Chapter 15: Mystery Dungeon
Pyre and Ivy were walking together. The snivy hadn't taken his eyes off of Pyre for hours. Before he would've done so out of desire for the Charmander, but now it was different. He still felt the same attraction toward the fire type, but the way he sulked, it was painful to watch.
Pyre was once so full of life and love. Now he simply stared at the ground as he walked, his tail drooping and dragging behind him.
The two hadn't said anything to each other for almost the entire day. Pyre wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to speak. Even so, Ivy couldn't stand to see him like that.
"Hey Pyre?" No response. "Maybe we should take a break? I think you need one." Pyre kept walking, apparently not hearing the grass types' words. Ivy reached out, touching him and turning him around. "Pyre! Please, take a break, I'm begging you."
The Charmander took a seat on a nearby rock, feeling the warmth of the midday sun upon his scales. Normally it was something he enjoyed, but like most things for him lately, he didn't feel anything.
The snivy gave him a worried look. "I'm gonna look for some berries, you gonna be alright by yourself?" Pyre looked up at him and gave a weak smile. It terrified the grass snake. How someone who's smile could light the void itself, could now give such an empty smile. Ivy wrapped a vine around Pyre's hand. "Well, give that a squeeze if you need me okay?"
Pyre nodded slowly. And the grass snake walked off between some bushes, and beyond.
The Charmander glanced up at the sun. "Why did you do it?" He laid on his back. "Why did you take her away from me…" tears began to stream from his eyes. "Why Arceus….she was so sweet…innocent…why didn't you take me instead?" He began to quietly sob. "She didn't deserve that…"
A dark chuckle rang out in his ears as the light of the sun died away in seconds. Pyre was surrounded by pure darkness. And he felt a painful burning grip on his shoulder. And a dark tornado-like vortex emerged behind him forcing him to sit up. Two vicious magenta eyes peered through the veil. "All alone. The little Charmander. Too weak to defend himself. The darkness constricts around you. Like a serpent coiling around you to crush the life from your body."
Pyre felt himself beginning to hyperventilate, his body racked with fear. Memories began to flow from his mind seemingly ripped out into the darkness of the void, if he remembered them once, he couldn't anymore. He was about to squeeze the vine in his hand when he saw something in the distance. A gold and blue glow approached them, but the closer it got, the weaker the hold of darkness seemed to be. Brighter and brighter the world seemed to grow around him. And that cruel dark voice died away, along with the pain in his shoulder.
By some miracle, Rai was there, followed by a handsome pangoro. The Raichu immediately took notice of Pyre and his apparent unhappy appearance.
"Pyre! Oh that's him Russ, let's go check on him, he doesn't look like he's doing too good." Rai spoke as they slowly approached. Russ, was what the pangoro was called it seemed.
Pyre didn't respond, he simply stayed seated. The light he'd seen seemed to be radiating off of the two of them.
Russ seemed to also feel rather concerned given Pyre's demeanor. "Um, h-hi you're Pyre right?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to startle the Charmander.
Pyre nodded slowly.
"Hey, what's wrong dude, did something happen?" Rai looked him in the eyes worriedly.
The Charmander frowned, and it seemed to startle the chu. Then tears started to drip from Pyre's eyes again.
Russ' eyes widen with surprise as he gently takes Rai aside. "You know him Rai, what should we do?"
"I'm..not sure, he's normally really happy, I.." glancing back to Pyre, Rai strutted up to him and instinctively gave him a hug.
"It hurts so bad Rai…" the Charmander hugged back, tears streaming down his face.
Russ takes a saddened look, hearing the pain in the Charmander's voice as he watches the two hug. Pyre was clearly hurting a lot, as though he'd suffered a great tragedy. And though he was a stranger to the Charmander, the pangoro felt he needed to help in some way. "Pyre. I know you don't know me but Rai has told me a lot about you. I know how close you both are, and how much you mean to each other. My name is Russie and…whatever has befallen you, I just want you to know that both I and my mate will do anything and everything we can to help you."
Pyre perked up a bit. Mate? We're they.
"Yeah! We're here for you buddy!" Rai smiled at him.
"You guys are…together?" Pyre seemed surprised at first, but wiped his tears away. For some reason, that made him happy, and he smiled back. That explained the light he'd seen. The joy of being in love, that light that could outshine the sun. His best friend had it, just as he once did.
Seeing him happy again, the pangoro couldn't help but smile. Even though the fire type was sad just a moment ago, it was like you couldn't help but feel happy too when he was. "We are! Have been for a little while now, haven't we love?"
It made Pyre happy hearing the endearing way Russ called Rai 'love'.
"We are! We were when I saw you last, but I kinda wanted you to meet him before I told you!" The raichu turned to smile back at his mate as he and Pyre broke their hug.
"That's great! I'm so happy for you." There was pain behind his words, but it was clear he was still being genuine.
"Thank you Pyre, that really means a lot coming from you! I've wanted to meet you ever since Rai told me about you. From what he's told me, you've been a real great friend to him, and so I've gotta thank you for that! For making my little chu so happy, and for being there for him." He knelt down so he and Pyre were at eye level, and extended his hand towards him for him to shake, a warm smile on his face.
Pyre pushed his hand out of the way and gave him a sweet hug. "I'm glad you make him happy! It's a pleasure to meet ya Russ!"
The pangoro happily hugged the little char in return, thrilled to see he's seemingly back to being cheerful. "A pleasure to meet you too Pyre! Very much so!"
Rai smiled happily looking between Russ and Pyre. "So what happened Pyre? You didn't look like you were doing too well?"
"Well…you remember Cynder I'm sure, hard to forget such a love mon! Well….I had a fight a while back, and well…the guy got mad that I won and… " Pyre frowned again. "and he uh…."
"I'm so sorry Pyre, I didn't mean to upset you."
"Its all good, you didn't know, and you're worried. She wouldn't want me to be upset anyway, gotta keep my light right?" He gave a weak smile. It made him feel better knowing his friend was happy, and that he was so worried about him.
"I am truly sorry for your loss, I can't imagine the pain you must bear." Russ rested his hand on Pyre's shoulder reassuringly smiling once more. "But from what I know of you Pyre, your light shines brighter than most. The world could do with more light like that, so it's little wonder she'd want you to keep it. For the whole world would be just that much darker without it!"
"Yeah, the world wouldn't be half as good without your goofy grin in it!"
Pyre smiled wider at that. "You guys are right! I'll probably keep moping about for a bit, but she'd want me to bring more light to the world! I'll do it!" He kept smiling. "You guys are bringing some light into the world too I think!"
Russ chuckled at that, before gazing at Rai lovingly. "This little cutie certainly lights up MY world, that's for sure!"
Rai blushed deep gazing back at Russ. "And he lights up mine!"
"I needed this, thanks guys." Pyre felt like he wasn't quite so empty anymore. Rai had lost love as well, but he had a new love. Though he doubted he'd ever love someone like Cynder again, it just showed that happiness could still flourish within him.
Russ blushed deeply as well, holding the gaze for a few moments before turning back to Pyre. "You are very welcome Pyre! Any friend of Rai is a friend of mine after all, and I always do my best for my friends!"
"And you know I do the same dude!"
Pyre gave both a hug each. "I'm glad we met like this. I'm…going away for a while Rai."
"You are?"
"Yeah, I'm not sure where, but I just need to distance myself right now. And work on bringing some light back to the world."
"Well I can't think of a better Mon to bring light to the world than you, Pyre. It's been wonderful to meet you, know that our door is always open to you, whenever you like! And wherever it is you go, please do keep yourself safe, ok?"
"Thanks, I will!" Pyre nodded at both pokemon. "Well I don't want to keep you, but I'm waiting for my friend to come back, so don't feel like ya need to stick around okay!"
"Alright Pyre! Come on darling, we do unfortunately have some uh.. business to attend to…" Rai gave his mate a teasing wink.
The pangoro catches Rai's meaning and grins. "Oooh ohoho! Yes indeed we do! Take care Pyre, hope to see you again sometime!"
"See ya later Pyre!"
"I hope to see you guys again too! He waved happily as they strolled off together.
A few moments later, Ivy returned with a bundle of berries. He immediately noticed Pyre's improved demeanor. "You look like you're in a better mood." He held the berries out for Pyre and the Charmander took them happily.
"I am, I just ran into some friends, and I think, even though I'm still hurting, I think everything will be alright!" Pyre dug into the berries happily.
*Elsewhere*
Five pokemon knelt before the cave mouth, two up front, three in the back. A bright sapphire barrier separating them from the cave's inhabitant.
In the back, knelt a Zoroark, an Umbreon, and a Krookodile.
The two in the front were the malnourished Sneasel Pyre had seen in his dreams, and a Charmander with blood red scales and a terrible black flamed tail.
"My loyal subjects." That cruel calamitous voice spoke from beyond the barrier. "Rejoice, our time is nigh at hand."
"Master?" The Zoroark spoke up from the back. "I do not wish to be impertinent, but the barrier…"
He was cut off as his body was suddenly shoved into the barrier itself, the energy seemed to burn his fur and flesh in seconds. Glancing back, he found the Charmander and Sneasel pushing him into it.
"The barrier will fall. You would do well to not question father's orders!" The Charmander snarled into his ear as they tossed him back.
"Eclipse, stand down." That voice echoed passed the barrier.
The Charmander kneeled again. "Yes father."
The Sneasel followed suite.
"He is right Kimim, the barrier will fall." The voice addressed the Zoroark, aptly named Kimim. The Zoroark forced himself into a kneeling position, and struggled not to grip his face where the flesh had seared off. "But do not forget what it does to those that bear my mark." The calamitous creature continued. "Moon, Swindle." The voice spoke to the umbreon and Krookodile respectively. "You will bring the news to the pokemon of that wretched town. And my consort will allow you temporary command of our progeny. Won't you dear?"
It wasn't a real question, the calamitous being already knew the answer. The Sneasel bowed respectfully and nodded.
"As for you Kimim, Xiphos failed, so you will blend into that wretched town, and report back, when Pyre arrives."
"Pyre?! Do I finally get to kill him father?!" Eclipse stood without warning, his smile almost as joyous as Pyre's, but with a hint of sadistic bloodlust.
"Not yet, I have another duty for you." The calamitous being watched the Charmander frown. "The one they hail as a hero, Lucario, the greatest rescue team leader. Your mission, is to prove you are strong enough to face Pyre. Shatter their hope. Deliver Lucario's head to that town."
The excitement returned to the void tailed charmander's eyes and he saluted the calamitous voice. "Yes father!"
"Now go."
*With Pyre*
"Do you even know where we're going Pyre?"
"Nope!" The Charmander continued his forward stroll. The two had been walking for a few days at that point. They were completely lost, aside from a feeling Pyre had been getting. "Just following my gut." Something within him was pulling him forth, like fate itself was pushing him toward his destination.
After a few more minutes of walking, they reached their destination. A small cave entrance. To Pyre it smelled familiar, and he followed the scent inside.
Hesitantly Ivy followed behind him. The cave wasn't very deep, they reached the back of it almost immediately.
But Pyre kneeled down and touched the ground, seeming to dust something off. "Heh, whaddya know." He lifted up a small shard of what appeared to be a pokemon egg. "Didn't think this would still be here."
"What is it?"
"A piece of the egg I hatched from." Pyre looked around, something was missing. He felt something tugging at his mind, but wasn't sure what. Like he'd forgotten something.
Ivy stepped up directly behind him. "I don't see how…"
A bright flash of light blinded the two of them, cutting Ivy's sentence short.
Pyre wasn't certain how long he'd been out, but as he shook his head awake he found the back of the cave behind him. He didn't remember turning back. More than that, the ground around him was scorched. He looked around for Ivy, but the snivy was nowhere in sight. What was in sight was the skeleton of a Charmeleon. Pyre felt a pain in his chest, like this skeleton had some meaning to him, but as he thought, he couldn't find what it was. It was like the memory had been ripped from his head.
He stood up and slowly stepped around the skeleton and rushed toward the cave entrance. Once he came out into the world he was surprised, the trees were gone, everything around the cave mouth reduced to ashes.
In the distance lush fields of green, and a massive stone wall. Beyond that, a sight he couldn't forget, one that burned onto his mind. A dark mountain wreathed in black flames. Pyre felt panic begin to overwhelm him. "Ivy!?" He called out to his friend and started running. "Iiiiivyyyyyyy!? Where are you?" Out of the ashen dust burst three weavile. Pyre was too panicked to react.
In a split second he was out again. For how long, he couldn't say. But he felt a cool breeze and heard a soft voice speaking to him.
"Hey…hey wake up, wake up already!" Pyre sat up rubbing his head. "Hey, you, you're finally awake."
"Where am I?"
"You were passed out there for a while. I'm Cobalt, nice to meet ya!" Pyre looked over seeing a mudkip smiling at him. "So who might you be, I don't think I've seen your face around here before."
"Um, I'm Pyre." The Charmander smiled back.
"Uh-huh, Pyre, that's…a funny name!"
Before either could continue speaking a Butterfree flew in their direction shouting. "Oh it's horrible, please somebody must help me, my poor Caterpie, three lightless weavile took him into a nearby cavern, please you must help! Tiny woods can get you straight there, but please you must hurry."
"Who steals a kid, that's just messed up. Don't worry Butterfree! I'll help save your Caterpie!" Cobalt spoke up quickly. "You look like a good guy, will you help me save Caterpie?"
Pyre thought for a moment, he needed to find Ivy, but a child was in danger. The snivy would understand. Besides, he needed answers. "I'll help you! But I need some filling in on the way. Who are these lightless weavile?"
"Oh geez, this is gonna be a long story, come on, I'll tell ya on the way!" Cobalt took off running toward what appeared to be another cave.
Author's Note: I appreciate everyone's patience and apologize, considering it took me a year to reach this point