I'm again SO SO SO SO sorry for the lateness of this chapter! This will definitely NOT happen again! I definitely mean it!
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Moonlight's Shadow Chapter 20:
Final Orders
"Hey Koja! There you are!"
Koja turned immediately and was greeted with the faces of Inferno, Zan, Ditto, and Pep. A tiny smile graced his features and he nodded in return.
"Where's Sami?"
Inferno sighed, "She thought it'd be best for her to lie low for the moment. After all, there's quite a lot of Pokemon who don't think its right that a human should see our Gods, let alone attend any of our meetings…"
"I suppose… Where is she? The place is absolutely teeming with Pokemon…."
"She's in the cave of that old Slowking," piped up Pep, "All the other Pokemon are scaredy-Meowths, and they won't go near that place!"
"Hey… Where's Shadow?" Ditto was in the form of a Fearrow, his temporary keen eyes scanning the valley in vain.
"Yes- she's normally with you…" Zan spoke up as he casually twirled his bone sword on his fingers.
Koja paused in thought. Yes… where was she? He'd assumed that she'd be with Pep and the rest but now… Oh wait. He needed some explaining to do, didn't he? He really needed to explain- to his family and to Shadow.
"Hey, have you seen any of my sisters- or parents?"
Zan seemed give a tiny start at this, the Cubone seemingly surprised at Koja's level tone of voice compared to the mocking and sarcastic one he normally used when talking of those particular Pokemon. Koja shrugged and waited for an answer.
"Ahh…. Well…" Pep started, looking as if she was concentrating hard- very hard, "Hmm…"
"Well?"
"Hey Koja! Have you noticed that you're really really different from your family?"
"That's very nice- WHAT?" Koja's eyes widened in surprise.
"She's kind of right," agreed Ditto excitedly, landing on a nearby rock, "You've got red eyes and your parents and siblings all have like… browny blacky ones. Am I right or am I wrong?"
"Right! Right! Right!" chanted Pep gleefully.
Koja glanced over at Inferno, looking for a sane comment. The Houndoom nodded his head reluctantly.
"Yeah… They're right."
"Right! Right! Right-" Pep's voice was cut off by a nearby Feraligator,
"Aren't you aware of the Gods here? Be quiet, will you!"
Zan was a little apart from them, muttering softly after the Cubone noticed the stares and scowls directed at them. Koja glanced at the gleaming celestial beings at the main plateau and murmured a small apology, Zan and the rest doing the same, Pep amazingly look somewhat solemn as she copied the movements of Inferno and Ditto.
He really didn't mean any… disrespect. Koja looked again at the council of Gods and Goddesses- they were all there, only missing Mew. But, after seeing most of them in the past few days… he wasn't awestruck like most of the other Pokemon. In fact, most of the Pokemon gathered in the valley were content to sit and look at their Gods, murmuring in hushed voices only when needed.
"Anyway," Ditto went on, this time his voice in a mere whisper, "It's not just your eyes that are different…"
"Yeah!" agreed Pep, "Your face is like this…"
Pep made a crude oval shape with her forepaws before continuing,
"But your father's and mother's face are like…this."
Pep turned the oval into a demented circle.
"Great." Replied Koja sarcastically, "So you don't actually know where they are?"
"Not really… But Zan and I have been talking to that Slowking while you were off to who knows where and we have quite a bit of information…" said Inferno, swishing his tail about.
"And why would that interest me?" Koja kept his eyes off the Houndoom in effort to not reveal his interest.
"Because, what we found out has something deal with you specifically."
"Inferno! I don't think that this is a good idea…" Zan's voice trailed off.
"No. He needs to know." Inferno glanced at Ditto, "Could you show Pep to the others…? Take a walk?"
Ditto nodded and immediately pushed Pep off in the opposite direction, him following her.
"So…?"
"There is a prophecy."
"There are a whole lot of prophecies- that never come true!" Koja snapped, his patience beginning to run thin.
He desperately wanted to find his family and Shadow. He was beginning to understand everything.
"This one was the one the Gods thought, centered on Shadow."
Koja froze, "What do you mean?
Zan walked closer to the pair, "The Slowking was the prophet, and he told us every word. Only some things don't fit for her- and some things fit for you."
"For example, you are of the Ice Snow Pack. In this prophecy, it says that 'the shadow', the main thing in it, is an adopted member of the ice Snow Pack."
"I'm not adopted." Muttered Koja.
"You have a high chance to be adopted currently. Remember what Pep and Ditto were saying before?" Inferno shook his head, "Your face, fur, and eyes are different."
Before Koja could make a remark, Zan continued, "Your exact name is mentioned in this poem Koja. And your description fits."
"Liar…" growled Koja, "I do NOT want to get mixed up in this nonsense, you hear me?"
"No." responded Inferno, "I don't hear you. And whether you like it or not you probably are mixed up in all of this."
"Give me some leeway, guys. I'm up to my eyes in unsettling things that I'm mixed up with!" snapped Koja and he turned away, "I'm going to find Shadow and that's final!"
"Really? You know… You could just take Shadow's place in all this. Including the apparent great evil that resides in Shadow… or even you."
Koja turned.
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"She's there! There! Theeeeere! That one! That one!" the Evee's voice by now was in a hysterical rant.
The White Paw Pack advanced on Shadow, beginning to surround the shell-shocked Umbreon. Other Pokemon not of the pack began to move away and started to throw frightened glances in her direction. Shadow swallowed. Of course her pack would be there. Every pack and every family in the world was probably there… How could she have been so stupid?
She really should've have been a lot more careful! Mentally, the Umbreon knocked herself continuously on the head and refrained from muttering otherwise censored expletives. She forced herself to keep her head up high and her stature straight. She had to calm herself down and keep telling herself that well… it wasn't her time to die- yet. So at least they couldn't murder her presently… Not that it actually really made her any calmer, though.
"What do you want…?" she managed politely.
Winterchill swallowed and looked away, before saying quietly, "It is best… if you keep as quiet as possible- it is for your own good."
Shadow swallowed back a retort- she knew that Winterchill would've have never exiled her. The pack did- and the pack leader had to listen to his pack. One of the Vaporeons who had evolved that 'day' so many months ago walked up. His fur was sleek, shiny-something hers would never be. Shadow tore her eyes away. Huh. The Vaporeon seemed to have evolved into a position of admiration and respect, even with his young age. A gnawing pain clawed at Shadow's heart.
"We know as does Winterchill that you have death if you enter our territory or our lands. That is our ancient law and we must abide by it." The Vaporeon paused.
Shadow sighed in relief mentally, though a nagging feeling get her fully alert. That had to an extra sentence, a punch line somewhere along the line- a trap, if one may call it so.
"But do not think you can escape us." Shadow nodded, recognizing the prelude to the Vaporeon's so called trump card, "After all, you will also have death, according to the ancient law, if you come in contact with any of us."
Shadow bit her tongue, keeping inside an answer- was it her fault that they all had to be in the same area? Silence sounded through the air and even the young Evee child who had been screeching before was now as quiet as the rest of the pack.
"Tyr- I'm afraid the exiled one has not come into physical contact with any of us yet. " Winterchill, moved to the side of the ring created by the crowd of Pokemon in the White Paw Pack.
Shadow glanced at him, knowing this was a signal that as soon as he pushed enough Pokemon out of the way for an exit, she would have to run for her life. She took one stick backwards and towards him. But before, anything else happened, Tyr blocked her path.
Winterchill looked at them, fear in his eyes, "Tyr! Did you not listen to me? She has not come into contact, physical contact with any of us. We can let her go."
Tyr directed a cold smile at his pack leader. In one swift movement, he extended the claws on his right paw and slashed Shadow across the face.
"Oh dear." He said sarcastically, "I believe she has just come in to contact with me."
With such a quick action, not much damage was done, and Shadow had closed her eyes in reflex- but the pain still brought the Umbreon to her knees, and she started to paw in vain at her face, trying to release herself of the agonizing pain.
It was being touched by fire- it burned, it absolutely burned. Shadow tried her best to stop a scream from coming up. But, remembering, it would be more to her advantage to stay quiet, Shadow instead gave Tyr the most petrifying glare that she had ever given in her entire life.
It summed up her pain, her anger that was growing, her confusion, her loneliness- nearly everything. But the Vaporeon looked away to face the crowd, avoiding it carefully.
"This Pokemon is not a part of us because of a murder- a murder which took the life of a much loved mother to one such as I. But because of certain naive Pokemon," a glance was directed at Winterchill, before he turned to face her, "You were given a chance. You were exiled… instead of being sent to hell- rightfully."
Shadow's eyes widened, suddenly remembering that yes, Akara had been Tyr's mother. The last few words of his were said with full loathing and hating. It seemed that tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. He was still very much grieving over his dead mother. She almost pitied him, but what he had already said and done tore that feeling away.
Tyr continued, his voice harsh, "You have broken one of an exile's sole chance to life. Only death awaits you."
Shadow couldn't help it and even if it probably made things worse and didn't even make herself feel any better but worse, she said, "I apologize for coming into contact which this… foreign pack. I will not do it again. I also… apologize again. However disrespectful it may sound, it has been chosen by the Gods that only one thing will send me to death. That creature is neither you nor any other creature that is of the White Paw Pack. Until them, I may not die."
Winterchill stared at her, his soft eyes piercing into her, trying to discern if what she had said was a complete lie…or not. Shadow swallowed grimly again knowing that if they tried to kill her, the Gods would definitely come. But, in the case that they may be too late to save her… Shadow cuffed a paw behind one of her legs and started to gather dark energy into it. Tyr glanced at her suspiciously. Shadow looked right back into his eyes. He broke his gaze to look at Winterchill uncomfortably.
"Pack Leader. What is your decision? Whatever this thing says, it is a lie, to rid her of her punishment. No one trusts the word of an exiled. You know that. You know what the pack wants. What is your decision?"
The Young Vaporeon gestured with one paw to where the whole pack, almost in unison, nodded silently, their gazes averted from Shadow. The Umbreon had never really felt so exposed or aware of the two x shaped scars of her forelegs. Even her harsh blue eyes which over the past few months had been nearly been forgotten were now like bright lights in a pitch black cave.
Winterchill closed his eye s briefly before speaking, "We cannot kill the one here before me. Even if it is an outright sin for one like her to come into contact with us, it is an even greater sin for a creature like her to die by our paws in the presence of an Immortal- we cannot kill her."
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Koja shook and took a deep breath. He was not the one. He was not the one foretold by this pathetic prophecy. It was Shadow and only Shadow.
"Koja- If you don't accept it until the very last minute… Well…Well…It's not a good idea. The Gods have to know." Warned Zan, cautiously.
"Then tell them yourself." Growled Koja.
"You have to tell when you want to." Replied Inferno before glancing around, "Shadow was it, you wanted…? Since you're so disbelieving I guess we'll have to wait for time to change you."
"Stop speaking like some old mad hermit- both of you! It's ludicrous!" snapped Koja, "Where's Shadow- now! I've nearly lost my patience!"
Indeed the Absol was right. Her fur was raised and his eyes had evolved from their usual red to a blazing inferno that seemed to swirl and dance in his eyes dangerously. Even the Absol's raised horn looked a lot more dangerous then it did a few minutes ago.
Fortunately both Zan and Inferno knew… when enough enough was. Inferno called Ditto and Pep back.
"Hey you guys!" Inferno waved his paw at two small shapes not too far off.
Pep and Ditto came bounding back, Ditto know in the form of a roly-poly Marril, his round blue shape bouncing besides Pep's one.
"Do you guys know where Shadow is?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! I mean…" Pep quietened her voice upon looking around, "She's at the other side of the valley!"
Koja frowned, his orbs of fire slowly, slowly fading back to their normal red, "Are you guys sure?"
"Of course we are! Of course we are!" Pep still managed to pump energy into her whispered voice, "We saw her with a ring of other Pokemon and we came running back."
"She may be in some trouble." Added Ditto, transforming back into his normal state- his Marril ears tuning into a purple substance.
"Exactly where?" demanded Koja.
And whether it was the tone in his voice or the look in the eyes that made Pep squeak, "Over there by the rocks!" and point with one paw- one may never know. But what one would know was that Koja took off straight away like a bullet, his black form racing past families of Pokemon.
Koja himself wasn't quite sure why he was in such a hurry to get wherever he was going. Shadow had overall proven she could take care of herself- but then, he wanted…to… apologize… didn't he? Either that or he had grown accustomed to looking after her- after all, she was young and naïve… right? Well, even if she was two years old and the same age as him- apparently. The Absol cursed as he saw the crowd around her. What was going on?
A suddenly bright shine of metal caught his eye and Koja turned around, suspicious of whom that could be. Yes. He was right. It was Skye- the traitor… Bounding towards the large Skarmory, and forgetting Shadow altogether, Koja started to have a swirl of doubts in his mind. He didn't have to be THAT rash- after all, if could… have been another Skarmory with a similar scar, right? No. Koja started to call out to Skye-
Skye seemingly was oblivious to the Absol, and his back still turned to Koja, took off from his perch on a rock to another point in the valley. Koja swore softly. Avoiding him- eh? Picking up speed, the Absol raced pace a flock of Murkrow causing the Bird Pokemon to caw angrily at him from afar after he had nearly stepped on one of their children.
Koja only murmured a quick apology and again picked up the pace. He was getting away! That was not going to happen this time-
A flash of blinding light obscured the Absol's vision in white, lasting for a few seconds. When at last the light had cleared, Koja shook his head dizzily to clear the dancing spots that he kept seeing. What had happened…? Oh.
A sharp intake of breath was taken as the Absol saw exactly who had arrived. Floating high above the group of Gods and Goddesses, basking in the sunlight with a serene expression of on his facial features… was Mew: the childlike Mew, the powerful Mew, the Mew that had been there in the very beginning and the Mew who would be there until the very end- the one and only Mew. Though great reverence had already been placed for the other Immortals, the valley was hushed into absolute silence and every knee was bent and every head was bowed.
The Council of Gods were finally assembled… and their last full meeting before chaos and catastrophe could… start.
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The immediate few seconds after Shadow fully realized Mew was in the valley, the Umbreon relinquished the dark energy she had stored in her left paw and let it go. She then charged through suddenly at the crowd of Pokemon around her, her sudden movement giving her enough power to break through.
Once out of the ring, she slipped in the crowd of the other Pokemon and vanished from sight- well, at least to the eyes of the White Paw Pack. The pack already knew it was disrespectful to run around chasing after another Pokemon when in the sight of an Immortal, so they thus stood still, Tyr seething so hotly that some of his skin turned into steam.
A few bounds more and Shadow was satisfied that she was safe for the moment. There was no time to find Koja, Pep or the others so she immediately bowed her head like every other Pokemon she saw. It would start soon.
Indeed the meeting did start. Mew landed at the front of the main plateau. Out of the corner of her eyes, Shadow saw the others, each with some sort of brilliant aura radiating off them. The Elementals stood rigidly behind Mew, the air around them crackling with fire, lightning and ice. Latias and Latios danced with each other in the sky, once in a glancing down gently at everyone. Suicine, Enter and Raikou stood at various points of rocks of the plateau, their fine coats almost dazzling Shadow.
Then, there was Raquaza- Lord of the Sky, his great green body curling around the rock plateau. Lugia and Ho-oh stood far off from each other, each standing proudly and dignified in his and her own way. Celebi, like Mew smiled with a child-like fragrance, the grass in the valley already green by his mere presence. Kyogre was dwelling in a self-made lake while Gordon stood far away, in the sunniest spot of the plateau. Regirock, Regice, and Registeel completed the group, their strange bodies seemingly devoid of any life- although every Pokemon there knew better.
"Greetings, to you all, and please, life up your heads. My great thanks for taking the trouble to travel to this place." Mew's voice traveled all across the valley, leaving an echo, "I trust that you all have found shelter for the nights ahead. You may be now wondering what is going on. This I will leave to the Elementals."
Articuno stepped forward, "We have revealed, due to a prophecy and certain other events that there is a Dark Lord who seeks to destroy life and light as we know it. This lord has not revealed himself fully- we do not know his form or shape. We know only that he is of pure evil. Many Pokemon will have joined his army, the reason why not all Pokemon are here today."
Shadow glanced in recognition at a large lake where many many water Pokemon were currently swimming in- a large river flowed into it from a gap in the valley. Frightened murmurs began, children scared of the future, mothers and fathers unsure.
"But there is no need to be afraid." Continued Moltres, "Even if this Dark Lord is strong. Stronger then the many Gods and Goddesses combined- there is one hope. And that is the prophesized one. She will destroy this Lord- even if it is at a… great cost to herself and to ourselves. We will introduce her to you and she will thus come up to this plateau."
Shadow's eyes widened. She would have to go up now? This was not good. Fortunately, a Pidgeot appeared beside her in an instant and beckoned silently for her to get on. Trembling, the Umbreon stepped on to his back and clung on with her paws.
The large bird himself flew slowly, and near to the ground so that each Pokemon would see her. Shadow knew with fear that every eye was on her- The White Paw Pack's eyes, Koja's eyes, Inferno's eyes- everyone's eyes.
IT wasn't long though, before they were at the top, at the sight of being so close to that many number of Immortals make the Umbreon feel like a lump of goo, unable to move. The Pidgeot must have felt the same way for he flew up, his flight a little dizzy. Shadow trembled again and immediately brought her forehead to the ground.
"Turn to the crowd Young One." Said Mew softly.
Shadow did as she was told; scanning for a familiar face that she might regain her confidence in. An Absol who stood there, staring at her. Shadow looked away, surprised. He should've of known of this right? Well, at least he didn't know her… her… It was best not to think of it.
"Her name is Shadow," Proclaimed Zapdos, "and for your sake, my sake- our sake, she is going to sacrifice her life so that we may all live. Because of this, she is to be treated with the highest of care and respect- the Dark Lord will try his or her best to destroy our only hope."
"We also know her current status," added Articuno, "Do you not ever treat her as an exiled one- never even think of it!"
Shadow looked up at the Ice Goddess, and knowing it would was disrespectful if she spoke, could only use one shared look to muster up some of her thanks. Fortunately Articuno dipped her delicate head slightly and smiled. Shadow smiled back before she turned to the crowd yet again.
Suddenly, a tiny shape came speeding over the valley's far side, the creature's wings flapping so hard it was only seen as a blur. Shadow squinted against the afternoon sun. What was it? A-a… a pidgey. Yes, it was definitely a pidgey. What on earth?
The tiny bird Pokemon crash landed on the ground before Mew, the Pidgey obviously exhausted. His wings looked singed- he had obviously just escaped some sort of battle. What happened to the poor thing…?
The pidge started to babble, to speak, but before he could, Mew silenced him with a smile. Floating downwards, the Great One used his tail to… Shadow craned her neck around Zapdos. Her eyes widened. Mew had actually touch the Pidgey. And-and, even more amazingly, before her eyes, the singed feathers began heal rapidly, the bruises disappeared, the cuts fading- he was being healed in a matter of seconds! Amazing- absolutely amazing.
"Tha-thank you! Thank you very much, it's an honour. A great honour!" babbled the Pidgey in awe, "Well- anyway…"
The pidgey trailed off in thought before he continued.
"Well… I'm afraid to interrupt but… there is no more time to talk! The Dark Lord is coming! He's coming! He's coming now!"
"He is right." Said Celebi, who had entered the conversation, "Already I can feel him."
The God of the Forest glanced at the others who started to nod.
"They all know enough anyway. We must split up into armies- water with water, fire with fire." Pointed Entei, "Let us take action now!"
Shadow hunched down, feeling somewhat out of place in the conversation between Immortals. IT was extremely unnerving.
"Good. Thank you. You may return to your family, brave warrior." Said Mew to the Pidgey.
The Bird flew, his flighty seemingly erratic and full of pride. Shadow smiled at his antics in the air.
"We have no more time for talking- the itme is for action. The Dark Lord is nearing even as I speak." Called out Mew, serenely.
Shadow nearly shook her head in disbelief. She had expected him to looked troubled or afraid, at least somewhat shocked that the Dark Lord was getting closer and closer… But… he wasn't. A hubabub of talking rose up, distracting the Umbreon from her thoughts.
"Right!" Mew's voice suddenly became louder as it seemingly obunced through the air, "We are assembling you into groups! Children here! Latios, Latias! Take order over there!"
"Children of Fire! Assemble here!" Entei's deep voice rumbled as the God stood beside Moltres at one edge of the valley.
Shadow blinked. How did they both get over there so quickly? Strange.
"Those of Thunder and Lightning come to me!" shouted Zapdos, his wings crackling with power.
He and Raikou had both settled down on the opposite side of the valley to Entei and Moltres. They too, had seemingly teleported there. But before another God of another Element could make his or her move a deep rumbling resounded and before long, every face was upturned towards the sky. The dragons had arrived. Their leader, obviously a Salamence, landed directly on the plateau, showing respect when he bowed.
"I deeply apologize for my race's lateness. We had trouble avoiding the enemy, who are in fact, only a few minutes away." At this point of time a look of pure horror came across his face before he shook it away, "Where do you need us?"
Shadow shuddered. What kind of army was coming? Pokemon... and what else? In fact, the humans should've have come by now. They seeked to always somehow find and trap Pokemon, fro what she'd heard. Surely the disappearance of such a numerable amount of Pokemon... Surely the humans would've noticed.
"The humans notice only what they want to notice. They are also several Pokemon that we have met who have placed themselves across the lands... direct Children of the Day. The humans will all see hallucinations for a day or two. We cannot let them know, of course."
Shadow spun around, absolutely surprised to see Celebi behind her.
"I"m part Psychic," he said in explanation, "I can read emotions and basic thoughts."
"B-but..." Shadow quickly kept her head bowed to the ground, "I am of the Night."
"My powers can sometimes outdo the powers of the Night- due to my Immortal status. And... you facial features gave it away child. Now I must go. I have to assemble my own children."
With that Celebi sped across the valley, until he resided on a large slope and summoned those of the Forest, Jungle, and Grass to him. Shadow looked around, many Gods and Goddesses were slowly spreading out. She still felt extremely out of place here. She was like a large ugly thorn, among the roses- out of place. But at least there weren't many Immortals left to be like a rose to her.
The Children of the Rock followed Regirock. Those of the steel with Registeel, they who were conceived of Ice with Articuno and Regice. The list went on and on- The great dragons with Raquaza, Lord of the Sky, Children of the Sea and Ocean with Suicine, those bred of the sky with Jirachi... and on and on. Finally Shadow at last heard Latios's loud cry,
"Come to me! All you who follow and who are of the NIght!"
The winged God settled on an unccupied and waited. SHadow bounded down the plateau, fainting in and out, till she reached the mass of POkemon- just like her. Each on was silent, some frightened, some eerily calm- and each one acknowledged her with a a large dip of the head when she passed them. Scary. Glancing back at the children, she saw that Latias was herding them towards the cave of the Prophet- and it seemed that the task of keeping hold of the Children of the Day had been given to her and Jirachi.
MEw stood in the middle ofthose who had yet not been called- they were the ones who suddenly felt special- and even if they were the largest, or one of the largest groups, they were ecstatic. They followed Mew- he was their leader. The greatest one of all. But before Shadow had even tiem to rest properly and take in her new surroundings, Latios called out again,
"We must move now! I have no time to explain our tactics. Only to fight against them- you will always somehow know who is friend, and who is foe. Fight with your powers, astound them, confuse them, show them that we are definitely creatures who are of war and night. The second- protect the Umbreon. YOu all know which one. Protect her too, and if you die- may the Great God Mew have mercy on you. From here you will be split into groups by species, then groups again depends on certain reasons. We only have mere seconds to prepare this before we go. So do this now!"
Pushing andmoving was very much evident, as certain leaders of species called out, and Pokemon hurried and hurried. Shadow foudn the Umbreon's, found she was second in command and had no time to wait. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Koja- but she had no more itme to dwell on such things. They already were marching. A shiver of fear rain down her spine. This was it.