Guardian Solaris
Review replies: Jhooney, I'm Going to tone down the graphic violence for a while here, it's not as graphic here, more surrealism. Character wise all of them have a little role to play on their own, making them reliant on Ash world drain out their own characters and make the fic a lot more shallow so lots of twists and turns and revelations to come. Sam... soz 4 taking a while. Lucifer, yeah, but sometimes I feel as if I'm putting too much stuff here I've added one new addition to the Pokémon world per chapter; oh, and personally I like reviews that rant on gives a bigger confidence boost ;). FDEL, well there is much more surrealism in this fic than in most others, but usually that comes with the territory of dark/fantasy/epic/mystery stories although you have a point and I'll keep it in mind, thanks for the critique. Darius, well there are a few Pearlshipping ones, personally even I don't know why there aren't that many there But just to say Dawn's not gonna be a push over. Complete Hollow, well one of my fave fic writers, thanks for the review and... to be honest I thought I was being mild. Tim, Bring it, I've got a load of vodka, and I'm ready. Bring it! My lawyers vs. yours.
Chapter 27- The Earth will cry.
It was night now.
Regigigas stood upon a ridge overlooking the town underneath him as it burned down to the ground. The distant roaring of fire putting the mind of the Legendary Pokémon to ease. His plan was a simple one, to burn this place to the ground, kill all those who would not be of any use to us, and let absolutely no one escape. The destruction of the human settlement would send a clear message to the Pokémon in the surrounding area of where the balance of power was shifting. In fear of our power, or as a way to repay the humans for their kind companionship, they would join and bolster our army. A simple but effective tactic. Pillage and burn, take all you can and leave nothing standing. Executed with his upmost precision.
So far the strategy had been a successful one, attacking smaller villages to bolster or numbers. The larger size of Lavender town in comparison was a clear sign of progress.
'He will be pleased' Regigigas thought, but so far they had moved through the plan without any thing going wrong. The small scale of things had ensured that their tracks could easily be covered. The humans on the outside remained relatively clueless to how great the actual danger was. But we would have to move out of the shadows soon, to face the darkness and the light.
The legendary Pokémon turned into the distance as a looming image slowly grew closer. 'Not long now' His master, at the speed he was travelling at would be at the battle very soon. A large cloud, completely innocent to the untrained eye, but Regigigas knew what lay beneath the shadows, as he was taught to. The cloud would cover what is his master had managed to... obtain. Quite a few Charizard from the intelligence that he had gathered.
The legendary had ordered all of his troops out of the area, they had nearly completed their tasks, but a certain creature seemed to be intent at causing chaos, as well as the sight of a powerful dragon like Pokémon. As the scouts had reported. But his master would have seen these events coming, and Regigigas was certain that there was a plan to deal with this problem.
Turning back to the town he heard a howl break the roar of the flames. This would be very interesting.
----
I swept through the sky; I had become all that was around me. I didn't exist in the physical plane as such. My body was destroyed a long while ago, now I am nothing more than a spirit, able to do things that lower beings would see as unnatural, but in my mind I knew how limited I truly was. I became one with the environment wherever I would be my image shaped out in the elements, as a tempory vessel, and then I moved on. If that would be the air, the earth or the fire. I would be one with it, and be able to manipulate it.
I had managed to manipulate the clouds to shroud the Charizard who had aligned themselves to my cause. The plan would not be seen until the time is right. I had charged my generals with that task.
We were close, so close to the city. I could feel it in my core, and I will take him back as my own. Just a thought and the Charizard quickened their pace, as their training had left them attuned to the environment around them, to the point where two would be able to take down an Articuno. Just a few seconds more intense flying and we managed to find ourselves above the town. I took the chance in front of me, diving down into centre of the demolished town, slicing through the abandoned streets corner after corner nearly all deserted of life. Regigigas had done well so far.
Then I same face to face with a familiar sight. Marcus stood looking at me in my now vulnerable form. His hair charred in places, scruffy covered in dirt and ash. That was the creature I raised. His usually concentrated and predatory gaze turned into one of awe as the past came rushing toward him.
I saw myself in the reflection of his green eyes. My narrow head, my hollow eyes, all nothing but smoke. I forced questions to go through his entire body, shocking him, shoving doubt into him, breaking him. Every scale on my body flashed, as my ghostly body became straight in front of him. In his eyes I saw my two wings torn into pieces, normally it would stop me from flying, but in this realm flying meant nothing. My wings had no purpose now but it was. It is me, and I shocked the beast. In an instant I rushed to him as his eyes opened wide with a look of pure fear.
I rushed through him, the smoke I was made out of bursting the moment it touched him, blowing past him like the wing I was. He realised that I had not been able to touch him in my current form.
I managed to mutter the words "join me" into the smoke, it repeated the message over and over again. He looked around in a panic, trying to find a trace of me to answer. But found that I had disappeared. Of course I was high above him by now and his howl was all I heard.
Things were going perfectly; I met with the many Charizard once more. I was still one with the smoke, and they looked towards me with the upmost obedience.
I manipulated the clouds as to summon a few harmless bolts of lightning. Opening my mouth and telling them "This is the time." An in an instant they roared in unison, sending tremors through the air, the flames erupting involuntarily from their mouths.
I let energy exert itself from my being into the clouds as they became charged with electricity sparking everywhere the Charizard became entranced in their rage, feeling the power course through them, a strange symphony grew in the middle of this massacre as it would end soon enough.
To an external viewer it would seem as if the single cloud that I was in suddenly became immensely bright in this dark night. This was me. I looked down, hearing the chanting of the Charizard all around me, the beats strengthening me further I rushed down in a blaze of white light as I crashed into Marcus, going through him and into the ground. The earth shook with fear as I dove into it. The ground rippling out form that one spot as if the planet was a bubble and I was the needle.
Marcus felt incredible heat from underneath his feet as the ground became hot. The dirt under his feet melted into a bright red sludge. He wailed out loud in pain as he felt himself burning up, his feet sinking flames crawling up his remaining fur. Walls grew out from the earth around him. The wound that I had inflicted upon the earth growing larger and larger creating a crater. Engulfing him in noxious gases from all around, making him slightly delirious, closer to the point of death, but I did not punish him that hard, I allowed him to live as the crater rose up out of the ground, higher and higher.
At its highest point it stopped; then Orange and red spheres of fire burst forth launching out of the mouth of my Volcano a few colliding with Marcus as he wailed in immense pain. The searing pain, creeping up his skin as he sunk down deeper and deeper in the endless fire.
"Punishment follows the crime"
The heat that rose into his nose began to burn the wolf from the inside, closer and closer he could feel deaths hand coming.
"A eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a limb for a limb"
He could no longer feel his legs, they had burnt away into nothing; he couldn't swim away, nor lift himself out of his tomb. Marcus could do nothing but scream as he slowly burned within his tomb.
"Now. Beg."
His scream grew louder.
"BEG" I commanded.
Louder he cried, and cried through the rumbling and he sunk down into the lava.
I rose from the volcano, finding the glow of the lava flowing down its sides and clearing the rest of the city, and there i stood, ascending as the Charizard dove down to pick of the stragglers, I rose higher, and everything came into perfect view, Marcus was secure. Just another piece of the puzzle falling into place...
----
However, in another portion of the town the human: Ash was riding through the smoke. Holding onto A'Drith tightly as the great rumbling in the distance caught the attention of all on board the Black Dragon. The bright orange glow that shone high in the air whilst the searing lava slowly spilt out of the wound below, incinerating everything as it made its way down the side of this recently formed volcano.
A fireball that had been launched from the volcano flew in the direction of A'Drith as A'Drith dodged the strike. The dragon stared at the change in scenery, he was flying calmly around the town as to find the rest of the group, but now the sight mesmerized them as they had no clue as to how such a thing could happen out of nowhere.
Suddenly A'Drith turned his head to something behind him. Twisting around as several Charizard dropped out of the sky, heading to the group.
Ash turned around seeing the danger, and on instinct Ash ordered "Kabutops, use Aurora beam", keeping a hold on the silent Cubone. A beam of light shot into the air to the group of Charizard, but they easily dodged the strike and headed for Ash and the group with greater speed.
"A'Drith, I think you can handle this" Ash said prompting his Pokémon to make a move. In reply it launched a fire blast that made its way to the group of Charizard, they flew around the attack as it missed its targets completely, but the Charizard were left disorientated.
A'Drith saw his opportunity, not waiting for the passengers upon him to get ready the dragon burst forth to the group of Charizard its wings catching some of the smaller fire Dragons as they fell to the ground in result of the strike.
"Mind warning us next time?" Ash said, to be ignored by A'Drith. Wasting time would have only helped the Charizard to get into a better position to defend against him, now thanks to his quick thinking they were behind them.
Quite literally behind them. The Chaos Pokémon realised as Flamethrowers and Overheats were sent flying out from behind. As if acting by instinct A'Drith began to fly away from the swarm of dragons that had now, somehow grown much larger in number. A nose from his trainer made A'Drith consider slowing down to allow its passengers some grip.
But who would stop him if he did go faster, they are only weighing him down... all but one was actually of any use, and considering the ancient Pokémon A'Drith conceded the need to lessen his pace.
But that served the opposite effect, as his passengers were getting comfortable several Charizard all gained upon him from behind, flying towards A'Drith at an alarming rate. The Chaos Pokémon flapped its wings as hard as it could, not understanding, or even thinking why he was running from an opponent that he could easily cut down. His body began bouncing up and down as he tried to make his way away from the pursuers that chased him from behind.
The bumpy ride from A'Drith forced Ash to take a tight grip onto Cubone. Even Kabutops held on tight, "Turn around and stop them already!" Ash called out in vain as A'Drith began to pull away from the Charizard that had chased it. Finding some free air space the Chaos Pokémon circled around and found itself behind the pack of fire types. With a burst of speed and a wing attack it knocked the Charizard out of the sky.
With a sigh Ash held on tighter, not able to control A'Drith in any real way. The Dragon stretched out his claw and cut down another Charizard who had somehow managed to get in his way.
Than realisation hit the Pokémon. He can fight. The insight froze the Pokémon as its wings stopped flapping and it began to slow down in its flight. Seeing the change the passengers gripped on tightly as A'Drith turned around sharply, its eyes staring into the eyes of the dozen Charizard chasing him as they also came to a halt in front of the dragon. Both parties standing still, to commence this battle in the sky.
"Flamethrower" Ash said, coming into his element, his instinct acting out on its own to tell the boy to shout out the command. Surprisingly A'Drith followed the order, breathing out flames in an arc motion to try and get all of the Charizard, but they only flew back to get out of range of the attack.
"Keep going, and fly towards them." Ash ordered, not remembering the last time he had felt the orders come to him like this, the choice clear, the fire coming from inside him, running through his nerves as if he had been struck by lightning.
"Now" he said. The Charizard were within range, "use a gust attack" flapping his large wings the relatively smaller Charizard were blown like flies away from a fan.
Before any joy could be taken from the small victory Ash was grabbed by a pair of claws, lifting him up off his mount.
"WHAA!" Ash said, now soaring away from his unpredictable friend, clutching tightly onto Cubone in his arms as he was dragged through the smoke filled sky, the sound of battle rang out from behind him as what he could only guess as a renewed attack made way against his two Pokémon.
The town underneath blurring past as his captor drove him away from the battle. Its claws clutching onto the trainers chest like a bird that had just captured its prey. Slowly they descended into a clear part of the town, Ash feeling the plumes of smoke shatter as he, Cubone secure in his arms and their captor dove through the sky.
Ash was released a few meters from the ground as the trainer fell, rolling along the torn up street like a Mareep ready for the slaughter. He looked at the Cubone that remained in his arms, seemingly alright, not panicking.
The Charizard flew down, its wing making contact with the human as the boy was struck and thrown by the predator. Once recovered from the shock Ash managed to get up, running with gasps at each step, he didn't know where, but the moment he heard a roar, the trainer ducked onto the ground in order to avoid the strike that would come to him and the young Pokémon in his arms.
Once the sound of wings had passed he stood and began his run again, becoming more and more exhausted the trainer urged himself to get away from the danger.
Ducking once more as the Charizard flew down upon its prey He stood to find the imposing dragon standing in front of him. The bright orange scales, shining gloriously in the presence of the fire around them, slowly Ash took a few steps back from the beast that held the advantage in the way of strength, and without any Pokémon ready for battle at the moment, Ash found no real choice.
The powerful Charizard let loose a gust of air with its powerful wings as Ash collapsed back onto the dirt, looking at the dragon that glowed, its powerful muscles, its blazing flame. The eyes that...
"Charizard?" the Dragon Stomped onto the ground where Ash's head was, but he moved just in time, rolling away. Cubone in his arms as his breathing became more laboured. He stood up just as the dragon realised that his pray had gotten away. "I love you as well." And with that the trainer ran.
He ducked a flamethrower as it just missed its target. Getting up and checking himself for any more damage, he noticed something, "These clothes cost a lot you know, you're gonna have to pay to get them replaced, cause I'm nearly out of cash."
A swipe of the claw by the advancing Charizard told him that the jokes weren't working like they usually would have on the fire type, but maybe once more. "A temper isn't going to pay for the damages" to no effect. Charizard, in loyalty struck the boy hitting him in the shoulder as another injury sent him rolling away on the ground. Looking at the Pokémon that he knew was his loyal friend, everything burst into flame.
----
Kabutops fired several strikes, his Aroura beam lighting up the dark sky with bright streaks of light, his targets everywhere, yet at the same time nowhere; only bright streaks of orange flame in the pith black revealed his opponents, and then they would vanish into the smoke once more. They had just come in an enormous swarm, and the two Pokémon realised trouble and eliminated any problem that was posed although to little effect.
A'Drith became more turbulent as Kabutops clung on tightly onto the Dragon with all his strength, wondering how the oh so powerful dragon was not managing to hold his own in the fight. Roars from underneath the ancient Pokémon increased, as the crackle of flames grew louder, mixing together in an orchestra, roaring everywhere, than A'Drith cut through the wall of noise with a roar of his own, dark purple embers rose as A'Drith launched a Blast burn, relative silence came after the attack but slowly the wall of roars from the smaller dragons grew once more.
Kabutops took in a deep breath, centring himself as the Pokémon looked down, to see what appeared to be a whirlwind of red and black as a swarm of Charizard encompassed A'Drith. Strong individually, but united in one goal they looked to be unstoppable, the swirling fire and smoke, flame throwers launched to the belly of A'Drith as he swiped at them.
Then A'Driths roar broke through the demonic symphony as silence ensued, but before the Charizard could begin their song Kabutops broke the status quo.
His beams of light ripping through the darkness, but then it dawned upon him that his trainer was not there to coordinate these blind shots into the never-ending dark. just as that realisation dawned upon the Pokémon that Ash wasn't there, it heard a roar as searing steel wings struck him at intense speeds and he fell through the darkness.
The dark air rushed past him, the flutter of wings scratching him at every turn as the wall of Charizard dissipated. The ancient Pokémon kept his view upon the ground as it became clear, the ruined streets, the destroyed buildings, making his body as flat as possible, to try and slow his descent, using his scythe like claws to steer him slightly into a softer landing. Than in an instant the ground came a bit too close.
----
Ash found himself staring at the crater where Charizard had been, now a smoking crater in the ground. A smoking crater that had just saved his life. But for him to say he'd never look at holes in the ground the same way again would be too much. He gasped, as the life saving hole rumbled and a figure stood out of it, Charred black from the ashes and flames, gleams of silver and white at the arms and feet.
"Well." He said as the familiar eyes of Kabutops opened his eyes, "Just in the nick of time." Kabutops moved out of the hole shaking off the crash as if it was nothing, even though the Pokémon had something to break his fall. "I wish one day you would come before the nick of time, even a couple of seconds before someone's gonna try and kill me." Ash said as the Pokémon shook its head in an attempt to shake off the pain of the landing, but then something rushed from behind the shellfish Pokémon, flying low in the air and threw Ash like a doll.
Reacting in an instant Kabutops extended its claws, and took a leap, latching onto Charizards back, as the dragon thrashed about in retaliation. Digging its razor sharp claws into the dragons' long neck it squeezed against the scales, piercing them. The thrashing becoming more extreme as Kabutops focused on staying on the dragon, and his claws in. Then the creature became limp, and fell to the ground.
Kabutops stepped besides its fallen foe, placing one of its razor sharp claws above its head, it could hear the now faint breathing of the dragon, and the flame on its tail still burning was a clear enough sign that it was still alive. After all Kabutops would protect its trainer to the end, its promise. Only in death.
"no" came the weak voice of Ash who lay on the ground, the Pokémon looked towards its trainer, hanging onto consciousness by the faintest threads. His eyes clear, the fire within them now extinguished, the flames around him reflecting in his eyes as nothing but shadows of what once was.
So Kabutops decided not to harm the murderous Charizard, and retracted its claw as its trainer fainted. The ancient Pokémon had lived so long, and at the moment it had no idea how its thin limbs were going to carry a fleshy human.
----
Things seemed to be getting better for May, the hostile Pokémon had gone away, and an escape was in order, even though the scenery had changed, somewhat dramatically. It wasn't the strangest thing to happen in the last twenty four hours. If anything it looked like a piece of art. Horrible art in her point of view, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The group had made progress, making their way away from the town; a couple of Pokémon including Pikachu remained outside, next to their trainers on the watch for another attack.
The group carried on walking, looking forward. No word being uttered between them, they and the Pokémon were exhausted beyond words. So they kept on walking, happy that nothing was going too bad, but considering that there was absolutely no one around, not a single soul. The ground was now a thick slush of Ash, black white and grey, smouldering at places, making it difficult to stay in one place for too long, so they kept on moving.
The city went away, and grass grew closer. The haunted forest and the stone tower behind them, in front of them would be something better. The trail was clear an open in front of them, the orange glow from the volcano behind lighting the path in front, yet they chose to walk upon the grass instead.
Then everything exploded.
----
Kabutops jogged along the path, his thin frame barely holding up his trainer that clung onto his back, the young Cubone running two paces behind of him. The sharp edges that Kabutops had weren't exactly friendly for anyone under the age of three to touch, so the ancient Pokémon really didn't have any idea of how to comfort the young Pokémon who had seen so much death and unlike he was uneducated in its beauty. But Kabutops managed to move forward; rushing along the path grass on either side of him, the light from the volcano and fire behind of him guiding his way. He heard a large explosion from in front of him, looking into the distance; figures were battling. He picked up his pace, as the shouts of Pokémon attacks were called out, familiar voices.
He grew faster and faster, his feet thumping on the ground with each step, and then he let go of Ash. The trainer slipped down onto the ground and lay down safely, Kabutops began to glow a bright white. The light strengthening him, as chunks of earth around him lifted out of the ground, he kept on running as the faces of Ash's friends saw the glowing bright Kabutops launch into the battle, his bright light slicing through the deep dark crimson light of the ruined town. He launched the boulders that had been lifted at several Glalie as they were thrown to the ground, their leader a Skarmory, took heed of the new arrival and flew down to greet the Rock type, steel winging him just as he finished his attack on the Glalie.
Kabutops was pushed back but remained on his feet, his breathing now very laboured, but he stayed standing, balancing himself as the Skarmory came in from behind to deliver a drill Peck but a burst of lightning came from his side as Kabutops swivelled to see what happened, and what greeted his eyes was his old friend Pikachu smiling at him.
Now someone else could carry the twelve stone trainer, and someone else would have to tell that trainer to start a diet.
Kabutops gave his version of a smile to show his appreciation, which wasn't really a smile at all; all he really did was stare Pikachu in the eyes. A nice way of meeting new people and if anything the smile only sent a shiver down the rodents spine. But before he cold dwell on his lax social skills he saw in the distance two eyes watching him, those of the young Cubone. Not with Fear, or Joy or any other emotion that would be in one so young. Just chilling indifference. If Kabutops had known anything in its long life; it is that Indifference leads to nowhere but oblivion.
His trainer had a funny way of making... companions.
But before Kabutops could think anymore a group of Pokémon in the distance called out their names.
This was going to be a long night.
----
A'Drith fought through the sky he was flying away from the packs of Charizard that had made their way onto his tail. He was faster but they were everywhere. The volcano was his key, as he flew towards it. It seemed to speak to him, soothing words, and A'Drith knew that if he was going to win and not fall out of exhaustion he would have to take salvation in whatever form it would come.
No he will not fall.
Within a second the volcano was underneath him, the searing heat of the lava pushing the air up dangerously fast, but he sliced through the dangerous flying conditions. Those flies would not be able to catch him, he knew their tiny wings would not be able to sail through the burning air, and he found that he was right, turning his head around to see the Charizard stationary in the distance watching him.
A'Drith felt his wounds heal, the others would take ages to heal unless the human machine would help them, but in this small moment of peace he found his energy return to him, the lava beneath him coating him in a bright light, as it did to his foes. Almost as if the fire accepted those who belonged with it, it's dragons.
"So come to us" I asked him. Of course he did not really know who I was, but the offer was there. There was never a bad time for a little recruitment.
"Come and you won't have to run" I said, Marcus was with us being reborn, a costly exercise. So my full strength wasn't clear for A'Drith to see, but it didn't matter. It was rather clear to me at the time that this one was nothing more than a child and had absolutely no clue about what he was doing, so wouldn't really make a wise addition. But the thing is. Now he was a loose end, and loose ends had to be tied up.
A'Drith felt the heat increase, the heat become more intense, the wind push harder, faster. His wings collapsed and he fell into the mouth of the volcano, clogging it up, the lava destroying his scales, but Marcus was already within the volcano, and contaminating an existing general that had been secured to my cause for the purpose of tying up a loose end was foolish, so I forced pressure to come out into the mouth of the volcano, building up more and more.
It burst as the dragon was sent flying into the distance, surely that would kill the nuisance.
Let's just say I wasn't a hundred percent correct in that assumption.
----
Ash had awoken, the pain from his injuries slowing down his movements, but the sound of a battle were not far off, and by the sounds of things they weren't going well for the people. Opening his eyes to see grass around him, and his friends fighting in the distance stopped Ash for a second as he began to think, 'that must have been one acid trip'.
"Bone" the voice said, as Ash saw the young Cubone besides him, looking at him with unyielding eyes.
"Oh hello, so I guess I wasn't on a high." He said.
"Bone?" the Pokémon responded. But then an earth shattering sound diverted the movements of both of them as they faced the battlefield.
They saw A'Drith lying on the ground, his body heavily scarred as he had crushed the opposing Pokémon underneath him, providing a relief for his friends. "That's the second time that's happened to me today." Ash commented to the confused of Cubone.
"Someone up there must like me."
----
F.Y.I.
- I'm FINALLY through the large scale battle scene :D , from what I've seen whenever a fic has one it always seems to be left incomplete there, and the authors always say that it's the hardest bits to write, hopefully I can get on with some less... bloody bits now at a less lazy rate.
- Ash Charizard constantly torched Ash as a joke I just thought it appropriate that when he grew up Ash would have some of his own weapons. A sharp tongue similar to Serena's
- When speaking to Kabutops, Ash no longer refers to him as Comrade.
"This is the moment that we change Prophesy, this is the moment that the Dragons will decide destiny
Take flight my warriors of the skies. Take flight to Lavender, and burn the citadel of Traitors to the ground. Ensure that we create a scar on the land that is so deep; the Earth will cry tears of fire." Unknown- Guardian Solaris.