AN: More progression of the plot! And the end of the second story arc! Also my first chapter with italics!
Chapter 22
Switched: The Morning
Goliath
On Saturday, "it" woke me up.
"Arise, my friend," it said. "See what your nighttime venture has done."
My eyes were opened, and my own room appeared.
How did this happen? I asked.
"All according to plan, that is how it happened.
"When you entered this body, I was surprised, I admit, but it did make my plan much easier to carry out. I had planned on waiting until I had drained all of Maya's energy, then return to my imprisoned body and break out. When all of your friends were talking about how it must have been Sabrina that switched you, my plan started reforming.
"I let you go to Sabrina. I was not asleep, but merely letting you take over for a while. I knew she would probe to find me and remove me. I am a threat, even to her. She sensed that.
"But she did not sense my power. That was her undoing. I shot back. It was not very strong, compared to what I have in store for the rest of the world. It still killed her, of course. Then her mental hold was lost, and you returned to your own body."
You killed her?
"Yes, I did. She held on until last night, but was not strong enough. For the most powerful psychic, she was not hard to kill. During my reign, there were Abra that were more of a problem.
"Of course, these were Abra that had been in my army. I trained them myself. Some rebelled, and were quite hard to deal with."
Wait. What army? What reign?
"Do you not know who I am?
Um... no?
"Foolish human."
Then it wove a tale for me. I almost didn't believe it, until it mentioned the journal.
"The journal had the entire story I just told you written in my language. Only unlocking it with both keys will translate it for you."
We had given the journal to Marvette's father. Marvette herself was dead; maybe she had it. We could find how to defeat this thing on its pages.
What is the second key? I asked.
It laughed. "Ah, my key. I guess I can tell you. It was one of the Unown. I saw it and it amused me. Its shape was very peculiar: that of a key."
If I'd had a jaw, it would have dropped.
"I guess we should head to the Ruins," it said.
It got up and left the house. We reached the bus stop and sat to wait.
* * *
Maya
I woke up with hair in my face. I reached up to feel it. My own hair. And I was in control.
It was gone!
I sat up and almost screamed, but it was too early to wake everybody up.
Time to go for a jog.
I pulled on some sweats and shook Flame up.
"Wha...? Go away..." She turned over.
"Flame, it's me." I pulled her back over.
Her eyes opened wide. "Maya?"
"I'm back."
"Great. Now can I go back to sleep?"
"Sure, I'm going to see Jim."
I sprinted all the way to Kerry's house, then realized he probably had switched back, too. I turned back around and dashed to his house.
* * *
Jim
I sat straight up. Something at the window had woken me up. I pulled two of the blinds apart and looked out. A small rock hit the window in front of my face. I jumped back.
I peered out again to see Maya, holding a handful of the pebbles. She dropped them and grinned when she saw me looking.
Then I realized that if it was Maya's body, then either it was Goliath, or...
I looked at my hands: no nail polish!
We were un-switched!
I ran downstairs as quietly as possible, then went out the front door and towards Maya. She charged at me, and somehow we ended up hugging.
We stood there laughing for about five minutes. That was when I realized I was standing there in my pajamas. I went in to change. I wrote a note before I left, "Out with friends. Left early, be back sometime."
As we walked to everyone else's houses, Maya explained the whole demon-possession thing. Because of that, we decided to leave Goliath for last. We weren't sure where "it" was, and if "it" was in Goliath, he could be hard to deal with if we didn't have everyone else with us.
After beating Isaac to wake him up, almost breaking Carol's window with stones, being threatened by Kerry's brother Sean to get away from their house, and racing from Philip's psychotic chihuahua, we still weren't ready for what happened in the next twenty-four or so hours.
* * *
Goliath
The bus dropped us off in Violet City. I wasn't sure what was about to happen. All that I did know was that if Jim was gonna save the world this time, he'd have to get to the door, seal it, and bury the chamber under a hundred feet of dirt to stop this thing.
It walked towards the south exit, which led to the Ruins. Apparently unknowing of any laws against jaywalking, it crossed streets right in front of cars. We must have gotten honked at twelve times. But my little friend didn't care.
All he wanted was freedom.
Which wouldn't be bad, I thought.
And then there was a break in civilization. We left the metropolis and entered the fairly rural surroundings that were now familiar. We pushed through the bushes and other plants. He had no regard for my arms and legs being torn to shreds by the branches. I was bleeding badly by the time we reached the stone pathway to the main area of the Ruins.
I heard the buzzing before the black swarm came swooping down upon us.
* * *
Jim
Goliath's house was deserted. I whipped out my Pokegear and stuck the cartridge in that served as my cell phone.
"Hello?" was the answer on Mrs. Davidson.
"It's Jim."
"Have you seen Taylor?"
"We were just coming to get him, but there's no one at your house."
"We're at the police station. Goliath disappeared this morning before anyone was even awake. Didn't leave a note, didn't do anything."
"Have the police found anything?"
"They are getting strange reports from people in Violet City of a big teenager running across streets..."
I looked at Maya. It was loud enough that she had heard it.
"Thanks, Mrs. Davidson. I'll call if we find anything."
I unfolded my bike and hoped everyone else could follow. "Go grab bikes or skateboards or a Pokemon or whatever and head towards Violet. Grab your strongest Pokemon; he won't be easy to deal with."
I turned and pedaled out.
* * *
Goliath
They were everywhere. All I saw were eyes. I knew how Maya must've felt when the Intity got her...
Even though we were surrounded by the Unown, my captor marched on. He knew where he was going even without sight. Then, I felt it: a quiet voice, calling. It was deep, so it wasn't any more than a low rumble in the distance, like thunder from a faraway storm.
That's what we were following.
The multitude moved with us. It was constantly buzzing, clicking, and chattering amongst itself.
The voice grew louder.
* * *
Jim
I realized how slow I was going when a Butterfree passed by.
I pulled Pinky off my belt and summoned him. Quickly breaking my bike back down, I mounted the sparkling bat.
"Back to the Ruins," I told him. He complied, swooping away.
* * *
Philip
Everyone showed up near my house carrying the stuff Jim had told them to get. All I had was a key chain with a key and a remote control. I pushed it and my new car honked.
"Forget all that stuff, you guys. We can use this and pick up Jim on the way," I said, opening the door and letting everyone in.
We drove to the rescue in style.
* * *
Goliath
The voice was loud enough now that I could make out words.
"Come. You are almost here. You will be free."
I asked, What is that?
"My guardian calls."
What is your guardian?
"You will see. And your friends will, too." Then it laughed, an evil, chilling laugh that echoed through the entire forest. I could even feel fear from the Unown. They were not about to go against this guy. And judging from the story he told me at home, I wouldn't either.
The voice continued to speak. "Only a little further..."
* * *
Jim
We flew over Azalea. We were getting closer. I just hoped I wasn't already too late. I'd been late before, and Kanto was taken over by Giovanni's little minions and their gene-Pokemon.
That wasn't going to happen again.
A car honked underneath me. I looked down to see everyone in a large SUV. Well, everyone minus Goliath. I dropped down and landed in the open seat next to Maya. "Let's go, Phil! The world'll be destroyed by the time we get there!"
Philip slammed the gas pedal.
* * *
Goliath
"There. You're here." The voice stopped. So did we.
The entire mass of Unown vanished, scattering into the trees. They didn't want to see their king's return.
They were smart.
AN: Next, some good action, I hope.
Coming soon: a complete rewrite of the Dark Plot.