Sorry, we've had a couple of outbreaks to deal with, as well as, you know, normal stuff, like coursework. Anyhoo:
Lawrence's ship was almost identical to it's cartoon counterpart. Me and Joltik had detached ourselves from the frame as it went to slot itself onto a support, and now we looked around in awe.
'When you're quite finished?'
I turned to see Doom and Maelstrom in a spinning sphere of circular frames, set just next to Rag and Team Rocket.
'Oh, hey.'
'Get us out!' Doom yelled.
'Oh yeah, sorry.'
I couldn't see any buttons or switches, they were most likely on that control panel thing on Lawrence's chair. I looked down at Joltik. 'You feed off of electricity. Fancy giving it a go?'
Joltik nodded, and leapt from my wrist, scuttling across to the circular frames. He latched onto the metal joint at the base, and began to hum with electricity. The frames flickered and stalled, falling to the ground. Joltik moved on to the Rag's frame as Doom and Maelstrom leapt down.
Joltik fell away from the second joint, looking ill, and Rag and Team Rocket were free. Glaceon ran over to me, and I stroked him as I looked around. 'I know he's evil and everything, but this place is cool.'
'Why thank you, I'm rather pleased with it.'
Lawrence was descending towards us on his grand throne, with a man dressed in black standing next to him.
'I do hope you aren't planning to interfere further? I'm rather busy you see, and my friend here is on a tight schedule.'
'I'm gonna destroy you!'
'Quite. As you can see, language is not his strong point, but his method of controlling Pokémon is most impressive.'
A small explosion blew a hole in the wall to our left, as one of the gun turrets blew up. Rattata shot from the explosion, racing out across the floor of the room.
Lawrence scowled. 'The rat! Get it!'
Rattata used flame wheel, become a disc of flame as he sped over the man's foot, setting fire to a trouser leg.
Chatot dive bombed him, stealing the card holding device on his arm. Screaming, the man stumbled backwards. Glaceon leapt up, slamming his front paws into the man's chest. The man toppled through the hole, yelling as he plummeted towards the ice.
'No! Please! I didn't fail you! I'm sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!'
We saw a pink glow from below, and the man was gone.
Lawrence actually frowned. 'That's unfortunate, I was hoping he would continue to distract you. No matter.'
He pressed a couple of buttons, and his holographic chess board flickered into life, showing Lugia and the three titans.
'Let's try this again, shall we? Now that the playing field is a bit clearer.'
We heard a couple of 'pfhut' noises, and new that more frames were being released.
'Chatot! Warn the Titans! And Lugia!'
Chatot flew out of the hole, vanishing into the storm.
Lawrence smirked 'You still wish to help them? I'd be more concerned with your own safety just now.'
Another turret blew up and Rattata shot out, leaping onto my shoulder.
'We're all free, why should we be worried?' I pointed Joltik at Lawrence. 'Electroweb!'
Lawrence's eyes widened in shock as he was snagged by the electrically charged web of sticky string. He started to twitch, convulsing, and snarled at me. His hand started to inch towards the button panel.
'Quick, everyone out!'
We looked out of the holes. The most recent hole showed us that we were just coming up to a ledge of rock on fire island.
'That's our best bet, come on!
'How do we get down there?'
Bulbasaur raised his vines, winding them round Doom's shoulders and pulling himself onto her back. Holding on tight, his vines wrapped round his legs, making a belt of vine at her waist, securing him like a rucksack. Then his vines rose up vertically from her shoulders, sticking out sideways at a right angle at the top. They started to spin, becoming propellers as Doom ran for the gap. 'See you down there!' She leapt out of the ship, floating elegantly towards the island. I turned to Ragnarok. 'Did you know Bulbasaur could fly?!'
'No....no I had no idea.'
'It's freaking cool.'
'Yup.'
'Well, what are we waiting for?'
We waited until the ledge was only a few feet away, and leapt. Joltik shot a string shot at one of the ship's propeller arms that was sticking out over the island, and lowered us down.
Team Rocket had fired up jetpacks, and flew off into the clouds, cackling.
Squirtle had grabbed Rag and Maelstrom up in a whirlpool, and was spinning towards the ledge, but didn't have enough power and fell short, vanishing from sight as the dropped past the ledge.
'No!' I ran to the edge, looking for some sign of them, and blinked and squinted in a sudden blaze of white light. A huge whirlpool, twice the size of the first, rose up, a great spinning tower of water that loomed over me. It spat out Rag and Maelstrom, and as it faded away, a Wartortle bounded out of it and ran to check Maelstrom was ok.
'You evolved! Congrats buddy!'
Charmeleon surfed down the stringshot, giving the whirlpool a filthy look as it faded away.
All relatively unharmed, we ran towards a gap in the rocks, heading for the centre of the island. We found Sammy and Don there, fighting off a flock of shadow swablu, who had clearly gone on a rampage without the man to guide them.
'Tempest!' Sammy yelled 'Take it and go!' She threw the orb at me, a dull red flicker burning within it.
I missed, but Glaceon flicked it with his tail, sending it straight into my hands. I looked down at it. Nothing. It wasn't reacting at all.
'Looks like you're the chosen one Rag, I'm having no luck with it.'
Rag looked surprised, but excited. Don pointed us in the way of the beach, and we set off, Snover rejoining Rag as Vaporeon stayed to ice the Swablu.
Chatot flew past as we reached the shore, landing on my shoulder. 'Titans have been warned! Titans fighting Lawrence! Lugia says hurry to Slowking!'
'Good work Chatot!'
Most of the water was frozen now, and we skidded out onto it, heading for the beach with Smoo cave. Doom landed next to us and Bulbasaur leapt down, running alongside her.
'Whoah, Tempest, look!'
I glanced where Maelstrom was pointing and gasped. Hundreds of pokémon were arriving, huge groups of them gathering on clifftops and in unfrozen water. Some were coming through the ripple, others had clearly been here already, but they had all sensed the chaos and come to see if they could help.
'Wow! I wonder how many were already here? This merge must be getting worse.'
We were having to shout above the wind, and rain was drenching us. We heard a boom behind us, and a shot smashed the ice ahead, making us skid to a stop. Lugia flew over our heads, thrown backwards, eyes closed in pain. He recovered in the air and spun to a stop. 'You have the orbs?'
'Two, we're going to drop them off and go get the third.'
'Good, hurry.'
He flew back towards the ship, shooting a beam of blue energy from his mouth.
Snover and Glaceon were freezing over the hole, and we set off again. We came across Blackmage, still fighting, and Maelstrom stayed with him to finish them off.
Me, Rag, Doom and our pokémon reached the beach, and rushed to the waterfall cavern, where, sure enough, there was now a stone altar, and Slowking waiting for us. I tossed the fire orb to Rag, realizing too late that he was still hugging Pichu to his chest protectively. He let go with one arm and swiped. It soared under his arm and Pichu caught it, Rag bringing his arm in quickly to hug it in place. Taking it from Pichu, he held it up. We all saw it shining brighter than before.
'Cool.'
I put the Ice orb in it's place, and Rag did the same with the Fire. Only the middle holder was empty now, and through it's window I could see Lighting Island.
'Looks like you're one short.' Said Slowking conversationally. 'You'd better get going.'
I looked out at the storm, the frozen sea, the blasts of power coming from the fight between Lawrence and the birds. It was getting too dangerous out there, and the storm was building. How were we going to get there in time? If only-
Then an engine roar behind us, and we turned to peer deeper into the cave. The water twisted away through a crack in the rock wall, where tours of the caves depths could be taken in a small life boat. The boat shot out of the passage, Team Rocket at the helm. Laughing, they jerked the boat, sending it flying out of the water and over our heads.
'Oh good, I was hoping they'd nick that.'
I ran out to meet them as the landed on the beach.
'Prepare for trouble, though this may seem strange!'
'We're going to do something nice for a change!'
'To-'
'Yes, yes, good, thanks. Get in everyone.'
'Will you stop cutting us off!?'
'We don't have time! You want to help, right?'
'Well, yes..'
'Because you don't want the world to end?'
'Of course we don't!'
'Good, thanks. Lightning Island. Now.'
The engine roared again and we sped away. Butterfree had rejoined us, and Bulbasaur helped secure him with vines to stop him being blown away.
As we approached Lightning Island, Lugia slammed into the Ice infront of us, crashing through and causing a huge wave of water to send us flying through the air. Lugia sank beneath the water, and we could just make out a very faint telepathic sigh. 'I....have failed.'
'Rag looked panicked. 'Oh God! What do we do? We need him! We need his song to heal him! Do you know how to play it? We need one of those shell flute things-'
'Rag-'
'- and where's that melody girl, she knows how to play it, but nobody from Shamouti Island is here-'
-'Rag, listen-'
'-do you think it would work if we played it on something else? Do we have something else to play it on? I know the tune, but not the notes or anything, what do we-'
'RAG!'
'I- Oh, what?'
I held up my phone. 'I've got the song on here.'
'....Oh. Well alright then. Will that work? Will it be loud enough?'
'Not yet, but there's this trick Chatot's been working on....'
I plugged my headphones in, and set the song on loop. I gave the phone to Rattata, who climbed on to Chatot's back, keeping it secure. I set the headphones up so Chatot could listen, and he took off, Carrying my phone and Rattata up into the sky. He opened his beak, and the song was magnified, Chatot blaring it out for all to hear. He flew off, spreading the song, filling the sky with music. A soft glow began to shine from beneath the ice.
'It's working. Right, onwards!'
Leaving them to it, we began to climb the rocky path up to the idol.
'I can't believe this is happening AGAIN' James moaned, running with us.
'Do you remember last time then?'
'Of course! No..sort of. my head seems kinda fuzzy about it. I have so many memories, some overlap, it's making my head hurt.'
He stopped, clutching his head. 'Too many memories....help....it hurts...'
Me, Jessie and Meowth stopped. I grabbed James' shoulder and shook him. 'James! Don't think about it now! It didn't hurt before, that must mean you handle it if you don't let them overwhelm you!'
James looked up at Jessie, pain and confusion in his eyes. 'I...were we married?'
'WHAT?!'
'I don't know anymore!'
Meowth had collapsed on the ground laughing, but Jessie turned bright red, fuming. She slapped James in the face, sending him flying, red marks on his cheek.
'How DARE you!'
'Sorry Jessie....'
He sat up, confused. 'What were we just talking about?'
'....doesn't matter, just come on!'
He got up, and we tried to catch up to the others.
James sighed 'I can't believe this happening aga-'
'NO! Do not think about that. Stop it at once.'
'What?'
'Shut up and move!'
We arrived to see Doom wrenching the orb from the idol's beak, holding it up to look at it. She handed it to Rag. 'Do your thing, chosen one.'
Ragnarok took it, and stared at it. We all stared.
Nothing. Nothing happened.
'Huh?'
He squeezed it, shook it, glared at it, tapped it, waved it around, but it refused to react. He handed it to me. 'Anything?'
I took it, and we all watched its dull yellow glow.
'Nope, still not me.'
'Well what the bloody hell do we do now?!' Doom yelled.
She was answered by the sound of large wings beating, and a gust of freezing cold air washing over us. Articuno landed on the idol, surveying us with haughty appraisal.
It let out a screech, and Meowth trembled. Glaceon sent a flurry of icy shards that brushed into Articuno's wing, and it replied with shards of it's own that rained down on Glaceon.
'Meowth!' Jessie nudged him. 'What are they saying?'
Meowth was still quivering. 'Articuno is saying that it wishes to claim Lightning Island for itself, and it's gonna wait here until the fighting dies down a bit.'
'Why isn't he fighting with them?'
'Zapdos and Moltres gang up on him in the film.' I pointed out. 'He only has a type advantage over zapdos, and they both have advantage over him. He was the first to fall.'
Articuno glared at me, but Glaceon sent more shards and Meowth resumed translating.
'Glaceon's askin' for Articuno's help, saying we need to get the third orb back ta tha cave, and find out why it aint workin like tha others.'
Articuno seemed to consider, then spread it's wings wider, letting out a screeching cry.
'It says it'll help! E's gonna get ya and tha orb back ta tha cave!'
'When you say get me back, you don't mean-'
I was cut off with a yelp as Articuno dived, knocking me off my feet and sweeping me onto it's back.
'Whoaaah! Uh, see you guys later!'
I held on tight and settled into a better sitting position as we soared up towards the clouds. Lugia rose up on my left, smiling. 'I...am healed. Thank you.'
'It's an honour to help, oh great guardian.'
'It is my turn to help you. If I can?'
'We need to work out why the third orb isn't lighting up. We were wrong about the chosen one.'
'I cannot sense them through thisdimensional chaos, but they must be with you.'
'But it had to be me or Ragnarok, and it isn't.'
'Hmm. You two are already gifted trainers and confident of your power. The chosen one is often unaware of the strength inside them. They can be anyone, man or mouse.'
I thought hard.
Now of course, it seems obvious, but we were a little busy trying to stay alive at the time to work it out.
'Help the others get back, try and gather them all!'
Lugia nodded and flew off.
Articuno called out and banked sharply, dodging a shot fired from Lawrence's ship.
'Again! Right, that does it. You ok Articuno?'
'Cu!'
'Good! Chatot!'
Chatot had been swerving round to meet us, and now landed on my outstretched arm. Rattata leapt down, gave me my phone, and went to perch of Articuno's head. I opened the voice memo app on my phone. 'Ready to do a bit more broadcasting Chatot?'
Chatot nodded, opening his mouth, sending my voice booming out for all to hear.
'Pokémon of the world! I know you have gathered here because you can feel the disturbance and wish to help. The man in that skyship wants this to end in chaos, he doesn't give a damn about the world, as long as he gets to capture and control these beautiful, majestic titans, this great and noble guardian, and keep them in tiny cages for his sick pleasure! We cannot let this happen! He wants a fight, so give it to him! Pokémon of the world! ATTACK THE SKYSHIP!'
There was a faint rumble of noise, that rose to a huge roar, a vast wall of noise spreading out below me. I looked down to see the gathered masses surge forwards, hundreds of pokémon moving together with a single purpose. Swarms of bugs types and flocks of flyers rushed to surround the ship, jabbing at it's proppellors and hacking at it's armoured surface. Ranged attacks fired from all directions, psychic types floated up, tearing pieces from it with their minds. Something shot straight through it like a bullet, tearing out the other side. All of them united by their desire to help, to do as I'd asked, to stop Lawrence.'
'Whoah' I stared down. 'New favourite moment, right here.'
Articuno banked sharply, making me grab on for dear life. We were passing a rocky outcrop, where Ragnarok was fighting off a group of shadow pokémon. Snover knocked some over with a blast of ice, and Charmeleon smacked one in the face with his flaming tail. Rag was knocked backwards, and stumbled over the edge. He looked up as he fell, saw me, and threw Pichu. 'Keep him safe!'
I caught Pichu, horrorstruck as Rag fell, but Lugia swept underneath him, scooping him up and heading off into the storm.
'Phew!'
Glad he wasn't dead, I gave Pichu a comforting hug.
'I know this is scary, you're being really brave.You've always got such a spark...about...you..OH.'
I couldn't risk getting the orb out in this wind and rain, I was paranoid about dropping it, but I hoped I was right. I really needed to be right!
A huge explosion behind me announced the end of Lawrence's ship, but I saw his chair glide smoothly down towards the beach.
'Articuno! We've got to hurry!'
Articuno nodded and folded it's wings in a bit, hurtling down towards the cave. I told Pichu my plan, and he nodded nervously, but looked determined.
Everyone was gathered at the beach when I arrived, and I strode in confidently on my own, Articuno taking off to try and stop Zapdos and Moltres. Lawrence, has suit battered and torn, was standing between the others and the altar, and he'd un sheathed a sword blade from within his fancy walking cane.
'Stand back everyone, I'd hate to have to use this.'
He winced, closing one eye for a moment.
'Lawrence, what's up with you? You've gone nuts!'
'HAVE I?!'
He looked at me, his eyes manic, and one was grey with a red pupil.
'Yes, you have! Are the titans and Lugia really worth tearing two worlds apart? and what is wrong with your eye?'
'I had hoped...it would not be necessary, but you forced my hand.'
He rolled up a sleeve to show us a plaster on his arm. 'I now have the power to controls the shadows...with my mind!'
I turned to see the remaining horde of shadow aura pokémon blocking the opening, penning us in.
'Ah, I hoped the end of the prophecy had already finished. Yay.'
Maelstrom turned back to Lawrence. 'Dude, whatever you've done to yourself, it's clearly messing with your head. Why don't you-'
'Silence! You have failed! clearly your chosen one has deserted you, or all three orbs would be in place by now! I shall remove the two you have, and destroy them! I cannot be stopped! The prophecy lied!'
He started to back towards the altar, waving his sword at us.
Pichu scrambled in behind me, squealing at the sight of the shadows and running past them to me. He saw Rag smile at him, and a determined look returned to his face. He strode past me, holding out a small paw to push Lawrence's tattered trouser leg out of his way as he sauntered past. 'Pi, Pichu Pi, Chupi!'
Chatot obliged. 'Rawk! Move aside Loser! Rawk!'
Lawrence began to laugh again. 'What's that, little one? You think you can stop me? You shock yourself when you use an electric attack! I can't be stopped now!'
'That may be true' I interrupted. 'But shall we have some fun facts before we all die horribly? I take it you're familiar with the new prophecy?'
'Of course!'
'Good, then you'll know about the bit where the great storm delivers 'from chaos' a 'very hopeful spark'. Fun fact time! A great strom is also referred to as a Tempest.'
I waved. 'Hi! The chaos that happens at the end of the world is sometimes referred to as 'Ragnarok'.'
Rags turn to wave. 'Uh..hi?'
'Now, on my way here, Rag got me to make sure that Pichu made it here safely. Pichu can get quite scared when huge stuff like this happens, but he has always, no matter what the danger, believed we would be ok. If he isn't a hopeful spark, I don't know who is.'
Lawrence went pale. 'No! But, surely-'
'Lugia told me earlier, the chosen one can be anyone, man, or-' I gestured to Pichu 'Mouse.'
Lawrence had let him walk straight past. Pichu was scrambling up, trying to reach the altar. Slowking reached out to help push him up.
'No!'
Lawrence ran for the altar, but Rag dived between him and it. Lawrence raised his sword, but dropped it with a yell as Don kicked his wrist hard.
'How dare you-'
The sword was stolen by Sammy, while Maelstrom picked up the cane/scabbard and whacked him in the stomach with it, winding him. As I ran towards Pichu, I saw Doom land an impressive uppercut to his jaw, sending him flying, slamming to the ground, groaning.
'Don't badmouth my mouse' snarled Rag, kicking him.
'Uh guys...' Jessie whimpered, huddled together with James and Meowth as they looked in terroer at the shadows.
'On it!' I threw the lightning orb. Pichu jumped into the air, and as Lawrence slurred 'Nooooooooo!' Pichu caught the orb, which blazed with shocking yellow light. He landed on top of the altar, and bent down, slamming the orb into it's place in the middle.
Green light shone from the altar, spreading across the ground, through the water of waterfall cavern, the other way onto the beach, out to sea, melting the frozen surface of the water.
'Hit it Chatot!'
Chatot began to broadcast Lugia's theme, following the magical green light as it spread towards the islands. Lugia seemed to glisten, shining with calming light as he began to sing, spreading his wave of calm over the area.
The Shadows had decided this was the time to attack. Pichu, frowned, scurried forwards, calling out. Glaceon, Rattata, Butterfree, Joltik, Dratini, Snover, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon. Clefairy, Oddish, Bulbasaur, Hitmonchan, Riolu, Happiny, Wartortle, Kirlia, Scyther, Snorunt and Metang all gathered behind him, glaring out. Meowth looked conflicted, but went to join them. Charmeleon went up to him, patted him on the shoulder, and gave him a proud smile. Pichu looked up at him, and he gestured to the others. They all looked proud, and dipped their heads slightly. Pichu looked overwhelmed, and turned back to Charmeleon, who bowed, with a flourish, then hugged him. Pichu giggled, and then with a cry of 'Piiiiiii!!' Led the charge.
I timed it. The battle took exactly 7.2 seconds.
Lawrence was trying to limp away. 'Nope!' Blackmage tackled him to the floor.
Meowth wandered back to Team Rocket, looking thoughtful.
'Meowth?! Why? What was that?'
'I know Jess, but..hes tha chosen one. We'd a been toast without 'im. I owed it ta tha little guy.'
So, yeah. That's about it. Lawrence is locked up in a Scottish jail, it was hard to find a law from our world to charge him with breaking, but 'trying to destroy the world' and something do with captivity of rare species should make sure he goes down.
Nothing spectacular has happened recently, just the odd outbreak whenever a wave happens. Bye for now!
