Chapter 34: The Hunt Begins
"Hikari must die."
Shadow watched from far above the stadium as Hikari was in battle. Due to the amount of trainers present, even if he could defeat them all it would simply be too much work to kill him now, he can stack corpses later, there is only one that matters right now. However, as it stood, Shadow could observe him for now, see what made him tick, see what would make him break. From what Blade said, that Riolu was his partner, a viable option, but not one Shadow had any current interest in exploiting. No reason to punish them all for one Pokemon's misdeeds. Then again, the humans didn't help Blade either, though Shadow can hardly use that against them. He doesn't know them, he doesn't know whether or not these trainers were they types to help pokemon or mind their own business.
Suddenly a commotion from down below, some purple creature had exploded out from inside of a Latios. And it seemed to be rather vicious. Attacking anyone in the stadium it could. Shadow wouldn't be pleased, but he wouldn't be too upset if it killed Hikari. Though as he watched it grew more and more apparent that it wouldn't. For the little bastard's trainers had come to his rescue and fled the stadium. "No matter, I will take your life soon, Hikari."
But first, there was the idea of torture. Nightmares upon nightmares, driving the Pikachu mad, keeping him awake, never letting him rest, diluting his mind, cracking it, until it's ready to shatter. And Shadow could barely wait to cause harm to him. But something caught the darkrai's attention.
They were stopped outside by those buffoons from Team Skull. They were attacking, perhaps Shadow would be able to slaughter him now.
Suddenly the group split up, with some Team Skull pokemon pursuing the other group. Shadow noticed the Latios, bleeding profusely from the wound where the purple creature exploded from. He watched on as Hikari touched it, and he had seen something. Something familiar, something he had seen few times before, Pyre had done something similar, the color differed greatly, Pyre had a faint golden glow, but Hikari seemed to faintly glow blue. "…So he can utilize aura like Pyre? Perhaps he is stronger than expected." The little rodent collapsed moments later. "It would be a blessing from Arceus if you were dead, but I can feel it, you yet live." Shadow spoke with hatred clear in his voice.
The humans defeated the Team Skull grunts in moments before retreating away, taking an opportunity to visit a pokemon center for an extended period. When they finally left Shadow witnessed them boarding a ferry, bound for some place called Ryme City, a simple place to find, especially since he was going to hunt Hikari regardless of where he went. And with his single unwavering eye he set his sights on a map by the docks. Dozens of places, none Shadow needed. "For once you humans prove useful with teaching me your language. Ryme City it is." He looked over the map. "I will find you soon enough Hikari, but I am no fool, I need more information first." Shadow needed to know who was standing in his way. Blade only managed a bit of information on their teams, but Shadow needed something more. And if any human could assist him, he knew where to go.
*Later, Aether Paradise*
"Well, this is all we have on them, I'm sorry it isn't more, but….why do you need this file Shadow?"
"Simply put Lyte, I'm going to kill one of them, and I intend to have as little resistance as possible, the more I know of them the easier crushing them will be….." Shadow crushed the file in his hands "This tells me nothing!"
"It's all we have, I'm afraid Aether hasn't had interest in them until very recently!" Lyte defended himself, knowing better than to test Shadow's ire. "Most of that information was what Blade told you already, so I don't see why…oh no, do these trainers have Blade?"
"No, as far as I'm concerned the trainers are innocent, however one of their pokemon decieved Blade, tricked him, and the result is that now he lies in the grasp of Team Rocket!" Shadow was seething with anger and rage.
"I wish there was more I could do….Blade has experienced more suffering than most should ever have to." Lyte frowned.
"Precisely why that little wretch Hikari is going to die!"
"I'm afraid I can't help you regarding Aether at the moment though, I'm going to catch a plane soon to meet a contact in Ryme City, so if I find anything new I'll tell you."
"Thank you Lyte, you are one human I do not find detestable." With those words Shadow took off into the air heading back toward the docks, toward the ferry that had long since left. Toward Hikari.