Pokémon x Male Reader-The Sounds of Battle

Chapter 18-Cornered In the Open

I don't own Pokémon. If I did, then Ice would have more than one type resistance.

_______________________________

A fortress of infinite solitude.

An endless expanse beneath the scorching sands.

It was here that great heroes and warriors alike rose and fell.

For one to step into these halls meant that they were walking among legends.

"..."

_________________________________

Welcome to the Relic Castle!

You are at Entrance 9-6

Remember to stay along the Marked Path!

Enjoy the attraction with your eyes only

Thank You! Nacrene Society of History!

_________________________________

"Way to ruin the whole intense vibe we had going on." Upon entering the ruins, the first thing you were greeted with was a warning sign very obviously meant to deter any foolishness. Well, actually you were greeted with a whole lot of old rocks before the sign, but who really cared about that?

After all, old stones were not the most eye catching of things, unless you were a certain Hoenn champion.

"And I ain't champion material." Anyways, next to the board was a life size wooden cut out of a Cofagrigus, the purple paint meant to depict its ghostly body faded and worn. Its red eyes looked more tired than intimidating, like a substitute teacher who'd really just had it up to 'here' with the class's nonsense. The Pokémon was wagging a phantom finger, as if preemptively scolding any potential wrongdoers.

Speaking of doing wrong, you were about to trespass into the depths of a place where it was not only effectively illegal to do so, but was also definitely extremely dangerous. Combine that with the non negligible property damage you'd contributed to outside, and the intent of the sign was already dead on arrival.

"Lo-Me-Ta?" Meloetta raised an arm to poke your cheek, curious as to your reason for standing around and doing nothing. "Ta-Lo?" A fair concern, if you were being honest.

You scrunched up your face in confusion. "That's the problem. I spent so much time thinking about how we were supposed to get in here, that I have absolutely zero clue where we're even supposed to go now."

Well, obviously, you were supposed to go down.

However, that was easier said than done. Nothing had been a straight shot thus far, and you definitely didn't expect this to be any different. There was ample direction and signage towards some watered down tourist spots, but no grand staircase and red carpet for any potential tomb raiders or Pokémon thieves.

No apparent sand pits for you to fall in either.

In other words, you might as well have been rolling a dice for each path you decided to take.

"Though really, my odds might end up a tad better if I leave it up to chance. Maybe I should purchase a magic eight ball for my travels." You thought sarcastically, mindlessly wandering along the marked path in hopes of finding...something.

More faded signs with goofy depictions of Pokémon, all with that same bored expression Cofagrigus wore...

What looked to be the molted shell of a sandshrew...

"Pawn!" Pawniard dug her blade into the sand, furiously poking at the ground. Her blade dislodged a few pebbles, which bounced against the back of your legs.

Thanks Pawniard.

"Shit, I should've thought this through more." You muttered, strolling through a room marked with statues of what appeared to be famous warriors of sorts. Even if they were mere statues, you couldn't help but feel small in their presence. Them being triple your height probably helped with the feeling.

Pawniard and Meloetta followed closely behind, the former of whom was still trying to chip her way down. Given another millennium or so, she may have actually been successful in her endeavor. "Or maybe not, considering her blades might-"

"-break." Your thoughts were instantly halted when you entered the next room. And by goodness, was it a room. Calling it a grand entrance hall would've been an insult, because this could've served as the centerpiece of an ancient nation on its lonesome. It almost resembled some sort of cathedral, with its massive curved ceiling and expansive design.

A titanic mural stretched along the length of the room, so absurdly large that it would've taken a single artist a lifetime to complete. The left side depicted a figure in white, standing above a crowd of feasting people and Pokémon. Wisps of flame poured from the figure's mouth, and the people rejoiced, their hearts and bellies alike full.

The right depicted a series of dark figures speaking among each other, the tallest of which sat huddled among the masses. Their forms muddled and twisted into a mess of black lightning as the mural trailed along, until human and Pokémon were no longer distinguishable from one another.

Dozens of stairwells stretched upwards, leading into a series of balconies directly above the set of murals. In turn, pillars of worn stone cut through the balconies, rising high to the ceiling, where light shone through from a series of openings on the ceiling above. Said light reflected off a massive sundial in the center of the room, marking the time as somewhere past noon. The ancient clock occupied half of the room by itself, and had remained virtually flawless despite the immense passage of time.

The place has to be just as big as the sky arena back at Castelia was, stands included. That was an absurd thought. Why, it would've taken minutes of pacing to reach from one side to the other.

"Me-Lo-Ta!" Meloetta gawked at the sheer scale of everything, and while you may have teased it another time, your own jaw was more than likely wide open. Even Pawniard, who could only find artistry in all things violent, gave an approving nod to the beautiful piece of art.

*click*

One of the Pokéballs on your belt snapped open.

"L-Larvesta!" You jumped as the bug type appeared in a flash of red, her wide eyes and tense posture a stark contrast to the usual sleepy state she emerged in.

"A-are you hungry?" You leaned down to scoop up the Pokémon, but the bug type effortlessly sidestepped you, rolling across the ground. "This place isn't exactly safe for you. You should just-"

"Lar. Vest-Lar." The bug type tapped the ground with one of her foremost legs, a pleading look in her eyes. Her stubby leg traced circular patterns in the sand.

"Me-Meloetta?" Now the normal type looked just as lost as you, nervously tugging on the silk scarf that it always wore.

"Lar! Larvesta..." The bug type fell onto her back, rolling around in circles aimlessly. Like a cat sunbathing, she slid across the sand, lounging at the base of the sundial.

"What's gotten into you, I wonder?" You reached down, arms tightening around Larvesta's torso. The Pokémon squealed as you lifted her into the air. "You've been restless for a while, and now this?"

Perhaps it was something in the air? Larvesta did seem to like the sun, and as luck would have it, the relic castle had been kind enough to make sure you weren't spared, by virtue of the dozens of crevices and openings in the ceiling.

You were very much regretting the decision to wear heavy clothing for protection. "Meloetta-Lo! Me-Ta!" Meloetta helped to translate Larvesta's squeak, waving its arms around frantically.

"A...home?" No, perhaps that wasn't the right word for it. But Larvesta obviously wanted to nestle up the dangerous castle with lots of dangerous people running around.

Go figure.

Was she sensing the Volcarona below? No doubt that Pokémon gave off plenty of natural heat. Perhaps it was a genetic memory sort of thing? "But that wouldn't make any sense either. I doubt Alder would've plundered an egg from the castle, especially when he had a Volcarona of his own already available. Unless he bred him with the one in the castle? Wonder how that conversation would've gone down."

"Lar-Ves-Taaaa!" The Pokémon yawned, resting her chin against your hand. "Ta!" Her eyes fell towards the ground, beneath the sundial and unto sacred depths.

Regardless of the Pokémon's true reasoning, she was having some sort of reaction to the castle. That meant progress, which was better than you walking in circles with your mouth hung open like a fool. You came in here on limited time, so the least you could do was make sure the rest of the precious resource wasn't burned away.

"Say, Larvesta. Can you feel something...in the castle, I mean?" This was it. This was the breakthrough you desperately needed!

"Lar. Ves-Lar!" The Pokémon began to squirm in your arms, her eyes burning with passion. None of this had been futile after all!

"Then lead the way!" Larvesta chirped excitedly, legs pointed outwards, carving a trail towards an encounter that would forever shape your destiny.

At last, you and all three of your Pokémon marched as one. Even when the sun beat down on your backs, and the fatigue wore heavily on your souls, none could hold you back in your grand journey.

Nothing could overcome the simple overwhelming power of conviction.

"Lar!"

Her nose led you directly to-

-a dead end.

"Pawn?" The steel type poked her head around the room, looking for any sort of secret or trap, but came up with nothing more than a face full of dust, courtesy of some old vase.

"Woo-Bat?" A flying ball of fluff in the corner sniffed the air, trying to discern the reason for its sudden rude awakening. A reason that was sitting in your arms, looking quite proud of herself.

Beneath the flying type was a pile of berries, very dry berries, but berries nonetheless. "Meloetta..." That single tired word from your first Pokémon was equally expressive of what you'd wanted to say.

"And that would explain it. If we ever need to find some magical berries, then I guess I have the tool for the job." You lowered your head, defeated. "Well, we tried at least...guess that means we need a plan B."

"Ves-Ta?" Sensing your sudden distress, the bug type poked her nose into the crook of your shoulder.

"Good effort." You praised, scratching the back of Larvesta's neck, to which she cooed happily. "But...I don't think this is exactly what we're looking for." That may have been a bit of an understatement.

"Laaar..." She hung her head in shame.

"D-don't worry too much! Give it another try, and I'm sure you'll lead us there in no time!" At your praise, the bug type was motivated once more, her affinity for heat a northern star amongst a sea of dark.

...

Or maybe not.

As a matter of fact, she would not lead you "there" in no time. She would lead you quite a lot of places, but "there" was certainly not one of them. If it was any consolation though, Larvesta had seemed to have locked onto something this time, with the only problem being that this vague 'something' was sending you all running in circles.

The place was an absolute maze, to say the least. Dozens of hallways zigzagging in each and every direction, leading to apparently bottomless sand pits and staircases. To complicate matters more, some of the paths were flooded with sand, or similarly caved in.

Or occupied by a nest of very pissed off looking Geodude.

More colored signs marked the optimal path for tourists, but you obviously weren't here to check out the sights. "Lar! Lar!"

The bug type continued to guide you up and down stairs, across landings and through aged hallways. You certainly weren't getting any deeper, but you were getting hotter. In a temperature sense, anyways.

Whether that meant something, or you were just losing your mind...well, that remained to be seen. Eventually, the wriggling bug type led you up a spiraling staircase, and into a room with a massive bridge that spanned its entire length. Dozens of pillars rose up from around the bridge, sinking into the cracked ceiling above.

A good vantage point, or so you thought. "Maybe we should take a quick break. This seems safe, and Larvesta might need some time to regain her bearings. If only-"

*clang* *clang*

Sudden footsteps sounded from a doorway in the lower section of the room. Footsteps that very much echoed those of Bedivere.

"Crap. Crap!" Grabbing Meloetta by the back of its silk scarf, and Larvesta behind the scruff of her neck, you ducked behind a nearby pillar, Pawniard in tow. Larvesta began to squeak in worry, but was quickly silenced by the palm of your hand.

"Keep thyself alert, Skarmory." A smooth voice followed the pounding of footsteps, as whomever it was marched their way into the room you were in. "While that fool Bedivere is far too brash for my liking, there's no denying his capabilities. Either that fool is waltzing back to us to run his mouth, or he's going to have to write an apology letter on our behalf later."

"Mor-Skar-Mor!" A shrill cry answered, followed by a sudden gust of wind that echoed across the silent halls. Metal claws clicked against stone as the steel type joined its trainer.

"It's time to go. Yet again." Placing your finger against your lips, you tucked Larvesta up into your arms, Pawniard and Meloetta trailing close behind.

*clank* *clank*

You let out a silent sigh of relief as the ironclad footfalls began to pace away from you, and towards the entrance of Relic Castle. Within seconds, you had lost sight of his location, metallic footsteps booming with the assistance of the ruin's natural acoustics.

Only for you to start panicking again once you realized what that meant. "Shit. Virgil's back there, and he's practically defenseless! If this chooch manages to get his buddy up and moving again..."

"Bedivere! Hear me!" The knight roared from somewhere beneath you, his voice pounding across the vast entryway. So loud was his cry, in fact, that dust began to trickle from the ceiling, spilling across your face. "What is your status? Are you in need of assistance?"

"Damn it. I know that I'm on a mission and all, but I'd feel like a real Bastard if I-"

"L-Lar!" The hug type began to squirm in your arms, a sudden sense of dread appearing in her eyes.

"Lo. Me-Lo!" Meloetta whispered frantically, trying to calm down the writhing Larvesta.

I did not work.

"SKAR! Skarmory!" You flinched from the sheer power behind the steel type's cry, desperately trying to get Larvesta back under control before she gave away your position.

"L-Larvesta, what's gotten into you?" You gasped as the Bug type dropped to the stony floor, pawing at the ground. It was almost as if she was trying to burrow, like she did to your stomach at night on occasion. Only now, there were no cozy blankets to be seen, nor was your stomach beneath her.

Nothing but ruins and a very determined knight who was pounding across the castle in search of a companion you'd downed.

*clang* *clang*

"Who goes there?" The knight thundered, causing your heart to plummet into your chest.

"That's it! We're found out!" Pawniard brought her blades into a defensive position as you all anticipated the worst.

"Shrew! Sandshrew!" A few bothered squeaks from a wild Pokémon below answered the knight's earlier call.

"Never mind."

Regardless, you were burning time. Either you made the sensible decision and made a break for it away from the baffled paladin, or you made the moral one and attempted to draw him away from Virgil somehow.

Neither option was good. Both left your mind racing with doubt.

Though it seemed that fate would make the decision for you.

"L-Lar!" The bug type yelped, jumping backwards. You went pale when you realized the root cause.

Hundreds of thousands of metallic thorns glimmered across the floor, down the hallways, across the bridge that passed over the sand pits, and even clumped together beneath the sand below.

More importantly, one of them was now lodged in Larvesta. Spikes. A trap meant to catch any unwanted visitors off guard, which it certainly had, and that meant-

The footsteps had stopped.

The hissing of air soon followed-

*thunk* Meloetta ducked down just in time for a feather forged of pure steel to lodge itself right where its head had been mere seconds before.

Then another.

Then another.

*thunk* Like guided missiles, ironclad feathers spun around the pillars. Guided by wind, they curved at impossible angles, clattering to the ground as you dove for cover behind a worn vase.

"Niard!" Pawniard let out a ferocious hiss, bisecting one of the feathers straight down the middle with a casual swing of her arm. A few more bounced off of a psychic shield, sinking into Meloetta's barrier.

"How'd they lock onto us so quickly? I know that Pokémon have great hearing and all, but any sound we make should at least echo!" Gritting your teeth, you wheeled around, desperately searching for a route of escape.

Larvesta whimpered from beneath your feet, prodding your leg in search of some moral support. The Pokémon quickly found its way into your arms once more. Hopefully, for good this time.

"Skarrrrrr-" Lights danced across the floor, sunlight reflecting off the metal armor of the Pokémon. In a burst of wind, the Pokémon appeared from beneath the edge of the ledge you were standing near.

Its wings were like metal fans; its beak the blade of a cutlass. Predatory birds were already menacing predators on their own, but strap on an entire armory to their bodies, and you were left with something that truly redefined the meaning of apex. Beneath that tempered steel armor lay a beast more threatening than any weapon ever could be. Predatory eyes flickered across the corners of your vision, locking onto you.

"Skaaaaar..." The Pokémon sang once again, curving in midair and blasting forward with a horrific screech. Like a row of missiles launched from underneath the wings of a fighter jet, dozens of steely feathers erupted forth, sinking into the ground next to you, and forcing Meloetta to jump back.

Pawniard dove forward, before another row of feathers instantly sunk into the floor, directly where Pawniard had just been standing. "Torment!" You called, intending to stop the little spout of raining knives.

Pawniard let out a demented cackle, dark energy spewing from her mouth and halting the next row of feathers before Skarmory could even launch them.

"Skaaar!" The flying mess of metal screeched in retaliation, before setting loose a wave of chilled air directly towards Pawniard. With nothing but a flap of its wings, ice raced across the ground, and you felt the temperature immediately plummet.

"Meloetta! Quick Attack into Protect!" You cried, and your first Pokémon dove forward in a streak of white, just in time for the wave of ice to careen off of an invisible shield, waves of frost quickly piling up atop the formerly scorching bridge.

"Me-Lo-Me!" Meloetta grunted as the wave of cold intensified, pouring around the Protect, and casting the pillar behind it in a shell of ice.

Frost crystals scattered across the ground, shredded into tiny fragments. But before the first attack could even end, another began. Picked up by the force of a sudden whirlwind, a swirling typhoon of air and ice spun around Meloetta and Pawniard, painting the air thickly with razor sharp pieces of ice, briefly trapping your two strongest Pokémon where they stood.

It happened so fast. The ice, enhanced by the wind, spread across the ground in a split second, until you were forced to step back, lest you get caught in a similar frosty grave.

"It's trying to divide and conquer us, obviously." The steel type sailed above you, chirping frantically, wings flapping wildly to provoke even more furious winds. "But to what end?"

"As expected, I thought I smelled a Rattata." A sudden voice boomed from behind you, and in the reflection of the ice below-

A titan of a man stood above you, fist raised high above his head.

"L-Larvesta, Protect!" A wall of invisible light erupted above your head, just in time to catch the armored fist aimed at your skull.

*clang*

"Lar!" You felt your teeth rattle as death was stopped mere inches above you. Larvesta began yelping up a frenzy as Skarmory dove down, claws outstretched-

-only for the steel type to breeze above you at the last possible moment.

Like a falconer, the knight raised an arm to catch his returning Pokémon. Steel clicked against steel as Skarmory began to roost, predatory eyes full of curiosity. The titanic bird was comically oversized, nearly the height of the man itself, but somehow the knight made the task of holding it up appear easy.

You took a few cautious steps back, panting heavily. The typhoon of ice and wind still spun behind you, sending chills up your spine. Larvesta pushed herself into your chest, desperately trying to escape the cold.

"You have a splendid reaction time, if nothing else." The knight complimented.

His appearance was quite similar to Bedivere's, though with any and all traces of pink on his outfit swapped for blue, the color as bright as the sky itself. A noble cape fluttered behind him, the ends curling upwards like singed paper.

The top of his helmet was decorated with a brilliant bouquet of plumage, and in his off hand, he balanced three steely feathers, likely plucked from the Pokémon standing on his other arm. The long crimson blades trailed across the ice as he took a step towards you. "I take it Bedivere has been defeated then?"

"You'd be correct." You gulped, casting a nervous glance towards the trembling Larvesta hiding in your arms. "He's-well-he's sort of tied up at the moment,

"I see, then you have my respect." He bowed his head towards you, the plumage atop it swaying dramatically as he did so. "No matter the circumstance, besting any of us is no small feat. You may call me Sir. Percival, knight of the eastern wind."

Skarmory raised one of his legs, picking at the side of its head. "Speaking of small feats, I think we went about twenty minutes without running into something life threatening." Larvesta fell still, clinging to your chest as the true danger of the situation set in. "If what Bedivere said was true...then a fight with this guy will be improbable at best, and a guaranteed loss at worst."

You clenched your first as the knight rose to face you once again. "I'm not letting that happen." Skarmory was still maintaining the storm around Pawniard, albeit much more slowly than before.

In other words, you had an opening.

And you were going to take it.

"Y-you want to know what else is no small feat?" Your voice shook as you tried your best to appear as meek as possible. "I...think you'll find it quite interesting."

"And what would that be, young man?" The knight flicked his knives dangerously, not at all impressed despite your earlier words.

He was wide open.

"Larvesta! Ember!" You belted out, lifting Larvesta in front of you like that one scene from the Lion king. Sparks erupted from her uppermost horns, before a bullet of fire erupted forward, heating the chilled air.

Percival threw up his arms to defend himself, but the distance between sender and receiver was not in his favor. "You crooked-" He belted out as flames washed across his torso, knocking him off balance and sending another flurry of sparks towards the ground.

"Mor! Mory!" Skarmory squeaked as its master was assailed by flame, desperately fanning its wings in an attempt to dispel the fire spreading around its master's cape.

The man roared in a sudden fury, clothes igniting as he attempted to regain his bearings. The wall of wind and ice fell.

Completely disregarding the fact that you had just for all intents and purposes assaulted somebody, you made another excellent split second decision in your bid to escape.

Tucking Larvesta safely into your arms, you dove off a bridge, praying that Meloetta's reaction time would guarantee you safety. "All of you! Move it!" You called to the Pokémon behind you.

Some actions spoke a million words, and some spoke a billion. When one was motivated to leap off a bridge into a pit of hot sand and spikes, that said a lot about what they were choosing to escape from.

Thankfully, a shell of Psychic power erupted around you before you could even fall half that distance, courtesy of Meloetta.

A sound that resembled the crack of a whip followed an instant after, followed by another furious cry from Skarmory.

Your hand fell to your waist immediately, searching for Pawniard's Pokéball in case of the worst. The barrier around you and Larvesta quickly dissipated, shattering into purple sparks as you landed on the other side of the trap-ridden sand. Directly behind was a corridor, your only viable option for escape.

"You'll pay for that one boy!" A furious voice howled from above. From the edge of the bridge lept Percival, the front of his helmet covered in blackened soot. Skarmory's claws fell onto his shoulders, the Pokémon swiftly turning itself into an improvised hang glider.

"Meloetta! Dazzling Gleam! Pawniard! Sucker Punch!" You choked out as the very angry man you'd just assaulted cocked back a fist, said iron gauntlet descending directly towards you.

Blind them.

Use the momentum of the priority move to close the gap.

That was your plan.

"Me-Lo-Ta!" Meloetta chorused, sending forth dozens of gleaming fairy projectiles that sparkled with a truly mystical light. Any corners of the room left darkened were immediately lit up by the pinkish glow.

"Tailwind!" Percival roared in retaliation.

"Skaaaar!" Came a war cry from the steel type as the room exploded with a divine wave of wind. A miniature sandstorm exploded through the air as Meloetta's projectiles were sent sailing in all directions, shearing stone and dousing the ancient earth in fairy energy.

Skarmory and Percival blurred as they flew forward, surging forward like the bolt of a ballista. That was, until a swirling mass of black dove from the bridge above, exploding through the turbulent breeze, before sinking a blade dipped in darkness into the courier of wind.

*frooooosh*

The walls of the chamber bent and deformed as the wind currents became unstable. Pawniard and Skarmory were sent flying in different directions as the latter of the Pokémon was knocked off course.

Your clothes pressed against your body, the currents of air lifting you off of the ground as the Tailwind reached its apex, taking the form of a razor tight tornado that split through the bridge in the center of the room, dropping chunks off earth into the center of the already unstable ruin.

Sand stuck your eyes, and stung the back of your throat as you lifted Pawniard's Pokéball, aiming to make a quick escape. "Meloetta, drop the-" You choked out, yelping in pain as your eyes stung with the fury of a thousand onions.

"Me-Lo-Ta!" The normal type yelped, throwing out its arm to catch you in a psychic barrier before you and Larvesta could be acquainted with the wall behind you.

*thunk*

Your teeth were rattled as your head fell against the back of the shield. Larvesta fell, tiny body bouncing off of the bottom of the barrier. "Psybeam! Try and stun-" You cried, voice muffled by the furious winds.

"Oh no you don't!" Speaking of fury, here came the emotion in physical form. "Aerial Ace! Take out the psychic!"

Exploding through the sand, the knight dropped into a roll, singed cloak still howling in the raging winds. Skarmory surged through the air like a dragonfly on a sugar rush, steel type wings coated to the brim in even more concentrated steel type energy.

You tried to cry out. "Pro-" Yet Skarmory made contact, wings piercing through Meloetta's guard and breaking skin.

"Drill peck!" The knight roared in the precious seconds you were left dumbstruck by the impact, and with Meloetta still near skewered on the end of its blades, Skarmory brought its head forward, punching into Meloetta like the head of a lance.

*crack*

Meloetta was sent flying into the wall, its skull rattling as the stone exploded beneath it. Trace amounts of blood clung to the wall as the Pokémon slowly slid to the ground, gasping in pain. Tailwind roared as the barrier around you shattered into countless pieces, you and Larvesta falling onto the ground.

Skarmory screeched in satisfaction as it's Master rose, frantically searching for you in the midst of the miniature sandstorm. "Meddlesome Brat! Skarmory, find them."

"Larvesta." You whispered, struggling to stand. "Heal Meloetta, I'll buy time."

Even in her fear, Larvesta did not falter, quickly rushing off to provide Meloetta with support via Morning Sun. Meanwhile, you were looking for... "There!"

Pawniard rose from the sand, looking a bit dazed, but in far better shape than Meloetta had been a second ago. Her lone eye met yours, and the sparks of anger in her eyes told you all you needed to know.

Well, that and the Fury Cutter she'd been preparing for the past moment or so, the sword at the ends of her left arm already glowing with bug type energy. The one on the right flickered with shadow.

*swish* *swish*

Her blades spun through the sand, gaining traction with each passing moment. Skarmory swirled around the center of the room, circling its trainer.

"Ves!" A sudden beam of sun lit up the other side of the chamber, flickering in the face of the overwhelming winds. The effect was immediate. Knight and armored bird alike spun to face the sunbeam, inadvertently exposing themselves in the process.

"Time to act! Let's see you bastards handle these!" Gritting your teeth, you dove out of hiding, rolling to a stop like some form of exhausted tumbleweed. If your opponent was surprised, he did not show it.

"Ho-ho! A desperate measure, or perhaps..." The knight mused to himself, before throwing a hand forward. "Nonetheless, you-"

His boast would not be witnessed by the world. Not today.

"Pawniard! Sucker Punch into Fury Cutter! Meloetta! Stilled Resonance!"

No, you weren't just mumbling nonsense. Quite the opposite, In fact. For in theory, you had just unleashed one of your greatest cards.

Moves of your very own. Techniques unique to your Pokémon.

In a way, they were a trainer's greatest weapon, especially when they had not been revealed before. Knowing was half the fight after all. Regardless-

"Skar?" The titanic bird squawked as a glowing green sickle materialized a hair's length away from its face. With a furious hiss, the offending steel type brought down the powered up variation of Fury Cutter, sending sparks flying as spittle flew out of Skarmory's beak in droplets.

A moment later, the attack destabilized, and Pawniard fell to the ground.

While not a special move of its own yet, Pawniard's attack was in essence, a prototype. That being a combination of Fury Cutter and Sucker Punch. In one of her blades, the dark type energy for the priority move is materialized, and using the augmented speed of the move, Pawniard is then able to deal whatever attack she wields in her off hand with a swiftness that would not have otherwise been possible. In other words...

If mastered, Pawniard could basically turn any cutting type move into a priority move. A hurdle to perfect indeed, and while the lack of mastery made itself known by the delay in between the two attacks, it was by no means a small feat.

Any attack at sufficiently high speeds could be threatening. In this case, that massively powered up Fury Cutter. While of no threat to Skarmory itself, the sheer quantity of energy released did something far more pressing than threaten the Pokémon.

It threatened the trainer. Bug type energy tore through the sand, sending even more sparks flying as it ricocheted off of Percival's armor. Percival whipped his head around, no doubt intending to shout something, but he could not. Not when his very voice was being silenced by the psychic bubble now wrapped around his head.

Stilled Resonance. Logic dictated that if Meloetta's barriers could hold the strength of its own voice, then that of an enemy trainer was of no issue. This technique accomplished just that, severing a line of communication critical in battle. Obviously illegal in a league sanctioned match, but this was the real world, where rules and moral restrictions tended to be far more loose.

That wasn't the extent of the movie though. The applications were practically endless. Halting any sound based move, trapping the shockwaves from Echoed Voice or Hyper Voice within, it was as versatile as any other move if used properly.  Even more importantly, unlike Pawniard's technique, this one was already near mastered, primed and ready for any and all forms of combat.

Speaking of being primed for combat, Meloetta was up and ready to go. "Cloak, and use Sing!" Meloetta's form blinked out of existence, the shimmering air that usually marked the Pokémon's location diving upwards. Instinctively, you plugged your ears as melodic notes poured down from above in a gentle shower of song, your opponent powerless to give any sort of counter commands.

Skarmory let out a frustrated squawk at the apparent lack of orders, before the winds died down just enough to lower the veil of sand, and treat the steel type to a view of its struggling trainer. "Larvesta, use String Shot on his hand! Pawniard! Guard her!"

"Ves-Ta!" The bug type chirped, a thin trail of silver thread erupting from her face an instant later. Said wire caught Percival's hand as it was reaching to his belt, jerking his hand away from the Pokéballs that lay there. His movements grew frantic as he began a tug of war with Larvesta, the bug type squeaking as she was dragged across the ground.

Despite Percival's best efforts though, the bug was winning. Handily, you might add. Another string was sent forth, this one wrapping around his midsection.

The drowsy Skarmory grew even more desperate, swinging its head around wildly in a last desperate attempt to protect itself and its trainer. Its strength began to fade as Meloetta's song continued, the Pokémon's head slumping downward.

You stepped forward, intent on making sure that the pair were well and truly dealt with. That was it. That tiny mistake was all it took to change the course of the fight.

Percival's armored face fell onto you, and it was in that moment you realized that his prior weakness was likely feigned. The armor above the man's free hand snapped open, an iron crossbow bursting into position via unseen mechanisms beneath his steel plating. In the blink of an eye, it was aimed at your heart, the iron tipped bolt gleaming in the room's sunlight.

"That's!" Your blood ran cold. Had he wished it so, he could've potentially ended your life. Though whether for a moral or pragmatic reason, the trigger was not pulled.

It was a feint. One that not only you fell for, but that Meloetta also fell for. Only once you noticed the psychic barrier around you did you also notice that Meloetta's song had stopped.

"Drill Peck! Windlass Style!" Percival roared, bringing up one of his knives to hack through Larvesta's threads. The bug type fell back with a yelp, sprawling onto the sand.

Skarmory's neck snapped back, its beak wrapped in hyper compressed wind. Then, almost like a machine gun in motion, the Pokémon head became a blur as countless ranged Drill Pecks were sent in Pawniard's direction.

*thoom-thoom-thoom-thoom*

It really was almost like gunfire, only far more devastating. There was no projectile. No charge up time. From wherever Skarmory pecked at the air, anything and everything was pulverized for hundreds of feet in a straight line.

"Pawniard! Move!" You shouted in a panic, just in time for part of the blade on Pawniard's head to outright disappear within Skarmory's line of fire.

*thoom*

*thoom*

*thoom*

*thoom*

The building's foundations cracked and groaned as dozens of holes were punched in its walls.  "Wake-up Slap! Use Quick attack to build momentum." Skarmory's game of 'turn the building into Swiss cheese' immediately came to an end as a white blur from above materialized into a mighty hayamaker, sending shockwaves pouring directly into the bird's steely skull.

The last of the Drill Pecks was sent sawing across the floor, cleaving through a pillar the width of a lighthouse as if it were butter. Your eyes widened once you whipped your head to see the damage.

Each peck was like somebody did a Ctrl-alt-delete on an area the size of a dinner plate, and had stretched said damage through what had to be dozens of feet of stone. Far away, you could see light creeping through the aftermath of Skarmory's devastation.

"Aerial Ace! On the psychic, then the pawn!" With Percival wasting no time, Meloetta was sent flying backwards with another round of the flying slash. Skarmory then dove towards your dark type, flying type energy rippling around its wings.

"Pawniard! Sucker-" You started, but your cry was short lived, courtesy of Skarmory's remarkable speed. Were you in a better state of mind right now, you may have taken notice that all of the attacks aimed at the bird had amounted to nothing.

Three pronged claws snatched Pawniard right off of the ground, before Skarmory slammed the steel type into a nearby pillar, the stone cracking under the force of the blow.

Skarmory brought its head back to drill into Pawniard, but was met with nothing but air as Pawniard was quickly recalled into her Pokéball. "Meloetta! Bring down the roof with Hyper Voice!" You roared, scooping up Larvesta and making a mad dash towards well...anywhere but here.

"Me-Ta-Loooooooo!" The normal type howled, the already compromised structure giving way as you tore down the hall, the top of the ancient building crumbling behind you.

Had the knight had any more rage to unleash, you certainly wouldn't have heard it, not over the crushing waves of sounds and the impact of mighty boulders falling right over his head. "And good riddance to another pain in the ass. That should at least buy us time."

*crash* *thunk*

More and more stones fell behind you as you leaned against a nearby wall, taking a moment to catch your breath. "Really should have thought this through better, if I'm being honest. Fun as the ol' 'dropping a bunch of rocks on people trick' is, I doubt I can make that a career staple without paying for it at least once."

Arceus knows all those rocks would end up falling on your head at one point or another. "Lar..." The bug type in your arms droned, and only then did you notice you'd been squeezing her a bit too hard.

"S-Sorry about that." You loosened your grip, slumping against a wall. The passage you'd wandered into consisted of nothing but a massive, downward sloping hall. Like everywhere else in the castle, the floor was flooded with sand, and the walls were lit with torches.

Thinking about who or what had decided to light all of them was sure to give you a headache, so you disregarded that thought for now.

"Niard." Pawniard grunted, pointing at the recent cave in you'd just caused.

"T-that's a good point, but that can't be the only entrance. Sooner or later, we'll run into something that reconnects us with the rest of the castle." Silently, you prayed that such was the case. "In the event that we run into the third knight, our goal is to buy time or distract him. We're obviously a bit outmatched in direct combat here, so we have to play it safe."

"Pawn!"

"Me-Lo!"

A salute, a curtsy, and a sneeze from your three Pokémon. It was time to move.

...

The path led you for what seemed like ages. Though perhaps that could have been your mind playing tricks on you. Endless stone walls and a building sense of dread tended to have that effect on people. Your scar was aching again too, which definitely added a bit of fun.

Going this time without something making an attempt on your life was certainly a strange feeling, which probably didn't say anything good about your current life situation. "C'mon...C'mon...Haah!"

You jumped around a corner, eyes wide open and Larvesta shielded underneath your arm. Pawniard rolled to your side a moment later, arms open in a wide stance. A half destroyed statue stared back at you. Well, not really stared, considering the top of half of the warrior's head was missing.

You'd never tried to stare at somebody without eyes before, but you figured it would be a tad difficult. "Meloetta-ta!" The psychic type chided you, though whether it was for you being overly reckless, or overly stressed, you weren't certain.

"Larvesta..." The bug type groaned as you began to trudge forward again, drumming her legs against your chest.

"Good lord, I forgot how heavy she was." You winced, your shirt so drenched in sweat at this point that you looked like you'd just jumped into a pool. The air was hot and heavy, like what you'd expect on a humid day, only with a complete absence of nature's most precious resource.

"Almost there." You tried to reassure her. "At least, I hope. Who designed this place anyways? N-no c-cohesion whatsoever." The path led to another wide open room, this one also filled with you guessed it...sand! Across the length of the room rose a dozen ornate pillars, all suspending fragments of what appeared to have once been a bridge. Massive spider webs stretched across the length of the ceiling.

All in all, It looked like a level off of some platforming game. "Like hell I'm going to try and jump across these though. Meloetta can just levitate us." You nodded to the psychic type, who caught onto your unspoken message in an instant.

Psychic light flickered around you and Larvesta. That was when everything went wrong for the umpteenth time that day.

"Trespasser detected! Trespasser detected! Determining identity of life forms!"

Telekinetic voices droned from above, sounding almost robotic. Pawniard shot you a confused look as the rest of the group began to panic. You scanned the room in a hurry, and yet found nothing out of place from before. "Me-Lo!" Meloetta crept forwards across the air, eyes locking into the sand beneath the platforms.

"Pawn!" The steel type began to protest as you scooped her up with your other hand.

"Meloetta! Take us across! Now!" The sand began to rumble beneath you, shrouded in purple light.

"Me-Lo-Ta!" The normal type was quick to oblige, and your body jerked forward, passing over the gap below as the voices in your head intensified even further.

"Observation complete: Three Pokémon and one human. Verdict: Attempted kidnapping."

Attempted what?

The room shook again, before geysers of sand erupted from where you'd just been floating a moment ago. Meloetta was quick to enhance your momentum, and two more platforms were passed in a breaths time.

"Task: Retrieve the child of the sun. Eliminate the spares using any means necessary."

"This day just keeps on giving, doesn't it?" They rose from the sand, grains of earth trickling off of their dark, sleek bodies. Purple light flooded the room as the platform nearest to the room's entrance crumbled, giving way in wake of the Pokémon's arrival.

Two in total. You were grateful it wasn't more.

For something apparently made by humans, the Claydol looked completely alien. Perhaps it was the bulbous heads, or the complete lack of limbs, you weren't certain. Made from some type of dark and solid mud, their bodies were rather clumpy, almost resembling an inverted version of their pre evolution. Numerous crimson eyes stretched around the length of their heads, pupils flicking back and forth like a screensaver on a television.

Soon enough, those pupils fell onto you and your Pokémon. Wind rippled past your head as Meloetta practically flung you and your other Pokémon through the air, doing everything possible to avoid an encounter with what were obviously very pissed off Pokémon. "Pawniard." You grunted out. "Conjure as much dark type energy as you can. Try to throw off their senses."

At your command, shadowy power began to flood Pawniard's blades.

"Target Detected. Do not allow escape."

So much for that idea. The psychic voices picked up in intensity as Meloetta dropped you all at the other end of the room. The last thing you saw upon turning around was a purple light forming at the end of one of Claydol's arms.

"Commence death ray."

"Meloetta, Protect!" You weren't quite certain what 'death ray' entailed, and knew damn well that it wasn't something from the games. But if basic logic tracked- 

The room flooded with purple light as a searing jet of psychic power erupted from the hand of the first claydol. The rouge Psybeam made it to the other end of the room in a split second, just in time to meet a wall of invisible light conjured across the doorframe.

*c-crack. Hisssssss* The platforms you'd flown above bent and deformed, before bursting into molten liquid from nothing but the mere aura of the blast. Lighting crackled against Protect, Meloetta's face tightening in concentration as it struggled to hold back the sheer weight of the attack.

"Get ready to launch a Hyper Voice. Pawniard, ready a Torment in case of any especially dangerous techniques." Larvesta raised her head curiously as you belted out orders. "And you're-" Your hands wrapped around Larvesta's Pokéball, readying the process of recalling her.

These weren't Pokémon bound by the morality of a trainer. These were wild sentries who-

*zip*

At the sound of a sudden hum, you immediately jerked your head up.

*smack*

Your face met darkened clay as one of the Claydol materialized seemingly out of thin air directly in front of you. That was no illusion. "It got around Protect, but-"

"Power Trick and Psybeam combo: moderate success. Prepare to be liquified."

Larvesta was torn from your arms in a heartbeat, suspended in air as a Psybeam began charging inches away from your face. Your scar burned as your eyes flooded with light. "H-help!"

"Niaaaard!" The purple energy immediately fizzled out as Pawniard began a furious tirade, accompanied with a storm of knives aimed at the face of the Claydol.

*zip*

An earthen hand burst from the ground, encasing Pawniard in a cage of mud and slamming her against the wall. Wheeling around, you were met with the second Claydol, who'd just teleported above Meloetta. "D-Do it now!" Was all you could choke out in the moment.

A point blank Hyper Voice was not something easily withstood, even for a Pokémon as innately bulky as a Claydol. The Pokémon's eyes flashed red as waves of sound sent it spinning like the top it once evolved from.

"Turn, and hit the next one!" As the first Claydol was sent off course, you dove to the ground, giving Meloetta the time it needed to nail the second Claydol, to which your Pokémon obliged. The ground type was subjected to the brutal sound based attack, chunks of damaged clay bounding to the ground.

*zip*

"Already?" Another flash of light, and the first Claydol was back, slamming into the unsuspecting normal type in some sort of spinning technique. Pawniard slashed through the mud surrounding her, but was quickly silenced with yet another hand of mud, grinding her into the worn stone wall. Liquid earth seeped into the steel type's wounds, causing her to let out a very rare shriek of pain.

"Ves-taaaaa!" Larvesta wailed on.

"High levels of resistance detected. Cease Hostilities and greet death with peace. Hyper Beam: Commence"

The way your heart dropped at the mention of the move was perhaps unlike anything you'd ever experienced before. The Pokémon's red eyes flickered a deathly white, the air around it trembling as a ball of condensed light took shape on the end of one of its outstretched arms. The light was small, dainty, and unassuming.

It was death.

What happened next, you would be hard pressed to remember in the following days. Whether it was an act of fear, or desperation, nobody could really know.

They say that a trainer is only at their strongest when defending a Pokémon. As the world flooded with light, you clenched your fist.

Meloetta, instinctively moving to protect you, wrapped itself in the airy curtain of Acrobatics, its body already in motion as a result of the first Claydol's spin. A light began to creep from deep within the Second Claydol's body, energy lighting up the Pokémon like a brilliant star as the beginnings of Hyper Beam grew more and more brilliant.

Your body was not suited for this world. It is comparatively weak, frail, and just overall not up to par. Though perhaps deep down, that body was propelled by what was almost certainly a worthwhile spirit, and it was because of that spirit-

Mighty rocks rained down from above, bursting into shrapnel as they struck Meloetta, the flying type energy around it dissipating. "Me-lo!" The psychic type cried out in fear, its vision revealing nothing but its trainer, inches away from an endless expanse of sickening luminescence.

-that you were compelled to act.

With all of your strength, you threw a fist directly into Claydol's frontmost eye.

*thud*

"A-aaaargh!" You shrieked in pain, blood dripping from what were almost certainly shattered knuckles. Mangled hand falling to your side, you watched as the edges of the luminescent sphere morphed into a crimson red.

"Removal Commence."

However! Your actions weren't in vain!

For the briefest of moments, with the ground type's attention already focused on charging Hyper Beam, your attack had dislodged Claydol's psychic hold on Larvesta.

"Endure-"

That was enough for the terrified bug type to conjure one last Struggle Bug in her desperation.

"This."

In what had to be an amusingly cruel twist of fate, Larvesta dropped from the air directly into your arms, blood from your damaged hand staining her white fur. Coincidentally, this also put her directly into the path of Hyper Beam.

"!"

Hyper Beam detonated, your eardrums popping as your vision danced with spots. Death would not greet you today, because just before the attack was released, Claydol's eyes went wide with very human shock.

*zip*

*Booooooooooooooooooom*

A moment later you were falling, completely blind and practically deaf. Pain surged your body as your bones slammed into rock, sand spraying across your skin. "D-Damn it!" Had the air still been in your lungs, you would have certainly been screaming right now.

*crack*

*bam*

"Agh!"

"Lar!" The bug type shrieked against you as the two of you slammed into the ground one last time, yours ears ringing. Sweat-soaked fur pressed against your face.

"A-Am I... not dead?" When you opened your eyes, after the surge of white light came- "Purple? E-ever reliable, aren't you Meloetta?" Even battered and beaten, you felt a surge of pride at the appearance of the psychic shield.

"L-Lar! Vest!" A surge of sunlight flooded your vision, some of your pain immediately washing away as you were shaken back to reality.

"T-the Claydol!" You yelped, eyes snapping wide open. "W-where are..." The answer to the question came quickly, or rather, most of it.

After all, the Claydol were not there, or rather they were not there in their entirety. The one that had performed the Hyper Beam had collapsed to the ground, trembling violently as light leaked out of its body.

It had missed, somehow, and instead of you being the target of hyper beam-

Chunks of scorched earth tumbled to the ground.

-Its comrade had taken the brunt of the attack.

Half of the first Claydol's body was just...not there. Most of its head had been melted away, leaving nothing but scorched mud at the edge of its wound. The light faded from the old guardian's eyes as the remnants of its body fell to the ground, last traces of psychic power fading away into sparks.

Just as damaged as the Pokémon was the terrain around you. It was as if the Relic castle were a tiered cake, and some massive monstrosity had taken a molten knife through it. Directly above you was a hole in the ground, and through it, you could see dozens of rooms now, the sand within them partially glassed from the aftermath of the attack.

"Lo-Mel-Ta!" Silhouetted against the melted castle above was a very panicked Pokémon, who quickly disengaged the barrier and rushed to your side.

"Agh! I'm fine, just don't-" Your voice went up a few octaves as Meloetta clutched your damaged hand. "T-Touch that!"

"Attack Failed. Begin the Recovery Process."

That's right, one of the Claydol was still-

"No." You quickly took a moment to weigh your options. Claydol were bulky Pokémon, and although this one was prone-

"Where's Pawniard?" Your dark type was the last Pokémon unaccounted for, after all.

"P-Pawn..." Croaked the steel type, her face peering down at you from the floor above, every inch of her body practically doused in mud.

"Let's move." You grunted, Meloetta reaching out an arm to steady you as you rose to your feet. "There could very well be more of them."

Not to mention that last knight was still down here too. Pawniard dove down, mud splattering off of her body as she landed on the ground.

The rest of you wasted no time in making haste away from the battleground.

Your efforts doubled when purple light began to flood from the hole in the ceiling.

More sand...

More stone...

And then...

There! Off to the side, hidden between two pillars was a doorway shrouded in shadows. "At the very least, it's better than sticking it out in the open." Doubly so when the Claydol's droning was growing louder and louder.

"We're going." Hands still trembling, you dove behind the pillar, and out of the light. Meloetta and Pawniard followed closely behind, the latter shooting one last glance at the hallway from which you'd come.

*tomf* *tomf* *tomf* *tomf*

The droning of the Claydol faded as you retreated into the darkness, the lights from the torches fading until they were nothing but specks in the far distance. Heavy noises boomed from nonexistent, spectral machinery deep in the castle. The ground trembled once again, and you felt particles of sand sting your hair from above, crawling down your sweat soaked neck like skittering insects.

"Me-Lo-Lo?" Your Pokémon whispered, its voice echoing around the cavernous walls as you reached out to steady yourself on something. The stone was cold, ice cold.

"Y-Yeah, I just need a moment...or maybe fifty." You grunted, dousing yourself in water taken from one of the canteens in your back. Your hand was throbbing to hell and back, warmth coursing up your arm. Had Larvesta not healed you earlier, you doubt you'd be moving at all right now. The shuffling of your Pokémon around you was the only sign that they were even still present, the room around as lightless as the bleakest shadow.

Even Pawniard seemed put off by the sudden absence of light, and she was a dark type. At least, that was what you assumed the nervous rubbing of her blades together meant.

A faint purple glow pulsed around Meloetta's body, illuminating countess spiraling red patterns on the nearby walls. Larvesta whimpered softly, the edges of the bug type's form creeping into Meloetta's shallow light.

The sun did not reach here.

In a castle built around the light of day, the room stuck out like an ominous sore thumb. "Niard." The steel type grunted from behind you, her single eye glowing fiercely in the shadows.

"I-I'm not sure." You shot another cursory glance towards the entrance of...whatever you were in. You crouched towards the ground, running a hand through  sand directly in front of you.

Ice cold. Just like everything else in the room.

Logic followed that whatever psychic senses the Claydol had been tracking you with were far more potent than the basic five senses. Much like how infrared technology could often prevail over the feeble human eye, the power of psychics simply did not exist on the same level as the rest of humanity. You weren't too concerned with making noise for that very reason. If the Claydol could have found you, they already would've.

Though for whatever reason, they had not. "Larvesta, do you mind giving us a light?"

*swish*

"Lar! Vesta!" The Pokémon squeaked, the horns atop her head lighting up like the candles on a chandelier. Wisps of heat crackled towards the ceiling, sparks traveling up, and up, and up...

"To the top? How big is this place really?" It looked like a cold, more ominous reflection of the room you had found yourself in earlier. Massive pillars climbed hundreds of feet into the air, and possibly even higher, considering how limited your sight was at the moment.

"Lo-Me..." The psychic type rubbed at the dirt and dried blood on its face, before casting you a nervous glance.

"I feel you, but we'll be out of this mess soon enough. If we can corner those knights and fight them on our own terms...we just may be able to squeeze out a win." Emphasis on the may. No matter how small, it was still a possibility.

But then again, 'possible' didn't really mean anything anymore. "Lo-Me?" Meloetta leaned closer, nudging your arm. Larvesta continued to bounce around curiously, desperately trying to find the heat she'd just lost.

"I agree, something is off here." Creepy, cold, and dark rooms are not typically the most ideal place for relaxation. "Give that Claydol a few more minutes, then we'll get moving."

"Laaar." The Fire typed whined as another chill wafted through the room.

What was up with that? Was there another ice type or something sleeping down here? "That would be strange regardless, unless...a ghost type maybe? There were Cofagrigus in the games here, right?"

All the more reason to leave.

*~~~*

You could have sworn you'd seen an unnaturally dark hand dart across the top of Larvesta's illuminated space, the shadows on the walls dancing and twirling in a chorus of soundless movement.

Pawniard shuffled nervously as something shuffled in the dark high above you, the chill growing even more intense. "Relax." You whispered to Pawniard, eyes trailing Larvesta as the bug type began to move back towards your group in an almost instinctual worry. "We can't afford to pick another fight now. Just...hang tight, and we can make a break for it if they really want us gone."

Neither Meloetta nor Pawniard was convinced, judging by how they began pacing around you protectively a moment later.  The Pokémon toed lightly into the shadows, just outside of the ring of fiery light,

"Actually..." That reminded you of something. Reaching into the bag, your hands clasped around a roll of fabric even colder than the room around you. Out came the ghost-repelling blanket you'd received way back in Hihidaruma, or so it had been dubbed by yourself. For countless weeks it had lay undisturbed at the bottom of your bag, for good reason too.

The thing was outright creepy, for lack of a batter word. Even if it was meant to protect you from spirits or whatever, it just felt ominous. And while you had your speculations as to what the true identity of the item may be, that didn't matter right now. You needed something... anything to back you and your team up, and if it had to be a hunk of nasty cursed fabric, so be it. "Besides, I've got this in case things go wrong."

Worst case scenario, it could be used to mop up the blood from a wound. Like the one on your hand.

"Pawn." Even without seeing her face, you could feel the steel type's disappointment.

*~~~*

Meloetta said nothing, the Pokémon's head rapidly flicking back and forth in search of whatever may have attempted to do you harm. But go figure, the swirling shadows on the wall actually stopped with the advent of the blanket, though the chilly silence permeating the room did not.

"Go." An invisible voice whispered at the back of your head.

Suddenly, this room felt even less safe than it had before. Whether it was pure instinct or something else, you weren't particularly inclined to care. Claydol be damned, you'd rather battle for your life with a visible enemy than an invisible one. "We're leaving. Now." Your tone left no room for argument, not that you or any of your partners were going to provide them anyways.

Settling the cursed shawl around your neck, you stepped into the center of the light. Larvesta raised her head towards you, curious as to the reason for the sudden departure.

Behind the young bug type was a void of endless shadow, or so you'd thought...

"Me-L-L-Loooo."

The only other thing of note was a set of glowing markings on the back wall, about sixty feet up from the ground or so. A massive...gash? With two pits above it, and four swirls that surrounded them. It sat far, far away from your current position, about the distance of your standard sports field if you'd have to ballpark it.

"Those...those weren't there before, were they?" A sudden buzzing filled your ears. Not like that of an insect, but rather something analogous to TV static.

The lights lurched forward, growing dozens of feet closer in a heartbeat's time.

The shadows that had been moving earlier returned tenfold as the markings grew brighter and brighter. "P-Pawn?" The steel type beside you hissed, looking very and truly afraid. You hadn't even known she could shake like that.

Stone slid across stone as the air grew even colder.

"L-Larvesta." You whispered, beckoning towards the tiny bug type. "C-C'mere, okay?" No matter how hard you tried though, you couldn't hide the fear in your voice.

"No sudden movements....no sudden..." You beckoned again, desperately trying to ignore the furious ghostly lights.

They only grew brighter.

"Lar?" She tilted her head sideways, flames still dancing around her crown. The embers grew weaker and weaker as the cold crept from behind.

*booooooooom*

"N-No. it's fine. J-Just don't look behind you, okay?" You gulped.

"Lar..." The flames flickered once more as the ground trembled beneath your feet.

*booooooooom*

"D-don't make any sudden movements." You choked out as Larvesta began to slide across the sand, trying to angle her head backwards in spite of your words.

*booooooooom*

"G-good. Now..." As Larvesta inched towards you, you raised your head towards the now looming behemoth.

*booooooooom*

The footsteps were loud, but your heartbeat was louder.

*booooooooom*

Larvesta's blue eyes were wide with fear, though at the very least, that fear was mutual amongst your ragtag band.

*booooooooom*

Six.

It had taken six footsteps to cross what you had perceived as a vast distance. The mountain of cursed earth stared down, silent as stone itself. It did not move. It did not make a sound.

Somehow, that was more terrifying than any other alternative could've been.

Far, far away from any outside help, you clenched your fists as you stared up at the impossibly massive Pokémon.

Golurk towered in the shadows, glowing eyes indicating no clear emotion. Its body was as vast as the earth itself, and that glowing energy beneath that rocky shell burnt as fiercely as earth's molten core. Countless chips and scars ran across its worn body, energy leaking through like water out of a busted pipe.

Larvesta continued to inch forward, her flames now drowned out by the glow of the behemoth above. "C'mon, you're almost there..."

...

"Over an hour has passed." The young ranger gasped, trying desperately to ignore the throbbing pain in his arm. Virgil was not having the greatest of days. That was obvious to anybody. Nursing a broken arm while covered in sweat and dust was far from a pleasant experience, doubly so when the threat of the unknown still loomed high.

"Pe-Onnnnn." Espeon nuzzled her face against Virgil's torso, before shooting a glare at the one who'd put in him that sorry state to begin with. Had the offending individual actually been able to see her scathing expression, then perhaps it may have actually had some sort of effect.

Held down by her psychic power, Bedivere lay flat on the bridge, deathly still and completely silent. The knight in shining armor had been anything but that.

He'd been far more monstrous than any trainer Virgil had fought up until that point.

The rose tinted glasses had been lifted.

Virgil had not been blind. He knew the dangers of the world, even when one had the proper experience and planning bending their back. Years of storytelling from his brother had keyed him in on that, as had Crofton's words from the prior night, and yet there was no preparing him for the brutal reality of living through that truth.

He felt helpless. That hurt more than anything else. Here he was, having devoted his life to rescuing and helping others, and all it had amounted to was him sitting wounded on the edge of a bridge, gasping like a Magikarp stranded on land.

All while his newfound friend marched into a situation that both of them knew he was certainly not ready for. (y/n)...by far the least prepared of the initial traveling party, and yet it was he who had been spared. "Though he did save that village back then...didn't he? Does he have some secret weapon in the works?"

"Bre-On?" Umbreon's head jerked up, keying in on something in the distance.

"That's no excuse for my failure though. It was my weakness that put him into that situation to begin with, just like it was my failure with Crofton, and-" The boy coughed once again, slumping his head down in shame.

*clank* *clank*

When Virgil heard sudden footsteps, he was filled with relief, knowing that even if his friend hadn't accomplished his goals, at least (y/n) had made it out of the relic castle safely.

*clank* *clank*

When he realized that those steps were metallic in nature, deep in his mind the boy also realized that it was already too late. The trapped knight also raised his head towards the source of the sound, just in time for a silhouette that was not (y/n)'s to emerge. A cape fluttered behind a set of scorched armor.

"Umbre-" He choked as a sudden wind blasted aside the sand and dust covering the bridge. A shadow swooped down from above, its form shining in the blistering sun.

"SKAAAAR!"

From its mouth erupted waves of terrible, grating sound, assailing his eardrums and causing him to let out another fresh shout of pain. His head pounded and had he not been sitting down already, the sudden attack would've certainly put him on the ground. "From where! What's going on in-"

His ears rang, and he writhed in agony. In spite of that, even he could hear the thundering voice join the fray.

"Steel wing! Air cutter! In tandem." A new voice joined the fray, just in time for Umbreom to get caught in a storm of blades. Air currents rose up from below, jerking Unbroken into the air, before those blades of air instantly changed into blades of steel. A sheet of glistening wind fell over Umbreon, the speck of darkness against the bridge gone in an instant.

*shrrrrrrrrrrch*

Ruthless knives spun in a massive blender of metal and wind; wrapping Virgil's dark type in a storm of raw, unfiltered violence. The stone beneath its feet was instantly sheared away, painted with red as Umbreon wailed in shock.

"N-No! Umbreon!" Virgil cried, all of the pain suddenly ripped from his body as his Pokémon was brutally attacked. "Espeon! S-*cough*-top them!"

"Espe-On!" Channeled by fear, Virgil's other Pokémon instantly went into protection mode, wrapping a massive Boulder in purple, and sending it crashing into Skarmory with the force of a meteorite. Rocky debris exploded like shrapnel, clattering against the ground as psychic energy surged through the air.

Yet, even that power was insufficient against the airborne armory. "Skarmory!" The flying type spat, dispelling the rocky assault nigh-effortlessly. Waves of psychic power sunk into its body, aiming to bend its wings out of shape and yet falling wildly short.

One wing tore through the veil of psychic power, scattering purple sparks through the air.

Then the other wing followed behind, all of Espeon's efforts ending in vain.

Umbreon fell to the ground with a sickening splat, wheezing as his Virgil scrambled to help him.

Skarmory screeched once more, conjuring up a storm of wind that sent debris flying in all directions. "As if! A ranger never yields!" Virgil chanted in his mind, crawling towards his prone Pokémon.The dark type reached out a paw towards his trainer, eyes wide in a very sudden and raw fear.

More boulders flew over their heads, pounding against Skarmory's sturdy body. Dust rained down on their heads.

Tunnel vision is a terrifying thing.

For if Espeon was now channeling her psychic powers into Skarmory, then who was-

"At last! Free of those foul bindings!" Bedivere roared, armor clanking as he rose to his feet. The knight's shadow fell over the injured boy. "You put up a valiant struggle, but a peasant is still just that at the end of the day!"

Now Virgil was the one at a two against one disadvantage, and he did not like his odds. Not at all. "Espeon! Try and-" His cry was cut off by something compact and fast tearing through the air above him.

"Skaaaaaar!"

Espeon wheeled around just in time for- "Metal Claw!" A roar from the newcomer, and Espeon's last shot at victory was swept away in the wind.

The Eeveelution was sent flying, bouncing against the ground. Three long red scars were painted on her body, staining the Pokémon's formerly pristine fur.

She would have no time to recover.

Virgil would try regardless. "Espeon! Blind them with Morning Sun!"

A flash of red instantly burst from the waist of Bedivere.

It was far too late. From the flash of red emerged a short Pokémon with tan skin and wine red eyes. But far more noticeable than anything else was the massive maw dangling from the back of its head, full of razor sharp teeth and scattering drool through the air as the Pokémon descended on Espeon.

It was fast, unbelievably fast. As fast as Meloetta had been in the midst of Quick Attack. A speed an already debilitated Pokémon could not react to.

"Mawile! End this with Crunch!" The massive jaws snapped open, revealing a void of total shadow. Espeon's entire body instantly disappeared into the fairy type's jaws, legs flailing wildly as dozens of teeth sunk into her skin.

"Esp!" The Pokémon yelped as Mawile tightened its jaws, thrashing back and forth without giving the trapped Pokémon so much as a second of reprieve.

"Wile!" Mawile huffed, whipping Espeon to the side one last time. The psychic Pokémon was sent careening across the bridge, gasping heavily.

His two strongest Pokémon downed, just like that. Heavy footsteps shook the ground behind him.

"Apologies for the tardiness, Bedivere, but the other runt saw fit to launch a fireball at my head, before making his escape into the deeper parts of the castle." The knight in blue leaned down, running a hand along the body of the damaged Umbreon. "Though it's a miracle that you managed to lose to these buffoons in the first place."

"He made it!" Virgil felt a small sense of relief at the fact that their efforts had not been in vain. "(y/n) actually made it!"

"Brash talk from one who failed to halt the advance of the first youth." Bedivere's hand found his trusty hammer, the heavy metal weapon dragging across the ground "At the very least, I held off until I no longer could. Poor Tinkaton is still trapped o'er a hundred feet down. Whereas you seem to have given up at the first sighting of a challenge. What if the other one manages to stir up trouble there, hm?"

"You jest. After what I saw, Lamorak should have no issues handling him." The second knight scoffed, before turning his head towards Virgil. "And as for you, I'm afraid that you've made some very poor decisions."

"I stand by them." Virgil shakily lurched forward, forcing the second knight to inch away from his fallen Umbreon. The dark type quivered against the ground, blood still leaking from the dozens of gashes on his body. "My duty isn't something I can expend just like that!"

"Hmm..." Skarmory's master sighed in frustration. "A Rangers duty is to protect people, and yet you've failed to protect even yourself. To what extent can you still champion your duty now?"

"M-more than you, at least." Virgil spat back, causing the second knight's hands trembling in a sudden fury.

"Then stand proud on your pedestal of shame, and let the bodies of your Pokémon elevate you to your delusions." The knight spat back.

"That's enough Percival. The boy has no less honor than either of us." Bedivere placed a hand atop his comrades shoulder, an attempt to dissuade him from doing anything brash. "Foolish as he may be, I can respect a man who fights to the bitter end."

"So be it." A sudden silence fell over the bridge, until all that was left was the shallow gasping of Umbreon and Espeon.

Bedivere swiftly broke it. "That reminds me...the other boy, he spoke of-"

"Skar!" The steel type clicked its tongue, jabbing a wing towards the sky. Sweat trickled down the armored Pokémon's face.

"What says he?" Bedivere grunted.

"He claims that the wind has changed." And changed, it had. From over the horizon crawled a fresh breeze, chilling Virgil's damaged bones. The second knight continued. "Something big is coming. Something we did not anticipate. Prepare thyself."

Virgil took the sudden distraction as an opening to pull Umbreon into his arms, reaching into his bag for a potion.

As expected, he was not allowed even that mercy.

"Hold steady boy!" Bedivere snapped, raising his hammer towards Virgil's head. "Don't think that you're out of hot water yet. I will tend to your Pokémon myself-"

"Wile! Mawile!" The fairy type began to shout from above Espeon, eyes wide.

The knight whipped his head around again."M-Mawile? Nightfall is hours away. Have you not been sleeping properly?"

"Es-Espeon." The injured fairy type choked, looking up at her trainer desperately. No longer pressing were the injuries on her body, for whatever she had just sensed was far more important.

"An...eclipse?" Virgil's eyes widened. That was impossible. Such an event was one of the few things in this world that operated on a consistent timer.

"Would you fools keep your traps shut!" Percival snapped, cape flying back in a sudden breeze. "Skarmory needs to focus!"

As creatures of the elements, Pokémon were naturally much more in tune with the world around them.

When rain was imminent, flying types would descend from their haven in the canopy, and hide themselves away from the oncoming storm. The skies were their greatest company, and even the smallest change in conditions was a surefire warning.

When an earthquake was destined to wreak havoc, a ground type Pokémon would be the first to know, hunkering down and preparing for a force of destruction they knew all too well that they could not escape. The land was their dominion, and years of being confined to it saw them recognize it as an extension of themselves.

When disaster brewed from deep within the ocean, whispers of destruction found themselves carried across the currents, into the waiting ears of wary sea life. All the wisest of water types would flee to the terror of dry earth, for even they knew that a foreign land was safer than a home intruded upon.

In his tutelage as a ranger, Virgil had been trained to recognize these signs, in order to better predict oncoming disasters. They had a vast array of specialized Pokémon in their employ, in order to do just that.

Even the other night, the Cacturne had been able to recognize that deathly wave of sand far before it came, and had they been wiser, the realization may have spared them from their untimely fate.

However, the critical skill of a ranger lies in knowing which Pokémon can predict what disasters, as the elemental beasts are so different from one another that you would be hard pressed to categorize them all under the simple umbrella term of 'Pokémon.'

Skarmory whipped its head back and forth, eyes wide as it searched for a danger it could not pinpoint.

Sweat dripped down Mawile's face, the fairy type's breath shaky and uneven.

Umbreon trembled in his arms. Panicked psychic waves from Espeon assailed his ears. Even Eevee's Pokéball began to shake unsteadily.

"They all sense it." Virgil's heart tightened. "All I can do now is hope that whatever this...is in our favor."

...

A Great Distance Away

Water.

The root of all life.

The lack of which defined the very environment they were currently in.

But no longer.

A maractus waddled out to the top of the highest dune she could find, her mouth hung wide open at the sight in the sky.

"Ac-Tus?" The Pokémon squeezed her eyes shut, expecting the sight to leave her once she had opened them again.

Suffice to say, it did not.

"Ma-Rac!" The Pokémon rejoiced, her voice carrying across the open desert for all to hear. Reaching out a spiny arm, the Pokémon caught some of the falling droplets onto her arm.

Rain was a rare sight in these lands, a miracle in the form of the liquid. But this...this had to be more than that. The wildest of dreams of a naive Pokémon had been brought to life!

Maractus danced in the falling water, no longer caring if what she was seeing was fake or not. It did not matter, for it was beautiful.

From horizon to horizon stretched a river.

A river in the desert.

A river in the sky.

A massive torrent of continuous, spiraling water. An infinite expanse of liquid as wide as the dunes itself, carrying with it a downpour of water that brought fresh life to quenched lands.

Sandile crawled out of their burrows, chirping happily at the sudden sight. The liquid pittered off of their skin, providing nourishment and joy alike. Their exhausted mother looked over them with a small smile on her face, as her spawn danced and wrestled in the water.

Far away, a Cacturne lay hidden in a cave, panting and wheezing. The sole remaining member of his troupe, the desert Vagabond knew that it had been more than lucky to escape with its life. A sudden rain pounded across the roof of the cave, and the Pokémon, once so fearsome and ominous, relaxed his head back with a weary sigh.

Leading a caravan of disheartened Pokémon, a famished and downhearted Scraggy raised his head towards the ever growing river above them, now cast in the very same shade he had been raised under.

All due to the miraculous rainbow of water standing tall above the world.

The tears falling from the Pokémon's face joined the liquid falling from the sky.

*swoooooosh*

They say all rivers come from a high point on a mountain, but this mysterious 'they' would be very wrong in this instance. After all, there are no absolute truths in the world of Pokémon.

Case in point, the Sharpedo sailing through the air, and the ocean of frothing water spawning out of nowhere beneath him. The deluge of ever extending ocean carted him faster and faster as he sailed towards his target, tearing forwards at velocities comparable to a speedboat, and then some.

With four razor sharp fins extending in all four cardinal directions from the surface of his body, perhaps a shooting star would have been more of an apt comparison for the Pokémon than anything else. Had his master willed it so, then the Pokémon's speed could have matched that of the roaring meteorites in the sky, especially in tandem with his ability.

The hundreds of glistening white teeth in his mouth gleamed in the sun, each and every toothy weapon an absolute death sentence for even the mightiest of steel types. Comparing the water type's skin to sandpaper would have been an insult, for dragging your hand along sandpaper would not rend the flesh down to the bone. Red predatory eyes swept across the landscape, and while the Pokémon would have loved the thrill of a fresh hunt, he knew better to stray away from the mission at hand.

*swoooosh*

Another blast of water was released from the jets on his rear, sending another storm of water spraying over the desert. Frothy trials sunk backwards into the airborne river. Atop the Pokémon stood a man, scarf fluttering in the wind, regarding the world around him with the same ease one would regard a coin they'd just found on the ground. In his outstretched hand was an umbrella, sheltering the night owl from the beaming sun.

"Man oh man! Today Is sure to be an interesting one. Pokémon activists breaking into ancient ruins, and here I thought I'd seen it all." The man sighed, lowering himself to a seated position as his shark flew across the sky. "But life doesn't deal from a set deck, I know that all too well."

"Shar." The Pokémon rumbled beneath him. "Sharp."

"Ah, don't be too upset with me. When have I ever been careless before?" The trainer patted the water type gently with the base of his umbrella.

Another growl from the water type, accompanied with a few specks of water that were sent flying into his trainer's face. The weary looking man could do nothing but chuckle. "Oh boo. This is far more interesting than measly paperwork at least. Besides, I promise I'll treat you to a nice meal once this is all said and done."

Apparently that was good enough for the beastly water type, another blast of water erupting from his back as Sharpedo lurched forward again, the wave of water fanning outwards until it was even wider than the dunes they soared over top. "Sharpedo!"

"Of course, the same things that make life so terrifying make them interesting. Humans naturally find curiosity in the morbid and otherworldly." The man felt a small smile creep onto his face, blue eyes fluttering with amusement. "Now, shall we see what's in store for us this time around?"

~Unova Elite Four: Grimsley~

_________________________________

A/N: Golurk is pretty damn cool. I remember always being confused as to why it could learn 'fly', but then I came to find out that it can retract its legs and blast off like a rocket. It was also initially in consideration for the reader's team, but I scrapped that concept.

Also, as you saw here, (y/n) will be creating custom moves at various points along the adventure. My naming skills, much like focus blast, can be very hit or Miss, so bear with me on that.