Queen Sunstar: Here's chapter 7. Next one is the conclusion.
"Ash, let me in. I will help you. You must let me in. I know you must be terrified. Everything will be okay. Let me in, Ash." Zyta concentrated.
It was so cold. The young Goddess felt the icy wind buffeting her body. Heat blasted her as a fire type legendary flared up with a fire attack. It felt like a Flame Wheel. Suddenly, the cold vanished. Zyta knew at once that Ash had let her in. She was standing inside a house. A child's giggle rang out. Arceus's voice rang out in laughter. A delicious smell wafted from the kitchen. A woman's voice called out that it was dinner time. Zyta felt her stomach rumble. When did she last eat? She didn't exactly need to eat to live due to her being a goddess, but she ate for enjoyment. She would have to eat soon. She shoved thoughts of hunger aside.
"I'm safe here."
Zyta turned, "Ash?"
The boy was transparent. "I'm safe here."
"Why are you safe here?" Zyta asked after a moment of thought.
"It can't get me in here."
"What can't get you in here?"
A roar ripped through the air. Ash screamed. The scene dissolved, a battle grid lighting up the darkness. Zyta put herself in front of Ash, legs splayed and head lowered. Her ears flattened against her skull as she revealed her teeth. She waited.
"He's coming!" Ash cried out.
"Who is coming?" Zyta asked.
Cold laughter rang out. "The brat means me."
The dark filly looked. A second Ash walked toward her and Ash. This Ash wore a white shirt, jeans, black and yellow jacket, and tennis shoes. A league hat finished his look. His voice was far too deep. It was also very familiar to Zyta.
"King Akuma." Zyta snarled.
"You know him?" Ash asked.
"I wish I didn't!" Zyta narrowed her eyes. "He tried to add me to his collection!"
"Zyta. I did not recognize you in your new form." Akuma strode closer.
"You! You are the reason I am stuck in this body! I had to sleep for a thousand years!" It took sheer willpower to not charge. "Leave this boy alone, Akuma!"
"This boy can lead me to Arceus. Once I have both you and Arceus at my command, it is only a small matter to wipe the slate clean and start anew." Akuma stopped before Zyta and stroked her nose. Zyta snorted in displeasure.
"I think not! I will never be your tool again!" Zyta hissed.
"Zyta, stop him!" Ash begged.
"I promise, Ash. Once he is destroyed, let's wake up together." Zyta promised, "I give you my word. I will always protect you."
She faced Akuma. "Bring it, you creep!"
"I wouldn't." Akuma snapped his fingers. From the dark void beyond the battle grid, Serena strode forward. She wore a black crop top with black shorts. A pair of black spiked boots, a spiked collar, black fingerless gloves, and a black bicycle cap completed her look. She wore black eyeshadow and dark lipstick. Stopping in the middle of the grid, she looked up. A cage dropped down. In it sat a Pikachu that was basically fur and bones. It was held in the arms of a very thin blond girl wearing rags. The girl sniffled. Serena smiled cruelly. She held a button in hand. "You wouldn't want to hurt Pikachu and Bonnie, would you?"
"Don't hurt them!" Ash began to tremble.
"Do I look like I care?" Zyta snarled.
"Zyta!" Ash protested, "You said you would protect me! Bonnie, Serena, Pikachu, they are my friends! Protect them too!"
"They are already safe. This is in your mind. None of this is real except me and you. You can make this stop. You blocked it once before."
"You don't understand! Akuma is real!"
"Akuma died over a 1000 years ago, Ash. He's a figment of your imagination."
"No, he never died!"
"He looks… really good for being over a 1000 years old. Ash, he's dead. He died just before I was rendered an egg."
"You don't get it! Look at him, and at me!"
"…Why does he look like a younger version of you?"
"Akuma never died. My father trapped his spirit inside a stone poke ball. Three years ago, I took the Battle Frontier challenge. The-His tomb was discovered. I found the stone orb, and thinking Ho-Oh inside, I released him. He's been a part of me since! I can't escape him no matter what I do! He makes me want to hurt the people I care about. Zyta, please, I can't fight anymore! He is going to kill me and use my body as his own! He will bring back Pokelantis! I'm scared, Zyta!" Ash was crying, "I can't get away from him!"
"Is this why you made the storm?" Zyta asked, "Were you trying to protect yourself?"
"That's Winterra. She came when Akuma first attacked. You see, she is fighting Akuma who is using my Prince Ash form. She made the storm so others won't be harmed." Ash explained.
"Ash, people died because of the storm! Serena was nearly killed when her bus plunged off the road on the side of the mountain! Clemont too! Serena is very lucky I heard her prayer! If I hadn't, she would have froze to death! Can you tell Winterra to end the storm? Every legendary is out there, fighting! Even Arceus!" Zyta turned to Ash, "You can beat Akuma and reject him from your body!"
Ash's eyes went wide. "Serena was hurt? People died? This is my fault! Some Prince I am! I can't even protect anyone! Zyta, leave before I hurt you too! Just go!"
"No. I will not leave!" Zyta hissed, "Akuma, here's the deal! Fight me, Pokémon to Pokémon! If I win, you will leave Ash and be sent to the fiery hell that is my domain!"
"And if I win?" Akuma asked.
"You get Ash's body as your own. I will eject Ash's spirit and send him on to the River in the Stars." Zyta promised, "You have my word."
"You will also become my Pokémon." Akuma smiled ferally.
"Deal." Zyta turned to Ash again, "Direct me."
"Like a trainer does to a Pokémon in battle?"
"Yes. My moves are Darkness Divide, Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, and Curse. Curse affects me like it does to Ghost type Pokémon as I am a Ghost/Dark type."
"Okay." Ash took his spot on the field, Zyta at his side.
Akuma walked to the other side of the field. He drew out a poke ball that clearly had seen better days. It was scuffed up and very discolored. He threw it into the air.
"Sceptile! I choose you!" The Sceptile that appeared was very skinny. It's bones showed clearly through its torn skin. Old whip wounds covered by fresh wounds blanketed the body. It didn't have any leaves, and its tail was bare, the top few inches hacked off. Spurs set against its ankles, forcing it to step high to avoid the sharp metal blades digging into skin. A metal brace lined with spiked edges was around its neck, which bore wounds from being poked. A metal halter attached to the brace kept its head high and blinkers forced it to stare ahead. It's skin was very pale, the once bright green a pale yellow green, and its once deep red a pale orange. Its eyes sat inside hollows, and looked lifeless. Akuma held a whip. He cracked the air with it, causing the Sceptile to jump and get the spurs shoved into its ankles. It made no sound. Ash looked horrified.
"Remember, this isn't real." Zyta moved to the circle in the center of the ring, the Sceptile joining her. "Ash, this is not real."
"I-I know, Zyta, but it still hurts!"
"I agree. No Pokémon deserves that kind of brutality done to it."
"I shall be the gentleman and give you the first move." Akuma broke into the conversation.
"Fine. Zyta, use Curse." Ash responded.
"Curse? Is that-" Zyta stopped herself, remembering that Pokémon were not supposed to question orders. She used Curse, wincing as what looked like a large nail was sucked into her body. She felt herself grow weak as what resembled her face floated over Sceptile.
"Sceptile, use Mach Punch!" Akuma ordered.
"Wait a minute! Last I checked, Sceptile can't learn Mach Punch!" Ash protested.
"Rules do not apply here!" Akuma growled, "Sceptile, use Mach Punch now!"
Sceptile didn't protest. It punched forward, a spinning fist flying toward Zyta.
"Zyta! Dodge, and use Dark Pulse!" Ash ordered.
Zyta feinted to the left and reared to hit the ground with her forelegs, sending out a wave of dark energy.
"Fly." Akuma ordered.
Sceptile lifted off the ground, the attack missing it.
"It flies?" Zyta asked incredulously.
"It can't learn that move ether!" Ash protested again.
Sceptile came down on Zyta, damaging her. Zyta made no sound.
"It's time we break the rules too!" Zyta decided.
"Use Flamethrower!" Ash tried.
Zyta opened her mouth and breathed hard. Nothing happened.
"No fair! The rules don't apply to you, you mean!" Ash cried out. He lit up, "Use Infestation and follow with Will-O-Wisp!"
"But I don't… You are a genius!" Zyta glowed, sending first a wave of tiny Beedrill and following with a pair of spiraling fireballs. Both attacks hit. Sceptile screamed, plummeting to the ground.
"How?" Akuma roared.
"Since Flamethrower, an attack Zyta can't learn, failed, I thought about what she could learn. Thank you N and Lady J for forcing me to read all of those books about Pokémon types and all their attacks." Ash explained, "I also figured that since she is a ghost/dark type like Spiritomb, I would use its move list for Zyta."
"Smart, Ash. Spiritomb and I have very similar move lists." Zyta remarked, "Next move?"
Sceptile went to its knees as Curse, Infestation, and Will-O-Wisp did damage.
"That alone takes out 3/8th of Sceptile's health. We just have to dodge you for a bit until it faints!" Ash grinned, "Shadow Ball, but wait." Sceptile had taken to the air again. It circled before diving toward Zyta. "Dodge and Shadow Ball the spot it will hit!"
Zyta dodged, tilted her head back, opened her mouth, and tilted her head forward, sending a Shadow Ball at the spot where Sceptile would land. Unable to dodge or pull up in time, Sceptile was hit. It's three status attacks struck, forcing it to its knees. It fell forward onto its arms.
"Get up, beast!" Akuma lashed it repeatedly with his whip.
"Stop it! That won't help at all!" Ash cried out.
Sceptile got to its feet painfully. It hissed.
"Finish it. Darkness Divide!" Akuma growled.
The air grew stifling hot. Zyta braced herself. The ground shook. Great chasms tore open to belch fire and sulphur. Thousands of chains poured from the chasms. Zyta grinned.
"Zyta, look out! Dodge!" Ash screamed.
Zyta only laughed. The chains wrapped around her and pulled her into her domain. Ash screamed. The chasms shut and everything cooled down. Ash gasped.
"I won." Akuma snarled. "Zyta is mine and so is your body!"
"Take my body. Take my Pokémon! You will never take my will! I will fight you every step you take! I will never surrender! I am Ash, son of Arceus, Prince of Pokémon, and the link between the human and Pokémon worlds! I will fight for Pokémon and humans alike! You will never have Zyta nor my father!" Ash looked determined.
"You have no Pokémon. You lost." Akuma hissed.
Laughter rang out.
"He still has me!" Zyta erupted from the ground to land by Ash.
"How? Darkness Divide should have destroyed you!" Akuma asked.
"You sent me home, to my domain! I must thank you for that, because it let me do this!" With that, Zyta evolved. Before long, a black Rapidash stood where Zyta once stood. Purple and white fire flared, forming her fetlocks, mane, and tail. "This battle is not over!"
"Zyta, attack at will!" Ash ordered.
"My pleasure!" Zyta charged.
"Deoxys, the storm is not moving." Rayquaza studied the roiling mass of black cloud below him. A tongue of flame jetted from somewhere beneath, the light streaking just below the cloud cover. "Something is not right here."
"Fusion Flare!" Reshiram burst through the cloud cover. "We had the wrong idea! Winterra made the storm to protect everyone while she fought Prince Ash! The storm only moved because Ash was moved! All of us are doing our best to stop the cold tongues from reaching Ash! We can't keep this up much longer! Recall the others!" She dove back under the cloud cover.
"Kyrum! Return to our location! Bring the others!" Deoxys sent out her call.
Before long, all legendary Pokemon stood together. Arceus cleared his throat.
"Before I begin, I'm giving you a choice. You may leave. It is not my place to force you." Arceus waited.
"Nope, duty calls!" Jirachi replied, "I believe I speak for all of us. This is the reason you bore us, Forefather. We are here, and we will stay."
"Mom, don't. I'm not leaving!" Leu glared at his mother, "I'm a legendary too, and I fight for my future and that of everyone else! I'm staying, Mom!"
"As much as I want you to leave, staying is your choice. I will do my best to protect you. Reshiram, you should go, considering your condition." Lugia nuzzled Leu.
"I should, but I won't. This is what I was born to do, protect. I am staying." Reshiram responded.
"Reconsider! I beg of you to reconsider, my love!" Zekrom pleaded.
"No. I am staying!"
"Think about our baby!"
"If we fail, there will be no baby! I'm staying, my love!"
"Reshiram is right. There's no future if we fail." Keldo responded.
"Keld-" Cobalion started
"NO!" Keldo spat.
"The children know their roles very well." Arceus responded, "I have a mission for them. Come, children." He led Keldo and Leu a bit away. "Know that I am not doing this to keep you out of harms way. I need you two to go to Alola and find the four Tapu. They have… abilities that I need. You two must hurry. Ash's time is running out. Akuma's hold is growing stronger."
"We're on it, Forefather." Leu saluted while Keldo raised his right hind leg, showing the quadruped version of the salute. Both child legendaries streaked away.
Winterra was exhausted. It was taking too much effort to maintain the storm and keep Akuma at bay. The Ice Griffin Pokémon was a legendary from the ice region Algid. She had heard Ash's telepathic scream and had been the first to respond, having been on the border of Algid and Kalos. She had clashed with what she had thought was Ash. She realized quickly that she was fighting someone using Ash's Prince Ash form. A body slam crashed into her. Winterra gasped, and managed to return with a weak ice beam. Akuma dodged easily.
"Give it up, Winterra! You've lost!" Akuma roared.
"Winterra! Let me take over now." Kyrum joined her.
"Me, too." Articuno joined them. "I'll fight. Kyrum, maintain the storm."
"Thank you…" Winterra fell from the sky, too exhausted to even attempt to fly. Someone touched her, and the last thing she felt was warmth.
"Her name is Winterra, and she is a legendary from my home region." Kaito explained about Winterra as he cared for her. The lights began to flicker as the massive generators powering Sub-Snowbelle began to shudder. An engineer ran up to Kaito,
"Sir, we are losing Cog Four! Two and three are failing! Soon we will have to cut back on power!"
"I want everyone moved up here. Focus all power to the front portion of Sub-Snowbelle."
"Yes, Sir!" The engineer took off.
In Ash's room, the flickering lights and fading sound didn't go unnoticed.
"They're losing power." Clemont responded.
"If they lose all power…" Serena didn't dare to finish. They all knew what that would mean. Without the ventilator, Ash would die.
"Clemont, can't you do anything?" Bonnie asked.
"I am not sure." Clemont decided, "I am not going to sit around twiddling my thumbs ether. Pikachu, Dendenne, you two are with me." He left after Pikachu leapt onto his shoulder and Dendenne settled on his arm.
Zyta twitched as tremors gripped Ash's body. Serena moved toward the dark horse Pokémon.
"Don't. You might break the connection between them. We have to trust Zyta." Bonnie cautioned.
The rumble beneath their feet grew fainter. Nurse Joy rushed in with a cart. The cart held an air pump and tubing.
"I may need to bag him if we keep losing power." Joy explained. "The problem with the generators is disuse. We haven't had to evacuate here in over 100 years."
"Don't worry. My brother will know what to do." Bonnie smiled.
Zyta twitched as Ash went into convulsions. She shuddered along with Ash, her face screwed up in concentration. A faint glow surrounded her. Slowly it brightened. Zyta's eyes fell open, revealing nothing but white. Her mouth opened, her tongue and gums bleeding. She began to pant. Suddenly she arched back, her mouth open in a silent scream. With that she slipped into evolution. The light faded to reveal a black Rapidash with purple and white flaming hair. She sank back down by Ash.
"I think they are fighting something." Serena watched worriedly.
"What could be inside Ash's mind that is causing this reaction?" Joy asked, "I'm worried about the stress being put on Ash's brain."
Again, Zyta threw her head back, her mouth open in a silent scream. Blood oozed thickly from the corners of her mouth. Her body began to twist unnaturally. Ash lurched about, his own mouth beginning to bleed around the tube in his mouth. His eyes opened, showing nothing but white. Zyta lurched, causing Ash to convulse.
"Come on, Ash, Zyta!" Serena encouraged, "You can do this!"
"Don't give up!" Bonnie pleaded.
Ash began to arch up until only his head and feet supported his body. Zyta twisted the opposite direction. Ash crashed back onto the bed, only for his body to arch up again. Zyta went into the silent scream again. Again Ash crashed back onto the bed. Bloody tears leaked from his eyes. It was sickening to watch the boy go through the seizure again and again. Zyta shuddered, and again Ash went into the seizure. Nurse Joy swallowed, knowing she must stay her hands. It hurt watching Ash suffer and knowing she must not help him in any way.
"It's called a Cirque Du Seizure. It is not an actual seizure. It is a convulsion." Nurse Joy explained.
Queen Sunstar: Final chapter: Leu and Keldo locate the Tapu and discover a shocking secret while Clemont works feverishly to keep the power running. Cirque Du Seizure is a type of pseudo seizure. It is not a true Seizure but it is scary to see. It is a standard of demonic possession.
