Story Notes:
This story is set on EARTH. our earth, you and me earth. you get the idea.Pokemon copyrighted to nintendo, blah blah blahdy blah blah
Chapter 16
Michael woke alone again the next day and the pain was still fresh on his heart, taking all of his strength to move out of bed and into the cold world he now inhabited. His mind seemed to accelerate back into reality as he woke, leaving behind the sluggishness it experienced while he watched the show of light and sound his mind played for him, allowing huge influxes of information to come to him. He sifted through those images in his mind, dream still fresh but fading fast. It was light outside, the sun already above the horizon, grey clouds dispersed to shed a great swath of lilac light on the land. He had slept in but it was worth it, to him, to remain in that blissful blackness with only flashes of light and memory to accompany him. He thought of those dreams as he sat on the bed, half covered in his ragged clothes and with stubble still rough on his face, wondering if they even meant anything. The hazy images he saw and the sound he heard, a din of low roars and crashes, could be somehow connected maybe. As he turned his head, he saw the light dancing across the roads and houses, slight mist hanging in the air and blurring the view. The haze of the things he saw, the lights that were near formless, maybe covered by a thick mist of his mind. But why? Was his mind trying to protect him of these images? Maybe knowing they would only hurt him further? He sighed in defeat as he struggled to the doorway and out into the hall, hunger in his stomach barely registering above all else he was feeling. Coming down into the living room, he saw the group of Pokémon scattered throughout the area as they slept. He turned his head away with a slight sneer as he saw Tom and the Lucario sleeping so closely, the sudden feelings of heavy hate spreading through his chest. He could not deny that he was angry. Tom finding this close friend when he had only just lost his own, coming so easily to him. The jealousy moved through his mind like a creeping vine as he stalked to the kitchen, where they had loaded some of the food supplies into the pantry.
Canned foods were wearing thin now, being the kind of food one can only eat for so long before it all tastes the same. It was all they had right now, but their search of the gas station had thankfully turned up some more appetizing things. Michael grabbed a packet of crisps, tearing the foil and shovelling the fried food into his mouth, not caring for the nutrition of it all. It was oily and most likely loaded with chemicals, but it at least tasted of something. Will was nowhere to be seen, probably still sleeping along with everyone else. Despite his late rising, Michael had still awoken before anyone else, and was suddenly regretting not staying in bed. They all needed a long rest, he supposed, from the running and fighting these days. He wondered absently if this was how life was going to be from now on, and even if this all just went away, what would be left afterwards? Pokémon left in this world could be hunted, trained, or isolated without remorse, being the alien creatures they were. But on the other hand, Pokémon could do the same and begin to hunt humans after being treated like so. His thoughts drifted vaguely through the haze of confusion morning brings, the packet of crisps in front of him sitting unfinished. He sat there for some time, listening to the occasional creak of the house or grunt of one of its occupants. Will was the first one to rise after him, coming down the hall with heavy steps and appearing as if messily drunk, though perhaps not on alcohol. After Will had grabbed some of his own food, he sat down at the table and began to eat, talking of the work to be done on the day. Michael only half listened to his seemingly mindless chatter. Will occasionally paused when speaking, having realised the stupidity of what he was saying and taking a moment to reassure himself that it was all real. The plan was simply to search the town for any supplies or hopefully civilians who could help in some way or another. The town appeared abandoned from where they were, but this was only the fringe of it, unknown secrets could be lurking behind the closed doors further downtown.
"The place looks pretty beat up" Michael said, interrupting Will as he explained the likelihood of finding anyone else.
"Well yes, it seems like the initial opening of those portals clustered around this area" He said "But that might mean that we have a better chance of...perhaps finding one" . His tone betrayed his confidence.
"Why would there be so many?" Michael asked, Will didn't miss the glimmer of hope that sparked in his eyes for a second. "Did something cause it?"
"Probably not, some areas are weaker than others, and this town was just in the way of a weak area" Will said "But the portals shouldn't worry us, the weakness had probably shifted by now, clustering somewhere else". Will hated to see that spark of hope die in Michael, but the truth was necessary, although cruel. He tried to change the subject
"If we find anyone, how do you think they would react to seeing Pokémon travelling with us?" He asked
"Well....they might realise they're not threatening, if we stay close" Michael said
"But they would be hesitant to approach us" Will observed
"What other choice do they have? If they've got nowhere to go then they can't do anything"
"Mmh...Good point" Will said, finishing the small sachet of porridge he had been eating. A voice greeted them from the doorway
"Morning all" Tom said, standing tall and looking visibly refreshed, the Lucario standing slightly behind him with red eyes seeming to glow in the morning light. Michael had not heard her speak before and felt slightly odd when she did. Her voice was sharply different from Melody's, being rougher and lacking in telepathic ring, the words coming out strained.
"The two elders want...to know what....you plan to do....today" She said, hovering closer to Tom than anyone else as he made his own way to the pantry. The best Tom could find for her was some canned meat, having been told by her that while Lucario's could eat berries and vegetables, too much of them could cause sickness. Meat was their main diet, and the Lucario accepted the meal gratefully, but almost shyly.
"I had just explained what our best plan would be" Will said, preferring not to repeat himself but doing so anyway. "We can search deeper into this town, look for more supplies and maybe someone who can help. A supermarket would be the best thing, but it might have been scavenged completely by now"
"Sounds like a solid plan then" Tom said, sounding a little more upbeat than in previous days. Will was surprised he had agreed, let alone complimented it. Michael looked over to the Lucario again, sitting next to Tom as they ate their own meals. She seemed to trust Tom more than the rest and also seemed to have a positive effect on him, a good night's sleep probably also contributed.
The rest of the meal was spent in relative silence, Will leaving to prepare some things and Michael opting to stay in the kitchen with a glass of water, occasionally picking at the crisp packet that still lay on the table.
Throughout the rest of the morning, the group went their separate ways. Michael didn't know what to do with himself, settling for sitting in the living room with a small book he had found in the master bedroom by the name of "The Paradise War". The protagonist was too, pulled into a world that wasn't his own, and made a new life there. The similarities were painful for Michael to read and think about. Tom was once again going through spars and small drills with the Lucario, to which Will watched with fascination as the Lucario conjured up large burning orbs of blue light. She explained it to him as an Aura Sphere, but he was more interested in trying to find what caused it.
"So, you can just conjure these balls of...aura was it? At Will?" Will asked the Lucario, still watching the shifting blues and whites move through the flaming ball of light
"I can, but...it is hard....here" She said, straining to keep the ball fuelled in her hand "Aura is...less abundant here". She sighed in relief as the ball dissipated, energy wisping away into the air.
"Well, what do you use it for?" Will asked "Is it like some kind of power source, or tool?"
"We can use...it in fighting" She replied
"Fighting?" Will blinked "You said it was...life energy? but you fight with it?"
"And it burns like a bitch too" Tom chipped in, rubbing his shoulder where she had struck him in one of their earlier spars. He remembered how the blue fire coated her paw as she brought it down, the painful jolt which shot through his nerves as it hit and the burning it left, despite leaving no visible scar.
"It is...potent" She said "It...burdens the enemy"
"So it's like short circuiting the body? Fascinating" Will said, already thinking of uses for this new exotic form of energy and if it could be harvested artificially. Now he just had to figure what caused it, photon, electrons, exotic matter and the like. Tom saw the gleam of thought in his eye
"You're trying to figure out this, aren't you?" He asked
"Well, it's fascinating to see what I could make of it" Will said, Tom laughed slightly, a sound Will wasn't accustomed to hearing.
"If it really is life energy then I doubt you can decipher it" Tom said "Ah, science always dismissed the arcane, but now you see that it's real and it's impossible by your laws. One of God's mysteries that man won't figure out"
"Oh that's just cynicism, give me enough time, I'll find what makes it work" Will shot back
"Whatever you want then, try focusing on something a bit more useful" Tom taunted happily.
The rest of Tom's day was spent with the Lucario, talking about what she called Aura. Throughout all of his theological studies he had learned of a few beliefs that had some variant on the whole life energy idea, but seeing it in action made him eager to learn more.
It wasn't until nightfall that everyone was ordered to gather their things for the coming raid. Tom had told them that it would be best to do under cover of darkness, despite the deserted appearance of the town, people could still be here, scattered among the wreckage. They were all rather reluctant to leave the comfort of their new shelter, being a cosy place that helped to calm them all, but the priorities right now were on supplies. They all entered the car, with the Mightyeena and younger leader travelling ahead of them to scout the way. The Lucario sat in the front seat while Tom drove, with Will, Michael and the older leader loaded into the back. Will reluctantly carried the same shotgun he had used during the raid on their previous shelter, while Michael sombrely carried the same rifle. The leader in the middle looked at the guns with slight contempt, seeing them as a cowardly way to fight and machines with no intent but genocide of his race. Although he knew they were not turned on him, he still did not feel at ease when around them. The Lucario didn't carry a weapon, of course, despite how her close combat would be useless if anyone else carried firearms. She trusted Tom that he would protect them all, seeing the makings of a veteran warrior in him. When she had first been assigned to them by the council of leaders, she had been hesitant. The groups of Pokémon back at their encampment would often tell of what they experienced when they first entered this world and the death they had seen, making her distrust these humans more so than the ones who roamed the mountains of her home. She knew that she along with the other Pokémon who were escorting these humans could easily be killed if their weapons were as powerful as had been said. But when she had heard Tom talking of his days as a warrior, she couldn't help but listen in on it. She felt something strange for him, a respect for someone who had fought so, like a soldier would feel for their fellow comrades. She had grown to trust him more as they had both sparred and trained together, forming a loose friendship, and he had told her of some of the things to be prepared for in this world and how to protect herself against them. Something a fellow warrior would do to protect their friends.
She broke her thoughts and turned to look out at the various things passing by her. She had seen towns and cities from the mountains and hills her tribe had inhabited, always seeming so small in the distance. But here, she was given her first full view of civilisation, albeit one that was now damaged and desolate. Somehow these humans managed to survive in one area, manipulating the land and coaxing food and water from it, not needing to worry about food running our or attacks from various wild Pokémon. It would be nice to not have to move around, she thought, but the places she had seen while travelling were all different and unique. A city was uniform and slightly drab, but it was safe and unmovable. If the humans sacrificed beauty for abundance then she would let them as the large concentrations of them kept hostility away from the nearby wilderness. She was pulled from these thoughts by the jolt that came as the car stopped. Everyone was thrown forward for a second as the shock shuddered through the car, turning to see what had happened. Tom sighed deeply, the car had stopped just an inch away from a particularly large pile of rubble, headlights illuminating the broken concrete pile. Tom turned to face everyone from the driver's seat.
"Well, we're far enough down town, and I don't want to risk driving around in the dark looking for another way" he said, popping open the door and stepping out, taking his rifle with him. "We can walk from here. It'd probably less noticeable too"
Everyone got out, taking staring warily around the ruined landscape. This part of town was harder hit, larger buildings and stores having collapsed under their own weight, chunks of twisted metal and shattered glass scattered over the road. It looked like a small market or business district, store signs hanging from broken fixtures on the walls. A flash briefly illuminated the area, everyone quickly turning to see the younger leader walking along side the Mightyeena, whose front paw was stepping tenderly on the road.
"I apologise for not being able to warn you, but it seems that my companion has stepped on something rather sharp" He said, his voice echoing into their minds. The Mightyeena gave a short whine in response. Will approached the creature attentively, as anyone would do when approaching a wolf.
"May I see it?" He asked warily "I could help if he still has anything stuck in his paw"
The Mightyeena gave a cautious look, but whined again in resignation as it laid down, allowing Will to lift its paw and observe it. Even in the dark, he could see the small shard of glass that was indeed lodged in the soft pads of the Pokémon's foot, the moonlight shimmering around it as the nearly black blood dripped from the wound. He gently plucked the glass sliver from the wound, the creature snarling in pain but withholding its instinct to strike back. Quickly grabbing a small medical kit in the trunk of the car, he disinfected the wound, causing more snarls from the creature as the iodine stung it's paw, and wrapping it in a bandage. The creature rose and gently laid it's paw on the ground, happy to find the pain more or less gone.
"Don't run with that on, it'll heal in a few days or so" Will said, the creature giving a low bark in acknowledgement.
After this, Tom led them forward, through the rubble and debris of the wasted area. They no longer had the two forward scouts to run ahead, only having instinct to rely on. The city was deadly quiet as they made their way through the area, looking into windows and storefronts for anything useful. The soft chirps of crickets were the only things to break the silence, providing a very lonely ambience, as if they were the only ones left on this revenged planet. If any words were spoken, it was in a hushed whisper, silence being preferred. One storefront caught Michael's attention, a metallic front open to the elements, small plastic boxes set outside a broken glass door. Inside he saw the faint glint of metal in the light. He whispered to Tom and Tom moved toward it, rifle ready, peering through the door.
"Damn it, it's too dark, can't see a thing" He whispered frustratedly. A second after the words left his mouth, a soft blue glow filled the area, casting a gentle light through the doorway and illuminating the shelves of canned food and plastic packaging inside. He turned to see the Lucario holding an aura sphere, burning silently in the night. He gave her a soft smile and she smiled back, slowly moving into the building. The interior was revealed to be a small and generic convenience store, coolers of drinks across the wall and cigarette packs behind the counter. He motioned everyone in, all silently rejoicing in the newfound stash of supplies. They all went their separate ways, grabbing whatever they needed or wanted. Tom and the Lucario guided themselves over to the coolers, searching through the darkened fridges. Opening the door and feeling through the produce found it to be relatively cool, despite the power having shut off. Tom guessed that a generator had been left on and only recently burnt off. He laughed silently as he grabbed a carton of milk; things were actually going well for once. The Lucario called for him from the other end of the coolers, rather excitedly too.
"Look!" She said, not having to bother being quiet with her pseudo-telepathy. He moved over to see she was looking into one of the meat coolers. "Good meat"
"Yes, very good meat" He replied. He wouldn't mind a good steak himself after all those cans of fruit and tinned meat. The meat wasn't spoiled, even better because he doubted that he would have left it anyway. He pulled various packets of all sizes from the cooler, the Lucario taking some in her paws and trying to hold back the urge to bite into one then and there.
"Tom, how much...can we take?" She asked
"Just enough that we can eat it before it goes bad, and then-"He stopped, realising something from what she had just said. "You've never told me your name" he said awkwardly. Indeed it was an odd time to bring it up, but it seemed rather significant as he had just been addressing her directly until now. She laughed softly, realising that she too had only now addressed him by his name, despite knowing it all this time.
"Names...aren't as important...to us" She said "Scent is...what we recognise...but I was named...Layla"
"Layla, can't say I've ever heard a name like that before"
"My name...isn't important...you can call me....something else if you want" She said, the idea of a name in Lucario culture being something only used in formal rituals and rites. Tom smiled and closed the cooler
"It's fine, I like Layla" He said, the word still new and exotic to him, something he liked. They headed out of the shop, gathering the others along with them. Michael carried a small basket he found by the counter, filled to the brim with canned and wrapped food that would last them a long time. Will and the two psychics carried fruits and vegetables. The Mightyeena eyed the meat packages hungrily as it carried a large packet of frozen corn held in his jaws. The two psychics guided their way in front, sensing their way past the rubble and trying to once again find where the car had been left. Through the blackened city it was now even quieter, even the crickets had ceased their chirping and the wind was dead in the trees. Nothing but the sound of their footsteps could be heard. Ahead of them, silhouetted against the slight moonlight, a large building loomed. None of them had noticed it before, heading the wrong way so that it could not be seen. As they approached, rustic letters could be made out upon a sign post outside, some torn off and nowhere to be seen. By the looks of the remnants, it was some large department store. Michael spoke up as they walked past
"We could search in there" He said, Tom turned his head and inspect the large warehouse
"Looks like an old Wal-mart...We have food, I don't think we'd find much else we need" He said, making to leave, but Michael stopped him again
"But we might find some people, it could've been a shelter for them" He said. Michael was unsure that there were, but something drew him to the building, feeling as if something important was inside. Tom was torn on finding new allies and having to share their newfound rations. Eventually he decided that allies could be worth it in the long run.
"Alright, we'll search it, but not for too long" He said, hoping this was something he would not regret later. They made their way through the car park, the place being as desolate as other areas, but with the addition of large wrecks of burnt out cars and busses. The wrecked cars smouldered in their frames, rust creeping at the edges of some, others a mangled mess. The shine from the bonnets seemed like small beacons in the air as they moved through them. The entrance had been smashed, expectedly, and the store lay in ruin. Huge shelves of merchandise had been overturned, shelves stripped and parts of the roof torn off, the crunching of glass echoing underfoot in the huge area. Layla slightly shrunk at the size of the place, the huge open area walled off on all sides seeming like a prison to her, the wreckage doing nothing to lessen the thought. Tom moved forward, his foot suddenly catching on a large chunk of metal, sending the pole clattering across the ground, shattered glass screeching as it did. The den of noise that projected through the empty warehouse was joined by an unearthly screech above them. Will let out a cry as he heard this, his heart racing at the sudden disturbance. Whipping his head up, Tom caught a glimpse of a horde of formless black masses flying high above, screaming as they quickly filed their way out though one of the holes in the roof and into the deep night sky. The screeches slowly faded, as did the groups panic as they all looked on at the high ceiling above them.
"Golbats" The older leader answered "They prefer caves, but this area must have sufficed for them"
"Will they come back?" Will asked
"Only they are sure that we have left, most likely in the morning" The leader replied calmly.
Shaking this off, they made their way into the store, all splitting up again, despite Tom's protest that it would do little good tactically. The store seemed utterly abandoned as well, and if anyone was there then the calls of the Golbats had surely awoken them. Layla travelled with him, while the rest went separate ways. They travelled slowly down the aisles; boxes of unsold but useless products surrounding them, some of them tipped over and emptied. The entire electronics department was gone as well, pointless for anyone right now but something someone could hold onto if they made it through to see peace restored. Nothing seemed very interesting, until they came across the sports section of the store, Astroturf carpet shifting under them as they observed the low and spaced racks. Bats, poles and all manner of hunting knives were stored here. All useful in more ways than one. At the back of this section, Tom found something he could certainly use, the firearms supplies. They had been raided already, but most of the ammunition and some of the weaponry still remained, Tom silently thankful that most people didn't see the use behind a scope or extra magazines.
"Wait here Layla" He said, laying his weapon on the floor and jumping over the bench top. The majority of the firearms were kept in the backroom on the edge of the store, behind the counter. He flicked the light switch inside the supply room, but no light came. He could have brought Layla with him, but even here he refused to search without someone watching his back.
Michael was currently wandering through the store aimlessly. He had no interest in anything still left on the shelves, cut price clothing and cheap children's toys lying amongst them. He found himself with little drive to do anything now, even walk through this darkened remnant of the past, holding his rifle loosely. But even lacking this passion he had not so long ago felt for life, he walked on. He felt something inside him, tugging at his very core for attention, but it seemed so faint and so weak that he wondered if he was just imagining it. His feet moved of their own accord, making his way towards the offices at the rear of the building. The offices weren't much, only a few desks and computers, oddly unharmed. He looked around the room to see it all neat and tidy, as if no one had even bothered to search it. Office supplies lay in their boxes, papers were filed in large cabinets, and the desktops wee spotless. There was nothing of use in here; even the computers would be useless now. He saw, as he turned to leave, the lock on the door. It was shattered, wooden splinters hanging from it, large dents in the metal knob. He moved closer, peering at the destroyed mechanism. The splinters were fresh, dust still falling from the wound in the door. His foot bumped against a small object. He looked down to see it was a large mallet, black rubber dull in the slight light, he bent down to pick it up. A loud crash sounded only a few feet away, making him stumble back, seeing the source of the noise. A large black mass charged towards him, grabbing at him before he could raise his gun. Michael jerked back, letting out a loud cry, the large creature reaching out a hand and tearing at his shirt. He nearly fell as the fabric tore around his neck, stinging as he ran, rifle fallen to the ground with no time to retrieve it. He ran from the office, loud steps thundering behind him, angered grunts calling out as the creature pursued him. He sprinted down one of the aisles, daring a look back as he dodged the fallen debris. The large creature was now illuminated by the moonlight, a great hulking beast of a man with broad shoulders and rippling muscles underneath a padded vest undone at the chest, eyes emitting fury and excitement as he gained on him. Michael threw himself around a corner and kept running, hoping the turn would give him enough time to gain some ground from the man who was now only metres away. The man didn't stop, turning sharply with only a second pause before launching himself forward at full speed. Michael yelled out, calling to anyone who could hear. His call was answered a second later with the incoming footsteps of another, coming from one of the aisles ahead. He barely had time to see Tom round the corner before a great weight struck from behind, sending a flash of pain through his head and pushing him forward. The blow was followed by another hard strike, metal tipped shoes biting into his side as his attacker leant down to grab him again. The man had caught sight of Tom, and quickly made his decision. He smoothly grabbed Michael and threw him hard into another aisle, world spinning as he hit the hard floor. The steps thundered towards him as gunshots rang out through the store. Michael tried to move to his feet, but another sharp blow to the face stopped him before the great beast of a man thundered past and down to the end of the aisle. Tom rounded the corner and fired into the distance, his shot impacting on the back of the man's vest, but doing nothing to slow him. He quickly helped Michael up, pulling the bruised man to his feet and shoving a pistol into his hands.
"If you see him again, just shoot" Tom said, dragging him back out of the aisle to where Layla was standing, no longer holding an aura sphere. She glanced at Michael, slight worry crossing her face before she followed Tom, back towards the hunting section. Michael followed with his chest and face aching from the harsh beating they had taken.
Layla ran along with Tom, trying desperately to find the man who had assaulted one of her pack. She stopped abruptly, sighting a shadow at the end of one of the aisles and ran for it without warning. She reached the end of the aisle and launched herself around the bend, tacking the shadow she had seen. It was a younger man, wearing the same kind of vest the bigger one had and holding a large rifle. she brought her fist up into his face with practiced speed and precision, the young man crying out in pain and quickly grabbing at her in rage. They scuffled along the ground, and although she was the better fighter, the man was strong and she could do little when on the ground. Punches and kicks were exchanged, but it only took her one mistake to end up pinned, the man holding her arms down with his entire weight. She struggled, but it was of little use as the man used his free leg to drive painful jabs into her legs, trying to subdue her. She reacted with something Tom has taught her, swiftly kicking her leg up and into the man's crotch, something that was looked upon as cowardly in her tribes fighting matches. He howled in pain and faltered, letting her throw him off and leap to her feet. While the man was still on the ground, she ran towards him, swinging the rear of her paw sharply towards his head. With a loud crack and gruesome squashing sound, the spike on the back of her paw embedded itself in the man's temple, his body falling limp to the floor, blood slowly pooling on the cold linoleum, appearing like a black puddle of tar on the white ground. A yell of anger came from behind her, her head swinging around to see another young man with a bandaged shoulder, his shotgun raised to her head. She couldn't move in time to escape the blast, but before it came, a loud bang sounded from behind the man, his chest bursting forward. She felt warm blood splatter across her face, soaking into her fur and tainting her mouth with a rancid taste of iron. The man fell to reveal Will behind him, shotgun barrel smoking and with a look of horror on his face. He didn't have time to reflect on what he had just done, Layla grabbing him and dragging him back to where she was sure Tom would be. She reminded herself to thank the old elder later, having thought him a bit of a frail coward before.
Tom and Michael were behind the counter of the hunting section, trying to recover some breath. They heard the shot ring out, but didn't move, praying that it wasn't one aimed at Will or Layla. Tom looked over the desk at the sound of rapid steps approaching them, seeing only shadows in the darkness. But the shape of the approaching shadows were one's he could recognise, one tall and lean, the other slightly shorter and moving swiftly with a purpose. He called out to them, but was cut off as another form barrelled from the aisle beside them and struck the shadow in front. A feral cry met his ears as the larger form replied with an enraged shout. Even before he started towards the two, ignoring Michael's cries behind him, he knew who this was, who had done all this. The name permanently imprinted in his mind.
"Sting!" He yelled, charging towards the man who now held Layla against the wall, grip tight around her neck, making her gasp for air. Sting ignored Tom's call as he brutally drove his fist into Layla's abdomen, knocking even more breath from her, wincing as he drove his fist forward a second time. Tom aimed his rifle and fired, only getting off one or two shots before Sting's giant hand knocked the rifle from his grip, the bullets impacting harmlessly on his thick vest. Bulletproof metal plates. His eyes held that look of animalistic battle lust, free hand curling into a fist and striking Tom. Tom recoiled as he was hit, but launched into another attack, sending his foot into Sting's chin. Sting loosened his grip enough for Layla to finally breathe in a gasp of air before he threw her against one of the shelves, her body flying like ragdoll and hitting the metal bars, clattering to the floor. Sting turned all his attention to Tom now, parrying blows and striking out against him. He caught Tom's fist in a punch, crushing it painfully in his hand. Tom flung his arm over Sting's, grappling and using the leverage to swing his leg back into Sting's face, the blow dropping him. Tom let go of the grapple as soon as the man fell, sliding himself away as Sting quickly regained his composure. They stood, glaring at each other. Old enemies that now met again, one a traitor, and one a coward.
"Finally come out" Sting mocked. His voice was calmingly deep and smooth; almost hypnotic in the way he spoke. He had the mouth of a viper. "I would have found you someday; it doesn't matter where you hid yourself"
"It wasn't too hard to hide from you, you must be losing your touch" Tom shot back, Sting let out a thick laugh
"Yes, but hiding is what you've always done best" He said, looking over to the others, scattered around the area. The two leaders along with the Mightyeena stepping out of the aisle to the left of him. The older one spoke directly to Sting, addressing him as if he were nothing but an insignificant speck.
"You...you are the one who assaulted our brethren, are you not?" He demanded, Sting's expression was unchanged as he looked upon the three creatures, but mind working a strategy into play already. "Answer, human"
"Yes, it should've known not to get in my way, but it was too distracted by that one my men shot up" Sting replied, casually slipping a hand into his pocket, leaning on one of the collapsing shelves as if it meant nothing to him. "Too easy once it lost it's head". The old leader's eyes flashed with anger for a moment, before calmly stating Sting's fate, as if he had given such judgement before.
"You have killed one of our tribe, and thus, you Will be punished justly" He said, his eyes sparking to life with a bright blue glow, sending out a great wave of force towards the man. Sting didn't have time to dodge as the wave hit him, jamming him against a wall, unable to move freely. Sting struggled but could not break free, his arms and legs only thrashing about uselessly in the air.
"The execution Will be carried out by out companion, and may your spirit be damned to wretched stagnation" He spat, the words cursing the man's very existence. The Mightyeena lowered itself and moved purposely forward, ready to lunge for the man's jugular. Tom watched on as the man who had betrayed his own brothers was to be dragged to his grave in a bloody mess. His eyes darted, seeing Sting make a calm and slow movement as he drew his hand from his pocket.
Tom cried out as he saw the glinting metal in Sting's hand that, with a flick of Sting's wrist, was sent hurtling into the middle of the two leaders. The younger one saw the panic on Toms face and grabbed at the older leader, jerking him away and launching both of them forward. The whole thing happened so quickly that time slowed for everyone around. Michael watched from behind the counter as the small metal object was thrown, Tom yelling and turning on his heels, the younger of the two leaders violently pulling the older away and towards safety. Will backed up and tried to find cover behind an old display. In the last remaining moments, Michael saw Tom fall to the ground, body covering the furred form lying in a heap not to far away. A large blast ripped through the area, heat wave hitting Michael's face as he threw himself down, the shockwave making him fall hard as it rolled past. Within a few seconds, he was back up, peering into a great wall of fire, shadows being made out just past the dancing flames. Before he knew it, he found himself running towards the inferno, calling out for anyone who was there. He didn't know why he did it, but something inside him forced him towards the flames, fearing the loss of his friends. Through a gap in the flames, he spotted Tom, dragging himself across the floor on his knees to avoid the smoke above him, Layla lying weakly across his back. Michael ran over and helped him, pulling the two out of the flames and into the fresh air. Tom lay exhausted on the ground, the back of his shirt black and singed by the flames; he looked up, trying to struggle to his feet.
"Where's Will?" he croaked, a voice called from the side as if on cue
"Over here!" Will called, waving them towards him, the two leaders standing next to him, but the Mightyeena nowhere to be seen. Tom dragged himself over along with Michael, Layla murmuring slightly as she was carried.
"Put me down" She murmured, Tom complying despite her condition. She swayed as she was set down, nearly falling. Looking behind her, she saw the great fire behind them, her fur standing on edge from the very energy it threw towards them with its presence.
"We need to go!" Will said, urging everyone to follow him through the store, looking for the exit to escape this failed raid. They all moved slower than they would have liked, with Tom's back burning as he walked and Layla moving with a slight limp. They stopped as she fell to the ground, Tom quickly to help her back to her feet, Will shuffling impatiently in front. Michael noticed Layla's uneasy look, her fur bristling in a cold wind which now flew through the store, sending chills down his own spine. She looked around, sniffing the air as if something was wrong.
"Something is...here" She said "Something big". They all felt it now, the great sense of energy in the air, as if the place had become charged with lightning. They kept moving with their slowed pace, all the while; dread growing heavy on their minds. As they rounded a corner and sighted the exit, a loud explosion was heard, tearing its way through the store. A blinding flash followed as they all turned, Michael's heart nearly exploding from his chest at what he saw. Obscured by the tall shelves, a great light eliminated from the centre of the store, air charged with fury. Everyone one else looked on as Michael took a slow step forward, his mind racing, followed by another, and another. He burst forward, sprinting with all his might, back into the fray as he hoped to god for what he saw to be real. The others called from behind him but his ears were deaf to them as he ran through the maze of aisles, searching for the source. Turning a corner, he found it, bringing up his arms to shield his eyes from the sudden light as he looked on. A great white of light glowed in the middle of the large aisle, sparks flying from all it touched and a deafening shriek piercing his ears. The others footsteps came from behind him, but he didn't care to hear them. Only one thing was on his mind now, one thought overpowering any scrap of logic or reason he had left.
"Melody..." He gasped breathlessly as he stepped forward, growing closer to the portal, his feet shuffling along the ground strewn with metal. The others called for him to come back but he continued, inching closer and closer to the glowing white light. From behind him, Tom's voice rang out, his pitch more alarmed now, finally catching Michael's attention. From the side of the aisle came a fist that struck his chest, forcing him to the ground as he felt another hand clamp onto his neck. Pain shot through him as he gasped for breath, his windpipe crushed and the man above him staring down with a manic look in his eye. He pulled Michaels head up and slammed it back down, applying even more pressure to his neck. Michaels head rang with pain as he looked back upon the glowing portal just metres away from him, arms stretching uselessly as if to catch hold of it. The thought grew stronger in his mind as he began to claw at Sting's hands, his strength no match for the solid arms that were slowly choking the life from him. With a final reach towards the portal to freedom, his hand fell to the floor. But his hand struck something hard. In his dazed state he couldn't tell what it was, but the thoughts in his head screamed at him, making him grip the cool object tightly. Melody, her name in his mind grew louder, chanting it and focusing on it, all his anger and determination finally breaking free as he drove the object upwards. The pressure on his neck ceased, Sting's hands still clasped around it but with no force behind them. Michael looked up at his hand, feeling liquid warmth spread down his arm. He saw a large shard of metal, embedded in the centre of Sting's chest through the gap in the vest he wore, held in his hand. Michael jerked his arm, making Sting shudder as the shrapnel shifted in his chest before sliding free, warm blood seeping through his dark shirt. With a meek laugh, unbefitting of a man his size, he collapsed to the floor beside Michael. The red blood slowly pooled on the cold floor as Michael slowly moved away, crawling weakly towards the same tantalizing light that had driven him to stab Sting just moments before. He pushed himself up, the world around him becoming dull and muffled to his ears, and with a small grunt, he limped forward. He thought he could hear Will calling from behind him, but he didn't care. He reached out towards the light now only metres away with a blood stained arm, and called her name slowly
"Melody..." He whispered, repeating himself until he was howling with great resolve. With a final push, he lost his footing and fell forwards, the sound of wind rushing up to meet him. A burst of light followed by a great heave at his torso, and he was gone.
The wind howled around him as he was pulled in every direction, his body convulsing in biting cold and writhing in searing heat. The air was robbed from his lungs, drawn into the great void that he raced through, leaving him feeling as if his chest may burst at any moment. Through the great howling around him and the shrieks of pain that were pulled from him, he prayed to whatever being that might listen that he would find her. He didn't care about anything else in that world, and if he would have to tear through hell to get there, then so be it. With a final great cry of her name, he plunged forward to a new world of danger and fire, but knowing, he would find her.Chapter End Notes:By the way, the name Layla is egyptian. The reason why I chose it for a Lucario should be obvious
Canned foods were wearing thin now, being the kind of food one can only eat for so long before it all tastes the same. It was all they had right now, but their search of the gas station had thankfully turned up some more appetizing things. Michael grabbed a packet of crisps, tearing the foil and shovelling the fried food into his mouth, not caring for the nutrition of it all. It was oily and most likely loaded with chemicals, but it at least tasted of something. Will was nowhere to be seen, probably still sleeping along with everyone else. Despite his late rising, Michael had still awoken before anyone else, and was suddenly regretting not staying in bed. They all needed a long rest, he supposed, from the running and fighting these days. He wondered absently if this was how life was going to be from now on, and even if this all just went away, what would be left afterwards? Pokémon left in this world could be hunted, trained, or isolated without remorse, being the alien creatures they were. But on the other hand, Pokémon could do the same and begin to hunt humans after being treated like so. His thoughts drifted vaguely through the haze of confusion morning brings, the packet of crisps in front of him sitting unfinished. He sat there for some time, listening to the occasional creak of the house or grunt of one of its occupants. Will was the first one to rise after him, coming down the hall with heavy steps and appearing as if messily drunk, though perhaps not on alcohol. After Will had grabbed some of his own food, he sat down at the table and began to eat, talking of the work to be done on the day. Michael only half listened to his seemingly mindless chatter. Will occasionally paused when speaking, having realised the stupidity of what he was saying and taking a moment to reassure himself that it was all real. The plan was simply to search the town for any supplies or hopefully civilians who could help in some way or another. The town appeared abandoned from where they were, but this was only the fringe of it, unknown secrets could be lurking behind the closed doors further downtown.
"The place looks pretty beat up" Michael said, interrupting Will as he explained the likelihood of finding anyone else.
"Well yes, it seems like the initial opening of those portals clustered around this area" He said "But that might mean that we have a better chance of...perhaps finding one" . His tone betrayed his confidence.
"Why would there be so many?" Michael asked, Will didn't miss the glimmer of hope that sparked in his eyes for a second. "Did something cause it?"
"Probably not, some areas are weaker than others, and this town was just in the way of a weak area" Will said "But the portals shouldn't worry us, the weakness had probably shifted by now, clustering somewhere else". Will hated to see that spark of hope die in Michael, but the truth was necessary, although cruel. He tried to change the subject
"If we find anyone, how do you think they would react to seeing Pokémon travelling with us?" He asked
"Well....they might realise they're not threatening, if we stay close" Michael said
"But they would be hesitant to approach us" Will observed
"What other choice do they have? If they've got nowhere to go then they can't do anything"
"Mmh...Good point" Will said, finishing the small sachet of porridge he had been eating. A voice greeted them from the doorway
"Morning all" Tom said, standing tall and looking visibly refreshed, the Lucario standing slightly behind him with red eyes seeming to glow in the morning light. Michael had not heard her speak before and felt slightly odd when she did. Her voice was sharply different from Melody's, being rougher and lacking in telepathic ring, the words coming out strained.
"The two elders want...to know what....you plan to do....today" She said, hovering closer to Tom than anyone else as he made his own way to the pantry. The best Tom could find for her was some canned meat, having been told by her that while Lucario's could eat berries and vegetables, too much of them could cause sickness. Meat was their main diet, and the Lucario accepted the meal gratefully, but almost shyly.
"I had just explained what our best plan would be" Will said, preferring not to repeat himself but doing so anyway. "We can search deeper into this town, look for more supplies and maybe someone who can help. A supermarket would be the best thing, but it might have been scavenged completely by now"
"Sounds like a solid plan then" Tom said, sounding a little more upbeat than in previous days. Will was surprised he had agreed, let alone complimented it. Michael looked over to the Lucario again, sitting next to Tom as they ate their own meals. She seemed to trust Tom more than the rest and also seemed to have a positive effect on him, a good night's sleep probably also contributed.
The rest of the meal was spent in relative silence, Will leaving to prepare some things and Michael opting to stay in the kitchen with a glass of water, occasionally picking at the crisp packet that still lay on the table.
Throughout the rest of the morning, the group went their separate ways. Michael didn't know what to do with himself, settling for sitting in the living room with a small book he had found in the master bedroom by the name of "The Paradise War". The protagonist was too, pulled into a world that wasn't his own, and made a new life there. The similarities were painful for Michael to read and think about. Tom was once again going through spars and small drills with the Lucario, to which Will watched with fascination as the Lucario conjured up large burning orbs of blue light. She explained it to him as an Aura Sphere, but he was more interested in trying to find what caused it.
"So, you can just conjure these balls of...aura was it? At Will?" Will asked the Lucario, still watching the shifting blues and whites move through the flaming ball of light
"I can, but...it is hard....here" She said, straining to keep the ball fuelled in her hand "Aura is...less abundant here". She sighed in relief as the ball dissipated, energy wisping away into the air.
"Well, what do you use it for?" Will asked "Is it like some kind of power source, or tool?"
"We can use...it in fighting" She replied
"Fighting?" Will blinked "You said it was...life energy? but you fight with it?"
"And it burns like a bitch too" Tom chipped in, rubbing his shoulder where she had struck him in one of their earlier spars. He remembered how the blue fire coated her paw as she brought it down, the painful jolt which shot through his nerves as it hit and the burning it left, despite leaving no visible scar.
"It is...potent" She said "It...burdens the enemy"
"So it's like short circuiting the body? Fascinating" Will said, already thinking of uses for this new exotic form of energy and if it could be harvested artificially. Now he just had to figure what caused it, photon, electrons, exotic matter and the like. Tom saw the gleam of thought in his eye
"You're trying to figure out this, aren't you?" He asked
"Well, it's fascinating to see what I could make of it" Will said, Tom laughed slightly, a sound Will wasn't accustomed to hearing.
"If it really is life energy then I doubt you can decipher it" Tom said "Ah, science always dismissed the arcane, but now you see that it's real and it's impossible by your laws. One of God's mysteries that man won't figure out"
"Oh that's just cynicism, give me enough time, I'll find what makes it work" Will shot back
"Whatever you want then, try focusing on something a bit more useful" Tom taunted happily.
The rest of Tom's day was spent with the Lucario, talking about what she called Aura. Throughout all of his theological studies he had learned of a few beliefs that had some variant on the whole life energy idea, but seeing it in action made him eager to learn more.
It wasn't until nightfall that everyone was ordered to gather their things for the coming raid. Tom had told them that it would be best to do under cover of darkness, despite the deserted appearance of the town, people could still be here, scattered among the wreckage. They were all rather reluctant to leave the comfort of their new shelter, being a cosy place that helped to calm them all, but the priorities right now were on supplies. They all entered the car, with the Mightyeena and younger leader travelling ahead of them to scout the way. The Lucario sat in the front seat while Tom drove, with Will, Michael and the older leader loaded into the back. Will reluctantly carried the same shotgun he had used during the raid on their previous shelter, while Michael sombrely carried the same rifle. The leader in the middle looked at the guns with slight contempt, seeing them as a cowardly way to fight and machines with no intent but genocide of his race. Although he knew they were not turned on him, he still did not feel at ease when around them. The Lucario didn't carry a weapon, of course, despite how her close combat would be useless if anyone else carried firearms. She trusted Tom that he would protect them all, seeing the makings of a veteran warrior in him. When she had first been assigned to them by the council of leaders, she had been hesitant. The groups of Pokémon back at their encampment would often tell of what they experienced when they first entered this world and the death they had seen, making her distrust these humans more so than the ones who roamed the mountains of her home. She knew that she along with the other Pokémon who were escorting these humans could easily be killed if their weapons were as powerful as had been said. But when she had heard Tom talking of his days as a warrior, she couldn't help but listen in on it. She felt something strange for him, a respect for someone who had fought so, like a soldier would feel for their fellow comrades. She had grown to trust him more as they had both sparred and trained together, forming a loose friendship, and he had told her of some of the things to be prepared for in this world and how to protect herself against them. Something a fellow warrior would do to protect their friends.
She broke her thoughts and turned to look out at the various things passing by her. She had seen towns and cities from the mountains and hills her tribe had inhabited, always seeming so small in the distance. But here, she was given her first full view of civilisation, albeit one that was now damaged and desolate. Somehow these humans managed to survive in one area, manipulating the land and coaxing food and water from it, not needing to worry about food running our or attacks from various wild Pokémon. It would be nice to not have to move around, she thought, but the places she had seen while travelling were all different and unique. A city was uniform and slightly drab, but it was safe and unmovable. If the humans sacrificed beauty for abundance then she would let them as the large concentrations of them kept hostility away from the nearby wilderness. She was pulled from these thoughts by the jolt that came as the car stopped. Everyone was thrown forward for a second as the shock shuddered through the car, turning to see what had happened. Tom sighed deeply, the car had stopped just an inch away from a particularly large pile of rubble, headlights illuminating the broken concrete pile. Tom turned to face everyone from the driver's seat.
"Well, we're far enough down town, and I don't want to risk driving around in the dark looking for another way" he said, popping open the door and stepping out, taking his rifle with him. "We can walk from here. It'd probably less noticeable too"
Everyone got out, taking staring warily around the ruined landscape. This part of town was harder hit, larger buildings and stores having collapsed under their own weight, chunks of twisted metal and shattered glass scattered over the road. It looked like a small market or business district, store signs hanging from broken fixtures on the walls. A flash briefly illuminated the area, everyone quickly turning to see the younger leader walking along side the Mightyeena, whose front paw was stepping tenderly on the road.
"I apologise for not being able to warn you, but it seems that my companion has stepped on something rather sharp" He said, his voice echoing into their minds. The Mightyeena gave a short whine in response. Will approached the creature attentively, as anyone would do when approaching a wolf.
"May I see it?" He asked warily "I could help if he still has anything stuck in his paw"
The Mightyeena gave a cautious look, but whined again in resignation as it laid down, allowing Will to lift its paw and observe it. Even in the dark, he could see the small shard of glass that was indeed lodged in the soft pads of the Pokémon's foot, the moonlight shimmering around it as the nearly black blood dripped from the wound. He gently plucked the glass sliver from the wound, the creature snarling in pain but withholding its instinct to strike back. Quickly grabbing a small medical kit in the trunk of the car, he disinfected the wound, causing more snarls from the creature as the iodine stung it's paw, and wrapping it in a bandage. The creature rose and gently laid it's paw on the ground, happy to find the pain more or less gone.
"Don't run with that on, it'll heal in a few days or so" Will said, the creature giving a low bark in acknowledgement.
After this, Tom led them forward, through the rubble and debris of the wasted area. They no longer had the two forward scouts to run ahead, only having instinct to rely on. The city was deadly quiet as they made their way through the area, looking into windows and storefronts for anything useful. The soft chirps of crickets were the only things to break the silence, providing a very lonely ambience, as if they were the only ones left on this revenged planet. If any words were spoken, it was in a hushed whisper, silence being preferred. One storefront caught Michael's attention, a metallic front open to the elements, small plastic boxes set outside a broken glass door. Inside he saw the faint glint of metal in the light. He whispered to Tom and Tom moved toward it, rifle ready, peering through the door.
"Damn it, it's too dark, can't see a thing" He whispered frustratedly. A second after the words left his mouth, a soft blue glow filled the area, casting a gentle light through the doorway and illuminating the shelves of canned food and plastic packaging inside. He turned to see the Lucario holding an aura sphere, burning silently in the night. He gave her a soft smile and she smiled back, slowly moving into the building. The interior was revealed to be a small and generic convenience store, coolers of drinks across the wall and cigarette packs behind the counter. He motioned everyone in, all silently rejoicing in the newfound stash of supplies. They all went their separate ways, grabbing whatever they needed or wanted. Tom and the Lucario guided themselves over to the coolers, searching through the darkened fridges. Opening the door and feeling through the produce found it to be relatively cool, despite the power having shut off. Tom guessed that a generator had been left on and only recently burnt off. He laughed silently as he grabbed a carton of milk; things were actually going well for once. The Lucario called for him from the other end of the coolers, rather excitedly too.
"Look!" She said, not having to bother being quiet with her pseudo-telepathy. He moved over to see she was looking into one of the meat coolers. "Good meat"
"Yes, very good meat" He replied. He wouldn't mind a good steak himself after all those cans of fruit and tinned meat. The meat wasn't spoiled, even better because he doubted that he would have left it anyway. He pulled various packets of all sizes from the cooler, the Lucario taking some in her paws and trying to hold back the urge to bite into one then and there.
"Tom, how much...can we take?" She asked
"Just enough that we can eat it before it goes bad, and then-"He stopped, realising something from what she had just said. "You've never told me your name" he said awkwardly. Indeed it was an odd time to bring it up, but it seemed rather significant as he had just been addressing her directly until now. She laughed softly, realising that she too had only now addressed him by his name, despite knowing it all this time.
"Names...aren't as important...to us" She said "Scent is...what we recognise...but I was named...Layla"
"Layla, can't say I've ever heard a name like that before"
"My name...isn't important...you can call me....something else if you want" She said, the idea of a name in Lucario culture being something only used in formal rituals and rites. Tom smiled and closed the cooler
"It's fine, I like Layla" He said, the word still new and exotic to him, something he liked. They headed out of the shop, gathering the others along with them. Michael carried a small basket he found by the counter, filled to the brim with canned and wrapped food that would last them a long time. Will and the two psychics carried fruits and vegetables. The Mightyeena eyed the meat packages hungrily as it carried a large packet of frozen corn held in his jaws. The two psychics guided their way in front, sensing their way past the rubble and trying to once again find where the car had been left. Through the blackened city it was now even quieter, even the crickets had ceased their chirping and the wind was dead in the trees. Nothing but the sound of their footsteps could be heard. Ahead of them, silhouetted against the slight moonlight, a large building loomed. None of them had noticed it before, heading the wrong way so that it could not be seen. As they approached, rustic letters could be made out upon a sign post outside, some torn off and nowhere to be seen. By the looks of the remnants, it was some large department store. Michael spoke up as they walked past
"We could search in there" He said, Tom turned his head and inspect the large warehouse
"Looks like an old Wal-mart...We have food, I don't think we'd find much else we need" He said, making to leave, but Michael stopped him again
"But we might find some people, it could've been a shelter for them" He said. Michael was unsure that there were, but something drew him to the building, feeling as if something important was inside. Tom was torn on finding new allies and having to share their newfound rations. Eventually he decided that allies could be worth it in the long run.
"Alright, we'll search it, but not for too long" He said, hoping this was something he would not regret later. They made their way through the car park, the place being as desolate as other areas, but with the addition of large wrecks of burnt out cars and busses. The wrecked cars smouldered in their frames, rust creeping at the edges of some, others a mangled mess. The shine from the bonnets seemed like small beacons in the air as they moved through them. The entrance had been smashed, expectedly, and the store lay in ruin. Huge shelves of merchandise had been overturned, shelves stripped and parts of the roof torn off, the crunching of glass echoing underfoot in the huge area. Layla slightly shrunk at the size of the place, the huge open area walled off on all sides seeming like a prison to her, the wreckage doing nothing to lessen the thought. Tom moved forward, his foot suddenly catching on a large chunk of metal, sending the pole clattering across the ground, shattered glass screeching as it did. The den of noise that projected through the empty warehouse was joined by an unearthly screech above them. Will let out a cry as he heard this, his heart racing at the sudden disturbance. Whipping his head up, Tom caught a glimpse of a horde of formless black masses flying high above, screaming as they quickly filed their way out though one of the holes in the roof and into the deep night sky. The screeches slowly faded, as did the groups panic as they all looked on at the high ceiling above them.
"Golbats" The older leader answered "They prefer caves, but this area must have sufficed for them"
"Will they come back?" Will asked
"Only they are sure that we have left, most likely in the morning" The leader replied calmly.
Shaking this off, they made their way into the store, all splitting up again, despite Tom's protest that it would do little good tactically. The store seemed utterly abandoned as well, and if anyone was there then the calls of the Golbats had surely awoken them. Layla travelled with him, while the rest went separate ways. They travelled slowly down the aisles; boxes of unsold but useless products surrounding them, some of them tipped over and emptied. The entire electronics department was gone as well, pointless for anyone right now but something someone could hold onto if they made it through to see peace restored. Nothing seemed very interesting, until they came across the sports section of the store, Astroturf carpet shifting under them as they observed the low and spaced racks. Bats, poles and all manner of hunting knives were stored here. All useful in more ways than one. At the back of this section, Tom found something he could certainly use, the firearms supplies. They had been raided already, but most of the ammunition and some of the weaponry still remained, Tom silently thankful that most people didn't see the use behind a scope or extra magazines.
"Wait here Layla" He said, laying his weapon on the floor and jumping over the bench top. The majority of the firearms were kept in the backroom on the edge of the store, behind the counter. He flicked the light switch inside the supply room, but no light came. He could have brought Layla with him, but even here he refused to search without someone watching his back.
Michael was currently wandering through the store aimlessly. He had no interest in anything still left on the shelves, cut price clothing and cheap children's toys lying amongst them. He found himself with little drive to do anything now, even walk through this darkened remnant of the past, holding his rifle loosely. But even lacking this passion he had not so long ago felt for life, he walked on. He felt something inside him, tugging at his very core for attention, but it seemed so faint and so weak that he wondered if he was just imagining it. His feet moved of their own accord, making his way towards the offices at the rear of the building. The offices weren't much, only a few desks and computers, oddly unharmed. He looked around the room to see it all neat and tidy, as if no one had even bothered to search it. Office supplies lay in their boxes, papers were filed in large cabinets, and the desktops wee spotless. There was nothing of use in here; even the computers would be useless now. He saw, as he turned to leave, the lock on the door. It was shattered, wooden splinters hanging from it, large dents in the metal knob. He moved closer, peering at the destroyed mechanism. The splinters were fresh, dust still falling from the wound in the door. His foot bumped against a small object. He looked down to see it was a large mallet, black rubber dull in the slight light, he bent down to pick it up. A loud crash sounded only a few feet away, making him stumble back, seeing the source of the noise. A large black mass charged towards him, grabbing at him before he could raise his gun. Michael jerked back, letting out a loud cry, the large creature reaching out a hand and tearing at his shirt. He nearly fell as the fabric tore around his neck, stinging as he ran, rifle fallen to the ground with no time to retrieve it. He ran from the office, loud steps thundering behind him, angered grunts calling out as the creature pursued him. He sprinted down one of the aisles, daring a look back as he dodged the fallen debris. The large creature was now illuminated by the moonlight, a great hulking beast of a man with broad shoulders and rippling muscles underneath a padded vest undone at the chest, eyes emitting fury and excitement as he gained on him. Michael threw himself around a corner and kept running, hoping the turn would give him enough time to gain some ground from the man who was now only metres away. The man didn't stop, turning sharply with only a second pause before launching himself forward at full speed. Michael yelled out, calling to anyone who could hear. His call was answered a second later with the incoming footsteps of another, coming from one of the aisles ahead. He barely had time to see Tom round the corner before a great weight struck from behind, sending a flash of pain through his head and pushing him forward. The blow was followed by another hard strike, metal tipped shoes biting into his side as his attacker leant down to grab him again. The man had caught sight of Tom, and quickly made his decision. He smoothly grabbed Michael and threw him hard into another aisle, world spinning as he hit the hard floor. The steps thundered towards him as gunshots rang out through the store. Michael tried to move to his feet, but another sharp blow to the face stopped him before the great beast of a man thundered past and down to the end of the aisle. Tom rounded the corner and fired into the distance, his shot impacting on the back of the man's vest, but doing nothing to slow him. He quickly helped Michael up, pulling the bruised man to his feet and shoving a pistol into his hands.
"If you see him again, just shoot" Tom said, dragging him back out of the aisle to where Layla was standing, no longer holding an aura sphere. She glanced at Michael, slight worry crossing her face before she followed Tom, back towards the hunting section. Michael followed with his chest and face aching from the harsh beating they had taken.
Layla ran along with Tom, trying desperately to find the man who had assaulted one of her pack. She stopped abruptly, sighting a shadow at the end of one of the aisles and ran for it without warning. She reached the end of the aisle and launched herself around the bend, tacking the shadow she had seen. It was a younger man, wearing the same kind of vest the bigger one had and holding a large rifle. she brought her fist up into his face with practiced speed and precision, the young man crying out in pain and quickly grabbing at her in rage. They scuffled along the ground, and although she was the better fighter, the man was strong and she could do little when on the ground. Punches and kicks were exchanged, but it only took her one mistake to end up pinned, the man holding her arms down with his entire weight. She struggled, but it was of little use as the man used his free leg to drive painful jabs into her legs, trying to subdue her. She reacted with something Tom has taught her, swiftly kicking her leg up and into the man's crotch, something that was looked upon as cowardly in her tribes fighting matches. He howled in pain and faltered, letting her throw him off and leap to her feet. While the man was still on the ground, she ran towards him, swinging the rear of her paw sharply towards his head. With a loud crack and gruesome squashing sound, the spike on the back of her paw embedded itself in the man's temple, his body falling limp to the floor, blood slowly pooling on the cold linoleum, appearing like a black puddle of tar on the white ground. A yell of anger came from behind her, her head swinging around to see another young man with a bandaged shoulder, his shotgun raised to her head. She couldn't move in time to escape the blast, but before it came, a loud bang sounded from behind the man, his chest bursting forward. She felt warm blood splatter across her face, soaking into her fur and tainting her mouth with a rancid taste of iron. The man fell to reveal Will behind him, shotgun barrel smoking and with a look of horror on his face. He didn't have time to reflect on what he had just done, Layla grabbing him and dragging him back to where she was sure Tom would be. She reminded herself to thank the old elder later, having thought him a bit of a frail coward before.
Tom and Michael were behind the counter of the hunting section, trying to recover some breath. They heard the shot ring out, but didn't move, praying that it wasn't one aimed at Will or Layla. Tom looked over the desk at the sound of rapid steps approaching them, seeing only shadows in the darkness. But the shape of the approaching shadows were one's he could recognise, one tall and lean, the other slightly shorter and moving swiftly with a purpose. He called out to them, but was cut off as another form barrelled from the aisle beside them and struck the shadow in front. A feral cry met his ears as the larger form replied with an enraged shout. Even before he started towards the two, ignoring Michael's cries behind him, he knew who this was, who had done all this. The name permanently imprinted in his mind.
"Sting!" He yelled, charging towards the man who now held Layla against the wall, grip tight around her neck, making her gasp for air. Sting ignored Tom's call as he brutally drove his fist into Layla's abdomen, knocking even more breath from her, wincing as he drove his fist forward a second time. Tom aimed his rifle and fired, only getting off one or two shots before Sting's giant hand knocked the rifle from his grip, the bullets impacting harmlessly on his thick vest. Bulletproof metal plates. His eyes held that look of animalistic battle lust, free hand curling into a fist and striking Tom. Tom recoiled as he was hit, but launched into another attack, sending his foot into Sting's chin. Sting loosened his grip enough for Layla to finally breathe in a gasp of air before he threw her against one of the shelves, her body flying like ragdoll and hitting the metal bars, clattering to the floor. Sting turned all his attention to Tom now, parrying blows and striking out against him. He caught Tom's fist in a punch, crushing it painfully in his hand. Tom flung his arm over Sting's, grappling and using the leverage to swing his leg back into Sting's face, the blow dropping him. Tom let go of the grapple as soon as the man fell, sliding himself away as Sting quickly regained his composure. They stood, glaring at each other. Old enemies that now met again, one a traitor, and one a coward.
"Finally come out" Sting mocked. His voice was calmingly deep and smooth; almost hypnotic in the way he spoke. He had the mouth of a viper. "I would have found you someday; it doesn't matter where you hid yourself"
"It wasn't too hard to hide from you, you must be losing your touch" Tom shot back, Sting let out a thick laugh
"Yes, but hiding is what you've always done best" He said, looking over to the others, scattered around the area. The two leaders along with the Mightyeena stepping out of the aisle to the left of him. The older one spoke directly to Sting, addressing him as if he were nothing but an insignificant speck.
"You...you are the one who assaulted our brethren, are you not?" He demanded, Sting's expression was unchanged as he looked upon the three creatures, but mind working a strategy into play already. "Answer, human"
"Yes, it should've known not to get in my way, but it was too distracted by that one my men shot up" Sting replied, casually slipping a hand into his pocket, leaning on one of the collapsing shelves as if it meant nothing to him. "Too easy once it lost it's head". The old leader's eyes flashed with anger for a moment, before calmly stating Sting's fate, as if he had given such judgement before.
"You have killed one of our tribe, and thus, you Will be punished justly" He said, his eyes sparking to life with a bright blue glow, sending out a great wave of force towards the man. Sting didn't have time to dodge as the wave hit him, jamming him against a wall, unable to move freely. Sting struggled but could not break free, his arms and legs only thrashing about uselessly in the air.
"The execution Will be carried out by out companion, and may your spirit be damned to wretched stagnation" He spat, the words cursing the man's very existence. The Mightyeena lowered itself and moved purposely forward, ready to lunge for the man's jugular. Tom watched on as the man who had betrayed his own brothers was to be dragged to his grave in a bloody mess. His eyes darted, seeing Sting make a calm and slow movement as he drew his hand from his pocket.
Tom cried out as he saw the glinting metal in Sting's hand that, with a flick of Sting's wrist, was sent hurtling into the middle of the two leaders. The younger one saw the panic on Toms face and grabbed at the older leader, jerking him away and launching both of them forward. The whole thing happened so quickly that time slowed for everyone around. Michael watched from behind the counter as the small metal object was thrown, Tom yelling and turning on his heels, the younger of the two leaders violently pulling the older away and towards safety. Will backed up and tried to find cover behind an old display. In the last remaining moments, Michael saw Tom fall to the ground, body covering the furred form lying in a heap not to far away. A large blast ripped through the area, heat wave hitting Michael's face as he threw himself down, the shockwave making him fall hard as it rolled past. Within a few seconds, he was back up, peering into a great wall of fire, shadows being made out just past the dancing flames. Before he knew it, he found himself running towards the inferno, calling out for anyone who was there. He didn't know why he did it, but something inside him forced him towards the flames, fearing the loss of his friends. Through a gap in the flames, he spotted Tom, dragging himself across the floor on his knees to avoid the smoke above him, Layla lying weakly across his back. Michael ran over and helped him, pulling the two out of the flames and into the fresh air. Tom lay exhausted on the ground, the back of his shirt black and singed by the flames; he looked up, trying to struggle to his feet.
"Where's Will?" he croaked, a voice called from the side as if on cue
"Over here!" Will called, waving them towards him, the two leaders standing next to him, but the Mightyeena nowhere to be seen. Tom dragged himself over along with Michael, Layla murmuring slightly as she was carried.
"Put me down" She murmured, Tom complying despite her condition. She swayed as she was set down, nearly falling. Looking behind her, she saw the great fire behind them, her fur standing on edge from the very energy it threw towards them with its presence.
"We need to go!" Will said, urging everyone to follow him through the store, looking for the exit to escape this failed raid. They all moved slower than they would have liked, with Tom's back burning as he walked and Layla moving with a slight limp. They stopped as she fell to the ground, Tom quickly to help her back to her feet, Will shuffling impatiently in front. Michael noticed Layla's uneasy look, her fur bristling in a cold wind which now flew through the store, sending chills down his own spine. She looked around, sniffing the air as if something was wrong.
"Something is...here" She said "Something big". They all felt it now, the great sense of energy in the air, as if the place had become charged with lightning. They kept moving with their slowed pace, all the while; dread growing heavy on their minds. As they rounded a corner and sighted the exit, a loud explosion was heard, tearing its way through the store. A blinding flash followed as they all turned, Michael's heart nearly exploding from his chest at what he saw. Obscured by the tall shelves, a great light eliminated from the centre of the store, air charged with fury. Everyone one else looked on as Michael took a slow step forward, his mind racing, followed by another, and another. He burst forward, sprinting with all his might, back into the fray as he hoped to god for what he saw to be real. The others called from behind him but his ears were deaf to them as he ran through the maze of aisles, searching for the source. Turning a corner, he found it, bringing up his arms to shield his eyes from the sudden light as he looked on. A great white of light glowed in the middle of the large aisle, sparks flying from all it touched and a deafening shriek piercing his ears. The others footsteps came from behind him, but he didn't care to hear them. Only one thing was on his mind now, one thought overpowering any scrap of logic or reason he had left.
"Melody..." He gasped breathlessly as he stepped forward, growing closer to the portal, his feet shuffling along the ground strewn with metal. The others called for him to come back but he continued, inching closer and closer to the glowing white light. From behind him, Tom's voice rang out, his pitch more alarmed now, finally catching Michael's attention. From the side of the aisle came a fist that struck his chest, forcing him to the ground as he felt another hand clamp onto his neck. Pain shot through him as he gasped for breath, his windpipe crushed and the man above him staring down with a manic look in his eye. He pulled Michaels head up and slammed it back down, applying even more pressure to his neck. Michaels head rang with pain as he looked back upon the glowing portal just metres away from him, arms stretching uselessly as if to catch hold of it. The thought grew stronger in his mind as he began to claw at Sting's hands, his strength no match for the solid arms that were slowly choking the life from him. With a final reach towards the portal to freedom, his hand fell to the floor. But his hand struck something hard. In his dazed state he couldn't tell what it was, but the thoughts in his head screamed at him, making him grip the cool object tightly. Melody, her name in his mind grew louder, chanting it and focusing on it, all his anger and determination finally breaking free as he drove the object upwards. The pressure on his neck ceased, Sting's hands still clasped around it but with no force behind them. Michael looked up at his hand, feeling liquid warmth spread down his arm. He saw a large shard of metal, embedded in the centre of Sting's chest through the gap in the vest he wore, held in his hand. Michael jerked his arm, making Sting shudder as the shrapnel shifted in his chest before sliding free, warm blood seeping through his dark shirt. With a meek laugh, unbefitting of a man his size, he collapsed to the floor beside Michael. The red blood slowly pooled on the cold floor as Michael slowly moved away, crawling weakly towards the same tantalizing light that had driven him to stab Sting just moments before. He pushed himself up, the world around him becoming dull and muffled to his ears, and with a small grunt, he limped forward. He thought he could hear Will calling from behind him, but he didn't care. He reached out towards the light now only metres away with a blood stained arm, and called her name slowly
"Melody..." He whispered, repeating himself until he was howling with great resolve. With a final push, he lost his footing and fell forwards, the sound of wind rushing up to meet him. A burst of light followed by a great heave at his torso, and he was gone.
The wind howled around him as he was pulled in every direction, his body convulsing in biting cold and writhing in searing heat. The air was robbed from his lungs, drawn into the great void that he raced through, leaving him feeling as if his chest may burst at any moment. Through the great howling around him and the shrieks of pain that were pulled from him, he prayed to whatever being that might listen that he would find her. He didn't care about anything else in that world, and if he would have to tear through hell to get there, then so be it. With a final great cry of her name, he plunged forward to a new world of danger and fire, but knowing, he would find her.Chapter End Notes:By the way, the name Layla is egyptian. The reason why I chose it for a Lucario should be obvious