A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! After two shorter chapters, I have a nice, lengthy chapter for you today!
19 - Ruins
Pet.
'Pet' was the word he'd used to describe that thing.
'That thing'…
The word 'pokemon' hadn't even occurred to him as a suitable word to describe it.
Enigma nibbled on a claw as he trudged through the thick tangle of mountain plants on the outskirts of the forest. His mind was completely lost in the chaos of all that had ensued, and he'd not even paid attention to where he was going. Something snagged at his scarf, halting him in his tracks and dragging him back to the present. He paused to untangle himself from a dried-up razz berry bush and glanced over his shoulder at the barrier of closely-knitted trees.
Rio had claimed an absol had caused all that chaos. Enigma didn't want to believe him, but there had been rumoured absol sightings throughout Estellis. Words that had travelled on the wing more so than claims from any pokemon Enigma had interacted with. Especially since his interactions were either for specific information or the demise of a particular target.
Whether or not it was just an excuse, there was no reason for Rio to outright lie to him. The lab had definitely been targeted, absol or not. And if it was an absol, what did they want with a Heretic lab? And why release all their subjects, including a group of Outcasts? Dark pokemon didn't hang around with the Outcasts. Outlaws stayed well away from them, as well. Any dark pokemon (or ghost, or dragon) were met with speculations or accusation from the Outcasts, and were often imprisoned or never seen again. Or killed.
Of course, 'never seen again' and 'killed' were likely the same thing.
So what was the absol doing? Why aide those pokemon and release a monster like that tyranitar in the process? Did they know something Enigma didn't? Something that Rio had kept from him?
That tyranitar… After thinking about it, there was one word Enigma could use to describe it.
'Insane'.
Its reaction wouldn't be fitting for any sane pokemon. To rampage like that, desperately trying to hurt those who were trying to control it… any pokemon would fight for their lives, but not like that. It would have been shouting, for one thing. Words. All that thing was giving out were mindless howls and roars, and its struggles had been an attempt to maim. Enigma had encountered it once before, and it had seemed as primitive and mindless then as it had been during its rampage.
'Madness' was in its eyes. It wasn't a sane pokemon. Not remotely. It was a dangerous killing machine that for some reason Rio was keeping captive. As much as Enigma had wanted to get back at Rio for letting him down, killing the tyranitar had been mercy.
So why was Rio holding onto it, then? Other than causing mayhem, why hadn't he instructed his workers to destroy it then gather the captives? What was so important that Rio had violated his commitment to Enigma to hold Boomer's killers?
Enigma chuckled and smoothed out his scarf, removing some of the stray thorns embedded in the thick material.
Yes, Rio was hiding something, and that absol knew it.
It was the only explanation.
Perhaps it was a good thing he'd spared the meowstic. You can't drag information out of someone if they're dead. If Enigma wanted to know what was going on, then he'd have to go back there and beat Rio until he finally spat out just exactly what his reason was to create such a beast.
But there was another matter gnawing at Enigma. That chatot who had reported to him had told him there had been four pokemon held in that lab. Not three. Enigma had expected the whimsicott, meowstic and dedenne. But the fourth… the chatot had claimed it was Harlequin.
What was Harlequin doing with those Outcasts? Had they failed their mission?
He flicked a thorn he'd been staring at into the bushes and turned back towards the forest. The sun was setting. The Outcasts would be looking for somewhere to hide away and sleep, safe from the prying eyes of any pokemon lurking in the shadows.
He planned to be that pokemon. He just had to find them first.
...
Cleo's lungs were fit to burst. She had no idea how long they'd been running for. They'd long since lost the other escapees who had broken off into small groups and scattered throughout the forest. Cleo had followed suit. It was a wise move. A huge swarm of pokemon fleeing through the forest would have been an easy target for anyone awaiting such a golden opportunity.
No one had spoken for a while, too desperate to put that lab as far behind them as possible. Talking would only use up valuable energy.
Cleo finally came to a halt and doubled over, placing both paws on her knees. Harlequin was forced to stop, pausing two feet ahead and glaring back at Cleo. Mischief and Spark didn't quite get the message, continuing on for a little while until they realised Cleo and Harlequin were no longer following them.
"Come on!" Harlequin gasped between breaths. "Do you want them to find us?"
"Give me a moment," Cleo hissed. "I need to gather my bearings."
It was true. She had no idea where they were. They'd long since lost the river, and this area of the forest was alien to her. She was at a loss as to where they were headed, be it the Glen or somewhere else, and the last thing she wanted was to waltz right into any more danger.
Spark flopped to her bottom and sighed. "Well I'm all for a short break anyway. I need to refuel."
"I hate to disappoint you, Spark, but we're still without our bag." Cleo shrugged and stood up straight to look around. "And there are no berry trees around here."
"At least we got rid of those poisons," said Spark. "Do you think they were flammable?"
Harlequin gave a dry laugh. "Some of them were explosive."
A chill ran down Cleo's spine and she glanced back the way they'd come. "Then let's be glad we got out of there in time." She rubbed her arm and looked around again, her heart sinking. Not only did they have no supplies, she'd also lost her map. And without her map it was safe to say they were well and truly lost.
"So what do we do?" Mischief asked. "It's getting dark, so do we camp in the open or carry on more slowly?"
Harlequin puffed out their chest. "I'm all for camping here if I'm honest."
"Oh no!" Spark pointed a claw at the zorua. "I'm not falling for that one! What do you take us for?"
Harlequin grinned widely. "Fools."
"A fool wouldn't have got us out of that burning lab," said Spark.
Harlequin glared over her shoulder at Cleo. "A fool wouldn't have got us into it in the first place."
Spark's whiskers sputtered but she bit her tongue and slumped, too exhausted to argue.
Cleo smoothed out her ruff and met Harlequin's glare. "I didn't get us captured, Harlequin. It was an unfortunate experience, but now we're out, and we need to find shelter."
Harlequin's ruff bristled and they lowered their head, letting out a low snarl. But they didn't retort. Like the rest of them, Harlequin was visibly exhausted.
Cleo surveyed their surroundings and instinctively reached for where she expected her satchel to be. No tent. No cover. The only shelter she could see were a few thorny bushes void of any berries, and several clumps of ferns that would have only just hidden Spark.
"Come on." Cleo marched forwards. "We'll find somewhere."
"And if not?" Mischief asked as he strolled on ahead.
"Then…" Cleo shrugged weakly, "we'll just have to hope we can hold out until sunrise."
Harlequin trudged along behind, muttering under their breath.
This area of the forest was thickly covered by a tangle of branches, occasionally raining down a stray brown leaf. At the best of times it would have been dark, but the sun was swiftly setting, and before long the forest would be shrouded in black. Their paws crunched over the thick debris, seeming awfully loud in the quiet forest.
Cleo found herself watching Mischief. He'd not said a single thing about the lab since they'd left, but the experience was still with him. His demeanour had altered significantly since they'd first met. He seemed more… distant. Of course, it was understandable. He'd just discovered he'd formerly belonged to an evil organisation, and had spent his life as a test subject, infected with some horrible virus that gave him violent bouts of madness and memory loss.
And to make things worse, he knew Cleo and Spark had kept all that from him.
Cleo grit her teeth. If she'd found out all that about herself she'd be devastated. In all fairness, Mischief seemed to be handling it quite well.
Or maybe this was just the calm before the storm?
A soft rustle came from above them and Cleo froze, scanning the branches. Something black hopped along the branches, moving with the familiar jerky motions of a bird pokemon.
Cleo licked her lips and searched around for somewhere to hide. Everywhere was covered with shadows, and it was becoming difficult to see anything that may be lurking. But it also meant that they themselves were covered with shadows. There was every possibility that the murkrow hadn't seen them, but it was very rare to see one alone. They usually travelled in flocks.
Cleo scanned the canopy, trying to spot any more murkrow, but all that remained were large leaves twitching in the breeze.
No… they weren't leaves.
Her heart froze and she instinctively crouched lower to the ground. Spark inched into the shelter of a curling fern, while Mischief tried to spot what it was that had unsettled his friends.
Cleo took a step sideways, motioning for Mischief to follow her. She tiptoed off the path and into the thick of the trees. With less wing-space the murkrow would be less inclined to give chase.
Everyone seemed to be following her, until there was a sharp tug at her bracelet. It was followed by a dramatic yell and a loud snapping of twigs as Harlequin threw themselves to the ground. It sounded like an explosion in the drawn-out silence.
Cleo's heart froze as everything seemed to go in slow-motion. The murkrow rose from the canopy like a black cloud, turning their wicked red eyes onto the Outcasts. Their shrill caws exploded through the treetops, and they spread their wings, darting down towards them, twisting through the branches with amazing agility as if they'd been trained by a hunting bird of prey.
Cleo bolted, dropping to all-fours as she scurried through the undergrowth. Spark fell behind, her electricity lighting up the forest. Jerky, feathered shadows danced over the trees, large and terrifying. The murkrow cried, their caws cut off as Spark's electricity shot through their hollow bones and brought them to the ground.
Mischief ran on ahead, straight towards the murkrow that tried to intersect them. They met his dazzling attack and dropped like flies. Those that got through raked at Cleo's fur and ears in their bid to rescue Harlequin. The meowstic retaliated with her claws, swatting two or three murkrow into the undergrowth. Thankfully the bracelet didn't hamper her movements. Harlequin tried to act as a dead weight, flailing their limbs and crying out as Cleo dragged the assassin mercilessly behind. The zorua was dragged over the fallen bodies of the murkrow, sharp claws and beaks digging into their shaggy coat. Harlequin's cries morphed into wails of pain, falling on deaf ears. Cleo wasn't about to slow down for the zorua. If she did, she'd be at the mercy of those wicked beaks.
Cleo silently thanked her encounter with Mischief. If it weren't for him then both her and Spark would be finished against a flock that size.
Spark at the back, Mischief at the front, their attacks lit up the forest and eradicated the murkrow en-mass. Mischief's fur was marred with scratches, and creamy tufts drifted from his body, raked up by sharp talons. Those caught in the fluffy tufts slowed as they tried to dislodge it becoming viable targets for Spark, or careened blindly into the nearest tree where they lay in a crumpled heap.
The light from Spark's discharge bounced off a huge stone wall ahead of them, blanketed in green ivy. Cleo clenched her teeth and turned her head to look for a way past it, but it stretched away on either side. She was about to call for Mischief to go to their left, but her words were cut off as she watched him vanish through the ivy.
She picked up her pace and followed after him. As Spark's discharge lit up the wall a second time, Cleo could just make out where Mischief had vanished to. Beyond the ivy blanket was a narrow gap, and Cleo wasted no time in following after him. The rough stone scraped at her fur as she wriggled through. Behind her, the forest lit up with one flash of electricity after the next. Beyond the wall was serene in comparison. As if it were a different world entirely.
Harlequin wailed as they were dragged up against the wall. They flailed as they tried to right themselves, having no choice but to follow through or be crushed against the cold stone. The zorua tried to drag themselves through, their face smooshed up by the stone. Harlequin's fur was a mangled mess of leaves, twigs and feathers, and marred with blood. Their own or the murkrows's, Cleo wasn't certain
Spark appeared between the zorua's ears and leapt off, landing between Cleo and Mischief. Harlequin managed to drag themselves the rest of the way through and stood leering at Cleo, their canines poking out from their black lips.
Cleo turned away to survey the area. It was deathly quiet, and it took a moment for her to realise the murkrow hadn't followed them. Had they won? Had all the murkrow been picked off, or had those that survived fled?
"They've not followed us?" Spark asked quietly.
The dedenne stood on tiptoes, twitching her nose at the air.
Cleo stood stock still, staring at the sky above the wall. Not a single bird in sight.
"Then let's count it as a blessing," she said, just as quietly. "Come on, before they decide to follow us."
As Cleo looked around again, she found that statement easier said than done. She had absolutely no idea where they were, but it was safe to say they weren't in the forest anymore. They stood in a wide square surrounded by a high stone wall that went on for acres. Standing just to the right of them was a huge building made of the same grey stone. It sported a flat roof trimmed with crenellations, and at one end stood a tall tower with a cone-shaped roof. Cleo thought she could just make out a bell hanging inside it.
Nature had tried to reclaim the whole area. The plants were severely overgrown, wild rose bushes that had gone out of control dominated what looked like a former flower bed, and what Cleo thought might be honeysuckle fought a losing war with the ivy. The grass grew up to Cleo's waist, although around the very edge of the wall it was significantly taller. At some point, a tree had grown at an odd angle, bursting through the surrounding wall to her left, where its branches draped down like a waterfall. Bits of rubble lay scattered around it, dressed with a thick green moss. Even the building was decked out with ivy which trailed down its walls and obscured the narrow windows.
"What is this place?"
It was Mischief who'd spoken, voicing the very question each of them was thinking.
"I…" Cleo scratched her ear as she looked up at the abandoned building. "I think it used to be an abbey."
She ventured towards the building for a closer look, keeping a wary eye open for the murkrow.
"Really?" said Spark. "I've only heard about them in stories. I didn't think they actually existed."
"Well from the looks of this building, it's ancient." Cleo trailed a paw over its cold stone surface, scared that it might fall down at any second. The smell of moss and rot rose up from it, the latter indicating there was wood somewhere in its structure.
"I kinda wanna go inside," said Spark by her feet. "The explorer in me is tingling with excitement!"
'Go inside…' Cleo gazed up at the windows as the thought warred with her conscience. They'd been searching for shelter, and this could very well provide that. A place where they could hide safe from the prying eyes of the Darkness. But there was always a chance that Hydreigon's forces had beaten them to it. But somehow, as scary as it looked, it didn't feel threatening. She wanted to go inside, to have a look around, and find some clue as to what this place once was.
"If we go in," she said slowly, "then we must be prepared to fight."
"Fight?" Harlequin spat. "If you fight in there, the whole building might come down!"
"Good," said Cleo. "That means if any of your friends are lurking inside, they might leave us alone. Come on, we need to find a way in."
She followed the wall along, trailing a paw along the cold stone. They eventually reached a curtain of climbing ivy about half way along it. Cleo's claws brushed against damp wood, and she yanked the ivy aside to reveal a door. Her muzzle split into a grin and she tore the ivy away from it. The door was tall enough to allow a much bigger pokemon inside, and arched at the top. The stone around it was ornamental, forming a pattern like the sun's rays from the top of the doorway.
"There's only one problem," said Spark. "There's no doorknob."
Cleo scanned her eyes over the door and felt her heart sink. Spark was right. The door seemed impossible to open. The only way in was through a narrow slat at eye level, much too narrow for Spark to wriggle through.
"It looks like this place had some level of security, then," said Cleo, glancing up at the crenellations along the roof. "Maybe there's a doorknob on the other side?"
"Should we knock?" There was a thick overtone of sarcasm behind Harlequin's voice.
Cleo shot the zorua a glare, but Mischief cleared his throat to draw her attention.
The whimsicott stood beside the door, holding back a stiff wiry plant. "There's a hole here."
Cleo joined his side and peered over his shoulder. A hole had formed in the wall where the stone had eroded away from the wood. It followed the curve of the door, narrowing out into a crack. It wasn't enough to pull the door free, and the stone wasn't crumbling enough to make the hole any bigger. Not that Cleo wanted to. If they found a way inside, then any pursuing Darkness would be stuck in the courtyard, as stumped as she currently was.
"Spark might fit," she said.
"Really?" Harlequin smirked at the dedenne. "So her puny size does come in use at times?"
"Oi!" Spark shook her tiny fist. "You've felt my electricity already, so unless you want another zapping-"
"Spark, take it as a compliment," said Cleo. "Out of all of us, you are the smallest, and unlike us, you could fit through there and see if there's a way to let us in."
"I suppose," said Spark, hopping up onto Cleo's shoulder for a better view of the hole. "I mean, you lot are clearly too big."
"Bet you can't reach the doorknob though," said Harlequin.
Spark literally sparked, causing Cleo's whiskers to tingle. "I heard that!"
"Good." Harlequin puffed out their ruff. "'cos I intended it."
Mischief waved a paw to get their attention. "Why don't I do it?"
"You?" they all gasped.
He shrugged. "Sure. I can get through there, and I'd be able to reach the doorknob if there is one. And it stops you three arguing."
"But you're taller than Cleo!" Spark gasped.
Mischief shrugged again and turned towards the hole. He shimmied up beside it, wriggling one arm through. Much to their surprise, the rest of his body followed, distorting and twisting like a soft jelly. Before long, he was inside, leaving a small cloud of wispy fur behind him.
Spark's nose crinkled and she ducked inside Cleo's ruff. "I don't know whether to be impressed or weirded out…"
They waited in silence as a small click came from the door and it opened towards them. It caught over the tangle of ivy and overgrown grass, which peeled back to reveal a stone path. The moonlight reflected off Mischief's orange eyes, and he beamed out at them from the shadows.
"It's peaceful in here," he said.
He stood aside to let Cleo in, and Spark bailed off her shoulder to land on all-fours. Harlequin trailed in last, and Mischief shut the door behind them.
Spark sniffed the air, then promptly sneezed. The small noise bounced off the walls of the entrance hall, amplifying it exceptionally.
"Wow," she said, her voice echoing. "It's dusty in here!"
"Yes, and damp, too," said Harlequin. "Not very good for your health, really, is it?"
Cleo ignored the zorua's comment and narrowed her eyes to peer at what she thought was a door in the far wall. "Spark, do you think you could light it up a bit?"
"Sure!" With a flash, the dedenne's body lit up with electricity, causing the other three to shield their eyes from the sudden bright light. "Wow! Look at this place!"
Cleo blinked dazzling spots from her eyes and looked around in silent awe. Stone trees were carved out of the walls, their branches arcing up overhead where they met the rays of the sun. Various flying-type pokemon flocked the sky, their beaks open with song. Between the trees stood narrow windows, curtained with ivy. They would have once lit up the room with natural light. The door was shrouded by a heavy red curtain, blotched with black mildew and rotting at the edges, its former job to keep the room free from drafts rendered moot. It covered most of the hole, but every so often the breeze found it and whistled through into the hallway.
Stretched along the left side wall was a huge tapestry, ornately decorated around the rim with golden thread. It was that which caught Cleo's eye, drawing her across the room towards it. It was a faded image of a glorious meadow with pokemon frolicking among the wildflowers. What struck Cleo the most was the variety of pokemon, all happily playing together. Eevee, pikachu and espurr running with poochyena, bagon and axew; a gardevoir and altaria sitting under a tree, sharing drinks with a shuppet; a miltank reading to a group of hatchlings - pichu, oshawott, zorua, dreepy… to name a few. The immense tapestry was filled with pokemon from every type filling the skies, the ground, the streams…
Right at the back of the tapestry was a tall hill, and standing atop it was a pokemon Cleo had never seen before. A stag who's antlers radiated light. He appeared to be watching over the meadow and the pokemon in his care.
"Whoa!" Spark gasped. "You wouldn't find that in this day and age, would you?"
Cleo shook her head sadly. She wasn't even sure such a day had ever existed. The places she knew, all the forests, meadows, streams… they were empty. The only pokemon in them were those fleeing or travelling to find safety, or the Darkness looking for those they hadn't killed yet.
"I don't recognise that pokemon in the back, either," said Spark.
"So many species have been lost," said Cleo, tracing a paw over a snowy white vulpix. "There are a few in this tapestry I have never seen before."
Mischief took a step closer to her, his eyes not leaving the tapestry. "Is this… Is this what life used to be like?"
"I think that's open to debate," said Cleo. "I've heard stories, but I've never known a life like this. Spark and I were born during the tail-end of the war."
"Yup," said Spark. "All we know is division and hostility. You won't find many psychic-type pokemon left alive anymore, let alone gardevoir. They were one of the first to be wiped out. And the idea of being friends with dragon- and dark-type pokemon? That's nothing more than idealistic fantasy."
Harlequin scoffed. "There are divisions among those too, you know. You're just to blind to see it."
"Blind?!" shouted Spark.
Cleo stood between Spark and Harlequin before the dedenne turned into a sparking canon-ball. Harlequin's blue eyes were livid, glaring right past Cleo at the dedenne.
"Don't make me laugh," Spark went on. "Aren't you dark-types part of Hydreigon's 'perfect plan' for this world?" She sounded each those words with disgust, sending Harlequin's hackles on end.
"Spark's right," said Cleo. "Hydreigon's 'ideal' has no place for us. What do the dark-types have to fear?"
"Weren't you listening to that meowstic Heretic?!" Harlequin spat. "He told you about the outlaws! Oh wait…"
Cleo's eyes narrowed as the zorua bared their canines.
"You pretend they don't exist," Harlequin finished.
"I don't know enough about them to pretend they don't exist," said Cleo flatly.
"But you don't acknowledge them at all!" Harlequin barked. "Outlaws are rebels! They went against Hydreigon and were driven from the Shadow Lands." The zorua smirked at the surprise on Cleo's face. "Of course, you wouldn't know about that, because you're too wrapped up in your own Guild affairs, protecting those that fall under your own little category. Your own 'ideal world'. You talk about the war and how some pokemon have been pushed to extinction, but you fail to realise the same thing is happening in the Shadow Lands! Families and friendships have been fractured, pushing some pokemon to live outside the walls and hide in the borders from those sent to mop up the rebels. They have no one to turn to because they're not welcome on Guild territory! And why? Because they're dark- and dragon-types! Idealistic fantasy indeed…" Harlequin snorted. "What you're clearly too blind to see is that in the Shadow Lands it's either obey, run for your life, or die!"
The other three pokemon stood staring at the zorua. Harlequin's breaths were coming in quick bursts as they tried to repress built-up hysteria.
"Then…" Spark ventured. "Then why don't you just run?"
Harlequin's eyes flashed sapphire flames. "Because then I'd be living like you! Terrified, jumping at every little shadow, hiding all the time! I might be a zorua, but using illusion is tiring. I can't disguise myself indefinitely. And unlike you, I look different to others of my kind. I stand out!" They looked back up at the tapestry then tore their eyes away, moving past Cleo. "An ideal world… it's just some artist's fantasy. Not even worth latching onto."
The others exchanged glances.
"We hadn't," said Spark.
"It's fiction, okay?!" Harlequin snapped. They turned their head away, hiding their face. "Just… shut up."
The silence that followed was almost deafening. Harlequin stood with their head lowered, canines bared, silently warring with some inner turmoil.
Cleo nodded once. "Okay. We won't talk about it."
Spark looked up at her and twitched her whiskers. "Are we going to continue looking around this place?"
"Of course," said Cleo. "I want to learn what this place once was. I think I saw a door just over there." She pointed a paw towards the back of the entrance hall, still shrouded with shadows. As Spark inched towards it, her light danced over the ornate wooden surface.
Carved into the thick, heavy wood was a an 'X', the top part of which was designed to resemble the horns of a stag. Three altaria surrounded it, flying gracefully, their faces jovial and beaks open in song. The door was designed to part down the middle, and the design met flawlessly on either side.
"What is this place?" Spark gasped.
Cleo didn't hesitate. She gave the doors a confident shove. Both sides swung away from her, creaking on their hinges with an ear-splitting shriek. Cleo braced herself, but the room on the other side was as empty as the hallway. Although, from the layout, it wasn't meant to be. Leading away from them was a long reed mat that stretched the length of the room towards an ornate window at the far end. The window arced above a wooden podium like a rainbow, and would have cast an array of colours into the room during a bright day. It had long since cracked as roots had wound their way inside to claim any moisture they could find. Its design was almost unrecognisable, marred by leaves that clung to the jagged bits of coloured glass. Beneath it was a large image of the stag they'd seen in the entrance hall.
On either side of the reed mat were rows of dusty cushions that at some time would have been blue and yellow. Cleo strolled along the mat, her eyes fixed on the walls. Yet more tapestries adorned them, laid out like the pages of a story. They lacked words, but the images were clear enough. They depicted a war, where in the first section hundreds of pokemon fled from a huge red and black bird. Or was it a dragon? Cleo couldn't quite tell. On either side of the unusual pokemon were some that Cleo recognised. Pidgeot, druddigon, zoroark… all flying-, dragon- and dark-type pokemon.
Those that fled were struck by an ominous beam that glowed red and black like the creature that fired it. Pokemon touched by it were petrified, standing like stone statues while others desperately tried to get away.
Further along, some of those who had fled tried to reason with the bird-dragon. They were taken into its ranks, and furthered the war under its control. They helped to spread its reign, kidnapping pokemon that fought against them and letting the evil creature turn them to stone. But a few managed to escape, fleeing across a meadow.
Some of the escapees were touched by light. Standing before them was a stag, the same pokemon Cleo had seen throughout the ruined abbey. The escapees' demeanour changed, and they were now able to fight off their pursuers. They utilised a strange glowing attack, not dissimilar to the one Mischief used. The bird-dragon's soldiers crumpled.
The stag amassed an army of light, gifting many of his followers with strange stones that allowed the holder to change form. He lead the army against the bird-dragon, and they cleaved through his army with their glittering moves and extra strength. Many fell, but some were touched by the light and drawn away from the evil pokemon. They joined the stag's ranks and in turn gained glittering moves and new forms.
The bird-dragon was furious. It lashed out against its own army, turning those not dragon, bird or dark into stone. This seemed to be a means to increase its strength, as it began to turn even more shadowy, spreading an unusual darkness around it.
The stag's light penetrated it, driving it back. His army was able to reach the bird-dragon and his remaining forces.
The final piece of the tapestry showed the stag driving his horns into the bird-dragon's torso. The shadows exploded with glittering lights that spread out from the duo like fireworks. Beneath it were the only words on the tapestry:
'Yvel is defeated by the X'
Cleo's eye wandered from it towards the painting beneath the window. It was framed with gold, and beneath the picture was engraved a word she assumed was the pokemon's name - Xerneas.
The opposite wall sported another tapestry that showed different stages of Estellis being filled with light. The stone statues were melted away, returning the pokemon to their normal selves. Each picture showed more and more pokemon playing together, their varieties increasing as the tapestry moved away towards the double doors. Xerneas watched over the pokemon in each one, situated on a hilltop or standing amongst the smiling pokemon. In one image, some of the pokemon were crying, sitting in his light or holding onto his legs. Most of those being dark-, dragon- or flying-types. Pokemon that had turned away from the bird-dragon. But Xerneas didn't appear upset. He smiled warmly at them, welcoming.
The final image was very similar to the one adorning the entrance hall.
Cleo couldn't deny she found the tapestries moving. But what was it? Was it a true story? A history that had long been forgotten? Or a legend the pokemon that lived here had clung to? Whatever the case, it stirred something in Cleo. Was there actually hope that Hydreigon could be defeated, and the world could return to what was depicted in those tapestries?
"Is he real?"
Mischief's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she turned to look at him.
"Xerneas?" Mischief explained. "Is he real?"
Cleo turned back to the tapestries, suddenly aware she'd been wondering the exact same thing.
"I dunno," said Spark. "But it's nice to think about, isn't it?"
"Perhaps that's all it is," said Cleo as she surveyed the room. "Pokemon clinging onto hope. But… he's everywhere. Surely they couldn't have just… made him up? I've never heard of either of these pokemon before, but I find it hard to believe there's nothing behind it. The stories are so detailed, and this place feels… peaceful somehow." She paused as she looked up at the roots reaching in through the window. "I actually think… it hasn't been attacked."
"Then what happened to the pokemon that lived here?" Mischief asked.
Cleo shook her head, unable to answer. What had happened to them? It had clearly once been very much occupied if the number of cushions was anything to go by. And the size of the place… the huge courtyard… where had everyone gone?
"Maybe we'll find answers if we have more of a look around?" She motioned for Mischief to follow her, then paused beside Harlequin.
The zorua stood in the middle of the reed mat, turning their head left and right between the two tapestries. Their mouth hung open in disbelief and their pupils had been reduced to pinpricks.
"Is it familiar to you?" Cleo ventured.
Harlequin licked their lips and tucked their tail further between their legs. "No."
Cleo gave another glance at the war story. It had been a long-shot. Harlequin's reaction was nothing more than confusion and fear. But there had to be some evidence that it was all real.
She trailed her eyes along the story again, all desire to continue exploring forgotten. The bird-dragon claiming his army. Those fleeing and meeting Xerneas. His gifts to them… Cleo's heart lurched and she scurried closer to the tapestry, almost stumbling over the dusty cushions.
The stones, those transformations.
Her jaw went slack and she pointed a claw towards it. "We've seen something like this!"
Mischief and Spark ventured closer, and Cleo turned her head back to Harlequin. The zorua still stood in the same spot, head lowered, blue eyes reluctantly turning towards where Cleo was pointing.
A gardevoir wore around her neck a strange, round stone. Clear, with a curl of colour winding up its centre. Light radiated off her body, warping her appearance drastically.
"Harlequin," Cleo said, trying to draw the zorua closer. "You had something like this stone-"
Harlequin's eyes widened and their ears pricked upright. They turned their nose to their side then snapped their focus onto Cleo. A long whine left the zorua's throat and their canines poked out of their lips in a strange, repressed aggression.
"No! No, I've lost it!" Harlequin narrowed their eyes at Cleo. "No… You lost it!" Their ears pulled back and they lowered their head, tears leaking from their eyes. "It was all I had left and now it's gone!"
Cleo looked from the zorua back to the tapestry and lowered her claw. She'd foolishly thought Harlequin might have been a little more excited, but the image clearly didn't mean the same to the zorua as it did to Cleo. Harlequin had possessed an unusual item, one that had sparked interest. No one knew anything about it, and here it was being portrayed in a tapestry. There was always the possibility that it was just a legend like the story itself, but if that strange orb did indeed possess unknown powers, then it was key to discovering if this story was actually true.
And they'd lost it.
She looked back at Harlequin and her ears drooped slightly. Silent tears trailed down the zorua's scrunched-up face. That item that had sparked such a ferocious reaction from Harlequin… was really nothing more than a memento? The zorua really knew nothing of what it actually was?
If these pictures did have any truth behind them, then that stone was a lot more valuable than Harlequin thought it was.
"Do you really not know what that stone is?" Cleo ventured.
Harlequin's eyes snapped open, flashing with rage. They flew from Cleo to the tapestry, and the sapphire flames ebbed away. Harlequin's sides heaved as they panted for breath, eyes flitting over the images of that strange transformation. They took one step back and clenched their lips tight together, shaking their head.
Cleo nodded sadly and moved from the room. The others fell in step beside her, and much to her surprise, Mischief had regained that sprightly spring in his step.
"He's amazing, isn't he?" he said.
"Xerneas?" Cleo asked.
Mischief nodded and glanced back towards the painting. "To defeat such an evil foe and fill the world with light? Yeah, he's really amazing."
A small smile tugged at Cleo's lips and she paused to let Mischief skip ahead of her with Spark lighting the way. For a moment, Cleo thought she was the last to leave. But the soft tug at her wrist urged Harlequin from their stationery spot on the reed mat.
...
It had taken them a while to search the entire abbey. Room upon room spread along the wide hallways, each wall adorned with paintings and sculptures. Some of the paintings had been of pokemon that had lived there, or, as Cleo guessed, served as the abbot. A lot of them were pokemon none of them recognised, amid others they did such as a snubbull and raichu.
As they settled down in one of the rooms, Harlequin stood in the middle of it silently.
"The hay is a bit stale," said Cleo. "But I think this room will do."
"I don't need any hay." Mischief yawned and flopped onto his back. "You three can have it if you want."
"No," said Harlequin, drawing everyone's attention. "I want to leave."
"Why?" asked Spark with some distaste. "Because none of your cronies can find you here?"
Harlequin wasn't looking at them. They stared at the floor between their paws, their tail tucked between their legs. Cleo watched the zorua for a moment, then turned to the hay she was separating.
Something had unsettled Harlequin, but Cleo knew no matter how much she pried she wouldn't get an answer out of the zorua.
"Let's just rest here tonight," said Cleo, "and we can be off first thing after sunrise."
Spark's stomach groaned with a volume that far exceeded her size. "Maybe we can find some berries, too."
"I second that," said Mischief.
"Who'll take first watch?" Cleo asked.
"I will," said Spark. "I'll only be grumpy if someone wakes me."
"Don't fall asleep on us, okay?"
"No promises."
Harlequin watched the meowstic curl up as far from the zorua as she could safely get, keeping a good distance from Mischief as well. Spark fell to her bottom at Cleo's feet and sneezed as a cloud of dust rose up around her.
Harlequin muttered under their breath and gave another glance around the room. A narrow window was the only source of light and air, and the ivy draped through it to pool on the floor, forming a mat of green and brown. Harlequin flopped onto it and tucked their nose under their tail.
Sleep wouldn't come. How could they sleep in this place?
A soft snore came from the trio and Harlequin cracked an eye open. Spark sat hunched over, her head nodding and whiskers twitching. Harlequin tutted and set their chin between their paws. Easy prey.
Not that they could do anything.
The zorua rolled their eyes towards the ceiling. A huge sun was carved into it, stretching its rays down towards the room. Altaria drifted around it, and emblazoned in the middle of the sun was that familiar X.
Harlequin's chest tightened and they pushed themselves to their feet. Oh, to get out of this place.
Their heart raced as their mind swirled with the images from that tapestry. An image of confusion that made Harlequin want to flee.
The Darkness… that light… Light that could drive it back.
A soft breeze drifted through the window, drawing the zorua towards it. They stood on their hind feet and placed both forepaws on the damp windowsill. A floral smell tickled Harlequin's nose and they leant forwards to peer through the ivy.
Zorua had fantastic night vision. The courtyard stood out clearly, the long blades of grass drifting in the breeze. That floral smell wafted up on Harlequin's left and they turned their head towards it. The long grass parted as something moved through them. Something tall, with long graceful movements. Flowers sprouted up wherever it trod, leaving a trail of colour through the overgrown courtyard.
It stopped and turned its head towards Harlequin, its large antlers framed with a light that chased away the shadows.
A stag.
No sooner had Harlequin recognised him, the pokemon faded from view.
But he'd been there. Harlequin hadn't imagined it. The spray of flowers and flattened grass marked the path the stag had taken.
Harlequin's breath came out in a feeble squeak and they slid from the window to land in a crumpled heap on the musty floor.
...
Review Replies:
AdamFics - Thanks for the feedback! I've amended the inconsistencies you pointed out =D As for Enigma's killing method... you'll have to wait and see! He didn't kill Rio because he's more scared of Hydreigon than a meowstic he has an advantage against. Enigma does obey orders, after all! He wouldn't be alive if he didn't XD
Thanks for reading! Please R&R!
