Chapter 21: Ant Trap
Roku's P.O.V.
National Park
My eyes opened to the sight of Reia's face extremely close to mine.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said in a mock motherly voice.
"Very funny," I scoffed.
Reia lifted her head and I sat up, my back stiff from sleeping on the ground. I made a note to myself to grab a bench next time I had the chance. Luna woke up, too, and was stretching her legs.
"So what did you and the mystic Dragon Pokémon talk about this time?" Reia asked.
"She explained the whole 'Shadow Pokémon' dilemma," I explained. "It appears that we not only need to capture the Pokémon of the Core Covenant before Zareis does, we also have to snag the Pokémon of the Dark Covenant in order to prevent Team Prime from utilizing Shadow Pokémon."
"I see…" Reia said vexingly. "Looks like our job's gonna be a lot harder."
"Wait, our?" I said. "No. Celestrix put me in charge of gathering these Pokémon, and I intend to without losing anyone. I can't risk losing a friend."
"Oh, please, Roku," Reia said, punching me in the arm. "I'm a more experienced Trainer than you are, and I can definitely hold my own in a fight."
"Hey, I'm just kidding!" I said. "Geez, you're easy. Besides, I'm gonna need a partner to help me catch these Pokémon."
"You've already got one," Luna said.
"I mean a human partner, smart one," I replied.
"You know I'm with you until the end," Reia said. "We've come this far."
"There's something else," I said, getting back to my dream. "When Celestrix left, she told me to tell my mother she said 'hi'."
"Well, isn't it obvious?" Reia said. "If she made contact with you, that means you were the one that she was talking about before you were born."
"Then that means…" I said, knowing exactly what Reia was getting at. "My mother was a Legend Keeper."
"Bingo," Reia said. "But I thought you already knew. Are you saying she never even told you who she used to be?"
"No, she never even mentioned them to me," I replied. "But…she always was able to read me like an open book."
"Yeah, but that's just parental instinct," Reia said. "Your mom is able to speak to Pokémon. I'm surprised that she would want to keep you from your destiny."
"Being a Legend Keeper wasn't my destiny," I said defiantly. "If it was my destiny, my mom would enforce it. She wouldn't keep me sheltered from it."
That's when I decided to call my mother and get the truth for myself. I pulled up my Contacts list and dialed in Mom's number.
After a few rings, she answered with a polite "Hello?"
"Mom, why didn't you tell me that you were a Legend Keeper?" I asked.
She seemed shocked at my question. "What do you mean?"
"Come on, you know you can't hide it from me," I pressed.
"Roku, I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.
"Stop dancing around the question!" I snapped, my rage taking over. "Why else would I be able to speak with Celestrix?!"
Mom looked at me like she just got slapped in the face. I'll admit, I was feeling pretty bad at the moment. But I hated liars over almost everything, and I felt so deceived.
"Well, I guess there's no point in hiding the truth," she finally said. "Yes, I was a Legend Keeper. And I didn't want you to experience the same dangers, so I wanted to wait until you were old enough."
"And the Celestrix bit?" I pressed. "Is that also true?"
"Yes," she admitted. "I was the one who she relayed her message to. To think those Pokémon actually exist…it puts ice in your veins, doesn't it?"
"You still could've told me," I said, my anger leaving my body. "It would've been a lot easier on the both of us."
"Well…there's something else," Mom said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Roku…" she said. "Your father's alive."
Latias' P.O.V.
Legend Keeper HQ
Latias paced around her den, placing another call. Roku hadn't answered the first few times she rang him up, and she was starting to get worried and impatient.
"What the hell could he be doing that is so important?" she asked herself. "Usually he'd answer no matter what he was doing."
Latias rolled the P*DA around in her hand. Cedric had bought one so Latias wouldn't have to use his every time she wanted to speak to her friend. Now she wasn't even able to use it!
"Hmm…perhaps I should just wait a little while longer," she decided. Latias sat down and fidgeted with the settings of her P*DA, wanting to figure out exactly what it could do.
Roku's P.O.V.
National Park
"Wh-what?" I stuttered. "Run that by me again!"
"Your father's alive," she repeated. "He's living in a region far to the south. He didn't want you to know about the Legend Keepers either, so he faked his death and flew to the Quorra region."
I couldn't believe what she was saying. My father, who was apparently killed ten years ago, is alive, all because of a stupid secret.
"…I don't have anything else to say to you," I said harshly.
"Roku, wa-"
Mom's sentence was cut off by my hanging up. I felt the rage boiling up in my gut. I stormed off into the forest, with Reia shouting, "Roku, wait!"
I couldn't stop. Not until I had blown off steam. A few hours later, I noticed that Luna had followed me into the forest, so I stopped and looked at her.
"Go back to Reia," I said. "You don't need to be here."
"No," she said defiantly. "We stick together, no matter what."
"I am your Trainer, Luna!" I shouted. "Now, Arceus dammit, get out of here!"
Luna's face turned to one of shock and sadness.
"Fine," she said. "Don't expect me to come back."
With that, Luna ran off, tearing her Lunar Charm off her neck and throwing it on the ground.
I immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had pretty much just told my partner to shove off and take a hike. I picked up the Lunar Charm and started to run after her, but then I realized how far I had actually gone in.
I had no idea where I was.
Reia's P.O.V.
National Park
Hours had passed since Roku ran off, and Reia, not to mention Calem, Zuki, and all of Roku's Pokémon, were worried about him.
"So, remind me why the dipwad ran off into the forest?" Calem said, trying to keep his cool attitude. "He does realize we need to get to Ecruteak, right?"
"I'm sure he'll be back," Reia said reassuringly. "Roku usually doesn't stay mad for long."
Soon, they heard a rustling in the bushes. The group sighed with relief when they saw that it was only Luna.
"Luna! Thank Arceus!" Zuki said. "Where's Roku?"
"Who cares?" Luna snapped, "He can go die in a hole, for all I care." Then she stormed off.
Reia blanched. Why the sudden hostility? Reia couldn't help but think Roku had snapped at Luna somewhere in the forest. She also noticed that the Lunar Charm was missing.
He must have really been mad, she thought.
Reia felt a rush of courage wash through her bloodstream, and she gathered hers and Roku's Pokémon and walked into the forest, determined to find her friend.
"Great, now she's lost it," Calem scoffed.
"C'mon, Calem," Zuki said, gathering her Poke Balls. "We have to go after him."
Zuki followed Reia into the forest. Calem hung back for a bit, then cursed to himself and followed Zuki.
Roku's P.O.V.
National Park Forest
Gah…where the hell is the exit?! I thought to myself. This forest seems endless!
I had wandered pretty far in since my rage spell, and it had worn off since then. I needed to find a way out of this forest before nightfall, or I was toast.
Which needed to be soon, 'cause I could already see the sun begin to set.
"Damn, how long have I been in here?" I asked myself.
Suddenly, I realized I was walking on nothing.
"Ah, crap," I said out loud.
I fell at least 5 feet before landing on dirt and sliding to the bottom of the pit. I soon realized that I had fallen in a Trapinch trap. The small Ant Pit Pokémon flowed out of the dirt in large numbers, eager to feast on their newfound prey.
I looked around the pit for anything that could help me, but I found nothing. I only had one option left, and I was about to use it, but I realized that I hadn't even picked up my Pokémon after I woke up.
Dammit…and I told my only defense to screw off, I thought sadly. Looks like I'll have to do something I've never done before.
I was just about to call for help when a Trapinch clamped down on my leg.
"GAAAAAH!"
Reia's P.O.V.
National Park Forest
"GAAAAAH!"
Reia looked up as a sharp scream pierced the air. She couldn't help but feel like something was wrong.
"That sounded like Roku!" Zuki said.
"C'mon! We have to go find him!" Reia said, determined. The group ran in the direction that Roku's voice was coming from.
Luna's P.O.V.
National Park
Luna was still steaming mad. Roku had shoved her off like yesterday's garbage, and what made matters worse was that he snapped at her. His partner Pokémon.
And yet…she thought. I can't stop thinking about him. He just kept wandering farther in…
Luna punched the ground. She hated Roku, yet she still loved him as a Trainer. HER Trainer. The feelings swirling around inside her head just made her angrier.
Suddenly, she heard a sharp scream piercing through the forest. A large amount of Pidgey and Spearow emerged from the trees and flew off, spooked by the sound.
"That scream…there's no mistaking it!" she said to herself. "Roku's in danger!"
She got up to go and find her friend, but the anger inside her stopped her one last time. Roku obviously didn't care about her anymore, so why should she help?
Because it wasn't him. He was just angry.
"Luna! Reia! Anybody! HELP!"
Those next words gave Luna the decision she needed. Luna gritted her teeth and bolted into the forest, using Quick Attack to help her move faster.
Hold on just a little longer, Roku! Luna thought. I'm on my way!
Roku's P.O.V.
National Park Forest
"Luna! Reia! Anybody! HELP!"
The Trapinch were closing in pretty fast. I looked around again for anything else that could get me out of this situation. But the loose sand and the wound in my leg prevented me from moving.
Please, Arceus…I prayed. Please let someone come quick…I don't want it to end, not like this!
"Roku!"
I looked up and gasped.
"Luna!"
My partner was standing over me like a black angel straight from the Plane of Origin. I couldn't have been happier to see her.
"Man, am I glad to see you!" I said, relieved. "Listen, I'm sorry for-"
"You can apologize later!" Luna shouted. "I'll take my Lunar Charm back now, if you don't mind!"
I nodded and pulled the charm from my pocket, retying the knot before tossing it up. Luna dashed out into the air and grabbed it, putting it back in its rightful place around her neck. It began to glow, and Luna's rings began to glow with even more intensity than what she originally had from the moon's aura.
"Roku! Can you move?" Luna asked once she had landed.
"I tried, but they got my leg pretty good," I said, attempting to get up. "I think I can try again, though."
I put all of my energy into my legs to try and get them to cooperate with the rest of my body. Eventually, I was able to get up onto my feet, although I was still shaking. I looked off to the side to see something brown poking out of the sand. I hobbled over to it and gave it a good tug, unsheathing a massive sword from the sand.
"Whoa…" I said, eyes wide with amazement.
"Whoa! Where'd you find that?!" Luna shouted once she saw the large blade.
"I just pulled it from the sand!" I said, twirling it around. "This thing's pretty lightweight for something so large."
You should've seen this thing. The blade had to be at least 5-feet in length, and it wasn't even rusted over! It looked like it was freshly forged and polished. The hilt was magnificent; it had 4 bronze prongs sticking out with a glowing blue gem in the center. Truly a deadly work of art.
I stepped up beside Luna and got into a battle stance.
"You're not planning on using that thing, are you?!" Luna said worriedly.
"Don't worry!" I replied. "I'll only use it if needed!"
Just then, a Trapinch lashed out at me with his cartoon-like jaws. I took a swing and hit it hard enough to send it flying into another group of Trapinch. It was knocked out upon impact.
"Wow…that hit should've killed it…" I said in astonishment. "Yet it just knocked it out."
"Roku!"
I looked up to see Reia, Calem, and Zuki standing above the pit, Reia with a horrified look on her face.
"Where the hell have you been hiding that?!" Reia said, pointing at my sword.
"I'll explain later!" I responded. "Do you have my belt?"
Reia pulled my belt off of her shoulder and tossed it to me. I caught it and released my Pokémon from their Poke Balls. All at once, Braixen, Riolu, and Luna dashed into the swarm of Trapinch, all three bowling over a large number of them with Quick Attack alone.
"How the hell did you end up here in the first place, Roku?!" Braixen asked as he smashed into another group with Flame Charge.
"I, uh…kind of got side-tracked," I said sheepishly. "I'll explain everything as soon as we get out of here."
"Which should be soon," Riolu said cockily as he smashed a Trapinch's face in with Force Palm.
Suddenly, I felt a massive rumble emanate from the ground below. It sounded like something big was approaching us from under our feet.
"Everyone, step back from the center!" I said, hobbling to the edge of the pit.
My Pokémon ran off to the edge right as a massive green dragon-like creature exploded from the sand. It flapped its wings and gave out a monstrous roar. I placed my hands over my ears in response; that cry along with the speed of the wing vibrations made my ears want to split open.
"That's a Flygon!" Calem shouted over the droning noise. "But how did it get here?! They're usually only found in Hoenn and Kalos!"
I pulled out my Pokedex and looked up Flygon's entry.
"Flygon, the Mystic Pokémon, and the evolved form of Vibrava. Also known as the "Desert Spirit", Flygon hides itself by flapping its wings at supersonic speeds to kick up a sandstorm. The red shields over its eyes protect it from the sandstorms it creates."
The Pokedex listed Flygon as a Dragon- and Ground-type Pokémon, which was a pretty odd combination. That just made it even more susceptible to Ice-type moves. Aside from that, Flygon's offensive capabilities were phenomenal, as well as it's Speed. It appeared that its only weakness was its somewhat low defenses.
"Roku! Hold on!" Zuki shouted. "We'll get you out of there!"
I looked up at the Flygon. Even through the sandstorm, I could see its eyes. Almost immediately after I locked eyes with it, I could sense that something was wrong with it.
Then, it spoke.
"P-please…defeat me…before it's too late…" she said, her voice riddled with pain.
"I thought I got rid of you! Begone!" a deeper, darker voice said.
Flygon released a Dragon Breath attack in my direction. I barely managed to dodge the attack, feeling the plume of sand cut into my injured leg.
After I hit the ground, I looked back at Flygon. This Pokémon needed my help, or else it was going to lose itself to the Shadow essence that was implanted in it.
I gritted my teeth and stood up, raising my sword and letting out a short battle cry before running into the eye of the storm.
Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for this update. I was stuck in an extremely deep rut for the past week or so. That, and my computer at home decided to quit on me, so now I have to find out what's wrong with it so I can fix it.
Anyway, through the past week, I've decided to shove the whole Bug Catching contest idea out the window. So, sorry. No catching any Bug Pokémon for the group.
Strato Abyss signing out.
