Author's Notes:
Here's Chapter 2! Its gonna fly off the rails a bit before going back to the game's plot. I originally had the ending be way shorter but got carried away with my word count.
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bananamanv5: Thank you for the review! This fic will be an on and off, mainly using the BW plot as the general framework!
Once again, if you enjoy the story, please review!
"Did you see that festival set up at the park today? Wonder what that's for," a group of people sat in a circle, among a row of sofas in a busy hotel lobby. Despite Accumula being a small town, tourism had slowly taken over through its booming music industry. It all started a few years ago when the town's small musical underground was picked up by a few major distributors.
"Maybe another concert? Tho, I don't see any schedules on the list for this week" a young man scrolled through his phone, with a Patrat by his side. An assortment of food had been laid out for the Pokemon, along with a buffet for the trainers who registered with the league.
"Anyone heard about that Team Plasma thing going around? Like, maybe it's for that?" A dark haired girl leaned against one of her friends, her face glued to her phone.
"You mean those Pokemon liberation guys? My niece has been talking about them nonstop. Now that I think about it, didn't those banners kinda resemble their logo?" clicking on an image, an older man showed the rest of the group. Lined with blue, gray, and white, together to form a shield like design, the Team Plasma logo was certainly iconic among charity organizations.
"Wow, you're totally right!"
Entering through an automatic door, Black overheard conversations of the crowd. He had let Cheren and Bianca walk ahead, trailing behind them, looking back and forth. Eyes darting from left to right, ears alert for any strange happenings. For one reason or another, the feeling of being watched only grew throughout the day. It reminded him of being stalked through a tight alleyway with little room to escape. But then, just as he was sinking deeper into his own paranoia, he quickly twisted around to avoid a splash of cold orange juice. Twisting his body around, raising his fists on instinct, he swung swiftly at his attacker-!
"Stop!" Zooming through the air with a left hook, he was caught by an equally solid grip. The sudden stop in momentum caused a light breeze to whip through the air, touching the skin of the individual who was mere inches from eating a fierce knuckle sandwich. Wide golden eyes met sharp hazel, before they flinched in shock.
"Whow! There man, calm down! It was just some juice," an older male in his twenties raised his hands in the air, "Look, I'm not looking for a fight alright?" He backed away gingerly, his friend loosened the grip on Black's hand.
"Who are you?" For some reason, the golden eyed fellow didn't appear to be any ordinary man. Hair rose from the back of Black's neck, a vision of being consumed by sacred flames crossed his mind, burning up his arm, the fire so intense it ignited everything around him. But then he was snapped back to reality.
"I should be asking that to you," the redhead responded curt, appearing even more suspicious. His dark shades mixed with a baseball cap obscuring his face did not help his case.
"You look like a stalker," Black cocked an eyebrow, throwing out a low growl.
"And you look like a criminal," the redhead snapped back, with a similar tone of vitriol.
"Guys, guys! Calm down, it was just a misunderstanding alright? Orange juice didn't hurt anyone!" The young man stepped in between the two in a panic, arms out wide to block out any more incoming attacks from either side.
"Black! What did you do?!" Cheren rushed over with Bianca, both Snivy and Tepig at their sides.
"We're sorry, if our friend caused you trouble, sir! Please forgive him," Bianca was already trying to drag Black away by the arm, who remained still as a pillar. His glare boring into the redhead.
"W-wait! It was actually our fault. I almost spilled juice on him and he was only acting in self-defense!" Before either group could say anymore, the golden eyed man shouted at the top of his lungs, stopping all traffic in the lobby.
In a bustling restaurant, around a square table, sat a small gathering of people, six in total. It was the dinner rush, with the place packed to the brim with all kinds of individuals. Tourists, trainers, businessmen, all who visited this block of town knew of Accumula's traditional Unovian cuisine. Its apple pies were a fan favorite across several other regions.
The redhead from earlier removed his shades and hat, revealing a familiar face with silver orbs that drilled daggers into the boy across from him.
"Wow! Didn't you star as that biker antagonist from that one insane blockbuster?" Bianca took a closer look at the young man's face, being reminded of the character he played. The movie in question involved a chivalrous gang leader taking on an evil biker organization threatening to take over a small Kanto town.
"Y-yea. Name's Silver if you haven't already heard…" having his face turn redder than a tomato, he hid himself from the people around him. It was already bad enough he couldn't go out in public without being recognized, but the embarrassment was eating away at him on the inside too.
"Ya liked that one too? Silver isn't exactly a good actor but his mean face really pulled through on that one huh? I heard Sabrina dragged him in because they really loved his natural killer look!" The man next to Silver would later introduce himself as Gold, laughed at his friend's fortune, or misfortune. The subtle jab was not missed by the star actor.
"Gold? By any chance, do you happen to be that champion Gold?" Cheren perked up at the name. The legend of a kid who came from a small town and toppled the Kanto-Johto league without breaking a sweat was news that spread across the world. Only a few chosen trainers in their own lifetime would even be able to challenge an Elite-four member, not counting the hundreds of tries to get past even one, so for Gold to blast through all of them on the first run was a monstrous feat.
"Uhhh, yea. Something like that. I gave the position back to Lance though, didn't wanna sit in a gloomy room all day waiting for challengers." Gold brushed off his achievements like it was nothing. Cheren's speechless expression was ignored by the rest.
"Is becoming league champion that hard? Most earlier gym leaders are made to be pushovers for newbies aren't they?" Black asked, aloof. It wasn't that he looked down on the gym challenge, moreso his training growing up has given him an edge compared to most others. As a result of battling Cheren and 'other activities' in his free time, he become one of the top trainers in Nuvema.
"They do, but it gets progressively harder as you go on. I wouldn't say earning the first two badges is easy, but that's where most people give up too. Really, the system is set up for you to register and pay the league fees every year. It's how they rope in so many people," Gold gave a more detailed explanation, doing away with his usual casualness. Under that facade of a carefree person, was a rather sharp mind.
"I see, I suppose they do need money to maintain operations somehow. They can't let the challenge be too overwhelming or else no one would pay the subscription fees," Cheren deduced, "Last time I checked, a gym leader's salary isn't exactly worth the workload either." There was a reason why most gym leaders held another job profession, half of the time, it served as a secondary income stream. In exchange to what was akin to civil service to the state, Gym leaders receive many perks than the average trainer, including the ability to network with highly respected people in the government, or prestige that came with the title. For example, if a failing business man were to gain the position, he could easily use that leverage to get ahead of his competition.
"Pokeballs, potions, and everything else battle related? No wonder they were extra taxes associated with those items," Bianca added, remembering a store chalk full of goods, with the trainer items requiring both an ID and extra taxes to purchase.
"Which leads to cheaper alternatives being peddled through the underground market," Black mumbled, catching the attention of Silver.
"So you know about that too, huh?" the actor scrutinized, sipping a glass of brandy.
"Yea, that pokeball in your bag? That's a clear counterfeit made by those illegal manufacturers. Looks pretty old too by the model" Black gestured, leading Silver to immediately hide his bag away from the rest.
"Haha, ok, maybe we can let a few unregulated items slip through the cracks. I'm not the league champ anymore, so it's fine, right?" Gold gave a nervous laugh, "not like those guys are around anymore to sell-!"
"Tch!" Silver turned to face the window, eyes cold. After realizing his mistake of reminding his friend of the past, the former champion tried to apologize. And with that, the atmosphere of the room became a heavy awkward silence.
But then…
"Hey kid, come with me," Silver shot up, with Black quickly following his lead.
"Where're you two going? The food's almost here!" Gold shouted, Cheren and Bianca looked at each other in confusion.
"I promised I'll apologize to him by getting him an autograph from Sabrina," Silver paced hastily with Black in tow, the two leaving both their bags behind.
"Wait! Sabrina's here?!"
Slamming the door to the restaurant, both Silver and Black exchanged looks of frustration. Bright lamps illuminated the streets of Accumula's lively night scene, creating an artificial will-o-wisp that hovered above its many residents. With so many Pokemon and people still enjoying the nightlife of the popular restaurant block, it was like trying to spot a needle in the haystack.
"Think you found him, kid?" Silver caught a glimpse of their target in the mad traffic.
"Yea, I've been feeling like someone's been watching us for the past few hours already." Black sent out Oshawott, asking it to keep an eye out while the two trainers tailed their stalker from a distance. Since Accumula was built quite long ago, its alleyways were of a twisting, winding, maze-like layout that led to various dead ends. Carefully stepping into one, the two sank into the shadows, passing through dim corridors, listening carefully for the sound of echoing footsteps in the abyss. At some point, Silver had released his Crobat to guide them throughout the darkness.
"You can't run forever, you freak!" Crobat flew ahead, a left turn, a right turn, then going straight down a crooked stony path. Until finally, they were stopped by a shady figure dressed in black. Tracking his ninja-like movements, Crobat flipped its wings, launching a powerful gust of wind, cutting through all obstacles in its way, until it was met by a sharp, resounding sound of a blade.
Cling!
"I cannot let you advance any further," The figure muttered, commanding their Bisharp to slash at the flying Pokemon in the sky, while they tried to knock Silver back, only to be met by the swing of a long, metallic object, missing mere inches from his head. A few streaks of flowing white hair fell from where he stood mere moments ago.
"There's no way-!" The ninja-like figure grabbed onto a hanging pole from a building, swinging upwards to avoid two more swipes from a water pipe below, meeting eyes with his monstrous attacker. Blank hazel eyes staring up at the man trying to run away, its predatory nature tracking his every move. Bloodthirsty intent emitting from his pursuer. Attempting to lift himself for a quick escape, he reaches for a ledge, only to be shot by a stream of water, knocking him back down to the ground.
"Osha, Osha!" Black's Oshawott sprayed the entire alleyway full of water, making it harder to run away.
Taking this chance to strike, Black raises his right hand, jabbing the dark figure from his left side, sending a shockwave of pain coursing their body before they could grab a second Pokeball for support. Yet, it was too late to react as the figure lifted an arm to shield from an incoming razor shell, its glowing white light blinding them, locking them in place.
Clang!
"Osha?!" Oshawott, throwing its sharpened shell in a circular slicing motion, collided with another object in the dark. A bright spark of embers illuminated the blackness, accompanied by the sound of scraping metal cutting through the air, meeting the end of the blade with a second Bisharp. Surprised at its arrival, Oshawott craned its head upwards to see a heated battle between the first Bisharp and Crobat. Strong wings flipped, threatening to break bone as the blade Pokemon met blow for blow. A stray gust of wind blew it off balance, causing it to go in a defensive position, crossing its arms to protect its vitals. Although the two appeared to be an even match, the exchange wouldn't last as Black scooped up Oshawott, and Silver called back Crobat when a stray, cylinder shaped, object dropped into the cramped alleyway. Time slowed to a crawl, minutes became hours, and seconds ticked by as the world froze in place.
Then it happened.
Shockwaves flew against the bodies of all present, followed by a hot white flash so intense, it burned. A sharp ringing noise flooded the atmosphere like a massive tidal wave, engulfing all who stood in its way.
"They're taking a while aren't they? It's been an hour since they left." Cheren checked the time on his phone, six plates of food lined the dinner table. It was about 7pm and dinner was starting to get cold. The apple pie was already half gone and so was a bottle of brandy of which Gold kept downing on his own.
"Eh, they're probably fine, Sabrina's pretty good at avoiding the journalists so it's hard to stop her for an autograph in public" Shrugging off the issue, Gold went back to cutting another slide of the apple pie.
"Are you sure that was for an autograph?" Somehow, Bianca didn't feel convinced. Black was never someone interested in big films or movie stars.
"And you're not going to go greet her yourself?" Cheren watched Gold, a bit of suspicion in his voice.
"Nah, she's scary when people hound her in public" Rolling his eyes, a cold drop of sweat began making its way down Gold's face. "Let's say I might have…uhhh shut down the power to her entire gym once by accident…" Keeping up a forced grin, the two teens could visibly see the man before them paling, color draining from his face. Gold had once challenged Sabrina's Gym back in the day, but by some freak accident, blew one of the generators in an intense Pokemon battle. What happened next, was a day and a half of Sabrina cleaning up a major mess, alongside numerous people trapped inside the Gym with no Pokemon that could use teleport.
"Hmmm, I do remember a news story regarding something along those lines once." Challenging Gyms has always been a step towards conquering the league, so Cheren was well informed on topics regarding it. News from other regions regularly circulated to Unova when a big incident happened, so he would keep tabs on them just in case he wanted to travel internationally.
"Yo, we're back" Cutting off anymore conversation, Silver appeared with Black, both of them appearing stealthily in front of the group, sending a shiver down everyone's spines.
"H-how are you two this quiet?" One moment they were missing, the other, they were there. Bianca never felt their presence, not even her partner Tepig had detected the two approaching.
"Can't help it, it's just how I move." Black took his seat next to Cheren, cramming down the cold food that was left on the table.
"Next time, don't scare us like that." Cheren could feel his heart rate raise like he had experienced a sudden jumpscare.
"Welp, whatever, did you guys talk to Sabrina?"
Black picked out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket, with the well known celebrity's signature. A subtle scent of lily perfume wafts through the space, causing Tepig to sniff it curiously. Written in ink, in masterful penmanship, was Sabrina's signature.
"Huh, you actually did. Nice job!"
Strolling through the dark streets of Accumula, a quiet whistle could be heard. It traveled across an empty plain of what once was a lively street block during the day. Shops closed, lights dimmed, and not a person nor Pokemon could be seen wondering these lonely hours. It was as if the entire town had been sunk into a deep, slumbering blackness. Still, the whistle continued, its dream-like presence casting an eerie spell over the quiet dead of night.
"Pssst" A young man kneeled down to meet with an obsidian colored Pokemon in that stillness, its golden rings gleaming beautifully in the moonlight. A puddle of water mirroring its slender form against the backdrop of a pale moon, making it appear alien in nature.
"Umbra?" Umbreon's ears twitched, upon meeting up with its trainer.
"Did you see what they were up to, buddy?" its trainer gently stroked its silky fur.
Umbreon's crimson eyes lit up in a bright pinkish glow, using its psychic abilities to transfer its memories to the young man. Within a few seconds, he had recovered the information. Both a sense of surprise and amusement popped up on the man's face.
"Huh, didn't know they'd be hit with that. How he forged that signature afterwards is beyond me." Returning his Pokemon to its pokeball, the trainer stood up, meeting eyes with a stern face. Before him stood a sharp man in a long brown trench coat with an aged appearance.
"Ey, Looker, got a report for ya." Gold greeted his partner in crime, a wide grin on his face.
Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of town, Black sat on the roof of his hotel, holding a flash drive to the glowing white moon in the sky. Gray clouds passed above, but no matter how much it obscured the light, the small trinket would shine in the emptiness of this lonely Unovaian night.
For that day, a vital piece of data from Plasma headquarters had fallen into enemy hands. All thanks to a single pickpocket, in the chaos of the alleyway.
"Blue team, check!"
"Red team check!"
"Stage decor check!"
"And finally, a sizable gathering, check!" The sound of pen gliding across paper weaved into a coordinated melody against the backdrop of various teams at work. People in hood gray uniforms marched back and forth, carrying vital supplies for the oncoming events ahead. Bright blue banners decorated with a shield logo stretched far as the eye could see, mimicking the setups used for a summer festival, as local food vendors handed out goods at no expense to the growing populace.
Rosa sat with her oddly colored Servine at one of the tables, allocated to staff members for the event. Dressed in a silver Plasma uniform, she lowered her hood, revealing two flowing brown twintails that barely reached the ground. "What a lively morning Cleo! I wonder if we'll get even more turnout than last time?" She sipped from a chilled caramel latte, feeding her Pokemon some sweets from the table.
"Viinee!" Cleo the Servine chirped, munching down on the freshly baked donuts from a local shop. The owner, being a strong supporter of Plasma's noble cause, delivered them at no expense. Cakes, sandwiches, and various other goods lined the staff tables were donated in the name of Pokemon liberation.
"Testing, testing, one, two, three!" Another member of Plasma was currently adjusting the microphone, a sudden high pitched screech erupted from the equipment when his Woobat knocked over one of the speakers. Rosa covered her ears at the noise, seemingly having her hearing destroyed from the inside.
"Ferries! Turn that down!" A bespectacled girl next to Rosa shouted, currently flipping through a complicated set of checklists, "What if you damage the ears of Lord Ghetsis?"
"Oh come on, I've done this a thousand times-" Ferries groaned, turning back to the group at the table whose faces all paled, "What? What's that look?" Not aware of his current situation he saw Rosa gesture for him to turn around. For whatever reason, a sense of dread began to grow in his stomach as a looming presence overshadowed his own. Gingerly twisting his body around like a frightened animal, he let out a small yelp. Standing not too far away was their idol, their hero, the charismatic leader that would usher in a new age to their dark, corrupted world! Lord Ghetsis held one hand to his ear, a pained expression on his worn face.
"No need to worry, young man, all people make mistakes…" The old man sighed, gritting his teeth. In his hand, a dark glass of hot coffee.
"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me Lord Ghetsis!" Ferries dropped down on his knees.
"No, no, it's absolutely fine. In fact, I should congratulate you on a fine job you've done with our audio team. There hasn't been once in my speeches where the sound system has given in." Letting out a light chuckle, wisdom brimming in his voice, Ghetsis brought the young man up on his feet. Hearing those words of encouragement was enough to make Ferries's eyes sparkle, as if the kind man had granted him a new lease on life. His Woobat flew excited, spinning in the air, celebrating with its trainer.
"Thank you, Lord Ghetsis! I promise to try to live up to their expectations even harder next time!"
"I look forward to your contributions, Ferries. Now that you've finished your work, why not go enjoy the festivities? Young people like you should spend more time with your peers. Not cooped up in their work." Ghetsis stood up on stage, showing the Plasma grunt next to him the surrounding fanfare. Children, teens, and parents alike crowded the open park venue, along with their Pokemon in tow. Colorful balloons dotted across the sky in team Plasma's colors of blue, white, and gray. A Deerling played with a toddler holding a stick of cotton candy. A group of high school kids ate with their Pokemon at a burger stand, all of them free of their Pokeballs. Finally, a tall neck of a Hexorus stuck out from the crowd, giving a ride to a handicapped boy.
"If…if only we could live life this everyday." Ferries's eyes opened wide. Everywhere he looked, Pokemon were out in droves, out of those terrible, solitary confinement devices called Pokeballs. The entire festival had been free upon entry to all, fully being sponsored by Team Plasma. However, the only catch was that all who entered would have to let their Pokemon out of their Pokeballs for the event. It was an experience designed to immerse the audience in Plasma's world and ideals. A world without the fear of confinement. 'The right to look, and be equal'.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Ghetsis regally spoke into the mic, holding an air of importance. His booming voice halted all activities in the festival. Turning one from side to the other, surveying the crowd, he saw the faces of women, children, and grown men alike with childlike wonder in their eyes. "May I kindly have a word with all of you gathered here today…"
Silence filled the air.
"My name is Ghetsis! I have come here today, representing Team Plasma! For you see, there has been a great deal of unrest in my heart. It is burdened by a great ideal, an ideal that concerns the wellbeing of all Pokemon in the world!" Ghetsis raised his hand, touching his chest, his face in sorrow. "Pokemon liberation! I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokemon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is that really the truth?"
Captivated eyes glued their attention to the man on stage, the only man not locked in place by his transfixing words. They watched as he paced across the stage.
"Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans…" Ghetsis stopped his walk, "subject these wonderful creatures to our own selfish whims? When they are pushed around by the commands of their trainers, when they use their mysterious powers to our benefit, do we not consider their feelings? The state of their lives? That we take their abilities for granted? Yet, we rely on them in our everyday lives, but have we ever come to stop and consider what is natural and what is against nature itself?"
"He does have a point."
"Maybe…I should pull my weight more?"
"Seems a bit idealistic."
Murmurs spread across the audience, exchanging glances with one another across the venue.
"Pokemon were created in this world as holy forces of god, some controlling the weather, others becoming guardians of entire regions. So I ask you ladies and gentlemen, should we really be keeping these manifestations of mother nature confined to our own, small, selfish human whims? Power that could be used to greatly enhance the state of our world, yet many criminals have been drunk on their borrowed potential in the past. Fools such as Rocket, Aqua, Magma, and Galactic have all committed atrocities against nature itself! What's to say our society won't follow in their footsteps in the near future? So ladies and gentleman, I implore you to consider the liberation of our friends called Pokemon. We must liberate them from their Pokeballs, letting them go in the name of freedom, equality, and above all! Returning them to their natural lives on this wonderful green world we call earth!"
Bowing at the end of his speech, multiple claps rang out from the people of Unova. First, a few individuals cheered on the man, but others quickly followed until the entire festival had erupted in a celebratory glee, infecting every age group, and every trainer alike. An onslaught of liberated flying Pokemon flew over the area, gliding over the confetti being showered at the new freedom many of them had just earned. Everyone was up in a buzz, that is, until Ghetsis noticed a lone boy in the crowd, his twisted nature stood out from the rest. Dead eyes burning holes into the regal man on stage, as they gazed at one another. A lax, cold smile creeped up on the elderly man's features, his mask slipping just but for a few moments. Waving his pale hand at the boy, Ghetsis's grin grew, and grew, and grew, until it was an inhuman crescent slash across his face. Of course, no one noticed among the hysteric frenzy, but Black, who's entire being burned with malice.
"Gold! Gold! Tell me what's going on?! People are releasing their Pokemon in droves!" Looker shouted into his phone, horrified at the scene unfolding in the distance. In the past, when Plasma made their speeches, there were a few cases of Pokemon release, however today the number was highly unusual. Freed Pokemon flew in the sky in the hundreds, while more were escaping the confines of the park. Yet, the crowds did not mind, entrenched by the man up upon the stage, as if he were their new god.
"I don't know man. Some of the people here are acting a bit off." Gold saw once proud trainers releasing their entire teams, avoiding a stray Eelektross that was peacefully brushing past him. Its trainer waved goodbye happily, even knowing they were a semi-famous duo that aimed to tackle the Pokemon league.
"Goodbye!"
"I hope you live your life to your fullest, dear!
"I'll miss you and your baby!"
Songs of departure rang out from portions of the populace.
"Cheren! What are you doing?! Bianca, stop him!" Black grabbed his friend's hand, stopping him from smashing Snivy's Pokeball to pieces. His other hand prevented Bianca from doing the exact same thing. "Cheren, stop! Didn't you want to win the Pokemon league!? Snivy never was sad being with you!" Gripping the Pokeball with all his might, he finally separated it from his hand."Bianca! Weren't you the one who said you'd go on a journey no matter what!?"
"Didn't you hear what that man said? Pokemon are meant to live alongside us! Not for us!" Cheren desperately fought back, his determination to free Snivy was like a burning fire that threatened to consume his entire being. He didn't want his partner to suffer, what if humans were just selfish?!
"Let go, Black! Tepig should decide if they want to come with me!" Bianca murmured, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You should listen to your friends, you know?"
"Huh?" The three stopped fighting. A girl dressed in the Plasma uniform with brown twintails stepped into the crowd. Who all now gazed blankly at the commotion.
"Team Plasma works to better the world. We would really appreciate it if you let your friends do what they want." She continued, speaking robotically. Daggers from the people around them dove into the three. Women, children, elderly, all fell silent.
"Take one more step, and-!"
"And you'll do what? Denial your friends their rights?" The girl pressured Black, who reached in his bag for a single pokeball. Oshawott stood protectively by his side.
"Guys! This way! Hurry!" Without warning, a hand reached out from up above the heavens. Taking this chance, Black scooped up his friends, quickly jumping up on the ancient flying type.
"Skreeeeeee!" Gold scooped up the three from the center of the crowd onto his Aerodactyl, letting it out a gust of wind being climbing into the sky. Zooming through the air, they quickly departed from the area, flying for what seemed like forever.
"Ugh, that was scary." Gold cranked his neck, enjoying a light latte in the hospital's waiting room. "Ya want some?" He eyed the boy sitting next to him, an ominous aura surrounding him.
"I don't drink decaf."
"Whow! Figured out my secret huh?" Gold sipped from his brew. "So any ideas on what happened between that speech and that Ghetsis guy?"
Black thought about it, before speaking, "From my guesses, it's probably some type of charm attack. The way the crowd was behaving erratically to say the least, and that speech was nauseating to listen to too."
"Your friends said they don't remember the festival being chaotic at all. How weird. But what's strangerer is how they said they voluntarily wanted to release their Pokemon even now." Gold continued reading a printed report. "Vitals normal, mental states sound, no signs of irrational behavior. Hmmmm."
"It could be a suggestion of sorts? Hypnosis might be involved somehow too. Right now I have no concrete proof but that's my guess. All I know is that the emotions of the crowd were being manipulated somehow." Black's voice lowered, recalling that creepy smile from Ghetsis, as if he knew.
"So you're saying Plasma somehow used everyone's emotions against them? That speech did fire people up." Gold concluded based on his own observations.
"Yea."
"Still don't wanna join us?" Gold offered, reaching out a hand to the boy.
"No. I'll continue my journey with them. I made a promise after all." Black replied, staring blankly at the white brick on the wall. His voice is hollow, yet distant.
"If you say…so. Say, what's your dream anyway? You said your buddy Cheren wants to tackle the league and Bianca wanted to see the world back there, right?"
"..."
"Come on, you even made them a promise, yea? Tell this old man your hopes and dreams!" Gold pestered.
"Team Plasma."
"Huh?"
Black swayed his head to an unnatural angle, a dark hellfire burning in his eyes. An unnerving smile, so wide it was shaped like a crescent moon slashed across his "Crush Team Plasma, every last one of them"
"Yikes, which one of your parents did you inherit that grin from!?"
Author's Note: Since Reshuffle is a twist on the original BW plot, I figured adding Gold and Silver as supports would help Black out in the future. Black was correct in that Ghtesis was using some type of hypothesis in his speech. As for Cheren and Bianca, they're recovering from what happened but will have this double think aspect about them in the future where they will acknowledge that they wanted to release their Pokemon at the time but at the same time denial anything happened to them. They will act normal like usual otherwise. This is all due to Team Plasma's manipulative methods. Gold, just like Black is trying to stop Plasma but he's with Looker and Interpol. He has his own reasons for joining them. Thank you! And please review if you enjoy!