Pain. Ears ringing. Darkness. This was all Emolga could feel, hear, and see. A hazy shroud of shadows casted over her world, covering the land around her. She didn't have the will to stir or awake from her slumber. She felt broken. She wanted to rest here for as long as she could, undisturbed by the forces that have plaguing her mind for the last week. How much time has really passed since she entered this forest? It was hard to say. The only passage of time she could recall was her internal clock, telling her when it is time to rest or not.
She wanted to push the thoughts out of her, as they are nothing more than fuel for the nightmares she'll endure in the future, but she tried to recall what had happened to leave her in this state. She remembered feeling happy, then worry, followed shortly after with rage, then finally ending in fear before everything went black.
The ground under her was hard and cold, but it wasn't enough to force her up. She wanted to lay here in the dark void, hoping the pain would go away. She could barely feel her arms. She felt weak. What happened after she was knocked out?
Brief images flashed through her mind. Her eyes were set on a…creature…plant of some kind. Vines extended from it and…she remembered feeling a painful jab in the back of her neck. Then, in the most painful way possible, she felt her strength being sapped away from her very core. She went in and out of multiple blackouts, she believed. How was she still alive? Unless she was dead and was waking up in the astral plane surrounded by spirits.
…no, she was still alive. If she wasn't, she wouldn't be feeling like she got ran over by a horde of Rhyhorn. Still, there wasn't any point in getting up. She was left there to tend to her thoughts.
One major concern sprouted out from her mind. If she had to go through that torturous process, the others did too. Krookodile, Scraggy…and Axew. Oh gosh…Axew was still weak from the poison. He may be cured, but there was no way he could endure that kind of pain. What has happened to him? She didn't want to open her eyes in fear of seeing his body sapped of life. She couldn't handle any more bad things in her life.
Who knows? With how everything went, the others probably aren't doing so well, either. They took some nasty hits before they were knocked out. Maybe she was the only one still alive. A grim thought that she didn't want to think about now or ever. She'll just rest here and try to block out anything until she gets her strength back, which could take days. Or might not even happen if she doesn't get something to eat.
Maybe the others will plan a rescue. Then again, she still wasn't sure of their current situation. She wasn't sure if they were still in the forest looking for Pikachu or them. She doubted they gave up and left. That isn't like them. But still…what are the chances of them being found?
She tried to go to sleep, but her plans were interrupted when something nudge her. It was round with a slightly rough texture. It felt like the skin of the berries they've been dining on. Was someone trying to feed her? Why would someone be feeding their captives if their plan is to let them rot?
Then again, the berry could be poisonous. A false sense of hope, then immediately followed with a twisted stomach, ending with permanent loss of consciousness. It probably wouldn't take long for the toxins to claim their next victim. Just feeling the berry touching her face sent pain up her body. Still, what did she have to lose by now?
She opened her mouth. The berry touched her lips, allowing her to take a light nibble off of it. She took a few minutes to chew, feeling her jaw ache from moving, before swallowing. If memory serves, it won't take long for the poison to kick in. A minute, at best. Of course, with her so weak, it might be quicker. She sealed her fate accepting that berry.
She waited and waited for more pain to course through her body. She wouldn't be surprised or shocked. What would surprise her though is if it wasn't poison.
…it wasn't poisoned.
She couldn't explain why, but she didn't feel any pain. The only discomfort she got was the burnt taste and chewing it….wait, burnt taste? Why was the berry cooked? They only did that to avoid the possibility of being poisoned. That meant, either a Darkmon was playing a sick trick on her or there was savior feeding her. But…who?
She attempted to open her eyes, which were still in a too drowsy state to fly open. Whoever was feeding her most of noticed this and placed their hands down on them.
"Shh…don't work yourself up. You're really weak right now."
She couldn't place the voice due to her hearing still being out of whack. She followed the creature's advice and let him continue to feed her until she regained some energy. It was nice to know there was someone helping her. After the week, it was a refreshing change in routine.
She finally managed to down the entire berry, letting the burnt, sour, yet welcoming taste of the berry slide down her throat. She could already feel it restoring some of her motor functions. The pain around her became dull and numb. She could move without feeling sharp pains.
She weakly attempted to get up, leading her savior to wrap his arms under her back and push her up into a sitting position. "Try and take it easy. You'll be alright."
She peeked from her eyelids. It didn't take long for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light, since that's all she could see here. "I…I…" She swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from falling back down. "Thank you…"
The creature rubbed her shoulder. "You're welcome."
She held her head. "Where…am I?"
"Some sort of wooden prison. I tried breaking out, but it seems to be reinforced. I couldn't blast my way out."
"So you're trapped in here with us?"
"Uh…yeah."
She sighed. So much for a rescue. Then again, she should have figured considering how close this guy is. "How are my friends doing?"
"Krookodile and Scraggy are fine. I managed to snag some food from one of the Darkmon when they passed by."
Emolga narrowed her closed eyes. Just Krookodile and Scraggy? "What about Axew?"
She could hear the confusion in his voice. "Pardon?"
"A tiny dragon around my height." Her eyes opened up, reflecting fear in them. "Oh no…is he okay?!" she asked, her voice slightly raising in worry.
Her savior didn't respond immediately, bringing more fear to her. What if something horrible happened to Axew? She wasn't sure how long she was out. Maybe a Darkmon took him while they were unconscious. What if they were torturing him?!
Her eyes widened when she heard the creature next to her chuckling. "Oh, I see what's wrong here."
She growled, teeth clenched tightly together. She reached out and gripped the creature tightly by the arm. "Do you think this is funny?!"
His voice filled with panic. "N-No! I mean…Emolga, calm down! Axew is fine! Open your eyes!"
As her hearing adjusted, the voice became recognizable. Her eyes restlessly fluttered open, staring into the eyes of the one who helped her. She smiled upon seeing who it was. She was in shock, yet relief.
"Axew…"
The dragon smiled at her. "Hey Emolga."
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him closely. "Oh Arceus, I was so worried about you!"
He hugged back. "It's okay, I'm fine."
She could feel tears forming in her eyes, slowly dripping down her cheeks. He doesn't know how happy she is to hear his voice after so long. He went in and out of sleep so much that she could never hear his sweet, innocent voice. Only the pained grunts that would occasionally escape his mouth.
"I can't believe you're alright."
He chuckled sheepishly. "Hey, I can handle myself just fine. Though, perhaps I shouldn't have been so hasty with eating that berry."
Even after what he went through, he still had his positive nature. She narrowed her eyes. "You are the real Axew, right? This isn't some mind game?" She had to be sure. Something about this seemed strange to her. Axew seemed…healthier than she last remembered.
He gestured around their prison. Krookodile and Scraggy laid there, unconscious but alright. There wasn't a second Axew laying around anywhere in sight. "I can assure you, I'm the real thing."
She sighed. "That's good." She rubbed her neck, still feel the sharp pain in it. "Ugh…what happened?"
"A lot, actually." He sat back, supporting himself on his hands. "You all have been out for a while. I wasn't sure for how long, though. Maybe…a couple days, at best."
"D-Days? We've been out for that long?!" She was absolutely flabbergasted.
He shook his head. "I can't really tell. What I do know is that I got an unfortunate front row seat to…" He gulped nervously. "Something horrifying…"
Emolga narrowed her eyes worriedly. "What?"
"This giant plant monster rising out of the ground and jabbing its vine into you and the others. They were taking away your energy. I thought you guys were…gone." He shivered. "I can't even begin to explain how much I cried when that thing dropped you guys."
She tilted her head. It drained them, but not Axew? "So, why are you alright?"
He rubbed his left eye. "I think it's because I was still weak. Whatever you fed me didn't restore me to full strength until a few hours later. I remember one of the vines…sniffing me, I-I guess, then turning away from me. It must have thought I wasn't a suitable energy source to feed off of."
Emolga smiled in relief. In the state he was in last she saw, he may not have made it. Guess there was still some luck on their side. "So, the antidote gave you back some strength?"
"Just enough so I can move around." He scratched his head. "I had to keep myself looking like I was still sick every time one of those monsters walked by." He fell on his back. "I've never been so terrified in my life." His eyes widened in panic. "At least twice today, I felt like they would catch me and have me drained. I'd panic every time they walked pass us."
Emolga narrowed her eyes and pulled him close. "It's okay, Axew. No one is going to hurt you." She chuckled quietly. "I must say, you were very brave lying low for twelve hours."
He scratched his head sheepishly. "I-I mean…I had to. You guys have been helping me all this time. I had to mature and repay the debt."
She smiled. "Thank you…" She sighed and looked at the wooden bars. "So, there's really no way out of here?"
"Not that I know of. I guess we're lucky they didn't leave us out there to be torn apart by those other vicious monsters."
Emolga narrowed her eyes. She took a moment to give it some thought. Why were they in a prison cell to begin with? Wouldn't it make more sense just to leave them to be mauled by the other Darkmon?
"Axew…have we been in this prison this whole time?"
He rubbed his head. "Err…not exactly. See, we were put in here earlier so we wouldn't escape. After you guys got your energy sucked out, the cage was left open for the other Darkmon to attack us. But then, something zoomed by and closed the cage, trapping us in here, yet also protecting us from the rest."
"So, are you saying one of them saved us?"
"From the looks of it, I think so. It had dark fur, so it looked like a Darkmon."
"That…doesn't make any sense."
"I can't explain it either." He held his head. "All I do know is that we're safe until we find a way to breakout." He looked at Krookodile. "Once Krookodile is back to full strength, he might be able to tunnel us out of here."
She nodded in agreement. "Seems like the best course of action."
"In the meantime…" He pushed Emolga down until she was lying on her back. "You need your rest. You need to recover what little strength you have left. If I find any food, I'll make sure to give it to you and the others."
"What about you?"
"I'll be fine. You three are far more important right now than me." She tried to protest, but he added, "Don't think I'm going to give you guys all the food. I'm still going to have my share, just less than you guys. You need it more than me."
She sighed, seeing no point in arguing with him. She was too drowsy and weak to. "Fair enough." She curled up and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Axew."
He rubbed her head with a small smile. "Night, Emolga."
Laura glared with her arms crossed, sitting against the walls of her home. Her arms have since been reattached to her body, though the results were…less than satisfying.
While they were fastened together well enough to keep them from falling off, she now had vines wrapped around her arms and torso, along with tiny pieces of wood that have been carved to make screws, thanks to Chloe. All in all, she was not happy with wearing all of this…nature.
"Your repair job is shoddy, you know that?" she asked Meowth, who was carving plans into the tree wall. Most of them were scratched out for being too simple, too complex, or too stupid to succeed.
He flinched, a shiver of frustration rushing up his body, before whipping around with angry eyes. "Hey! How about a little thank you for putting you back together, you ungrateful tin can?!"
"Thank you?! I'm being held together by fragile pieces of wood! Why couldn't you have just used metal screws?!"
"Oh, my apologies for not going to the tool store that is CLEARLY in this forest!" he retorted back with a sharp, sarcastic tone.
Chloe's eyes shifted back and forth between the two as they shouted at each other. She sat there awkwardly, trying to block out the harsh words being thrown around.
She knew Laura wasn't angry at Meowth, by any means. Honestly, if she were in her shell, she'd probably be ticked off, too. She's just a little cranky she was beaten by Dark Mightyena.
Speaking of which, Lord Dark has been torturing him for the last couple of days. He would have executed him on the spot, but he needed to know how he went against his orders. He kept saying he chose to attack of his own accord, earning himself more electrical shocks that seared his fur. Even with her new outlook on life, the sight of watching the mutt burn still satisfied her. Whether that be from be from her sadistic nature or just pure resentment towards the mutt is up to debate. Regardless, if Dark didn't get answers soon, Dark Mightyena was history.
Her mind warped back to reality and deadpanned as she saw the two still bickering with each other. Meowth wasn't kidding when he said they acted like siblings. They loved and hated each other like a brother and sister.
"How do you expect me to fight with my sockets being held together by twigs?!"
"Is that all you can think about right now?! You were nearly killed the other night!"
"I'm an android, I can't be killed that easily!"
They heard the sound of a throat being cleared. They turned towards Chloe, whose balled up paw was to her mouth. "Ahem…oh, sorry. Please continue with your 'not nerve-wracking' and 'totally mature' disagreement."
They caught the message and bowed their heads shamefully. "Sorry…" they both muttered. Chloe smiled.
Meowth sighed and pinched between his eyes. "She's right. We shouldn't be bickering…our top concern right now is…that day."
They looked at the ground. Three days…the day of Laura's wedding…and the day the world becomes consumed in the Forest of No Light. It has been a main discussion topic for the last two days. Frankly, when they first mentioned it, Meowth was appalled that Laura was so willing to go along with the idea of having the world destroyed, to which she could only reply with a sheepish smile, responding with 'I'm sorry, I was in the moment and I was low on energy and…' Well, by that point, she accidentally droned on about how 'dreamy' Dark looked in the moonlight. Rare moments where Laura is embarrassing herself and Meowth didn't have a tape recorder on hand. Such a shame.
He sighed. "So…what do we do?"
Laura looked away uneasily. "I mean…what can we do? It's not like we can defy Dark or anything. The dude can probably tear the entire forest out of the ground and fly it around like a blimp if he wanted to."
"Actually, he is perfectly capable of doing that," Chloe confirmed.
Meowth narrowed his eyes. "Thanks for reinforcing our dilemma." She shrugged. "Look, the Darkmon don't know what they're doing. They've been raised to be savage monsters. Even if we find a way to destroy the bulb AND to keep them from disintegrating, there's the issue with reforming them. They're not going to accept being good guys immediately. Heck, with full access to their emotions, the anger of having their home destroyed would only set them off."
"Let's not forget a great chunk of them act purely out of bloodlust," Chloe added. "Getting them to cooperate would be impossible."
Laura leaned back, hands behind her head. "The way I see it, we should just go along with it."
"And let everyone die?!" her surrogate brother shouted in anger.
"That's not what I mean…okay, it's exactly what I…no wait…ARGH!" She held her head in frustration. "I don't know, alright?! The only reason Dark convinced me to go along with it is because he kept whispering…revenge in my ear." She looked down sadly.
Meowth raised a brow in concern. Chloe asked, "Lady Laura, is there something troubling you?"
She shook her head. "No…just…thinking about something…"
She was confused, but Meowth filled her in by whispering, "I didn't build Laura. I upgraded her, yes, but she was designed to be a scouting droid for research. She…didn't have the best relationship with the other scientists…or her creator."
"Oh my…"
"I can see why she was blinded with fury. She just wants revenge on the one who wronged her. It's why she was so willing to become our new team member."
"Who created her?"
"I'm not sure of that answer myself. She keeps most of her past secret since she hates reliving it." He glanced at the android in front of him. "All I do know is that I saved her life. If I wasn't the one who purchased her, she would have become scrap material or something."
"Well, lucky her."
He pulled back and looked at Laura. "Listen Laura, I know you like Dark and all, but think about those who do care about you. Dark may have been willing to keep me alive, but I don't think he's going to make an exception with Jessie and James. Do you think you can survive out here with limited access to technology?"
She shrugged uneasily. "I could…always make my own technology. I can download the information with ease."
He glared. "You're being difficult here."
She clutched her head. "I'm sorry, but…I don't know what to do! I've been nothing but confused ever since we came here!" She paused for a moment as a spark went up her system. Her glitch was acting up again. "I don't want anything bad happening to Jessie or James! Yet, I want to make that monster who created me to be tortured until he dies!" She sparked again.
Meowth raised his hand. "Laura, cool down. We don't want you malfunctioning." She took a moment to compose herself. "Thank you. Now, I can't say I know how you feel because, frankly, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. There are two options we need to take into consideration."
She sighed. She knew what they were. One that'll fill her with guilt and the other that'll destroy her emotionally.
"Let the Darkmon live with the risk of them turning on humanity…or destroy them, possibly saving a few redeemable ones if we're lucky." They have discussed the idea of saving the less hostile Darkmon, if there were any. Chloe said she might know a few, but that was a problem for later. He narrowed his eyes. "And, I'm sorry but, I don't think Dark is a redeemable candidate."
And there was the blow to her metaphorical heart. She looked away sadly. Her expression stung at Meowth's heart. It wasn't normal to see the android express true sadness. He has gotten used to her acting skills, so he can vaguely tell when she's putting up an act. He saw no act in her face.
"Laura, look, it might not even come down to that. Even if all three of us team up, Dark is going to obliterate us on the spot. We still need to consider the option of destroying him. Is risking the safety of both human and Pokémon worth it?"
"…no…"
"Exactly. If it does come down to it, I might be able to gather some equipment once Dark's reign begins. I could find a way to keep Chloe from being destroyed by the sun and, perhaps, make some sort of virus that'll destroy the Darkmon." He scratched his head. "Though, I would need to know what equipment to use…and learn how to make a virus."
Laura clenched her fist as she stared hard at the ground. There really was no way around this. Fate of an entire planet and she was mixed on who to side with. A creature she barely knows or her surrogate brother. It shouldn't be this hard to come to a conclusive decision.
Yet, she knew Meowth was in the right. Dark's views were being guided through a subtle influence. What could she say to change his mind? This has been his goal for the last five years. He wasn't going to stop now, not even for her.
"…if we were to plan on destroying the bulb…" She took a long pause as she cycled through her feelings. "…what would be our plan of attack?"
Meowth frowned. Cooperating with this plan was hurting her. She seemed willing…barely, at least. He sighed. "We have three days to plan. Let's use that time wisely." He looked at Chloe. "You can give us some needed info on the Darkmon to ensure we aren't outmatched."
She nodded. "I'll do my best."
He glanced at Laura. "As for you…" He sighed, shaking his head. He wasn't sure how this was going to turn out. He at least wanted to give Laura a chance. "If you truly believe there's good in Dark's heart…well, you have three days to find out for yourself."
She looked up. "Huh?"
"Try and convince him not to go along with the invasion. Do it subtly so it doesn't look like we're plotting against him. Think you can do that?"
She blinked, considering the mission with great thought. A chance to get him to reconsider his plans…an opportunity and a compromise. She smiled wide and nodded. "Sure! I can do that!"
He nodded. "Good. You better get going. He probably wants to know how you're doing."
"Right!" She jumped to her feet. "I'll see you two later!" She raced out of the hut in a flash, kicking up dust that made them cough.
Chloe waved her paw in front of her face. "You certainly got her hopes up."
"I didn't guarantee anything to her. I just planted the idea in her head." He growled and clawed away what was possibly the fifteen plan he thought up. "I don't want her moping around all day."
The Dark Glameow narrowed her eyes. "You do realize convincing Dark to change his ways, especially with that bulb probably focusing most of its brainwashing tricks on him, is nearly impossible, right?"
He sighed. "How can I not consider it? Still, there's hope for anything. I managed to change you, right?"
With her narrow eyed expression still present, she smiled wryly, a teeny blush in her cheeks. "Don't get a big head thinking you're some master mediator."
He shoved her a bit, smirking. "I didn't say that." He frowned and turned back to the wall. "You think we can pull this off?"
"I'm honestly at a loss." She looked at him. "When do you think we should pull off the attack?"
"Our best bet would be on invasion day. With everyone focused on the bulb, it might give us a chance to destroy it when everyone's guard is lowered."
"What do you plan to destroy it with?"
"What do you think I've been doing for the last few hundred hours?!" he shouted. "Slicing it obviously won't work! Getting up close in general isn't a smart move, either!"
She rubbed his shoulder. "Calm yourself, Meowth. I was merely asking. We have some time to figure it out."
He exhaled his frustration, effectively calming his nerves. "I know…you're right." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Which reminds me…what do we do about Dark's captives?"
Chloe was asked to get some stuff from Laura's hut, specifically the charge orbs she had to feed off of. During that time, she came across a captive group of Pokémon that were lying unconscious in the prison tree. She figured they were left in the open for wandering Darkmon to tear them apart. Normally she would leave it be, but she wanted to prove she wasn't like the other Darkmon. So, when she was certain all was quiet, she sealed off the prison and casually informed passing Darkmon not to disturb it, while also convincing them not to tell Dark, saying he would get annoyed by such an 'idiotic and dimwitted' question.
"It won't take long for my little ruse to fade away. Someone's bound to realize they're being secretly protected."
He groaned. "Great…not only do I have to eradicate a dangerous group of monsters, but I also have to save the twerps' Pokémon."
"Have to?"
"On a good day, I could easily capture them and have them sent over to my boss. However, with the lack of resources, I can't pokenap them without having someone bite my tail."
"Yikes…"
He scratched his head with an annoyed expression. "Planning just got a lot more complicated."
"Hey, don't fret over it. You have me to help out with the minor details," she said with a smile. "Now quit your whining and let's get to work."
He smiled back. "Thanks Chloe…" He looked ahead at his work. "Alright…with the various plant life, we could…"
Piplup pulled down his eyelids and opened his beak up wide with his tongue hanging out, expressing a silly face at the infant staring up at him. She tilted her head in confusion, unsure as to why this strange creature was contorting his face in such an unusual manner. Only having been brought into the world for a couple days, she still lack knowledge of…well, practically everything. In her short time, she could only understand expressions, mainly joy and sadness, as she has experienced it herself when she acted fussy. This face, however, left her puzzled.
The penguin kept the expression up for a few seconds before releasing the grip on his face, naturally forming a deadpanned expression. "Seriously? Nothing? Not even a giggle?"
Buneary chuckled. "Piplup, she's only a baby."
"Yeah, but I like hearing her laugh. It sounds so squeaky and adorable." He lowered his flippers and wiggled them across her sides. "Come on, you adorable little cutie. Laugh for your Uncle Piplup."
Scarlet reacted with the requested laughter, waving her arms around happily.
He grinned. "See, there you g-AAHH!" In her excitement, the baby Pichu grabbed his cheek and pulled on it. It stretched like rubber. "Ah, ah, AH! Let go! Buneary! Pikachu! Control your kid!" The mouse and rabbit, caught in a fit of laughter, didn't hear him.
Ryder smiled at them, amused by the Pichu's playful nature. "She's going to be a handful for them."
Koda chuckled. "Probably."
The others were scattered across the hideout to make as much room as possible. They were either eating lunch or occupying themselves while the Charmeleon worked. He was busy tinkering with 'Plan B', seeing as how it might come down to using this device when the time comes.
The Dark Riolu looked over his shoulder. "So, what exactly is that?"
"My Electro Gauntlet," he answered immediately as he carefully picked at the wires.
"An Electro Gauntlet? Why on earth would you need that?"
"Funny thing about aura. Depending on the user, it can actually be used for different elemental attacks, made completely from the user's aura." He wiped some sweat off his brow. "Mine, for example, is compatible with electricity or lightning." He grabbed a pair of tweezers. "More often than not, you'll see Pokémon who have auras that match their types, which is more common. Oshawott is a prime example of this."
"I see. So…this gauntlet?"
"Well, theoretically, it's supposed to amplify my electrical aura for more power. However, because my aura has been locked away, I'm reconfiguring it to forcibly bring it out. This will allow me minimal control over electricity."
Koda smiled. "Wow, that's pretty cool."
"It would be…but there's a catch."
He frowned. That didn't sound good. "How so?"
"With my aura sealed off, this device is forcing my aura into that electrical state and pulling it out. Doing that can have severe consequences. We're talking major electrical burns over my body if I'm not careful."
Koda cringed. That didn't sound pleasant. "You're seriously risking that kind of pain?"
He finished inspecting the gauntlet and set it down. "The risks outweigh the consequences. If I don't hit Dark with everything I have, this will be all for nothing." He closed his eyes. "I'm willing to give my life to destroy that bulb. Once it's gone, it's only a matter of destroying the spawns."
The Darkmon looked away. "Err…yeah…"
Ryder opened his eyes into a narrowed expression. How could he forget who he was talking to? To him, what he was saying was sensitive to his mind. Without the forest, he'll be living in constant danger of the sun. Or die along with the Darkmon.
His mission and his morals were conflicting with him as he stared at this innocent creature next to him. He didn't ask for this life. He can tell this was hard on him. What could he do? He can't put the safety of the entire world in jeopardy for the life of one creature born from the cause.
He place his hand on his shoulder. "Listen Koda, I know a lot is going through your mind, but…" His hand was shrugged off, forming a look of confusion in his face.
Koda wiped his eyes before turning towards him with a light smile. His eyes glimmered from the bits of tears that clearly ran down his cheek a moment ago. "Don't worry…I understand. If it means the world can live on…I'll try and play my part in helping."
As if Ryder didn't already have a nail filled with guilt hammering into his heart. He sighed. "I'm…sorry I'm putting you through this."
He shook his head. "As long as everyone's happy, it's fine by me."
The Charmeleon glanced at the Pokémon behind him, specifically at the five the Darkmon traveled with. "I doubt they'll be pleased."
He shrugged. "It's not like I'll die immediately once the bulb is destroyed. Besides, I'm pretty clever when it comes to surviving. You can't kill me off that easily."
Ryder smirked. "Hopefully the rest of you aren't as crafty."
Koda chuckled in response. "That would be fortunate."
The two were soon joined by Pikachu. "Well, I can see you two are getting along."
"More or less." He whispered into the Pikachu's ear, "I still feel a bit uneasy around him."
"Old habits die hard," he suggested.
He sighed. "True." He pulled back and spoke normally, "Anyway, we're covering the plans for ambushing Dark. Remember when I had Koda scout the terrain the other night?" He nodded. "Well, he was gathering intel from wandering Darkmon in that area to see when the best time to strike is."
Koda nodded. "My best assumption, even if it's cutting it a little close, is attacking in three days. That's when the bulb will release the darkness into the sky. While it sounds dangerous, the bulb will be in the process of charging as it creates the smog inside it. It won't be able to retreat underground."
"The dangerous part," Ryder continued, "is that thousands of Darkmon are likely to be there, including Dark. We may have an opening, but we also have a dangerous obstacle to work our way through."
Pikachu cringed at the thought. They've been training to fight them, but thousands? That's insane. There's no way they could deal with a number that large. Even Ryder didn't sound too confident with it going according to plan.
"How could we possibly break through something like that?"
"At this point, luck." Ryder pulled out his Shockwave Gun and inspected it. "We have the firepower to push them back. Now it's only a matter of how we use it." He glanced at Pikachu. "We're gonna have to rely mostly on stealth in order to see this mission through. Take out as many Darkmon as we can so we stand a fighting chance."
The mouse scratched his head. The plan was obviously filled with holes, as there were many unforeseen variables to take into account. Other Darkmon scouting out for them, being defeated during their sneak attacks, Dark as their main threat; a lot can and will go wrong if they aren't careful. Things may go wrong even if they tackle this mission with perfect efficiency.
Even so, Pikachu was willing to take those risks. He was a father now. He needed to make sure his daughter as a safe road ahead of her. Funny how fast parental instincts take over once you're in this sort of position. If they, by mere luck, see their way through this ordeal, he was probably going to feel more of this overprotective side of himself.
Speaking of which, that left one valid issue with this whole plan. "What about Scarlet?" Leaving her here, even in a heavily protected bunker, was risky and taking her into battle was plain stupid and irresponsible. The consideration of such a decision was out of the question.
Ryder looked up for a moment, considering the best tactic for the baby's survival. "The best tactic is to have Buneary flee the forest with her. Don't take offense to this, Pik, but Buneary isn't exactly the strongest battler." He chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, she hits like a truck when she's ticked off. But that adrenaline rush won't last forever in a battle against these monsters. If anything, her newfound skills will at least assure her that she'll get Scarlet out safely and quickly. Plus, with the Darkmon congregating into a single area, there's less risk to factor in."
Better than leaving her here at the mercy of the earth. "Alright. Anything that'll keep them both safe is fine by me."
"Good. Now then…" He pulled out his tablet, which he spent the last couple days repairing. It was a rough fix, as the screen was still cracked and it did spark while turned on, but it was a temporary state until he gets a replacement. He tapped on the screen and showed a layout of their plan. "We need to review how we're going to execute this operation."
He looked at Koda. "You're sure they'll have their attention set on the bulb?"
He nodded with a bright smile. "Sure am!" He blinked and scratched his head. "Though, they might have their attention set on something else…"
Ryder raised a brow. "How so?"
"Um…I only learned about this recently, but…" He chuckled nervously with a sweatdrop. "There's this android in our forest…"
"I'm fully aware of who you're speaking of," he quickly replied. "Laura, a dangerous, manipulative android specialized in deceit and psychological torture."
Pikachu sighed. "She has been causing Ash, me, and the others trouble, ever since Team Rocket became…well, competent, lately." He blinked. "Wait, she's in this forest?"
"Buneary said, after you fell into the forest, she blasted Team Rocket off in a fit of rage. However, she and Meowth accidentally got separated from the other two and ended up here. I only assumed they were both here when I saw Meowth's Darkmon counterpart."
Koda smiled uneasily. "Ah…so…she's an enemy of yours?"
Ryder narrowed his eyes. "Koda…what is it that you know? Are they working together?"
"Err…you're partially right. You see, Lord Dark captured them and was about to drain them like the other captives over the years, but…he struck a deal with Laura. She's, uh…" He rubbed the back of his head. "…Lord Dark's betrothed."
The blood of Pikachu and Ryder went cold with shock. The sound of Ryder's tablet slipping from his hands and landing on the ground echoed in the small hideout, gathering the others' attention.
Buneary stood up. "Guys, is something wr-" She shrieked when Ryder grabbed Koda and glared at him in the eye.
"She's his WHAT?!"
Koda chuckled with a nervous sweat dripping down his face. "I told you, this is news to me, too. I wasn't informed until I eavesdropped on it. Apparently they're supposed to be wedded on doomsday."
Ryder dropped him and face-palmed. "That sadistic machine…betrothed to the psychopathic monster…has the world gone mad?!"
Buneary blinked, then gasped in shock. "Wait, Laura and Dark?! Seriously?!"
Dragonite raised a brow. "Koda, mind explaining?"
He rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not sure what the deal was about, but it seems Meowth is alright, so obviously it has something to do with their safety, otherwise they would have been dead a while ago."
"This doesn't make sense. Why is Dark suddenly asking an intruder to be his bride? And why Laura of all things?!"
Pikachu deadpanned. "Well, if I was Dark, I'd probably be attracted to a menacing bot like her."
Piplup snickered. "Probably? You WERE attracted to her before."
The mouse whipped his head at him with a sharp glare. "Don't remind me!" He flinched when he saw Scarlet whimper, obviously scared by his sudden shout. "Ooh…sorry, Scarlet. Daddy didn't mean to scare you." He cradled the baby in his arms, earning a happy coo out of her.
Ryder sighed. "I'd never thought Dark would actually ask for a bride." He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. If they're going to be focusing on them during the doomsday, it'll only increases our odds of being undetected."
Koda smiled. "Exactly!"
He crossed his arms. "We have a lot to prep for in the next few days." He looked at everyone, now that he had their full attention. "I expect you all to be ready for battle. Think you can handle it?"
Dragonite smirked with a light scoff. "Oh please!" He flexed his muscles. "Now that I'm back to full strength, I'm going to make those freaks pay!"
Pansage shook his head. "I think we're all in agreement when we say we want a little payback for the trouble they've been causing us." He sighed. "While I don't believe in acting out of revenge, I will do what it takes to put a stop to their tyranny."
Pikachu chuckled at the grass monkey before looking directly at Ryder. "We'll stand by your side, Ryde. That's a guarantee."
Ryder smiled. What started out as a simple rescue mission to look for their friend has turned into a war on a near unstoppable race of anti-Pokémon. He can only imagine what was running through their heads now. They're probably still trying to wrap their heads around what they roped themselves into. This was more than just a battle for them. It was survival for the entire world.
With them, they might actually stand a chance.
Howls of pain echoed out of the throne area. A flash of purple light shined out of the area, briefly showing the shadow of a quadruped contorting in pain. These flashes repeated in succession four to five times before they came to a halt.
Kneeling down in agony, in front of Lord Dark's throne, was Darkmon 4-2-6-0, Dark Mightyena. His fur was burnt, giving off a foul smelling smoke, after taking multiple shots of lightning without end. Constant torture for the last two days. He couldn't kill Meowth. He couldn't kill Laura. He couldn't even kill his partner, who he, somehow, despised more than the Pokémon. That hatred only grew after being slain by her.
He looked up at his leader, who, clear by the expression present on his face, wasn't pleased with his actions. He has been trying to pull that sacred information he has been keeping sealed tight to himself for hours. He would have ended much quicker, but he adored watching his victims squirm in pain. He hasn't tortured anyone in quite some time, much less anyone that wasn't so easy to break mentally. It was a delightful change in routine.
Standing by his side was Fang, who glared down at the Darkmon grunt with an unchanging expression. Dark Mightyena wasn't sure what to be scared of more: the sadistic grin of his master or the questioning glare of his right hand man.
He flinched as Dark raised his hand once more. "Let's try this again, 4-2-6-0. Why did you defy orders? Why did you try to kill our guests?"
Dark Mightyena tightened his jaw, refusing to utter a sound. The Darkmon leader narrowed his eyes before releasing another surge of electricity from his hand. The mutt screamed in agony as the electrical power coursed through his body, burning through his regenerative cells.
"Your defiance and will are to be admired. However, you will face punishment for your treacherous acts."
The Darkmon, after being dealt the attack, growled. "Says the one who's going against our ways…" He glared up at him. "I'm not speaking a word to you."
Dark smirked psychotically. "What's this? A little vermin like you trying to intimidate me?" He fired another round of electricity, upping the power. "You're nothing more than scum I wipe off my foot. No Darkmon can beat me, and certainly no Pokémon." He floated down from his throne while still throwing lightning at him. "I'll see to it that you're erased from the earth for good." He snapped his claws.
The bulb rose up from the ground, next to the stairs of the throne. He touched down on the dirt and reached out to it. A vine sprouted from the bottom of the bulb and rose up to his hand. A spherical object crawled through the inside of the vine before spitting out into Dark's hand. It was glowing teal with purple energy swirling in the middle.
Dark faced the Darkmon. With a flick of his claw, a stone pillar rose up under the mutt, wrapping around his neck so he couldn't escape. All he could do was stare at his master. "You know what I have in my hand, right?"
"…my DNA…"
He laughed a bit. "Very good, 4-2-6-0. And do you know what happens if this wasn't in the bulb?"
"…I wouldn't be able to fully regenerate if I am completely destroyed."
"Exactly…"
Purple psychic energy wrapped around the DNA and levitated it out of his hand. As if something was threatening to burst from the inside, it bubbled rapidly. Dark Mightyena stared at it with narrowed eyes as it stretched and contorted in shape.
After playing around with it for a moment, Dark snapped his claws. The DNA expanded to the size of a beach ball before bursting into teal goo. It splattered across Dark Mightyena's face, but was safely deflected by Dark's psychic powers.
Dark Mightyena felt a sudden beating in his heart, like how someone just finished taking a jog. Only he wasn't exhausted. No, it wasn't fatigue coming over him. The psychic barrier that had him linked to the bulb has been broken. He didn't feel its touch subtle touch anymore.
He was free from its control. Free to make his own choices and feelings.
His first feeling: blinding rage.
He growled. "I've had enough of your rule! Now die!" He formed a Shadow Ball, ready to fire.
The stone pillar that had him trapped extended a piece out to wrap around his muzzle. It clamped it shut, canceling his attack. For extra insurance, the ground shackled his legs, keeping him from moving.
Dark smirked cockily. "I told you, you're nothing more than scum." He raised his hand as it wrapped with fire. "Now, burn." The mutt's eyes widened in fear.
"Dark?" The flames extinguished as he turned his attention to the new visitor: Laura. She was poking her head out from behind a tree. "This a bad time?"
He smiled. "Laura, my sweet. I see Meowth has taken good care of you."
"Yeah. I may need some replacement parts eventually. I'm being held together by twigs."
He walked over to her. "I'm very sorry about what happened to you, my dear. I was just about to incinerate this wretched traitor in your honor."
She chuckled uneasily. "How…thoughtful."
"But, seeing as how I haven't had the chance to speak to you in two days, we must simply catch up. We have much to talk about in the coming days."
"That's good. I actually want to talk to you, too."
"Splendid!" Dark turned to Fang. "If you don't mind, have some of the other Darkmon slaughter him for me."
He saluted. "As you wish, my lord."
He nodded. He took Laura's hand in his. "Come, my dear. Let us take a stroll down the forest." He led her through the thick bushes, disappearing from sight.
Dark Mightyena thrashed in his stone shackles, desperately trying to break free. His eyes wandered up at Fang, who frowned down on him in disappointment. He muttered angrily, his expression telling him he wished to be released.
Fang narrowed his eyes. "You had one job, you simple minded mutt…"
FLASHBACK
Having required his weekly sleep, Dark Mightyena rested comfortably against the tree. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Fang hovered over his sleeping form with a sinister glint in his eye.
"Darkmon 4-2-6-0, can you hear me?" he whispered in a haunting tone. The mutt didn't offer an exact response, rather a soft grunt. "Good." He bent down close to his ear. "Listen to my words carefully.
"You will go to Lord Dark's throne area and hide yourself. You will wait there until given a specific command. When a high ranking official utters the words 'full moon', your duty to protect is revoked. You can slaughter that cat or the robot however you like. Is that understood?"
Dark Mightyena grunted, but he gave the slightest of nods.
Fang's lips curled up into a smirk. "Excellent." He stepped back and jumped up into the air, disappearing into the darkness.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Fang shook his head as he walked around the incompetent mutt. "I gave you one job to handle and this is how you repay me?"
Dark Mightyena thrashed in his captured state. Fang, please! Give me a second chance! I know I can kill them a second time!
The Dark Gliscor sighed. "This is a small misstep in my boss' plans, but I'm sure he'll make the necessary adjustments to assure success." He raised his pincer and flexed it open. "I will get what I desire by any means necessary. No one will stand in my way. Not those Pokémon, not the humans, and certainly not Lord Dark."
Dark Mightyena whimpered, trying to plea with Fang to be released. He didn't wish to be destroyed in such a humiliating way.
Fortunately, or at least he thought, Fang acknowledged his worry. "Oh, do not worry, 4-2-6-0. You won't be torn apart by the other Darkmon." If he could open his muzzle, he would have let out a sigh of relief. "It would be such a waste of perfectly good energy."
His eyes widened as Fang's pincers came into direct view, snipping the air intimidatingly. The Dark Gliscor lips curled wide into a twisted smirk. "What?" His pincers glowed purple as he snipped them close to his face. "You didn't actually think I let you off that easy?"
The Dark Mightyena shivered as he walked around him, listening to the sound of those dreaded pincers snapping together.
"I've been hiding in the dark for years. And I'll continue to do so until my time comes." He chuckled maliciously from behind. "Your contribution to your people will not be forgotten, 4-2-6-0. Consider yourself lucky to become a part of my growing power."
His eyes widened in terror, once again seeing the pincers come into view. Only, they had increased in size. Almost big enough to…engulf an entire body. He shook his head frantically as they opened up in front of him like a massive jaw. In front of him…a dark abyss filled with horror.
He thrashed his head desperately before finally breaking off the rock locking down his muzzle, shouting in fear, "SOMEONE, HELP! HE'S INSANE! SOMEONE HELP ME! ANYONE! DON'T TRUST HIM! HE'S A MONSTER! A MON-"
If anyone else were around, that was the last thing they would ever hear from the mutt's mouth, along with the sound of a pair of pincers closing shut with a loud snap.