//-------------------------------------------------------// Among Legends -by SMWilde- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 There was a cold wind blowing across the side of Mt. Pyre. The craggy mountain side held little vegetation but paths could be seen winding up the side. On one path, a lone figure sat with his legs over the edge of the cliff. Below, a forest stretched out before meeting the blue waters of the ocean. But his eyes were turned upwards as he watched several large shadows darting in and out of the clouds. His grey eyes moved in time with the dancing shadows. He wore a grey button up vest and shirt combo with short sleeves and a black, thick coat with a tall collar. He had a dark blue scarf around his neck and wore grey cargo pants with hiking boots. His hands were gloved and his dark hair was slicked back. His trimmed beard covered most of his face which looked young save for three short scars that went down his left eye from his brow to his cheek. He leaned back and allowed himself to relax. He didn't get a lot of chances to do so. His friends were also relishing a chance to get out and fly or run around. He wasn't afraid of running into anything or anyone and just closed his eyes as he listened to the wind. But his time alone was to be cut short. "Hey!" The man opened his eyes as he turned to the source of the cry with a scowl. Standing on the path just a few feet from him was a Hiker. His sweater and vest barely contained his bulging belly and his hat seemed a tad too small for him. He jabbed his hiking stick into the ground and took off his large backpack. The man in the coat just sighed. "You a trainer?" The Hiker asked. The man hauled himself up and stared at the Hiker before nodding. The Hiker laughed before taking out three balls from his pocket. They were red on top and white on bottom with a bottom in between. "Then that means we get to have ourselves a battle." "No. It doesn't." The man said in a smooth voice that sounded older than he looked, "You don't want to have a battle with me. Trust me when I say that." "Ha! What are you? Afraid to lose?" The Hiker then threw down one of the balls which burst open in a flash of light and when it faded a rock appeared. But this rock was different, because it had arms and a face. The Pokémon known as a Geodude raised it fists high and let out its signature cry before taking a defensive stance, ready for his fist challenger. "Now it's too late to turn back!" The Hiker said with a laugh. The man sighed and reached into his coat. But instead of a ball, he pulled out a bell. He swung it gently on his finger and the melodious ring echoed over the mountain. At that moment, the wind completely stopped and several cries sounded, several came from above and a few from the forest below. They weren't like anything the Hiker had heard before and he looked around nervously. Suddenly a shadow fell over the mountain and the Hiker looked up with a horrified expression as a giant Pokémon landed on the mountain with an earth shaking thoom. It stood tall on four legs and was colored a deep blue with steel highlights. A bright diamond shone on its chest and it stared down at the trembling Hiker and his Geodude who was no longer acting all tough. Dialga rose on its hind legs and let out a roar that made the very air shimmer. It slammed back down and caused the Geodude to jump. Then two more shadows fell over the mountain as a large creature landed on the side of the mountain above the trainers. Its large wings were spread wide as Lugia let out its own cry. The other shadow stopped and hovered above the others. Kyogre circled above and growled at the Hiker. Then the Hiker noticed two dust trails in the forest below making a beeline towards the mountain. The first leapt up from the trees and landed next to the man in the coat. It was yellow with clouds on its back as it let out a bark like thunder. The Hiker recognized it as Raikou. Then the second one sped up the mountain and stopped next to Dialga. It was humanoid and colored red and blue with four slender arms intertwining like DNA. Deoxys stared with a cold gaze at the Hiker and his Geodude. But the show wasn't quite over as the Hiker noticed a black, spiraling hole appear behind the other trainer and a shape appeared colored in a shimmering purple as it formed wide black wings with spikes and a head adorned with a golden crown as Giratina stood behind his trainer on its six broad legs. The Hiker now found himself staring at six of the legendary Pokémon he had only heard of in campfire stories now facing him down expecting a battle. That's when it hit him: there were six of them, an entire team all at the command of this one trainer. "Who are you?" The hiker asked fearfully. "My name is Gray," the trainer replied, "and if you still want that battle you had better make a move." The Geodude thought his trainer would have to be insane if he thought it was going against those legends. It turned around and bolted down the path, using its arms to propel itself. The Hiker also turned and ran, "Wait for me! I'm not going against them alone! Not like this!" Soon both Pokémon and trainer had disappeared around the mountain and the six legends relaxed. Gray felt their presence in his mind as they spoke. "Well that was entertaining." Dialga said first off. "Indeed," Lugia said as it slid down the mountain next to Gray, "That man wasn't bothering you, was he?" "We can chase him down if you want?" Raikou asked excitedly. "No no," Gray said, "He was just looking for a fair battle." "Well apparently he didn't think going against the six of us was fair in any sense," Kyogre said, "Pity." "Yea and I was hoping we would actually get to have a battle for once." Giratina said in a disappointed tone. "We will. I promise." Gray said as he laid a hand on one of his friend’s legs. "Hmph" was all Deoxys said before flying away from the mountain towards the ocean. "Come on," Raikou said, "We found a place for us to make camp for the night. It's on the beach." "Okay good. Take me there." Gray said before Giratina lowered its head down to allow Gray on. Gray sat on the top of Giratina's head and held on as the renegade Pokémon took off on its wide wings. They followed the others to the beach and landed on the white sand disturbing several Krabbys who scuttled away to a safe distance. Both Kyogre and Lugia dove into the surf as Gray slid off Giratina's head. He reached into his coat and pulled out a tarp, bundled up and tied with rope. He unfurled it and laid it on the sand far enough from the tide. Then, while everyone was getting settled, he walked along the beach collecting driftwood. He brought it all back and piled it all up. Once he was satisfied, he turned to Raikou, "Would you mind lighting the fire?" Raikou nodded and slowly began to light up with sparkling electric power before sending a small spark into the pile of wood. It sparkled into a small flame before flaring into a full fire. As the sun set, the colors of the flame danced across the sand and cast long shadows from the legendries over the landscape. The ocean water lit up with red and orange as the song of the surf played on into the night. As the legends and their trainers settled down, other Pokémon began to come out of hiding. The Krabbys returned and scuttled around the beach and Burmys began to burrow out of the sand. They moved closer to the fire and enjoyed the warmth. Gray was eating from a bag of various fruits when he noticed the Pokémon approaching. A small smile appeared on his face as he reached into his coat and pulled out another bag, this one filled with poffins. He set it down and pulled out three pink poffins and set the small squares down on the sand. The Pokémon slowly approached and after smelling the poffins, each took a small bite from the squares and enjoyed the sweet flavor. By the time Gray had laid down on the sand a number of Pokémon had appeared and were enjoying the time spent with him and the legendries. Pichus and Togepis played around the great head of Giratina who watched with a smile in his eyes. Marills and Wailmers and other water Pokémon swam around Lugia and Kyogre while Wingulls and Pidgeys roosted next to the sleeping Raikou. Gray closed his eyes and tried to relax but his mind was restless and his friends knew it. "Gray? What are you thinking about?" Lugia asked. "It's nothing. I was just wondering if there are any better ways to teach you all than this." "You're doing fine Gray. It isn't your fault." Dialga said in a reassuring tone. "I've just been wondering," Gray said, "is what it would be like if we ended up in a place that had no Pokémon or trainers or anything like that." There was a moment of silence as the legends all pondered this notion. "It would be an interesting thing to experience," Giratina said, "but we have no way of traveling to such a world." "Yea," Gray said solemnly, "I guess you’re right." "Still," Giratina said again, "It might just be the thing we're looking for to find our way again." The other legends all agreed save for Raikou, who was asleep, and Deoxys, who said nothing. While Gray thought that his idea was a good one, he knew that there was no way to do it. He knew of no Pokémon that was able to travel to another world. However, he was wrong. For there was such a Pokémon and it had been listening in on them the entire time. It watched from just inside the trees, darting in and out in a green flash. From the trees, a young Celebi watched with curiosity. It had heard of their wish to go to a world without Pokémon and it smiled when it realized it knew of world just like that. It was completely different from theirs and would do perfectly. But before it could transport them, it had to put the other legends to sleep. So it plucked a blade of grass and placed it between its hands and began to use it as a whistle. The melody danced in the air and slowly began to lull the legendary Pokémon and their trainer to a peaceful sleep. Satisfied with its work, Celebi flew out and stopped in the middle of the group. It closed its eyes and concentrated hard, levitating the group into the air and enveloping them in a bright green glow. The wind swirled and whipped the sand up as the other Pokémon fled the beach. With a cry, Celebi unleashed its power and in a flash......they were gone. The other Pokémon who watched the marvel all stared in confusion. Several began to panic but one Pokémon, a Nuzleaf, ran over to Wingull began to speak to it, ordering it to do something. The Wingull nodded and flew off, letting loose a cry wherever it went, spreading the word of what just occurred. Far away on another world in a forest filled with thick and menacing trees a flash of green lit the early morning sky. In a town with odd buildings, strange creatures woke up to witness the spectacle. And in a cottage on the border of the forest a rabbit was desperately trying wake up a yellow Pegasus, who shook herself and asked her friend what was wrong when she saw the light coming from the forest. Deep in a clearing, seven forms appeared on the grass, sleeping silently. One of the larger ones woke up and after adjusting its vision, noticing something was wrong immediately. It raised its golden head and noticed the others were waking up as well and finding themselves in a different place. Giratina slowly bent down to where Gray was still asleep, "Gray..." The trainers grey eyes flew opened and he was up and alert. He looked around at the strange surroundings and knew that this wasn't their world. "Oh no..." He said. Giratina nodded, "I don't think we're in Hoenn anymore."