TEEN: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Forgotten Isles (Chapter 50 Posted, Story Concluded)

[lucarioknight56]

And now, for my tremendous update of four chapters!

Chapter 31: Guardian Guidance

“I didn’t get hurt too badly. It’s just a scratch.” Ren stated, his arm pulled out by Cosma, who scrutinized him carefully.

“You should still get it fixed up you know. Having a rock as tall as an Exeggutor fall on you can’t be good.” Cosma argued. They stood just outside the cave overlooking the coast of Lele, the other three islands visible from their location. Palm trees crowded around the entrance to the cave and the surrounding area, all the way to the stone plank that acted as a dock for the crude raft. Sunset lingered on the horizon, the Pikipek returning to their nests for the night to come.

Sion stood atop the tied-together logs, ensuring that the knots were tight and the paddle were sturdy. “We can worry about that later Cosma. The Kommo-o should be able to help us, right?”

Cosma beamed, nodding vigorously. “Yep they can! They often have to fix up scrapes and cuts since they climb the cliffs to their caves all the time.”

“Then the sooner we get to Bulu, the sooner we can get that done.”

“Do not leave yet, Forgotten Explorers.”

Cosma dropped Ren’s arm, the lilting voice echoing in the air. “Who was that?”

“Come into my abode, and discover your destinies.”

Wind rushed into the cavern, lights flickering alive within. Cosma looked over to Ren, who shrugged in reply.

“Can’t be anything too bad…right?” Ren guessed.

In the back of Sion’s mind, the voice seethed, barking, “Leave the mystic and go to the island; you must complete your purpose in this world.” The dark feeling descended upon Sion’s mind again, making him continue getting the raft ready, the cloak’s veins pulsing red.

The wind changed direction, rushing toward the Zoroark. A powder of silvery dust flashed from the cavern, along with the fleeting glimpse of pink. The scales spattered over Sion, and the voice gave a roar of pain, the dark presence lifting from Sion’s chest, the cloak suddenly becoming lighter on his shoulders, free of the crimson.

“Come, please. The darkness will be gone only momentarily; it will return unless you follow.”

Ren looked bewilderedly to Sion, holding his head. “What does she mean, ‘darkness’?”

“I…I don’t know what she means either.” Sion admitted. The voice wanted him to kill Ren, but something in the way it spoke to him felt…compelling, as if he should listen even if he didn’t want to.

Cosma began to drift into the cavern, rocking side-to-side as she did. “She sounds familiar to me, even if I never heard her before. I think we should go in; how would it hurt?”

Ren sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Why not? She sounded desperate, considering this darkness we have hanging over our heads. Come on Sion.” He followed Cosma into the dimly lit cavern, where candles atop seashell plates flickered in the wind.

Sion soon followed, even if he felt he should listen to the voice within his mind. “She can’t be that bad…right?” He asked himself. The cloak began to grow heavier, and an all-too-familiar presence came into his mind, just as he entered the cavern.

Ren looked around, the darkness permitting only the seashell candles to be seen. “Wonder who’d live here? There’s practically nothing.” The tunnel ended, and he and Cosma and Sion stood around a still pool, where a pink shell bobbed on the surface, surrounded by pink lilies of various sizes. Candles on the seashells lined the walls, dug into the wall by some Pokemon in the distant past.

“My abode is plain for what there is to gain. A future foretold is worth treasures untold. I bring peace and war, dark and light, within mind of mortal and deity alike.” The female voice echoed, the candles suddenly going out.

The shell suddenly cracked open, and a black figure with locks of magenta hair popped out, gazing at her visitors with a knowing look. “I am Tapu Lele, Guardian of Fate. You have come to hear your futures, as decided by the great Bringers of Sun and Moon many years ago.” She hovered above the water, and began to shake her capsule, silvery particles drifting off it. “Let my dreams tell you what you must know.” A fierce wind suddenly came from the far end of the cave, and the particles slammed into Sion, Ren and Cosma. They stood still for a moment, then collapsed, sleeping peacefully, all wounds healed from the Lucario’s frame.

Tapu Lele descended into her pool once more, more scales drifting from her body. The pool glowed with gentle light, showing a bright field with the stars shining in the sky, a full moon dominating the center. “Daughter of the Moon, hear my words!”

~~~~

Cosma found herself in the center of a grassy field, sitting on a tall stone pedestal. The night sky shone above her, the stars all glittering, and the moon shining its peaceful light on her. The plain stretched for miles, with no end in sight, and no breeze interrupted the wistful scene.

The Cosmog sighed longingly, looking up at the moon. “You’re so beautiful tonight, so much more than last night. You look alive again!”

“That is because she is within you.”

She turned around, seeing Tapu Lele floating on the platform with her. Her hands were tucked inside the shell in reverence, her eye closed and head bowed, as if she were in the presence of royalty.

“What?” Cosma said, astounded.

Tapu Lele waved her hands, and a massive winged figure appeared behind her. It was a luscious purple with golden edges on its wings, a pulsing blue heart, and two piercing red eyes. It flapped its wings in rhythm, sending a flurry of purple waves with each.

“This is Lunala, Bringer of the Moon. She came from a distant world and brought the lesser light to Equivos, the opposite to Solgaleo’s sun,” Tapu Lele explained. “Before they had disappeared, they created me and the other Tapu, to protect the islands they had chosen to be their home.”

Cosma gazed upward in awe, the radiance of Lunala filling the night sky with purple beams. “She’s beautiful, just like the moon.”

Tapu Lele waved her hands again, causing Lunala to disappear. “Yes, beautiful. She and Solgaleo were beloved among Pokemon in their time, but many years ago, a terrible thing happened: they aged. When they left their realm, they had forsaken the energy that sustained them, and as they weren’t created by Arceus, they couldn’t receive the blessings of immortality. So, after hundreds of years, they simply faded into the stars. But their roles were more important than simply bringers of light.

“They had come from a wretched world, relishing the prospect of finding a luscious world such as Equivos. So, when they came here, they built a wall, designed to surround the cosmic limits of this dimension, letting only a certain few that truly belonged within. When Solgaleo and Lunala faded, the wall remained, but without their cosmic powers, it fell from the dimensional limits, and fell to the place they died: the continent of Equivos. It surrounded it as a wall of mist, only allowing a worthy few outside of its borders.”

She paused for a moment, then gestured to the moon, at the height of its glory, years ago. “The night before Solgaleo and Lunala faded to the stars, they had two eggs. One would be male, and another female, and the former would favor the sun, and the latter the moon, just as their parents did.” Cosma’s eyes widened a realization came to her. “And they would assume their parents’ roles when they ascend their former abodes, Mount Lune and Mount Sol.”

Cosma jumped excitedly and shouted, “My parents gave me the moon! I know who they are!” She suddenly stopped, becoming glum. “But…I can’t see them. I…I was hoping…”

Tapu Lele approached her, embracing the Cosmog. “Child of the sun and moon, I am deeply sorry for your loss. But do not fret; when you take your mantle as Guardian of the Moon, their memories will come back to life, and you shall see what lives Solgaleo and Lunala had before their fading.” The field began to dissipate, and the moon began to fade, as Cosma began to reawaken.

“Remember, the light shall banish the darkness in all moments but the final hour; let your voice be heard always by the children of Life and Death.”

~~~~

Ren found himself in the Master’s Tower, laying down on the bed his father always slept in. The details were crisp and clear, as his memories were of his beloved home. He looked outside, seeing an endless chasm below. Around on the shelves were various belongings, ranging from pictures and maps, to orbs and sacks, all arranged in a long curving line.

Ren stood up and walked alongside them, their meanings coming into his unconscious self. A picture showed him as a Riolu with three other Lucarios, all smiling in front of the Master’s tower. Another showed him smacking the back of Sion’s head as a Zorua, making a hateful look all the while. Scattered through this were pictures of his father, all showing some form of disappointment because of actions that Ren had made.

He picked up one that showed him on the deck of a boat, showcasing his new Lucario body, while Lukas restrained his fury and despair at the breaking of a long-standing tradition of the descendants of Laryon. He picked up another, showing Sion being carried by his mother in a stormy night, the Riolu Ren’s face a combination of hate and sadness within.

“You, Son of Life, are a source of many griefs.”

Ren flinched, setting the portraits down. He turned around, seeing Tapu Lele floating in the center of the room, where the great table that the Guild Council would sit around would be. She had her arms crossed and her head lowered, as if she could feel the pain that Ren could feel within the room.

“How would you know? I’m the son of Lukas Lucario, not of Life. And I’m not a source of griefs, like you say.” Ren snapped, glaring at her.

“Look outside this tiny room, and what do you see? A deep darkness, signifying the lack of care you’ve given to anything except the hope of assuming the role your father has as a leader. From the moment a young Zorua came into your life, you became unreasonable, hot-headed, and focused on brawling your way through issues, blowing away the illusion of youth that you once had. From that point onward, have you brought happiness to anybody?” Tapu Lele stated, conviction in her voice.

Ren stepped back flabbergasted. He furrowed his brow, clenching his teeth. “The Pokemon at the Guild love me. They all cheered for me the day I left. They know I’ll be a great Guildmaster!”

Tapu Lele gestured to the room, nodding her head. “You say that, but do you believe it? Who wouldn’t celebrate the son of Guildmaster that puts down one they fear, one who promises to be like his father, one who is willing to brave the great unknown. You care not for their praise, nor even care for their company. You’ve lingered on a single event in your life, one caused by a particular Pokemon, and ever since then, only one other have you shared your heart with…and even he has become estranged.”

“Grah!”

Ren launched his fist toward Tapu Lele, who hovered harmlessly above it. He attempted again leaping into the air. Tapu Lele swung to the right, causing Ren to crash into one of the shelves. Several portraits fell, shattering the glass covering their images.

Ren suddenly stopped, picking up the portraits frantically. He set them down on the shelf, depicting all the early years of his life, his mother, Lara, all depicted within. One showed the mother Lucario giving the young Riolu a large tan knapsack, receiving a smile filled with all the love a son could give.

The walls of the tower dissipated, and the portraits began to fade. The floor fell, beginning to collapse, and Ren stepped away from the diminishing edge, the portrait tight in his grasp. The wooden floor disintegrated, all the portraits and furniture going with it as Ren fell into the endless chasm.

“All things must come to an end. End your lingering to prevent the early demise of the land we love.”

~~~~

In a clearing within an endless forest, Sion stood on a lone stump, standing above stone carvings of the various Pokemon he had met in his life: Corinne, Ren, Victor, Lukas, and so on, each intricately detailed in their own way. The sky was twilight, the dusk a mesh of orange and purple as the unseen sun set. Beyond the clearing, a dark cloud set heavy in the leaves, a single pair of eyes looking out to Sion. They were a deep and lustrous blue.

A lanky shadow emerged from the cloud, the eyes moving with it, forming a lupine head. “So, you finally come where I can meet you. Welcome to your mind, Illusion.”

Sion stepped back, the same heavy feeling descending into his chest. “Who are you, and why are you here? You sound familiar.”

The shadow laughed jokingly, lifting its arm. “I have taken a different form than you may be used to. I am a rather famous figure within Equivos you know. So much that they’ve written me in a little book known as the Explorer’s Guide.”

Sion thought hard, trying to link the voice and shape to someone he knew. “You’re not…Laryon Lucario, are you?”

The shadow hacked in surprise, stepping back. “That insolent nephew of my traitorous friend? Look into my eyes, and you’ll see who I truly am.” It leaned forward, the startling blue eyes calling to Sion, as the stone statuettes began to disappear in the expanding darkness.

Sion struggled to see the eyes from his perch atop the stump, so he took a step down. The shadows began to climb up his limbs, beginning to force his other leg from the stump, which had begun to glow with fiery blue light. He began to lift his foot off the stump, the shadows now surrounding him in a smog of darkness.

Silvery scales spouted from the stump, the clouds snaking away from it as fast as they could. The shadow hissed, pulling back into the forest, the stone statuettes reappearing. “No! Curse that Legend! I will have you, Illusion, or I’m not who they call the Usurper!” The eyes disappeared, and Sion felt the weight in his chest lift.

He stepped away from the stump, stepping over the statuettes of those he loved. From the stump, Tapu Lele emerged, resting her head on her capsule, exhausted from the burst of power.

“Young Son of Death, you have a terrible fate awaiting you. You have a good heart, but one tries to take it from you, and bring to pass the merging of worlds. I have spent my energy to drive him from you, but it will not last; his power is too great,” she stated, exhausted.

Sion looked down, picking up Corinne’s statuette. “That shadow…it was Arthus, wasn’t it? He said that others call him the Usurper.”

Tapu Lele nodded. “Indeed. I cannot say how he came into your mind, or what he will do; fate will only allow me to tell so much, to ensure that the events that must come shall. I will send you away with a warning, however.” The forest began to be consumed by an encroaching nothingness, leaving only the clearing in its wake. The grass fragmented away from Sion, dragging the statuettes down into the abyss, leaving only Ren’s, hovering in the air.

“As darkness comes, remember the light that you shall guide, and heed the words of one you now call friend in a time you fail to remember.”

~~~~

The explorers of the cave all slept peacefully on the raft, their course being guided by an elegant figure with a lavender shell. The moon was high, the waters clear and bright. Straight ahead, a massive wooded island loomed, the great plateau of Bulu to the right of the intended course.

Tapu Lele nodded her head, sending a shiver of sparkles away from her. “Farewell, Forgotten Explorers. May you remember me and the words I have given you, so that our land may continue to exist until the appointed day of the destruction.”

Voices bounced back and forth with each other in a playful matter, one deep and guttural and another baritone with an occasional squawk. “I’ll tell ya, that big crab thingy would’ve made a delicious stew had I had me pot. I can make a mean one ya know!”

“Yeah, but it’d take time to make such a thing, and that’s time we don’t have. Save it for when we get back to the mainland, alright?”

Tapu Lele swept the wind with a puff of sparkles, cries of alarm coming from behind her. Two thuds could be heard, marking her work done. She drifted to the beaten path that Sion, Ren and Cosma had not too long ago tread across, where a Feraligatr and Noivern snored loudly.

She shut her eyes and turned to her left. “I know you are there, Gaiden Greninja. You are swift to avoid my scales.”

The black-skinned Greninja hopped out from behind the rock, crossing his arms as he did. “Why did you make them sleep? We are nearly to those we lost when we came to the island, and now I have to wait for them to wake up.”

Tapu Lele pointed to the ocean, where the retreating raft could be seen crossing the still waters. “My sister, Tapu Fini, is bringing them to my brother’s island. There they will continue to grow, and that can only be done outside of your care. I understand your desire to protect them, considering your duty to your leader. But you have a role to play in this great act of life. You will rejoin them before you leave the island that they have departed to, and I encourage you to share what has haunted you since you were young; why you remain quiet, why you disregard Ekonmer’s offers of friendship, and why you chose an explorer as your destined path.”

Gaiden closed his eyes for a moment, then open them again, worried. “Why…why are you asking me to do that? I hardly know Frederick and Ekon.”

Tapu Lele sent a flurry of scales into Gaiden’s face, causing him to fall against the ground. In his last moments of consciousness, the Legend hovered over the Greninja, encasing herself within her capsule.

“Six shall go and three shall return; only with trust shall the sun rise again; a part to play that requires thunder to churn; all from a past of fear and pain.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 32: Koko Confusion

“So, do you know who stole your gold from you?” Matheus asked. The dinghy floated near the great Mist Wall, the day just beginning. The sun was hidden behind the mist, rays of orange light poking out from above. Mainland Equivos lay miles away, far from the events of the Tapu Islands.

Mewtwo lounged in the middle of the boat, in between Hoopa and Matheus. “No idea. It happened while I was taking my weekly sleep, only taking precautions for my greatest treasures.” He sighed, looking into the water. “Not much I can do for it now though. There were signs of a scuffle among the thieves, but I couldn’t find anything. I beat myself up for it, cursing my need for rest.” He held his hand over his eyes, wincing. “A well-thrown rock was to blame for this one.”

Deciding not to dwell on the subject, Theus looked back to the mist wall, the oars on the floor, next to his legs. “So, uh…are you going to do anything?”

Mewtwo roared with laughter, causing the dinghy to wobble. “Why now? I can see the minds of all Pokemon in the world, I know when it will be time to act.” He crossed his arms behind his back and shut his eyes. “If you want me to do anything to help, we’ll have to stay as close as we can to the wall. Until the right time, we wait.” He began to snore, giving his mind much-needed rest.

Hoopa looked incredulously at the Legend, hovering in front of his face. “Seriously? We’re just going to sit here? What about getting to Sion and Ren?”

Matheus pushed Hoopa away, grunting. “Shove off. We’re lucky we got Mewtwo to work so easily with us; I’m still amazed he turned from insanity as quickly as he did.” He stretched his arm, languidly hanging it over the side. “Might as well do what he’s doing. Rowing all night is exhausting!” He soon began to snore himself.

Hoopa grumbled to himself, throwing one of his hoops toward Equivos. “No way am I hangin’ around with these guys until who-knows-when…at least, not without something to play with.” He set the other hoop over the water and dove into it, leaving the Legends to sleep their way to something they need to do.

~~~~

The sea breezes brushed across the sands of the Forgotten Isles, the new dawn awakening the sleeping Sion. He lay on his back, the waves of the beach lapping at his feet. He looked up, seeing over-arching trees rise from the soil.

Grunting, he rolled over, gathering a better view of the area. It was different than the jungle he had been two just three days prior, looking more uniform and quiet. Vines didn’t crawl on every available surface; instead, the branches were bare, carefully threading over other deciduous trees when needed. Several massive rocks lay in between the massive trees, making a sharp gray in the otherwise green and brown landscape. High above them all was an enormous giant of a tree, extending upward from the center and stretching its branches above many of its smaller subordinates.

Sion looked to his right, seeing scattered pieces of wood and rope, like the fateful day he arrived on Lele. Extending across the water, a slight, scattered trail of wood extended to the coast.

Sion looked to his left seeing Ren and Cosma still deep in sleep, the former muttering in incomprehensible tones. The Zoroark stood up, feeling surprisingly limber despite the events from yesterday.

He breathed in sharply, the meeting with Arthus and Tapu Lele fresh in his mind. “As darkness comes, remember the light that you shall guide, and heed the words of one you now call friend in a time you fail to remember.” What did she mean by that?

He looked around once more, the other two islands obscured by the trees. “Is this…Bulu?” he wondered.

Cosma sprung upward and cried, “Mom!” She looked around wildly, seemingly searching for something, then soon gave up. “Oh, right…”

Sion stooped down, the cloak flowing over his arms. “You alright?”

Cosma nodded, looking to the ground. “I had a dream last night. Tapu Lele came to me, and told me that Solgaleo and Lunala, the Pokemon who made the sun and moon, are my parents.”

Sion, taken aback, restrained a gasp of shock. No Legend or Myth had ever had children. It had always been assumed by the scholars of Alakazam Guild that the reason was because if they could, the entire region would be destroyed by the sheer amount of concentrated power, in particular among the creation Legends, like Dialga and Groudon.

“She also said that I’d take Lunala’s place when I go up Mount Lune. I’d be able to see all the stories she and Solgaleo had while they lived. Imagine all the things they saw!” Cosma sighed, looking up dreamily.

Ren moaned, sitting up. “How long have I been asleep?” He scratched his head, looking about. “I don’t remember being around here.”

Sion stood up, putting his claws at his sides. “Tapu Lele must have put us on the raft while we were asleep. I’m thinking that we ended up on Bulu, since the Kommo-o and Cosmo are here.”

Cosma squealed and rushed into the woods, calling out wildly, “Kernus! Delly! Orfun! I’m home!” Her voice faded, the eerie silence of the woods returning.

The Cosmog returned, wide-eyed. “The plateau isn’t there. There’s only trees and rocks.”

Ren looked up at the trees, scowling. “We’d better not be on a different one.” He jumped up and ran toward the nearest tree, leaping up the boughs and poking up at the top. Swearing could be heard from the Lucario as he gazed across the horizon, searching for the other three Tapu Islands.

Soon after he climbed down, sending sand into the air as he stomped back to Sion and Cosma. “That plateau you mentioned is on another island. I remember you saying that the two mountains we need to climb are on Fini Island, and since I see Lele over there, I think we’re on…” He trailed off, searching for the right word.

“Koko island. It doesn’t have much else besides a forest and beach. Tapu Koko supposedly lives on top of the highest tree, along with birds who call themselves the Decidueye. I remember Jeertha saying that once, when he was telling me about the Tapu.” Cosma finished.

Ren kicked at the sand, growling. “So, you’re saying that she sent us to the wrong one? Oh great, now what? That raft is all in pieces, and who knows where we’ll be getting another one!”

Cosma shoved her face into Ren’s, fuming. “The Tapu never make mistakes! Tapu Fini protected us across the water, Tapu Bulu protected me from the Ultra Beasts when I left, and Tapu Lele helped me know who my mom and dad are! She had a reason!”

Sion came between them, glaring at Ren. “Enough! We’re here now, and now we have to find a way to Bulu again. There’s not much we can do to change that.” Cosma drew back, muttering about disrespecting the Tapu, while Ren bit his lip, keeping any smart comments to himself.

After a moment of letting them simmer, Sion asked, “Do you remember anything else Jeertha said? Like if there were any other Pokemon who lived here too?”

Cosma pondered, shutting her eyes. “Hmm…we didn’t talk very much about Koko or Lele, since the only two that really mattered to us were Fini and Bulu. He did say that another prominent tribe did live here, making yearly visits to the coasts of each island to ferry Pokemon across the ocean. He called them the Primarina, and they were the most reliable Pokemon to get you to any of the coasts.”

Ren began walking along the sand, determined. “Let’s go find them then! I want to get back home!” he shouted.

Sion ran toward him and exclaimed, “We can’t just wander around and hope to find them! Let’s just wait a moment!” He half-expected the voice—who he now knew to be Arthus—to cut in, saying to leave Ren to do his own thing. But no such thing came. “Tapu Lele’s sparkles must be working still,” he thought to himself.

Ren halted, turning his head. “We won’t find them just staying here either. Cosma, do you have any idea where the Primarina might be?”

“Jeertha always insisted on going to see them himself whenever they came to our part of Bulu, saying that he didn’t know how many more times he’d see them venture from their underwater cavern before he passed on. I don’t think we’ll find them on land if he’s right,” Cosma explained, disheartened.

Ren threw his paws in the air, exasperated. “Well now, how are we going to do that then? I can hold my breath for about a minute. How’s your swimming?”

“They probably use a raft to carry around any Pokemon that want to be ferried, just like in Equivos. They couldn’t drag it down with them, so they probably hid it along the coast somewhere until they needed to use it.” Sion replied, delving into what Master Mienshao had taught them.

Ren pointed onward, continuing his jaunt along the beach. “Let’s go this way! We’ll find this hiding spot eventually if we do.”

Cosma shrugged, starting to follow him. “I don’t think there’s anything else we could do. I am getting a bit hungry though. You think any berries are around?”

“Hey, come over here! There’s a berry patch!” Ren exclaimed excitedly, diving into the fringe of the forest.

Cosma gleamed, quickening her pace. “Thank Tapu for that!”

Sion grinned, beginning to run after them “Good thing Arthus is out of my head. I don’t like having to argue with him,” he thought.

“Whoever said I was?”

~~~~

“Oof, I got a poundin’ headache from those sparkles…” Frederick moaned, clutching his head. He, Gaiden and Ekon sat on the beach next to Tapu Lele’s cave, which yielded nothing to them outside of candles and a pool full of lilies when they searched it. From the stone slab to their right, a stable line of wood fragments lead straight to a thickly forested island, where Gaiden knew their sought-after Pokemon would be.

Ekon moaned as well, rubbing the back of his head. “You’re certainly right. I couldn’t think of anything last night. What about you?”

Frederick nodded, sighing. “I’m usually haunted by me former crew most nights, but tonight was different; me dreams be just a black mush. What about you Gaiden? Have anythin’ go in yer brainbox?”

Gaiden shifted slightly, averting his eyes. “How about we get across to the other island? I have a feeling we need to head there.”

Ekon squawked in disbelief, standing up. “You serious right now? We haven’t searched the whole island yet!”

Frederick took a deep sniff, thinking intently. “Uh, well, their scent stops here. I smell a sweetish sort a thing around, those lilies from before most likely, but I can hardly tell that those three kids were here.” He scratched his test, snorting. “I say we stick around and try and find the trail again. Wouldn’t do any good trying to find ‘em somewhere off the land.”

“What if I said that I saw the island’s guardian Pokemon push them on a raft toward there?” Gaiden replied. His companions gaped, looking at each other as if he’d gone mad.

Frederick stepped toward him, keeping his claws behind his back. “You sure about that? I mean, how d’ya know it was a ‘guardian’?”

Gaiden’s eye twitched, then he turned away. “Let’s just say I had some…dreams, come from her. She’s called Tapu Lele, and from what she said, she was selected by the legends who made the sun and moon, Solgaleo and Lunala.”

Ekon made a surprised grunt. “The two Pokemon discovered by the folks at Alakazam Guild? Why haven’t we seen anything about them if they are Legends?”

“They made their monuments here in the Isles, Mount Sol and Mount Lune. Among other things, she told me that they faded into the stars due to their otherworldly origins; they weren’t created by Arceus like the others. She said that Cosma and her brother, Cosmo, are their children.”

Frederick laughed heartily at the statement. “Children ya say? Legends never have kids.”

“Remember, they’re from a different world. Things must work differently there.”

“What you’re saying then is that some mysterious guardian told you in your dreams that Cosma and Sion and Ren are out there on some other island, and that the Pokemon who can do little more than splash and teleport is in fact the daughter of a Legendary Pokemon?” Ekon asked, suspicious. He stepped back, holding his paws in the air. “Well, call me crazy, but I don’t believe it. I mean, where’s the proof? We can’t just rely on something we have no idea about.”

Frederick spat at the ground, picking at his teeth. “It’s better than nothin’ to go off of though. I mean, has Gaiden let us down? And if we don’t go along with what he says, where’ll we be? Wanderin’ around on this accursed island for years, hopin’ to find somebody that happens to be somewhere else! Now that’s crazy.”

Ekon muttered to himself, finally exclaiming, “Fine, but I’d like to know if there’s anything else this Tapu Lele had to say to you. I’m still a little suspicious considering we fell asleep out of the blue.”

Gaiden shifted his eyes to the right, saying nothing. “…no, not for now.” He turned toward the forested island, where the wooden trail lead. “We better start going across now. It looks like quite a swim, and I’m sure there’s plenty of meat-eating fish down there.”

Frederick crashed into the water, chuckling to himself. “Ha, as if they’d get me. I’ll get them first. Just watch me!” He dove in, the wake of his speeding swim moving alongside the trail of wood.

Ekon jabbed an accusing claw at Gaiden, giving him a suspicious look. “I have the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling us. I’ll find it out sooner or later, just you wait.” He flapped upward and began soaring across the ocean, toward the distant island of Koko.

Gaiden looked down at himself, his black skin a sharp contrast to the yellow sand. “How can I tell them?” he thought to himself. He shook his head, ridding the thought, and dove into the water, swimming swiftly after Frederick and Ekon toward the island of the Guardian of the Sky.

~~~~

Deep in the confines of Ultra Space, the stark white crystals bristled with energy, charging with the power in the very atmosphere of the dimension. In the cavern that interconnected the various tunnels, only three Ultra Beasts remained: The ever-calculating Xurkitree, the powerful Buzzwole, and the lithe Pheromosa, all sitting on their respective thrones.

Buzzwole tapped on the arm of his throne, leaning his head against the other. “How much longer till we go down once more?”

Xurkitree fizzed, his crystalline head shining with many colors. “Calculating…*zrrt*…approximately eighteen days remaining. Crystals are at twenty percent capacity.”

Buzzwole pounded his fist, growling. “I hate having to wait. Is there any chance of making even a small excursion without it being a disturbance?”

Pheromosa waved a dismissive hand. “That is no matter Buzzwole. We’ll go down soon enough after the others return from light gathering,” She interrupted. She looked to her left, where a tunnel flashed with beams of light. “Although, I doubt we will gather much, considering the state of our world. The wars in our past laid waste to our resources, and to our kind. At least when Equivos is taken, we will regain our former glory.”

Buzzwole stood up, laughing sarcastically. “Former glory indeed. I was in a fine position before that shadow appeared and convinced us to work together. I would have been lord over all of Ultra Space had he not intervened.”

Xurkitree stood, his tail flicking around wildly. “You know that without the seven of us Ultra Space would fall into turmoil! I control the crystals and their energy flow, without which you would wither and die!” The Ultra Beasts knew this was no empty threat. Nihilego managed the wastes beyond the tunnels, ensuring that their toxic substances stayed in the outer bounds of Ultra Space. Pheromosa created structures to keep the caverns stable, the one place of safety from the overly potent atmosphere, which Celesteela purified with her jet propulsion. Buzzwole expanded the caverns to allow Kartana to grow more crystals through cutting sections of larger crystals, while Guzzlord consumed all the waste they created. Any one of them being killed would result in their eventual demise.

Buzzwole harrumphed, crossing his arms. “Correct. Still, how are we to know the status on the Cosmogs unless we go down to go down? They could be climbing the peaks as we speak.”

Xurkitree fizzed and glowed once more, calculating. “*zrrt* Unlikely, given the fact that they were on different islands than the two peaks. I concur, however, that we must investigate the progress of the Cosmogs in order to ensure that they don’t close the gate between our worlds.” He glowed once more, pressing his wires against a crystal. “By tomorrow we will have enough energy to open a wormhole, but it will last no longer than half an hour if we expect to meet our three-week goal. This will have to be proposed when the others return, but I am sure it will attain approval.”

Buzzwole pounded his fists together, red energy coursing through his arms. “Perfect.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 33: Of Sea and Sky


“How much farther do you think the raft is?” Ren complained, lagging behind Sion and Cosma. They had walked around the beach for hours, continuing along the shoreline in search for the Primarina’s raft, as the wind and sea washed their pawmarks from the sand.

Sion looked for any inlets or hideaways, anything that could show them where the Primarina may be. “Who knows? The Primarina can’t walk all that far on land, right? They live underwater after all.”

Cosma flitted around, peeking beyond the trees for any sort of hiding place within. “They could be off in the water anywhere around here. It could've been to the right of where we woke up for all we know.”

Ren kicked at the ground, coughing as the wind rebounded into his face. “Well-cough cough-you didn’t have to follow me. You could’ve gone your own way.”

“And get lost? I can’t attack anybody! I’d be food for any passing Vikavolt if it found me.”

“What’s a Vikavolt?”

“A nasty big bug that shoots electricity. They fly over from Fini to feed on the Wishiwashi in the water. They also like to eat Trumbeak when they can.”

“So, nothing we want to meet then.”

“Exactly.”

“Just like everything else around here.”

“Well the tribes around are nice! The Kommo-o and Passimian are kind, and you saw how much the Yungoos and Tsareena helped us out!”

“Yeah, but there’s a lot of wild Pokémon to go with them. The Exeggutor, the Dewpider, the Rattata. And they’re the ones that want to kill us.”

“There’s got to be something you like about the Pokémon here.”

“Well…they’re nice to us?”

“You can do better than that!”

They continued their argument with each other as they marched along the sand, all while Sion had a discussion with his inner voice, Arthus.

“So, thanks to that Tapu Lele, you know who I am. I was expecting you to figure it out a bit earlier, but I guess that came to my advantage.”

“What do you want from me? You know I won’t let Ren die.”

“Ah, will you now? Well, I know you’ve agreed with me on how he’s been a thorn in your side your entire life. Correction: the bane of your existence. Why did he feel the need to torment you while you were back home, hmm? He’s never told you that.”

“Well, he’s gotten…better.”

“You hesitated.”

“No I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did. I know that you aren’t that certain of yourself. I’m in your mind, remember? It’s like seeing you talk to me from my perspective, only I know what you’re feeling. The very atmosphere changes when your mood does.”

Sion paused, looking at tiny stream of water, leading out from the forest. “Just leave me alone,” he thought, returning to Ren and Cosma.

“Good luck with that. I’m sure you’ll see my way soon enough,” Arthus finished.

“Hey guys, over here!” Sion exclaimed. The two ran over to Sion, looking over to the conveniently-placed river.

Cosma hovered over it, looking into the darkness it stretched into. “It looks like there’s some sort of cave it connects to.” The cave sat at the head of the river, the slight decline creating a stream.

Ren ran along the bank, heading toward the cave. “That has to be where the raft is! Come on!”

Cosma and Sion followed him, the trees dimming their view as they progressed. The deciduous trees wavered in the wind, the breeze forming an ominous warning for the adventurers. No Pikipek could be heard, no rustle of Yungoos or Rattata, not a sound of a living thing; only the wind.

Ren stopped in front of the cave cocking his head. “It sounds like someone’s…singing.” A soft, girlish melody echoed out of the cave, the lyrics fluttering gently to the Lucario’s ears.

Cosma drifted over, swaying gently with the rhythm of the singer. “She sounds beautiful…”

Ren shuffled in, entranced by the song. “With a voice that pretty, she’s got be nice, right?” Cosma followed him, struggling to stay in the air.

Sion stopped outside the cave, listening to the melody. “She’s such a great singer.”

“You know, you’re right. But I’m suspicious. It could be some sort of trap. One that Ren will fall into. Why should you suffer his fate?” Arthus inquired. The heavy feeling set in Sion again, clouding his mind and making him sluggish in movement.

“You understand. Good. Now, how about we wait here for whoever’s-“

“Eek! Sion!” Cosma cried.

Sion shook his head vigorously, the dark feeling lifting. “Cosma, I’m coming!” he shouted. He ran into the cavern, Arthus grumbling to himself in the corner of his head.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing! I’m warning you!” Ren barked.

Sion rushed through the stone tunnel, the tranquil voice ceasing its melody. The water Sion treaded through became increasingly vigorous, making it harder for him to trek up to the flat shelf at the end.

“Let us go! We’re looking for—mmf!” Ren shouted, cutting off at the end. Crackling could be heard, a flash of blue light appearing as it came.

“This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Turn back!” Arthus hissed. Sion’s limbs grew heavier, and he felt the extreme urge to turn away, away from the dangers that lay ahead.

“We’re not here to hurt you! Please, let us--” Cosma cried before being halted by the same blue light and crackling sound.

The heavy feeling left once more, and Sion pressed onward, pondering how Arthus is gaining this power over his body. He climbed the last stretch of river, the cliff becoming sheer and the water pounding his face. He clutched with his claws, clambering over the last stretch of cliff, finally meeting the captors of his friends.

The top of the cavern had a bubbling geyser spouting cool water from the earth. Atop it was an ornate wooden raft, kept steady by a series of ropes tied to the hooks on the wall. Around the raft were five white, feminine Pokemon, with flowing blue hair and a long blue tail. They had a light blue ruffle of fur around their neck, and a pink starfish behind their ear.

They surrounded Cosma and Ren aggressively, keeping their backs toward them. The Cosmog and Lucario were encased in prisms of ice, their eyes looking fearfully toward the largest of the white Pokemon.

The leader slapped the water and said in a melodious voice, “Who are you to trespass into our cave? We are preserving our ancestral raft in preparation for our yearly journey. We cannot have outsiders here!” She made her mouth into an ‘O’, and a sphere of blue light formed in front of it, forming ice crystals in the air.

“That’s an Ice Beam! Get out of the way!” Arthus exclaimed. The sphere turned into a beam, shooting toward the Zoroark.

It pierced through him, hitting the water behind him and forming a mound of ice. The Pokemon gave a cry of surprise, looking at it.

“It’s a ghost, coming to haunt us!” one screamed.

“We have to get out of here!”

The largest slapped her tail on the water, bringing order to the others. “We are Primarina! We do not run from those who wish the craft harm!” She closed her eyes, and began to sing a gentle melody, filling the room with a sweet tune.

The other Primarina synchronized with her, forming a more glorious song. It resonated in the cavern, the ice around Cosma and Ren beginning to crack.

“Fine, if you insist on falling to sleep at the hands of a dangerous tribe, be my guest. I’ll leave you to save your ‘friends’.” Arthus sneered, retreating to a dark corner of Sion’s mind. His illusion wavered, disappearing in the dim light, as he struggled to stay awake moving toward the ice chunks.

The singing grew louder, and several cracks began to appear along Ren’s ice. More appeared, and a rigorous growl rumbled from within. The casing shattered, sending shards of ice everywhere as the Lucario shook free of the chilling prison.

“Alright, who’s ready for a-” e roared before slumping to the ground, snoring loudly. Sion came out of invisibility, lifting Cosma into the air. He then fell backwards, on top of Ren, drifting into his dreams.

The ice block fell against the ground and shattered, and Cosma slumped on the floor. “We just wanted…to find you…” she wheezed, before falling asleep herself.

~~~~

Frederick spat water out of his mouth, trudging back onto land. He roared furiously, whipping around and pointing his claw at Gaiden, who exited the ocean silently. “Tis yer fault for getting us mixed in with another Wishiwashi! If it weren’t for your crazy fantasies—”

“It was not a fantasy. Where’s Ekon?” Gaiden interjected.

The Noivern dove down, squawking angrily afterwards. “You just had to try eating another Wishiwashi, didn’t you Frederick!”

Frederick folded his arms begrudgingly, giving Ekon a sneer. “Ya know I like a snack. Besides, I thought I caught it unawares.”’

“After the last time we got tangled up with one of those things? We nearly got killed by one!”

“Yeah, so? They’re aren’t so bad if you get them while they’re small.”

“Enough.”

Gaiden came between the two, holding his hands out. “Let’s focus on finding Ren and the others. Frederick, can you smell them at all?”

Frederick raised his snout and made a deep whiff, the salty sea air dominating his nostrils. He lowered his head and shook it, making a doubtful face. “I’m afraid the wind and sea made it wash out. We’ll have ta go by instinct.” He rubbed his chin, looking all around the forested island of Koko. “If I were three inexperienced and hungry Pokemon, where would I go?”

Ekon pointed to the wood confidently, the thought of the Wishiwashi leaving his mind. “In the forest, obviously. There’s sure to be plenty of berries there.”

Gaiden nodded, pressing forward. “I agree. I doubt they’d follow the coast, as we would, since they wouldn’t be likely to find food nearby. Come on.”

Frederick and Ekon followed him, entering the dark wood that stretched before them. Within, shadows darted about, the birds avoiding what lurked below. Bushes of all shapes and sizes popped up around the many trees, large rocks appearing in what precious space there was. Stretching high above them all was an immense tree, the canopy stretching over many of the others in the center of the island.

Ekon looked upward, seeing only tiny pockets of the sky. “Can’t fly anywhere in case things go bad. There’s too many branches around this place; almost worse than the jungle, really.”

Frederick steadily turned his head to his right, twigs snapping beyond. “Somethin’s followin’ us.”

A low howl emanated from their right, sending birds flapping away. The adventurers shifted that way, spotting more shadows dart away from the light.

A brown wolf-like figure approached, baring its teeth and growling. It had a ring of sharp rocks around its neck, jutting out like mountains on a furry grassland. It stared with cold blue eyes, the brown-and-white fur raising on end.

More of the wolves padded out of the darkness, some of them having a distinctly different appearance. They were red and white, standing on their haunches, their lanky arms hanging in front of them. A ruff of fur hung over their head, their blood-red eyes glaring hungrily at the foreigners.

Ekon flashed his claws and raised his head, looking around him. “I think we might be in a bit of trouble…” he muttered. One of the wolves lunged toward Ekon’s neck, barking viciously.

The Noivern flapped upward, making the wolf miss. More of the wolves lunged forward, attempting to strike them. Frederick sidestepped and slashed at a wolf, swiping away another with his tail. Gaiden leapt upward and landed on another, kicking a red wolf away.

Frederick punted another, holding another one’s neck as it drew near his throat. “We can’t fight these things off forever! We’re gonna have ta run!”

Ekon thudded against a branch, falling to the ground. Several of the wolves saw the opportunity and rushed to the grounded bat, snarling as they did. Gaiden picked up one of the wolves and threw it at the oncoming pack, causing most to trip and fall. One brown wolf leapt over them and threw itself on Ekon, chomping down on his arm.

The Noivern roared in pain, punching the snout of the wolf. It held fast, pulling at the Noivern. Ekon looked over to his companion in agony, continuing his attack. “Get this thing off me!” he cried.

Frederick charged toward him, leaving more of the wolves in his wake. “I’m a comin’ Ekon—ugh!” A wolf surrounded by a storm of rocks charged into him, sending him to his back. He looked up as it came upon him, alongside a companion red wolf.

He kicked the brown wolf away and wrestled with the red, paws in claws as the red eyes stared hungrily into Fredericks. “I ain’t gonna a meal for the likes a you today!” Frederick roared, twisting around and throwing the wolf aside.

Frederick scrambled upward and shouted triumphantly. “Ha! Who’s the king o’ beasts? Me!” He pushed past the oncoming wolves, trudging towards Ekon.

Ekon gave the wolf on his arm one final punch. The assailant rolled off him, unconscious. The Noivern clamped a hand over the wound, wincing. “Need…help,” he said through clenched teeth.

A red wolf gave a howl and ran toward him, stomping the ground in front of it. A chunk of earth got thrown into the air, hardening into a solid sphere. The wolf swung it around him and threw it toward Ekon.

A jet of water veered it off-course, forcing it to the left of Ekon. Gaiden hopped over and threw a water shuriken at the wolf, causing it to whine. The Greninja then ran to Ekon and examined the wound on his arm. “We need to find something to stitch it closed, then bandage it.” He threw another shuriken, knocking a red wolf away from them. “But we have to escape first. Do you think you can fly?”

Ekon cringed, lifting his arm. It promptly fell back. “Nope. Hurts too much.”

Frederick finally made it, his breathing heavy and blood dripping from the side of his mouth. He wiped it away and wheezed, “Best get goin’ now…before it gets worse!” He looked down at Ekon and hissed, spitting the ground. “In awful shape now, aren’t we? Ach, I’ll carry ya.” He picked up Ekon and threw him over his shoulder, receiving moans of complaint. “Alright, let’s get away from these beasts!” Frederick roared, sprinting into the emptiness of the wood.

Gaiden followed, spraying the wolves that chased them with jets of water. They were relentless in their pursuit, forcing the ground up and launching it towards their prey. They all got knocked away thanks to Gaiden’s diligent firing.

He sent another jet out, straining as he did. “I need to rest. I can’t hold them off forever.”

Frederick slowed and tossed Ekon to him, the Greninja grunting with effort. “My turn!” He ran back toward the wolves and slapped the ground in front of him with his tail, causing a wave of water to cascade onto his enemies.

Frederick cackled himself, running back to Gaiden. “Ha, that showed ya!” He skidded to a halt when he saw Gaiden just standing in the wood, looking in front of him. “Hey, what’s the deal? We need to keep going!” He looked past Ekon, his face falling. “Oh…”

A massive pack of the wolves crouched on a series of boulders, snarling and barking wildly. More wolves surrounded them to the left and right, all waiting to strike. More began to gather behind them, soaking, but still aggressive.

Ekon looked up, chuckling half-heartedly. “I guess this is where we die. There’s no way we can fend off this many.”

Frederick nodded, getting himself ready for one final match. “Aye, it’s been nice knowing ya. A shame we couldn’t find the young ones before our demise.”

The largest of the red wolves, one with an eye clawed out, gave one final triumphant howl, and pounced off the boulder toward its exhausted prey. Other wolves soon followed, to the sound of dozens of screeches coming from above.

The lead wolf was struck down by a feathered shaft, falling to the ground with a yelp. The other wolves followed suit, all being by their paw or ear by the shafts. Six brown and green birds cut through the canopy and descended upon the wolves, striking them away with their wings and scratching them with their claws.

After mere minutes of the executed plan, the wolves retreated into the forest, scattering from the mysterious defenders. The woods were soon silent, the whimper of a wolf gone from the air.

The birds remained, studying the Pokemon they had saved. The birds had a green hood of feathers, which hid their small face, and their wings formed a cloak of sorts when it was pulled back. Underneath, several loose feathers formed a sharpened head and a narrow shaft, projectiles for use against their enemies.

Gaiden set Ekon down, who struggled to his feet, still clutching his wound. “Why did you rescue us from those Pokemon?” Gaiden asked, perplexed.

The largest of the birds stepped forward, stepping lightly on his feet. “We have been enemies with the Lycanroc for many years. They attempt to take our young, so that their Rockruff can feed. We do not wish for them to grow any larger in size, so we drive them away from what food we can.” He replied, his deep voice giving them a feeling of reassurance.

“We are the Decidueye, followers of the great Tapu Koko. We shall assist you in returning to the Child of the Sun and Moon.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 34: Alliances Achieved

Sion awoke with a pounding headache, opening his eyes painfully and unwillingly. He was within a small cavern, the entrance barricaded by three thick pillars of ice. The hall wrapped around the corner, the adjacent rooms unable to be seen from his angle. The cavern itself was sparse in furnishings, having only a wooden bedframe and a table and chair. An inch or so of water soaked the floor, submerging the pads of his feet.

Sion stood up groggily, shuffling unsteady to the pillars. He looked to the left and right of the hall through the ice, seeing no other Pokémon. “Hello? Is anyone there?” he exclaimed hoarsely.

An uncomfortable moan came from his left. “Sion…is that you?”

“Ren! Are you alright?” Sion asked. He felt an incessant nagging at the back of his mind, as if something was slipping free. The feeling soon subsided after a Primarina ambled around the corner, sliding along the water. She skidded to a halt in front of Sion’s cage, looking at him snobbishly. “You’re awake I see. Good. I’ll let Chieftess Hera know.” She began sliding back down the tunnel.

Sion clutched at the ice and shouted, “Wait, please! Can you tell us where we are?”

The Primarina scooted back, rolling her eyes. “You’re in Fini’s Escape, where we Primarina live. We brought you down here so we could question you.” She resumed going down the tunnel, leaving the two prisoners behind.

A roar of fury echoed from his left, and the wall shuddered. A cry of pain followed, alongside muttered cursing. “Don’t try and break the ice…it hurts,” Ren winced.

Sion sat down on the bedframe, leaning against the wall. “Do you know what happened to Cosma?”

“Yeah, she’s down with those Primarina. She’s being questioned by Hera, the one who froze us up. I saw her being taken away soon after I woke up.”

“When did you wake up?”

“Only a few minutes ago. Do you really think we’re in that underwater cave that Cosma mentioned back on the beach?”

“I’m not sure. If we are, they had to have some way to get us down here without drowning. Still, the cave wasn’t like this, and there is a lot of water on the floor. Maybe there’s some truth to what she said.”

“Maybe. Do you think there’s any way we can convince them to help us? We can’t get to Bulu without them.”

“I don’t know yet. Until one of them comes back, I don’t think we'll be able to talk with them.”

They remained silent afterwards, thinking to themselves about what may transpire. Within Ren’s cell, the rhythmic pounding of fists into the wall bounced around the room, a way to keep the active Lucario occupied until they could finally be free.

“You seem to be liking him more and more Illusion. Why is that exactly?” Arthus inquired, his voice sounding clearer, like Sion’s own internal voice.

“He’s not the brat he was back at Equivos, can’t you see that? He’s been a bit annoying at times, but nothing like what he was doing before!”

“Ah, but don’t you think that that is just because he wants to return to his homeland? Remember, he was a poor student; he doesn’t catch details as easily as you do. Where would he be if you weren’t here? Eaten by Rattata? Crushed by Exeggutor? Drowned by Dewpider? Would he have even escaped the Elusive Woods without your illusion? He needs you to return, to claim his birthright of being Guildmaster of Lucario Guild.” he argued, crawling through Sion’s mind like an infectious disease. “And what will become of you once that happens, hmm? What will happen once this Ultra Beast threat passes? Will he be so nice then?”

Sion didn’t reply, the reasoning of the Usurper agreeable in his mind. “What do you want out of this? It’s not like you can get out of the Cocoon.”

“I only want what is best for my sole descendant. Just like your father.”

Sion blinked in surprise, looking down to the ground. “I know hardly anything about him. I don’t have any feelings for him.”

“Ah, but you do. I can see it. You know, I was trying my best to help Sevo in his last moments, but unfortunately, he didn’t heed my warnings. You see, after I was banished to the Cocoon of Destruction, I set my sights on helping my descendants become the greatest Pokémon they could be, living the life that they should.”

“Then what happened to them? Why should I trust you?” Sion thought, the fleeting memories of playing with Sevo replaying in his mind.

“Like you, they didn’t listen to what I had to say. They died tragic deaths, all because of another Pokémon they thought they could trust…when they shouldn’t have. As you said earlier, I am trapped here; I only wish the best for those I have left.” He sounded forlorn, a brief image of two Zoroarks embracing each other in dance flashing through Sion’s mind.

“You said you tried to help my dad and all my relatives? To save them from dying?” Sion asked inwardly, concerned.

“Oh yes. I’ve tried for many years, starting with my son, Erik. Unlike everyone else, he listened to me, and he lived on to be very successful, as your history books say.” He paused, the clarity of his messages taking root in Sion’s mind. “So, are you so sure about saving Ren all those times? Are you willing to listen to me the next time an opportunity comes?”

“Sion! Thank Tapu you’re here!”

Arthus immediately retreated, leaving his argumentation behind. Cosma floated in from the tunnel, with two Primarina following her. They both began to hum, adjusting their pitch, causing the ice to vibrate. They struck the right note, causing the ice to immediately shatter, releasing the two prisoners.

Ren stepped out, grinning at Cosma. “Did you tell them about us?”

She nodded, looking up at the two Primarina. “The Chieftess wants to meet you, since you were protecting me on my way here.”

The one on the left nodded. “Yes. I apologize for our behavior back in our ancestral craft’s resting place. I’ll let Hera explain our actions.” She and her companion turned around, sliding along the tunnel floor. “Follow us.”

Sion and Ren did so being careful not to slip along the slick floor. Around them, glowing clumps of moss illuminated their way, appearing to have come directly from the sea for this purpose. They crossed through various tunnels, seeing smaller Pokemon that were blue in appearance, playing and singing in the pools that were scattered throughout. Playful voices echoed all around, some from the pools, others from the homes made in the walls, and others in the waterfalls that poured in from the ceiling.

One light-blue Pokemon with a frilly body sung a high note, veering off-pitch. She was quickly corrected by an elder Primarina, who pushed her into the water playfully, signaling her time to have fun. Sion chuckled at this, saying, “What are those smaller Pokemon over there?”

One of the Primarina looked back and replied, “Those are our Popplio. They are very playful at their age, so we just let them play in the pools most of the day. The older ones are Brionne. We help them practice their singing so they can defend themselves against wild Pokemon.”

Ren almost sniggered, restraining himself out of respect and fear. “You sing to fight Pokemon? What do they do, go to sleep, or forget why they even want to hurt you?”

The Primarina gave him a cold look, turning back. “You saw for yourselves what we can do. We make our enemies fall asleep, feel so happy that they won’t attack us, and at times form a Sparkling Aria, capable of healing anyone it touches, all through our voices.” She gestured to a nearby wall, where a majestic figure with a blue fish-shaped shell floated along the carved oceans, her hair flowing in the wind. “We believe it to be a gift from Tapu Fini herself. She protects the innocent Pokemon who travel the sea with her grace, and we strive to follow her through our ferry.”

“So, why don’t you use it more often?” Cosma asked.

“Our annual voyage across the isles of Tapu is very stressful. Half our tribe has to protect us from wild Pokemon, like the Bruxish and Wishiwashi, while the other half has to carry the craft, taking rest only when we wait for Pokemon to carry.”

“Do many Pokemon go?”

“Not many, but the important tribes come. We have met the tribes of Lele many times, as with the tribes of Fini and Bulu. It is one of the few times that the chiefs and elders of each tribe can meet with each other and talk about things that affect all the islands.” She looked upward, water dripping from the small stalactites above. “We haven’t met the other tribes of Koko for a long time, however. The Decidueye are the only tribe that can fly, so they go directly to Fini to meet with the chiefs. The other tribe hasn’t been seen for many years, due to the mysterious disappearance of their chief, years ago. It brought great shame to them, being a warrior tribe, and they promised to never meet with others until a new chief is chosen.”

A curtain of wet seaweed covered the entrance to the end of the tunnel, all the rock around it decorated with various rocks and carvings. The Primarina slid to the side, bowing to Cosma. “The Chieftess awaits you within. May Tapu bless you.”

Cosma made a curtsey, smiling wide, and pushed through the seaweed. Ren put his paws out and clapped them together, making a slight bow. “Do you like to fight? You know, with each other, for fun?” he inquired.

The Primarina looked at each other, a glimmer in their eyes. “At times. Why, do you wish to go fight us?” Ren nodded, punching one paw into the other. The Primarina added, “We practice underwater, where our Chieftess creates pillars of ice for us to strike. Occasionally we do practice against each other, but it is all done outside.”

Ren groaned, shaking his head. “I’m a decent swimmer, but I think I’ll pass.” He entered through the seaweed, Sion waiting behind.

He cocked his head curiously at the Primarina to his left. “You seem awfully nice considering what happened in that cave. There’s no hard feelings, right?”

The Primarina made a comforting smile, setting a flipper on Sion’s shoulder. “Believe me, we won’t attack you anymore. Soon after we brought you to the coast, Tapu Fini came to us, warning us to not mistreat you, since you would save our islands from the Ultra Beasts.” She set her flipper back down, and motioned to the entrance. “The Chieftess awaits you. Go meet with her.”

~~~~

Gaiden gazed upward at the enormous tree trunk, the branches and leaves seeming to be miles away. The Decidueye surrounded him and Frederick and Ekon, who now walked weakly along, his arm set in a wrapping of leaves. Dusk was swiftly descending, the few creatures that resided on Koko returning to the safety of the trees.

Frederick made a low whistle, scratching the back of his head. “How d’you suppose us landlubbers will get up there? I don’t see a ladder or nothin’.”

The chief Decidueye looked at him with a perplexed look. “We don’t have anything that; the Midnight Lycanroc would come into our nests.” He began to flap, his claws rising into the air. “No, any who must come into the Koko’s Abode we lift!” He made a shrill shriek, and a flurry of shapes descended from the branches, swiftly diving toward them.

Two Decidueye clamped onto Gaiden’s shoulders, and another duo grabbed Ekon’s. They began to rise into the air, slowly and steadily making their way up to Koko’s Abode. The six Decidueye that flew from the tree brought with them a net, letting it hang low enough for Frederick to clamber in, and go up into the abode.

He leaned back and sighed contentedly, pulling his arms behind his head. “Now this is the way to travel in style!”

Ekon grasped onto the legs of the Decidueye, fearfully looking down. “Now I know how Pokémon who can’t fly feel…” he stammered, squeezing his eyes shut.

As the top of the tree grew closer, wooden platforms of diverse sizes came into view, surrounding the trunk of the tree and the many branches that towered into the air. Decidueye and other smaller birds flew around the tree, practicing archery and teaching the youngest how to fly. Huts were scattered along the platforms, where mother Decidueye incubated their eggs, away from the dangers of the Lycanroc.

Frederick gazed in amazement, leaning forward in his net carriage. “What a place to live…”

The Decidueye chief, flying unburdened, looked back at his guests. “It is our ancestral home. Grown by the mighty Tapu Bulu himself, it acts as a watchtower for whatever dangers might come to us. The Guardian of the Sky is a very generous Legend to allow us to stay.”

“You live alongside your Legends? Where we come from, the Legends remain in a land away from the mortal Pokémon, making monuments for us to worship them.” Gaiden explained.

The Decidueye laughed, his door face turning pleasant. “Your kind are strange. We are grateful for Tapu Koko’s presence in our lives. He constantly reminds us of who we are:” He dove down, then swept upward, scattering leaves all around him. “Protectors of the weak, and searchers of the lost!”

The Decidueye carriers dropped Gaiden and Ekon onto the platform, and lowered Frederick from his net alongside them. The Decidueye then landed next to them, scraping their claws gently on the wood.

“I haven’t introduced myself properly to you. I am Chief Yurok of the Decidueye. What are your names, travelers, and where do you come from?” The chief asked.

Gaiden stepped forward and replied, “I am Gaiden Greninja of Lucario Guild. My companions are Ekon Noivern and Frederick Feraligatr. We’ve come from beyond the Mist Wall, from a place known as Equivos.” The Decidueye made no show of surprise, with even the others going about their business not even turning to them.

“We’ve heard these things from our elder, Avera. She saw you in a vision, and told us to come down and drive of the Lycanroc that were attacking you. She has a deep connection with the Tapu, allowing her to see the future,” Yurok explained the other delivery Decidueye flying away, returning to their homes.

The Chief motioned for them to follow, and said, “Come, let’s help your injured friend, and introduce you to Avera.”

They walked along the wooden planks that made up Koko’s Abode, observing the childish antics of the Rowlet, pecking the heads of their parents and flapping around the chief, and the show-off natures of the Dartrix, who impressed the travelers with their feather throwing techniques.

Eventually, walking along the small wooden bridges that crisscrossed the tree, they reached the highest of the platforms, where the tip of the trunk was visible, and a large basket-like nest that hung from it. It was night time now, making it incredibly difficult to see for Frederick and Gaiden.

Ekon squawked, swiveling his head to the hut. “Is that where she is?”

“What hut? I can’t see a blinkin’ thing!” Frederick cried, squinting in the dimness.

Yurok nodded, stepping toward it. “Yes, it is. We have no need for light, as we can see in the dark. Ekon, would you guide Gaiden? I’ll assist Frederick.” He held out a wing for Frederick to hold, which after much groping blindly, he finally snatched, being led toward the open arch.

Gaiden held on to Ekon’s good arm, marching forward. Ekon sighed, looking down at his arm. “What a way we’ve come. To think that we came here only few days ago, shipwrecked and without any supplies.” He sighed, looking up to the stars. “Do you think we’ll find Cosma, Sion and Ren?”

The Greninja thought back Tapu Lele, and her warning to him: “Six shall go and three shall return; only with trust shall the sun rise again; a part to play that requires thunder to churn; all from a past of fear and pain.”

He winced, making a shuddering sigh. “I’m…I’m positive we’ll find them. Ekon?”

“Yes?”

“After we meet with Avera…I want to tell you and Frederick something.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.”

Ekon stopped in front of the hut, clasping onto Gaiden’s shoulder. “You know, you’re not a bad guy. Just like Frederick said, there’s just something about being trapped here that makes you grow closer to those you’re stuck with.” He then entered the hut, the low-candlelight finally becoming visible within.

Gaiden nodded slowly, entering the hut.

“I think so too.”

 

[Beth Pavell]

For the Review Game, chapters 31-34. I ought to put this into context by saying that since I haven't read the rest of the story, some of these comments will have to be taken as speculative.

Technical Accuracy/Style
I get the general impression that these chapters have been rushed out. There aren't that many outright mistakes beyond dialogue incorrectly formatted, but by 32 I started to notice more silly mistakes creeping in in the form of typos, missing words, etc. Here's an example of what I mean:

Ren stated, his arm pulled out be Cosma

but it's by no means an isolated example. Most of them could be ironed out with a good thorough proof-read - that's an instant improvement that can be made without much effort.

Now, a more subtle issue is the general style of the narrative. It almost feels like you're trying to write in a literary, or possibly high fantasy style. Sometimes you get away with it (You could make a good argument for saying that it's entirely appropriate for Tapu Lele's dialogue), but quite often you end up tripping over yourself and writing sentences that don't make sense:

“Come closer, and know who you will bring back to the world I must destroy.

As an example. That one is more ambiguous than nonsensical - it's not clear whether the speaker must destroy the world or a person - but it illustrates what I mean. This kind of narration is a tightrope at the best of times, always running the risk of sounding silly rather than delightfully archaic. It's a difficult style to get right, and to put this into context I don't think many professional authors get it right either.

I think at least you could do with a beta reader, someone who can point out which bits don't make sense, and therefore have to be fixed.

Setting
I don't quite know what I was expecting from this. A lot of the details I don't think I can sensibly comment on without the context of the rest of the story. There are some moments where you've got some perfectly good scene-setting - the sunset at the beginning of 31 comes to mind here (And it's telling that this is one moment where you don't try to be too clever with the language).

As a rule I think the setting does need to be stronger, though. The tropical forest in 33, for example. It has the air of an RPG setting - trees, bush, rocks, nothing to see here. I find the easiest trick to get some colour into the setting is to use specific nouns where you can. What kind of tree, what type of bush? Sound and smell are also good ways of bringing the setting to life, something that also makes a lot more sense if you have characters who use those senses more than sight (You sort of hinted at this with Frederick).

This is also where pinching details from the real world comes in handy. If you're going to be writing about tropical forests, a little research into places like the Caribbean or Madagascar will do a world of good, even though you're writing about a completely imaginary place.

Story
This is especially where it becomes difficult to do a proper commentary. I'll start with the pacing of the chapters. Now, they are pretty short, but to be fair, they also each have enough of their own story arc to justify them being separate chapters. The flicking back and forth between the parties is done reasonably smoothly, and so far as I can see there's a good balance between the time the narrative spends with each one.

If there is on thing that characterises these four chapters, it's infodumps. I mean, we've got exposition with visions (31), characters explaining the plot to each other (32), and characters explaining societies to the main cast (34) - that's just the major ones. I think where this becomes wearying is in 34, where we have the "meeting the wayside tribe" thing done twice, each time with the guide pokémon speaking in pretty much the same voice and giving information that could either be shown or really left out altogether.

Second thing I want to pick up on is the issue of prophecy/visions. I honestly found those in 31 a bit pat - a bit convenient, with vision!characters on hand to explain most of it in an infodump. It feels like (Speculative) that it's being used as a quick way to get information to the characters. The best prophecies are less about telling characters what they must do/what will happen, and more about how the characters react to the information. Compare the Chosen One prophecy in Harry Potter, where the plot is driven by Voldemort's reaction to the prophecy. Or compare what the palantir reveal in The Lord of the Rings, where every character sees true information but misinterprets what they see.

Characters
I thought these were alright. The main cast of six are distinct enough that I can remember which name belongs to which species, which is always a hurdle to overcome when a lot of the cast are pokémon.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that you're not preoccupied with making your Lucario character "cool" - something that always bugs me about this fandom. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that you're not obsessed with making him a cartoon wolf either, something that also bugs me about this fandom. Instead he comes across as more petulant, sulky, not very bright and prone to bitching about things he doesn't understand. Perhaps you could call him an anti-hero, from what I've seen, though it looks rather like he's more of a flawed protagonist. It seems like he was something of a bully in the backstory - how you write his apparent change of attitude could potentially be a challenge. Some readers will never forgive a bully, no matter what, so I think some authors tend to overcompensate and have the former bully grovel for their redemption.

I'm no sure what to make of Sion, who seems to be the second "major" protagonist. Most of his screen time in these four chapters involves him arguing with the voices in his head. I'd like to say "how predictable, an angsty Zoroark", but is that really what's going on here? I don't think it's fair to draw too many conclusions based on what's here.

Final Thoughts
You can afford to take a breath and do the editing. I strongly suspect that a lot of the problems I've seen could be fixed if you weren't so determined to push the chapters out at this pace.

 

[lucarioknight56]

@Beth Pavell
Yeah, I can understand the errors in writing with the pace. I'm wanting to get this done more quickly than most would dare, though, since by next year I'll be taking a hiatus, and I won't have the opportunity to work on this story or the sequel story I have in mind for another two years. I'd like to try and get a beta reader to help me out, but they aren't exactly available by demand. I think I'll make Sundays my time to relax and check my work for errors such as what you mentioned, that way it won't interrupt anyone's reading.

On the settings, I've always held the belief that you don't need to write to much detail, and that you should get to writing the story as soon as you can. I can understand the gripes for this, but it would be easier to judge the story if the rest was already in mind. Hopefully you can take the time to read the rest!

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 35: Tribal Awakening

The interior of Chieftess Hera’s room was coated with dozens of pearls of diverse sizes, all arranged in vein-like patterns along the wall and ceiling. Two pools were situated next to a gentle waterfall, in front of which was a large stone pillar. The top was carved into a throne, where a magnificent Primarina sat, looking directly at the three visitors to her realm.

Hera held out her flippers and calmly stated, “Welcome again Cosma, child of the sun and moon, and her guardians.” She shook her head and added, “Please excuse our behavior from before. We’ve been on edge about the Ultra Beast threat ever since the Lycanroc took two of our own. We weren’t sure what to expect, and we assumed that you were part of those Ultra Beasts.”

Ren held up his fist and exclaimed, “Believe me, we saw one of those creeps, and we are not one of them. What are Lycanroc anyways?”

Hera made a passive wave. “They don’t matter. If I remember correctly, you were trying to find us, that way you can have us ferry you to Bulu Island?”

Cosma nodded. “We need to get there as soon as we can! Chief Kernus must be worried sick about me!”

Hera nodded slowly in reply. “Yes, I know him well, and would agree. We would be leaving before our planned time, but that can easily be changed. We must leave by tomorrow, especially considering the danger you have described to me.” She leaned forward, flipping her tail around languidly. “Before I begin any preparations, I want to ask your companions some questions. I can’t have unfamiliar Pokémon within a valuable ferry such as our own.”

Cosma hovered back, Sion and Ren now standing in front of her. “Whatever you have to ask, they’ll answer! I’m great friends with them after all!” The two schoolmates looked at each other uneasily, unsure of what to expect.

Hera slid down from her throne, water spraying outward, and she came to a stop in front of Ren. She held herself high and asked, “Have you suffered any loss?”

Ren’s eyes flashed, and he stepped back unsteadily. “W-Why do you ask?”

“Having one to relate to can be a valuable thing, especially judging by your nasty temper. You see, here in this place, there’s few deaths, thanks to Tapu Fini’s power.” She turned her head aside, looking into one of the pools. “Although, it does happen on occasion. While out on a scouting trip for food, my sister was attacked by a Wishiwashi, and didn’t survive. You know the power of the Wishiwashi well, don’t you?” The memory flashed through the explorer’s minds, the might well-remembered.

She turned back to Ren and said once more, “Have you ever suffered loss?”

Ren glanced at Sion and replied begrudgingly, “My mom died while out with my dad. I haven’t felt the same since.”

Hera gestured to Sion. “And you?”

Sion felt Arthus’ presence nag at his mind as he replied. “My dad disappeared when I was little. I wasn’t very close to him, but it’d be nice to see him again.”

The Chieftess brushed past them and exclaimed, “That is all I need to hear. Aria, the one who brought you here, will guide you to your rooms. We’ll leave in the morning.” She held the seaweed curtain open as they exited, following Aria as she guided them down the tunnels to their room.

~~~~

“Welcome, Forgotten Explorers. I am Avera, elder of the Decidueye tribe. You have come from far away, have you not?” A thin, reedy Decidueye asked. She saw a rough nest made from straw and feathers, gazing lazily at her visitors. She had patches of white down visible along her body, barely covered by a simple shawl made from woven-together feathers.

The hut was decorated with various painting on wooden planks, all depicting some part of the Decidueye’s history. Various trinkets hung by bits of string from the ceiling, rocking gently with the breeze that carried through. Nearly dead candles sat on the scattered chairs and tables, all burning with a steady, half-gone light.

Ekon, Gaiden, Frederick sat on low chairs, the Greninja sitting cross-legged, while Yurok perched a wooden branch set on a stand, overseeing them from above.

Ekon cleared his throat and replied, “Uh, yes, yes we have. Now, what is it exactly you want to talk to us about?”

Avera leaned her head back and laughed weakly. “Hoo hoo hoo, you’re straight and to the point, aren’t ya? Not like old Avera I see.” She began to preen her neck feathers, pausing their conversation.

Yurok leaned in and whispered, “She’s a very old bird; I believe she even served my grandfather as elder. So, she may have lost some of her sense.”

Avera shot up and eyed Yurok viciously. “I may be old, but I’m still your elder. So, respect me!” Yurok huddled down and bowered, looking rather shameful for a chief of a tribe.

The elder turned back to her guests and sighed. “Excuse my temper; my mind isn’t like it used to be. Ever since those cursed Ultra Beasts came to our island, things have been chaotic in both the physical and spiritual worlds. Wild Pokémon attack more frequently and viciously, as you saw with the Lycanroc below, and terrible storms occur as well. Thank Tapu that there hasn’t been one for the past few days.” She paused, wheezing, the candlelight fading slightly.

Frederick grumbled, crossing his arms. “Yer tellin’ me. That storm combined with a Wishiwashi and a blasting alien wrecked me ship! Until we help little Cosma and her brother get up those two mountains, we won’t have a chance of making any sort of craft viable to get us back home.”

Avera laughed once more, the candles becoming stronger once more. “Ah yes, the continents beyond the mist. Very far from here. Tell me, how did you lose track of that adorable child of the sun and moon? You were her protectors, were you not?”

Ekon scratched the back of his head sheepishly and replied, “Technically we were supposed to be the trainers of her protectors, Sion Zoroark and Ren Lucario. We lost them when our ship wrecked, and we’ve been trying to rejoin them ever since.”

Avera nodded sagely, several feathers dropping from her head. “Oh yes, the Sons of Life and Death. Fate has much in store for them…as well as for you three. But other matters first, would you like to know that your three lost children are currently gathering the help of an important tribe within the islands, the Primarina? Those Pokémon take an annual voyage across the islands for the chiefs to gather, and I know that those young Pokémon are well on their way to getting their cooperation.”

Frederick eyed her warily, leaning on his leg. “How d’you know so much? We haven’t seen head nor tail o’ these guys since we came ‘ere, and now you tell us exactly where they are? What are you?”

“I am the Elder of the Decidueye of course! I was blessed by the great Tapu Lele years ago, to receive revelation to guide this tribe and the other islands to greatness! Only three other tribes share this honor, and they would be the Kommo-o, the Yungoos, and the Passimian, two of which are where the other child of the sun and moon is.” She coughed, covering her beak with one of her wings. She looked down sadly, the candles dimming. “I fear my time grows short, however. I must do what the Tapu deem necessary to save us.” Ekon was about to ask another question but she held up her wing and shouted, “Enough! I must say my piece, then you may say yours!” Ekon shrunk down on his seat, the furious eyes of the Elder bearing down on him.

She coughed once more, directing her gaze to Gaiden. “You have the clarity of the night, don’t you? You were prized for it, and what happened because of it?”

Gaiden closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, but I do! I know you were the son of a respected leader, in the place you call the Archipelago of Cretea! I know that you were considered a legend reincarnated, for a distant ancestor shared your shade, and he helped to shape your former clan! I know that there were those jealous of it, and in the night, they—”

“Enough!”

Gaiden stood up and glared at her, breathing heavily and holding his hands out, stars of water hovering in the air around him. Yurok had dove in and stood in front of the elder, drawing a feather arrow and aiming it at the maddened Greninja. Frederick and Ekon had scrambled to their feet and stared speechless at him, neither seeing such a reaction in his life.

Avera pushed Yurok gently away, standing up shakily. She laid a wing over Gaiden shoulder, and cooed softly. “I have the ability to see the past and future, just as Tapu Lele does. She saw the anguish you suffered, and what made you the most stubborn, silent, and powerful Greninja Equivos has seen.” She gestured to Frederick and Ekon, and then added, “I believe it is time to tell your story to your companions, just as they have said theirs.”

The water dropped from Gaiden’s hands, and the Greninja made a shuddering sigh. He sat down on his chair, as did the others, and the candlelight's dimmed once more.

Gaiden clenched his black-skinned hands, then relaxed. “I wasn’t from Serenita, as you were. I roamed Cretea with my former clan, made only of water-types. Many centuries ago, it was organized by my ancestor, Gachon Greninja, and had the Shiny Disorder, just as I do. Some years later, a Samurott took over in a battle of dominance with one of his descendants, and for generations, they ruled. My grandfather fought back for control, and eventually made us the leaders again.

“When I hatched, my parents were proud, fully expecting their son to be just as his distant ancestor was. I was given the best food, learning, and treatment, all by my father and the supporting clan. I was having the time of my life, growing up in an ocean where there were no limits to what you could do.

“Of course, there were some who despised that. The Samurott family my grandfather had dethroned were still bitter over their loss. The former chieftain’s son, Kirwe, wanted to have leadership, thinking himself as mighty as the chief who lived in the time of Laryon, Derin Samurott. But he knew that my father was strong in combat, using an ability we call Protean to give himself increased power. He stood no match in a fight against him. But, knowing that even if he waited for when he was old, I would take power, and the legends of my ancestor had convinced them I wouldn’t be taken down either.

“Jealous of both the treatment that I and my father received -- thinking that he deserved it -- and his desire for leadership, he came into my tent in the middle of the night, along with several of his supporters, and killed him in his sleep. The other Pokémon that wanted him leader killed my mother, all my friends, even Kirwe’s father, who was against his plan. They left me, the best Pokémon since the dawn of our clan, behind.”

He slammed the ground, breathing deeply to keep his anger under control. “After all that, Kirwe abandoned me on the mainland, saying that he was glad to see my prideful attitude fade, thinking that everything was given to me to use. He wanted me to learn how to truly lead, through force, not by the guidance of my parents.” He leaned forward, setting his hands over his eyes. “Days later, I was found by my old master, Kaerus Slowking. He helped me overcome my sadness, and left me at Lucario Guild when I was old enough to take the test, that way I could prevent anyone else like Kirwe from ruining lives.” He then stood up, and left the hut, standing outside and taking deep, meditative breaths.

Minutes passed by, and all remained silent, until Gaiden returned, taking back his seat in front of Avera. The owl made a wavering breath, grabbing a wooden container that hung around her neck. “Ever since that day, you’ve been unwilling to build trust with many, worried that you’d lose them just as you lost your tribe. You remain quiet, to be unnoticed in the hope that you won’t have to deny someone their companionship.” She pulled the container over her neck and added, “That is what you’ve done, yes?” Gaiden nodded.

Avera held the contained out to him, cradling it gently in her feathers. “I cannot heal that pain, Gaiden. But it is time to let go of that past. You have survived the dangers of my home, and many more from your own. Why prolong what you’ve always hoped to come?”

Gaiden took the cylinder shakily, a tear falling down his face. Avera coughed once more, the candles growing dimmer. “Ekonmer?” she wheezed. He leaned in, her voice becoming weaker.

“That box contains the scales of Tapu Lele, which I have saved over my many years serving her. It heals many wounds, including the one on your arm. Use it, and save the remaining scales for the future, when a bleak moment in a youth’s life returns.” She whispered. Ekon nodded, looking down at the package that Gaiden now held close to his chest.

Avera motioned for Yurok to come, and he did. “I have enjoyed serving you these past years, grandson. Guide these three to those they have lost, and I can die in peace.”

Yurok grabbed her shoulders and exclaimed, “You are going to be well! You can’t leave us now, not when the Ultra Beasts are threatening us!”

Avera brushed a wing against his beak, her eyes fluttering closed. “May I meet you again in the Tree of Life…” She exhaled one last time, and the candles extinguished, their smoke invisible in the darkness that overcame them.

~~~~

The dawn arose once more in the Forgotten Isles, the sun rising and illuminating the tops of the dark forest of Koko. The occasional Pikipek darted above the trees, stealing away from the Lycanroc trackers that lurked below. The seas, calm and tranquil for the fifth day, patted gently against the coastline, washing away any remnants of the newcomers to the land.

The river that flowed from a raised cavern strengthened, becoming a torrent that thrust away anything within it. A massive creak and the cry of young Pokemon echoed from within, along with the cheerful voices of many others.

Suddenly, a massive, ornately carved boat emerged from within, shooting into the water with over two dozen Primarina, a Zoroark, a Lucario, and Cosmog in tow. Twelve of the Primarina had harnesses around their bodies, tied to the prow of the boat, sitting closest to the edge.

The boat hit the water with a crash, and the Primarina leapt out of the boat and dove into the water. The boat began to turn as the harnessed Pokemon veered toward the island with the imposing plateau, while the others surrounded the boat in a circular formation.

Ren looked over the edge, watching as marine Pokemon fell into a swoon by the Soloist Pokemon, sinking deeper into the water in sleep. “This is awesome! We’re finally getting to Bulu, and we get a cool show along the way!”

Hera popped out from the water and replied, “We’ll be staying close to the coast until we gather more food for the journey. Until then, stay put.” She dove underneath once more, leaving Sion, Ren and Cosma to float on the boat.

Sion brushed a claw against the woodwork, admiring the workmanship of their vessel. The sides were low for easy access, and there were three benches supported horizontally by the frame. Exquisite carvings were scattered all throughout, depicting Primarina, an owl, Yungoos, and all sorts of other Pokemon from the Tapu Islands.

“What a marvelous thing, a boat. This is your plan to get to this Kommo-o tribe?” Arthus stated.

Sion looked up and scowled. “What else would we do? At least we got something quick.”

“Yes, indeed…it’s certainly designed for easy coming and going, isn’t it?” Arthus wondered.

Sion looked at the sides, noticing that they were noticeably lower, which made for a great pleasure cruise, but not the safest of vessels. “I guess so…what’s your point?”

“Let’s hope a storm doesn’t roll in. I’d hate to be out in the great blue while in this thing.” Arthus answered, chuckling. His presence left Sion’s mind, and he couldn’t but feel disconcerted by it.

~~~~

“Are preparations ready?” Buzzwole demanded, standing in the center of the seven thrones. All the Ultra Beasts were present, standing alongside Buzzwole, watching as Xurkitree plugged his wires into various crystals, blinking rapidly with each connection. Pheromosa and Nihilego stood next to the giant Ultra Beast, patiently waiting for Xurkitree to finish.

“*zzt* We cannot rush this Buzzwole. I have to make sure we have enough energy stored to jumpstart the synthesization processes when we close the wormhole.”

“Make sense, brainiac.”

“The crystals must have enough power to start the creation process again. If there isn’t, it will take days to start once more, and if we want to complete the connection of Ultra Space and Equivos in 17 days, we have to make it work!”

Buzzwole muttered to himself, cracking his knuckles. “As long as I can finish off that Cosmog, it will all be worth it.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 36: Cascading Sides

Chief Yurok and his best trackers bid farewell to the rest of the Decidueye tribe, many of which were preparing Avera’s body for burial beneath Koko’s abode. The dawn shone bright over him and the visitors of the Decidueye tribe as they stood on the great platform that hung over the sea of trees and the sea itself.

Ekon rolled his right arm around, grinning. “Those scales really did wonders for my arm! Shame Avera passed though…”

Yurok shook his head, scraping the boards under his claws. “She lived a long life, guiding this tribe to greatness. I only hope Tapu Lele will return, that way we can have fate be on our side once more.” He looked over to Gaiden and Frederick, the weathered adventurers gazing out toward the ocean. “Are you ready to finally rejoin the rest of your expedition?” They nodded.

He held out his wings, and dove off the platform. Three others followed, while another two took Gaiden’s shoulders and lifted him. Frederick hopped into a net that six more carried, and rode it out towards the coast, Ekon flying behind them.

“We’re finally doing what we’re told!”

~~~~

“Did you really spread berry jam on his head?” Cosma asked Ren.

“It was only once, okay? And I wouldn’t do it again; he’s saved my tail too many times for that!” Ren exclaimed, throwing his paws in the air.

“What else did you do to Sion?”

“…other stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Alright, I’m guilty for a lot of stuff!”

“You were really mean to him weren’t you!”

“I…had my reasons.”

Cosma furrowed her brow and thrust her face into Ren’s. “What could be a good enough reason to hurt another Pokémon! I certainly don’t see one!” she demanded.

Ren looked back at Sion, who looked dreamily into the air, lost in thought. Ren turned back to Cosma, his scowl overpowering her own. “I don’t want to talk about it. I might trust him, but that doesn’t mean I like him.”

Sion, meanwhile, adjusted his cloak, a slight red tinging the dull brown. “So, you really helped my family with all that? You might not be as bad as the Legends say,” he thought.

“Stories tend to take a mind of their own over hundreds of years. Plus, as I said, I’m a changed Zoroark; I only want what’s best for my descendants,” Arthus respectfully answered.

Sion’s eyes drifted over to Ren, who had slumped his shoulders as Cosma went on to discuss the intricacies of Equivos culture with him. “But I still don’t understand why you want Ren to be killed.”

The foreign presence shifted more in Sion’s mind, taking up more of his thinking. “Tell me, have you ever heard the phrase, ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, this one fell far. Think about it. While Matheus, Laryon and all the future Lucario are praised for their good deeds, what has Ren done? Is he at all like them? Will he ever be like them? He is incompetent as an explorer, and he has made a terrible companion, all for a reason he keeps to himself!” Arthus shouted, his voice becoming Sion’s internal one. “He is nothing but a detriment to Equivos and you know it. Right?”

Sion reasoned with himself about Arthus’ statement, the heavy presence lingering within him. Despite Ren’s slowly bettering attitude, would that really change the past? For twelve years he tortured Sion, all with some ulterior motive. And for the practically the entire journey, Ren has only been a burden, getting himself in trouble or insulting Ren in some callous way. What could possibly make him a better Pokémon?

“You’ve…you’ve got a point, Arthus,” Sion admitted, feeling as if he relinquished something in exchange.

Arthus chuckled, sending shivers down Sion’s spine. “Very good. Now, if there is nothing else to be said—”

“Hey Sion!”

Arthus immediately retreated, cursing as he did, as Cosma hovered over Sion’s shoulder. “Do you see those eyes over there?” she asked, pointing toward the forest. Sion squinted, seeing a pair of yellow eyes staring at them in the dark woods.

“Yeah…what about ‘em?” Sion wondered.

“They’ve been looking at us for a while now. You think we should go somewhere else?” she nervously replied. They were only a few dozen feet from shore as the Primarina finished their gathering, the harnessed ones practicing their singing and resting as they waited.

Sion leaned down to one of them and said, “Do you know of anything with yellow eyes that lives around here?”

She thoughtfully looked up and replied, “I believe that the Decidueye have yellow eyes. They’re birds that protect the few other Pokémon from the Lycanroc. If you happen to see one of them, don’t worry; they’d never hurt another Pokémon without good reason.”

Sion thanked her and looked back to the eyes were, seeing an empty shadow instead. “Huh, looks like they’ve gone away,” he muttered before returning to his seat.

~~~~

A red and black cat clawed at the earth, sniffing it intently, studying the loam with her bright yellow eyes. She looked up, twitching her ears. “Rrraer, Zabor is coming back!”

Her neighbor looked up, curled up on a mound of earth, and yawned. “About time. Why was he gone for so long?”

Another cat rushed toward them, the light coast behind him. He hissed, turning his head toward where he came from. “Remember what that shadow said about looking out for blue and black things, and purple blob?”

“You found them?” the curled-up cat exclaimed, pouncing up.

“Yeah, I did! They’re in some sort of boat with those Prima-things in the water!” Zabor replied. “But I don’t think they’ll be there long! We have to let the chief know, fast!”

The bigger cat clouted Zabor, hissing. “How many times do we have to tell you, he’s just Zacharan!” She turned to the lazy cat as Zabor rubbed his head. “Zare, go let him know!”

“Yes Zrema!” the cat shouted, turning tail and speeding through the forest.

Zrema turned back to Zabor. “Go keep an eye out on the boat and let me know if they move.” Zabor nodded, rushing back to where he previously was.

The lead cat looked up confidently, a gleam in her eye. “Finally, us Torracat do something useful.”

~~~~

“Aw, come on! I had you pinned right there!”

Hoopa pointed at Matheus and rolled onto his back, roaring with laughter. “Hahahaha, I beat you for the hundredth time! That’s gotta be a record!”

Matheus grumbled, picking up the pieces from the PokeBoard board. Between him, the napping Mewtwo, and Hoopa, was the tiny PokeBoard set, with four white pieces (Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Mew) and four black (Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Mewtwo) “If I hadn’t placed my Butterfree right there…”

“You still would’ve lost! Hahaha!” Hoopa exclaimed, pounding his fist on the deck on his seat.

Matheus grumbled, looking over to Mewtwo. “I wonder if he’s ever played.”

“Oh, I’ve played. I happen to hold the unofficial championship of PokeBoard,” he stated, keeping his eyes closed.

Matheus slammed the table, shaking the pieces. “How long were you awake?”

“Oh, long enough to know you’ve lost a hundred times to that creep named Hoopa.”

Hoopa stopped laughing, glaring at Mewtwo. “Hey, I’m not a creep! If you’re gonna insult me, go ahead and call me a trickster.”

“But what’s the point in that? You’re used to that.” Mewtwo opened his eyes and looked to the mist wall. “Winds are changing. If only my orb was still intact, then I could see what’s happening.”

Matheus reached into the air, feeling a strange presence. “The present unfolds to you, but the future refuses to be known.”

Mewtwo stood up, rocking the boat slightly. “My words exactly. Amazing that you still remember them from all those years ago.”

The Lucario shuddered, holding his head. “How could I forget? That vision back in the glade will haunt me forever!”

The psychic chuckled, holding a hand toward the wall. “Indeed. It certainly changed your approach to life, didn’t it?”

“Certainly. What exactly are you doing?”

Mewtwo formed a ring of purple energy around him, giving Matheus a slight smile. “It's time.” He clapped his hands together, and he disappeared in a flash of light.

Hoopa hovered to where he was previously, scratching his head. “Where’d he go?”

Clenching his paw, Matheus gazed at the mist wall, clouds beginning to clump together overhead.

‘’Let them be safe.”

~~~~

Yurok looked above him, making a disapproving stare. “The weather has shifted for the worse. It won’t be safe to fly for much longer.” Puffy clouds gathered together, turning darker by the minute.

He stood on the coastline, where his brethren dropped Frederick and Gaiden into the ocean. The two water Pokémon scanned the beach and horizon, searching for any sign of their lost Pokémon.

Ekon, standing next to Yurok, pointed upward. “I’ll go look around for anyone along the coast. You said that the Primarina should be around there, right?”

Yurok nodded. “Take some of my trackers with you. They know exactly who to look for; we’ve met them many times for when the chiefs gather on Fini.”

Ekon squawked and flapped upward, six of the Decidueye following suit. They spread out when they reached a certain height, each flying in a different direction.

Gaiden pointed down one side of the island. “I’ll head this way, you that way. We’ll have a Decidueye follow us that we can let each other know if we find Ren and the others.”

Frederick saluted, kicking his legs the other way. “Will do. Come on, let’s get this here job done!” He sped through the water, another Decidueye flying low above him.

Gaiden began to swim the other way, ignoring the Decidueye above him. “I will find you if it takes me years,” he thought.

~~~~

“Is something moving over there, or is it just me?” Cosma asked, hopping out of the boat, hovering over the water.

Ren leaned over, first looking toward the trees, then looking up. “I dunno, but we better get going soon; it looks like a storm’s coming.” Clouds now dominated the entire sky, covering the blue with a dull gray.

Ren squinted, dots gliding in front of the clouds. “Huh…wonder what those are.”

A Primarina looked up, humming softly. “Looks like the Decidueye are looking for something. No…wait. That one there isn’t one of them. What is it?”

Sion, Ren and Cosma looked up, studying the odd-shape out. Its legs weren’t tucked in, and it had large ears. It flew at an unlevel gait, constantly flapping its wings, and the occasional loud squawk-like noise could be heard.

“It can’t be…I thought he died at the shipwreck…” Ren gasped. The water in the distance was cut through by a swiftly approaching figure with black skin and a long pink tongue.

“He...he found us!” Cosma squealed.

“Ahoy!”

They turned at the sound, seeing a large Feraligatr burst out of the water and land on the boat, rocking it greatly. He struck a pose and showed off his teeth. “Why didn’t ye stay put when ye landed on that cursed beach?” he exclaimed.

“Frederick!” Sion exclaimed, astounded by the appearance.

The Feraligatr proceeded to embrace both Ren and Sion in a massive hug, squeezing the air out of them and pop more than a few joints. “Hah, I missed you young ‘uns. We feared you were taken by all sorts of dangerous creatures.”

“And who is this?”

He spun around, seeing Hera on top of the ship with a cross face. “I don’t believe we met.”

Frederick released his two captives and bowed, allowing breathing room for his two victims. “Apologies, yer ladyship. I’m Captain Frederick Feraligatr, freelance explorer of Equivos. I be the captain of the ship these three blokes arrived in.” He straightened up, scraping a claw on one of the seats. “And I say, this is a fancy boat!”

Cosma drifted in front of him and exclaimed, “He’s with us, don’t worry about him!”

“Yes, and don’t worry about us either.”

They turned around once more, where Gaiden and Ekon now stood, crossing their arms and glowering at their charges. “I’d have a mind to teach you what to do when your stranded on an island if I wasn’t so glad to see you,” Ekon stated, lowering his arms.

“Gaiden! Ekon! I’m so glad to see you too!” Cosma squealed, floating ecstatically around them.

Hera nodded appreciatively, going back into the water. “What a happy reunion! You can come with us to Bulu!”

“As will I.”

A Decidueye perched on the deck, his wings closed and his head turned to Cosma. “This will be the only time I could guide the child of the sun and moon in my lifetime. I may as well take the chance now.”

Hera bowed her head. “Chief Yurok, it has been a long time.” She looked back up. “Where is Elder Avera?”

Yurok’s face saddened. “She unfortunately passed last night. After I assist in bringing the Cosmog to Bulu, I must return to Koko’s Abode, so I can join the rest of my tribe in mourning.”

“It will be my pleasure.” Hera replied. Primarina came up from the water and dropped a bundle of berries and Magikarp onto the boat, the fish still and lifeless. Hera nodded agreeably. “We are now ready to leave. Just pack the food into the space below, and we’ll be on our way.”

Ekon sighed, leaning down and gathering a bundle of food. “About time we did something that was easy.”

The reunited adventurers hastily put the supplies beneath the trapdoors under their feet, proceeding to sit on the benches. The clouds grew thicker and darker, a distant rumble echoing from them.

Ren stamped his foot, pointing onward. “Let’s get going!” He exclaimed. The harnessed Primarina remained still, looking about them fearfully.

Sion looked down to Hera, who floated to his right. “What’s going on?” The rumble echoed again, this time coming from the woods.

Hera peered over toward them, scanning the trees. “There’s someone there…”

Three spears launched from the fringe, all flying toward the boat. Everyone scrambled out of the way, allowing them to impale into the woodwork. The spears had thick ropes tied onto the them, tightening across the beach.

Gaiden prepared a shuriken and hissed, “Ambush.”

Unseen figures began to pull on the ropes, dragging the boat toward shore. Hera gasped, swimming around it and in front of her subordinates. “Pull away! They’re trying to beach us!” The Primarina began to pull hard, fighting with the unseen Pokemon to pull away.

Ren and Ekon worked together to pull out a spear, the projectile zipping back into the woods. “Are there any other Pokemon in there?”

Hera came over to him, worried. “The Lycanroc aren’t clever enough for such a scheme, and the Decidueye don’t make such things. It couldn’t be anyone…” She gasped, a memory resurfacing. “Unless it’s the lost tribe.”

Another spear flew back, loosed by Sion and Frederick. “One more and we’ll be away from this trouble!” Frederick shouted, jumping toward the final lock.

A red, bipedal Pokemon darted from the fringe, roaring mightily as they bolted toward the boat. He had large fangs and sharp claws, and a ring of fire around his hips. His thick limbs clomped along the sand and ground to a halt in front of the boat, his belt glowing with fiery power.

The leader of the group growled, leaping onto the craft, landing between Frederick and Sion and shoving them away. He stood undaunted as Yurok drew a feather, Ren lifted his fists, Gaiden drew his stars, and Ekon and Frederick raised their claws. Sion backed away, remaining in the corner of the boat with Cosma.

The cat chuckled, taking the spear and holding it high. “Did you really think you could escape from the Incineroar that easily?” He threw the spear away, the fire from his belt rising. “Don’t attack unless you want this precious boat of yours to go up in flames. My name is Zacharan, and I will be taking one of you with me.”

Frederick laughed cruelly, stepping forward. “So ye say, scaredy-cat. Tell me, what makes ya think we’ll let you do that?”

Zacharan pointed at Cosma, the Cosmog eeping with fear. “I want her. The Ultra Beasts promised my tribe that we’d be spared once they unite Ultra Space. Also, it will give me glory enough to become chief.”

Hera glanced fearfully at the fire that arose, sparks jetting off and falling from him. “We can’t allow that; if you want to drive them away, let us bring her to Fini. Where’s your chief? I want to speak with him.”

Zacharan suddenly roared, stamping the boat, making it rock unsteadily. “There is none! Ever since the storms years ago took away our last and greatest, Zacheus the Warrior!”

Sion suddenly stood up and exclaimed, “I know him!”

Zacharan whipped around and stomped toward Sion, his claws hovering near his throat. “He died three-hundred years ago, after we saw him go past the mist! How could you possibly know him?”

Sion drew back, standing on the edge of the boat. “I at least remember him from history. He was captured by evil Pokemon when a great hero called Laryon Lucario saved our lands. He fought fearlessly within their base, destroying it and helping many innocent Pokemon escape. Azure Lucario, Zacheus’ friend, wanted to help him recover from their cruelty, and he repaid the favor by killing one of the evil Pokemon’s leaders.” The storm began to worsen, lightning bolting across the sky and thunder booming.

Zacharan growled, his claws drawing closer. “How do I know you’re not lying to save your skin? Why would it matter?”

“Because I know he was an honorable Pokemon, helping others to do what was right. Is bringing Cosma to the Pokemon who want to destroy your home really the right thing?”

Zacharan’s arm fell, his inner fury receding. He turned to Cosma, seeing the fear in her eyes, and then to the coastline, where three other Incineroar could be seen past the trees.

He sighed, and said, “I’m—”

An ear-splitting screech coursed through the sky, cutting him off and causing all to cover their ears as it came once more. Bolts of electricity focused on a point high in the sky, the screeching continuing through the air. One final pulse struck the point, and a vortex of dark clouds and spiraling white light opened in the sky.

Cosma looked up in terror. “The Ultra Beasts…they’re back.” Six dots could be seen, three zooming toward the distant Bulu Island, and the others flying towards the boat.

“What have I done?”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 37: Ultra Pursuit

“We have to go, now!” Ekon exclaimed, the sea beginning to stir.

Zacharan looked at the oncoming shapes and hissed. “I’ll gather my tribe and attack them to buy you time. Escape to Bulu!” He leapt off the boat and rushed back to the beach, barking out orders to his subordinates.

Yurok spread his wings and flapped, rising into the air. “I’ll gather the Decidueye; we cannot let the Ultra Beasts catch you. Farewell!” he shouted, the wind growing in intensity. He ascended the skies, flying toward Koko’s abode to rouse his warriors.

“Onward, sisters, to Bulu!” Hera ordered. The Primarina pulled on the ropes, moving the raft forward. Gradually, they picked up speed, the Ultra Beasts speeding towards them still.

Ren peered behind him, slamming his paw on the bench. “Those guys are too fast! How are we going to drive them off?”

The shapes of Pheromosa, Buzzwole and Nihilego drew near Koko, the former being held up by the latter in their pursuit. Over a dozen streams of fire suddenly erupted from the woods, engulfing the Ultra Beasts in a deadly flame.

Ren made a low whistle, almost tempted to clap. “Alright, that was pretty good.”

The flames soon dissipated, the Beasts seeming to be no worse for wear. Pheromosa turned to Buzzwole, said something to him, and the hulking Ultra Beast darted into the woods, where many shouts of anger and dismay echoed out. Brief flashes of green and red light bolted out, and Buzzwole flew away, rejoining Pheromosa.

Frederick groaned, chewing on his claws. “They didn’t last more than a few seconds…”

“Yeah, and that one guy seemed like a tough fighter…” Ekon said, clenching the bench so hard the wood began to bend.

Sion heard little, hearing only the slight, muffled voices of his peers as the seas began to rage further. His mind, however, became sharper, clearer, as the inner being began to voice his thoughts once more.

“Those Ultra Beasts are a bad lot. I mean, imagine what would happen to Equivos if their plans manage to go through? Mass chaos, with Ultra Space changing everybody. And do you know who just might botch it for you?” Arthus asked sarcastically.

“Ren,” Sion replied, turning to the Lucario blankly.

“Precisely. Now, when the right moment comes—”

“Hold me, please! I’m scared!” Cosma cried, scooting underneath Sion’s legs and shivering. Arthus’ presence fled, bringing with it a dulling of Sion’s mind, and clarity to his senses.

He held his head, pain throbbing. “What…what did you say?” Sion gasped, the loss of connection bringing a horrible sense of loss with it.

Cosma lifted, particles blowing from her as she did. “Hold me tight! The wind’s strong, and I don’t want to get blown off.” Sion complied, wrapping the cloak around her while he held her.

Frederick looked down into the water, watching the water batter against the craft. He turned back to Ren and asked, “Do ya know if this thing has any extra rope?”

Ren dug into the trap door compartments, searching through the seemingly-endless food. “What do you need it for?” he yelled, the rain beating against his ears.

Frederick crouched next to him, stuffing the occasional berry into his mouth. “I got an idea to get us there quicker.”

~~~~

Pheromosa looked down from above, the Primarina and their passengers rapidly becoming more distant. “We must catch that Cosmog before the wormhole closes! Hurry!” Nihilego hovered unsteadily in the wind, hastily closing the gap between her and the boat.

Buzzwole edged ahead, his arms thrust out in front of him. “That Cosmog shall die!” He willed his wings to move faster, and he experiences a surge of speed, nearly going beyond the coast of Koko before an arrow shot his arm.

He growled, yanking it out and stopping in the air. “Where are you, coward!” Another arrow struck, thudding into the Ultra Beast’s chest. Buzzwole followed the trajectory, seeing a group of birds at their origin.

Pheromosa closed in on Buzzwole, glaring at the Decidueye. “We mustn’t waste time with those fowl. Come!” Another arrow sailed through the air with a purple tint, soaring right between Pheromosa and Buzzwole.

Buzzwole made a hoarse laugh, charging forward. “Ha, you missed!”

“No they did not, you fool!”

Buzzwole looked down, seeing Pheromosa hanging by her legs on a thin wisp of shadow, held together by a purple set of shackles. She dangled helplessly, craning her head and grabbing hold of Buzzwole’s legs.

Nihilego drifted to her and lifted her body, allowing her to grab onto the other Ultra Beast. “They have used some sort of binding technique on your shadows!”

Pheromosa and Buzzwole turned their attention to the Decidueye, who began to encircle them in the air. “I doubt this will remain for long, but we are wasting valuable time. Can you eliminate the birds?”

Buzzwole cracked his knuckles, light pulsing through his limbs. “With little trouble. Nihilego!”

The smaller Ultra Beast grabbed hold of Pheromosa’s arms, and Buzzwole charged toward a Decidueye, throwing a glowing fist at it. The Decidueye deftly dodged, a faint shadow of the Pokémon in its wake.

Pheromosa, facing the sky, called out, “They must have some sort of ghostly powers. Try another approach!”

Buzzwole buzzed irritably, shooting a Decidueye a glare. His proboscis glowed an eerie green, and a neon needle shot from it, impaling one of the owls. The Decidueye squawked in agony as the needle pulsed with red veins, sapping the life from it. The needle faded, the red veins of energy trailing back to Buzzwole, and the carcass fell into the ocean, feathers floating in the harsh winds and dark skies.

Buzzwole exhaled, his body glowing crimson with power. “That was a good young one. Let us be rid of these fools.” He swung around and hovered backwards, Pheromosa now facing the Decidueye.

She held out her arms, now glittering with silvery sparkles. They drifted from her in the wind, beating against what Decidueye they struck. More burst from the Ultra Beast’s ‘hair’, choking the area around her in a storm of Silver Wind.

A large Decidueye with a troupe of five others encircled them, beating their wings rapidly to keep the dust away. It gradually funneled into the Ultra Beast’s zone, buffeting them instead of their targets.

Sparkles bouncing off his proboscis, he shielded his eyes and roared, “Dispel this blasted dust!”

~~~~

Frederick tied the final note around one of the boats loops, then saluted to the stormy sea. “All set and ready to swim!” He then flopped into the water, with Gaiden diving in on the other side. They both swam forward, pulling the ropes tight, and dragging the craft to even higher speeds, the waves rising high above them..

Ren tied more rope around himself, Sion, Ekon, and Cosma, looping it around another loop. He then sat down in the raft and held tight, the waves knocking them to the left and right. “Why did this have to happen to us today?” he exclaimed, shaking his fist to the sky.

Ekon eyed the water, where dark shapes moaned eerily. “There’s something down there, and I don’t think they’re here to help us.”

A large metallic eye poked above the surface, glaring at the Noivern. It moaned once more, floating higher, a giant anchor attached to the compass-shaped eye. Seaweed coated the arms, and a wooden wheel spun rapidly about the center.

Ekon reared back and roared, intense soundwaves beating against the Pokémon. It blew backwards, spiraling upside-down and landing in the water.

“What was that thing?” Ren demanded, pulling on the rope to ensure it was tight.

Hera came up and replied, “That was a Dhelmise, and there’s many more coming! I’ll try to hold them off, but that wormhole is driving them to attack us more than before!” She dove back down, her beautiful-yet-painful voice rising up from a distant attack.

Another Dhelmise arose, it's anchor swinging in half-circles as its wheel spun rapidly. Ekon groaned, untying his rope and lifting his wings. “Guess I’ll have to deal with them myself.” He rose into the air, flapping vigorously to maintain balance in the game, attacking the Dhelmise with another Boomburst.

~~~~

Thunder boomed as Matheus and Hoopa collapsed on the shore of the Isle of Regret, their dinghy drifting back into the ocean and crashing into the rocks. The waves coated the rocks, threatening to consume the Legend and Myth as they scrambled up.

“Come on, into the caves!” Matheus panted, scraping his paws across the slickened boulders.

Hoopa averted his eyes from the rain, floating unsteadily through the wind. “You don’t think I know that?” He shouted.

After what seemed like hours of traversing the perilous terrain, they sprinted into Mewtwo’s former treasure cavern, where the torch in the center continued to blaze brightly for them to see.

Rain began to fall, coming down in torrents across the entirety of Equivos. Matheus chuckled nervously, lookin out into the waves. “You don’t suppose our Forgotten Explorers are alright?”

Hoopa hovered around the treasures that lay protected under the torch. “In a storm like that, nobody’s safe.” His hand hovered near a green gem with a golden band surrounding it, a purple flame glowing in the center.

“I wouldn’t touch that if you wish to live.”

Hoopa made a shout of fear, looking above and below him for the source. “Mewtwo? Where are you?”

Matheus came over, vigorously searching for the Legend. “How did you get here?” he exclaimed incredulously.

“Oh, I’m not really here. That torch is an amplification device; it ensures that my full power remains near my treasures, which your little thief nearly took.”

Matheus gave Hoopa a nasty look, who held his hands up defensively and shrunk back. “Hey, I thought it needed a polish,” he defended.

“No matter. It is madness out here Matheus; a giant hole in the sky opened in a scream, and I got my first glimpse of the Ultra Beasts.” Mewtwo’s voice shuddered. “I can’t believe I welcomed their transformation. I have seen the antics of all six of them, and they are no ordinary beings. Here, let me demonstrate.”

The torch flared up, and Matheus and Hoopa’s heads suddenly filled with pain, their vision blackening. In a hazy, mist-contorted vision, they saw three alien beings up in the sky. The red spun around, while the white being kicked her legs, striking down many brown-and-green birds in her way. They began to retreat, with the largest remaining in the now increasing downpour.

~~~~

The bird grunted, looking toward a towering tree in the distance. “Will you not come defend your followers, great Tapu!” he cried. He narrowly dodged a splat of purple liquid from the tentacled Ultra Beast, swerving around in the increasing gales.

The red being pulled at a string of purple light at his feet, a snapping sound ripping from it. “Cursed shadow, let me be free!” The light tore away, dissipating in fading gas, and the white Ultra Beast began to fall.

“Help me, Nihilego!” she screamed. The clear Ultra Beast zoomed downward, catching the arms of her just before she fell into the waves.

As they rose, Nihilego arced her head down and stated, “Pheromosa, Buzzwole has begun following the Cosmog again! We must hurry!”

Buzzwole thrust his arms out, red lightning arcing from his shoulders. He made a cruel chuckle as the Primarina’s craft became gradually larger. “Equivosians are all too easy.”

~~~~

Matheus gasped, lying on his back in the cave. He stood up, looking down at Hoopa, who awoke as he had. “They’re…they’re…”

“Unimaginably horrible?” Hoopa said, his teeth chattering.

“Yes, yes! How in the world did those things ever grow to be so powerful?” He gazed at his paws, a soft blue glow emanating from them. “It rivals even my own strength. I…I could feel it.”

“That is because that large one they call Buzzwole uses Life just as Arthus did.” Mewtwo replied, his voice becoming more distant. “I…go…must find…secure…” His voice faded from their minds, the torch suddenly ceasing to blaze.

~~~~

“Incoming!” Frederick roared, swatting away a Dhelmise with his tail. Gaiden thrust out of the water and struck the eye of the flying Pokemon sending it spinning away from them.

Ekon flew overhead, sending a cascade of sound and claws upon the Dhelmise when he could. The Pokemon retaliated with seaweed whips and the swinging of their anchor bodies, near-misses happening all around the vulnerable craft.

Only Sion, Ren and Cosma remained in the boat, with Ren continually checking the ropes, and Sion holding Cosma close to his chest. The rain pelted them, soaking their fur and making the floor slick and dangerous. Behind them, the Ultra Beasts continued to close in.

Ren looked back and gasped. “The Decidueye! They didn’t stop them!” A Dhelmise rose from the water, moaning heavily and spinning its wheel. “Gah!” Ren cried, punching the eye and kicking it away. The Dhelmise spun out of control and splashed into the water.

“Whew. Still got it.” He sighed, looking down at his paws. He looked over to Sion and commented, “Good work keeping Cosma there. We certainly don’t want to lose her after so long.”

But he wasn’t listening. He felt empty, alone, without Arthus hovering in the front of his thoughts. He used to loathe the presence of the Usurper, but now it felt as needed as air or water; he had to have his ancestor’s guidance.

He looked down at his claws, rain drops dribbling off as they shook. “What’s going on with me?” he whispered, closing his claws.

Cosma noticed this, hugging Sion tighter. “You’re not cold, are you? I don’t want you to get sick!”

Sion shook his head, pulling the cloak tighter around them. “No…but there’s something else.”

“Whoa!” Ren shouted, a multi-colored fish jumping over his head. It plopped into the water, swimming back around and gnashing its sharp teeth toward them.

The Lucario held his paws up offensively, furrowing his brow. “That’s no Wishiwashi!” The strange fish leapt once more, its pearly whites glowing pink.

A stream of water blasted onto the fish, pushing it behind them. Hera came up from the water, concern clouding her face. “Not Bruxish too! Ren, help me keep them away, please! There’s too many!” She dove into the water again, her voice penetrating to their assailants.

Ren heard scratching against the boat, and looking down, noticed the grinding teeth of a Bruxish against the wood. He pressed his paws together and shot a metallic beam at the creature, striking three more below the surface. “Give me all you got!”

~~~~

The Ultra Wormhole shrunk ever-so-slightly, a barely audible screech emanating from the center. Buzzwole reeled around, gazing at the exit from Equivos, the boat gradually retreating from him. “It can’t be that time already!”

“Yes, it is, Buzzwole, so we must hurry!” Pheromosa shouted, hastily catching up to her ally.

Buzzwole nodded, zipping toward the raft once more. “That Cosmog will be spread across the islands before she can even mutter her own name.”

Boom!

Crash!

All turned toward Koko’s Abode, where a massive bolt of lightning struck the crown of the tree. A burning light remained, the thunder thudding into the heads of all Pokemon in the Forgotten Isles.

A figure lay in the center of the light, in the shape of a bird, with a crown of feathers and a tuft under its chin. It split in the middle, a black Pokemon emerging from within.

“The Guardian of the Skies has awoken!”

The two halves of the mask lifted up, and the mohawked Pokemon thrust toward the Ultra Beasts, sparks of electricity in his wake.

He halted several yards in front of Buzzwole, his breathing steady and his head lowered. “You have trespassed my domain one too many times, Ultra Beasts. I, Tapu Koko, shall send you back to your realm!” Lightning struck the sea below, electrocuting the denizens within.

Buzzwole cracked his knuckles, punching the air in front of him. “Bring it on!”

~~~~

“Why do you ask me to do these things?”

“It is for the best. Follow my commands!”

“No, I can’t! My family!”

“They will be left in my care. Do it!”

“I will bury you before you even get a glimpse into their thoughts!”

“You know you won’t, because now, I am in power.”

“No! Arceus, save me!”

Boom!

Arceus’ quill clattered to the ground, his many arms retracting into his body. He gazed outside, the storm forcing the many lights of the Luminescent Woods away, and even the Tree of Life to quake.

He stood, now looking at the crystal that dominated the center of his abode. “I remember those words years ago, from an individual not unlike a young explorer I know.” Visions of Sion appeared in the crystal, soon replaced by a cunning, grinning Zoroark in a dark expanse.

Arceus lifted the quill with a mystical glowing tendril, looking sadly at it. “Even the creator of worlds cannot interfere in lives of mortal Pokemon. My duty is to contain the lives of the good Pokemon that left this world, and nothing more.”

He knelt down, taking the quill to the pages in front of him. “Now, like 300 years ago, I wish so much to help my children.” Thunder boomed once more, as in the crystal, Tapu Koko and Buzzwole hovered in the air, the storm creating a field for war between supreme warriors.

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 38: Storming Showdown

Tapu Koko surged toward Buzzwole, the Ultra doing the same. They clashed together in a spray of crimson and golden lightning, the two energies coursing from the almighty beings.

The twin shields of the Tapu and the massive limbs of the Ultra Beast met, the two wrestling in the storm clouds. “I shall banish you to your dimension once more, Beast!”

Buzzwole’s proboscis glowed green, his hands latching onto Tapu Koko’s mask. “So you say, Guardian of the Skies.”

Behind Tapu Koko, Pheromosa jabbed a finger at the Tapu and exclaimed, “Poison him Nihilego!” The clear Ultra Beast reared back, a purple glob appearing under her head, just above her commander’s head.

Tapu Koko roared mightily, sending a jolt of electricity through Buzzwole’s arms. The Ultra Beast drew back, grunting as the volts coursed through his limbs. The Tapu remained, his shields free.

Buzzwole shuddered as the electricity left him, aiming his nose directly for Tapu Koko. “You’ll pay for that!” The emerald spear launched, sailing toward the Tapu.

Tapu Koko lunged upward, the spike jutting toward Nihilego and Pheromosa. The spear struck Nihilego’s head, siphoning away her energy, while dropping Pheromosa and the glob of poison underneath her head. The glob landed on the falling Ultra Beast, coating her head in the poisonous substance as she fell to the ocean.

“Idiot!” Pheromosa screeched as she and Nihilego fell.

Buzzwole dove toward them, calling back the Fell Stinger, saving Nihilego from further siphoning. He slid underneath them, catching them in his arms, the seas licking at his limbs.

He looked down at them and seethed. “How was I to know he would use such a tactic?” The poison on Pheromosa’s head began to steam, burning away the plating around her body.

Buzzwole turned to the wormhole, distant from his current position. He pulled Nihilego away from Pheromosa, unconscious from the stinger, and pulled Pheromosa back. “You’d best return to Ultra Space, so Xurkitree can wash the poison from you. I’ll take care of the Cosmog.” Before she could respond, he threw her like a javelin towards the wormhole, the Ultra Beast soaring through the storming skies, becoming a speck as she shot into the wormhole.

He looked down at Nihilego and added, “Your loss for being behind that fool.” He balled her up and spun around, chucking her like a discus, disappearing just as Pheromosa did in the wormhole.

Buzzwole turned around, seeing Tapu Koko hovering several feet above the water as he was. “Why did you not attack while I sent my allies to recover? You could have easily struck me down with your bolts.”

“It is dishonorable in the art of war to attack a soldier saving his allies. I offer that courtesy to all I face.” Tapu Koko replied, glowering at the Ultra Beast.

Buzzwole chuckled, punching his fists together. “I only save them so I can take this world for myself later. I cannot join these worlds by myself after all.” His proboscis glowed once, his four legs scraping against the highest waves. “Your energy will be no small addition to my power, Tapu.” He launched his Fell Stinger, and Tapu Koko threw a bolt of lightning at the invader.

~~~~

“We’re halfway there!” Hera called, striking down a Dhelmise with her flipper. Bruxish and Dhelmise combined forces to assault the raft, only to be struck down by deadly shurikens, claws, voices, or punches when they attempted. The sea grew in size and rage, the waves tossing the raft back and forth as the Primarina struggled to get to their safe haven, Bulu Island.

Punching a Bruxish out of the air, Ren looked behind him, watching as Buzzwole and Tapu Koko warred against each other. “I’m missing the fight of the century because of a few fish!” He fumed, kicking at a Bruxish nibbling at the woodwork.

Frederick tugged alongside the Primarina, cackling wildly as he sunk his teeth into a nearby Bruxish. “Hrmpf, scrumf—pphaa! Terrible flavor!” He shouted, rinsing his mouth in seawater. “Taste like rocks they do!”

Ekon dove down, punting a Dhelmise back into the waves. “Whaddayou expect, they’re eating a boat!” He soon flew back up, narrowly dodging the spinning anchor of another Dhelmise.

All the while, Sion began to sink further into his thoughts, unaware of what was happening around him. “What is going on with me?” He thought, feeling a pit of emptiness within his chest.

Lightning coursed across the sky, the inevitable boom of thunder rolling after. Cosma eeked, crawling out of Sion’s grip and underneath the bench. “I want to be home! I want land! I don’t want to die!” She pouted, sobs emanating from underneath Sion.

Sion felt the heavy but relieving presence of Arthus return, the cloak somehow feeling tighter along his body. “Why do you keep disappearing like that?” He asked mentally.

“I’ll tell you after you cut open that Bruxish flying for your face!” Arthus roared. Sion uncontrollably swerved around slashed the air, cutting a Bruxish in two, watching it flop helplessly back into the sea.

Sion stared wide-eyed at his claws, which no had a thin layer of blood along them. “How…how did you…” He stammered.

“You can thank me later. Now, about me disappearing: Cosma has special properties she inherited from her parents, one of them being the ability to banish foreign presences, from Pokemon to entire worlds. As I would not normally be part of you, she can drive me off with but a few words, or completely remove me if you’re in contact with her.”

“So…I shouldn’t touch her if I want you to help me?”

“Precisely. Dodge that anchor over your head.”

Sion looked up and gasped, rolling forward as a Dhelmise swung down, splitting the bench he previously sat in.

The Dhelmise floated upward, inspecting the carnage if caused. Cosma squeezed out from underneath, hurriedly hiding underneath the other nearby bench. “Eek! Hide me!”

Ren turned back, flopping his arms on his legs. “Aw, you ruined my streak!” He jumped and kicked the Dhelmise back into the waves, as he had done with countless others.

He set a paw on Sion’s shoulder, looking at him desperately. “I need as much help as I can get to keep these things away. Can you help? Please?”

Sion stared at him, the Ren from the ship they had arrived on gone, and replaced with this brand-new version of him. Would he have asked for his help before? Before they were stranded? Before they got to know each other? Was he really as horrible as Arthus said?

The Zoroark smiled, setting his claws on Ren’s shoulder. “Sure.”

~~~~

“Is that the best you can do, god?” Buzzwole exclaimed, pumping is arms and emitting a dull red haze. He grunted loudly, charging for the zipping Tapu Koko and throwing a punch, landing a blow on the Tapu’s sturdy shields.

Tapu Koko discharged a wall of lightning around him, driving the Ultra Beast away. “I am only a guardian, not a god!” He roared, sending an electroball toward Buzzwole.

Buzzwole jerked to the left, the electricity dissipating in the air. Buzzwole charged another Fell Stinger, the thorn spiraling towards Tapu Koko moments after he begun. The thorn missed its target, soaring below and impaling multiple Bruxish and Wishiwashi, sapping away their energy and letting it flow into its owner.

Tapu Koko looked down in disgust. “How are you able to strike such souls with no heart? Your power should not be capable of such things!”

Buzzwole chuckled maliciously, flexing his arms. “I need to take energy just as you need to eat food, Pokemon. Without this or Ultra Space, I’d shrivel away, like those short-lived creatures I just took from.” He whipped around, watching the Ultra Wormhole shrink once more in size, a whine of dismay emanating from it.

The Ultra Beast turned once more to the raft, edging away swiftly from his sights. “I cannot be diverted from my purpose!” he exclaimed, buzzing toward the ship at high speeds.

Tapu Koko gave chase, the storm of lightning following his path.

~~~~

“You have spikes as harder than iron on your paws, yet you can’t make a spark!” Hoopa exclaimed, swatting the back of Matheus’ head. The storm grew in intensity, the rain pouring through the entrance as the Lucario attempted to light the massive torch in the center of the cave.

Matheus quickly pushed away the Myth, continuing to scrape a rock against one of his spikes. “It’s harder than it looks you know! And besides, it was linked to Mewtwo, how do we know it isn’t something that can’t be lit?”

Hoopa picked up one of the gems, eyeing it greedily. “I dunno, but I think I’ll be keeping this.”

The torch suddenly sputtered to life, causing Hoopa to drop the gem with a squeak. Matheus stepped back, the flame wheezing as the one it was linked with began to speak.

“You fools…where are you?” Mewtwo roared, sounding desperate.

“We had to return to the Isle of Regret; the storm was too much!” Matheus exclaimed.

Mewtwo made a defeated groan, the flame weakening in resolve. “There’s not enough time…not enough time at all…” He paused for a moment, then the two visitors heard a sharp intake of breath. “Maybe there is something than can work…”

~~~~

Sion slashed at a Dhelmise, dodging a flying Bruxish as he did. “Leap right, cut front, lean forward. That’s right, keep moving!” Arthus ordered, his presence meshing even more with Sion’s mind. The Zoroark made no qualms with following Arthus’ direction now; he needed to protect himself and Cosma, and without the Usurper he’d be a worthless wreck in the ocean.

Ren swung around and dealt a blow to a Dhelmise’s eye, cracking the glass that made it. It moaned in agony, the eye looking wildly around and the Dhelmise spinning its anchor even faster.

“Yeesh, do you have to do that!” Ren complained, grabbing the anchor as it swung around, bringing the Dhelmise to a halt. The Lucario then swung it around him and threw it far into the water, cracking it against another Dhelmise.

Ren sighed in relief, rolling his shoulder. “I’ve only just warmed up!”

~~~~

Tapu Koko wove in front of Buzzwole, bringing together the two halves of his mask. “You shall not destroy the daughter of the moon!” he ordered.

Buzzwole flitted to the right, and Tapu Koko followed. He zipped upward with the same results. He punched the mask, not even leaving a mark.

Buzzwole buzzed angrily, inspecting the barrier. His antennae twitched, and his nose began to glow. “Good luck dodging this!” He let the thorn loose, soaring toward the Tapu.

Tapu Koko cracked open and dodged underneath the thorn, the green needle arcing toward the ocean. “What did you expect with such a maneuver?” Tapu Koko inquired, perplexed. He studied its trajectory, seeing that it arced precisely where the raft would soon be.

“No!” Tapu Koko exclaimed, flying toward the rapidly diminishing boat. Buzzwole made a cruel chuckle, following the pursuant Legend.

“There’s more than one way to kill a Cosmog.”

~~~~

The Dhelmise began to finally retreat, taking with them many wounded or dead members of their kind. The Bruxish did as well, the storm hiding their retreat to the defenders above. Despite the ferocity of the storm, peace began to air among the Primarina and their charges.

Frederick popped up from above, spitting repeatedly. “Gah! Don’t taste better the second itme either!” Lightning crashed into the ocean mere yards away, electrocuting the water beneath it. The Feraligatr paled and said, “Come on, we can’t stop now! We still have the mother of all storms over our heads!” The Primarina, despite their exhaustion, made another surge through the water, ignoring the rapidly approaching Tapu behind them.

Ren laughed weakly, rubbing is paws. “They’ve stopped…finally.” He came next to Sion, who breathed heavily, and said, “You did a good job, helping me back there.” He looked under the intact bench, where Cosma slept peacefully, lulled to sleep by her tears and the rocking of the waves. “At least we won’t have to worry about losing her.”

Sion turned to him, looking at him with a somewhat-blank look. Ren cocked his head curiously, waving his paw over the Zoroark’s eyes. “Sion? You sleeping with your eyes open or something?” No response came. Agitated, Ren shook his shoulders. “Come on, say something!”

Sion’s claws wrapped around Ren’s arms, the blank look suddenly turning alert. He pulled on the Lucario’s arms, causing him to lean forward.

Ren pulled back, looking down to the water. “This isn’t the time for games Sion! What’re you doing?”

Sion’s cloak pulsed with veins of red as the Zoroark made his move,, thunder crashing and lightning streaking across the sky. He whirled around the Lucario and shoved his chest, causing him to step back unsteadily.

Ren caught his balance, falling to the floor. He looked up, baring his teeth. “Stop it Sion! I mean it!” The Zoroark frowned, kicking at Ren.

He rolled to the left, grabbing hold of Sion’s arm and pinning it behind his back. “What is up with you?” He growled, forcing him to sit on the bench. Sion leaned forward and flipped Ren on his back, causing him to groan on the broken pieces of the other bench.

He stood up, losing his grip on the boards several times as he did. The waves rose over ten feet above the raft, making any one of them liable to submerge the raft, yet none did.

Ren looked to the water, then back at Sion. “You’re not…trying to get me off, are you?” Sion made no reply, only sweeping Ren’s legs and sending him back to the floor. While he recovered, Sion picked Ren up over his head with uncharacteristic strength, leaning towards the ocean.

Ren stared at the depths in horror, kicking Sion’s head and falling back to the floor, hastily crouching. “I won’t be that easy!”

The Primarina, Gaiden, Frederick, even Ekon paid no attention to their scuffle as Sion continued to grab onto Ren’s limbs and push him ever closer towards the rising seas, all intent on reaching Bulu island as fast as their bodies would allow.

Sion suddenly raised his arms and bared his fangs, an inky shadow coming up from under him. The shadow rose up behind him taking the shape of a lanky lupine figure, with deep red eyes and a snarling snout. It leaned over Sion and hovered a paw over Ren, the Lucario paralyzed by the piercing red eyes.

Sion finally said a sentence, in a deep, silky voice. “Farewell, Son of Laryon.” The shadows arm rose once more, ready to sweep Ren into the sea.

A flash of emerald swept through the air, sailing past Ren and Sion’s ears embedding itself in the wood just above Cosma’s head—pinning Sion’s cloak. It began to pulse, and the shadow melted before them Sion making staggering breaths as it did. He emanated wispy red mist, all trailing into the emerald thorn, all making a crimson thread into the sky.

Sion pulled at the cloak desperately, leaning on the ground and reaching for the thorn with his other free claw. A massive wave rose over them, and Ren failed to see it.

The thorn came free from the wood, but not the cloak. Sion fell forward and pushed Ren, causing him to teeter on the brink of death. “No no no no no!” He cried, attempting to regain balance.

~~~~

Tapu Koko halted in the air, witnessing the effects of Buzzwole’s Fell Stinger. He turned to see the massive wave coming to engulf the raft, and dove toward the raft, ducking underneath the bench and sweeping Cosma into his arms. “I cannot let you be lost!”

Buzzwole caught up to him, the red thread surging into his chest. “What is this being that feeds me so? They must have enormous strength!” As the wave towered over the raft, Buzzwole’s arm split open with red bolts of electricity.

Buzzwole coughed violently, covering the wound that mysteriously appeared on his arm. “It cannot…be!” he wheezed, his wings faltering, the Ultra Beast falling towards the roiling depths.

Tapu Koko gazed at the descending Ultra Beast, turning his attention to the wormhole, which continued to shrink. “I must get rid of him before the gate closes!” he shouted, zooming toward his rapidly falling enemy.

Buzzwole’s armor continued to split, the thread from Sion’s cloak continuing to feed into Buzzwole. “Too…much…power…” he slurred, his wings fluttering helplessly.

Tapu Koko dove underneath his and grabbed Buzzwole’s arm, and begun to spin rapidly. The wormhole continued to shrink, making a few last, pitiful whines, three figures rising into it in its throes.

Tapu Koko finally released the Ultra Beast, sending him soaring into the air just as he did with Pheromosa and Nihilego only minutes before. The. Wormhole continued to shrink as the decaying Ultra Beast slipped through into his own world, the wormhole closing with an earsplitting clap.

~~~~

Ren looked up at the wave, finally standing still on the raft. Paling at the sight, he stood helplessly underneath it. He made one final glance at Sion, who continued to struggle under the draining effects of the thorn. He shook uncontrollably, and with a final burst of rage, he exclaimed, “I hate—”

The tsunami-sized wave consumed them, pushing the raft and all attached to it far from their intended course. The Primarina strained to keep the raft on course, as did Frederick and Gaiden, while Sion latched to underneath the bench, holding with all his might against the supporting plank.

In the corner of his vision, Sion saw Ren drifting away, pushing with his paws to get to the raft, hatred reflecting on his features. A wave from the surface crashed against him, sweeping the Lucario away, away from the sight of the descendant of Arthus.

End of Act 2: The Forgotten Explorers
I thank you all for reading this far, and I hope you will continue reading into Act 3, 'The Bestial Conflict', once I've finished revising the chapters I have posted here. Thanks to some extra time, the act is all planned out, so expect at least 1 chapter come the next update period. Until then, happy reading and reviewing!

 

[lucarioknight56]

Editing is going along smoothly; just finished all of Act 1, but until my cousin--my newly appointed editor--comes out with some more suggestions, I won't be posting them just yet. I doubt it'll be finished this week, but I assure you, it will be done by next Friday!

 

[canisaries]

Hi, I read Chapter 3. Here are some of my thoughts.

Sion exited the dojo, ready to face the world. Green grass sprouted around the light stone pathways, flowers popping from the rich soil. The path connected with another main circular one that surrounded the gray stone tower in front of him, the stone turning it into a permanent trail. The path encircled the tower, small offshoots extending to another four buildings. Surrounding this trail was the lawn, where Pokemon sat together and discussed, played, and had an enjoyable time.

The Master’s Tower rose in front of Sion, the dark stone worn with age. It was mostly featureless along the height of structure, changing at the top to a cylinder-shaped building on top. It had a large dome over it as a roof, and there was a series of windows encircling the stone wall. At the base of the tower there was a small set of stairs leading up to a large oaken door, with a large round doorknob set in the side. From the ground, one couldn't see anything except the dark figure within: Guildmaster Lukas, watching over the Guild.

This description in the beginning is nice for the most part, but the bolded parts feel redundant to me.

The vast lawn surrounding it boasted a variety of Pokemon; some were exploration teams discussing their next plan, others were parents teaching their children how to behave. Some were just lying on the grass enjoying the sky above.

It feels like this was already said once, but with a little less detail.

A Minun and Plusle squeal with delight, running toward Sion. They looked up, quickly stopping their fun, their faces blank.

It may have just been me, but first time reading this, it took me a while to realize they didn't know about Sion while running towards him. The phrasing could be different. For example, I think "running in Sion's direction" might be better.

To his right, a tall, white wooden building stood, a flag pole near its entrance showing the symbol of the Lucario Guild. It was three stories high, the first floor being the tallest. Exploration Teams constantly moved in and out of the structure, bringing completed and uncompleted requests for rescue with them. The first floor was devoted to the main gathering hall and a select few Exploration Teams; the second and third floors were reserved for team housing. Only teams and a select few other individuals were allowed inside.

I feel like a lot of this information is unnecessary. I know it's worldbuilding, but for that purpose, it could be better integrated to the action. For example:

Sion stopped for a moment, admiring the hall.

The description could have come as Sion was admiring the hall. Interaction makes things more connected and less out of place, unlike objective exposition. It also allows for action and description to happen simultaneously, instead of one stopping to give a short turn for the other and vice versa.

The window on the far wall emitted pale orange light, reminiscent of the time of day.

"Reminiscent" is kind of an odd word choice here. "Indicative" might be better?

She looked at Sion happily, setting the berries on the desk. "Welcome home Illusion!"

Real talk, Illusion is an adorable pet name for a Zoroark. Though, also real talk: when addressing another by their name or any name at all, there should be a comma before and/or after that. Examples:
"Jack, I don't think I can go on."
"But we're so close, Alice!"
"Hey, Jeremy, did you see that guy?" (not sure if both commas are mandatory here, actually, but you get the main point)

Mostly the reason for this is to avoid confusion. Compare:
"Let's eat, grandma!"
"Let's eat grandma!"

You won't run into risk of confusion in every case, but it's better to adhere to the rule.

Sion pointed at the picture and said, "Was Dad like Erik, or was he more like Arthus?"

She looked to Sion and replied, "You know the answer to that."

Another thing: you don't always need dialogue tags. You can take "and said" and "and replied" out here and have the lines of dialogue have their own sentences. It's obvious that they speak, and pretty clear from the situation who is speaking. I personally also prefer this because I find dialogue tags before dialogue clunky.

Also, on the subject of the picture, it feels a bit weird that someone who's implied to be bad in a way that seems to upset the characters would still have his picture on full display at all times. This could have been explained better - maybe he was very good before going bad and Corinne wants to remember his good side, but even then the picture could be in the closet.

To himself, he thought of one thing: "Am I destined to become a villain, like Arthus, or Dad? If that's the case, I'd rather have never been born."

This doesn't really feel like a natural structure of a thought. I'm not sure how else to explain this except by asking if you yourself would think this thought with these words if you were in the character's position.

To his right were portraits of other Lucario's,

Lucario is both the singular and the plural. Lucario's would be the plural's possessive, but you already have that in the of-structure.

At the top of the stairs was a round room, with windows embedded all around the wall. A bed sat farthest from the wall, a rounded table behind it to make it sit smoothly with the wall. To the right was a large desk with papers scattered on top of it, a table like the one next to the bed being present behind the desk, and a large cushioned chair sat away from it. To the left was a closet, the left door partially open, revealing a hook on the right side and the slight glimmer of Orbs within. A light fixture hung from the ceiling, the little lantern, providing enough light to illuminate the entire room when needed. Painted on the ceiling was the Arc of Arceus, the wooden roof coming from the age of Laryon as everything else had. A small round table stood in the center, and seven blue-cushioned chairs surrounded it.

There's nothing really wrong with this description, but there's another thing I should point out here. In the prose, buildings and rooms seem to be described in very elaborate detail, but in a static way. The story stops to review the room - which can be done, but only when the description is brief. However, here it feels as if every piece of furniture is listed.

I'm also going to refer back to my advice from before. If this was structured in a way in which a character interacts with the objects in question, it would be much more dynamic.

"Hopefully something will turn up to change his ways."

Ren's father seems like a pretty terrible parent. He knows his son is a jerk jock and tells him to stop, but when it doesn't work, he just gives up and hope someone else will do his actual fathering for him. What a slob.

On the distant shores, broken planks of wood lay scattered on a beach. The sky was clear of clouds, with hardly a gust of wind. The tide brushed softly against the sand, pushing in debris and pulling out nothing. Krabby scuttled on the beach, picking through the driftwood for good bits to eat.

This paragraph and the rest following it are nice and refreshing. I think it's because it describes the environment via an event, which combines description and action.

I know this critique was kinda nit-picky with few positive points, but the good qualities in this are pretty much evenly distributed throughout the prose, so they're hard to point out. Well, if nothing else, I hope this was at least constructive. Till next time.

 

[lucarioknight56]

Thanks for the review canisaries, I really appreciate it.

Alright, I've started posting the edited chapters, starting with 1-6. I'll be gradually posting them over the week, and post Chapter 39 on Friday. I'll be gone on Saturday, so I'll be unable to post. Keep an eye out!

EDIT: Egads, I didn't realize how much I used dead verbs in my descriptions...well...guess I'll have to devote time to rewording chapters like that instead of simply finding all the errors and fixing them. That'll have to wait for a different time, like when I'm working on the final story.

 

[lucarioknight56]

A bit of a shorter chapter this time around, but it'll do for a transitionary chapter. Enjoy the beginning of Act 3! Oh, by the way: This chapter serves the purpose of explaining the history of the Ultra Beasts, as I don't think I'll be able to get that done later on. A bit of a digression, I know, but I felt it had to be done!

Chapter 39: Dimensional Disasters

Beginning of Act 3: The Bestial Conflict

Within Ultra Space, six of the seven Ultra Beasts sat on their thrones, three watching the wormhole gradually shrink. Xurkitree stood over Pheromosa, siphoning the poison from her body with careful electrocutions, while Nihilego slept, drained by Buzzwole’s careless attack. The final Ultra Beast, Buzzwole, had not yet appeared.

Xurkitree inspected Pheromosa’s head, which was covered in purple stains and holes. “*zzt* You must stop insisting on aerial assaults if you don’t want this to happen again, Pheromosa. Nihilego may make a great carrier, but—”

Pheromosa pulled down his neck and glared into the soulless crystal that made his head. “I am well aware of the consequences!” she screamed. She gasped, leaning back and clutching her head. “Just…make me ready for the next excursion…”

Kartana hovered over the wormhole, now little more than a few feet across. “Doesn’t Buzzwole’s absence bother anyone else? He should be here by now.”

A red streak of light burst through the wormhole, coated in arcing red energy. It slammed against the ground, turning the crystals nearby crimson. It moaned in anguish, its shell continuing to split.

Xurkitree halted his cleansing process and rushed to the creature. “What have you done to yourself Buzzwole?” he shouted, plugging his tail into the ground and instantly shutting what wormhole there was left.

Buzzwole faced Xurkitree and gasped, “Release…power…now!”

Xurkitree’s head flashed colors as he flipped Buzzwole onto his back and placed his arm over it. He flashed scarlet and yelled, “Expel!”

The ground surged with crimson light, the energy transferring from the source Ultra Beast and into the crystals around him, causing them to turn red. The energy coursed into the walls and ceiling, coating each of the crystals in a spectral light.

Guzzlord looked above, watching the crystals thrum with power. “What did that idiot do!” he demanded.

Xurkitree looked around him, his head continuing to flash. “*zzap* It appears that he absorbed a large quantity of energy, so much that his body began to break down. Now that I’ve allowed the energy out of him, it is transferring into the crystals…and…” He made more static noise, his head glowing bright green. “He’s enhancing the genesis process!”

The crystals embedded in the ceiling and walls first faded to pink, then to red, continuing to pulse with Buzzwole's stolen energy. Shafts of crimson light cracked on the walls, the cave beginning to quake.

Kartana darted about, inspecting the crystals he grew. “They are changing...they have become stronger, energized!”

“Why is the room shaking? Will it collapse?” Pheromosa demanded, clutching at the edge of her throne.

The shaking quelled, the cracks still evident, and the crystals glowing with the crimson light. They hummed with power, more energy pouring from them as time passed.

Xurkitree removed his arm, leaving Buzzwole on the floor. Tendrils of dark mist wrapped around him, covering the breaks in his exoskeleton. “Ninety percent of his stored energy has been released. Crystals are now at eighty-eight percent capacity. Projected wormhole date:” His head glowed green, his arm wrapped around a crystal.

“Three days from now.”

~~~~

Thunder crashed a final time across Deitae, the winds slowing and the rain dispelling. The dark atmosphere remained, covering the sky in a gray haze, blocking the moon from sending her light to Equivos.

Arceus looked out from the Tree of Life, the crystal at its heart pulsing a sickly orange light. “Dark times may be ahead.” The Myth stamped his foot, changing the foggy vision into a crisp picture of the Equivos region, the Mist Wall at the fringe. The dark haze clouded the vision, making it impossible to see what events may be passing.

He stamped his foot once more, the fogginess returning to the crystal. “This time, the clouds will not leave...not until Ultra Space is permanently banished from my world.” He coughed, leaning forward, a tendril of mist snaking its way down his throat.

Arceus sighed, shaking his head. “Already the air has become sickly. If only I could have helped Solgaleo and Lunala retain their life...then this wouldn’t have happened.”

The crystal glowed purple, and a figure appeared within. It was a silver cat, with piercing blue eyes and a magnificent mane, sitting patiently, looking toward Arceus. “I feared that this day may come.”

Arceus breathed in sharply, an arm of light projecting from his arc. “Solgaleo?”

The cat remained still, taking no notice of Arceus’ statement. “If you are seeing this, then the day I and Lunala feared has come: The Ultra Beasts have found Equivos, and are attempting to merge their world with this one. We had hoped that our children would have assumed our duties before now, but unfortunately, they have not done so.”

The vision shifted to a purple bat, her wings closed and her red eyes gazing toward Arceus. “Lunala. How did you accomplish this?” Arceus asked.

“We are primordial Pokemon, just as you are Arceus; we have abilities to create just as you do. The Tree of Life responded to our command, and now we feel it is time to tell you our story, and where we came from.” Lunala stated, her form dissipating and a vision of a green, cloudless world, covered with crystals and dominated by vast mountains. Tendrils of white mist trailed between foreign creatures as they interacted with each other, whether it be play, business, or other affairs.

“We originated from Ultra Space, acting as the founders of the dimension. We made Ultra Wormholes, taking materials from different universes and assembling them into a vast dimension. In one dimension, we came across Sentia crystals.” A cluster of pearly white crystals came, glowing with a soft blue. “Sentia crystals gather life energy in the form of Aura, collecting it from nearby lifeforms. They also change even the smallest of creatures into strange and wonderful things. And so, the Ultra Beasts began to be.” Creatures grew from nothingness, each coming in diverse shapes and sizes.

“For years, we lived in peace. Just as you did, we watched from afar providing our light and only interfering when necessary. The Ultra Beasts continued to grow in number, thanks to the changing power of the Sentia crystals, and no conflicts arose.” The green hills continued outward, with the many creatures appearing once more.

“Hundreds of years later, however, a few began to want our power to create wormholes, to extend to other worlds and spread their kind. We disagreed, saying that we had no right to take the identity of other creations. This was the beginning of a bitter hatred toward us.” A group of strange beings approached the Legends, with one jabbing a finger and shouting angrily.

“As the years passed, we got continued requests to grant the wormholes to them, with the number requesting for it growing. We continued to deny it, with a faction of Ultra Beasts taking our side. This division continued to grow, and soon, there were no neutral parties.” Two groups appeared, and all drifted from one side or the other. The perfect sky was replaced by a dark atmosphere.

“Blood was spilt over this conflict in an argument, and the wars began, to fight for their right to create. Solgaleo and I then knew it was time to leave Ultra Space; our very presence aroused the envy in our creations’ hearts.” The two Legends are shown discussing with each other, lowering their heads solemnly.

“Before we determined where we would go, an Ultra Beast began experiments on the Sentia crystals, seeing if he could invoke powers within them. He found that with the breath of life, it could give them great powers, at the cost of a transfigured body, and a splintered mind.” An Ultra Beast is shown taking a crystal, holding it high in the air. The grass around it turns black, and the Ultra changed into what Arceus could recognize as Xurkitree, looking at himself intriguingly.

“Others followed their footsteps, and their forms were changed as well.” Six other Ultra Beasts are shown changing, sapping the life energy from the environment, sickening the air and poisoning the rivers that populated their soil.

“They gave others assurance that their powers would be strengthened, if they could bring to them those that supported Solgaleo and I.” The seven Ultra Beasts talk with a large crowd, who capture hundreds of people for use in their experiments.

“The seven collected as many Sentia crystals as they could, and then, under Xurkitree’s action, ignited a chain reaction. All our followers were killed, and the crystals had their light focused on a single point. The life energy turned into a corrupted form of our wormholes, and the Ultra Beasts finally had what they desired.” A wormhole splits the sky, causing the light tendrils that originally populated Ultra Space to turn black. Hundreds fall, making a last agonizing breath, as the seven and their followers reveled in their victory.

“Several of the followers went into the wormhole coming out into a foreign land. Thy return, bringing with them many treasures. One insisted on remaining, promising that he would return come the next wormhole. Several days later, upon a test journey, they found that he had suffocated in the atmosphere, and had shriveled from the lack of Sentia crystals on the world.

“They took caution, knowing their fate if they were to be caught again. Solgaleo and I warned them that with this power, unless used cautiously, only chaos would ensue. After seeing the results of this first expedition, a few began to agree.

“The seven ignored my warnings, continuing to open wormholes despite our will. Ultra Space and the life it had was gradually dying, acting as fuel for the Ultra Wormholes that they so desired. They began to kill their own followers, already dying because of the fouling atmosphere. Soon, only those seven were left, on a dead world.” A blackened series of encrusted mountains and bubbling pits dominated the landscape, constant storms and landslides coating it. Crystals continued to be grown, with Kartana planting the seeds in the rocky soil. He and the other Ultra Beasts were unaffected by the air, their deep connection with the Sentia crystals continuing their life.

“They continued to live only because of the small amount the crystals themselves gave. At the expense of their species, they survived, but knew that they’d surely cease to exist unless they found another world. Before they could collaborate on destroying yet another world, Solgaleo and I left Ultra Space, and fled to Equivos, sealing the way behind us. We knew that with that connection lost that we would die within a hundred years...but it would be better than allowing the Ultra Beasts entry here.”

Solgaleo appeared again, continuing to sit. “In my occasional glimpses of Ultra Space, I saw that resources had grown so scarce and the crystals so weak that the Ultra Beasts began to fight with each other, wanting all the crystals for themselves instead of sharing. I know that at this point, they have collaborated for one reason or another.”

He paused, gazing toward Arceus. “I wish I was still alive, so that I could correct this mistake, and wipe Ultra Space clean, ready for another creation. I couldn’t bear destroying those I created, and now your world is in danger.” He faded in and out, the crystal blinking rapidly. “Farewell.” He dissipated, and the crystal went dark.

Arceus considered his friend’s message, the air weighing on his thoughts. “If only there was something I could have done.” He returned to the open book, causing an arm to appear and grab the pencil next to it.

He stamped, an image of a vast plateau coming into view. Beneath it, on the coast of the island, a raft scathed the edge of the sand, coming to a halt. The overcast sky made seeing night or day impossible, causing only a soft gray light to cover them.

“A creator I may be, but I am not omnipotent. I have made mistakes just as Solgaleo and Lunala did. I will not fail my creations again.” Arceus began to write once more, coughing as the atmosphere continued to sicken.

~~~~

Meanwhile, at Lucario Guild…

Lukas looked out over the Guild, covering his mouth with a cloth. Scattered branches and bits of stone littered the pathways. but no Pokemon went to clean them. Most were in their homes, avoiding the air that they now lived in. Some blamed a forest fire somewhere nearby, others blamed a sudden explosion of a pod of Weezing. But the Guildmaster knew the true reason.

He coughed, sitting on his bed. “The Ultra Beasts are growing closer to connecting our worlds.”

Harold stumbled up the stairs, carrying a stack of papers with him. “Here, I’ve gathered all I could on Solgaleo and--” He wheezed, covering his mouth temporarily. “--Lunala. I thought that all traces of those Ultra Beasts should’ve left?”

Lukas stood up, tossing the cloth aside and accepting Harold’s delivery. “With each storm that comes, they grow closer to having Ultra Space and Equivos be one. The air they breathe has remained in the form of these wretched clouds.” He studied the papers, nodding appreciatively. “Thank you for this. Would you please check on everyone and ensure they are in their homes?”

Harold saluted, nodding. “Will do!” He turned, heading for the stairs.

“Harold.”

He whirled around, barely catching a cloth that flew towards him.

“Take that with you. I don’t want you going down on me,” Lukas suggested.

The Heliolisk smiled, waving the cloth in the air. He clambered down the stairs, the door slamming soon after.

Lukas sat at his desk, setting the papers on the Sun and Moon legends on the surface. He opened a drawer, taking a stone from it, and scraped it across his spike, igniting the wick of a candle. It flickered and shrunk, ultimately sputtering out.

Looking outside, Lukas sighed. “Arceus help us.” He began to read, then thought to himself, “Let those explorers...my son, help us.”

~~~~

“It’s only getting worse out there. Stay inside, please; the berries will be fine, I’m sure.” Harold explained to Victoria Vespiquen.

He stood inside a small hut, where tools of all sorts adorned the walls, and a single table and chair sat in the center. An angrily buzzing Vespiquen hovered above it, crossing her arms and staring vehemently at Harold.

“I’m more worried for myself than my berries right now, Harold! Have you received any word from the Castform?” she asked.

Harold shook his head. “Not a peep. Everyone’s taken shelter because of the storm, and the smog is too deadly to be in for long.” He scratched his chin, a new thought coming to mind. “Although, I think we could have some Pokemon who know Defog come around and help freshen the air.” He shook his head, throwing off his digression. “Regardless, stay inside until further notice. I’m telling everyone around the Guild the same.” He stepped outside.

 

[lucarioknight56]

I've been reviewing my plot outline, and I realize that I don't need near as many of the chapters I had originally intended. What went from a 20 chapter act has been reduced to a 13 chapter one, shorter than even Act 2. I was trying to plan around a particular number of chapters, but that approach doesn't really work, just from experience. With that in mind, expect the conclusion to come around by Veteran's Day, if I stick to my four-chapters-a-week schedule. I've managed to do this for the entirety of the story so far, so why not? Either way, just letting you know now.

EDIT: Chapters are ending up shorter than I've expected. I guess I don't have as much content planned for Act 3 as I had originally thought. To make up for lost time in reworking the outline, I'll reduce the chapter count to 12, and only post three chapters next week. I'm having a rocky start on writing after that long break...

 

[lucarioknight56]

I hate making posts without chapter updates, so I'll keep it brief: writing long stories like this is hard. For the past five months, all of my creative energies have been focused on this with the occasional trip down another path, like with Dente's Tale. I want to make an experience enjoyable for everyone, one where I can write like this and know that people like my work...or at least read it.

See, before I wrote PMDLU, I wrote two original stories called The Magical Resistance and The War of the Logi and Magi (if you want to read them, check my profile). IN their lifetime, they got over 4,000 views! Each! I don't know how I did it, considering that I was a freshman in high school. The chapters were hardly longer than a thousand words each. I posted only one chapter a week. I didn't post in the Review Game. I took a five month break over the summer because I couldn't think of how the story should continue! Yet I managed to get that many!

Yet when I wrote a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon story over a year later, I could never pick up that viewership. I got reviews here and there, but it wasn't until the very end that views managed to rack up...and that was because I managed to earn an award just this year.

So now, when I put all my effort into writing a story, making 3000 word chapters every few days, making them all pretty, and planning out the story beginning to end, putting real effort in writing this and making it appealing...I get the same response. White noise. Oh, there's a review here and there, but honestly, you'd expect different results with a different method, right?

My big point in all this is that I'm disheartened by the lack of reviews this place has. Maybe it's a drought, maybe people don't know what to say...but I think it's because you're more like me: reading a story, having a few thoughts about a story, then never writing it down because you feel like you have no time, or that someone else will post your thoughts for you. That doesn't apply to everyone here, as I am sure that there are obligations many of you have in life that prevent you from going detailed. But some encouragement at the very least would be nice!

Look...I know I've made mistakes with this story, as has been demonstrated with two of the few reviews I have on Fanfiction: the intro's an infodump, the characters are stereotypical, the plot's boring, there are typos everywhere. I want to fix these up, and I plan to as I'm planning my final PMD story before my two-year hiatus: 'Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Unequivocant'. I want to make it a fantastic story, one that truly stands out from everything else on the Internet. I'm going to be resolving the issues that I've made for myself in the past in writing, such as having three main characters, and eliminating the unrealistic game mechanics that I unfortunately made so prevalent. I noticed those issues on my own while writing this. What else is there that I haven't noticed.

I hate taking up space on my story, which I know is somewhat popular with there nearly being 2,000 views...which is amazingly as much as Legends Unraveled has on Fanfiction, which has been there as long as this has been posted. But one of the few issues being discussed in the Writer's Workshop are the lack of reviews, but unlike other things, the solution can only be reached by the readers...you. I want to feel like I'm doing more than posting to a silent audience that could honestly go through their day without finishing my stories. I know that's ridiculous to say, but for a guy who's devoted a significant chunk of his life to writing, is that too much to say?

For being willing to read what amounted to a rant, here's the final chapter I have prepared. You'll get the conclusion you've been waiting for, don't worry about that. But for it to be what it has the potential of becoming...I need you.

Chapter 40: Bulu Arrival

The raft of the Primarina knocked against the sand as Sion awoke, holding his head. Through blurry vision, he saw he muddled shapes of Frederick, Ekon and Gaiden, standing over him under a dark sky.

He heard an unclear voice, watching as Frederick’s mouth moved. “What’s…what’s going on? What happened?” he thought.

“You helped complete what I’ve been asking you to do all along.” Arthus replied, his voice crisp and clear.

Sion’s senses became clear, and he finally what Frederick said. “Oi, you deaf? Where’s Ren?” Frederick roared, shaking the Zoroark’s shoulders.

He looked around, studying the now-calm ocean. The Primarina floated nearby, tending to their wounds and eating Magikarp. The raft was pulled up to the bank, protecting it from the tides. Cosma laid on the raft, curled up, sobbing softly.

Ekon pushed Frederick away and set his claws on Sion’s shoulders. “Come on, say something!”

Sion tried to remember what had happened earlier. “We were fighting…Dhelmise and…Bruxish. The Ultra Beasts were chasing us, and one of the Tapu fought them off. The Dhelmise went back into the water, then…”

He felt a sudden pain on his chest, doubling over on his seat. Gaiden came to him, inspecting his body. “What happened? Arthus?”

Arthus’ intelligence returned, muddying his senses once more. “No need to worry. I just helped follow through with your promise.”

Before Sion could think of what he meant, Cosma shot over and pressed her face against his. “Where’s Sion! You have to know!” she cried.

Arthus fled, and Sion remembered Ren under the water, swept away by the wave that overtook the raft. The face of hatred flashed in his mind, but he couldn’t remember why it came.

“I…I remember seeing him get caught in that wave…he…he’s in the water, somewhere,” Sion croaked. Cosma gasped, floating away and pressing her face against the raft, a new wave of tears ensuing.

Frederick slammed his fist against the raft, clapping his other hand across his eyes. “His securing line must’ve not been secure. Wretched ocean.” He turned toward the sea and dove in, slamming his tail against the water. “I’m gonna see if I can find him. Gaiden, how ‘bout you help out?” Gaiden complied, running off the raft and diving toward Frederick. The two swam outward, searching for the lost Lucario.

Ekon sighed, rubbing his arm. “To think that we came this far, only to have him get lost. He was annoying, stubborn, and disobedient at times. But he was still the Guildmaster’s son, a Lucario. He could’ve been an honorable Pokémon…like you.”

Sion listened, studying the island that they stood on. Yet another jungle, made from thin, gnarling trees, vines wrapping around any available branch they could. The jungle surrounded all but the front of a towering cliff, rising like a pillar on the flat ground. Made from yellow-white sandstone, caves of all shapes and sizes riddled the surface, a rail of handholds visible from each.

“Bulu Island…where the Kommo-o live.” Sion stated, his mind becoming clearer.

Ekon looked over toward the plateau, nodding. “Yep. We’ll hopefully find them before long, and have them guide us to the Passimian, where we’ll pick up Cosma’s brother, then head on our way to Fini.” He scratched the back of his head, shaking it. “I can’t believe that only four days have passed since we landed here. I’m such a different Pokémon than when I first came here.”

Sion agreed, remaining silent. “Arthus…what did you do?” He felt that the Usurper was to blame for his own changes. He felt more quiet, violent, and even callous in his feelings toward others. Where those good traits to have?

Arthus’ familiar presence returned, carrying a slight sense of contentment. “You followed my guidance. You helped bring Ren to his doom. Remember what you did?” Memories of him attacking the Lucario arose. He saw Ren dodging his sweeping attacks, causing him to teeter on the edge of the raft. He remembered clearly what he said, although in a deeper, malevolent voice: ‘Farewell, Son of Laryon.’

He shook his head, clutching the sides of his face. “No…no! I wouldn’t do that! How did that happen!” He fell forward, feeling a well of sadness rise up within him.

The Usurper’s presence enveloped Sion’s mind further, returning the lethargy that dominated his thoughts in recent days. “Do not worry about him; remember, I’ve tried to help your ancestors in many ways, and in those ways, they ignored me. Their fate was terrible, all because of the Pokemon they failed to be rid of.”

Sion wanted to push the Usurper away, drive him from his thought; he wanted to be left alone to grieve for Ren. He certainly wasn’t nice to him most of the time, and was mostly a hinderance on their journey. But he was still another Pokemon, and he didn’t—

“He is not worthy of your sorrow! He did nothing for you!” Arthus shouted. He pressed on Sion’s thoughts, constricting his flow of memories, making the young Zoroark think back on the previous twelve years of conflict with the Lucario, and the recent memories of Ren’s follies throughout Lele and Koko Island.

The memories continued, with Arthus saying over them, “This world is a cruel place, with Pokemon who care only for themselves, and would not mind stepping on others to reach their ultimate goal. There may be plenty of ‘good’ Pokemon alive today, but think about the future; there will come a time where Pokemon like those in Lucario Guild are few and far between, and letting Ren continue like he was would only make that time come sooner! Don’t you see?” Another memory course through Sion’s mind of Pokemon attacking others, taking their children from them. These Pokemon all wore black armbands, and at their head was a Lucario, looking out over the destruction of a village. “This…will be the future that would have come if he had lived.”

Sion felt his fears melt away about Ren, Arthus’ presence bringing a level of peace, if strange at its source. While he didn’t support the act of effectively killing Ren, there was nothing to be done; he was gone.

Splashing in from the ocean, Frederick shook himself and let out a roar of fury. He kicked the sand and exclaimed, “No hope of finding that lad out there. Seas easily swept him away, and I’m doubtful that he survived whatever beasts are down there.”

Gaiden came out himself, gently wiping water off his skin. “Yes, unfortunately. We couldn’t search long; those Bruxish and Dhelmise from before were waiting for us. Ren’s an effective fighter on land, but not much in the water.” He lowered his head. “There’s no hope that he survived.”

“No! He’s gotta be alive! I can feel it!” Cosma cried, rushing toward the two Water Pokemon. She halted in front of them, falling to the sand and sending sand upward.

Sion snapped awake, Arthus’ presence leaving him, almost willingly. A headache set in, causing him to hold his head and try to drive it away. “Cosma banishes foreign presences,” he remembered.

Ekon came to Cosma, patting her back. “We have to press on…even if Ren’s gone. You know where Cosmo is, right?”

Sniffing, Cosma looked up at him. “Yeah. He’s with the Passimian…they’re...they’re in the jungle.” She shot upward. “But I want to see Chief Kernus first! I haven’t seen him in nearly a month! I want him to see that I’m okay!” She looked down and added, “Also, I’d want him to meet you. He can help us get to Cosmo; the Passimian don’t like visitors.”

Frederick stretched his arms, looking up the plateau. “Don’t tell me they’re up there. I’d hate to climb that thing myself.”

“Well, it’s easy. I just…” Cosma explained, continuing to speak with the three guardians, while Sion began to sink into his own thoughts, uninterrupted by Arthus.

He felt disconnected from his own sense of self, ever since his meeting with Tapu Lele, where the Usurper’s identity was known. His mind had become languid, slower to react without Arthus’ guidance. He relied on him now, to ensure he could react just in time to a coming danger. Or, in Ren’s case, attack.

Sion shook his head, some of his pain receding. His interior reasoning returning, he wanted to make a fair judgement of Ren on his own, without Arthus’ compellations. Ren was never a nice Pokemon to him, and never really appeared as such to others either. He was prideful, and others respected him because of his lineage. He was proficient in battle, having finesse where others would lack. He was strong as well, and could make a great protector if he had had the mind for it.

But he lacked care for others, and always reacted harshly when a moment of his past came up. He knew hardly a thing about survival, relying on others to save him when the moment demanded it. He had occasional glimpses of sorrow, but it ended up central to him, the only sources of it being his father’s disappointment, and his lack of Aura.

His Aura! A Lucario who couldn’t use aura couldn’t be any good. In Equivos, aura was the universal sign of good, only able to be used by the pure in heart, mind, and deed. The Lucario have always been honorable, ever since the bestowal of sentience to the civilized Pokemon…until Ren. If that wasn’t a sign of his unworthiness, or his inner beliefs, then what was?

He returned to reality as Frederick gathered supplies from the raft. “You guys’ll stick around until we come back, right?”

Hera looked back over to her tribe, who rested on the sand. “It will be a while before we would be ready for another crossing. I can’t say how long, but go assured that we will wait for you.”

Frederick nodded, pulling out a sack and pulling berries and fish into it. “Alright then.” He whistled sharply, catching the attention of everyone, ad exclaimed, “We’ll be leavin’ for that there plateau within a few minutes! Let’s be ready to go!”

Cosma gazed at the sky, swirls of fogs and hints of dark tendrils curling about the grey clouds. “This isn’t right. Every time that the Ultra Beasts left, the weather doesn’t stay dark like this.”

Taking a deep breath, Ekon coughed, clamping a paw over his nose. “The air’s gotten worse. It was hard to tell, but it’s definitely there. Gotta be the air from Ultra Space coming into play. How do those guys live in that?”

Gaiden inspected the bare trail toward the plateau, a lack of use evident. “There’s a good reason why they want to merge their world with this one: theirs is dead, and they want to revive it with a fresh one.” He shut his eyes, making a slight cough himself. “Although what good it’ll do is the real question. If it gets any thicker, people could start dying.”

Sion finally stood, pressing toward the plateau, wavering in his steps. “Then let’s get moving. I want to have a home to come back to.” The others stared, stricken by Sion’s taking the initiative.

Frederick slipped out of the raft, harrumphing. “Well, he’s sure different than before. Not the timid little Zoroark from on the ship, is he?”

The Zoroark didn’t listen, being driven by an inner desire. “Now that you’ve completed this task, there is but one more before you will be the greatest you can be. You will find out when you begin to ascend the twin peaks of Fini, my son.”

~~~~

The plateau drew closer as they progressed, leaving the beach and the Primarina behind. Tall writhing trees poked out from the ground, occasionally disrupting the dismal coarse earth. Twigs and branches were strewn across he ground, and splintered stumps lay everywhere around their feet. Above, the clouds continued to coat the land with grey.

Cosma looked left and right, examining the stumps. “I remember the woods being right here, but I guess the Kommo-o must’ve cleared them out.” Giant tree trunks lay parallel to their path, some still connected to their source stumps. “Although, they usually aren’t so careless,” she added, returning her gaze to the plateau.

Ekon drew near Gaiden, gesturing around him. “Doesn’t this look a little odd to you? I mean, a huge chunk of forest cleared away, just to make a path to the plateau?” He tripped, falling forwards, his leg caught in a pothole.

He looked back, scowling at the hole. Pulling his leg out, he remarked, “How ‘bout that? There’s little traps to go with it.” He examined his leg, finding a light layer of fine ash.

He studied the ground around him, seeing that all about him, the ash permeated. He stood up, wiping his claws. “Uh, Cosma? How often are there forest fires?”

Cosma turned around and cocked her head. “What are forest fires?” The question went unanswered as Ekon thought of a potential answer.

Frederick’s tail stopped waving his eyes shifting left and right. “Something about this place doesn’t feel quite right. It’s awfully quiet for an island; even Koko had the occasional bird with it.”

Cosma swiveled around and replied, “I’m sure it’s just because it’s early. Come on!”

Gaiden turned his head, then his eyes widened. A large red stain coated the ground, and next to it, a grey scaly arm, the rest underneath a pile of tree trunks.

He walked away, the sight concerning him. “What could have happened here? There’s been little sign of conflict, yet there’s a body.” A trunk sliced cleanly in two diagonally stretched across his path.

He walked through it, examining the quality of the cut. “It would take a long and extremely sharp blade to cut like that.”

Frederick shivered, noticing the number of stumps compared to the number of trees. “Awful lot of trees missing here. Do the Kommo-o build things very often?”

“No, but who cares! I get to see Chief Kernus!” Cosma replied, ignoring the dilapidated scenery all about her.

The cliffs continued to grow closer, and the guardians looked at each other uneasily.

~~~~

Frederick gaped at the plateau that towered above him, the dozens of ridges and holes pattering it making him shiver. “Are…are you sure they live all the way up there?”

Cosma floated over, nodding. “I’m sure; I’ve lived with them for a long time!” She took a deep breath and shouted, “Hello! I’m here!” No response came.

She shrugged, beginning to ascend. “They’re probably just asleep. Come on!”

Ekon flapped his wings, heading toward the largest of the caves. “I’ll go look around myself. I’ll let you know if I see anything.”

Frederick spat on his hands, while Sion took the handholds unsteadily. “Time to get climb this overgrown boulder,” Frederick muttered, moving alongside Sion.

Gaiden followed, looking back at the restrained carnage that littered their trail here. “Not all is right with the Kommo-o.”

Over the hours that made up their ascension, caves came into their way. Within were sparse dwellings, often with only a simple mat and a few baubles littered on the floor. Some had chairs, others had plates of food. Among all the darkened caves, however, there were none of the elder Kommo-o, juvenile Hakamo-o, or the baby Jangmo-o.

Cosma faltered as none of the tribe had appeared, the peak drawing nearer. “It’s…it’s fine. They’re probably just out somewhere.”

Frederick wheezed, looking up at the largest of the caves. “Well, I’ll tell ya, if I climbed this cliff just for a bunch a nothin’…by Kyogre, is that ash I see over there?” Next to the largest opening was a smattering off soot all along the edges, and with it, chunks of rock cleanly cut.

“Kernus! Are you up there?” Cosma cried, hastening her pace. She darted into the cave, with Ekon following close behind. There was a sharp gasp, then silence.

Frederick nudged Sion and exclaimed, “Come on let’s see what’s goin’ on!” Sion nodded halfheartedly, following the Feraligatr up.

Sion raised a claw, shaking. “I…I can do this. I can rest when I get up there.” He looked down, the ground far below him. “Why did I agree to this?” he asked himself, feeling the isolated presence of Arthus once more affecting his mind and body.

The three remaining climbers reached the edge of the cave, and upon entering, halted in shock. The cave, unlike the others, was in complete shambles, with everything cut into pieces or burned to a crisp. A table lay cut in five jagged slabs, and the woven works that formally graced the home now lay in piles of ash. The pure destruction paled in comparison to the sight in the center.

Ekon stood behind the body of a massive grey-and-gold scaled dragon, his armor cleaved apart in places and scored by flames in others. Hints of green and blue paint covered his body and a once-majestic crown lay in smolders next to his head. His face contorted into grief and pain, the final moments permanently impressed on the Pokemon.

Cosma sat in front of him, sobbing. “Ker-Kernus…is…is…” She fell silent, brushing the arm of the late Chief Kernus.

Gaiden examined the room, brushing his hand against the walls and considering the events on their way here. “There were Ultra Beasts that came here, to Bulu, while the other three chased us. Now we know what they were doing.”

Sion’s mind suddenly became absorbed by the cliff, covered in flames created by a green being. Her name echoed in his mind, ‘Celesteela’, as he saw a silver blur dart across the various caves, screams coming after its visits. Kartana came through, while the hulking giant Guzzlord ascended the cliffs, and consumed everyone with his giant maw, leaving few objects behind.

Sion fell to the floor, holding his head. “How do I know this? I wasn’t here!”

Arthus filled his thoughts, explaining, “My powers of Life are transferring to you I see. Life is strongest where many Pokemon have died, and this has become one. With this ability, you can see what lead Pokemon to their death.” The Forgotten Explorers all stood in respect around the leader of the Kommo-o Tribe.

“Worse has yet to come.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

I might just go to a policy of posting chapters when they're ready, rather than a formulaic format like before; I'm in the last rush, with nine chapters remaining. I think I can risk it.

But egads, I didn't realize how little content I put into my chapters! I'm having to go with smaller wordcounts just to keep a good pace. Hopefully this practice will be done and dusted after this one, cause I prefer my 3,000 words per chapter than this.

Chapter 41: Passimian Discovery

After burying the deceased Kommo-o chief, the Forgotten Explorers stood in front of the forest, the darkness within deeper by the grey atmosphere. The gnarled trees hid anything that may be within, showing only the fringe of the massive forest.

Frederick took a deep sniff, coughing soon after. “Can’t use me nose to figure out where those Passimian might be; air’s too toxic for that. We’ll just have to rely on our tracking skills.” All pressed onward, into the jungle.

Sion heard no birds, not even the fleeting call of a lone one. Shadows jumped from the nooks and crannies, leaping toward his legs and feet. Dark tendrils of mist wrapped like vines around the rocks and branches, steadily killing off the real ones that originally were there. All the while, the dark clouds prevented him from seeing what may be beyond.

Cosma floated half-heartedly in front of him, tears still staining her cheeks. Sion knew that Kernus meant everything to her. He wished he could have met him himself, if not for the delays caused by the storms.

Sion remembered what Arthus had said about Cosma: “She can drive me off with but a few words…” Arthus, while at first an unwelcome presence, then a somewhat-trusted friend, has become something to be afraid of. He felt that he was gradually losing control of his body, isolated from his senses, and that he needed to do something about it.

He opened his mouth to speak, but could get air to move past his lips. Concerned he tried again with the same results. “What’s going on? Why can’t I talk to her?”

“You’ve lost faith in me. Don’t try and hide it. Why are you so worried?” Arthus asked, his encouragement hiding a layer of venom that Sion could feel moving through his chest.

“I’m not as responsive as I used to be, and it’s been until recently that I thought I was crazy. Now I think it might be you.”

“That’s crazy talk. How could I do that to you? I’m just a lonesome mind, helping my descendant get the rewards he deserves.”

“Maybe I don’t want those rewards, if I could just get you out of my head.”

The cloak constricted around Sion’s neck, causing him to halt suddenly and breath hoarsely. The others took no notice, all pressing onward without him.

Restraint in his voice, Arthus replied, “I don’t like the tone you have. Don’t forget what good I’ve done for you. Who gave you the power to frighten the Pokemon in the Elusive Woods, or the Exeggutor? Who gave you the speed and knowledge to kill the Raticate Chief and the undersea Pokemon? Who got rid of your greatest enemy?”

“It’s all you, and I hate it!”

Sion doubled over, the cloak enclosing his body in a vice grip. He reached toward Cosma, straining to speak to her, but couldn’t because of the living cloak. He wheezed, struggling to remove the cloak that Corinne had given him all those weeks ago.

“Do not tempt me, child. I have lived through three-hundred years of Zoroarks, and I loathe the failure they have brought me. What else can I do in this limbo? I can do nothing without you.” Sion swore he could hear exasperated breathing, which shouldn’t have been possible, considering Arthus’ state. “I will give you one more chance, then I’ll leave. Don’t think that it won’t kill you, or that I won’t come back; you don’t know my secrets.” The cloak released its hold on Sion, causing him to gulp down the air he so desperately needed.

Hurriedly breathing, Sion exclaimed mentally, “You’re turning me into you. I wouldn’t have done all those things before, but you’re making me.”

Arthus chuckled maliciously, leaving Sion by himself. “This is your body, your mind. When did I make you do anything?”

Sion screamed in frustration, pulling back his arms and slashing at a nearby tree. It slid to the ground, cut in half, hanging slightly thanks to the vines.

Sion looked ahead, attempting to control his breathing. He could barely make out Cosma in the gloom. “They...they didn’t notice me,” he choked, rubbing his throat. He was hoping for even the slightest concern from them, especially considering Arthus’ assault, but nothing came.

He rubbed his neck, near where the cloak joined with his fur. He could feel his skin bonding with the leather, forming a sort of seal between the two layers. “That wasn’t there before,” he thought, beginning to connect the dots.

He ran toward Cosma, thinking of all the times Arthus had come to him. He hadn’t come before he had the cloak, and he used to only appear whenever a good opportunity to kill Ren came up. He always felt a prickling sensation where the cloak was, and in the brief glimpses he had of the fabric at those times, it appeared to pulse with red veins. And this latest event, where he choked him with the cloak...

“Arthus is in me because of the cloak!” he muttered to himself. He tugged at it, causing a chilling stream of shocks to course through his back. He released, his nerves thrumming from the sudden impulse of energy.

The Usurper returned, his deadening influence overcoming Sion’s nerves, forcing him to slow his pursuit of the Explorers. “So, you’ve finally figured it out. I guess I became too confident of my abilities back there. No matter. You’ll have a hard time convincing your allies of the secret of the cloak. I’ve made sure of that.”

Before Sion could reply, he felt a sudden impact to his head. His vision blackening, he heard Cosma’s cry for help before he fell unconscious:

“Stop, please! Take me to my brother!”

~~~~

Sion felt the prodding hands of some Pokemon as he opened his eyes. He saw the inspective eyes of an aged monkey, covered in black-and-white fur, with a shell helmet over his head. Wilted green leaves sprouted from it, as well as the leaves that were scattered over his shoulder.

Sion lay on his back and looked about as the Passimian inspected the top of his head. He was in a simple hut, made entirely from lengths of wood. Scattered potions and remedies lay on a counter, the bitter odor causing Sion to retch. An arched doorway lead out to a rope bridge, where Sion assumed other platforms were connected. Beyond, the eternal grey skies dominated, wisps of the black tendrils wrapping around tree trunks and homes.

The monkey grunted, nodding his head. “Very strong, even if well travelled. What you be, strange one?”

Sion looked at himself, noticing his shaking claws. “I’m...a Zoroark. What are you?”

The monkey eyed him warily, stepping back. “Passimian I be. Oranguru claim Zoroark to be dark. I sense truth in his words, but meaning be not clear. Are you dark, Zoroark?”

“Am I dark? In type, yes. In mind, no,” Sion thought, but he knew the truth. “Have you ever heard of a Pokemon having two minds?” he asked.

The Passimian gave him a puzzled look. “What mean you? Have two thoughts on words?”

Sion shook his head, sitting upright. “No, more like--” He cut himself short, feeling something pull at the nerves that controlled his speech. In the background, he felt Arthus pulling the strings.

He sighed, and said, “Nevermind.” He looked around, failing to see his friends. “Where’s everyone else?”

The Passimian nodded, pointing out the doorway. “With Oranguru and Child of Moon. Many moons since she has come.” He shook his head sadly, covering his eyes. “Bad things happen since last coming.”

Before Sion could ask what he meant, Gaiden came to the doorway, walking begrudgingly on the bridge. “You’re awake.”

The Passimian held his hand out toward Sion. The Zoroark accepted it, pulling himself from the cot. “Where’s Cosma? Ekon? Frederick?”

Gaiden began to walk along the bridge again, motioning for him to follow. “Follow me.” Sion complied, leaving the Passimian, who crossed his arms and shook his head.

“Sense two Auras within Zoroark, one good, one bad. Tapu bless him.”

Sion followed Gaiden, crossing by many platforms on his way. They were connected by bridges and ladders at a variety of points, all centralizing around a giant platform in the middle. Passimian of all sizes were gathered there. In the center, a shorter ape sat, with Ekon and Frederick at his sides.

“What’s going on? Why’s everyone there?” Sion asked. He wished that he could reveal Arthus and the cloak, but his tongue tied up again, no thanks to Arthus’ meddling.

Gaiden looked back temporarily, then returned his gaze to the crowd. “You’ll see.”

They criss-crossed between other platforms, eventually reaching the crowd. The Passimian towered over them, looking toward the ape in the center. They parted as Gaiden approached, gazing sadly at Sion as he walked through.

Through the silence, Sion could hear the soft, heaving cries of Cosma, radiating from the center. He pushed past the last Passimian, beholding what everyone gazed down on.

Cosma sat behind a small coin-like object, with gold on its edges and a night sky within. At the center was a black sphere with a sleeping face, unresponsive to the world. It pressed down the ground around it, and it had a strange, sparkling aura about it.

The Cosmog looked up, noticing Sion. “The...the Ultra Beasts...they…” She returned to her tears, covering her face.

The elderly ape grunted mournfully, fanning the leaf in his hand. “Oranguru charged with protection of Child of Sun. Invaders come last storm, attacked our allies, the Kommo-o. We retreated to our safe place, Ultra Beast follow.” Covering his face, Oranguru continued, “Child of Sun protected Passimian with light, but Cosmoem he be now. He eats, drinks not, only sleeps.” He hovered a hand over Cosmo, tracing the golden fringe. “Life flows still. Bring to Mount Sol, and he awaken.” Oranguru pointed upward, where in the gaps of leave, a gently brewing storm could be seen. “Invader’s world close now. Must leave to Island of Fini, before time gone.” He then gestured to the Passimian, nodding his head. “May sleep today. Climb will be difficult. Food and supplies we give you.”

As the Passimian guided Ekon, Frederick, and Gaiden to a hut, Cosma remained hunched over her brother, now in a tormented sleep. Sion, guided by another Passimian, looked up at the sky, the Ultra Beast’s grand entrance to Equivos.

“What’s the point in killing an entire world for what you want?”

~~~~

Xurkitree plodded away at the crystals throughout Ultra Space, his head flashing with colors as he calculated away. “Time until joining of worlds: 1 day. Ninety percent capacity reached.” He paused, studying a shattered crystal, the crimson pigment fading. “Buzzwole’s catalyst effect is overworking the Sentia crystals. Five percent will remain once the wormhole is initiated.”

Buzzwole rested on his throne in a cocoon of wispy threads, knitting his wounded shell together and repairing his swollen insides. Pheromosa checked on him, noting the large fractures on his arm. “You better hope that this plan works. If the crystals go away as you say, then we’ll have nothing to survive on once we join with Equivos.”

Kartana drifted over, gazing at the crystals he had grown. “I’ll be able to plant more. On another note, is anyone else glad that we killed one of the Cosmogs?”

Guzzlord chuckled darkly, his tongues moving rapidly around his mouth. “I am more glad that we got rid of those Kommo-o. They were a satisfying destruction, to put it simply.”

Pheromosa glared at the two, rubbing her healing forehead. “Don’t forget the last time we were convinced that one of them was dead. The Cosmogs have eluded us for this long, and I’m sure they’ll return at this point.”

Kartana waved a dismissive blade, slicing a bit of shrunken Sentia from the wall. “No matter. If it turns out that that one’s alive, we’ll kill him. They need to climb those mountains on that desert island, correct?”

“You mean Mount Sol and Mount Lune? Correct,” Xurkitree replied. He plugged his arm into the ground, fizzing with energy as he did. “I have a plan.”

~~~~

Sion stood on the fringe of the Bulu jungle and beach, looking over the horizon on a new day. He didn’t feel rested, however; his mind was cluttered, limbs heavy, and eyes drooping, all thanks to his guest consciousness.

Frederick, Gaiden and Ekon loaded supplies onto the raft -- courtesy of the Passimian – while Cosma was soothed by Hera Primarina. Sion wished he could be more active. Arthus sapped away his strength, his vitality, all for some inane purpose. Worse, he could get rid of him; the misery of the cloak was now fused with him, and he couldn’t tell anyone.

He kicked the sand, seething. “What else do you want from me? I killed Ren, just as you wanted.”

“I’ve told you, there is one last thing at the foot of those twin mountains I need you for. After I—you, that is, complete my purposes, you’ll be free,” Arthus replied, the momentary slip putting Sion on edge.

“I hate what you’re doing. If it wasn’t for you, Ren would still be alive, and I could feel like I’m alive.”

Arthus chuckled, drifting to the back of Sion’s consciousness. “But are you sure that isn’t what you wanted?”

Before Sion could ask any more questions, Gaiden came to him and stated, “We’re ready to go. Come on; it’s high time we get this job done.” He trudged back to the raft, where the Primarina reharnessed themselves for the work ahead.

Sion sighed, shuffling in the black Greninja’s footsteps. “Finally…we’ll be able to return home.” A nagging thought in his head told him otherwise, a glimmer of fate in a tide of hope.

He clenched his teeth, driving away the thought. “I will return home! I’m going to see Mom again, and everyone else at Lucario Guild!” He exhaled waveringly, adding one line to his thoughts:

“I want to show everyone that I’m just as good as Ren was.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Must be a consistent thing with me, making a chapter a day when I have great ideas. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can take my break, so let's get on with chapter 42!

Chapter 42: Of Two Minds

The ocean washed against the coarse beach, the Primarina’s raft pushed past the tide by Frederick and Gaiden. The wind blew fiercely past Sion’s ears, the torrential gales pushing sand into his eyes. Sand extended as far as the eye could see, creating a beige outlook across the desolate Fini—until two enormous fangs rose from the ground, piercing through the darkened clouds with their frost-covered peaks.

Sion gazed at the towering Mount Sol and Mount Lune. Situated in the center of Fini, the twin peaks were mirror images of each other, down to the crevices that pockmarked the surface, to even the slight trails that offered the barest of hopes. Far above sea level, beyond the clouds of the Ultra Beasts’ making, altars to the sun and moon awaited their hosts.

Frederick grimaced, grinding his teeth. “So…this is what we came here for. Climbin’ some huge rocks.” He stood on the beach alongside Ekon, Gaiden and Sion, with Ekon holding Cosma in his claws.

Ekon shivered, shaking the silent Cosma. “I can’t fly all the way up there; air’ll be thin, and the winds will be strong. Even then, I couldn’t carry Cosma with me.”

Gaiden hefted a bag over his shoulder, studying the contents within. “And I don’t think you’ll be able to carry Cosmo without dropping him. We’ll just have to climb.”

Pointing across the desert, Frederick shook his head. “No chance until we cross this here desert. Don’t look too hot, but yeesh it’ll be a slog to get through.”

“The only Pokemon who live here are Vikavolt, and they only come out in storms. It will be perfectly safe to cross,” Hera commented. “We must return to Fini’s Escape; our young have to be taken care of, and we must prepare for the return of the Ultra Beasts, should they come before you bring the Cosmogs up the mountains.”

Gaiden turned back, nodding solemnly. “We understand. I’m sure we’ll work out a solution to return home once we have completed our task.”

Diving back into the water, Hera and the Primarina began their return to Koko. Becoming smaller with distance, their absence soon fled the minds of the Forgotten Explorers as their final task loomed ahead of them.

“Take me home mother…me and Cosmo…” Cosma muttered in a fevered dream.

Ekon drew near Gaiden and slipped her into the bag, nestled on top of food, rope and bandages alongside her dormant brother. “I can carry everything to the base of the mountains; I’ll wait for you there.” He shook his head. “To think it took this long to get here. We’re so close to going back home.”

Gaiden lifted the bag and dropped it into Ekon’s willing claw, setting a hand on his shoulder after. “You’re a better Pokemon than I thought you’d be. Thanks for being willing to put up with me.”

Ekon paused for a moment, then smiled. “I should say the same about you.” He set the bag on the ground, hopped into the air, then took off toward the mountains, the bag and Cosma nested safely in his claws.

Frederick rubbed his hands together, starting his trek toward Sol and Lune. “Alright then, let’s get mov—hey, where you goin’?” He whirled around to see Gaiden standing in front of Sion, his arms crossed. The young Zoroark looked down at the ground, motionless.

The Feraligatr sauntered over, studying Sion. “What’s the deal? Don’t want to climb much?” Sion looked up temporarily, gave him a weak smile, then returned to looking at the ground.

Gaiden removed his hands, looking back toward Lune and Sol. “This is no time to be standing around. We have to make it to the peak as soon as we can; those Ultra Beasts could return at a moment’s notice.” Sion nodded slowly, stepping toward the mountains.

“Let’s get this done,” he stated, his voice sounding distant and forlorn. Frederick and Gaiden looked at each other, confused, but then followed Sion toward the twin peaks.

The coarse sand rubbed away at their worn feet, creating a painful, yet soothing effect on their journey. The wind died down, forcing the grains to remain settled against the ground, protecting their eyes. The air, cool to the touch, caused the occasional cough, the Ultra Beasts’ steady poison leaking from their deathly world.

Sion slowed midway through the trek, his head filling with pain with each step. His limbs felt heavy and numb, his legs only moving forward through some outward force. His breathing became short and staggered, his senses becoming duller with each passing step toward the mountains.

He began to slouch, his eyes focused on Sol and Lune. “Arthus must be doing this,” he thought, straining his arm toward the cloak. He pulled at its hem, hoping to be relieved of his deterioration. Instead he got shocked by the ghostly power within.

This proved to be the last straw on Sion’s back. He fell forward -- not even a groan escaping him -- and pushed through the sand, unmoving.

“Sion!” Gaiden shouted, running toward the exhausted Zoroark. Frederick bounded across the desert alongside him, his eyes wide with worry.

They flipped Sion onto his back, noticing his shallow breathing. “He must’ve fainted for some reason, but why? Not a blasted ray of sunshine around here, and it’s only been an hour we walked for,” Frederick exclaimed.

Gaiden sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t know. For now, we’ll have to carry him with us.” He hefted Sion us, placing his arm over his shoulders. Frederick took the other side, and slowly, they progressed toward Sol and Lune, the clouds starting to swirl around the peaks.

~~~~

A stump stood in the center of a vast glade, surrounded by dozens of stone carvings of Pokemon. Beyond the glade, a forest of trees lay dead, all the leaves and needles gone from the boughs. The sky, gray as the one over Equivos, turned into a foul black when a Zoroark miraculously appeared on the stump.

Sion looked up and around, the cloak no longer on his shoulders. A sense of déjà vu came over him. “This…is where Tapu Lele spoke to me.” He picked up one of the stone carvings, recognizing it to be Ren. The effigy looked exactly like the deceased Lucario, down to the firm mouth and crest of fur on his head. What stood out, however, was the despair clear within his eyes, the pain of withholding grief too much to bear.

He brushed his claws against his face, grimacing. “You weren’t a good Pokemon to me…but you didn’t deserve to die.”

“Oh, how touching, the victim feeling sorry for the bully. I’m so surprised.”

Sion spun around and gasped. Within the dead trees, another Zoroark lounged against a tree trunk, crossing his arms and making a face of disgust. He was tall and sleek, his eyes shining with the same intensity as Sion’s. His head fur was combed smooth, and around his neck was a golden necklace, embedded with the arc of Arceus. “You are the most stubborn of all my descendants, I’ll give you that. To take so long to come to this point is quite an achievement.”

Sion looked down at Ren, then back to the other Zoroark. “Why are you doing this Arthus? You don’t get anything for killing Ren and me.”

Arthus belted out with laughter, chilling Sion to the core. He stopped as fast as it came, standing upright, propping his arm against his side. “You might feel like that I was killing you, but I assure you, that’d be missing the point…for now.” He stared down at his claws, looking at them uncaringly. “No, I had something different in mind. This’ll be the last chance I have to speak with you face to face, so would you care if I tell a story? It’s been so long since I’ve had a proper audience.” Sion remained on the stump, silent and unmoving.

The Usurper shrugged. “Very well. You see, for the past 300 years, I’ve been carefully executing a plan, one that, while not as instantaneous as the Seal of Creation, would guarantee the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.

“For Yveltal to awaken and begin his process of eliminating all life in the world, evil must run rampant, guaranteeing that the souls of Pokemon are no longer the good that Arceus had originally made them to be. So, if I, say, hastened that process, then Yveltal would awaken sooner, releasing me from that accursed prison.”

He held up a claw, stepping toward Sion. “One small problem: I'm within the Cocoon with Yveltal. I couldn’t do that myself...at least, not without some help. I left my cloak behind on that fateful day with Laryon – ruined some of my flair in that battle – but it turned out to be to my advantage.

“Thanks to the link between me and that cloak, I could channel Life through it, affecting whoever wore it with my power. The issue was that it had to be someone who shared my bloodline—my ability to control Life. That would end up being key to my plan.”

Holding his claws in the air, Arthus sent a red mist out from his claws, forming a set of circular screens around him. Images of various Zoroarks came by, all wearing the brown cloak that Sion knew all too well. “It wasn’t easy,” Arthus stated, “to get to all of my eventual descendants. Erik had several children, and they had their own, et cetera, et cetera…” He growled, snapping his fingers. The images faded into wisps of fog. “It took 300 years, but finally, there is only one left: you.”

Sion’s eyes widened. “You mean...you killed all of them? Why would you do that?” he asked, horrified.

Arthus smirked, moving one step closer. “It’s simple really. All my bloodline would be used to collect more Life, whether it be from other Pokemon, or from themselves. Then, I’d use that life to prepare the way for the future I envision.” He pointed to the sky, taking another step. “Such as telling the Ultra Beasts that there was a world ripe for the taking.”

Sion jabbed a claw at him, holding tight to Ren’s figure. “You told the Ultra Beasts to come here! You’ve done all this?”

Arthus held his arms out, taking a respectful bow. “Yes indeed. You see, what better way to make Pokemon go bad if the world around them has? That poisonous air would soon freshen up with those Sentia crystals, but the Pokemon down on Equivos wouldn’t be the same afterwards.” He gazed at his claws, inspecting for imperfections. “Except me, of course. My control over Life renders me immune.”

Tempted to step off the stump, Sion instead remained still, glowering at the Usurper. “That won’t happen. Cosma and Cosmo are all ready to go up the mountain. If you kill me, Ekon, Gaiden and Fredrick will just go without me. You can’t stop them.”

Arthus made a wicked smile, stamping his foot. “Who says I can’t? You see, what befell your grandfather and your father will happen to you too. You’ve noticed that my cloak fused to you, correct?” Sion nodded. “Well, it’s just completing the connection of my mind to your body. In but a few moments, your consciousness will swap with mine. I will be in control, and you will take a backseat within the cloak.” Leaving his descendant to gape, Arthus shook his head regrettably. “Unfortunately, I can’t do this without a fight. Literally.”

He snapped his fingers, and the stump underneath Sion began to widen. The figures surrounding it sunk into ground. Soon the stump covered the entire field, the trees acting as a barrier for it.

Ren disappeared from Sion’s figures, fading into a wispy smog. Arthus chuckled, crouching low, his eyes beginning to glow red. “I know exactly how you work Illusion. Good luck keeping control.” He charged forward in a bolt of red lightning, his target frozen with fear.

The lightning passed through the Zoroark, the apparition flickering slightly. Arthus looked back and laughed. “Is that the best you can do? Put up a fight, like your father did!” He prowled around the stump, his fist absorbed in a ball of red light. “Sevo was a fierce combatant, trained for many years by his own father in the harsh wasteland of Harmonia. Driven there because of his heritage, he had to learn to protect himself, or fall victim to those who hated my name.”

He punched the air, missing Sion by mere centimeters. The young Zoroark exhaled sharply, running away from his ancestor. “I can’t let you take me!”

Arthus flinched, his head swiveling toward Sion’s position. “Of the many things I hate, insolence is right up there along with Matheus and his wretched nephew.” He slashed the air in front of him, clipping Sion’s fur. “You really want to know why I got rid of Ren for you?” Arthus called, running forward. “It’s because I want to see Laryon’s memory forgotten, and that won’t happen until I kill every Lucario in Equivos! Just like what they do with our kind!”

Sion reappeared behind Arthus, clapping his claws together, emitting a murky black fog. It enveloped the Usurper, making him turn around repeatedly to drive it away. As he disappeared, Sion replied, “The only reason they do that is because of you!”

Arthus seethed, creating a field of red particles around him, pushing away Sion’s inky blackness. “Even before then we were hated!” He grabbed the air in front and pulled, forcing Sion to reappear. Clutching the younger Zoroark’s headfur, Arthus swung him around and threw him to the floor.

Sion groaned, holding his back. Arthus tsked, making crimson lightning course down his arm. “I was hoping for something more.” He stood over Sion, his arm high in the air.

Sion swiftly rolled away – forcing Arthus to strike the ground – then slashed the assailant’s back, his claw making a light-blue streak in the air.

Arthus fell forward, laughing madly. “Is that all you’ve got? An Aerial Ace?” He spun around and shot a ball of Life Energy at Sion, the sphere bursting across his chest. He fell backwards, red lightning arcing across his body.

He looked back, noticing the edge of the stump arena. He sat up, weakened by the last strike, just in time to see Arthus charging toward him in another thundering storm. Sion leapt toward his right, forcing Arthus to miss. The Usurper faded into the trees in a trail of red mist.

Sion looked back at the trail, wondering where Arthus would return. Sharp pain suddenly arced through his back, and he slumped forward, off the stump and into the brush that surrounded the arena. Arthus reappeared, holding his claws up slightly, glistening with blood.

“You put up a decent fight. Nothing like that little brawl with Ren, however. He was some good fun,” Arthus sneered, shaking his claw free of his mark. The trees groaned, their roots stretching toward Sion, pushing up the dirt above them. “Now you’ll be little more than a voice in my head. Exactly like I was before.” The last line echoed through the entire area, its owner gone, and the clouds parting to reveal a foggy black screen.

Sion pushed himself up, stepping away from the approaching roots. Instead of woody brown tentacles, roiling black mist punched out of the ground, writhing toward Sion. He attempted to cut them down, succeeding only in passing through the dark fog. They coiled around his body, squeezing him tight.

Sion looked at himself, his fingers and toes fading into the same-colored fog. He held up his claw, his arm disintegrating with it. “Arthus!” he cried, before turning entirely into mist.

The black screen in the sky turned a pale blue, then into a blurry vision of a grey environment. It focused, showing a humongous Feraligatr, and a smaller Greninja, huddled over him.

“The lad’s wakin’ up. You okay there?” Frederick boomed, pounding across the land.

The vision adjusted, and Sion’s voice replid, “Never been better. Who’s ready to climb a mountain?”

Within the land, however, Arthus’ voice echoed, “I’ll finally have my future.”

~~~~

Arthus stood up, wrapping an arm around Frederick’s neck. “I was feeling horrible earlier, but now I feel completely refreshed. How long have I been asleep?”

Caught off-guard, Frederick sputtered, “Er-er-er day-and-a-half abouts, but what about you? You sure yer feelin’ well?”

Ekon and Cosma came next to him, the latter ramming into the Zoroark. “Thank Tapu you’re alright! I didn’t want to lose someone else!” Arthus felt a slight tug at his cloak, but ignored it.

Arthus rubbed Cosma’s back, laughing appreciatively. “I’m glad to hear that.” He looked up, sizing up the monstrous mountains ahead of him. Covered in slippery snow, coarse gravel, and narrow trails, Mount Sol and Lune were not for the faint of heart.

Ekon pressed his paw against Arthus’ forehead, looking to the sky. “Hmm…don’t have a fever or anything, and you seem to be healthy.” He stepped back, scratching his head. “Are you sure you don’t want to remain behind? Gaiden and I can take care of this.”

Cosma pulled away from Arthus and exclaimed, “No! Sion came here to deliver me to the top of Mount Lune! I won’t go with anyone else but him!”

Ekon held his paws up defensively, searching for a reasonable answer. Gaiden came between them and stated. “I will go with Ekon to deliver Cosmo up Mount Sol then. It would be the fastest way to get this done.” He looked to Frederick. “You should go with Sion. He may still be weak, and the two of you can support each other on the way up.”

Frederick sighed, making circles in the sand. “Awright, awright. Can’t be much harder than climbin’ a ship mast, right?” He shivered, shutting his eyes. “When do we leave?”

A sudden shriek pierced through the air, turning everyone’s attention between the mountains. A circle of blue lightning bolts coursed through the sky, centralizing on the exact middle of the mountains. A funnel of clouds plumed into it, swirling into a wormhole, emitting stray lightning and bits of crystal in its wake. The storm around it worsened, charging the air with electrical energy.

Arthus pulled Cosma closer and said calmly, “Now.”

 

[lucarioknight56]

Time to change things up a bit.

Chapter 43: Ascension into Light

Beyond the growing storm over Mount Sol and Lune, beyond the threat of the Ultra Wormhole, beyond the deception of Arthus the Usurper…calm.

A meadow of lush green grass, brushing softly against a crystal pool of water. No wind blew, no tide came. Only soft humps of grass in the isolated order amongst the chaos.

At the top of one hill, eyes opened. Ears twitched. Nostrils flared. A tail wagged. Limbs moved, pulling someone upright in the peace amongst the storm. He studied the sky, a hemisphere of sparkling purple light, pushing the ocean beyond away from the paradise. The underwater Pokemon within, agitated and disorganized, swam unaware of what lay beneath them.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

He turned to the second hill, a throne of black stone crushing the lush utopia. On the throne, a lavender figure lounged resting his head on the arm. His tail hung over the side, and his eyes were focused on he who had just awakened. “I’ve been waiting for some time, Auren Lucario.”

Ren curled up his fist, his old anger returning to him. “It’s Ren. Just Ren.” He looked up, his lips pursed into a frown. “How did I get here?”

The lavender sat upright, pointing to himself. “The legendary Mewtwo is able to do many things…with the help of some others.”

~~~~

“How long do we have to keep this up?” Hoopa demanded, clutching a blazing torch with all his strength, his eyes intently focused on the burning flame. He stood on a rocking boat near the Mist Wall, the waves beginning to pick up.

“I have no idea!” Matheus roared, clutching the torch alongside Hoopa. The skies, gradually turning to a darkened storm, flashed with lightning.

Hoopa moaned, shaking his head. “Why did we listen to that guy?”

“Because Ren would be dead without us. Just focus, okay?” Matheus growled, pressing his forward against the handle. “Mewtwo, if you can hear us, hurry up! We’ve been doing this for two days now, and the storm is starting to come back!”

~~~~

Mewtwo waved his hand dismissively. “But that’s not important. You should be thanking me you know. You would have had a very messy end unless I intervened.”

Ren crossed his arms and turned away. “You’re welcome,” he replied. He looked at the ground, deep in thought.

Mewtwo’s smile faded. “I can read minds you know. You’re thinking about Sion, about how he betrayed you, and how you were always right about him.” He rolled his eyes, snapping his fingers. Apparitions of Ren’s memories appeared around, all involving Sion in some way. “You remind me a lot of Matheus: always dwelling on something in life. For years, that old coot was focused on keeping Arthus away from that Seal of Creation, and let nothing shake him.” He glared at a Riolu pulling a Zorua’s tail, receiving a whimper of defeat. “At least his cause was honorable.”

Ren stomped down the hill, jabbing a paw at the Legend. Passing through an apparition of him smearing jelly over a Sion’s headfur, he exclaimed, “You have no idea what I’ve been through! I was nearly killed by him!”

Mewtwo made a mocking laugh. “Aren’t we all? I know that Matheus nearly killed Arthus a few times when they were on their travels together.” His expression turned dark, glowering at the young Lucario. “No, I’m afraid this is a deeper problem than that.”

Flinching, Ren stopped at the base of Mewtwo’s hill. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said through clenched teeth.

Mewtwo stood up, brushing off his throne. “Oh, you know perfectly well what I’m talking about.” He snapped his fingers again, causing the apparitions to disappear. Voices began to fill the air, ranging from a soft female voice, to a gruff male.

“You should be more like Sion. He helps me out a lot.”

“Be more like that boy Sion. He doesn’t go around being late.”

“You know, Sion shows great strength in leadership. Why don’t you follow his example?”

“Sion is an admirable Pokemon. Why don’t you live up to that?”

Ren shook, his paws trembling. “Stop it. Now.”

Mewtwo took a defiant step forward. “You hate being told to pull yourself up to Sion’s level, don’t you? For most of your life, you’ve made it your daily duty to pull a prank on him, and your nature suffered. Instead of being a good-natured Lucario like Laryon and all his descendants, you ended up being the runt of the bunch, feeling satisfaction in belittling someone else!”

“Be quiet! You don’t know anything!” Ren roared, glaring harshly at his accuser.

Mewtwo stood straight, holding his fingers up. “Now, what sparked such a change…that’s the question.” He snapped his fingers once more, and the voices stopped.

A Lucario appeared with her arms crossed behind her back. She stood behind Sion, softly smiling, looking at him warmly. A pink flower sat on her ear, and in her paws, was a canvas knapsack.

Ren rushed up the hill and drew back his paw. “Stop messing with me!”

Mewtwo caught the punch, staring coldly into Ren’s eyes. “You’re denying the very reason you’ve become so despicable. Let’s change that.” He pressed his palm onto Ren’s forehead, creating a violet glow around his hand. Ren screamed.

~~~~

Twelve Years Ago…

In a plain of jutting boulders and scarce moss, two Lucario, a Heliolisk, and a Riolu gazed across a wondrous canyon, covered with a cloudy veil. The day was bright and clear, and the seas behind them were still. A ship commandeered by a burly Poliwrath bobbed behind them, waiting for further orders.

The Lucario in a brown cloak adjusted a sack over his shoulder, then thrust out his staff and declared, “Onix Canyon: a place said to have been made by an Onix over a mile long.”

Sighing lovingly, the pink-flowered Lucario said, “It’s certainly beautiful Lukas. Are we going down there?”

Lukas nodded. “Of course, Lara! There’s all sorts of fossils from ancient times there; we can pick some up on our way back.” He turned to the Heliolisk and said, “Harold, keep an eye on Ren for me, okay? Lara and I will head down, but you two will stay up here.”

Harry saluted, setting a claw on the Riolu’s shoulder. “Will do, Guildmaster!”

“Aw, but I want to come too!” Ren complained, dejected.

Lukas stood on one knee, gazing at his son. “It’s too dangerous for someone as young as you. When you’re older, we can come back, and you can get some fossils of your own.” He stood back up and wrapped an arm around Lara’s shoulder. “Let’s go.” He and Lara walked down a narrow pathway, descending toward the second level of the vast canyon.

Ren began to follow, but Harry quickly stepped in front of him. “Oh no you won’t. Past a certain point of the canyon there’s a Mystery Dungeon: The Divergent Mines. I wouldn’t want to be caught in there, especially not at this time of day.” The sun hung low in the sky, the light blue beginning to turn into a pale orange.

The Riolu slumped to the ground, pouting. “I want to play something.” He hated being away from his parents, especially if they told him to stay put somewhere.

Harry looked about. Surrounding the ravine were dozens of small caves, all set in the low mountain ridge. Wind whistled by them, creating an eerie ambience to the still environment.

“How about we play hide-and-seek? There’s plenty of places to hide,” Harry suggested. He huddled next to a well, covering his eyes. “Here, I’ll start by being the seeker. I’ll count to ten. One, two…”

Before Harry had even reached two, Ren was off, padding silently along the path. He was soon out of sight.

He trailed behind his parents cautiously; he didn’t want to catch their attention, not after what his dad said. They never bothered turning around however; they were too engrossed in conversation, about how Molly’s marriage was going, Simeon’s nagging about better ingredients, and the constant need for new explorers.

They reached the second level, shaded by the cliffs above. Lara looked down the ravine, a pitch-black pit seemingly descending to nothingness. “The Mystery Dungeon’s just down there, huh?”

Lukas shuffled her away, directing her attention to a lone rock with a vine emblazoned on it. “Yes, just down the next ramp. I would want to go down there now though; even if there’s not supposed to be Pokemon in there, it’s getting close to nighttime. We could easily get caught within.”

Lara picked up the stone, looking at Lukas with a sly look. “I’ve had my fair share of exploration just as you have. I could make it if I needed to.”

Lukas chuckled, pulling an Orb out of his bag. “Yeah, but you aren’t always prepared like I am. I always carry an Escape Orb with me.” Ren half-listened, his eyes beginning to droop. He hid in the corner between the wall and the bottom of the ramp, a perfect spot for the tiny Riolu.

“Ren! Ren! Where are you?” Harry’s voice called. Ren shrunk down, looking upward sheepishly.

Laughing, Lukas shook his head. “Must be playing hide-and-seek. Harold should know—”

Crack!

The three whipped their heads behind them, watching as a large stone rolled down the ramp. The raspy breathing of an unknown creature echoed behind it, sounding like a vile chuckle.

Lara and Lukas leapt out of the way, the boulder crashing into the far wall. Looking up, Lukas exclaimed, “Whoever did that, show yourself! I’m Guildmaster Lukas of Lucario Guild, and your actions nearly killed us!”

“Oh…is that so?”

A veil lifted, revealing a tattered, graying Zoroark, hunched over and breathing haggardly. He looked around with wild eyes, staring intently at Lukas, baring his teeth as he spoke. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time…” he rasped, rushing down the hill toward Lara.

Lukas stepped in the way, batting the Zoroark across the head with his staff. “What do you want from me? I haven’t met you before!”

The Zoroark collapsed, blood seeping from the wound. He chuckled madly, popping his neck. “You haven’t met me, but I’ve met you!” He disappeared, his claws clacking against the rocks as he circled the two Lucario.

Ren began to panic, shrinking as far back into the corner as he could. Who was this Zoroark? What did he want with his dad?

Harry peeked down and gasped. “Lukas! What’s happened!”

Lara closed her eyes, holding her paws out. “Can’t you feel his aura? It’s…dark, evil even. What happened to that Zoroark?”

The Zoroark reappeared behind Lukas, clamping his claws around his neck. “So many things!” He lifted up the Lucario and threw him against the wall, slumping against the ground with a moan.

“No!” Harry roared, barreling down the ramp. His frill extended and mouth wide, he shot a ball of lightning toward the attacker.

The Zoroark deftly dodged, cackling. “Is that really all you have?”

Lara peeked around the ramp, seeing her son shivering next to Lukas’ unconscious form. “Ren! What are you doing here?”

“Hmm?” The Zoroark spun around, meeting Ren’s eyes. “Ah, the two of you had a cub. How sweet.” He thrust out his claws, licking his teeth. “I might as well take care of him first.” Ren gasped, throwing his paws over his head.

Harry headbutted the Zoroark, sending him sprawling to the ground. “Come on, let’s get moving!” He called, scooping Ren into his arms.

Lara started toward Lukas, but stopped when the Zoroark stood once more, grimacing. “Now you’re starting to annoy me,” He seethed, his eyes glowing red. He lifted a claw, a ball of red fire forming in it.

Pushing Harry away, Lara shouted, “Get to the boat! I’ll protect Lukas!” Harry nodded, running up the ramp, Ren buried in his shoulder.

The Zoroark lifted the orb, aiming for Ren. “The whelp should go first.” He threw it, watching it soar through the air.

A blue sphere shot into it mere feet from Harry, causing an explosion of purple particles. The Zoroark grunted, glaring at Lara. Her paws were pressed together, her appendages raised.

“You will not harm my son,” she growled.

The Zoroark’s lips curled upward into a cruel grin. “You’re proving to be more troublesome than I thought.” His fur raised, red mist curling from the ends. “Let’s make things interesting.”

Lara paled, stepping back. “You…shouldn’t be able to do that. Only Arth—” She cut herself short, realizing who she was dealing with.

The Zorark gazed upward, his grin somehow growing wider. “Yes, I’m a descendant of Arthus the Usurper, Sevo! I will avenge him by killing Laryon's descendants, and nothing will stand in my way!” He ran toward her, the fiery mist raging behind him.

Turning, Lara ran for the ramp heading down into the canyon, avoiding Sevo’s whirlwind of life energy. “I can’t fight that; even Laryon had to have the Legend’s help.” She began to descend the ramp, looking up towards Lukas. “I’ll make it through…just as I said.” The blackness of the Divergent Mines enveloped her, and Sevo with her.

Time passed, and the day grew closer to dusk. Lukas began to stir, turning his head. Struggling, he opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. “Where…did they go?” A maddening cackle and a deathly shriek echoed from the mines, calling out to the young Guildmaster.

“Lara,” Lukas stuttered, scrambling upwards. He ran toward the entrance ramp, his eyes wide with fright.

“I have to go down there…she can’t make it before the sun sets,” he gasped. Without a second thought, he pursued them, a distinct, unnatural moan echoing from the mines.

A dim light surrounded him, illuminating the stone tunnels just barely. The sounds of Lara and Sevo’s combat echoed through the caverns, bouncing all through the walls, making it seem that the fight was everywhere at once.

Lukas studied the ground hastily, noting a trail of scorched rock hewn into it. “That must be the Zoroark’s doing, but how?” The cavern moaned once more, the walls beginning the shake. Lukas pressed on, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him.

He descended stairwell after stairwell, the walls behind him beginning to crash down. “Have to…make it,” he panted, red and blue light flashing through the tunnels ahead of him.

He rounded the corner and halted, putting his paw out in revulsion. Sevo had begun to decay, the flames of life within him bursting from his body in pure form. His fur burned and his face half-charred, among other lesions across his limbs, he seemed to be losing control of the sheer power he had.

The female Lucario lay sprawled against the ground, bloodied by the assault. She craned her head upward, the flower on her ear wilted. “Lukas…go…now…” she wheezed, waving her paw away. Crashing and moaning echoed once more, the walls rumbling deeply.

Sevo looked at his limbs, watching as the flesh began to burn away. “I suppose it was time for this frame to go.” He reached down and grabbed Lara’s neck, lifting her up. “So, this is how it will end for all of us: in a shifting Mystery Dungeon, to be consumed by the Heart.” He coughed, the crimson flames licking his teeth. “An experience I won’t have again.”

Lukas pulled out the Escape Orb from his bag, cringing. “I’ll come get you Lara! Just hold on!”

She shook her head as Sevo rasped, “You take her out, you’re bringing her with me. I will kill you and that miserable Riolu, just as I should have done to Matheus and Laryon three-hundred years ago!”

Lukas trembled, the Escape Orb slipping from his paw. “No…no…” he gasped, the crashing beginning once more.

His wife forced a smile, coughing. “Go…raise Auren without me. He can’t lose you too.” She closed her eyes, her arms falling limp. “I…know you can do it…”

The tunnel behind Lukas began to collapse, boulders of all sizes falling from the ceiling. The Guildmaster let out a scream of agony, throwing down the Escape Orb, becoming absorbed in its life-saving light. The wisp weaved through the rockslide as Sevo and Lara were pummeled by the Mystery Dungeon, never to be seen again.

~~~~

A Day Later…

A knock came to the front gate of Lucario Guild in the dead of night, the pounding clear through the still air. Moments later, a disheveled Guildmaster opened it himself, finding a reason to escape the woe that wore heavy on his heart.

Beyond the door was a shivering young mother Zoroark, a bag over her shoulder and a sleeping Zorua in them. “Please sir, can you let me in? My husband, Sevo, disappeared yesterday morning, and he hasn’t come back. I couldn’t stay in our home, and I know that you’ve helped others like me before.”

Lukas gazed at them, restraining the sadness he inwardly felt. “A Zoroark drove Lara to her death. Why should I help her?”

Memories of Lara returned to him, and the kindly works she achieved. She helped many that weren’t favored in the world: Dark Pokemon, Ghosts, Dragons…all of the lower Pokemon. Despite what they may be, she always said one thing to the other Pokemon around her: “It doesn’t matter what they look like or what powers they have. All that matters is if they are in need of help, help them. You can’t judge their actions by what others have done.”

Lukas made a shivering sigh, and stepped away, holding the gate open. “You are welcome here. What is your name?”

The mother Zoroark entered gratefully, petting the Zorua’s head. “Corinne.”

Above, in the Master’s Tower, a Riolu looked out from an open window, restless from his loss. The words the Zoroark spoke rang clear, and as soon as she entered, he scowled. “A Zoroark killed Mom. She said his name was Sevo.” He glared at the Zorua, putting the connections together. “And that one’s his kid.”

He ran to his bed and beat his paws against the pillow, screaming as he went. “I hate him! I hate him! I! Hate! Him!” He continued through the night, stopping only when his father returned.

----------

So. Now you know Ren's reason for hating Sion for so many years. I admit that I was a bit heavy-handed in his treatment earlier on, but now...I almost feel it was justified, in a devious way.

I'm feeling a bit emotional over this chapter, actually. Not many of them do that for me. I'll just leave now.

 

[lucarioknight56]

Chapter 44: Conversion Completed

The present world returned to Ren, pounding the sides of his head. He fell in front of Mewtwo and covered his eyes, shivering. “H-How did I see that? I wasn’t there!”

Mewtwo stooped, a slight grin appearing. “I took the liberty of helping you see a different picture. How did you like it?”

Ren restrained his tears, memories of his mother resurfacing. “Ren’s dad was to blame…for everything. If it wasn’t for him, Mom would still be alive, and all of this wouldn’t have happened!”

The Legend gave Ren a nudge with his foot, tsking. “How quaint, blaming others for your actions.” He set a finger to his lips and said, “What if I were to tell you that old Sevo wasn’t in his right mind? Or, more accurately, the right mind wasn’t in him?”

Ren looked up and made a bewildered look. “What do you mean?”

Mewtwo turned around and waved a hand. “Nothing you’d be interested in of course. Just that maybe it wasn’t Sevo’s fault.” He began to march back up the hill.

Ren scowled, coming up to his feet and marching after Mewtwo. “What do you mean it wasn’t his fault? You saw what he did! He used that Life power to kill her!”

Mewtwo, still going up, replied, “I’ve lived since Equivos began, and I’m a master psychologist. Don’t you think I can tell when someone isn’t there?” He sat on his throne, leaning his head against his arm.

He lifted his finger as Ren came over the top, causing a purple glow to appear around him. “Would you sit down? It’s quite annoying when you feel the constant need to punch me in the gut,” he demanded, peeved. Ren went still, looking around wildly. He steadily changed to a kneeling position, much to his annoyance.

“I don’t trust you; I’d prefer to be standing up in case something happens,” Ren stated, the purple glow receding.

Mewtwo made a sarcastic laugh, dropping his hand. “And if it weren’t for old Matheus I’d be off meditating on the Isle of Regret, not talking with an arrogant snot like you.”

Ren perked up at the mention of Matheus. “You met Laryon’s uncle?”

Mewtwo made a dismissive wave. “Irrelevant for our topic. Look, you have to understand that Sion isn’t the cause of your suffering, nor is Sevo. In reality, it is the Pokemon who’s been a thorn in our side for 300 years: Arthus.”

“He’s stuck in the Cocoon of Destruction. He can’t do anything there.”

“Ah, but he can. You remember Sion’s fancy cloak, right?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“That cloak is a vessel for Arthus’ Life energy. He left it behind before his battle with Laryon, and now he’s able to use it to control the bodies of those who wear it.”

Ren continued to stare doubtfully at Mewtwo. “This sounds…crazy. What makes you think I’ll believe this?”

Mewtwo kicked Ren in on the nose, knocking him backwards. Amidst groans of pain, Mewtwo shouted, “Boy, you are more stubborn than a Camerupt! Little wonder that Lukas gave up on you.” He shuddered. “Imagine, teaching you for twelve years, all the while dealing with the loss of your wife and the burdens of a Guild.” He chuckled, looking up at his false sky. “Yet another reason I hate to be involved in everyday life.”

Ren pushed himself up, holding a paw over his swelling snout. “Why are you even doing this? It’s not like you get anything out of it.”

The Legend’s eyes glowed blue, and his lips pursed in restrained anger. “You seem to like doubting what’s right in front of you.” He stood and announced, “You seem to love a good brawl, so how about we make a deal. If you beat me, I’ll send you right to the top of Mount Lune, where you can have a victory party with Arthus after he’s finished with Cosa. If I beat you, you believe my every word, and then you might have a chance of stopping those Ultra Beasts from joining Equivos.”

Ren stood up indignantly, stamping his foot. “Arthus can’t do anything anymore! You’re going to have to do better than that to convince me.”

“Then maybe it would help if I came in.”

An image suddenly appeared behind Ren, glowering at him. Ren felt the imposing power, and upon turning around, gasped. There in front of him was the creator of his realm: Arceus. He hovered above the hills, looking down on the two Pokemon, his arc shining with a golden aura.

“You are most different from Laryon and Matheus, young Auren. Why do you refuse to change?”

Mewtwo bowed respectfully, refusing to meet Arceus’ sight. “This is an unexpected honor, great Arceus. I assure you, I have this under control. There’s no harder heart than mine to—”

“Enough,” Arceus bellowed, taking a step forward. Mewtwo shrunk back, cringing.

Arceus readjusted to his previous position. “I know someone better suited to the task at hand. You have done your job of showing him the full vision. I will maintain your realm from here.”

The Legend nodded, turning away. “Suit yourself. I have better things to be doing anyway…like finding out who stole my treasures.” He disappeared in a flash of light, his throne crumbling to dust in his absence.

Ren found it difficult to believe that Arceus would visit him. That only happened in legends, or to Pokemon who made a difference in the world, like Matheus or Laryon. Who was he to garner the attention of the Myth?

He continued to stand at attention, not wanting to disrespect him. Arceus cocked his head ever so slightly. “No need for the formalities. I’m not actually here.” Ren relaxed, letting his shoulders go loose.

The Myth made a halting chuckle, a long-lost ability of his. “Go down to the lake. I have sent someone to meet you.” He faded, his golden light and blazing presence disappearing from the undersea world.

Curious as to who he would meet, Ren began to walk down the hill, toward the small reflecting pool. No other seemed to be present.

He reached the edge, and for a moment, thought that Arceus might have been mistaken—until a golden hoop suddenly appeared over the water.

“Get out of my way! Arceus told me that this was my job!” A silver shape popped out of the hoop, splashing into the water.

A purple horned figure poked his head through the hoop and exclaimed, “I was trying to tell you that I needed to adjust the positioning! Good luck being wet!” The head and the hoop promptly disappeared in a poof of purple dust.

The silver Pokemon resurfaced, spitting out water and complaining miserably. “Dratted trickster, never can trust the guy!” Ren now realized that this silver Pokemon was actually a Lucario, and not just any Lucario: Matheus, the Guildmaster Pokemon.

Matheus pulled himself up to shore, shaking himself and wringing out his appendages. “Augh, I always seem to be getting wet, no matter where I go,” he muttered. He blinked, noticing Ren’s astonished face. “Why hello. Not every day you get to see an old geezer like me, huh?”

Ren lifted a shaking finger and stuttered, “You’re…you’re…” He stopped, ag raying paw clamped over his face.

Matheus smirked, hawing. “No need to say it. I hardly get the chance to meet other Pokemon you know, especially descendants of my nephew.” He removed his paw, allowing Ren’s jaw to hang.

The Legend’s expression suddenly turned more serious. “You know it’s rude to stare.” Ren averted his eyes, looking down sheepishly.

Matheus snorted, crossing his arms. “I’ve spent the past week trying to get to you and Sion. I wanted to warn you about Arthus’ influence on Sion, but now it’s too late; according to Arceus, Arthus’ consciousness has escaped the Cocoon of Destruction. Most likely, Sion will suffer the same fate as the other Zoroarks that he’s used.

Ren continued to stare at the ground. “It’s just…hard to believe. I always thought that Sion would be just as bad as his dad, he just hadn’t shown it yet. I felt so sure that he finally showed what he was truly like at the raft.” He sighed. “But for him to be like that, after all those times he saved me on Lele…”

Matheus came around Ren and patted him on the back. “You’ve had a hard time trusting people, haven’t you?” Ren nodded slightly.

Matheus began to pace around Ren. “Thanks to the Tree of Life, I’ve been watching Lucario Guild closely. I didn’t watch the place every day, or every week even. But I wanted to make sure that Laryon’s greatest achievement was in good hands.” He raised a finger. “Up until you all the Guildmasters were honorable Pokemon. From what I saw, others respected you for your lineage, and little else. How many real friends did you have there?”

The younger Lucario thought. “Well, there’s Johnson and the other Pokemon I go to school with.”

“And tell me, in hindsight, how much do you think they actually like you for who you are?”

“…Not very much.”

The Legend clapped his paws together. “Exactly what I thought. And tell me, how have you treated your dad all these years? You were a fine Riolu, if a bit mischievous, but you suddenly became a disobedient and troublesome after what happened in Onix Canyon.”

“It’s because I thought he should have turned Corinne and Sion away when they came, instead of letting them in!” Ren exclaimed, throwing his arms up. “Why are you asking so many questions? I know that what I did was wrong!”

Matheus pulled on Ren’s appendages and shouted, “Because I want you to be someone who can save us all!” He pushed Ren away, growling. “That sour attitude…no wonder you haven’t been able to use Aura.”

Ren jumped, looking at his paws. “I-I used it before, on Lele! When we were with this herd of Pokemon, my paws suddenly began to glow with aura!”

Grinning, Matheus asked, “Well, that’s a start. And tell me, what were you doing when the Aura came?”

Ren’s face dropped as he remembered. “I was…doing something that Sion had asked me to do. It was the first time I really trusted him. I wanted to be around him, because I knew that he was actually a great guy.”

He held up his paw, gazing at it. “I remember Dad saying that Aura was a power created by the life within Pokemon, but it’s not true Life energy. It’s a shadow of it, taken from the source but becomes more powerful as you connect with other Pokemon.”

“Most Lucario evolve when they created a trust strong enough to invoke Aura, like when Laryon evolved because of my friendship with him,” Matheus explained. His face turned dark as he continued: “I evolved because of my friendship with Arthus. I was devastated when he turned away from all that, all for his cause to make a perfect world without evil.” He shook his head, driving away the foul mood. “But that’s beside the point. Tell me, if it weren’t for Sion’s relatives, do you think you would have become friends with him?”

Ren pondered, memories of his first encounters with Sion coming to mind. The Zorua often came to him to play in those first few days, since the other children were told not to by their parents. He wanted to play tag, to play in the fountain, to climb the Tree of Slumber. He wanted to make crafts with Corinne, to run around Lukas when he walked the paths with Harry. All things that Ren himself would have done.

And what was he? A horrible bully and a distant Pokemon to everyone around him. Life at Lucario Guild was perfect until he decided he didn’t want to be a good Pokemon anymore, because he refused to forgive an entire species for one vicious act. And it wasn’t even their fault; it was a deranged mad-Pokemon, Arthus the Usurper, the same one who wanted to kill everybody to make a perfect world. He prevented a future of happiness and grew up upset at life, all because he couldn’t forgive others for what they had done.

He trembled but not of anger. A tear fell, and Ren’s paws began to shake. “I’m…sorry. For everything. I shouldn’t have done what I did. I should have been a better Pokemon…to everyone.”

Matheus’ studious scowl began to turn into a delighted smile. “And tell me, if given the chance, would you want to make amends to everyone you’ve hurt all these years?”

“Yes…yes, I would…” Ren admitted, wiping his eyes.

“Let those feelings you have come out. Let the bitterness escape, and let joy return. Learn to love again. Then, after all has been forgiven in your heart, send your emotions out,” the Legend directed, stepping back.

Ren took a deep breath, then held his paw out. He thought of Sion, and all the grateful things he had done for the undeserving Lucario. He thought of Lukas and his useless attempts at educating his son, and wanted to learn all he need to learn. He thought of Corinne, and what lovely things she had done for Lucario Guild in the background. He thought of Harry and his counseling.

He thought of all Lucario Guild, about how they all wanted him to become a future Guildmaster. Few realized who he really needed to be. They didn’t need a conqueror, a fighter; they needed a compassionate leader, one who knew the feelings of those around him, knew exactly what to say. Someone…like Sion.

A cool heat enveloped Ren’s paw, and a flame of the richest blue erupted from his palm. He gazed down at it, and began to laugh. “It finally comes,” he whispered.

Matheus stepped back, a golden hoop opening behind him. “You are now ready to go back. Equivos needs you now, before Arthus succeeds with his new plan. He and Cosma are climbing Mount Lune, the mountain with a purple glow; pursue him. When you return,” He stepped inside the hoop. “I’ll tell Lukas myself that you are ready to be Guildmaster of Lucario Guild.” The hoop shrank, exploding in a cloud of mist.

Ren began to rise in the air, a golden aura surrounding him. “I will bring you to Fini with what abilities I have beyond the Wall. After that, it will all be up to you,” Arceus’ voice bellowed.

The Lucario ruptured the bubble atmosphere, becoming enveloped by it. The lush domain below became thrashed by the ocean, the grasses becoming a mere weed, and the pool becoming a depression in the sea floor.

Raging all about him, the ocean carried the crazed undersea Pokemon as they fled from a sudden rise in the floor. Ren surfaced, seeing the majesty of the twin mountains of Fini just ahead. A wormhole screeched between them, larger than any that Ren had seen before. Dark tentacles breached the air, wrapping around the clouds and fouling the air even more with Ultra Space.

He soared through the air, landing on the beach of Fini. The seas rose behind him, and lightning streaked across the sky. Rain began to fall, pattering on the desert sand. The way to the mountains lay clear, with indigo rocks littering the desert path to Mount Sol and Lune.

The bubble popped around Ren, and he coughed, the sour air feeling like a punch in the throat. “Awful…just awful…” he moaned. He hurriedly composed himself, taking controlled breaths. “I have to make it up.” He began to walk, then jog, run, then finally sprint across the sands, the grains billowing behind him, the wind screaming through his ears.

He crossed by several indigo rocks, which began to shake. They erupted from the sand, revealing a jagged set of pincers, glaring red eyes, and rapidly vibrating wings. The beetles directed their pincers at the Lucario, then shot bolts of electricity at him, shocking the air around them.

Ren leapt over one such bolt, looking behind him. “Vikavolt!” he shouted, remembering his conversation with Cosma. He ducked as another bolt coursed over his fur, then sidestepped as another coursed toward his right. The mountains grew closer, the final trek of Auren Lucario finally beginning.

~~~~

All seven Ultra Beasts sat on their thrones, watching the decimating Ultra Wormhole pull away the toxic gas and loose Sentia of the world away. Their final goal finally achieved, they hoped to relax until the storms recede…but the actions of the few Pokemon that dare oppose them forced their hand.

Xurkitree gazed down the swirling expanse of space below him, the Ultra Wormhole right at the edge of his throne. “The most beautiful I have ever created…” he mused.

Kartana and Nihilego drifted over it, studying the two mountains at the sides of the wormhole. “Do we begin your plan now?” Nihilego asked.

Xurkitree nodded, the other three conscious Ultra Beasts preparing themselves. “The ascent of the mountains will hopefully wear them down, but as they make it to the plateaus, I want each of you to fight with them.” He flashed colors as he pointed to Nihilego. “You poison the frog and bat. They may be experienced fighters, but we would like to see the suffer.” She nodded, darting out of the wormhole and toward Mount Sol.

Xurkitree turned his arm to Kartana. “Cut down the alligator and fox. Be especially wary about the former; he is a vicious fighter, and will not hesitate to tear you in half.”

Kartana saluted, his paper-thin limbs pulling themselves into Equivos. “Anything to have a revitalized world!” He dropped into Equivos, zooming toward Mount Lune and its climbers.

Celesteela turned to Xurkitree and asked, “Why don’t we all attack them at once? That would ensure that they are destroyed.”

Xurkitree made a halting chuckle, sounding like a roar of thunder. “Two fewer Ultra Beasts to share with.”

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The final chapters have begun! Thank you for reading this far, and when this is over, I promise a special surprise!