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This chapter was harder to write than some of the others, as I'm not used to writing fight scenes with non-humanoid Pokemon. The battles were shorter than I liked, but they served their purpose.
Chapter 45: Conflicted Ascent
The rain soon turned into snow on Mount Sol as Ekon and Gaiden climbed. The rush of ice and wind pelted their skin, adding a burning feeling on top of their numbed limbs. Not even halfway up the mountain, ice already littered their proposed paths, causing them to turn to a different path numerous times. All the while, the air became gradually sicker.
Ekon grasped the next handhold and cringed, pressing himself tight against the rockface. “Another gale coming up!” Gaiden did the same, ensuring that their bag of supplies and their dormant passenger were secured. Harsh winds beat down, swaying them slightly, but soon receded.
Ekon panted, wiping snow from his brow. “It looks like there’s a stopping point ahead. Let’s hurry there.” He renewed his course, continuing to curse the winds and snow for preventing flight.
After another half-hour of wrestling with the snowstorm, the climbers finally made it to the shelf, flopping onto the snow-covered plateau. Both breathed heavily as the crawled away from the edge and sat near the next cliff.
Gaiden reached into the bag at his side and pulled out two yellow, polka-dotted berries. “Eat this. It’ll keep us warm,” he explained, handing one to Gaiden.
The Noivern took a bite out of it, his face puckering. “Ach…Aspear…why do they have to be so sour!” He ungratefully took another bite. “At least it’ll stop the ice.”
Gaiden took a bite of his own berry, face unchanging. “The Passimian provided us with plenty, so let’s try to eat another as soon as the effects wear off.” He looked off the mountain, at the wormhole that swirled in the sky. “I’m not liking the looks of that vortex. It’s so much larger than the other ones.”
Standing up, Ekon replied, “Exactly why we can’t waste any time. I don’t want to get tangled up with any of those Ultra Beasts before we get up the mountain.
“A bit late for that now, isn’t it?”
A clear tentacled being drifted down, her arms wafting gracefully in the harsh winds. “I cannot let you bring the Cosmog to the peak. We are so close to joining our worlds together.”
Gaiden stood now, holding the bag tight. “That won’t be happening.”
Holding out his wings, Ekon shouted, "We'll beat you down if you get in our way!"
"You will not succeed, or I am not Nihilego!" she exclaimed. A purple blob began to form under her head.
Ekon – despite his freezing limbs – flapped his wings and fought with the wind for control. Gaiden leapt to the left as Nihilego launched her poisonous sphere, the glob melting the ice behind him.
She swerved upward, and he head became encased in a clear, sparkling film. Ekon shrieked, the soundwaves pounding into Nihilego’s body. She wavered slightly, beginning to fall – then swerving sideways and launching straight towards Gaiden.
Her head blew Gaiden into the cliff, shaking the icicles that hung above him. Nihilego wrapped her tentacles around his body, feeding one into the sack.
"Oh no you won't!" Ekon screeched. He opened his mouth and shot a purple-blue pulse of energy at Nihilego. Having no time to unwrap herself, she brought Gaiden to the air with her, the Greninja struggling to release her hold.The Dragon Pulse smashed against the wall, causing the icicles to shake more vigorously.
She continued to dig through the sack, expecting to graze the key to her destruction. Her captive suddenly disappeared in a purple gas, and Nihilego's tentacles grasped at empty air.
She frantically looked around, spotting Gaiden below her, checking inside the bag. Ekon flew straight for Nihilego and exclaimed, "Nice going with the Shadow Sneak!" He stopped flapping and held out his claws, which glowed with an ethereal green light.
Nihilego tilted forward and shook her head, emitting radiating waves of purple energy. They brushed against Ekon's head just as he came in range, causing him to cringe. "Psywave...agh!" he seethed, slashing at the air in front of him. As he dove, an x-shaped burst of light rocketed toward Nihilego.
It pushed her into the side of the cliff, shaking it once more. The icicles came free from the jutting edge, falling in a spiral of ice shards. Three punctured her head -- a sickly purple fluid leaking from them – while the others stabbed her tentacles, keeping her in place.
She gasped, moving her head slightly. “I am not defeated…not yet!”
Ekon lowered himself, clutching his head. “I’d say y’are. You’re a pretty poor excuse of an Ultra Beast to me; hardly a fight really.”
Nihilego began to expand, her head inflating, turning the same purple as the wounds. “Do not underestimate me. I may die, but I die for Ultra Space!” She fell back, continuing to inflate with the same fluid.
Gaiden furrowed his brow, piecing together the Ultra Beast’s strategy. A stream of fluid leaked from her tentacle, then he realized.
“Get in the air!
Ekon grabbed Gaiden’s shoulders and lifted him up just before Nihilego burst, creating an explosion of steaming violet fluid, splattering across the entire plain. It steamed and spat, melting the ice and eating away the rock.
Globs flew onto Gaiden’s legs, and the poison began to steam on his skin. “Get us up, now!” he yelled, clenching his teeth and resisting the urge to wipe the poison away.
They flew up to a small ledge, and Ekon proceeded to dump snow onto Gaiden’s afflicted limbs. The poison seeped into the snow, creating a foul-smelling sludge, containing the acidic properties.
Digging through the sack, Gaiden pulled out a bundle of leaves and unfurled it. Ekon took several Pecha berries from within and squished them over the roll. He then split the makeshift bandages in half, proceeding to wrap them around Gaiden’s legs.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk so well with them like that,” Gaiden sighed, bending his knee. He winced as he relaxed.
Ekon looked up, noting the mostly-vertical ascent, with the occasional ledge to rest on. “Doesn’t look like that’ll be an issue. It’ll be icy, but as long as you can keep a grip and rest on your legs, I think we’ll be fine.”
Grunting, Gaiden added, “Still, if we have to fight another one of those Ultra Beasts, we’d be in bad shape.”
Ekon pulled Gaiden close. “We aren’t giving up now. Not after all we’ve been through.”
Gaiden stood up shakily, giving Ekon a sly look. “Whoever said we were?”
~~~~
"How much farther till the next cliff!" Frederick asked, clenching his teeth.
He, Arthus and Cosma climbed along Ekon and Gaiden's same path, mirrored on Mount Lune.
Arthus looked down and exclaimed, "It's just a few more feet!" He shook his head, groaning. "I'll have to get rid of him sooner or later, or else my plans will be ruined." Probing his mind, he smiled. "At least there's no sign of Sion yet." He still felt clear-headed and strong, his stored Life energy like a steady leak from an enormous vat.
Frederick groaned. "I hate cold weather! Why couldn't this be on the beach, down on the warm sand, perfectly obvious to find!"
"Well if you don't like it you can turn around!" Arthus snapped. Frederick gave an irritated look as Arthus cursed himself. "Have to be more careful; can't have the fool discovering that Sion isn't around."
"Oh look, we made it!" Cosma cheered, disappearing over the edge.
Arthus clambered up, then Frederick, the latter panting hard. "Kyogre's rains...they really need to make a ladder up there," he gasped.
The Usurper restrained the urge to make a smart comment as he pulled out the pouch of Aspear berries. He thought better of it as a new plan came into his mind. "I'll stay warm thanks to my life, and Cosma doesn’t need it since she has no organic parts. Frederick will freeze to death before we reach the top if I don't give him these." He made an illusion of himself digging through the bag, while the he went to a corner of the cliff and set the bundle of berries between the crack. He then returned to his previous position, the illusion lifting.
He made an exasperated look and explained, "We must've left our Aspear berries down at the bottom."
Frederick swiped the bag and began to look through it himself. "Oh no, we can't have that; there's no way I'm losin' me fingers and toes to this blasted cliff!" After a moment he threw it down, making an irritated snort "Guess I'll just have to climb a bit faster."
"That won't be necessary."
A paper-thin Ultra Beast flitted just off the cliff, his arms and legs waving around in the wind. "I'll make sure to cut them off for you, to save you time."
Cosma hid behind Arthus, shivering in fear. "You're Kartana, the Blade Ultra Beast!"
Kartana chuckled, zooming over their heads. "I didn't know I was so famous! I've had limited visits to this wonderful world of yours, but of the few I've had..." He scraped his arms together, making sparks. "I've always had my fun."
Frederick gnashed his teeth and laughed. "A tiny guy like you who can cut saplings. I'm so impressed. Look at these bad boys!" He pointed at his jaw, wide open for all to see. "I'd bet a cask o' berry juice I could mince up more Pokemon than you."
"I have no interest in you; I just want to slice up that little Cosmog hiding behind your backs." He swerved around and held his arms straight, diving straight toward Cosma.
Arthus' claws glowed red as he raised them. "I'm not letting this alien steal my show." He countered Kartana's blow, creating more sparks.
Kartana grunted, glaring at his arm. "You made a scuff. You'll pay for that."
"Bring it on, shortstack!" Frederick roared, leaping toward Kartana.
The Ultra Beast swerved to the right, causing Frederick to land in a pile of snow. He zigzagged toward Cosma, the wind whistling past his blades as he straightened his body.
Arthus sent Kartana spinning away, slapping the flat side of the Ultra Beast. Kartana swung back around, spinning rapidly.
Frederick slapped his tail on the ground, creating a wall of water in front of Cosma. Kartana splashed into it, disorienting him and slowing his spin. The water began to slowly freeze, both on the ground and on Kartana’s frame. The weight of the ice brought Kartana to the ground, attempting to ascend helplessly.
Frederick reared back his fist. “Let’s see how tough you are now, ice block!” He threw his fist downward and cracked the ice on Kartana. It splintered and cracked, tears forming on the light metallic body.
He flitted back into the air, shaking off the rest of the ice. “You’ll pay for that mistake!” he shouted, one of his legs nearly coming free of his torso. He darted toward Frederick and veered for his right, nicking the Feraligatr’s side.
Frederick hurriedly covered it over, blood from beneath his claw. He leapt to the side as Kartana made another pass, cursing. “Sneaky blighter, fight like a Pokemon!”
Kartana halted momentarily, studying Frederick with his soulless yellow eye. “But I’m not, am I?” He tilted forward and charged straight toward Frederick,
A burst of crimson light hurtled in front of Frederick, smashing into Kartana. He furled into the ground, his arms and legs scattering into the wind, useless to the grounded Ultra Beast.
Arthus held out his claws, red mist curling from them. “Can’t have you killing him just yet, can we?” Inwardly, he fumed, “If it weren’t for me needing to keep a good impression with Cosma…”
Frederick gaped, never witnessing such a power before. This amazement soon faded as he proceeded to stand on Kartana and roar, “Ha! How’s it feel to be all small and powerless!”
Kartana pushed up helplessly, his strength vanished. “I-I will strike! I have not been defeated!”
Frederick kicked snow on top of him and spat. “Sure ya will. Hey Cosma, have any bandages? I’m leakin’ a bit.” Cosma fluttered down, juttery after the near-death experience of Kartana.
Arthus stepped over toward the Ultra Beast, studying him. “Judging by his slight frame and his predictable tactics, he’s used to working in surprise, using his speed to blindside his enemies before they have a chance to notice. His introduction certainly didn’t help matters.” He gazed at him studiously, and when their eyes joined, Kartana flinched.
“You may have defeated me, but I am not the best!” he choked, finally admitting his fear. “There are others still, and once they come, you will all be—”
“Oh, cry me a river. Yer a pushover. Some mighty Ultra Beast you turned out to be,” Frederick interrupted. As he wrapped a leaf bandage over his chest, he said to Cosma, “Why so scared of the bloke? Sure, he did some nasty stuff, but he’s as fragile as he looks!”
Cosma peered over at the helpless Ultra Beast, attempting to gain lift. “I never really saw Kartana that much. Maybe it was because he was so weak.”
Pounding his chest, Frederick looked back up the cliffs. “Welp, won’t get any farther yammerin’ on. Let’s get goin’!”
“You sure you’ll be alright with that cut? It looked pretty deep.” Cosma asked.
“Nah, it's but a flesh wound. I’ve had worse papercuts on me pinky.”
The two began their ascent again, with Frederick’s right side slightly weaker than the left. Arthus began as well, thinking of how to get rid of the relentless Feraligatr.
~~~~
Ren threw an Aura Sphere at the last Vikavolt, liquid fire writing over its plating. The defeated bug burrowed back into the sand, extinguishing the flames and its life.
The Lucario nodded, the Aura fading from his paws. "Life suddenly got a whole lot easier," he said to himself, looking up at the twin mountains. "Now for the hard part." He leapt toward the left mountain, scrabbling for a foothold, achieving it after sliding slightly.
Fierce gales pressing on him, he forced himself upward. He trekked up the winding trail, thoughts of Sion rushing through his mind.
“I hope I can save you in time.”
~~~~
“Nihilego was little use to us anyways, and Kartana’s abilities can be replaced with mine,” Xurkitree explained passively.
Guzzlord, now standing on the edge of the wormhole, roared furiously. “You sent them to their deaths, you fool! You should be grateful that you’re the one who knows how to activate the Wormholes, or you would be consumed!”
Celesteela hovered above him, her jets sending out dark orange fumes. “I will admit, Nihilego and Kartana’s strength left something to be desired, but they would have been useful in cultivating more Sentia.”
“Enough! What’s done is done,” Pheromosa intervened, lounging on her throne. “I trust that you two won’t fail us like they did. There’s a good reason I kept Nihilego around as my carrier. I expect that Buzzwole will recover sufficiently to allow me to go to the surface safely.”
“Exactly as I expect too,” Xurkitree replied. He gestured with his arm toward the wormhole. “The second checkpoint for those Pokemon will come soon. Guzzlord, you’ll need as much space as possible to ram into the Feraligatr; you’d be better off trying to eat the Cosmog too. As for you Celesteela, try to eliminate that Greninja and Noivern before they reach the cliff. Your flight should make sure of that.”
Guzzlord’s arms wrapped around Celesteela, and at maximum thrust, he began to hover in the air. “I will certainly enjoy my feast. When this is through, I expect plenty of Pokemon to be mine!” Celesteela lowered him down the Wormhole, jetting towards Mount Lune.
Pheromosa gestured towards Buzzwole, shaking her head. “Amazing that it’s taken him this long to recover. What sort of being could possibly have had that much Life?”
Xurkitree wrapped an arm around a crystal, performing more calculations. “Something that we should be concerned about. Tell me, do you remember that shadow that told us about Equivos?”
“About how it was a land of plenty, ripe for conquering? On how we must be careful about eliminating the Cosmogs? Why?”
“That shadow seemed to know what he was talking about. Do you think it may have come from Equivos?”
“Of course it must have? Why the curiosity?”
Xurkitree stood up, jabbing a hand at the Wormhole. “If that being wanted us to open the Wormhole, there has to be some ulterior motive! No Pokemon would want us to come otherwise!” His head flashed purple as he added, “What if that shadow wanted our Sentia? You know that they give us the ability to make the Wormholes. What if he wants that ability for himself?”
Pheromosa’s eyes widened and her posture straightened. “Are you saying we may have a potential rival? How could they have known about the Sentia? They have had no contact whatsoever with them.”
Xurkitree plugged his tail into the ground, deep in thought. “I have no clue. Still, it concerns me.” He shrugged, sitting on the floor. “No matter. We’ll simply eliminate the shadow once we discover it.”
Pheromosa returned to her former lounging position. “What happens if both Celesteela and Guzzlord fail us? They hold nothing compared to us, but if they are defeated…”
Xurkitree made no reply, his head continuing to flash.
“All the better for me.”
----
Note: I am never going to use different text types within a story again. It has a cool effect, but it is a real hassle.
Chapter 45: Conflicted Ascent
The rain soon turned into snow on Mount Sol as Ekon and Gaiden climbed. The rush of ice and wind pelted their skin, adding a burning feeling on top of their numbed limbs. Not even halfway up the mountain, ice already littered their proposed paths, causing them to turn to a different path numerous times. All the while, the air became gradually sicker.
Ekon grasped the next handhold and cringed, pressing himself tight against the rockface. “Another gale coming up!” Gaiden did the same, ensuring that their bag of supplies and their dormant passenger were secured. Harsh winds beat down, swaying them slightly, but soon receded.
Ekon panted, wiping snow from his brow. “It looks like there’s a stopping point ahead. Let’s hurry there.” He renewed his course, continuing to curse the winds and snow for preventing flight.
After another half-hour of wrestling with the snowstorm, the climbers finally made it to the shelf, flopping onto the snow-covered plateau. Both breathed heavily as the crawled away from the edge and sat near the next cliff.
Gaiden reached into the bag at his side and pulled out two yellow, polka-dotted berries. “Eat this. It’ll keep us warm,” he explained, handing one to Gaiden.
The Noivern took a bite out of it, his face puckering. “Ach…Aspear…why do they have to be so sour!” He ungratefully took another bite. “At least it’ll stop the ice.”
Gaiden took a bite of his own berry, face unchanging. “The Passimian provided us with plenty, so let’s try to eat another as soon as the effects wear off.” He looked off the mountain, at the wormhole that swirled in the sky. “I’m not liking the looks of that vortex. It’s so much larger than the other ones.”
Standing up, Ekon replied, “Exactly why we can’t waste any time. I don’t want to get tangled up with any of those Ultra Beasts before we get up the mountain.
“A bit late for that now, isn’t it?”
A clear tentacled being drifted down, her arms wafting gracefully in the harsh winds. “I cannot let you bring the Cosmog to the peak. We are so close to joining our worlds together.”
Gaiden stood now, holding the bag tight. “That won’t be happening.”
Holding out his wings, Ekon shouted, "We'll beat you down if you get in our way!"
"You will not succeed, or I am not Nihilego!" she exclaimed. A purple blob began to form under her head.
Ekon – despite his freezing limbs – flapped his wings and fought with the wind for control. Gaiden leapt to the left as Nihilego launched her poisonous sphere, the glob melting the ice behind him.
She swerved upward, and he head became encased in a clear, sparkling film. Ekon shrieked, the soundwaves pounding into Nihilego’s body. She wavered slightly, beginning to fall – then swerving sideways and launching straight towards Gaiden.
Her head blew Gaiden into the cliff, shaking the icicles that hung above him. Nihilego wrapped her tentacles around his body, feeding one into the sack.
"Oh no you won't!" Ekon screeched. He opened his mouth and shot a purple-blue pulse of energy at Nihilego. Having no time to unwrap herself, she brought Gaiden to the air with her, the Greninja struggling to release her hold.The Dragon Pulse smashed against the wall, causing the icicles to shake more vigorously.
She continued to dig through the sack, expecting to graze the key to her destruction. Her captive suddenly disappeared in a purple gas, and Nihilego's tentacles grasped at empty air.
She frantically looked around, spotting Gaiden below her, checking inside the bag. Ekon flew straight for Nihilego and exclaimed, "Nice going with the Shadow Sneak!" He stopped flapping and held out his claws, which glowed with an ethereal green light.
Nihilego tilted forward and shook her head, emitting radiating waves of purple energy. They brushed against Ekon's head just as he came in range, causing him to cringe. "Psywave...agh!" he seethed, slashing at the air in front of him. As he dove, an x-shaped burst of light rocketed toward Nihilego.
It pushed her into the side of the cliff, shaking it once more. The icicles came free from the jutting edge, falling in a spiral of ice shards. Three punctured her head -- a sickly purple fluid leaking from them – while the others stabbed her tentacles, keeping her in place.
She gasped, moving her head slightly. “I am not defeated…not yet!”
Ekon lowered himself, clutching his head. “I’d say y’are. You’re a pretty poor excuse of an Ultra Beast to me; hardly a fight really.”
Nihilego began to expand, her head inflating, turning the same purple as the wounds. “Do not underestimate me. I may die, but I die for Ultra Space!” She fell back, continuing to inflate with the same fluid.
Gaiden furrowed his brow, piecing together the Ultra Beast’s strategy. A stream of fluid leaked from her tentacle, then he realized.
“Get in the air!
Ekon grabbed Gaiden’s shoulders and lifted him up just before Nihilego burst, creating an explosion of steaming violet fluid, splattering across the entire plain. It steamed and spat, melting the ice and eating away the rock.
Globs flew onto Gaiden’s legs, and the poison began to steam on his skin. “Get us up, now!” he yelled, clenching his teeth and resisting the urge to wipe the poison away.
They flew up to a small ledge, and Ekon proceeded to dump snow onto Gaiden’s afflicted limbs. The poison seeped into the snow, creating a foul-smelling sludge, containing the acidic properties.
Digging through the sack, Gaiden pulled out a bundle of leaves and unfurled it. Ekon took several Pecha berries from within and squished them over the roll. He then split the makeshift bandages in half, proceeding to wrap them around Gaiden’s legs.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk so well with them like that,” Gaiden sighed, bending his knee. He winced as he relaxed.
Ekon looked up, noting the mostly-vertical ascent, with the occasional ledge to rest on. “Doesn’t look like that’ll be an issue. It’ll be icy, but as long as you can keep a grip and rest on your legs, I think we’ll be fine.”
Grunting, Gaiden added, “Still, if we have to fight another one of those Ultra Beasts, we’d be in bad shape.”
Ekon pulled Gaiden close. “We aren’t giving up now. Not after all we’ve been through.”
Gaiden stood up shakily, giving Ekon a sly look. “Whoever said we were?”
~~~~
"How much farther till the next cliff!" Frederick asked, clenching his teeth.
He, Arthus and Cosma climbed along Ekon and Gaiden's same path, mirrored on Mount Lune.
Arthus looked down and exclaimed, "It's just a few more feet!" He shook his head, groaning. "I'll have to get rid of him sooner or later, or else my plans will be ruined." Probing his mind, he smiled. "At least there's no sign of Sion yet." He still felt clear-headed and strong, his stored Life energy like a steady leak from an enormous vat.
Frederick groaned. "I hate cold weather! Why couldn't this be on the beach, down on the warm sand, perfectly obvious to find!"
"Well if you don't like it you can turn around!" Arthus snapped. Frederick gave an irritated look as Arthus cursed himself. "Have to be more careful; can't have the fool discovering that Sion isn't around."
"Oh look, we made it!" Cosma cheered, disappearing over the edge.
Arthus clambered up, then Frederick, the latter panting hard. "Kyogre's rains...they really need to make a ladder up there," he gasped.
The Usurper restrained the urge to make a smart comment as he pulled out the pouch of Aspear berries. He thought better of it as a new plan came into his mind. "I'll stay warm thanks to my life, and Cosma doesn’t need it since she has no organic parts. Frederick will freeze to death before we reach the top if I don't give him these." He made an illusion of himself digging through the bag, while the he went to a corner of the cliff and set the bundle of berries between the crack. He then returned to his previous position, the illusion lifting.
He made an exasperated look and explained, "We must've left our Aspear berries down at the bottom."
Frederick swiped the bag and began to look through it himself. "Oh no, we can't have that; there's no way I'm losin' me fingers and toes to this blasted cliff!" After a moment he threw it down, making an irritated snort "Guess I'll just have to climb a bit faster."
"That won't be necessary."
A paper-thin Ultra Beast flitted just off the cliff, his arms and legs waving around in the wind. "I'll make sure to cut them off for you, to save you time."
Cosma hid behind Arthus, shivering in fear. "You're Kartana, the Blade Ultra Beast!"
Kartana chuckled, zooming over their heads. "I didn't know I was so famous! I've had limited visits to this wonderful world of yours, but of the few I've had..." He scraped his arms together, making sparks. "I've always had my fun."
Frederick gnashed his teeth and laughed. "A tiny guy like you who can cut saplings. I'm so impressed. Look at these bad boys!" He pointed at his jaw, wide open for all to see. "I'd bet a cask o' berry juice I could mince up more Pokemon than you."
"I have no interest in you; I just want to slice up that little Cosmog hiding behind your backs." He swerved around and held his arms straight, diving straight toward Cosma.
Arthus' claws glowed red as he raised them. "I'm not letting this alien steal my show." He countered Kartana's blow, creating more sparks.
Kartana grunted, glaring at his arm. "You made a scuff. You'll pay for that."
"Bring it on, shortstack!" Frederick roared, leaping toward Kartana.
The Ultra Beast swerved to the right, causing Frederick to land in a pile of snow. He zigzagged toward Cosma, the wind whistling past his blades as he straightened his body.
Arthus sent Kartana spinning away, slapping the flat side of the Ultra Beast. Kartana swung back around, spinning rapidly.
Frederick slapped his tail on the ground, creating a wall of water in front of Cosma. Kartana splashed into it, disorienting him and slowing his spin. The water began to slowly freeze, both on the ground and on Kartana’s frame. The weight of the ice brought Kartana to the ground, attempting to ascend helplessly.
Frederick reared back his fist. “Let’s see how tough you are now, ice block!” He threw his fist downward and cracked the ice on Kartana. It splintered and cracked, tears forming on the light metallic body.
He flitted back into the air, shaking off the rest of the ice. “You’ll pay for that mistake!” he shouted, one of his legs nearly coming free of his torso. He darted toward Frederick and veered for his right, nicking the Feraligatr’s side.
Frederick hurriedly covered it over, blood from beneath his claw. He leapt to the side as Kartana made another pass, cursing. “Sneaky blighter, fight like a Pokemon!”
Kartana halted momentarily, studying Frederick with his soulless yellow eye. “But I’m not, am I?” He tilted forward and charged straight toward Frederick,
A burst of crimson light hurtled in front of Frederick, smashing into Kartana. He furled into the ground, his arms and legs scattering into the wind, useless to the grounded Ultra Beast.
Arthus held out his claws, red mist curling from them. “Can’t have you killing him just yet, can we?” Inwardly, he fumed, “If it weren’t for me needing to keep a good impression with Cosma…”
Frederick gaped, never witnessing such a power before. This amazement soon faded as he proceeded to stand on Kartana and roar, “Ha! How’s it feel to be all small and powerless!”
Kartana pushed up helplessly, his strength vanished. “I-I will strike! I have not been defeated!”
Frederick kicked snow on top of him and spat. “Sure ya will. Hey Cosma, have any bandages? I’m leakin’ a bit.” Cosma fluttered down, juttery after the near-death experience of Kartana.
Arthus stepped over toward the Ultra Beast, studying him. “Judging by his slight frame and his predictable tactics, he’s used to working in surprise, using his speed to blindside his enemies before they have a chance to notice. His introduction certainly didn’t help matters.” He gazed at him studiously, and when their eyes joined, Kartana flinched.
“You may have defeated me, but I am not the best!” he choked, finally admitting his fear. “There are others still, and once they come, you will all be—”
“Oh, cry me a river. Yer a pushover. Some mighty Ultra Beast you turned out to be,” Frederick interrupted. As he wrapped a leaf bandage over his chest, he said to Cosma, “Why so scared of the bloke? Sure, he did some nasty stuff, but he’s as fragile as he looks!”
Cosma peered over at the helpless Ultra Beast, attempting to gain lift. “I never really saw Kartana that much. Maybe it was because he was so weak.”
Pounding his chest, Frederick looked back up the cliffs. “Welp, won’t get any farther yammerin’ on. Let’s get goin’!”
“You sure you’ll be alright with that cut? It looked pretty deep.” Cosma asked.
“Nah, it's but a flesh wound. I’ve had worse papercuts on me pinky.”
The two began their ascent again, with Frederick’s right side slightly weaker than the left. Arthus began as well, thinking of how to get rid of the relentless Feraligatr.
~~~~
Ren threw an Aura Sphere at the last Vikavolt, liquid fire writing over its plating. The defeated bug burrowed back into the sand, extinguishing the flames and its life.
The Lucario nodded, the Aura fading from his paws. "Life suddenly got a whole lot easier," he said to himself, looking up at the twin mountains. "Now for the hard part." He leapt toward the left mountain, scrabbling for a foothold, achieving it after sliding slightly.
Fierce gales pressing on him, he forced himself upward. He trekked up the winding trail, thoughts of Sion rushing through his mind.
“I hope I can save you in time.”
~~~~
“Nihilego was little use to us anyways, and Kartana’s abilities can be replaced with mine,” Xurkitree explained passively.
Guzzlord, now standing on the edge of the wormhole, roared furiously. “You sent them to their deaths, you fool! You should be grateful that you’re the one who knows how to activate the Wormholes, or you would be consumed!”
Celesteela hovered above him, her jets sending out dark orange fumes. “I will admit, Nihilego and Kartana’s strength left something to be desired, but they would have been useful in cultivating more Sentia.”
“Enough! What’s done is done,” Pheromosa intervened, lounging on her throne. “I trust that you two won’t fail us like they did. There’s a good reason I kept Nihilego around as my carrier. I expect that Buzzwole will recover sufficiently to allow me to go to the surface safely.”
“Exactly as I expect too,” Xurkitree replied. He gestured with his arm toward the wormhole. “The second checkpoint for those Pokemon will come soon. Guzzlord, you’ll need as much space as possible to ram into the Feraligatr; you’d be better off trying to eat the Cosmog too. As for you Celesteela, try to eliminate that Greninja and Noivern before they reach the cliff. Your flight should make sure of that.”
Guzzlord’s arms wrapped around Celesteela, and at maximum thrust, he began to hover in the air. “I will certainly enjoy my feast. When this is through, I expect plenty of Pokemon to be mine!” Celesteela lowered him down the Wormhole, jetting towards Mount Lune.
Pheromosa gestured towards Buzzwole, shaking her head. “Amazing that it’s taken him this long to recover. What sort of being could possibly have had that much Life?”
Xurkitree wrapped an arm around a crystal, performing more calculations. “Something that we should be concerned about. Tell me, do you remember that shadow that told us about Equivos?”
“About how it was a land of plenty, ripe for conquering? On how we must be careful about eliminating the Cosmogs? Why?”
“That shadow seemed to know what he was talking about. Do you think it may have come from Equivos?”
“Of course it must have? Why the curiosity?”
Xurkitree stood up, jabbing a hand at the Wormhole. “If that being wanted us to open the Wormhole, there has to be some ulterior motive! No Pokemon would want us to come otherwise!” His head flashed purple as he added, “What if that shadow wanted our Sentia? You know that they give us the ability to make the Wormholes. What if he wants that ability for himself?”
Pheromosa’s eyes widened and her posture straightened. “Are you saying we may have a potential rival? How could they have known about the Sentia? They have had no contact whatsoever with them.”
Xurkitree plugged his tail into the ground, deep in thought. “I have no clue. Still, it concerns me.” He shrugged, sitting on the floor. “No matter. We’ll simply eliminate the shadow once we discover it.”
Pheromosa returned to her former lounging position. “What happens if both Celesteela and Guzzlord fail us? They hold nothing compared to us, but if they are defeated…”
Xurkitree made no reply, his head continuing to flash.
“All the better for me.”
----
Note: I am never going to use different text types within a story again. It has a cool effect, but it is a real hassle.
