Chapter Nine: The Brass Tower, Part Two: The Embodiment of the North Wind
One last Pokémon remained in the catastrophic catacomb of wreckage and destruction. The Pokémon was dead, covered in a viscous paste of mud and ash. The two Guardians knew what they had to do, so without saying a single word, they closed their eyes, concentrating on firstly bringing the Pokémon's carcass to the surface.
The wind screamed through the air as it passed, just as the body of Vaporeon materialized through the shadows. The dirty body of this water Pokémon hovered in the air, as its companions had done so not long ago. Rain sputtered, falling gracefully, falling daintily, but also menacingly and mischievously.
The smoking wreckage had now been put out; all that remained of it was the tragic rubble of a holy building, with thin tendrils of smoke coiling through the murky darkness. The scene was dismal and macabre; this was the grave of three unique Pokémon, three Pokémon that could only have existed with the aid and love of a trainer and companions.
Lugia and Ho-Oh stared at this beautiful Pokémon with a longing look. They were regretful of what had happened to not only Vaporeon, but to Jolteon and Flareon as well. This was a tragedy, and they knew of no other way to repay the poor Pokémon that had fallen.
"Vaporeon," Ho-Oh whispered, its tears mingling with fat raindrops. "Please accept my gift of life and transformation."
The mermaid-like body of the Vaporeon shifted and contorted in shape, its long, alluring tail splitting at the middle and, as if being pulled, turning into two ribbon-like fixtures that wavered around its body, flowing this way and that. Sky blue fur had sprouted from its once slick skin. White rhombus batches were scattered across the light, feathery pelt. Its paws became sleek and slender, its body, elegant. A mane of amethyst flowed like a cape behind it, and it billowed behind it, shaking violently in the rough winds.
Its white, frilled collar shrunk back into its neck and its ears disappeared as well. Its face transformed from that of a dog-like creature to a feline structure, just like the rest of its elegant body.
"Vaporeon," Lugia said, admiring the work of his companion. "Do you accept my gift of beauty and charm, because of your gift to me earlier this night, a gift of perfection?"
"I accept!" the Vaporeon answered eagerly, flexing itself in a graceful manner. It preened itself, nuzzling its nose into the delicate fur, muting its soft pleasurable whimpers of delight. Its vanity was already shining through.
Within seconds, the crystal that was radiantly gleaming moved towards the Vaporeon's fin, which was slowly disappearing into its head. The crystal then transformed itself into an outline of a hexagonal crest, which sparkled as the rain fell delicately onto the smooth-cut surface of the diamond crown.
Lugia spoke up after the transformation, still eyeing the magnificent crown that extended beyond the top of the creatures' head, like the crown of the Queens of old, of the royal ladies of myths. He said, "Vaporeon, you are now a completely new Pokémon, so you need a name that is more fitting, such as Suicune,"
The pace and strength of the wind picked up, and the trees around the circle of wreckage flailed wildly, almost dancing. Vaporeon, now Suicune, nodded graciously, floated gently down towards the ground.
Its velvety paw settled into a filthy, mud-ridden puddle, and almost instantly, the water purified, turning into a translucent liquid. When the clouds shifted, allowing a single beam of moonlight to descend, and the beam landed onto the clear puddle, and it glimmered magically. It smiled at this strange ability, feeling a serene peace enveloping it.
"Suicune, use this power as you see fit, and make use of the gifts we have given to you," Ho-Oh told the reborn beast.
Momentarily, Suicune pumped its legs and ran faster than the wind that was constantly following it, constantly entombing it in a turbulent, bracing aura. It ran many miles in the first few seconds, and before long, it found itself standing atop the rough waves of an ocean. Land was too far, even for Suicune's keen eye to see. But this concept bemused the seemingly mythical beast. Suicune smiled as it padded a soft paw against the hard surface of the water, interested in this technique.
Centuries after this Pokémon had toyed with the waves it was standing on, it retired back to the town it had perished in as a Vaporeon. It stepped through the open doorway of the Brass Tower, now referred to as the Burnt Tower by the townsfolk. The door was a broken mess, half burnt, half splintered, what was left of it was either hanging off the rusty hinges, or strewn about. The entire first floor was now a series of small rooms, its walls made of fallen debris. This had once been a single room. Suicune explored this jungle of fragmented wood and ash. Eventually, it had found a hole in the floor; a hole that led to the basement. The drop seemed dangerous, but Suicune always landed on its feet.
And so, it pounced, falling through the dusty darkness, until its paws thudded against a thick carpet of ash. Somewhere in the darkness, two large figures stiffened and sniffed the air. The fur on their back raised on end, and their faces pulled back into a snarl. They walked towards the stranger, then their expressions softened. Their fur flaccidly fell back to their bodies, and they scampered towards their old companion.
"Vaporeon! Vaporeon!" the two beasts shouted. "Crystal!"
Suicune remembered those names, and she smiled as her two companions darted towards her, pouncing on their friend.
"Flareon, Jolteon, is that really you?" Suicune asked in bewilderment.
"Actually, my name is Raikou now," Raikou said proudly, pushing his chest out.
"And I am Entei," Entei growled conceitedly. He flexed his back and stretched.
"And my name is now Suicune," Suicune smiled. She walked up to them and gently licked them both on the nose, as she had once did when she had been a Vaporeon.
Here, they would live forever, until someone disturbs their peace.