Author's Notes: Before you venture into this story, a key shall be made to help better understand your reading.
I would like to thank the user, Ari-Golden, for coming up with such a unique and convenient way of the conversing characters, for they are human and Pokémon conversations throughout this story.
"(This)" (italics and brackets in quotation marks) is when Pokémon speaks and I've translated what it's saying.
"This" (no italics, just quotation marks) is humans speaking or telepathy.
(This) (just italics and brackets) is used for thoughts, memories and other stuff that goes on inside the character's mind.
This story will be through 1st person. And it's point of view will constantly change between Hunter, Lucas, and a future character.
Now, without further ado, let's begin "Into The Shadows"
Prologue
Shadow Pokémon. Pokémon who have had their hearts shut off from all forms of emotion artificially to be turned into soulless fighting machines. Something that a group of people, by the name of Cipher, have created. They are the sole enemies to both human and Pokémon alike. They are the one's responsible for this.
Their many plans to try to distribute these Pokémon have been ruined twice before. But with each time they do get thwarted, they come back even stronger.
Thirty years ago, a sole Captor and his partner, by the names of Wes and Rui, "snagged" back all the Shadow Pokémon Cipher has created and purified their hearts. Eventually, they took down Evice and his subordinate Nascour. But that wasn't the end of the Shadow Pokémon plot.
Five years after that incident, Cipher regained it's former strength and began to distribute Shadow Pokémon once again. However, another Captor named Michael was able to stop Cipher Head Greevil and stopped the Shadow Pokémon crisis.
But Greevil had a right hand man. A man by the name of Ardos, who disappeared when Greevil was handed to the authorities. For years, no one was able to find him.
And now, present day. Cipher's strength and wealth has skyrocketed to the point where they have created four hundred and fifty seven Shadow Pokémon. One for almost every Pokémon in the Pokédex excluding the thirty five legendaries.
Their distribution expanded much further from Orre. For now, they have entered the other regions of Kanto, Jhoto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh.
The Shadow Pokémon Epidemic, has begun.
During these times, news reports of people being severely injured by vicious Pokémon flood the media by the mass, and even the authorities are having trouble catching each one of the Shadow Pokémon, for there are too many.
A secret organization, created by the Elite Four and Champions from each region, called "The Saviors" have been assembled to snag each one of the roaming Shadow Pokémon. Using highly developed technology, they have been able to locate and snag most of Cipher's Shadow Pokémon. However, the more they capture, the harder it is to snag the remaining few. Their equipment were rendered useless to locate the others, for their shadowy aura has now been well-hidden from the eyes of technology.
A young boy, Hunter, and his Lucario Lucas have been chosen to be the sole Captor for "The Saviors". His mission is to capture the remaining five Shadow Pokémon, one in each region (besides Sinnoh, for it has two). They are hidden exceptionally well, but are confident that Hunter will be able to snag each of them.
In a way, this sixteen year old boy, top Captor of "The Saviors", is the last hope for everyone. The remaining Pokémon are of a high leveled nature, and are the most savage of all.
Of course, Cipher Head Ardos isn't going to let a sole child vanquish his plans. He has a trap, and is waiting for just the right moment…
And we begin, in the Kanto Region, in the large city known as Saffron City.
Chapter I ~ A Rough Night
Hunter
"Just how freaking hard could locating a Dragonite be? Even I don't think I need your help locating it, Lucas!" I sighed.
The breeze of the cool night air was certainly refreshing tonight. Of course, I wouldn't want to doze off right now. Standing on top of a large skyscraper and just plummeting like that? No thanks. I took out my binoculars and began to survey the building tops for any sign of a yellow dragon-like Pokémon.
"Oh. Well if that's the case, why did you bring me along?! I could be relaxing back in headquarters…" Lucas moaned. He closed his eyes, "aura sensors" twitching, and began to survey the area around us for any "suspicious Aura".
"Don't be like that. You know I was kidding." I waved my hand to reassure my companion. Waving the arm that wore the Snag Machine, a device used to capture other people's Pokémon (please be aware that we only use this machine for capturing other Shadow Pokémon. We are not crooks that would use the Snag Machine for stealing!). I then looked at the Snag Machine and waved it around some more, intrigued by the pulsating blue light that flowed through the veins of circuitry from time to time.
"Watch it! That's expensive equipment!" A voice blasted in my ear. I nearly fell off the building, but quickly regained my balance. "And don't you forget that it's the last one in the entire world! Ardos was able to destroy all of them-"
"Yeah, yeah, I got it already Professor Perrit." I interrupted. I took out my microphone out of my ear and rubbed it, wincing in pain.
Haha… Perrit.
"He's right you know…" Lucas mumbled, continuing to scan the area.
"Quiet you." I playfully punched his shoulder, and continued to look around.
"…What's taking you guys so long?! Aren't you going to find that Dragonite anytime today?" Perrit squawked.
"Calm down Perrit. If EX149 goes into Hyper Mode, we'll know immediately. What's odd is that this is a very inactive Shadow Pokémon… usually, their damn trainers would love to bring out their bought Shadow Pokés… guess they've finally noticed that most of them are already snagged now." I talked back into the radio.
"Which, was our doing, thank you very much. Now hurry up and find EX149. Reports of witnesses say that a raging Dragonite tore a person in half not too long ago and disappeared. What good would it do if you don't have legs to MOVE it!" Perrit shouted.
"For god sakes, just calm down! At least I'll still have an arm to snag it. And Lucas." I laughed. Lucas smirked in amusement.
"Well, the sooner we could snag these four last Shadow Pokémon, the sooner we could purify them and stop Ardos. He's really pissed now that he's down to his last five Pokémon. I mean, thanks to yours truly, we were able to destroy his SP Production Laboratory. He's going to put all his effort in keeping these guys roaming and causing havoc to citizens." Perrit said.
"Thank you for giving me a lecture, Perrit. What could be helpful right now is what is that mystery Shadow Pokémon? We know all we need to capture is EX149 Dragonite, EX248 Tyranitar, EX376 Metagross, and EX445 Garchomp. What's the last one?" I asked, looking down from the building.
"We don't know. It's safe to assume it's not a Legendary, for Ardos doesn't seem to be capable of capturing even one of them. Plus, they are protected by the Elite Four and Champion of every region-"
"Still not answering my question." I interrupted.
"…Intellect might think it's a Lucario." Perrit muttered.
"Impossible. You already told me that it's not possible to seal their hearts without killing them." I said.
It's true. Lucario, being a Pokémon utilizing Aura, will not succumb to the effects of the artificial engineering Cipher has. For this process involves closing the heart of a Pokémon, and Lucario's Aura is a reflection of it's emotions. With emotions sealed, no Aura. No Aura…
Stolen reports have shown numerous times when Cipher has already tried to turn a Lucario into Shadow Pokémon. The results were, ultimately, death to the subject.
"Yes, which is why we're sending spies back into Orre until we do find out about this 'mystery Pokémon-'"
"Hunter." Lucas murmured. His eyes flew wide open and he raised a paw to point out something large flying toward them.
"Got to go. We're dealing with an unfriendly customer." I said. I pressed the button on my mike to end the conversation and placed it away. "Come on beautiful, I'm right here…" The Snag Machine felt my tense emotions, and began to charge up for any future Snag attempts.
"Hunter, why is it attacking us?" Lucas asked, getting ready for an attack.
"Who knows. I hear that Cipher chose the rowdiest and dangerous of criminals to give these Pseudo-Legendary Shadow Pokémon to. Perhaps telling his Dragonite to get rid of us… how quaint." I sighed.
"You don't seem so nervous about this, Hunter." Lucas scoffed.
"Why should I be?" I asked.
"Kill both of them, Dragonite!" The shady trainer on top of the Dragonite shouted.
Wow, no kidding around… huh? I wonder if he knows who he's dealing with… Number one ranking Captor, Hunter…
"Now's not the time to be consumed in your self-indulgence, Hunter!" Hunter shouted. The Dragonite flew to a stop and was enveloped in a dark, shadowy aura. If a normal human like myself could see that… that would usually mean that it's using a Shadow Attack.
"Shadow Break!" The Trainer shouted.
Oh crap.
The Dragonite let out a battle cry and charged directly at us, with it's body burning powerfully with that shadowy aura.
"Time to go, Lucas." I said as I jumped off the building.
"Agreed." Lucas said and jumped off with me.
The sound of the rushing wind filled my ears as I glided down the skyscraper headfirst. From above, I heard a loud crash and I flipped to see what happened. The top roof of the building was completely demolished. I quickly pressed a button on both my wrists and long, pick-like weapons extended out of my black, mechanical-like suit.
Technology, got to love it.
I clawed into the side of the building, sliding down slowly until I finally came to a halt. I looked above me, and Lucario has utilized his Metal Claw attack to do the same.
That's Lucas for you.
I pulled out my radio and tried not to look down, ducking my head from the small amounts of debris that fell from the roof. "Hunter to Perrit, the customer has attacked us. Did you evacuate everyone from the vicinity?"
"No problem. We've done that a long time ago." Perrit answered. "…Why does it still read that you haven't moved at all from your location?!"
"Perrit, you are looking at a satellite view, I'm sort of on the side of a building-"
"Stop making excuses! Hurry up and capture that thing! There will not be any backup, so be careful! Perrit over and out!" The radio clicked and the conversation was ended.
"Alrighty Lucas. The first thing we have to do is get down from here…" I moved toward a window and kicked through it, shattering the glass and allowing me to step inside. I poked my head out and shouted to Lucas, "Hey Lucas! You're two floors above me! Meet me at the floor below you!"
I quickly looked back into the room. Apparently, I'm in some kind of cafeteria. Great, I would love getting a bit to eat. Stress makes me rather hungry… Crap! I think Lucas is already there! Better get moving… I found a set of stairs and quickly ran up and found Lucas waiting for me.
"What took you so long?" Lucas mocked.
"Got hungry. Anyways, where's EX149?" I asked.
"…His Aura just… disappeared all of a sudden…"
"That's tragic…" I sighed. I turned my radio back on, "Perrit, this is Hunter. We lost the customer-"
"Wait. I feel it again… Duck!" Lucas shouted. I quickly responded by dropping to the floor. A loud crash was heard and Lucas shouted in agony. When the smoke cleared, I noticed the Dragonite, gripping Lucas tightly with an emotionless look on it's face.
"Finally, I get to kill this freaking brat and his annoying Lucario. Kid, this is what happens when you mess with Cipher! Kill him Dragonite-"
"And this is what happens when you mess with me." I smirked. Lucas responded by letting loose a powerful blast of Aura that disoriented the criminal and his Dragonite. Now dropped out of it's grip, Lucas quickly grabbed the Dragonite's foot and tripped him. He then jumped over the Dragonite and focused a powerful Force Palm into the center of it's chest. The floor beneath the two broke and sent them downward to the first floor, knocking out the Dragonite and leaving a huge hole where I was. I approached the hole cautiously and looked all the way down.
"Don't worry, he's not going anywhere!" Lucas shouted. "He's out cold! But hurry up and get down here!" I nodded and turned to where the criminal was. Except.. He wasn't there… where could he-
"Grah!" The criminal shouted as he attempted to charge at me and push the two of us down the hole. I merely sidestepped and watched him fall to his death. I turned away at the moment I heard a loud and disgusting splat noise.
"Poor idiotic bastard… Don't worry Lucas… it was his own doing for his death. I'll be down there in a second…" I sighed.
This wasn't the first time I witnessed the death of someone. In fact, I lost count how many times I have seen people die in front of me, at the hands of Cipher. I've seen people fall, get ripped in half, vaporized, suffocated, swallowed… All because of Cipher…
When I finally got down to the first floor, I noticed that the Dragonite began to stir. I quickly outstretched my hand, and an Ultra Ball materialized at the palm of the Snag Machine. With a quick throw, the Ultra Ball exploded into a light that resembled a large, white hand and ensnared the Dragonite at it's grip and materializing back into an Ultra Ball.
With three shakes of it, the Dragonite was caught.
"Headquarters, this is Captor Hunter. The customer EX149 has been snagged… and get a clean-up crew in here… unnecessary blood has been spilt tonight." I mumbled to the radio.
"Good job, Hunter. I knew you could do it. We have given word of this to the Kanto Champion, and he is pleased. And the clean-up crew has been sent. That's one down, and four to go." Perrit said.
…That trainer… he was truly a lunatic. He had nothing but killing to his mind. The Dragonite wouldn't have attacked anyone unless told to by it's Trainer. So, who's the true evil here?
Cipher, or the many Trainers out there in the world of Pokémon?