Here's chapter twenty - five! Thank you Kauris Azurai, Antex-The Legendary Zoroark, KrazyKoldKyurem613, jordanobx, and monsterkiddo for reviewing last chapter!

Chapter Twenty - Five: Awakened

When the giant pokemon exploded from the ceiling, Rachel could only stare. When it caught her daughter, she had a split second to panic before she screeched. She thought it might have been a word, but she was too frantic to care, rushing forward, trying to reach her child and save her from the thing that screamed death, death, death from its very being. The creature flew, taking Eris, leaving Rachel and the others in the library far behind.

Rachel released her dragonite. "Go!" she screeched. "After them!"

The dragonite flew.

-Yveltal wheezed. He beat his wings, carefully clutching Eris.

"Dragoo!"

So they've sent someone after me, have they? A dragonite followed, approaching rapidly. Yveltal opened his mouth, screeching. The dragonite baulked, then shook itself and propelled forward. Fine. Then catch me now. He folded his wings and dove abruptly. The world blurred around him, colored smears racing by on either side. When he neared the ground he snapped his wings open, riding an updraft, beating his wings, lifting rapidly into the sky. The dragonite floundered, but managed to right itself, and quickly began to regain ground.

Yveltal hissed. He swung his tail. It scooped the dragonite off its path, propelling it unwillingly in front of Yveltal. Yveltal charged a dark pulse. The dragonite had a split second to look terrified. The spirals of dark energy collided with it, sending it flying to the ground.

Yveltal didn't watch to make sure it hit. He turned, beating as fast as possible, wheezing, coughing, hurting, but hopefully ahead.

-Rachel paced the library. She checked the hole repeatedly. Conversation buzzed around her:

"What was that thing?"

"Will it come back?"

"All those books…"

Rachel gritted her teeth. Does anyone care that my daughter is missing?

The police burst into the room, manetric ranged about them. "The giant pokemon," one ventured. "It was here."

"Obviously," Rachel replied.

By now a crowd of curious observers were gathering. The police worked to keep them back. Several more officers examined the area. One asked, "What happened? Why'd it attack?"

Rachel said, "It took my daughter."

"It what?"

"Took. My. Daughter."

"Why would it do that?"

"I don't know." Rachel ran a hand through her hair. "She was saying something about being 'marked' and how she was working with this pokemon called 'Yveltal' or whatever, and I thought she was making it up, but-"

"Wait. Yveltal?"

"Why do you look alarmed?"

The officer worried his lip. "Yveltal's a little-known legend around here. Most people don't know a lot about it. Hell, neither do I."

Rachel gripped his shoulders. "What do you know?"

"Ma'am, calm down." The manetric by his side barked agreement.

Rachel released him.

The officer straightened his clothing. "Like I said, not much. Supposedly its an ancient being of death. I've never heard anything else about it, though, so I wrote it off as just a story."

Something clicked in Rachel's mind. She whirled around, scrambling for Eris's book.

"Ma'am?"

She lifted it. "See this? Read the legend inside. Is that about Yveltal, like my daughter says?"

The man eyed her, then obeyed. "I don't know. Maybe. This does look kind of like the pokemon that attacked." He blew a husky sigh. "So that thing was Yveltal, huh? Damn."

"So what are you going to do about my daughter?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but your daughter's the last of our problems at the moment." His expression softened. "We'll try to help her, but we have to worry about keeping the population from panicking. Moreover, we have to do something about that pokemon." He whistled. One of the other officers hurried over. "I need someone to contact the Elite Four. They'll probably hear about it soon enough, but I'd prefer to have direct contact with them. Contact Professor Sycamore, as well. I want research conducted on Yveltal and this 'marked' thing." He glanced at Rachel for confirmation.

"Yes, but-"

"I know. We'll do what we can." He nodded to the officer. "Get going."

"Sir!"

Rachel took a deep breath. "I want to help."

"Thank you, ma'am, but-"

"No. I will help. Do you know who I am?" She didn't give him time to answer. "I'm Rachel Yale, a top Kanto battler. And I will find my daughter."

-Yveltal returned to his cave weary. He collapsed, partly because he couldn't land correctly because he still carried Eris, partly because of exhaustion. He released Eris, maneuvering carefully to examine her. You fool, he thought, nudging her.

"Master Yveltal!" a voice called. "Master Yveltal!"

Yveltal's head snapped up. "What is it, Eon?"

"I-what happened to the human?" Eon back-winged, landing.

"Her Mark acted up. I'm not entirely sure what she saw, but-" He blinked. The faint connection had persisted. No, he realized, I know exactly what she saw.

"Well, that doesn't matter," Eon said. "Master, I found-"

"You realize," Yveltal interrupted, "that if her Mark gets out of control, she could cause significant damage?"

"Fine, fine. But Master, I found Xerneas!"

Yveltal froze. "What?"

"She's supposed to be a tree, right? Well, she's in this place guarded by a bitchy talonflame. I had to leave, but when I looked for you, you weren't here."

Yveltal sighed. "Yes." He nudged Eris again. "I had to collect her."

Eon scratched his ear. "Master, why don't you just dump her? She's been nothing but trouble. Besides, we've found Xerneas now."

"I cannot."

"Why?"

"Eon. Look at me." He spread his wings as best he could. He felt fragile, weak, his feathers molting, his body shaking. "Do I look anything like a being of destruction?"

Eon eyed him, looked like he was about to say something, then stopped.

"I know. I look more like I am dying than the powerful natural disaster I am supposed to be. And I do not know if and when I shall heal."

"So we're stuck with her indefinitely? That's what I'm hearing?"

"Yes." Yveltal sighed. "Moreover, I do not know how to remove her Mark. If she were to wander with it, then she could cause significant damage, like I said."

Eris stirred.

Eon jumped.

"Go," Yveltal ordered.

Eon wheeled around, disappearing into the sky.

Eris rose, rubbing her eyes. "What happened?"

Yveltal switched to telepathy. "Your Mark acted up, Miss Eris."

"Oh." Her expression grew horrified. "Oh."

Yveltal bent low. "Miss Eris," he began carefully, "why did you view my memories?" He couldn't keep all the hurt from his voice, despite his efforts.

"That's what happened? When I was reading the book?"

"When you saw me battling Xerneas."

"Oh." She curled in on herself. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. Was I not supposed to?"

"My memories are not always pleasant. Especially to the one who bears them."

"Oh."

"You seem at a loss for words."

"My Mark acted up."

"I know. I came to fetch you."

"But everything was red, and the people looked like skeletons, and, and-" She rested her head on her knees.

Yveltal remained quiet a moment. Then he said, "There was a time when that was all I saw."

"W-what?"

"When I first received my powers." So much he wanted to say; I thought I was in hell. The fire, the red, the skeletons, the death. I was as terrified as you were. I didn't know what I was doing, and I just attacked. I don't know how many I killed then. But I adjusted. After my battle with Xerneas I no longer saw only those shapes, those evil forms. God had not forsaken me yet. I am sorry, Miss Eris, I did not mean for you to see those things. But he found he could say none of it.

"Oh."

He sighed. That word again. "Miss Eris, you do not have to go into civilization again, at least for the moment. Eon has found Xerneas."

"Really?" Her enthusiasm sounded fake.

"Yveltal." Honedge's voice, rusty, echoing, accusing, broke the silence. Its eye bored through the avian.

Yveltal ignored it. "You should be warned that we will not so easily go unseen. When I came to rescue you, many saw me."

"A-and my mom knows. About me being Marked, I mean. She didn't believe me, though."

"I know. I heard through your Mark."

"You can do that?"

"If you can see my memories, what makes it so strange that I can hear your experiences?"

"Right. Because you came to save me. Thank you."

He felt guilty. How strange, he thought. I'd believed I'd rid myself of guilt long ago. "I don't want you going out too soon, Miss Eris. As anxious as I am to retrieve Xerneas, I believe both of us should remain hidden for a while, so as not to attract attention. I shall send the noivern out to keep their eyes on things."

Eris nodded. "Th-that sounds good."

Yveltal watched her a moment, then called, "Eon!"

The noivern returned with surprising swiftness. "Yeah, Master?"

"Please take Eris back to her cave so she can rest."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Come on, Princess." He jerked his head. Eris held his leg, and he took off.

That's the end of chapter twenty - five. Review responses:

Kauris Azurai: Yeah, I was hoping the name would fit, even if the subject matter is depressing. I'm glad you liked it, though! And I guess you know what was going on with her vision now.

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Hmm…is he? Haha, I'll try, and thank you!

KrazyKoldKyurem613: No, indeed it isn't.

jordanobx: Haha, I guess I surprised you a little.

monsterkiddo: I'm glad you like the story so far! As for Honedge evolving, well, I guess you'll have to wait and see.

Anything you want to say about the chapter? Feel free to drop a review and let me know!