Dragon's Heart Ch. 6
#7 of Dragon's Heart
First Flight
Comet dove out of the way as the Skarmory tried to claw his face off with its razor sharp talons. Rolling on the floor, he saw that the steel-type bird had accidentally lodged itself into the boat's hardwood floor. "Kat, change of plans. Use Night Claw on the Skarmory!" Comet yelled out to the Zoroark.
Katya nodded as she ran towards Major, the look on the bear's face one of fear. The Ursaring flinched as the much lighter Zoroark jumped onto him, but to Major's amazement, the vixen used him as a springboard to launch herself into the air, her trajectory sending her straight onto the steel avian's back. Throughout the entire eight second maneuver, Katya did not lose any power in her Night Claw attack. If anything, the attack gained power, as the Skarmory learned as Katya slashed open the bird's iron-hard skin, crimson blood now coming out, muscle and sinew now exposed to the elements.
Ray started running towards Comet, an orb of energy forming between his hands. "Comet, run! That Skarmory is-"
Ray couldn't finish his statement as Katya was hit by the Skarmory's iron clad wings, the breaking of bone loud and clear as the Illusion Fox was sent thirty feet away to land in the pool.
"KATYA!" Comet yelled, his face now struck with fear. He started running to the pool where his first Pokémon was sinking when the Skarmory attempted to attack him. The one reason that the homicidal bird didn't reach Comet-and proceed to dismember him-was because Milo leapt up and latched onto one of the bird's feet, Kira was telepathically holding the oversized killer steel chicken in place, and because Ray blasted the damn thing with bolt of crackling green energy.
Comet dived into the pool where Katya was slowly drifting towards the bottom, her form limp as a doll. Comet managed to grab onto her waist and start swimming to the surface; unfortunately, Kat wasn't exactly light-weight anymore. Her fur was only slightly water repellent; the pool simply saturated the fur, making the Zoroark heavier than she really was.
Comet was about to break the surface of the water when he himself started sinking. Dammit! He thought, the one day I see my dad and learn that someone actually likes me and I'm going to die. Oh well, it's been a good journey. Comet stopped struggling, letting the combined weight of his and Katya's bodies drag them down to the bottom of the pool. What Comet didn't expect was a claw grabbing his shirt and pulling upwards, lifting the teen and vixen out their almost watery graves and back onto the deck.
Coughing up water, Comet looked up to see Major and Darla standing next to him, the former turned around to face the still rampaging Skarmory, and the latter tossed a towel to him. Comet nodded his thanks and put the towel over Kat.
"Darla, can you get Kat to the sickbay?" he asked as he lifted up his best -and first -friend. Darla nodded, her face drawn out and grim. "Thank you," Comet said, his body relaxing -slightly.
"Major, grab Kat and let's get out of here!" Darla yelled out to her last Pokémon. Major nodded and gingerly took Katya from Comet's grasp.
Comet turned back to look at the fighting that was currently going on with his father and Pokémon, only to duck down in surprise as the Skarmory flew at head level, trying to decapitate him with its wings. Comet landed unceremoniously on his arse as the metal bird swooped up into the air and started to head for where Darla and Major were running to.
Comet stood up, not hearing Ray's shouts to get down. Comet could only focus on the rage he felt that the Skarmory sent by Arceus - dammit, Comet knew in his gut that it was Arceus responsible! - would dare attack a target that couldn't fight back. The teen started running, his mind blank as he thought only of protected Darla and Major...and Katya.
Ray watched as his son stood up and started to run to where Darla was running, the girl quickly losing ground to the metal airborne menace. "Comet, stop! You can't take on that Skarmory, it's too strong!" Ray saw to his disappointment - and fear - that Comet didn't listen to him. But as Comet ran, Ray had no other choice to drop his jaw as Comet's form was blurred by the creation of his armor.
And Ray had to admit, his armor was completely badass. Not to mention that it reflected every important quality of Ray's style of fighting, both as a human and as a Pokémon.
The armor was form-fitting, with only some minor plates of armor covering the more vital areas. It was a curious mixture of flat and angular, and curved. Comet's face was soon covered by a nearly seamless flat plane of dark green glass, although before that, everyone looking at him could see his snarling face.
A series of flaps opened up on Comet's back as he ran, releasing a brilliant blast of emerald flame. The newly armored teen rocketed upwards towards the Skarmory. Said metal bird did not see what hit it...literally, as Comet ax-kicked the foul fowl directly on the muscle controlling the movements of its left wing.
Thwa-crunch!! Thud!!
[Gaaaahhhhh! You miserable abomination, you will pay dearly for that!] the Skarmory hissed, only for its head to hit the deck as Comet's fist collided with it. The bird attempted to strike back with its wings, only for Comet to jump back and draw his own blades, his stance wide and challenging.
_Oh please tell me that Comet isn't doing what I think he's doing,_thought Ray as Comet proceeded to sword fight with the Skarmory. Kira looked up at Ray, eyes brimming with concern.
[Can we help him?], asked the Espeon. Milo nodded his agreement. Ray didn't say anything for a second, then nodded, just as the Skarmory slammed Comet into a wall.
"Ow," moaned Comet as he stood back up. He looked up and quickly blocked the razor sharp wings with his blades as the Skarmory attempted to slice open the poor teen. It quickly screeched in pain as a burst of energy blasted the bloody bird's hindquarters. The Skarmory turned to assess the threat behind it. Which turned out to be its fatal mistake.
Comet saw that the Skarmory was distracted. In less than it takes for most people to say "{Insert swear word of choice here}," Comet slashed the jugular vein of his adversary with one of his swords. Immediately, a fountain of crimson spray erupted from the Skarmory's neck, liberally coating Comet and the surrounding wall in the still warm liquid.
[You...*urk* will die, as...*gasp* Arceus demands it,] croaked the bird, blood dripping from its beak. With a final gasp, the Skarmory which had briefly terrorized those present, was no more as the evil metal turkey died.
Ray, Milo and Kira ran up to Comet as his helmet's face-plate unfolded, revealing his rather pale face.
"Hey Dad," he panted, "I think I hit my head. Either that, or I'm ..." Without warning, Comet collapsed to the ground, his armor dissolving into cubes of energy.
"COMET!" shouted Ray, his face and voice full of fear and worry. He knelt by his son and looked at Kira.
"Can you levitate him? We need to take him to the med-bay!" he told the psionic feline. Kira nodded as her eyes glowed. At the same time, Comet's body glowed with a pale blue aura and started to rise. Quickly, the group ran off to the depths of the yacht. Hang on Comet, thought Ray. Please don't die on me, I can't stand to see you die, not after all the time I haven't spent with you. Please, give me a chance to be a good father.
Somewhere
Comet opened his eyes to a white world. As in, the only color he could see for miles around was a stark, blindingly surgical white. Hell, this place was whiter than snow. So it came as an extreme surprise when someone spoke up behind Comet.
"Hello there young one. Are you lost?"
Comet spun around to see a figure he didn't quite expect. He was about the same height as Comet, if not a few inches taller, with some sort of medieval outfit on. A large, wide brimmed hat covered most of his facial features, yet a wild mane of raven black hair was sticking out the back end.
"Can't say I'm lost if I have no destination," Comet said cautiously, shifting into a slightly defensive stance. The stranger nodded sagely.
"A good answer. Now, why is it that you are here in this bland mindscape with me?" he asked, his head cocked to the side. Comet raised an eyebrow in confusion, and then shrugged.
"Somehow, my dad met my mom, had me, and that was reason enough for Arceus to try and kill me and everybody that was in the vicinity, with the exception of my dad," Comet bluntly told the man in front of him. The stranger nodded.
"I see. You remind of a man I once met when I was a guardian of Rota. Claimed he was the offspring of Groudon I believe," the stranger said nonchalantly. Comet snorted. The raven haired man finally looked up as he heard the relatively disbelieving snort. Comet was then stunned speechless.
The man looked like an older version of Ash Ketchum, down to the last strand of black hair. It took Comet about two seconds to recognize the man before him.
"Riley?!"
Mt. Pyre
Laura looked at Kyogre with eyes that would probably freeze hell over. Twice. "Where are they heading?" she demanded, the events of Comet's life-or-death battle having been relayed by Mrs. Beauregard.
Kyogre gulped as she focused on the sea miles away; the rhythmic pulsing of waves, the faint lights of life that Kyogre could sense...and the twisting distress of her brother.
"Rayquaza is heading for Sootopolis," Kyogre told Laura, the latter's eyes still trying to burn holes through the Lady of the Oceans. Damn, Kyogre thought, No wonder Rayquaza fell in love with this girl, she's just as crazy as he is. "Laura," Kyogre said. Laura turned her head back as she started walking away. "You're not going to reach Rayquaza in time. I just want you to know that." Laura nodded, just as someone with a British accent decided to speak up.
"She's right. Rayquaza would most likely be dead by the time you reached him. Which is why I'm inviting you to get to him in a much more rapid fashion, if you so choose." Everyone turned to the speaker; Latias and Kyogre gulped in fright, the Beauregards turned pale, and Laura groaned in annoyance at the newcomer. He was about 6' 8", with a thin frame that made him seem like he was sickly. He wore a grey suit that did nothing to conceal the fact that he was thin. Laura focused more on his face. He had red eyes gazing underneath a well groomed rag of dark hair that had red and blonde highlights.
"And who are you?" Laura asked, her tone clearly stating that if you were wasting her time, then you were going to die a slow, painful death. The stranger nodded in amusement.
"I, Laura Toradan, am Giratina, Lord of the Reverse World, brother of Arceus, and possibly the only way for you to see Rayquaza in a timely fashion," he stated, giving Laura a dramatic bow.
Laura huffed in anger. "Look, I don't care who you are, but if you don't get out of my way in the next five seconds, I'll..." Laura never got to finish her statement as Giratina interrupted her bluntly.
"Your son is also in a coma from which he may not survive, knowing my brother." That made Laura stop in her tracks. Kyogre and Latias watched as the woman's face went from worry to diamond hard determination. Laura looked Giratina dead in the eye and nodded.
Giratina smiled. The other two Legendaries only had time to gulp in fright before Giratina took them and Laura to the Reverse World in a dark burst of light.