Pokemon Virus Version: Fear's Darkness and Purity's Light Chapter 161: Time Before Time: Part 3, a pokémon fanfic

Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 161: Time Before Time Part 3

'Sigh…'

Roaming the empty streets of Prypiat were the masked fireflies Volbeat and Illumise, who were in uncharacteristically dour moods after being dismissed by Commander 15.

"This is no fair!" Volbeat chirped.

"No fair, this is!" Illumise parroted.

The fireflies stopped in the middle of the road to voice their frustrations.

"It's a shame Lord Bastion dismissed us before we could see 26."

"Lord Bastion dismissed us before we could see 26. It's a shame."

With their mission complete, all that was left now was to return to Lady Beatrice. She had to have been somewhere outside town, in the direction of Dawn Meadow.

"Huh?"

But before Volbeat and Illumise could finish their final lap around town, they spotted a group of people.

Rose, Yumi, Chapel, Banette, and Chikorita…they were all running through town, making their way into an open building.

Volbeat and Illumise looked at each other for a split second.

"Yayyy! We found 26 and friends!" Volbeat chirped.

"We found 26 and friends1 Yayyy!" Illumise echoed.

The fireflies performed a momentary celebratory dance before glancing at each other again.

"Umm…didn't Lord Bastion tell us not to get involved?" For the first time, Volbeat was using his head. He knew better than to disobey a direct order and incur the wrath of Commander 15.

Illumise, playing devil's advocate, put a hand on Volbeat's shoulder as she remarked, "Commander 15 already dismissed us. Technically we don't have to do what he says anymore. We can annoy 26 to our heart's content!"

Volbeat's face lit up at Illumise's logic.

"Yes!"

The fireflies were as obnoxious as ever.

"Let's pay 26 a visit!"

….

Rose, Chapel, Yumi, Banette, and Chikorita had entered the building. The inside of said building was gray in color – it felt dreary. The grey skies outside only added to the building's dreariness.

Yumi was breathing heavily, exhausted from running from Dusknoir.

"Rose." Chapel calmly approached Rose.

"…" Rose didn't make eye contact with the Pokemon Ranger.

"Listen Rose," Chapel addressed the five year old calmly as she put her hands on Rose's shoulders, "I'm not Seth. I'm not suspicious of you in the slightest. You're the sister I never had…but why would you try hiding Commander 15 from us?"

"Brother and Uncle Bastion are dearly beloveds. I do not wish to see them fight." Rose answered.

"But Rose, Seth withdrew all his Shadow Pokemon to go fight 15…" Yumi warned, "Seth intends on taking 15's life…"

Rose's eyes widened with worry.

"Given the Dusknoir attack just now, Bastion seems intent on a fight to the death to." Chapel added.

Rose took Chapel's hands off her shoulders and stepped forward, "We need to find Brother."

Chapel and Yumi were unsure of where Seth was, or if he even survived Dusknoir's ambush. But Rose…she knew where Uncle Bastion was. He was at the top of the tower which lied on the outskirts of Prypiat. She had no doubt Seth was going there.

"Let's go." Rose and the group were about the make their way to Circle N until…

"Peekaboo!"

Volbeat appeared.

Rose and Banette gritted their teeth.

"Are you happy to see me?" Volbeat asked excitedly.

"Go away!" Banette snapped.

"We do not have time to play games." Rose told the firefly.

"Hmm?" Yumi gave Volbeat an intrigued look, "Hey!" It was here that Yumi realized that this was the same Volbeat that saved her from falling to her death.

"Woah!" Volbeat was taken aback when Yumi pulled him in for a hug.

"You're the one that saved my life! You're a cute little fly!"

Volbeat blushed as Yumi showered him with affection.

Chapel, Rose, and Banette were dumbfounded. Volbeat and Illumise have been a thorn in their side for a long time now – so much so that the girls had yet to get a definitive upper hand on the fireflies. But Yumi's ignorance seemed just as blissful as the fireflies' ignorance.

Yumi let go of Volbeat as she started looking around, "Speaking of, where is Illumise?"

Volbeat was still blushing for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Volbeat! Volbeat! Look what I found!" Illumise approached the scene with a faded Pokeball in her grasp.

"Where did you find his Pokeball?" Volbeat asked.

"I found an abandoned Pokemon Center with a bunch of them!" Illumise chirped before giving Rose a malicious look, "I can't wait to see how you like our friend here."

Rose, Banette, Chikorita, Chapel, and Yumi could hear incoming footsteps. BIG footsteps.

"Tur." Entering the building was a spiky-shelled Pokemon.

Yumi scanned the Pokemon with her Pokedex.

Turtonator, the Blast Turtle Pokemon: The shell on Turtonator's back is coated with explosive substances. Enemies that dare attack it will be blown away by an immense detonation.

"What's going on?" Yumi asked.

"Volbeat and Illumise…they're making Turtonator fight us." Chapel answered.

"We should run." Rose remarked, "Fighting Turtonator will accomplish nothing, and we need to catch up to Brother."

"Good luck doing that." Illumise smiled.

That got the attention of Banette, "What do you mean by that?"

"I had Turtonator plant Shell Traps around the city, ready to detonate if you step on one!" Illumise explained, "One detonation could set off a chain reaction that destroys the entire city. The only way to get rid of the Shell Traps is to defeat Turtonator right here."

With no choice but to fight, Chapel took out a Pokeball and threw it into the air, "I choose you!"

Out of Chapel's Pokeball came Piplup, who quickly launched a Water Gun at Turtonator.

It was a direct hit, but Turtonator seemed unaffected. "Tur…" No. Turtonator wasn't unharmed. He was just slow. Slow like an old man. Slow like Pokemon who'd remained dormant for many years.

"Lup…" Though Piplup could extinguish Turtonator's flames as a Water Type, sometimes the fate of a battle was determined by more complex nuances.

"Hahaha!"

Volbeat and Illumise laughed at Chapel's meager attempt to douse the Fire Type.

"Try again, Pokemon Ranger!"

"Let me try!" It was here that Yumi took out a Pokeball and threw it into the air.

Materializing in front of Turtonator was the Grass Snake Pokemon, Servine. "Vine?" Servine raised an eyebrow.

"So, she's gonna use a Grass type?" Illumise asked.

Volbeat passively sat on top of a fallen bookshelf as he remarked, "Let's see what Servine's gonna do!"

Yumi pointed at Turtonator, "Servine, use Leech Seed!"

"Leech Seed?" Banette questioned.

"It's a good strategy. Leech Seed will continue to drain Turtonator's energy. The longer this fight lasts, the greater Turtonator's disadvantage will be." Chapel could read Yumi's strategy like a book. Being methodical was never Yumi's style. Perhaps there was a first time for everything.

Yumi's finger remained pointed at Turtonator, waiting for Servine to unleash his attack.

"Lup."

"Chi."

Piplup and Chikorita watched with anticipation.

"Servine?" Yumi called.

"Hmph."

Chapel, Rose, and Banette all gritted their teeth as Servine turned away.

"Ser." Servine's arms were crossed, and his chin was held up high.

Yumi groaned as her shoulders drooped, "Servine…!"

Servine still refused to listen to his trainer. He was as disobedient as ever.

The eyes of Volbeat and Illumise were glued to the action.

"A Pokemon that won't listen to its trainer?" Illumise smiled.

"Hahahaha!" Volbeat was bursting with laughter, "What kind of trainer sends a disobedient Pokemon into battle?!"

"Please Servine! We NEED you!" Yumi pleaded.

Servine remained turned away, refusing to listen.

"Tur…" Seeing Servine and Yumi's dynamic gave Turtonator to launch the first attack. "Turrrr…" It took a minute for Turtonator to get his body temperature up. He was like an old car being revved up for the first time in a while – it took a minute to get up to speed, but it was still perfectly functional. Turtonator took a deep breath before exhaling with authority. "TUR!" Flamethrower was launched in Servine's direction.

"Servine, look out!" Yumi called.

Upon hearing Yumi's warning, Servine opened one eye. "Ser?" It was as if Servine's undivided attention was fully grabbed by the stream of fire heading in his direction. "Tur!"

"Ser!" Servine jumped into the air. 'How dare that old bag of bones launch an attack at me!' Servine was now willing to do battle, but not on Yumi's terms. "Vine!" Servine launched a set of vines and quickly wrapped them around Turtonator.

"Servine?" Yumi questioned.

"Servine's using Vine Whip!" Yumi called.

"Tur…"

The firefliers were excited to see what happened next.

"So, Servine does have some fight in him!" Volbeat was as invested in this fight as a child watching Saturday Morning cartoons.

"Fight in him, so Servine has!" Illumise echoed.

"Tur…" Turtonator was old, but with age came wisdom. His eyes narrowed, as he knew exactly what Servine was going to do.

"Vine!" Using his vines, Servine began pulling himself toward Turtonator.

Turtonator's eyes glinted, and the spikes on his back began glowing red.

Servine was too caught up in the moment to question why Turtonator wasn't putting up a resistance. This would prove to be Servine's ultimate undoing.

"Tur!" Just before Servine made contact, Turtonator quickly turned around so his back was facing the Grass Type.

Servine suspected nothing…until it was too late. As soon as Servine made contact… "Ser?" The red aura surrounding Turtonator's spikes turned bright white before promptly exploding. "Ser!"

"Servine!" Yumi called.

Servine fell in front of his black-haired, aqua blue-banged trainer. "…" And he was unable to battle.

"Chi?" Chikorita approached the fallen Servine in worry.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"I'm not sure." Chapel answered, "There was no way for us to know this would happen. We've never seen a Turtonator before."

"But what did Turtonator do?" Banette asked.

Yumi recalled Servine before taking out her Pokedex.

Shell Trap: Turtonator's signature move and most powerful attack. This Fire-Type attack is activated when Turtonator is struck by a physical damage-dealing attack.

"What a maneuver!" Volbeat cheered.

"A GREAT maneuver!" Illumise added.

"Encore!"

Volbeat and Illumise were getting riled up, which annoyed Rose.

Yumi, Chapel, Rose, Banette, Chikorita, and Piplup were brainstorming.

"Volbeat and Illumise said they had Turnonator lay Shell Traps all over the city…" Banette began to explain the situation to the girls now, "If one Shell Trap was enough to defeat a Pokemon in one fell swoop, imagine how much damage multiple Shell Traps could do…"

"Damn those fireflies…" Rose had battled Volbeat and Illumise in the past, and at times they would gather other Pokemon to do their bidding; like in the Aomori Mountains when they disturbed a wild Avalugg and Bergmite colony. But this…Volbeat and Illumise had never used their shenanigans to bring about destruction. This was a new low for them.

"What can we do?" Yumi asked. "The threat of triggering Shell Traps to destroy the city means that we have to defeat Turtonator right here, but we can't use any physical Pokemon. Shell Trap will quickly defeat them."

"That leaves us able to use only pokemon that have Special Attacks." Rose added.

"I have Umbreon and Braixen." Yumi remarked as she took out two Pokeballs.

"I have Chime, Piplup, and Glaceon. However…" Chapel paused. "Chime isn't a battling Pokemon, and Glaceon doesn't stand a chance against Turtonator's Flamethrower."

Chapel and Yumi's options were limited. Chapel couldn't use Chime, Skarmory, Glaceon, Ursaring, or Bulbasaur. Yumi couldn't use Gliscor. That left just Piplup, Umbreon, and Braixen.

Turtonator stood, watching and waiting for the girls' next move.

"Yawn…!"

The girls' deliberating had Volbeat and Illumise bored. They were so bored that they ignorantly uttered the word 'yawn' in protest.

"Turtonator will not strike the girls unless they're ready."

"Unless they're ready, Turtonator will not strike the girls."

"Yawn…!"

"…"

When the fireflies looked at each other, Illumise asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"We should add some spice to this battle."

Illumise smiled.

"How about we set off one of the Shell Traps Turtonator placed near the foundation of this building!" Volbeat concocted.

"Ooh! Volbeat, you sly thing!" Illumise was impressed.

"I'm not sly. I just wanna give 26 a show she'll enjoy."

"For 26!" Illumise cheered.

"For 26!" Volbeat cheered.

Volbeat and Illumise were able to leave the scene of the battlefield unnoticed, as the girls were still deliberating what Pokemon to send out.

"Tur…" Turtonator was still watching and waiting.

"Braixen's Fire Type attacks won't damage Turtonator, so I'll have to go with Umbreon." Yumi took out Umbreon's Pokeball and threw it into the air.

When the Pokeball opened, Yumi's very first Pokemon in Umbreon appeared next to Piplup. "On." Umbreon gave Yumi a side glance. The side eye wasn't condescending, it was just Umbreon's way of asking, 'So you wish for me to fight the Pokemon in front of me?'

"Be careful, Umbreon." Yumi warned.

"Turtonator must be defeated right here," Chapel said.

"If we trigger the Shell Traps throughout the city, our lives will be in danger." Rose added.

Umbreon gave Yumi a single nod before stepping forward and facing Turtonator.

"Lup." Piplup lined up next to Umbreon.

With his opponents ready, Turtonator was now willing to launch his next attack. "Tur!" He got on all fours like a turtle, and raised his tail. Said tail began swinging in a circular motion as it began glowing a teal aura.

This had Chapel and Yumi taken aback.

"Turtonator's gonna use a physical move?!" Yumi questioned.

Chapel clenched her fist. "Great, so we come up with a strategy to avoid using physical attacks…only for our opponent to immediately counter our strategy by using physical moves of his own!"

"Tur!" Turtonator, now ready to strike, lunged at Umbreon and Piplup.

"Lup!" Piplup attempted to stop Turtonator with Ice Beam.

"TUR!" But Turtonator used his tail to deflect it.

This left Piplup wide open.

"On!" Umbreon quickly jumped to shield Piplup, cloaking his tail in the metallic aura of Iron Tail.

"TUR!"

"ON!"

As Turtonator swung his tail, Umbreon parried it with his own tail.

"Ngh…!"

Dragon Tail versus Iron Tail. It was a moments-long struggle between the two moves. Naturally, Turtonator's height gave him the advantage.

No Shell Trap yet.

"Piplup!" Chapel called, "Use Ice Beam on Turtonator's shell!"

"Hm?" Banette looked to Chapel confused.

"His shell?" Rose asked.

Chapel didn't answer either of them. With Turtonator locked in a struggle, now was the only time to figure out if her strategy would work.

"Lup!" Piplup ran behind Turtonator, leapt up in the air, and launched Ice Beam at point blank range. At first, the beam of ice didn't appear to be affecting Turtonator, but Piplup was persistent. Her Ice Beam didn't waver, and as she kept it up Turtonator's shell began to freeze over.

Turtonator gritted his teeth. "Tur…" He was in a tough spot with Ice Beam freezing his spikes, but if he wavered in his struggle with Umbreon, the Dark Type would surely strike him. "Tur…" Many years spent inside that Pokeball hadn't kept Turtonator from aging. Perhaps the old man overestimated his strength, and he wasn't as strong as he used to be. In his struggle with Umbreon, Turtonator briefly glanced outside. The Town was in ruin. He couldn't pinpoint exactly how long he'd been inside that Pokeball…but it was long enough for him to realize that the people he once knew in Prypiat were long gone. And if that were the case, then what was the point of fighting anymore? Who were Umbreon, Piplup, and the humans that stood before him? He'd been asleep for far too long. If he were to win this fight, would he survive in the open world outside? Maybe…maybe it was time to fall asleep for good… "Tur!" Turtonator's knee buckled, and his Dragon Tail was successfully deflected.

"Um!" Umbreon followed this up by landing another Iron Tail on Turtonator's other knee. Critical Hit!

"Lup." Piplup ceased Ice Beam and landed on the ground. She, Umbreon, Yumi, Chapel, Chikorita, Rose, and Banette all waited.

"…" It was time for this old man to bow out. As Turtonator fell, the second it took for him to hit the ground felt like an eternity. His life flashed before his eyes; A life of sin and regret. Should he recover following this fight, Turtonator would remain in the ruined city, wandering aimlessly until his life came to a merciful end. It was an appropriate fate, considering the lives he's taken. To Umbreon, Piplup, and their trainers, Turtonator wished them the best as he hit the ground with a thud.

"We won?" Chapel wasn't expecting the battle to end so abruptly.

"Umbreon, you did it!" Yumi walked up to Umbreon, picked him up, and embraced him in a hug.

"You saved the city!"

"You saved the city?"

"Saved the city? You?"

"HAHAHAHA!"

Yumi halted her celebration. Those were the voices of Volbeat and Illumise. But where were they?

"Where are they?" Rose asked.

To Rose, Chapel, and Yumi, the fireflies were simply letting their cries be heard. But for Banette, who could understand Pokemon language, she told the girls to stay on their guard.

"You did NOT defeat Turtonator!" Volbeat's cry echoed through the building.

"Defeat Turtonator, you did not!" As did Illumise's voice.

"Turtonator's just being dramatic. As dramatic as Drama Club!" Volbeat remarked.

"Turtonator hasn't fainted. He just can't get up because you struck his knees. Therefore, the Shell Traps placed around the city still remain!" Illumise explained.

Banette shook her head in frustration. "I am sick of dealing with Volbeat and Illumise!" The Ghost type started floating in the direction Volbeat and Illumise's voices came from.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked.

"I'm gonna kill Volbeat and Illumise!"

"Is that so? You wish to kill us?" Volbeat asked.

"You wish to kill us? Is that so?" Illumise echoed.

"HAR HAR THARSDAYS!"

"I'm afraid you won't get a chance to touch us!" Illumise cheered.

"Yeah! We just found the Shell Trap placed upon the foundation of this building!"

"WHAT?!" Banette's tune quickly shifted from wanting to inflict malice on the fireflies to needing to urgently get out of here, and it was apparently based on how fast Banette flew back in Rose's direction. "They're gonna blow up this building! We need to get outta here before-"

Too late. Once the Shell Trap to the building's foundation was triggered, the ground started shaking.

Yumi lost her balance and fell to the ground, only for Chapel to help her up.

"The building is collapsing!" Rose's ladylike demeanor began to falter in the face of what was happening. Hugging the Pokemon Egg in her grasp, Rose vowed to do anything to keep her child safe.

"We need to get out of here!"

The first to start running was Piplup. She was followed by Yumi, who's hand was being held by Chapel as the two ran together.

"Chi!" Running next to Yumi was Chikorita.

Rose quickly activated her virus power and began floating in the air. But before she could take off flying, "Ngh…!" A piece of the roof collapsed, falling right before her. Rose stood there wide-eyed. Had she moved just a second sooner, her and her Egg would've been crushed.

"Rose, lets go!" Banette flew past Rose, but not before taking her out of her thoughts.

"Right!" Rose nodded before making haste toward the building exit.

Last but not least was Umbreon. He took a couple of steps in the direction of the exit, but no before giving one last glance to the fallen Turtonator.

"…"

Umbreon got it now. So THIS was what Turtonator was referring to.

'Should he ever recover from this fight, he would remain in the ruined city, wandering until his life came to a merciful end'.

"Breon." Umbreon would be sure to keep Turtonator in his prayers.

More debris fell from the roof. This obscured Umbreon's gaze at Turtonator. The amount of debris falling was increasing by the second.

"On!" Umbreon took evasive action as he ran toward the exit. The debris fell to the left, then the right. Umbreon managed to avoid both of them, but the ground below him started splitting.

A fissure was forming.

To avoid being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Umbreon tactfully jumped from the ground, and then performed a second jump off a large piece of debris falling from the roof. It was at this moment that the fissure started growing bigger.

"On!" Umbreon was able to escape the building right before the fault was big enough to sink the entire building into the ground.

The Dark type joined Yumi, Chapel, Banette, Chikorita, and Piplup in watching what was the equivalent of a building demolition. In the matter of moments, the entire building was nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Once the smoke cleared, the group could see two figures floating in the sky: Volbeat and Illumise.

Volbeat gave a sinister smirk, "This building is only the beginning.

As if on cue, the ground below the group started shaking again.

"Look!" Banette directed the girls to look to their right.

There. Down the street. Another fissure was forming. This was bigger than the one that sunk the building they were in. MUCH bigger. It was bigger, faster, and headed straight for the group!

Rose, Chapel, Yumi, Banette, Umbreon, Piplup, and Chikorita all made haste to outrun the fissure being formed.

It was a chain reaction. Tremors from the initial Shell Trap triggered by Volbeat and Illumise were triggering other Shell Traps that were placed around the city. The second wave of Shell Traps would trigger the third wave, which would in turn cause the fourth wave, and so on. Every building and every establishment in the ruined city of Prypiat was beginning to collapse – including the buildings the girls passed by in their bid to outrun the giant fissure.

From the sky, Volbeat and Illumise watched the destruction of Prypiat.

The Prypiat Secondary School collapsed in a fiery Shell Trap explosion. The Ginza and its many long-dormant stores collapsed. Reisdential Districts collapsed. Business Districts collapsed. What appeared to be a military base in the distance collapsed.

The only Prypiat to remain relatively intact in the face of the Shell Trap apocalypse? That would be the carnival where Dusknoir previously attacked. Volbeat and Illumise were told not to interfere in the Reaper's fight, so they couldn't plant any traps here. The carnival would be where the group would ultimately escape to. They stood under the sky that became obscured by black clouds of smoke.

Rose watched in horror. This could only be described as 'Hell of Earth' – Mindless destruction at its finest. Rose hugged her Pokemon Egg. The destruction of this ruined city happened because of her presence. Was she the Main Character in this? She was the one Volbeat and Illumise were after. She was the one with connections to Team Neo Snagem. She was the one trusted to keep Neo Snagem's presence a secret from her brother. And she was Commander 15 Bastion's endgame.

When all the faults were created and settled…when all the buildings were collapsed into ruin. When the black clouded sky took on a red hue. And when Volbeat and Illumise appeared to be finished with their cruel prank, Rose finally asked herself, "Brother? Uncle Bastion? Where are you?"

To Be Continued…