Shattered Illusion

by Amaxing

"This is your rival. He's been training Pokemon to kill people for about three years now! Erm... what was her name again?" "That's right! Its name is DEATH!" OC trainer fic. We're two badges through, as if that were a good indication of story length.

28. Chapter 27: The Crash

Disclaimer: Amaxing is, unfortunately, not awesome.

… Ok, did I do something to you, Mr. Disclaimer writer?

Chapter 27: The Crash

Toto

Getting underground was tricky.

Sneaking past the guards was tricky.

Getting into the air ducts (seriously, who puts these things so high up?) was tricky, but I did it. And for what? So that the police can blow a hole in the wall almost right behind me!

I'm fine, but still, it makes everything I've done up until this point seem like a waste. Why did I bother sneaking in here again? To help Axel, through the use of stealth. This over the top, literally blow the door off the joint is going to get somebody killed, you stupid humans!

As if to assure me that I was right (not that I needed it), an echo came through the air ducts from somewhere below me. "You're dead, Jackson. I was going to let you live, but now… you've just done too much."

Damn it! I thought I was done running! What is with all the running, seriously!

Detective Jenkins

I couldn't pull the trigger.

Let me clear the air of something right now: it's not that I was suddenly overwhelmed by my fondness for the kid and couldn't bring myself to kill him, like in some campy, feel-good Lifetime original movie. I'd gotten over that almost as soon as he'd insulted my wife's artistic skills… probably before that. What I mean is that I literally, physically could not pull the trigger. I struggled; sweat pouring down my head from both the heat of the building and the effort I was making to finish Axel execution style… but nothing.

"What the hell's going on?" I yelled in desperation, and a conceited, all too familiar chuckle came from behind me.

"Come on," Axel's Meditite said, psychically throwing me away from his trainer and into the back wall of the laboratory. "I'm a musician and a psychic. You thought you could keep me in my ball with a mere frequency?"

"We'd tested it on psychic Pokémon before," Aggie explained, becoming visibly distraught. "So… yes. It should have worked."

"I suppose we'll never know for sure, seeing as Shelly over there so handily disabled the device while you weren't looking," Medici laughed.

I turned quickly to where we'd hidden the Musket Frequency Emitter, and saw the boy's Squirtle leaning against it egotistically, actually taunting me with a short 'Squirt!' Seeing red, I pulled my .44 around, trying to let off a shot at the little blue menace, but the gun flew out of my hands, landing in the waiting grasp of Axel.

"Medici? If you would?" he asked, holding his handcuffs out.

The Meditite floated over to its trainer, breaking the chain between the cuffs with a single kick. "You could have thought the safety word before they started beating you," it lectured Axel. "In fact, as soon as we were in the lab, you really should have just let me out."

"I waited until the last possible minute, just like you suggested," Axel responded. "And as far as beatings go, you know this isn't the worst one I've ever gotten."

"How many times are you going to make me apologize for that?"

"Just once. I told you just once. There's no need to continue doing it," Axel smiled.

This was almost sickening. They'd come in, duped all of us, almost ruined everything we hoped to work for, and were now cutely reminiscing as if we weren't here. I had to do something, but my every move was held back by that damn Meditite!

"I hope you're happy with yourself, Jackson!" I yelled, rage jumping over the waterfall and transforming into a full on, thrashing Gyarados. "This is the end! For all of us!"

"You want me to… feel bad for smashing a criminal ring's research lab?" Axel asked, cocking his smarmy head. "I'm not… I mean, I understand why that's bad for you, but…"

"I'm not talking about that," I seethed. "I work on the police force, remember? At least I used to. I've seen what's over on the other side, over in Ginli." I shuddered. "They've got this team over there, Team Cannon, that bio-engineers Pokémon until they're practically just monsters." I strained against my psychic shackles, unable to do much more than lean forward. "This was our response to that, you moron! If we can't give soldiers a mean to defend themselves, then Salvout's dead when the war breaks out again!"

"If," Axel said softly, much to my confusion. "If the war breaks out again, you mean," he clarified. "It's a simple mistake, I realize, but I can't help correcting…"

"You think I'm wrong?" I spat. "Fine. Go on being naïve. It's not my place to ruin your childhood."

Axel cocked his head again, and opened his mouth to let out what qualified for him as a 'witty retort'. He didn't, though, because at that moment, a loud bang came from above, and from the heating ducts about twenty feet above us, a Totodile began to fall.

The Trainer gasped, eyes widening like a Jigglypuff's, and he yelled without thinking: "Medici! Catch her!"

Sprinting across the room, the Meditite's focus was broken enough to allow me to slip out of its mental shackles. I took the opportunity like it was the only one I'd get, and dove at Axel. The boy gasped again, flinched back in shock and tried to point the gun at me. Like he knew what he was doing. I grabbed his arm, trying to wrench the .44 free from his hands, but he was stronger than I thought. I felt his knee dig into my stomach, and the hard shell of his Squirtle strike the back of my head.

With a loud grunt, the boy actually shoved me away, near the table with the remainder of his Pokéballs. A buzzing in my head was beginning to grow, as I looked around desperately for something, anything to stop this boy from defeating us.

It was the worst idea I'd ever had, but at this point I didn't care. I grabbed the Pokéball without thinking, thinking somehow that more chaos was what we needed.

I think… I think I heard Axel, Ms. Alexis… even Aggie yelling at me not to do it, but I couldn't stop. With almost sickening satisfaction, I threw the Pokéball onto the ground, loosing Deathwing into the laboratory.

My stomach fell almost immediately afterwards. Had I forgotten how big it was? How monstrous? The thing raised its neck upwards immediately, colliding with the ceiling and raining rubble down on us. Confused, it began to buck around, trying to free itself, and collided with the wall.

A load-bearing wall.

Aggie screamed as the rocks and dirt began to fill part of the room… her part of the room. Ms. Alexis screamed at me, telling me it was too late, but I didn't listen. Nothing was going to stop me. Aggie… Aggie!

The creature bucked again, this time taking out ceiling directly above my head. I saw the darkness descend before I ever felt the crushing weight of the rubble on top of me.

Lexi

It was everything I could do just to stay focused.

Did I want to start crying? Sure, but it wasn't going to help anyone. Hell, if I acted fast enough, there might not be anything to cry over!

I started to run towards the rubble, judging the best way to get past Deathwing, but Axel put a hand out in front of me, blocking me path. "HEY!" He yelled. "You! The Skarmory! Listen up!"

The beast turned to face Axel, screeching loudly as it did so, blue pupils piercing like daggers.

"I know that you're confused right now," Axel said, almost soothingly. "And I know that you couldn't help running into the ceiling and I know that you probably think I'm a horrible person who just likes torturing you." I gaped in equal parts horror and astonishment. Did he actually think he could get through to that… thing?

"None of that matters now, though," he continued. "Because right now, as of this moment, you know exactly where you are, and what you're doing, and anything you do from this point on is entirely your fault. You won't be able to blame it on me, or Death, or even on that psychotic monster that you used to be." He paused for breath. "If you destroy anything else, or kill anyone else… it's all on you.

If that doesn't bother you then… fine! Do what you will. I was stupid to think I'd be able to change you and I probably deserve to die for it." He'd begun to shake at this point, and I noticed that the pause he tried to play off as dramatic was really just to steel his nerves. "But if there's any hesitation in your mind… any nagging doubt at the back of your head saying 'maybe I shouldn't do this'…" He picked the Skarmory's Pokéball up off the floor, holding it out at arms length. "Then return. And I swear to God that I'll do everything I can to help you with what you're going through right now."

The Skarmory stood, seething motionlessly even as large chunks of/ debris from its rampage fell down from above. For the briefest of seconds, I thought I saw its eyes turn one less shade of blue. Then, miraculously, it contracted into red light, willingly retreating back into its ball.

I would have gaped in shock, but the Meditite's frantic digging had already unearthed part of Aggie's arm. Axel directed it over to where Magnum was buried, assuring the Pokémon that he could take it from here, but the Meditite shook its head.

"You see that steel girder on top of that pile?" he said hurriedly. "We take that out and this whole place comes crashing down!" It hung its head. "I'm sorry…"

"It's fine, good job," Axel assured it quickly, digging out debris from around Aggie's head. I heard a cough, a rustling of dirt, and with a burst of adrenaline I tore a large chunk of sheet rock away, revealing Aggie's head.

"Stop…" she coughed. "Stop digging it's… it's too late. I don't think you want to see the state my lower half is in."

"Shut up," I spat. "Don't talk like that! We'll get you out of here, just…"

She held a hand up, still commanding my respect even now. "It's done, Ms. Alexis. Don't worry. Get out while you still can… but, do one thing for me?"

"Of course, anything, I… of course, Chief…" I said, desperately fighting to keep myself together.

"Find the… one that got away," she got out. "Tell him… what I sent him to find was meant for him all along…" she coughed again, wincing in pain. "And also, tell him that… for a few months now… he's been ready." She forced a smile, and I could help but feel sick. "I've only been keeping him here… out of selfishness, really."

I wanted to stay there with her, right up until the end, I really did. I wanted to tell her everything she'd ever meant to me, and how I'd never be half the person I was today without her, but… I couldn't. Another explosion came from upstairs, shaking the already unstable ceiling above us, and suddenly, to my horror; the entirety of the upper floor came crashing down. Axel grabbed me and pulled me towards the center of the room, as the Meditite projected a force shield around us with barely enough time to avoid crushing us.

The weight of the debris put strain on the Pokémon, it grunted and sweated as more and more piled on top of him. With a louder grunt, it dismissed the Barrier, pushing the debris atop us to either side.

"I never thought this would happen to me," I thought aloud, more to myself than Axel. I turned to the young trainer, who stood staring at the place where Aggie had been. "If… if it makes any difference," I said. "I mean, since we're about to die, I might as well tell you… I actually do kind of think you're cute. Only a little bit of it was acting."

"That does make me feel a little better," he admitted, looking over at me. "But… no offense, not much."

"None taken," I sighed, staring up at the mix of sheet rock and metal that lay just a few feet above us. "You know… since we are about to die… I mean…"

"You're in no position to make that kind of choice," Axel cut me off. "You don't want to regret it later, do you?"

"What later?" I asked. "You think anyone will get to us in time? That anyone will even look?"

"Almost certain," he smiled. "And if not, we can always use the escape tunnel."

I sighed. What die this guy think we were, any way? "We don't have an escape tunnel, Axel," I explained. "Don't you think we would have used it by now?"

"You don't?" he asked, surprised. "Ah. Well then. I guess it's good I brought my own."

Somehow, someway, at almost that exact second a Pokémon burst through the wall, steel claws rotating like an enormous drill bit. Axel let out a sigh of relief, rushing over to the animal.

"Excadrill, you have no idea how happy I am to see you right now. No time for chatting though, let's go, let's go!" Medici ran up the tunnel, followed by the Excadrill. Axel looked back at me, beckoning me forward. "You are coming, right? Come on!"

Nodding my thanks, I burst into a full-speed sprint up the tunnel. There would no doubt be police officers waiting for me, but if I just ran fast enough, I could break away into the woods.

I needed to make sure Aggie's final request didn't go unfulfilled. I had to save Skyler.

Rushing out of the whole, I caught a glimpse of an enormous man, seven foot tall at minimum, standing in wait. I swore silently, jumped up to catch him by surprise, and swerved around him, knowing I stood no chance if I took him on directly. Reaching the edge of the mountain forest, I tore through the leaves, the moon my only guide as I raced to intercept the balloon.

Skyler

"Here we go now,"

MAG ZONE MAGNEZONE

I'll send girls into delirium

When I ride by with my helium

They'll be… packed from floor to ceiling and

They'll want to steal my feelings but no

Matter how they scamper

No, or how they primp or pamper

My heart keeps making plans for

My sweet… Amber….

MAGNEZONE SOLO!

MAG MAGNE MAGNE ZONE NE MAGNEMAGNE

MAG MAGNE MAGNE ZONE NE MAGNEMAGNE

MAG MAGNE MAGNE ZONE NE MAGNEMAGNE

MAAG NE ZONEAGNEZOOOOOONE

"Ah," I sighed, staring up at the stars. "Nice, Magnezone. A bit repetitive, but it definitely had a good beat to it." I smiled, knocking at the top of its metal head playfully. "Don't be afraid to stray outside of beat box mode, remember."

I closed my eyes, reflecting on the day that was about to dawn. Mt. Harrow was beautiful this time of year, and hiking all the way to the top with a pretty girl by my side was something I'd always wanted to do. Sure, I'd been to the top with Lexi before, but… it wasn't quite the same. Even if I wanted to sleep, I couldn't… I was too excited.

Tangela was apparently excited to, as she started jumping up and down and running around in the basket. I stood up, about to tell her to calm down, for fear of the basket tipping, when I heard the balloon above me sort of… well…

Pop.

"Everyone in their Pokéballs, now!" I yelled, and my three Pokémon quickly retracted inwards. The ground hurtled towards me… or, well… I hurtled towards it, I suppose, but it certainly seemed like it was charging at me. My mind blanked for a moment as my life started flashing before my eyes.

Luckily, my mind decided to switch back on, and screamed BOUNCE YOU IDIOT! BOUNCE!

I waited until the last possible second, and then triggered the move; my body becoming quasi-elastic as it bounced me back into the air. Almost about as high as I was to begin with, actually. Screaming like an idiot, I Bounced again and again, each landing not exactly hurting, but not exactly being pleasant either. By the time I was finally lying still on the ground I was covered in bruises, and my head spun like a… like a… ooh, pretty colors.

Next thing I knew, Lexi was kneeling over me, assessing my wounds. "I figured you'd be fine," she explained. "Sorry I had to shoot you out of the sky like that, but it's an emergency."

"It'd better be an emergency," I groaned. "It's going to take forever to get these grass stains out of my palms... and face… and hair before my date tonight."

"The police broke down the doors of the lab, and Magnum overreacted, and now both he and Aggie are dead. Basically everyone else has been arrested except me."

You always expect more build up before you get news like this. In fact… I was pretty damn skeptical that any of what she'd said was true.

"Ok… Lexi," I comforted her. "I understand that my seeing someone came out of nowhere, but you have said, on multiple occasions, that there's nothing between us. I'm ok with that. There's no need to make up these ridiculous stories to try and get my attention again, we can still be friends."

She punched me in the shoulder, but harder than usual, and it hurt like hell. "I'm serious you egotistical moron!" she yelled at me. "How could you even think I'd make something up like that?"

"I… I'm sorry, Lexi," I apologized quickly. "I just… I don't want to…" The weight of it all finally sank in. My mind truly blank, I sat down on the ground slowly, folding my legs beneath me so that I was sitting, legs crossed, facing the ground.

Everything was gone. Chief Aggie, Magnum, all the research that we were going to use to help protect the people of Salvout. All gone, and there wasn't anything I could have done. Of all the times to be out running a mindless errand, why now?

Lexi went on to tell me the details, but I could scarcely pay attention. Something about a sting for some Snagger, a trainer named Axel Jackson who had somehow captured Deathwing, the entire research lab being destroyed, and nothing to show for it. It was all too much, and I was honestly on the verge of breaking down right there.

"Skyler…" Lexi's voice came from somewhere above me. "You… you don't have to be strong for me. You know that right? It's ok if you want to…"

"No, I'm fine," I said, standing up quickly. There was no way in hell I'd let her think things had gotten the best of me. "It just came as shock, is all." I cleared my throat, hiding the sniff I needed to keep the tears from welling up in my eyes. "So what's the plan, then? Do we head to HQ?"

"Aggie… she actually wanted you to know something, Skyler," Lexi said. "She… used her last words to tell me, actually."

That's not fair. How the hell am I supposed to not cry now? "What… ah, em…" Keep it together, man! There'll be time when you're alone! "What did she say?"

"The HM was meant for you the whole time," Lexi reported. "I'd assume it has to do with whatever treatment they gave you a few months back. Most things have tied in to that recently… also," she paused; I'd like to think she was fighting back tears herself. "She said that you've been ready for months now. And, just so you know… I agree."

I'd always suspected Aggie was holding out on me, but I'd never thought finding out would seem so meaningless.

Except… it wasn't really meaningless, was it? This was the last thing that my boss… a woman who was almost a mother to me, wanted to tell me. What kind of son would I be if I didn't follow up on it? It was a purpose, at least, and I could fill the void I felt in my heart with it… at least for a while.

Looking down at the Titan Badge I'd won from my yearly bout with Goliath Gold, I nodded. "I'll leave immediately, then. I'll have to head to Woodale and then double back, then, and… I'll want to catch up to this Axel at some point." Axel Jackson. The name even sounded ugly.

"I'm with you," Lexi said, not a request to come along, but a statement of fact.

"Of course," I said, forcing a smile. "Now then, let's give the Pokémon league a run for its money, huh?

Author's Note

I did promise it, didn't I? Well then, here we go: rejected names for our protagonist, Axel Jackson!

First names using the surname 'Jackson'

Andrew (I know… I'm awful)

Arthur

Maxwell

Angelo

Anton

Xavier (which would have led to a catchphrase: 'X gon' give it to ya')

Surnames using the first name 'Axel'

Maxwell

Maximillion

Jacobs

Jacobson

Xavier

Hale

Completely different names

Blake Ash

Charles Main

Hector Armstrong

Joshua Erikson

Joshua Hale

Purple (Anything) – As it's one of the few colors Pokémon hasn't used yet.

Pink (Anything) – Same Reason

Beige (Anything)

Tan (Anything)

Maroon (Anything) – Which I still kind of like, actually. I just wouldn't have been able to resist the temptation to have five of them appear at once.

- So as you can see, I have many bad ideas. So many, in fact, that it's statistically impossible for me not to have a good one! So it works out, I suppose. (Note to children: statistics does not work this way!)