I watched in horror as a single Snorlax fought both of Elaine’s mega-evolved Pokémon simultaneously. He wasn’t having it easy, but he was holding his own. Killian looked absolutely unimpressed.

  “This was why I stepped down,” he said with a sigh. Elaine flinched, her hand straying to the other pokeballs on her belt. She didn’t click any open. An escalated fight with more Pokémon on both sides wasn’t certain to favour her, even with Killian having one less Pokémon, and his Alakazam was occupied.

  Meloetta wasn’t one to sit still. In the middle of the fight, she began singing. The song felt heavy, squeezing through my ears, and an immense drowsiness came over me. I struggled to stay standing. Sunny wiped the tears that sprang to her eyes. As the song neared its end, Meloetta pinned her hair up, and her green colouration turned a vibrant orange. She twirled, then rushed at the barrier directly before me, hitting it with blow after blow from every limb, a perfectly executed Close Combat.

  I staggered back from the speed at which she had advanced. Seeing her effort to break free, I sent Junior to attack the same spot. I don’t know if she understood all that was going on, or if the sight of Meloetta seemingly coming at her with all her might was enough to enrage her, but she laid into the barrier with a fury that caused even Meloetta to pause. Our other Pokémon joined in on our attempt to break through. From across the cell, Alakazam groaned.

  “Enough of this,” said Killian. He flicked his wrist and sent out two more Pokémon. His Electivire and Magmortar joined the battle against Elaine. She called on the rest of her team, save Slaking, for some reason. Her Volcarona rose to the ceiling, and her Sunny Day eclipsed the one from the demonstration battle in Rondo. Rather than calling on the light of the sun, an impossibility this far underground, she became the sun. A living ball of flame, searing the room below her. Gogoat, quick to act, fired a Solar Beam at Electivire. The beam of light was intercepted by Snorlax, who took it with barely a grunt. He couldn’t be everywhere, however, and a volley of sharpened stones reached Magmortar. Glimmora prepared another Stone Edge, but was forced to switch to Protect as Magmortar countered with a Solar Beam of their own.

  Meanwhile, Electivire had gotten up close and physical with Sableye and Mawhile, raining down one elemental punch after another on them. It was the respite Snorlax needed. A booming sound echoed about the room, the Snorlax’s massive belly wobbling from the force he struck it with. He fell to one knee, but then his eyes closed and, sleepwalking, he stood up straight once more.

  Mawhile had both of Electivire’s arms pinned with Crunch, allowing Sableye the opportunity to land a Will-O-Wisp on him. Followed up by a Hex, Electivire roared in pain as the duo squealed in satisfaction. A High Horsepower from Gogoat put him out of the fight, but not before a double Hammer Arm crushed Mawhile against the floor. Elaine withdrew her swiftly.

  Volcarona wasn’t idle. Like a goddess of flame, she rained fire upon Snorlax, who looked unbothered. He stormed into the fray, his Sleep Talk activating Earthquake. The entire underground shook. In the distance, the crash of a collapsing tunnel reverberated. The move also hit Alakazam. It was enough to cause a moment's slip in concentration. The next kick from Meloetta tore a hole in the barrier.

  With renewed energy, we chipped away at the hole until it was large enough for her to fit. The melody of joy that escaped her lips drained off from exhaustion. I caught her as she collapsed.

  “Let’s go,” said Sunny. We turned and sprinted the way we came.

  “Sleepy, protect me. Drei, go wild,” I heard Killian say.

  Instinctual terror made me falter. Auri used Protect. We dove under the shield not an instant too soon. Multiple Hyper Beams cut through where we were, the stone bursting and falling, burying us beneath tons of earth.

  As the deafening roar of the world collapsing around us subsided, and the dust settled, I trembled inside Auri’s Protect, clutching Meloetta close. Sunny was panicking, muttering things over and over. Darren was breathing heavy, using up the oxygen in our tomb. Only Kurt maintained a semblance of normality, trying to calm everyone and suggest ways of getting unburied. He succeeded, eventually.

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  We were all relatively okay, by which I mean, none of us were physically hurt, and all of our Pokémon were with us, inside or outside of their pokeballs. Due to the cramped space, we withdrew all but the ones we immediately needed. For me, that was just Flaaffy, who was resigning herself to her life as a lightbulb. Auri was straining to keep Protect up. Before it broke, Crater took over defensive duties.

  “Auri is our best chance to dig ourselves out,” said Darren. “Digging through is easy for her; the tricky thing will be how we can follow.”

  “All my Pokémon know Protect,” said Kurt. “I made sure to teach them after our battle. They’ll be able to hold if they keep switching.”

  With a plan in motion, we began our slow ascent to sunlight. Auri dug a way through the soil and rubble, each crunch sending a gulp down my throat. There was nothing I could do to help, and I hated that. The only thing I could do was carry the unconscious Meloetta on the arduous climb up and up. Maybe with similar feelings, Sunny put her hand on my arm. Or maybe she was just scared. Either way, it was comforting.

  It was slow progress, and at times, I wondered if we were getting anywhere at all. As bad as the time dragging on and on was the dust and sandy earth finding a cosy home in my lungs. A few minutes in, I was coughing hard. The longer we went, the worse I felt until Sunny was practically carrying me, just as I held Meloetta.

  I could feel a chill coming on, and I swear my temperature spiked. My vision flickered, and my head grew heavy and cumbersome. The full force of exhaustion I had been feeling since the Parasect nest came in full force, and was determined to knock me out. I held on, step by step.

  I don’t know how long it took, but the reverberations of an ongoing battle reached through the wall of earth. Shortly after, we broke through the surface.

  Elaine and Killian were still fighting. Scars on the earth where they had blasted their way from underground were the only evidence that the battle had started there at all. On Elaine’s side, only Volcarona was left. She was facing a Hydreigon, the dark, winged Pokémon raging at both her and itself as it attacked everything that came anywhere close to it. To the side, Killian’s Alakazam - not mega evolved - and Magmortar were watching the battle lazily.

  They weren’t the only ones fighting. Also, somehow, having made their way to the surface, Baltazar and his Urshifu were facing a man with a Metagross. Both Pokémon showed signs of fatigue, but neither was backing down. Jade was also safe. She was surrounded by a number of wild Pokémon, which must be the ones Elaine said were being smuggled. Held by her was Luca, not moving.

  I went into a fit of coughing, attracting the attention of everyone there.

  “There you are,” said Killian. “Kazzy, get me Meloetta.”

  In an instant, he was there, prying her from my arms before I could resist. She woke up, and he teleported away with her.

  “Good, our contest was interrupted. I guess we should find another way of settling the matter,” said Killian. Meloetta staggered away from him. He reached for a pokeball. A Staryu dropped onto her head from thin air, and within an instant, they had both teleported.

  For the first time, Killian’s calm facade broke. He roared, his anger matching that of Hydreigon’s.

  “Find them!”

  Over where Baltazar was battling, the Metagross retreated, and its trainer hopped on top as the left the area.

  “Don’t run,” shouted Baltazar, but before he gave chase, Elaine yelled:

  “Ignore him, get them to safety.”

  He glanced around the battlefield, and at the rampaging Hydreigon, and the Magmortar and Alakazam who were gearing up for another round. He rushed to Jade and Luca, sending out Gallade.

  “Drei, don’t let anyone escape,” said Killian. He had calmed down. His voice was cold.

  There was little he could do. Baltazar reached them, and Gallade used Teleport to where we were. A second one, and I found myself puking up on a tree trunk under a dense canopy. I wasn’t the only one being sick; Teleport came as a shock to the system. In the distance, the clashes of battle stopped suddenly. Then Hydreigon roared again. Hopefully, in anger and not in triumph. I had to believe Elaine was okay.

  “Come on, let’s move,” said Baltazar as soon as we had all somewhat regained a sense of up and down. It was then I saw Luca. She had blood on her head. Puffs of breath condensed in the evening air above her lips. Buzzkill was hanging from her neck, his arms in a tight hug.

  “How is she?” asked Sunny.

  “Alive,” said Jade. “She should be treated by Megu.”

  Baltazar took Luca from her arms.

  “Come on, we can’t stay here. Let’s get to camp.”

  Comfey went over to Luca as soon as I let her out of her pokeball. She stabilised the wound, but Luca remained unconscious.

  Our journey back to camp was short, but arduous. I was barely able to walk by myself and had to lean on Flaaffy for most of the walk. My lungs were clogged with every poison, so it felt. I wanted nothing more than to find a bed and sleep for so, so long.

  We made it back to camp, and the sight that greeted us, I had to laugh at. Ducky was feeding a very content Meloetta berries, Elaine was tending to Volcarona, Joey was sulking off the side, and Clair’s trio plus Quentin were staring in awe at the mythical Pokémon.