39Face to Face
8
His knees started to wobble, the 'illusion' of power got stronger as he stepped into the impending darkness. His ears lay flat against his skull, his tail moved of its own will to sit between his legs. His hair seemed to stand on end. 'This is only an illusion,' he repeated in his head, hoping to clam himself down. The waves of power seemed to secede as his thoughts grew louder. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Milotic hopped onto a crate, her dress flared around her. She plopped down; a soft hiss of air escaped her lips. "Darkrai, don't scare him." She giggled, her fan hiding half of her face.
A shadow separated from the mass of writhing forms in the corner. "Hello there." It seemed to hiss, the tendrils formed arms and legs. A mass of blacked faded to gray and then into a pure white. It waved in a silent wind that whipped around the form. The hands and feet were now defined a bit more, the classic Darkrai outfit appeared from the mist as well. A red eye glared at him through the shadows that still twined around it. It stepped completely out of the mass, a body clearly defined.
Shadows were the clothes that winded around it, its hair covering a part of its face; a stolid look defined it as well. The one blood red eye piercing him. Its mouth curved in a sinful smirk. "Who's this?"
"I-I am A-Arcanine." His voice stumbled and twisted unfamiliarly in his mouth, he choked out his words in a jumbled mess. He let out another breath. "I need your help to save a dear friend of mine; she's in deep shit right now." He ran his hand through his mane of fur, hoping to calm himself.
O-O-O-O
"Lugia!" Dustox waved her arms frantically, looking completely out of character. "Absol!" She called to the tall man.
"Yeah?" He spun on a dime; he looked so different.
His hair a bit more mussed, the purple streaks still ran through the snow-white background. His blade still wickedly curved. His clothes were more a bit mature. He wore black slacks with a black dress shirt; a pin of a paw print was pinned over his heart. A silver tie draped down from his neck. He wore that same coat; it was now a pristine white, as it had been cleaned fairly well. He wore plain black dress shoes. She could just barely see the outline of his tail, as he looked her in the eye.
His eyes pierced her soul like they used to, they hadn't changed one bit. They were still the bright crimson of fresh blood, glistening in the lights overhead. His aura was a bit warmer, not so cruel and unforgiving; maybe Lugia was to thank for that.
She turned her attention to her, taking the new person soak in.
Lugia had changed drastically. Her clothes were nothing like the boot and swimsuit routine she had been in before. A pair of white skinny jeans hugged her like a second skin, showing off her taught leg muscles. Her tail stuck out the back, the blue spikes lazily dropping to the floor. A T-shirt the color of the ocean adorned her, it also hugged her like a second skin; showing off the curves that she had grown in. Her back spikes poked through rips in the back of it.
Her grey hair was still short; it was now layered and looked charming on her. Her two blue horns held back some of hair as well. A bang went down the center of her forehead, adding a more adult look to her as well.
Her arms were still the wings they had been, her forearms covered in a small white jacket. Over her shoulder was a knapsack with a peculiar bulge in it.
"Dustox?" Her voice was musical, her eyes filled with a completely new light; she had grown a kind personality. Her grey eyes smiled at her. "It's been awhile." She took Absol's hand in her own.
"Yeah, how's Charizard? Still the boss?" His voice an even tone, just like it had always been.
"She's just fine, how're you guys? I haven't seen you since you left." Her voice held a little sadness to it.
"Well, Lugia and I got together." He winked at her.
Dustox chocked on air, "Aren't both of you under the age of four?" She gasped for breath.
"Yeah, but do I look like I'm four too you?" He had a point; he looked like a fit twenty-five year old. Lugia looked like a healthy twenty as well; she had grown quite a bit since she left. "We just decided together, it was just the right thing to do. She's always known me, and my life started when I met her, what more could I want?" His voice held softness to it; he directed it only to Lugia.
"So, is the Egg yours?" She brushed her hair out of her face, and put a hand on Wurmple's head.
"As a matter of fact," "Yes." Lugia finished for him. "I hope it hatches soon." She smiled a face-splitting grin.
"Me too, Babe." He smiled and clutched her hand. "Oh, tell Charizard I say hi, and that I want to join again; that is if she'll take me." With that, they seemed to disappear before her. She wanted to talk some more, know a bit more; tell them how much she had missed them.
"Dustox, are you Okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She sighed, and turned back to where she had come from, her phone in her hand.
O-O-O-O
"Zangoose!" Dragonair screeched.
"Huh?" He jumped up from where he had been sleeping, his hair in his face.
"We're late!" She pulled her own hair, her jumpsuit half on.
"Come on now, don't worry." He pulled on his jacket, his chest bare. He ran his claws through the tangled mess of red and white that was his hair.
"He's gonna be mad!"
"When has Togetic ever been mad?" He through his arm around her shoulder, kissing her forehead. "Don't worry, we'll get there." She blushed and pushed him away.
She finished dressing, her wings stretched out behind her. "It's been awhile since I did this." She focused her mind on moving her body from place to place, carrying Zangoose with her. In a flash and a quiet pop, they were now on top of a mountain in the distance.
"Ahh, you made it!" Togetic was sitting on a lone granite rack, his dark eyes smiling along with his wide mouth. "How was the trip?' He swung his feet beneath him.
Dragonair could only gape as tears filled her eyes. He looked a bit ragged, but he was still the same as he had been. She rushed him. "I missed you!" She screeched like the girl she was. "Y-you!" She held him in a crushing bear hug, refusing to let go. "I mifsefed who sooo mush!" (I missed you so much) She gasped through her tears; she had always been close to Togetic.
"Hey man, long time no see." Zangoose just gave a characteristic smirk of his. "Mind if I make you a dinner?" He started towards the forest for ingredients.
This was just like the old days, if only everyone could be there like it used to be.
O-O-O-O
"Typhlosion?" Charizard called quietly, his office light was dimmed. "You sleepin'?" She stepped into the room. She saw him passed out at his desk, paper work in piles around him. "You hate this, don't you?" She brushed the hair out of his face he looked so peaceful. He was the strongest person she knew; he was her love as well. "It'll end soon, we'll disappear once the Country is made; we'll live normally again." She made this whispered promise to him, wishing he would hear it in his dreams. She draped a blanket over him.
She sighed, life here was beginning to have more downs than ups, and she just wanted to live with her family in peace, not run a whole country in the works. She ran her hand through the mess on top of her head. "Its days like this that I miss them all so much." She sighed heavily, her breaths coming in hot puffs of steam due to her frustration and anger. "I need to train." She mumbled and padded down the hall to her room.
She pulled off her work clothes; the stiff monkey suit was shed and thrown into a corner. A looser, more natural, outfit replaced it. A pair of brown capris that tied around her shins and waist, and a yellow tank top that fit her like a second skin. Her wings flared in the back, they ached to fly once more. Her tail coiled around her body, she inspected her flame.
She stalked down the hall, down a few flights of stairs, and into the basement. She cracked her neck as she approached the punching bag.
She snapped her fist foreword; she liked the thud it made into the hard material. She whipped a high left kick in return. She gripped it with her tail and used her wings to bash it. She was furious, for no apparent reason, she just wanted to spill some blood and break a few bones. Her anger boiled over, all the other people who had been in the room slowly started to trickle out; the heat was unbearable to them. Her flames slowly rose form her skin, her tail flaring in her anger. Her horns stood at their full height, her hair rising on end from the power that coursed through her system. Her teeth elongated her skin took on a more dragon appearance and durability.
She punched the bag until dents formed, stuffing slowly falling to the ground with each hit; her tail blazed brightly. She gripped the bag once more; her head clashed into it and knocked it from the anchor that held it into the ceiling. Sh stood back and panted, she marveled at her work.
"I've still got it!" She wiped her forehead. "Next station." She turned to the weights, no one was left in the workout room turned sauna; she didn't mind one bit.
O-O-O-O
"Absol?" Lugia's voice broke the silence between them.
"Yeah?" His voice casual, not betraying his emotions like usual.
"What're we gonna do now? We did what had to be done before, now what? That's all." She stroked her Egg lovingly.
"I'm not sure, maybe go back to Charizard and they maybe go off on our own; I'm just not sure." He shook his head and sat down next to her, his arm winding around her torso. He nuzzled into her hair he loved her smell. "Just let me sleep right now." He wrapped his body around hers, she just molded to him, smiling kindly.
"Sure, sweet dreams." She patted his head, mindful of his horn.
"Night." He breathed out, her scent filling the air around him, it was intoxicating, and it was the best thing in the world for him when he was stressed like this. He closed his eyes and was taken away by it.
Hope you enjoyed! Please review, I love the reviews, they let me see how good or bad I'm doin! Also, special thanks to those who have read the first series and moved on to this one, thanks for your devotion! Hugs to you, and…. A plushy of your fav character!
O_X
Over and out!