DISCLAIMER: SLYBILL DOESN'T OWN POKEMON. ELSE, CHAMPIONS WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A GARCHOMP! (DAMN YOU, CYNTHIA!)
Icirrus City, Unova Region.
Scarlet paced up and down the kerb, stopping only to re-wind the scarf on his neck. Icirrus was cold even at this time of the year though that was pretty understandable considering the city's location on the map.
"Something up, Ginger?" White asked, coming out of the changing room. Wearing her hair in long pigtails now, she tugged on her new black-instead-of-the-usual-white top.
"What's with the new look?"
The girl looked down at her clothes before snapping her fingers. "You'll never believe it but I actually had ten identical pairs of my old clothes. Guess after a while, I needed some change."
"Ten...pairs," he echoed, mildly surprised. "Are you some kind of anime character?"
White struck an action pose. "White Rock Shooter!" she exclaimed and laughed at her companion's expression before stretching. "Actually, you've changed too."
Scarlet pouted and turned his head up. "How so?"
Extending a hand, she gave his now mid-length hair a tug. "For starters, you need a haircut. Next, you smile more often. Then, you ditched the contacts and finally, you've gotten a whole lot kinder."
"Kinder...?" he asked, raising an eyebrow before looking at Jolteon. The latter shrugged and Scarlet realised what she meant. "Oh, you mean Hale? Don't get me wrong, White. I just need him for something."
"Righty right, Tsun-chan," she said, nodding sarcastically like a sage. Walking forward, she strolled down the road before stopping at a nearby bench in a quiet park. Eyeing the couple strolling a good distance away, she smiled before looking up to the gray skies. A few Swanna flew past in V-formation, probably migrating to much warmer climates. Summer was passing and the rainy autumn was fast approaching, making her shiver with excitement. The Pokémon League would be open for challengers in two months time and she couldn't wait, knowing she had only two more badges to go.
"Two more badges," she whispered, a thought suddenly dawning on her. Contrary to all beliefs, White had actually done a lot of thinking lately and after seeing how successful she had been so far with Scarlet, her mind had come to one conclusion.
"Scarlet," she said aloud. The boy behind her rolled his eyes.
"You only call me my real name whenever you need something from me, so what is it this time?"
She cast him a brief glance before looking at the bandage peeking out from his open collar. Putting her hands on her lap, she smiled.
"I want you to be honest...what do you want Reshiram for?"
She couldn't see him, but she felt him freeze and shuffle his feet.
"So you finally remembered to ask that question," he huffed before looking at his feet. "It's because..." Because what? Now that I know it's Team Plasma hiring me, what's the point? Would they need me for that thing again? "...because..." Mr.P didn't say he'd need a sacrifice, did he? Am I even eligible for their so-called sacrifice or have they found someone else? "...because I..." I could reconfirm. If I'm lucky, I'll probably run into a Plasma grunt or a Knight, then I can force an answer out of them. But to do that, I'll have to stick with White.
"Well?"
Scarlet looked at her calm face. The soft smile, the curious yellow eyes and that air of hopefulness around her. What should he do? The truth was absolutely out of the question. But if I continue with her...there's a high chance that she'll see me taking Reshiram...
Suddenly, Scarlet felt a lump in his throat. What would he do then? The image of him running a blade through her middle suddenly got too disturbing for him to consider. So was shooting her, strangling her, poisoning her and, heck, even having Jolteon run a fatally high voltage through her. But if she lived, she'd be miserable...emotionally scarred or worse...she might end up hating him. Why he was scared of this possibility, he couldn't guess. But he had a feeling he'd get torn if that happened. For try as he might, White's playful charm had snared his heart, and he couldn't escape. Scratch that, he didn't want to escape. It was faint, but the hole was filling up more and more and Scarlet didn't have to put Magnemite together to know that that was all White's doing.
"Scarlet?" White asked, seeing a single, solitary tear roll down his face. It might have been the raindrops, she thought. Scarlet didn't even look like he had realised it yet. Slowly, a smile spread across his face and he put his hands on her shoulder before drawing her into a hug.
"Seeing a legendary pokémon is my life's dream," he stated, eyes shadowed. "If I can just see Reshiram's beauty and add it to my memories, that's enough for me."
White was startled. "So you have a dream too?"
"Yeah," he replied, more tears escaping from his eyes. He could feel Jolteon's uneasy stare. "I do."
Inwardly, his previously-dying conscience screamed, kicked and fought at the above act. Scarlet shouldn't have felt this way. He knew White would be disappointed if she found out. He knew he couldn't take it back. Yet, he knew that it would fall apart sooner than later. Scarlet had lied. And he really and truly felt horrified for it. But what came next shocked him even more.
"I believe you, Scarlet." White patted his shoulder. "I'm changing our deal. Let's split."
Jolteon froze.
"After I've gotten my last gym badge," she added and both her companions let out the breath they'd been holding. Even then, Scarlet's heart still panged.
"Why...?"
White peeled herself off and poked his side playfully. "I've been thinking of stuff lately. And for some reason, I've got this really tiny voice that keeps saying it's my fault that you get hurt."
The ravenette's mouth fell open.
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" she added, putting her hands behind her and turning. "Because I was careless enough to get my pokémon stolen back in Castelia, you had to fight that awful Alphinia to get Emboar...and me...safely out of the building even though you clearly didn't want to."
Scarlet blinked.
"Then there was the train fight. Since I got you into that mess in Castelia, Team Plasma targeted us. You didn't like me very much, yet you battled a Garchomp and stopped a train just to save me, my pokémon and everyone else on the train."
Because you made me anyway, he chipped in mentally.
"And then you helped me out when we fought Alphinia and Joid. Even though we couldn't save Skyla..." she trailed off before turning back to face him with her ever innocent smile. "So I realised how slightly selfish my request and bang! That's when I decided to let you go. After we get my last badge. By then, I'll be strong enough to take the League Challenge on my own."
The hunter in Scarlet leapt for joy. He'd be free! He wouldn't have to run into any more weirdos or dangerous people and pokémon. However, a bigger part of him, the real Scarlet deep down, felt torn and slightly confused.
"White..." was all his whirling brain could spit out. His logical side took control again and he folded his arms. "Hmph. Do what you want. Only makes it easier."
"A-OK!" she replied before zooming off in an unknown direction. "Let's go find the gym!" And as Scarlet watched her go, only one thought dropped in his troubled mind.
I should have shot her back in Pinwheel.
Scarlet brushed shoulders with the blue-haired young man on the road.
"Sorry," he mumbled quickly before hurrying away, a Jolteon hot on his heels. The bluenette blinked before turning.
"He's got something on his mind," he stated.
His mind is in confusion, a voice echoed from within his head. And he seems to be drowning in turmoil.
"Oh really...?" he replied, earning a stare from the woman beside him. "Just what could be going on in that big head of his?"
"Excuse me?" the woman stuttered. Rain didn't seem to hear her as he continued to stare into space.
"The girl's causing it?" he asked and fell silent before nodding. "So it seems. The airhead does have some interesting qualities."
"Airhead?" she stammered taken aback...and taking offence.
"Although I wonder...how does she walk around with that big bust? And I'm surprised that she keeps them from swinging so much. What was that? She's wearing a bra-size smaller than she usually wears? Oh yeah, you can see through stuff-"
SLAP!
"Bloody Pervert!" the furious lady screamed and walked away holding her bust tightly. Unperturbed, the ranger folded his arms and stared at the cloudy horizon.
Shouldn't you get that checked? Latios asked, referring to the red mark on his partner's throbbing face. Shaking his head, Rain ran a hand down his cheek and smiled.
"This happens to me all the time." Expression going blank again, he continued in a low voice. "More importantly, we're being followed."
Hmph. I knew it, Latios hissed. But what for?
"I don't know...how many can you detect?"
The area was silent before Latios voice rang through his head again.
3...that's about the amount of malicious intent towards us.
"What do we do? Catch one and ask?"
No...fighting them here would be hazardous to the civilians here. I suggest we go to a more secluded area.
The tree beside Rain ruffled.
"That won't be needed," he stated as a shape came down unto its visible branches. His brick-red eyes could make out a man with waist-length white hair dressed strangely like a ninja. "How do you move around in this cold with light clothing like that, Mr Shadow Triad Member?"
"Top Ranger Rain," he replied, as expressionless as the young man below him. "You are hereby invited to the Red Moon Ball, held at Lacunosa Town at the end of this month." With a flick of the wrist, a card extended from his hand.
"Wow," Rain whistled. "Thought only big shots came to the ball. Besides, what makes you think I'll accept that from a shady character like you?"
The ninja paused for a second before raising the card. "Your questions shall be answered there."
Silence reigned for the next few seconds with the men staring hard at each other.
Slowly, Rain felt a pat on his shoulder.
Take it, Latios said. It might be a trap...but we'll take the risk...and I foresaw an outcome that wouldn't affect us in anyway...yet...
Shrugging, Rain took the card and inspected it. A single word. S.
"I'm guessing you won't tell me what this means," he sighed. The Shadow Triad member only stepped back and disappeared into the rain. Before he did however, he muttered one thing.
"You will be there, sir. Fate shall pull you to it whether you like it or not."
...
Latios froze.
Rain! He hissed. There's madness in the air!
"About time," he replied and shook the water out of his face. "Looks like my intel was right. Their leader has come out for a stroll down memory lane."
"Brycen!" White called, happily tackling the unsuspecting gym leader during his meditation. Scarlet sweatdropped as blood spewed from the blue-haired man's lips thanks to her crushing hug.
"W-White-san!" he coughed. "Still got that Beartic hug I thought you!"
Releasing her hold on him, she nodded enthusiastically. Brycen took some time to catch his breath before giving the girl a once over.
"How you've grown," he said solemnly. "And seeing as I'm the 7th gym leader, I take it that you're also quite the battler."
"Yup! My pokémon are super tough and you'll be blown over by how much I've learned!" she declared. Scarlet stayed silent the whole time they were chatting, looking the man up and down. To the hunter, he was probably another weirdo judging by his mode of dress and the mask on his face. When he was younger, Scarlet would see him on TV, doing some action movies, most of which didn't appeal to the boy as he hated karate flicks.
"Also, how is that Beartic?" Brycen chipped in, making Scarlet raise his head.
"Well, Black said I shouldn't use it until I'm strong enough," White replied, pulling out the pokéball. "He did say you'd have a message for me when I reached you."
Brycen nodded. "That is true. A while before he passed away, he came to me and requested for my youngest pokémon. He wanted it as a present of sorts to you."
"And that's this big guy?" she cooed.
"Yes. He trained it a little, in case you needed a bodyguard. Then he told you not to use it until you reach a certain level of strength. In other words, I, Brycen, am that test. That's what he said."
"So I'll have to beat you to get Beartic?"
Brycen nodded again. "With three of your pokémon. And not just any three."
White smiled. She knew Brycen to be quite the stern teacher that he was. Way back when, she used to play-train with the gym leader, doing some of his mildly outrageous, and sometimes harsh, tasks. A good reason for her hardy nature.
"One advantaged pokémon, one disadvantaged pokémon and the very Beartic you sought to obtain fully."
Scarlet pouted. That was two disadvantaged types against his pokémon. And from what he had heard, Brycen was no easy feat to topple. Depsite that, his companion nodded.
"I'm getting fired up!" she declared with that look of determination in her eyes. "Let's battle now!"
"Of course," he replied before gesturing to the ravenette and his Jolteon behind her. "But at least try and remember to introduce your friends."
"Oh!" She rubbed her head goofily. "This is Scarlet, my training coach. And that's his Jolteon."
Unknowingly, the man found himself thinking of another Jolteon belonging to the late champion. Casting it off as the general similarity between all Jolteon, he extended a hand to Scarlet.
"Good to meet you, Scarlet-san," he stated.
"Likewise," the boy mumbled and slowly grasped the hand. It was faint, but he felt Brycen flinch at his touch.
"So...cold," he muttered. Suddenly, a wave of danger washed over him and he sharply withdrew his hand to Scarlet's surprise. "Sorry," he stated, rather quickly before taking White by the shoulder and whispering into her ear. "There's an air of danger around the boy. He has not harmed you in any way...has he?"
"No," she replied, tilting her head. "Why d'you ask, Bryce?"
Sighing in relief, he stood upright again. "Just wanted to know. However, I feel the need to be much more wary around him."
White blinked. "Scarly? Oh don't worry. He can be a bit of a baldy but he's okay if he likes you."
"I don't like people," Scarlet cut in sharply and steered White towards the gym behind them. "Excuse us, Brycen, but we need to work on a battle strategy for her match."
"Take your time," the man replied and watched them go before his expression went dangerous. "Cryogonal, Rapid Spin!" he suddenly ordered and from behind him, a blue blur sped past and sliced the nearby tree in half. Dashing over to the stump, Brycen grit his teeth as his eyes caught sight of one object on the ground. A clump of white hair. Behind him, a giant, diamond shaped ice-type pokémon resembling a snowflake floated back and hummed loudly.
"Yes, it does look familiar," he replied and his hands unconsciously clenched. "I should've dealt with those three years ago." Sighing, he sat on the stump and stared at his hand, the one he had used to shake Scarlet's. It was still trembling like crazy, a very bad sign for him. Only one other person could make this happen, and Brycen didn't want to remember that mass of grey-green hair framing that one red eye.
"I'll probably ask for his background later," he said to himself, jumping off the stump and beckoning to Cryogonal. "Come Cryogonal. We have a battle to attend."
Driftveil City, Unova Region.
N sat himself down on the park bench and tore off his mask before stuffing it into his trenchcoat. Panting heavily, he looked to and fro, ignoring the various glances from passers-by who were hurrying out of the rain. Zoroark brushed the hair clinging to her master's face.
You need to rest, she advised calmly. You've been going at this fruitless task for weeks now and your body can't take any more stress.
"Fruitless?" he echoed and chuckled lightly. "I wouldn't say that." Raising a finger, he pointed to the building on the hill a good distance away. "Anthea and Concordia...they should still be there."
Zoroark wrinkled her nose in doubt. Hopefully, it's not a trap of some sort. Shall I check?
N looked up and saw himself standing beside him, waiting for the word.
"Okay...but be careful. And I'll be close behind," he replied with a nod. Echoing the action, Zoroark strolled out of the park and down the stone walkway towards the building.
5 minutes later...
Zoroark stood at the doorway looking apprehensive and slightly pale at the scene before her. The walls had been bashed in with bits and pieces of debris lying on the cracked floorboards. Tracing her human fingers on the tell-tale splashes of dried blood smeared on the table, she shuddered to think of what would have happened here.
"What...happened here?" her master muttered, stepping in through the window. "Anthea! Concordia!" he called, frowning as only his voice came back to answer him. "Where are they...?"
"Taken, most probably."
Eyes widening, the greenette spun and called out, "Night Slash!"
In the blink of an eye, Zoroark had transformed back into her original form and was already speeding towards the source of the unknown voice with her claws glowing dark blue. The wall blew apart as her fist connected with the source behind it. Slowly, the smoke cleared and N rose an eyebrow as a big, golden dragon reared its head and looked down defiantly on the claws scraping its side.
"Haxorus?" he mumbled before rolling his eyes as his mind slowly recognised the chip in its right tusk. Only one person owned that one...and unfortunately-
PUNCH!
Cheren smugly rubbed his left fist on his dress shirt and looked down on the comically twitching form of his once arch-enemy.
"Yo, N. I've been meaning to do that for a long, long time," he growled with that angry smile on his face. "You didn't come for Black's funeral, you didn't come for my wedding and worse, you didn't come for Skyla's funeral either. What do you have to say for yourself and please keep in mind that the question of whether or not my ring hand ends up in your face depends on your next statement."
"Uh...congratulations," the whirling man spluttered and grunted as Cheren's left knocked the top of his head lightly.
"Weirdo," he muttered, helping the greenette to his feet. "You're just lucky I'm saving my right for Skyla's killer."
"O-Kay..." N remarked before picking up his mask. "What're you doing here, Cheren?"
"Well, I heard that Team Plasma had raided some parts of Driftveil about a week ago while Clay was out on a business trip. I came to investigate on orders from the League and after a while, someone told me that this place had the most number of grunts in it. Knowing what kind of occupants stayed here, I rushed over as fast as I could. You?"
"I came...to meet my sisters..." N replied sadly. "But I can't find them anywhere. Did they escape...? Or were they..."
Haxorus' long neck stretched through the doorway and it gave a throaty rumble before beckoning Cheren over. Nodding, Cheren walked past jutting floorboards until he reached a wall, covered with several bits of furniture and a ripped curtain.
"You saw something?" he asked before squinting as something gleamed stubbornly. Clearing away the materials, he took hold of the curtain before giving it a sharp tug, ripping it all off the wall. What he saw made the soft material fall from his trembling hand. Grey eyes widening, he scanned the sight before him before saying something. "N, you'd better take a look at this..."
A short stumble later, Zoroark and N entered the room cautiously.
"What is it, Cher-"
The words stopped flat in N's throat as he too stared wide-eyed at the sight before him.
It was a large portrait, with three young people in it consisting of a green haired boy standing behind two girls sitting beside each other, one with bubblegum-pink hair and the other with golden yellow hair. They were smiling, the kind of smile that any teen would've thrown if they had just come out of a long, long battle for freedom. Beside the boy, a Zoroark stood proudly while several baby pokémon dotted the feet of the girls. At first glance, one would've concluded that it was just your average happy family...had it not been for the blood smeared across the painting with two blood-stained daggers embedded into the girls' chest.
"Arceus..." N whispered, drawing closer to the desecrated painting.
"Looking closely, the blood forms a message," Cheren chipped in, stroking his restless dragon pokémon. N looked up slowly and he ground his teeth in anger.
WARPED CHILDREN CERTAINLY CANNOT FORM A HAPPY FAMILY. YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT, N. HOWEVER, IF YOU WISH TO SEE THEM AGAIN, READ THE MESSAGE PINNED TO THEIR HEARTS.
N looked down and removed the blade rooted in Anthea's image. An envelope was pinned to it.
"You are hereby invited to the Red Moon Ball that will be held at the end of this month. Be there. Father," Cheren read aloud, looking over N's shoulders to see the message. "Pretty obvious who sent this."
"Ghetsis..." was all the man could growl like poison. Turning it over, he saw a single letter engraved in its surface. S.
"So, what're you gonna do now?" Cheren asked as N pocketed the letter and took up his mask.
"That despicable being only wants me for Zekrom," he replied taking out a pokéball. "However, I also came back to Unova to convey a gift from Black"
Cheren cocked a brow. "Black left you a message? Scratch that, Black knew where you were all this time?"
N nodded and took out a book. "He said I should give it to his younger sister's closest friend."
Rubbing his chin, the ravenette's mind went back to a certain younger ravenette he knew.
"Wait, N!" he called, seeing as the greenette was ready to leave. "I don't know about friend...but White's been awfully close to a boy she's been travelling with. Does that count?"
"Maybe..." he replied, throwing open the door. "Where can I find them?"
Cheren pressed his forehead in thought. "They...should probably be in Icirrus City by now..."
"Icirrus. Got it!" N exclaimed, throwing out the pokéball in his hand. With a heavy crash that made Cheren jump in surprise, N's deep black, Dragon/electric type pokémon roared loudly and stretched his neck stiffly.
"Zekrom!" the Hero of Ideals called, making him lower his back for N and Zoroark to jump on. "Sorry for keeping you in for so long. For now, let's go to Icirrus!"
Roaring again, Zekrom's large tail began to spin, glowing blue with each moment and crackling with lightning. With a boom loud enough to outclass a Concord, the pokémon took off, leaving both Cheren and Haxorus coughing and spluttering in the mud and dust.
"That's why I hate that guy!" he screamed before wiping the mud from his tie. "Geez, to think I just got these dry-cleaned." Haxorus tapped his shoulder again and pointed to the ruined picture inside. There was still one dagger with an envelope rooted in Concordia's image. Taking it, the ravenette pulled open the letter, wondering why there were two of such items. What he saw however made his blood run cold.
You are hereby invited to the Red Moon Ball that will be held at the end of this month at Lacunosa Town.
P.S.
You shouldn't have let me escape when the Shadow Triad created an opening, Cheren. And I suggest you return to your wife and unborn child and check to see if they're unharmed. Enjoy them. Cherish them. And know that by the end of this month when your child is due, you shall not be there to see it...ever again.
G Harmonia.
"B-" Cheren stuttered, anger welling up in him. "Bastard!"
Recalling Haxorus, he pulled out his Unfezant and zoomed off in the pouring rain back to Aspertia City. The logical young man would've reasoned that he was risking serious pneumonia...but-
"Screw Logic!" he roared to himself. "If those bastards so much as touch my family, I'll have Zekrom forcefed with their insides!"
He didn't notice the S inscribed on the back of the card.
Icirrus City, Unova Region.
"Hey, did you hear?" one woman asked.
"Yeah, there were some weirdos dressed like knights at Dragonspiral Tower..." her friend replied as they hurried down the road. "You don't think it's Team Plasma...do you?"
"In this little town? No way!" the woman exclaimed. "But there was a rumour."
Her friend nodded. "I heard it too...that their king is here..."
Unknown to them, a teenager stopped dead in his tracks and let the bag of Hyper Potions in his arms drop.
"What was his name again..." he heard one of them say, snapping her slim fingers in thought.
"I don't know...but the kids playing around there said he had green hair coming down his helmet," the other one replied.
Suddenly, two hands gripped their shoulders making them jump in fright. They were even more startled by the crazed look on Scarlet's wet face.
"Where. Is. Dragonspiral. Tower?"
Dragonspiral Tower, Icirrus City, Unova Region.
Draco twirled his fedora and stared at the grunt before him. Both members of Team Plasma kept their eyes locked on each other with only the silence of the other grunts keeping them company. Sweat rolled down the grunt's face as Draco's crimson pools bored into his skull. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea accepting the knight's offer to a staring contest...especially if the loser had to give up a limb. Was he serious or was he just winding him up again? Either way, the grunt cursed as that stinging began to eat away at his blue eyes. Ten minutes was his limit and yet the dragon-human hybrid before him continued to stare like a deranged Gothita. Still. Silent. Creepy.
"BOO!" Draco suddenly exclaimed, catching the grunt off his guard and in the blink of an eye, Draco was happily chomping down on a bloodied finger (I probably forgot to mention it, but his taste palette changed for the worse when he got pumped full of dragon pokémon DNA).
"You said a limb!" the agonised grunt screamed while holding his now-incomplete hand.
"Hm? I thought I was being merciful..." he replied with a goofy chuckle. "Or does it really hurt more when you lose a finger?"
Had it not been for the sudden interruption by the grunt at the entrance below, the one facing Draco would've gladly sent his pokémon against him (a useless but nonetheless satisfactory attempt at revenge).
"Sir Draco!" his personal grunt called, coming up the stairs. "Two people are on their way to the tower. Shall we drive them off so that the king shall not be disturbed?"
Draco put on his fedora and smiled wildly, red eyes staring at the floor above him.
"Drive them off?" he echoed and the scene changed to the topmost floor. Sitting on one of the stone steps in between two broken pillars was the king himself, covered head to toe in a black cloak with a crown-shaped helmet over his brooding head.
"You can't even dream of doing that...given their current level. Not to mention Scarlet's fury..."
Ghetsis put up a hand and brushed the nearest pillar in thought. Sweet memories.
"The only one capable of taming a pawn's rage...is a king himself."
Author's Corner.
Slybill: Ghetsis Harmonia. Dapper, dangerous, dual-natured or just deranged? Either way, he's finally here. And we shall see just what awaits Scarlet when he confronts the very man who scripted his nightmarish past. BTW, what would you have done if you were in Scarlet's position at the first paragraph concerning White's question.
Preview: Scarlet and Rain take on Ghetsis. White begins her battle for Beartic's ownership. But what happens when you mix booster gloves, confused minds and a simple black dragon-pokemon's scale together?