I'm alive! I can't believe how long its been between updates. D:
This is just a quick chapter to get the creative juices flowing in my brain again. I really wanted to write something sweet. It gets kinda tiring to write massacre after massacre.
Once again, a big thank you to my wonderful reviewers: Twilight - The Moon Spirit, Galalithial, and bobdaduck. A hearty round of applause to all of you!
Chapter ten
Forbidden
The dawnling sun peered over the lip of the nearby peaks, heralding the late afternoon in which the city could receive a fullness of light. All activity had since quieted down, leaving the placid streets bathed in a thick silence. Humans and Pokemon alike had fled to their inner sanctuaries before the light had a chance to manifest itself in a blaring wave of heat. The sheer lack of activity destroyed the natural breathing of the land; the whole world hung in a suspenseful silence as though it was dead.
Kael pulled the reigns back forcefully, causing the nervous Exodus pause. The Rapidash tossed his head, his hooves prancing backwards as he regained his footing on the sleeping land.
"Hold, Exodus," Kael murmured, his bloody eyes narrowed slightly as he inhaled the landscape.
"Where is everyone?" Exodus nickered, swiveling his great head around to glance at his rider. His great brown eye swiveled madly. "It's so quiet."
"Hiding, most likely," Kael commented, sighing slightly. "The heat out on the plains of Pewter is extremely intense for most species." The white Lucario panted in the heat, sweat thickening under his fur. "Especially for those whom are weakened by fire and heat."
"Oh," Exodus commented, easily catching onto the hint. "Right." He muttered sheepishly. With a final neigh, the Rapidash bolted across the arid landscape. He took a somewhat northern route towards the boundaries of Pewter city, angling alongside the nearing hospital. His diamond hard hooves dug deep ruts as he tore along the ground, sending up a tall cloud of dust behind him as he ran.
"Not exactly the picture of subtlety," Kael commented lightly, holding a paw in front of his eyes to keep the dust at bay.
Within moments they had entered the great arms of the silent city, the shadows of the tall buildings a welcome commodity. Kael sighed in relief. "To the hospital, please,"
The reverberating echoes of Exodus' hoof beats followed the pair closely as they quickly traversed the expanse separating the verges of the city and the medical buildings beyond. Several city-goers poked their inquisitive heads out their windows as the Pokemon passed, their confused faces vanishing quickly. The subtle issues of air conditioning leaking out from the precipices of the buildings swamped around the lower tresses of the city, giving a welcome burst of cold air towards the two Pokemon.
Exodus paused at the mouth of the human hospital, his mighty head leaned upwards to gaze at the very verge of the tall building. "Woah," He commented.
Kael lightly slipped off the Rapidash's back, clicking open the spherical Pokeball as he finished his descent. The fire-bearing horse flickered into a wavering light silhouette, the energy of his form quickly evaporating into the containment unit as the white Lucario clipped the Pokeball shut. With a final glance towards the heat starved streets beyond, Kael let out a small sigh, padding lightly into the cool, well lit hospital reception room.
The receptionist looked up from her magazine to the entrance of the hospital as the Lucario stepped inside, her bored expression of exasperation hardly locking on the entrance for more than a few moments. With a flick of her hand towards the silent elevators, she once again delved back into the reports from her magazine.
Kael bowed to her, more out of habit than anything else, and crossed the empty lobby quickly. His eager steps quickened rapidly as the mechanical doors of the elevator swooned open to allow him admittance. The doors slid shut behind his tail as he crossed the threshold, the light bleeping over the door cheerily indicating the floor he occupied. Pressing the smooth button to take him to the fourteenth floor, Kael stepped back against the cool metal of the door as the elevator jerked slightly as the metal box began its ascent. He watched with growing impatience as the glowing number slowly slid upwards, actually clicking on the fourteenth floor button several times in quick succession as though to make the elevator to go faster.
His heart began to pound in anticipation as he envisioned the welcome he would receive. Kael grimaced slightly at the thought of Emayla and her indignation's at his absence. A small smile wound across his maw, however, at his pondering. This was the first time in thousands of years that they had been separated for over a week. Kael was surprised at how much he missed Emayla's companionship; her constant musings and worries, her acceptance... The white Lucario shook his head quickly as the doors to the elevators slid slowly open at the entrance to the fourteenth floor.
The whitewashed walls yawned lazily in their stillness, the pure white lights giving of soft illumination across the entire section of the building. Complementary vases spawned every few feet or so atop dark-wooden desks, vibrant flowers adding color to the otherwise monochromatic hallway. All doors, save for one at the very end of the hall, had no lights stirring within their depths. Most of the patients were sleeping at this time of day.
With a slight pause, Kael continued down the hallway, allowing the elevator to shut slowly from behind him, the small ding caused by the mechanical structures from within the transportation device quickly silenced against the white walls. His paw steps allowed the only sounds as he traveled; not even the soft din of the air conditioning or the pining of Pokemon outside could break the silent vigil of the hospital.
Kael placed his black paw haltingly on the cold surface of the door handle that led into the room in which his master was staying. He couldn't see past the semi-transparent glass; only vague patterns of light passed by the window of the door. With a subtle twist of his paw, the door gave a light click, slowly sliding past the precipice on which it rested. Kael lowered his head as the door gave its final throws, opening fully to the room beyond.
But no response came to his presence.
With a questioning glance, the white Lucario lifted his head to gaze at the chamber. The plain room held no significant qualities; a simple assortment of modest furniture dotted the floor every now and again. Neine, the Meganium, slept soundly in the corner of the room, her massive head leaned lightly against the window. She didn't stir as he passed the threshold of the room, her contented smile reminiscent of a pleasing dream.
Emayla rested with her back turned towards the door, the subtle rising of the sheets covering her healing body indicating her slumbering.
Kael smiled. Closing the door without even a hushed sound, the white Lucario padded silently across the expanse of the chamber to his master's side. He pulled a chair from a pile at the corner of the room to the head of the bed, seating himself facing the far wall. Kael paused for a moment to listen to her quiet breathing, not able to look down and gaze at her ravaged form himself.
"I'm sorry, lady Emayla," He began, rubbing one paw across his arm in insecurity. "I didn't mean to simply leave you here in this state, but I had no choice." Kael sighed. "There's still things you don't know about me, so I don't think it's right to tell you now. I do what I must for the safety of this world, you must understand that. But, sometimes, that's not always the truest path. I, er, sought advice in my time away from someone who has helped me in the past. I trust his judgment... I know that he knows what is best for us." The white Lucario faltered on the quiet word 'us'. With another sigh to complement the first, he ran his paw across his forehead, glancing towards the window beyond. His heart nearly failed him as he saw his reflection in the glass; not only his, but Emayla's as well. Her half-open eyes stared longingly at his reflection, not quite aware that she had been discovered awake.
Kael halted his single-sided conversation rapidly, returning his attention to the dresser on the far wall, his ears perked sideways for any signs of movement.
Several long minutes passed in silence. But, before Kael could get another word out, Emayla slowly rose on the bed, propping herself against the metal frame so she sat parallel to her partner. "It's strange," She began, her voice quieter than Kael's had been. "For almost eight thousand years I've had you always by my side. There were many times in my darkest hours when I wanted nothing more than for you to disappear." Emayla paused, laughing quietly for a moment in remembrance. "Now that I look back, those years were better than I could have ever imagined. I loved being alive. Everyday was a new adventure. No matter how dark my past had become, there was always a brighter tomorrow." Her bloody eyes gently glanced towards her stilled partner. "I cherished every morning where I would wake, and I'd find you right there beside me. Your warm smile, your kind words." Her voice became slightly taunt as tears slowly filled her eyes. "After eight thousand years, you'd think I'd be able to go a week without you there. But..." Emayla quietly wiped a single tear than had escaped, her smile never diminishing. "Every moment was a pit of darkness. I saw my hollow past everywhere around me. Tirus became a frequent visitor in my nightmares; though Syhn and Neine did their best, nothing could quell the agonies of my memories." Still Kael refused to look at her directly, his tightened expression locked on the wall. Emayla returned her own eyes to the same spot Kael had locked on to, her quiet voice slipping along the air. "I never knew just how much I needed you, Kael."
Emayla allowed her words to hang in the air for a time, content to simply sit there in the presence of her Lucario. As the minutes were counted off by the clock above her bed, the Pokemon trainer slowly continued. "You're the bravest, most wonderful Pokemon I have ever known, and I'm proud to call you my friend."
This time Emayla allowed a full glance towards Kael, only to find him with his head buried in his paws, sobs shaking his shoulder, tears streaming down his face. Concerned, she swerved around on the hospital bed, her feet lightly tapping the floor as she reached out towards her partner. Before she could react, the white Lucario gripped her arm tightly, wrapping her into a warm embrace. His tears stained her shoulder as they held each other, neither quite ready to let go.
How could he have let it gone this far? He understood what she had meant under her words; it wasn't just friendship. It was love. None of this was supposed to have happened... He had sacred duties given to him by Arceus to complete. He couldn't stay with her.
Once his mission regarding her return to her Ninetales body was finished, he was to die.
EC
Syhn growled at the flashing screen, clicking his green scaled claws against the computer in impatience. The mechanized communication device sputtered and whirred as it attempted once again to regain a connection. The blurred images splattered across the screen slowly materialized, congealing to corporeal shapes of the Pokemon he was trying to contact.
"Alithe?" He called into the small microphone positioned at the verge of the gray box.
The Dragonair on the opposite end shook her head in annoyance. "Blasted, unreliable technology." She sighed, her jeweled tail swiping across the camera as she repositioned the screen.
"It'll have to do," Syhn commented lightly, ignoring the bemused glances shot his way by the common passerby. "Have you gotten any word on Xavier?"
Alithe shook her regal head in exasperation. "No," She paused, looking off to the side of her respective area for a moment before returning her attention to the Sceptile. "It's unusual for him to be silent for so long. Though the lady Emayla allows you to leave whenever you wish, he has always made a prompt return. His blood oath still holds strong."
"I know, and that's whats making the others nervous." Syhn's yellow eyes narrowed dangerously. "Arrogant lizard. He's probably off terrorizing innocents in some dark alley-way."
"Oh, could you let your animosity slide for just a moment? This could be serious, Syhn."
"I know, I know." The Sceptile sighed. "Well, if you get any word, send me a message with Vestill when she arrives, alright?"
"Will do." Alithe commented lightly. Her smiling face was quickly lost to the inner darkness as the machine flickered off, leaving Syhn staring hard at his own, darker, reflection. The majestic grass Pokemon lowered his head into his claws, musing silently over his path. The sounds of the Pokemon center rambled on in the background: the comments of the medical personnel, the protests of overworked Pokemon, the worried titters of trainers; were all lost to the winds. Syhn sat in his quiet thoughts, quite separate from it all.
Until the front door was literally blown from its hinges.
Keiva came spiraling into the lobby of the Pokemon center, her paws scrabbling madly against the linoleum surface of the floor. With a savage roar she silenced all patrons of the center in a single moment, the smoking hinges of the door still sizzling from the might of her electric attack.
Syhn hurried up from his chair over to the distressed Luxray, swiveling around quickly as a stray bolt of electricity came leaping off her coat. "Keiva!" He exclaimed. "What's happened?"
The Luxray shook her head rapidly. "I don't know!" She snarled, glancing back over her shoulder to the quieted city beyond. "Something's wrong with Thomas!"
EC
Ghethar glanced around at the glimmering city of Cerulean, his eyes narrowed against the invasive light. He raised his arm over his forehead in an attempt to stay the glaring heat of the sun, his tail flicking back and fourth behind him in impatience. From over several hundred feet in the air, most details of the land below were lost to absolute obscurity; only the shimmering gemstones impregnated into every wall of Cerulean offered any definitive detail to where he was.
Off in the distance loomed Mt. Moon, its oppressive energies somewhat subdued in the light. Strange. Ghethar pondered. Deoxys was ever the greedy Legendary. Why leave his abode with dwindling protections.
Not that it mattered, however.
With a sigh, Ghethar slowly descended down towards Cerulean city. How on earth was he supposed to eliminate one of the most prestigious trainers in the world when she was constantly surrounded by the most powerful Pokemon in existence? Taking a direct route to Pewter would be absolute suicide.
No. It was best to let his prey come to him.
He would wait, no matter how long it took. The Masters still held bounds on his freedom; his death was certain unless their whims were met.
With a final grunt, the Mewtwo descended into the heart of the shining city.
And what's a sweet chapter of Retribution without plot twists and cliffhangers?