Like, oh my god! I decided to continue. Yes, it's true, I actually thought about not continuing, 'cause it wasn't really supposed to be a story in the first place. But now it is! Muaha. All these ideas originated from an RP, and as such, some characters do not belong to me. Only Lati does, really. But I did receive permission from the character's respected creators to use them. The RP is still going on now, but I decided to take it in the direction I wanted it to go and then some. So, enjoy. I suppose.
I don't own pokémon. ^_^
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"Good, good, Lati! Excellent job, you're becoming a great fighter," a hearty, dark voice cackled behind a young girl who has just won another fight.
The person whom the voice belonged to's tall figure was covered in a black cloak; only his proud smile visible on his face. Keen forest green eyes looked out at the figure in front of them warmly. The girl in front of him seemed about 13, her long, white hair nearing her knees. Her amber eyes looked back at him, sparkling with happiness. They closed in a pleased expression as a bright smile crossed her lips. Her hair waved in the wind along with the grass in the open field they stood in, the opposing pokémon (an Absol) collapsed in a battered heap.
With grace Lati returned the giant blue swamp beast on the field to it's cozy spherical home running toward her sensei's imposing, yet somehow welcoming figure. She smiled at him and laughed, clapping her hands happily.
"Sensei, that's almost 20 pokémon in a row and Sai hasn't fainted! I think he's getting really strong!" she giggled.
Her team, which consisted of Blaziken, Swampert, Secptile, Manectric, and Metagross, was becoming quite formidable. Lati calculated that they were all approximately at, in the Elite's terms, level 60 or so, and each battle became easier than the last. Lati had yet to find a last member for her team, but she knew who it was going to be. She was going to make her saviour, her rescuer, her heroine, Latias, part of her team. Lati fingered the Ultraball that her sensei had given her as a gift absent-mindedly, her mind brushing the subject of capturing Latias briefly before the man began to speak.
"Yes, your Swampert is becoming quite strong…" he agreed. His head turned to the sky, wisps of dark hair becoming observable. "Latias…" the man whispered gently.
"…What did you say? Latias, did you say Latias? Is she near…? Do you like, sense her, or something?" Lati asked, gripping her master's gauntleted hand. His strong hand wrapped around hers.
"Give me your Ultraball," his voice was strong and commanding, the tone was a don't-ask-questions-just-do-it kind of tone. Lati nodded vigorously and quickly unhooked the ball from her belt that weaved though her blue jeans, releasing her hand from her master's and replacing it with the yellow-and-black sphere.
Just as suddenly as Darkstar spoke, out of the trees lining the valley they stood in flew a red-and-white dragon, its wings cutting the air, its body shooting toward the sky. A cry erupted from the figure, realising that it wasn't alone. It's body glazed over with a blinding light and it became invisible. Under his cloak, Darkstar's forest green eyes narrowed and his steely expression hardened even further. His body shifted sideways and his arm lunged backwards, the Ultraball clutched tightly in his hand, and he flung it toward the dragon with a powerful force behind it. The ball raced toward the pokémon, and the last thing the timid amber eyes saw were a bright red light that glazed over them before it was encased into the ball.
It shook in the air, once, twice, and suddenly in was enveloped in a purple mist. With a shriek, Latias erupted from the ball and charged down at Darkstar, a peeved look twisted into her soft face. Her wings latched to her sides as she almost literally dive-bombed him at a frightening speed. Wind screamed past her feathered ears as she got closer and closer, her gentle eyes narrowing cruelly. Lati saw this, and with cat-like agility slammed into Darkstar and knocked him down, Latias narrowly missing him as she saw who was protecting him. Something clicked in the dragon's mind; it was that young human she had rescued, the one called Lati.
'Lati…' the young dragon murmured into the teenage girl's thoughts.
"Latias… you remember me…? You… you saved me… remember?" Lati stuttered. The red-and-white dragon nodded slowly, coming closer to Lati as she began to gain her trust again. Lati picked up the felled Ultraball and held it up to Latias. "Will you be… my pokémon?" she asked softly.
Latias, the psychic dragon, did not speak, but tapped the button of the ball with her nose, and let itself be taken by the red light once again into the ball, to Lati's immense surprise. She dropped the orb out of sheer amazement.
The ball thudded to the ground, everything over so suddenly. Lati saw the Ultraball, the dragon's small body enraptured in a blinding red light, and the thunk that sounded when it hit the ground, but she could hardly believe it. Latias, captured so simply, so swiftly, it didn't seem possible. Where was the epic battle, the tears of sorrow, happiness, and triumph that she had read about in books, and heard about on the news? Her gaze turned from the Ultraball to her sensei, whose mouth was twisted into an all-knowing smirk.
"Sensei… you… but…" Lati stuttered, dumbfounded at the recent events. Her hands shook with amazement, a small smile creeping up on her soft face. Her eyes blinked twice just to make sure it wasn't a dream, that she wasn't imagining this whole thing. Her sensei had given her this Ultraball, this chance to reach her dream… all out of his kindness, and he had even tried to capture it for her.
"Congratulations," he chuckled. "You just captured Latias."
"I… sensei… t-thank you…"
Darkstar laughed softly. "You deserve it."
Lati reached down slowly to the ball, grasping it softly and holding it up to her inquisitive face. She kissed it, and hooked it onto her belt. Finally, the one who had saved her life, the one who had rescued her from the harshness of the cruel world, the one who responded to her helpless call… she belonged to Lati. There were no words for how she felt, it was a feeling of overwhelming happiness, pride, and thankfulness… tears stung her eyes and she began to cry. She laughed with happiness and raced into her sensei's arms, repeating "thank you, thank you" over and over again, the man just smiling.
The young girl had always looked up to Darkstar as a father, as a mentor, as a true friend. He had always done everything for her, always been there for her, and protected her, for as long as she had been with him. Even though it had been a short amount of time, two or three years, they had developed an unbreakable bond in that time. Lati loved her sensei as a father, and since she had never grown up with one, he was as close as she got. He had trained her to be tough, but somehow she retained that carefree personality she always had, which impressed Darkstar. His methods were rough and rigourous, but somehow, Lati was still Lati. Never changing from her ever-cheerful ways.
Clang, clang. Darkstar's steel-clad boots rang through the air as he walked slowly along with his apprentice. Her steps were happy and sprightly, while his were the on the opposite of the spectrum, slow, and strong. His head was up, his sharp, dagger-like gaze locked on the path of ahead of him. Darkstar's mouth was in the usual steely frown, while Lati's face was bright and jubilant, expressing nothing but happiness as she skipped along with her sensei.
"We're going to do some training on that dragon, tomorrow," he spoke suddenly, solemnly.
Clang, clang.
"Okie, but I get to give all the orders, right? I mean, like today?" Lati said, bouncing up and down the path to the pokémon center. All the members in her party were tired after a long day; the sky was red and black with softly setting sun, the trees stretched over the two bodies as they walked side by side. A rustle echoed in the forest, but neither took heed, as it was getting dark and most nocturnal pokémon were switching places with the diurnal ones.
Clang, clang.
"Of course," he replied slowly. "They are YOUR pokémon…"
Fwishfwish.
Lati stopped dead in her
tracks. Her body became hunched and she cringed in fear. Her eyes seemed
stressed and they strained to find what made the unfamiliar noise. It was a
quick zipping noise, followed by a bright flash, almost like an epileptic
episode. Darkstar stopped walking, looking at her concernedly. He blinked.
"What's wrong…?"
"I heard something… I heard something bad; something flashed…" she whined, moving closer to him, a little frightened.
Darkstar chortled with amusement. "There's nothing to be scared of…" he assured her slowly, patting her head, smiling softly.
"…We meet again, Darkstar," came an unfamiliar voice from above. A deep voice, entwined with a British accent. Darkstar's head craned upwards, and his teeth clenched, his eyes already narrowed.
"Pyro," he said simply, angrily.
The young man, who looked about 18,
called Pyro floated above them, donned in a red cape, and a sweatshirt like top
with a red hood pulled over his head. Locks of sandy-brown hair almost came
into his dull, grey-blue eyes, and a malicious smirk was painted on his lips.
He wore a grey shirt under his red top, which had a black "M" stitched into it.
Also on his arms were red arm warmers, ones that matched the rest of his
outfit. His belt was red as well, and his pants were grey, two white bands on
each of his thighs. On Pyro's feet were red black-tipped boots. He let out a
cackle, his body surrounded by a purple mist like Latias' Ultraball had been
much earlier in the day.
"Why so bitter? It hasn't been THAT long since we last met…" Pyro's smooth voice slid out teasingly. A pokéball latched onto his belt was rimmed with the same purple film that his body was.
Darkstar smirked. "Why don't you come down here and fight like a real man, instead of floating up there with the help of your pansy pokémon?"
Pyro's eyes narrowed crossly. His eyes turned to the young girl behind Darkstar, and he smiled warmly. "I'll fight Lati, then," he chuckled, floating down to ground slowly, the gentle purple aura around his thin frame dissipating softly.
"Fine, I'll fight you!" Lati responded defiantly, stepping up to the young Britain. Her eyes glinted with playfulness and a bit of fury, she had met Pyro many times before and she had seen what he could do. The former main Team Magma Admin, he was skilled with many types of pokémon, his team constantly rearranging and changing, Pyro always trying out new moves, new combinations, and new pokémon.
Darkstar looked over at her
skeptically, his gaze hidden but able to be interpreted from under his cloak.
"Lati, you only have one pokémon available… and this little whelp wanted to
fight me, not yo-"
"En contraire, Darkstar. I did
in fact say 'I'll fight Lati, then,' meaning exactly what it implies. I want to
fight this pretty little girl you have here," Pyro countered, meandering
carelessly up to Lati, sizing her up, but only before tripping on a loose
branch in the earth and tumbling over, dust collecting as he smacked the
ground. He coughed absent-mindedly, scrambling to his feet and brushing himself
off before looking at Darkstar at scorn, he whom was trying his best to hold in
his incessant laughter. "Shut up," the Brit shot at him. Pyro composed himself
and shifted his ferocious gaze to Lati, who returned it with equal ferocity.
He smirked, sloppily tossing a pokéball into the air, the orb cracking open and a white light piercing the darkness that crept upon the blood-red sunset. As it fell back into his hand, a bird slowly started to materialize from the energy that was released from the ball. It had a rigid, totem like structure, red and black designs intricately wrapping around its white wings and green body, and two giant, red feathers that stuck out the back of its round head like a ponytail. Its eyes were oval-shaped, the pupils ebony and poignant, almost like black holes set deep into its placid face.
"A Xatu," Lati commented quickly, and took the Ultraball from her belt. She backed up a little, making room for her baby to make entrance. In the same messy fashion as Pyro, she tossed up the orb, and it exploded with a screech. Light burst from the ball and sprinkled down to ground, and the shape of the psychic dragon began to take form. Wings, feathered ears, round body, and small feet.
Latias' amber eyes burned with excitement. Her first real battle.
Pyro's eyes widened substantially. "…Err, Karma, Confuse Ray!" he ordered quickly, his accent meshing the words together roughly.
Karma's eyes glowed bright, neon blue, and a beam of light shot out from them right into Latias' optics. The dragon squealed in pain, her head knocked silly by the radiance. She rolled around in the air, but tried her best to stay steady. Lati didn't want this; she kept her eyes off her sensei, focusing on the battle, and just as hastily barked out an order.
"Latias, Roar!"
The dragon swayed in the air, but with great control stayed in the air and got her body rigid, fluffing her feathers up. She closed her eyes as she gathered a deep breath and reeled her head backwards, and just as that had happened threw her head forward and let out a great roar, one comparable in fury to that of an Arcanine. Karma squeaked in fright and scrambled back to her home in Pyro's hand. Without his command, another pokéball broke open and a figure almost immediately took the Xatu's place.
A huge outburst of fluff came to
be, in front of it a very frail looking dog-like body. Two eyes made of red-hot
coal glared at the dragon, and the mouth let out a spicy bark. It got
defensively on its small paws and its nine fluffy tails wavered in the thick
wind.
"Niinnnee…" the fox growled.
"Tsuno, Fire Spin!" Pyro ordered. The fox drew back its head and then lurched it
forward, spewing hot flames from its small mouth. The fire,
as if by magic, began to organise itself around the psychic dragon,
constricting her movement and squeezing her until she cried out in pain.
The young girl grunted,
narrowing her eyes. She bit her lip and thought quickly. Something clicked
inside her head and she snapped her fingers. "Latias, Surf!" she called out to
her burning dragon.
Latias' eyes opened through the pain and confusion and glowed a deep blue, her body streamlined. The ground began to quake beneath the fox's paws, and moisture began to collect beneath it. Its feet began to sink into the ground as it got soggier and soggier, and it whined in confusion fright. The shaking suddenly ceased and the Ninetales was blown into the air by a cannon shot of water from beneath the earth's crust. The water also blew away the fire surrounding and paining Latias, but meanwhile the fox was pushed higher and higher into the air by the water. It howled in pain and tumbled in the heavens before the water stopped dead and it plummeted back to the ground with a sickening thud.
"… Tsuno,
return," Pyro muttered softly, and sucked the defeated fire fox back into its
ball. He hooked it onto his magma-coloured belt and sighed. Pyro halfheartedly
tossed out Karma's ball onto the field, but suddenly lightened up, realising
that Latias was still confused. He grinned. Karma had quickly appeared; the
ball was already back in his hand.
"Karma, Shadow Ball," he
ordered darkly.
The bird nodded in compliance and tilted its head backwards, spreading its wings and revealing its chest. The eyes on its breast glowed a brilliant blue and a clump of thick ebony and violet energy started to grow in front of it. It swirled and whirled, becoming larger and larger right before Latias' confused eyes. The dragon's doubled gaze was transfixed on this ball of dark magic; it almost seemed too amazing. She cooed softly at it before it seemed closer than it was supposed to.
"Latias, Thunderbolt, hurry!" Lati called out to the mesmerised pokémon. Latias looked back to her trainer, trying to understand the command, the words like a tangled bush trying to get sorted through her ears. The dragon finally couldn't take it anymore, and in an attempt to heed the command, drove herself into the ground, mud flying up in huge sheets as she smacked the huge pools.
Just as that happened, the Shadow Ball drilled into her body. She cried out in pain, twitching spasmodically as the ethereal energies invaded her body and smothered her psychic ones. The dragon floundered around in the mud helplessly for a few seconds before the effects finally wore off; dark purple bolts intermingled with black wisps of smoke jumping around her body.
Lati frowned. "Latias, c'mon girl, get up!"
To no avail.
"Time for
me to step in…" Darkstar muttered under his breath. "I don't have time for
this… Ra, take care of him!" the cloaked man snarled, tossing a Masterball into
the air. Lati gazed at it before crying out and shielding her eyes from the
blinding flash of light that followed the ball snapping open. It wouldn't leave
either, and try as she might, she couldn't get a good look at the pokémon her
sensei had released.
"PSYCHIC!" she heard her sensei
bellow, but his voice was different. How the kind, caring, gentle voice he had
usually used around her, no. This was a much darker, deeper, twisted voice than
that. A huge burst of energy surged across the area, and a giant quake shook
the very ground which Lati stood on. She was splashed with water, the attack so
strong it was repelling other forces.
Lati squealed and recalled her precious dragon as the light got much
brighter, and everything was silent. Soon, the light dimmed, and Lati dropped
her arms, breaking the shield.
She looked around, her pupils dilating. The area was a wreck, the boughs of trees were snapped, mud was splashed everywhere, and; there was no Pyro. Lati's golden eyes blinked in confusion. "Wh-where's… where's Pyro?" she asked meekly.
"Away from here," Darkstar responded coldly, and continued along the path.
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Haha, wasn't that great. The last part was a bit rushed, so excuse me if it seems that way. Anyways, tell me what you think, and what could be improved? Pleasies? ^_^