Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Realms ❯ Back to the Beginning… ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Pokemon and all related trademarks belong to Nintendo. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
Back to the Beginning…
By nightdragon0
 
 
 
Flashback…
A slight shaking drew Kris Invorce away from the fading word of the song, and also from her sleep.
She was an Asian girl of 18, with short, night-black hair. Somewhat tomboyish in nature, she was dressed in black jeans and a blue T-shirt. Over it was a black jacket and on her hands a pair of fingerless gloves.
“Hmmm? Nightslice? What is it?” She asked, pulling her sunglasses off and sitting up.
Her companion, a red armored Scizor known as Nightslice, pointed with one of his pincers. A brown haired boy was jogging towards them, waving his hand.
“Hey! Are you a trainer? Wanna battle?”
“Won't mind.” Kris nodded, pulling herself to her feet. “But just one-on-one. Ready Nightslice?”
The Scizor gave his confirmation by snapping into his battle stance. It was a wide open grassy field with only several trees and a large clump of bushes nearby. A prefect spot for a battle.
“All right! Then I'm going with Typhlosion!” The boy called, letting loose the fire Pokemon.
Predictable enough. Kris thought.
“Typhlosion, Flamethrower!”
Nightslice stood calmly as the stream of fire rocketed towards him and at the last moment, twisted his body and stepped aside, letting the stream pass right by him.
“Nicely done.” Kris told him.
“Flamethrower again!”
Once again, Nightslice dodged the fire attack.
“Go!” Kris ordered.
In the blink of an eye, Nightslice had cleared the space between himself and his opponent. Using Metal Claw, he smashed both his pincers against his opponent's chin, sending the Typhlosion rolling backwards.
“Wow…” The boy muttered. “But we can match that! Fury Swipes!”
“Take him on! Agility!”
Typhlosion charged and begun swiping furiously with his claws. Nightslice parried the first few attacks, and then took to dodging left and right. Frustrated, Typhlosion tried a Headbutt, which Nightslice somersaulted over, throwing a two-footed kick to his opponent's back in the process.
Nightslice snarled, landing and striking an intimidating pose.
“Nightslice, Double Team!”
Responding instantaneously, his form split into several mirror images, encircling the startled Typhlosion.
“Don't be fooled Typhlosion! Send Swift at all the images! It'll find the real one!”
The Typhlosion did as he was told, throwing the star-shaped projectiles in all directions. One by one, the images were hit and vanished.
“Huh?!” The trainer gasped once the last image was gone. “Where's the real one?!”
“Look up.” Kris grinned.
“What the?!”
Up in the air was Nightslice, wings spread, descending towards his opponent at an astonishing pace.
(The screen goes black and a single slash appears across it.)
Nightslice calmly landed and folded his arms, facing his back towards his opponent as the Typhlosion collapsed.
Kris and Nightslice gave each other high-fives as the defeated trainer ran over to his Pokemon's side.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
“Another typical trainer.” Kris muttered, watching the boy run off. “How I wish I could be like you at times.”
Nightslice scanned the area, making sure there was on one else around. Then, he spoke, and did so in human language.
“I wish I could be a typical Pokemon too.”
“It's hard sometimes.” Kris agreed, unsheathing a Katana strapped to her side.
It was a beautiful design, a well-made blade with a black and red handle in the shape of a dragon.
“Knowing I'm not fully human, but part Scyther as well. Knowing I was part of a series of genetic experiments…or accidents considering it.”
Kris' eyes reflected that fact, being a light tint of blue and very Scyther-like. With speed and precision not possible of any human, she leapt up a nearby tree, branch by branch, and sliced an apple off the highest point.
“You have it easy comparing to the fact that I'm descended from an evil Dragon God.” Nightslice replied.
“Whom we destroyed, seemingly a long time ago.” Kris reminded him. “Well, with everything that's been happening, it seems long at least.”
“But did we really?”
“Huh?”
“Really destroy him?” Nightslice continued. “I still hear his voice in my nightmares. The screams of our friends, who died fighting alongside us.”
“It's over now…” Kris stopped short, indicating the clump of bushes with her eyes.
Nightslice gave a confirmative gestured, and together, they tackled the figures hiding within the bushes.
“Tough luck Jade.” Kris grinned, standing over the figure she'd just knocked down. “It'll take more practice to sneak up on me. By the way, I heard you just turned 20. Happy birthday.”
“Haha, see you haven't lost that icy touch of yours Kris.” Jade laughed, allowing Kris to help him to his feet.
Jade Mitchel was a blond haired man wearing a black shirt, green jeans and a green photographer's vest with multiple pockets. Beside him was a rectangular bag in which Kris knew he always carried a laptop.
“Ow!” Another voice sounded. “Nightslice! Let go of my wings this instant! I just had them done up and you're gonna ruin them!”
“Hey Firestorm, when did you become so vain?” Nightslice taunted.
He was on the Charizard's back with his arms wrapped around Firestorm's wings and neck. Firestorm shook wildly as he failed to get Nightslice off him.
“All right! You asked for it!” With that, Firestorm brought up his flaming tail and stuck in into Nightslice's backside.
“RRRaarrgghhh!” Nightslice screamed, jumping off.
Firestorm took the distraction and turned the tables by grabbing Nightslice from behind.
“Feels much better when you're the one being strangled!”
“Grrrrr…fine! Take that!” Nightslice swung his leg back, hitting Firestorm between his legs.
The Charizard gawked on surprise, stumbling back clutching his groin area. Nightslice pounced onto him and the two begun a struggling and insulting frenzy.
“Gee, those two see each other for the first time in nearly a year and the first thing they have to do is fight.” Jade commented.
“It's typical.” Kris replied. “Some things will never change I guess.”
“But a lot still will.”
“What brings you to this part of the Orange Islands, by the way?”
“I'm actually here to do a few photographs for this nature magazine.” Jade told her. “I was just asking around the Pokemon center and the nurse mentioned someone matching your description. It's quite a coincidence, really.”
Almost too much of a coincidence… Kris thought.
“Anyway, how are the others?”
“I know at least Hazuki and Nala have a rented apartment on Lazuli Island. Since the Chimera incident in the Trilands, all of us have been lying low. Or in our case, wandering aimlessly around.”
“We all have our limits.” Kris sighed.
Chimera was their term for others like themselves, human with Pokemon DNA. Jade had been referring to a battle they'd once joined with others like them, fighting for their freedom. Those who survived seemingly lived only to face the challenge of re-adapting to the lives they'd lost.
What the other Chimeras never knew was that Kris' sub-group had been involved in far greater battles, against ancient Gods and even Legendary Dragons.
Only now, a new one was about to begin…
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
“Looks like a storm's brewing up.” Kris muttered, looking up at the sky.
“A big one too…” Jade added in.
As if on cue, several drops began falling. All of a sudden, it turned into a huge downpour.
“Aw crap!” Moaned Firestorm as they begun to run.
“Don't worry! The Port Center is up ahead.” Nightslice pointed. “There'll be shelter there!”
The group sprinted through the pouring rain, threw open the building's double doors…and promptly crashed into a couple of figures standing in the entrance way.
“Nala? Hazuki?” Kris gasped from her spot on the floor.
“Kris? Wow, is that really you?” Nala stood up, equally surprised.
Nala Enhustan was now 17. She had brown eyes, with her black hair coming down past her shoulder level. She was dressed in a pink pair of denim shorts and a dark blue short sleeveless shirt that left her stomach uncovered. A green sweater was also tied around her waist.
“Yeah, you're about one of the last people we expected to meet here, of all places.” Hazuki added in.
Since their previous adventures, Nala had become close friends with Hazuki Yamazashi, who was a couple of years younger. Hazuki was much shorter and very fair skinned, almost a snowy white. Her light blue hair and eyes seemed to match her long-sleeved shirt and white jeans.
“This is all quite intriguing indeed, but would you chaps mind getting off me before starting to go all mushy will the reunions and other stuff?” A voice moaned from beneath the pile.
This was Riot, a young Aerodactyl who was Nala's partner. Like Firestorm and Nightslice, she too could speak human language, and did so with a British accent.
“If you could be any louder Riot, you'd have the reporters swarming on us `talking' Pokemon.” Nightslice muttered.
“Don't worry, the place is pretty empty.” Nala assured them. “Most of the employees are off for the weekend. Those still here are outside managing their boats and equipment. Storms out here in this region and really strong sometimes.”
“But what about you guys?” Jade asked.
“Well, basically we work here.” Hazuki grinned. “Managing all the radio transmissions and stuff from the ships.”
“Onee-san!” (Meaning `Older sister' in Japanese.)
A young girl came running around the corner.
“Oh, hi Yusia!” Kris waved. “I almost forgot you were with them.”
Yusia Parsal was a 10 year old girl who had been rescued from an experimental facility during a previous encounter, known as the Chimera Incident. Hazuki had unofficially adopted Yusia as her little sister.
She had light blue eyes and matching light blue hair with hints of white. The hair was shoulder length and tied back into a pony tail. She wore a white T-shirt which had dark blue borders on the edge and light blue jeans with white stripes going down the outside of each pant leg.
“Kris!” Yusia smiled. “I told Onee-san you would be coming. Are you getting ready to go on your new adventure?”
“Huh? I…”
Just then, a doorbell sounded.
“Looks like someone's at the side door.” Hazuki said. “Yusia, would you mind, go see who it is.”
“OK!”
“It started after you left Kris,” Hazuki spoke once Yusia was gone. “Yusia, well, sometimes she sees visions of the future. And very accurate ones too.”
“Hmmm…” Kris nodded.
“Big sister! It's that tall, weird and creepy looking guy with the Houndoom again!”
“She means Alken.” Nala said, running to the side. “Hold on Yusia, I'm coming!”
“You're referring to Alken Wong from the Chimera Incident, right?” Kris asked.
“Yes.” Hazuki confirmed. “He comes around here sometimes. We keep trying to invite him to stay, but he never agrees.”
“Oh god! Alken, what happened?” Nala's voice rang out from the doorway.
The entire group sprang from their places and ran to the door, where Nala was helping Alken onto a chair. Alken was a Chinese, with brown eyes and his shoulder length black hair tied in a ponytail. He wore a white shirt with a black pair on long pants. Alken had taken off his black coat allowing Kris to clearly see his left sleeve was soaked with blood.
Alken's partner, Abetos, stood beside them with a distinctly concerned look on his face. As much as a blind Houndoom with a black scarf tied around his eyes could at least.
In addition to that, both of them were soaking wet.
“It's nothing Nala, don't worry about it.” Alken insisted.
“Hang on, I'll get the first-aid kit.” Hazuki said, running off.
“Alken, what did happen?” Kris asked.
The 28 year old gave Kris and Jade a `greeting' nod as Hazuki wrapped his arm in a bandage.
“This old couple was swept out to sea on their boat.” Alken explained. “A group of passer-bys and sailors were trying to help them. I was there, and I got hit by a broken piece of the pier. The sailors were trying to get their boat started to go after them, but there seemed to be some engine trouble. I came here to get some help.”
“I'll call the Coast Guard.” Nala decided, running over to the communications station. “Damn! There's too much interference from the storm! I can't get through!”
“Even if you could get through, I doubt the Coast Guard would arrive in time.” Alken muttered.
“Then we'll go out after them!” Nala declared, grabbing a bunch of keys off the desk.
“Are you crazy? You'll get swept out by the storm!” Alken yelled.
“The Rescue Boats stand a good chance!” Nala pointed to one through the glass window. “Come on, I could use your help! Riot doesn't do well in the water!”
“All right.” Kris nodded, running after her.
The rest of the group, minus Alken, immediately followed.
“Yusia, stay here.” Hazuki told her. “We'll be back soon.”
“Hey wait!” Alken called, standing up. “Damn, we can't leave those kids to go out along. Abetos, come on!”
Outside, Nala had hit the ignition, the speedboat's engine roaring to life. Alken raced for the boat and jumped aboard as it begun to move.
“Hey! Wait! Yusia's outside!” Firestorm yelled, looking back.
“Yusia! What are you doing?” Hazuki yelled. Not happy that her little sister had followed them outside.
“Argh!” Yusia slipped on the wet pier.
In a flash, Nightslice leapt across the gap and grabbed the girl. Using the pier as a springboard, he pushed off against it and spread his wings, barely managing to glide back to the boat.
“Yusia! I told you not to come!” Hazuki scolded angrily.
“I'm sorry big sis, but you'll need me for this too! I can help save the people too!”
“This isn't a game you know? You could've been hurt!” Hazuki sighed. “Nevermind, put on a life vest and stay inside with Nala, all right?”
“Yes sis.”
In the midst of their excitement, no one noticed the cloaked figure standing on the roof of the building, watching their every move. And in the next flash of lightning, the figure had disappeared, leaving no trace that it had even been there at all.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
“Look! There they are!” Hazuki pointed, shouting over the howling of the wind.
Up ahead, two figures were barely visible, waving desperately to attract attention. The engine of their boat had apparently been damaged, leaving the small ship at the mercy of the raging waves.
“OK, Firestorm, Riot, I know you two don't like water much, but we need you to try and keep that boat as stable as possible.” Kris instructed. “We can't let them drift off any further.”
The two flyers took off to do their part as Nala pulled the boat in closer, trying her best to steady it. Alken and Jade held on to Hazuki as she threw a rope over to the other boat. Nightslice carried Kris and made a long jump over to the other boat.
“Here, secure this to something!” Kris yelled.
“Thank you!” The elderly man replied. “I'll tie it. Hold on!”
“Hurry!” Jade called from the rescue boat. “The instruments show a large wave is approaching!”
“It's done!” The man called, running back to Kris.
“Jade! Alken! Help them across!” Kris shouted. Without waiting for a reply, she raced for the ship's steering wheel and spun it in an attempt to steady the boat. “Storm! Riot!”
Roars and grunts came from the two Pokemon as they held on to the back and front of the affected ship.
“Mission accomplished!” Jade yelled, once the old couple was across. “Get back here now!”
All of a sudden, a wave swept past, snapping the rope holding the two ships in half.
“Damn! Abetos! Hurry!” Alken snatched up another rope and followed his Houndoom as he leapt across.
“Alken!” Jade screamed.
“Guargh!” Alken fell short of his target, but managed to grab the rail of the other boat with one hand. With Abetos' help, Alken struggled against the waves to pull himself up.
Hazuki and Jade brought up yet another rope. But then, a wave hit the boat, throwing both of them off it.
“No!” Yusia screamed, running out the door, into the rain.
“Wait! Yusia!” Nala abandoned the wheel and dashed after the young girl.
“Watch out!” The old man warned.
A little too late, Yusia slipped. Nala dove for her, but a sudden movement from the boat sent them flying off as well. Riot suddenly dove into the water after her partner, despite her weakness to water.
Everything was happening so fast that Kris barely had any time to comprehend it. All she remembered was seeing her friends plunge into the waves, and running out onto the deck. Warnings from Nightslice and Firestorm caused her to look up…just in time to see a huge wave crashing down upon them.
Just as suddenly, she was being tossed and thrown about by the waves, gasping for air. It was impossible to tell left from right, or where the others were.
However, one time her head blobbed to the surface, Kris saw something that frightened her even more.
It was a figure seemingly standing on the water. Time seemed to stop as Kris slowly examined its every detail. It was a humanoid figure shrouded in a black glow. It was easily 6 feet tall, with a serpent-like head, a huge pair of wings on its back and a tail waving behind it. Its wrists had swords mounted on each one, but a five-clawed hand was still visible under each one. Its entire body seemed to be wrapped in some black cloth, leaving only a glowing red line along its face, like a visor for it to see through.
No! It can't be!
It was an enemy Kris thought had been destroyed. A vision, an image, or something else? Kris didn't have the time or energy to think.
Then, came another voice. A surprisingly familiar one.
“No! You will not harm them like you did to the others!”
Zian? Kris wondered, staring up at the Legendary Psychic Dragon. An ally from a previous adventure.
He was best described as a dragon whelp, with green scales covering most of his body and a red colored belly. His wings were also colored in green and red, matching the colors of his body. Zian was roughly the size of a human, although he walked on all fours.
Zian seemed unaffected by the storm as he flew full force into the dark dragon. In a bright flash of light, Zian was tossed roughly away.
Victorious, the dark, dragon-like figure raised its claw and pointed a finger straight at Kris. In its other hand, it was holding two crystals, one green and one pink. Then, it begun to fade and vanish completely.
“Deflagrate muri…tempi et intervallia…” Someone's voice chanted, although Kris couldn't be sure who's.
It was also at this moment the time unfroze, once sending Kris under the water…and into the darkness.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
Coughing and groaning, Kris opened her eyes to find Nightslice standing over her.
“You all right?”
“Yeah…” Kris muttered, turning her gaze up. “Huh? Where are we?”
What she found herself looking up at a huge cavern. Numerous rocky projections emerged from the floors and ceiling. Water was dripping from numerous places. It looked like a naturally formed cave, one that had been untouched for thousands of years.
However, it was definitely not the raging sea Kris last remembered.
“Storm?” Jade cried, shaking the Charizard.
Kris realized his tail fire was almost out.
“No…” Jade said softly. “Please…no…”
Suddenly, Firestorm's tail burst into flames, the water hissing as it evaporated.
“Sorry Jade, you won't get rid of me that easily.” He gasped.
All around, the others were pulling themselves to their feet as well. Nala, Riot, Hazuki and Yusia…all soaking wet.
“Are we…alive?” Nala wondered, looking around.
“Let me check.” Firestorm stuck his flaming tail into Nightslice's back.
“Ow! Yargh! AARRGGHH!”
“He sure seems alive.”
“Hey, did anyone see Alken?” Nala cut in.
“I thought I saw him and Abetos when we were all caught in that current.” Hazuki said. “You guys remember right? The storm at sea? And we got swept overboard?”
“Did anyone else see Zian back then?” Firestorm asked. “It looked like he was fighting this dark shape.”
“That shape…” Kris muttered. “Did it look like…Kaiser?”
Everyone snapped up at the mention of the dark Dragon God's name.
“We took care of him, didn't we?” Riot asked.
“Perhaps…or perhaps not…” Nightslice shook his head. “Something just felt very wrong with it. Chilled me to the bone.”
He stood up to examine their surroundings.
“Like we're in a completely different place and…Zian!”
The entire group rushed over to the spot where Zian was sprawled across the floor in a puddle of water. Firestorm gently took the dragon in his arms and put his hand to his neck.
“He's breathing.” The Charizard announced.
“Look at that!” Jade pointed to a long scar across the left side of Zian's chest, where his heart should be.
“We'll go find a way out of here.” Kris indicated Nightslice and herself. “Make sure to take care of Zian, he's the only one who can tell us what the hell is going on here.”
“Looks like the light is streaming in from up there.” Nightslice pointed up a near vertical cliff that seemed like a dried out waterfall.
“Let's go.”
Grabbing on to Kris, Nightslice sprang up the cliff, digging his one free claw and feet into the rocky surface to form handholds. It took a while, but he finally arrived at the top.
“That boulder seems to be blocking the entrance.” Kris gestured.
The pair was walking over to the boulder when the ground suddenly shook. That was followed by a long and deep growl.
“What the?”
“Get down!” Nightslice rammed Kris to the ground as an energy blast flew past them, blowing up a pile of rocks nearby.
“That thing…it's alive!” Kris stared.
The `boulder' stirred and begun moving. A pair of deep red eyes glowed as a head emerged. Arms, legs, wings and tail uncurled as a shape took form.
It was a gigantic, 30 foot dragon covered in gray rock-like scales. It stood on all fours, its limbs as thick as pillars. The Rock Dragon spread its wings and roared, lashing its tail about. The beast eyed them, saliva dripping from its jaws.
“Please tell me he's one of Zian's pals that we don't know about.” Nightslice moaned.
The rock dragon charged.
“Guess not! Harrgghh!” Nightslice yelled, throwing off a Hyper Beam from his claws.
As powerful as the blast was, the dragon simply brushed it off. Nightslice threw two more beams before realizing it was hopeless.
“Incoming!” Kris warned.
The pair leapt in opposite directions and the dragon slammed its tail down. The shock created was so powerful that it sent the two flying into the walls. In agony, Kris pulled herself up. Seeing the beast going for Nightslice, she drew her sword and ran towards it.
The Rock Dragon simply swatted her away with a wing.
This filled Nightslice with rage and he attacked, slashing with his Metal Claw at the dragon's head. All he got for his efforts was another hard smack.
Meanwhile, the others below had heard the fighting and were trying to get up the cliff. However, they were hindered by all the rocks falling from the ceiling, thanks to all the shaking caused by the battle.
Nightslice groaned, and opened his eyes just in time to see the dragon's jaws closing over him.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
The Present…
“RRRRAAARRGGHHHH!”
The surge of memories and visions had stopped, but leaving Nightslice more confused than he already was.
`His' new Steel Dragon body was still trashing about, screaming wildly.
(What are you doing?!) He heard Kris from within `their' body call out to him. (Calm down!)
(It's not me!) Nightslice protested.
Kris herself was in quite a state of confusion. She was in somebody else's body for one thing. It was as if she were watching a movie, except she was seeing through the dragon's, Bahamut's, eyes.
She tried hard to focus and look within. In her mind, she `saw' the image of herself standing inside a glowing orb of sliver light. Outside the orb, the walls seemed to be throbbing and pulsing, like…like a heart?!
OK, wait, let's see…Nightslice and I merged into the form of this dragon right? Let's assume I form the heart, and then he forms the body, two essential components. Kris thought. But wait! Then, who's in control if Nightslice isn't? Where's the mind?!
(Kris! He's waking up!) Nightslice screamed in panic.
(What? Who?!)
(The dragon! Bahamut! The dragon whose body we're in! And I don't think he's happy we're here…)
“RRRRRRAAAGGGGHHH! W…WHAT?! WHAT'S INSIDE OF ME????!!!!!!!!!”
There were a lot of things which Kris didn't understand this day.
However, one thing she definitely knew was that the last voice had belonged to neither herself nor Nightslice.
 
 
 
Now, the legend evolves…