-Epilogue, Part 1: Interrogation Process

-Nocturne's POV-

It's been a few months since Connor and Vulcan saved the world a second time. Manaphy had come back, Atlas and Alice were pretty solid, relationship-wise, everyone was pretty happy. Although… Jade still hadn't come around to talking to me after the whole thing right before Darkrai. The most she's talked to me is to assign missions, making sure not to put us together, and would always shut down any attempt to talk to her, which kind of made me a little frustrated. But Alice kept telling me to give her space. So that's what I've been doing.

After a couple months of Manaphy being back, he told Connor and Vulcan about this place called the Marine Resort that he found. Connor liked the sound of that, as well as Rose and Vincent, but everybody else had had enough of water dungeons. After Connor came back from the Marine Resort, Cresselia came by and said that Palkia had fixed the distortion of space that they were causing, meaning that they could evolve now.

Connor evolved into a Marshtomp and spent the cool-off days between evolutions bragging about his hands and how he could finally pick stuff up and use his hands. He challenged me to an arm-wrestling contest, to which I actually lost… Marshtomps are way stronger than they look. Then he played rock paper scissors with Atlas, then asked Vincent for a handshake. He was pretty excited from what I could tell, and was like that the entire time.

Vulcan evolved into a Charmeleon. He didn't look that different, but he was bigger, stronger, and faster. Then, after the cool-off time wore off, they went straight ahead and evolved again.

Connor evolved into a Swampert, becoming way larger, and way stronger. He could almost beat Atlas in an arm-wrestling contest, but not quite. His fighting style had changed only slightly, just adding a little more hand-to-hand fighting on top of his normal moves. He adapted surprisingly quickly, being able to use a lot of fighting-type moves exceptionally well, including focus blast. But I still saw him sticking with a lot of the same moves he learned before.

I trained with him once after he evolved. Emphasis on once. He used brick break, and I was sent flying into the opposite wall of the room we were in. I healed myself up with an oran berry, but I didn't really feel like being slammed into a wall like a defenseless punching bag. Plus, he saved up and traded for a Swamp Bangle, which made grass-type moves restore his energy and didn't do any damage to him. And it was a pretty sick-looking bracelet.

Vulcan evolved into a Charizard. At first, he was at a loss for what to do with his wings. It took him a few days to get flying down well enough to where he wouldn't crash into trees or cliffs, which made him a bit frustrated. Vincent laughed and continued teaching him. His flamethrower attack was really overkill since he evolved, so when he was training and facing outlaws, he had to tone it down a lot, unless the opponent was especially tough, and even then, hold it back some.

Then, after that, he had to construct an entirely new fighting style, since he was almost six feet tall, had wings, was a lot bigger, had a longer tail, and his arms were proportionally smaller now, so most of his hand-to-hand combat that he did as a Charmander wouldn't really work all that well anymore. It was slow progress, but he had the whole team's support the entire time.

It took two months of finding new uses for his wings and figuring out how to use his new form to its fullest with help from Vincent, who would transform into a Charizard and help, before he even showed any progress of finding effective fighting styles. Also, that shiny Charizard from Spinda's Café that one night, who was named Amber, appeared out of nowhere and offered her help too. Vulcan readily accepted it, and I saw Connor staring at her as she instructed Vulcan in the Dojo one day about a week and a half ago.

I elbowed him, "You think she's cute?"

He shook his head, "It's not that… It's her name… I can't help but feel like I know it… From somewhere. But no. I would never find a Charizard attractive… Not like that."

I smiled, "Whatever. If you know her, maybe she's another 'human turned pokemon' or something."

Connor lightly punched me, "Psh, no, Maris said that I was the only human in recorded history on this world, and even then, I was from the future. Humans can't exist in this world."

Rose still hadn't evolved, and to be quite honest, I don't think she plans on it. She's become a lethal fighter in her own right after mastering her serpentine form. She can probably take anyone on the team and give them a good fight, including Jade, Connor, Vulcan and Atlas.

Caroline had asked her a couple times when she was going to evolve, but she always said that she didn't want to right now for whatever reason.

Atlas had finally evolved about a month after Connor and Vulcan using a link cable that he received from a mission a few days prior. At first, he was absolutely baffled about what to do with the extra arms coming from his new extra shoulderblades. He wasn't able to coordinate them with his primary arms very well. He had to spend almost as long as Vulcan constructing a new fighting style, but Alice supported his efforts the entire way through. Plus, his strength was insane now. Like, I thought he was strong as a Machoke. A Machamp is a totally different ballgame.

Once he did get some good moves down, he showed me and Vincent. One of his favorite strategies is grabbing the opponent with two of his hands, then using a double dynamic punch to send them flying.

Mirage and Rose teamed up with Maris from Team Core to find a use for the secret slab, which ended up allowing us to find legendaries that were otherwise hidden in everyday mystery dungeons.

Connor said that our team was already pretty solid, type-wise, and adding anybody else right now wasn't necessary. They kept the secret slab anyways, just in case we ever wanted to use it. Also, we hadn't gotten any more secret rank missions after the Mystery Jungle and Bottomless Sea. We got all seven treasures, or, at least, I think we did. But yeah, everything's worked out pretty well so far.

-Alice's POV-

As the months went on, I kept feeling these strange sensations in the back of my head, making me really paranoid, like with the whole thing with Jade, except they kept becoming more obvious. After consulting with Maris, Chatot and Nashoba, the Riolu from team core, I found out that my emotional manipulation was so strong that I could actually read others' emotions, like a Riolu. I didn't know why, and neither did anybody else, but I wasn't really complaining. It would be pretty cool in the future to help in certain instances. It took a lot practice over a long period of time to hone it to make it accurate, though.

Today, we were meeting up in our usual spot in Spinda's Cafe, when officer Magnezone floated up to our table.

*Zzzt! Team Firestorm! Zzzt!*

Vulcan turned to Officer Magnezone, "Oh! Yes, sir?"

*Zzzt! We would like to request your assistance! Zzzt!*

Connor nodded, "Of course. Who're we going after?"

*Zzzt! This outlaw has already been captured by another exploration team. Zzzt! But we do not know if he is the leader of a group of outlaws, or if he is working for a bigger, more dangerous operation. Zzzt! We have been interrogating him for hours, and he still has not revealed anything. Zzzt! And in spite of his typing, our electric attacks have no use, which has us thoroughly baffled and has rendered our usual methods of eliciting information futile. Zzzt!*

Vincent tilted his head, "His electric attacks don't work? Um… What kind of pokemon is it?"

*Zzzt! It is a Bisharp. Zzzt!*

I felt Jade's mood shift into shock, then anger, and Noc looked at her briefly before resting an arm on her shoulder. But she shrugged his hand off after I felt a pained emotional blip coming from her, then sadness.

Roy smiled and floated forward, "So, what are you proposing we do?"

The officer replied, *Zzzt! If any of you can find a means of extracting information from him, any assistance would be greatly appreciated! Zzzt!*

Roy chuckled, "So… An interrogation? How about I just-"

"Roy!" Rose cut him off, "We're trying to get information, not make him jump at his shadow for the rest of his life!"

Roy smiled, "I can do both. All I need is a few minutes alone, and-"

Connor shook his head, "Until we know for sure what he's done, that's a last resort, Roy."

Roy sighed, "...Very well." Then he muttered, "I never get to have any fun anymore…"

I faced the officer, "Officer, you said it was a male, correct?"

Magnezone nodded, *Zzzt! Affirmative. Zzzt!"

I smiled, "I'll give it a go."

I saw Atlas blushing out of the corner of my eye, and I reassured him, "Don't worry. It's strictly for interrogating."

Connor nodded, "We'll be happy to help however we can."

Officer Magnezone turned, *Zzzt! Thank you! Zzzt! Follow me to the police station! Zzzt!"

So we did. We followed him to a mountain in the great mountain range that divided immanis, and he lead us up a cliff, to a barren cliffside. Vincent looked around, "Um… Where's the entrance?"

Officer Magnezone began rotating his magnets, *Zzzt! Precisely. Zzzt! The station is made so no outlaws can break in or out, and only select exploration teams know of its location. Zzzt!* I heard a metallic sound, and a circular entrance appeared in the cliffside, leading into the mountain.

I heard Vulcan mutter something about a mountain in the future to Connor, and he nodded in reply. Officer Magnezone closed the door behind us with his magnets and used flash to light the way. Roy floated ahead, "What do you do with ghost-type outlaws?" He began drifting towards the wall, "I mean, I could slip out of here as easily as one, two, th-AGH!" He floated backwards, away from the wall as dark electricity pulsed along the area that he had just tried to exit through, and officer Magnezone said, *Zzzt! As well as being made of solid stone, a psychic incantation cast by our head of security keeps ghost types in the confines of this mountain. Zzzt! No ghost type can phase through these walls without special permission. Zzzt*

Manaphy floated closer to Vulcan, climbing onto his back, and Roy shifted nervously, "Suddenly, I feel very claustrophobic..."

Atlas said, "So… What are your jail cells made out of? I mean, I could bend or dent just about any material you guys can think of."

*Zzzt! It is psychically reinforced Draconian Iron. The toughest metal in existence. Zzzt! No amount of strength or any blade is able to bend or cut it. Zzzt!*

Vincent whistled, "Sounds like you guys take this place really seriously…"

We passed through several gates on our way down a winding staircase that were manned by an Aggron, Metagross, Probopass and Klinklang.

Caroline groaned, "This place is so big… How long do you guys keep outlaws here?"

Magnezone turned, *Zzzt! I am the judge of that. Sometimes it may be overnight, sometimes for life, depending on the crime. Zzzt!*

Nocturne looked at the cells that we passed, with really tough-looking pokemon in there, most of them spitting slander and carnal phrases towards me, calling me rather immoral things. Atlas clenched his fists and glared at them, but I placed a hand on his arm, "It's fine. They don't bother me."

He relaxed slightly, and Magnezone led us through a bunch of different winding pathways, and he stopped in the front of a massive gate with no openings. It looked like it could withstand Atlas' onslaught, so nobody was getting out of there unless they were let out.

Magnezone turned to us, *Zzzt! This is where outlaws are interrogated. Zzzt! This outlaw is immune to electricity, for an unknown reason. Zzzt! Now, who would like to try first? Zzzt!*

Vincent raised his hand, "I'll go. This place gives me the creeps." He transformed into a Golurk, "Open 'em."

Magnezone explained to knock three times when he was done, and the doors swung open as Magnezone rotated his magnets, drawing the metal towards him. Once Vincent went in, the doors shut. It was hard to tell how much time went by, but after a little while, we heard two knocks and Vincent walked out. He transformed back into a Smeargle, and his expression told me everything I needed to know.

"Didn't go well?"

He replied, "That's Mordred. He's the same Bisharp that Atlas and I beat the snot out of back when you were off with the guild exploring Fogbound Lake."

Behind me, Atlas gasped, "What?!"

Vince nodded, "Yeah. And since he's part dark-type, I couldn't use mind reader, and nothing I said even got his attention. So… yeah… Anyone else wanna give it a go?"

Magnus said, "If he's not talking, then f*** it! Let's beat the answers out of him!"

I looked at him, "Let me have a go at it. I can make him talk without all the violence."

Roy said, "Okay, pleeeease let me go before Alice ruins all the fun?"

Connor shook his head, "No, Roy. We're not."

He looked to the floor, "…You're all a bunch of killjoys, you know that?"

Magnezone instructed me the same way he did Vince, and after the doors closed behind me, I saw the Bisharp. He certainly looked menacing, even with his arms held to his sides. When I walked in, he glanced at me, then let out a short laugh while looking to the ground, "Of course they send a Lopunny…"

"So you were expecting me?"

"You won't get any answers out of me with sweet talk, girl." He spat the last word with so much hatred it made my eyes widen momentarily.

I raised an eyebrow, "There's no need for name-calling here, Mordred."

His eyes widened for a moment before he regained his stoic expression and stopped talking. I could feel his surprise, and I continued, "That's right… I know your name, and who you're working for already. Now, just tell me what he wants, and I'll leave you alone."

He opened his mouth slightly, but winced and kept quiet. I looked at the Magneton in the back, who was keeping Mordred's arms at his sides with his magnetism, and I opened my eyes a little bit wider, dilating my pupils and actually activating attract, "Mordred… Will you please tell me? If you don't, then I'll have to get mean, and trust me, you won't like it when I'm mean. Officer Magnezone gave me permission to do whatever I please if you don't cooperate, and I know some pretty painful moves that'll break right through that steel skin of yours."

He stared at me silently with a strained expression on his face. I could tell that I was close to breaking through.

Then, he asked, "So… Who are you working for?"

I reeled back a little bit, "Th-That's not for you to know."

Then, he did something that surprised me. He used Attract, making me blush in spite of myself. He asked again, "So, who's team are you on, miss?"
I looked at the Magneton, who looked oblivious to the whole thing, and shook my head, "I'm... not telling…"

Is this what it feels like when I do that? It's so hard to resist… I'm lucky I use that tactic so much, otherwise I'd give away everything.

Mordred's eyes glowed for a moment before he quickly said, "I'm done here. Magneton, initiate."

The Magneton nodded and began rotating his magnets, *Zzzt! Alert! Alert! There has been a security breach! Alert! Alert! Zzzt!*

Alarms started blaring and flashing red, and I looked back to the door and knocked twice. I waited, but they didn't open. I turned back around as Mordred walked forward casually, with the Magneton at his side, "Well, then… This has been fun, but I've got important matters to attend to. And I can't have you meddling, now, can I? I'll make sure to tell Vulcan you were sorry when I destroy all he loves."

I backed towards the wall, and he extended his metal blades, "Master Victor sends his regards." I used agility and dashed around him, but the Magneton used magnet bomb to latch little metal spheres onto my arms and legs and pin me to the wall, rendering me helpless. Mordred sighed, "This is being delayed too long. Magneton, finish the job. I don't have time for this."

He walked forward, and a Banette phased into the room and grabbed hold, "Welcome back, Master Mordred… We've much to discuss."

Then, they phased into the wall and were gone. After that, I looked back to the Magneton, who began glowing, *Zzzt! Apologies, miss! Zzzt!* Then, the room started to rumble. The Magneton stopped charging his thunderbolt and looked around, and I saw the door being cratered inwards. Atlas...

I found myself smiling for a moment, but the Magneton shook itself and turned back to me, *Zzzt! Enough distractions! Zzzt!*

He shot the thunderbolt at me, and I closed my eyes. When I didn't feel anything, I opened my eyes, and I saw the thunderbolt as it arced backwards, inches from my face, into a raised bone club. Vincent, as a Marowak was standing at the freshly made hole in the door with Atlas, who was charging forward, "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"

The Magneton yelped and tried to float away, but Atlas grabbed it and held all three of its orbs in three of his arms, pulled it apart, and threw it into the opposite wall, making three craters in the solid stone. He turned to me and pulled the metal orbs off of my arms and legs, freeing me from the wall, "You alright, Alice?"

He carried me in his lower pair of arms, and I nodded while looking up at him, "Yeah… Thanks."

He smiled, "Don't mention it."

Vincent handed him his belt, "Here. I don't want you to bring the whole place down on us."

Atlas nodded and put his belt back on with his other pair of arms, "Thanks, Vince."

The whole team poured in through the hole in the door, demanding to know what happened.

"I… I thought I was making progress, when suddenly he just… said that he was done, then told the Magneton to let him go, and it listened. Then a Banette just… phased in, took him, and phased out."

Roy looked to the walls, "Um… Didn't mister Officer say that it was psychically enchanted, or something? To prevent that kind of thing?"

Officer Magnezone looked to the Magneton that Atlas destroyed, *Zzzt! Scanning identity… Zzzt! This Magneton shows up nowhere in our database! How did he get past our security? Zzzt!*

Connor said, "Sounds like Mordred had an inside man… That Magneton must've been in on it. But why not bust him out immediately? Why wait until he had already been interrogated… but not really…?"

*Zzzt! The initial surprise would have been much less if I was not preoccupied with the interrogation process, meaning the possibilities of escape were much greater. Zzzt!*

Atlas glared at him, "Speaking of that, why didn't you open the door once the alarms went off?"

*Zzzt! This Magneton must have been holding them shut, because I could not open them when I tried. Zzzt!*

"You could've gotten her killed!"

*Zzzt! I am aware of that. Zzzt! However, it was beyond my control if it was being held from the inside. Zzzt!*

Atlas set me down and said, "Get us out of here, Vince."

I saw Jade nod in agreement, along with Mirage, Nocturne, and Roy. Vincent said, "Sorry, officer. May you… Lower the barrier for me to teleport us out of here, or…?"

Magnezone nodded and closed his eyes, rotated his magnets, then said, "Proceed with haste. The barrier will be lowered for only a few seconds, and only for your team."

Vince nodded, "Alright, let's boogie!" We all linked hands and were teleported back to the crossroads.

Alright, Epilogue Chapter 1 is up. If you enjoyed this chapter, go ahead and leave a quick review or PM me any questions, comments, concerns, all that! As always, I'll see you all in the next update! Much Love!

PS- If you're wondering why Magnezone's electric attacks weren't affecting Mordred, it's because he can learn role play from Electivire, then he used role play on Electivire on the sly, making his ability motor drive. You're welcome.

-PL