Chapter 46 – Moltres
"Are you alright?" Crystal asked worriedly, noticing that Latias was starting to turn slightly blue.
Latias shook her head, trying to suck in as much air as possible. "No, I can't breathe…"
Crystal continued to slowly slide her stuck hand out from under the silver cord, wincing occasionally. "I don't know how to loosen them, but there has to be a way…"
The cord suddenly loosened, and Latias suddenly gasped as the blood flow that was cut off rushed back into the back half of her body, very painfully. Crystal removed her hand, experiencing the same thing on a smaller scale, and winced before turning back to Latias.
Latias twitched in discomfort, unable to do anything else. After a moment, the pain died down, and she collapsed limply, with her eyes closed and breathing heavily.
"I'm sorry, are you alright now?" Crystal moved forward in concern.
Latias opened one eye and glanced at her. "What do you think?"
Crystal glanced at the now loosened silver cords. "I think you can breathe now."
"Yes. Air is good." Latias shifted slightly at the tingling sensation that now replaced the pain.
Crystal suddenly realized the significance of that statement. Air… "Wait, how is there air in here?"
Latias glanced at her confusedly, while trying to ignore the tingling of her body. "What?"
Gesturing around the small room, Crystal said, "This place is completely sealed off, but there's air in here. The air has to come from somewhere, so…"
Latias caught on. "If there's a vent or something, we could get out that way!" Immediately after saying this, she winced as she shifted, making the cords tighten.
Crystal glanced at her in concern, then at the walls around them. "But where—"
She never finished that sentence, for the next moment, a panel in a wall slid open. Before anyone could react, she was struck by a small, sharp object, and immediately collapsed.
.
I became suddenly aware of intense pain in my left leg as the stones above me shifted. I screamed again, as my eyes flew open, focusing on a blue and white dragon.
"I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt," Kaden said apologetically, as his eyes glowed and the rocks above me shifted slightly. I braced myself as the pain came again.
"What are you doing…" I barely managed to say. "Where are… argh…"
Jirachi floated into view, eyes glowing as well. "We decided to come back." The stones shifted some more, and I realized suddenly that I could move again.
But when I tried to float into the air, pain exploded from my left leg once again, and I screamed before collapsing back to the pile of rocks. Jirachi and Kaden both approached me, and I saw them wince as they glanced at something behind me.
Their eyes both flashed again, and I felt myself being lifted into the air. Glancing around, I noticed the Magma Stone, floating on the surface of the lava.
"The Magma Stone." I pointed to it and glanced at my friends, who turned to look at it. Instantly I felt myself begin sinking, but quickly they turned back and steadied me.
Kaden and Jirachi glanced at each other for a second, before Kaden flew down and grabbed the Magma Stone from the lava. Quickly returning and adding his powers to Jirachi's again, he said, "Alright, let's go now."
As I felt myself begin to move through the air, I closed my eyes in relief, and fell asleep.
.
Jirachi continued to focus on keeping Avari in the air, and noticed that she was asleep. "She fell asleep."
Kaden glanced at him. "No wonder, just look at that." He gestured at Avari's left leg, which was twisted painfully.
Jirachi flinched. "I already did. And you're right, I guess that would make anyone pass out."
"There's the exit." Kaden pointed to a point of light in front of them.
Jirachi nodded, then was startled as the mountain rumbled again, boulders rolling and shifting and rocks breaking from the ceiling. Lava flowed from a crack in the cavern wall, narrowly missing Kaden.
Unfortunately, this broke their concentration, and the purple light that had surrounded Avari disappeared. She fell a few feet before they quickly caught her again.
"That was too close," Jirachi said, breathing heavily.
Nodding, Kaden agreed, "Yeah, let's get out. This entire place is going to blow any minute. Either that or any second."
About ten seconds later, they emerged into the sunlight, blinking. Then they jerked away, surprised, as a large, yellow, flaming bird-like Pokemon rose from behind a rocky outcropping to hover before them.
It was slightly larger than Kaden, with a brown beak and two brown talons. The rest of its body was covered in yellow feathers, but it also appeared to be on fire in some places. These places were the top of its head, its tail, and its wings. However, the flames did not appear to bother it as it hovered, flapping its huge flaming wings.
For a moment, Jirachi and Kaden wondered if it was friendly, but when the mountain rumbled behind them, they both decided that the bird would be the lesser of two evils if it wasn't. Jirachi's eyes flashed, as he went into its mind.
Why are they just standing – er, floating – there, the place is going to explode. What are— It cut off as it sensed his mind. What are— You're psychic, I understand. My name is Moltres, grab onto me and hold on.
Jirachi started to reply confusedly. "What do you—"
Hurry! The volcano will erupt soon. A small flaming rock suddenly fell from the sky, bouncing down the mountainside nearby.
Jirachi quickly explained the situation to Kaden, and soon afterward Jirachi was holding onto Moltres with one arm and Avari with the other as the fire bird took off. Kaden flew alongside them. Jirachi was careful not to touch the fire, though Moltres had told him it wouldn't hurt them.
After a few seconds, Avari's eyes flew open.
.
I woke to wind rushing past my face. A moment later, the pain came, exploding from my leg.
I screamed, glancing down at my leg. I saw two things.
First of all, my left leg was twisted in a way that shouldn't have been possible. Second, I was dangling thousands of feet in the air. I wasn't sure which sight upset me more.
"It's all right, hold on," Jirachi said from above, and I realized that he was holding my paw with his hand. Immediately after realizing this, I realized that that was the only thing keeping me from falling to my death.
I quickly grabbed onto him with my other arm, pulling myself up so I could hold onto him with both arms. After realizing what I was doing, he let go of me and held onto whatever we were riding with both arms as well. Which brings me to what we were riding.
It was a large, yellow bird, with flames sprouting from certain points on its body. I instantly became alarmed. "What is this?"
Jirachi understood and answered without turning. "It's Moltres."
I remembered the name. "Oh." Wincing in pain, and then turning my head to glance behind me, I saw the mountain. As I watched, it shuddered, red, glowing lava pouring from cracks and holes in its surface.
After a few seconds, it exploded, lava and rocks spouting from the crater at its peak and flying high into the air. And as this happened, I thought I detected a faint wheezing sound. But it might have just been my imagination.
