{DISCONTINUED} When the Ozone Fell (PMD Fanfic)

Chapter 1- Did I die?

1st person POV of Treecko

***

It was just mist around me. Did I do it? Did Rayquaza do it? Was the meteorite destroyed?

I tried to move my body. It wasn't working. I must have died I thought being dead isn't nice. Where's Pikachu gone?

Suddenly, a familiar face showed.

Gengar? I thought to myself What's- What's he doing here?
I once again tried to move but was unable to, as Gengar inspected my body.

"Hehe! Finally! Now let's take you along to the dark world! You didn't last a second in that explosion!"

So I did die. I thought So why is Gengar here? I mean, he is a ghost type and all, but why-

My thoughts were interrupted by Gengar pulling my leg and dragging me.

HEY! I thought again. WHY CAN'T I TALK?!

"Kehe..."

We carried on walking. Or at least, he carried on walking. I was being dragged.

"..."

He stopped.

"Gah! Took the wrong path again. It's not like me to do that."

Wrong path? There's a path? I thought. What even is this place? Hell? Heaven? What's the dark world?

"...."
"I'll be back in a minute, don't go anywhere."

Gengar left.

Not that I can. I thought.

Suddenly, I blacked out. Then, I heard a voice.

***

"Hello? Treecko? Pikachu? Can you hear me?"

I recognised that voice immediately. It belonged to Alakazam. I tried to speak but was once again unable to.

Wait, did Alakazam die too?

Suddenly, I was able to move, and jumped up. I was breathing heavily and Pikachu was rubbing his head.

"-THEY'RE CONSCIOUS!" Alakazam yelled. I looked at him, then at Pikachu.

"...What? I thought I died-" I said.
"You almost did, but I managed to heal you just in time. I can't believe I managed to do this. But you're safe and that's all that matters," Alakazam explained.

All the Pokémon were around me. Lombre, Octillery, Charizard, Blastoise, Jumpluff, Tyranitar... everyone was there. And Pikachu too, of course.

"Hey Pikachu, you okay?" I asked him.
"Uh, yeah... I swear I died for a minute..."
"I did too, but we're alive and well."

"Unfortunately it didn't end that way for everyone." A voice perked up. We all turned our head to the cliff edge. There, Xatu stood tall.

"What are you on about, Xatu?" I asked.
"You see, the meteorite was successfully destroyed...."

Everyone cheered except me and Pikachu.

"...but Rayquaza went down with it."

We all stared at Xatu after that statement. "What? What do you mean?" Tyranitar asked as well.
"I mean, Rayquaza is dead."

We all gasped, and gave each other a look.

"Rayquaza... is dead?" Lombre repeated.
"Who's going to protect to ozone then?" Charizard chirped.
"Unfortunately... no one. No one is as capable as Rayquaza is, who was specifically chosen for the protection of the ozone, which means... if another meteorite happens to come, we're gonna have to accept fate." Xatu explained.

Everyone once again gasped, and started to panic. Me and Pikachu, who had just awoken from a mini coma, were still trying to process what was going on. Everyone rushed off to Xatu to ask several questions about the future. Even Pikachu went and joined them.

"...."
"Rayquaza is dead...."

Suddenly, a ghostly figure appeared in front of me. No, it wasn't Gengar. It was Gardevoir.

***

"G-Gardevoir..?" I asked her.
"Treecko..." she began.
"Gardevoir, Rayquaza can't be dead, can it?"
"...."
"Gardevoir please answer my question."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know the answer. I was hoping to greet you with great excitement after your success of destroying to meteorite, but Rayquaza's unexpected death left me speechless..." Gardevoir explained. "In fact, I was planning to even offer you a trip back to your world. But I can't do that right now. You still have some work left to do here."

The fact that I was supposed to go back to my original world is what hit me hard the most. And why Gardevoir couldn't answer my question also stumped me. But Xatu, being able to see the future, not telling us about Rayquaza's death before also stumped me... but it clarified that Rayquaza was indeed dead, so that didn't need questioning.

And I didn't know how to feel about it.

"How did Rayquaza die?" I asked Gardevoir again.
"I already told you, I can't answer that question."
"What?"
"Treecko I'm sorry..."
"GARDEVOIR WAIT!"

She disappeared. Pikachu ran up to me.

"'Gardevoir'?" He asked.
"...Yeah-"
"You're hallucinating now?"
"What? No-"
"...Good news, Xatu doesn't see any meteorite hitting Earth in the next couple thousand years. So we're safe." Pikachu added.
"But Xatu didn't see Rayquaza's death coming. Surely it would have told us, right?"
"It's unexpected for a reason, Treecko."

I sighed at the obvious answer.
"What happened to Absol?" I asked again.
"I'm sure he's fine... I think. Speaking of Absol, wanna go back up Sky Tower?" Pikachu offered.
"What's the point? Rayquaza isn't gonna be there."
"Fine, we'll head back to home then, and get some rest."