-Epilogue, Part 2: In the Dark of the Storm-

-Connor's POV-

After yesterday's incident, we had decided to give chasing outlaws a break and stick to training and sparring. Alice was still pretty shaken, so Atlas and her just relaxed for the day. After everyone else paired up and went off to the dojo, Nocturne hastily scribbling something onto a sheet of paper and sticking it in his paint bag before he left, Vulcan asked if I wanted to spar, and I raised an eyebrow, "You're at a serious disadvantage, though. You sure you want to fight me?"

Vulcan held a small orb in his hand as we walked up the stairs, "This ought to even the odds."

I looked closely, "Is that the stone Grovyle bought us in the future? The one that lets us "Mega evolve"?"

He nodded, "I still haven't figured out how to use it, but… I'll ask Maris."

I tilted my head, "Where's mine? I want to do that last-stage evolution thing too!"

He laughed, "Not telling!"

"Hey! You can't just-!"

Suddenly, a Crobat snatched up the stone and flew off, away from Treasure Town. Vulcan shouted, "Hey!" He started to run forward, but stopped and said, "Oh, yeah… I can fly…" He took to the air with one quick beat of his wings and flew after the Crobat. I began sprinting after them, and after a little while, I found myself in a forest. A familiar pokemon hopped out of the bushes. "Whoa-ho-ho! Long time no see!"

I rolled my eyes dramatically, "Really… You guys just don't learn…" Koffing, er, Weezing, now, smiled, "Now, now, that's no way to treat an old friend!"

I stood up on my back legs, which was pretty hard to keep balanced, but it made me waaay more intimidating, "Really? Last time I checked, friends don't steal things from each other. And that Crobat… It was Zubat, wasn't it? And where's Skuntank? I know you two are helpless without him."

"...Chaw-haw-haw! You catch on quick! Of course, Vulcan's got a little trap set for him when Crobat flies through." Skuntank walked out from behind a tree cackling.

My eyes widened, "You're not joking…" I started to move past, but Weezing floated in front of me, "Whoa-ho-ho! We can't have you ruining our plan! If you do that, we don't-"

"Shut yer yap!" Skuntank barked. I growled, "You don't what?"

Skuntank glared at me, "None of your business! If you want to know, then you'll have to beat us in a fair and square battle!"

I laughed, "Seriously?"

He smirked, "We're a lot more powerful than last time we met, wimp. We'll mop the floor with you."

I looked at him with an unamused expression, "What trap are you talking about?"

Skuntank scoffed, "As if we'd just tell you!"

I readied Ancient Power, raising the boulders on all sides of them, ready to clamp down, "Last chance. Where is Crobat leading Vulcan?"

Skuntank kept his glare, "Bring it on," and I sighed, "Suit yourself."

-Vulcan's POV-

Holy horsea, Crobats are fast… I was flying as fast as I could, and I was still losing the Crobat in midair as it soared higher and higher into the clouds. I took off after it, and pretty soon it took off into a massive storm cloud. I hesitated as I watched lightning flash within it, pulsing with light even in the light of day, but I braced myself and flew straight into the storm cloud.

That's when I immediately regretted my decision. As soon as I broke through the cloud's exterior, raging winds were blowing me around like a rag doll, the rain was blinding, the thunder was deafening. I couldn't see or hear, and before I knew it, the rain vanished, and I was surrounded on all sides by a heap of flying pokemon. I hovered in the middle of the pokemon, and looking around, I immediately saw a different Crobat, a Pidgeot, Staraptor, Mandibuzz, Noivern, Hydreigon, Salamence, and even an Xatu. I glanced around, and the new Crobat, a female, said, "Vulcan, son of Iden! Surrender or face our wrath!"

I turned in midair, wreathing my mouth in flames, "Um… Yeah, I've been told that before. It usually doesn't work out for the pokemon threatening me."

The Crobat smiled, "You're hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. How can you hope to overcome such impossible odds?"

"Well… I'm more of a go with the flow kind of pokemon, and make plans if I know what to expect. I'll admit, I didn't expect an ambush today, but whatever. Let's go. I've beat impossible odds before."

I flew forward and wrapped myself in flames, crashing into the Pidgeot, biting down on its neck and throwing it into the Staraptor. The Salamence launched a Dragon pulse at me, but I slashed the attack apart with a Dragon Claw and tackled it, holding its wings against its body. As we were falling, I used dragon pulse at point blank range and knocked it out of the sky. I turned and used fire punch on the Hydreigon, but it caught my fist in its hand-mouth thing and twisted with a sickening force. I felt a snap and shouted in pain as its other hand-mouth grabbed my neck. It began squeezing. I gasped for breath, but kept constricting, every breath becoming more difficult. Then, out of nowhere, the Crobat said, "Enough."

He grunted and released my neck, but still held me by digging his hand's teeth into my chest. I felt the blood dripping down my chest and falling from the sky, and groaned in pain. The Crobat floated forward, "Vulcan… We've been looking for you... for a long time…"

I managed to say, "What… is your problem with me?

She chuckled, "Oh, it's nothing personal with you… Just your father. I apologize for bringing you into this."

I growled, "I never even knew my-Gak!"

The Hydreigon punched my throat with its free hand, "Silence!"

My arm was broken, and I was being held aloft by a mouth-hand digging into my chest. Fantastic.

My vision was starting to turn red, and the Xatu said, "He is starting to fade… We must go now if we want to execute the next phase."

The Crobat didn't divert her gaze from me, but growled, "...Fine! Bring him with us."

I tried to break the Hydreigon's grip, but its mouth-hands had the grip of Atlas. My struggling only annoyed it. The group started flying away, and I saw the Crobat that lured me into the clouds. It fluttered up to the other Crobat and said, "So… Heh-heh-heh. About our payment…"

The Crobat deadpanned, "Our master has had a change of plans, and your payment has been negated. Sincerest apologies, but you no longer are of any use to us." The Noivern used boomburst on the Crobat at point blank range, and it fell out of the clouds. The Xatu hovered over to me, and I saw its eyes glow briefly before I passed out.

-Connor's POV-

After I wiped out Skuntank and Weezing with a quick Barrage of Ancient Power and Muddy water, they told me the plan, how Crobat would lead him into an ambush, all that. They said that they didn't know anything else, since their employer, the same bisharp from the prison, hadn't given them any details. I had begun flying on a boulder, but I was knocked out of the sky by a Crobat. I caught myself on another boulder just before I hit the ground, and when I looked back, it was passed out on the ground. I tilted my head, "Zubat…?"

Its eyes fluttered open, and it gasped, "Wah! Y-you?!" He flew up, "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

He fluttered just out of reach, "Where's the Chief and Weezing?"

I growled, "I took care of them. Just like I'll flatten you if you don't tell me what happened to Vulcan."

He started, "I don't know, I swear it! They were going to pay a hefty price for us to lure Vulcan into an ambush, then those backstabbing traitors blew me out of the sky without even coughing up a single poké!"

I growled, "You. Come with me."

"But-"

"I didn't stutter. You might have just caused the death of my best friend. I'm being generous by not smashing you with a boulder right now."

Crobat slowly started coming forward, then took off away from me. I sighed and used Ice Beam, flash-freezing him. I caught him before he hit the ground and looked to the sky again as I carried Crobat on my back, "Vulcan… Be safe…"

-Vincent's POV-

After Noc and I got done sparring for the day, we went to Spinda's Café for a drink. We lounged around, talking about plans for tomorrow, and before long, the others started coming in. Caroline, Alice, Jade, Atlas, Roy, and when Connor walked in with a Crobat half-frozen on its back, you could say we were surprised.

I said, "Connor? Where's Vulcan?"

He grimaced, "That's what I want to know. Crobat's got some answers, but he won't tell me."

I tilted my head, "Crobat?"

He nodded, "The punk from Team Skull, just evolved. Same with Weezing. Let's head to the bluff to discuss this."

My eyes widened, and half the recruits in there were confused. I guess that made sense, since we hadn't seen Team Skull around since the bosses found them in Brine Cave. But Atlas, Noc, Mirage, Magnus and I recognized him now.

After Roy thawed him out with Mystical Fire and Connor explained the situation, he gasped, "Waah! Alright, I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Roy smiled, "Aww, come on… Withhold some information, pleeeease?"

Connor growled, "Enough, Roy."

Roy smiled jokingly, "Oh, come on, why the long-"

"I SAID ENOUGH!" He shouted, startling all of us. We all backed away and he turned to the wall slowly and punched it with enough force to shake the ground itself, making a massive crater in the stone while breathing heavily. I could hear his pulse if I listened closely, so I knew he was trying to stay calm, and the controlled rage we saw masked the absolute maelstrom going on inside. Jade floated forward, "Connor… Are you alright?"

He growled sarcastically, "Naw, my best friend was just kidnapped and I have no clue who did it, I've never been better!"

Mirage stepped forward, "Hey, Connor, she didn't do anything. We're all upset that Vulcan's missing, but that's no reason to be mad at us."

Magnus nodded, "For Arceus' sake, you're being annoying."

He rolled his eyes and turned to the Crobat, "Names. I need names."

The Crobat nodded, "I can do names!" Then he looked at me, "You read minds?"

I nodded, "I can."

He nodded, "All the more reason to believe me! The Smeargle can vouch for my honesty!"

Connor let out a cold laugh, "Huh. Honesty from you is about as good as Tauros sh-"

Alice stepped forward, "Connor, that's enough! You need to calm down!" As she said this, a wave of calm washed over me, and I could see it in the rest of the recruits as well. Even Magnus laid down and relaxed.

Connor shook his head briefly, "Y-You're right… Sorry, guys."

Caroline smiled, "It's alright. We just need to stay calm and figure this out! You said you needed names?"

Connor nodded, "That's right. Who hired you?"

Crobat stammered, "S-some Bisharp named Mordred! We came to him after hearing about some operation that was taking in our kind of exploration teams!"

Mirage buzzed closer, "And that would be…?"

He replied, "We're crooks! Con-men! Whatever! This group takes them in! We heard about them from Team Veros and we wanted to see what all the hubbub was about!"

Connor nodded, "Where were they?"

"I-I can take you to where we met them!"

Connor nodded again, "Vincent, follow him. Then come straight back."

I nodded, "Can do!" The Crobat fluttered up, and I said, "You'd better behave and not lead me to a trap, if you know what's good for you."

Crobat quickly nodded and replied, "O-Of course…"

Connor smirked, "Where's all your confidence now?"

Crobat replied, "I realize that I'm outnumbered twelve to one, and know that I'd be better off listening to what you said. Heh-heh-heh."

I turned to Connor, "You sure he won't try to lead me into an ambush?"

"Well, the group he was working for backstabbed him and knocked him out of the sky, and he actually did fall out of the sky, and you can take him easily if he does try anything, so…"

"Good point," I said.

-Vulcan's POV-

"Ooooooogggh…."

Oh, man… My head's killing me…

A froggish, somewhat raspy voice echoed, "You're awake. How convenient."

I opened my eyes and saw a weird-colored Toxicroak walked into the room, "I was wondering when you'd wake up."

I started to sit up, but my arms were chained to the wall, and my left arm exploded in pain, causing me to shout out. The Toxicroak stepped back, "Now, there's no need for the yelling."

I opened my mouth to use flamethrower, but the Toxicroak suddenly sped up and hit my gut. I groaned and fell to the ground, and he growled, "Don't try anything. You're at my mercy now."

I gritted my teeth and glared at him, but stayed down. He stepped back slightly and withdrew his hand spikes, "Good. I was hoping that you'd cooperate. Not all of our group is as cruel as Mordred or Zorro. Of course, we're all just as cunning and manipulative, if not more so. You won't last a day here if you're a faker."

I nodded and asked, "So is this an interrogation?"

He clasped his hands together and smiled, "On a different note, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Talis. Leader of Team Veros. Not to be mistaken with Team Virus. I might have caused your Machoke's shoulder injuries a few weeks prior to your evolution a few months ago. Apologies for that."

I stayed silent, and the Toxicroak smirked as he knelt down in front of me, seeming to inspect me, "So… What did you do to make Victor want to get rid of you?"

I growled, "I didn't do anything! They just… Ambushed me and brought me here!"

He nodded and sat down a few feet from me, "Well… I-" Suddenly he stopped as a Banette floated through the wall next to me and said, "Talis, there have been new orders from Master Mordred."

He nodded, "What is it?"

"We're ready to execute the next phase." the female voice replied.

I tilted my head in confusion. Next phase…? Who are all these guys? And what did I do to them?

The Banette smiled, "You fool… Your precious team won't know what hit them…"

I growled, "They'll find me and get me out of here. You don't know what they're capable of."

The Banette cackled, "Heh… Heh-heh-ha-HA-HA-HA! Oh, on the contrary, Vulcan! We know more about your team than even you do!"

I growled, "What makes you think that?"

She wiped a shadowy tear from her eye, still giggling, "Oh, that Froslass is one prime example..."

"Jade?"

The Banette nodded slightly, "Yes, that one… Well, you see… Oops, I almost let it slip! We're supposed to be confidential about all of this! Oh, well! Guess it'll have to wait!"

I growled and began to get up, but winced at my arm, and she said, "Oh, we'll get that healed up right away! It won't do for you to be injured!"

"What? I don't understand-!"

She shushed me, "Shh~ You will in time… Everything is made clear with a little bit of time here and there..." Her eyes glowed, and I passed out again.

-Vincent's POV-

"You're kidding me, right?" I turned to the Crobat with a scowl.

"No! I swear, this is where we met them! They had a whole mini-town and everything!"

As I stared at the desolate wasteland spread out in front of me, I used mind-reader to make sense of what was going on.

I… I know it was here… I know it was! Where'd it go?! I could've sworn-! Chief led Weezing and I in right over there… But...

I nodded, "I believe you, but I don't know how Connor would react to you leading me to a dead end, even if it wasn't when you met with them."

"Me neither. So… How about you just let me go, and we'll call it even?"

I stared at him, "Call what even?"

"Your leader took me captive! Last I checked, I'm not an outlaw, and holding a member of another exploration team captive is against the law! If you let me go now, I won't have your leader arrested!"

I smiled, "What, you can't do it yourself?"

He glared at me, "I didn't say that, it's just… It's the officers' jobs to arrest bad pokemon!"

"Then they've been doing a pretty bad job if you're still around."

"Heh-heh-heh. Keep talkin'. We've kept our noses clean… For the most part."

I sighed and looked at the land again, "Fantastic… Well, Back to square one."

Crobat looked around, then back at me, "So… What d'you think?"

I stared at him "About what?"

"About letting me go."

"Out of the question."

"Why not?!"

"Because that's not for me to decide."

Crobat huffed, "Fine. I know you'll just catch me if I do try to make a run for it."

"You got that right." I grabbed hold of him and teleported us back to Sharpedo bluff.

Here we go. It's sort of picking up. What happened to Vulcan? Nobody knows except me! Hee-hee! Anywho, hope you enjoyed, as always, and go ahead and leave a quick review or PM if you did! I'll see you all in the next update. Much Love!

-PL

-PS: The poll only has four votes. I want at least eight before I start working on the next story! Be sure to vote! The poll is on my profile.