I'd like to join the raid battle!Username + ID: Westsparrow #951487
Archive: XMYO choice: Raikou! (Spaceworld version)
Prompt:Donovan stands on the precipice of a ledge, looking up at the shadow that falls over him. He looks to his side, where a curious bunch has joined him. Four others, a belledam, an absol, a zorua, and a rookidee.
"You're here for it too, right?" The absol asks.
Donovan nods, "a great shadow has fallen over the land. We need to defeat it before it becomes a greater issue."
The rookidee nods. "You said it."
"You four don't strike me as the type to fight." Donovan says, observing the odd group.
"That's because we're not!" The zorua exclaims. "We're going to try to talk to-" she is immediately quieted by the ringing of a bell as the belledam whips its tail into her face.
"What she means to say," the strange bell-tailed pokemon says, "is that we are simply here to observe."
"We are not-" The rookidee starts, but one glare from the absol shuts him up.
Donovan sighs. "This is goodbye, strangers, I must take to the skies to take it down."
"No!" He hears the absol yell.
Intending to take no notice of such warning, he opens his wings to fly, but the sky opens up in a crack of thunder as the strange shadow shifts and immediately at such a sound, he snaps his wings shut and immediately backs away from the ledge.
"I-" he glances back at the group of strangers. "Ok, I'll hear you out."
The rookidee steps forward with puffed feathers. "Yes yes, most certainly! My name is Oscar the great,"
"Just call him Oscar." The absol mutters.
"-And I command this group!"
The absol is next with a sigh, "my name is June, and this is Elaine." They gesture toward the zorua who smiles brightly.
Finally, Donovan looks to the most peculiar of the group.
"I am Nyx. Child of the night," the belledam says with a formal nod in greeting. "Nice to meet you."
Okay, so this is possibly the strangest company I could've ended up with in this battle… Can I even call it such? Donovan finds himself thinking.
He nods politely and decides to introduce himself.
"I am Donovan, adventurer, traveler of lands."
The rookidee shakes his head as if in disbelief.
"Wait wait wait,
the Donovan?!" He asks with an excited twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes." Donovan simply answers.
"No way no way no way!" Oscar starts bouncing excitedly as his company watch him with exhausted expressions that indicate this is normal behavior.
"Aaand, who exactly is this guy?" The absol, June, asks with an observing gaze.
"He's super famous!" Oscar exclaims. "We should totally let him fight the shadow himself, we've got front row seats to the coolest battle ever!"
Donovan hadn't the heart to speak of his fear of flying in darkness, not right now.
"We are not doing that," Nyx shuts down this notion immediately. "The night said we must speak with the shadow, that we would find something unexpected in the darkness. Nothing will come of fighting."
Oscar deflates completely in defeat and exaggerated sadness. "Ok fine, whatever your stupid 'night' says."
"Very well then," Donovan says. "If you are here to speak to it, then speak. We don't have all night."
It is Nyx who nods and takes a step forward.
"Great shadow, do you hear me?" They call into the darkness. "We only wish to speak with you."
Something shifts in the darkness, and the shadows take a form as the massive figure approaches.
Everyone takes a step back as a massive gust of wind created by the flap of giant wings almost sweeps them off their feet, Oscar in particular clings desperately to June's arm in a desperate attempt to keep from being blown away.
The grand figure that emerges from the shadows stares down at them. "Who dares ask to speak?" Rumbles the voice. "All have come here and all have wished to fight me. Why do you, normal ones, wish to speak?"
"We- we want to ask you something!" Elaine exclaims, taking a confident step forward. Donovan watches as the others, too, follow her confidence and step forward.
"What is it, small one? Perhaps I will spare time to listen."
"Do you truly wish to battle others? Or do they simply assume you're looking for a fight?"
The shadow is silent for a moment. Donovan wonders if this is surprise or shock, or perhaps both or neither.
Then, the legendary shadow speaks. "You ask such a question with such confidence. How?" Then, it answers. "You are right in a way, I came to this land to observe and nothing more. Yet to those who reside here believe I am inviting them to fight and since my arrival in this land i have been continuously challenged by young adventurers seeking any opportunity to test their power against a legendary being."
"Then why do you not leave this land?" June asks.
The shadow answers, "perhaps you may say I grew to enjoy being approached by challengers. They do not bother me, I simply allow them some time to face my power, and when they are defeated, they leave. Many have thanked me for offering them a fair fight. Those who live here, they are kind regardless of what it may seem."
The shadow lifts up a glowing stone, and tosses it down to the group. It lands at the feet of Nyx.
"Take this and speak as if you have defeated me in battle and this is what you received for your victory. I have no need for such an item." The shadow says.
The belledam looks at the gift from the legendary, then looks back up. Donovan thinks, this may be the first time he's seen the strange pokemon smile.
"I will be taking my leave soon and I feel as if you all are the ones most worthy of claiming my defeat." The shadow tells them.
"Thank you kindly." Nyx says. "And, please, do tell the Moon that I give my best wishes."
The shadow blinks, then there's a chuckle. "A child of the Moon, hm? I will be sure to pass on your message."
With that the strange shadow disappears into the night with a final gust of wind.
Nyx turns to Donovan, then, with a nod of aknowledgement exchanged between the entire group, they pick up the stone and hand it to Donovan.
"Here," they say. "You should be the one to claim this victory to fame. We've completed our task and gotten our answer, we have no need for monetary items."
Shocked, and without words, Donovan can do nothing but watch as the odd group leaves, Elaine smiling, and Oscar waving goodbye from his perch on June's back. Nyx turns back to Donovan one last time.
"May we meet again, traveler of worlds."
Donovan nods. "Likewise, child of the moon."
(1148 words)
