Love in the Time of Trepidation

Chapter 27: A Monster

The beginning of the end! The final battle is here! Let's start Chapter 27!

Chapter 27

A Monster

"Akari, do you hear me?! Akari! Professor, are we still in contact?"

Cogita's voice was muffled, disturbed by all of the lingering, strange pockets around them. In a strange way, it was as if the entire temple was being consumed by one of the very distortions that had wrapped around Hisui. It made it difficult to focus, or for Akari to understand quite what was going on. She looked up, the pillars of the temple flickering, sometimes cutting out to become a place without a roof, and nothing but jagged edges where the columns once stood.

"Ugh...ah...what?" Adaman's voice pulled Akari back, noticing her friend on the ground, clutching to Irida. Kamado was there, too, right where she'd left him against the pillar. He was still holding his wound, though it appeared to have stopped bleeding for the moment.

More desperate was her gaze being thrown around to look for her Pokémon. Decidueye was the easiest to find, having protected Adaman, Irida and their own partners, himself. He looked a little winded, but with a shake of his head, recovered. Typhlosion was also near Kamado, and from the flickering flames of his back, it seemed that he had helped the commander.

All it left was Samurott and Sneasler. The latter was easy enough to find, panting on all fours near the edge of the temple. Next to her was Kamado's Snorlax, looking confused, yet worried as well. It was a proof to Akari that in spite of Kamado's treatment, there was still a care between him and the Pokémon he had partnered with. Confirming this, Sneasler reached up to pat the large Pokémon on the back and search for Akari, nodding. She looked away, and found Samurott, her most steadfast ally growling at the Togekiss that hissed his way.

And behind Togekiss was Volo and the ever-imposing Giratina. Both were reeling, recovering from their ejection, but Akari knew it couldn't last. Especially not with the group of voices echoing in her head.

"The connection's shaky, but is there. She's just not answering."

"I'm...I'm here!" Akari shouted, unsure if it would be picked up. She grunted, almost dropping to her knees as she stowed the changed flute away, but refusing to relent in the face of what was before them. That picture became, somehow, worse. To the sides and outside their dimensions were the forms of Dialga and Palkia, collapsed on the ground and in pain. Or exhausted. Akari wasn't sure which. "Cogita, what's going on?"

Volo heard the name, his snarl manifesting, but Akari didn't have time for him or his nonsense. It took a moment, but Cogita's voice managed to break through to her.

"Something happened."

"That much, I'm aware of," Akari drawled. "Tell me what's going on."

"For a moment, I could swear time stopped," was Cogita's explanation. It made some amount of sense. "After that, something in Hisui changed. Is the Red Chain gone?"

"Destroyed. Giratina's here."

"Then push him out!" came Cogita's shout. Laventon yelped, as though her shout surprised him. "Push him out, and keep fighting."

"How are we supposed to seal the rift, then?" Akari said, still watching as the ruins around them transformed and twisted so many different ways. First to the ancient past where there was nothing, and then to the future of those broken pillars. She waited for Cogita's answer, but feared it would never come.

In some way, it didn't need to. Another voice pierced her head. Do not worry. We are coming.

"Mesprit?"