The Vagabond.

Chapter 11: Core Meltdown.

"You're not done yet." A mysterious voice called out to him, coming somewhere from beyond. From somewhere close to him.

"On your feet Krash." Another voice sounded. Who is it? How do they know his name? Where are they? Where is he?

"Stop this. Get up." Some strange force began pulling him up by his collar, lifting him into the air as he hung limply.

His senses were coming back to him. No longer did he feel the pain of being impaled. No longer was he without a heart.

Riolu slowly opened his eyes, looking down at his feet. He moved his gaze over to his chest, where instead of the hole, a large spike resided.

He put his paws out in front of his face, observing as they changed right in front of him.

The small metal points steadily changed and morphed into a liquid, before solidifying instantly and forming spikes on his paws.

He felt something grow out of the back of his head, as if something or someone was drilling into his skull. Slowly, painfully.

His senses immediately sharpened, as he felt a sudden surge of aura flow through him. He screamed out in pain and agony, as his skin bulged and moved.

Black streaks appeared all over his paws, with a spark flying around them before flying into the blue furred Pokemon.

He kicked at the air as his limbs got elongated, desperately trying to get away from the force that was holding his suspended in place.

Eventually, after a few painfully long seconds, he was dropped down to the ground. Fortunately he wasn't that far up.

Krash fell on his feet, still trembling and scratching at his new skin. He wasn't a Riolu anymore. He had grown.

"You have our blessing Krash." The same voice as from before called to him, coming from behind him.

When the newly shaped Lucario turned to stare at the source of the voice, he saw two deities staring down at him from above.

A Solgaleo and a Lunala. The Sunne and Moone deities. Protectors of the light.

Lunala's forehead lit up as she spoke again. "We won't let you die. Not yet, at least."

"What... do you... mean?..." Lucario spoke out, his voice coarse and rough. When compared to his previously squeaky voice, this was a serious upgrade.

"She means that after every death, you will be reborn. To fight again, until you come out victorious." Solgaleo answered with his booming voice.

Krash looked at the two deities with squinted eyes, shaking his head. "Sol?... Luna?..." He smiled weakly to himself. "Are you... them?"

The duo nodded once and bowed down in front of Lucario, as a way to show respect. "You are our warrior. Now go. Be the light everyone seeks."

In a beat, he felt as something was dragging at his aura, something he had never felt before. Not long after that, he felt his sense of touch coming back to him.

Lucario gripped at the coarse sand under his paws, as he balled them into fists and drove them right into the ground.

Crimson, unaware of his presence, was celebrating his victory over the two Pokemon he thought he had killed.

"No need, no need! It's my pleasure to both be here, and to take care of such scum!" He laughed loudly along with the crowd.

"You..." Krash whispered to himself, looking down at his paw. He returned in the form of a Lucario, and yet nobody has noticed him change while he was dead?