We came back out into the expanse of the town, and set off for the nearest bus stop. There was a certain sense of urgency in the air, even though we had plenty of time… I just couldn't help but feel that something bad was looming. The bus rolled up, and just as I had guessed, we were allowed on without having to pay a fare… it was surprising that the world's most pokemon-friendly continent was where Alantir was waging his war of butchery on the unfortunate inhabitants. I made sure to disembark at the closest stop, and ushered Val and Sareh to follow quickly "we're almost there guys, come on…" as we approached the building, the sun began to set, colouring the sky with vibrant oranges and purples. "How do we know he's here?" Val asked, sceptical of the power of Aura sight… "if he's not, I'll be your slave for a week" I said, with a sly grin on my face. Surely enough, the doors opened shortly after I pressed in the buzzer, and before us stood a tall, well-built man. His skin was a dark tan colour, and he had a fuzzy black beard… he was wearing neat-looking dark trousers and a white shirt that was only half done-up and revealed the fact he had a hairy chest.
"Are you Lucario?" he asked simply… I nodded, surprised that he instantly recognised me apart from any other Lucario. "Good, I've been waiting for you… we have much to discuss…" and with that, he invited us inside. The building was similar to the police station in that it had large windows, and was impeccably clean… I began to feel a little guilty, knowing that us three where almost definitely going to moult and end up leaving our old hair on the floor. He showed us to a room with three large sofas, and beckoned for us to sit down… "Maris, get these guests something to drink, would you?" he said, looking around as a door creaked open. Our gaze followed his, only to be met by a young woman in a maid outfit… it took me about a half second to actually realise this young maid was a Lopunny as well. "What'd they like, Fari?" she said to him in a pleasant manner… I interjected "oh, anything really…" Sareh then butted in "… but not apple juice, I'm allergic to it…" Maris nodded "it will be done, sirs and madams…" and gracefully drifted over to the kitchen, which was in the same room as us. "Down to business now… you want to bring down Alantir, don't you?" Fareed said, clearly taking the matter very seriously… I nodded "yeah, what's more, we have his brother… uhh… I mean sister helping us…" Sareh smiled to him.
He looked out the window, deep in thought "only an hour ago, I received a message… one of my contacts informed me that Alantir is heading to one of the largest Houndoom dens on the entire island, not only that, but he claims to be armed with fire-bombs" I shuddered, finding it hard to swallow the new low that he had just stooped to. "We need to stop him, as soon as possible!" Sareh said, waving her paw in the air angrily… Fareed shook his head "it's not quite so simple… Alantir is only a few miles from his destination, however, he says that he will not torch the den if he can negotiate with 'a certain transgressor' within 24 hours… by which he means you, Lucario" I froze… he knew that I was here already?… he must have discovered the little mess I left on his boat, and then somehow tested it to find out it was mine! "So, I have to go and talk with him?" I asked, wanting to make sure… Fareed nodded "yes… we are not allowed under law to harm him… however, I have a plan to stop him" I smiled "go on, I'm all ears" Fareed sat back, clearly chuffed at his scheme, as he proudly recited it "I have got in touch with a geneticist in a nearby town, and he has agreed to… how can I say… give life to a being that can stop Alantir with no harm and no fuss…" I cocked an eyebrow "what exactly do you mean?" he grinned "I'm going to have a slightly weaker version of Mewtwo created for me"
Val spluttered in surprise "WHAT!?!… are you crazy?… the last time that happened, the whole laboratory was razed to the ground!" Fareed gave her a stern look "I said a WEAKER version… and anyhow, the chances of two megalomaniacs being created are very slim… it may even have good manners, who knows" Sareh shrugged "either way, we need to concentrate on what's happening here and now… we need to get Lucario to Alantir!" Maris walked over with a tray, upon which were glasses containing a fizzing orange liquid, as she put it down on the small table, Fareed motioned to her "Alantir wants Lucario to come alone, and Maris will fly him there using my private helicopter… however, I want you two to go along too, just stay out of sight…" all four of us nodded in unison. "Now I think about it… getting those drinks was rather pointless…" Fareed smiled, as he patted Maris on the back, she rolled her eyes "so you want me to fly these three to where now?" Fareed motioned out one of the many large windows "fifty-two miles due south… the den is located in a large, triangular clearing… you can't miss it…" Maris nodded, and walked out, beckoning for us to follow "come on, don't want to be late now, do you?" we got up and followed her out to a landing pad on the top of Fareed's house, which was out of view from the front of the building. The helicopter was a surprisingly sleek, expensive-looking thing… what's more, this had been my first time ever in a human flying-machine.
"Don't look so nervous, Lucario!… just sit down and enjoy the ride, you're in my hands now" Maris said, smiling in a slightly unnerving way. Indeed, I had nothing to fear, the flight was as smooth as I could ever imagine, and we arrived at our destination in no time at all, but that was just the easy part. "Okay, Lucario, it's your show from here on in… do us pokemon proud!" she said, as I slowly walked away from the landed air-craft and towards the centre of the clearing. I began to growl as I caught sight of what was going on… Alantir had constructed a barricade around the dens, which was doused in oil… there were several angry-looking Houndoom visible behind the barricade, but the air was thick with despair. "Alantir, what the hell are you doing!?!" I said, steadily striding towards him… he looked around at me, and began to smile "so glad you could come… but I must confess, you've been mislead…" I stopped, fearing the worst had yet to come "what… do you mean?" he looked up at the sky and yawned, then said "do you know how much I spent on bullets this week?… probably only hundreds… but then, what did I spend on a gift for you, my dear old friend?… why, I spent thousands…" I growled "what 'gift'?" he held up a large, ornate case in front of him… something about it seemed eerily familiar… I remembered a case almost identical to that one on Aaron's mantelpiece… "what is it?… I'm not here to play around" I said, taking a step closer. Alantir snorted "you'll pay for your arrogance, Lucario…" and opened the box, casting it a side.
My heart skipped a beat… my blood ran cold and my body became paralysed with fear… the shining radiance, the long, graceful shape… there was no denying it… Alantir had purchased no less than the Crystal Staff!!! "Don't move an inch, or I'll consign you to another hundred years of captivity…" I swallowed, then managed to stutter "I… I… I… I'll do… anything… just… just… please don't…" he roared "on your knees, mongrel!" on impulse, I fell to my knees, unable to take my eyes off the cursed artefact in his hands… he smirked "now, I will have this on me at all times in future… if you dare to try and stop me again, I'll just trap you in it… but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you go just yet" I whimpered "I'll… do anything…" he laughed "perfect!… firstly, I want you to get my god-forsaken brother, and I want you to bring him to me so I can beat some sense into his new, twisted body…" suddenly, there was a noise from behind a nearby mound of earth… "SHE is closer than you think, brother!" Sareh yelled as she burst fourth from her cover nearby, and knocked Alantir to the ground… I was still unable to move my body, so I just watched, as they struggled on the ground in front of me.
"Damnit, you craven whore!" Alantir spat as he tried to overpower her… fortunately though, his sister was too strong for him now, and managed to pin him to the ground, kicking away the Crystal Staff with her hind paws. I slowly staggered to my feet, and approached them, giving the Staff a wide berth… "A… Alantir… what is it that you want… from us?" I said, still on edge… he glared at me "I want you all dead!… now get off me!" he seized the opportunity to knee Sareh in the gut, and she fell off him with a yell… he leapt to his feet and made a dash for the staff. I began to run towards him, but he got there first, and picket it up, aiming squarely at me… "you are an inane fool, Lucario… and now it's all over for you!" I began to back away, whining… unable to speak coherently… he began to tighten his grip… I noticed that Val was still behind cover, too scared to intervene… and Sareh was still on the ground clutching her waist… it looked like it was all over for us. "Now, embrace oblivion for another century!" Alantir shouted as he forcefully jabbed the staff at me… there was a flash of light, and I shielded my eyes. So… was this it? Had I just been consigned to another hundred years of loneliness?… I opened my eyes… instead of darkness and infinite expanse… I could still see the world… the normal world… I was still there!
I looked around… Sareh and Val were still there to… nothing had changed… apart from one thing. Alantir had vanished… and it slowly dawned on me what had occurred… Alantir had indeed triggered the Crystal staff, but judging by the fact that it was lying on the floor, facing away from me… he had held it the wrong way round in his desperation, and had instead imprisoned himself!
In unison, we all began to roar with laughter, I lost control so much, I began to wet myself in sheer hysterics at what had occurred. "Good lord, what an idiot!" Sareh said, wiping away a tear of laughter from her eye… I looked over at Val, who walked up, tail between her legs "Lucario… I… I'm sorry I didn't help… but, there was nothing I could do…" I wearily smiled "it's okay, things turned out fine in the end…" Sareh picked up the staff "I'll take this to the police station, let him out, and then they can put him in jail…" I nodded, and sighed with relief "and so we narrowly escape the jaws of defeat again… we have saved the den, and stopped Alantir… mission… accomplished… good goin' sister…" and with that, I passed out from exhaustion.