Last time, on Explorers of Prehistory...
Tyberius teleported Bonehead and Bessie away from a mysterious vessel, only to be captured seconds later by a mysterious force. Meanwhile, Team Berserker managed to save a Lopunny from drowning, but Chris the Blastoise went overboard with a massive wave as a result, and is now missing. Breaker the Tyranitar blames himself for this, and is now depressed. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Shadow decide that the best way to find out why so many islands are sinking is to consult the Gardevoir Guild.
What will happen next? Find out now!
And today's special thanks goes to Freackchaos666! Thanks for your awesome OCs!
Darkness fogged his vision. His head was buzzing, and his limbs felt heavy and useless. He could hear sounds, buzzing in his ear as he struggled to wake up. But he couldn't. All he could do was lay there, out cold and oblivious to the world.
He could hear voices now. Faint, but there.
"...Hmm... Him again..."
"...Keh-heh-heh... I always imagined he'd be... bigger..."
"...Cease with the leering, if you'd please. Hmm... Still out of it, I see. Oh, for heaven's sakes, Cyanide, rouse him!"
A blast of pain shot through mind. It felt like it tore his brain in two. His eyes shot open and he sat up, screaming in pain.
"Well now," a female voice said. "Finally awake, I see. You took your time."
Tyberius groaned in pain as he glared at his captors. A Genger with a massive, watermelon swallowing grin, the familiar and hate filled face of Tsa'aal, and the last was a new one. A female figure, completely wrapped in a dark cloak, sitting on a throne whilst looking down at him with bright eyes.
The Shadowed One.
Tyberius growled as he rose to his feet. He was in the Shadowed One's fortress, or at least one of them. The room was made from bricks and stone, and there were no windows or any furniture, except for a throne and a table with various maps and pens on it.
The Shadowed One smirked down at Tyberius. "Welcome back to the world of the living," she greeted. "I must say, I am so proud to be allowed to meet the famous explorer Tyberius."
"Can we get an autograph?" cackled the Genger.
Tsa'aal was never one for jokes, but even he could spare a smile for a moment like this.
Tyberius gritted his teeth as he raised his arm, readying a Psycho-Cut.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you..." the Shadowed One warned. "I might get cranky if you start to throw things at me. Besides, we have you outnumbered, and trapped in enemy territory to boot." The Shadowed One smirked under her hood. "Checkmate. Now, are you going to hear what I have to say, or are you going to die horribly?"
"Either one works for us!" the Gengar said.
"Indeed," the Shadowed One agreed. "So?"
Tyberius lowered his blade, slowly, but kept at the ready.
"Good," the Shadowed One said. "Now, I believe introductions are in order. I am..."
"I know who you are," Tyberius cut in. "All of you." He jabbed a finger at the woman. "You're the Shadowed One. The criminal mastermind."
"Well, I'm pleased to see my reputation preceeds me!" said the Shadowed One.
"You're Tsa'aal," said Tyberius looking at the Kabutops harshly. "Wanted for murder, theft, and escaping Lava Ridge Prison."
Tsa'aal nodded, folding his arms.
Tyberius glared at the grinning Genger. "And you're Cyanide, also wanted for murder, torture, theft, and escaping custody."
"Well, you've done your homework!" cackled Cyanide.
Murder, torture, theft and escaping custody were the nice ways of putting Cyanide's criminal history. The Genger was a sadist who loved to torture Pokemon, particularly small, weak Pokemon, by using his Dream Eater to shatter their minds. Cyanide was notorious on the mainland. The Dragonite Empire had outlawed the death penalty long ago, but they were considering making an exception, should they ever catch Cyanide again.
"What do you want?" Tyberius hissed.
The Shadowed One waved her hand. A pair of Anorith appeared, with a bottle of Oran berry wine and a crystal glass. They quickly poured a glass and handed it to her. She took a sip before adressing Tyberius, holding the goblet in her gloved hand. "Well, to be honest, I want you. You see, Tyberius... the world is changing so quickly. Islands vanishing, Umbreon and Espeon at war, and general chaos all about. The world, to be perfectly honest, is going straight to the pit. It needs a leader. A strong leader." She smirked underneath her hood. "I nominate me."
Tyberius wasn't impressed. "So, you need me to vote for you?"
"No, of course not," said the Shadowed One, sipping her wine. "I know that no one would vote for me. So, I'm just going to do this the old-fashoned way."
"World domination?"
"Precisely."
"Ah." Tyberius raised his blade again. "So, what does this have to do with me?"
"It's quite simple," the Shadowed One said. "See, I've been raising an army - taking the best this planet has to offer in armed forces. After all, is the ruler of the world not worthy of an army at her disposal?" She sipped the wine again. "Besides, rebellions are so annoying. A massive army would do good in discouraging resistance."
"You plan on using fear," Tyberius said, simply.
"And an army," said the Shadowed One. "A really big army. So, I've been travelling the world, picking up the cream of the crop in fighters. Tsa'aal and Cyanide fit my criterea nicely."
Tyberius's blades glowed with a psychokenetic light. "That so? So tell me then, why did you sink Tiny Island?"
The Shadowed One blinked. "Well, how do you know it was me?"
"Your ship, right off the coast of an island right after it sinks? No way you wouldn't have something to do with it," said Tyberius coldly.
"Oh, all right," the Shadowed One huffed. "Yes, I am sort of responsible for sinking that wee little island."
Tyberius glowered at the woman. "Why?" he demanded. "Why would you do something like that?"
"Why not?" the Shadowed One replied. "Don't tell me you cared about that island, did you? Only about a hundred intelligent Pokemon lived there. A paltry sum, don't you agree?" She looked at Tyberius curiously. "Though that does raise a question of my own: why would such a famed explorer hang about a small, puny island like that?"
Tyberius gritted his teeth.
"Oh, that's right!" the Shadowed One said. "You're not an hero anymore, are you? You're a wanderer, spending his life wandering about the wastes of the world, with no goal, no friends, and no future." She folded her arms. "How sad. How the mighty have fallen, eh?"
"What I do with my life is my own business," said Tyberius.
"Oh, I never said it wasn't," the Shadowed One said. "You're free to live your life how you want to."
"Even if your life sucks!" cackled Cyanide.
"But, before we let you go back to wandering aimlessly, I have a proposition for you," the Shadowed One offered. "Are you interested?"
"What kind of proposition?" asked Tyberius.
"The kind that lets you live for another day," Tsa'aal said coldly.
"Now, now, Tsa'aal!" said the Shadowed One. "That's no way to speak to a guest!" She turned back to Tyberius. "Forgive him - he seems to hate you... Come to think of it, he seems to hate everyone!" She burst into a fit of giggles, before returning to normal in a flash. "Anyways, about my proposition..."
Bipolar much? thought Tyberius.
"I heard that thought," the Shadowed One said. "Now, as I was saying, I've been collecting the best of the best, and you fit the quota. So, how about it? Would you like to join up with me?" She waved her hand, and in a bright flash a pile of various jewels appeared in front of Tyberius. "I could make it worth your while... I could even stop sinking islands, if it bothers you so much."
Tyberius looked down into the pile. There was enought treasure in there to buy a fleet of ships.
"Well?" asked the Shadowed One.
Tyberius's eyes flashed. "Psycho Cut!" he shouted, swining his blade. It struck Cyanide, knocking the Gengar over with a surprised "Keh?"
Tsa'aal took off like a shot, shooting for the Gallade with blades at the ready.
Tyberius kicked at the pile of gems, striking the Kabutops with a shower of stones. He quickly cut at Tyberius, shouting "Leaf Blade!" striking the criminal and knocking him into the wall, unwittingly handing him his second gem related defeat.
Tyberius took off at the speed of sound, straight for the Shadowed One, his arms crossed and ready to deliver a powerful strike.
The Shadowed One raised her gloved hand, and Tyberius froze, immobile in the air.
"Wha...?" Tyberius said.
The Shadowed One gave a flick with her fingers, sending the mentally suspended flying. He struck the door to the room, smashing the stone gate to pieces. He didn't stop there, smashing through one, two, three, four and finally five stone walls before smashing into a metal one.
Tyberius gave a gasp of pain as he slid to the floor.
The Shadowed One sighed, getting off her throne. "You try to be reasonable..." she muttered to herself. She looked down at her two minions. "After him?" she offered.
Tsa'aal stood up and followed Tyberius while Cyanide melted into the floor, cackling wildy.
Tyberius groaned as he stood up. The Shadowed One had tossed him through five walls - like he was nothing to her.
A pair of sharp hands grabbing his ankles pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see Cyanide, phasing through the floor and gripping his heels.
"Scald!"
A blast of steaming hot water struck Tyberius in the face, sending him to the ground.
Cyanide burst through the floor. "Dark Pulse!" he shouted, striking Tyberius with the dark waves of energy.
Tyberius hit the floor. Hard. he struggled to stand, blood trickling from his mouth.
"X-Scissor!" Tsa'aal shouted, striking the Gallade with a fierce blow. The Shiny Psychic Type hit the wall again, unable to take the hits.
Tsa'aal looked down distastefully at Tyberius. "Weakling."
"Takes one to know one!" Cyanide said, snidely.
"Oh, shut up."
Tyberius groaned as he stood up, but Tsa'aal's foot came down, pinning him to the ground.
"Allow me to ease your suffering," Tsa'aal said, quietly. "X-Sciss-!"
"That's enough, Tsa'aal."
The Shadowed One walked up, passing Cyanide. "I think you've softened him up enough."
Tyberius coughed in pain, as he struggled to stand.
"My, my, taken quite the beating, have we?" asked the Shadowed One. "I could make all that pain go away, if you'd like."
Tyberius glared up at her. "Go to the pit..."
The Shadowed One's eyes narrowed. "Quite the mouth, on this one," she muttered. "I think I'll be able to fix than, once I've cut out your tongue."
Tyberius finally managed to stand up, groaning as he did. Before he could do a thing, the Shadowed One grabbed him by the throat and held him against the wall.
"Well, it was nice to have you, while you lasted," she said. "Cyanide... He's all yours." She tossed the Gallade to the Gengar.
Cyanide slipped towards Tyberius, giggling evilly. "So, how are we gonna do this?" he asked. "The painful way or the torturous way?" He paused in thought before deciding, "Both it is!" With a grunt, his eyes began to glow bright red, mental energy leaping from him and striking Tyberius in the head.
Tyberius screamed in pain, grabbing his head in agony as the mental assualt. He bit his lips as the attack continued. He couldn't scream. He couldn't give into the torture.
"Oh, he's playing hardball," Cyanide said. "Perfect. I love to break a hard target."
Tyberius gritted his teeth as the Gengar's torture continued. Teleport... Teleport... Teleport...
"AUGH!" Tyberius screamed, letting a cry of pain free.
"Oh, did that hurt? How about.. THIS?"
"AUUUUUUGH!" Tyberius said, blood begining to rapidly pour from his mouth. Teleport... Teleport... Teleport...
"Almost cracked through your brain..." muttered Cyanide, grinning. "First I crack the shell, then I crack the nut inside!"
"Make it fast, please," said the Shadowed One. "I have a schedule to keep."
Tyberius's screaming reached its highest note. The air was filled with a cry of agony. No stopping for breath, no chance to speak. The most white hot pain he had ever felt ever captured in a single scream.
"Almost there..." Cyanide cackled.
Tyberius's eyes glowed brightly with psychokinetic energy. "TELEPORT!" he roared.
The entire room flashed brightly, blinding everyone in it.
"What the devil?" shouted the Shadowed One, angrily.
Tyberius was gone.
The Shiny Gallade had vanished, teleported away.
"He knows Teleport?" snapped the Shadowed One.
Cyanide shrugged. "I guess so..."
The Shadowed One raised her hand and blasted the Gengar with a bolt of Dark Pulse, sending him to the floor, writhing in pain and still cackling.
The Shadowed One scowled. "Idiot..." she muttered.
Tsa'aal folded his arms. "No need to throw a fit."
"Yes, there is a need to 'throw a fit'!" snapped the Shadowed One, angrily. "I just lost a perfectly good choice for a soldier! He was a great explorer, you know!"
Tsa'aal rolled his eyes. The Shadowed One was a brilliant strategist and a mastermind, but when she didn't get her way, she became like a whiny child who hadn't gotten a toy.
The Shadowed One stalked back to her room, leaving Cyanide lying on the ground. "I am going to sit quietly and drink my wine..." she said. "AND I HAD BETTER NOT BE DISTURBED UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT!" she shrieked, startling both Tsa'aal and the Gengar.
She is bipolar...
"Tsa'aal! I heard that thought!" She opened the door to her chamber. "AND FIX THOSE WALLS!"
She slammed the door shut, leaving her two henchmen confused, weirded out, and frightened at the same time.
Miles away from the Shadowed One, Tsa'aal, Cyanide and Tyberius, there was a small beach, covered in sand and shells. It wasn't just any beach, though.
It was the beach of the mainland.
It was roughly midnight. The sky was dark, the wind gently blew a light sea breeze, and waves slowly moved towards the shore, salty water washing over the beach. The air was almost silent. The Wingull and Krabby had gone to sleep, and everyone in the nearby town was asleep as well. All was calm and peaceful.
Which means, of course, something is about to shatter the peace.
There was a bright violet flash in the air. A crackle of electricity began to ripple as two shapes took form, their atoms reassembling at the speed of light. Finally, with a flash, two forms fell to the shore.
Bonehead gave a gasp of surprise and weakness as she hit the sand. Her mind was filled with confused and frightened thoughts. Where are we? Where's Tyberius? Is he okay? What happened at Tiny Island? Why did it sink? What's going?
The Cubone turned to Bessie. The Buneary was on her knees and hands, panting for breath. She looked weak, and tired. Just like Bonehead. Neither one could stand up. Every limb in their body felt like it weighed a ton. Bessie began to speak... or she tried to. She couldn't get the words out of her mouth. She turned to Bonehead and mouthed something.
"Wha...?" Bonehead gasped.
Bessie tried to speak again, but she couldn't. She was too tired. With a sigh, she collapsed into the sand.
Bonehead's eyes felt heavy. She couldn't help closing them. Within seconds, she joined Bessie in dreamland.
Hopefully, the two were dreaming of happier times.
It didn't take long for the morning to come. The sun rose into the sky, shining down into the sea. Wingull flew overhead, cawing as they searched for food. The wind blew gently on the shore, and the waves came up and down, leaving a trail of wet sand in its wake.
Bessie and Bonehead lay on the shore. Bonehead was soaked to the skin, and Bessie's fur was coated with sand and salt water.
Poke. Poke. Poke.
Bonehead's eyes slowly opened. Her lids felt heavy, and she was tired.
A small Ralts, holding a shovel in one hand and a pail made of a coconut shell with a rope running through it.
"Hi," the Ralts said, looking down at the Cubone.
Bonehead tried to speak, but her mouth was too dry.
"Are you okay?" asked the Ralts. "You look sick."
"Hah..." Bonehead gasped, raising her hand.
"My Dad is a doctor, if you're sick," the Ralts girl said. "You want me to go get him?"
"Yes, please!" Bonehead wanted to say. But all she could manage was "Yaaaaaah..."
The Ralts nodded. "Dad!" she shouted, standing up. "Hey! Dad!" She ran off, leaving Bonehead and Bessie alone.
Bessie's eyes slowly opened. "Bonehead..." she said, looking at the Cubone.
"Haaah..." Bonehead gasped out. Her throat was so dry.
"Are... You...?" Bessie gasped.
"Oh... My."
A sudden male voice surprised the girls. They turned to see the Ralts had returned, along with a tall Mismagius. The inky colored Ghost Type looked down at the two girls. "Are you two okay?" he asked.
"...Help..." Bessie mutttered, before collapsing in the sand again.
The Mismagius quickly scooped the Buneary up. "Oh, dear," he muttered.
"I told you they were sick!" the Ralts said.
The Mismagius nodded, picking up Bonehead as well. "Thank you, Kala, I'll take it from here."
Bonehead wanted to say something - anything - but she never got the chance. Within seconds, she dropped off again.
"..."
"..."
"...Hello?"
Bessie's eyes slowly opened.
She was lying on a mat, in a dark room, lit by a single candle. She could sea the sun setting outside, slowly dipping into the sea. Bonehead was on the mat next to her, also waking up from their rest.
Bessie's throat felt bone dry. Her fur itched with salt.
"Are you okay?"
Bessie turned, remembering the Mismagius. The Ghost Type was standing at the foot of the bed, a pitcher of water in his hands. "Are you okay?" he repeated. "Can you understand me?"
"I... I'm... thirsty," Bessie said.
The Mismagius nodded, pouring some water into a coconut shell that served as a cup. He offered it to Bessie.
Bessie grabbed the clay pitcher from his hands, drinking from it. Rude? Yes. But the water felt great. It washed over the dryness of her mouth, and her tongue felt moist again.
She gave the Mismagius the pitcher back, with an apoligetic look. "Sorry," she said.
"Not a problem," the Mismagius said. "Kala is out fetching more. Now, can you tell me your name?"
"Yeah..." Bessie said. "I'm Bessie, Bessie Buneary. And this is my friend, Bonehead the Cubone."
"Good, good," the Mismagius said. "You don't have amnesia."
"Amnesia?" Bessie asked, confused.
"Sorry, standard procedure," said the Mismagius. "Can you remember what ship you were on?"
"Ship?" Bessie frowned. "I wasn't on a ship."
"Are you certain?" asked the Mismagius. He looked at Bonehead. "You were on a ship, right?" he asked.
Bonehead shook her head no. "No..." she coughed out, her throat still dry as a desert.
"Hmm..." The Mismagius frowned. "Where did you come from then? And why did you wash up on the shore?"
"We were on Tiny Island!" Bessie explained. "It just sank into the ocean!"
"Pardon?" the Mismagius said. "An entire island - just sinking into the sea?" He looked at Bessie closely. "You're certain that you weren't on a boat?"
"I am!" Bessie said. "We were on Tiny Island!"
"Tiny Island is several dozen miles away from here," the Mismagius said. "How could you have-?"
"Dad! I got the water!"
The Ralts walked into the room, another pitcher of water in her hands. "Hey, you're awake!" she said, handing the pitcher to her father.
"Yes, they are," the Mismagius said. "I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Duro, and this is my daughter, Kala. I'm this village's doctor."
"Nice to meet you," said Bessie as Bonehead gulped down a whole pitcher of water herself. "Wehere are we?" she asked.
"You're in Shelder Town," said Duro. "On the mainland."
"The mainland?" gasped Bessie.
"How did we get here?" Bonehead said, finally able to speak. "We were miles away!"
"That's what I'd like to know..." Duro said.
"Are they gonna be okay, Dad?" asked Kala, looking up at her father.
"Yes, probably," said Duro. "Why don't you two girls stay the night in the infermery?" he asked. "I need to go check something in town real quick."
"Well..." Bessie said. "We don't have anywhere else to go..."
"Good," Duro said. "I'm going to see if I can find any information about you and your families."
"Family?" Bessie said. "...Family..." Her eyes widened. "Did you find a Lopunny?" she asked, desprately.
Duro blinked. "I'm afraid not..." he said.
Bessie's blinked. Tears began to leak from her eyes. "Mom..." she said.
"Oh no..." Bonehead said. "You don't think...?"
Bessie did think. The Buneary put her hands to her face, and began to weep.
Well, I made it! Sorry if this update is a little short. I was planning on adding some new OCs, but they came in a bit late. Next time you'll see them, along with a long, long awaited OC made by Csigamer! So stick around!
Anyways, I still need some OCs. Only one person submitted a shopkeeper, and the owner of the two OCs I wanted to use for the juice bar owners said he didn't want them to do that, which is perfectly fine. So, I need shopkeepers more than anything else! I also want a team of snobbish explorers to be a rival of other teams when they join the guild! And a juice bar owner! So, submit please!
Thanks for reading! Please review!