TOTALLY VOLUNTARY DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon Colosseum. XD, yes, Colosseum, no.

Chapter 13: Yet Another Call

The room was dim as the screen flickered to life, displaying a man with long bluish hair standing on end. A second later, an image of a second man with shorter black hair in a lab coat appeared as well.

"Gentlemen" said Nascour "What is the situation?"

"Things are going just peachy over here, bossman" said Miror B, giving a little spin for good measure. "Shadow pokémon are leaking onto the streets, the police are clueless, our little hostage is making Duking keep his distance and that unfashionable rebel Wes has been captured and handed over to Gonzap, who's waiting to renegotiate his contract."

"And the girl, B?" asked the second man in an exasperated voice. Simply being near the other admin gave him headaches, let alone actually talking to him.

"We have her, Einie, safe and sound. Stop being such a worrywart."

"I am being a worrywart?" Ein growled. "It may have flown over your excessively large head, but the key to our plans is that no one can tell that shadow pokémon have undergone anything more than extreme breeding, training and conditioning. If this girl, this "aura-reader" can systematically identify them, then there is the possibility someone could target, counter or possibly even cure the condition. This would be unacceptable! I need that girl, B, to determine how bad could end up. Do. You. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, Einie. You'll get your little science project, first thing tomorrow. I'll send her over with Venus."

Ein muttered something to himself but nodded.

"Hopefully your results will be worth the fact that a scuffle in Phenac City involving two men and a sack is all over the news" said Nascour. "I suggest that you discipline them and then ensure that they stay out of sight until it dies down."

Miror nodded. It might be good to get Folly and Trudley out of his gorgeous hair for a while.

"And now for other matters" the Cipher boss continued. "Ein, how are the tests coming?"

"I am receiving... adequate data from the various trainers in Pyrrite Town" the scientist admitted grudgingly. "The Mark II process should be out of prototype and ready for mass production within weeks. However, I am running low on my current stockpile of Dark Shards..."

"Gorigon has already been dispatched to Almia to obtain more" said Nascour. "What about our... special projects?"

"I have succeeded, with minimal assistance, in converting the three Legendary Beasts" said Ein, clearly proud of it.

"Really, Einie?" teased Miror B. "That Lovrina chick seems to think that she did it all by herself."

"Do. Not. Discuss. Her." Ein growled. "That insufferable brat is quite bad enough on her own, thank you very much!"

Nascour allowed himself an eye roll at the theatrics while he was certain the two admins were looking at each other. No reason to show emotion to the staff, after all.

Ein cleared his throat. "Regardless, I have already given Dakim the shadow Entei and arranged for Venus to receive the Suicune with tomorrow's shipment. I'll need to keep the Raikou here at the lab to make sure that they remain... stable."

"Funny, Ein, how that leaves me high and dry" said B in a voice that said he didn't find it funny at all.

"I already gave you that Sudowoodo you demanded" replied the scientist. "What else to you want? A shadow Arceus? My house? Fashion sense?"

That did it.

"DO NOT INSULT THE FASHION GOD THAT IS MIROR B!" roared the man himself, several octaves higher than his voice probably should have been capable of and had they been in the same room, he probably would have tackled Ein.

"You're wearing a pokéball on your head!"

"RESPECT THE 'FRO, UNFASHIONABLE ONE! RESPECT IT!"

"When Stark Mountain freezes over!"

"Gentleman, please!" growled Nascour, who had half a mind to order both of their assassinations. Well, he'd probably still needed Ein for a while, so maybe just a limb or two.

Ein cleared his throat again. "In addition, Subject T-004 has survived a third exposure run of eighteen hours. I believe that it will be ready for usage within days."

"Good. Realgem Tower's grand opening is in two days. Will it be ready by then?"

Ein looked a little uncertain. "Hopefully. But the shear amount of dark radiation per treatment has been putting an enormous strain on it's body. I've been forced to give it cooldown periods of several hours to avoid killing it."

"Get it done, Ein" said Nascour. "And B, make sure that girl is transferred safely. We can't afford any more bad press or mistakes at this stage in the game. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Roger that, bossman!"

"Very well. Nascour out."

Respect it!

THIS IS NOT A DEAD FIC! IT IS MERELY BEING WRITTEN BY SOMEONE WITH OTHER PROJECTS WHO ACCIDENTALLY FORGOT IT EXISTED! TEMPORARILY! I REMEMBER NOW! I SWEAR!

Just thought you should know that.

Sorry this took absolutely forever. But during the break I took a little suggestion from Ultimate Black Ace and rolled this into a canon of another, much longer Pokémon story which I haven't written yet. I'll get to it. I swear.

And as a result, I had all of these little hints and references to drop.

Also, Ein and Miror B do NOT like each other. Then again, can you really blame them?