Act I: Martyr in the Cathedral

Venus sighed happily as she walked up the familiar path that led to the front doors of the Pixie Cathedral. She had just returned from the market with several bags full of groceries and was excited to get home and make several hundred mini-cupcakes. Dusk was falling outside, which meant her mother would be ushering out the remaining trainers and closing the gym doors for the night.

"Mom should inside still, Aurora!" Venus gave her Sylveon a good scratch under the chin before stepping up to the doors. They were still open for the night which meant her mother would be somewhere deeper within the cathedral. It was uncharacteristically quiet in the cathedral that night and Venus could hear the click of her lavender heels echo in the large cathedral.

There was a slight murmur of voices coming from the main battle room of the cathedral, so Venus made her way to the heart of the gym. The closer she got to the main room, the clearer it became that her mother was in the middle of a battle, but it didn't sound like she was battling a young trainer.

"Please, just don't hurt my daughters. They haven't done a thing." Titania's voice Venus was running towards the heart of the cathedral, finally rounding the last corner, running full speed to the back of the room where she could see her mother and two figures she didn't recognize.

"I'm sorry, but they will join you soon. Kangaskhan, finish her."

A kangaskhan loomed over her mother and slammed her mother's head hard against the floor. Venus ran full speed at the pokemon, ducking it's arm at the last second and crawling towards her mother. Titania's eyes were dead and lifeless.

"What have you done?" Venus screamed at the Kangaskhan as she pulled her mother's head into her lap. Aurora sniffed at Titania's arm and nudged it with her nose. "Why have you done this?" Venus sobbed, feeling tears run down her cheeks. Venus brushed the hair from Titania's face and he eyes fell onto her mother's most treasured possession, her keystone. Venus clutched the pin and carefully stood up, blood staining her pale pink skirts.

"You." Venus faced the man across the room and felt a surge of loathing. This man had ordered a pokemon to kill her mother. Venus looked at the man's face and gasped.

"Harold? Of the Elite Four?" Shaking off her confusion, Venus gestured for Aurora to come forward. "Harold, you awful, horrible man. What have you done?"

Challenging Harold Commons to a Singles Battle, 4v4

The girl was quick to release her first Pokemon. A Klefki. Harold cursed. Steel types were particularly agitating to the Normal-type Elite Four member. "Cinccino, U-Turn out of there! Go, Pyroar!"

"Klefki, lay out Spikes!" the young trainer was already very competent in battle strategy. Harold cringed as his Pyroar roared in anger, spikes within the lion's paws now.

"Pyroar, Sunny Day!" Harold ordered, as the lion stepped forward with a mighty roar. The room filled with pink and lavender and all sorts of colors as the sun outside beamed downward. Harold's young opponent stared back.

"Come back Klefki, go Aurora!"

She was smart to withdraw her Klefki in the face of a Fire-type. But Harold was done with these games. "Pyroar! Flamethrower!"

The lion roared as he unleashed a stream of fire on Sylveon. The Pokemon cried out. The trainer across from him panicked. "Use Shadow Ball!" she shouted.

Harold smiled. The attack passed through his Pyroar, with no effect. "Careful, dear," Harold's patronizing tone was thick, "Ghost-type moves don't work on Normal types."

The trainer ignored him. "Come back Sylveon, go Gardevoir!"

Harold frowned. He had to put an end to this trainer's Pokemon switching. "Pyroar! Burn that Gardevoir!"

The lion unleashed an inferno upon the the Gardevoir, as the young trainer shouted on her Gardevoir. Her mother's hairpin began to glow, and the Gardevoir mega evolved. Harold roared in anger. "Pyroar! More Flamethrower!"

The Gardevoir endured the flames, moving forward and unleashing a nasty Moonblast, knocking the Pyroar back. Pyroar landed on its feet, and unleashed another Flamethrower.

The Gardevoir began to falter. Suddenly the Pokemon reverted back to her original form. Venus withdrew the Pokemon, just as another jet of fire shot for it.

Impressive for her first Mega Evolution, Harold assumed.

"Go Togekiss!" the young trainer shouted next.

The Togekiss floated forward. "Flamethrower!" Harold ordered, noting the sun fading outside.

"Togekiss, Water Pulse!"

The flames hit the Togekiss full force, but it could take the hit. Togekiss then shot a ring of water at the lion, knocking it back and on its side. It stood back up with effort, disoriented from the attack.

"FLAMETHROWER!" Harold would not tolerate the Pokemon's confusion. Pyroar unleashed another Flamethrower, which connected with the Togekiss, knocking it down. Venus withdrew the Pokemon, and grabbed a familiar Pokeball, releasing her Klefki once again.

The Steel-type floated forward. "Thunder Wave, while it's confused!" The girl ordered.

"Flamethrower!"

Harold's order came moments too late, as the lion seized up, succumbing to Klefki's paralysis.

"Damn it," Harold cursed, as he retreived his disabled Pokemon. Pyroar needed a break if he was going to be any use against anything.

"Go, Kangaskhan!" the pair burst forward, Mega Evolving as they had in the battle against Titania. The young trainer was visibly shaken by the Pokemon.

"Fake-Out! Don't let it paralyze you!"

The Kangaskhans major and minor moved quickly, smacking the Klefki in the face and forcing it to flinch. Both of Harold' Pokemon roared in pain as they damaged the Klefki. Harold ignored them. "Hit them again, Power-Up Punch!" he ordered.

The Kangaskhan moved forward with its partner, enduring a blast of Flash Cannon from the Klefki. The Smashed their fists against the Pokemon, but fell back, roaring in agony. They were finished this fight.

"My Klefki wears a Rocky Helmet, to keep monsters like you from hurting it!" Venus taunted.

Harold grew red in frustration. "Pyroar, finish that Pokemon!" his voice cracked in anger as he brought the lion back out.

Pyroar wearily prepared a Flamethrower, while Klefki charged a Flash Cannon. Both Pokemon attacked at once. The room filled with dust and smoke as both Pokemon fought to win. Finally, the Klefki gave in, due to type advantage.

Both trainers withdrew their Pokemon, and Venus released her final, Sylveon, still damaged from the fight with Pyroar. Harold smiled. "Go, Ditto!"

He threw the Pokeball, unleashing the blob of pink. The Ditto took one look at Sylveon and began to change, copying its opponent's physiology.

"Aurora, Moonblast!" Venus ordered.
"You too, Ditto!" Harold returned.

The scarf on Harold's Ditto glowed, and the Pokemon moved first, blasting the real Sylveon with a Moonblast. The Pokemon fell back, landing near her trainer, struggling to return to its feet.

"It looks like it's over for you, young one," Harold's words were solemn. She would never change her ways. She was a battler, like her mother. "I'm sorry, but there's no other way."

Harold watched the young girl disappear with her Gardevoir. In truth, he was relieved. He had killed enough today, and he didn't want to add someone so young to his list.


Harold turned, exiting the Cathedral.

"Go Noctowl," he called out his bird Pokemon. "Fly me to Pompash City. We have a few errands to run there before we meet up with the other two in Parsley."