Chapter 35
The cavern was glowing brightly with the light of the well, it's power flowing throughout its tight corridors.
"I really don't get why you were sent here. If all you're going to do is sit around wa…." Naraku was cut off feeling his gelatinous form stretch and flatten threatening to burst into nothingness.
"I am waiting for the opportune moment. Which reminds me." The calamitous Shadow grabbed the ditto and teleported without warning, landing them at the crater on the outskirts of Firelink City. He dropped the blob like mon and pointed at the small sphere in the center of the crater. "That, is a vessel, we cannot cross into its radius or it's light could purge us. So what you need to do," he looked down before continuing "is ensure no one reaches that vessel."
"And what exactly will you be doing?"
"Retrieving the child of light and dark, as you and your predecessor failed to do."
*Starfall Stadium*
Rai found himself seated in the locker room, the two teams had already left. He sighed, regretting how far he'd allowed himself to go. He should have been better, he shouldn't have taken it that far, he was just so angry. That gallade could've done serious damage to Blade's egg, and it sent him into a frenzy. He just didn't know why. He was always protective of his friends, but that felt different.
There was a knock at the locker room door, before it opened and a pangoro walked in. It was Russ, and as he approached the chu, concern was etched onto his face. "Sweetie, are you ok?"
The raichu stayed seated but gave a weak smile. "Yeah babe, I'm okay…" Rai lied, trying to hide how he was feeling. As he was still uncertain of it himself.
Russ sighed and took a seat beside his boyfriend. He knew Rai well enough to know that that wasn't true. He reached out and put his hand on the chu's shoulder. "I know you're not really ok love, is it because of what happened out there? We can talk about if you'd like. Actually…that's kinda why I'm here."
"I…" Rai hugged his boyfriend for comfort. The pangoro's presence was helping a lot. And he guessed that was also why he was here. "I don't know what to say…"
Russ held the chu warmly and lovingly, planting a gentle kiss on his head. "You had me worried, I've never seen you like that before. You looked so angry…"
"I...I was...that guy…" Rai took a deep breath. "he hurt Blade, bad...but when we went to see him...we found out that Blade is pregnant! And that just sent me over the edge." The raichu held tight to his pangoro boyfriend. "I was so angry I...I couldn't control myself…"
The pangoro's eyes widened at that revelation. Blade is…pregnant? He was going to be a father? Russ could scarcely believe it! "So you were angry at him not just for hurting Blade, but for putting his unborn child at risk too?"
"Exactly! And I just, was so furious and he-he taunted me, said he felt it when he hit Blade…" Rai was fighting back tears. "He did all that, knowing Blade was pregnant! I just lost it!"
The pangoro kept holding Rai tightly, starting to gently rub his back soothingly. "That guy is clearly just an asshole, he's not worth getting all fired up over my love. The important thing to focus on here is Blade and his health. They'll get him patched up, and you know Shadow would never let anything happen to him or his egg. He'll be just fine, ok? Focus on that little chu, don't waste your emotions on that lowlife."
Rai knew his boyfriend was right and gave another little smile. "Guess you're right, as usual." He kept hugging tight, not letting the pangoro go. "I should have been better, instead of stooping to his level."
"You ARE better Rai, because you actually stopped. He wouldn't have been as merciful, callous scoundrel that he is." Russ kept the chu held close, as he began softly scratching his ears comfortingly. "I understand your anger though. When Jack of Blades hurt you, I…was ready to destroy him. To tear him apart for what he did to you. Because that's what you do for the people you love, you want what's best for them and you want justice for them if they get hurt. It's because you care about Blade so much, that the thought of him or his child being hurt made you see red. Shows that you have a big heart my love."
"Chuuu!" The chu let out a cute sound at the gentle scratches. "Oh Russ…" Rai looked up at him and gave him a kiss. "Thank you. I think I really needed to hear that."
"You are most welcome Rai! I'll always here to help my dear little chu feel better!" The pangoro kissed him back, before letting go of him at last, with a smile. "Will you be ok now? I can stay here if you'd like."
"I'd like that. Thanks love." Rai rested his head on Russ, relaxing into the pangoro.
"Then I shall darling, anything for you." Russ replied warmly putting his arm around the raichu again, so full of love for him.
*With Shadow*
The darkrai had caught Galahad outside and had him pinned against a wall hard enough the wall was beginning to crack. "You, a world of pain would not be enough to repay what you did. So allow me to give you a small glimpse at the pain you inflicted on MY Blade!"
Gallahad struggled, trying to push off of the wall and strike the darkrai with any attack. Even as each strike landed, Shadow felt none of it. "Get off of me!"
The dark type pinned him in place with a surprisingly overwhelming psychic attack. He hovered back and took a bow, putting one arm behind his back as he dramatically flourished with the other. "Domain Expansion." A ring of darkness surrounded them and Galahad was suddenly sucked into a nightmare, as if under the effects of dark void. "Abyss Eternal."
Galahad felt himself enveloped in darkness. Looking around he could move, but there was nothing. Except a single bright light, shaped like a door. On instinct the gallade rushed for the door. And yet as he ran he noticed no distance was closed. No matter how fast or hard he ran, it was as if he couldn't move. And the light door seemed to slowly grow farther away.
"What is going on!" Finally looking around, the darkness around him seemed to be moving, as if reaching out, threatening to swallow him and destroy him. Tendrils of darkness seemed to suddenly stab into his legs and drag him down into the endless abyss beneath him.
Then without warning he woke up, face down on the ground, and Shadow was gone.
*With Blade*
The sneasel had been provided a cast for his arm and leg, as well as a crutch to walk with, at his own request, as he did not want to be confined to a wheelchair. He was making his way to the exit of the infirmary when Shadow entered the room.
"Oh darling, you really shouldn't be out of bed, you need to rest." The darkrai approached slowly. And Blade felt a strange chill shoot up his spine, and he backed away. "Blade? What's wrong?"
"Who…who are you?"
"Blade, it's me, don't tell me you were hit that hard."
Blade stepped back. "Oh, sorry…hey, could you go get Pyre I uh…need to talk to him…" Blade couldn't place it, but something was wrong here.
"I'd rather not leave your side again if you don't mind dear."
'I'd…don't…what's…' Blade thought, confused. Of all the tiny things he'd noticed about Shadow, he never used contractions. "Please, it's really important…"
The darkrai suddenly teleported forward, slapping the crutch from Blade's grasp. "Now that is something isn't it. You figured me out that quickly. You must really love him." The calamitous darkrai gripped Blade by the jaw.
"Who are you?"
"Shadow, just, a better one than you love." The darkrai ran his clawed hand over Blade's belly. "I do hope you survive, I'd like a second chance at our large family."
Blade wanted to scream, to struggle, but his body was too weak. Suddenly the catastrophic Shadow turned holding out a clawed hand catching someone's attack.
"Get. Away. From. MY Blade!" Shadow, his Shadow had come to save him.
"Shadow…help me…"
"Fine, I'll play with this lesser variant first." Calamity Shadow released Blade and in a sudden burst of speed slammed Shadow into the ground. The two began to struggle against each other, but strangely, Shadow was being overpowered by his doppelganger. No matter how much force he exerted, his Aberrant counterpart seemed to have more. The stronger darkrai stabbed his claws into Shadow. "And after everything that charmander said, it seems most variants of myself are rather weak." Shadow struggled as his doppelganger began to stab him repeatedly. "Even so, I can't let you live to get in my way."
He slammed Shadow's head down and the darkrai fell limp. The calamitous being returned caressing Blade's face with his blood soaked claw. But the sneasel lashed out trying to slash him. The strange Shadow caught the attack and with a deep eye contact, Blade collapsed unconscious.
"Hey, bastard! Get away from them."
The calamitous darkrai stopped, dropping Blade to the ground and turning, a manic look in his eye as he locked onto Pyre. "Well if it isn't the little hero. Come to kill me a second time, Pyre!"
The charmander was stunned, both Blade and Shadow were unconscious on the ground but this darkrai, he looked exactly like Shadow. But his aura, was darker, more corrupt. Before Pyre could react the calamitous darkrai had rushed over and seized him by the throat, slamming him into a wall and knocking the wind out of him. Pyre reacted on instinct, letting fire spill out of his body but he felt himself suddenly restrained to the wall. His arms and legs were spread wide and there was still an immeasurable pressure on his throat. He couldn't move, let alone breathe.
"Pyre!" Tin's voice came as the charmeleon slammed the darkrai from the side, but he did not flinch. His older brother slammed his fists, elbows, knees, legs, tail, and even his head against the darkrai. But it was all for naught.
"How fortuitous. You didn't get to see last time I killed your brother, but this time you will." The darkrai released Pyre's throat and turned grabbing Tin by his right arm before unceremoniously and ruthlessly tearing it from its socket.
Tin fell to the ground screaming, clutching the wound where his arm once was, feeling the blood gush from it.
Pyre in a fit of rage, and a sudden tugging sensation felt his tail flicker gold, then violet, and finally a black core to the flame, and he burst forth from the wall, slamming his fist into the darkrai sending him through the wall leaving a comical hole in it.
Before Pyre could follow up he was slammed into the wall again. "That is the last time I deal with that power of yours." As Calamity Shadow raised his claw he let out a huff and left Pyre embedded in the wall. "It doesn't matter. Finality comes for your world all the same. And now," he lifted Blade by the feather on his head before stabbing his claw into the sneasel's stomach, only to wrench it out a moment later with the egg held in his claw. "I claim my prize." Blade fell to to the ground and the darkrai vanished. Moments later Pyre pulled himself out of the wall, glancing between Blade and Tin. A cruel choice, his best friend, his best friend's boyfriend or his brother.
The charmander stood weakly, grabbing Blade and dragging him toward Shadow. He had one other option. Leaning down he let out a flame, searing shut the hole where Tin's arm was and pulling the charmeleon over to Shadow. "I'm…not…losing anyone." Pyre laid on top of Tin, resting a hand each on Shadow and Blade. His aura began to flow, filling his injured loved ones. He all but forced his aura into them to keep them alive, until suddenly his eyes shut, and everything went dark.
