Chapter 29: Starscourge

Pyre stood within what appeared to be Rayquaza's home. The clouded floor stretched on immensely. And Rayquaza was there awaiting him. He did not speak, he simply turned around and roared.

Latios and Latias seemed to have been attacked as they were down and out behind him.

"Oh great, going solo it seems."

"Hardly. You think you can just show up, show me I can live my own life, and then just fight one of the most powerful Pokemon in the world alone?" Eclipse stepped up beside him.

"You know you don't have to."

"Hey, brothers protect each other right?"

"Thanks Eclipse. Ya know Rayquaza is pretty considerate to let us talk like this without attacking." Pyre looked at the serpent-like dragon seeing him forming a ball of energy in his maw. "Oooooh. That's not good."

Rayquaza spit the energy straight into the air, and it burst open, raining down smaller destructive orbs all around them. Pyre rushed over to Eclipse and tilted his head to the sky, letting loose a flamethrower into the air to shield them from the falling attacks.

Pyre took in a deep breath as he trained his eyes on Rayquaza. He felt himself shoved to the ground by Eclipse as the dragon flew by at high speed, nearly slamming into both of them.

"Any ideas?" Pyre stood up slowly.

"I'm open to suggestions!" Eclipse watched the serpentine dragon return to its perch.

"We could hit him really hard!" Pyre gave a goofy smile.

"How are you still alive? If that's your strategy…I just, nevermind." Eclipse shook his head.

"What can I say? I'm lucky!"

"He's coming again." Eclipse readied himself.

"I've got an idea, let's catch him."

"Catch him? How are we…no…"

"Yep," Pyre was holding his arms out ready to catch the massive serpentine dragon. "And if nothing else we can grab on. It'll be easier to hit him if he can't dodge."

"You're mad…" Eclipse mimicked Pyre's pose as Rayquaza burst forth rushing them.

"I hope so, otherwise this probably won't work!"

Suddenly the two were slammed hard, but the strategy worked. They had grabbed onto his face and were clinging for dear life as the serpentine dragon thrashed through the sky.

The two brothers each took in a deep inhale of air before billowing flames down the dragon's body, scorching its scales. Rayquaza slammed into the cloudy ground dislodging the two charmander's from him and casting them to either side of the battle arena.

And he quickly resumed his position at the other end of the clouded floor.

Pyre took in a deep breath and coughed, and across the battlefield Eclipse did the same. Both were left panting heavily. Each breath almost perfectly synced with the other. The flames on their tails began to flare up. Pyre's sapphire flame, along with Eclipse's violet flame, together both flickered into a pale white flame. Their eyes too shifted in color Pyre's left eye remained green, but his right took on the silverfish hue of Eclipse's, and Eclipse's eyes did the same.

As if a single being, both Charmander's laid with their arms out, and rose heels first from the ground.

Rayquaza roared with anger as he fired off several strange draco meteors, each one hanging in the air as the two charmander's approached and stood side by side with each other. Suddenly they all burst open sending a flurry of explosive orbs of energy shooting at them from all directions.

Pyre raised both his arms, fingers pressed together, and Eclipse did the same. A cacophony of finger snaps sounded out around them as they struck down each orb with precision and power. And yet the draco meteor didn't end, the assault of energy continued as the two charmander's stepped in line with each other, almost dancing as with each motion they shot down more and more of the incoming attacks.

They were being overwhelmed however by the sheer volume of the attack that was used. Simply firing flames from their fingertips was no longer effective.

Pressing themselves back to back, both Charmander's once again took in a deep breath before spitting fire from their maws. But that alone was not enough, they turned in place spewing a tornado of flames around them as a shield.

And yet the onslaught did not cease, even as their flames seemed to lessen the meteors persisted. In unison they stopped their fire breathing. As the meteors neared the twin charmander's let out a loud cry as they were engulfed in flames.

"We won't lose to you!" Pyre spoke as the flames pushed out around him.

"We have no limits!" Eclipse added as his own flames did the same.

The form change that had changed their eyes and tail flames suddenly faded. Now they were surrounded, not by pale flames, but a vibrant dance of sapphire and violet.

And they spoke together. "We'll break through it all!" The flames swirled and enveloped them before suddenly flaring out completely negating the draco meteor barrage.

The two stumbled a moment as the flames dissipated. Then they turned to rayquaza, he seemed untouched by the conflict as though he had healed himself.

"Enough." Pyre stepped out ahead of Eclipse. "I just got my little brother, and I'll be darned if I lose him because I didn't take you seriously!"

Eclipse watched the sapphire flame swell and fill, violet, gold, black, and now white as well. The same form he used before their previous battle ended.

Rayquaza lowered himself and prepared to strike the Charmander.

"I'm gonna hit you with everything I've got." Pyre's aura visibly enveloped him before being replaced by scorching blue flames. "One hit, that's all I'll need."

Rayquaza coiled his body preparing to lunge, but the charmander was gone, as if suddenly ripped from his place in the clouds. Glancing around, there was no sign of him.

"Hey! Jerk face!" Pyre's voice came from above. Had he jumped that high? No looking up, Latios was above him holding him up. "Okay, drop me." The recovered eon pokemon did so without hesitation as he flew back to the ground to shield Latias.

Pyre fell down toward them, building momentum fast. But Rayquaza was too quick, he'd dodge it, unless…

"Hey string bean!" Eclipse got the dragon's attention as a dense ball of darkness reached his face. "Keep still for my big brother!" The ball exploded enveloping the serpentine dragon entirely.

Pyre smiled wide as he twisted his body in mid air and began to spin, the flames surrounding him only growing hotter and larger as he plummeted toward them. "I like this move a lot, but ya know Flare Blitz doesn't sound me enough. I think the way I do it, I'll call it," He suddenly shot straight down head first slamming rayquaza to the clouded ground hard. "Sapphire Starfall!"

The resulting explosion from the collision pushed the clouds above and beside the arena away, nearly making them dissolve entirely. Once the flames died down Pyre found himself barely able to move but resting atop the now weakened dragon's head.

Resting his head against Rayquaza's Pyre felt his aura stretching to its limit, he was barely able to save Rayquaza, he couldn't, he didn't have enough strength. Until he felt Eclipse touch his back. "Use mine. Use my aura to power you up, so you can help him."

Pyre nodded as he felt Eclipse's aura flowing into him, it reinforced his aura enough that they completely enveloped Rayquaza. A familiar hissing sound was heard and mark upon his face was burned away.

"We did it…we saved all the legends." Pyre slowly stood up panting heavily.

"Yeah, we did!" Eclipse smiled.

"Thank you," Rayquaza stayed laying down. "I'm going to rest for now, but when the time comes, I will lend my power to you."

"Thanks big guy!" Pyre looked to the twin eon pokemon. "You guys mind giving us a lift?"

"Of course. " Latias lowered herself for Pyre. The sapphire tailed charmander smiled as he hopped on.

Latios meanwhile had already retrieved Swindle and Eclipse.

"Oh, Pyre, you should know," Eclipse spoke up as they began their return to Firelink Square. "My father, he'll be free in two days time."

"Oh, I see. Eh, I'll kick that butt when I get to it!" He smiled happily.