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It's almost unbearably Meta.

Chapter 18: With Apologies to Silver

Vanna

So this was it. This… was Death.

I heard Amber begin to cry, and I pulled her close, also remaining as close as possible to Detective Jenny. Gardevoir and Medici put up Barriers before they could even be directed to. And Death laughed, a wretched laugh that sounded too much like a child playing with his favorite toy.

The Detective shot his gun directly at Death, not even bothering to talk first, but Death… he smacked the bullets aside. Or did she just stand there and let them go through her? I couldn't tell you which. I wanted my mother and father. And Bertrand. And Axel. And I wanted to know that I'd lived a good life, so I didn't have to be so damn afraid of Death, and I wanted it to stop finding this so DAMN FUNNY!

I do apologize if I sound like I'm making light of your plights, Death said, almost as if responding to my thoughts. But I can't help but find your reactions amusing. After all, I've never done anything to… most of you he chuckled. So why the looks of terror? It's almost as if you've never met anyone who's seen Death and live to tell the… oh wait. That's right. Again, my apologies. And he laughed.

"What do you want with us, you basket case?" Detective Jenny screamed over the howling winds, echoing almost perfectly Death's howling laughter.

I'm just worried that a local legend might fade out of existence, Death said, almost as if she was a concerned citizen doing the public a favor. There are so many reports these days about how 'Deathwing isn't real' and that 'there's no way Oakridge forest could support so colossal a Pokémon' and, that really gets me, you know? He nodded to himself, looking eerily like a bobbing Duskull behind her mask. I just want to make sure that the legend lives on… because it's a legend that people really should take heed of.

I heard Death speak something unintelligible and archaic, and an enormous shadow burst from the woods and into the sky, blotting out the moon with its incredibly prodigious girth. The Screech it let out tore through the air like a Sonicboom, blasting apart the trees around us that weren't behind the Barrier. It hovered behind Death, waiting for a command, each beating of its enormous wings sending shockwaves through the air.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" I heard Amber scream through sobs. "If you're going to do it, get on with it!"

Hush, little baby, Death crooned. I don't intend on letting something this momentous go as quickly as your friend Bertrand's death… I… oh, I'm sorry. I guess you didn't know about me searing the busybody's flesh from his bones, did you?

Something inside me broke. I charged out into the clearing, somehow making it by the Barriers that were meant to hold back anything. "You monster!" I yelled. "You sick, unforgivable, bastard! What do you want?"

Certainly not to be forgiven for anything Death spat. I just want to be remembered, forever, no matter what. Is that so much to ask?

"And this is how you want to be remembered?" I yelled, trying to appeal to any ounce of reason the psychopath had. "As some unstable, homicidal freak of nature?"

Death laughed again, and I felt fear unlike any I'd known before. "How eloquently you put things, miss. Did you think that would sway me at all? Perhaps appeal to my own pride in an attempt to spare you? Well, I must admit, it might have worked… He raised her hand in the air, readying its command to the looming Deathwing. But, my dear, that's exactly how I want to be remembered. Quite unfortunate for you, actually. Now… Deathwing…

"GO! FIRE BLAST, NOW!"

A stream of flame erupted from the forest, spiraling towards Death with spot-on precision. Death leapt from the top of the tree, narrowly escaping as the fir burst into flame. Landing on another treetop, Death shook his head, chuckling.

Always so rude Axel Death spat. And didn't I have Deathwing crush you earlier?

"I got better," Axel spat back, emerging from the forest covered in twigs, dirt… and blood. I started crying, but not out of fear. Somehow, for some crazy, unexplainable reason, I felt that everything was suddenly ok.

Death laughed again. Always so simple he said, almost approvingly. I have to say, Axel, I am glad you've finally set off on your journey. You really are the archetypal trainer of fiction, aren't you?

Axel failed trying to hide his confusion. "I… don't understand."

Just look at you! You're a young man in a visor and a jacket, travelling with a party of Pokémon consisting of one Starter from each type and a fourth, wild card one that is improbably strong. Add in travelling alongside a childhood friend and your compulsion to help people at every turn and you are the trainer that authors write about, that quintessential trainer of Pokémon Adventure fiction that our generation loves so much, aren't you? Well, except for one thing.

Death raised his arm into the air, and I knew what he was about to say before he even opened her mouth. What you lack, Axel… is a rival. And since I can't help but insert myself into this amusing tale, consider the position filled. He let out a whistle, and Deathwing swooped down from the shadows, landing in the clearing with a large tremor. The reports had been right… it wasn't a Dragon, but an enormous Skarmory, taller than most of the towering oaks, with impossibly sharp wings.

"Medici, return," Axel said suddenly.

"You're kidding, right?" Medici yelled, breaking his Barrier out of sheer disbelief. "You honestly think I'll…"

"Yeah. I do," Axel said firmly, holding Medici's Pokéball out. "Return."

Medici trembled, literally biting his tongue to keep from yelling. With an angry 'FINE!' he suddenly condensed into red light, seeping into the Pokéball. Axel minimized it, placing it on his belt.

Not going to put the Treecko away too? Death queried.

"I can trust him," Axel said simply, slowly turning his visor around his head until it faced backwards.

Well then, let our first battle commence, Mr. Jackson. And don't worry, I won't blame you for cheating, Death said, turning around. Before any of us could stop him, he teleported away, but not before uttering one last command to the enormous beast:

Kill.

Axel turned a shade of white pale as I'd ever seen, and before Deathwing had even made a move, I heard him yell out commands.

"Inigo! Qwill! Shelligan! Aerial tactics, now!"

It was unlike anything I'd seen before. Qwill immediately ran forward, Head butting Inigo into the air, only to be lashed on by Inigo's whips and tossed forward towards the monstrosity. Shelligan spun, twice as fast as I'd ever seen, clouds soon forming above, aided by the already stormy weather.

"Vanna!" Axel barked. "Get behind the Barrier, now! It will come for you! Amber!"

"What is it?" Amber yelled quickly, wincing as a Steel Wing nearly lopped Axel's head off.

"Run back to camp and look in my backpack!" Axel yelled, rolling to the side and throwing a stone at the rampaging bird to draw its attention. "There should be a black and gold gauntlet somewhere in there, I need you to bring it here!"

"IS THIS REALLY THE BEST TIME TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE WEARING?"

"JUST DO IT!" Axel yelled. "TRUST ME!"

As hectic as things were, they locked eyes for the briefest of moments, and Amber, nodding firmly, dove into the forest without hesitation. Detective Jenny began to follow him, but Axel stopped him.

"I need you here, Detective," Axel said, diving headlong to avoid a deadly Fury Attack. "One, I need someone to protect everyone if I don't make it, and two, what I'm about to do isn't exactly legal." He yelled out to Inigo, whose blades met the goliath's Steel Wing with equal sharpness. "Wouldn't want to miss your chance to arrest me, now would you?"

Amber

The forest has become a wreck. Even as I'm climbing over the trunks of downed trees, more are falling. It's like that things very presence is a destructive enough force to uproot years of growth and building.

I don't have the time to think about that, though. Axel needs me. Axel trusts me enough to do this for him. In all the years I've known him, he's never asked the help of anyone, even when he needed it, but this… this is more than enough to show me that things aren't under control.

I need to hurry. Faster, Amber, faster! If things spiral any further out of control, and you don't get back fast enough… I don't want to think about it. I can't think about it!

I'm not going to lose him again.

Detective Jenkins

I'd heard stories about how Axel had fought off Deathbreath at Cliffkiln, enough to know that when it came to power, his Pokémon were something ridiculous. What I hadn't expected, though, was for the fight to be so damn brutal.

The Skarmory tore after Axel with no hesitation, ignoring his three Pokémon like a knight ignores flies bouncing off his armor. What started out as Axel trying to get its attention had quickly turned into a desperate chase, and more than once I could have sworn Axel had been stepped on, only to see him still ahead of the dust cloud, somehow.

Fed up, the bird used its enormous break to grab a nearby tree, uprooting it without the slightest bit of effort, and tossing it in Axel's direction… and ours. Before I could tell Growlithe to burn it, the Treecko's vines were around it, and it was dragging across the ground, trying to stop the lumber's momentum. The Cyndaquil quickly hopped off Axel's shoulder, Slamming into the Treecko to counteract its motion, and the Treecko used the added boost to shoot the trunk back at the Skarmory, splinters erupting everywhere as it landed a direct hit on the steel giant's chest.

Enraged, the bird bucked like a bronco, simultaneously causing a miniature Earthquake and a Twister at the same time. The poor Squirtle was shot into the air like a rag doll, the Treecko buried in the constantly shifting dirt. Axel lost momentum as he hacked from the dust, and the Skarmory was on him instantly. But Axel, instead of screaming, yelled: "Pinser maneuver! Now!"

The Squirtle shot down from the sky, ramming into the colossus' enormous neck from above, while the Treecko rose with flashing blades from below. The simultaneous hits forced the Skarmory's mouth open in a caw of pain, and Axel, Cyndaquil now back on his shoulder, pointed down the thing's throat and yelled: "FIRE!"

Although the Pokémon was clearly evil, I couldn't help but look away. I still heard the cries of anguish it let out as the column of flame shot down its throat, scorching it from the inside out. When I looked again, its Flailing had become even more violent, and with an impossibly Swift motion it Slashed its head at Axel, connecting with him and sending him flying across the clearing and into the Barrier Gardevoir still held up. I heard something snap, and prayed it wasn't the boy's spine.

Rushing in immediately, the Treecko lunged in front of the boy, slicing away futilely at the beast's iron skin. With a move that almost seemed dismissive, the Skarmory smacked it aside with its iron talons and then, to our horror, smashed its foot down onto the Pokémon's body. I heard it yell out in pain, and Vanna began to cry again. How was this happening?

Axel was on his feet again, darting forwards as if he hadn't been hurt in the least. The Cyndaquil was basically like his own personal Flamethrower, jettisoning flame here and there to clear the path ahead. Axel dove under the bird where it's talon still held the Treecko firmly in place, and the Cyndaquil let out another scorching column of fire as the Squirtle rained down lightning from above. The bird yelled out, staggering backwards. Axel grabbed the Treecko, quickly pulling it away.

How was it standing? It was trembling violently, yes, and the way it was holding itself it had clearly broken numerous bones throughout… yet it stood. I thought I saw its eyes flash blue, but with a shake of its head the illusion was gone. It breathed deeply, wincing only slightly as the metal giant landed a deadly Peck on its Squirtle companion, and with a loud cry let loose both of its Leaf Blades at once, forming an X shape as it sliced the air.

They broke through. The cuts appeared on the bird's skin, and it wailed and Thrashed about as it tried to crush its aggressors. But the Treecko could not be stopped, and it leapt into a full-fledge fury, landing slice after slice on the Skarmory's body. The Cyndaquil jumped off Axel's shoulder, running across the clearing to the opposite side and letting loose a constant blazing stream, cutting the bird off from escaping. As the behemoth attempted to rise into the air, the Squirtle ricocheted up into the enormous cloud it had produced, crashing down onto the beast's back with a massive electrical discharge.

I couldn't help but gape. This was the Triple Finish, the one-hit KO that only occurred in the battles of lore. And yet, maddeningly, the beast was still Struggling! In fact, it only seemed like the best efforts of Axel's Pokémon could hold it in place, and for how long? The Treecko's knees were starting to wobble, the cloud was running low, and the Cyndaquil could only breathe fire for so long without taking a breath. For the first time, I tried reconciling myself with the thought that it was all over. It wasn't easy.

Then, from nowhere, I heard Amber's voice yell: "Axel! Catch!" The black and gold gauntlet hurtled through the air, and Axel, his attention somehow torn away from Deathwing, jumped up and caught it, quickly fastening it to his right arm.

"Get ready to let go! " he yelled, and three Pokémon nodded in acknowledgement. "Easy… easy! On my signal… NOW!"

The three Pokémon let up at once, and Deathwing, eyes burning bright, sickly blue, charged Axel head on, preparing a Steel Wing to slice him into bits. Axel, rather than dodge as he had been, reached into his pocket and pulled out… a Pokéball. Placing it in his gauntlet-clad hand, he ran towards the Skarmory, thrusting the ball and his hand directly into the Skarmory's outstretched beak.

The silence was hideous. It was as if the entire forest… no, the entire world had stopped to stare, too afraid of missing the inevitable conclusion to tear their eyes away. Then, rising from the silence, I heard Axel mutter something insane.

"Get in. NOW."

The Pokéball began to pulsate between red and white, and a miniature vortex erupted from the ball, encapsulating the shrieking Skarmory in a crimson beam. The behemoth dug its claws into the dirt, fighting back, but weakened as it was, it could not withstand the force of the capture. Contracting into red light, it burst into the Pokéball. It shut with a satisfying click.

Then Axel was thrown across the clearing, smacking against a tree. As he tried to right himself, the ball tried to break free of his grasp again, dragging him through the dirt, causing him to cartwheel and crumple like an old newspaper. With a loud cry, Axel grabbed his arm, thrusting it down onto the ground and throwing his entire weight on top of it. It continued to buckle, wracking the boy's entire body, but he remained over it, holding it down with every ounce of strength he had. Sweat poured down from his brow, and he panted heavily, gasping for whatever breath he could get from the dust-laden air.

Then, suddenly, climactically, the light on the front of the Pokéball faded to white, and the ball ceased to wiggle. Axel stood hesitantly, eyeing the ball carefully as he took a step back, praying to whatever god he had that it didn't just appear to be caught.

Nothing. The ball… held firm.

Axel chuckled weakly, tilting his head back towards the sky. "Congratulations," he whispered. "You just caught a Skarmory." And with those strange, yet somehow fitting words, he collapsed.

Author's Note:

Normally, I don't toot my own horn, but HOLY. GOD. THAT WAS EPIC. I love that feeling you get when you, yourself, who knows exactly what's going to happen, get's excited by the action and wants to know what happens next. If I'm getting this excited, you guys should be jumping right out of your seats, right?

… Right? I would like to know what you guys think. Spare a review, sir? Haven't had one in a while, might be good for my self-esteem.

And there I go trying to guilt my readers into reviewing. I really am a crummy guy, huh? And the way I point out my flaws immediately so no one gets mad at the things I do? Despicable. I'm going to stop talking now. That's a good idea. I'll do that.

Except wait! There was one other thing I wanted to say! It's about the title of the chapter, mainly. I wanted to explain it, just in case you were wondering why I named it 'With Apologies to Silver'.

It's basically like this: Silver is, without question, the best Rival in the history of Pokemon games. Sure, you can argue that Wally is pretty great, what with overcoming a terminal disease and becoming ridiculously powerful, but Silver was THE MAN. Whereas everyone else were given there Pokemon (except for aforementioned Wally, who caught his by himself LIKE A BOSS), Silver stole his from a Pokemon lab. And need I mention that he was the ostracized son of Giovanni, and single-handedly dismantled large sections of Team Rocket by himself JUST CAUSE HE FELT LIKE IT? No, I don't need to mention it. Badassery like that needs no explanation.

The reason this chapter apologizes to him is because, and this might be my ego talking, but I believe having Death himself as a rival is just SLIGHTLY more extreme. Just saying. Sorry Silver.

Anyway...

Viva la feminism?