" So you're okay right," asked Brock.
" Yeah. I'm alright. I am just a little sore from that shadowification... process thing," said Mario.
" Well this town should have a pokemon center so we will get you checked out you know, make sure nothing is wrong, then we will be on our way," said Brock.
" We are going to the pokemon lab here to see what is going on," explained Luigi.
" I guess Mount Battle will have to wait," said Ash.
They walk into Agate Village.
" The pokemon center is right over there," said the old man. He pointed to the pokemon center.
" Thank you," thanked Ash.
"I feel fine, really. I just want to help the region," said Mario.
" You can do that after your check up," said Luigi.
Nurse Joy came out and escorted Mario into the pokemon center. Luigi kept Brock from going inside.
" So, I'll run a scan to see if anything is troubling you," explained Nurse Joy. She had Mario sit down as she prepared a scan. She did the scan.
" So, your results came back and nothing seems to be the matter. You just got hit a lot from what it looks like. You might be sore for a little while but that seems to be it," said Nurse Joy. She dismissed Mario. He came out of the pokemon center.
" She said that nothing was wrong, like I was saying. Now lets go," said Mario.
They are heading to the Pokemon H.Q. Lab.
" My feet hurt," groaned Ash.
" Can we stop to sit down or something," asked Brock.
" We've only been walking for a few miles or so," said Luigi.
" We never get tired from walking... or running," added Mario.
" We aren't like you. Can we stop? We do get tired," groaned Ash.
" Fine. I guess we can stop and eat. We haven't eaten in forever it seems," said Luigi.
" I haven't eaten in a few days. I was passed out," added Mario.
" Well, I brought some rice balls and some water," said Brock.
" Lets dig in," said Ash.
" That was yummy," said Mario.
" Its much better than those mushrooms we eat," added Luigi.
" Uh... its just rice... in ball form," said Brock.
" Well, they are from a different universe. They probably have never heard of rice,"said Ash.
" Lets head out. We should be there soon," said Luigi. They packed up their camp and started walking again.
They walked into the Pokemon H.Q. Lab. They walked up to the front desk. The lady had her head down on the desk.
" Hello, I would like to ask the professor something," said Luigi.
The lady snored.
" I think she's asleep," noted Ash.
" Hey lady," yelled Mario.
The lady jerks her head up. " Hello and welcome to the Pokemon H.Q. Lab! We offer a guide in one of the most mysterious topics! Just head upstairs and you can talk to the professor," recited the lady.
" I guess we go up," said Brock.
They head up to the second floor. They are greeted by the professor.
" Why hello there. My name is Professor Krane. We don't get many visitors. What brings you here," asked Krane.
" Me and my friend have a question regarding your studies for shadow pokemon," said Luigi.
" I see. You want to know about the events of a few years ago," asked Krane.
A guy ran into the hallway where they were.
" Sir! The news is on and it seems to be a big story," yelled the guy.
" Oh no...," muttered Krane.
They walked into the lounging area with the T.V.
" Hello and welcome to ONBS news. There is breaking news! An agent from the thought to be dead, Cipher has come this way to tell us their plan. This seems kind of suspicious since the last time there were shadow pokemon outbreaks, they stayed in the shadows. We now go to a field agent with the story," announced the news anchor.
" We are here live with one of the admins of Cipher. Now, you had something you wanted to tell everyone," asked the agent.
" I did indeed. Thanks to more technology becoming available to us, we now can reverse the effects of purification and if by some chance the initial shadowification doesn't work, we can slowly close the door to the pokemon's heart. That darkness will stay in there. So, little pokemon that got away earlier this week, are you feeling lucky," asked Amelia.
" You better hope that all your pokemon were with you and that your pokemon isn't the one she's talking about... this doesn't sound good," said the agent.
" It is good for us. Soon, we will have a brand new member to our team. Just watch, Cipher will be strong once again," said Amelia. The T.V. turned off.
" Wait... what was she talking about," asked a guy.
" There seems to be a pokemon out there that escaped being turned into a shadow pokemon. Too bad that pokemon will turn evil," said Krane.
Mario, Luigi, Ash, and Brock looked freaked out, Mario and Luigi being the most terrified.
" Um... is there a way to reverse it," asked Luigi.
" You seem nervous...," observed the professor.
" Can we speak with you in private," whispered Brock.
" Why sure. Just come into my office," said Krane.
They walked with him to his office.
" Now what seems to be the problem," asked Krane.
" I may have been that pokemon from the news...," murmured Mario.
" Oh that isn't good. Well, this problem has never come up. I don't know what to do. I'll see if we can't remove that. Come with me," said Krane.
Mario and Luigi walked with Professor Krane.
" So, how is it that you can talk," asked Krane.
" This is not the time for this question," said Mario frantically.
" Sorry its just that you never see pokemon that can talk... except for chatots but they mimic speech. Now, ever since the last time that shadow pokemon were a threat, we had scanner that could scan for dark energy," explained Krane.
They walk to an x-ray of sorts.
" Now, please go in here. We will stand behind this lead wall," said Krane. Him and Luigi stood behind a wall until the test was over.
" What are the results," asked Mario.
" Well... unfortunately... she was right. There seems to be a small speck of dark matter in your heart. It was also slowly growing when I looked," said Krane.
" No! This can't be! I have saved worlds, saved galaxies, saved all dimensions, and this is how I'm defeated," asked Mario angrily.
" Just calm down," said Luigi.
" Wait... what," asked Krane.
" Oh... right... you are still here...," said Luigi.
" Just what is going on," asked Krane.
" My pokemon was in several plays and performances...," explained Luigi.
" Oh. That makes sense," said Krane.
Mario walked out angry. Luigi was stopped by Professor Krane.
" You need to calm him down. I fear that if he gets angry enough then the shadow will only get larger. Now, come with me for a second," said Krane.
Luigi followed professor Krane to a small room with gadgets. Professor Krane pulled out a pokemon snag machine.
" This is a machine that goes on your arm. It helps to catch shadow pokemon. I never thought that we would have to use this again but I'm glad I kept this. It has a detector that measures the heart of pokemon. It will tell you if there is a shadow pokemon. Use it well," said Krane. He gave Luigi the snag machine. Luigi put it on.
" Thank you... wait one more question... if his heart has some shadow in it... wouldn't that make him somewhat of a shadow pokemon," asked Luigi.
" It does. Just try to keep him happy," said Krane. Luigi walked back to the others.
" So, why did you go on T.V. to announce that Cipher is back? I wanted it to be hidden to everyone," said the boss of Cipher.
" It was so that I could strike fear in the hearts of those who escaped with one of our most powerful to-be shadow pokemon," explained Amelia.
" How did this pokemon get away," asked the boss.
" Well, his friends came to save him. This one kid fried the controls with some kind of electricity from his hands," explained Amelia.
" I thought you said before this happened that the powerful pokemon was being turned into a shadow pokemon. Why didn't you just use a shadowball on the pokemon," asked the boss.
" I tried! It failed. Somehow he resisted to it. Don't worry though, as soon as he is a full shadow pokemon, he's ours. Its only a matter of time," said Amelia.
" Why did we have to go to a stupid desert," asked James.
" Pikachu and that combusken is there... not to mention that new twerp," said Jessie.
" Its too hot," complained Meowth.
So now they have a new problem on their hands. Mario is slowly becoming a full shadow pokemon and no one knows how to fix it.
