Thanks to IanAlphaAxel for reviewing the previous chapter
If you're looking for a pokemon epic fantasy, I encourage you to check out my story, Chains of Fate!
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Chapter Thirty Three: Day of Judgement
Cyrus headed over towards the dining area to help himself to something to eat, secretly glad that he didn't have to worry about any 'looking after a newborn duties'. Thank Arceus Johanna was an expert with all that otherwise he'd have to rely on his grandparents for everything and that would be embarrassing.
The dining room was in a separate building near the resort's main entrance. There were quite a few people there already, but none he recognized. He hoped they didn't recognize him either as the former head boss of Galactic. He didn't imagine that would turn out too well if they did after the bombings of the lake fiasco. The room itself had quite a romantic feel to it – the carpet was red, the walls were painted a dark colour, and there were golden chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling, positioned between tables. Each table had a white and red cloth and four black padded chairs. There were flowers in the middle right now, but in the later hours of the day, they would be replaced by candles.
He sat down at a table in the far right corner of the room right next to the window, preferring to keep his distance from the other people. Johanna hadn't turned up yet – where was she? She wasn't at their room when he had awoken, so where was she now? He was about to stand up and ask the lady at the counter if a woman with blue hair had shown up, but doubt was quickly replaced by relief when he spotted Johanna entering the room, pushing one of the prams provided by the hotel.
She found him easily and walked over to sit across from him, placing the pram next to the table. "Sorry it took so long. I was halfway done with changing Julia's clothing when I bumped into a group of guys with awful haircuts. They asked me a few questions, but didn't cause any trouble. I think they were looking for directions."
A group of guys with awful haircuts? He tried not to express any form of concern, but couldn't help but feel a little on edge. Had the Galactic grunts discovered he was here? Hunter J was still out there and he knew she'd make an attack first. He was the first obstacle standing in her way. "Awful haircuts?" he repeated.
Johanna nodded. "Aqua bowl haircuts. Clashes terribly with their plain grey skin-tight uniforms. Not sure who designed them, but they lack a taste in fashion."
That had been his idea – of course, the grunts' fashion items were designed to look terrible because the grunts were just pawns in his game at a time. No one else would willingly walk around in public with that sort of appearance so Team Galactic must be present. That would mean Hunter J was also here. She was moving earlier than he had expected. "We can't stay here, Johanna. Those people can't be trusted."
"What do you mean… Are they… Team Galactic?" He didn't reply. The silence was enough to confirm her question that she was correct. She brought both her hands to her face and squeezed her eyes shut. "It doesn't end, does it? Is trouble supposed to follow us everywhere?"
He leaned forward. "You need to take Julia with you and get out of here before they realize your connection to me."
She put her arms back down. "And leave you here alone with them? I'm not leaving you. I won't leave you here alone to deal with them." She then leaned back in her seat, studying his expression. "They did something to you, didn't they? I can see it when I look into your eyes."
He was reminded vaguely of the day they first crossed paths in which she had said something similar. "Johanna… Please, you have to leave." He glanced down at Julia then looked back up. "Julia doesn't have to bear witness to this."
"Where will I go then? They've seen my face."
Good question. He didn't have an answer to that. If Mars had gone with Hunter J, most likely she would have described Johanna's appearance. No matter where she hid, she'd be found by his former team. Perhaps happiness was just an illusion after all, or perhaps it was never meant to be. "I… do not have an answer to that."
If a fight were to happen, he wouldn't even be able to defend himself, since five of his Pokemon had been killed. His Crobat was strong, but he'd be out-numbered more than two to one. He wouldn't be able to protect his family from harm, and that's what hurt the most. To be so helpless in a time of need. Johanna stood up and picked up Julia from the pram, cradling her in her arms. "I'll find someplace to hide… I'll try and find help… Please, don't do anything reckless. You have people to live for," she said softly, before hurrying away.
Cyrus watched her leave then turned his attention towards the entrance. The other people in the room seemed not to think anything was wrong, carrying on as if it were another normal day. No one seemed to have realized how quickly Johanna had left. He stood up from his chair, studying his surroundings carefully, as he waited for the Galactic grunts to appear.
No one predicted what was to follow.
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Arriving on the scene of the battlefield was like stepping back into the Distortion World again. All was silent, as no one knew what would happen next. Dawn climbed off the back of her Honchkrow with Barry at her side then walked over to meet with the Cynthia and Steven. The gym leaders of Sinnoh were also present, and standing behind them were Flint, Lucian and Aaron. Seeing the most powerful of trainers all in one place made the situation made her feel on edge. Whatever was lurking beneath must be a creature of great power.
"Dawn, you made it," Cynthia said, rushing over to her, a solemn expression on her face.
"What's going on?" Barry said.
Steven was quick to provide answers. "The Distortion World was the first seal of five. Now that it has been broken, the other four have opened." He gestured towards the ruins of Snowpoint Temple. "Regigigas will emerge from the depths below. We have to reseal him before he destroys everything we love."
"And how do we reseal it? We don't even know what we're fighting!" Volkner said.
Cynthia called for silence raising a hand. She turned to face a girl with long green hair whom Dawn recognized as Cheryl, the girl who had been afraid of Team Galactic back in Eterna Forest. "You mentioned before you knew of a way to reseal the beast."
"Blood is the key," Cheryl responded.
Crasher Wake lifted a brow. "Blood?"
She nodded. "The creature was sealed by the druids of many centuries ago," she said slowly, as if she was just trying figuring it out herself. "The beast, the Old One as he has been called, is a golem, made of clay. He has no life running through his veins and that's how the druids sealed him before. Blood is poison to those who lack it. It weakens them."
The ground shook once more, and Dawn was reminded of the bombings that had taken place many months ago, except this wasn't caused by a man-made device. She turned her head to the ruins and noticed the cracks were widening, pulling apart to make way for the golem. The other trainers present also looked – some looked on with fear, others with curiosity. Clouds of sand emerged from the cracks, creating a haze so thick, it was hard to make sense of what was happening.
"Any blood will do then?" Cynthia asked, once the shaking had died down.
Cheryl shook her head. "I am a descendant of the druids… I should be the one to make the sacrifice. Their blood is what sealed the Old One in his tomb in the first place…"
"But you're going to die," Barry said.
Cheryl nodded. "At least my death will mean something. For many years, my family have searched for artefacts of the past doing nothing to aid in the chaos that surrounds us. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to right a wrong. The druids have been forgotten; may my sacrifice be recorded in history, and the culture of the druids brought back to the modern age. To have the druids remembered for who they were as people and not remembered for what they lacked. This is my choice."
Although she had only spoken to Cheryl on one occasion, having to watch someone willingly make a sacrifice for a mistake her father had made, hurt. It was a mistake that should've never have occurred in the first place. A part of her took blame for the fall – if only she had tried harder then the Distortion World would never have been opened at all, and they wouldn't be standing here debating the matter.
Cynthia must've felt like she had failed as well, judging by the sorrowful look on her face. Dawn couldn't even begin to comprehend what thoughts were running through her mind – sadness, grief, guilt. If only they had all tried a little bit harder, but the past could not be undone.
"Wait, we're actually going to let her go through with this?" Roark exclaimed.
Gardenia frowned. "Surely, there must be another way?"
"This is the only way," Cheryl replied. "Keep the Old One distracted while I prepare the ritual."
"How will you know what to do?"
"The blood of my ancestors will guide me."
"Look! It appears!" Maylene said, raising a hand, pointing a finger towards the cracks. The haze had now faded. Dawn watched as two mammoth-sized arms emerged from cracks, two sets of three-fingered white fingers grabbing onto the ledge. The head, coloured yellow, followed soon afterwards, a faceless structure with seven black dots. The creature's arms, legs and chest were white, with painted black stripes. There was even moss on its back and feet, suggesting it had been asleep for many centuries. Six gemstones, coloured red, blue and silver, were positioned on either side of the seven black dots.
Steven glanced up at it in awe. "Regigigas."
The golem Pokemon towered above them, casting a long black shadow over the city. It was about the same height as an Onix, only this creature was far more intimidating to look at it. The black dots on its face turned red. A deathly silence hung in the air. "Prepare yourselves for battle," Cynthia ordered, summoning her most powerful Pokemon, her Garchomp. The other gym leaders did the same, bringing forth their mascot Pokemon to fight.
Dawn summoned her Torterra. He was her oldest friend, and although he lacked the power Hydreigon had, he shared the strongest bond with Dawn. Barry brought out his starter Pokemon as well and gave her an encouraging smile. "We can do this, Dawn."
Powerful laser beams shot forth from the coloured gemstones on the golem's body, immediately creating holes where it hit. One of the beams hit a tree, burning it into cinders within seconds. "We'll go behind it! We have to corner it!" Flint ordered, racing to the behind of the golem creature with his Magmortar at his side. Lucian and Aaron followed him.
"Garchomp, attack now! Use Dragon Rush!" Cynthia's Garchomp charged forward, fins pinned close to its body then took a running leap, throwing itself at the golem's chest plate. The dragon slashed away at the hard casing, but seemed to do little damage. The Regigigas batted the dragon away with its right arm then picked it up, flinging the reptile aside. "Garchomp!" Cynthia cried out.
"The beast is enraged," Steven said. "Do you see it? He will not take damage when his eyes are red."
He summoned his Pokemon, a four-legged metallic disc-like Pokemon. "Metagross! Use Meteor Mash!" One of the Metagross's limbs turned a glowing red. It brought its limb back then moved forward, driving it into the Regigigas's chest, the moment its eyes turned black. "Gym leaders, attack now!" The eight leaders of Sinnoh ordered their mascot Pokemon to launch their attacks while the Regigigas was temporarily vulnerable. Multiple elements combined into one delivering a mighty blow, but the creature shrugged it off, as if it were nothing but a feather.
"Our attacks aren't working!"
"Watch o-Argh! What is that?"
A high-pitched shrill exploded in Dawn's mind, causing her to fall to her knees, hands gripping the sides of her head. The golem lacked a mouth, but the noises it could make, could still be heard in her mind. Her head throbbed, as the pressure began to build in her ears. She could've sworn her eardrums were about to burst. Even the Pokemon suffered – they too stopped their attacks and froze in place.
"No! Lucario!"
Dawn managed to open her eyes to catch a glimpse of Maylene's Lucario being picked up from the ground by the golem's large hands. The golem's fingers wrapped around the Lucario's thin build, then squeezed, suffocating the canine creature. The canine tried to struggle, but the golem's hold would not weaken. Dawn had never seen a Pokemon howl in pain until today, and it made her feel numb inside.
"Electivire, use Thunder Punch!" Volkner ordered, picking himself up from the ground.
Electivire rushed forward and punched the Regigigas in the leg, but was thrown aside and onto his back.
"Magmortar, use Thunderbolt!" Magmortar called down a bolt from the clouds above. The bolt hit the arm which was holding the Lucario, but did not release. Maylene called for her Lucario again, and sprinted forward.
"Maylene!" Candice screamed.
"What is she doing? She can't possibly be thinking of attacking the Pokemon herself?" Lucian said.
Volkner sprinted after her. "Maylene! Stop!" he cried out.
Regigigas glanced down, his eyes glowing red once more. Six beams shot at the ground around Maylene, but she managed to evade them, leaping out of the way. The earth shook upon impact, throwing a few trainers off their feet. The Regigigas screamed within its mind again, causing another explosion of pain inside Dawn's head.
The noise died down in her mind and she was able to pick herself back up again. Barry's Infernape had joined in the battle, and was now climbing up the golem's body, heading towards the eyes. The golem tried to pick it up, but its oversized hands weren't able to pick up the agile creature. Regigigas stomped his feet in anger, tearing the ground apart with each one. It reached a hand out towards a nearby tree, and plucked it out of the ground, and used it as a weapon to swat Pokemon out of the way. A few gym leaders were also swatted aside, unable to get away in time.
"We have to buy time for Cheryl to complete the ritual!" Lucian said. "Gallade, use Stone-Edge!" Gallade dashed forward, striking the ground with its limbs, causing bits and pieces of soil and rock to fly up. Regigigas used his beam attack to break the pieces into smaller bits whilst still holding Maylene's Lucario.
"Maylene!" Volkner called again, tone laced with desperation. Maylene was currently standing in between the golem's legs, looking for a way to grab hold and climb up to save her Lucario from death. From her position, it didn't look like there was anything to grab onto.
"Torterra, go underneath Regigigas and use Earthquake!" Dawn ordered.
Cynthia looked down at her. "You have a plan?"
"We can't overpower him, but maybe we can make the ground beneath his feet unstable?" Dawn suggested.
"It's worth a try," Steven said.
"We have to convince Maylene to step back and leave her Lucario alone," Fantina said tonelessly.
Volkner glared. "That's her Pokemon up there. Would you turn your back on your best friend?"
"You're not in a position to speak those words, Volkner," Fantina replied. "I heard about your problems over at Sunyshore Gym."
The Electric-type gym leader snorted, but didn't say another word. He turned his back to Fantina, refusing to meet her icy stare. "Drop the fighting; this is not the time to exchange hurtful words," Gardenia said. "Let's try Dawn's plan and hope that it works before this creature reaches its full power."
Regigigas swung the tree branch around once more, knocking down a few trees, the hurled it away, towards the buildings in the central city. The trunk landed atop a few residential buildings, prompting the ceiling to collapse under the weight. Dawn hoped there had been no one inside. While the Regigigas raged, her Torterra moved as quickly as his stubby legs would carry him, towards the space between the golem's legs. Its eyes were glowing red still, and beams were flying in all directions, turning whatever it hit into rubble. Fortunately, there had been no causalities – yet. Lucario was still managing to hold on, but only just.
"Froslass, use Blizzard!" Candice ordered. Her Pokemon turned a misty grey, as snow began to fall from the clouds above. A gentle breeze brushed up against Dawn's skin, and pulled her jacket around her tighter, knowing what was to come next. Froslass emitted a cry and the gentle wind turned into a powerful gale, blinding all present. Sleet struck her bare skin, prompting her to cry out in pain, but her cries were unheard by the others, drowned out by the howling wind.
Trees around them were uprooted, weakened already by the Regigigas's earth shattering moves. Branches and leaves merged in with the snowstorm, turning the white into a mixture of green, brown and white. One of the twigs hit her in the side of the face, the sharp edge leaving a cut on her already hurting right cheek. Someone screamed. She wished she could see who it was, but with the vicious snowstorm around them, a clear view was hard to come by.
Blizzard wasn't a never-ending move, and it slowly weakened as the minutes passed by. Once the snowstorm had died down, Dawn was able to see the destruction that had taken place. Maylene's Lucario lay on the ground, battered and beaten, its fur covered in sticky red patches of blood. Maylene crawled over to her Pokemon's side, and placed her hands beneath the Lucario's head. Regigigas was still standing, encased in ice.
"Where is Cheryl?"
"Maylene!"
"We have to attack now while the beast is frozen!"
"Where are the other gym leaders?"
Roark and Gardenia were missing. Byron was calling his son's name, while Aaron called for Gardenia. Cynthia and Steven climbed to their feet, as the three Elite Four members sauntered over. "We have to end this now," Steven said. "Regigigas is regaining his power… if he reaches his full potential, nothing will be able to stop him."
"But what about the missing? They could be hurt," Aaron said. "We can't launch an area-of-effect power without knowing everyone is safe! What is someone is injured right now and can't escape? They could die!" he blurted.
Steven's expression hardened. "That is the risk we take when we become protectors of a region. People look to their gym leaders, Elite Four and their Champion for help. If we can't do our jobs, who else will? We've come this far… We're lucky Regigigas has been asleep for so long otherwise none of us would be standing here."
"You have no power here, Steven! This isn't Hoenn!" Aaron retorted.
"Aaron, this has to be done," Lucian said calmly.
Aaron shook his head. "No! I won't let it happen! I won't stand by and watch my friends die!" He sprinted into the remaining woods. Cracks on Regigigas's ice-casing were beginning to appear. They did not have much time left remaining before broke free. Flint cursed, and hurried after Aaron, with Lucian tagging along. Volkner was by Maylene's side providing comfort, while the other remaining gym leaders turned to Dawn and Cynthia waiting orders.
In the corner of her eye, Dawn spotted Cheryl in the background, clutching a bloodied arm to her chest, clothes stained with blood. The girl had gone ahead and proceeded with the dark ritual to seal the gate. She stumbled forwards through the snow then dropped to her knees. Blood drained from her face. "It's done… Regigigas has to be sealed now while he's vulnerable. The spell won't last forever." Cynthia dropped to her knees and held up the girl to stop her from falling face-first into the ground. "The trapped spirits will be set free… the culture of my ancestors will be remembered once again… Do it, now. Finish it, before this world burns."
Steven looked to Cynthia and Dawn. "Aaron was right. This is not my place to make decisions for the people of Sinnoh. What do you wish to? Attack now and push Regigigas back into his cage, or wait for Flint, Lucian and Aaron to return?"
"The world is at stake," Fantina said. "We can't waste time debating this when the answer is clear. We proceed." Dawn wasn't surprised to hear Fantina's words. She always seemed emotionally distant. She hadn't forgotten Fantina planned on putting Deino down for biting her during their gym battle. "Dawn's Torterra can make the earth shake, and the rest of us can combine our powers to knock him back over into the cage, sealing him away for eternity." She gestured to Cheryl. "Cheryl has sacrificed her life for this – we will not have this chance again. Will you allow her sacrifice go to waste?"
There was silence. No one wanted to say anything. "Then it's settled. Make the move, Dawn," Steven said.
Dawn drew in a deep breath and nodded. She hoped the other gym leaders had escaped unharmed during the snowstorm. It wouldn't feel like a victory if there were casualties. "Torterra, use Earthquake!" Her tortoise, who was standing on the outside of Regigigas nodded, then stomped the ground, causing the earth to shake once more. More trees toppled over, and the ice casing on the golem shattered. The golem rose to his feet on shaky legs.
"Strike now!" Steven ordered. The present gym leaders obeyed his order and used their most powerful attacks to draw the golem's attention. Regigigas turned around, eyes glowing red once more, as it prepared to counter attack. "Now Cynthia! Let's combine our powers and push him over!"
"Garchomp, Dragon Rush now!"
"Metagross, use Meteor Mash!"
Garchomp charged forward once more, then leapt forward, slashing out at the golem's exposed belly with its fins. Metagross moved forward, drew back a leg, and punched. The combined powers of their Pokemon, on top of shaky ground, overwhelmed the Regigigas and knocked him backwards a few feet. Regigigas swung a fist, batting Metagross to the side. The golem used its other arm to knock over Garchomp.
"He's tough!"
"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Barry's Infernape, who had been hanging onto the golem for the duration of the snowstorm, sprung back to life, climbing atop the golem's head. The monkey punched the golem, prompting it to release beams. Beams were aimed in random directions, hitting buildings and knocking over more trees. The gym was one of causalities much to Candice's despair. The golem reached his hands up to pluck the monkey off, temporarily lowering his guard for a final attack.
"Finish it off with Earthquake, Torterra!" Her tortoise obliged, and the stomped the ground once more, causing the earth beneath the golem's feet to vibrate Barry's monkey jumped off and led the golem back towards the crack it had climbed off. Enraged, Regigigas chased after it, determined to destroy the ape. Barry's Infernape took a running leap and jumped over the open gate. Regigigas, being too heavy, was unable to jump and instead fell through the hole.
The ground lit up, and strange symbols appeared within the five-pointed star. It turned a shade of red to match the blood Cheryl had given, and began to close, Regigigas's roars filling her head. With a violent shake, the hole closed. Cheryl collapsed in a heap, chest heaving, but body otherwise unmoving. "We won…" she murmured, before her eyes closed.
It didn't feel like a victory. Regigigas might be below the earth once more, but it had claimed the life of an innocent trainer to have done so. To think none of this would've happened if they had been able to work out Charon's plan beforehand to stop Cyrus from opening the Distortion World. Maylene's sobs brought Dawn out of her thoughts. Lucario had unfortunately died during the battle, and she wondered if the gym leader would ever recover from it. Volkner was holding her close, while the girl wept, as the other remaining trainers looked around, taking in the amount of damage.
Snowpoint City lay in ruins now, and it would take months, perhaps even years, to repair the place. Many of the buildings had been destroyed, or lay close to collapsing. The trees of Snowpoint City were all but gone – only a few remained standing. Cynthia stood next to Dawn and looked down. "Are you all right?" she said softly.
Dawn nodded. She supposed she should've been crying at the loss, but her past experiences had made her stronger. She had been attacked by her own Pokemon, suffered a blood transfusion, witnessed the deaths of innocent Pokemon at the lakes, watched her father almost commit suicide and almost lost her mother the same day, and then found her father at Stark Mountain on the brink of death once more. This was just another event to add to her growing list of life-changing experiences.
"What happens now?" Barry said.
"We'll search the area for survivors and pray to Arceus no more lives have been lost," Cynthia said. She looked at Dawn. "Your parents are probably worried about you."
"I should stay here and help."
Cynthia smiled warmly. "I have it covered. You should return to the league before the journalists begin asking questions. You did leave without a warning I presume, and believe me on this, you don't want the media scrutinizing your every move from now on. I will catch up with you later. Thank you for coming, Dawn."
She wanted to stay, but Cynthia was right. Having only recently become a Champion, many things were expected of her. If the public learned she had 'disappeared from the league', then they would begin to make false assumptions, questioning her ability to lead at her age. Turning to Barry, she said, "There's something else I need to do first, but I will see you at the league. I'll see you there in hour."
He nodded. "All right. Whatever it is you are doing, I hope it's safe. Catch you later, Dawn."
She turned her back to the scene of destruction, returned her Torterra, replacing him with her Honchkrow. Now it was time to locate her parents and hope the both of them were all right.
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Glass windows were shattered to pieces as a large Salamence crashed through the eastern wall. People immediately ran for cover, throwing themselves under tables and anything else that could protect them from the flying glass. The dragon spun around in a circle, using its powerful tail to send furniture hurtling across the room. Photo frames and various objects fell off their shelves, crashing to the ground, and smashing into hundreds of little pieces.
The restaurant's alarm system off, but the damage could not be undone. A group of bowl-headed grunts entered the room led by none other than his former commander, Mars. Once there had been a time where she had been so willing to carry out any order he gave, but now she gave that same loyalty to another leader.
"Did you really think you could escape from all of this?" Mars boasted. "Charon's dead. Jupiter's left. Saturn's gone missing… But I'm still loyal to Team Galactic." She turned her head to the left, glancing at the broken windows. Salamence stepped aside allowing for a woman wearing high-heeled boots to enter. Hunter J. Besides her, was a teenage male dressed in rugged clothing, a forlorn expression on his face. It was as if he didn't want to be here.
Hunter J turned her head towards him. "It was unfortunate our earlier meeting had to end on such an abrupt note, but I have returned to claim my prize. You still have that Crobat in your possession, and I intend to collect." She placed a hand on her dragon. "Fortunately, for you, I'm in a charitable mood today so I'll give you a choice. How would you like your Crobat parts donated? To the Poke Mart or through the black market? They will be put to good use, I promise."
Mars made a gesture with her hands and the group of five grunts walked over towards the opposite side of the restaurant. The other people in the room remained cowering under their tables, too scared to make a noise, fearing the Salamence would kill them. "Search the resort. I know she's here. I want her found," Mars said. The grunts nodded and walked off.
"So you've taken over Charon's position then," Cyrus started, hoping to stall for time, to allow Johanna to escape. "He was keeping the position warm for you."
She sauntered forwards, a slight swagger in her step. "Charon played his part and he played it well. I'm just here to pick up where he left off. I sold the Magma Stone to a buyer and earned myself a few billion dollars – I'm now the richest person in all of Sinnoh."
"You sold the Magma Stone. That was foolish. Have you any idea of the power that it contains?"
"I have all that I need and more. Charon wanted to destroy the world… that's foolish. I don't want to destroy the world – I want to rule it. There's only one thing that matters and that's money." She patted her dragon. Salamence moved forward, keeping its wings pinned against its body, its head lowered. "There are a few things that need to be resolved… I need the passwords to access Galactic's database."
"I won't give them up."
She sighed. "Haven't you learned anything from the past?" Digging a hand beneath her coat, she withdrew the same knife he had seen her use back in Celestic Town. "I'm a hunter, Cyrus. I choose my targets then I pursue them. You managed to escape before, but your precious daughter won't be here to save you this time. You are on your own and you are defenceless." Her smirk widened, as she took another step towards him.
Cyrus took a step back, recalling what had happened the last they met. Last time, all it had taken to bring him down to the ground was a knee between the legs. What stunt would she pull this time? He remained still, as she brought up the blade, positioning it at the base of his neck. He dared not move a move muscle.
"I have to give you some credit – you lasted longer than I thought you would. Charon's methods pale in comparison to mine. I've been doing this a lot longer than he has." She withdrew the knife, and he almost sighed in relief, but stopped when he heard the grunts returning. With them was Johanna and she was fighting hard to free herself, but she was overwhelmed.
"Let me go!" Johanna hissed.
"She has nothing to do with any of this," Cyrus said, glowering.
Hunter J gave him a mocking smile. "She doesn't know, does she? You've been keeping secrets from her about our previous meeting?" The woman brought her left hand to her back. "I suppose by now the mark has healed, but the scar will forever remain. A reminder of the failure you are." Hunter J faced Johanna. "I would tell you myself, but I think you need to hear it from him."
Cyrus refused to meet Johanna's eyes. How was he supposed to tell her that he had been tortured at the hands of Charon in exchange for Dawn's location? Not that it really mattered much now since Dawn had been unharmed, but he had placed her in danger, after promising to Johanna he would never endanger her. "It's no longer relevant."
"Mars, give your former boss a drink. I think he needs some cheering up."
Mars nodded, pleased. She left the building then returned a few moments later, holding a vial with blue liquid. She stood in front of him, then removed the lid, and held it before him. "Made for you… only the best of course. It would be an insult to us not to take it." He didn't like the way the edges of her mouth curved up, as if she was planning something dangerous. Still, he refused to look at Johanna.
He glared down at her, but the girl was unafraid. Charon had poisoned her mind against him, and Hunter J had won her loyalty, most likely feeding the girl more lies to gain her trust. "Don't you see it? She's playing you for a fool." And where was Jupiter? And Saturn? He could feel Johanna's eyes boring into him.
"You mean nothing to me, Cyrus," Mars said. "Not anymore. It's a shame that brat of yours had to survive, but this time she'll die and you'll get to watch. You'll see how it feels to have your heart ripped out." She was still hurting after his rejection of her after all these months. Amazing. "Charon called the shots before, but Hunter J says I can do what I please with you. Grunts! Beat her down!"
One of the grunts punched Johanna in the stomach, causing her to bend over, gasping for breath. She was forced down onto her knees while two other grunts tied her arms behind her back with thick corded rope. She looked at him pleadingly, but he could not find the words to speak. Before he could defend himself, Mars brought a knee forward, slamming it between his legs. He crumpled to the ground.
Through clenched teeth, he said, "You don't have to do this."
She knelt down before him. "You gave me hope. You made me believe everything was going to be better, but Charon made me see the world was only going to be good for you. The grunts… the commanders… myself… We were never going to be included in your perfect world." She then turned to Johanna. "He was going to let us all die. Don't be fooled, Johanna. Don't fall for the same trap we did. He doesn't love, and he never will either."
He wished desperately the girl would stop talking, but he could do nothing to stop her either than listen to her words. She was enjoying watching him suffer – he saw how her eyes brightened when the grunts had struck Johanna.
"Why do you think he left you in the first place? You meant nothing to him, and you still don't."
No. That wasn't true. Not anymore. Dawn… Johanna and even Cynthia had all shown him it wasn't a weakness to show and feel emotion. That it wasn't wrong to care for someone and something else aside from yourself.
"He gave up. Charon broke him atop Stark Mountain," Mars continued to taunt. Hunter J's Salamance stood at its trainer's side. "You seem surprised? Oh, he didn't tell you, did he? He gave up Dawn's location to save Crobat," she crowed. "He broke."
He could feel Johanna's eyes boring into him, seeking answers he purposely kept hidden. It was happening all over again, only this time his Pokemon weren't at risk of torture and death. His family was this time, and he wasn't sure if he could stop it. He closed his eyes shut, trying to push aside the images that flooded his mind of his time at Stark Mountain, when the cries of a baby broke his thoughts.
"Julia!" Johanna cried.
He lifted his gaze. A pair of grunts entered, and one of them was holding her in his arms. A cold chill overcame him. Would they… No. They wouldn't kill a child, would they? But Mars had tried before, and Hunter J had already killed her own. "She has nothing to do with any of this," he said He could've sworn the blood was draining from his face. One strike from Hunter J's Salamance, and Julia would be killed, and Mars would have the revenge she craved for so long.
"Don't hurt her!" Johanna wailed. A grunt struck her. She fell forward, and tried to get back up, but the grunts refused to let her rise. Two of them pinned her arms behind her back, while another placed a palm over her mouth to silence her screams. He glanced over at Hunter J who was watching with patient eyes, a half-smirk on her face. Most likely she was enjoying this even if she wasn't the one making the decisions.
Julia's cries became louder still. Hunter J walked over and took her away, holding her herself. "Disgusting creatures they are, aren't they?" she said, gently brushing a finger down Julia's right cheek, catching a falling tear. She motioned for her dragon to come forward. "I would gladly take her life away, but she is already poisoned," she added, glancing in Cyrus's direction, lips curved upwards. "Your weakness runs through her veins. It would be too kind of me to have her perish today." She handed the baby over to the grunts, then snapped her fingers. "Salamance… Destroy this place. We have wasted enough time."
The dragon stretched its wings out then released a deafening roar. At this point, the other hotel stayers had disappeared, most likely to alert the local authorities. Some of the grunts looked ready to flee as well. The dragon swung its tail, slamming it into a couple of tales, sending them flying to the opposite side with enough force, it caused the wall to crack. Glass bottles and various other decorations fell off their shelves, crashing to the floor, and breaking into hundreds of little shards.
While the grunts were distracted, Johanna managed to free herself, elbowing a grunt in the stomach. The grunt who had been tasked with holding Julia, had decided to put her on the floor, choosing to flee rather than remain here. Hunter J threw the fleeing grunt a disgusted glance, and muttered something about 'cowards'.
"Johanna, wait!" Cyrus called.
She ignored him. Mars sprinted after her, then tackled the other woman to the floor, stopping short a few metres away from Julia. Her cries filled the air. "You're not escaping! Not this time!" Mars screamed. Johanna kicked her in the face, then picked up Julia, and hurried outside, narrowly avoiding a part of the roof caving in.
"Salamence! Hunt down the fleeing grunts," Hunter J ordered.
The dragon nodded, arched its neck back, and emitted a glowing orb of fire at the ceiling, causing the entire roof to collapse. It flapped several times, then lifted itself up into the air, and flew after the fleeing grunts. So, Hunter J didn't have as much control over them as she had assumed. With Hunter J following her dragon, Cyrus went after Johanna, but only managed to cover a short distance when Mars stood before him, holding a single shard of glass in her right hand.
There was a maddened glint in her eyes, but Cyrus wondered if there was still a piece of humanity left in her that could be reasoned with. "Mars. Put the glass shard down," he said.
She was gripping the glass so filmy that the sharp edges had sliced into her palm. Blood trailed down her right arm, but she didn't drop it. In fact, it seemed his words only encouraged her to grasp it tighter. "All I ever wanted was to feel appreciated," she said, salty tears beginning to roll down her face. "You gave me hope, and gave me a purpose even if it was just to serve your own selfish desires. You showed me kindness without any reason. I grew to admire you, Cyrus – I loved you."
Loved. There was that word again, one that he had encountered several times throughout the past few years. Love between trainer and Pokemon. Love between a mother and daughter. Love between a couple. Love between friends. Love had no face, no entity, but it could be seen and felt. It was love that motivated people for both the wrong and right purposes. Love that brought people together. Love that gave people a reason to live.
"Mars…"
She was crying now. "I hoped I could convince myself to hate you… I attacked Johanna while she was carrying your child on Mount Coronet… I wanted her to die…" A bitter laugh escaped her throat. "I hoped it would you back to us… to me, but all I did was push you further away. I won't stop you. I've seen all that I need to see to know the truth. I can't make you love me back."
Anger poured through him upon hearing her words. He already knew Mars had tried to kill Johanna, but her reasons were so… selfish. Just like his reasons for starting up Galactic in the first place. His anger dissipated. Everything she had done, she had done out of a twisted sense of love for him. "You won't be able to leave this building alive. You're a danger to everyone. You've brought this fate upon yourself, Mars."
"I know, but at least I died for love."
Charon had said something similar. For love. He had no regrets because his actions were done in the name of love. If he had the chance to redo everything, he probably would not have changed a thing. Cyrus watched her for a few moments, studying her expression, trying to catch some sign of regret in her eyes, but there was nothing but acceptance. "Tell me one thing – Jupiter and Saturn, are they still alive?"
She nodded. "Jupiter left shortly after you escaped. Saturn's whereabouts is unknown."
He didn't say another word, and moved past her back outside the crumbling building to find Johanna. The skies had darkened, now a stark contrast to the clear blue of yesterday afternoon. He heard a faint rumble of thunder, but no rain fell. It didn't take him long to find Johanna – she was standing near the cliff's edge, overlooking Sunyshore harbour, Julia in her arms. Not once did she turn around to face him. He approached her with caution, unsure of how she would react. She hadn't spared him a glance when she left the ruined building.
"Johanna."
She didn't look at him, but she did respond. "Was it true what she said?"
"Do we have to do this now? Hunter J is still out there and there's no telling when she'll return."
Now she looked at him. "Hunter J. Who is she? How do you know her? When did you see Mars again?"
"I met Hunter J at the Pokemon Centre in Celestic Town… when you were recovering. Her grunts…my former grunts… attacked the building and that's why you were moved to Sunyshore. I went after her and found myself outnumbered," he said softly. "They took me to Stark Mountain… That's where Charon was, and they… did things to me in exchange for information."
She snorted, unimpressed. "And still you're trying to keep information from me. I thought we were finally moving on, Cyrus, but how can we move forward if there's an issue of trust between us? I've given you everything I have and more… And you give me nothing in return but evasive answers." Julia stirred in her eyes, and started crying again, as if upset by the words being exchanged. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you at my side, but if you don't want me there… I'll leave." Her bottom lip quivered.
"I don't want you to leave."
Her gaze softened. "What did they do to you on Stark Mountain?"
"They… they wanted information about Dawn and her location… I," he paused, as flashbacks of the session came to him, replaying in his mind like a bad movie. He remembered the hot iron rod and the burning pain that came with it. He remembered the grunts surrounding him, striking him with force for retribution, believing it would somehow ease their pain. He remembered watching his Pokemon suffer at the hands of Hunter J all because he refused to give Charon the information of Dawn's location.
The bleeding. The torture. The pain. His Pokemon torn apart one by one before a jeering mob, while he lay there helpless like a fish on land, humiliated and defeated. He turned aside, glancing at down at the shoreline, watching the waves crash against the shore. He blinked, and this time, he saw an ocean of red, a reminder of the lives he had lost as a result of his actions. The Lake Guardians. Nameless grunts. Mars. His Pokemon. Was he going to lose Johanna, Julia and Dawn as well?
"Cyrus?"
He turned to face her again. "I tried… But I… I broke a promise I made to you. Dawn. I said I'd do nothing to bring her any harm, but Charon… watching my Pokemon being tortured to death… I just couldn't…" He looked away again, feeling his chest tighten. "I gave him the information he needed to bring Dawn to Stark Island. Ever since then, I've been reliving it each night in my mind. Sometimes I wake up and I feel like I'm there again."
"I didn't realize…"
"Then you understand why I chose not to speak of it." He brought a hand to his back and lifted up his shirt just enough to reveal the mark left by the hot iron rod. "They burned me to extract a confession, and left it there long enough so I could feel the pain, but it doesn't compare to how it felt to lose my loyal companions."
Her expression softened. "They meant a lot to you."
"They've been at my side for years."
He glanced down at his Crobat's pokeball, and was once again reminded of the power of love in all its different forms. How he felt about his Pokemon was different to how he felt towards Dawn and Julia. His feelings towards Johanna were also different. He lifted his gaze up again, meeting her dark blue eyes, feeling something inside him stir. He would've cupped her chin and kissed her if it had not been for Julia between them.
"What are you…"
He cut her off. "Everything we've been through… the suffering, the pain, and the battles fought… It's only made us stronger. For a period of time, I wanted nothing more than to remove this thing called 'spirit', but you helped me find a way to fill that hole." He paused for a couple of moments to allow the words to sink in, before continuing then reached a hand down into a pocket on the left side of pants, fingers wrapping around a small white velvet box. "I was going to wait… but I may not have this chance again, so I'm doing this now." It wasn't the atmosphere he wanted with a storm above and destruction around them, but he had to make a move before she decided to leave for good. Not to mention she was carrying their child in her arms.
A smile spread across her face. "Are you… I mean…" There were tears in her eyes, but at least they weren't ones of pain and sadness.
He felt his stomach muscles tighten, feeling nervous all of a sudden. What if she decided to reject? Being turned down would be far more humiliating than anything else he had experienced, although he didn't think she actually would considering she actually did want to spend the rest of her life with him. She also seemed keen on the idea of marriage during the ceremony, so what exactly was he so nervous about? He kneeled down on one knee, and pulled back open the lid of the box, revealing a white gold, two carat diamond solitaire engagement ring. "Will you do me the honour of being my wife?"
It took her a few seconds to respond. "Of course!" she replied, tears brimming in her eyes. A wave of relief poured through him. The likelihood of her saying no was low to begin with, but it still felt pretty satisfying to hear her say yes. He slipped her finger through the ring, then stood up, taking Julia from his fiancé. "What do you say we leave this place?"
She nodded. "That does sound like a sound plan."
Despite the destruction that had happened here today, at least he came out of it with some form of triumph. Time would only tell whether or not Hunter J and her grunts would survive the chaos.
.
Hunter J left the destroyed building, and searched the resort area for fleeing grunts. They had sworn to serve her, but in the face of fear, they had chosen to flee like cowards. Perhaps it was a mistake to think they could serve her – after all, they had been under Cyrus and Charon's influence for a long period of time. She could not undo the damage the two males had caused.
Now she was standing outside where a storm was brewing above. Thick dark clouds stretched across the sky, blocking any sunlight from coming through. Thunder clapped, and lightning flashed, but she was not unnerved. It only made things so much more dramatic. "You can't hide from me. I will find you," Hunter J said, standing near her dragon, as the rain drops began to fall. Mars had most likely died, but she didn't care. The girl had a lot of potential, but she threw it all away, allowing her emotions cloud her judgement.
"It's over, J," a voice said behind her.
She turned around and spotted Paul with his Torterra. There were smudges of brown dirt on his clothes. "You finally decided to show yourself. Where have you been?"
"Watching with amusement as your plans unfurl around you," he replied curtly, moving closer, unafraid. "It was a mistake to try and control these people. You launched an attack too early on – why? To prove you were capable of getting the job done in a short amount of time? Whatever happened to a thing called patience?"
Hunter J narrowed her eyes. "The grunts are too damaged to be led; I had thought I could repair their minds, but they're too far gone. I shouldn't be too surprised – they were led by weak-willed men."
"They'll come after you, you know. The gym leaders, the Elite Four… You'll be finished by the end of the week. You have nowhere to run."
"You seem amused. Need I remind you if it not for me, you would've died?"
"Yeah, I know. You blackmailed me into this life, but I'm taking back control. There's no one to defend you now." His Torterra opened his mouth, preparing a glowing ball, ready to fire at his trainer's order.
"You think you can take me on in a battle?" she retorted. "Don't be a fool, Paul. You and I can still conquer this region."
Paul shook his head. "No. I'm not interested in being your lackey anymore – you see, I've realized a few things along the way. I always thought power was everything… but absolute power corrupts. You don't see it, but I do. I don't want to live that life anymore… This is why I'm going to do this. Torterra, use Hyper Beam!" Torterra released a beam of energy directly Hunter J.
Salamence stepped in front of her taking the attack instead. Hunter J hissed. "You're making a big mistake, Paul! I moulded you into the trainer you are today! Your brother abandoned you – I was there to pick up the pieces."
"Because you killed him. You pushed him out of the blimp! You murdered your own son." He hadn't realized it before, but now it made sense why Hunter J had taken such an interest in him. He wasn't biologically related to his brother, but he was still considered family. "You killed him, and replaced him with me."
"You were a fine replacement. Your step-brother was a fool."
Her Salamance counter-attacked, using her own Hyper Beam. The beam slammed into the Torterra, but the tortoise managed to hold its ground. She wasn't surprised – Paul was a skilled trainer. It was a shame he had lost his way. She wondered if it had anything to do with what happened at Victory Road when he was supposed to have defeated Dawn. Paul hadn't mentioned anything about it, refusing to speak of the event.
"Use Stone Edge, Torterra!" His tortoise reared on its hind legs then brought them crashing down, causing a few rocks to fly up from the ground from beneath the dragon. Salamence rocketed upwards then freed herself, counter-attacking with a Dragon Pulse attack. The high-powered beam of draconic rage hit the space before the tortoise, lifting it up from the earth, flinging it backwards. Torterra landed on its side, but was able to push itself back onto its feet again using the vines hiding in its tree.
"Give it up, Paul! You won't be able to defeat me. I taught you everything you know."
"You think too highly of yourself, Hunter J."
Salamance unleashed another beam of Dragon Pulse. The cumbersome Torterra was unable to avoid it and was knocked aside again, but still it remained standing. "You turn against me now – I'm surprised you didn't try earlier."
"You were too well-protected, but now you're alone. Your takeover was a failure. Use Stone Edge again, Torterra!"
"You're a fool, Paul," Hunter J spat. "A damned fool." His Torterra, although powerful, didn't have a chance against her mighty Salamance. What was the boy playing at? Did he think he was going to be able to obtain victory from the jaws of defeat? "I had hoped you would prove me wrong, but you're just as foolish as your step brother."
Paul smirked. "Your arrogance is your downfall, Hunter J. Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!"
Foolish boy, Hunter J thought. Grass-types were virtually had no effect on dragons. But what was this? Paul had decided to not attack Hunter J or her Pokemon, instead dealing damage to the ground itself. Vines emerged from the tortoise's tree and smacked the ground continuously until deep cracks formed. Up above, lightning jumped between the clouds, until one of them struck the ground. A deafening explosion, similar to that of a bomb going off, reverberated throughout the area. The ground beneath her started to give away, unable to support their weight.
"Maybe if you hadn't aimed so high, we might've lived to see another day."
Before she could leap out of harm's way, the cliff edge they were standing on collapsed. Salamance had been struck hard by the rocks, rendering her wings as useless, but Hunter J did try to grab hold however she was too far out of reach. As she fell to her impending doom, she tried to think of her achievements, but all she could see was Paul's smirking face.
Permanent darkness followed.