Author's Corner.
PikaMewGirl: Slybill! The special effects group called and said the fake blood supply has been completely sucked dry. Can you explain how we managed to use 3 tankers of blood?
Sly: N-now now, Mewgirl, no need to get upset. I merely siphoned most of it to use for the blood wave in the last chapter and-
Awesome: You used it? That blood wave was supposed to be computer-generated not the real thing and - Wait...if you did that then that means...
Rikato: Uh...ma'am, we have a problem. The entire set's flooded and most of the cast admitted to being slightly blood-phobic.
PikaMewGirl *strangles Slybill*: Like I bloody care! What happened to the clean-up team?
Slybill *in a raspy voice*: I think they drowned trying to clear the set up overnight...Choking! I'm choking!
Awesome: Geez, you're hopeless. How're we gonna film this scene now?
PikaMewGirl *grins creepily*: Oh, I know how to fix that. Hey Sly, did you know that fake blood is actually composed of Kool-aid and syrup?
Slybill: Of course I did. Speaking of which, I could use some Kool-Aid right now- wait a minute. You're not gonna-
PikaMewGirl *cracks fingers menacingly*: Drink it.
Slybill: I'm sorry but how can one human drink 3 tankers of Kool-Aid-
Awesome, Rikato and PikaMewgirl: Drink. The. Bloody. Kool-Aid.
Slybill:...Can I at least have a straw?
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POKEMON. ELSE, TOBIAS WOULDN'T HAVE BEATEN ASH. I MEAN COME ON! THAT GUY'S GOT TWO FREAKING LEGENDARY POKEMON!
"Mama...Mama...Time to wake up, mama!"
Giving a low groan, Natsuki opened her green eyes a little and winced as her little daughter flung the curtains open, allowing the sunlight to engulf the room.
"Mmm...Minami? What time is it?" she murmured, turning and sinking deeper into the pillow.
The small pinkette frowned. "Time for you to go to work! Mama, you need to learn to wake up earlier!"
"Hai, hai," Natsuki mumbled, still very much asleep and not even feeling the girl climb unto the bed.
"Jeez, you must have smashed the alarm clock again," Minami sighed and raised her small hands. "Well, guess I'll have to go with this!"
Suddenly, Natsuki burst out laughing as the little girl tickled her furiously, thus driving away all hopes of sleeping.
"I'm up, I'm up!" she stuttered, struggling for breath. "Happy now?"
Satisfied, Minami got off and let her mother sit up and rub her eyes.
"You said you were going all the way to Unova, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," Natsuki mumbled, getting off the bed and dragging herself to the bathroom to get a wash. "Mama won't be back for a while so you'll have to stay at Ethan's for the time being."
"I heard from Ethan that his dad was talking about a big fight going on," Minami remarked and grinned. "Are you going to fight too, Mama?"
"I have to," the redhead replied and stepped into the shower, sighing as she felt the warm water drag over her skin. "Besides, I've gotta help an idiot nephew of mine."
"What's a nephew?" Minami asked, popping her head into the bathroom. Not that Natsuki minded much. She was only seven and though responsible for her age, she had her own limitations.
"Uh...a nephew is the son of one's brother or sister," Natsuki explained. "You get it, right?"
"Yup! So this idiot nephew...is he Aunt Rei's son?"
"Yes," Natsuki replied and suddenly felt melancholic. "Looks just like her too..."
"Oh...so he called you over to help?"
"Yeah, sort of. He's spearheading this fight pretty much, acting like some big leader. Kinda like Rei did when we were kids." Natsuki got out and grabbed a towel.
"A hero? Like Mama?"
The redhead snorted. "Me? Heh, I'm no hero, kiddo. I'm just doing my job and making sure the world's safe."
Minami seemed to ponder over this before her face lit up brightly. "You're right! Mama's no hero!"
Natsuki sweatdropped.
"Mama's a superhero!"
Her sweatdrop grew larger.
"Stubborn, aren't ya," she remarked and slipped on some clothes, making sure to grab her control suit necessary for piloting Minami's 'brothers' and a couple of pokeballs. "Lyra's mom will come pick you up in a couple of minutes so I guess I can head off now."
Minami nodded before taking a ring off the dresser and holding it out to Natsuki. "For extra goodluck, so you won't get hurt."
The woman smiled a bit. Poor Minami mistook the item for a goodluck charm since the redhead was never seen without it. It actually belonged to her late sister, kept as a reminder of how much she wanted to stop Ghetsis from escaping justice.
"Thanks," she said and accepted the ring before crouching down on a knee and accepting the girl's hug. "It'll be a dangerous mission but I'll try not to get hurt...or killed."
"I don't have to worry about that," Minami replied softly. "Cos Mama's the strongest trainer in the world. Just come back home early mama. And bring the idiot nephew too!"
"Right," Natsuki answered with a sweatdrop at the last statement. Once Minami had given her the usual kiss on the cheek for extra, extra luck, the woman stood up and draped a jacket over her shoulders. "I'm off."
"Be back soon!" Minami replied before snapping her fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot." Taking the Master Balls off her mother's belt, the child pressed both items close to her forehead with a comical look of seriousness. "Titan, Gargantos, you must protect mama at all costs. She's a good mama and we can't af-af..."
"Afford."
"-Afford to lose her! So make sure she gets home safely, alright? OK! Have fun!"
I really wonder if they can even hear her, Natsuki inwardly deadpanned and received the Master Balls before opening the door. "Oh look, Ethan's mom is here already. Come on, Minami. Have you packed your stuff?"
"Way ahead of ya," the girl replied smugly, taking out her prepared bag of clothes and slipping on her shoes. Once they got out, Natsuki's Gardevoir was called to teleport its trainer to HQ and the redhead quickly thanked Minami's host before giving the girl another hug and taking hold of Gardevoir's hand.
"Ja," Natsuki said and Minami put up a peace sign.
"Kick butt, Mama! And you two remember to protect her!" she replied.
Protect her!
Protect Mama!
You two remember to protect Mama, okay?
Grand Courtyard, Castrum De Glacies.
Ever so briefly, Colossus's finger twitched.
Will and the other operatives who, up until now, had been trying to fend off most of Grand Chaos's attacks were promptly shocked when the previously-scrambled screen assigned to monitor Colossus's life functions suddenly came back online and displayed a single zig-zag accompanied by a beep.
"Huh?" an operative whispered and the zig-zags increased. "Sir...a heartbeat was detected!"
"A heartbeat?" Will murmured and stared at the screen with wide eyes. "But Colossus doesn't have a heart. Does this mean..."
"Core regenerating!" another person called frantically. "Central Nervous System is online?!"
"Synchro-rate is over 2000%?! Mind-link has reached an all-time high!"
"Resonance rates are off the charts!"
"Sir," a man muttered and everyone turned to see Will looking quite thoughtful. "This is just like back then."
"Indeed," Will replied and watched as the marks on Colossus's body began to glow brightly. "Not only does this mean that Natsuki is alive...but it also means Colossus must've absorbed her body before Chaos smashed its core...and if that happened..."
"But that's impossible," a woman stated shakily. "How does a being without a core gain the ability to move again?"
"Obviously, something else is powering that thing," Will replied and pocketed his hands. "Now I know that Colossus is really and truly alive. And its displaying a trait that earned Natsuki the name Beast. That's right guys. Colossus...has gone berserk."
With a loud boom, Colossus was suddenly enveloped in fiery-red light that seemed to lift the titan up ominously. Even Grand Chaos was surprised to see the enemy it had supposedly killed rising slowly. Like magic, its eyes gained a bright red hue and the titan raised its head stiffly to let loose a booming cry of pure wrath yet laced with sadness. From the spacing in its helmet, Colossus's bolted-shut lips tore open and it lowered its head to gaze madly at the beast that had threatened the existence of the most precious person to it.
"...Ma...ma..."
All but Will were thoroughly shocked to hear that word from a pokemon incapable of human speech.
Like a being possessed, Colossus began to walk towards Grand Chaos with energy building around its damaged core. "Mama...must protect...mama..."
Roaring, Grand Chaos got on all fours again before shooting off, somersaulting into the air and coming down fast with a Double Edge, aiming to squash the titan below. Colossus merely raised a hand and coated it in the same reddish aura.
BANG!
Chaos was stopped dead in its tracks and afterwards slammed heavily on the ground. Using the hand holding its foot, Colossus executed a Crush Grip that utterly shattered Chaos's leg to bits before raising another hand and grabbing its neck.
"Must...protect mama!" it roared and began slamming it back and forth against the hard floor until it, Chaos's head and Colossus's fingers were coated in blood. Throwing a scream of its own, the crystalline giant opened its mouth and let out a Dragon Pulse that hit Colossus right in the face, destroying a good portion of its helmet, though the titan merely growled again and resorted to crushing Chaos's jaws.
"It's strength is like nothing I've seen before," an operative remarked as Colossus proceeded to tear Chaos's right arm off with as much ease as pulling jelly apart.
"It's almost godlike," a woman murmured when the titan raised another fist, coated it in light and smashed the rest of Chaos's face in. Another roar later, it sank its now-visible teeth into the crystalline giant, cruelly tearing it to bits and thus slowly but surely dismembering the monster. Organs flew, blood sprayed and most of the operatives were inches from throwing up. Finally, Colossus raised its head to the sky and screamed while summoning a bright red Focus Blast.
"Everyone get down!" Will snapped as the ball was dropped onto Colossus's opponent, creating a devastating explosion that rocked the airship above and people below. "Darn it. At this rate, that giant will kill us before Ghetsis even get's a chance..."
Seeing that a horrendous death was imminent, the regenerating Grand Chaos kicked Colossus off and rolled to its foot before growling savagely and trembling. Surprise, surprise, a long, sinewy, human arm sprouted from its injury along with a foot to replace the crushed leg. Crying out, it slammed into Colossus before grabbing its neck and smashing it against the castle itself, intending to strangle it.
"Chaos is going for infection again!" someone called as ice began to form around Colossus's neck.
"Mama..." was all Colossus droned as its own arms went up and grabbed the arms on its neck, slowly but surely getting them off. "Protect...mama..."
Dissatisfied, Chaos sprouted two other sinewy arms from its shoulders and clamped around its opponent's neck even further, chuckling once again as its ice spread towards the core.
Then a miracle happened.
"Can't...a woman get some sleep...around here."
Will smirked as the others gawked. That voice just now was definitely-
"Natsuki-sama!" some of them cried joyfully.
Picking the transceiver, Will remarked, "Your children are pretty out of it since you almost died back there. Think you can calm them down before they end up hurting us too?"
"Heh...easy for you to say...but I'll try..."
Colossus suddenly jolted and the angry red aura around it turned brilliant gold before finally converging at its core, melting off whatever ice was creeping in. A shape formed within it and Natsuki's figure became quite visible within the now-golden core.
"So, you thought smashing our core would kill me, eh?" she said with a smirk while cracking her knuckles. At the same time, Colossus gained a new-found strength and grabbed Chaos's own throat before gradually lifting itself off the side of the sturdy castle, definitely overpowering Chaos. "Thank Arceus these boys are smart. I would've died had they not quickly absorbed me."
"But Ghetsis took your soul," an operative stated, quite confused. "How're you still alive?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the redhead boomed and put a fist to her own chest. "A soul is a collection of our wills, hopes and desires! Kyurem must've got the wrong version of what a soul is for something as fickle as my blood to awaken it. So long as my will to protect my friends and family lives on, my soul will never leave this body! The same went for Colossus here. So long as Titan's and Gargantos's will to protect me lives, we will never lose!"
Chaos was forced to bend backwards as Colossus pressed down on it harder until its back snapped. Howling, the titan flung Chaos into the hill nearby before charging forward.
"Minami," Natsuki whispered and clenched a fist. "We owe you one. Let's go guys! Let's make Minami proud!"
Colossus roared in approval and leapt into the air, dodging a round of deadly icicles from the retaliating Chaos before shooting a golden Hyper Beam at it. Chaos put up its shield once more, intending to block the attack like last time. Unfortunately, this ray carried raw determination itself and smashed the previously-impenetrable shield like glass, getting Chaos right in the middle and splitting it in near half. The area lit up once more in a ground-shaking explosion.
Staggering out, Chaos screamed barbarically at the mid-air Regigigas before summoning another round of projectiles, this time coated in black ice.
"Here it comes," Natsuki said and gripped the crystal on her chest. "Forme Change: Ventus!"
"EH?" Will and the operatives cried.
At once, the aura around Colossus converged at its back to form...wings! Six magnificent wings of light that briefly blinded the crystalline giant below. Shrugging the intensity off, Chaos launched its crystals at the flying giant who gracefully avoided each shot and formed a glowing ball above its head. Colossus roared as the ball increased in size before hurling it at Chaos who had to lift its four arms to hold the attack back, a feat that proved impossible as the energy ball blew up upon impact and shredded its arms. This time, only one remained and it stayed that way, showing that Chaos had hit its limit.
"I finally understood why you're so hard to beat," Natsuki remarked and raised a fist, causing Colossus to do the same. "You've actually got multiple cores within you and from the looks of it, each attack we made destroyed a good number of those cores. As you are now, I can stake my life on the fact that you've been reduced to one core now."
Chaos bared its fangs and formed a massive red sphere before hurling it at Colossus.
Natsuki gave a simple wave of the hand and Colossus cut the ball in half with a single swing of the hand, dissipating it totally. "Now I just want to know. That laughter I heard, it was the children within those cores, wasn't it?"
Frantically, Chaos hurled more balls at Colossus who simply took each attack unflinchingly while floating down towards it. At last, Colossus came close enough to hold the hand forming another sphere and gave into Chaos's draconic eyes. They were wide, dilated and...sad.
"You wish to be saved, don't you?" Natsuki asked and immediately after, bloody tears poured down Chaos's eyes. "But Kyurem's will is suppressing yours and you're forced to do these atrocious things."
Slowly, Chaos's muzzled opened and in a scary but soft tone, it said, "S...ave...us..."
"You poor children," the woman remarked and Colossus jumped back as the same giant fired a Dragon Pulse before extending its one arm, forming a long sword. "Rest assured, I will save you."
Colossus held up its fist and all the aura around it gathered and swirled, making Will smirk.
"Gigatonne Punch, eh? So she's gonna do that at last," he remarked.
"You will die with honour," Natsuki said and got into a stance. "Come! Let's end this!"
Chaos roared. Natsuki yelled. Colossus boomed.
Chaos charged. Natsuki moved. Colossus charged.
Chaos swung its blade. Natsuki shifted to the right. Colossus anticipated the attack.
Chaos missed. Natsuki drew her fist back. Colossus sent its fist into Chaos's chest, reaching the core within.
Chaos smiled, Natsuki smiled, Colossus smiled.
"You know, I never was able to have any children," the redhead said softly to the little children smiling happily before her in the vast field of white that came right before an explosion. "And that's why I'm glad to at least help you guys out. Whatever the case, you're free now. Go on to heaven."
The children grinned at her with tears in their innocent eyes and joy radiating off their souls. "Thank you...you're the best mama anyone could have! Thank you...for saving us..."
Natsuki smiled and waved as their souls departed.
Chaos trembled as its life-force ebbed.
And Colossus caught the giant before it hit the ground.
"Rest...in peace..." the titan bade deeply.
"Thank...you..." the crystalline giant replied and closed its eyes for the final time before fizzling into ash and scattering into the wind.
Silence.
Silence.
"Natsuki-senpai," Will's voice buzzed and Natsuki smirked before plugging her ears. "YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO, MISSY!"
"Hai, hai," she replied and Colossus took a step before falling flat on its back. It was obvious that Natsuki's injuries hadn't healed and it finally took its toll on her body. Laughing weakly as Will frantically issued orders for her retrieval, Natsuki looked to the castle's top where the red clouds swirled threateningly. "I hope you and your friends aren't doing too badly...Idiot Nephew. I'll just go to sleep for a while. And hope that I'll be patched up fast enough to help you if there's more trouble."
Natsuki Takahashi finally passed out.
And on that day of the Red Moon, Chaos was saved.
Inner Chambers, Castrum De Glacies.
"Stop right there!" a grunt cried sharply. Before he could call out his pokemon, Alphinia had ripped the wall beside her clean off and hurled it at him, clearing both he and his incoming colleagues away from the hallway. Breaking into a run again, she sprinted past the fallen Team Plasma members before disappearing down the corridor and taking out Salamence's pokeball.
"Fire Blast!" she called, flinging the ball just as several Kyurem-corrupted pokemon flooded the area ahead. The large dragon pokemon burst out and let fly a huge wave of searing fire towards the barrier, burning their way through easily. In no time, they came to a stop at the large black door that led to the living quarters. Drawing back her fist, Alphinia punched the door and scowled as it merely dented. So Ghetsis had taken precautions, eh?
Shall I teleport us in? Salamence asked and received a nod. As soon as Alphinia hopped on, it closed its eyes and in no time, they found themselves in her room.
Sweet memories, Natu cheeped albeit sarcastically. Hey, Alphinia, I know this sounds pessimistic but what makes you think Camille isn't already...you know, dead?
Alphinia paused. "No, she's alive. I can still catch her scent and it doesn't smell decomposed either." The blonde reached the door and recalled Salamence before opening it and running through the empty corridor with Natu perched safely on her head. "I'm sure Ghetsis is just keeping her somewhere to use her later on. If you haven't noticed, Ghetsis isn't a mindless killer. He only takes a life when he deems it utterly unnecessary."
So your guess is, he might use Camille as a tool against Scarlet or something? Natu asked curiously. Taking hostages doesn't seem like Ghetsis's style.
"When you have a dream you wish to fulfil and see through to the very end, you tend to make several back-up plans, most of which cramp your style," Alphinia clarified and stopped at a door far grander in design than the other ones she'd passed. Alphinia already knew this to be Ghetsis's room but she briefly felt hesitant since this was the first time she'd actually be in it. "That's why we'll save Camille. That way, he won't have any trump cards if he gets in a bind."
Gripping the handle, she gave a small push and peeked cautiously. The place was quite big but also quite empty save for a bed, recliner and desk stacked with literature.
So you think Camille is here? Natu inquired sceptically, seeing as not a single soul was around.
"I'm sure of it. Her scent is getting stronger," the girl replied and strode across the room on light feet, being careful to not accidentally set off any alarms. She followed her nose until it led right to the wall. "There's something behind here. Think you can find any hidden switches?"
Natu responded by closing its eyes and beginning to let off soft waves of psychic energy. A minute later, its eyes snapped open and it to the bookcase in the corner before pulling down on one. Alphinia heard a mechanical groan and in no time, the wall before her slid apart. Shivering as a cool wind blew out, she waited for Natu to get back on her head before walking in.
A narrow hallway.
"I've seen enough of these," the blonde sighed, taking quick steps down the bluish floor until she found the door. "This better be the last obstacle."
Slowly, the door drew open upon a single push and what Alphinia saw made her tilt her head in slight confusion and wonder.
The walls were filled with pictures. Big, happy family pictures of Ghetsis, Felicia, N, Anthea and Concordia in the days when life was still blissful for the green-haired tyrant.
"Talk about obsessed," Alphinia murmured and accidentally brushed against one. It was fresh. Paint? "So Ghetsis...painted all these? And from the looks of it, he's been doing this often."
How strange. Thought his insanity made him forget all about those days, Natu chirped as they quickly inspected each one.
"I'd almost say he was simply lonely," she added and stopped before feeling her lips curve into a relieved smile. On the bed before them lay a petite ravenette, alive but unconscious. Camille's hair was far longer now and she sported a bandage wound around her forehead, making Alphinia quite guilty for running away without taking Camille along.
Well, at least we know she's alive, Natu remarked as the blonde gingerly walked up to Camille's sleeping figure. But something's off. It's almost like Ghetsis didn't want anyone to know he had patched her up.
"We can worry about that later. For now, let's get her out of here," Alphinia stated matter-of-factly and gently lifted Camille. Just as she reached the exit, her roving eyes fell on a large canvas, possibly the largest, hanging right above the exit and covered with a plain, white sheet.
Now's not the time for exploring, Alphinia, Natu warned, sensing her sudden rise in interest at the covered canvas.
"Actually, I think it'd be faster if Salamence just teleported Camille outside," she speculated and pulled out Salamence's pokeball. "That way, we won't have to worry about running into any grunts."
Good idea, the tiny bird chirped as Salamence was called out.
"Get her to the town's Pokemon Centre," she instructed as she laid her friend on the dragon's broad back. "Natu, follow them."
Natu looked curious. Why?
"Salamence are colour-blind remember? I'm pretty sure he won't be able to tell which building has a red roof. Plus, he can't exactly read the sign that says Pokemon Centre on it," she deadpanned. "That's why he'll teleport you guys outside and then you'll guide him to the PC."
I'm quite sure you just don't want us getting hurt, Salamence grumbled and was met with an apologetic smile from the blonde. Really, you worry too much.
We'll rush back here once she's been dropped, Natu declared dismissively and hopped onto Salamence's head. Till then, be very careful.
"Thanks." Alphinia stepped back as Salamence closed its eyes. "I'll see you later, Camille." A moment later, they were gone and she turned to the covered canvas. One peek wouldn't hurt I guess, she inwardly remarked and gripped the sheet, hoping it wasn't some kind of trap. Her senses weren't ringing so she assumed it would be relatively safe.
With a tug, the sheet came off and Alphinia stared wide-eyed at the image.
"G-Ghetsis...what were you thinking..." she unconsciously stammered as she stared at the image. It was a scene, a horrendous one by the looks of it, of Felicia being devoured by Kyurem. It looked so real, almost life-like and Alphinia couldn't help but feel that familiar cold fear creep up her spine. The painting even had an ominous title etched in blood at the edge that read "Somebody...save me..." in scratchy letters. That single piece of art was enough to make her step back and bump into another sheet-covered canvas. Upon tearing the cover off, she was met with the sight of a maddened Deino tearing a Sawk to pieces. Another portrait saw her staring at Felicia's head...dismembered. Then N, Anthea and Concordia impaled on ice crystals, then Fraud being ripped to shreds by multiple mini-Kyurem. The gore and horror went on and on and on until Alphinia felt her head go dizzy. Staggering back, she tripped against one final canvas and fell. Slowly, she opened her eyes and went rigid with pure shock and horror.
It was the very scene that broke Ghetsis in two in the first place. The one that ensured his complete corruption.
It was Fraud. Raping. Felicia.
For some reason, she couldn't tear her eyes off it. Every passing second saw her breathing grow heavier and heavier until she was sure she had been hyperventilating for the past two minutes. Why would Ghetsis draw something like this? Was it to rekindle his passion for humanity's destruction? But didn't he say Felicia's tragedy no longer mattered to him? Just what the hell was going on here?!
...Insanity...
With a jolt, Alphinia sat up and stared at the big canvas dead ahead that seemed to have mysteriously come out of nowhere. It wasn't actually a canvas. More of a reflective, silvery surface.
It was a mirror. With a frightened, tear-streaked face on it. Hers, obviously.
"Eh...? Why do I...look like this..." she whispered, surprised at how scared she sounded. She had seen some atrocious things in life but she wasn't sure why these little pictures were taking their toll on her mind, making her feel weak, raw and afraid. The it hit her as she continued to stare at her reflection. "Oh...I see now. This was a trap."
And she had fallen for it. Though it wasn't physical, it had still done the job of snaring her heart and rooting her to the spot.
"But I have to help the others," she uttered and made to move but once again found herself weighed down by her nightmarish thoughts. Was she so traumatised she couldn't even move? Or had Ghetsis counted on the Felicia within her to react so violently to such a sight? Cue the horrible memories of that wretched night and Alphinia found herself struggling to hold back a frightened scream. Her rapid breaths were echoing throughout the room, mixing with the erratic beating of her heart and flooding her whirling senses. Why? Why this? Why didn't Ghetsis use some physical restraint or even plant an ice-crystal here to drive her back to her old self? She was expecting such measures but this! How could she handle it? How does one deal with such traumatising images?! Especially...especially when the victim looked so much like her?!
The questions whizzed back and forth, making her mind spin endlessly. This was further worsened as the images seemed to gather round her, forcing her spirit down no matter how hard she tried to lift herself back up. She knew she had to get away, to run from such things lest her sanity leave her, most likely for good. But she couldn't move. All she could do was stare at the mirror, taking in her badly-shaken expression.
Bitterly, she now realised how smart Ghetsis was. He didn't need force with people like her. All he needed was a simple trap for her mind. And lots of bad memories. And she fell for it like a ton of bricks. She was so engrossed in this disheartening revelation that she couldn't even pay attention to her seventh sense screaming for her to look back.
Not that she needed to anyway. She could easily see the black, red-tipped tentacles creeping right behind her from the reflection in the mirror.
"Alphinia..."
The voice was tinged with insanity, want and pure lust.
From the dark figure standing behind her, she knew all too well that she had been caught. By the last person she expected to see that night. Draco's twisted smile and red eyes glowed brightly in the darkness behind her as his tentacles reared up. She knew he was a different person now. She could sense his madness, far different from Kyurem's. She also knew that something had most likely happened to Lightning, a thought that seemed to fill her with fear, concern and some sort of insanity of its own.
Before she could even turn around, the tentacles fell upon her, scraping her skin with their thorny exteriors and lifting her into the air and before her brother's face.
"I've found you," he remarked and made to stroke her cheek though he was met with a sharp snarl from her.
"Where's Lightning?" she growled, body and mind on edge with some sort of restrained fury. This was it, the problem she hoped would never come.
"He lost, my beloved sister. He lost his strength, lost his will, lost his right to protect you," he replied softly and smiled as he fell back into the shadows, pulling her along and reappearing in the ruined hall were Alphinia froze upon seeing her best friend lying dead-still with several gashes on his bruised skin. She heard no heartbeat. She sensed no warmth. She saw no life within him.
"Lightning...?" she stuttered. No response.
Alphinia snapped.
"Yes! Scream, sister! Scream and let my madness fill you!" Draco laughed as she let out an insane roar, far too guttural to be human. In the state she was in, he was free to fill her with as much of Giratina's madness as he pleased and it was no surprise when her skin began to turn greyish with each passing moment. She didn't seem to care though as she was more focused on breaking free of the tentacles and tearing Draco to shreds before she totally lost it. What was the point of being human when one of the most influential person to her was gone, murdered heartlessly by this laughing bastard who called himself her brother!
However, her beastly struggle was in vain as his powerful G-factor ability washed over her shattered humanity, turning her mind inside out and clouding her senses. Everything was going black and her strength had finally ebbed. With a low growl, she gave in and fell limp, now transformed into a darker mirror of her old-self.
"At last," Draco giggled madly and drew her close. "At last, Alphinia is finally mine! HAHAHAHAHA! You hear that, Hilbert?! She's mine now! I win! Oh Arceus, you have no idea how much I missed you, Alphinia!"
As quickly as his laughter had started, it stopped abruptly and he caressed her face gently. "I had so much to tell you. I was worried you'd become completely corrupted by these foolish humans...but that's all over now." Slowly, he tilted her head up and stared longingly at her lips. "I wanted to let you know how much I cared about you, Alphy...I wanted you to be mine for all eternity."
Slowly, he began to inch ever closer to her lips. "I love you, Alphinia..."
And just when he was about sealing the space between them with his lips, a single word escaped the silent blonde's lips airily.
"Disgusting."
In a second, her arm had gotten free and Draco was hurled into the wall from the very force of her savage punch to the head. Now free of his grip, Alphinia staggered to her feet and laughed maniacally before parting the hair covering her eyes to glare condescendingly at the stunned Draco.
"Love me?" she stated in that dead tone he used to love. "You animal. No wonder I thought of you as trash in the first place."
"A-Alphinia...?" Draco muttered in surprise. She never looked at him like this before neither has she ever called him such a word with so much malice. Something was wrong.
"I should've kept my distance," she remarked, taking slow steps towards him. "All those times when you'd pet me and spoil me, I should've taken the hint back then. But hey, I was stupid so what would I know."
She suddenly ripped out a pillar and hurled it at the knight who put up his tentacles to block it. An action he regretted as her grinning face appeared right before him with a hand bunched into another deadly fist.
BAM!
Draco's head was smashed into the wall and Alphinia watched him slump against it before raising a foot and sending it into his middle, knocking the wind out of him and pinning him to the wall.
"A...Alphy...what's w-wrong?" he grimaced, still shocked as his little sister retracted her foot and crouched to his level. "Why're y-you...attacking me-"
"Huh? Speak up, bro. I can't hear you," she cut-in wickedly and smashed another fist into his mouth before ripping his tongue out with a cruel smile. As he screamed and slammed a hand over his bleeding mouth, she tossed the organ away and grabbed his collar. "Sorry brother dearest but this insanity is making me so pissed off right now. I mean, it never felt so good to be free again, you know? I had to be suppressed by that idiot Felicia-lookalike and it made me so angry!"
"But I've freed you now," Draco coughed as soon as his tongue regenerated. "I've saved you from the humans! So how come you're like this?"
"Oh? Well let's just say-" She grinned innocently. "I just never liked waking up to the sight of my perverted brother trying to kiss me."
BAM!
His head was smashed into the wall again but this time, Draco fought back by pushing her off with his tentacles.
"You're not Alphinia," he speculated shakily and felt his expression worsen. "What have you done with her?!"
"Newsflash, Draco. I am Alphinia," she laughed madly and raised a hand. "I'm just so eccentric about ripping everything here apart is all. Plus, I don't know why but I'm really, really angry at you for killing some lowly human trash."
"You're not making any sense!" he screamed and launched his tentacles at her. "I want my Alphinia!"
"Ah, shut up already you sister-loving pervert," she sighed and danced through each attack before grabbing a tentacle and ripping it off, earning another scream from the knight. Grabbing the bleeding stump, she drew him forward before sending him back like a volleyball with another punch. Then she repeated the action, punching him back and pulling him forward again like a twisted game of paddle-ball until her hand was coated in enough blood to paint a horrific portrait. Giving one finger a lick, she shivered and grinned menacingly at the dizzy knight. "You taste delicious."
And with that, she drew him forward again and kicked him into a pillar before jumping and landing on his chest, making him spew blood from his lips. Sitting on his middle, she took the injured tentacle before giving it a tug.
"A-Alphinia-"
"Shut. Up," she butted in, smashing his face in with her fist before ripping the tentacle off and licking her lips. "I haven't fed in a while now and I'm feeling so hungry."
Draco could only watch in horror as she devoured his tentacle savagely, wondering what sort of monster he-no, Giratina- had created. This wasn't what he wanted at all. What was going on?!
Suddenly, he screamed as she bit into his arm and ripped it off before seizing other arm and snapping it in half like a toothpick. Try as he could, getting out of her hold was impossible and he could stared wide-eyed as she finished off both arms and gazed hungrily at his shoulder.
CHOMP!
The knight's agonised scream rang throughout the castle as his own sister buried her jaws into his shoulder and brutally most of it out before moving to his chest, sending organs upon organs and gallons upon gallons of blood through the air.
In his moment of despair, Draco was struck with a cruel sense of irony. He, who devoured people like snacks, was now being treated in the same manner, torn limb from limb and experiencing a wicked dismemberment like no other. And by his blood sister, no less. Oh, how cruel fate could be at times.
By the time his epiphany came to an end, Draco had been reduced to a torso and a head with his exposed heart beating lightly. Hovering above it was the Griseous orb which Alphinia flicked away without a single piece of effort before raising a hand and grabbing his heart.
"I can see Kyurem's ice crystal," she remarked and chuckled gleefully. "If I pull your heart out, will you die?"
He couldn't reply. His lungs and vocal chords were lying a few feet away from the rest of his body.
"Ah well," she replied and her expression darkened considerably. "Maybe now you'll know what it's like to lose something precious to you."
Draco's heart was connected by five tendons. Alphinia pulled and one snapped.
"That's weird," she murmured to herself at her last statement. "Wonder where that came from."
Another one snapped.
"Funny. You don't look afraid anymore," she sneered at Draco's half-dead expression. "Have you accepted your fate?"
Tug. Snap.
"Or did my cruel rejection break you?"
Draco only coughed out more blood, making her smirk at how pathetic he had become.
"As you can see, brother: I don't need your weak protection. I'm more than capable of caring for myself."
Another snap later and Draco finally felt his sense of self fading. This was the end for him. He was down to literally one lifeline and if Alphinia cut that, it was straight to hell for him.
"This is it, Draco," she slurred and the last tendon began to strain. "Thanks for waking me up again. I'll be sure to eat those secret friends of yours on your behalf."
And just as the last tendon was about snapping, two arms wrapped around Alphinia's waist, taking her by surprise and making her lose her hold on his heart.
Eyes wide, she looked back to see a familiar blonde leaning weakly on her with his arms locked around her middle.
"It's enough...de arimasu..." the surprisingly-alive Lightning whispered tiredly. "You don't have to kill him...de arimasu..."
Alphinia blinked before drawing her elbow and sinking it into his stomach, knocking him some distance away where he landed heavily on the floor and coughed.
"Huh? Who were you again?" she asked maliciously and began walking towards him. "And why the hell are you still alive? Jeez, you don't give up, do you?"
"I'm made...of tougher stuff," he replied, struggling to get to his feet only to receive a brutal kick that sent in upwards before a blow to the head sent him back down again.
"Ah! I remember you," she mock-gasped and put a foot to his throat. "You're that guy I almost fell in love with! Yuck. Just how low did I fall when I turned *cringe* human?"
"Actually, you were much...happier the-de arimasu," Lightning coughed and drew a sharp breath as she stomped hard on his chest, most likely breaking a rib.
"Oh? Was I?" she sneered and dragged him up by his collar. "If so, then I'm sure we must've hung out a lot. If that was the case then I'm pretty sure I said something along the lines of 'Please kill me' or something like that."
"I did consider it-de arimasu," Lightning remarked and gripped the hand holding his collar. "I promised you I'd stop you if you ever turned. Now you have...and a promise is a promise-de arimasu."
Suddenly, his gloved hands glowed and Alphinia arched a brow as his grip on her hand tightened. Then she heard a beep that she was all too familiar with.
"Dragon Boost, activated," the gloves beeped and Lightning dropped one of Haxorus's golden scales before smiling weakly and crushing her wrist. Hissing, she jumped back and let the injury heal before staring at him.
"Thought I was your 'friend'," she sneered and Lightning simply raised his hand before giving her that come-get-me gesture. Growling, she leapt into the air and spun before bringing her foot down on him, though he blocked the blow with an arm, cratering the ground below from the impact itself. Without giving her time to catch her balance, he grabbed her foot and slammed her onto the floor before quickly pinning her hands above her head.
"Just so you know beforehand, I love you-de arimasu," he stated firmly and was met with a snarl.
"Love me? Who the hell slams his crush face-first against concrete?!" With that, she booted him in the chest and sent him upwards before ripping the floor below her and throwing it at him. "Besides, can't you see I'm trying to kill you?!"
Unfazed, Lightning punched through the projectile and landed beside her before engaging in a round of dodges, kicks and blows with the blonde.
"I don't care-de arimasu!" he replied and grabbed her arm before blocking the other and looking into her eyes. "But I'd rather be killed by a happy human and not some monster-de arimasu!"
That jolted a memory in the blonde and she pushed him back before raising her fist and throwing faster punches at him. "Don't go saying weird stuff like that, human!"
"I'll say whatever I want, if it can jog your memory-de arimasu!" Lightning snapped and parried a blow before grabbing her arm and, using her own strength, flung Alphinia into a wall. Again, he pinned her hands and stared firmly into her mad eyes. "That's why I'll also say that you're the prettiest, kindest and smartest girl I know-de arimasu! I really admire your strength and your ability to think logically!"
Alphinia froze before gritting her fangs. "Stop. Complementing. Me!" At the last statement, she tore out of his grip, punched his chest and slammed him against the nearby pillar. "Just what in the hell is wrong with you, trash? Too much blood loss finally doing your brain in?"
"Chigau!" he retorted and struggled against her grip on his neck. "I'm simply in love-de arimasu!"
He loves me...?
Alphinia grew angrier as an unknown joy sparked within her heart. Tossing him into the floor, she raised a foot and made to crush his ribs again but Lightning quickly rolled away and got to his feet.
"You're everything I always wanted to be!" he pressed on and parried another punch. "You complete me-de arimasu!" He blocked a kick. "Hell, I'm pretty sure you'd make more of a man than me-de arimasu!"
It was low but a snort of laughter escaped her lips and she clasped her hands over her mouth before glaring at him. This human was super-strange. Why did every attack on him make her feel less and less determined to kill him and more and more remorseful for the blows she had inflicted?
"You can feel it, right?" he asked, cutting her thoughts as she saw him moving closer. Growling, she stepped back and clenched her fists. "That's the old you. The real you, Alphy. The one that wants to be human-de arimasu."
"Shut up!" she barked and stamped so hard on the floor that Lightning wobbled a bit from the resulting tremor. That was virtually all Alphinia needed to dash over to him and send her fist into his gut. "Why in the hell would I ever be human?!"
"So that you could be happy!" he yelled back, grabbing her fist and twisting it behind her. "You're feeling empty right now, aren't you? Like there's some big hole in your chest-de arimasuka?"
"Stop touching me, dammit!" she screamed and flung her head back, hitting his own forehead and making him lose his grip on her. "Just shut up and fight me for real!"
"Thought you hated fighting," he called with a defiant smile, catching her off-guard as a memory of the first time they talked flashed through her head.
Actually, I'm not really into fighting anymore. It only causes senseless bloodshed and lots of tears.
She had definitely said that...right?
"Stop it..." she muttered, feeling her head start to pound. "Stop messing with my head!"
"I'm not," he denied sharply, already behind her. She spun with a punch ready but he caught it in one hand. "I just want to see the old Alphy again."
"That Alphinia is dead!" she snapped.
"Oh? Then why're you crying-de arimasu?"
Alphinia's eyes widened again upon feeling something cool trail down her cheeks. "D-dammit, what's wrong with me...?"
"Nothing's wrong," Lightning answered matter-of-factly. "It only shows how emotional you can be. Another reason why I think you're perfect-de arimasu."
He thinks...I'm perfect? She inwardly stuttered as she began to punch and kick at him again. Why? Why? Why do I feel so...happy? "Why...do you keep spouting all this trash?! Why...do you love me?!"
"You're a strong girl, Alphy and you love pokemon too. How could I not fall for you-de arimasuka?" he asked back and suddenly stopped, taking a punch to the chest and a sudden bite to the shoulder.
Click.
Alphinia froze upon feeling the cold metal of a gun on her chest. So Lightning had just let her get close enough so he could change his gloves back to gun mode and get a good aim...
"This is a positron gun. I had it charged up with Zekrom's power and meant to use it against Draco...or you...if it was absolutely necessary-de arimasu," he explained calmly. and smiled. "Turns out, it completely disintegrates a target, leaving nothing behind. If I pull the trigger, you'll disappear, Alphy."
Alphinia stayed rooted to the spot, faintly tasting his blood. She could now vividly remember when she asked him to destroy her if need be and Lightning never went back on his word. This was the end for her, then. At least she finally got a taste of his blood. Sweet, addictive, passionate...and human.
Slowly, Lightning raised the gun to his side...and dropped it.
"I never go back on my word...but hey, I'm human. You can't expect me to do everything I say-de arimasu," he joked and wrapped an arm around her waist before using the other to press her head down gently onto his shoulder. "Ne, Alphy, you remember this blood, right?"
Despite her urge to rip his shoulder off and drink every drop of his essence, she found herself crying harder as more memories flooded her whirling mind.
"Look, Alphy, I don't care if you're some bloodthirsty monster or a sickly human, I love just the way you are. I'm just happy I get to hold you this close, even if I'll die from it," he stated and threw a small smile as he felt his skin go cold from slight anaemia. Moving his hand upwards, he gave her back a small pat. "Stay yourself. You can do it-de arimasu."
That single statement broke whatever hold Giratina's madness or Draco's G-factor had on her and she pulled back sharply before burying her head in his chest and sobbing loudly.
"I'm sorry..." she whispered in between sobs. "I'm so sorry, Lightning..."
Smiling widely as her skin began to lighten once more, Lightning held her closer and patted her back.
"It's okay," he reassured gently and held her at arms length before wiping her tears and throwing his usual grin. "So, are you satisfied? Or should I have flavoured it more-de arimasuka?"
Alphinia stared at him before giggling and hugging him again. "No...your blood's perfect just the way it is." Slowly, she drew back and cupped his face. "As for all you said earlier, I guess I'd better reply. Hilbert...I-"
Lightning tilted his head at her sudden expression of shock. "What's up?" Unknown to him, the long-forgotten Draco had risen, almost fully regenerated save for the horrific opening in his chest where his heart beat, exposed for the world to see. The two tentacles at his back were weaving wildly now and from the mad expression on his face, he was definitely pissed.
"Watch out!" she cried, pushing Lightning away.
STAB!
"Alphinia!" the boy cried as a fat tentacle impaled her middle, making blood erupt from her mouth.
"If I can't have her..." Draco droned and raised his maniacal smile at his sister. "THEN NO ONE CAN!"
On cue, another tentacle looped round her arm before flexing harshly and breaking it completely.
"Let her go!" Lightning barked, gun in hand and ready to shoot. However, the same tentacle whipped towards him at break-neck speed, bashing the right side of his head and smashing him into the wall. The gun fell from his hands at that instant as his body finally gave in, making Alphinia scream his name in worry.
"I wouldn't be worrying about him, Alphy-chan," came another mad drawl and she was turned upside before pulled in front of Draco. "That rejection hit me hard. You pretty much broke my heart back there, see?"
She resisted the urge to gag at the badly damaged heart he held up to her, still connected by a tendon though the rest were starting to grow back again.
"That's why I'll break yours. And Gilbert's too!" he laughed and Alphinia's eyes widened as his tentacle tore out of her middle...and stabbed her heart. She screamed as he repeated the action over and over, fuelling his actions only further and making him laugh insanely. "I'll stuff your heart full of holes. And then when I'm through with you, I devour that idiot Gilbert right here before your dying eyes! Not so tough now, eh sister?!"
The girl continued to scream and struggle at his tortuous punishment, feeling her power wane as the ice crystal in her suffered more and more damage. At some point, she finally went limp and Draco laughed again before raising her head to stare into her agonised eyes.
"On second thought, maybe I'll eat you now," he smirked and opened his jaws wide, ready to snap her head off when suddenly-
"You heard the master! Let her go!"
And Draco received a crushing knee to the cheek that made his hold on Alphinia loosen. Before she hit the ground, Lightning's Braviary caught her and smirked as Mienshao jumped back and fanned her knee.
"Nice one," he remarked, dropping Alphinia gently and standing beside Mienshao.
"No biggie. But I think I overdid it and nearly broke my knee," she replied before turning to her master who was being supported by Haxorus.
Lightning looked weakly at his team. "Guys, when did you-"
"We're made of tougher stuff, remember!" Mienshao cut in and pumped a fist. "Wipe that pathetic look off your face, master. It doesn't suit you."
Haxorus gave Lightning's head a quick inspection. "Looks like he got you good there. I doubt you'll be able to see with your right eye ever again."
Despite the news, Lightning grinned, straightened up and accepted the gun Boufallant held out to him. "Remind me to take that collar off, Mr Pessimistic."
"You little fools!" Draco roared, holding his broken cheek. "You think your team can stop me?!"
"We're not out of this fight yet!" Boufallant boomed defiantly.
"Lightning's team is the gutsiest in the world! Under our shining light, the forces of evil dull in comparison!" Braviary declared.
"Forget therapy. We're gonna BEAT Giratina out of you, Draco!" Mienshao proclaimed.
"We'll win this war and touch that horizon! And no force in the world shall stop us!" Haxorus roared.
Slowly, Lightning felt his head well-up in pride. This was his team, determined, courageous and striving for justice just as much as he did. Tugging on the gloves, he made to reach for the Zekrom scale in his pocket but stopped and stepped alongside his team.
"As you can see, Draco, you're facing a band of heroes with too much superiority complex to back down. Team Lightning's gonna strike, Draco, and Giratina won't know what hit him-de arimasu."
Draco froze at the new look on his opponents' faces. There was no fear, no anxiety and not even a single trace of doubt or worry.
Just confidence. Pure, childish confidence that you only saw...in heroes.
"Damn you..." he growled and launched his tentacles at them. "DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!"
"Let's win this guys!" Lightning cried and his team charged along with him, going head to head with the tentacles. Raising his gloves, Lightning took a deep breath and called, "Boost Mixer!"
"Boost Mixer: Activated," the devices beeped back and took on a multicoloured hue. "Time remaining till complete discharge: Three Minutes."
"Head Charge!" the trainer called and Boufallant coated his afro in as much energy as he could muster. Everyone got behind him and with a powerful neigh, the Bash Buffalo bulldozed each tentacle till Draco was forced to combine them into two again and bash Boufallant back. Jumping ahead of him, Lightning and Mienshao locked hands, activating the Fighting-boost.
"Aura Sphere!" he ordered and Mienshao pooled all her aura together before hurling the ball at Draco's other tentacle, destroying it completely and leaving the screaming knight down to one last tentacle.
"Go, Master!" she barked, throwing Lightning forward. Screaming curses, Draco hurled Dark Pulses at Lightning only for the boy to cry, "Brave Bird!"
In an instant, Braviary was right in front of Lightning and coated bluish energy that dissipated each Dark Pulse as they rocketed headlong towards Draco.
"Stay back!" Draco cried, launching his last tentacle. "Don't come any closer!"
The attack hit Braviary and sent the bird back but he grinned as his master brushed past him and acquired his type. "Win this, kid!"
"Haxorus, Draco Meteor!" Lightning yelled as the last tentacle came straight for him. From the side, a might ball of energy hit the tentacle squarely, blowing it apart and thus destroying Draco's main threats. Haxorus quickly caught Lightning, enabling the latter to gain his Dragon Boost before hurling him at Draco and getting pushed back by a dark wave of energy.
"Beat Giratina!" the dragon cried.
Yelling, Lightning skidded across the floor before stopping right in front of the now thoroughly frightened Draco.
"STAY AWAY!" he cried like lunatic and raised his golden talons. Lightning bunched a fist and dodged his blow.
"Normal!" he barked and slammed his fist into Draco's face, denting it considerably from the boost in human strength.
"Fighting!" he called and kicked Draco in the crotch, making him double over from the brutal strength of his kick.
"Flying!" he yelled and Draco received an uppercut to the jaw, sending him into the air. Before he could recover, Lightning was already spinning above him before executing a dropkick on his head, sending him back to the ground. Draco landed on his feet again and straightened up quickly only to see Lightning right before him with cat-like slits in his eyes and a fist alight with pure energy.
"Dracoooooo!" he roared, throwing his fist.
"Damn you!" Draco screamed, unleashing another dark wave of energy that slowly pushed Lightning's fist back.
"Damn it," the teen muttered, trying to get his punch through to Draco's heart. "Not enough power?"
Suddenly, a hand gripped his wrist and looked to his side to see Alphinia holding on to him and slowly pushing him through the barrier.
"You forgot you had one more boost," she remarked and smiled weakly before putting all her strength into the arm on his wrist. "Human boost!"
"Human what?!" Draco cried and was stunned to see Lightning's hand slowly passing through the barrier, making sparks fly and causing it to shatter.
"The true strength of a human's determination," Lightning remarked and smirked as they broke the barrier, resulting in an explosion that cloaked everything in white. In the midst of this whiteness, Draco saw Lightning's fist and heard it punch through the Griseous Orb merged with his heart. "OUR. FIGHTING. SPIRIT!"
With that, Lightning gave a twist and from the confines of Draco's mind, Giratina could see a spark of lightning break through the darkness all around it.
"Fool! How can something as pointless as fighting spirit destroy my madness?!" it cried and its eyes widened and Lightning's shape formed and smirked...before holding out a Positron Gun.
"Because...everyone has it," the boy replied and pulled the trigger. Giratina screamed as the beam pierced through his hide and tore a hole in the darkness behind him, forming a portal to the Reverse World from whence it came. "Return to your world, demon from the other side."
"CURSE YOU, GILBERT!" Giratina screamed, struggling to pull himself away from the force of the portal's gravitational pull. "I WON'T END HERE!"
"...It's Hilbert."
Giratina paused as a hand pressed against his head and he pointed his mad red eyes at the smiling dark-skinned man. "D...DRACO! HOW DID YOU GO AGAINST MY MADNESS?!"
Draco gave his smile, the one Lightning was used to, and thumped his chest. "Didn't hear my best friend? Fighting spirit, man. Everyone has it. Even me."
And with that, he gave a flick of his finger, sending the screaming Giratina through the portal which sealed up afterwards.
Sighing, Draco turned to Lightning and smirked. "Anyone ever tell you that you're one persistent brat?"
"Everyday of my life," Lightning replied and looked around as a tremor rocked the mind-room.
"I'm losing my draconic DNA," the man explained with a sigh before looking around. "I probably won't remember anything up until when I first met Ghetsis."
"But you'll be human, right?"
"...I'll most likely die, you know," Draco murmured and was met with a pat on the back.
"You're not dying, mister! Remember, we're going back to Kato and Saha to celebrate your humanity! Plus, Alphinia'd strangle me if you died so..."
Slowly, the ex-knight began to laugh before turning to Lightning. "If you're that serious then so be it. This will be the last time Dragon Knight Draco gets to see you so I'd better make this quick. Thanks, Hilbert. For saving me and my sister. I finally found real happiness in having a persistent friend like you."
Lightning stretched hand out and tipped his hat. "Hilbert Kazuto Mayonaka, it's been a pleasure meeting you."
Draco shook the outstretched hand and smirked. "Draco Paul Quincy. And as the Phantom Dragon Knight, I say the pleasure is all mine. Save White, Hilbert. And help explain to my human side that he's got a lot of catching up to do with life."
Lightning nodded and felt himself floating away and leaving Draco behind in the crumbling area. "Can't you escape too?"
"Heh. I'm just a personality, kid," Draco replied and waved casually. "One you'll most likely see in the old Draco soon enough. Minus murderous intent. So till then, peace!"
And another loud explosion rocked the entire castle.
...
Lightning held the unconscious raven-haired man for a second before feeling his legs give way. Both fell to the floor and Lightning groaned a bit before sitting up and looking into Alphinia's tired eyes as she lay right beside him.
"You saved us..." she said weakly and smiled with tears streaming down her face. "You're a hero, Lightning."
"All in a day's work, I guess," Lightning replied with his victorious grin before looking to the ceiling. "Too bad though, now we can't move and help Scarlet. But knowing him, I'm sure he's giving Ghetsis the beat-down of a lifetime..."
"I'm sure he is..." she chipped in and winced as she sat up, holding her heart. Like it or not, she had suffered quite a lot of damage at Draco's earlier assault and from the way her heartbeat lessened, she knew...that she was dying...but she couldn't let Lightning know. So she opted to do something she always wanted to do for so long.
"Don't stress yourself," Lightning cautioned, seeing her try to move again. "I doubt your regenerative system has kicked in yet."
"Yeah..." she replied a bit too shallowly, making him move towards her and raise her head.
"Is something wrong, Alphy?" he asked in concern.
"I'm okay..." she answered and raised a bloodstained hand to caress his cheek. "Lightning...I love you too...You're brave...heroic...a little ditzy...and cute...The kind of guy any girl would...fall for...I'm lucky, aren't I?"
"You sure are," Lightning replied, feeling his head go a bit big with pride. "I'm lucky too. I never thought I'd get someone like you to fall for me. But now I know that a hero always get the girl in the end."
"Heh...you've dropped the speech prefixes..." she remarked and Lightning went wide-eyed.
"Yeah...I did," he murmured and grinned. "I finally -MMPH!"
He couldn't finish because Alphinia had jammed her lips against his, shutting him up and making him go light-headed. He just got his first kiss and couldn't have been more satisfying. Screw harems. Alphinia was all he needed.
"I hope...I didn't miss...the timing..." she laughed and Lightning giggled, unaware of how lifeless her eyes were becoming. "Thanks...for being there...for me..."
"No problem, Alphy! It's what heroes do. Man, I'm so happy right now, I could go up there and beat Ghetsis myself if I wanted!"
"Then do it...win...for all of us..."
Alphinia smiled.
"I...love...you..."
"You already said that Alphy. And I love you too. Now then, I think we'd better get you to somewhere safe. Ne Alphy, do you have Salamence on you?"
No response. Lightning tilted his head. Did she pass out?
"Alphy?" he asked again and suddenly went rigid upon feeling how cold she was getting. Putting an ear to her chest, he closed his eyes...
Lightning heard nothing.
"...Alphy...?"
And on that day of the Red Moon, one Dragon Knight was saved.
Author's Corner.
Slybill: To those of you reading this, congratulations. You've reached one of the saddest chapters in A.S.P.S history. I bow my head to you for killing someone we were just getting to know so, so well. About the last preview, I just had to split this chapter in two for the sake of personal word limits (and this chapter knocked the stuffing out of me). So to Zekromshippers (LightningXAlphinia) everywhere, don't hang me! Expect the rest of the sentences in the last chapter to come in SAVE THE ONE, SAVE THE ALL (PART 2)! Well, see ya!