Chapter Two
Even though his heart and soul was frozen to the core, Regice felt a shiver run through his body. The statement had been quick and overbearing, but the more time rushed by the greater it impacted Regice. The large ice pokemon slunk to the floor as if an enormous weight had just been placed on his shoulders. Regice let out a sigh of despair. He never thought he would live to see the prophesy fulfilled.
Poochyena watched as the Master of the Island sank to the floor in depression. Tears came to its own eyes as he saw a creature so powerful and magnificent lay down in misery. Yet as he watched this scene, the pain in his leg began to stab even harder than before. Poochyena turned to his leg again and began to lick it caringly. Its sensitive tongue could feel small fragments of his bone that had broken through the skin and could taste a faint trace of blood. As he continued to care for it he did not see that Regice had begun to sit up.
Regice observed his companion hunched over treating an injury. Once again linking its mind to the small dog, it asked, what happened to your limb?
Poochyena, not wanting to focus anymore with his mind to send messages, simply barked three times between licks. (I was running away from one of the evolved humans and I tripped and broke it) he said nonchalantly. Even though the pain was terrible, Poochyena did not want to lose his honor in front of the Master by crying out and weeping because of pain.
Regice looked again at the wound and noticed that the break was not a clean cut, but rather it had shattered. He thought words into Poochyena's mind. That leg of yours is very badly injured. I am afraid that it will have to be removed to prevent you more pain and suffering.
The small dog stopped mid-lick and looked up at the Master. The small dog whimpered slightly then barked hoarsely. (No. This injury can be easily treated. My trainer could take me to the…) The Poochyena then realized a terrible truth that he had not before. His days with his trainer were over now, and with that life went the miraculous healing power that the humans had. Slowly the pokemon eyed its leg again and knew that Regice was right.
Poochyena, after a long time in thought, looked up to his new Master and said (Let me do it. It will be less painful.) He lied of course, but Poochyena felt it was an honorable thing to do.
Regice directed his thoughts towards his small companion. I can freeze it so that it will be less painful for you to endure. The black canine looked up towards his Master with teary eyes, and then nodded in consent.
(My only request is that you do it fast, so that it I don't have to feel the cold.) And with that Regice rose back to its feet. Slowly, all of Regice's eyes began to dim slowly, as if he were focusing immensely on the carefulness of the procedure that he had to perform. Poochyena closed its eyes tightly as a blue mist began to form around his leg without touching it. The dog could only feel its arm throbbing in pain for an instant and then it all disappeared.
Poochyena's eyes opened quickly and he beheld his leg, frozen underneath an inch of solid ice. The ice extended but to his shoulder with a small space reserved for his mouth to bite. The dog knew what he had to do at the moment. Slowly it raised its mouth to its arm and brought all of its teeth on its shoulder, right at the joint. It slightly applied pressure to get a good grip. The taste of singed fur filled his mouth, and almost caused him to vomit. Once again Poochyena closed his eyes, and with all of his might he bit down.
Pain immediately shot through Poochyena's entire body. An uncontrollable twitch also came to his face as he tasted his own flesh and bone. He had expected for some reason to bite through his leg at once, but he had just left a bloody mark. Again he bit down and started to crunch the bone harder. Poochyena could feel his arteries and veins along with his muscle being torn in his teeth, and the taste of his own blood was in his mouth. The cracking sound of his bone almost forced him to loose his mind as he ground it back and forth in his teeth in an attempt to break it off sooner.
As Poochyena dug deeper into his own flesh he became accustomed to the pain. It was the only thing his mind could focus on, and for some strange reason was the only thing that kept him gnawing away at his leg. He felt the bone getting weaker and weaker with every grind, yet mentally he was dead from the pain.
Then with a loud and unsettling snap the bone broke free from Poochyena's body, and hung at an odd angle by the skin and veins that had not been sliced. It was only a matter of moments before the dog clipped them off with his now dulled teeth. The dog would grow new ones, but he did not care. Blood was spattering against the floor of the icy cavern. The dog's instincts took over and it began to lick the bloody stub which had been its leg just minutes before.
After about ten minutes the bleeding had lessened in intensity. The dog was still twitching because of the pain, and instead of licking its paw it had wrapped it up in its fluffy tail. Regice had beheld the entire incident, and saw that his companion was truly worthy of being his servant.
Well done my friend, the Regice whispered to his friend through his thoughts. Now rest and save your energy, we have big things to do on the morrow. Regice extended his hands towards the small dog and expelled a soft snow-like powder. It flew through the air as if forced by a faint breeze, and then it rested on the Poochyena. The dog's eyelids soon sunk down over its eyes and it gave a big yawn. Slowly he rested his head on his other front paw and quickly fell asleep.
If Regice could physically express emotions there would be a small smile of satisfaction on his face. Sleep well my friend he thought as he turned away from the sleeping figure.
The time has come for me to alert my brethren Regice thought to himself as he placed his large crystal arms on the wall that he now faced. Instantly it melted away, as if it were ice to the flame, revealing an entrance into another cavern that was much larger than the one he was in at the moment.
Regice glanced at the items that surrounded the edges of the cave. Although the chamber was where he spent most of his time, this cave was his domain. There were many books, all made out of ice that was perfectly clear. They sat on shelves that were also forged from ice so clear that only Regice could detect its presence. A normal being would see the cavern to be empty other than a large pedestal in the center that seemed to have been created from a combination of rock and steel.
The tall crystal-like pokemon first walked to a large shelf of ice-books and removed one. It was very small and light, almost like a snowflake. He carefully brought it to the pedestal that was in the center of the room. The top was perfectly smooth, and patterned with rock and steel so that it looked like an ice crystal. Ingenious, Regice thought as all nine eyes settled on the symbol. The harmony between the elements was perfect, and it brought peace to Regice's soul
Carefully, Regice laid the small book upon the top of the pedestal. It then began to twitch and bounce back and forth very slightly. A green light began to glow from the pedestal and it began to envelop the book. The book, now glowing with a dim green light began to rise into the air. Slowly the pages fell open, and then stopped on a page entitled "The Prophesy." The light began to lessen again from the book and it settled down on the pedestal again, open at the page of the Prophesy.
Regice then placed his icy hands on the pedestal on either side of the book. Brothers! The time has come! The Prophesy which was predicted is now beginning to come true! The callings of Regice reached across the earth to different caves where its brothers resided.
The brother of Steel resided far away in a mountain range that was almost impossible for a human to reach. He was a large creature that was forged out of a metal that was harder than any known substance, even a Ponyta's hoof. Though hard, it was very flexible, though the only pokemon strong enough to move it was he. His name was Registeel.
The brother of Rock also lived in a distant land, in the middle of a thick jungle that not many had entered. Though he seemed to be very distorted and uneven, he took particular pride in his appearance, saying that he was perfect in being imperfect. He could animate any rock on the planet and force it to obey his will. His name was Regirock.
The two brothers responded to their sibling's call. Regice looked up into the air and saw circles appear in the air. They were the eyes of his brethren. There were seven that were red in a hexagonal shape with one eye in the center which was Registeel's face, and there were seven brown eyes in the shape of an H, which was Regirock's face. The thoughts came from Regirock first.
Can it possibly be true? he questioned Regice. There was an awkward silence as his thoughts faded. Regice looked upwards at his friend with a look of sadness that only his brothers could understand.
Yes, Regice said and he looked at the book that was resting on the pedestal in front of him. Then with slow and steady thoughts, he quoted it to his brothers, though they had heard it many times before.
The Prophesy Regarding the Future of Humanity, given through Celebi who has seen the future.
I have seen the world in the future where there will no longer be love between humans and pokemon. I have seen a time where people believe that pokemon have become obsolete to them. The humans will take upon themselves the elements so to eliminate pokemon from their lives.
Pokemon have been entrusted control over the elements from the beginning of time because of their kind spirits and their willingness to forgive. Yet as the humans evolve traits that will give them power they will keep with them their hatred and their will to dominate all. They shall turn against their former friends and shall attempt to destroy them from the face of the earth.
Yet the future is unclear past this point, but I can see shadows of what might happen. Either all pokemon will be purged from the face of the planet by the destruction of mankind or the pokemon will retaliate and eliminate humans from the world. I fear there can be no ground in between.
I wish that those in the future will choose the right decisions so that perhaps this prophesy might go on unfulfilled, yet my gut tells me there will be those who will suffer greatly because of this. I pray for those people in the future that they can be wise and do all that is good. Be strong and in time it will all work out, I hope.
Slowly the words sunk into the brothers. It was so deep and powerful that Regice began to shiver again. They all realized that it was now the time which Celebi had spoken of. Brothers, we must be strong Regice said to them, and they began to counsel with each other to determine on the action that must soon be taken.
Poochyena sat on his hind legs, extending his front paws in a playful begging position. His trainer smiled at him, then came over and patted him on the head. His trainer was about six feet tall, and was in his early twenties. Poochyena affectionately nuzzled his face in his trainer's hand.
Yet something smelled different about his trainer. His had felt hot and was a little sweaty. Poochyena thought he could smell something burning on his trainer's hand, but the smell was so faint that he ignored it. Yet the stench of flesh on fire began to intensify and Poochyena began to be curious. However, his curiosity lasted but only a moment. He then playfully bit his trainer's hand softly so that he would perhaps feed him.
What happened next was completely unexpected. Poochyena's trainer used to play with him when he bit his hand, but today he looked down at the little dog with a look of intense anger. Poochyena quickly let go and cowered in front of its trainer, hiding its tail beneath its legs. His trainer's eyes seemed to be on fire, and it scared him to the bone.
The trainer lifted up the arm which Poochyena had been playing with and held it high in the air. Poochyena looked up at it and began to whimper. As the arm shot towards him however, it erupted into flame. The small dog stared wide-eyed at the arm as it impacted with his body, scorching a small percentage of his hair and making the entire room smell awful.
Poochyena saw what a beast his trainer had become, something that he had never seen before. His skin had turned black and was covered in flame. The only feature Poochyena could still recognize were his eyes, except now they glowed with white fire. The small dog turned tail and bolted out of the building he had been in, pursued quickly by his former trainer. Fear clouded his senses as he ran faster and faster trying to keep himself alive.
Yet as he was running he felt a thought come to his head. He did not know where it came from, but he knew it wasn't his original thought. Go to the Master of the Island. He will know what to do. With that in mind, most of the fear left him, and the thought carried him onwards.
Suddenly Poochyena woke up. He was panting hard. Because the air was cold, he could see his breath in the air. Slowly he looked down at his amputated limb. It had finally stopped bleeding, and instead of sharp pain there was a dull throb. Poochyena also felt stinging under the fur of his cheeks. He could not understand for a while what it was until he remembered his dream. Poochyena was crying for his trainer, and the tears were freezing to his face.
Poochyena felt alone.