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Without any warning, the three found themselves and the rest of the Guild in the Rocky Plains via a Teleport by Javs. There was scarcely a moment for them to gather their bearings before everything hit them at once. Era stared with dismay as she spotted Epitaph, shocked to find her lying unconscious on the ground. Epitaph was never someone who she would have expected to see like that. The Pikachu's gaze turned to the Froslass above the Flareon, and she glared at the ghostly Pokemon, noting the pendant around her neck. Clearly this was what they were here for, and she was ready for the fight. She watched Solaris and the Gardevoir make their way to Epitaph, followed shortly after by Sai, and she turned to face the Froslass as Javs put his barrier up.

The Team braced themselves at the sudden shockwave, surprised as it passed through with no effect. That was when the ghostly spheres started to show up, and everything went crazy. Ethfael and Era found themselves pushed to the side by some invisible force, separating them from Riley. They pressed against the barrier but were met by something that wasn't there, and forced to watch, helpless, as the sphere formed into a shape that they couldn't quite see.

Riley wasn't focused on anything but the glowing sphere, his eyes glossed over as if seeing something from a dream. "It couldn't be..." he said softly, watching the orb change form, and a figure that he hadn't seen since he was very young stood before him. His eyes teared up without his meaning for them to, as a lovely Leafeon looked down at him, her gaze gentle. The Eevee forced himself to stay calm as he found himself feeling almost like a child again, held safe in her eyes. "Mom? Is it really you?'

The Leafeon smiled tenderly, nodding, "Riley..." she purred, "I've missed you so much." Riley felt the tears begin to fall, unable to contain them. It was like a perfect dream, his mother was here with him and perfectly healthy, all signs of her illness gone. She looked better than he'd ever remembered her looking in her life, apparently in death at least she wasn't plagued by illness. The Leafeon made her way forward to Riley nuzzling against him, and a chill ran down the Eevee's spine as he felt her touch. "You've grown so big. I'm so proud of you."

Era and Ethfael watched Riley's interaction with the strange ghostly Leafeon with dismay. "What is he doing?" Ethfael said darkly, "That's our enemy!" Era pressed against the barrier, trying to understand what was going on, only to find it suddenly break under her touch. Ethfael sprang forward in that instant, slamming into the Leafeon with Dragon Rush. "Stay away from it Riley," he hissed as the ghost cried out in pain.

Riley's eyes widened with shock as Ethfael hit the specter of his mother across the field, his ears flattening at her cry. "What are you doing!" he cried, staring at Ethfael, "That's my mother!" Both Era and Ethfael's expressions grew apprehensive as Riley stared at them with hurt and betrayal in his eyes.

"Riley..." Era said, "That's not your mother." The Pikachu couldn't imagine the feelings that were creating turmoil in the Eevee right now, but she tried her best to sympathize with him.

The Leafeon rose to her feet, coughing slightly and Riley raced over to her, helping her up. "I think my son knows who his mother is," the ghost replied, a regretful look on her face as Riley buried his head in her fur. She glance up at Era and Ethfael, a smile on her face that sent chills down their spines. "Riley," she whispered to him, "Who are these people that they would attack your own mother?"

Spheres floated above and around the guild, various sized ones making their way down to specific Pokemon, one of them being Gypsy. "Genevieve, it's so great to see you again, my baby..." And eerie voice echoed through Gypsy's ears, causing a shiver. It was her mother. The orb melted and moved around like the goo in a lava lamp, eventually taking on the form of a Ninetails. Although she was more transparent than real, you could still see her beautiful Leafeon-green tails flicking around in the air that she was jealous of her whole life. Instead of looking like a normal age of a mother, it seemed like she was just out of her teenage years.

Gypsy tensed, and her ears flattened. Her being here would have to mean her mother was dead. "I'm not Genevieve... I'm Gypsy now. D-dad too? He's dead?" Gypsy was never one who really liked her mother, but she'd always wanted to be like her father, which is why she hung around Zephyr so much... they were very similar.

Lilia frowned, and her tails swooshed around her. They flicked out, sending flaming razor leaves to Gypsy. But Echo was watching the entire thing, and fired out small, fast energy balls to take out the leaves. A few fell to the ground. "You were always a little daddy's girl, weren't you Genny." She growled loudly. "And after I raised you! Brought you into the world! You still never loved me as much as you loved your father! Even now, you don't even care that I'm dead!"

"...at least he was always there for me!" Gypsy shouted, lunging forward to tackle her mother. Echo, not being one to intrude, decided to let her beat the Ninetails around for a little bit, until Gypsy got hurt. "You never loved me! Admit it!" She let lose a few stray bolts of electricity, as well as another tackle, once she was covered with it too. He dad had taught her some weak moves, but they always hurt her too.

Gypsy's mother laughed maniacally as her tails started to glow. "Why are you hurting your mother? That's only going to cause more pain for you."

[ Lilia: 38 HP ]

Team Cupric with the crack of a second teleport and amidst mutterings along the lines of "bleedin' Abra kid who can't sort out his bleedin'..."

Amost immediately, another Gyarados appeared, somewhat larger than Celsus and colored a dark blue. In response Celsus's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then narrowed into slits.

"Father."

"Celsus. I knew you were still kicking when your compatriots murdered me." The elder Gyarados spat.

"The term is executed. You don't hold public murders for tyrants."

"Semantics."

"How did you come back? They told me you'd been done away with!"

Celsus's father grinned and, rather than answering, charged.

--

Meanwhile, Imiti couldn't, as an Abra, help but pick up details from other conversations even with his attention focused on this one. Details such as "he's not real." As the two dragons met in a display of electricity and blue fire, Imiti shouted, "It's a trick!" Not like it mattered anyway; from what he could see, Celsus despised his father.

(Magnus: 37 HP)