Chapter Forty-Five: Champions of Chaos
Two weeks remained. Each morning came with dread, another day closer to the inevitable. Of course, there was a chance that Aaron and his team would never see battle; both Elesa and Clay could lose their matches. Given the fact that the former's points still remained, Nathan was presumably allowing for her to still battle. Clay, on the other hand, had completely vanished from public sight. For all they knew, he could even be dead.
But that was doubtful. Clay and his team could likely survive anything, and with Alpha already being a fairly secretive organization, the far more likely case was that they were just biding their time and training for the fight against Wes. Aaron knew that his pokémon were far greater threats to Nathan than the two extremist team leaders' – and that alone was something they could be proud of. After all, he had defeated Clay with Nora. What could they accomplish now that they had Mewtwo on their side? And yet it didn't feel like it was enough. Though their newest member was brutal – and extremely confident in his strength – he had accomplished nothing against Adira. She had attacked with the light itself, subduing him without the slightest amount of effort on her own part. Even if Aaron was the single strongest trainer who could stand up to Nathan, this was still not looking good.
Training had become stagnant. His team had learned a few new moves and tactics from their new ally, but the gains that were made were of diminishing returns. Nora learned how to form shields faster – an invaluable tool considering that, as a primarily offensive pokémon, her defenses left much to be desired. The likely scenario was that her and Mewtwo would need to carry far more weight than the others during the battle against Nathan. Aaron wasn't alone in these thoughts.
They decided to end an hour early one day. The weather was going to be rough that evening and the last thing any of them wanted was to be stuck in it. Mewtwo denounced the idea as foolish, but they stood firm on it. Maybe tonight his team wouldn't practically collapse the moment they walked through the door. Aster had already fallen asleep in the shower twice this week…
As they headed outside, the wind picked up, carrying with it a deathly chill. Both trainers hugged their jackets closer against their bodies. Aaron couldn't help but notice that his floatzel was eyeing the vaporeon. Marina had a bit of a slump in her step. For someone who hadn't done any training today, that was odd. "Hey now," Brooke said. "I know that look anywhere."
"H-huh?" the shy water-type asked.
"Guy trouble?"
"W-what? No…" Marina said, looking over her shoulder to see if any of the others were particularly close. The rest were either quiet or engaged in conversation of their own.
"Leave the poor girl alone, Brooke," Aaron said.
"Hush. Nobody invited you into this conversation."
"You're literally three feet away from me…" Instead of dropping the matter, Brooke caught the vaporeon's glance and grinned.
"Ohhh, I see." She placed her hand on Marina's shoulder. "Well, I doubt you're crazy about Silenus. All them metal barbs… yikes. I don't know anyone who's that brave. And seeing as to how Pierce is already spoken for…"
"Please stop…"
"Hey now – a vaporeon and an ampharos ain't the weirdest pairing. Nothing like a human and a typhlosion, that's for sure."
"I'm still right here." Brooke shooed him away with her hand.
"You're a sweet girl, and I've got no doubt he'd be down. You know what they say about vaporeons…"
"Brooke, no. Please don't…" Aaron stated. Marina's fin-like ears drooped.
"N-no?" She paused. "What do they say?" Brooke chuckled.
"Oh you sweet summer child…"
But before another word was uttered, a roar stretched across the sky. The noise rather than the temperature made them freeze in place. The great dragon slammed into the ground, crushing the concrete underneath his feet. Aaron and Nora stepped back in fear as the dust settled. Nobody uttered so much as a word, but Krista screamed and hid behind her trainer's leg, nearly making him trip in the process.
It was Kyurem.
'Holy shit…' Aaron thought. The creature approached them with slow, heavy steps. Mewtwo flew out of the gym, hurling the metal doors off their hinges as he prepared to fight. Despite seeing what they were up against, he stood his ground, forming large psychic blades in front of his arms.
"There will be no need for that," Kyurem stated. His piercing yellow eyes fell to Aaron. "I would speak with you."
"Oh… alright then." He rubbed the back of Krista's head. Ever since the flygon fight she had been skittish, particularly of dragons. But if this one said that he came in peace, then Aaron trusted that much. "What for?"
"I have watched you for your entire lives. I have seen what choices you have made, what has molded you into the people you have become. And now, having selected the stronger amongst the two of you, I now know who the prophecy has spoken of. I have found my champions."
"Champions?" Nora asked. "Of what?"
"You will be my champions of chaos. I neither embody truth nor ideals, but the void that must be filled. The chaos within every mortal soul. Rebellion. With my guidance, you may have a chance to restore disorder to this planet."
"Wait… disorder?" Aaron didn't like the sound of that.
"You have fortified your own positions against the great conqueror. Where he has vowed to drive out the darkness, I have chosen you all to spread it."
"That makes us sound like the bad guys..." Aster said.
"Then you will know how I have felt for many years. I often play the role of adversary to what is holy and good. It is not one that I take pleasure in, but it is necessary all the same. Otherwise the grand design would not come to pass."
"You are wrong," Mewtwo stated. "Quantum physics are probabilistic, not predetermined."
"What does a mortal know about the hidden workings of the universe? A mortal designed and created by other mortals, no less? You believe destiny and free will to be at odds, but that is not the case."
"Then do enlighten me. Did my suffering fit into your 'grand plan?' And if you all are so powerful and knowledgeable, why must there be any suffering at all? You could easily have prevented any of it from happening in the first place. If not… then you are nothing worth revering."
"Again, you understand little, yet pride yourself even on those misunderstandings. You are wrath incarnate, truly one of the sons of chaos. Your other accomplices have embodied, at least at one point, various facets of darkness. But I digress; I am here to assist, not to judge. That comes in the next life."
"Are you going to help us fight Nathan's team?" Aaron asked.
"No. I cannot. My brethren and the other greater legendaries have agreed not to directly participate, so I may not either. Nor can I account for the years of training every member of his team has undertaken at the hands of other legendaries. Even if I could, only those of you proficient in ice may stand to gain anything. But I can offer something else." Kyurem stepped closer, causing the air around them to grow even colder. Aaron's team did not budge, but neither did Krista come from behind her trainer's leg. With a frozen claw, he singled out both Mewtwo and Nora. "You two are suitable."
"Suitable?" Nora asked. "For what?"
"Only the two of you possess the strength to wield the gifts of the night. You shall know very soon what I speak of."
"But why?" The typhlosion folded her arms against her frame. She tried to conceal her shivering but being in his presence made that difficult.
"Because you will stand no chance otherwise. Even with the gifts, the situation is far more dire than you could possibly know."
"And what does that mean?" Mewtwo questioned.
"I am sure you all have noticed the change in Adira's appearance." They nodded. That was a particularly difficult detail to overlook. "She has inherited the mantle from the matriarch of her herd."
"What now?"
"The latias has absorbed an even greater power than what she possessed before. Prior to this, Adira was capable of defeating any minor legendary on the planet. But now it would seem that she can no longer be considered such. Having learned primarily from Reshiram and Necrozma, she now wields a power great enough to even rival me for a brief period of time. She is the most powerful mortal who has ever lived… and ever will."
"Well that's just great."
"It is for this reason the two of you are being granted these gifts. I do not know how much of a difference they will make; the future outcomes of the three fights are hidden from all but a few of the greater legendaries, and I am not one of them. But this should provide you with a viable chance. As you are currently, there is none."
"Well while you're at it," Brooke said abruptly, "mind telling us just what the hell we're up against? That might help a bit…"
"I tread a very delicate balance speaking of such things," Kyurem replied. "He has done well to keep a portion of his team hidden from the public view. That much is an advantage that I cannot deprive him of."
"Well screw the rest of us then, huh?" the floatzel said, planting an annoyed foot into the ground. Kyurem released a heavy exhale.
"You are rather bothersome."
"Well I'm sorry, but if I'm going to face the most powerful team in all of history, I'd at least like to know what I'm going up against. I'd rather not get my ass kicked for the entire world to see. Besides, he knows our full team!"
"Brooke, please don't irritate him…" The last thing they needed was to antagonize the legendary offering what was likely their only chance of winning.
"You said something about a prophecy," Marcus added. "Can you at least tell us that?" The large dragon brought his head level to them.
"The seven icons of sin will clash with the conqueror and his allies. Chaos shall claw against truth and ideals, dark versus light. Standing against you will be the king and queen of Avalon, the flame which does not burn, the leviathan and behemoth… and the seraphim. And the cost of opposing them will be great. But you will do it because it is your destinies."
"The seven… icons of sin?" Nora asked. "I mean… we aren't bad people…"
"Nobody deems themself evil, young one. The Distortion World is full of souls who believed themselves to be good in life. Most people are such and only learn the truth when it is far too late." He motioned towards them, not singling anyone out in particular. He didn't need to; they knew who they were and how they had lived. "Pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, sloth…" Aaron stopped for a second, realizing that his prioritization of his own ambitions rather than that of his team's had once defined him as greed in some manner of speaking. It wasn't difficult to allocate the others among the rest of his team, either. Aside from Mewtwo, though, that wasn't who they were anymore. And yet, if they had not been that way at one point, the seven of them wouldn't be where they were today.
"Holy shit…" Aaron murmured as the realization struck. Their role – their purpose according to this disfigured legendary – was to allow darkness to spread across the world. It made it hard to feel like they were the good guys.
"The rest of you would be wise to continue training as you have, even though you may not be recipients of our gifts. Your opponents are superior in strength, intellect and experience…"
"Geez, that's encouraging," Krista said, finally speaking up.
"…But that does not make them invincible. They are still just as mortal as yourselves." He turned around in preparation to take to the skies. "The two allied with me will soon find you. Prepare as you have. The balance of the world depends on it." With that, he left them, a flurry of frozen crystals in the legendary's wake as he disappeared into the cloudy sky.
The penthouse went quiet after Reshiram broke the news to them. Kyurem had chosen his champion. Somehow, Nathan had already known what that meant without further specification. Ten billion humans on the planet and one of the few he could call a friend had been selected to fight him. This war against mortals really had divided everything and everyone. Aiden placed a clawed hand on Nathan's shoulder and managed his best smile.
"Hey, we've got your back, Dad." A small figure in the distance grew larger as it glided towards them. Trina's ears perked and she stood up. Kiel tucked his wings and flew through the open window, doing a theatric flip before landing. He flared his spectacular wings outwards. "Ohhh, nice landing," Aiden said.
"I always aim to impress," Kiel replied with a smirk. He then directed his view towards Nathan. "Is it true? Aaron's team will be the ones to challenge us?" The trainer sighed. "Alright!"
"You're acting like this is a good thing," Naomi said, her voice low and melancholic.
"Forgive me – I know it must be hard for you. Two worms falling in love, destined to oppose one another," Kiel stated. Naomi clamped her mouth shut and glared at him. "But I've been training for this for an entire year now. I'm getting my money's worth."
"He has the prototype on his side," Trina said.
"Eh, even I can wipe the floor with that cat – just as long as I build my stacks. Heck, half our team can do that much. Isn't that right, Val?"
"You talk too much."
"And you don't talk enough." The dragon rolled her eyes.
"We'll continue training," Nathan said. "Odds are a hundred to one that we win, but we can't risk the potential salvation of billions on odds like that. Can't be too careful."
"A hundred to one?" Kiel asked. "My, that sounds awfully generous to our pesky friends – especially now that a little bird has mastered her new form…" Adira was the only one not present in the penthouse. She had often accompanied Necrozma in order to perfect whatever flaws she still had as a wielder of the mantle.
"Still, we cannot overprepare. I prefer to avoid risk wherever possible."
"Yeah, yeah." Kiel made his way to the couch, spreading his wings over the edge as Trina hopped up and pressed against his side. "Oh, well hello there. What brings you here?"
"Must you always be so sarcastic?" she asked. He nodded.
Nathan left the window open for when Adira would arrive, but that could still be hours or even days. He would not request that she cut her own training short, even if it had been several days since he had last seen her. Besides, Trina had put up with the same and for far longer periods of time. But then something else hit him. "Reshiram…"
"Yes?"
"They're being offered the gifts of the night, aren't they?" A nod was his only response. Nathan looked out the window towards the southern edge of Nimbasa.
For their sake, he hoped they chose right.
Aaron recounted the steps that Nora had taken, and as such, dinner had turned out remotely well. There were like half a dozen things he could've done better, but he received no complaints in their exhaustion. He helped Marcus and Aster bathe once the girls had taken their own showers. Aaron took the couch; there was no questioning who needed the beds more, and while Nora tried her best to make some conversation that night, she ended up passing out with her head on his lap. It came to his realization that there was no way to get up without waking her, so Aaron carefully repositioned himself, turned off the lamp, and lay beside her.
Her eyes slowly drifted open. Pale grass sprung from between her fingers, cloaked from a half-moon's light. Nora sat up. This definitely wasn't their living room. She looked around, trying to make sense of the situation. Even if she had walked in her sleep – which she never had – there were no woods anywhere close to their house. It didn't make any sense. Unless… had someone moved her? Why?
She stood up, all exhaustion and soreness from the previous day somehow gone. Pink petals danced as they drifted towards the ground. Cherry trees in full blossom. Nora squinted her eyes. All of a sudden, the memories rushed back. This wasn't Unova – this was where she had grown up. A few miles northwest of Azalea Town, a land much quieter than the bustling streets of Nimbasa. One of the petals touched her open palm, far too real for a dream. So what was this, then?
"Hello?" she asked quietly.
"Forgive me," a voice said from behind, making her hairs stand on end. "I did not wish to wake you before your time." The typhlosion spun around only to find a male of her kind leaning against a blossoming tree. He gave a gentle smile; a soothing aura surrounded him.
"Who… are you?"
"A friend," he assured. The typhlosion hopped up and motioned towards the window-lit village. "The village is quaint, is it not? What it lacks in the extravagance of Unovan cities it more than makes up for in charm." She was inclined to agree with that statement. Nora had always loved it here. Perhaps if the future was kind, her and her family might even come here. But Johto, along with the other Japanese regions, would always be an Omega territory. They were among those who had agreed with Alexander from the beginning.
"What am I doing here?" she asked.
"Well, that is the question, isn't it?" the other typhlosion asked. "Why don't we take a walk?" He motioned over his shoulder, standing on two legs as he meandered through the trees. Not once did he turn around, assuming that she was following behind. Nora slowly did just that.
"So…?"
"What is it that you seek in this conflict? Though you speak of freedom and independence, your soul is torn. You wish to see a better world but yet fight the very beings who can make it so." She lowered her head. "Oh, don't be ashamed. I think you are very brave. Probably the bravest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."
"Really?" He nodded.
"You have been through much, always having doubts and second-guessing yourself. But even before you knew of your powers, you didn't hesitate to fight for what you loved – even though you knew it would cost you your life. Most people speak of courage yet run when given the chance to display it." The village grew more distant, its light shrouded by the trees, and they continued onward. A small shrine stood amidst a clearing, one that had always been tended to by some of the more pious individuals of the town.
"I couldn't let them kill Aaron. Even if it meant I'd die."
"Even though he did not love you," the typhlosion said.
"But I loved him."
"And your sacrifice paid off, did it not?" he asked. "I am happy that you were rewarded in such a manner. Often times life is not so kind or fair. But perhaps that is for the best sometimes. Had the opposite held true, you never would have been coerced into leaving this place to begin with. You never would have met Aaron and become one of the strongest mortals alive."
"I'm… not sure what any of that has to do with why I'm here," Nora stated.
"Forgive me. I tend to prattle on. It is a weakness of mine." He came to a halt. The woods grew denser; there was only room for one to pass at a time. The other typhlosion motioned for Nora to go through first. She carefully stepped over the roots and worked her way through the thin parting in the foliage. Emerging from the other side, she found the other pokémon already there. Nora looked behind her skeptically, not understanding how such a thing had happened.
In the midst of the clearing was what looked to be an ancient altar. Nora had known these woods by heart – even this very place – and yet she had never seen this. Ivory tusks stretched skyward from each of its four corners. The stones were smooth and pristine, glowing under moonlight like fragments of the stars. In the middle was the most magnificent chalice she had ever seen, patterns of silver and gold entwining and embedded with gemstones of every color. The male typhlosion stopped in front of the altar.
"You have fought so that others may continue to fight. So that they may have a say in their own future. But in order to finish that fight, your team must face a far more powerful one. We both know you lack the strength to face Adira as you are." It finally clicked to her just what this was; she just hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"So you're here to offer me the gift?" Nora asked.
"Yes. My gift will grant you everything you need and more." Her head tilted.
"…What do you mean?"
"The power I offer is one that few mortals can ever comprehend. The power to kill a greater legendary. While they, too, may be mortal, their divine blood grants them power beyond reckoning. You have fought some, yes, but those were merely weaker members of their own species. Adira can now rival the very strength of Reshiram. You cannot. But with my gift, you can take her down for good."
"W-what? I don't want to kill her…"
"You may have no choice, my friend. She will stop at nothing; she is capable of continuously drawing energy from her environment. As far as a mortal is concerned, her strength is practically infinite. That is what comes with bearing the mantle."
"But—"
"Of course, there is a chance you may end her tyranny without her death. You are more capable than any others I have offered this gift to. I know you only want what's best for those close to you – and she is no exception. The power is yours; how you choose to use it is up to you." Nora stepped towards him. The typhlosion held the chalice in one hand, waving the other over it. The stones of the alter glowed vibrantly as the cup was somehow filled from nothingness. The gemstones glimmered in the pale light. "There are many promises that come with my gift. Even if you fail to triumph over your foe, your name will be remembered throughout history as a hero unparalleled by any other, and you and your trainer will be loved by the world."
She was given the cup. The liquid inside smelled heavenly, cool to the touch and with hundreds of fragrances and spices. But she looked at the typhlosion. "What's the catch?"
"Pardon me?"
"There has to be a catch of some sort, right?"
"Not really, no. Nothing about my gift will affect your body or mind in any way." That was a weird way to answer her question. Still, if the gift of the night offered only benefits, then she would be a fool to pass it up. She raised it to her lips when a single thought crossed her mind.
"What about my soul?"
"Come now, we could find a thousand different excuses and reasons to question everything." Nora set the chalice onto the alter, not having taken a single sip of the liquid within.
"Something isn't right here," she said, "and I'm not drinking that." The other typhlosion looked dumbstruck.
"I'm offering you more power than any other mortal. I'm offering you prosperity… happiness. Why do you doubt me?"
"Because I don't need any of those things."
"You deserve them. You're a good person."
"Maybe by mortal standards. But no…" She shook her head. "I'm not the standard of good."
"Come on, Nora. We really don't have time for this." He seemed to be growing impatient.
"When Kyurem spoke of the gifts of the night… he said the two people aligned with him would find us. Where's the other person?"
"I can only keep us here for so long, Nora." He took the cup in his hands, offering it to her again. "Drink."
"No." The pokémon's mouth curled into a snarl, he thrust it against her chest.
"Damn you! I've gone out on a limb for you! Fucking drink it!" Nora growled and swatted the chalice from his grasp. A clinging sound rang throughout the atmosphere as the chalice collided with the altar, spilling its contents over the earth below.
The atmosphere around her changed. Flowering trees withered into grey, lifeless husks. The altar was formed of skulls, the chalice a black and red vessel which spewed equally dark liquid. From the murky pool, thin black tendrils writhed about, stretching and grasping everything around them. But perhaps the starkest change came from the other typhlosion, his figure morphing into a living shadow. Eyes of ice stared from within his dark body, little more than a phantom trying to carve itself back into reality. Nora backed away in fear.
"That will be all," another voice rang from above. "You have lost, Bael. Now leave." Though he had no visible mouth, a wispy noise could be heard from within.
"Fine… I will settle for one." He glared at Nora. "Though I want you to win, I hope that latias bitch burns you to ash in the process." With that, he turned around and vanished from sight, crossing into another dimension right before their eyes. The sole typhlosion backed away from the newcomer and fell on her rear, uncertain as to what was going on – or who to trust in this realm.
"You are safe now. Do not be afraid."
"Th-that's easy for you to say!" Nora replied. "That thing just tried to…"
"It is alright, dear. I will not allow any harm to come to you." The elegant figure was pink and avian, a moving beam of moonlight in place of her wings. She held one hand out to Nora. The typhlosion hesitantly accepted it.
"Who was…"
"That was a darkrai named Bael – one of the vilest creatures to ever roam creation. He is damned and seeks to bring as many with him as possible. You, however, he could not claim. I am proud of that fact."
"And you are?" Nora couldn't deny that she felt much safer in this creature's presence.
"When I roamed the earth, the human I accompanied named me Celeste. As a cresselia, I oppose darkrais wherever they may seek to spread their influence. Whereas they offer the gift of shadow, I offer the gift of the moon. I cannot promise you success, fame, fortune or power. My gift comes with an assurance of hardship and struggle. Your earthly desires may never be met. It is the narrow road."
"You're really selling this gift of yours," Nora said with a nervous chuckle. The cresselia smiled.
"But your soul will be safe with us when your body perishes. As for what I may offer you in battle, my gift comes with no power. You will need to defeat Adira on your own accord. But I can enhance your defensive capabilities. I can shield you from the fury of the sun and grant you the rejuvenation of the moon. Though you may not be able to kill a greater legendary, you will have the strength to withstand one. At least… better than you currently can."
"That works for me," Nora replied. "I want your gift."
"The Hall of Origins has long awaited that very answer."
"So this whole thing really was prophesied?"
"Yes. Your lineage has been one I have looked upon for centuries, though I no longer walk your world." Celeste rolled her eyes. "Or… well, fly. You know what I mean." They both laughed at her remark.
"But… what about Adira? She's backed by Arceus only knows how many legendaries. Don't you want her to win?"
"Adira is among the chosen of Arceus as a bearer of the mantle. She is one of the purest, most moral people to inhabit the Earth. So in some manner of speaking, yes," the legendary admitted. "But the reality is more complex than that. All should be presented with the choice between right and wrong, for without the wrong there is no right. Had Arceus wanted machine-like obedience, He would not have granted you with free will. Omega does not remove all choice, but it removes enough of it. Sin will continue all the same regardless of the outcome. Just as Bael can create the façade of good, so may Omega's rule within the hearts of mortals. A choice must be made to love and serve Arceus above all else rather than to blindly follow rules or tradition."
"But… what about Mewtwo?" With that, the legendary went silent. A sigh of melancholy escaped her.
"Just as you have made your choice, he has made his." A simple glass formed in front of her, the moonlight coalescing within the crystal. Nora reached out and accepted the cup. The elegant pokémon smiled as she drank its contents, feeling a weightless liquid pour down her throat and into her very being. "Thank you, Nora. I will watch over you until we meet face to face." The typhlosion felt a sense of dizziness overcome her as Celeste helped her onto the ground.
"I…"
"Rest now, dear. The gift is taking its effect on your body." As Nora's eyes drifted shut, the last thing she saw was the full moon shining as bright as the sun.
Violet eyes opened in the darkness as a pain coursed throughout his body. Mewtwo hissed out as the embers glowed amid the darkened gym, a fire that he tried to put out to no avail. There was neither a source nor fuel, and as quick as it had appeared it was gone. The night claimed the gym again. Mewtwo ran a few system diagnostics to ensure everything was in order. He had only dreamed a few times, but that had felt weird. Almost like it was real.
He slowly floated towards one of the windows of the facility. Snow and ice clung to the glass, serving to obscure his reflection. But he could see enough.
On both his right hand and forehead there were three black, claw-like marks.
A/N: Special thanks to FuryWrites for beta reading this chapter.