Chapter XIV: Enter the Darkness
October 2, 2061 2:20 a.m.
"This is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-Actual, 7 Team 2 Actual, do ya read me?"
*static*
"Roger, Team 2 Actual reads you, do you have any idea what the hell is going on here?"
*static*
"Sentinel, I dunno where these fuckers came from or what they are! Are ya almost to the Trainer's School so James can get us all outta here? Just so ya know, your Umbreon's fine, she's out here helpin' my Zorua take these damn things down with what little she can do with her injuries."
*static*
"Yeah, we're almost there, give us a minute, we're just down the road and I can see the helicopter!"
*static*
"Say, did ya get yer 1911 back from Jenny? That's one piece a history ya don't wanna lose, boy."
*static*
"Yeah...about that, it looked like one of these creatures had sliced her stomach open…Say, I heard that these things are swarming all over Kanto, is that true?"
*static*
"As far as I know, boy, they're in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and we're just getting' news that they're confirmed in Unova. Looks like the whole damn world's gone to hell…*sigh*…well, hurry up. We need to get out of here."
*static*
"Archer, we'll be right there. Out."
*static*
…
A flash of silver and yellow shot across the marble ground. (Try and keep up!)
(Try and hit me!) AntiShadow replied, flipping backward as Zero's claws sliced the air where he was before immediately cutting forward with enough speed to nick off a ribbon of blood from his ear.
At the same moment, Zero's face scrunched in pain. A moment later he saw AntiShadow's legs flipping backward along with a slap from his tail. Jumping back to recover, Zero cursed to himself as the dark Pikachu got on his feet with a dark sphere in his paw aimed at him. (Without me hitting back, of course.)
The broad side of Shadow's Iron Tail smashed into AntiLight's arm and forced her into a slight spin. Coming around, he jumped up and grabbed at the top of her head. Her head twisted along with his paw for a second before she completely turned and grabbed Shadow by the arm in midair, grinning at him. (Too slow.)
He braced himself, shutting his eyes tightly as he felt the hard marble meet his back. With a roll he managed to slide onto all fours, narrowly avoiding a slice from her tail and then raising himself onto two feet. In a brief moment, he had lightning striking down from the dark heavens into his paw, sweeping over his arm. Dashing away from her, Shadow swung his arm across her area with the lightning still crashing down on him.
Patters of stone hitting stone sounded as the tiny shards of marble ripped up from the fast-forming tear in the ground. AntiLight winced from the whip-like slap of the electricity as Shadow disappeared from his spot.
The small frown she made formed back into a grin as she turned right and grabbed a hold on Shadow's fist. Her tail whipped around as she spun to gain distance, followed by the speedy movement of her arms blocking subsequent shots Shadow made at her, each seemingly more punishing than the last.
(A little angry, are we, dear?) AntiLight said in-between a hit. She kept taking leaps backward, each time leaving him for the brief instant it took him to close in again and continue his onslaught. Despite the hating look he had in his reddish eyes, he stayed almost silent; grunting only as he suddenly put his paws together and charged dark energy into them.
(Ha!) He yelled as he swung with both paws into her block. The energy concentrated into his paws screeched as it flew into her guard and rippled the air, sending a mighty pulse through her that within the moment sent her sliding back on the ground, cracking up the rock underneath. This time, she swiftly raised her paws to her sides and conjured white and black energies into them and slammed the two together.
(!) Shadow leapt to the side as the grayish shockwave tore through the ground like a gigantic silvery knife, roaring through the air as he took off once more at her. Laughing, AntiLight rushed at him in kind and dove over his lunge, spinning to exchange another brief fist-to-fist battle before she felt her paw get yanked by his.
Black aura filled his paws as he let go and jumped up to reach her. (Eat this!)
The sound of his claws whizzing through the air mixed with the brief sound of an explosion behind him. Dust on the ground tore out of the way as Zero sped away from AntiShadow once more, coming in from behind and making a quick stab before sliding around him and swing both sets of claws at his throat…
However, as with the other slash, Zero instead found his razor-sharp claws hitting against the blackish-hued Lightning Blade in AntiShadow's paws. He growled as he made another wide underhand slash, blocked once more by AntiShadow's blade as he spun it downward. With a slight flutter in his step, Zero launched electricity up his other set of claws and stabbed.
Augh! No, not now!
The pulsing feeling went up his arms once again as he felt a burning that went across his paws and into his claws. Once more, his eyes flashed green as he continued to slash, getting somewhat faster with each cut. Before long, AntiShadow could see the electricity at the ends of Zero's claws go into a black hue…
No!
(What do we have here?) AntiShadow said as Zero tore away from his Lightning Blade and let out a cry as his arms swung out, letting a black shockwave explode from him. Growling to himself, Zero could feel spikes of the energy begin to burst from all over him, sending small waves into the rock beneath him that made it crack and warp. While he got back on all fours, AntiShadow saw his clawed paws go to his face, covering his eyes as he begun to quiver all over.
Namba…!
The shrieks of several Ethereals could be heard as the ground under Zero continued to crack in long and jagged lines. Teeth grinding against each other, Zero could hear his own heart beating quickly in his chest, cold and heat overtaking his limbs and his chest. Black static crackled into a sphere around him as a single tear ran down his cheek from underneath his paws.
…DAMN YOU!
Somewhere within him, like a volcano erupting, a torrent of rage just exploded out from him. His entire form became consumed in dark aura like gasoline catching fire. The fearful whimpers he had been letting out became calmer, though heavier breaths. AntiShadow could see that the bright green color of his irises had spread completely over his eyes. At first, with his now metallic-looking claws hanging with his paws to the side, Zero only gave AntiShadow a blank stare.
Slowly, a twitching smile formed on his face, a snicker escaping his jaw. AntiShadow watched with a content look on him as Zero raised his right paw up into the air. Waves of black surged over the ground towards him, which seemed to build up into the dark static surrounding him. Within a few seconds, the energy suddenly shot up in a beam to the smoke-ridden night sky.
(RAAAGH!)
His arms swung out o the side as he spiraled towards AntiShadow like a massive yellow spinning top. Black arcs of energy spun around him and cut wildly into the air and ground around him as he stopped spinning and quickly braced his legs back along with his right arm.
(HA!)
His right arm flashed into shades of black and silver as he made a quick but a high jump. With just a moment to spare, AntiShadow jumped backward as Zero crashed back to the ground with a powerful explosion from his right side claws that threw up massive chunks of rock with its shockwave. AntiShadow backflipped high as the shockwave passed underneath him, slamming into the Ho-oh fountain in the center of the courtyard and ripping up its entire structure from the ground along with the surrounding rock.
AntiLight glanced towards the explosion and chuckled when she saw the bright glowing green of Zero's eyes. As Shadow smashed into the marble with a Thunderpunch and shattered the rock underneath trying to hit her, she jumped backward to avoid the torrent of rock rushing towards them.
(!) Shadow gasped as he saw the shockwave and leapt over it, his feet grinding against the uneven rock and dirt that now remained as he rushed at her again. Jumping back, he looked towards where Zero was and narrowed his eyes as he saw the black flames erupting from him.
…He didn't have that power before…
Exploding out from the dust, Zero twist his arms back around himself.
(HA!)
With another swift twist Zero shot at AntiShadow in another dark energy enhanced twister with his claws buzzing the air around him. Rolling on his side to dodge, AntiShadow watched as Zero quickly recovered from his last attack and raised his glowing claws to the sides.
(HA HA HA!)
His arms moved at an unbelievable speed as he made rapid and wide slashes into the air in front of him that threw arcs of dark energy towards AntiShadow in the shapes of his cuts.
AntiShadow ran towards Zero, acrobatically avoiding each shadowy wave coming at him and closing the gap on the Pichu within seconds in the wake of the explosions the waves made behind him. Zero slashed twice more before jumping backwards into the air. As he crossed his arms over his head, his claws grinded together with the errant sound of scraping metal.
(NIL WAVE!)
A shower of sparks fired off his claws as he slashed them on top of each other, the dark energy flaring up as it was released in a massive, black X-shaped wave.
The air around the wave contracted and left behind a black trail from where it came. Wind suddenly rushed towards the afterimage of the wave, as if space itself was being sucked into a small black hole.
(Look at that, Shadow…now he's truly in your league. He's officially a monster…like you.)
Shadow balled up his paw at his side. The red of his eyes seemed to shudder as the X-wave swerved at AntiShadow when he rolled away. At that moment his body flared with dark aura as he dropped backward, disappearing into the ground while the wave passed over him and let out a screech upon contact with the square.
(Ah!) Shadow cried out as waves of dark energy boomed from the point of impact, taking chunk upon chunk of rock with it that forced him to shut his eyes from the tiny pieces of gravel. The marble beneath him was even giving way, making him sink down a small distance as what remained of the tattered and broken marble courtyard was ripped from the earth and thrown with the hurricane of dark energy.
…
(Over there!) "I know!"
Alarms could be heard wailing over the roar of the fire that licked up from one window to the one over it on the surrounding shells of the buildings on both sides of the road. And with each billowing column of smoke rising into the choking sky, there were at least ten of the creatures Ash could see.
Residue from the smog in their held to his face, sweat running down from his forehead from the intense heat of the inferno. A flash went up in his hand as he cartwheeled out of the way of an Ethereal's claws and shredded their humanoid bodies to wisps of purplish-black smoke with his aura.
"BAAAGH!"
Ash spun around, a transparent white wall appearing in front of him from his outstretched hand as the demonic-looking Pokemon who was running at him slid to a stop just a foot or so from where his barrier was, bloody scars crossing over its eerily calm, pale face.
"Lotus?" Ash spoke in a voice just barely above a whisper, staring into the pitch-black orbs that were her eyes. The twin spiny leaves on her head waved a little, the large black leaves around her neck folding slightly as she let out a sound that sounded somewhere between a screech and a moan…
(Machine!)
"…Machine…?"
She opened her mouth again, a ball of dark energy forming in her mouth. For a moment he strengthened the shield in front of him until he found her just looking down toward her own mouth, still giving short grunts as she closed her mouth again.
(DARK MACHINE!)
"…dark machine…the dark energy generator?" Ash whispered once more, nodding to her. Gulping, he lowered his hand from in front of him to get a clear look at his mutated friend.
(Ash!)
"LEY!" She screeched before one of her vines, black and covered in spikes, ripped out from between the leaves on her neck and shot past Ash, a dark aura forming around it as it slashed into an Ethereal that was sneaking up on her master. He continued the short stare for a few moments before nodding to her and turning away, his Lightning Blade crackling before his face once more.
"Bolt!"
Breathing out, Bolt slid away from a small barrage of claws from three Ethereals, conjuring white aura in his paws as they ran towards him once more. Rays of light burst from narrow, glowing cuts across their bodies as Bolt slid to a stop near his master on the other side of them, hearing the brief screeches they made as they faded into purplish smoke.
"Bolt…we're going back to the Viridian Gym. We got so caught up with the Zapmolcuno before that we forgot what we had come for in the first place."
(Right behind you then.)
…
"Is she*cough!* secure?"
"Yes sir…and as you requested, the translation device is off as well."
"Good. No need to hear her complain when*cough! Cough!* she's in no position to make such demands."
"Rai! Rai chuchu raichu!"
"Hmhmhm…it's no use. I may not know what you're saying now, but on the other hand I really do not care what you have to say. I'm sure you're likely *cough!*…demanding that I free you. Think about it, little Raichu…what would be the fun in that?"
*cling, rustle…*
"…Chu? Rai, ra chu rai...?"
"Just so you can't struggle as much, and with less struggling *cough!* I'll have more precision here…"
*Prick*
"RAI! RAICHU! RAICHUUU!"
"Yes, yes, it's going to hurt for a small time*cough!*…ah, but rest assured, that is nothing compared to*cough!*…what shall happen next…"
SHING!
"Hmph. So, you intend to make her bleed first, Doctor Namba? Or are you going to kill her?"
"Killing her will be*cough!* counter-productive. I would lose both a valuable source of information and*cough!* a vital key to gaining the weapon. However, I'm not going to make this easy for her. Where would be the fun in that, Tenma?"
"*huff**huff*…Rai…churai?"
"Yes, I*cough!* am serious. It's perfect, I can harm you with just about anything that won't kill you, then I can just put you in a bacta tank to heal, and then repeat the process until Shadow gets here. I know he's coming for you…coming to save his beloved, right?"
"RAI! RAI!"
" Look at these wires, gaze upon this dying man…the result of another man who had a knife…!"
"RAIII!"
"It doesn't feel good to get cut open, does it?"
"RAICHUUU! RAICHUUU!"
"You might as well enjoy it…until he is here, pain is all*cough!* you're going to feel in the waking world."
…
"James, just land on top of the school and tell yer woman to lower the damn ladder!" Archer yelled into the radio as the sound of helicopter rotors buzzed overhead, mixed with the continued, ambient sounds of yells, distant explosions and gut-wrenching screams. Nearby, his Zorua's head snapped left as another group of Ethereals bared down on her. She opened her dark gray mouth wide, a glowing, purplish-black Shadow Ball forming in her jaws. The sound of her snicker seemed to fuse with the buzz of the energy as it plowed into the demons before her.
"Zorua, keep it up!" He yelled as a member of his sniper team motioned to him. "Archer, Team Two's here!"
"Great…Dr. Xepher, we need you and Misty to git out here, we're about to leave! And Sentinel, git yer team o'er here!"
The Umbreon opposite the direction of the Zorua panted as she let out another blast of her dark energies at the creatures. Behind, she could hear some of the debris from the shattered wall of the school tumbling as Xepher and Misty stepped through. What caught her attention more, though, was the group of sniper running in towards them from down the road, each with their eyes wide and with two Pokémon flanking them, a Houndoom with blood running down from a gash on its flank and a Gallade with one eye shut, a scar crossing down his forehead to just below the eyelid.
(*huff*…Sentinel…) Sollus sighed as the lead sniper looked down at her, stopping by her while the others past him up. He kneeled down to face her at eye level, the wind generated from the helicopter's blades above whipping the strands of fabric on his ghillie suit and making the hair that stuck out from under its hood bend slightly.
It seemed exhaustion must've taken quite a toll on him, either that or shock; though he appeared mostly calm, her ears lowered as she saw the alarm that sparked through his eyes.
"Thank God, you're safe…"
…
(HA HA!)
A trio of beams ripped through the dust once more. And yet again, the sky rippled with the flash of a powerful Thunderbolt.
Black static crawled over Zero's fur from his cheeks, dark aura leaving a shadowy trail behind him as he flashed from one side of the square to where AntiShadow stood, his metallic claws shooting white-hot sparks as he slashed them over each other, trying to take off the AntiReal's head.
AntiShadow dropped into a black shadow on the ground at the last second, which promptly sped behind Zero and rippled as the Pichu spun around in time to see it erupt.
(You don't have what it takes to fight with adults, kid!) AntiShadow taunted as he soared up from the ground and struck Zero with his fists, the explosion of dark energy coming after him throwing the small yellow mouse directly into the middle of Shadow and AntiLight's battle a distance away.
You belong to us now.
Zero scarred the ground as he pushed his claws out into the ground to right himself. Still in a punch-and-block battle with AntiLight, Shadow glanced out towards the Pichu speeding towards them and made a grab for AntiLight's arm as she punched at him once more. Pressure burst through his chest as her other paw sank into his abdomen, her grin appearing for an instant before his view until Zero's hind paw smashed right into the center of her yellow cheek.
The claws he had closest to her arced with his paw, grabbing onto her curved ear as he flew past. Before AntiLight could react, Zero had swung around and laughed as the tips of the claws on his left paw shot up from her abdomen.
The power is yours, so take it.
Black and purple mist floated up from around the edges of his claws, sneaking out from the edges of the wound. AntiLight shakily looked down towards the wound, her usually smug looking grin replaced by a look reminiscent of shock.
Gasping for breath from the last hit he took, Shadow stepped back from her, both in awe and in alarm of the frightening dark power that was surrounding him. It reminded him too much of himself, when he had gone on that murderous rampage through Team Rocket's headquarters just a small time before. He could see in the bright glowing green of Zero's eyes the same brand of hate, the same kind of bloodlust he had that day.
Once more.
The dark Raichu's body jolted again as she felt another sharp set of claws ripping through her back. As he dropped down to stand behind her, Zero could feel the air on the tips of all his claws, an exciting realization of just how much damage he inflicted…
Even better, she looked just like HER.
(heh heh heh…heh heh…) Zero chuckled faintly, his bright green eyes wide with an unrelenting gaze of insanity from the power flowing through him. Every bit of it, from the tips of his ear that stuck straight out to the tips of the dark energy claws that extended from his natural claws…every little bit of that energy…
It felt like it was corroding him, eating him away like necrosis of his soul. It felt like someone had lit a great inferno in him that burned throughout his body like plague. The only feeling he had now…now that this…THING that had taken control…was the knowledge that he could still feel the limbs of his body.
Even so, it felt amazing.
(…Not bad, child…not bad at all…)
His claws wrenched in her skin, letting more of the black and purple fumes flow up from the wounds. One of her eyes closed tightly, the other wide as his claws slowly tore out to her sides. Despite the fact that she was almost being torn in half, Shadow could see that she still wore a smile upon her face.
(To think, Shadow…my 'real' self is getting sliced up right now, too…)
(!)
The fur to her sides bulged out for an instant before Zero's claws tore up from her flesh, and as he laughed the torrent of dark energy that was held in her body exploded out , her body fading into the massive black shockwave that swept both 'Chus up in its shadowy path…
"It's true. Our dear friend is, right now, enjoying the comforts of company with a human like Namba. Can you imagine hearing her screaming her little heart out right now, me?
Shadow's teeth grinded together, his eyes shut as the feeling of jagged rock and water from the flooding marble around the broken fountain met his back. The force lifted him up once again, flipping him backwards for another roll with the back of his furry head smacking the ground this time. Sparks jumped off his cheeks as he slid on a smoother slab of marble that had remained intact, only to invite him to let out a cry as he was smacked into the side of the broken fountain itself.
His gaze had been averted upwards, allowing him to see the orange tint of the smoke filled night sky, ripe with fires that flared within the diagonally columns of smoke. A flash lit up one of the clouds in the distance, followed by the distant sound of an explosion. Far away he could see a Kanto fighter plane zooming through the fog of war, chasing down a jet black rocket fighter that had dived through the smoke.
(Augh…*huff*…) Shadow breathed as he rolled over onto his feet, water making light splashes beneath him as turned around to where AntiLight had just been standing. Instead of seeing the demonic Raichu, he was met by the sinister, bright green gaze of the dark Zero instead, covered in scratches and emanating a deadly dark purple aura. Even in the midst of the chaotic sounds of the warzone, he could hear the Pichu almost whisper, "Shadow" as stared at him blankly, lifting his arms from his sides just slightly…
The feeling of the cold, thin metal of knives pressed against his neck. His brow creased, eyes locked into the bright emerald of the Pichu standing before him. Small sparks of dark energy bounced off his fur, reforming back into Zero's claws every few seconds.
Sharp breaths drew from Zero's mouth, his mouth ajar to show his teeth clenched underneath. (…You could've easily avoided this.) Zero said in monotone, eyes wide as he pressed the blunt side of his claws up into Shadow's skin. Shadow kept a calm demeanor. (…You wouldn't have just fought with me there if you were trying to kill me. That…and you haven't gone ahead and done it now.)
(…I want to know…) Zero began, a twitch zapping through his arms. His voice shuddered, chills running through him. (…what's happening to me?)
…
"All in? Pokémon in their balls? Good, let's leave this godforsaken place!" Jessie shouted in an annoyed matter, turning to James in the pilot seat next to her with the last sentence. Behind them, Meowth rolled his eyes. "Couldn't agree more. Get de others winched and let's leave."
"Hmph. Nice helicopter you have here." Sentinel said, against the metal door as the winch dropped from below the bottom panel. James nodded in turn. "The three of us have built so many mechs and other machinery it's ridiculous."
"Know what's ridiculous, boy? Ya haven't gotten us outta here yet! Quit yer chattin' and fly!" Archer yelled over his radio, looking up in the humvee towards the helicopter as the sniper sitting behind him in the gunner's spot grabbed secured chains onto bars that jutted from the metallic dome that had dropped down and secured itself to the top of the vehicle, lifting it slightly with its magnetism.
"Um…old man?" the Zorua on his shoulder spoke, staring straight ahead fearfully as he wiped some dirt off his rifle's barrel with a rag.
"What is-woah! James, lift! LIFT DAMMIT!" Archer yelled into his radio as his team members hastily lifted their rifles of their laps and positioned them on the edges of the seats and on the dashboard. Far beyond them, a trio of Titans in the remains of their tattered and torn Rocket uniforms bellowed mighty and beastlike roars, one smashing through a roadblock that blocked the street while another made a mighty leap over a fallen traffic light that still blinked yellow.
Even as bullets began to tear into his body, the lead roared once more, swinging his gigantic, muscular arm into an SUV in his way to send its mangled body flying forward, showering scraps of metal every which way. Drips of sweat drained down his face as he saw the car roll ahead past them, flinging a glass shard through the side window and just an inch from his forehead.
"Jessie, fire the gun!"
A click sounded under the helicopter as two doors opened up to allow a large chaingun to drop down, revving for a second before a river of blue lasers exploded from the revolving barrels.
Archer lifted the night-vision goggles he still had on his face up into his dust-coated hair. A fine red mist could be seen as soon as the first laser made contact with its victims, allowing short-term, animalistic shouts of pain to run through the air. The helicopter shuddered slightly from the recoil before the barrels slowed, allowing the resulting cloud of blood and dust to settle.
Unidentifiable burnt chunks of flesh and bone coated the gravel encrusted road, smoke drifting up from a blackened streak that had dug into the pavement, right through the mutilated remains.
"Phew. They're dead." "Very dead." James and Jessie said respectively, turning to one another and sighing. "Maybe we should've just used the cannon." James said as he pressed a few buttons before putting his hand to his earpiece. "Everyone all right down there?"
"Dandy, James. Can ya lift off already?" Archer replied as the ground began to drift away from under them, a slight groan in the vehicle's metal being heard. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the mustachioed sniper sighed. "Its days like these that make me wonder why the fuck I haven't retired yet."
In the cabin behind the cockpit, Sentinel rubbed his forehead, looking over his team, who were just as exhausted as he was. "One hell of a mission, huh?" He said with a smirk. At the window, a dark-skinned member of his team rolled his eyes, practically ripping the balaclava from his face as he took a breath. "As in hectic or really hell, 'cause I'm sure we just saw both."
"…Damn right, Harvey…damn right."
Meanwhile, Xepher had zipped open his carrying case and had once again taken to typing:
To: Dr. Oak
From: Dr. Xepher
If you've received this message, please note that I am well. I'm sure you know of what is happening at this time; at the present I am being transported away from the Viridian battlefield via helicopter. I was able to witness a great number of the creatures that Ash had told you about before, based on what I remember. Humanoid, slit-like red eyes, long black claws, and a horrifying screech. It seems Namba is moving full speed ahead.
At this time I also have no confirmation as to whether Shadow or Light were able to escape this mess. Last I checked, neither were among those who were in the makeshift hospital at the time I returned after leaving. I fear not only for their safety, but for their chances of escape…
The Ethereal are all over the world, as you must well know by now. No one is safe who is outside the barrier around Cerulean City. I want you to begin reproducing the light energy generators if you can for use in shelters that can be set up. If not this, than attempt to increase the power of the one over Cerulean to extend its range.
Indeed the days and weeks ahead are not going to be pleasant. I can only assure that if you and I do not speed up our acts to quell Namba's plans, we could very well be looking at the extinction of all things.
Xepher
…
"This place is crawling with Ethereals…" Ash said as his Lighting Blade cut into another creature while the white aura around it made it vaporize in an instant. Looking ahead, he could see a strange machine amongst the wreckage in the dark underground lab, noticing the eerie, purplish-black glow it gave from the massive ball of dark energy that was concentrated atop it from two small towers.
(…It's not giving off a very welcoming feeling.) Bolt said, his fur prickling in places. Ash nodded, feeling the sinister aura that surrounded the structure.
"…No…and with all these Ethereals, I can only assume Namba has them all over Kanto." He spoke, raising his Lightning Blade as several forms burst from the ball of dark energy concentrating in the generator, forming into a group of Ethereal who immediately stood and charged with their claws forward, booming their demonic screeches…
...
Happy summer vacation to all.