Pokémon We'll Protect Each Other (Always)

[WriterOfWorlds]

Hiiiii, this is my very first PMD fic, funnily enough XD I've been wanting to write this particular fic for 13 years, since GTI came out. This particular part was my favorite out of the other scenes in the game, so... after that long, I finally managed to write it :3

ANYWAY! TW for Gates to Infinity spoilers, kidnapping, captivity, and violence!

Spoiler: Chapter 1: Flee

Draco panted as his small legs carried him as fast as possible down the rocky road. He wasn't sure where he was heading, nor if his pursuers remained behind him, but he kept running. Running as fast as he could. Away from the Pokémon that ambushed him.

Just a while ago, he and his partner, Ava, a human-turned-Oshawott, went on a mission to search for Munna before the monster Hydreigon could find her first. The two managed to spot her, supposedly injured… but it turned out to be a trap. Several Pokémon, including those thugs that had chased Espeon weeks ago, Toxicroak and Purugly, jumped them both, with Munna revealing to be the leader of these Pokémon and was after Ava and Draco. With quick thinking, however, Ava pointed out the two Chandelures that lit the cave they were in, and with their moves, attacked the two to cut off the only light source. Both Pokémon took that as their cue to flee, and fled they did.

Draco's heart pounded in his chest as his lungs burned from the strenuous running he was doing, and after an hour of this, he stopped and doubled over, catching his breath. He knew that he shouldn't take a break for long, but he needed to stop lest he would pass out from exhaustion.

He glanced ahead, noticing that he had arrived at another mystery dungeon. He then looked over at the sign that read, "Ochre Quarry". How… far had he run? From what he could hear, his pursuers weren't behind him. He was safe for now.

It was at that moment, however, did he realize that Ava wasn't with him.

The Axew's eyes widened, frantically looking left and right in search of his Oshawott friend. From what he had gathered, during their run for it, he and Ava were separated. How did he not notice that she was gone? Agh, how didn't he realize?!

"Ava?!" He called, careful not to raise his voice loud enough in case his pursuers were nearby. What happened to her? Was she safe? Was she okay?

If she ended up getting caught by those Pokémon… Draco thought, his mind wandering to worst-case scenarios. Those bullies capturing her. Harming her. Or worse—

He shook his head, frowning. He couldn't think that now. He began to weigh his options. Backtracking would end up with him getting caught, but at the same time, he couldn't leave Ava behind like that. What could he do?

He sighed, knowing he had no other option, and that standing around trying to decide would spell capture for him. He needed to press forward.

He turned, and headed towards Ochre Quarry, with only one thought in mind:

Oh, Ava. Please stay safe and back in Paradise…

_____

Ten floors in, and Draco was already feeling the exhaustion taking over him. Whether it was from the lack of sleep when he and Ava searched for Munna, or that all this running made him that way, he wasn't sure nor cared. The wild Pokémon were no match for the Axew, but as he continued to fight his way through, he realized that his exhaustion is making him weaker.

But from what he understood, he was close to the end. Just a few more floors and he'd be out of here.

Several minutes later, after fighting off a few more wild Pokémon, he spotted the stairs that led to the end of the dungeon. With quick steps, he ran towards the stairs and climbed up.

Finally. He was out of there.

He stopped in a small clearing, taking a few deep breaths from his constant running. Whew. Chances were good that his pursuers were far away from him. He couldn't hear any of those Pokémon behind him, so he was safe. For now.

He glanced up, noting that the moon shone in the night sky, the stars sparkling. He frowned. How long had he been running? He didn't really check how much time had passed, as the adrenaline from being chased made him forget. Perhaps he should hide here and get some rest before moving forward.

He glanced around, listening intently for any of the Pokémon that were chasing him. Nothing. Good.

He gathered up some hay nearby to create his own bed, and laid down. Despite how exhausted he was, he couldn't sleep a wink. The adrenaline had since worn off, but he could only stare up at the night sky, his thoughts running.

Why? Why did Munna attack them? Why did she team up with those thugs, Toxicroak and Purugly? Or… were they her lackeys to begin with? Maybe that was why they chased after Espeon; they were commanded to do so by Munna to get Espeon's Entercards.

And Ava… where was she now? Was she okay? Did she manage to escape from her pursuers?

Looking up at the sky, it reminded him of Ava's first night as a Pokémon months ago. How she was getting used to being a Pokémon, and her reaction when they spent the night outside on Draco's Paradise.

"Do…" Draco recalled Ava's question, "do I have to sleep on hay?"

"What else do you sleep on?" Draco remembered saying to her, "Rocks? The ocean?"

He couldn't help but chuckle at the memory. Despite how serious Ava was, she was sometimes funny. She may not know it, but her unintentional humor always made him smile.

He turned on his side, frowning again, now remembering what was happening. Ava…

With one claw, he drew a circle on the sand. Once it was done, he drew two triangles on top of the circle, before he also drew two small dots, an oval, and a smile inside the circle. He may not be the best artist, but… the art that stared back at him reminded him so much of Ava. Her smile. Her understanding eyes.

He sighed. He needed to force himself to sleep, lest he would be tired in the morning. Those Pokémon were likely looking for him, after all, so he needed all the energy he could muster.

Turning on his back, he closed his eyes, trying to lull himself to sleep, thoughts on his best friend lingering in his mind.

_____

"There's someone there!"

"Could it be Ava?!"

Draco jumped when he heard two voices. He sat up, his eyes widened when he heard the sounds of footsteps and multiple voices coming closer. His heart pounded so hard he swore they would hear it, as he stood from his bed and ran.

His pursuers were close by. He knew he shouldn't have rested. He should have kept running.

"There!" Toxicroak's voice hit the Axew's ears. "Is that Ava?!"

"No, you idiot!" Purugly growled, "That's herrrrr frrrrriend!"

"Then we should leave and find—" Toxicroak suggested, but was stopped by Purugly.

"No, capturrrre him!" Purugly cried.

Draco's heart beat faster and faster as he ran as fast as he could, knowing that if he even slowed down for even a second, he would be caught.

Tap tap tap tap

His pursuers were getting closer.

Tap tap tap tap

"Come back here!" Toxicroak yelled. He was the closest out of the other Pokémon. "Come to us and we'll make it easier for you, croak!"

Why would I come to you guys?! Draco wanted to shout, but decided against it. What was more important was to get away, to run as far as—

He yelled out when he bumped into someone, the darkness due to the night sky blinding him somewhat. He fell on his back, grunting in pain, as he glanced up at who he ran into.

Munna. The pink Pokémon smiled menacingly, like a predator that found its prey, as she floated closer to him.

"Going somewhere?" She asked, mockery in her tone. Draco noted pink mist appearing around her. "Do you think you would get away from us?"

Draco opened his mouth, an attempt to tell her to leave him alone, but the pink mist surrounded him as well, and his eyes grew heavy. What… what was this? Hypnosis?

"Get some sleep," Munna whispered in a mock tone, "I'm sure you're exhausted from all that running, Draco."

Draco fell to his knees, his mind hazy as he tried to fight off the drowsiness. No. Not like this. He couldn't get caught like this. He… had… to… keep…

"You'll make the perfect bait for that fool, Ava," was all Draco heard before consciousness slipped away from him.

Any constructive criticism is welcomed ❤️

 

[WriterOfWorlds]

Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!!!

Spoiler: Chapter 2: Captured

Draco wasn't sure how long he was unconscious, nor how he ended up passing out. All he knew was that he was exhausted from, well, everything. However, he began to come to, his eyes fluttering. In his hazy vision, all he could see were hints of brown and yellow, but the colors faded in the darkness. Was it still night? How long was he out cold?

His head swam, as he tried to think of what had happened. All he could remember was that he was running from… someone.

Wait.

He was running from those thugs, led by Munna. The more his mind began to clear up from the haziness, the more he began to run back to previous events that had happened.

He was being chased by those Pokémon, and he passed through Ochre Quarry and rested for a while. He was then woken up by voices, and he—

…Oh no.

His eyes widened, now knowing what had happened. The fleeing. Running into Munna.

And this area… he glanced around. This wasn't Ochre Quarry. The walls were filled with giant holes, and many small and large rocks littered the ground, with one his back was pressed against; he was in some sort of cave, he assumed.

He blinked to snap himself out of his drowsiness, as a headache began to form. He moved to–

What the…

He realized he couldn't move his arms. In fact, he could hardly move any part of his body.

He glanced down at himself, and he got his answer. Strong ropes bound his body from the neck down to his legs, the bindings so tight Draco was surprised he could still breathe, albeit hardly. His arms were trapped in the ropes, preventing him from using his attacks to free himself.

His eyes widened. Beads of worried sweat dripped down his face. There was no doubt about it; he was captured by Munna and her gang.

He didn't bother to struggle, he knew it was pointless as the ropes had kept a tight grip on him. Instead, he glanced around to search for the one Pokémon he truly hoped didn't end up in the same situation.

He sighed in relief when he didn't see Ava anywhere. She was safe at least.

Rather me than her… he thought, although it didn't help his worries. The real question was… why did they capture him?

“So,” a feminine voice spoke, “you're finally awake.”

Draco strained his neck as best as he could to his left, and saw Munna herself appear from one of the caverns. A sinister smirk was on her face, a bag on her back, as she approached the bound Axew. She held something blue, and Draco had to do a double take when he recognized the item.

Is that a Frism?

Indeed it was. The Frism was still frozen, Draco noted, and his heart began to pound in his chest. When he saw these Frisms in Glacier Palace on his and his team's exploration there, he could only stare at these items in awe. Not this time–instead, he could only feel dread. Dread that Munna was going to use it for something nefarious.

But… he realized, where did she even find one?

“M-Munna!” Draco cried, trying to scoot away from her, but alas, the ropes kept him in place. “What's going on?! Why am I–”

“Isn't it obvious?” Munna giggled, “You're a hostage. You're here to lure that human, Ava, into our well-laid trap.”

Draco's eyes grew wider from there, his mouth gaping in shock. She was after Ava? But… why?

“You're probably wondering why I want Ava,” Munna began, “well, she shouldn't be in this world! Someone like her should be gone!”

“Wh-what?!” Draco gasped. “What do you mean? And…” He gulped, as if afraid the answer he was going to get would frighten him more than he was now. “What did she ever do to you?!”

“I'd say more, but…” Munna shook her head and, using her psychic powers, levitated a cloth from her bag. "I can't at the moment."

Upon laying eyes on the cloth, Draco gasped in shock. It was his Fickle Ribbon. A gift Ava had given him a long time ago. Before he could say anything, the ribbon was suddenly tied around his mouth, silencing his voice.

“Now hush,” Munna whispered, placing the Frism down on the ground. With her stubby hands, she began to warm it up. “I have work to do.”

The Frism's insides began to melt, and Munna began to speak inside it. But she didn't use her own voice.

“OW! What are you doing?!”

Draco gasped through the ribbon, tears beginning to build up in his eyes. Munna was using his voice, likely to fool Ava in some way.

Munna continued in Draco's voice, “Weren't you the one who called out for Ava's help?! Then why–”

She “replied” in her regular voice, “That was merely a trick! Ava isn't allowed here! That's why you're coming with us; you're going to help!”

“What do you mean?! Why would I–AGH!” Munna's Draco voice yelped.

“Quit your blabbering!” Munna continued, this time in Toxicroak's voice, “Now shut up and hold still, croak-ka-ka!”

“...Ava… help…” Once Munna finished using Draco's voice, the cave went silent. With a sadistic smile, she placed the Frism in her bag, before using her powers to remove the ribbon from Draco's mouth. Once he was able to speak again, Draco whimpered, his body trembling as tears threatened to fall, "Why… why are you doing this?!"

"Like I said," Munna said, turning her back on him, "Ava shouldn't be in this world! If she's not stopped… our plans would be ruined!"

"What plans?" The Axew asked, tilting his head.

Munna shook her head, before turning back to face him. The pink mist appeared around her again, and she smirked. "You won't live long enough to know once we get that Ava."

Draco wanted to question her, ask her what she meant, but the pink mist floated around him once more, and his eyes grew heavy. No no no. Not again. He couldn't sleep at a time like this.

Despite his best efforts, he passed out.

_____

Draco felt like he was floating. Though by all means, he was. When he came to, he realized he was in a colorful space, with no ceiling, walls, or even ground. Pink, yellow, and green slowly passed by, leaving Draco almost relaxed as he moved to float in an upright position. He hummed, glancing around. Wasn't he in a cavern, held captive by Munna? Why was he here now? Or… was this a dream?

When he looked ahead, he gasped in shock upon seeing two silhouettes at a distance, both shaped to look like…

"Two Haxoruses?" He blinked, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed them, and he stared.

Indeed. The silhouettes were Haxoruses.

"...Mom?" Draco asked hesitantly, "Dad? Is… is that you?"

While it was barely noticeable, both of the Dragon Pokémon held out their arms, as if inviting Draco to come and hug them. Tears fell down the Axew's face. He had never seen his parents at all in his life. And he finally managed to find them.

"Mom! Dad!" He cried, and he ran…

But he wasn't getting closer to them. Draco stopped for a second. Was it just him, or…?

"Mom! Dad! It's me!" He yelled, "Your son! Your kid!"

Neither of the two Pokémon answered him. Their arms remained out.

"I'm coming!" Draco cried. He ran. And ran. And ran.

Yet… was it just him, or were they getting further away?

"Mom! Dad! Wait!"

The more he ran, the further his parents were away from him. Eventually, as he continued, their silhouettes became tiny specks at a distance. No. He found them. He had finally found them. He couldn't lose them like this.

"MOM! DAD!" The Axew screamed, tears falling in full force. He stopped running at this point, but the silhouettes of his parents kept growing smaller. And smaller.

Until he couldn't see them anymore.

"MOMMY! DADDY!"

_____

Draco awoke when claws raked his face, nearly missing his left eye. He cried out, snapped out of his nightmare, before he glanced up at his attacker.

Purugly glared down at him, a grin on her face. With another paw, she scratched Draco's right cheek, leaving claw marks there. Thankfully, Draco's scales protected his skin from these attacks, as they didn't draw blood, but they still hurt.

"Wakey wakeyyyyyy," Purugly taunted, "I'll give you a taste of the pain you gave us back at Crrrrrags of Lament."

Another strike. Another shout from Draco. However, Draco refused to cry, especially in front of the one Pokémon who attacked Espeon. When he, Ava, Virizion, and Emolga fought her and Toxicroak, their teamwork was enough to defeat the two. Draco felt it was easy back then. But now he was at their mercy, he realized that they were stronger than he thought.

"Croaak-ka-ka!" Another voice called behind Purugly. "Me next!"

"Wait yourrrrrr turrrrrn, you frrrrrog," Purugly growled, turning to face her companion. Her tail swished from the movement, hitting Draco's newly formed injury on his cheek. He yelped and fell to the ground, coughing when dust entered his throat. While this was unintentional on Purugly's part, that hit still hurt.

"Oh c'mon, croak-ka-ka!" Toxicroak yelled, "You had all the fun! It's. My. Turn!"

Purugly could only stare at Toxicroak, before turning her head to glance at Draco for a moment. Draco shivered at the glare she gave him, but kept his eyes narrowed, his teeth gritting. Stay defiant, he told himself, don't let them get to you.

Purugly sighed, rolling her eyes before saying, "Fine. But rrrrrrememberrrrr what Lady Munna told us."

"Yeah, yeah," Toxicroak rolled his eyes, "I know, croak. Don't kill him yet till we get that pest."

Draco's heart tightened, his breath caught in his throat as panic began to set in. He… he was going to die here? Once they managed to get Ava? He gulped down the lump in his throat that kept coming back, but his glare remained.

Stay strong. Stay strong.

Purugly moved to the side for Toxicroak to replace her spot, and he grinned sadistically at the prisoner. He pounded one fist into the palm of his hand, readying a move.

"You punks sure put up a fight back then, croak-ka-ka!" Toxicroak taunted, "Now it's our turn!"

He reeled his stinger on his hand back. Draco shut his eyes tightly, ready to block out the pain he would inevitably get.

When Toxicroak's Poison Jab hit his hurt cheek, he screamed. His head nearly collided with the rock behind him, as tears fell, though he didn't realize until he heard Toxicroak's laugh.

"Aaaw," he cooed mockingly, "crying already?"

Draco growled, though he knew at this point his captors realized that his defiance was a ruse. However, he glared up at Toxicroak, his teeth grinding against each other.

Toxicroak only laughed at that pitiful excuse of defiance. "Croaak-ka-ka! What a baby! I'm sure your little friend would realize that you're nothing but a crybaby!"

Draco's growl grew louder then, his protective instincts kicking in. They could taunt him and beat him up all they liked, but they should leave his best friend out of this mess.

"I'm sure that pesky Ava is coming for you," Toxicroak taunted, "I saw how you two are back at the Crags of Lament."

Another Poison Jab, this time on Draco's stomach. Suddenly, Draco was glad that the ropes tying him prevented further damage.

"How you two combine your moves…" Another hit. "How you two protected each other when we fought…" Another. "It's clear that having you here, Ava will fall right into our hands, and it'll be all your fault. "

That hit Draco. Hard. Harder than the hits Toxicroak was doing to him.

He hated to admit it. But… Toxicroak was right.

If he had been more careful. Stronger. Faster. He wouldn't be here, tied up, held hostage, and used against his closest friend. Ava wouldn't have to run to his rescue and put herself in danger. She would have been safe.

Tears fell, and Draco hiccupped, holding onto as much defiance as he could. "Sh-she won't come for me…"

"Croak-ka-ka!" Toxicroak laughed, "You sure about that? From what I heard from our friend Salamence, she's heading this way!"

Guilt flooded inside Draco like a dam. No. Ava shouldn't have come for him. She needed to run. To go back to Paradise. To get as far away from here as possible.

"Too bad you won't see her again," Toxicroak chuckled, preparing another Poison Jab, "because once we kill her, she'll be back to her world. And nothing will stop us!"

Another Poison Jab hit Draco squarely on the chest, pushing him to the point he hit his head on the rock.

Mercifully, he passed out; the last thing he heard was Purugly and Toxicroak's yelling.

_____

"...You jerks!"

Draco's eyes fluttered open when he heard his own voice. He blinked, another headache forming. He gritted his teeth from the pain he felt everywhere in his body, his arms and legs tingling from being bound for so long.

When he glanced up, he saw Munna, who was talking in another Frism using Draco's voice.

"Once Ava comes, you'll be sorry!" Munna paused for several seconds, before she continued in Draco's voice, "She'll destroy you all! She's stronger than you'd think!" Another several seconds of silence. "It's true that I got caught… but Ava will make sure you'll pay for this!"

Draco groaned due to the immense pain he was in, catching Munna's attention. Munna smirked, placing the Frism in her bag. "She's coming soon," she began, "once she does, we'll ambush her and stop her from even trying to save this world!"

Draco's head was still spinning, but he managed to register in his mind what she was talking about. Saving the world? Wasn't Ava sent here to save Munna? But…

This whole thing doesn't make any sense! Why would Munna do this?

"...She won't fall for it," he muttered, too hurt to say any more.

Munna shook her head, pulling out the Frism to show it to him. "She will. With this Frism, she'll think she's trying to save you. When she realizes she's been tricked, we'll ambush her and kill her."

Draco frowned, tears falling down his face once more. No. Ava wasn't stupid. He had faith in her. She wouldn't fall for this. She would turn around and abandon this whole reckless mission, and return to Paradise without him. Draco was scared of death, yes, but… he'd rather die than let Ava get killed by these thugs.

"Lady Munna!" A voice from one of the many caverns on the walls called out, "Ava is coming closer!"

Draco's heart raced, his eyes wide in shock. No. This couldn't be.

"Please…" he begged, "please don't do this. Leave Ava alone…"

Munna giggled, turning her back on him to leave. "Sorry. But it must be done." As she left, she called out, "Thank you for your cooperation!"

The moment Munna left him alone, Draco sobbed, sniffling as his heart poured out the awful feelings he had inside him. Tears fell like mini waterfalls, as his guilt and worry grew to its maximum.

Ava was going to get murdered trying to rescue him. And it was all his fault.

_____

Draco didn't have any tears left after a while of crying. He sat there, his legs and arms numb from being tied up for so long. His injuries burned slightly, making him wince. But nothing felt more painful than his guilt.

Because of him, Ava was going to die. And there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was sit here and wait for the inevitable. Ava was his first and closest friend in this cold, angry world, and he was going to get her killed because he was weak, slow, useless. Ava was a good person; she didn't deserve all of this. She didn't deserve Draco's uselessness.

If only he hadn't rested in Ochre Quarry. If only he had trained more before looking for Munna.

If only…

If only…

If only…

If only—

A loud boom from above him made him jump, along with frantic voices and screams. He glanced up at the ceiling, eyes wide. What in the world was going on outside?

More voices. Roars. And then silence. But not for long.

Draco picked up on footsteps coming closer in one of the caverns. Was it one of those thugs? Was it Munna? No. That couldn't be right. The footsteps were in a rush.

Then he heard it. Heard her.

"Draco! Are you there?!"

Draco's face broke into a large, open mouthed smile, the pain he was feeling completely forgotten as his heart pounded.

Ava! She was okay! Oh thank Arceus!

"Ava!" He yelled, "I'm over here!"

He could hear the footsteps coming closer, and coming out from one of the caverns was none other than Ava the Oshawott, her scalchop in one paw. She spotted the Axew, studying him for a moment before she gritted her teeth in either anger or worry at Draco's wounds.

"Draco!" Ava cried, her voice filled with relief as she rushed towards him.

Draco wiggled against his bonds, his smile remaining on his face.

"Ava!" Draco cried, "You're okay!"

When she was close enough, Ava used her scalchop to saw through the ropes holding her friend captive. Draco watched her do her work, as the Oshawott asked, "Are you okay? What did they do to you?"

What didn't they do? Draco would have retorted, but decided now wasn't the time. He instead shook his head and said, "I'm okay. I'm just glad that you're safe."

His arms were freed, and Draco sighed in relief as he stretched them.

"You had me so worried," Ava continued, "I thought I wasn't going to see you again! I'm…" She sniffled, "I'm glad that you're okay…"

That hit Draco in the gut, as he frowned. First, he nearly got Ava killed, and during it all he made her worry over him?

"I was worried for you too!" Draco replied, masking his worries and guilt so as not to worry her more. "Munna was going to hurt you and…" He trailed off, not wanting to think about that.

Once he was fully freed, he stood on shaky legs. Ava placed a paw around his shoulders to help him up, and once he was standing well, Ava suddenly pulled him into a tight hug.

Draco blinked in surprise. Ava said she wasn't usually a touchy-feely person, even as a Pokémon, but nevertheless, he held her back, rubbing her back to comfort her.

"Thank you, Ava…" he whispered.

This reunion was short-lived when the two heard voices coming from the cavern Ava went through.

"Hurry! She might be with the prisoner!"

Ava broke the hug, gritting her teeth. Taking Draco's hand, she whispered, "Come on, let's get out of here."

Draco merely nodded. They fled the scene, with Draco trying to keep up. He was glad that he was holding Ava's paw so he wouldn't fall and get recaptured.

_____

"I see light over there!" Ava cried, pointing at the end of one cavern. Draco could see sunlight pouring from outside—he wasn't sure how long he was a captive. Maybe for less than a day?

They left the cavern… towards a dead end; a cliff that was so far down that if either of them fell, it would spell death. Ava and Draco screeched to a halt, Ava's paw still holding Draco's hand.

"Shoot!" Ava cried, "A dead end!"

"DRILLLLLLL!"

The two Pokémon turned to see a few Excadrills popping up from the ground, their claws glistening in the sunlight. Leaving the cavern to join them was Toxicroak, Purugly, and a few of Munna's gang, sans Munna.

Draco gulped, but kept his hold on his nervousness as he got into a fighting position. However, Ava pushed him behind her, her scalchop out and ready to fight these Pokémon. She gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowed.

She's protecting me… Draco thought in shock. He had never seen her be this protective of him before. And it made Draco's guilt grow.

They all heard a roar from a distance. And before Draco knew it, teeth sunk in the scruff of his neck, and he was flying. He didn't get a chance to prepare as he cried out in pain from the grab.

"Sorry, sir!" A gruff, but gentle voice whispered.

Another roar. One Ava recognized.

"It's Salamence!" She cried, her eyes wide.

Draco's heart pounded, the adrenaline pumped through his veins as Salamence chased after the two, plus their savior.

"Hang on!" Their savior cried to the two. Salamence passed by them, nearly hitting the "hand" that held Ava, as their rescuer kept flying.

Salamence tried again, this time going straight for the other Pokémon's back.

Draco closed his eyes, awaiting the inevitable blow.

He spun, making him dizzy for a second, before he was back to flying again.

The two Pokémon's savior flew lower to the trees, and Draco could see Salamence chasing them crashing into the trees further down.

Draco sighed in relief. He was safe. Ava was safe. They all were safe.

 

[WriterOfWorlds]

And finally, the last chapter of this fic!

Spoiler: Chapter 3: Rescued

Their savior was panting as they landed on a rocky clearing. With gentleness, the Pokémon's rescuer placed the two on the ground, and Ava and Draco sighed in relief. Ava glanced up at the sky while Draco looked around, searching for anything that indicated that they were still being pursued.

No signs of Munna and her gang. They were all safe.

"We…" their savior sighed, "we should be safe here…"

"Yeah…" Draco agreed, turning to face the new Pokémon to thank him…

Only to see three heads, two of them being this Pokémon's "hands". Draco studied his features; dark fur, red streaks, blue body…

"I-it's…!" Draco cried out, backing away, eyes wide, "it's the monster!"

"Monster?!" The Pokémon—Hydreigon—yelped. With his two "hands", he covered his face and landed on his behind, his body trembling. He whimpered, something unusual from a fierce Pokémon like him, "Wh-where?!"

"...Oh right." Ava spoke up, catching Draco's attention. The Axew glanced over at the Oshawott, tilting his head. "Draco, Hydreigon." She gestured to the dark Pokémon. Hydreigon uncovered his face, humming as Ava introduced him to her friend. "Hydreigon, Draco."

"I-I-I…" Draco continued, blinking. Why was Ava introducing him to the Pokémon that could gobble them both up in one gulp? "I thought… I thought this is the same Pokémon that would eat others!"

"...Oh," Hydreigon frowned, shaking his head, "sorry, sir. I didn't mean to scare you. But… I won't eat you! Or hurt you! Or attack you! Or anything like that! You and Ava are the last Pokémon I would attack or even hurt!"

"...Huh?" Confusion hit Draco as he raised a brow, frowning as well. What in the world was going on? First Munna betrayed them, then this monster that Ava and Munna talked about was apologizing and overall being polite?

"It's…" Ava piped up, rubbing the back of her head. "It's a long story. But… Munna was lying about Hydreigon." She looked over at Hydreigon with an understanding smile, before she continued, "Hydreigon is the one who brought me here. He said that I'm one of the other humans he summoned to save this world, not Munna. Munna tricked us into thinking that I'm supposed to save Munna from him, when in reality, I'm supposed to save the world."

Oh… Draco thought, that… makes sense now.

"Yes indeed!" Hydreigon agreed with fervent nodding. He growled, scaring Draco for a moment until Hydreigon began to rant, "That Munna… she has so many dirty tricks up her sleeve! She hurts so many Pokémon just to get what she wants, even using moves like Hypnosis! And don't even get me started on her Nightmare attack! That one in particular is a filthy move to use!"

Draco wasn't sure what the other Pokémon was ranting about, but… the move he mentioned Munna had, Nightmare, made a lot of sense to him when he was held captive.

Was that why I had that dream? Munna used it to hurt me?

He gulped, the guilt and shame hitting him again. While they were all safe, he couldn't help but think about what had happened. Munna using him against Ava. Ava almost dying trying to rescue him.

All of this was my fault because I got caught…

"Sorry for the rant, sir," Hydreigon addressed Draco, who snapped out of his thoughts, "but yes! I'm the Voice of Life in this world. I brought Ava here to stop the Bittercold, a nasty being that feeds off of Pokémon's negative emotions!"

"The… Bittercold?" Draco questioned.

"Yes," Hydreigon nodded, "Ava wasn't the only human I summoned. There were others… ones that Munna had captured and murdered to send them back to their world."

Draco's eyes widened, now understanding the whole situation. So that was why Munna tried to kill Ava? To stop her from going near this Bittercold being and save the world? Guilt grew more now. He almost doomed the world because of his recklessness.

"Yeah," Ava said, "it's… hard to swallow, but it makes sense now that Hydreigon cleared things up." She nodded, smiling at Draco, but… frowned when she noticed the unreadable expression on his face. She tilted her head. What was wrong?

"...Draco?" Ava asked, "Are you all right?"

Draco snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head before he turned to face his best friend. He smiled back at her, nodding, "I-I'm okay, don't worry about me, Ava. We need to get back to Paradise and tell the others what's going on."

"That's right!" Hydreigon agreed, "We can't have the other Pokémon think I'm still the bad guy and attack me!"

"Yeah!" Draco said, "Let's go!"

As the three ran down the path towards another mystery dungeon, Draco could feel Ava's eyes burrowing in the back of his head. He knew that Ava was worried about him after everything that had happened, but… now was not the time. They all needed to focus on the task at hand.

_____

The heat began to get to everyone, and noting that the three were close to a desert, Hydreigon suggested hiding out for a moment to prepare for the journey. Draco took that as a moment to sit down under a tree, the shade protecting him from the intense sunlight. He had gone through deserts like this before, but… he never thought the scorching heat would be this awful to deal with. He sighed, wiping away a bead of sweat that happened to fall down his face. He glanced up at the sky, seeing different Flying type Pokémon flying by. His heart pounded for a moment, before he realized that none of them were that Salamence that chased them.

The guilt appeared in his mind again, and he frowned. He didn't want to focus on that now, but… the guilt began to grow like a weed that took over an Oran Berry garden, tightening its hold on him. Like the ropes that once held him, choking him, hurting him. The thoughts flowed in his mind. His captivity. The beatings Toxicroak and Purugly gave him. The nightmare Munna put on him to further torment him.

"It's clear that having you here, Ava will fall right into our hands, and it'll be all your fault."

Toxicroak's words hit him again like a Fury Attack. The fact that this world was almost destroyed because of him attacked his mind. If he wasn't so dumb. So weak. So stupid…

"...co? Draco!"

He snapped out of it, shaking his head. He glanced up to see Ava, holding a bowl full of cut Oran Berries, apples, and Pecha Berries, along with a glass of water in her other paw.

"You must be hungry after what happened," Ava said, placing the bowl in front of Draco, "here. You need your strength before we go on."

Draco didn't protest at that; he was starving after nearly a day of being held hostage. Without thinking of his table manners, he dug into the food, shoving the Oran and Pecha Berries in his mouth, chewing them before swallowing. He could feel his strength returning, and his wounds from his torture healing. His eyes stopped being heavy as he continued to eat. Within a minute, his bowl didn't have a single piece of food inside it.

Ava handed him the glass of water, and Draco gratefully took it and drank it down with one gulp. The food he ate washed down his throat, settling in his stomach as he sighed.

"Thank you…" Draco thanked her with a small smile, handing the glass and bowl back to Ava.

Ava smiled back, but Draco noted it was strained. He held back the urge to frown. What was wrong?

Ava turned to return the bowl and glass back in the Deposit Box, leaving Draco alone for a moment. Now that he was full and well enough, he could focus on what was going on. He glanced over at Ava and Hydreigon, who were talking from a distance, their voices distorted. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but… it was probably their business, not his.

He settled on the sandy floor, careful not to relax too much—he and the others were on the run, after all. There wasn't much time to relax until they were back in Paradise.

He glanced up at the sky once more, his mind drifting back to what happened. He didn't want to, but… it kept haunting him. Haunting him like a Ghost Pokémon that was out to get him and eat his soul. The guilt continued to beat him down, much worse than Toxicroak and Purugly's beatings, as he held back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Croaak-ka-ka! What a baby! I'm sure your little friend would realize that you're nothing but a crybaby!"

Toxicroak's voice echoed in his head. He held his head, gritting his teeth as he tried to shut up the memories that continued to barrage him.

"Too bad you won't see her again, "because once we kill her, she'll be back to her world. And nothing will stop us!"

Stop! Draco wanted to shout at himself, but held back. He didn't want Ava and Hydreigon to worry over him at a time like this. He hit his head with one fist gently, as if pounding out the traumatic memories would make them disappear.

"Thank you for your cooperation!"

Tears began to leak from his eyes. Stop. Stop it. It's over now. I shouldn't be thinking this… Stop—

"Draco?"

He jumped, snapped out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see Ava standing over him, a frown on her face, her ears drooped.

Draco gulped, desperately wiping away any tears that managed to fall, to try to pretend that nothing was wrong.

"O-oh, Ava!" He said, his voice filled with cheerfulness, "What's up?"

"Can we… talk?" Ava asked, her frown intensifying.

Draco blinked, tilting his head. What did she need to talk about?

"But…" Draco began, "We have to go back to Paradise. We can't just—"

"Please, Draco?" Ava pleaded, "You don't have to hide your feelings from me. We're best friends, remember?"

Draco's frown intensified as well, unsure about Ava's insistence. Usually, she waited until Draco was ready to talk, but seeing how she was concerned for him, he decided to let her inside his heart, see what was wrong.

"...All right."

Ava sat beside him, and awkward silence ensued for a few seconds before she asked, "What… happened? What did Munna and her friends do to you?"

He gulped, blinking away tears as the memories flashed before his eyes. How Munna and her gang harmed him. How they threatened his life.

"They…" he hesitated, unsure of whether he could tell her this or not. However, seeing Ava's worried eyes pushed him. "They just… beat me up and gave me a nightmare. I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me, Ava."

"But you're jumpy lately," Ava pointed out, "and you're hiding it behind a smile on your face." She scooted closer to him, taking his hand. "You don't have to hide it from me, Draco. Paradise can wait a few minutes. Tell me what's wrong; it would make you feel better when you let it out."

Draco could only stare at her, tears now beginning to fall. He sniffled, wiping them away as he whispered:

"...'M sorry…"

"Huh?" Ava questioned. "For…"

"I-I'm sorry for almost letting you get killed!" Draco practically screamed, tears now falling in full force.

Ava jumped slightly, her frown growing longer when Draco confessed this. When Draco stopped to cry, Ava squeezed his hand, her way to tell him to keep going.

"Wh-when those jerks were h-hurting me…" Draco continued, "they told me that it's all my fault. And it is! If I hadn't been so stupid, so weak, then you… you wouldn't have risked your neck to come and save me." He sniffled, unable to stop the tears from flowing. "I-I'm sorry, Ava. I really am…"

"Draco…" Ava whispered, "please don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault."

"It is though… you got involved in this mess because I got caught… I almost got the world destroyed because of me…"

"No, no you didn't… even if you didn't get caught, I would be involved in this whole thing anyway." She smiled slightly, her attempt to comfort him as she scooted closer until their hips touched. "You're important to me, Draco. More than the world. If you need me, I'll be there to keep you safe." She squeezed his hand once more. "I know you'd do the same for me if I was the one taken captive."

Draco sniffled, his eyes focused on hers. Red eyes met brown eyes as he whispered, "I-I would, Ava! I'll protect you with my life, no matter what! You're the first and closest friend I ever have, and losing you…" He trailed off for a moment. "I just… don't want you to get hurt…"

"I know you would keep me safe," Ava said. "Plus… I knew it was a trap from the beginning."

Draco tilted his head. She knew? How?

"When we found the Frism with your voice," Ava began, "I knew it wasn't you. You would tell me to run and save myself, not beg me to save you. When I heard your cries for help, I knew that Munna was using your voice to fool me." She giggled. "You're loyal to a fault, Draco. I can tell you that."

Draco blushed, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. It was true—Draco cared more about his friends than himself, sometimes to the point his friends had to tell him to rest and to look after himself. Granted, he never had friends or family before, and he was afraid of losing them if he wasn't being loyal.

"Draco," Ava began, "none of this is your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's Munna." She balled her free paw into a fist. "She'll get what's coming for how she harmed you."

"Ava…" Draco trailed off, finding her protectiveness amusing. It seemed like she was just as loyal as he was.

"We'll protect each other, Draco," Ava continued. She moved to pull Draco into another hug, squeezing his body slightly. "Always."

Draco's tears stopped, as he held her back. He sniffled, thinking over what she had said. While he still felt the guilt inside him, he knew she was right. She would go to the ends of the world to keep him safe, and he would do the same for the one Pokémon he cared about the most.

"Thank you, Ava…" Draco whispered, "For this and for saving me… you're the best friend I could ever have…"

He knew everything would be okay. With Ava by his side, he could overcome anything with a brave face. And they would always have each other's backs.

Spoiler: Final A/N

So... yeah. This is a fic I've been wanting to write since GTI came out XD I honestly hoped that someone else can write it but at this point I went, "Fine, I'll do it myself." After around 13 years LOL Anyway... thanks for reading!!! <3