Pokemon Adventures: Where Legends Cross
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon Adventures/Special.
OMG, the last chapter was so godamn long, let's hope I don't make the same mistake in this chapter. Here we go, the second-to-last chapter of Arc 1!
Began writing on September 20th, 2011. Paused drafting for, er, academic purposes, let's just put it at that. *sigh*
Chapter 34. Vs. Giratina (Part 1): The Firstborn
Crystal felt her eyes pressing against her skull as she looked up at the three new Pokemon that had suddenly appeared in their midst; while not even she, the Capturer, had so much as seen the mythical Celestial Dragons, she was not a newcomer to the Sinnoh mythology; she knew what they could do.
And even without any knowledge she could easily see the immense power radiating from the dragons' forms; Reshiram and Zekrom weren't kidding when they said that they had been greatly drained during their slumber. Assuming, of course, that the six drakes were all on the same ranks.
"Dialga, you jackass! What - " Zekrom croaked out as he struggled to raise his head, his eyes wide in outrage and disbelief.
"Silence, fool!" Dialga roared furiously, stomping viciously upon the Deep Black Pokemon's back and causing his head to hit the floor. "You speak as if you have no idea what you've done! Palkia, bind them!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Palkia snapped, but raised her hand anyway. An instant later a wave of scarlet aura rose around the three Energy Dragons, effectively constricting them in place.
"Hey!" Crystal flinched at Gold's loud voice, a burst of fear rising in her heart as she whirled around to see her friend march straight toward Dialga; even considering his hotheaded nature, what was he THINKING? "What the hell are ya bunch up to? You'd better have a damn good reason for attacking them, or else we'll be kicking your armored ass into next Monday before you can say Goldenrod!"
"Gold!" Crys almost whimpered in fear, running by his side as Dialga slowl lowered his head to match the Breeder's glare evenly, crimson eyes meeting amber ones and almost creating visible sparks between them.
"Insolent gnat," Dialga growled quietly into Gold's face, smirking upon seeing that the boy refused to so much as flinch. "I see you're the type to go poking into business that don't belong to them. Young, hot-blooded, foolish... impressive."
Crystal's eyes widened in amazement as Dialga raised his head back up, his amused expression being replaced by a scowl again as he looked at Reshiram and Zekrom. "Very well... if you are indeed unaware of your doings... Palkia, do them the grace of showing them their guilt."
"I told you not to order me around!" Palkia roared at her ignored complaint, this time actually flinging a quickly-charged Aura Sphere toward Dialga's face. At the last moment the Temporal Pokemon swung his head out of the way, allowing the Fighting-type move to strike the already-crumbling wall and blasting an entire section of it into nothingness.
The action and the power would've been surprising on their own, had it not been for what Crystal spotted what was going on outside the castle.
For the first time she realized that the top floor of the castle was VERY high up, enough for even Opelucid City to be visible near the horizon. Stretched out between the city and the Victory Road was mostly forests, and they were busy being ripped apart by a crazystorm.
"Impossible..." Sapphire's horrified whisper confirmed Crys that she wasn't hallucinating. The sky, still cloudy as ever, had rended above them, literally raining fire and lightning onto the helpless earth below as if Moltres and Zapdos were battling their beaks out from above the clouds - except, of course, it was several hundred times worse. Even as she watched on in shock a stray lightning bolt tore across a small patch of forest far below, leaving a jagged mark straight through it and setting it ablaze.
"Why, THANK you for your cooperation, sister," Dialga glanced behind to sneer at Palkia (who looked as if she wanted to throttle him) before turning back to Reshiram and Zekrom with a frown. "So you really are ignorant... I had no idea you could be so foolish, letting your energy out of control like that. It doesn't matter if it was intended or not; the entire world is now being raked all over with energy storms that began kicking up exactly 63 minutes 16 seconds ago, ALL BECAUSE OF YOU."
"Impossible!" Zekrom burst out, struggling against Palkia's space warps in vain. "I will admit we are greatly drained, but nowhere near to the state so that we'll lose every ounce of control over our power! There must be a misunderstanding!"
"That's not good enough!" Snapped Giratina angrily, bringing his face dangerously close to Kyurem's with crimson eyes blazing. "But that's where you come in, isn't it? Sucked their energies dry until they lost control, hadn't you? You bastard! I ought to drag you into the Distortion Realm and see what has become of it! My realm!"
"Leave Kyurem out of this, Giratina!" Reshiram protested, but her cry was cut short when Palkia grabbed her by the scruff and lifted her head up to hers.
"I would keep quiet if I were you, sister," the Sptial Pokemon hissed into the Vast White Pokemon's face. "You're the reasonable one; you should know that we're here to make judgement, not listen to flimsy excuses."
"I do not ask for forgiveness, for I do not deserve it," Reshiram replied sadly, her cerulean eyes glazed. "I know how you feel, Palkia, and it shames me to see that we played a part in this, no matter how small. I'm sorry."
Palkia blinked, looking taken aback by the other deity's subdued attitude. Crystal felt that it was their opportunity to say something, but her tongue was stuck to her lips; she dared not speak, lest the Celestial Dragons' deadly wrath turned upon them.
Apparantly, her concerns were not shared by all.
"They are not at fault, Lords."
The calm and collected voice had Crystal and the others whirl back in shock, just in time to see Grey step in front of them while ignoring the protests of his Pokemon behind him; being him, he probably didn't have any Poke Balls to recall them into in the first place.
"I it was that caused the fight between Zekrom and Reshiram," Grey stated again, looking up to Dialga in particular with his expression giving away nothing. "If there is anyone to be punished over what has happened here, it is I."
"No, Grey!" Zekrom literally screamed at him, falling over himself while thrashing against Palkia's bonds. "What are you thinking! Dialga! Don't listen to him! You can't blame him for this!"
"Can't I?" The Temporal Pokemon asked back, his crimson eyes gleaming strangely as he looked down upon Grey with a queer expression. "I know you and Reshiram wouldn't resume your fight without a good reason... and if this human has..."
"Well, he hasn't done it alone!"
"Black, don't!" White's warning came out a second too late before Black joined Grey at the front, staring up at Dialga and Palkia with defiant eyes.
"Grey is the hero that was destined to raise Zekrom from his slumber," the fourteen-year-old announced hotly, glaring up at the Celestial Dragons as if daring them to disagree. "He chose me to fulfill the long legends and face him in battle, which I did without hesitation. You can't punish him without punishing me as well!"
"Black, you don't understand - "
"Responsible, aren't you?" Dialga cut off Reshiram's words, beginning to gaze into Black and Grey with more interest. "Noble as well. Qualities that ought to be admired. In respect of that, I will finish this quickly..."
Crystal's eyes widened in horror as the Temporal Pokemon reared his head back, a very familiar orb of orange energy in front of his open jaws... was the deity seriously considering firing a HYPER BEAM -
Crys felt her feet move before her brain finished processing the thought. Before she was aware of her actions she had already stepped in front of the two newer Dex Holders in a protective position -
In the same position as everybody else.
" - ?" Looking around in very slight confusion, Crystal noticed that every single Dex Holder and the Pokemon that remained outside of their Poke Balls had all sprang forward simulatneously, creating a living barrier between the Celestial Dragons and Black and Grey.
"You..." Giratina snarled as he glared down on them all with burning crimson eyes, almost making Crystal flinch; she could swear she heard Platina whimper from somewhere. "You dare interfere with our duty?"
"If your duty is to kill off people for past mistakes, the hell we will!" Blue shot back, somehow looking no more afraid than Gold was.
"We are their comrades; whatever that is done to them, we can't ignore," Red spoke up, his voice firm as he looked up at Dialga. "But before punishing us, at least take time to listen to us! I don't know what's going on here, but I know for sure that whatever beating we'll receive will do little to lift the storm."
"If you are indeed deities, look to undoing damage to the world first," even Green put in coldly as he glared up at Giratina.
"... I see," replied Dialga, his voice strangely quiet in a dangerously as he leered down at the Dex Holders. "You've said a lot, but I draw only one conclusion: you are loyal. You know that this disaster concerns your comrades, yet you are willing to be punished together with them... I am impressed. Impressed indeed."
Crys felt herself relax a little. Would he listen now?
"Then allow me the honor of putting that loyalty to test!" The Temporal Pokemon suddenly roared out, raising to full height with a crackling cloud of energy to form on his head. In horror Crystal recognized the ultimate move of all Dragon Pokemon:
"No... no, not Draco Meteor!" Reshiram wailed out, confirming her fear. "Dialga, stop this madness, I beg you! You can't mean to take them all!"
"WATCH ME!" bellowed Dialga, and Crys could now see a swarm of small meteorites forming within the energy cloud. Instinctivelty she pressed herself against Mega, closing her eyes and waiting for her end.
"Where is your voice in this, sister?" Zekrom's demanding voice had her open her eyes again, in time to look into the desperation in the Deep Black Pokemon's eyes as he glared into Palkia with a force that could bore holes. "You know this can't be right. Do something about it!"
To Crystal's surprise Palkia did seem to hesitate, but not particularly because of Zekrom's words. With a slight jolt the Capturer realized that the Spatial Pokemon's gaze was fixed upon Diamond, Pearl and Platina.
"Dialga, stop!" Palkia abruptly cried out, scooting in front of the Temporal Pokemon and lashing out at his head before the Draco Meteor could be fired.
"What the hell, Palkia?" Snapped Dialga in alarm as he shot the Draco Meteor into the air (which shredded the clouds temporarily with an earsplitting explosion) before he ended up smiting his sister before rounding up on her with anger in his eyes.
"Look at them if you've got eyes, idiots!" Palkai retorted in irritation before turning to the three Sinnoh Dex Holders. "... You are not unknown to me. Are you not the ones that have freed us from the Red Chain?"
"You - you remember?" Pearl blurted out in surprise, causing a wave of murmuring among the other Dex Holders; Crys wasn't one of them, having heard of their adventures in Sinnoh from Platina.
"Remember? That we do... though we wish we couldn't," muttered Dialga as he lowered his head to look closely at Diamond before suddenly breaking into a sigh. "That was the most embarassing moment in my life, brought under control of a human! And it wasn't the first time one of our own were snared, either."
"So these are the ones..." even Giratina sounded interested as his drilling gaze brought itself over Platina. "Interesting... for I am in a way indebted to this female as well when she entered my realm two years ago... and alive to!"
Diamond, Pearl and Platina looked at each other in amazement, and Crystal felt a sudden onrush of pride within her heart; not only was she able to be proud of their seniors, of themselves, but of their juniors as well.
"Now that we mention it..." Palkia muttered as he swerved his gaze, this time towards Ruby and Sapphire. "I recall that Kyogre and Groudon were almost put under control by humans as well, but someone managed to remove the Blue Orb and the Red Orb from them..."
"That's us! How did you know?" Sapphire blurted out in shock, sharing a surprised look with Ruby as they stood side-by-side.
"Lugia and Ho-oh were snared in a similar manner seven years ago," added Dialga, moving his gaze toward Blue and Crystal. "They were freed when several humans led their own subordinates against them. Might that be..."
"That's us!" Gold suddenly shouted as he made his way beside Crys, who flinched at his reckless response; what was he doing? It was her that brought Suicune and the others to battle against Ho-oh, not him! Looking around, she saw that Silver had made a similar claim with Blue by stepping in front of her and glaring defiantly at the Temporal Pokemon. "Think that's all? We managed to save Celebi too!"
"So I've heard," replied Palkia dryly as she scanned the gathered Dex Holders in general. "Then, I might assume, there might be among you that saved Jirachi from a human yet again four years ago, destroying Kyogre's apparition that tried to flood the entire world. Is there not?"
"That's right!" Red announced as he took a step forward, along with the nine Dex Holders that had saved the Hoenn Battle Frontier with him at the time; Crys and Gold, of course, included. "We maybe mere humans, but we could do all those things because we were together; with our Pokemon, with each other! Something that concerns our comrade concerns all of us!"
"... I see..." This time the one to answer was Giratina, who had been busy skulking behind his siblings as they questioned the Dex Holders. "Ah... how deeply you are accquainted with us... this can mean anything but good."
"What?" Burst out Zekrom, who had been listening to the exchanges in surprise. "What ill can be gained from this? If anything, we have much to thank these humans!
"You don't get it, do you?" Growled the Renegade Pokemon as he turned to Dialga and Palkia, his crimson eyes hardened into a pair of garnets. "Surely you know why we act through secrecy? Experience tells us with too many contacts with mortals mean nothing but trouble for us. They know too much about us. When that knowledge is leaked out to the rest of their kind, there is no telling what might happen."
"WHAT?" Snapped Gold, sounding genuinely pissed off by Giratina's distrusting words. "What'd you take us for, some jackass Pokemon-hunters that'll sell you off for a couple of cheap bucks to the nearest Safari Zone?"
"Your intentions matter not; is history not enough of a lesson?" The Ghost-Dragon hissed back, unfurling his wings wide. "Silence now! We have no time to dither; Dialga, Palkia, I'm afraid I won't be able to partake in the punishment - "
"I shall take them to the Nether World." (#1)
"Everyone, get out of here! He's trying to kill us all!" Blue's shout knocked the stunned Crystal back to her senses, and she quickly joined the other Dex Holders backing away from the massive Renegade Pokemon.
"A vain effort... no one can escape death, that you well know," whispered Giratina as he towered over them, a violet portal tearing into existence directly behind him and casting an eerie glow over the retreating Dex Holders. Before Crystal's horrified eyes the deity's form began to waver and change, until an unearthly shriek forced her to shut her eyes.
When she opened them again after a few seconds, she almost regrtted doing so.
Giratina hovered in front of them, the portal still whirling behind him. Now his wings had transformed into long, tattered clawed appendages that fluttered out from behind him like a cloak. His golden helmet had closed over his mouth and hid it from view. His six legs were gone, replaced by golden spikes that jutted out of his serpentine body.
"The Origin Forme..." Platina whispered in terror behind Crystal, doing little good to boost her own morale.
"Come to me now..." The Renegade Pokemon whispered as his 'wings' spread out wider, looking as if they would blot out the already-dark sky as he rose over the Dex Holders like a Grim Reaper claiming his prey. "Do not... be afraid..."
Oh yes, Crys was terrified now.
"Giratina, don't do it!" Reshiram screamed out, literally writhing against Palkia's shackles with her eyes ablaze in horror. "There is nothing to be gained from their deaths, I beg you! Stop this madness!"
"Giratina, you fool!" To Crystal's surprise, the yell this time belonged to Dialga; even he and Palkia seemed dismayed by their brother's sudden killing intent. "Don't act rashly! Do you not remember our code?"
"For order to be maintained, sometimes rules have to be bent," whispered Giratina as he loomed over the Dex Holders, his voice now so quiet that it sounded like... coaxing. "Do not fear, my new subjects, I assure you... you will feel nothing. Then after that... you will find peace."
"No, no..." Crys found herself whimpering to her utmost embarassment; this was so different from offering their energy for Kyurem. At least then, they had the certainty that they were doing the right thing, that by sacrificing themselves some good could be done. Now, however, the imposing form of the Renegade Pokemon made her feel nothing but despair. Even Gold was gritting his teeth in helplessness as the Ghost-Dragon's yellow claws extended, preparing to take them under oblivion's embrace...
"Shadow Ball!"
An orb of black energy suddenly shot out of nowhere, striking an unprepared Giratina full in the face. With an enormous explosion the Renegade howled in pain as he doubled back, hitting the floor with an incredible crash that stunned Crystal; even supereffective, who could launch such a powerful attack that a deity would roll over getting hit with it?
"Now! Close the portal!" Shouted a weird mechanical voice, one that belonged to the same being who had flung the Shadow Ball.
"Psychic!" This time the telepathic voice was deeper, more like a living being than a voice out of a radio. To Crystal's shock, the enormous portal at once began to distort and shrink, as if a huge invisible hand had gripped down and was squeezing it.
"What? NO!" Roared Giratina as he scrambled back up, only to have a second Shadow Ball launched into his face. The next instant two figures slammed down onto the ground in front of the startled Dex Holders, both with such eerie figures that an odd chill shot down Crystal's spine.
One entity was a vaguely-humanoid figure with an orange body, with an expressionless green face and two pairs of orange/green tentacles where its arms should be. A giant purple crystal was embedded in his chest, and his four tentacles were charging up for another Shadow Ball as it stood in a protective stance in front of Red and Yellow (who was at the front line of the Dex Holders).
The other being seemed to be a grotesque (Crys couldn't find a moderate description) combination of humanoid and feline, with a lilac body and a thick purple tail that grew out of its abdomen. Its upper body was sickeningly gaunt, complete with bony arms with three fingers on each hand. Its head loosely resembled a starved feline, but that was nothing noticable compared to a second spinal cord that rose out of the back of its head and into the base of its neck. Its purple eyes glowed with a mixture of viciousness and, strangely, relief. On one hand the creature wielded a spoon as long as its own body, and its other hand was raised and glowing blue with psychic energy - this, then, was the one that was shutting the portal.
"... Finally we have arrived, and on time too," the purple entity spoke out quietly, closing its open palm once and collapsing the portal under itself as if it had never existed. Turning back to the stunned Red and Yellow it continued: "Long have we searched for you, only to find you here... it was cruel of you not to let us know of your safety, Red... our brother."
"I'm sorry; it looks like I've forgotten you all along," admitted Red with a sheepish smile, even as a brilliant smile split his face as he opened his arms toward the two creatures.
"Even so, it's good to see you both here, safe and strong... welcome back, Mewtwo, Deoxys."
YES! MEWTWO! XDDDDDD Don't get pissed Deoxys I like you too :)
#1. Here in Yowlverse the Distortion World is a realm adjacent to the Nether World - the Underworld, Giratina's true realm. We will delve deeper of this in Arc 3.
Dragonfire97, no, that's not what I had in mind, though I suppose that's what inspired this scene. We'll be seeing the Shadow Triad again in Arc 2.
Hm, I managed to keep this one short and packed, I think. Anyone expected those two to show up at the end? :) Since they played such a central role in the original manga (Mewtwo more than once), I thought it criminal not to include them here starting straight from Arc 1. And it also helps that Mewtwo is one of my favorite Legendary Pokemon, along with Darkrai, Dialga, Groudon, and some others. XD
Oh yeah, have you noticed the difference between Deoxys's voice font differs from the rest of the deities? If you've read the whole thing thoroughly, another legendary that speaks in italics only is Uxie from Chapter 2; to put it simply, only the deities with supreme power (=the 680s, in other words) speak in both bold and italics. Mewtwo doesn't look like much, but his stat total IS 680, so he speaks in bold/italic. Hope that helped :)
The next chapter is, at last, the last chapter of Arc 1... Mewtwo and Deoxys has some words for both the Dex Holders and the Celestial Dragons. No matter how this conflict may end, there is a rising storm to be dealt with... What do they do? While we await for the answers, R&R!
Writing completed on September 25th, 2011. This is Yowl of Time, out.