52 – Tyrix

Faith collapsed against the iron gate, the flames from her horn's jaws fizzling out as she slid down it, exhausted. A deep echoing clang reverberated through the ground and faded away, causing Spark to stare at the floor with a raised eyebrow.

"What are these things made of?" Faith gasped out.

Spark raised a claw. "I can try the lock again?"

Cleo looked down at the little dedenne. Spark was perfectly able to slip between the bars, which a standard sized dedenne would have had trouble with. However, she refused to leave them.

"Spark, do you want to see if you can find help?" Cleo suggested, and not for the first time.

Spark shook her head sharply. "I told you, Cleo, I'm not risking running around in here! These are cells. Why do they have them?"

"She has a point, Cleo," said Faith. "We were told the pokemon on Fire Island decided to keep themselves to themselves. They might not welcome strangers with friendly smiles."

Cleo grit her teeth and looked back up at the hole in the ceiling. The dust had settled now, and a small ray of dim light trickled down between the branches of the fallen tree. The sun was setting. If the pokemon on this island were nocturnal, they would probably find out very soon.

"What about Reshiram?" Spark asked.

"That's a good point," said Faith. "I worry he'd get stuck trying to help us out, but we are really out of options now."

"I agree." Cleo reached into her bag for the long white feather. "If it comes to it, I can always lift him with psychic." She stared down at the feather. She'd never lifted a pokemon of Reshiram's size before, and she was doubting she'd be able to do it.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a jumble of clanging noises from deep in the tunnel. All three pairs of eyes looked to the right as the noise grew with intensity and faded away. It wasn't dissimilar to the noise they'd heard when they struck the ground. The same noise had reverberated through the cells with each attack Faith had thrown at the bars, ringing out through the tunnel like an alarm. As it faded away, heavy footsteps slapped the floor, growing louder as they moved closer and closer.

Shadows flickered up the walls, shrinking as an orange light moved with a swaying motion towards them. A dark shadow beneath it turned and fixed two ruby eyes onto them. It was difficult to make out the towering pokemon's face, but the orange flames on its back lit up a pair of glistening canines as its muzzle twisted into a sneer.

"Outsiders!" The pokemon's heavily masculine voice boomed out, causing the three pokemon to back away from the bars. A flicker of flames shot out from between his teeth, lighting up his face enough for them to make out the pointed muzzle of a typhlosion. "What are you even doing here?!"

"We were..." Cleo's voice cracked as the typhlosion's intimidating glare focused on her, and she paused to clear her throat. "We were looking for a fire pokemon to help us."

"Help you?!" He tried to mask an amused smirk behind a sneer. "Not enough fire pokemon on the main land?"

Faith glanced back at Cleo then took a step towards the typhlosion.

"Fire Island was suggested to us," she explained. "So we came to search here."

"A mawile?" The typhlosion's muzzle crinkled with disgust. "Some nerve you've got coming here, with that glaring weakness of yours!"

A stream of flames shot from his mouth and Faith took a small step back, her eyes watching the ground glow red for a moment before the intense heat fizzled away.

Cleo placed a paw on Faith's shoulder and gave her an apologetic look before turning her attention back on the snarling typhlosion.

"We're sorry we disturbed you," she said. "If you let us out of here, we'll leave. We'll go back to the main land and never return."

"No." Faith removed Cleo's paw from her shoulder, keeping her eyes on the large fire pokemon. "He might be the one we're looking for."

"You're kidding!" squeaked Spark with a nod at the typhlosion. "This guy?"

The typhlosion's ruby eyes snapped down to Spark. His mouth split into a huge grin and he doubled over as he exploded into a fit of laughter. His paws clutched at his stomach and he screwed his eyes shut as uncontrollable giggles shook his body.

"Would you look at you!" he panted, fixing one eye on Spark. "I've never seen... a pokemon so small!"

Spark frowned and small jolts of electricity danced over her whiskers.

The typhlosion's laughter came to an abrupt stop as a dry cough racked his body, and large clouds of black smoke shot out of his mouth with each violent burst. The flames on his back went out with a flash, plunging the cells into darkness, nothing more than that weak light from the darkening sky making everything look grey.

Any attempt to shock him left Spark's mind and she looked up at Cleo and Faith.

"Are you all right?" Faith asked.

"Back off!" the typhlosion snarled.

"Never!" Faith gripped the bars of the cell, fixing her violet eyes on the typhlosion's. "You're clearly sick. We can help you."

"I have all the help I need! I don't need it from some outsider like you."

"I think you do," said Cleo. "We have berries, and meat. I didn't see many of them on our climb through the mountains." She reached into her bag and pulled out a sitrus berry, handing it through the bars to the typhlosion. "Here. All pokemon eat sitrus and oran berries when they need strength, and we have plenty."

The shadow of the typhlosion's large body rose up slightly as he fixed his eyes on the large, orange fruit.

"Are you trying to bribe your way out of here?" he growled.

"No." Cleo pushed the berry forwards. "You can leave us in here all you want. Just take it."

The fire pokemon laughed bitterly and pushed himself to his feet. "I could take everything from you, even your lives."

"But you won't," said Cleo. "Or you would have done so by now."

She paused as the typhlosion stared down at them, his body hunched forwards as his breath came in quick, uneven bursts.

"I've met pokemon who do want to kill us," she said. "They don't exactly give you a chance to speak."

"Unless they want information," added Spark. She looked up at the large pokemon. "Is that what you want? Information?"

The typhlosion snorted and turned his head sharply away from them.

"Didn't think so," said Spark.

A loud click echoed through the cell, causing the iron bars to vibrate. The gate lurched outwards, almost dragging Faith and Cleo off their feet. The typhlosion stood in the open doorway, leering down at them.

"Go."

The small group of pokemon moved out of the cell and stood in the dimly lit tunnel, looking left and right. The typlosion gave a small, exasperated sigh.

"Sorry," said Cleo. "Which way do we go?"

"This way." The typhlosion turned and moved away through the tunnel.

Cleo, Faith and Spark exchanged glances before following after him. His movements were slow and sluggish, and his large paws slapped heavily against the floor. What had once sounded like a large, strong pokemon stomping down the tunnel was now clearly the sound of a tired, sick pokemon trudging along with what strength they had left in their body.

The tunnel turned sharply upwards, revealing a set of stairs carved out of the blotchy, grey stone that was prevalent in these volcanic mountains. The typhlosion dragged himself up them, grunting with the effort. As he reached the top, he stood aside and pointed at a large opening just ahead of him. Another flight of stony steps were lit up with the dwindling rays of the setting sun.

"There," he grumbled. "You're out."

Cleo looked back at him to thank him, but her words froze in her mouth. In this light, she could now make out his appearance. His mouth hung open as he gasped for breath from the exertion of climbing the stairs. What alarmed her the most was she could count each of his ribs through his dull and dirty fur.

"Goodness!" gasped Faith. "When did you last eat something?"

He pulled his lips back from his teeth and let out a low, rumbling growl.

"Stop it!" Cleo snapped. She reached into her bag and pulled out their provisions. "I want you to help yourself. Take as much as you need."

The typhlosion stared down at the assorted berries and dried fish as Cleo unwrapped them on the dry ground. His eyes snapped back up to hers and he flashed his canines.

"I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity," she said flatly. "Take it as a thank you for leading us out of here."

"Yes," said Spark. "And please take some back to your friends too."

The typhlosion looked at Spark and the flames on his shoulders erupted into life. He let out a roar, causing the dedenne to flinch into Cleo's fur. But his voice cut off as his body swayed, the flames going out once more as he flopped into the tunnel wall. He struggled to catch his breath as he slid to the ground, his fur dragging up dark dirt from the dry, sooty walls.

Faith leapt to his side and placed a paw on his shoulder, then she looked up at Cleo.

"Can you carry him? We need to get him somewhere more comfortable."

"I can try." Cleo unfurled her ears, watching Spark as she leapt onto the floor to safety. "But I don't know where his room is."

"All we can do is try." Faith quickly gathered up the berries and meat and popped them into Cleo's bag. "I'm not wanting to leave him though, he's in desperate need of help."

Spark watched the typhlosion rise into the air in a bubble of purple light. "It's just so sad he's got too much pride to accept it... and it's led to this." She let out a wistful sigh. "I actually want to cry."

Faith scooped Spark up in her paws, causing her to let out a squeak of surprise. She held the dedenne to her chest and moved down to the corridor, letting Cleo fall into pace behind her as she checked each of the rooms and tunnels they passed by. Cleo thought for a brief moment she could see tears in the mawile's eyes.

...

The typhlosion lay on a pile of stale hay. Faith had spotted the room as they navigated the complicated tunnels. The room was further underground than they had been previously, possibly on the same level as the cells.

Spark stood aside, her electricity lighting the room as Cleo searched for some sitrus berries in her bag. The typhlosion was still alive, but Cleo was anxious he might not wake up any time soon. Reshiram was waiting for them, and she didn't want to make him worry if they took too long.

"It's a shame we don't still have Harlequin with us," said Spark. "Her bitter herbs would wake him right back up."

"I know," said Cleo. "Depsite the bitterness, they're oddly invigorating."

She pulled out two sitrus berries and set them on the ground, giving a look over her shoulder at Faith. The mawile was stood in the entrance to the room, looking absently down the dark, empty corridor. She'd been silent since they'd found this room, and during their walk through the winding tunnels any words from her had been few and far between.

"Are you all right, Faith?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Faith looked back at her and let out a small sigh. "I've just been putting the pieces together. The emptiness of the mountains and these tunnels... his reaction when Spark suggested he take some food back to his friends rang out as clear as day. He's alone here."

Cleo glanced down at the typhlosion. Faith had a point. This pokemon very likely was alone. They'd not seen any evidence to support otherwise.

"Do you think that's why he's been so aggressive?" Spark asked. "He's not used to company?"

"I think it might run a lot deeper than that," said Faith. "He didn't seem to trust us."

"No," said Cleo. "But he was kind enough to show us the way out."

"I'm not saying he's a bad pokemon," said Faith. "Quite the opposite. The thing is, he referred to us as 'outsiders'. All we know about Fire Island is what we were told – that they keep themselves to themselves. We've not been told why. Now we're here, and we find not an army of fire warriors, but a lone typhlosion who's voluntarily starving to death."

"Voluntarily?" Spark's exclamation of surprise echoed off the bare walls.

"It's not like he can't leave the island. There are many ways to come and go," Faith explained. "I think there were problems with the main land. A fall out. Or a war. Something that's put a strain on the relationship between the inhabitants of Fire Island and those that live outside it."

"But we were told the pokemon here migrated to the main land," said Cleo.

Faith folded her paws and leant against the wall. "We weren't told the reason why, though."

A snort of laughter came from the typhlosion and they looked round at him. He was pushing himself up with his forepaws, his eyes still closed as he choked between bursts of laughter.

"You want to know why?" He opened one eye and leered at the mawile. "I want to know why you haven't left."

"We weren't going to leave you in the state you're in," Faith told him.

"Why not?!" he roared.

"Why?!" Spark almost screamed. "Because we're not heartless!" She picked up a sitrus berry and waved it at him. "Now eat this before I force it down your neck!"

Faith placed both paws over her mouth and looked from the dedenne to the typhlosion.

The fire pokemon's face softened from rage to confusion and he let out a small, amused laugh as he took the berry from Spark.

"Quite a feisty little pipsqueak aren't you?"

Electricity danced across Spark's whiskers and she folded her arms. "If you weren't so weak, I'd zap you for that remark."

He looked from one pokemon to the next as he bit into the sitrus berry, the juices running over his chin and claws.

"I don't understand why you three are so insistent on helping me."

"Because you're sick," said Faith. "I already told you, we're not happy to leave you in this condition."

He snorted and lowered the berry. "Don't you blame me?"

"Blame you?" Faith gasped. "For what?"

"All that massacre." He waved a paw absently at the wall. "I thought you three, of all pokemon, would bare the biggest grudge!"

The three pokemon exchanged confused glances before looking back at the typhlosion.

"Oh old Tyrix did it!" the typhlosion went on. "Tyrix raised an army of fire! Run for your lives!" He snorted and leant back against the wall, taking another bite out of the sitrus berry.

"Tyrix?" Spark's nose twitched. "I thought he was meant to be really old. But... you're not old."

"My grandfather founded this island," he explained. "The name was passed on to my father, then to me."

"I'm confused," said Faith. "You say Tyrix raised an army of fire pokemon. As far as we're aware, that's your grandfather. Why would you be to blame for any massacre?"

Tyrix looked from each of them as he licked the juices off his claws. "You two," he pointed to Cleo and Spark, "are from the Sparkling Forest."

Cleo felt her eyes widen. "Yes. How did you know that?"

"Because the Wildfires trashed the place."

Cleo felt her heart hit her stomach and her paws balled into fists.

Tyrix looked over at Faith. "As for you... I believe they also trashed the Iron Canyon."

"I'm not from the Iron Canyon," she said flatly. "I'm from the Fairy Garden."

Tyrix's eyes widened and the berry he'd picked up fell into his lap and rolled onto the stale hay.

"Fairy Garden?" He blinked a few times and shook his head sharply. "Argh, that old tale. Pull the other one, mawile! I know you're here for revenge."

"I am not here for revenge," she said. "We came here looking for a fire pokemon who can help us stop the Wildfires."

Tyrix threw his head back and laughed, but it was soon cut off by a series of violent coughs. Cleo fanned her paws near her face to avoid breathing in the thick, black smoke that gushed from his mouth.

"The Wildfires?!" He covered his mouth and cleared his throat, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You think I can stop them?!"

"I don't know," said Faith. "Do you?"

"In my condition? You've seen the state of me!"

Cleo's claws were digging into her pads. She unclenched them and looked up at the typhlosion.

"Why do you think we're here for revenge?" she asked slowly. "When it wasn't you who burned down our home?"

Tyrix let out a single laugh and closed his eyes. "This place is called Fire Island. Haven't you put the pieces together yet?"

A metallic taste filled Cleo's mouth. She stared at the typhlosion, waiting for him to elaborate. He seemed to take the hint as his face split into a bitter smirk.

"Years ago, fire pokemon fled this island for the main land. They were sick of war, wanting to live peacefully with the other pokemon. My grandfather's old tales stirred them, and they wanted peace. All but a group of nasty houndour, one of which went by the name of Howlinger."

Cleo felt her jaw drop, but no words came out.

A loud exclamation from Spark cut into the sudden silence.

"You see, he's from here. We got the blame. I raised that foolish pup." Tyrix threw his large paws into the air. "His mother died when she had her litter. He was the only one that survived. A foolish little power-hungry canine with a sneer that could put other pokemon off their berries. He wanted nothing more than to raise his own army and fight for the Darkness. He spat at the stories my grandfather told, and one day, he left this island. His howling army blazed through the forests on the main land as he took off for the Shadow Lands. And who got the blame?" Tyrix pointed a long claw at his chest. "I did. All because I raised that pup."

The room was silent for a moment. Cleo couldn't look at him. She seethed, her claws digging into her pads once more.

Finally, Faith's voice cut through the silence.

"It wasn't your fault."

Cleo flinched and silently kicked herself. Had she seriously been blaming this typhlosion for a war that he hadn't even started?

"So you raised a houndour," Faith went on. "One that didn't accept your morals. It's not remotely your fault! The damage he causes is his own doing."

"That's not how others see it." He turned his ruby eyes onto Faith. "I've had pokemon come here looking for revenge. I can't even leave this place. Those cells you ended up in? Traps I had to set to save my own hide."

"Yes, and you let us out." Faith smiled. "You couldn't have hurt us if you wanted to, could you?"

Tyrix snorted and bit into another berry.

Cleo looked up at him. "Do you think you could take down the Wildfires, if you personally raised Howlinger?"

He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "I don't know, little meowstic. You've seen me?"

Cleo grimaced and clenched her paws into fists. "I understand. Maybe your not the fire pokemon Xerneas asked us to find." She turned away from him and marched to the door.

"Hang on."

Cleo looked back at the typhlosion. He stared at her with a look of utter confusion, then looked down at Faith.

"You said you're from the Fairy Garden. And you said Xerneas sent you to find a fire pokemon." He scratched his head as he looked at each of them. "Were the tales my grandfather used to tell me not really tales?"

Faith's face split into a jovial grin. "Of course they're not just tales!"

"Oh, wow!" He threw his paws into the air and let out a small laugh. "I'm not sure how to take this. I used to believe them as a hatchling, but after a while I thought they were just stories with good morals to get us to live good lives."

Cleo moved back into the room, her eyes not leaving the typhlosion. "Then why did you start an army?"

He fixed his ruby eyes on hers. "Do you even know what the fire warriors were?"

She blinked but said nothing.

"They were an army," Tyrix said slowly, "that was formed to help other pokemon who needed it. My grandfather started it, and passed the torch down to my dad, who then passed it down to me. We went to the main land to help pokemon who had fallen victim to the Darkness."

Faith clapped her paws together. "That sounds like a very noble deed!"

"Aye, it was! You see, back when the war first started, my grandfather was still young, so I don't remember it. But after I took over, it got much worse. Our help was gratefully accepted for many seasons... and then the Wildfires happened."

Cleo stared down at her paws in silence. So this is where the Wildfires were from? Something so terrible was from a place that fought on the side of good?

"They sullied my name," Tyrix went on. "The pokemon on the main land knew that they lived here, but they accepted the fact that not all dark and dragon type pokemon are bad. Not all of them fight for the Darkness. But Howlinger led his army of houndour across the land, burning down villages left and right, trying to gain favour with that blasted Hydreigon. Then, of course, the blame was pointed at me. Armies flocked to Fire Island with a grudge, trying to wipe us out. Those who had sense left, but I was the general. I was to blame." He let his paws fall into his lap and shook his head, laughing bitterly.

"That's why you stayed here," said Faith sadly.

He nodded. "Yup, that's why I stayed."

"And why you're voluntarily starving," said Cleo. She looked up at Tyrix and met his eyes. "Eat and get your strength back. You're beating Howlinger and his wretched army."

Tyrix snorted. "You think I can beat him?"

"You raised him," said Cleo. "You know his weaknesses."

Tyrix closed his eyes and chuckled. "Weaknesses?"

"He has them. We all do."

The typhlosion was quiet for a moment, his eyes glazing over as he drifted into thought. After a long pause, he focused his eyes back onto Cleo. "Aye, that he does. He has a big one." He leant back against the wall and stared at her. "Can you guess what it is?"

"No," she said flatly.

"His ego." Tyrix shrugged. "He has too much of an ego. Let it get to his head. He wanted his entire army to be clones of himself, so he selected only the houndour that met his criteria. They all had to have the same skills, the same attacks – long range fire, close range dark. Unfortunately for him that meant none of them could stand to be inside their own flames. Those that run through them get burned."

"That's why they leave a trail of fire!" Spark gasped.

"Exactly! They burn things as they run through them." Tyrix leant forward on his knees. "I, on the other hand, am completely able to stand inside their flames. Fire doesn't hurt me like it does them."

Cleo blinked at him in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, very simple, little meowstic." Tyrix grinned widely. "Fire gives me strength."