Here's the prologue, people! Remember, it may be shorter than actual chapters, but it's just as important as them. Think of this as the confirmation that Shadow II has begun!

Prologue: Memories

September 3, 2061 7:10 p.m.

To think, just five years ago he was just another new soldier…

Another defender of his homeland, another man who just wanted it all to end…

But now here he was, a member of the Kanto Army Marines, a hardened warrior with what had become the clean ability of those known only as…

Snipers.

Sure, he hadn't see the captain for a while, maybe only once since he had appeared out of nowhere in his first battle. But now this man did not need to be saved. At one time he was the prey of the snipers…

Now he was one himself, crawling slowly on his chest with foliage-like material wrapped all over his body to make him look like a living tree. He had been a pseudo-farmer before this time, but then he had only gotten experience with the old shotgun he had that was used to keep stray Pokémon off his father's property. Being the man he was, he never fired directly at them, mostly just up in the air. That usually told them to move along, anyway. Now that he had been trained in the deadly art of the sharpshooter, he could practically pull off shooting a playing card in half through the thin edge like Annie Oakley could, almost every time.

To his side was his Umbreon, a friend he had met during that battle when he used the heavy machine gun he was using to mow down Rocket soldiers who were shooting at it. Ever since then, she had followed him, everywhere he went…

Even in these missions, telling him where hidden enemies were. At the moment, she was giving him a soft, repeated 'Bre!'

Nodding back, he grasped the cold, black metal of the sniper rifle that had been dragging along on his side. Only once did he reach forward and bring back the bolt, revealing that this particular rifle was one of the few in the Kanto Army that still used actual bullets instead of laser charges.

The scope just slightly protruded out of the other end of the bush in front of him. Yes, he was on top of a small hill, allowing him to see over the heads of many of the bushes in front of him. Within the second, he spotted a small group of black-garbed Rocket grunts sifting through the bushes ahead, slowly making their way towards where he was with their AK-159s all upright, stocks pressed against their shoulders. A lone Arcanine with a black leather collar walked along with one of them, sniffing in the air.

He could feel both his and his Umbreon's breaths nearly cease, his aim steadying over the Arcanine. It could be very catastrophic if it alerted its allies to their presence. As soon as his crosshairs steadied over the fire dog's nose bridge, he pulled the trigger.

The Arcanine's head snapped upward, it's eyes rolling back into its head as it collapsed onto the ground with a bloody hole between its eyes. A second shot issued out from the rifle's muzzle, aimed toward the dead Arcanine's alarmed handler.

Heh. His head might as well have exploded… He thought as he quickly turned his deadly aim towards the next grunt on the left before the other's corpse had even hit the ground. The grunt was aiming towards where the sniper was, obviously seeing where the bullets had come from despite the silencer. Before he could fire, our sniper pulled the trigger of his own weapon once more, this time actually seeing the .300 bullet take a stream of blood with it as it ripped through the man's head.

By this time the remaining grunt had ducked into the bushes. Looking around through his scope, the sniper whispered to the Umbreon at his side. "Where is he, girl?"

The Umbreon's sharp gaze swept through the bushes ahead of them, the man following her head movements with his scope. Within a few seconds, her view stopped on a particular bush.

(There.) She whispered softly in her own language, lifting her paw slightly to point. Adjusting his view, he could just barely see the edge of the grunt's helmet poking out slightly from the side of the bush.

"Goodnight."

Again the rifle pressed back on his shoulder, the tell-tale blood spray flying up from the bush. Slowly, he rose from his position, moving towards the fallen grunt with the Umbreon at his side.

The butt of his rifle supported him as he kneeled on the ground, looking over the dead grunt. Dark scarlet stained the grass beneath his head, and behind him splattered onto a tree with a hole showed where the bullet had pierced into the bark. Briefly, he patted down the grunt, his Umbreon keeping watch.

"They were definitely from Shock Squadron, no doubt. Heck, these guys are only from the tenth detachment, but still…we would've had a huge problem if that Arcanine had spotted us earlier…"

He slid the pistol out from the grunt's side, looking it over it for a few seconds as he spun it around in his hand. "A 1911…probably antique by now…too bad that they still haven't figured out how to make pistols that fire lasers without having to weigh five pounds…"

Looking at it further, he smiled, taking out his own, heavy pistol and placing it on the ground, holstering the 1911 instead while further patting down the grunt, eventually discovering three clips for the weapon and putting them in the pouch on his side. He got into a low standing position, head bent down with his head barely poking above the bushes.

"Well, enough treasure hunting…Umbreon, let's go."

(I'm coming.) She spoke, following him as he took his rifle in his hands, looking ahead with the scope up to his right eye once again…

…

Hmph. Too bad we're out of those Oran berries…

Shadow looked up to the wide, blue sky overhead that was crowded with treetops. (So…how long until we get to wherever we're going?)

(Don't be impatient…the place we're going to be going through is a pretty dangerous place, you know. The last I heard, Team Rocket's Shock Squadron was doing operations in the area.) Came the answer from the older Pikachu, who was leading the trio.

(Yeah...I know, I was considered to be in Shock Squadron, to be exact cell Black-25. I only went on group attacks maybe three times…)

The female Raichu to his left shivered a bit with a shudder accompanying it. (The one I went on with you…that had to have been the one time where I would've blown my cover, Shadow. They were just…just…)

She noticed the stern gaze turned to her from Shadow. (Don't talk about it…)

["Mmph!" One of the tied-up captives cried from under the duct tape holding his mouth shut, a blindfold wrapped around his eyes, much the same as several others tied up in a line next to him. Behind him, three Rocket grunts in black military coats and black helmets stood, their faces covered by what looked like twin-cylinder gas masks with their eye lenses lit up in an eerie orange-yellow glow. Behind them, Shadow and Light watched as the grunt raised his AK-159 and viciously kicked the kneeling man to the cold ground. Shadow glanced to an unevolved Light, who had her paws to her mouth in fright.

The silent Shock Squadron soldier held his gun up with one hand and pulled the trigger. His gun rattled in his grip, letting off a short burst of lasers into the helpless captive's head. Scarlet splashed on the ground next to him as he proceeded to the next captive, who was wriggling and writhing, obviously knowing what was going to happen.

(Why…why are they doing this?) Light asked urgently, completely shocked at the merciless executions happening in front of them. Shadow himself felt sick to his stomach, having extreme difficulty trying to keep his cool as the bloodthirsty grunt blew the brains out of another captive's head…]

(…That was one of the few things I didn't like to do in Team Rocket then…go on a mission with the rest of the Shock Squadron…)

Exhaling, Bolt looked ahead with a slight glare on his features, as if trying to warn anything ahead to stay out of the way. He shook his head. (Let's…stop talking about them. I hate the very mention of 'Shock Squadron'.)

(Something personal?) Shadow asked, already knowing the answer.

(VERY personal…they're the ones who carried out the attack on Pallet Town.)

…

Soon the sky overhead had darkened into a deep blue. The silhouettes of clouds could be seen against the light of the moon in the heavens, passing through its bright, magnificent glow. Different shades of grey drifted across the ground, illuminating or darkening the carpet of green beneath their paws.

Bolt stopped, looking up to the crescent floating in the sky. Looking around, he turned around to Shadow and Light. (We'll stop here for the night…and I advise you two to get a good amount of sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a little hectic.)

Shadow looked to Light with an assuring look before looking back to Bolt, crossing his arms with a sigh. (Great. This is going to be fun, isn't it?)

(Heh. Hardly. Like I said earlier, the Shock Squadron is doing operations in the area we're going to be heading through tomorrow. I'm sure that you just how dangerous they can be.)

(…Bolt, just which detachment of the Shock Squadron is there anyway? Please say it's just the tenth group…) Light said quietly, sounding a little nervous.

(Don't worry, there's no way that they could take all of us…besides Light, last time I checked the maps, it said that right now it would be the tenth in this area.) Shadow answered for him. A slight gust of wind blanketed them in a small chill as Bolt walked towards a large, tall tree, looking up into its branches in the dim light of the moon. Peering through the wood drooping down from the main canopy, Bolt was able to see twin hollows in the bark, both seemingly big enough to house one of them. The hollows were high enough to where they both just barely poked above the rest of the treetops as well.

(There's two holes in this tree…Shadow, Light, you two can sleep there. I'll rest on the ground.)

(Okay. I guess I'm going to get some sleep then, I'll see you tomorrow.) Shadow said with a great monotone in his voice. His paws raked the grass beneath him as he walked past Bolt without a word and jumped up, grabbing onto the bark. Below him Bolt motioned to Light with a nod to his head before stepping to the side of the tree and lying down in the underlying green.

Shadow climbed into the topmost hole, nestling amongst the strands of dead grass and dust that seemed to have accumulated inside.

His nose twitched slightly, catching the wavering odor of another Pokémon that had been in there maybe a week or so ago. A slight thumping occurred from below as Light climbed into her own hollow. Looking out as he lowered himself onto his chest, he saw the stars begin to set in. They were a crowd of fireflies hovering high above the earth, over the vast ocean of treetops in the forest.

Silence ensued, all except the sound of his own breathing. Time passed as he just stared up at the mystic dots across the great dark horizon, going on and on with each passing and lingering thought he had.

Would he really be accepted with open arms? Or would they toss him into a prison for the crimes he had committed against them?

…Was it all really worth it?

Maybe…

He turned his eyes down towards the trunk of the tree. It seemed that he was not the only one who was still awake; Bolt was sitting there at the foot of the tree, also staring up into the deep, deep dark blue above, eyes half open and his ears pointing directly horizontal from his furred yellow head.

Below him he could hear the gentle sound of Light breathing in and out in slumber. Other than her, they were awake.

(You can't sleep either, Shadow?)

(No. There are just too many things on my mind right now…what about you?) Shadow asked as a low gust carried his ear to the side slightly.

(Much of the same thing. This is just one of the few times I have where I can just think, after all. There's nothing to disturb me while I think over everything. It's quiet out here…it's just perfect.)

Shadow jumped out of the hollow and landed on all fours absorb the impact, landing next to Bolt. Sitting up on two legs, Shadow gestured with his paw. (So what are you thinking about, exactly?)

Bolt rolled his head on his shoulders, staying silent as he looked back up to the stars.

After a minute or two, he shook his head. (I was just wondering how things would be…if I had actually managed to save my parents…and if I had managed to stop my brother from sacrificing himself to defeat Marxus back then…)

(Your brother beat Marxus? Then how come he was still alive?) Shadow asked, confused.

(My brother…had managed to do the rest after my parents had failed to beat him. He was just as powerful as you, Shadow…but he fell…)

A dark streak caressed his red cheek as he continued his story: (He…he enveloped himself in dark energy…he completely let himself be shrouded in the dark power, all so that he could save the rest of us, like myself, Raisen and Raika…and his mate…so that he could try to destroy Marxus himself…)

…

[Dark energy flowed all over his brother. The small claws on his paws had grown out into talons, with black energy jutting out from them that formed into sickle-like protrusions. Bolt, battered and bruised from the start of the fighting in Pallet, watched in awe as his younger brother turned towards him from across the field one last time with the trusting smile he usually gave Bolt adorning his face, somewhat twisted from the vampire-like canines sticking out in front of his teeth and the scarlet red eyes that shrouded the reddish-hazel underneath. His fur even appeared to be turning from the yellow into jet black and back every second. Pulse turned to the female just a few yards from him. Their eyes locked.

(Pulse, please don't go!) She cried. He frowned, walking up to her and placing his paw upon her shoulder. The edges of her eyes were already moist with tears at what he had already done; taken in the dark energy.

(This power is amazing…I can feel its energy exploding within me like infinite strength…)

(Pulse, you fool! It will overtake you!) Bolt yelled out, disbelieving every moment of this, disbelieving the dark aura that surrounded his brother. (Don't do this!)

(I have to, brother! Mother and father are dying, and I can't let Marxus kill them!) Pulse retorted as the energy flared up around him. He looked to his mate, sliding his paw from his shoulder and wrapping it around her waist in an embrace, which she tearfully returned.

He held her head in his paw. (…I love you as much as I love my own family…and I would do anything to save you all. The only chance I have of defeating him is if I also die in the process. Even if I don't, I'll lose all memories…of you, my family, everything, because of this power…)

(…But I have to take that risk…) Pulse said as he backed away from her, even while she reached out to him. Bolt began a slow walk, finally breaking into a run at him.

(…You might never see me again…and our child may never know who his father was…)

(Pulse…!) She whispered, eyes widening as he looked over his shoulder to the storm.

(…But this is the only way. If it'll save you all from dying by his hand…)

(…Then I'm not afraid to die for you!)

Before Bolt could call out to him, Pulse turned back towards where the great, dark pillar of black rose towards the sky, taking off towards it at the speed of sound and leaving his mate behind to scream his name in anguish…]

…

(…and he…died?) Shadow asked, awed by the tale. Bolt sniffled once, then looked to Shadow with the gaze of a weary old man. (I…never saw him again. All I found…was a small pool of blood and ravaged forest all around, along with my parent's bodies lying next to each other, holding the other's paw. His mate had run after him into the forest as well, but I never saw her again either…to tell you the truth, I could've sworn that Light was her when I first met her, but she didn't know a thing about my brother…)

His ears lowered to the sides of his head, looking up to the stars again. (…Shadow, don't ever let the darkness overtake you. Never surrender yourself to it...or else…)

(…you may just disappear, like my brother did…)

Bolt faced Shadow, a stern look on his maw. (Promise me that: you will never embrace your dark power like that.)

Shadow himself glanced up to the sky, then to the tree he had been in, noticing Light's lightning-bolt tail hanging out of her hollow.

(I Promise…)

(For you, and for Light…I promise.)