Letting out a guttural scream, Kaito holds the stump where his forearm used to be, now completely disintegrated as the wound bleeds profusely.
Everyone present takes in the scene differently.
Gardevoir, Hatterene, and Zoroark stare at him, wide-eyed. Concern clearly visible as Zoroark tears up slightly.
Solgaleo and Lunala stop slightly, feeling respect at the human's action and slightly sorry for what's to come, as rules are rules and intruders are not welcome.
Metagross, while worried, has to think rationally as the others are too shocked to act. Using Psychic, he slightly nudges the three Pokémon from their stupor and prepares to fight with their two adversaries.
Having woken up, Hatterene goes to assist Metagross immediately, while Gardevoir sticks around to stop the bleeding with a few Heal Pulses before also joining the fight.
Zoroark doesn't move, still shocked that Kaito would do something like sacrificing his arm for her. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, her strength is considerably lower than the other three, so her inaction isn't detrimental.
Meanwhile, Kaito keeps staring at his missing forearm, grunting in pain as he can't help but think about his past.
Eight-year-old Kaito POV
Smarter, stronger, and taller than children his age, Kaito is conversing in his father's office with the man himself.
"Cursed?" he asks, and Kaito's father nods.
"I've noticed how you have matured much faster than the other kids, and I think you're ready to learn this information."
Kaito nods after a short while as a slightly larger-than-average Beldum floats near him, a Pokémon he befriended a year ago.
Sighing, his father gets up and contemplates his words as he stares out the window of their three-story mansion, overlooking a vast and beautiful field, adorned with a lake.
"As you know, our family is rich. Not the richest there is, but we're up there in wealth."
Kaito nods his head before realizing his father has his back turned to him, so he answers verbally.
"Yes."
(AN: I don't feel like calling him 'Kaito's father' so I'll write his name.)
Hiroshi smiles slightly, seeing the moment in the reflection, before taking on a serious expression.
"And I've already told you the story of your great-grandfather. Someone who almost ruined the family by abruptly leaving, deciding he wanted to explore the world."
The topic seems heavy, but Kaito's eyes can't help but light up in excitement at the word "explore."
Hiroshi can only sigh helplessly, feeling it's inevitable.
"That's the 'curse' I'm talking about. Every few generations, a member of the Graves family will develop an unnatural urge to explore the world, often leading to severe or dire consequences for both parties."
He turns to look at his son, his expression serious, but his wife would be able to see the concern hidden on his face.
"And I have reason to believe you are the same. Your curiosity is unnatural, leading to harmful situations for yourself." Hiroshi eyes a few minor scars on his son's forearms.
Kaito, at eight years of age, has already developed a reputation of being rambunctious, new small or minor injuries present daily.
He continues. "I never finished the stories I told you. While your great-grandfather did turn out to be an amazing explorer, he died early in life at just 25. The only reason the family was able to avoid catastrophe was because we were lucky he had a just-as-competent brother to pick up the pieces."
Kaito, completely ignoring words like consequences and death, looks at his father in excitement.
"Father, I want to be just like great-grandfather! I want to discover something no one has ever seen before!"
Hiroshi almost flies into a rage at his son's words. Taking a few deep breaths, he sits down, resigned to the situation.
"...Very well. You are dismissed," he says despondently.
With his grin still present, Kaito bows his head and leaves the room, as his mother enters after he leaves.
"Emiko…"
She looks at her husband, concern in her visage. "You told him?"
Hiroshi nods. "He's indifferent to the consequences. His desire to explore the world is real."
They both remain silent for a long time.
Kaito is seen running down the stairs, almost crashing into every maid and butler along the way as they greet him.
He greets them back and continues sprinting outside the mansion.
"Beldum! I sneaked a peek at a map in Father's office a few days ago and I know where we're going next!"
The Beldum quietly follows the youth.
The next two years were spent with him getting spoiled at every opportunity, seemingly in an attempt to get him to stay home. But with every passing day, he started getting more and more irritated with his current life.
On the night of his tenth birthday, his mother comes into his room and hugs him tightly while crying.
"My child… I don't want you to leave…"
Kaito hugs her back tightly, his will to leave faltering more than ever. But ultimately, his decision remained the same.
Getting up the next morning, he heads out of the mansion before even the servants have gotten up, taking a few required supplies for his journey he prepared beforehand and heading directly towards Professor Birch.
Before he gets too far, he turns to get one last look at his home—or should he say what was once his home.
In a third-floor window, he sees his father looking at him, dark circles forming under his eyes.
Kaito bites his lips, and before the guilt can overtake his decision, he turns and sprints away, his Beldum accompanying him silently.
He makes a promise to himself. Something he will keep even if it kills him.
With tears flowing from his eyes, he declares loudly:
"Once I've discovered something others could only dream of, I'll come back and see you!"
He laughs slightly through the tears.
"But I won't promise I'll stay."
Rousing him from his daydream is Zoroark, who shakes him hard, bringing him back to the current moment.
The blood. The pain. The sounds.
He looks at the Pokémon fighting for him. Protecting someone who gets lost in thought in a situation such as this.
Gripping his stump harder, he quickly makes a few rapid decisions.
Kaito takes the few Pokéballs still on his belt and releases them.
"Gliscor, Aegislash, Sylveon! Go help them." The three Pokémon can't help but give a look of shock at his current appearance, but they quickly snap out of it at their trainer's command.
He looks at his missing right forearm and grits his teeth.
Shaking his head to clear the stray thoughts, he considered which Mega Evolution to trigger—Metagross was the obvious choice.
'Good thing my Keystone's on a necklace.'
He reached for the rainbow-colored stone at his neck and activated it.
The fight turns slightly in their favor as the now Mega Metagross coordinates with everyone telepathically, acting as a general and combatant.
Spectating the fight for a short while, Kaito turns to observe the chamber for a way out.
As he does this, out of the corner of his eye he spots a black claw heading toward his and Zoroark's back, poised to kill both instantly.
Quickly tackling Zoroark to the ground, he avoids dying but suffers a gash on his back.
"Rrghhh—!" His pained grunt alerts the Pokémon fighting. Metagross decides to send Gardevoir to support their trainer.
Kaito, turning back to look at his attacker fully, can only say how alien this Pokémon truly looks. With claws as big as its upper body, it sports legs and arms as thin as twigs. Completely black in color, one could only describe it as rigid.
(AN: I'll just clarify for anyone who doesn't know what the Pokémon is. It's Necrozma.)
"What the fuck is that?" His usual curiosity at the discovery of a new Pokémon is long gone.
Gardevoir appears in front of him and engages the newcomer, Zoroark stepping up as well, not wanting to be saved anymore—intent on doing the saving herself.
Kaito stands up with a struggle, blood flowing like a river down his back.
"…How did it… get even… worse…?" he says between pained grunts.
But something seems off. Taking in the appearance of Solgaleo and Lunala, Kaito notices how they seem shocked at the appearance of the newcomer, which results in a major advantage for his side.
All while the alien Pokémon seems to be holding back, eyeing the two legendary Pokémon while dodging attacks sent its way.
Eventually the two legendaries falter from their injuries and the newcomer takes the chance.
Moving at a surprising speed, it lands a super-effective Metal Claw on the already injured Gardevoir, ignoring Zoroark, who is powerless compared to the rest of the fighters.
"Gardevoir!" Kaito screams out, and noticing the path the alien Pokémon is taking, he gets a haunting premonition.
"Stop it!" he yells and limps over to Gardevoir, who struggling to get up as Zoroark helps him.
All his Pokémon, already exhausted from the fighting, try to fulfill the command. But as the newcomer is completely uninjured and full of stamina, it barrels through the attacks. Even Solgaleo and Lunala seem to take their side, forcing the Pokémon to use Protect.
As the cloud of dust from all the different attacks clears, Kaito sees how the alien Pokémon is standing between the two legendaries, touching each with one hand.
At this point, his instincts are screaming at him to flee.
'I would if I could…'
The exit is still nowhere to be seen.
The three of them start fusing—forcefully at that, if Solgaleo's and Lunala's roars are anything to go by.
"Everyone come back here!"
The combatants teleport over to their trainer as the fusing Pokémon seems to take a sand-colored crystal with a black star in its center from somewhere on its body.
'A Z-Crystal? Why does it have one?'
The fusion is completed soon after, the form resembling a giant golden dragon, its roar sending a shockwave that makes them slide back slightly.
'Strong!'
That's Kaito's only thought as the beast before them starts charging up a giant ball of green energy. It quickly reaches a size several times bigger than the golden dragon.
Light That Burns the Sky
The giant ball of energy is sent their way.
With bloodshot eyes and blood dripping from his lips, where he is biting down on them, Kaito roars:
"Even if it kills me! I'll keep my promise! Or else my name isn't Kaito Graves!"
"Everyone use Protect!"
As the barriers are put up, the green ball of energy makes contact. Without any anticipation or power struggle, the barriers shatter instantly, engulfing the exhausted and battered group.
As green light fills his vision, a rare calmness takes over Kaito.
'It seems this is where my journey ends…'
He takes one final look at the Pokémon surrounding him and closes his eyes.
Opening them shortly after, with a helpless smile on his face.
"I'd be lying if I said I don't regret anything..."
With those parting words, the green light engulfs the group. The pattern on the floor flashes brightly just as a massive explosion shakes the area. (AN: If you're curious about the pattern, search up hall of origin in a browser.)
When the dust clears, the group is nowhere to be seen, presumably disintegrated on impact, while the pattern on the floor of the temple has disappeared along with them.
In the outside world, a year has already passed compared to the one month Kaito thinks he spent inside.
Kaito Graves is officially declared missing.