There is something warm on my chest. Opening my eyes, I look groggily down to find Phendrene's head on it.
"Huh?" I push myself up, rousing Phendrene too as she sits up from lying on top of me. There is no one else in the room. "Phendrene, what is it?" I ask.
"It's cold today, and you were frowning in your sleep. I was worried," she says and shuffles closer.
I don't deny her warmth being comforting, particularly now that I notice the sound of rain outside, which somehow makes me feel colder. "I didn't have any nightmares. You don't need to worry about me. I can handle things."
"Stay with us today, all right? It won't be good for your health to go out in the rain." She puts an arm around me. "And plus, your eggs might hatch soon."
"Right," I answer reflexively, feeling comfortable in her arms, before realizing immediately that I can't be complacent. I had an agreement with Night. It shouldn't take too long to inform her of not finding anyone, and coming back before anyone notices I was gone. "Hey, Phendrene… uh, could you let me get a drink?"
"But it's raining," she says and takes a glance towards the door.
"I've still got to drink when I'm thirsty. Don't worry, I'll be back." I pull myself out of her grasp and stand up, giving her a reassuring smile before turning and heading towards the door.
"Wait!" she calls, and grabs onto my arm, making me flinch. "I'll come with you."
I try to overcome the tension building in my body with a deep breath. "But it's raining," I answer back. "Be good and stay here."
"No, don't tell me to be good. I'm not a child," she replies and holds firmly. "I can stand the rain for a short while."
Without even reading her mind, I can tell from the distrustful gaze that she doesn't want me going alone.
"Let me stay with you today. Rainy days are bad luck for Charizard…" Her voice dims as she leans in against me.
"I'm not a Charizard. Won't rain hurt your fire?" I ask, concerned.
"I'll hide it under me," she explains and shifts her tail around into her hand. "Let's go."
I sigh. There's no way she will let me leave without her. Then I'll just have to outlast her in the rain. If she keeps her tail distorted in this position, she will find it very difficult to maintain balance when flying. I'm sure raindrops on their skin aren't the most comfortable, either.
I used to be afraid of rain once. As a Trapinch in the forest, the weather was already unusually cold. Having been pushed into water two times did not make me want to go out in the rain. As a Vibrava, it was slightly more doable, but my wings would function less responsively and I still did not like going outside.
I have never been in rain as a Flygon. Stepping outside, the splatter of raindrops sound much louder as I take in the familiar view of dirt and grass below a grey sky, only now all wet. Tentatively I reach an arm out, preparing for a discomforting sensation, only to find the feel rather pleasant. It is cold, but in a way that gives energy rather than takes it away. Steeling my will, I dart out and fly into the air, embracing this newfound freshness. These goggles were designed to block out sand, but they happen to be useful for rain, too.
Glancing back from above, Phendrene has followed me into the air, though her flight is wobbly, as she doesn't have her tail for balance. Seeing her uncomfortable expression, I want to go down and help her, but stop myself. I want her to become uncomfortable so she heads back, and only then I will have the opportunity to teleport briefly to meet up with Night.
It is only as I near the river do I realize how cruel that thought was. Do I really want Phendrene to feel bad? She slowly makes her way through the air and lands out of balance, almost falling over. Instinctively I hold her to help her keep balance.
I honestly don't want to see her like this. "Just go back. You can't stand the rain."
"I can," she murmurs and leans in, trembling, keeping her wings tightly around her body. "Go drink, Nova."
"I… uh, okay." Leaning down into the flowing stream, I take gulps of cold water. I wasn't lying about being thirsty. But with Phendrene watching from behind me, even as my thirst is quenched I feel more and more anxious. How am I going to tell a Charizard who followed me out into the rain to go away?
Standing back up, I turn to her. "Just go back. Flygon take longer to refill on water," I try and make up an excuse.
"I told you, I can wait," she whispers, cradling her fire in her arms. "Go on."
"Phendrene, why do you have to be so persistent?" I blurt out, becoming far too frustrated with her antics. "You follow me out into the rain just because I want to drink?"
She raises her head and stares at me. "Nova… you just want to leave, don't you?"
"I just don't understand why you would-"
"Answer me!" She grabs onto my waist with one hand, still holding her tail with the other. "You're going to leave again, aren't you?"
Finding my heartbeat quickening, I decide to give a short answer. "I just need to meet someone, then I'll come back, I promise!"
"No! No one is more important than your children, Nova!" Her words are firm and she tugs on my arm with surprising strength. "They can wait. It's raining today. Head back in, now."
There's no way she'll let me go, is there? I'll have to do it in front of her, then. "It'll just be a moment. I promise." Using my psychic power to loosen her grip, I fly out into the air.
"No!" I hear her shout, but I ignore it and close my eyes. A little focus is all it takes for me to materialize at the snowy plateau. The raindrops are replaced with little cold dots, and I look up to see snow falling from the sky. Contrary to rain, I do remember it snowing before, when I ventured here with Aya.
I shake my head. There's no time to let my thoughts go there. I glance around at the snow, but there's no sign of Night. Taking a look up, the sun has already risen some distance past the horizon. I thought she was the type to be punctual.
Perhaps she misremembered the location? That's possible, considering that they don't look all that different. I spent quite a while memorizing the features of this place before being able to teleport here. Taking to the air, I speed myself up in one direction then turn to circle around this peak, making sure to keep an eye out for Night. When two circles yield nothing, I search even further from our original meeting point, but there's still no sign of her.
I find the peak I teleported to and land in the snow. Of course, she might simply be late. But I don't have spare time to wait for her. Even if I teleport back now, I already have to face Phendrene's wrath (which admittedly is not very scary, but I'd rather not experience it regardless). On top of that, the snowfall onto me seems to be lowering my body temperature to a degree where it is making me uncomfortable.
Since I have nothing to report anyway, it's not imperative that I find her right now. I only came because we had an agreement. I didn't want to make too much noise, lest I attract the attention of unwanted hostile Salamence, but it seems like I have no choice. "Night!" I shout loudly to the surroundings. "Are you there?"
I hear my voice echo softly through the mountains. Seeing that there is no response, I prepare to teleport myself back to the cliff, when I spot something strange move in the snow, and jump into the air with caution when two red wings come into view.
"Night, is that you?" I ask as the Salamence emerges completely from the snow. I spot her face as she shakes all the snow off. "How come you're under the snow?"
"This is past sunrise!" The familiar snarky voice sounds. "Tsk, I thought the psychic Flygon would be more timely. I got bored and fell sleep, that's what."
"Oh. …Isn't it cold?" I manage to get out as I land back onto the ground.
"A little bit, but I'm used to it. Don't be late next time!" I feel bothered, because I did tell her that I tend to need more sleep than others, but decide to let her continue. "Anyways, that's not important. What did you find at Novaria?"
"Nothing," I answer swiftly, glad that we're getting straight to the point. "The Charizard were friendly, but none of them indicated knowing anything of the Prince."
"That's not too surprising, but we still should have looked. I've got nothing here on my part, either, but when did I ever?"
"So, what do we do now?" I ask with curiosity. "Should I help you look for him in the mountains?"
She is silent briefly, before answering, "Sure. But …maybe he's gone," she says, and looks sideways to the lower peaks around us, a morose expression creeping up on what used to be a confident face.
I was planning to excuse myself quickly, but not with Night like this. "It's all right. We will be able to find him eventually," I try and reassure her. "Have you no news at all from the other Salamence?"
She shakes her head slowly. "They've conducted searches before, and we never found him. I thought the psychic Flygon would know something more… but if even you don't know anything, perhaps I'll never see him again."
I don't have a good response to console her, so I just stand there in silence. Her painful expression tells me she must have cared deeply about the Prince.
"Hey!" she surprises me with a shout. "Let's settle down somewhere and go through everything we know. That way, there's a chance we might be able to uncover something."
"I have to teleport back, soon," I explain. "It is raining, and the Charizard say it's an ill omen. I don't want to worry them too much."
"That's fine! Just teleport me with you," she suggests openly and crawls up close. "I wouldn't mind seeing how the psychic Flygon's friends fare. You did ask for permission, right?"
I didn't think she actually wanted to come over. "Uhh… not really. And I wouldn't be able to talk with you about the Prince with the others around."
She frowns and tilts her head. "What? Why not? Don't tell me you're hiding your search from them?"
"What's wrong with that?" Feeling defensive, I take a step back. "I don't want them to know."
"You fool!" she shouts and steps forward aggressively, making me back up even further. "What if they know something? You can't expect to search for someone if you don't ask everyone you know!"
"Calm down. I have an obligation to keep them safe," I try to explain without retaliating. "You don't have the right to accuse me. I have no obligation to help you or the King, yet I still do."
She is silent at that remark. Only her tail flickers through the snow restlessly. "Fine. Then teleport me to them and let me ask them," she requests. "No, I won't tell them anything about you, I promise," she adds before I can speak. "We can pretend we don't know each other, that I wandered over to the east of the mountains in search of the Prince."
Meeting eyes with her, I find that her anger has vanished and instead replaced with pleading. "Why do you care so much about these people I live with?" I voice my confusions. "They are just like any other dragon. If it helps, I've asked the Salamence among them already."
"Still, they might know something. If you're not asking them, then let me do it, please. Just teleport me to the general vicinity and we can pretend we met on our way back," she offers a story.
I trust that she will uphold her word about not dragging me into this, but I'm worried that others might connect her with what I'm heading out every day for. Or will they? I have the cover story of finding Aya, and it's not a farfetched one, considering that they still think the eggs are mine.
Normally I wouldn't risk such a thing, but seeing Night so eager, I can't say no. It doesn't help that Fen really might have information on a prince, given how knowledgeable he is.
"Fine. But if you let them find out that I'm coming out to find the Prince, they might not let me anymore." That should be a good incentive for her to keep the secret. And to my relief, she nods seriously.
"So, what do I need to do for you to teleport me?" she asks.
I motion her to come close as I lean down. Placing my hand on her back, I conjure an image of the hills near the cliff. "Just relax and prepare to fly," I tell her and close my eyes. Within moments, the familiar sensation returns and the specks of cold change back into the wet raindrops.
"Rain is so much more bothersome than snow. I even have to squint my eyes," Night complains as she spreads her wings and glides forward as I float along with her. "Now, which way, Flygon?"
"That way." Willing myself ahead, I feel a surge of speed and fly in front of Night. "Remember, don't let them know of my involvement in the search."
The rain is pouring more heavily, it actively hampering my flight. My wet skin in the wind feels uncomfortable and cold, and my wings are less efficient than normal, but I can bear it for this short distance. Following the familiar terrain, we near the cliff within minutes. Through the dim mist, I spot a blue and red figure at the river, and land down towards it to find the Salamence. As I near him and see the Dratini from the stream, it becomes clear to me who it is.
"Father!" I call him as I land behind him. "You're staying out here in all this rain?"
He turns his head around at my call. "Oh, you're back. Yes, Fly has been looking forward to rain for a long time," he explains. "Haven't you, dear?"
"I wish I could be a Dragonair and fly in it!" Fly says cheerfully from out of the water with a wiggle.
"We should really bring him to the sea so he gets more exercise," Father tells me, and I feel pride from the fact that he says it like I am also Fly's guardian. "By the way, Phendrene asked for your presence when you got back."
The mention of her name makes me uncomfortable, given how I left her a while ago. I still have to face her, but as I turn around I see Night standing frozen, her eyes open wide despite the downpour.
"Blight? Is that you?" Night says, startling me with the surprise in her voice. It takes me a moment to remember that my father is famous among Salamence.
But my worry grows again when I look to my father and see him staring back as well. "Blackie? What- What are you doing here?"
"I- I just-" She stops herself with a headshake and walks forward to Father and nuzzles him on the neck, to which he even reciprocates. I've never seen my father this affectionate before.
Feeling something wrong about Father doing this with a female, I blurt out, "What's going on?"
"Nova, he… he's my brother!" Night announces with a glance at me before turning her attention back to Father.
"What." How? Could it be such a coincidence? It was obvious Spire and Father knew each other when they met. Would Night know Spire, too? Are these high-class Salamence all familiar with each other?
"I can't believe you're living with the psychic Flygon," she says to Father before my thoughts can go further, approaching to nuzzle him again.
Father distances himself from Night slightly, and looks away. "Well, actually, um…" He takes a deep breath. "He's my son."
"What?" Night jumps backwards and glances between the two of us rapidly. I don't return her gaze and instead I wish I could excuse myself from this situation. "Are you joking? How come he's psychic? You slept with a transforming Mew or something?"
"No!" Father answers with a frown, mirroring my feelings regarding the topic. "His mother was a Flygon. I don't know why he's psychic, either. None of us do."
"This is amazing!" Night says with a laugh. "I can't believe you two are father and son! Nova, with Blight, we might just be able to find-"
I immediately assault her mind, and though I don't get in, it makes her shut up. She gives me a wary look and I return an intense and furious stare. How dare she forget her promise to keep my involvement a secret?
"What's happening?" An innocent child's voice interrupts my anger. I take this opportunity to move to him and take my mind off this newly discovered relative.
"Father's sister came," I say as I bend down at the river to speak to Fly. "Do you want to see her?"
He gives a firm nod, and I pick him up gently from the stream. Night watches in wonder as I introduce him, "This is my brother, Fly."
"Hello!" he says. "You are my aunt?"
"Yes!" She turns to Father, who has been silent for a while. "Wow, you had him with a Flygon? Does that even work?"
"No, Fly is Nova's half-brother," Father says quietly, and only then do I actually remember this fact. I had long since thought of Fly as a true sibling. Not that it should matter. "Hey, Nova, let us talk for a while," Father adds. "Phendrene's request to see you seemed… urgent," he finishes with a strange tone in his voice, making it almost like a warning.
I nod and give Fly to Father, and with a jump immediately zip off to the cliff. I try to attribute my discomfort to the rain but I know it's really because Night is related to Blight. I've given this secret about my search to someone that might reveal it. If they come to know of it, I am sure everyone will discourage me. I will still persevere, however; I will continue this selfless deed in the face of adversary.
I pull the door open and retreat inside, shaking my body violently if only to get some of the water off. To my surprise, no one greets me at all. I would expect them to be inside at this time, but Phendrene, Rue, and Spire are all missing.
"Phendrene!" I shout, remembering my father's words. "I'm back!"
The door creaks open and is replaced by a red figure looking out. The way her eyes flicker with a sudden brightness as she sees me tells me it's Phendrene, but the shine disappears as soon as it comes.
"I'm sorry, Phendrene," I begin to say as she walks forward steadily, "I had to go, because I-"
I find myself unable to speak as she walks right up into my face, suddenly staring up at me defiantly. Before I can ask her anything, she raises her hand, trembling, and slaps me across the face.
I don't react, but instead simply stare at her. If it were anyone else, I'd have sensed the hostility and mentally prepared myself to avoid an attack, but not Phendrene. The pain registers as I feel my face and the claw marks, and gaze back at her. Phendrene? I default to mind-reading, wanting to get a grasp of her emotions. What's wrong? Surely my leaving didn't warrant that?
Her defiant expression breaks down at my messages and she leaps forward, wrapping her arms around me. "Nova, why?" she says as she begins to sob and bury her head into my neck. "Why did you lie to me?"
I'm not sure why she responded to me out loud, but if she does I will too. "I wasn't going to be gone for long, so I decided to not say it to you," I explain truthfully. I wouldn't be able to lie with her holding me this tightly.
But she only continues sobbing as she shakes her head. "That's not it, Nova." She lifts her teary-eyed face up to stare at me. "You- You never even had a mate, did you?"
"Of course I did! She was-" The lie comes to me so reflexively I don't even realize she just accused me of it until halfway through it. Why would she say that I never had a mate, if my eggs were here?
I stiffen in shock. The eggs. That's how she knew my lie.
"Move," I say flatly and push her off me. She provides surprisingly little resistance as I head to her father's door and barge in. Fen is sitting on his chair, and on his table two eggs lie there just like they always were. But aside them, wrapped in a blanket and coated in a sheen of wetness and even small pieces of egg shells, is a Gible.
Ignoring Fen's glare, I rush over to the table to examine the newborn. It is relaxing peacefully with its eyes closed, completely unaware of all of the drama surrounding its hatching.
For a moment I doubt that they are Vie's, but no, I made no mistake. I found these eggs under Vie's cave from her dying message. These are definitely Vie's children. Still… a Gible? I have never even spoken to a Garchomp. Where did Vie find one?
"I think it'd be best if you tell us why you stole eggs," Fen says as he stands up. "Explain."
I'm sure there were no Garchomp residing in the desert. Vie wouldn't mate with one out of nowhere. Could it be… the father has a hidden Garchomp gene?
"Nova!" Fen, seeing my lack of response, pulls on me, but with a swift motion of my arm I push him back.
"Shut up!" I growl at his startled face menacingly. "I'm trying to work out who the father is!"
"So you know the mother?" Phendrene asks worriedly, having followed me back in. "Is it Vie? Or the other Flygon…"
"None of your business. Shut up and let me think!"
She makes a surprised expression as well, until her father puts a hand on her shoulder to comfort and perhaps stop her from continuing. I turn my gaze back to the Gible immediately; there's no spare effort to waste on taking care of her feelings.
I suspected that perhaps she met some wild Flygon, but that's out of the question. Garchomp genes would express over Flygon ones. That means Hale is out of the question as well, as unlikely as it was in the first place. Which other males were around at the time? Blight, my father. I wouldn't want that to happen, and I don't think it did, either, considering if Blight had a recessive Garchomp allele, I would not be a Flygon.
And that leaves one other male.
I close my eyes and let my mind return to those days. Vie did interact with him somewhat affectionately, at least moreso compared to her hostile stance when he first appeared to us. And after hearing Vie's death, he would have no reason to cry or show grief, since to the rest of us they were not supposed to be close: so that's why he simply ran off. Nor did I ever see him happy or open again after his mate died.
Spire. Vie's mate was Spire. How did it even happen? Was it the time I flew away and fell in love with someone inexplicably, too? I feel a sense of bitter nostalgia as I stand up straight and lean back on the wall instead. Vaguely do I notice the Charizard eyes following me, but neither of them dare make a move.
Vie… Do you remember when we promised to be mates as children? I remember how you took that to heart, and even tried to make it work, whereas being a foolish and immature Flygon back then, I didn't even understand what you were doing. I suppose it is also fate, then, that you somehow found love the same time I did, though we were apart. I would never have guessed that you would become mates with Spire, but I hope he gave you happiness.
…I can't believe I'm speaking to myself and pretending Vie can hear me. I don't have time for sentimental emotions like this. What can I do now that Phendrene and Fen know the eggs aren't mine? They are both watching me from aside patiently, surely ready to continue their accusation of me as a liar and thief. Vie left these eggs in my care, and I thought I could leave them here in what I thought were better hands. But if these Charizard think they know better than me, the psychic, then they are foolish.
The father would probably recognize that the Gible is his, if he knows of his lineage. Surely I can't let the useless and ill-tempered Spire keep them? I don't know what Vie saw in Spire, but it certainly was not his maturity. Even I would make a better father than that sad excuse for a Salamence. Yes, Vie left the eggs to me. I will be the one to take care of them to make sure they grow up the best they can.
But there's only one way I can keep the children out of his reach. I'm going to have to take the eggs away from here.
Is it really the best decision? I would have to hunt on my own, but I've made peace with that fact. Without the adults' guidance it also would surely be more difficult. The lack of companions means I have to watch over them all the time, meaning I must forgo my other duties. But Vie's dying request comes first, before that of the Salamence King. And despite these downsides, it would foster their independence and allow them to be closer to each other.
It's my only choice. If I told everyone here about everything, they would surely all side with Spire and let him raise the children, just because he's their father. I have seen enough birth parents fail to take care of their children. Just because you're physiologically mature and managed to mate with someone doesn't mean you deserve to be a parent.
It will be lonely and difficult, but I will stay strong. If it turns out to be suboptimal, I can simply bring them back. But for now, as a starting point, I have to take them away, before anyone knows and suspects anything.
Pushing myself off the wall, both Phendrene and Fen are startled. How much time has passed during my thoughts? It doesn't matter. I close in on the table again, and pick up the two eggs while keeping an unnoticeable telekinetic hold on the Gible. But only now does it come to mind I've forgotten where I can teleport. Simply out of sight would be enough to separate us from them, giving me time to make a more informed decision, and perhaps offer an ultimatum to bring them back here. But it's raining heavily, and I don't know if a newborn can handle it.
"What are you doing, Nova?" Phendrene places her my hand on my arm, surely questioning why I just picked up the two eggs. "They might hatch soon, too. Keep them here."
I'll just teleport them to the forest. There is a shelter there, and if I need immediate help I can seek out Lin. But I also have privacy so no one questions me about the eggs. It's not too far away, either; with my enhanced flight I can fly back here within hours. The teleport distance is also not too large to tax me, like the southern beach will. The desert is another option, but I have no time to consider it as Phendrene reaches for the eggs.
Shoving her out of the way with a bump, I lean down close to the Gible, wanting to include it in the teleport. But just as I conjure up an image of the forest clearing I feel Phendrene grasp and hold me closely by the waist. In a panic to remove her, I try and divert my attention to think of other places to cancel the teleport. But it has already been prepared, and when an image of just above the cliff flashes into my mind, the teleportation takes the past of least resistance and relentlessly tugs me away.
Suddenly there is a barrage of rainfall onto me as I lose control of the eggs and the Gible. My first instinct is to try and keep everything levitated, and I manage to save the eggs and Gible from falling, but the pained shouts of Phendrene distract me as I quickly lower everything to the ground. Turning around, I find a wet Phendrene shielding her tail under her body and shivering, all the while looking up at me with sadness in her eyes.
Before either of us can talk, there is an alarming shout in the distance. "Wait! Why are you two out here?" Father quickly glides over, leaving me no times to hide the Gible and eggs. "Nova! How dare you teleport a Charizard into the rain! …What's that behind you?"
"No, don't teleport!" I hear Phendrene cry as I leap over to the eggs and Gible and close my eyes. But before I can materialize an image, something strong grabs onto my tail and flings me away to the side. I right myself with levitation and look back to see Father with a serious frown.
"Retreating into your own little world again? That's a bad habit of yours." He climbs over and shields the children from the rainfall. "If a Gible hatched from it, this means they aren't yours. I never thought my own son would thieve eggs," he concludes in a disappointed tone.
I can't let him insult me like that. "What do you know? I was left in charge to take care of these eggs. They're as good as mine!" I shout back in defiance.
"What's going on? Why's there a Charizard in this rain?" Night calls as she flies over, but as I turn to her I spot another Salamence behind her whom I absolutely do not want to see here. An anxiety creeps within me as I rush over to try and grab at least the Gible to hide it from view, but Father stands firm.
"Please, Father, I'll explain to you later," I whisper a plead.
He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "If you want to take the children, you have to explain to all of us here, and now."
"Are you all right?" Night goes over to Phendrene to ask.
Phendrene looks startled at the presence of a stranger, but she answers anyway. "I'm fine, thank you. As long as I protect my tail I can stand the rain. But please don't let Nova leave again."
"Nova?" Night turns around. "What is this all about?"
I have no attention to spare on the others. My eyes are transfixed on Spire, who crawls over to Father. "Hey, Blight… What's that under you?"
I shake my head silently to Father, if only to keep him silence, but it appears that my negative response only makes him speak. "I'm shielding Nova's eggs from the rain. Or at least what Nova claims to be his eggs."
"They're not his?" Spire asks, confused.
I want to pry them away from each other, but I can only stand there as Father reveals it to Spire. "One of the eggs hatched. It's a Gible." Father raises his leg to let us see. The Gible seems somewhat disturbed but still asleep. "But for some reason, Nova decided to teleport them away with them. It seems fortunate that Phendrene managed to keep him here by hindering his teleport."
Spire doesn't answer and instead looks to me, as his eyes turn to me slowly and accusingly. I return a solemn, serious gaze, not willing to show any hesitance or weakness. The others seem to have noticed as well, and look to us as the dread in my heart grows more and more, not at all helped by the constant drops of rain on my body. The tension becomes unbearable as finally Spire leaps at me with a snarl. With swiftness I extend my hands and throw him over myself.
"What was that, Scourge?" Night asks as she takes flight over, but I take note of the name immediately as her face fills with apprehension.
"What did you just call him?" I shoot up and stop right in front of her. When she doesn't respond and tries to fly around me, I grab onto her leg. "I'm asking you! What did you just call Spire!"
"That's enough, Nova," Father calls from below. "You should have told me you were trying to find the Prince."
I stop and keep myself in the air. Could it really be that these Salamence are all related and all part of the royal family? How did I have the misfortune to run into all of them at once?
No, I did run into others. But they weren't the least bit likely to join our little group. The royal family is somehow riddled with half-bloods, making them have the sympathy for us different species. And who would bother teaching their children to be psychic resistant in a world where psychics are all but gone? Only the royalty.
And to think Night had just told me prior that the Prince's mother was a Garchomp. I should have thought about it more. I can't believe I was so careless.
Finding myself out of breath, I lower myself carefully to the floor and let the rain calm me. It's been too much. First him being Vie's mate, and then being the Prince. Why him? That pathetic, craven Salamence only knows how to incite hatred and nothing more. Why does he matter at all?
"Those are my eggs!" he finally shouts from aside, captivating everyone's attention.
"Really?" Night asks from his side. "I know your mother was a Garchomp, but Scourge-"
"Don't call me that terrible name! He gave me it and I hate him!" Spire snarls. "When they killed her, he did nothing! He was the King, should have done something!"
"Calm down!" Night tries to comfort him, but I've had enough of hearing this snivelling Salamence before everyone inevitably sides with him.
With all the revelations, I only need more time to think alone what to do with these eggs. Charging at my father with a resolute determination, I muster as much psychic force as I can and fling him out of the way, inciting yelps of surprise. I hold the children close and try to think of an image of elsewhere, but a sudden painful burn in my backside sends me flying forward past Phendrene. I bend my head around and immediately summon a pulse which hits Night right in the face.
"No, don't fight!" Phendrene begs us, but there's no way to resolve this by words. None of them know of what Vie said to me as she lay dying, and there's no way to convince them of it. If they won't let me take the eggs I have been entrusted to, I'll have to battle and defeat them.
In the corner of my vision I see Father crawl over as Night rights herself. Spire, as usual, is looking on from the side, too afraid and weak to join the battle. I keep wary of the two Salamence as they pace around me.
"Why, Nova?" Night breaks the silence. "I thought you were a good person. I didn't think you would steal Scourge's eggs."
"He is misguided," Father comments with a sideways look. "He believes that simply because he is psychic, that he knows better than anyone else. Just a young, arrogant, and foolish Flygon."
My father's words take me by surprise. "Is that… what you think of me?" I ask, hurt that my own father would say that. "I thought you cared about me as a father, Blight!" I yell out, materializing my negative emotions after keeping them in for so long.
"Yes, I do," he returns in kind. "And it's a father's duty to correct his son when he goes on the wrong path. Now, get away from the eggs. Or else."
Who is he to order me like that? "Never! These eggs are mine to protect and care for alone! How could I trust you to do a good job of parenting for them, seeing how you abandoned me?"
He stops pacing. "So you're not going to move?" he asks in a strangely calm tone.
I will stand my ground. "No. I'm taking them with me."
With that response, he suddenly charges forward straight at me, and I have no other option but to teleport immediately up into the air. Turning around I fire another pulse at Father – no, I won't call him that – and Blight takes the brunt of it in his back. But he seems unfazed and takes to the air, lunging at me again. I swiftly traverse out of the way only to feel another burn in my side.
I'll have to get rid of his annoying sister first. Ignoring the pain, I speed towards the female Salamence and lash my claws across her side. Her gasp of pain and the blood on my hands give me doubts, but I quell them down. If I don't give my all fighting against two competent Salamence, I very well may lose.
Quickly I swerve around yet again, and take a strong telekinetic hold on Night as she is still writhing in pain. Flipping her around with a swift motion of my arm, I charge up a pulse that hits her directly in the stomach before she lets out a groan and lays limp.
My short-lived victory is interrupted by a ferocious growl as Blight comes charging at me again, surely enraged by my treatment of his sister. He still thinks he has a chance against me after I have gotten so used to my psychic abilities. Teleporting immediately behind him, I grab his wing and slice through it, eliciting another shout of surprise.
But this Salamence is tough and quick, immediately swinging his tail right into my chest. I take it full force and am sent flying backwards, my teeth clattering painfully against each other from the knockback. I gather enough focus to levitate myself upright as I feel a savoury taste in my mouth. It only takes a moment to realize that it's my own blood.
Seeking revenge for that attack, I charge back at Blight, whose flight is now unbalanced because of his wing injury. Taking a short teleport underneath him, I fire a pulse point blank before blinking out with another teleport. I feel a pang of cruel satisfaction as his legs try to attack where I was just a moment ago only to find me missing. They all said you were strong, but you can't outmanoeuvre this elusive psychic, can you?
"Stop fighting!" Phendrene shouts from below, somehow still outside in the rain. "You two are father and son! How could you fight each other?"
I completely disregard her calls, and so does he. We charge head on at one another once more, and before we reach each other I materialize behind him once again, but this time he expects it and turns to fire a breath straight in my face. It gives me a corrosive feeling and I stop to cough before he lunges at me and strikes me full force in the chest.
The pain is excruciating as I teleport high above to escape him. Clutching my chest with my eyes closed, I feel that he has broken something inside. …My own father would do this?
There's no time for emotions. I hear him roar as he flies up to attack me again, but for now I just need to stay away from him. Blinking short distances away to the mountains, I try and steady my breath, but the frequent teleports only tire me more and more. I'm more agile than him, but he's much tougher than me. There's no way I can beat him up close, but firing pulses from afar won't work either. Am I really too weak to defeat him? It can't be…
"Stop! Flying! Away!" he growls as he chases after me relentlessly. Learning to use just levitation, I still manage to elude him, but he doesn't seems to tire in his chase. I am afraid to move my wings too much, because every time my muscles move it brings a new wave of pain in my chest. The misty distance and the silhouettes of mountains seem alluring. I could just run away… but no, I have to save Vie's eggs. But what way is there? I look up to the grey sky and wonder if there is anyone up there that can help me. If only my strongest skill, my telekinesis, would work on him…
I notice the raindrops fall directly onto my goggles and suddenly in a flash of inspiration I realize there is something I can use. He's resistant to my psychic grip, sure, but the world around us isn't. There's still a way to beat him. Suppressing down the desire to cover my wound with my arms, I extend them out upwards and try and gather the rain above me. In the downpour, they coalesce into a large sphere of water rapidly, and in a swift motion I throw it as hard as possible into the Salamence pursuer.
He lets out a reassuring yelp of surprise before the water overwhelms him. As a non-psychic, without control of his wings, he tumbles down, losing altitude quickly and crashes onto the hillside with a resonating and satisfying thud. Swooping down quickly, I find him lying on his side and unable to move. The adrenaline of victory overrides the pain of my injury, as I stand triumphant above him.
It takes a moment to realize that he's not moving.
"F-father?"
A dread creeps up within me as I step closer to his body. There is blood dripping from his mouth, and his eyes are unfocused. I bend over and place my right arm to his neck, to check for a pulse… only to have him suddenly catch my arm in a vicious bite.
The physical pain in my arm is nothing compared to the betrayal I feel. How dare he play with my emotions? Using my free left arm, once again I redirect the rainfall, this time to surround my arm and his face. I suppress the pain of my arm injury coming in contact with water, determined to suffocate him until he lets go. No matter how tough he is, he still has to breathe.
When his grip finally slackens as he begins to cough, I levitate above into the air immediately. "How pitiful, using my moment of weakness against me," I say down to him. Now he will stay here, and I will head back to retrieve the eggs rightfully.
But just as I am about to leave to return to the cliff, a small flash of red appears and lunges at the defeated Salamence. "How dare you hurt him!" I hear the Growlithe shout as she tries to bite my father's exposed stomach. A twinge of amusement flashes in my father's eyes as, with horror, I come to realize what he's planning. He doesn't regard their life as anything. Desperate to save her, I teleport down close immediately, grab onto her scruff, and throw her away. I don't have any time to react as Blight gets a tight hold around my neck.
Growlithe rights herself and looks to me with wide eyes, but I only shake my head. It's raining! What are you even doing here! Didn't I tell you the other dragons will kill you? Just run, run!
She takes one last glance at me and scarpers off into a crevice in the hill and disappears immediately. She must live here and go down to the stream to drink and saw me fighting. That Growlithe… she wanted to help me, but little did her childish mind know that it actually doomed me. Now trapped in Blight's chokehold, I am unable to speak nor muster enough concentration to use my telekinesis.
"Ah, I finally caught you, my dear son," Blight says in an infuriatingly patronizing tone and looks down at me. "You aren't going anywhere until you calm down."
The hold is extremely uncomfortable as the rain falls on my face, but I am acutely aware that struggling will only make it worse. I try to conjure an image of somewhere else, but he is holding me so close that I can't separate us as an entity. And with his immense psychic resistance, doing anything to him is impossible. I try and reach out to the rain, but before I can even gather a little water he tightens his hold and instinctively my arm comes back to grasp on it.
It's unfair! I outsmarted him with my powers, yet it was twice because of my empathic heart that gave him the opportunity to unleash a last ditch effort that somehow, finally worked. But I really have no one to blame but myself. Having long since rationalized that the world is cruel and has no place for sentimentality, I tried to forgo it. But I can't… Even though I tried to think of only Vie's eggs as my motivation, my heart still wavers with care when the opportunity arises. Unlike him, who uses these moments of care only as opportunities to overcome his opponent. Yet that is exactly why he won.
Why? Why must the world punish those with a good heart? I wanted nothing but to make Vie's children happy, and shouldered this burden by myself for months, and what was my retribution? My selfless wishes only made everyone hate me. They call me names and my father would even attack me. Why…
"Hey, you two." A familiar annoying voice sounds behind us, and from the corner of my vision appears the yellow-green figure of a Haxorus. "There's no need to explain. I've heard everything from Phendrene." She sits down above us on the slope. "Blight, why are you holding Nova like that?"
"So he doesn't run away like he tried to."
I latch onto her appearance as the last chance I have. No, attack him! Free me! You don't understand, but I need to protect Vie's eggs!
"So they are Vie's. Good to know," she says, unmoved. "No, I will not attack Blight. That doesn't mean I'm siding with him either. I'm very disappointed in both of you. You say you want to protect Vie's eggs, Nova?" she questions me as she gives me a sideways glance. "You didn't. Whilst you two were busy fighting, Spire tried to take his children. Phendrene and I managed to keep the two eggs, but the Gible…"
Blight and I react simultaneously. No… It can't be! "He took the Gible?"
"Yes, it can be, and yes, he took the Gible," Rue answers both of us. "Phendrene could not pursue in the rain, and I can't even fly. So despite being stronger, there was no way for us to get him back. He probably left for good." Rue sighs. "So if either of your intention was to protect the children, you failed."
I am in shock at this result. I have fought for this so hard, and resigned to a fate of the children being under care of everyone else… but for Spire to take one? That's even worse!
"I'm fine with that," Blight says, surprising me. "At least he is their father. Better him have it than Nova. I'd give the remaining two eggs to him, too."
"No!" I manage to shout out loud, as his grip has loosened with Rue's revelation. "How could you say that?"
"I see your point, Blight, but for now Phendrene has safeguarded the eggs. Nova's definitely not taking them, at least," Rue answers. "You can let go of him now. He won't be able to find the eggs even if he teleports."
Grudgingly, my father removes his arm from my neck, but I am too lethargic to even move away from my father. All I fought for… was it in vain? Will they just give the eggs to Spire and let him run off with them, when he can't even take care of himself?
"I don't know what got into you," Rue begins to lecture as she looks at me condescendingly. "Just because you were the only one Vie told, doesn't mean you lie to the rest of us about it. But at least you're still celibate, eh?" She moves her hand over to pat me on the head, but I've had enough.
"Don't patronize me!" I yell as I swat away her hand. "I knew what I was doing! Vie entrusted the eggs to me, so I was taking care of them! It's all because you interfered…"
I begin to feel tears forming in my eyes, and don't even hear the response that they give. I've lost all I stood for. I always wanted good for this world. When I realized I wasn't doing anything but caring within my mind, I took affirmative action and tried to do what I thought was best. I alone took on the burden of these secrets for months, not telling anyone else lest it worry them, and I tried so hard to make them come true. But no one thinks of me this way! They can't read my mind, they don't know why I did all this. They just think I'm a crazy, unstable child.
Help me… Someone, anyone… Please. I can't take this anymore.I cry out in my mind, but it's hopeless. There is no other psychic in this world, is there? No one will ever understand.
No. You're wrong.
Huh? There is a sensation that gives me a thought, but it clearly doesn't originate from myself. What? Who are you?
I'm another psychic. I sensed your distress, so I came to help.
My heart rises at the message. Really? You're there? I'm not imagining this?
No, you're not, Nova. I am really another psychic. And I know the pain you've been through, both physical and emotional. Please… Come with me, and let me guide you.
I sit up and look to the sky, my pain almost vanishing, completely ignoring the two curious gazes. "Yes. Please take me with you!"
Yes, dear. Just relax, and everything will be all right.
Something envelops me as I feel another mind's presence, soothing my lost soul. It is within this peaceful bliss that I feel something soft against me. With my eyes closed, I feel a familiar tugging sensation, this time not powered by me but another psychic. In the consolation that someone just like me exists, I finally am able to escape from all the painful thoughts and find rest…
I take quick breaths and hold my child close as I fly through the cold rain. Looking down at him, for the first time I feel happy ever since she had died.
Vie. The Flygon that tried to attack me the first time we met each other. If I were asked at that time, I would never believe that I would come to love her as a mate.
It was such a peculiar process. Nova's disappearance was harrowing for everyone, even me. Though at first I was angry about his attempt to read my mind, I came to realize just how much he had sacrificed for us by outing himself. And then he simply disappeared. Everyone was frantic, the Haxorus organizing flight expeditions to find him alive or dead, the Charmeleon evolving herself prematurely to join in the search, and Blight even storming Lyrl once more to inquire of his whereabouts. (Without the Dratini, the mass of Flygon were still no match for him.)
It was during that chaotic time that I came to know Vie more and more. It began with us talking to each other. Without that Flygon, even the noisiest ones became quieter, and the cheery and friendly atmosphere ceased to exist. Perhaps it was out of boredom, she approached me first and inquired about my life. It was the first time anyone had really cared about me. So I let my walls come down, and threw off the mask of apathy.
She, too, confided in me her deepest thoughts. How she so regretted her juvenile hatred of the Salamence, and how Nova came to dislike her for it. She also spoke of her closeness with her brother, but she craved something a brother could not give.
So I gave it to her, and she returned it in kind.
I've always felt guilty. I never told her anything about my past, my lineage. It was something I swore I would never reveal to anyone. Unlike Blight, who doesn't even remember to change his name, I was not at all proud of being part of the royal family. After my father let my mother die, I wanted to pretend that this heritage didn't even exist.
I couldn't lie to myself, though. I know I was really the Salamence Half-Blood Prince. And if she were to mate and bear my children, it was something I had to tell her. I kept on telling myself that I would do it, but would fail to muster up the courage every time. Whenever we met in a tryst, I preferred to take refuge in her comforting arms instead of risking her affection.
But then she died. The only happiness I had found in my life was taken away. All that's left of her are our children, which that Flygon tried to take away too, but failed to.
"It will be all right," I look down and tell my child, not caring if he understands. "Mother is gone, but Father is here for you. The Charizard and the Haxorus were so determined on keeping your unborn brothers and sisters. If I were stronger, I would be able to stop them. I'm sorry for being so weak. Only your mother knew that I feign my incompetence at hunting because I hate taking lives. I don't want to hurt anyone." My voice begins trembling as I hold my child closer. "But there's no place for someone weak like me in this world. It was only thanks to Blight that I even managed to save you. It's just us two now, and we can't rely on anyone else. I have to be strong. And I will teach you to be strong."