Author's Note(s):
Thank you all for reading, following, and/or adding to favorites. Seeing those traffic graphs was enough to keep me going!
Gen IV games' plot will be altered, Platinum to be specific. It shouldn't be too much, but this may spoil the story if you haven't finished it yet. This is my best attempt to seamlessly yeet Dawn/Lucas out of the story. I initially though of them as my main characters but feared I might go OoC with the backstories, hence why I went with mordekaiser numero uno
- Chapter 2: Cynthia -
"Don't be stupid, Cyrus! You know what the myths dictate!" scolded a blond-haired woman dressed in a large black coat with a fur scarf wrapped around her neck – the Champion of Sinnoh, Cynthia. She stood daringly in front of a firmly postured man with blue, spiky hair.
"Myths? You know very well that the carvings represent an exposition…a truth…yet you still refer to them as myths? It's foolish of you and your grandmother to try and hide them as mere legends…wasting the potential of men and women, cut from a different fabric, to take control of such power wielded by two Pokémon. Then again, I have to thank you for indirectly lessening the competition…as if I needed the help," he remarks. "I STAND AT THE VERY APEX OF THE SPEAR PILLAR!"
With ever-growing concern, Cynthia replies "the Guardians won't let you."
"You think I let my Team Galactic march to the Three Lakes for display? I had them suppressed by my lieutenants, admins, and their subordinates," laughed Cyrus.
"…and I had the Gym Leaders and my Elites to s-"
The man cuts her off, "-stop an army of goons? I had this planned." Cyrus flashes a villainous grin. "I harnessed the Guardian's gems to create this masterpiece after I captured them right under your noses. Even though you managed to free them from HQ, Team Galactic will stall long enough for me to execute my magnum opus here; the Guardians won't be able to arrive on time. You were sharp enough to join me here, although it seems like you are left by your lonesome."
"I'm more than enough to stop you," claimed a now robustly-posed Cynthia. It's almost as if she tries to use determination to hide the fear that eats at her…the fear of awakening the Creation Duo.
"I'll just need a few minutes or so for the Red Chain. Let's see if you're good enough to stop me before then, Champion," said Cyrus boldly before letting out a Pokéball from his belt. Cynthia follows suit.
Flashes of blue let loose from the spherical devices, summoning a dark-blue bipedal draconian and a large black avian for Cynthia and Cyrus respectively.
"Garchomp? Your ace already? Are you trying to force me to send out all my Pokémon at once? Or, maybe you must've really taken me on when I told you to rush your game," Cyrus cackled. "Honchkrow use Brave Bird!"
"Garchomp use Protect!" shouted Cynthia.
The shark-like Dragon-type opens its mouth, breathing a dark-blue flame into its extremities before using them to block the incoming Honchkrow. The large bird crashes onto Garchomp's defense and then majestically bounces back into its initial position. It winces a bit from new gashes on its body after it charges onto the opponent's guard which catches Cyrus' curiosity.
Cynthia commands Garchomp to then use Dig, much to Cyrus' surprise considering Honchkrow is a Flying-type. Garchomp burrows down into the ground in less than a second, vanishing and leaving behind a hole on the earth where it was originally.
"She is obviously planning something," thought Cyrus. "Honchkrow use Fly! Keep yourself above ground!"
"Good, now stay still…" Cynthia says in her mind. "Now, Garchomp! Use Giga Impact!" she quickly yells.
A small rumble shakes the ground just below where Honchkrow is hovering. Before it could react, Garchomp bursts through the ground with immense force that lets it reach the airborne Pokémon. Honchkrow is knocked off of its fluttering-wings; it whizzes clumsily toward the ground, then crashes and bounces a few times before being knocked unconscious.
Cyrus recalls his now fallen battler, partly expecting it to fall quickly to a Champion's main Pokémon but he is shocked nonetheless. "One down, five to go."
Their fiery battle goes on for a short while with Garchomp doing its job as an ace and sweeping through two more of Cyrus' Pokémon, Crobat and Weavile. Its exhaustion was obvious, but it still maintained a battle-ready stance.
Cyrus grits his teeth with annoyance at the Dragon-type. "Grrr! You need to be put down! Finish the job, Houndoom!" He tosses his fourth Pokéball. "I just wanted to stretch time, but now this is getting annoying! Let me show you a 'gift' I obtained from Kalos!" The blue-haired criminal raises his left fist in the air and then shouted, "Houndoom use Swift!" The solid-black furred Pokémon rushes toward Garchomp but before it makes contact, Cyrus' wrist (or rather wristband) beams a red glow. A black fog emanates from Houndoom's mouth as it dashes left and right, engulfing it and making it disappear into a smoke-like cloud. "Mega Evolve, Houndoom!"
Houndoom slowly emerges from the fog while it clears. It is still circling the battleground around Garchomp. "Garchomp use Take Down!" It dashes toward Houndoom, still being covered by a trail of smoke.
"Now, Houndoom!" The canine turns to meet Garchomp head-on, knocking both back but with Garchomp seemingly about to kneel out of fatigue and weakness. Both the ace Pokémon and its Trainer are shocked by the odd-looking Houndoom which now had demonic-looking horns, a spiky chestplate, and a forked tail.
Cynthia had never seen the 'new Evolution' hot topic around the region…let alone confirmed its existence. She really has never had the time to ask about it from Professor Rowan but now she is looking at its full splendor. Maybe this was the worst timing; witnessing it for the first time at the very moment when the world might meet its end. It made her nervous.
Cyrus couldn't help but notice Houndoom yelp in surprise and pain after using Swift. Before tauntingly asking Cynthia about his, the crimson chain-like object on his hand shuddered. He smiled, and then withdrew Houndoom. "This is a surprisingly welcome buzz-kill, just when I was about to show you my Trick."
Cynthia would have assumed that Cyrus conceded in an odd manner and timing after losing three Pokémon to just Garchomp…but his smirk told her otherwise. "It is time," he said.
The Red Chain flies from Cyrus' hand and onto the ground. It then extends from nothingness, allowing it to bind to three pillars that formed a triangular pattern. The two of the columns crumble, the ground shook, stones flew across various directions…and then…it all came to a halt.
Silence.
From the stumps of the now-fallen structures, gyres burst out from nowhere and released two simultaneous booms which sounded very similar to roars.
"YES! DIALGA, THE DRAGON OF TIME, AND PALKIA, THE DRAGON OF SPACE…WITH THE RED CHAIN I COMMAND BO-" before Cyrus could finish, two Legendary Pokémon hurtled out of their respective portals. They let loose another wave of their roars at the same time. The Red Chain snaps from the pillars and column-stumps it latched onto, returning to its original contour: a small red row of mineral-made links. "What's happening…the Red Chain?"
Cynthia, Cyrus, and Garchomp are all dumbfounded by whatever is happening around them. Rubble that circled around them formed something not unlike a Twister as the Creation Duo glare at one another. Cynthia withdraws Garchomp to its Pokéball to prevent flying rocks from hitting it considering it is a fairly large entity.
Dialga deeply inhales as if it is sucking in every life-form with its lungs. At the same time, Palkia raises both of its arms and lowers its neck…a translucent orb forms from its chest. The former releases a soundless yell but sonic-waves slowly pulsed out of its mouth; the other pushes the orb, filled with peculiarly bent images of whatever is behind it, towards its adversary.
Both were now motionless and the products of their power: the waves and the orb stayed still in midair. Before Cynthia and Cyrus could grasp or understand every second, they realize that a glass-like dome has encased the top of the Spear Pillar. Everything outside it looked distorted…more specifically – upside-down.
As they looked around their surroundings, at the two motionless Dragon-types, at Dialga's 'solid roar', and at Palkia's 'materialized space', the unthinkable (at least to Cynthia and Cyrus) happened.
Behind the Champion, a black hole vacuums her in almost an instant. Team Galactic's leader, however, was slowly being pulled in by it while it shrinks bit by bit. Cyrus runs against its force.
"The Red Chain!" he yells as he attempts to reach for it with his left hand. Before he could, a thicc snake-like shadow with talons on its sides appears from the other side of the black hole, pulling Cyrus in as if using only the red glow from its eyes. The portal closes shut…'forgetting' to bring Cyrus' extended arm along with him to the other side.
Cynthia opens her eyes as she lands with a thud. The fall wasn't that painful…or maybe it was. The sight she beheld seemed to have dulled the feeling.
Buildings, parks, statues, and even walking people surrounded her…except they were all upside down and the people were oblivious to her presence, yet they seemed to have strayed away from her vicinity for some reason. Behind her comes a resonating and continuous yell followed by a thump; the yelling does not stop.
Cyrus. He just lay there, letting loose a bloodcurdling yell, rocking left and right with his arm grasping his other…forearm?
…just his left forearm…actually, just the bottom half of it…no hand, no wrist…
The bloody display took a gasp from Cynthia as if a Ghost Pokémon used Astonish on her. She neither knew what happened and what she was supposed to do.
A peculiar presence behind her took her attention away from the mutilated villain. She turned around and the sight of a dark figure overshadowed her, except shadows didn't seem to exist in the plane wherever she was. It was hulking large; it had a serpent-figured body of black, gray, and red. Shadowed and unsightly wings spit out from its back. It leered over Cynthia, but she felt that its focus was directed towards Cyrus. It levitated over her and used its wings (or tendrils?) to scoop up the blue-haired nihilist.
"What do you plan on doing with him?" Cynthia bravely asked. She could care less for a selfish prick like Cyrus, but whatever punishment would await one in an underworld like this seemed too harsh even for him. The odd being ignored her and floated away at a very Slugma-ish pace. It felt like a bold and reckless decision, but Cynthia called on one of her allies anyway.
"Go, Lucario!"
A canine-looking bipedal Pokémon flashed out of its Pokéball on a warrior-like stance, yet it couldn't help but wonder where (and what) the setting was. It was a very uncanny place for a Pokémon battle after all.
"Lucario use Aura Sphere on…that!"
"Lucario!" Cynthia's Pokémon shouted as it shook off its thoughts and obeyed its master without hesitation. A purple ball shot out from Lucario's palm and it went straight after the looming creature. Cynthia figured that it would be a Dark-type Pokémon because of its horror-feeling vibe…if it was even a Pokémon to begin with. It would be likely so considering that the world keeps on discovering new species; it could be one of those that lain undiscovered.
The Champion anticipated her companion's move, hoping it would knock off Cyrus from the serpent's hold…however…
*WHOOSH*
Lucario's Aura Sphere just phased through it. Although it did nothing physically, the mysterious Pokémon turned to the Trainer and her Pokémon. It returned a threatening roar before turning back around to continue on its original trek.
*CLICK* *BWAP* *FWOOSH*
The familiar sound echoed throughout the ominous space. "Sorry, Garchomp," Cynthia apologized. "I know you're tired but I need you again. Garchomp use Dragon Rush on its tail; Lucario use Dragon Pulse on its wings!"
The duo nodded. Garchomp bided its time to wait for Lucario's move and avoid getting hit by it. As soon as a blue beam from Lucario's palms blasted straight at the creature's wings, Garchomp dashed under it and charged sideways at the dark Pokémon's vulnerable end.
The beast actually dropped Cyrus this time, but it screeched in pain as it did so. The human it carried was surprisingly quiet even though he screamed endlessly moments ago. The sizeable brute turned around and roared another time out of annoyance. It then vanished into black…then into nothing.
Cynthia staggered and grew anxious from the fear of not knowing where it was. She questioned how and where in her thoughts, but only the latter would be answered.
A black ball appears behind Garchomp and forms into the shape of the previously-visible creature. It charges at the dark-blue Dragon-type's back. With such great force, the unaware Pokémon was sent flying before it landed into unconsciousness.
"What was that?" Cynthia questioned, and then recalled her fainted partner. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, but you did well. Thanks, Garchomp."
As the haunting being locked onto its other target, Lucario, it stretched out its wings. Meanwhile, Cynthia sent out another Pokémon.
"Spiritomb, help us!" The red-white device sent out a vortex-shaped specter that puffed out of a rune.
"Lucario hit it with another Dragon Pulse! Spiritomb use Shadow Sneak!" Lucario raises its paw once again while its ally phases into a shadow on the ground, heading toward its opponent. The giant serpent flaps its wings one time with great speed, sending out a pitch-black ring outwards. Cyrus' clothing was blown as if by a second-long hurricane. Lucario was also pushed back by the force, but it didn't lose balance. The creature's wave stopped neither Lucario's beam nor the Mach-speed phantom that headed towards it.
Cynthia shielded herself with her arms from the oncoming attack. It looked and moved like Dark Pulse, but this had greater force and range. The ones she usually face on a regular Trainer battle don't reach that wide.
As she was recovering her posture, she heard Spiritomb's laugh followed by a never-before-heard groan across the area. She was greeted by the sight of Lucario tiredly panting, Spiritomb victoriously bobbing up and down, and the enormous creature lying still near Cyrus.
Emotionally and mentally drained, Cynthia let out a sigh. "Well done, all of you," she said before recalling her Pokémon. She then rushed toward Cyrus, who lay unmoving as if he was lifeless.
"Thank, Arceus…" she muttered after checking his pulse. He was unconscious from losing a good amount of blood from his severed arm. Cynthia thought in a panic, "Fuck, I need to stop the bleeding." Before she could try and tear off a piece of her shirt, however, the serpent-like being blackened entirely and then vanished onto the floor which left a huge oval mark on the ground.
Darkness. Cynthia couldn't see nor remember a thing except…darkness. She attempted to open her eyes. It felt arduous; her eyelids weighed like Snorlax.
"Cynthia!"
A faint voice called to her. She was slowly regaining vision before-
*GASP*
Cynthia sucked in air with her mouth as she rose from a lying position. Although she felt dizzy from cranking up her torso too fast, she focused on the familiar sight before her: a middle-aged male with a red afro for a hairstyle. "Flint?"
"Flint!" Cynthia exclaimed. She would have hugged him after being warped into an unearthly place like that creature's 'home'…except…
"Why…why are you shirtless? What happened?" she said groggily from the headaches.
"You tell me what happened," replied the man. "We were holding off the waves of Team Spaceman cunts or whatever until the Guardians woke up with their red crystals glowing on their heads. They helped us sweep out the punks. Lucian called and told me a similar story…said we should let the Gym Leaders defend while head for you here at Spear Pillar. We tried to reach your C-Gear, you know, but you wouldn't pick up…scared us to the core."
It was a lot to take in for Cynthia, but she absorbed every detail after getting used to conversing with a fast-and-wordy talker like Flint. "Cyrus?" she jerked upwards with concern.
"Yeah, he fell from the sky like you did. 'Thought he was dead with that gross-ass missing arm but he still had a heartbeat. I used my good shirt for to wrap it on and around his bloody-stump. I know I could've just torn off a piece but it's harder than it sounds, you know. That shit gave Aaron quite a shock," replied Flint, pointing toward the vomiting young one meters away who was being comforted by an elderly woman. Nearby was a cleanly cut arm – from the fingertips to the forearm. A purple haired man with glasses was walking toward Cynthia, too, probably after hearing Flint talk to her.
"You're awake!" the man exclaimed. He looked like the type who would be calm ninety-percent of the time but one could hear the worry and surprise in his tone this time.
"Team Galacti-"
"Yeah, I already told her, Lucian" Flint cut the man off with a wide smile.
"Right," Lucian remarked. "We found an odd and gemmed bracelet of some sort on that severed wrist, could've thought that both were yours if not for the manly stubby fingers and Cyrus' exhibit of amputation but...well…we'll show you after we sort this all out."
"What about the Red Chain?" questioned Cynthia.
"…the red what?" asked both Lucian and Flint.
"…a chain thing…it was glowing red and it knocked off-" the Champion stopped speaking as soon as she saw that the pillars were upright and undamaged, and the platform was clear of debris. "Cyrus...I could've sworn he-"
"We scanned the whole area while looking for you, no red chain…red arm maybe," Flint interrupted once again.
"Get your bearings first, Cynthia. The reception is weak here; I can't call the Leaders so Aaron, Bertha, and I have to check on the Lake Guardians ourselves just to make sure Team Galactic is taken care of. We'll send coordinates to a copter; they'll come pick you up. Flint will stay with you. You can look for that chain in the meantime or just ask Cyrus once he wakes up," uttered Lucian. Without waiting for a reply, he approached and beckoned the other two Elites.
"Arceus-damn that Lucian, always so methodical. Couldn't he have just said 'stay and wait here with Cynthia, Flint…I'll take care of the rest'?" mocked Flint.
"You're one to talk, Mr. Yap-yap-yap," joked Cynthia, now sitting upright but her thoughts were still somewhat in disarray.
"Whatever. You should go to your grandma later, by the way. 'Must be worried sick," Flint suggested, hoping to change the subject.
Cynthia remained silent. "Grandmother…I have to tell her about that monster."
This one's pretty lengthy and it looks better on MSOffice than it does on this site. I hope y'all bear with the wordy intro and that you enjoy reading it as much as I have fun in writing this. See you and thanks for reading!
Thicc snake