Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
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You should not read this work if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work may contain concepts or written actions that some readers may find excessive or disturbing. This may include (but not be limited to) rape, BDSM, or death.
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Chapter 15
To the Brink
Nicholas stood in front of the Veilstone Gym.
The feeling in the air was much different, now. The reporters huddled around were subdued, taking their pictures and every once in a while calling a question before their voices faded away when the motionless man didn’t so much as acknowledge it. The five figures around him radiated the same stoic confidence and any observer would be able to see how different these pokegirls were from the ones he’d brought to Hearthome. The explosive rumors and reports on the raid on Galactic, what had been found, the horrible crimes committed - that news cycle had run its course. It still made headlines, of course, as new discoveries were made, or leaked, and public opinion shifted hard from ‘indifference’ to ‘disdain’. But this, this was something new. The man staring at his next target was no longer a brash celebrity. He’d become a threat.
There was no ceremony when Nicholas finally walked inside. He was led directly to the arena, recalling his pokegirls and stepping forwards to meet the athletic looking woman waiting there. They exchanged words, shook hands, and each returned to their boxes as the referee raised their flags.
“This is an unlimited battle between Leader Maylene and Challenger Nicholas. First to three points wins. On my count. Three. Two. One. Begin!”
Fighting-types, this leader specialized in. In a way, so did he. Sohn and Quinn fit the bill quite nicely. But he led with Sammy.
The Rotom appeared already covered in her metal skin. She’d apparently stripped half the Galactic Building for the delicate elements she needed, forming her spoils into what could only be described as a set of arm-length gloves, thigh-high stockings, and a thick metal choker. She took other orientations, too. For example she’d first demonstrated her versatility to Nicholas by pulling most of the metal from her legs, leaving bands around her thighs, to form a belt around her stomach. When she’d let go of her form and turned to electricity what remained was her disembodied hips, head, and both arms, which had combined to give him the strangest taming session he’d ever experienced. But she’d done what he’d only joked about before. She’d figured out a way to have sex, as herself. As a nucleus of sparking electricity. There was so much more they could explore with her technique and he was so excited for what the future would bring.
Today, though, she was in a more battle-focused orientation. As Maylene released a Lucario Sammy’s torso dissolved, leaving only her limbs to take striking positions as her head levitated around.
It was all for show. The Lucario advanced, procuring a long club from somewhere and whirling it in an attempt to bat Sammy’s head out of the air. Thunder cracked as Sammy’s arms shot forwards, battering the Lucario’s defenses before her foot snuck around and kicked the girl right in the ass. The offending leg was smashed by the Lucario’s club and Sammy’s head slowed, the Rotom forced to concentrate much harder to try and pull the shattered fragments together. In that moment the Lucario struck, Sammy screaming in terror as the club came whistling straight for her.
All of the onlookers flinched when Sammy’s head evaporated on impact. In fact there had been so little resistance the Lucario was thrown off balance and had to fight her own momentum. Sammy’s disembodied limbs clattered to the floor, the lines of electricity connecting them fizzling out.
Though, that was all because it was drawing together. With the Lucario off balance Sammy had all the time in the world to charge up and release a crackling bolt of lightning that speared from the depths of her electric cloud and skewered the jackal girl cleanly. She fell, skin smoking, as Sammy’s body popped back into existence and the Rotom hurriedly dove on her precious metal before the recall beam could find her.
Though she had appeared unharmed the trick heavily drained Sammy’s reserves so Nicholas moved to his next pokegirl. Still, a point in his favor and none for Maylene. He considered giving Cathy a chance but understanding her disadvantage he chose Zisela.
The Gabite was met with a towering hulk of a girl. Her opponent sneered, four thick hands clapping together before the Machamp stomped forwards. She was slow, but with muscles that big she didn’t have to hit much. Just once and Zisela would be down.
Zisela fought well. She even seemed to be winning, ducking and weaving through the Machamp’s flurry of strikes and slowly whittling away at the big pokegirl. But eventually she made a mistake, dodging into the path of a sweeping fist and catching a full power hammer arm to the body. The glowing energy she’d been amplifying her claws with vanished as she flew through the air, unconscious even before she rolled to a halt.
Nicholas quickly recalled her. She’d heavily injured the Machamp before going down so, knowing that Maylene would be aiming to recall her flagging pokegirl and deny him a point, he released the fastest pokegirl he had.
Sohn materialized with her head held high. A quick command and she was sprinting forwards, her flames burning white-hot as the Infernape danced past the flailing Machamp to lock eyes with Maylene, pokeball in the gym leader’s hand, arm raised halfway. The interaction lasted only a moment as Sohn spun back, a cheeky laugh sounding as she sunk her heel into the Machamp’s back. As the girl crumpled Sohn was a blur, fists battering the Machamp’s face, zipping in between her heavy grapple attempt and driving her knee into the Machamp’s stomach before sliding between the collapsing girl’s legs and popping back to her feet on the other side. The arena shook from the weight of the Machamp’s body hitting the ground and finally Maylene found the recall, but too late. The referee was calling the point.
“Last point,” Nicholas said. “How are you feeling, Sohn?”
Sohn stretched, her satisfied noises coming back over her radio. “Mmm, I feel perfect. How do I look?”
Nicholas chuckled. So she had been doing that for his benefit. “Sexy.” He frowned at what Maylene released next. “Uh oh. Stay alert. This one is just as tricky as you are.”
Sohn’s tail flicked as she settled into a ready pose. Across from her a Hitmontop teetered back and forth. “But is she as fast?”
The answer was no, but the Hitmontop still managed to trade blows with Sohn. Sohn’s opening salvo mostly missed, the few that connected slamming into the chaotically moving girl nowhere near where she’d been aiming. A blocking arm, open hand, flying shin, nothing made it to a soft target and Sohn was beaten back when the Hitmontop whirled, somersaulting as her feet whipped through the air.
Sohn took an axe kick to the shoulder and rallied, roaring her displeasure and filling her lungs before releasing her breath all at once as a barrage of flame. The attack engulfed the Hitmontop, bypassing her shifting blocks to return the damage Sohn had received. When the Hitmontop next attacked her movements were more linear and Sohn took advantage, using a quick knee to deflect a kick and striking forwards along the Hitmontop’s line. Her chop doubled the Hitmontop over and the girl crashed, wheezing, to the ground beyond Sohn.
Before Sohn could finish her the Hitmontop was spinning. She’d flipped upside-down and her body torqued and twisted faster and faster, feet flying by so quickly there was no chance to get in. Suddenly the girl’s hands shot out and she bounced into the air, bearing down on the guarding Infernape at high speed.
Sohn felt the first kick bounce off and she grinned. This was a weak desperation play. Then the second came, the third. The fourth. Sohn’s grin was slipping as she fought to keep her arms up as it seemed each successive kick was coming harder and faster than the last. Five, six, seven, the Hitmontop’s rotation was slowing yet her legs still slammed into the flagging Infernape. Eight. On the ninth Sohn felt her arms blown away and she staggered, bracing for an unguarded tenth.
It never came. Both pokegirls had run out of steam. Nicholas and Maylene both waited to see if their girl could find the extra surge necessary to clinch a point before triggering recalls simultaneously. Nicholas considered Cathy again this time, to soften up whatever came next, but he decided against it. Even though he had a point to spare it didn’t make sense to give it away for free. Quinn took the field.
Quinn’s nose wrinkled. She could smell the flames in the air. Sohn had been fighting. “Did she win?”
Nicholas shook his head. “Sohn finished one and then took a draw. We need one more KO to win.”
Quinn laughed excitedly as her opponent materialized. “If I win I’m better than her!”
Nicholas snickered. “Win and say that to her face.”
Quinn needed no more encouragement. She charged. Her opponent was a Medicham, the evolved form of the Meditite Nicholas had once commanded Morgana against. Fate it seemed loved to match his Ralts against them. The Medicham flipped away from Quinn’s initial slashes, her fists shimmering with power as she used them to deflect and counterattack. In response Quinn’s blades glowed with her own and the two pokegirls danced, sometimes seeming as if their moves were completely rehearsed.
Which they were, in a manner of speaking. Quinn could see every move the Medicham was about to make and could react accordingly. The Medicham could do the same in turn. For Quinn, this use of her psychic power was nothing like what she believed a Gardevoir’s was. It was natural for her. This foresight only extended to the next action and the strikes she was receiving, not some kind of nebulous future.
Unfortunately this meant the two Psychic-types couldn’t get an edge. Every time the Medicham tried a feint in order to create an opening she was immediately forced to block when Quinn chased her and ignored the feint entirely. Every slice Quinn made could be dodged or otherwise defended. The battle was beautiful, but no progress was being made.
“You have to do something she can’t stop,” Nicholas urged as Quinn lunged forwards once again to break the Medicham’s concentration. “Like what she’s trying. If you miss disrupting just one of those charged punches they will tear you apart.”
Quinn flicked her arms together. She’d tried it all. She’d even tried shifting the energy of her blades to something lighter and gone for quick slashes instead of large strikes. Something this pokegirl couldn’t stop. Something she couldn’t block…
An attack, slicing through the air on bitter wind, slammed into her thoughts. She’d felt it, turned to see it cutting down Sammy. If that kind of energy could down her immaterial sister it would undoubtedly work here.
The Medicham had stolen a breath while Quinn was thinking and she slammed her fists back, energy pooling as she prepared to unleash a devastating punch. Quinn stood still. Raised her arms and closed her eyes, reaching for the feeling that had washed over her more than a week ago. When a cold chill ran through her she knew she had found it.
The psychic power that ran the edge of her blades was consumed in shadow and Quinn screamed, slashing out to send waves of darkness through the space between the two pokegirls. The Medicham felt the blades cut straight through her, not opening wounds but cutting into her thoughts, her soul, and dropping her instantly as the dark power tore at her mind.
Quinn was shivering and she compulsively swung her blades again and again until the last of the darkness had been flung away. That kind of thing was her own worst nightmare as well. Still, she’d been successful. The Medicham was down.
“Three to one! The Challenger is victorious!”
“Three to one.” Nicholas recalled Quinn and turned away. “Your Machamp leveraged her strength well, to disable my dragon. A necessary sacrifice.” He gazed around at the various cameras watching him. “She is still growing. Before long her strength will exceed even that pokegirl’s, even one whose entire being is based on it. She is only a Gabite. As a Garchomp she will become unstoppable.”
He swept from the gym, ignoring the clamoring reporters and slipping away by using the alleys. That had felt good. That battle, with him commanding his harem… even commanding Zisela to sacrifice herself for the win, and for her to so readily obey… he felt, elevated. More in touch with them than ever before. All thanks to this… aura of his.
It had not just been Kalmiya’s analysis, or his experienced eye, or even his own intuition that had fed him information during the gym battle. It had been something new. He had quite literally felt the combatants’ every move before they even made them. Their intentions, and though he hadn’t been fast enough to relay what he’d known to his own pokegirls he had a feeling he’d find a way to do so. The dance between the Medicham and Quinn had had him as a third participant, predicting every single motion the two made, and allowing him to find the right moment to command. If he could somehow communicate faster, well, the dance wouldn’t have lasted nearly as long. Sohn might have been able to pull out another point. Understanding and growing his control of aura was paramount.
It would come in use rather soon, as well. He’d only come to challenge the gym to pass the time. The IP was still investigating, poring through Cyrus’ files in the hope of finding where Galactic had gone. They’d been at it the entire time he was unconscious. Cynthia had been scouring the mountains for any sign of the criminal organization. A breakthrough was inevitable.
He spared just a moment’s glance at a nearby casino before pushing forwards. Not today. He could appease his gambling addiction some other time.
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POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Gabite (Alpha) – Level 38
Sohn, Infernape – Level 39
Sammy, Rotom – Level 38
Cathy, Miltank – Level 35
Quinn, Gallade – Level 39
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 25
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“Topolski!”
Nicholas sat alone in the middle of the floor, his legs curled underneath him, eyes closed. When the door to their room burst open the intruder had been immediately accosted by Zisela and Sohn, but both pokegirls hesitated when they recognized her. Miru took their hesitation and blew past the guards to approach the meditating human. “OI! Topolski! Get up. We’re moving out.”
Nicholas’ eyes snapped open and he spoke without turning to look at Miru. “Where to.”
“Mt. Coronet. We finally decoded a set of orders somebody forgot to delete. We have a general location.”
Nicholas nodded and rose. “I felt you coming and figured that would be the case. What’s our transport?”
“Well considering you’re one of the few humans coming along, you are,” Miru replied as he turned to face her. Miru was nothing at all like the bimbo Buneary she’d been pretending to be before. She was all business. Dressed in fatigues, her pistol displayed proudly on her hip, kitted out in light combat gear. Though she was no longer ‘officially’ a part of the division she was every inch an International Police rapid response pokegirl. “Corrin will be flying you out. Did I ever introduce you two? No?” She turned and waved for him to follow. “I keep promising to and never get the chance. Well for the next few hours you two can blabber as much as you like.”
“What about you?” Nicholas asked as he led the harem after Miru. “It’s not just me and your… what did you say she was? Murkrow?”
“She decided to evolve with her promotion. Corrin’s a Honchkrow now,” Miru replied. “As for me, your harem, and the rest of Corrin’s squad, we’re a bunch of pokegirls. We have pokeballs. You even still have mine.” She glanced back with a cheeky grin. “We can kick back and relax inside of them while you carry us around.”
Nicholas chuckled. “Fair trade for what you’ll be doing when we get to our destination.”
“Hardly. We’ll be having fun when we get there.” Miru raised her voice as they exited the building and Nicholas could see a moderately large group milling about. “CORRIN! Got the human. We ready to ship out?”
“What about Looker?” Nicholas asked as a towering avian pokegirl approached while squawking orders. “Or the other humans and whoever else you’re talking about?”
“Already left. Looker and most of the strike force is going to be sweeping the mountain from the bottom. Pushing Galactic up. We’ll be dropping right in and finding Cyrus. Answer me truthfully.” She reached out and took his arm, eyes somber. “This… plan of his. What Galactic is trying to do. Is it real?”
Nicholas let out his breath. For the last few days he’d been catching back up to speed with what he’d missed during his week’s coma. The amount of planning and research Galactic had done was terrifying. Cynthia had told him her theories, but the experiments Galactic had run, the notes and findings they’d left behind… They had justified their actions to their followers by painting the Sinnoh League government, and the World Leagues in general, as some sort of oppressive force poisoning humanity. Stifling them, the saviors. The beliefs these people held were only reinforced by what they’d discovered. Now Cyrus was out there, somewhere, holding the means to a power all sources said had only existed at the dawn of time. Their only saving grace was that Galactic seemingly only knew what was on human record. They knew of Dialga, they knew of Palkia. They knew of the trio that had banished them. But as far as Nicholas could tell, they believed Dialga and Palkia were it. Whatever they had prepared was in regard to those two alone. Still terrifying that Cyrus believed he could control them but knowing that there were still holes in the man’s knowledge gave him hope.
“Dialga, Palkia – yes. They are real. I have no reason to doubt that Cyrus can summon them, either. Whether he can control them or not is irrelevant at that point. Reality will crumble around the embodiments of all space and time.” Nicholas matched her eyes resolutely. “Even still, we must believe they are not evil. They literally created this reality. I can’t believe they would intentionally want it destroyed.”
“Fat lot of good that does us if their very presence does the job, eh?” Miru said. “When I witnessed those two, on that island… When I saw things I had fooled myself into believing were just fairytales come to life in front of me, I was scared. I’ll admit it.” Corrin had reached them now and was watching Miru, her head cocked slightly to the side. “Those two were nothing, weren’t they. Sure, to me they were eternal ones. My gods. But… to those other three that were here. To the two you’re describing. They are the same as I was to them.”
Nicholas nodded. “Sounds about right.”
Miru laughed and reached over to give Corrin a friendly buck on the shoulder. “We fly to the end of the world, birdie. You ready?”
Corrin shook her feathers and stretched, dark wings spreading above her. “We always do, lassie. If’n the world’s not endin’ then it ain’t our fight.” She grinned as she turned to greet Nicholas. “Miru’s said she’s told you about me. Name’s Corrin. Pleasure to meetcha’, Champion.”
Nicholas reached out to shake the hand that appeared from the shadows of Corrin’s wings. “Pleasure is mine. Miru never really told me much about you except that she’s your old partner.”
Corrin’s eyes brightened. “Well-“
“Save the stories for the flight, will you?” Miru interjected. “It won’t keep me from having to listen but at least you won’t be wasting my time.”
Corrin laughed as she turned to look at her unit. Most of the pokegirls had vanished and the remainder were loading pokeballs into a bag. “Looks like my girls agree. Right! We leave in five!”
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Nicholas gazed into the driving snow as he lay across Corrin’s back. Both he and the Honchkrow were dressed in cold weather gear, and he’d been given a pair of goggles to make the flight up here less irritating. The Honchkrow herself barely seemed to notice the whipping winds as she flew, the rhythmic motions her body made underneath him only changing when she made a turn. They’d stopped talking a while ago now. Corrin had been happy to entertain him with all manner of stories, mostly war stories, of her and Miru’s time working together, and Nicholas had been happy to answer her questions about him, but eventually both ran out of things to say. It had been a long flight.
Nicholas felt Corrin’s back muscles flex as the Honchkrow banked and began wheeling down towards the snowy mountaintop. “This should be the place, Champion sir.”
As Corrin landed she swept her wings back to cause a massive flurry, the wind stripping the ground she was aiming for and letting her touch down without worrying about slipping in loose powder. Nicholas let go of his grip on her shoulders and dropped, his feet crunching into the snow almost simultaneously as hers did. Instantly the swirling flakes began filling the depression back in as both sheltered from the wind, Corrin with her wings, Nicholas lifting his shoulders and sneaking into the calm air Corrin was creating.
“Seems rather barren for our target,” Nicholas said. He did his best to keep his voice as low as possible but still needed to raise it a bit to be heard over the wind. “Not doubting your navigation skills but you’re sure this is the place?”
“Here? No,” Corrin replied. “Here is where we start. Our target is nearby.”
Nicholas nodded and pulled the bag from his back. Red glowed through the blowing snow and soon it was not just two figures huddled together. It was two dozen.
Miru was one of the last to pluck her pokeball from Nicholas’ hand, all the other police pokegirls storing theirs in their gear. When she did she hesitated, her eyes drifting to it before she looked back at him and held it out. “You’ve been keeping it safe for me this long. If I do go down today I’d feel better knowing you’re the one watching my back.”
Nicholas slowly accepted the ball from her. “I thought you didn’t need a handler.”
Miru smirked. “I don’t. Doesn’t mean I won’t work with my partner.”
Nicholas glanced at Corrin but the Honchkrow was busy with her command. “I’m honored, Special Investigator.” He looked back and took her in a firm handshake, both wearing wry smiles as they shook. “Let’s finish this.”
Miru’s grip tightened. “Yeah. Let’s.”
The assault team crept over the mountain. Nicholas could faintly see other peaks through the snow but he had a feeling he knew where they were. Scaling the main peak of Mt. Coronet.
“Move faster, little girls,” Corrin barked. “I want to be first to the target! I want the woman to have nothing to do when she catches up! Let’s GO!”
Nicholas slipped back to find Miru. “Cynthia’s here?” he muttered.
“She’s been here for days,” Miru muttered back. “It’s partly due to her that we could narrow down the location in the orders we discovered.”
Nicholas nodded. All the players were here. In Veilstone it had been a coincidence. This time it was not. Today would be the end, one way or another.
“Captain! Ma’am!” A pokegirl was waving at the main group from behind a rocky outcropping. “I’ve got an entrance here!”
The others filed over. The cave entrance was mostly blocked by snow but a few quick bursts from the pokegirls and it was clear, yawning wide and inviting the group deep into the mountain.
“This should be the cave system Galactic wrote about,” Miru said. “Corrin! Did you see anything like the temple ruins they talked about during your flyover?”
“Nah. Snow was too thick.” Corrin rustled her wings and shivered. “Every time I tried to fly closer to the peak it felt like I was going to get blown away. I’m surprised the human managed to hang on.”
A frown flickered over Nicholas’ face. He’d felt her turning at times but the flight had been smooth.
“We’re going to need to search these caves then. Drop a beacon and let’s go.”
One of the pokegirls activated a radio beacon and stuck it in the ground outside the cave before following the rest inside. “That for Cynthia?” Nicholas asked.
Miru nodded. “Her and the rest of them. We have no idea how far these caves spread – Galactic wasn’t kind enough to leave us their surveys.”
The group spread through the caves, moving slowly as every branching path had to be checked for the ones that sloped upwards. It was a few hours later that they were walking along and Nicholas noticed an opening high above them.
“Hey, up there!”
The group turned. Nicholas pointed again for everyone’s benefit. “There, see that up there? I bet that tunnel heads towards the peak.”
“Hrm.” Corrin stepped back and surveyed the cave in distaste. “No, too narrow. It’s probably just a hole.”
“What?” Nicholas took another look to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. “Too narrow? It’s not as wide as these caverns maybe but it’s definitely large enough to walk through.”
“Even if it was how are we getting up? The ceiling is too low for me to fly, and there’s no path.”
Nicholas turned to her in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s just a hole.” Around her Nicholas could hear scattered words of agreement.
“It’s a rough path, sure, but I could climb up there. Even if I couldn’t the ceiling is not even close to the opening.” Nicholas squared up, giving Corrin an accusatory look. “When we were flying in. You were never getting blown about by the wind, either. You just kept turning back and forth until we landed, I never felt a thing that would have made me worried. What’s the deal, Corrin? Why the lies?”
Corrin was puffing up. “Ex-fucking-scuse me?”
“Wait!” Miru was in between the two before the angry Honchkrow could make a move. “Topolski, I get you’re frustrated at the lack of progress, we all are. But Corrin’s right. That little hole can’t be the way up.”
Nicholas stared at her slack jawed. “You’re going along with this?”
“Going along with what?” Miru replied. “Look, hey! Girls!” She turned to the other pokegirls. “Does anyone else see what Champion Topolski sees? Speak up, if we’re missing something here I want to know.” Silence answered her and a few moments later she turned back to him. “You’re the only one who sees a cave, Nicholas. That’s probably just some hole melt water carved.”
Nicholas looked up. No matter how hard he tried the opening above him remained the same. Easily large enough to fit two people side by side. “I’m the only one, huh.” Miru yelled in surprise when he jumped forwards, grabbing the rough wall and hauling himself up. “Fine! I’m the only one. Then I’ll find out the truth.”
“OI! That’s dangerous!” Pokegirls clamored as Nicholas continued up the rock face. It wasn’t simple but he barely slowed, using the abundance of holds to pull himself closer and closer to the cave. It didn’t take long for him to be pulling himself onto the lip and he stood, staring into the darkness. It was just as large as he’d estimated. Bigger, maybe. Corrin could probably spread her wings in here and be just fine.
The voices below had stopped. Nicholas turned around, staring down at the stunned pokegirls and spreading his arms. “A little hole, huh?”
Miru was the first to recover a little. She swallowed and raised a trembling finger. “Topolski, you… you’re… what?”
Now Nicholas was just as confused as the others. “I’m what?”
Corrin shuffled forwards. “You just… climbed up a sheer wall and then…” she shook her head. “My head hurts.”
“Mine too.” “Me too, Captain.” Nicholas listened as the stunned pokegirls all began voicing their own complaints. A few even had to sit down, rubbing their heads and wincing.
“I’m coming down.” Nicholas flipped back onto the wall to scattered screams but he made it down just as easily as he’d gone up. When he reached the bottom Miru was waiting for him.
She grabbed him before he could go any further. “Do you trust me.”
Nicholas stared back. After a glance at Corrin he sighed and nodded. “I trust you enough to see something’s not right here.”
“I swear to you. You just climbed a completely blank cave wall as if you were floating. When you reached the tiny hole at the top you…” She winced. “Either you squeezed through it or you walked through solid stone, I don’t even know which. It hurt just to see.”
Nicholas stared at her for a while before nodding. “I think I know what’s going on here.”
“Galactic?” Miru grimaced.
Nicholas shook his head. “No. You’re not incapacitated like the rest. Why?”
Miru shrugged. Even Corrin was nursing a headache while Miru seemingly was back to normal. “I don’t know.”
“You’ve been around me more than the others have.” Nicholas turned back to the wall. “I think this is what we’ve been looking for.”
“An illusion?”
“More than that.” Now that he was clued in Nicholas could see the strange ripple covering the cave wall. A false reality overlaid on the true one. “I can’t describe it either, but I’d be willing to bet it’s a spatial distortion. One made to keep people away.”
“Then when you accused Corrin of lying…”
“I’m sure she felt winds about to blow her away, but I felt nothing. There’s power here, power that’s trying to keep itself hidden.” He turned back to Miru. “I’m going. I understand that all of you can’t follow.”
“Hey. Wait.” Miru followed him when Nicholas turned back to the wall. “You said I’m resistant, somehow. Because we traveled together?”
Nicholas snickered. “There’s a little bit of me in you. That’s what I mean. And no,” he said, glancing back before Miru could speak, “I don’t just mean the cum from whenever I tamed you. We were traveling together long enough that there’s some level of pokegirl-tamer bond there. Not nearly enough to be noticeable, but something, apparently.”
“Eugh. Good thing we’re not doing that anymore.” Miru looked as if she was trying to reach out and touch the wall but her hand never made it. “It’s so… odd. I thought I was going to touch the stone but now I’m satisfied just standing like this.” She looked to him. “You’re going. I’m going with you. The International Police will take this man down.”
Nicholas nodded. “The others?”
“Corrin!” Miru turned to the wincing Honchkrow. “You and your girls secure these caves. Find a way to our target. The Champion and I are splitting off.”
“Sure, you do that.” Corrin grimaced and turned to her girls. “I don’t want to go back into that blizzard anyways. Move out!”
Nicholas watched them go. “She forgot about the hole immediately, didn’t she. That sounded like she was expecting us to go back out onto the surface.”
Miru shuddered. “I nearly forgot where we were going until you said something. I don’t like this. Psychics I can fight. This is…”
Nicholas pulled out her pokeball. “I’m not going to pretend to know exactly what this is either, but I’m not affected by it and that’s good enough for me. Here we go.”
Miru vanished and he turned back to the wall. It was just as easy to climb as before and he stepped into the dark cave, raising his pokedex as a flashlight. The tunnel had a few minor twists but it was always sloping up and soon he emerged into a small room.
Carved stone littered the area. What had once been a set of resplendent pillars were strewn across the ground, their bases the only things left connected to the solid rock they had been cut from. Between them were a set of shattered stairs leading to a wide platform along one wall. Great mosaics covered the walls, but the one above the platform was shattered, stairs now leading directly to a gaping hole. As Nicholas approached he noticed the eerily familiar figures, or what was left of them. This was identical, or had been identical, to the murals below Celestic Town. Formed from carved gemstones instead of painted. Built to hide the entrance that now sat before him.
He struck forwards. Up, and up, until he stepped into the open air.
There was no wind. The sky above was clear. Nicholas slowly took in the ruined temple, broken statues, collapsed roof, settling on the two figures waiting for him.
“Master Cyrus said you’d come.” The red-haired woman, Mars, was sitting with her hand on her chin and a smile on her lips. “You’re welcome here – as long as you promise not to interfere.”
“Yes, just sit quietly and watch what our boss is about to do,” the other woman sitting besides Mars sneered. Her hair was a deep purple, both women in similarly grandiose uniforms. “Though you’re not just going to do that, are you.”
Nicholas rolled his shoulders. “I wasn’t planning on it, no.”
“Hmph! I’m not going to let you disturb Master Cyrus. If you won’t listen…” Mars got to her feet. “Well, you’ll have to get through me. Face to face this time. I remember seeing you following me around Floaroma.”
“And me,” the other woman said. “It doesn’t matter how tough you are. You’re not getting past the two of us.”
Mars’ face twisted. “I don’t need your help, Jupiter.”
Jupiter snorted. “Trust me, following your lead in anything really pisses me off. But for the boss I can make an exception.”
“I’m surprised there isn’t a larger welcoming party, actually,” Nicholas said, hand drifting over his pokeballs. He’d release Miru first. Then the others. This wasn’t a time to play by the rules – he had no delusions that these women would. “Or are you two the only concubines Cyrus plans to preserve in his new world.”
That had done it. Mars’ face twisted, Jupiter’s attention fixing solely on him. “What a misogynistic piece of shit,” Jupiter spat. “You see women following a man and equate us to his pokegirls, is that it? Bastard.”
Nicholas cracked a smile. Both women were ready with their pokeballs but he’d kept them talking. One more jab to take the momentum. “See, I’ve made that mistake before, making assumptions.” His smile fell. “I wasn’t assuming with you.”
The physical indecision as Mars screamed curses, her grip on her pokeball slackening just as Jupiter’s did, both women getting the idea to more directly punish Nicholas for his words, ripped their advantage away. Miru’s release was the first flash of red on that mountaintop. Sohn’s was the second. Both pokegirls were in motion before either Mars or Jupiter could recover and trigger their own.
Still, even as Miru drew her pistol two forms blocked her way. Sohn’s charge was blocked by a yowling catgirl, and Miru was forced to abandon her shot on Jupiter when a pokegirl covered in the same purple as her mistress materialized. The heavily furred pokegirl’s thick tail spread behind her and ruined Miru’s sightlines, leaving the Buneary no choice but to follow Sohn’s lead.
A lead that the Infernape had already lost. Against this pokegirl, at least, she had an even chance. But the catgirl was stronger. She took glowing blows as if they were nothing. Struck back and tore bloody gouges in the Infernape’s body. Sohn couldn’t win alone.
Nicholas reached for his next pokeball and released Cathy, only a quick point and a command all the Miltank needed before she was charging to Sohn’s aid. On the other hand Jupiter was releasing her next pokegirl in an attempt to help her first, a heavy metallic girl appearing levitating in the air. Miru was overwhelming her opponent but unlike the grunts, even the gym leaders she had fought against this one wasn’t going down easy. A second might turn the tide.
Nicholas was reaching for Zisela’s pokeball as a feeling of dread began to creep in. Mars was releasing a Golbat and Jupiter was reaching for yet another pokeball. He’d taken some initiative but it was two on one. They were going to be overwhelmed.
Zisela appeared as Cathy careened through the catgirl, a Purugly, only to be flipped off her feet by a powerful gust from the Golbat’s wings. Miru cracked the butt of her pistol against her opponent’s jaw, a Skuntank, laying the girl low before grunting when the levitating girl slammed into her and drove her back. Zisela instantly moved to assist her own harem and she slammed her foot into the ground, using her command of the earth to send shockwaves ripping into the recovering Purugly and throwing her back again. Nicholas felt as if he was moving in slow motion as he reached for Sammy’s ball. He hadn’t thought this far ahead. He didn’t think Miru had either. They’d just charged, only knowing that they had to succeed. They were all alone up here. It was over.
Piercing, angelic song filled the air.
Nicholas triggered Sammy’s release as his eyes were drawn upwards. To the sky, still and clear. As suddenly the barrier covering the temple was shattered by two flying figures.
Cynthia and Abigail dropped like wrathful Valkyries onto the battlefield. The Togetic dropped her Mistress and tucked her body, flashing past as her song turned wicked and lines of mystic fire erupted across the metallic girl, a Bronzong. Cynthia herself landed next to a second Golbat that Jupiter had released and before the pokegirl could react the human had struck, her fist wrapped in her aura. The Golbat fell.
Nicholas felt Quinn’s ball erupt from his fingers, the Gallade releasing herself before he could bring her into the fray. Admiration for the draconid woman welled inside him as he began to grin, his own aura flaring to life. Of course! They were just as-!
His growing joy flashed to horror as a dark figure blasted Cynthia away.
“NO!” Nicholas whirled, Cynthia’s own harem materializing as the woman flew. Suddenly he was fighting off another attack, Quinn diving back to protect him as two new pokegirls joined the brawl. How? He hadn’t seen Jupiter or Mars-!
His blood ran cold when he saw the figure that had just appeared. Recognized the pokegirl that Quinn clashed with now. A Persian. Behind her, a third Galactic.
This new woman daintily cleared her throat and raised her hands, clapping twice. The darkness that had blown Cynthia away retreated, weaving past the Champion’s infuriated harem and moving in front of her mistress, fading to reveal some kind of inanimate marionette that twitched and jerked as if it were alive. “Mars, Jupiter,” the new arrival chided, “you know Cyrus said not to be disturbed. How can he focus with all this… racket?”
“Sird?” Jupiter jerked her head to look at the new arrival in fear. “What… What are you doing here?”
Sird cocked her hands across her chest and Nicholas watched as an unusually strong aura began to rise from her. “As usual, cleaning up your mess.”
The Persian fighting Quinn leapt away and the Gallade screamed when another pokegirl revealed herself, blasting Quinn with beams of psychic energy. A… Starmie. Indigo pokegirls. Nicholas stared at Sird, the Persian, the Starmie, remembered what they had found in Galactic’s base, and drew the only logical conclusion. “You’re from Team Rocket!”
Sird’s eyes moved to him. After a moment a great smile grew across her face. “Well, well, well. Champion Nicholas Topolski.” The marionette levitated forwards, darkness fending off two of Cynthia’s harem as they attempted to reach Sird. “For some reason I hadn’t expected to see you as one of the players in our little game. I should have known better. Your bluster was never empty.” As Sird spoke the aura around her was coalescing, forming humanoid shapes. “It is true that I was a part of Giovanni’s operations for a time. But Team Rocket? Never. My loyalty has always been towards Cyrus. Giovanni was a pawn, a means to our end. Nothing more.”
Nicholas snorted. “Say that to his face, if you dare.”
“Perhaps I would after Cyrus achieves his goal, except… he will no longer exist. Nor will you, or I, or any that stand here. None of us will be a taint on the new world Cyrus will forge.” Sird slowly unfolded her arms and as she did the humanoid shapes around her seemed to slip into focus. Female forms, not formed of darkness, or shadow, but what Nicholas could only describe as being nothing. As the three figures that had formed twitched he watched the void of their heads part to reveal a single unblinking eye. “He won’t mind if I hasten you annoyances along first.”
“What in the fuck…” Nicholas breathed. The three turned, moving to Sird’s unspoken commands as they came right for him. “Sammy-!”
It wasn’t Sammy that made the next move. Miru roared, launching herself back into the battle and tackling the Bronzong. The girl had been trying in vain to put out the flames Abigail had covered her in and Miru used her distraction, battering the metallic girl’s head to daze her and sending her crashing into the approaching figures.
Or at least that’s what she intended to do. Instead as the Bronzong flew into the three she vanished, what little of her that didn’t touch the void splattering across the mountaintop.
“SHIT!” Nicholas scrambled backwards. Even Miru was frozen for a moment in shock before she sprang into action, getting away from the unblinking three as fast as she could. He couldn’t mistake this anymore. This power that formed these three pokegirls, because surely they had to be pokegirls, was nothing short of the eternity that had formed this place. The power of Arceus. “How the fuck are you controlling them!”
Sird laughed, resting her fingertips to her cheek as she smiled. “Simple, really. They left their controls for anyone intelligent enough to decipher them.”
“And what are ‘they’?” Nicholas asked, his voice cracking as the three continued their impassionate march. “I’ve never heard anything about… this.”
“Creation. Destruction,” Sird said with obvious relish. “Ah, it’s such a shame they never would sing for me. I could have made this world suffer before its inevitable end.” She sighed. “Oh well. Your suffering will have to do.”
The three were getting closer, Sird laughing behind them, before abruptly they stopped.
Sird frowned. “What? Erase him from this world. Go on!”
Nicholas could hardly breathe. He’d tried to throw out his aura like he’d seen Riley do, form a shield, anything to slow these pokegirls, and… they’d stopped. He felt their eyes on him and suddenly he remembered Mesprit’s words. She had said she felt her Mother’s touch on him. Arceus’ touch. Then…
Nicholas slowly raised his hands, reaching out with his aura to the three motionless pokegirls. “This human is not meant to control you,” he whispered, shivering as his aura touched the nothingness making up the trio. “Neither am I. She is. Return to Her.”
At first nothing happened. Then as Nicholas watched each ‘head’ move independently for the very first time. The pokegirls turned, moving back towards Sird as the woman protested. “Hey! I control you, not that man. I deciphered your tongue, your- what are you- wait! WAIT!” Sird fell back, trying in vain to fend off the figures without touching them. “If you won’t listen I’ll… You’ll return to me then! I give you form, I can-!”
The three had encircled the pleading woman but nothing more was heard as they converged together. Soon they had vanished, fading to an imperceptible point. Even that was probably gone now too, and Sird with it.
A shocked silence had fallen over the battlefield. Nicholas felt sweat drenching him. He knew that if he’d attempted to tell them what to do, by leveraging his supposed ‘touch’, rather than just reminding the three of their true Mistress, he would have shared Sird’s fate, whatever it had been.
Mars and Jupiter’s pokegirls never had a chance to recover. Grace and Karen, Cynthia’s Roserade and Milotic, destroyed whatever remained on the battlefield. It was over. Sird had assured Galactic’s forces with certain victory, and without her, they were lost.
“…Cynthia!” Nichoas snapped out of his daze and hurried to where René and most of Cynthia’s pokegirls were huddled. “Cynthia, are you alright?”
The crowd parted to show the woman struggling to her feet. Someone had pulled her black coat open and Nicholas quickly looked away while she got it closed back up. Her shirt had been torn away from where she had been struck and it was revealing a bit more than Cynthia likely intended to show.
“I’ll live.” Nicholas winced at her voice. The damage was evident. “Topolski. Nicholas. What just happened?”
“I have absolutely no idea, except that those… things… were servants of Arceus,” Nicholas replied. Now that Cynthia was covered back up he turned to look at her. “Same as Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Azelf, Mesprit, Uxie… Perhaps even older than any of them.”
Cynthia barely nodded. “Well. Somehow they listened to you.” She glanced around. Nicholas’ harem was licking their wounds. “Your girls are hurt. Recall them and follow me.”
“We’re not out yet,” Zisela growled, staggering slightly as she spoke. “Right? Girls?”
“We don’t have time for you to rest and a potion can only fix your wounds, not your stamina,” Cynthia retorted. “Nicholas, let’s go.”
Conflict warred across Quinn’s face before she turned to face Cathy. “No. We can… still fight.” She cradled her left arm, the blade snapped in two. “Cathy… We need help.”
The Miltank immediately sank to her knee. “Anything for my herd.” Her eyes were worried as Quinn reached out to her breast. “Quinn… Are you sure?”
The Gallade didn’t say another word, only wrapped her lips around Cathy’s nipple and began to suck.
‘If they’d stubbed their toes’, the Blissey had said. Nicholas wasn’t so quick to dismiss what he was witnessing. All pokegirls were evolved to fill a purpose, and Cathy was demonstrating hers.
Energy knitted across Quinn’s body, her blade sliding back to full length before she pulled away. Her eyes were sharp when she turned and raised her restored arm to Cynthia. “We will fight.” Behind her the others gathered around to drink Cathy’s restorative milk and Cynthia shook her head.
“You’ve truly got some terrifying pokegirls there, Topolski.” She glanced at Miru, the Buneary the only one not seeming to need a sip. “Still glad she’s not yours.”
“Enough talk.” Miru shoved ahead. “Cyrus is here somewhere. We have to stop him!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Gabite (Alpha) – Level 40
Sohn, Infernape – Level 40
Sammy, Rotom – Level 38
Cathy, Miltank – Level 37
Quinn, Gallade – Level 40
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 25
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing was right as the group moved through the silent ruins. Nicholas could take two steps forwards and find himself approaching a new destination. More than once someone would speak, continuing a conversation that hadn’t yet happened and causing confusion until the future question came to pass. Time and space itself did not function properly here. Here, at the origin point of creation.
The ruins, too, were strange. Beyond the anomalies they were experiencing the physical dimensions seemed to be changing. Different eras, different designs, one moment there was nothing but an empty stone field, the next it was a honeycomb structure. Still no sign of Cyrus.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Cynthia grunted. They’d climbed another set of stairs just to find that the open balcony they were approaching had turned into a subterranean tunnel. “How are we meant to find anything in this mess?”
Nicholas rested his hand on the wall. “I think we need to stop looking for Cyrus, and instead look for what he would be trying to find.”
“And that is?”
Nicholas’ fingers curled. “The true point of origin. The place the legends said the distortions would spread from.”
Cynthia nodded. “That makes sense. So how do we find it.” She spread her arms. “Creatures like us were never meant to exist in this place. It’s not even working against us- it just is this way. Something we can’t comprehend.”
Nicholas let out his breath. “The guardians. They said they would help us, when their power was needed-“
“So where are they now?” Cynthia curtly interrupted. “I agree. If they were here they could navigate this place. But I don’t see, or even feel them. Do you?”
Nicholas barely shook his head. “No.”
“No. They’re not here. We’re on our own, and somewhere nearby a madman counts down towards the destruction of our entire reality!”
“So what would you have me do, Cynthia?” Nicholas asked tiredly. “Can’t you see that I’m just as lost as you are?”
“You- You’re-“ Cynthia grimaced. “Damn it, Nicholas. You’re not the same as I am. I get it, you’ve said you only just began to unlock yourself but you. Are. Different.” She paused. “You said you’ve died. You’ve spoken of alternate timelines. You’ve experienced things I could never imagine, haven’t you? Something in there is no longer human. Use it!”
Nicholas took a while before he turned to face her. “A few years ago two cults began to rise in power, in the Hoenn region. The region the Draconid Clan calls home. Since the day Rayquaza granted us her power we have been the sworn defenders of this world. Those cults should never have been allowed to exist. But they were allowed, and more importantly, they were being empowered. By the woman sworn to stop them. The previous Draconid Lorekeeper.” Cynthia stared as Nicholas spoke. “She was manipulating them into awakening Groudon and Kyogre, the mistresses of land and sea. Her goal was to cause catastrophe so that Rayquaza would have no choice but to intervene. But Rayquaza was dead. Her soul was gone. Her memories lived on, keeping their eternal watch in the place she had imprisoned her sisters, to ensure they would never rise again. Her sisters bodies were locked away, their souls given to humans to safeguard, their minds as well. But Groudon and Kyogre woke. Rayquaza did not. It was then I learned all this- the truth that Rayquaza was dead. In that moment, there was no longer any hope. Until I was told that I could potentially be used as a sacrifice to resurrect the emerald dragon.”
Cynthia blinked. “But you’re… alive.”
“Am I?” Nicholas asked quietly. “Ever since I walked out of that cave, ever since I flew to where Rayquaza’s shattered body lay, ever since… I have not felt alive. I truly believe I was meant to die that day, Cynthia. I was meant to be that sacrifice. I… remember it. I remember the nothing of death. Someone close to me remembers it too. And yet here I am. Another took my place, as a lesser, yet also greater sacrifice. The woman who had failed her people saved them. Saved me.” He raised his eyes. “It has taken me some time since then to regain any semblance of peace. But I have. That peace comes in understanding that I am human. That in this reality I live with my humanity. I did not ascend, I was not reborn, I am not a dragon. I am a human with the power of one. The same as you.”
“…No. No, no!” Cynthia reached out and clasped his hands in hers. “I can never understand what you’re saying you’ve experienced, but I know this. My people, the Celestica, we are as ancient as this world. We are dragons in human form. Your clan, the Draconid, they are humans with the power of the dragon. They are different, and yet, you are neither, Nicholas. You are a human, but… You are a dragon as well. I believe that is what you are. Both.” She slowly leaned back. “At the beginning, there would have been no distinction between the two. The first pokegirls are said to have been dragons. The first humans, created some time after. They would have each been based on something.” Her eyes stared deep into his soul as she spoke. “I can see it now. It’s no wonder your aura is so powerful.” Her grip tightened. “Cyrus speaks of a purity humans lack. His answer was to abandon everything. But you… Nicholas, within you lies everything.”
Nicholas stared back. “You’re… trying to say that, the beings that were first created… here… that I am one of them?”
“Not literally, of course not. But… yes.” Cynthia released him. “Yes I am.”
Nicholas took a few seconds before clearing his throat. “If I was… It would stand to reason I would know… this place. I would know in the same way as I know about the ancient draconids.”
Cynthia’s eyes brightened. “Do you?”
“No. I told you, I’m as lost as you are.”
“Are you sure?” Cynthia pressed.
Nicholas huffed. Yes, he was, damnit. But… Cynthia’s theory made sense. It explained the ‘touch of Arceus’ the trio had described. It explained why those one-eyed pokegirls had turned away from him, had listened. It provided an explanation for the constant turmoil he had felt as he fought to understand himself. It even could explain why he was able to manipulate aura, that power being the energy that bound everything else together, and his control coming from his innate understanding of… everything. It would also explain why humans or pokegirls with the ability to manipulate aura were so rare.
He may never know the truth. But if he assumed, then maybe there was something he could do.
“…Let’s assume, for a moment, that you’re correct.” Nicholas slowly reached out and rested his hands on each wall of the passage. “If you are, then my aura would be linked to this place. Right? Like an echo. You must have experienced the barrier, the power hiding this place. The International Police were all turned away by it, but I never even noticed until I intentionally looked.”
Cynthia slowly nodded. “I did. I felt it trying to push me away, and Abigail as well. But we could pass through with some effort. That’s when we saw you fighting.”
“I never felt a thing,” Nicholas murmured. “That barrier, whatever it is, did not see me as something to keep out.” His eyes slid shut and he let out his breath as he focused. “It welcomed me.”
His fingers twitched. Light slowly began to spread from his hands, twisting through the mortar lines of the walls. The group watched in awe as the light crawled across every inch of the tunnel around them, reaching as far as any of them could see. And then, it was all gone.
Nicholas opened his eyes to see a barren stone floor stretching away from them, framed by towering pillars to either side, a grand roof spread above. Just behind them were the stairs they’d first climbed what seemed like hours ago. At the bottom was the carnage from their battle. But most importantly, he felt the wind. Light, it was not the blizzard that he knew raged here, but the unnatural stillness was no more. Snow even blew overhead.
“…What did you do?” Cynthia asked after a few moments.
“I… Did the same thing as I did with those three pokegirls,” Nicholas replied hesitantly. “I reached out, and I…” He gestured around aimlessly. “I think… this is what’s truly here. This is the true temple.” Slowly his eyes focused and his gestures slowed until he was pointing directly ahead. “Cyrus.”
The man was just standing all alone in the middle of the temple. Miru immediately rushed forwards, pokegirls streaming after her, Cynthia shouting commands, but Nicholas had eyes only for the man’s fists, hanging at his sides. Each clutched a jagged string of red beads.
“That barrier was giving me such grief,” the man said quietly. “And suddenly, it is gone.” He slowly turned to face the charging mob, a wild smile on his face. “It took you long enough to get here, Nicholas Topolski. Sird didn’t think you would come. Fool of a woman. Without you my plans might have taken years to bear fruit.” Miru’s pistol whipped up, but Cyrus didn’t flinch. The bullets the Buneary fired were sliced from the air by a wavering shadow, three more appearing from nowhere and fouling the charge. Cyrus’ pokegirls, but a new one had joined them. A roaring Gyarados that radiated the same presence as the rest. Cyrus raised his hands to the sky, his teeth glinting as his smile grew. “Today… Because of you… This world will be remade.” Now he laughed, slowly growing in intensity until he was bellowing over the mountains. “THIS WAS DESTINED TO BE! BY TRYING TO STOP ME YOU HAVE ONLY BROUGHT ABOUT YOUR DESTRUCTION! LET ALL BE WIPED AWAY! BY THE ANCIENT POWER I SUMMON YOU TO THIS WORLD! TEAR IT ALL ASUNDER!” The chains in his fists began glowing and Cyrus released them, each remaining transfixed in space. “THROUGH ETERNITY I PART THE VEIL!”
With a deafening crack the world around the chains was shattered. Everyone was blown away, leaving only Cyrus to stand, somehow unphased, as gaping rifts ripped open. Power arced between the two chains and as the rifts grew wider, merging and continuing to spread, Nicholas felt a chill take hold in him. Something was coming. No. Somethings.
They had failed. He… had failed. Of course. The power here had been meant to keep anyone out, yes, but it had done so by separating this place from reality. Cyrus hadn’t been able to tear the ‘veil’ he talked about because until now there was nothing to tear. By shifting the temple into phase, so that they could find Cyrus, Nicholas had inadvertently helped the madman achieve his goal. The indescribable power flowing from the rifts painted the world in their own colors, the palette not reds or blues but all reality. Stone crumbled as it aged infinitely, trees grew in reverse, large portions of the surrounding mountain range moved back and forth as the space around them vibrated. And amidst it all, Cyrus stood. Shielded by the chains. Laughing.
“Soon they will be here.” Nicholas jerked when he heard the somber voice. Mesprit hovered in front of him, Uxie next to her and sheltering Cynthia. Azelf stood tall beside the other two, a shimmering barrier emanating from her and covering the entire group. “The rips must close.”
“When did you…?”
“To think he drew this much from within us,” Mesprit whispered. “It is somehow more than we can handle. But we must try.” She turned to face Nicholas, eyes calm. “Do not be afraid. You did nothing wrong. If not you, he would have broken through eventually. This way you are here.” She reached out and the other two joined hands with her, their tails twisting around to rest across Nicholas’ body. Two from each, six in all. “Because you are here, we may be strong. For our strength is in others, not ourselves.” Mesprit smiled as the trio began to glow brightly. “Keep them safe.”
With a flash they shot towards the rift.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POKEDEX UPDATED
Tamer: Nicholas Topolski
Badges:
Mine Badge
Forest Badge
Coal Badge
Relic Badge
Cobble Badge
Harem:
Zisela, Gabite (Alpha) – Level 40
Sohn, Infernape – Level 40
Sammy, Rotom – Level 38
Cathy, Miltank – Level 37
Quinn, Gallade – Level 40
Non-Com Harem:
Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 25