***
Warning this contains death and dismemberment and mature content. This is a work in progress that does include Lemons. I do not own Pokemon or associated media. If you do not like the described content do not read. Also if you are under the legal age to read mature content DO NOT READ.
***

Fall before the Rise.

"I don't know about this Arthur," Nicole gulped as she regarded the structure that towered over them.

"We'll be careful, okay? I got Ace's ball ready right here," the trainer soothed.

"Okay..." she gulped again, following her mate into the brass tower.

"So... what do you think Ho-oh is going to be like?" the girl idly asked.

"I don't know, maybe he's like an old hermit because we had to go through a mini collection quest just to call him," he mused.

"Yeah a wise old guru living alone that can bring back the dead,"

"Did you climb the tallest tower and almost drown when you retrieved my wing..." Arthur jested in an old granny voice.

"Oh you're terrible..." Nicole laughed. Behind the pair followed a man dressed in a dark coat.

"I won't let you slip my grasp again Ho-oh."
***

"Shall I stop traffic now?" a Zoroark asked. Next to him sat a Silver-haired man and a Lucario.

"Yes," Aura growled as she watched a small caravan of cars escort a white delivery van. Countless illusionary boulders smashed into the roadway causing several accidents, leaving the road effectively blocked. The escort that protected the van exploded as several teams of Pokemon burst forth.

"Keep that van from moving!" the Lucario commanded. Upon her order several Gurdurrs hurled real boulders in front of the van while a Conkeldurr sent one of its concrete pillars flying into the front of the vehicle.

"Careful! my mate is in there!" Aura spat. The opposing teams sat waiting for the inevitable attack from the tree line.

"Zoroarks! Send forth your illusions!" Pako commanded. "Sow chaos in their ranks!"

Thousands of illusionary Pokemon spilled forth from the forest, sending several of the opposing Pokemon into fits of panic.

"I've bought you time Aura, go now and retrieve your mate," the elder spoke.

"Yes Pack Master," she nodded. "Alright, Vanguard with me! We're cutting a path to the van!"
***

"Ugh... I wish I could still fly," Nicole whined.

"Heh, I thought you could still fly. Your wings are still functional," Arthur jested.

"Yeah, functionally small," she huffed.

"Yeah but I hardly ever saw you flap your wings when you were still a Victini."

"That's because they provided a kind of buoyancy. I only really needed to flap them when I needed to change direction or elevation, and right now it's like gluing feathers to a rock..."

"Well regardless, I think we made it to the top," The teen laughed, gesturing to the trap door and ladder that led to the roof of the tower.

"Finally!"

"Oh come on it was only ten flights, and it'll be easier going down."

"Hush," Nicole hissed.

"Heh, well once we're done here, we'll be able to go visit Mt. Silver for a bit before heading to Sinnoh to reclaim your power."

"Aw, you did remember... kinda surprised actually considering I was barely awake," she smiled as she followed her mate up the ladder.

"Now what kind of... oh... uh hello Aurora... how did you..." Arthur greeted in surprise.

"I jumped," she growled, "Where is my mother Ethan!?"

"Ethan? As in Champion Ethan?" the trainer puzzled.

"Indeed Arthur Kiles, and as for your mother Aurora, I released her into the wilds north of Mt Silver," The Dark haired man answered.

"Why are you here then?!" the Suicune glared.

"I am after Ho-oh and his immense power, but it seems I lack the clear bell required to summon him."

"Wait... you were the old man at the library," Arthur recalled.

"I've always been one for disguises, but I still need that clear bell former champion."

"You say that like an insult Ethan, but I could care less for petty titles," the trainer huffed.

"Indeed, for what are petty titles without the skill and team to back them up?" the Champion sneered.

"That sounded like a challenge."

"Champion vs former Champion, to the victor goes the Clear Bell and Rainbow Wings," Ethan announced to the gathering storm clouds. He turned back to the white cladded trainer and pulled forth his first pokeball, "Aero, show them how strong you are."

"Aerodactyl, Rock/flying, weak to steel, rock and electricity," Arthur analyzed. "Namiko, you're up first."

"Sending a fighting type to face a flying type is foolish Arthur! I thought you had a better head for tactics than that. Aero, end it quickly! Wing attack!"

"Detect," the trainer muttered. The little Riolu waited until the very last moment to dodge the ancient flyer, dancing away from its beating wings.

"Now double team," he commanded. Namiko nodded, using her impressive speed to create several illusionary copies of herself to confound the fossil Pokemon.

"Don't focus on just one Aero! Use Rock tomb keep her from moving, then you can land the hits!"

"Use it first!"

"Ri," the fighting type smirked, summoning up her aura to steal the move intended for her. Boulders smashed into the predatory flyer leaving it pinned to the roof of the Tin tower.

"Keep your distance Namiko, it can still hurt you," Arthur warned. "Use Vacuum wave."

"Hyper Beam," Ethan countered. The grounded raptor opened its huge maw and loosed an intense blast of energy aimed directly at the little fighting type, but the beam never found its mark. Namiko jumped clear over the attack, raining down invisible punches from her glowing paws. When she landed before her trainer however she quickly doubled over to hold fast to the building.

"That was high... we're too high..." the Riolu squeaked.

"Hey... it's okay you won," Arthur cooed as he knelt down to comfort the frightened Pokemon. "I can't be more proud of you Namiko."

The fighting time looked up to the kind and comforting face of her trainer, "Thanks... thanks for believing in me..."

The last light of the evening sun suddenly broke through the gathering clouds as the Riolu's form began to glow. Her form grew into the familiar form of a Lucario, a form Arthur noted to be fairly shorter and thinner than that of his starter Aura.

"Wha! I... I evolved... master I evolved!" the overly excited steel type exclaimed. She moved to hug her trainer only to be stopped by a firm hand.

"Chest spike, you'll have to be careful about your hugs girl," Arthur smiled.

"Oh..." She sighed looking down to her own chest, "Oh! Oh I have..."

"No need to announce that you are a girl Namiko," he laughed.

"Amy! Thunderbolt!" invaded the calm evening. Lightning arced through the air and struck the pair. Arthur felt the charge course through the Lucario, but the conductive batting of his coat permitted the electricity to pass him by unharmed. Namiko didn't fare as well unfortunately as her form slumped in her trainer's arms.

"Arthur!" Nicole shrieked, but her beloved mate stood cradling the fainted Lucario in his arms.

"That was a..." he started when the champion cut him short.

"You are still in a battle, you can coddle your Pokemon later," Ethan glared.

"Are you alright?" the changed Victini asked.

"I'm fine..." Arthur growled as he returned Namiko to her ball. "Flaffy wool spared me from the brunt of the charge."

"Ace, you're next," the trainer spoke in a cold rage. In a flash of brilliant light a Flygon stood in opposition of the Ampharos. Specks of rain started to fall from the gathered clouds, but Ethan recalled the electric type.

"Ground type... Sol will be able to take him," the Champion assessed summoning forth an Espeon.

"Dark Pulse," Arthur smirked.

"What!?" Ethan balked as the dragon's form darkened for a moment as a wave of dark energy spewed forth. "Flygons can learn dark pulse?! Sol, hold it still with psychic and use hidden power!"

"Use another dark pulse, he won't be able to take another," he sighed. Ace gave an uncharacteristic giggle as the Espeon tried to unsuccessfully grip the Flygon with his mind. Sol fainted under the second wave of the dark energy, much to the champion's surprise.

"What!? Flygons are supposed to be ground/dragon types, but..."

"You aren't the only one who is good with disguises Ethan," the former champion smiled. Ace's form started to glow from evolution, but instead of him growing he shrank down to a familiar form of a Zoroark.

"Well Lupen you broke your own illusion," Arthur laughed.

"Not my fault," the dark type shot back.

"What is that thing?" the elder asked.

"You've never seen a Zoroark? They're not native to Kanto and Johto."

"Hmf, as long as I know what it is now I can match its weakness; Dark types are weak to bugs," Ethan grinned. "Dagger."

"Shit... you don't know flamethrower yet," Arthur paled as the Scizor materialized from its pokeball. "Return Lupen, Ace you're on!"

"Flygon," the elder dragon huffed.

"I know you can't use most of your ground moves here Ace, stick to your flying and dragon attacks," the trainer sighed, "Open up with sand tomb."

"Sucker Punch," Ethan countered. Sand whipped up around the desert dragon but the steel type barreled through the attack, landing a hard punch on the Pokemon's chest. Ace quickly retreated out of the harsh torrent of sand leaving it to soften up the steel clad bug.

"Vacuum wave, try to escape!" the champion urged.

"Aerial Ace! Keep her in there!" Arthur countered. The dragon rocketed through the vortex of sand when an invisible punch blasted through the sand. This continued for several exchanges; each time Ace looked more and more exhausted. Soon the vortex died back permitting the Scizor to jump back to its trainer. The time spent within the vortex left its metallic shell pitted from the sand.

"Bullet punch!" Ethan ordered, but Dagger refused to move as she drew haggard breaths.

"Ace?" Arthur asked. Neither combatant gave an inch to the other, but neither had the strength to attack.

"Draw..." the Champion relented, returning the Scizor.

"Agreed," the younger trainer nodded. "You did good Ace, Mom would be proud."

"Fly..." the dragon sighed before the red light pulled him back into his ball.

"There was a time I showed the same kind of concern for my Pokemon..." Ethan sighed, "I need Ho-oh's power... for this crown I wear grows heavy..."

"Then take it off... let someone else take the reigns as champion," Arthur offered.

"Both Johto and Kanto would fall apart without me..."

"Red stepped down..."

"I defeated Red! He was weak; he deserved to fall to me! That battle atop Mount Silver showed me that! The second the world proved to be too big for him his mind snapped!" Ethan snapped.

"Pride kills Ethan! It took the life of a friend, my friend, and crippled two others,"

"Then you have gone soft Arthur Kiles," the Champion growled pulling forth a blackened pokeball, "I haven't."

An old battle-scarred Typhlosion materialized from the charred ball. The storm worsened around the tower as larger and larger drops of icy cold rain pelted the two trainers.

'Rain... that's his strongest Pokemon, and I have Aqua,' Arthur thought to himself. "I haven't gone soft Ethan!"

The teen pulled forth a black and green ball and summoned his Vaporeon, "Alright Aqua, Make it rain!"

"Blast Burn, Coal," the Champion glared.

"Vaporeon!" Aqua called encouraging the sky to release its torrent of water. The fire type bellowed its reply, sending forth pillars of explosive heat. Arthur's hopes fell when the impossibly powerful attack consumed the weaker Pokemon. The trainer raised his coat to ward off the remnants of the powerful attack. His coat was left blackened by the intense blast as steam washed over the top of the rain soaked tower.

"Aqua!" the teen yelled once the steam cleared, but all that could be seen of the Vaporeon was a small puddle of water. "Aqua..."

"Typhlo..." the veteran battler sighed as he stepped closer to the puddle, but to Arthur's amazement the small bit of water sprang to life; launching a powerful hydro pump into the chest of the Typhlosion.

"Vapo," the puddle chimed as it reformed into the Pokemon. Though she escaped most of the blast, nasty burns covered her left shoulder.

"Aqua! While he's recovering use aqua ring," the trainer breathed. The Vaporeon sighed as she pulled up a veil of water to sooth the painful burn. The Typhlosion was slow to rise due to the full powered attack but still his jets guttered to life.

'he's too dangerous now... with his blaze ability active there is no way Aqua can take another hit like that,' Arthur thought, "Baton Pass,"

"Hit her before she retreats! Blast Burn!" Ethan commanded.

"Vapo..." she breathed, allowing her veil of water to surround her completely. Before the pillars of fire could reach her, the bubble of water suddenly froze solid. The ice bubble protected the water type as the maelstrom of fire raged on, creating yet another thick cloud of steam. Water seeped up to Arthur's boot; reforming back into the Vaporeon. Exhausted, she retreated back to the safety of her pokeball.

"Good work girl... I know just who to send out now," he whispered. Ethan couldn't see past the thick fog that clouded the roof, but the unmistakable flash of a Pokemon being released showed that his opponent had substituted or released a new Pokemon. A cold voice cut through the fog.

"Jack, Sheer Cold," Arthur commanded. The very air cracked as the fog suddenly turned to snow leaving a frozen Typhlosion in its wake. The Champion balked at the Tripod Glaceon that stood before the icy monument.

"Two to two Ethan, throw your next Pokemon," the trainer called.

"Coal... Coal was my strongest... fainted just like that..." The Johtoean trainer gawked, "How can I expect anyone else to face that..."

"Then you yield?"

"Yes... yes I yield," Ethan slumped. Arthur felt the slender arms of his mate wrap around his waist.

"You scared me," Nicole cooed.

"Glace..." Jack huffed as the Champion returned the frozen Typhlosion statue.

"I'm sorry for scaring you love," he turned.

"Why... why did you step down if you are so powerful?" the elder asked.

"I am not powerful, my friends are. I stepped down to protect them,"

"A sentiment I cannot share, but I've conceded defeat; the wing is yours," Ethan huffed as he held out a single shimmering feather.

"Then you give up on trying to capture Ho-oh?" Aurora asked

"No... But I need a Water type too..." the champion started, pulling a masterball from his pack. Just before Arthur could react, a hand gripped the Champion's wrist.

"I advise you to put that damn thing away," the woman that held the trainer hissed.

"Who are you?" the former champion asked.

"I am his handler, and sometimes his wife when he is being agreeable," she snapped, snatching the purple ball out of Ethan's hand.

"I apologize on his behalf, ever since he contacted that Emissary from Unova he's been ranting about getting revenge for being slighted over an exchange of information."

"What emissary? The only ones I know of are Shantal and myself,"

"Is your name Ghetsis?"

"What?! No... What information did he sell?" Arthur balked.

"Your whereabouts Arthur, I was supposed to get paid a million dollars for it," Ethan sneered.

"What else..." the Unovian panicked.

"Everything... well everything I knew about you at the time. Ghetsis seemed very interested in your girlfriend there, and your mission,"

"You... you..." the trainer seethed

"Leave him be Arthur... there is nothing we can do now," Nicole urged.

"My apologies Mr. Kiles, please let us take our leave of this tower," the woman placated as she ushered an Abra to her side. In an instant the champion and his handler vanished.

"I need to call Aura..."
***

"Aura, be careful I only have enough anti-toxin for a one dose," Dimitri warned.

"Excadrill," Huffed a member of the Vanguard.

"He said that the antitoxin is unnecessary," Aura translated.

"These toxins are tailored to bypass immunities," the ninja explained, "and fast acting, so if any of you get stuck let me know."

"Does it kill?" asked a Zoroark.

"First dose causes pain and paralysis, second dose kills,"

"Exca," the mole Pokemon growled.

"Uh he said what if it kills on the first dose?" the dark type gulped.

"Then we're all fucked, but it is only for assassinations,"

"Cut the chatter, we need to focus," Aura snapped. A few of the plasma trainers started to rally to the van realizing the Pokemon army that stormed the highway wasn't real.

"They'll never know what hit them," the Lucario smirked, "Driller smash into their front line."

"Excadrill," the Pokemon grinned. Dimitri watched the stocky steel type charge forward. The ring of trainers were caught completely off guard as a very real opponent smashed into their feeble line of Pokemon.

"Wait something isn't right... the Triad should have expected that... these are just grunts..." the Ninja observed. "Are you sure that the van was coming this way?"

"Yes... the bridge was up..." the Zoroark confirmed.

"Which means... Aura! Pull Driller back!" Dimitri yelled, but his protest came too late. A single man appeared on top of the van and rained down not one, but three knives into the hide of Excadrill. The steel type simply fell prone, the poisoned kunai killing him almost instantly.

"Form up we still have..."

"Driller!" the Zoroark roared blindly charging forward to help the downed Pokemon. More Kunai flew and the dark type also fell.

"Damn it! No one else move!" Aura commanded, "We are still hidden by the illusions."

"Mu..." ~ I can contact Pako. I sense that man still relies on his sight, take it from him and he is nothing more than a man, ~ the Musharna conveyed to the group.

"Do it, but I'm taking the shot," the Lucario growled.

"Only one... ask yourself this Aura, where are the other two," Dimitri warned.

"Never mind them, I am retrieving Captain!" she growled.

~ The illusion is ready Aura, take the shot, ~ the psychic type announced. The Lucario growled fiercely as she summoned up a ball of aura.

"No!" the ninja tried, but the orb sailed through the air but it never connected with the man. He reappeared in the middle of the group his eye's closed, a gesture Aura recognized as aura sight. A dart pierced the Lucario's chest while the Ninja focused on Dimitri. The former member looked to the other members of the vanguard to see similar darts protruding from them.

"They will be interrogated Dimitri, you on the other hand must die," the triad member spoke.

"Where... where are the others?" he stalled.

"One is with Ghetsis, the other as new as he is, is protecting our lord N,"

"New... new... as, as in a replacement..." Aura choked.

"Yes, didn't Dimitri tell you? He was the one who commanded the Focus Blast! He was the owner of the Bisharp that pierced your mate's lung!" the man jeered.

"You... you..."

"Show an ounce of courage right..." the disgraced Ninja shrugged. "Sorry for not telling you love."

"Bastard," Aura spat as the man raised a hidden Kunai. With a flick of his wrist the knife flew at the ninja, but the blade was deflected by the more skilled man.

"What was that supposed to do Dimitri?"

"Well... you were between me and Aura... never been that great of a shot," he shrugged.

"You will die Dimitri, for betraying our order for...*gurk*" the Ninja was cut short as a paw burst through his chest.

"You are lucky you missed my eye," the Lucario growled. "And once we are done here we WILL talk."

~ A... Aura... he... help us... the... the pain...~ the Musharna gasped.

"See to them, I'll go retrieve your mate," Dimitri offered, "Check his body, he has to have antitoxins in the event of accidental sticks."

"Hope that he does Dimitri, enough have died today," Aura warned as the man stepped around the stupefied grunts. The former ninja opened the door to see a plain metal box that was roughly the size of a Lucario.

"Too heavy for me to carry..." he breathed as he pried open the box only to gasp at its contents. Inside was a simple harness and ruined camera, artifacts from the Lucario's body.

"No... its... it's a decoy!?" Dimitri balked as he ruffled through the sparse contents. In his frantic searching however his hand brushed a hidden trigger; causing the bottom to split open where a simple spring trap launched a steel spike. Aura looked up in time to see the former ninja fall back from the back of the van with a small spear protruding from his head. She handed the vial she found to the Musharna and rushed to the man's side.

Dimitri was dead, that much was obvious to the steel type but she soon discovered the same thing the ninja had. The box was a decoy, and now she knew exactly where her mate was.
***

"She's not at the house..." Arthur sighed as he turned his Xtransceiver off, "Well Nicole, what do you think?"

"Once I have my power we should return to Unova," the changed Victini advised.

"Agreed, but let us summon Ho-oh shall we? No doubt Captain will be able to aid us," the teen smiled.

"If Ho-oh agrees to bring him back."

"Yeah..." Arthur nodded. He reached into his bag and retrieved the Clear bell and Feather. Three piercing chimes sounded into the storm, and with each chime the rainbow wing grew brighter.

"Bastard! Here to try to capture my master again!" A beast that seemed to embody the lightning that crashed around the tower roared.

"Raikou! No!" Aurora yelled, but the thunder dog charged for the soot covered trainer. Arthur turned just in time to catch the beast's head in his chest.

"No... I'm not Ethan!" he tried. It took every ounce of strength he had to hold the legendary at bay, but his boots slipped on the wet tower roof.

"Liar! You returned to capture Ho-oh," Raikou growled. Teeth tore through the front of Arthur's shirt and in one quick movement he was sent flying over the edge of the tower.

"Arthur!" Nicole cried as she ran to the edge.
***

Miles away a brilliant golden bird roosted. His head rose when three chimes of a bell echoed through the mountains which he called home and to the south glinted a light which shone with the colors of the rainbow.

"hm, I've been summoned," the bird mused. "Could it be Ethan returning to try to capture me again? or a new trainer..."

Ho-oh rose from his nest and spread his massive wings. He was about to sound a reply when a fourth chime cut through the still mountain air.

"No, Ethan isn't that impatient..."the legendary observed. "No... I sense death on the wind. I must lend aid if I can."

The bird sounded his cry, heralding his arrival in a few short minuets.
***

"Be still girl, our lord has called forth," Raikou huffed as he pinned the changed Pokemon beneath his paw.

"Arthur! Please... Please I must help him..." she wept.

"Ethan deserves no aid. Let him die so he may no longer threaten our lord!" the electric type growled bitterly.

"Damn it uncle, that wasn't Ethan!" Aurora spat.

"His coat was black, and Ethan..."

"His coat was white covered in char, burned by Ethan's Typhlosion," the Suicune countered.

"Please..."

"Raikou! Release her!" bellowed a large bird of gold.

"Yes my lord Ho-oh," the thunder dog complied, raising his paw from the back of the changed Victini. She quickly clambered to her feet to charge for the edge where her mate fell, only to be stopped by the great bird landing before her.

"Whoa, easy my child. What troubles you?" Ho-oh cooed.

"Arthur... my... my mate... he fell... please! You must help him..." Nicole pleaded.

"All right my child, take hold, I shall take you to him," He nodded, allowing the girl to take hold of his chest.

"Hold tight," the bird warned before extending his wings to allow the storm to take him. Experience held the great flyer steady as he descended down to the forest below. Broken branches marked where the trainer fell.

"Arthur..." Nicole squeaked as her mate's body came in to view. His body lay in the middle of a pile of broken boughs; his coat torn and his face bloody.

"Arthur..." she cried, "Arthur... please..."

"Ow..." Arthur groaned, "That hurt..."

"You're... you're alive!?" the Victini balked.

"You're alive!" Nicoled squealed, hugging the downed trainer.

"*ack* ow... Nicole love... please..." he gasped, "can't breathe..."

"How..." she started before being shushed by her mate. He gently pointed to a nearby figure that slowly walked up.

"I saved him, or well my Espeon did," a dark haired woman explained.

"Nanako..." Nicole recognized.

"Yes... I was visiting the tower after I saw Ethan fly to the top with his Pidgeot," the kimono dancer explained, "I sent my sisters to the top when I heard the battle at the top of the tower, and when I heard the bell chime I released my Espeon because I feared that Ethan had won."

"And when Raikou threw me off the tower her Espeon barely managed to catch me with psychic," Arthur finished. "I kind of went through a few trees before she caught me."

"Thank goodness she did," the changed Victini sighed.

"You were the one who rang the bell?" Ho-oh asked as he approached the group.

"I was..." the trainer nodded. He slowly sat up from the pine branches to approach the great bird, "Is it true that you can..."

"It is true, but those touched by my power are changed..." the legendary sighed.

"I don't care. Captain was a good friend of mine and Aura's mate, I cost him his life," Arthur explained.

"I see, this Captain... you seek to restore his life, but not purely for selfish gain."

"No... I shouldn't have stepped inside that cave; I should have paid that price, not him."

"Arthur... please don't say that..." Nicole wept. "I love you... I loved you back then too."

"Sorry love... but..."

"Good has come from his departure, but can good come from his revival?"

"Yes, Aura wouldn't have to raise her kids alone; she wouldn't have to explain to Dart why his Father isn't coming home,"

"Ah, you are thinking of Aura, she grieves because of you," Ho-oh seemingly smiled. "I shall do what I can. Where is his body?"

"His body... he's still back in Unova, Wellspring cave," Arthur explained. "At least I think his still at Wellspring."

"I see, alas I cannot revive your friend without his body, and I cannot travel with you to Unova."

"I... I see, I apologize for wasting your time,"

"Now don't write me off so readily young man. I've heard that Ethan did arrive with the intent to capture me, and I can only assume that you defeated him," the bird placated.

"I did, but..."

"Then I am in your debt."

"But you said you..."

"I may not be able to revive him in person, but I can grant you a means to revive him yourself," Ho-oh offered before turning to the kimono clad woman, "Priestess, do you have my ash?"

"Ah yes my lord," Nanako gasped. She quickly searched her sleeves for a moment until she found a small pouch of sacred ash.

"Thank you, pour it on the ground please," he instructed.

"Uh my lord they are..."

"I can create more priestess," the great bird sighed. The kimono girl swallowed as she emptied the contents of the pouch on the wet ground.

"Good, now step back," Ho-oh nodded. Dry air began to emanate from the fire bird as his form began to shimmer.

"Cover your ears," Nanako warned. Arthur and Nicole did as instructed and clamped their hands over their ears. Blue fire suddenly erupted from where the ash laid. Ho-oh fanned the fire into a pillar with his wings until the blue fire turned white. The bird maintained the pillar until he began to show signs of fatigue where he allowed the fire to die back. The ground where the fire burned was devoid of any grass or vegetation and in the center a small phial of glass rested in the leftover ash.

"A sacred phial..." the geisha gawked.

"No other phial can hold my power," Ho-oh sighed. "Arthur is it? Take the phial."

The teen hesitantly stepped towards the glass and tentatively touched its smoothed surface.

"It's... cold," he observed, once the vial was in his hand.

"That is because it does not contain my fire yet, hold it here so I might breathe a little life into it," the bird beckoned. Arthur did as he was asked and held the tiny phial up. Ho-oh placed his beak to the lip of the bottle and breathed a small wisp of flame into it.

"Merely place it to the lips of your loved one and the fire will do the rest," he explained as he sealed the phial with a glass stopper.

"Thank you," Arthur bowed.

"I shall warn you again however, those touched by my power are changed, do not waste it," Ho-oh warned.

"I won't," he promised. The great phoenix took to the skies to return to his home, satisfied with the payment to his debt. Arthur turned back to his mate with the phial in hand.

"I... I have a means to bring back Captain..." he breathed, but before he could move his Xtransceiver rang.

"Hello?" the teen answered. Aura's worry stricken face appeared on the screen. The Lucario huffed and growled. Even though few could understand the fighting type, both Arthur and Nicole understood what she was saying. Captain's body was taken.
***

Well now that's quite the conclusion, Arthur has the means to resurrect Captain but now Ghetsis has his body. But before Arthur can return home he must retrieve Nicole's power. Woot first update of the year.

Well see you all next time. Your ever crazy
Kolofox