Touya's POV
As I looked at the sunset, I thought about Travis. Why did he betray us? Why did he go to Team Plasma? So many questions filled my head, and one sentence left my mouth.

"Et tu, Travis?"

I took one last look, then turned to Chargestone Cave. What will happen there?
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The next morning, we came to the entrance. I saw Klink and Joltik, with the occasional Tynamo. I saw a trailer and two girls with their Pokémon. Both had blue eyes and wore Ranger uniforms. The brown-haired one saw me and ran up, giving me a hug. I was right. This was my friend Cassie. She was on my team last year. I hugged her back, then saw the blonde-haired girl. Tessa was also on my team.

"So good to see you again!" Cassie said.
Tessa also smiled.

"Where's Travis?" I looked down, thinking about how to put it to her.

"He betrayed us. We fought him and some grunts in Castelia and Driftveil. Both times--" Cassie put her finger on my lips just as I was about to say that he was with Team Plasma. I felt the red rushing to my face. Wait a minute. Am I blushing?! I turned away immediately to hide it.

"I know," she said.
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Nate's POV

A few hours after, Rio and Shade were playing with Tessa's Eevee, who was named Veo. Suddenly, they turned. Veo and Shade growled and Rio generated aura power from his palms. Travis was right in front of us. Jet was with him, but a Magmortar, a Rhyperior, an Electivire, and an Aggron were behind him.

"So, the annoying kids are playing with the runt," he smirked.

"Hey look, the traitor Ranger has Pokémon reinforcements," I shot back, "What else is new?"

"You just got spanked," Veo grinned. Travis glared at him.

"So I did, huh? Why don't I just THROW YOU OVER MY KNEE AND SHOW YOU HOW IT'S DONE?!"

"You're the same bad cop as before, old friend." We turned to find Touya laughing to himself. "Let's see how you do in a five-on-five."

"How about we amp it up a notch? Tank! Mega Evolve!" With that, Travis fired a rainbow-colored disc which orbited around Tank and formed a colorful ring of energy. It closed in on him, causing him to glow and transform. He now had more armor. He roared as a symbol flashed above him. What the heck is going on?!
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Touya's POV

Tank had mega-evolved. But he wasn't the only one with a Pokémon that can do that. I loaded my Mega Disc and fired it so it drew the line around Pathor. He glowed and transformed. He was now white with a cape, a helmet, and bigger blades covering his arm. He unfurled his cape to show his new knight-like form. He was now Mega Gallade. Rosa called Shade to her side.

"Use Dark Pulse!" A jet-black blast almost hit Magmus, the Magmortar, but he dodged and fired a Flamethrower out of his arm. Rio caught it in his Force Palm and destroyed the attack. Pathor's blades glowed black as he sped in for Night Slash. Electus and Rhyno tried to use Thunder and Stone Edge, but he just used the blue blast to charge his blades and used his enhanced psychic power to catch the pointed stones and fire them back. Magmus took the impact of the Stone Edge, and Electus and Rhyno took the Thunder Night Slash. They were down. Now, what about Tank?
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Nate's POV

Rio got hit with the Iron Tail, knocking him back into the rocky wall. Genesect was trapped by boulders knocked loose by Hyper Beam. I had the air knocked out of me by Travis. We were cornered.

"I knew you were pathetic weaklings from the start," Travis snarled, "You think your bond and friendship will save you? Ha! You're weak."

"You're wrong." I stood up, finding the Turboblaze energizing us. "The bond is a sign of true strength." Rio charged at Tank, glowing fiery red, then blue. His aura was enveloping him. "Rio and I are partners. Best friends!" He became bigger, spikes came from the back of his hands and his chest, and the appendages at the sides of his head moved to the back and each split in two. "You know that. And you know that is why we will be victorious!" He roared as the red and blue auras spiraled around us. He evolved into Lucario! He formed a blue sphere of energy between his palms and threw it. It exploded into Tank, pushing him back. He also learned Aura Sphere! I checked my Pokédex.

"Lucario- the Aura Pokémon and the evolved form of Riolu. Lucario can use aura in battle and understand human speech."

Rio formed metallic claws at the ends of his arms and slashed at Jet, making him wince in pain. That was Metal Claw! I checked his moves: Aura Sphere, Force Palm, Metal Claw, and Copycat.

"Not bad, kid, but you're gonna lose no matter what."

"That's what you think!" A Psycho Cut hit Tank. I turned to see Rosa, Shade, Tessa, Veo, Cassie, and Lux, her Luxio.

"What're you doing here?"

"Just thought we would join the party," Rosa said. "You seriously didn't expect us not to get in on the action, did you?"
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Rosa's POV

"Use Stone Edge!" Travis yelled. Stones orbited Tank before flying in our direction. As Veo and Lux braced themselves, the stones were reduced to shards.

"What's going on?" I asked myself.

"There are some things you don't know about me," Shade said. His horn glowed black and became a scythe blade.

"I trained with the Swords of Justice Virizion, the Quick Leaf, Terrakion, the Sturdy Rock, Cobalion, the Iron Heart, and Keldeo, the Sword of Resolution. In doing so, I found my true power! I am the Scythe of Justice!" he roared.

"Secret Sword!" Touya gasped.

"Impossible!" Travis yelled.

Shade lunged at Tank, Lux and Veo by his side, using Wild Charge and Quick Attack. They hit, but were knocked away by Iron Tail. Shade turned to me.
"I need to Mega Evolve, Rosa!" he called. A Mega Disk formed and landed into my hand. I loaded the Mega Disc onto my styler. The screen flipped up as I aimed, hit the button, and fired it at Shade. The ring formed and closed in. Shade grew a second horn on the opposite side of his first, his fur formed "wings", and the fur covered one eye. His Secret Sword formed on both horns, and he dashed again. Magmus fired two fireballs, but both were cut with ease. He used Aerial Ace to attack and confuse Tank, then he slashed at him, causing the Aggron to faint. Veo had used Trump Card to free Genesect, and we all surrounded Travis.

"You're not that weak after all." Travis smiled. "But not strong enough." With that, he jumped into the air to be caught by a Staraptor. He'll be back.
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Touya's POV

I sat on a rock, now more dejected than ever. I saw Cassie walk up to me, sit down, and stare at the sunset.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she sighed. I knew she was only trying to cheer me up, but it wasn't really working. I took out a blue heart-shaped rock from my bag. I had gotten the stone in Chargestone Cave, shaped it with my aura, and trapped the electrical energy inside.

"Here," I sighed, giving it to her. "It's a special memento. A charm of sorts."

Cassie stared at it for a moment and then turned around, her cheeks the color of the petals on a blossoming Cherrim.

"I love it."

"I knew you would."

Silence lingered for a moment.

"Good night," I said as I stood up to leave.

"Wait." I felt Cassie's hand on my shoulder. "One more thing."

Then she kissed me on the cheek. I blushed like crazy, turning away before smiling in her direction. We then walked away back to our camps.
Maybe I do like her as more than a friend. Maybe.