Phantomness doesn’t write much happy fic…

Disclaimer: Again, I don’t own pokemon…. Yep, stole some stuff from X1999 too, kind of the Sacred Sword and the Shadow Sacrifice… CLAMP owns X1999, I love CLAMP and have tons of their merchandise…

Chapter 7

< She’s done it. >

Morty’s head snapped up. Tabitha was fast asleep, securely watched by both his Mysdreavus and his Gengar. < What?! >

< She demanded he hand over the Sacred Sword. >

< Well, he would not bow to her wishes so easily. > Morty smiled thinly. < So the Child of Shadow begged the Child of Darkness? >

< Of course. Whom else would he die for? Us, perhaps, but his first duty always lay that way… >

< Quite a pity Ash will never know, is it not? >

< I would not burden his conscience with extra guilt. He feels bad enough as it was, and he barely knew the man, but he’s beginning to see the cracks in her disguise. >

< Excellent. >

< We’re returning now, I believe. Yes. >

< I’ll await your return then, > He smiled. < Enjoy… >

The soaked group returned several seconds later, the blue glow of teleporting fading away. Sabrina made a few steps towards Morty before she collapsed into his arms. Clearly, the strain of those mass teleports had taken much out of her.

Ash held the Sacred Sword in his arms, wrapped in Lance’s cloak.

Behind him, Misty, Gary, and Pryce were talking in low, hushed tones, but the black-haired boy paid no attention to them, his fingers absentmindedly rubbing the polished silver metal….

It had taken so long to get all the blood off, and that was hard, and it was even harder not to look…

Dear Lugia… Pryce had gone to examine the body, and then observed his findings with shocked tones. Nothing. Simply flesh and skin and perhaps a little blood, but no bone, no organs, no heart… all had been sacrificed for the creation of the sword…

For to hold the Sacred Sword is life, but to summon it is death…

Misty had never bothered to research carefully, always confident, believing that brute force would be enough, and now, oh, how it showed…

When legendary pokemon cried, what happened?

Rain poured down even faster, with ever increasing intensity upon the land… shorelines had already flooded, and now, the water was creeping towards the mountains, streams and lakes overflowing….

It was a pity that Misty hadn’t had the foresight to build HQ as far from water as she ought. Well, the underground lake was now rising through the levels, but as they were on the top floor, they had not noticed quite yet…

Soon they would, though…

Gold and crimson had bled to pristine white and icy blue, coldly, so cold… of course, how could he not be?

Elegant silversteel adorned his pale skin, bloodless… climbed over his shoulders and extended into beautiful sharp-bladed weapons…

Now he was truly his father’s child…

And the rain continued to pour down…

“Moltres, use Heat Wave!”

The fire avian fixed her Mistress with a startled look. What are you saying? You know what may happen if!

“I don’t care! Articuno certainly won’t help; she’ll only bring snow, and Zapdos thunderstorms. So use your Heat Wave attack! It may be enough to stop Kyogre!”

This is not in my jurisdiction-. The bird protested.

“Screw jurisdiction, it’s the fate of the earth! Now go!”

The flaming chicken flew off, and swiftly met up with Kyogre, who greeted her cordially enough, one legendary to another, however…

I will not stop my duty.

Then I must fight you? Moltres asked sorrowfully.

Kyogre shrugged. Who forces you to fight? I have made my choice. None control me. I bring rain as the fates ordained.

Moltres sighed. I am no longer a free pokemon, unlike you, dear, distant sister…

Then why not flee?

I cannot leave the others behind!

Others? Kyogre frowned.

Yes, Zapdos and Articuno, and the three cats of Johto…

Kyogre swore something unintelligible, and then shook her head. I am sorry.

It is all right. I am a phoenix.

With that, Moltres closed her eyes, as Kyogre’s Spout attack slammed into her and she dissolved…

Misty gaped as the Master Ball she had used to capture Moltres shattered into a million pieces. “What-what happened?” She stammered.

Entei growled out a reply. What do you think, *Mistress*? She is dead and you no longer need to control her.

“But I!”

There is too much difference in power level...also, Moltres is of Kanto, and this is not her place. Only Rayquaza may stop Groudon or Kyogre…

“Rayquaza?”

Raikou scoffed. Have you never heard of the sky dragon? Then what legendary child are you, I wonder?

Ash watched uneasily. He had still not spoken a word since Lance’s death. He clutched the Sacred Sword to his body almost desperately…

Such a pretty, plain thing, but it had cost a life to obtain…

He would never forget the odd emotion in Lance’s eyes before he had acquiesced.

Why did you agree, though? Was it because I asked nicely?

I wish I knew….

But you died for me, didn’t you? Not for Misty, or Gary, or Pryce, or anyone else… for me. Why?

I wish I knew why you had Chosen me. I don’t deserve it…

Misty had refused to touch the sword, or the corpse, and only later did Ash realize something was off.

Lance hadn’t been wearing his poke balls. Where had they gone?

Well, maybe it was idle speculation, but maybe it was important…

He was jolted from his musings when Sabrina rushed into the room. < Misty! The first three floors have flooded! >

“What?!”

< Look out the window! > Morty called, running in after her.

They all rushed to the window as one, gasping at how high the water had risen…

“Impossible!” Misty croaked. “This can’t be…”

End Chapter

Completed 5/24/05

Meh, couldn’t let Lance *stay* dead, of course…

Lance: I’m good at that sort of thing

Kairo: *eats a lollipop*