PMD: Stargazer Chronicles

Avenger- Departure

Dark waves rippled back and forth. Buneary Luke lied down with his paws under his head, but couldn't get comfortable. Togetic Morgan seemed to be able to sleep anywhere, even on hard, cold wood. A looming nausea made him question if he was seasick.

The raft they made held up against the calm sea. They didn't have a plan, but Luke wanted to leave the island long enough to go without one. All they made were two oars and semi-short walls to keep the water out. The Keldeo's horn rested in between them as they lay back on different sides.

Morgan's voice improved at a steady pace, but not enough for her to talk freely. Luke had to wonder and guess what she was thinking most of the time. More than anything, he wanted to know about where she came from. It would be a little while yet: he had something else to ask about first.

During his time on the island, the sky remained bleak and gray from morning to midnight. Tonight, reflected in the dark waves, the sky lit up in a new, unfamiliar way that shook him to the core. A huge band of light shining like the moon stretched out past the horizon like a silver rainbow. It dominated the sky to the point where it resembled daylight around it. He may have been missing his memories, but he knew he'd never seen this before.

Morgan still shuffled around in place. Luke could still ask her.

"Hey, Morgan," Luke said. "That huge light in the sky, I just have no clue what it is. On the island, the sky was always covered because of Lugia. I never really saw the moon or sun."

"The moon is gone," she answered. Her voice's strength surprised Luke.

"Gone? What do you mean?"

"I don't know what happened to it. My parents told me it disappeared one day, and the rings formed around the equator. They're useful for measuring where you are, but I didn't learn how to do that." Morgan's head rose. "Do they scare you?"

"They're, ah... Different."

Morgan's head rested back down. "They're all I've ever known. I've never seen the moon."

"Is it... normal for there to be, like, a dark line over it?"

Togetic Morgan stood up. Buneary Luke copied her. A long, string-like shadow dangled in front of the rings. It blended into the horizon.

"That is a waterspout," said Morgan.

"What's a waterspout?" Luke asked.

"It's a tornado on the ocean."

"I don't even see any storm clouds. How is that possible?"

"It's not. We're under attack."

"I can't swim," blurted Luke. "I'm sorry, this is it. But, uh, please impale me before it hits. Dying by drowning's always been a fear of mine. I think? Actually, can I swim..."

Morgan bent down and picked up the indigo blade. "I'll fight it myself," she said. "You keep moving."

"Uh, hey... Look, I get that you're strong and everything, but I don't think you can cut a tornado."

"We must fight."

Luke grasped his head. As Morgan flew, he collapsed to the floor. The pain in his head spread throughout his entire body.

"Luke, get up. We have to fight."

"I can't. I can't do this. They don't deserve this."

"You deserve to live. They're the ones making you fight. Don't get it twisted."

Luke looked up. His strong, brown eyes stared down at him. His indigo horn cut the sunlight in half. He stood as strong as his words, like he always did.