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"I gotta pee" I whined to Kay. She was busy watching
for the signal on the other side of the Rocket's
quarry. Like everyone else, she was waiting for
Scott's signal, the flash of a mirror reflecting the
light.
"You should have gone before we left," she said,
slightly irritated and then waved it away as if it
were never said.
"But I didn't need to go then!" This was beginning to
sound like a family car trip.
"Then go in the bushes!" she snapped.
I look at the surrounding undergrowth. There was most
likely a Pokemon hiding in there and in the dark I
wouldn't see it unless it bite me first.
But it was an emergency.
"Oh hell!"
I leapt off Chilun's back, diving for the bushes and
praying there wasn't a Spinarak or Scorpydoe waiting
in the, stings ready and aimed for my arse. Luckily I
made it in and out without mishap but the jeans made
it a close shave. I zipped up my fly and hooked back
onto Chilun's back.
I could feel him beneath me, muscles taut so that even
the snap of a twig would send him flying from beneath
me.
"So what do you think of your friend, Marc?" Kay said
softly from beneath the tree. Besides her she petted
her Jolteon which would be apart of the first wave.
"Can we trust him."
I thought for a moment, he was a hard case to figure.
Since last night, he had spent his time alone, away
from the rest of the Rescue Force with only his
Pokemon for company.
To my immense fascination, he could speak Pokenese.
For Pokemon it wasn't in the words, it's pretty hard
to get an entire language from Bulb-a-saur, but how
they said it. Theirs was a tone language which Marc
understood fluently.
"I don't know, it depends of your definition of
friend. For me it means someone who has the same
enemies, but Marc, I'm not so sure. He could still
have ties on the inside he's unwilling to break." I
flashed a wane smile. "But he seems to have it in for
Angel and I'm all for that."
Kay nodded and fell silent, passing her decoy, a
replica of the Celebi bubble created by the Psychic
Pokemon, from hand to hand. She was a Runner too, but
a Decoy Runner to divert the Rockets attention from me
to her.
"There it is, first signal. Get your gear on."
"Oh man do we have too?" I groaned as Kay handed me a
pair of Dark Glasses and some earplugs. Beat's me
where she got them but everyone, people and Pokemon,
had a pair. I grumbled putting as she put them on.
"But I'll look like a skeg! All I need is my pants
halfway down my arse and a skateboard!"
Kay didn't hear my witty remark as she already put
hers on. She pursed her lips and whistled. From the
bushes a huge black shape trampled through and
stooped. Black Dragonite! Jolteon licked Kay's hand
and than leapt between his wings, hooking his bright
yellow paws into a cord around Dragonites neck to help
keep his balance.
"Gear on! We can't afford to have a Key Runner too
blind or deaf to do anything!" Kay snapped again. She
was pretty high strung.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered as I pushed the earplugs into
my ears. The world became eerily silent. The roar of
the Rocket compound cut off suddenly. Their mouths
flapped noiselessly and trees crashed to the ground
without a whisper.
Satisfied, I put on the Dark Glass lenses. The black
and white shades of the night dimmed a little but
other than that they didn't change. The Darkglasses
when usually increased the power of a Dark type
Pokemon but when I used them, they focused and
filtered the light for more useless human eyes. They
still made my eyeballs itch.
I put Chilun plugs in and his odd shaped eye contacts
under his lids. I laughed softly. They made his ears
stick out at funny angles and magnified his eyes so
they looked ten times bigger. I giggled. "Hello, I'm
Mr Ed, your average talking horse."
Chilun snorted and nipped my wrist, not enough to draw
but it still hurt! "Fine, I learnt my lesson! Sheesh,
and people say I can't take a joke."
Kay waved me on and I pulled onto his back again. She
made a wide whooshing movement and Black Dragonite
blasted into the air, leaving Kay and I in his dust.
Dragonite barrel rolled, looped the loop and every
other trick in the book while Jolteon clung madly to
the cord. To my eyes through the Darkglasses There was
nothing but a faint white haze surrounding him but I
knew that he blazed with light as did the rest of the
sky. Flying and electric types jaunted through the air
pulling off an aerial display worthy of the Elite
Four, each encased in it's own haze.
I began to worry whether Bolt was doing his job but
then Aria, the only one not performing whizzed by with
him between her wings, giving of the same bright glow,
brighter in fact. Marc's Pichu flew on Cooee's back
that was also lashing out with a dazzlingly bright
Solarflare, even through the Darkglasses.
At that time I knew that every Pokemon that knew the
techniques were screeching, roaring and growling at
the top of their lungs. If I were to be a Rocket down
there by now I'd be cowering on my knees begging and
crying, blind as a Zubat as my eardrums were assaulted
by high pitched shrieks. You could tell the ones with
the sensitive hearing, the rolled on the ground or hid
in trees, trying to get away from the harsh noises. In
some cases blood trickled from their ear.
I felt an evil grin spread across my face as I saw
Angel was won of these. Damn it! But he deserved it!
Time passed and the lightshow still played the sky.
Soon the Rockets had adjusted to the light. The
smarter ones tor strips of their uniforms and stuffed
them in their ears or blindfolding themselves to
sieved out the light.
I happily watched the Rockets stagger around blind
when I saw a brief flash from across the clearing. Had
you not been watching for it, you would have missed
it.
Onto phase 2
Kay saw it too and immediately pushed through the
bushes covering us and raced down the slope full pelt,
the Celebi duplicate in hand. From all sides of the
Quarry others followed suit, charging wildly with
decoy in their paws or mouths.
The flying types plummeted from the sky landing in
strategic places for their next task. The electric
types now landed safely, switched off, just flicked
off the electricity leaving the Rockets stagger in
total darkness again with stars in their eyes and
while the electric types regained their breath.
Luckily, through my Dark lenses the colour and light
didn't change only left me blinking a little.
As the Decoy Runners dashed among the stumbling
Rockets, a soft snowy mist wafted in from all sides of
the compound.
Phase 3 was in action.
It flowed among them, rippling along the surface,
sometimes parting to reveal the bobbing head of a
Grunt or Decoy Runner. As more and more Rockets
recovered, the surface began to heave like the
crashing waves of the ocean. Still more and more
poured in from the sides.
I hoped that Fury had listened to me and stayed with
Maverick. As the water and ice types used various
attacks to create the fog, or working with the
electric types. I knew Maverick was working with the
latter, his Rainsong technique would prove an asset
though I had small faith that the little fella would
use it ore even remember it.
I shook my head; he really needed to be trained. If it
weren't Fury watching him, I bet by now he'd probably
be down there with them chewing on Mewthree's tail. I
laughed at the thought.
A giant Flamed flashed into view and scared the hell
out of me. It looked just like Scott's,
In fact, it was Scott's projected a thousand times
larger into the Quarry, thanks to the Psychic types.
He thrashed his tail, picked up tiny Rockets, and
tossed them inside his jaws, chewing loudly. Of
course, that too was a projection but it was so
realistic.
OK, it was almost time. I removed out earplugs,
knowing that I no longer needed them if the plan was
on track, but the lenses I would need. Now I could
hear the thunderous yells of the Rockets as they
screamed alarms that we'd taken Celebi and of panic as
they escaped flames.
Suddenly a massive blast of air swept across the
battle ground, clearing away the mist as the Pokemon
frantically tried to pump more in. A golden flash lit
the darkness for an instant. It sliced through the
mist like a Kingdra through the water and with a pump
of it's golden bat-like wings it was in the air, a
hovering menace snorting golden flares.
Sunsear!
He glowed violently with Mewthree on his back
controlling him like a puppet.
Krystals voice cut across my consciousness like
a katana in full swing. I jumped and jerked Chiluns
reins.
"Kiah!" and the "AHHHHHHH!" as Chilun took of like a
silver bullet. I barely had time to blink. I had told
him to run his fastest but now I regretted it.
Everything blurred by. A Rocket tramped underfoot, a
Decoy Runner skittering out of the way, all a glimpse.
I tugged on his reins trying to slow him a tiny bit,
but he responded only a little. It was enough to find
my scattered thoughts and keep down the feast we had
had.
I yelled in my mind.
he thought back and I
received a mental image of him cringing.
I don't think she likes going at the speed of light.>
All the Key Runners were now converging to the huge
flat surface the Rockets had made.
The Decoy Runners were fleeing for the forest, trying
to take as many of the Rockets with them as possible.
Marc's Eevee darted into the trees, decoy in it's
mouth and a dozen Rockets after him. Tori, Laurie's
Vulpix, weaved in and out of them collecting even more
before doing the same. Cal was trapped by the Rockets.
They had knocked him to the ground and snatched his
decoy. While they were preoccupied, he rolled away and
ran back towards the Ilex river, a newly formed decoy
in hand.
Laurie's Donphan and Kay's Larvitar invoked dozens of
small quakes into the clutch of huts sending those
inside taking off on their heels. The many children of
Echotrance gathered their own crowd even without
decoys.
Now the quarry was almost empty but for the Key
runners, the Radianz and Mewthree.
As Sunsear landed in the centre of the flat, I guided
Chilun into position, a good distance away to his
right flank. Moon mirrored me on Zefire to Sunsear's
left and Jake and Laurie dismounted Volcanine to face
the dragon head on. We stood poised waiting for
Mewthree to make the first move.
A spot of wetness touched my face. I looked up. Angry
black thunderheads rolled above us crackling and
flashing. Around the Quarry, long jagged bolt sizzled
upwards being absorbed by the storm.
With the collection of Pokedex's we found out that
when several Pikachu gathered they attracted
thunderstorm. All we had was a ragtag collection of
electric types but they were enough. Now the clouds
swathed the night sky and reverberated the air with
their suffocating nearness.
"Rain, rain damn you, rain," I pleaded them. My skin
prickled sweating under the humidity the storm
brought.
Radianz swung his head, belching a tongue of Solar
energy. Caught daydreaming, I didn't have time to
react and only Chilun's, not scared witless, quick
thinking saved us. He skipped sideways and the
Solarflare blew past us in a sweltering wave of heat.
Chilun screamed, his knees buckling. The frost on his
pelt melted away and ran in boiling rivulets down his
side.
"Be strong, Chilun, be strong! We need you, I need
you!" I yelled trying to turn him backwards and away.
Chilun, shinnied, pulling to his feet painfully and
glared at Mewthree. He tossed his head, venting a blue
bolt of an Icebeam. It struck Mewthree's Psychic
barrier and an upsurge of ice, rippled outwards,
casing Mewthree. Mewthree swept his balled fingers and
the cage shattered, tinkling to the ground.
Chilun nickered, ready to try again but I slapped his
neck gently. "Save your energy."
Mewthree released another of Sunsears attacks at Moon
but Zefire easily sidestepped it, shielding Moon with
her wings.
Jake murmured telepathically.
for direct contact, ready to run?>
Moon, Laurie and I chorused half heartedly.
Laurie and Jake released Espeon and Umbreon. Though we
had been relaxing, Laurie had taught Jake and his
Eeveelutions the Mystic Spiral. For a time they might
be able to subdue Sunsear and Mewthree.
Moon and I lined up our Pokemon to where we
thought Celebi was hidden.
I got a good grip on Chilun this time. Mewthree
watched suspiciously.
I ducked my head, holding my body as close to
Chiluns as possible. His flickering blue mane lashed
my face with it's biting cold.
Receding quickly, Laurie and Jake had unlocked the
black and violet vortex of Psychic and Dark energy
that immobilized the enemy. Laurie watched anxiously
whiled Jake concentrated his limited Psychic powers to
free Radianz from Mewthree's clutches.
I turned back to my task, leaving those two to keep us
safe.
If I thought we had gone fast before, now we were
charged the quarry at the speed of light. Chiluns hoof
beats drummed a rapid tattoo across the earth as he
pelted full out. I gasped winded as he halted. I was
thrown forward almost over his head.
Black and purple flourished the sky mixing with the
white-hot lightning. Had it not been for the lenses I
would have been blind or at least hypnotised by their
dazzling beauty. Against the mesmerizing whirlpool,
stood the two crusaders, throwing all they had into
their attack to keep us safe.
We swung off the horses backs and dashed behind the
store shed, searching frantically for Celebi.
"Here!" Moon called. "The dirt's fresh."
"I crouched, digging off the top layer of soil that
was hiding a trapped door Moon dusting away the
powder.
"DAMNIT!" I swore, pounding the alloy frame with my
fist. It rang softly. The trap door was padlocked.
"Wait!" I cried. "Chilun's and Zefire! Their hooves
are harder-"
"No they could hurt Celebi."
"Looking for something? Marc leaned against the store
shed casually. Around his finger he twirled a set of
keys.
"Marc! I don't know whether to kick you or kiss you!"
Moon cheered.
"Oh well-"
"Later!" I snatched his keys and fit them into the
lock, twisting them. With a delightful click, the
padlock fell open. Each of us grinned from ear to ear,
we flung to trapdoor open and Moon reached deep
inside. She carefully withdrew all that we had worked
so hard for, risked out life for again and again,
Celebi. We gazed at him in wonder as his warm green
glow wrought its ghost across our faces.
We were triumphant!
BOOM
"Laurie!"
"Jake!"
"Volcanine!"
A huge red mushroom cloud exploded upward setting the
night sky on fire. It burned. Still it reached up and
a swell of blistering heat roared over us, bringing
tears to my eyes. I wiped them away and through blurry
eyes a shadow winged towards us, silhouetted against
the blaze.
"SUNSEAR!" I screamed, stumbling onto my feet an back
towards the mounts. Zefire sheltered Chilun with her
graceful wings from what would have been his death.
Moon and Marc leapt up too, following and then
overtaking. Moon sprang up effortlessly while I
scrambled for a hold.
"No time! Alioop!" Marc gave me a leg up and I pulled
him up beside me. Man, was I lucky to find this guy.
"GO!"
"No need to tell me twice!" I tapped Chilun's ribs and
we took off after Moon, barely keeping up. Moon hung
onto the blur of Zefire's reins with one hand and lung
to Celebi with the other.
Suddenly the menace was upon us.
My heart almost burst as Sunsear and Mewthree swooped
and passed over us but was instantly filled with a gut
wrenching dread. Mewthree pulled back Sunsears
wickedly clawed hand, it took on a bloody gleam in the
shadow of the flaming sky.
SWOOSH
The claw slashed down, Moon and Zefire flew into the
ground. Moon rolled from Zefires back sill clutching
Celebi. I yanked Chiluns reins and he pivoted, racing
back towards Zefire.
I swallowed hard. One of Zefires beautiful rainbow
wings had been torn clean off and it lay discarded
some distance away. Zefire's entire body seemed
twisted and a long gory gash ran her length.
Gratefully, she was dead or she would have been in
terrible pain.
Chilun squealed, ready to stop but I kicked him on,
stopping him in front of Moon, sho sat up looking
dazed.
"Quick get on!" I yelled, holding out my hand. Sunsear
was busy devouring Zefire's pieces.
"No your already overweighted-"
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Marc snorted indignant.
"-Take Celebi and head for the tree's. They'll slow
him down at least. "Moon swallowed. She looked scared
and ready to break down sobbing, but she also look
courageous, like valkerie, a warrior woman of the
Norse.
"No.."
"Ill distract it a little longer. Now go!" Moon threw
the Celebi bubble at us and Marc snatched it from the
air.
"But…"
"You heard her, MOVE!" Marc jabbed his heals into
Chiluns flank and we fled for the trees. It was the
last I heard of Moon and I hoped she got away, but my
heart knew she didn't because all too soon, Mewthree
was after us again.
Moon was right, the tree's did slow the great lug
down, but Chilun couldn't run forever. He was already
tiring. His chest heaved and his vivid blue flames
drooped.
"Whoa!" Chilun skidded to a stop, pawing the ground.
"What?! Are you crazy?! GO! Marc screeched. He kicked
Chiluns ribs but with my tight grip on the reins, he
didn't react.
"Off, now!" I said, jumping down. Marc looked torn but
did anyway. "Chilun, run and hide." Chilun paused only
a moment befrore galloping into the gloom.
"You idiot!" Marc yelled. He looked ready to hit me,
but the smashing and crashing and tearing of trees
behind us was getting closer. The ground shuddederd
with each footfall. "Why the hell did you do that!" He
screamed, yanking my arm as he ran.
I followed darting among the shadows of the trees,
barely missing running into another. Chilun was,
tired. He, couldn't run much, further. Plus, his
flames, give us away!" I gasped. Marc fell behind, too
tall to be able to run easily in this closed in
forest. I heard him curse every two minutes and I had
to slow to help him up a dozen times and make sure he
hadn't lost Celebi. But fatigue makes fools of us all
and I was tripping much more frequently than not,
unable to concentrate either. A deep panic was rising
in my chest and I didn't think I could kep it down.
No matter how fast we ran, the rumble of Sunsear was
never far behind. Everytime I glanced behind, a tree
would crash or a glint of gold would send me running
faster.
A large drop of water splashed onto my forehead and
ran into my eye I blinked it away and a tree jumped
into my path. I ploughed into it and lay on the ground
dizzy .
I screamed sobbing, "OH SURE! NOW YOU FUCKING RAIN!"
I could have collapsed, there and then, but Marc
pulled me up again and pushed me on. "Don't you quit
on me!" Leaves slapped my face and braches lashed my
body, still I ran.
"Stop! I shouted, trying to take my own advise as I
slipped on the moist ground. Only just in time. It was
that damned ravine where this whole shimozzle had
began. About seven meters across and six deep. To far
to jump and not enough time to climb. I yelled in
frustration as Marc burst from the scrub behind me.
He stopped, looking down and swore. "How do we get
across?" he asked, shoving Celebi into my hands.
"A vine, we swing across." I said searching for a vine
stroung enough through the now pelting rain. The
dropplets were getting so big that they actually
stung. No matter how much I wiped my eyes clear, they
were clouded seconds later.
"Here's one-" A deafening roar split the forest and
the trees behind us exploded, showering us with
spinters.
"Why don't you hust leave us alone. Celebi is your
future too!" I screamed going hoarse.
from all,> Mewthree hissed.
"You masters are dead!" Marc shuddered. "That's right,
dead! Butch and Casedy ran into the forest, took about
four steps before they were torn apart by vengeful
Pokemon and right bout now the feeling is mutual.
It cocked it's head puzzled,
as if it didn't understand the term.
matterssssss!"
"Quick Marc, the vine-" Before I could even finsih,
Mewthree flashed a violent violet flames and with a
thrash of Sunsears tail, all the trees were felled,
lying scattered like a childs blocks.
After all the work helpless! After all our hard work,
for nothing. Lightning crackled, thunder booomed and
rain came down in sheets. I dropped to my knees,
kneeling in the mud and looked up at my death.
Sunsear flashed a dazzling grin, flashing his gleaming
white teeth. I could have sworn Mewthree was playing
with us. He roared lifting his head high again. I saw
the small golden ball swell in the his blackhole
throat, growing brighter and brighter.Suddenly as the beam was ready to flick out and wipe
us from the face of the Earth, a pearly silver blur
streaked through the rain, hurtling head long into the
giant golden dragons side. Startled, the Radianz
swallowed the Solarbeam. He roared in agony, twisting
to fight this new menace. Too late! This smaller more
agile streak was attacking from the otherside, ripping
at his throat and tender underbelly.
Mewthree blazed. Totally enveloped in the aura of his
power. He gestured wildly, swinging his stubby arms in
arcs and swilrs trying to control Sunsears flailing
linbs. The harder he tried to catch it, themore it
evaded his grasp.
A lightning blot lit the sky illuminating the streak
for a moment before leaving us in darkness again.
A dragon!. A long spindly body, lithe and well
muscled. It was covered in fine silvery scales, like
chain mail. When it twisted, it's scales went over or
under each other allowing it to be able to turn on a
dime, while a Radianz's were heavy, built to with
stand being hit my a tack, buckled when it tries to
turn.
Thre pairs of elongated legs attached to te body
ending in what could have been diamond razors for
claws. It's spine extended out in a long whippy tail
with a feathery tip. It's head, narrow, regal. Marble
eyes, feathery ears poking near the top of it's head.
He looked like a really old man with long curling
whiskers jutting from under his nostrils and a traing
beard. But what got me most was the tiara crowning his
head. Diamonds and sapphires set I a silvery helm
twinkling in the flashes of lightning.
"Yeah Shahman!" I started at the voice, rearing to my
feet and squinting into the rain. Marc looked at me,
surprised. It couldn't be.
"Sumalee?!"
"Topaz?!"
In an instant Sunsear whirled aroun and snatched
Shahman by his snaking neck and shook him violently,
not letting go. Shahman kicked feebly, trying to reach
for Sunsears vulnerable eyes. Sumalee scream as she
was tossed into the air and landed with a heavy thud
in a crumpled heap.
"Suma!" I screamed. I ran to her body, praying she
hadn't died a second time.
FLASH! Lightning rent the sky.
Suma's dirty face was lit up. Her was chared, though
not as badly though only tinges of read instead of
it's illustrious streads.
"Suma! I cried urgently, shaking her.
"I'm okay," she coughed.
"What the hell happened?! Why are you here?!
CRASH! The Thunder echoed around us.
"Shahman teleported us at the last second. When I woke
up he was that. Evolved. Where's Mave?"
"With Fury safe." I hope, I added silently.
Sumalee sat up, then stood up, then watched the too
dragons wrestling in midair. Mewthree, had lost hold
of Shaman's neck but still held the squirming body
tight. He still roared in pain. Shahman had his sizzor
teeth tearing into the hallow of Sunsears throat. His
snowy beard dyed with blood and his eyes seething in
an opal glare.
FLASH!
The dragons flung apart, Radianz roaring and beating
his immeasurable wings in heavy swoops so that us
three pitiful humans could barely stand upright. I
hugged Celebi tightly. Shahman having no wings to
flap, made do with swishing his tail and making bayful
moans. Scales were missing, blood across their bodies
and panting heavily, they scowled at each other from
opposite sides.
Marc pushed me. "What are you waiting for, an
invitation? Open that damn blob!"
"Right!" I poked it, it pushed in like a balloon. I
pinched it, stretched it, squashed it, scratched it,
stabbed it and bit it. Nothing!
CRASH!
I wailled as Shahman and Mewthree engaged again, more
viscious than ever.
"Well," Suma drawled.
"Well what?!"
"Well, it might only burst when Mewthree let's go.."
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Marc bawled. "Go
kill it!" He pushed Suma forward.
She didn't even hesitate. She loosed a long sharp
piercing whistle. Sharhman teleported to her feet and
she sprang between the ridges of his crown. Once
aboard he took to the stormy sky again.
"Okay, we finish this off, right here, right now!
Moonbeam!" Shahman moaned. Tiny silver speck of silver
dust trickled in from the sky swirling in a huge
vortex, the dust ran together to form tiny beads, they
ran together to form a huge silver mirror ball on the
star point of Sharhmans tiara. It pulsed and expanded
, silveryblue veins swam in rivers acrss it's surface.
FLASH!
In the aftershock of the lightning strike, the shpere
erupted into a shaft of hot white light, burnign it's
path across the clearing. In some sort of deranged
reaction of defense, Mewthree charged. The Radianz
rushed at Shahman, claws extended, wings flared. What
face should have been a peaceful was contorted in an
ugly rage.
The statement melted away to be replace by one of pain
and confusion. In the center of his pale scaled brest
was a charred cavornous hole. It glared at me
accusingly as Sunsear bellowed now free of Mewthrees
hold. With a desolent cry, Sunsears lifeless body
collapse to the ground, splattering mud, foliage and
blood.
I screwed my eyes shut, waiting for the quaking of the
earth to calm down.
CRASH!
When I opened them and wiped away the rain and mire,
Sumalee was cheering, Marc was dancing and warbling,
"I'm siiiiiinging in the rain!" and Mewthree was
nowhere in sight, mostlikely to be crushed beneath the
dragon weighing over 15 tons, amour and all, nothing
would have survived it.
"Oh gawd! We survived!" I shrieked giddy, still on my
knees, still in the mud, still in the storm still in
the goddamned rain!
"We did more than survive, we conquered!" Suma yelled
happily.
FLASH!
Marc grabbed my hands and swung me round in a mad game
of ring-around-the-rosie. "We'll be rich! We can sell
him off. All those solid gold scales must be a fortune
in itself! I mean, he doesn't have any use for them
ande I'm sure he'd love to be remembered as some rich
old mans piano keys, right. And we'll sell the story
to Steven Speilbunk. The movie will take the world by
stom. I'd play me of course but you guys would have to
be actors. No offense but make up can only do so much
and-"
BOOM!
A huge explosion drowned out his next words. I dropped
his hands and staggered backwards, blinded by, not by
white light but a seething swell, a black light that
made my skin crawl as it wrapped around me to leave me
in worse than darkness. As swiftly as the light had
surprised us, it dispersed.
I stared at Marc, a puzzled look on my face but his
was a mixture of cold blooded terror and red hot
fury.
"What?" I asked, shaking from head to toe. I stared
him in the eye, when no answer was forthcoming, I
turned around slowly, knowing what I'd find. Mewthree,
a voice whispered in the back of my mind.
FLASH!
Mewthree hung in the air, barely visable in the
driving rain, panting hard , his arms held out
blossoming into the deformed flower. I gulped loudly
and forced my eyes below him. Shahman was almost
nothing left, a few scales, a chared bone, and his now
tarnished tiara. My mouth mouthed nonsensical words,
but no sound came out. I should have been glad I
didn't have to see Sumalee like that. It would be how
I would remember her forever deep within my
subconcious.
The Kamayamaya. I couldn't look, I somehow managed to
swallow, my eyes burned with unshed tears as did my
heart.
CRASH!
"WHY DON'T YOU DIE? THIS ISN'T SOME B GRADE MADE FOR
TV MOVIE!" Marc pushed me aside, his face was to red
he could have been a tomato. "YOU HEARD ME! JUST!
STAY! DEAD!!!"
FLASH!
I don't think Marc's polite demand did anything to
improve Mewthrees temper. As I looked closer, it was
bloody and very badly burned. The knobs on his head
were gone entirely, infact, half his face was gone as
well. His tail was decapitated and I imagined it
womewhere on the ground wriggly like a lizards tail.
Floating in the rain getting soggy could only make it
worse.
CRASH!
Mewthree set it's sites on Marc, raising it's arm and
aiming at him. It flared it's fingers and focused it's
psychic powers.
Marc kept yelling. "BUT I GUESS IT MAKES SENSE ! YOU
ARE ONLY A B GRADE MOVIE MONSTER!"
FLASH!
The glow grew. I groped in the puddle, no sea around
me for a stone. Almost instantly I found one.
CRASH!
It flew from my hand, arcing through the air as gracce
fully as a Seraph and twice as fast. But the bloody
storm had threw off my aim and I missed him by at
least a meter. It only served to alert him to my
actions.
"Shit!"
TSEEW!
Mewthree swung him arm and released a concentrated
Psybeam. Raindrops hissed and spat and sent ripples of
colour throught the shaft. It burned towards me. My
voice caught in my throat. I couldn't even scream.
I kicked Celebi's bubble away so that it at least
would be safe. A force suddenly slammed into me,
knockin the wind from my body and flying into the mud.
I pulled my hands up just in time to brace myself but
I still manage to swallow a mouthful of mud. I got up
coughing and spluttering. I wiped the muck from my and
looked around.
The Celebi bubble had rolled to a stopped at the very
edge of the ravine. Celebi still inside, comfortably
sucking his thumb. Mewthree hovered limply, his energy
spent and Marc was…
FLASH!
"Marc!" Marc lay on the ground, his breaths coming in
gurgly gasps and coughing fits. Marc! I scrambled
towards him and as soon as I was close enough to see,
I sucked in a sharp breath.
Just like Sunsear, a small circular hole burnt through
him just to the left of the end of his sternum.
"Gawd!" I reached my hand to touch it, just to see if
it was real, but pulled it back. I guess I should have
taken my own advise. Never piss off the criminally
insane."
"Marc chuckled weakly only to be cut of by a harsh
barking cough. Blood flecked his lips and his eyes
drooped but he still had that cocky grin.
"I want a big funeral, *cough*, fancy casket, lots of
jewels. *cough, cough* And a big dedication at the
start of the movie. See……ya….."
His voice faded, his eyelids shut. He went on
breathing a few minutes more, but that too died away,
leaving me with my own ragged sobs, the pelting
rainand my sorrow. Marc, Sumalee were gone and
possibly Jake and Laurie if they hadn't teleported in
time.
CRASH!
"You won't have your fancy funeral, Marc," I vowed.
"Because you won't die."
I turned my head very slowly, watching the Celebi
bubble. Would I be able to get to it before Mewthree
blew me into oblivion. Still not wanting to draw my
attention, I moved carefully. It was worn thin and
totally jaded. It would be slow to react andit's aim
off. Should I risk it?
All or nothing.
I dug my heel into the mud and threw myself forward. I
pushed off the ground with my hands to get upright. My
feet pounded into the fim soil beneath the churned up
mud seeking purchase to stop from sliding. As I dashed
forward, I caught the startled look on Mewthree's
face. It looked like an old turnip, you know when they
go all purpled and wrinkled?
Mud exploded behind me. TSEEW! Mud exploded in front
of me. I only kidded just in time, not to be caught in
the backlash of the Psybeam. I darted around it and
pushed forward again harder then ever. I gasped. I had
misjudged the depth of a puddle and slipped. My legs
slid from undermeath but my will made me to keep
going.
FLASH!
The Celebi bubble teetered on the edge of the ravine
only three meters away from me and would for long. The
water flooded the ground, then cascaded over the side
in a forceful gush.
TSEEW!
A beam sizziled through the air, blasting the mud
halfway between me and Celebi, sending a shockwaves
undulateing through the ground. Waves took form in the
seas of water. Sure they were hardly more then ripples
but they were enough.
CRASH!
The waves slapped the bubble. It see-sawed indesicive
of whether to stay or topple to my doom. It made it's
choise. I lunged!
TSEEEEEEW!
The Psybeam lanced across my back with unimaginable
pain. It screamed with a life of it's own, writhing
inside of me like a demon trying to get out.
But I ignored the pain, trying with all I had to
focus on all that mattered. Celebi! I reached out as
far as my fingertips would.
"Yes!' I cried, but it was swallowed up as I landed on
the very edge of the chasm. The pain blossemed again
curling around my heart. I almost wept.
TSEEW!
The ground beside me burst apart. Sodden and
overweighted with rain, the edge crumbled beneath me.
I screamed, frantically clawing at the side with my
free hand but it didsolved through my finger.
FLASH!
I screamed again. My body bashed against the
not-so-soggy rocks. Outcrops stabbed at my vitals. A
loud snap in my left leg as it twisted over a ridge
then trainled after me sagging. After an eternity I
shattered against the bottom.
The Darklenses broke and fell out of my eyes, but not
before leaving their mark too.
The pain flared but silently ebbed way to a dull ache,
my conciousness dawdling after it, reluctant to
leavve, wanting to watch.
I opened my eyes but only one agreed to see and only
through a film of red. I lay in a shallow quickly
moving river at the bottom of the ravine about an
inch deep. I gulped a gasp of water as I tried to
breath, my face half in half out of the water. I
rolled my good one and saw the Celebi bubble nudging
the side of the gorge no more than 30 cm away from my
face.
I swallowed hard. I could feel my lifes blood flowing
away with the river I tried my arms. My right arm was
pinned under me and and my left moved feebly, the
hand at the end flexing on its own. At least none of
the tendons had been severed. With a mighty effot, I
flung my arm out and it flopped beside th bubble. I
bent my arm around it, taking it in the crook of my
arm and dragged it to rest at my face. I pawed it
weakly, still trying to free Celebi. Worse then
nothing.
Tears trickled from my good eye and ran down the
bubbles surface painted a faint pick due to the veil
of blood. I had failed! So close, yet so far. The fate
of the world had rested in my hands like a fragile
crystal ball and I had let it slip through to shatter
beyond belief.
My eye began to close, blinking away a last salty red
tear. Then as it shut forever, even through the
crimson haze, was a crystal blue eye, looking back at
me.
* * * *
Celebi awok from his slumber, slowly opening his eyes.
Another stared back at him. It was hidden beneath a
scarlet film but he could see it was a pretty blue,
the blue of the night sky on a clear, starfilled
night. As he watched the lid droop lower, he saw the
stars, they tinkled, even as it closed.
He also saw the tear. Why should the girl with the
pretty eyes cry? It ran over her cheek and down his
prisons surface leaving a glimmering trail. As the
tear trickled over the surface, the prison began to
dissolve. It ate away at the edges and after a moment
there was a hole big enough for Celebi.
Celebi slipped through, looking around. It was dark,
Celebi didn't mind the dark, but it was storming.
Lightning ran its jagged course across the heaven and
thunder roared like a monster of the stories his
mentor had told him when even he was being formed. It
hurt his ears. He floated out of the sheltered walls
of the ravin and a blast of icy wind blew past him.
Celebi didn't like being cold or wet, he prefured the
pleasant summer night in his tree.
A thought darted from antennae to antennae in the form
of a green spark of electricity and time froze. The
wind died away, the rain drops halted on their
downward migration and the lightning suspended it's
light in in the cloudy sky.
That was better, now he could see the damage done. Of
course he had seen everything that had happened, or at
least felt. Even in his prison he could feel the
timelines of this reality flow through him. The
timelines of those who had existed in the past, the
present even those who hadn't come yet. Celebi had
felt many die, some who would play a vital part in
those times to come.
His eyes returned to his saviour. She had sacrificed
much to save him from the very long nap the bad people
had forced him to endure. Especially her. The Winged
Ones watched over her. She was their future. He
giggled. It was strange that the Winged ones, the most
powerful in existance would have to rely on such a
frail humanbeing.
He focused and a swirling tunnel opened before him. It
lead to the Desert of Eternity, where the sands of
time flowed. Celebi liked it, it was like a great big
sandbox! He followed The swirling of of greens and
yellows to its end and when he came out he felt a
surge of power. The timelines were always with him but
here they streamed around him like a fast moving
river. He didn't have to worry, he knew how to swim!
Celebi wanted to play, to romp through the night skies
of Eternity but his Mentor pursued him otherwise.
He concentrated on this reality, watching the sand
stiring as time swept before his eyes, like a play for
his amusment. This play did not amuse him. It was
dreadful. Without these key players, many terreble
things occured that not even he whould be able to
prevent.
He soared higher into the skies of Eternity until only
darkness surrounded him in all directions. But far
into the eastern horizon was a glimpse of light. He
knew it was not but the Tapestries of Life, where each
life had it's own timeline interwoven with so many
others. There he could follow each easily as it
interacted with the future.
He sped for it until he stood above each glowing
strand of the savior and their threads crossed.
Celebi fluttered down, landing delicately on a
thread, strumming it gently. An image emerge slowly.
The older boy, the leader, he was a digidestined.
Without him, an alternate world would collapse. He now
lay in a ditch. Dark Pokemon had ambushed him an a
well aimed Poison sting that not even his great Orb
could protect him from was imbedded in his shoulder,
oozing venom for a slow and painful death.
Celebi let go of the strand feeling sad but moved onto
the next one. Again the vision solidified.
The girl and the Shiny Dragonite that were played
important rolls in the fall of Team Rocket were dead.
The Dragonite had been chased by so many flying types
that he had collided head first into a great oak,
snapping both their necks. With out them, mass
destruction and dictorship of all the Pokemon world
ensue.
Again the impression had disturbed him, but he could
not stop. He selected a new thread.
The powerful psychic was also chosen. In her blood ran
the attacks of Pokemon and should she not come to full
potential, much would fall prey to the Unowns, strange
creatures that he could not understand. In this
reality she would not. She stood, the last of the
Psychic Pokemon she had commanded. Her energy fading
rapidly as many Dark types closed around her. She
would not survive.
With her death imminent, he let go. The timeline
beside it glowed brightly. He siezed it with
enthusiasm, despite it was cut short
The other, the boy interested him greatly. He held
Heavans Tsunami! As soon as he had finished with this
problem, he must inform his twin sister! She had
waited for centuries for it's reappearance and when
the realities were decided. He focused and his death
reappeared in his head. The blond boy stood with all
his strength attentive on the mind of Mewthree. It was
too much for even the Keeper of Heavans Tsunami and it
ended in an explostion.
Celebi recoiled, letting the thread fall back into
place.
He moved onto another thread. It was that of the soft
spoken girl. She was not as important as those prior,
but still a crucial thread in the timeline ahead. Her
vivid imagination would develop tales that would
change the minds and hearts and actions of human and
Pokemon alike. Now she was with the Keeper
Celebi moved on, carefully selecting another. The
daughter of the master! He had forfilled his destiny a
dozen times over and now it was his daughters turn!
But it couldn't now. Her life had been abruptly cut
short by cruel jaws.
He lowered the severed thread gently and chose
another.
The Water trainer must become a water Master! Without
him, the swift ones, the ones who ran like the wind
headlong across Johto, would fall into the hands of
evil. Now with him dead , the Judgement could not
pass.
He shivered at the thought. Time was growing short.
The one who rode the great Shahman was destined to be
a strong political leader that would lead the world
into a brighter future. If not her another of corrupt
heart. Over the many millenia Celebi had become
sensitive to those of dishonest and many played havoc
with his timelines.
The Rocket was strange. He had two paths, follow his
own and become the head of Team Rocket, or follow his
saviour and challenge the Four to become an important
influence in the way of the world.
Celebi didn't like his thread, it had the the ring of
corruption about it and set it down wth distaste.
Finally he came to that of the saviour. She was most
important of all. In the worlds darkest hour she would
be there to bear its burden, bringing light once more
to thundering skies that would destroy the worlds with
its vicious winds and merciless rains lashing the
lands once more.
Celebi concidered his choices once more. The rocket
boy was a wild card, the rise and fall of a nation
rested on his shoulders.
Celebi reached out to the others that created the
world. His sister Celebi, Mew and her mate, Mewtwo
made their choise from their hidden isle.
He reached for the fleeting thoughs of the swift ones,
Raikou, Entei and Suicune as they raced across the
land. Celebi had played with them when they were pups.
Even then he could never win a game of tag with them.
As the swift ones felt the touch of their old
playmate, they paused in midleap. Celebi let the
lifelines flow through them for an instant and they
knew both realities and their consequences. They
pondered each and finally each howled a chilling cry
to the full moon above, spreading its luminious rays.
He reached out for the Winged Ones, spread across
every continent of the Pokemon world and held their
dominance.
From his labrinth of whirlpools in the Whirl Islands,
Lugia answered.
From what was left of her lush forest home, Echotrance
answered.
From among his greater Masters, Halo answered.
From his Ruins thousands of years old, his Mentor
Archimedes answered
From her mists that shrouded Seafoam Island, Articuno
answered.
From deep in his valley on Maelstorm Island, Zapdos
Island.
From seething lava of her volcano on FireIsland,
Moltres answered.
From her tine temple overlooking Ecruteak, Ho-oh
answered.
From the peak of her worlds highest Mountain,
observing all with her keen eyesight, Elementrice
answered.
All called in unison. The vote was unanimous. The vote
was cast. Celebi closed his eyes.
FLASH!!
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