Chip
Ommni had split the group. Alister and Shawn found themselves trapped on one side of an invisible wall, while the rest were cornered on the other with Tusk. Panic clawed at Chip, but he swallowed his fears, forcing himself to focus on the urgent task: survive Tusk and protect Meadow from Ommni.
Tusk's roar echoed through the cavern. "Let's see how you fare when you're not all huddled together," he taunted, pounding his chest. "Prepare to be crushed."
Kira's voice rang out steadily and calmly, cutting through the impending chaos. "Get ready, everyone. Chip, you and the other young fighters stay behind me and Sir Godfrey. Protect yourselves and Meadow. We cannot allow him to break our line."
Smirking, Tusk lowered his stance, ready to pounce. "I'm not here to snatch away your precious little bird. I'm here for some fun breaking bones. Crunch, crunch." With a powerful slam of his fist against the ground, a shockwave surged toward the group.
As the Nidoking sent a shockwave toward the group, Chip dodged, narrowly missing a barrage of flying rocks that threatened Meadow and Delphine. Delphine's tails swirled in a blur, swatting the rocks away. "What was that about leaving us alone?" she retorted, her voice sharp and steady.
Dodging, Chip avoided the direct hit but watched in horror as rocks flew toward Meadow and Delphine. With a swift sweep of her tails, Delphine batted them away. "What happened to leaving us alone?" Her voice was ice-cold, eyes never straying from the looming threat that was Tusk.
Tusk, in response, simply chuckled and directed another shockwave at them. Kira sprang forward, arms crossed in defense. The impact threw him back, crashing him against the cavern wall. He dropped to his knees but stubbornly refused to yield.
"Kira!" Sir Godfrey called out. His concern was short-lived as Tusk sucker-punched him, seizing him by the neck, lifting him just enough to land a vicious kick in his chest.
"Pathetic," Tusk snarled, kicking the fallen Sir Godfrey. Chip watched, feeling a surge of anger well up within him. The sight was unbearable; someone who was once gentle, now reveling in causing harm. Hurting others for his own amusement. It was inexcusable.
"Your compassion will be your undoing," Tusk continued, relishing the terror he was instilling. "I'm strong because I do not waste my time worrying about friendship and being a good Pokemon."
The sight of Sir Godfrey, held aloft and unconscious, struck fear into the group. "This is not good." Hathor gasped. "I don't know if we can defeat him without Kira and Sir Godfrey's help."
"We can't just stand by and let them get hurt like this," Cassius interjected, the seal stepping forward.
"You...y...you'll never..." Sir Godfrey managed, blood trickling from his mouth. "Win…punk."
Tusk lifted Sir Godfrey higher, looking into his eyes. "That's my line, punk!" With a disdainful toss, Tusk threw Sir Godfrey like a rag doll. His limp body collided with the wall, joining Kira in a heap of defeat. The sound of Tusk's victorious laughter echoed throughout the cavern.
"Who's next for an ass-kicking? I've got plenty to go around."
"I am." It was Cassius who replied, earning gasps from Chip and Hathor.
"What are you doing?" Chip asked, fear creeping into his voice. "You'll get hurt."
"Hathor, take your mother and Meadow and get out of here," Cassius ordered, looking back at the foxes. "I'll buy you as much time as I can. Chip, you're more than welcome to join them."
"What are you saying?" Chip stuttered.
"We knew that not all of us would make it out of this," Cassius said, forcing a weak smile. "But traveling with you all...it's been an incredible journey. Meeting my Aunt Meadow...it made everything worthwhile."
"Auntie?" Chip inquired, puzzled.
"Long story. Maybe, if we make it out of this, I'll be able to tell you guys," Cassius replied, a hopeful twinkle in his eye.
"As if," Tusk interrupted, laughter rippling from him. "Well, that's not entirely true. You can all reunite in the afterlife. Because that's where you're heading. Nobody crosses Tusk and lives to tell the tale."
"No one speaks in the third person," Chip retorted, marching forward to stand alongside Cassius. "I can't let you fight alone. Some things in life you just do…even if you're scared." Chip cast a glance back at Hathor. "Protect your mom and Meadow. We'll handle this brute."
"Aww, you think this is the part of the story where friendship wins the day," Tusk mocked. "Let me give you a reality check. This story ends with you two getting your bones crushed, one by one. And I'm going to enjoy every moment of it."
"We beat you once before, Tusk," Chip said, a hint of defiance in his eyes. Inari's power surged within him, her presence grounding him.
~ We are not losing to him. Trust in each other and in those around us. Harness their power and faith. We are stronger than he is when we work together. ~
Inari's voice was as clear as a ringing bell, her confidence seeping into him. With a mutual nod between them, Chip and Cassius lunged into action. Cassius sent a slick of ice racing toward Tusk. The Nidoking was forced to move out of the way, but his feet were frozen in place.
"Chip, now!"
"On it!" Chip's fur shimmered into a vibrant pink as he envisioned himself as Hathor. He breathed fire onto Tusk. The ice melted, scalding Tusk and sending him sprawling backward.
"Damn you! How did you do that? You're a ZORUA!"
"And you're an ass," Chip retorted. "You gave up on your friends, on your fellow Templars, on everyone. And now you're going to feel their courage. Their strength flows through me—"
"Shut up!" Tusk roared. The Nidoking slammed his fist against the ground, sending a fissure rocketing toward Chip. He tried to dodge, but the force knocked him off his feet. He landed awkwardly on his side, wincing in pain.
"All this talk of friendship is really pissing me off."
Chip struggled to his paws; his determination was undeterred. "Do you ever shut up?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Tusk sneered.
"Tusk, shut up," Chip snapped, his resolve solidifying. The Zorua locked eyes with the enraged Nidoking. "You stopped caring about others long before I ever beat you. You've lost your way. You lost your friends—Kira, Sir Godfrey, all the other Templars. You gave up on them. They fought to try to bring you back to the light, but you spat on their help. Face it, you're just a scared little Nidoran living in a Nidoking's body. A loser!"
"SHUT UP!" Tusk roared, his anger now boiling over. He lowered his body, his horn aimed menacingly at Chip. "I'm going to kill you! I'm going to ram my horn straight up your ass and watch you bleed out!"
Ignoring the crude threats, Chip's eyes burned with determination. He sidestepped Tusk's initial charge, his instincts honed by Inari's presence.
~ Let your instincts guide you, ~ Inari reminded him, her voice a steady anchor amidst the chaos.
Chip nimbly dodged Tusk's tail swipe and countered with a swift claw attack, hitting Tusk's face, and causing him to stumble back. The ferocity of Chip's assault surprised the Nidoking.
"Damnit, you little freak! How did you do that? You're just a ZORUA!"
"And you're just an asshole," Chip shot back, his eyes ablaze. "You gave up on your friends, on your fellow Templars, on everyone. And now you're going to feel their courage. Their strength burns through me—"
"Arceus, shut the fuck up!" Tusk bellowed, slamming his fist against the ground, causing a crack to explode toward Chip. The Zorua tried to evade, but the shockwave knocked him off his paws, sending him tumbling. He landed on his side, his body aching from the impact.
"All this talk of friendship is really pissing me off," Tusk growled.
"Chip?" Cassius said, blowing cold air at Tusk again, only to have the Nidoking create a rock wall to block it.
"What the—"
"You're not the only one who learns, punk," Tusk snarled, punching the rock wall. The debris from the shattered rocks flew toward Cassius, momentarily blinding him. Tusk took the opportunity to grab the seal, head-butting him before tossing him aside. "Stay down, you little punks."
"Damnit..." Chip struggled to his paws, gritting his teeth against the pain. "Do you ever shut up?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Tusk laughed, enjoying every moment of their suffering.
"I'm not giving up, Tusk," Chip declared, determination flowing through him. "You've lost your way, and I'm not letting you hurt anyone else."
"You're just a naive little Zorua," Tusk retorted, advancing menacingly. "You can't stop me."
"But we can," a new voice called out. Suddenly, the mist that had concealed the ongoing battles cleared, revealing Alister and Shawn, both still standing. Whatever game Ommni was playing had evidently not gone in his favor, as Alister seemed wounded but determined.
"Chip!" Alister called.
"Tusk..." Ommni's presence materialized near the fallen Nidoking. The Alakazam looked infuriated. "Buy me time. I need to go with plan B."
"Yes, sir," Tusk replied, letting out another earth-shaking roar that filled the caverns, causing rocks to fall and dust to fill the air. The group couldn't see anything for a moment.
"What's going on?" Chip asked, trying to peer through the dust, but it was futile.
"Alister!"
"Basil!" The cries came from the area where Alister and Shawn were fighting Ommni. As the dust settled, the group could finally see each other again, but there was no sign of Tusk or Ommni. Panic surged within Chip as he noticed Hathor and Basil lying on the ground.
"Chip, he's here!" Hathor screamed.
"Alister, Basil!" Chip and Alister both called out, their voices echoing in the cavern.
"Chip, we have to find the others," Alister said urgently.
"We can't let them get away with this," Shawn added.
Without hesitation, the group split up into pairs, each searching for their missing friends. Chip ran to the fallen bodies of Kira and Sir Godfrey, who were beginning to awaken.
"We'll stay with them," Shawn said. "You guys go."
"Thank you," Chip replied before racing off with Alister at his side, heading toward the passage where Delphine and Meadow had been hiding. As they arrived, a scene of devastation greeted them—Delphine lay on her stomach, her tails smoldering, a clear sign that she had been overpowered.
"What happened here?" a voice inquired from nearby. Kyuubi and Hope appeared near the entrance of the cavern, and the sight of them strangely filled Chip with hope.
"We've lost..." Chip panted, his fear threatening to engulf him.
"That's not true," Hope interjected, kneeling to tend to Delphine, with Kyuubi's assistance. "You just need a moment to look at what's in front of you and adjust. My name is Doctor Hope, and we're here to help."
"Hmm, really creative name," Alister muttered.
"Don't mock the one who's here to help you," Hope replied, giving him a pointed look. "You need all the help you can get. Even one extra friend will make things better."
"All right then," Alister weakly smiled. "Let's go."
The group re-entered the temple, crossing the threshold, and the entrance sealed behind them. There was no turning back now. Chip felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, but the presence of Inari within him offered solace.
~ I'm with you every step of the way, ~ Inari reassured him. ~ If you want, let me take over. ~
'Inari?'
~ I told you, when you need me, I'll be here. Whether to guide you or to walk for you. Do you trust me? ~
'Yes,' Chip responded, closing his eyes. A moment later, Inari's mystical form manifested. Chip's fur transformed from gold to silver, his purple becoming richer, and a pair of moon earrings dangled from his ears. "You can call me Inari," she said with a bow. "I'm Chip's Omen, his inner self. I'm here to help."
"Chip?" Alister gasped, taken aback by the transformation.
"You guys can do it," Kyuubi said with a smile, lifting Hathor and Basil and carrying them in his arms. "Fight with all you might and never give up hope."
Encouraged by Kyuubi's words, Chip nodded. "Thank you, Kyuubi."
"No problem," Kyuubi replied.
"Let's do this," Chip said, his determination renewed. Alister and Shawn nodded in agreement.
Together, the group pressed onward, their hearts filled with hope and resolve. They knew the road ahead would be treacherous, but they were ready to face whatever lay beyond.