Kalani's pulse thundered in her ears as Hoku darted around Scizor's relentless claws. The metallic Pokémon's strikes shattered chunks of ice and left gouges in the ground. Akamu's Charjabug buzzed nervously beside him, waiting for a command.
"We need to slow it down!" Akamu shouted, pulling out a Poké Ball. "Charjabug, String Shot!"
The bug Pokémon shot sticky threads of silk at Scizor, tangling its legs and giving Hoku a brief reprieve. Kalani didn't waste a moment.
"Hoku, Powder Snow!" she commanded. The Alolan Vulpix exhaled a frosty blast, the icy particles clinging to Scizor's metallic shell. It staggered, its movements sluggish as frost crept over its joints.
The hooded woman's smile twisted into a scowl. "You're more trouble than I anticipated," she said, her voice cold. She reached into her coat and pulled out a device a sleek, black sphere with glowing blue lines etched across its surface. It emitted a low hum that made the air feel heavier.
"What is that?" Kalani asked, her eyes narrowing.
Akamu's expression darkened. "I've seen that before. It's Chronovault tech."
The name sent a chill down Kalani's spine. Chronovault the shadowy organization rumored to deal in illegal technology and experiments. She'd heard stories of their ruthless methods and their obsession with time manipulation. If they were involved, the shard's significance was even greater than she'd feared.
The woman pressed a button on the device, and a wave of energy rippled outward. Scizor's frost-covered joints snapped free, and its movements became unnaturally fast, as if time itself had sped up around it. In a blur, it lunged at Hoku.
"Dodge!" Kalani screamed. The Vulpix barely managed to leap aside, the force of Scizor's attack kicking up a spray of snow.
"Charjabug, Spark!" Akamu yelled. Charjabug crackled with electricity and launched itself at Scizor, slamming into its side. The attack left scorch marks on its shell, but Scizor barely flinched.
The woman's voice cut through the chaos. "Enough of this. Scizor, end it."
Scizor raised its claws, their edges gleaming ominously. Kalani's heart sank. They couldn't keep up with this kind of speed, and Hoku was exhausted.
But before Scizor could strike, the shard in Kalani's bag flared to life. A beam of light shot into the sky, piercing the auroras above. The entire square was bathed in its glow, and time seemed to freeze.
The crowd gasped as the light coalesced into a familiar shape: Aurorawn. The crystalline dragon hovered above them, its wings shimmering like liquid rainbows. Its presence was overwhelming, yet strangely comforting.
The woman took a step back, her confidence faltering. "So it's true," she muttered. "Aurorawn still exists."
Aurorawn let out a melodic cry that resonated deep in Kalani's chest. She felt a surge of warmth and courage, as if the legendary Pokémon was speaking directly to her.
"What do we do now?" Akamu asked, his voice barely audible over the hum of the shard's energy.
Kalani's eyes met Aurorawn's, and she understood. "We stand our ground."
She stepped forward, holding the shard high. Its glow intensified, and Aurorawn's cry rose in pitch. Scizor hesitated, its movements faltering as the light enveloped it.
"This isn't over," the woman growled, clutching the device in her hand. She pressed another button, and a portal of swirling blue energy opened behind her. "We'll meet again, girl. And next time, you won't have Aurorawn to save you."
With that, she and her Scizor stepped into the portal, which collapsed with a thunderous crack, leaving the square eerily silent.
Aurorawn descended, its massive form landing gracefully in front of Kalani. It lowered its head, and she placed a hand on its crystalline snout. The shard in her bag pulsed in harmony with the Pokémon's glow.
"Thank you," Kalani whispered. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew she wasn't alone in facing it.
Aurorawn let out another cry before taking to the skies, its light fading into the auroras. The crowd began to murmur, their fear giving way to awe. Kalani turned to Akamu, who was staring at her with a mixture of disbelief and admiration.
"Looks like you've got some explaining to do," he said, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Kalani sighed. "You have no idea."