So, in celebration of Sun and Moon, I'm updating Enlightening the Soul. Yay!

I'm totally already planning an installment of Sun and Moon, and for the record, until the official names are out, I'm calling the male "Apollo" and the female "Selene".

That being said~, Lets talk shippings.

Of course, shippings will be a big part of my stories, they always will be. But when it comes to Sun and Moon, I'm thinking of having both Apollo and Selene be in the story as twins or something. I'm already thinking of designated personalities and interests and stuff. Of course, Selene will be the main.

As for ships, I definitely am leaning towards ApolloxLillie. I mean, how can I not? As for Selene, the obvious choice would be Hau. Buuuuut I really, really like Gladion because I really like edgy characters. My problems with both of them; Hau is SOOOOO laid back. Like, you wanna take the Alolan vibe and personify it, Hau is it. And Gladion is like an edgier version of Silver. There's only so much edge I can write and get away with. Plus, Gladion, should I go that way, would possibly be the first non-rival character I've romanced, as well as the first VILLIAN character I've shipped with the main character.

I haven't even challenged the second trial yet, so this may change as I continue on with the game. All I know is ApolloxLillie is pretty much definite.

Amy47101 does not own pokèmon. She only claims ownership of Vale and Sara.

o.0.o.0.o

The Adventure Saga

Enlightening the Soul

o.0.o.0.o

"The base is located here." Silver said, pointing stoically at the map.

"Cherrygrove Coast…?" Ethan said with a furrowed brow. "Are you sure? I've looked over that coast for as long as I've been alive and if Mask has been in operation before I was even born…"

"Idiot, the reason is because it's underwater." Silver snapped. He circled the area with his finger. "About here. And it wasn't always underwater. It was only about two years after I came into the picture that he sunk it, probably as a mechanism to keep us all there and to deter any suspicion. Then again, it might have also been a way to make sure we didn't get any ideas for escape. After all, if the environment changed so much, it would completely botch and plan for escape. That being said, if a company sunk underwater due to 'faulty building mechanics', who would think a bunch of missing kids were under there?"

"It is pretty genius." Fire nodded in agreement. "And I'm guessing that this region doesn't have a diving team in the police force?"

"It wouldn't have done any good." Silver shook his head. "Mask has a plethora of pokémon toying with reality by hiding the actual building behind an illusion. It looks like a wreckage to the naked eye, but if one looked past it…" he trailed off with a huff. "On top of that, he enrolled a ton of Gyrados to guard the 'ruins'. They're trained to violently attack anyone who tries to enter or leave through the water."

"So how did you get out, then?" Sara asked.

"Tunnels." Silver said simply. "Vale and I escaped through a tunnel that let out on the beach. By the time we got to the exit, were being chased by armed guards and helicopters. Vale turned back, and I kept running until I stopped in the forest close to Violet City."

"I never would have thought someone so sinister was hidden so close…" Krystal murmured under her breath.

"I remember hearing a news report about that place sinking." Dayna said softly under her breath. "It must have been terrifying for you…"

Silver chose to ignore her, to prideful to admit that he was a blubbering mess when that damned thing started to sink.

"So what's the plan then, Leafy?" Gary asked, directing the question towards his girlfriend. She was looking at the map, her mind seeming to go a mile a minute as she looked over her the map. There was a long silence as she continued to look.

"We need to split up in groups based on our strengths and our weaknesses." she said slowly. "Krystal with Dayna, Ethan with Fire, and Silver will be with me. Gary…" she trailed off, casting him a long glance, as if she was contemplating her plan. "Gary, you should go with Sara, and I would like it if Looker was on standby with further police backup so we can take into custody anyone who tries to escape."

She inhaled, like the entire ordeal was strenuous for her. She was quiet. Then she opened her mouth and spoke again.

"Krystal's cool headed attitude and team will keep Dayna from freaking out. Dayna, in turn, will act as a good supporting unit through healing and stat-boosting methods. Similarly, Fire's strength will overpower his enemies while Ethan will act as a defensive unit. That being said, Fire's laid-back attitude should keep Ethan's recklessness in line. Silver needs to keep his temper under control. I, in turn, will offer that control." another inhale. "Sara, do you have a fast swimming pokémon?"

"Well, I have Kadaya." Sara said slowly. "She's a Lumineon, and quick enough, I guess."

"I think you and Gary should attack from the water. I believe that you are strong enough to take on these potential threats, and even if you can't defeat them, all you need to do is cause chaos. Same goes to Fire, Dayna, Krystal, and Ethan. I need everyone to cause as much ruckus as they can while Silver and I search for Lyra."

"But isn't he after Silver?" Ethan asked slowly. Silver wasn't sure if he was shocked that Leaf said so much in such a short period of time or if he seriously failed to understand her plan. Even while he could make fun of him, it didn't make much sense to him either that he was going to be on the searching for the hostage when he himself had a huge target on his back.

"Why do you think he's paired with Leaf?" Gary smirked, folding his hands.

"Yeah, you're better off not questioning her." Fire said casually, crossing his arms behind his head. "Her strategies are pretty top notch. If she says to do something, we should do it."

"I have full confidence that her ideas will win the day for us." Dayna said. She was practically radiating honesty and confidence in her friend. "The ruckus should give you two enough time to rescue Lyra."

"And since Silver probably knows the area best, you could navigate quickly enough to find her." Fire added on.

"And Leaf will cover any weaknesses. She could probably blast these guys sky high if she wanted to." Gary's tone was more fond, as if he were extremely proud of her strength. There was a long silence.

"Then it's settled." Silver said, finalizing the conversation as he stood up. Sara widened her eyes.

"But what about-" Sara cut in.

"Mission objective is to save Lyra." Silver cut in coldly. "I've made it perfectly clear at this point that anyone who stands in my way either has to get out of it, or I'll make them move."

"...In a less crude way, I would have to agree, Agent Blitz." Looker said. Sara whipped her gaze around to him.

"But Looker…!"

"Our objective as police officers, above all else, is to ensure the safety of innocents. And as officers, we need to put our emotions and past experiences aside to ensure that safety." he looked at Sara in a way that made Silver think of a father looking upon his daughter. He pitied her situation, and wanted to help her, but knew that his duty and hers couldn't allow that.

And judging by the way that Sara clenched her fists and ground her teeth, she realized that as well.

o.0.o.0.o

"We don't have much time." Silver said as they approached the coast from the forest off of Violet City. He glanced over his shoulder to ensure that the others were following him. "So we need to make this quick. If we aren't fast enough, he's going to hurt her."

"Got it," Gary said simply, tossing a pokéball in the air. A lumbering Gyrados popped out, landing in the water with a splash that was slightly smaller than Silver actually expected. As Gary was preparing to get on the pokémon, Leaf approached them. Sara mimicked his actions and released a Lumineon.

"Looker's on his way with backup." Sara said, approaching Silver and holding out her hand. Silver opened his, and she dropped something that looked like a sleek button. "That's what international detectives like us refer to as a 'panic button'. Basically, it acts as a phone as well as an alarm. If you can't handle a situation, just press the button and the nearest agent will immediately come to your aide."

"Being you." Silver said. He cast a glance over the young detectives shoulder and saw Leaf and Gary hugging. Was she just giving him some long winded explanation just to give them some time? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dayna and Fire touching foreheads together.

Probably.

He felt kind of angry that these four-his seniors, no less-were indulging themselves in each other when they were supposed to be on a mission. A mission to save one of their juniors no less!

"Or one of the twenty some cops Looker's bringing." she grinned in response, casting a subtle glance over her shoulder. Leaf was walking back towards them. "Wishing you the best of luck!"

And like that, she sprinted into the water, shoes and all. She pulled some sort of mask over her head, then grabbed onto Kadaya. With a final wave, she dove under the water and disappeared from sight.

"We'll be back soon." Gary said, sitting on top of his Gyrados, spinning a similar device around his finger. With nary a word, he pulled the mask over his face. He then gave a two fingered salute, then his Gyrados dove down under the water.

They stared at the water for a few moments, Leaf lingering for only a moment before she turned and strode back to the group.

"Having second thoughts?" Fire asked. His tone was teasing, but Silver could hear an underlining tone of worry and concern. Dayna stood there, nervously biting her thumb nail as she looked on at their interaction. Leaf held a stoic look, but her eyes said it all.

My strategies are flawless.

"This way." he said, breaking the tension he didn't particularly care about and gesturing for them to follow. Weavile was out on his shoulder, as he wanted a pokémon out in case they were ambushed. But considering that Mask wanted him to come… Silver knew that he probably wasn't going to be ambushed until he actually got into the base.

He came upon the edge of the beach with some boulders and such in the sand. A small cave came into vision. Most people didn't know about this cave, and if they did find it, all they would see was a stoney cave with some water dripping down.

"This is almost soothing…" Dayna murmured. "It's a shame that this place leads to the base of such horrible people."

"Yeah, but it's not the first time something like this has happened." Fire continued. "Giovanni was the gym leader in Kanto. No one would dare suspect a gym leader, you know?"

There was a long silence. Silver could feel someone's gaze boring into him. He turned to look over his shoulder, and saw Leaf eyeing him up.

"What'cha thinking, Leaf?" Fire teased as they continued further into the cave. "'Cause I can tell you what I'm thinking. Doesn't his hair look like the mop on that kid from three years ago? You know, the redhead who-"

"No one gives a fuck." Silver hissed at him. If anyone was going to find out who his real father was, it was going to be Lyra and it was going to be from his mouth and his mouth alone.

"Touchy." Fire hummed, but didn't push the subject further. Finally, they reached the back of the cave. Silver squinted his eyes. Faintly, he could see the outline of the door.

"Weavile." he said simply. Weavile growled in confirmation, and lashed forward, slashing that the door with a Night Slash. It sparked for a moment, then Silver stepped forward, easily prying the short-circuited door open.

"This seems to easy…" Dayna murmured.

"We haven't even entered the infested waters yet." Silver shot back, leading them into the tunnel. "At this point, he probably knows we're coming." he then turned to them, holding open the door. "So be on guard."

"Go team go!" Ethan shouted, bolting past him.

"Ethan!" Silver hissed.

"What's the problem?" Red asked, also passing him. He was moving in a casual manner, as if everything was normal and peachy. "We're supposed to be a big old distraction for you and Leaf, right?"

"He's right." Dayna said, also passing by him. Silver was surprised by the confident, almost strong tone in her voice. He couldn't help but suppress a smirk. So even she was able to act tough if she had to. She looked back at Krystal, smiling. "Come on Krystal, I'll support you."

"Right." Krystal nodded.

"Come on! Our rescue op. is on!" Ethan exclaimed from further down the hall. Fire grinned, and bolted after him while Dayna and Krystal lagged a little behind him.

"We'll go right, you two go left!" Fire grinned. With a happy wave, he smiled. "See you later Dayna!"

Dayna nodded reassuringly, then the two groups parted ways.

Leaf didn't say the word as she walked past him, stride confident in every way.

o.0.o.0.o

"No doubt Gary is kicking ass at this point," Fire grinned as he casually ordered his Elictivire to attack. "So in turn…"

"We've gotta do just as good!" Ethan finished as his Noctowl put most of their enemies asleep using Hypnosis. With most of them out of commission, Fire finished the job with a good Thunder attack. Ethan heaved out a sigh of relief, glancing back at his senior.

"This is a lot harder than I thought it would be." he admitted carefully. "I'm not really strong, not as strong as Silver or Lyra at least."

"Don't dwell on it, kid." Fire shook his head. "You don't need strength to help people. You just need to know how to use what you have to the benefit of others."

"Really?" Ethan said slowly. He shot him a doubtful smile. "Must be easy coming from an original dexholder, chosen one of Moltres and defeater of Team Rocket."

"Coming from the one who was chosen by Entei?"

"I'm apparently a reincarnation. Basically a recycled version of a hero of the past."

"Doesn't make you any less important." Fire smiled. "Do you think my strength came to me naturally?"

Ethan shrugged.

"I've found that," Fire said slowly. "Once you gain a little bit of strength… People always assume that you're powerful. You were born that way. And while it's nice to be recognized as some sort of god among pokémon trainers… What they don't realize is that we had to work for our titles. Gary and Leaf always shown strength in pokémon battles. Given their heritage, it's no surprise that they were naturals. But me? Every single battle was a struggle. I lost some. I won some. And then I really lost some."

He smiled at Ethan, a pokéball in hand.

"It was a struggle, that was sure. But after Leaf was crowned champion, I began to wonder, why bother challenging those two over and over again when I was out matched and out beat no matter how many times I modified my team? What was the point of trying to prove my strength when those two already outdid me in every way? So I decided," he glanced down at his pokéball, as if smiling to the creature within. "To instead use my strength for something other than fighting."

"Other than fighting?"

"Yeah. See, I liked helping people. I liked making people smile by helping them with my pokémon. It was always like that, even when I was a kid. It made me happy to make other people happy. So I decided," he smiled brightly. "To completely devote myself to that talent. So I chilled out a bit, and began helping people out more so than battling."

There was a pause, then Fire let out a humorous, cheerful laugh.

"Got sort of philosophical there. Sorry about that! Just know that there's strengths outside of fighting, and not all people are cut out for it, you know?"

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Fire saw Ethan smiling.

"Yeah, I get it."

"Good, now-"

As Fire took another step forward, he felt something shift under his foot. He looked down, and saw a green, circular panel under his foot. He blinked.

"What the-?"

Suddenly, the area warped and changed around him. Faintly, he heard Ethan call his name. Then, something popped, and he was moving. It was almost like when he had his Espeon teleport him, just… weirder. He closed his eyes and waited for the sensation to stop, then, he opened them, blinking his eyes to adjust to his newer dark surroundings.

"Well, this definitely isn't ominous." he said slowly, stepping off the odd panel and looking around. He couldn't discern any shapes in the darkness.

"If you're so curious, that's what we call a warp pannel. It acts like a teleportation device, though rather crude as it can only teleport you all to one place, designated by the one who has the full control of the base."

"Thanks for the enlightenment." he answered cautiously.

"My pleasure."

"Wanna turn on the lights or am I gonna have to play a guessing game?"

"Fire Red."

He turned to the voice stating his name. He slowly moved a hand to a pokéball. Faintly, he heard the gentle tapping of boots across the floor.

"Congratulations," the voice continued. "You're the first to fall."

Then something red flashed into his vision and his body was suddenly barraged with a series of metallic punches. He flew back, landing in a heap on the floor, his pokéball rolling slowly away from his hand.

Weakly, his vision blurred in and out of consciousness.

o.0.o.0.o

Silver was frustrated about the fact that Leaf only seemed to have one speed of movement; that of a much to slow walk. But despite her strength, Silver knew he couldn't leave her behind to find Lyra himself. As much as he hated to admit it, him being alone was what Mask wanted. And he didn't trust that Mask didn't have something up his sleeve, something hidden behind these clean white walls and pristine tiles.

"This is the only other place that I could think of him keeping her." Silver said slowly. He had already checked all the prison blocks, and basically kicked open any door that he came across to find her.

It all amounted to absolutely nothing.

With each rise of hope that perhaps, that time around, she would be there, waiting for him, it was followed by a crushing defeat to find the room empty. And each time this was followed by a bout of rage and anger. He honestly felt that he was on the verge of a panic attack, something he hasn't felt since he was ripped from his home so man years ago. All he could think of was that Mask already made good on his promise or hurting her, or maybe even moving her somewhere else.

Sometimes, a different thought flicked through his head. That this was all an elaborate trap set by Mask, and that he only had Lyra's pokégear, not the girl herself. Maybe, he thought, Lyra was somewhere in one of his secret bases, unable to contact them, or she was taking a break somewhere. After all, a lot has happened over the course of her journey. She won her gym badges, but also got abandoned by her mother. He could only imagine the stress he was under… After all, he experienced it too.

But then darker thoughts plagued his mind, thoughts of blood and murder… And just how easy it would be to get rid of a body as small as hers when they were underwater and had a horde of ravage Gyrados hungry for meat.

Leaf brushed past him, opening the door. Had she run out of patience?

The door swung inwards, and inside was a small room. While the walls were covered with plain white plaster, Silver knew underneath they were reinforced with concrete. There was a small window made of reinforced, unbreakable glass, mostly to keep the occupants from breaking it open, and mostly because they were strategically placed at the deepest depths of the ocean. Breaking that window would instantly flood the room.

o.0.o.0.o

"Come on… Come on…!"

After what seemed like hours of desperately struggling with breaking the window, he finally decided to work with the screws bolting it in place. He let out a cry of overwhelmed relief as it loosened slightly. While two years of staying here had almost completely hardened his emotions, five-year-old Silver was shaking with terror as the building shuddered and suddenly began moving downwards. They were sinking, and he knew he was going to die.

"Silver!" he heard the horrified gasp of his name. All to quickly, skinny arms wrapped under his arms and put him in a weak Nelsons hold. Despite being only two years his senior, Vale had no trouble subduing the terrified five-year-old.

"We're gonna die, Vale! We're gonna die!" he screamed in pure terror kicking out his legs as he struggled to get back to his escape.

"If you do that, we're both gonna get in trouble!" Vale hissed in a warning as she kept her gaze steady on the doorway. They were forbidden to close the doors without permission, and doing so would result in punishment.

"Vale-!" he cried out as she dragged him behind one of the beds then lowered them both to the ground. She craned her neck to look at the open door, silently holding him and he continued to squirm and struggling in fear. She simply ran a hand over his hair, trying desperately to calm him down before someone came to report such deplorable behavior.

"I can't take you to look at the stars anymore." she murmured quietly. "I'm sorry, Silver. This is all I can do."

o.0.o.0.o

Not much changed, not that he expected it too. The beds were still pristinely made, and it was all plain, neutral colors of gray and white. Obviously, it was vacant.

A hand was on his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leaf, who was staring into the room with the same stoic expression. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't need her pity.

"This place is suffocating." Silver finally said. He brushed off her hand and moved to the next room and the next. Lyra was nowhere to be found.

Leaf remained silent as they passed through every doorway.

"Damn it all to hell." he cursed under his breath as their search turned up fruitless. Again, the crushing fear of his hope draining away overwhelmed him. Lyra wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight, if any at all considering how trusting she was.

"Frustrated yet, Silver?"

Suddenly, his despair was replaced with burning rage as he snapped his gaze up. Over the intercom, he could hear that despicable bastards voice.

"Why are you sending me on these wild chases?" Silver hissed. "Tell me! I'm here, aren't I?!"

"My, isn't this a development? You were always in so much more control than the others. I never saw you shed a tear or throw a fit. You knew better than to bite the hand that fed you. And yet… Here you are now, pitching a fit like a petulant child. Has that ever gotten anyone anything but trouble, Silver?"

Silver could feel his nails digging into his palms, the sharp pain going through the cloth of his gloves. He was right. Mask was right, and he knew he was right. Silver very rarely let his emotions get the better of him… especially when it counted. But at this point, he was so sick of these mind games, so sick of Mask, so sick of everything that he just wanted Lyra back. He wanted to return to some semblance of normalcy that he managed to develop with her.

"And for the record, Silver," there was a pause. Silver could almost imagine the sick grin that matched the smile of his signature mask. "You've failed."

Silver felt his stomach drop for a moment, but then he inhaled. That could mean anything, really. It was just another mind game.

"If you do not believe me, could you please direct your attention to the screen here."

On demand, a screen dropped from the ceiling, directly in front of him and Leaf. It flickered to life and Silver could only open his mouth in both shock and horror.

There were four panels exactly, and within each panel was the beaten forms of the dexholders that had come into the building with him. Dayna, Fire, Krystal and Ethan looked like they were fighting for a while… And it looked like the attacker didn't stop after their pokémon were knocked out.

"All of them…?" Silver could only barely mutter.

"Where's… Gary?"

Leaf's voice was quiet, and Silver honestly felt his stomach drop for her. At least on this footage, it was obvious that the four they captured were breathing and alive. Gary and Sara, for all she knew, could be Gyrados food at the moment and they wouldn't know any better.

"… He needs him." Silver said slowly. "He wants the dexholders, especially if they hold a connection to a legend. Gary has association with one of the legendary birds, correct?"

Leaf stared at him for a moment, then nodded. While it was no consolation, it was all the comfort he could offer at the moment.

"For the record, you all fell into this trap splendidly. I promise you that Miss Lyra is still alive, but I'm willing to wager a bet with you, Silver."

Silver narrowed his eyes.

"Before you is a warp panel. If you can defeat the opponent that lies in wait for you, then I promise that I'll allow these children to live to see the sunlight another day."

And with that, the intercom went silent and the screen disappeared. Silver stood silently as he stared at the glowing tile before him.

"So what are we going to do?"

Silver glanced at her. Despite being the so-called leader of the dexholders, it was clear to him that this decision was up to him.

"I know it's probably a trap." he said slowly. "I know this… And I know it's probably going to end in my demise… But I don't care. Because all I have to do," he smirked, glancing at her. "Is win."

Leaf stared at him a few moments longer, then nodded in approval.

The two stepped onto the warp panel together. They teleported into an enormous battle arena, an arena Silver recognized. He remembered training here, alongside his Sneasel and Vale. It wasn't only battling, it was everything. Training to be the best at fighting physically, outsmarting people mentally… He even remembered being summoned here and suddenly being ambushed as a test of instinct.

White pristine walls surrounded them. An observation window was above them, no doubt Mask was up there, watching their every move.

He heard a sharp intake of breath, and glanced at Leaf. Her eyes were wide with horror as she stared, fixated on something. He followed her gaze and found himself staring in shock. In the center of the arena was none other than Gary Oak, except the fact that he wasn't looking to good. He was waterlogged and just sort of laying there… his lips looked a little blue too…

Before he could properly investigate this, however, Leaf had beat him too it, bolting across the area and kneeling before him.

"Gary…?"

The murmur practically echoed in the large empty room, punctuated only by the tapping of footsteps.

"I promise you, he is alive. If we wanted him dead, he would be dead."

Silver narrowed his gaze. In contrast to the stark, white walls was Vale, dressed in all black with her raven black hair. The visible half of her face was serious, deadly so. Leaf almost immediately got to her feet, hand going to her pokéballs. Before she could even summon a creature, a scizor shot across the room and beat the champion of Kanto with a barrage of punches. The final punch sent her flying back, where she hit the wall and slid down. A warp panel suddenly activated under her form, and she was gone in an instant.

In a similar manner, Gary suddenly disappeared as well, leaving only them.

"Well then, Silver." Vale said, turning her attention back to him. "Seems I beat the Kanto champion."

"Because you used underhanded tactics." Silver spat back. "That's what all of this was, wasn't it? You tricked them, caught them off guard, manipulated them… If this was a fair fight, they would have annihilated you."

"I wonder about that." Vale said slowly. Silver couldn't help but notice how much she looked like a true executive. He knew she was good at putting up a ruthless act to please, but to this extent… was unsettling. "Silver, you should understand best that nothing in this world is particularly fair. So why should I be fair?"

Silver wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he didn't.

"Well, you want to prove your strength, correct?" she extended her hand, and more pokémon emerged from their capsules. Her Altaria and her Froslass floated above her. "Here's your chance. In order to spare the lives of your friends, you must prove yourself worthy to work alongside them. And to do that, you have to beat me, Masks ultimate fighting machine, The Destroyer."

o.0.o.0.o

Proton watched silently through the observation window as Vale began to face off against Silver. While he was aware of an overwhelmingly strong trainer that worked within these walls, he also knew that almost no one was a match for the dexholders. And yet, with his help, the eighteen-year-old swatted them aside like they were bug-types. It was… almost terrifying.

"And so it begins." he turned, looking over his shoulder, seeing none other than the boss man himself.

"Her strength is… dare I say horrifying? She knocked them aside like they were nothing."

Mask simply let out a laugh in response.

"Don't overestimate her. It was like Silver said, if she really were to face the infamous dexholders in a fair fight, she'd certainly struggle. But with that being said, Vale knows how to manipulate everything to her advantage." his attention was focused solely on the battle at hand. "She has no choice but to follow my direction. She is exactly as I built her to be. From the time she was a girl, and ran into my arms with hopes of a new 'family'… I've molded her into what she is today. I've created something truly astounding. I've created a girl who fights only for her own gain, a girl who does not feel remorse for her opponent, if only she gets the praise she craves. She has no blind spots, no weaknesses! She is a force of destruction, the ultimate fighting machine! Whether underhanded or not, Vale will annihilate anything in her path. That is her predetermined fate, thus her name."

"Her name?"

"Didn't you know, Proton? Vale, in every sense of the word, means 'farewell'."

There was a bit of a silence as Proton continued to stare down at the field. It seemed the two were still exchanging words…

"Even then…" Mask continued. Proton could practically sense his smirk. His turned and gestured to a small cage in the corner. It looked like a pokémon carrier. Proton kept his gaze on it for a moment. "If Vale has any semblance of remorse or rebellion left in her, with the creature that resides in that crate allows me to control it. If she lashes out, she looses one of her beloved partners. Just as Vale has no blindspots, I have none either. She is but a marionette, and I am pulling the strings."

And as if punctuated by that point, the battle suddenly erupted. Proton was barely able to keep up with the quick attacks. It was like they were barely able to hold back, and it was just so…

"It seems rushed, doesn't it?" he commented quietly. "Is it because they're off their game due to their prior relationship?"

"Silly, inexperienced Proton." Mask commented, shaking his head. "This is a high level battle, where one must think several steps ahead of their opponent. Vale probably already has everything about Silver mapped out… Especially so since Silver isn't thinking logically at this point. He's blinded by the fact that we have Lyra. He's so angry, so enraged that we've outsmarted his every move that his defeat is simply only a matter of time."

"Father? You wanted to see me?"

Proton again turned, seeing a young man with a hood standing in the doorway. His height made him seem older than he was, but Proton was aware of this seventeen-year-old. The 'hidden child', the supposed blood son of the man himself. On his shoulder was a Ratatta. His hand was resting against the doorframe, as if he was hesitating slightly.

"Ah, my son. Come here, I want to show you something."

The young man slowly stepped forward. Proton found himself gazing at his profile, trying to see past the shadows that his hood provided, trying to find the familial resemblance. Mask put a hand on his shoulder, his tone suddenly very different. It was much more gentle, almost sounding like how a humble, caring father would truly feel for his children… The perfect disguise, Proton felt, for the cold, manipulative, and proud man that he just saw.

"Do you recognize her, child? The young woman you consider to be a friend?"

Subtly, he nodded.

"I'm about to show you how much of a monster she really is."

o.0.o.0.o

Whelp, here it is. I decided to leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger… Then delve into the battle between Silver and Vale.

Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy!

Amy47101 signing off! ^.^