ML54: So...
Everyone: *Arms crossed*
ML54: Um...Hi?
Everyone: *Glares*
ML54: I was busy! Urg...I don't own Pokémon.
Light Of Destruction
It was about an hour later when Gracie, Tyson and the detectives decided to continue their quest. The afternoon sun finally deciding to dip towards the horizon, it having done it's job of sticking the mess of berries to the rodent pokémon's fur.
"I blame you for this, you know," Tyson dead-panned, scratching at a clump of fur on his arm. Gracie just stuck her tongue out at him.
"You could've just eaten the aspear berry, you know?" She teased, pulling some of her cotton fluff apart, so that it didn't stick together so much. Tyson just stuck his own tongue out in disgust.
"I'd rather dump my head in lava."
Detective Wottson just smirked and rolled his eyes at the pair. "Behave you two, we're close to the end now. I can feel it."
"Feel or see, Detective?" Tyson sassed, rolling his eyes and pointing out the clearing ahead of them. Wottson just rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly.
"...My point still stands."
Sylvia grinned and ran off towards the clearing. "Race you all there!"
"Sylvia!" Wottson cried out, running to catch up with her. "How many times are you going to do this?!"
The pikachu and buneary blinked, before they sighed and giggled, respectively, and sped up to keep up with them.
Once they got into the clearing, they took stock of their surroundings. It was fairly pleasant, a field of vibrant green grass, surrounded by fully bloomed willow trees. The setting sun casting an orange tinted glow around the area, highlighting the old wooden well in the centre of the field.
"Welp-" Detective Wottson started, moving towards the well. "I guess this would be the Well of Truths then."
Tyson rose his eyebrow and looked over the area. "Huh, strange. Kinda figured it'd be...grander." He said, kicking a fallen twig out from under his foot.
Sylvia just shrugged. "Eh, doesn't matter really. We're here to get answers, not admire the scenery."
"Too right," The oshawott agreed, placing a paw on Sylvia's shoulder. "Are you certain about this, though? It's not too late to reconsider," He asked her in concern.
Sylvia just smiled and nodded. "I'm sure. John would understand. Pokémon's lives are in danger. If this can help save, even one, then it's worth trying."
Wottson sighed and looked like he wanted to continue arguing, but had to concede the point. After all, it was one item versus who knows how many lives. "Alright then. I'm sorry though. I wish there were another way." He lamented, stepping away to allow Sylvia to go towards the well.
Tyson glanced at Gracie out of the corner of his eye. She kept glancing around the area and her ear seemed to twitch at ever sound. "You okay there, Grace?"
Gracie jumped at the sudden noise, and turned to face the pikachu, who looked even more concerned now. "Oh uh, yeah. Never better!" She replied, though her ear swivelled around when the wind rustled the tree to their left.
Yeah, sorry Fluff Butt, I don't buy that for a second, He thought to himself, remembering all the weird things she was saying earlier. Outwardly, however, he just shrugged and turned to face the detective and his assistant.
Said assistant made it to the well and peered down it, noting the inky blackness below. There appeared to be no noise coming from it, not even the echoes of water dripping.
This alone was enough to make her shiver, clenching her z-crystal tighter. Ok...This is kinda creepy. She thought to herself, taking a step back.
Wottson noticed this and furrowed his brow in worry. "Are you okay, dear?"
Sylvia blinked and shook her head. "Yeah, I'm cool. The well's just kinda...spooky is all," She explained, not noticing her hand holding the z-crystal was trembling.
Wottson did. "If you're having second thoughts then-"
"I'm fine, Alex, it's not that! So drop it, okay!" Sylvia exclaimed, fed up with him constantly bringing up the same point. This caused him to jump and fall over onto his tail.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, I won't bing it up again," He reassured her, holing up his paws in a surrendering motion and smiling worriedly at her. "Would you mind if I have a look though, just to make sure it's safe?"
Sylvia blinked and nodded, blankly. She stepped aside to let him look down the well, starting to feel bad about yelling at him like that.
He took the invitation, patting her on the shoulder on his way over to reassure her that it was okay, and noticed the same thing as her. The inky blackness and the silence. "Yeesh, you're certainly right about it being creepy." He explained, picking up a small stone. "If you don't mind, just gonna test something."
"Huh," Sylvia said, suddenly looking up at the otter. "Oh uh, yeah. Sure. Sorry..."
"Sylvia, it's okay. No need to worry," He winked, before angling his throw.
When he got a good enough one, he threw the rock, hard, against the wall of the well. Aiming to make sure it bounced along each side a few times.
It succeeded as he saw the rock hit the wall...however, he couldn't her the 'thwack' that would usually accompany it.
"Hm...That's certainly odd." Wottson stated, bringing a paw to his chin. "We should be able to hear the echoes, at least."
Meanwhile, Gracie continued to glance around the tree line. Why must you fight me, Gracie? We should make them see!
Yeah, I'm i-ignoring you! Gracie responded, her ear swivelling around the area. If I-I ignore you, you'll j-just go away!
Don't be that way, my child, The voice mocked, as Gracie felt something brush her cheek. Just let me show you my greatness and you won't regret it...
The buneary shivered and kept her eyes open, looking around the area. It seemed safe, but that wasn't good enough for her. She needed to know it was safe. For herself, the detectives and for Tyson.
In the end, she sighed and thought. What are y-you up to?! I know s-something's off h-here! It's too quiet!
I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, The voice mocked, a small hiss escaping it's disembodied mouth. I just want to know why you fight me? I only want to eradicate the darkness out of the world.
Gracie paused and rose an eyebrow, not noticing Tyson glancing at her again. What...?
This world has darkness and it must be eliminated. That dreaded Darkrai, the hideous murkrow, those disgusting sandile...That umbreon-
Hey! Umbreon seemed perfectly nice to-
HE IS OF DARKNESS AND MUST BE DESTROYED! The voice roared, causing Gracie to flinch and roll her ear up. Tyson, noticing this, rushed over and placed a paw on her shoulder.
"Hey, you okay, Long-Ears?" He asked, lifting her head up to see her eyes...
...he flinched back when he noticed how red they were.
"Gracie?" He asked, super concerned now. In response Gracie screwed her eyes shut, seemingly concentrating on something, before she opened them to reveal her more natural brown colour.
"T-Tyson..." She whimpered, placing a paw on her head, as if in pain. "It hurts..."
"It's okay, Gracie, what's happening?" He asked, hurriedly. Not even managing his sentences properly. Gracie just whimpered some more, falling onto her knees.
"I think...i-it's in my head...I c-can't get it out..." She gasped out, concentrating even more. Inside her mind, the creature raised it's claws and struck out against a wall of some kind.
Let me free! They must see! Why must you fight?! You'll all! See! The! LIGHT! It screamed, punctuating each word by raking it's claw against the invisible wall.
Sylvia steeled herself, hovering her z-crystal over the well. "Ok, here goes. Hopefully, we'll get some answers."
"I hope so..." Wottson replied, before looking back and noticing Tyson and Gracie. "Uh, wait. Something seems to be happening over-"
Was as far as he got before Sylvia dropped her crystal into the Well of Truths. Time stood still for a few seconds, almost as if registering the new event...
...Then, inside Gracie's mind the creature seemed to grin. Finally...
And a burst of pure white light shot out of the well.
"Get back!" Wottson yelled, grabbing Sylvia's hand and dragging her away from the well. She shook out of her daze and followed him, hoping she hadn't just done something awful.
Tyson flinched, but moved between it and Gracie, holding her as close as possible. His back facing the new threat. "Hold on, Gracie!"
Gracie couldn't hear him, or much of anything. She was fully concentrated on stopping this creature with everything she had.
The light from the well didn't let up as it started to form a shape. A pure white, serpentine body was building up, as well as a pair of humongous, bat-like wings. Many tentacle like appendages, flailing wildly as they were created. The body itself building up more and more until it's head breached the tree line.
It's head, however, seemed vacant. Almost as if it was missing something.
In her mind, Gracie poured all of her will power into building some kind of mental forcefield, trying to keep the creature away. I w-won't let you get what you want!
The creature smirked and seemed to move to the side. "You think you can take me on by yourself, little bunny? You seem to be shaking..."
Gracie flinched, outwardly shivering against Tyson as he tried to protect her. I d-don't know. G-guess we'll f-find out!
"I've always like your moxie, but it won't be enough. You won't stop me after bringing me this far!" The creature roared, scraping his claws against the wall.
Gracie shuddered, and, to her horror, sensed her resolve weakening. W-what...? I-is it t-talking about?!
"At last..." The creature breathed, before slamming his entire being through. "You've held up your end of the bargain..."
"Gracie! Can you hear me?!" Tyson called out to her, having picked her up and carried her to the tree line.
Wottson and Sylvia had joined him, breathing fairly heavily. "...s-so-" Wottson started, leaning his back against a willow tree, using it as a barrier between himself and the massive energy being. "Any idea what that is?"
"Big?" Sylvia shrugged, lowering herself behind a bush to Tyson's right. She glared at the creature, carefully. "It doesn't seem to be doing anything?"
Wottson rose an eyebrow and leaned around to see the beast. Indeed, it just stood there, stock still, as if waiting for something. "Huh, now that you mention it, you're right," The oshawott commented, looking down at the well the beast emerged from.
That's when he noticed that there were a bunch of prism like crystals by the beast's 'feet'. All of varying colours. From red to blue to pink. Including a familiar green one.
"Those are z-crystals!" He exclaimed, causing Sylvia and Tyson to jump. "And there are quite a few of them! Yours included, Sylvia!"
Tyson was going to comment on it, before Gracie suddenly pushed him on the ground and away from her. "Oof!" He exclaimed, his head having hit a low hanging branch of the tree behind him.
He didn't get much time to dwell on it though, as Gracie's eyes glowed red briefly. Then bright, white energy shot out of them, heading towards the new creature.
Tyson rolled away as the light passed him by, not wanting to test out what would happen if this stuff touched him. Have enough stains on my fur right now, thank you!
The energy released from Gracie lasted only a few seconds. But, as soon as it was done, she fell to her paws and knees, panting and trembling. Tears staining her eyes.
Tyson promptly leapt over to her, rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. "Gracie! What's wrong?!" he asked, concerned and terrified over what happened.
Gracie sniffed and looked up at the Pikachu. "I-I'm sorry...I...I couldn't h-hold it back..."
Wottson and Sylvia flinched and turned towards the creature, only now just realised the full implications of what she said.
The white energy seemed serpentine in nature as it slunk it's way towards the body, passing and absorbing each and every one of the crystals on the ground. Each one causing a new colour to appear around the snake like a ring.
Time seemed to slow for the group as they watched the serpent finish collecting the gems, too scared and unsure to do much else. It then started to slide up to the neck of the beast...
...and dive right into the hole where the head should be.
A few mores seconds pass, before a bright light emerged from the neck stump and out came a snake-like head with a long neck. It's eyes a pure red, with long white teeth protruding quite a ways down. It's neck had 16 different prisms in a row down it's neck, each one highlighted by a ring of it's own colour on said neck.
It smile and roared. "At last! I am whole again!" It cried out to the sky, then glared down towards where the group was.
Tyson flinched, noticing it looking at them. "Guessing, since it came out of Gracie, that it knows where we are."
"Not for long, it won't!" Wottson exclaimed, grabbing an escape orb out of his wonderbag. "We're out of here!"
The creature grinned as the group were teleported out of the dungeon before it could make a move. "Yes, run you fools. But you can't escape from me..." It seemed to whisper, before bellowing out to the sky, a sphere of white energy emerging from it's chest.
"FOR I AM THE LIGHT OF DESTRUCTION!"
The group found themselves teleported straight back outside the Serene Clan, the bright light startling Rockruff and Felicity.
"Jeez! Give us a heart attack, why don't ya?" Rockruff scolded, playfully. Though his good mood soon changed when he saw the expressions on everyone's faces.
Felicity noticed too, and walked over to Gracie, who was still on her paws and knees. "Are you okay there, darling?" She asked as Rockruff went to check on the detectives.
Gracie looked up and noticed the purrlion. She quickly rubbed her eyes to free them of the tears. She tried to talk, but couldn't seem to find the words over her sobs.
Tyson sighed and put his paw on Gracie's shoulder. "Gracie, it's not your fault-"
"No! It is! It's all my fault!" She cried out, having found what she was trying to say, her tears starting to run again. Tyson quickly put an arm around her to try and comfort her.
Wottson and Sylvia crowded around to comfort her. "Now come on. If that thing were in any of our heads, we wouldn't be able to hold it either," Sylvia reassured her, rubbing the buneary's back with her vine.
Gracie sniffed and shook her vine off. "No...it is my fault...I..."
"Gracie, what's wrong? You're kinda scaring us," Tyson asked, turning her to face him. She looked him in and the eye and let her tears flow again.
"I...I let it get me, Tyson...I let it in in the first place..."
"Are we talking about that light monster?" Rockruff asked, curiously and in concern.
"Yeah," Tyson waved off, more worried about Gracie then anything else. "C'mon Grace, it must've just gotten in your head when-"
"I remember, Tyson!" Gracie suddenly shouted, causing the group to flinch back. "I...got my memories back when it...w-when it..." She suddenly started crying again, falling to her knees.
Tyson knelt down, placing his paws on her shoulders. His own tears starting to build up at how helpless she looked. "Gracie...?"
"I was working with it, Tyson..." Gracie quietly said, causing the rest of the gathered pokémon to recoil in shock. "I was...working with it..."
Tyson: Oh great, can't wait for this cliff hanger to end the fic.
ML54: I am not ending anything! I was job hunting! But, you know, with the job market the way it was...and now with what's going on currently...Yeah, ok, so I left it a bit too long, but I'm back and I'll try to get this fic rolling again.
Gracie: S-so...back to wee-
ML54: I wish, but I can't guarantee that. I have a job now, and I'm basically going to be working on this story in my lunch breaks so...I don't know when these chapters will be done. Anyway, to tide you over, maybe it's time for some promotion!
Fic Promotion
You like Buneary's in Mystery Dungeon fics?! I hope you do, considering you read this far. :P
But seriously, the fic I'mma be shouting out today is Questing For Respect by raven- I mean VGS2. :P
Yeah, VGS2 decided to reboot Questing For Respect with ravengal's blessing and it's a super fun fic thus far, full of a bunch of antics. If you like fun Mystery Dungeon fics, you'll like Questing For Respect...either one. :P I know I'm shouting out VGS2, but if you wanted to check out the original, it's still there. Just go into said original knowing that it probably won't get any updates.
So...Guess we get double shout outs today! What fun! :D