Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, and Skye Furie is MINE. Deal with.
Hello again! Thanks for reviewing, keep at it and enjoy the next chapter!
So far, she was impressed. Very impressed.
Ash Ketchum was the only human –with the exception to Dawn and Brock – she had ever seen treating pokémon as equals. It was bizarre to her, but yet she still yearned for more knowledge. It was like a ravaging thirst, totally unquenchable.
Her ear plate flicked as she sensed movement. Her mind reached out automatically as she halted, gaining the humans' attention.
"What is it?" Brock asked. She concentrated, and could pick out a solitary human mind heading towards them.
A human. Heading this way, she reported.
He immediately turned serious.
"You should hide. You don't have a poke ball, and this person might try to catch you."
With a draconic grin, she swiftly bent the light around her, hiding her from view.
Is this good enough? She asked teasingly.
"How did you do that?" Dawn gasped admiringly. The trio's eyes were fixed on her, or rather, the spot where she had been.
I bent the light around me rather that onto me, so technically I'm invisible. It's a pretty cool trick. You should see your faces!
Ash jerked back to himself as footsteps approached.
"Whatever," he grinned. "I am itching for a pokémon battle. Come on, guys!"
And with that, he ran off. The rest followed.
They soon met up with a young pokémon trainer with curly brown hair and wide blue eyes. He was quite small when compared to the tall and gangly Ash Ketchum, Skye Furie mused, unobserved, thanks to her super-cool light-bending ability. But he perked up at the sight of Ash.
"I challenge you to a pokémon battle!" he cried. Ash grinned.
"You're on! Brock?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll referee," the breeder answered, already moving to the side of the path with Dawn.
Skye Furie was in shock.
How dare this little pipsqueak challenge her Chosen One? What was he going to do? Beat him up? Fight him?
Suddenly, the boy threw a small ball, and out of it came a large, growling, orange-striped wolf.
"Go, Arcanine!" he cried out.
It all suddenly made sickening sense. Her vision took on a horrid, bright red tinge.
He wasn't going to beat up her Chosen One himself.
He was going to do it with his pokémon.
Before Ash or Brock could do anything, she had leapt out in front of her Chosen One and screamed. Everyone covered their ears, and when the screaming stopped, she loosened her hold over the light.
How DARE you challenge the Chosen One!
She hissed menacingly at the Arcanine, who backed up slightly.
"Gaaah!" The boy cried out. "What pokémon is that?"
She lashed out with her tail, ready to defend Ash.
"Skye Furie! What are you doing?" Pikachu cried.
NO ONE challenges the Chosen One on my watch.
The pikachu sighed.
"He's not trying to attack Ash! It's called a pokémon battle! You have two pokémon fight each other to see who's stronger! Ash calls your attacks and you deal them!"
It suddenly made sense. A contest of wills, a comparison of power. That was it. Then she realised what an idiot she had been by over-reacting and showing herself to a random stranger.
"Skye Furie!" Ash cried out. "It's okay! Come back here!"
Obediently, she turned to go towards him, but the boy was having none of it.
"Hey!" He cried. "You're not allowed to substitute pokémon! It's a one-on-one!"
Skye Furie decided she didn't like this kid.
"Since when?" Ash challenged.
"Since now!" The kid shot back with a glare.
"Ash..." Brock sighed. "I'm sorry, but the challenger calls the battle. It's a one-on-one."
Skye Furie looked at Ash, confused.
What does that mean? She asked. He looked at her.
"It means you fight," he said grimly. She groaned and turned back to face the Arcanine.
I can take him, she thought confidently. I'm Skye Furie.
"This is a one-on-one battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and... what was your name?"
"Tom Walker of Hearthome City," the boy replied, staring fixedly at Skye Furie. She glared coldly back.
"Right. The match is over when one pokémon is unable to battle. BEGIN!" Brock cried.
"Okay Arcanine, let's go with Fire Fang!" Tom yelled, and the wolf leapt forwards with a mouthful of flames.
"Skye Furie – dodge and use Aurora Beam!" Ash cried, and it took her a second to understand. I am so not used to this, she thought as she dodged Arcanine with ease and shot it with a beam of rainbow light. The move shot the wolf off of its feet, but it swiftly recovered.
"Flamethrower! Arcanine, go!"
"Uh... dodge it and use tackle!"
With a groan, Skye Furie realised that Ash knew none of her moves. She flipped over the blast of fire and rammed into the dog, hissing and snarling.
Ash that is the most basic move ever! She snapped as she struggled to keep Arcanine pinned.
"Well I don't know your moves!" He yelled back, and she winced at the sharp tone his voice had quickly adopted.
Swiftly, she sent him mental pictures of the few moves she knew. Since she hadn't battled very often, she didn't have such an extensive range of moves like most pokémon.
She could feel Ash's mood change as he shouted out.
"Alright Skye Furie - use Dragon Claw!"
Finally, she thought as her silvery claws began glowing with a red and blue light. She slashed the struggling Arcanine, still trapped beneath her. It howled in pain. Tom looked desperate.
"Now that's more like it!" Ash cheered. Despite herself, Skye Furie blushed at the praise.
"Knock him dead, Skye!" Pikachu cried out eagerly.
"Go Skye Furie!" Dawn yelled, followed by Piplup's loud encouragement.
"Argh... Arcanine, use Fire Fang on her wing!" Tom yelled out angrily.
"Skye Furie, get out of there!" Ash shouted, but it was too late as she felt the fire and the sharp teeth of the Arcanine snap shut on her wounded wing.
With a scream of pain, Skye Furie could only see red. The only thing she knew was that she had to get that dog away from her wing.
She slashed out with multiple Dragon Claws, heard the cry of pain from the dog, but it still would not let go. She used her psychic abilities, smashing it into the ground but it was still not enough. The cries from pokémon and trainers alike fell on deaf ear plates, as she shrieked, expelling a powerful Psybeam from her body, at last dislodging the hated Arcanine. It crashed into the dirt of the large track, clearly unconscious, but she lunged forwards, screaming, powering up an Aurora Beam to finish it off for good...
And she was knocked off her feet from a powerful Thunderbolt, crashing hard. As the last of the red haze disappeared, she could hear voices through the dull, aching swirl of confusion that was her current state of mind.
"... control that pokémon! Arcanine could have been seriously hurt!"
"I said I'm sorry! But it was your fault for attacking her open wound!"
"You should have healed her!"
"We were going to! We're headed to Veilstone!"
"ASH – TOM – ENOUGH!"
Brock bellowed, and the two voices silenced.
"Tom, I'm sorry about your Arcanine, I hope it's not too hurt."
A sigh could be heard.
"No, it's okay... See you around, then..."
And footsteps sounded away down the path. Skye Furie moaned. Her wing still felt like it was on fire. Someone approached her.
"Skye Furie, are you okay?"
It was Dawn.
Summoning her strength, the dragoness cracked open an eyelid. The human girl was kneeling near her face. She got to her feet shakily.
I'll live. My wing hurts like hell, though.
"That didn't mean you had to try and kill that Arcanine!" Ash shouted, turning on her, eyes ablaze. She narrowed her eyes, her mind screaming at this new threat. Her heart ached though, seeing that it was Ash who was shouting at her.
"Ash," Dawn started, but he ignored her.
"What's the big idea, huh? I get ready for a battle, and then you spoil it all, showing yourself and embarrassing me,'" he snapped, glaring with eyes filled with hate and resentment.
Skye Furie's instincts screamed at her to run, but she barely felt strong enough to stand, let alone run.
I did not know about such battling. I thought he was about to attack you, and so I chose to defend you, she answered in a low, cold voice that made Dawn and Brock shiver. Ash, hot-head as usual, would not be deterred, however.
"Yeah, well maybe you should know! Then you wouldn't have to embarrass yourself all the time! And what makes you think I need defending? I don't!"
Yes, I see that now, she seethed, her own eyes swirling from teal to crimson. Ash seemed to falter at last.
You are right. I should not have wasted my far more valuable time on such a perfect little mortal. Whoever would have had the silly notion to protect the one who had earned the trust of the legendaries? Stupid me.
She slowly turned her head, but shuddered as she was hit by a wave of nausea and pain. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she crashed to the ground. Her eyes, no longer crimson but oceanic blue, rolled back into her head as darkness claimed her, and Skye Furie knew no more.
She woke to find herself alone in a forest clearing. Groaning, she looked around, hoping for a sign of Ash, or Dawn, even Brock, but found none. Just her and the flock of Starlys roosting in the trees.
They probably left you behind, she thought to herself miserably, trying to stand up. Her whole body ached. But then she started to wonder.
Had it all been real? Had she really discovered the Chosen One?
Please, her irritating inner voice scoffed heartlessly. What were the chances of you actually finding the Chosen One? Zip! None! Get over it! It was just a dream!
Just a dream, she mused to herself. It had so real, though. With a saddened snarl, she stretched her wings, and winced as they were laced with pain.
No, she growled to herself. I have to get in the air again.
And so, with difficulty, she wrenched her wings downwards, and launched herself desperately skywards. Each beat of her wings caused her pain, and she was barely able to clear the tree-line before crashing down to the forest floor again as her wings failed.
She righted herself and hissed. She had to get airborne! Then she could cover some distance and resume her search for the Chosen One.
Again, she tried to push herself into the air. And again, she failed. Over and over again, she tried, but to no avail.
After a few deep breaths, she looked up at the blue sky. She missed its welcoming, cooling embrace. She missed the wispy tendrils of cloud tickling the underside of her wings. She missed the sky.
Her eyes sharpened as her mind steeled its resolve.
She was Skye Furie, born to fly, and she would not be deterred from her goal.
With a loud scream, she suddenly leapt into the air, ignoring the jabs of pain that shot up through her wings. She would fly!
She smirked with satisfaction as she cleared the treetops at last. She would find a nice thermal and then glide for a while. A nice long while.
But her plans were foiled suddenly as a large Meowth head floated into sight. What on earth was this, she wondered with a growl, tensing. She noticed a basket suspended beneath it, and inside the basket stood two humans with bright coloured hair, and a real Meowth, all watching her with smug expressions on their puny faces.
"We got ourselves a bee-u-tee!" the Meowth cheered happily. The woman with pink hair smiled.
"Oooh, this cute pokémon has such cute ears!" she squealed with delight. Skye Furie growled as she beat her wings laboriously to stay airborne. Who were these freaks? And how dare that human say she had ears! They were ear plates!
"Quick James!" The Meowth snapped eagerly. "We ain't got da time ta mess around, let's grab dat pokémon and get da hell outta here!"
The lavender-haired man nodded and pressed a button on the remote he was holding.
"Deep joy! Observe how the fruits of my labour have paid off to catch this unusual pokémon!"
A net shot out from somewhere below the basket, and before Skye Furie could do anything, she was hurled through the air, trapped in the cursed net.
Let me go, fools! She screamed, but the Meowth laughed evilly as he watched her fall.
"Not a chance! Dis time dere's no twerp ta stop us!"
"Oh yeah? We'll see about that! Pikachu, Thunderbolt, let's go!"
Bellowing in surprise as she tried to extract her wings from the net, Skye Furie saw three humans run out into the clearing below. She recognised them all. At once, a yellow pokémon shot into the air and zapped the balloon with tremendous force. It was sent spiralling away.
"I suppose we walked into that one," the pink-haired woman mused.
"We must learn to stay out of these situations," the man agreed.
"I think we'll learn for next time," Meowth said.
"Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
And the three freaks disappeared into the arc of the sky.
"Great job, Pikachu," she heard the pokémon trainer praise below. Skye Furie screamed as she was dragged ever closer to the looming earth as gravity tormented her.
"Ash! She's gonna get hurt!" She heard a feminine voice cry.
Emotions flooded through her. Ash... Dawn... Brock... Pikachu... They were all real! She hadn't been dreaming after all!
Shit, she thought suddenly, as the earth loomed large below her. She was heading straight for a large lake. As it came dizzyingly close, she squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath –
She plunged into the bone-chilling waters.
Ash screamed with fear for Skye Furie as she fell, broken and trapped in Team Rocket's net, crashing down into the water. He sprinted to the shore, followed closely by his friends.
He hated himself. He well and truly hated himself. He had done this. It was his fault that she no longer trusted him. After she had blacked out a few hours ago, he had realised how horribly stupid he had been.
She had protected him. She had willingly protected him, while she herself was injured. And he had gone and thrown it back in her face. What sort of pokémon trainer did that?
Ash hated himself for his temper. He knew that this time, it had dealt serious damage.
He had helped Brock and Dawn to move the dragoness into a small clearing off the track, so no one would find her. Then they had gone to find help. Brock had wisely suggested that they leave her alone for a while. Ash had agreed, heartbroken and lifeless.
Now he waded into the water, Pikachu protesting form the banks. Ash hurled a poke ball into the air, and Buizel appeared in the water.
"Buizel, help me find Skye Furie," he urged, and the small swimmer nodded, diving down. Ash took a deep breath and followed.
It was slightly murky under the surface, but that didn't stop Ash from seeing the limp form of Skye Furie sinking slowly. Her eyes were closed. Desperately, he dove down towards her. Buizel was clawing and biting the net that held her.
As he reached her, Ash strained to pull apart the tough mesh that bound the net. Combined with Buizel's efforts, he managed to make an opening. His mind was filled with a steel resolve and raw determination. He would free the dragoness. He would make things right!
The one thing he knew was that she would not wake up. He wrapped his arms about her scaly neck, and kicked downwards, desperate to get to the surface. Buizel helped, but they made slow progress. Ash was aware that he was crying, but the tears mingled with the water, shining as they floated away. His lungs began to ache from lack of air. He was feeling dizzy...
There was only one thing he could do.
Skye Furie! He screamed with all his mental might, trying to force his way into her mind. At first, nothing happened.
Then her eyes opened.
He met her teal gaze nervously, and she drowsily looked around.
Ash... she whispered in a tired voice. She sounded so tired...
You've gotta help me out here, he cried. I can't do this on my own, Skye Furie!
She stared at him intently, scanning his face. She had to believe him... He couldn't last much longer...
You are trying to save me... she said disbelievingly. He nodded weakly. His chest hurt so much. His sight was beginning to darken...
At once, Skye Furie's eyes widened, and she kicked out, sending the three of them spiralling towards the surface.
With a crash, they broke the skin of the water, and Ash gulped in as much air as he could manage. Buizel was trying to tow the dragoness to shore. Suddenly fearing for her safety, Ash wrapped his arms about her neck, stopping her from going back under.
He would save her.
He was the Chosen One.
He was trying to save her!
Happiness burst through the cloud of doubt and confusion, and she swam determinedly for the sky. But as they broke the surface, she felt all her energy sap from her body, and she began to sink again. Her eyes closed.
But before she could sink and drown, she felt arms wrapped around her neck, supporting her. Since she was too tired to use her mental abilities, Skye Furie used her nose to pinpoint who was helping her.
It was Ash. Too tired to do anything else, she leaned her head against his chest as he swam for shore. She could just about smell Buizel helping to keep her injured wing above the water.
As they made it to shallower water, Dawn and Brock waded in to help pull her to safety. Yet more hands helped tug her from harm's way, and she blearily saw Ash's pokémon helping her.
Her scales felt itchy as she was dragged onto the shore at last. Her body felt limp. She couldn't move a muscle, her tiredness was so great. Her head hurt, her body ached and her wing felt like it was on fire.
Her head was laid on something soft, and she felt wet arms encircle her head. That scent she knew so well...
She forced her eyes open a crack, and saw Ash had rested her head on his lap. His cheek pressed against her own. He was crying.
"Skye Furie, I'm s – so sorry," he choked out. She managed to hum weakly in response.
...Not your... fault, she managed to say. She felt so tired.
"Yes it is," Ash insisted, stubborn as ever. More voices were heard.
"Skye Furie, you okay?" Pikachu asked, darting into her line of sight.
Pikachu... I feel like shit, she told him dryly, and he snickered, despite looking extremely pale and concerned for her wellbeing.
"We're gonna help you," he told her. "Brock and Staraptor have gone to try and get some help. We're not that far away from Veilstone. You're gonna be okay."
She nodded weakly, and winced as it caused her pain. Ash's grip became even gentler.
"I'll never do anything like that ever again," he promised her, tears now streaming silently down his cheeks.
"I'm gonna take care of you Skye Furie. You're gonna fly again. I'll make sure of it."
Skye Furie managed a weak smile.
I'll... hold you to that.
She felt safe in his embrace. She felt a connection. She felt satisfaction. She felt his pure heart. And she now knew what she wanted. Her eyes sought out Pikachu.
...Pikachu?
He hopped forwards at once.
"Yeah?"
Our conversation last night?
"Yeah, what about it?"
...My answer is yes.
She managed to stay awake long enough to see the look of pure happiness and satisfaction spread across his face, but then the tiredness became overwhelming, and sleep finally claimed her.
Dun dun duhh!
Dramatic much? Yep, this one's got more action and cool stuff in it, with a little insight to where the story is going... Have you guessed yet? Because I'm not telling! You'll just have to read and find out! XD
For those of you who are wondering, the reason I am uploading quite quickly right now is because I have written LOADS already, and have no homework at the mo. Yaay!
I am in a slightly miffed mood - my english teacher gave me back my essay today and told me the conclusion was too chatty and I was rambling a lot... :(
I'll be happier if I get more reviews... (hint, hint) and I will post another chapter tomorrow! Yaay!
Once again, thanks for reading and reviewing! You know the drill by now - review or I will set Skye Furie on you! She can't live on feebas all her life! XD
Cheers, and remember, folks - change is inevitable... except from vending machines.
XD