I was suppose to have this out on Sunday, or Monday. But things came up... I hope you all enjoy this chapter and we are in the home stretch with Destination. But you know, everything has to end at somepoint. the chapters will get longer and longer until we reach the climax. And no that was not a sex joke. Enjoy.
Ch12: Hologram
So... tired... I trudged helplessly amongst the dangling foliage around me. I had been traveling for days on end, barely taking time to sleep or rest. I had my three, I just hope Grovyle had better luck that I did. My mind was a-daze. Treasure Town wasn't to far from here, I'll have to be careful, I thought.
"Well, good morning young man!"
I jumped in surprise. My instincts kicked in as I conjured an Aura Sphere. I spun around quickly, but only found a feeble old Torkoal. We had met before at the hot springs. "Oh, hello Torkoal." I said with a sigh of relief. I've been on edge for days now. The guild hasn't tried anything... yet. My stomach let out a moan of frustration, he had been bitching at me for sometime now. Telling me to eat something, hell perhaps anything.
Torkoal offered me an apple. I accepted on impulse, "Thank you."
"Why don't you come with me to the hot springs and take a load off. You looked stressed."
"Well, I kind of am..." I responded, nibbling at the apple.
"Why is that, son?" He asked.
"Well... I'm trying to figure out what the hidden land is and nothing has yielded any results. No books or tomes I've searched have spoken of such a place." My chest tightened, I looked at the old Pokemon with glazed over eyes as he cracked an old and meager smile.
"My boy, that's not something you will find in books no matter where you look. That is a story passed down through the oral tradition." He coughed. Black smoke poured from his nostrils. "Anyway, the Hidden Land is the places where Lady Dialga resides, she manages the flow of time and whatnot. The Hidden Land resides within a crack in space-time, you see. She place it there, fearing thieves would try to mess with the flow of time. And eh..."
I waited, staring at him in awe.
"...eh... I can't seem to remember..." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing neck with his leg.
"Torkoal, please," I begged. "There has to be more!"
"I'm sorry, I'll remember at some point."
"Okay," I sighed. "I'll be down at the beach, when you remember."
"Alright." He left, smiling and murmuring to himself, Oh, to be young again! I continued to eat the apple as I walk through the woods towards the beach. My stomach thanked me. The silky grass was traded for stirring sands and seething waves. Grovyle sat at the edge. Relaxing as the water soothed his tired feet.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," He replied.
"How did your end go?" I asked.
"It was tough but I pulled through. And you?"
"I managed. Dealing with psychic-types isn't exactly my forte but you know how life is. Throws you a sharp right every once in a while." I spoke up. We sat in silence for a little while. I didn't have any questions. I didn't doubt anything that happened. I was going to see this through till the end. I would not let that horrible future come to pass!
Grovyle cleared his throat and then finally spoke up. "Do you remember anything?" He asked, obviously expecting something.
"Bits and pieces."
"Oh yeah?"
"It's like there a mental block on me, I barely even remembered my own name when I woke up."
"Amnesia's a bitch, huh?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Sure is."
"I just can't believe that we were fighting each other this whole time." And then we returned to silence. I watched the sun crawl across the sky towards its slow, and foreboding horizon. The sky was now orange, as the sun's light weakened.
"Sinclare!"
I saw Torkoal rushing from the bushes, with more and more smoke exiting his nostrils. "I remembered!" He shouted with glee. "I remembered!"
"Woah, take it easy there old-timer." I said.
"Theres a pattern!"
"A pattern?" Grovyle and I asked simultaneously.
"Yes it's a strange pattern, the likes of which you would rarely see." I pondered this. My mind searched itself. It delved deep within its recesses and beyond. I felt I knew this! I know I did! I uttered a loud breath. And then it hit me...
"Alana's relic fragment..." I immediately set out in a mad dash towards the guild, with Grovyle close behind. "Grovyle, wait for me at the cross roads alright?"
"Sure." He replied. It all passed in blur, my mind raced. This wouldn't end well...f I stood on the grate, then came a loud.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"
"Who's footprint? Who's footprint?"
"The footprint is... gulp Sinclare's... The footprint is Sinclare's..."
The gate didn't open like normal. What's going on? I asked. They aren't scared of me. And slowly, the gate creaked open, I entered and slid down the ladder to the first floor. Vincent was waiting for me at the bottom. "Hey, you finally come to your senses, huh?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah, something like that." I muttered. "Where Alana?"
"Downstairs, her and Lina have been missing you something fierce." I slid down the ladder, It's been a while since I had seen this. They all stood with scowls on their faces.
I gulped, "Officer Magnezone will be here soon." I turned to Vincent.
His face was an unhappy one.
"Shit!" I barked as I readied myself. My friend, my best friend, had betrayed me... I felt so angry, the same level of anger that I felt when I first arrived in this world.
"Stand down, Sinclare." Hannah said.
"Please, Sinclare stop!" Alana cried.
"What did you tell them?" I asked Vincent.
"The truth."
"Did you mention the bleak hopeless future? Dusknoir being evil and kidnapping us?" I felt the rage grow within me.
"We fell in Sinclare!"
"Tch... I never figured you, my best friend, out of a the Pokemon to be so naïve!" I zoomed to Alana. I grabbed the Vulpix around her stomach and waist. I frantically searched her body, (no not to be pervy, you weirdoes.)
"What are you doing?!" The Vulpix cried out. I felt a lump.
"Get off of her!"
"Found it!" I pulled Alana's relic fragments from the fluff of her tail.
"Sinclare give it back!" Alana shouted as I blocked Mary's strike. I quickly placed the stone within my satchel, and formed an aura sphere at the tip of my paw. My eyes flared with anger as I struck Mary, sending her flying.
"Fuck my life... It seems getting out of here isn't going to be easy..." My palms itched. This wasn't what I wanted, but due to the circumstances I didn't have a choice. Gena (the Gengar) came next. I blocked her strike as my eyes wandered to other places. Mostly faces in the crowd watching us. Pandora looked saddened, Vertigo and Nano shared the same grimace. Most likely they were ashamed of me. I had saved them, and now this is what I've become. You know what? Fuck what they think! I'm saving everyone. And they are not going to stop me!
"Ice punch!" I shouted. No contact. Stupid ghost Pokemon being immune to physical attacks. She struck at me. My arms burn with pain as I looked around for a way to escape. "Fuck I don't have time for this." I shouted as I continued to dodge.
"Bone Rush!" It connected, I cried out in agony. My throat was smacked with great force, muffling my cries. I could barely breath.
"It's my turn." Bidoof stepped forward.
"Water Pulse!" So it came, with a raised hand I absorbed it. My hand was ensconced with the fluctuating, translucent orb. Its continuously danced out of shape and free. "Hyper fang!" He came quick, teeth glowing with power, ready to bite. I flicked my leg, connecting with the underside of his jaw. "Darn you..." He muttered.
"Shut up." I said cold and uncaring, kicking him to the side. I heaved a bit, trying to regain my breath. I noticed a familiar purple glow. Here it comes... I thought raising my head. Croagunk.
"Poison Jab!" An air strike! I BARELY was able to side step the attack. My body reacted on it's own. I grabbed Croagunk's arm with outstanding force, and I slammed him hard into the ground. I whipped my gaze around to Sunflora and pointed to my hand as a gun. I commanded it to fire. The water bolted to life so fast.I think it may have broke the sound barrier. It cracked loudly leaving at a breakneck pace. Sunflora screamed in terror, but Loudred took the blow. I was surprised. I didn't think he cared that much for her.
"Stop this now!" Hannah shouted, knocking me onto the ground. The relic fragment escaped my grasp, tumbling to the guild-masters feet, revealing itself. I pushed against Hannah, but she was too heavy. Maybe she should lay of the sweets for a while. "Stop, please just stop! I love you and I don't want to hurt you."
"That pattern..." I heard him mutter. "The Brine Cave..."
"Brine cave!" I mentally shouted at myself to remember. I rolled from the position I was in and snatched back the relic fragment, simultaneously dodging a Wing Attack from Chatot. I backed away, I was trapped between the rooms and the entire guild. "Fuck."
"YOU BASTARD!" Mary clapped her hands together. Fire was on her breath I could tell.
"Mary, no! Not here!"
"Fire Blast!" And so came the sway. I looked to Alana and mouthed the words, I'm so sorry. I dug into the ground swimming through the cold earth and up. My arm broke through to the surface, I breathed fresh air once again as I pulled myself up. My thoughts were clouded, and I had to run fast.
"Grovyle!" I choked out, clutching my burning throat. I stumbled down the steps. I was having a hard time breathing. He emerged from the bushes, standing prepared, and ready.
I fell to my knees. "Dammit... I got it! We need to go now!" My breathing felt short, I was barely able to maintain consciousness as it was.
"Get back here!" I heard Mary's shout, echo. She was climbing up.
"Get on my back, quickly!" Grovyle shouted. With the strength I had left, I did so. My arms clutched around his torso. Then, he took off at full speed. I fished in my bag for an oran berry, I kept freaking pulling out time gears. I only had fucking three of them. Arceus Dammit! How the freaking hard is it to find one it this damn bag? I pulled my full hand from the bag. Finally it was an oran berry. I popped the whole thing into my mouth, and began to chew. I felt the pain in my arms and throat begin to wain.
My breathing gradually became easier. "Where are we going?" he asked.
"The Brine Cave. You know where that is?"
"I do, actually." He replied. "I've past it a couple of times."
"Not so fast!"
Grovyle skidded to a stop, and I jumped from his back. And a darkened figure jumped from the trees, we readied ourselves. "You are not getting away."
"You don't understand! We are not the bad guys here." Grovyle shouted at her.
"I beg to differ." Gena came from the bushes behind us, and Hannah from the right. They ambushed us.
"Hannah, put aside your feelings for him." Gena said in a heartless, uncaring tone.
"But-"
"But, nothing!" Mary shouted. "Chatot said, whom ever apprehends and brings them back, they get handsomely rewarded."
"Besides Hannah," Gena closed her red eyes. "He's a traitor. He's not worth your time, or your love."
I watched and listened as they continued to try and sway her to hurt me. "Grovyle," I whispered.
"Yeah?"
"We are going to have to fight. There's no way around that. Just... try to not get hit by Gena's ice or fire punch. And Mary knows Fire Blast so you want to be wary of that." I explained.
Grovyle heard me loud and clear, giving me, in return, a confident got it. "Let's go!" I barked, charging at Mary with an Aura Sphere in hand. I quickly thrust my arm forward. She blocked with her bone.
"Why don't you understand?" I ask with a growl. I retracted, and conjured a storm of blistering cold.
"What's there to understand?" She asked, growling as well.
"I-No WE-are trying to save everyone from the dismal fate that awaits us all! What Vincent told you was lies created from his own delusion. If you would just listen to what I have to say; I can make you understand why I am doing this!" I shouted, I thrust my fist again. Mary dodged diligently with a sneer on her face.
"I'm sure your lie is well thought out." She said.
"How the fuck can you say that?!" My anger flared. "Right, infront of you I was grabbed and used as a living weapon against Gena. It's like you didn't see anything at all. He even fucking said, "you're coming with me". It's like..." I gazed into Mary's eyes. They were duller than usual. "You're all under hypnosis..." I muttered to myself. "That bastard, it explains everything."
"Come on now, little traitor. Are you going to stand there and sulk? Or are we going to fight?" She asked.
"Grovyle, we don't have time for this." I said, turning my back to Mary.
"Are you running away?" She asked menacingly.
"I've never known you to runaway from a fight, Sinclare."
"I'm not." I respond.
"Well, what do you call this?" She asked, trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to get to me. I could feel the anger building within me.
"Did I touch a nerve?" She asked innocently.
"I'm done with you." I responded, walking away. "Grovyle, are you done yet?"
"I've been done." He replied. "The I beat down the Absol, but the when the Gengar touched me, she said something about, I remember and partner."
"Its a shame they wouldn't listen. Not that they could."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I'll explain on the way come on!" We rushed past Mary. She couldn't block the both of us.
"You coward!" She shouted and then came the crackling, hiss of a fire blast. Grovyle and I stopped and looked back at the rushing blaze.
"I got this." I said stepping forward, with my hand raised. My eyes became glazed over with murderous intent, and bloodlust. I practically emitted it from my body. I absorbed it, and sent it back. Mary screamed at the sudden and powerful explosion as it hit her.
"Why did you do that?" Grovyle asked horrified.
"She would have done the same to us." I reasoned. "After all she is the enemy now. Isn't that right?"
"I suppose." He said unsure.
"Now let's go."
"I you weren't like this before, Sinclair."
"We don't have time, Grovyle now let's go." We took off. The Brine Cave was our next stop, but the Temperal tower was our destination.
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