AN: Didn't I say that things will be dark? Well, this is where it really does so kids, brace yourselves. I mean it, things will get a little dark on this chapter. You guys have been warned so please don't blame me about not getting warned...or anything you may experience.
Chapter 28
Last time, Ruby has won her very first gym badge. With her and Weiss having gym badges, Team RWBY can now help out Detective Looker and Franklin in stopping the Nuzlocke battles. They joined up with them next morning and team up to stop this terrible crime.
Song: Butter-Fly (English Fan Dub Ver.)
Artist: LeeandLie (Original Japanese Artist: Koji Wada)
My broken wings dream of the sky,
And they'll never be able to fly.
Only if we never try,
On my loo-o-o-ove!
If I could become just one thing,
I'd be a butterfly-free soaring.
I really miss you...
So finally I'm on my way.
Let's focus on the people we trust
And leave out all the doubt behind us.
So if you're ready...
Can we go? 'Cause there's no time to wa-aste.
I wanna kno-o-ow oh...
If the sky above is only for show.
I wanna kno-o-ow oh...
What tomorrow will bring so let's spread our wi-i-ings!
Maybe this world's an infinite dream,
And there is only hope living in me!
May it not fail me now!
We'll turn this thing around and bring back the lovin' somehow!
My broken wings dream of the sky,
and they'll never be able to fly!
Only if we never try,
On my lo-o-ove!
On my lo-o-o-ove!
Over at a police hideout in a warehouse at the docks, Team RWBY have met up with Detective Looker and Franklin. They gather here to discuss what they are gonna do. Franklin adjust his gauntlet with a very serious look to him. Ruby and Yang notice that Franklin's eyes seem to be vengeful as everyone else focus on the map on the table.
Looker clears his throat as he announces his plan, "Alright, listen up. From what we gathered, the people behind the Nuzlocke ring are focused around the commercial district where most of the kidnappings have been occurring. We believe that the hideout maybe at three locations in the district. There is the Trinket Co. Building that we have kept an eye on due to suspicious activities in the last two months. The second is the Electronium Power Company Office Building. The reason being is because there were some strange people going in an out after business hours. We checked the surveillance footage but they were erased. The last one is the Metagamer Inc. Gaming Company Headquarters. We have witnesses that stated that a few unmarked trucks go through the underground parkway close to midnight."
They look at the map and see the three red circles where the buildings are and locations where people have been kidnapped and taken in the form of blue dots that connect to the three circles.
"So which one do you think is the most suspicious?" Franklin asks as he prep his tamato berry bombs.
"Hard to say." Looker states, "But my money is on the Electronium Power Company."
"It could be possible." Weiss sounds like she agrees with Looker but she is unsure. "Since you said that some of your surveillance footage was wiped somehow, it does sound suspicious. Plus the company uses electric-types to help them out, right?"
"True. But the thing is that there's no electrical damage or tampering."
Yang makes her own deduction. "We could head over towards Trinket Co. Strange people have been spotted there in the last two months and these Nuzlocke battles have been going on for a month. So it makes some sense."
Ruby nods, "Agree."
Blake states her own opinion, "But with those trucks, it would be easier to deliver kidnapped people to the arenas."
But Ruby has an idea. "Are there any maps to the underground? Because it would be possible to transport people and items via some sort of tunnel that is large enough to do this work."
Looker thinks about it. "That could work, but we checked every possibility. We even search every square inch of the sewers and found nothing."
Franklin cracks his knuckles, "My money's on Metagamer. I did check the blueprints of the building. The actual blueprints. Turns out that there used to be some sort of underground arena that was made 40 years ago for employees to settle some differences along with some guests. That was when it used to be a hotel before it became a game company."
"I see." Looker sounds intrigued. "I didn't know that."
"That's because you didn't even bother going to a museum or learn more about the city's history. Really Looker, you should see the sights more."
The girls giggle at Looker as he just go, "Uh, yes, *ahem* okay." He blushes a little, "Anyway. We're gonna have to wait until-" Looker's cellphone rings and he takes the call. "Yes? ...I see...Thanks, we'll be right on it." He hangs up and looks at the team, "Looks like you were right. They are at Metagamer. One of our decoys was taken and is being hauled by one of the unmarked trucks."
Franklin cracks his knuckles and shoulders. "Then what are we waiting for. Let's do this."
Team RWBY notice how serious and angry Franklin looks like he is about to explode and take on the whole world in a fit of rage.
Ruby whispers to Yang, "Is it me, or does Franklin looks scary when he's angry."
Yang whispers back, "Guess having Pokemon getting killed ticks him off. And who wouldn't be? Having cute creatures getting killed, that's a serious crime."
It is midday right now in Brazil City as Team RWBY along with Franklin and Looker head over towards the Metagamer Building over at the commercial district. The building stands 38 stories high with a stylized blue M with a lightblue G at the right corner of all sides with the words Metagamer under the logo. It is hard to see inside since the windows are tinted and hard to see inside that you cannot see the lights. On the left side of the building, there are three unusually large garage doors where trucks have been seen going in and out.
Weiss goes, "Three doors? Shouldn't there be only two or four? Or some other even number?"
Ruby says to Weiss, "Of all the things that there is that makes the place suspicious, that's your concern?"
Blake adds in, "I can't see through the windows. Plus I cannot see the reception desk either. I also spotted twenty seven cameras around the building."
Yang looks at the building, "I'm also getting a weird vibe from this place."
"Yeah, I get it too." Franklin can also sense something wrong.
Looker has his Pokeball out and calls out his Arcanine.
"What is that?" Ruby pulls out her Megadex and learns about Arcanine. "Ahh, what a cute, fluffy doggy. But it does look different from Franklin's Arcanine."
Blake asks, "Is that thing part dog and part tiger?"
Franklin looks at Blake, "What's a tiger?"
Blake looks away, "Nevermind."
"Let's go!" Looker ordered as they head over towards the garage doors. He then orders Arcanine, "Use flamethrower!"
Arcanine unleashes a flaming jet from its mouth at the center door and melted it down.
Looker says over an ear piece, "We're heading in."
Officer Jenny says over the radio, "Roger that."
"Go!"
Everyone head in and see a vacant parking lot. There are no cars of any kind and no trucks. There should be trucks but there is no sign of them.
"Where is everything?" Ruby asks as she looks around.
"Something is definitely wrong here." Weiss says as she keeps an eye out.
Yang looks disappointed, "Man, I was looking forward to a workout."
Blake spots something on the ground. It looks like perfectly cut lines on asphalt in the middle. Those lines would indicate that they are doing some repair, but something is off. "I got something!"
Franklin gets down on one knee and examines the line. He has his hand over it and feels something. "There's a draft here. Must be an elevator."
Looker notices that one of the columns has a brick sticking out just slightly. "And I found the button." Looker presses it and something happens.
The ground starts to shake and the area they are in started to sink.
"Hold on!" Looker says as the secret elevator takes them down below to where they need to be.
Back on the surface, three people in black watch over at the top of the roof across from the Metagamer Building that haven the DNA G with a gold bar.
"Ah man!" the man on the left panics, "They discovered one of our secret hideouts!" He sounds like one of those worrywarts that would freakout at the slightest thing.
"Easy." the woman on the right is acting calm, "They just got lucky. Besides, we were gonna abandon this place anyway. Right boss?" She sounds nonchalant at the whole thing.
The middle man just stand there quietly and watches.
Team RWBY with Looker and Franklin are riding down the elevator to locate the kidnapped trainers that are forced to take part in the Nuzlock battles. The room is dark and hard to see. Yet Blake can see everything thanks to her Faunus eyes. She scans the area and notices something in the dark.
"Everyone!" she shouts, "Get down!"
Large spotlights shine on them as they are temporarily blinded by the sudden flash of bright lights. They hear chuckling with silhouettes of people come out and are hard to make out. Yet once their vision is better, they can see a bunch of thugs dressed in dirty old uniforms of different crime organizations they were once part of. They include Team Rocket, Team Galactic, Colress' Team Plasma, Team Flare, Team Dim Sun and Pokemon Pinchers. They all evily smile at them and chuckle while having their Pokeballs out.
"It's an ambush." Looker says as he addresses the situation they are in.
Ruby looks around, "Where's Franklin?"
One of the Rocket grunts says, "Wait, Franklin's here?" Then he receives a sudden karate chop to the neck from behind and passes out.
The others notice and see Franklin that had done it.
"Ah mulch!" a Galactic grunt says, "It's Him!"
Franklin then starts beating the heck out of all the grunts mercilessly and with an angry expression on his face as he pummels the grunts and break a few bones and knocked one of them into the spotlight as she gets electrocuted. Don't worry. She is only covered in soot and smoking after it exploded and still alive. Not to mention a goofy look on her face. Ruby gets a little scared when seeing this side of Franklin.
"Come on!" Franklin says, "Let's go!"
"NOT SO FAST!" says the voice from above the elevator.
The five look up and see more grunts rappelling down and want to attack.
Looker says, "You guys go ahead, I'll handle this!"
Yang goes, "But-"
"JUST GO!" Looker yells. "There are people that need help more than me!"
"On it!" Weiss nods.
Team RWBY and Franklin run to save the people that were kidnapped and their Pokemon from being forced to fight against their will and have their Pokemon get killed. The make their way as Franklin bashes two doors down and they make their way to the arena room. The room looks big with the lights still on as they all noticed a large cage at the arena with two smaller cages with chains. There is even barbed wire on the bars of the cages and even more on the larger cage covering it that almost look like a chain linked fence. The arena looks clean as if it was cleaned up not too long ago.
"I don't see anyone." Yang states the obvious.
"Where is everybody?" Weiss asks.
"Another ambush?" Ruby suggests.
Yet Blake can hear something with her cat ears hidden in her bow. She can hear voices coming from the next room across the arena.
"You hear that?" Franklin asks Blake.
Blake does a nod, "Yeah."
Both of them head towards the doors to the next room as they can hear something, or someone, from the other side. They approach the doors carefully in case of a surprise attack. Blake takes out a butter knife she hid in her pocket to see if there are any wires or any sort of traps. Once clear, she opens the doors. Yet what she sees cause her to scream.
"What happened!?" Yang ran over along with everyone else.
They take a peek inside and see something terrible.
"...help..." says a person yet not really a person.
What they see is a person with the arms of a Machamp, the bottom half of a Rapidash, and the horns, wings and tail of a Charizard that is dangling over some chains and shackles. Everyone was horrified at what they see. Yet to make matters worse, there are cages also full of half-human/half-Pokemon hybrids that cry out in pain.
"Someone help us."
"It hurts. Make it stop."
Team RWBY are completely horrified what they see. Franklin stands there with his eyes wide open and mouth gaping open as he sees the horror before him. Also in the room is some sort of lab equipment with one of them look like some sort of table with a needle hanging over where someone's eye is supposed to be. Franklin starts to have flashes about some white glass with silhouettes of the same hybrids and the same needle being injected into his eye.
"Franklin." Weiss tries to snap him out of it. "Franklin! You're right eye is swelling!"
Franklin's right golden eye is swollen as he keeps on having flashbacks of something similar to this happen to him before he vomits. He vomited onto the floor and is shaking uncontrollably.
"Franklin!" Ruby tries to shake him out of it.
Franklin gets over his flashbacks and is full of rage as he breaks free from Ruby and runs towards the doors.
Ruby tries to reach out, "Franklin, wait!"
Franklin isn't listening as he kicks the doors down and looks up at a large stairwell. He aims his left gauntlet and fires a grappling hook before ascending up the flight of stairs. He keeps on heading higher and higher until he made it to the top floor. Franklin furiously kicks down the door with an army of grunts from wearing fancy green business suits with the same logo as the three spectators outside on their right chest pocket, black shirts, and red ties. They have their Pokeballs out and ready to battle. But Franklin unleashes a volley of his patent tamato berry bombs at them before they explode into a cloud of red vapor that stings the eyes, nostrils and taste buds of these villains.
Back below, Looker comes in. "Did you find them?" he asks. Yet when he enters the room, he sees the same horror as Team RWBY does. "Wha-...What happened to them?!"
Team RWBY are unable to answer.
Looker notices that Franklin is gone and orders, "You girls need to find Franklin, immediately!"
Back on the top floor, Franklin keeps on fighting his way through the grunts in order to make it to the head office of the person in charge. Franklin kicks the doors that are sent flying and crash through the windows. The person in charge is wearing the same suit yet has a gold coloring and a white and black tie, orange eyes and well combed brown hair. He is frozen in fear as Franklin charge right at him and is grabbed by the collar. Franklin gives him a punch to the face.
"Tell me!?" he asks furiously, "Where did you get that equipment?!"
"Wh-Wh-What do you mean!?" The man is scared out of his mind before he gets punched in the face again.
"The one you used to make those hybrids!"
The man gulped, "I-I-I can't say! They will give me cement shoes if I talked!" Then he gets punched again.
"What makes you think I won't make it worse?" He has a fury in his eyes that instill fear into the man.
But before long, one of the figures crash through one of the windows and seems to fire a jet of flames from his hood. Franklin drops the man to the floor and moves out of the way. Franklin sees the black, hooded figure as he stares at him intensely.
"Who are you?!" he asks.
The mysterious man just remain silent.
Franklin process everything and piece together who that man is. "So, you're the one in-charge. Tell me," he prepares to strike, "just who are you and what are you planning."
The mysterious man just remain silent and still with the wind blowing his clothes.
"Very well then." Franklin puts its hands together and creates a golden ball of energy with a silver core in between them. "Taste my own aura sphere!"
He fires the aura sphere at the man yet he dodges it. Franklin makes a yanking motion with his right hand and the aura sphere comes back and about to strike the stranger's back. Yet the man dodges it without even looking.
This surprises Franklin as he tries something else. Franklin's right fist glow gold and left fist glow silver and then fires a barrage of punches, "HERE'S MY AURA PUNCH!"
He continues to punch yet the stranger keeps on dodging. Franklin stops and takes a breath as the stranger sprouts a pair of Charizard wings and steps back.
"What the-?!"
The stranger steps back out of the window and tries to fly away.
Franklin gives chase, "Oh no you don't!" He jumps out the window and uses his grappling hook to swing towards the man.
However, when he is right on top of him, the man turns and shows that his right hand is a Scizor claw! Franklin can see the claw and the man smiling at him. Yet when he sees it, he notices something familiar about it. As if he has seen this guy before. However, despite remembering, an orange beam is fired from the man's Scizor claw and fires straight at Franklin with Franklin's hat being blown away. Franklin got hit by what appears to be a hyper beam right into the gut that sends him flying and crashing into the 34th floor as he crashes through some cubicles with computers, office supplies and office furniture. He crashes through them with his left arm broken until he stops at the other side of the room with all the damage. Franklin screams in agony with his broken left arm among all the bruises and cuts he has endured. Not to mention a critical hit to the gut from a powerful hyper beam.
Ruby Rose uses her semblance and made it to the 34th floor. "Franklin! FRANKLIN!" she shouts as she tries to move among the seriously damaged room. Yet when she finds him, she gasps at the sight of him. She runs up and tries to help, "Don't worry, Franklin! I'm here!"
Franklin tries not to scream anymore but he is in great pain.
Ruby calls on her Megadex, "Get an ambulance, quick! Franklin's been hurt!" Ruby tries to comfort him, "It'll be okay, help is on the way!"
Not too long, the police stormed the whole building and arrested all the grunts they can find. On the ground floor, a large crowd of people have gathered to see what the commotion was with the police trying to stop the public from getting in for their own safety. Yet when they see hospital vans carrying the hybrids, they were horrified by the sight of them. But the biggest shock to some is when they see Franklin being wheeled off into an ambulance.
Ruby is by his side and holding his right hand, "You need to say with me, Franklin. You're in good hands."
One of the paramedics says to Ruby, "Ma'am, I'm afraid you have to let go. This young man needs medical attention immediately."
Ruby lets go and let the paramedics load Franklin into the ambulance before driving off. This is a sad day for almost all. Team RWBY got to see the most horrible thing they ever have to see, a bigger mystery that is yet to be solved, and Franklin is having the worst day of his career. Team RWBY look at the ambulance that Franklin is in as it drives away with the look of defeat on their faces.
In a wooden house somewhere in the Ultima Region, a Gallade is sitting on a green couch while watching TV (and wearing a red tie) with a Gardevoir in a frilly pink apron doing dishes with the apron having red bold letters that says, 'I'M THE MAMA, GOTTA LOVE ME!' It seems to be an ordinary day for them until a female news reporter comes on screen.
"I'm afraid that today is a sad day today." The news shows a picture of the hybrids. "A shocking discovery was made when stopping a Nuzlock ring over at Brazil City when Pokemon/human hybrids were being made by an unknown crime syndicate that seems to be doing some genetic research that involve the kidnapped trainers and their Pokemon. As of now, we have nothing concrete about what were they doing or why they have done this."
The Gallade sat up and is disturbed by the news with the Gardevoir standing behind him with a white plate and wash cloth.
Then the news shows footage of Franklin being loaded into an ambulance, "Legendary Pokemon trainer and superstar, Franklin, was part of the raid to stop the Nuzlock ring yet is critically injured when trying to stop the people behind this crime. Franklin is being taken to a hospital. The police refuse to comment on which hospital he is being taken to-"
After hearing that bit of news, Gallade stands straight up with a shocked look to his face. The Gardevoir drops the plate into the floor that shatters to pieces before passing out.
More stuff later in the next chapter!