Dark Arts and Dark Minds

Chapter 7: Gone, but not Forgotten

*Riku's POV*

When I awoke, I was sprawled on the ground in front of the Guild. The sun had just risen in the sky, and I couldn't help but cry,

"Risk!!! Why did you have to give yourself up for me?! Why not me?!!" Photon, who appeared with Cedric a few feet away, put his arm around me,

"Riku, it's what he needed to do as a leader... I know how it feels to lose a close friend like this. The pain is unbearable, I know, but the only thing we can do is hold our heads high for tomorrow! That's what he would have wanted, right?"

"I... I guess, but..." I stammered, until a voice from inside the Guild cut me off,

"What was that noise? Alpha, do you think they returned with Riku?!" Beta's voice rocketed up the stairs, preceding the appearance of the two Mawile. When she saw me, her eyes widened, and she ran over to embrace me.

"I... I'm so glad you're safe! We learned so much from Xatu, but I'm just so glad that you're safe!" Then, she noticed the scarf tied around my neck and backed away, her face a mixture of grief and bewilderment. Before she had a chance to speak, I said,

"Come, we need to go inside. There is something that I must do!"

I began to walk down to the main lobby of the Guild. Conveniently, when I arrived, Guildmaster Wigglytuff and Chatot were just leaving the Headmaster's quarters.

"Call the entire Guild here- there is something that I need to show to everyone..." I told Wigglytuff, as quickly as I could to avoid breaking into tears again.

"Why the sudden hurry?" he asked, puzzled.

"But it sounds urgent! We've got to listen! Cover your ears, Riku!"

I did as he said, and the Pokemon released a shockwave of noise that I could not even understand. By the impulse that it gave off when it struck me, I knew that it would quickly summon the rest of the Guild. However, as my ears were still ringing from the impact, I could only see the Guild members, one by one, enter the room. Alpha, Beta, Photon, and Cedric soon joined them.

"Now... That everyone is here, I need to... To say something to the entire Guild." My stuttering forewarned of my impending tears, as I began,

"Now, as most of you know, Team Crusaders is... was lead by the fearless Pokemon that I considered my deepest friend. You all know him as Risk the Riolu..." Beta began to cry, but I knew that I needed to continue.

For Risk! This is for you, buddy! I thought.

"Recently, he led the team to a place called the Vivid Rainforest while on an expedition looking for me. However, once he found me, we were attacked by a vicious Pokemon called Serperior- a massive snake that roams the forest." Gasps echoed around the room,

"By Golly! How horrible that must have been!" Bidoof called from the crowd. Still, I continued,

"Photon, Risk, Cedric, and I had to engage the monster- we were led into a trap and ambushed! We fought hard, but the monster was just too strong... And, by the end, we all ended up in the snake's belly. There, I found that Risk was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for me. He... He gave me his last Escape Orb..." Tears began to stream down my face,

"And now... The inside of that Pokemon is his grave! He gave his life for me, and, for that... I couldn't ask more from a friend... A leader... The best one that this Guild has ever had! And now... He's gone! Just like that!..."

"We need to arrange a funeral for him- we've gotta do it for him!" Sunflora suggested.

"Yea, we need to HONOR him!" Loudred added.