Last time, some serious shit went down that really didn't have a better explanation then 'because I said so'. Kahrik was off to save his friends from the clutches of Groudon.

Yeesh... plot hole. Wait... *flashback to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, in which Zapdos Pokenaps Shiftry for no apparent reason other than just because* ...This seems oddly familiar...

Anyhow, this chapter will be... better! You know why? Because it's influenced by guacamole! *noms on a Ritz cracker dipped in guacamole* Okay, need to be serious now.

I don't own Pokemon... Fuck.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Eternal Nightmare

Chapter 12: Dusk Volcano

Kahrik's POV

As a Shadow Charmeleon, my speed was increased by quite a lot. Before I knew it, I was hauling ass to the mountain Groudon was known to dwell in, trampling anything in my path. Sorry, numerous Grass Pokemon, but my companions need me. You'll grow back. I promise.

Surprisingly, though, I never ran out of breath, or felt fatigued. Running across thousands of miles of rugged terrain, you'd think my feet would start throbbing, my heart would be racing, and my breath would come in short, ragged gasps, courtesy of exhaustion. Maybe it was the Shadow, or maybe it was the greatest adrenaline rush I'd ever felt. Either way, I didn't give a damn. Groudon had my friends, and I had to rescue them.

I couldn't take my mind off it. No, that's a lie. I couldn't take my mind of Groudon. I was more going to exact revenge on the legendary Continent Pokemon than to save my team.

Spirit. If he saw me now, he'd tell me I was going to kill myself... again. He'd saved me from a lot of pickles concerning Water Pokemon, and I considered him my older brother, the one that went off into the army a brother and came back a man. He may as well have been. He was the father I never had. Always there for me, giving good advice when I needed it, and never angry with me if I messed up. Together, my strength and his wisdom, we were the dynamic duo. We could do anything.

Victor. He was more for complaining and comic relief, but he had his strong points. He was loyal, brave when necessary, and always ready to follow me into the unknown. He was the younger brother, the one who wants to be just like the older kids in the family. Or maybe he was the family pet. Probably a dog.

Then, there was that new team that I would save in the process, Team Omega. For some reason, I didn't really care about them. It wasn't that I hated them; I didn't. I guess they were still just another team in my eyes.

Kyuri. The annoying, spoiled brat of the group. You wouldn't think the Lonely Pokemon would have such a big mouth. She's like a child: always talking, never thinking, don't know what to do. A thorn in my side. I guess if she were in the family, she'd be the little sister, the one that Raticates you out at every turn, whether you were doing something bad or no, and always has to have things her way.

Soul. Boisterous, pompous snake. Well, she was an Ekans. She'd be the oldest sister, full of herself and ignorant of others. Makeup, boys, dating. A stereotypical girl. The thought of her left a bitter taste in my mouth, but the way Spirit talked, she was Arceus' gift to men. Gag.

Victoria. She was the one I liked. Timid, quiet, keeps to herself. The kind of person it'd be easy to hang out with, even though she was a Grass Pokemon. I liked her a lot more than her leader. She'd be the middle sister, the one that gets mostly ignored and gave up on getting attention. Most likely to have a good future.

I reached the outskirts of my destination: the Scorched Valley, the place where I was born. Still, the grass crackled under my feet, despite having been so long since the fire that destroyed the area, years before my great-grandmother was even thought of. Sturdy Fire and Rock Pokemon still inhabited the area, but I was too well known to have to worry about it. There weren't any truly evil Pokemon here except for the rogues that dwelled in Dusk Volcano, the source of the fire.

Years ago, when Entei was insulted by the humans that once lived here, he caused the volcano to erupt in order to chase them out. In the following fire, the entire area was charred to the ground, leaving only dust and ash behind. The few humans lucky enough to evade the fire were taken down by Entei himself. The fire dog was known for his ferocity and ruthlessness. It took many years for even Pokemon that were Fire-type to muster the courage to go back to their home, and even then it was because Moltres issued forth from her volcano and came to soothe the savage Pokemon. After a battle that raged for a month, unthought of for any Pokemon but a legendary, Moltres, battered and bruised, emerged the victor, and forced the beast to behave like a true legendary Fire Pokemon: with regal dignity.

That's why I've always liked Moltres: the woman knows what she's doing.

I'm lucky none of the Pokemon here knew me. All the friends and neighbors I had were destroyed by Team Ragnarok in the raid when I was a baby.

It's rather depressing to think of all the Pokemon I knew that are now dead because of four damn Pokemon. War... Famine... Pestilence... Death... bastards. Countless souls fell that day, and I could do nothing about it. I was too young, too weak, and couldn't do anything about it, even though at the time, Team Ragnarok was Murkrow, Nuzleaf, Houndour, and Corpish. It's been longer than it seems.

This was no time to be thinking of the past. I took a shuddering breath and strode forward, ready to face Groudon. I didn't expect to be stopped by the very Pokemon that visited me the day before, in my dreams.

Entei charged forward from the volcano, angry as shit. He bounded on and landed in front of me, narrowing his eyes at me. "Why do you ignore what I told you? Groudon is far too much for you to handle, even in this corrupted form."

Too much for me to handle? "Listen, pal, I don't give a flying Muk what you have to say. I have friends to save." And a legendary Pokemon to crush into the dust, the voice hissed in addition.

"You go to your doom," the Pokemon snarled in response, shaking his head. "Cease this suicidal escapade."

Like hell. "Get out of my way, you oversized mutt!" I snarled, digging a Shadow Claw into his side and throwing him out of the way. He slammed into a boulder and lay there for a while. Passing him off as unconscious, I continued on my way.

Boy oh boy, was I wrong. The next thing I know, I'm knocked to the ground with a huge beast on top of me, raking his claws across my back. Acting on instinct, I slammed my hands into the ground and forced myself to my knees as fast as I could, throwing him off. I got up and spun around, ready to take him down. "Wrong choice, mutt!" I snarled, charging forward and slamming another Shadow Claw into his gut.

Entei went flying up into the air, and I took a deep breath and shot a Shadow Wave after him, a dark violet Flamethrower. There was a definite evil to the attack, and I felt a little woozy after using it. Maybe because it wasn't normally my move.

When the legendary beast landed and got to his feet, he shook his head. "Stop using those attacks! The more you use them, the more it takes hold!"

It? "What the hell are you talking about?" I growled, hunching over to help focus myself.

"The Shadow, boy! Every attack you use that isn't a normal Pokemon move will help the Shadow take hold of your mind! They weaken you! Can't you feel the drain in your power?" Entei shouted, running forward and knocking me on my back. "Stop using them before you lose yourself!"

Lose myself? "How could I lose myself?" I kicked him off, rolling over and getting to my feet.

"It's happened before," Entei replied, lowering his attack stance and slowly walking over. "It happened to me. It took three years and a long battle with Moltres to bring me to my senses."

Now he had my attention. I could hear the voice screaming inside my head not to listen to anything he said. He's just trying to stop you from going after Groudon! I ignored it. "The eruption..."

"Yes. I was infuriated by the humans. I let the Shadow take hold. When the volcano erupted, I lost control. I raged. I killed. I wouldn't let anyone come to the valley," he confessed, lowering his head slightly. "If it weren't for Moltres, I would probably still be corrupt." Then, he looked at me pleadingly. "In a way, it's my fault you're corrupted. Please, Kahrik. Listen to what I'm telling you. Calm yourself, then go after Groudon."

"If I wait, my friends might not be there anymore. I don't trust the Continent Pokemon." I replied, staring at the ground.

"If you don't wait, your friends won't have a sensible companion to trust," he countered, lifting my head with his paw. "I feel a tie to you, Kahrik. We are both known as the Flame Pokemon, and we both have responsibilities. You and your evolved form, Charizard, are known for their power, and at the same time their sensibility. Don't let one incident turn you into a Gyarados. They're primitive, and unintelligible. Become the man you can be."

Suddenly, this conversation went from discussing the Shadow to a pep talk. I'm not entirely sure how that happened, but I rolled with it. I could feel the nausea leaving me, and I could think more clearly. The Shadow's voice was less pronounced, even groggy. Was he weakened, or was I stronger? I was wasting time, though. "I have to go. Spirit and Victor need me."

"What of Kyuri?" Entei began. "You and she are-"

"No time!" I barked, running toward the volcano. "I have to get them back!"

^..^ ^..^ ^..^

Dusk Volcano. It was the dark mountain known for the eruption all those years ago, chasing the humans out in flame. Entei hid there for three years, and now Groudon had taken up residence there in stead of the Magma Crater, destroyed by earthquakes he himself triggered. Damned fool.

It didn't take long to reach the pinnacle, where the Ground legendary was hiding with my friends in stone cages. I strode into the room, the flame at the tip of my tail flaring with fury. There they were, pinned to the wall in small, stone cells. Most of the room, however, was a field of magma, with no standing spots to be seen. It was shallow, but it was a terror for most Pokemon, especially Victoria, who was at the moment whimpering and cuddling up to Kyuri. "GROUDON!" I roared at the top of my lungs, allowing the Shadow to assist a bit.

The monster's head rose slowly from the magma until only the top half of his head was visible. There was a deep rumble, and he crawled out of the magma, standing on top of it. "SO YOU CAME," he growled softly, though it seemed more like a snarl than a mumble.

"You're damn right, I came!" I barked in response, balling up my fists and stepping out onto the magma. It came up to my knees, but didn't hurt much. Nothing notable. I almost snickered when Victoria fainted and fell into Kyuri's lap.

Groudon eyed me for a moment, then roared at the ceiling. "YOU'VE ALLOWED THE SHADOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I REMOVED YOUR FRIENDS FROM YOUR PRESENCE!"

"Cut the crap!" I shouted, the fire at the end of my tail flaring up. "I don't care if you took my friends for a tea party! You're going down!"

Everything after that was like I was an extra in the greatest action movie of all time, except I could've been the leading actor. My limbs moved without me ordering them as the Shadow took full control over my body. Seldom was I asked for guidance, and even less so was I even noticed. Shadow Wave. A kick to the gut. Shadow Claw across the snout. Smack him in the face with a tail. Dodge an Earthquake here, a Fire Blast there. Duck under a Solarbeam and hit him with another Shadow Wave. I didn't get to do any of it. I was trapped in my own mind.

A stray attack must have hit one of the cages, because Kyuri escaped and was freeing her companions by the time Groudon even started to become a contender in this battle. A downward Slash from the legendary Pokemon nearly cleaved my body in half. The Shadow made me jump out of the way just seconds late, so the attack sliced my face and gave me a nice scar over my right eye. Finally, I could take a little control, as the Shadow was occupied with numbing the pain. Blinking the oozing blood from my vision, I set my sights on Groudon's eyes. If you can't see, you can't fight. As fast as my legs would carry me, I charged up the side of the cave we were in, ninja style, and jumped through the air—what a dumb phrase... what else would you jump through?—onto the legendary Pokemon's back.

As soon as my claws hit the hard shell-like features on his back, he snarled and tried to throw me off, twisting this way and that, jumping up and down, submerging himself in the magma, even going as far as to try and reach me back there. Quite funny, considering both his arm size and shoulder placement. He couldn't get me if he had a ten foot pole in one of his hands; those arms were microscopic. Subconsciously, I wondered if he was related in any way to the TyraniTauros Rex I learned about in school when I was level nine. Then, I scrambled up to his head, where he had double the problems trying to get me off.

Without really thinking about what would happen when I did, I hit one eye in the center with the flame on my tail, and fired a Shadow Wave at the other. Together, they melted both eyes I think. I couldn't hold on long enough to find out. As my assault found its target, Groudon roared to the heavens and started thrashing around, eventually throwing me off and into the magma. He fell forward, managing to bring his arms up to cover his singed eyelids.

"MY EYES!" Groudon whimpered, shaking his head. "I CAN'T SEE!"

The Shadow was back in control, and he made me walk over to my defeated quarry. What was he doing? Using all my strength, he made my arms flip the legendary Pokemon on his back and climb up to where I could reach his throat. The Shadow didn't plan on killing him, did he? Groudon could do no more harm to me or my friends. Besides, killing a Legend Pokemon was a capital offense, just as bad as killing any other Pokemon if not worse. It was a widely-known law, so you would think he wouldn't dare.

But, as he used my arm to bring a Shadow Claw close to Groudon's carotid artery, I judged how mistaken I was. I begged him to stop, tried to seize control of my arm once more, but to no avail. A cold, desolate truth sank in, possibly hours late.

The Shadow was out to ruin my life, not help me.

Summoning all my willpower, I tried to fight it. I squeezed my eyes shut, shook my head, and pulled as hard as I could to get my arm back. Just my arm would be enough. Hell, just my hand. If I could get control of my hand, I could shut down the move. I could back out of it, and then work my way toward gaining full control. Stop this! I shouted in my own head. Nothing but the echo responded.

I tried again, and again, and again, and each time, spanning such a short time, I was denied. Apparently it was working though, because several minutes passed by with nothing happening, other than what appeared to others to be a mental breakdown.

The voices around me seemed distant. Someone called my name, tried to get my attention. Was it Kyuri? Groudon shifted under my feet, but did not move me. He was probably nervous that any sudden movement would make me dig in my claws, now pressed to his neck.

Let me kill him... the voice whispered in my ear. What has he done to you to deserve your graces? Every S and C came out a low hiss, like air escaping tires.

Kill a Legendary Pokemon? Never! I replied, finally gaining control of my hand long enough to short out the attack. I bent my wrist so the claws were no longer against his artery, and fought back to get the rest of my body.

I didn't have the time. The next thing I know, something bulky and heavy slammed into my right temple, and I blacked out.

^..^ ^..^ ^..^

It was muggy and humid, wherever I was. There were tall, thick trees all around me, and I could see no signs of sunlight. Vines hung down from branches above me, some thin, some wider. I could hear several chimp Pokemon chattering in the distance. But I was alone. Again, no Spirit, no Victor. Since I couldn't go back, I strode deeper into the jungle, trying to find any answer I could.

After what felt like an hour of walking, I came across a clearing with a large wooden shrine with a stone slab in front of it. On the slab, in footprint runes, read "Time is a school, a teacher, a rule. As everyone knows, though, rules are made to be broken." Under that was a prophecy of the Time Gears. No big deal. Team Reptilia stopped that threat years ago with Grovyle.

I turned the slab around. On the other side was simply a Tai-chi sign, and under that was written "Heart of Flame, Will of Earth". On the white side of the sign, instead of a black spot in the center, there was a small, obsidian gem, with a dark blue tint to it. On the other side, however, there was no such gem: only a hole where it would've been.

After a while, I stood up, and scratched my head. Someone behind me through a rock at me and giggled. I clasped the back of my head, felt the bump, and spun around, ready to fight whoever did it. When I looked, all I saw was a little Bonsly, bending down to pick up the rock. It was shiny, and snow-white. Diamond, it had to have been. Thinking fast, I snatched the gem and gave him a Chople Berry from a nearby tree that was about the same size. The small rock tree thing was disappointed for a moment, then champed away on the berry and ran off.

I sighed, then stared at the gem. It wasn't a normal gem, for in the center was what looked like a tiny, silver ball. Shrugging it off, I knelt down and pressed the gem into the indent in the rock. Almost immediately, the ground around me started to shake as the earth beneath the shrine split and revealed a spiraling staircase. Once the tremors ceased, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled under the shrine, then made my way down the stairs.

The room underneath somehow looked familiar. It was dark, but cool and damp, like it would be right behind a waterfall. There was a huge pool of water in the center with what looked like koi fish swimming around in the center. I eased my way across the wet floor, trying not to slip and disturb the fish. There was a whispering sound, a little sweet to listen to, like an ocarina. Then, the laughter of a small child. I looked around, a little startled, but there was no one there. The laughter again.

"Silly little Charmeleon, you're looking in all the wrong places!" the voice giggled, both immature and sweet at the same time. I turned my head in the direction of the voice. Floating above the water was a small, pink Pokemon with a long tail and big feet. She flew over (well, hovered actually) and stared at me with huge, blue eyes. "You were searching for something that was right in front of you!" She snickered, covering her mouth with both hands as she did.

A little confused, I took a step back to look at her. She was small and pudgy, yet agile and light. Her tail flicked back and forth, like a cat's. Well, not really a cat. Probably more like a kitten. Her vast, blue eyes were like the water—cool, limpid. It took me a moment to remember the name. Supposedly, all Pokemon came from her DNA. "Mew..."

"Uh-huh!" she shouted, flipping around in the air. "I'm Mew! I sure am!" After a while of watching her aerobatics, she hovered down so she was eye-to-eye with me again. "But why are you here? This is my dream, not yours."

That was weird. I blinked and stared at her. "No. This is my dream."

She looked at her hand, then shrugged. "Then we must be supposed to meet. Because this isn't my house. I don't live underground. I live in a lake."

After a while, we sat down to wait. She took to playing with a rock. I started watching the koi swim around and around, chasing each other in an endless circle. I started to notice things about them. One was a dark orange, and the other was an earthy brown. The dark orange one had a white spot on the top of his head, and he seemed to swim slightly faster. The earthy brown one had an identical spot, but seemed a bit more leisurely. For some reason, I felt drawn to the dark orange koi.

"You know what those koi stand for, right?" Mew suddenly asked, noticing my interest in the fish. "They symbolize an eternal balance. The orange one, Yang, stands for heaven, heat, and light. The brown one, Yin, stands for earth, dark, and cold. They used to be real Pokemon. Wanna hear the story?"

I glanced at her, then turned my attention back to the fish. "Sure. It'll pass some time."

Mew nodded, then closed her eyes. "A long time ago, the world was in constant turmoil. Pokemon waged war against each other, often with humans as the cause. The 'trainers', as the humans called themselves, would capture Pokemon and force them to fight to settle their differences. This would often result in the death of Pokemon, and others suffered. Arceus watched in silence for years, always in tears. It was terrible to see him like that. Finally, there came a last battle, a war to end all wars. The trainers that wanted only land-based Pokemon, the ones that wanted air-based Pokemon, and the ones that wanted sea-based Pokemon built vast armies of Pokemon and were ready to fight to the death. In his solitude, Arceus refused to reveal himself, saying that showing them a Pokemon as powerful as he was would only create more war. But then, three Pokemon—one from each faction—rose up and tried to stop the fighting. A Marowak, a Charizard, and Manaphy himself. They stood against the fighting, and refused to back down. However, the humans would not listen. One of them, from the land-based group, ordered his Pokemon to attack all three of them. Reluctantly, the Pokemon obeyed, and attacked Manaphy first. To protect the legendary Pokemon, Marowak and Charizard formed a shield with their bodies. The attack was too much for them, and they fell, weakened and injured. Their sacrifice told the trainers that their Pokemon didn't have to be at battle to continue. They called off the war and went their separate ways.

"Unfortunately, the same could not be said for Marowak and Charizard. Both of them received serious injuries, and had no chance of recovery. Manaphy tried to help them, but he just didn't have the power. That's when Arceus stepped in. He had watched the entire thing, and was touched by their plight. Using all his power, he turned the area that was once a dry, barren war zone into the lush forest above us. Then, he made this place, and turned them into the koi fish in front of you. Manaphy called forth his aquatic friends and they filled the pool with the cleanest water in the world. Once they were out, Arceus sealed this place forever and marked it with the shrine in their honor, though all of the writing was in footprint runes so the humans would not find and desecrate this place. He even made the slab to mark it." She looked at me and smiled. "Wasn't that nice?"

I watched the flame at the end of my tail flickering slightly, and I realized why I was drawn to that koi. There was a sort of kinship between us. We were both of the same line.

There was silence for a while, then Mew looked at me. "I don't think anyone's coming. It was nice meeting you, though. I'm sure Kyuri will be interested in that story too."

Before I could respond, she was gone. How did she know Kyuri?

^..^ ^..^ ^..^

"He's waking up."

"Careful. He's a dangerous one."

"Make sure those ropes are tight."

When I finally woke up, I found that my hands were tied behind my back. My teammates were staring at me like I was some sort of monster, and Officer Magnezone was floating near me, as were Deputies Magnemite and Magneton. I shook my head and got to my feet, a little sore. "What happened?" I asked, the question directed at Spirit.

"Kahrik, don't be angry. It's a necessary precaution," the Dragonair replied, backing away. "You're not the same."

I laughed a little and shook my head. "What? What are you talking abo-" I frowned when I remembered what happened. "The volcano..." I muttered. I took a step forward, pulling against the ropes that Magneton was holding. "Spirit, you know that wasn't me in control. You know me. Tell them the truth!"

He lowered his head. "Kahrik, you need help."

I couldn't believe what was happening. I turned to Victor. "Victor, talk some sense into him. You guys know I'm not like that. You know!"

He, too, turned away. "Spirit's right, Kahrik. You're out of control."

My own friends were letting them take me away. "Victor... Spirit..." I followed what I knew best; my instinct. I pulled against the ropes, tearing my hands free and digging them into the ground. My tail twisted behind me, the flames rising with my emotional distress.

Officer Magnezone started to panic. "Get him! Make sure he doesn't escape!" I moved fast. I turned around and released a Flamethrower, silencing them. Then, I turned to my friends and glowered at them, rage building inside.

"You know I'm not like that... and you refuse to say anything?" I told you so, the voice whispered in my head. I grabbed my head and snarled, aiming my mouth at the ground. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" I roared, turning and running away as fast as my legs would carry me.

You can't escape me. I'm INSIDE you, Kahrik. You can't escape yourself, the voice laughed.

He was right. The voice was inside me, and I couldn't escape the confines of my own mind. There was only one way out, but before I did that I had some unfinished business to attend to. But for now, I had to keep moving. My friends no longer trusted me to be around them. I attacked the police. I was a fugitive, and I was alone. There was only one person I could talk to that didn't know any of this yet. As much as it pained me to say it...

...I had to talk to Kehrimohr.

End Chapter 12

There you have it folks. Kahrik is in trouble for what he almost did to Groudon. His friends no longer trust him because of that little bout with The Shadow, and now he's on the run. Yes, I know this is reminiscent of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue and Red Rescue Team (fugitive), but it's better than just having him arrested and then not being able to do anything with him until he's released. And if you can't tell by now, I like the first 252 Pokemon. Seriously, how many 3rd to 5th Gen Pokemon have I used other than your Pokemon? A few from the 5th Gen that made cameos... and a couple others I think. Not a whole lot.

Yes, I am making Kahrik face his father in the next chapter.

No, he does not want to.

And no, I'm not going to tell you how that's going to turn out.

See? Didn't even have to ask those questions.

Coming Soon! Chapter 13: A Meeting with Destiny!

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