Rejuvenation
I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I did, they would suck. A lot.
It would also be updated ridiculously inconsistently.
…
The instant we exited the cave, we heard the dull sounds of engines running. I turned my head to see a plethora of trucks storm from the east gate, blocking the path…With a…familiar design.
I quickly shook the thoughts off my head and gazed at the fog hanging in the sky; the sun was barely shining through and the taste of soot was evident in the air.
"VI-VI!" Vivillon suddenly yelped, glancing at her former home. She attempted to blow away the mist with Gust, but to no avail. I couldn't help but frown at her depsair.
"What the heck?!" A youngster nearby exclaimed in a shrill voice, standing alongside a few other trainers.
"What's going on?!" I turned my head as another trainer and his Rockruff shook their heads, surveying the area.
"What happened?!" Melia shrieked next, rushing down the stairs and looking around the area; I followed suit, trying not to let my shaking legs or my broken shoulder make me tumble.
"Wait!" One of the male trainers exclaimed, before pointing a finger towards Melia with a scowl. "You're Melia, aren't you?! You're the one who put my sister in the hospital!" Melia choked.
…Is it really the time for this?!
"W-What?!" She stammered, her voice going shrill for a moment.
"Wait, you're Melia?!" Another trainer exclaimed, clenching a fist in front of her. "You were why I got attacked by that Ursaring, weren't you?!"
"I-!" Melia attempted to object, but found no words to do so.
"Hey! Are you responsible for this too?!" The trainer with the Rockruff questioned, gesturing towards the forest mist. Melia's body trembled, her eyes shadowed by her hair; it was as though as if one more word and she would shatter like glass. I breathed I deeply, and turned towardsthe trainers.
"Y…" I stumbled over my own words, but managed to speak with a decent voice." You can all settle this later." I said, despite how foreign it felt to me. The first two trainers made a sound of frustration, but kept quiet. I let out a sigh of relief. I briefly glanced at Melia, who didn't seem too eager to talk anytime soon. Just great.
"HELP!"
We all turned our head towards an old woman, running towards us, her purse flying through the air.
"Some hooligans kidnapped my beloved Furfrou! Red Xs over black! Please, help me!" She beseeched, her legs shaky. At the description, a brief memory quickly flashed through my mind.
"Arbok, Crunch!"
Again, I shook my head; it was just a coincidence. Just a coincidence.
Just. A. Coinci-
"HEY!"
We turned our heads towards…
…
No.
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.
Team Xen was not standing right in front of me.
Team Xen was not standing right in front of me.
…
For a second, I felt as though my mind was paralyzed, locked in place. And then, in an instant, a tremor, an indescribable feeling of terror burst through my veins. My heartbeat thumped against my chest, as if a boxer and his punching bag.
"Tree?" I heard Treecko on my shoulder, my only response was hasty, unstable breathing that would likely make me pass out eventually. Surprisingly, I managed to stay conscience enough to hear their conversation.
"So this is where the rest of you have been…" The frontmost of the two grunts noted, crossing his arms. Melia let out a light gasp, raising both of her hands to her face.
"Is…A-Are you Team Xen?!" She shrieked, her legs trembling. The grunt took notice of the girl, before briefly squinting his eyes.
"Hey…blonde hair, gray eyes…" He mumbled. He turned towards his colleagues, mulling over something, before speaking again.
"Alright then, you," He pointed a gloved hand towards Melia, who stepped back in response. "Come with us, and there won't be any trouble."
What?
"What?" Melia echoed my thoughts, clutching her hand even tighter on her chest. "Wh-why?!"
"Well, we came to this forest for one reason, and that was to kidnap you."
"We came to this ship for one purpose, and that's your apprehension."
For some reason, everything became a blur as that memory flashed.
My mind tuned out their conversation as memories of the ship flooded back into me, from the rain on my back to the screams of the people; they were all so vivid, as if they were happening right in front of me.
The face of the captain when I arrived.
The sound of a Team Xen member commanding her Arbok.
And the face of the woman who I called mom, who I failed.
The woman who I left on that ship, all alone.
All I could do in that instance was lifelessly stare towards the grass with shaking eyes, and resist the increasing urge to throttle my throat and scream.
…
"H-Hey!"
When I came back to reality, Melia was being shoved by one of the trainers.
"You can take her!" She yelled seemingly a second thought, evoking a teary look in Melia; all I did was stand there and watch like an idiot, like the coward I knew I was.
"Hey!" The trainer with the Rockruff suddenly yelled. "She might be a problem, but I won't let you take anyone away from here!" I internally let out a sigh of relief; at least someone wasn't as cowardly as I was.
"Rockruff! Rock Blast!" He ordered as the Rock-type formed a large boulder over its head, before promptly hurling it towards the grunts; some of the trainers let out a light gasp, and I couldn't help but be relieved, even if this was violence against people using Pokem-
"Swampert, Mud Shot!"
…What?!
A towering blue titan suddenly emerged from the Team Xen grunts' Pokeball, creating a magnitude at it landed. It wasted no time as it opened its mouth and released a muddy sphere, launching at tremendous force towards the boulder, and subsequently, the Rockruff itself, driving the Rock-type all the way towards the rocky walls; a large dust cloud followed, engulfing the area with dirt and pebbles.
At the sudden display of power, I couldn't help but release a shrill scream, my body trembling with even greater force now. My eyes were as wide as dinner plates, my breathing shallow and slow.
I shakily turned towards Melia, who seemed equally terrified at the display, her eyes unable to leave the scene. I turned towards my Pokemon; Koffing's mouth was agape, Vivillon seemed to quiver, and Treecko's eyes were open wide.
"What the?!" The Rockruff's trainer choked, having fallen to his rear by the mere force around the blast.
"Now, you see what you made me do?" The grunt said almost sarcastically, before raising a gloved hand once more. "Hand her over, or pay the price." He repeated, his Swamper threateningly glaring behind him. My heart beat loudly against my chest, as if a boxer and its punching bag.
What…do I do…?
How…how…what?
…
One of the trainers from earlier shoved Melia towards the grunts again.
"H-Hey!" She yelled, tears almost forming in her eyes; for the second time, I couldn't do anything as I stood as nothing more as a silent coward. The grunt grabbed her by the arm with a firm grip, and I did nothing but watch pathetically, my limbs seemingly unresponsive.
"Let-Let go!" Melia squealed, but the grunt only responded with a light chuckle and a smile. The professor's daughter helplessly wiggled against the man. Meanwhile, I stood by the sidelines like an Arceus-damned coward, my body paralyzed in fear. I grit my teeth and stared helplessly at the confrontation in front of me.
"LET ME GO!"
A firm hand suddenly went across the girl's face, silencing her.
"Shut up-"
The Team Xen member's head suddenly flew back, tumbling back from the impact of a blow. He clutched his nose in pain, staring with a hardened glare.
"What the fuck?!" He cursed, glaring towards…me.
I blinked, and I slowly realized that it was my fist that did that.
...
Oh.
"What are you doing?!" A trainer from the back admonished whilst I cluelessly stared at my fist. I could hear Treecko making a sound of disbelief from my shoulder.
"You're gonna pay for that! Swampert, attack!"
FUCK.
Swampert let out a ferocious roar into the forest, loud enough that it made me land on my rear, breaking whatever sort of composure I had left and spiking pain through my shoulder. I let out a shrill shriek for that.
"Treeko!" I heard my Starter cry from my shoulder. I blinked a few times, before I finally settled back into the reality of the situation:
What I just did was absolutely fucking stupid.
"A-Aevis-!" Melia screamed into my ear, but didn't seem to find the words to continue that line of thought. I could only stare as my legs were so shaky that I couldn't stand.
Treecko defiantly jumped in front of me, giving the Swampert his usual cool, clam stare even if he was tens of times behind. Koffing made a noise of annoyance, but briefly followed suit alongside Vivillon. I could only stare in fear of the Swampert and admiration of my Pokemon.
"Swampert, Hydro Pump!"
I gulped, bracing myself for what was about to be-
"Leavanny, Leaf Blade!"
Shink!
…
What?
When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a woman standing in front of me, her long, white hair flowing over my head. When I tilted my head, I saw a Leavanny standing gracefully, and just a bit beyond that, was a Swampert…miserably crashed into a tree, swirls over its eyes. My Pokemon seemed to be equally surprised.
"W-What the fuck?!" The grunt swore again, before turning towards the new threat: it was that lady in the cave…Mars? I think? She took a step forward, giving the grunt what I could assume was a vehement glare.
"To taint such a beautiful forest with such vehicles of smoke and mist was terrible enough, and now you dare to kidnap a young girl?" She sneered, probably glaring at them with her crimson eyes. I shakily stood up, slouched over, Melia helping me a bit.
"You…you people are a disgrace to this world. With my honor as a member of the Culvier Clan, you will meet your downfall." Leavanny nodded in agreement.
"Ko! Ko!" Treecko got my attention. I didn't know how to respond so I just stuttered out a response.
"I-I'm…o-o-okay…" I replied, so soft I'm not sure he heard. Koffing nudged my head, attempting to get me out of my slouching state. Vivillon seemed to watching the Leavanny.
I slowly glanced around the area, and noted that the trainers were still standing there, in complete fear.
"Aevis! Are you okay?" Melia asked, which only confirmed my earlier thoughts.
"I-I'm…F-fine…" I stammered, attempting to get a grip on myself. I turned back towards Mars and the Team Xen grunt…s. The Swampert's trainer let out a growl of frustration, before letting out another Pokemon.
"Dodrio!" He yelled out as said Pokemon emerged. The Xen Member turned towards his partner.
"Nickoli! Go get the girl! I'll deal with the Culiever-whatever!" He commanded. The other began to stammer profusely.
"W-What?! I'm still just a newbie! That's why I'm with you in the first place!"
"Send out your Shadow Pokemon and you'll be fine!" He called out…Shadow what?
"Oh right!" Before I could think on it further, the other grunt made his first move.
"Dodrio! Drill Peck!"
"Evade!" The Leavanny readied itself, and the Bug-type dashed quick as lightning, Mars quickly ran to follow the battle. I gulped, watching as-
"Hey!" The other grunt, Nickoli, got my attention, and pulled out a Pokeball.
"Alright, Meowth! Let's go!"
Out from the ball was a Meowth, standing on its two legs…engulfed in a purple aura. Its normal white fur was replaced with a murky lavender hue, and its aura, purple as poison, alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine. Its slit-like eyes emotionlessly stared at nothing. Melia gasped.
"I-is that…! No…" She drawled out, and then suddenly glanced at the suitcase in her hand, as if she just remembered its existence. She turned towards me in desperation.
"Aevis! I need you to distract that thing, I need to get something from my briefcase!" She quickly got on the ground and began inputing a code…Wait what did she say?
"Koff!" I snapped my head towards my floating Poison-type, and then towards my other Pokemon, who seemed almost eager to take the…Shadow Pokemon on…almost.
"Please…promise to keep my daughter safe…"
…Being someone of my word, I attempted to relax my nerves, and did a quick breathing exercise, the one my...momused to tell me to do…
In…
Out…
In…
Out…
In…
Out…
I stood as best I could, and stared down the Pokemon before me; Nickoli made the first move.
"Meowth! Shadow Rush!" The Meowth engulfed its body in a purple blaze, swiftly bolting over the grass. I outstretched a shaky arm.
"Q-Quick Attack!" Treecko quickly blazed through the field, but soon lost the struggle, its feet dragged across the grass. I grunted, and outstretched my arm again.
"Sludge! S-Struggle Bug!" Koffing quickly regurgitated several balls of sludge, and Vivillon formed multiple green spheres around its body, promptly launching them at the Meowth.
"Shadow Wave!" Meowth reared its head back slightly, forming a dark sphere over its mouth, before unleashing a powerful stream of darkness, blasting through the projectiles. Vivillon gasped and quickly flew away; Koffing was not so lucky, its slowness forcing it to tank the hit and slamming it into a nearby tree. I covered my face with my arm as dust exploded from the impact.
"KOFFING!" I yelled out. Don't…panic…Happy thoughts….Happy thoughts…
"T-Treecko! Razor Wind!" Treecko followed, leaping into the air and firing another barrage of projectiles. Nickoli laughed, as if his victory was guaranteed.
"Another Shadow Wave!" Meowth fired another beam of darkness that cut through the projectiles once more. Treecko hurriedly maneuvered around the blast.
"Stun Spore!" Vivillon hastily flew down towards the Meowth, releasing a yellow powder onto the Shadow Pokemon, several sparks soon surrounding its body. I sighed in relief at my small victory.
"Razor Wind! Struggle Bug!" A barrage of projectiles suddenly came flying towards the Shadow Pokemon. In response, it merely tanked the hit; its stoic gaze with its slit-like eyes didn't falter, and suddenly…it changed.
Without even a command, the Meowth engulfed itself in a purple aura, cancelling out the attacks and engulfing the Pokemon in a different light. Its previous light hue as replaced by what seemed like a literal lavender-colored fire embracing the Pokemon, its eyes suddenly shining blood red, like a predator's. Sharp claws were extended out of his paws. The sudden switch sent a shiver down my spine.
It then promptly blasted a spherical darkness around it, blasting both Treecko and Vivillon back, and I had to cover up my face with my cap.
"H-Hey!" Nickoli suddenly yelled out. "Be careful, that almost hit me!" He said to the Meowth…It was about to attack its own trainer…?
"Aev!"
I turned my head, and saw a metallic glove-shaped device flying towards me. I attempted to catch it with my right hand, but the device instead latched onto the back of my hand, black narrow lines trailing on my fingers, a white central piece covering my backhand.
"W-what is this?!"
"Try catching the Meowth!"
WHAT?!
"What?!" Nickoli echoed my thoughts clearly.
"Just throw a Pokeball! Trust me!" Melia cried out. I hesitantly glanced at the device, and then at the Meowth, who seemed to be powering up some sort of…"Hyper" attack…I reluctantly reached into my bag, and expanded a Pokeball.
"Go!" I threw the ball towards the Meowth…and it worked.
*Shake*…*Shake*…*Shake*…*Ding!*
…
A moment of disbelief lingered over all of us. My mouth was hanging wide open in shock…
I caught it?!
"You caught it?!" Nickoli echoed my thoughts once more. "Hey!" He tried to run for the ball, only for Treecko to tail-slap it towards me. I juggled it for a moment, before clutching it in my hand.
"Give that back! I raised that Meowth since it was just an egg!" He pleaded.
"Well, since you made it into a Shadow Pokemon, I don't think you're deserving of it." Melia snorted. The grunt wept lightly, his fist clenched.
"What makes you think I had a choice…" He whispered to himself. Melia didn't seem to hear him though.
"DAMN IT!" The other grunt from earlier swore, returning his two downed Pokemon…He lost even with a four times type advantage…?
"Come on! We need to retreat!" Nickoli stammered.
"B-But my Meowth! I need it!" He gave me one final glance, before following his partner. "W-Wait up!"
…
With at least some of that shit show over, I collapsed on my rear, ignoring how my shoulder stung at the sudden movement…Wait a second…
"KOFFING!" I yelled out in realization like a dumbass. I quickly ran over towards the Poison-type's "landing tree", the Poison-type on a destroyed tree…One hit did that?
I crouched beside the Pokemon, whom had swirls over its eyes. A frown made its way onto my face.
"Aev!" Melia called out again. I turned my head towards her, the Culvier Clan trainer right behind her.
"Melia, I need a potion."
"R-right." She stuttered a bit, before handing me the item from her briefcase. I nodded in thanks, and administered it as best I could, which was admittedly shoddy, with only one arm functioning and the other barely.
"You're going to be fine buddy…" I whispered, my Vivillon humming in agreement. Mars coughed, turning our attention towards her.
"Your name is Aevis, correct?" She began, to which I nodded. "You have my thanks for distracting them until my arrival; I was in a deeper part of the cave, and thus, it took longer. You have my thanks for doing what you could." She bowed, her Leavanny mimicking her movement.
"…" Normally maybe I would've been embarrassed, but right now, I just wanted to leave and never come back.
"However, at the moment, there's no time to waste. We must get Melia to Gearen City." Melia tilted her head at that.
"W-why?"
"From what I could tell, she was the main reason they went here. Once she leaves, Team Xen would no longer have a reason to stay." Mars reasoned, to which I agreed with.
"Normally, we would take the East Gate, but the main problem there lies that that was where the trucks began to show up, and that the place to where Wispy Path leads is not a kind one." She followed up. I was confused, but decided not to push the topic. The blonde girl merely stared at the ground in response.
"…" Melia didn't seem too eager to play as a helpless victim; I gave her a consoling look, but I don't think it did much for her. I sighed, clueless what to do or say to the girl.
"Are the CyberNav communications still accessible?" I asked. Mars shook her head.
"Unfortunately, no. Team Xen must be interfering with the signal somehow, no communication can go in, or out." She explained, to which I released another sigh, already imaging an outraged Venam. I glanced around, and noticed the absence of the other trainers.
"Where is everyone else…?"
"I believe they scattered through the forest when the fighting began." She grit her teeth in frustration. "It will be difficult to ensure their safety now." She let out a sigh, and crossed her arms.
"Melia, do you know anything about the Pokemon just now? The device on your friend's hand seems to imply that you do." She gestured towards…whatever this thing was. The blonde girl gulped, nodded, and began to explain.
"Shadow Pokemon…they originated from the Orre region. Shadow Pokemon are much, much stronger than their original forms, although it comes with a price to pay of their…humanity, for lack of a better term... What they once were is still probably still in them…but until they're purified, they're suffering greatly." Melia explained.
"They become emotionless, and becoming nothing short of mere weapons with the desire to fight, even going as far to fight their own trainer should it go under a rampage…If they do undergo a rampage, I think it was called…Hyper Mode? I think, their health slowly deteriorates until they can no longer fight…It's not even of their own will…" I suddenly felt uncomfortable with the Pokemon on my belt, a sudden jolt going through my legs.
"So, you're saying that they become mere uncontrollable weapons?" Mars summarized, to which Melia nodded sadly.
"Yeah…Although Shadow Pokemon were discontinued years ago. I don't know why or how Team Xen has Shadow Pokemon." She responded. Mars nodded, and then gestured towards the device again.
"And what off the device attached to your friend's hand?" She questioned, gesturing towards said object.
"It's a…Snag Machine. It interferes with the signal between a Pokemon and its Pokeball, allowing it to be captured…I don't know why it was in my briefcase though…" Melia drawled, gazing towards the briefcase on the grass. Mars nodded.
"Although, it wasn't the only thing in my briefcase…" Melia raised her hand, showing us a golden round pendant with a Pokeball engraving on it, hung by a thin silver chain.
"I found this inside too, haven't checked inside, but I guess that can wait until later." She said, dangling the pendant in her fingers before putting it on her neck. "It does look pretty though."
"Last question," Mars said, bringing the girl back to reality. "Do you know why they were after you?" The girl nervously rubbed her arm.
"…I don't know. The most I can think of is ransoming me as the Professor's daughter." Melia replied, a frown emerging on her face. "And…my ability, I suppose." Mars raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it further. She sighed, and glanced behind us.
"We need to get going. Aevis, I will need your assistance should any more Shadow Pokemon appear." I nodded, and we were off.
-LINE-BREAK-
Admittedly, the two of us didn't do much compared to Mars' powerhousing through everything.
Her Leavanny's movements were mesmerizing; it was like an ice skater in midair, painting a mosaic in the sky. Treecko, likewise, seemed to share my sentiment about the Pokemon. I particularly noticed it whenever his eyes shined when it used-
"Leaf Blade!" She ordered, bringing down another one of Team Xen's Pokemon, this time a Vigoroth.
Of course, even if she was doing most of the work, that wasn't to say that I was completely useless.
"Vivillon, Stun Spore! Koffing, Gyro Ball!"
A Shadow Cacnea helplessly became paralyzed, before promptly getting slammed by the Poison-type, flying towards a nearby rock. I quickly expanded a Pokeball, and threw it.
"Go!"
The Shadow Pokemon went into the ball just like before, and I waited in anticipation.
*Shake*…*Shake*…*Shake*…*Ding!*
I let out a breath of relief at the ding...at least I was getting lucky with my Pokeballs, that's something, right?
"What the?!" The Xen grunt I was battling against gasped, before hastily sprinting towards the ball, nearly tripping herself.
"WAIT! I NEED-!" Treecko slapped the ball towards me yet again. I gave Treecko a thankful nod, and my starter nodded back. I turned back towards Mars, who had just finished with her far more experienced grunt. I turned towards Melia.
"Melia, can you please heal my Vivillon?"
"S-Sure." It felt weird to not be the stuttering one in a conversation, but I ignored that for now.
"Aevis, Melia, let's keep moving." Mars ordered. I nodded, and quickly-
"PLEASE!"
What the hell?!
I nearly tripped at a sudden force holding onto my leg. I looked down to see the Xen Member, clinging onto me in desperation, both of her arms firmly gripped around my leg. Her fingers pressed deeply into my legs, to the point where it hurt.
"H-hey!" I tried to shake my leg off of the Team Xen Member, but to no avail. She raised her head towards me in desperation, her black hair frizzled and unkept. She was…crying?
"PLEASE!" She begged. "You…You don't know what she does to grunts who fail too many times!" She continued to beg, her tears falling on the grass. Her arms trembled with profuse sweat, as if her life was on the line.
"I-I-I-If I a-at least come back w-with my S-Shadow Pokemon, I won't be-!"
"Aevis, let's get going." Mars called out again. I glanced at the grunt for a moment, before yanking my leg away and running as fast as I could.
"WAIT!" She wailed as I dashed as fast I could. I didn't turn back; they were terrorists after all, I shouldn't feel bad for them…right?
They killed…maybe kidnapped, mom.
I repeated that phrase in my head as I tried to justify myself; it wasn't working, for some stupid reason.
…
"Hey!" A particular pair of grunts eventually caught Mars' eyes though, a man and a woman.
"...That girl, yes?" The male questioned, to which the other…facepalmed.
"Yes, Eli. It's 'That's the girl', by the way." She clarified.
"Oh. Thanks a big."
"'Thanks a lot', you mean."
A quiet moment of silence seemed to pass over us, neither of the grunts making a move.
"…I believe this is when you oppose us?" Mars questioned, eyebrow raised.
"After the slaughter fest you put those other guys too? I don't think it'd be worth it. Besides, we're still new to this so our Pokemon aren't exactly on your level." The female shrugged, running a hand through her long orange hair.
"B-but Shadron! We job do!" Eli retorted in exasperation.
"'We have a job to do', you mean, and it's Sharon, Sharon, for the last time." Sharon groaned."Also, we'll just fake it. Besides, our boss for this mission is one of the more laid back ones anyways." She explained.
"…Well, you have our gratitude." Mars said, more of a question than anything else, really.
"Eh. No problem. The exit's blocked off by a truck though." Sharon said, pointing a thumb to the side. "So yeah. Not really much point in-"
"Leaf Blade!"
Leavanny swiftly dashed towards the truck and hacked it in half, a clean cut present. I couldn't help but notice Treecko's face lit up at the sight.
"Well there goes that truck. Hope they don't take it out on us for that one." Sharon sighed, scratching her head in irritation.
"Is the station still open?" Mars inquired.
"Well, yeah. I don't think Team Xen's really going public anytime soon, so I doubt it. Wouldn't have planned all this so much if we were." Sharon shrugged again. That confused me, considering the TV News this morning, but saved that thought for later.
"What happened to the others who attempted to escape?" Mars questioned.
"Them? I don't know. They probably got stuffed in one of the trucks somewhere. Don't ask why we don't kill them." Sharon dismissed the topic. "But hey, Less witnesses, you know? Maybe it's just the whole keeping it discrete plan."
"…You're being rather forthcoming with this information." Mars narrowed her eyes. Sharon shrugged in indifference.
"No reason to disobey you, and a hundred reasons not to…Other than if we were found out…" She reasoned, and then groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "…Today just couldn't get any better, huh."
"S-sorry Shardion." Eli apologized.
"Sha-ron." She clarified again, a small vein appearing on her forehead. "Come on. Although I doubt that the boss is going to let you guys leave anyways." Sharon shrugged once more, before walking back somewhere. "Come on, Eli."
"Yes, Sharionion." An irritated sigh followed afterwards. Mars blinked, and turned towards us.
"Aevis, I need you to escort Melia to the train station and alert the authorities; once Melia leaves, Team Xen will likely follow, but I intend to do what I can to ensure that none run away and they face justice for their actions." She ordered, her Leavanny nodding in reassurance. I nodded in response.
"…" Melia could still only stare at the golden grass lifelessly, as if a puppet without its string. I sighed, and couldn't help but feel guilty for her.
"It's not your fault, you know. You…couldn't have predicted they would come for you." I attempted to console. She turned towards me, her expression still lethargic.
"…Couldn't I…?" She barely whispered, turning back toward the grass. I grit my teeth, mentally berating myself. Way to fucking go Aevis. Mars let out an irritated, yet sorrow sigh.
"I understand how you feel, however-"
Fwoom!
In an instant, a tremendous gale suddenly blasted past us, jolting both us and the trees around us; we barely managed to stay up until the gust finally stopped.
I readjusted my cap, and-
HOLY FUCK THAT'S A DRAGONITE-
"Leavanny, Air Slash!" The Bug-type leapt into the air and swiftly fired disc-like projectiles at the Dragon-type. The Dragonite effortlessly maneuvered around the attacks, a narrow stare never leaving its eyes.
"T-T-Treecko, Razor Wind!" The Grass-type gently leapt from my shoulder and released crescent-shaped projectiles at the Dragon-type. This time, it merely tanked the hit, unfazed by the attack. I gulped, taking a step back as sweat crawled down my skin. Treecko landed on the grass, appalled.
"VI! VI!" Vivillon shouted in panic. Koffing let out a noise of terrified agreement. The Dragonite let out a ferocious roar, powerful enough to make me stumble back and protect my head with my arm. It began to cluster a fireball within its mou-
"RUN!" Mars quickly commanded as the Dragonite discharged a stream of fire its mouth. I let out a shrill shriek and ran as fast as I could with a faulty shoulder, which of freaking course, made me slower and-
"AEVIS DODGE!"
I could barely turn my head as Mars suddenly tackled me down to the grass.
Crink!
I couldn't help but let out a arduous scream as my shoulder crashed first into the grass, but the sound of a deafening explosion from where I previously stood overshadowed my scream. Mars hurriedly carried me by my good arm, and continued running; I attempted to ignore the searing pain in my shoulder.
Despite how the explosion continued to ring in my ears, the sound of flares streaming behind me was evident, and the taste of burning grass was in the air. Mars would occasionally command an Air Slash, but it lead to no avail.
Eventually, the spiral of fire stopped, and the three of us and our Pokemon gasped for breath, Mars still holding me up.
"Wonderful day out, isn't it?"
The sudden voice made Mars jerk her head upwards, and I finally took notice of who was in front of us. A blonde haired man stood in front of the lake, his ruffled hair and blue trench coat waving in the wind. He casually turned his head back to us, his crimson eyes shadowed by his hair.
"…Koffing, if you please." Mars said, before promptly letting my arm rest on the Poison-type, making me stumble a bit. Mars coughed. "You're dressed differently from the rest of the grunts…Are you their leader?" He smiled.
"Eh, you could say that." He shrugged nonchalantly. His gaze fell onto each of us for a moment, before stopping on Melia.
"Ah…it really is like looking into a mirror…" The blonde man mumbled, before waving some blonde hair out of his face. "Well, considering all of you are still alive, even if you did just piggyback your efforts on one of you, I think you all deserve a reward. But first, it's common courtesy to introduce yourself." He gave us a sly smile.
"Well, my buddy chum pal buddy friend chum bud friend nuisance buddy brotha fresh-meat amigo friend chummy chum soon-to-be-dead pal chum friend stupid brotha…Name's Zetta, Team Xen Admin." He introduced himself comically, giving a lighthearted bow. He gestured towards the Pokemon to his side.
"This is Dragonite. Say hi Dragonite."
Huff!
"Dragonite says hi."
He chuckled, as if said Pokemon wasn't about to murder us not ten seconds ago. I stared at the man as if he was crazy, which might not have been far off. Mars straightened herself, meeting Zetta's gaze.
"…I do believe that who I am is of any relevance to you…" She replied bluntly. "Although I believe that the girl is a target of value for you, correct?" Zetta let out a disgruntled grunt.
"You really can't trust those idiots with anything huh…" He grumbled. "Well, I suppose it's of no consequence to me, and your names don't actually interest me…" His smile shallowed, and he pointed a finger towards me…
Wait what?
"That device on your friend's hand however, does." He added. "Hey kid, what's your name?" I gulped.
"A-Aevis." And told him the truth like a fucking idiot. Zetta hummed.
"Aevis? Weird name, did you parents hate you or something?" He replied, then took a step back, hands raised. "Woah, touched a nerve there, didn't I?"
I blinked, and stared down at my white-knuckled fist, shaking with a fierce force. The Admin chuckled.
"You know what, I'll make you a deal; you give me the device, and I'll let you leave alive, and you can live in blissful ignorance like everyone else. And hey, maybe I'll even answer your burning questions about life over a cup of coffee." Zetta offered, a friendly tone in his voice so inviting that it seemed to calm me down, as if he was my friend…and it only made me shiver more. Melia let out a light gasp.
"Aevis, don't fall for it." Mars commanded.
But it was too late; the gears in my head already began turning.
Did your parents hate you?
I'll even answer your burning questions about life-
My eyes glanced down towards the grass, and from there, Treecko was giving me an odd look.
…
With my eyes shadowed by my cap, I slowly raised a shivering arm towards my chest, as if about to offer it to the Admin. I heard Melia choke, and the only thing I could see was Treecko's eyes widened. Zetta whistled in surprise.
"Huh. That was easier-"
"What happened to the S.S. Oceana?"
The words left my mouth before I even realized it. I slowly raised my head to meet the Admin's stare, my arm still trembling as if an earthquake shot through it. Zetta blinked, almost taken back by my question, before smiling.
"I see…You're the survivor, aren't you? The one that Elite 8 whatever mentioned on the TV? So that's the reason he…" He mumbled the last parts to himself, seemingly lost in his thoughts for a while. I took the opportunity to glance towards Melia, who tightly clutched her chest, and was on the verge of tears.
…I attempted to hold back the disgust I held towards myself; it didn't work. Bile kept piling onto my throat as the seconds passed, weighing down on me as if it was they were sins. I'm a coward and a dirty friend for even thinking of this…but I was too far in.
"Well," Zetta began, focusing his gaze on me. "I suppose that someone you cared about was on that ship, correct?" He chuckled, as if this was a game of poker and he had a full house. "Well, I can assure you of one thing." He stopped, giving me a…gleeful look.
"They're alive."
…
…
…
Time itself seemed to stop for me, as if the realm of reality had escaped me for a brief moment. I didn't breathe, nor did I blink, instead I lifelessly stood there, letting my arm fall to my side.
"And what's more," He followed up, his smile somehow becoming even more gleeful, almost sadistic. "Give me the device…and I'll happily reunite you with whoever you lost."
!
…
My legs shook with an impossibly fierce tremor; as if the burden on my shoulder got lighter and heavier at the same time, as if an imbalance took place in my soul.
DO IT!
A voice inside me screamed, begged, and wailed, repeating those two words for what seemed like an eternity for me. It was like a caged Pyroar begging like an Eevee for escape.
DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR MOM AGAIN?!
My vision blurred with tears as I involuntarily took a step back, Koffing tumbling under my arm for a bit. I began to hyperventilate, sharp breaths leaving me like the MOTHER YOU LEFT BEHIND!
Several moments passed as stood there, hyperventilating like a maniac, staring at the grass and contemplating my answer, uncaring that the ashes from the fire earlier filled my lungs with each breath.
I looked around me; Mars' expression was unreadable, Melia was shocked, almost to an absurd degree, Vivillon stared at me, expression just as unreadable as Mars', and Treecko…stared, his slit-like eyes judging me like he always did, like everyone's eyes did.
I don't want to see that.
I let my cap cover my vision again; I didn't want to make this choice…yet I was the one who asked for it, wasn't I?
Why didn't I just keep my damn mouth shut?
…
Zetta coughed.
"Well? Are you going to be an idiot and reject my offer? Or will you accept it, like a foolish believer? Honestly, it's almost exciting either way. The anticipation is killing me…" He showed a toothy grin…he almost seemed…angry?
"But, then again, I never been a fan of dramas…so, instead, let's have some fun."
Zetta snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a blood red circle appeared in the middle of the lake behind the man, and it began spiraling into itself, outlines of black veining the circle. A ferocious roar bellowed from the circle, the water below swirling like a typhoon beneath it.
Suddenly, the circle stopped spiraling, and then, the ground shook.
Chaotic magnitudes shook the ground, as if an entire meteor shower crashed down. I stumbled in place as the tremors only grew larger in magnitude each time, and then, it stopped for the briefest of moments.
Then, something emerged form the circle.
A long, enormous snake-like body emerged from the circle, black scales covered the leviathan from head to tail, its front part taking a dark beige. The fearsome creature stopped ascending, its bottom still within the circle, and stared us down like the Bug-types we were. Its pure blood-red eyes pierced through our souls, a humongous mouth wide open, displaying sharp, terrifying fangs.
The Gyarados roared, blasting a deafening howl throughout the entire forest, and maybe even farther. My hair stood on end as the unimaginable feeling of dread somehow got worse.
"W-W-WHAT IS THAT?!" Melia screamed. I reflexively flinched at the Admin's chuckle.
"Ah, yes, that is a much more exciting response, and I get to play as teacher, bonus." He noted with a smile.
"That, is a Dimensional Rift, created from a culmination of Pokemon to form one super-Pokemon, as unimaginative as that name sounds. It feeds off of the negative emotions of Pokemon, of its suffering and hatred, if you will…" He explained, gesturing towards the creature. "It's a means of transport, means of transformation…It's an all in one package…which I will gladly show you."
The blonde man raised a gloved hand towards me…enveloping me in a purple hue. My body suddenly began to levitate above the ground, as if I was being pushed upwards.
Thud! My backpack fell to the ground, leaving only my messenger bag. I helplessly watched as Zetta raised me up. I lifelessly let it happen as I breathed, barely.
"Tree?!" Treecko screeched, having been picked up as well. I could heard Vivillon and Koffing making similar cries. All I could do was stay still, my vision blurry and my mind soft-reseting.
"Then again though, I've never been a fan of drama." He smiled sadistically as he casually levitated me and my Pokemon over the grass. Melia screamed something, but my mind tuned it out.
"Aevis!" Mars yelled. Leavanny attempted to leap towards me, but was cut off by a stream of fire. Zetta chuckled at that.
"Right…Never been a fan of silence, so, I'll just skip to the exciting part…" He clenched his fist, suddenly making the Gyarados vanish, making the circle spiral and the Dimensional Rift to reappear.
"Here's your teacher's final note: If you defeat my beautiful creation, you come out alive…" He smiled sadistically, his eyes shining with malice. "And here's some advice…"
"TRY NOT TO DIE!" He laughed as me and my Pokemon sped for the rift.
"AEVIS!" Melia suddenly screeched. I could barely turn my head to see the girl I nearly betrayed crying for me.
"MELIA, RUN!" I heard, followed by the sound of dust clouds forming. I tightened my eyes, and screamed.
LINE-BREAK-
For a moment, there was nothing but darkness.
Like just after the bomb-
And then, there was rain. Harsh rain that stormed over my head, an occasional roar of thunder in the air. I adjusted my vision, and could barely see past the dim lighting of where I stood. When my eyes finally worked again, I could see a forest, a much, much different forest than before.
Dark green trees scattered everywhere, over a field of velvet grass. I glanced at where I stood: a velvet colored dock, right next to the ocean, the wooden planks stained wet and very slippery.
Like just after the ship-
"W-w…where am I?" I questioned out loud as I glanced everywhere in the forest, legs still shaking.
A sudden roar of thunder cut off my thoughts, making me jump and nearly tumbling off of the dock into the violently swirling ocean; I winced as my shoulder stung with pain…wait, where's Koffing?
"VI! VI!" Vivillon suddenly showed up, making me jump. "Vivillon, Vi!" She cried out, as she struggled to stay afloat due to the harsh rain. I didn't know whether she was scared, or disappointed.
"Koffing?" The Poison-type cried out what I assumed was question. I glanced at my shoulder, and sighed.
"You…s-stay up there for now, I think I can walk." I insisted. He didn't say anything in response. My starter stood on the wooden dock, staring at me…sympathetically? I wasn't the best at reading Pokemon expressions, so I could only assume that I imagined it.
"Ko." The Grass-type simply said, wagging his tail…anxiously? I shook my head out of my thoughts, and finally took note of the current predicament I was in; I decided to be a fucking coward and idiot to consider doing what the terrorist leader wanted.
Genius move, Aevis.
I swallowed the bile down my throat, and once again, repeatedly breathed in and out, deeply, my cap thankfully preventing any raindrops on my face.
"They're alive."
The words suddenly repeated as the realization began to set in...Mom was alive.
"AEVIS!"
The scream of a frightened blonde girl, who I promised to protect came to mind; she was also alive.
…
All the more reason to get out of here…wherever "here" is. As soon as possible.
After that, I attempted to analyze the situation. Vivillon could barely stay afloat due to the harsh rain, and Koffing's probably a similar situation, so aerial surveillance is out of the question. Treecko probably couldn't see too much in this lighting, so tree climbing's out of the picture too.
The forest was dim, but I could still somewhat make out my surroundings, which soley consisted of the vast ocean behind me and a rosè path of grass in front of me.
I deeply breathed in and out again, and adjusted my cap a bit
"We…" My voice was too soft, so I raised my volume up a bit. "We…need to get going, I don't know where…but nothing's probably going to happen if we just stay here." Treecko nodded, and the other two grunted hesitantly.
I slowly began to walk, being careful not to slip. Once I reached the grass, I walked a bit faster. Treecko walked alongside me and Vivillon sat on my cap, the harsh rain leaving a bit of a toll on her if she flew. As I walked, the sound of water crashing into more water became louder and louder, only making my heartbeat accelerate quicker.
Once I walked in deeper, I saw a red arc on the path. Two scarlet beams straight up, and a uniquely designed one going across. It looked like the types one would see in a dojo. I gulped, an unknown feeling of dread swirling inside me, then I kept walking.
Then I walked further, and there was another. I kept walking, the sound of water crashing still growing louder.
Eventually, the rain seemed to lighten up a little, enough for me to see the scene before me in its entirety. In front of me, was a…sanctuary, or a valley, for lack of a better term. Trees were symmetrically arranged on the left and right, and close to the back, was a large body of water with an astronomically tall waterfall, harshly crashing down onto the water; I could barely see the top of it.
With shivering skin and dry throat, I took a few steps closer into the sanctuary, noting the large mountain-like formations on either side, both too tall to climb.
Once I took a few steps in, I noticed that there was another small dock on the lake, and on the wooden dock, was a Magikarp, flailing around in the rain. Even if it was a Magikarp, the sight of something moving so quickly in this seemingly dead island seemed to slow my breathing.
"Vi?"
As I took in the environment, Vivillon caught my attention and pointed towards…a Pokeball? A Black Sphere with a Crimson Cross over it lied in the middle of the field. I steeled my nerves as best I could and began walking towards it. I squatted down a bit, and narrowed my eyes at the device.
"….What the heck is this?" I asked myself. I held out a hand and-
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I let out an unmanly screech at the beeping, tumbling to the ground.
When my shoulder made contact with the ground, I grit my teeth tight enough to not scream; I wasn't sure whether it was out of fear or of my slowly dying throat. I eventually sat back up, my Poison-type right in front of me.
"Koffing!" He cried out. I heard Treecko cry something in response from my side. I turned my attention back to the device, and narrowed my eyes at it.
DOWNLOAD COMPLETE – It crisscrossed over the Red X. I raised an eyebrow, and pulled out the only two gadgets I had. I first pulled out the Pokedex, which didn't have anything new for me, but my Cybernav…it blinked. A new feature had apparently been installed. I opened it, the device displaying a new function in the list.
"Dimensional Rift Dex…?" I read aloud. Treecko walked to my shoulder and peered over. I tapped the first thing on the screen, and it showed a long list of ?s. All were blank, except for one: Code: Evo. I hesitantly opened it, and on the screen was a picture of the…Demon, Gyarados, along with a description.
Rift – 01 – Gyarados
Typing: Water – Ability: Intimidate
Despite its size and power, it's not a Gyarados. It's a combination of all the Magikarp in the lake into one Magikarp, forming the towering Pokemon. Due to its lack of experience and control over its new body, its unused to its form; it's a grand example of size doesn't mean power. This is not to say it's still not a formidable foe due to its size advantage against others. It lives off of the regret that it didn't evolve on its own.
…
So…Despite its size it was still as frail as a Magikarp?
…
That was hard to believe, although I couldn't really believe nor doubt what this thing was telling me, I didn't even know what this thing was, for all I know it could be a trap.
…Wait…if this thing is here, then…?
…
I hesitantly turned my head back towards the Magikarp on the docks, still flopping in place; that alone nearly sent a shiver down my spine.
Another roar of thunder echoed through the sanctuary, and the crashing of the waterfall seemingly grew louder after that. I gulped, and stood back up, somehow without Koffing's support.
I took a deep breath, and slowly made my way towards the Magikarp, legs still shivering like paper in the wind…Do it for Melia, do it for mom…
…
"Get ready…" I mumbled softly, but my Pokemon didn't seem to need to hear it to do so.
I took my last step in front of the bouncing Magikarp, sweat still profusely running down my back, against a Magikarp, you freaking coward.
…
I nearly screamed when it suddenly bounced into the water.
Suddenly, it swiftly swam…up the waterfall, fighting against the tremendous current. Its fins and tails vigorously moved left and right to force the Pokemon to go against the current. I watched silently as the Magikarp performed a physically impossible feat right in front of my own eyes.
Eventually, it reached the top. I had to squint my eyes a bit to even see its silhouette anymore. What was more striking than the tiny Pokemon, however, was that another red arc rested on top of the waterfall, seemingly taunting in its position. The Magikarp quickly flew towards it, and…shined, its body glowing with an impossible bright light.
And then, it came crashing down into the water again, its impact forcing a spray of water to fly out. As soon as the Magikarp hit the water, the rain immediately stopped, as if time froze…
Soon after, the lake trembled, ripples repeatedly pulsing on the lake's surface like an earthquake. My Pokemon and I took a step back, watching the scene with baited breath.
Then, a red circle pulsating with black outlines faded in above the body of water; for a second, I had hope of escaping this place. I couldn't have been anymore wrong.
The circle solidified, and the Gyarados rose up again, its body black and eyes crimson. It turned its ferocious head towards us, and roared; the mere force of its cry was enough to shake the trees and grass around us.
My entire body shivered as I stared at the behemoth with an open jaw.
"TREECKO!" The Grass-type screamed right beside me, snapping me out of my trance. I still hyperventilated, and, as ready as I ever would be…the battle began.
Vivillon hastily took to the skies, Koffing following suit. I hastily took several steps back, as fast as I could with an injured shoulder.
"T-t-" I bit my tongue. "T-Treecko, Razor W-Wind!"
The Grass-type leapt towards the side, its tail blazing blue, and fired a barrage of crescent-shaped projectiles at the leviathan. Gyarados flinched at the attack, but then countered with…a blazing ball of energy. The blue flare launched for Treecko.
"Q-QUICK A-DODGE!" I screamed. Treecko dashed out of the blast radius, the flare leaving a semi-large crater in its wake, incinerating the grass around it.
DEFINITELY MAGIKARP POWER
"KO!"
AEVIS FOCUS DAMNIT.
"K-k-Koffing! Sludge! V-Vivillon, Struggle Bug!" The two aerial Pokemon fired balls of sludge and orbs of green at the leviathan, successfully landing on the Water-type. Gyarados winced, but was mostly unfazed. Its fangs flared with ferocious fire, its fangs flying for Vivillon, who let out shill screech. I choked.
"ABSORB! ABSORB!" Treecko wasted no time in entangling the Gyarados in streams of red beams, successfully halting its attack. Gyarados wriggled its body, Treecko dragged his feet on the grass in an attempt to sustain control.
"S-Stun Spore!" An insane amount of yellow powder was frantically spilled over the Water-type, instantly spreading sparks all throughout its body, paralyzing it. Treecko managed to keep a firm grip, and began draining the Gyarados' energy. I couldn't help but let out a small cheer at that.
"Koffing, Vivillon! Keep attacking!" The two Pokemon did just that, their respective projectiles flying once again towards the leviathan, light trails of smoke leaving from their marks. Gyarados was getting decently damaged under the barrage of attacks, and I somehow held hope that we would come out of this unscathed…
The leviathan suddenly bellowed a deafening howl, finally breaking free of its entanglement, making Treecko drop to his rear. A shiver went up my spine as the Gyarados dived headfirst into the body of water, its tail smacking Koffing and Vivillong on its way down, sending the two crashing down into opposite sides of the valley.
"KOFFING! VIVILLON!" I screamed, my throat hoarse. The Gyarados eventually completely vanished into the lake, and all I could do was stand, frozen and staring blankly at nothing, standing frozen and-
"TREECKO!" My starter suddenly cried out to me, snapping me out of my trance…
God damn it! Melia and Mom are somewhere outside of here Aevis! GET MOVING!
I sped-walk towards Vivillon with shivering legs, my shoulder still aching in pain. Treecko followed me, nimbly dashing on the grass. I found the Bug-type crashed into a crater into the mountain wall, its body bruised and eyes half-closed.
"Vivillon!" I yelled out again in an attempt to wake her up. The Bug-type weakly cried something out in response, and slowly flew out of the hole. Heavy breaths left her, her tiny body slouched and wings flapped sluggishly.
I bit my lip; was I supposed to return her to her ball, or to let her continue?
As I mulled over the question, I turned towards Treecko, who continued to stare at the tired Vivillon…one hit did that to her, I don't want to imagine what two would do…
I shuffled through my bag and a Pokeball accidentally fell out and rolled onto the grass.
The one…holding…the Shadow Meowth.
…
I slowly knelt down and held the ball in my hand, and bit my lip even harder, blood nearly pouring out, as I pondered over the new question: Is it worth it to let it out?
"H-Hey!" Nickoli suddenly yelled out. "Be careful, that almost hit me!"
"They become emotionless, and becoming nothing short of mere weapons with the desire to fight, even going as far to fight their own trainer should it go under a rampage."
I turned my head towards Treecko, his expression blank and unreadable. I grit my teeth, and turned back towards the Bug-type. The sudden memory of Melia and her words made my hand shiver.
…
"Vi…" My Pokemon's sickly cry gave me an answer to both questions. I kept the Shadow Meowth's ball first, and pulled out Vivillon's.
"…Return." I said simply, returning Vivillon with a shaky arm. If she was against it, she didn't show it. She's worked hard enough, and this was her home; who knows how much of a toll this was on her. Besides, it was a trainer's job to do this sort of thing, right?
Maybe if your arm stopped trembling you'd actually believe that.
I kept Vivillon's ball into my bag, and grabbed the Shadow Meowth's.
...
Why am I so damn indecisive?
I kept the Shadow Pokemon's ball again, and sped-walk towards Koffing's landing site. Treecko looked at me, head tilted, but he didn't seem to question me. I continued to walk as fast as my-
Fwoom!
And of course, I'm just slow enough that I ended up right in front of Gyarados when it emerged again.
It roared, and I let out a shrill shriek. Any thought or doubt I previously had vanished in an instant, instead replaced by an unshakable fear, cold sweat running down my back.
It turned its head towards me, its crimson eyes piercing through my soul, and began to charge a flare in its mouth. Treecko cried something out, and I instinctively threw a Pokeball down. From it, emerged the Shadow Meowth. Thankfully, its eyes and aura were…not normal but back to what it was before.
The Gyarados discharged its blast, flying towards us at tremendous speeds. I stood with my jaw open, before screaming…
WHAT WAS IT CALLED WHAT WAS IT CALLED-?!
"WAVE!" I screamed, before mentally facepalming. "SHADOW WAVE!"
The Meowth stared at the towering projectile, and suddenly discharged a purple spiral stream towards it, fighting against the blast. I gulped, praying to whatever god above that Meowth succeeded…
Soon after the struggle, the beam cut through the flare, completely eradicating the blast and, luckily enough, blasting the Gyarados as well, an oddly huge amount of smoke piling from the mark. I couldn't help but let my jaw fall open at the sudden display of power. The Water-type threw its body back, eventually falling into the waterfall and mountain behind.
"T-Treecko!" The Green Pokemon shrieked, surprised by the Shadow Pokemon's power, before promptly regaining his cool…How does he do that so quickl-
ROOOOOOOOOOOAAARR!
The Gyarados suddenly bellowed a deafening howl that echoed throughout the forest like a ring in a boxing match…before it fell.
The body of the towering behemoth suddenly crashed into the grass, right beside us. Its long body began from the lake and its insanely large head came crashing down onto the grass, its mouth still hanging wide open. Its body crashed down with an abundance of dust and dirt flying.
Gra…
It cried for the last time, before its eyes closed. I wasn't sure if I imagined it or not, but a faint whisper echoed through the forest.
"Thank…you…"
…
I took in a sharp inhale when I remembered I needed to breathe…
Suddenly, in an instant, the Gyarados vanished.
The leviathan seemed to implode into hundreds of black sparkles into the air, its body completely gone from beside us. The sparkles faded into the air, and the Pokemon was no more…?
…
"D…Did we do it?" I asked, still wary.
"Here's your teacher's final note: If you defeat my creation, you come out alive…"
We beat the Gyarados…right?
So…why did I feel so-
"MYAAAAAAA!"
Maybe it was because of the BLAZING POKEMON RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
The Shadow Pokemon screeched, firing a spherical darkness around it, blowing both me and Treecko back. Luckily, I managed to stay standing up.
It glared at us, its piercing red-eyes and flaring body making it appear larger than it was. It proudly displayed its fangs, and extended the claws of his paws.
The question was, how the hell-
"What they once were is still probably still in them…but until they're purified, they're suffering greatly."
"It feeds off of the negative emotions of Pokemon, of its suffering and hatred, if you will…"
…
The Shadow Meowth was now the one powering the rift.
"MYAAAAAAA!"
It shrieked, both in great pain and ferocious fury. Treecko took a battle stance in front of me, its palms readied in front of his face. I nervously glanced at the Pokeball on the grass, and was about to reach it-
Smack!
FUCK!
I yelled in pain as I flew back at the sudden beam of the Shadow Pokemon, my body being thrown in midair before crashing down into the gras-
Crink!
My body rolled through the grass for a while, before I finally stopped tumbling and landed a good distance away, lying on my left shoulder.
…
A scream shrill enough to break glass escaped me.
A million needles spiked through my shoulder repeatedly as my throat became hoarse from the screaming. Agonizing pain coursed through my shoulder like a fire. I clutched my shoulder as best I could, which only made the pain worse. I didn't care, I wanted this pain to end, and so I clutched my shoulder as tight as I could against the grass.
Tears ran down my face as I helplessly lied down on the grass, my clothes dirtied by the earlier tumble. I closed my knees, attempting to find some form of comfort…
Eventually, the numbness began to fade in, and I began to lose consciousness…
"Please…promise to keep my daughter safe…."
The memory of a promise popped into my mind, and I managed to stay conscious…I like to keep my promises, thank you very much world.
"TREECKO!" I heard my starter scream, snapping me out of my trance. My swirled and distorted vision made it difficult to see it at first, but after getting to my knees I saw…the Shadow Meowth, rushing towards me in a blazing purple aura.
…
SLAM!
…
I let out a soft gasp as the purple Pokemon crashed…into the Shadow Pokemon.
"K…Koffing?" I barely whispered as the Poison-type stopped its rotation. It made a cry of confirmation and soon enough, Treecko was there again.
"Treecko Tree!" He cried out, pumping his fists...I think, it was difficult as I could barely see anything.
"MYAAA!"
I tilted my head, turning towards the Shadow Pokemon ready to pounce once more. My eyes trailed towards the Pokeball close to where I once stood, which now, was too far for me to limp towards. I grunted, and turned back to the Shadow Pokemon. I squinted my eyes, and saw it was…struggling?
"If they do undergo a rampage, which I think was called…Hyper Mode? I think, their health slowly deteriorates until they can no longer fight…It's not even of their own will…"
"…Distract it…" I mumbled, to which to two gave me a look. "It'll…tire…itself out…" I could barely speak, my throat finally realizing how dry it was. The two nodded, determined looks in their eyes, and-
A sudden stream blazed just past my head.
"GO!" I screamed with whatever I had left. The two dashed. "Acrobatics!"
Treecko zoomed through the grass, and the Meowth was suddenly barraged by a flurry of kicks and strikes. Meowth snarled, and let out a dark burst of energy, blowing Treecko back. It planted its feet, and charged a-
"Gyro Ball!" Not the time to be an observer, Aevis. Koffing slammed into the Meowth's side, cancelling the attack and knocking it back, its feet dragging across the ground.
"Absorb! Sludge!"
Treecko let out bright red streams while Koffing fired poison sludge quickly. The Meowth nimbly avoided the beams and maneuvered around the balls of sludge with ease. It staggered for a brief moment, nearly tripping, and then extended its claws. I winced at its blades' sharpness.
"Distance! Razor Wind! Sludge!"
Treecko leapt into the air and fired numerous projectiles, and Koffing continued its barrage. The Meowth blocked and deflected each projectile with its claws, and then, it stuttered, brief enough to allow one attack to get through and began the storm of crescents and sludges at the Shadow Pokemon…
"Finish this! Quick Attack and Gyro Ball!"
The two Pokemon quickly zoom across the field, and crashed into the Shadow Meowth, knocking it into a rocky formation and knocking it out.
…
"Pokeball." I muttered, but still loud enough for Treecko to hear. The Grass-type looked around, and then ran towards the ball. I strenuously got back up, my legs still functioning fine. I limped my way towards the downed Shadow Pokemon left arm limping and unresponsive, and Treecko handed me the Pokeball.
…
I silently held out the ball, and returned the Shadow Meowth. The capture signal absorbed the downed Pokemon, and before I knew it, the world blinked once more.
-LINE-BREAK-
One moment, I was barely standing on the grass of another dimension with searing pain in my shoulder.
The next, I was lying on the grass of Goldenwood Forest…with searing pain on my shoulder.
…
I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming, and sat up on the grass, taking a moment for my vision adjust to the sudden bright colors again. I raised a hand towards my head, grunting in pain.
"HEY!"
I flinched at the sudden noise, and raised my head to see someone in a blue uniform…Once my eyes adjusted enough, I recognized him as a police officer.
"Are you okay?!" He suddenly knelt down, examining me and dusting off my clothes…I coughed, and stared at the officer, eye-to-eye…We were in Goldenwood Forest right…? Why…was I here-?
"Please…Promise to keep my daughter safe…"
MELIA!
"…M…Melia…W..where?" I muttered, begrudgingly sitting up.
"Melia?! She contacted us earlier! She should be in Gearen…"
The officer yelled something after that, but I tuned it out…I felt a smile on my face as darkness enveloped me in its embrace.
-LINE-BREAK-
…Holy shit it's been a while.
Anyways, I guess I'm alive? Yay?
Anyways, to the...probably 5 or so people still interested in this story, I'm not gonna get into why I was dead when its really boring and can really just summed up to "Boredom, and a shit ton of Anxiety".
How often am I gonna update? Not going to lie, probably not very often…Honestly it's not for any particular reason, I'm just bored I guess.
...It's actually a really terrifying feeling to post this, but since this was just lying in my files unfinished...yeah.
…
Anyways, how do you guys like the chapter? I'm personally not too satisfied, since my fight scenes are shit and I feel like I drag things on and on too much, but I'm still inexperienced in all of this, especially after being dead for who knows how long. I haven't written shit in what feels like a decade, and it's my first time dealing with actual trauma…Kinda. I did my best, and that's really all I can do until I improve as a writer.
"Wait what? It's been over half a year and you posted a chapter you're still not satisfied with?"
Yes. I know, I'm a dumbass.
Sorry if this chapter seems...edgy, for lack of a better term.
Some of you guys might be questioning my decision to make Team Xen pretty overpowered compared to Aevis, but honestly? This is the idea I had all the way back in May, but of course I was just too much of a dumbass to actually get it done, although I'm still not entirely sure if that was a good move.
Still, I felt as though that Melia, the main reason that Madame X allegedly went on a murdering spree due to her death, wouldn't send her strongest grunts to capture her. I still added in the Shadow Pokemon since they were still experimental at this time, and seem to be relevant to the plot. Why would weak Shadow Pokemon be there? Well, let's just assume that they thought the job was going to be easy, and decided to test-run them here.
How am I going to work around OP Team Xen grunts? Idk.
Some of you probably hate the fact that I made Mars come up out of nowhere, but in the game, there's actually another "Culvier" Clan trainer you can fight, and she has a freaking Level 85 Alakazam. Considering that I was already taking liberties with Team Xen's level, I saw it fitting that she was as powerful as her fellow clan members…whatever the hell they are anyways.
Probably going to expand on that through my own headcanon at some point.
…
Pokemon Rejuvenation had a new version came out, but I only began playing it in late January, and…yeah. A lot has changed, like Melia's Metronome removal, (YAY!) and a bit of new dialogue and a new rift area too! A lot has been redesigned, and I really look forward to see what happens.
Sadly though, my life is still trapped in the cage that is school, so I'm not going to be finishing it anytime soon, nor am I gonna be able to update often, but I'll do by best I guess.
Then again though, I recently discovered about the beauty of Rejuv Debug Mode, I think I can finish it quick enough, hopefully.
…
Also, if you guys are questioning the information I placed on the Red X Pokeball thing, some of that information came from a certain sidequest in Grand Dream City, which further expands on the Rift Pokemon. It's easy to find, and confirms that the devices are an actual thing.
As for the Shadow Pokemon powering the Dimensional Rift…don't ask me where I got that idea, because I don't know. The idea kinda just popped into my head that "Dimensional Rifts latch onto whatever is suffering" which explains the Aelita rift and Chandelure rift you can find, so I figured that Shadow Pokemon count too, and it would be weird if it stopped functioning while it was still in it.
Then again though, this is just a headcanon, so who knows?
…
What am I missing…?
…Oh right.
I'M SO SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO DAMN LONG! I'M REALLY SORRY! I KNOW THIS SEEMS REALLY PETTY BUT I'M REALLY REALLY SORRY!
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REVIEWS!
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WanderingPenguin: Hello…! And I'm SORRY SORRY-
Yeah…If you're still reading this despite everything, then, thank you, so much. You're a really awesome guy/girl, and I really hope you're still reading this.
Anyways, thanks for the character's age confirmation. I've heard that some people are really adamant about the whole 10 years thing starting, so I wasn't sure what to do. Although I will say, I kinda disagree with you on Ren's Goldenleaf Age…somewhat.
See, even if this is like, a long time after Melia "dies", Ren is probably the only one we can actually see her death having an effect on. Venam rages, but brushes it off in the next scene, and you don't even meet her again for quite some time. Yes, Venam's mom makes that one comment, but that's it really.
Yes, Ren is being irrational, but really, I feel as though he's a better character than some others. Of course, he could have been written better or have executed his story better, as his act is very irritating to players, but I do think that. Think of it this way; you're best friend/crush is dead and you know it's your fault. And so, you do what you can to get stronger, but due to recent trauma alongside childhood/hometown trauma, you become stressed, irrational, and etc.
Since you're at fault, you feel the need to make it up, and so, Ren does this by trying to save Goldenleaf Town from itself; in a way, this is his way of coping with his best friend's/crush's death. He feel like he alone has to burden himself with this responsibility, otherwise he think he'll never be at ease.
And you take that away from him…? He has nothing left to do, he's lost and subject to manipulation.
Enter Crescent.
….
I'm not gonna spoil what happens in V11, since I'm not a complete asshole and that I'm still not sure how to feel about it, but you should play it and see for yourself what happens in this "Ren-Union". Not saying you're gonna like it, that depends on you.
…
Anyways, to your other points.
Thank you for correcting my terrible misspellings.
…Hahhahah, I'm flattered you think I can make you cry…but no, I doubt you'll shed a tear since I'm pretty bad at emotional scenes. The only thing I think I'm semi-competent in is dialogue, or at least keeping characters in character.
Angst has always been a weird term for me, since I see it being used a lot alongside "edgy", but I do try to…"humanize"? Characters as best I can.
Also, that's a neat Omake idea, but I think I'll keep the Omakes as close to the current timeline as I can. I know that everyone reading this has probably already played through Pokemon Rejuvenation, but I want to keep a bit of consistency in my story, and I don't want to lead anyone to believe that the circumstances shown in the omake could be the exact same future circumstance. TL;DR, I don't want to misleadingly flash-forward in time, sorry.
Again, I'm absolutely grateful to you for reading this story, and even if you're not reading this, thank you for your criticism.
Mercenary Flyer: Honestly Desolation's definitely my favorite game of the three, given that your CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES, MAKING CHARACTERS LIKEABLE, A NICE ART STYLE + CHARACTER PORTRAITS, AND MAKES YOU FEEL ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN STUFF LIKE GIVING YOU A ******
Woops, spoilers just in case you haven't gotten there yet...Even if it's been out for years now...
Thanks for reading, and sorry for being so dead!
NagaJule: Well, it would be really boring if all this was was a copy and paste without any sort of change, although this is kinda hard given Rejuvenation's plot, but who knows, maybe V11 fixed some of it?
And the next update is…around 6-8 months after posting…I'M SO SORRY!
Thanks for reading! REALLY SORRY ABOUT BEING DEAD!
Sunslash129: Short and straight to the point, thanks for reading!
SORRY FOR BEING SO DEAD!
ShadedLightforEveryone: THANK YOU!
I plan on adding a few more character interactions and events like that, although that's going to happen a little later on due to how much the 'plot' takes up the beginning of the game. Honestly, I kinda wish that Team Xen was involved later on instead of this early in the game, or at least get a good start instead of being just thrust into it, but I'll do what I can.
SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO LONG!
RegretfulKishin!: Thank you! I actually really enjoy playing around with the eventsi n the game, although it's a bit difficult considering how Rejuv's plot is. Aevis' personality was mostly just based on his design, kinda. He seems kinda emo, although I don't see that as a bad thing, and I worked from there.
SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO DAMN LONG!
…
Anyways, I was originally going to put an omake here about a certain character's backstory, but after plying V11 for a bit, I thought that there my have been a bit off misinformation I put on it, so I decided not to do it.
Also, I was thinking of moving this to ao3. It just feels a lot less...pressured there, compared to this site.
Also...I know this probably sounds really out of place, especially after being dead for so long but...I'm just gonna be direct; can one of you guys post this fanfic to one of the reborn evo forums/threads/chat things?...Like, I've seen Rejuvenation fanfiction on there before, including links to fanfics on this site, and some of them are pretty good, and it's interesting seeing other people's opinion on them...I'm really anxious when it comes to being online in general, so the best I can hope for is for someone to notice this fic and to post a link in one of the thread things or something...
I guess this is just because I've seen a few Rejuvenation Fanfic-Links on the threads, and kinda felt left out...I'm really sorry if this sounds presumptuous.
...
So…I guess that's it?
Again, I'm really really really sorry for taking so long to update, and for the sake of not boring you guys, I won't go into details why.
Again, about updates, don't expect anything consistent, nor anything anytime soon...sorry.
Thank you for reading, and have a great day!