Dear God he's back, and with another story, what is wrong with that guy.
Its very simple really, I just get bored and start writing from time to time when I have nothing else to do, like work. Unfortunately my job has taken most if not all my free time and writing is stressful sometimes; really frustrating if you dont know what to write next. So here's me taking one more stab at it.
Fingers crossed I have enough in me to finish this thing. and who knows, might even go back and work on some of the other stories if I can actually get some inspiration.
The world of Pokémon, a fascination of child and adult alike. The land filled with mysterious creatures that can casually defy physics with nary a care.
Many a people, young and old grew up on the franchise, from the very first Pokémon game to the latest edition of the creature collector.
They all wanted to catch them all, to be the very best, so they let their imaginations run wild in an effort to picture themselves in said world.
Some just casually gave it a thought, wondering it would be like to live in the world in the television. Others lost themselves to the fantasy, becoming obsessed with the franchise to the point it was considered a problem.
Though, no matter which one they fell under, they all had to accept reality sooner or later, that they would never live in a world created by mortal people.
Still though, there is always a greater than zero percent chance of anything happening.
Unfortunately for Luke, that greater than zero chance was all the universe needed.
He didn't remember much after he awakened in the world not his own, only bits and pieces here and there.
He remembered fire, explosion near and far, the crack of wood splintering and the screaming of men and women, from there though, everything was just a blur of color and noise.
He remembered when he first opened his eyes to greet the new world, the forest so green and vibrant, leaves rustling in the wind and creatures that called the trees their home skittering and cawing all around him.
The sun was high in the sky, the big ball shining down and warming his fur. That's when he noticed, his eyes growing wide in shock as he looked down at his very clearly not human form.
Blue fur, paws, and senses far beyond what he remembered when he was still just a man.
It took him hours to actually get to his feet, his new paws unsteady as he stumbled towards the sound of water, using the trees for support until he reached a small river.
The water was calm, gently flowing with nary a ripple, giving him the perfect mirror to stare at the wide eyed riolu staring back at him.
He didn't know how long he stared, lost in thought as his mind tried to rationalize what he was experiencing. From a dream to a nightmare induced psychosis, he let his thoughts run wild.
He tried to wake himself up by dunking his head in the river, but all it accomplished was drenching his new fur in the icy river water, and even slapped himself a few times, but that too accomplished nothing.
He didn't remember much after that, time bleeding away at the memory until it was stripped of all meaning.
There was a cat, green as the forest. Pink eyes so vibrant and full of life. His first friend, his first love, now just a fleeting memory in a mind that should have broken so long ago.
So many adventures had, tender moments shared, hardships fought through and dungeons explored, now gone.
At first he was ecstatic to realize where he was, his wistful thoughts and wishes having come true, until the first hundred or so years had passed.
He realized with horror that no matter how much time had passed, he never aged a day. While his companions grew older, his mate grew feeble and gray, he remained the same.
He was forced to bury his mate, tears streaming down his face to soak his fur as he returned her to the earth. Then the rest of his companions were too entombed in the dirt, their lives finally coming to an end.
He tried to find love again, find friends to support him, only for same to happen, again and again in a never ending cycle.
After losing so much over the centuries, he had simply given up, becoming cold and distant from the one's he worked alongside in the guild, his guild mates receiving no affection from the lucario while clients received barely a single word.
He had refused the position of guild master so many times, simply watching as mon after mon took up the mantle, only to lose it in what to him was a blink of an eye.
Eventually even the guild succumbed to the hands of time, the once large but humble building falling to ruin after the plague that swept the continent centuries ago.
He never wept for the loss of the guild, he had simply left after the last of his guild mates had succumbed to the illness, passing onto the ever after.
From there he wandered, taking odd jobs here and there, never staying in one place for too long and barely speaking a word to those he came across.
He eventually found his way across the sea, serving in the kings army for about five or so decades, protecting this new land like he did his old.
Unfortunately, that too had passed, the old and wise ruler of the kingdom growing too old to rule his lands, his son taking the crown before running the thing into the dirt with his frivolous spending of the people's money.
He left before the coup had started.
He traveled the sea once again, exploring another new continent with little to no enthusiasm.
That's how he ended where he was now, nursing a spiked berry drink while dozens of Pokémon of all shapes and sizes drank their own drinks, either enjoying them with friends or trying to drink away their sadness.
The drink in his paw ran empty and was set on the counter, the lucario staring ahead at nothing while the bartender, a perky salazzle, took away his glass without a word.
He grasped the chain around his neck, the simple band of gold heavy in his paw as his eyes grew slightly misty.
"I still remember our anniversary love, just like I promised." His voice was deep, a smooth baritone that carried his sadness in its tone.
A depressed chuckle left his muzzle before he tapped the counter, signaling for another drink.
"Don't you think you've had enough sir?" The salazzle asked, looking at the lucario with mild concern.
"Not drunk yet am I?" he grunted.
"Sir, you've drank enough to put a wailord into a coma. I don't feel comfortable serving you any more alcohol."
There's something you don't see everyday, a bartender who actually cares about their patrons.
Luke stared at the reptile for a moment, a sigh leaving his muzzle.
"Very well, just get me the bill and I'll be out of your scales."
The fire/poison type smiled and gave him a number, the small pile of coins hitting the counter.
"Keep the change."
And with that, he was back out in the large town he never got the name of, inhaling the frigid air as snow fell all around him, covering the streets and rooftops in a blanket of white. He held out a paw, catching the snowflakes, the small crystals soaking into his fur.
"Have you found anything?"
A shadow fell behind him, the visitor appearing from seemingly nowhere. The zoroark kneeled down behind the lucario, their head now level with his.
"Afraid not sir." They answered, the vixen shaking her head, "The duke didn't have any information in his study."
"Another lead run cold." Luke growled, clenching his fist before releasing a breath, tension leaving his form. "Very well, good work Ebony."
"Thank you sir." The now named Ebony rose to her paws, standing tall over the jackal before moving to stand beside him. "Your orders?"
Luke didn't respond right away, his eyes unfocused as he stared up at the moon on high.
"Regroup with Nótt, look into the king's archives, see what you can find." He turned to look up at the grey furred fox, ruby meeting sapphire. "I'll investigate the Holy Grotto, hopefully the ruins will have something."
She nodded, giving the canine a hug before vanishing as quickly as she had appeared, leaving the jackal alone once more in the almost desolate streets of the town.
Another deep breath, and he set off down the street, passing the occasional Pokémon without a word, thumbing his necklace.
His plan had experienced a small hiccup, the Duke of Valacosta had nothing in his library, the last two ruins he looked into held nothing but worthless words and broken artifacts, and it had been decades since he found the last piece.
He reached down to gently grasp the pouch on his hip, the galvantula silk soft on his fingers. He untied the cord from his hip and held up the bag, emptying its contents into his paw. The shards of metal shined in the moonlight with an unnatural glow, his reflection staring back at him with a grim determination.
He quickly returned the shards and pouch to their proper places, ensuring the knot was secure before turning his attention to the town gate he was approaching.
The guards, a pair of bisharp, cast him a single bored glance as he passed.
'two more pieces, if the legends are true that is.' He really hoped that was the case, at this point he was running out of options.
As that thought hit him, the bag on his hip suddenly felt so much heavier, the weight of the possibilities.
He felt a smile grow on his muzzle, the first one in such a long time, he had almost forgotten he could.
"Soon…soon."
His ears twitched, the sound of a twig snapping to his right. His aura sensors pulsed, the outline of a small quadruped and avian entered his minds eye, before the two crashed through the bushes, the bird falling to the dirt while the four legged mon rolled onto the road in front of him.
He looked down at the two, a shinx and torchic, the two slowly groaning as the feline rubbed their head.
"I told you torchic couldn't fly." The kitten grumbled, his golden yellow eyes glaring at the fire chick, who was slowly getting on their own two claws.
"I had to try, you never know right?" He shrugged, flapping his tiny wings and flinging dirt and gravel everywhere.
"I do know, which is why I told you not to try."
The chick huffed and looked at the path, his head tilting before he looked the other way…then up as he raised his head to look up at the lucario watching them both with an unreadable expression.
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to just tumble into your way there."
The shinx looked up at his companion before looking at the jackal as well, his nose twitching.
"Right, were sorry sir." His baby blue head bowed in apology, copied by the torchic.
"Don't worry about it." He waved off their apology, examining the two closely as his eyes narrowed slightly. "Why are you two children out at this time of night?"
This question made the shinx light up with a smile, his small paw reaching up to grasp the green bandana around his neck.
"Were going out on our first mission as a rescue team!" He was clearly happy to announce this to the world, his voice dripping with pride while the torchic chuckled with an embarrassed blush.
"Right, Team Dawn at your service." He was much less confident. Seems he was the more meek of the two.
"Fresh recruits huh? Good luck then." He stepped past the two, continuing down the path and leaving the two behind him. At least he tried anyway, and would have succeeded had the electric type not ran forward to get back in front of him.
"I'm really sorry to ask sir, but can you give us some directions? We're kind of lost." He grinned up at the larger Pokémon, receiving a blank stare before the aura Pokémon grunted, crossing his arms.
"Where?"
The shinx looked to the torchic, who retrieved a piece of paper from his bag.
"Says, Westboro Falls."
Luke scrunched his face in distaste, grimacing slightly..
"Come." He resumed walking, the two quickly falling in step behind him with relieved smiles.
"Thank you so much sir, we've been wandering the woods for hours." The shinx smiled at his senior.
Luke hummed in response.
"So what's your name sir?" The cat ran slightly further ahead of the fighting type. "My names Bolt," his little paw was placed on his chest before he pointed to the fire type. "That's Pyro."
Luke grunted, but didn't bother to answer, his eyes keeping on the path as he wordlessly walked along.
The electric types grin slowly faded from the dismissal, but it quickly grew back as he shared a look with his friend.
They continued down the trail, the trio walking along in silence until they came across a fork in the road.
One side led towards a mountain, while the other was surrounded by trees.
Luke pointed at the second path.
"That leads towards the falls, from there you should find Westboro easy enough, just look for the waterfalls and you should find the village there, understand?"
Bolt and Pyro both nodded, giving the jackal a quick thank you before taking off down the path, the torchic stumbling as he tried to keep up with his more agile companion.
The duo were out of sight within seconds, the sounds of their footsteps fading to silence.
He watched them go, the two friends off on their first adventure that tickled his nostalgia, reminding him of simpler times.
He sighed, shaking his head as he began to walk again, the moon his only companion for the night.
He continued along, the wind whistling through the trees, the leaves rustling in the night.
His feet carried him along, his destination a small distance away.
He stopped when the trees ended, his eyes falling on the entrance of the Holy Grotto, the cave shrouded in the darkness that marked the beginning of a mystery dungeon.
The entrance was a hole in the side of a small cliff, the opening dark and foreboding as the winds whistled through.
He wordlessly stepped into the darkness, the cave walls enveloping him as the shadows consumed his vision.
That's when he stepped into the dungeon proper.
The darkness was gone, a large cavern replacing the small cave. A single pathway leading deeper into the dungeon.
He began to walk, his eyes looking at the ceiling above, the rock cracked and broken, the cave dim, the darkness only broken by the faint glow of bioluminescent mushrooms that dotted the ceiling.
He reached into his explorers pouch, grasping one of the items inside and retrieving a small luminous orb, a soft light emanating from the small sphere.
He held it high as he continued on, the path curving left and right before rising and falling, the cave itself seeming to twist and turn, like a serpent that was trying to swallow him whole.
He traveled the twists and turns, choosing his directions at random as he delved deeper into the cavern.
The silence of the dungeon was deafening, the only sound was the distant roar of water as the dungeon itself seemed to pulse with a strange power.
The ferals steered clear of him, the sheer amount of aura he was releasing enough to get their instincts to send them running whenever he entered the room.
It was exhausting after awhile, but it did mean that he wouldn't have to worry about being attacked, so he could focus on his search.
He found the stairs easy enough, and the next level was cleared as quickly as the first.
And it went like that, floor after floor was conquered and cleared, the aura Pokémon barely breaking a sweat as he delved deeper and deeper into the dungeon.
He eventually made it to the tenth floor, the stone path leading into a large room, the walls and roof smooth and worn, small cracks running along their surface.
There, sitting in the center, was the source of the roars, a massive waterfall that fell from a crack in the ceiling, the water flowing into a pool below.
The water glowed an eerie green, the light illuminating the room, revealing the dozens of murals painted on the smooth walls of the large cavern. Each painting depicted a familiar sight.
Arceus in all of his holy glory.
He stood tall, the gold and silver markings on his body standing out against the white. He stood proudly, his mane billowing in an invisible wind, his hooves standing strong.
The lucario stepped closer to the mural, his eyes drinking in every detail, his paws trembling as they formed into fists.
Each image portrayed the same thing, Arceus, the almighty, the creator.
"Pretentious cunt." He huffed, turning away from this mural to focus on the one at the far end of the cavern.
This painting was different from the others, where the rest showed the almighty god standing proudly, this one had him laying in a crater, his body mangled and bloodied.
Above him was a sword, the blade covered in the blood of a being considered to be immortal.
Around him were several Pokémon, each wearing a cloak, the hoods hiding their features as they looked down at the alpha Pokémon with contempt and scorn.
"Arceus, the god that betrayed his own creation, the one who cursed the world with his hatred." He whispered, his gaze shifting to the other wall, his eyes hardening.
There, carved into the wall, was a set of seven shards, the bands of metal surrounding a sphere that glowed with ethereal power.
He reached into his satchel, his paw closing around the five shards in his pouch as he read the inscription.
"To protect the legends from the mortals who see themselves as gods, the blade used to slay the all mighty was shattered, and the shards were scattered across the world, the knowledge of the blade was destroyed, and those who hid them away were sacrificed for the safety of the world." He read, his voice low and grim
It was rough and dirty translation, the words having long since faded with time, but he could still make out what it said, his eyes scanning over the engraving.
"The seven pieces were scattered, hidden away in the strange places that dot our lands."
His eyes were drawn to the final carving, the words written with the same care that the rest of the carving possessed.
"Only the worthy shall find the shards, and only the chosen shall possess them, and with them the power to save the world."
He scoffed, his eyes hardening as his paw tightened around the metal fragments.
"Only the chosen, my ass."
With that he turned, stepping back into the path and leaving the chamber, the sound of the roaring water disappearing behind him.
It seems nothing new would be gained from this excursion, only knowledge that confirmed what he already knew.
The power in the shards was unmistakable, if it was here, he would know.
He left the dungeon easy enough, the exit taking him outside to a ledge overlooking the ocean, the moon hanging high in the sky, the night was still young.
He looked at the moon, the celestial body shining brightly, the silver light illuminating the world.
He was so caught up in his own mind, he didn't hear the footsteps approach.
"Well, looks like our search was wasted." Ebony sighed, her voice causing Luke to turn, his eyes landing on the dark type who stood in the shadows.
"That was quick."
"Vargr already scoped it out, came up empty. Looks like we're back to square one."
Luke groaned, a paw raising to run over his muzzle.
"God dammit...fine, your dismissed. Regroup with the others and meet me in Stormvale."
The zoroark bowed, vanishing in a cloud of black smoke as the jackal was left alone once more, the water below crashing against the rocks.
"Back to square one indeed."
With that he turned, making his way back down the mountain path.
Ebony reappeared in a haze of shadow, the darkness receding as she made her way into her cabin for the night, the cool winds of the mountain replaced with the gentle warmth of the home they had rented out for the night.
"Back already?" Vargr asked, the midnight lycanroc turning to face the fox as she stepped through the doorway. "Any luck?"
She shook her head, a frown marring her muzzle.
"No, we came up empty, another dead end."
Vargr sighed, a paw reaching up to scratch his ear, the scarred canine shaking his head.
"Dammit, that's the sixth lead that went nowhere, what the hell is going on?"
Ebony shrugged, her eyes staring out the window at the village beyond.
"Who knows, maybe were just unlucky, or the pieces aren't in the right place, we'll keep looking, were so close, the shards have to be somewhere."
Vargr nodded, moving to sit beside the fire.
"Yeah, but what's the plan now? Do we look for the next clue? If so, where do we even start?"
Ebony shook her head.
"We meet Luke tomorrow at Stormvale, then we'll figure things out from there." She moved to sit by the fire, the soft light casting the room in a warm glow.
The wolf nodded, the two sharing a comfortable silence as the night wore on, the moon continuing its trek through the night sky.
"Nótt coming back tonight?" Ebony asked, her head tilting to the side as she turned towards the canine.
"Dunno, you know her, always busy. She probably found a better place to stay the night than here. She does her own thing, you know how she is."
Ebony couldn't help but chuckle at that, the dark type resting her chin on her knees.
"Yup, she sure is something else, that's for sure."
"Yeah, a pain in the ass, that's what." Vargr chuckled, a small smile on his muzzle.
"Hey, be nice, were her family, we're supposed to love her."
"I do, doesn't mean I won't call her a pain in the ass."
The two shared a laugh, their voices the only sound in the otherwise silent cabin.
"How's Luke doing by the way, haven't seen him in awhile."
Ebony hummed, her ears twitching.
"Same as always, grumpy and serious, he's not the talkative type."
"That's an understatement."
She snorted.
"But seriously, is he okay? I mean, we're all tired of this search, but Luke is the one taking it the worst. We've been searching for almost ten years now, but that old bastard's been searching for those blasted shards for decades."
Ebony sighed, the fire crackling as the logs slowly crumbled.
"I don't know, it's impossible to really get a read on him, especially since he seems to always keep everyone at arms length."
Vargr huffed, the wolf looking down at his paws, his claws scratching at the wood.
"True, been working with him for a decade and the only thing I know about him is his name."
Ebony chuckled, the fire's glow making the gray fur on her body shimmer.
"Same, I remember when he offered me the job, I thought it was a scam, a scrawny little zorua, starving on the side of the street, a perfect target."
She chuckled.
"Gave me a roof over my head and food in my belly, just to go snooping around in old libraries and tombs, I didn't even know what he was looking for, but I wasn'tgonna say no."
Vargr looked up, his red eyes meeting hers.
"Did he ever tell you what the shards are for?"
Ebony shook her head.
"No, never, and I never bothered to ask. I just did what I was told."
"Same here, he said search and I searched, I don't care what he's looking for, he paid well."
"And you got to walk away with more scars than you could count."
"What's the fun in exploring dungeons if there aren't any traps?" He grinned, "Besides, they were baby traps, didn't even tickle.
She looked over his scarred form, her eyes taking in the countless cuts and scrapes that littered his coat.
"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that tough guy."
Vargr growled playfully, the midnight lycanroc giving the vixen a playful nip before turning back to the fire.
The two sat in a comfortable silence, the quiet interrupted by the occasional pop of the dying fire.
The pair were pulled from their musings as a soft knock came from the door, both canine and vulpine turning their heads, watching as the newcomer made their way inside the cabin.
The light was low, but Ebony recognized the newcomer immediately, her red eyes taking in the form of an Umbreon, her eyes focused on the bright yellow glow of her rings.
"Nótt." Vargr spoke up, his voice pulling the lunar eevees attention.
"Oh, hey Vargr." The dark type greeted, the fox approaching the fire as her gaze flicked between the two.
"Where've you been?" Vargr asked, his muzzle resting on his paws.
"Here and there, you know how it is, had a few things to do, but I'm back now."
Vargr grunted.
"Good, cause we're going to Stormvale tomorrow, Luke's called a meeting."
"What for, leads come up short again?"
"Yep, another one bites the dust."
Nótt sighed, the eevee running a paw through her short fur.
"Shit, and I thought I had a good one too."
"Well, you know the drill, come up with nothing and move on." Ebony interjected, the dark type turning her gaze towards her fellow dark type.
"You think so, because I might have found something."
Ebony's interest was instantly peaked, the vixen leaning forward, her ruby eyes boring into the umbreon.
"Really, you're serious."
Nótt nodded, a small smirk on her muzzle.
"Deadly, I heard something while I was in the city, an explorer found something while dungeon diving. Rumor is some noble paid a fuck ton of money for the thing to put it on display in his little mansion.
Vargr groaned, the wolf giving his companion a tired look.
"Not this again, you can't trust rumors, that's how I ended up with this sucker." He tapped a claw to the scar right next to his eye, the fur short and ragged.
"Got anything better?" She huffed, "I'm tired of Luke being the only one with good leads."
Vargr was silent, the wolf grumbling as he leaned back, his scarlet eyes glaring at the fire.
"Thought so."
"Whatever, let's just get some sleep, I'm beat, and it's a long walk to Stormvale." Ebony interrupted, rising from the floor and making her way over to the door leading into her room.
"Fine, just don't get your hopes up." Vargr warned, the lycanroc moving to his own room.
"Yeah, yeah." Nótt sighed, the umbreon turning towards the last room.
Ebony sighed as she closed the door, her eyes glowing dimly in the darkness.
"Tomorrow's gonna be a long day."