PokèDruids [PkmnWattys2016]

Summit and Repose

Guys, I know you've been holding back your votes for some time now. But it's alright, nobody will judge you for reading this.

And just as easily as Sicily fell over the edge, she evolved somehow, became a Vibrava and flew back up to the base of the mountain. "The feeling of evolution is miraculous... And I had no idea I was close to evolving!" Sicily was just as ecstatic as Eros.

"This calls for a celebration when we get back, doesn't it?"

Sicily's eyes widened at the mention of celebration. "This DOES, doesn't it? What will we do?"

Eros gleefully replied, "After all of this is done? Leave it up to me."

The rest of the party was relieved at their own accomplishments. The cracked crystal represents the ability to progress up the mountain and reach whatever prize is at the summit. Xerxes was brushing herself off after the conflict, along with everyone else, for this was certainly no pushover. Everyone regrouped and found to their amazements that Sicily had evolved. Everyone took turns congratulating her, for evolution is no small feat in this world. However, everyone quickly turned their attention to the matter at hand, which was getting up the mountain.

Everyone regrouped and started to march again, this time in rows of two: First Eros and Sicily, then Cerci (still in her Absol form) and Hank, with Pikachu aside Hank, then finally Xerxes and Duskull. They marched up and up, once again making about another half circle this time. As they approached the top, everyone saw a massive flat indentation in the mountain, surely the temple. The snow was very minimal here, as to the point where some areas of land were completely barren and revealed a grey stone underside.

As they walked even closer the group saw one final stone clearing at the top, but instead of a stairway up there was the front of a massive temple, set with columns and a rectangular opening in the middle, and the top of the structure which would fade into the stone. This form of architecture made it so the palace seemed carved from the stone of the mountain itself, but upon closer inspection, the stone was not that of the mountains, and some features were clearly not from anywhere near the mountain.

As the party decided to move inside the temple, they found the area entered into an artificial cavern, statues and water fountains decorating the side, while intricate designs and such danced upon the trimmings of the room. In the center was another flat area, but as opposed to it being empty, there were broken training dummies everywhere; and, in the center of all of this, there stood two tiny Riolus and one Lucario bringing destruction to all of the wooden training devices.

The party walked closer to find they had grabbed the attention of these Pokemon not unintentionally, facing the two groups with one another. Eros started the conversation with a friendly 'Hello' to the Lucario, to which it responded, "Greetings, travelers. How may I help you?"

Eros started by saying, "I heard that I could earn the trust and companionship of a powerful ally up here. I can tell you certainly have power, but how may I earn your trust?"

The Lucario gave an artificial smile and quickly blabbed, "No need for proof just take these two and you'll be dandy good day." The Lucario said this while pushing the Riolus towards him.

One of the Riolu looked up at the Lucario, saying in a disrespectful tone, "But pa, do I HAVE to? He smells of old berries and dirt."

"Now don't question pa and go down there and join them on their quest or whatever, you just might get to fight a gym leader or something."

"Ppppaaaaaaaaaaa....."

Eros and the rest of the party were certainly confused and turned off by the annoying nature of these Pokemon. Eros responded to the Lucario with, "But we aren't looking to defeat the gym leaders."