PROLOGUE: PACT UNDER THE PINK, BLUE SKY.
It all began in the Hall of Origin.
Someone panted hard. Another shrugged off the various dents in his majestic bladed wings. Both brushed the blood and sweat from their brows before giving the enemy ahead a joint glare.
Said enemy, sporting spiked-up bluish-green hair in a style vaguely reminding one of a crown, cast his narrow eyes down on his opponents with a look that, though fierce, sent no chills down the young man's spine.
"You still stand up to fight?" he asked, baritone voice judgemental yet expectant. "I am above Arceus now and therefore I am a god. Do you not see the futility in your efforts, Lucas?"
Dark eyes narrowing further, the young hero raised his finger towards the white nothingness that was Arceus.
"Empoleon!" he barked. "Drill Peck!"
"Useless," the man stated and Arceus's numerous arms shot out as if making ready to refute Lucas's efforts. With a proud, deep shriek, the might Emperor Pokémon leapt into action once more, spinning his muscular frame like a drill through each arm and drawing close enough to unleash a Hydro Pump without any orders needed. As expected, Arceus's Protect flashed to life like a divine wall, repelling the attack.
"Steel Wing!" Lucas ordered. Wings aglow and splayed like fat cleavers, his Pokémon tore at the shield at a speed so rapid that his glowing arms were a blur.
Their opponent was anything but disturbed and made to impale him on a sneaking arm. However, Empoleon's bulk did no justice to his speed and the man atop the god suffered a twitch of the brow as Arceus broke its own screen, giving the penguin just enough of an opening to send torrents of ice cold water into the green and red eye within the massive dark grey clouds of aura.
Blinded momentarily, Arceus's arms flew in all directions and though a master swordspenguin, Lucas knew his partner was tiring fast. Down to his last Pokémon, the stakes were higher than the heavens and harder than hard but he knew he could not fail after coming this far. After all, he had friends to protect and a world to save.
Therefore, he made his history-making decision right there and then.
"Empoleon, Mist!" he called sharply. Somersaulting backwards to make space, the Pokémon parted his beak and spewed as much cold gas onto the wrecked battlefield as possible.
"Blinding us is futile, boy," the enemy said matter-of-factly as Arceus's arms withdrew and began to spin like the blades of a copter. One arm in position, the Alpha Pokémon stabbed forward into the fading mist, piercing steel and eliciting a shrill cry from its target. Stabbed through the wing, Empoleon winced and slashed off the tentacle before sinking to one knee with his intact arm shielding the damaged other. Without a shred of doubt, the Pokémon was at his limit as the cold claws of unconsciousness beckoned to his senses.
However, the man atop the god noticed a defiant grin playing across Empoleon's golden beak. He had a good guess of what that curled beak entailed and raised a hand, blocking the fist of his adversary.
"Two men cannot stand atop a god. One must fall, one way or the other," he growled. "And you honestly expected me to fall for a cheap trick like that?"
"Of course not," Lucas spat, grabbing the taller man's arm and giving a sharp pull. His opponent failed to budge but that was all that was needed to propel the young man forward, close enough and hard enough to jam foreheads with the man. Rattled, both stumbled back and the man fingered the bloody bruise across his forehead.
A human, a BOY, dares to defy and injure me?
"Arceus, let The Gate of Judgement open upon these damned souls."
Eyes widened as Arceus gave a magnificent cry and glowed brilliantly. From behind, its tail reared up and smacked the ground hard, creating a tremendous quake and opening up a black portal behind it. The screams of damned souls coupled with the thunderous chorus of chains made for quite the spectacle and Empoleon staggered backwards from the mere power of the ominous winds tearing forth from the gate.
Raising his hand, the man atop the god glared down at the boy atop the god and, for the first time in his life, gave a cruel smirk.
"You lose, Lucas Zoom. And now, I shall pronounce Judgement upon you. Fall into the fiery depths of the Distortion World and let your soul rot there for all eternity! And then, watch as I, Cyrus Akagi, build a new world! One without strife or spirit where-"
Lucas smiled despite the intimidating tirade.
Because in his fit of power-drunkenness, Cyrus didn't know he was standing right in front of the gate itself.
"And furthermore-"
"You talk too much."
Cyrus never saw the boy dash forward and by the time he heard the disparaging comment, he was in mid-air, falling back-first into the black abyss. What he didn't expect was that Lucas himself had tackled him into it, hence the manic laugh that occurred when he realised that both were falling into eternal destruction.
"Ha! This is why the world must be rid of spirit! How does one sacrifice himself for the sake of strangers connected by trifle bonds like blood and emotions?!" he roared, both in sadistic glee and raw anger. He had not anticipated these ugly emotions springing up and infecting his pure soul. Now he knew that even he was capable of this ugly strife the world was washed in.
And this strife doubled when he saw a grin on the raven-haired trainer's face.
"Who said I was dying?" he asked and, to Cyrus's horror, a blue wing grabbed Lucas and drew him back into the world of the living. Now entirely exhausted after using that Aerial Ace, Empoleon and his trainer felt the force of gravity come back to the Hall and as they fell, Lucas caught sight of Cyrus struggling feverishly against Judgement's pull.
"MY PLANS DID NOT ENTAIL THIS!" he screamed madly as ghostly chains knotted across his legs. "I? A MAN HIGHER THAN GOD? DAMNED FOR ETERNITY?! IMPOSSIBLE! I WILL NOT LOSE! TO YOU OR ANY MORTAL BEINGS IN THIS STRIFE-RIDDEN WORLD!"
Blue eyes met with dark yellow eyes as decomposing Banette and rotten Gengar seized every inch of Cyrus that they could lay their maggot-ridden hands on.
One pair filled with rage.
The other pair brimmed with an air of business-like finality.
And Cyrus's face darkened as the gates began to close.
"I will be back," he growled, tone as listless as before as the darkness closed around him. "So till then, a curse upon you, Lucas Zoom. Enjoy your victory while it's still sweet. But know that despair will follow and bring you down so far into ruin that not even worms will feast on your corpse. AS LONG AS THOSE CURSED ORBS ARE IN YOUR POSSESSION, I. WILL. BE. BACK!"
In response, Lucas blew Cyrus an air-kiss and the ensuing roar of resurged anger was cut short by a thunderous clap as the Gates slammed shut, confining Cyrus, the world's destruction and the last of Team Galactic to the cold darkness of the Distortion World.
Forever.
Lucas didn't know he had landed until his back tickled from the feathery down of Arceus's wide back.
No longer corrupted, the entity laid the heroes down and reared to full height with the air of supreme authority back in its eyes.
Grateful eyes, as the smiling Lucas could see.
No words of thanks were exchanged (or even needed) as it turned its back on them and ascended. But Lucas and Empoleon knew no doubt that they were heroes.
"We did it, man," he whispered, smile shaky.
Empoleon nodded, eyes gooey.
And both grabbed each other in a hug before letting off pathetic wails of relief (and pain). For they had won and the world was safe.
Or at least, so they had thought.
Years later...
"Do you really have to go?"
"I must, Dawn. I can't let what happened years ago happen again."
Sighing, Dawn averted her gaze to the nearest window. Twinleaf town was dusted in pink, blue and yellow colours of dawn and Lucas would've normally made a joke of it like he did every morning to greet her smiling face.
Instead, his back was turned to her with his eyes looking towards the door and towards the world. She didn't even have to guess how hard it was for him to utter those simple yet devastating words.
"I'm leaving."
Despite the way her heart itched to implode, the woman with nay-blue hair smiled softly and folded her arms. "Ren'll be mad."
"I guessed as much. When this is over, I am so punched," he replied, carrying just the subtlest of a chuckle. Taking his trench-coat off the coat rack, the Champion slung the iconic cloth over his broad shoulders and flashed her a smile. "I won't hold it against you if you and the kids end up hating me-"
"Don't talk like that!" she cut in, closing the space between them and burying her head in his back. "I told you, didn't I? I love you no matter what! I'm...just not sure about Coliot and Nina...but..." She let go and stepped back. "Go. Do what you have to do, hero."
All Lucas could think about there and then was how strong the frail woman was. Despite the circumstances she still smiled that brilliant smile that never failed to warm him up from the inside out. That also made him curse his fate as he nodded and opened the door.
His luck may have been cursed as well as he was met with the sight of curious red-eyed, raven-haired toddlers.
"Appi Berfday, Papa!" the older twin cried, throwing himself at his father's legs. His younger twin sister wasn't much of a talker yet so she did the next best thing and hugged his other leg, giggling and smiling up at him with her big red eyes.
"Coliot! Nina! You should be in bed," Dawn chided, just as surprised as her husband to see them up and running at this time of the morning.
"Papa's special day!" the boy complained, gripping Lucas's legs tighter. "Cowiot wuv Papa so Cowiot stay up a' night to tell him appi berfday!"
Something splashed on the child's crown and his puzzled red eyes looked up before widening. "Papa...sad?"
Arceus, it was just too much for Lucas! Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he'd hate himself for this. But the head always came first before the heart and that was why he gently pried them off and handed Nina to her mother.
Coliot blinked in confusion as the man began to walk. "Papa?" He began to tug on his mother's dress. "Mama, where Papa go? Papa's special day!"
Dawn didn't answer. She was far too engaged in keeping her composure in check.
"P...Papa..."
Lucas stopped short. Had his face been turned towards them, they would've seen the tear-stained and stung expression on his face upon hearing his little girl's hoarse voice.
"No weave...Papa..."
The man took a shaky breath and crammed the wide-brimmed hat over his messy black hair before taking hold of the door knob and opening it. Outside, his faithful Empoleon stared back into the man's hooded eyes. Having spent years with his "brother", Lucas could tell what that look in Empoleon's cerulean gaze meant.
Is this all right?
Swallowing, he nodded and blocked out the silent pleas flowing through his ears. This was for his family and no way in hell was he not going to finish what he had started. That was why he spared no furtive glances to the three pairs of onlooking eyes piercing his back like Skarmory feathers.
All he did was close the door behind him and walk. Walk, walk, walk. Walk until Twinleaf Town, his family and, for all he knew, the best moments of his life, was far from sight and reach.
And he prayed that someday, they would meet again.
Years later...
The eldest child, Ren, came back from work that day and was greeted with loud explosions coming from the living room, accompanied by excited cheers belonging to the youngster bouncing on the sofa.
"Piff, what'd I say about watching my battles!" he chided, snatching the remote and turning off the TV with a press of a button. "And it's too loud. Jeez, you know this stuff isn't good for Mom-"
"But Mom's already awake," Coliot whined before narrowing his eyes. "And don't call me Piff!"
"Why? It's your name, isn't it?" Ren teased, knowing full well how utterly stupid the name sounded to the boy.
"Whatever! Gimme the remote!"
"I think you've had enough TV."
"MOM! REN WON'T-"
A hand clamped tightly over the brat's mouth and Ren rushed his brother outside before letting go and grabbing the sides of his big head tightly.
"Oi, brat. I told you Mom doesn't like noise!" he growled with a ridiculous-looking vein popping on his forehead in annoyance. "Now pipe down or I'll have Torterra crush your pea-brain under her foot."
"Ha! Like that big lug can even do that! Mom says I've got a head stronger than a Rampardos so your fat turtle ain't got nothing on me, girl-face!"
"G-girl face?!" Ren spluttered incredulously before grinning angrily. "Oh, I see! You're just jealous because I've got shinier hair than you!"
"News flash, onee-chan, WE'VE GOT THE SAME HAIR COLOUR!"
"I HAVE A HIME CUT AND I'M SINNOH'S SEXIEST BREEDER IN THAT "BREEDER MONTHLY" MAGAZINE RIGHT NOW!"
"I HAVE SPIKY HAIR! GIRLS LOVE SPIKY HAIR BECAUSE IT'S SEXY!"
"WHERE DID YOU LEARN THAT WORD?!"
"YOU, IDIOT!"
"I'M AN IDIOT?!"
"WHAT KINDA GUY GOES FROM ELITE FOUR TO BREEDER? AN IDIOT!"
"WHY YOU LITTLE-"
Like a silent blade, dainty fingers gripped their ears and the boys were stunned to see straight-faced Nina giving them her bored version of a death glare.
"Mom says you should keep it down," she stated, voice so much hoarser than a normal girl's that she would've perpetually whispered. Despite the emptiness in her voice however, both boys knew she meant business and 17 year old Ren huffed before rearing to full height as his 8 year old sister let go of his stinging ear. From behind, the fat pet Gible snickered at Coliot's sulking expression.
"C'mon Coliot. Lunch is ready."
More an order than a request (though with her monotone voice, they could never really tell), she grabbed his thin arm and began to drag him back inside.
"Busted," Ren whispered immaturely, only to blink in confusion as Nina stopped, kicked him in the shin and dragged him back in as well.
Minutes later, Ren was relaying his time at the breeding centre in Solaceon Town to Dawn while Coliot let the Starly on his head pick at the remains of his lunch.
"And guess what Mom," Ren added, giving Coliot a sly glance. "I think Chelsea's into me."
Spoon falling from his hand, Coliot glared hatefully at his brother while Dawn sweatdropped. Chelsea was Ren's co-worker at the Day Care and even Nina knew Coliot harboured a crush on the much older woman.
"She said she liked my hair~" he added, flicking his locks for emphasis at his simmering sibling.
"At least you set that aside for the Pokemon. Arceus knows what would've happened if you chased girls instead of focusing on your job. Plus, you shouldn't tease Piff like that," Dawn remarked, amused at her children's antics.
"You knew?!" Coliot gasped. "And quit calling me Piff, Mom!"
"Of course I did. You always come back red-faced whenever Ren takes you out to the ranch," Dawn laughed, wiping her wet hands on her apron before leaving the sink. "Plus, what's wrong with your name?"
The boy turned up his nose. "It's silly."
"Oh Coliot. "Piff" is an awesome and manly name!"
Like a bullet, Nina's ultra-brief snicker cut through Coliot's ego. All three kids begged to differ but Mother's word was law so Coliot gave up arguing on that topic.
"Thanks for lunch, Mom. The food was delicious," Nina said after a time had passed. Noting how she only ever showed noticeable emotion to their mother, Coliot watched his sister quietly drop her plate in the sink and pick up another voluminous book on Sinnoh history.
Tch, boring, he inwardly remarked and placed a hand on his chin. Saturday afternoons in Twinleaf were far too mundane for him. No one else seemed to complain and it made life so seemingly stagnant that he sometimes felt he was the only living person in the town. Heck, if he concentrated hard enough, it almost felt like everyone disappeared off the face of the earth.
That's why he couldn't wait until the day he became a Pokemon trainer! Then he and Starly would travel the world and find more exciting places. They'd battle and grow so strong that even the Champion would be blown far away by their sheer awesomeness!
Champion...Dad...
For some inexplicable reason, Nina put down her book and stared into space with a question hanging on her lips.
"Mom, when's Dad coming home?"
Even the loud Starly halted as silence descended heavily on the kitchen.
It was times like this that Coliot and Ren mentally facepalmed. For all her smarts and maturity, Nina was still a tactless eight year old. A tactless and hopeful one to say the least.
"Well..." Dawn scratched her cheek in thought before turning back to the sink. "Soon. What made you pop that up, sweetie?"
"I miss him," she replied matter-of-factly, as if that was the most logical reason in the world. Hence her confusion when Ren coughed uncomfortably and walked out.
Dawn smiled wryly, eyeing the wedding band on her finger. "Yeah...we all do."
Starly suddenly felt the head it was perched upon simmer and instinctively knew that Coliot was angry. Stomping towards the girl, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the living room before turning to face her with an angry scowl.
"Why'd you bring that up? You brainless or something?" he whispered, earning a little tilt of the head from his sister.
"No, I'm not. But I miss Dad."
"Well you don't have to tell us! Can't you see you're hurting Mom?!" he hissed.
Lowering her eyes, she squeezed the Piplup plushie in her arms tighter. "I'm sorry...but I wanna see Dad too-"
"Stop." Coliot turned away, eyes hidden beneath his bangs. "Stop doing this, Nina. That idiot left us and made Mom cry. So stop thinking about him and be happier already!"
"But-"
"We don't need him!" he barked, unable to keep his voice down at that last word. Turning, he grabbed the stunned girl and hugged her tightly.
"We've got Ren, Mom, Starly and even the stupid Gible. We're happy, Nina. So we don't need some meathead who abandoned us for no reason! So…quit thinking about him and making yourself sad or…or else I'll be sad too and then stupid Ren will start trying to cheer us up with his horrible jokes."
"Hey!" came Ren's retort from upstairs. It was blissfully ignored.
Red eyes glimmering with tears, the girl nodded into the embrace and lowered her head. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Her brother let go and threw the grin she was accustomed too. "The only person who should be sorry is that bone-head when I punch his face in! Now let's go battle outside. I'm sure I'll beat you and Gible this time!"
Smiling, the girl allowed herself to be pulled outside with Gible and Starly in tow.
Unknown to them, Dawn had been listening in from the adjoining kitchen and her grip on the medicine bottle in her shaky hand tightened as a tear slid down her smiling face.
"I guess we had this coming, Lucas."
Hours later...
"Mom! I got an urgent call from Professor Rowan!" Ren called, rushing down the stairs with his medical case in hand and a trench coat slung over his shoulders. "Apparently, a badly injured Piplup washed up at the beach in Sandgem and he wants me to assist the Pokemon Centre!"
"I hope it's alright," she prayed, taking the hat off the coat rack and handing it to him as he passed her by. "Do your best, 'kay?"
"Of course I will!" he replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before placing the hat in its rightful position atop his head. "Don't forget to take your meds tonight. I'll be late so tell Piff that bedtime story's on hold. And remember, don't stress yourself. Call me if anything comes up."
"No need to worry," she replied with a wink. "I'll be fine, Ren. You don't have to fuss over me because of a little sickness."
Ren loved and also hated how his mother liked to downplay the bad things life threw her way. But he would chide on her terminal illness later.
"I'm off!" he called, whipping out a Pokeball as soon as he got outside. A bright flash later, he and Staraptor were in the air and Dawn bade them good luck. On the way, he passed by his mock-battling siblings and whistled, attracting their attention. "Watch me, Nina! Onii-chan's going to save another pokemon!"
"Do your best," she bade, waving so cutely that Ren wanted to squeeze the little thing in a hug. The thought vanished when he laid eyes on a scowling Coliot.
"You're butting into our battle, girl-face! Hurry up and get lost! And save that pokemon while you're at it, you girly doctor!"
Ren was tempted to come down there and beat some respect into the boy's head. Instead, he blew a raspberry and said, "At least I get the Nurses! Later!"
"Tch!" was all Coliot replied as he returned to the more important matter at hand. Finding out what beat Dragon-type Pokemon despite learning it back in Trainer School the other day.
4:00 PM
From a hill overlooking Twinleaf Town, two mysterious figures clad in white clothes looked down on the quiet town.
One, a lean man with frosty blue hair and an even frostier smile, brought a hand over his eyes to shield his face from the spring sun. "I never thought the South would be this hot at this time of year. Can't we come back later?"
"It's not that hot," the teenage-looking young man with vermilion hair beside him remarked. "Besides, my buddies need this heat for the performance. Too bad this town's got a sleepy audience. However, that'll change pretty soon. So you just look for those orbs in Lucas's possession."
Nodding, the blue-haired man whistled and from behind, a Jynx materialised. The younger man grimaced as she flashed him a hideous smile.
"Be careful not to get us caught in the crossfire, Mercury."
Mercury smiled as his colleague disappeared with the Jynx. "So long as you're careful to hurry the hell up, Pluto."
5:10 PM
Someone knocked on the door.
"Oh, first time they're coming home on their own," she remarked, hurrying towards the door and opening it. "What took you so long-"
She stopped. The shape before her wasn't one she readily recognised. In fact, she had never seen this person in her life.
"Can I help you?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Ah, forgive me," he stated in a jocular manner. Actually, his features reminded her of a clown. Odd, jelled back hair, long limbs, lanky appearance and eyes that looked so narrow they were perpetually squinting. But it was his smile that chilled her to the bone. "I believe this is the Zoom residence."
Dawn tilted her head. "And what of it?"
The clownish man's narrowed eyes peeled just a crack wider in tune to his broadening smile. "Ah, good to hear. My name is Pluto."
Blue eyes widened.
"And I would very much like to meet your husband."
5:12 PM
Mercury grinned and extended his arms like a choir master. At his feet lay several empty pokeballs and he took a deep breath before opening his big orange eyes.
"Show time!" he cried, voice echoing all over Twinleaf. In perfect harmony, several explosions blew the quietness to smithereens.
Fire. Everywhere.
Personally, Coliot had always been fascinated by flames. Red and orange had always been his favourite colours.
But as a familiar neighbour roasted before his very eyes on the chaotic street, he couldn't help but change his long-standing opinions. Dragging his thoroughly frightened sister away, he continued down the burning streets with a shrieking Starly flying overhead and a fat Gible struggling to keep up.
"Fire!" a man cried, running down the town's centre. "Somebody get help-"
Coliot shielded his eyes as a burning telephone pole collapsed atop the man, silencing him.
"Hurry!" he called, pulling Nina behind him and running as fast as he could.
Suddenly, Gible leapt up and tackled them both out of the way of an exploding building.
Coliot leapt to his feet and stared at the wreckage. That could have been them under that burning debris. "T-thanks."
Gible nodded and continued to run forward with them following closely behind. Overhead, Starly returned and perched atop Nina's head, chirping with distressed tones.
"Piff, do you think-"
"No!" Coliot barked, rounding a bend. "There's no way our house could've been hit. We not as close to the town so-"
Multiple screams rendered him dumb as the blazing house behind them collapsed upon its trapped residents.
"There's no way it'll reach our home!" he screamed, more to himself than to his sister. "No way!"
They passed an incinerated Floatzel.
"No way!"
A younger child wailed as her dead mother's mangled hand stuck out from piles of debris.
"Definitely not!"
Coliot slipped and fell head first into a pool of red. Looking up, he swallowed his scream upon recognising the charred corpse of another neighbour. "It just isn't true!"
Dashing madly, he and Nina circled around the next house and passed the little grove of trees, all of which were burning brightly.
"She's alright," he chanted feverishly and Nina swallowed. "We'll just turn the corner and our house will be…"
Coliot gasped and grit his teeth before running straight into the burning house through the charred down backdoor.
He went rock still upon finding his mother bleeding on the floor with an ice shard the size of his leg buried in her chest.
"MOM!" Nina screamed, rushing past him and dropping to her knees beside the woman. To their relief, she was breathing albeit raggedly.
"N...ina...?" Dawn's hazy blue eyes widened slightly as a racking cough shook her frame. To their horror, globs of blood dyed Nina's yellow shirt a dirty red. "R...un...Hur-"
"I think it's too late for that," said a frosty voice appearing from behind the flames. Coliot spun around and locked eyes with the gangly smiler and his blood-stained Jynx. It didn't take long before he put two and two together. "My my, what lovely kids you have, Mrs Zoom. Had I known your blood would draw them here, I would've had Jynxie stab you sooner."
"You..." Neither the man's size nor the Jynx's blood-curdling smile deterred Coliot from dashing forward with a fist raised and blind rage in his red eyes. "I'll kill you!"
And as expected, Pluto drew his long leg back and crashed it so hard into the child's ribs that Nina herself almost felt the resounding crack emanating from her twin brother's side. Flying back from whence he came, the dazed Coliot landed heavily beside his horrified sister and screamed in agony.
"Kids these days don't even know their own limits," Pluto tutted, striding up to Nina who could do nothing but stare in shock. "Now none of this would've happened had your daddy not upped and left but here's your chance to redeem him, cutie. Did Daddy mention anything about an Orb or two?"
Dawn coughed again, drawing his attention and Pluto was frankly surprised to see her struggling to get up.
"I...told you...The orbs aren't...here-"
Another kick silenced her and Nina screamed again as her mother dropped, rock still.
"He wasn't talking to you, woman," Mercury growled, crouching beside Nina. "Now be a good little bitch and tell me where that bastard Lucas went and hid our Orbs."
Nina, of course, had no idea what these men were talking about. Even if she did, the amount of blood and violence her young eyes had been exposed to rendered her almost catatonic. As a result, Mercury narrowed his eyes upon getting silence in return.
"Oi Pluto! I think she's deaf!" he barked, grabbing her hair and drawing her close to his scrutinising face. "And I doubt she knows the answer too!"
Disappointed, the blue-haired man sighed. "Oh well. Kill them and let's be on our way."
"YAY!" Mercury cheered, grabbing her throat.
It was Nina's scream that set Coliot off and with a cry, he rammed himself right into Mercury's side.
He was holding a knife.
"AAH! DAMMIT!" the stunned redhead yelled, dropping Nina and staggering back while clutching the weapon embedded into him, all the way to the hilt.
"Gible, Rock Smash!" Coliot yelled and from underneath, Gible burst through the floorboards and socked Jynx in the chin. Pluto was once again shocked to see Jynx fly into the ceiling from the force of the attack and concluded that the Pokemon must've belonged to their, thankfully absent, older brother. "Starly, Quick Attack!"
Pluto ceased his thinking to duck, narrowly avoiding razor-sharp talons from the Starling Pokémon. However, he wasn't so lucky the next few rounds and was sharply raked across the face and neck.
"Don't you ever touch my sister again, bonehead!" the boy spat and turned to his rigid sister, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a rough shake. "Nina, I don't care how but you've gotta get Mom outta here and fast! We'll hold these bozos off for as long as we can so hurry!"
Snapping out, the girl blinked before shaking her head. "No! You'll get hurt-"
"I don't care!" Coliot snapped. "These guys hurt Mom and I'm gonna make 'em pay! So just get Mom out now. I'm sure Ren's on his way and I want him to see you guys safe!"
"But-"
BANG!
Both children gasped and turned. Coliot's eyes widened in sheer horror. Starly, or at least its scattered remains, fell to the floor in a bloody heap, having taken a shot from Pluto's smoking handgun.
"That." His smile twitched. "Was annoying as hell."
Even Coliot went weak-kneed as he took in the gory sight of his friend and would-be starter. He barely got a cry out before something sharp sank into his side.
Red eyes, dropping, the child choked on air as Mercury twisted the knife and kicked Coliot away.
"That bastard almost got my lungs," the redhead wheezed, raising the heavily-stained knife as a crying Nina rushed to her dying brother and Gible stood protectively ahead of them. "I'm gonna rip off your arms, brat!"
"Calm yourself, Mercury," Pluto advised, pocketing his pistol. "There's nothing useful to Team Galactic here. Let's go."
"But-"
"The grunts are going to sweep this town clean anyway. Those kids and their whore mother are as good as dead by the time Ren gets back."
Breathing hard, Mercury eyed the bleeding wound in his side and glared hatefully at the gasping Coliot. His rage turned sadistic upon seeing the worried look in Nina's eyes and in one stride, Gible was kicked out of the way and Nina's neck was in his hands once more.
Pluto arched a brow. "What're you-"
"Shut up! They're as good as dead anyway so I might as well have some fun!" Mercury barked, raising the knife to Nina's eyes. "It's too bad we can't keep the girl. She looks like she'll be a real beauty when she grows up."
"Mercury, we don't have the time for your deranged sense of lust," Pluto sighed as Nina's eyes went as big as saucers.
"I don't work that way, paedophile," Mercury spat and grinned. "I like girls alright. They look even better mutilated!"
Coliot watched as Mercury forced the struggling girl against the floor and pinned her hands above her head.
Move... His mind ordered though his rapidly drained strength failed him.
Nina screamed as a laughing Mercury plunged the knife into her arm, eliciting a spray of blood. In her teary field of vision, Pluto had, meanwhile, raised his gun to her brother's head and blocked an ear to reduce the bang that would end his life.
Move! Her mind cried, not wanting to lose someone she considered her other half.
Having frozen the Gible in its tracks, Jynx stopped before their unmoving mother and both children's eyes widened as the demon generated another spike of ice.
Mercury stopped short as his hands began to burn.
Pluto narrowed his eyes as the building began to tremble.
The twins raised their mad red eyes, equally filled with murderous fury.
And the unwelcome intruders received their well-sought answer.
"DON'T TOUCH MY MOM!" they screamed in unison and the house was enveloped in black and purplish-pink light.
Ruby-red tears aroused Dawn from her pained slumber and she looked into the twin faces of her young children.
"M-mommy," Nina wailed, wrapping her hands around the gravely injured woman's neck and crying. "I'm sorry!"
Confused, Dawn turned to her son who merely stared back with his hair over his eyes, hooding his expression.
"We...beat 'em," he replied to her silent question. "But we broke your promise..."
"...Oh..." was her faint reply before a weak hand stroked Nina's silky black hair. "It's...my fault...I couldn't...protect you guys..."
"No! Don't beat yourself up over it, Mom!" Coliot snapped, grabbing her limp hand. "Now quit talking! We're getting you to a hospital!"
The woman chuckled lightly and coughed. "You...make it sound like I'm...dying..."
This only intensified Nina's wails and she tightened her hold as if trying to hold her mother's fleeting soul back.
"Don't...cry..." Dawn soothed, drawing her daughter close. "No need...to worry...Mommy's strong...More importantly, you should leave..."
"NO!" Coliot cried, shaking her head. "I don't wanna! Darn it, where's that idiot Ren when you need him?!"
"Piff...Please listen..."
Coliot didn't even have the heart to criticize her for using that name. Hell, he'd give his arm to hear that name from her everyday again. But even he knew that with the rate at which things were going, his peaceful life would be grinding to a sad halt.
Dawn drew him close and placed her dry lips to his ear. "You must know by now...how special you are...Nina has no idea of what happened...but you do...Now...you're going to forget about this past life..."
"I will not!" he barked.
"Hide your powers well...and please...don't let the sun go down on your rage..."
"Mom! Stop talking!"
"Also...don't blame your father...Please, forgive him...He meant well for you two..."
Blood erupted from her lips and Nina's cries reduced to sobs as she buried herself into whatever warmth she could salvage from her dying mother's bosom.
"And never...ever...leave your sister. Under no circumstances should you guys be separated. You may not understand now but you should…eventually. Sooner or later, you may find life getting increasingly...difficult...for you as you grow up. I want you to be strong. Brave the storms and stay alive. But most of all, keep your humanity...Promise me that...?"
She shakily raised her pinkie and Coliot ground his teeth before entwining his own in hers. "D-don't leave me...Mom..."
"Hey...I thought...Pokemon Masters didn't cry?C'mon guys...Smile...for me..."
Kids that they were, they still honoured her request and earned a shaky chuckle from Dawn at their trembling expressions. Laying her hands on their heads, she drew them close and her blue eyes began to lose their familiar light. Unknown to the weeping children, the rings on her fingers glowed a bright pink and grey hue before dimming till they were nothing but dull metal on her fingers.
Lucas...I'm going on ahead...
"Mommy..." Nina whimpered.
"I'm...here...guys..."
"Mom..." Coliot whispered.
"Always...forever and ever..."
"Mom..." they whispered in unison.
"I...love...you..."
"Gi-ble..." Gible whined.
Silence.
"Darn it..." Coliot murmured, biting down on his lip so hard that it bled. He didn't even pay any attention to the pinkish steam streaming out of the injury in his side. Nina merely held on to the corpse, silent.
A moment later, she stood up holding her bloodstained arm and turned away from the body.
"Nina?" Coliot paused.
Her eyes reflected no light whatsoever and the look she was giving him chilled him to the marrow. But what pierced his heart most was how lost and far away her countenance seemed.
"Those men were wearing white," she uttered, voice even more emotionless than before. It almost felt like Coliot was hearing from a reanimated corpse. "They had G's on their chest." Her fist tightened. "One of them said something about coming from Team Galactic."
"Nina."
Slowly, she began to walk and almost left had Coliot not seized her by the wrist. She didn't even give him a glance.
"Nina, where're you going?"
"Anywhere...nowhere...I don't know anymore."
"That doesn't make any sense. C'mon, we have to get to Sandgem Town and find...huh?" The boy pressed a palm to his throbbing forehead. "...Who...was in Sandgem Town...?"
Nina didn't answer. She merely withdrew from his grasp and picked up Gible before spinning on her heel and walking. Coliot made to follow when she stopped and turned to him.
"Don't follow me," she ordered before continuing towards the burning town.
"Hey, you can't just leave me!" he retorted, making to grab her when, to his utter shock, Gible turned and snarled at him. Nevertheless he stalked after her saying, "I promised Mom I'd protect you and stay with you, Nina! And I won't let you leave like this-"
Pain exploded across his chest as something black rammed into him, winding Coliot completely and sending him flying back into the debris of the collapsed house. Coughing, his hazy eyes followed the red tipped tentacle and widened upon seeing the vile appendage dangling from Nina's back.
She turned and her teary-red eyes let him know that whatever bonds she had with her family was now severed completely.
"Don't. Follow. Me."
And so she walked. Walked and walked and walked until Twinleaf Town, her family and, for all she knew, the best moments of her life, were far from sight and reach.
And Coliot could do nothing but watch.
Eventually, it dawned on him that he had just broken not one but two of his mother's promises, both of which were now fading from his hazy mind as he felt his memories gradually corrode.
Nina was gone. The fated twins were separated.
And a foreign hatred was enveloping his grieving heart.
Slowly, his grip on the ground hardened and his breathing hitched as his sense of reason found the sole entity responsible for bringing his life to an abrupt crash. "Team...Galactic..."
Nina glared at the horizon, tinged with the pink and blue of dawn.
"I will become a trainer, Gible."
"Just you watch, you Galactic bastards!" Coliot suddenly cried, raising his angry gaze to the sky. "I'll be the strongest trainer there ever was!"
"I know that I'll run into them again. But this time, I'll be ready."
"I'll turn your flames to nothing, you hear me?! Even if I have to raise a team of Water pokemon!"
"So if we see any one of them again..."
"When I get my hands on you!"
Both children raised their hands to the rising sun as if sealing their pact.
"I'll kill them. Every single one of 'em!"
Just like his fading memories, Coliot's consciousness began to go dark and he withdrew the outstretched hand before placing it to his heart.
"And I'll find you, Nina. I'm not gonna give up until then. So wait for me and stay alive till then."
Because the next time we meet...
Nina spared the decrepit town in the distance a glance and tightened her hold on Gible.
"We'll be rivals."
POKÉMON PLATINUM: ANOTHER SIDE.
THE ADVENTURE STARTS NOW!