Story Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.Characters thus Far: Lancer Riocynn (Riolu)Isaac Riocynn (Lucario)Sapphire Ryoka (Pikachu) Lord Aika (Mismagius) Garnett Ryoka (Raichu)
Chapter 4 - The Sub-Terrestrial Asylum
Chapter 4: The Sub-Terrestrial Asylum
Deep within a sub-terrestrial asylum inhabited with infected beings lie the descended home of the adviser, organizer, mentor and creator of the Blight: Lord Vaxrilla Aika. A female Mismagius as the ruler of the Blight; only one eye altered by the infection displaying her supremacy. Her mind was unaffiliated by the overall power of the infection itself, therefore, she took her place as a sovereign... and led them.
The odor of decaying flesh from piled up corpses intoxicated the asylum. That stench of putrescence became the norm underground; for it seemed that every night the body count would increase. The asylum was embellished with unique wall moldings which were not the least bit complimented by the fragmented remains of tile; only leaving the inlay.
The asylum was formally an underground mental institute.
A sanctuary for the great Lord Aika was where Isaac was transported. Supported by two Machokes, Isaac had awoken just at the right time to witness his introduction to the goddess of the Blight, the origin of all the devastation, dread, terror and dismay that transpired around the world. Upon Isaac's arrival, Lord Aika, oddly enough with a necklace around her ghostly neck, greeted Isaac formally with her dual conjoined voice. One of a woman's and one of a man's.
"Hello." The lack of emotion displayed in that one word coupled by the fact that Isaac identified her as Lord Aika on-sight filled him with anxiety. He felt strange... this grotesque feeling within his stomach befell him. It was as if maggots were crawling in his stomach and out through his blood stream... he knew he was infected, but he still had control of his thoughts meaning the infection had not completely engulfed him.
Even after realizing how outmatched he was against her, Isaac attempted an attack in desperation which was immediately repelled by her necklace.
Isaac was flung across the room, that sense of bravery deteriorating as soon as he collided with the inlay. He looked up at the Mismagius only to realize that the two Machokes restraining him were dead. How much energy was he just hit with?
As he tried to stand, he instantaneously realized he was incapable of doing so. He fell over flat on his snout; his aura had been tinkered with and now it was at an uproar. That maggot-infestation feeling did not help either. He was momentarily unable to focus his energy on something as simple as standing up. Blight Slaves cowered at the walls of the sanctuary; fearing their deity's indescribable vitality.
The Mismagius approached Isaac; slowly levitating towards him as if she were savoring the moment. "I greet you and you try killing me?" her face remained unaltered and apathetic as she telepathically conversed with Isaac, as was native to his Lucario brethren. "Poor manners, Riocynn."
"Oh shut the hell up!" Isaac, finally capable of moving, jumped up and actually tried attacking her again as if he had a chance. "You fucking bitch!"
"You know what I love the most about a Pokemon right before they lose their minds to the Blight?" she said as he charged her. "How violent they can be... then... just a few moments after... how they kiss the ground I levitate above." She evaded his attack which led him to come charging at her once again.
Lord Aika, feeling aggravated at this repetition, repelled him once more with the use of only her energy. The strangest part of that to Isaac was that only Riocynns should have been able to channel their energy/aura into a form of offense. How was she capable of doing this?
Once again he was flung across the room like a ragdoll as he caught a peculiar abnormality about her energy. It was sort of murky and shadowy, a type of visible black energy which closely resembled aura which sustained an azure color.
As Isaac's body met the inlay once again, two figures entered the sanctuary: A Grumpig and a Cacturne. "Lord Aika!" they called in concern. "What is going on?" they drawled as they spoke as if the infection had slowed down their minds.
"Everything is fine," Aika reassured. "I have it under control." She turned to Isaac, reveling in her immense power. "Let me tell you a little secret about your mother..." she whispered into Isaac's left ear, "...she was a good Pokemon." The necklace dangled in front of Isaac. He recognized it. "Is it bad that I relished the image of her cold, unmoving body lying before me?" and with that, Lord Aika backed away; foreseeing a retaliation from her opponent, however, she got nothing.
Isaac remained stationary, seemingly defeated. The visions of the day his parents had been killed had replayed in his head; how pathetically the most powerful Lucarios in the world, the Riocynn Pack, were all obliterated with a single blow. He reminisced; exacting all accusations towards Lord Aika, however, it was not she who committed the purge.
It was not possible for the lord of the Blight to possess one of the most injurious, lethal and devastating attacks the Riocynn Aishakiri had to offer: It was known as the Ivimono Aishakiri - The 50th Variation.
**
Fallarbor town, 4 years ago. 5 days after the first sighting of infected Pokemon.
That deafening noise of gunfire dominated the battlefield. The Sevynn Syndicate had immediately responded to a Blight Storm within Fallarbor town. Titans, human combatants, held a barricade entering the town. The Titans, with all of their integrity, suppressed the Blight. They held firm; foreseeing their doom but persevering.
Though, even after perceiving their stubborn nature, the only real reason they still stood was because the Riocynn Pack had assisted in the defense. However, even with the power of the Riocynns, the sheer numbers of the Blight marked their advantage.
"Lancer!" Isaac called as the Titans created a barricade that separated him from his entire pack. They fought on the frontlines; the death toll drastically skyrocketing. Isaac, being the only Riocynn stuck behind the barrier, watched as all of his loved ones perished one by one in the constant onslaught of devil-eyed monsters.
Unable to take this anymore, Isaac leaped over the barrier and straight into the crossfire. A Titan hollered out to him; his voice incoherent from the gunfire. Disregarding his supposed opine, Isaac pushed forward through the crossfire; his senses aiding him as he was forced to evade all incoming bullets from his ally's barricade. Eventually, he hit the deck, ducking under the constant barrage of bullets. "Aishakiri - 12th Variation!" He cried. His aura sacks twitched as he released his energy, actually creating an amalgamation of solidification and pure energy. He had established his own personal full-body sphere shield out of his Aura. This became his only defense against the wave of bullets showering him from his flank.
In the rush of the situation, Isaac had spotted his mother carrying his little brother out of harm's way. Her blood flooded over the poor Riolu as she struggled to continue on. Isaac, taking Lancer off of her hands, was lectured by his mother about how everything their father had done was only for the best of what he believed.
Isaac could not hear her speak. The never-ending ear-shattering sounds of battle would not allow him to even listen to his own mind as she delivered her words in telepathy. However, he was able to catch a single phrase: "He loves you." And with that; she formed a massive shield of Aura.
The 11th Variation of the Aishakiri.
With all of her remaining might she sustained this barrier as the skirmish endured. Isaac, dumfounded, prolonged a bemused stare to a newly emerged figure. A ghostly figure, Mismagius, side-by-side with a familiar being.
Isaac, in pure curiosity, activated the 4th Variation which was Energy Detection. Riocynns would use this to see how much energy, whether it be Aura or not, their opponents or allies were compacting in their bodies. This Mismagius, however, stored a massive quantity of an unknown type of energy within her. The energy, dark as charcoal, swirled around her as if it were alive but, upon closer inspection, the energy seemed to have been concentrated into one point: Her necklace.
Directly assisting her was a Lucario, no doubt. Though, the Aura in this Lucario was massive as well; instantly putting it on the spotlight for being a Riocynn. Isaac could not believe what he was seeing. Knowing this Mismagius was affiliated with the Blight somehow, it was safe to assume she was one of their big-shots... but a Riocynn was assisting her? Who the hell was this traitor?
"I love you!" Lisa, their mother, cried. Her fur became faded and wrinkles began to form upon her body. Isaac, before he could even think about what was occurring, began feeling this immense pressure. Uncontrollably, his and Lancer's eyes started bleeding as well.
"Mom!" Isaac shrieked. "What's happening?! Why are you-" a sudden wave of immeasurable Aura flooded the vicinity, interjecting Isaac. Lisa, defending against this blast, could not bear it any longer.
No doubt about it; this was the 50th Variation of the Aishakiri.
The Ivimono Aishakiri. That traitorous Riocynn, whoever he or she was, was using the deadliest variation the Aishakiri had to offer... all of this to annihilate every Riocynn in the entire pack all in one blow.
With the luck of the gods, Lisa was able to repel this cataclysmic devastation of an Aura blast, however, this proved fatal to her. As she sustained the barricade, more Aura was released from her body to the point where her reserves had run dry. She had no more energy and was now incapable of regeneration.
With her final breath she pleaded for Isaac to escape with Lancer. With that, she gave them one last smile before she permanently shut her eyes. She body became limp and, as the Aura blast had dimmed down, her barrier died along with her.
No sounds were present. Every Titan stationed behind that barricade had been killed by the Ivimono Aishakiri. Dust had collectively risen, blocking off nearly all vision. Isaac used this to his advantage.
Isaac, heeding his mother's last words, took Lancer and sprinted as far away as he could under the cover of the dust; going in no particular direction. It was then that Isaac, free from his confusion, had realized that his mother was dead. The one person who cared for him when his father did not, gave birth to him, expressed how proud she was of him, cared for him... and loved him... was no-more.
He burst into tears, instantly regretting the fact that he never told his mother he loved her. All of this, even when she gave him the perfect opportunity to say it before her untimely death. He continuously recapped it in him mind: "I love you", until his brother, still silent, clenched onto him; burying his muzzle into his furry chest.
Looking down upon this "all-powerful" Riocynn, even though he was hopeless... at least he was one more person who loved him.
They aimlessly wandered from there-on-in until eventually locating Rustboro city. They settled down but barely spoke to one another. Their relationship as brothers had dwindled in this time as Isaac brooded to himself... building up rage against his enemy.
That Mismagius.
**
"You're the one..." Isaac whispered. That inner rage built up by a lifetime of hatred and grudges was released all at that one point. He awkwardly vaulted towards the Mismagius; frequently spinning like a top which released Aura in the form of a drill. "Aishakiri - 21st Variation!"
Lord Aika, monotonously feeling as if there was no point in strategizing with her arsenal of attacks, once again unleashed the blast of black energy from her necklace; however, this seemed, for the first time, ineffective. It drilled through the energy, deflecting it as he gained momentum. Lord Aika evaded, however, this led to Isaac ricocheting off of the inlay, up to the ceiling then he dashed downwards towards her once again at a startling speed.
Aika, irritated, decided to end this pitiful resistance. Somehow, she was capable of canceling out his Aura, leaving his body momentarily bare as she then struck him several times with beams of dark energy; similar to that of a Hyper Beam but much more devastatingly powerful.
Isaac grunted in pain as he collided with the inlay, bouncing 3 times until his body finally crashed against the molded walls. He became limp, as if all of the life was kicked out of him in that quick combo. He was now horrified, beyond demeaned and emasculated by this female.
The infection was getting to him, weakening him to the point of near-collapse. He could feel his mind begin questioning himself and everything he believed in. That feeling... the feeling of his mind turning on him was enough to make him crack. He began reasoning, contemplating, then just surrendered. His body overpowered his mind and forced him to give up at that moment. The Blight was taking over his body.
**
"Yes!" Sapphire screamed in anticipation, "We've finally made it to Dewford town!"
She was right, as Lancer ran to the deck of the small boat he and his companion rode it, he saw the Dewford town, though the town itself was destroyed, Lancer knew that the Checkpoint must have been nearby so he was just going to trust Sapphire and hope she knows exactly where she is going.
Firmly tying the ropes from the boat to the docks which lied next to the rubbles of the old Pokemon Center that resided in that area for such a long time, Sapphire and Lancer secured their boat and they prepared their final steps for the end of their journey.
In all of the destruction of Dewford, Lancer could barely hold back his emotions on how this town was completely annihilated. Lancer stopped to observe the almost poetic destruction of the town, the wood that emerged from the piles of ashes, the half-destroyed buildings, the litter that spread all across could have all written a poem, the rubble: the ink.
"Lancer, are you alright...?" Sapphire asked as she stepped on a large plank.
"Yeah... I'm fine, let's go." Was Lancer's quick reply as he snapped out of the destruction's pull on his attention and continued to follow Sapphire passed the town as they neared Granite Cave and made a left at the entrance straight into the burnt down forest that surrounded it.
Through hundreds and hundreds of trees, Sapphire and Lancer came along a small shack that was camouflaged within the forest by its texture.
As Sapphire slowly opened the door that lead inside of the shack, lawn tools, appliances, and cobwebs surrounding the interior, Lancer asked, "So why are we in here?"
"Well," Sapphire began as she moved the lawnmower out of the way to reveal a bookcase against the wall, "As you may have noticed, the Swarm aren't idiots and they look through every house in every area in all of the Hoenn region, but still, they aren't smart enough to figure out where Checkpoint: Orpheus is," she then slowly pulled out a book entitled "To Enter Heaven" and she finally concluded, "Welcome." as the bookcase slid to the left and revealed a secret passage way deep underground, but even as surprised as Lancer was; he could not help but feel very disappointed at the lack of security.
As soon as he decided to criticize this fatal flaw in the "great" Checkpoint: Orpheus, two Ekans revealed themselves from the darkness. "Welcome, Ms-s-s. S-s-sapphire Ryoka." The first one greeted.
"Heh, never mind." Lancer muttered.
"Who is-s your companion?" the second one queried. They both whispered as they spoke, creating a sinister feeling to the two. Lancer stayed on his guard, his eyes green as he began to think that Sapphire may have led him into some sort of trap.
"Lancer Rio... Riose... uhm..."
"Riocynn."
"Yeah, that's it!" Sapphire giggled sheepishly. She patted him on the back and whispered "Sorry, it's sort of a hard name to remember."
"It's okay..."
"Ahh, welcome Lanc-s-ser Rioc-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"
"Oh stop it!" Sapphire laughed as she playfully bonked the Ekans on the head.
"Jus-s-st get in there, you little whipper-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"
"You dork...!" Sapphire led Lancer away from those two, having enough of their strange sense of humor.
There was a stream of light originating to the left at the end of the tunnel, Sapphire took the lead and witnessed the entire underground Checkpoint first with a large smile on her face, "Come on, this way." She said as she walked forward passed an automatically opening door that lead to a small metallic room.
But as Lancer walked inside, the lights shut off and a scanner activated, scanning the Riolu and the Pikachu up and down, left and right until it confirmed that they were not infected. Lancer guessed that those 2 Ekans were just there for outside defense, not for security clearance. He instantly realized he was far from correct for believing this Checkpoint had no adequate security system.
"Greetings in there, stay calm, you're in a safe place, we're just scanning you to make sure you are uninfected..." a female voice announced through the speaker, that is when the second door automatically opened before Lancer and Sapphire, opening up the entrance into Checkpoint: Orpheus itself. Inside was a large hallway paved with metal as if that is what the entire installation was made of.
That is when a Froslass stepped out, this must have been the origin of the female voice they heard, she turned and looked at Lancer and Sapphire, but she was only happy to see Sapphire. Lancer, however, had noticed something a little strange: The Froslass gave him this glare... as if she knew who he was.
"Oh Sapphire," she began, "I'm so glad to see you've returned from your scouting, do you have any good information on the Blight?"
"Hehe, nice to see you too, Chamomile... and yes I did get quite a lot of info." Was Sapphire's response to the Froslass. Chamomile... what a strange name for the race of hers.
"Oh, how silly of me, I'd better send you down to your father, he would kill me if he knew I was delaying you over here, I trust I don't have to escort you?"
"No, you don't Chamomile, and don't worry, the Riolu is with me." Sapphire said.
"I see, well, it was good to see you again, see you later! I have... "stuff of concern" to do."
"Yeah, sitting there playing cards must be the biggest-"
"Shh!"
"Okay, okay. See you later, Chamomile!"
Chamomile gave Lancer that same glare before she turned around to leave.
Lancer lifted up his letter, which he had wrapped around his arm, that the female Luxray had given to him to give to the one named Eizzan, but before he could even think about how he was going to complete that mission, Sapphire said, "Let's go see my dad, I bet he's worried sick about me!"
**
"Let cut the charade, Mr. Riocynn." Aika stated as she manually activated the infection lying within Isaac. He was under her control but she felt this was a waste of his talents. The infection was only meant to receive followers that would not originally agree with her ideals, however, it made them 5 times weaker.
"Hehe... here, Isaac." She said, orbiting around him like a moon. "I'll let you witness first-hand how my elites are treated. The Anriu. I can already see it." Isaac stood motionless, his eyes glowing grassy green and piss yellow. "You'll love it. I treat my elites with such care. You'll be happy there... beginning a new life post-family decimation. Don't take anything I said earlier to heart. I value all life and hate having to fight this long and grueling war just to have my vision realized."
Isaac moaned.
"Trust me. Soon, you will be begging to stay with us."
**
Black Mercury Clear-Ups
~Checkpoint: Orpheus' security systems can mostly detect those who are infected... but there are ones known as Blight Spies who can somehow get passed the security undetected
Deep within a sub-terrestrial asylum inhabited with infected beings lie the descended home of the adviser, organizer, mentor and creator of the Blight: Lord Vaxrilla Aika. A female Mismagius as the ruler of the Blight; only one eye altered by the infection displaying her supremacy. Her mind was unaffiliated by the overall power of the infection itself, therefore, she took her place as a sovereign... and led them.
The odor of decaying flesh from piled up corpses intoxicated the asylum. That stench of putrescence became the norm underground; for it seemed that every night the body count would increase. The asylum was embellished with unique wall moldings which were not the least bit complimented by the fragmented remains of tile; only leaving the inlay.
The asylum was formally an underground mental institute.
A sanctuary for the great Lord Aika was where Isaac was transported. Supported by two Machokes, Isaac had awoken just at the right time to witness his introduction to the goddess of the Blight, the origin of all the devastation, dread, terror and dismay that transpired around the world. Upon Isaac's arrival, Lord Aika, oddly enough with a necklace around her ghostly neck, greeted Isaac formally with her dual conjoined voice. One of a woman's and one of a man's.
"Hello." The lack of emotion displayed in that one word coupled by the fact that Isaac identified her as Lord Aika on-sight filled him with anxiety. He felt strange... this grotesque feeling within his stomach befell him. It was as if maggots were crawling in his stomach and out through his blood stream... he knew he was infected, but he still had control of his thoughts meaning the infection had not completely engulfed him.
Even after realizing how outmatched he was against her, Isaac attempted an attack in desperation which was immediately repelled by her necklace.
Isaac was flung across the room, that sense of bravery deteriorating as soon as he collided with the inlay. He looked up at the Mismagius only to realize that the two Machokes restraining him were dead. How much energy was he just hit with?
As he tried to stand, he instantaneously realized he was incapable of doing so. He fell over flat on his snout; his aura had been tinkered with and now it was at an uproar. That maggot-infestation feeling did not help either. He was momentarily unable to focus his energy on something as simple as standing up. Blight Slaves cowered at the walls of the sanctuary; fearing their deity's indescribable vitality.
The Mismagius approached Isaac; slowly levitating towards him as if she were savoring the moment. "I greet you and you try killing me?" her face remained unaltered and apathetic as she telepathically conversed with Isaac, as was native to his Lucario brethren. "Poor manners, Riocynn."
"Oh shut the hell up!" Isaac, finally capable of moving, jumped up and actually tried attacking her again as if he had a chance. "You fucking bitch!"
"You know what I love the most about a Pokemon right before they lose their minds to the Blight?" she said as he charged her. "How violent they can be... then... just a few moments after... how they kiss the ground I levitate above." She evaded his attack which led him to come charging at her once again.
Lord Aika, feeling aggravated at this repetition, repelled him once more with the use of only her energy. The strangest part of that to Isaac was that only Riocynns should have been able to channel their energy/aura into a form of offense. How was she capable of doing this?
Once again he was flung across the room like a ragdoll as he caught a peculiar abnormality about her energy. It was sort of murky and shadowy, a type of visible black energy which closely resembled aura which sustained an azure color.
As Isaac's body met the inlay once again, two figures entered the sanctuary: A Grumpig and a Cacturne. "Lord Aika!" they called in concern. "What is going on?" they drawled as they spoke as if the infection had slowed down their minds.
"Everything is fine," Aika reassured. "I have it under control." She turned to Isaac, reveling in her immense power. "Let me tell you a little secret about your mother..." she whispered into Isaac's left ear, "...she was a good Pokemon." The necklace dangled in front of Isaac. He recognized it. "Is it bad that I relished the image of her cold, unmoving body lying before me?" and with that, Lord Aika backed away; foreseeing a retaliation from her opponent, however, she got nothing.
Isaac remained stationary, seemingly defeated. The visions of the day his parents had been killed had replayed in his head; how pathetically the most powerful Lucarios in the world, the Riocynn Pack, were all obliterated with a single blow. He reminisced; exacting all accusations towards Lord Aika, however, it was not she who committed the purge.
It was not possible for the lord of the Blight to possess one of the most injurious, lethal and devastating attacks the Riocynn Aishakiri had to offer: It was known as the Ivimono Aishakiri - The 50th Variation.
**
Fallarbor town, 4 years ago. 5 days after the first sighting of infected Pokemon.
That deafening noise of gunfire dominated the battlefield. The Sevynn Syndicate had immediately responded to a Blight Storm within Fallarbor town. Titans, human combatants, held a barricade entering the town. The Titans, with all of their integrity, suppressed the Blight. They held firm; foreseeing their doom but persevering.
Though, even after perceiving their stubborn nature, the only real reason they still stood was because the Riocynn Pack had assisted in the defense. However, even with the power of the Riocynns, the sheer numbers of the Blight marked their advantage.
"Lancer!" Isaac called as the Titans created a barricade that separated him from his entire pack. They fought on the frontlines; the death toll drastically skyrocketing. Isaac, being the only Riocynn stuck behind the barrier, watched as all of his loved ones perished one by one in the constant onslaught of devil-eyed monsters.
Unable to take this anymore, Isaac leaped over the barrier and straight into the crossfire. A Titan hollered out to him; his voice incoherent from the gunfire. Disregarding his supposed opine, Isaac pushed forward through the crossfire; his senses aiding him as he was forced to evade all incoming bullets from his ally's barricade. Eventually, he hit the deck, ducking under the constant barrage of bullets. "Aishakiri - 12th Variation!" He cried. His aura sacks twitched as he released his energy, actually creating an amalgamation of solidification and pure energy. He had established his own personal full-body sphere shield out of his Aura. This became his only defense against the wave of bullets showering him from his flank.
In the rush of the situation, Isaac had spotted his mother carrying his little brother out of harm's way. Her blood flooded over the poor Riolu as she struggled to continue on. Isaac, taking Lancer off of her hands, was lectured by his mother about how everything their father had done was only for the best of what he believed.
Isaac could not hear her speak. The never-ending ear-shattering sounds of battle would not allow him to even listen to his own mind as she delivered her words in telepathy. However, he was able to catch a single phrase: "He loves you." And with that; she formed a massive shield of Aura.
The 11th Variation of the Aishakiri.
With all of her remaining might she sustained this barrier as the skirmish endured. Isaac, dumfounded, prolonged a bemused stare to a newly emerged figure. A ghostly figure, Mismagius, side-by-side with a familiar being.
Isaac, in pure curiosity, activated the 4th Variation which was Energy Detection. Riocynns would use this to see how much energy, whether it be Aura or not, their opponents or allies were compacting in their bodies. This Mismagius, however, stored a massive quantity of an unknown type of energy within her. The energy, dark as charcoal, swirled around her as if it were alive but, upon closer inspection, the energy seemed to have been concentrated into one point: Her necklace.
Directly assisting her was a Lucario, no doubt. Though, the Aura in this Lucario was massive as well; instantly putting it on the spotlight for being a Riocynn. Isaac could not believe what he was seeing. Knowing this Mismagius was affiliated with the Blight somehow, it was safe to assume she was one of their big-shots... but a Riocynn was assisting her? Who the hell was this traitor?
"I love you!" Lisa, their mother, cried. Her fur became faded and wrinkles began to form upon her body. Isaac, before he could even think about what was occurring, began feeling this immense pressure. Uncontrollably, his and Lancer's eyes started bleeding as well.
"Mom!" Isaac shrieked. "What's happening?! Why are you-" a sudden wave of immeasurable Aura flooded the vicinity, interjecting Isaac. Lisa, defending against this blast, could not bear it any longer.
No doubt about it; this was the 50th Variation of the Aishakiri.
The Ivimono Aishakiri. That traitorous Riocynn, whoever he or she was, was using the deadliest variation the Aishakiri had to offer... all of this to annihilate every Riocynn in the entire pack all in one blow.
With the luck of the gods, Lisa was able to repel this cataclysmic devastation of an Aura blast, however, this proved fatal to her. As she sustained the barricade, more Aura was released from her body to the point where her reserves had run dry. She had no more energy and was now incapable of regeneration.
With her final breath she pleaded for Isaac to escape with Lancer. With that, she gave them one last smile before she permanently shut her eyes. She body became limp and, as the Aura blast had dimmed down, her barrier died along with her.
No sounds were present. Every Titan stationed behind that barricade had been killed by the Ivimono Aishakiri. Dust had collectively risen, blocking off nearly all vision. Isaac used this to his advantage.
Isaac, heeding his mother's last words, took Lancer and sprinted as far away as he could under the cover of the dust; going in no particular direction. It was then that Isaac, free from his confusion, had realized that his mother was dead. The one person who cared for him when his father did not, gave birth to him, expressed how proud she was of him, cared for him... and loved him... was no-more.
He burst into tears, instantly regretting the fact that he never told his mother he loved her. All of this, even when she gave him the perfect opportunity to say it before her untimely death. He continuously recapped it in him mind: "I love you", until his brother, still silent, clenched onto him; burying his muzzle into his furry chest.
Looking down upon this "all-powerful" Riocynn, even though he was hopeless... at least he was one more person who loved him.
They aimlessly wandered from there-on-in until eventually locating Rustboro city. They settled down but barely spoke to one another. Their relationship as brothers had dwindled in this time as Isaac brooded to himself... building up rage against his enemy.
That Mismagius.
**
"You're the one..." Isaac whispered. That inner rage built up by a lifetime of hatred and grudges was released all at that one point. He awkwardly vaulted towards the Mismagius; frequently spinning like a top which released Aura in the form of a drill. "Aishakiri - 21st Variation!"
Lord Aika, monotonously feeling as if there was no point in strategizing with her arsenal of attacks, once again unleashed the blast of black energy from her necklace; however, this seemed, for the first time, ineffective. It drilled through the energy, deflecting it as he gained momentum. Lord Aika evaded, however, this led to Isaac ricocheting off of the inlay, up to the ceiling then he dashed downwards towards her once again at a startling speed.
Aika, irritated, decided to end this pitiful resistance. Somehow, she was capable of canceling out his Aura, leaving his body momentarily bare as she then struck him several times with beams of dark energy; similar to that of a Hyper Beam but much more devastatingly powerful.
Isaac grunted in pain as he collided with the inlay, bouncing 3 times until his body finally crashed against the molded walls. He became limp, as if all of the life was kicked out of him in that quick combo. He was now horrified, beyond demeaned and emasculated by this female.
The infection was getting to him, weakening him to the point of near-collapse. He could feel his mind begin questioning himself and everything he believed in. That feeling... the feeling of his mind turning on him was enough to make him crack. He began reasoning, contemplating, then just surrendered. His body overpowered his mind and forced him to give up at that moment. The Blight was taking over his body.
**
"Yes!" Sapphire screamed in anticipation, "We've finally made it to Dewford town!"
She was right, as Lancer ran to the deck of the small boat he and his companion rode it, he saw the Dewford town, though the town itself was destroyed, Lancer knew that the Checkpoint must have been nearby so he was just going to trust Sapphire and hope she knows exactly where she is going.
Firmly tying the ropes from the boat to the docks which lied next to the rubbles of the old Pokemon Center that resided in that area for such a long time, Sapphire and Lancer secured their boat and they prepared their final steps for the end of their journey.
In all of the destruction of Dewford, Lancer could barely hold back his emotions on how this town was completely annihilated. Lancer stopped to observe the almost poetic destruction of the town, the wood that emerged from the piles of ashes, the half-destroyed buildings, the litter that spread all across could have all written a poem, the rubble: the ink.
"Lancer, are you alright...?" Sapphire asked as she stepped on a large plank.
"Yeah... I'm fine, let's go." Was Lancer's quick reply as he snapped out of the destruction's pull on his attention and continued to follow Sapphire passed the town as they neared Granite Cave and made a left at the entrance straight into the burnt down forest that surrounded it.
Through hundreds and hundreds of trees, Sapphire and Lancer came along a small shack that was camouflaged within the forest by its texture.
As Sapphire slowly opened the door that lead inside of the shack, lawn tools, appliances, and cobwebs surrounding the interior, Lancer asked, "So why are we in here?"
"Well," Sapphire began as she moved the lawnmower out of the way to reveal a bookcase against the wall, "As you may have noticed, the Swarm aren't idiots and they look through every house in every area in all of the Hoenn region, but still, they aren't smart enough to figure out where Checkpoint: Orpheus is," she then slowly pulled out a book entitled "To Enter Heaven" and she finally concluded, "Welcome." as the bookcase slid to the left and revealed a secret passage way deep underground, but even as surprised as Lancer was; he could not help but feel very disappointed at the lack of security.
As soon as he decided to criticize this fatal flaw in the "great" Checkpoint: Orpheus, two Ekans revealed themselves from the darkness. "Welcome, Ms-s-s. S-s-sapphire Ryoka." The first one greeted.
"Heh, never mind." Lancer muttered.
"Who is-s your companion?" the second one queried. They both whispered as they spoke, creating a sinister feeling to the two. Lancer stayed on his guard, his eyes green as he began to think that Sapphire may have led him into some sort of trap.
"Lancer Rio... Riose... uhm..."
"Riocynn."
"Yeah, that's it!" Sapphire giggled sheepishly. She patted him on the back and whispered "Sorry, it's sort of a hard name to remember."
"It's okay..."
"Ahh, welcome Lanc-s-ser Rioc-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"
"Oh stop it!" Sapphire laughed as she playfully bonked the Ekans on the head.
"Jus-s-st get in there, you little whipper-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"
"You dork...!" Sapphire led Lancer away from those two, having enough of their strange sense of humor.
There was a stream of light originating to the left at the end of the tunnel, Sapphire took the lead and witnessed the entire underground Checkpoint first with a large smile on her face, "Come on, this way." She said as she walked forward passed an automatically opening door that lead to a small metallic room.
But as Lancer walked inside, the lights shut off and a scanner activated, scanning the Riolu and the Pikachu up and down, left and right until it confirmed that they were not infected. Lancer guessed that those 2 Ekans were just there for outside defense, not for security clearance. He instantly realized he was far from correct for believing this Checkpoint had no adequate security system.
"Greetings in there, stay calm, you're in a safe place, we're just scanning you to make sure you are uninfected..." a female voice announced through the speaker, that is when the second door automatically opened before Lancer and Sapphire, opening up the entrance into Checkpoint: Orpheus itself. Inside was a large hallway paved with metal as if that is what the entire installation was made of.
That is when a Froslass stepped out, this must have been the origin of the female voice they heard, she turned and looked at Lancer and Sapphire, but she was only happy to see Sapphire. Lancer, however, had noticed something a little strange: The Froslass gave him this glare... as if she knew who he was.
"Oh Sapphire," she began, "I'm so glad to see you've returned from your scouting, do you have any good information on the Blight?"
"Hehe, nice to see you too, Chamomile... and yes I did get quite a lot of info." Was Sapphire's response to the Froslass. Chamomile... what a strange name for the race of hers.
"Oh, how silly of me, I'd better send you down to your father, he would kill me if he knew I was delaying you over here, I trust I don't have to escort you?"
"No, you don't Chamomile, and don't worry, the Riolu is with me." Sapphire said.
"I see, well, it was good to see you again, see you later! I have... "stuff of concern" to do."
"Yeah, sitting there playing cards must be the biggest-"
"Shh!"
"Okay, okay. See you later, Chamomile!"
Chamomile gave Lancer that same glare before she turned around to leave.
Lancer lifted up his letter, which he had wrapped around his arm, that the female Luxray had given to him to give to the one named Eizzan, but before he could even think about how he was going to complete that mission, Sapphire said, "Let's go see my dad, I bet he's worried sick about me!"
**
"Let cut the charade, Mr. Riocynn." Aika stated as she manually activated the infection lying within Isaac. He was under her control but she felt this was a waste of his talents. The infection was only meant to receive followers that would not originally agree with her ideals, however, it made them 5 times weaker.
"Hehe... here, Isaac." She said, orbiting around him like a moon. "I'll let you witness first-hand how my elites are treated. The Anriu. I can already see it." Isaac stood motionless, his eyes glowing grassy green and piss yellow. "You'll love it. I treat my elites with such care. You'll be happy there... beginning a new life post-family decimation. Don't take anything I said earlier to heart. I value all life and hate having to fight this long and grueling war just to have my vision realized."
Isaac moaned.
"Trust me. Soon, you will be begging to stay with us."
**
Black Mercury Clear-Ups
~Checkpoint: Orpheus' security systems can mostly detect those who are infected... but there are ones known as Blight Spies who can somehow get passed the security undetected