89 Aftermath

A few days later.

The Elite League had dispatched a bunch of resources out. What Gray reported was devasting. Especially with how many lives were lost before he even arrived. From the records found at the house of the mayor, and the ship manifest from the harbor, it was way pass 3 million.

After Ho-Oh died the island changed to normal. All around the technology returned to normal. The submersible fluctuated before it changed back. Gave them enough time to get the people off the boat to do so. Silver had used Haunter's unique abilities to do so.

Gold just let people crawl onto some land he created. Compliments of Groudon's power. Meeting up with Gary was a doozy. The majority of the power was transferred back to Rafael. But it left a small portion of it self. Letting Gold develop a Groudon Poke soul of its own.

Gray also found out that Growlithe had attacked Gold when he arrived. Thinking him to be the traitorous Groudon. But he was not. He just smelled like him is all.

"That is most troubling news." Professor Oak said. Behind were several other members of the Elite League. They all watched silently on the screen at Gray and those involved in stopping the events that happened. "Was their a way to save those people?"

"Yes." Gray answered plainly.

"Then why didn't you!?" Dawn yelled. She was still upset about what happened. The callous way Gray killed the woman etched in her mind. She did not sleep at night for awhile.

"Because it was not my place." Gray spoke briskly. He gave the girl a hard stare when he spoke next. "For them to live, everyone in the Pokemon World would have to sacrifice at least 5 years of their life. That was at minimum. Not counting any other problems they may have, I would have to spend years tuning that all togethor."

"You could have made the effort."

"Shut up Dawn, now!" Misty ordered. Her voice coming out in a dual tone before she calmed herself. "You are speaking without understanding. The amount of death that would come out after would surpass the lives saved."

"How so?" May asked.

"The people who had their life force could turn sick from the quick loss. Not to mention if Gray lost concentration as well during it." Gary spoke after taking everything in. Gold to the side had a better appreciation for Gray now. "What you are asking is almost impossible in perfect conditions. Gray just came from battling and his mental state was not the best."

"He looks fine to me. Humph!" Dawn snorted.

"Haaa, Dawn it is ok to feel bad. But you cannot put it all on Gray." Misty said trying to comfort her. She spared a look at Gray who said nothing. 'He is not doing ok at all. He will either strike out violently.. or collapse.'

"Professor, the next mission seems just as bad." Gray said getting the attention of the others. "If we act now, we should be able to stop it before it gets worse."

"Tch!" Gray sucked his teeth in disappointment. "Not much can be done about that. They are more of a threat that way. I am opened to suggestions."

"Are you sure you do not need to rest?" Professor Elm asked.

"I am good enough. A lot of places will take awhile to get to and solve. I can take a break during those times." Gray gave a forced smile. "Trust me. If I need to take a break I will. No matter if the World is burning all over."

"Hopefully it does not come to that." Professor Birch forced a smile. "Head to Celadon City and deal with getting your badge. We finally took care of the issue there."

"The new Gym Leader and crew have been battling trainers non stop. So they are quite formidable. " Professor Oak said. "Before you leave, a small word off the record." He pressed a button ending the recording before saying it.

"Hmm?" Gray looked at him intrigued. He watched as Professor Oak pressed a few buttons for something else.

"Hi, I am new to the Elite League. Name is Iris for those who do not know me." Iris gave them a wave and received them back from those who knew her. "Gray, you battled another Elite Member, Ash Ketchum. In the aftermath, you took a part of his power."

"As per the rules. I am allowed to do so. I am even allowed to kill. I spared him, so what's the problem?"

"Would you mind returning the power back to him?"

"No." Gray said flatly. "Anything else?"

"No. That was it." Iris shrugged defeated. She knew it was a long shot but wanted to try. Something about Gray bugged her still. The instance of seeing him angry at Dawn replayed in her head. 'Those eyes looked the same as Giratina's back then. Can he really be it reincarnated or something?'

"Bye." Gray waved to the screen. He then turned to the others. "I am heading out. I will see you when I can or not."

"Best of luck at the Gym." May gave him a fist pump. She and Gray had a talk before the meeting. She also received a gift from up above. A little red and pink ball latched onto her. It was one of the Mew's. Gray also told her that she just needed t to collect 3 Blessings of her home region and he would be able to revive her husband. "You to Clair." These two she bonded with a very short time. They were also the only two that stood busy the entire time. The others were bogged down with the emotional part that happened.

"Thanks. Never thought I would become a challenger again still. But to much is at stake to go back to being a Gym Leader." Clair smiled and played with her hair a bit. "Maybe it is for the best anyway. Sticking with Gray will let me take care of family business."

"So meet back in Neo Saffron city in a few days?" Sabrina asked. Gray gave a nod. "Alright then. Take care you two."

"Ya"ll to." Gray placed his hand on Clair and Teleported them out.

"So are you two fighting?" Misty asked Sabrina. June looked on with interest. She was about to ask the same thing. "I mean Gray seemed more business than usual. No perviness detected at all."

"Not really fighting. Just.. it is a weird story." Sabrina lamented.

"Not going anywhere." June said. "So spill." She was getting payback from Sabrina ambushing her previously.

.

-Celadon City-

.

"Haaa!" Gray stretched to the sky as he felt fantastic from doing the long psychic jump. "Clair what are you going to do till tomorrow?"

"Huh? Head to Neo Saffron with you."

"I am not heading to Saffron until four days from now. That is the time we will go towards Lavender Town really." Gray added. The two walked to the hotel and booked a room. With everyone heading other places, he canceled when they reached the island. Not really knowing what would happen after. "Hi, two rooms please. 3 days."

"Hold on just a moment." The receptionist typed away. Her eyes kept drifting to Clair and Gray. Gray looked ambivalent. But Clair looked antsy. She took it as them being lovers. 'I got you girl.' She looked to Gray with a smile as she finished. "We only have a Honeymoon Suite available. A lot of trainers have come in to challenge the new Gym Leader."

"That will be fine." Clair said. Her Pokesoul was antsy for some reason. "Right, Gray?"

"Sure. Long as you understand I am sleeping in the bed. Not playing that dumb shit guy sleeps on the floor nonsense." Gray paid and the two left.

"Hmm sleep on the floor?" The receptionist had a weird look on her face but her intuition was never wrong. "Maybe they are not at that stage yet?"

.

-Room-

.

The suite was very large. The balcony was fortified and could hold up to three Snorlax's. Gray only knew because of the sign in place.

"Nice digs." Gray released his Pokemon and explained to them the loss of Pyron on the island. A lot of them were fighting or resting and didnt know. "Just wanted you all to know everything that happened."

"Grr did that bastard Ho-Oh at least pay for it?" Growlithe asked. His face was in a scowl but his ears drooped sadly. Gray gave the Pokemon a nod. Titan, the Nidoking already knew as he basked in the sun. He was quiet and did not want to talk about it.

"I am sorry Gray." Clyde the Murkrow said as he hopped in his Pokemon form. "I wish I could have done something."

Bedrill barely said a word. It wanted to return to the pokeball to be alone, so Gray obliged.

Godzilla, the Crocknaw ballad like a baby. He was to upset to say much. He wondered why he didnt see his buddy during the rescue operations.

Jaws the Tyrunt just scratched his side. The little Pokemon understood that Pyron was gone but didnt know how to process it. Running around Gray was all it could do. It was anxious.

"Today we just rest. No training, just.. rest ok. Tomorrow we have a Gym battle to do. If you are not up for it, that is fine. I do not need an answer till tomorrow." Gray gave them all a small smile and went to make some food.

He barely pulled the dishes out, before he stopped. Clair had heard most of everything but said nothing from the side. She stared at Gray and watched as he started to shake.

"What is happening?" Clair mumbled. Small water droplets went pass Gray's head as he cried. Then his wings appeared as he openly wept. His Dark wings made her feel sick as they fluttered. The white ones slowly started to shine. "I have know idea what to do with this!" Clair continued to mumble scared. She was transfixed as she watched. Her Pokesoul of Rayquaza pulsing. It was both sad and happy.

'Just be there. That is all.' Her Rayquaza thought to her. It started to divulge a little more info to Clair. she earned it from the fighting she had done and working hard with Gray.

His Pokemon followed suit and started to cry harder. Even Titan started as he covered his face. His arms blocking it from the others sight.

It finally sunk in for each of them. They lost someone. They failed somehow in a way that changed them. Gray/Lucfiel had lost people before. But never this early. Or with out resolving things between each other. He and Pyron were just getting to a good place again when everything happened.

Across the Pokemon World the sky turned dark. It did not "Rain" but cast a dark brooding look. Both Dragon Pokemon and Dark types lamented. They felt a small pang of sorrow before it faded.

Arceus in its hideout smiled on enjoyment. Its greatest foe felt pain and that was a small victory for it. Two other Legendary Pokemon felt the change. But they neither smiled or or were upset. They just thought on it.

.

-Proffor Oak's lab-

.

Professor Oak and Mewtwo were looking at a screen that showed Gray crying. Both were happy for the display. But sad for the reason.

"It is good he has humanity still. The condemning of all those people were not what I expected." Professor Oak said.

"It is his design. He has a job to do and must do it. If he did not, all of the people on that island would have died. Not to mention what Ho-Oh would have done after recovering with all that power." Mewtwo floated around looking at the remaining capsules of the Mew Project. "Haaa, so many more to find. So little time."

"To think there is so much to the afterlife." Professor Oak shook his head in thought. No matter how many times he wrapped his head around it, the idea of multiple worlds that exist was exciting. That Gray and a few other individuals take on various forms to test humanity even more so. "I wish we were not in this predicament. I would have loved to visit another World."

"Old friend, there is still time to do so. I believe.. that we will succeed. But there will be more casualties." Mewtwo looked to the door as Gold and Red walked in. "What do you two need?"

"I am heading out to help as I can in the Johto region." Gold said cheerfully. "I am all recovered and good to go!"

"I am heading to Victory Road." Red said lowly. Mewtwo and Professor Oak shared a look of apprehension. "I need to talk with the other Champions about what they wish to do next. Another incident like this cannot really happen. Mass casualties in several continents at once is to much. Depending on what they agree to, I might just head straight to Sinnoh to see what I can do there."

"I see. We wish you luck." Professor Oak said. Red turned and left. His Aura power channeling as he shot out like a meteorite. "Well, at least he is doing something."

"Yoh Mewtwo what is wrong!?" Gold reached over to the large Pokemon. Mewtwo eyes had rolled into the back of its head as a powerful vision passed through it. "Come on.. get it togthor!"

Mewtwo convulsed for a bit more then finally snapped out of it. Raw physic power radiating off it. Circulating his aura, Gold could barely defend himself.

"So much death ahead." Mewtwo said distressed. "We have to stop him." In a few seconds, he started to lose consciousness.

"Hey! Stop who?!" Gold yelled. He turned to Professor Oak to see the man's nose was bleeding as well as his ears. "Oh, man!"

"I will be ok. Just the bond I share with him is all." Professor Oak said snapping to. "Rest easy Gold. Head to Johto as you planned. I will see to our friend here."

"No way. It can wait." Gold helped lift Mewtwo up towards a medical bed in the back. "Come on, we need to find out who he was talking about after getting him looked at."

.

-Gold Gate \u0026 Black Gate-

.

A small pool of water showed Gray and his Pokemon. Saint Peter mostly looking at the wings and how the Gold Gate was losing still. Michael at his brother.

"He has changed a great deal." Michael said to Saint Peter. "What do you think will happen now?" Michael looked up at the Pokemon Pyron flying in the sky. Several Angel's flying with it.

"I do not know." Saint Peter shook his head sadly. "I do know, after sorrow comes anger. And your brother has a lot of it. Hopefully, he keeps it in check."

"I think he will." Michaela, Michael's counterpart said. She had a smile on her face that did not fit. It felt wrong to Saint Peter. 'The Vessel Sabrina has distanced herself from him, how stupid. Distracted, he will make a mistake. If he does, Michael can intervene to help. These two need to make up before it is to late. But to many lives will be lost.. I do not want that. I have already helped him once. Cannot keep doing it this early.'

"Bong!" A clear sound echoed out. It was the signal that those of Black Gate where coming in large numbers.

"Oh dear, that is a lot of souls." Michaela said.

"They are the ones killed by Ho-Oh. Gray asked for those who actually repent to receive a smaller sentence." Saint Peter said. His eyes were sharp as he looked out. "They are to be judge by those who wished to help. And the few innocent that could not be saved. It is not often that Gray does this."

"The last time was during..." Michael pondered. "Oh, the Ark incident."