Chapter Sixteen: The Cipher Key Lair, Pt
PM: ZOMG! Another, more dramatic change.
NO MORE HUGE PARAGRAPHS DESCRIBING POKEMON! Well, okay, there will be descriptions, but not to the length one could easily become infamous for…
Chapter Sixteen: The Cipher Key Lair, Pt. 2!
"Kangaskhan. Level 35. Normal Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Rush, Shadow End, and Shadow Panic. SHADOW POKEMON!" droned Justin's Shadow Detector.
Justin smirked. "Well, time for my second snag with this baby…" he spoke quietly, looking at his Snag Machine.
Battle statistics: This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions or time limit.
Justin's Grovyle, Sharpleaf VS Cipher Peon Humah's Kangaskhan
BATTLE COMMENCE!
Shadow End, hmm? thought Justin. Interesting. One of the most powerful Shadow attacks… A Shadow Double-Edge!
"Sharpleaf!" he spoke. "Use Leaf Blade!"
With its leaf-like arm appendage glowing light green and expended to a longer scythe-shape, Sharpleaf sprinted for Kangaskhan, preparing to slash it.
"Kangaskhan, dodge, then retaliate with Shadow Rush!" shouted Humah.
Kangaskhan evaded Sharpleaf's attack, then countered with an ineffective shadowy slam, sending Sharpleaf back a bit.
"You DO know my Pokemon's a Shadow Pokemon, right…?" Justin sweat dropped.
"…Oh. No, I didn't. Um… Crud." muttered Humah in reply.
"Idiot. Sharpleaf, use Tackle!"
Sharpleaf performed a simple body ram on Kangaskhan.
"Kangaskhan! Use your Shadow End attack!"
Justin growled as Kangaskhan began glowing an even darker color than normal. With its eyes actually shining a fierce red, the Normal Element let out a fierce roar and charged into Sharpleaf, knocking both Pokemon backwards. Sharpleaf seemed relatively alright, but Kangaskhan was panting heavily.
"Some Grunt you are." mumbled Justin. "That Shadow End is like a double-edged sword; heavy damage inflicted to the victim most of the time, but half of the user's HP is drained! Well, like I thought earlier, it's like Double-Edge with more or less backlash."
Humah growled angrily. "HENCE THE NAME. DOUBLE. EDGE."
The blonde chuckled quietly at this. "You've left yourself open. Sharpleaf, attack! Tackle, again!"
Sharpleaf once more performed a weak ram attack on its foe.
"THAT'S IT! ALL-OUT DOOM TIME! SHADOW END AGAIN!" yelled the Cipher Grunt.
Kangaskhan wearily began shining with a very dark purple aura and its eyes shone red. With a powerful lunge, it sent Sharpleaf flying backwards, but dropped to a knee afterward.
"Sharpleaf…" gasped Justin as his Pokemon fell. "…Are you okay?"
The Grass-type stood back up and nodded.
"Great! Now, it's time…" Justin began to charge up a Snag Ball, an Ultra Ball, in his Snag hand. It glowed red, like all Snag Balls.
"Snag Ball! Go!"
He launched the sphere at Kangaskhan, which touched the large Pokemon, opened up, and sucked it inside. The Snag Ball twitched several times, and soon stopped.
"Bingo. Kangaskhan has been Snagged!" smirked Pat's blonde companion. He dashed to the Ultra Ball and grabbed it, and Humah fell to his knees.
"I… I lost?! TO A BLONDE?!"
Justin scowled and walked over to the opposing trainer. He grabbed him by the helmet.
"Stop it with the insults about my hair, Humah. Or else you shall suffer a horrible fate…"
"That's right!" smirked Pat, finally speaking for the first time in ten minutes. "You insulted my hair as well, so what'll it be? Hanging, decapitation, torture…?"
Humah screamed and wiggled out of Justin's grasp. He ran away, but his Cipher Grunt helmet remained in Justin's hand.
"…Um… Huh. That's weird."
He dropped the helmet and continued through the hallway. May and Brendan followed him closer than Pat, who was staring at the Cipher Grunt headgear with an angry glare.
A loud crash was the sound that came next, which was from Pat smashing the helmet into pieces with his foot.
THAT is what will happen to Cipher… GACK-ACK-ACK-ACK! he cackled in his mind, smirking darkly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
He caught up with the other three quickly. The first room of the Key Lair seemed to be a bit of a laboratory: two conveyor belts were noticed, along with many walls and two staircases.
"Hmm… I don't see anyone. That might be good or bad." mumbled Brendan.
Pat's ears then picked up the sound of snickering. He looked above them, seeing another Cipher Grunt.
Oh, for crying out loud. These idiots are the worst spies in the world!
He leapt from the ground and, in a clearly cheesy action cinema scene, performed a flip-kick in the air, knocking the Grunt down.
It was a male, who groaned as he hit the floor. "…Ugh… WHO ARE YOU… TO KNOCK ME FROM MY CEILING?!"
Pat chuckled quietly, and stood up. "Pat. Pat McClintock."
Justin smacked his forehead. "WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF WITH THE JAMES BOND REFERENCES?!"
Pat muttered a few things, then faced the Grunt. "Battle. Now, you impudent swine."
The Cipher Grunt mumbled, "...Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…" and proceeded to pull out a Poke Ball from his belt.
"Go for it, Rhyhorn!"
From inside the Poke Ball appeared a Rhyhorn, a Ground/Rock Pokemon with a gray rock body with the appearance of a small, hunched-down rhinoceros.
Pat's visor flipped in front of his eyes, obviously detecting a Shadow Pokemon.
"Rhyhorn. Level 35. Rock/Ground Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Rush and Shadow Panic. SHADOW POKEMON!"
Pat cracked his knuckles." Alright then! Let's party! Go, Milotic!"
The leader of "Team Pat" threw an Ultra Ball into the air… A little too hard, as it bounced against the ceiling.
Justin slapped his forehead. "A LITTLE TOO HYPED, AREN'T YA?!"
Pat sweat-dropped. "…Shut up."
The yellow and black Poke Ball still opened, revealing Milotic, who hummed majestically.
Pat caught the Ultra Ball, put his hand on his hip, and pointed toward the Grunt with his index and middle finger.
"Show me your moves!"
Battle statistics: This is a one-on-one battle with no substitutions or time limit.
Pat's Milotic VS Cipher Grunt Targ's Rhyhorn
BATTLE COMMENCE!
"Milotic, begin with Hypnosis."
Milotic focused on Rhyhorn, its eyes glowing blue. Three rings of blue energy flew towards Rhyhorn.
"Rhyhorn!" yelled Targ. "Dodge that, then attack with Headbutt!"
Rhyhorn dodged the trio of rings with surprising speed for a rock-bodied rhinoceros, then began dashing towards Milotic with its head lowered.
"Milotic, dodge as well! Follow with Water Pulse!"
The aquatic, cream-colored serpent easily dodged Rhyhorn's attack, then shot three watery blue rings towards it from her mouth. Water Pulse hit the Rock/Ground type's large head, knocking it back and causing superficial damage.
Pat smirked. "Heh… This battle's already tipped in my favor."
Targ growled. "A little cocky, huh?! It ain't over until it's over!"
"ISN'T, you bumbling idiot." corrected Pat.
"OH SHUT UP YA LOUSY GRAMMAR NAZI. WHAT IS THIS, 4CHAN?"
Pat blinked. …Um… Huh. And I thought that disgrace to the internet didn't exist here.
Targ angrily pointed at Milotic. "Rhyhorn! Use Thunderbolt!"
Team Pat's leader gasped slightly. "Thunderbolt?!"
Rhyhorn reared back, shooting a golden thunderbolt from its body, zapping Milotic. The floating serpent let out a screech of pain.
Pat gritted his teeth. "Should've expected that… Milotic, attack with Shadow Storm!"
Recovering from the harsh blow, Milotic spun around, creating a black and dark purple tornado which spun towards Rhyhorn, hitting it for minor damage. But the two combined hits of Water Pulse and Shadow Storm were clearly visible, as the creature's legs wobbled weakly.
"Alright." Pat muttered, pulling out a Great Ball. He threw it when it shone red. "Snag Ball, go!"
The Snag Ball hit Rhyhorn's head, popped open, and sucked it inside. The sphere hit the ground, wiggled, and eventually stopped.
Pat cackled. "Another Shadow Pokemon! HA-HA-HA!"
The Cipher Grunt shook with anger as Pat tauntingly threw the Poke Ball containing what was once his Pokemon, and caught it again.
"…You… I'll be back, you twit!" Targ ran off, out of sight.
"Heh…" chuckled Pat. "Yeah, he'll be back. In another decade…."
Pat threw the Ball up one more time, but it was caught by Brendan.
"…Ahem?" queried Pat.
Brendan put the blue, red, and white sphere in his pocket. "Listen, you! I haven't gotten a new Pokemon since Huntail! So…" The white-haired trainer stuck out his tongue.
Pat sweat-dropped. "Fine, fine. I suppose you do deserve a Pokemon of Rhyhorn's power… For now."
He led the other three deeper into a nearby corridor…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Heh. Lights out for you and your Pokemon!" said Justin, taunting a just-defeated female Cipher Peon, who ran away like any other Cipher member.
He recalled Banshee, and followed Pat, Brendan, and May up a near flight of stairs. This led them outside, on the top of the Key Lair.
"Hmm… This is familiar…" muttered Pat to Justin, who nodded. They glanced at a switch up above, only a pair of staircases between them and it.
"May. Brendan." spoke Pat, beckoning for them to follow him and his friend. In the back of the roof were the twin staircases. Pat and Justin walked over to the switch, and read a large label, which had large white letters.
CAUTION! DO NOT, REPEAT DO NOT, PULL THIS LEVER. IT IS ONLY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, AS IT USES UP THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR'S POWER SUPPLY IN CASE OF A GENERATOR FAILURE AND PUMPS IT INTO THE STANDARD GENERATOR. AGAIN, DO NOT PULL!!
"…" Pat smirked, and kicked the lever off the ground, then slammed it to the other side. A rumble, along with several electrical sounds, was heard, and smoke began sprouting from a large black contraption behind the Key Lair roof.
"So that's the generator." said Justin.
Upon him finishing, the emergency power supplier exploded with a cloud of black smoke. Sirens began blaring.
"Oh crud…" gulped May. "…We shouldn't have done that!"
A loud bang noise was heard, and a plunger-tipped dart stuck to Pat's head. Attached to it was the message:
FOOLED YOU IDIOTS!
The four turned to the staircase to see a squad of Cipher Peons dash up the stairs, followed by two R&D's. All of them held several Poke Balls.
"…Well this can't be good…" muttered Brendan.
One of the Peons stepped forward. "Told you I'd be back."
Pat scowled. "…Targ…"
Targ nodded, with a smirk. He held up a bomb-shaped device. "Hooray for smoke grenades that fool naïve little children into thinking that something blew up… Now give yourselves up and I promise not to hurt any of you… Much."
All six of the Cipher members threw Poke Balls each into the air, calling out nine Pokemon: a Mightyena, a Lombre, a Pikachu, a Banette, an Aerodactyl, a Kadabra, a Marshtomp, a Golbat, and a second Lombre, and then four new Pokemon.
A Pupitar, a blue Rock/Ground-type with a small, beetle shell or cocoon-shaped body. A four-pointed star shape formed a "mask" over its small head, from which angry eyes were glaring out, and a Medicham, a humanoid Psychic/Fighting Pokemon with pale pink skin, large red lips, an odd-shaped head with a reddish-pink "cap" with yellow dots, reddish-pink legs with yellow dots on the knees, and also a fierce glare, were side-by-side. They two belonged to an R&D on the left of the six-man group.
And from Targ, first came a Masquerain, a Bug/Flying-type with a slight butterfly look. It had orange and white folded-back wings that looked like angry eyes, a pale blue body, a large orange nose, and diamond-shaped feet. The second Pokemon was a Vibrava, a Ground/Dragon type with a yellow dragonfly-like body, with six gray "Y"-shaped feet, four green diamond-shaped wings that were in overlapping pairs, and large, spherical eyes.
Instantly, Pat and Justin's visors popped up. Pat's focused on the R&D's Pokemon, and Justin's on Targ's.
"Masquerain. Bug/Flying Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Rave and Shadow Wave. SHADOW POKEMON! Vibrava. Dragon/Ground Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Rush, Shadow Storm, and Shadow Hold. SHADOW POKEMON!"
"Pupitar. Rock/Ground Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Rave, Shadow Down, and Shadow Blitz. SHADOW POKEMON! Medicham. Fighting/Psychic Element. Shadow moves: Shadow Wave and Shadow Down. SHADOW POKEMON!"
May gulped nervously. "We're going up against four Shadow Pokemon, and nine normal ones… It's over…"
Pat smirked, and turned to May. "Listen. It isn't over yet. I, for one, will not give up until there is a one hundred fifty percent chance of failure. Currently, there is a…"
He rubbed his chin in thought. "…Negative thirty-five. Heh…"
Targ smirked at Pat. "A little too confident, huh brat?"
The leader of Team Pat laughed. "TOO confident? No… No, I'm under confident. Losing to idiots like you… It won't happen. Now, the future, or in a parallel universe."
He then turned back to May and Brendan. "You two, send out every single one of your Pokemon. Justin, you as well."
May's and Brendan's eyes bulged out to the size of dinner plates.
"WHAT?!" cried out May. "B-But isn't that against battle rules?"
Justin and Pat slapped their respective foreheads, the former speaking afterward.
"May… Listen… Do you want to escape torture and/or death and/or enslavement? SEND OUT EVERY SINGLE POKEMON YOU HAVE, or we could easily fail here."
"Heh… Don't be such a scrub, May. In this game, I play to win." said Pat eerily. "And thus, when the time comes, I don't hesitate. I just act. What's the matter? Scared? Come on! Show them your moves! Or are you too slow? Bah, I have no time to ponder such questions, as I have just grabbed a Poke Ball." To accompany his statement, Pat drew a Poke Ball from his belt.
Justin gained an expression that could be expressed in three letters: O.o, a sweat drop accompanying it.
"That is such an epic win… SEVEN cool quotes that have to do with Smash Bros and/or Star Fox…" he said.
May and Brendan tilted their heads questioningly. "…What?"
Pat shook his head. "NEVER MIND. Listen, you nitwits, do as I say or be confined to a surely gloomy and moldy cell for the rest of your invaluable lives! OR DO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING OURSELVES?!"
He turned, and threw six multiple-type Poke Balls into the air, Justin following shortly. From Pat's came Aerodactyl, Croconaw, Pikachu, Tauros, Milotic, and Combusken. From Justin's materialized Snorunt, Barboach, TerraMarine, Banshee, Kangaskhan, which had been nicknamed Crusher, and Sharpleaf. All twelve Pokemon let out their respective cries.
Brendan and May looked at each other and nodded, releasing twelve of their own Pokemon: Kabuto, Eevee, Furret, Gorebyss, Linoone, and Blissey from May and Seviper, Rhyhorn, Bayleef, Huntail, Golbat, and Natu from Brendan.
Targ smirked. "Not eve a thousand of those weaklings will stand up to our four Shadow Pokemon…"
Pat smirked back. "Untrue. The main setback of Shadow Pokemon is that their increase in experience is capped. Thus, they can't grow any stronger than what they are upon having their heart's doors closed. We've been training our Purified Pokemon here quite a lot. Now…" He raised a fist. "Prepare to be bested."
The Cipher Peon slapped his helmet. "Where do you come up with this stuff…?"
PM: YAH I'M BACK! I'd like to thanks Jarkes () for his inspiring reviews… You really should make an account, Jarkes, so I can reply to your questions privately!
R&R please. Also, as for those "seven cool quotes", you wouldn't know about some of them unless you've played Super Smash Bros. Brawl. If you haven't, I pity you. The rest come from that game's official site, the Smash Bros. DOJO!! (), Wolf O'Donnell of Star Fox fame, and from Dave Sirlin, competitive fighting gamer extraordinaire. They and their sources really are:
(The first two sentences are adaptable and aren't strict quotes. Also, I changed some of the statements around a bit.) "Don't hesitate. When the time comes, just act." and "What's the matter? Scared?" are from Wolf, the former from Star Fox Assault and the latter from Brawl. "You have no time to ponder such questions, as Link has just grabbed a Smash Ball." is from the Smash Bros. DOJO!!. "Show me your moves!", "Come on!", and "You're too slow!" are from Brawl as well, being said by Captain Falcon (The first two; the latter is also said by Fox.) and Sonic the Hedgehog (The third).
In other words, I just made two huge paragraphs that have just random trivia pertaining to humor! Go me!