Chapter 60
Behind the Curtain
The gems on Palkia glowed as he was enveloped in a ball of light. Before Alex and Blaze could grab their treasure bag or any supplies for a fight the orb swallowed them. They both felt weightless as the orb flew away from Sharpedo bluff at a mind-numbing speed.
When the light cleared they were in a strange location, there was nothing but inky blackness on all sides, they were standing on what seemed like a floating platform of purple crystals.
Blaze looked around in fear and questioned "where are we?"
In response Palkia roared to get their attention and said "THIS IS SPACIAL RIFT, MY DOMAIN! YOU DARE DISTORT SPACE, YOU DARE ALTER MY TERRITORY!"
Alex shook his head and pleaded "We have no idea what is causing this, please, we can talk about this.."
The former human was silenced by a titanic roar as Palkia said "SILENCE! FOR THOSE WHO THREATEN REALITY, I WILL SHOW NO MERCY, I WILL WIPE YOU FROM EXISTENCE"
Alex and Blaze barely managed to dodge as a massive blast of water, larger than Palkia's neck erupted from his mouth.
Blaze raised his hand flat and pushed it out, but much to his horror no lava appeared. Palkia fired a massive pink aura sphere from between his hand and sent the Infernape flying with an explosion at his feet as Blaze failed to dodge in time.
Alex noticed this and summoned energy needles above Palkia, but as they hit it was clear it did nothing but anger the Spatial Pokemon who fired another hydro pump at the Fraxure in response. Alex formed a white matter shield but the attack effortlessly smashed through it. As the torrent of water hit him Alex felt the air getting forced from his lungs. He was blown onto his back, when it ended, the Fraxure was laying on the ground coughing up water. Dragon types were usually resistant to water attacks, but Palkia's power was indescribable. It was abundantly clear that Dialga was holding back due to his mental state at Temporal tower.
Palkia took advantage of his opponent's vulnerable state and readied his signature attack for a killing blow. The pearls on Palkia's shoulders glowed pink and his eyes glowed orange, on his forearm he started to gather energy, also glowing pink. He then slashed the air and released a pink crescent-shaped blade of energy from his arm at Alex.
Blaze recovered just in time and grabbed Alex, jumping away just as the Spacial Rend hit. There was a tearing sound as a purple portal opened and sucked a portion of the crystal platform before imploding in on itself, creating an explosion larger than Alex's body.
When the light cleared there was a gap in the platform, no smoke or crystals remaining, a four-foot by four-foot circle of the platform had been erased from existence. Both Alex and Blaze's jaws dropped, stunned at the display of power.
Palkia fired more aura spheres and hydro pumps at the duo, but their expertly trained speed was enough to outmaneuver the onslaught.
Palki roared and announced "THIS ENDS NOW"
The crystal platform glowed and tightened until the duo was facing Palkia in an enclosed, 10-foot wide hallway like arena, there was nowhere to dodge.
Both of Palkia's arms glowed as he fired two Spacial Rends at once, the crescent blades mixing together to form a swirling portal of pure destruction.
Alex's instincts kicked in as he threw Blaze back and took a tutaminus stance, his white matter form activating as well, he knew that absorbing this attack was a longshot, but it was his only chance.
There was a flash of purple light and the signature tearing sound as the attack enveloped Alex, Blaze could only look on in horror as his partner's form was completely swallowed by the attack, but rather than imploding the portal flew off the platform and into the abyss below.
Blaze ran to the edge and looked down to see the light flicker out as it fell farther and farther out of sight.
"TOO BRAVE FOR HIS OWN GOOD, NOW FOR YOU!" Palkia scoffed as Blaze stared at the Spacial pokemon, tears flowing as his eyes burned with rage.
Blaze screamed as his body glowed, unleashing a massive blast of fire so hot that it was blue rather than orangish-red, Palkia was caught off guard and skidded back, legitimately hurt.
The Infernape fell to his knees sucking air, that overheat attack was everything he had left.
"ADMIRABLE, BUT INSUFFICIENT" Palkia scoffed.
Before he could finish off his opponent, a light appeared below the platform. Palkia looked over the edge and saw the ball of energy that hit Alex rise back up until it was on the platform.
The ball shrank until Alex was holding it in his white matter form between his hands with a look of exertion on his face. Blaze was awestruck managed to say "A-Alex….."
Palkia's jaw promptly dropped, too stunned to move, let alone speak.
Alex groaned as he contained the energy, his white matter form dissolved as it funneled into the ball of energy. Alex's body glowed with a familiar, blinding blue light as his final evolution was mixed with the incredible power he was containing. When Blaze could see his partner again he was two feet taller with a dark, yellow-green covering on its back and most of the front. He had black skin covering his torso, tail tip, and thighs, as well as blue talons and claws. His large tusks, which resembled scythes, were black and edged in blue, and were located on his upper jaw on the side of his mouth. His medium-sized eyes were red with black pupils. Ridged plate-like skin traveled from his back to his head region. Alex now had solid armor on his hide, legs. His arms were somewhat small, with three digits with two elliptical triceps and biceps and circular elbows. Alex's form shifted one final time as the tear in space caused his dark, yellow-green armor to turn gunmetal grey.
Palkia, one of the most powerful beings in all of existence, was at a loss for words, his face blanks from shock as Alex screamed and fired the ball of energy at Palkia, the multicolored beam of energy blowing a hole straight through Palkia's torso before shooting off into the void.
There was no blood, as Palkia's body was merely a constructed avatar like Dialga, but a hole with glowing energy around the edges.
The look on Palkia's face was one of complete and utter disbelief, his body went limp as fell to the ground and dissolved into pinkish purple light. With his departure the void around them vanished, revealing a surreal landscape of floating crystals and portals to scenes from all over the world. The platform they were on returned to its original state as well.
Alex immediately collapsed from exhaustion, but he didn't lose consciousness. As he got to his knees, Blaze ran up to his partner and hugged him saying "I thought you were dead…"
"yeah...I thought I was too" Alex admitted, noticing his much deeper voice. He didn't exactly remember what he did, the last thing he remembered was taking his tutaminus stance, so for the first time since the darkened future, his powers had done the work for him. From his perspective, he regained consciousness as he finished evolving.
Any sense of safety was short-lived as Palkia reappeared in front of him, this was his domain, so it had only taken a minute or two to reform his avatar.
"YOU DARE! YOU DARE!" Palkia boomed.
"Palkia please listen! We stopped Temporal Tower from collapsing and saved Dialga from losing control, ask him, he'll vouch for us!" Blaze pleaded
"What did we do to anger you?" Alex questioned.
Palkia growled and replied "PLEAD IGNORANCE? I SENSED THE DISTORTION OF SPACE ON THE GRASS CONTINENT, YOU ARE A HUMAN FROM A FUTURE THAT NO LONGER EXISTS, IT MUST BE YOUR DOING!"
Alex hung his head and replied "yea, I'm a former human, but I have no idea what causes space distortions, please, just talk to Dialga, he'll tell you the truth just like I am"
Palkia's gaze relaxed ever so slightly as he was tossing around the idea in his head, before he could speak Alex could swear he saw a heat shadow-like effect out of the corner of his eye, then a familiar pokemon appeared from a dimensional hole, the lunar pokemon, Cresselia.
Alex's eyes bulged as he said "wait, you're real?"
"Indeed I am, and you must be eliminated!" Cresselia announced,
Alex and Blaze backed up as the lunar pokemon approached them, a murderous fury in her eyes.
"WAIT CRESSELIA, BLINDED BY FURY I ATTACKED THEM EARLIER BUT SEEING THEM NOW, THEY DO NOT APPEAR DRIVEN BY WICKEDNESS OR MALICE, YOU INSISTED THAT THEY WERE EVIL, BUT WE SHOULD CONTACT MY BROTHER FIRST" Palkia concluded, there was the tiniest hint of remorse in his voice. Despite his commanding persona, Palkia was clearly regretting his actions.
Cresselia shook her head and replied, "Don't believe their lies Palkia, with their deaths all will be saved!"
Alex's eyes widened as he registered what Palkia had said, all of this was based on Cresellia's words.
"Blaze, don't give up!" Alex stated weakly as he struggled to stand.
"That's right! Never give up!" a voice said from somewhere.
Just before Cresellia could lunge at Team Outriders, a green disc of light appeared in front of the duo. A beam of emerald energy shot from the portal, blowing Cresselia a few feet back.
Out of the portal came not only Professor Malcolm, but another Cresselia, earning a stunned look from both Palkia and Team Outriders
"Enough deception, let's show everyone what you look like!" the second Cresselia said before a white flash emanated from her body, blinding everyone present. When it cleared a truly terrifying pokemon was in the first Cresellia's place. It was a pitch-black, shadow-like Pokémon. It had a small head with a white fog-like ghostly plume billowing from its head covering one of its bright blue eyes, with the portion on its face resembling hair. It also had a red spiky growth around its neck, Alex could even see what looked like a small mouth within it. The shadowy figure has skinny arms and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders. It also had black, claw-like hands. Its body almost appeared as if it was wearing an old, ripped cloak, it had no visible legs and simply floated.
The real Cresselia scowled and said, "You all have been deceived, by Darkrai!"
The entity, now identified as Darkrai groaned and spoke in a harsh, malicious voice with "curse you Cresselia...I was so close to disposing of them"
Professor Malcolm sighed in relief and said "it looks like we were just in time...what do you have to say for yourself Darkrai"
"You two, behind the watcher and Cresselia, listen very carefully….The one responsible for distorting space...it is me...and me alone, you are welcome to try and stop me...I will be waiting at Dark Crater…" Darkrai said before melting into the ground and vanishing.
Palkia's face filled with rage, but before he could do anything else Malcolm held out his hand saying "You cannot pursue him, Dark crater is protected by a veil of dark matter so strong that your presence or mine would tear reality apart.."
Alex and Blaze gave each other a look that told Cresselia, Malcolm, and Palkia everything they needed to know.
Team Outriders were going to Dark Crater and stopping Darkrai once and for all...
Author's notes- the finale is up next, one chapter in Treasure Town then it's the finale at Dark Crater!
1. Hope you liked the fight with Palkia, I tried to potray him as best as possible
2. Fans of my favorite animated series will know what alex absorbing the energy is inspried by..
3. Leave a few reviews, I want to make sure everyone is enjoying this finale!
