*Oh, look at this giant chapter! :O Both of those cliffhangers get answered... I guess. :3 Read and see! ;)*
Chapter 15
Sapphire held her breath, keeping her body completely still, like stone. Even if she hadn't been trying to keep herself silent, unmoving, she probably would have been
able to do it anyways. She was absolutely paralyzed with terror.
The only thing she could hear was her heart, thump thump, thump thump, the beats like the wing beats of Illumise and Volbeat, fast and hot, pumping through her veins like liquid fire. Or was it ice? After all, it seemed to freeze every part of her, forced a chill down her spine. She felt cornered, because she was. The only thing going for her was that Rei didn't know she was here- hopefully.
The Gengar. She could only pray that it didn't detect her presence, didn't know she was here, didn't see her with those piercing red eyes that were as cold as its master's. If it saw her, it was Game Over. No restarts, no continues, no extra lives. Rei would probably kill her this time, and then who could protect Ruby?
"What's this Gardevoir doing out of its Pokeball?" Rei said, not really asking anyone. Ruby, after all, was asleep, his crimson eyes shut behind pale eyelids, Murkrow-black hair tousseled as it usually was when he was sleeping.
Sapphire's heart lurched. She remembered countless nights and days where Ruby had fallen asleep in their Secret Base despite constantly complaining the place was a dump and filthy from all the dirt she carried in daily ("Is not!" she had protested) and she had caught a glimpse of his relaxed features, completely innocent and naive in slumber. She wanted to be back in the Secret Base with Ruby, to hear his steady, rhythmic breathing, a comforting noise she could depend on. She couldn't hear it now- it was probably too light and weak for even her powerful ears to pick up.
"Oh well, it doesn't matter," continued Rei, answering himself, his feet shifting closer to the bed, close enough that Sapphire felt like she could see every speck of dust on the shiny black leather. "Gengar will take care of you if you cause me any trouble." The ghost type turned so its back was towards Sapphire and faced Ruru. She could see its bright white smile through its translucent body.
Suddenly, her vision was replaced, and she immediately knew she was seeing through Ruru's eyes. Gardevoir was a Pokemon that could sense emotions- it could feel her agitation at only being able to hear what was going on, to have only sound and feet to help her interpret the situation. She mentally thanked the psychic type- she hoped it could hear her.
Rei's pale golden hair reflected the morning light streaming through the window as a soft white glow, the angelic look that was anything but the man's personality. His fine features were adorned with a twisted smile that expressed the evil hiding behind his pleasant, charming exterior. A demon guised as an angel. Sapphire hated him.
Rei spoke again, quietly, so quietly that couldn't really pick up much emotion behind his voice, but it sounded like sick, sadistic pleasure. "Wake up, Ruby. Haven't you had enough sleep?"
Ruby's name slipped so easily off of Rei's tongue, but it sounded strange, wrong, foreign. Rei said it as if to a friend, maybe, his smirk still on his face. His silvery eyes were unreadable, mysterious, dark, shadowed. What reason did he have for sounding so, so- so damn friendly, yet so evil at the same time?
It filled Sapphire with horrible anticipation, the moment where you know something terrible is about to enfold right before you, but you don't know what, how, or even why, and you're powerless to stop it. What she was about to see, she knew, she could feel it, could destroy the little hope, the little spirit she had left.
Ruby opened his eyes, and the moment his signature red irises were visible, Sapphire knew there was something fundamentally wrong in his vapid stare, his eyes lightless, dark, still, emotionless. The dark-haired boy said nothing, just looking forwards blankly, like an oversized porcelain doll. Waiting for further words, further orders. Like a puppet... Sapphire realized with horrid dread.
"We've got a long, fun day ahead of us," Rei said, drawing out the word fun slowly, cruelly, and Sapphire knew what he had planned was anything but fun, at least not for anyone else. "Thanks to you, I finally have complete control over both Groudon and Kyogre."
Rei reached into the deep pocket of his sweeping black cloak, drawing out the jewel Sapphire had seen through Kyogre, the purple orb of swirling shades, light and deep, pale lilac and dark violet, a perfect mix of the blue and red orbs. The Amethyst Orb, Rei had called it. She could see orb reflected in his eyes, amethyst swimming around in the silver pools, and for some reason, she felt... sadness? Regret? Guilt?
These are da emotions Ruru's pickin' up, she realized, feeling a sudden, uncontrollable pity at the aching strength of Rei's hidden emotion. The man had a heart behind his cold, twisted, evil exterior, and it had surprised Sapphire.
All the villains she had encountered so far didn't seem to have one- or at least, if they did, it had ceased to function. She remembered how five years ago Ruby had held Mimi, then a Feebas, tight to his chest, protecting the dying Pokemon, trying to get Archie and Maxie to understand the power of the heart, to get them to stop, to see the destruction they were causing. Unfortunately, Rei's heart didn't seem to be stopping him from achieving his wicked ambitions.
"Snap out of it," commanded Rei, voice sharp, to Ruby, who shook his head, the night-black hair, which Sapphire now noticed was in clumps, stuck together with dried blood, becoming even messier and somewhat wild, a little life returning to his crimson eyes, though not much. They were still hollow, shallow, blank. Rei smiled, pleased, and his emotions were under wraps once more, unreadable, undetectable. "Good."
Ruby looked... hesitant would be the right word, unsure, nervous. But not afraid, not untrusting. He was staring at Rei obediently, he had at Wallace, like a puppy to its master. "Master," he said, his voice hoarse, like how it had been when he woke up in the hospital after the storm.
Almost as if he had drawn it out of thin air- he might have in the second where Sapphire blinked her eyes- Rei had conjured a glass of water and given it to the thirsty boy. Ruby drank it greedily, with total disregard. Sapphire didn't know the boy she saw and her heart plummeted. At least she could see a remnant of Ruby when he had been walking around the fair with her. This Ruby was... she didn't even know, but she couldn't recognize him.
It made her want to cry, but she knew she had to stay silent lest Rei or his Gengar found her corporeal form underneath the pitiful hiding spot of Ruby's bed. Could she rescue Ruby, bring him back?
"Gengar, take Ruby to the beach, and come back in a minute," instructed Rei casually, and Sapphire felt a lump of fear rising in her throat. The blond man's eyes were filled with that strange, evil pleasure again- if she could have shrunk to escape that stare, that terrifying smile, shrunk to the speck of a dust to escape, she would. Her heart was pounding louder than the roars of a whole group of Exploud, and she wanted to cover her ears with her hands in hopes of making it quieter for herself.
"Return." Rei had grabbed Ruru's Pokeball and pressed the white button on the red and white sphere, the Gardevoir dissipating in a stream of rose-huedlight. Sapphire's vision returned to her own body, and once again, all she saw was feet. She couldn't even see Rei's face, giving her absolutely no clues to what he was thinking. She heard a click, the familiar click of attaching a Pokeball to one's belt. And then a chuckle, a terrible laugh that filled her with dread. "You might as well come out now, Sapphire." She wanted to pass out, if only to escape the suffocating terror, she had never experienced such fear. "Come. I won't hurt you... For now."
Slowly, very slowly, she crawled out from underneath the bed, shaking off the trepidation and breathing short, unsteady breaths with every inch she travelled. She could still feel her heart beating faster than a Yanmega's supersonic flaps, if Yanmegas sounded like war drums. She felt warm sunlight hit her head as she escaped the cover of the bed, what had felt like an infinitely long journey, and the rest of her body followed. She stood up and faced Rei, who stood a good head and shoulders above her.
"I must say, I'm surprised you managed to find your way here- without your other friends too," started Rei conversationally, sounding like a suspicious parent, prying, searching. "What do you think? Wonderful location, wouldn't you say? Nice beaches, thick, lush forest, and even that barrier to keep out intruders. How did you get through that anyways? Don't try and keep quiet- I could force the answers out of I wanted to."
"I flew in," she answered, almost inaudible, voice quaking. She could see the threat in his eyes, hear it in his tone, that it was over for her. She would never get out of here, never save Ruby, never see him again. Ruby... she thought, feeling a hot tear at the corner of her eye. I'm so sorry... I tried my best ta protect ya, save ya, but I-
"Interesting... The Pokemon you uses must be absolutely exhausted, far beyond the point of battling. Pilo, was it? Your Tropius." Sapphire's eyes widened in shock, and she heard Rei snicker.
"What did you do to Pilo?" she demanded, voice loud and clear.
"Nothing. He's sleeping soundly on the other end of the island. But it's good to know you can say more than incoherent whispers. Why are you so afraid of me? You don't need to be," he said, walking around her, his black cloak brushing against her legs. She could see his malicious smile without opening her eyes. "Do you think I'm going to kill you? Hurt Ruby? Are you curious about what I've done to him? Don't be shy- ask away, Sapphire."
It was a lure, a trap so he could hurt her more, so he could prey on her terror, her fear. Rei was like his Gengar- she was pretty sure the ghost type thrived on fear as well. But she couldn't resist falling for the obvious ploy- she needed to know, no matter what it was. Her hungry curiosity won over. "What?"
He smiled, but it was more with his eyes than his mouth and teeth, in the cold glint of steel and silver as opposed to the thin curved line of his lips. "Do you see this orb?" He held out the Amethyst orb so close that Sapphire could lick it if she so desired (but of course she didn't). "Of course you do, you're not blind," he answered for her, drawing it back towards himself almost protectively, reminding Sapphire of the guilt and sorrow that had pulsated from him minutes ago. "Do you know how it was made?"
"You almost killed him," she accused, azure eyes shadowed, voice sharp and painful. The memories struck her vividly, the blood, oh the blood, everywhere, Ruby's blood. Spilled on the ground, painted onto the cave floor in an intricate circular pattern, splattered onto Rei's hands, soaked into Ruby's shirt, running down his arms in thin, streaming rivulets... So much blood, so much blood. She could see it so clearly she felt like she could smell the coppery, salty tang of it, taste it on her tongue... "There was so much blood. I thought he was dead." Her voice was quavering, completely unsteady, and she felt like she was about to collapse.
Rei raised an eyebrow, and looked to his side, glaring. "Gengar... Quit it. You'll knock her unconscious." The ghost Pokemon's frown reappeared first, followed by shockingly red eyes and finally its purple body. It looked like a naughty child who'd suddenly been in time out and wanted to argue about it. Rei looked back at Sapphire almost apologetically. "My Gengar has a tendency to stir up fear in people. It's mastered Nightmare so well that its victims don't even need to be asleep to be frightened to their wit's end. You should be applauded for holding out so well," he praised her in a silky, honey voice. "Now, where were we?"
The moment Rei had given his Gengar the glare, Sapphire felt a huge weight lifted off of her chest, and the terrifying visions disappeared. Her fear remained though- just not as potent as before. "You almost killed Ruby."
Rei looked amused, as if about to laugh. "But he's not dead, is he? By the way..." he started, leaning in startlingly close. "You sound like you saw what happened. Did you? Don't lie. I believe Gengar's demonstrated a potential consequence- though I'm sure he can do better."
"Kyogre showed me," she admitted, trying to match his intense gaze, but forced to look away, unable to match its power. "I watched through its eyes."
"So it's true that those two can communicate with their former controllers. It must think highly of you to have let you seen through its eyes." He paused, grabbing her chin and making her focus her sideward gaze at him once more. "I'm trying to talk to you. Do not be so rude." His voice was steady, tempered, calm, but had an edge of impatience and anger behind it.
"What did you do to Ruby?" Rei's sudden aggressiveness had fired her own. Some of her lost courage had returned after Gengar had stopped its Nightmare, and she was angry, enraged, and not afraid to show it. "Why does he look so dead? What did you do to him? His eyes- they're so blank, he doesn't even look like Ruby anymore. What did you do to him? Tell me!"
"I wiped his memory a second time," replied Rei with a cruel smirk. "It only took a few minutes seeing what he could remember was very little. My Gengar is quite talented in that aspect as well. As for why his eyes are so blank..." He smiled. "Perhaps you can try and figure that out for yourself. I can't tell you everything, can I?"
"Bu-"
"Your choices are to leave unharmed, or let me explain and die." His voice was suddenly cold, icy. "I'm letting you go back to your other friends- isn't that almost too merciful of me? They must be scared for you- might as well give you back. None of you can do anything to stop me anyways."
"Then why not tell me?" she challenged, bracing herself for an attack. "If we're no threat to your brilliant plans?"
"Sometimes it's more fun that way," he answered with a grin, snapping his fingers. "Goodbye, Sapphire. I hope you keep this game entertaining for me."
Rei and his Gengar melted into their shadows and disappeared. Sapphire could easily guess that Ruby was being controlled, and that was the reasoning behind the blank stare. Archie and Maxie had turned crazy under control of the two legendary beasts, but that was because they were commanded too. Sapphire thought of a robot. It needed to be programmed before it could do anything- Rei was planning on using his game piece. He was still developing the winning program, the move that would him victory, and it would be through Ruby. Perhaps the boy she loved would end up being just as destroyed as Maxie and Archie had been. It would make the game 'fun', wouldn't it, for Rei?
It was then that she looked around, tapped on the glass windows, suddenly realizing that they were too hard to shatter and that there were no doors to leave from. She was trapped here in the tower.
*********
"Emerald!" Crystal screamed, her voice high and panicked as the small boy was yanked upwards by Rayquaza's sharp black claws, looking even tinier than usually, completely vulnerable.
Emerald was paralyzed with terror, unnaturally still the giant dragon's grasp, almost unable to comprehend what was happening. His green eyes seemed very, very pale, and very scared. One second, he had been on the ground, perfectly safe. Now he was dangling above the tower in the hands of perhaps the most fearsome of Hoenn's trio of legendaries, at the mercy of an extremely dangerous and powerful legendary Pokemon.
Rayquaza didn't even bother to look at the boy it had grabbed, for a moment it seemed as if it were about to toss Emerald aside, throwing him fifty floors down onto either hard rock or into a depthless ocean. Luckily, it instead eyed the remaining Pokedex members with interest, its fanged jaws forming what looked like a smile- though that could have just been its normal expression. The golden orbs of its eyes were trained on the trainer's Pokemon, glittering with amusement as if it couldn't believe such feeble creatures would or could challenge its might.
It roared ferociously, the very strength of the Hyper Voice blowing them all back a good couple of feet, slamming Silver into the wall, causing Red to almost stumble over, saved from falling over by Green, whose balance far surpassed his friend's. Crystal's face was distraught as she was forced backwards, trying to take unsteady steps against the blast of air and sound.
The moment the roar had ended, Crystal charged forward in an attempt to save the boy she regarded as a little brother. "Emerald, I'm coming!" she cried, grabbing a Pokeball from her pocket, taking a glance to check if it was the right one, about to release it when Silver, recovered from his unfortunate knockback, swiftly pulled her back, red hair whipping in a slash of displaced air.
"Watch out!" he cried, barely managing to catch the end of her lab coat, stopping her from attempting to escape his grip, pulling her back to safety. She resisted for a second, before gasping as she realized how close she had just been to serious injury- maybe even death.
The spot where she had been standing was suddenly smashed by a whip of Rayquaza's snake-like body, sending rubble flying through the air. The Pokedex holders all covered their faces from the large chunks of debris, jumping back to avoid another random lash of Rayquaza's tail as it uncoiled, smashing apart what was left of the ceiling to reveal its full size, the sky in which it flew no longer blocked by ancient stone. Its bright white teeth glinted in the cold sunlight, its long green, pattern-covered body constantly shifted side to side, like an Arbok, and its yellow eyes staring at them with the fire of a dying Outrage. But Red could see that the danger was not over yet.
"Brace yourselves everybody! It's about to attack!" He was on the balls of his feet, ready to run in any which direction, knowing there was not enough time to seek shelter behind a large boulder or whatever, and that whatever cover he found would likely be destroyed. He watched as white fire built up in the back of the dragon's throat, glowing red and orange as it charged to a giant energy-infused sphere, prepared to fire at the Pokedex Holders. Red swallowed building fear- the last Pokemon this powerful he faced had been Mewtwo. But at least Mewtwo was on his side. Rayquaza sought to destroy them.
With another roar, it let out a massive beam of energy from its cavernous mouth, burning the edges of Red's clothes as he dodged the attack. He knew the only reason he hadn't been burnt to a pile of ashes, a useless burnt crisp, was because of Outrage's unfortunate side effect of slight confusion. He also knew that now was the time to attack, in the recharge period of Hyper Beam.
"Aero, Pika!" he called as he commanded the two Pokemon into battle, eyes lighting up with scarlet fire, the flames leaping with excitement at the prospect of an exciting, dangerous fight. His blood coursed with adrenaline, sure he was scared, scared of losing, of dying, but it only added to the excitement. He lived for this feeling. "Aero, use Stone Edge, Pika, Thunderbolt!"
Aero and Pika were tiny compared to the size of the monstrous legendary, even Aero barely the size of Rayquaza's massive head. Carrying Pika on its purple back, the two Pokemon flew up to Rayquaza's arm, where Emerald was now alternating struggles with screams for help, trying to grab his Pokeballs from his belt, but failing due to Rayquaza's claws keeping him from reaching them. Aero's wings began to shine with strange white light, hardening to the strength of rock as smashed into Rayquaza, managing to push it back a few dozen feet with the sheer force of the attack. Pika followed suit with the same brutality, drawing electricity from the air around it and launching it all in a vicious bolt of lightning, encompassing the legendary's entire body. It let out a shriek, twisting, but not with the same flexibility as before. It had been paralyzed.
Emerald gasped as he felt the electricity hit him, freezing as the static rendered him rigid as a rock. His hair stood on end, not that it hadn't already done so with fear. He looked downwards, eyes pleading for him to be saved. His plea was answered.
Joining the battle was Green, who released his own two Pokemon to do battle against the third of Hoenn's weather trio, having made a quick analysis of Rayquaza's battle style and developing a strategy around it- abusing the consequences of its two most powerful attacks, Outrage and Hyper Beam, just like Red.
"Charizard, Scizor, help free Emerald!" screamed Green, jumping besides Red, the two boys giving each other a smile as they turned to face the legendary, full of confidence and renewed strength. "Scizor, use False Swipe! Charizard, catch Emerald and then follow up with Flamethrower!"
The metallic red bug flew up so quickly that it was a blur, sunlight shining off its armor and casting glares in every direction. With one quick swipe of its marked pincers, it skillfully knocked aside Rayquaza's claws from Emerald, forcing the dragon to release its victim with a high-pitched roar of pain. The boy fell as the legendary attempted to catch Scizor as it whirled through the air, distracting the dragon like an annoying fly, Emerald landing safely with a thump into Charizard's ready arms.
Emerald shielded his head and closed his eyes as a stream of fire erupted from the fire lizard's throat, the light blinding him and causing spots to appear in his vision. He smelled hair burning, and guessed that the fire type had managed to singe the tips of his bright blond hair. Not that it mattered. He was quite happy to be alive. He was well aware that Rayquaza could have easily shattered his bones, crushed his body, and shuddered. Burnt hair was quite preferable.
As soon as the Flamethrower attack was finished, Charizard swooped down low towards the trainers below, dropping Emerald alongside his fellow Dex Holders before returning to join the battle against Rayquaza, flying up higher even faster, no longer weighted down by its light burden.
Crystal hugged Emerald when he landed on the ground, letting out tears as her pent-up worry spilled out. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered into his ear before letting go, her blue eyes instantly clearing of anxiety, transforming into the same blaze as Red's. She was ready to capture the Sky High Pokemon no matter what it took. She clenched her fists- this was about to be her greatest challenge yet.
She detached a Pokeball from her belt and kicked it upwards towards Rayquaza, managing to clonk the legendary in the eye, which caused it to stop writhing for a moment, pausing to blink away the sudden hit, and releasing Parasee in the same second. The bug Pokemon perched upon Rayquaza's head, easily releasing the necessary spores to put the green dragon to slumber.
Rayquaza attempted to shake off its sudden drowsiness, lashing out at random and knocking the Parasect off of its head. Its ridged tail hit the floor they were standing on with such force that it essentially exploded; leaving only a few square feet of what had once been a spacious floor.
"Ah!" gasped Red, his brain processing the fact that was no longer solid ground beneath him with panic. His arms and legs flailed for a split second, trying to find a hold on the now missing rubble. "Green!"
His friend and rival managed to catch him barely in time, their fingers tightly interlocked as Green tried to pull Red up, struggling, as he wasn't on very stable ground himself.
"Need help, Green-senpai?" asked Silver, and suddenly, Red was weightless, propelled upwards by Silver's Honchkrow. "I think our fight's over- Crystal's choosing the capturing ball." He motioned behind him, where a spread of Pokeballs were laid out on the ground, each different from the one beside it.
Silver was right- Rayquaza's struggles against sleep were becoming weaker and weaker, the once wide awake golden eyes closing over with green lids, each blink keeping its eyes closed longer than the one before. It no longer had the energy to shake off its drowsiness, and the legendary dragon closed its eyes, beginning to fall.
Crystal made her decision lightning fast- her reaction time was geared towards capture. This was her comfort zone, her skill, her specialty. She'd aim for the center of Rayquaza's head- right between its eyes. That's where the energy was gathered- she could feel it. No time for hesitation, no time left at all. The great dragon was hurtling down, and it'd crush them unless she kicked now.
"Take this!" she yelled, feeling all her experiences, training, practice boiling down to this one moment, swinging her leg, feeling the moment of contact between her foot and the Pokeball, the connection that would make or break the capture. She held her breath as it soared upwards, hearing the sound of whooshing air, a critical capture, for a second unsure if she aimed right.
She hit perfectly on target, not even a centimeter off, the Friend Ball opening and encasing Rayquaza with a stream of red, drawing it into the small capsule. She held her breath as the Pokeball began to shake.
Once. They all stared, unable to move, frozen in anticipation.
Twice. Still frozen, like ice, the only sound the ball shaking on the stone, making a nerve-wracking crunch against the rubble.
Three times. Crystal closed her eyes and wished as hard as she could, whispering, hoping she wouldn't see the flashing red of a failed capture.
Then it was still.
She blinked her eyes open, her mouth twisting into a joyful smile as she walked forwards to retrieve the kicked Friend Ball, looking through the translucent top to see Rayquaza wearing what was most definitely a smile. She had done it. She felt tears at the edge of her sparkling blue eyes. She really did it. She could breathe again.
"Congrats Crys!" cheered Emerald, voice loud and jubilant.
"Yeah, way to go!" echoed Red, breaking out into a wide smile.
Silver and Green said nothing, just nodding in approval, but Crystal saw the admiration and respect in their eyes. She knew they were just as happy inside- they just weren't the type to emote visibly.
"Thank you," she whispered, looking back at Rayquaza, unable to suppress the laughter bubbling up in her throat. "I did it."
*A happy ending-ish thing? Imposiburu! :V XD Well, well, looks like I took it easy on you guys. :3 (AKA couldn't think of another bs angsty plotline that goes on forever. :X JK.) Review Reply Time! :D
blazelight790: Ruby? Okay? :3 Who do you take me for? XD As for Emerald controlling Rayquaza (derp, didn't even think of that. :V That's a nice idea... I'll see how it works out.) I'd love to have someone draw some fanart for this. XD (I should draw my own. But I'm too busy drawing for The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare because the series is so fricking AMAZING.) Unfortunately, the gallery remains empty. *hint* *hint* I'll update two times a week once I'm finished with the story. ;)
mystic: Hi! :D Hope the battle with Rayquaza was epic enough. *derp* I've always imagined all the legendaries a lot bigger and stronger than they're depicted in-game or in-anime... (because they're like- tiny in the anime, and there's multiples of each. Me: WTF? They're called legendary for a stinking reason! Like Groudon is only 11ft tall. Seriously? That's not big enough to make a continent. I like the manga versions. With Maxie and Archie standing on their heads and still looking tiny. Same with Norman and Ruby on Rayquaza. They stand on its head. Now that makes sense to me. (I don't even know what or why I just ranted. :X)
spiritgurl21: I know right? :/ Just when people wanted more Emerald, I have him kidnapped by a giant dragon... XD Here's your next chappie! :3
FighterGirl14: Thank you! :D Oh, it's just getting started. :3 (I think.) We still have the final battle to go, you know!
Kimiko Heroux: It ain't fun without a cliffie. (or two. :V) The wait is over though! :D
Light Sakura: READ CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS NOW. AND THEN READ CITY OF LOST SOULS. AND THEN GO READ THE INFERNAL DEVICES BECAUSE CASSANDRA CLARE IS JUST THAT AMAZING. *cough* *cough* Sorry, I got caught up in my obsessive MI/ID obsession there. :X You know why Emerald was taken by Rayquaza? (I just had that happen because he annoyed the giant green dragon since he was the closest (and smallest) to grab. :X No real reason actually. XD)
Reviews? :3 Next week, next chapter! :D See you all there!*