Legend of the Exile
Chapter 19: Conclave Tarnished
Between the stormy skies above and the churning seas below, the Skarmories of the Iron Fleet gazed down from the high stone ledges and cliff walls of the stone hill that was the Silver Conclave, their sharpened beaks and talons quivering with anxiety as they huddled together in the steadily falling rain.
Somewhere out in the world, her friends were out there, gathering the Orbs and rallying new allies to their cause. And yet, elsewhere was Giratina, who alone held the power to destroy hundreds of lives in the blink of an eye... and who was even further supported by an infinitely large army.
"Why did this war have to happen?" she asked to another Skarmory. "Why couldn't life just continue as it always did? Before the war, I had a Trainer. He was a decent person; he never treated my allies or me badly. And I was happy. But then came Giratina..."
And then, the other Skarmory had said, "Such is the way of life, Ferricia. All good things end one day. We cannot live in the naïve paradise of youth forever. One day, all hatchlings must begin their lives, and fly away from the nest..."
Suddenly, the water in front of Ferricia began to bubble and froth. At once, Ferricia raised her steel-plated head upwards, shrieking to the sky to warn her comrades. "We're under attack!" she screamed, her wings flapping frantically. All around the island, the oceans were becoming turbulent and chaotic. One by one, Skarmory after Skarmory began to raise the alarm.
High up on the Conclave hill, Pokemon began to stare at each other in horror and panic. Parents grabbed their offspring, curling vines or limbs around their children to protect them. All around the island, swordians sharpened their claws to razor-sharp tips. Howls rang out as pokemon after pokemon leapt up, fur and scales and feathers bristling with fear.
The wails of panic and terror rang out into the night. Ferricia stared out towards the churning oceans, transfixed to the crested trident helms of Empoleons, the faint glint of light off hundreds of hard Gastrodon shells, and the crimson jelly sacs of tentacruels ominously rising up from beneath the sea. Gyradoses shot up and down through the ocean's surface as Bibarels surged onwards through the brine.
Chills ran down Ferricia's spine as the soldiers of Giratina advanced upon Lugia's beloved sanctuary, the last and safest hiding place from the Exile's wrath. She knew all too well that all the refugees of the world lay in the protection of her talons and all the talons of the Iron Fleet, and that they too saw the tide of evil advancing upon them. A heavy storm began to dash down upon the Conclave, bringing thunder and lightning and thick sheets of rain crashing down on the Pokemon.
Suddenly, a golden-feathered bird with jagged wings like lightning and a long cruel beak swooped down from the stormclouds, bearing the terrible figure of Mewtwo in all his savage triumph. As Ferricia raised her gaze to meet the terrible lieutenant's eyes, the shadow-swathed being raised his bronze staff high, and unleashd pure fury down upon her and her allies. "SKREEEEEEE!" shrieked Ferricia in pure horror as a massive lightning bolt slashed down through the skies from Mewtwo's staff to blast her, her body spiraling down through the air to land in a crumpled heap on the beaches below.
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Somewhere out in the world, her friends were out there, gathering the Orbs and rallying new allies to their cause. And yet, elsewhere was Giratina, who alone held the power to destroy hundreds of lives in the blink of an eye... and who was even further supported by an infinitely large army.
"Why did this war have to happen?" she asked to another Skarmory. "Why couldn't life just continue as it always did? Before the war, I had a Trainer. He was a decent person; he never treated my allies or me badly. And I was happy. But then came Giratina..."
And then, the other Skarmory had said, "Such is the way of life, Ferricia. All good things end one day. We cannot live in the naïve paradise of youth forever. One day, all hatchlings must begin their lives, and fly away from the nest..."
Suddenly, the water in front of Ferricia began to bubble and froth. At once, Ferricia raised her steel-plated head upwards, shrieking to the sky to warn her comrades. "We're under attack!" she screamed, her wings flapping frantically. All around the island, the oceans were becoming turbulent and chaotic. One by one, Skarmory after Skarmory began to raise the alarm.
High up on the Conclave hill, Pokemon began to stare at each other in horror and panic. Parents grabbed their offspring, curling vines or limbs around their children to protect them. All around the island, swordians sharpened their claws to razor-sharp tips. Howls rang out as pokemon after pokemon leapt up, fur and scales and feathers bristling with fear.
The wails of panic and terror rang out into the night. Ferricia stared out towards the churning oceans, transfixed to the crested trident helms of Empoleons, the faint glint of light off hundreds of hard Gastrodon shells, and the crimson jelly sacs of tentacruels ominously rising up from beneath the sea. Gyradoses shot up and down through the ocean's surface as Bibarels surged onwards through the brine.
Chills ran down Ferricia's spine as the soldiers of Giratina advanced upon Lugia's beloved sanctuary, the last and safest hiding place from the Exile's wrath. She knew all too well that all the refugees of the world lay in the protection of her talons and all the talons of the Iron Fleet, and that they too saw the tide of evil advancing upon them. A heavy storm began to dash down upon the Conclave, bringing thunder and lightning and thick sheets of rain crashing down on the Pokemon.
Suddenly, a golden-feathered bird with jagged wings like lightning and a long cruel beak swooped down from the stormclouds, bearing the terrible figure of Mewtwo in all his savage triumph. As Ferricia raised her gaze to meet the terrible lieutenant's eyes, the shadow-swathed being raised his bronze staff high, and unleashd pure fury down upon her and her allies. "SKREEEEEEE!" shrieked Ferricia in pure horror as a massive lightning bolt slashed down through the skies from Mewtwo's staff to blast her, her body spiraling down through the air to land in a crumpled heap on the beaches below.
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Sparktail and Thalia strained their eyes into the mist and the rain which shrouded the Silver Conclave as Altaria's wings spurred them on through the winds towards the island. Thick black clouds covered the sky above Sparktail as Lugia's sanctuary finally came into view. With a jolt of horror, the Raichu saw the soldiers of Giratina advancing upon the island with murder burning in their eyes, and he grasped hold of Altaria's back to steady himself.
"No! This can't be happening!" gasped Thalia in horror from where she clung to Altaria's back beside Sparktail, staring as the Exile's troops chased down Lugia's refugees. "They, they're here...
Suddenly, Altaria lurched beneath their paws and began to lose balance. "We're so close," gasped Altaria as she flailed onwards through the howling winds and the heavy rains crashing down, her flight turbulent and the beat of her wings growing feeble. "My wings... t-they feel so heavy... "
Sparktail held onto Altaria's back in silent panic as the Herald struggled through the final stretch of churning sea between them and the Conclave. Terrified, Thalia wrapped her vines around the Raichu's back, anchoring herself to him. A lump rose in Sparktail's throat as they lost altitude. She always trusted him so much, and he was powerless to help now. The Orbs in their bags seemed so insignificant--
An image flashed in Sparktail's mind, Kyogre's fins cutting through the sea. The Herald's wings were thrashing wildly, uselessly; she was panicking as much as they were. "Altaria, it's okay," said the Raichu, his voice shaking. "Don't fight the wind, just... you know... glide home!"
"I... I'll try," whimpered Altaria between whimpers of pain, her eyes filling with tears of helplessness as she spread her cloudlike wings to their full width on either side of Sparktail and Thalia. "Help... help..."
The wind swept through Sparktail's fur as they sailed high over the rocky beaches and the battling Skarmories, the Conclave's slopes steadily rising up to meet them. "I... I'm sorry," breathed Altaria weakly as she sank low to the rocky ground. "The rest is up to you..." Exhausted, she closed her eyes and crashed into the dust, momentum hurling Sparktail and Thalia head-over-tail past Altaria's head and into a dark puddle.
They lay panting there in the rain together, the Raichu and the Leafeon, staring up at the dark skies as the battle raged on around them. Streaks of blood-red and midnight-blue, bloody claws and teeth.
Suddenly, the Raichu heard a set of quick footsteps approaching him, and the menacing face of a demented clown with flaming hair filled his vision. "Little mouse, little rat, little sparky rodent," said the Infernape through bloodstained teeth, sending chills down Sparktail's spine. "A nice fat corpse, a shiny golden ornament!"
Teeth clenched, Thalia sat upright, leaf-blades raised in front of Sparktail to block the Infernape's blow. She reeled back as the Infernape's fist burned through her leaves. Cackling, the monkey spun to kick her. Hissing angrily, Sparktail slashed his tail across the Infernape's ankle and blasted him back with a burst of electricity.
As the Infernape clutched his face, a Flareon crashed into the Infernape from behind, tackling it to the ground. There you two are," said Insyte through tightly clenched teeth, his silver eyes filled with defiant flame. "Welcome back, Sparktail and Thalia.
"But didn't we get back first?" mumbled Sparktail, helping Thalia out of the puddle. The Leafeon made disrgruntled sounds in agreement.
Shrieking, a Mismagius swooped toward them. Eyes widening, Thalia parried its claws with rapid leaf-blades as Sparktail frantically swung his crackling tail across its eyes.
Screeching, the Infernape squirmed free from under the Flareon to strike him with a flurry of fists. Growling in pain, Insyte bashed his head against the Infernape's chest, and the monkey's eyes rolled back.
Blasting back the Mismagius, Sparktail caught a large shadow on the edge of his vision. His eyes widened as a Rhyperior charged toward them, shaking the ground underpaw. "Look out!"
As the Rhyperior swung its reinforced fist toward Insyte, a ball of blue energy smashed into its back, destroying its back plating. A blue spiked paw caught the Rhyperior's wrist, yanking it to the ground. "That's enough," growled Lyther, smashing the Rhyperior's face in. Breathing heavily, the Lucario looked around. "You guys all right?"
Insyte nodded, but Sparktail and Thalia glanced back to the Herald. Heart still pounding, Thalia pressed her paws to Altaria's body. "Synthesis," she muttered as Sparktail huddled close to her. She gathered the energy in her body, in the buds at her nape and paws "Synthesis... Just like Slick taught... heal, Altaria, heal... please--"
Nothing. Sparktail glanced to the sky. The storm-clouds were blocking the sun's rays... but still, Thalia was a Leafeon. And Leafeons were as strong as oak trees. "Come on, Thalia, you've got this," encouraged the Raichu gently. "You can do it..."
"No sun means no photosynthesis," said Lyther as he, too, watched the storm-wracked skies. "It's pretty stormy, so no healing. Just a theory."
Sparktail glared at Lyther. Couldn't he see how much effort Thalia was putting forth? "I have to try!" insisted Thalia through clenched teeth, her paws digging deep into the muddy soil like roots, as if to grasp hold of nutrients within the earth. "The earth... life yields life--"
"For the love of Arceus," muttered Lyther, ltaking a Hyper Potion from a red pouch. Kneeling, he sprayed the unconcious Altaria with the synthetic serum, and the Herald's contorted features relaxed. "There. She'll live." Retracting her vines, Thalia stepped back from Altaria, feeling helpless.
Footsteps approached, sloshing through the mud. "So you made it back," said Rush heavily, dragging a dead Machoke over his shoulder. Half-dazed, Sparktail stared at the grim-eyed Swampert. "Some homecoming this is."
Thalia stared at the bleak landscape, ears stung with tormented cries, blood on the wind. "I don't understand," whispered Thalia. She took out the Delta Orb. "After all the effort we went through... we still couldn't prevent this...!"
Rush's eyes narrowed. Sparktail stared as the Swampert took the Delta Orb from Thalia, his arm trembling with fury. There was no mistaking it. This was the Orb that Slick died trying to protect. "What's happened here, Rush?" asked the Raichu anxiously as the battle raged on around them. "I thought the Conclave was safe..."
"Signals from Lavender Radio Tower vanished this morning, so Lugia went to investigate," said Rush grimly, tossing the Machoke's body off a cliff. "Mewtwo took the chance to attack and marched up towards Lugia's perch to capture Jirachi and Shaymin."
Sparktail flinched. Jirachi's disapproving eyes flashed in his memory. Exchanging glances with Thalia, he stared up toward the top of the island. They... still had yet to prove themselves to Jirachi--
"Ferricia went down in the first wave," continued Rush. A terrible chill filled Sparktail's veins, and Thalia stifled a pained cry. Lyther and Insyte stared at the Swampert with disbelieving eyes. Ferricia, who was always there for them, who carried them so far. They... didn't even get to see her before they left...
The Swampert struck the ground with a fist. "We have no choice," said Rush hoarsely. "We have to stop Mewtwo!"
Sparktail leapt into the fray, the islnd gone gray around him as he slashed out wildly with thunderbolts at the Staraptors and Bronzors flying at him. He ducked low to the ground as vicious fists struck painfully against his back, flailing out with his paws against a Purugly as Rotoms flew at him with greedy sparkling eyes. He struck out with lightning at Shieldons and Cranidoses alike, his fury crackling freely.
An iron tail swung upwards into a Froslass' neck as he rolled aside in an attempt to avoid divebombing Carnivines, the spines of its teeth grazing his side as he slammed a crackling fist into a Prinplup's gut. Leaping to his feet, the Raichu quickly ducked a dark pulse from a Spiritomb and sent a shock wave across a violet-eyed Kricketune. The creatures of Sinnoh were pervading the rest of the world, thought Sparktail as Croagunk fists assaulted him, implanting themselves into every corner of the earth, sowing chaos where once there had been peace between humans and Pokemon. Why did so many Pokemon hate humans so much, when he had been so happy standing at Slick's side?
He threw himself to the ground and covered his head as a wave of Mismagii swept high overhead to carpet-bomb the ground with their shadow balls, vaporizing the terrain into smoke and dust all around him. Leaping to his paws, he struck out blindly with thunderbolts at both Bidoofs and Starlys alike, leaping aside as an Electivire smashed its fist into the ground where he had stood moments ago. He shot a thunderbolt up at a winged beast swooping over him as he fled the thick cloud of dust, lashing with an iron tail across a Hippopotas' snout as he ran. Ducking low to avoid a flurry of shadow-claw swipes from a Weavile, the Raichu rolled onto his back and struck his assailant with another thunderbolt before continuing on.
As he came to the foot of the spiraling trail at the base of the stone hill that sloped up towards Lugia's perch, a shadow suddenly fell over Sparktail, and he abruptly skidded to a terrified halt. His eyes widening in fear as the mighty beast behind him gave a terrible roar that pushed him back, the Raichu slowly turned around to see the fearsome sillouette of a ferocious-eyed Rhyperior looming high above him, its polished-orange armor gleaming bright with cadmium plating, the frontmost plate engraved with a pentagram within a hexagon.
Faster than the eye could see, the tank-like beast suddenly whipped around and swung a brutal armored fist outwards to deal a Cross Chop to the neck of a Skarmory swooping towards it, shattering the winged warrior's neck in an instant. As the Skarmory's body collapsed on the ground, the Rhyperior gave another fearsome roar and wheeled around to charge at Sparktail, who gazed up in paralyzing fear as the gargantuan beast lunged upon him.
Suddenly, a pair of leaf blades whirled through the air, wheeling tip-over-handle to slice through the Rhyperior's armor from behind. Sparktail blinked and stared as Thalia emerged from the chaos with outstretched leafblades emerging from her back like leafy wings, the Rhyperior whirling around with a bellow of pain. The Leafeon gave a battle cry as she leapt over the Rhyperior's swiping claws to strike at its chest plating with another leafen sword.
"Thalia!" cried Sparktail as he bounded towards the terrible beast, Thalia rolling aside to dodge a hammering fist that smashed into the ground where she had been moments before. If Thalia got hurt because of him, thought Sparktail as he glanced to the Leafeon fearfully, he would never forgive himself! He leapt up into the air towards the beast, bringing his paws together as he channeled a sphere of fluid energy to send a Water Hidden Power streaking into the behemoth's head.
Tumbling back down to the ground, Sparktail saw the Rhyperior recoiling out of the corner of his eye as he landed on both hind paws, the beast flinching again as Thalia sent an energy ball smashing into its chest. Leaping over the Rhyperior's sweeping wrecking-ball tail, he struck the massive warrior between the horns with a thunderbolt, wincing as the attack glanced off the thick stonelike skin.
Ducking low to the ground as a massive armored arm swiped at him, he lashed out with an iron tail at the gargantuan's legs before darting away to narrowly avoid a hammer-arm strike. He skidded around to come behind the Rhyperior and climbed up onto its back, his lightning-bolt tail lashing fervently at its armored plating before the roaring beast struck at back with the heavy stone ball on the end of its tail, the mouse jumping away just before the bulky appendage smashed into its own back plating. As he leapt down to the ground, his eyes met Thalia's, and he longingly gazed deep into the hazelnut eyes for those brief seconds before he landed. Turbulent emotions flickered in the Leafeon's eyes, a confused muddle of fear and anxiety.
"Sparktail, I can handle this thug, go find Mewtwo," called Thalia as she dodged the thrashing Rhyperior. "I'll wait for the others!"
The others? Thalia would wait to wait for the others? Or did she just want him to go away? Sparktail blinked and shook his head. This wasn't the time or the place for such thoughts. "Good luck," called back the Raichu as he rose to his paws and headed up the sloping path towards Lugia's hill.
Insyte skidded to a halt as he spotted a familiar-looking Absol, a Scizor, and the Espeon and Umbreon who had transformed Insyte almost two weeks ago. Lute was saying to the Scizor, "We have to find Shaymin! He'll know how to find the traitor; I'm sure of it." Gesturing with his horn to the Espeon and the Umbreon, Lute ordered the Scizor, "Watch over these two until I get back; they are most definitely targets." He then ran off.
The Espeon and the Umbreon exchanged glances. "Scizor, have you heard any news of our-" Insyte's mouth fell open as the Scizor then grabbed both eeveelutions by their necks. The Scizor, whose body was beginning to emanate a shadowy aura, gave a sinister chuckle as the Espeon and the Umbreon stared in horror into the Scizor's eyes. "Heh! Find the traitor, will he? Lute himself is a traitor to all pokemon. And the two of you-" the massive claws tightened upon their throats- "-are just as bad!"
Unable to take it anymore, Insyte leapt at the Scizor. "Let them go!" he yelled. Scizor glanced at him, startled. The Espeon and the Umbreon fell from his crimson claws like sandbags, both gasping desperately for breath.
The Scizor's eyes narrowed, and he drew back into a fighting stance which Insyte recognized as Lute's invention. Two stone-edge blades appeared in the Scizor's claws. He slashed at Insyte in a blinding fury with the swords. Insyte leapt to one side and sank fire fangs into the Scizor's leg. The Scizor screeched in pain and slashed Insyte's flank. Ignoring the immense pain now echoing through his side, Insyte twisted his jaws to pull the Scizor down.
The Scizor aimed a bullet-punch at Insyte, who leapt back and body-slammed the Scizor. Scizor furiously kicked at Insyte, only to be incinerated again. Insyte then stepped back and trapped the Scizor in a fire-spin,and watched as the Scizor desperately tried to break free of its prison, and finally collapsed, dead.
Insyte glanced at the Espeon and the Umbreon, who lay still on the ground. "Are you two okay...?" And then, he realized what he should have known ever since he met these two Pokemon that fateful night. Insyte stared into the eyes of the Espeon and the Umbreon, a long shard of confusion and shock having pierced his heart. "Mother! Father!"
"You've been so brave, my son... After all these years," whispered Solus as she gazed up at her horrified child. Slowly, she stumbled to her paws, took a glowing sphere with brilliant crimson flames from her neck, and floated it to her son. "Take this Phoenix Orb... it is your birthright."
Insyte's blue-gray eyes began to fill with tears as the Espeon crumpled to the ground once more. "No... mother! Don't die," cried the great warrior, staring down at the fiery orb, down at Solus, down at Lunus, shaking his head slowly with grief. "Please! I need your guidance..."
"All things must one day die," whispered Lunus. Staring bleakly, Insyte turned to stare at his father's quivering form, the stern red eyes that held no ire, only shadows. "My son, do not fear... your destiny awaits on Cinnabar Island..."
Brushing the fur out of his eyes with a paw, Sparktail stumbled up the rain-slicked slopes with a cry, his features clenched into fury as he arrived at Lugia's perch.
High atop the cold gray hill as black storm clouds raged overhead waited an ominous cloaked figure of pale flesh and cold violet eyes, his fetid skin stretched thin over misshapen flesh and bone as a pale tail extended from between his legs. His heart pounding, the Raichu stared up at the the cruel figure's yellowed teeth and the gnarled staff in one three-fingered hand, Shaymin and Jirachi unconscious by the creature's gnarled feet beneath the cloak's hem- their glassy eyes staring at him pleadingly, desperately, helplessly.
A sickening sense of filth and disease clung to every part of the ominous figure's flesh as he gazed down from the precipiece towards the howling battle below, a cold laugh echoing from the creature's throat as the downpour continued to drench Sparktail's fur and roll down his water-saturated pelt, his paws growing heavy and sluggish. This must be one of Giratina's officers...
"Ah, the prey shall hide in the wake of the rising hell, but the shadows of death shall taint them always," said the pale figure coldly as he lifted the the bronze staff to the churning sky with the rotting scent of decay on his lips, chilling the Raichu in a way that the cold rainstorm could not. "May every last sanctuary be upturned, every last tower shaken to pieces, every last refuge be obliterated, until the eternal darkness has wrapped its icy lips upon your hideously beating hearts... I claim this island in the name of Giratina the Exile!"
He raised his free hand to eye level, and the caged Jirachi flew to him. Letting out a chuckle, the lieutenant took a step towards the edge of the cliff to gaze upon the chaos below, cradling his captive with savage greed. The golden-caped shaman blinked and whirled around in its cage towards Sparktail frantically, its eyes filled with pleading. As their eyes met, bright shame filled the Raichu's cheeks to quickly dispel the angst against Jirachi that had built up over the past three weeks, how he had thought only to prove himself... and he let loose a thunderbolt to strike Mewtwo.
In the blink of an eye, Mewtwo whirled around to deflect the thunderbolt with the tip of his staff, his eyes flashing violet as they met Sparktail's. "You foolish rodent!" hissed Mewtwo as he flung Jirachi's cage down and leveled his staff at Sparktail. Gulping, the Raichu ducked low to the ground as a blast of phantom energy shot from the tip of the staff at him, clipping the edge of his fur with eerie death. "You think to best me? I, who is greater than calamity, greater than tyranny, greater than siege?"
Psychic flares of mingled reds and blues exploded from the ground around the Raichu as he shot another thunderbolt at Mewtwo, telekinetic forces assaulting him from every direction. The lieutenant deftly blocked the lightning once more with a swipe of his staff before lunging at Sparktail with shadow claws adorning one hand, his eyes brimming with magenta light.
The Raichu screamed as the wicked claws raked across his soft white belly, knocking him onto his back, and he desperately kicked up at Mewtwo with his hind paws to strike him in the torso with double Mega Kicks. As the lieutenant stumbled back, Sparktail rose to his feet, one paw clutching his bloodstained chest as he clenched the other into a fist. He leapt at Mewtwo to slam a thunderpunch into the Genetic Machine's chest, a sphere of swirling shadow smashing into the Raichu to fling him away once more.
Gasping for breath as he fell to one knee, Sparktail stared as Mewtwo leapt up high into the air with a flare of darkness, coming to hover in midair before the Raichu and the two captive virtues. "Human scent upon your fur," spat the lieutenant as he pointed down towards Sparktail condemningly, his body emanating an aura of sickening shadow. "You've dwelled too long in the world of man. You'll never see their corruption!"
And what corruption dwelled in Slick, thought Sparktail as Mewtwo raised his staff high to call down a rain of fire, Slick who cared so much about his Pokemon? The Raichu quickly leapt aside to dodge the fireballs blasting him from the heavens, leaping away from the flaming projectiles that scorched the ground where he had stood as they chased him in a wide arc around Mewtwo. As the flames died away, he quickly ducked low to the earth as the Genetic Machine shot a burst of light at him that swept just past his head.
Sparktail sprang up at the lieutenant to strike at him with an iron tail in midair before tumbling back to the ground on the other side from Mewtwo. Letting out a furious cry as the glowing lightning-bolt tail struck him, Mewtwo flung his staff to the ground with a wave of bone-chilling shadow that filled the bracing Sparktail with throbbing cries of death as it swept past him. "Pests, all of you, standing in the way of our crusade!"
Mustering all the strength left in his body, the last reserves of energy lingering between torn fur and jostled thoughts, the Raichu stared up at Mewtwo blearily, his teeth clenched tight as he focused every last fear and frustration, his anxieties and his weary restraint, his sorrow and his guilt, and channeled it all into his paws. His bloodstream ran thick with shining sparks as he gazed up at the terrible enemy who hovered triumphant above him, who lay swathed in a violet aura of hellish angst.
Blinding flares of lightning exploded through his mind as he lunged up at Mewtwo once more with outstretched crackling paws, the lieutenant slowly swiveling around in midair to face him as the Raichu barreled straight into his foe, volt-tackling him with a cry of adrenaline. His paws blasted Mewtwo with lightning as he thrust the flailing lieutenant down to earth.
As the two struck the ground with a sizzling impact and a blast of lightning, the world flashed black and white before Sparktail's eyes as his paws sucked every last spark of energy from him to blast Mewtwo, alternating between stormy gray and blazing white as lightning flung him from Mewtwo and the excruciating scream that exploded from the lieutenant's mouth. His vision flickered between reality and ghastly distortion, the world itself betraying him with mingled reds and blues, his ears filled with the screams of the dying down below on the Conclave. Dull pain throbbed in his head as he struggled to rise to his paws in vain.
"Die," hissed Mewtwo as he swung Sparktail up into the air before flinging him aside. The Raichu screamed as he hit the unyielding stone hard, the wind knocked from his chest and lost into the howling storm.
Howling with fatigue, Sparktail sprang at Mewtwo and lashed out with rapid thunderbolts, chain-lightning ripping across the raindrops and slashing at his heartless foe as psychic shocks swept through his nerves. "You are a traitor," sneered the ghastly lieutenant as he brutally struck the Raichu in the chest with his staff, sending pain erupting through him as he tumbled to the ground. "You are a slave to mankind still! And you shall pay the price..."
"Kaiii-ah-rhuuuuuu!" shrieked a voice from the skies, stopping Sparktail and Mewtwo in their tracks, as invaders and defenders below froze and raised their eyes skywards. Lugia and a hundred Skarmories descended from the shining blue heavens beyond, bearing silver light and righteous fury in their eyes as they swooped upon the soldiers of Giratina.
A cold, sinister laugh came from the Fiend's lips, reverbrating across the field. Snatching up Jirachi's cage in one swift movement, the lieutenant commander gazed down at Sparktail with slender eyes. "Let us finish this game another time," said Mewtwo, lifting his staff high. "For tonight- I shall blot out a shining star!" Cackling, shaking his head with mad rage as Jirachi writhed in his cage, Mewtwo vanished into a plume of foul smoke that made Sparktail cough and scream with its stinging fumes, writing on the floor even though rescue was at hand.
"SPARKTAIL!" Blinking, the weary Raichu forced his eyes up to see a battered and bedraggled Thalia scurrying across the rocky ground towards him, clutching Sparktail's Light Ball in one paw as she stumbled to a halt before him. "Spark- Sparktail-" gasped the Leafeon, quivering as she gazed upon the beaten mouse. "Are you all right? Sparktail!"
The Raichu took a deep breath, then he slowly rose to his paws. "I'm-- I'm all right," stammered the mouse as he gave a painful smile, body aching with pain, his vision flickering filled with spots. Shaking her head, Thalia caught Sparktail's paw as he started to sway, steadying him.
Together, Sparktail and the Leafeon turned their gazes towards the island slopes below, watching silently as Lugia and the Iron Fleet came crashing down upon the Exile's soldiers, blasting their foes with silver cleansing light to purge the Conclave.
"Sparktail," whispered Thalia as she held his paw, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Sparktail... What'll happen now?"