“So, as far as you’re aware–”
‘I was just frozen, like no time had passed at all,’ Suzy cut me off, rubbing her claws together. A few embers sparked, and she blew a small plume of fire at her hands before glancing at Emilie. ‘How are you not freezing? I’m freezing, and I’m a fire type!’
“Clearly, it’s just another instance of me being superior to you.” Emilie smugly grinned as she elbowed her benchmate. Her eyes had regained their normal white hue, though the lines remained.
‘Yeah, more likely that freaky orb power-up is still in your system,’ Sol said as she gently nudged her once again unconscious father. ‘Lea, could you do me a favor and catch my dad? Not like, as an official capture or anything. Lord knows I don’t know what my dad wants to do going forward, but–’
“It’s a lot safer than him being out here while he’s out cold, I got you,” I replied before lazily tossing a ball at the little guy. The ball didn’t even shake before dinging once. A faint blue glow enveloped the ball as it snapped back to my hand, and I glanced back toward Emilie and Suzy. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. Kind of just wanted to make sure my control is still solid with the added power.” She grinned before giving me a thumbs up. “Guess waiting to take the plunge makes my transition a lot smoother than the idiots.”
Lucas perked up and gave the psychic a glare. ‘Oi, I think we’re doing quite well, thank you very much.’
Persephone didn’t comment. She just kept staring at Sol.
Emilie just rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I meant Gawain, the fact that you thought I was talking about you says a lot, though. You really need to stop walking into self-burns.”
Lucas just grinned at her. ‘You’d prefer doing that yourself now, right hot stuff?’
Emilie’s eyes narrowed. “I take back what I said earlier. You can go back to whatever plane of existence you were on before.”
I just sighed before pulling out my dex and pointing it at my starter. “You sure you’re feeling alright, by the way?” Error. Great. That was helpful. Stupid hunk of junk.
“Better than ever, actually.” She slammed her fist into an open palm. “Quit worrying so much, alright? We got bigger things to worry about. Our escort was on the other side of that cave-in, and I’m pretty sure she got flash frozen at best.” She sent a worried glance toward the collapsed passage. “What’s your call?”
I blinked at the question before sighing and pulling myself up from my crouched position. The muscles in my legs protested, and I bit back a swear as my back started to complain at the sudden movement. “We could probably burn through, but I doubt she’s in the same place if May and the rest of them disappearing into the ice is anything to go by.” I glanced towards Apollo. “Think we should press forward?”
The bird stared down toward the ice and stone floor before sighing. ‘Aye, cap, that’s probably our best course to chart.’ He glanced toward Emilie. ‘Also, we might be busy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate you unfurling your sails. Evolving’s kind of a big deal, lass, especially when it’s into something a bit off charted waters.’
‘Please, for the love of everything in creation, do not feed her ego.’ Suzy glared at the waterbird before pushing herself up to her feet. ‘She’s got her own fire to provide hot air now. She’s liable to blow the whole place up if her head gets any bigger.’
Emilie puffed up her cheeks. “Speaking from experience, featherhead? With how cocky you can get, it’s a wonder your hot air was contained at all.”
Suzy blushed. ‘I–’
“Nope, you’ve officially been given the ‘Damsel’ tag. Now play the damn part, march your ass over to the corner, and say my name in worried undertones while we figure out how to get everyone else out of here.” Emilie stared over at Suzy smugly as she opened and closed her beak.
‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You stupid little midget.’ That was weak, Suzy, you can do–
Why was my starter mirroring–
“I’m almost as tall as you now!” Emilie screamed.
Suzy grinned. ‘Almost doesn’t count.’
‘Enough.’ Joern stepped between the two of them with a ball of water floating above one of his hands. ‘Y’all can flirt later.’
Both starters glared murderously at the water type before glancing at each other. They proceeded to look away with a huff, and...
Was that red I was seeing dusting Emilie’s cheeks?
Thoughts for later.
‘I see what you mean now,’ Sol whispered to Apollo, who nodded along with a grin pulling at his beak.
‘I can’t believe this brat gets the cool battle evolution and I’m stuck with touching a damn rock in the center lobby,’ Joern muttered.
I noticed a vein start to throb on Emilie’s forehead and sighed. “Emilie, stop sharing private thoughts.”
She shot me a look filled with betrayal, before wincing as I shot the message I just got back at her. “Alright, not a completely smooth transition, didn’t even realize I was doing that.” She turned toward Joern. “My bad.”
Joern just stared at her and sighed. ‘It’s fine.’
I sighed again before glancing toward the yawning chasm toward the back of the vault. “Any idea what’s waiting for us down here?”
Both ghost swords hopped to attention, but Persephone was the first to speak as she ripped her gaze away from my white furred friend. ‘Right, uh. That would be helpful, wouldn’t it?’
Lucas stared listlessly at the opening as he floated to my side, the light in his true eye a murky miasma of red and black. ‘This is the passage I walked with you when you were frozen, wasn’t it?’
Persephone nodded. ‘The Howling Chasm, and at the end, the Chamber of Eternity.’
That didn’t sound fucking ominous at all.
She glanced back towards Sol. ‘My people and my remains both lie at the end of this chamber. There is... something on my more corporeal self that I would very much like for you to have.’
‘Ooookay.’ Sol tilted her head, before sucking in a sharp breath. ‘So are you just a skeleton in there or...’
I facepalmed before glancing toward Persephone, who was doing her best to stifle giggles.
‘Nothing so gauche, I assure you.’ She glanced toward Lucas as he wrapped his tassel around hers. ‘Just a bunch of shattered ice on the floor, honestly. I frequented the clowder quite often, and grew quite friendly with a number of the Absol that called my kingdom their home. They gave me a gift that I believe would be quite useful.’ The decals that looked like eyebrows on Persephone’s scabbard seemed to crease downward as her mouth clenched. ‘As the last of your... of our line, I believe it would only be right if you had it.’
Sol nodded once.
“Alright, so more power-ups from old artifacts from an ancient kingdom. It’d be nice if we could get... a bit more... help.” My mind instantly flashed back to what Persephone had told me about the first intruder of this old kingdom. “Persephone, are you sure this place is the same one you’re thinking of, cause this place likes to–”
‘Regardless of whatever terrain affects the land, this place is a constant mainstay,’ she cut me off. ‘It’s always a cold, frozen temple, and regardless of where I approach it from, it’s always in the exact same spot.’ She smiled. ‘I don’t think that our lord can hide it away.’
A grin split my face at the weapon that had just dropped in our laps.
For the first time since coming to this damned island, I knew exactly where Steven Stone was, and I just got a way to thaw him.
I clapped both hands together. “Alright then, Quartermaster Apollo, take the helm as we dive into the abyss.” The grin I shot him was predatory. “We have a champion to thaw.”
‘Aye, Captain, Let’s get out of here before Duskull’s terrain wears off!’ Apollo shouted as he flew towards the opening, taking point as we marched as one towards the final cave.
‘Wait...’ Joern said, his eyebrows knitted together. ‘How... exactly is his terrain still up?’
I turned toward the Lilypad Pokémon, before stumbling down to the ground as the largest earthquake yet wracked the entire room.
***
Brawly’s POV
***
‘They’re in,’ Auma shouted. ‘Lele, get Toa back over here and have him thaw my damn hand. The tingling feels weird.’
‘Just use your other three, then! Toa’s still cross-eyed.’ Lele glared up at the top of the staircase as Auma gave him some rather colorful gestures with those hands before glancing back at Toa. ‘You alright now?’
Fire pushed out from the tufts of feathers on his chest as he spat out a glowing red ember. ‘Just send me back up to the big moron. I’m fine, I was just winded. I went... very hot. Not used to doing something like that in base.’
Lele glanced toward his trainer, his eyes glowing blue.
Brawly nodded. ‘Something to work on for later I supposed. I think he’s fine, Lele, send him up. Tito, I need–’
The massive fighting type had already hopped to the top of the highest roof he could find. ‘I’m already on it. Don’t worry. Honestly, I’m starting to think I was worrying over nothing if it can get hurt by a small little flare-up like that.’
‘Bite me,’ Toa snarled before disappearing in a flash of blue light.
‘Not a bad idea, actually,’ Tito muttered. ‘It’s been a bit since we had chicken.’
Lele scrunched his nose up and glared toward the Hariyama. ‘As if you need the calories.’
Tito puffed up his chest. ‘It’s five hundred and sixty pounds of pure muscle, you indulgent brat. Not my fault my line carries its weight like this.’ He blew out a sigh before turning back to look at the castle. ‘Besides, it provides a nice balance. We can’t all be thin as a twig like you, mister ‘bully the enemy with psychic powers until they ragequit’.’
‘Look, I’m just saying there was two-thirds of a pizza in the fridge last night when we went to bed, and when we got up this morning and I went for it for breakfast it was gone, any counters to that, mister ‘last one up’.’ Lele leveled a glare up at the heavyset fighting-type.
Brawly pinched his nose before cutting Tito’s rebuttal off with a glacial glare. ‘Weren’t you supposed to be checking on the ice golem?’
Tito blanched slightly, rubbed the back of his head, and turned toward the collapsed buildings.
Lele chuckled lightly, then snapped his mouth shut as the glare shifted his way.
Brawly softened his look slightly. “Play nice, you two can argue over breakfast options later. Right now, we need to—”
His thoughts scrambled as the ice beneath them came alive. A sea of appendages, malformed and distorted through a black veil that came up around him, quickly started clawing and scraping at the barrier Tiki had brought up.
His stomach twisted slightly as the world shifted, cold air meeting his face as they fell a few feet onto a clear barrier hovering over the city. The gym leader slowly pushed himself up and relaxed as the heat from Toa’s Sunny Day washed over him. ‘Alright, maybe staying up here is a better idea. Getting grabbed by those things does not sound rad.’
Lele nodded in agreement.
‘Is everyone alright?’ Tito shouted as he slammed his foot into the ground. A shockwave pushed out from the impact, and the ceiling caved in as he leapt high into the air.
‘We’re good.’ Auma peaked his head out from the cocoon of fire that engulfed the entire upper section of the palace. ‘Feels kind of nice up here, actually. Like a day at the steam bath.’
Tito landed on another clear platform a few meters away from them. ‘Stupid kids. Fighting a centuries old, supremely powerful ice type, and they’re over there enjoying a lovely day at the spa...’
Brawly glanced toward Lele, who whistled innocently before looking away, and wondered not for the first time if those thoughts were supposed to be aired publicly. He sighed. ‘Says the man that wanted chicken. Kahuna, report?’
Silence.
Tito started to glance down toward the city, his eyebrows pulling together. ‘Brat, don’t play with me. Stick a leaf out and say something, damn it.’
A cold feeling settled in Brawly’s stomach as a loud crack sounded through the chamber. Buildings parted and stone cracked as the armored grass type hopped upwards, his spikes slightly frosted as he struggled to bring his arms together. A yellow orb glowed between his palms as he ascended, quickly growing larger as he basked in the artificial sunlight.
Ice billowed out from the widening crater as Brawly once again locked eyes on their opponent, the golem looking no worse than he had after Toa’s assault. A chilled wind pulsed out as its eyes glowed, and frozen icicles branched out in a spiderweb of tendrils that slowly encroached inwards on his friend.
Brawly glanced over as Tito hopped down toward the two, his feet shattering the barrier as easily as the stone building he had just leapt from. He cleared half the distance in a single jump, but stilled as the air started to crisp.
A war cry bellowed out through the chamber, and the yellow orb pulsed before expanding into a radiant beam of light and power, pushing through the frigid assault before stopping cold against a giant wall of ice that jutted out from the ground.
Kahuna glared down at the beast and shouted his eyes glowing while vines extended down to hold him up as he redoubled his efforts, continuing the solar assault.
The ice wall shifted, and as if it were just a beam of light hitting a mirror, the Solar Beam bounced harmlessly off the shiny surface.
Right towards them.
Black tendrils once again shot up and formed a protective shell around Brawly. A low wail scraped at the gym leader’s mind like nails on a surfboard before dissipating into a low hiss as Lele brought up barrier after barrier, each cracking under the force of the beam of light and heat as the attack was shoved further and further back.
‘How,’ Lele paused as the beam gained ground, ‘the fuck is this thing blocking this so easily.’
The light faded. Brawly quickly cast his gaze back towards Kahuna as Tiki’s protective shell sunk back into the shadows.
Chesnaught had been entombed. What had once been a wall had quickly transformed into a prison as the ice extended up and joined at a single point. Loud bangs repeated in a slowing, drum-like beat, tapering off as the walls started to shrink.
‘Tito, break...’ He let the order trail off as he realized it wasn’t necessary.
Tito had already cleared the rest of the distance between them, and bore down on the crystal with a single white, glowing palm. The impact sent a tremor through the chamber as cracks spiderwebbed out from beneath the prison. A loud crack spread out across the top of the ice, and Tito twisted slightly before slamming his other palm into the weakened barrier.
The whole thing shattered, leaving a picturesque frozen statue in its wake as Tito stared down in muted horror. He pulled himself to the left slightly, narrowly missing the still form of one of his closest friends as it fell into the shattered ice below him. He reached up and rested a hand against the ice, before shouting as the whole thing sunk into the ground, disappearing from the battlefield.
Lele leaned back, his eyes widening. ‘I... can’t sense or hear him at all.’
Tito rested his hand against the ground, his eyes wide as it slowly clenched into a fist. ‘Stupid brat...’
The ice underneath him started to move as a shadow cast itself over Tito. Three loud beeps sounded through the clearing as different lights shined on the creature’s face.
Brawly swore under his breath. ‘Get him out of there, now! I don’t care if you have to light the whole area on fire!’
A single clap hit his ears, and Tito appeared next to him in a haze of blue light, still looking slightly dazed. Brawly opened his mouth but was cut off as the other half of his order rained down on the battlefield.
The ball of fire hanging high in the sky pulsed as streams of white-hot death poured down onto the city below. A faint blue aura enveloped the raging wildfire as it surged and directed it upwards, then rained it all down on the creature.
The golem slid backwards, skating on an icy road that it created behind it at breakneck speeds. The floating balls of fire gave chase as new pillars rained down from on high, aiming ahead of the creature as it glided along the ice with a masterful ease. Tracks bobbed up and down, left and right, all to the effort of staying ahead of the onslaught.
Brawly lifted his arms up as a thin black veil surrounded him, shielding him from the heat. This... needed a new approach. Maybe something that covered a bit more area. ‘Auma, how are your hands?’
A chuckle pushed through the link. ‘I only froze one, kid, and hothead’s putting out so much heat up here that it’s long since been fixed.’
‘Then let’s add your own brand of fire to this swell. Island King’s Wrath.’ The thought had barely fully materialized when the Machamp jumped up from his spot by the palace doors and onto a newly formed clear barrier. Brawly glanced worriedly at Lele, only to be waved off.
He idly wondered just how many things Lele could do at once before smiling as the bodybuilding champ of Hoenn’s fists started to steam. Grey skin shifted to red as they glowed in the unnatural light, and fire started to trail through the air as his Machamp took a deep steadying breath.
Auma slammed a fist forward, cracking the air as he pulled back and threw another. Then another. Then several hundred more in the span of what felt like a second. The air ignited, then exploded, before being sent down as a hail of fire and kinetic energy washed over the ground, leveling everything below into a pile of charred rubble and melted ice. Like a wave, the attack pushed outward before slamming down hard on the ice golem, shattering the frozen roads it stood on and forcing it into the ground below.
All at once, the three attacks converged in a massive hailstorm of explosions and heat. Lele’s white orbs swelled in size before detonating, fire washed over the beast from every angle, pockets of air slammed into it from all sides...
Through the medley of chaos and fire, a single, wailing grinding noise pushed out from the golem. Four walls rose up around the ice type in a pyramid, and though he doubted the barrier would do much against the attacks, a cool feeling of dread washed over him.
Something didn’t feel right.
‘Stop,’ Brawly ordered.
As one, the attacks ceased. Through the billowing smoke and caved-in stone, Brawly spied the remains of the barrier finish caving in, revealing nothing.
Regice had disappeared.
‘Keep your eyes peeled, that thing could be literally anywhere,’ Toa said.
Lele growled. ‘I’d like to know how an ice type of all things is shielding its mind like this.’ The tall psychic kept shifting his head from side to side, trying to take in as much of what was left of the city as he could. ‘This thing reached out and touched Lea’s mind. I know it has something going on upstairs. Where the hell is it?’
‘To be fair, you practice on us.’ Auma hadn’t moved from his spot, his eyes closed as he clasped a pair of palms together in front of him. ‘We don’t exactly put up much resistance when it comes to practicing.’
‘Most of us have gotten better about that,’ Toa complained as he hopped up and joined him on his platform. ‘It’s just you that’s still a bit of a ditz.’
Auma shrugged. ‘I can’t help it; I’m an open Pokémon.’
Lele shivered. ‘Too open.’
Auma jumped, moving seconds before four ice walls shot up from the ground right below him. He chuckled slightly as he landed next to his feathered friend, his eyes glowing a light blue as he looked Toa up and down.
‘I don’t like that look in your eye,’ Toa complained.
Auma didn’t seem to care as he moved forward, threw him over his shoulder, and jumped again, once again preempting the attack by seconds.
‘Quit your bitching and focus, would you? I’ll fuck it up if I’m the only one tracking this thing with Detect,, and I’d rather avoid anyone else getting statuefied,’ Auma grit out as he landed next to Brawly on their platform.
‘Great. So Whack-a-Diglett, and we’re the Diglett. Wonderful.’ Brawly reached up and crossed his arms, focusing intently on the ground below. He felt an intense warmth move down his arm as he focused on the orb fastened to his wrist. ‘Toa–’
Tito stepped in front of him, his hand raised up as he glared down at the ground. ‘Not yet.’
Toa opened his mouth, only to stop short at the resulting glare and the radiant glow of power pulsing out from Tito’s necklace.
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Tito POV (Flashback)
----------------------------------------
“Ce bâtard l'avait prévu!”
“No Kalosian in the training ground. You won’t learn Common if you don’t keep at it.” Tito clapped his hands together, sending a small shock wave through the air. It wasn’t enough to cause any harm, but it did get the brat’s attention.
The little guy turned away from him and turned his focus toward the plywood this place called a training dummy. “Common is hard.”
Tito felt a laugh push out from his chest. “And what, picking a fight with a random Clawitzer is easy? You’ll get there eventually.”
Chespin spat a seed into the sand before slamming one of his hands into the wood with a chop. He winced before pulling back. “So what? I let bastard bad mouth friends?” He slammed into the training post again. “Lele still upset about form. Bastard Pokémon from a bastard trainer.”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Aye, he might be a bastard, but he’s way above your weight class. You’re too young to be picking fights like that.” He thumped his chest. “Now what you need to do, is tell ME when someone’s needing an ass kicking. The Big Kahuna of Dewford is more than capable of handling a few bullies on a power trip.”
Chespin grunted, then turned and sent another kick into the post before tumbling and slamming into the sand. “Why am I here?”
Tito tilted his head, an annoyed huff leaving his mouth as he rested his hand on his hip. “I already–”
“Why am I on team?” Chespin turned and glared, his eyes looking lost. “Why did the professor give me to trainer like Brawly? I’m... I’m meant to be first friend. To protect and help. It’s what I was raised for.” Chespin turned his glare toward the oncoming tide and kicked at the sand before sighing. “Can’t help other new member. Weakest member of the team by far–”
“You are not weak,” Tito said firmly. “You are young, know the difference.”
Chespin opened his mouth, fully ready to argue.
“Don’t sell yourself short. Just because your journey’s started a bit differently from other lab Pokémon doesn’t make it any less important. You are young, try not to take things so seriously.” Tito looked down awkwardly at the brat before scratching the back of his head. “I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to form that close starter bond. As much of a headache that it can be sometimes being the first on Brawly’s team, it’s an honor I wouldn’t trade for anything...”
Chespin matched his gaze, and Tito sighed.
“If that is something you would like to pursue with a newer trainer, I can talk to Brawly for you, but I know of quite a few ‘mons that would be sad to see you go. I know Lele is starting to take a shine to you.” That was putting it mildly. “Auma also seems eager to teach you the finer points of cutting waves in half.”
“You haven’t answered my question,” Chespin pointed out, not answering his earlier inquiry. “Hell, I don’t even have a name!”
“That’s because your question doesn’t have an answer, brat. At least not one I can give you. Brawly picked you because he liked you. He thought you were a fun little guy with a good character and would fit well with the rest of us. Where your place is in this chaotic mess of a family is... well, that’s on you to figure out.” Tito shrugged. “Your name is your own, to be chosen when you like.” A grin pulled at his lips. “Be warned that if you pick something silly, Toa will mercilessly mock you for your choice.”
Chespin turned away from him, his head resting on the training post. “I think I’d be stupid to leave. That... wasn’t issue, really. I just didn’t get why you would want me. Vibes didn’t feel like enough for someone like him.”
Tito just groaned. “Vibes are everything for Brawly. Sometimes to our detriment, believe me.”
“I do.” Chespin returned to his earlier training, sending various punches and kicks into the post. “Why do you have two names? That hardly seems fair.”
Tito knelt and gingerly thwacked the brat on the back of the head. “One’s a title, brat. Given to me for completing the island challenge of Alola with the rest of my family.”
Chespin rubbed the back of his head and tossed a nasty look his way. “Bully. Don’t deserve two names.” He turned his nose up and grinned. “I think Big Kahuna is wonderful name. I’ll take it.”
This time he put a tiny bit of force into the flick, grinning as the brat went soaring across the beach into the ocean. “You’re about a million years too early for a name like that, brat. Tell you what. Make me care about an attack you send my way, and I’ll consider it, but for now... Little Kahuna is a far more apt title.”
Laughter bellowed across the beach as leaves harmlessly bounced off Tito’s skin.
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Present
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Tito tightly gripped the crystal wrapped around his neck, his eyes locked on the shifting ice below him as a loud thumping played between his ears. He had been with that brat for most of his life, pushed him until he was too tired to complain, taught him everything he could and some things he probably couldn’t...
He clenched his fist, and the pounding was quickly replaced with cracking. “I don’t know what you are.”
Power surged through his veins, and his heart started beating faster. An electric, tingling sensation pushed out from his fist like a wave.
Memories of ice cream with the boys after training, pranks on Auma and Toa, both of his evolutions. “I don’t really care, either.”
The air started to crack and sizzle as a faint glow pushed out from his skin.
He tensed his legs and clenched both of his fists, sending a wave of power out that shattered the invisible platform he was standing on, as well as the barrier around him. Five yellow eyes formed below from the ground, before shifting in color to red.
“You took one of my sons from me.” Tito pulled his fist back, pulling as much energy into it as he could.
A wave of cold hit him like a truck, and he could hear the muffled cries of his friends in the background. Worry, concern, fear...
Touching, but unneeded.
Power surged out from his very being, beyond whatever this being could ever hope to contain, and in that instant, the icy prison shattered into a million tiny shards.
“And I will be taking him back!” He slammed his fist down, and the energy that had been building up launched down, slamming into the ice deity before he could finish his statement and rapidly expanded outwards.
The ground below exploded, sending him upwards as the air he breathed ionized. The remains of buildings and icy monoliths toppled before vaporizing as the shockwave grew wider. He cast a brief glance upwards towards the others before lifting his arms up and bracing as a massive plume of ice dust and smoke plumed upwards, washing over him as he flipped back and landed on the scorched earth below.
He stared down into the smoldering crater, his eyes tracing the center of the devastation, looking for–
Ah.
It didn’t get away.
It saw its chance, went in for the kill, and was punished for it.
A smile pulled at Tito’s lips as he stared down at the now-cracked visage of the beast in front of him. Spiderwebs extended out from the gash that Toa and the dragon had dug into this golem’s skin, and the crystals that this thing called arms and legs had taken on a much more misshapen form.
It shifted slightly, casting its gaze back toward him, and Tito grinned as energy once again filled his core as the monster lifted his hands up, and ice the air around the creature started to crystallize.
They were far from done, and that was fine with him.
He ducked down below a glowing blue shard before jumping forward, rolling to the left slightly as he launched to dodge the second and glancing behind him as he did so.
A giant spire of white needles had erupted from the point where the first spike had slammed into the side of the crater. He brought his arm up as he turned back around and spied a third shot, aimed squarely at his chest.
Worthless.
“Some God!” he shouted as he brought his hand down, spiking the shard into the ground with enough force to create a crater within the crater.
Ice spilled out from the crack before pulsing out from the fissure in the ground as a numb feeling started to travel up through his hand as it started to freeze over.
He flexed his hand as another pulse of borrowed power pulsed through body, and the ice shattered as he landed, before jumping again, that same arm glowing with promised pain and retribution.
Regice moved back slightly on the second launch, and the ground cracked again as he sailed through the skies toward his target. A shining light radiated from above as a warmth washed over him, sending him to an even higher point as blue light enveloped the creature. He grabbed the ice type in a vice grip and winced, his entire arm freezing instantly on contact.
“Dimensional–” Brawly started, the command accompanied by a punch being thrown forward, hitting open air.
“Impact!” Tito finished, screaming out as the ice shattered once again as he moved, shoving the beast sideways before slamming him down hard.
The floating ice golem all but teleported to ground level, pushing past it with just as much ease, fracturing the ground in a cataclysm of light and sound as beams of energy pushed out from the cracks that coursed through the hard cold floor. Stone and ice forced their way up from below as a scar made itself known, pushing deep into the fractured crater, its depth concealed by cloying darkness as it descended deep into the earth below, like a portal to another world.
Tito landed just beyond the newly formed hole into the abyss, his breathing haggard and strained as he hunched forward. Exhaustion washed over him he knelt down and sweat dripped from his forehead as he anxiously propped himself up and looked back.
Lightning surged out from the cave, a holdover from the radiant power that he’d channeled into his throw. He smiled, before allowing himself to fall backwards and stare up at the sky.
Auma hopped down before peering into that same abyss. “Damn. Way to make me feel inadequate.”
A laugh spilled forth from his lips, one that made his ribs hurt. “Oh. Oh don’t banter right now. Everything hurts.” He tried moving both arms, and a white-hot lancing pain surged through his muscles. “I’m getting too old for this. When are you minnows going to start picking up the slack, eh?”
Auma balked as he turned and glared at him. “You’re like, four years older than me. Calm down, pops, ain’t neither one of us ready to be put to pasture yet. You’re barely in your forties.” He turned back and looked down into the hole, letting out a whistle. “Besides, you definitely put up a hell of a beating. I kind of want to know just how far this damn thing goes.”
“Quit joking around and come help me, I can barely move, and this ground is all kinds of cold still.” Tito tilted his head up, doing his best to look at Auma as he backed away from the hole, turned, and...
Scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder.
“This is so humiliating,” Tito grumbled.
“Would you prefer bridal style?” Auma asked with a grin as he shot two thumbs-up toward the rest of the squad with his left hands. “You know Lele can’t teleport you for a bit after you use a crystal. Z-moves fuck with his psychic powers and what not, remember?”
“Yeah, yeah. Just get me up so Brawly can return me and you lot can start scouring this damn frozen hellscape for–” The words died in Tito’s throat as the ground shook.
That was all the warning they got as a cascade of cold air and snow billowed out from the chasm below. A wall of ice formed overhead, cutting the two of them off from the rest of the world before quickly moving down.
Auma’s fists glowed red as he brought them up, but the attack didn’t even slow the encroaching tundra down as it slowly sank lower, enveloping the two in an immovable prison of ice and snow.
A cold feeling of dread settled into his heart as he stared at the opening in fear, before his entire world went white.
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Brawly POV
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‘How...?’ The word came out as a whisper from three separate minds, but the one Brawly could see hit him hardest as the fire type slowly backed away from the edge of the barrier, his mouth agape in slack-jawed awe as the connection to Auma and Tito cut off. ‘Those attacks took down an Ultra Beast... but that thing, it’s... how?’
Brawly swallowed before glancing back at Lele, who wasn’t doing much better. A black miasma wafted up from his shadow before condensing back onto the barrier in a puddle, a pair of hate-filled, malevolent red eyes glowing as it stared down at the block of ice that shielded the inside of the crater from view.
Brawly swallowed before glancing down. “I know you’ll hate me for this, but not yet.”
Tendrils launched up from the abyss before lightly shoving him back, and he bit back a shout as Lele caught him.
“I know you’re mad, hell I’m pissed too, but we need your rage to be legendary. If this thing can get back up from that, well...” He pushed himself up from Lele’s grip with a nod and focused down at the malevolent collection of shadows and fury. “You’re our trump card. Bottle it, let it boil over, control it... if this doesn’t work, you’re our last hope for winning this fight.” He pulled both fists up and crouched down as a glow started to pulse out from his gauntlet.
He tensed as the familiar drain pulled at him as he locked eyes with Toa, a burning heat passing through their shared gaze as fire pushed out from every pore on the firebird’s body. Sweat beaded Brawly’s brow as the heat continued to rise and a roaring inferno drowned out all other sound.
It wasn’t long thought that this inferno quickly gave birth to something new. The blaze quickly condensed down to straps of fire pushing out from his friend’s wrists, which crossed in front of him as he hunched over. He threw his head back, pulled his arms to the side, and let loose a roar that pushed a wave of hot air throughout the chamber. The new white feathers that pulled away from his face in a cross pattern ruffled slightly as he stomped forward, a wave of fire pushing out from beneath him as the burnt feathers along his legs folded together, pushing the fire down.
The scene drastically contrasted with the ice tendrils that had creeped up around their barrier as seven red eyes pushed out from below, their gaze locked on the clear wall beneath them. Lele teleported them out just as the window to the world below frosted over completely, moving them to just over the castle’s entrance, and giving them a bird’s eye view of the chamber.
The sprawling city had by and large been reduced to a flattened pile off rubble and ice shards, the errant building sticking out as a shattered ruin, save for a few sections on the outskirts that remained untouched.
Nothing to hide behind, and everything to see.
Brawly recoiled in horror at the shattered frame that slowly rose out of the ground. Pristine sheets of ice had been replaced with a shattered, barely held together mess. Ice trailed up after the body, twisting around and forcing itself back together into mangled, fused together ice chunks where its arms and legs used to be. The crystalized spikes sticking out of its back had all broken off, and its back had flattened and caved in. Angry grinding forced Brawly to his knees as he shoved both hands over his ears.
Toa snarled, before hopping down from their makeshift platform and gliding down the stairs toward their target, the ground melting underneath his talons with every step he took. In the blink of an eye, he had closed the gap and ducked under the angry red eyes to slam a glowing red fist into the biggest carved-out chunk in the beast’s body.
Fire exploded out on contact as the ice type sailed backwards, slowing quickly before slamming what was left of its fists into the ground. A trail of ice spikes jettisoned out from the ground, only to meet a massive wall of fire and turn into a roiling steam as it pushed out from the other side. Toa jumped up over the flames before divekicking into the inferno, pushing it out through the ground and leaving behind a molten wasteland of red-hot earth and steam.
Brawly sucked in a sharp breath as a phantom pain shot up his left leg, wincing as more grinding assaulted his ears. Lele pushed out in front of him and lifted both arms in the air as hands of magma lifting out from the abyss and reaching out to grab at Regice.
Its response was a glance, and the entire area in front of it instantly crystallized. Steam pushed out from the black obsidian as the winds started to pick up, ice and snow being carried across the battlefield.
‘Like hell we’re doing that!’ Toa screeched as he cast his hands up, a ball of fire forming between them that hurt to look at.
Putting his earlier Sunny Day to shame, Toa cried another bird-like screech before bringing his other foot forward and slamming it into the ground. The entire surface seemed to liquify instantly as his foot sunk down slightly, and the black glass hands sunk back down into the ground.
Before Lele could capitalize on the opportunity, though, both combatants disappeared from sight. A loud bang sounded out above them as they were sent recoiling away from each other. Brawly let out a gasp as he felt the air push out from his lungs against his will as Toa backflipped in the air and landed on a clear platform above them.
Toa shot the psychic a nod before lifting both hands up and launching plumes of fire out from his palms.
The ice type quickly slid back, speeding away from the shots as the ice it used to escape quickly melted behind it.
Toa jumped after it, throwing his arms out and firing more streams of... plasma. Brawly was pretty sure that was plasma at this point, as they had gone beyond normal fire. The beams left explosions in their wake, spreading the influence of the fire terrain with each shot as the ground continued to become inhospitable to anything with a pulse.
The ice type stayed ahead of the assault, trails of ice melting behind him as moved toward the outskirts of the city.
Close to the door and frozen mons that Bulu was guarding.
‘Go after him and don’t give him any room to breathe, Toa! Finish it off before it can do any more damage,’ Brawly ordered as he felt his legs start to shake.
Toa landed on a small section of building and tipped it down into the newly forming lake of fire with a thumbs-up. He threw both arms behind him, and two streams of fire launched his makeshift surfboard across the chamber towards the door.
Brawly smiled, then winced as his legs gave out from beneath him as exhaustion started to overcome adrenaline. Tendrils pushed up from below him, supporting him as Lele gave him a worried look.
Mega evolution after a Z Move was probably pushing the envelope on what a human could reasonably help with just a bit too far. “Just a little tired, it’s fine. Go help Toa deal with that monster, I’ll watch through your eyes and help when needed.”
‘But–’
“Tiki’s got me, now go!” he shouted.
Lele glared, but nodded and disappeared.
Brawly’s world shifted as he looked through eyes that weren’t his own, wincing slightly as more heat washed over his skin. Legends he really wished the mega bond wasn't always quite so personal.
A black orb floated high in the sky between two towers that were slowly starting to sink down into the earth below, hot slag and fire billowing out from every window.
Streams of fire drew his attention back to his hotheaded partner as he spotted him gliding through the air, jetstreams pushing out from his feet as flew toward the floating ball of crystalized rock, a growing inferno between his hands.
The ball flew back several feet as Toa detonated that attack on the shell’s surface. The ball shifted back in color from black to red as it flew backwards, only to freeze in place as a wall of magma rose up from the ground behind it, the earth glowing blue as it swallowed the shell hole.
In an instant, the magma hardened into a fresh layer of obsidian, and he heard Lele curse through the bond.
‘Don’t worry, it’s been taking dips in the magma on its own!’ He brought his leg up in a roundhouse kick that slammed a stream of fire into the ball, before snapping it back and spinning, a tiny ball of fire held in his hand that seemed to almost scream as he moved through the air.
That tightly packed ball all but exploded down, a torrent of death sweeping across the land. It engulfed the ball completely as Toa focused, maintaining the blaze for as long as he could before pulling away in a backflip, narrowly avoiding a red, black, and blue spike that had been launched his way.
‘You can’t hide forever! I know that damn ball is probably hotter than the damn surface of the sun. As a literal ball of ice, that can’t be fun for you.’ Another kick forced the ball up as Toa threw both arms out, pelting both sides of the ball with a fresh coat of red. ‘Come out and play, ice breath.’
Brawly wiped at the sweat that covered his forehead and sagged down into the cold embrace of Tiki’s shadow. ‘Just don’t forget we don’t have forever either, Toa.’ The words came out raspy. ‘If heat doesn’t work, let’s go with brute force. Lele, cut that thing in half.’
Lele’s hands came up from the bottom of his peripheral vision, and the air pulsed directly above the orb. A gash formed along the surface as an invisible blade ran down the length of the ball, sending it backwards and revealing the ice wall below as the floating shield was sent backwards toward the wall of the chamber.
A glowing yellow light pulsed from the heart of the object as ice pushed out to fill the gap as more lines started to rapidly open up, the green hands in front of him moving rapidly in line with the slits that kept opening up in the golem’s defenses.
With a flourish, the psychic type brought both arms up in an x and brought them down. The same pattern cut deep into the sphere and shoved it into the wall as a barrier formed underneath Toa.
‘Break it!’ Lele shouted as he threw both hands forward, launching the avian forward.
Toa flipped in midair before bringing his talons forward, his foot ablaze as he slammed it home into the weakened barrier, pushing past the wall and deep into their opponents chest.
A loud grinding sent a sharp pain through his skull and a biting cold gripped him as ice started to trail up Toa’s body. His forehead furrowed as fire pushed out from every feather and with a flourish, the firebird backflipped, any ice left on his body gone as slush steam poured out from the wall in waves.
As it cleared though, Brawly could faintly make out the gaping hole in the beast’s chest that was seeping out liquid. Regice vibrated, its eyes losing the glow they once had for a brief second before reasserting itself in an angry red. What remained of his barrier vibrated with the same intensity as it pulled itself from the wall, the cracks deepening as it rotated in the sky-
‘Barrier! Now!’ Brawly screamed.
A deafening crack forced his hands to his ears as the ball exploded, sending shrapnel out in every direction with enough force to blow what was left of the sinking buildings apart. Jagged black and white stone littered the clear wall in front of both Toa and Lele, their points digging deep into the barrier. Brawly couldn’t help but notice the tip of ice that had stopped just inches away from Lele’s face and shivered.
‘I knew it would stop, I would have teleported out otherwise. I’m fine,’ Lele said. ‘More to the point, was that the monster going boom, because I don’t see it anywhere.’
His field of view shifted wildly before locking in on his own location, his still form at the top of the staircase held up by Tiki’s nightshades, his body moments away from getting flash-frozen as a giant orb of blue light pulsed out from behind him, radiating a wave of cold that was finally pushing past the heat from Toa’s sun.
Brawly’s stomach flipped as he was teleported down, his nose wrinkling at the acrid aroma of burning earth. A coughing fit wracked his body as the air made its way down to his lungs, his vision growing spotty as black tendrils wrapped around in a protective dome. With a flash, the air was clean yet stale. Dead. He quickly started breathing through his mouth before looking back towards where he had been.
The beam of concentrated cold had slammed down into the ground, a flower of ice pushing out and expanding as it hit before moving down the stairs, leaving a treacherous patch of icy thorns behind it as the world once again started to freeze, ice and snow intermingling with the clouds of smog.
‘Lele, are you good on breathable air?’ Toa asked as he landed next to his trainer.
Lele nodded as he floated higher into the air, smoke and steam pushing around the barrier beneath his feet. ‘I’m having to work for it a bit, but yes. Kind of surprised you haven’t just burned through it all.’
Toa nodded before glaring up at the beam of cold that still hadn’t abated. ‘Good, send me up.’ Fire pulsed beneath his feet. ‘I feel like one more good hit will put this thing down for good.’
Brawly frowned as the ice continued to push outwards and Lele lifted up his arms. Why was it still blast freezing the ground? ‘Wait.’
Toa blew out a breath of fire. ‘We’re butting up against the longest you’ve maintained a mega evolution, we don’t have time to–’
‘Something’s off. I don’t… you’re right.’ Brawly nodded toward Lele. ‘We don’t have time. It’s doing something weird, though, and I don’t like it. Be careful.’
Toa shot Brawly a smile before disappearing in a flash of blue light. The world shifted once more as Brawly’s gaze once again became someone else’s.
Toa’s kick lit up his vision as fire pushed upwards, his whole body aglow as he dived down through the golem below. A shout echoed off the chamber walls as the creature beneath his talons shattered into a dust resembling diamonds glittering in the wind as its body slammed into the frozen flower below.
Entirely too easily.
Toa jumped up instantly as the flower came to life below him, writhing upwards as the ice thorns wrapped around him and ensnared his leg in a vice. Seven yellow eyes shined up from the flower’s core, meeting Toa’s gaze as the ice started traveling up Toa’s body.
‘Like hell.’ Another flourish of fire, a crack vibrating through the skies–
Toa was held firm.
“Teleport him out,” Brawly ordered, his eyes wide.
‘I… I can’t.’ Lele stared up at the scene before disappearing, putting himself between Toa and the thing that had taken on Regice’s face. A wall of ice crystalized beneath them instantly as more frozen tendrils started to extend upwards.
‘Lele, leave me, I can’t–’ Toa’s words were cut off as ice started to creep up his leg.
Brawly felt his vision start to go fuzzy. Damn it, just a bit longer. Please.
‘This isn’t just some random ice construct, is it?’ Lele asked as he lifted his hands up, a sphere of ice forming as the tendrils slammed into his psychic wall. ‘It’s you, rearranged. That’s… quite the impressive ability.’ He winced as the ice tried desperately to push inwards. ‘You know, for an ice creature… you’re rather resistant to fire.’
‘Lele–’ Brawly cursed as his vision was suddenly cut off. The sphere of ice at the top of the platform solidified, with only a faint blue glow beneath letting him know that Lele was still keeping the frozen assault at bay. ‘Damn it!’
Shadows pulsed beneath him as the nightshades propping him up started to vibrate. The barrier they had been standing on crumbled to dust, and his shadow started to twist around him, holding him in midair. He felt his heart jump to his throat as the drain of helping Toa disappeared.
Despite that, though, the blue glow remained.
The frozen flower slowly started to warp and twist as seven yellow crystals gradually pulled the bulk of the ice together, coalescing into a single ice crystal that floated up into the air, staring directly at the orb connected to it by a single ice tendril.
Slowly, Brawly floated down to the now cold, hard, obsidian ground, its surface cool to the touch. Shadows writhed beneath him. A chill ran up his spine as he fell forward, several goosebumps making themselves known as an ethereal howl permeated the air. The wind began to pick up as the force of Tiki’s presence started to make itself known.
Brawly risked a glance upwards. What was left of the ice golem remained locked in place, its gaze shifting in color from yellow to red, but the blue glow remained as new crystals materialized on the outer wall of the shell. Cracks started to form along the surface now, and–
Once again, he could see through his friend’s eyes as a long, jagged spike shoved its way through the prison. Toa was completely encased in ice, his form unmoving and unresponsive as the blue light surged outwards.
‘Your body can’t melt, is that your trick? At least not to conventional fire. It’s the only thing I can think of to explain why Toa’s Blaze Kick wouldn’t just end you on the spot.’ Lele’s voice strained as his eyes thrummed with power.
The prison exploded, sending chunks of ice into a frozen barrier as the area in front of Regice once again froze, yellow switching to red and back. Power thrummed around his psychic as three audible cracks sounded out through the room, each coinciding with a new crack forming in the crystal that now housed what was left of the ice golem.
‘You can break, though. Oh… you can break.’ Lele strained even harder as a blue glow started to form around Regice himself. The ice golem practically vibrated, but Lele held firm as he landed on the cold ground below, nimbly landing on the dias just in front of the castle. Brawly could even feel the smile pulling at his lips. ‘You might be a tough bastard, probably one of the strongest we’ve ever fought, and Arceus above we’ve fought some doozies, but you can break.’
Lele tilted his head and looked his way. Even from a distance, he could faintly see a pair of massive red eyes float amongst a mass of writhing, angry, black tendrils. Tendrils that thrashed against anything and everything around it, save for him. Tendrils that slowly started to gain form and function as they warped into fists and feet that slammed into the ground with a fury that sent cracks through the black obsidian below. The few tendrils that remained rapidly shifted in color as Tiki’s white and grey hair surged outward from his hate-filled red eyes. A tiny pink nose contrasted against the visage of rage incarnate as his Annihilape threw both arms up into the air and wailed.
“Spectral Terrain,” he ordered, the words barely coming out above a whisper as the world instantly greyed out. Like a wave bringing in the new tide, ethereal buildings came into view as the world desperately tried to remember what it once was, the memory of a city given form. Stone archways that hadn’t been there before reformed, ornate tapestries littered the walls, the faint scent of booze from the local tavern, phantom echoes of song…
It all washed over the chamber, completely shutting out the Frozen Terrain that had done its absolute best to cling to this area like a plague despite their best efforts. As the monotone greyscale illusion reached the zenith of the kingdom, the nation’s castle, Regice completely stilled. Lele seemed to sag down slightly as the ice golem stopped resisting, seemingly content to gaze out at what was lost.
Brawly frowned at the monster, then winced as Tiki tossed a vengeful glare his way, his look filled with the desire to let loose, to unchain what he had bottled up on their enemy.
He nodded once, and before he could even give the order, Tiki disappeared, an aura of malevolence pouring off him as his fist glowed red.
Loss came for everyone, including gods, but it did not justify the things this creature had done and it did nothing to placate Tiki. Almost as an afterthought, as the ghostly monkey sailed through the air, Brawly affirmed his friend’s course of action. “Rage Fist.”
Like a chain reaction, the words prompted motion as the glowing red fist of his Pokémon condensed down in size. Flecks of black flitted through the red aura pushing out from his fist. Tiki let his rage boil over, and then…
He disappeared, and the world shook.
The energy pushed outwards once it was brought home, slamming what was left of the ice type into the pavement below as the plaza in front of the castle cracked and bowed. A barrier parted the giant red and black wave reaching his location as a winded, wide-eyed Lele teleported directly in front of him. Clouds of ash carried the stench of death shortly thereafter, but through it all, Brawly could faintly make out a fine white powder being swept along by the spectral smog.
Lele relaxed slightly, and once again, the world came into focus through new eyes as he stared through Tiki’s perspective. The yellow eyes that lit up the creature’s face had faded to black as the hole Tiki punched through its chest slowly started to expand, the golem’s body breaking apart into a fine pink mist that was slowly becoming more white as his breathing calmed down.
Tiki stared down at the disintegrating body and backed away slowly, his shoulders slumping slightly as he let out a long, painful sigh. ‘We won.’
Brawly couldn’t even work up the energy to nod.
‘Doesn’t feel like a win,’ Lele said, his voice melancholic.
‘Never does if I’m the one ending things.’ Tiki pulled back, his eyes still locked on their defeated foe. ‘When we get out of here, I want a normal fight. I don’t mind being our team’s avenger, but…’
‘The rage is hard to control, and you feel horrid for weeks afterwards. I know.’ Brawly felt a smile pull at his lips. ‘You’ll be the personal ‘mon used on the next eighth. That should help you burn off some–’
The world faded away before he even got a chance to finish. The ethereal grey kingdom had been replaced with a large white chamber. Five pedestals ascended high above him, each with a unique set of dots carved into them from the side and water cascading down them in small, dug in waterfalls. He followed them down, but found that he couldn’t see the bottom.
Only clouds.
Brawly quickly glanced around, all previous exhaustion dissipating as he turned, only to find that neither Lele nor Tiki were with him, and froze once he spotted a sequence of dots that he recognized. Dots that were glowing bright yellow.
He blinked and found himself in front of a crystal throne, before the being that he had just reduced to dust. “We… how?”
‘Too soon.’ The words just appeared in his head, along with a set of symbols. He couldn’t understand nor make sense of the images, but despite that, the message was clear.
Another blink, and the world once again shifted, and the image in front of him locked him in place as his earlier exhaustion came back in full force. Lele stood before him, completely frozen. The chamber had once again fully reverted to Frozen Terrain, and off in the distance he could see the outline of Tiki’s statuesque appearance.
A numb feeling pushed out from his back. Brawly glanced behind him, his vision going white. What greeted him quickly shattered whatever hope he had left as a single glowing yellow eye lit up the center of a very familiar face. One that he had started his journey with, all those years ago.
The statue backed away from him as he fell forward, his eyes locking on to the familiar pattern he had grown to despise lighting up upon the very ground he stood on.
His world went white.
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Normal POV
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“Is the planet done throwing a temper tantrum?” Emilie asked, her voice shaky. “That was not pleasant.”
‘Earthquakes usually aren’t, lass,’ Apollo quipped from on high.
‘Says the Pokémon that was in the air,’ Joern grouched before helping me up. Well, as much as a two foot tall grass type could help me up, at least.
“Compared to half the crap that’s happened to me down here, that was tame.” I glanced around the room and smiled. “Looks like we’re all good, so let's get moving. We need-”
As if to spite me, the universe picked that moment to shift from greyscale to ice and snow. The room once again dropped in temperature, and though the way forward remained open to us, a loud screech made it abundantly clear that we weren’t going to be able to just walk to our next location.
The ice statue that flew out from the wreckage of our previous path though, was something that filled my heart with dread, as the familiar visage of a luchador sailed overhead, her cries triumphant as she descended, a yellow jewel shining in her forehead.