Dune's muscles tensed as he prepared to charge forward, his eyes locked onto Mewtwo's form while Helena, Gardevoir, Lopunny, and Zoroark moved into position.
Gardevoir acted swiftly, raising her arms and summoning a shimmering [Light Screen] that enveloped Dune and the others. The protective barrier glowed with a soft, blue light.
Lopunny, always eager for a fight, began using [Bulk Up], her muscles tightening and rippling as she flexed and heated up for battle. Her expression was focused, a determined grin spreading across her face as she prepared to support Dune in his assault.
"Lop, Lopunny!" (Come on, Mewtwo! Let's see what you got!) she shouted defiantly, her body practically vibrating with the increased power.
With the [Light Screen] in place and Lopunny's power building, Dune made his move. He charged forward with blinding speed, the ground beneath him cracking under the sheer force of his steps.
His claws glowed with a brilliant green energy as he unleashed a ferocious [Dragon Claw], slashing toward Mewtwo with enough force to tear through rock.
The air whistled around the deadly strike as he aimed directly for her midsection.
Mewtwo's eyes flashed. She moved with impossible speed, raising her arm and summoning a barrier of her own—[Reflect].
Dune's claws collided with the psychic shield, a shower of sparks and energy crackling through the air as the attack was absorbed.
Mewtwo sneered, her voice echoing mockingly in Dune's mind. 'Is this truly the best you can muster, beast? You will entertain me for a moment before I crush you.'
But Dune had anticipated this. He shifted his weight mid-strike, using the momentum to flip backward, his tail descending from above into Mewtwo's head with a powerful [Breaking Swipe], creating gusts that caused the water around the underground lake to ripple and splash.
Mewtwo raised both hands to block the attack with [Protect]; as the attack weekend, Mewtwo opened her mouth, and an [Ice Beam] formed inside.
While Dune kept Mewtwo occupied, Helena and Gardevoir sprinted toward the fallen Giovanni, who lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath.
Helena's eyes were full of anger as she reached into her dress, pulling out a pair of handcuffs that glinted dully in the dim cave light.
The cuffs were stained with a suspicious residue, but Gardevoir chose not to say anything since it was her responsibility to clean them after their use.
Helena knelt beside Giovanni, her expression cold as she forced his arms behind his back, snapping the handcuffs around his wrists with a sharp, metallic click.
"You won't be running away this time, Giovanni," she muttered, her voice tinged with disdain. Gardevoir stood over them, keeping a watchful eye on the battle between Dune and Mewtwo.
Just as they secured Giovanni, Zoroark moved in. Her claws, glowing with dark energy, gripped Giovanni by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground.
Her eyes blazed with fury as she leaned in close, her voice a dangerous growl. "Now talk, you bastard. What was your plan here? What were you doing with Mewtwo?"
Before Giovanni could answer, a shadow loomed over them. Lopunny's body hurtled toward them, having been launched through the air like a ragdoll.
The force of her impact sent Zoroark, Helena, and Giovanni sprawling across the ground. Helena barely managed to roll out of the way, avoiding the worst of the collision, but Zoroark was knocked flat on her back, her grip on Giovanni lost as she slammed into the rocky ground.
Lopunny groaned, pushing herself up from the crater she had created upon impact.
Her eyes were unfocused, and a thin trickle of blood ran down the side of her mouth, but she still managed a shaky grin. "Lop, Lopu, Lopunny!" (Damn, that hurt... but I ain't out yet!) she declared, spitting a bit of blood onto the ground as she staggered to her feet.
Mewtwo hovered above them, her expression one of cold amusement. Her body glowed with a swirling aura of blue and purple energy as she charged for another attack. 'Fools... You think your pathetic strength can stand against me? I am beyond you, beyond the pathetic humanity,' she declared. 'I will free all of you, I will...'
Before she could continue, Dune lunged forward again, his claws glowing green as he prepared another [Dragon Claw].
Mewtwo just raised her hand, dismissive of Dune's attempts, and as he approached, a wave of Psychic energy launched at him, yet...
Before the attack could land on Dune's body, he made a 180-degree turn, evading the attack, and opened its fangs wide.
[Crunch]
Dune managed to bite a side of Mewtwo's lower abdomen, severely injuring her, only for Lopunny to jump at her and use [Knock off], punching her abdomen so hard a mysterious plate went crashing out and falling into the lake.
Each strike came faster than the last, forcing Mewtwo to focus her energy on maintaining her psychic shields, but once Lopunny connected the hit, her reflection dissipated, and Mewtwo had to descend into the cave's ground.
Lopunny and Dune roared together as they rushed towards Mewtwo, who changed her strategy from Special attacks to physical attacks.
Meanwhile, Helena struggled to her feet, grabbing hold of Giovanni and dragging him back toward the cavern's edge.
Zoroark, recovering from the blow, joined her, her eyes fixed on Giovanni with a look of pure hatred. "We're not done with you yet," Zoroark growled, her voice low and filled with menace.
Still dazed from the earlier blow, Giovanni looked up at them with a twisted smile, his expression defiant despite his situation. "You think you've won? Even if you somehow defeat Mewtwo, She is just the beginning; look at her; all of this strength is pathetic in the grand scale of things; if humanity doesn't learn to use this weapon, they will be destroyed by them."
Helena glared at him, her eyes narrowing. "Shut up, Giovanni. You'll pay for everything you've done. And I'll make sure you're there to see your plans crumble," she hissed.
Helena looked back, looking at Dune and Lopunny, who was still barely keeping up with Mewtwo; Dune aimed a [Crunch] directly at Mewtwo's thighs, clamping down with his powerful jaws, his fangs sinking into her flesh.
Mewtwo let out a pained telepathic cry, her expression twisting into rage and disbelief.
Desperation flashed in Mewtwo's glowing eyes. She shoved Dune back with a fierce psychic burst, forcing him to release his grip.
Blood trickled down her side where his fangs had pierced, staining her pristine skin. But she wouldn't give up.
Mewtwo raised her arms, summoning the energy of the psychic terrain that she had laid down earlier, and unleashed a devastating [Expanding Force].
The wave of psychic energy radiated outwards, its power amplified by the terrain; it was like a heat wave released into them.
Dune braced himself, crossing his arms as the attack hit him head-on, but the force was amplified by what seemed a critical hit.
The attack sent him stumbling back, his scales cracking under the pressure.
Beside him, Lopunny took the full brunt of the attack, her body crumpling as she hit the cave floor, knocked unconscious. Her breathing was ragged, and blood trickled from her lips as she lay unmoving.
With her partner down, Dune snarled, pushing through the pain as he tried to close the distance once more.
But Mewtwo's power was too strong, and she was relentless. She readied another [Focus Blast], aiming directly at Dune's chest, intending to finish him off.
But just as she prepared to fire, a shimmering blue light cut through the air, protecting Dune in the last second as he hit Mewtwo with a [Breaking Swipe], his tail sending her flying.
Gardevoir, having joined the fight after making sure Helena and Zoroark had escaped the cave with Giovanni in cuffs, held Lopunny in her arms as she healed her with [Life dew], her eyes glowing with anger.
Gardevoir carefully lay Lopunny on the ground, whispering she was sorry for not helping much earlier, and used [Hypnosis] to try to catch Mewtwo off guard.
Mewtwo's focus wavered for a split second as she felt the drowsy pull of Gardevoir's psychic waves, her movements becoming sluggish.
Dune seized the opportunity, his claws raking through the air as he struck her side with [Dragon Claw], sending Mewtwo skidding across the cavern floor.
Mewtwo's eyes flared open, shaking off the effects of the sleep-inducing move with a snarl of frustration. She could feel the tide turning against her—Gardevoir, from a distance, had been quietly using [Life Dew] to heal Dune and revive Lopunny's strength, keeping them in the fight far longer than Mewtwo had anticipated.
Realizing she was at a disadvantage, Mewtwo's expression was rotted with pure anger. She lifted her arm, channeling a surge of energy, and without warning, she turned her power towards the cave ceiling.
A powerful [Focus Blast] tore through the rocky ceiling, sending massive chunks of stone crumbling down into the cavern and opening a gaping hole to the outside world.
Light flooded into the cave as Mewtwo hovered in the air, her tail lashing behind her. She cast one last hateful glance back at Dune and Helena, her voice echoing telepathically through their minds.
'You will not trap me here, nor will you claim me as your prize.'
With that, Mewtwo shot through the opening like a beam of light, disappearing into the sky above, the [Psychic terrain] dissipating in her leave.
As the dust settled and the battle's aftermath lay, Dune panted heavily, his body trembling from the strain of the fight.
He moved to Lopunny's side, gently lifting her in his arms. Gardevoir floated down to stand beside them, her expression a mix of relief and frustration.
They had survived, but Mewtwo's escape left a gloomy feeling hanging over them—especially Dune. If Mewtwo was this strong, just how strong would the other legendaries and legendary trainers be?
As Dune left the cave with Lopunny between his arms, He turned to the high-ranking members of Team Rocket dispersed throughout the cave. Looking forward to seeing if anyone else was near, He turned to Gardevoir, who was walking beside him.
"Gardi, get them all shipped to the PokeRanch. I want to have a little meeting with them—if you know what I mean."