Panting, I ran through the endless cave system of Mt. Moon trying to find my goal, but it just never seem to appear, I couldn't find anything but Zubats that were panicking over the noise I was making.
"Come on… where are they…?" I mumbled to myself as I slowed my run to a fast paced walk so I can catch a breather. My ears twitch trying to hear anything that could be related with that Pokémon's or the machines I saw.
I stopped moving so I can fully focus on trying to hear sounds. Standing in one place and turned my body around looking down the caves as my ears desperately tried to pick up anything beside Zubat flying.
"Urg!" I grunt in anger stamping my foot down on the hard rock floor, "What am I even doing…" I shake my head and looked back the way I came. I wish I could just return to my friends and help out those Pikachu, but deep down I needed to help this Pokémon. I guess I didn't want a pokemon to hurt not if I could do something about it, or maybe…
I crossed my arms and tapped my foot frustrated, "Okay Aeon, spill. What's going on?".
"Sora please don't stop we need to keep moving," he told me mentally however I'm getting angered by his secretness.
"Aeon I need to know what's going on before I move forward anymore," with sigh he went silent for what felt like minutes but he finally spoke up.
"You're not a full Pokémon so you couldn't pick up what it was saying too well, but what you need to know is that Team Horizon and Team Rocket are here." My rings glow with hatred as I hear their names I lower my arms and clench my fist and paw.
"They're here? Are they here for that Pokémon I heard?" I asked Aeon with a angered tone.
"Yes Sora, this is why we must hurry, we can't allow them to get it," he responded.
"What's so special about this Pokémon? They flew right over us so why not go for me?" I asked him but what I got as a response was unexpected.
"Because the Pokémon they are chasing is key for their victory." This didn't come from Aeon, no this came from behind me from someone who sounded familiar to me. I swiftly turned around and glared at the person that has snuck up on me and upon inspecting on who it was I grew calmer and cocked my head.
"...Frost?" It was that guy who saved us from when Team Horizon and Team Rocket ambushed us. He looks different from last time I saw him He isn't wearing much besides some brown cargo pants.
"Ahh you remember me," he smiles with his arms crossed or would they be counted as legs?
"How could I forget, you saved me."
"Well I was hoping our meeting could have gone a lot smoother than that but you have to work with life sometimes instead of life working with you," he chuckles happy with his comment.
"Uh, right…" I just stood there staring at him trying to figure out what he was doing here and to also get a better look at him since our last meeting was so rushed. He looks just like a glaceon just as a human I'm using it's what I'm going to be later one just unlike him I won't be standing up right, "So what do you want?".
He lowers his arms and walks closer to me leaving me to step back a bit as I don't quite trust him yet, he notices this and stops moving towards me, "I'm only here to help Sora, I hate Team Horizon just as much as you do" He raises a paw and looks at it twisting it around to get the full view, "You think I wanted this? I was pretty much born into this" He said lowering his paw once again.
"Born into this? So you been part of this from the start then" I frown clenching my fist as Frost shakes his head.
"Kids.." he sighs and moving his paw up in a dismissing motion.
"What's that supposed to mean!?" I yell getting mad with this furry man.
"It means listen" he said giving me a stern look, "My father was a scientist for Team Horizon and he took me there everyday since I was born, at the age of eight I was used for their little experiments and made to train as their soldier" he gestured to his side like someone was there and continued "Like Echo you seen before and a number of other kids, all trained to fight for one goal… to change the world" Frost stepped forward but I didn't react this time as he just passed by continuing down the cave, "We all got stories to tell and roles to play in this great big world, unfortunately some of them get cut short… hey Aeon?" he smirked as he wandered into the darkness of the cave.
"Hey wait!" I called out to him but got no answer, I ran up ahead to catch up to him but he was nowhere in sight, "What…" I tried to process everything he said to me, so there are others like him and Echo out there all made for one goal… to change the world…
I shook my head and glared at the ground, am I getting in too deep? How deep can you get when you're apart of it... then he mentioned Aeon how does he know his name since I'm the one that gave it to him, "Aeon what is he talking about?" I asked calmly even though my mind is running like clock work.
"He.. doesn't know what he's talking about Sora, I don't know him" he responded calmly which was nice.
"Then how does he know your name?".
"You do say it often, he might have overheard or something- look Sora this isn't the time" Aeon tried to quickly change the subject.
"No you're hiding something tell-" I get cut short by the sounds of the Pokémon I've been trying to find.
"Meeew!" it cries out for help as my ears try frantically to pinpoint where it was coming from.
My body turns to where Frost went only minutes ago, "There!" I exclaim and my feet take off as I made my way down the cave yet again.
It didn't take me long to find my goal after that last call, I turned the corner and and the end of the tunnel was a number of people, with two of them arguing, beyond them is a solid glowing pink orb that lit up the chamber and most of the cave tunnel. I snuck into the cave chamber and hid behind some rocks near the entrance so I can over hear what's going on.
"-For the last time you have no right to take something that you're going to sell to make a profit", I hear a familiar voice sound, I could only guess it to be Echo.
"Pokémon are free domain for anyone to catch, then they are their property to do with whatever they wish, we just wish to sell" I hear another familiar voice replay to Echo.
"Wait…" I quietly said to myself, who was this other person, it sounded like a girl. I slowly peek my head out from behind the rocks to see everything that's going on, I see Echo like I expected but the person he was speaking too… I stared at the lady and my eyes widen from pure confusion, "Sim?".
"Hm? Who knows my name?" she glanced right at me and smirked, I cover my mouth realizing I just said that out loud, Echo and the rest of the people turned their attention to me.
"Oh goodie two presents, my lucky day~" Echo said pretty happy about seeing me which only made me mad as my rings glow and my fist clenched. Seeing no point in hiding anymore I left my hiding spot and walked further into the large chamber getting closer to them. I stopped metres away from them glaring at Echo and clueless at Sim.
"Sim, what are you doing wearing Team Rockets uniform, I thought you were a good person.." I told her actually saddened.
Sim just brushed her hair off her shoulder keeping her innocent smirk, "Oh Sora I may be part of Team Rocket however I'm sweet at heart" her smirk went away and turn serious, "You'll be taken along with our prize" She glances to the glowing pick orb then stares at Echo, "We're not leaving without our Pokémon".
Echo takes his attention from me and back to Sim, "Lady you sound like you have a choice" Echo now the one smirking backs off as his five man team step forward, Sim does the same and her team of four step forward and unfortunately I was stuck in the middle.
"Sora get out of here.." Aeon suggested to me, what does he think I'm going to do get myself killed? I back off back to the entrance with the Horizon people pulling out Poké Balls and the Rocket grunts turning on some device on their arms, it's like the ones from before the ones that let them use pokemon moves somehow. In response to me moving away Echo and Sim both set their attention to me as the charge right for me and as on cue their respective teams start to fight, "Sora run!" Aeon ordered loudly in my head, Echo has he leafs on his arm glowing ready to swing as Sim fist sparks with energy.
I force my feet to pick up and escape Echo's swing, however doing so Sim struck me with her static fist, upon impact it sparked more and I could feel my body react as if to be hit by electricity, "Ahh!" I back up holding my arm with my paw in pain as I glare at Sim, she wasn't a friend anymore only a enemy.
She chuckles at her little achievement as she smirks, "So weak you are" She said lunging at as her fist sparks again, I was about to dodge when Echo slams into her side making her stumble.
"Hmph, now who's weak" He turns to his attention to me with his leafs still glowing and starts swiping at me. In a panic I charge at him some how not getting hit by his leafs and make him stumble back, he growls in anger, "Little dog..", he regain his stance and glares to me, Sim doing the same and slowly approaches from my right.
I back off frighten, what was I going to do? From what Frost said Echo is trained to fight and kill and Sim has that device that lets her use moves, I'm just a boy… a boy changing into a Pokémon but a boy none the less and one that doesn't know anything.
A tear rolls down my eye as I back up into a wall, sealing my fate as I had no where to go, "Ha look the baby's crying" Echo said with a chuckle, as he gets closer I get a feeling and one that I do not want right now.
With my with my back to the cold stone wall my body begins to grow cold and from that coldness a freezing burn and terrible pain, a change is upon me and it has terrible timing. I hold my head in pain and scream to the ceiling of the cave.
"Uh…" Sim lets out a sound of confusion as she watches me scream in pain, "Another change I guess, pity I was having fun", she glances to Echo who was getting ready to slash me with his leafs, she charges at him and tackle him away. she wants me alive while Echo clearly wants me dead.
I couldn't focus on them though as my only good eye is busy staying shut in pain as I wait for this change to pass. It's been so long since my last change and I've forgotten what it felt like and I'm wishing I didn't have to be reminded. It was intense and so hard to describe, by body was cold… so cold that it was burning up, my internal organs twisting and turning and my thoughts and feelings getting faint but return in an instant. I hear Aeon calling out to me but his voice just gets fainter like it's traveling away from me.
I lift my head and grab at my bandage on my head and tear it right off, the eye that was damaged seem to be completely healed and my eyes widen as I stare at the ceiling in pain, I wish I could tell what my surroundings looked like and what was going on between Sim and Echo, however I couldn't move… my motor function is not available to me it's like it has shut off and left my body limp. My eyes tunnel vision making it harder to see, if someone wants me dead now would be the time, I might even accept it to get away from this pain however I can't think like that I just need to get through this.
Like all the other times this happened the pain and coldness slowly shrunk, as the rest of my body gets to relax from the pain the part that's still feeling it is being impacted more than ever. It slowly but surely converges on my head and it feels like it's going to explode the pressure it's putting on it right now on top with the coldness and burning it really does feel like that.
It wasn't long before all functions of my body returned and and clutch my head with my hand and paw in pain and scream out for the world to hear, as soon as my body became responsive I could feel my brain rearrange as new feelings and ways to live become well known to me, ways to hunt… to stay hidden… to fight… all this I think about and I know what to do. This change isn't one that can be seen on the body as it's only in my head.
I growl as the pain starts to slowly fade away as it did I lowered my hand and paw from my head, this change affected my head by making me know things I would have never known but it didn't change any of my memories… at least from what I can tell.
I slowly lower my gaze from the ceiling and directed it in front of, finally able to see what's going on I can tell that that Team Horizon and Team Rocket members are on the ground either knocked out or killed, along with some of their Pokémon whatever happened was quick and deadly. Only metres in front of me stood Echo with his leafs glowing and dripping with blood I can only guess he had intervened with the others.
With a smirk on his face he slowly stepped closer, "So finally back to the world of the living?" he asked keeping that unearthly smirk, "It's such a shame that it needs to stay out" with my body still recovering from the change I just sat there, a little longer and I will be able to move but for the moment I had to take his crap.
Echo brings his leafs up to my neck and as any good villian does he starts talking, "Such a shame I don't have a chance to play with you some more, however you're a pain my backside and would much rather you leave" he draws his arm back and ready to bring it back right at my neck at full force. I frown and growl, I don't want anymore of this nonsense… this guy goes around hurting others with that grin of his on his face all the time and he thinks he can just end me like that? He has another thing coming.
I shuffle my legs as he brings his leafs back to chop my head off I push off the ground and leap into the air before it contacts, Echo eyes widen mainly out of confusion as his gaze wanders up at me, I smirk and kick him square in the face making him jerk his head back and stumble backwards from the surprise attack.
I swiftly landed on my feet again now with Echo far from me so I don't have to fear him, moments ago I was crying in fear and now I'm dodging and fighting like someone from a comic. I even surprised myself with what I just performed, "Whoa…" Is really all I could say to that it was an amazing adrenaline rush as my heart pounds fast from the excitement, to really get into the thick of it and battle it out on the battlefield, this must be what it feels like for Pokémon to battle.
"You mongrel.." Echo lets out in anger as he glares at me and rubs his face.
"What? Can't keep up?" I taught back with a chuckle which only made him angrier. With his blades glowing he charges at me ready to end my life and just like before just like instinct I jump to the side and he cuts into the rock wall behind me, "Stand still!" He exclaims grinding his teeth together and glares at me.
I back off feeling rather happy about myself, "That would get me killed, why would I do that?" I responded. I raise my paw to ready a Shadow Ball, "Now it's my turn" I tell him, I focus on making the attack form but… nothing, not even the slightest hit of energy forming at my paw in confusion I bring my paw back and look down at it, "Huh? Why can't I use Shadow Ball, Aeon always lets me use it.." I mumble to myself, something must be wrong. I call out to Aeon in my head but all I got was silence.
Echo takes his opportunity and strikes at me again with his sharp glowing leafs, I dodge to the left as I don't want to be cut down. This Aeon thing is concerning me but I can't let it get me killed so I clench my fist and leap at Echo and kick him in the chest which made him stumble back.
He growls growing annoyed, "Fine, have it your way" Echo reaches behind him with his hand and pulls out a handgun pointing it at me, my ears go back as I stare down the barrel of death, "I wanted to kill you slowly, but I guess quick will have to do" he smirks triumphant as he finally got me. He pulls the trigger and a loud of the gun goes off like thunder struck right in front of me.
It was as if time slowed down, the bullet left the chamber and headed straight for my head ready to end my life on this sweet earth. I close my eyes ready tightly waiting for death to arrive my rings glowing brightly in fear.
I waited and waited for that thing to make a hole in my head but I felt nothing it was like the gun didn't even go off. I slowly open my eyes and say floating mere inches in front of me was the bullet slowly spinning till it comes to a halt, floating stationary.
I was so confused I was supposed to be dead but I'm not, still very much breathing. I blink confused staring my doom right in front of me beyond it was Echo still holding his gun up and staring equally as confuse, but it seem he knows what happened as he starts to frown and puts his gun away, "Screw you and your Psychic" he angrily tells me.
"Psychic?" I cock my head to the side confused, I stare back at the bullet and remember that I know Psychic, I learnt it back when Team Horizon tried to assault my mind that night, but from what we learnt I don't actually know how to control it I guess you'll learn anything when faced with death, "The change…" the change I just had affected my mind and I know many different things and I seem to have more confidence than before, that was show when I attacked Echo so was it because of the change I was able to use this now?
I shake my head to change my train of thought as I had other matters to deal with other than leaning one simple move. I lower my body to get into a better position for fighting and put on a more serious face as my rings stop glowing and the bullet falls harmlessly to the ground. Echo and my eyes locked as we just stared at each other waiting for the other to make the first move.
From the corner of my eye I see movement it couldn't be the grunts or Pokémon because they were all dead or knocked out cold, so it must have been… I glance over to the movement while keeping my attention to Echo and from some rock formation I see Sim emerging rubbing her arm, so I see she survived.
"Hmph… lucky shot" she says as she moves closer to us not looking too happy, upon seeing me she smirks, "Oh I see you're on your feet again and not dead… surprisely" she said actually seeming surprised, "When I met you I thought you were a wuss".
"Yeah well, people change… I'm through feeling sorry for myself" I responded feeling full of energy and generally not concerned about my current status of changing into a Pokémon.
"Hm I see you're growing up" she stands there staring at both me and Echo, she too now joined the battle again and this stand off as turned into a triangle of waiting.
We all stood there for a few minutes just waiting until finally we get bored waiting, Sim fiddles with the device on her arm and her fist sparks ready to deal damage and runs at me, Echo does the same with his leafs glowing ready to strike. I'm always the center of attention, huh?
I jump back to avoid Echo's leafs and like before I get stuck by Sim's fist causing volts of energy into my body, "A-Ahh.." I stumble back and tried to keep my pain silent, she knew though as she smiled pleased.
Echo pushed her back and took another shot at me, since Echo's the one that wants me dead I don't want to be hit by him opposed to Sim. Using my hand I grab hold of his grovyle claw and put my strength behind the catch to stop his leafs before they slice me in two, I retract my claws from my paw and claw at his face, he moves his head back from the claws before they come in contact and pulls his claw free and claws at me just like I did.
Our battle came down to who had the sharpest claws because for two minutes we battled it out letting out claws do the talking, we both managed to land some hits on each other however I had enough and I ducked down as he swiped his claw for my head I readied my fist and held it tight and raised up quickly kicking off the ground and gaining air delivering an uppercut to his chin, "Gah!" He yelps in pain and stumbles trying to recover himself from the attack, Sim took her opportunity and came at me with that fist of hers seeing as I was still recovering from the brawl I just she struck me in the chest and a back off putting my hand over it.
"Shouldn't wear yourself out too quickly" she says with a smirk as she readies another punch. I get ready to fight back and glare at her annoyed, my rings glow as I grow mad and I can feel some kind of pressure build up inside of me. Figuring that it can't hurt me and release it and as Sim was about to hit me a psychic wave of energy emits from me and pushes her back far, right into the cave wall, "Ahh-" he yell of pain was cut short with her face planting the ground.
"Cool" I smile that I finally got to see it in action against them, Psychic is so cool! I stare at her to make sure that she will stay down but before I could make any decision Echo lunges at me and grabs onto my neck with his claw and putting a tight grip on in, "Gah-" I got out choking.
"Now this is cool" He smirks watching me suffer and push against him with my hand and paw to get some air, "You know Sora, you remind me of me… and it sickens me, there can only be one of me after all" he says putting more force onto my neck.
I stood there with my legs shaking helplessly as I tried to get the little breaths of air I could, I need to think of something… anything to get out of this or he will kill me. I call out for Aeon again but I get no response like last time and I can't figure out why due to the fact that I'm being choked. I wish I didn't run off without bringing the others, sure I didn't want to put them in danger but I don't want to leave them like this, not by the claw of this maniac.
That's when it hit me and I smirk at Echo, upon seeing me his smirk went away in annoyance, "You know Echo.." I got out between gathering breaths, he loosens up his grip as he's interested in what I want to say, I get some good breaths, "I'm nothing like you. We may be some human-Pokémon hybrid thing… but there's something I'll always have that you can never acquire".
"Oh yeah?" He tightens his grip again still annoyed, "What' would that be?".
"A purpose to fight, friends… others to look out for you" smiling and frown and push against him with my hand a paw and lift my leg up and give him a swift kick in the stomach, his grip loosens up enough for me to break free and I jump back and reach behind me, "I believe you met" I pull out a Poké Ball and enlarge it spinning it in my hand and throwing it above me, "Coal let's go! Flamethrower!" I command, in a bright light Coal's body forms in the air with a sly smile on his face as he stares at Echo.
"My turn" he says as his mouth grows hot with embers jumping out of it, he throws his head back then back forward with his jaw wide open and spits flames at Echo. He throws his arms up to protect himself from the flames as I can hear grunts of pain come from him, he steps back trying to get away from the super effective flames.
Coal finishes his attack and comes back down landing on my shoulders, his weight was slightly unexpected as my body lowers as it gets crushed by it however I maintain it and stand straight again, "Time to put that new trick to the test" I raise my paw and point it at Echo which is still recovering from his burns, but instead of charging up a shadow ball I focus on the thing that makes me happy, my friends.
A glowing light forms at my paw as my body glows with it, energy surging into the attack as it grows bigger and bigger, "Here's my hidden power!" I yell at him as I release it creating a beam of energy that shoots right for Echo. He stares up and widens his eyes unable to do anything as the beam impacts him sending him flying into the wall and pins him there for a few seconds till the attacks dies down allowing him to fall to the ground.
"Grr…" he moans in pain and getting up, it's clear nothing is keeping him down. I frown and raise my fist ready to fight if needed and Coal jumps off my shoulders and lands next to me ready to be by my side. Echo grunts enraged but backs off, "Hmph… this is a waste of time…" he reaches behind him and pulls out a small vial and stares at it inspecting to see if it's intact, "We got what we wanted anyway", he puts it away and sprints for the entryway and runs on down the tunnel. I wasn't going to stop him I had enough of him as it was.
With Echo gone it was time to set my sights on the last threat in this room. I look over to Sim and she's up on her knees looking hurt from the impact, "Geez... " she gets up and dusts herself off looking up to me, "I guess I underestimated you Sora" she frowns, "I won't make that mistake again" she said as she walked to the entrance like Echo.
"Sim why are you working for Team Rocket? You were so sweet back in Pewter City" I reach my hand out to her wanting her to stop and talk to me, however I doubt I was going to get my answers.
"Oh Sora, you'll learn to not trust people, they'll only get in your way" she said walking past and throwing her hand up at me to dismiss me.
"I don't know what you've gone through, but I would never want to be alone" I tell her but I don't get a response instead she just walks off into the darkness leaving me and Coal alone.
"Sora, I don't know what happened but.. I'm glad you're okay" Coal says smiling up at me, I do the same.
"I'm just helping Pokémon, those guys can't keep going around hurting them", I told him, he saw who was here and by the bodies on the ground I'm sure he can figure out who I', talking about.
"Who were they hurting?" Coal asked looking around with his gaze soon finding it's way to the glowing orb in the chamber as I look over with him, I know that whatever I came here to save must be in there but I have something else to find out first.
"Aeon are you okay?" I asked out loud leaving Coal to stare back up at me while I wait for a response, "Aeon?" I ask again growing rapidly concerned over my friend's lack of responding.
"...I'm here…" I hear him finally say weakly, my ears perk up and the rings glow with relief.
"Aeon I was worried, are you okay? What happened?" I asked still in a panic state of mind.
"I'm okay… just, recovering" he tells me, recovering from what I respond back, "I protected you from… t-that last change and it just drained me..".
"You did? Oh Aeon, thank you for helping" I tell him with a smile on my face, it sounded like that could have been a lot worse than it could have been as he took most of it, he didn't have to do that but I am grateful.
"No.. problem, Sora" still sounding weak I didn't want to push him into talking so I just nodded and look down to Coal with a smile.
"Nothing to worry about" I give him a thumbs up and take my attention to the orb while he smiles and nods understanding, however no one would really understand how it is to have someone else in your mind but I'm glad friends are there to help.
I stare at the orb to inspect it and find that it hasn't been damaged so whatever is inside should be safe. My inspecting of the orb was cut short as it started to shine brighter to the point of blinding us so Coal and I covered our eyes, him with his claw and me with my hand.
The bright light soon died down, we lower our appendages covering our eyes and I just stared at the pink furball that was floating there in front of us, it stared back and cocked it's head to the side staring right into my eyes.
"Is that…?" Coal mumbled to himself, I just stared confused as to who this pokemon was, it's nothing I've ever seen in textbooks.
It started to smile closing it's eyes happy, "I finally get to met you, Aeon" it spoke.
"Aeon…?" I responded swiftly but confused, how does it know about Aeon? It's a psychic type yes, but I'm turning into a dark type so I should be immune to it. The pink things eyes flash with a pinkish light as my rings started to glow without my consent, making me grow worried and take a step back, Coal quickly grabbed onto my pants with his claw.
"Sora it's alright, it's a friend" He told me with a warm tone keeping his smile on his face. I stood there and glanced down at him then back to the pokemon in front of me.
"Who are you..? What did you do?" I asked keeping calm thanks you Coal.
"You know me silly~" It said with a giggle keeping a happy tone, "Also you'll see".
"What do you mean that I'll see?" I cocked my head to the side slightly confused, it's when my ear twitched that alerted me to something new. I quickly reacted and turned myself around staring at the entrance to the chamber waiting for this new thing to come, "Who is it?" I called out and waiting for an answer Coal got ready and frowned waiting for this potential threat.
From the darkness came a faint glow of yellow low to the ground, it was a pokemon that was heading our way and I had no idea if it was friendly. I clenched my fist and waited for it to come into view, soon the pokemon stepped out of the dark tunnel and into the chamber and thanks to the light it was making and the light from the pokemon behind me and Coal I could see it clearly… it was a Umbreon.
"Huh?" I let out confused staring at this new mon.
It stared up at me and walked closer with a smile, "Sora, you don't recognize me?" it said, I could make out from the tone of it's voice that it was male.
I never met a Umbreon in my life but he does seem familiar, I stood there in thought before it finally hit me with my rings glowing bright from shock, "Aeon…?".