Weathering The Storm... (A Pokemon OC Story)

Chapter 68: New Bonds...and Broken Ones too.

The vision of light suddenly passed, and he was left in a room of darkness. Nothing like the stadium. Just, blank. No sort of floor. No sort of ceiling. No walls either. It was like being in a black void, except he could at least stand. He wasn't in freefall. However, amongst the darkness, a glimmer of hope. An orange light, a silhouette made of orange stood out in the centre and lay on the ground. Lucas began to move closer towards it, its shape becoming more in line with his vision. That is when he realised what the orange was. It was Torchic. Sat on the floor. Just like it had been when he was dropped into wherever this place was.

Torchic wasn't moving, almost like it had already fainted. Had he already lost the battle? If so, why could this place show it so clearly? In fact, why was he even here? Was it just a dream? Was the blow so crushing he blacked out? Questions scattered throughout his mind. It felt real, unlike how he usually felt disassociated whenever he was in a dream. When he touched Torchic's head, he felt its warm glow just like he did in reality. Yes, this was real. Somehow. Despite how confusing it was, how it made no sense to be here, it was no sort of dream. He touched Torchic's head again, gently stroking it and saying,

"You okay, buddy?"

Torchic's body didn't stir at all. It remained motionless, and Lucas let out a heavy sigh. He sat beside Torchic, looking down at his partner. He didn't want the battle to end like this. But, Harry had outplayed him at every stage of the match. Maybe there was something missing from Lucas' battling? Maybe, something he didn't have before. But, it eluded him. Then, quite suddenly, a coloured gas drifted in from elsewhere, 3 shadows forming before him. Ghostly, and like apparitions, they didn't speak, rather just stood. They were not humanoid at all, and their shape was so vague. Yet, he could still feel their stares gazing upon him.

One was of a more yellow shape, its legs being the standout, being akin to large talons with razor-sharp claws. Its shape was odd otherwise, with the only other feature being three feathers plucking from the top of its head. The second was of a red-coloured aura, the chicken legs substituted for what appears to be clumps of fur around the talons. The arms appeared also to be more aligned to the chicken legs, claws sprouting out. Then, finally, the last one. A blue aura emitted from it. An unfamiliar shape appeared, with a few stripes flying from its arms that wound themselves into a shuriken shape around its arms. Other than that, it was nothing like Lucas had ever seen before.

"Who are you?", Lucas asked timidly, standing up to be roughly the same height as the shadows. But, they remained unmoving, not saying a single word. But, then, the yellow shadow began to move, first its small arms and then its legs, stepping off from the line established with the other shadows. It knelt down next to Torchic, placing one hand on its torso. Its head then turned towards Lucas, and with the other hand, gestured for Lucas to do the same. With a look of confusion, he knelt down and placed his hand on Torchic's torso. But, nothing happened. Then, the shadow placed its hand on his, while its fingertips touched Torchic's torso. Suddenly, an explosion of light erupted, flashes going by Lucas' eyes. He was swept up in the flashes, all of the events he was completely unfamiliar with. But, a voice beckoned from somewhere, although he was not sure where from.

"This is only the beginning. You are not complete yet. But, you will be."

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Suddenly, Lucas was ripped from the other world yet again, wondering if it had truly been just a dream. But, he found himself slightly before what had happened previously. Grovyle was beginning to attack Torchic from behind again, landing a critical hit and once again sending the soaring pain coursing through Lucas' back. It hurt more vividly this time, his knees falling to the floor, but Lucas wasn't focused on that. Whatever had happened in there, it had to have some bearing on reality. So, Lucas got back up from the floor, as did Torchic. Their movements, despite being off-sync, were mostly the same. They were connected. Somehow. Then, a sudden beam of energy went through Lucas' heart. He knew immediately what was going to happen.