Chapter 9: Destination
"Your mother is quite the woman it seems" Shadow stopped just over a cliff edge. "There," The darkrai pointed to a small structure surrounded by dense forests beyond the cliff "That is where I've been leading you."
Blade looked at the structure "What is that place?"
"It was built by humans, but they abandoned it years ago, hence the reclamation by nature." He gestured around the building. Grass, moss, and vines were covering the entire building. "One of my friends lives there, at the moment" Shadow said as he glanced back. He grabbed Blade and teleported to the bottom of the cliff "Go ahead, there is something I have to get before we arrive. I'll see you soon."
Blade hesitated a moment, before pushing on without Shadow. The young sneasel casually strolled through the dense forest. Dozens of pokemon caught his eyes as he walked ever onward. Scents mixed and lingered. Sweet, bitter, sour, spicy, and a stench foul enough to make even the most hardened pokemon hurl. Curiosity was getting the better of Blade, though he knew he shouldn't let it. He followed the scent carefully, keeping his eyes and ears open. He found the source quickly, luckily for him it was just a pokemon, seemingly composed entirely of garbage. And even more fortunately, it was passively lumbering around. With that mystery solved Blade decided to continue moving toward the overgrown structure. The longer he walked the more it felt as though the structure was getting farther and farther away from him. "What the actual fuck is going on right now?" The sneasel was confused and irritated "How have I made no progress?"
"Why that is, simple little one" a voice came from seemingly all around him "I am doing it. I've had you walking in a circle for several hours." The voice seemed to radiate from all around him, and from within him all at once.
"Show yourself!" Blade called out to the voice.
"Fine, it's your funeral." Several pokemon emerged from the tree line around him. But something was off about them. 'They have no scent' he thought growing uneasy 'and…no sound, it's as if they aren't here or something.' One of the pokemon was seemingly a lumbering piece of metal. "Lai ron" the creature called out slamming into Blade knocking him to the ground. 'That attack should hurt a lot more, something isn't right here' suddenly the other pokemon, a various assortment of fire, ice, and steel types, attacked all at once. Blade reacted in a second weaving around attacks both projectile and melee. His movements were swift but when he'd counterattack they would just fall apart and reform a short distance away.
"What?!" He continued to dodge and slip through attacks landing hits of his own, but no matter how much he did he made no progress toward victory and the pokemon kept piling on as if they were forming out of thin air. He needed to catch his breath there were too many for him to fight on his own. He jumped for a tree which seemed to vanish just before his claws could grip it. Blade began to panic as he hit the ground and was swarmed by the numerous pokemon. Even though they felt like weak attacks, with so many hitting him he felt himself grow weak until he collapsed, as if in time with him hitting the ground now battered, bruised, and bleeding, his attackers disappeared completely. Another pokemon approached, a darkness seeping from its being. "Sha-dow?" He pleaded from his wounded position that his love would save him yet again.
"Wrong!" The pokemon lifted his head showing the manic smile plastered on the foxes face. Black and red fur, what looked like forced smile, and long red claws, it was the one that spoke to him. "Now will you make a fine enough meal?" The fox asked, pulling Blade by his ear feather "you certainly don't look like tough meat, I'm sure you'll be simply delectable. Zor?" It looked away a moment and waved its claws, enveloping the nearby vicinity in a strange energy, and the attacking pokemon were suddenly back. "Zor…someone's coming, little one, I think they're looking to claim you for themselves. But you're mine now little one, and with my illusion up, they can't find us. So tell me how scared you are!" Blade felt fear grip him, but just as quickly a chill ran up his spine which brought a strange sense of tranquility to him.
"I'm…not afraid" the sneasel said, confused by his own words until he was dropped to the ground. He adjusted himself to look up. What he saw brought a smile to his face and joy to his heart. Shadow pinned the Zoroark to a tree forcing the illusions to quickly subside.
"I'm afraid that one is taken," The darkrai spoke plainly and coldly "However I cannot simply allow you to continue living after harming him so." Shadow gripped zoroark's right paw driving his own claws to his neck and digging in. The illusion pokemon struggled and fought against the darkrai's grip to no avail. Shadow pushed, cutting open the right half of Zoroark's neck. The illusion fox was released long enough to stumble away from the tree. Shadow quickly repeated his actions on the left half. The fox's pelt was weakened by the blood staining it. His flesh exposed from the wounds. Shadow looked into his eyes and pulled his claw up just below his chin. Zoroark's eyes were dripping with tears, his voice was gone, and he silently begged for mercy. Shadow yanked the fox's claw up, splitting open the fur and exposing the flesh beneath. "Cry, scream, beg, do whatever you must, but fight and cling to life for as long as you have left. But worry not, that is not very long." Shadow gripped the long bushy hair on zoroark's head and began to pull it. The fur visibly pulled away from the flesh. "Now, give me your face!" With one final violent pull, the fur was ripped away exposing Zoroark's blood-soaked flesh. The illusion fox found his voice once again and uttered a blood curdling scream. Shadow held his fur in front of him, displaying the empty eye, nose, and mouth holes to the pokemon. The darkrai took his bloodied head in both hands and wrenched it around with a sickening snap "So loud." He claimed a stick from a tree and stabbed it into the ground setting the now dead fox's fur upon the tip. "Well, that should do it. He makes quite the little decoration does he not?" Upon looking at Blade, Shadow saw he was knocked out. He swung his arms with extreme force expelling the blood that coated them. "Hmm, even unconscious you are adorable" the larger male lifted the sneasel cradling him like a newborn. Shadow carried him onward toward the overgrown structure. The distance closed in mere minutes until he came to the opening. The door was ripped from its hinges long ago and moss hung from the frame. 'Home…or at least, what could be considered as such.' Shadow held Blade close as he made his way inside and through the building. Lights were off in most rooms, but the air conditioning was still running keeping the building cool or warm depending on the time of year. The deeper he got the more power was activated. Doors and lights on and running, yet still overgrown. Partway through the corridors the overgrowth stopped abruptly and changed to a wall of ashes. 'Well, he at least keeps things semi clean.' Shadow thought coming to a final door. It opened automatically and revealed a large computer monitor on the far wall playing some cartoon about a boy and his magic dog brother. A light laugh was heard just in front of the monitor just covered by an enormous pile of leaves. The cartoon seemed to get quieter as the single inhabitant of the room poked their head out from behind the leaves.
"Shadow, you're back! How was your trip?" The voice was high pitched, but still held a boyish tone, it was that of a little Charmander. This particular charmander was unlike any other, his scales were a bright crimson color and the flame on his tail was a bright sapphire blue color.
"Pleasant, and productive Pyre." Shadow said upon noticing the charmander's smile.
"Did you bring any food!?" Asked Pyre gleefully.
"Yes, I brought your food you little glutton." Shadow dropped a bundle of berries by the door. As he crossed the threshold Pyre noticed he was carrying a pokemon.
"Hey, Who's that?" Pyre frowned with his question. Shadow gently laid Blade against a wall and the sneasel slowly stirred until he awoke.
"Pyre, I'd like you to meet Blade." Pyre smiled happily at Blade and held out his claw
"Hiya Blade, I'm Pyre!" Blade looked him over nervously before giving Pyre a hesitant wave. The sneasel gave a weak smile to the charmander. Pyre gazed quizzically at the dark ice type. He noticed the numerous cuts, bruises, and light scars across his body as if he was just attacked.
Blade glanced at the monitor noticing a human on screen and noticeably became somewhat agitated. "A message to all trainers: if your pokemon have bred and have birthed an egg, be on guard, criminals and thieves are not the only threat to the egg, in recent days, Weavile packs have become ever more bold and dangerous. Weavile, as well as the pre-evolved form Sneasel are known for stealing and devouring eggs. So for your safety, your pokemon's safety, and the safety of your pokemon's eggs, be cautious and careful." The monitor continued for minutes on end. Blade curled into a ball and placed his claws over his knees, as if trying to hide inside himself.
Shadow scratched Blade behind his ear, doing his utmost to comfort and relax the sneasel. "Turn that thing off." Shadow said giving Blade a gentle look "Blade was abandonded by his pack and orphaned by humans, and besides, he saved an egg earlier, so this seems to be nothing more than an offence to him. I ask that you treat him with kindness, and preferably respect as well. He is one of us after all. Now, I'm afraid something is wrong, please look after Blade for me, while I….take care of it." Shadow flew to the door.
"Alright Bro, I got this."
Shadow was in no particular rush, he knew what he was doing, and that no matter what it would end quickly. And so he teleported to the entrance of the building. A cursory glance showed no signs of any threat, but Shadow knew better. "Show yourself, I have no time for you at the moment."
"Come on, you just have no flare for the dramatic." A Sableye revealed herself from the branch of a tree.
"Oh its you"
"Don't sound so ecstatic to see me again sir"
"I thought I told you to leave me alone Crystal."
"Sir, please, I told you long ago that I love you"
"And as I said then, since you've apparently forgotten, I do not reciprocate your feelings."
"Regardless, my loyalty lies with you, master."
"You aren't an imbecile Crystal, so you must have some other reason for being here"
"I caught someone tracking you my love"
"Enough, get to the point, before you irritate me."
Crystal shuddered and shrunk into herself "Well there are three coming for you now Shadow. A Stoutland, a Heracross, and a Toxicroak."
Shadow sighed, as annoying as she was he had no reason to kill her, unless she interfered with Blade and himself "Thank you, I'll deal with them in due time, I recommend you leave before they get here. Though if you need to, feel free to go inside for food and water. But you're to leave once you're done." She smiled and ran by giving Shadow a peck on the cheek before going inside. "And you are never to do that again" His voice took a darker more threatening tone "If you do, I cannot guarantee that you will be permitted to continue living." The sableye took off running as if terrified by the threat. "Not long now." Shadow waited patiently and, unsurprisingly the hunters arrived. Just as the female sableye claimed Stoutland, Heracross, and Toxicroak. 'This will be far easier than I expected, though they hold numbers and type advantage they are out of their league.' He thought as Heracross slammed him into a tree with megahorn 'An impressive attack and yet, the gap in power makes such an attack meaningless.' Toxicroak followed up hitting the pinned darkrai with a poison jab. Stoutland finally joined in using fire fang on the pinned dark type. "I'm afraid I simply don't have time for you at the moment" Shadow calmly teleported himself and his attackers far from the overgrown structure he called home. In the moments of confusion amongst the attackers he struck, grabbing toxicroak and using its poisonous claws cut stoutland. The dog-like pokemon was rather conveniently poisoned by the attack. Continuing the momentum Shadow pulled toxicroak between himself and Heracross. With a single claw the pitch-black pokemon yanked at toxicroak's head snapping its neck and killing it instantly. Heracross seeing its allies defeated stumbled back. The cruel male refused to let them escape and using incredible force grabbed and broke the horn from Heracross' head. Then using the same horn drove it through the large bug's left eye. He turned to look at Stoutland who was stumbling back in fear. Shadow gripped the stoutland by the head looking into its eyes. "Under normal circumstances I'd end you, but considering why you came, you get limp home to your master, and explain that no matter what they do, they'll not get their hands on MY Blade!" With the last word of his statement Shadow threw the poisoned Stoutland to the ground. "Don't let the poison kill you before I get another chance." 'Now then, time to get back to him I suppose.'