FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's Note: It's been a while since there's been a weekly update, huh? Amazing what a dash of inspiration can do. And music. Lots of that. This... probably won't satisfy everyone. You'll see why. Oh, and I do not edit X's notes that he shares with us all. Just saying.

Pre-Reader's Note: To our flock, with love. Dearest readers, I must say that the reaction to last chapter was. . . underwhelming. While Fox expressed his faith in you to me, I couldn't help but doubt. Humans are humans, after all. Why, the only entertaining one claimed that we aren't Rowling or Tolkien, therefore, to summarize, "more dirty, filthy, detailed fucking, and wrap up that annoying plot because it's taking away from my 'personal' time." I'll say this, if you haven't already caught it: I'm impressed. Although there was a general lack of response in words, there was really no anger at where the plot was going. There was a genuine willingness to read and be carried away by our story and so I thank you. We will continue to strive to bring you new things, never seen before (hopefully). Sincerely, Exskotadi

Chapter 13 - Isolation

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc. Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline. Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using. Thank you.

My hands gripped against Spirit's shoulders as we flew high above the ground. The familiar buzzing of her wings barely registered in my head, even if they were beating almost next to my ears. I still wasn't used to the harsh air that assaulted my lungs, so I was still covering my face with my shirt. I doubled up on shirts today, as I had a nagging sensation that I would need it.

Though Spirit was handling the flight admirably, I could tell that she was getting tired. With my hands touching her neck, I could feel her heartbeat pounding underneath her scales. I frowned slightly, gently rubbing her scales, silently hoping that our next stop would come soon. Looking behind us, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary again. White clouds and clear skies as far as I could see stretched around me still. The sun was beginning to set, going through its usual routine of falling westward beneath the horizon.

I felt the unusual feeling of Mist pushing through my body, her head sticking out of my chest. Momentarily stunned at the sight, she turned to look upwards and smiled at me. Her hands slowly emerged from my body, wrapping themselves around my neck as she pulled herself out. The wind did nothing to move her, but she held on to me tightly regardless. She snuggled into my chest, and I couldn't help but grin at the sight.

Noticing that Zefyra was lowering her altitude, Spirit followed the Hydreigon's example. I narrowed my eyes, barely making out the small dot of a Dragonite nearing the river underneath us. I thanked my stars; I was going to be able to get clean tonight!

We landed swiftly, as I quickly dismounted off Spirit, who almost collapsed on the ground. A startled yell escaped my throat as I caught her neck and head from landing against the ground.

"Spirit, you alright?" I said, wiping off the moisture off her brow. A weak nod and a strangled call answered my question, but I wasn't having any of it.

"You rest now, or I'm putting you inside your Pokéball," I said lightly, smiling down at her. Her eyes closed slowly, as her breathing slowed down. I shrugged off my backpack, and with some trouble unzipped it. Frustration came over me, as it was harder to look through the bags contents with just one arm available.

"May I help, Master?" Mist asked quietly.

"Yes, please," I answered, nodding. "Could you pull out one of my shirts and soak it in the water? I'd like to be able to cool Spirit down a bit."

I turned to see her nod and grab the first shirt she could. Turning back my attention to Spirit, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning to see who it was, I saw Joy and Jonathan behind me. Concern was on both of their faces as they watched me.

"Is she going to be alright?" Jonathan asked. "I knew I pushed too hard today."

"I think she'll be fine," I said, worry easily noticed in my voice. "I just think she's exhausted."

At my observation, Spirit tried to push herself off from my lap, but her arms quickly gave out on her. I stroked her head softly, trying to calm her down.

"She sure is a fighter," Joy commented.

"No kidding," I said, nervously chuckling. Mist returned with my now soaked shirt, and I quickly grabbed it. The water was freezing to the touch, so I just got my hands wet and gently rubbed Spirit's scales. Her eyes shot open, a hiss of surprise coming out of her before relaxing again.

"Here Aaron, give her this," Joy said, prodding me with something solid. A canteen entered my vision, and I quickly grabbed hold of it. Easing Spirit's head upwards, Mist hovered over and uncapped the bottle for me. Giving the ghost a smile for thanks, I gently placed the canteen of water against Spirit's lips. Slowly tipping the bottle upward, her tongue eagerly lapped at the trickle of water that fell from the opening. She attached her lips against the bottle, and began to drink greedily from it. I had to control the flow, or else I was afraid that she would choke on it.

"I'll set up the tents today and find some firewood," Jonathan said, patting me on the shoulder. "You take care of your Flygon. Joy, do you mind setting up kitchen?"

"Oh, you bastard," she huffed. "Fine, but you better hurry, because I ain't cooking."

"I'm pretty sure Aaron can help you out," he said with a grin, grabbing a Pokéball from his belt. "Besides, I'd like to walk around without being swarmed by Pokémon like yesterday."

Joy sighed. "Fine," she said, poking me in the back. "He's cooking, though."

I shrugged at the comment, concentrating more on Spirit's condition. She had already drunk the canteen empty, and her breathing had tapered to a more eased pace. A thought crossed my mind, my eyes narrowing as I remembered Jonathan's comment about today's trip.

"Jonathan?" I called, hoping he hadn't walked away yet.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"How far away is this monastery we're going?"

"Not that far away now," he answered.

"That's what you said about today this morning," I said, turning my head to face him. "I ask again, how far."

"It's not like today's trip," he said, clarifying. "We'll get there by midday, give or take an hour."

I nodded, turning my attention to Spirit again. She had more content face as her breathing reached the normal pace I recognized. Mist grabbed my backpack, almost reading my mind as I lifted Spirit's head off my lap so we could use it as a makeshift pillow.

"Grab the tent first," I said. "Don't want to wake her up unnecessarily."

Mist nodded, the straps coming undone by the ghosts psychic powers. She placed the backpack underneath Spirit's head, as I gently lowered her down. Spirit stirred for a moment, but was otherwise fine for the moment. I smiled down, placing the wet shirt next to her. At least, if she felt hot, she could use that to cool down a bit.

"Mist, can you watch over her?" I said, turning to face my tent already set up. "Wait, huh?"

"I was bored," she said simply, speaking next to me.

I almost jumped out of my skin, turning to see her hovering over my shoulder. I forced a smile, nodding at Mist.

"Yes, of course I will look over her," she said with a smile. "May I move her inside the tent?"

"If you're confident..." was all I managed to say before Spirit began to float in front of me, her body outlined in a purple glow. The Flygon was gently floated inside of the tent with seemingly no problems, Mist taking every visible precaution to not jar the sleeping dragon.

As soon as Spirit was out of sight inside the tent, Mist turned to face me with a smile on her face.

"You were saying?" she asked.

============////////////////==================

Akalia and Zin were both snuggled next to me, the Houndoom eagerly breathing fire on the logs to make my cooking go faster. I would tease her about that, but she wouldn't listen to me unless I was serious in my reprimand. Which I imagine would breach the subject of those 'favors', which I'm not inclined to discuss in front of everyone.

Especially not knowing what it truly implies in the first place. I have a good idea, but still.

Jonathan still hasn't come back after dropping off a pile of firewood with the aid of Baast. My mind idly wondered what he was up to. Maybe he's looking for more firewood, though he brought more than enough. Probably just stretching his legs. We did fly almost the entire day.

"Master!" Zin exclaimed, bringing me back to reality. "The food!"

I turned to see the pot's contents beginning to spill over. I quickly grabbed the cooking mittens to lift the pot off the fire, letting it cool by itself slowly so to not lose any of the contents. The lid rattled ominously for a moment before calming down. I placed the pot back on the fire, but lifting the lid to allow the steam to rise uncontrolled. The smell of the concoction, though subtle, had easily pulled Joy from wherever she was hiding and slide next to me.

"Is it done yet?" she asked, her mouth practically salivating when I turned to look.

"Akalia, pass me the bowls, will you? Please?" I asked with a smile at the Luxray.

She gave me a smile and a nod, grabbing a bowl with her mouth and passing it over to me. I grabbed it, gently tugging them away when she refused to let go. Joy laughed at Akalia's antics, Zin joining in as soon as she found out what was going on.

"I have to say, at least I picked up on mom's cooking skills," I said with a grin as I filled the bowl with the contents. "Noodle soup is always good for long trips."

I passed the bowl over to Joy, who eagerly took it from my hands. She produced a spoon from somewhere and began to eat. A look of bliss passed over her face as she slurped up a stray noddle.

"By Arceus, this is amazing!" she proclaimed. "That's it, you're cooking from now on, and there's nothing you can say about it!"

I laughed as Akalia passed another bowl to me. Filling it up, I passed it over to Zin, who was patiently waiting her turn. Another bowl was filled for Akalia, and I fished out another bowl for Spirit. Joy shook her head and stopped me before I could get up.

"I'll take it over to your Flygon," she said, putting down her bowl for a moment. She grabbed Spirit's bowl from my hands, but not before giving Zin a stern look. "And don't you go eating mine."

"But I have my own!" Zin exclaimed after Joy as she walked away for the moment.

Akalia gave a shrug, before blowing on her bowl and eagerly lapping at the contents within. I gave the Houndoom a shrug of my own, a growl being my reward.

"Well, you are a rather ravenous eater," I pointed out.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, batting her eyes at me.

I laughed. "No, not at all," I said, waving a hand at her. "She's just worried that you'll eat her food."

"And what if I do?" she asked, almost tauntingly. "What'cha gonna do about it?"

I grinned, shifting my eyes to make sure that Joy was out of earshot. Satisfied, I leaned over to whisper to her. "I'll make it so you won't be able to walk straight for a few days."

"Don't tempt me," she growled playfully, giving me a lick. "Because that sounds really good right now."

I chuckled at that, Joy coming into view as I was sitting up. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

I shook my head, noting that Zin was nodding at the same time. The Houndoom turned to me with a rather devious smile on her face. As much as I wanted to glare daggers at her, she had turned to her food, daintily licking the contents of her bowl with no more reaction to the situation around her.

"What'd she do?" Joy asked me.

I shook my head. "Nothing to your food, if that's what you're wondering."

She gave me a shrug, before picking up her bowl and resumed eating. "How was Mist and Spirit?" I asked.

"They're both fine," she said, smiling. "Spirit looks a lot better, Mist assured me."

That's good. I heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks," I said.

"Hey, no problem," Joy said with a laugh. "If you keep cooking, I don't mind doing small favors."

I chuckled as we lapsed into silence again. The hooting and cawing of Pokémon around us wasn't as pronounced as previous days, but it was still there.

"Wonder where Jonathan went," I mused aloud.

"Probably taking a piss in the woods," Joy said with a shrug. "Doesn't matter, I wanted to ask you something."

I turned my attention to Joy, while still trying to eat my food. "What's up?" I asked.

"It's about what your Houndoom said to us a week ago or so," Joy said. "She called you her mate."

I was happy enough to let that one lie where it did. I wasn't expecting for her to bring it up now, of all times. Joy's expression darkened in the sense that she knew she had me cornered. A grin spread across her face, as she gave Zin a look, which Zin returned with a nod.

Oh, Arceus, I was being conspired against.

Joy let out a laugh as she looked at me, almost spilling her food everywhere as she came dangerously close to tipping over from her sitting position. It didn't make me feel any better that Zin and Akalia joined.

Zin was the first to compose herself, giving me a wide grin. "Well, are you going to answer her?" she asked, showing no sympathy to me. "Or am I going to have to?"

"Zin," I said, trying to sound menacing.

"Oh, don't even try," the Houndoom said with a laugh. "Right now you look like a scared pup, shaking in your clothes!"

I stared at Zin for a moment, before looking at Joy. Her expression, while not smiling as it was earlier, was instead focused on me. She tapped her spoon against the bowl. "Well?" she asked, sounding impatient.

What am I supposed to say? Condemn myself if I do, or screwed if I don't. Arceus, things are never easy, are they?

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I regretted saying the words as soon as I said them.

"What did Zin mean when she said the term mate?" Joy asked.

I was silent for a moment, before giving a sigh. "Promise you won't freak out," I said.

Nothing else could have been said that would trigger her reaction. She almost leaped up into the air, pumping her fist up and down.

"Oh, I so fucking CALLED it!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I told Jonathan that you here a Poképhiliac! Did he believe me? Fuck no! Called that shit!"

I blinked. I understood why Jonathan was accepting of it, to a certain degree. But why Joy, though? I mean, unless it's a similar situation to me, or his.

"Wait, you're not freaked out about this?" I asked, surprise clear in my own voice.

"Surprised more than freaked out," she admitted with a shrug. "Hell, half my family are active Poképhiliacs."

I didn't need a mental image of that.

Joy grinned at me though, reaching over and patting my hand. "Don't worry about it," she said with a chuckle. "It's not like I'm going to scream it at the top of my lungs. Remember, I just said my family is into that kinky crap, too."

"Not you, though," I pointed out.

"Hell no," she said, laughing. "Male Pokémon are ornery as hell already. I really don't want to get stuck with one inside of me for hours on end, too."

More imagery I really didn't need.

Joy leaned closer, looking side to side for a moment. "So, what are the spots you look for?" she asked, a mischievous look in her eyes. "The tail, I know, but what other spots do you go to please your Pokémon?"

This wasn't going to be good night for me.

=============//////////////////////=====================

I was surprised how short the last watch was. Maybe I'll volunteer for it more often, though I'm not sure if I want Mist intruding on me like she kept doing throughout the night. Spirit was all well before our flight, and we were fast approaching Jonathan's target time. Something I was immensely relieved to see, in all honesty. I didn't want to risk Spirit becoming exhausted like she was last night. I frowned at the memory, pushing it away to concentrate on not falling. Trees surrounded the buildings, the green canopy almost glowing green in the bright sunlight.

We were approaching swiftly the monastery temple, or whatever it was, sitting on the banks of the river. Even as we landed on the cobblestone path, the roar of the river was loud. White mist could be seen where the waterfall began, adding to the ambiance. The buildings were of an even grey color, the same as the stone underneath our feet. Stylized drapes hung from the walls and swayed in the wind. The red curtains were decorated with what I recognized with old language, similar to what my parents found in their digs, but this had more intricate designs. Blue stars hung against the red cloth, surrounding a tree shaped design. The tree itself took most of the entire surface, the roots extending to the bottom of the tapestry. I turned to Jonathan, who was looking around with a smile and beginning to walk toward a building.

"Jonathan," I called, catching up.

"Yes?" he said, without stopping.

"Where's everyone?"

"They're probably meditating," he said with a shrug. "We're going to the reception hall. There should be someone there, and if there isn't, I'm sure a Pokémon or two will be around. This monastery has about ten people, so don't expect a welcome committee like yesterday."

I nodded, turning around to face Spirit. I pulled out her Pokéball, but she shook her head. Joy placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a smile as I turned to face her.

"Why don't you let Spirit and Zefyra hang out?" she offered. "Zef didn't want to go inside her Pokéball, either."

"Spirit?" I asked, seeing that she was agreeing with Joy's idea.

"Alright, just stay around here, and be safe, ok?" I asked, concerned over her safety. The Flygon nodded, her cheek nuzzling against me gently before backing up. Her wings buzzed as she launched herself into the air. I noticed that Zefyra was hovering above us, and I watched them leave with a grin on my face.

"They seem to get along well," Joy said as we continued walking. Jonathan was waiting for us, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, they do," I said with a nod. "I'm glad, too."

"Hey, don't go mushy on me now!" Joy exclaimed, punching me in the shoulder. "I don't need your Houndoom to burn my tent down in my sleep."

I winced at the contact, rubbing the spot for a moment. Why did she have to hit so hard?

"Alright you kids knock it off," Jonathan said with a laugh. "We're almost there."

I turned to face Jonathan, when I noticed the giant double doors that we were nearing. They were painted in a mottled green color, in contrast with the grey walls and the red roof. Jonathan knocked on the doors, grabbed the gigantic handle and pulled. The door slowly creaked open, a fire mane Pokémon on the other side. Golden brown fur covered the Pokémon, except where what looked like golden armor gleamed on his chest, knees, shoulders, and wrists. The chest and forelegs were covered in grey fur instead of brown. The Pokémon's eyes widened in response to seeing us, but leapt at Jonathan and embraced him in a hug.

"Infernape!" the Pokémon yelled at the top of his lungs. "Infer! Infern!"

The Infernape's yells echoed behind him, and a clatter of footsteps announced the arrival of three humans. They were wearing simple robes, the same as Aiden, but with their hoods covering their faces. They were quickly removed, revealing three older men, two with matching beards and the third bald.

"Jonathan!" the bald guy exclaimed, rushing past his fellows and embracing both Pokémon and human in a hug.

Touchy feely much?

"By the Guardian, you're back!" the man exclaimed, patting Jonathan in the back. "It is so good to see you again."

"Likewise," he said with a nod. He motioned to both of us after a moment. "These are my traveling companions, Joy and Aaron."

The man nodded. "Is there anything new to report?" the man asked.

"Darkrai," Jonathan said simply. "He's somewhere, but he is active. Aaron was attacked by Him a week ago."

"Then is it true?" he asked.

"That's what we're here for."

==============////////////////==========================

While Joy had pleaded that she stayed outside, Jonathan pulled me along as the bald man lead us inside the building. Majestic statues sculpted out of gems or stone stood in the shape of various Pokémon. The statues were exaggerated, either bigger than the actual Pokémon was, to accentuate details, or smaller so they wouldn't dominate entire hallways. I wouldn't feel comfortable walking underneath a statue of a Wailord that was to scale.

After a few of these hallways, the decorations began to appear less and less. Though the ones that were around depicted either very rare of powerful Pokémon. As we walked, I had to slow down as we passed by one of Darkrai. As much as it unnerved me to stare at something that resembled the Pokémon that drove me to this crazy adventure, I had to admire the craftsmanship of the sculpture. My hope is that, to whoever made this, he or she didn't have an encounter like I did.

What captured me the most where the eyes. Rubies were inserted in the eye sockets of the statue, the light that filtered through the massive openings for windows made the jewels sparkle menacingly. My mind instantly transported me to the scenario that was all too fresh in my mind. I gasped for breath, feeling light headed as my throat seized by itself. I could feel the Pokémon's needle sharp claws almost pierce my skin. I felt my cheek hurt all of a sudden, my eyes breaking contact with the ruby eyed statue. My ragged gasps were the only thing I heard for a while, competing for attention along with the pounding of my heartbeat.

"What in the world is wrong with you!?" Jonathan exclaimed, grabbing me by my shoulders. I looked at him, confused at what he meant.

"Why in the world were you choking yourself?" he asked, a bit more calmly.

I was? I coughed, but shrugged. "No idea," I said weakly. "One second I was looking at that statue, the next was a flashback of what happened in Celestic town."

Jonathan frowned at me as he helped me back on my feet. "You alright now?" he asked.

I nodded. "I think so," I answered, nodding. "Just not gonna look at the statue this time."

"Fair enough," he said with a smile, patting me on the shoulder.

We passed the statues again, and I kept my vision forward. I didn't need to look at the others again. Maybe I was paranoid, but I didn't care at the moment.

Another pair of doors awaited us, which were swiftly opened by both Jonathan and I. Past the gateway, the entire scenery changed. Gone was the decorated hallway and stone floor, to be replaced by something far simpler than everything I've seen. The floor and walls were bare, and nothing hung from the ceiling. The only thing that stood out in the small room, other than the larger than life windows, was the altar. On top of the altar was a violet gem that that made the air vibrate with a low key hum. The gem was held in the hands of a large statue, which was in the shape of a star. A face was carved to be in a meditative or calm state, with eyes closed and the statues arms folded over to hold the pulsing gemstone. I looked over to Jonathan, who shook his head and motioned me to keep quiet. I nodded at him, understanding his wish, but completely confused as to what I was seeing.

The bald monk walked over to the gem, and he made a bowing motion to it. The gem seemed to shape itself into the shape of an eye, peering unblinkingly for a moment, before closing again. The man was no less for wear, but breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have been fools," he whispered. "Even with Jirachi's visions, we were still fools."

I blinked. "Who?"

"Jirachi," Jonathan said, as if explaining something to a kid. "The Wish Maker, the Shooting Star, the Time Traveler."

I blinked, slowly shaking my head. "Sorry, never heard of any of those tittles," I offered.

It was Jonathan's turn to look at me oddly. He smirked, but gave me a shrug. "Never-mind, just trust me on this," he said.

I nodded, resigning myself to the simple explanation. Better everyone be calm to some level than none. The room was quiet, the only sound present was the constant thrumming of the stone. The old monk turned to us once again, standing up to his full height.

"The Eye has spoken," he whispered. "You are correct, Jonathan. I am so sorry that we didn't believe you."

"Its fine," he answered back, waving the apology away. "What did the Eye say?"

"That the plans are coming to fruition," he said. "Giratina is seeking the shards."

"Shards?" I asked, confused.

"Think of a golden circle, boy," the old man said sternly. "This circle is attached to Arceus, and inside of it are the shards of his power."

"You mean those dusty chips that you can find in the underground?" I asked. "I've seen those before. They don't do anything that I've noticed before."

"No, it's not that," he said, shaking his head. "These shards are intangible, ephemeral. They aren't solid things, but they exist nonetheless."

"What are these shards?" I asked.

"They're essentially the untamed elements, condensed into a core," Jonathan said, pinching bridge of his nose in thought. "In theory, there would be one for every kind of Pokémon."

I blinked, and I felt like my knees wanted to give out. "So wait, there's seventeen of these things?" I asked.

"Or more, possibly," the old man said with a shake of his head. "We just don't know. The Time Traveler is not answering our questions."

Silence settled around us after that. I frowned as I tried to etch the details of the stone more closely. Jonathan interrupted my concentration, though.

"We might have to go to Blackthorn city," Jonathan said with a shrug. "It looks like we need more information to go on."

"Isn't your Pokédex thing connected to them?" I asked.

He shook his head, giving me a grin. "No, it isn't," he said with a sigh. "I wish it could be, but we haven't found a way to transmit vast amounts of information over such long distances. It isn't like Johto is a hop away."

"You can call them, right?"

"Yeah, but it's taxing on the system," he said with a sigh. "You'd think these things would be solved."

"Well, at least we have a destination in mind," I said with a shrug. Jonathan proceeded to give me a worried look.

"Well, how do you plan on getting to Johto?" he asked.

"How'd you get here?" I countered.

He pointed to his waist and my face met my palm instantly. "Right," I muttered. "Fast Dragonite."

Jonathan thought for a moment, before he snapped his fingers. "Jubilife!" he exclaimed. "Jubilife has an airport. We can get tickets to fly to Goldenrod from there."

"What about money, though?" I asked, frowning. "Flying is pretty expensive, from what I understand. And what do you need me for?"

"You're the only one that's actually been around to witness the attack," he said soberly. "I need you to testify, and make my superiors actually understand that this isn't some bullshit that I'm making up."

I shook my head, still frowning. "Wait, you mean that not even your group believes all this?" I asked, startled.

He laughed coldly. "They sent me on a wild goose chase, after all my reports on legendary Pokémon in the past," he said with a shrug. "This time, it's all coming to bite them in the ass, hard."

"Well, we better set up camp or something," I said, frowning. "Can't believe places like this exist off the beaten path."

Jonathan laughed. "We can spare a few days to rest and explore," he said, "if the monks don't mind."

The bald man shook his head. "Of course not," he said with a laugh. "You better check on your other friend, though. Women tend to have different opinions."

"Truer words haven't been spoken," Jonathan said with a laugh. "Let's go."

We turned away from the statue and headed for the door. As we opened the door, a flash of light from behind us caught my attention. The monks eyes went wide as he turned his head around, shaking his head as if in disbelief. He began to run, his feet slapping the ground. Jonathan looked at me with a confused look, which I returned with a shrug.

"Maybe he needs to use the bathroom?" I offered.

We were walking out, passing the statue of Darkrai when a scream made me stop dead in my tracks. My eyes widened.

"Joy!" both me and Jonathan exclaimed. He took off running before I could react, but my vision focused on the statue again. My eyes narrowed for a moment, feeling bile rise to my throat.

"Why now?" I asked softly. I turned from the statue, playing catch-up, hoping that it was just my overactive imagination.

=====================///////////////====================

I just barely caught up to Jonathan as he burst through the front doors. He stood there, unmoving as I reached him. On the ground, robed bodies lay on the stone floor. I felt pain in my chest, worried for Joy's safety. Another scream pierced the air, jarring us both out of our state of shock. Jonathan ran around the building and I followed, trusting his sense of direction as we ran forward. The old monk was nowhere to be found, and my mind immediately thought of worst case scenario.

We turned a corner and there stood Darkrai, holding Joy in his claws. Unlike the first time we met who was silent, this time he was cackling madly. For a moment, he stopped and turned his gaze right at us, before shaking his head and laughing once more.

"Oh, this is perfect!" exclaimed Darkrai. I was surprised, taking a step backwards in shock. The voice had changed. It sounded like a woman. A deranged, psychotic woman.

"Why the shock, humans?" Darkrai asked gently, floating towards us in a leisurely pace. Joy wasn't struggling against her hold, though her hands held tightly on Darkrai's wrist.

I shook my head, grabbing Zin's Pokéball from my waist. "Leave her alone!" I screamed.

"Oh?" she asked mockingly. "And what are you going to do? Use your Pokémon to save her? She already tried that, you know."

Darkrai waved a hand around her, as I took stock of the area for the first time. I recognized a few of her Pokémon, namely Zefyra and Romulus. Two other Pokémon lay on the ground. One looked like a large four legged beast, covered in white fur. All four of the paws had their claws extended, revealing them to gleam in the sun. The other was covered in light brown fur, a pointed muzzle and horns decorated with green leaves. I've never seen these Pokémon before, so I guessed they had to come from Joy's trip to Unova.

"It was a valiant effort on her part, protecting you two," Darkrai said, pointing at Joy with her unoccupied claw. "I wasn't expecting her to put such a fierce effort, though. Commendable, but clearly unneeded, as you are more of a match for me."

I swallowed what spit I had in my throat, but didn't answer. Darkrai looked down at Joy, and began to laugh. She grew quiet again, the Pokémon's eyes glowing red before screaming in rage. Without preamble, Joy was launched through the air as easily as a ragdoll. Jonathan reacted immediately, jumping in the way and catching her before Joy's body slammed against the stone wall.

"Jonathan, get yourself and Joy to safety," I said grimly. "I'll handle this thing."

He opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but the look I shot him quieted any words he had against me. He nodded, grabbing hold of Joy's unmoving body and heading away. To my surprise, the bodies of Joy's four Pokémon lifted up in the air and were gently placed to the side, away from both me and Darkrai. I looked at the display, at odds of the Pokémon's gentle care that clashed with the rage she showed to us.

Darkrai stared at me unnervingly. "Pokémon have no choice to obey the humans that imprison them," she said grimly. "My quarrel is not with them. Only with the ones that stand in my way."

"Then what are you here for?" I asked.

"To do my Father's bidding," she said, as if it was the obvious answer. "Also, because I knew you'd come. My brother does like me to finish the things he does. It's so much fun!"

Brother? It was obvious that there was more than just one Darkrai, but for them to be related?

The Darkrai's laugh echoed around me, rising in pitch. My face must have revealed how I felt of the situation. "Now you're beginning to understand," she said, smiling with her eyes and clapping merrily.

"So when your brother said that the others would continue..."

"Yes! It means I get to kill you!"

Darkrai launched herself at me, a claw held forward. I dove to the side just in time, her body filling my vision for a second as I tumbled on the stone. My body rolled, precious air escaping my lungs as I stood up. I got to a kneeling position, throwing the Pokéball in my hand, releasing Zin.

"What in the blazing...?!" was all Zin managed to yell, diving out of the way as soon as Darkrai switched targets to her.

"Talk less, fight more!" I yelled. "Flamethrower!"

The odd smell of burning toxins in the air wafted through my nostrils as Zin's attack struck true. My elation soon went the opposite direction, as a barrier of energy surrounded Darkrai. I blinked, feeling that something was extremely odd.

"Zin, move!" I yelled. The Houndoom reacted by jumping to the side, just before a beam of energy lanced through Zin's previous location. Unfortunately for me, it was right in front of me. The wave of energy punched me in the chest, launching me back and I slammed against the stone wall behind me. I fell forward, thankful that it didn't hurt as much as the headache I felt. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I tried to stand.

Raising my head up as much as I could, Darkrai stood above me. One of her claws grabbed me by my shirt, pulling me up to her level. Her other claw was inches away when something hit Darkrai, releasing me from her hold. I fell to my knees, drool and blood oozing out of my panting mouth. Spitting it out, I raised my eyes to survey how much damage Zin was actually doing.

The Houndoom was currently holding on to Darkrai's neck. A sound that resembled nails on a chalkboard echoed inside my ears as Zin's claws and teeth lashed against Darkrai. I grabbed another Pokéball, grimly realizing that I only had four usable Pokémon for defending. Song doesn't have anywhere near her old power, and Spirit was probably sleeping in the woods.

I didn't bother even whispering whomever I just released, noticing that it was Akalia. I grinned, nodding. I was hoping for her, too. The Luxray didn't even wait for a command, an angry screech followed by the sound of electricity crackling as she charged forward. I managed to lift my eyesight up, just in time to see Akalia slam herself right into Darkrai's exposed torso, the shadow Pokémon's claws busy grasping for the Houndoom. Lightning charged through Darkrai's body as Akalia unleashed her electric current through contact, the smell of ozone wafting towards me, mixing with the previous burning toxin smell.

Darkrai changed tactics, grabbing hold of Akalia by the tail and lifting her from her body. Another mind breaking screech rang through the air as she slammed Akalia straight to the ground. My chest hurt just from going through a similar treatment as her, but Darkrai didn't stop there. Zin jumped, launching another Flamethrower attack, but this time no barrier came up. Instead, Darkrai grabbed Akalia and used her as a shield, placing the injured Luxray in between her and the burst of flame that came surging toward her.

"Zin, stop! You're hurting Akalia!" I yelled as loud as I could. For a moment, I was afraid that she didn't hear me, but soon the attack relented. Akalia's fur was singed, the blue fur matching the black, small embers still burning the Luxray's skin and fur.

Darkrai launched the beaten Pokémon towards Zin, the Houndoom not having the chance to dodge if she wanted to. Both bodies collided hard, Zin's howl making me cringe as both rolled along the ground.

"Zin! Akalia!" I yelled, feeling my stomach churn. If it was due to my own injuries or seeing both of them so hurt, I didn't know.

Darkrai's laugh echoed in my ears, as I turned to see her floating next to me. She was clapping merrily, a smile in her eyes.

"You're not bad!" she exclaimed. "You're Pokémon obviously care about you much more than that girl's. They didn't put so much resistance, not like these two."

I turned my vision towards where Akalia and Zin where pilled. To my immense fear, Akalia was standing on wobbly legs. Her fur was singed, missing in a few patches along her ears, but she was still standing. Zin was also standing, though looking like she's fared better than Akalia, her legs were wobbly. I grimaced as I turned to face Darkrai again, who still had that mask of happiness on.

I grabbed another Pokéball, opening it to reveal Mist. The Mismagius didn't acknowledge her opponent, immediately releasing a wave of purple energy that seemed to catch Darkrai by surprise. The wave connected, pushing the Night Walker a good distance away from us. Instead of a groan of pain or acknowledgement, Darkrai began to laugh again.

"Master?" Mist asked.

"This isn't the same Darkrai as before," I said, feeling my heart pound harder. I emptied out my mouth, the taste of blood strong in my mouth as it flew to the ground.

"Don't worry about me," I said, shaking my head. I wanted to avoid making her worry. Probably too late for that, but I needed her to focus.

She nodded. "I understand," she said simply.

Akalia and Zin rushed forward again, both Pokémon screaming at the tops of their lungs as their paws pounded the ground. Mist seemed to have read my mind, a Shadow Ball quickly forming in front of her and being launched at our still laughing attacker. Zin was the first to launch herself at Darkrai, only for her to be dodged with seemingly no effort. Akalia was luckier, grabbing hold of the shadow Pokémon's outstretched arm. Lightning flashed again, Darkrai's entire body emitting light as electricity poured through. A river of flame rushed from behind, slamming Darkrai from behind. My Luxray let go just in time to dodge Mist's Shadow Ball. A wave of dirt, air, and flecks of energy came from the impact point and the subsequent explosion as the attacks reacted together.

Akalia and Zin reappeared next to me, no worse for wear. Akalia looked up and me with a satisfied look. I was now able to see the damage that was done to her, and she shook her head, before falling in front of me. I dropped to my knees, a cold numbness passing through me as I pressed my hands against her chest. Quickly finding her pulse, my heart skipped a beat or two when I felt her pulse becoming weak and erratic. My imagination or not, I quickly pulled her Pokéball and recalled her, hoping that the capsule will stabilize her long enough.

A maniacal laughter reached my ears as I stared ahead in disbelief. Though the white mane flowing behind her back looked singed, and smoke billowed from her body, she was still laughing. If anything, Darkrai was laughing harder than before. She was still floating, as if nothing had happened. If she was feeling any pain, it wasn't being shown, and either Akalia's attack wasn't enough to harm her arm, or she was deliberately ignoring the pain.

A purple colored sigil appeared behind Darkrai, quickly disappearing into a sparkle of dust. I swallowed whatever liquid I had in my mouth as I felt the ground shake for a moment before the stone ahead of us was launched in our direction. I grabbed Zin as fast as I could react and jumped to the side, managing to dodge the majority of the attack. A few stray boulders, easily the size of my torso, were still headed my way. I turned to my side, hoping to shield Zin from any more harm before a shimmer of light filled my vision. Turning around, Mist was floating next to me, her form shimmering with purple energy as she maintained the barrier to protect us from harm.

Darkrai didn't stop to gloat this time, flying forward with both claws outstretched. Mist's barrier held as Darkrai's claws raked along the surface of the shield, the sound akin to metal grinding against metal screeching through the air. Zin whined softly as I tried to block out the horrid sound. Mist closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, a flash of purple light visible to me as Darkrai was physically pushed away by the growing shield. As the light grew stronger, I could tell that the shield had taken the majority of the damage, as even Mist couldn't repair the gouges that crisscrossed the surface. Zin squirmed out of my grasp, rushing again towards Darkrai. My mind raced, trying to give direction to the Houndoom as she charged headfirst into the fray once more.

A blue aura surrounded Darkrai as she extended a claw towards Zin. I reacted as, praying that this would work.

"Zin, Smog!" I yelled loudly. Dark smoke billowed from Zin as she continued to charge forward. Enveloped inside the cover, it was my hope that Darkrai couldn't sense her. The Night Walker still fired her attack, a blue lance of energy shooting forward, and missing her intended target. The only reason I know that Zin was safe is because I had to dodge the beam. The air seemed to be frozen, as if winter came early for a split second.

Darkrai fired a few more of these frozen beams, Zin dodging them through the veil of smoke that she continued to produce. The veil held dark clouds that while they continued to dissipate she created to replace what was lost. Her field moved with her, and I was fearful that her movements might become predictable. Even Darkrai seemed to think down this train of thought, launching beams at where she should be. But when she did this, gouts of flame would burst from the smog, coming from an unusual angle.

Mist took the opportunity to enter the fray, launching white sparks that contrasted against the dark smog surrounding the combat zone. As Darkrai turned to face Mist, the pebbles exploded on impact. Darkrai looked confused or dazed for a moment as Mist pressed the advantage. A swirl of energy cradled around Mist as she approached, Zin appearing from her cover to stand underneath the ghost. Both attacks seemed to converge, Mist's attack sucking up the smog that Zin constantly produced from her maw. The wall of smog pushed towards Darkrai, encompassing her utterly. Zin flopped on her belly, her body heaving as she panted. Mist's body was surrounded by her usual purple energy, matching the swirl of energy that surrounded Darkrai. I ran towards Zin, pressing a hand against her side gently. She gave me a wide smile, her paws shakily rising from the ground to touch my arm. The swirl of energy stopped for a moment, a cry from Mist making my skin crawl. For an instant, the swirl seemed to pulse, and then shrink in size at a dramatic pace. This kept up for a few seconds, until only but a ball floated above the ground.

The ball was about as tall as I was, if maybe a little shorter. I looked over to Mist, who began to float over to me. She smiled at me, before her eyes closed and she stumbled forward. I quickly caught her, falling on my side to make sure she was safe. Pain flared through my chest, but the smile on her face made the pain worth it. She whispered softly, and I pressed my ear against her to see if I could hear or understand her. I felt her mouth against my cheek, her breathless voice saying one thing.

"Run."

Wind rushed against my face, pushing me backwards as I held on to Mist. My body rolled along the ground, my strength sapped as the pain returned in full force. When I managed to finally stop, Zin rolled up next to me. Looking upwards, the small ball was pulsating, beams of light piercing the outer casing. Within moments, the ball cracked and broke without much fanfare, though it did reveal a ragged Darkrai from the confines of her temporary prison.

While Mist was still battle ready, Zin had taken some punishment already. Xola was the only Pokémon I had that could even keep up with me at this moment. My heart pounded in my chest, and I wondered where Jonathan could be. I hoped that Joy was alright, too. I scowled, standing up on shaky knees. As I made a grab for Xola's Pokéball, an angry hum filled the air. Slowly at first, it quickly picked up momentum as Spirit flew into sight. Without preamble, she flew straight into Darkrai, slashing forward as she flew by. Darkrai couldn't even make a move to dodge or counter, taking the hit as gracefully as falling down a flight of stairs. The Night Walker tumbled backwards, ribbons of shadow flying through the air as Spirit's claws made contact. Darkrai's body fell, unmoving for a moment, as my Flygon walked towards me quickly.

She placed a hand on my shoulder, pushing me down so I would be sitting down. Spirit began to fuss over me, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Her expression turned from angry to shocked, probably upon noticing the dried blood that was around my lips. Before she could vocalize anything, Darkrai laughed. As I looked up, Darkrai was floating upwards again, her head tilted back. She continued laughing, and I just couldn't tell if she was just crazy, or she was enjoying this a little bit too much.

She continued to laugh, her arms holding her sides as she shook her head. She managed to compose herself after a few more moments of laughter. When she did, however, I could visibly see the damage that Spirit inflicted. Three massive gouges crossed Darkrai's body horizontally. They were unlike any wound I've seen before, as they glowed with a sickly green color. She gave a brief chuckle, shaking her head again. When she spoke, her voice was happy.

"Are we still playing?" she asked sweetly, before her eyes began to gleam red again. "Good. Because I wasn't done killing yet."