Chapter 11: Born in Shadow

The child shivered in Dysmas's presence, his whole body quaking as he clutched his bag tight to his chest and stared dimly up at the man.

His skin was a dark grey now, scars visible along his body from his earlier thrashing, with two ebony black canine ears visible beneath his dark hair. Along his bare back two white bones were visible running horizontal from his spine and below them a thin black tail could be seen snaking over his shorts that clung to his thin frame.

The child's chest bore an orangish hue, contrasting the blacks and greys, and his wrists and ankles were encircled with thin white bands.

Dysmas studied him a long moment, a faint smile visible at the cruel leader's lips, then he rose and motioned the boy to step up beside him, "Here is our newest member, a man-made gijinka…"

The boy hesitantly stepped up beside him, his icy blue eyes trained on the ground as the other organization members whooped and hollered down below.

Dysmas's smile broadened as he laid an arm across the boy's shoulders, "I'm sure Shadow here will be a valuable asset as our work continues…"

Marik stepped to his leader's side as the lower ranks dispersed, his gaze scanning over them before dropping to the newly named Shadow, "I'm sure your new pet will be just fine boss, how long until his first mission?"

"Soon, the scientists have a little more to finish first then we'll have to see how his illusion gene works…can't have our 'experiments' out for the public eyes after all…" Dysmas resumed his seat as he shifted his gaze to his loyal admin, waving the child away to rest for now, "Progress has been smooth so far but we must be careful after that 'tragedy'…"

"True, it's best we don't let any more surprises crop up…" Marik watched Shadow stumble off the raised platform towards the back hallway, his expression unreadable as he watched the child wander off, "Perhaps it is time we moved the base from Hoenn…"

"Plans have been made…Sinnoh seems more promising for our evacuations…" Dysmas leaned back in his throne as his absol appeared beside him, the scarred feline taking a seat at his master's right hand, "Ah Death, ready to train our new pet?"

The absol rumbled, the sound held between a snarl and a growl as he accepted his master's caress.

Marik frowned and took a step back, casting a nervous glance at the dark pokémon, "Right, I'll head back out then and make sure they don't break anything…is the transport blimp ready?"

"Yes, they finished construction this morning…" Dysmas glanced up for a moment before returning to his strange ritual with his oldest pokémon, "Take it at your leisure but don't break it, I'll need it back once preparations are complete here…"

"Of course…" Marik muttered, turning and taking his leave then as his larvitar appeared at his side, "I'll send it back with the 'treasures' later."


Shadow's eyes snapped open to see the moon gloating full above him, the cold light somewhat comforting after everything else. He scanned the darkened alley, knowing that they had already moved on for the time being, and shivered in the light evening breeze.

"They're so far ahead, can we even save this stupid region?" he rose shakily to his feet, using the wall behind him to balance as he pulled the strange ancient pokèball out, "What about you Kage? What do you want?"

'You defended me from them, I will continue to do whatever you desire…but it is your choice what side…' the telepathic voice was quiet and cold as the dark shape in the pokèball shifted to gaze out at him, 'I once believed all was lost, I threw myself into the lake praying for death…and yet here I have been given a second chance…'

Shadow sighed and shifted his gaze back up to the moon, "I suppose that's enough then…we'll make time our friend…and stop the coming eclipse…"

The dark blue shard dangling from his neck flashed briefly at the word time before fading again, leaving a faint tingling as he slipped back up to the alley mouth.

"You still trust me Kage? Maybe once this is over we'll find peace together…"

'You are the first human that was kind to me…if death is our road then let us hurry down it together…'

He managed a faint smile as he tucked her pokèball back in his bag, his eyes returning to the quiet main street that ran through Viper City, "That sounds like a plan, two badges between us and the mountains…then onward again…"