Zapdos screeched in pain as Dark Ho-oh hit it was a black Fire Blast. The Dark Legandaries were battling unfairly, ganging up on the opposing Pokémon. It was still a good while until sunrise, and the Legandaries were begining to weaken, after loosing all the dogs and Moltres, not to mention Ho-oh and Ash hadn't moved sence they crashed landed earlier.

"Goodbye Zapdos" Dark Lugia grinned at Zapdos fell unconcious to the ground. It turned to Lugia and Articuno, the only Pokémon left. Dark Lugia suddenly stopped and looked behind it at another figure. It was Dark Ho-oh, no, two Dark Ho-oh. One that had been there sence the start, and another that had just arrived.

The one that had just arrived spoke up. "Good job, all of you, and espeicially you Ditto" It said to the Dark Ho-oh beside it. It looked over to Lugia and Articuno, who now had two Dark Ho-oh to worry about, and grinned. "Let's finish this" It announced, as they all charged at the remaining legandaries.

Ash groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He hurt all over and he thought he'd never get up again. There was a screech from nearby, and Ash jerked up to see Lugia and Articuno trying to dodge the attacks from the oncoming Dark Legandaries attacks. Ash pushed himself onto his hands and knees and looked up. "Ho-oh, we have to help them" He said, but Ho-oh didn't answer. He looked over at Ho-oh, who had it's eyes half-closed. "Ho-oh, come on, we have to help"

"Why bother..."

"What? Ho-oh whats up with you?" Ash asked, confused at Ho-oh's responce.

Ho-oh looked over at him. "Why bother trying when your just going to fail. We've tried to beat them, but they've always found a way around it. First they blocked out the sun and tricked us into bringing Dark Ho-oh back, then the other Dark Legandaries came. Face it, we've lost"

Ash was stunned at what Ho-oh had just said. Ho-oh had given up? That was it? They were going to let the Dark Legandaries win? Ash closed his eyes and thought of it sence the start.

It all started at Phoenix Mountain, were Ash first met Ho-oh. The legandaries and Ash got captured and put through a painful experiance. Then Rick came, and help them escape. Ho-oh took care of Giovanni after that back at Phoenix mountain when he made an attempt to kill Ash, Ho-oh and Rick.

Then the darkness covered the world, and everyone was scared. But then Ho-oh came, and along with Ash, Rick and Misty they traveled to Red Rock Isle to fight the Dark Legandaries for the first time. When they did defeat them, Dark Ho-oh had set a new challenge for them.

They were filled with pain on their quest for the Orbs of Darkness. Near-death experience after another. Drowning, being stabed to death, being crushed, Ash getting his leg snapped by a Dark Rapidash, getting daggers in the leg, having a fistfight with a Ditto version of Ash and facing Dark Ho-oh and Ditto in a battle. Then Ash was captured by them, and the Dark Legandaries all returned.

Now this was their present situation.

Ho-oh and Ash were beat up and practically unconcious on their feet, so to speak. Zapdos, Moltres, Raikou, Entei and Suicune were unconcious around that area and Ho-oh had given up all hope.

Ash opened his eyes and looked over at Ho-oh. "I can't believe you"

Ho-oh looked over at Ash, who had a somewhat angry look on his face.

"How could you Ho-oh! After all we've been through, after all our struggling, after we've shared eachothers pains and fought for the right to a free world not controled by the Dark Legandaries, you want to through it all away?!" Ash yelled in anger. "What do you think they're going to do to us huh? Kill us! Thats what! I don't know about you Ho-oh, but I have alot to live for. My family, my friends, my Pokémon..." He stopped as he began to think of his friends and family. "I don't care what happens to me, of corse I want to live but as long as they're safe I'm happy. So thats why..." Ash said and he forced himself to stand up, the flame inside his unbroken spirit now burning brightly. "As long as I'm breathing, I'm going to fight, for everyone, just like I've been doing from the start"

Ash looked over at Ho-oh. "Are you with me?" He asked. He stood in silence for a minute of two before he sighed. "Have it your way" He said and he turned, walking shakily towards were the nine Dark Legandaries were, knowing how low his chances were but still determined to do his best. "I believed in you Ho-oh, I really did, and I thought that would give you the strength to go on, because thats why I keep on going, because of everyones belief in me, and you. But I guess that wasn't enough"

Ho-oh raised it's head and watched Ash leave. Ash really trusted Ho-oh, to go with him to the end, to battle with him side-by-side and Ho-oh had let him down. It was time to make up for it's mistakes. It rose up and straightened itself. It walked over and nudged Ash lightly in the sholder. "Ash, I'm sorry, I know it was silly to give up like that. But now I'm ready to fight, and I'm willing to give it my all if you are. I promise I'll always be there to fight along side you from now on."

Ash kept his back to Ho-oh for a minute before turning around, smiling. "I knew I could count of you, and I promise the same for you" He said. He trusted Ho-oh more than ever now, as if there was part of him that didn't trust it before, but did now.

Ho-oh had the same feeling towards Ash, and felt a new bond It grinned, picked Ash up with it's beak and put him on it's back. "Let's go get those pathectic excuses for Pokémon!" It called, and with two flapped of it's great wings it took off up into the sky.

Ash watched at Lugia fell to the ground and a large amount of dust escaped from the ground. Articuno was the only one left, or so the Dark Legandaries thought. "Get 'em Ho-oh!" Ash called as The Dark Legandaries made a move to attck Articuno.

Ho-oh narrowed it's eyes and took one hard flap before pinning it's wngs to it's side, shooting through the air and strucking all three Dark Legandary birds that were closest Articuno, which were Dark Ho-oh, Ditto and Dark Zapdos. They served upwards and looked down at the Dark Pokémon.

Dark Ho-oh growled and looked up at Ash and Ho-oh. "Get them!" It ordered and all the other Dark Legandaries attack. Dark Ho-oh looked down to order the Dark Legandary Dogs, but saw that Articuno's Blizzard attack had frozen them too ice cubes. Articuno flew forward with a sky attack on the iced Pokémon and cut right through them. There was a loud cry from them before they seemed to turn to dust. and dissapear. Articuno swooped upwards and grinned to were the Dark legandary Dogs once were.

"Thanks Articuno!" Ash called down. With those three out of the way, they had a better chance of wining, and a better chance of sealing them in the portal before they had a chance to come back. Ho-oh swooped upwards and glared down at the dark legandary birds below it. Ash looked at Ho-oh. "Ho-oh, being flying types they have a weakness against rock attacks right? Well then I have a plan, swoop down close to the ground"

Ho-oh grinned as it looked at the ground. "You read my mind" Ho-oh announced as it swerved up, dodging two attacks, and darting downwards towards the ground and swerving so they were only a short distance above the ground. The Dark Legandary Birds followed, including Dark Ho-oh, and were right on Ho-oh's tail.

"Now Ho-oh!" Ash called.

Ho-oh turned sharply, it's eyes glowing red. "Ancient Power!" It cried, the ground rumbling and large rocks shooting up out of the ground, striking of the Dark Legandaries, but Dark Ho-oh and Ditto managed to dodge. Dark Lugia, Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno were pinned to the rock that struck them, trying to catch the breath it had knocked out of them.

"Articuno, ice beam!" Ash told the ice flying Pokémon as it flew above them.

Articuno opened it's mouth and a glowing ball appeared before and ice beam shot out and struck the legandary birds on the boulders. The Pokémon were frozen, even Moltres.

"Let's finish 'em!" Ash said reaching his hand out and shot a ball on energy at the frozen boulders while Ho-oh released a Psychic and Articuno used Blizzard. There was a screech of pain as the Pokémon turned to dust, just like the dogs.

Dark Ho-oh and Ditto glared up and released two black flamethrower attacks on Articuno, causing the Pokémon to fall to the ground. Hurt but unfainted.

Ash and Ho-oh glared at the two and Ho-oh flew down in front of them. "You wanna pick on someone why not try us!" Dark Ho-oh and Ditto grinned. "Our plesure" They said in unison, preparing to release two Fire Blasts.

Ash knew that their battle stratigies were no good against two super powered Dark Ho-oh, but he did know one way to win, but it would be riskey. He looked up at Ho-oh, and Ho-oh looked back as him. They both smiled and closed their eyes, a faint goldish glow surrounding both of them.

Dark Ho-oh, confused, stopped Ditto from powering up it's attack. It looked at the two of them and growled. "What are you two playing at?"

Ash and Ho-oh opened their eyes at the same time and grinned. "Because of your earlier attack, Ho-oh and I made a promise that we'd always work together, and always be there to help one another. That promise has created a new bond of friendship, and that friendship will be the end of you"

"What are you talking about?" Ditto asked in confusion.

Ho-oh grinned over at Ditto. It raised it's head and it's eyes flashed. "Without relising it, you've unlocked the power of the Rainbow Flame!" It said and opened it's mouth to release an attack.

Ash stood up and held onto the feathers on Ho-oh's neck so he wouldn;t fall. He held out his hand and narrowed his eyes. "Say goodbye"

Two attacks, one from Ho-oh and one from Ash, shot towards the two Dark Pokémon. Both attacks were red and gold, and combined together to create one powerful blast. The strongest known attack of the Pokémon World struck the two Dark Pokémon before they had a chance to think. Once again, the sound of screeching was heard, and the two Dark Pokémon were redused to dust, hopfully never to be seen again.

As the sky lit up with the rising sun, Lugia, Zapdos, Moltres, Raikou, Entei and Suicune began to awaken. The area was silent, apart from a soft wing rustling through the trees. Moltres raised it's head and looked around. It saw Articuno not to far away, sitting beside two motionless figures of Ash and Ho-oh, both on them lying on there stomachs. Moltres pushed itself up and walked over. [What happened to them?]

Articuno looked up. [They used Rainbow Flame]

[Isn't that the attack that drains the energy of the user?] Moltres asked.

[And the most powerful attack known] Articuno said sadly. [Unfortunately they were weak enough as it was and this attack has taken so much energy I'd say they barely have enough to breath]

Moltres frowned. [Do you think they could-]

"Ash! Ho-oh!"

Moltres and Articuno looked behind them to see a Charizard and a Pidgeot land, Rick, Misty, Pikachu and Raichu on practicly jumping off straight away and running over to Ash and Ho-oh.

Misty knelt beside Ash and shook Ash. "Ash, are you ok?"

A voice spoke from behind them. "He won't be able to answer you" Lugia said as it walked over. "They need to rest up after using Rainbow Flame"

"But the portal" Rick said looking from Ash to Ho-oh to Lugia. "If it's not closed soon the Dark Legandaries can get back"

Lugia tilted it's head. "But isn't that your job to close it?" By the look on Ricks face he had no clue what Lugia was talking about, so Lugia explained. "You're the only one able to use the Solis Sword properly right? Then your the only one who can close the portal"

"But the Solis Sword is broken" Rick explained, remembering what happened back at Red Rock Isle.

Lugia smiled. "The Solis sword was never the source of power. Sure, it contained powers of white Ho-oh, but you're the one with the real powers"

Rick looked at his hands. "Me? Are you sure?"

Lugia smiled and nodded. "No doubt about it. Now lets get to that portal before-"

"Hi Rick!"

Rick jumped and nearly fell as a voice came out of no were he looked around and his stomach flipped. "D-Delia?" He said nervously.

Delia stood a few metres away. "I saw your Charizard and decided to see were you were...oh my God what happened to Ash?!" She yelled running over and pushing Rick out of the way, ignoring the Legandary Pokémon, and knelt down beside him. "He looks sick. What happened?" Delia asked Rick.

"I-it was just something he ate" Rick said, taking a step back as Delia glared at him.

Delia stood up. "Richard Ketchum don't you lie to me!"

"Richard?" Misty said nearly laughing at Rick as his face turned slightly red.

"I told you not to tell anyone Delia" Rick said, glaring at Raichu and Pikachu, who were giggling.

Lugia reached down and picked Rick up in it's mouth, puting him on it's back. "Excuse me Mrs. Ketchum, but Richard has a job to do" Lugia said with a grin before it took off.

Mrs Ketchum watched them leave in the dirrection of Phoenix Mountain. When they were out of sight, she turned on Misty. "What happened?"

Misty was sitting beside Ash and had his head on her lap. She frowned and looked down at him. "This is going to be hard to explain"

"Um...Close!...Closesesame!...Dhún an portal!...Be gone portal!" Rick had no idea how he was supposed to close the portal, and Lugia was trying very hard not to laugh at his attempts. "I banish you from this realm? Oh, Lugia, help me out here!"

Lugia stiffled an laugh. "You have to say Wanawokawa over and over" Lugia said and began to roll around laughing when Rick actually believed it and began repeating the word Lugia had made up off the top of it's head.

"Lugia, I'm trying to be serious for once!" Rick yelled angrily. He turned to the portal and looked into it. There were strange noises that had been coming from it sence they got to Phoenix Mountain and they were geting on his nerves. "Oh shut it!" He yelled at the portal, and it did. The portal closed up and dissapeared completely. He stared blankly at the area were it was. "That was it?" He said in disbelief. "Stupid portal, if you open again I'll destroy you!" He warned.

"Well, you really told the wall off" Lugia said, grinning.

After Ash and Ho-oh were all healed up from their battle, and after Delia was told everything about what was happened, and after Rick was given out to for getting Ash into trouble, and after Ash was given out to for getting in trouble, and after Misty had had some fun making fun of Ricks name, life pretty much went back to normal. Rick heded off to do some training at Mt. Silver, Delia went back to Pallet and Misty joined Ash again as he began to travel again to train his Pokémon.

Ho-oh and Ash had promised that, if ever they were in trouble, the other would always do their best to help. Ash promised that he'd visit and Ho-oh promised to keep a better eye on the portal. Life was back to the way it was, minus the Dark Legandaries.

And now we come to the end of the Dark Ho-oh Trilogy. Who enjoyed it? Well I had fun writin' it and I hope you had fun readin' it. Anyone who really liked it, don;t worry, this may not be the last you see of these characters. I'd like to thank all my reviewers for reviewing my chapters and all the artists for sending me pics to do with my story, I put 'em all on me site. Thanks everybody, see yaz when I see yaz. Slán!
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