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

Chapter 25: Vengeful Ghost Giratina

                  Chapter 25: Vengeful Ghost Giratina

“Hurry!”

“Get that gate closed again!”

“Work faster! We have to hold the fortress!”

The shades were, to put it bluntly, panicking. They were rushing around in every which direction doing any which thing that they thought needed doing. I would have expected that they would have fled from the imminent threat. However, if anything this made them work harder than ever before, desperately trying to get the fortress in shape in order to give them a chance to defend themselves.

Meanwhile, our group had taken up residence in the central tower. Seth was using the hog-tied Rotom’s knowledge to bypass all the fortress’s security systems, converting them to our control. We stood off to the side, watching him manipulate the controls and occasionally ‘squeeze’ a little information out of Rotom. As he turned the various defenses of the fortress against their masters, he explained several of the more important systems to us.

“The…the entire fortress has a shield that can be projected over it, the Over-shield, which only allows invaders to…to access it only at the four entrances to the c-causeways,” he said, hands flying over the controls, which more resembled ancient runes inscribed on the wall and a series of mirrors that showed the fortress’s main choke-points than a human computer. Syoran was amazed by it, that’s for sure. Me, I was less impressed. There are only so many strange and bizarre things I can see before I stopped caring. I’d pretty much reached that limit.

“How does it work?” Syoran asked in awe.

“The s-shield?” Seth asked, confused.

“No, this,” Syoran replied, pointing to the control system.

“Oh,” Seth said with a shrug, “Magic, of course.”

“Magic?” Syoran repeated, dubious.

“Yes, Magic,” Seth assured him, “Now’s not the time f-for that though…” He glanced down at the immobilized Rotom. “It’s all set up. Now, how do I activate the shield?”

Rotom leered up at him. “Press Nute, then Sobek,” he said, “And while you’re at it, could you fill out a customer service card?”

“M-maybe later,” Seth answered, pressing two runes on the wall. There was a ripple of light that spread across the wall from them and through the ‘mirrors’ we saw a transparent bubble slowly materialize around the fortress. “There,” Seth said, satisfied, “That sh-should keep him from coming straight to the tower.” He floated away from the contraption and addressed us. “S-so, what are you going to do? I could just activate the portal and get you out of here.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea to me!” Lady Glacier said brightly, “Who agrees?”

There was a stunning lack of response. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to leave. In fact, I think we were all leaning that way. But I, for one, did not like the idea of abandoning all the shades, including my family and Psi’s mother, to be torn to shreds by Giratina. Sure, we didn’t stand a much better chance, but at least we had a chance. And then, there was Pikablu, who’s only response was to fold his arms and head for the stairs that led back down into the fortress. Lady Glacier watched him in alarm.