Dritch. Yet another name that didn’t sound foreign to Blitzer’s ears. It might’ve been told to him once, or whispered in the murky caverns of the Smaugus’ fortress; a name without deeper knowledge. That meant trouble these days.
“Do not waste time. Lord Dritch requires your presence immediately.”
The LopunnySoldier spoke as if they hadn’t drank in a week, their voice weary and heavy on the ears. Their eyes had sunken in their sockets, their armour clanked with the slightest sway. Plate covered every inch of fur, barring the ears and legs, and a visor for the eyes.
A partial grimace emerged on Blitzer’s snout, one he couldn’t keep under lock and key. “What for?” he asked. To this, the Lopunny let out a tired ‘hmph’, as if a bug was stuck in her throat. Blitzer’s wings twitched. ‘She won’t answer, will she?’
Coming from the Lopunny, it was in fact an order. Vli, the Toucannon, shot a sneer his way with damn near enough force to knock the crown off his head. A little saliva got stuck in Blitzer’s throat as he looked back. He put a claw up to wave.
“Uhm… I have to go. Sorry, guys. See you later?” ‘I hope.’
“We’ll see each other again,” Sefonia replied, returning a wave with drooping antennae; not a hint of optimism lingered in her voice. “Don’t worry about me.”
“Don’t worry at all,” Speedy said after her, hoping to lighten what remained of the mood. “We’ll be fine!”
A Raichu may have a heart the size of Eravate, yet size didn’t matter. Some things could cast a dark cloud over a continent. With limited goodbyes, the Lopunny’s heels clicked through the corridors, Blitzer carefully trudging along. They disappeared behind a twist in the path, leaving Speedy and Sefonia behind.
Say one thing for Creator worshippers, say they love organisation as much as their deity. The cathedrals’ tunnels were flanked on both sides by doors leading to a variety of destinations: Living quarters, kitchens, therapy rooms, private prayer halls aside and more. Each door bore an iron tag specifying what lay behind, illuminated by faint candle light.
Blitzer kept his arms and tail and bay. ‘Best not to touch anything.’ he thought to himself, glancing from side to side. ‘That Soldier’s not gonna be happy. Don’t want to find out.’
With each step, the smell of smoky incense strengthened, until the scent practically stuck to the walls of Blitzer’s nostrils. It itched to the point he felt a sneeze build up; he half held it in, letting it come out as if he were spitting. The Lopunny Soldier didn’t care; they had reached a large pair of doors, which she threw open without abandon.
“In. Lord Dritch awaits.”
An uneasy stare was exchanged as Blitzer passed through the doors. He didn’t say anything; the sooner he’d gone in, the sooner they could forget each other. For a moment, he wondered whether his exploits with the Alliance had reached the average Soldier. He’d been in Tirasford during the raid. For the longest time, he was right beside the Othersider. Did she know?
The door shut with a thunderous bang, one which echoed through the cathedral’s spire. Blitzer relaxed his wings, let out a sigh, unrolled his tail. For a moment, he was alone. Had the chance to catch his breath. Alas, it didn’t last long before a voice broke the spell.
“Doubtful. You have given me assurance after assurance. Yet you admit the full consequences elude you. How can you say for certain this substance won’t take control of him? That these crystals will have a limited effect?”
“Um, yeah? I’ve repeated myself like five times now, do you think I’ll change my mind eventually? I know what those crystals are. We’ve been sabotagin’ em for a while.”
Blitzer tilted his head out of curiosity. Two voices echoed through the nave of the cathedral, one bratty and combative, the other cold and humourless. The Charizard wiped down his gums with his tongue, wondering what on Eravate he had just walked in on.
‘Is that Sisu…?’
“Do you have any proof on hand?”
“Nope.”
“Then how can you make such a claim with a straight face? Puzzling.”
“Yeah, like I’d have something on hand I can just whip out here. Almost died out there, bustin’ a buddy out of those bastards’ air, and I can’t just… hang on a minute. Actually, I DO have my proof! And he just walked in!”
All eyes from the sides to the centre fell on Blitzer, echoes lingering above. The Charizard’s heart skipped a beat as his footsteps filled the void, coming into full view of the congregation present. By a stroke of luck, the worshippers were absent. Instead, he found himself in the crosshairs of a Marshadow he knew all too well… and a Metagross whose stare was as cold as the grave.
“Good afternoon. Introduce yourself.”
Blitzer gulped, reflexively flicking his wings backwards. “B-Blitzer. Charme- Charizard Blitzer. I… am with Sisu over there.”
The Marshadow winked at him as the Metagross looked him over, studying each part of his body with the kind of attention reserved for a crime scene. Sisu kept him distracted with all sorts of winks and grins, each more ridiculous than the last. It didn’t relieve the tension much.
“Fascinating,” the Metagross said after fifteen glacial seconds. “Fully evolved, but juvenile. Tall, yet lacking in bravery. Lacking in bravery, yet your temperature is far higher than usual. You have a particular energy inside of you.”
Blitzer blinked. ‘Do I?’
“That’s right!” Sisu said. “He ate the mineral, remember?”
“Yes,” the Metagross deadpanned, then sank a little. “Manners take precedence. My name is Dritch. Lord of the Northern Territories. Humble servant of our Creator. And as of recently… leader of the Crest, I suppose.”
Blitzer’s nerves crept up as she listed her titles, his heart skipping a beat on the last. Given that he’d seen the previous leader’s murder, and given what said leader had done to him, meeting the successor hadn’t been an item on his bucket list.
“Now. I understand from your companion that you and the Crest are not on positive terms. And I understand that you are in a troubled spot. But alas, everyone on Eravate can say the same today, myself included.”
The extra emphasis on herself caught Blitzer off guard - he already ventured into this room not knowing what to expect. Sisu might’ve been here, but he did not believe she could get him out of this one as well. That cold red stare burnt a hole through his head. Why else was there a sharp pain up there?
It was then that the Charizard shifted a step back. The Metagross’ face was damaged; cracked in places, segments stitched together. As if extra metal had been melted on top to repair heavy injuries.
“...What happened to your face?” he blurted out. It didn’t take longer than a split second for his blood to run cold. “M-my apologies, it’s just-”
“Something awful,” the Metagross said, once again emotionless. “Reality. You do not need me to know what happened. You were almost there yourself on that day. In Tirasford. When you timidly followed the culprit around.”
“A-Allora?”
“Yes. The one you know as Allora. Wife of Chronos, who is your father. And by proxy, either your mother or stepmother. Proud member of the cult you know as ‘The Alliance’. One of the first Corrupted, whose powers she unleashed upon me that day.”
Blitzer let out a weak ‘oh’, before lowering his head. Though his focus had been on the headache, it was the heart that had been Dritch’s target. He had missed the forest for the trees- so focused on the Metagross’ presence that he forgot his own. She must’ve been dreading this meeting all the same. A day that black leaves scars that don’t heal easily. Nevermind what she dropped on him. It went without saying: If Chronos was Blitzer’s father, then he and Allora had a ‘bond’ as well.
“What… what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”
A metallic rumble echoed from Dritch’s body, her claws anxiously ticking on the stone floor. “Your feelings on her are not relevant. I will say it once. She is nothing more than an animal given sentient thoughts. She aimed to tear me apart. It was a long, vicious struggle between the four of us. Me and the Creator on one side, she and her barbarous overlord on the other. Mauled though I was, I locked her away in Mount Tenebrous. Given who controls Tirasford these days, however… she likely enjoys freedom once again.”
Blitzer grimaced. ‘By Chronos.’
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Dritch’s legs activated, as she closed the distance between them. She held little regard for his feelings on the matter, nor for his flames. He was too frightened to respond; he wouldn’t last a minute.
“Make no mistake, Blitzer. If you and her meet again, she will not hesitate to kill you. Just like your father would.”
The Charizard took a deep breath. “I was afraid of that,” he said, before sighing it back out.
The Metagross repositioned her legs, assuming a regular diagonal stance, albeit with difficulty. For a brief moment, a light glow passed through her eyes. What could she be thinking?
“Back to the subject at hand. You and I have seen each other before. I have heard about you from Marshadow Sisu. I know of your exploits. Not an ideal situation, by any means. You committed many sins. Sins all too common in Eravate these days, I’m afraid.”
Blitzer’s eyes dawdled to Sisu for a second. She hadn’t, and continued to say nothing, preferring to shrug the moment she caught on to him staring at her. Blitzer, now miffed, whipped his tail on the floor.
“And what does that mean…?”
“‘That there is work to be done,” Dritch responded, raising her legs and setting them down with a thump. “Though the world is unfortunate, I am not. As it is doubtful you need will need ‘convincing’.”
“Which is…?” the Charizard asked. The tone of her voice made him hold his arms against his chest. One toe out of line, and the consequences would be hard to stomach.
“Restoring what you helped break,” Dritch replied, her voice stern. “And what you helped break is Eravate. Not on purpose, of course. That is an unfair assessment. But the results speak for themselves. Each day, thousands fall victim to the whispers of a demon. A demon awakened by a cult he lords over. Each day, Eravate falls deeper into the shadows. And it is that which we must resolve… Iif you ever wish to live a peaceful life again.”
A soft growl escaped Blitzer’s throat. ‘You’re why I lost it to begin with!’
Dritch shifted her body around; behind her, Sisu stood with crossed arms, eyes closed. She appeared to be dozing off.
”Now then. Your companion here has told me much about you. Both the personal as well as the factual. I can conclude we have all sinned, and that we all must repent to one another… eventually. Sisu.”
The Marshadow creaked her eyes half open. “...Huh?”
“Tell us again about the crystal he swallowed.”
“Riiight… right.” Sisu pouted, her cheeks inflating. “So, you both know the drill. Magic minerals, they got power in ‘em. No one’s figured out exactly how it works, but some species can draw out power from ‘em in a major way. Chronos had gathered some for himself. So I stole some. Gave it to Blitzer, ‘cause why not? He could use it in a pinch. And yeah, that’s what he did. Swallowed it, even.”
“And that’s what the issue is,” Dritch continued. “You can both see the issue here, yes?”
The Metagross’ tone made clear that ‘no’ wasn’t a valid answer. Blitzer kept a claw close to his heart: He wasn’t going to let her rob his dignity. Not this time..
”I don’t. Why don’t you tell me, then?”
Dritch raised one of her digital eyes at him. “This is about your health, yes? Any offence or aggression you display now is at your own expense only, regardless of outcome.”
Blitzer gritted his teeth; his fire didn’t raise an inch. “Grr, don’t just… dismiss me like that! I don’t-”
“Haaang on, hang on.” Sisu stepped in between the two, putting an arm out to each side, dragons and machines be damned. “I know the drill. No need to make this messy, ‘aight? Those crystals? Minerals, crystals, whichever shape they come in? You’re not supposed to swallow ‘em. Like, at all. It goes splitsville reaaal quick. Some Pokemon get really sick. Some lose their minds. Some just spew up their guts and die. There’s a thousand different stories over the ages of this happenin’, and…. Yeah.”
“...Am I supposed to be dead, then?” Blitzer asked, glaring daggers through Sisu. ‘Wouldn’t be the first time, and it definitely won’t be the last!’
“Uh…”
A whirring sound akin to spinning gears emerged from the joints of Dritch’s legs. “Let us start at the beginning, shall we? That would clear our dilemma.”
“Uh-huh…” Sisu nodded along, devoid of energy. “Go on.”
Dritch raised her head. “These crystals and minerals are rarely found in the world. Most will go their whole lives without encountering any. Yet those that do are in for a treat. You can taste the power within by proximity, so the saying goes. But to harness that power is another matter.”
Blitzer gulped. “How so?” he said; he didn’t like where the conversation was going. A lump on the bottom of his heart wore him down; ever since recovering from his coma, he hadn’t felt entirely healthy.
The Metagross focused her eyes on him. “That is a question for the ages, Blitzer. Alas, we only know so much about our world. Society has survived for centuries, yet plenty remains undiscovered. The workings of these magic crystals is one of them.”
“That doesn’t help me,” Blitzer said, folding his arms. “Sisu just said this can kill me! She never said that before!” His voice rose into a shout, which echoed up above.
Sisu sucked in a breath she didn’t need, sticking her ectoplasmic tongue out the side of her mouth. “No, but… look, if your dad feels comfortable havin’ ‘em around, then it shouldn’t be a stretch to say you can have ‘em too, right?”
The Charizard growled back at her. “He is NOT my dad! Cut that out!” he yelled. As his voice echoed, so did the weariness growing in his chest.
“Blitzer.” The Metagross tapped her feet in disapproval. “We agreed to let cooler heads prevail, did we not?”
“Yes, but-”
“We are trying to get to the bottom of your condition,” the Metagross continued, resuming her circling pace around him. “Whatever becomes of you is what Chronos desires. And have a long, hard look at what’s happened to you. Any negative consequences would have asserted themselves by now. Instead, you have used the power in some form.”
He shook his head, before turning away. “I don’t feel more powerful, if that’s what you’re insisting…”
“Actually, we are,” Sisu said, leaning in on the conversation: she supported herself against one of the pillars holding the massive roof up. Sun shone through windows at that level, casting light down on the absent congregation.
Blitzer bared his fangs. “...Yeah, sorry to disappoint, but I feel terrible. I sure as hell don’t feel anymore powerful than before! Unless you think me losing my mind and damn near tearing the people I care about apart counts, then you’re right!” he rambled, pressing one claw’s digits into his chest hard enough to dent the scales.
Sisu twirled a finger around in her horns. “Yeah. That’s the spirit right there, buddy. You mega-evolved back there.”
The Charizard’s eyes narrowed on the Marshadow. “Mega-Evolved? What? What even is that? And what kind of name is ‘mega–evolving’?”
Marshadow Sisu shrugged. “Can’t blame me for that one, I didn’t come up with it. Bunch of real uncreative folks did. Anyway, that’s the phenomenon with those crystals, Blitz. See, we know some Pokemon can use ‘em to transform into something fierce. Doesn’t last for long, and we don’t know why it happens. We just know it does. You did that with the rock you swallowed.”
Blitzer shook his head. “Great. Just great… why me, though?”
“Difficult to say,” Dritch then said behind Blitzer’s back. “That is what the greatest minds in Eravate have been digging the bottom of. It only works on a few Pokemon, for starters. The minerals are rare, and appear to react to certain species. And the consequences for each differ. Some, such as Mawile, handle it well. Others, such as Tyranitar, lose their mind.”
“S-Say that again?!” Blitzer’s heart skipped a beat. “Lose my mind?!”
“We are sparse on details, remember. I wish I had more to share.”
“You just said I could lose my mind!!” Blitzer’s tail flame flared. He felt pushed into a corner, all because of a rock. “You can’t just leave me hanging here! If you can go crazy just by using it, what does that say about me?! I swallowed it! What if I…I….!”
“Bliiitz! Sisu hopped up the Charizard’s legs, climbing onto him like a cat. ”We’ve been over this, right? You’re still you! Crystals ain’t that subtle with their side effects, ain’t no way we’d even be talkin’ if you went feral.”
“You say that so easily…” the dragon mumbled as he deflated; first his arms sagged, then his tail flopped, then his neck bent over. If not for his heart, he’d have fallen over; said heart was working overtime, given how much warmth it radiated inside his chest. He wanted to crawl out of his own body. It’s as if it wasn’t his any longer.
“Well yeah, ‘cause it’s not like we know nothin’. Whatever that crystal can do to ya, it’s already done. We just don’t know why… soo, we gotta pay attention to what’ll happen to you.”
Blitzer raised a shaky arm over his chest. “Wh-what do you mean now?”
Sisu whipped her head around, to the Metagross who patiently awaited her turn to speak. “Say, Dritch. You’re better at this stuff than I am. Tell him.”
The Metagross bowed. “Indeed. Since you ingested the crystal, you do not have full control over its activation… so we believe. It may activate whenever, whether you want it to or not.”
The Charizard gritted his teeth. ‘Great.’ “How do I stop that from happening?”
“By understanding when it happens,” Dritch said. “Hence this first step. Should you find yourself mega evolving again, understand the context. Where were you? Who were you with? How did you feel? And most importantly, what was the trigger?”
Blitzer tepidly nodded in agreement. Not that he agreed with that approach. It was easy for Dritch to talk about the context, given she wasn’t suffering from uncontrolled transformations. Until now, Blitzer had sort of lived in denial of his life turning into that. But alas, one can only run from the grimness of reality for so long. Any moment, his time could run out. And what would happen then? Would he remain sane enough to ‘understand context’, or rip it apart? Go berserk? Let the animal loose?
A spanner was thrown in the works, as two thick wings flapped overhead. It wasn’t long before a Toucannon landed at the bottom of the stairs, then bowed.
“My lord! The rite has just gotten started.”
Blitzer raised an eye, his feet shifting awkwardly over the ground as he kept his tail from falling. Rite?’
Dritch nodded. “Excellent. How is she doing? You better return to her as soon as possible.”
“That is the plan,” the Toucannon said. “I won’t let anyone down if I can help it. That goes against the Azzurro spirit. That goes against the creator!”
The Charizard’s heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t a different Toucannon. “E-excuse me? Are you talking about Sefonia? Where is she? Where did you take her?” he asked in a panic, his wings unfolding and spreading wide.
“She is being taken care of by priests,” Vli said. “It’s for her own good.”
“Wh-what do you mean?!” the dragon growled. “How can you say that?”
“Would you prefer she remains Corrupted, Blitzer?” Dritch asked in an entirely monotone voice, the question’s answer being so self-evident it needed no enunciation, or even a response. Blitzer gave one anyway.
“Of course not! B-but you never told me how!”
“Oi.” Sisu punched one of Blitzer’s legs with as much force as a Beedrill sting. “Relax, Blitz. They ain’t gonna cripple her, or anything. I didn’t take you to a different group of killers, y’know?”
“No…that doesn’t matter! I want to see her!” Blitzer cried, his voice shaking. He turned around, hoping to walk back the way he came, only to find a Metagross blocking the path.
“And where do you think you’re going? We are having a discussion here.”
“I’m going to see Sef.”
“You are staying here.”
“Don’t tell me what to-”
The Charizard felt a beak press into his neck. “Little boy, the problem is being taken care of. You can-”
“NO!”
It was as if a switch had been flipped. Everyone had their limit, and Blitzer had reached his; he swung a fist at the Toucannon, striking him in the chest with a stubby punch. Vli chirped in surprise, fell to the floor, only to shake it off.
“Hey!”
Blitzer scarcely had time to breathe before an arm grabbed onto his legs. An attempt to resist ended with his arm held in a vice, pain surging through each limb, and a growl leaving his body as he got toppled. Cold, brutal, no consideration. Dritch had him pinned in the blink of an eye, and every kick and bite coming her way only sapped the Charizard’s energy further.
“Enough. This will not do.”
“LET ME GO!”
“Oh, Blitz…”
Dritch had missed an arm; Sisu had that direction covered. Tiny as she was, she had the might of a mountain in her arms. Blitzer writhed and twisted his arm, adrenaline surging through; even the slightest attempt to break free was ruthlessly suppressed.
“Throwing tantrums gets you nowhere. Stop it, or we’ll have to keep you under supervision-”
“DON’T YOU DARE!!”
The kicking and screaming made the pressure of the adrenaline all the worse. It was as if his body was ripping itself apart at the scales. Punctured his head. Tattered his wings. Pierced in and through the shoulders like nails being hammered down. Flames burned inside; all he could see was blue. All he felt was fear and frustration.
Sisu, Dritch and Vli suddenly had a much harder time keeping him restrained. He had the strength to yank his arms free, send fire into his fists, spit out at the air in front of him. He just had to get free. He just had to see Sefonia. That’s all he wanted.
He didn’t want to be here, drowning in a pool of his own saliva, held down and restrained like a beat dog. Neither did he want to mega evolve again, ever. The first time was nightmare inducing as was.
Alas, you can’t always get what you want.
“Oh, for crying out loud!” Sisu shouted. “He’s just-”
“Calm yourselves! You there! At the doors! Get in here and help!”
It took a herculean effort on the part of Dritch, Sisu, Vli and the guards to keep Blitzer down. For as long as the stone had him in its grasp, fighting back was all he did. It’s all he wanted to. For her.
By the time the energy ran out, wet scars ran down his face.