Novels2Search

Chapter 20: Embers of Sorrow

"What... Who are you?" I stuttered out the words, grappling with the uncertainty of whether the figure before me was a reality or a figment of my imagination. The man's grin widened, offering no immediate response. He looked like Prof. Blue, but was it truly him?

Suddenly, the forest was pierced by a piercing, bird-like screech, accompanied by a bloodthirsty howl. My attention snapped across the clearing, forty feet away, witnessing an Arcanine darting away from the monstrous fusion, while a Pidgeot hovered above them.

As I gazed in shock, the creature's black exoskeleton began to slough off in sizable clumps, revealing the white, waxy musculature underneath. Large globs of white ichor peeled away alongside the shedding chitinous armor, as if…

As if witnessing a newborn hatching from its shell, the shedding of the monstrous fusion's exterior struck me with a sense of surreal awe. I discerned a faint click of irritation from my rescuer, whose undivided attention fixated on the creature.

His Pokémon stood poised and vigilant, Arcanine's hackles raised as it emitted low, menacing snarls, flames flickering between its bared canines. Meanwhile, his Pidgeot's wings beat powerfully, conjuring mini-tornadoes below it with each flap, its narrowed eyes keenly fixated on the peculiar white monstrosity that stood before them. The air was charged with tension, an impending clash on the horizon.

"Recall your Sewaddle once I give the signal; it appears this is going to be a—" My rescuer's instructions were abruptly interrupted by a raspy, guttural bellow that reverberated through the air, reminiscent of a voice tainted by years of smoking. Silence enveloped us, each of us frozen in place, realizing that the chilling voice emanated from the fusion Pokémon itself.

"I... K... I... L... L!" The beast's voice echoed, shattering the tense stillness. The realization dawned upon us, sinking in with a chilling weight. The creature growled, its words laden with raw hostility, pointing a clawed finger directly in my direction.

"YOU. DIE. SPARE. OTHERS."

An overwhelming aura of bloodlust emanated from the monstrous fusion, permeating the very atmosphere. My breath caught in my lungs, a freezing sensation gripping my body, making it difficult to move.

Why does it want to kill me? I hadn't done anything wrong. Panic and confusion churned within me as I grappled with the inexplicable threat looming before me.

Clutching Champ tightly, I made a concerted effort to steady myself, yet the onset of hyperventilation threatened to overwhelm me.

Oh fuck. I'm going to die. I'm going to be devoured by this monstrous creature.

“Erembour. Calm yourself. Listen to me. I'm going to handle this, but I need you to recall your Sewaddle. Now,” the voice of the reinforcement from Oak's lab whispered, his hand resting on my shoulder, grounding me in the moment. His presence served as an anchor, drawing me back from the brink of panic. With trembling hands, I raised my palm, recalling Sewaddle as the barrier yielded slightly, allowing the pokeball’s beam to transport her to safety. Placing her ball back on my belt, I looked up at him, feeling numb and shaken.

He paused, regarding me with his persistent grin still etched across his face.

“Good. You're doing great. Now I need you to do the same for your Tyrogue. You remember that he'll be in stasis while in the ball so there won't be a danger of him bleeding out, right?” The reassurance in his calm voice provided a semblance of stability amidst the chaos unfolding before us.

Simultaneously, the monstrous Pokémon lunged towards the barrier, only to be forcefully repelled by a searing flamethrower unleashed from his Arcanine, resembling molten lava more than mere flames.

With a heavy heart, I nodded, recalling Champ, who had succumbed to the pain and shock of losing his limb, rendering him unconscious.

Why me? What did I do to provoke such relentless aggression? The unanswered questions lingered, weighing heavily on my mind as I grappled with the inexplicable desire for my death from the monstrous fusion.

I observed the ongoing confrontation between Scabsol and the Arcanine, scanning for any potential advantage in the situation. The monstrous fusion twitched, prompting another fiery spout directed towards its left, billowing plumes of black smoke that resembled an industrial furnace emitting from Arcanine’s maw.

“Alright, Rick. I've given it much thought, and I'm going to call it Scabsol. It's the combination of Scyther and Absol, right? So, it fits. Plus, it sounds similar to asshole, which it is currently being,” the man that looked like Blue remarked, trying to inject a bit of humor into the tense situation, albeit tinged with frustration.

Alakazam responded with a disdainful scoff, rolling his eyes in clear disapproval. His attention shifted entirely towards maintaining the erected barrier—a translucent dome in shades of pink and yellow that surrounded us protectively.

“WHY. SAVE. IT? SURRENDER. IT. SPARE. YOURSELF! ONLY. DEATH. AWAITS. REFUSAL.”

The atmosphere quivered once more, sending out pulsating waves akin to ripples on a pond's surface. An uncomfortable weight pressed down on my mind, resonating with tones of contempt and exasperation. Its strange voice felt relentless and intrusive.

The creature's actions intensified—it pushed to the right, summoning a flamethrower from Arcanine, only to feint and swiftly veer left. In a sudden move, it took a powerful silver wing strike from Pidgeot directly to the chest, sending it hurtling backward, slamming into a tree twenty feet away.

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"Listen, Scabsol. I won't stand by and watch my precious sponsee fall prey to something like you. I don't trust you, I don't know you, and frankly, I'm baffled by your ability to speak coherently. But here's the deal," he declared, pressing a button on his wristwatch, causing a black gauntlet to unfold and envelop his right arm.

"I'm going to have my team here overpower you, then I'm going to capture you, and then I'm going to conduct a series of tests to uncover what makes you tick," he stated firmly, outlining his decisive plan of action.

The Scabsol emitted an ear-splitting screech, disorienting everyone around as it charged toward us, its scythes emanating a malevolent black aura. Cloaked in its purple dragon dance aura, the creature closed the distance rapidly, preparing to slash through the psychic dome with the menacing blades attached to its arms.

In a sudden turn of events, a large blue projectile slammed into the Scabsol's side, sending it hurtling into the ground amidst a cloud of dirt, rocks, and other debris.

Pidgeot emerged from the dissipating dust cloud, surrounded by crackling blue sparks coursing through its body, but with a visible expression of pain etched upon its face. A focused beam of icy energy shot out from within the dust, encasing Pidgeot's wing and part of its body in frost as it began to tumble from the air. As the dust settled, the Scabsol stood charged, aiming a hyperbeam directly at the grounded Pidgeot.

Reacting swiftly, Arcanine vanished in a blur of astonishing speed, hurtling towards the monster. However, the Scabsol intercepted the attack, grasping Arcanine and redirecting the incoming assault, causing a colossal beam of concentrated energy to blast fiercely into Arcanine.

The collision of the two powerful energies—a blazing flamethrower from Arcanine and the hyperbeam unleashed by Scabsol—intensified, swirling together in a vortex of flames and concentrated energy. As the two forces clashed, it appeared as though Arcanine's flamethrower might succumb to the overpowering hyperbeam.

However, in a sudden turn of events, Pidgeot managed to adjust its trajectory using its unfrozen wing, correcting its flight path. With a determined focus, Pidgeot opened its beak and unleashed a mighty hyperbeam of its own, aimed directly at Scabsol.

“Rick! Bring them in now! ” the man yelled out.

What happened next unfurled in a matter of seconds. The moment Pidgeot’s hyper beamed slammed into the growing ball of screaming magma and yellow plasma there was a solar white flash and then my ears began ringing as the barrier around us began to crack under the concussive force and sweltering heat licking at the barrier. The flames and energy threatened to leak in, but the barrier was instantly reinforced and solidified once more.

The aftermath was a haunting scene—a vast forty-foot crater lay at the periphery, and flames engulfed the surrounding forest, painting a nightmarish picture of death and ashes all around us. My heart sank as thoughts raced to Meredith and Brandon, still somewhere out there amid the chaos.

Glancing at my rescuer, I noticed they, along with their Pokémon, were safely sheltered inside the protective barrier. Surprisingly, even Arcanine and Pidgeot were enclosed within the barrier, emitting thick billows of steam. Pidgeot seemed barely conscious, parts of its wing frostbitten and damaged, while Arcanine whimpered in agony. The fiery red and orange fur on its face was charred black, and its body bore bloody wounds, evidence of where the creature's vicious claws sunk in.

Amidst the frozen figures of Brandon with his Bastiodon, Meredith lay unconscious with her Dewdrop. I was about to move to see her when a chilling, blood-curdling howl pierced through the air, overpowering the roar of the raging forest fire. Our attention snapped towards the source, only to witness the Scabsol, positioned at the heart of the crater, its once milky-white waxy exterior now charred to a deep charcoal black. Portions of its blackened skin had disintegrated, unveiling the pink, translucent musculature beneath. The creature fixed its remaining eye upon me, its breaths labored and heavy.

The forest reverberated with those bone-chilling words, "YOU. SAFE. NOW. DIE. LATER." With that ominous proclamation, the creature disappeared, leaving behind an unsettling silence amidst the raging inferno. The flames persisted, consuming everything in their destructive path.

A profound numbness enveloped me, a disconnection from the world's reality. Feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty about the future gripped my mind, leaving me overwhelmed with apprehension and the daunting prospect of ever finding safety in that chaos.

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Two Weeks Later

Viridian City

Serene Leaf Park near the outskirts of the Viridian Forest now named EverFlame Woods

The Viridian Forest lay in ruins, a desolate landscape of charred trees and lifeless Pokémon, a haunting reminder of the catastrophe that had transpired. Despite the Rangers' relentless efforts, the flames persisted, a relentless inferno that seemed eternal, devouring everything in its path. For three relentless days, the fire raged unchecked, consuming all in its wake—psychics, water, rock, and ground—all succumbed to the relentless violet-hued flames.

Whispers among the survivors painted it as the handiwork of Giratina—an ominous sign, a harbinger of impending doom for the Kanto region. The scorched remains of the forest stood as a grim testament to the unstoppable force that had ravaged through it, leaving nothing but devastation and uncertainty in its wake.

The melancholic melody of mourning Pokémon echoed through the hazy sky, a symphony led by Pidgeys, Pidgeotto, Murkrows, and Spearows, weaving through the smoky air. The scent of smoke, burnt wood, and ash lingered heavily, coating the surroundings in a grim reminder of the devastation.

Amidst this atmosphere of death and ruin, a profound sense of despair settled upon me. Questions swirled in my mind—was all this destruction intended for my demise? The weight of guilt and sorrow burdened my shoulders, and an overwhelming desire for oblivion consumed me. I felt the gritty residue of ash in my mouth, a chilling reminder of the recent tragedy.

The thought of death, narrowly avoided those two nights, seized my breath, constricting my throat. First with Lysander and now with this accursed creature. My fists clenched, my breathing grew rapid, and a surge of emotions threatened to overwhelm me, leaving me trapped in a vortex of anguish and longing for escape.

No, not now. I attempted to regulate my breath, drawing in deeply, but a sudden inhalation filled my lungs with ash, triggering a fit of coughing and gagging.

Rising frustration surged within me. I yearned to grow stronger, to improve. I retrieved Champ's Poké Ball from my belt, its surface etched with scratches and its vibrant color faded. Tears trickled down my cheeks, dampening the ball in small splotches as my knuckles tightened around it. Despite his successful recovery, the Pokémon Center's efforts failed to repair his arm or regenerate it using Ditto's cloning cells. Medical experts confirmed that the damage had rendered the stump completely lifeless. No cells, no blood flow—nothing. Champ would need to adapt to using only one arm. The Center provided physical therapy guides, a specialist, and trainers adept in aiding handicapped Pokémon. I couldn't bring myself to talk to him earlier, leaving the nurses and staff to care for him until today. I anticipate his justified anger, but I couldn't confront him—until now. Fortunately, Beca made a swift recovery. Although upset with me over Champ's condition, she found solace knowing that we were both safe and sound.

She bore a claw scar stretching across her left side, a grim reminder of Scabsol's assault when it had grabbed and hurled her. According to the doctors, she was fortunate to survive, given that whatever caused Champ's arm injury was replicated in her scar. Although the wound wasn't life-threatening, it left a vivid and conspicuous mark on her body.

"So, are you ready to leave?" Meredith's cheerful voice reached me as she approached. She was clad in a loose maroon tunic, black cargo pants, and a sleek black backpack slung over her shoulder. My gaze flickered upward, catching sight of the scar running along the side of her forehead, from her widow’s peak to her right ear. She remained stunning, but each time I glimpsed that scar, guilt consumed me. She had nearly lost her life, and it was because of me. However, it also made what needed to be done next a bit easier. Determined, I rose to my feet and secured Champ’s ball back on my belt.

"About that… I think it’s better if we went our separate ways."

Her expression shifted, contorting as if I had struck her multiple times. Tears welled in her eyes, her voice quivering as she spoke.

"If that's how you feel…" Her words trailed off, the unspoken fear lingering in the air.

"It is. You're better off on your own. I'll only bring you danger. You saw that monstrous Pokémon."

"But it wasn't your fault."

"Damn it! It is my fault, and the last thing I want is to get you killed in my mess!" My voice rose, drawing the attention of passersby. Heat flushed my cheeks as I realized I was causing a scene.

"Shut up! It isn't your fault at all!" she screamed back at me, her fists clenched as tears streamed down her cheeks. She stormed closer until we were eye to eye. How did I never notice the tear tracks staining her face before?

"I convinced us to take the hidden path. I persuaded Brandon to guide us. I wanted to impress you, to be like my mom. So don't you dare blame yourself!"

Silence hung between us, tears shimmering in both our eyes. She broke it first.

"You know what? Fine. Let's settle this like trainers. Erembour, I challenge you to an official Pokémon battle. One on one. If I win, you let me join you. If I lose, I'll leave you alone.”