/Chapter 15, huh? Feels like I've been working on this story for years, when it's really only been a couple of months. Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you, and goodbye.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The story and characters all belong to me, excluding those I have already stated in past chapters, such as Sage (Aesthetic-maker on DeviantArt) and the Infected (StarlightNexus-chan on DeviantArt).
The next day or so had put quite a strain on Kira, as well as Duke, Sage, Chatot, and Jamie. Upon arrival, Kira had to be patched up and checked on by Audino, who had arrived earlier that day. Afterwards, Sage had taken them to the beach where they met with Jamie, as well as Harold, who had to take them all the way across the ocean and to Dark Crater Island. Kira wouldn't call it lucky or quick, but it had all happened in just about twenty-four hours or so. Well, at least they were getting the chance to relax now. The island, according to Duke, wasn't all that far away now. It would only take them a couple of hours to finally arrive and start their battle against the final Guardian.
Kira sighed lightly to herself as she felt the water of the ocean splash against her. It wasn't that it was cold, but that it was just a minor annoyance. She knew she should have been used to it by now, but she still didn't like the feeling it gave her. Adding insult to injury, she was the only one riding Jamie. The others were all on Harold, happily avoiding the spray of the sea while she and Jamie had to feel it nonstop. Well, they didn't have long until they were at the island. Those bits of excitement washed away everything else, filling her with hope and joy. The end of the road was coming up, and they all knew that it would be the hardest of them all.
"So, what are you going to do after this?" Jamie asked Kira, trying to make a bit of conversation since not much had really been said between the two. "I know you're going to return home, but don't you have to defeat Kyofu to go back? And what about Arceus? Didn't you say he was in your way as well?"
"I did, but I don't want to think about him right now," Kira mumbled, looking at her hands as Flames slowly radiated from them. She lowered them quickly, looking back to the water to ignore them. "After what happened to my friends, I just want to focus on getting the last Promise and returning home. Those two can come later in the plan, but not right now. They aren't important to me."
Jamie nodded lightly before smiling faintly. "You know, I never really would have expected this if it weren't for the fact that you shouted out what your true goal was," Jamie told her. "Word spread fast, and yet no one really wanted to mess with you after it. I guess that's good, though. Now you're on your way home and you don't really have to worry about someone getting in your way. You have so many people behind you, ready to support you in this final battle against the Gods! I've even heard of some formerly Infected Pokémon forcing their way to follow in your footsteps. You've been a big inspiration, Kira. Every footstep of yours is being watched and followed by those you saved."
"Thanks, but it doesn't matter." Kira slowly stood, now balancing on Jamie's shell. "I may be an inspiration, but they shouldn't follow my footsteps. All I've ever found is trouble in this world, and I know that better than anyone. I've killed too many Pokémon, spilt too much blood, caused too much damage." She was silent before she lowered her head. "I don't deserve what I have. I just deserve pain and suffering."
"What do you think has been going on for the past couple of months?" Jamie asked her with a sigh. "Just because you think it isn't happening doesn't mean it isn't, Kira. For years now, this world has been suffering because of the rise of the Infected. You think you aren't suffering, but many of us are, and you can't lie that you aren't. You lost your friends, I know that, but you can't let that hold you back. You don't need them for everything, Kira. You're powerful on your own, I'm sure of that much. Please, just try and think about the positive side for even a moment. You're close to home. It's the final stretch, Kira."
Kira nodded silently before she sat back down. She remained silent until the waves around them began to grow rough. Turning her head, she could see movement from up ahead. Dark shapes with red auras were moving closer to them at an extraordinary pace. Kira said nothing as she stood, watching as they moved closer.
Right before they arrived, a wave of water shot up in front of them, slamming into Jamie and Harold and knocking all of them back. Luckily, Kira managed to stay on Jamie while Sage had managed to stay on Harold. Chatot and Duke had taken to the sky during the attack, watching the water as the Pokémon began to slow.
Kira felt that something was about to come, and she knew she was right as a Pokémon suddenly shot up from the ocean. The beast was primarily blue, but there were lines of red running along it while spots of white were placed along its body. The beast looked like a whale, but its fins and tail kind of made it look a bit... off.
"That beast is Kyogre, King of the Sea and Rain!" Duke screeched from above. "I don't know much on it, but this behavior from it sure isn't friendly whatsoever! We have to get out of here before it targets us! We can't take it out in the ocean! We'll get obliterated and crushed by it and the Infected."
Kira didn't so much as flinch before she took off from Jamie's back. Her encounter with Kyurem had been even worse than this, and she knew that they had no other way to get past. Her eyes met its before she began back towards it. That golden glint within them reminded her of Gengar, as well as Arceus and Kyofu for some reason. She didn't let it bother her as power coursed through her. She turned, slamming her tail into its head first, only to then be sent flying as it flung its head up.
Shock filled her as she felt something slam into her side, knocking her well off course and into the water. Resurfacing, a bright yellow light flashed in front of her before the sea began to rise. She felt herself get carried out of the water, looking down as humongous shards of rocks began to rise. They continued to rise until about a hundred or so were now above the ocean, surrounding the beast.
"I haven't used this attack in forever, so sorry if I'm a bit rusty," Sage chuckled, standing on one of the rocks with a blazing yellow aura around him. "Still, thank you for allowing me to try this attack out once more. Aaron wasn't joking when he said it was fun." He chuckled lightly before jumping off, moving his hand out and flinging them all at Kyogre. "Splintered Stormshards!"
Kira yipped loudly and jumped from them, landing on yet another only to jump off as they each slammed into Kyogre with a force she could barely compare anything to. Within moments, though, the attack had finally ended, and Kira found herself landing on Harold's back in the aftermath. By the time she had stood, all signs of a battle had fully disappeared, apart from Sage's exhausted panting and the bits of rocks still floating in the waves.
"I get the feeling that you just obliterated every single Pokémon within a mile of us," Harold called out, his voice deep and heavy. "That's the Sage I know and love, but why did you use your special attack? I thought you would save it for the fight against that Guardian you told me about."
"It's not like it matters," Sage responded. "My energy should return in a couple of minutes, and that's exactly how long it'll take to get to the island. Besides, I haven't felt the rush of that energy in a while, so it was kind of best if I did it before finding out I'm unable to control. Let's also add I really don't want to get hit by an Origin Pulse. I heard it really hurts nowadays."
"Doesn't matter now that its gone," Duke called out from above, his wings flapping heavily as water dripped down. He slowly came back down, Chatot landing beside him. "Anyways, we could see the island from above. According to my guess, about ten or so minutes until we're able to dock and get off." He then looked down to Jamie. "Can we trust you to stay on standby, Jamie? You'll be our escape Pokémon in case something goes wrong."
"You got it," Jamie said, keeping up properly now that she didn't have any passengers aboard. "But first, I gotta ask why you needed me when you have Harold? He's a lot larger than me, and he can definitely swim faster as well. I'm just a Pokémon who takes Pokémon between islands."
"That's why we need you in the first place," Chatot squawked. "Your mother was one of the bravest Pokémon I ever knew, and I'm sure her genetics moved on to you as well. Plus, you know Freeze Dry, don't you? Well, that's kind of why we need you. It'll help us in case any water-types try to chase us."
"Thanks for reminding me my father was an extinct animal a couple of years ago," Jamie mumbled under voice, only just barely allowing it to be caught by them. "But I guess that is kind of a good reason." She sighed lightly before she then noticed land. "Land approaching, guys. Our mission is about to be underway and into its final phases."
Within a couple of moments, both Jamie and Harold had stopped near the island. Neither of them could get close enough, so it was up to Kira and the others to get onto the island, which they did without too much trouble. The island itself wasn't too bad, but it was also extremely hot and the ground felt like ash, even moving under their feet at every step.
Kira felt it at every step, and it kind of disturbed her to no end. She could tell that Sage felt the same way, but he managed to walk without much struggle. It took her a moment, but she eventually managed to get used to it and chased after him to the entrance of what seemed to be some sort of cave. It didn't look very deep, but an echo from within told her it was very deep indeed.
"Dark Crater," Sage mumbled to her, stepping just over what seemed to be a line in the ash. "I haven't been here to fight in over twenty years. To think that the last fight of our journey will be taking place here after all that's happened." He sighed lightly before turning to them. "Let's hope this final guy isn't as smart as Gengar was. This'll be a hell of a ride if it is."
Kira nodded in response, shaking her head as she pushed her way through the ash and into the cave. She continued to walk on ash for only a few feet, but then the ground once again became solid. She didn't let this bother her as she began to run. Footsteps and the beating of wings echoed behind her, but she didn't care as she ran through the cave. The fain sounds of Pokémon began to echo around her, but she ignored them, pushing her way through the sounds and even deeper into the Earth.
Kira continued to run until the heat finally started to get to her. She began to slow, her heart pounding heavily in her chest as she tried to keep her head cold. Her typing sure didn't help in this situation, but she was sure it was only because of the environment. Before long, Sage and the others managed to catch up to her, panting heavily as they had faced many Pokémon while also chasing her all the way down here.
"Don't just run ahead!" Sage growled at her, taking off his pack and setting it on the ground. "Take off your bags, guys. I put something called the Ice Band inside of them. They'll help to keep us cool in this environment." He then pulled out a band that was light blue in color, pulling it over his arm until it was at his shoulder. "This is the band. It'll tighten or expand to fit you, like practically literally everything else."
The others nodded and followed his example. Kira placed it on her arm, right between her shoulder and wrist so it didn't cause her any trouble, while Duke and Chatot both set it on their legs, allowing it to tighten so it wouldn't fall. As soon as they were on, the air cooled quickly, giving them a chance to catch their breaths and focus on more than just the insane amounts of magma now... pouring... from... the walls.
"Is it just me or is that magma moving at us?" Kira whimpered, suddenly becoming tame and scared. Her personality had swapped so fast it was like a switch had been flicked within her head. "Wh-what are we going to do? S-Sage is the only one who probably won't die upon touching it! What are we going to do?!"
"Shut up and focus," Sage mumbled to her, his claws glowing as the magma began to take shape. "These are a Pokémon known as Slugma. They're practically made of lava, but they won't burn us with these bands on. All we have to do is avoid their fire attacks and we'll be fine. Then we can just grab out bags and-" He turned and looked at their bags, but they were now being burnt to a crisp, likely because of the fact there were Slugma all over them. "Are you shitting me?" he snarled. "Well that's just fucking great! How about I kill all you bastards instead of actually giving a shit about the experience?"
The Slugma really didn't seem to care as they moved closer yet. About twenty of them had formed before Sage even lashed out. Almost instantly, all of them were sent scurrying back to the walls, and any that were knocked out or had remained had been sent scrambling by Duke and Chatot. Even then, Kira seemed to be terrified of nothing, as though the switch was still flipped.
"You know, I've never seen her so panicked or worried about something," Duke mumbled to Sage when they resumed their walk. "Just moments ago she was acting like a full grown adult. Now she's acting like a little child who's in a thunderstorm. You don't think maybe losing Leaf and Ragnarök are causing her to switch between personalities, do you?"
"Even if they are, I prefer this to her usual personality," Sage responded, rubbing his wrist since it kind of burned. "I mean, I miss her being normal and all, but this personality is better than her wanting to rush ahead." He turned to look back at her. She was never exiting about ten inches away from him, and when she did, she would rush closer. "Yeah. I think this is better since we don't have to worry about losing her any longer."
Kira whimpered lightly as he finally stopped speaking, only to shake her head as something within her cracked. She stood to her full height, stopping and looking around for a moment before she stepped towards a wall. She failed to notice Sage and the others going ahead without her, likely since they didn't notice that she had stopped.
Slowly, Kira raised a hand to the wall. The spot she felt was soft, unlike what she would have expected. It felt surprisingly cold, but there was something about it that was oddly familiar. As though it was meant to be, the wall slowly slid open, revealing a secret passage hidden behind it. Sure, it felt cliché and all, but she felt it was more than what was normal for this place. And yet she still stepped into the wall, freezing as she was then encased in darkness.
"Umm... Hello?" Kira whimpered lightly, holding her hands together as she began to walk forward. Her heart thumped with every step, but at least nothing was coming out to attack her. "Is there... Is anyone there? P-please? I don't think I'm supposed to be here."
"Hmm... A kid, huh?" a deep voice mumbled from somewhere around her. "Take two steps forwards, child." Kira obeyed, taking two steps forward, then stopping. "My name... They call me Aggron, the Pokémon you are usually around. But, please, call me Kiso. It was my given name, and I prefer it, over Guardian."
Light suddenly burst into the room, revealing the giant Pokémon to Kira's eyes. The Pokémon wasn't much differed from Kiminari, but it did seem a lot bigger than him. He also seemed a lot nicer, as he was just standing on the opposite side of the room. She continued to watch him curiously, up until he walked over to her, looking down upon her with a faint smile.
"It's been a while since I've seen a Pokémon like you, but I don't really care about that," Kiso told her. He then poked her nose, filling her with curiosity. "I see that you are not in your proper mind. Please, take a seat and I'll get you some tea. Your friends will... they'll arrive shortly, I believe. They went on to the deeper parts of the cave to find me. At least you found my secret entrance first. I've been... I've always wanted to meet you, even before I heard of what damages you could cause with your friends."
Kira nodded lightly and took a seat as he walked over to where he had come from. In the mere moments between the light and now, a table had appeared with practically everything that was needed for tea. Kiso didn't even have to prepare it as he carried the table over, snapping the legs and setting it down so Kira wouldn't have to stand. He then sat down as well, crossing his legs before pouring them the drinks.
"This island is very well known for being a volcano, but the water here is as pure as the finest drink imaginable," Kiso explained to her, setting some leaves within the water. "For such a barren rock, the plants here are quite plentiful as well. I've lived for a couple of years now, ever since... ever since Darkrai disappeared, I would believe. But now is as great as a time for the harvest. I've been wanting to share, but the Pokémon in the dungeon are... Let's just say that they don't like tea, or visitors like me."
Kira nodded lightly before she reached forward, taking the cup and drinking from it quickly. The tea wasn't hot, nor was it cold, which surprised her. It actually tasted perfect. It was sweet, but it was so good that everything bad was immediately knocked out of the way. Heck, even Kiso seemed to enjoy the fact that she had enjoyed it. Upon finishing the cup, though, yet another switch flipped within her mind. She tensed up for a moment before the memories came rushing back to her. She hurriedly raised her head to Kiso, but didn't panic.
"You know, I would have never expected a Guardian to be nice, for once," Kira mumbled loudly, setting the cup down and glancing at him lightly. "I... actually feel in control of myself for once. All those voices rushing through my head... They're all gone now. What... What was in those leaves, Mr. Kiso? Why do I feel... normal?"
"Because they're called Harmony Leaves," Kiso chuckled. "They grow in places where mythical events have happened, and they're amazing at healing as well, especially of the mind and body. Now, eating them raw is definitely not on my to-do list, but drinking them with tea, or even any sort of warm beverage does have its benefits on the body. Such things include you gaining control. And that also means we can... talk about what you're going to do to get the Promise from me."
"Do I really have to fight even more for my way home?" Kira groaned loudly as she leaned close to him. "Listen, Kiso. I've been battling for my home for months now. I killed a bird, and I likely put a ghost in a hospital, which shouldn't be possible in this world. I don't want to fight any longer for my path. It makes me sick just to say or think about it."
Kiso nodded lightly, moving closer to pour her more tea. "I heard about what happened at Gengar's place earlier yesterday," Kiso told her. "I know you aren't properly healed up; I can see it in your eyes and on your body after all. So, instead of fighting, there's a little… errand... I need you to run for me. You see, deep in this cavern, probably a mile or two lower than the lowest point, there's a Pokémon known as Groudon. This Pokémon holds something that I want called the Terra Crystal. It's supposed to make recruiting ground Pokémon easier, and that would allow me to make this island a lot more habitable for Pokémon who want to visit. It would also help with gardening and defending a special... item... we have hidden in the deepest layers."
"You mean the Time Gear, don't you?" Sage's voice echoed upon the rocks as the roof from behind Kiso caved in. "Yeah, we found it before realizing that Kira had gone missing. Luckily, I know my way around these caves better than anyone, so I just dug around and eventually found you." Sage growled, lifting his claws and showing that they were covered in dirt. "You made me get my paws dirty, Aggron, so just hand over the Promise before I kick your ass, as well as Kira's for not saying anything."
"Calm down, Sage," Duke squawked as he came from the ceiling, following after Chatot. "If he was any threat, he'd have attacked Kira well and long ago. For now, I just say we trust him and listen to his explanation for whatever the hell is going on here." Duke then looked at Kiso, growling. "Tell me, Aggron. Why are you talking to Kira like you aren't a Guardian? Why aren't you surrounded by Fear?"
"Because he's no longer under Kyofu's influence," Kira said, quickly standing and setting her cup down. "You see, I didn't tell you, but he talked to me on my way to Gengar's. He said he would free them, tell them to give up their Promises when I got their. But Gengar didn't listen, and I had to fight back. But Kiso just wants an item. I don't think we'll have much of a problem defeating Groudon, right? It shouldn't be much harder than Kyogre or Kyurem, right?"
"I... You're right when you say that he's not much stronger, but there's also a certain item that we found in the cave," Kiso said, then raising his hands as Sage growled. "Listen: I'm on your side here. I don't want trouble. I just want an item, and I just want to share my tea. You take him out, I get my item, Kira gets her Promise, everyone goes home happy. You know that, Sage. You know what was written on those walls was a lie. You wrote them, after all. You took an old prophecy, and rewrote it. You fooled many Pokémon, Sage, but you can't fool me. The world will live, even when Kira goes home. And if she doesn't, then that's her choice. In the end, it'll all be fine, so long as you do what I want. Please, Sage, I just want my Terra Crystal. After this, you can continue on your quest to destroy Arceus, and Kira can go after Kyofu. I don't care, so long as I get my item."
Sage was silent for a moment before lowering his claws. "You saw through my façade that easily?" he growled. "I can't believe you knew what I wrote was a lie. How do I know you aren't still Infected with that pathetic Fear? How do I know you aren't lying, and that you won't just abandon us to this beast? How can I trust a being like you?"
"Would you like some tea?" Kiso asked, lowering his hands. "I understand that you're upset, and my tea has some properties that help with stress and can heal the soul and mind. Would you like a cup? I'm sure Kira can agree with me that it isn't poisoned. Please, friends? Just one cup and I promise you'll feel better. And then I'm sure I can answer your questions properly without much risk of... blood on the floor. It's hard to clean here."
Sage was silent before he growled and turned away, stepping away from Kiso before crossing his arms. "You better hurry and get tea if you want it. In three minutes we'll go wherever the fuck Groudon is and take it out. I don't want to spill unneeded blood when the anniversary is as close as it is; that would just be annoying."
Kiso smiled faintly and handed them each a cup of tea. Once he had, he set everything down and looked over at Sage. "You mean the anniversary for when Darkrai was defeated, right? Or is there something special that I don't know about going on? I thought I was quite knowledgeable about the mainland, but you've gotten my interest."
"It's nothing special when you consider that me and Harold have been together for fifteen years and it has almost been a full year since Kira came to the Pokémon world," Sage mumbled under his breath. "Just a bit of a friendship festival and whatnot. It's nothing important to you."
"You're right when you say it's nothing important to me, but you say it like you really care about it," Kiso responded as he walked over, placing a hand upon Sage's shoulder. "I have an idea to make that anniversary sound fun. Maybe... Maybe I can help you make it like a party or something. Or maybe some sort of tournament for you, Sage. I've heard you really like to battle, especially from my niece. She's had her eyes on you for... a couple of years now."
Sage fell silent before he suddenly disappeared, dust appearing where he had been only moments before. Kiso sighed lightly and walked over to the others, who were now finishing their tea; he sat nearby and poured himself a cup. At least no one was fighting... yet.
Kiso remained silent until he noticed Kira holding her head. He stood and walked over, handing her a leaf. "Keep this on you at all times, okay? It may not be as strong when you're holding it, but it'll keep the headaches down to a minimum so long as you hold it." He then noticed the band on her arm, sighing lightly. "Maybe you can hide it under that arm band of yours. Then maybe you can head after Groudon. I think Sage might already be on his way."
Kira nodded and took the leaf, hiding it under the band quickly. Upon contact with the band, a feeling of warmth washed over Kira, easing her troubled mind and allowing her full control over her own thoughts. Sure, she may have been able to think properly, but she was getting distracted by the screams of hundreds of people at once. It was something straight out of a horror film, but at least the leaf helped to shut them out. Actually, now that she was thinking about it, why was it something so similar to her that was helping to ease her troubled mind? Why not something like a flower or feather or something? Well, it was probably better not to question it; her head still hurt after all that screaming.
Slowly, Kira began to walk away from the Aggron, leaving Duke and Chatot to themselves as she followed after Sage. Upon hitting where he had disappeared from, the world around her suddenly changed. She found herself in a clearing, bright flowers surrounding her on all sides. They were golden, and yet the only ones she recognized were the black ones she had seen from when Necrozma was alive. He was dead now, right? Was that why this field was so bright?
She lowered her head and continued to walk. The flowers would brush against her, and yet she could tell that they weren't real. As much as she wanted them to be - to know that Necrozma was still there and waiting for her - she knew that neither would ever be again. Her mind grew fuzzy for a moment before she froze, raising her head to two familiar Pokémon: Kyofu and Arceus.
Kyofu's eyes were a golden tint, something she had seen in Gengar, as well as Kyogre for only a split second. Her eyes then landed on Arceus, knowing that this was all his doing. As Kyofu had told her before, it was all because Arceus was pulling the strings.
She pushed past them, ignoring their voices as they tried to shout after her. Her fist was clenched as she pushed on, her heart pounding in her chest as she then began to run. She ran and ran until nothing remained. The ground had once become rock, and nothing was the same. She knew where she was; she could hear Sage's mumbling after all, but this area was in no way familiar.
Kira shook her head and raised it, then noticing Sage as he grabbed some sort of green gear from a large rock. Upon pulling it out, everything grew dark and still, filling her with an odd chill. She quickly shook it off as he shattered it, a roar following behind as everything began to move and brighten once more.
"Arise, King of Land," Sage mumbled under his breath. "Arise in your full power and give us an actual fight, would you? Give me a reason to keep on trying to fight and live!"
As his cry reached the roof, the magma around them slowly began to rise, as did the earth. Within mere moments, the ground had become even, except for a large boulder across the arena from them. An odd symbol upon the rock slowly began to glow as the rock then began to shatter. Kira stepped closer just as it was flung at them. Her vines suddenly shot forward, slamming into the shards and turning them to dust only moments before they reached her or Sage.
"That was... an interesting attack," Kira whispered, her voice calm as steam came from her mouth. She slowly moved into a battle position as an enormous beast appeared from the dust. "That thing is Groudon, right? It better put up a fight. At least it looks like it can."
The Pokémon itself was nothing impressive, but it was nearly double the size of the rock that had been shattered. Its red and brown scales were lined by yellow markings, which reminded her of the symbol for Omega. Apart from that, it just reminded her of a giant dragon. The fact that she was even remaining calm was a shocker, but there was no point in thinking about it. This was a battle that would likely be... harsh.
The beast's eyes landed upon them within moments. Those black and brown orbs reminded Kira of something, but it was too foggy for her to recall at a time like this. Shaking her head, she dashed forward just as the ground beneath her rocketed up to the ceiling. Sage had done something similar, but he was running across the roof, his paws and claws glowing as he rushed at Groudon.
Within the moment, both of them were upon Groudon, but they were quickly knocked back as magma suddenly shot up and became rock instantly. Kira and Sage had both hit it hard enough to knock it back into Groudon, but it had done more damage as it smashed the rock and forced them away with the shards, much like it had the first attack, although this one actually worked.
"How sad, though," Sage mumbled as he shattered, reforming on top of Groudon's back. "You seem to know a lot about my strategies, Groudon. I'm surprised you missed me using Double Team, but I shouldn't be either. Oh well. Prepare for your defeat, fool." His claws suddenly grew before he jumped, turning and slashing them fast enough to cause and afterimage that seemed to hit at well. Sage eventually hit the roof, then kicking off as the roof caved in, slamming into Groudon. "Wow. I take back what I said," Sage mumbled as he landed beside Kira, who had finally stood. "You okay, kid?"
"I'm fine, but I can't say the same for my band," Kira mumbled, sliding it off and looking at the torn material. The leaf had also been shredded to bits, but she wasn't hearing anything any longer. Why was that? Emotions suddenly returned and she collapsed, clutching her head and groaning loudly. "Oww. Why do headaches have to hurt so bad?"
"Because what you had was called a Harmony Leaf," Sage told her, rocks suddenly rocketing up in front of them, likely blocking an attack. "They shove down any emotion that can get in the way of battle. While this is often a useful tactic, it also takes away reasoning and focus, lowering your maneuverability and all that junk. It basically just gets in the way of everything. You were fine from the beginning, Kira. He was manipulating you, and is likely manipulating Duke and Chatot now as well."
Kira nodded lightly before shaking her head clear and putting the band on once more. Without the leaf, she felt a lot better than she had originally thought she had been. As though she was back in full control, she quickly rushed to the side as the rock wall shattered. Groudon had finally come forward and crushed it himself, but at least Sage had also gotten out of the way.
Swiftly, she used the wall as a springboard and shot at Groudon. She turned and slammed her tail into, energy blazing through her as she was then slung back to the wall, once again using it as a spring board to throw herself to the sky. She continued to bounce around, using herself as a distraction as Sage did whatever he was doing.
Without hesitation, on the fifteenth or so jump, she flew at Groudon, slamming into him head on as Sage finally appeared, rocks around him and slamming into Groudon along with both of their attacks. Even then, the beast barely did so much as stumble back a couple of steps and roar loudly.
"This beast just won't go down!" Kira screeched, grunting as shards of rock cut at her body, some deep enough to somehow make her bleed. As she landed, she quickly dashed away, rocks slamming into the ground or rocketing up at every step. "What are we going to do about it? I can barely find enough room to get an attack in! It's impossible now!"
"Leave it to me, kid." Sage growled as he pulled two seeds from his fur. The first one he threw, which slammed into Groudon, exploding upon impact. Using the explosion as a distraction, Sage ate the second seed. His speed double instantly, making him a blur. "Blast and Quick Seed," he explained as he shot towards Groudon. "Hurry up, Kira. This seed won't last forever!"
As Sage lashed out and jumped away, Kira followed behind, her vines wrapping around Groudon's wrists and dragging her closer. When she was within a foot, energy tore through her body before she begun to spin. She felt herself hit something solid, which was followed by the loud roar of Groudon. White light filled her vision as she then slammed into the ground, almost knocking herself out upon impact.
Everything went silent before footsteps slowly sounded out around her. She had to force herself to her feet, black flowers forming within her vision and coating the floor around her. In fear, she lashed out, only to feel as something gripped her arm. She turned, the vision faltering as she realized it had been Sage who had stopped her mid-attack.
"There's nothing to worry about, Kira," Sage told her as he let her go, allowing her to once again land on the floor. "Anyways, I think I see some sort of crystal over when you knocked the beast back into the magma where it came from. That was... interesting... to say the least. I didn't like it whatsoever."
Kira nodded and followed over to where they crystal was lying. She grabbed it and picked it up, looking at the odd crystal with curious eyes. It looked something like a ruby, but it was so bright and shiny that she really couldn't think of it as such. As she was about to turn and ask Sage about it, it shattered and became a small ruby. A chain slowly formed, and, once it had fully finished, fell into Kira's hands.
"The Terra Crystal has found an owner," Sage mumbled under his breath when she looked at him. He turned away and crossed his arms. "Aggron wanted it to expand this island, but he knows it's impossible. It'll only answer to the Pokémon it chooses as its owner." He sighed and looked over at her. "Put it on and take off that band; we're going to see Aggron."
Kira nodded before sliding on the chain. It felt warm to the touch, and kind of reminded her of the black opal that Sage had crushed back when she had found Xatu and... defeated him. Shaking her head, she took off the band and chased after Sage. Without warning, they suddenly speared back in the den where Kiso had once been, but he was now gone, and in his place, a letter.
"Dear those who remain, Wow. I never thought I'd get to hear the raging cry of Groudon again, but you two fools really feel for it! With you gone, I have Duke and Chatot under my little claw. Both of their minds will be mine soon enough, but I'll give you the chance to get them back. I didn't go far, just South-east to Zero Isle North. If you can reach the bottom floor and beat me, I'll give them back. If you can't within two days, then they'll be my little puppets... forever. Now, let us see what you can do. Enjoy your time, freaks."
Sage was silent as he tore the sheet of paper apart, then letting it fall and become nothing but bits of ash. Once it had burned away, he clenched his fist and punched the wall. "God-fucking-damn it!" he screamed, blood seeping from his paw and dripping down the wall. "That bastard took our friend and the guildmaster's right-hand man! What the fuck?! Why didn't he just stay and fucking challenge us?!"
"Because he knew that we would all be able to kick his butt if we worked together," Kira responded, her head rushing with explanations for Kiso's betrayal. None of them seemed likely, apart from the fact that he had tricked them and was still a Guardian at the fullest. "We can't worry about why, though. All we need to worry about it chasing him down and taking our friends back. We can worry about the details later, and I can get my Promise then as well. As for this gem, why would he even ask for us to get it? Why not lie and send us on a fake mission?"
"He knew I was listening in on him when he was talking to you," Sage growled loudly, his voice echoing. "You didn't know, and I thought he didn't either. That beast is a lot smarter than I thought, but he's made a terrible mistake for heading to Zero Isle North." As though knowing Kira was about to question him, he brought out a large map. "We're here on this island," he told her, pointing to a volcanic island that was well away from Treasure Town. He then slid his claw to yet another island, but kept it a bit North. "This here is Zero Isle North. It won't be too much trouble to reach the bottom, especially with my skill. If he had gone to the southern isle, then I'm not exactly sure about our chances. But let's not worry, kay? We have an island to reach before time is up."
/I was not expecting to make that twist, nor was I planning on two legendary battles within the same chapter. Well, I write this on the fly with only one goal in mind: Make the Guardians different and get Kira somewhere in life. Anyways, twenty pages and it was intentional this time. If you enjoyed, remember to favorite or follow, or please leave a review. If you notice any mistakes, please inform me and I will try to fix them immediately. We're nearing the end of the Guardian Arc, people, so roll your sleeves up. Thank you, and goodbye.