Background Music

Chapter 4

So many questions pulsed through Kiera's mind as the Vulpix backed away from the unconscious Darkrai. Was the dark-type even alive? How did it get up there? Who and why did someone do this? WHAT had the power to do this? Were she and her friends in danger by being here? She turned to look back at her friends. Shiku's yellow eyes were round with surprise. Keegan's jaw dropped in shock, while Nola stood in a petrified stance. Kiera expected to see her friends' reactions mirrored on Rahms' face or for him to be dark with rage....but the Lucario did neither. He gazed up calmly, the corners of his mouth curling up in the slightest way. He's not surprised....because he already knew the Darkrai was like this! "Ah, looks like you've brought in a lively bunch this time, Rahms," a voiced cackled amongst the shadows of the trees. Kiera quickly whipped around to see the purple, ghostly form of a Haunter materialize in front of the Darkrai. "They'll do nicely for my collection," another voice agreed. The fur on Kiera's neck rose as a blue and gold coffin with four black hands lumbered out towards the purple ghost. Once the creature sat up, Kiera saw its red glowing eyes and realized that the coffin was actually a Cofagrigus. "I demand to know the meaning of all this!" snarled a voice from above. Kiera glanced up to see blazing, blue eyes shoot down a piercing glare full of hatred. So the Darkrai was alive after all, but judging from the pure spite boiling from his face, the Vulpix wasn't quite sure if she should find any comfort in this. "You're hardly in a position to be demanding anything," the Cofagrigus mockingly retorted. The Darkrai's eyes seethed with contempt as he angrily grinded his teeth together. "Now Noirus, is that any way to treat a guest?" Rahms asked with an incredulous tone that didn't sound quite sincere. "Especially when he's being so generous in giving us everything we want." "Giving is not the word I'd use," the Darkrai grated. At that moment, the dark-type's gaze shifted from Rahms to Kiera. He blinked, looking as if he hadn't noticed her presence before. "Really? Your bringing kids into this, now?" he scoffed. "Of course, they're a necessity," Rahms stated as if if should have been obvious. "We had to have something to counteract all the energy from your dark aura." The Darkrai's white brow raised. "Mind putting that in terms that actually make any sense?" he hissed. "Oh right," the Lucario sarcastically countered back. "I forgot I was speaking to the simple minded. I'll try dumbing it down for your sake." The Darkrai scowled, but obviously had nothing he felt like saying in response. "You see, I have discovered the where true power of aura lies," Rahms continued airily. "Not only have I discovered this phenomenal secret, but I've found that one's aura can be absorbed and transferred to a completely different pokémon. As you should be able to imagine, the combined forces of aura doubles the user's own power." The dark-furred Lucario stopped momentarily to look the Darkrai squarely I'm the eye. "Now, your aura is massively powerful, although not surprising, considering the fact that you're a legendary. Combining the power of your aura with mine would maximize my own until I would be near invincible. The only problem is with your aura is that it's too dark. Absorbing it alone would overpower the force of mine until it took complete control of my mind. Of course, being powerful doesn't do you much good unless you're actually aware of what you're doing. That's why I needed a sufficient amount of light aura to balance it out. And what aura could be lighter than the ones belonging to children?" "And you say my aura's dark," the Darkrai flatly muttered. Kiera indecisively glanced between the two pokémon. She wasn't entirely sure what aura was, but what she did know was that she probably needed it. "On second thought, I think we'll just go look for Maya by ourselves," the Vulpix piped up, trying to keep her fur flat as Rahms' head snapped towards her. Whatever trust she felt towards the Lucario before had dissolved away. Now, all that mattered was getting out of this danger ridden forest. "Um...you look really—busy right now." "Right!" Nola interjected, catching on. "And it's starting to get late, too." "Yeah! And...um... We still have to find Maya. So..." Kiera trailed off. "Oh, no," Rahms asserted. "I told you that my friends would look for her, and that excactly what they're going to do. But I doubt they'll have to look very long–" "You lost one of them?!?" the Haunter screeched. "Why I should–" "Calm yourself, Sarch," Rahms growled with a hint of annoyance. "Even if you can't find the last one, you'll still have five life forces left to eat. There's no need to overindulge yourself." It didn't take long for the newest arrivals to realize what this meant. "Y–You want to EAT us?" Shiku yelped. "But– I taste really bad! Like...really horrible, nasty stuff!" "It's true!" Keegan put in. "I've bitten him a thousand times, and he never once tasted good!" Loud cackling bellowed out from the Haunter. "I don't care what you're bodies taste like, I just want your life forces. I assure you, they all taste very delicious!" "But don't worry," Noirus quickly added. "I won't let your bodies go to waste. They'll make perfect decorations once I've mummified them!" The two ghost-types didn't even leave enough time for the full horror if the situation to sink in. They began to move forward with menacing slowness. Kiera backed away from the psychopaths as much as she possibly could, casting a frantic glance behind her. Rahms was blocking their only way to freedom, and it didn't look like he was planning to get out of their way any time soon....A crazy idea suddenly popped in the Vulpix's head. It would only work if she had the support of all her friends, but she had no time to try to explain it to them. The fire-type could only hope that they get the idea and would follow along. "EMBER!" the fox yelled as small bursts of flames shot out of her mouth. Rahms snarled in surprise as the fire struck his face. Tiny, golden stars careened into his side a few moment later, the result of Nola's Swift attack. Electricity crackled down the Lucario's legs, and sand was soon hurled into the attacked creature's eyes. "RUN!!!" Kiera pelted away, greatly relieved to hear paw steps answering her. Only the tiniest hint of satisfaction tugged at the fire fox. Her surprise attack had worked, and even stunned the Cofagrigus and Haunter as well! They were going to get out of here! Suddenly, something slender, long, and hard wrapped around her leg, slamming Kiera back into the ground. With a grunt of pain, she turned to see brown tree roots writhing and growing around her at an unnaturally fast rate. Panicked, she released another Ember, trying to reduce this weird plant to cinders. The flames had scarcely left her mouth before more roots entwined down her back and legs. They grew so thickly that she was completely immobile within a few moments, and the nearby yelps told the fox that her friends were trapped as well. Her fire wasn't fast enough to stop this strange growing force that seemed be a living thing. Then, leaves swirled wildly in the air as trees ahead of them leaned in with a creaking groan. The trees' movement didn't cease until they smashed into one other, forming a solid, impassible wall. No...the forest was alive! "Nicely done, Celebi!"