A Spirit's Journey (Pokemon Watty Awards 2014 3rd Place Winner: Adventure)

Chapter 20: Fairy-Tale Creature Absol

                 Chapter 20:Fairy-Tale Creature Absol

“Well,” Latios said, examining me, “Everything seems to have healed up. There’s still some bruising, but nothing serious. Bet it’s really going to be sore though. So, since you nearly killed yourself yesterday while you were working and today would be even harder for you, I’d suggest you rest for a bit now. The soreness should kick in shortly.”

“Great…”  I groaned, “Just what I needed.”

“If we don’t get out of here soon, that’ll be the least of your worries,” Z grunted.

I tossed a glare his way. “Gee, thanks for reminding me,” I said sarcastically. Seeing my friends’ (and Lady Glacier’s) worried looks, I added, “What are you all staring at? I’m not dead yet!” They recoiled slightly. I mentally berated myself for snapping at them. So I did the natural thing and snapped at our ally to show that I was an equal-opportunity jerk. “Hey, Latios! When’s that Yamask getting back here?”

“He’ll be along shortly,” Latios replied, ignoring my disrespectful tone. Still, it probably wasn’t wise for me to tick off our only ally. I tried to rise, but he pushed me down, surprisingly solid for someone who was dead. “No. Just rest. We’ll come get you when he shows up.” I relented. Next, he turned to Syoran. “As for us, we’d better get to work,” he said with a nod toward the construction area, “If you do escape, Giratina’s going to be furious and probably take it out on me. Which means-” He held up his claws, raising one at a time as he listed off the consequences of our escape. “-one, I’ll be tortured ruthlessly until I’m a screaming mess. Two, I’ll then be put in a cage for all to see, kind of like a trophy, as an example to everyone else. And three, when he calms down a bit and gets tired of using me as a punching bag and one of those things humans call ‘stress balls’, he’ll probably make me work twice as hard as I am now. So, you’re going to help me get some of that work done before I escape.”

We stared at him with wide eyes. I mean, what else can you do when someone tells you that they’re going to be put through a quite literal Hell for helping you? Latios looked vaguely uncomfortable under our concentrated stares. “All that,” Lady Glacier said slowly, “And you’re still willing to aid us?”

“Hey now, I got here by sacrificing myself for others,” Latios said with a wry chuckle, “It’s too late to change that part of me now.” He clapped his paws together to signal an end to the conversation. “So, let’s get to it, shall we?”

Syoran nodded in agreement, coming back to his senses. “You go ahead, everyone,” he said, “I’m going to tend Spirit a bit. But we have a wall to build, so I expect you all to be helping Latios when I get there. Though I wonder if we can plant a bomb in it so that, when Giratina passes, it will explode.”

We chuckled at the thought. Slowly, the others got up and left. “Don’t worry, Latios,” Pikablu said as they went, “When Arceus learns about all this, he’ll personally smite Giratina into dust. You won’t be tortured.”

“Pikablu,” Latios sighed, “I was a fairly young Legendary when I died, but even I know that nothing is certain when it comes to us. Take my sister, for example. One time, Mew came to visit. I still haven’t fully recovered my sanity from when they…” His voice faded as they turned a corner.