Pokemon The Revolution

by LandofGaming

After years of evolution and drifts and new ages, the Pokemon world has advanced to a modern state where politics and ideals flourished and many Pokemon began searching and striving for the idea of a perfect world. However, due to the corrupted government, a single Pokemon stands up to fight for his freedom...and ends up starting more than even he had anticipated.

20. The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Twenty: The Calm Before the Storm

Morning of the fourth day after the Castelian Bombing...

Robert Shaw was standing in front of a hotel in Castelia City, patiently waiting for his daughter. He couldn't wait to tell her that he was here, to take her away with him. He imagined her adorable face lit with surprise as she ran towards him. He imagined her saying, Daddy! You finally came for me! He saw Kona's likeness in her angelic features as she pressed herself against his flank.

The doors flew open in front of him, and Rob could see a red carpet leading to the insides of the hotel. Lily was walking on the red carpet, her small gray body full of energy and happiness. She looked up, and saw him, her eyes suddenly lighting up with surprise and eagerness. She ran towards him, her paws thumping against the ground.

Then the scenery suddenly changed. A purple fissure slashed across the pavement, and Rob flew backwards, crashing against the ground as it dissolved into nothingness below him. His fighting instincts kicking in, he leapt to his paws and sprang from stone slab to stone slab as they shrieked through the air, crumbling. He heard Lily's horrified scream and ran towards the sound, jumping nimbly through the shrapnel of stone and glass as the hotel shattered into a million pieces. He arrived at the entrance of the hotel, heaving for breath, just in time to see Lily's small gray face staring at him, her eyes wide with horror. She sat five tail-lengths away from him, on the tattered red carpet, frozen in position. He lunged for her, and her face turned just in time for her to see him. Glittering purple flames spewed equally beautiful smoke. The rocks and rubble melted into the background. Rob reached for Lily desperately, but then he too, started dissolving into purple smoke.

And he watched helplessly as a section of the ceiling peeled away and collapsed on Lily.

---

"Mother of Darkrai, Rob!" a familiar voice yelled next to Rob's ear. "Wake up! Sheesh!"

Rob opened his eyes to see the bright yellow lights in his room. He was sprawled on his bed, with his heavy blankets covering his body. What had once been a pillow laid next to him, shredded beyond recognition. Group R was standing over him, and Jazz was perched on top of Shock.

"I'm all for having nightmares and whimpering like a pup," Jazz said drily. "But did you have to shred the pillow! What did it ever do to you?!"

"Jazz," Annie chided. "He's going through a hard time. Lay off."

"Well, I know who I'm going to lay off today," Jazz grumbled. "It's like, eleven o'clock, mister lieutenant. Get your stuff together."

"Jazz!" Annie complained.

"What?" Jazz demanded. "We've been playing bench warmers for like, ever since Castelia went bye-bye. I want to train, and not with you, Metal Trap! Or the stupid magnet and green santa claus!"

"Santa Claus?" Gran asked.

"Is that good?" Shock wondered.

"Rawhr?" Demo blinked.

"Oh, and not the purple sonic dragon either," Jazz said.

"Ra!" Demo complained.

"You are so annoying on so many levels," Annie grumbled.

"Yeah," Jazz replied. "At least I'm not you."

"Burn," Gran muttered.

Annie hopped over to Rob, who was staring groggily at them. "Do you want to train today?" she asked in a gentler voice. "Maybe it'll clear your mind."

Rob shook his head slowly. "No, thanks," he murmured. He felt tired, although he'd done nothing but sleep for the past few days. Agony washed over him.

Lily…

She was dead. He knew that for sure. Darkrai had said the rebels had obliterated Castelia City with all of the innocents inside. There were no survivors. Just like the Mossdeep Space Center explosion… during which Kona had died.

I'd never thought I'd lose them both…

"Look here, Robby," Jazz snarled and got into his face. "Get up and start doing something with your life instead of moping around like a pathetic loser! You're just hiding, you know? Sleeping your little life away. Well, I'm not going to follow someone who's pitying his own losses so much he doesn't even try doing something about that! Lily got vaporized by those rebels? Fine! Cry a day. Two days. Three days. That―I'm all fine with. But I'm not fine with you just sitting here sobbing and sleeping and eating when we can be taking revenge for Lily by actually doing something!"

Rob stared down at his covers. "I'm pathetic."

Jazz snorted. "Sure you are. Kona dies. You sob. Lily dies, you spend your time flapping around like a little―"

"Jazz!" Annie intervened. "Shut up. If he doesn't want to train, then leave him alone!"

"Yeah, I'll leave him alone, Metal Mouth! I'll leave him alone forever!"

"Jazz!"

"Jazz!" Jazz imitated. "I tell you, girl. Robby has problems and somebody needs to pat him on the head. With an anvil."

"I'm with Jazz," Gran grunted, surprisingly. "You can cry over one thing for as long as you want, but don't cry for the same thing again and again without doing something about it. I didn't become a soldier just to play bench warmer. Pokemon are dying out there. We're suppose to prevent it."

"Leave, both of you!" Annie snapped. "Rob doesn't need this from the two of you!"

"Of course he needs this from the two of us!" Jazz retorted. "Did you see me like that when my cousin was killed in combat? When my parents died in a revolt? Sure, I cried! Of course I did! And I'm not ashamed of it. But am I crying over it now? No! I'm doing what I can―taking revenge! Not just sitting around sobbing over a loved one's death!"

Rob hung his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm not strong enough to be like you, Jazz. I can't get over it. I've lost everything. I… I don't know what to do now."

And with that, he promptly burst into tears.

Jazz sighed annoyingly. "Everybody thinks that being strong means to never feel pain," she said in a sarcastic tone. "In reality? The strongest people are the ones that feel it, understand it, and accept it. Being strong doesn't mean having a high EQ or IQ or bulkiness and muscles and whatnots. I certainly don't have any of those things―"

"Especially the IQ part," Annie muttered.

"―but that doesn't matter because I know I'm brilliant. Being strong means being able to accept the worst and thank life for the best. Anybody can just be pathetic and take the easy way by falling apart and giving up on everything. It's the easiest thing to do! But holding it together when everybody else thinks that you're going to fall apart―that's true strength. So get up, slap some sense into yourself, and freaking take revenge for your wife and daughter!"

"Jazz," Annie said in amazement. "You're a philosopher."

"Philosopher? Nah, I'm too brilliant to be one," Jazz snorted. "This is common sense."

Rob slid off his bed slowly, shaking himself roughly. Jazz was right. Kona had passed on. So had Lily. There was nothing he could do for them now.

Except take revenge…

Knock-knock-knock

"Who's there?" Jazz called.

"Messenger!"

"Messenger who?"

"Messenger who's going to bash your face out if you don't come answer the door!"

Jazz barked. "This is Lieutenant Robert Shaw's bodyguard, you son of a filthy bubble! How dare you speak trash to me, sonny! Leave the message after the beep and get out before I get over there and smash your face in!"

"Beep," Demo offered.

The messenger yelped. "General Nova wishes to see Lieutenant Shaw and discuss tactics for the Nimbasa Battle over brunch! Please come!"

Jazz glanced at Rob. "Are you still sulking or are you going to get your stuff together?"

Rob hauled himself to his feet. "I won't forget Lily," he said levelly. "Ever."

"And?" Annie asked.

"But I accept she's gone." Every word cut into his tongue, but he still spoke them firmly. "I will do what I can now to avenge her death. Tell the General Nova I will meet her soon."

"Okay!" The messenger replied, and dashed off.

Rob strapped on his uniform and headed for the door, Group R fanning out around him. His paws felt heavy and his back burned with stiffness and pain, but he struggled on. He knew he wouldn't get over Lily's death anytime soon. It just wasn't possible. But one day, he knew he would avenge her. That thought made him realize he needed to go on. He couldn't let Lily die in vain.

---

"But it's still strange how they were able to steal our jets," Annie protested. Group R and General Nova were seated around a coffee table, eating brunch. "How come we've never heard about any outposts with aerial machines being captured or routed?"

Nova's eyes were tired and her wings hung limply on her back. Ever since the Striaton City Battle, she'd seemed to have aged hundred of years within a couple months. Rob felt guilty that he'd let her end up like this while he was mourning.

"According to Lord Darkrai, they sabotaged some of the Northern Kingdom Outposts, and impersonated Shadow Force soldiers to 'convince' the neutral towns and cities that we're evil," Nova said in a drained voice. "And it worked. We have reports from a spy that Nacrene City is now rebelling."

"That makes it almost the entire Southern Unova," Gran said.

"That's probably not good," Shock added.

"You're darn right it's not good," Jazz grunted. "This rebellion is spreading like a rash. So annoying," she muttered as she wolfed down a donut.

"That's why we have to defeat Nimbasa City," Rob summed up. "We can't let it spread any further."

Jazz raised a paw. "Um, isn't that what you said during the Accumula Rebellion? Or something like that? I mean, I'm all up for winning, but this kinda looks like history repeating itself."

"Jazz," Annie grumbled. "Stop being so optimistic."

"Aw, you know you love it, sis!"

"We can't let history repeat itself," Nova said. "We must win. Losing is not, and cannot be an option this time."

Rob nodded. "But how would we take out Nimbasa City? Aside from Castelia City, it's the next biggest city in all of Unova."

"And the center of entertainment," Jazz added.

Annie placed her paws on the table. "I just can't believe Mayor Rayla, of all Pokemon, would be rebelling! That Ampharos is a supermodel! I'd never thought she'd tangle herself up with all of this!"

"I've seen her before," Jazz said. "She doesn't look like much, with that white wig and all."

"That's her Mega Form!" Annie exclaimed.

"Yeah, and she looks worse than you in it!"

"Are you blind, Jazz?"

"Well, if my Mega Evolution gave me another metal flytrap mouth, I'd wish I was!"

"Jazz!" Annie protested.

"Jazz!" Jazz mimicked.

"Can you stop being so sarcastic!" Annie complained.

"Honey," Jazz teased, shaking her head. "My degree of sarcasm depends on your level of stupidity."

"Shut it, Jazz," Annie grumbled. "I have a higher IQ than you."

"Well, if you jumped from your IQ level to your EQ level, you'd be able to commit suicide!"

"Okay, you are so done!" Annie started getting up, but Rob pulled her back down.

"Both of you, stop it!" Rob said. "We're here to talk strats and stats."

"Too bad our statistician got swallowed up in the Desert Resort," Jazz mumbled.

"Oh my gods," Annie groaned and slammed her face against the table.

"Keep on doing that, girl," Jazz said. "Maybe a thought will finally cross your mind."

"Jazz," Rob warned. "If you keep on doing that, I'm going to throw you out the window."

Jazz stood on her hind legs. "Come at me, bro."

Gran snickered, while Demo and Shock stared blankly at the Linoone.

Nova coughed. "Um, back to topic, please."

"Yes, please," Annie emphasized, glaring at Jazz.

The Linoone snickered. "Happy fun time!"

"Which regiments are going to be attacking Nimbasa City this time?" Gran asked.

Nova sighed. "Ours, and only ours. I guess Lord Darkrai just likes using my Fourth Regiment as a battering ram to soften up our enemy's defenses," she muttered darkly.

Her voice was so bitter, Rob tempted to ask what was wrong, but he suspected that the comment wouldn't be appreciated. Nova had obviously had a rough time with the Dark Lord, and he wasn't about to unleash her full anger and irritation on himself.

"Nova," a raspy voice growled. Rob looked up to see General Otri the Krookodile limping over. A cloth was wrapped around his neck, and curls of smoke still streamed from his mouth as he talked―the work of that nasty traitor, Amethyst. Rob swore inwardly that if he ever saw the Braixen on the battlefield, he would give her a thrashing she wouldn't ever forget.

"Yes?" Nova dragged herself to attention, looking listless and bored.

"General Plasma is returning to Anville Town," General Otri said in a gruff voice, gingerly touching the cloth wrapped around his throat. He winced a bit as a flare of pain shot up his throat.

"Why?" Nova sat up straight. "I thought he was going to Castelia City to battle the rebels there."

"He's been recalled back here by the Dark Lord himself," General Otri replied. "Should be arriving any minute. You should be present at his arrival."

Nova sighed and drooped back down in her seat. Otri snorted angrily and stomped his paws.

"Come, don't come," the Krookodile said coldly. "It's your life." He spun and pranced off.

Nova tested her wings dejectedly. "We'll resume this later," she said. "Would you all like to accompany me to the train station?"

"What for?" Jazz asked.

"To meet General Plasma," Nova replied.

Rob nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

---

In Driftveil City…

Marcus sat down near a park. The citizens of Driftveil City milled about around him, and some glanced at him. After several days of hard, lonely travelling, he had finally arrived at the neutral city. His brown paws were stained with dirt and there was a cut on one of his pads that he'd made when he almost fell off a cliff during his travels. His cream-colored fur was dusted with dirt, and he was unaware of the burrs and tangles in his normally well-groomed fur. Exhaustion can cause one to forget that.

Marcus would've cut straight through from the White Forest to Accumula City if there hadn't been a Shadow Force blockade situated around Castelia and Nimbasa. He couldn't even fly out of shooting range on his newly-discovered wings… so he'd had to go the long way around Nimbasa and end up in Driftveil.

Heaving himself to his paws, Marcus took out his money pouch. Apparently, Melodia had tied it to his sword sheath when he wasn't aware of it. He still had enough money to get a good meal, so he decided to head over to a nearby snack cart and get some refreshments.

Marcus placed an order of a grilled Pecha-n-Tamato Berry sandwich and stood by patiently to await his order. His paws were aching and he felt like collapsing any moment. He tried to preserve his dignity, but at last gave into drowsiness and sat down on the ground. The passersby all looked at him, but he glared them down.

The snack cart's operator, a Miltank, seemed to be too busy chatting with a Drilbur to hurry up with Marcus's lunch. Not wanting to get into an argument―because he wasn't sure if he had the energy to talk anymore―Marcus sighed heavily and lowered his head.

"Marcus?"

The voice that called him was silvery and pleasant to his ears. Or it would've been, had he not realized the voice. Unfortunately or fortunately, he did, and he spun around to see Lucrieta, a shiny Nintales he knew and remembered all-too-well.

A little background history on Lucrieta and her personality―she was a brilliant Pokemon strong in both mind and spirit. Of course, she could give anyone a proper thrashing and all those who knew her wouldn't dare to commit the sin of abusing or offending her and face the terrible consequences. Despite that, she was kind and had a very thoughtful personality, and could understand and get along well with just about anyone. She had a sarcastic side and always loved to make others laugh, even at her own expense. Though a beautiful and friendly maiden, she was cold and heartless to all that wanted her paw because of her good looks. She had told Marcus once, after they'd broken up, that it'd be hard to find another special someone with a kind heart who loved her soul, not her physical appearance. Overall, she'd been a pretty good friend of Marcus's and always helped him out.

Lucrieta was also known to have many jobs and skills. She'd been a dancer, fighter, and more things, like, oh―a seamstress, blacksmith, trader, business owner, and Marcus's ex-girlfriend.

Yep, nothing weird about that.

Marcus stared at her appearance. Though it had been many years since he'd last seen her―over a decade, in fact, she was still very beautiful and looked as ageless as the goddess of music and dance, Meloetta. Of course, this was mostly due to the fact that she was only twenty or so, but Marcus thought that she hadn't changed a bit since he'd last seen her.

"What are you doing here?" she remarked, looking pleasantly puzzled. "I didn't expect you to be in this part of Unova. Didn't you tell me you were going off to join a secret organization or something?"

"Lu!" Marcus staggered to his paws, very conscious of the fact that he looked like he'd just been dragged through a dumpster. "I… um, I left the group," he explained. "It wasn't fit for me… but now I'm a…" He glanced around, afraid that the friendly citizens would bash the shenanigans out of him if he said Revolutionist.

Lucrieta understood his anxious glance immediately. Although not quite sure what Marcus was so afraid of, she understood the mutual feeling enough to understand he needed help.

"I'll take care of this," Lucrieta said confidently. "Here, move aside, please." She strode past the dazed Leafeon and faced the Miltank. "Seriously, Clarabelle? You would abandon a customer and talk with Jamal? Really? And I thought you were a good vendor… well, I guess I'm always wrong about everything, huh, RIGHT, CLARA?" she said loudly enough for all the other citizens to hear. "Can't you see that this poor traveler over here is just starving for his food? Were you not kind enough to notice his ribs sticking out and how dirty and ragged his fur was? I can't believe a cold soul like you exists!"

Clarabelle turned red as a Cheri Berry. "Lu, I swear―"

"Not interested," Lucrieta scoffed. "You swear enough already. And didn't you boast just last week about how ladylike you were? Ha!"

"Yeah, what a jerk," a Scolipede muttered. A crowd had gathered around the scene and were all glaring at Clara.

"I… I'll…" Clarabelle spluttered, but the angry crowd that had risen up behind Lucrieta was too much for it. "It's… it's on the house! I'm sorry!" she wailed shamefully. Lucrieta had a way of making people feel mortified at a moment's notice.

Soon, Marcus had his sandwich and was walking back with Lu to her store―she was acting as a seamstress and blacksmith at the time. Though he was tired and worn, he couldn't help but show his exhilaration at seeing the shiny Ninetales. His heart, previously broken by Harmony's death, seemed to be mending already.

"So you still remember me?" Lu inquired, her tails waving. "That's excitable."

Marcus grinned suavely. "I remember the old times. It's like your number of tails represents how many times you want me to stay overnight for a treat… you wanna make that ten?"

Lu giggled. "Want a room?"

"Lu… who are you talking to?" A shape stepped out from the alley next to Lu's store. Into view came a resplendent Pokemon that towered a good couple of inches above Marcus. He had a lovely orange pelt, with broad black stripes. Long tufts of creamy fur grew in a mane around his head and lavished his tail with a velvety look. His eyes, deep and mysteriously dark, were the centerpieces of his entire being.

"Hey, babe," Lu replied merrily. "I didn't expect you to be here!"

"Lu," the Arcanine said. "Is this him?" A glare thrown at Marcus evidently showed his displeasure at seeing the Leafeon.

"Be good to him," Lu chided. "Yes, this is the old friend I talked to you about. Marcus, meet Hunter. Hunter, Marcus."

"Pleased to meet you." Hunter's voice indicated everything except pleasure. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Hunter's my… very close friend," Lu explained happily. "You two will get along just great!"

Hunter's expression said everything but that.

"Um… hi," Marcus offered, suddenly feeling like he wouldn't want to be left with Hunter alone. He might've been Lu's best friend, but it was crystal-clear that he wasn't about to get nicely acquainted with Marcus.

Lu pawed at pavement. "Anyways, Marcus. Would you like a room to rest for a bit? I'll show you around the city later. It'll be great!"

Marcus glanced at Hunter, who had a murderous look in his eyes but was smiling pleasantly. "Um… yeah." He swallowed. "Great."

"I got some work that needs finishing." Lu opened the door of her shop. "Hunter, love, could you please show Marcus to one of the spare rooms? I'm sure he's exhausted."

Hunter smiled. "My pleasure."

"Aw, you're always like that." Lu giggled, then darted into her shop. Marcus followed at a more moderate pace, with Hunter behind him.

"It's over here," Hunter called as Marcus headed after Lu. "Marcus. Marcus!"

Marcus, who had been happily following Lu like a blind idiot, blinked. "Wha―oh… sorry." He turned and trudged after Hunter, who growled threateningly.

"Keep your eyes on her," Hunter said placidly. "And I'll tear your throat out." He showed his canines, then snapped them together meaningfully. Then his face resumed his innocent look. "The rooms are out back. Pick any which one you want… and don't worry, Marcus," he said in a cheerfully deadly voice, "we are going to have lots of fun," he growled.

Marcus shuddered.

---

In the garden of Darkrai's Palace…

Group R and Nova were seated at a lunch table, everyone of them stiff and very conscious of the fact that Nova, due to her inability to form a good greeting, had blown up the train station, then apologetically invited Plasma over for lunch.

"Why did this have to happen…?" Nova murmured, shifting her wings uncomfortably.

Jazz rolled her eyes and snatched a brownie off the table. "I don't know. Why were you so stupid?"

"Jazz!" Rob snapped. "Show some respect!"

"Jazz!" the Linoone repeated. "Show no respect!"

"Sister," Annie said, shaking her head. "Could you honestly stop that?"

"Guys!" Gran hissed. "They're here!"

Nova jerked her head up and nearly capsized the entire table in her fright. Sure enough, Plasma was walking towards them, a dark cloak wrapped around him. Beside him was Petilil along with a Flareon. The Petilil was jumping up and down excitedly, while the Flareon had a more formal stance, though he had a smile on his face. Their leader, however, looked completely cold and serious, and his every step was strictly timed and precise. Together, the three strolled through the palace garden and arrived at the picnic table, which was positioned next to a deep lake.

"G-General Plasma!" Nova spluttered. "I… I'm sorry about the train station…"

The Petilil looked at Nova cheerfully with bright almond eyes. "Oh, that's fine. Our Plasma might be serious all the time, but he's not a grudge holder!"

"That's right," the Flareon added, with the same amount of carelessness. "This is a meet-and-greet lunch, not an apologetic gesture, right?"

Nova glanced guiltily at Rob, then nodded.

"I should introduce myself, formally," she admitted. "I wasn't feeling well during the introduction General Doomsday set up for us, so I'm afraid I wasn't exactly social then. I'm General Hyper Nova, general of the Fourth Regiment, replacement general for General Blobby." She gestured at Rob. "This is my lieutenant, Robert Shaw, and that Mawile over there is my advisor, Annie. The rest of the Pokemon here used to be in the Shadow Force Police, but have ascended ranks as soldiers and become Lieutenant Shaw's bodyguards. The Shiftry is named Gran, the Magnezone Shock, the Exploud Demo, and the Linoone over there is Jasmine, but, um, for the sake of your well-being, call her Jazz."

"I'm the statistician!" Jazz added.

"Jazz, you can't do math if you tried," Annie argued. "Also, I'm the new statistician as well as the advisor."

The Petilil blinked. "Wasn't your statistician a Turtwig named―"

"He got swallowed up in the desert," Jazz said cheerfully. "I have no regrets. He was getting annoying, anyways."

"Jazz!" Annie complained.

"Jazz!" Jazz mimicked.

"You are so annoying."

"Right back at you, sister!"

Plasma dipped his head. "Thanks for inviting us to this lunch," he said quietly, but without a single trace of bitterness of hatred. Rather, there was a friendly spark in his luminous eyes. "My name is Plasma, and I'm the general of the Sixth Regiment. This Flareon is my lieutenant, Hakan, and this Petilil is my advisor and statistician. Her name is Bella."

"Nice to meet you!" Bella greeted graciously.

"Same here," Hakan said warmly.

They feasted together on the good lunch Nova had hastily prepared, and the three Sixth Regiment soldiers said nothing about the meager meal―as Nova wasn't much of a cook―and swallowed every bit fitfully. Well, at least Bella and Hakan did. Plasma didn't seem to have much of an appetite, and only ate a small sandwich.

"So," Bella, who was becoming fast friends with Annie, said. "I heard you guys were being deployed to Nimbasa City, right?"

"Yep," Annie replied. "It's a pretty big city, but I think we'll do fine. The Outposts near there have severed Nimbasa's contact with food and supplies from the outside, so it should be an easy battle. I think we'll be able to take down around two-thirds of the city."

Bella chewed on an apple thoughtfully. "So… you guys actually… kill?" she asked cautiously.

Nova shrugged. "It's Darkrai's orders, really, and a war can't be fought without casualties."

At that note, Plasma lifted his eyes and fixed a stare on Nova.

"Have you ever wondered if there's any reason to kill?" Plasma asked quietly. "What if a battle could be fought without casualties? What if a battle doesn't have to be determined by the opponents fleeing, but instead by their surrender and acceptance that they could not fend against you?"

Rob was startled by Plasma's cold statement. It was true that he had often wondered whether the enemy had to die or not, but he'd attacked and killed them anyways, without anymore thought on the matter. But… what Plasma said was true. If there didn't have to be deaths in battle, would Kona still be by his side? And what about Lily? If deaths could be prevented in war, wouldn't her life had been secured as of today?

"It's an interesting thought…" Nova said slowly. "I do hate killing, and I try to get my regiment to knock the enemy out, not kill them. But… I guess I'm not the best role model for it." She sighed heavily.

Hakan pricked his ears up. "Speaking of which… you have a form called the Berzerk Form, correct?"

Nova nodded reluctantly. "I hate having that gene… it was passed down from my father's bloodline. It's sort of a curse, since one of our ancestors―my grandfather―had offended the Lightning God of Tao, Zekrom. It was several decades back. Maybe a thousand? I don't really remember. I'm not good with the years."

Hakan blinked. "And… um, he's your grandfather? Shouldn't it be like… your great-times-twenty grandfather?"

Nova shook her head firmly. "No, it's my grandfather," she clarified.

Bella exchanged a glance with Plasma. Rob thought it strange as well.

"Please, Nova," Plasma said in a voice that could be defined as gentle and anxious. "Could you tell us about your father?"

Nova shifted uncomfortably. "I never met him. Or my mom, either. She abandoned me when I was just an egg. An elderly Fearow raised me and told me about my father and my Berzerk Gene. She said it had many curses, but perhaps, being the first girl who's ever had it, I might be able to overcome it."

Plasma looked interested. "Did your Berzerk Gene have something to do with why you were so uncomfortable the last time we met?"

Nova nodded. "Lord Darkrai… he was trying to help me remove the gene. He's done some investigation on it, and when I told him I was tired of busting into killing-everything-mode… um, I killed my last advisor…" Her eyes welled up with tears. "I didn't mean to… but…"

"Don't talk about it," Plasma advised. "So Darkrai was trying to remove the Berzerk Gene? How is that possible?"

Nova frowned. "That's what I told him. The gene is in every cell of my body, so technically it would be impossible to remove. Also, since Lord Darkrai is a legendary and a god, he couldn't use magic on me or he would break some ancient law. He and that Spiritomb… Hallows… they used some equipment and took a blood sample. They also gave me this medicine that made me really, really sick."

"I see," Plasma said thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed, then widened. "Nova, my birthday is on September 27th, 1990. And yours was?"

"Mine's on March 27th," Jazz said. "What a coincidence."

"Mine's on March 28th," Annie realized. "So you're…"

"I'm your big sis!" Jazz boasted. "Boo-yah!"

"Rawhr-boo," Demo interjected.

"By one day," Annie said. "By one day. I'm smarter than you and much more mature, and you're older than me by one day."

"Please don't blow," Gran said.

Shock blinked. "Is that bad?"

"Nova?" Rob asked. The general looked confused and was staring at the picnic table, hard. "Do you not know when your birthday is?"

"No-o… I mean, yes," Nova mumbled. "I mean… no. It was really, really long ago. But the Fearow elder told me that Noiverns lived longer than normal Pokemon, so…"

Plasma narrowed his eyes. "They don't. Relicanths and some other Rock or Water types, sometimes Grass types, do. But I've never heard of Noiverns being able to live past the normal age, or reaching a century of age. How many years has it been since your birth?"

"I don't know!" Nova blurt out stormily. "I really don't know!" She looked on the verge of tears, and Plasma drew back immediately.

"I'm sorry," Plasma said apologetically. "That was impolite of me. I won't speak of it anymore."

"No, it's fine," Nova said shakily. "When I remember, I'll tell you."

"You look young," Hakan offered. "I would think you were only twenty."

Nova flushed slightly. "T-Thanks."

"Incidentally," Jazz remarked. "I was wondering about your little comment from before about all the not-killing thingy, General Plasma. But didn't half your army get wiped out by the rebels and had to be saved by General Stary and her regiment?"

Plasma looked shocked. "No. We fought a fair battle with the rebels. We had no casualties."

"Zero," Bella added helpfully. "Plasma had their Lucario leader agree to the no-casualty terms. We won the battle, and would've gotten the rebels to surrender if that General Stary hadn't butted in."

Nova looked puzzled. "But Hallows and Darkrai both said that the Sixth Regiment was―"

"Did he?!" Plasma suddenly stood, anger radiating off of him. "Well, that would be much fitted to his personality… wouldn't it? I didn't foresee this. I didn't think that he would go this far! That he would've changed so much." His eyes flared with so much bitterness, Rob almost started to whimper. "Then tell me, General Nova… did you see any dead or weeping among my regiment when we arrived? Why don't you count our numbers before and after the battle?! We had some badly hurt Pokemon, yes, but even they are not close to death! Why would anybody dare to accuse such a thing?!"

"Plasma is right," Hakan said. "We didn't lose anyone. I personally wouldn't be attending this pleasant picnic if someone had died. We're all chums among our regiment. If someone had died, we'd be all crying over it."

Bella nodded. "And you said Darkrai said this? We didn't send any reports to him or Hallows yet…"

"Stary," Plasma growled, the friendly spark in his eyes long gone. "Did she lie?"

"General Plasma, she's not one to do that," Nova said mildly. "Stary's a good Pokemon… the only one that talks nicely to me, anyhow. But if I remember correctly, she rarely lies. She always speaks her mind, unlike Doomsday and Ranark, and she's not rude and self-centered, like Otri."

Plasma slipped silently off the picnic bench. "I'm going to go think things over," he said in a weary voice. "Bella, Hakan… don't mind me."

"General," Bella protested, but Hakan shook his head subtly at her. "I mean… well, please don't do anything… reckless, okay? We're playing Bingo tonight, and Admiral Oceanus is going to sacrifice his metal claws and fancy gold-gilt coat as the prizes."

"I'll be there," Plasma promised. "Enjoy your time here." With that, he turned slowly and walked away.

Hakan sighed heavily. "Poor Plasma."

"I don't understand," Nova said. "Why would the reports have been wrong?"

Bella looked at Hakan, but he shook his head again.

"If I could tell you without dragging you into dangerous business, general, I would," Hakan said gravely. "But… let's just say that many, many of the reports about our battles and the rebels' movements are… incorrect."

Nova looked shocked. "How? Why?"

Hakan shook his head. "I would love to tell you more, general, but knowledge is power, and power is dangerous, especially when you're interacting with the Dark Lord. It would be safer for both you and us to not tell."

Rob frowned. He had been chewing on a thought for quite a long time, and now he was ready to bring it to life. "Hakan… what is Plasma's relationship with the Dark Lord? And with General Stary? Has he met them before this war?"

Bella shuffled uneasily. "We're not sure, either, and Plasma is reluctant to talk about his past. It's painful for him, I think… and having interacted with him for so long, Hakan and I have decided to approach him with the same question as soon as he feels comfortable. But even after being our leader and friend during these hard days, I don't think he's willing to share it with anyone."

"But Plasma always does things for certain reasons, so he must have a good one for this," Hakan added quickly. "Perhaps harm would befall us if we knew, or it was something that had scarred him so horribly he doesn't want to remember or relive it."

Jazz coughed. "That's all very well… but, uh, I'm going to finish this cake over here, and I'm sure you guys want to eat it."

"Not the cake!" Annie protested. "You always eat all the cake!"

"I simply took advantage of your talkative natures," Jazz corrected. "So who wants the last bite?"

"Me!" The other Pokemon all chorused, and Rob laughed as they pushed and shoved each other for the last slice of cake.

---

In Driftveil City…

"Are you awake?" Marcus groaned as Lu's voice caressed his ears. He stuffed his paws in his them and snuggled deeper into a soft pillow. He'd finally been able to sleep amid the loud city noises. "Marcus!"

"Five more minutes," he mumbled into the pillow. "Pretty please?"

"But you said you were going to sleep for another five minutes two hours ago! Wake up!"

Marcus blinked opened his fawn-colored eyes to see Lu perched at the foot of the bed he'd borrowed, looking perky and excited.

"I know you're tired but shouldn't you be on your way? I heard you muttering in your sleep about going to Nuvema or something," Lu claimed cheerfully. "Come on! You don't have all the time in the world. Besides, you must be hungry, too. So get up! We have a lot to talk about! And try not to impale yourself on your sword, please. Where did you get that dangerous thing?"

"Ugh." Marcus scrambled to his paws, tripped over the sheets on the bed, and fell on his nose. "OW!"

"You idiot." Lu jumped gracefully off the bed and pulled Marcus up. "So clumsy. Come on!"

Marcus groaned and complained, but got to his paws in the end. "You're like we never broke up," he mumbled.

Lu laughed. "Oh, don't mention it."

Marcus felt himself blushing, to his horror. But he still did like Lu a tiny bit. She was pretty, nice, and friendly. Her dazzling soulful eyes were as brilliant as the galaxy. He thought that if there was a legendary Pokemon of beauty, Lu would be it.

"So…" Marcus shifted his weight uncomfortably. Lu's scarlet eyes were bright and merry, like a warm evening fire. He found himself mesmerized by them, the same way he'd once been hypnotized by Harmony's brilliant moon-like eyes. "I didn't get to say this earlier… but… yeah… it's been a long time." He smiled shyly.

Lu giggled softly, her voice like tinkling bells. "Yep."

Marcus leaned cautiously towards her. "I've… I've missed you."

Lu twitched her tails. "Oh, you shouldn't have, Marcus," she smiled serenely at him.

Marcus couldn't resist leaning forwards. "And I…"

The door creaked open, and Hunter came in.

"Hey, love," Lu greeted. "The Snorlax is awake." She hopped towards him and wound herself around him.

Hunter smiled, then threw a venomous glance at Marcus.

"So…" Hunter said normally, as if nothing was wrong. "Where will you be heading to, Marcus?"

"He was muttering Nuvema…, Mark… stuff like that in his sleep," Lu informed helpfully. "I guess you're heading there?"

"Actually, Accumula," Marcus corrected. He'd heard about how the rebels had taken over the city after his departure. He figured he could find them there. "I'm heading there to find some friends."

Lu pouted. "But Accumula's a military hotspo… oh! Don't tell me you're a Revolutionist now! Are you? That's awesome! It certainly suits you!"

Hunter didn't look pleased, but he said nothing in front of Lu.

"I… am, actually," Marcus admitted. "And…" An idea lit up in his mind. "Lu, you're a seamstress, right?"

"And a blacksmith," Lu said helpfully. "What are you thinking about?"

"Well…" Marcus stretched his hind legs. "Um, the Revolutionists sort of need uniforms, and I was thinking…"

"You want me to make them uniforms?" Lu exclaimed. "Oh, joy! Of course I'll do it, Marcus."

Hunter looked mad enough to use Marcus as a chew toy and rip out his stuffings. But of course, he daren't do that in front of the shiny Ninetales. "Are you sure, Lu? Driftveil is a neutral city… I'm worried what would happen to you if you were to actively support the rebels."

"Oh, don't worry," Lu replied vivaciously. "Everything will be fine, you'll see! I'll get to my drawing table immediately!" She started to head out the door. "Oh, and you can leave any time you want. Sorry about, ah, waking you so suddenly. But seriously, you shouldn't be sleeping your precious time away. I heard they're blocking all paths that lead to Nimbasa and beyond. That means you need to go straight through the wild if you want to get to Accumula or Nuvema, and even then, there are Shadow Force police and soldiers everywhere. You should leave as soon as possible… but you know, as a friend, I'll always provide you with a good bedroom here. Don't be shy! Okay, I really got to go now… so many new designs. Yes!" She darted out the door, her blue-tipped tails waving.

Hunter eyed Marcus coolly. "You didn't do anything to her when she woke you up, did you?"

Marcus shook his head. "Of course not. I would never hurt her."

"Make sure you don't," Hunter retorted in a guarded tone, a growl slipping between his teeth.

Marcus coughed. "Um, yeah. So… are there any supply shops around here? Food? Preserves?"

"There's a farm run by ol' Don down the road," Hunter directed him. "Go straight from Lucrieta's shop to the ice cream stand two blocks away, then turn left. When the path turns from stone into dirt, look carefully. There's a tiny path through the long grass. That'll lead you to Don. He always sells his crops and homemade preserves cheap."

"Thanks," Marcus said gratefully. "I'll be leaving now."

Hunter nodded.

Marcus headed towards the door, but the Arcanine suddenly called him.

"Oh… and Marcus?"

Marcus turned around reluctantly. "Yes?"

"If you ever try to hurt Lu…" Hunter bared his fangs, every one of them sharp and glinting menacingly. Then he snapped them together with a bone-crushing force. "Understand?"

"Um… I'll just go now," Marcus stammered, then fled through the door.

---

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere…

A lone, cream-colored serpent waited patiently under the shady overhang of a tree. It was a spot deep in one of the many forests that covered much of Unova, therefore not many Pokemon knew about it. The forest was silent, apparently barren of all living creatures. The serpent continued waiting. She was awaiting the arrival of an old colleague with a remorseful look on her narrow yet well-defined face. Beside her was a leather satchel, weather-beaten and worn beyond the ages.

Her patience soon paid off. In a flash of ominous purple light, a new, sparkling white Pokemon stepped into appearance. She had a vaguely feline face adorned with a red oval and a sickle-like horn. Her glacial blue eyes glimmered faintly under the shade of the tree, and she swung her scythe-like tail easily as she approached the beautiful serpent waiting for her.

"Good afternoon, Diamond Melody," Scarlet said formally. "It has been a long time."

"Well met, old friend," Melodia said with a harmonious sigh. "It seems that we have difficult business to which we must tend."

"Thank you," Scarlet bowed her head graciously. "Were your items safe and unhurt in Quetzal's package?"

"Of course," Melodia replied. "It is a good thing we now have two of the plates that Darkrai seeks with such remorse."

Scarlet nodded. "So we did see the future correctly. It was wise of the three of us to search for the Splash and Icicle Plates. Darkrai has lost all hope of controlling the Time and Space gods, and failed to retrieve the gem that would please the Antimatter god. Without all of the plates, he now has no business in trying to awaken the Ultimate God."

"Indeed," Melodia agreed. "And I must congratulate you on your foreboding heroic deeds."

A shadow flitted across Scarlet's icy eyes. "I had hoped it would not come to that… but there is no denying the future. I must do this."

"I would do it for you if I could, sister," Melodia told her gloomily. "But Fate would not like an alter."

"Thank you for your loyalty, Melodia," Scarlet replied. "But this is my part. My role."

Melodia waved her tail angrily. "But surely you know―"

"It is my part," Scarlet replied firmly. "That is all there is to it."

Melodia's eyes widened. "Is that how you would want your end? A horrible, climatic descend?"

"This is my part, Melodia," Scarlet said in a sad voice. "No more to it. My mind will not change. My will is firm. I will do this, for the sake of Fate, for the sake that this war does not end with the death of the world. Many Pokemon will still die, but not in the abundance that other path held."

"The futures are dark, unwanting, and cold," Melodia murmured. "No bloodless path, for Fate has foretold. The death of a loved one; one last final embrace. A horror misplaced, a terrible choice. An act done for love, Fate frowns from above. Death to the innocent, life torn though vibrant…"

Scarlet couldn't help but smile. The war seemed to have had no effect on the serpent's rhymes. "You've seen that as well? Yes, the final part of the prophecy is finally arriving from the depths of Lugia's silence. But… are you sure that that future is the one that would be concerned with the third part of the Prophecy of Doom?"

"I am positively sure," Melodia murmured. "Yet Scarlet, the sister I adore… please, may I beg you not to do this… your death I cannot endure."

"Is it ready?" Scarlet interrupted, her mysterious timbre melodious yet hinting a great wisdom.

Melodia nodded reluctantly. "Of course it is ready, my friend. But are you so sure that's how you'd like your end?"

Scarlet shrugged and responded. "This is my role. My part. It must be this way."

Melodia sighed. "I fear I cannot change your mind, so I'll wish you instead that great things you'll find."

Scarlet dipped her head. "Thank you, Melodia. Perhaps we'll meet again someday… and remember our agreement. You will be there to witness and act, right?"

"Upon my vow, I shall," Melodia said slowly. "But Scarlet… are you not acting foul? You know that―"

"Melodia," Scarlet said firmly. "No. You know I cannot do that. Do your part. That is all I ask of you. Leave now, sister, before terror overcomes you and you fail to do what I wish of you. I will not have my path obstructed by your terror."

Melodia's eyes clouded over with fear, but did not speak as she handed the delicate item she'd made to Scarlet. The shiny Absol sighed, with an air of sadness. Melodia bowed deeply, then teleported away.

Walking away from her old friend, Scarlet showed her razor-sharp teeth and sliced it across one of her paws. Dark red blood dripped onto the doll Melodia had made, staining it with Scarlet's blood. The oracle bowed her head, letting the blood run freely down onto the item. The doll began to writhe and grow, and even Scarlet's eyes went frigid with desperation as the doll's form began growing into a truly monstrous thing she couldn't believe was her creation.

"This is my part," she whispered in a voice that wasn't her own. "Fate save me."

---

In Driftveil City…

After following the path Hunter had directed him to, Marcus found that Don's ranch contained massive acres of flowering and budding crops, and apparently, the old-fashioned house stationed in the front of the ranch served as a reception center.

Marcus made his way up the creaky porch steps and rang the doorbell―which was an ancient-looking bronze contraption which was literally a bell and fell crashing through the porch the moment Marcus touched it, making a KEPLANG-KONG-dong sound. Marcus fervently hoped that this Don wouldn't mind, because he didn't see it as his fault for breaking the bell.

After waiting patiently for around ten minutes under the ancient roof (which looked like it was going to collapse on Marcus any moment), Marcus finally noticed a weather-beaten hand (or hoof)-painted sign that read:

Welcome to Lock, Stock and Barrel Ranch

Feel Free to Enter at Will

(P.S: Don't ring the doorbell)

Oh. So there was a sign, Marcus thought. Duh. He pushed open the door tentatively, then jumped back immediately as the door swung inwards effortlessly and then proceeded to collapsed on the floor as its rusty hinges snapped away from the door frame and dropped pleasantly on the ground with a single, happy clink!

Well, that was just perfect. Marcus marched into the house, entering the living room first. There was what seemed like a receptionist's counter to the left of the entrance, which was now crumbled shingles under the weight of the completely useless yet ridiculously heavy door. The room was unlit, and didn't seem to have been lit for the last couple of centuries. An old table dominated the middle of the living room, and two leather couches surrounded it on either side.

Marcus wandered through the house, jumping every few moments when the floor gave away under his paws. Once, he even fell into the basement and had to break himself out of a tangle of old leather cords. The house seemed to be deserted, and even after calling, "Don!" several times, nothing answered him.

After walking about for a few more moments, Marcus came out to the ranch. The grassy road underneath his paws felt soothingly sweet and cool. Far ahead, he could see a distant shape standing under a cherry tree. Picking his way past the various crops planted in neat little rows, Marcus headed towards the figure.

Don was a beige-brown and cream-colored buck with cherry-blossomed antlers. His eyes, deep-set and tired, were filled with experience and old age. His great cloven hooves thudded against the ground heavily with every step, and every single air about him pointed to his old age.

When Marcus first approached him, the Sawsbuck made no acknowledgement of his existence, staring blankly at the cherry tree until Marcus coughed politely.

"Um, hi," Marcus said awkwardly. "My name is Marcus. I came here to look for supplies?"

"I knew a Marcus once," Don said wistfully. "Ah, but he died young. Went off to join them ol' Shadow Force… five years ago? Maybe six. Had a little baby and left it an' his wife back home. They used ta live across that there road… the house gone now. Ya know, he looked exactly like you… ec-ept the fact he was an Arcanine… ah, ya know Hunter? 'E was Hunter's father, long time ago, but he just right ran off when he heard some secret Shadow Force or-gin-nigh-zay-tion. Eh, funny, huh? But not unlikely… his mother's a wanton and them hustlers run off all the time, ya see… but Marcus ain't coming back. Killed his wife when the news came… some explo'on in the Hoenn, I reckon…"

"Um…" Marcus understood about twenty percent of what Don was saying. "I know Hunter. He sent me here, actually, because I need―"

"Eh? Hunter?" Don turned halfway towards him. "He had a pretty mother… she was just a small girlie back then. Ah, Hunter's 'stremely protective of everything after his father died… he only 'ad a few dockymint bout the war that he gathered from papers… he only 'members his old man with their help now… 's only eighteen when the man died, ya know, and…"

"Don, that's great," Marcus interrupted. "But… um… supplies? Oh, and I accidentally broke your bell… and your door… and some parts of the―"

Don shook his head slowly. "To be young again…" he mused randomly. "My house's on the other side o' the field… but I s'pose Hunter would send ya to my daughter's house as a mean trick… ah… trick indeed. Silly little dog."

Marcus blinked. "So you don't live―"

"One of these days, I'll be fixing it," Don said contently. "But… not now. Too sad, ya know? My poor granddaughter was just a babe when the Shadow Force came here. She was a pretty thing, yes Anne was… just a tiny Deerling. Her parents gone off to wander the world and left her to me…"

Marcus coughed. He hated to interrupt Don's tale, but he was really anxious to get supplies and get back to the Revolutionists. "Um, nice story," he said. "Can you, you know… get supplies? I need Oran Berries, Sitrus Berries, some Pecha and―"

"Ah, 'course," Don said agreeably and started walking slowly away from the cherry tree. Picking up a basket, he started to gather berries. "That cherry tree… I planted it for Anne. Yeh I did… I still can't forgive myself for not being there when those the police came… nah I never did." Picking up several ripe Sitrus berries, he dropped them in his basket and went on rambling. "I was in town selling fruits when they came, and only with that Nora… her mother be a Johnson, ya know, came up to me and told me the news. Johnson's don't kid, so I just left my stand and ran back to the house… and its all decked in purply flames… and Anne… gone. The Linoone I let take over her… her name be Sally… she good as gone too. Fifteen other households burned down that day, 'cause someone was hiding a fugitive. Nobody complained, yeh, because the Shadow Force paid 'em all back and built all their houses again… and they all but forget 'bout Sally and my Anne…" Letting out a heavy sigh, Don picked out a couple of Oran Berries. "O' course, the Shadow Force came o'er and apologized… gave me good deal o' money too. But I didn't take any of that cash… filthy stuff. I woulda planted my hooves into them bastards… I reckon I had the strength to do it back then, too. But I knew one of them officers… her name's Kola? Kona, I think. Her father be a good general and old friend. They both dead now… Still remember the day she came over and just cried and said she was sorry for not checking the house… Kona ain't no monster. But I ain't never forgivin' her for doing that… yet lotta folks already forget bout it…"

By the time they reached the other side of the ranch, Marcus reckoned that he'd had enough and felt like planting his paws into that darn bastard. Don kept on rambling, rambling and rambling, like all he could ever do was ramble. But thankfully, by the time Marcus finished paying for his load, along with a new satchel to carry his supplies, Don had stopped.

"Oh, won't you stay for a bit longer?" Don asked. "Some young folk don't often visit me nowadays, you know…"

The door (belonging to Don's house, which was a massive old-fashioned estate, not in any which way like his daughter's house) swung open with a pleasant ringing sound, and to Marcus's surprise, Lu and Hunter stepped in.

"Oh, hey!" Lu blinked when she saw Marcus. "What a coincidence! Great! Hunter and I came over to lunch with Don. Do you want to join?"

Behind Lu's back, Hunter showed his teeth.

Marcus shrugged, trying to ignore the Arcanine. He had time, after all. "Why not?" he agreed.

---

In Anville Town, Darkrai's Palace…

"Juno."

The Froslass whirled around, surprised. She had been floating about before the throne, daydreaming about how she'd look after she demolished that Nidoqueen empress who'd driven her off her throne. Darkrai had appeared behind her, and didn't look too thrilled to see Juno half-leaning into his throne.

"Or shall I call you by your agent name, Forever Hidden?" Darkrai asked in a mild voice. Though he didn't like the idea of seeing Froslass near his throne, he understood her feelings. She, after all, had been exiled from the Northern Kingdom because she was a Ghost-type… a prejudice that Darkrai hoped his new bill had taken care of.

Darkrai had spent the last days conversing with Giratina. He'd almost forgotten his idea of equality for the Ghost and Dark types. Giratina had warned him, with the hint of a snarl in his tone, that should Darkrai ever stray from their contract, he would see the minor god punished.

Darkai tried to forget the conversation. After he became a God… and not just any god, the Ultimate God, he was sure he could simply solve all of those problems with a wave of his hand.

"I… I'm sorry, my lord." Juno quickly darted away from the throne. "I was just…"

"Never mind that." Darkrai floated past her and reclined on his throne. "So tell me, what brings you here?"

Juno shuffled uncomfortably. Surely her lord had heard? Just yesterday, she'd been chased straight out of Nacrene City after being framed for being a murderer… when she hadn't even killed the rebel leader yet. The entire mission contained one failure after another, and had eventually led to the Shadow Force losing its alliance with Nacrene City.

"So?" Darkrai repeated. Though he understood that the mission failing had been caused by one of the rogues, he wasn't about to let Juno get off the hook. He, after all, punished all his subordinates accordingly due to their failures, whether it had been their fault for not. General Blobby had served his punishment. So had the Conkeldurr commander General Doomsday had executed. As for now, Darkrai intended Juno to feel some remorse at her own failure. He decided that it would make her more submissive.

Juno sighed, her words faltering. "I… I jacked the entire mission," she admitted. It hadn't exactly been all her fault, but she knew Darkrai would want her to take full responsibility. "I failed to notice the rogue's presence… I should've known that they would be there the moment I heard that Nacrene City had captured an invisible spy. Also, instead of looking for evidence that I wasn't the assassin who killed Arthur Sebastians and proving my innocence, I ran, which allowed the rogues to steal the relics and made the Nacrene City Police assume I was the assassin." She said all of this breezily, but her guilt and shame gnawed at her. She looked desperately at Darkrai. She needed his help to regain her throne. "Please, my lord! I swear I'll complete my next mission on my life… so please don't―"

"I'm considering my options," Darkrai returned in a cool voice. He had no intention of firing Juno, of course. Being a thoughtful Pokemon, he understood that he still needed her to dethrone Matilda. His spies and accomplices in the Northern Kingdom Palace and spoken in hushed tones about how the old empress seemed to be on the verge of helping the rebels. That could turn the war in the rebels' favor, which Darkrai could not allow. Therefore, Matilda had to be removed. Although she had once shown Darkrai kindness before… he was not willing to allow her backstab him. "And my next order will differ from the answers you provide."

Juno swallowed and waited nervously.

Darkrai paused to increased the tension, then looked directly at Juno. "May I ask who Her Highness Matilda's heir is?"

Juno nodded. Having once been the empress, she knew Matilda well enough to be able to accurately guess whom she would choose for her heir. Of course, she had also been well-informed by her supporters of who the heir was. "His name Chezi. I believe he is a Nidoran. Rumors say that he's Matilda's son, but as you know, Matilda's never taken a husband."

Darkrai considered that thoughtfully. Then he smiled. It was a very cold, malicious smile, the smile a great lord would have when he found he was still several steps ahead of a traitor.

"I believe it's time," Darkrai said darkly. "That we take a pawn off the chessboard and replace it with another pawn. No harm done, right?"

Juno, understanding Darkrai's intention, started to smile. "Of course, my lord."

"And I believe you will not fail in this mission?" Darkrai inquired.

"Of course not." Juno's grin was menacing and dark. "I would never dare to dream of that."

Darkrai slipped off his throne. "I have been visiting the Northern Kingdom Palace for several days now… I believe I'll make one final visit. You'll shadow me without revealing yourself, won't you? I believe you'll be a good advisor for young Chezi, who'll probably be horribly devastated after Matilda's death, right?"

Juno laughed a dry, hollow, cackling laughter. "Naturally, my lord."

Darkrai levitated towards door. "I believe I shall pay a little visit to Chezi… to get acquainted, of course. Take that message to the generals, won't you?" The shadows fluttered, and the dark lord vanished.

Juno smiled. Soon, her patience would pay off. The Northern Kingdom would become hers once again…

---

In Driftveil City…

"Nice sandwiches," Marcus commented happily as he munched on one of Lu's creations. "I never thought you'd take up cooking."

Lu giggled. "Well, I had lots of free time. Mechanics and seamstresses aren't really being asked for these days. Plus, Hunter taught me." She rubbed her cheek against the Arcanine.

Hunter fluffed up his tail, looking too proud to be bothered about Marcus's presence.

"Oh, young'uns these days," Don remarked. "Ah, to be a fresh, frolicking young Deerling again. Ya know, I beat the apples out of my old rival Dewin back in then, oh so long ago. His mother was a Pye, and Pyes just hate losing. It felt good to rub my ol' victory into that filthy little wandought, and…" He continued to ramble on for a good several minutes before finishing off with a "Well, ain't it good have ya'll romantics together, eh?"

"Of course, Don," Lu chortled, though she seemed subtly humored by Don's habit of rambling on.

"Anyways,"―Marcus took another sandwich from the picnic basket Lu had brought over―"I was thinking about it… and I was wondering if you guys would like to be Revolutionists?"

"Nice spiffy term ya'll have for 'em rebels," Don sniffed. "I dunno about rebelling, myself. In my young days, if you could believe it, I was as hotheaded as a lil' Deerling could git. Ah, young Marcus, if I still had my old strength, I would surely do you justice. But I ain't in much better shape since yesterday and Xerneas knows I ain't gonna get much better the day after and the day after. I figured I'd give ya some supplies… see, there ain't as much business these days as I would like. I darn figure that I got some supplies I could ship to your new-fangled rebels. But you're gonna have to come and get them supplies―my old hooves ain't got it in them to make that journey to Nuvema or whatever and back."

"Actually, I heard that the Revolutionists have Straiton and Accumula in their paws now," Lu commented cheerfully. Then her face fell. "But Castelia City's been bombed. Nobody knows if it was the Revolutionists or the Shadow Force, and there's a good deal of conversation between them. Castelia was on the verge of rebelling, which means that the bombing points more to the Shadow Force than to the Revolutionists… but again… nobody knows."

"I don't think we have that kind of firepower," Marcus remembered. "Unless Ron and the others whipped up something while I was gone. I'd better get back there fast."

Don grunted. "Nuvema… Accumula… Straiton… Castelia… eh, I reckon my aching hooves can't take me that far to them cities even if I got to. So you send your Revolutionists to pick up supplies here. I live far away enough from Driftveil for nobody to notice wagons going and coming. Ya'll welcomed here, anytime."

"Thanks," Marcus said gratefully. "Hunter? Lu?"

Hunter shook his head. "I'd… prefer to stay out of fighting," he admitted.

"Ah, that run-off blood just ain't in you, eh?" Don chuckled to himself. "I remember your father… he be a fine-looking fellow. But he made decisions too quickly. Broke your mother's heart when he left all of a sudden. Then it killed her when he never come back, you know?"

Hunter looked like he was trying to refrain from snapping the old deer up for dinner. "I've heard that several times."

"Well, it seems that I need to go over there," Lu remarked. "I think I'll get some good business going on over there… hey, do you know I can make clothing material from the fibers of almost every type of plant? It's true! I guess I'll close down my shop and haul all my stuff and go with you, then." She smiled at Marcus, and he immediately felt a lot better about the coming trip.

Hunter stared at Lu in shock, then quickly made up his mind. "I'm going too," he said in a determined voice.

"Hun, no worries," Lu chided. "It'll be a quick trip. I'll just pop over there and make some uniforms for the Revolutionists. I'll teach the medics or whatever other Pokemon are there to sew and making the clothing. As soon as things are set, I'll come right back and open up my shop again. Meanwhile, I need you to stay here and take care of Don. Also, make sure nobody breaks into my shop while I'm gone, okay?"

Hunter whimpered. "But―"

"Shh, babe." Lu pressed closer to him. "I'll be just fine. But you stay here, okay? I don't want you to be in the line of fire."

Hunter bowed his head in submission, then immediately hurled a diamond-hard glance at Marcus, like: This is all your fault.

"Let's leave tonight," Lu continued, speaking to Marcus. "I'll get my things together. There's this enchantress who lives next door… she owes me a favor. I'll get her to shrink all my fabrics and things so I can carry them about. Of course, I'll need to ask her for the enlarging potion as well. Can't have a mistake like last time… I didn't think those aristocrats wanted their suits to be twenty times smaller than their regular sizes. But with that, let's head out!"

Marcus agreed, his heart light and happy.

In a few days, he would be able to return to his friends once again. He patted the Sword of Dreams on his back.

I'll be able to use you soon, he thought.

Sir Cressrai's voice came to him immediately. And I expect you to hold to your promise.

---

At Darkrai's Palace...

After having a lavish feast provided by the palace servants, Rob stumbled out to a balcony. The Sixth and Fourth Regiments had been allowed to do some after Plasma and Nova decided that their troops needed a little cheering up. While the other soldiers participated in the Sixth Regiment's insane yet fun Bingo game and Jazz ended up throwing up in the punch because she had missed Bingo by one number, Rob figured that he needed a little break from the entertainment.

Staggering out to the balcony, he bumped into the railing and sat down, his belly stuffed to the point of bursting. Anville Town had a cool, wintry breeze threading through it that night, and Rob wondered idly if it was going to rain the next day. The scent of clouds and rain could be slightly detected in the air, and far above, the flickering stars winked at him.

Immediately, a sadness came over Robert Shaw. He remembered, long ago, how Kona had told him a story about how the stars were actually the many spirits of the dead souls. As he gazed at the small jewels flickering in the night sky, he asked himself sorrowfully that if Kona's story was true or not. There were so many things that he'd never known about her, and so many Pokemon, the rogues, especially, seemed to know a great deal about her.

Gazing at the stars, Rob decided that the brightest star next to the moon must be Kona, and the smaller star next to her must be Lily. He wondered if Kona had been with Lily during the last minutes of her life, before the Castelian bombing. She must've been there to watch over her child, the majority of life of whom she'd missed. Had Kona led Lily to Yvetal's realm? Or had the goddess done it herself?

"Lily," Rob whispered. It sounded silly to him, to be talking to emptiness, but he felt sure―very sure―that Lily and Kona would be listening from the heavens. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." Sadness swept over him. Although he'd sent Lily to the best boarding schools, he'd almost never been there for her. His duties as a Shadow Force officer and soldier had kept him away from being with her. How she must've worried about him, wondering if he'll ever return for her! Guilt nipped at Rob. What kind of father am I? "I'm so sorry…" he murmured, leaning against the coolness of the wooden porch. "I couldn't protect you… or Kona." A lump formed in his throat. "But I'll protect our home. I'll die fighting to do it if I have to, too. I won't let the rebels raze this place… I won't let the two of you have die in vain."

Bowing his head in silence, Rob pressed himself against the railing. The marble felt icy cold against his felt, and he shivered away at its touch. Sighing sadly, he sat heavily down. The breeze simmered down, and his ears drooped. Was this life? A life where everything eventually ended? Did the wind blow so hard just to die down? How many soldiers had already died for the wrong cause―the rebels' cause? When would this fighting ever stop?

As Rob pondered this, he suddenly noted a shape at the end of his vision.

He wasn't alone.

If Rob had spun, claws out, and nearly plunged them into Plasma's neck, that would technically be correct. But the more accurate description would be that he spun, tripped over his own paws, and fell on his nose.

"Did I startle you?" Plasma asked quietly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. I know you were thinking of much more pleasant things, so I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

The general had been sitting silently in a corner of the balcony, pressed firmly against the railing as if he depended on it for a support. An indigo cloak was draped over his body, and the sword which the general always carried about with him was strapped easily to his side.

"It's fine," Rob managed, though he was clearly startled out of his skin. Plasma looked at him with melancholy eyes and said nothing. Together, they stared at the stars for a while.

"So," Rob, who felt compelled to break the ice, decided to blurt out anything and everything random. "Everybody says you have a relationship with Lord Darkrai and General Stary. Is that true?" Then he clapped his paws over his muzzle. I could've said anything but that!

But Plasma merely sighed. "If you're asking about the past… then yes. I was once friends with Stary and Darkrai. But it is no longer that way now."

Rob waited in silence. Plasma's eyes were narrowed and unfocused, as if seeing something that wasn't there.

"Stary and I were orphans," Plasma continued. "And Darkrai was an outcast. He had been trying to earn the approval of the mortals for a long time, and had always failed to do so. Back then, you wouldn't recognize him as the leader he is now. He was shy and self-conscious, always worrying about what the other Pokemon would say about him. He only wanted to fit in, back then, but because of his reputation as a god of nightmares, almost everyone he approached fled from him. Eventually, Darkrai gave up. He couldn't just go into slumber like the other gods and goddesses… Being a creature of the dreams, he couldn't technically sleep unless he was devastatingly injured. For a long while, Darkrai roamed the realm of dreams. Then,"―Plasma stopped painfully, as if his voice was choking him―"he found Stary in her dreams."

"You don't have to go on," Rob insisted, feeling a bit guilty for asking Plasma. "Everybody has had a painful past… you really don't need to tell me."

"Somebody deserves to know," Plasma said bleakly. "And you… you should understand."

I don't. Rob wanted to protest, but he couldn't argue against the fact that he was very curious about Plasma's past. What had happened in the general's backstory? How was he related to Darkrai? And General Stary?

Plasma continued. "Before Darkrai came, Stary and I lived together in some woods with an elderly Pokemon who'd taken pity on us. We had no one but each other. Nobody wanted us, you see. We were… only ten and eleven back then… or maybe older. I'm not good with time. But anyways, before that, when we were still in an orphanage, we'd been there for most of our lives. The only orphans who were adopted were the smaller, younger Pokemon. Nobody wanted Stary or me. We grew up learning to hate affection from other Pokemon. Then she found us." Plasma took a deep breath before continuing. "Charlotte was a retired teacher. She saw Stary and me, hiding in a corner of the orphanage, and adopted us on the spot. At first Stary and I didn't trust her. Why would anybody adopt us except to use us or demand something of us? But soon, after Charlotte taught us like she would any other pupil and took care of us as if we were her own, we decided that… maybe this world wasn't as cruel as we thought. Maybe, even in the darkness of any abyss, there was still light. Perhaps there was a reward for all our sufferings. Charlotte."

Plasma said all of this emotionlessly, as if he were reading from a script. There was pain in his voice, but no sadness. It was as if he had lost all ability to express anything relating to tears or sorrow. But the moment he spoke Charlotte's name, it was clear that he care much more for this Pokemon that he'd shown.

"We lived with Charlotte for several years before Darkrai came," Plasma resumed his story. "She taught us everything we know now, including our fighting skills. She never discouraged us from doing anything we wanted to try, only telling us to do what we thought was right." Plasma said this almost wistfully, but the undertone of pain was still thick in his voice. "And then Darkrai found us."

"I don't know the full story, but Stary met Darkrai in her dreams and somehow managed to talk to him," Plasma spoke on. "She, quoting from Charlotte's teachings, told Darkrai that he wasn't evil―just misunderstood. And if he tried hard enough, he would be able to make friends. She offered to be his friend as well. Taking the hint, Darkrai traveled across the world to Unova… we used to live in the forest near Castelia City. You could see the Skyarrow Bridge from it." Plasma gestured idly with a flick of his star-tipped tail. "He talked to Charlotte, and she comforted him about his identity. Stary and I… we were young back then. We didn't understand why others would hate Darkrai so much, so we saw him as a pitiful victim of society, like we were. We grew up together from that day on. We played together, learned together… you could say we were friends." Plasma curled his tail neatly over his paws. "But of course, the truth had to come out. We learned about Darkrai's powers and how he was a god and an Immortal."

"We didn't immediately back away from him, of course. He was our friend, after all, and no matter what he'd done in the past… we weren't about to judge him on it. But after telling us and having us accept that… I think something got into Darkrai. He started to believe he could influence the world with us. He tagged on with Stary and I when we went into town… talked about equality… things like that. I didn't see it as a bad thing―just him trying to assimilate." At this point, Plasma shivered a bit. "Charlotte… she said nothing about it. She encouraged him that he could change the world, so other Pokemon would accept him. It started getting into his head that he could do anything. Eventually… he turned into a monster. It wasn't like he hadn't had spells of temper before, but he would start getting passionate about changing the world, then turn into this creature preaching about killing everything in his way so he could be accepted. I mean…" Plasma took a deep breath. "It wasn't like I couldn't understand him… after trying so hard and finally being accepted, even by two orphans… there was reason to celebrate. But Darkrai took it too far, and Charlotte wasn't one to stop him. One day, she just disappeared… it wasn't Darkrai's fault, but I could understand how she'd become afraid of him. All day, he would talk about his plans and how he'd change the world and the things he would change. He talked about using tactics and politics to his advantage… then he got the idea of becoming a major god, and that idea slowly evolved into him becoming the Ultimate God, above Arceus."

Rob stayed silent. He'd never heard Darkrai's backstory before… So the lord had been like that before he created the Shadow Force?

"When Charlotte left, it was like some hearth-fire had been removed from us. We were okay by ourselves for a while, and Darkrai was really quiet for several months. Everything became peaceful again, and Darkrai even created a magical sword―the sword I have over here―and named it the Bond of Friendship. He promised us that he would never do anything horrible to the world as long as our friendship survived. He swore, upon the sword, that he would never abandon us. We believed him, of course." A faint smirk crossed Plasma's lips. "Why wouldn't we? He was our best friend, after all. After Charlotte's departure… surely he meant what he said, right? We could trust him, right?!" Plasma's voice became angry. "But no. He left us in the end. One day, Stary and I woke up, and he was gone. He left one note for us―that he was off to meet a Spiritomb who'd offered to help him achieve his goals. He promised that he would come back. He promised on the Bond of Friendship that he would." Plasma's eyes darkened. "But he never did. Eventually, he forgot about us. He gained more followers as he went and the images of his faithful friends slipped from his mind. Stary… she didn't mind… of course, she wasn't the one to suffer the curse. Perhaps she would've acted differently if I'd told her about it… but I didn't want her to hate Darkrai. She was always so happy with him. In the end, Stary and I parted ways a year after Darkrai left us. I went to Northern Sinnoh, because it… it was less painful for me to endure my curse there. Stary… I didn't hear from her for a long time. Then, a year ago, she sent me a letter telling me she was a general of the Shadow Force and had reunited with Darkrai again." Plasma's voice dropped into a deadly calm. "Darkrai came to meet me personally, and invited me to become a general like Stary. He told me I could start small by commanding the troops in Sinnoh. It was his will. He wanted me to do it. So I had to. And here I am today, participating in a war that never had to start."

Plasma finished this coolly, as if reciting from a book. Rob didn't know what he should do with this piece of information. But it seemed that there was more to Darkrai than just his goal of a perfect kingdom… did Darkrai truly wanted that, or did he strived to be the Ultimate God? What was the lord planning? Did the lives of so many matter nothing to him?

"I'm sorry." Rob said softly. "But it's all better now, right? You've been reunited with your two best friends. You must be happy."

Plasma didn't answer this, and stared out into the stars. "Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened if Charlotte had never left us," he said quietly. "I believe… that she could've talked sense into the lord. Maybe she would've been able to show him that he needn't go so far to be accepted. Nothing has changed from back then―Pokemon still fear Darkrai. Pokemon are still fighting to abolish his rule. If Darkrai is truly the best leader for this province, then the entire Southern Unova wouldn't be against us. There's something that he's doing wrong, and that's why this war has gone on for so long."

Rob nodded silently. He agreed with Plasma… but still… Darkrai was a good leader. He care for his troops like any other Pokemon would. He did his best for them, and despite his status as an Immortal and a god, he was willing to interact with them. Surely there wasn't anything wrong with his rule, right? When Darkrai had said he wanted equality, revolts and rebels had been expected. Nobody was perfect, after all. But… why would all of Southern Unova, like Plasma had said, be against Darkrai if he was truly about equality? Was equality such a bad thing? Or were the rebels fighting for something else… something like revenge?

Is it not bad enough that you took away our loved ones? Our homes? Zamza the Serperior rogue had once asked him. Now you're taking away our freedom and turning us into… into slaves for Darkrai?

I lost myself to the force. You will lose yours too. To another force, the golden-eyed rogue had said.

I have to break through! I have to destroy them! Streamline the Staraptor rogue had said. I have to take revenge for Cloud!

Rob shook away his doubts. No, he was right in aiding the Shadow Force. They were fighting for justice. For the rights of all Pokemon, in hopes that everyone would one day be equal. There was no mistake―no matter what Darkrai did, it was for the greater good.

Then Plasma cleared his throat, a tad awkwardly, one would note, as if he wasn't used to company. "I heard about your relationship with General Kona. I assume Lily is your daughter?"

Rob nodded soberly. "She died in the Castelian Bombing."

Plasma's expression suddenly went crazed, then back to calm. "Didn't the rebels switch all of the citizens with their own soldiers? If I remember correctly, there were only soldiers in the city when it was bombed."

Rob stared at him as if he were speaking in Kalosian. "That's… that's not what Darkrai told us," he said in a confused voice. "He told us the rebels bombed Castelia City with all the innocents inside."

Plasma blinked. "He told you the rebels bombed Castelia City?" he asked in a queer tone, as if he was asking himself. "That's impossible. The rebel soldiers were in Castelia City. Why would they bomb their own?"

Rob had overlooked that, but now that Plasma had mentioned it, dread filled him. Plasma was right. Everybody knew that the rebels had switched themselves with the citizens of Castelia City… why would they bomb a city which had their own soldiers in it?

"If not the rebels…" Rob said slowly. "Then who? The rogues?"

Plasma shook his head. "The rogues haven't been in any action against us for a long time. Some statisticians and advisors suspected that they joined the rebels―either the Nuvema ones or the Nimbasa ones. If they had been active lately, more troops would've been dispatched. But they haven't, so no…" His expression became unfocused and perplexed. "But why would he lie?"

"Who did it, then?" Rob trembled. "It has to be the rebels. The rebels bombed Nuvema and Striaton… who says they're not willing to bomb their own?"

"No, Robert Shaw," Plasma said in a quiet voice. "The rebels didn't bomb Castelia City. Nor Straiton City. Or the Nuvema Hospital."

Rob stepped back in shock. "Then who did, the rogues?"

Plasma's eyes clouded over with pain. "I never thought Darkrai would change so much," he whispered. "I thought he'd have a chance of saving himself…"

"Who did it?" Rob demanded shakily. "Who bombed Castelia?"

Plasma lowered his head and stared silently at the ground.

Rob started shaking. "Who did it? Answer me!"

Plasma raised his head slowly and stared at Rob straight in the eye. "It was me," he said quietly. "I bombed Castelia City."

---

Credits:

alpha2275: LOG representative on Fanfiction and Fanfiction Manager

Esther Hung: Chief Writer, Character Creator, Chief Editor, and Video Maker

Anisa Krieg: Chief Artist