I didn't really know what to expect from Valerie. I knew I shouldn't have made assumptions, but based on the three Pokémon of hers I'd seen, I figured the rest were strong, intimidating beasts. I fully didn't expect a Crawdaunt of all things. The crustacean that was the first to appear obviously had Water as its typing. I thought it would be best to stick with Maverick despite Vinya's advantage with Energy Ball, just in case.

I began with the obvious when it came to using Maverick. "Maverick, start with Agility!"

"Imbecile," Valerie scoffed. "Crawdaunt, Crabhammer!" The crab's pincers split open simultaneously, water gushing from between the separated appendages to surround them. It sprang at Maverick with a speed that shocked me, swinging its claws wildly.

My Skarmory innately knew to dodge and did so, following up with a Steel Wing that I was then able to call out. Crawdaunt was impacted heavily, tumbling across the ground in a way that should have left it stunned. But it sprung back up like it had been merely brushed by the attack.

"Use Air Slash!" I said next. In a blur of silver Maverick shot towards Crawdaunt. It jumped backwards, mostly avoiding the Flying attack.

"Crabhammer!" Crawdaunt violently swiped at Maverick with a water-cloaked pincer. It caught her in the chest but she was able to recover from it quickly only to be faced with another ferocious Crabhammer.

"Try Steel Wing!" I then ordered.

"Annoying bird... Bring it down!" Valerie stated. I was surprised that she hadn't called out a move until Crawdaunt carried out its order. It ducked down, scuttling to the side and out of the way of Maverick's attack.

As it did so its pincers shot out, one latching onto Maverick's wing while the other snatched at her leg. Crawdaunt let the Skarmory's momentum spin it around in circles for a moment before throwing its body in the opposite direction, slamming Maverick to the ground.

"Now Brick Break," Valerie said. Crawdaunt held its claws together and raised them above its head, ready to smash them into Maverick's.

Alarm shot through me. "Night Slash!" I countered. Maverick dug one foot into the dirt, spinning her body around and slashing upwards with her other. The Crawdaunt was scratched across its chest as it leapt back, the pain caused by the move again ineffective enough to warrant recoil. Why wasn't it taking damage, or at least acting like it was?

"Brick Break again!"

Reluctantly accepting that I had to be as savage as Valerie to make an impact on her Pokémon, I called out my next move. "Air Slash, talons first!" Maverick sprung up, rushing at Crawdaunt.

"Didn't learn from last time?" Valerie laughed. "Bring it down again, Crawdaunt!"

I waited until Maverick was within grabbing range and let it seize her legs. "Now pull up and flip it!"

Maverick followed through, spinning midair and slamming Crawdaunt down. It didn't even flinch. Maverick tried to ascend again, but Crawdaunt still clung to her, one pincer remaining around her leg. The stubborn crab just refused to let go!

"Get it off of you!" I yelled, slashing my hand out to the side like I was miming what could be her next action. Maverick noticed my gesture and flung her legs out, the puppet flying off and into a gravestone. The aged rock broke apart in a cloud of gray dust, a fainted Crawdaunt laying amongst the chipped slivers.

Valerie didn't skip a beat and sent out her next Pokémon, not even bothering to recall her fallen one. A Dragon-type known as Flygon emerged from the second Poké Ball. Its diamond-shaped wings were the only things moving on it as it stared soullessly at Maverick through the goggle-like coverings over its eyes.

"Don't waste time! Flamethrower!" Valerie yelled. Flygon inhaled and expelled a stream of fire. Like Crawdaunt, Flygon moved much faster than I thought it would.

"Dodge it and use Steel Wing!" My Skarmory obeyed, blindsiding Flygon with a metallic blow.

Valerie snarled before her eyes lit up. "Flamethrower!"

"Steel Wing Again!"

As Maverick approached Flygon, Valerie smirked. "Now switch to Dragon Tail." like a machine switching modes, Flygon's mouth shut, the rest of its body twisting unnaturally and surely painfully fast. Its tail slashed out, hitting Maverick and grounding her again. "Scorch it," Valerie ordered. Flygon twisted around again, its mouth snapping open to unleash flames that seared Maverick. I had to suppress the urge to cringe in sympathetic pain as I recalled her and sent Orbit out.

Wh-why are you sending m-me out? It's f-faster than me! Orbit exclaimed.

I knew that, and I was going to use it to my advantage. Wait until it gets close. Valerie wasn't dumb enough to use a Fire move on a Ground-type.

"Dragon Claw!" Flygon rushed at my Claydol, its claws alight with purple energy.

Wait... Now! "Earth Power!" Orbit's eyes glowed and a sharp spire of earth stabbed up at Flygon. It was thrown upwards and freefell back down to the dirt. "Earth Power again!" And keep using it every time it gets anywhere close to the ground! Spike after spike erupted under Flygon each time it approached the earth, tossing it around like a rag doll.

"Stop letting yourself get hit and use a spread Ice Beam!" Valerie commanded angrily. Flygon unleashed haphazardly-aimed beams of ice that flew in every direction like frigid bullets.

"Protect!" A wall of white light appeared in front of Orbit that absorbed the Ice move. "Now use Hyper Beam!" He then responded with an explosive beam of pure energy that shattered the Protect on its way to its target, and Flygon was swallowed by the light. Valerie flinched and jumped to the side as the puppet rocketed past her, plowing through multiple lines of gravestone before resistance halted it.

"Useless Dragon," Valerie growled. She threw another Poké Ball, and the Pokémon that had chased me down in the Insurgents' base materialized. I acted quickly and swapped Orbit for Silvette. It didn't matter to me that she was slower than the puppet. I had no doubt that Absol was, or was part, Dark-type. "Absol, Psycho Cut!" The scythe-shaped horn atop the quadruped puppet's head lit up with a purplish hue and it began running at Silvette.

"Meet it with Iron Tail!" I countered. Silvette charged at Absol before slowly but fluidly launching into a spin and smashing Absol with her tail. The Pokémon collided with one of the leftover rocks from an Earth Power and crumpled to the ground, seemingly stunned.

"Get up and use Psycho Cut!" Valerie said, ignoring her Pokémon's condition. Absol's legs moved before the rest of it did, dragging itself to its feet and flinging itself into a stumbling sprint.

In a matter of seconds, it became obvious that one of its legs was sprained or something similar because the appendage kept trying to fold beneath the weight of its body. But it kept moving, hell-bent on striking Silvette and oblivious to the damage done to its leg.

"Use that injury to keep your path uneven," Valerie said. Absol nodded stiffly and allowed its leg to pivot it to the side, turning its path into a sickeningly-executed zigzag.

Absol's injury provided me with a second cruel but interesting advantage. "Use Heavy Slam on the ground to throw Absol off-balance!" Silvette raised her arms and brought them down.

Valerie was quick to counter. "Jump onto the rocks!" Absol sprung up on another Earth Power-raised stone, escaping the improvised Earthquake. "Keep going!" It somehow kept its balance and began leaping from rock to rock.

"Dodge it, Silvette!" She lurched backwards but couldn't avoid the slashing blade-like horn.

"Don't let it shake you off and keep using Psycho Cut!" Absol dug its nails into Silvette's tough hide, clinging on as it savagely used the Psychic move over and over. Silvette roared in pain, throwing herself about as she tried to rid herself of the clinging leech of a puppet.

"Throw yourself down while using Heavy Slam!" Silvette gladly flung herself down, crushing Absol with her weight as well as the move. "And now Iron Tail!" The Shiny Pokémon slammed her opponent with her tail again like a batter would with a baseball. Absol carved a shallow rut into the dirt before colliding headfirst with a Earth Power rock, knocking it out. Silvette followed suit and collapsed fully, exhaustion overwhelming her.

Valerie gritted her teeth in anger. "What the hell is wrong with all of you?!" she shrieked. "I thought I had chosen a suitable team, but it seems I'm being proven wrong..!" She tossed out her third Pokémon, her Sableye. "Sableye, don't you dare disappoint me!" she threatened. The imp twitched as choked, robotic giggles escaped it that sent shivers through me.

River was the fastest conscious Pokémon I had then, so I had no choice but to use him. "River, keep your guard up and use X-Scissor!" I ordered, vividly remembering when the twisted puppet had used Shadow Sneak.

"Shadow Claw!"

What occurred next baffled me. Right as River slashed at Sableye, it melted into the ground. Or more specifically, into a shadow created by a raised rock. I realized what it was going to do and told River to get into the moonlight, whose caster had since risen into the navy sky. River jumped back, narrowly missing a trio of sharp claws swiping at him from the shadow.

"Shadow Ball!" An inky blob of malevolent energy shot out from a shadow in front of River that he dodged, but not at the cost of landing in another shadow. Valerie smirked. "Now Foul Play!" The purple imp jumped from the shadow River was standing in, scratching rapidly and harshly at his face.

"Use X-Scissor right in front of you!" River swiped at Sableye, impacting it in the head and chest and flinging it a few yards away into a patch of moonlight, not close to any shadows. "Brine!"

"Shadow Sneak on Absol and use it as a shield!" Sableye flicked its wrist upwards and the shadow beneath the fainted Absol seemed to grasp the Pokémon and raise it into Brine's line of fire. River had already begun the attack, and the limp creature was stabbed into with high-velocity bullets of water.

My heart dropped when I saw this. "River, stop attacking!" I cried, disgusted. River looked equally as horrified and ceased his attack. Meanwhile, Sableye had skittered across the ground, submerging itself into the nearest shadow.

"Why do you bother? It's not like it can appreciate your actions," Valerie said disapprovingly, shaking her head. "A puppet doesn't have feelings! Sableye, Zen Headbutt!" River was tackled from behind, Sableye grabbing River's shoulders before slamming its head into the back of his neck and jumping off.

"They do have feelings, you're just smothering them!" I shot back. "River, X-Scissor!" He spun around and delivered a double-clawed slash to Sableye. "Use Brine!" As it tried to scuttle back into the shadows it was barraged by a torrent that tore it from the darkness and threw it into a gravestone.

Valerie gave her Pokémon a passing glance and readied another red and white capsule. "Oh really?" she sneered, raising an eyebrow. "If you say they have feelings, then I suppose you'll be in for a shock." She threw her fifth Poké Ball and the puppet it contained made my blood chill.

It was Meteor.

He was practically unrecognizable, and in the worst ways possible. His harrowing purple eyes showed no signs of recognition when they met mine. No sound came from him, just a deadly silence. But what set my anger ablaze were the numerous scratches and scorch marks covering his form. He had obviously been tortured in some way, and Valerie hadn't bothered healing him.

Valerie grinned at my enraged expression and placed her hand on one of Meteor's front legs. "I do agree that some sensations resembling emotions and feelings remain in a subject once they're converted," she explained. "But they're controlled within a matter of days minus the 'feelings' that allow them to fight their hardest. This one, however, is more resilient than it looks..."

He's not an it! I wanted to scream, but I held my tongue.

"It'll learn eventually, though. Oh, and you can't destroy these bangles easily, they're made with pure steel. Ironic, isn't it?" Valerie said with a smug smile. "Now, Metagross, crush that Armaldo into the ground with a Meteor Mash so I can take my Steven dearie back where he belongs."

Y-yes... Miss... tress... the horribly warped, pain-strangled voice of my partner croaked out as he fixed River with a glare. He tried to step forwards but only managed a few steps before his legs gave out. He twitched violently as he tried to move. It... it... hurts! For a split-second his voice changed back to normal before his mind was again overtaken by the suffocating effects of the bangles. My heart ached in helplessness and sympathy. He was resisting, he was still holding on!

Valerie glared at Meteor. "What are you doing, you worthless hunk of scrap metal?" she snapped. "Meteor Mash! Now!"

M-mistress..! I-I... I..! he tried to speak.

"Now!" Valerie screeched. Meteor dragged himself upright. His front legs glowed silver, and he lunged at River.

"River, dodge it!" Meteor's stiff, delayed movements made River's move all too easy to execute, and it pained me horribly to see how much my partner was struggling.

Valerie sighed irritably. "Fine, if you can't use that attack then use Hammer Arm."

I again denied the instinctive thought ordering me whenever I saw an opposing Pokémon. "Dodge it again!" River leapt away from Meteor's staggered move who then collapsed again after he carried out the action. I had been able to ruthlessly crush the rest of Valerie's Pokémon, but this wasn't some ordinary puppet, this was my best friend! I couldn't do this, I couldn't attack him! I desperately tried to think of a way to free him, my blood curdling at the sounds of his screams.

I can't... I c-can't... resist! he wailed.

There was one thing I could try. I glanced down at my stickpin which glimmered in the moonlight. The collars and bangles cut off feelings and emotions, not destroyed them. If the real Meteor was still there, trapped in his own mind, then so was our bond. I tentatively removed the pin from my jacket, holding it close and reveling in the energy that began pulsing from the Key Stone. Please, let this work! I begged internally. "Meteor, Mega Evolve!"

Meteor didn't respond, but his Metagrossite did. It sparked brilliantly before its bearer was shrouded in energy. The transformation that only took seconds seemed to take centuries, but it was worth it. As my partner broke free from the luminescent shell of light, he also did so from the bangles. The circles of metal literally exploded away from Meteor's legs, now turned arms. Whether it was his slight increase in size or the sheer amount of energy that he now emitted from his new strength, the outcome was still the same. He had broken free.

I... I can move! he gasped, curling his claws. I can actually move again! He looked up and when he saw me, the widest grin I had ever seen him make spread across his face. Steven!! he cried happily, joyously racing to my side.

"How is that possible?" Valerie cried in astonished anger. "Model 4C was made to harness Pokémon of that power!"

I looked away from Meteor to stare at Valerie triumphantly. "Then it seems that Meteor was too strong for your technology."

Valerie's hands clenched into tight, trembling fists. "You dare to mock me?" she questioned furiously.

"I dare to be correct?" I countered, smirking. I was awash in immeasurable happiness and confidence, a feeling that I had never felt before but adored all the same. I knew deep down that I would get Meteor back, but it didn't stop me from rejoicing. My partner at my side once again, I could now carry out the second part of my mission. "Care to return the Red Orb, 'Aunt' Valerie?" I asked, my tone saccharine but my expression remaining fierce.

"Did you forget that I have a sixth Pokémon?" Valerie said as she let out her Shiny Gallade. With Meteor Mega-Evolved, Gallade's appearance wouldn't have worried me in the slightest. But my smirk slipped when I saw the ink-black pauldron attached to the Psychic-Fighting-type's shoulder.

Placed in a circular indentation was a white stone with a red and green swirl inside it. It was a Mega Stone.

Valerie was now the one smirking when she saw my shocked expression, proudly sweeping aside the hair hiding her ears to reveal a Key Stone set in one of her earrings.

"Don't think you and the former Champion are so special. You're not the only ones capable of Mega-Evolving your Pokémon!" she exclaimed, tapping the Key Stone with her index finger. "Gallade, Mega Evolve!"

Gallade's form became obscured in light that wasted no time in bursting away to reveal Mega Gallade. A white cape-like sheath flowed from the back of Gallade's neck, billowing outwards as he displayed the blades on his arms that were now formidable swords edged with red. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing, but the double-helix that wisped above Gallade's head was no fake.

"How can you do that?" I questioned. "Aren't you supposed to have a strong bond to trigger Mega Evolution?" I refused to believe that Gallade could ever grow attached to anyone like Valerie.

"I'm hurt, Steven dearie!" Valerie fake-pouted. "I don't treat all of my Pokémon badly! People can make friends in the worst of situations, can't they?"

I live to serve my mistress, Gallade said. She gives me purpose, and I am nothing without her.

If that isn't screwed up, then I don't know what is! Meteor commented, sounding disturbed.

You're not kidding... I added.

"I think we've gawked at my precious Gallade for long enough," Valerie said. "Both of our Pokémon are this way for a reason, we might as well utilize it. Gallade, Night Slash!" Gallade's bladed arms flashed out to his sides and he rushed towards Meteor.

I was expecting her to attack sooner or later and countered. "Dodge it and use Meteor Mash!" Despite being so bulky, Meteor was able to avoid the attack and slung all four of his front arms at his opponent.

Gallade weaved between the punches in a way that made him seem worlds more agile than the other puppets I'd dealt with. He then jabbed at my partner, slashing him with Dark-shrouded blades. Meteor cringed in pain and threw another punch that Gallade again dodged. The puppet back-flipped and landed gracefully, skidding backwards as his "cape" swirled around him.

"Night Slash again!" Valerie ordered.

Valerie made me forget Iron Defense, Meteor hastily informed me. She taught me Earthquake in place of it!

Understood! We were right back in synch, and I couldn't help but smile. "Meteor, Earthquake!" He raised his front arms and violently drove them into the ground. Every last Earth Power-raised stone broke apart as well as some surrounding gravestones. Gallade stumbled, the shaking pitching him far to the left, close to a row of graves near a cliff edge. "Now use Meteor Mash!" Meteor got to Gallade before he could recover and was smashed down with four clawed fists, driving him into the ground.

"Get up!" Valerie exclaimed. "Don't stop using Night Slash! I want to see that pathetic Rattata and Metagross begging for mercy!

Yes, Mistress, Gallade answered unflinchingly as he stood. I will always obey you. He dealt a double-bladed slash to Meteor who howled in agony.

Fury and hate smoldered within me. This was going to end now! "Psychic!" Meteor constricted Gallade until he began twitching uncontrollably in spite of his dulled pain receptors. My heart twisted at the sight, but I knew he wasn't finished yet. "And end it with Meteor Mash!"

The energy field dropped, and Gallade was granted the briefest of respites before one last Meteor Mash knocked the puppet down permanently. He lay twitching and shuddering in the small rut he created a second ago when he was thrown back, returning to his normal form once more.

Conflicting emotions of anger, joy, and relief battled for dominance within me, but I couldn't deny my joy. After so long... Valerie had finally been defeated, and I had been the one to do it! I decided to save the elaborate victory celebration for later and focused on not letting Valerie escape, though I couldn't see how she would be able to do it without great difficulty.

While I internally rejoiced, Meteor glared at his fallen opponent, reverting back to normal as well. And stay down! he ordered, pounding one of his legs into the ground. When the limb made contact with the hard earth he flinched and almost keeled over. My gut twisted in worry and I ran to his side.

Are you okay? I asked frantically.

If you want the truth... not really, he answered, grimacing. I then really saw how injured he was and worry became definite concern. The amount of scratches and burns plus newly-added dents was astounding, and I was shocked that he was still conscious. I slung my bag off and rifled through it. The healing items I had wouldn't have any real effect on wounds this severe. I was going to have to get him to a Pokémon Center as soon as possible.

"No, this can't be happening!"

I looked away from my satchel to see Valerie borderline pitching a fit. She was tearing the rest of her hair out of her Ponyta-tail and her eyes were wide and crazed, her lips warped into a livid snarl.

"How could I have lost to you?" she screeched. "My perfect puppets, created solely to fight and not perceive any pain... And they lose! I just wanted to keep you safe, you know that? But you reject me and try to push me away! You're just like your damn father!"

Meteor and I watched, horrified and saddened, as my insane relative carried on, screaming incomprehensible nothings. There wasn't any point in trying to reason with her, she was too far gone at this point.

"I will not stand for this! I refuse to believe I lost to you!" She froze when unrecognizable voices rang out from down the path. I followed her gaze and saw an approaching group of people in blue uniforms flanked by orange and red canine Pokémon. The police. "So it's come to this, hasn't it?" Valerie giggled deliriously. "Everything I've worked for, swept away in the blink of an eye." She turned to face me, grinning sadistically. "Since you think you're so strong, let's see if you can can protect yourself from this. Gallade, Night Slash!"

I will always obey Mistress Valerie!

I whirled around, eyes widening in horror at the still-conscious Gallade that was lunging at me, his blades aimed at my chest and neck. I let out a choked scream and covered my face, trying to jump back but knowing that I wouldn't be able to avoid the hacking blades intent on spilling my blood.

No you don't! Meteor interjected, moving between me and my would-be killer. The attacks made contact, shoving Meteor backwards. I couldn't move out of the way and was forced back along with my partner, the unexpected impact of Meteor hitting me flattening the air from my lungs.

Everything happened too quickly after that. It was impossible to tell how much recoil we were subjected to but when I tried to put my foot down and it landed on nothing, I realized with a stab of horror that it had been too much. The following step enforced this and I found myself falling backwards into thin air, Meteor unfortunately repeating my mistake.

We had been forced right off of the cliff.

———————~*~—————————
A quick thanks to Cora-chan for helping me write the battle! Your suggestions worked out perfectly!