding they didn't need to use the others. Luckily, as he looked towards the source of the interruption, he realized that wasn't the case at all.

At the head of a squad of Wooper and Swanna, a two-legged dragon type stood proudly, illuminated by the shining moon above him. "GooooDRA!" he roared proudly, staring the hunters down.

The hunters looked up, faces going pale.

The Wetlands Pokemon had arrived, and their leader was ready to fight.

Author's Note:

Anybody else get GCTO vibes off of Goodra and the Wetlands Pokemon arriving...hmm. Anyway, that'll be a game changer. But crazier is Absol's been taken by the hunters, and Serena's on the chase. But what do they want with Absol and why would they leave Gabby's Altaria...?

As for other events...MVP of the chapter has to be Bonnie, right? Bonnie is the best.

Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you in the next one, which will actually be two. The final six chapters will be posted in pairs. See you then.