Slippery Rehabilitation
The events that transpired on Kalos left all the Chasers uneasy. Sylux, one of many bounty hunters who struck against the Federation, finally revealed his ill intent toward the newcomers, Greninja and Ruto. Although the Reptilicus' aid nearly brought about the deaths of all Chasers who investigated the strange sightings, Sylux found himself almost knocking on death's door. Soon after the arrival of a more intelligent Reptilicus, Sylux was quickly brought to his knees by an overwhelming force which consumed Gardevoir-a negative energy that made her an enemy to everyone, including her allies. Thanks to the efforts of a friendly Reptilicus, the negativity was drained from the pokemon.
Although, no one left the battlefield more scarred than Ruto. Holes were littered across her memories ever since she awakened. Now she wished to be under blissful ignorance rather than struggle against a damning truth. By her own hand, she earned the hatred of the Zora by slaying a handful of them. They despised her to the point where they requested the assistance of an outsider to have her undone. What was wrong with her mind? What ill thoughts did those space pirates implant into her to have caused such actions. To even gain the trust of one Zora after what she had done was a grand surprise. Whatever held her goodwill hostage while under the watchful eye of those pirates couldn't be allowed to gain hold again.
After Ruto managed to somehow save Greninja and herself, they retreated to their capital ship via vortex. The eventual awakening of Greninja may had helped raise morale, but his injuries continued to take their toll on him. While Ruto took it upon herself to carry the frog over her back, he drifted in and out of consciousness all the way to the medical bay. A stab through Ruto's heart by Sylux's hand held no after effects. It was as if she was never injured. Every beat her heart emitted sent chills through her spine. Such an insane, foreign healing factor would make her seem monstrous to her own kin. Thankfully, onboard medical staff informed them that Greninja would make a rapid recovery, mostly thanks to pokemon's surprising durability. Several new weapon designs were put on hold by Gardevoir's order in favor of crafting a more durable nano-machine that could hopefully survive Ruto's bizarre immune system. Greater caution was needed to combat oddities in the near future.
Low toned conversations of future mishaps and potential successes were spread across one of many chambers where the Chasers and onboard staff conducted most of their business. Instead of bright white, light sources strapped to the roof and walls emitted a dimly lit orange coloration across the space. Many humans proceeded with their business with portable lamps beside them. Holograms from table-like consoles that showcased high definition replays of previous fights that involved a Chaser were set to mute. Escalators leading to the second and first floor ceased operations for the time being.
Gazing upon a recuperating Greninja in deep slumber on one of the medical beds closest to the glass walls, a disturbed Ruto sat along one of the lengthy tables overlooking the medical bay. Her passion for knowledge waged war against whatever pain surfaced from new truths; the wide hole within her memories seemingly contained nothing but horrific tales.
"Why…...why am I like this? What did they do to me, "These questions overshadowed any other concern that tried to surface within her mind. She thought about them so much, that it occasionally, quietly, escaped her mouth. The icy bite of the metallic seat couldn't even somewhat distract her from persistent worries. Her body was foreign to her, tempered beyond understanding at the current moment. Her heart beats only added to self-doubt. The beats were slow, but painless. The pain she felt when she awoke on Kalos soil was nearly unbearable, but faded into nothingness after boarding the capital ship. She finally recalled the moment when the hunter pierced her heart and supposedly killed her. Though without the aid of the medical staff or magic, she simply stood back up with her wounds closed.
"Ruto, "A familiar feminine voice echoed throughout her mind, just barely grasping her attention. She lazily turned her head to witness Gardevoir standing behind her. There was a hint of somberness within her eyes, almost sympathy. Pressing her fingers together, Gardevoir took a quick glance over to her resting friend before directing her attention back to Ruto.
"Many hours hast passed since thy troublesome encounter. When will thou seek sleep?"
"When these thoughts cease keeping me awake, "Ruto turned for the frog once more. "I wager a guess you don't want me around others?"
"I thought I felt a disturbance within thee. So my previous order did unbalance thee. I plead for thy forgiveness Ruto. I truly meant no ill will with my words. I'm just as curious as thee about these…..abnormal bodily functions. There be no need for more weapons! What I seek are answers!"
"Answers…..sometimes I wonder if even that will help!"
"I know thou art struggling with oddities, but I beseech thee to fill me in on how thou got thyself and Greninja out of danger so swiftly."
Ruto curiously turned for Gardevoir, giving off a crooked eye, "We…...were in danger?"
"Thou don't know? Sylux threw one of his devices into the river shortly after thou dove for Greninja; he tried to electrocute the both of thee."
Ruto felt the entirety of being halt for a sole second. A flurry of emotions fixated Ruto's widened gaze upon the pokemon. A worried Gardevoir didn't register in the Zora's mind despite being within plain view. A swarm of rage filled her fist, slamming it onto the table. A worn out will tried desperately to keep the negative emotions from spewing out from Ruto's mouth. With a deep breath, she somewhat forced herself to respond.
"A vortex, that's how…...alright!"
"A vort…...impossible! As much as I respect thy words, neither thou nor Greninja hold the ability to conjure such things!"
"I'm telling you the truth. It wasn't like those you conjure, but it did lead to another place. I remember my hand was burning, then water gathered in the form of a mirror's frame. Energy swirled within it, presenting a blurry image. Thinking it was a vortex of sorts, I went through for Greninja's sake. I found myself on dry land. Upon soil, it merely took the form of a puddle swirling around."
"So thy bracelet is what we owe our thanks to. I'm not too surprised, considering how its composition mimics that of Renaissance. Since I can't think of an alternative, I shalt take thy word as truth."
"Glad to hear it, but I wish to do some probing of my own. It regards you!"
"Truly? Well then, I shalt see if I can cleanse thee of questions concerning me."
"What became of you back then?!"
Gardevoir was taken aback by the question, taking several steps backward. Only acute sounds escaped her mouth. She rubbed the back of her head while her narrowed eyes spoke of confusion.
"I'm afraid I don't recall nor understand. Perchance thou could elaborate?"
"Mrs. Gardevoir, are you suggesting your will was overridden by some otherworldly force? Does the darkness come naturally to your kin?"
"Dark…..ness?"
"Yes, the vortex happened to transport me close to the battlefield. I remained hidden behind oak for Greninja's sake. As someone who isn't a stranger to the presence of darkness, your very nature seemed…..malicious. You almost killed Sylux, and even became hostile with Lopunny. She had to tap into some type of pure energy that was on par with your own darkness. I ask this because I fear our…...conditions may be one of the same, an overriding will enshrouded in malicious intent."
Gardevoir placed a hand beneath her chin, pondering all the information given to her. Whatever it was had the pokemon shut her eyes from the world for a moment. Ruto eagerly awaited the answer, remaining still and quiet. A soothing thought cooled her frustration slightly, a comrade that understood.
"So that's what she wanted to talk about, "Gardevoir's attempt at silently talking to herself didn't go unnoticed. Though Ruto couldn't hope to comprehend the psychic's animal-like speech, intuition gave her the feeling that Gardevoir had bad experiences with this secondary will. "I was afraid that was the case."
"Ahhh, there you are. Do you know the root cause by chance, or at least the name of your condition?"
"Both, in fact, and it's synergy."
"Ohhhh…...you do understand I expect an explanation now!"
"Ok, the thing is our home planet excretes natural energy that flows through all living things. Actually…...no, we discovered that every planet gives off energy similar to our own home. There are two kinds of natural energy that humans called synergy: one is a pure version that enters the body of living things more often than the other, then there is its counterpart that can corrupt the host. Both increase the power of the host, but the problem is that most pokemon don't know of their existence, and some that do can't even tap into them by themselves. Besides Greninja and thou however, all current Chasers art capable of utilizing positive synergy."
"Then it's safe to say what I saw was….."
"Indeed, dark synergy. Most of the veteran Chasers hast difficulty controlling it, let alone using it. As of now, myself and Lopunny are the only ones who mastered both positive and dark synergy. It's to a point where our bodies are used to it. Sometimes intense emotions will bring out the dark energy, and if we're not calm enough to recognize it….."
"It'll consume you."
"Right."
"Then I must ask, "Ruto rose from her seat with such speed, Gardevoir nearly stumbled backwards. "What makes you so special? How can you use it by yourselves to begin with?!"
"Simply, we were taught by one of the pokemon who could. Lopunny and I took his teachings and bestowed it upon the others. He too was a Chaser."
"Was? You mean…..he isn't amongst you now? Did he retire or….."
Gardevoir's already calm posture became that of a statue. As her eyes closed themselves to the ship, a chill ran through Ruto's mind.
"I…...don't know."
"Oh, "A sudden flash of realization sent Ruto's hands to her mouth. They both stood in silence for a short period of time, pondering its unknown meaning. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't wish to dig out painful memories."
"No need of filling thyself with dread. Though his mind is beyond even my reach, he isn't so easily bested. I'm positive we'll meet again, and besides…, "Gardevoir managed a weak smile, placing her palm upon Ruto's shoulder. "It's only fair that thou begin probing into our business. We've spent so much time invading thy mind, casting confusion and doubt upon thee."
"Heh, fair enough. Though I suppose it's time to ask my biggest question. My…..ailment, could it possibly be some form of dark synergy that caused my evil actions?"
"Sorry, but it would be all too easy for me to pick up on synergy of any kind. If it truly was synergy, I would hast ridden thou of ignorance quite some time ago. Besides, Greninja spoke of thy aura being blue in coloration; dark synergy would be either black or darkened violet. There are a few other factors that differentiate your condition from mine, but thou get the main idea."
"Am I missing something, "An eerie presence just suddenly made itself known to them. Gardevoir looked further down the table to see Greninja casually sitting upon it. A hardened will made itself present within his eyes, perfectly fit for combat. "Didn't mean to disturb your moment but….,"
"Gre….Greninja! I could've sworn thou were still recovering. When did thou stir?"
"Shortly after you started chatting. I wasn't sleeping for the entire time by the way, was just in deep thought at the moment."
"Thou moved that early? Then….our conversation….,"
"Of course I couldn't read your mind, but I could somewhat piece together what you were saying judging by Ruto's responses. Then you started going on about synergy. Correct me if i'm wrong, but it's what our planet produces right?"
"WAIT, THOU KNOW ABOUT SYNERGY?!"
"I know of it, but I was never taught how to use it. It was my kin that taught me the existence of synergy. I evolved and went about finding my own way before they had the chance to teach me, if they even knew how, " Greninja leapt onto the floor, walking towards the two. Already, a soothing sensation washed over his body in finding out that his kin spoke nothing but truths. He crossed his arms upon stopping in front of Gardevoir. "I suppose you do know how to harness it, along with the others."
"You'd be correct. I suppose this is where thou request my teachings?"
"Clairvoyant as always. If you don't think I'm ready now, that's fine. Just know I'm determined to meet your expectations, "Greninja looked down upon his clenching fist. "I can't keep getting in the way. I know all about Ruto's attempt to save me, and how it nearly cost her life. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I never attempted to repay her. I'll make up for this incident until I can't move a finger!"
Gardevoir couldn't speak for everybody else, but her fondness of him grew greatly at that point. She reminisced about this exact scenario with every Chaser before him. She was quickly reminded of how fortunate she was to find only the most competent of allies. Despite his shortcomings, he showcased needed traits that she saw in everybody else. Her smile grew brighter knowing that he would never fall victim to absolute doubt.
"I never once thought thou were in the way. I can't speak for everybody else, but my heart says thou art meeting my current expectations. Thou even saved me once before from Prime. Thou art taking thy occupation seriously, and the lives of those around thee. Regardless of shortcomings, both thou and Ruto hast gone above and beyond, even if thy actions could be considered foolish. Regarding synergy, I like to observe thee for a bit longer. Synergy is a gift, one I can't just teach to anybody. Thy time will come, I assure thee. Now that thou recovered however, I hast something for thee to do."
"Another mission? Let's hear it."
"This time thou shalt be acting according to a client. Thou should know we not only operate as enforcers, but mercenaries of some sort, "She waved for Greninja as she levitated for one of the terminals showcasing the replays. He followed under the impression she was going to reveal her objective. Curiosity drove Ruto to follow as well. Swiftly pressing in desired inputs, Gardevoir brought up an image of a bipedal creature of wide portions.
"This here is the one who requested us."
He witnessed a bird-like being whose posture gave off a cocky impression. Showcasing a wide grin, this creature effortlessly wielded a massive mallet of mostly wooden composition. Red and white royal finery wrapped around like a robe gave some insight into his apparent obesity. Beneath the robe sat beige attire secured by a wide red and yellow zigzag patterned belt. Yellow mittens covered his hands. A hat containing an emblem of sorts on the front laid upon his head with a puff of fur resting on the top. Only by the skin along his face could you tell he was mostly blue.
Glancing other to Gardevoir, Greninja noticed the same facial expression that her and Lucario gave each other. Though if it was anything like their relationship, then the client should be somewhat tolerable.
"This assignment will take thee to a new planet, another Earth-like world. The world is inhabited by intelligent, bipedal animals as well as humans. One human in particular is not only a well renowned mayor, but a newly made Smasher. The client had informed me that he would be present during thy mission. Thou shalt be acting alongside another hired gun he requested as his bodyguards. I'll hast to go into further details upon the mission site; he wanted me to make a swift choice."
"Greninja bowed for his chance at redemption, "Understood, I won't fail you."
"Pardon me, "Both pokemon turned to Ruto who seemed just as anxious to return to the field as Greninja himself. "I could imagine you're sending him elsewhere. Mind I provide aid? I assure you, my personal dilemma will not interfere."
Gardevoir smiled, "I hast something else for thee in fact. Thou shalt accompany me for another matter."
"Glad I could be of use."
"Now we must make thy transition swift ninja, "With the extension of her hand, a vortex exploded into existence. Electricity crackled around darkened golden energy swirling into the dark void. A calming hole with the slightest suction succeeded in not disrupting the work of others. "It seems he was in a hurry. This shalt take thee very close to his position."
Greninja gave one nod before allowing himself to be swallowed by the vortex. He gave witness to colossal metallic rings rotating around him as he passed through them. The suction was non-existent. He immediately fell into a high speed free fall. Earthly structures in various conditions hovered amongst the void beyond the rings. Chunks of earthly elements seemingly shedded off slowly drifted back to their main structure. Flora thrived upon these floating islands deep within this abstract reality where neither rain nor sun could reach. Stories traveled through the medical bay during his recovery. Varasla Realm was it's official name. A reality that operated to few constants: gravity wasn't guaranteed, rumors held one's age halted within the void, and it made the impossible possible. It was said the creator of this realm, Master Hand, may be the reason for its unique properties.
The end was nearing; a glimmering of light shined off in the distance. Near the portal's end, his momentum slowed to a crawl. His back calmly fell upon the lush green fields of his desired world. With the vortex's collapse, he took in the fresh scent of well kept grass swirling around a buzzing city of simple design beneath a darkened sky. Though not as advanced tech wise as Kalos, there was a captivating peacefulness when observing the already mentioned animal-like people chatting about near lit coffee shops and those of the like; he was at ease. It wasn't long until rapid footsteps grew in volume.
"SIR, "A panicked voice prompted his upper body to shoot upward, glancing over to the voice's direction to catch a dog-like person dashing over for him. She tried to utter a word, but she tripped upon something which sent her crashing down. She rose back up with no hesitation, even before Greninja could react. Her radiant smile warmed his heart more than the streetlight above them. "Oh thank goodness you're ok. Darn vortices are so rough on the body, you know."
Her fur took a lighter shade of yellow. White patches of fur rested around her mouth, and upon the tip of her shortish tail. Large puffs of hair, which took a darker shade of yellow, went down along her head's side. Some of her hair was tied into a very short bun along the very top by a red ribbon with a bell attached on the front. Beneath her checkered green vest laid a white shirt with a red ribbon around the neck. She also sported a navy blue skirt. She ran her hand across his face, staring in awe.
"I know we just met, but…..are you , "As the pokemon nodded, the dog happily jumped in place. "Oh joy, perfect timing on your part. A guest of ours wanted me to keep a lookout. I believe he was discussing business with another guard he hired. Anyway, my name's Isabelle. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
She latched onto his arm, aiding with his ascent. A look around revealed that he had landed within a lengthy park surrounded by almost barren roads. Different bipedal species sat along benches, held street performances, and gathered around the large fountain behind him. Isabelle pulled Greninja through the light crowd. Conversation amongst those he passed were all spoken in the english language. Isabelle, along with most other citizens he walked passed, weren't that tall. A minor detail easily excused when almost all who made eye contact with Greninja greeted him via wave.
"Now in regards to thy mission, "Gardevoir's voice echoed within his mind nearly had him take up his battle stance. Though he maintained his composure, Isabelle was quick to notice the sudden change. He reassured her with a nod before continuing to listen. "The mayor will occasionally host a tour of all major planets by a…...i'll be frank and say a magical train. It operates using crystals that permit the conjuring of vortices and rails. People pay in advance to be transported here, and it must do well to maintain its business. Usually the mayor assigns one of his own bodyguards to protect the train from thieves, but the client informed me that they all had to forsaken their role for unknown reasons. This led to the mayor preparing to cancel the trip, much to the disappointment of his guests. Our client wouldn't allow this, and here thou are now. Just so thou art aware, his name is Dedede. Being that he is a king, thou may refer to him as sire, highness, or plain Dedede; I care not for what thou choose. He'll provide the details upon thy meeting with him. I bid thee the best of luck."
A large concentration of people was exactly what lay before him off near what seemed like a waiting area. Red roofing extended quite a bit to cover its plentiful number of normal looking humans beneath bright metallic lamps. Beyond the area was nothing more than a expansive field of flora with mountains stretching high for the few stationary clouds. Finally, after being greeted by a few of the planet's inhabitants who also was interested in the worlds beyond, three beings moved him more than any other. The king himself stood within a swarm of people who seemed quite pleased with him. Beside him stood a large snail with arms similar to a human, and a metallic being whose bright, yellow visor gave off an ominous feeling.
A heavily armored warrior with arms crossed behind him stood behind the king. Armor coloration was reminiscent of crocodile skin. An ovalish visor, which radiated a brilliant yellow, composed most of his head. A blood red pony-tail protruded from the helmet's backend. Bulky armor made up his upper body. While his right shoulder possessed a spike protruding outward, his left shoulder was more spherical. Devices were installed within his armored arms. A belt clung to his waist, carrying a grayish pistol and several others weapons. He not only possessed normal human hands, but had feet reminiscent of boots.
The being's helmet made a sharp turn for his direction. Isabelle wasn't moved by its sudden reaction, but Greninja's heart tried to leap out. Though it was highly evident that it was the second bodyguard, did Dedede truly put trust in such dangerous looking guns for hire? A few seconds passed with the two apparently eyeing each other before it tapped the king upon the shoulder. It seemed as if they exchanged a word or two prompting Dedede to notice him. Giving the snail and the bodyguard a hand gesture, the king made his way toward Greninja with mallet in hand. Isabelle smiled to Dedede with the same level of cheerfulness as before, saluting before him.
"Great news sire, your bodyguard has arrived right on time. , at your service!"
"Greninja, WAIT…..ya mean he some type of ninja. How do I order me someone for guard duty, and they be sendin me someone for assassinations, "Dedede wasted no time in getting up close and personal with him. Greninja's eyes jumped to the size difference between them. The hologram failed to do his weight justice. "What, is that little rabbit too busy dancin and prancin around fields of grass to serve a king?"
"Busy schedule I presume. Why don't you two get to know each other. I'll check the status of the cargo and fill you in."
"Yea, you do that missy."
The soft gaze of that sweet dog quickly left for the inner waiting area, leaving him under the judgemental eyes of all three of these newcomers. The king grasped his weapon with both hands, bumping it into Greninja's belly.
"I ain't never seen ya before. Thought I seen every one of ya do gooders. Were they holdin' out on me?"
The snail intervened, "Excuse me sire, but I think he's new to all of this."
"He what?!"
"Well the USN did show some scrawny looking frog joining the fray, so I read up on him. It was some pokemon named Greninja from Kalos. You remember that region right? We went there when you wanted a rematch against that meddlesome mouse. I wouldn't get too excited though, he's just a mere starter for the little squirts."
"Ooooh, so they goin' cheap now! Sending me some recruit like it ain't all that serious!"
"You telling me. Only has one official match under that ridiculous scarf of his. He's as fresh out the oven as they come!"
"I have half a mind to whack ya outta this city. Ya ain't gonna have training day on my watch!"
The snail turned for the metallic soldier, "What do you think about this?"
Its visor scanned up and down Greninja's body, shaking his head soon afterward, "Don't waste energy worrying. He'll be just fine."
With the fierceness of a bull, Dedede waddled as quickly as possible for the metal soldier, "Now hold on a sec! What happened to makin' sure the job was done right?!"
"Sire, i'm not one to be lenient with the incompetent. This Greninja hasn't even been out on the field long enough for me to make that call. What he needs is experience, so of course they'd send him to be a king's guard. Besides, we both know Gardevoir is a picky one. She only accepts those of outstanding performance, not some basic creature out in the wild. Yes, he only has a single match on his record, but he bested Ganondorf of all people during the qualifier. I don't need to remind you of his prowess. To become both a Chaser and a Smasher in such a short manner of time is no common feat."
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, but ya pullin' any weight he can't carry, capeesh?!"
"You'll get your money's worth, I assure you. Plus you can't get upset over who they chose considering you gave them no incentive."
"They wanna go walkin around like they some charity, then I'll happily use their services, "Dedede directed his fierce gaze toward Greninja, pointing at him. "TOAD! I EXPECT ONE HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT TODAY, YA HEAR? Ya representing a king now! Don't make people think I got horrible taste in guards. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"
Wide eyed at the booming personality of this obese bird, Greninja saluted to the king while nodding his head. A trembling will kept his remaining hand from planting into the king's cheekbone. Despite how out of place his mercenary seemed, it appeared he had no love for the king either. He started to wonder how long he could tolerate their stares. The armored being noticed his internal struggle, laying a hand upon Dedede's shoulder.
"Sire, I'm picking up void energy. It seems a rift is about to open. Might be the mayor."
"Hope this goes better than last time!"
The king gave a profound sigh as he took heavy steps toward the masses, most likely fooled by an artificial kindness to promote himself. This was evident by the smiles the guest gave upon his return. He ceased casting his heated sights upon the bird when their guard stood before him.
"I suppose you deserve names now. You may call me Weavel. The little snail servant following Dedede around, that's Escargoon. Don't be fooled by their exaggeration. Many would tell you that they're like that all the time. Hmph, not like I care. I can easily protect him from a distance. Anyway, you're probably wondering what dangers are present during a train ride? Well, expect to see a raid or two. We're up against robbers who have gotten pretty creative with the crystals that allow void travel. Do the countries Valm, Plegia, and Ylisse ring any bells? Those names are usually what you'll hear when regarding a certain planet. It's just another earth-like world, officially called PE and some number."
Ylisse? Greninja recalled that very name coming from Lucario after the Hylia incident. Would fate have him investigate the planet if it truly is responsible for the apparent raids. With a nod, Greninja assured Weavel of his knowledge. With a quick nod toward the stationary, Weavel, followed by Greninja, went to rejoin with their clients.
"So you atleast heard of them. It's sad to say, but those are where our problems come from. Bandits and other similar folk use vortices to come over here. Using horses and dragons that are native there, they attempt to board the train. I'm sure I don't need to go into further details about what a robber does, do I rookie?"
Weavel was powerless to stop his laughter upon witnessing the critical gaze of his pokemon guest, "It be wise to laugh while you can. After all, the stressful part of the job hasn't even begun."
Aggression would indeed not aid either one of them, that much they agreed on. Everything that was said to him was painfully right: one match, a mere rookie, one who was ignorant to most things beyond his own world. A part of him wanted to subject the king to the same manner of speech he used upon him. Weavel's words gave him reason to stay true to being a perfect guard. He needn't remain so close to Dedede, but just be aware of subtle changes. Plentiful folks presented hopeful smiles and short compliments to Weavel who simply returned their favor with a quick nod. Greninja's anxious eyes sometimes caught the same greeting Weavel constantly provided to others.
An explosion sent many guests into a state of panic. Rails that radiated with an odd energy appeared along the flora beyond the waiting station. Gazing further down the newly made tracks, a vortex had grown from within the dirt. Rushing through unknown space into the eyes of the guests, the train in question made its debut. Transportation of simplistic design, the train's front was surprisingly small. With the abundance of carts flowing out, Weavel leaned against a pillar with visor directed at Dedede.
"Going with the usual no warning shots again?"
"When ya start askin me that again? Ya know full well what I expect!"
"Heh, understood…..sire."
Glancing over to Greninja, Weavel witnessed a pokemon's widened eyes fixated on Dedede, "Heh heh heh, that was the exact look I was looking for. I took notice, you know. Just that innocent look of yours told me a lot."
The hunter rose straight up, swiftly pulling out his pistol. Greninja recoiled from the mere sight, but relaxed when it wasn't aimed at him. Weavel proceeded to walk past Greninja with the gun pointed for the ceiling.
"None of them have stainless hearts, the Chasers. Now that I think about it, you most likely already knew that. I'm sure you wouldn't even be here if you felt that strongly about it,"Soundous steam rising from the distance grabbed Weavel's attention. Plentiful karts stretched for at least a mile and some. Greninja only then realized that more guest had shown up, somewhat excusing the length. "It's about time. I'm sure Dedede will want us to come with. Let's not keep the king waiting."
Scanning through the crowd while being guided by native, animal-like attendants, Greninja merely walked to the bird who was leaning against one of the pillars beside his assistant. Dedede's arrogance grew with each passing passenger that gifted him with wave gestures as thanks. Just with a simply glance, the king proceeded for one of the karts with an open body-a rather lengthy body shielding passengers with a wooden roof of red coloration. Open windows overlooked smooth, wooden seats with enough room for two were strapped with soft coverings. Rectangular, black tables of metallic composition lay between two seats facing one another. Some karts took on a modern, encased design as well. Greninja seated himself alongside Weavel with Dedede and Escargoon remaining on the opposite end.
When the passengers bid their last farewells to the native folk, the train's engine roared to life. Though mentally steady, an uneasy feeling, similar to what came during his first time onboard the Federation cruiser, crept along his neck. The train proceeded to move along at a slow rate, gradually picking up the speed. A thunderous thump almost sent Greninja out of his seat . Dedede glared at him with his hand firmly pressed upon the table.
"Listen up rook, there be some mighty fine cargo ridin with us. Make sure you're checkin' them regularly!"
Weavel spoke up, "Sounds to me like you got something valuable onboard. Who you plan on trading with this time if I may ask?"
"Oh some fella named Gadd or somethin. Got me some real nice valuables from the outer realm."
"Varasla realm you mean? You mean there is actually minerals you can mine there?"
"What, ya didn't know. Figured you lootin lot would've already known."
"We've seen a blank void every single time."
"Hahahaha, well a whole lot of vortices do send ya along blank spaces. The one I got ain't linked to other planets, but whole islands floating next to one another, "Dedede leaned slightly forward, gazing upon other guests before proceeding. "And I seen some things. Every now and then I had to deal with a few Metalloids see."
"Hmmm, not often you hear about those things. Those islands might be some kind of storage unit for them."
"Nah, more like guards then anything. They weren't the only ones either; those wired slackers were givin' me a run for my money too. Some of theses islands had buildings ya see."
"Empty replicas I could imagine."
A sharp grin formed upon the king's face. His gaze drifted for Escargoon who slid his hand beneath his shell. He pulled out a crystal which possessed a brilliance equal to that of a violet star. It levitated over the snail's hand, emitting a chill that affected every onlooker onboard. Escargoon cleared his throat.
"That's where the cargo comes in. This is what wants. Those structures sire was talking about look like nothing we've ever seen. They each held one crystal-but not like the master crystals that can send you anywhere we know of. These things have one connection to an unexplored world…..teeming with intelligent life."
Weavel slammed his palms into the table, "WHAT!"
Escargoon immediately placed his free hand over his lips, "SHHHH! Honestly, call the news reporters while you're at it. Try keeping this on the DL will ya!"
Weavel recoiled, readjusting his tone, "How can you know for sure?!"
"Simple, one of those Hand fellas created it, or so we think. We both came to a conclusion that it was Crazy Hand who made this one, hence the dark energy. Those troublemakers always toy with inhabited planets, more specifically those with civilizations."
Greninja froze to the mere mention of Crazy Hand. An entity that had been somehow haunting him within the dream world. Drowning out explosions with uncontrollable laughter, Crazy Hand tormented him with visions of Kalos, plunged into ruin by rampaging infernos. It would laugh to it all, repeating several times even upon awaking. Weavel's voice broke Greninja from his trance.
"Well I wouldn't know. Not too often I hear any division talking about those two. So, I reckon you already attempted to see the other side."
Dedede snatched the crystal, "What's it to ya?!"
"I'm just concerned is all. I mean…..you are dealing with dangers beyond your knowledge."
"And just in case we do meet these mysterious things, we'll lock em up nice and tight."
"Or bat them away with your mallet."
"You know it."
"Hmmm, this is news I'm definitely going need to report. Tell you what, sire, I might be willing to lower my price tag if you'd be more generous."
"Depends on what ya asking?"
"Any connections you haven't made yet perhaps?"
"Well…..Escargoon did find us an island with some fancy gadgets. Though the Metalloids were packin on that one. Took me and Meta Knight just to hold them off long enough for Escargoon to do what he needed to do, "Dedede turned to the snail. "By the way, ya never did tell me what ya found."
Escargoon took time to ponder the question, "There were a whole lot of computers in the main structure. Guess the Hands don't believe in passwords; I was able to easily gain access to them. At first, it was just a bunch of garbage on the other Smash fighters. That's when I found a message that wasn't complete yet, titled the Flash Project."
"Flash? Do any of the Superior Four know about this?"
"Not yet, but they will. I haven't even gotten to the juicy part. The reason for the Metalloid infestation was actually because they were busy sending their own to worlds associated with Flash, and they ain't planets we're familiar with. Also, it seems that they made some progress before we got there. They searched about eight universes, only a few got the 'interested' title. That crystal….that thing was their next assignment. Crazy Hand left behind orders for him to be contacted before entry; this thing's priority was why we took it. There is something dangerous on the other side, hence why Crazy wants to be present. Had we not taken the crystal, we might've already been burdened with another life threatening entity."
Besides Greninja, the others gave dreadful stares to the crystal. To silence even Dedede was a dead giveaway to the severity of the situation. A recalling of the war, Universal Peril, ran through Greninja's mind. A struggle that brought many worlds to ruin, and would've consumed every last one had it not been for the Superior Four rising against the Hands. Is that what they feared? Such a thought subjected him through a good portion of the darkness that consumed them.
"We need to secure the others," Weavel rose with inhuman speed, almost sending Greninja off the edge of his seat. "They must be monitored for the time being! Escargoon, would you know which cart contains them?!"
"Of course. It was custom made for the sire. What are you plotting metal man?"
"I'm gonna leave a device in there; it's connected to my visor. It'll scan the void energy and transmit the data to me. That way I'll know if they're unstable, or about to become unstable."
"Well, I suppose that's alright, "Escargoon slid off the seat, glancing over to Dedede. "And this can also pick up on noosy people trying to snatch some of our goods?"
"Not only will that, but I'll leave in a few nasty surprises. Small drones made by yours truly. If they try and leave the scene by a vortex, it'll attach itself to the troublemaker. I'll be able to track them from there."
"Better hope you don't let it get that far. Don't wanna have you going after some crooks on different planets now, "Escargoon turned to Dedede. "You coming sire?"
Greninja turned to Dedede for his response, disturbed by the king's displeased gaze resting upon him. The look Dedede gave to Weavel afterwards was lighter for obvious reason, but the narrowed eyes gave the feeling that thoughts were brewing within. "Yea, I'll come. I have something to discuss with Weavel anyway. I'll lead the way."
Immediately upon sliding out from the seat, Greninja found himself suspended into the air. He found himself merely inches away from the antagonistic face of Dedede who was holding him with only one hand.
"AND WHERE YA THINK YA GOIN OFF TO? YA AIN'T COMIN ALONG. DON'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST CLUE WHAT'S GOIN' ON, YA ROOK!"
Uncharacteristically, Weavel completely agreed with the king, "Void energy cannot be trusted with anybody. It can feed off of anything, including emotions. No need for us to force you into something…..beyond just foreign. Just…..remain here for the time being. Raids don't usually take place soon as the train leaves port."
"Yea, "Dedede dropped the poor frog. "Why don't ya get some quick shut eye! Got a long day ahead of ya."
Greninja's morale sank to their slowly retreating backs. The plentiful eyes that sat upon them ceased to care when only himself remained. Demoralized, he returned to the cold seats. His attention laid upon nature's scenery he swiftly passed by. Night prowling fauna scurrying across the plain were provided guidance by the moon's bright cast. A peaceful land reminiscent of his home needed to be protected. The image of the chaos wrought by Crazy Hand was forever imprinted into his mind. He never met either of the Hands, yet his dreams had them attack him in some way. Those two must had been the Chaser's enemies as well. In fact, were they the ones manipulating the space pirates, King Rool, and others who allied with them? If so, missions like these were necessary. Knowledge of all worlds were needed to figure out one's allies and enemies.
It was a quiet ride for the most part, though no one bothered to check up on him. Rumors and tales of veteran Smashers sweeped across the cart like the wind. Talk of Greninja's integration was the talk of his region, even the world where he confronted that boxer recognized him. Some of the fighters, although human judging by the descriptions, seemed to possess inhuman qualities. Greninja held no quarrels toward most of the human species, but their somewhat fragile physique made them vulnerable to a handful of infant pokemon. One couple mentioned one of the Superior Four, Pikachu. Though he knew Pikachu was a force to be reckoned with. To had heard that many considered that particular Pikachu to be the strongest of his entire evolution chain made their eventual dueling a dreadful thought, especially with the type disadvantage.
Greninja eventually drifted off into unconsciousness, joining the rest who too fell silent. A somewhat forceful knock on the head brung him back. Wide eyes fell upon Weavel who stood before him.
"Better not sleep for too long. Wouldn't want to bring the wrath of the king, right, "A human whose size was reminiscent of the locals came beside Weavel with a metallic tray of steaming salmon. Screaming of youthfulness, this boy unwavering smile was equal to that of Isabelle. "Allow me to introduce him. This here is the renowned mayor you may have heard about. His real name is Tim, but most people call him the villager for some odd reason. Recently, he was invited to become a Smasher much like yourself."
"Pleasure to meet you, "The villager said with the joyous tone of a naive child. He carefully placed the tray upon the table, pushing it slightly closer to Greninja. Greninja bowed to the boy where Tim mimicked the frog. "I asked him to show me to you. I wanted to thank you personally for taking time out of your day to serve us."
"He is a member of the Chasers you know."
"Oh I know. Isabelle told me all about him. He's from the Kalos region she said. Never got a chance to visit that region, so I made sure to have that as one of our stops."
"Curious as ever. Can you spare us a moment? I wish to discuss important matters with him."
"Sure thing."
Tim proceeded to the rest of the guests, checking on their well-being. Weavel turned back to Greninja who was already gulping down the salmon whole.
"Sorry about earlier, but it cannot be stressed enough how dangerous unstable crystals can be. If one was to suddenly open, a vortex with the suction strength similar to one of the Superiors would come about. Unlike unstable crystals, normal ones won't draw in water or others of similar sort. There was once an incident where an unstable vortex flooded a whole building. Incidents like that could prove fatal on a fast moving train. Thankfully, none of them seem unstable as of now. Let's hope they stay that way."
Weavel leaned over the table, analyzing the sky. A light veil of orange light pushed back the darkness. The mercenary tapped the side of his head; text of an unknown language slid in and out of the visor.
"The sun is finally rising. It's about that time we start surveying. I can't say when the bandits will strike, but they usually stay out of our hair the entire time after one failed attempt. Dedede is three carts ahead in case you're wondering, "Weavel stared upon Greninja' tongue scooping up the last fish. Weavel silently chuckled to himself to seeing a more joyful side of Greninja. "I'll give you five more minutes to yourself. Afterward, I want you to check the carts behind us. I'll handle the front for now."
Weavel left the frog once more, twirling his pistol around. Tim stopped the mercenary for unknown reasons; they were too far to eavesdrop on. Greninja just stared to witness their interactions. After nodding in approval, Weavel patted Tim on the head before departing. It wouldn't be long until oddities started appearing. Glancing through his window, he almost found himself conjuring water shurikens to the sight of a metallic spider slightly bigger than a human hand crawling in. It felt his gaze, and so it ceased its movements. It wouldn't dare move another inch, or else Greninja would strike it down without hesitation. The longer Greninja was staring at it, the more it reminded him of another device.
Staring with blank red eyes, the spider's darkened gray upper body was smooth like actual skin. Its sac on the other hand closely resembled Dreadzone if it was scaled down. On the top, the Smash logo was imprinted onto the sac. Greninja lowered his tension to see what would happen. It proceeded to walk for the ceiling away from him. Foolishly, Greninja dismissed the insect and tried to find the villager who seemed to be absent. The insect made a sharp turn back toward him, leaping for the ignorant frog. It latched itself upon his chest. Reflexes made him immediately try to strike it off of him, but not before a vortex exploded from the spider, consuming Greninja whole. His screams echoed through the blank, violet void as he was falling at breakneck speeds. The end came sooner than he thought. Upon nearing the light, his descent slowed. After landing face first onto what felt like wood, the vortex closed. Shocked beyond belief, it took him time to register his surroundings.
He was still on the train, but now he was on the roof of an open window, lengthy cart. Weavel, alongside another small individual, approached him. Greninja's fist clenched to the idea that he knew this would happen, if not the cause. Off in the distance, Dedede and Escargoon were closing in as well. Greninja rushed to his feet with ill intent in mind. A water katana formed in one hand, forcing Weavel to speak up.
"Now I know you're mad, but you must un…., "Dedede forced Weavel out the way, stomping for the tensed frog. "Huh?"
"I'LL HANDLE THIS, "There wasn't an inch of fear within Dedede's heart. Despite now being in front of an angered animal. Dedede stood tall with his mallet over his shoulder. "Good, ya lookin' mighty angry. Ya about to have a little fight ya see."
Obviously, this cast confusion onto Greninja. Slowly, Greninja came out of his battle stance, tilting his head awkwardly. Dedede thrusted his fist into Greninja's chest.
"LISTEN WELL! Now these people know I don't play when it comes to guarding the goods. Every time the mayor's lackeys couldn't do the job, I always hired me some muscle. These folks could lay on their fine cushions knowing they ain't gonna lose nothing to no one. Take good ole Weavel for example. Ya can just look at him and know he'll bring down the hammer if needed. Ya look like the complete opposite, and if I can see it, others are seeing it too. It's ok though, your wonderful king here will give ya and the other guests confidence."
Dedede snapped his fingers behind himself. His unspoken command weighed down the short individual whose expression spoke of annoyance. A olive skinned boy whose appearance was apparently ripped straight out of a cartoon. Upon closer inspection, Greninja's eyes shot open upon making the connection; this boy looked just like the Superior, Link. The difference being the absence of a green cap and tunic. His blond hair was well kept and free from headwear. A black shirt and leggings covered the rest of his body. Four white buttons rested along his chest. A smaller version of the sword Link carried laid upon his back within a sheath. A shield identical to the one Link carried laid in his hands. The longer Greninja kept his sights on him, the deeper he fell into confusion.
"HE'LL BE YOUR OPPONENT, "Dedede's thunderous tone failed to grasp Greninja's attention, having to slap the top of his head. Not wishing to warrant the wrath of his client, Greninja forced his confusion aside. "Consider this a chance to earn your right to be around a king. There ain't gonna be no nice try award. If ya can't even beat someone who hasn't fought in quite some time, then ya need to go on and hop your scrawny self off this train! I ain't gonna have no scrub make Weavel's job difficult. To add a little motivation, since I'm so kind, I'm having it broadcasted live. Thought that everybody onboard and on your little island back on your home planet should see how ya doin'."
These words weren't directed toward the youngling, yet his overly exaggerated tone had Greninja's soon to be opponent usher a gaze that could melt the arctic. A flurry of emotions threatened to break down Greninja's kind nature, but the few Dreadzones floating around them stayed his hand. All but one opened up to reveal a camera of sorts capturing the scene. As a representative of Kalos, he couldn't bring himself to even suggest harming the one he chose to protect. Greninja submitted to the king's demands, forcefully nodding to him.
"Quite the confident nod ya had goin on. I respect your willingness to tackle hardships head on. Now let's see how far it takes ya. Weavel, "The sire hollered to the mercenary who was eyeing the Dreadzone unit that had recently appeared from the void. "Come join me on the other cart. Ya can sit between me and Escargoon."
"As you wish sire, but what of introductions?"
"Psssssh, ya wanna waste time tellin' the frog why that boy looks like Link, his situation? Ya saw the dumb look on his face when the boy came up, like a deer in headlights."
"Hmmm, fair point."
"I know it is! Look, ya can dump all kinds of sciency mumbo jumbo and facts on him once the match is over with, and that's if he wins!"
The mercenary sighed, "As you wish sire. Now what about the rules?"
"I was about to get on it. For the sake of time, I'll only ask for a one stock brawl. Since it wouldn't be all that enjoyable for ya to rush, there will be no time limit."
"Only one stock sire? You positive that'll be enough to entertain you?"
"I ain't lookin for just entertainment. I'm treating it like an interview in a sense. This kid may be rusty, but he ain't a slacker. To beat him would mean something, ya know."
"I suppose."
"Alright then. Give the folks back home a good show."
The boy shrugged, the same kind of shrug seen when you told someone over and over again how wrong they were and still chose to ignore the message. What deeds has the king done to gain enough respect for people to listen while at the same time had him receive indirect disrespect. Apparently this kid really knew Dedede, unlike the guests who merely saw him for his dedication to their safety.
"Soooo, "The calm, high pitch voice of his opponent had the effect of a ghastly appearing beside your bed upon awakening. So many similar characteristics to Link had fooled his mind into believing he stood before that Superior, despite the massive size difference. Greninja imagined another mute knight whose skill spoke more words than his mouth could ever express. During the time he spent with Link, his facial expressions were more animated than anyone else he had ever encountered. The same could be said for this kid who's somehow more animated body made whatever emotion he chose to wear simple to spot. "You're the one who defeated Ganon, huh?"
Before Greninja could even finish the nod, a blinding smile formed on the stranger, "I hope you don't mind if I get a bit serious."
When the boy's free hand reached for the mountains, a brilliant glow shined through his shirt. An violet essence of otherworldly origins phased into existence, swirling around the combatant. The sword was drawn, once again facing down a worthy foe. Glaring light radiated from its steel, fading just as quickly as it glowed. He copied many elements of Link perfectly: the narrowed glare, the position of his shield, even the overall stance mirrored the Superior. Was this perhaps the little brother of said champion. Dreadzone hovered between the two fighters, prompting them to take a few steps back. Soon after its opening, the field consumed the entire cart. Greninja's wild eyes turned for the cart's side, running over to look beneath the roof. Not a single guest sat beneath them.
"YA THINK WE FORGET THE SPECTATORS. COME ON NOW, "Dedede's impatience was clear as day. Going about waving his hammer wildly like Greninja had stepped on private property. "Of Course we had them move to a different kart. All you need to do is focus on the match."
With the passenger's safety dealt with, Greninja went back into his battle stance. A single gunshot from Weavel's pistol signaled for their fight to commence. Greninja was first to approach, dashing with two water katanas in hand. The frog went for a swift swipe. The boy parried with his sword, nearly sending Greninja's katana flying. Bewildered by the strength of his enemy, Greninja barely avoided his retaliation. The child rushed him with quick slashes of his own. Greninja managed to block all of his attacks, but kept getting pushed back by the impressive force. A reckless attack revealed itself, allowing Greninja to swiftly land a swift slash across the boy's cheek. Despite this, the boy didn't even flinch. The opponent smashed his shield against Greninja's face. Quickly recovering from the strike, Greninja caught a glance of his enemy's sword coming down. He blocked with both swords, forcing the boy back ever so slightly.
Greninja saw how close to edge he was. That strike against the boy put him at six percent. Speed would once again be his ally here. Once the struggle took them back to the middle, the two fighters disengaged. They circled around each other, eyeing each other's movements. In a blink of an eye, the boy withdrew both his shield and sword. Confusion kept Greninja grounded in place. Violet energy swarmed around his enemy's hand, forming a mostly wooden bow with an arrow already loaded. The boy swiftly drew back, firing it for the frog's head. Panicking, Greninja threw one of his swords in the way. Though the arrow was blocked, the force sent the katana flying from his grip. He watched the katana get swallowed by Dreadzone. He turned back to see violet energy forming another arrow.
Greninja felt the arrow soar passed his cheek as he dodged to the left, but his enemy had already conjured a fresh one. One after another, arrows were sent Greninja's way as he barely avoided them. When the boy started to draw back again, Greninja dodged ahead of time. Though that was exactly what the child was hoping for. He took aim ahead of Greninja, managing a direct shot on his head. Hastily dislodging the arrow, Greninja neglected to avoid the next one honing in on his chest. The strike sent Greninja crashing down, gazing upon the twelve percent image that popped from his chest.
"WAIT, "An artificial voice filled with desperation froze the combatants. Weavel stood from his seat, gaining the disapproval of Dedede whom nearly whacked him with his mallet.
"WHAT YA GOIN ON ABOUT? Match just started and here ya already complainin!"
"It's the crystals sire!"
No more needed to be said. The displeasure that grew within Escargoon and Dedede dissipated. With ghastly faces, they both eyed one another. The boy only seemed slightly confused since he held no knowledge of the crystals, but Greninja remained petrified by the news.
"Al…..already, "Dedede said in a tone devoid of arrogance. "Do…..don't tell me they…."
"No, none of them are unstable. I just picked up a vortex appearing in the room."
"So those bandits finally figured out how to….."
"Bandits? Well there are two humans sire, but there is one more being I can't identify. All the data is coming back unknown."
"NEVER MIND THAT, "Dedede's exploded in a fit of rage, waving his mallet toward Escargoon. "WE GOIN TO DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT NOW!"
"Of course sire, deactivating Dreadzone now!"
With a few swift inputs into Weavel's wrist, the field surrounding the fighters shifted into a dark violet, clouded enough to obscure those beyond the walls into unidentifiable blobs. Electrical currents swarmed along the outer bounds, a new sight Greninja eyed with uncertain curiosity.
"Hmmm, "Weavel kept mashing inputs with increased force, failing to make the field dissipate. "We may have a problem."
"Oh what's wrong now, "Dedede shouted, pointing at the still active Dreadzone. "Why is it still up?"
"The Dreadzone unit is…...rejecting me!"
"Rejecting? Now you speakin nonsense. They show up just by thinkin about em, and turn off just by thinkin about em. Ya mean to tell me it ain't listening, even when you're messin with it manually?"
"I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!"
"JUST START WHACKIN IT WITH A WENCH, "A soundous, energetic voice made Dedede and Escargoon's faces turned pale. Such a high pitch voice was frighteningly joyful, emitting from the cloudy walls of Dreadzone. As Greninja came to his feet, the unknown entity let out a chuckle. "What's flappening your kinglyness?"
"YOU, "Weavel forced through his mask, quickly grasping onto his pistol. "Must be pretty ashamed to know your defenses couldn't protect your precious crystals."
"Nah, those metalloids were for entertainment purposes for when the king eventually waddled into my domains. Though I sent one little harpy to pirate one crystal in particular that french dish over there robbed from me."
"You sent three, monster!"
"Shiver me timbers, a space pirate called me a monster!"
"WHAT, "Greninja cried out in his usual animal language. Like a Deerling in headlights, he just stared at the mercenary in complete stillness. Any kindness Weavel may had shown became mute in wake of his affiliation. Greninja's stomach tightened to the thought of being so close to his enemy. Knowing Greninja was a member of the Chasers, Weavel would've had an absurd number of chances to assassinate him in his sleep. Dedede surely knew about the threat the pirates posed to the Chasers, yet neglected to mention this fact.
"Oooooooooo, who is this ninja-lookin toad? Seemed like he didn't like the fact you were a space pirate, "The joyful voice said with no concern for the feud this would undoubtedly develop, almost as if it enjoyed the possibility.
"Is that what it yelped for? Here I thought Dedede told him who I was. What a goddamn bother this will be, "Weavel spat out, seemingly unchanged by the reveal. "Hi, my name is Weavel, mercenary for the space pirates. I specialize in assassinations, aided the pirates with the takeover of multiple planets, and even tried to silence your good pals over with the Federation multiple times in the past. Nice to meet your acquaintance. Now you're all caught up!"
"HOLD UP MATEY! HE A CHASER TOO?"
"None of your business. I'm now fairly certain that this mystery individual is just another metalloid. Just watch and be prepared to lose another abomination!"
"Usually, I would've done that without even being told, like a good boy. However, there are two things in that statement I can't do as of now. Besides, don't you know what time it is? IT'S INTRODUCTION TIME!"
"Introdu…..MOVE GRENINJA!"
Weavel's sudden outburst made Greninja take a step backwards, for some reason making him crash unto his back. Something made him lose footing, so Greninja looked upon his feet to a sight that took his breath away. The lower half of his legs were transparent, barely visible. His flesh slipped from his body in dark blue embers, climbing up his leg at a faster rate. No matter how many times Greninja tried to uses hydro pump, it didn't slow down his deterioration. The boy came running for Greninja, but sparked the interest of whoever spoke through the walls.
"Sorry looney toons, not feeling up for babysitting. Why don't you wait outside!"
All Greninja saw next was the boy being vaporized by an invisible force. Ash taking up the color of his attire disappeared into the inner walls of Dreadzone. Greninja couldn't even summon the effort to resist, baffled by the dream-like scenario that robbed him of control in an instant. Though there was no mistaken, this wasn't the first time he heard this voice. A voice that gotten so much joy from other's suffering, especially his own. The voice that haunted him many times before in his dreams. This must had been the doing of the Hands. The inner walls of Dreadzone became so distorted by negative energy, it was no longer possible to see beyond them. It was then when the voice spoke once more.
"Oh how boring, you already given up mentally. Well it's not like I was gunning for you anyway. Don't worry froggy, I'm not gonna kill you...yet! Just gonna have chit chat with ya is all. Now I was thinkin' the whole melting thing would've been funny to watch, but you're not even tryin' anymore."
A loud snap caused the area to make a swift transition to solid rock. Like a swap from one picture to the next, his environment instantly became that of a forsaken wasteland. The Varasla realm laid before him. Upon an empty island made entirely of stone, Greninja gazed worriedly to the crimson atmosphere that held many other structures floating adrift. As his thoughts began to wander, a voice had him hastily turn around. Nothing was there, or even in his general area. It sounded so close, yet was everywhere. He had another thought of Weavel's mannerisms. With each word he made Weavel say, they echoed all around him with the same clarity as if he was present.
Greninja cautiously walked to the very edge of the island, more islands hovered in what seemed like a bottomless abyss. Greninja scurried away, frightened by a sudden slight pull upon his chest.
"How do ya like the view, "A familiar voice said far off behind Greninja. Upon glancing behind himself, his heart sank to a familiar oddity. A white glove rested lazily upon a stone throne that wasn't present before within the island's center. Fingers pressed against the ground with its thumb resting upon its palm. The hand took the spitting image of what Greninja saw in his dreams. "You're a Greninja alright. So…...how's life as a Chaser and representative for your peeps? SMASHING, isn't it?"
Without hesitation, Greninja took up his battle stance, conjuring two water katanas. The boiling hatred brewing in his chest wouldn't allow him to trust this entity for a second. He was convinced that Weavel was secretly working for this Hand, acting confused in order to keep a good image for Dedede. It was Weavel who manipulated the Dreadzone unit in the first place. Greninja showed the eyes of a raging Tauros, though it didn't even remotely phase the Hand. It patted upon its palm as it spoke.
"HEY, WATER you lookin at so intensely? Jeeeeeeezzzzzz, and here I thought it was bad enough that your vengeful pup didn't at least send me a letter about your recruitment. Why, I would've UNHANDED any project I was working on and strolled my way to your quarters for a proper greeting. Now here you are, already LEAPING to conclusions."
At that moment, a vortex opened up beside the Hand's throne. Taking up a similar dark themed design like the one Grexx used before, the vortex spat out two roguish humans. The last one to come out made Greninja cringe in discomfort. A girl who appeared human, but had a disfigurement unlike anything he has seen before. Whoever this person was had the Hand chuckling constantly.
The youthful girl gave a heartwarming smile, though it was a bit obvious there was hidden intent behind it. Almost half her body was cloaked in some type of glossy, silver material that latched onto her skin, right eye, hair, and even her attire reminiscent of a knight. A puff of hair concealed her corrupted eye, but her remaining pink colorized eye sat upon the more normal half. Her normal flesh consisted of an olive coloration with several silver cracks scattered across her face . The upper body was covered in silver armor while her waist sported a skirt. High knee boots acted as her leggings. A cloth of sorts seemingly tied her two cotton candy-like pony-tails of light blue that quickly faded into hot pink tips.
"Why did you make us come back here, "yelled one of the humans, rubbing two unstained daggers together. "And what happened with the rest of the lads? Weren't we supposed to take the whole shipment when the guards were distracted?"
"Oh silly, they would've known, "The mischievous girl's voice reminded Greninja of a child, so innocent and energetic it was. However, the rogues could only muster a worried glance her way. She caught their attention with a metallic spider crushed within her hand. It possessed the same key features of the same insect that sent Greninja through a vortex so suddenly. "Besides, you have to fulfill your end before we help you out."
"Uh huh, and we're taking the word of a crazy gal and some floating hand. Our folks must think us insane for making deals with you lot."
"You know, worrying over small stuff will lead to gray hairs. Isn't that right, Handy?"
"Of course, my adorable little sidekick, "The Hand joyously said as it hopped off its throne onto its two middle fingers. "Look darling, we have a guest. A Greninja from the Kalos region."
Greninja remained at a loss regarding his next action. Already, this entity knew who he was and his point of origin. Seemed to also possess decent knowledge regarding the Chasers and their operations. Usually, his instincts would have him act rather than wait. Now, every fiber of his being told him to run as far as he could. Greninja fought against such urges, knowing there was no escape route present. All he could do was fake his bravado when the girl's gaze fell on him. A childish chuckle flowed from her before she gave her opinion.
"I wub me a good froggy. They make this soothing squishy sound when you grab em reeeeeeeaaaaaaal tight by the chest. Squish…...squish…..squuuuuuiiiiiiiissssssssh! Heh heh heh, such a cool froggy. It looks like it can even fight, so bonus points! Can I play with it? I promise not to break it….badly!"
"Now I can't let things get out of HAND so quickly! He's just a tiny little tadpole, finally coming from that shallow pond he called a home. This Greninja's like a pre-cooked patty, or a video game littered with bugs. He ain't ready for a tussle in the SPLASH zone. I'll admit though, the sounds of a squishy frog is quite therapeutic. It's so….RIBBITING!"
"GODS, ENOUGH ALREADY, "Hollered one of the humans whose dagger was directed at the Hand. His ally hesitantly grasped his arm, casting a worried glance over to the entity seemed just as joyful. Shoving his associate off, he went to confront the Hand. "Morale is low as is over at camp. We don't got time to be sitting on our arses hearing you welcome another monster. We don't even know what the last job is, but you already made the guards aware of us."
"I don't ev…...is this creature supposed to be leading the villains, "Greninja whispered to himself, slightly jumped to the Hand swiftly turning for him.
"See tadpole, already LEAPING to conclusions again!"
"WHAT?"
"WHAT!"
"Wait…...you….can understand me?"
"Indeed, I'm HANDS down the best when it comes to translating any language. I knew that extensive course in sign language would be useful."
The entity spoke with such a boastful tone, Greninja almost found himself sickened. Its mannerisms as a whole was utterly childish. He knew there were two hands, but didn't know which name went with which.
"Crazy Hand, "Greninja spat out in disgust, tightening his grip around his blades. "You have to be Crazy Hand. There is nothing 'Master' about you!"
"Oh good, you already know about me and my brother. A shame he couldn't come. Maybe we…...wait, you're new to the Chaser business right? Then…..oh this might be interesting…...very interesting. My shinobi friend, I just came up with an idea. You see, I do feel really bad about wasting yall's time. When I send you back, it'll be with an army of Metalloids. You won't need to lose a single lad or lass."
"Wha…...wha, "One of the humans was overcome by some twisted sense of happiness. A sinister smile creeped onto his face. He kneeled before the entity, willing to be obedient for the sake of coin. "We'll surpass your expectations. What is it you wish?"
"Weeeeeeeeeeell, it's my watery friend over yonder. I like for yall to have a friendly match."
"A…...ma…..match? I…...don't see how that benefits you."
"It'll help me cope with my sudden depression. I robbed Greninja here of his time in the spotlight. So to make amends, i'm giving him another shot. Like Smash, it'll be a fight….TO THE DEATH!"
Beta: AreiaCananaid
