DOOOM!! HAHAHAHAH! E-N way, here's some more. Again, I own everything in here that Nintendo doesn't so NO STEALING DAMNIT!
Chapter
Four
In which summer comes, and a spell is woven.
Her fingers fumbled with the latch on the back of the Firestone chain. It was so a'sjoking hard to get the clasp done up with her complicated braid. There was a single one down the center, with small loops of braids tucked up into the top of it. They were held in place with Firestone clips that had been presents from Blaine. Aliet grunted, still desperately trying to do it up. Hands came up from behind and deftly locked it in place. She sighed in relief. "Thanks Charmeleon," she muttered, casting about for her cloak.
-No problem,- the fire type paused. -Your cloak's on the chair, 'Et.-
Again, she thanked the poke'mon and swirled the cloak about her shoulders. This was one clasp she could lock. It was a large piece of Firestone with a hooky thing underneath. She was dressed in her finest red robes and cleanest cloak. Her sandals were polished and... well, they just looked better than usual. She sighed. "Only once do I ever get this dressed up," she muttered, watching her reflection in the mirror. "Not even for birthdays..."
Charizard snorted in mirth. -That isn't even dressed up,- he grinned. -Just wait until some male human decides you're the prettiest little flame he's ever seen.-
-Yeah, and you two fall madly in love,- Charmeleon continued teasingly.
-And get married in the temple with hundreds of people watching and loud music and dancing and food and fire,- Ivysaur giggled.
-Then comes the kiss...- Scyther added.
-And the happy tears...-
-And the romantic evening...-
-And passionate honeymoon...-
-And the baby...-
"And if you continue, you'll find a pillow in each of your faces," Aliet finished irritably. She wasn't in any mood to listen to their banter. "We need to leave," she glanced at the clock. "if we're gonna get there by noon."
Charizard rose, flashing Scyther a smile and a wave before squeezing out the door. The bug blushed, smiling back bashfully. Aliet shook her head. Another problem to worry about. Fleetingly, she wondered if bug and fire genes could mix. She pushed the thought away and turned to her younger chars. "Okay guys, time to go."
Charmeleon darted out of the room, while Charmander climbed onto her shoulders. "Be good you two," her eyes narrowed at Scyther and Ivysaur. "I should be back late tonight, so watch Growlithe for me." She turned to go.
-Miss you already 'Et!- Scyther chuckled.
-She's not the one you miss, Scy,- Aliet heard Ivysaur say slyly. There was a shriek as a pillow flew and then Aliet closed the door.
She met Ash at the bottom of the stairs, in the middle of a stream of rules from his mother. She stood patiently, waiting for her to finish, then whisked her brother off outside. It was a hot day. Dust flew up from their footsteps on the road. No rain had come for days, and now drought was feared in the small town. The dust was so bad, that Aliet pulled up part pf her cloak over her mouth, making sure Ash did the same with his shirt. Charmeleon coughed until Charizard placed her on his shoulders, which were much higher than the dust level. Aliet jumped up to deposit Charmander there as well.
After much coughing and dirt, the group reached the docks. People and muscular Machops, Machokes and Machamps waved to Aliet and her team, then returned to their work. Boxes were hefted, packed and loaded on ships bound for other ports. Unloaded crates were being shifted to trucks, which drove their shipments to the local markets. Ash was mesmerized by the activity. Aliet calmly hauled him over to the edge and tossed a poke'ball into the water.
It released the poke'mon and flew back to her hand, metal making a loud slap against her skin. The water type swimming peacefully in the gentle surf wasn't Aliet's. Fslam rules forbade it. But for the long journey across the sea to Fuchsia City, a water type was the best choice. "Hello Lapras," she called out to Oak's privately owned poke'mon. She was only borrowing it for a while. "Your Trainer let me borrow you for a bit, that okay?"
Aliet blinked, surprised. She had heard a few stories about higher-level Laprases' small psychic talents. Although, it was different to witness one in person. Also, she had heard about Oak's experiments with breeding Laprases with stronger psychic traits to make a Lapras that had as much psychic talent as a high-level Alakazam. The voice this Lapras had used was undeniably female, so Aliet addressed her as such. "We're bound for Fuchsia, Lapras," she carefully slid from the dock, down to the poke'mon's shell-like back. Her legs wrapped around one of the horns that stuck out; she reached up to help Ash, Charmeleon and Charmander down. Charizard wheeled above them, gliding on the shrunken air thermals above the water. He was miffed that his trainer had chosen a water type to ride over him, her first. -I'd be faster than that lump of scales!- he shouted down.
Lapras looked up. I would enjoy watching you attempt to swim at my pace, fire type, her voice had a light, even tone; like someone who's talking to an irritating child.
-And I would love to see you fly,- he retorted.
Lapras merely chuckled before moving swiftly out into the open waters of the small cove that was Pallet's port. The water was relatively calm, due to the heat of the day. Charmeleon perched on Lapras's head, singing a tune she'd heard from one of the sailors. Most of the words weren't very appropriate for the young ears, but she wisely edited them out. She swung her arms around, holding on with her tail, like she was conducting a choir of seamen. Charmander giggled, joining in with his own gestures and slurred baby talk. Aliet held him firmly, not wanting him to fall to his death in the water below them.
Hours passed, sending shadows moving slowly across their faces. Eventually, Charizard grew bored with flying and crouched on Lapras as well. The water type floundered a bit, but kept going strong. "I'm bored, 'Et..." Ash muttered.
"Wanna story?" the Fslam asked, playing with Charmander's toe claws.
"Sure! Tell one 'bout..." he paused, thinking hard. "About Moltres!"
She thought for a moment, bringing back the image of the stars forming the Fslam constellation. "Here's one about war," she said slowly. "It's a legend, so that doesn't have to mean its true. To understand the story, there are some words you need to know. 'Shietaor,' which means, 'destroyer of life and hope' and 'Eatusur' which means, 'giver of life and hope'... basically Moltres. The last one is 'Shie'," she pronounced it "Shee-ae." "Shie is the Poke'God of ghosts, and Eatusur's ally.
"This story takes place when the world was young. When Eatusur made its part of the world, it gave its people their souls from the sun. The other Gods made their peoples' souls from various other things in their elements; such as, glaciers, trees, rocks, etc. Now, back then, Shietaor was nothing more than a simple troublemaking sprite whom the Gods frowned upon. They did not give it a soul that would ascend into the higher plane. This angered Shietaor. So, it used the powers of its being to steal a soul from each element, making it a false god with all the powers of the Gods to use against them. The anger and hate of Shietaor turned the light souls to dark-thus creating its own type, Dark. And thus creating evil souls for its minions.
"Eager to test its power, Shietaor attacked the Gods. They, being proud and mighty deities, attacked back. One by one. No God fought beside another, as they each wanted to prove their vast power to the others. Also, they knew that the destruction of Shietaor would mean the destruction of the world they had worked so hard to create. Alone, they were defeated, and each raced back to their sacred Islands to recuperate their powers and attempt an attack as one. Eatusur was severely injured by the water that Shietaor had poured on its flames of life and was unable to make the journey home alone. The last God left to fight had been Shie, and, seeing the firebird's condition, had helped it to fly home with its ghost power. The path they left across the sky, called Eatusur's Bridge, is dotted with red and yellow-white stars that are said to be the drops of Eatusur's blood and the gathering of ghost energies.
"As a result, Shie and Eatusur became the first of the allied Gods. The others bonded together and finally, they all attacked Shietaor. A fierce, angry battle came forth, blasting debris and creating many new landforms on the flat world. Eventually, the power of the light drove Dark beneath the ground, creating a lower plane for evil souls. Shietaor resides there even today, stretching out the tentacles of darkness to this world, not stopping until servants of the light drive them back to whence they came."
As she finished, Charizard nodded approvingly. Ash was gazing at her in rapt admiration and she could almost see the gears turning in his head. -That was great, 'Et!- Charmeleon shouted wildly. -Where'd ya learn it from?-
"I memorized that out of the Book of Fslam," she said with a shrug. "I don't have much else to do at night."
Lapras suggested.
"I wanna meet Shee!" Ash called out, almost jumping in the air. "I wanna meet one!"
"Shie," Aliet corrected gently. "is a Poke'God. But there are human ghost Trainers called Shie."
"Wow! Can I meet one of them? Huh? Can I?"
Aliet looked up at the sky. A few clouds had gathered, shedding shade over the group. There was nothing but water for miles around, she noted with a shudder. All fire trainers had a slight case of hydrophobia, but Aliet seemed to have it worse than her fellows. She had considered going to counseling for it, but she knew her fire training was to blame and it wouldn't get better unless she switched types, which wasn't about to happen. "There are so few of them left," she practically recited. "that they're about as rare as a Fslami."
"What's a Fasalami?"
"They're an ancient fire people who had special powers."
"Why?"
"Because they had Fslami Blood."
"They had salamis in their blood? Eew..."
"No... If you were a Fslami, Li'l Bro, then you could set things on fire just by looking at them."
"Neat! How come they're rare?"
"Because they're all dead now."
The boy paused to consider this for a while. "Why?"
She smiled sadly at him. "Because after the water people were created, they didn't like the Fslami's power so they decided to kill them all with a war. The Fslami needed help, so they converted people of other races to help. They called them Fslam."
"Like you?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
Their shadows, had, by now, vanished beneath them, signaling that noon was upon them. Aliet began to worry whether or not they would make it before the ceremony started. As a Senior Council member, it was one of her responsibilities to attend and perform the ceremonies that were required of the Council to protect their people. Lapras seemed to sense her worry and sped up, throwing them all backwards. Charmeleon went spinning off the water type's head, landing on top of Charmander who squealed in shock. Aliet held tightly to her team and her brother while gripping the spike with her legs grimly. Charizard, who had been half asleep, was flung backwards, almost landing in the churning wake. His instincts were the only things that saved him in time. Instantly, the big wings snapped open, sending him sailing into the air above the group, rather than down into the deadly water.
-Thanks for the warning!- he snapped, clacking his jaws in anger. -I might have died!-
Lapras said sarcastically.
-You probably want all of us fire types dead!-
The water type looked over her shoulder at him.
He paused, gliding forward to face her while flying backwards. -Because...- he trailed off, thinking. -Because water types hate fire types.-
Lapras threw her head back in a trilling laugh. Aliet smiled at her briefly. Not many, save her, the Council and her team, took Charizard's anger so well. I don't hate that one who was sitting on my head, or the baby asleep in your trainer's lap. So why would I hate you... though you are quite silly.
A bit shaken by her answer, Charizard flew off a few hundred yards before coming back. -Fuchsia's a few miles ahead,- he grunted. -You should be there in a few minutes.-
Aliet waved to him comfortingly. "Thanks big guy!"
Her first only snorted a blast of smoke before soaring up on a thermal. Aliet watched him go, shaking her head worriedly.
"Their precious festival is today... Is everything ready, Boy?"
"Yes, Lady. The powder is in place for the Council to... discover."
"Your humor is not welcome in a situation such as this!"
"My apologies, Lady."
"You are forgiven. If all goes well tonight, the Fslam will be without a Council, a perfect opportunity for us annihilate them once and for all."
"We must continue the work of our ancestors, Lady."
"You learn well. Now go before the Festival begins! I need you there so I may witness our proud triumph against the demons of Moltres!"
"Yes, Lady."
The sounds of music, human laughter, shouts, screams and white noise floated blazingly over the once-quiet plain of the Safari Zone. Stalls decorated in reds, oranges and yellows covered a circular area, a battlefield dominating the center. Smells of food, humans, dust, heat and the spicy odor that always accompanied fire types blended together with the nearly overpowering scent of wood smoke.
It was the Summer Solstice, the Festival of Eatusur: the most sacred of days to the Fslam and their ancestors, the Fslami.
Ash clung tightly to Aliet's hand, overwhelmed by the activity. She sighed. "Hey, Kiddo?" she knelt down to his level, holding out some money. "Your mom gave me this for you. The games are free, but you have to buy the food. Don't fill up too much; remember there's a feast after the ceremony. Also, you can play with other kids or watch a few Battles. I'm sending Charmeleon with you so you don't get into any trouble with some of the Trainers around here." She ruffled his hair affectionately. "Go off and have some fun! I'll see you later."
"Kay," he smiled. "C'mon Charmeleon!" He ran off in the direction of the food stalls. Charmeleon moved off in a slow jog after her charge, promising to be back before the ceremony.
Aliet rose, collecting Charmander in her arms and Charizard fell into step behind her. Their eyes scanned the broad expanse of humanity and tents, looking for the tall pavilion that marked the Council meeting place. Finally, after winding through crowds and irritable vendors, they found it.
Blaine's Magmar ushered them in with a wave of its hand. It waved at Charizard before ducking in behind them and closing the tent flap with a spare guy rope. Inside the cool dimness of the tent, a large, collapsible table had been set up for the Council meeting. It was always folded up a few minutes afterwards, due to their need to practice the spellsay. Blaine sat in his chair, which had been moved especially for him from the Hall. He claimed it helped with the arthritis in his back. A Rhydon was crouched behind him, ready to assist its master as necessary. Brad sat in her chair, stroking his beloved Flareon, but he jumped and moved at the bigger fire type's snarl. "Hello Blaine!" she called in a more cheerful tone. "How's life?"
"The turnout this year is incredible!" he cried. "Its one of the best in..." he paused, thinking hard. "Well, a long time. And I owe it to my Council!"
Sheila smiled fondly at the old man. Her feet were planted on the table, causing it to rock whenever she moved her feet. "Good. Can we get on to the practice now? I wanna hear ya sing, Blaine."
He grimaced, as did the rest of the Council. Everyone knew Blaine had an awful singing voice. His speaking voice wasn't the greatest either. "I think I'll leave the singing to the people who can actually do it," he muttered, shaking his bald head. This produced a laugh from the assembled. "But, shall we begin? I need my strength for the actual thing..."
The Council snickered again. Blaine climbed Cinnibar Volcano practically everyday to train Magmar and was in the peak of health; except for his back, which he took pain medication for. They all stood and helped to put away the table. Next, they formed up, all in a line behind Blaine. They would practice until sunset, then do the real thing before every Fslam in Kanto.
Charmeleon crunched into a bit of something spicy being served at the latest stand Ash had visited. It tingled across her tongue and stimulated the fire at the back of her throat. She almost drooled, but then caught sight of her charge gagging at the spice and begging the vendor for water. The fire type covered a laugh, then threw the boy an apologetic look before scooping up the piece he'd dropped.
This time, she did drool.
Ash stared at her for a long time. Her head was cocked to one side and drool was dripping out her mouth. "Eew," he declared finally. "I wanna see some battles now!"
Charmeleon found herself dragged over towards the battlefields. Her butt hit a rock and she cursed loudly. The boy looked back at her. "Oops," was all he said, but let her go. Now she walked beside him, humming softly to herself. Maybe there would be a Charmeleon battling. Preferably a male. One with big muscles and a thick tail... She almost drooled again. There was dust all over the ground, dulling her bright hide. She growled. There was no way any attractive male would notice her with dust all over her. Plus, she wasn't even walking with anyone of status. That would certainly hurt her chances...
She blinked. She could have sworn she'd seen... there it was again! A flash of red and white hide amidst a sea of humans. She took a deep sniff and could just barely detect the slight cinnamon scent that always clung to Chars. It got stronger as they neared the battlefield. She strained her eyesight and-saw a female Charmeleon saunter along beside a trainer who was barely eleven. Charmeleon groaned softly to herself. -Oh well,- she muttered.
They finally reached the battlefield. She ushered the boy along the crowded stands, making him hurry to find a good seat before the first match began. Ash stumbled along behind her. He was beginning to wonder if they would ever find a seat when, the fire type he was trailing flopped down into one and began cheering excitedly. Bewildered, he sat next to her, clapping softly. "A tad overwhelming, isn't it?" someone asked beside him. He turned to see a redheaded boy peering curiously at him. "I mean, they tell you that you have to be here, then they let you wander around with all these Masters without a clue as to what's up and who's who."
He nodded slowly.
"What rank are you, by the way?" Redhead asked. "I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but you look a little young to have a Charmeleon."
"No," he responded politely. "She's baby-sitting me for my sister."
"Ah, I see."
A trumpet blast rang across the cleared area, silencing the crowd. Two trainers, men in their early twenties, strode out into the Trainer boxes. One was short and thin while the other was on the taller side and a bit stocky with a double chin. The short man had a strange, three stripe mark under his eye while the taller had one that resembled tails. Redhead whistled through his teeth. "An Arcanine and a Vulpix Trainer..."
"How can you tell?"
"The marks under their eyes," Redhead explained in a teacher-like manner. "Traditionally, it's supposed to be tattooed there, but for today, it's just paint. The one with three marks represents the stripes on Growlithe and Arcanine, while the tail marks are for the tails of Vulpix and Ninetails."
Ash was amazed. "Wow... you're smart," he held out his hand like his mom had taught him. "I'm Ash."
"Thomas," the boy shook his hand. "I just became a Fslam this spring."
"Wow, and you learned all that? Cool!"
The other boy was silent a long time. Then, the short man flung a poke'ball into the arena, white light releasing a howling dogform. The other copied his movement. Out of his emerged a Vulpix.
The Growlithe charged first, a blast of fire riding the wind current before it. The Vulpix held its ground, eyes glowing as it charged its power. Suddenly, the little fox launched a potent Fire Spin, catching its opponent totally off guard. The Growlithe howled as the fire swallowed it up. Being a fire type, it emerged with merely scorched fur and burned ears. Now, it launched its own Fire Spin, but the Vulpix dodged, easily evading the white-hot tornado. The crowd was cheering on the Vulpix, who seemed to be the easy winner.
Now the Vulpix made a surprising move. As fast as it could, it burrowed underground, taking advantage of the Growlithe's weakness against Ground/Rock moves. The fire pup ran around barking, as if trying to locate its adversary. It didn't have any luck. The Vulpix suddenly exploded from beneath it, flinging it across the out-of-bounds line and winning the match.
The humans recalled their poke'mon and threw two new balls. "Two-on-Two," Thomas whispered to Ash. "Whoever wins this either starts a new round or goes on. The champ gets honors from the 6 Council themselves."
Ash almost answered, but the Trainers' poke'mon were already attacking. This time it was an Arcanine verses a Ninetails. The firedog was more agile than the Ninetails, but the fox was still the favorite to win.
The Arcanine made the first move, blasting a Flamethrower. The Ninetails stood calmly, allowing the fire to hit it full-force. Its cries were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. When the fire died, the Ninetails still stood proud, singed fur giving it an evil look. It concentrated, eyes glowing weirdly in the bright sunlight of the battlefield. After a moment, a beam of purplish energy launched itself from the fox, hitting the Arcanine straight in the head.
It howled in surprise. It whirled around, attacking everything in sight. Completely confused, it even went so far as to attack itself, burning its fur and biting its tail. The Ninetails watched amusedly, tails swishing from side to side. Everyone knew it was biding its time, waiting for the firedog to tire out before finishing it off. The blast came as no shock, felling the firedog in one blast.
The crowd went wild. Those who had bet on the outcome cheered, slapped hands, pounded their comrades' backs, or hugged. Ash just watched silently, as did the redhead boy. "Such beauty, fire is," Thomas murmured. "I just don't understand why... why we have to..." Before Ash could ask him about it, he rose and stalked off, head hung low.
-What's he got ta do that's got him so down?- Charmeleon asked herself. But her attention was distracted by a large, male Charmeleon striding out onto the battlefield with his Trainer.
-'ET!?- the teenage fire type yelled into the crowd of Council members. -'Et, where are you!?-
"Over here!" Aliet called, waving her arms. Beneath her eye, painted in bright red, was the Char Crest. The tail-like symbol stretched from the far corner of her right eye to the bridge of her nose. She stood between Blaine and Scott, Brad beside her. There was a discrepancy as to whether the Senior Council member was the thin Char Master or the stocky Flareon Master. Most everyone felt it was Aliet but no one really knew for sure whom had one that day he had challenged her for seniority. Aliet had been the favorite to win, but she had told her fellow Council members that something didn't feel right with her Chars that day. And there had been. Although a normally fierce adversary, Charizard had been lethargic and almost clumsy in his movements. The Char Trainer had credited that condition to a flu, even though some felt it had been a deliberate attempt on Brad's part. After five grueling hours of straight one-on-one battling, Blaine had declared the match a tie, due to the battling poke'mons' conditions.
Charmeleon scooted into place between Charizard and Charmander who stood behind their Trainer like their fellows. She peered around her brother to growl and make faces at Brad's Flareon who simply ignored her. She was about to flame at it when Charizard swung his head down to investigate. -Hey, big bro...- Charmeleon grinned sheepishly.
-Let's have none of that,- he snorted smoke in her face. -After all, this is the Festival. We have no reason to burn that stupid Eon.-
-But you deserve to be mad at it!- she snapped. -After what its Trainer did to you...-
-The actions of the Trainer doesn't make it right for me to attack the poke'mon without good reason.-
She snorted. -Guess those drugs messed up more than yer fighting!- she snapped.
Charizard sighed, shaking his head. The big fire type had tried unsuccessfully to erase the memory of that day from his memory. His sister's constant demand for vengeance had done little to help. It was one of the more embarrassing times of his life. There was a shushing throughout their ranks as trumpets sounded, signaling it was time for their entrance.
Solemnly, the Council entered the arena that had been used earlier for battles. A huge pile of wood sat in the center. In front of it, facing west, a stained glass mural of Moltres in battle sat ready to be of use to the Council. A rich chant rolled easily off six tongues, blending into the blasts of trumpets. Magic slowly built around them like a thin shell. Once the procession reached the stained glass mural, Aliet and Brad hefted it towards the sun, catching the light within the burning wings of the Firebird. The multicolored light sparked glowing flames in the wood. The bonfire blazed high, casting a bright orange glow upon everyone gathered. Aliet and Brad moved to fill in the circle the Council had created. They threw bags of powered firestone into the flames, beginning to chant in a low, soft tone. The poke'mon stood behind them, humming deep in their throats.
In the stands, Ash watched his sister closely. Her eyes were closed and the firelight made strange shadows play over her sharp features. The strange language flowed from her lips, confusing him. Everyone around him was taking up the chant, especially Thomas, who had returned shortly after his hasty departure, but he stayed silent, awed by the tingling of forces he felt gathering around the arena.
"Halenci velenci, Eatusur dorro slen minaewa," Thomas murmured to himself. "Beautiful language, Fslami is." The redheaded boy seemed to be going into a trance. "Why did you allow it to vanish...?"
Ash stared at him.
The strange, haunting "gibberish" continued flowing from the Council, repeating itself again and again. The tingling sensation built, raising the hair on the back of his neck.
Blaine's Magmar detached itself from the circle of poke'mon, turning to face the crowd. It called out in a thick, rasping voice. Members of the human crowd who trained Magmars cheered in unison. The Magmar called out and was answered three more times before retiring back to the circle. Charizard, Charmeleon and Charmander came out next to repeat the call for their kind. Next came Flareon. Then Ninetails and Vulpix. Arcanine and Growlithe followed them. Lastly, Ponyta and Rapidash gave their salute to the Fslam.
The poke'mon fell back into their loose circle around the humans, the humming louder and more defined now. Their trainers called out the chant separately now, starting with Blaine and ending with Jess. The fire rose higher of its own accord. Blinding light from the flames filled the arena as the fire danced and writhed in time with the power that filled everything. Sheila, the strongest of the spellsayers in the Council, began to concentrate while chanting, signaling the others to copy her. Despite being merely the second member, she often led the spellsayings.
As the haunting ceremony continued, those Fslam in the stands began to feel the first of the tingling sensations over their eyes, their mouths, and within their hearts. Each loyal Fslam knew it to be the touch of their god, making certain of their loyalty to it and their fellows. It was at this time that Thomas abruptly stood once more. "I must leave..." he choked out before hastily exiting the arena. Ash watched him with an odd look on his face. The redheaded boy seemed terrified of the odd feelings that were even now creeping up on Ash. They swelled to be almost painful, as if their creator was angry. Suddenly, they subsided to only a disquieting tingle. The other people in the stands had their eyes closed, as if feeling something sacred. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, wishing for Growlithe.
Without warning, a great firebird burst from the center of the bonfire, like a phoenix from its ashes. It flapped its flaming wings, sending a shower of embers over the crowd, who gasped and clasped their hands together. The firebird's head swung over the assembled in a slow, easy motion, allowing it to peer at every human there. Ash felt its gaze linger on him for a few long minutes.
Boy, you do not believe.
The voice of the firebird boomed in the little boy's head. His eyes widened in terror and he wondered if he would need new pants.
You believe in nothing. Why? Are you afraid, boy?
He could only whimper in sheer terror.
Why do you cringe? You are not the one I seek. I have no quarrel with such a young child. I am not Shietaor, but Eatusur. You need not be afraid of me.
But he was afraid. So deeply rooted in fear that he jumped to his feet and ran for his life. Out of the arena, out of the festival, and into the dark woods of the Safari Zone.
The great firebird sighed and continued its surveillance of its people. Once they passed its test, it's astral projection sank into the fire again, extinguishing it to nothing but ashes. The feeling of power vanished from the arena, leaving the Council panting for breath. Aliet wiped her dripping bangs out of her eyes, leaning on Charizard for support. -That was a great job, 'Et,- he grinned down at her. -Just that...-
"Just what?"
-Just why did ol' Firebird decide to take so long this year? Practically wore you out!-
Aliet shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it wanted to have some fun... I dunno."
He nodded absently. -Yeah...-
"Look on the bright side though," she smiled. "Now we get to eat!"
He roared with happiness, picking her up and depositing her on his shoulder. She laughed, demanding he haul Charmander up as well. Charmeleon clambered up to sit on his other shoulder, while he groaned under their "weight."
Sheila and Jess trotted by, one on her Ponyta, the other mounted on her large Arcanine. "Hey down there!" the Lavender Townie teased. "How'd you like the show?"
"Yeah," Jess added. "Blaine's in a hissy fit cause he can't figure why Eatusur stayed so long."
"Great..." muttered the Char Trainer. "At this rate, we'll never eat!"
This statement produced giggles from the other two. "You're too much like your Chars," commented Brad's gruff voice from behind them. "It's amazing you don't train Snorlax instead!"
"Eon!" Flareon yipped in agreement.
Charizard growled, lashing his big tail. His Trainer could feel him tense beneath her and felt the heat spreading throughout his neck. "Easy big lug," she soothed. "Just ignore him..."
-I know, I know...- he growled. -It's just when he insults you...-
"Shhh shhh," she scratched him gently behind the headknobs. "I'm fine." More to Brad than to her poke'mon, she said, "He knows who REALLY won that day."
"That's IT!"
She turned to see both Brad and his Flareon bristling with anger. "We end this NOW! Battle! You and me! One-on-one!"
"Now hold it a minute!" Blaine stepped between the two, Magmar in tow. "This is a happy occasion! If you two wanted to duke it out, you should have done it earlier! Now, there is a certain feast Magmar and I would enjoy attending!" He marched off, leading the rest of the Council away. Brad was left to sulk until his Flareon announced she was hungry. He stroked her and stalked off after his fellow Council members.
Chapter
Four
In which summer comes, and a spell is woven.
Her fingers fumbled with the latch on the back of the Firestone chain. It was so a'sjoking hard to get the clasp done up with her complicated braid. There was a single one down the center, with small loops of braids tucked up into the top of it. They were held in place with Firestone clips that had been presents from Blaine. Aliet grunted, still desperately trying to do it up. Hands came up from behind and deftly locked it in place. She sighed in relief. "Thanks Charmeleon," she muttered, casting about for her cloak.
-No problem,- the fire type paused. -Your cloak's on the chair, 'Et.-
Again, she thanked the poke'mon and swirled the cloak about her shoulders. This was one clasp she could lock. It was a large piece of Firestone with a hooky thing underneath. She was dressed in her finest red robes and cleanest cloak. Her sandals were polished and... well, they just looked better than usual. She sighed. "Only once do I ever get this dressed up," she muttered, watching her reflection in the mirror. "Not even for birthdays..."
Charizard snorted in mirth. -That isn't even dressed up,- he grinned. -Just wait until some male human decides you're the prettiest little flame he's ever seen.-
-Yeah, and you two fall madly in love,- Charmeleon continued teasingly.
-And get married in the temple with hundreds of people watching and loud music and dancing and food and fire,- Ivysaur giggled.
-Then comes the kiss...- Scyther added.
-And the happy tears...-
-And the romantic evening...-
-And passionate honeymoon...-
-And the baby...-
"And if you continue, you'll find a pillow in each of your faces," Aliet finished irritably. She wasn't in any mood to listen to their banter. "We need to leave," she glanced at the clock. "if we're gonna get there by noon."
Charizard rose, flashing Scyther a smile and a wave before squeezing out the door. The bug blushed, smiling back bashfully. Aliet shook her head. Another problem to worry about. Fleetingly, she wondered if bug and fire genes could mix. She pushed the thought away and turned to her younger chars. "Okay guys, time to go."
Charmeleon darted out of the room, while Charmander climbed onto her shoulders. "Be good you two," her eyes narrowed at Scyther and Ivysaur. "I should be back late tonight, so watch Growlithe for me." She turned to go.
-Miss you already 'Et!- Scyther chuckled.
-She's not the one you miss, Scy,- Aliet heard Ivysaur say slyly. There was a shriek as a pillow flew and then Aliet closed the door.
She met Ash at the bottom of the stairs, in the middle of a stream of rules from his mother. She stood patiently, waiting for her to finish, then whisked her brother off outside. It was a hot day. Dust flew up from their footsteps on the road. No rain had come for days, and now drought was feared in the small town. The dust was so bad, that Aliet pulled up part pf her cloak over her mouth, making sure Ash did the same with his shirt. Charmeleon coughed until Charizard placed her on his shoulders, which were much higher than the dust level. Aliet jumped up to deposit Charmander there as well.
After much coughing and dirt, the group reached the docks. People and muscular Machops, Machokes and Machamps waved to Aliet and her team, then returned to their work. Boxes were hefted, packed and loaded on ships bound for other ports. Unloaded crates were being shifted to trucks, which drove their shipments to the local markets. Ash was mesmerized by the activity. Aliet calmly hauled him over to the edge and tossed a poke'ball into the water.
It released the poke'mon and flew back to her hand, metal making a loud slap against her skin. The water type swimming peacefully in the gentle surf wasn't Aliet's. Fslam rules forbade it. But for the long journey across the sea to Fuchsia City, a water type was the best choice. "Hello Lapras," she called out to Oak's privately owned poke'mon. She was only borrowing it for a while. "Your Trainer let me borrow you for a bit, that okay?"
Aliet blinked, surprised. She had heard a few stories about higher-level Laprases' small psychic talents. Although, it was different to witness one in person. Also, she had heard about Oak's experiments with breeding Laprases with stronger psychic traits to make a Lapras that had as much psychic talent as a high-level Alakazam. The voice this Lapras had used was undeniably female, so Aliet addressed her as such. "We're bound for Fuchsia, Lapras," she carefully slid from the dock, down to the poke'mon's shell-like back. Her legs wrapped around one of the horns that stuck out; she reached up to help Ash, Charmeleon and Charmander down. Charizard wheeled above them, gliding on the shrunken air thermals above the water. He was miffed that his trainer had chosen a water type to ride over him, her first. -I'd be faster than that lump of scales!- he shouted down.
Lapras looked up. I would enjoy watching you attempt to swim at my pace, fire type, her voice had a light, even tone; like someone who's talking to an irritating child.
-And I would love to see you fly,- he retorted.
Lapras merely chuckled before moving swiftly out into the open waters of the small cove that was Pallet's port. The water was relatively calm, due to the heat of the day. Charmeleon perched on Lapras's head, singing a tune she'd heard from one of the sailors. Most of the words weren't very appropriate for the young ears, but she wisely edited them out. She swung her arms around, holding on with her tail, like she was conducting a choir of seamen. Charmander giggled, joining in with his own gestures and slurred baby talk. Aliet held him firmly, not wanting him to fall to his death in the water below them.
Hours passed, sending shadows moving slowly across their faces. Eventually, Charizard grew bored with flying and crouched on Lapras as well. The water type floundered a bit, but kept going strong. "I'm bored, 'Et..." Ash muttered.
"Wanna story?" the Fslam asked, playing with Charmander's toe claws.
"Sure! Tell one 'bout..." he paused, thinking hard. "About Moltres!"
She thought for a moment, bringing back the image of the stars forming the Fslam constellation. "Here's one about war," she said slowly. "It's a legend, so that doesn't have to mean its true. To understand the story, there are some words you need to know. 'Shietaor,' which means, 'destroyer of life and hope' and 'Eatusur' which means, 'giver of life and hope'... basically Moltres. The last one is 'Shie'," she pronounced it "Shee-ae." "Shie is the Poke'God of ghosts, and Eatusur's ally.
"This story takes place when the world was young. When Eatusur made its part of the world, it gave its people their souls from the sun. The other Gods made their peoples' souls from various other things in their elements; such as, glaciers, trees, rocks, etc. Now, back then, Shietaor was nothing more than a simple troublemaking sprite whom the Gods frowned upon. They did not give it a soul that would ascend into the higher plane. This angered Shietaor. So, it used the powers of its being to steal a soul from each element, making it a false god with all the powers of the Gods to use against them. The anger and hate of Shietaor turned the light souls to dark-thus creating its own type, Dark. And thus creating evil souls for its minions.
"Eager to test its power, Shietaor attacked the Gods. They, being proud and mighty deities, attacked back. One by one. No God fought beside another, as they each wanted to prove their vast power to the others. Also, they knew that the destruction of Shietaor would mean the destruction of the world they had worked so hard to create. Alone, they were defeated, and each raced back to their sacred Islands to recuperate their powers and attempt an attack as one. Eatusur was severely injured by the water that Shietaor had poured on its flames of life and was unable to make the journey home alone. The last God left to fight had been Shie, and, seeing the firebird's condition, had helped it to fly home with its ghost power. The path they left across the sky, called Eatusur's Bridge, is dotted with red and yellow-white stars that are said to be the drops of Eatusur's blood and the gathering of ghost energies.
"As a result, Shie and Eatusur became the first of the allied Gods. The others bonded together and finally, they all attacked Shietaor. A fierce, angry battle came forth, blasting debris and creating many new landforms on the flat world. Eventually, the power of the light drove Dark beneath the ground, creating a lower plane for evil souls. Shietaor resides there even today, stretching out the tentacles of darkness to this world, not stopping until servants of the light drive them back to whence they came."
As she finished, Charizard nodded approvingly. Ash was gazing at her in rapt admiration and she could almost see the gears turning in his head. -That was great, 'Et!- Charmeleon shouted wildly. -Where'd ya learn it from?-
"I memorized that out of the Book of Fslam," she said with a shrug. "I don't have much else to do at night."
Lapras suggested.
"I wanna meet Shee!" Ash called out, almost jumping in the air. "I wanna meet one!"
"Shie," Aliet corrected gently. "is a Poke'God. But there are human ghost Trainers called Shie."
"Wow! Can I meet one of them? Huh? Can I?"
Aliet looked up at the sky. A few clouds had gathered, shedding shade over the group. There was nothing but water for miles around, she noted with a shudder. All fire trainers had a slight case of hydrophobia, but Aliet seemed to have it worse than her fellows. She had considered going to counseling for it, but she knew her fire training was to blame and it wouldn't get better unless she switched types, which wasn't about to happen. "There are so few of them left," she practically recited. "that they're about as rare as a Fslami."
"What's a Fasalami?"
"They're an ancient fire people who had special powers."
"Why?"
"Because they had Fslami Blood."
"They had salamis in their blood? Eew..."
"No... If you were a Fslami, Li'l Bro, then you could set things on fire just by looking at them."
"Neat! How come they're rare?"
"Because they're all dead now."
The boy paused to consider this for a while. "Why?"
She smiled sadly at him. "Because after the water people were created, they didn't like the Fslami's power so they decided to kill them all with a war. The Fslami needed help, so they converted people of other races to help. They called them Fslam."
"Like you?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
Their shadows, had, by now, vanished beneath them, signaling that noon was upon them. Aliet began to worry whether or not they would make it before the ceremony started. As a Senior Council member, it was one of her responsibilities to attend and perform the ceremonies that were required of the Council to protect their people. Lapras seemed to sense her worry and sped up, throwing them all backwards. Charmeleon went spinning off the water type's head, landing on top of Charmander who squealed in shock. Aliet held tightly to her team and her brother while gripping the spike with her legs grimly. Charizard, who had been half asleep, was flung backwards, almost landing in the churning wake. His instincts were the only things that saved him in time. Instantly, the big wings snapped open, sending him sailing into the air above the group, rather than down into the deadly water.
-Thanks for the warning!- he snapped, clacking his jaws in anger. -I might have died!-
Lapras said sarcastically.
-You probably want all of us fire types dead!-
The water type looked over her shoulder at him.
He paused, gliding forward to face her while flying backwards. -Because...- he trailed off, thinking. -Because water types hate fire types.-
Lapras threw her head back in a trilling laugh. Aliet smiled at her briefly. Not many, save her, the Council and her team, took Charizard's anger so well. I don't hate that one who was sitting on my head, or the baby asleep in your trainer's lap. So why would I hate you... though you are quite silly.
A bit shaken by her answer, Charizard flew off a few hundred yards before coming back. -Fuchsia's a few miles ahead,- he grunted. -You should be there in a few minutes.-
Aliet waved to him comfortingly. "Thanks big guy!"
Her first only snorted a blast of smoke before soaring up on a thermal. Aliet watched him go, shaking her head worriedly.
"Their precious festival is today... Is everything ready, Boy?"
"Yes, Lady. The powder is in place for the Council to... discover."
"Your humor is not welcome in a situation such as this!"
"My apologies, Lady."
"You are forgiven. If all goes well tonight, the Fslam will be without a Council, a perfect opportunity for us annihilate them once and for all."
"We must continue the work of our ancestors, Lady."
"You learn well. Now go before the Festival begins! I need you there so I may witness our proud triumph against the demons of Moltres!"
"Yes, Lady."
The sounds of music, human laughter, shouts, screams and white noise floated blazingly over the once-quiet plain of the Safari Zone. Stalls decorated in reds, oranges and yellows covered a circular area, a battlefield dominating the center. Smells of food, humans, dust, heat and the spicy odor that always accompanied fire types blended together with the nearly overpowering scent of wood smoke.
It was the Summer Solstice, the Festival of Eatusur: the most sacred of days to the Fslam and their ancestors, the Fslami.
Ash clung tightly to Aliet's hand, overwhelmed by the activity. She sighed. "Hey, Kiddo?" she knelt down to his level, holding out some money. "Your mom gave me this for you. The games are free, but you have to buy the food. Don't fill up too much; remember there's a feast after the ceremony. Also, you can play with other kids or watch a few Battles. I'm sending Charmeleon with you so you don't get into any trouble with some of the Trainers around here." She ruffled his hair affectionately. "Go off and have some fun! I'll see you later."
"Kay," he smiled. "C'mon Charmeleon!" He ran off in the direction of the food stalls. Charmeleon moved off in a slow jog after her charge, promising to be back before the ceremony.
Aliet rose, collecting Charmander in her arms and Charizard fell into step behind her. Their eyes scanned the broad expanse of humanity and tents, looking for the tall pavilion that marked the Council meeting place. Finally, after winding through crowds and irritable vendors, they found it.
Blaine's Magmar ushered them in with a wave of its hand. It waved at Charizard before ducking in behind them and closing the tent flap with a spare guy rope. Inside the cool dimness of the tent, a large, collapsible table had been set up for the Council meeting. It was always folded up a few minutes afterwards, due to their need to practice the spellsay. Blaine sat in his chair, which had been moved especially for him from the Hall. He claimed it helped with the arthritis in his back. A Rhydon was crouched behind him, ready to assist its master as necessary. Brad sat in her chair, stroking his beloved Flareon, but he jumped and moved at the bigger fire type's snarl. "Hello Blaine!" she called in a more cheerful tone. "How's life?"
"The turnout this year is incredible!" he cried. "Its one of the best in..." he paused, thinking hard. "Well, a long time. And I owe it to my Council!"
Sheila smiled fondly at the old man. Her feet were planted on the table, causing it to rock whenever she moved her feet. "Good. Can we get on to the practice now? I wanna hear ya sing, Blaine."
He grimaced, as did the rest of the Council. Everyone knew Blaine had an awful singing voice. His speaking voice wasn't the greatest either. "I think I'll leave the singing to the people who can actually do it," he muttered, shaking his bald head. This produced a laugh from the assembled. "But, shall we begin? I need my strength for the actual thing..."
The Council snickered again. Blaine climbed Cinnibar Volcano practically everyday to train Magmar and was in the peak of health; except for his back, which he took pain medication for. They all stood and helped to put away the table. Next, they formed up, all in a line behind Blaine. They would practice until sunset, then do the real thing before every Fslam in Kanto.
Charmeleon crunched into a bit of something spicy being served at the latest stand Ash had visited. It tingled across her tongue and stimulated the fire at the back of her throat. She almost drooled, but then caught sight of her charge gagging at the spice and begging the vendor for water. The fire type covered a laugh, then threw the boy an apologetic look before scooping up the piece he'd dropped.
This time, she did drool.
Ash stared at her for a long time. Her head was cocked to one side and drool was dripping out her mouth. "Eew," he declared finally. "I wanna see some battles now!"
Charmeleon found herself dragged over towards the battlefields. Her butt hit a rock and she cursed loudly. The boy looked back at her. "Oops," was all he said, but let her go. Now she walked beside him, humming softly to herself. Maybe there would be a Charmeleon battling. Preferably a male. One with big muscles and a thick tail... She almost drooled again. There was dust all over the ground, dulling her bright hide. She growled. There was no way any attractive male would notice her with dust all over her. Plus, she wasn't even walking with anyone of status. That would certainly hurt her chances...
She blinked. She could have sworn she'd seen... there it was again! A flash of red and white hide amidst a sea of humans. She took a deep sniff and could just barely detect the slight cinnamon scent that always clung to Chars. It got stronger as they neared the battlefield. She strained her eyesight and-saw a female Charmeleon saunter along beside a trainer who was barely eleven. Charmeleon groaned softly to herself. -Oh well,- she muttered.
They finally reached the battlefield. She ushered the boy along the crowded stands, making him hurry to find a good seat before the first match began. Ash stumbled along behind her. He was beginning to wonder if they would ever find a seat when, the fire type he was trailing flopped down into one and began cheering excitedly. Bewildered, he sat next to her, clapping softly. "A tad overwhelming, isn't it?" someone asked beside him. He turned to see a redheaded boy peering curiously at him. "I mean, they tell you that you have to be here, then they let you wander around with all these Masters without a clue as to what's up and who's who."
He nodded slowly.
"What rank are you, by the way?" Redhead asked. "I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but you look a little young to have a Charmeleon."
"No," he responded politely. "She's baby-sitting me for my sister."
"Ah, I see."
A trumpet blast rang across the cleared area, silencing the crowd. Two trainers, men in their early twenties, strode out into the Trainer boxes. One was short and thin while the other was on the taller side and a bit stocky with a double chin. The short man had a strange, three stripe mark under his eye while the taller had one that resembled tails. Redhead whistled through his teeth. "An Arcanine and a Vulpix Trainer..."
"How can you tell?"
"The marks under their eyes," Redhead explained in a teacher-like manner. "Traditionally, it's supposed to be tattooed there, but for today, it's just paint. The one with three marks represents the stripes on Growlithe and Arcanine, while the tail marks are for the tails of Vulpix and Ninetails."
Ash was amazed. "Wow... you're smart," he held out his hand like his mom had taught him. "I'm Ash."
"Thomas," the boy shook his hand. "I just became a Fslam this spring."
"Wow, and you learned all that? Cool!"
The other boy was silent a long time. Then, the short man flung a poke'ball into the arena, white light releasing a howling dogform. The other copied his movement. Out of his emerged a Vulpix.
The Growlithe charged first, a blast of fire riding the wind current before it. The Vulpix held its ground, eyes glowing as it charged its power. Suddenly, the little fox launched a potent Fire Spin, catching its opponent totally off guard. The Growlithe howled as the fire swallowed it up. Being a fire type, it emerged with merely scorched fur and burned ears. Now, it launched its own Fire Spin, but the Vulpix dodged, easily evading the white-hot tornado. The crowd was cheering on the Vulpix, who seemed to be the easy winner.
Now the Vulpix made a surprising move. As fast as it could, it burrowed underground, taking advantage of the Growlithe's weakness against Ground/Rock moves. The fire pup ran around barking, as if trying to locate its adversary. It didn't have any luck. The Vulpix suddenly exploded from beneath it, flinging it across the out-of-bounds line and winning the match.
The humans recalled their poke'mon and threw two new balls. "Two-on-Two," Thomas whispered to Ash. "Whoever wins this either starts a new round or goes on. The champ gets honors from the 6 Council themselves."
Ash almost answered, but the Trainers' poke'mon were already attacking. This time it was an Arcanine verses a Ninetails. The firedog was more agile than the Ninetails, but the fox was still the favorite to win.
The Arcanine made the first move, blasting a Flamethrower. The Ninetails stood calmly, allowing the fire to hit it full-force. Its cries were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. When the fire died, the Ninetails still stood proud, singed fur giving it an evil look. It concentrated, eyes glowing weirdly in the bright sunlight of the battlefield. After a moment, a beam of purplish energy launched itself from the fox, hitting the Arcanine straight in the head.
It howled in surprise. It whirled around, attacking everything in sight. Completely confused, it even went so far as to attack itself, burning its fur and biting its tail. The Ninetails watched amusedly, tails swishing from side to side. Everyone knew it was biding its time, waiting for the firedog to tire out before finishing it off. The blast came as no shock, felling the firedog in one blast.
The crowd went wild. Those who had bet on the outcome cheered, slapped hands, pounded their comrades' backs, or hugged. Ash just watched silently, as did the redhead boy. "Such beauty, fire is," Thomas murmured. "I just don't understand why... why we have to..." Before Ash could ask him about it, he rose and stalked off, head hung low.
-What's he got ta do that's got him so down?- Charmeleon asked herself. But her attention was distracted by a large, male Charmeleon striding out onto the battlefield with his Trainer.
-'ET!?- the teenage fire type yelled into the crowd of Council members. -'Et, where are you!?-
"Over here!" Aliet called, waving her arms. Beneath her eye, painted in bright red, was the Char Crest. The tail-like symbol stretched from the far corner of her right eye to the bridge of her nose. She stood between Blaine and Scott, Brad beside her. There was a discrepancy as to whether the Senior Council member was the thin Char Master or the stocky Flareon Master. Most everyone felt it was Aliet but no one really knew for sure whom had one that day he had challenged her for seniority. Aliet had been the favorite to win, but she had told her fellow Council members that something didn't feel right with her Chars that day. And there had been. Although a normally fierce adversary, Charizard had been lethargic and almost clumsy in his movements. The Char Trainer had credited that condition to a flu, even though some felt it had been a deliberate attempt on Brad's part. After five grueling hours of straight one-on-one battling, Blaine had declared the match a tie, due to the battling poke'mons' conditions.
Charmeleon scooted into place between Charizard and Charmander who stood behind their Trainer like their fellows. She peered around her brother to growl and make faces at Brad's Flareon who simply ignored her. She was about to flame at it when Charizard swung his head down to investigate. -Hey, big bro...- Charmeleon grinned sheepishly.
-Let's have none of that,- he snorted smoke in her face. -After all, this is the Festival. We have no reason to burn that stupid Eon.-
-But you deserve to be mad at it!- she snapped. -After what its Trainer did to you...-
-The actions of the Trainer doesn't make it right for me to attack the poke'mon without good reason.-
She snorted. -Guess those drugs messed up more than yer fighting!- she snapped.
Charizard sighed, shaking his head. The big fire type had tried unsuccessfully to erase the memory of that day from his memory. His sister's constant demand for vengeance had done little to help. It was one of the more embarrassing times of his life. There was a shushing throughout their ranks as trumpets sounded, signaling it was time for their entrance.
Solemnly, the Council entered the arena that had been used earlier for battles. A huge pile of wood sat in the center. In front of it, facing west, a stained glass mural of Moltres in battle sat ready to be of use to the Council. A rich chant rolled easily off six tongues, blending into the blasts of trumpets. Magic slowly built around them like a thin shell. Once the procession reached the stained glass mural, Aliet and Brad hefted it towards the sun, catching the light within the burning wings of the Firebird. The multicolored light sparked glowing flames in the wood. The bonfire blazed high, casting a bright orange glow upon everyone gathered. Aliet and Brad moved to fill in the circle the Council had created. They threw bags of powered firestone into the flames, beginning to chant in a low, soft tone. The poke'mon stood behind them, humming deep in their throats.
In the stands, Ash watched his sister closely. Her eyes were closed and the firelight made strange shadows play over her sharp features. The strange language flowed from her lips, confusing him. Everyone around him was taking up the chant, especially Thomas, who had returned shortly after his hasty departure, but he stayed silent, awed by the tingling of forces he felt gathering around the arena.
"Halenci velenci, Eatusur dorro slen minaewa," Thomas murmured to himself. "Beautiful language, Fslami is." The redheaded boy seemed to be going into a trance. "Why did you allow it to vanish...?"
Ash stared at him.
The strange, haunting "gibberish" continued flowing from the Council, repeating itself again and again. The tingling sensation built, raising the hair on the back of his neck.
Blaine's Magmar detached itself from the circle of poke'mon, turning to face the crowd. It called out in a thick, rasping voice. Members of the human crowd who trained Magmars cheered in unison. The Magmar called out and was answered three more times before retiring back to the circle. Charizard, Charmeleon and Charmander came out next to repeat the call for their kind. Next came Flareon. Then Ninetails and Vulpix. Arcanine and Growlithe followed them. Lastly, Ponyta and Rapidash gave their salute to the Fslam.
The poke'mon fell back into their loose circle around the humans, the humming louder and more defined now. Their trainers called out the chant separately now, starting with Blaine and ending with Jess. The fire rose higher of its own accord. Blinding light from the flames filled the arena as the fire danced and writhed in time with the power that filled everything. Sheila, the strongest of the spellsayers in the Council, began to concentrate while chanting, signaling the others to copy her. Despite being merely the second member, she often led the spellsayings.
As the haunting ceremony continued, those Fslam in the stands began to feel the first of the tingling sensations over their eyes, their mouths, and within their hearts. Each loyal Fslam knew it to be the touch of their god, making certain of their loyalty to it and their fellows. It was at this time that Thomas abruptly stood once more. "I must leave..." he choked out before hastily exiting the arena. Ash watched him with an odd look on his face. The redheaded boy seemed terrified of the odd feelings that were even now creeping up on Ash. They swelled to be almost painful, as if their creator was angry. Suddenly, they subsided to only a disquieting tingle. The other people in the stands had their eyes closed, as if feeling something sacred. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, wishing for Growlithe.
Without warning, a great firebird burst from the center of the bonfire, like a phoenix from its ashes. It flapped its flaming wings, sending a shower of embers over the crowd, who gasped and clasped their hands together. The firebird's head swung over the assembled in a slow, easy motion, allowing it to peer at every human there. Ash felt its gaze linger on him for a few long minutes.
Boy, you do not believe.
The voice of the firebird boomed in the little boy's head. His eyes widened in terror and he wondered if he would need new pants.
You believe in nothing. Why? Are you afraid, boy?
He could only whimper in sheer terror.
Why do you cringe? You are not the one I seek. I have no quarrel with such a young child. I am not Shietaor, but Eatusur. You need not be afraid of me.
But he was afraid. So deeply rooted in fear that he jumped to his feet and ran for his life. Out of the arena, out of the festival, and into the dark woods of the Safari Zone.
The great firebird sighed and continued its surveillance of its people. Once they passed its test, it's astral projection sank into the fire again, extinguishing it to nothing but ashes. The feeling of power vanished from the arena, leaving the Council panting for breath. Aliet wiped her dripping bangs out of her eyes, leaning on Charizard for support. -That was a great job, 'Et,- he grinned down at her. -Just that...-
"Just what?"
-Just why did ol' Firebird decide to take so long this year? Practically wore you out!-
Aliet shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it wanted to have some fun... I dunno."
He nodded absently. -Yeah...-
"Look on the bright side though," she smiled. "Now we get to eat!"
He roared with happiness, picking her up and depositing her on his shoulder. She laughed, demanding he haul Charmander up as well. Charmeleon clambered up to sit on his other shoulder, while he groaned under their "weight."
Sheila and Jess trotted by, one on her Ponyta, the other mounted on her large Arcanine. "Hey down there!" the Lavender Townie teased. "How'd you like the show?"
"Yeah," Jess added. "Blaine's in a hissy fit cause he can't figure why Eatusur stayed so long."
"Great..." muttered the Char Trainer. "At this rate, we'll never eat!"
This statement produced giggles from the other two. "You're too much like your Chars," commented Brad's gruff voice from behind them. "It's amazing you don't train Snorlax instead!"
"Eon!" Flareon yipped in agreement.
Charizard growled, lashing his big tail. His Trainer could feel him tense beneath her and felt the heat spreading throughout his neck. "Easy big lug," she soothed. "Just ignore him..."
-I know, I know...- he growled. -It's just when he insults you...-
"Shhh shhh," she scratched him gently behind the headknobs. "I'm fine." More to Brad than to her poke'mon, she said, "He knows who REALLY won that day."
"That's IT!"
She turned to see both Brad and his Flareon bristling with anger. "We end this NOW! Battle! You and me! One-on-one!"
"Now hold it a minute!" Blaine stepped between the two, Magmar in tow. "This is a happy occasion! If you two wanted to duke it out, you should have done it earlier! Now, there is a certain feast Magmar and I would enjoy attending!" He marched off, leading the rest of the Council away. Brad was left to sulk until his Flareon announced she was hungry. He stroked her and stalked off after his fellow Council members.
