LRH, Chapter Four: Loss
Without warning, she leapt from the shadows, aiming a powerful Shadow Punch at Ish'io. The Delcatty nimbly leapt back, however, and countered with a Thunderbolt. His fur crackled with electrical energy and lit up the cave as Illusion was struck.
Illusion gave an angry bellow and quickly moved back to sink into the shadows as the Thunderbolt ended, but realized Flow was gone. Just then, the Kitten Pokemon slammed into her from behind, using a powerful Faint Attack. Illusion snarled and jumped into the air, her eyes glowing as she used Hypnosis.
Ish'io shook his head and opened his jaws, letting loose an Ice Beam attack at the one-eyed Ghost. Flow used a Shock Wave, and the attacks mixed into one. Just before they hit, however, Illusion faded from view. She chuckled.
"Fools. You shall perish here!"
"Quit skulking in your shadows, Illusion!" Ish'io roared, his eyes smoldering. A white light suddenly surrounded him, then blew outwards. It was his Flash attack, and it instantly did away with the many shadows in the cave. Illusion stood in the light, angered, but not seeming to suffer from it. Flow narrowed her eyes and let loose another Shock Wave. It flew across the cave and zapped Illusion, but didn't seem to do her much damage.
"Hah, what a nice tickle," Illusion said with a little grin. "Weak attacks like that won't help you!"
"Moondance, we must attack together," Ish'io said, and Flow nodded as her fur puffed. Illusion laughed.
"Try as you might, it will not help you to win! It is time to finish this battle!"
"Indeed it is. Moondance, use your Faint Attack again!"
"Right!" Flow said, and the two Pokemon vanished. Illusion laughed as Ish'io appeared before her, and Flow behind her. Perfect.
"It's time I put you to sleep, Ish'io!" she said with a crazy laugh. As the Delcatty came at her, she pulled back a fist and slammed it into the Prim Pokemon's throat. It was a Rock Smash attack, and it threw Ish'io to the floor as Flow crashed into Illusion's back. She laughed as she swatted the little Skitty away and looked to where Ish'io was lying on the cave floor.
"So, Ish'io, where are your brave words now?" she taunted as the Delcatty struggled for breath, his crushed windpipe failing to bring in any air. Flow stood from where she'd hit the ground and looked over to see her Pa gasping, his mouth open, drool dripping from his teeth as he wheezed, desperate to get air into his lungs.
He was dying.
"PA!" Flow screamed as she got to her paws, tears welling in her eyes as her father's attempts to breathe began to die away. "PA!"
Tek stopped, looking back at the cave as her ears twitched.
"Tek, what's wrong?" Kalo asked. Tek looked to her and the others.
"Flow! I hear her screaming. Something's happened to Ish'io!"
"What do we do?" Jaz cried, looking frantic. Kalo looked to Jerio, who was carrying Zane on his back. The Cyndaquil was stirring.
"Wha...what...where am I...Jerio?" Zane's voice was tiny and weak. Jerio looked back at him and smiled worriedly.
"Yeah, it's me. It's us. You're safe now..."
"Where...Illusion...what's going on? What was that?"
They all had heard the scream this time. Zane tried to get down from Jerio's back, but didn't have the strength.
"The Gengar took you away last night, and she was going to steal your life," Tek said. "But a Skitty named Flow took us to her home, and she and her father helped us to find you. Their still fighting, but something has happened to Ish'io!"
"Then...we can't leave. We have to help!" Zane said, giving a little shudder. Jerio shook his head.
"No, you're weak." He looked to the others. "I'll get Zane to Kalili. You guys go and help Ish'io and Flow, and I'll catch up when I can."
The others nodded and turned, rushing back to the cave as fast as they could. Jerio and Zane watched them go, feeling worry gnawing at their guts.
"I hope they'll be okay...:" Zane said softly as Jerio hurried off, keeping his worries that all would not end well this night to himself.
"Hah!" Illusion cried as Flow tried to help her suffocating father. But nothing she did proved useful, and she watched as slowly, the life fled from his eyes and he fell still.
"Pa! Come on, wake up! Come on, we have to fight! Pa! PAAAA!"
"Well little Skitty, it seems you and your father have failed. Don't worry, you'll be joining him soon." She laughed as tears fell from Flow's eyes.
As she was readying to attack the grief-stricken Skitty with a Rock Smash, she was hit by three attacks at once. A powerful jet of water slammed into her stomach, five razor-sharp leaves slashed across her arms and legs, and sharp, poisonous barbs peppered her chest and face.
"Fools!" she cried angrily as Tek, Kalo, and Jaz all stepped forward, attacking again and again as Sajin went to Flow's side. She gasped when she saw Ish'io, lying on the ground, not moving, not breathing.
"No..." she muttered, a rage filling her. Flow moaned and collapsed, sobbing into her dead father's fur.
"ENOUGH!" Illusion bellowed suddenly, unleashing a Shadow Ball from her body and knocking the other Pokemon back. Tek got to her paws and narrowed her eyes, readying to attack. Then she, Kalo, and Jaz noticed Sajin, staring in shock at Ish'io's body, where Flow was crying.
"Oh...no..." Jaz moaned softly, her fangs clicking as her body shook violently. "No..."
"Ish'io," Tek said, unable to believe it. "Ish'io...get up..."
"He's dead," Kalo muttered weakly. The others stood, dumbfounded. How?
"Indeed he is, the fool cat!" Illusion said, recovering from the attacks. She laughed icily. "Dead, as soon you all will be!" She continued to laugh as Tek and the others bowed their heads, eyes filling with tears. And suddenly, Sajin turned to face the Gengar, her eyes full of tears and hatred and fury.
"You...you...HORRID thing!" she cried, spreading her wings. "You awful, horrid, disgusting thing! How can you laugh? You've done this and you find it funny! HOW!" Her entire body shook with rage, and Illusion blinked. She'd never met a Pidgey that got ruffled. It could not be good.
"You took Ish'io from his family!" Tek said, also shaking with fury. Kalo and even Jaz were gripped by the same furious tremors, and Illusion stepped back. The fury coming from these young Pokemon matched that of the Rhydon she'd fought a year ago. And then it happened.
A white glow surrounded Sajin. She gave her wings a flap as she was engulfed by the light. The others watched in awe, and Illusion in trepidation. She knew what that light was: evolution.
The white light grew larger and began to take shape. When it faded, a Pidgeotto stood where a Pidgey once had. The others stared.
"Sajin, you evolved!" Tek said, and the others nodded. Sajin, with her wings still spread, clacked her beak in rage at Illusion.
"You'll hurt no one else after this night!" she screeched, and the others found their anger rekindled at Sajin's show of strength as she flapped her wings again.
"You're going to pay for what you did to Ish'io!" Kalo said, waving her vines threateningly as Jaz clicked her fangs and Tek thrashed the air with her tail.
And then Flow stood, joining them. Her eyes were narrowed and filled with such hate it chilled the Gengar to her core. Never had she seen such loathing. She stepped back once more as the five Pokemon advanced. Then, she shot a Shadow Ball form her hands, trying to catch them off-guard so she could flee. But Sajin took to the air and used her Whirlwind, sending the attack slamming into a wall. Then, screeching, she dove at Illusion, slamming into her with a Quick Attack. Tek used her Water Gun, Jaz Poison Sting, Kalo Razor Leaf, and Flow Shock Wave. The blow from the Quick Attack stunned Illusion, and the others after sent her reeling back.
Never had she been attacked so viciously, save for when she'd faced the mother Rhydon. She was shocked that these young Pokemon could have so much power. Then it struck her. Their grief and anger and hate was giving them strength, where they'd usually have none. She moved back, trying again and again to attack. But every time, Sajin was there to stop her and give the others a chance to attack.
It didn't take long for Illusion to know she was beaten. She watched as the Pokemon closed in on her, and knew if she didn't find a way out of the cave that her end would be met here. As she tried to think of a way out of the cave, she was shocked when her back suddenly bumped against a wall. She turned, eyes wide. She'd literally backed herself into a corner.
"We won't let you get away with all the pain you've caused," Sajin said as she landed before the now-worried Gengar. "It's time to pay for your actions."
By the time Jerio finally reached the den, he was quite tired. Sure, he was a strong little Pokemon, but after all the excitement of the past hours, he was beginning to feel the strain of it all.
"Kalili!" he called as he entered the den. "Kalili, I have Zane!"
"Bring him back here," Kalili's voice replied from near the back, and Jerio made his way to her. A moment later, the Fire Mouse was resting between two napping Skitty, getting some much-needed sleep that WASN'T plagued by nightmares.
"Where are the others?" asked Kalili softly. Jerio shook his head, gut wrenching.
"I...Ish'io told us to leave and get Zane here while he and Flow took care of Illusion. But Tek heard Flow screaming, so the others went back to help." He stopped, looking at Kalili with worry in his gaze. "I think...something happened to Ish'io..."
Kalili said nothing for a long moment, then sighed. "I cannot leave my little ones alone."
"I'll stay! The others will need your help!" Jerio said, paws balling into fists. Kalili looked at him, her brown eyes holding an expression that Jerio couldn't name. After a moment she stood, taking care to not wake the others, and nodded.
"I will return soon." She smiled a little. "Thank you, Jerio. You are quite the responsible young Pokemon."
Jerio didn't even hear the praise as he sat down where Kalili had been lying. "Hurry, they need you!" he said, giving her a determined look. Kalili nodded and turned, running from the den and vanishing from sight. Jerio gave a little shudder, looking to the three little Skitty before him and feeling his eyes tear up.
Indeed, all was not well this night.
"Wait!" Illusion cried as Sajin and the others closed around her in a half circle, trapping her in the corner. "Wait, please."
"Why?" Sajin snapped, her anger cracking and slicing against the Gengar like a whip. The others nodded in slow, agonizing agreement. Illusion shook a little. It seemed at any moment the other young Pokemon would evolve as well, so great was their rage. Illusion had long since figured out that was what had caused the Pidgey named Sajin to evolve. Her anger, her want for revenge, had been so strong it had triggered evolution. And now, if it happened with these other little Pokemon, Illusion would have no chance to escape. As it was, her chances of survival were almost non-existent.
"Because...I can change!" Illusion said, trying to smooth over the unbearable heat of the wrath aimed at her. "I can, I swear to you that if you let me go-"
"NO!" the others boomed at once. Instead of cooling their ire, Illusion had stoked it.
"You have had time. You have had a chance! No more!" Tek cried. "You will never change your ways!"
"So we must make it so you can never hurt another!" Jaz replied, showing much more courage than she had in nearly her whole life. She didn't feel like a helpless little spider anymore. Now, she felt the strength of what she was, and was no longer afraid of things. Illusion swallowed thickly and looked back and forth from face to vengeful face.
"But, if you do this, such young Pokemon, how will you live with yourselves, with the knowledge that you became killers?"
"We are not killers," Kalo said, eyes aglow. "If we let you go from here, then we would not be able to forgive ourselves. You are the one who is the killer."
"Hah!" Illusion piped, deciding that if sweet and cunning words wouldn't work, that she'd bluff her way out of this mess. And then...these little fools would pay for defying her such. "You can't beat me!" And upon uttering these words, she was knocked upside the head by a powerful wing. The blow left her dizzied and dazed as Sajin gave a cry.
"Enough of your lies!" she cried out. "It is time for you to pay for what you have done!"
Before any of them could move to attack, however, a beam of bright, orange energy tore past Sajin and slammed into Illusion. The Gengar was thrown back with such force she left an indent upon the rock wall. Gasping from the sudden, vicious attack, Illusion stood weakly, glaring past the young Pokemon to where Kalili stood by Ish'io's body. The others turned to see her, then looked back at Illusion.
"You shall not leave this cave," Kalili said softly. "We should have hunted you down a year ago and done away with you, but we were too soft-hearted. And now I see where out blind kindness has led. To the death of my mate, to my young ones having no father to raise them and teach them. To the stealing of another youngster. Your foulness knows no depths, Illusion. And you will keep sinking lower and lower. But no longer. It is time to put an end to your malicious ways."
Illusion snarled, but was unable to speak. For there was no enraged loathing in the Delcatty's eyes. Just infinite sadness and grief. The Ghost tried to step back, for this was worse than the anger still burning from the other Pokemon before her. But her back was still pressed firmly against the dented wall behind her.
Kalili moved forward slowly, until she stood beside Flow. Her voice was heavy with sorrow. "It is time to end you, Illusion. Such should have been done a year ago."
"No!" Illusion cried as the six Pokemon prepared to attack. For the first time since losing her eye, she felt true fear. She knew there would be no escaping this time, no slipping off at the last moment. "No!" But her pleading did her no good. She watched, horrified, as six attacks were fired and converged into a massive ball of glittering power.
It was the last thing she saw before the attacks engulfed her in their blinding light, and an explosion made the world fly away...
Jerio jumped as a distant BANG sounded out. He looked down, where Zane and the Skitty were still asleep, not having even stirred from the dull boom.
Anxiously, the Larvitar stood and went to the mouth of the den, where he managed to see a faint light in the distance fading away. His stomach tightened and his heart began to pound. What was going on? What had that explosion been?
Not knowing whether to be relieved or even more worried, Jerio went back to where he had been sitting, sighing with tension as he rubbed the back of his head. Just then, he heard a small squeak and looked down to see one of the Skitty waking up. He sighed again.
"Where's Ma?" the little Pokemon asked blearily, and Jerio gave a weak smile.
"She went to help your daddy."
"Ooh, Iwussion gonna get da bad bad spank'ng. She bad evil ghosty, gonna get spank'd, cause Ma and Pa and Fwow are gonna make her not be bad no more!" The little Pokemon laughed and then yawned, promptly falling back asleep. Jerio sighed.
"I just hope...everyone is alright."
As the glare from the explosion faded and the ringing died away, the six Pokemon stood, not moving, not exactly aware of their surroundings. They were looking at the still purple figure on the floor.
Illusion was dead.
Numbly, they turned from where the Gengar was lying and watched as Kalili and Flow went to where Ish'io's body was lying. Tears flowed from their eyes as they stood in silence, their hate and anger gone, now replaced with pure mourning. Even though they hadn't known him, Tek and the others had liked him greatly.
Kalili stood over Ish'io's body while Flow stood a little to her right, leaning against her mother for comfort as she cried. Kalili bowed her head and tilted her head, giving a mournful mewl that Flow joined in. The heart-wrenching noise echoed in the cave and carried a fair distance away. So moved the others were that they added their own voices to the sorrowful song.
For a few minutes, the six of them cried their grief to the world and each other, all of them taking solace in one another's voices. As the moments ticked past, they slowly fell quiet, though the echos continued to ring farther and farther away, until they, too, had fallen still.
As Tek and the others went to join Kalili and Flow, a small group of Pokemon suddenly appeared in the mouth of the cave. They were Kadabra and Xatu. Kalili looked over to them, tears flowing down her face.
"The Ghost Illusion is dead," she said softly as she looked down to Ish'io. "But so too is my love..."
The largest of the small group, a Kadabra, stepped forward, his tone sympathetic and soft.
"We will take him and prepare him for tomorrow, if you wish," he said. Kalili said nothing more a moment, then nodded once. The Kadabra waved for two others, and they moved forward, picking up Ish'io's body with quite a bit of care. They moved back slowly to join the others as a female Xatu stepped forward. She, too, sounded sympathetic.
"We heard your cries and came as soon as we heard them. We knew something was wrong. No sound can be so mournful as when a loved one is lost. We are truly sorry for what has happened, Kalili. We can only wish that we had known of your plight, so we could come and help. Illusion was loathed by many. Even the Crazed One had no love for her. We will spread the news of this to the other Pokemon who have not heard your song."
"We also know you have other young ones," another Kadabra added. "Rest assured you will have the help of us, as well as the other kind Pokemon on this island, in raising them."
"Thank you, all of you," Kalili said softly, and Flow nodded. "Tomorrow, during the morning. Can...can he be ready by then...? Morning was always his favorite time of the day..."
The large Kadabra nodded. "Yes. We will have the Ralts twins send word, and all shall be ready by tomorrow morning."
"Thank you," Kalili said again. The Pokemon nodded, and with a faint pop, they were gone.
Misa: Sniffs. Sad ending...
SS: Why'd you go and kill Ish'io? Brandishes Scythe.
Misa: OO Well...er...um...
Coal: Maybe he was just an extra?
Misa: Um, yeah! Nervous laugh.
SS: Hmm...well, don't do it again, or I shall smack you with my Scythe!
Misa: Bows head. Yes sir...
Coal: Remember, R&R! Excuse me while I get SS to quit scaring Misa so she can get to chapter five.
