B-28. Change

Lunaria; Twinkle Park

We hail from Team Rocket

We have come to join the fight!

The universe is darkness

But we will make it light!

"JESSIE!"

"James!"

"Cassidy!"

"Butch!"

"This is random." Lee said.

Meowth made a pose alongside Sonny and Donna, who crossed their hammers. "Meoooowwth, that's riiiiiight—WHO THE HECK ARE YOU TWO?!"

"We want in, too!" they sang.

"IT'S OUR SONG!" James kicked them to the sky. "Off with you!"

"We're screeeewwwwed!"

Both twins crashed at different times, contributing to the rhythm. Jessie sang the next line.

Love is justice, which is evil

A common trick, a con!

We're the stars, don't you see?

Today's our day of Pokémon!

James sang with a charming voice:

If you think your dreams are real

Then reality will be nightmare

Soon, we will have command

Here! Watch me open a flower!

James waved his fingers over a closed red flower and made it bloom.

Spotlights hit the hatch behind them. A muscular cyborg was the one to rise, John-Plank 20x40. The cyborg turned as Plank sang in his magnificent British accent.

Does my voice… not make you swooooon? (Ooooo!)

A chorus of female Planks sang to him.

Do you wish to seek solace from foreseeable dooooom? (Ooooooo!)

Well, we are here to put an end to your gloom!

Take shelter, under my fragrant parfuuuuuume!

Plank made sexy poses and sprayed himself with Marker Perfume, which made him smell like different-colored markers. He bent Johnny's robot arms behind him and shook his hip to further boaster his sexy appeal. With that, all the Rocket Agents sang together.

TEAM ROCKET'S ROCKIN'

Talkin' trouble, walkin' trouble

BIG trouble's gonna foooollow you!

TEAM ROCKET'S ("Rockin'!" sang Jessie.)

Prepare for trouble, make it double

'Cause BIG trouble's gonna fooooollow you!

Without warning, John-Plank shot his extendo arms, snatched Crest, and pulled him away from the kids' grasp. Lapis Lazuli flew up to take him back, but John-Plank made a terrific leap into the low-gravity air.

"We're gonna catch the Firrrrstborn, tooooooo." The cyborg flipped in midair during descent, and surprised Lapis with an electric net when he came back around. The Fairy Princess lay powerless and trapped in the painful net as John-Plank made land on their flagship.

"IT'S TEAM ROCKET!" Leanne exclaimed. "They're bad guys who try to steal other peoples' Pokémon! HA! Now I got to say it, too. Beat THAT, Aurora!"

"Who ARE YOU unruly rapscallions?!" Arlon demanded.

"Your new rulers!" Giovanni's throne lowered from a bottom hatch, his loyal Persian by his side. "I was the first person to see Crest after Sunni Chariton created him. I had been watching the girl for some time, curious on the extent of her psychic power. The fact she was even able to conjure a Firstborn… it seemed unreal to me. But his anatomy was so much like one… so I thought, if anyone knew, it would be the Lunarians."

"What traitorous Lunarian would tell you anything about Master Crest?"

"YOU, Mr. Arlon." Giovanni smirked. "Did you think your Lunar Sanctum crashing to the earth would go unnoticed? It was clearly Lunarian technology, so I scoured its ruins. Not only did I find old tomes that told of the arrival of Crest… I was able to come by the person who guided me here today!"

Arlon gasped, horrified. "You can't mean…"

Jessie and James performed a drumroll, while Cassidy and Butch waved Pompoms. "Making his FIRST public appearance in over 8,000 years," Meowth announced, "we are PROUD to introduce the living legend! The one… the only… ACNOLOGIA!"

Another hatch opened on the bottom of the ship, dropping a figure to the indigo ground. It was a man with long, spiky white hair and black pants. Dr. Facilier gazed at him with great curiosity. Lee and Leanne exchanged glances and were about to approach- "Keep away, children!" Arlon cautioned. "This man is beyond your years. …But then again, so is he…"

John-Plank stuffed Crest inside a glass capsule before extracting a controller. Under his control, Acnologia pushed himself up with his single left arm. The kids braced their guard when he was up on his feet. His muscular tan skin was burned in several places and he had blue dragon tattoos. His sharp blue eyes shot to Arlon, who flinched. "Let them rip." Giovanni commanded.

"RAAAAH!" Acnologia tackled Arlon, snapping one of his arms off with his teeth and yanking the other arm off with his hand.

"DAD!!" Lapis cried.

Logia kicked Arlon away, and Dr. Facilier cast quick spells from his Devil's Wand. The shots didn't phase Logia's Logia body. The moonbender leapt and kicked Facilier 50 yards away. Lee Andrew blasted him with his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A., accompanied by his shadow's… even Sonny and Donna weren't amused by the simple gumballs. Acnologia snarled and stomped toward the boy. Lee gulped, fearing he would disintegrate by the simple touch.

Vaati appeared faster than the wind and threw Lee away, then dodged Logia's attack with the same speed. "Lee, I got you!" Wendy jumped and caught her friend.

"Thanks, Wendy! And love the new outfit!"

"Ha ha!"

"I wish her father would give her shoes back." Carla stated.

"CAAAARLAAAAA!" Smitten with love at the female kitten, Meowth jumped off the ship and sprinted toward her. "Fate has brought us together ag-!"

Carla KICKED him in the face. "Brought my foot to your face, more like!"

"So hard-boiled!" He fell over, flushing madly.

"I can't believe it!" Vaati stared wide at the man before him. "The living legend… Is it really you, Acnologia?"

Sonny and Donna froze Lapis's electric net and broke her free. "Back when my friends and I formed the Fairy Sisters, Acnologia was revived as a zombie by Zeref." Lapis explained. "But I thought he was destroyed with the other ones?"

"I was astonished when I conducted my autopsy on him." Plank explained. "His body still contained life force, and it was not as decayed as it should have been, given the ages. And so we sought to revive him… and control him at that. Like a Frankenweenie, hm hm hm." Acnologia growled at the cyborg. "The way he pounces and snarls, you wouldn't think he was ever-"

Acnologia threatened to blast him with a Lunar Beam—"OOOAAAARRRGH!" Plank shocked him with the microbots.

"To keep your soul bound to your body for thousands of years… you were a wizard like no other, Mr. Logia." Giovanni said. "But while you may have been the ruler of your era, THIS era belongs to Team Rocket!"

"It belongs to NO ONE!" Vaati roared. "How DARE you steal the freedom of this passed soul! You vile scum!"

"ACK! It's da Man Wit' the Red Eye!" Meowth panicked.

"The Revolutionary!" Giovanni realized. "I haven't seen him in person since he killed President Osborn. Acnologia, destroy him!"

John-Plank controlled the Logia and made him slash his claw at Vaati, but the wind mage took to the air and faced Team Rocket. The agents yelped and braced each other when Vaati lunged at them, but John-Plank shot a ball that projected an electric barrier with a chi-block, zapping Vaati and blowing him back. "I never like to use my Chi Shield in a fair fight, but against a powerful opponent like yourself, I will make exceptions."

Acnologia jumped, grabbed Vaati's leg, and slammed him to the ground. Logia raised his arm and charged energy, but Vaati turned into a tornado and spun him around. "ROOAAAR!" The tornado dispersed due to Logia's bellow. Seeing all the children surrounding him, Acnologia clutched the ground and increased the gravity, forcing everyone to lay flat. The pressure only grew, and they thought they would pop like grapes in seconds. "AAAAAHH!" Logia was shocked by Plank.

"You will have your fun in time, Acnologia." Giovanni promised. "But we have other items on our agenda. Take us to the Night Palace where the Lunar Magic rests. Then, you may destroy Lunaria as you see fit."

Acnologia sprouted a pair of massive, black dragon wings. He shot a murderous glare to Team Rocket before taking off in the desired direction. "We'll drop our Pokémon off in case those kids follow us!" Butch suggested as the ships followed Logia's direction.

"Teddiursa, keep them busy for a while!" Cassidy tossed her teddybear-size Pokémon out of its ball.

"Urrrrse?" The adorable creature touched a finger to its chin.

"Awwww, aren't you a cutie!" Denny approached Teddiursa. "I dunno if they planned to distract us with adorableness, but it almost-"

"URSA!" It grabbed Denny and slammed him back and forth. "URS! ("Ow!") Urs! ("Ah!") URS! ("YOW!") URSAAAA!" The bear spun around and hurled Denny yards away. "Ursa?" It faced the others curiously.

"Dad!" Lapis grabbed her father's arms and stuck them to their appropriate places. She used waterbending to heal the cracks. "Dad, are you okay?"

"I will be fine, Lapis… cough! Leave me be! You must rescue Master Crest!"

"But how will I fight Acnologia?"

"I will help you." Vaati avowed. "I am a Logia and I use Haki. It will be my speed against his strength. Would you join me, Wendy?"

"Against that monster?!" Carla exclaimed. "Absolutely not!"

"I did not ask you, Cat!"

"But Dad, I can't fight a wizard as powerful as Acnologia!" Wendy said doubtfully. "Isn't there something we can do?"

"Dad, how was Acnologia defeated the first time?" Lapis asked.

"In exchange for my loyalty to Viridi, she persuaded Celebi to fight the monster. I fear we may need the aid of a Firstborn in this fight. But Crest is the only one available. If Miss Diwata truly is the Firstborn Guardian, then she must retrieve the Spirit Ball in Crescent Canyon."

"(For a planet as big as this, they can only have so many locations with moon names.)" Lee commented.

"But doesn't Dee have to learn some kind of important moral to awaken as a Guardian?" Lulu questioned. "Or at least complete a trial?"

"We don't have TIME for TRIAAAALS!" Diwata whined, shaking her arms. "We gotta get the ball and beat up Acneloogy!"

"Cough!" Arlon hacked. "I do not know if certain requirements must be met… For now, you must venture across Crescent Canyon and collect the Spirit Ball. Perhaps then you will be recognized as the Guardian."

"But I don't know where that is!"

"Use this!" Vaati handed her a golden compass with a round glass case over the needle. "You must focus your desire to find the Spirit Ball into this Grand Compass. It will point you in the right direction."

"Okay. Mmmmm…!" Diwata narrowed her eyes at the compass and repeated the phrase in her mind, I want to find the Spirit Ball, gimme the Spirit Ball! Eventually, the needle was set in a specific direction.

"Do you need me to run and carry you there?" Wendy asked.

"It's okay, Wendy, we'll take her to the ball!" Sonny declared.

"Meanwhile, you have a date with Daddy!" Donna winked.

"Incest is a sin!" both chorused. "And we go!" They grabbed Dee-Dee and surfed across the landscape on an ice path.

"Are you sure you don't need my help, Dad?" Lapis asked with worry.

"Yes, Lapis, I assure you my injuries are the least of my concerns! Just go save Crest! Hurry!"

Lapis growled; she hated to have to leave her father again, after being away for thousands of years. But for the sake of saving her world from a terrible fate, she stretched her wings and flew to the Night Palace.

"Wendy, will you come?" Vaati held a hand to her. "Will you save this world with me?"

"Do you really think I'm… ready to fight by you, Dad?"

Vaati smiled. "I do."

"…Then I will!" Wendy grabbed her father's hand. Vaati tossed her up on his back and flew across the moonlit valleys.

"CHILD, YOU FORGOT ME AGAIN!" Carla shouted furiously. "Just because you found someone NEW to carry you, I think I deserve a ride on YOUR back!"

"I was left behind too, Carla!" Meowth put his arm around her. "Let's be abandoned together!" Carla glared at him.

Next second, Meowth's arms were pulled behind him as Carla pressed him against the ground. "Just what are your criminal friends after?!"

"Aaaaack, they're after the Lunar Magic! It's this planet's power source, da boss was gonna use it to catch all the other Firstborn!"

"Well, we can't just stand here, we need to help Wendy, too!" Lee shouted.

"After Diwata gets the Spirit Ball, she'll need a lift to where they are!" Leanne reasoned. "Let's go to the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. and be ready to get her."

"Good idea. I really hope Crest can beat him…"

As soon as the kids had left, Dr. Facilier cast magic strings to link Arlon's arms back to his body. "That should hold you for a while." The doctor said as he lifted him to his feet.

"I have dreaded the possibility Acnologia could return…" Arlon reflected. "I confined his slow-decaying body in my Lunar Sanctum for 8,000 years. I hoped his body was lost in the sanctum's destruction… What a fool I was."

"It's gonna be alright. You seen what the Kids Next Door can do, they can beat that guy."

"Have these operatives faced a monster like Acnologia? I would be hopeful if the chap who defeated Viridi were here, but he is not. What does this entourage have to its name? What of your student?"

"You just have to have faith. We're going to save Lunaria and those kids are gonna help. Don't forget who it was that defeated you last time."

"I was beaten by a clown."

Crescent Canyon (Play "Twilight Terror Intro" from Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze!)

Stage B-22: Lunaria

Mission: Find Crest's Spirit Ball!

Act 2: Crescent Canyon

Diwata and the Ice Climbers made a moon leap to a tall pillar over the canyon abyss, leaped to another one that was under a cliff, then leapt to that cliff. However, there was a Moon Medal floating in the trench between the two footholds, so Diwata dropped down to grab it, Wall Jumped out of the trench, then moon leaped to the cliff. Hooligons – green worms made of separate, outline block segments – bounced around the small field. Sonny and Donna had fun and knocked their individual segments off. The path continued above a taller cliff, so the twins each held one end of a rope as Sonny jumped, pulled it, and allowed Donna to fly higher. The female Climber pushed an average-size boulder down for both Dee and Sonny to leap and use the slow-falling rock as a boost to make it up.

The trio had to go up a narrow path where small rocks lit with Moon Fire were bouncing down in perfect rows. They came in stacks of three that bounced on each other at various heights, and when Sonny and Donna attempted to freeze the rocks, their ice proved ineffective. "You silly, icebending doesn't work on Moon Fire!" Diwata grinned. "You're just gonna have ta jump!" The three had to study the heights of the moon rocks and make accurate judgments on how high to moon-jump. They didn't get through without a few bumps to the head, but Diwata was quick to bend the Moon Fire off herself or the twins.

At the end of the path, they had to go between a trench with Longators standing on small ledges – white rectangular creatures who could stretch their necks. The three jumped together, and each of their long necks provided a boost for all three. Naturally, the Longators were far apart and required careful moon jumps. They landed on a path that led down to a field occupied by Lunatones. The crescent-shaped Pokémon used psychic and chucked rocks at the intruders. The kids couldn't progress due to a large barrier composed of Moon Chi, and there were boulders with crescent-shaped holes.

Sonny and Donna cast ice beams to freeze two Lunatones and have them drop, then they smashed them out of the ice. Dee-Dee shot fireballs at the third Lunatone, and during its stunned moment, she leapt and kicked it to the ground… though when the low-G force didn't weaken it, the Ice Climbers bashed it with their hammers. The kids stuck the Lunatones into their slots and dropped the barrier. There wasn't anywhere to jump over the abyss, but a string of Warpids began to materialize. The kids quickly jumped the living energy particles before they would disappear, and with their assistance, the explorers set foot on a cliffside. "Master Floop has taught us well in the ways of animal abuse." Sonny bowed.

"And since it's a videogame, it's both fun AND non-endangering!" Donna beamed. The cliffside path sloped down at a steep angle and would curve up at a ramp, meant to fly them across a long jump to a path. The Ice Climbers froze the path, but since the low gravity wouldn't allow for enough momentum, Diwata sat down, and Sonny hit her like a hockey puck, sliding her down with enough force for her to fly up to the path. The Climbers blasted ice behind them to boost down and fly up, too. They had to fight past some Lunatones before coming to a row of water spouts leading across the chasm.

Sonny and Donna froze the tops of the spouts into a path, but mini flame comets were raining down and steadily melting the ice. The group hurriedly jumped across, taking some hits from the comets, and Dee was able to grab a Moon Medal and make it to the end before the ice completely melted. The next challenged involved several small platforms that were frozen in red ice. Diwata's personal Moon Fire couldn't melt them, but the flames from the nearby torches could suffice.

After jumping the small platforms, they arrived at a field frozen in spiky red ice, with some Moon Torches placed. Diwata bent the fire to burn a path through the ice, but she was forced to go in the directions of other Moon Torches. There were creatures called Brr Bits – small floating red ice volcanoes – that kept refreezing the path, so Diwata had to shoot Moon Fire to melt them. They eventually made it to a safe foothold, overlooking another red ice field, but this time larger flame comets were raining down and burning spaces for them to jump. They did so before Brr Bits could freeze the spots, and the road would bring them to a towering wall of red ice.

Diwata used her bending to catch the meteorites and chuck them at the barrier, the ice steaming as chunks of it began to collapse. After fifteen strikes, the red ice wall crumbled completely, exposing the altar within the mountain. The trio moon leaped over the chasm and set foot on the base before stylishly leaping up the thin stairs. The top of the altar was surrounded by pillars with busts depicting phases of the moon. Under the bust of the full moon, which was glowing, sat a Pokéball that was whitish-blue and had crater markings. (End song.)

"Dat dada daaaahhh!" Diwata raised the Pokéball in victory. "I got a Pokébaaaaall!"

"Your journey as an eternal 10-year-old starts now!" The twins cheered.

A white glow appeared in the sky. Diwata, Sonny, and Donna gazed at the majestic light as the Moon Goddess, Cresselia appeared in all her beauty. "Firstborn Guardian of the Moon… you are mere moments from learning your destiny. To claim the Firstborn and mark yourself as the Guardian… you must master the Lunar Magic that powers this world. But as the moon is a body of change… only one who knows great change can possess the Power of Moon." She ascended to the sky and the light was gone.

There was a roaring of an engine, and a C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. now occupied the space above. "There you are, Dee-Dee! We tracked your communicator!" Leanne yelled. "Did you find the Spirit Ball?"

"I DIIIIID!" Dee-Dee cheered and waved the ball. "Right heeere, right heeeere!"

"Cool, then let's get going to the Night Palace!" Lee declared. "Acnologia's not destroying ANY planets tonight!"

"ALL RIIIIIGHT! LET'S GO!"

Night Palace

The Night Palace was a huge Arabian-style palace of shiny blue color, suspended above a deep crater. The Team Rocket fleet had arrived, flying over the top tower. "HAAA!" Lapis Lazuli slashed large blades of water and destroyed a few ships, but when Giovanni's crew saw her sights locked on them, John-Plank commanded Acnologia to fly over and kick her out of the sky. She landed on a palace walkway, quickly recovering and shooting up as a water drill, but Logia easily batted her away with his wings. Rocket Agents sent Nidoqueen and Nidoking to grab the Fairy Princess.

Wendy and Vaati made it to the edge of the crater and saw the conflict from below. "Wendy, I'm going to challenge Acnologia! Find the Lunar Magic and protect it, and attack any Rocket Agent you see!"

"I WILL, Father!" Wendy declared with pure confidence. "I'll do everything I can to STOP them!"

"You've come so far, Wendy. I can't wait to join you even further!" The wind mage shot up to Acnologia and laid a storm of fast Haki kicks. Wendy leapt down to the bridge to Night Palace and raced forth. (Play "Unawakening Float" from Sonic and the Secret Rings!)

Act 3: Night Palace

Wendy sidestepped the Thunder Shocks cast by Rocket Agents' Magnemites, and at the end of the bridge, the mage had to jump across a series of Magnemites to a platform. Wendy ran across a glass walkway whose various segments were being shattered by Skarmory shooting up from below, but after dodging their holes, Wendy ran up a stairway that winded left. On this new path, giant spears flew out of portals from afar in attempt to pierce Wendy, but she jumped on them, ran up, and jumped to the next until she could make the moon leap into a palace entrance.

Absols stood on pillars and lashed crescent beams at Wendy, who dodged and cast the Leg-Locker Spell to bring them off their feet. She cast stun spells at the two Rocket Agents on jetpacks before going up some stairs to a new hall. The floor vanished, but Wendy quickly jumped on an energy rail to grind across, setting foot on the opposite floor as she ran through a doorway. This room provided an illusion of a dimension of moons, and when the path ended, Wendy jumped to a moon and ran loops over it, able to do so using the mini moon's gravity. She had to jump to a higher moon, then a moon on the right, then Wendy could jump to a stable platform.

Quilavas shot fire at her from the stairs, but Wendy cast Aguamenti to defeat the Fire-types. The stairs curved left and led Wendy to a path of floating, vertically-turning pillars. The pillars had rails on each side for Wendy to grind on, and had to jump pillars before she either rolled off or the pillars turned too high for her to land on them. After clearing this section, a doorway brought her outside the normal palace, where Wendy ran up some stairs before hitting a spring, which bounced her to two other springs that would land her on a round palace roof.

Wendy ran three laps around the roof before a magic blue path appeared to take her higher up the palace. Wendy was set on a platform, and using moon leaps, she jumped to other such platforms that were all distant. A group of Gulpins tried to gulp her on one of them, but she kept their hunger satisfied by casting Avis, sending birds in their mouths. The next platform was further, but two Magnemites were available for her to bounce on. Wendy stunned two Rocket Agents, then she had to leap and Air Boost to a new foothold and go up stairs into the palace.

A narrow stairway winded up the massive vacant tower, and Wendy jumped the Donphans rolling down. The tower's space seemed to stretch before her eyes, and the stairs shifted in angle when Wendy was suddenly running up the tower's wall. Rocket Agents were screaming and falling due to a change in their own perspective, and Wendy decided to stun each one she passed by. The space stretched up as Wendy ran on the ceiling, but only for a few seconds before she ran into a warp. She was outside and running across a bridge to the highest tower of the palace, and inside was another winding stairwell. A column of blue energy was in the center of the tower, and as Wendy neared to the top, she believed she would see its core. (End song.)

Vaati kicked Acnologia three times across the face with Armament Haki, flew away when he slashed his claw, then returned with a Screw Kick that sent Logia into a palace tower. A Lunar Beam shot out of the wreckage, Vaati swiftly dodged, then Logia shot up to slash him in the chest three times before punching Vaati to the sky. Vaati rocketed back down, so Logia lit his fist aflame and swung a punch, but Vaati dodged underneath, then to Logia's side, before blowing a sudden gust of wind that slammed Logia against the top of the largest tower.

Vaati flew up and stood on the roof of that tower as Logia got up to face him. Their desire to abolish the other was strong. Acnologia inhaled a great portion of Moon Chi in the atmosphere, while Vaati inhaled the air. The wind mage spun into a tornado that darkened from Armament Haki, but Acnologia morphed into a body of Moon Fire and flew at Vaati like a comet. The two forces collided, Vaati's tornado setting aflame and Logia withstanding the shredding force of the Armament tornado.

Giovanni, Jessie, James, Cassidy, and Butch had entered the tower's chamber. A giant yellow crescent moon with a smiling face sat atop a platform, which seemed to channel a great flow of energy up from the planet's core, for the flow stretched far down into the crater. "So, this is the Lunar Magic… How marvelous." Giovanni grinned evilly.

"Boss, what is the Lunar Magic, anyway?" Jessie queried.

"One trillion years ago, God Arceus created the moons to seal the Netherverse's powerful Space Chi. But the Netherverse can be accessed from any point in the universe's matter, given the appropriate Space-Time Rifts. The truth is, it is not Space Chi alone that is contained in that dimension… but a great outpour of the force we call magic. This magic leaks into the universe at substantial rates, but to keep it from disrupting Time-Space, Arceus created the moons. And Lunaria, the greatest moon of all, contains the very core of that power. This Lunar Magic that the ancient Lunarians, with the help of Cresselia, designed this temple to regulate.

"This magic energy was closely intertwined with the Netherverse's Space Chi, resulting in the force called Moon Chi. It is from Moon Chi that other beings used to create magic. It started with simple rituals that utilized harnessed magic, but in time, the magic infected their bodies, became part of their bodies, in a manner that was unlike Element Chi. Thus, wizarding societies were established, and with the gods' help, people created laws regarding these magics. But Moon Chi combines nature and supernatural, and those who use it can be stronger than any wizard or bender. At least… this is what Ragaj Gnik told me."

"But if Moon Chi has the power of nature and magic…" Cassidy looked at the capsule encasing Crest they were carrying. "How did a psychic twerp create a Firstborn that could control it?"

"Even I have my doubts that Sunni's powerful psychicbending alone could create a god of this magnitude. Maybe His Lesser Lordship will tell me the rest. For now, Young Master Crest will harness this Lunar Magic. And Crest will be under the control of this Dark Ball!" He raised a black Pokéball. "Created from the Dark Chi on Mt. Gnaa, it corrupts any Pokémon and increases their abilities tenfold!"

"But would that even work on a Firstborn?!" James exclaimed.

"Let's find out! Release him!"

The agents opened the capsule. "NOOO!" Crest immediately tried to fly away, but James' Victreebel stretched vines up to grab him. Giovanni tossed the Dark Ball.

"HYAH!" Wendy Marvell jumped and kicked it away with perfect timing, flipping in midair before softly landing on the floor.

"HEY, we didn't invite any twerps to this party!" James yelled. "Weezing, use Sludge Attack!"

"Lickitung, use Lick!" Jessie freed her Pokémon as well.

"Weez!" The Siamese gas balls spewed a stream of sludge that Wendy blocked with a wind shield. Lickitung jumped behind her and stretched its long tongue. "AAAAHH!" Wendy shuddered crazily. "My new dress is drenched in slob, now I need to take a bath and wash it, oh but what if it gets ruined?!?"

"That's it, Lickitung!" Jessie encouraged. "Keep licking!"

"Licki-Licki-Licki-Licki…" Wendy was squirming on the floor as the giant tongue wiggled and tickled her.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it, you're getting me all sticky- oh please don't get my feet- why didn't I spray myself with-…" She continued squirming and whining.

"Do you think 4Kids would cut this scene?" James asked.

"Jessie, I thought you traded Lickitung for Wobbuffet?" Cassidy inquired.

"We're Team Rocket, Cass, obviously I stole it back. But thanks for acknowledging our show's continuity."

"Woooobbuffet!" The blob popped out.

A few miles away, the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. was en route to the palace. "That must be it!" Lulu exclaimed. "And I see Team Rocket's ships, too!"

"You twoips are clawin' up the wrong tree!" Meowth declared, still being stood on by Carla. "With Acnologia on our side, there's no WAY you can-!" Lee aimed his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. at him.

"You know all it takes is a single Powuh Shot to send you blasting off again! We watch the anime!"

"Acnologia's fighting with Wendy's dad!" Lulu reported. "What should we do?"

"Like the football-players and Numbuh One do!" Denny smirked confidently. "Ram him!"

"That sounds like something I would do!" Lee argued.

"But it sounds crazy enough to work." Leanne said. "Turn on the shield and smash him through the roof!"

"You got it!" Denny switched on the shield, boosted, and spun the ship as they rocketed to Acnologia. The dragon bender saw them coming. "The field is open! And iiiiIIIIIT'S…!"

Acnologia stopped the ship with his one hand and pushed back with great strength. "…Touchdown?"

Logia shot a Lunar Beam to blow the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. away. Vaati kicked the back of his head, but Logia leaped up, charged power to his fist, and smashed down, missing Vaati and breaking through the roof. Vaati jumped in after, and Sector RZ landed their ship on the roof before jumping in. "Wendy!" Lee aimed his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. at Lickitung. "Lick on this, you slobbery weirdo."

"Lick-Lick-Lick-Lick-Lick-Lick-Lick-Lick-…" Lickitung caught several rounds of gumballs down his throat, and Wendy was able to get away. She saw John-Plank at the top of some stairs to a window, controlling Acnologia to attack her father. Wendy raced up the stairs and spun a whirlwind around her fist. "Sky Dragon CLAW!"

John-Plank faced her—Wendy's fist collided at Johnny's face. "Yodely-yodely yo-LAY-hoo!" The dimwit's head spun like a screw.

Plank grabbed her fist with their cyborg hand and threw Wendy off the stairs. He jumped down after and punched Wendy to the floor.

"Crest, I'll help you!" Diwata shot fire.

"Beeeel!" Victreebel screamed when its vines burned.

"Now's my chance!" Diwata tossed the Spirit Ball. "GO, Spirit Ball!"

"It can't be!" Giovanni exclaimed.

The Pokéball struck Crest and caught him inside. It softly rotated and descended in the air as it beeped. The ball popped open and released him. "It didn't work!" Lee yelled.

"Didn't that moon bird say you needed the Lunar Magic?" Donna asked.

"But I don't know what that is!" Dee yelled back. "Unless… it's that big moon thing?" She noticed the crescent moon with a face on the central platform.

"Wendy!" Carla rushed over to her fallen master. "Did he hurt you too badly?!"

"I'm fine, Carla." Wendy got back up. "It doesn't hurt so much in low gravity."

"Johnny, Plan Beta!" Plank ordered.

"You got it, buddy!" The cyborg leapt to Acnologia, took Plank's capsule off, and stuck it to the half-dragon's back. Acnologia bellowed when Plank's vines bore into his flesh.

"I am now one with your flesh and bone, Dear Logia! It's time for me to have the upper hand on this planet! No pun intended." With Plank controlling him, Acnologia charged at Wendy with the intention of tearing her with his flaming (single) left hand, but Vaati flew in front and dealt an Armament air slash.

"Acnologia! Don't let these fools control you! You have always been my Number 3 role model! Just behind Nolan York and Laghima, but still! You are a powerful wizard, I know you can fight this!"

"No creature commands ME!" Acnologia slashed his wings and scratched Vaati's chest, then punched the airbender to the wall. "I am Acnologia… the most powerful wizard! And I will become stronger…" His eyes were drawn to the Lunar Magic as Diwata carried Crest up the stairs to it.

"Crest, you have to help me control the Lunar Magic!" Dee yelled.

"I don't even know how to control it!"

"The Lunar Magic doesn't belong to children like you!" Logia flew up onto the walkway. "Out of my way or I will BURN you- AAAAHH!" Plank's vines tugged on his insides.

"Unfortunately, we do not want you to possess the Lunar Magic, either." The British board said. "Team Rocket will command it as soon as-"

Vaati blew Logia off the walkway, then zipped above and kicked him to the ground. "Well, Crest, should we just draw it in with our moonbending or something?" Diwata questioned.

"Beats any of my ideas." Crest shrugged. They both held their hands to it and tried to channel the Moon Chi. The Firstborn was easily able to absorb it, but Diwata was having a harder time. "Let me lend you some." Crest channeled the Lunar Magic to her body.

"AAAAAHH!" Dee winced in pain from the power. "Okay, this is gonna take some work!"

Vaati shot at Acnologia with swift kicks, flying ten feet away after each kick and back to him in seconds flat, and after Vaati dealt a combo of three kicks, he attempted to swing his fist. Acnologia caught the fist, and when Vaati applied the other arm, his strength was roughly equal to Logia's single arm. The ancient wizard flipped and stomped Vaati to the ground, then Acnologia forced Vaati's head down with his hand and began squeezing it.

"Oh, isn't this a surprising state of affairs?" Plank smiles wryly. Vaati was unable to pull Acnologia's hand away. "It must be an honor to be destroyed by your hero. Aren't you thankful that I restored his fallen body? Who would have thought that the great Plank would be the one who defeats the Man With the Red Eye."

"Dad!" Wendy dashed up to Logia, but he kicked back and hit her stomach, sending Wendy against the wall. The half-dragon faced up at Diwata trying to control the Lunar Magic. He threw Vaati away, but before he could fly up, an unseen force caught him. It was a shadow originating from Lee Andrew.

"Shadow Possession, you undead abomination!"

"Now it's OUR turn!" Sonny and Donna blasted ice beams at Logia, but he countered with Moon Fire breath and shot beams to blow the twins away.

"Hey, you're supposed to listen to me!" Lee yelled, trying to maintain the hold. Acnologia blue fire at his shadow, Damien screaming as it dispersed. Acnologia snarled at Lee and lunged at him.

"LEE!" Leanne sent her shadow to grab her brother and lift him out of harm's way. Acnologia snarled having lost his prey, and set his sights on the one responsible: Leanne Grayson. He rushed at Leanne, whose eyes saw the image of death in his form.

MASTER! Ash dropped Lee and flew back to her—Lee grabbed his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. to shoot Acnologia, but the pellets flew through his intangible body. "LEANNE!!"

"AAAAAAH! . . ." Acnologia's sharp, murderous eyes were the last she saw.

He blasted a gaping hole in her chest. The universe seemed to mute and it all was slow motion. The three operatives couldn't bring their selves to move. Sonny and Donna didn't feel like smiling or laughing. Vaati choked on his breath. Even Team Rocket was stunned by the act. Wendy wanted to break down and cry.

The scene reflected off Diwata's eyes. Her eyes that were round and white as the moon… The girl that was so energetic and carefree felt that side of her slipping away.

"Only one who knows great change can possess the Power of Moon."

A wave of dark fell over Dee's eyes, starting from the right, like the moon going from full to half to crescent to… nothing. Acnologia felt a rise in power and faced Diwata. He was unsatisfied with the meager kill just now, but the yellow-haired Lunarian felt oddly intimidating. His reflection was clear in her dark eyes…

The next second, Acnologia was blown out of the palace, crashing into the ground around the crater. "Ack!" Plank grunted. "Impossible! Get up, you daft fool! Are you going to let her humiliate you like some…?"

A blue fire burned on Acnologia's chest. Growling, the Logia stood, and the flame blossomed from his rage. "AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUHHHHH!" His body set aflame.

"AH HA HA HA, OUCH OUCH OUCH!" Plank squirmed frantically—his face was melting from the fire. "STAH STAH STAH STAH, IT-SA SAH SAH SAH, SAAAAOOOOOW!"

Plank fell off, and before his melted eye, Acnologia transformed into a great black dragon with brimming blue markings. The dragon glared at the parasite that had been controlling him, his mouth open and fangs exposed. "Vile cretin, how DARE you burn your handler!" Plank scolded. "You will place me on your back and OBEY me! Or…" A blue light was rising from Logia's lungs, "Or…!" Plank could only feel fear in this moment. "Gulp! Oh, poppy seeds!" his voice squeaked.

Acnologia's fire breath reduced Plank to a lesser existence than ash. The dragon returned his attention to the palace. Diwata Uno flew out of the tower like a blue comet, encased in a bright aura. She hovered over the chasm, eyes black with white lines around them, like a Solar Eclipse. Acnologia hissed. "For 8,000 years, I slept in my own decaying body… awaiting the day I could rise again. I knew it was my destiny to become the most powerful man in the universe… ever since I lay my hands on that gem: the Octogan. It told me I was bound to reign supreme… but the Octogan haunted me. The Shimmers would not leave my dreams. And they continued to haunt my descendants for thousands of years…

"And here I am… looking at a child who controls the Lunar Magic. Is this the universe's way of deceiving me? To make children who possess the power of the gods? Just… what type of era is this?"

Diwata narrowed her eyes. "The era… of the Kids Next Door." (Play "Gaul 2" from Spyro: The Eternal Night!)

Boss fight: Acnologia

Acnologia charged a Lunar Beam and unleashed it at Diwata as she flew around the dragon. Dee-Dee grasped the ground in her hands, sprouting crystals up under Logia's feet. The dragon stormed forward and gnashed its fangs at Diwata, who pushed a hand and foot to Logia's mouth and kept it open. She flew away, then rammed into Logia's chest to shove him over the cliff, but he recovered with his dragon wings and spat giant fireballs at his opponent. Diwata sprouted blocks made of Moon Chi, serving as a perfect shield. She then conjured a warp pipe, jumped inside, and came out behind Acnologia as she spewed a beam at the dragon's wings.

Acnologia whipped around and smacked Diwata and her warp pipe out of the air. Diwata recovered and centered the gravity around Acnologia, bringing a storm of moon meteors to strike him. Logia easily whacked the moons away with his wings and tail, but wasn't prepared when Diwata stabbed a large moonlight-made scythe into his chest. Logia grabbed Diwata and slammed her against the ground several times before leaving her in a crater. He charged a Lunar Beam and fired, but Diwata countered with her own power and withstood his terrific power. She was left exhausted afterward.

Arlon and Dr. Facilier were examining the battle from the former's ship. "Is Miss Diwata… clashing with Acnologia?" Arlon fixed his monocle.

"Told ya not to underestimate these kids."

Two water arms wrapped around Acnologia's neck and froze. Lapis Lazuli struggled to pull the dragon back. "Hurry, get up! I got him distracted!" The dragon broke free and snapped his teeth at the fairy, but Lapis dodged and threw a storm of droplets that became icicles – which merely phased through his body. Logia screamed when a pair of moon-made teeth bit his tail, conjured by Diwata. The Lunarian flew upward and spawned more comets, but Logia blocked with his wing. The tattoos on his wings came to life and flew at Dee in the form of snake-dragons, but she was quick to dodge their teeth. Acnologia flew up and batted her away with his tail.

Acnologia opened a portal above Diwata and dropped a Lunar Onix on her – a Pokémon Onix made of blue moon rocks. Diwata threw him off, but Acnologia seized the chance to smash Dee under his hand. A giant water sphere encased him, controlled by Lapis, who attempted to freeze the dragon. Logia's eyes flashed, and the area was shrouded in blackness. Lapis saw the dragon's ravenous blue eyes in the darkness, and when she felt his mouth shoot up to eat her, she performed a spinning water wheel and went through his intangible mouth.

Light returned to the area, but it was a horribly bright saturation that made everything almost white. Diwata commanded the chi that created this brightness to fly at Logia's head, and the dragon tried to break the bright blasts with his Lunar Beam. He just missed Lapis, who flew to throw a water slice, but the dragon swatted her away like a fly. The fairy bounced on the ground a few miles away before stopping on her front, looking up. "Sigh… I can't hurt him, anyway. Just have to leave it to her."

Acnologia spawned dark crystals in the air around Diwata, and when she flew away, he spawned another crystal patch to stick her. Diwata fell to the ground, then Acnologia increased the surface's gravity to steadily crush his opponent. With one more sudden thrust of gravity, Diwata was too weak to move. Acnologia landed and picked her up.

"Oh, no! She's too tired, she's going to be eaten!" Lulu yelled.

"No…" Wendy struggled to restrain her tears. Lee was still crying over Leanne, and his friends' words only festered the wound.

Without waiting, Acnologia threw Diwata into his mouth and swallowed her whole. "Finally… after 8,000 years, the Lunar Magic is mine to control. I am the most powerful wizard in all of existence… and for the rest of eternity, I shall-" There was a rumbling in his stomach. "What…" He fell to his knees. The dragon felt a powerful buildup in his bowels. "No… How is this happening?! I am the King of Dragons! Moon Chi is my nourishment… I will not be sickened by a simple crumb-!"

Acnologia exploded, his parts blowing everywhere. Some fell into the abyss, and a gooey puddle was left where he stood. The dragon's head hit the ground and shrunk to Acnologia's gaping human form. Diwata was left standing in the puddle, brimming with the Lunar Magic's energy. (End song.)

"Ohhhh…" Diwata dropped to her knees. The energy flew back to the Night Palace to reunite with the Lunar Magic. Lapis returned to her aid, as did Arlon and Facilier after they landed.

"She really used up a lot of energy." Lapis said, moving her Healing Touch around Dee's body.

"Did that girl truly command the Lunar Magic?" Arlon asked. "Even us Moon Sages cannot accomplish such a feat. How could she…?"

Giovanni saw the battle from a palace bridge. With Acnologia gone, he had lost his advantage, so he sought to find the nearest Team Rocket ship. He turned—Vaati was floating over him. "Red Eye!"

Vaati kicked the man upside the chin, and he stumbled forward. "Giovanni… The leader of Team Rocket. Former Corporate President and a Pokémon hunter. What a horrid man you are."

Giovanni grabbed a gun and shot Vaati, but the bullets passed through his Logia wind body as Vaati blew the gun out of his hand. He shot a gust at Giovanni and knocked him on his back. "Dad, there you are!" Wendy was running across the bridge with Carla.

Giovanni held his aching head. "Uuu- u- uck!" His eyes swelled red when his very breath rose out of his mouth.

"DAD, what're you doing?!" Wendy exclaimed in horror.

"A man like you has no right to rob the freedom of any creature. Freedom is as vital as air. To steal it… would be to steal the air they breathe." Giovanni was rasping.

"Dad, please stop!"

"And one who disrespects the value of freedom does not respect breath. You will be rid of your breath. You will be set free."

"DAD, STOP IT, STOP!!" Wendy jumped and grabbed her father's arms.

"HUUUU!" The breath slurped back into Giovanni's lungs and he was saved.

"Wendy, what's wrong with you?! Because of this man, your friend has been killed, robbed of her freedom to live!"

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WANT HIM TO DIE!" Tears spilled down her face.

"Men like him will only continue to rob others of their freedom! We must grant him freedom as a spirit, it's the only way!"

"I DON'T WANNA SEE ANYONE ELSE DIE!" Wendy fell to her knees and cried. "Dad, I'm really angry at this man for what he did, I really am… but I don't want to kill him. Please don't, Dad…"

It hurt Vaati to see his daughter upset… He didn't know what to do next.

A metal hand reached down and grabbed Giovanni, pulling him to a Meowth ship piloted by the Meowth Trio, plus Cassidy and Butch. "Let's blow this joint and get OUTTA here!" Meowth shouted.

"Sorry to jet, Lunaria, but we're in a hurry!" Cassidy yelled.

"We'll send you a postcard!" James followed.

"Team Rocket's cowering away agaaaaiiin!" They took off like a twinkle in the sky. Twinkle.

Vaati pulled his daughter to her feet as she cried still. "I'm sorry you had to see that… but you must understand, Wendy. The path to true freedom is not easy. When there are evil people who will kill innocent people… sometimes, we must kill the evil ones. You may not believe in true freedom now… but if you do not learn to kill, the greater battles will become arduous."

Wendy sobbed a little. "…Let us return to your friends." her father said. He calmly led Wendy back to the central chamber. Carla followed, glaring at Vaati with utmost suspicion.

Lunar Altar

Lapis was unable to heal the gaping wound in Leanne's chest. Their Sector Leader was gone before the mission could see completion. "So that is why…" Arlon observed. "As the moon is a body that changes… only one who could experience great change can control the Lunar Magic. But the change was so sudden to Diwata's eyes." The girl in question was hanging over Denny's shoulders, panting. "She abruptly took control of the magic and fought Acnologia. And when Acnologia swallowed her, the Lunar Magic was too much for even his body to digest. He destroyed himself in the end…"

"And for what?" Lee sniffled. "Leanne's dead! She's dead and it's all my fault!"

"But it isn't your fault, Lee." Wendy said.

"No, it is! I wanted to have an adventure that people could remember… Whether I was the Chosen One or Dee, I wanted to do something that our parents and friends would talk about with everyone. And now… sniff!"

"But it wasn't for nothing." Vaati said. "As tragic as it was… Diwata was able to command the Lunar Magic. Perhaps now…"

He didn't need to finish, as Diwata had enough strength to stand on her own. Crest floated down to her. "Dee… Are you alright?" he asked.

"…No. I'm upset. I've… never felt this upset. I thought we were going to save the day like always – and I would make a joke that we saved the night, because it's always night here. I thought we would go home… and nothing would change except for learning some new powers. …Not this."

"…" Crest turned to Arlon. "When I was born… I didn't know where I was or who I was. I just wanted to eat and have fun. I didn't want to be thought of as a 'Firstborn.' But I am… and I have a duty to the universe, don't I?"

"Fun and games are not a crime, Master Crest." Arlon spoke. "But you must remember… we all have duties we must abide by. We must never forget our duties. Or bad things will happen…"

"Bad things will happen…" Crest turned to Leanne. "…I don't know how to be a Firstborn. But… you said there were nine others. If I talked to them… maybe they could help me." Then to Diwata. "Will you help me, too, Dee-Dee?"

She raised the Spirit Ball and smiled. "Sure I will." She tossed the ball and caught Crest again. It beeped as it slowly rotated during its descent. The moment it touched the floor was when it booped. The moon-like ball shone with a brighter color, and it felt warm in Diwata's hand.

Diwata captured a FIRSTBORN! NOW there should be 5 left! …Right?

"Children…" Arlon spoke. "In light of the circumstances… on behalf of Lunaria, I would like to thank you. Our planet was saved from a terrible fate. I would be pleased to reward you."

"Thanks, but… I don't know if I want anything." Wendy replied.

"Yeah, I'm not even up for a victory party." Denny said. "Sigh… Cheren is gonna fall apart."

"We might as well get back to Earth ASAP." Lulu said. "Give them the bad news."

"Do take good care of Crest." Arlon said. "You know how precious a Firstborn is… But perhaps it would be best if he interact with his own kind."

"We will." Dee smiled. "Hopefully, things aren't TOO bad on Earth right now."

Wendy and Vaati returned outside and gazed at the sky. "In truth… another reason I came to Lunaria was to dispel the protection around it." Vaati said. "I wanted it to be free for the universe to see."

"Dad… I really don't think this 'freedom' route is… the right way."

"…" His eye glanced at her. "I will return to Earth and meet with you again. Only half a month is left until the Apocalypse. I suspect the chaos will only grow and the battles more arduous. Make sure you're ready, Wendy." And he flew away.