The doors to his office slammed open as a furious voice shouted his name, storming in. Remaining calm as ever, he slowing turned in his chair and faced his companion.

"Ah, Tobias," he smiled cordially. "I see you've returned...trophy in hand, I presume?"

"You know why I'm here," Tobias said, eyes narrowed and teeth clenched. "You saw the battles, did you not?"

"I don't care for the conferences," the man replied, cool as ever. "My concern is with powerful Pokemon. When a winner is crowned, that's when I take notice. Word on the street is that you were the winner."

"Yes, I was," Tobias growled, still angry. "But you still broke our deal."

"I never break deals."

"DON'T YOU PLAY GAMES WITH ME, GIOVANNI!" Tobias roared, pounding the man's desk and getting in his face. "You promised me you would get me the most powerful Pokemon ever!"

"Was Darkrai insufficient?" Giovanni asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you win because of him?"

"Yes, but –"

"Then there you go."

"But he was defeated!"

Giovanni's eyes widened. "Defeated?" He sounded surprised, but he maintained his cool. "By whom?"

"An amateur-nobody, that's who! You told me this Pokemon was invincible! That was the deal!"

Giovanni shook his head. "The deal, as I recall, was that I would get you a Pokemon that could not be defeated by any standard trainer or gym leader," he said as he pulled out a document and handed it to Tobias. The dark champion read it, then, with an angry huff, handed it back.

"Darkrai fell to an amateur's Sceptile. No one else could bring him down. How did this nobody accomplish what eight gym leaders couldn't?!"

"It's not that complicated, really," Giovanni replied. "That Ketchum kid is quite a riot. I've never seen anything like him."

Tobias was about to retort, but he stopped short when he realized what the crime boss just said. "Wait...how did you know it was Ketchum?!"

"Lucky guess," he chuckled sinisterly. "I've heard much of this kid's prowess, and he is hardly a nobody. When I set out to procure a powerful Pokemon for you, I did so with the idea that if anyone could defeat it, he could. I didn't expect you to run into him at the conference. Had I known he would be there, I would have warned you."

Tobias' face was stoic. "So you knew this Ketchum kid could defeat Darkrai...but you didn't think I would encounter him."

"Correct."

Tobias nodded, then held out his Pokeball. "Here," he said. "I don't want a weak Pokemon."

"Pardon me, but the terms of the deal have not expired," Giovanni replied. "Darkrai is your Pokemon now. I cannot take care of him."

Tobias growled and took the ball back. "Very well, then. I will look elsewhere for a Pokemon that cannot be defeated." With that, he turned and walked away. The doors slammed shut behind him, leaving Giovanni in darkness.

"An invincible Pokemon," he mused. "Somehow, that sounds familiar, as though I've encountered it before. But that's rubbish. No one is unbeatable. Nothing is invincible."

"So sure, are you?"

He started on hearing the sudden voice. "What?! Who –?!"

"Invincible? Unbeatable? Oh, I'm sure there's something in this world that falls under those categories."

He clenched his teeth when he realized who it was. "Doctor," he growled. "How did you get here?"

"It wasn't that hard," the portly man revealed himself. "Your security is incompetent. Jack couldn't even lift a finger against me."

"You must mean Butch," he grumbled.

"Whatever. Anyways, allow me to explain why I am here. I hear you have a secret weapon that's been shut down for fifty years."

"Rubbish," he replied. "I have nothing of the kind."

"My research indicates otherwise," the doctor insisted. "One of your facilities holds this ultimate weapon under the highest security. Which facility is it?"

"None," he snapped. "I monitor all our facilities over the world, and I know nothing of an ultimate weapon."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said clenching his fist. Then he thought it over. "Well, there is one facility that I haven't visited in years."

"Really?"

"Yes. It was destroyed long ago, but I believe it's been rebuilt. It may hold the answers you're looking for."

The doctor grinned. "And where is it?"

Giovanni glared at him. "Why should I tell you? What can you give me in return?"

The doctor pulled out a document. "This is my research on the weapon. I spent the past few months compiling it, and I can say for certain that the information is relevant to you. Disclose the location of this neglected facility to me, and the information is all yours."

Giovanni looked at the document. "Why should I trust you?"

"Same reason I should trust you," the doctor replied. "Oh, wait...there isn't a reason!"

Giovanni clenched his fist. "Very well. The facility is on New Island, not far out from Kanto."

"That's better," the doctor nodded. "And with that, here's your information." He handed the document to him and made his retreat. Giovanni looked at the front cover.

Then his face grew pale. "No," he whispered, fear in his eyes. "It can't be! This is what he wants?!" He shot up from his chair and frantically began dialing on a phone, trying in vain to contact the New Island facility. "Come on, come on!" he growled loudly, the paper all but forgotten as it lay there on his desk, front page up with two words printed on the front:

PROJECT SHADOW

BOOM! Heheheh...I love throwing in those curveballs that take an otherwise isolated piece and connect it to one of my major projects.

Anyways, if you're wondering about "The Legend of Zelda: The Sonic Boom," I've been very busy with school, so I haven't had time to update it. Sorry about that. If I can stay on top of my game, then you'll probably see some updates in the near future. If not, well then...

No. I am going to get on top of my game. You guys deserve a good story.

Was this a good story? It's not my greatest work, but I think it's decent enough to warrant a positive rating. Feel free to rate and review, but no flames please!