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Dee confronts her master and old friend, Cassandra, and must find a way to save her, herself and the wasteland", "writing": "[u][center]Chapter 53: The Courier[/center][/u]\n\nDee just stared at Cassandra, completely stunned. The Braixen-woman with Lucario features stood there for a moment, before her face twisted up in pain as the red aura from the huge crystal pulsed through the room. She started panting and holding her head then hastily slapped the Lucarionite back onto her chest and in a flash of light she Mega Evolved again.\n\n“Can’t let the Dynamax overwhelm me yet,” Cassandra straightened up.\n\nDee finally found her voice again, “Cassandra, you’re Goemon?”\n\nCassandra smirked, “Always was and I didn’t lie about anything. That day I left I decided to go to the only people who might know about that gem in your bracelet: the Followers of the Apocalypse. Sure enough, they knew all about the Enclaves experiments, not a lot of details but they knew that the Keystones and Mega Stones had to be made with condensed Dynamax Energy, especially since they had a Mega Stone they’d analyzed, this one,” she tapped her chest where the Lucarionite was no longer visible, “I asked if I could try it, since I’m half-Lucario, and it worked. They said I could keep it if I let them study the effects of Mega Evolution especially on a rare Poke-person that showed traits of multiple species, it wasn’t something I wanted to pass up. It wasn’t until their study concluded I heard about what happened here.”\n\nThe Mega Lucario-woman’s eyes teared up but she made no move to wipe them away. “I came back and had to Mega Evolve to stay sane and see it with my own eyes. So horrified that I ran back to Kalos and the Followers, only to found their outpost had been destroyed and the scientists that helped me murdered. That’s when I started wandering, trying to find some meaning in this fucked up world.” She clenched her fists and bared her teeth, trying to blink away the tears, “all I found were monsters and opportunists, even I’m no better!” She swung her right arm backwards towards the generator that was spinning faster by the minute, “So I’m going to end it all! Let Eternatus deliver judgement to this whole fucked up world!”\n\nThe humming of the generator was the only noise for a moment before Dee spoke, “No, I won’t let you do that.” Dee flexed her arms as she used Bulk Up then focused.\n\n“I expected this, even if you can’t stop it.” Cassandra began pumping her arms using Work Up to boost her offense.\n\nDee crashed her fists together, feeling the Dynamax energy around her as it flowed through her. Her eyes flashed then her whole body glowed with angry red aura, yet her eyes stayed calm, “ED-E, stay back, this is between us.”\n\nED-E beeped in alarm and floated out of the way of the clash.\n\nCassandra ignored the Magneton-bot as she stared at Dee in genuine surprise, “You can control the Dynamax?”\n\nDee took up a fighting stance and shifted her hands to the side, a silver-blue orb or aura forming, “Yes, and with this I’ll save you and the whole wasteland!” She fired a Flash Cannon at Cassandra.\n\nThe Mega Lucario-woman reacted fast, shooting her arms forwards and unleashing a Flamethrower from between her hands. The two streams met in between them and clashed for a moment before the Flamethrower broke through the steel aura, striking where Dee had been a moment ago. Dee leapt up and slammed her elbow down at Cassandra, who dodged back and swept at Dee with a Low Kick. Dee was knocked off her feet and landed on her back but swung out with a Blaze Kick that struck Cassandra in the chest then used the momentum to roll over and push herself back up a moment before a Fire Punch struck where she had been.\n\nDee landed at the bottom of the stairs and crossed her arms to block a Thunder Punch from Cassandra then retaliated with a Metal Claw to her arms. Cassandra winced and pulled back then ignited her hands and feet in fire. “My own technique you saw before, Fire Flurry!” Cassandra lashed out with flaming punches and kicks, striking Dee three times before she dodged back. Cassandra came at her with Fire Flurry again but this time Dee retaliated with Close Combat, the blows striking and deflecting off each other which made her arms and legs ache.\n\nDee powered through the pain and kicked Cassandra in the stomach which barely phased her as she punched Dee in the chest. Dee jumped back with the force of the blow and charged up an Aura Sphere between her hands as Cassandra did likewise with just her right hand. They were too close to throw and the Aura Spheres clashed together as they both poured their all into the attack.\n\nDee could feel it, with every blow she felt Cassandra’s pain, the pain of losing her tribe, her new home, feeling that she caused the deaths of the Followers, of learning the Auras’ awful history, feeling she’d turned the River Mothers into another tribe like them and the horror she’d seen in Big MT. She expected this, being able to speak to ED-E and Dr. 8 meant she knew she’d be able to feel this as if she’d experienced it, and hoped that it went both ways.\n\nIt did\n\nCassandra could feel the same pain that Dee had experienced, the physical pain of her body nearly being torn apart in the disaster, being taken apart and surgically augmented by the Think Tank, Elijah turning her into a slave at the Sierra Madre, the Toxic Shocks slaughter of Happy Trails and the despicable self-sabotage the NKR was doing along with the horrifying actions of Nobunaga’s Kogun and even more from before she ever came to Galar.\n\nThe Aura Spheres exploded and knocked both Lucario-women back, though both managed to stay upright. Cassandra glared, “Why are you fighting this!? You saw what I saw and I felt what you felt! This world is an unfixable mess!” She charged up and fired a Flamethrower at Dee.\n\nDee spun to the side, “There’s more than that and I’ll show you! Help you understand.” She fired a Flash Cannon at Cassandra.\n\nThe Mega Lucario-woman was too slow and took the metal stream right to her torso and with it felt glimpses of Dee and Helios together, sitting near warmth as their awkward feelings blossomed into love. Cassandra shook it off in time to see Dee charge with a Thunder Punch. Cassandra blocked with an arm and felt a flash of something, finding a lover and then reunion between two long thought lost to each other twice over.\n\n“Stop!” Cassandra felt a twinge of guilt but forced it down and Low Kicked Dee again, but missed when Dee jumped and Blaze Kicked Cassandra in the side.\n\nMore: a friend’s life saved by something taught by a new friend, others freed from burdens by Dee’s own words. Cassandra let out a growl and struck Dee with Fire Flurry, striking her four times before Dee dodged the last kick and punched her twice, in the chest then in the face.\n\nReunions and new friends, people travelling and learning, taking down a corrupt system without violence, hunger sated and someone trustworthy helping them repair the damage.\n\n“Stop it!” Cassandra was crying now even as she smashed into Dee with a Flame Charge, knocking them back and nearly colliding with ED-E as it dodged aside from the computer it was hovering over.\n\nDee grabbed Cassandra’s face, “Not until you see!” She smashed her forehead into Cassandra’s.\n\nStars exploded into both women’s vision as Cassandra felt the last of what Dee was sharing: sorrow and pain at having to fight her old friend and master, but determined to save her from her own grief. The two fell to the ground, Dee sitting and Cassandra on all fours even as Dee’s Dynamax form flickered, maintained only by the high concentration in the room.\n\nCassandra punched the floor, denting the metal as she cried, “Why! Why are you trying to save me!” She forced her still crying face to look Dee in the eye, “I don’t want to be saved! I… I… I have nothing left! I’m a monster!”\n\nDee stood up calmly, “That’s not true, you’re just in pain and I understand.” She approached the Mega Lucario-woman, “and there’s more: The River Mothers didn’t become conquerors. I met your pupil, Lloyd, he was lost because of a bad relationship but he found himself and more and he wanted to go home to where they just took back what they lost from other tribes, they’re still peaceful.”\n\n“Th-they are?” Cassandra rubbed her eyes to try and clear the tears.\n\nDee smiled, “They are, and there’s more. The Aura’s aren’t all gone, the New Celesticans found at least one of them, a little lost Riolu looking for the rest of their tribe. Maybe there’s more, maybe you can find them and do better.” Dee offered a hand to Cassandra, “Please, let’s stop this now.”\n\nCassandra stared at Dee’s hand for a moment, then grasped it and allowed the shiny Lucario-woman to pull her to her feet and into a tight hug. The tears flowed freely as Cassandra cried, “I’m sorry! I’m… I’m sorry!” She pulled back, suddenly distraught, “Oh Arceus what have I done!? Eternatus is going to wake up and… I can’t stop it!”\n\nThe louder whirr of the generator drew Dee’s attention as she felt the room shake, noises approaching and a deep rumble from below\n\n“ETERRRRRRR!”\n\nDee was starting to panic but she forced herself to hold it together as she turned to Cassandra, “There has to be a way! The Keystone! Where is it!”\n\n“It was sucked into that!” Cassandra turned and pointed to the Dynamax crystal generator, “I shoved it in there with the bracelet so it would react violently I… I doomed us all!” She shook as her emotions swung wildly and Dee grabbed her shoulders to keep her steady, both now totally unsure what to do.\n\n‘HERE! HERE!’ ED-E’s sudden burst of emotion drew their attention to the main console where it hovered before it flew over to them, ‘can stop, overload, destroy, disperse, send to sleep’\n\nDee’s eyes lit up then, “You can stop it?” then she remembered the last audio recoding he’d played, “isn’t this a military network?”\n\nED-E nodded, ‘yes, encryption strong, can override, will overload, save everything!’\n\n“What’s it saying?” Cassandra turned to the robot, “it can stop this?”\n\n“Yes but… it’ll destroy him,” Dee was panting with the realization.\n\n“No!” Cassandra grasped ED-E’s top orb, “I can’t let you die for my mistake! There has to be something I can do!”\n\nWith contact, ED-E’s feelings transmitted to both of them, ‘no, you live, run, my life: beautiful, remember sacrifice, life worth giving’\n\nCassandra let go and Dee hugged ED-E, tears staining her face as the Dynamax state faded out, “Thank you, I’m sorry, ED-E. We’ll never forget you.” She let go and ED-E turned to float back towards the control console. Dee grabbed Cassandra’s hand and pulled her towards the exit door as ED-E poured all its energy into breaking and overloading the system. Dee turned back for a moment just in time to see the system crackle with electricity and one last overwhelming communication from ED-E\n\n‘was useful, more than useful, feel… happy’ \n\nThen ED-D exploded into scrap metal and electronics as the reactor started to overload.\n\nDee and Cassandra ran as fast as they could, too hurt to try jumping away as the whole Divide shook. Memories of the fate of Vault 18 made Dee run even harder as tears flowed from her eyes. A massive explosion ripped the power plant apart, sending a Dynamax shockwave across the whole region. Dee and Cassandra were knocked flat as they felt a surge of energy across the land, and then silence as it faded.\n\nFar to the north in Kalos, a figure stood atop a short hill and sensed the massive upheaval of Dynamax energy. Through his aura vision he saw the great mass of angry red aura rise then deflate to the southwest. “That’s gotta be where she is.” He grinned, “hang on, I’m coming!” he took off towards where he had seen the aura, quickly surrounding himself in a jet of water.\n\nThey both lay there, waiting for the other shoe to drop but nothing happened, even the Dynamax energy saturating the Divide seemed to calm down. Cassandra pushed herself up to her knees, tears flowing freely now as she sobbed in grief as much as relief. Dee sat up and hugged Cassandra close, also crying as they mourned ED-E’s sacrifice.\n\nEvening came and they built a fire, Dee filling the pot to boil more MREs. They sat in silence until they finished boiling. Cassandra only picked at the food but watched as Dee put two full packs away in a short time.\n\nDee swallowed the last of the second, “Not hungry?”\n\n“I guess… just feeling guilty about… everything…” Cassandra forced herself to eat the boiled food.\n\nDee patted Cassandra on the shoulder, “It’ll be alright, I promise. Just one step at a time.”\n\nCassandra swallowed, “Alright. As soon as we’re out of here I need to stop using this Mega Stone for a while.” Dee nodded.\n\nOnce they finished eating, they set off towards Kalos. Both were ready to fight their way out but the Tunnelers never emerged, even the toxic feel of their aura was diminished enough for Cassandra to pass through their cave despite still being Mega Evolved. They slept in Cassandra’s old home again and were safe. The few Dynamaxed they encountered either ran or avoided them, perhaps out of fear or even respect. They restocked with the last of the food and water in the no longer functioning lab Dee had entered through then, at the last incline, Dee pulled her scarf and goggles back on. Cassandra hesitated at the edge of the storm, until Dee offered a hand to her. Cassandra managed a smile, then accepted and let Dee guide her through the storms, away from Galar.\n\nMany roads can change a person: regret, grief, anger, hope, but one never needs to walk those roads alone. This road has reached its end, but the journey continues.\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "
Chapter 53: The Courier


Dee just stared at Cassandra, completely stunned. The Braixen-woman with Lucario features stood there for a moment, before her face twisted up in pain as the red aura from the huge crystal pulsed through the room. She started panting and holding her head then hastily slapped the Lucarionite back onto her chest and in a flash of light she Mega Evolved again.

“Can’t let the Dynamax overwhelm me yet,” Cassandra straightened up.

Dee finally found her voice again, “Cassandra, you’re Goemon?”

Cassandra smirked, “Always was and I didn’t lie about anything. That day I left I decided to go to the only people who might know about that gem in your bracelet: the Followers of the Apocalypse. Sure enough, they knew all about the Enclaves experiments, not a lot of details but they knew that the Keystones and Mega Stones had to be made with condensed Dynamax Energy, especially since they had a Mega Stone they’d analyzed, this one,” she tapped her chest where the Lucarionite was no longer visible, “I asked if I could try it, since I’m half-Lucario, and it worked. They said I could keep it if I let them study the effects of Mega Evolution especially on a rare Poke-person that showed traits of multiple species, it wasn’t something I wanted to pass up. It wasn’t until their study concluded I heard about what happened here.”

The Mega Lucario-woman’s eyes teared up but she made no move to wipe them away. “I came back and had to Mega Evolve to stay sane and see it with my own eyes. So horrified that I ran back to Kalos and the Followers, only to found their outpost had been destroyed and the scientists that helped me murdered. That’s when I started wandering, trying to find some meaning in this fucked up world.” She clenched her fists and bared her teeth, trying to blink away the tears, “all I found were monsters and opportunists, even I’m no better!” She swung her right arm backwards towards the generator that was spinning faster by the minute, “So I’m going to end it all! Let Eternatus deliver judgement to this whole fucked up world!”

The humming of the generator was the only noise for a moment before Dee spoke, “No, I won’t let you do that.” Dee flexed her arms as she used Bulk Up then focused.

“I expected this, even if you can’t stop it.” Cassandra began pumping her arms using Work Up to boost her offense.

Dee crashed her fists together, feeling the Dynamax energy around her as it flowed through her. Her eyes flashed then her whole body glowed with angry red aura, yet her eyes stayed calm, “ED-E, stay back, this is between us.”

ED-E beeped in alarm and floated out of the way of the clash.

Cassandra ignored the Magneton-bot as she stared at Dee in genuine surprise, “You can control the Dynamax?”

Dee took up a fighting stance and shifted her hands to the side, a silver-blue orb or aura forming, “Yes, and with this I’ll save you and the whole wasteland!” She fired a Flash Cannon at Cassandra.

The Mega Lucario-woman reacted fast, shooting her arms forwards and unleashing a Flamethrower from between her hands. The two streams met in between them and clashed for a moment before the Flamethrower broke through the steel aura, striking where Dee had been a moment ago. Dee leapt up and slammed her elbow down at Cassandra, who dodged back and swept at Dee with a Low Kick. Dee was knocked off her feet and landed on her back but swung out with a Blaze Kick that struck Cassandra in the chest then used the momentum to roll over and push herself back up a moment before a Fire Punch struck where she had been.

Dee landed at the bottom of the stairs and crossed her arms to block a Thunder Punch from Cassandra then retaliated with a Metal Claw to her arms. Cassandra winced and pulled back then ignited her hands and feet in fire. “My own technique you saw before, Fire Flurry!” Cassandra lashed out with flaming punches and kicks, striking Dee three times before she dodged back. Cassandra came at her with Fire Flurry again but this time Dee retaliated with Close Combat, the blows striking and deflecting off each other which made her arms and legs ache.

Dee powered through the pain and kicked Cassandra in the stomach which barely phased her as she punched Dee in the chest. Dee jumped back with the force of the blow and charged up an Aura Sphere between her hands as Cassandra did likewise with just her right hand. They were too close to throw and the Aura Spheres clashed together as they both poured their all into the attack.

Dee could feel it, with every blow she felt Cassandra’s pain, the pain of losing her tribe, her new home, feeling that she caused the deaths of the Followers, of learning the Auras’ awful history, feeling she’d turned the River Mothers into another tribe like them and the horror she’d seen in Big MT. She expected this, being able to speak to ED-E and Dr. 8 meant she knew she’d be able to feel this as if she’d experienced it, and hoped that it went both ways.

It did

Cassandra could feel the same pain that Dee had experienced, the physical pain of her body nearly being torn apart in the disaster, being taken apart and surgically augmented by the Think Tank, Elijah turning her into a slave at the Sierra Madre, the Toxic Shocks slaughter of Happy Trails and the despicable self-sabotage the NKR was doing along with the horrifying actions of Nobunaga’s Kogun and even more from before she ever came to Galar.

The Aura Spheres exploded and knocked both Lucario-women back, though both managed to stay upright. Cassandra glared, “Why are you fighting this!? You saw what I saw and I felt what you felt! This world is an unfixable mess!” She charged up and fired a Flamethrower at Dee.

Dee spun to the side, “There’s more than that and I’ll show you! Help you understand.” She fired a Flash Cannon at Cassandra.

The Mega Lucario-woman was too slow and took the metal stream right to her torso and with it felt glimpses of Dee and Helios together, sitting near warmth as their awkward feelings blossomed into love. Cassandra shook it off in time to see Dee charge with a Thunder Punch. Cassandra blocked with an arm and felt a flash of something, finding a lover and then reunion between two long thought lost to each other twice over.

“Stop!” Cassandra felt a twinge of guilt but forced it down and Low Kicked Dee again, but missed when Dee jumped and Blaze Kicked Cassandra in the side.

More: a friend’s life saved by something taught by a new friend, others freed from burdens by Dee’s own words. Cassandra let out a growl and struck Dee with Fire Flurry, striking her four times before Dee dodged the last kick and punched her twice, in the chest then in the face.

Reunions and new friends, people travelling and learning, taking down a corrupt system without violence, hunger sated and someone trustworthy helping them repair the damage.

“Stop it!” Cassandra was crying now even as she smashed into Dee with a Flame Charge, knocking them back and nearly colliding with ED-E as it dodged aside from the computer it was hovering over.

Dee grabbed Cassandra’s face, “Not until you see!” She smashed her forehead into Cassandra’s.

Stars exploded into both women’s vision as Cassandra felt the last of what Dee was sharing: sorrow and pain at having to fight her old friend and master, but determined to save her from her own grief. The two fell to the ground, Dee sitting and Cassandra on all fours even as Dee’s Dynamax form flickered, maintained only by the high concentration in the room.

Cassandra punched the floor, denting the metal as she cried, “Why! Why are you trying to save me!” She forced her still crying face to look Dee in the eye, “I don’t want to be saved! I… I… I have nothing left! I’m a monster!”

Dee stood up calmly, “That’s not true, you’re just in pain and I understand.” She approached the Mega Lucario-woman, “and there’s more: The River Mothers didn’t become conquerors. I met your pupil, Lloyd, he was lost because of a bad relationship but he found himself and more and he wanted to go home to where they just took back what they lost from other tribes, they’re still peaceful.”

“Th-they are?” Cassandra rubbed her eyes to try and clear the tears.

Dee smiled, “They are, and there’s more. The Aura’s aren’t all gone, the New Celesticans found at least one of them, a little lost Riolu looking for the rest of their tribe. Maybe there’s more, maybe you can find them and do better.” Dee offered a hand to Cassandra, “Please, let’s stop this now.”

Cassandra stared at Dee’s hand for a moment, then grasped it and allowed the shiny Lucario-woman to pull her to her feet and into a tight hug. The tears flowed freely as Cassandra cried, “I’m sorry! I’m… I’m sorry!” She pulled back, suddenly distraught, “Oh Arceus what have I done!? Eternatus is going to wake up and… I can’t stop it!”

The louder whirr of the generator drew Dee’s attention as she felt the room shake, noises approaching and a deep rumble from below

“ETERRRRRRR!”

Dee was starting to panic but she forced herself to hold it together as she turned to Cassandra, “There has to be a way! The Keystone! Where is it!”

“It was sucked into that!” Cassandra turned and pointed to the Dynamax crystal generator, “I shoved it in there with the bracelet so it would react violently I… I doomed us all!” She shook as her emotions swung wildly and Dee grabbed her shoulders to keep her steady, both now totally unsure what to do.

‘HERE! HERE!’ ED-E’s sudden burst of emotion drew their attention to the main console where it hovered before it flew over to them, ‘can stop, overload, destroy, disperse, send to sleep’

Dee’s eyes lit up then, “You can stop it?” then she remembered the last audio recoding he’d played, “isn’t this a military network?”

ED-E nodded, ‘yes, encryption strong, can override, will overload, save everything!’

“What’s it saying?” Cassandra turned to the robot, “it can stop this?”

“Yes but… it’ll destroy him,” Dee was panting with the realization.

“No!” Cassandra grasped ED-E’s top orb, “I can’t let you die for my mistake! There has to be something I can do!”

With contact, ED-E’s feelings transmitted to both of them, ‘no, you live, run, my life: beautiful, remember sacrifice, life worth giving’

Cassandra let go and Dee hugged ED-E, tears staining her face as the Dynamax state faded out, “Thank you, I’m sorry, ED-E. We’ll never forget you.” She let go and ED-E turned to float back towards the control console. Dee grabbed Cassandra’s hand and pulled her towards the exit door as ED-E poured all its energy into breaking and overloading the system. Dee turned back for a moment just in time to see the system crackle with electricity and one last overwhelming communication from ED-E

‘was useful, more than useful, feel… happy’

Then ED-D exploded into scrap metal and electronics as the reactor started to overload.

Dee and Cassandra ran as fast as they could, too hurt to try jumping away as the whole Divide shook. Memories of the fate of Vault 18 made Dee run even harder as tears flowed from her eyes. A massive explosion ripped the power plant apart, sending a Dynamax shockwave across the whole region. Dee and Cassandra were knocked flat as they felt a surge of energy across the land, and then silence as it faded.

Far to the north in Kalos, a figure stood atop a short hill and sensed the massive upheaval of Dynamax energy. Through his aura vision he saw the great mass of angry red aura rise then deflate to the southwest. “That’s gotta be where she is.” He grinned, “hang on, I’m coming!” he took off towards where he had seen the aura, quickly surrounding himself in a jet of water.

They both lay there, waiting for the other shoe to drop but nothing happened, even the Dynamax energy saturating the Divide seemed to calm down. Cassandra pushed herself up to her knees, tears flowing freely now as she sobbed in grief as much as relief. Dee sat up and hugged Cassandra close, also crying as they mourned ED-E’s sacrifice.

Evening came and they built a fire, Dee filling the pot to boil more MREs. They sat in silence until they finished boiling. Cassandra only picked at the food but watched as Dee put two full packs away in a short time.

Dee swallowed the last of the second, “Not hungry?”

“I guess… just feeling guilty about… everything…” Cassandra forced herself to eat the boiled food.

Dee patted Cassandra on the shoulder, “It’ll be alright, I promise. Just one step at a time.”

Cassandra swallowed, “Alright. As soon as we’re out of here I need to stop using this Mega Stone for a while.” Dee nodded.

Once they finished eating, they set off towards Kalos. Both were ready to fight their way out but the Tunnelers never emerged, even the toxic feel of their aura was diminished enough for Cassandra to pass through their cave despite still being Mega Evolved. They slept in Cassandra’s old home again and were safe. The few Dynamaxed they encountered either ran or avoided them, perhaps out of fear or even respect. They restocked with the last of the food and water in the no longer functioning lab Dee had entered through then, at the last incline, Dee pulled her scarf and goggles back on. Cassandra hesitated at the edge of the storm, until Dee offered a hand to her. Cassandra managed a smile, then accepted and let Dee guide her through the storms, away from Galar.

Many roads can change a person: regret, grief, anger, hope, but one never needs to walk those roads alone. This road has reached its end, but the journey continues.
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