Chapter 14

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="14800640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <B>Dark Reflection (Beginning):  </B><A HREF="dr_pro.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prologue"><U>Prologue</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 1"><U>Chapter 1</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 2"><U>Chapter 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 3"><U>Chapter 3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 4"><U>Chapter 4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 5"><U>Chapter 5</U></A></div> <div> <B>A Master in the Making:  </B><A HREF="mim18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 18"><U>Chapter 18</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 19"><U>Chapter 19</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 20"><U>Chapter 20</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 21"><U>Chapter 21</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 22"><U>Chapter 22</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 23"><U>Chapter 23</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 24"><U>Chapter 24</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id734.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 25"><U>Chapter 25</U></A>   |   <A HREF="mim26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 26"><U>Chapter 26</U></A></div> <div> <B>Dark Reflection:  </B><A HREF="dr6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 6"><U>Chapter 6</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr7.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 7"><U>Chapter 7</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 8"><U>Chapter 8</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr9.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 9"><U>Chapter 9</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr10.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 10"><U>Chapter 10</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr11.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 11"><U>Chapter 11</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr12.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 12"><U>Chapter 12</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr13.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 13"><U>Chapter 13</U></A>   |   <B>Chapter 14</B></div> <div> <B>Dark Reflection (Finale):</B>  <A HREF="dr15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 15"><U>Chapter 15</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 16"><U>Chapter 16</U></A>   |   <A HREF="dr_epi.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Epilogue"><U>Epilogue</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/oldnews.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Old News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/zrfic/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>My Fanfics</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/zrart/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>My Fanart</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/a-j/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Authors A-J</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/k-z/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Authors K-Z</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/art/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Fanart List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/ffsubmit.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Submit a Fanfic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/fanart_submit.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Submit Fanart</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub46.ezboard.com/beeveesmb" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub46.ezboard.com/beeveesmb"><U><B>Message Board</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethraltier/links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.fortunecity.com/zethralti"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Chapter 14</I></div> <div> <B>Dark Reflection: Chapter 14: Countdown to Disaster</B></div> <bR> <div>    "You know, I still can't thank you three enough for all you did for me yesterday." Destiny said as she watched Sani, Snow, and Star all eating their breakfast.  "Especially you, Star.  What we went through was pretty rough."</div> <bR> <div>     The three pokémon all insisted simultaneously that it was no problem.  "Yeah, we'd have all done it again." Sani added.  The Mew offered Destiny the rest of her food, "Are you sure you don't want something?"</div> <bR> <div>     "Yeah, I had my breakfast yesterday, and I'm still not hungry."  At that, Sani shrugged and finished off the rest of her meal.  Destiny took her phone from her backpack, "Well, I'm gonna call up the Dragons and tell them that we know where the last Orb is.  I'm sure Greg and Major Marlow will be happy to hear that!"  Dialing the number for the Dragon base in Garnet Town, Destiny waited for someone to answer.  A moment later, Peter Connolly appeared on the other end of the phone.</div> <bR> <div>     "Destiny!" Connolly exclaimed, seeming more cheerful than usual.  "Greg's been waiting for your call.  Have you had much progress?"</div> <bR> <div>     "Yeah, I guess, but I got bad news too.  The Rockets managed to get the third Orb instead of us.  We're hoping to get it back eventually, but for the moment we'll just have to forget about that one.  The good news is that we know where the fourth Orb is and we're just about to go get it."</div> <bR> <div>     "Where is it?" Connolly inquired.  "There might be some agents nearby that can help you."</div> <bR> <div>     "It's supposed to be in Rainbow Cove.  Tell Greg that I called, and tell him to get the Dragons ready for a final offensive!  Things are probably going to start getting sticky from here!"</div> <bR> <div>     "I'll do that," he assured her.  "Connolly out."</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny put away the phone, and glanced back at her friends, who had just finished breakfast.  "Okay, girls and Snow.  It's time to go."</div> <bR> <div>     Sani pointed at something behind Destiny, "Uh, looks like we have company!"  Destiny spun around to find Mewtwo landing on the ground directly behind her.</div> <bR> <div>     "Finally, I have found you!"  The clone said, sounding pleased.</div> <bR> <div>     "What do you want?" Destiny growled.  "I hope you don't expect us to trust you after the welcome we got at the Forest Temple."</div> <bR> <div>     "I was not the one who betrayed you to the Rockets," Mewtwo insisted.  "You have to listen.  There's a traitor among the Dragons, and he's been telling Giovanni your location whenever he gets the chance.  You must not contact them or your mission will be compromised!"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny winced, "Well, if you're telling the truth, then I hate to tell you, but you're too late.  I just called in a minute before you arrived."</div> <bR> <div>     "No..."  the superclone looked shocked.  "I hope for all of us that the traitor has not yet learned where you are going."  Suddenly, Mewtwo's wrist vidphone beeped.  Motioning for silence, Mewtwo activated it.  "Yes, what do you want?"</div> <bR> <div>     "Connolly's reported in again," Destiny heard Giovanni's voice saying.  "Meet us back at Jade City.  We're going to finish this like we meant to in Peridot Forest!"  There was a click, then Mewtwo looked up at Destiny with panic in his eyes.</div> <bR> <div>     "Go, like he said."  Destiny quickly told him.  "Stall if you can.  They're going to be headed for Rainbow Cove, but we'll try to get there before you do."</div> <bR> <div>     "Hurry," Mewtwo said.  "It will not take long for us to follow!"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny shook her head as the clone shot up into the sky, "Just when I thought we were ahead of the Rockets again, something like this just had to happen.  Come on, Star, Sani.  We've got to get to Rainbow Cove before they do!"</div> <bR> <div>     {Don't forget about me!} Snow added.  {I've come this far; I might as well stay with you.}</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny grinned, "Well, what are we waiting for then?  We've got an appointment to keep with the last guardian!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     The last temple wasn't hard to find at all.  It stood beside the shores of Rainbow Cove; a tall tower that overlooked the waters.  There were no doors, but a winding staircase wrapped around the outside of the tower, leading to the roof.  As Sani, Snow, and Destiny set down on the flat top of the tower, Destiny couldn't help but take a quick moment to admire the beautiful scenery of Rainbow Cove, which was marred only by the fact that the Rockets were already on their way.</div> <bR> <div>     "This is it, Dest," Sani said, pointing to a star pattern on the floor that originated from a small star-shaped depression.  "That's gotta be where you put the pendant for this place.  Go on and do it before anything else happens!"</div> <bR> <div>     "Yeah," Destiny agreed, taking the pendant from around her neck.  "Well, here goes everything."  As she set the star-shaped piece of metal in the depression, the jewel in the center glowed brightly.  A moment later, the sky started to darken as clouds covered the sun.  "You know, it looks like it's going to rain now..."</div> <bR> <div>     "That would be just our luck," Sani grumbled.</div> <bR> <div>     As Destiny had said, a light sprinkling of rain started to fall.  Suddenly, a shaft of light broke through the cloud, aiming directly for the brightly glowing pendant.  The light caused a rainbow to form in the gentle rain, and Destiny smiled.  "I guess we know how this place got it's name now."  The light intensified, and the clouds vanished.  A high-pitched cry split the air, and a huge red, yellow, and green bird swooped down through the rainbow, and hovered in front of them.</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny had no idea what species of pokémon the guardian was, but Sani seemed to.  Her jaw open in shock, the Mew walked slowly toward the bird.  "I...  I don't believe it!  You're Ho-oh, aren't you?!"</div> <bR> <div>     "That is correct, my little friend."  Destiny blinked.  From what she could tell, the bird had just spoken, and not in a pokémon language.  As the bird continued, she realized that like Lugia and Mewtwo, this pokémon could speak psychically.  "I am Ho-oh, the rainbow bird, and I congratulate you for getting this far.  I am the last of the guardians that you need to find.  All the others have now been found.  All that remains now is for you to claim my Orb, the Orb of the Sky, and hurry back to the Linkway, where you must put the Orbs to use."</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny frowned, "There's a problem, though.  The Rockets have one of the Orbs."</div> <bR> <div>     "Then you must find a way to regain control of the Orb.  If an evil person enters the Sealed Chamber, it is almost certain that great destruction will follow.  Only a person who can see the truth, despite appearance, will be able to master the real power."</div> <bR> <div>     "We'll just have to get our Orb back, then," Sani said.  "We started this quest to save this world from the Rockets, and that's just what we're going to do!"</div> <bR> <div>     "Then, since you are determined to see this mission to the end, I give you your final Orb, the Orb of the Sky!"  Another beam of light lanced down from the sky, then seemed to coalesce into a small sphere, which floated in front of Destiny.  She reached out and pulled a golden Orb from the center of the light.</div> <bR> <div>     "But why are you giving this to us without a battle?" she asked.</div> <bR> <div>     The Ho-oh nodded at the sphere in Destiny's hand.  "As your hunt began when you met with Lugia, so shall it end here.  My Orb is given freely, now that you have found all the others."</div> <bR> <div>     {Good,} Snow broke in.  {Now that that's over with, I suggest we get out of here.  I think I just spotted the Rockets coming in from the south and I don't want to wait around to see if I'm right!}  Destiny and Sani both turned to find a bunch of tiny dots on the horizon, rapidly getting bigger as the blimps came closer.</div> <bR> <div>     "Your Pidgey friend is right," the Ho-oh agreed.  "You should go now, and avoid a confrontation if at all possible.  I must go now, but as the other guardians have done, I too wish you luck.  Hopefully all our wishes come true."  Flying higher, the rainbow bird circled around the tower and shot back towards the clouds.</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny heard a whirring sound, then a helicopter flew directly overhead to hover above them.  Before the aircraft even started to descend, Rockets were already jumping out of it, using jetpacks to slow their descent to the ground.  Destiny quickly recognized Domino as the leader.  "This is the end of the line for all of you," the Rocket told them.  "Now hand over that Orb and surrender, before we have to make this difficult for you!"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny shook her head, "Haven't you learned anything by now?  There's no way that we're going to just give up!"  She turned to her friends.  "Come on, Sani, let's get out of here."</div> <bR> <div>     "You aren't going anywhere!"  Destiny looked up at Giovanni, who was standing on his helicopter's observation platform with Mewtwo beside him.  "Go on, 009, stop wasting time and use the weapon!"</div> <bR> <div>     Domino grinned wickedly, "Your wish is my command!"  Aiming one of her black tulips at Sani, Domino fired off a white sphere, which Sani quickly dodged.</div> <bR> <div>     "If you think that I'm just going to stand still and let you hit me with that anti-psychic thing again, you've got another thing coming!"  To punctuate her sentence, Sani tossed a Shadow Ball at the Rocket, bowling her over.  Jumping back to her feet, Domino unleashed a torrent of energy spheres, but Sani managed to dodge every one of them.  Finally, Domino threw her tulip down in disgust as it ran out of power and refused to fire off another shot.</div> <bR> <div>     The Mew laughed, "You know, you're an awfully bad shot.  Can't you do any better?"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny glared at her friend, "Come on, Sani.  Stop wasting time and teleport us out of here!"</div> <bR> <div>     Two things happened then.  A beam of light erupted from a small round bump on the bottom of Giovanni's helicopter and crashed into Sani, throwing her to the ground and knocking her out.  A split second later, Destiny and Snow both vanished.</div> <bR> <div>     Domino walked up to the unconscious Sani and roughly picked her up by her tail.  "Ha!  What do you think of that, you insolent fuzzball!  I'm not the only one with the anti-psychic weapons.  Now you're a prisoner of the Rockets!"</div> <bR> <div>     Giovanni scowled down at his agent, "Never mind that!  Where'd the girl go?!"</div> <bR> <div>     "It appeared that the Mew managed to teleport her away before the weapon's effects blocked her psychic powers," Mewtwo suggested.  "But she was unable to save herself."</div> <bR> <div>     "Yeah, that's what it looked like, boss," Domino agreed.  "Talk about luck, though."</div> <bR> <div>      Giovanni considered that for a moment, "I suppose we'll hunt her down eventually, but, for the moment, I am quite satisfied with this prize!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     Destiny reappeared on a road.  She had no idea which road it was, but she supposed that any road would be preferable to where she had been.  She turned around, expecting to find Sani, but the Mew was nowhere in sight.  She did see Snow, however, and the Pidgey seemed as disoriented as she was.  {Exactly what just happened?}  Snow asked, glancing around.</div> <bR> <div>     "I don't know," Destiny told the bird.  "Sani must have teleported us here, but I would have thought that she'd have followed us if she had.  I don't see her anywhere, though!"</div> <bR> <div>     {Well, hold on a minute and I'll see if I can fly up and spot her.}  Snow flew up above the treetops, circled a few times, then came back down and landed in front of Destiny.  {Didn't see her.}  The Pidgey pointed with a wing, {There was a city over in that direction, though.}</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny frowned, "If Sani's not around, then that means she might be in trouble back at Rainbow Cove!  We've got to get back there!"</div> <bR> <div>     There was a flash of light a short Distance away from them, and Destiny turned to look, expecting it to be her friend.  To her surprise, it was not Sani, but Mewtwo.  "Your friend was captured," he immediately said.  "I was able to teleport you to safety when Giovanni used another psychic-blocking device, but I couldn't teleport Sani through the beam.  They think that she teleported you away before the beam hit her, so they don't suspect me."</div> <bR> <div>     "What?  Another weapon?  Sani's been captured!?"  Destiny took a step back, trying to take in what the superclone had just told her.</div> <bR> <div>     "Yes!  She's been captured and now Giovanni is going to be looking for you!  There's no way that you'll be able to rescue her, though.  She's too heavily guarded.  You have to go on without her.  Take your Orbs to that secret temple and do whatever you need to do with them!"</div> <bR> <div>     "But how did you know about the --"  Destiny smacked her forehead, "Aw, that's right...  Connolly must have told you guys everything."</div> <bR> <div>     Mewtwo nodded, "If by everything you mean the secret temple in the Granite Mountains and the fact that you came from another dimension to destroy the Rockets, then yes, he did."</div> <bR> <div>     Snow stared at Destiny, {You came from another dimension?  Wow!  That's awesome!}</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny motioned for the Pidgey to be silent.  "It's horrible, that's what it is!  If Giovanni knows about the temple, then he can get into my world!"</div> <bR> <div>     "Not yet," Mewtwo told her.  "His agents haven't found the entrance yet, but they will in time.  You might be able to finish this quest before he gets a chance to stop you!"</div> <bR> <div>     "Not without the Orb of the Forest, or had you forgotten that Giovanni still has it?"</div> <bR> <div>     The superclone was quiet for a moment.  "Perhaps I can get the Orb to you.  I might be able to get it away from them long enough for you to use it.  In the meantime, you should get to the temple and get everything else ready.  Timing may be critical and I want everything ready for me when I come!"</div> <bR> <div>     "It'll take days for me to get to Granite Mountains without Sani!" Destiny reminded him.  "How do you expect me to get there?"</div> <bR> <div>    "I'll take you there, of course!"  Destiny suddenly found herself floating in the air.  "Show me the way!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     As Snow, Destiny, and Mewtwo reached the mountain with the secret temple in it, Destiny pointed down at the ground in dismay, "Look, we're too late!"  Mewtwo glanced down and saw what she meant.  A duo of Rockets were just coming out of an opening in the side of the mountain.  Before the Rockets could see them, Mewtwo teleported the three of them behind a nearby large boulder.</div> <bR> <div>     "They can't see me with you or they'll tell Giovanni that I've been working against him!" Mewtwo warned, as Destiny looked around the rock at the two gang members.</div> <bR> <div>     "Don't worry, I'll take it from here.  They have to have reported in by now, though."</div> <bR> <div>     "Then Giovanni will be on his way soon.  I'll get back to him and think of some way to get you the Orb."</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny nodded, "You just do that."  Mewtwo waved a hand and vanished.  Leaning around the rock again, Destiny watched the Rockets.  Snow fluttered up beside her and peeked around as well.  "What do you think?  Can we take them?"</div> <bR> <div>     {Yeah, probably.  Maybe Star can sing them a lullaby and put them all to sleep!}</div> <bR> <div>     "Hey, that's not a bad idea!"  Destiny took Star's pokéball from her belt.  "Let's see if we can do that!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     Peter Connolly grabbed his vidphone as it rang, glancing around to make sure no one was around.  There was only one person who would be calling him, and his present company wouldn't be happy if they knew he was plotting against them.  Satisfied that no one was nearby, he activated the device.  "Hey, Connolly here."</div> <bR> <div>     "It's time for that diversion you said you'd have for me, Connolly!"  The Rocket Boss looked pleased with himself.  Connolly soon found out why.  "We captured that girl's Mew, and my agents have just called in to say that they've found that secret temple.  You better be ready to keep the Dragons busy so that they can't help their friends!"</div> <bR> <div>     "Don't worry, I've got everything under control here.  The Dragons will never know what hit them!  I might need a quick ride out of here, though."</div> <bR> <div>     "Then proceed at once.  I'll send someone to pick you up."</div> <bR> <div>     "Will do.  Connolly out!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     Greg had his hand on the door of the mostly-repaired Garnet Town pokémon center when the whole earth seemed to shake around him.  Before he knew what was happening, he had hit the ground a good distance away from the building, which was now a mass of flames.  <I>A bomb</I>, he thought.  <I>Someone just bombed us!</I>  He got to his feet, feeling a surge of pain from the burns that now covered his face and chest.  He checked the sky for any sign that they were being attacked from above, but as another building exploded farther down the street, he realized what was happening.  <I>We've been sabotaged!</I></div> <bR> <div>     Realizing that both Officer Jenny and Major Marlow had both been in the pokémon center waiting for him to arrive, he ran towards the burning building.  Jumping between the jagged edges of the glass panels that had been blown apart, he squinted through the smoke trying to spot anyone.  Spotting Jenny a short distance away, he ran to her side and dragged her toward the door.  He had just managed to pull her free from the wreckage when the pokémon center collapsed, spraying him with more shards of glass and metal.  With his remaining strength, Greg managed to pull Officer Jenny clear of the wreckage, then fell to his knees, his senses swimming.  As he drifted into unconsciousness, the last thing he remembered seeing was the rest of Garnet Town in flames.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>     "Star, use your Doubleslap attack!"  As Star rushed at her opponent, a large Kingler that was more than a match for the poor Clefairy, Destiny wished that Sani was with her.  Star had tripped while trying to sneak up on the Rockets, alerting them to her presence.  Now Destiny was forced to try to beat them in a pokémon battle, but it wasn't going well.</div> <bR> <div>     It seemed like they were doomed to fail.  The Rocket's Kingler countered the Clefairy's attack with a powerful Crabhammer attack.  Star was flung back into Destiny's arms, knocked senseless.  That left Destiny with only one other pokémon.  "Snow, try a Quick Attack!"  The Pidgey darted at the crab pokémon, smashing into it hard enough to make it stop for a moment.  The Kingler blinked, then unleashed a Bubblebeam attack that knocked Snow out of the sky.  Turning sideways, the Kingler scuttled towards Snow and delivered another Crabhammer attack that sent Snow out of the fight as well.</div> <bR> <div>     The Kingler's owner leered at Destiny, "Ha!  How do you like that, girl!  I'm sure Giovanni would be glad to hear that we caught you!"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny returned Star to her pokéball and scooped up Snow.  "There's no way I'm going to let you capture me!"</div> <bR> <div>     The Rocket shook his head, "I guess I'll just have to put you on ice until he gets here, then!  Kingler, use your Icy Wind attack!"</div> <bR> <div>     Destiny looked around for a way to escape, but there was nowhere she could run.  Behind her was a steep ledge that she couldn't possibly climb down at a fast enough speed to get away from the Rockets.  She was trapped...</div> <bR> <div> <B>To be continued...</B></div> </td> </tr></table></body>