Watcher of Arceus
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Only the idea and OC's.
Author Notes:
-X-This will be used for scene breaks and for when the story switches to another character, but it does not mean that a new section of the story has started.
~xXx~ This will identify where each paragraph breaks.
"Human Speech" 'Character Thought' {Pokémon Speech}
Co-author: Catsithx
The following is a total and complete Reboot of the story "Watcher of Arceus".
~xXx~
Chapter 39 : A Champion's Aid – Part 2
'What could possibly be so important that you would risk coming into a city even though you knew that the human cultures were stirred up and many would take your capture now as a challenge?'Radara grumbled loudly walking into the main chamber of the sanctuary, a large underground ravine with a few springs, the crystals slowing lightly it up.
"This is... far larger then I remember." Thomas noted walking into the chamber beside Raikou now.
"Daltha had spent generations connecting the chambers of this sanctuary. There were dozens of small pockets scattered about over the ages. He merely encouraged them to join up. When he fell to... well after his passing, Soka took up the task to help pass some time, to keep her paws busy. She took up the vein of silver here and spent years toying with the knights. Do you remember all of those silver coins minted with the image of cross of our mother?" Riakou stated, in the sanctuary able to speak freely without restraint.
"Yeah, I remember them. Seemed like the knights got a hold of a lot, too many of them to be honest." Thomas noted.
"Soka was minting dozens of them here with the silver. She gave them various village chiefs and priests, helped devised stories with them about where they actually got the coins. It gave the villages and people a chance to get out of the way of the knights in the early days and the knights would find empty nests and houses in return. She tried to leave notes and journals for them, her past and her life, but the knights refused to even read them. Many were burned for being false words." Raikou stated walking in and towards one of the springs.
'Raikou, please focus. You just put all of us at risk right now. The humans are confused and unsure of things, and many feel called out because of what was said about Thomas. Why would you risk coming into the city, a city of pokemon trainers and coordinators.' Radara stated louder this time.
"I have no reason to be concerned. In this storm, I am far more capable then normal, and if anything might have gone wrong, you were there with me." Raikou laughed out loudly, clearly unconcerned. "Still, that bite must have hurt. Are you using recovery properly?"
"I'll be fine... well the bite won't bother me for long at least." Thomas replied, but not entirely confident with his words knowing that something was wrong with his senses still.
"You sound worried. Have the knights found you already, persistent things aren't they..." Raikou noted.
'We have to tell him...' Radara quickly stated looking to Thomas, Thomas giving a slow nod.
"Yeah... just how?" Thomas stated, Raikou just continuing to walk along, seemingly not too worried.
'The same way he tells us things... when he actually does. Bluntly.' Radara noted, rushing up and cutting him off. 'Raikou... saving you was just chance tonight. Our worldly senses aren't working right now. We had to sneak a ride with some of the same people who were trying to capture you because we didn't know where you were. We couldn't feel the world calling us, telling us where to go.' Radara stated, finally seeing a chest might hold something of use to them always knowing that they kept all sorts of thing inside the sanctuaries.
'Thomas, could you move Groudon's crystal? My mind feels muddied again, I don't want to fling it around careless on accident.' Radara asked.
It was enough to get Raikou to stop and look at the both, Thomas just giving a small nod in confirmation. "I'm not sure I find this joke worthy of a laugh..."
"Its not. Those shudders that we were giving in the fight, those weren't because of the rain." Thomas stated. "Its like we drunk like we've never drunk before, and we can't make any sense of location. A while ago, I felt Samiya in two places at once... on lan-" Thomas started, moving over the chest, but the second that he took up the large crimson crystal, he fall to his knees and hands, coughing and choking, one hand on this throat or chest, the other trying to hold him up but failing as the crystal fell to the ground.
'Thomas. Thomas!' Radara screamed out in their minds. 'What is it, where are you, what's going on?' Radara demanded.
"Su-sulfur, heat!" Thomas yelled out, rubbing his eyes now on top of it as he fell fully on his side writhing a bit in pain and heavily in discomfort. Even Raikou couldn't argue this as he rushed over and grabbed Thomas by his coat. Rushing deeper into the ravine, Raikou placed him at the heart of the sanctuary, a massive crystal in a small heavily decorated stone hut. He tossed Thomas down gently enough and then gave a loud roar, and struck the crystal with a massive burst of electrical power, the crystal glowing brighter and brighter along with several dozen other small crystal shards scattered throughout the ravine.
Thomas quickly calmed down, still breathing hard, only to pant slowly. It was a slow process, but he picked himself up and just looked around slowly.
"What... was that..." Raikou asked, believing that something was wrong now.
"I was in Groudon's Chamber. Toxic air, unbearable heat, my eyes still feel like fire." Thomas whined loudly, looking over Radara who was nuzzling him a bit worried about him, seeing how violent that was.
"Who else knows about this condition of yours?" Raikou asked.
'Just those we travel with, it started happening tonight.' Radara explained.
"No... no it had to start sooner. We never felt a calling to come to come here to Coral Coast City on our own. I would have held out to try for the port, that... what was it, uh... the one in the little fishing village like another ten or fifteen miles down the coast or something?" Thomas stated. "I didn't want to risk coming into a large city, but the storm was getting too bad and I didn't want to risk damage to the Lunar Blessing for Dahlia's sake."
'And Sarah convinced me as well, she was getting too worried to keep staying out on the water and I didn't want to risk her having a mental break down.' Radara admitted.
"Then you truly did not feel a calling to come to my aid if things went badly..." Raikou asked, and both of them just slowly looked down in silence, a bit of discomfort but far more so feeling a bit of shame for feeling useless right now.
As Thomas slowly stood up though, he did slowly look up. "I... I don't know how we can... do this. Have we truly lost our worldly senses?"
"Do not doubt yourself. Those senses do not make you who you are. They were a gift, but your prophetic senses, those were not something that mother willed for you." Raikou stated.
"They have still been a part of us for nearly two thousand years, the majority of our lives." Thomas replied.
'They are as much a part of us as any thing else we know.' Radara added.
"And you never needed them in your early years, even when you still came to our aid for all things then. We can still summon you if we have dire need of your help, the world will aid us in our callings if we ask." Raikou replied, moving over slowly towards the chest that Radara had asked Thomas to open. Carefully taking a handle, he pulled it over to them and then looked to them.
"What is you were hoping to you find?" Raikou asked.
'Honestly, I am not sure. Because of Mew, Thomas lost nearly all of our things when the knights attacked. He grabbed what little he could, but there were more pressing concerns.' Radara explained, opening the top carefully and looking inside.
"That was quite the event. If not for the presence of the knights, that would have been such a show." Raikou laughed.
'It cost Thomas his sword... It was lost in the attack, and now the Knights appear to have it.' Radara grumbled looking through the chest. There was the usual assortment of thing inside, some various dining ware and such, as well as a few other things that would make like a bit more comfortable inside sanctuary.
"Now that is indeed a problem... you are sure that the Knights have taken it?" Raikou asked.
"Darkrai seemed to heavily imply it. Whoever has it, its under enough locks and security options that he couldn't take it and return it to me." Thomas sighed loudly, even shaking his head some at how it was part of him was missing, knowing how this much has felt for Radara personally now.
"He mentioned that he tried to recover your blade? That... was more generous then I would think of him given your disagreements. You are sure he was sincere about it?" Raikou noted.
"He stole the Guardian Aegis to give me instead since he couldn't get my sword. He wants my help to find out something about chasing ghosts, and the theft of mother's elemental shard, the ghost shard." Thomas noted, only for Raikou to seem to jump about in joy.
"You're accepting the First Blade! A joyous day, use it well, return our w-" Raikou seemed to cheer out.
"Wha-no! NO!" Thomas shouted out quickly standing up and shaking his head. "I'm not taking that blade, I can't wield that blade, I have no rite, I'm not worthy of it!"
"A true leader speaks of peace, and need not be a warrior. Your words are strong, they help people to listen. Not all people clearly, but many. You were always one eager to help, and you have saved us many times. Even when you needed time to yourself, you always put us and the world, a greater peace first. How does this not make you worthy." Raikou stated, moving up and nuzzling his chest hard.
'We've already decided! Thomas is not taking that blade, not now and maybe not ever!' Radara hissed some.
"And what does Dahlia think of this?" Raikou countered.
"She... look no, I'm not taking it, and that's final..." Thomas stated, pushing Raikou back a bit.
"This is not a closed debate." Raikou countered.
'Yes... it is.' Radara countered quickly, shaking her head. 'Quickly moving on, what even were you doing here in the city anyway?'
"Paying my respects to Daltha and Soka more then anything. It has been almost five hundred years since I was in Sinnoh and my strength of the storms does not require me to stay in Johto, and there are a few other places I desire to see while I am here now. I had missed your departure from Spear Pillar by mere minutes I am told, but I was already here in Sinnoh so I thought to visit while I was here anyway. How is Dahlia recovering?" Raikou stated.
'Strongly, but not without fault. She has bonded to another gardevoir, Verna, the shiny gardevoir that Xent, the human who was stalking us has within his party.' Radara explained.
"Mother did well making an echo of Argyle's mind to give her, and she's trying to recover and be herself, but she has changed a bit under the care of the knights. Somethings still make her relapse into the twin sickness however, but we're trying to care for her... Wait, she's already bonded to Verna?" Thomas started, only for Radara's word to click.
'Very much so, she jumped Verna in the den already.' Radara shrugged a bit.
"When, and jumped how?" Thomas asked.
'It turns out that Verna is an extreme romantic herself and they were both spying on your date with Rebecca. Things got... interesting when Dahlia kissed Verna, Verna fell onto the floor and Dahlia pounced her. I'm not sure how much further it would have gone given that Verna was letting Dahlia undress her before Zai spoked up and scared Verna back off.' Radara explained.
"Can't I have a little peace and privacy with Rebecca?" Thomas grumbled.
'It's a small boat, and I was in fact doing my part. With Suiucne's and Juno's help, we kept everyone inside and away from you and Rebecca.' Radara stated, Thomas shaking his head a bit, but still reaching over and giving her ears a small rub.
"Thank you..." Thomas stated feeling that she was telling the truth and was probably right.
"With her recovering well then... do you have any ideas on how to deal with your own infliction, much less what caused it?" Raikou asked.
"We were hoping that the isolation and mediation within the heart chamber of a Grand Temple would reorient our senses. They've more then doubled our worldly senses in the past and those effects linger for days, sometimes weeks when we have done so in the past." Thomas replied as he stood up slowly.
"But... what exactly did you do just not to pull back here?" He asked thinking about that now.
"I merely gave you my summons. You're body may have already been here, but your mind seemed elsewhere. How are you faring right now?" Raikou replied.
"I'm still distant, like a part of me is still in Groudon's chamber, but I'm not under the extreme effects anymore." Thomas replied, slowly looking back towards the crystal that belonged to Groudon in the first place.
'We thank you for your help, but we still have a problem. How much longer do you need to stay here? We should leave quickly, before anything else happens.' Radara stated.
"Surely you don't mean to send me back to Johto already. I have not traveled in ages and I forgotten how entertaining the feeling is. And since we have met now, I intend to state my additional intention of not only choosing to travel more, but I also intend to see Dahlia before I return to Johto." Raikou countered.
"Oh, I know. You're going to one of our Grand Temples. The one in the land of those lucarios east of here, that one is closest. I shall head there and wait for you. It will be... what maybe a week's passage for you?" Raikou quickly added.
"Hang on now, slow down. We don't know which grand temple we'll be trying to visit yet." Thomas quickly stated.
"But you said yourself that you must travel to one and that one is by far the closest. You must also do something about your worldly senses if you rely on them so much. I have no ideas on how to help with that for those are senses I have not experienced as you have." Raikou stated.
"We don't know what we have to do, or if we even can get them back." Thomas replied.
'And there is no guarantee that going to the lucario kingdom wouldn't invite a lot of trouble to their valley.' Radara added.
"And we all know that they will care for themselves. Your other option is on the far side of Sinnoh, in the mountain behind the Andris ruins. That would take well over a month to get to since its all so far in land, and on the other side of the region." Raikou stated, starting to walk off towards one of the smaller sections at the end of the ravine.
"Listen, I shall finish up here in a bit. You just start thinking about how you intend to get to the lucario kingdom and I shall my make my way around there myself." Raikou stated, before jumping up to a small cave entrance on the side of the wall leaving Thomas and Radara shaking their heads in annoyance.
~xXx~
Xent, Sarah, Dahlia, and now Cynthia all returned back up to the shrine. Cynthia lead the way this time though while the other three mostly stayed back a bit. They had described the priest in question well enough, and sure enough as Cynthia was walking up, someone stepped out from a door.
"What... Oh, oh my. Another visitor at this hour? Is there something going on that I am unaware of, Miss Cynthia?" The priest stated, and even from a distance, Xent recognized him as the one that Sarah and him had run into already.
"Miss Cynthia? That seems to be a bit formal for someone I hardly know." Cynthia stated, but not too surprised given her own fame.
"You are the Sinnoh Regional Champion Cynthia correct? Is it wrong of me to offer my respect to such a strong and upstanding woman of great fame, success, and values?" The priest asked, as yet another bolt of lightning struck the lightning rod at the top of the shrine. "Oh my oh my. We should head inside. I fear this storm is getting worse quickly, lightning keeps striking the tower. I honestly don't know if its a good thing anymore that we keep using a thunder stone infused lightning rod up there given how bad it gets sometimes." He stated, quickly turning around and opening a door for Cynthia.
This left Sarah, Xent, and Dahlia to enter by the original door that they had been lead into the side building the first time, and as they reached the same room that they had been lead to before, the priest was leading Cynthia there while they stayed hidden a bit.
"My sincerest apologies Miss Cynthia. I do hope that nothing is the matter. And please excuse the mess, we've been having a few problems with things lately. We're trying to clean up the mess and taking inventory of things." The priest stated.
"Yes, I can see that. It looks like there are quite a few things missing." Cynthia stated, her detailed knowledge of pokemon related history letting her see quite a few things missing and wrong around the room and on the relics that they had passed. "Are thieves a big deal here? I noticed that there were a of fake glass eyes in the statues we passed rather then traditional gems."
"Oh it is horrible. Thieves have taken the chance to pilfer a great many things ever since the shrine burned down. That's part of why myself, Brother Jeeves, and Sister Stacy now stay at the shrine full time now while we clean up and try to preserve what is left. We've been moving carefully with contracts to survey the building as well as taking dozens of notes about how to restore the shrine to its proper glory one day, with the hope that we can match the original architectural design." The priest continued, moving over to check the refreshment table again.
"Can I get you anything?" He asked, sparing a glance at Cynthia.
"I don't know honestly. I'm actually here to ask some questions, or rather my new friends are here to ask some questions since we're alone now." Cynthia stated, and since she just gave them away, Sarah, Xent, and Dahlia walked out into the open.
"Hmmm?" The priest started confused, only to look on at Sarah and Xent again, quickly recognizing them.
"Oh, why welcome back you two. Did you find the friend you were looking for? Now now, its rude to hide like that, and you could get into enough trouble as is. I didn't want to be rude the first time, but you should know that the shrines grounds are technically private property. Its very wrong to be sneaking around on them." The priest stated.
"Actually... we think that you might know more then you let on earlier... about our missing friend." Sarah stated now, just barely pushed forward by Dahlia.
"I'm sorry, but I assure you that I haven't seen anyone else but Brother Jeeves and Sister Stacy today. I heard a few people come in today, but that was well in the morning, when we were getting some supplies. I was busy cleaning up a mess in the halls so I never actually saw who helped drop them off, and then Sister Jane was here not long before you showed up and I had missed her then too I'm afraid." The priest explained.
This time though, instead of merely hearing the words that the priest was speaking, Sarah felt a bit more. With the gloves helping her, that former feeling that something was wrong was just a bit stronger. She could tell that part of what he had said was a lie, that something was wrong about it.
"You... didn't actually see anyone else here today?" Sarah asked again, and the priest just shook his head lightly.
"No, no I'm afraid not." The priest replied rather earnestly, giving a confused looked. "Is something wrong? You're acting rather distraught, are you okay?"
Dahlia just tapped Sarah's shoulder as she seemed to study the priest, but still stayed silent for a moment.
"What do you think Sarah?" Xent asked before the silence got too long though.
"He's lying about something... I know he is." Sarah stated.
"I... apologies my child?" The priest asked, rather confused now. "Why would you think that I am lying. I assure you, I have not seen anyone else today aside from Brother Jeeves and Sister Stacy. I have no reason to lie to you."
"Did you see a young man here in the past hour, or an espeon?" Dahlia now stated.
"W-what? No, no I haven't seen anyone else." The priest stated, heavily confused and now fairly worried.
Sarah though could clearly feel that this was a lie without question this time though as she focused more, just barely holding her hand to her chest and concentrating more. "I know that's a lie." Sarah stated firmly now.
"I'm telling you I-I'm... I do know you. Miss Cynthia, I think that this is Sarah Sigil, and the other boy, not Thomas, but the other one featured with them on the news. Oh dear, Miss Cynthia, I may need your help." The priest stated, backing up a bit and more worried now, or at least acting like it.
"When did Thomas get here?" Sarah demanded taking a step forward.
"I don't know wha... Thomas? Thomas Falston, the boy on the news so much, the one you travel with? Why would he be here?" The priest asked, only for a pair of tables to move blocking off the hallways cutting off his exit. "Miss Cynthia please. I humbly request your help from these... these.. I don't know, these aggressive teens."
"I'm inclined to believe them first. You see, while I am here to help solve some problems, I'm wondering right now if you're one of the the problems. They think Raikou and Thomas were here and I believe them." Cynthia stated. "But you are right... Dahlia was it? You could calm down just a bit."
"I am calm." Dahlia quickly stated. "But I'm also short on patience. If my brothers and sister are in harms way, I will protect them."
"Where did you see Thomas and Raikou?" Sarah quickly asked, Xent slowly pulling out his crowbar now.
"Pokeball!" Xent yelled out suddenly and as soon as he did, the priest tried to call out a pokemon, only for Dahlia to snatch up the pokeball first. It quickly flew to her hands and looking it over, something was off right away. Rather then a normal pokeball, this one was a dull gray and white, and even more, when Dahlia had ripped the pokeball free from his hands, she had also pulled a gemstone free, and spilled a second one from his sleeve as well.
"Well well... I think we just caught a thief red handed with evidence in hand. And that looks like a Team Galactic Sneaky Ball, one used to get through metal detectors and through other security options." Xent stated, now fully drawing his crowbar, with an angry scowl on his face. "You're not even a priest are you?" Xent demanded.
"How dare you... I'm very much a priest of this temple and I'll have you kno-" The priest stated, only for Sarah to yell out.
"Stop lying!" Sarah yelled out now, surprising everyone. "I see every lie you tell. I don't know how, I can't even begin to explain it, but I can see it, something about you every time you lie. And I can see your ill intent, you're not a priest at all. Xent, you said that was a Team Galactic pokeball, are you sure?"
"You're quite the surprising aura user. Even Riley wasn't so skilled when he training before. Are you sure you didn't have any formal training before now?" Cynthia asked, standing up and now walking towards the priest who tried to run, but Cynthia quickly just grabbed.
"Yep. You see how the button and seal is oriented a little differently. Its a little extra cover to hide the device more thoroughly and hide the fact that there's a pokemon inside when going through security." Xent noted.
"Are you part of Team Galactic?" Sarah demanded now.
"Damned aura users, cheating little brats!" The priest snapped knowing that his cover had been blow. He tried to get out of Cynthia's grasp, but she just pinned him up against the wall by holding onto the sleeves and hood of his robes.
The scuffle quickly drew some attention though as someone rushed up from one of the hallways. "Hey... hey what's going on. C-champion Cynthia, what you are doing... Wait. Sarah Sigil. What is going on here? Let Brother Andrew go!" The priest stated.
"Are you a real priest of this shrine?" Xent quickly demanded now.
"Excuse me!?" The man stated, just shocked.
"Answer the question please and we'll explain everything." Cynthia noted.
"Yes, yes I am a priest of this shrine, now let Brother Andrew go, please!" The other priest stated, trying to force the table out of his way.
"He's telling the truth..." Sarah stated, and Dahlia quickly let him into the room.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Brother Andrew here is a thief and a rather large liar, possibly even a member of Team Galactic." Cynthia noted, checking his pockets and pulling out a pokedex and wallet as well as little things, none of which seemed out of the ordinary until she checked his sleeves, and then found a few more gem stones.
"It seems that your fake brother here has been stealing from the statues and relics. These look like the missing eyes of on that kyorge carving right there." Cynthia noted, before handing the gems to the other priest.
"Brother Jeeves, please help me. I don't know what's come over them, but something is wrong here. Cynthia, and these two, they intend me harm and are framing me for something." Brother Andrew stated acting very worried now, and for a moment, Brother Jeeves seemed to be considering it.
"That's a lie." Sarah yelled out again. "Stop it, stop lying. Dahlia, Radara can make people tell the truth, what about you? You're a psychic type right, and you're her sister, so that makes you even stronger then a normal gardevoir. Can you make him tell the truth?" Sarah asked turning towards Dahlia.
"I can dominate a mind and force others to do things for me, but it takes time for me to form a mental bond that would let me discern that kind of truth. Attempting to force my way in is doable, but I'd need a while to sort through his mind, and there's a chance that if he's mentally strong, I may break him before I gain access to any memories he has." Dahlia noted.
"I can, if you guys let me." He stated moving up and looking the priest right in the eyes. "Listen you. The only reason you still have all your teeth right now because there are stronger and better people here who will stop me. I already have a major grudge against a lot of angry religions, but you... taking advantage of one of the few nice ones who don't force stuff down the throats of people, that pisses me off. Now you can either start talking and tell us where you saw Thomas and Raikou, or you can wait and things get more complicated. Maybe complicated enough for them to let me try my way of making you talk." Xent stated.
"Raikou? You're after Raikou!" Brother Jeeves stated.
"He's my brother, and I will do anything to protect him. Team Galactic already tried to capture him once today, and then they broke out of custody, no doubt to try again while they still have a chance." Dahlia stated.
"What! Raikou was nearly captured by Team Galactic. He was just here along with someone else, but I couldn't see who, they went into some kind of hole where we use to have a, a small garden of crystal roses." Brother Jeeves gasped out. "Oh my Arceus, are we all in danger? Do they know where he is now? Was that person with him Thomas... By Arceus, are we going to die?"
"Okay... I'll let you take the first one, and maybe the second, but if you keep using my mother's name to curse aggressively, I may punch you. I know its a strong phrase and it has its place, but stop using it freely." Dahlia grumbled. "And yes, my brother Riakou is in danger as long as he stays here in the city."
"Well, she's not wrong. Team Galactic did try to capture Raikou not even an hour ago, and while I went out to search for him and make sure he left the city without causing any other problems, a few members who were captured did escape." Cynthia stated, Jeeves just looking around even more confused as Cynthia turned to face Xent, pushing him back just a bit.
"And you are right, you do need to calm down a little. There are better ways of making him talk." Cynthia stated. "Like reminding of him of how much trouble he's now that's been caught. Stealing is one thing, but stealing precious jewels and likely far more from a religious site. That's one heck of a large inquiry coming up with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and if you're involved with any attempts to capture the legendary pokemon... even if its just letting Team Galactic know where he is after an attempted capture already, well that sounds like a turn with the Office of Pokemon Regulations and Safety. Even just attempting to supply information that can lead to a legendary pokemon induced natural disaster can be quite the investigation. And all I have to do is tell them to bring a lucario capable of advanced aura use to make sure your telling the truth." Cynthia stated.
"Brother Jeeves, please help me." Brother Andrew almost begged a bit.
"I-I... Wh-uh..." Brother Jeeves started clearly overwhelmed by everything, only for a loud grinding sound to echo a bit. Like stone grinding against stone and maybe falling bricks, something moving near by. Sarah quickly turned with a small shudder as she turned towards the hallway that Brother Jeeves had come out of.
Dahlia moved back slowly, looking down the hall and seeing the stone tiles moving, lowering as a light blue glow started to show, a few tiles showing that they were hiding crystals as well. "Found them." Dahlia called out looking back to Xent and Sarah, before a dark smoke started to fill the room.
"What the!" Xent quickly found the source of the smoke, starting to bellow out of Brother Andrew's robes, Cynthia quickly letting him go just in case it was something harmful, but not without tossing him into the middle of the room as she let him go.
"Brother Andrew!" Brother Jeeves called out and then Thomas rushed forward from the hallway.
"Andrew!" Thomas called out, looking around erratically and worried, looking for his foster father with Radara and Raikou right behind him.
Thomas of course only found the scene of two priests there in the room with Sarah, Xent, Dahlia and Cynthia, but before whatever was causing the smoke where Cynthia and Brother Andrew had been seemed to explode in a bright flash and loud bang.
With no one looking directly at the flash bang device, it didn't properly blind anyone even if it started them a bit and Brother Andrew tried to make a run only for Dahlia to grab him as he tried, tossing him back hard towards Cynthia. "Let's get him outside before this room fills with smoke." Dahlia grumbled seeing that her family was safe.
Xent quickly move over and carefully grabbed Brother Jeeves to pull him out of the room and the growing smoke cloud safely since he seemed be in a stunned stupor just shakily looking back and forth between Raikou and Brother Andrew with a few sparse glances at everyone else.
They didn't get far though before the window of the room was ripped open when a large toxicroak burst through the window and immediately launched a sludge bomb in Cynthia's direction. Dahlia quickly countered and threw a table in the way of the attack. While the table quickly shattered and was ripped to pieces, it still saved Cynthia who instantly called out her lucario and garchomp one more time.
Sarah called out Flare, but as she did so, things were starting to overwhelm her. All the minds, the emotions, the shared tension were all adding up in her mind.
Raikou rushed forward now to take on the toxicroak, only for to dash right into his face, jump off his head into the ceiling, and then kicked off the ceiling hard into where Raikou just was. Raikou had just barely dodged, the stone where he had been shattered, and Thomas rushed up.
Radara could quickly feel other minds now though and just barely had time to put up a barrier against the wall as multiple streams of fire tried to break through the wall, quickly setting part of the shrine on fire. Brother Andrew quickly used the confusion to try and get away, only for Dahlia to smash him into the wall with another table, not being kind or gentle about it and knocking him out easily in the heavy handed attack.
Cynthia responded by rushing over and grabbing Brother Jeeves though and taking him out the side, her lucario pointing out auras around them and herding them away from the unknown assailants. "We need to go, now!" Thomas shouted out as he rushed and hopped up and over Raikou, a hard kick to the toxicroak who had again jumped over Raikou who was only restraining himself right now because of the temple.
The sudden inclusion of a human who flat out attacked him with surprising speed was enough to catch the toxicroak off guard and took the boot to its gut, but it still recovered quickly even as it was thrown to the side, rushing in for a poison jab now, its large purple claw glowing brightly showing off the attack as it rushed in.
A second pokemon, a larger than usual houndoom also broke through the window and started to go after Xent and Sarah though. Xent easily smacked it away with one of his crowbars, and even pushed Sarah off the side abit when it landed near her and tried to snap her.
Flare reacted quickly though and quickly tackled it to get some room away from Sarah. "Uh... use twenty-thre, n-no fourteen with a..." Sarah cried out, unable to handle all of the emotions in the room, just overwhelmed and confused and her confusion only confused Flare who didn't know what to do now.
"Catch!" Xent yelled out just tossing the still sheathed Guardian Aegis at Thomas, and Thomas just reacted, catching whatever was thrown at him and used it to block before Thomas even knew what it was. The second it was in hand, Thomas just used it to block assuming it was Cedo's other tonfa, already holding the sheath up to parry the blow.
The toxicroak's poison jab just bounced hard off the sheathed blade with a loud almost metallic like cry, and it jumped back firing off another sludge bomb and Thomas just tried to put his own barrier to at least cover himself knowing that he was supposedly too weak to do it, but also knowing that he couldn't take the full hit. Instead of a small weak barrier however, the entire hallway he was still kind of in was covered in a dark green almost emerald like wall surprising everyone.
The sludge bomb attack was useless against the defensive move, splattering hard against the surface but not even cracking it, the toxic sludge all spilling to the ground with nothing to stick to, the power behind the defensive move felt a bit by all of them.
Dahlia was the only one who seemed unaffected by this though, jumping on the distracted houndoom and giving it a nasty thunder punch which echoed through the room bringing almost everyone back to their senses.
It was only then that Thomas realized what he had and practically stumbled over everything, nearly dropping the blade, quickly catching it and himself, and then rapidly setting the blade down on the window seal next to him, only for the flames to try attack him and grabbed the blade and ducked to the floor, using himself to cover and protect the blade.
"Xent, I demand the best apology of your life for this, I should... I.. you d-damn thief!" Thomas yelled out a bit confused, in a bit of shock over what he had just done, and then finally realizing that Xent had taken the Guardian Aegis, which he had been very clear that would not wield but just did anyway without realizing it.
Xent meanwhile was just shaking his head. He knew that Thomas was having trouble with barriers. It was something that even Dahlia knew he would have trouble with and while there was some training days for Thomas to improve, it was always about minimizing the area of the defensive attack. Using less space, concentrating the attack into a more a solid barrier to block the worst parts of attacks rather then everything. "Well that was night and day! What the hell wonder boy?!" Xent finally snapped back, calling out Verna to help them now.
Strangely though, things seemed to calm down for a second when a loud whistle sounded and the toxicroak rushed out of the room followed by the houndoom. By now though the room was filled with a lot of smoke from the smoke grenade that Brother Andrew had set off.
In the confusion though, something broke another window and both Thomas and Raikou were hit with some kind of dart. Raikou gave a loud yell, but Radara had already pulled it out even as it landed hard and deep on his shoulder. The one that had hit Thomas however, barely dug into his shoulder before Thomas had already reacted. Despite his grunt, he pulled it free easily, but still felt a little dizzy, both still standing with the quick reactions though.
"Oi. Boys and girls, listen up. I think its time we all calmed down and just took a moment to talk." A loud male called out from outside, Cynthia moving back in from hallway on the opposite side of the room. "You can come out peacefully and just accept our generous offer to be our guests for a while, or we can do this the hard way. I'll give you one minute to make your choice."
'We're surrounded on that side, there's a dozen of them and too many pokemon.' Radara's voice called out in all of their heads now. 'They'll burn down the whole shrine entirely if we stay here.'
"Jeeves kindly showed me a passage through their pantry that leads to a shack on the side of the grounds and we found Stacy, another sister from the shrine along the way. My lucario didn't see any aura from anyone over there yet so I sent them on their way to get help. With them gone, it would be a much better field of battle. Fewer things to broke, more open, no where to just box us in." Cynthia stated.
"We need to just leave... now." Thomas stated, going to take a step only giving a minor stumble.
"Everyone gather up." Dahlia stated, even pulling Verna in very close, but still trying to be gentle.
'Cynthia, Sarah, call back your pokemon.' Radara commanded, and while Cynthia quickly did was suggested, having an idea what was going to happen, Xent had to call back Flare and then pulled Sarah in close.
"You really think that three of you can teleport us all out of here somewhere safe?" Cynthia asked.
"Four of us, and we can do a lot right now." Dahlia replied, taking Verna's hand and Radara's tail. "Thomas, lose the attitude and help us concentrate. You're going to take the Guardian Aegis, and right now we need it." Dahlia stated, pulling on the blade a bit, but more so Thomas, pulling him close.
"I'm not using it!" Thomas stated firmly, quickly offering the blade up knowing what Dahlia wanted it for, only Dahlia to grab his hand over it and making him keep holding it.
"I'll guide us, you help us concentrate." Dahlia repeated firmly.
"Time's running out boys and girls. Ten seconds to walk out peacefully, or we start burning the place down." The male voice called out again.
"Stay close." Dahlia repeated, and Xent pulled Sarah in closer while Cynthia squeezed in as well, Raikou just moving up sitting directly behind Dahlia, a paw on her shoulder, before in a bright flash of light, Dahlia teleported them all away.
-x-
The parking lot a good ways down the road was nice and quite, before a bright flash of light showed up and Dahlia had lead the group teleport with the help of Radara, Verna, and Thomas all helping her. Sarah once more fell over, but this one just grabbed her head, gasping out and then practically trying to rip the gloves from her hands, Xent quickly bending down to pull them off for her. It was clear that they were rough on her, and she was a bit frantic from it, there being too many emotions for her right now.
Xent just shoved the gloves back into the duffle back, or started to before he was practically thrown into the wet ground, forced to look up slowly at Radara who had a raging look in her eyes. 'Give me one good reason why I shouldn't make you bleed right now.' Radara hissed looking down at him.
"Because I told him to do it." Dahlia stated. "I said grab anything useful. We tried calling you and got the automated message system that Thomas's pokedex couldn't be reached, we couldn't follow after that sudden turn, and so we had to make a choice. We went down to the shinzo district that you mentioned, and only found Raikou after he made a large scene of things. By the time got there, the police were there and we saw Cynthia trying to grab you before you two took off on Raikou." Dahlia explained, helping Xent up.
"Let him help Sarah, she needs some comfort right now, things did get out of hand and she felt all of those emotions for the first time." Dahlia added, Radara giving a hiss, but letting Xent up. Cynthia though was now inspecting Raikou.
"This is probably the closest I've ever been to a legendary pokemon... but as much as I want to study you, we shouldn't stay here." Cynthia noted as she saw where they were. "It won't take them long to find us."
"Raikou, you need to go." Thomas quickly stated now.
[And I'll be sure to tell the others of your condition. They will need to know of this. Once I start passing the word around, I'll head to meet with you again in the valley of the lucarios.] Raikou stated, taking a few steps back, before jumping up onto the ceiling of a large shack.
"Raikou, there's no-" Thomas started, only for Raikou to appear to get struck by a number of lightning bolts all at once. There was a mighty crack of thunder from it and Raikou vanished in it.
"Wha-where did he go?" Cynthia gasped out.
"Raikou can travel on lightning, and this storm gives him a large area to travel." Thomas sighed loudly. "Lightning rods can sometimes pull him away from where he wants to land, but they usually don't pull him out of the sky unless he wants them to."
"That was bound to attract some attention." Cynthia noted, the shrine off in the distance, with a bit of attention around it, including the partial glow of a fire now.
"Cynthia... I thank you for your help, but we need to go. There are things that we need to discuss and deal with." Dahlia stated, Thomas nodding some as the sirens started in the distance again, police on the way already.
"We can't just leave Team Galactic there." Cynthia started.
"And we already have enough trouble right now. There more people then Team Galactic trying to kill us, or worse capture us." Thomas replied. "Look, I thank you for the help too, but if we get caught somewhere, there are a lot of bad people who will come for us. And if things get real bad, then the legendary pokemon might choose to involve themselves in it as well. The best way to protect everyone right now is if we just hide right now." Thomas stated.
"So... you really do have connections to the legendary pokemon. And she... Dahlia kept referring to them, and you, as her brothers and sisters... How much of that questionable reveal about you supposedly being over four thousand years old was true?" Cynthia asked.
"More then you need to know. What matters is that that a lot of people are thinking that a lot of it is true, and someone tipped Team Galactic to watch out for me in the first place before that thing happened." Thomas explained.
"Look, Cynthia... The truth of what you need to know is simple. If you want to help us right now, go deal with them while we try to hide. I've been forced at their side for about a month, and there's been... three separate attempts on my life just for knowing Thomas right now." Xent stated, still holding Sarah as she was slowly calming down.
"If word gets out about where we are, some religious nut cases will be here to kill us, and we've already pissed off at least three major crime syndicates in the past month who all want the legendary pokemon, who might want to capture Thomas as bait." Xent added.
"Thomas, Radara. I know its uncomfortable, but can you ride in the back under a tarp. We need to leave quickly and it will be easier to go unnoticed if there's the two people in the cab right now." Dahlia asked.
"The sooner we get back to your b...to your place, the better." Thomas sighed, sparing a small glance at the Guardian Aegis still in his hands, before looking over to the rental truck.
"Please trust me Cynthia... the best thing that you can do to help us right now is to help us hide. People can't know where we are or a lot of people could get hurt. I've seen enough people get hurt and killed because of groups like Team Galactic trying to hunt me and use me before." Thomas asked, almost begging a bit as Xent got Sarah to her feet and quickly into the truck, wrapping a towel around her, and even giving her a hat to help hide her face.
"I can't just go and lie like that... I need to know what's going on. I'm willing to help, but I can't just ignore this." Cynthia stated.
"Then please just wait a while, until after we leave if you have to tell people about this. But if you do, people will come looking for you, people who are not afraid to hurt you. You follow the news... the same people who attacked us in Cameran Castle will do the same to you. If they think that you know something about me, they will try to force the truth out of you." Thomas replied.
Cynthia merely studied Thomas for a few, and then looked over Dahlia, Xent, and Sarah. "So... people really are trying to kill you. It seems to me like you do need help. If you don't stand up for yourself, how can tell your side of the story? If you just let people keep spreading lies and not defending yourself, people may get the wrong idea about you." Cynthia said after a moment.
"I can't stop you from talking, but I've already told you more then enough. I know you protect yourself a fair bit, and I hope that you can keep doing it... but these people hunting me, they will kill you..." Thomas started, a set of sirens getting very loud now, a police vehicle rushing past them and Thomas just quickly took a step back, hoping not to be recognized.
"Please, help stop Team Galactic and I'll keep trying to protect the legendary pokemon." Thomas asked as Xent got the truck started and Dahlia just teleported Thomas into the back of the truck letting him wrap himself and Radara under a tarp while Xent quickly took off, leaving Cynthia shaking her head as the sounds of a vicious pokemon battle sounded loudly back at the shrine.
"Damn it." Cynthia yelled out, calling out her lucario and garchomp again, rushing towards the shrine knowing that the police would need help.
~xXx~
As the private passenger plane landed and finally came to a stop, the doors up and a man in a large black coat and hat looked over the large city under the bright moon. Coming down slowly, another person was coming up quickly and gave a bow.
"Mr. Hurk Handlers, welcome to Jubilife City. I hope that your flight was a pleasant one. My name is Eric Cordoone, and I shall be your chauffeur. Would you like me to handle your bags?" The other man asked as the first just got off the plane and took a sly grin looking over the city.
"Don't have any bags. Just take me to Legendary Nights downtown." Hurk stated as he slowly just walked past the man.
"If you're looking for a good time, I might suggest The Moonlit Garden. Legendary Nights is currently under some renovations and closed for the week." Eric stated kindly as he motioned to the sole car by the hanger.
"I have business with the owner at Legendary Nights." Hurk stated firmly, not even stopping as he just approached the car, and a second later the lights blipped and he heard the car door unlock for him.
Quickly getting in, he reached into his pocket and just grinned a bit looking over the city as the driver got in with him, quickly starting the car and leaving the airport. Reaching into his pocket, Hurk pulled out two pure black pokeballs and just lightly spun them around the one hand. "Just hang on guys, I know its cramped in there. We'll have some fun soon enough." Hurk grinned, a small chuckle at how he felt his pokeballs lightly shake again, their occupants wanting out.