PKMN Cc- Cold Moon 4 Hard Truths

Everything was muffled, dark and icy cold… But she was alive. That final farewell thunder howl from him had somehow snapped her out.

The last of the horrific memories, thoughts and feelings swimming clear of her mind as the sound of distinct fighting was cushioned by the ringing of her ears.

“On yer feet! C’mon Frida!” Muffled voice, gruff, grating and harsh from years in the wasteland and radiation exposure.

A pair of hands, one cold metal, the other covered by a fingerless glove grabbed her forearms and pulled her from her stupor.

“Thas a lass! Wakey wakey, the junkers are gettin emselves worked into fits wi’out you”

Her vision finally cleared of the dark swirls and blurriness. She was looking up into Griffa’s dirt covered face. The Griffa smirked at her, looking honestly relieved to see she was still kicking.

“Wotcha Gaffer” she rasped, throwing her arms around the wastelander glad to see them.

Mandrake stepped out of a golden glowing hoopa hole behind Griffa. Several dirt covered trainers following. Frida felt a pang of familiarity as she saw these faces…

She was dragged out of her thoughts and almost bowled over by Asgard, the gold thundurus bounding to her side and nuzzling against her instantly.

‘I heard you, I could hear you calling me out of that nightmare… you sounded so afraid, sod that horrible creature, calling me a coward…’

She rested her head against Asgard’s.

“You brought me out of it too old boy…. You, Asura and Fleetfoot”

‘Fleetfoot’s… that’s impossible’

‘Wrong darling, negative emotions can often have powerful allies attached to them’ she and Asgard were swallowed up by the many Arms of Asura the Hoopa unbound Mega Mawile.

“I’m glad to ave the three of you then '' mental and emotional battles had never been her forte, she preferred a fight where she could sock her opponent should they upset her.

Griffa cleared their throat, gestured to the trainers that had accompanied Mandrake from the hoop hole.

Mandrake quietly sideyed Griffa, somewhat glad they had been absent from the Mespirit’s enslaught, something concerned him about them- he was struggling to read them.

“The laddo Weaton found these lot wandering about and fetched em to me… somethin about a list?”

Frida’s face lit up in recognition.

The four blood moon workers looked a little older, more worn out, with a few new scars each and covered in dirt. But Frida recognised them.

She held her arms out and the four trainers came toward her to embrace their old admin.

“Admin Oroborus!”

“I thought Cecil had nuked you guys!”

“We thought he’d killed you!”

“Nah im still kicking… got back to the Junkers, ahm just ere fer the people” she beamed.

“So we’re gonna side with you now…” Lucky Jack said fiddling with with a second sunset sarsaparilla bottle cap necklace.

She didn’t blame them. Everything was chaos. The Junkers had been rescuing blood moon workers from the firing lines, healing up those they found that had been injured much to the apparent disgust of several caverns trainers… which was met with equal altercation, they were all trainers stuck in the middle of a war between two god like Pokémon regardless of “whose side” people were supposed to be on people were getting caught in the crossfire.

—

Frida strode back to the other messengers, she warned the blood moon workers following her to stay back on the grounds this would probably get tense. She left them with Asgard, Asura the two Pokémon took the trainers to find Griffa and her friends.

Her face clearly not impressed with what was going on how the situation was going.

“We need to start gettin’ people out of here” she said firmly.

“No we cant leave Cresselia” pleading.

“This is putting so many people in unnecessary danger! Look around this area is gonna be an irradiated zone in no time!”

“We cant just abandon Cresselia… just because you want to piss off home”

“Listen to yourselves! We’re takin losses on both side because of them two!” She pointed to the roiling clouds above which occasionally flashed with red and blue as the two legendaries clashed.

Frida paused thinking, how could they get out of this? How could they save as many on both sides…

“If anything we need to get our injured out and start trying to plan how to subdue the two idiots up there!”

“What and let the blood moon workers slit our throats”

“Arceus sake listen to yourselves!…. “

“They chose the wrong side…. It sounds like you did as well!”

Frida gritted her teeth.

“Maybe I did” she hissed.

Griffa cleared their throat loudly. They needed to diffuse this situation pronto.

“In the 50 years Griffa as bin in the wasteland….” This number was met with hushed whispers. Frida flinched awaiting the inevitable shout of disbelief or questioning.

“Griffa asn’t sin a battle this big or this destructive… ah saw Tryant battle another alpha ONCE feight lasted two whole days and in the aftermath two wasteland cities were added ta the irradiated zones…. But this, nah this is the equivalent of god beins feighting Griffa is onestly worried about ‘ow big this danger zone can get”

“Whatever plans you lot ave you need ta agree an make em fast…. Those two ave been scrapping in the clouds fer a while”

—

A sudden explosion rocked the very core of the battle making everyone halt, some trainers nearly falling. The sound Griffa recognised was clearly from a weapon of some kind. Or at the very least something man made.

Everyone seemed to gasp in shock and horror at the sight of Cresselia falling from the heavens lifeless. Darkrai followed cackling with glee. Mespirit manifested in the spot where the pair were to land. Something manifest from the shadow beneath the metallic unnerving Pokémon. It turned to the trainers.

Griffa frowned at it, having not seen this creature before but hearing of it’s torment. Mandrake manifested many eyes on his mane alarmed by the presence of this equally powerful psychic Pokémon.

‘Uxie will reveal secrets known and kept close on both sides…. It will be your free choices who you follow afterwards, perhaps then we can be allies?’ It tilted its head unnervingly.

They shot a side eye at Frida, who for the briefest of moments seemed to nod.

Shadows and tainted crystals bound Cresselia. Mespirit summoned chains, Azelf summoned Obsidian pillars to further encase the blue moon legendary, ceasing all of its movement.

Darkrai paced (well hovered) around his counterpart.

Frida felt no pity. She avoided looking at Cresselia, her glare fixated on Darkrai.

‘Like my new toy? State of the art, chefs kiss’ he made an okay gesture with a claw. The gesture was far too normal and human for such a creature.

‘It’s bloody brilliant to be able to manufacture these bad boys again…. I was going to suprise you in your “purified zone” but seeing you get first taste personally will be so much sweeter’

A shadow portal opened up showing a mounted gun atop the observatory like roof of the. The gun itself looked like what Griffa knew to be a pre eclipse missile launcher of some description.

‘Human weapons… how dare you! How can you follow the same path as before!’ Cresselai struggled violently.

‘The planet is still recovering from the ruin YOU caused centuries ago!’

Griffa shared a worried glance with Mandrake, the zoroark trying to asses the situation. Frida was still focused on Darkrai.

‘My dear cousin… you mean the path to progress, every development and plan has it’s setbacks but as is human nature you try and try again…’ Darkrai threw his head back and laughed heartily his laughter died as he stared forward.

‘You do not face the monsters that tread outside your purified domain… weapons of this sort are inevitable and it will lead us to a better future’

Griffa saw the look of astonishment that travelled across Frida’s face. They knew, the blood moon workers KNEW about the beasts of the wasteland and were able to prepared to handle them with firepower.

Darkrai threw back the shadow “skirt” and a small purple, black creature slithered out of his shadow. It looked half asleep, with eyes glazed and unfocused. It turned to face the gathered trainers. Its voice soft yet otherworldly.

‘Your blue moon guardian is not as benevolent as you may believe… Azelf, Mespirit and myself were the first ones created from Cresselia’s shards, however we could not follow a leader that had a core filling with hatred!’

Uxie lowered itself and placed a gentle tendril against Cresselia’s head. The blue moon Pokémon thrashing and violently struggling.

‘Hush… they need to know… it is time to unveil the truth’

Griffa clutched their head as images and memories began to flood their thoughts.

Frida struggled against the mental onslaught again. Her mind had had enough of this for today.

The world around altered and distorted revealing the memories of a normal world. Filled with cities and towns, no wasteland or ruins. Humans were researching new energy sources, blood moon darkrai formed from the progress of experiments looking around with hungry eyes.

Darkrai manipulated countries into war, stood as the nuclear fallout spread across the world. Cresselia appeared born with orders from Arceus. Then the fight ensued.

The world was left in burning hollowed ruin with a weakened Cresselia slumped, unable to fix the damage caused.

Defined memories with voices clear as day began to ring out.

The trio were with Cresselia, overlooking vast chambers underground full of crystallised humans and Pokémon. The mounting discomfort from the trio as Cresselia sifted through the minds of those lucky humans and erased their memories almost nonchalantly.

‘Is it right… to stunt their minds as so?’ Mespirit spoke, placing a tender hand on a crystal. ‘You were so selective on who to save already….’

Cresselia did not turn from their work.

‘Of course… this is all to avoid another calamity happening…. Aggression, ingenuity, certain uncouth skills, work with nuclear energy… the more of this removed the more peaceful the new age will be’

Azelf hovered up to Cresselia’s face.

‘What happens when they grow out of it ey?! Ya can’t keep humans cooped up in this little stretch of land ere when there’s descendants of survivors out in the wasteland… they’ll meet and learn from’

Mespirit raised a hand to try to stop Azelf from continuing their rant.

‘Enough my loyal advisors…. I will be their Shepherd to guide them on to a better path… I will not let them go back to their old ways’

Azelf just had to get another word in.

‘And of the wastelanders… they won’t nessicarily want to follow your way’

‘I will find my way in to their circles and assist them from the inside of that you can be sure’ Cresselia turned to Azelf looking rather annoyed.

Uxie spoke up, voice soft and fluid. Almost dreamlike.

‘But what if they go back to their old ways?’

There was a dangerous pause. Tension built.

‘Then I will be rid of them wholeheartedly’.

Griffa felt their stomach retch, Mandrake gasped in horror.

Frida stood frozen… Cresselia’s words hurt more than anything.

Numbness overtook the junker queen. She stared onward before herself. They were always playing into Cecil’s hands. Memories flooded her, things that were said or actions taken…. It made sense now.

She was completely numb to the world around her.

Griffa suddenly felt more alone than they had ever felt in their long life… they silently hugged themselves looking away from the rest of the trainers. They did not belong anywhere near the purified zone.

Mandrake grabbed their arm reassuringly looking into his trainer’s eyes. Their attention was focused on darkrai.

‘We need human assistance to heal the rest of the quicker Cresselia… please listen to me’ Uxie spoke softly in the present.

‘NO! I am the one granted with the ability to purify the land! It is my duty and my duty alone to cleanse and protect life!’

Darkrai cackled. Doubling over with laughter.

‘Oh thats rich…. By creating an army of lifeless empty soulless vessels? Removing the free will of those you were sent to assist and heal?… you are a hoot… i never thought you were so innovative’

‘You forced me to resort to your kind of methods… youre a blight to this world and i will use whatever means nessicary to put an end to you and whoever follows you into-‘

‘Careful now cousin… an attitude like that will upset your mother’

‘Do not speak ill of our creator!’ Cresselia roared. Azelf slammed a clawed fist down and plunged the ruby claws in deep draining as much energy from the blue moon pokemon as possible.

‘Excuse me… OUR? Creator? No no no cousin dear mine I was made by humans… you my dear friend were an afterthought, a poorly made up answer to the questions I brought to the table… you wouldn’t exist without me and you CAN’T exits without me… you’d have destroyed me long ago if that were the case’

Mespirit flooded cresselia with torment the chains tightened.

Darkrai paced monolguing.

‘I will restore this world to its former glory… my way! And I am more than happy to hook you up to a production line and force the purification process out of you… you’ll be the one sealed in a cupboard this time cousin’

—-

It all shattered in an instant, Frida gagged dry heaving. Her anxiety and stress causing her stomach to do somersaults. A noise caught her attention, quiet sobs.

She turned on wobbly unsure feet.

Laurel stood comforting Weaton, the latter looking so distraught hearing these words from Cresselia. He was destroyed by them.

Laurel caught her eye, shook her head lightly as if to tell her not to react impulsively. Frida felt her blood run searing hot. Nobody would upset Weaton on her watch.

“Yin-ko is Griffa okay…” Laurel asked, having a gut feeling it was futile to stop Frida she noticed the wastelander still stood to one side by themselves hugging themselves in silence.

Yin-ko hovered over silently, spoke to Mandrake first.

‘Mandrake are they okay?’

‘I don’t know… I- I can't read them right now’

Yin-ko came to Griffa’s other side and assisted with Mandrake in guiding them back to the group. Griffa so lost in thought, their silence unusual.

Frida surged herself forward toward Cresselia. Her mind screaming out in anger. She wanted to punch them. Both of them. She balled her fists, breaths ragged Cresselia’s words playing again and again in her mind.

Her drive to attempt to protect everyone forcing her on again she wanted to be their protector, be something important. Her mind and body were at war with each other.

Numbness began to overtake her again, her stomach lurched again and she sank to her knees and balled her fists. Her emotions ran high but yet she felt so cold and numb.

She looked at her hands disgusted… all that time before and even now she was being used to try to sway the Junkers to Cresselia’s banner.

She slammed them both down on the ground rock and earth cracking from the sheer brute force and strength. She rose to her feet grabbing the nearest chunk of rock and throwing it with a roar.

“You wiped their memories! You manipulated the knowledge of us! Of Humanity because YOU didn't like it!” She threw another bit of rock which thudded to the floor pathetically.

“All this time after everythin’ when I returned… with my rank amongst the Junkers… you’d ave had us all! All ov us under your thumb! You disgusting creature!”

Darkrai laughed. Clearly enjoying this revelation.

“Don't get me started on you chuckles! We’re in this mess because ov you!” Frida spat equally as annoyed making Darkrai look wide eyed that somebody would raise their voice to him.

Asgard stood beside her. Sparks flicking from his mane. The ever calm Thundurus was actually angry. He glared at Cresselia

‘Shame on you…humanity isn’t yours to control! It never was!’ Asgard spat, thunder rumbling and roiling from his anger.

The other trainers now stood or sat in silence, pondering their next steps. Frida had no energy to stand… she had no energy to fight. Not any more. Was this all for naught.

Had Cecil been this way all along. In her gut she was sure she was right. If she'd have had the energy she’d have laughed.

Asgard nudged her to her feet. He was just as exhausted as her, this revelation had worn him out as well. She turned to face the rest of the trainers with her. They had a choice to make.

SHE had a choice to make.

Where did their allegiance lie? Cresselia was out of the question….. absolutely.

Darkrai…. However. She paused. Was she actually considering this option. Seriously.

She turned to Griffa trying to read their face for an answer or hint to a decision.

The rest of the group looking at her. Looking through her.

“I…” she started.

Her voice felt distant and quiet.

“I.. I can’t do this”

She clutched the blue moon shard shaped like thundurus in her hand.

“I can’t… I don’t want to be around either of them”

She sounded so defeated. So numb. Asgard nudged against her in an attempt at comforting her.

“I… no longer have the energy to fight anymore”

Her shoulders sagged. Her hammer seemed twice as heavy as before.

Weaton, Laurel and Eli looked horrified at those words coming from Frida of all people.

“Access to that sort of medical equipment and tech” Griffa spoke flatly “could actually help someone like me”

“Gaffer… what are you saying” Frida looked pale. She looked frightened.

“Ah….” Griffa stops. They looked at Yin-Ko, a small smile tugged at the corner of their mouth.

‘You don’t need ta carry this knowledge as a burden mate….’

Mandrake, lightly touched Griffa’s arm with his right claw. Seeing exactly what they would say… unable to see the reactions coming. The zoroark tensed looking to Yin-ko nervously silently hoping he may offer a safe teleport should things go awry.

‘Griffa…’ the Beyheem, could physically feel the words welling up.

“It’s time old Griffa came clean ta you lot… especially you three” they gestured to Weaton, Laurel and Eli.

“Ahm… ye know those orrible things ye saw in the subway in Zenith Grove… “

“Ghouls….” Laurel half whispered as if one would burst out the ground.

“Tha’s the ones… those are what can appen when humans are exposed to prolonged rads for extended periods ov time, thas the final stage, complete loss of everything… well penultimate stage… most perish early stages, but some….” Griffa paused, their voice seeming to choke up.

“Are like Griffa… who is suffering wi Necrocis Radiation sickness as a result of rads… nasty condition… last forever but can be sped up wi exposure to radiation”

Laurel put her hands to her mouth, Weaton looked shell shocked. Yin-ko lowered his head.

“Thats why you watch your rads…” Eli took a step back. Griffa nodded.

“Was the result of a Sylph co. Experiment in a vault ta see the effects of radiation down generations… ahm or was a vault dweller, vault 86… Frida’s dexboy was mine, my vault suffered a severe “unscheduled” rad leak as the reactor went into meltdown after a collapse… Cyprium dug us out as a wee Drilbur”

“Ifn my rads get too high ah run the risk of the turn… ifn my rads are too low my body shuts down… why’d you think Griffa had ta remove an arm and leg” they explained gesturing to their prosthetics.

“Griffa as skulked the wasteland fer… possibly 40… maybe 50 years at a push?… it slows yer body aging down to a crawl… but ye do get very stiff an very ill sometimes”

“Darkrai won't have your answer Gaffer! It can't be cured!” Frida snapped. Trying to drag herself over to Griffa. Her body wouldn’t move, she saw the dark shadow hold Mandrake had put on her.

‘Please don’t…’ the zoroark pleaded, too tired to want any more violence today.

“Do you know that for certain?… Because apparently there’s a lot you didn’t know from ole Cecil” Griffa snipped back.

They looked to the ragtag group of trainers that they had- if they dared admit- become rather fond of. Would more than willingly walk into the jaws of Deathzards to help them should they ever ask.

“You lot… prior to now… ave always known us as some weird terrifying shotgun toting wasteland hermit” they looked at Weaton first, then Laurel and finally Eli.

“greatly exaggerated claims…. But I always appreciated the being known as Me first an foremost… and not the other thing”

“T-that doesn’t change now Griffa… your still the shotgun toting wasteland hermit” Weaton managed to blurt out. A courage to his voice.

These two trainers were some of the bravest people he’d seen out here who had gone through so much. To see them both so brought so low hurt.

“I appreciate that Weaton lad… Cecil’s words cut deep, ah ave no loyalty to them… ah’d rather risk it fer a way ta slow the effects, then never do owt wi my knowledge of rads and reactors”