Chapter 34
Redblood Oasis
The day's flight over, the dark of night swiftly approached.
The Redblood Desert was a dry and barren place, with a climate very comforting to Char, vaguely reminding him of the flatlands atop his faraway home. As he observed his new surroundings, though, he saw just how vague the similarities were. Unlike the pure, brilliant yellow of the plateau, the desert was a dark, rusted color. The land itself was broken and cracked from the perpetual heat, with networks of tiny black fissures spread as far as the eye could see, causing the ground to resemble the arrangement of scales on a reptile's hide. A small layer of dusty sand covered the terrain, kicking up in the downdrafts from the thunderheads which still hung overhead.
Far, far away, in a little window of the sky still untouched by the storm, Char glimpsed at the setting sun, marveling at how it painted the surrounding clouds with glowing, unbelievable spectrums of purple and orange, contrasting and almost complementing the dinginess of the landscape. For a moment, he let himself become hypnotized with the image before his eyes, which almost seemed to dance like a candle in the subtle waves of heat which rose from the earth. In his time working with the resistance, Char had witnessed dozens of sunrises come and go, yet none of them, he felt, held anything to the majesty of a sunset.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Char found Scythe standing at his side, taking a moment to appreciate the visage of the sky as the rest of the group went on ahead to the rest area. He looked just as pained as before, and perhaps a bit worse; it was obvious that he didn't enjoy the flight, which hadn't helped at all to soothe the hidden turmoil of his soul. Char knew that his sore eyes found immense comfort in staring at the sunset.
"Yeah," Char replied.
"Ambera is very beautiful," Scythe professed. "Even as the darkness of the storm threatens to choke the sun, it shines ever brighter."
Char craned his neck to observe the storm again. Overhead, it formed a seamless, absolute blanket across the sky, still flickering with lightning from time to time. Though it rained, not a drop fell to the ground; it all dissipated shortly after being formed, not allowing the dry, famished landscape a single sip of water. The front pushed to the southwest, bubbling and cresting like an ocean's tide as it surrounded the scant remnants of the daylight like a pack of hungry Carvanha about to feast.
"It always captures me, the kinds of pictures the storms can paint in the sky," Scythe said, almost to himself. "Sometimes, in the summer, if the air currents are just right, marvelous things happen in the sky above Basin Canyon. I can't count the times my team and I have simply stopped to watch the ebb and flow of the thunderclouds… It is a sight to behold, to see the storm front come in, billowing like the dust beneath a rampaging herd of Tauros, straight for you…"
"Is that why you fight?" Char asked, his heart still adrift in the western horizon. "For the storms and the sunsets?"
"No," Scythe said. "As long as the flow of time is not threatened, the sunsets will come regardless of what I say or do. No Pokémon, save for the legendary dragons, have control over such a thing, to stop the sunset… but… there are many who might silence it."
"Silence it? Char asked. "What do you mean?"
"When you see a rageflower bloom in the meadow, you might see a quaint little expression of nature," Scythe said, "but you have to realize something, that the petals are painted with the blood of thousands of Pokémon who died so that the flower could be beautiful…"
"But you don't need to fight for the flowers in the meadow," Char said, turning to Scythe. "They grow on their own, just like the sunset. …I don't get it."
"By itself, the sunset has no beauty," Scythe said, not taking his eyes off the horizon. "It is just a sunset. A natural phenomenon. It is… a rare combination of colors in an unlikely place. It only has beauty because you have eyes to gaze upon it, and it means something to you. It has a story to tell your heart. To me, Ambera tells her story in many ways, through the sunsets, the thunderclouds, the flowers in the meadow… It is a story of freedom, peace, and war… Of Pokémon who have slaughtered innocents, and those who have defended them… those who have prevailed over the oppression, and those who have paid the price… To you, it might tell a different part of the story… the joy of being alive, perhaps. But if the day comes when the sunset is just a sunset… Ambera's voice will have been silenced. And I will have failed."
That's one way to look at it, Char thought to himself, reflecting upon the interesting perspective. Beauty is something that speaks to you. It sounds almost like that saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". After all, a wild Rattata scampering across the meadow wouldn't see any beauty in the sunset…
Char stopped in mid-thought. There it was again: a tiny shift in Scythe's voice, a tone that betrayed something about the state of the warrior's mind that he didn't like—that his stress was more than just an obstacle to his success, but something that ran to his core. It was a measure of pessimism, a weakness of some sort. What was it, though? An uncertainty? A resignation to failure? Or perhaps… could it be… insanity? It was something which, he was certain, did not belong in the Scyther's character…
Biting his tongue for a moment, Char tried to find a good way to assemble his words.
"Scythe…"
Scythe groaned, knowing very well which tone of voice Char was using.
"Where is your stress coming from?" Char asked concernedly. "Why are your eyes always bloodshot? You shouldn't be hurting like this. What's wrong with you?"
"I'm an old Pokémon," Scythe sighed. "Every day, much is expected from me. Some days, when I open my eyes in the morning, I can't tell if my body is filled with energy, or just the determination to bear exhaustion. You will find, as you grow old, that you experience many different kinds of emotions. And you will learn to cope with them. You will learn to relish the pleasant emotions and harden yourself against the unpleasant emotions… And the more you harden yourself, the more you will know stress. "
"That's not what I meant," Char returned. "There's something wrong with you. You aren't acting like yourself. You haven't been for the past few days."
"Are we going to go through this again?" Scythe sighed, a hint of anger apparent in his voice. "I told you already, there's nothing I can say that will make you trust me. It's—"
"Are you scared?" Char insisted forcefully, cutting him off. "Are you afraid that your plan won't work? Are you afraid things will come crashing down?
"You won't stop pestering me until I have told you my secrets," Scythe's voice rumbled. "But I cannot do that. To reveal my plans would be to doom them to failure."
"Does the plan involve me?" Char demanded even louder. "What? What's so bad about it?"
"Char…" Scythe sighed, hanging his head. "I will say something. But if I do… you must promise me something in return. That, for the duration of this trip, you will stop bringing up this subject. Haven't I made it clear that I despise the act of keeping a secret? Every time you confront me, it hurts, like a blade to the chest. When I realized I had to accompany you here, it hurt. When I learned you spoke to Ray, it hurt. When you tried to spy on me in the hall, it cut even deeper. Even if I were to try, I cannot make you trust me. But if you are so concerned about my well-being, human, then stop trying to disembowel my heart with your meager curiosity. Am I clear?"
Char felt stunned, and his body began to slightly tremble from shame and intimidation. It was just as Saura had said… he should have simply given Scythe his trust, and left it at that. But, apparently, that was too much to ask. It occurred to him that he hadn't just betrayed Scythe once, but several times, including those which he had listed… and each time, though it hurt, Scythe continued to forgive him…
Unable to respond with words, Char took a hard gulp and nodded his head.
"Fine, then," Scythe almost spat. "No, I am not afraid that my plan will fail. My plan involves… doing something I will not enjoy. And yes… it involves you."
A sort of terror filled Char's heart.
"Another thing," Scythe added, the bitterness quickly fading from his voice. "You want to know why there is blood behind my eyes? You want to know where it comes from? It comes from you. And if you look behind my eyes, and you see something like hope… that, too, comes from you."
Feeling weak, Char found himself unable to stand. He sat himself down on the rough, grit-covered desert floor, his heart rumbling like an earthquake.
A voice echoed through his head.
"…he serves you as his master…"
"…by now, you must have noticed that every Pokémon you've gone and revealed your secret to has vowed to serve you unconditionally…"
"…Scythe is all about playing games. This time, you're part of the game…"
"We should return," Scythe said. "I am starting to feel hunger pains. And your friends are probably missing you."
Reluctantly obeying, Char lifted himself back to his feet and accompanied Scythe to the rest area.
She was right, Char realized. Eva… she was right about everything…
Of all the thoughts stacked in Char's mind, one thing was certain. It was time for him to stop questioning his leader and protector. It was time to let him carry out his plan… whatever it may be.
… … …
After a short walk, a cheery Dragonite admitted them into the rest area.
The "shelter", as much as it could be called that, was an exceptionally large depression in the desert's floor. It was like a miniature canyon, but with one of the cliffs sanded down into a ramp for easy access to the bottom. Though it was open-roofed, it seemed much like a real shelter; the depression was perpendicular to the sun and deep enough to cast the valley completely into shade. It was not lacking in room, either, as the canyon walls were at least ten yards apart. It reminded Char very much of the grandiose hall back at the base which led to the chamber of High Intelligence…
As Char inspected the place, noticing the colorful layers of sedimentary rock imbued into the walls, he spotted something truly weird: near the far end of the valley, there was a water source. A large puddle, surrounded by a shore of sloppy clay, was set against the edge of the stone wall. It ripped faintly, indicating that it was flowing, draining down somehow into the cracks of the earth while being replenished anew by some kind of tapped spring.
"Come in!" it said. "The sunlight won't last two more hours. We feared you wanted to witness the rise of the Watchers."
"Not tonight, of all nights," Scythe said. "Even if I were up for a challenge, they'll be out in full force tonight, judging by the weather. I'd be surprised if a single star appeared in the sky."
"Wait, if the Watchers come out, will we be safe?" Char asked. "This isn't a shelter they would stay away from, is it? We can see the sky from down here!"
"Oh, we have our ways of keeping them at bay," The Dragonite said with a warm smile. "You'll see, little dragon. You have nothing to worry yourself over…"
Char started to traverse the darkened valley, swinging his tail forward to light the way and taking care not to stub his toes on the scattered rubble that covered the ground. It wasn't the most homely place he had seen; chips and slabs of crumbled rock, mixed with even more lumpy accumulations of sand, were piled wall-to-wall in the space. As he dodged around the rubble, he felt a dusty layer of grit forming on the pads of his feet.
"How wondrous to have your own little candle, isn't it?" the Dragonite laughed. "Well then. I'm jealous enough. We won't have too much trouble getting the Sol-rock started tonight, will we?"
Solrock? Char wondered. Isn't that the Pokémon Alakazam mentioned? The one at Temporal Tower?
"Perhaps, but first, my companions and I would much like to eat in peace," Scythe said. "There is still plenty of time before you will need to borrow my Charmander."
"Oh, of course, by all means," The Dragonite said, bowing politely to the old warrior. "Your team has assembled itself right over there, and your supplies are all in your possession. If you need anything, don't hesitate to bother Arshall, or any of us. We'll be on the far side of the watering hole, in that direction. And you're always welcome to dine with us. We have plenty of meat to go around, if you're not ready to break into your own supplies yet."
"Thank you, but we will be fine for the moment," Scythe said, returning the bow, but obviously anxious to be rid of the company. "Char, let's go."
At that, the dragon left to rejoin his companions, whose chatter and laughter seemed to constantly echo between the valley halls.
"Finally," Scythe muttered with a little smile.
It didn't take very long for Char to find his friends. They were situated on the opposite end of a sizable slab of rock which stuck straight out of the ground, forming a wall of sorts between them and the rest of the valley. It was understandable, especially if Saura and Ray found it as difficult as Scythe to stay in the company of the dragons for too long. As friendly as the Dragonite clan was, Char couldn't wait to have some private time with his friends…
But as he approached them, ready to settle down and share his experiences of the day, he found that they were not themselves.
Saura was curled up very oddly, with his forehead pressed squarely against the ground, and a hard scowl set upon his face. Ray was propped against the rock, also not looking too happy himself. His fur sparked and glowed in the darkness, especially around the power reservoirs in his cheeks. Char feared he would need to discharge sometime soon, hopefully not upon him.
"Ugh… Oh, hi, Char," Saura managed to mutter, shifting his posture to greet him. "I heard your Dragonite say you liked flying?"
"Not really," Char said. "It was more like… I hated it, then at the end I realized I should have been liking it all along… what about you? Are you alright? What happened to you?"
"My belly feels awful…" Saura grumbled. "And my head hurts… I feel really sick… Daniel was nice and all, but... I don't think I like flying so much."
"It wasn't so fun," Ray groaned in agreement, not opening his eyes. "I thought it was going to be awesome… But I started getting dizzy. And then there was the lightning storm…"
"Uh oh," Char said. "What happened in the lightning storm?"
"You don't want to know," Ray muttered, his body visibly trembling at just the thought. "You really don't."
"You both have come down with some motion sickness," Scythe said. "That, and maybe a little altitude sickness as well. It just means you haven't learned to adjust yourselves to flying yet. Not life-threatening in the least."
"But I feel like my forehead is going to fall off!" Saura whined. "I can't think straight or anything."
"Your forehead will stay on, rest assured," Scythe said with a grin. "The worst it will do is cause you to expel your last meal… The three of you were lucky not to have eaten breakfast. Me, I wasn't so smart… I had a Chesto berry… lost it in mid-flight."
"Ugh, please, don't even mention the word food right now…" Saura said, burying his head in his paws. "This isn't fair! Mom always told me I would never have to worry about getting sick… Ugh… make it go away…"
"Well, enough wallowing in self-pity," Scythe ordered, raising his voice and clanging the tips of his blades against the ground. "It's time to get up. Let's go. Up with the both of you!"
"What? What's wrong?" Saura cried weakly. "I thought it was time to rest!"
"Yes… sir…" Ray replied, forcing himself upright, then falling onto all fours. "What do we have to do?"
"Eat," Scythe declared. "It's dinnertime. We ate nothing today. We must all get something in our stomachs."
"I can't!" Saura groaned in protest. "Are you joking? There's no way! I don't think my stomach will be able to handle food for another few hours… maybe not even until tomorrow."
"I'm not so hungry, either," Ray said. "Can I pass on dinner?"
"I'm sorry, but we must," Scythe said. "Stopping to rest is hardly effective if your body doesn't have the nourishment it needs to recreate itself. Find your resolve; it is time for us to fight our stomachs for supremacy. Char, bring the bag, if you would…"
While the rest of the team reluctantly assembled a lazy little circle, Char ambled over to the corner where the supplies were stashed. Though his intense shot of adrenaline had helped to weaken the effect, his stomach was in just as much of an uproar as his friends' were. Truthfully, he would have preferred to skip over to the oasis puddle and jump in tail-first than attempt to swallow any food… but there was no arguing with Scythe, especially after his recent conversation. He would have to choke something down.
Grasping his team bag, his mind started to recall its contents. There was some food in there for situations similar to this, but nothing terribly easy on the stomach. There was a mixture of seeds and nuts, a few hard-skinned pears, a large apple…
If only we had afforded some gummis, Char told himself. Those would have gone down smoothly… But Kecleon didn't let us have any of those for free…
"No," Scythe said, wearing an odd smirk. "Not that bag. The other one."
The other one? Char wondered. The one Alakazam gave us? I thought that was supposed to be reserved for dungeons…
Nevertheless, Char dropped his team's bag and took up the other, the one full of unimaginably expensive and valuable supplies. It was very heavy, taking both of his arms just to lift it off the ground so as to not drag it across the gravel-strewn ground and damage any of the treasures within.
"Uh oh…" Ray gasped. "What are we going to take out of there?"
"Char, if you would, release the strap and open the middle pocket," Scythe instructed. "You will find a rather large pouch."
"You don't mean the gold apples, do you?!" Saura asked in surprise. "Here? Now?"
"Ah, yes, you've caught on," Scythe hummed. "Char, one Golden Apple, if you would…"
Char did as commanded, searching through the masterfully organized travel bag for the sack of apples. When he found them, it was by smell… the bulging pouch produced an overpowering aroma, resembling something like the world's most appetizing fruit salad. He unfolded the cloth enough to untie the sack, then reached in and produced one of the apples—and for a moment, he could not bring himself to comprehend the thing he held in his hand. It was an apple, but it was nearly the size of his head! The skin felt smooth and blemishless, like glass, and glittered like a diamond in the orange light of his tail. His mouth decided to completely ignore the sourness of his stomach and started to water.
"Anyone ever try one of these?" Scythe asked.
Team Ember collectively shook their heads, their eyes glued to the sparkling fruit.
"Well, this is a Golden Apple," Scythe explained. "A siren song to any appetite, big, small, or already satiated. They are found only in dungeons, leading many to believe that they are blessed with the same anomaly as the Reviver Seed. While they are only half as rare, they're just as respected among explorers. You see, Alakazam was not exaggerating when said it was all the food we need. One Golden Apple is usually enough to nourish a Pokémon… for a month."
"Really?" Saura gasped. "This little thing?"
"Yes, but only if portioned responsibly," Scythe explained. "When you bite into one, it's all too easy to eat more than your allotment. Eat the whole thing, and your stomach will swell… you won't be hungry for weeks, but you may strain yourself. Unfortunately, I've seen many Pokémon unable to stop after just one bite… Even the mighty Snorlax is powerless to resist its allure. If it swallows just one of these, it will gladly forsake the other eight hundred ninety-nine pounds of its usual diet… Or so we like to say… Well? Everyone hungry yet?"
The team collectively nodded.
"Good!" Scythe said, eyeing the apple. "Now, Char. Set it down in the center…"
-Slice!-
Not a moment after Char's hands were clear, Scythe made a quick movement with both his blades which caused the apple to split into four similar-sized pieces.
Char didn't even have to be asked. He greedily gathered up his corner of the apple and bit down, closing his eyes to savor the flavor.
The taste which filled Char's mouth was indeed something like a fruit salad, the prominent flavor something like an apple both tart and sweet at the same time, wrapped in caramel, slathered in honey, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Even the dripping juices from the fruit flowed down his throat and made his inner fire pleasantly tingle. Before he knew it, he was long lost in the sweet dreams induced by the delightful fruit. Unlike the red gummi, the flavor wasn't extreme; it didn't erupt in his mouth. Rather, it was like a warm fuzziness that eased itself in and made itself at home. Also unlike the gummi, it was satisfying, rather than addictive; even as the flavor brought tears to his eyes, he knew that, when he was finished, he would not be left wanting for a very long time.
It's so sweet, Char thought to himself, indulging in the large apple slice. And sour. And bitter. It's like every flavor mixed into one… oh, why can't they make the division's lunches out of these? It's… so… good…
Char was so lost in the meal, he lost some conscious control over his hands—and the apple slice slipped out of his grasp, breaking him out of the bliss and dropping him back into the real world.
Blinking, he scanned the ground underfoot, knowing it couldn't have gone far. But it eluded him; he saw nothing but gravel rocks and a giant puddle of juice which had erupted from the fruit.
"Hmm, where'd it go?" Char wondered out loud. "Anybody see my apple? I think I dropped it—"
His sentence came to a halt as he glanced up to his team members. All three of them, Scythe included, stared back with looks of incredulousness plastered upon their faces. Not one of them had taken more than one bite of their apple slice—they were all fixated on Char with wide eyes. Char wondered if he had accidently evolved while eating the apple.
"What?" Char demanded. "What's wrong?!"
"Char," Scythe said, his voice serious and surprised, "you ate it."
"Can't be," Char insisted, still glancing around on the ground. "I didn't eat the whole thing. There was still a huge chunk left."
"No, you ate the whole thing," Scythe told him. "And with startling speed. I was watching the whole time."
"Are you kidding? He didn't eat it, he breathed it in!" Ray cried. "Char, that was amazing! I've never seen something disappear that fast! We should enter you in a big eater contest! You could beat a Munchlax!"
Char felt himself blush from his own silliness, but soon broke down and laughed along with his friends. He patted his belly, which was now very stuffed and thoroughly pleased. His stomachache had left him at the first sight of the fruit, and it had yet to come back. Char wondered if the apple had healing properties among all of its special qualities…
After the entire apple had been gobbled up, and spirits had been lifted, the four partook in a brief respite, resting themselves upon the ground and professing their dislike of flying, gossiping about the Dragonite clan, and sharing whatever thoughts came to mind. Char described his experience in free-fall, telling how it had helped to subdue his fear of heights and escalate his longing for the form of a Charizard. Saura praised the gorgeous view of the earth, but cursed the ancients for letting him get sick. Scythe told him to cry a river, because any Pokémon who isn't regularly punished for swallowing the wrong variety of berry or making a misstep onto a Dragon's Eye had no right to complain.
After some goading, Ray told his crazy story. He'd been thrown off his Dragonite's back no less than three times, and had been struck full-forced by six lightning bolts, each time with no way of grounding out the charge aside from offering it back to the thunderclouds and hoping they would accept it. The Dragonite, for fear of attracting a lightning bolt to himself, had insisted that Ray neutralize his charges under penalty that he would keep lifting and dropping him until he did so. Though Ray always loved the notion of filling his body with electricity, this particular incident had left him feeling quite burned out, and with a splitting headache.
"Let me get this straight," Char said. "You rode dragonback at hundreds of miles per hour, you got to see the earth from up in the clouds, you got to free-fall and overload yourself with lightning repeatedly, and it wasn't the most awesome thing you've ever done in your life?"
"Actually, no, yeah, when you put it that way, I admit it. It was the most awesome thing I've ever done," Ray said with a smile. "You're right. It just hurt so much, I didn't realize it…"
"Same problem I had," Char said. "I guess sometimes, you don't know something's awesome until after it happens."
Char cherished such a pleasant moment with his friends, knowing that it could very well be the last of its kind for quite a while.
… … …
With a pleasantly stuffed belly, Char let his body sprawl out upon the sandy ground and felt the last of his day's troubles unwind. The apple did have a medicinal effect, he determined: it was a painkiller and a stress reliever, letting him relax and fade away into a good night's sleep…
…Until he was interrupted by a member of the Dragonite clan.
The Dragon's voice gave him quite a start from his wooziness, causing him to wonder if he had been out for a minute or an hour. He stretched his contented muscles and sat up, awaiting whatever message it brought.
"Good evening to you," The dragon greeted. "Is all going well? Ah, Saura, you're looking a lot better. Recovered?"
"Oh, hi, Daniel," Saura yawned, rousing himself from his own slumber. "I ate, and now I'm feeling fine… for the most part…"
"Good to hear," the dragon said with a nod, then turned to face Scythe in a much more formal posture. "How about you, Scyther? Is there anything you have been left desiring?"
"I have been well, as well," Scythe replied. "I suppose you're preparing the Sol-rock already?"
"Indeed," The Dragonite replied. "The darkness dawns. The Watchers will ascend in minutes."
"Then we'd better come," Scythe said. "Up with all of you! We have a gathering to attend."
Char turned a wary eye upward to the canyon opening. Past the aura of light his tail produced, there was nothing but an abyss of blackness above his head. The atmosphere, still shrouded by the thick layer of stormclouds, did not so much as glow…
This will be the first night I'll spend out in the open, Char realized. Will I get to see the Watchers for the first time? And what's all this about Solrock?
"Wait, what are we doing now?" Saura implored. "I was just getting comfy…"
"Rest will come in a moment," the dragon assured, "but not here. Come with us. And don't forget your supplies…"
Following the Dragonite's lead, Char's group gathered the two bags and crossed the crevice, past the watering hole, to the very far corner. There, just before the walls of stone converged upon an inhospitable heap of rubble which marked the end of the valley, the clan had established their space upon a flat, clean stretch of land which had obviously been cleared off by hand. Even in the darkness, the dragons laughed and conversed jovially with one another, tossing around their food and supplies to share. Two of them lay nearby, already fast asleep for the night, while the rest seemed to gather around in a group…
As Char drew near, all of the Dragonite gave a pleased glance to his flame, causing their eyes to sparkle with its reflection. Looking a little closer, Char realized that not all of the objects they held and passed around were particularly significant. Some were just rocks, it seemed, collected from the surrounding terrain…
"Hey, they're sleeping!" Saura said quietly to Char. "Why can't we?"
"Beats me," Char replied with a shrug. "Maybe it's just a meeting?"
"A meeting of necessity," Scythe said. "The Watchers will not stay out of the gorge on their own. If there is no shelter, travelers can use a fire to provide protection..."
A fire? That thought managed to pique Char's interest.
"Very good, you're here," Arshall called, standing first among her clan. "I'm sorry we cannot offer you any further privacy, but it's getting late. We'll be casting the Sol-rock now, and not a moment too soon. Ready?"
"We are ready," Scythe answered for the group.
At Arshall's signal, the dragons ceremoniously tossed forth their held rocks, causing a medium-sized pile to form at the center of the circle of Pokémon. As the dragons turned to gather up more, Char took a close look at the rocks. They were partially black, partially orange, like some kind of creative desert that the Division's mess hall would serve. Char really had to wonder what was going on.
"That's the Solrock?" Char asked. "It's not… a broken Pokémon… is it?"
At the ridiculous question, the dragons simultaneously paused to give Char a funny look. Feeling his flame flare up a little bit from embarrassment, he turned to his friends for support. They all had nothing to tell him, but he found Scythe wearing a gleeful grin, not unlike the time he had witnessed their team named Peanuts.
"What do you mean by that?" Arshall asked very oddly. "Oh. Oh! You've never seen this before, have you?"
The dragons burst into a gentle laughter, causing Char even more shame. Scythe gave his own chuckle.
"Pardon my presumption, little dragon!" Arshall said. "I am a little slow sometimes. 'Sol-rock' is only a play on words, and truth be told, it's one we've used for so long, we sometimes forget about the joke that lies underneath. No, this sort of Sol-rock is not a Pokémon. It's a mineral abundant beneath this desert which behaves like coal, but not quite ordinary coal… would you like to see what happens when it combusts?"
"Sure!" Char answered interestedly.
"Among my team, I'm the only one who has learned to conjure fire," Arshall said. "But it stings sometimes, and I don't think I'm in the right of spirits at the moment to try. Would you do the honors?"
After a round of encouragement from the dragons, Char reared back, took a deep breath, and released his best stream of flames at the little pile of rocks. As soon his attack collided with the pile, the room flashed with an unexpected spectrum of colors, all in the span of an instant. A handful of sparks jumped out from the pyre, appearing to glow yellow and green as they faded away into invisible ashes…
When his lungs depleted, Char cut his flamethrower short and observed his work. All of the stones which bore the brunt of his fire were glowing white-hot, like no coal he had ever seen. Just as he was beginning to wonder if he needed to apply more fire, several flames jumped up from between the rocks, all of which shined such a bright white that they were practically colorless, miniature tears in the void of space. The dragons gave a friendly cheer.
"Well done!" Arshall congratulated. "I could not have done better myself."
"Wow, what kind of fire is that?" Saura wondered out loud. "Is that even real fire? It looks so powerful. It casts rainbows into my eyes!"
As the fire spread to every stone, the sight became like a bright white ball adorned with dancing flames. The light it cast was so pure, so full, that it felt slightly like the sun had dawned again in the depths of that valley. His eyes adjusted to the brightness before long, allowing him to understand the sight, but it never stopped leaving its glowing residual marks on the back of his vision…
"You see? When Sol-rock burns, it gives off light like the sun," Arshall explained. "It's very dangerous for any traveler to spend the night under the stars. But when it must be done, we can use the fire of the Sol-rock. The Watchers abhor it, so this little pyre will keep us safe until the dawn, so long as we don't stray too far from it."
"On the ground, you will see that we have cleared an area from debris," Daniel added. "That is the boundary line of the fire's influence. Or, if you happen to have wings, no further than three-and-a-fourth times your body height directly above the center."
"Five and a half for the Scyther, it appears," Arshall said. "But yes. Stay in the firelight, and sleep soundly."
"So… we're actually going to be sleeping with the Watchers out?" Saura realized. "You mean, they're just going to be right there, right next to us? I've never seen them that close before…"
"I have," Ray confessed. "I was on a three-day training mission once. We spent the night in a house at Kardon Crossing. I knew Team Remorse fights them all the time, so I wanted to prove I was strong enough to battle them. I… hid outside and waited… and I saw them. They were… horrible!"
"And you survived?" Scythe asked, plenty shocked by the revelation. "I hope you learned from the experience…"
"Oh, no! Of course I learned!" Ray pleaded. "I was just telling a story… Please, don't be disappointed with me…"
"I can't help that," Scythe replied. "I would commend you for bravery if you had a just cause. I would commend you for valor if you had spent ten hours a day training yourself against ghosts to prepare for such a challenge… But a foolish act like that can't be commended for anything. You put your life and the lives of your friends on the line, for nothing at all."
"I'm sorry," Ray said. "I was only a Pikachu back then…"
"I understand, but never knew you would have that sort of foolish streak running through you," Scythe said. "It is true that my team fights the Watchers on a regular basis, but our fear of them never, ever fades. I am sorry if my respect for you has dropped just now, but that's not something I have control over. You will just have to earn it back."
"Yes, sir," Ray said, very disheartened. "I never stop feeling ashamed of it! Every day I try to do better! You're always saying that your mistakes make you better—"
"Quiet!" Zahira hissed. "Here they are. Watch!"
The group held their breaths. In the quietness, Char could hear the sound of the white fire, which seemed to sizzle, rather than roar… he could hear the low whistle of the wind as it blew through the canyon… he could hear the faint rumble of the thunder far overhead…
…and he could hear his own heart racing, knowing that the Watchers were about to reveal themselves before his eyes...
Char felt Saura's body brush up against him, and he wrapped one arm around his bulb for an extra sense of security. Both hadn't a clue what they were about to witness, and Char knew that neither of them wanted to feel alone for the slightest moment. Ray stood nearby, with his fists clenched, as if harboring a disdain for the ghosts, and Scythe stood beside him, a look of worry in his eyes.
Everyone cast their glances into the surrounding darkness.
They came in silence, making not a sound with their voices, causing not a disturbance to the surrounding land. They came in numbers, dozens and dozens flocked together like a swarm, drifting eerily like dust particles in the wind.
As Char watched the darkness beyond the fire's reach, a mosaic of dark shapes faded into vision. Each, he realized, was a Ghost Pokémon. His body convulsed when he acknowledged their presence, much like the sensation of picking up a rock covered in black spots and realizing it's crawling with spiders. They were floating… drifting… shifting through the air, seeming to brush up against an invisible dome when getting too close to the firelight…
The ghosts formed amorphous silhouettes, their forms mostly nonsense against the darkness of the surrounding desert. They were discolored, not a deep purple like most ghosts he knew, but mostly shades of dark grey or black… most were translucent, revealing further layers of ghosts behind them… As more of them brushed up close to the light, Char recognized most of them as the Pokémon Misdreavus, but with awful, unnatural mutations, and blank, emotionless faces…
And their eyes… each Misdreavus watched with a pair of glowing, cat-like eyes, which brightened upon proximity to the fire, and reflected all manners of colors, lighting up the canyon like a starry night…
Char shivered in fright, hugging Saura as hard as he could.
"There are many," A Dragonite commented. "Wasn't expecting this much of a concentration…"
"They are the soundless type," Scythe said, a sliver of fear in his voice as well. "They are deaf. They can only watch. I only see a couple Shuppet, but they appear to be ignoring us… The rest are the complacent type. They will only swarm after sudden movements…"
"T-this fire is going to last all night, right?" Saura asked, his voice breaking. "And they won't get any closer than that? W-what if the fire goes out? Even for a second?"
"Oh, silly Bulbasaur. Lighten up!" Arshall suddenly laughed. "What have we done to cast us all into such a bad mood? Relax! Be merry! The Sol-rock will burn until it turns to dust, and by that time, we will have been gone from here tomorrow morning. It isn't easily put out. You could even dump a waterfall onto it, and the water would turn to steam."
"Even so, I don't know how I'm going to sleep like this," Saura said nervously. "Just look at them. Look! They're following us with their eyes!"
"They're worse than I remember," Ray muttered. "What kind of Pokémon are they? Why do they even come out at night? They don't belong here!"
"If we knew that, we would be rid of them by now, probably," Scythe said. "They've ruined many lives, Destroyed just as many opportunities… The sight of them makes my heart boil with rage…"
Char found he couldn't look away from the horrible sight of the ghastly swarm. He stared at them, as if waiting for the moment when he would realize they were not actually real, that nothing so terrifying or unnatural ever had a right to exist… but they remained, their eyes of evil burning through the shadows like shining crystals… Char saw how they swirled through the air at even the slightest movement, trying to file into the shadows cast by whoever happened to walk in front of the sunlight-fire…
"Don't let them bother you," Arshall said again. "They can't hurt you. If you want to sleep, now is the time to do so. They will all be gone in the morning."
"Look at them," Saura whispered again. "They're looking straight at me! They look like… nightmares…"
Snuggling together, to two of them did their best to ignore the looming monsters and find the same peace of mind they had only moments ago when the air was still clear. Somehow, unconsciousness could not come fast enough.
… … …
"I can't do it," Saura muttered, only five minutes later. "When I close my eyes, I still see them. I keep thinking they're going to invade my mind… I think I might need to use one of our sleep seeds…"
"Don't bother," Ray groaned, who was laying nearby, not daring to make contact with anyone for fear of accidentally releasing his charge. "I had one already. It's not working."
"Want to try moving closer to the fire?" Char suggested. "Maybe it'll feel more safe…"
"Typical Charmander," Saura half-laughed. "Fine… the farther away from them, the better…"
As they dragged themselves over to the white fire, careful not to cast a stray glance into the darkness beyond, it struck Char just how different the fire looked to him now that it stood as a true beacon of safety, warding off the terrors of the dark. The flame stood sharp and smooth, giving off a searing noise as it fed from the rocks underneath. A great warmth flowed from the blaze, striking his skin like dull daggers, drawing him closer. It was a more intense type of fire than any he ever knew, and it drew curiosity from him. In a way, it really was beautiful.
Though most of the dragons had turned in for the night, sleeping in an orderly row a few yards away from the fire, Arshall and two of her companions remained awake, discussing whatever important matters they had to talk about. She cut the conversation short as soon as she noticed Team Ember approaching.
"Can I help you?" Arshall asked, standing attentively at the other end of the fire. "Are you getting cold? The desert's temperature really drops in the evening, doesn't it?"
"Not really," Saura replied. "We're just having trouble sleeping. It's my first time seeing the Watchers like this."
"I see," Arshall said sympathetically, stepping over and sitting by Char's side. "Well, have you tried counting backwards from one thousand?"
"What?" Saura replied.
"That's always been my favorite way to trick my mind into sleeping," Arshall said. "The trick is just to take your mind off everything. If something's bothering you, you won't be able to sleep no matter how hard you try, until you can get it out of your mind."
"Really," Scythe said, also approaching the fireplace. "My favorite has always been to exhaust myself so far that the mind no longer functions."
"Oh, Scyther, I thought you'd begun your rest, too," Arshall said, quickly standing up again and giving Scythe her attention. "Is something bothering you?"
"Yes, but it's not your fault," Scythe said. "Lately, I haven't been sleeping as much as I would like… What about you, dragon? Are you going to sleep?"
Arshall shook her head. "As captain, it's my duty to keep watch until my team and everyone in my care retires themselves," she said. "Though, don't worry about me. Dragonite don't need as much sleep as other Pokémon…"
For a moment, the group stood around the fire, saying nothing. Char and Saura both looked nervous, Scythe looked angered at something, and Arshall wore an awkward expression, as if she considered it all her fault. They had all formed a circle around the fire they had started just minutes ago, and it was apparent that none of them would be sleeping for a while.
"Perhaps it would help if we all took our mind off things for a while," Arshall said. "I say we all sit down right here and share stories before the fire, just like Pokémon of old would do to lift spirits when they slept under the stars. How about it?"
"Fine," Scythe said, setting himself down. "I'll stay to hear some of your tales. But I'm not a storyteller myself…"
"Oh, undue humility, Scyther!" Arshall said with a grin. "I refuse to believe that you, of all Pokémon, don't have a story to tell. I know my brothers and I would be honored to hear a tale from you, regardless of what words you choose to tell it with."
Shortly enough, all seven of the present Pokémon had made themselves comfortable around the firelight, and Char prepared to immerse himself in whatever stories would be told.
"Well, if this is what we're going to do, first thing's first," Scythe declared. "Ray. Tell us all how you survived the Watchers that night. I'm very curious to hear it."
Char could tell how saddened Ray was at the subject. Ray had been so sure that Scythe, in his wisdom, would understand if he told a story of long ago… he never imagined it would hurt his own reputation in his hero's eyes. He watched as Ray answered out of obedience, rather than enthusiasm, his glowing fur still betraying his poor disposition…
"Well, I went outside and hid behind a rock so the rest of the team wouldn't find me," Ray explained. "When it got dark… a Gastly appeared out of nowhere, and it was three times my size! And it had huge fangs, and its eyes were like gold… That's when I tried to run… It was so horrible… I think it got me, because I felt like I was starting to float in the air, and everything was turning black…"
"You never told us this story," Saura gasped. "That's so horrible…"
"Seems to me like you were seconds away from death," Scythe said. "No way to tell what it may have done with you. How did you live?"
"Zeven found me," Ray continued. "A Sneasel from my old team. He did something to the Gastly, and the next thing I knew, he was holding me… And I was so scared, I shocked him… I made pretend that the whole thing was an accident and Zeven saved me, so that's the story everyone heard…"
"I see," Scythe said. "I've met Zeven. He's a good kid. Going to make a fine night-prowler someday. And yes, you are right. It is not a good memory. I can understand why you would hide it. Your remorse still haunts you."
"Worst part is, that wasn't the only stupid thing I did," Ray admitted. "I did a lot of stupid things trying to prove to myself how strong I was. I try not to talk about them very much. But ever since I became a Raichu, I've really tried to be someone I could be proud of. I changed a lot. I was more responsible, and I tried harder, and it worked, because I was different."
"That's right," Daniel the Dragonite said. "Evolution changes more than just what is on the outside. They say, when a Pokémon evolves, its spirit becomes what they always wished it would be. Like me. I have vague memories of my life as a Dratini. The only thing I can remember was that I was scared of Sharpedo. As a Dragonair, I changed. The fear went away. Heh, I laughed at them. I told them all how silly they looked."
"As a Dragonair, I was reclusive," Arshall said. "I was shy, I had no courage to speak with other Pokémon. When I changed, the gift of charisma struck me, and look where I ended up today! I went off to become the leader of a very dependable team of dragons. It seems to me that Arceus grants you a wish when you evolve."
"I don't agree," Scythe said, shaking his head. "That's not the way things are. Evolution only gives you more strength. From that strength, you change your perspective on life. The granted wish is only an illusion. For some, the strength will destroy life, not fulfill it..."
"Oh, oh! You would know, wouldn't you?" Arshall asked excitedly. "That's right! You and Adiel… now there's a story for the ages! Scyther, will you tell the story? It's an incredible part of the resistance legend. Every Pokémon should hear it!"
An electric silence shot through the air, as Scythe was unwilling to further comment on the subject. Scythe diverted his gaze from the Dragonite captain to the fire; it was easy to tell that he was displeased with the topics brought up so far. Char had to wonder if the storytelling, regarding the Watchers and now Adiel, was going to help anyone relax, or just make things worse. Besides, he had heard the story of Adiel a dozen times, or at least as much as Scythe was willing to tell; pressing the subject, he knew, wouldn't be such a good idea…
"I told you, I'm not a storyteller," Scythe said finally. "Besides, that story means nothing. If we are to talk about legends of the resistance that every Pokémon must know, tell Char and his friends the story of how the Emerald Division survived the great overtaking. Tell him the story of Prince and his team. Perhaps they will gain some respect for Lucario's domain."
"There's an idea," Arshall said approvingly. "The story of Team Flamewheel, and how they saved the Emerald Division. Daniel? You would do this better than I, you were there when it happened…"
"Well, nobody can tell the story better than Legend, the Ninetales," Daniel said, standing up and taking over Arshall's place of prominence before the fire. "But for the sake of the legacy, I'll try my best. Now… where to begin?
"Most stories begin with 'long ago and far away'… not this one. This is something that happened up north, and only a few decades ago, recent enough to still be fresh in many memories. The Scyther you sit beside had already established his team, which became known and respected among the resistance forces for the incredible deeds they did. The chaos which ensued from Team Red's betrayal from the Black Division was finally settling down. The scouts were busy searching for the next appearance of the Call, the Watchers had long since started their nightly reign, and the Master had not made a move for some time, giving the resistance a much-needed rest. In all, it was a peaceful time for Ambera and all her children, a time which we all wished would last forever.
"During this time, a team of seven formed at the Gold Division's headquarters, calling themselves Team Flamewheel. The founder of the team was a Pokémon by the name of Prince, an Infernape who hailed from the faraway city of Aronwood. He worked as a skilled martial arts instructor there. When he learned of the resistance, he gathered his faithful assistant and two of his most promising students, and gained admittance to the Gold Division base. Once inside, he appraised the training teams and added three more members, and so, the original seven pledged their allegiance to the Division and began their work.
"Now, it didn't take long for the new team to shine. Prince was a true leader, excelling in the art of battle, strategy, you name it, he could do it. His team worked like a machine. They passed every test, returned victorious from every assigned mission, and exceeded every expectation. Now, Alakazam saw how well the team worked, and he allowed them to rise in the ranks until they were just as privileged as your Scyther's team. And for a couple seasons, the Gold Division prospered.
"But one day, Prince packed up and moved his team north to the Emerald Division. He left on a very short notice, without even Alakazam's blessing. Nobody knows why."
"Huh," Saura commented. "That's weird. That explains how we got our room, I guess. I wonder why they left?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Scythe said. "We were decent partners. In fact, our last mission together was an unexpected success, and it was all thanks to him. I asked him to stay, but his mind was made up already. There was nothing I could do."
"Well, whatever was the case, Prince made the Emerald Division his new home," Daniel continued. "But when they arrived there, Lucario was not so convinced of their skills. He treated them as new recruits, making them prove their capabilities to him little by little. And righteously so; the standards of the Emerald Division are very high. If Lucario wanted to rely on Prince and his team for difficult tasks, he had to know they would not be a weak link which could cost hundreds of Pokémon their lives. So, Prince got stuck doing dungeon exploration missions and escort missions, and other such mundane things. His team name was not known among the Division's members like it was at the Gold Division; he found himself having to attain a reputation all over again.
"Now, one day, while Prince and his team were away on a routine sentry mission, a horrible truth was discovered. The Master had discovered the Emerald Division, and was silently planning to destroy it!"
"I heard the story a little differently," Scythe commented, ignoring the gasps which rose from Team Ember. "I heard Prince's team was on a piracy mission when it happened. And I heard that they observed the movement of some troops, but Lucario didn't learn the truth until later. Regardless, carry on."
"If you wanted to tell the story, you should have said so in the first place!" Daniel laughed. "But anyway. The horrible truth.
"A wave of tension swept over the Division when they learned the truth. The Master had his sights set on them, and all seemed doomed. Lucario held an emergency meeting of the entire Division to discuss the dire situation. The silence in that chamber was deafening. Spirits were challenged to the core. Lucario addressed the Pokémon of the Emerald Division, in very morbid way, discussing their options…
"That's when Prince took things into his own hands. He stood up to Lucario and faced him down. The argument between Prince and Lucario filled the chamber, rattling every heart inside, as Prince demanded that he acknowledge Team Flamewheel's skill, and to listen to them. Finally, he got Lucario to listen to them, and convinced him and the entire Emerald Division that he could lead a last stand against the Master's forces.
"And so, a great battle was staged northwest of the Division, near the border of Zerferia, where the Master had hoped to sneak into the Division from behind. There, Prince's team, backed with hundreds of the Division's best warriors, waited. And then, in a blistering snowstorm, they came. Prince stood atop the hill, watching as thousands upon thousands of the Master's best forces marched forward in ranks across the barren landscape… One by one, Prince could make out the identities of the troops. A hundred Snover. A hundred Weavile. Hundreds upon hundreds of Onix, Skarmory, Flareon, and many more… all bred and trained for killing and destroying the Master's enemies…
"Prince led his troops in a prayer to Arceus, watching them march closer… and closer…
"Then… the armies clashed… And Prince, with only a hundred under his command… won the battle."
"Wait, wait, What?! That's it?!" Saura cried angrily. "They just won? No legendary strategy? No act of Arceus? Didn't anybody die?"
"Oh, many died in that battle, of course," Daniel said. "Prince's side suffered heavy losses. But they managed to repel the enemies, and the Emerald Division still stands to this day. And that's the story!"
A moment of silence. Char didn't quite know what to say, and apparently nobody else did, either.
"Uh… so… is there a moral of the story?" Saura finally asked. "It's epic and all, I know, but why does every Pokémon have to hear that?"
"Of course, isn't it obvious?" Arshall spoke up. "The moral is that even a one-to-one hundred battle can be won! It's a metaphor for the entire resistance, and a story that gives the whole Emerald Division pride and hope! The Master sits in his castle, his enemies outnumber us in the thousands, but if we try, we can still win!"
"Oh," Scythe sighed, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "The way he told the story it, it sounded as though moral might have been something to the effect of 'Scream until other Pokémon listen to you'. No offense, Dragonite, but it seems you have a talent for taking a timeless tale, mincing it into unspectacular pieces, and discarding the best half. Even I could have done better than that."
Daniel and Arshall both frowned at him, and Scythe immediately wished he could recall his words. He unconsciously took a step backward. Char watched in amazement.
"You failed to mention the Abyss, the Evergreen Guild, or any of Prince's companions," Scythe said quickly in his defense. "And you told the story out of order. Prince learned the truth long before Lucario did."
Daniel and Arshall frowned harder.
"I'm sorry," Scythe said even more quickly. "I didn't mean to be harsh."
"Well, how about you tell a story now, Scyther?" Arshall challenged. "We would very much like to hear one of your great tales."
Scythe knew that it was a demand, not a suggestion. If he wanted to make up for insulting the dragons, he would have to think of something quick…especially before Arshall suggested telling the Adiel story again.
Clearing his throat, Scythe stepped closer to the fire, straightened himself out, and faced his audience.
"Well, since you insist, there was one particularly interesting day at Basin Canyon which I remember to some extent," Scythe said. "You see, we were venturing down into the caves, going to dig out a tunnel. We have to dig out the tunnels, you see, so that the place is easier to defend. And so that any intruders get confused. Well, we were digging this tunnel, you see, and we had to stop, because there was a giant sheet of unbreakable rock lodged into the earth. It was like a pillar. We thought about going up and around it. After an hour of pondering, we decided it would damage the structural integrity of the land too much. So we decided to go down. But when we started to go down, we found… to our shock… the rock extended downward as well! It was unbelievable. And the rock was so hard, it didn't even scratch. So, after much deliberation, we went left. And there we found that the big rock had a corner to it. I stopped to sharpen my blades on it, then we kept following it around, and it was shaped so oddly, we began to wonder what it was. I suggested it could be a human object. Shander thought it belonged to the Master. But no, we ended up digging it out, and it was just a big rock. Oh, but that's not the best part. Let me tell you how we got it out of the cave…"
…
Some ten minutes later, Scythe paused his painfully boring story and glanced at the ground. Char, Saura, and Ray were fast asleep.
"I wonder why I didn't think of that in the first place," Scythe said, shrugging to the un-amused Dragonite.
… … …
Late that night, when everyone was sleeping soundly the entire crew was startled awake by a deafening explosion. Char jumped a foot in the air, his heart mercilessly racing. The dragons were quickly sent into an uproar.
"BAAAH! What was THAT?!" Saura cried, his ears ringing from the assault. "What?! Are we being attacked?!"
"It's nothing," Scythe shouted from across the canyon. "Go back to sleep, there's nothing to see here."
Scythe stood near the very end of the fire's light. At his feet laid a very exhausted, yet very satisfied Ray.
"Thank you," Ray moaned, sprawling out on the floor with a beaming smile on his face. "I really needed that… it was keeping me awake…"
With some supervision, Ray had called down a lightning bolt from the storm far above, charged his body with it, and released a mighty jolt of power into the cloud of Watchers. Dozens of them had dissipated.
"Very nice execution," Scythe said. "You're skilled with your lightning. See, the main thing to remember when fighting the Watchers is to never let them make contact with you."
Ray soon fell asleep, content that he had finally discharged his electricity, and also that, at last, he had exacted revenge on the Watchers.
Author's note: The side story Emerald Chronicles: A Frozen Flame was first published when this chapter was posted. It is meant to tell the full version of Daniel's story using many reader-submitted characters I had asked readers to send in. (Before you ask, no, I'm not accepting them anymore.)
It is currently on hiatus and one-fourth complete; there are plans to finish it. Even so, I encourage you to check it out; in my opinion, Legend's chapters are some of my best writing.