Meowscarada moved first.
Silent and swift, her body blurred as she slipped from the bushes like a leaf on the wind.
The clearing held still air.
Nova and Viper stood with their backs partly turned, focused on the unconscious professor.
Suddenly, Meowscarada's eyes glowed faint green.
She lifted one paw.
From the air around her shimmered dozens of razor-thin leaves, Magical Leaf.
They danced and spun of their own accord, swirling into existence then launching forward in a wide arc.
Each leaf hummed through the air, a whistling sound that cut the quiet like a blade.
Nova heard it first.
She half-turned.
Viper realized the attack and shouted immediately, "Ralts! Confusion!"
The Ralts' horn flared bright pink.
A sudden wave of psychic energy shot outward, visible as a rippling forcefield that bent the air itself.
The swirling leaves met it.
Most scattered mid-flight, splintering into harmless fragments of green against jeep hoods and ground.
But a few slipped past, too fast and too precise.
They struck.
Nova staggered back, a sharp hiss of pain escaping her lips as the razor-thin leaves sliced lightly across her shoulder and thigh.
Thin beads of blood appeared at once on her pale skin, bright red and shining in the light, the cuts visible through the tears in her tight black uniform.
Viper cursed under her breath, clutching her arms where similar cuts had opened.
The shallow slices stung sharply, a thin line of red quickly soaking into her sleeve and staining the edge of her black glove.
"What the…?!"
Both women spun fully toward the attack, shock and fury burning in their eyes.
Nova snapped, reaching for a Poké Ball at her belt.
She threw two Poké Balls high into the air.
Red light burst outward.
A heavy thud shook the clearing as Rhydon appeared, horn lowered, already braced to charge. "Rhy!" it bellowed, stomping the ground.
Beside it, Golem rolled into place. "Golem!" it grunted, fists pounding its chest.
Viper moved at the same time, her hand snapping forward with quick speed.
She threw her own Poké Ball.
Red light flashed again, and purple smoke spilled across the ground, twisting into a wide grin.
Gengar surfaced, eyes glowing. "Gen gar!" it cackled, tongue lolling.
Nova's gaze fixed on Meowscarada.
"…I've never seen a Pokémon like that before."
Viper's lips curled into a slow, hungry smile.
"It must be rare," she said quietly, her tone laced with greed. "If we bring it to the boss, we'll be rewarded handsomely."
Nova nodded.
Behind them, unseen, Lopunny moved.
She reached the cave entrance and struck.
Her powerful kick landed with a sharp, resounding crack. The stone ceiling shuddered violently.
Boulders broke loose and crashed down in a deafening roar, sealing the entrance behind a wall of tumbling rock and dust.
The sound echoed through the cave like thunder.
Nova and Viper spun around, eyes narrowing.
Another figure stood behind them now.
Tall. Silent. Unfamiliar.
"…Commander," Viper muttered. "That one too."
Nova's eyes gleamed with cold greed.
"Looks like we're lucky today," she said, her voice low and smooth. "Rare Pokémon are coming to us on their own."
Meowscarada and Lopunny didn't wait for a command. They already knew their roles.
The battle exploded into motion.
"Rhydon, Horn Attack! Golem, Rock Smash, now!" Nova commanded, her eyes locked on Meowscarada.
Both Pokémon lunged at once.
Rhydon charged like a ten thousand-pound avalanche of rock and muscle, the ground shaking beneath its pounding feet, horn lowered for a devastating pierce. "Rhydon!" it roared.
At the same instant, Golem rolled forward, building terrifying speed, a living boulder spinning toward the same spot. "Golem!" it bellowed.
Meowscarada didn't stand her ground. She simply wasn't there when the attacks converged.
She vanished in a blur of green and pink, coat whipping as she reappeared ten feet to the side, untouched.
Rhydon's horn slammed into empty earth with a bone-jarring thud, kicking up a spray of dirt.
Golem uncurled right after, massive rocky fists hammering down in a thunderous smash.
The impact exploded outward. Dirt flew in a wide spray, the ground shuddering as spiderweb cracks raced across the hard-packed earth, deep fissures splitting the surface in a perfect circle around the fresh crater.
Dust hung thick in the air, slowly settling over the shattered ground.
Meowscarada stood ready amid the haze, pink eyes gleaming, completely unscathed. "Nyaa!" she called, a sharp, confident cry.
"Gengar, Shadow Ball from above! Don't let it get away!"
Gengar twisted its smoky body and conjured a swirling ball of dark purple energy, a Shadow Ball.
It launched the attack, which screamed through the air toward Meowscarada. "Gengar!" it hissed.
"Ralts, support! Confusion, now!" Viper ordered.
At the same moment, the Ralts's horn glowed pink. A visible wave of force slammed toward Meowscarada. "Ralts..." it whimpered weakly.
A heavy stone hurtled from the bushes and smashed into Nova's already-injured arm.
"Ah!" she cried out, stumbling as fresh blood soaked her sleeve.
Another rock flew toward Viper.
She twisted at the last second, dodging narrowly, and barked at the Ralts, "Protect me, now!"
The Ralts' horn glowed weakly, a shaky barrier flickering up just as more rocks rained in from the darkness.
The sudden barrage of stones broke the enemies' focus completely.
Lopunny circled quickly behind Rhydon while Meowscarada drew Gengar's attention upward.
That split-second distraction was all Meowscarada needed.
Her eyes flashed with dark energy. She thrust her claws forward, and a wave of crackling black-purple force, a powerful Dark Pulse, erupted from her paws.
"Meoww!" she cried fiercely.
It slammed into Gengar in the chest while the ghost was distracted.
Gengar shrieked, its shadowy form flickering wildly as the attack blasted it backward through the air. "Gengaaar!"
At the same time, Lopunny leaped high, spun mid-air, and drove her foot down in a devastating High Jump Kick.
"Lopun!" she shouted, voice determined.
The strike connected with Golem's stony chin with a sound like a gunshot. The impact sent the massive rock creature tumbling end-over-end, crashing hard into the ground. "Golem!" it groaned.
"Rhydon, forget the bunny! Continue to Focus on the cat, use Megahorn!" Nova commanded, her voice sharp with frustration as she tried to regain control.
Rhydon roared in fury and pivoted, horn glowing as it charged straight at Meowscarada. "Rhy!"
But Lopunny darted in from the side like a blur, delivering a rapid flurry of stinging punches and kicks to Rhydon's legs and flank, Feint Attack at full speed.
"Lopun! Lopun!" she called with each strike.
The blows rang out loudly against its armor, throwing off its balance and forcing the charge to falter.
Nova clutched her bleeding arm, stumbling back as panic finally cracked her cool facade.
"Viper, retreat! They're too strong, and someone's helping them. Those rocks from the bushes..."
Viper nodded sharply. Both women scrambled toward their jeep.
As they ran, they pulled out their Poké Balls to withdraw their Pokémon.
Red light flashed.
Golem vanished into its ball.
Rhydon disappeared next.
Viper reached desperately for Gengar's and Ralts' Poké Balls.
At that moment, I spotted the black Poké Ball in Viper's hand. She was trying to withdraw her Ralts.
I reacted instantly. "Meowscarada, now!"