Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Lorelei and Damien – they're the only characters
A/N: Thank you for reading this story, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 05
Lorelei held the glowing Pokéball in her hands and moved it closer to her chest protectively, as if it could stop Damien getting his hands on it.
"Damien – what's going on?" she called out, standing firmly behind the altar. "This has to happen so that we can save the Montazul Islands. I- me and Ash both saw Absol. When Absol revealed itself to my grandmother, she released Mew and the islands were safe. Generations before, that didn't happen and there was total devastation the Montazul Islands." Lorelei brushed a loose big of hair behind her ear before rubbing her mouth gently. "Damien, I won't let the islands suffer because of your own selfishness."
"Lorelei, Lorelei, Lorelei… So naïve. It's not Mew that stops the disaster, it's you!" Damien laughed aggressively, frowning considerably. "Haven't you ever wondered how and why your grandmother disappeared all those years ago? She sacrificed herself to the tomb of time!"
Ash couldn't help but just stand there quietly to one side whilst Damien taunted Lorelei with what appeared to be the truth, but could very well have been lies that he knew would easily draw Lorelei in. Her grandmother admittedly disappeared before the tsunami that was supposed to hit the islands.
"What would you know?" Lorelei somehow spoke in a relaxed but shaky tone, dropping her guard and letting Damien get inside her head.
"She was the holder before you, and because she released Mew, she made the ultimate sacrifice as a result of it. She died so that a tiny island could survive. A pathetic little island… And a sad excuse for an island." Damien folded his arms and began to walk towards the altar. "So now it's your choice. Your own life, or a whole island?"
Lorelei flinched, unable to decide, but she soon realised that Damien was getting closer and closer. "Stop!" she yelled. "You will not take one more step. I order it!"
A smirk grew across Damien's chiselled face. "Don't order me about, Lorelei. You're nothing in comparison to me. You are far below me."
Still, Damien was getting closer and closer, forcing the young Pokémon trainer to have to make a decision. She blinked and looked down at the altar. There was an indentation in the altar's smooth surface. A semi-sphere shape that a Pokéball would fit perfectly into. In a split second, Lorelei pushed the Pokéball into the indentation, and after that split second, she and the Pokéball disappeared from thin air.
"What the-?" Ash gasped, looking around the amphitheatre that Lorelei had called a temple, the temple of time.
"Where is she? Where is she!" Damien lunged forwards and grabbed the collar of Ash's jacket.
Pushing back, Ash tried to force Damien away from him. "How should I know? I saw just what you saw!"
"Pika- Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted in a tone that was meant to warn Damien, but he only shoved Ash to the ground.
The older boy looked up at the clouds which had blackened almost instantaneously. "Why? I beseech you- I implore that you take me where she hides!" he shrieked, shaking his fists at the sky.
A flash of pink weaving amongst the clouds caught Ash's attention. It was Mew, but he didn't want to let Damien have any clue that the legendary Pokémon was there. Ash couldn't explain how he knew – it was just a feeling he had.
"Take me!" Damien screamed.
The skies were illuminated with lightning and the roaring of thunder could have been heard for miles away. Ash and Damien ran to the edge of the amphitheatre and looked out over the islands. In the distance, they could see a huge tidal wave on the horizon heading straight for them, and it wouldn't be long before the water would submerge the islands.
"We have to warn everyone!" Ash yelled above the roaring thunder. "I know you want to find Mew and Leia – but you're not going to have to help us right now, help me, and… and maybe I can help you!"
Damien looked between Ash's eyes. "You can go on your wild adventures, but I'm staying right here." He laughed maniacally, the lightning lit up his face and showed just how little skin there was on his face. "Go, Ash Ketchum. Go save them. Save them before it's too late!"
Ash fumbled under his jacket which was soaked from the rain. His black fingerless gloves could have filled a glass with water if you squeezed them. He traced his fingers over the six Pokéballs, trying to find the right Pokémon. Clearly he was after Charizard, but the last thing he wanted to do was jump off the mountain onto Buizel or Scraggy. He took a chance and threw one of the Pokéballs into the air, but waited a moment before jumping off the cliff. The Pokéball released its transparent red mist which took on the form of the flying Pokémon.
"Charizard!" Ash yelled over the roar of his Pokémon as his little electric mouse bounded up into his arms.
The larger Pokémon flew through the air and its trainer flung himself off the cliff face and landed on Charizard's powerful back.
"Fly down to the village!" he called out.
Charizard gave a humongous flap of its wings, sending the pair flying through the air. Ash kept one arm holding onto Pikachu and the other trying to hold Charizard's neck so that he wouldn't fall off as the dragon like Pokémon soared directly down at a near vertical gradient. They were keeping perilously close to the rocky surface which made the trainer slightly uneasy, but he had gotten used to it in the last few years and adventures he had been on.
As the boy and his Charizard landed nearby the house where he and his fellow companions had been staying, Ash felt as though he was instantly filled with a worry that coursed across his skin in a single movement.
The grass outside the house was growing long and a few Mareep were spaced out amongst the field, acting as only obstacles to Ash who simply vaulted and leap over.
When he got to the door, he took a deep breath, unable to think of what he was actually going to say. Instead of putting of thinking what he was going to say, Ash's gloved fists hammered the door, calling out for someone to open the door.
It was Lorelei's mother who was the first to the door, with Brock and Dawn over either shoulder. Mrs Periwinkle looked like she hadn't had a proper night's sleep in a long time.
"Where have you been?" Mrs Periwinkle asked, her hands trembling on the doorframe.
"Ash!" Dawn squealed reaching a pitch she didn't even know she was capable of and, in a flurry of panic, she pulled him inside to let Mrs Periwinkle shut the door. "Where's Leia, Ash?" Her blue eyes shimmered as she worried that something terrible had happened.
There was no way that Ash was ready to tell Lorelei's mother that her only daughter, and only child, had disappeared off the face of the world after she put a golden Pokéball into a stone altar. That her daughter had disappeared the same way her mother did all those years ago.
"She's-" was the only word that left his mouth.
Mrs Periwinkle's eyes opened wider as she clapped her hand to her mouth. "No, she's gone, hasn't she?" She paused, realising what Ash himself had done so. "Just like her grandmother." A watery ridge began to glisten on the base of the mother's eyes.
A brunette pushed between Dawn and Brock and put her arms around Mrs Periwinkle. "Don't say things like that. She might come back, you don't know that she's gone for sure. We can bring her back, we can find out where she's gone, I'll do it myself."
"Holly – the same thing happened to her grandmother. It's the curse of being the holder and protector of Mew. I'm never going to see my daughter again."
Something inside Mrs Periwinkle disappeared, like it had been erased. She instantly dropped to the floor, squeezing Holly tightly. "We'll find a way…" she mumbled softly. "I'm not giving up on her. There must be something to help us. The altar will tell us what to do, I've been studying the temple closely over the year. Mrs Periwinkle, I will go up the mountain right away so that when you next see me, she'll be with me too. I know I can solve the mystery of the Temple of Time."
"Holly – you can't. Leia said that Absol had revealed itself to her. There's a disaster on the way-"
"It's closer than we all think!" Ash exploded loudly, unable to control himself, frightening everyone in the house. "I'm going to take my Charizard up the mountain now. There's still time."
"I'm coming with you!" Holly opened the front door, grabbing a coat off the stand and threading her arms through the sleeves. "And don't argue with me." She made it clear that there was no way that Ash, or anyone else for that matter, could convince her to stay and wait for the disaster to occur.
Brock leapt forwards with a glimmer in his eyes. "That means me too!" he added enthusiastically, his gaze fixed on the beautiful daughter of the Professor Maple. "Let's go before it's too late. Dawn, you should go and warn the people of the island to get to higher ground, or to take to the skies on whatever flying Pokémon you can. Use whatever Pokémon you or they can get their hands on. Togekiss and the others can help. Here's Steelix – he can help get people to safety-" Brock stopped and froze when he saw Croagunk lifting a glowing purple hand up to touch him. "Croagunk – I don't think so, not this time… Return."
"You can get Swellow, Noctowl, Gliscor and Unfezant from Professor Oak, and here's Staraptor." Ash tossed one Pokéball over to Dawn who fumbled to catch it and dropped it onto Piplup's head.
"Tropius and Noivern!" Holly threw her Pokéballs into the air, releasing some huge Pokémon. "Mrs Periwinkle – get Salamence to help out too."
"I'll help you too child." Mrs Periwinkle pulled a Pokéball off the belt around her waist. "Salamence will help us out to gather the people up." She wiped a hand across her face. "Good luck Holly and Brock. You too Ash." She smiled fondly at the three, watching them climb up the mountainside on Charizard before following Dawn's Togekiss and the other flying Pokémon towards the coastal city. Now, as the wind ruffled through her thick hair, Lorelei's mother saw the disastrous tidal wave that was heading towards the island. But nothing seemed to be showing her that the island was protected which made her worry like she would about her baby girl.
Up on the top of the mountain, Ash ran towards the altar with Holly close behind, until Damien's Pokémon – his Flygon, burst into view from the edge of the amphitheatre, sending multiple attacks at the three.
Dragon breath to be precise. Followed by a sandstorm. The attacks were executed from such accuracy and precision that Ash and Brock began to wonder how Lorelei didn't harness this ability more – but for that battle, Flygon did its own thing.
"Back again for more, Ash Ketchum?" Ash heard Damien call out.
Again, Ash caught a glimpse of Mew, but the legendary was dipping in and out of the dark gloomy clouds that hung overhead like they were a stage curtains that could be pulled up and down.
Whilst Ash was in awe and surprise at the fact that he was seeing an old friend in the legendary Pokémon, he very nearly didn't missed one of Flygon's attacks. He managed to leap aside out of the way of the sand tornado that was whipping up the loose sand and gravel his way.
As the sandstorm whirled past Ash and Pikachu, it turned and set its course for Holly. Her green eyes grew wide in terror and even though she tried to escape the attack.
"Sylveon, help us out!" Holly called out, throwing a Pokéball into the air.
A Pokémon Ash hadn't seen recently appeared in the temple – normally, he would have gotten Dexter out of his back pocket and found out more about Sylveon, but now was not the time.
"Sylveon, use protect!" Holly squealed as she was nearly pulled off her feet, almost being dragged into the centre of the raging sandstorm.
Her little Pokémon leapt into the air, clamping its small jaw onto whatever it could, but not even Sylveon could bring Holly down to safety.
Seeing Holly was in danger, Brock grabbed her hand. He gripped her fragile hand tightly in his that was much larger than hers. Part of him was worried he might break her fingers because the sandstorm was pulling so hard. With his other hand, he felt behind him for something to hold onto. Brock found an indentation in the stone wall of the amphitheatre and gripped it feeling it scratch the tips of his fingers.
"Hold on, just hold on!" Brock urged her, pulling her away from the sandstorm, screwing his eyes shuck as the rogue dirty and sand embedded itself in his hair and near his eyes, but it didn't matter because he knew he was saving Holly's life.
Holly let out a whimper, squealing in utter fear, "Please don't let go!"
Eventually the sandstorm disintegrated into nothing and Flygon was preparing itself for another launch of attacks. Holly was released from the sandstorm attack and she fell into Brock's arms. Together, the pair collapsed in a heap on the dusty ground – he was sure that he saw her cheek's flood with colour and he smiled before leaping up to his feet.
"Brock – look out!" Ash yelled out from the other side of the temple when he saw a Dragonbreath attack heading towards his companion and Holly. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt attack on Flygon." Knowing that he needed to get to the altar where he had last seen Lorelei, Ash rolled forwards along the ground, kicking the dirt up as he went. His hand slammed into the altar and it felt cold to the touch. Cold and wet from the pouring rain.
A burning blaze rippled through the air, with a green tint in the flaming fire that showed just how dangerous that Flygon's attacks could be. The fact that it was still burning with the torrential rain still blowing added to its power, and it was heading straight for Brock, Holly and Sylveon.
There was a flash of panic in Brock's eyes. Without even thinking properly – well, his primary thought was to look after and protect Holly. He pushed Holly out the way before dropping flat to the ground. He was pressed so low to the ground that he could feel the heat above his back, licking at the material he called a jacket. Brock rolled over, extinguishing any flame that was on his jacket.
"Sylveon, use hyper beam!" Holly declared, rushing to Brock's side as her Pokémon fired the attack at Flygon.
Unfortunately for Holly, Sylveon and the others, Flygon flew aside, watching the ice soar past. It was like Flygon and Damien were only taunting the others.
"Holly – quick! Get to the altar!" Brock called out. "I'll distract Damien and Flygon," he added, whispering quietly in her ear.
She nodded and scampered around the outside of the amphitheatre, avoiding the various attacks with great agility. Cartwheeling and tumbling to avoid anything Damien was sending her way – and that was all before Brock even had the time to grab the Pokéball Croagunk was in off his belt.
"What the-" he mumbled under his breath, smiling a little.
"Oh Holly… You haven't changed a bit!" Damien laughed, sitting on the top row of amphitheatre seats. "But you can't save the girl you see as a sister. I think we both know that she's gone now. Mew will be mine and the island will be submerged. That's how this is going to go! And when the island is submerged, Mew will be mine." He stretched his arms out to the sides. "I feel so alive – this is how things were meant to be, can't you see that?"
Holly looked up at Damien who was looking up in awe at the dark clouds as his mighty Flygon circled overhead. There was no way that Holly was going to just take his word for everything he was saying.
"Come here and say that!" Holly shrieked angrily, shaking her fists that were clenched so tightly that her knuckles went a bright white. "Say it to my face, Damien!" Originally she didn't actually think that he would actually get up and attempt to say it to her face.
But she took a step back when Damien stopped staring at the sky in amazement and stand straight like a soldier being called to attention. He started to walk down the amphitheatre steps, or the seats that surrounded the amphitheatre toward Holly.
"Oh come on Holly." He was now in the arena part of the amphitheatre and he looked as though he was some kind of game show host that was there to entertain the crowd. "You should know by now just how this is going to work out. Holly, you of all people know exactly how determined I am to find legendary Pokémon – bearing in mind you nearly pledged to search the island for a legendary Pokémon if I agreed to marry you…"
Knowing that Damien and Holly clearly had a history hit Brock hard, but by knowing it only made him want to fight for her affection more. Despite every time he had fallen for a Nurse Joy, an Officer Jenny, or just a pretty Pokémon trainer, he knew that Holly was different.
"Holly!" Brock called out.
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = Originally this was going to be the last chapter of this story, but I'm holding onto it for at least another chapter- support for this story is much appreciated because I know that I'm doing good with this story (or at least I hope so!)