Chapter Twenty-Nine: Bits and Pieces
The dark clouds had cleared up, reflecting the bright and victorious mood that was generally felt among the Shining Beacons after that battle. The courtyard and castle were absolutely leveled however, possibly beyond the realms of repairing. Sceptile was still waiting for it to truly sink in, the fact that they had survived. No, not survived. Won. They actually won. Sceptile stopped where he was and held his hands around his head, breathing in the fresh Charom air and tasting the sweet scent of the sea below the castle cliff. He smiled and looked round at what on first glance was nothing at all, before Sceptile spoke up and acknowledged the invisible pokemon.
'I don't suppose you can truly come out of hiding can you?'
The pokemon nodded, dropping his transparency and making himself visible to Sceptile. The contrast between Sceptile and Gengar's first and current meeting was insane. Initially, Sceptile was the plucky yet foolhardy pokemon who stood up to the confident and efficient leader of the Clan of Shadows. Now, Sceptile stood victorious over the visibly and mentally defeated Gengar who looked as if he would rather be anywhere but here.
'Don't gloat.' Gengar said, noticing the smirk on Sceptile's face. 'And don't try and fight me. I have no energy.'
'No need to worry.' Sceptile folded his arms and approached Gengar's side. 'I'm in no mood to get myself disheveled and weary again.'
The two of them slumped against the wall of one of the only relatively stable buildings left in the entire village and sat down side by side. There was a moment of silence as the two rivals sat in peace, listening to the crashing waves in the sea beneath them and feeling the heat of the returning sun bathing them in lovely light. The noises of the police reinforcements interacting with the Shining Beacons were faint in the distance, causing Sceptile's smile to dim slightly. He prayed that the likes of Charizard and Gallade had the skills to prove all of their innocence.
'I bet you never expected this group of idiots to foil your ultimate plan like that?' Sceptile said, a subtle look of smugness appearing on his face. Gengar shrugged.
'I was the one who helped Hoopa become unbound.' Gengar told him. Sceptile dismissed this with a sarcastic laugh.
'Shut uppp.' he said skeptically.
'I did.' Gengar replied. 'Ask Gallade and Gardevoir, they'll tell you. I gave him his prison bottle which unlocked his true power.'
Sceptile stared ahead of himself in disbelief. If what Gengar was saying was true then it was he who had technically saved Charom. Gengar! For what reason? Sceptile thought hard, his fingers locked together and his brain spinning.
'There was a break in the relationship wasn't there?' Sceptile turned round to Gengar, hoping to find out as much as he could. It was so strange, he thought as Gengar returned a look at him. The fact that we fought so viciously and almost tore each other apart in the past and now we're like old friends savoring a quiet moment.
'What do you mean?' Gengar replied to his question.
'I mean that at the last moment, you disconnected from the Clan of Shadows.' Sceptile explained to him. 'The Gengar I met in the past would have done anything for this cause and probably would have killed me where I stood after Giratina was stopped. So what gives?'
Gengar looked down at his feet for a second, his eyes tired and misty.
'They removed Popott.' he said, picking at a blade of grass on the ground. 'Banette. My son. At the last moment, Zoroark killed him to further your destruction and it ended up for nothing. He was the reason I wanted the distortion world. The sole reason.'
It was a complex situation. On the one hand, Sceptile felt a degree of pity for Gengar here as his child had been taken from him but on the other, he remembered what Banette had done. The pokemon responsible for the sadistic torture of Milotic and who had permanently disfigured his arm. He decided to phrase his next question carefully.
'Might I ask why you wanted the distortion world then?' he said, his voice relatively sympathetic to the scenario. Gengar rubbed his fingers together and observed the flock of wingull circling and squawking up above them, buoyed by the return of peace.
'As you may have realized, Banette was born with a condition.' Gengar explained to Sceptile, the latter listening intently. 'Borderline personality disorder. When he was younger, his mother was able to deal with him her own way while I worked night and day in the Giruphin secret service. Then one evening...she passed away unexpectedly.' Gengar put his hand to his mouth as Sceptile continued to understand more. 'I didn't know what to do with Banette. What methods she used to calm him down or suppress his desires to maim, hurt or destroy both animate and inanimate objects. At school, he was mocked and bullied every day for what he was like while I struggled constantly over Banette's state and the loss of my wife.'
Sceptile said nothing. His mouth was slightly open, watching Gengar hold back the emotion that was prepared to flood out. He never expected anything like this.
'In the end...I just let him have his way.' Gengar continued, his entire body slumped even further down. 'I let him engage in his unnatural and terrible tendencies because I wanted him to be happy but overall I was just...not a good enough guardian. The distortion world would have allowed me not to care. It would have taken away my thoughts of guilt and self-worth and the morality of both of our actions. I just wanted things to be easy for once.' Gengar looked back up at Sceptile, his initially tear brimmed eyes clear again. 'But I was betrayed. I knew that Zoroark and Giratina were monsters however I was willing to let that pass if they just left me alone...And they couldn't. And I wanted them to pay.'
Gengar slowly stood to his feet, brushing his shoulders off and looking back at the crowd in the near distance. He was full of loathing for both sides. He felt a huge surge of hatred towards the Clan of Shadows for their failure and their betrayal yet he also despised the Shining Beacons for ruining his future of inner peace. He was not sure if what he had done to help them would end up being the best course of action but he guessed that he had to wait. Only time will tell, he thought.
'That girl.' Gengar looked round at the still seated Sceptile with some words of advice. 'Milotic. I think you should cherish her.'
'I already do.' said Sceptile, staring at her tiny, far away frame. Her long pink hair swished round elegantly while her beautiful face lit up the scorched earth with a radiant smile. 'I will.'
'Because I did with Sayla.' Gengar said, the two of them gazing at the wonderful specimen that was Milotic. 'I can only hope that when she died, she was happy with what she loved and how she was loved in return. You just don't realise what you have until you've lost it. And I miss her, like I know I will miss my little Poppot despite what you may think.'
Sceptile glanced upwards, noticing that the bottoms of Gengar's legs had turned invisible. He jumped up to his feet hastily, his face changing from wistful to combative.
'Where do you think you're going?' Sceptile asked loudly, causing Gengar's disappearance to halt. 'You still killed loads of pokemon. You do know you're not getting away scot-free even if you did help us?'
'I thought you'd say that.' Gengar smirked, his vanished lower half making him look like a floating haunter. 'I'm aware of all the things I did. Hopefully, I am going to make things better again, and not with the help of a band of crooks.'
Sceptile snorted, amused at the use of the word 'crooks' in place of proper descriptions such as 'lunatics', 'psychopaths' and 'murderers'.
'The authorities of Charom will know who you are soon.' he warned Gengar, taking a step closer to him. 'They'll hunt you down.'
It was Gengar's turn to scoff.
'They did a worse job than you guys at stopping me.' he smirked, his eyes flitting to the many police cars and leader figures jostling around at the village area. 'I'm not too worried.' He turned away from Sceptile, the invisibility summon resuming. 'Farewell, Sceptile. For both our sakes I hope we don't meet again, although judging by the funny state of affairs in the pokemon world that will probably be unlikely.'
With that, Gengar faded from view completely, leaving Sceptile alone and thinking of everything that had just been said. The weight of Gengar's personal sacrifice and just how shocking it was. His attitude towards Gengar had not altered too much despite the conversation they just had due to the pain and torment he and others had endured at their meetings. However, Sceptile now gained something he thought he needed to know. He understood why Gengar did what he did. He just wished he didn't carry it out that way for others sake and for his own. Sceptile sighed and trudged back in the direction of the Shining Beacons, who were still listening to Armaldo's version of what happened in the past few days. It could only be at that moment that for a third time, Scepile sneaked a look to his right and caught sight of her standing on top of a hill away from the rest of the population. Absol, her white fur swishing in the breeze and her scythe-like appendage shining in the reflection of the sun. Sceptile tutted loudly, thinking it was absolutely typical of her to show up just now. Right after the land was saved, the doomsday messenger pops up out of nowhere. Sceptile was about to change direction and march directly to her but paused where he was. Absol was wrong. Her prophecy was incorrect, despite the many hints and clues that it was going to come about. They faced each other from their standing points, Sceptile straight and true, Absol mysterious and calculating. You know what, Sceptile thought as the wind cooled down his second scar that was covering his leg, I will say nothing to her. I don't need to. I win this time. He raised his arm up high and clenched his fist tightly, showing the distant Absol his statement of victory for her to realise and take in.
'Goodbye.' Sceptile said, before turning and strutting off down the grassy path en route to his friends. Absol stayed where she was for a few more seconds, a look of sadness creeping across her face. To her left, another pokemon slowly emerged from nowhere, her tan fur giving off a ray of heat and her nine tails flowing beautifully in the gust of air.
'I'm never wrong.' Absol said, glancing back at her ally with a sorrowful glint in her eye. 'They have no idea what is on its way. Something is coming.'
'And what happens when it arrives?' Ninetales asked her, her voice slightly more innocent and naive than her partners. Absol stared at the sky and sighed, thankful for what the Shining Beacons had accomplished but deeply concerned for what was yet to come.
'The last option.'
The interior of the castle was still upright and holding but only just. The roof had been completely torn away by Giratina when he emerged in his origin form and every decoration and piece of fine architecture had been shattered and grounded to dust. Lucario found it very unfortunate and inconvenient that none of the stairs had retained its original layout, it's destruction meaning he needed to bend his tired legs and perform the biggest leaps possible to travel from crack to crack in order to ascend. As he walked up to the best jumping position, he tied Glaceon's gift around his neck with a piece of string he had found lying in the main hallway, probably having been knocked out of the supply cupboard. He had the chance to ask Garchomp what it was later because now it was time to get personal. Lucario bounded from each point in the wall with a much more positive energy than he had before until he found himself in the ruined throne room, the once magnificent seat of the king and queen ahead of him, dented and misshapen. Resting on it was the golden seed of endeavors, the only object in the whole building that had not been damaged in any way. It was propped upwards, its shining body reflecting Lucario's expressionless face. However, he did not move for it as he heard a sound at the far right of the room.
'Come out and face me.' Lucario said loudly, his blue aura covering his body. There was movement from where he was looking, a shuffling noise and then a pokemon trotted out, the sight of it causing Lucario to begin breathing heavily and almost well up.
'Oh Felix,' Glaceon crooned, her soft feet pattering against the marble floor. 'if you had let the distortion world arrive as it was meant to, you would never need to feel the pain you are experiencing right now from seeing me ever again!'
'Don't you dare...' Lucario pointed a trembling finger, his eyes beginning to stream. 'Don't you fucking dare!'
Glaceon gave a sickly smile before disappearing behind the large throne, reappearing as another pokemon whose presence made Lucario feel just as sick.
'Our most loyal servant!' Queen Vespiquen cried out, clapping her hands to her face. 'How could you do this to us! This is what Charom wanted!'
'You have no idea what these pokemon wanted, Zoroark.' Lucario hissed, slowly approaching the illusion. 'You lost. You're finished. Now stop this immediately.'
Vespiquen vanished behind the throne again and emerged on the other side completely changed like some sort of sick comedy act. It was King Volcarona this time, gazing up at his golden seat with a look of sadness on his noble head.
'You have nothing to gain here, Lucario.' The false Volcarona said, perfectly mimicking his deep, regal voice. 'No reason to stay on this land that despises you and yet here you are taking away a chance for a new beginning. You really are the villain.'
'I fought for the pokemon of Charom! Not me!' Lucario stormed over, aiming to grab Zoroark and shake off the illusion. He jumped backwards, transforming again and increasing in size.
'I hope this whole thing exposes your true colours.' The form of General Aggron grunted, stepping backwards from the aggressive Lucario. 'You may not end up being what they believed but you are still the most selfish of all pokemon.'
'Your words don't hurt me. Nothing does anymore, you made sure of that.' Lucario held out his hand, powering up one of his aura spheres and stood ready to fling it if anything more was said. His opponent then disguised himself again and took to the air, making it difficult for Lucario to lock on to him.
'What about the poor pokemon deluded enough to follow you?' Flygon asked, circling over Lucario's head. 'You've ruined their lives! Taken innocent creatures and turned them into martyrs, ready to die for you!'
Lucario yelled out in fury, prepared to lash out with all his ferocity. Flygon then swooped down and changed once again, the new form splitting Lucario's soul completely.
'And you would just let them die!' Staraptor shouted, watching the tears flood the room with a look in her eye that was completely the opposite of what she was like. 'It is all your doing!'
'RAAAAAGH!' Lucario could not bring himself to attacking even an illusion of Staraptor so he twisted round and flung his aura sphere through the huge hole in the wall, screaming at the top of his lungs. He watched the blue ball soar into the blue sky and eventually fade from view, breathing heavily and wiping his eyes as the other pokemon landed on the floor behind him.
'None of what I said was wrong.'
Lucario slowly turned his head round, his face burning with anger, grief and hate. Zoroark had changed back to his true form, his expression filled with despair and heartbreak, a far cry from the malice he had shown thus far. The two pokemon stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, the two emotions vastly different from each other but the pain in each others very hearts shared.
'It's over Zoroark.' breathed Lucario, twisting his body to fully face him. 'Now you answer for what you have done. To me, to Glaceon, Vespiquen and Volcarona, all of my friends down there and to the whole of Charom.'
'And what about me?' Zoroark asked him, pointing at his own chest. His voice was choked, as all he had hoped and worked for had been snatched away at the last moment. 'What now? All this clears up and you go back to being a hero that is admired all over while I am scorned and feared throughout? This was a last chance for both of us! To live in a world where we could do what we wanted with no care in the world. It could have happened but you took it away. You took everything away.'
'You did the same to me.' Lucario said hauntingly. 'No matter what happens, I can never be that pokemon I was before. I've changed forever and there are answers I need to find out. Too many.'
'This is all about you isn't it?' Zoroark hissed, his hands trembling. 'A journey of self discovery that you think you are owed? No. You just removed the chances of a happier and more secure future for pokemon that have been screwed over by Charom in favor of your own selfish ideology.'
Lucario slowly approached Zoroark, neither of them taking their glistening eyes away from the other.
'You don't get to blame Charom for your problems.' Lucario said strongly, believing every word he said. 'Many pokemon have risen up from bad existences to become great. Just look at me and the Shining Beacons for starts! The majority of Charom does not have to suffer in a wasteland for all eternity just because a select few have been hard done by. It doesn't work that way.' He was now face to face with Zoroark, the two rival brothers inches apart. It was time for another question. 'So what is your name?'
Zoroark stared directly into Lucario's tired eyes for at least ten seconds before answering.
'Kai.' he said, his saliva flicking off Lucario's chin. 'My name is Kai.' Zoroark then curled his lip before turning away, bending over and picking up the seed of endeavors.
'I think you should plant this.' he said, tossing the seed to Lucario for him to catch. 'See what future would have been in store for us both.'
Lucario caressed the object that he had guarded for so long yet never found out what properties it possessed. He looked up at Zoroark with a genuine look of surprise, seeing Zoroark bend over and pick up something else from the floor.
'Well this should answer one of my questions.' Lucario said as Zoroark turned round with a piece of metal in his shivering hand, once used to hold Lucario to the throne. Zoroark looked down at the shard, which was very sharp at the tip and breathed a deep sigh. '
'My only hope for a future has vanished.' he mourned, clasping the metal in both hands and staring up at Lucario, a single tear pouring down his cheek. 'My own brother destroys my wishes and I am facing a lifetime in prison. I am not willing to face that. I hope you're happy.'
Lucario's eyes widened in shock as he saw Zoroark raise the metal high, intending to plunge it into his own heart and kill himself. Quick as lightning, Lucario tossed an aura sphere at Zoroark's feet, creating a small explosion and throwing him backwards, the suicide weapon flying out of his hand. Lucario dashed over to where Zoroark had fell and leapt on him, tucking his arms in under Zoroark's pits and seizing him by the head, locking him in place on the floor. Zoroark struggled but Lucario was too strong and pinned him where he was, leaning down and whispering in his ear.
'I won't be happy. Not while I have received justice. But don't worry Kai, you won't be useless to me...Because I have even more questions. They concern our father, whoever he may be.'
Lucario then leaned back slightly, his fist clenched and raised high. In one powerful motion, he punched Zoroark directly in the back of his head, knocking him out completely and allowing him to collapse on to the cold floor.
It was testament to how charismatic a story-teller Armaldo was and how slick a diplomat Gallade could be that the Shining Beacons unbelievable story managed to be understood so well. When all was said and done, there was still skepticism around the whole thing but the mood was relaxed enough for only a few representatives to discuss the matters of Lucario's innocence and the Clan of Shadows with the leaders of Charom. Those ones were Charizard, Gallade, Gardevoir and for some reason, Electivire.
'Well it is quite the mess I must say.' Lady Florges gazed round at the torn up earth sadly. 'This will take some time to fix.'
'That's your main concern?' Lord Arcanine boomed in his loud, commanding voice. 'I'm thinking we should take all these pokemon in for questioning and perhaps offer them some compensation?'
Electivire clapped his hands together only for Charizard to halt him with a gesture.
'With all due respect, Lord Arcanine,' Skarmory popped up over the massive dogs back, one eye fixed nastily on Electivire while the other slightly worried on Charizard. 'you're not saying you believe this do you? I mean Armaldo may be quite the entertainer but he is extremely old.'
'So am I.' Arcanine barked, making everyone jump. 'Do you not trust me?'
Skarmory was about to open his mouth but he was cut across by Electivire.
'Oh just relax will you?' he sighed audibly. 'Would it not kill you just to open your mind up a little bit!'
'What Electivire is trying to say,' Gallade moved in front of him to address the fuming Skarmory. 'is that we have a way to make any doubters see the truth.'
'Really?' Prince Greninja folded his arms and stood on one foot. 'What is it?'
'Mr Skarmory, if you could stand right here,' Gallade directed him in front of Gardevoir who beamed widely in contrast to Skarmory's look of skepticism. 'and close your eyes. No Electivire is not going to hit you.'
'Lord Noivern, I'm sure you remember this.' Gardevoir called out. 'Hopefully I am not going to hurt myself here though.'
The telepathic link process started, with Gardevoir feeding visions of everything she and Gallade had seen straight into Skarmory's mind. Charizard and Electivire folded their arms and waited for Skarmory to inevitably yelp and dismiss everything he had seen as witchcraft.
'Mr Charizard,' Arcanine approached him, bowing his head. 'despite what was being said about you yesterday and today, I always knew in my head that you were too honorable and loyal to turn your back on Charom.'
'Well I appreciate it sir.' Charizard nodded in respect. 'I have a newborn child that I have never met. My only option was to stop this clan.'
'Hey big guy,' Electivire waved his hand high despite Arcanine being right next to him.
'Lord.' Charizard murmured.
'Sorry. Lord big guy,' Electivire continued, causing Lady Froslass to cup her hand to her mouth and giggle. 'what was that you were saying about compensation? Is that like...money?'
Arcanine smirked slightly, amused at Electivire's perceived innocence.
'Well we can supply you with what you want.' Noivern smiled. 'After all you did stop the Clan of Shadows.'
'Well first of all I need-'
'He needs a job.' Charizard interrupted Electivire, who closed his mouth tightly.
'A job?' Noivern and Arcanine glanced at each other with perplexed faces.
'Yeah...' Electivire scratched the back of his head sheepishly, knowing there was no way out of this. 'You see I...You know...'
Charizard quickly made his way over to Noivern, leaving Electivire clutching at thin air and whispered into his ear. Noivern's eyes widened and glanced repeatedly at Electivire, not with shock but with a level of sympathy.
'Oh I see!' he exclaimed. 'Well I could tell by his behavior and his lack of eye contact.'
'Yep.' Charizard nodded, glancing back at the confused subject matter. 'Not many opportunities for them in education.'
'Oh yes, we need to subsidize.' Noivern nodded, blustering profusely. Charizard turned and walked back to Electivire, who was staring at his very sly and uncharacteristically cheeky facial expression.
'What did you tell him?' he asked frantically, seeing Charizard fold his arms and keep quiet, his naughty smile widening. 'What did you say!?'
'Oh!' The questioning needed was interrupted by Skarmory, who had disconnected from the mind link after seeing what he had to see. He looked around panic-stricken, fearing that his job was on the line if he didn't crack this case soon. 'I see now! Okay, I am sorry you are all right. We have been chasing the wrong pokemon... I can't believe it.'
'It's okay officer.' Gardevoir bowed her head at the confounded hawk. 'I understand that it can be quite overwhelming.'
'A woman that can read minds and connect with them!' Skarmory exclaimed. 'Imagine the fear her husband would-'
He then shot a glance at Gallade who gave him a look that screamed 'keep talking'. Skarmory then shut his mouth, his brain scrambled and his demeanor very flappable.
'We also have to focus on another major issue.' Gallade said for all to hear, looking directly at the Charom leaders. 'That Mayor Dusknoir, the de facto leader of Charom, is not here. This may be because he has been aligned with the Clan of Shadows.' Gallade waited for the gasps to be heard around him before carrying on. 'If any of you don't believe me, ask the newly enlightened Skarmory. If you even doubt him, then I insist you take a trip down memory lane.' He gestured between himself and his wife, signalling their ability to show them the truth. The regional leaders shuffled about where they stood uncomfortably, still in deep astonishment from this accusation of Dusknoir.
'An investigation will be launched.' Lady Florges said, fiddling with her tiny hands. Gallade gave a satisfied smile and held out his arm for Gardevoir to take which she did.
'Oh one more thing.' Charizard called out as the leaders all prepared to have a discussion with each other. He came up to them, his face now remorseful. 'Can you donate any compensations intended for me to a vibrava living near Rylus Mountain? Tell her that...she may not have seen eye to eye with her father but let her know that Flygon died fighting for this land.'
'Understood.' Prince Greninja nodded before turning away to start off their investigation planning. Charizard bit his lip and wiped away something in his eye before feeling a hand clap his shoulder. Electivire nodded understandingly while Gallade and Gardevoir joined them, their arms around each others waists affectionately. The sight of the three brought Charizard's spirits flying back up and he hiccuped before he smiled again.
'Well I guess this is it.' Charizard put his hands on his hips and sighed.
'What?' Gallade stared at him incredulously, aghast at such a declaration. 'Are you kidding me? The amount of paperwork we'll need to sit through? That and the press will be on our arses not to mention the hearings of Dusknoir and Zoroark!'
'What are you a nerd?' Electivire scowled.
'It's procedural.' Gardevoir told them, amused at Gallade's eagerness and Electivire's bafflement. 'It shouldn't take as long as you think.'
'That's a relief.' said Electivire crossly. Charizard then let out a roaring laugh, making the other three jump up in the air.
'You know what, Gallade?' he chortled, clutching his chest with one hand and the other on Electivire's shoulder. 'See when Dusknoir is apprehended, the post for mayor of Giruphin will be vacant again. I think that city could do with someone like you in charge.'
'I...Oh.' It was Gallade's turn to look flustered.
'I said that too!' Electivire yelped, looking back and forth at Charizard and Gallade with a huge smile. 'It's the perfect opportunity!'
'I'll...give that some thought.' Gallade said, turning away from them. Unknown to either Charizard or Electivire, he gave the most subtle of winks to Gardevoir who kept her happy mouth quiet.
'There you go.'
Scizor and Garchomp had pushed the feebly stirring trio of Hypno, Conkeldurr and Tyranitar over to the squad of police officers waiting to take them in. Moving someone like Tyranitar was difficult enough without having to have fought such lengthy battles beforehand therefore Scizor was grateful for Garchomp's help.
'Phew! You sure you can manage that?' Scizor rubbed his forehead and nodded at the unconscious pokemon on the ground beneath them.
'Bzzt! We'll take it from here!' Officer Magneton said. At least eight others joined in, using their magnetic powers to hold them all up and carry them off down the field.
'Thanks.' Scizor called out, then glanced to his right at the mangled corpse of Salamence, the whites of his eyes still visible. 'And what about this one? Guessing he's not getting a dragons burial?'
'He most certainly will not.' Garchomp rumbled, approaching the body and spitting a large globule on top of it. 'Instead, you could take him to Shan'rala and leave him out for any hungry pokemon passing by?'
Scizor grimaced at the thought. Garchomp gave one last look at the remains of his enemy then turned his back on the evil dragon, walking past Scizor to meet up with Armaldo ahead.
'Hey man.' Scizor said, stopping Garchomp in his tracks. 'You know for a dragon...You ain't half bad.'
'Well I appreciate it.' Garchomp gave a respecting nod at Scizor who continued his spiel.
'I mean I still don't buy your whole cult thing about gods and Valhalla and all that but I have to admit you did subvert my expectations. Some of them at least.'
Garchomp let out a low chuckle, the scars in his body reflecting off the dents in Scizor's.
'It is the sign of a group of remarkable beings that they can ignore their conspicuous differences and instead be at ease with their often overlooked similarities.'
'...Yeah.' Scizor nodded, pretending to understand what he just said but admitting that it did sound cool. 'Yeah I suppose. Anyway I'll be seeing you.'
'Take care.' Garchomp turned and carried on his progress, his footsteps slowly churning up the ravaged ground. As soon as he left Scizor's perimeter, Lopunny and Milotic entered after both scouting the area for anyone else.
'They're gone.' Lopunny said, her face slightly worried. 'We couldn't find them. Either of them.'
'I have no idea where they may have headed.' said Milotic, her long neck towering over and scanning the horizon for potential signs of the two escaped clan pokemon.
'Ah it doesn't matter.' Scizor waved it off with a dismissive expression. 'They'll be caught soon and if they don't, there is nothing they can do.'
'Even still...' Milotic slunk downwards, her voice rather hushed. Scizor smirked and pointed ahead of her.
'I think you have more things to be worried about, Milotic.'
Milotic turned in the direction that Scizor was pointing and her heart skipped a little. Sceptile was back, walking briskly towards the three other pokemon he had started his adventure with. His eyes lit up as he saw his three friends all beaming in his presence, all so brave and so fortunate to have survived as long as they have. Sceptile skipped over a loose rock and came face to face with Milotic, both Lopunny and Scizor quieting down behind her and waiting in anticipation.
'Milotic, I have something to tell you.' Sceptile said but Milotic put her tail to his mouth, hushing him.
'I already know.' she smiled tenderly, her tail moving around his mouth to the back of his neck, her face inches from his. 'You do realise that we have only known each other for a few days?'
'When has that stopped you from caring?' Sceptile grinned, his hands clutching Milotic's sides who giggled in sheer glee.
'Well I'm not going to stop caring about you, Meeko.' Milotic replied and with that, she pulled his head forward with her tail and the two kissed each other at long last, making Lopunny squeal and Scizor enter a coughing fit. Milotic and Sceptile embraced and held each other for a long time, their mouths locked in infinite passion for one another, their whole bond coming full circle from timid misfits to young warrior lovers.
'Alright already.' Scizor called out boisterously, causing Lopunny to elbow him in the ribs.
'Come on Scizor!' she said exasperatedly, her hands clasped tightly. 'It's so sweet! By the way, what about us?'
'Huh?'
'Aren't you going to kiss me?' Lopunny batted her eyelids at him. Scizor blinked and scratched the back of his head, his face turning from mischievous to crestfallen.
'Oh...' he said, as Sceptile and Milotic continued to lock their lips. 'There is something I need to do.'
He turned away from Lopunny who followed him with her heart racing, her hand outstretched for his.
'Do what?' Lopunny asked, staring at Scizor's back, his legs spread apart slightly as if he was about to jump away. 'Do what, Scizor?'
'Something...' His vagueness was starting to really irritate and concern Lopunny.
'What is it!?' she cried out, taking a large step towards him. Then between Scizor's legs, a stream of yellow liquid trickled down to the ground.
'What are you...' Lopunny's eyes widened in sheer horror. 'Oh stop! Oh you're disgusting! Stop that Scizor!'
Lopunny screamed and danced on her tip toes to avoid the smelly seepage traveling across the ground while Scizor let out a hysterical laugh.
'Ohhhh I've been needing to do that for ages!' he moaned, becoming cross-eyed at the relief. Lopunny continued to shriek as Sceptile and Milotic disengaged from their kiss and roared with a combination of laughter and shock. The flow stopped and Scizor turned around, wiping his claws on an upturned patch of grass and trying not to guffaw.
'Never do that again!' Lopunny pointed a finger at him, still eyeing the dried up flow on the ground. Scizor shrugged his shoulders in confusion.
'You just witnessed tons of blood being spilled and disembodiment and all sorts of violence but you are most disgusted with me taking a big fat-'
'I think at this point of time,' Sceptile intervened before Scizor could go into full detail. 'it is best not to go set anyone off like that.'
'As a pose to all the other times.' Milotic quipped. She saw Sceptile roll his eyes at the sarcastic reply and opened her mouth wide in teasing delight. 'You get to live with this now!'
'I'll cope.' Sceptile shrugged, his smile still strong as he and Milotic walked arm in tail down to the front of the village area. 'So are you going to tell me that name that was given to you while you were a feebas?'
Milotic raised her eyes wide, almost completely forgetting about this factor. She looked at Sceptile straight in the eye, the passion between them just so vibrant and alive. She opened her mouth and let out a single word. 'Lucy.'
'Lucy...' Sceptile loved the name. He loved her. He loved everything to do with her. 'Well nice to meet you, Lucy. I'm Meeko.'
Sceptile then clapped his hands together and burst into laughter.
'Meeko!?' Milotic's jaw dropped as they continued to walk. 'It's your true name as well? You gotta be kidding me!'
'I said it from the start.' Sceptile cackled, bringing Milotic closer to him. 'Guess it was always meant to be huh?'
He kissed the loved up Milotic on the cheek and together, Meeko and Lucy trooped back to the media limelight, arm in tail and happier than either of them had ever been.
'I'm so delighted for them.' Lopunny managed to recover from her mini trauma and smiled at their frames moving away. 'Maybe I should be relieved that you did only that.' she said to Scizor, nodding at the stains in the ground. 'I genuinely thought you had something to tell me. Come on.'
She took him by the arm and followed the others while walking in front of Scizor, which meant that she had no idea that his face had fallen back to its concerned mode.
The water crashed downwards after the huge hulk submerged from his hiding spot at the seabed. Altaria, Togekiss and Haxorus all stood below the side of the castle where they had initially rescued Lucario from. It was a tense moment for all three of them which was likely to become very emotional pretty soon. They all had their poker faces on, Haxorus's the most convincing as he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, so excited to tell the kids of their amazing win against the evil clan yet so reluctant to tell them of Staraptor. They all watched as Wailord swam nearer, his huge frame causing ripples the size of small vehicles and light steam flowing from his spout.
'Must have been hard to go that whole way without opening his mouth.' Togekiss attempted to crack a joke. 'Hopefully he didn't swallow any of...'
He trailed off, as the joke was inappropriate and it flopped. Wailord then paused at the very shore and gave a large dopey smile at the three battered and bruised pokemon standing before him.
'Hello Wailord.' Altaria acknowledged him, her voice dry and cracked. 'You've done your job. Release the children.'
Wailord nodded then angled his body slightly upwards, opening his mouth for signs of life to crawl out from. They heard sounds of relief, joy and disgust then a surge of bodies all exited themselves from the stinky prison that was Wailord's belly. A few of them were holding Xatu high above their heads while puffing and panting to move upwards themselves. Once they had all flopped onto the fresh green grass and started savoring the fresh air outside, Wailord once again produced a volume bursting exclamation.
'Little kids, your stay is over!' he boomed, blowing everyone back a few inches. 'Welcome back and say a big thank you to your heroes of Charom!'
The children all let out screams of joy that combined matched Wailord for loudness. Haxorus stepped forward, his arms outstretched as they all cantered towards the three Shining Beacons and aimed for big hugs.
'We did it!' Haxorus roared, his body beseeched by clamoring children. Xatu managed to wobble where he was while others rushed past him on the way to greet their guardians.
'That's right!' Togekiss smiled, receiving cuddles from about five of them at once. 'No more Clan of Shadows!'
'Wooooo!' they all screamed loudly, rolling over and dancing victorious.
'Did you beat up the big bad dragons?' asked Magby, his fists flurrying and imitating a fight.
'Sure did.' Altaria said. A few of the children noticed her unusual flatness in the face of the ones she loved. It was unusual to say the least.
'They won't hurt you anymore.' Togekiss came in, attempting to talk as much as he could to delay the inevitable. 'You're safe with us now. We did it guys.'
'And Lucario is free again?' Little Snivy asked, tugging on Togekiss's wing. 'The bad guy who framed him will be in jail right?'
'Yes I believe so!' Togekiss tried to confirm that with Haxorus, who nodded. Then Totodile spoke up as he remembered something quite interesting.
'Xatu spoke! Xatu spoke!' he jumped up and down, switching the point of attention to himself.
'What!?' Haxorus was startled. 'What did he say?'
'We don't know...' Totodile dropped his shoulders in relative dismay. 'Everything was muffled! Couldn't hear much when his face was pressed against Wailord's tongue!' He then looked round, noticing something peculiar about the group. 'Where's Miss Staraptor?' he asked, bringing everything to a standstill. 'Shouldn't she be here?'
Altaria, Togekiss and Haxorus all closed their mouths, the air around them now feeling icy cold. Altaria took the tiniest step forward, her throat tightening up as if someone was choking her. She bent down just a bit so everyone could see her in focus and they all noticed the deep pain in her eyes.
'Children... Xatu...' Altaria addressed another of her longtime friends, her legs beginning to shake ever so subtly. 'Staraptor...Staraptor has gone. She is gone.'
'Gone?' Totodile tilted his head and it was so clear of all of their innocence and naivety. 'Gone where? She's coming back right?'
Altaria's breath started to shudder, her legs almost giving way.
'She's not coming back.' she whispered and then she began to repeat her statement as if it was just truly dawning on her that she would never see her best friend again. 'She's not coming back.'
'Altaria...' Haxorus came up behind her, his hand outstretched while a tear dripped down Togekiss's cheek as he shared in the pain. Altaria shut her eyes and shook her head violently, now in total denial that Staraptor was dead.
'She's not coming back!' her mantra went on, her voice becoming louder and more unstable. 'She's not coming back! SHE'S NOT COMING BACK!'
Altaria then burst into uncontrollable tears and hugged tightly into Haxorus's chest, who instantly wrapped his strong arms around her. Many of the children still did not understand but their emotionally driven brains complied them to wollow with Altaria, the tears spilling all over the grass. Togekiss joined in the hug, all of them grieving over the understanding that Staraptor was gone forever. Their leader. Their hero. Their shining beacon. In the water, Wailord bowed his gigantic head in sorrow for their loss and even the stationary Xatu, who had not moved a muscle this whole time, still managed to drop one single solitary tear.
'Are you sure this will work?'
Armaldo was pacing behind Lucario, who was bent over and digging a hole in the earth with his bare hands. Nearby them, Garchomp was keeping a watchful eye over a tied up and groggy Zoroark stationed on the floor, his hands and legs immobile and his face of deep resentment. Beside Lucario sat the seed of endeavors, it's immaculate complexion shining brightly.
'I have to try.' Lucario responded to Armaldo's question, ripping away at the dirt with his fingers, Glaceon's gift dangling below him as he scraped away. 'They wanted this to take to the distortion world so badly and nobody knows what it does apart from him,' he nodded at Zoroark. 'so I need to find out.'
'Hey you!' Armaldo pointed at Zoroark, who let out a bitter grunt. 'You tell us what it does.'
Zoroark remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground. Armaldo waited for a response despite deep down knowing he wasn't getting one.
'Well is it a one time use?' Armaldo then asked, craning his neck to look at the black fox. 'You don't need to talk. Wink for yes, blink for no.'
'Armaldo, I'm busy here.' Lucario wiped away the dirt from his hands and punched down at the bottom, trying to make the hole deep enough for him to bury the seed. 'He won't talk. Not to any of you guys at least.'
He stripped a weed from under the surface and then lifted up the seed of endeavors with both hands. He carefully placed it in the hole around the scarred terrain and threw more dirt over it, covering the seed from view.
'I guess we wait.' Lucario stood up, his hands on hips, staring at the mound of terrain. He poked his foot out and flattened some of it that was sticking out.
'So what?' Armaldo shrugged. 'Do we wait for rain? What do we do? We're just going to stand here until something happens?'
'You don't need to.' Lucario turned to him, folding his arms. 'You're free to go. You have everything you need. You as well Garchomp.' He nodded at the blue dragon. 'As for me, I just have more things to find out. Speaking of which...'
Lucario pointed at the stone wrapped up in Glaceon's letter around his neck.
'Garchomp, you claimed you knew what this is.'
'That's right.' Garchomp came over to him, Armaldo keeping his eye on the paralyzed Zoroark. 'I have seen similar stones to that and known a pokemon that has found one that corresponds to his type.'
'What do you mean?' asked Lucario curiously.
'Come here.' Garchomp beckoned him and Armaldo closer, keeping his voice down to a whisper to avoid anyone else eavesdropping. Zoroark saw their lips moving but heard nothing, although he noticed Lucario's facial expression change somewhat to look more focused.
'Oh...' Lucario said, clutching the stone tightly in his hand.
'Do not tell anyone about that place.' Garchomp warned them. 'It is only for a chosen few and the few who have chosen.'
'Wow...' said Armaldo, staring at the stone being caressed between Lucario's fingers. 'Imagine the power it could give you once you learn to use it.'
'There's something more.' Lucario murmured, his arm dropping to his side. 'That land, Garchomp. You say it's for pokemon who want to change themselves?'
'In a manner of speaking, yes.' Garchomp nodded. Lucario then marched over to the seated Zoroark and dropped down next to his half brother, smacking his cheek to focus his attention on him.
'Our father.' Lucario said, breathing intensely. 'He was a tyrant. A wrongdoer. Where is he now?'
'How should I know?' Zoroark tugged his head back in defiance but Lucario reached out and pulled it back.
'You idolized him.' Lucario looked him dead in the eye. 'I would deduce that he left to try and seek pastures new, leaving you to carry out a sporadic attack since you were made alone.'
Zoroark turned his lip up at Lucario, his blushes saved by Armaldo calling out behind him rather frantically.
'Lucario! Look!'
The brothers turned round to see Armaldo pointing at the spot where the seed of endeavors was buried, both he and Garchomp taking steps back. There was a green glow emanating from the mound of soil, splitting it down the middle. Lucario watched with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation as the pile of dirt sank lower due to something underneath it moving about.
'What..?' Lucario tilted his head as the green light died down. Then whatever had come from the seed gave a little shake, dusting much of the earth off it and revealing a pokemon. A tiny little green hedgehog with two pink flower adorned on either side of its head popped out from, it's bright eyes blinking rapidly due to the bright light. Nobody knew what do do or even what this pokemon was. Lucario glanced up at Armaldo and Garchomp, who both shrugged, then over his shoulder at Zoroark who looked as if he was waiting for something.
'...Hello?' Armaldo crouched down to address the cute little pokemon. 'What's your name?'
He did not get an answer. What he received instead was the pokemon jumping out of its birthplace and running round in circles, seemingly investigating the scorched and decaying grass ruined by the battle.
'Curious little fellow aren't ya?' Armaldo chortled, watching it scour the surface with it's nose like a dog sniffing out a nice place to do its business.
'Shaymin.' Zoroark said. Lucario whipped round.
'What?'
'That's it's name. Shaymin.' Zoroark nodded at said pokemon who was staring at the destruction with a look of disappointment. 'Any second now.'
'Okay you really need to stop speaking so vaguely.' Lucario poked him in the cheek. 'When I'm interrogating you later, it would really benefit the both of us if you-'
His words completely halted when he noticed what was happening. Armaldo and Garchomp both gasped as they realized it too, the sight of the proceedings completely unbelievable. Every space on the ground that Shaymin moved over was slowly healing. The burned and dead grass was turning back to the green and upright. Flowers sprouted from the dirt. Big, beautiful flowers. The plants even coiled round and ensnared the devastated buildings nearby, beginning to rebuild them with touches of green nature. Shaymin hopped from foot to foot, sowing the seeds of recovery wherever he went. Lucario stared in total disbelief as Shaymin moved past them all and headed down to the flood of pokemon standing around more of the battlefield remnants. They heard noises of shock and awe as they sprang to attention to observe the wonder and beauty that Shaymin was doing, fixing everything that had been broken in the past few hours with only a few seconds.
'This...This is unbelievable.' Garchomp whispered, truly transfixed at what was going on. 'It is a miracle.'
'He is undoing all the destruction!' Armaldo exclaimed, his eyes following the energetic Shaymin bouncing around, fresh grass popping out after every step he took. 'He could do this to the whole land. Tanapas could be restored as well as the rest of Charom!'
'Albeit with a bit more plant life.' Lucario mused but he knew Armaldo had a point. It was extraordinary what was happening right now. How such a small pokemon had so much beautiful power inside.
'Do you see now?' Zoroark spoke up, his bitterness reaching maximum levels. Lucario turned to him, wondering what he was talking about. Zoroark raised his head and glared at Lucario standing over some healed earth with the most disdain he had ever seen. 'The distortion version of Charom wasn't going to be the apocalyptic wasteland you thought it was going to be. Shaymin was going to restore all of the recently devastated places once we released him from the seed of endeavors and bring the state of Charom right back. The reason we attacked and destroyed so much was to bring forth a different type of citizen on this land. To show that every pokemon has the potential to be a monster and in the distortion world, there can be no such thing.'
'So,' said Lucario cautiously, hoping this wasn't going where he thought it was going. 'what you're saying is that-'
'We didn't want to change the land.' Zoroark finished him off. 'We wanted to change the people.'
Lucario gazed blankly into thin air for a couple of minutes before glancing back at the newly healed courtyard, now brimming with trees and flowers and looking as if nobody had even touched it in the past few hours. There were cheers and applause coming from the confused but delighted pokemon down in front of the main entrance, watching Shaymin bow like a performer before heading off in a different direction, trying to look for other wounds of Charom to nurse. Several media figures who had just arrived at the scene turned and began to follow Shaymin, eager to know just who this mysterious pokemon was. And it was at this moment that Lucario knew to map out his path for the future. Where he needed to go and what he needed to do. Everything he learned in the past day had helped him construct his plans; Zoroark's revelations, Hoopa's sacrifice and Garchomp's knowledge. He would put them all to good use soon. His life was saved but his soul still needed healing. And the only way to do that was to keep moving, even at the cost of leaving everyone else behind.
'Let's go.' Lucario clapped both of his friends on the back. 'I think we could all do with a siesta for now.'
Garchomp and Armaldo both nodded. Together, they helped shift the imprisoned Zoroark underneath Garchomp's arm and begin heading down the newly restored paradise en route to the authorities, the same pokemon who had been ostracizing Lucario from the very beginning. It was time to let them face the facts. Who had really been behind the Clan of Shadows and the destruction of the monarchy. Despite all that was against him, Lucario was confident in them coming to terms with the truth. What he was truly focused on right now was what he needed to do afterwards. And it would probably bring deep pain to the others when he came to it. For as Lucario came into view of the many startled eyes littering their path, he knew that he was likely to never find inner peace again...as himself.
