Chapter Ten: Guardian of the Sea

There is a cold, dark cavern, hidden in the depths of an underwater abyss. Water can be heard trickling, dripping, echoing throughout the labyrinth of stone caves in this submerged hell. It's a sound that can drive a man to insanity. In the first few hundred feet of this grotto, a wide abundance of aquatic Pokémon dwelled, but further than that, nothing but the haunting sound of water sloshing in the strange currents of the cavern's lakes. No human has ever ventured this far into this mysterious cave. A maze of fissures and antechambers, the ground littered with mighty boulders that even most heavy-weight Pokémon wouldn't be able to push aside.

Stalactites hung from the high ceilings of the caverns. Only the tips of the significantly larger mineral cones were seen, as the rest of the bodies plunged into the resolute black oblivion. Saturated water, thick and glistening with heavy minerals, splattered onto the thick, serrated towers of calcium deposits that poked through the ground, smothering them with the rich calcium.

Darkness surrounded a lone creature that sat sulking in a vast cavern. Even in the looming darkness, the creature seemed to glow a faint silver. It was perched upon a craggy ledge of what was once a waterfall, but had long since dried up. The creature was in this antechamber for so long that it had witnessed that occurrence.

A poignant, solemn moan pulsated from the creatures' mouth, rumbling smoothly. The creature was crying. The pain it was enduring was agonizing, excruciating, heart wrenching. The hollow cries echoed within the cavern; the creatures that dwell hundreds of feet above this particular catacomb heard the bizarre lamenting sobs. Every living thing shuddered and scuttled away to hide.

The crying beast was Lugia, a giant Pokémon, covered in a shining, silvery down, seeming to be crafted from diamonds. Its' underbelly was a pale blue tint, still sparkling as intensely as the silver feather-like fluff. Wings folded over the Pokémon's' body, enveloping itself in a constricted embrace. Its' wings seemed to be a remarkable optical illusion, as the tips appeared to be solid, chunky appendages; fingers that were easily controlled by the beast. Two rows of five spike-like protrusions jutted out, running down the length of its' back. At the conclusion of its' tail, two more black spikes protruded, on either side of the tail.

Its' black irises surveyed the equally murky surroundings. However, its' vision was better than most. The creature could see every individual fissure and contour in the rocky walls; the silent ripples on the serene surface of the mere. The stalactites dripped their calcium-rich fluids onto the rising stalagmites that ascended just high enough that most of their tips barely jutted from the black surface of the water.

Lugia was haunted by its memories. It had made a mistake, that led to thoughts and worries that made its life a living nightmare. It was a monster.

When he was born, his mother told him stories of strange creatures that walked on two appendages; "humans", that's what she called those bizarre-looking creatures. She had warned him to never leave the safety of the caves, as they would try to capture such an atypical Pokémon as Lugia was.

At least a thousand years ago, when that very same Lugia was still young and seemingly pure, the adolescent Pokémon left the security of the sunken caverns to explore the tremendous portion of the world it was hidden away from. He was surprised at the unanticipated glare of the sun, and the fresh breeze of fresh air, mingled with a salty tang. Lugia's large wings carried him over the vast, rippling surface of the ocean. He followed the swells towards land, and flew over the golden sand that stretched on for miles until he reached the highlands. Past the verdant fields, he reached a tiny town, of a population of barely a hundred.

By then, Lugia had become fatigued, so he had decided to rest at the foot of a mountain, not far from the settlement. From his hideaway, he noticed another bird-like creature, a golden bird, sparkling as it roosted atop the tiled rooftop of a magnificent building. He was charmed by this creature, he felt at peace.

After resting –where he had not removed the bright creature from his sights- he decided to find out more about this creature, to befriend it. As he flapped those monstrous wings of his, he noticed that he was creating huge zephyrs that ripped limbs from trees, making a whirlwind of leaves, sticks and stones. He was destroying his surroundings.

He approached the magnificent bird, flying slowly, so that he could observe it more. The golden creature spotted him, and cocked its head in confusion. She was perched upon the edge of the beautifully ornate rooftop. She looked at the silver creature with curiosity, not moving her eyes as he landed atop the roof next to her. Both these Pokémon sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight, their feathers seeming to be woven from gold and silver.

"Hello," Lugia said shyly, looking down at the carved ledge of the roof. "I'm Lugia."

"I'm Ho-Oh," the golden bird said happily, bobbing her head with each word she said. "I've never seen a Pokémon like you before, where do you hail from?"

"I hail from a cave," Lugia said. "Do you want to be my friend?"

Ho-Oh smiled, and they took off, playing games until the sun had begun to set, dimming the world. Lugia, who had never experienced a sunset in his long life, stared in awe at the sight, admiring the tangerine tints weaving with the Byzantium purples, with streaks of ruby littering the sky, as the sun began to hide behind the horizon, beyond the never-ending stretch of sea. This day was a marvel; Lugia had met a wonderful friend, as much of a misfit as he was, and he had experienced his first sunset. But he knew that this day would have to end eventually.

As the sky began to turn a murky indigo, Lugia set off back home, leaving his new-found friend behind him. He crossed the vast expanse of the ocean, watching the scattering waves reflecting the twinkle of the stars overhead. That day was a day he would never be able to forget. Especially when he would enter the deep underwater grotto and discover it to be empty, devoid of his mother.

He waited for his mother to come back, thinking that she had just gone to hunt for Tentacruel and Seakings to feed upon. And so he waited for days. Those days turned into weeks, and he began to realise that she went looking for him. Weeks turned to months; if he stayed put, she would eventually come back. Months became years. Years became decades, which then became centuries.

And still no sign of his mother.