I think you're still in. Anyways, welcome back, FourCartridge! Also, welcome to all the new members ^_^ I was gonna post more on the story earlier, but I didn't have time to, sorry -_-
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Adjusting my grip on the icy cold feathers around Articuno's neck, I gulped and stared straight ahead, trying not to let my gaze drift downward.
"Woohoo! Look at how fast we're going!"
Luca was not helping. Being part fighting type, I was naturally afraid of heights, and being some four hundred feet above the ground was proving to be a... new experience.
Flicking a glance over to the ecstatic Luca, I smiled, happy that at least he was enjoying this. He was clutching Zapdos's spiky feathers, shaking his fist in the air every few seconds and quickly grabbing back on before he fell off.
"Excited?" I asked drily.
"You bet!"
"Why, exactly? You know we're going to go through some pretty big fights..."
Turning his head to me, he brushed back a strand of blond hair. "That's the fun of it! I mean, fights are, well, hard, but they're still fun! Besides, it's a big adventure. Haven't had one of those since a long time. And—ugh, can't get these stupid bangs out of my eyes..." Holding back his hair frantically, he finished with, "So yeah, it's gonna be awesome!"
"...You need to cut your hair."
Seeming somewhat disappointed at this response, he shrugged. "I like it the way it is. Shoulder length."
"Not exactly."
Twisting around, he fingered the ends of his hair. "True, it's more like... to the collar of my shirt."
Suddenly Articuno dipped a little, and I clutched on tightly, barely holding back a yelp.
"What was that?"
"Turbulence."
Not liking the hard feeling in my stomach at this word, I stared worriedly at Luca, on Zapdos, and Moltres, who was flying ahead, leading the way.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Luca asked.
Zapdos raised his head and observed the air. "Storm." He grinned wickedly. "I like me a good storm."
"Good?" Gulping, I took several deep breaths, trying to assure myself that the bird trio were strong enough to pull us through this storm. They were legendaries, after all. Hearing the low rumble of thunder only dissuaded me more from my plan of self encouragement.
As we flew on, the air grew darker, so gradually that it was only after an hour that I looked around myself in a panic. It was certainly unexpected. What was even more unexpected, however, was the crack, BOOM that flashed through the air, lighting up everything with a blinding flash. My eyes shut instinctively, and I held tightly onto Articuno as I could feel the wind starting to howl around us.
Opening one eye to check on Luca, I noticed that he seemed fine, other than the top of his head appearing slightly burnt. "How are you?"
"Oh, I'm feeling just fine, thank you. Would you like a cup of tea?"
"What?"
Even over the wind, which had now picked up considerably, and the rolling of thunder all around us, I could hear him chuckle.
"Never mind. 'S just that you sounded so formal with your 'how are you'."
Sighing, I said, "You okay?"
"Yep. That's better."
"Heh."
"But seriously, that lightning, it like tingles through your skin! It's so epic!"
"Not really for me..."
Taking a moment to think, Luca straightened up as he got it. "Oh, yeah, right! Steel conducts electricity."
I grimaced. This weather was not liking my typing.
So quickly I didn't have time to react, a mumbling rumble sounded, the forgoer to an earsplitting crack. Squeezing my eyes together tightly again, I shook my head vigorously to try to get rid of the red and white spots still dancing in front of my eyes.
"We need to get out of here!" I yelled at Articuno. He heard me, for he lowered his head and started angling downwards slowly.
I could hear an, "Aww, seriously?" from Zapdos as we descended.
"Listen, I know you're in your element there, but these guys..." Moltres drew up beside us. "Aren't."
"I gathered that much," Zapdos grumbled.
Faintly seeing the outline of the ground below, I was about to start being hopeful again when a pattering sounded. Curious, my ears perked up, and I studied the sky carefully, scrutinizing for signs of what had caused it.
A thunderous sheet of rain threw itself down upon us. It was even more sudden and quick than the lightning, and I was drenched in less than half a minute. All around us the grey streaks of rain shot down, and darkness pervaded.
Struggling to keep up, Moltres shouted, "I can't do well in this!"
"I know!" Zapdos yelled back, evidently still angry about not being able to stay in the storm. "You're fire type, we get it, make special amends for you..."
Unclenching my aching paws from the hold they had on Articuno's feathers, I flexed them several times before grabbing on again. This time I was surprised at how much heavier the feathers felt, and realized that the rain was weighing down Articuno. When I looked over to Luca and Zapdos I saw a faint yellow glow surrounding them, and, in observing Luca, I could see that he was on edge.
Rain, Zapdos... Luca... rain... water... Zapdos... electricity. Zapdos's natural electricity, the extra energy stored in his feathers, was zapping the rain around him, and therefore also shocking Luca!
"We need to land! Now!" I shouted over at them, feeling as if my words were being whisked away by the rain. They probably were. Zapdos caught enough snatches of them to figure it out, however, as he scanned the air around him before glancing at Luca. Slowly he began to dive, and I felt Articuno's wing muscles tense as he pulled into a spiraling descent.
That's when the thunder hit us. Even before it came I could feel the white hot heat, almost like anger, approaching. Then the electricity jarred into me, and I fell backwards.
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"Hey. Hey, wake up!" Disturbance stirred the blackness into motion, and I felt sick. Something prodded my side, none too gently, and I reached out a paw to lazily try to swat it away. Of course, I missed.
"Go'way leveme alowne..."
"Speak coherently."
"Wha... Who's this...?"
Finally deciding the repeated pokes were enough, I slowly rubbed my eyes and opened them to a tired sky.
"Oh, good, you're awake. I thought I was going to have to shock you."
Frowning at this, my head lolled over, and I took in a large shape, so yellow and bright it hurt my eyes.
"Oww..."
"Yeah, ow. You got hit by one nasty thunderbolt."
"Wuzza... a thunder?"
Pushing myself up unwillingly, I peered around, observing the place where we were. Luca and Articuno were huddled in a corner, speaking, while Moltres still lay unconscious on a rock.
What I had now identified as Zapdos followed my gaze. "Ah yes, that one. Tried to wake her up, couldn't."
"Her?"
"Y... eah. Her."
"M'kay..." Yawning widely, I got up and dragged myself over to Luca and Articuno. The cool grass felt soothing under my burning feet, and I gladly sat down next to them.
"Lucario! You're okay!"
Grinning at him, I answered, "Of course. I couldn't let myself get hurt, huh? A new evolution and no skill to come with it."
"So, where are we?" Articuno cut in. "I don't recognize this place."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Thunderbolt, shocked you all—not me, of course—collapsed, I managed to carry you all here." Strutting in beside us, Zapdos settled with a contented smirk.
"Wait, you carried all of us by yourself?"
"Well, I sort of pushed your fall towards this island..." Poking the dirt with a talon, Zapdos adopted a modest look in answer to my incredulity. "Still, something that took quite a lot of effort, so, eh..."
"Thank you," I answered quietly. This seemed to satisfy him, and he went silent.
"Do any of you recognize here?" Articuno asked, passing a gaze over each of us. Shaking my head, I watched Luca and Zapdos do the same.
"So—"
"Wait a moment." Moltres came stumbling over unsteadily to us, and she sat down heavily. "This looks... familiar."
"How? I don't think we've ever been here before..." Frowning, Articuno tilted his head. "Unless you're not telling us something."
Observing the island again, I saw the dismal gray that seemed to spread all throughout the relatively small place. There were only a few shriveled plants, and most of the place was solid, hard rock. There was nothing but cold sand until about fifteen feet in, and then, suddenly, a shock of thick wood. It echoed uninvitingly with strange whispers. The sad clouds above threatened to dump more rain, and the whole down, unsettling feeling gave the impression that the sun, or even any (normal) living creature, had not been here for quite a while.
"No, no." Moltres shook her head. "I recognize this place. This... is Mew's island."
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Yeah. Sorry if it's like, weirdly long ^_^; ...Geez, I worry about practically everything. Also, if someone doesn't like the legendaries' genders, I can change those. I know it's a well debated topic, that. Oh, also, on the subject of Luca's and Lucario's names, they're good, and they fit ^_^ They have the right kind of aura about them. I kinda forgot them though XP What were they again?