New Divide

Chapter 2: Disappearance

Pikachu awakens with a start. He sleepily rubs his eyes and stretches as he climbs off the couch. He looks around and sees his fellow Pokémon allies sleeping on their own spots. He looks at the clock; it is approximately seven in the morning. Ash would usually wake up at this time to check on his Pokémon. But surprisingly the young trainer is nowhere in sight.

Concerned, Pikachu decides to check on his master. He looks up the stairs for a moment.

'Hmm… I wonder what Ash is up to…' Pikachu thinks to himself as he climbs up the stairs. He is careful about not making any sound to disrupt everyone that is still asleep. Pikachu successfully enters his master's room quietly and looks around.

Ash isn't in his room at all. Pikachu frowns. Maybe Ash has gone out for a morning walk? The yellow mouse keeps thinking until he sees something on the table that makes him stop walking. It's his master's favorite hat. Ash never takes it off unless he is asleep, so why hasn't he taken it with him?

Confused, Pikachu climbs on top of the table and picks up the hat. A small piece of paper falls from the inside of the hat and Pikachu notices this. He picks up the note and reads it curiously as he holds the hat under his arm.

I hope that you have had a fun time with your friend, Ash Ketchum. He will never come back alive! I'll will see to it!

T. H.

Pikachu feels his blood turn cold as his fur pricks out of his body. He rereads the note again and again. Ash is gone? Was he kidnapped? Who is this mysterious T. H. person? Why has he done it?

That doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that Ash is gone. Whoever has taken him is most likely going to kill him. Pikachu desperately wants to rescue Ash, but he has no clue as to where is master is. All the little mouse could do is cry out his master's name in anguish. His cry startles everyone awaken in the house.

"ASH!"

-ooo-

"Raikou… Raikou…"

Raikou mumbles in his sleep. He turns away from his counterparts that are desperate to wake him up.

"It's time to get up, Raikou!" Suicune snaps as she glares down at Raikou. Suicune is tempted to poke or smack the Legendary, but she doesn't do it out of fear of Raikou rolling onto her again.

Raikou ignores Suicune and Entei, too lost into his sleep to give much thought about them. He apparently has forgotten that Suicune had the power over the snow. But fortunately for him, Suicune decides that freezing him wouldn't be worth it. Suicune and Entei continue to try to wake up Raikou until Suicune thinks of an idea. She smiles inwardly.

"Hey, Entei…" Suicune glances at her fire counterpart. Entei raises a brow as Suicune whispers into his ear. When she finishes, Entei looks thoughtful before he smiles and nods. Suicune then heads to the cave entrance while Entei stands before Raikou. When the water dog signals Entei, Entei inhales sharply.

"Raikou! Suicune is being captured by Team Rocket!" Entei screams out randomly. His voice echoes through the cave while Suicune cries out, "HELP!"

Raikou snaps his eyes open and jumps up to his feet. He frantically yells, "I'M COMING SUICUNE!" He speeds out of the cave and pounces onto Suicune as he scans around the area for humans. Entei doesn't hide back the look of amusement as he walks towards his counterparts.

Then Suicune and Entei laugh aloud. Raikou finally realizes that his counterparts have set him up on a prank. He glares at Entei and Suicune as he gets off the water dog.

"You guys are horrible…" Raikou grumbles tiredly. "Well, at least it woke you up, didn't it?" Suicune smirks while Entei continues chuckling.

Raikou ignores Suicune as he looks down over the cliff edge. The sun rises from behind the icy mountains and its rays slowly begin to melt the snow from the earlier blizzard. Raikou yawns as he stretches his tired limbs. Suicune and Entei wouldn't let him go back to sleep until the mission is over. Even though their prank was mean, it was a lot better than the last prank that Raikou has received within this week. The last prank was from Darkrai; the phantom thought that it would be funny to let Raikou witness a weird dream about himself and Suicune. Since then, Raikou has decided to never step foot onto Darkrai's island again if he knows what is good for his sleep.

"You guys ready?" Raikou asks his counterparts. They nod as they join him looking at the sunrise.

"All right. We need to get to the island by dusk at the latest," Raikou states as he feels the cold breeze blow through his fur. "Once we get there, I'll think about what we need to do."

"He never thinks over his plans, does he…?" Suicune whispers to Entei. The fire lion shrugs in response. "What was that?" Raikou asks, sounding annoyed.

"Nothing!" Both the counterparts smile cheesily. Raikou doesn't pay attention as he keeps his attention down at the valley. Then he says, "Well, let's get going. The sooner we get to the island, the sooner we can go home." With that said, Raikou jumps down the cliff. He whoops as the wind blow against his face while he runs down the steep slope.

Entei and Suicune watch Raikou before they glance at each other. Then they join the thunder tiger speed down the cliff. Their laughter echoes through the valley as the Legendary Trio head towards the ocean.

-ooo-

Darkrai and Cresselia sleep in each other's arms with smiles on their faces. As the sun rises, Darkrai squints his eyes from the brightness. He slowly opens his sea green eyes and looks down at Cresselia beside him. Darkrai smiles before he places a kiss on his lover's lips. Then he moves up and floats closer to the ocean to view the sunrise better.

Darkrai gazes at the sun as he stretches his limbs. He smiles as he watches the pink and blue hues mixing in the sky. He has to admit that he loves the sunrise even though he prefers darkness to everything. It would be oxymoronic to think of Darkrai as a fan of the morning. It always reminds him of a new beginning and that is exactly what the sunrise is. It's the new beginning of a new day and a new adventure. It'll never end.

Darkrai sighs as he scratches an itch on his lower back. The sky colors remind him of his lover…

"Rai?"

Darkrai blinks when he hears the voice call out to him. He turns around and sees Cresselia stretching her neck as she yawns loudly. Darkrai smiles lovingly as he floats over to Cresselia and kisses her on the lips. He cradles her face as he murmurs, "Good morning, beautiful."

"And good morning to you as well." Cresselia responds. She loves how Darkrai caresses her cheeks. She feels like she could melt under his hold. Cresselia closes her eyes as she sighs happily.

Cresselia then pulls away when she realizes that they cannot waste anymore time. Darkrai looks at her in confusion. Cresselia sighs. "You ready to head to the island?"

Darkrai looks like he has no idea of what Cresselia is talking about. Then it dawns onto him and he stares at Cresselia in bewilderment. "Right now?" He sounds almost desperate. "After what we had last night?"

Cresselia sighs again. "I know." She doesn't look up as the phantom places his hands on her cheeks. "But we need to get this job done by tonight at the latest. And if Arceus ever finds out…"

"He won't," Darkrai says firmly. "This is only between us." He smiles a little as a small blush forms on his cheeks. "And if it's any consolation, it was incredible…"

Cresselia smiles as a blush forms on her own cheeks. "I know… I won't ever forget it…"

Darkrai smiles again and pulls Cresselia in for a passionate kiss. He cradles her face as he gently pushes her against the tree. He is about to kiss her neck when Cresselia suddenly smacks him.

"OW!" Darkrai cries out in pain. The wounds from Terotrey's attack are still healing. Cresselia has hit a really tender spot on his head. Darkrai whines as a migraine forms in his head and he stares at Cresselia in slight disbelief and annoyance. "What did you do that for?"

Cresselia looks like she is about to hit him again. When she raises her head, Darkrai flinches. Then Cresselia giggles and Darkrai gives her an annoyed look as he crosses his arms.

After a few moments, Cresselia stops giggling and looks at her boyfriend in amusement. Her smile turns into a smirk as she struts over to him almost menacingly. "We have to get done with the mission tonight, Darkrai. And I hit you because I can." She pushes Darkrai against the tree. The intimidated Darkrai presses himself against the tree as he stares at Cresselia with wide eyes.

Cresselia's expression softens as she hovers over Darkrai. She moves her mouth closer to Darkrai almost seductively as a low smile forms on her lips. Darkrai's startled look softens as he leans in with closed eyes and expects a kiss. After a moment, he opens his eyes and realizes that he is only kissing air. Bewildered, Darkrai looks around for the metallic swan. He hears giggling and looks up to see Cresselia floating in midair with a large grin on her face.

"C'mon, Darkrai! We have no time to waste!" Cresselia calls down to Darkrai. Then she turns away and bolts through the sea towards the sunrise. Darkrai lets out an irritated groan as he massaged his bruised head.

"Damn woman…" Darkrai grumbles as he glares at his girlfriend disappearing into the sunrise. "Always a tease…"

Then Darkrai decides that the sooner the job is done, the sooner he can go home and be alone with Cresselia. Darkrai shrugs his shoulders as he floats up and chases after his counterpart through the ocean.

-ooo-

Mrs. Ketchum, Dawn, and Brock are panicking. They have called Officer Jenny and reported about Ash's disappearance. The capture has been all over the news. May, Max, Misty, Tracey, and even Gary have come over to help investigate.

It is a beautiful day in the afternoon as a gentle breeze blows through the trees. The Pidgey and Spearow fly happily through the sky, completely unaware of what is going on in Pallet Town. The heroes are unfortunately going through hell on this gorgeous day.

The police and reporters interrogate the citizens while some of the Pokémon inspect Ash's room for clues. To everyone's surprise, there is no sign of struggle or even a speck of dust out of place. The only evidence found is the note that Pikachu has found under Ash's hat. Professor Oak and Officer Jenny decide to look at the cap and note in the laboratory in hopes of finding possible clues that could be left behind.

Pikachu and Ash's other Pokémon sit outside on the front yard as they wait for something to happen. They are afraid and upset about their master's disappearance. They wonder about how the kidnapper has come into the house and left without a trace. More importantly, they wonder about why he has taken Ash and what he intends to do with the young trainer.

The more emotional Pokémon cry when they believe that their master could be gone forever. Other Pokémon look at bypassing people as they wait impatiently for any news about their master. Pikachu and Sceptile lean against the garden gates with indifferent expressions on their faces. Even though they appear indifferent, worry and depression are evident in their eyes.

"Where could he have gone?" Pikachu looks at Sceptile with worried eyes. Sceptile fiddles with his twig on his lips as he shrugs cluelessly. "I have no clue, Pikachu. But the only clue that we've got are the initials 'T' and 'H'. Only Arceus knows who could have taken Ash."

Pikachu only nods as he looks down at his feet. Noticing the mouse's trepidation, Sceptile places a hand on Pikachu's back. Pikachu looks up and sees the mixture of worry and reassurance on his face. "Don't worry, Pikachu. I'm sure that Ash can take care of himself. Sure he can act like a retard, but Ash is smart when he needs to be."

Pikachu purposely ignores the insult as he looks down in apprehension. "It's not that. It's just that I don't think that Ash can take care of himself without help from Pokémon. Who knows what could be happening to him at this point?" Pikachu covers his face as his frustration begins to give him a migraine.

For once, Sceptile says nothing. Pikachu has a valid point; Ash has been relying on his Pokémon to get him out of trouble ever since he has first gotten Pikachu. Ash has rarely ever been in a position where he was outside alone and lost. Whoever captured Ash must have planned the capture out thoroughly. Perhaps Ash was captured during his sleep…

Sceptile shrugs as he watches Ash's allies cry and panic to themselves. Even Gary looks disturbed by the news. Realizing that Sceptile has nothing else left to say, Pikachu sighs as he looks up at the sky. He prays to Arceus that Ash is somewhere safe and alive…

-ooo-

Arceus' eyes snap open. The God Pokémon blinks himself awake as he looks around the courtroom. He realizes that it must be noon due to the sunlight beaming through the windows. Fortunately, Arceus has decided to cancel the morning meetings from the day before, but he could not believe that he has slept for over twelve hours straight.

Arceus hears a voice in his head calling out to him. He narrows his eyes as he listens to the young tone; someone is praying out to him. 'Please, Arceus. If you can hear me, then heed my wish. Please make sure that my master Ash Ketchum will be safe. I ask no more than that."

Arceus raises a brow. Many of the Legendaries have told him that a young boy named Ash Ketchum has saved them in several occasions from the evil wrongdoings of mainly Team Rocket. Then Arceus decides to oblige the small voice's plea. He closes his eyes and focuses on finding the young trainer with his advanced telekinesis ability. It's the least that Arceus could do as a favor for helping the creators of life.

There is total silence as Arceus concentrates. Then the God Pokémon snaps his eyes open and they glow gold. After a long while, his gold eyes start to dim and he blinks himself back into reality. His face displays pure bewilderment and disbelief. He has just witnessed the strangest thing ever; it's just as strange as Blackfire's sudden disappearance from the human history.

There is no person named Ash Ketchum on this planet. He doesn't exist anywhere on Earth. He has just disappeared from the face of the Earth just as Blackfire has. Arceus keeps searching through every single living person's mind and finds no young trainer under the name title.

Ash Ketchum is gone.

-ooo-

The Legendary Trio pant as soon as they reach to the beach. The counterparts are dirtied up and worn out by their rush through the mountains.

Entei sits down and licks his paw while Suicune lies down to catch her breath.

"Man, I had no idea that getting through the mountains would be that hard." Raikou mumbles as he sits down.

"All those ice Pokémon didn't look too thrilled by me being there…" Entei muses as he looks at his ice-covered feet. When the Legendaries have gone through the mountains, they have come upon angry Mamoswine and Glalie. The Ice Pokémon have grown more furious when they saw Entei and have decided to chase the three counterparts throughout the frosty valley. Fortunately, the Legendaries have gotten away from the Pokémon but they didn't stop until they have reached to the beach.

"Well, it doesn't matter…" Suicune says as she stands up. "At least we got out of there alive. Now let's get going." Suicune jumps into the water and sighs in delight at the cool sensation. She starts to walk on the water when she realizes that her counterparts aren't following her. She turns to look at the cats' horrified looks.

"What's the matter? Let's get going!" Suicune snaps irritably. Both the cats look up from the water directly at Suicune.

"Um, Suicune? Have you forgotten that we are both cats? We hate water!" Raikou shouts in annoyance. "Besides, Entei is weak against water. The element could kill him if he stays in it for too long…" Entei nods in agreement. Suicune looks thoughtful for a moment before an idea hits her. "I've got it!" She looks at the cats. "Wait right here!" Suicune then dives into the water and disappears under the depths. Raikou and Entei glance at each other bewilderedly.

"Where'd she go?" Raikou asks Entei. The fire lion shrugs. "Could be anywhere under there." He points at the water and Raikou rolls his eyes. He already knows that! He wants to know specifically what Suicune is doing.

Suddenly a splashing sound is made. The cats turn to look at the water and realize that Suicune has returned… with two Lapras. Raikou and Entei quirk their eyebrows as Suicune and the Lapras head towards the beach.

Suicune stops at the shore and takes in her counterparts' curious and confused expressions. "These are Lapras. They are capable of carrying almost anything on their backs as they travel through water. I have spoken with these ladies and they would be happy to give us a ride to the island." Suicune explains. She smiles as she moves aside to introduce the Lapras formally.

"Indeed. It's always an honor to help the creators of life." The Lapras on Suicune's right says. "It's also an honor to meet them in person." The Lapras on the left says. The Lapras look almost identical facial wise as they smile politely at the Legendary cats. The only things different about them are their eyes and accessories; the right Lapras has aquamarine eyes while the left Lapras has red eyes. Both women have pearl necklaces that match their eye colors. The Lapras also have noticeable elegant British accents.

"Again, thank you ladies for helping us with our mission," Suicune says as she smiles at the Lapras. The girls return the smiles elegantly. The red-eyed Lapras holds up a flipper. "Of course, my dear. But first, let us do introductions. We British Pokémon like to keep things proper." The Lapras giggle amongst themselves.

Then the red-eyed Lapras straightens up. "Now, I will begin. I am Miss Laureen," She turns to look at the blue-eyed Lapras. "And this is my sister-"

"Miss Laura. We're twin sisters." The blue-eyed Lapras finishes. "You might say that were related." The Lapras and Suicune giggle loudly at this statement. "Oh, yes. I never would have guessed." Suicune jokes. The girls giggle even more loudly together while Raikou and Entei watch in bewilderment. The male Legendaries have never seen Suicune act like this before while they were around.

After regaining her position, Laureen says, "Now, onto business. You need to go to the island that has just formed recently nearby Cinnabar Island, correct?"

"Yes." Entei walks over to Suicune's side as he looks up at the Lapras. He begins to explain about the situation to the girls, starting from Arceus' orders to what has led to their current predicament.

"That is quite a story." Laura states. Laureen nods in agreement. "Well, we can carry you all to the island without any trouble." The fire lion smiles and nods thankfully. Laura then notices Raikou's curious face. She smiles. "And who is this handsome young man?" Raikou blushes at the comment.

Suicune looks at Raikou's blushing face and hides back the urge to laugh. She smiles. "That's Raikou. He's my other counterpart and has been my boyfriend ever since the issue with the robotic Pokémon that has happened about a month ago."

"Oh, yes. We have heard about that." Laureen says as she looks at Raikou with an impressed expression. "Raikou must have been so brave to face that horrid man alone."

Raikou wants to clear something up with that statement. He walked over to his girlfriend's side as he looks up at the Lapras' smiling expressions. "Darkrai helped me defeat Terotrey. In fact, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here now. He has taken me in when I was exiled from the Legendary Council. He has also come with the idea of defeating Terotrey when we were sent to another dimension."

"Has he now?" Laureen asks in surprise. "Well then, why don't you tell me and my sister all about it during the trip?" Laura asks as she and Laureen turn to their sides to let the cats jump onto their backs. Suicune walks on the water again and watches her counterparts make themselves comfortable on the dinosaurs' backs. Raikou and Entei exchange glances before Raikou says, "OK. Thanks again for helping us."

"It is nothing, Raikou. We are very honored to be in your service." Laureen says as she smiles.

Meanwhile, Laureen leans over to Suicune. She whispers, "You are very lucky, Suicune. You have a very charming boyfriend that cares for you." This comment earns a blush from the water dog. She tries to hide it by saying, "Thanks. Even though Raikou acts like a dope most of the time, he's a really nice guy." Laureen nods in understanding.

"You all ready?" Laura asks everyone. When the Legendaries nod, she says, "All right! Then let's go!" The Lapras turn and swim through the water at a steady pace to make the cats comfortable. Suicune simply jogs on the water to catch up with the Lapras. During the trip, Raikou shares the story about his great adventure involving a certain evil man, his allies, and other Pokémon. Laura and Laureen listen in interest and comment on all of the right parts. Entei and Suicune choose to stay silent as they enjoy the trip. The fire lion falls asleep against Laureen while Suicune looks on ahead.

The sea glimmers under the sun as the Legendaries and Lapras sail away through the calm waters.

-ooo-

Somewhere unknown, a dark figure sits in the shadows lost in deep thought. Its blood red eyes are narrowed in anger and hatred. In fact, the glowing red eyes are the only source of light in the dark area.

He looks down at Ash Ketchum's slumbering body. The boy holds no wounds anywhere on his body but he strangely has his daily clothes on instead of his PJs. The being must have dressed Ash and he has probably planned to confront the boy when he awakens. The being stares at the child thoughtfully.

'This child is supposed to stop me?' It thinks darkly. 'This must be some sort of a joke; Alpha and Omega must be pulling on my tail! But the prophesy has specifically stated a Ketchum; no other being holds the surname. But still; he is merely a child!' The being narrows his eyes into slits as he glares at the child.

Then he surprisingly smiles as his razor sharp teeth glisten in the red light. 'But no matter. Soon I will have my vengeance on Raikou, Darkrai, and Crystalline. Those two Legendary fools don't even realize that they are heading right into my trap!' He laughs darkly. His chuckles echo in the area filled with black and purple swirls that mix around each other. There was really no way to determine which side is the ceiling or the floor.

The being has taken this dimensional realm as his home. When he rules the world, he would call it Hell. Anyone else that would occupy this dimension would easily agree with the name debate.

-ooo-

"The twerp is gone?"

Meowth has a hard time accepting this fact as he stares at Sceptile's angry face. Before the Ketchum residence, the lizard has his arms crossed while he and Pikachu look at Meowth. Jessie and James hide in the forest and listen to the conversation in confusion and curiosity. The three Rockets have attempted to capture Pikachu again when Sceptile has arrived and explained about their current predicament.

Fortunately for the Rockets, all the other Pokémon and humans are in their homes. The sun has set so it was late at night. The stars twinkle in the sky behind the full moon.

"Yes. And until we find him, you will not lay a finger on Pikachu." Sceptile says calmly. It is obvious that he doesn't want to deal with the Rockets until his master has returned home. Sceptile is tempted to use Bullet Seed to send the Rockets through halfway through the universe.

"And what makes you think that we will simply just stop? It's our job to capture Pikachu!" Meowth narrows his eyes at Sceptile. Sceptile says nothing as he gives the cat a cool glare. Then he suddenly raises his arm as its leaf blades start to glow. Meowth steps back in alarm.

"Because if you don't leave now, then I will take care of you myself or I will simply call Officer Jenny over here." Sceptile says calmly with a hint of venom in his tone. He steps up to the frightened Meowth as he holds up his glowing blades. Pikachu watches Sceptile with a pale look on his face. He has never seen Sceptile this angry before. "But I'm giving you a chance to leave unharmed. It's your choice. Decide now…" Sceptile hisses.

Meowth finally gives in. "Okay, okay! We'll lay off until the twerp's back!" He holds up his arms in defeat as he looks pleadingly at Sceptile.

Sceptile glares down at Meowth for a moment before he lowers his arms. With narrowed eyes and crossed arms, he grumbles, "Good. See that you do. Be sure to tell your humans the message. Otherwise…" He stomps forwards and makes Meowth flinch. Satisfied by Meowth's reaction, Sceptile turns around and picks up Pikachu before entering the Ketchum residence.

"That stupid reptile always gets in the way…" Meowth grumbles as he stomps through the foliage. He crosses his arms when Jessie eagerly greets him.

"So what did he say?" Jessie asks as she looks down at Meowth. She looks eager for an answer since Sceptile has looked like he was about to Leaf Blade Meowth. Meowth glares up at Jessie. "We can't do it while the twerp is gone. Almost everyone who knows us is here, including Officer Jenny. Bottom line, the reptile will turn us in to the police or he'll turn us into mulch." He grumbles.

Jessie looks slightly offended as she looks down thoughtfully. Then she looks at James. "What do you think that we should do, James?" Then she blinks. James isn't by her side. Jessie looks around bewilderedly for her blue-haired comrade while she and Meowth think about the same question.

"Where did he go?"

-ooo-

A blue-haired Rocket walks through the forest and enjoys the tranquility. For the first time he has decided to not get involved with Pikachu's capture. While Meowth has been busy quarrelling with Sceptile, James decides to sneak away so he could clear his mind.

He stops in the middle of the forest right in front of a large bulldozer. It has a Rocket insignia on the side and is as big as a Wailmer. The door hatch is on top of the bulldozer so users have to use the ladder attached to the side of the bulldozer to reach to the door.

James places a hand on the machine as he looks at it. Fortunately, nothing seems out of place. James, Jessie, and Meowth have built this machine so they could dig a big gap that would hopefully destroy the town and all its contents. But the more James thinks about it, the more he doesn't like it. It isn't in his nature to hurt the innocent even though his job technically requires violence. But if it's for the sake of stealing Pokémon to please Giovanni, then so be it. James has nowhere else to go and he has no alternative job anyway.

James suddenly hears giggling and braces himself. He squints in the dark to see if anyone is coming towards him. He sees three shadowed figures heading at his direction. One of the figures is small while the other two figures are averagely tall. James is about to call out to the figures when he realizes that they are people. But when he sees their true appearances, his breathing stops.

The tallest of the three persons is a man at around his twenties. He looks strikingly handsome with pale white skin and bright ruby eyes. He looks at James cautiously while his skin glows under the moonlight. His green hair is done in a gladiator helm form with teal blue highlights while his bangs cover his eyes. His clothing contains a white shirt that is missing one sleeve, white and long loose pants, white sneakers, and a silver watch. He also has a noticeable red scar splayed across his muscular chest. James automatically assumes that the person must be a ninja because of the two sword sheathes hanging around the man's back. The man carries a curious but confused frown on his lips although his ruby eyes display distrust.

The second tallest person is a strange but beautiful Gothic woman. Her dark attire and pale white skin blend well with the dark setting. The woman's glowing red eyes make her more menacing than mysterious. Her clothing consists of long black boots and a rippled sleeveless black dress that goes down to her ankles. The woman's long lavender hair breezes through the gentle wind and her makeup consists of only black lip-gloss. Like the tall man beside her, the woman appears in her late twenties and she has a fit body that respectively shows off her curves. She also strangely has a similar silver watch on her wrist. The woman crosses her arms and leans against one leg as she stares at James. She frowns at James skeptically.

The last person is a much more welcoming sight than the other two people are. The girl looks like a young adult that is optimistic about many things. Her bushy obsidian hair flows against the gentle wind while her tanned skin blends in the darkness. Like the other two people, the girl has ruby eyes but she looks more curious and amused than skeptical. She also has the same silver watch on her wrist. Her perfect white teeth glimmer under the moonlight as she smiles at James. Unlike the other woman, the girl bears no makeup. Her attire consists of baggy pink pants, black sneakers, and a black shirt with long pink sleeves. Her extra accessory consists of black fingerless gloves. The girl's curvy hips sway a bit as she smiles flirtatiously at James. She places her hands on her hips as her eyes sparkle in amusement.

James stares at the three people just as long as they stare back at him. It doesn't help that the dark setting adds to the tense and awkward silence. Then James couldn't take the deafening silence anymore.

"What do you want?"

The newcomers flinch at the unexpected question. They glance at each other slowly as if they don't understand what James was saying. Then the tanned girl smiles playfully at James.

"Nothing at all, Sir. We were just wondering about what we have heard coming into the forest…" She says slyly. She sways her hip as she walks towards James casually. She keeps one hand on her hip as she smiles sweetly at James.

"Why are you here?" The man asks as he looks at James cautiously. "This is private territory. We do not allow trespassers around here." The dark woman spits darkly. It is obvious that she is not happy as she glares daggers at James.

"I-I am terribly sorry… I didn't know." James stutters. He backs away until his back comes in contact against a tree. The tanned girl notices this and frowns. She turns to glare at her friends. "Now look at what you both did! You scared this poor man out of his mind!"

Neither the man nor woman says anything. They both merely huff and cross their arms. The tanned girl turns to face James with a sweet smile on her lips. James couldn't help but smile back; he is enchanted by the girl's kind eyes and personality. The girl places a hand on James' chest and James' breathing tightens in his throat. She looks deeply at James' eyes as she whispers, "My name is Laki. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm James. It's nice to meet you, too." James murmurs back. He leans forward and expects a kiss. Instead, he feels pain in his neck. James yelps and roughly pushes the girl away. He touches his neck and stumbles in disbelief when he sees blood on his fingertips. She bit him! He looks at the girl in horror as she smiles and licks her lips and fangs.

Fangs…

Seeing the fangs makes James scream before he stumbles down and faints. The three people kneel over James and examine him for a moment. The man checks for a pulse and touches James' forehead. Then he shakes his head. "He just fainted. Nothing to worry about."

"Nice work, Lacaria. Now you scared him to death." The dark woman chuckles. The tanned girl giggles. "I know, right? I'm so scary." She points at herself proudly as she grins childishly. The two people roll their eyes at her.

"Well, at least we got the bulldozer. It's too bad; James would have been such a nice guy…" Laki says as she stands up and looks down at James in amusement.

"You're saying that I'm not nice?" The man asks as he stands up and crosses his arms. He holds a fake offended look while Laki rolls her eyes. "Gallade, you are a different story. You're a friend. No offense, but I wouldn't date you; you're too much of a brother image to me." Gallade holds a slightly hurt look before he hides it by making a pouting face. His hurt look doesn't go unnoticed by the dark woman. She raises her eyebrows suspiciously before she shrugs carelessly and looks at Laki lazily.

"You sound just like Crystal." The dark woman says as she casually examines her fingernails. Lacaria glares at the woman.

"C'mon, Violet," Lacaria whines. "I know that you don't like Cryssy much, but cut the boss some slack. She's my best friend."

Violet looks surprised as she raises a brow. "Who says that I don't like her? Cryssy's my best friend, too. I sometimes just don't like Crystal's preppy attitude and overdramatic determination."

Lacaria is about to deliver another argument when Gallade decides to intervene. "Ladies, enough. If we are going to help Crystal with the mission, then we need to hurry. So let's just drop the argument, transform, take the bulldozer, and get out of here before anyone sees us."

The girls agree hastily with the man. Then the three people hold up their wrists and press a button on their watches. Their bodies glow for a moment before their sizes and shape change automatically.

Lacaria transforms into a Lucario. Her pink fur clashes well with her black limbs, furry chest, and mask. Laki stretches her limbs casually. Her ruby eyes glimmer brightly as optimism and excitement swim in the dark pools. Like the usual female Lucario, Laki has round spikes on her paws and chest but her body is slimmer than normal.

Gallade has transformed into a… Well, a Gallade. He looks like a normal Gallade with a few major exceptions. He no longer has blades on his arms. His arms look humanoid and more flexible. Gallade's sword sheathes are still strapped on his back and the emerald texture on the handles glisten under the moonlight.

Violet has transformed into a female version of Darkrai. Her skinny legs remain hidden under her long skirt as she levitates above the ground. Her pitch-black skin blends in the shadows very well. Violet's red eyes glow brilliantly in the darkness as she looks around lazily. Her body is very slim compared to most female bodies. Violet's skirt and long smoky lavender hair breeze gently against the wind. But unlike Darkrai, Violet has no scarf around her neck so her frown could be easily seen.

The Pokémon glance at each other before they nod. As they walk towards the bulldozer, Laki glances back at James worriedly. She nudges Gallade briefly. Gallade looks down at her curiously as Laki points at James' body. "What do we do about him?" Laki asks.

"Don't worry about James; he will be fine. Laki, we've got to go now." Gallade grabs Laki and throws her over the bulldozer and through the door hatch. Laki squeals in surprise as she lands inside the machine. Violet rolls her eyes before she floats up and enters the bulldozer quietly. Gallade glances around the forest before he climbs up the ladder and enters the bulldozer. He shuts the hatch and locks it tightly.

A few minutes pass and silence lingers until the bulldozer springs into life. The engines purr for a moment until a light erupts from the machine. When the light disappears, the bulldozer is gone with Laki, Gallade, and Violet inside it.

Jessie and Meowth walk through the forest until a bright light catches their attention. They rush over to the same direction to investigate until they find James' body lying on the ground.

"James! Are you all right?" Jessie cries as she kneels down and holds James in her arms. Jessie notices that blood is seeping from James' neck and she realizes that something must have bitten him.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROCKET DOZER?" Meowth shrieks as he pulls his whiskers furiously. He looks around for the machine desperately. There are no signs that show that it could have been stolen; there aren't even any track marks that show that it could have been pushed or driven away. Then that means that it must have been taken through air support. Jessie only sighs in exasperation.

"This is gonna be a long night…" Jessie mutters as she stands up and tries to support James onto her back. Meowth grumbles about something as he follows Jessie across the forest.

-ooo-

It is now night and Raikou is about to fall asleep. Entei has been asleep since the departure while Suicune has grown exhausted from the jog. The Lapras twins have offered her a ride and Suicune rests beside Raikou during the rest of the trip. Raikou forces himself to remain awake so he could get a good visual of the island. When the Legendaries and Lapras reach to their destination, Raikou's eyes widen when he sees the island.

The area is not something that Raikou would expect to see in an island. The only thing occupying the land is a black cloud that overshadows the entire island. The thunder tiger wonders about if the cloud is a storm cloud, but he automatically feels uncomfortable by the sight. Even the Lapras find the island disturbing; they slow down when their bewildered eyes befall upon the wasteland.

When the Lapras reach to the shore, Raikou stands up and stretches his legs. He splashes water across his face before he looks at his girlfriend. He nudges her gently. "Suicune? We're here."

Suicune stirs before she squints her eyes open. She smacks her lips to clear the dryness from her throat. Then she stands up and stretches as she yawns loudly. Then she looks ahead and blinks when she looks at the island. Her eyes widen in surprise and horror as lethargy quickly disappears. Meanwhile, Raikou wakes Entei up. The fire lion stretches and yawns as he stands up. Then as Entei looks at the island, his eyes widen when he sees the terrible structure. The Legendaries hesitatingly jump off the Lapras to look at the island better.

Raikou looks at the island before turns to face the Lapras' nervous glances. "Do you mind if you stay here for a bit? We are going to explore around for a bit and we'll be back very soon. We need a ride back to the mainland."

"O-Of course, Raikou…" Laura stutters. She nods to Raikou as she glances up uneasily at the cloud. "Just take all the time that you need. But be careful." Laureen adds. Raikou smiles and waves his paw carelessly. "Don't you ladies worry. We'll be careful." He turns to face the island. "Thank you for sharing your story!" The Lapras call out to Raikou. Raikou glances behind him and nods as he and his counterparts walk through the shore.

The Legendaries gaze up at the black and purple cloud and watch its colors swirl around each other. "C'mon, guys…" Raikou says to his counterparts as he begins to run up the hill. Suicune and Entei glance at each other uneasily before they follow their thunder counterpart.

When they reach to the center of the island directly below the cloud, the Legendary Trio is surprised to see Darkrai and Cresselia in the area. The dream counterparts are looking up at the cloud in confusion as they talk to each other. Raikou runs up to the pair before Entei and Suicune could catch up.

"Darkrai! Cresselia!" Raikou calls out. The dream counterparts look at Raikou with surprised looks. Cresselia's face softens while Darkrai looks confused by the Legendary Trio's arrival.

"Hello, Raikou. What a wonderful surprise to see you here." Cresselia murmurs as she kisses Raikou's forehead. Raikou blushes while his counterparts catch up and look surprised to see Darkrai and Cresselia. Entei asks, "What are you two doing here?"

Darkrai shrugs as he crosses his arms. "Arceus ordered us to explore the island. So far, there's nothing in this wasteland except that cloud up there." Darkrai points up at the dark cloud.

"Arceus assigned you to do this?" Suicune asks in surprise. "But that's impossible; he assigned us to explore this island." Raikou adds as looks at Darkrai in confusion. The Legendaries are silent as they think about their predicament. Arceus usually assigns only one team to do an exploration task. Even if Arceus assigns two teams, then he would have informed them both about who else would also do the mission. What has Arceus been thinking…?

"Arceus assigned us, too." Darkrai states as he crosses his arms and narrows his sea-green eyes. He also obviously thinks that this must be some sort of mistake.

"Let's not argue about this now, guys," Entei says as he looks up at the cloud. "At least all we know about this island is that it has a dark cloud occupying it. So let's get out of here and report back to Arceus." Anyone who knows Entei well could tell that whenever he is in a rush, he would leave mostly because he is afraid. But neither Darkrai nor Raikou would have any of it.

"We gotta figure out what that cloud thing is, Entei," Raikou says as he points at the cloud. "We don't know what it is and who knows what it could do?"

"For once, I agree with the kid." Darkrai floats beside Raikou with his arms still crossed. "We don't know if it's dangerous. Any Pokémon who would live on this island (I don't know why they would want to do that since it's only a wasteland) could be affected by whatever the cloud holds."

"Um… Guys? Is it me or does the cloud look like it's heading straight towards us?"

Cresselia's question makes everyone blink. Darkrai and Raikou exchange glances before they snap their heads up to look at the cloud. The longer the Legendaries stare at it, the more they realize how much bigger the cloud is getting. The Legendaries back away from the cloud as it levitates barely a foot above the ground. The Legendaries raise their brows skeptically as they watch the cloud cautiously. Darkrai and Raikou bravely step up to look at the cloud more closely.

The cloud suddenly changes shape. Darkrai and Raikou step back as the cloud forms into a portal with black and purple zigzag patterns. Everyone frowns in confusion. "A portal to a different dimension?" Cresselia asks. Entei and Suicune keep away from the portal as they stare at it suspiciously. Darkrai and Raikou walk a bit closer to the portal as curiosity gets the better of them.

"Raikou! Darkrai! Be careful!" Suicune calls out worriedly as she, Entei, and Cresselia look at their counterparts uneasily. "Suicune, relax. It's just a portal that leads to somewhere." Raikou says as he looks over the hole to see anything. But all he sees are more zigzag patterns leading down to an endless pit. Raikou smiles his familiar grin excitedly. "Maybe to somewhere new."

Darkrai rolls his eyes. "Kid, do you remember what I said when-"

Darkrai's scolding is interrupted when dark laughter erupts out of nowhere. Everyone jumps at the loud and shrill sound. Suicune, Entei, and Cresselia back away as they look at the portal in alarm and fear. Raikou and Darkrai widen their eyes as they step back. Their faces pale as a horrifying realization hits them.

They both know that voice by heart. It's the same voice of the man who has nearly killed them. The man who has transformed innocent Pokémon into mindless killing robots. The same man who has fooled Team Rocket into working for him for world domination. The same man who has captured all the Legendaries and has taken their essences with the intent to create a new world. The same man who everyone has believed to be dead.

Terotrey Horrifiance.

Horrified and afraid, Raikou and Darkrai stare at the portal as their blood turns cold. "No… It can't be…" Darkrai gasps as his sea-green eyes illuminate pure fear and disbelief. "What's wrong, guys?" Cresselia asks in concern. Suicune and Entei raise their brows at the two Legendaries' reactions. The three Legendaries have no idea of what is going on.

"We need to get out of here…" Raikou finally manages to say. He doesn't avert his eyes from the portal as he speaks to the other Legendaries. Cresselia, Entei, and Suicune just stare at Darkrai and Raikou.

Laughter erupts from the portal again. The sound sets Raikou and Darkrai off. The phantom and tiger turn and bolt straight to the other Legendaries. "RUN! NOW!" They scream together.

Suicune puts on a look of confusion. "But-"Her question is interrupted when two large monstrous hands come out of the portal. They reach out and grab Darkrai and Raikou. The two Legendaries scream as the majestic hands pull them towards the portal. The phantom and tiger squirm under the tight grips but they couldn't escape from the demon's grasp.

"RAIKOU! DARKRAI!" Suicune screams as fear strikes her heart. She watches in horror as her ally and lover are pulled into the mysterious portal. She runs forward in an attempt to save the Legendaries. After Cresselia and Entei snap themselves out of their horrified states, they join Suicune to stop the hands from taking away their allies.

"DARKRAI!"

"RAIKOU!"

"CRESSELIA! ENTEI! SUICUNE!" The phantom and tiger cry out fearfully as they are dragged through the portal. Their screams echo through the dimensional hole until the portal closes. The two heroes go through the door that would surely lead them to their deaths.

"NO!" The three Legendaries shriek as they rush towards the closing portal. They jump for it but they miss when the portal disappears in a flash. The three Legendaries land on the rocky surface and stumble. They sit up and look around with fear and hurt in their eyes. Cresselia and Suicune stand up and look around for the portal before a painful shock hits them. Entei slams a fiery paw on the ground in frustration and dismay.

"Where are they?" Suicune demands hysterically. Entei doesn't answer as he covers his face and roars out his despair and anger. Cresselia and Suicune finally stop looking around for the portal and fall down. They break down and cry out for their loss.

The Legendaries know that they have to report to Arceus about their predicament, but they don't know how to tell him and the other Legendaries about the terrifying event. Even if Palkia could use her powers, it would be futile since there are a million different dimensions out there. Raikou and Darkrai could be in any one of them.

Whoever has taken Darkrai and Raikou is now the only source that could return the Legendaries home.

Darkrai and Raikou are on their own now.