"... Once the blessed (also named 'malaikah'), has proven their worth, their spark shall ignite. And from their once normal body, a new guardian shall emerge. This is called 'the ascension', and only happens to a worthy blessed when the world is in peril."
-Rites and Beliefs of the Shimabara, author unknown
He was falling again.
Down that dark, shapeless void again.
Feeling alone and lost, again.
But this time, he was not himself.
Instead, he was watching from below, as if he was some sort of voyer just… watching.
Or perhaps more accurately, it was as if he was a spider. Waiting for the little chick pokémon to fall on his web.
He saw large, sharp looking tentacles, all blinking a gentle magenta light on his point of view, though somehow he knew the drowning togepi that represented himself was unaware of this lurking presence.
"Such a fragile and confused little thing… craving for the meaning only I can give."
That voice was like a cacophony of many other distorted voices, plus a distinctive sound of broken glass scratching a mirror. That was the closest way he could use to put what he heard in words.
Before he could analyze any further, the vision suddenly cut off to a kneeling Kommo-o, battered and bruised, with a similarly looking cloaked monster right in front of her.
"They are far from your reach… you have failed… your obsession ends now, creature." The adult laughed, slowly getting up, with her battered body shaking from the pain she was apparently feeling, "had you but moved sooner… had you but followed a single one of the voices in your head, had you but chosen the right master…"
She leered at him, smirking victoriously, despite her pitiful state, "Had you done any of those things, you would have won. That's the irony of it all. You have fallen for my bluff, and you have misled both your masters thanks to your own fixation."
The shape had half its mask destroyed, the other half severely injured. It seemed to be in some sort of internal struggle, demonstrating more emotion than Lawrence believed was ever possible. Even more unlikely, Kommo-o seemed conflicted herself, a soft expression present on her usually stern draconic face.
"You're still in there. I know it. Look at what you're doing. Please, come back to me…" She took a step forward, reaching out with her armored hand, "come back to her..."
It put both its harms around its head, screaming in a strange mixture of agony and anger. The roaring dark purple aura around him returning with full force.
"Fight against it. It's hard, but I know you can do it. Perhaps no other pokémon can escape its grasp, but I know you can!" Kommo-o's voice, surprisingly, cracked a bit. She was showing more emotion to this thing than she had to any of the children.
"Unlike other pokémon…" he spoke, in a deep, eerily calm voice, "... I have chosen this."
"And it's all your fault…" He whispered, but to Lawrence it sounded like a shout, that kept repeating on his head over and over, "... Everything is."
"Such tragedy! No need to thank me for allowing you to feast your eyes upon this sight. I ask you but one small thing: remember me, my ever so lovable…"
That voice, again in its alien tone, hurt his mind. He felt like if it spoke a single word, it could completely obliterate his head. He felt like it knew it too, and as such it picked its words carefully.
"lAwREncE…" That single word made Lawrence's head feel like it was gonna pop, the way it spoke reminding him of that aberration that tried eating him in that nightmarish dungeon.
Chapter XI: After the Storm
"A-AH!" Shouted the togepi, his heart was beating like a drum, his head was ringing as if he just got hit by a baseball bat in the ear.
When he looked around, his heart slowly started to calm itself. The unmistakable sounds of death and despair that only Mirari could produce assaulted his hearing was, paradoxically, comforting the little pokémon.
The fairy's heavy breathing quieted down when he could better analyze his surroundings. The cool, nightly breeze cools him down, even making him shiver.
In front of him, a moderate fire burned, saving them from the freezing temperatures of the desert's cruel night.
Laying right by his side, a jangmo-o snored peacefully (which meant that, to everyone else but her, the dragoness was snoring very loudly).
Now with his mind picking up the pieces of what had happened, Lawrence found only pain. Not the kind of pain he felt fighting, or training. It was worse. Way worse.
Emotional pain. Psychological, the one where it wasn't some external force provoking it, but his own heart, stabbing him with his own feelings.
It felt af if someone was grabbing Lawrence's heart, squeezing it and trying to rip it off his chest. He couldn't help but sniff, slapping his stumpy hands on his head, trying to muster enough strength to hurt himself and maybe get distracted from the pain from within, but no such luck.
He wasn't strong enough to finish off that creature, he wasn't strong enough to protect his friends and he wasn't strong enough to punish himself, even.
Each weak blow on the togepi's crested head only resulted in quiet sounds of slapping, and the sound of his pendant moving to match his movements.
"If you wanted to stay dead you should just jump in the fire." Came a scary, somewhat youthful voice, almost giving the togepi a heart attack, "Punching yourself to death is highly ineffective."
The fairy froze, feeling a chill down his spine. The young human turned pokémon could only pray that creepy voice was just his head playing tricks on him.
"Running in the desert at this time of the night with no supplies is a fine way to go too. Though that one might take a little while."
"W-W-Who- W-W-Where-" Lawrence frantically looked around, desperate to find the source of the voice.
"Behind you, dweeb."
Slowly the togepi turned around, only to see a figure just glaring at him, leaning on the wall of the cave, their golden eyes piercing his camouflage like the sun would pierce the night sky. It had small stones in its claws, silently using them to sharpen those deadly body parts.
"Good morning." The sneasel waved with a neutral expression, other than a hint of a smirk. Throwing away one of the used teeth-like stones, picking up another from his bag.
"AAAAAAH-" The togepi took a step back on instinct, tripping on Mirari's tail and stumbling his way to the scorching fire.
Only to find himself getting his pendant grabbed by the dark type, holding the little fairy just far enough away from the fire to not get any injuries, yet he could still feel its painful licks.
The ice type's speed was so shocking the togepi's eyes couldn't even process his savior's movement.
Immediately following the stumble, the dragon type beside him woke up as well, looking around just as confusedly, though much more bravely than her friend.
"H-Hey! You let him go!" Mirari growled, her little scales clanging as she made a threatening pose.
"Sure. Didn't know you wanted boiled togepi for breakfast." He rolled his eyes, then pulled the togepi towards his direction, making him slam his head on Seneasel's surprisingly soft dark fur.
"Ouch…" Lawrence groaned, safely falling on his rump right in front of the sneasel. Still feeling his headaches from before, now stronger due to the stress.
"Your little pal here sure is jumpy." Sneasel rolled his eyes once more, shrugging and cleaning his fur of dust, picking the rock back up to keep sharpening his claws.
Ignoring the dark type, Mirari quickly ran to the togepi's side, jumping on top of him, her red eyes scanning his every cell, looking for any hint of an injury, finding none.
"Oh Arceus Lawrence! You're okay! Thank goodness!" She breathed a huge sigh of relief, nuzzling him quite roughly not long after.
"I was so worried! You were all like-" She dramatically gesticulated with her paws, "Then Pichu came and-" She kept making all sorts of exaggerated expressions and poses. He failed to understand most of them, "And then you just like, did all that crazy stuff! Then Mama came and- Wait where's Mama and Pichu!?"
"C-Can't… breathe…" Muttered the togepi, slapping the dragon meekly.
"Oh! Sorry!" She giggled a bit, blushing and looking away awkwardly.
The duo couldn't help but look at the Sneasel, just leering at them from the wall, silently staring.
"...What?" He was the first to break the embarrassing silence.
"Um. Is he your friend, Lawry? Maybe a cousin!?"
"W-Wha- No! He doesn't even look like me!" He turns around and apologetically bows his head to the very confused Sneasel, "S-Sorry, mister! She sometimes doesn't think things through before speaking!"
The figure just kept staring curiously at them, waving his claws in a dismissive way.
"Gosh, Lawry! There's so much we need to talk! There's so much I wanna say-!"
"I-I'm sorry…"
"Huh?" The little dragon couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion at the sudden interruption.
"I'm sorry… It's my fault we're here, away from Pichu and Miss Kommo-o…" He sniffed, small tears of shame forming in his eyes, "I-I let you two get hurt! I almost… I almost sacrificed you and Pichu due to my c-cowardice! And when I had the chance to do something I j-just!... I-I j-just…"
The jangmo-o saw small tears falling from the togepi's eyes, his stumpy hands on his forehead.
The fairy was surprised to find his body once more pressed against Mirari's surprisingly warm, scaly one, her tail wrapping around him in a hug.
"You really like crying, don't ya!" She half whispered, in her ever so cheerful tone, "The only one blaming you is you… I'm sure Pichu and Mama hold nothing against you either!"
"B-But…"
"Shush! No buts!" Mirari interrupted, "You saved us, silly! Didn't you hear what I've said before? You were amazing!"
Lawrence blushed at the barrage of sudden compliments the jangmo-o usually throws his way, but quickly jumped once he realized the figure was still silently hearing their exchange, "Let's talk about it later, ok?" He whispers to Mirari, gulping nervously.
As if she suddenly remembered too, she looks behind her to those unflinching yellow eyes, nodding to the fairy and shutting up.
Silence soon followed, only the howling of the winds and the burning fire daring to make sounds.
"S-So… You helped yes, y-yeah?"
"I guess."
"Oh! Um! Thank you, mister!"
"Sure."
"Y-You're not gonna eat us, are you?"
"Nope. Not hungry."
Both of the kids stared at each other, unnerved by that response, "B-But what if you get hungry...?"
"Got some berries in the bag." He smirked at the two of them, who quickly sighed in relief.
"You won't stalk us in the middle of the night nor try to abduct us for no reason, will you?"
"Nah. Not my style." The sneasel said in a half-sarcastic, almost playful way.
"Y-You won't try to murder us in any way?"
"'Murder' is a strong word. I prefer, 'collect what's due'."
The duo gulped again at how sharply he replied, showing little to no hint of sarcasm or humor.
"Though by what I've gathered, you two don't seem like you'd have any value." He chuckles a bit to himself at his little 'joke'.
"Hey! Me and Lawrence are pretty valuable!"
"Oh yeah? Then I'll have to collect your bounties…"
Lawrence hastily jumps and grabs the dragoness's muzzle, holding it shut, "S-She's joking! We're worth less than dirt, M-Mister! I don't think y-you could pay anything with what you'd get from us, hahahah…"
Sneasel only chuckles to himself once more, "Don't worry. I've seen enough to know." He sighs, picking up his bag and buckling it up.
"You are quite the… strange pair, but you don't seem like outlaws. Nor fugitives." He leered once more at them, noticing the jangmo-o breaking free from Lawrence's grasp, "Just stay out of trouble and we won't meet again."
The older pokémon turned around, tossing away the teeth like pebble. He adjusted a black cloth he wore around his shoulders as he moved away from the two, "W-Wait! Mister!" Shouted the young ones, running towards the dark type to cut his path.
"...What?" He said, in mild annoyance.
"You saved us!" Mirari declared, much to his confusion.
"Y-Yeah… W-We were in the middle of the desert before!"
"So...?"
"S-So… Thanks! Um. Mister...?" The togepi interjected.
"Sneasel."
"J-Just Sneasel?"
"Just Sneasel."
"Well! Thanks for helping us out, mister Sneasel!"
"Please, no 'mister'. I'm not an old pokémon, nor am I desperate for ovation from children."
"Then, thanks Sneasel! Don't think we could have done much if we were out and about in the desert!"
"W-We'd probably freeze to death…"
"Yup. You'd be two little cute ice cubes in no time." He sighed, gesturing for them to move away, "Now, excuse me. I got stuff to do."
"What stuff!?"
"Adult stuff."
"Are you an adult? You seem just a bit older than us!"
"Hah. I've seen things that would make adults scream like children." He had to hold his tongue not to say he actively made them scream like kids already.
"Oh! Are you an explorer, them?"
"Sort of."
"Where's your badge?"
"Buried in the middle of nowhere desert", he thought, but had the wisdom to try and not look like a fool in front of these kids, "eh. Probably in my bag somewhere."
"Ooooh! Can I see it? Lawry, he's an explorer! A hero! He's-" The jangmo-o kept blabbering on, and her little togepi friend just kept quietly listening. He would be annoyed, if he wasn't at least mildly amused with the jangmo-o's infinite energy.
"-and he probably has more friends than the stars above!" That sudden, innocent statement made the sneasel grimace.
Silently, he just passed by the two, making his way to the dark, cold outside.
"I-I think you've said something he didn't like…" Lawrence whispered, not needing his instinctive empathy to know something was wrong.
"Huh? Was it the part that I said he could fly?"
The fairy just stared awkwardly, "No, that was just really inaccurate. Probably."
A grunt of annoyance left the sneasel's mouth as the two children, once more, blocked his path, "Get outta my face, kiddies. I've wasted enough time, I'm not a babysitter."
"B-But mister-! I mean, but S-Sneasel! We're kinda… lost…"
"Yeah! We got separated and we… Well, we don't know where we are! Or where to go!" They both tried not to lie, but not explained the entire situation either, if only to try and make this stranger believe in them.
"I mean, where the hell are your mothers, kids? Oh, whatever. I don't have time for this crap." He tried to pass by the two dismissively, only for them both to hold him in place.
"Please, mister explorer! Please help us! Pleeeeease?" The dragon looked at him with her widened red eyes, trying to look cute.
"W-We know our… mother… will meet us on Gobi! P-Please take us there!" Lawrence was very careful with his words, just enough to get his point across, whilst looking as vulnerable and adorable as possible, "s-she said it was a city to the east before we w-were separated!"
Sneasel remained with his serious expression, but a slight hint of sadness took over him as he stared down at the children, practically begging at his feet.
The dark type prized himself in his cold heart. If these two were outlaws, he'd be laughing at their face and playing with their hopes.
But they weren't criminals.
They were children. Lost and alone. And he, a cold hearted and ruthless killer, was their only shot at getting somewhere safely.
He crossed his arms, sighed and leaned against the rocky wall of the cave. A few steps away from the exit.
"The sun is about to rise." Said the older pokémon, pointing to the dark bluish purple skies outside with his eyes closed, "your bag's by the fire. I suggest that you two prepare for the trip ahead, if you'll be following me…"
He was broken off his grumpy act by a tight grip on both his legs. The young duo nuzzling and hugging his dark blue fur. This sudden act of affection greatly surprised the older pokémon.
"Thank you, mister! Thank you! Thank you!" The jangmo-o said, clearly the most talkative of the two. Her hug was much tighter than the togepi's, who was much more shy and collected. The fact she was heavier than him didn't make it more plesant.
Both clearly were overjoyed. Just what have these two been through? It was clear as day these kids were hiding something which he dared not ask, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thaaaaaank you!" By the guardians, this girl just doesn't know when to shut up, does she? He heard Pokémon praying for their lives who spoke less!
"Fine, fine! Enough already!'' He growled slightly to silence the jangmo-o, controlling himself not to overreact, "If you two pipsqueaks don't hurry up, you'll have to hug the fire!"
Both of them let go, the dragon type still looking happy somehow, whilst the fairy seemed scared of the sneasel's half threat.
They turned around and scrambled off to find their bag, as well as check their supplies, Mirari seeming pumped up at the adventure they soon would have with an actual explorer, Lawrence looked afraid of every word she said to him, hastily looking at what they had as if he was trying to defuse a time bomb.
The sneasel's expression of mild annoyance turned into one of concern as he saw the naive children he now had to take care of.
"What the hell are you getting yourself into...?" He asked himself, covering his face with his two claws, hiding away his growing stress for what would lie ahead.
He stared at the horizon, watching as the sun slowly lit up the cloudless skies. Piercing the darkness, and steadily painting the desert with its colorful rays. Sneasel's heart started to beat up a bit faster, thinking about all things that could go wrong with this very stupid act he was doing. Endangering his well being and the children's by taking them with him.
Soon enough, his stoic and somewhat angry face returned. Sneasel's claws closed shut. His heart slowed down.
The risks mattered not.
Sneasel would not fail.
He always completed his mission.
-Oasis Ruins-
A spiral of thoughts invaded his mind. A cacophony of screams, whispers and voices. Enough to make any ordinary pokémon go mad.
But he was far from an ordinary pokémon.
Even with his great powers, even with his sharp intellect, and with his boosted strength. Even with all of that, why was it he couldn't get the one thing he wished for?
Why did he feel like he yearned for one thing, and that thing always eluded him?
Why did Kommo-o's words echo endlessly inside his mind?
Why did he feel the need to just look at them? Like he had done so many times before.
He put his hands on his head, painful headaches assaulting his senses. He felt the blood that painted him crimson.
Why did he slaughter all those pokémon?
The master hated when a life was just taken.
And he took multiple. Just nameless victims to him.
But the Master wanted something from every pokémon. Master wanted him to drain them for all they were worth, like he was doing with those children he was so obsessed with.
Master craved but one commodity. A killed victim had just so much wasted potential.
Just outright killing a pokémon denied the Master of the thing it commanded him to harvest.
It merely gave the Master a small percentage. Master wanted everything.
But what did he want?
What was his desire?
What commodity did he crave?
Those thoughts caused him pain.
He hated pain.
A mixture of magenta and dark purple started leaving his cloaked body. His anger once more started to consume him.
He wanted it to go away.
ALL of it.
-Western Desert-
As soon as the sun had completely risen, their trip had begun. The gentle sunlight from the morning was energizing the three pokémon as they crossed the desert.
Especially a certain dragon type, whose already high amounts of energy were simply boiling.
Much like the poor dark type that was the target of it all.
"What's the name of your guild!? What's your rank!? Can I see your badge now!? Is your guild at Gobi!? Your guildmaster must be tough! Maybe I know 'em! One of my favorites ever is Captain Hook, the sea strider! Oh, oh! Is it Ampharos, the dashing wanderer? Please tell me it's him, he's soooo cooooo-"
Even though they were at this for about two or three hours, somehow the dragoness had yet to run out of saliva, stamina and energy. The bag she carried around her seemed to not be a burden at all. Her barrage of questions and ponderings seemed infinite, all of them falling on deaf ears.
Yet even still, the small child insisted on, undaunted. In her innocence, she believed the 'explorer' was okay with it all, despite clearly showing signs of annoyance.
Much to his credit, the ice type was holding his short fuse surprisingly well, mostly ignoring the questioning and focusing on moving forward.
"She's always like that?" Sneasel sighed, talking to the small fairy that walked just a bit behind him, who was also surprisingly used to the dragoness' blabbering, seeming more embarrassed for her if anything.
"Kinda." He gulped, awkwardly looking away from the two pokémon, "She usually talks a lot… But to blabber this much, she needs to be really excited."
"Happy my existence makes her that happy." The older pokémon groaned slightly, feeling his patience slowly running thin the more she spoke.
"-your guildmates must be so cool too! Oh boy, I can't wait to meet 'em! I'll ask your friends to tell me stories of treasure, love and adventure!" Mirari's eyes seemed to shine like rubies under the sun.
Again, unbeknownst to Mirari, she seemed to hit another nerve on the already struggling dark and ice type.
The sneasel stopped their walk, turning around and leering at the two, whom instinctively stopped and stared at him.
"For the love of all the guardians, shut up!" The sneasel growled, even still, yet he had enough self-control not to all out shout at the little dragon, "If I knew you wouldn't keep that beak of yours silent, I'd have left you to freeze in the desert!"
The two kids froze, both in shock and fear, "Just… be quiet! I don't want to hear a single word from you dweebs!" Sneasel ordered, turning back around and continuing ahead.
His little outburst caused the dragoness to quickly step back and recoil, silenced and stunned. She lowered her head and began walking more slowly behind Sneasel.
Lawrence didn't need any emotional fairy powers to know she needed him. But like always, he had no clue how to cheer her up.
"H-Hey…" He approached her, both now following considerably behind the older pokémon, walking in a more slow and steady pace, "U-Um… so…"
The jangmo-o seemed to ignore him for the most part, only sighing sadly, "Well… guess I blew the chance I had of making a good impression…"
One of her claws touched her snout, rubbing it as if it was hurt, "I don't even have a beak…"
Lawrence frowned at the surge of negativity Mirari seemed to have, he looked to the Sneasel, who was all too happy to don't look back at them, "Why does his opinion matter anyway? He's just a meanie!" Lawrence was able to speak openly, but he still tried to keep it quiet to not further annoy the scary explorer.
"I've always dreamed of meeting a real life explorer, Lawry!" She lifted her head, just enough to stare at the petit fairy type, "And well… I just had so much I needed to ask! There's so much I wanna know…"
Their surroundings started growing a bit darker, despite having no clouds in the sky. The climate grew colder, but neither of the two put much thought into it.
"Well… you did ask a lot of things, in v-very quick succession…" Lawrence couldn't help but feel embarrassed as he remembered the trillions of words the dragoness spewed out, "But um… I'm sure we can meet someone nicer in that city your mother mentioned! M-Maybe they can answer your questions!"
Mirari felt slightly better, "I guess you're right. But there is one question I haven't asked that I really want to…"
Small droplets of sand fell from the sky, even if there was no breeze. As if it was 'snowing sand'.
The togepi cocked his head in confusion, "Really? There is still something you haven't said? What is it?"
The girl couldn't help but blush and look away with a sheepish grin, "It's really silly! I wanted to know if you-"
"Get DOWN you slowpokes!" Came a shout that was followed by the two kids being shoved down the sands below, the weight of the Sneasel on top of them to shield their bodies.
The duo saw two large rocky spikes, stabbing the ground under them. They were hurled like giant, heavy arrows from somewhere. Surely they would have shredded them had the dark type not pushed them out of the way..
Surrounding them were the hellish sight of the eyeless, dark pokémon that inhabited the first dungeon they visited. Three rock-like beings that snarled at them, as well as a reptilian one who seemed to merely stare in seething anger.
"S-Shaytans!" Lawrence shrieked in fear, remembering the stories he was told, and his own experiences.
"But… They only exist inside dungeons…" Mirari loudly spoke, in a mix of confusion and fear, sure her eyes must be deceiving her.
"Yup. That's how it normally goes." The explorer got on his feet, leaving the kids still on the ground, "But I ain't gonna question my eyes. Shaytan or not, they're going down."
Sneasel stepped in front of Mirari and Lawrence, brandishing his claws, his eyes quickly examining the battlefield and his foes, his brain quickly adapting.
Two geodude, one graveler, as well as a krokorok. All of them looked like walking corpses, feral anger the only thing on their minds. Slow. Easy to manipulate and feint. The strange, calm sandstorm seems to benefit them.
But it did give him a bit of shadow to hide and utilize for stealth attacks.
He grunted, just now noticing some bruises from the rock attacks the creatures used. They weren't playing around.
Even still, this was gonna be easy. Sneasel smirked maliciously, both the claws on his paws freezing over and extending, looking like knives growing out of him.
"Let's dance."
Oasis Ruins
Despite what she was used to, the sun did not mean safety. Not this time.
It meant they no longer had the cover of darkness. Even if that didn't stop the creature, it was something.
The creeping fear and worry wasn't even the worst thing of this whole situation.
No, that would be the smell.
The scent of burning… of rot… of the loss of life.
That mixed with the sand tomb they voluntarily hid inside was sure to make any pokémon's head spin.
Yes, such a putrid and unholy scent was vomit inducing. She could only pray the little pokémon hidden in her tight embrace was holding on well. The little one was not trained to handle it like her, after all.
She felt her bruised scales bathed by the sands. It was a cowardly tactic, but one needed to be done to ensure the child's survival.
It had been hours of silence now. That was even more unnerving than the screams. Silence meant uncertainty, she learned. It could mean imminent danger, safety, deception… so on.
Using her aura hurt her, and could alert the creature of her presence. But using it briefly and on long breaks from one another made sure she wasn't gonna get tracked at least.
Though what her quick readings revealed only made her heart sunken more.
Nothing. No signs of anything alive. No auras. No heartbeats. Only the two of them, hiding in here. It's as if she was in the middle of nowhere…
Feeling her already low energy only getting lower, she decided to emerge from underneath the sands.
Kommo-o emerged from the ground, the improvised dig served its purpose, but unlike an actual, proper dig, it made her muscles ache all around, shooting a sharp pain all throughout her joints, which blended horribly with the intense aching of the many cuts and bruises she had collected.
Despite all of that, the only one she was worried about was the small electric type on her arms.
The pichu was out cold, the color of her fur almost completely grey. The little one had endured insane amounts of stress and released so much energy that Kommo-o was surprised the rodent's body hadn't fallen apart completely.
As she felt the sand fall from her scales, she grimaced. Looking at the lifeless body of a crustle right beside them, the one who had helped them dig, who was unable to resist his many injuries.
The dragon placed one clawed paw on the crustle's wounded back, gripping Pichu tightly with her other one.
"May the spirits take you safely, old friend." She solemnly said, respectfully bowing her head, her scales clinging with the eerie breeze, "Thank you for giving refuge to my daughter and I all those years. Thank you for seeing your promise to me and to them to the end…"
Her paw let go of her fallen friend's back, tightening into an angry fist, "Now it is me who shall make a promise. I swear I will not let them go unpunished for this. Not a single death... will go uncounted for. "
Kommo-o had to resist the urge to demonstrate more emotion. She wanted nothing more than to scream, cry or punch something. But for the sake of her friend and the one in her arms, she had to fight such childish thoughts.
"May Arceus and our ancestors protect you and the pokémon of the village from the entity." The dragon prayed, turning around to see a devastated village, ruins and wrecks all that was left from the once quiet village.
Kommo-o felt her anger and sorrow returning to haunt her once more. This was all her fault. She condemned those pokémon. For trying to run away. For trying to protect her little Mirari.
Mirari…
The little one was with the human. She could only hope they were fine. This had escalated far too quickly. And if what Crustle said was true… If the human had been chosen by the artifact.
Then the two of them were in ever more danger than she originally thought. She couldn't leave them alone. She had to regroup with them, as well as save Pichu.
She didn't have time to mourn. She could feel sorry for herself later. She still had a mission to complete.
Limping her way past Elder Crustle's hideout (and final resting place), she started to cross through the ruins. Doing her best to ignore the horrendous sight of the many fallen villagers.
In her hurried pace, Kommo-o almost stumbled on one of the children of the village. She knew him. Sandshrew. Only his back was poking out of the sandy grave he found himself in. A single, large wound being the clear cause of his demise. Probably from a stray ball of energy from the rampaging monster.
She felt like her heart was being stomped by a bouffalant. She kneeled and turned him around. She saw his stoic, youthful face, forever locked in an eternal sleep. All his dreams, hopes and all the life ahead of him being denied. His innocence and his happiness being taken so abruptly from him.
Being a mother, Kommo-o was unsure of what hurt more. The shock of what happened, or the ache for what never will.
A single tear formed in her eye. She couldn't leave this child forlorn in the sands.
The dragon-type held the sleeping Pichu on her shoulder, gently picking up the forever sleeping ground type hatchling.
Feeling all her muscles screaming at her, Kommo-o still managed to stumble her way to the little one's house. Or more accurately, what was left of it.
Gently, she placed him beside his mother and father. Two sandslash now with a little sandshrew in between them, no longer they were apart.
Another tear fell on the sands below. She didn't know their story, how they lived together, what they wanted for the future, nor their plans for tomorrow. And she never would.
Kommo-o noticed a small package with a note on the smaller pokémon's claws. The one thing he protected until his last breath, holding it even as the breath left his body. She picked it up.
Her eyes widened as she read the letter, looking at the homemade gift inside the package.
The adult had no right to ask for them to forgive her. But perhaps seeing this little one's last wish come true was a start. It was the least she could do.
Kommo-o pocketed Sandshrew's gift and note on her bag. She held Pichu tightly on her two wounded arms, hugging and nuzzling the top of the electric type's head gently.
"You'll be okay. I promise." She looks back to the ruins of the normal life she tried to give the ones she loved. The ruins of the peace she wanted to have. The ruins of pokémon's dreams.
And once more, she vowed to protect her little ones… And avenge all those she had doomed today.
"I'll make sure nothing like this happens again… I shall face the entity itself if necessary… But I will not let any harm come to my little ones. If I still have breath in my body, if my heart still beats… Then I have something to accomplish. I have things to defend."
She groaned, taking one painful step towards the treacherous desert.
"I will not… I will not let them take you. Lawrence, Mirari, Pichu… I will…" Each of her steps was like a punch in the gut, but still she resiliently walked.
Kommo-o grunted and turned around to see the resting family of ground types she reunited.
"I will protect you. Even if I share no blood with most of you, I shall give you protection and care… as if you were my own…"
She swore to herself and to them. She pledged to the ones she hurt. She gave her word to that family.
And she never broke a promise.
A/N: FFN wasn't helping, hence why the delay with this chapter!
Spinaltapdancer3: Oh wow, thanks for that giant review! I don't feel like I can make it justice here, but all I can really say is thank you, and I'm happy that you are so passionate about the fic! You make great points, I will try to improve my writting where it's needed, and hopefully some of your questions will be adressed in time!
I hope you all the other readers continue to enjoy the story!
