Last time all hell broke loose as Archer started the final stage of his master plan. However, his ambition was cut short by the arrival of Giovanni and Soul, the former shooting Archer in the head. However, with Silver's power corrupted and rampaging out of control, Suicune and the other beasts summon Ho-Oh to fight the threat that could cause devastation to Johto.
Chapter 7
The Dark before the Dawn
"Legendary Beasts, why have you summoned me?"
Suicune swallowed hard.
Angering Ho-Oh was something you did not do unless you wished for pain.
However, Suicune knew that for this disaster to be quelled, he would have to accept this.
"Great and wise Ho-Oh, a great tragedy has occurred. In my foolishness I prematurely awakened the latent abilities of the Son of the Sea. An evil man named Archer corrupted the boy's power when it was at its fullest. Now, he and the Beast of the
Sea are in combat... and the
father is losing to the son. We need your aid to prevent Johto from being destroyed. However, I humbly ask that you do not direct your anger at the boy, but at me. It was only because of my actions any of this happened!"
Ho-Oh narrowed his eyes and raised a wing.
Its tip glowed with black flame and he brought it down, releasing a crescent of black energy that left a red mark along Suicune's side, the move Punishment.
"You fool! Have you any idea what you have wrought? You should know, I never had any ill will to the boy. I understood that you would do something as foolish as this, and needed to prevent disaster by convincing Arceus to kill the boy, as
he would sooner believe a human the
threat than you!" Ho-Oh boomed.
He then noticed Soul and Giovanni.
"And who might these humans be?"
"The girl is a close friend of the boy and the man is her father." Suicune barely managed.
The Punishment attack was more powerful than even he could comprehend, and it was because Ho-Oh was much stronger than even Lugia, and much older as well.
"I see. Very well. I shall put an end to this fighting."
Ho-Oh flapped his mighty wings and took off at high speed.
The battle had made its way over Goldenrod now.
The sky was dark and rain poured down.
Silver fired another Shadow Blast and a car exploded as Lugia dodged.
"Silver! Please, answer me!"
Lugia was distressed at this sight.
Suddenly the clouds parted and the sun shined once more.
"What...?"
A rainbow blur sped past Silver and he roared in agony as a red mark appeared along his shell's side, but it quickly regenerated.
Ho-Oh came to Lugia's side.
"Ho-Oh..." growled Lugia. "Come to finish the job yourself?"
"Silence you fool! Do not speak when you are ignorant to the current state of affairs! I have no wish to harm the boy. I never have."
"But-!"
"It was a lie to stop this from happening! I knew Suicune would eventually do this to him. It would have been a mercy killing."
Ho-Oh's wings started to glow with a rainbow aura.
One large flap and several spears of rainbow energy shot out.
"SACRED FIRE!"
The attacks hit Silver hard and he almost hit the ground, but managed to take off and headed east once more.
"Oh no..."
"What is it, Beast of the Sea?"
"He's headed for New Bark Town... CRYSTAL!"
"WAIT!"
It was too late; Lugia had already given chase.
Ho-Oh sighed and gave chase as well.
There were several cries as a large violet blur crashed into the water nearby, diving beneath.
The being waited patiently for its wounds to recover, using that same move.
The small population of the town, including Silver's mother and Elm, approached the edge of the water cautiously.
"Get away from there!"
The group made room for Ho-Oh and Lugia to land.
"... Lugia..."
"Crystal... This is going to be hard for you to hear... but... that thing... it's Silver. He was corrupted by a man named Archer and created that psychic shell that mimicked my form. Ho-Oh wounded him and he is no doubt Recovering."
Ho-Oh walked over to Crystal as well.
"I must apologize for all that has happened. The reason I suggested Arceus should kill him is because I knew Suicune would be the one to trigger his awakening. However, Arceus would sooner let the blame fall on a human than a Pokemon."
Lugia was stunned; Ho-Oh rarely apologized for anything he did, so it was a great honor and privilege to have him do so.
But Crystal would have none of it.
"You... You... you overgrown pidgey! You did all of this... destroying my family... because of a FEAR? If Lugia had been with us... he... he could have helped Silver! I...I..."
She broke down into tears.
Lugia was ready to go to her defense, as he half expected Ho-Oh to strike at her.
But he didn't.
He said nothing at all.
Then the water rippled and Silver slowly rose, letting out a roar.
Crystal looked up at him with wide eyes.
"...Silver?"
The being was confused.
This human seemed...familiar.
"Silver! Fight it! You're tougher than this!"
Soul and Giovanni had arrived.
"Remember why you got a Pokedex? Professor Oak gave you one because he saw your strength and potential as a trainer! I gave you Totodile because I thought you could handle it!" Elm added.
"Silver please remember! Remember when we were kids how we'd play tag with Marril?" Lyra pleaded.
"..."
He did remember! They were his friends, his family! What was he doing?
There was a flash of light and Silver's shell changed to its normal coloration and he landed on the shore, getting used to controlling this form.
It was like some sort of poorly responsive suit, his motions sluggish.
"... I remember everything. I could hear you underwater. Now I know who I should really hate."
"Bravo, Bravo."
The crowd parted as a man in white slowly approached, clapping his hands just as slowly.
"You managed to break free of the shadows. However..." The man opened his eyes.
The sclara were black and the irises were green, the pupils red.
"You are still a threat. What if you become that again? Who's to say that anyone will be able to stop you... except me."
"Arceus..." growled Lugia, his voice dripping with venom.
"Ah the beast of the sea. Awake at last I see? Ho-Oh as well... my you all tried everything to stop him."
Then Crystal walked over to Arceus.
"you... This is YOUR FAULT!"
She pulled her hand back... and slapped him across the face.
He frowned.
"Poor descision, human."
He grabbed her by the throat and threw here roughly twenty feet to his left.
"CRYSTAL!"
"MOM!"
Silver let out a roar and fired a full power Areoblast at Arceus... who backhanded it away.
"Pitiful."
He raised a hand to the sky.
"Oh no..."
"Judgment."
A flurry of white energy spears flew into the air and came crashing down onto Silver.
When the smoke cleared his shell was gone and he was lying on the ground, barely breathing.
"Now... to end this."
He slowly walked over to Silver and started charging a hyper beam.
However, Silver started glowing with a silver aura again, this time it only hugging his skin.
"I won't... let you... get away with this!"
Silver shot up and delivered a solid blow to Arceus's gut, causing him to cancel the Hyper Beam.
Then something surprised everyone:
Something red hit the ground.
Arceus's blood.
"Your ranting gave me enough time to try something... and it worked. I used the TM for Foucs Punch... on myself. I had enough time to charge it thanks to your little speech. Tell me... does it hurt?"
Arceus could only choke as blood ran down his jaw.
"It only gets worse."
Silver delivered a chop to the back of Arceus's neck that sent him stumbling forward.
Silver then grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground.
"NOBODY HURTS MY MOM!"
He grabbed another CD and crushed it in his hand before taking a stance as if he were to preform a double-palm strike.
A ball of brick red energy appeared between his hands.
"Focus Blast!"
The attack slammed into Arceus.
There was dead silence, then:
"You... you insignificant little HUMAN! You drew MY BLOOD! You will PAY for you insolence!" Arceus growled as he rose.
He was engulfed in a pillar of light and changed into his true form.
Silver too took his Shell form once again.
"JUDGEMENT!"
"AEROBLAST!"
Silver swept the blast and it canceled Arceus's move.
"HYPER BEAM!"
The attack fired and Silver dodged it and took to the skies, glowing white.
"SKY ATTACK!"
he rammed into Arceus and sent him toppling over.
"You can't win. I have become that which you feared. Now..."
He placed his foot on Arceus's neck and charged an Aeroblast.
"I'll kill you."
"W-wait! Have you any idea what will happen if you do? The... the seal..."
"Fuck you. You destroyed my world... now I'm going to destroy you."
Suddenly a pressure filled the air and the area became tinged with navy.
A black hole opened in the ground and a blob of shadow appeared from the ground.
"Eh... It seems that Arceus isn't dead yet. Pity. Boy... finish him. Finish him so that I may be free!"
"What...?"
"Giratina... my wayward son, the Renegade Pokemon. My power... keeps him sealed within the Distortion World... If I die... he goes free... and this world is absorbed into the distortion world." Arceus answered.
"Don't listen to him... after all, didn't he take away your precious family?"
Silver was caught in the middle.
Arceus could be lying.
Or he could be right, and he'd end up killing his family anyway.
"...Let's make a deal, Arceus. In return for giving my father free reign over his form, I'll let you live. Otherwise I'll kill you and this world you created will become nothing but shadow."
Arceus wasn't happy with either option, but he had no choice at this point.
"...Very well. I will grant your father free reign over his form."
Giratina was dragged back into the Distortion World as he screamed curses and the air turned to normal again.
Silver changed back and Arceus slowly rose before walking over to Lugia and tapping him on the head and vanishing in a pillar of light.
There was a flash and a man in what appeared to be old style feudal clothing, his shirt a Keikogi that had sleeves that reached down past his hands and has parts where they split on the inside and outside.
His pants were hakama of the same color with navy fabric underneath at the hips.
He he had a sort of armored plate over his stomach and chest with three large bows tied on the back.
His hair was almost as absurd as Lance's, pointing back in one large and several smaller jagged spikes, silver in color.
He had medium-thick eyebrows that were navy, and his eyes were a bright blue.
He was very pale, almost ghostly so, but his skin still had some peach color to it.
There was a great silence for some time before Silver piped up.
"Seriously? You look like a cosplayer or something."
"I suppose this is rather... outdated." Lugia agreed.
Suicune bounded over to Silver.
"If you're still interested in my game, then I'll be in Kanto. And the only way to get there... is to beat the Elite."
Suicune was gone in a blur.
Soul walked over to Silver and handed him his Pokeballs.
"Here."
Silver clipped them to his belt.
While Silver's parents reunited Silver thought through his next plans.
The elite Four would be the logical choice of course, but was he ready?
More importantly, would he head to Kanto afterward?
He called out Feraligator.
"Feraligator, let's get moving... what am I saying, I should be able to out-swim you now!"
The Pokemon raised an eyebrow as if to say "Is that a challenge?"
"Oh, you wanna race huh? Alright you're on!"
Silver readied himself with his shell forme.
"Ready... set... GO!"
The two dove into the water and took off.
Soul just sighed.
However it wasn't over Silver's tomfoolery.
"Something seems on your mind. Care to share it with your father?" Giovanni asked.
"Well..." she unclipped Meganium from her waist. "It's about Meganium."
"Ah yes, the Pokemon you stole. Having regrets?"
"Yes. I... I have to return her. It's the right thing to do."
"...I'm proud of you. I admit it might sound strange coming from me, but I've realized it as well. You're making the right choice, Soul. I've learned from you and your friend that by doing the right thing and going through with your decisions is what makes one
strong. Now go. I must return to Unova. However, I want you to stay here. Keep getting strong. Although... I'd like to think you'd visit me now and again."
Giovanni turned and headed off.
"Thank you... father."
The aftermath was this:
A crater or two here and there and a dispersed crowd.
Ho-Oh had gone off to who knows where.
Soul was standing alone... for a moment.
"Are you friends with Silver too?"
Soul looked over to Lyra.
"...Sort of... I don't know anymore."
"Oh..."
"I'm going to let you know... I'm the one who stole Chikorita."
"I know. I overheard Silver's description of you. But something tells me you aren't the same person who did that." Lyra replied
"... What's it to you?"
"Because you look sad. And when other people are sad, it makes me sad too..."
Soul headed to the lab.
She threw the door open and marched over to Elm, who let out a "meep!" when she looked him in the eye.
"Here."
She shoved the Pokeball in his hands and walked off, heading west, back onto route 29.
She sat down and propped up against a tree.
"Why..."
She started to tear up.
"Why does it hurt?"
She gripped her chest, hoping to drive away the pain she felt.
"Maybe it's because I'm not done...?"
She unclipped the Pokeballs from her belt, held them in front of her, and looked at them with blurry vision.
"They've worked so hard... and I treated them all like crap... Maybe if I get rid of them all... I'll feel better...?"
She called them all out except for one, Sneasel, and they were confused as to why, looking around and at one another.
"Get out of here. All of you..."
This brought forth cries of protest.
"I SAID GO! You're better off out here! You're all strong now! You don't need me!"
More cries of protest.
Soul grabbed a good sized rock and tossed it at them, missing completely but causing them all to step back some.
"I... Said... GO!"
Reluctantly they all walked away, each taking one last sorrowful look back at her... except her Golbat.
She flew over and refused to leave Soul, even as the girl swatted at the Pokemon.
Finally Soul stood up and slapped the Pokemon to the ground.
It let out a pained cry and hit the dirt with a light thud.
"Don't... please... don't make me do that again..." Soul was sobbing now.
The Golbat took to the air again and slowly flew in the opposite direction for a bit before picking up speed.
Soul noted... Golbat was crying too.
She went back to the tree and curled up into a ball.
She was mad at herself for being so selfish... it hurt even worse now... it was her selfish want for company when she just hated and abused anyone or thing that got near her.
'Old habits die hard,' she concluded.
She walked back to New Bark and knocked on the door to Silver's house after recomposing herself.
Lugia answered.
"Soul? What are you doing here?"
"Could you fly me to Cianwood quickly and then, I don't know, maybe Olivine?"
"I suppose. But why?"
"I have something I need to do."
Lugia could tell she was serious and that this matter was urgent and personal.
"Very well."
He changed into his Pokemon form and allowed Soul to ride on his back.
"Y-you! You're here for Shukie too!"
"No. I came to give this back." Soul handed the scared man Sneasel.
After Lugia Shoo'd off the gawkers he returned Soul to Olivine before heading back to New Bark.
Soul entered the Olivine Cafe and ordered a Coffee.
Then the bell over the door rang again and someone familiar entered.
"Aren't you the one who was with Silver?"
It was Jasmine, the gym leader.
"Not anymore," Soul replied dryly. "Now it's just me, myself, and I."
Jasmine took a seat across from her.
"What about you Pokemon?"
"I let them all go. I decided I'm not good enough to be their trainer anymore." She groaned. "It's times like this I wish I was old enough to get drunk."
"How sad... But... what makes you think you weren't good enough?"
Soul was about to snap but kept her composition long enough to leave her half finished coffee and money to pay the bill on the table.
"If you want to know, then we have to take this outside." Soul hissed.
Jasmine nodded and cautiously followed her out.
Soul snapped.
"Look you quiet little good for nothing bitch, don't try and act like you know me! Once you've grown up with a father who spent more time with his mob than with you and then just straight abandons you after getting beat by a kid, have to struggle to survive
on your own for three years, ALONE in case you didn't catch that, and get beat three times by some guy from a backwater nowhere town who turns out to be a god modded half breed between a human and a Pokemon, THEN you can act like you know me!
But until you do, don't you DARE act like you know me!"
Soul was panting after that... then broke down into tears again.
Jasmine wasn't sure what to say.
She was shocked partially, yes, but she also felt sorry for Soul.
"...I'm horrible..." Soul managed. "...My... my golbat... she wouldn't leave like the others... and I... I hit her! I haven't hit one of my Pokemon since Silver beat me in Ecruteak... and... and that's the last thing she'll remember me doing!"
Soul's legs lost their strength and she collapsed to the ground in a heap, crying into her hands.
Jasmine didn't know if it was even safe to try and comfort Soul at this point.
She steeled herself, and noted the irony in her behavior. She was a Steel-Type gym leader and she had no backbone!
She sat down next to Soul and waited for her to run out of tears.
"Golbat? What are you doing out here?"
Silver had run into Soul's Golbat once he reached land.
"Master... she... she got rid of us..."
"Got rid of you? What could posses her to do that? Damn you Soul..."
Then Silver's Pokegear went off.
"Hello?"
"Silver! You won't believe it! The girl who stole Meganium brought her back!"
Silver hung up the line.
He wasn't about to take that shit from Elm.
Soul had changed dammit! He knew it!
Maybe...
Silver looked to the League Gates then back to New Bark. Then back to the Gates, then back to New Bark.
He shook his head and called out Noble.
"Golbat, you think you can keep up?"
The Pokemon did its best way of a nod.
"Good. Noble, get us back to New Bark. I have some investigating to do."
"Are you certain? Did you not fight your way here to become Champion?"
"Don't question my orders. If I say I need something done, I need it done. It means that has priority."
"I apologize. Let us go then."
Silver threw the door open to the lab and was greeted by Elm.
"Silver! I thought you were-!"
Silver used telekinesis to throw Elm into the wall.
"Don't give me that. What did you say to her? Where did she go?"
The meek man slowly rose, shaking all over.
"W-W-What-!"
"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!"
Thankfully the lab was large and had very high ceilings, because even though Silver's "Shell" forme wasn't as big as his father, it was still sizable.
He towered over the man and glared down at him.
"I-I-I didn't say anything! She just c-came in and handed me the Pokeball and left!" Elm replied, terrified.
"I know where she is,"
Silver craned his "neck" around to see his father standing in the doorway.
"Where. Is. She?"
"Don't talk back to me. I took her to Olivine upon her request."
Silver changed back and shoved past his father before once more donning his Shell and talking off, using telekinesis to bolster his poor flying skills.
He soon arrived in Olivine, Golbat hitching a ride on his "leg".
He landed in the main plaza and let out a loud roar, terrifying the citizens.
"WHERE IS SOUL?"
He fired an Aeroblast into the air and caused several screams of terror and a general commotion.
The police and their Growlithe arrived and tried to use fire attacks.
Silver fired a Hydro Pump and sent the fire types and their trainers rolling away.
"ANSWER ME!"
He nearly crushed a trainer's Pikachu.
X
An officer ran over to Jasmine.
"Leader Jasmine! Lugia has appeared and is causing havoc in the Plaza! Please, help us!"
"Lugia? Oh dear... I don't know if I can help... but I'll try!"
She turned to Soul.
"Please... wait right here..."
Soul nodded.
X
"Magnezone.. use Zap Cannon please!"
Silver roared out in pain as the attack hit.
He retaliated with a Focus Blast that sent Magnezone crashing to the ground.
"Lugia! Why are you angry? Please, don't do this anymore!"
"I'm NOT Lugia... my name... Is Silver. I want to know where Soul is."
"Silver...? But.. how?"
"This is a shell of psychic energy meant to emulate the form of my father, Lugia. Do you know where she is?"
"Yes.. I do. But... She's in a horrible state right now. She's so sad..."
"Take me to her."
Silver removed his shell and landed softly on the ground before walking over to Jasmine.
"Sorry about your Magnezone. Here," He used a Max Revive on it. "All better now."
"Thank you..."
The two headed off to Soul.
"Geez, Soul, you're a mess."
Soul glared at him.
"I ran into a certain Pokemon as I was about to head into Victory Road."
Soul's eyes widened.
'No...'
She buried her face in her knees, now pulled up against her chest, not wanting to look at the Pokemon she knew was there.
Golbat fluttered around the corner and looked at Soul, concerned but wary of getting hit again.
It slowly approached her.
"Get away from me." she said, muffled from the position of her face. "Go find another trainer who can take care of you properly."
"Soul... you're an idiot. Do you know how sad Golbat was when I found her?" Silver chided.
"Shut up birdbrain."
"Birdbrain-!"
"Birdbrain."
Golbat risked perching on Soul's arm and was shaken off.
Silver was done with this.
He walked over grabbed Soul's arm, pulled her to her feet and before she could react he slapped her across the face.
"Normally I don't hit girls, but you fucking need it! Look at you! What happened to the proud, arrogant, smartass trainer I used to know?"
Silver's Pokegear went off.
"I swear if it's Joey again on about his Rattata I'll fly there and fucking step on him! Hello?"
"Silver! Meganium's gone crazy! She's destroying the lab! We-!"
The line fuzzed out.
"Meganium's gone nuts back at the lab. Probably confusion from not knowing where you are."
"She's not my problem anymore! She wasn't my Pokemon to begin with!" Soul answered.
"Fine. But I'll be watching. If I see Golbat again you'll be on the business end of an Aeroblast, understand?"
Soul nodded and Silver donned his shell before taking off again.
"He's right... Listen, I'm not a brave person at all... I'm a coward... but.. but I remember how you battled! You fought really hard! You're a strong trainer..." Jasmine said to Soul.
Golbat let out a series of cries and circled Soul.
"So.. you really don't hate me? Even after everything I've done?"
The Pokemon did what it could to "shake" its "head".
Soul extender her arms and pulled Gobat close to her in a hug.
Suddenly the Pokemon glowed white and changed into Crobat.
Soul rubbed her face against Crobat's head affectionately.
"I'm sorry... I won't ever leave you like that again!"
This time she cried tears of joy.
Silver finally managed to pin Meganium down with a "wing".
"Alright, Elm, I've got her pinned down. Now I need to do some explaining..."
Soul walked back into New Bark Town and into the Lab.
"About time you showed up. I was getting sick of holding her down."
This time Meganium struggled to try and reach Soul... and Silver let her up.
The Pokemon nearly mowed down Soul.
It started nuzzling Soul's cheek and smiled.
"Meganium... you too? But... I'm not your real owner..."
Soul noticed a hole in the ceiling.
"Geez did Meganium do that?"
"No... uh... that was me..." Silver answered sheepishly. "I'll pay to get it fixed, Professor."
Meganium was overjoyed to have Soul back, but she had regrets about taking Meganium back.
She'd caught Crobat herself, but she'd stolen Meganium.
"Meganium. You don't understand. You. Are. Not. My. Pokemon."
The Pokemon seemed somewhat hurt at this and slowly shook its head in disbelief and backed up slowly.
It let out a series of short cries that turned more shaky as Meganium started to tear up.
She felt betrayed and hurt; the one she'd called Master all this time... didn't want her? Even after how hard she'd fought? All the beatings she'd taken, only with the goal to please? She could tell from her master's tone that she wasn't ungreatful... but why?
The Pokemon let out a long, sorrowful cry and broke down into tears.
Silver had removed his shell again and called out Feraligator, who approached his old friend.
"She is not your true Master! Don't you remember the tree man?"
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Meganium could only cry out in sorrow at the cold facts that her master didn't want her.
She plowed past all obstacles and out the door.
"Meganium!"
The Pokemon stopped when it encountered Lyra and Marril at the edge of town.
"Meganium? What are you doing here?"
The Pokemon charged and fired a Solarbeam.
Soul saw this and broke into a sprint... and took the blast herself.
"SOUL!" Yelled Silver.
Meganium was even more confused now and somewhat horrified at what she had just done.
She'd hurt Master.
She had hurt Master...
"Meganium..." Soul let out weakly. "No... just... calm down... please...you... belong here..."
Soul collapsed.
"SOUL!"
Silver ran over to her and checked for a pulse:
it was weak, but still there.
Silver let his rage boil over and his shell formed.
He let out a screech at Meganium and fired an Aeroblast at the grass type, sending it tumbling away.
Silver charged another attack.
"You hurt Soul... and TRIED TO HURT LYRA...I cannot forgive you!"
"Silver no!" cried Lyra.
Silver canceled the attack.
"Lyra..."
"She was just confused and afraid! Please... don't kill her..." Lyra begged.
Silver growled and removed his shell.
"Fine... but only because you asked me not to."
Meganium was already badly beaten and in very poor shape.
Silver called forth Noble once more and prepared to take leave again.
However Lyra coughed.
"WHERE do you think you're going?"
"To pass through Victory Road. Where else?"
"You're not even going to apologize? I thought I taught you better than that!" Scolded Lyra.
"She'll be fine once she comes to. Here," he tossed a revive to Lyra. "Use it on Meganium."
Silver climbed onto Noble and they took off.
"Geez! He still doesn't have any manners at all!" Lyra fumed.
"So... what should I do now?"
Bryan, Mewtwo, Gardevoir, and Pikatwo were in what Bryan had dubbed Mewtwo's "Evil Lair".
"Well, you could start by leaving my place of residence before I make you. You are getting on my nerves. I do not care about your life prior to becoming one of my species, nor do I care about what you do in the future as long as it does not involve
me. We are solitary creatures by nature, even if you wish to deny the fact you are more comfortable alone."
"So you'd just kick me out then?"
"Literally."
Silence.
Then, "So what should I do when you kick me out?"
Mewtwo groaned; this was going to be a long day.
X
With Soul's team all but gone and Silver off to challenge the Elite Four, it would seem that the scenario is somewhat normal again, but not completely. What will become of Soul? Will Silver be able to defeat the Elite? Find out next time!
