EPISODE 60: Blood Moon Crisis!

The sky was filled with caliginosity, the shadows reappeared and the streets were quiet. The gargantuan moon together with her tiddly children were the only source of luminosity. The Pokemons of the dark sky howl together with the melody of the oozing wind. The clouds were filled with murk as the morning flower awaits to bloom once more.

On a small sturdy rock lies a Pokemon in pure white. Although her skin was darkness her fur was twilight. Her eyes were blood moons, and her body was slim. Her head had a black scythe and her tail was sharp as a knife. Her claws were honed as she stared at the twinkling moon.

People dread her silhouette as she passes through with a grimacing smile. She is the warning and the apprise of a great disaster that smiles. Once you see her, fear her name! Go to your houses... Sit and pray, for what's about to come shall be deadly and grave.

People of the golden age, searched and hunted for the Pokemon, she is the omen of death, disaster, and bad luck. She may be a beauty, but never deceive her looks for once she comes close to you, your ninth symphony shall take place.

Even people of the modern era, hunts and dreads for the Pokemon, her fear and terror remained in their feeble hearts as their actions turned into traditions. Every year, once the blood moon is set, expect soldiers to march... hunting for her head.

The day disaster ends, is the day she disappears, she is no ghost... she is real and veridical. She is no maiden nor princess, queen nor empress she is Absol, messenger of disasters.

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"Mark your timers on exactly eight pm! The rare blood moon, or profoundly known as the Lunar eclipse shall take its place under the night sky! This reminder is brought to you by RSN! Real news! Real tales!" the news anchor reported through our room-phone as we watched from our tents.

"It's been two years since the last Lunar Eclipse right Riolu?" I tried to let Riolu recall who was watching with me by clinging on my shoulder.

"I remember the last lunar eclipse! Your dad even roasted hotdogs in the backyard! While me and you, helped mom set up the table outside!" Riolu recalled that precious moment.

Today that moment shall repeat again, but this time with my friends. I felt desolate, my parents won't be able to join me. We used to watch Lunar Eclipses together! Lunar Eclipses always seems to fascinate me and Riolu's eye.

Its currently three pm, and Camellia was preparing the small stove to cook on. Glade and Zhery were having a little stroll. Me and Riolu shall witness the event again, not with my parents but with my friends.

I began to walk in circles as I remembered the moment when the blood moon twinkled above me. I used to think that blood moons were signs of grave disasters to come, but it turns out... They're just natural phenomena.

The clock strikes four, and Camellia arranged all the ingredients, may it be noodles or even vegetables, Camellia is the best when it comes to organizing things. I sent out my Pokemons to play and interact with each other.

This is Zorua, Kirlia, and Scyther's first time to witness the blood moon. It will be a memory that we'll cherish forever. Petilil and Ivy played and sniffed the beautiful aroma of the green whistling grass. Braixen on the other hand helped Camellia.

Five o clock has arrived, Zhery and Glade has returned. They sent out their Pokemons to play with mine. I helped Zhery and Glade set up the large table. Camellia prepared her black telescope and her camera to picture the event.

This day is not the day for teasing each other, this is the day when all of humanity stands under the same sun, under the same moon.

The clock strikes six, and Camellia began to cook her curry and ramen recipe. I and Glade placed down the plates and placemats for the marvellous event. We also placed the spoons, forks, and glasses unto the table.

As I and Glade were setting up the table, we saw an infantry of skilled men carrying their sharp long guns. We were curious about them, So Zhery began to ask.

"Once the blood moon appears on the sky, the four of you may hear screams and gunshots. Do not be tempted with the sounds of horror, for we shall be commencing military training." An officer explained.

"Training? But who trains when the blood moon appears? Don't you have families or friends to spend the night with?" Glade wondered.

"We serve out here, to protect you and your families from the maiden of disasters! Dare interfere with our training, and we'll shoot you dead!" The officer warned with a false grimace as he continued to march with the rest of the infantry.

"What's wrong with that guy?" Zhery wondered with uncomfortably.

"Well, let them do their business, at least the four of us will be enjoying the blood moon together!" I smiled with happiness.

The infantry heads to the forest with full courage and strength as if they were going to war. General Kaizo was there to supervise the infantry as they set up camp.

"We're here for one purpose soldiers! Hunt for the maiden, shoot her dead and bring her head!" Kaizo uttered with encouragement.

"Yes Sir!" the infantry shouted and went back to their normal business.

The clock strikes seven, one more hour before the blood moon. Camellia tested her microscope and searched for the perfect location. The food was already on the table, while our lamps scattered across our camp. Me and my Pokemons I looked up to the night sky. Kirlia and Zorua marveled at the stars. While Scyther stared at the moon.

"It's beautiful isn't it? The stars? The moon? The night sky!" I uttered to my Pokemons while sitting on the grass.

"I've never seen anything like this! This is the first night I've seen so many stars." Zorua complemented.

"I never thought that the night sky would be this vast!" Kirlia complemented and marveled at the sky.

"The moon... I've never seen a moon that big!" Scyther complemented.

"The night is always like this during a blood moon. Vast stars, gigantic moons? I only wish that my parents were here to watch and stare at the night sky." Tears fell down my eyes as I remembered the day I watched the blood moon with my parents.

The clock turned 7:45 pm, and all of us were listening to the countdown. We could hear drills, and trucks coming from the forest. What could the infantry be doing there?

"15 minutes left and the moon shall turn into a blood moon! Prepare your room-phones and cameras!" The news anchor updated the countdown.

Every blood moon, people would send fireworks to the sky! It drives the disasters away that the maiden brings.

10 minutes left and the moon shall bleed, it was time to stand and wait for the timer to finish.

Five minutes left on the clock and the people started to prepare fireworks. Me and my friends started to wait for the countdown to end.

"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" Me and my friends counted. The clock ticked 0 and the moon began to bleed. Slowly by slowly the moon turned red.

Once the moon was filled with blood the fireworks came out and blasted through the sky. Red! Blue! Green! You name it, the fireworks were spectacular. Me and my friends together with our Pokemons stared and marveled at the event. It was wonderful indeed!

The moment was right, while I stared into the abyss, Camellia uttered to her mind. "You can do this... hold Kalem's hand." The fireworks colored the sky and dragged the bad omens away.

Camellia's hand shivered not to the sound of the fireworks nor to the look of the blood moon, she was shy to hold my mere hand.

"Camelia, you can do this... Hold his hands." Camellia tried as her hand got closer but just when our hands were about to touch. An explosion raged from the forest.

We could hear the rocks falling off from the mountains. As the blood moon shined, the forest began to rage with explosives. Pokemons started to run and scream for help. I could see their eyes crying and raging with fear.

"Come on! Help as many Pokemons as you can!" I instructed as I tried to look for Pokemons who were injured.

The forest raged with fire, the infantry were on their heavy armor vehicle, and Kaizo declared war against the maiden of disasters.

When we returned to the camp, we were able to save eight Pokemons. Most of them were bug type Pokemons and one of them was a fighting type. Zhery was able to treat them with potions.

I watched the fire burn through the forest, I could see innocent pokemon dying. I wish I could save them but I failed.

"They call this training!?" Fire raged in my spirit.

"Could the infantry be the cause for all of this to happen!?" Camellia wondered.

"We have to stop them!" I encouraged.

"Sure! When Tepigs fly! You'll never win against an army." Zhery warned.

"At least try to persuade them! The blood moon is a symbol of hope and creation not destruction and disaster!" I encouraged as I clenched my fist on the blood moon.

"Then we'll be with you, up to the end!" Glade stood up and joined me.

"I'm coming too, Pokemon lives are in danger!" Camellia stood up and joined me.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go face an army!" Zhery stood up and joined me

"Come on out Absol!!" Kaizo shouted from the vehicle.

Absol wasn't showing up, she was saving the Pokemons that were affected by the actions of Kaizo's infantry. Absol tried to save as many Pokemons as she can, she tried to stay hidden from the infantry.

"Absol! Challenge me!" Kaizo shouted.

Absol turned furious and decided to show herself to Kaizo. She challenged Kaizo and tried her best to protect the forest.

From a low ground Kaizo was searching for Absol, but from the high grounds Absol appeared glaring at Kaizo while the blood moon shines at her white fur.

Kaizo turned his head only to see Absol glaring at him from the higher grounds. Above Absol was the blood moon. Fire blazed between the both of them as they started to argue.

"Absol! You've finally answered my request! Now come here and fight!" Kaizo bragged.

"Leave the forest alone, why do you even fear me in the first place?" Absol spoke telepathically.

"Fear you? You spread disasters! Destructions! Bad omens! Today, the world won't experience all of those. They shall live in peace!" Kaizo shouted.

"Dead or alive, the world remains the same. I do not bring destruction nor disasters. I was born to help and warn your specie about the dangers to come. Your specie forced my specie to endangerment. I am one of the last Absols left on this word, don't you pity me, mere human?"

"I pity no one! I mercy no one! You shall die for your actions! Fire the cannons once more!" Kaizo ordered.

Absol leaped through the flares of the forest fire but was still hit with the cannon. Absol blasted away looking injured.

Her eyes began to close slowly, she was laying on a rock. She saw the trees crumbling into pieces, and she saw the Pokemons crying. She tried to stand but she fell.

Me and my friends saw Absol dying and we quickly rushed to her. Camellia worried the most as she got her potions and bandage, Squirtle was trying to extinguish the fire with a water gun.

"Absol, you're going to be fine," Camellia uttered. Absol stayed still and gasped for air slowly. The fire was getting thicker and the oxygen was decreasing. I was starting to cough while rescuing the Pokemons with Glade and Zhery.

"A... Human? H... helping a Pokemon?" Absol uttered weakly.

"So you can talk telepathically... My name is Camellia! Don't worry, I'm here to help." Camellia introduced.

"All this time I thought humans were the enemies. They harmed Pokemons and tortured them, I guess not everybody is the enemy." Absol uttered while Camellia was treating her.

"You've been hurt before were you? Don't worry... Me and my friends love Pokemons. We would do anything to save Pokemons. There are people who treat Pokemons badly but there are those who treat Pokemons with care and love." Camellia uttered while applying a potion on Absol's wound.

"Thank you Camellia, thank you for restoring my faith in humanity." Absol greeted as she slowly stood up.

A tree was about to fall on Camellia when suddenly Absol sliced it with the scythe on her head.

"Come on Camellia, we have to find your friends and their Pokemons." Absol uttered.

"No Absol, we came here to stop whoever started the fire," Camellia explained.

"Kaizo is a man of power and wealth, your chances of defeating him are slim to none." Absol warned.

"It's alright Absol! Protecting Pokemons no matter who the enemy is, is our purpose. We should reunite with my friends." Camellia suggested.

"Alright, I trust you Camellia!" Absol smiled with a fiery passion as they left to look for me.

I sent everybody back to their Pokeballs except for Riolu who was fighting hard and strong.

Me and Riolu began to cough. We couldn't breathe anymore until I saw Camellia and Absol.

"Kalem! Are you alright?" Camellia queried.

"Yes I am, Glade and Zhery brought back the injured Pokemons back to the camping site. I and Riolu were trying to find whoever did this mess in the first place." I explained.

"Come on, Kaizo is the leader of the infantry, he's the reason why this fire started," Camillia explained.

"But where could we find this Kaizo guy?" I coughed and queried.

"Follow me Camellia and Kalem! I know where he is!" Absol instructed.

We followed Absol into the deeper ends of the forest, we saw Kaizo looking for Absol.

"Show yourself Absol! I shall kill you once I've found you." Kaizo uttered while blowing up the forest with the cannons attached to heavy vehicles.

"Hey! Stop this right now!" I shouted once I arrived at the place where Kaizo was.

"It's you again? You dare fight Kaizo the great!?"

"I thought you were doing some military training?" Camellia queried.

Absol showed herself as well, the blood moon was about to fade away as the fire started to rage even angrier than before. Zhery and Glade saw fire trucks rushing by as well as the Pokemon Police Department.

Kaizo heard the sirens, should he give up on Absol or should he stay and kill Absol but in return, he'll be caught by the Pokemon Police Department?

"I shall return for you Absol! Mark my words!" Kaizo shouted as he went inside the heavy vehicle with his infantry. They drove away from the scene as the police arrived.

A man with a brown coat hopped out of the car rushing towards me.

"Kalem!? Are you alright?" Detective Looker queried. I was surprised that detective Looker was here.

"I am a detective, but Kaizo escaped with his army," I explained.

"Kaizo eigh? So that's he's name." Detective Looker wrote down Kaizo on the most wanted list.

"So Kalem? You're on a journey aren't you?" Detective Looker asked.

"Yeah detective! Me and my buddy Riolu are going to compete in the Pokemon League!" I explained.

"Well then, I bid you good luck. Always remember to be safe! Me and my officers shall now hunt for that Kaizo!" Detective Looker uttered and patted my head.

After that forest crisis, the fire finally cooled down. The moon was back to normal and the night was silent as well.

Before we left, Camellia and I bid goodbye to Absol. We were about to leave when suddenly?

"Camellia wait!" Absol called and rushed back to Camellia.

"Is there a problem Absol?" Camellia queried.

"I want to thank you for everything you and your friends did to protect the forest. You truly restored my faith in humanity, and I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure Absol, what do you wish to ask me?"

"May I join you? I want to come and travel to you!" Absol pleaded.

"C... Come?" Camellia queries in surprise.

"Yes! I want to come with you, since I'm now emotionally attached to you. There's nothing you could do because even if you say no, I'm still going to follow you." Absol purred and teased.

"Sure Absol! The more the merrier! Just tap the Pokeball whenever you're ready." Camellia smiled as she brought out another Pokeball.

"I know how Pokeballs work!" Absol teased and pressed the Pokeball. Absol didn't hesitate to escape the Pokeball and she was officially caught.

"Welcome to the team Absol!" Camellia smiled and uttered.

Now, me and Camellia are headed back to the camp. We may not fully witness the blood moon at least we were able to save the forest, but I fear the day Kaizo seeks revenge against Camellia. Bad people always lurk everywhere, may it be day or night. It is always important to keep your guard up!

As the journey continues!