Disclaimer: I sure don't own Pokémon. Don't sue. But
I do own Rhapsody, Harmony, and a few other characters I can't reveal to you
know cuz it'll ruin the story…
Treading In
Darkness
Part Two
Cassidy grabbed onto the steering wheel as the truck swerved around another turn. She gritted her teeth as she pulled the truck to the right to keep from falling off the cliff. Driving was a lot harder than she thought it would be. Too bad she didn't know how…
Suicune
struggled against the net once again. Dang, how DID they get such a strong
net?! She started biting at the ropes. Raikou and Entei saw her working and
started biting too.
The
truck headed off to Team Rocket Headquarters while the dogs chomped on the net.
Laurence
III only had one more to catch. "Articuno…" his voice murmured with definite
syllables over the sounds of the ice cracking. He threw a firebomb at where
Articuno's cave was. The explosion was huge and he took a step back. Too bad
I couldn't use my old flyer like last time. But it was way too expensive to
rebuild. Stupid Chosen One, stupid legend… He kicked a bit of ice on the
ground and then clenched his teeth. Ow… that hurt… mommie?
Articuno
flapped her silver blue wings anxiously. That's him! From before! He was the
one who tried to get us! Should I go out there and fight? Or should I stay in
here?! Her eyes closed to think in peace, then shot open as she glared at
the opening of the cave. I'm going out. I can't loose to him!
The
bird stepped outside regally and stared at him. He swallowed, then threw a
master ball at it. Thank god Giovanni had taken over Silph once… otherwise
I'd have to use a regular pokeball. And that would be just about impossible…
Articuno
shrieked. Not fair! He cheats! A final cry was all that was heard as she
was sucked into the darkness of the master ball.
Laurence
walked over quietly and picked up the ball. "So, I've caught you… Articuno,
Moltres, and Zapdos! Come out!" He threw the balls out from his trainer belt he
had borrowed. The three stood glaring at him with the look of never being
subdued. Then, they glanced around and noticed each other and started
attacking.
"Good…
good…" was all Laurence said.
Lugia
trembled. He felt the earth move… in the water, the other pokémon surfaced, not
even knowing he was there below them. They knew something was wrong too. He
shook his head sadly. It's the beginning of the end… His eyes flickered,
then started glowing. Who let those three together THIS time?! Guess I have
to go save the world… again… He started his spiral of water and burst out
of the ocean, letting the waves crash against him. The water Pokémon swam back
as he flew out of the water at top speed, breaking the ice in an angry
explosion. I can't believe this… Lugia swept down from the air and
landed on Ice Island and stared at Laurence III. Him again…Not again…
Laurence
III stared back and the huge silver bird. "Lugia… you're mine!" He tossed out
another master ball. Lugia gazed wide-eyed at the pokeball thrown at him until
it sucked him in. The pokeball wriggled back and forth on the ice, slid twice,
then stopped and the center turned white. "Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos… return!"
he commanded, holding out three pokeballs. The three birds tried to escape the
red beam, but to no avail. Laurence III placed the pokeballs back on his
trainer belt and threw up another pokeball, this containing a catch of
Giovanni's. "Fearow, take me back to your boss!" he ordered. The bird nodded
and swooped down, then paused with its feet on the ground and Laurence III got
on. It took off with its wings blending with the strange hue the sky had
become…
Suicune
shivered as it lay on the cart, strapped down by thick metal strips. So THIS
is how Team Rocket treats pokémon. She shuddered, seeing the test tubes
sticking out of a helpless Seel and the way Clefairy was being forced to use
Metronome on its best pokémon friend… Really, this is sickening. Her
eyes drifted around to see a baby Eevee whining and squealing with some
hidden pain and a Staryu on the other side, wriggling with anger as a few Team
Rocket Grunts tried to chop off its gem. Can't they be arrested for this? Oh
yeah, the police wouldn't find out… they're a secret organization. Dang. Well,
at least I know why it's a secret… She closed her eyes, not wanting to see
the suffering anymore, and fell asleep.
Laurence
passed a rolling tray with a blue, snoozing pokémon, pulled by Rocket Grunts,
on the way to Giovanni. He whistled to himself quietly while passing the other
two dogs. Whoo-hoo. Glad that's over with. He sidestepped a spill on the
floor, then reached Giovanni's room. He knocked on the door timidly…
"Come
in, please…"
"Hello,
Giovanni… I have all of them, right here." He pulled out the four pokeballs and
placed them into Giovanni's open hand.
"Thank
you very much. You can leave now."
Laurence
III bowed then stepped out.
"Ah,
he's gone. Now, to begin…" Giovanni sat up and walked to a small laboratory. He
dropped the pokeballs on the floor. Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Lugia came
out wearily. Giovanni grinned evilly.
"I
want all of you to fly into that tank," his low booming voice commanded. Not
caring either way, the birds flapped their wings once, then dropped into the
tank with a huge splash. Giovanni smiled, then walked over to a small control
panel and fingered a button. "Soon, my pretty birds… soon…"
The
Grunt, who had brought the three dogs to Giovanni, knocked on his door right
after Laurence.
"Whoever
it is, come in, and leave whatever it is by my desk," Giovanni called out,
knowing that someone had come to give him another pokémon, seeing as that was
the message he delivered was that admittance would be allowed to his office
only if a pokémon was sent it.
"Yes
boss," obeyed the gruff voice of the grunt. He placed the legendary dogs next
to his desk and eyed the Persian warily that sat in the chair. It had been said
that Persian's claws did all the firing for the Boss. Quickly he departed the
room and Giovanni turned back from the lab to see what had been delivered.
He
rubbed his hands and smiled. The three dogs, the ones he needed… He picked them
up, one at a time, and dropped them in the tank. "So this is it…"
Someone
knocked the door, and slightly frustrated, Giovanni turned.
"Come
in. Please."
Jessie
pulled the door open ever so slightly. "Boss, we've been successful."
You?!?!?!
That's a shock… he wanted to say aloud but didn't.
"We
caught Mew, Mewtwo, and Ho-oh, plus… something else, sir," James' high, girly
voice explained.
Giovanni
raised his eyebrows. "You did? Leave them by the desk. There'll be a bonus."
Meowth
hopped with joy. "Yay yay, bonus!"
Jessie
pulled out her paper fan and whacked Meowth. "Shhh! We don't want Him to he-
Oh, eheheh…"
James
giggled. "We didn't say anything!" Jessie whacked him.
"I
tink its time we gets ourselves outa hewe," recommended a nervous Meowth. James
and Jessie nodded and ran out of the room.
Giovanni
sighed in relief. "Those three are a disaster. Thank god they're gone." He
walked over to the four netted pokémon and smiled. "Now what have we got here…"
he murmured. His eyes focused on the mysterious pokémon. "Hmmmm… I've never
seen THIS before…"
Celebi
stared back at Giovanni. Dude… that guy is like, so rotten looking! Like,
maybe the facelift backfired!. Celebi started giggling quietly, while the
other pokémon 'looked' at her warily.
What's
wrong now, Celebi? asked Mew.
Nothing. I was just thinking about how ugly he is!
Ooooooooh… do you think he needs a mask to look like that, or is it naaaaaaaatuuuuraaaaal? Both pokémon started giggling together.
Girls are SO immature… thought Mewtwo.
Says you! retorted back Mew.
You want to make something of it? Celebi dared.
No, we can't do anything because we're stuck in this stupid net, remember?! Mewtwo glared at her.
Oh, right. Celebi hung her head dejectedly. This isn't much fun. Mew nodded.
Ho-oh glared at both of them. Well, its not going to get any better if you keep acting like immature children!
Mew glanced at him and wondered if his memory was fading. I am a child, remember?!
Giovanni smiled at all of them and picked them up, then threw them into the tank with the other legendary pokémon.
"Now… the world is mine, for the taking."
He grinned and touched the control panel.
"Life is going to change forever."
His grin widened, and he pressed the silver button.
Why… what… what is this going through me? I feel a flow of… of negative energy, I guess… its running through me… what, what is wrong?! Why do I feel this way… what is happening?! Its like… I'm being changed, being transformed into something else! Let go! Let go, grasp of evil! I can feel what it really is now… its darkness, shadows! Won't it let go? Cease! Stop! If only it would let go! I don't want to be evil… I don't want to be sucked into Giovanni's power… please, oh please, let go! Get off! I want to be me, not the servant of Team Rocket! Please, please, let me free! I… I…
Giovanni smirked. "My
greatest accomplishment! These, legendary, ultra powerful pokémon, are mine!
They are under my control!" He placed his hand against the tank and watched as
they all wriggled in the water, the opened their eyes and glared at him. The
eyes were glowing crimson blood colored. What was the word for these pokémon?
Unstoppable? Yes, that was it. Unstoppable. Anything could be his from now on…
Suicune stared at
Giovanni. This… this isn't me… Her eyes
narrowed slightly. Well, I'm getting out of this dump! Oh, good… I'm not fully evil. In some sense or another, she could tell what
happened. He tried to change us, make us his… and he did, but only
partly. I can feel who I really am still! She
swam over to the glass and shoved herself against it. And again. And again. And
finally, the glass broke underneath her, and she slid out onto the ground and
ran out, not noticing Giovanni or the other pokémon. I have to get out…
NOW.
Giovanni stared in
disbelief as he watched the dog run out. "Its… it's gone…" Then he broke out of
it and scowled. "Dang." But then he realized he had another chance to control
it and take over… a grin spread across his face and he started laughing
insanely out of relief and happiness. He still had control!
Suicune ran. I must, must, must for fear of my life, must
run away, as far as I can get! Insanely she
tore across the fields, volcanoes, meadows, oceans, mountains, as far as she
could get, faster than the Magnet Train, faster than a human, faster than a
car…. reaching speeds of 1000 miles per hour easily. She had no idea where she
was going, but something told her to keep going, faster and faster until she
dropped.
I have to get away…
Ho-oh and Mew stared back
at Giovanni with the same disbelief that was on his face before in puzzlement.
Is he, like, insane or something? Mew asked the others.
Shhhhh, little one. There are more important things to
worry about, Ho-oh tried to console.
Doesn't matter! We … have… to … get… out… now… Raikou struggled out, about ready to collapse from
Giovanni's device.
Yeah. I can feel it too. Celebes's
eyes narrowed. This man's trying to change us, turn us evil. We need to
get out.
All right. We can travel together, suggested Mewtwo, always wise.
Okay. I've got it all under control. Ho-oh, Articuno,
Zapdos, Moltres, Celebi, and I can fly overhead to see if dangers are coming,
and the rest of you can run, or travel on your little bubble. Lugia spread its magnificent wings and looked at the
other birds. Ready for this?
All ten nodded. Entei and
Zapdos sleepily tried to smile at the others, exhausted.
Okay. If anyone needs us birds, cry out. Lugia shoved his way out of the tank and beckoned for the others to follow. Come on. It's our destiny.
Suicune was still running
wildly, not knowing or caring where she was going, the rain splashing against
her coat and leaving tear shaped streaks. She swallowed back the pain that was
running through her as she tried to resist everything around her. Suddenly, she
paused and started growling.
Who's there?!
I am, Sunnier. Right here, psychically
answered a deep eerie voice.
And who's that?! she asked
impatiently.
Who do you think?
I don't know.
Giovanni.
Suicune trembled and started barking aloud. Demon! You're the one that wanted us different! Let go of my mind before I destroy you!
I'm afraid its too late for that, Sunnie.
How do you know my real name?!
I know EVERYTHING about you, Sunnie.
Suicune started shaking harder while trying to cover it up by snarling. I… I can't believe you! All this for your greed!
Never mind that. Do as I wish. Go an-
Suicune's eyes smoldered
dangerously. That's it. I'm not listening anymore! She stepped angrily in the direction she came from,
her neck arched towards the sky. I'm me. Find someone else to change! Or
else… You won't be able to control us! Never! The
dog bolted into the rainy path, shoving mud aside as her speed picked up yet
again and before Giovanni could contact her again, she was far gone from his
reach.
Entei stopped in his
tracks and sniffed the air cautiously. Something's wrong with Suicune…
Raikou stared at him, then nodded slowly, picking up the same vibes as Entei. Suicune and that evil guy…
Giovanni…Mewtwo thought,
reflecting on all the havoc that one man had caused.
Leader of Team Rocket…
thought Mew, continuing Mewtwo's reflection.
And future destroyer of the world if we don't do something! snapped an impatient Raikou. We've got to keep going!
Lugia nodded from above. He's right. Nothing's up ahead, so its clear for now. Let's go!
Suicune's feet padded
against the darkened path much more slowly. Panting, she stopped for a bit.
Racing for hours is exhausting, even for one of the most powerful Pokémon in existence…
She slumped over, breathing heavily, her
nose inches away from the path. Utter need to gain back the sleep she had missed
shook her body like a revenge-desiring storm. Whining a bit, she licked the bottom
of a sore, blistered paw and glanced around the place carefully. She could smell
the seawater on all sides, tired as she was, and realized she was on an island
near the tropics. Wearily, she shuddered with cold and fright. Lonely and abandoned
by her own cause, giving up didn't seem quite so bad. She shook one more time,
wrought with the pain she had brought on herself, and fell over onto the
ground, her body splattering the dirt all around, and her breathing continued
heavily for a moment, the slowed and shallowed, and eventually… stopped…
Harmony tore down the
path, not even seeing where she was going, in the same blind fashion as the dog
that had thrown the dirt as she sped across a very similar path on a very
similar island… Harmony kept running, running on and on from who had hurt her feelings
without even trying, until she tripped over an obstacle in the path and hurled
forwards, covering her soft dress with thick clay-like mud. Looking back, her
eyes widened as she caught sight of a pokemon laying across the ground as if
dead.
Then her eyes either deceived
her or destiny struck…
A brilliant flash
exploded from the dog and as the light cleared, a teenage girl laid right where
the dog was, then faded away into the dog…
Harmony drew in a quiet
gasp and shook down to her toes. That pokémon's… human! That… that's not
possible! She slid over to it on the mud and
touched its cheek softly. Well, its still hurt… I have to take it back
to my house and make sure its okay… She gently
lifted the dog, surprisingly light in her arms, and walked carefully back to
her empty home to face the beginning of the miracle…
Jeez, I thought I'd get to 'Legend explanation' stuff in
this chapter, which is TOTALLY cool, lol. Guess not. Its too long for that.
Next time… I swear, it'll be there. Secret of the legends, explanations for
every unanswerable question on the legendary pokémon, reaaaaally cool, next
time!
~Suikun