Chapter 17: The Sound of Sirens
A special thanks to Cottonmouth25, the creator of Batwings the Siren.
Love is a powerful thing. It's what you feel when you look at someone you trust - like your father or your best friend.
But occasionally, someone comes along that induces a much stronger feeling in you. And when they do, you'll risk anything to stay by their side, forever and always.
It had been a full week since the incident with Mortem and Bigwings's growth spurt hungers, and the big upset that had followed. Now both dragonets were well around twice the size they were at that time, and still growing, of course.
Today, the sun was shining over the academy. The dragons were lounging around without a care in the world, the dragonets were playing nicely together, and Team Go-Getters were gathered around for their daily training session.
Or at least most of them were. Crackers, on the other hand, was lounging in the corner munching away from a bag full of snack food.
"He eats more than Mortem and Bigwings combined," Ninjark observed. "How does he not look like a tick about to pop?"
"He has a high metabolism," said Snivels. "Apparently, it runs in his family."
The trim Drizzile threw the empty sack aside. "These are just choices," he insisted, "I can stop whenever I want to."
Well, now someone had to go and get more snacks. And the only team member who had yet to volunteer that week was Adhesive.
"Who wants what?" asked the Poipole as he flew out through the only exit...
...Only to scream in utter terror as a part of the shadows formed a clawed hand and grabbed him!
A second hand materialized, covering Adhesive's mouth, as the rest of the body appeared. The black shadow stared at his captive with one eerie blue eye peeking out from behind the fog-like plume that covered most of his face like a mop of shaggy white hair.
The Darkrai waited about a minute for Adhesive to calm down before releasing him. The Poipole floated up to the Pitch-Black Pokémon's eye level before letting out a relieved sigh. "Phobetor." Then he shuddered. "Can't you just say 'hello' like anybody else?"
Instead of answering, Phobetor asked in a voice that sounded a lot like a deep, haunting whisper, "Are you familiar with a Legendary Pokemon that answers to the name Millennium?"
"Should I be?" asked Adhesive.
Phobetor handed the Poipole a drawing of a skeletal-looking dragon with a red, glowing core.
"A family of Eternatus joined the Resistance in the early years of the Viking-Dragon War," said the Darkrai. "In return, Millennium donated fragments of his power to other Pokémon in the form of Dynamax Dens and Wishing Stars. Not too long ago, his wife, Century, was caught by a trainer in another world, having been lured there by some paranoid chairman by the name of Rose. Their daughter, Decade, fell into depression, leaving her vulnerable to Dark Matter. Once Millennium found out what was occurring, he surrendered himself to Dark Matter on the condition that his daughter remained unharmed. We've just received word from our scouts that he and some other Pokémon that Dark Matter has enslaved have been closing in on a local community of Sirens. We were unanimous in the idea that Team Go-Getters should assume the task of protecting the dragons."
Speechless for once, Adhesive just stared at the drawing of Eternatus.
That same drawing lay upon the wooden table set up in the middle of the Academy. The four trainers and their Pokémon partners examined it for a good, long while, before Hiccup finally decided, "We're going."
"You've got to be kidding," Blaze sighed. "The bogeyman tells Cellphone Kwami about some brainwashed, shadowy Pokémon attacking a Siren community, and we go running why?"
"Because I trust Adhesive," Hiccup replied, unfazed, "and the Resistance. They wouldn't have sent anyone here if they didn't think it was important."
Snivels took another look at the drawing. "A Legendary Pokémon by itself is a formidable opponent in battle," he said. "But facing one that's been possessed by the shadows of darkness? I don't like to use the word hopeless, but it might actually work here."
"Which is why you'll need help."
Hovering near the entrance was a gigantic serpent, ghostly in nature, with a grey body festooned with bone-like pieces of golden armor. Sinuous black tentacles tipped with red spikes sprouted from its back, six of them in total. Eyes that glowed crimson peered out from its gold-armored head, glaring imposingly down at the assorted creatures.
"Drageist," greeted Hiccup, somehow completely unintimidated by the great dark one hovering menacingly over them all. "What brings you here on such a lovely morning?"
The Origin Forme Giratina gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Funny as your sarcasm is, I must inform you that this task is one Team Go-Getters won't be able to complete alone." He unfurled one of his appendages, revealing his Griseous Orb. The angular piece lifted up into the air, and several shimmering doorways to other worlds started opening up around it.
"Trainers of Destiny," Drageist announced in a firm voice, "Pick an ally you can trust to assist you on this mission. Choose wisely; each individual possesses different strengths and weaknesses. Once the mission is over, you must bring them to me so I can send them back to their home world."
Bedazzled by the display, Hiccup took a step back, away from the portals. He was still unnerved from the Mastermind incident. "With all due respect, I'm still trying to get used to this whole 'other worlds' thing."
"Well," said Drageist, "looks like you're going to be stepping outside your comfort zone, then, Stutler." He offered the confused trainer an amused smile.
Stuttering a little from the situation's escalating unfamiliarity, the team leader choked out, "We're gonna need a moment to talk about this."
He signaled the others to huddle up, which they did.
Snivels was the first to voice his opinion. "If we're getting up close and personal with Sirens, then Batwings is the logical choice."
"Not to mention the obvious one," added Heather.
"But he had his memory wiped," Astrid reminded them. "It would take more time to explain what's going on than it would take us to get there."
"Maybe not," said Brandyn, "Splice, and other Mewtwo, for that matter, can restore memories that he has previously erased."
Ra grumbled, "Why do they get all of the good stuff?"
"Guys," said Hiccup firmly, "Snivels has a point. None of us have dealt with Sirens in this universe so far, and having one on our side could be our best chance of getting around without being swarmed. We can explain everything to Batwings on the way, if we have to."
They shared a collective nod before breaking the huddle.
"We've decided," Hiccup said to Drageist, an anticipating smile coming into existence. "We choose Batwings."
Drageist pointed a claw at one of the shimmering portals, and it opened wider. After several suspenseful seconds, a winged humanoid came tumbling in through the doorway to the Monsters of Berk universe.
"What in Odin's eye just happened?" wondered the blond Siren. "One minute I'm riding the thermals, and the next I'm on the floor of the academy?"
"Sorry for the rough ride," said Drageist. "But a certain team of young heroes is in need of your assistance today. Splice!"
The Giratina moved his ghostly streamers to reveal the grey humanoid with a long, purple tail that had been levitating behind him unnoticed. The Mewtwo raised a hand toward Batwings, his fierce eyes glowing white with psychic energy.
In an instant, all of the Siren's repressed memories resurfaced, flashing before his wide eyes. The first encounter with HtBaT Hiccup and Snivels and Toothless, meeting Ratha and Rathi, traveling between worlds, fighting the Mastermind's army of villains, helping defeat the Red Fatalis, and saying his final farewell to...
"Team Go-Getters!"
Looking over his shoulder, Batwings met the eyes of a Servine whose identity he'd only just recovered the memory of. Snivels offered him a friendly smile and a casual wave of the hand. "Hey, Batwings."
"If my memory serves me right," said Batwings, "it's been a while since I last saw any of you." He pulled himself to his feet and flapped his wings experimentally. His sharp dragon eyes caught the blond male that would have perfectly served as his reflection if it weren't for his lack of dragon features. The Siren pointed a clawed finger at him and asked, "Who's that?"
"Brandyn Aetherson," the blond male replied, reaching out for a handshake. "Basically, I'm the equivalent of you in this universe."
Batwings eyed him suspiciously as he extended his hand to accept the gesture.
There was a bit of movement from the still-open portal before a large green birdlike figure came crashing through, tripping over his own feet and falling right on top of Batwings.
"Mocktalk found Batwings!" squawked the Qurupeco. "Mocktalk's turn to hide now!"
"This isn't a game," the Siren snapped from underneath the weight of his Monstie's bulk. "Drageist brought us here to help our friends, and that's exactly what we're going to do." He took one look at the Qurupeco's bewildered expression and added, "As soon as Splice gives you your memory back."
Astrid went to grab her trusty axe. "Well, we've got ourselves a Siren. We should start packing while Drageist fills them in."
"You just read my mind, my lady," Hiccup replied. He then beckoned Toothless over and added, "You guys get your things ready. I still have a few questions for Drageist. Ra and Camazotz can stay and keep watch over the academy."
The group nodded unanimously. All of them, that is, except for the two Legendary Pokémon.
"Are you KIDDING me?!" the Solgaleo roared. "Haven't any of you learned by now that Legendary Pokémon like us prefer to be where the action is?!"
Hiccup let out another sigh. "Ra, you and Camazotz are among the strongest team members we have, so it's crucial that you stay. What if there's a commotion while we're gone?"
With a huff, the Solgaleo turned tail and walked to the other side of the academy.
Trying to lighten the mood, Camazotz offered, "It might be fun. We can look after the dragonets and baby Pokémon while they're away! After all, they're so adorable!"
Ra turned his head to the left, where the team members' babies stared at them with wide-eyed, barely-contained excitement. Besides the Night and Light Fury dragonets, there was Fearless the Flightmare, Torch and his siblings, Glory the Changewing, Earthcracker the Whispering Death, Quicks the Speed Stinger, Clay the Mudraker, Tsunami the Tide Glider, Mortem and Bigwings, Blaze and Kickin' Hawk's children, and the Noibat trio, consisting of Ruido, Onpa and Laetio.
"Sure," grumbled Ra. "Babysitting. Fun."
And that was how the four trainers, minus two Pokémon partners and plus one Siren on a Qurupeco, found themselves flying in their usual formation over the open ocean. Hiccup was in the lead, naturally, and had a map spread out on the saddle in front of him. He was charting the quickest route to where Drageist had said the Isle of Sirens was, and was delighted to see that it would only be a twenty-minute flight at the longest.
"Hey, Batwings?" asked Snivels. "I was wondering - why do you fly a monster when you already have wings?"
"Well," the Siren replied, leaning forward a little to meet the Servine's eyes, "You know that amazing, indescribable feeling that you get when you're riding on dragonback, free as a bird?"
"Yep," the Grass-type Pokémon prince affirmed.
Smirking, Batwings finished, "On Mocktalk, I get to feel that without doing any work."
"Batwings," said Adhesive as he slowed down to the speed Mocktalk was flying at, "I respect you making flying more enjoyable for yourself. And there's really only one thing that can make flying better." He didn't wait for anyone to ask before taking out his phone and making a selection.
Chop chop chop! Chop away at my heart!
I can feel it falling (timber!) and I will never part
I know you, you've been there from the start
So baby chop chop chop! Chop away at my heart!
While the Poipole was bobbing along to the beat, the dragons struggled to hold their formation as they looked back to see where the sound was coming from. This was nothing like the music made by Vikings.
"Adhesive, could you please turn that off?" asked Brandyn. "It's very distracting."
Disappointed that his fun had been ruined, Adhesive shut his phone off, effectively silencing it. "Come on, everybody likes that song!"
"He didn't say we didn't," Heather said, "Just find some other way to entertain yourself."
Okay, that was a very reasonable request. It was only a minute later when Adhesive started entertaining himself in a different fashion.
"I am the type who is liable to snipe you
With two seconds left to go - "
"Adhesive," Blaze interrupted calmly. "Something from this century, maybe?"
"I only know one song from this age of time that doesn't have the word 'Viking' in it," the Poipole explained. "And the last time I sang it, Snivels got it stuck in his head for a whole week."
But, just to be on the safe side, he tried singing a different song.
"Jurassic Park is frightening in the dark
All the dinosaurs are running wild - "
"And now that song is stuck in my head," Snivels grumbled.
The next wasn't any less catchy.
"My my, this here Anakin guy
May be Vader - "
"Adhesive," Hiccup interrupted this time, calmly but firmly. "Why don't you take a break for a little while, okay?"
(Now, if this were a TV show, Adhesive would have definitely said something like, "Wow, do you guys not like my voice actor, or what?"
But it's not, so he didn't.)
After several seconds went by, the Go-Getters went back to focusing on what lay ahead of them. But when they faced the front again, they found that what lay ahead of them was exactly what they were looking for.
"Isle of Sirens, dead ahead!" called Astrid.
They saw the island on the horizon immediately. Then, as they got even closer, they saw something else.
"Look there!" Ninjark called, pointing at the ocean. "You can see them going fishing near the coast!"
About to ask exactly what the Greninja was referring to, Hiccup stopped himself as he suddenly spotted them. In the water, maneuvering around the multitude of rock spires that rose out of the deep to scrape the sky, were what seemed to be shimmering ribbons that twisted and turned expertly through the choppy sea. More of them circled above the sea stacks with wings spread wide. The sunlight struck their hides and turned them iridescent shades of green, blue, and purple.
"They're so beautiful!" Heather gushed.
"Yeah," Snivels agreed. "Too bad we can't get too close. They'll roast anything that tries to get into their turf."
Although the Sirens were beautiful, their mounts tensed up and increased their speed, wanting to get away as fast as possible. Snivels had once told Hiccup that a lot of dragons were scared of Sirens because they looked so much like eels. Remembering this, Hiccup took mercy and urged the gang to go faster.
They passed over the feeding ground, craning their necks for one last glimpse of the magnificent sea dragons before heading onward. Now, they were flying over the island itself. The landmass was flat and mostly made up of rocks, although there was a bit of vegetation as well. As they flew further inland, they could see the first few columns of rock that served as the nesting area for the Siren community come into view.
Down on the rocks, the eel-like dragons lifted their heads and looked up at the sky with sharp, snakish eyes. The Sirens collectively started hissing and snarling and screeching when they saw the squad of dragons descending on their territory. Most of the dragonets slithered away and hid, while the adults flared out their wings and bared their needle-like fangs.
"Well," said Hiccup, "They're not singing. That's a good sign."
Batwings steered Mocktalk closer to Toothless. "They're not singing yet," he said. "But they will if we don't leave soon."
As if on cue, several soothing melodies curled into the air, rising ever louder as more joined in. The Sirens had started using their most unique and legendary of all their abilities - the fabled Song of the Siren, able to send anything into a hibernation-like sleep.
It didn't take long for the Go-Getters' eyelids to get heavy. They barely had enough energy left to reach up and cover their ears to try and muffle the sound. The wingbeats of their mounts were quickly slowing down as they struggled to stay awake and airborne.
"Can you talk to them?" Snivels asked, yawning. "Maybe tell them why we're here?"
Being the only one in the group who was unaffected by the hypnotic lullaby, Batwings stood up in Mocktalk's saddle and replied, "I'll try, but you might want to give us some room."
Then, in one swift movement, Batwings jumped right off of Mocktalk's back and abruptly transformed. The shape-shifting process for Sirens was one that no one could ever get used to seeing - in fact, it was so swift that there was no time to accurately witness it, let alone describe it. The human disguise just sort of twisted in on itself in less than half a second, and then immediately blew up into a thirty-foot-long eel with wings and emerald-colored scales. It left Hiccup feeling slightly uncomfortable, and he briefly wondered what all the Arceus in the Multiverse had been thinking when they'd blessed these dragons with such unusual powers in the Monsters of Berk universe.
The Sirens on the rocks were silenced by the display. Stunned, they collectively stopped singing and watched as the newcomer lowered himself onto their island and gave them a greeting screech.
Landing nearby, the Go-Getters hopped off of their dragons' backs. Now that the song had been brought to a halt, they were starting to regain their alertness.
"Any idea what they're saying?" Blaze asked.
"Siren isn't the easiest Dragonese dialect to learn," Snivels confessed. "I only know a few words myself."
One of the wild Sirens, a blue one with streaks of emerald, slithered towards Batwings. "You are...one of us?" he asked, though the four trainers only heard screeches and hisses.
"Sort of," Batwings screeched back. "I come from...a place far away from here. My friends and I heard your community was under attack, and we have come to help you."
The blue Siren exchanged looks with a purple one before turning back to Batwings. "Who told you how to get here?" he hissed questioningly.
"Someone named Drageist," replied Batwings.
Several of the Sirens' eyes flashed with recognition at the Giratina's name. "The Resistance sent you?"
Batwings hesitated, then answered, "Yes."
"Come with me," said the blue Siren, "I'll take you to our bigwings."
Batwings popped back into human form, revealing a set of grateful eyes and a reassuring smile. "Let's go!" he called back to the assembled team.
Mocktalk eagerly pranced after his rider, squawking happily. The Go-Getters were a lot less eager, keeping wary eyes on the Sirens around them as they advanced.
Hiccup absentmindedly patted Toothless on the head as he took in the sight of the island. In a community sense, it was much more like Berk than he'd thought it would be. There was a wide, open area near the middle of the island that would have served as a perfect village plaza, the naturally-made rock cliffs almost resembled buildings, and there were even several tall rock columns rising up into the air all around them, just like the torches on Berk.
Sitting on the largest rock cliff was a very strong-looking, scar-covered Siren with scarlet scales that, when the light caught them just right, looked a lot like they were made of blood. The whip-thin extension on the back of his head was a shade of green so dark it was almost black, and his sharp eyes were a piercing yellow.
"Who is that?" Hiccup whispered to Batwings.
After repeating the question to one of the nearby Sirens, and receiving the answer, Brandyn's Monsters of Berk counterpart replied, "That's Chiefslayer. The bigwings."
Chiefslayer. That name was intimidating enough to give chills to even someone as mighty as Stoick the Vast. And judging by the amount of scars on the Siren's body, it was a very well-given name indeed.
Suddenly, Chiefslayer shot into the air and lowered himself in front of the group. After a moment, three other Sirens, one sapphire blue, one pale green and one shimmering violet, slithered forward to join him.
"I'm guessing that's his family," Astrid said, mostly to herself.
Batwings didn't wait for Hiccup to ask him to converse with the four Sirens in front of them. Each new bit of information that he received, he promptly translated for his friends.
"That one is Mightywings," he said, pointing at the blue one. "Chiefslayer's first son. Powerful flyer and fighter, and the clan's favorite." He then pointed to the green one. "And that's Needlefangs, the second son. Smaller and quicker, and he possesses a very excruciating bite."
"Chiefslayer, Mightywings, Needlefangs," Hiccup muttered, adding those names to his mental list of things to remember about the Sirens. He pointed to the violet Siren. "And the last one? Let me guess - Maneater? Enemykiller? Foedestroyer?"
"That's Calliope," Batwings said with a toothy grin. "Chiefslayer's mate."
Shoulders slumping in defeat, Hiccup gave the Siren a half-hearted chuckle. "Okay, I didn't see that coming. Who comes up with these names, anyway?"
"The mother chooses the dragonets' names," Batwings explained, "which then have to be approved by the bigwings. Males are usually given the more intimidating names, while the females like pretty-sounding names. At least, that's how it works in a typical Siren community."
"...community," hissed a deep voice.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Chiefslayer. "Community," he hissed again. "Ssssssiren community."
"Didn't you guys know?" asked Adhesive, the only one who wasn't stunned into silence by the inexplicable development. "The Sirens in this universe have the ability to mimic human speech."
Meanwhile, not knowing what kind of situation their friends were getting themselves into, Ra and Camazotz busied themselves with taking care of the baby dragons and Pokémon. Kickin' Hawk, Amber, and Buddy were a huge help, because some of the more excitable offspring would have been too much for their caretakers to handle by themselves.
Lunch time was break time for the Solgaleo and Lunala. With the Noibat trio, Mortem and Bigwings, and the rest preoccupied with stuffing their stomachs, there was nothing to stop them from taking a much-deserved rest.
Only Camazotz didn't seem tired. The pretty Lunala was busy mooning over all the adorable dragonets and baby Pokémon. "Look at them," she sighed. "They're even cuter when they're napping!"
"I hate to offend you," Ra told her, swallowing a Poké Puff, "but I'm not really into cute and adorable things."
"That's alright," said Camazotz. "I'm no genius when it comes to battling, so I'd say we're even."
"Everybody is a genius," Buddy argued, smiling proudly. Then he frowned as he added, "But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
An impressed Ra gave a whistle. "Such wise words could only come from a Legendary Pokémon."
"That was beautiful," agreed Camazotz.
"I'm the son of Arceus," Buddy reminded them. "The whole 'words of wisdom' thing sort of comes with it."
The entrance gate suddenly opened, and a dark violet, skeletal dragon came flying in. Her appearance matched perfectly with the drawing of Eternatus, but it was easy to tell from her size that she was nowhere near fully grown - she was only about ten feet long at the very most.
The young Eternatus lowered herself down so she was hovering three feet above the arena floor. "Where are the four trainers?" she asked. "I was told I would find them here."
"No doubt they've reached the Isle of Sirens by now," sighed Buddy. "Are you Decade, the daughter of Millennium?"
"My friends call me Deca," she replied, almost unconsciously.
The Silvally lowered himself into a respectful bow. "Pleased to meet you, Deca."
The Eternatus glared at him. "My friends call me Deca," she repeated, with a heavy amount of emphasis.
"Oh!" Buddy straightened himself. "Sorry."
Despite the forgiving look she gave him, Decade turned back towards the entry gate and started to leave.
"Shouldn't you wait here?" asked Camazotz. "Those Pokémon Phobetor told us about sound rather merciless, and a fully-grown Eternatus is a force to be reckoned with by itself."
"But if anyone can handle it," said Ra, "our trainers can. Have a little faith in them, won't you?"
Decade looked at the other three Legendary Pokémon over her shoulder. "Millennium is my father," she said. "He would never hurt me." With that, she flew right out into the open air.
The trio stared after her, Ra and Camazotz with worry and Buddy with fascination, unsure of whether to follow or not. They would have stayed there the whole rest of the day had Amber not spoken up.
"You three go after her," the Charizard said. "Kickin' Hawk and I will handle things here."
Buddy nodded in thanks.
The wild Sirens slithered across the rocks, occasionally repeating fractions of words and phrases they'd heard either from Team Go-Getters or some other outside source.
One Siren in particular stood out from all the rest - a particularly feeble-looking old male whose vivid green scales had become so pale they were almost gray. His pale blue eyes had a glazed-over look, and the joints of his wings were swollen from arthritis.
The Go-Getters stepped as lightly as they could, but the Siren still heard them. He raised his head and turned every which way, his forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth through a set of half-broken teeth.
"Snake-eyes," Batwings introduced, "the clan's former bigwings. One of the best, too, before Chiefslayer bested him in the battle for leadership. Well, that's what I heard, anyway."
Snivels instantly noticed something peculiar about the way Snake-eyes was acting. They way he turned his head every which way, as if he didn't know where to look. Following a hunch, the Servine picked up a small rock and then dropped it. The tiny stone made a clattering noise, which Snake-eyes turned his head in the direction of. But he wasn't looking straight at it, he stared blankly past the group at the rock cliffs behind them.
"He's blind," Snivels realized. "He must have lost his sight with age."
Snake-eyes let out a sad-sounding croon as if he were agreeing with him.
"We Sirens may be fierce," said Batwings, "but we're not heartless. Those that lose the battle for leadership are still allowed to stay with the clan."
"...with the clan," Snake-eyes parroted weakly.
Nobody else spoke. They just continued on, watching the elderly Siren with sullen expressions.
Before they knew it, they'd stumbled upon a rocky coastline that made up one of the far edges of the island. The sound of the water rushing up to meet the shore was quite soothing, but the view was another story.
Hundreds of limp eel-like forms lay slumped upon the ground, body parts bent at unnatural angles and wings torn into shreds. Batwings averted his eyes from the scene, his face pale with horror and disgust.
"This battle must have just happened," Astrid reasoned. "In the last few days, I mean."
"The Shadow Pokémon were definitely here," said Brandyn. A horrified Heather buried her face into his shoulder, and he put an arm around her comfortingly. "It's the only explanation."
"Shadow Pokémon?" echoed Batwings questioningly.
His human counterpart shrugged. "Well, we ought to call them something."
"Who do you think won?" Ninjark asked.
"Nobody," said Snivels. "Who could look at all of this carnage and think 'we won'?"
"A Viking," Blaze stated obviously.
Adhesive, devoid of his usual chipper self, stared out at the shores with teary eyes. "This has got to be the saddest thing I've ever seen."
A loud booming sound from nearby made them all jump. Moving quickly, the group followed Hiccup towards the source of the noise into a closed-off part of the island, surrounded by columns of rock.
A large, bipedal, dinosaurian Pokémon with a green, armor-like hide covering its body and a turquoise, metallic quadruped Pokémon, both with angry, red eyes and surrounded by dark, flaming auras, were being dive-bombed by a pair of Sirens.
The male Siren, whose chartreuse green scales glimmered in the sunlight like jewels, spat fire at the Metagross, but the Tyranitar blocked it with its flame-resistant body. The female Siren, a purplish-pink color, was singing as loudly as she could manage.
The group instinctively covered their ears, the noises from the fight below helping to muffle the song. The Tyranitar and the Metagross swayed a little, their eyes drooping with sleepiness.
"There's something down there," Heather managed to shout over all the commotion.
"Yeah," Astrid scoffed. "Two Shadow Pokémon going on a rampage."
The black-haired girl shook her head and pointed at the cliff below them. "No, there."
Resting ever so precariously upon one of the small cliff ledges was a white, oval-shaped object shining in the sunlight.
A Siren egg.
The egg's parents heard the exchange and looked up at the cliff above them to see what had made the noise. Unfortunately, the mother made the mistake of prematurely stopping her song.
The Tyranitar and the Metagross shook themselves awake and each let out a roar. The pair of Sirens swooped up and around for another attack. But the Shadow Pokémon were ready this time.
The Metagross effortlessly lifted one of its limbs high above its body. The father Siren, unwilling to let such a mighty creature anywhere near his child, dove in for a direct attack. Big mistake - the Metagross brought its limb down upon the Siren's back, and the dragon's body went limp.
The mother Siren watched in horror as her mate slumped lifelessly to the ground. She was no match for two Shadow Pokémon by herself.
"We need to get that egg out of here," Hiccup realized. He turned to Batwings. "Can you get down there without being seen?"
"I think so," uttered the Siren, shifting into his true form a second later.
"I'll go with you," Snivels volunteered.
Batwings didn't have the time to approve, or refuse, the offer. He wasn't sure how long the egg's mother would last in battle alone, but it certainly wouldn't be for much longer. The Servine pulled himself up onto the emerald Siren's back, hanging on with dear life as Batwings cautiously slithered down the cliff, pressing his body up against the walls to avoid the eyes of the Shadow Pokémon.
Despite the odds stacked against her, the mother Siren's desire to protect her unhatched dragonet proved stronger than her sense of reason. She alternated between snapping her teeth and shooting fire to keep both the Tyranitar and the Metagross at bay. Her success was short-lived, as the Shadow Pokémon easily brushed her attacks aside and continued to advance.
Soon, Batwings and Snivels had reached the cliff where the egg sat. Deciding that it wasn't very safe for Batwings to carry the egg in his mouth, Snivels reached out and grabbed it. Pulling it close, he wrapped his tail around it to keep it warm. Nodding in satisfaction, Batwings began climbing his way back up.
And just in time, too - the Tyranitar had caught the mother Siren in its jaws, and was biting down on her head with increasing force. The mother looked up at the cliff where her egg was, found it gone, and spotted the Siren and Servine ascending the cliff with what would soon be her precious child held protectively in their grasp. She let out a final, grateful screech before her vision went black.
The Tyranitar let go of the mother, her body slumping to the ground next to her mate's. Batwings and Snivels had just made it back up to where everyone else was waiting when the two Shadow Pokémon shifted their gazes across their environment. The four trainers, the Siren, and the non-Shadow Pokémon ducked down and held their breath, praying that they hadn't been seen.
Either way, it didn't matter, because the Tyranitar and the Metagross were soon being bombarded by fireballs and whatnot, courtesy of Toothless, Stormfly, Windshear, Buck, Mocktalk, Verne and Wavern.
Knowing full well that they were no match for four dragons, a monster, and two Dragon-types, the Shadow Pokémon made for a hasty retreat, but the damage had already been done.
"Batwings," Snivels said in a terrified whisper. "What do Sirens usually do with orphaned eggs?"
Shifting back into his human form, which almost made Snivels fall as he had to readjust his grip from around the egg, the Siren replied sullenly, "I don't know. I would like to assume they'd be taken in by a female who's willing to raise the dragonet as their own, but...Siren mothers are very protective of their young. It's unlikely you'll ever find it a new home here."
"Then we'll take it," Hiccup determined. "We've practically become an orphanage for dragons."
Lowering himself from Batwings's shoulders, Snivels asked, "But do you really think we have what it takes to raise a Siren dragonet? Even I don't know enough about them to serve as an effective parental figure for him, or her."
"So we'll learn," said Heather. "And if we can't handle it, I'm sure the Resistance could help us find a good home for them."
Snivels unwrapped his tail from around the egg, revealing it to the group. It was hard not to see the silhouette of the eel-like dragonet sitting inside the white shell.
"We'll have to figure it out later," Astrid sighed, watching the spot where the Tyranitar and the Metagross had once stood. "There's no doubt those Shadow Pokémon will be back with reinforcements."
Blaze frowned. "And what are we supposed to do? If Millennium shows up, not even the entire Siren community will be able to help us defeat him."
Hearing her question, and the following statement, Hiccup wracked his brain trying to find the solution to this problem that was quickly escalating beyond their control. "The Sirens are a start," he told them, his voice gradually gaining confidence. "Even if we don't stand a chance, it's better than just standing by and doing nothing."
"And if we don't stand a chance?" asked Astrid, her voice tough and firm. But Hiccup could sense what she was really feeling - she used that voice so no one else could see when she was upset, or angry, or worst of all, scared.
"Then we'll improvise," the team leader said boldly. "It's what we do. We're Team Go-Getters, after all." Then, to reassure his wife that he had complete faith in her, and their friends, he took her hand in his and gave it a loving squeeze.
And when she fixed him in her radiant blue stare and offered a warm smile, he knew she had faith in him as well.
Behind them, Adhesive glanced at Batwings and grinned. "I ship it so hard."
"Land ho!" Ra shouted over the roar of the wind. "Good thing my species can run on air, or else we might have never made it in time!"
"You do remember," Buddy said from upon the Solgaleo's back, "that we still have to push through the defensive wall of Sirens?"
"You're the one who wanted to help Decade so badly," his temporary mount replied.
Camazotz rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling in amusement. "Males..."
The ocean passed below them, and they were now flying over the rocky coastlines that covered about half of the Isle of Sirens. Just then, there was a mighty roar that pierced the air life a knife. The three Legendary Pokémon twisted their heads around to look behind them, and a draconic shape blurred by them so fast that they almost fell right out of the sky. When they faced forward again, it was to see a juvenile Eternatus being swarmed by angry Sirens.
"Decade!" Buddy screamed. "Hold on, we're coming!"
"No, stay away!" she shouted back. "It'll only make them madder!"
They were making such a commotion that it was only inevitable that something would soon notice them.
And something did. Or rather, someone. Several someones, in fact.
A warning shot from Toothless sent the Sirens scattering, only for them to circle right back. Snivels urged Verne upward to block their path, but the eel-ish dragons slipped right past.
"What are you guys doing here?!" Brandyn shouted over the Sirens' angry hisses.
"Decade came here looking for her father," Ra said in Norse, gesturing to the Eternatus with his head.
Camazotz added, "Don't worry, Amber and Kickin' Hawk are covering for us."
Batwings pulled Mocktalk into a halt when he spotted the Solgaleo and Lunala. It would have been impossible for him to not recognize them from earlier at the Academy, when Drageist first brought him in from the Monsters of Berk universe. In record time, he shifted into his true form and screeched, "STOP!"
The shrill noise made the four trainers flinch and cover their ears. But it had the desired effect - the wild Sirens all slowed into a hover.
"They're friends of ours," Batwings explained, "They won't hurt you, I promise." It felt odd, defending creatures that lived in a world that was both so similar and so different from his, but there was something about it that felt so very right.
Yes, the Go-Getters were his friends. And he was proud to call them that, too.
Chiefslayer, who had been leading the charge, eyed Batwings suspiciously for several bone-chilling minutes before finally conceding. With a snort, he made a beeline for the rocky cliff he called his home, and the other Sirens followed suit.
"So," Buddy said casually, "besides dealing with angry Sirens, what have you all been up to?"
Hiccup chuckled. "Oh, you know, learning about new dragons, narrowly avoiding getting killed by the enemy, saving an orphaned dragonet, same old same old."
Snivels carefully held up the Siren egg as proof.
"We think the Shadow Pokémon are getting reinforcements," said Astrid. "Now that they know we're here, they won't be giving up the fight so easily."
Ninjark pointed to the four Legendary Pokémon in front of them. "Well, now we have reinforcements."
They collectively turned around back toward the Isle of Sirens to rest for the night, their expressions all saying the same exact thing.
Let's hope it's enough.
In the Monsters of Berk Universe
Upon a small hill stood a large house, with a small staircase made out of wooden planks leading up to the front porch. A humanoid female with raven-black hair and a pair of wings slowly turned her egg over the fireplace to keep it warm. Standing behind her was a large bird-like monster with thick, rough scales.
"They have to be around here somewhere," the Siren whispered to herself. "Scarath, go out and look for them again. Please."
The Seregios opened his jaws, and a shrill shriek tore through the otherwise quiet atmosphere, frightening small forest animals for miles around. He spread his bronze wings and flew out of the house to do as he was asked.
The girl stared down at her egg and whispered to herself, "Batwings, where are you?"
Millennium stared from afar at the Isle of Sirens, his dark, flaming aura billowing in the wind like a cape. He'd sent the Tyranitar and the Metagross ahead to survey the island, and they returned to him bearing bruises from an attack.
The Go-Getters were here. He just knew it.
"Gather the others, Gojira," he commanded. "Come tomorrow, the residents of this island will belong to the Dark Matter."
The Tyranitar obediently stomped off.
But somewhere deep inside, Millennium was fighting the battle every Shadow Pokémon had to face.
Release me, he begged. Decade means a lot to me, but I can't betray my friends.
"wE HaD a dEaL," was Dark Matter's reply. "It'S eITheR yOu oR YoUR dAuGHteR."
That was sure to keep the Eternatus's willpower at bay for a good, long while...
Chiefslayer is the most awesome dragon name ever!
I find it worth noting that the defacto leader of the Shadow Pokémon was originally going to be Lugia, as a reference to Pokémon XD, but with all of the Sword and Shield hype that had built up, I decided to give the role to Eternatus instead.
Also, it's remarkably easy for me to imagine Adhesive having Weird Al's voice.
Please leave me some reviews, and I'll see you all again soon! (Not literally.)
