A Melancholy Victory

Finally, just as Hayami had promised, the group reached their destination on the third day- the peak of Kamisama.

"Alleluia!" Cass cried. "We�re here! Finally here!"

Hayami smiled coolly at her. "Right on schedule."

"Thanks so much!" Cass threw her arms around his neck, slightly knocking his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. There was a look of surprise on his face and redness in his cheeks. Cass blushed in noticing what she�d done and let go of him. "Where do we find the stone?"

Dark and Kaumi were already together scanning the area. They were in a large crater of rock; what Hayami called the most beautiful spot on earth. Dark spotted something, and commanded Kadabra out of its pokeball.

"Ka-da-brrra!" He looked around, then to his trainer with a faint curiosity.

"Over there." Dark�s tone was her usually cool volume. "That cove. We can�t see, so you use your Psywave to try to pick up any weird vibes, got it?"

"Braa!" He nodded loyally, then turned to a cave in the crater�s edge that appeared shallow. Concentrating deeply, his eyes flashed an electric blue tone. No noise was made at all, but palely lit psychic waves could be seen bouncing around in the cave.

The others turned to Dark and Kaumi. Kaumi winked and gave them a thumbs-up. Cass smiled, grateful for the assistance.

"Brrr�Bra?" A bead of sweat dripped down the psychic pokemon�s face.

"You found something? Good."

Cass enthusiastically tossed a pokeball forward. "Pikamie! Let�s do this!"

Kadabra was retreated, and everyone stood at the entrance of the cave. Cass sweatdropped. "Er�I don�t think Pikamie knows a way to light the cave�" The others sighed.

"Chuuuu�" Pikamie gave its trainer a saddened look. Its courage did come through, however, and the small yellow pokemon bounded into the cave.

"Pi-Pikamie!" Cass called after. She ran inside, followed by Kasaragi and Dark. A blinding flash stopped them in their tracks. Pikamie stood proudly near a pedestal that held a glossy brown stone.

"You did it! That�s it, the stone! Alright, Pikamie!" The joyful pokemon leapt onto Cass�s shoulder at the praise. Cass bent over. "The Primeape Stone�All this hell just for it�but at last�"

"That�s as far as you go." The cousins halted at the sharp voice. "I�ll take that, thanks." Kasaragi stood not far from them, smirking.

"Wha�" stammered Cass.

"I�m here on behalf of the one-and-only Roxy Miako! I�ll be taking that; hand it here, now!" The young man was now clothed in a Shadow Gang uniform and appeared quite intimidating�

Dark snarled. "Hayami�He�s in this too, isn�t he?! If he pulls anything on Kaumi-"

"Calm down! Geez, girls get so damn carried away! I disguised myself as his brother to get here. Y�know, I dug up some family history, �n he hasn�t seen the kid in years! He thought I was him! I tied the brat up at his house. He�s probably out now. Anyway," he growled, reaching for a pokeball at Cass�s gasp, "I have business here! I want that stone!"

"You won�t have it!"

Dark turned to where the voice had come from. "Kaumi!"

Cass did as well. "Hayami!" Along with his trainer was the heavyweight, Machoke.

"Machoke! Show this guy what you�ve got!"

Of course, the imposter Kasaragi dodged, and began out of the cave, pokemon and trainer at his heels. Kaumi looked back to the girls before following. "Take that thing, it's what you came for! We�ll handle him!"

Cass abruptly grabbed the stone. Dark took her cousin�s elbow and pulled her as she dashed out of the cave. They heard someone cry out, but when they got there, it was only their allies alone standing by the rocky crater�s edge.

Dark was amazed. "What on earth�"

Kaumi walked to her. "The fight got really wild, and�Well, the Shadow is down there now�" He tipped his head to the steep drop off the crater�s jagged edge.

"You�killed�him�"

"I won�t take the blame, because it wasn�t me, but I�ll be fair and not pass it on." The ground began to rumble.

Hayami sighed. "If our day wasn�t bad enough�"

Cass shrieked. "What�s that, Hayami? What do you mean?!" Pikamie leapt down from its perch and �pika-ed� until it was called back. "Something�s not right�"

Right on time, helicopter blades pushed at the four, blowing pebbles and dust all over. A voice called to them.

"Wha? Dark, what�s it say?" Kaumi looked puzzled.

The voice beckoned on, "Ikimashō! Ima!�

Cass looked with question at Dark, the only one among them who could speak Japanese�

"Oh shit�"

Cass began to panic. "Cous, you cussed; you never cuss! What�s happening?! Tell us!"

"It�s ready to erupt�"

A ladder was dropped, and the team hurried up it- everyone but Hayami.

"Hey!" Cass called down to him once safe inside the helicopter. "What are you doing?!"

"I did it!" There was a pause. "I was the one who killed him! I deserve this! Besides, what better way for me to die�" A breeze blew and rustled his hair. Kaumi made it inside, and a man began to close the door.

"No, wait! Hayami! You�re an idiot! Hayami!!"

The helicopter took off; leaving the shaky mountain behind, as well as the one Cass had so quickly fallen in love with�