A/N: Howdy, This chapter is pretty emotional... I cried during it's creation.

Oh Yesh, this chapter has some swearing in it, 4 words in a row to be precise XD

Enjoy, and please review! I can't get better without a list of improvements that can be made!

From now on there's a lot of this 'thought speech' so be wary. usually I indicate who is speaking, otherwise it's kind of obvious.

The first part is a tad different though, the normal talking is Joseph and the Thought speech is the other, who is an unrevealed character.

Chapter 4

"..."

"... Where... Am I?"

Nowhere

"Am I dead?"

Not yet young one, it is not quite your time

"... Are the others all right?"

You are quite the inquizitive one

"..."

You will see soon enough,

"Who are you?"

Sigh That is one question that can never be answered

"... Okay"

It is time for you to return...

"To my friends?"

Yes... take care for the road ahead will be a long and dificult one...

I woke with a start, and found myself face to face with Ellen.

"Well, hello there Joseph!" She said with a smile.

I rubbed my forehead. The dream I had just had slipping further and further away from me.

"I took the liberty of cleaning your wounds and bandaging them. They were of unnatural origin though..." Ellen continued, unchallenged.

"Thanks Ellen... how did you find me?" I asked curiously, still trying to grasp the dream firmly.

She rose from the ground, and the Ho-Oh's were no where in sight.

"Gabite rushed off, so I followed. We found you like this. I still have to wonder how he knew you were here though" she answered, carefully watching the Dragon.

Suddenly I remembered that I had a friend, "Oh, Chatot?" I called.

There was a squawk of joy and I felt the birds feathers on my cheek.

"Hey buddy, how're holding up there?" I asked with a smile.

"Tot, chat-ottt!"

I sat up, searching the clearing for the Ho-Ohs.

"Hey, Ellen?"

"What is it Joseph?" came her reply.

"Was there anyone else here?" I asked.

She thought for a moment, her brow crinkled, then came her disapointing reply:

"No there was not..."

Sighing, I stood. Chatot perched on my good shoulder.

"Why do you ask Joseph?" She queried. A look of worry on her face.

"Oh... No reason" I turned away from her, trying to conceal a look of disappointment.

There was a long awkward silence.

Finally Ellen decided to break it.

"I met your mother... she was quite upset that you had fled from the town."

I turned back, staring her straight in the eye, I no longer feared those deep blue eyes of hers.

"I had to, Destiny called me."

She cocked an eyebrow, "Oh, destiny you say?"

Fearing I'd said too much I closed my mouth and kept it shut.

"Well... I am going back to Lumina town to notify your mother that you are well" Ellen said.

I didn't try to stop her. After all, what was my Mum going to do? Send trainers out to get me?

I waited until I was sure Ellen was far away before I started to move through the trees, searching for a sign of the Ho-Ohs.

Coming to a river, I gave up. The trail ended here and I didn't have the strength to cross the river.

I leaned on a tree for support, Chatot flitted up to a branch above me.

Then a thought so wacky, so impossible that it just might work, hit me. I could somehow try to use the amulet to contact Ho-Oh, like he had used it to contact me.

I held it gently in my fingers and rubbed the metal thoughtfully, trying to think of a way to use it's ability.

Yes?

I jumped in surprise.

Ho-Oh?

Ho-Oh: Chosen one? why did you call me?

I... er well... I wanted to know where you went...

Ho-Oh: My son and I left, I have caused you enough pain as it is

But... I don't mind it... and I... well, I wanted to get to know you... afterall you christened me as a hero

Ho-Oh: ... Really?

Um... sure

Ho-Oh: You do know that if you choose this path that you are going to have to give up everything you ever had, don't you?

What did I have besides my Mum? I reckon she'd be proud of me if she wasn't so worried

Ho-Oh: ...Stay where you are

His calming presence faded, so I turned to the sky.

I didn't need to wait long, the two Ho-Oh's glided down from the clouds.

Their feathers glittering in the sunlight, it was a sight to die for.

They landed only a few short meters away from me, Chatot fluttered onto my shoulder and sqawked eagerly.

I was glad to see that the younger Ho-Oh was okay.

Ho-Oh: Chosen one-

"Please, my name's Joseph" I interrupted.

Haha Dad, you got shut up!

Ho-Oh: I guess I did... Well, Joseph, are you ready?

I grinned, "Of course I am!"

Nodding, Ho-Oh took to the sky again, but his son stayed down here with me.

So... Joseph. Thanks

"Don't mention it... Um... what can I call you?"

heh, Ray thanks. Dad named me Rainbow... lamest name ever

I laughed, "Sorry, but come on! Rainbow?"

Ray: Yeah, tell me about it!

We walked onwards, where? I wouldn't have the foggiest idea.

I learned that Ray was pretty much as old as I am, though he was much more confident in his abilities.

Also, for him to engage in a conversation with me, there was almost no pain involved... Unlike his dad.

We stopped for the night on a Cliff that hung out over the tree tops, giving me a view of the forest.

I had gathered berries along the way, so my pouch was almost litterly overflowing. I shared them around, Chatot noisily tore his apart.

Normally, berries were not eaten by humans... They had such diverse tastes and to the unwary trainer, could be quite unripe and horrid to eat.

Luckily with all the time I had spent in the forst, I had kind of learned what Berries to eat, and when to pick them.

Oran's were a good choice, along with Pecha's and the occasional Nanab, most of the others were sour, bitter or a combination of both.

The two Ho-Oh's perched up high, out of sight just in case someone decided to take a night stroll.

I curled up with Chatot, and fell asleep quite quickly.

"Heh heh heh! Foolish child!"

I woke, though not in a comfortable way... I was chained to a cliff.

I shook my arms, trying to slip out of the shackles... no luck.

And then I heard the steady rythymn of footsteps coming towards me.

"Did you think I'd let you go so easily?"

I turned to the left and caught sight of a dark figure.

Shaking the chains I cried, "Let me go you creep!"

"I shall, as soon as you tell me where the Birds are"

I spat on the bastard, "Fuck off asswhipe!"

"How rude... I shall teach you some manners..." he said quietly.

There was a sudden sharp pain in my right thigh, I screamed as it escilated.

"Had enough?"

The pain stopped.

Breathing heavily I opened my eyes.

"I'll never give them up..." I muttered. I tasted copper, blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth

"I guess I shall force the information out of you, of course it would be a lot easier if you just told me" He said, glee laced his voice.

A feeling of dread forced itself upon me as my captive pulled out something that looked like a tube.

He raised it to his mouth...

NOOOOO

There was a flash of Gold, Orange and White and then Ho-Oh blocked my view of the creep.

"...So you came, decided that your marianette is too precious to lose? Or are you attached? Tsk Tsk..."

Ho-Oh: You shall not harm Joseph!

"Oh I don't plan on hurting him, I just want to toy with his mind!"

There was a sweet sound, and then ho-Oh's voice cut through it.

Ho-Oh: Resist it Joseph! He'll use you to get Rainbow!

I panicked about then, I struggled to get the shackles off my wrists.

Then a new pain erupted within me, this was different though... as if it weren't my own.

Ho-Oh: JOSEPH! NOOOO!

There was an explosion, followed by laughter.

"Fool, you cannot destroy what you created!"

Ho-Oh howled in pain, and was sent flying.

"Look at me, Look into my eyes... what do you see?" the creep said, his full attention on me now.

Ho-Oh: Don't do it Joseph! Don't!

I closed my eyes, and turned my head away.

"I'm losing patience with you... I thought that you may have been a challenge... I was wrong"

I opened my eyes and looked down at him, he had a purple-black aura...

Ho-Oh struggled to move, and I watched helplessly as the creep summoned a Vine from the earth.

"Goodbye, Chosen one" he said in a mock tone.

The Vine leaned back, and everything seemed to move in slow motion then.

GYAOOOOOO!

The Vine surged forward with incredible speed, though it moved slowly...

I closed my eyes, unable to watch as it made it's way towards me

Then, blood spattered all over me.

I opened my eyes to see what had happened, to know why I didn't feel any pain.

Ho-Oh was suspended before me, the Vine was the only thing keeping him from plummeting towards the ground.

I realized my right hand was free, so I reached out and touched Ho-Oh.

He quivered.

Tears welled up in my eyes and my vision blurred.

Ray: DAD!

Ho-Oh gained a faint gold aura.

Ho-Oh: Goodbye Rainbow... And Joseph... take my gift... use it to protect my son...

The gold aura intensified.

The creep started to rant in the background, "NOOO! NOOO! This isn't how it's meant to happen! YOU CHEATED!"

I reached forward and placed my hand on Ho-Oh's beak... for the last time.

I watched in awe as my arm changed, feathers formed along it, bones realigned.

And Ho-Oh's Wing started to fade away, into a glittering gold dust.

"I promise to look after Ray, I'll do anything for him" I whispered.

Ho-Oh: I know you will... Escape this place, find your true form and fight this abomination... remove this monster from existence... do it because I couldn't

"I will Ho-Oh, I will..." I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks.

My clothes bulged as my body grew, causing them to rip apart and slide off.

A tail of long, majestic and golden feathers formed.

More feathers slowly appeared, white and orange they spread across my body.

My knees cracked loudly before bending backward, scales spread up and down my legs and feet.

The last thing to change was my face, and I wanted it to be so... I held Ho-Oh's beak until he had completely faded to dust.

I dropped to the ground, my talons splayed, supporting my weight.

Beating my wings I rose into the air to meet Ray, who followed me to honour his fathers dying wish.

We fled that Cliff, not in fear of our enemy, but to get away from the desecrated area... Ho-Oh was dead... and I was to blame for that.

We flew on into the night, high above the clouds. Right then life had ended for me, everything I had once beleived, once hoped for... Everything I had loved and trusted was gone.

A/N: Oh God not a cliffhanger! I hate reading them and writing them! Ahh well, I'm typically a fast writer, so the next chapter will be here damned soon.

Yes... It was a bit dramatic... But Ho-Oh is a legendary and Joseph knew that, somehow, he was meant to go with Ho-Oh.

If you have any questions about this or any chapter, feel free to email me, To save precious time here is my GMail: