Chapter 8: The Tapes, The Threats, The Showdown

Rui's House:

"DAMN IT! Too late! Cipher already got here!" Wes shouted. They had reached the house, and he'd seen the tape Mamizou had left behind. Damn... From the timestamp, it looks like they were already done when he told me. That snake...

"Well... we've got to go after them..." Michael replied. "I KNOW THAT!" Wes shouted. "THAT'S WHAT BITES! WE HAVE TO PLAY RIGHT INTO THEIR HANDS!"

Whoa! He's losing control... We've got to get going, though! Michael thought.

"Wes? Screaming isn't gonna get Rui back..." Michael tentatively offered.

"...You're right. Let's go. Cipher... is gonna RUE the day they messed with me again." Wes declared, striding towards the bike.

Well, well, well... the Shou begins... now. Time to head for the Shadow Pokemon Lab for Phase 4.

As usual, Nue had been sitting nearby watching the conversation, as she oh-so-enjoyed people's reactions. She hadn't expected him to react so strongly. She walked out, having disguised as a statue of Nascour this time around. "Hehehehehehehe... The final showdown is here... It'll be a real shame to let this go."

She flew off towards the Shadow Pokemon Lab.

Desert:

"Whoa! I've never seen that Pokemon!" Michael pointed at a shape zooming across the sky.

"Less talking, more planning a battle strategy. Cipher's sure to have the place heavily guarded." Wes responded. "And I'm not letting them keep my Rui!"

Heart of Shadow Pokemon Lab:

"Hmmm... I wish we had some phony guards, at least..." Nue was pacing back and forth. She'd walked in to see Rui, and the look of terror on her face had given Nue a laugh. That laugh had quickly faded as she realized that regardless of what form she took, even that of Wes, SOMEHOW this girl could pierce through it and see her true form. This had become clear when she said "Look, monster, you're not becoming any less monstrous. Knock it off!"

So with this... mysterious power Rui had, all that had really changed was that there was a more interesting development.

Shadow Pokemon Lab Entrance:

"Empty rooms aren't always empty. Cipher Peons hung out on the ceiling last time around. Remember this, and we'll find Rui together." Wes said.

However, they were to be disappointed. Not a single Cipher Peon appeared in the place. They reached the last room, and saw Rui gagged, as Nascour stepped dramatically from the shadows. "This is a fitting place for our final showdown, is it not?" He grandiosely announced.

"NASCOUUUUUUUUR! You will PAY for what you did to Rui! Can't you people leave her alone?" Wes practically screamed.

Rui began to shout from behind the gag. "Wes! That's not Nascour! THAT'S NOT NASCOUR! I don't know who it is, but they're not even HUMAN! RUN!"

Unfortunately, it came out filtered through the gag as "MMMPH! mmph mmph mmphmm! MMMPHH MMPH MMPHMMM! Mmmmmph mmph mph mmph mmph, mmph mmmmmph! MMMMMMPHH!"

Damn it! She tied those knots too well! I don't know what she'll do to Wes, and I've got no way of warning him! ARRRRRGH! I wish... I had some way to reveal the truth! Rui agonized over the impending danger.

"Rui, relax. I'll defeat Nascour, and we'll have you safely out of there. Let's go!"

Hehehehehehe... "It's time to duel!" CRAP! Wrong catchphrase!

"Eh? Oh, whatever. Go! Umbreon!"

(A.N. This isn't Michael's Umbreon. In Colosseum, you start with Espeon and Umbreon. In XD, you start with an Eevee.)

"Hah! GO! Umbreon!" shouted Nascour.

"Umbreon! Confuse Ray!" They both shouted at once. Nascour put his hand up in the air again.

"Hey! Fight fair, you cowardly cheater!" Rui shouted.

Everyone looked at her like "Huh?"

She's... she's... pumping Umbreon with an attack from herself! What... what IS she? I WISH they could see this! Why can no one but me see it!?

There was a glow of light from Rui, and as it focused on Nascour, they saw the danmaku and Nue's true form. Both Wes and Michael leaped back.

"Holy Arceus! WHAT are you?!" Michael shouted.

"I don't know what you are, and I don't care. Fight fair, cheater!"

"Huh? I'm Nas- What? My disguise is gone! What... how could that little girl undo my disguise!? Ah well. I'm Nue. Nue Houjuu. A resident of a faraway land. I came here for one purpose... which I will reveal to you if you can defeat me! Now then, why don't we make this 2 on 2?"

"Isn't it already?"

"No. Hi, me!" said ANOTHER Nue. "Alright. I'll take Wes using the USUAL system. You fight Michael using theirs.

Nue 1 floated into the air and began to shoot danmaku in Wes's Pokemon's direction. "How long can you dodge? Outlast my spellcards!"

Nue 2 looked at Michael and smiled. "Let's get reaaaaaaaaady to RUUUUUUUUUUUUMBLLLLLLLLLE!" she shouted, pulling out the team which he was now very familiar with.

Alien Visitor Nue

Umbreon Lvl. 70

Moonlight, Faint Attack, Psychic, Hyper Beam

Ursaring Lvl 70

Thrash, Focus Punch, Hyper Beam, Earthquake

Mightyena Lvl 70

Toxic, Thief, Crunch, Swagger

VS.

Pokemon Trainer Michael:

Mantine Lvl 100

Confuse Ray, Ice Beam, Earthquake, Attract

Foretress Lvl 100

Explosion, Protect, Bide, Hyper Beam

Gardevoir Lvl 70

Psychic, Hypnosis, Dream Eater (Shadow Rush), Thunderbolt

"This is going to be the final showdown! Go! Umbreon!" Nue shouted.

"Get ready to lose, weirdo. Foretress. Come bring us victory!" Michael replied.

The final showdown seems ready to commence. However, has everyone forgotten about the REAL Nascour? Will they learn of his fate? And how will they prove that Nue was behind it? Next chapter!

Explanations: In Gensokyo, people fight using what's called the "Spell Card Rules." These involve large amounts of energy bullets in intricate patterns, and the person who takes a certain number of hits first loses. A Spell Card is one of these bullet patterns.