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Shadows of the Night	By : Stormborn Apostle Category: Pokemon > General Views: 3910 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokemon and make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Shadows of the Night
- 1
Long ago, before Pokemon and Man existed, there was nothing but chaos.

The universe did not exist in any form that we would recognize, and it could never support life. There were no laws that governed the raging torrents of existence...whatever existence that might have been. Time did exist, but it flowed in strange and incomprehensible ways. Sometimes it moved forwards. Sometimes it moved backwards.

Sometimes it moved sideways.

From the infinite and endless possibilities of that great and eternal void came a single event that defied all probability and logic. Somehow, from the boiling chaos, order was formed. Not by design, but by chance. Still, when chance creates something as unlikely as this, it may as well be providence.

An Egg appeared.

Born of no mother, nurtured in a womb that was constantly in change, destroying and remaking itself eternally, it nonetheless flourished. For countless ages---perhaps billions of years, perhaps trillions, perhaps some of that sideways time I mentioned---it was the sole object of order and stability in all existence.

And then one day, it hatched.

The being that emerged from that egg was a life form, but it was so great that we mortals---and mortals we are, in the grand scheme of things---could never comprehend it as such. It was beyond life and death. Beyond what we know as good and evil. It simply was, and it sought to reproduce the only way it could.

It made order out of the infinite chaos.

It created the laws of existence, the rules which define attraction and repulsion, energy and matter. Seeing what it could do, it went further, creating a universe that could follow those laws in a visible manner so that it could observe any errors in its design. There were none. It created countless stars and planets, letting the engine it had designed create countless more on its own. The engine, while not eternal, would function for eons before needing any more input. The entity was pleased.

After observing its perfect universe for a while, it discovered that it could create one more thing.

Life.

The universe could create life on its own with the laws it was governed under, but that life would be little more than self-replicating chemical reactions. Nothing truly alive, just...existing. And mere existence was no longer enough to satisfy the entity. It decided to personally forge life on one world---our world---to see if it could flourish. It made the flesh of both Pokemon and Humans, gave them lesser creatures and plants that could sustain them...and then gave both peoples the one thing the engine could never create on its own.

It gave them souls.

It is only because of that entity that we know of right and wrong, life and death, order and chaos.

With the world as we know it created, the Greatest One vanished from the universe. Perhaps it is still watching us, waiting to see if the order will hold. Perhaps it has moved on, looking for more chaos to turn into order. We do not know. But today, we celebrate the arrival of the Greatest One, and the gift it gave to all life on our planet. We honor its gift and hope for its return, and give of ourselves to others in order to honor all that it gave us freely and selflessly. That is the meaning of this day...the triumph of order over chaos, of love over hate, of others over self.

The little girl looked up at her proud and powerful father, eyes wide and full of wonder, believing every word.

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More than a century later, that little girl had grown into a beautiful and strong woman. And despite her hardships, despite the chaos around her, she still had reason to believe. Believing was not easy, especially not with the secret she now carried, but she still managed.

She had no choice.

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As the first snowflakes of the year began drifting from the stormy gray sky, Miyako lay on her bed, looking out the bedroom window and gazing over her kingdom. Millions, perhaps billions of tiny crystals, each perfect and beautiful and unique, danced in the dark. They wafted downward, buffeted by the winter wind, preparing to coat the castle town in a layer of silver.

But something was wrong.

Some of the crystals seized up in the air, twisting and cracking. Their shards turned jet black, jagged, almost razor-sharp. Thin lines of corruption, no thicker than strands of hair, spread throughout their bodies, transforming the once-magical crystals into tainted abominations. Any child that caught those snowflakes on their tongue would taste something bitter, almost nauseating, and go home to find the inside of their mouth bloody and ragged, shredded painlessly in the extreme chill. While Miyako could not see the corruption with her eyes, nor feel it with her senses, she was nonetheless fully aware of the horrors that were spreading across the kingdom.

Night had fallen on the castle town, but the streets and waterways were well lit by the eye-wateringly bright Purification Beacons that now dotted the city, protecting it from the monsters now roaming the world. While the war had not yet reached the gates of the capitol city, it was not far off. Batches of corrupted humans and Pokemon managed to wander from the battlefields and find their way into the town, seeking blood and destruction. Worse still, the veil of the Shadow had become so thick and cloying that the residents of the town were occasionally transforming as well, apparently at random. This was not some infection that could be avoided or fled from; the very world itself had been poisoned, and all who dwelt upon it were at risk of becoming abominations themselves.

And while the beacons would kill anyone that had transformed, human or Pokemon, they would only be effective for so long. The Shadow's strength grew every day, and soon would become unstoppable. Unless a miracle occurred, everyone, even the gods, would soon be dead.

But buried under the blankets, laying naked in her mate's embrace, Miyako had no doubt that miracles could still happen, even at this most dire of hours. After all, one had happened to her.

She leaned against Quiero's strong chest, feeling his warmth and sharing her own with him. Despite the chaos all around them, despite the inevitable wave of annihilation that even now marched closer to the castle, she did not feel hopeless. Afraid, yes, but not hopeless. While the arms of her lover were now covered in lines of corruption, marching from his fingertips to his heart, she never felt as safe as she did within his embrace.

The castle was quiet. They had given the attendants leave that morning, allowing them to spend their holiday---and what little time was left---with their families. With the King and the Princes gone out to meet the Shadow's hoards in battle, Miyako and Quiero had spent the entire day together, huddled up in their bed, fighting against the cold. Many times their cuddling had turned into lovemaking, something which had happened many times in the past week---not since the earliest years of their mating had they made love so frequently.

It's snowing, Quiero.

The dark-haired man sat up in bed, peering over the sheet-covered curves of his mate. He wasn't smiling, however. While she couldn't sense the individual snowflakes corrupting, he could, and it disturbed him too much for him to be chipper about the rest of the pretty crystals.

His arousal killed, he climbed out of bed, sharp eyes easily seeing in the dim light that found its way through the window, and noticed the time on the clock. Only now was he able to form a smile.

Sensing the faint glimmer of happiness in his mind, Miyako sat up as well, clutching the sheets around her bare body to guard against the chilly air. She found him digging in one of his dresser drawers. What is it?

"It's after midnight."

Now she understood; with all the chaos around her, and after a long day of lovemaking, she had nearly forgotten. She smiled happily as her mate turned around, a bundled package in his hand. Though he wasn't as observant of the legends as she, and took the story of the holiday with a large dose of skepticism, he had always celebrated it with her.

"Merry Christmas, Miyako. It's not much...we can't exactly wander around the Kingdom nowadays...but I hope you like it."

Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure I will. I'm honestly surprised that you bothered...with everything that's been happening, I didn't think you'd go with it this year...

Quiero's happy smile faded. "The opposite holds true in this case. With everything that's been happening, I absolutely had to get you something. I didn't want our...our last Christmas to be meaningless."

Miyako glanced up at his face, wanting to argue, but she couldn't. As hopeful as she was about her father's chances against the dark menace that lurked to the south, she couldn't blind herself to the truth. The war was over, even if it hadn't ended yet. There would be no Christmas next year, because there would be no Kingdom next year. Come next winter, all life in Hoenn would be gone; even the corrupted would turn on each other and eventually die of starvation. A holiday that once celebrated the gift of life and order would soon become meaningless, for there would be none left alive to honor it. It was cruelly ironic.

Thank you, Quiero.

She took the small box from him and opened it. Her eyes widened at what she found inside.

Quiero, it...it can't be...

She carefully removed the thin slips of paper from the box, letting the faint moonlight shine on the flower pressed between them. It was not a particularly rare flower; they grew everywhere, even now. Still, it was one of a kind.

"Do you recognize it?"

Of course! We were so young...we'd only met days earlier. I didn't know anything about boys back then, so I gave you some flowers that I'd picked in the fields. You told me about how boys didn't normally receive flowers, and I was so embarrassed, but...you kept them anyway. Carried them with you all day. I never imagined that you kept one, let alone saved it for such a long time...

"It's been a hundred and four years since you gave them to me, and I've kept it with me ever since. I was so head-over-heels in love with you, even back then...I had learned how to press leaves and flowers when I was a kid, so I kept one. I'm as surprised as you that it's lasted this long, though."

Miyako looked up at her mate's face, tears glimmering in the back of her eyes. Why did you give this to me after all this time?

"I just thought that...since our time is running out...I thought that maybe you'd like a reminder of just how much time we've had with each other. I know that you have always been immortal, or at least so naturally long-lived that you may as well be, but...my people are not. Before I met you, I expected that I'd marry a human girl, and if I had, I'd probably have died of old age half a century ago. But with you...we've been together for longer than most of my people live their entire lives. I still wish that we could have more time, but...I just wanted to thank you for all the time you've given me, because it's much more than I ever expected to have, and I've spent it with the woman I love. From our first Christmas together...to the last. Thank you, Miyako."

After gently placing the flower onto the nightstand, handling it with extreme card, the princess pulled Quiero back into bed. I wanted to spend a thousand years with you, but it looks like that isn't going to happen. That doesn't matter, though. We've spent nearly all our lives together, and that's what counts. When the time comes, whether in a week or a millenium, we'll be going out together, and spending the rest of eternity in whatever world lays beyond ours. Quiero, I love you.

"I love you, too."

His hands slipped down to cup her bottom, but she stopped him with a light touch of telekinesis. She bit her lip and smiled apologetically. She hadn't planned to tell him yet...as much as she knew it would excite him, she also knew it would hurt him...but after the present he gave her, and the words he told her, she knew that now was the time.

"Is something wrong?"

No, no. It's just...I have a present for you, as well.

"Really?"

Yes, although I suppose you could say that you gave it to me. She smiled nervously, cuddling up with him, hoping he'd behave long enough for her to get this out. Sweetheart, have you ever considered how similar our lives are to the story of Christmas? Order from chaos?

He shook his head, not understanding. "No. How do you mean?"

We fell in love during a rather turbulent time. Our two kingdoms were just getting over a war that had killed millions...there was still fierce resentment between our peoples, and harsh resistance to the idea of Pokemon and Humans becoming romantically involved...the attack on the Memorial Tower nearly setting the war ablaze once again...and all that Kiako did to thwart us out of jealousy. Despite all that, we still came together. We forged our own destiny, reshaped two kingdoms...we stopped a war and unified the lands, partly because it was right to do so, but mostly just so we could live together peacefully and happily. We made order from the chaos that surrounded us as a gift to each other.

"I think I understand. What does that have to do with your gift, though?"

Miyako nearly trembled from her anticipation and nervousness, but managed to keep her resolve strong. Even if it might hurt him as much as it would please him, he had to know. She shouldn't have kept it from him for this long.

It's happened again, my darling, she whispered, looking into his eyes and blocking out the sounds of gunfire and monstrous roars coming from the castle town, apparently timing to ruin the moment as much as possible. Quiero didn't seem to notice them.

"I don't get what you mean..."

Despite all that's happened...the fall of our Kingdom, the deaths of so many Humans and Pokemon, the collapse of the world itself...it seems that a miracle has occurred. After so many years of trying, and so much surety that it was impossible, a miracle has finally occurred for us.

Quiero stared back at her, uncomprehending. He tried to prog her, tried to understand, but the Shadow's veil was hindering his abilities. Seeing his frustration, Miyako leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips, letting her mind speak instead. I'm pregnant, Quiero.

He was silent for a long moment, his emotions fluctuating over the bond wildly, ranging from joy to disbelief. While it had happened almost as long ago as the flower had been given to him, he had never forgotten. Exposure to the leaking radiation from the old Sunderer at the Memorial Tower had made him unable to give Miyako a child. After they'd mated, the doctors had told him that it was technically possible for it to happen, even after the accident, but that it was exceedingly unlikely. He was only mated to a deity, after all, not one himself. After a few years, he had given up hope. He and Miyako had been making love for over a century without any attempt at birth control, but no child had ever come of it. For this to finally happen after all that time...

"Are you certain?"

Positive. I even had the doctor check before we released everyone. I'm early along, but...I'm certain.

"I thought that...because of what happened back then...I thought I couldn't give you a child. Or at least the odds were so low that it may as well have been impossible."

I guess we were wrong. She winced at the frown on his face. Are you...are you happy?

"Of course! I'm just a little...blown away. A baby...after all these years of wanting a family...the start of a new life, and a new line of your kind. It's almost unbelievable. I'm so happy that...I can't find any words, Miyako! How? Why, after all this time?"

She smiled down at him, then rested her face on his chest just in time to hide the tears forming in her eyes. Unlike earlier, these tears were not of joy; she had to strain to keep her voice from breaking. He hadn't figured it out yet. Maybe it's a Christmas miracle, she said quietly. Order born from chaos. Something not even the Shadow could stop.

Quiero froze at that statement. All of his talk about this being their last Christmas came back to him, the words now fiercely bitter, and his excitement over the news turned into ice. "Miyako..."

I know. I know. I'm so sorry. This...it gives us even more to lose. She gripped him more tightly, finally letting her bottled-up worry flow freely through the connection, letting him see just how conflicted she was about telling him the news. While the pregnancy itself was able to occur, despite the Shadow's presence, it seems that the Demon is still going to cause our joy to become as corrupted as everything else. I'm sorry, Quiero.

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, Miyako. It is a miracle, and a blessed one at that. It doesn't give us more to lose. It gives us more to win. We can't give up hope, not now." He turned her face so she was looking at him, calming her concern with his determination.

The voice of a commander...or perhaps the voice of a king...now issued from his mouth.

"I could deal with my own death, if I had to. I've already lived longer than my original expiration date. And if both of us had to die, at least we'd be dying together instead of becoming one of those...things. But if we have a child coming...we have to find a way to survive this. I would give my life to protect you, but I will not allow that monster to take either of us now that I know about our child. We will find a way. We must. It's no longer about you and me anymore."

But how? Even my father may be killed by the Shadow. As strong as we've become, we're nothing compared to him. Even my brothers are stronger than us. What can we accomplish that they cannot?

"Don't worry about it. When the day is over, we'll go see Rayquaza...and ask for directions."

Directions to where?

"One of my ancestors risked his life, crossing a deadly wasteland, to purge the world of poison and bring peace to our two peoples. He went to a mysterious forest and met a Great One there, a god with powers beyond the gods we know of. We will do the same and try to rid the land of the poison currently infecting it." Quiero smoothed back Miyako's hair and managed a small smile. "We'll find a way. I promise. For now...let's just enjoy our peace and quiet while we have the chance."

The princess wanted to argue, but her mate's hand on her belly, gently stroking her skin and reminding her of his love, erased her worry from her mind and replaced it with relief. He was not hurt by the knowledge. He was strengthened by it. If anything could inspire them to heights great enough to conquer the Shadow and the chaos it was spreading, this was it.

His hand slipped lower, and the rest of her dire thoughts disappeared. She had her reason to believe. She had her reason to make this chaos turn into order. Not for herself, or even for the mate that even now was showing her his love...but for their family.

-----------------

Somewhere, sometime...

-----------------

Slash stood outside of the little camp, staring out at the ruins of Fallarbor. Flakes of ash rained down upon him, glassy and black and poisonous. Alone in the dark, he slid up his sleeve and stared at the dark lines that went from his fingertips and up to his first knuckle.

He knew what they signified.

For a moment the thought came back to him---the idea of simply giving up now, throwing in the towel, accepting his impending corruption and the horrible death that would soon follow. Leaving now would spare his friends...and his mate...a great deal of heartache and trouble. Perhaps even their lives. She would get over it. She was strong. She---

A small cry echoed from the camp. Cacnea needed to be fed.

The boy pulled his sleeve back down and headed back to the child. What was he thinking? He no longer had that option. It was no longer just about him, or even about his mate.

He had to stop the Shadow for all their sakes.

For their whole family.

Kissing Psymakio's sleeping cheek, he pulled the food from his pack and began feeding the child, feeling the strangest sensation of warmth, despite the fact that the early morning autumn air was as chilly as a winter's night.

Perhaps he wasn't so cold, after all.
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Shadows of the Night