Trapped in the Darkness – Chapter 23

A Pokemon Fanfiction

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Please enjoy the next chapter!

Diamond: The author owns absolutely nothing.

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A few of the trainers had to squint against the light that was in the unfamiliar room. The room was a bright white, contrasting with the darker hallway they had just exited. A few pillars here and there lined against the walls, all leading up to a platform that held five now-empty chairs.

Green took a sharp intake of breath when he recognized the room, shivering when he remembered the last time he was in here. However, something seemed off and he narrowed his eyes in confusion. A feeling not unlike fear crawled up his back and he felt a chill run down his spine as the unpleasant memories he had experienced in here shot though his mind.

"Well, well, well. . ." a voice called. "Look who's back from the dead." The voice came from the front of the room: Giovanni. He was standing almost alone, the only other figure being that of Ghetsis in his floor-length robe at his side.

Before anything else could be said, a shout of surprise and interjection cut off any trainers that were going to reply.

"Father!" N called, running to stand in front of the other trainers alone. "Why won't you listen to me? Pokemon aren't meant to be used as tools!"

Giovanni scowled, but allowed Ghetsis to answer his child.

"What have I told you, boy?" Ghetsis said darkly. "You are no son of mine." He stepped off of the platform he stood on and made his was slowly to N, circling him like a Sharpedo stalks its prey. "I can see you've still learned nothing. You're impatient, you're childish. You still think those "friends" of yours will always be there?"

N stood taller, holding his head up high. "I trust my friends. I may not understand them all the time, but that's only because humans are hard for me to grasp. They're different to read than Pokemon! But I know that they'll stand by me."

Ghetsis laughed quietly. "Are you sure they feel that way about you? You did leave them before." N stiffened, looking back at Black and White pleadingly. Ghetsis didn't wait for an answer and stepped back from the pistachio-haired boy in front of him, raising a hand beside him.

"I bet you all are wondering where the others are. Where are Cyrus, Maxie, and Archie?" He didn't wait for a reply and instead laughed bitterly before continuing. "They've abandoned us. When they found out that you had escaped, they fled in an attempt to get away and survive this downfall." The old man scoffed. "Cowards."

"Team Galactic is gone?" Platinum whispered. Ghetsis heard her and faced her, cracking a old and tired smile that still contained malice.

"That's what I said, girl. Cyrus didn't have the heart to break yours again I suppose."

"Cyrus was the first to go," Giovanni said, crossing the platform with his arms folded across his chest. "After Pearl was pronounced dead he thought he had triumphed against you. That boy was your partner in crime when you defeated him at Spear Pillar after all. But-" he paused, turning to point at Green. "-you came back like a cockroach with the blonde boy in tow."

Green smiled devilishly, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'm pretty tough to get rid of. I know."

Giovanni started scowling again. "You brought everyone with you. You even brought that useless boy." He glanced at Silver. "Who wouldn't even become a Rocket to spare himself."

"Enough." Gold interjected, stepping in front of his rival. He seemed like a completely different person than the usually excitable and energetic boy. He was calm and collected, his eyes a darker honey gold instead of warm amber. "If you have a problem with someone, that should be me."

"I never agreed with your plans, Giovanni," Silver said, ignoring his rival. "I never wanted to be a part of them, so why would that change if you just threatened my life?" He crossed his arms, his gunmetal grey eyes cold.

Giovanni paused for a moment before he burst into laughter. "I see what's happened to you, Silver. Gold and that girl have corrupted you."

"My name is Crystal, Giovanni," Crystal replied curtly. "And we haven't done anything to Silver."

Giovanni still smiled darkly. "I don't care about him anymore. His mother is gone anyway, and she's the only reason I kept that petulant boy in my care for so long." He turned away from the Johto trio before landing his eyes on the raven who was standing next to Green. "Red. You are the trainer I'm looking for."

Red didn't answer, looking up lazily through his lashes to look at the older man.

"Still as silent as ever. And still with that pesky Pikachu. I take it you were the one who blew up the corridor before you arrived here?"

There was no answer from the crimson eyed boy at first, and silence engulfed the room. Until finally, there was a calm but almost prideful, "Yes."

Ghetsis and Giovanni cackled. "Good job, Red," the Rocket boss said. "You were always the star, weren't you? You breezed through my gym and my Pokemon like they were nothing. Like there were just for you to get rid of."

Red's crimson eyes narrowed, the boy raising his head slightly at the false assumption as his lips pulled into a scowl. N let out a breath that sounded like a hiss, his fists tightening. This didn't go unnoticed by the men in the front and they laughed. "Calm down, former King," Ghetsis chided, sarcasm laced through his words. "This isn't about you anymore."

"It was never about me in the first place, wasn't it?" N muttered, still directing the question at his adoptive father. "Just you. I was just another tool." He snorted. "Looks like I'm more like Pokemon than I originally thought."

"Enough," Ghetsis growled, raising his arm again. "That's enough talk out of you. It's about time I finally finished you off, Natural." N narrowed his eyes at the use of his full name, a few of the trainers behind him shifting in confusion. Ghetsis smiled when he received the reaction before his eyes glanced back at Black, who stood just a few steps behind the taller man. "Along with you, you destroyer of plans."

"Shadow Triad!" Ghetsis boomed, pointing up at the sky. Mere seconds after saying it, three figures in black appeared around N.

"Stop-" White shouted, raising a hand to help her friend as a few other trainers took steps forward.

"If any of you move, Natural will die faster!" Ghetsis said shrilly. A smile wormed its way onto his face. "All of you must see this! A testimony to my book on showing the world that team Plasma will survive! And the only way to do that it the discard of the fallen King!"

N closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, addressing one of the Triad members. "Please." His voice was quiet, almost silent.

The single member hesitated slightly, but didn't drop his stance. N breathed deeply, his right hand slowly reaching down into his pocket.

Ghetsis watched with some interest, wondering what escape plan the boy had this time. His Reshiram was nowhere in sight: N must have told it to wait for him outside the building. The smile turned into a sneer, his arm still held into the air as he waited for the final act that would end the life of his main problem to begin.

N raised his hand from his pocket to reveal. . . a perfectly made daisy chain.

Ghetsis let the sneer turn into a smug smirk. Flowers? That was going to be his escape plan?

N held out the daisy chain in an offering to the Triad member, a small but desperate smile on his face. The chain was a bit worn, the flowers a little wilted from being in his pocket, but still in excellent condition. The triad member seemed rooted onto the spot, debating silently in his head before he reached out.

To take the daisy chain from the pistachio-haired boy gently. He did a once over of it quickly before he decided something to himself. He let his stance drop, nodding to N shortly before disappearing quickly. The other members shared a quick exchange before they followed immediately.

N looked down at the ground, letting out a long breath he had been holding. "Thank you," he whispered to the empty air.

Ghetsis could hardly contain the rage inside himself, he was shaking with red-hot fury. "Y-You. . . ." he managed to get out, his voice trembling in anger. He was about to say something else before Giovanni placed a calm hand on his comrade's shoulder.

"Enough, Ghetsis," he said, his eyes cold. "It seems we've underestimated our opponents again." He sighed, turning around to reach his throne. Ghetsis looked down, but turned to move to his throne as well.

"That's right," Green interjected. "And you always will."

Giovanni looked back at the auburn haired boy, unamused. "Well I don't seem to remember you at my first defeat. Maybe I'm forgetting something. . . or you just never cared about anything other than yourself."

Green winced inwardly, but didn't move back from his place. "Yeah," he said, shrugging. "That's the kind of person I was. No, I still am." He paused, crossing his arms. "The thing is, I won't falter in the journey till I reach my goal. And my goal this time around. . ." he pointed at Giovanni, "Is to kick your sorry ass back where you came from!"

There was silence from Giovanni as he digested Green's speech before he turned to Ghetsis to discuss something. Green took this opportunity leaned over to Red without taking his eyes off of the two people in front of him.

"How was that?" he whispered, his voice low so only Red could hear. He felt his rival shrug beside him.

"Dumb," Red answered. "But effective for someone like you, I suppose."

Green sighed, glancing at his friend irritatedly. "Thanks," he grumbled.

"My pleasure," Red replied, his crimson irises darting over to Green as he smirked. Green frowned.

"Why did it have to be you. . ." Green murmured unknowingly, looking down at the ground. It was Red's turn to frown, confusion darkening his eyes.

"What?"

Giovanni cleared his throat and the two Kanto trainers whipped their heads back to the two bosses in front of them who had just finished up their own conversation.

"I'd hate to ruin our little reunion," Giovanni said offhandedly, making his way to his seat as Ghetsis sat down in his. "But this party has to come to an end."

"What?" Gold asked sharply, his eyes narrowing. "We just found you and you're going to leave!?" Giovanni sighed as he sat down, lacing his fingers together.

"We're not leaving. You are."

There was a stunned silence as the trainers tried to make sense of what Giovanni meant. There was some quiet chatter among the group before Giovanni smiled calmly. He reached for a button an the underside of his seat before he flipped it upwards.

"Oh no," Ruby choked out quietly when he realized what it was. A few of the trainers looked back in confusion.

Giovanni's smile turned frightening. "Yes, Ruby. You know exactly what this is. This is our backup plan. This is what we decided we would use if things got this bad again. Destroy all evidence that we were ever here."

Green's eyes widened. "You don't mean-"

"Of course I mean that! Blowing up this entire facility! If you don't find the exit and get as far away as possible before the time runs out: kaboom! Not all of our plans were for naught!"

Panic was setting into the trainers at the floor again. "Don't-"

Giovanni raised his fist, ignoring the pleading. "I'll take this as a personal victory. After all, I broke Red like a china doll." Green was stunned silent. He opened his mouth to say something but found his words locked in his throat, looking to his friend in question. Red didn't look his way, glaring up at Giovanni at the declaration. Giovanni's frightening smile cooled slightly. "And I know how to do it again."

He slammed his fist down on the button, the wall with the thrones lined against the wall flipping around and taking the two men out of the room.

There was an announcement.

"Warning. Self destruct sequence initiated. You have ten minutes to evacuate and clear the area."

"Ten minutes!" Pearl shouted. "That's enough time! Start running! I'll fine you all a million if someone trips!"

And they started running.

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