August 27 2:09 p.m.
Sinoh - Solaceon Ruins
"So where do you think it is?"
"Dawn if you ask me that one more time I might just lose it."
"Well we've been looking for twenty minutes now."
"I know." Ash rubbed his temple with his index finger and thumb exasperatedly. True they had already looked over everything on the main floor that might even be a door and found nothing.
"Ever stop to think I'm not the way inside?" Ash asked irritably. "Or that the Shrine is even here?"
"Stop with that kind of thinking," Dawn scolded him. "It doesn't suit you. It's gotta be around here somewhere. Maybe we should try finding the Unown again?"
"Pass," Ash grimaced. "I've had more than enough encounters with them."
She sighed and pressed on, her steps bouncing off the empty halls, "Well we certainly won't find it just standing around."
He picked up his pace to catch her, his senses growing edgier the longer time went on. Misty waiting outside by herself was not sitting well in the pit of his gut, but it was the best option they had...kind of wished he had Pikachu to sit out there with her...
So steeling his resolve, because the faster they got this done the faster he could get back to her, he walked ahead of Dawn. Eyes scanning every tiny detail on the dank walls. They went deeper into the Ruins, heading down some stone stairs to underground, where the already dim light was growing dimmer. Moisture hung heavy in the air, and they could hear a steady drip drip of water somewhere nearby.
Carvings and long faded paintings began to pass by them, depicting various people and Pokemon. Some Ash could recognize, and others were fairly foreign. Extinct Pokemon? Some from regions he had yet to visit? Huh...visiting new regions. Is that something he would do again once all this was over? No, probably not he decided. This marked the first time that thought had entered his head since he returned home and ran into Misty back in Cerulean. A smile he could not help crept on his face, the life of traveling regions was behind him. The traveling of a life with Misty was what he wanted now, the strongest reason he was still fighting.
"What ya thinking about?" Dawn asked, flicking his arm with her middle finger.
"Huh? Oh, just this and that," he replied cooly.
"Uh huh, come on. What's got you smiling like a Wynaut?"
He turned his head to her, and she was looking at him with a smug smile. Like an 'I already know what you're thinking' kind of way.
"Fiiine, I was thinking about my future with Misty," he admitted, inciting a happy giggle from the Blunette.
"Don't you think you need to ask her to marry you first," she half joked, elbowing him in the side.
Sheepishly he chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "I already have."
"WHAT?!" Her voice bounced off the walls loudly, and Ash immediately shushed her. "Whenwherehow?!"
The speed in which her question shot out fried his brain for a moment, causing him to only utter, "uuhh."
She looked at him expectantly, eyes sparkling with excitement. Guess that was Dawn, no matter the amount of bad things that piled up, she would find a way to still be the same. He kind of admired that actually, mayb, just maybe he could be the old Ash again someday.
"Well?" She raised an eyebrow, practically vibrating with enthusiasm.
"At-At the wedding back in Pallet," he started hesitantly. "Just before...just before the Dominion's arrived."
"Don't focus on that part," she scolded, waving a finger in his face. "Tell me the details of how! Did you get on one knee? Borrow the mic from the DJ?"
A genuine chuckle couldn't help but be had as he watched her bounce on her heels.
"It was during a slow dance. One of those old sappy country songs were playing. One my mom used to listen to when I was much younger. Actually I did request the DJ to play it, but no one knows that."
"Eeeehh!" Her hands shook together so fast he could only see a blur. "What about the ring? Why doesn't she wear it?"
His expression visibly darkened as he remembered.
He looked up, spotting the tail spinning helicopter dropping down right on top of them. Finally his reflexes kicked in. He wrapped his arm around Misty, and grabbed Pikachu off his shoulder with his other hand. He dove sideways as hard as he could, hitting the ground roughly and half landing on Misty. The diamond ring slipped from his grasp and bounced away out of sight amongst the shuffling of terrified feet.
"I'm sorry," Dawn's excitement fell. "But it was just a piece of jewelry in the end."
"Yea, but it was expensive," he sighed. "Oh well, I have her, and that's what matters right?"
"Right!"
They walked for a moment in silence, the sounds of their footsteps reverberating down the eerie hall. Ash was searching over every tiny crack and detail until Dawn spoke again, "She's a very lucky woman you know."
"Huh?" He returned his focus to her, brow furrowed slightly. "Pretty sure I'm the lucky one."
The blunette giggled, "Yes, you are. She's incredible. That's why I decided not to be jealous way back when"
"Jealous?" He smirked. "So, Dawn liked me huh?"
"Don't let it go to your ego," she flicked him again. "There was a time I thought about it. You were charming, and sweet. And the passion you had for Pokemon was insane, but I realized I never had a shot on the day we argued about her fishing lure."
The memory flooded back in Ash's mind, inciting a small smile on the trainer.
"I hope Misty doesn't figure that out," he chuckled. "She might explode a bit."
"Oh she did," Dawn said simply, placing her arms behind her back as they walked. Ash's head snapped to her, mouth agape in shock.
"She knows that you-".
"Yes I told her dingus," Dawn laughed. "Waaaaay before you guys even became a thing. I think you had just got to Kalos actually...anyway! I was trying to get her to admit how she felt, but she's just as stubborn as you. So that didn't work, too well."
"Huh," Ash thought. "Kind of can't believe you're still alive."
"Misty likes me," the bluenette shrugged. "Hey! What's that?"
She stopped, pointing to a circular carving on the wall beside them. He recognized the pattern instantly. "Isn't that the pinwheel on Arceus?"
"It is," she realized excitedly. "You think that means we're headed the right way?"
He didn't reply, instead taking a closer step to the wall carving. There was a detail engraved around the circular part. Patterns that ran the entire length of the pinwheel. Dawn recognized what they were first, "Those are Unown!"
She was right. They were all types of the Unown scratched around the inside of the wheel.
"Why do you think those are there?" She wondered. "I don't remember them actually being on Arceus."
"They weren't."
So they stared at them for a moment. Racking their brains for any idea of why whoever carved Arceus' pinwheel into this wall decided to include the Unown on it. As the bluenette's eyes scanned over them, following them along the circle, it smacked her right cross the face.
"I got it!" She exclaimed loudly, her voice echoing down the dank place. "The Unown resemble the aplhabet right? It's a message!"
He furrowed his brow at her, then focused back on the Unown. Analyzing them more carefully, and it turned out she was right! They spelled something...but he was having a bit of trouble deciphering what.
"I'll read it," she sighed, seeing his paralyzed face as his brain worked in overdrive to figure them out. Stepping closer to see them better, she began, "Master of Pokemon. Master of the pure heart. Only Blood from the true Master of the two may grant the access you seek. The Power of One. The power of life."
"Well that made a lot of sense," he sighed sarcastically, closing his eyes.
"It did actually," she retorted, flicking him for the third time to gain his attention. "Haven't you paid attention to anything we've learned?"
"Yes," he defended, crossing his arms at her. She raised a brow, waiting on him to continue, but instead he suggested, "why don't you just explain the message."
Before she replied she shook her head slowly to get across the point that sometimes, he was hopeless, "this message only further assures me you can get us to the Shrine. Master of Pokemon. Master of the pure heart. We believe in you as a Pokemon Master, and Arceus says you're the purest heart. So we'll need some of your blood to get in."
"My blood? Haven't I bled enough?"
"Apparently not. Give me your hand."
"Why?" He pulled them away from her as she snatched at one. "What are you going to do?"
"I think you should smear some blood on the carving," she said like it was as simple as breathig.
"You want me to what?!"
"Don't be a wimp," she told him roughly. Then added playfully, "You are the Chosen One after all."
"That's not fair..."
"Life's not fair, now give me your hand!"
Speedily she jerked one of his hands to her and raked a fingernail across his palm hard. He yelled and pulled it back, a thin cut producing a layer of blood on his skin.
"Was that necessary?"
"Well do you have a knife?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Or would you rather I used Piplup and put a hole through your entire palm?"
"No, I'm good," he mumbled, then turned to face the carving. Eyeing the dirt and moisture on the wall. "What makes you think putting my hand on this will do anything? This doesn't look like a door."
"Do you have a better idea? No? Ok then, do it Chosen One."
"When did you get so bossy?"
Dawn sighed and grabbed his hand, pushing it against the wall for him. Smearing his blood directly in the center of the pinwheel. Nothing happened.
"See," he started. "I told you-".
The outlines of the carving lit up, as if a bright light were behind the wall. They stepped back in awe as another line of light broke free from the pinwheel and traced the outline of a door frame big enough to allow them access. His mouth fell open as the light then expanded from the pinwheel and covered the entire door line. Then it was gone. Completely gone. The light, the carving, the actual wall inside the outline of light, leaving only a dark hallway for them to stare down.
"Well that's not ominous," Dawn half joked, giving Ash a nudge.
"You're not funny," he joked back, pressing his cut palm into his jeans. "Guess we should see what's down there?"
"Yes captain obvious," she sang, "we probably should!"
She gestured for him to go first, and with a slight head shake, he did. Immediately feeling a cool breeze coming from the bowels of the hall. She fell in line beside him, humming to herself before randomly saying, "you know, I think May and Iris liked you too."
"Yea," he nodded. "So did Serena."
Dawn burst into a fit of giggles beside him, making him raise a brow. "What's so funny?"
"Ooohhh just you," she smiled. "Years and years around all these girls that liked you and you were too dense to see it. It's just funny to think that. You waited until you returned home to Misty to start a thing."
"What makes you think I didn't have a thing with anyone until Misty?"
Her smile turned to surprise and her head snapped to him so fast her neck cracked, "whaaaaat? Ash had a girlfriend? Before Misty?"
"Not really a girlfriend," he admitted. "It was just one night."
Dawn's eyes bugged out, "Ash Ketchum. I'm in complete shock!"
The look on her face said she was, but her tone was full of too much enjoyment for his comfort.
"Who was it?!"
There was that smug smile again, with her head tilted slightly back as she looked down her nose at him. He sighed, realizing the hole he had dug himself in by going along with this conversation. "If I tell you, you cannot tell Misty. Ever!"
"Like I'm going to tell your fiancé who you've slept with in the past," she rolled her eyes. "We're just two friends talking. To make you feel better, I'll tell you one of mine if you tell me yours!"
Somehow that didn't make him feel better, but he inhaled to reveal the girl anyway, "Serena."
Dawn squealed, "oh I knew it! If it had been May I think I'd of known sooner, and Iris seems kind of prude to be honest."
"It was just the one time," Ash quickly added. "There was a bit of alcohol involved, and it was after a festival of some kind. I don't remember. It was late, and we were the only two left by the fire."
"So who's better? Misty or Serena?"
His brow knit together curiously.
"At sex Ash," she sighed exasperatedly.
"Oh," he turned pink. "Well Misty of course."
"Yea yea, that's a typical answer," she smiled regardless of her jab. "Well, to tell you mine. I slept with Paul."
It was Ash's turn for his eyes to bug out, "What?! When?"
"A few years after you left Sinnoh," she replied nonchalantly. "I ran into him again on the road to a Contest and we decided to camp together for the night. He mellowed out his attitude a lot, and was actually kind of charming. One thing led to another and yea. Firelight has a certain quality to it I guess."
"So it seems," he agreed, still bewildered by her secret.
"Ok, next adult question," she skipped a step happily. "A major what if, but if you had the chance to sleep with anyone, no consequences whatsoever, who would it be?"
"Is sex on your brain today?" He asked incredulously, raising a brow her direction.
"It's always on everyone's brains Chosen One," she giggled. "And what's wrong with two friends playing the what if game while we walk down a dark hall to God knows what?"
He had picked up on what she was doing a long time ago, and honestly it was kind of nice. It had been years since the two of them had hung out together. Sure they spent the last few months in each other's company, but there had hardly been time to reminisce and talk like good friends. So she was taking the opportunity to do so now, and it was helping to relieve the tension in his chest.
"I'll answer first," she said, placing a finger to her chin as she thought. "If I could sleep with anyone...I'd have to choose Bruno."
"Bruno? As in the Elite Four Bruno?"
"Yep! He's just so muscly and gah! He makes me quiver!"
"Gross, Dawn," he smiled anyway, and she laughed. "So if I could sleep with anyone...hm...Cynthia."
"Really?! I'd of never guessed that one," she mused.
"I'd of never guessed Bruno," Ash retorted, then getting a mischievous thought he added, "I'm surprised you didn't say Lance."
Instantly she turned bright pink and touched the cape clasped around her neck, averting her gaze straight ahead. Neither had been paying very much attention to their surroundings, or how far they had been walking. It was almost as if they were back in Sinnoh, traveling towards their next destination.
Ash opened his mouth to tease Dawn further about Lance, but she suddenly stopped, standing perfectly still with her eyes locked onto something ahead. He followed her gaze down the dark hall, and spotted what she was staring at. A light, feint but twinkling none the less.
"What do you think that is?" She whispered, leaning closer so he could hear better.
"Don't know," he admitted. "But we should find out."
"And if it's dangerous?"
"We run."
August 27 2:30 p.m.
Somewhere in Johto
Voices were shouting, then they were whispering, then there was silence. An eerie unnatural silence...and everything was dark. Why was it dark? What was this place anyway? Another voice! Softer, more personal, familiar, but what was said was missed.
A light exploded into existence, filling the entire area, but it was dimmed in a weird way. As if it were shrouded under a cloak of curtain. Like closing your eyes in a bright room. How strange.
"May!" The familiar voice bounced around. Echoing farther and farther away. May...that was a name. Her name! Was she dead? She certainly felt dead...no...there was a tingling. Something crawling across her skin it felt like, but she couldn't move. A light impact just now. A hand! Someone touched her. She felt it, she couldn't be dead!
"What the hell just happened?!" That voice was familiar too...Cameron? So who was the first voice?
"Wait a minute...are we where I think we are?!" That was Brock. The dull light slowly began to get brighter, and she felt her eyes twitch. The tingling coursing in her muscles was fading, but still prominent.
"Hey! She moved!"
"May? Please May, let me know you're ok..." Cameron sounded so distraught, so heartbroken...she couldn't handle that. There was the burning, the aching in her chest. She certainly couldn't be dead! Then the light flashed brightly, blinding her for a split second, then everything came into focus and she was staring up into the teary eyed face of Cameron.
"Hey," she said in a weak whisper, her throat cracking from the dryness in it.
"Oh thank God!" He exclaimed happily relieved, his hand closing around hers tight. "I thought we lost you."
"Technically we did," Brock's voice corrected. "I just can't believe our luck."
"The Lake of Life?" Cameron asked, not taking his eyes off May's. "That's what you called it?"
"Yes, it's quite a remarkable body of water," a different voice said, one incredibly familiar as well, but she couldn't quite place it.
"We've been here before," Brock relayed. "It's a long story, but it's where the Professor and I met Suicune."
Then it clicked!
"Professor Oak?" May croaked, attempting to sit up and locate the older man. Cameron helped her, placing a hand gently against her back.
She took in her surroundings for the first time. They were in a small one roomed cabin, furnished with antique style furniture. On the couch opposite May rested Brock's babies, fast asleep and wrapped up in blue and pink blankets. Mew hovered over them, purring as it watched them sleep. Cameron sat on the same couch as May, taking up only the tiniest of space to allow her more room. Behind them, Brock stood with his arms folded and a bewildered, but happy look on his face.
And off in the corner, peering out the window with Suicune snoozing beside him, was Professor Oak. His eyes shifted unneasily as he gazed out onto the lake, brushing long gray hair from his face.
"Thank goodness everyone is alright," May breathed, some of her voice returning.
"I'll get you some water, you sound terrible," Brock commented, and headed over to a sink on the far side of the room.
"What do you remember?" Oak asked, still not taking his eyes from the window.
She thought for a moment, "falling. Dominion's all around me...nothing after that."
Then she fully registered something Brock had said, "Did-did I die?"
Cameron squeezed her hand as Professor Oak replied, "Yes, technically you did."
"Then how am I-".
"Alive?" He finally turned to face her, and she could see the weathering on his face. The exhaustion and the stress. He seemed to have aged another ten years since Pallet Town fell. "Like I said, this lake is quite remarkable. The Lake of Life. Has the power to restore, well, life. The injuries the three of you sustained have been completely healed. That's why I've been hiding here since I fled Pallet Town. Although I didn't realize Team Rocket built a base so close by, I don't think they did either."
Hearing this, May quickly felt along her body. He was right! Every cut, and gash she had received was perfectly healed. Even the hole that had been stabbed through her shoulder. That must of been the tingling she felt.
"Here," Brock returned with the glass of water, and May eagerly accepted it. Gulping the contents down in three swigs.
"So fill me in," she stated, handing the glass back. Her voice much stronger. "What happened? And this is seriously where you've been all this time?"
Brock started first, "it looked bad May. Real bad. Mew was out, Cameron and his Pokemon were down. You were basically dead. We were done for, but then Professor Oak and Suicune rode in. Scaring the Dominion's off-".
"Only for now," the Professor interrupted. "They'll be back. Especially now that they know where Mew will be at all times."
"What do you mean," May asked, cocking her head to look at the little pink Pokemon.
"That MasterBall I made specifically for Mew had Psychic suppressing technology in it," he answered. "In other words, it masked Mew from the Dominion's. I got the idea from Team Rocket. When they assaulted the Sea Foam Islands they used suppressing rays to block Mewtwo's powers. According to Ash, he heard Giovanni say the Dominion's destroyed those suppressors. I theorized they have a slight weakness to Psychic, and implemented that into Mew's MasterBall. Without it, they can track Mew wherever we take it."
"So, they could attack us at any minute anytime?" She asked unneasily.
Professor Oak nodded grimly, turning his back on them and refocusing out the window.
"You all have done much more than I could've hoped," he said. "Freeing the Legendary Pokemon from Team Rocket, and even collecting the Shamouti Treasures for Ash...but without that MasterBall to hide Mew, I'm afraid we've reached the end."
Thunder shook the tiny cabin, and May squinted in surprised disbelief as she saw large snowflakes glistening outside the window.
"We can no longer run, or prepare," Oak continued solemnly. "The time is now. We must find Ash and as many of the others as we can. Win or lose, it's time to take the fight to the Dominion's".
August 27 2:47 p.m.
Sinnoh - Solaceon Ruins
The tiny light proved to be much further away than either Ash or Dawn had guessed, but finally they could visibly tell they were getting closer. Neither one spoke a single word as they walked, only the sounds of their footsteps and quick breaths penetrating their ears. Well, and the pounding of their hearts the longer they went. Absentmindedly, Ash's hand was resting on his PokeBall's, ready to fling the first one he grabbed should he need to.
Then they both stopped as they crossed a sudden threshold into an average sized room. The change was so sudden they could of blinked and missed it. Once they passed into it, the light seemed to expand, illuminating the contents of the area. The room itself wasn't that impressive. More dank, stone walls, with varying cracks and crevices. What had their attention, and Dawn's mouth open in shock, was the solid gold statue of Arceus on the back wall. Complete with a stand at its base.
The stand resembled a small, yet high, round table. Four curved legs to hold it up, and four curved solid gold bars forming an arch on the tabletop. Sitting within three golden spokes at its top, was the source of the light. A tiny glowing object, diamond in shape, but long and thin. It resembled the Darkin alarmingly close, but the major difference Ash could spot was the color. Where as the Darkin was nearly a see through black color, this object was a see through silver, and it glistened as if dozens of lights were reflecting off its surface.
"The Vitan," he whispered aloud, making Dawn jump from the sudden sound.
"Do you think it will be as easy as picking it up?" She asked hesitantly, eyeing the artifact on the stand. "This has to be the Shrine of Arceus, so it must have protection of some form, right?"
Her dislike of the Darkin was great, and the same uneasy feeling was prominent here, but it wasn't coming from the Vitan. It was something else, something lurking in the shadows, watching them carefully. Ash felt it too, and his eyes carefully scanned every corner of the room, but found nothing threatening to their lives.
"Well, it's not like we have much choice," he said. "We need Gary, and this thing is our only hope of achieving that goal."
She let out a quick sigh and nodded, "let's do this then!"
Step by easy step they inched closer to the golden Arceus, and the closer they got the darker the air seemed to feel. It was unnatural, flowing around as if it were trying to grab them. To pull them away from the artifact at the Shrine.
Pure heartssss...
They both froze on the spot, goosebumps trailing up Dawn's spine. Something whispered, something wanted their attention. Ash swallowed a dry mouth, and as confident as he could muster, asked, "Hello?"
I know what you seek pure hearts...I know your deepest desires. Your darkest secrets.
The goosebumps flooded over Dawn now, her skin crawling with fear. What the hell was that voice?!
My Dominion's have misjudged you. They see a threat...ha...I see cowards. Servants of the pitiful Light. That abomination Arceus thinks you can bring about permanent Light? Your hearts betray this ideal.
Ash felt a brush of freezing cold air sweep by, ruffling his hair and blowing Dawn's across his face. "Who are you?"
Hahahaha. Oh pure heart, if only you knew. You wouldn't still be standing here.
"What do you want?"
I want you to succeed, only to fail when the decision truly matters. I will not stop you from retrieving the Vitan. Though, I cannot at this time as is, even if I wanted too.
"You...want us to get the Vitan?" He asked curiously, frowning with a side glance to Dawn. Whatever they were talking to, if he possibly considered it to be Arceus before, he certainly didn't now. This thing was evil, pure Darkness. He could feel it. So why would it want them to achieve their goal?
A good question pure heart.
Did this thing just read his mind?!
And you shall have your answer soon. I know the Darkness in your heart, I feel it growing. Pure hearts...haha...I look forward to the day we meet.
Silence. Something twitched in Ash's hand and he nearly flew out of his shoes, until he realized that at some point Dawn's hand had grabbed his. He was about to say something about it, until he spotted the petrified look on her face. She was shaking, and had moved several inches closer to him. Whatever the thing was, it had shaken her to the core.
"It's gone," he soothed, and it was. The dark, heavy air had lifted. Leaving behind the gentle light of the Vitan.
"What was that?" She asked shakily, slowly removing her hand from Ash's. "The green eyed Dominion?"
That would have been Ash's first guess, but something told him it wasn't so. That voice had been something else, something far darker. Darker...dark...Darkness. Oh my God...
Suddenly so many things clicked in Ash's mind, and Dawn whimpered at the sudden terrified look he developed.
The way the Dominion's had spoken, things Arceus had said, the translated code from the Darkin, it all made so much more sense...We are the Dominion of Darkness...Creation shall fall when Darkness arises...Darkness is on the verge of returning...
"Darkness...it's not a definition of the Dominion's," Ash started. "It's not the universe without Light. It...it's a being. A creature far older than time itself. The first consciousness to ever exist...and it's coming."
The noise that escaped Dawn could only be described with one word, afraid.
"But we can beat it," she tried to reassure herself. "When three hearts of pure control the powers of the world can Darkness be removed from the universes soul."
"Looks like we need to hurry this along and get to Shamouti for those treasures," Ash nodded. She imitated his head movement, and turned her eyes upon the Vitan.
"Here we go," he added, taking a step towards the Shrine and extending his hand. The golden Arceus loomed over him, towering more than half his own height above him. There was a raw power radiating from the structure, he could feel its waves. Slowly, his fingers closed around the Vitan, and he pulled the silver object free from its stand. Dawn held her breath, and for a moment nothing happened.
"Well shit-", Ash started to say, then the Vitan lit up in a blinding light, and a great jerking motion ripped through his arm.
August 27 3:01 p.m.
Johto - Lake of Life
May put her weight on her leg, and instantly her muscles burst into searing pain. She winced and grunted aloud, making Cameron grab her waist for support.
"I'm ok," she breathed, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.
"You're not back to one hundred percent yet," he retorted. "Just take it easy."
"We don't have the time," she countered, taking another step and feeling the same burning. "The Dominion's could arrive any second."
"Unforunately she's right," Brock chimed in, giving his two sleeping infants a glance. "We have to move, but where do we go?"
He addressed the Professor, who was feeding the now awake Suicune. Oak patted the dog on the head, and slowly turned to Brock, "I honestly don't know. God knows where Ash is, so the League would be our best choice, but Unova is far. And that's if they're even still in that Region."
"So we have no where," May stated. "Great."
"No where to go, yes," Oak agreed. "But if we could send a message, then we could bring everyone to us."
"How would we do that?" Cameron asked, carefully letting go of May as she took another step.
"The radio tower in Goldenrod," he explained. "Odds are the League has a working radio with them. If we could get in touch with them from there, that would be a start."
"How far to Goldenrod?" May asked.
"Farther than I'd like," the elder man sighed. "But it's all we've got."
"So let's do it," Cameron exclaimed. "We've come this far! What's a slight trip across Johto?"
"With two newborns, and a Legendary the Dominion's want and can track," Brock argued.
They fell silent, processing that information. What would they do about the babies? They very well couldn't travel across Johto with the danger that would be constantly behind them.
"Cameron and I will go," May told them, gaining their attention quickly. "Mew will come with us so the Dominion's won't track you. Professor Oak and Suicune can stay to help protect your family."
"May, we can't split up. Not now," Brock tried to reason, but Professor Oak interrupted, "Unfortunately she's right. If we want to have a shot and keep your babies alive, only they can go."
Brock opened his mouth to retaliate. During his imprisonment in the Rocket base he had decided he was done with this war, only to realize how selfish that train of thought had been. He was not about to let his friends do this alone, he was never going to abandon any of them ever again.
"We'll be fine Brock," May soothed gently, giving him an encouraging smile. "Don't take this the wrong way, but your part in this is done. You have two mini Brock and Delila's to think of. We all do. So don't feel guilty, Cameron and I can take it from here. You just keep those two little ones safe. Ok?"
Her sapphire eyes sparkled as she spoke, easing the pain of the massive guilt he had in his heart. She was right, he was done. He had to be, for the sake of his children.
His head bowed, hiding his face from the others, and quietly May heard him say, "Ok."
"We'll see you guys again," she nodded. "I promise."
"Count on it," Cameron added.
Brock looked between the two of them, his eyes watering as he looked at their confident faces. If there was on thing he truly was thankful for, it was his friends.
Suddenly Suicune shot up, growling menacingly and staring at the window. Then it came, the metallic screech, more of them than they could count.
"They're here!" Oak shouted. "Take Mew and go, now!"
"Mew?" The pink Pokemon squeaked, looking around frantically from the babies to May.
"We have to Mew," she told the Legendary. "They'll be ok!"
It looked at her with big, sad blue eyes, but then flew over to her reluctantly. Thunder boomed as lightning flashed outside, followed by more of the Dominion cries. With one last look to Brock, May let Cameron take her hand and they ran for the door, Mew zooming close behind them.
"Keep them away from the babies Suicune," they heard Oak say.
Brock fingered his PokeBalls, which Cameron had returned, his thumb hesitating over Delila's. Would her Pokemon listen to him? Guess they would find out. Yellow lightning flashed by the window, striking the side of the cabin and quaking the contents inside. Brent and Darcy woke up in a frenzy, whaling loudly. Cameron reached for the door, gripping the knob to turn it.
CRASH!
It splintered inwards, blasting him and May back rolling across the floor, debris littering around them. The babies screamed louder and Brock moved to stand between them and the doorway. Suicune growled at the single Dominion standing in the frame blocking anyone from exiting, green eyes glowing viciously.
"Here we are," it laughed. "Finally. The Mew of Light, it's been a long time."
"Mew!" It squeaked defiantly, retreating further into the cabin.
Lightning cracked outside, illuminating the darkened sky behind the Dominion leader, and May saw the silhouettes of Dominion's. Hundreds of them circling above the lake, their yellow eyes fixed on the cabin.
Without warning the green eyed Dominion shrieked and flew into the hut, claws swiping down at Cameron. He quickly rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the deep claw marks carved into the wood. Suicune roared and shot a white beam at the creature, but it twirled out of the way, retaliating with a green lighting strike, hitting the dog in the face. Suicune howled in pain, stumbling to its knees.
"Go Charizard!"
"Glaceon, take the stage!"
"Let's go Crobat!"
Three simultaneous bursts of light revealed the Pokemon, angry and ready to fight the dark being. It smiled a row of sharp teeth maliciously, and it's green eyes flashed. The three trainers shouted their orders, and the Pokemon attacked swiftly. Fire mixed with ice, propelled by a gust of wind, but the Dominion was too fast. It swooped under the attacks, Body Slamming into Glaceon and slicing at Crobat. The ice type smashed into the wall with a crunch, slumping into a heap on the floor.
"No!"
Crobat dodged the Dominion's assault, flying higher in the cabin to avoid the sharp claws. Charizard roared and snapped at the green eyed bastard, latching its teeth into the creatures dark skin. It screeched in pain, raising Charizard off the floor with a mighty heave, tossing the Fire Pokemon beside Glaceon. A lamp broke across the Dominion's head, and it turned angrily to Professor Oak. With a sharp lunge, it flew at him, swinging its third arm in blur. BAM! It bounced off a pink shield a foot in front of the Professor, ricocheting into the ceiling. Mew squeaked angrily as the dark creature shrieked in fury. Suicune recovered and pounced, tackling the Dominion into the furthest wall. It roared in the green eyed things face, sinking its claws into the creature.
BOOM! The front wall collapsed, sending dust and wood flying into the air. Mew's eyes lit up, creating bubbles around the babies to shield them from the debris. The army of Dominion's glared into the cabin, completely blocking the only exit any of them had.
A strong wind blew in from the gaping hole, flurrying the falling snowflakes around the Dominion's. Thunder clapped as both May and Cameron raised and enlarged each of their remaining PokeBall's. Brock went for his but paused, listening closely. There was a sound hidden in the thunder, and the Dominion's heard it too. They blinked their yellow eyes confusedly, turning to the source of the sound. It was a low, rapid beating. A sound Brock could identify by this point. A helicopter, no helicopters! They were quickly growing closer, there position masked in the snowstorm raging outside.
"Light!" The green eyed leader shrieked. "Kill the Soul of Light!"
The Dominion leader blasted Suicune away from it with a lightning blast. Sending the dog through the wall and outside. It pointed its third arm at Mew, and the hundred other Dominion's followed its example. Cameron and May reared back their Balls...
BOOM! A HyperBeam exploded into the crowd of dark creatures, engulfing them in a massive fireball. Gunfire rained down from the sky, followed by Pokemon of all kinds. Pidgeot's, Staraptor's, Scyther's, Skarmory's, Salamence's, and many many more. They attacked the Dominion's, maneuvering through the horde with precision accuracy and teamwork. The dark creatures screeched in rage and took to the sky after the Pokemon. One Fletchinder was blasted into feathers by a direct lightning blast.
People rushed out of the snowy darkness, rifles aimed high and firing consistently. They were clad in various types of body armor. Colored in all shades, from yellow to black. The gunmen ducked and rolled out of the Dominion's attacks, retaliating with bursts of gunfire.
From even higher above than the fighting Pokemon, the beating blades of helicopters whirred loudly. Their guns attached to them matching the booms of thunder. Pokemon restricted to land came into the fray from the shadows. Blasting fire, water, grass, and electric attacks.
The green eyed Dominion looked at a loss, completely taken off guard by the sudden appearance of so many adversaries. Suicune reappeared through the hole its body created, and tackled it into the wall, creating another hole that they broke through and allowed snow to flow in.
Cameron and May stood awestruck, hands still raised in the air clasping their PokeBall's. Stray attacks and bullets bounced off a pink bubble Mew was generating around them, rippling the energy as they flung away. Brock and Professor Oak were much the same way, only Oak was beginning to smile.
And then the Dominion's were fleeing, hissing and glaring as they fled. Following their green eyed leader into the stormy sky with Suicune roaring after them. May couldn't believe it. Here they had been on the verge of death once again, and by some miracle an army of people and Pokemon arrived to save the day, but who were they?
The armored people swept the immediate area, shining bright lights into the shadows and ushering May and her group together into the center of the ruined cabin. Brock was trying to quiet his babies with Mew's help as it flicked its tail in front of Brent.
The nearest soldier lowered their rifle and unclipped a radio at their belt, speaking into it in a woman's voice, "All clear down here."
"Roger that, setting down," a man's replied through the speaker, and the beating blades of the helicopters grew louder. "What's the current time?"
"3:22 p.m. Sir," the woman informed him.
P.m.?! But It was dark out! Now May's head really hurt with questions.
"Excuse me," Cameron spoke up. "Thanks for helping us, but who are you guys?"
"Oh! How rude of me," the woman said, reaching up remove her helmet. Long pink hair fell down her back and a pretty, but dirty face greeted them.
"Nurse Joy?!" Both Cameron and May exclaimed simultaneously.
"I KNEW I'D FIND YOU GUYS!" A female voice shouted, making them all jump. A streak of brown crashed into May, crushing her in a hug. The girl let go and stepped back, beaming a happy smile at the Hoenn native.
"Melody?!"
"The very same," she said loudly to be heard over the almost landed helicopter. She said something else, but it was lost among the beating blades. They hissed and wound down, allowing the snow to continue falling at a normal pace.
"How did you find us?" Brock asked, taking a glance around at the surrounding soldiers and Pokemon.
"It wasn't easy," she told them. "It took a lot to convince Lorelei to keep searching-"
"Wait, Lorelei?" He interrupted. "You mean this is the League?!"
"Is that surprising Mr. Harrison," a strong female voice broke into their conversation. Lorelei was stepping out of the chopper, sliding the door open wide and revealing two more people behind her. A woman with long purple hair, and a man with messy green hair.
"Oh my God it really is you guys!" Iris shouted, jumping out of the helicopter and sprinting up to them. "We had seriously almost gave up hope."
"If not for Melody, we just might have," Cilan added, coming up behind Iris. "She refused to give up the search."
"After Shamouti I tracked down the League and told them what happened," Melody quickly explained. "After that they devoted resources to finding Team Rocket, but it was just one bust after another."
"So how did you locate us?" May asked, a large smile spreading across her face at the sights before her. Friends, people still alive and fighting.
"That explosion was hard to miss," Lorelei answered. "We arrived roughly just before the Dominion's. When we saw they were after something, we intervened. Luckily that happened to be you. And it's good to see you Professor Oak. The League had assumed you KIA."
"Not quite yet," the Professor said. "But it was close."
"So this is the army?" Cameron observed. "It doesn't seem like enough."
"This is only a fraction," Iris retorted, placing her hands on her hips. "I've busted my butt on this thing, so show a little respect."
Cameron's hands went up in defense, "Didn't mean to say it that way, sorry."
"I hate to hurry this reunion along," Professor Oak stepped forward to gain everyone's attention. "But time has run out. Does the League know where Ash is?"
The distressed look on Iris' face told the answer, and Cilan's hand found her shoulder.
"We came into contact with him and Lance a few months ago," Lorelei explained, perking up May's hope. "But we haven't heard from them since. Last known location was in Sinnoh. That's where we were headed until we saw the Team Rocket base explode."
Iris opened her mouth to add something, but just then baby Darcy started crying again. At first Lorelei looked at her in bewilderment as if Iris were making the noise, then she realized the babies were there, "Infants?"
"Hey, hey," Brock cooed, rushing to Darcy's side as she squirmed on the couch. "It's ok now. Ssshh."
Mew zoomed over, blinking twice and tickling Darcy under her chin with its tail. The baby soon stopped crying and began to laugh instead. As he turned to check on baby Brent, Brock sweat dropped to see the infant fast asleep.
"So, that's why Delila's not here?" Melody asked slowly, turning her eyes from the babies to Brock. With a burning in his throat, he nodded. The brunettes expression darkened in the already dark light.
"Let's get them out of this cold," Nurse Joy rushed forward. "There's a few extra blankets in the helicopter."
Nodding, Brock carefully picked up Darcy while Joy lifted Brent. He recalled Crobat before following the pink haired nurse. The group watched them go, with Melody touching Brock's shoulder as he passed by. An awkward silence fell upon them as the snow continued to fall, and thunder clapped above. Electricity hung in the air, with no one wanting to say what was needed to be said. So Lorelei took the initiative, "If Professor Oak is correct and time has run out, then that makes the matter more urgent that we find Ash and Lance. Everyone load up! We're high tailing it to Sinnoh before those creatures come back."
There was a scramble as soldiers recalled their Pokemon and then some ran into the darkness, and others rushed towards Lorelei's helicopter. Cameron and May followed their example, recalling their two Pokemon and following Iris, Mew right behind them. A shrill whistle from Professor Oak caused Suicune to roar and run up to his side.
"Thank you for all your help," he told the Legendary Dog. "But I'm in good hands now. Go find you your siblings and raise some Hell."
Suicune nodded once, and nuzzles the Professor's cheek. Then it was off, disappearing swiftly into the dark. Cilan held out a hand to help the females onboard the chopper, and Brock turned from his babies to assist. Cilan then climbed in after Cameron, turning to look for Professor Oak. "Hurry Professor!"
"Mew!"
The startled squeak caught everyone's attention, and they turned to the Legendary. It hovered in the center of the chopper, eyes unfocused and glossy.
"Is Mew ok?" Iris asked.
"Mew?" May started curiously, but shouted in surprise as the pink Pokemon's eyes flashed brightly and the it lit up in a blinding light that filled the interior of the helicopter.
I have a love hate relationship with this chapter. I love the intensity, and the seriousness it has set up. What I'm not fully satisfied with is the entire ending when Iris and the League arrives. There were so many characters right there that I had trouble finding a flow that I liked. I've rewrote it a few times, and this is what I've settled with.
Anyways, let me know what ya'll think, and I'll see ya at the next chapter!