Chapter Twelve: Nikura's Story and a Difficult Choice

The atmosphere was filled with silence. Nikura, the fiend Ash and Yuna had faced in the past, was a facsimile of Ash himself. The original Ketchum spoke up after a minute of silence. "W-what... are you?" he managed to choke out. The fiend merely chuckled at this question before responding. "Well, since you know my true face... I guess I'll tell you."

"It happened after you escaped from Team Rocket. The lab was in shambles from that rogue pokemon attack. However, scientists were able to retrieve blood samples from all of the subjects; including you. The research was continued in another lab. They tried and failed to recreate the serum that was injected into you... but that's when it dawned on them..." Nikura did a dramatic pause in order to tease his opponents. "... The blood sample they got from you... was taken after the serum was fused with your genetic code. So they found a way to recreate the source of the sample, and infused it with Dark Aura from the Griseous Orb they had stolen prior... and I was born."

The group stared in shock at Nikura. The story they just heard shocked them to the core. However, he wasn't done yet. "... I spent the next three years developing my powers. Over time, I had become more powerful than all of them combined! That's when it hit me... why should I be taking orders from weaklings like them? So I killed them all and went it alone." Wait. He killed the people that created him? "I set out to wipe out weaklings and make a perfect world for supreme beings! But alas... I did not have the means to do so... until I heard about the Tenshi Stone... with it, I will eliminate weakness! And only the superior will survive!" As he finished, he let out a maniacal laugh.

Ash couldn't take it anymore; Nikura was bat-shit insane. "... So you'd wipe out entire civilizations... JUST FOR YOUR DAMNED IDEALS?" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Boy, was he pissed. Nikura wasn't intimidated, however, and shrugged it off. "Oh, please. You know it's the smart thing to do..." he turned away before continuing. "... and besides... wouldn't you like to punish those former friends of yours for their weakness?" That was enough to get the Crystal Raven's attention. Nikura noticed this and chuckled. "Hmm? It seems I've piqued your interest... do you want to make them pay for abandoning you?"

Ash didn't answer. He didn't know who to be angry at; Nikura for trying to conquer the world, or his former friends for abandoning him and starting this whole mess? "Join me, and we'll rule this world... and punish those fools for deserting you in your time of need... and of course, Yuna will be your queen..." Now Ash was crimson-red. The way he stated that last bit made his heart race. "I know you like her... you might not know it, but we share a link. I know everything about you... and I know you want her... anyways, it's your choice."

Ash was really torn now; if he opposed Nikura, he might save the world... but if he joined him, he would have justice for his former friend's wrong-doing... and have Yuna's heart... what would he do?