In Ace's mind
Ace: - Sees nothing but a void (Huh? Where am I?)
?: - (Bout time I get to talk to you again)
Ace: - Looks to where the voice came from. Turns around and sees Nathan floating behind him (Nathan?)
Nathan: - (Hello, Ace)
Ace: - (What are you doing here?)
Nathan: - (I felt that you encountered my opposite, and it seemed I was right)
Ace: - (Your opposite? You mean Kai?!)
Nathan: - (No. Kai is not my opposite.)
Ace: - (Oh? Then, who's your opposite?)
Nathan: - (That human you were surprised to see here)
Ace: - (Wait. Devon?!)
Nathan: - Nods
Ace: - (Which Mew is he?)
Nathan: - (The worst one. The Mew of Misery.)
Ace: - (Misery, huh.)
Nathan: - (Mhm. He's been on a wild spree recently, spreading his misery across the Pokémon world. Millions of pokémon who were living happy lives are now living in a constant state of misery and despair.)
Ace: - (Ok? And what does that have to do with me?)
Nathan: - (When we first met in that park in the human world, remember when I said that I chose you to replace me as the Mew of Happiness?)
Ace: - (Yes, I'm still mad that you brought it upon me by force, and removed me from that world against my will!)
Nathan: - (I apologize for that, but I had no other choice.)
Ace: - (What do you mean "no other choice"?! There were many other humans you could've dragged over here!)
Nathan: - (You mean, "there were many humans I could've dragged over")
Ace: - (No, I mean "oth-") Gets cutoff
Nathan: - (You're not human, Ace!)
Ace: - Is taken aback a bit
Nathan: - (I thought that you would've ran into Teresa already, but either you didn't yet; you did, and she didn't mention that detail; or she did, and you don't believe her)
Ace: - (How do you know Teresa?)
Nathan: - (So you have met. Didn't she tell you that she is your real mother?)
Ace: - (Yes, she did say that.)
Nathan: - (Well, she is correct. And I should know, 'cause I was the one who helped her, you, and your brother, Ben, cross over into the human world, and find good humans there who were willing to take care of you.)
Ace: - Facepaws (Right, she said that as well)
Nathan: - (Anyway, the other reason I chose you to replace me is because I saw the potential in how much you could improve in terms of battling. I can't beat Devon on my own. I need your help.)
Ace: - (Even if I say "no", you'll just drag me further into your battle anyway, if our first encounter is anything to go by.)
Nathan: - (If you choose to decline this time, I'll promise you that you can live a normal life the way you want to. I'll even bring you back to the human world if you wish.)
Ace: - (Normally, I'd be mad at you still for bringing me here in the first place against my wishes...)
Nathan: - (I knew it was a long shot) Starts to walk away
Ace: - (But...)
Nathan stops
Ace: - (I'm madder at Devon for not telling me that he was a pokémon as well. I mean sure, I didn't know I was a pokémon until I met Teresa, but if he knew Ben and I were pokémon, as well as himself, why didn't he say anything?)
Nathan: - (Well since he's an evil Mew, my guess is that he wouldn't tell you that info out of nowhere, cause he might've visualized that if he did, you might turn into a real threat to him, even though he's the one trying to kill you, your family, and myself.)
Ace: - (He's planning to kill me?!)
Nathan: - nods (And when he found you in the human world, he likely was just waiting until you got back here to try and pull a move on you and attack you.)
Ace: - (Which he didn't do. He found me here, appeared to me as a Mew, then vanished.)
Nathan: - (So he spared you that time, but don't get used to that. He won't spare you again. You need to be prepared for when you encounter Devon again.)
Ace: - walks over to Nathan. Puts a paw on Nathan's shoulder (I'll help you)
Nathan: - (Huh?)
Ace: - (I'll help you beat Devon and bring back happiness to the mons he's affected.)
Nathan: - hugs Ace (Thank you, Ace. This means a lot.)
Ace: - (You're welcome, Nathan)
Nathan: - stops hugging and turns to leave (Now you should probably wake up soon.)
Ace: - (Huh?)
Nathan: - (It's almost morning, so I'll be taking my leave, but I'll see you again soon. I know you had a lot of questions from when I brought you over here, but I assure you, they will all be answered in time.)
Ace: - (Alright. Bye, Nathan.)
Nathan: - (See ya, Ace) floats away
The next morning
Ace: - Wakes up Good- looks around morning?
No one else is in the room
Ace: - Where is everyone?
Rocky: - Oh good. You're awake.
Rocky entered the room
Ace: - Rocky!
Ace tries to jump to Rocky, but something tugs at his leg, and he drops to the ground
Ace: - What the-? He sees that he has a chain on his leg. Why is this on my foot?
Max: - You can thank me for that.
Ace: - Max?
Max: - Don't give me any of that! You've got a lot of explaining to do!
Ace: - What do you mean?
Flynn: - You know exactly what he means.
Ace: - Flynn? You're here too?
Flynn: - Everyone is here.
Ace: - Everyone?!
Clover: - Hello, Ace.
Marie follows behind Clover, but doesn't say anything
Ace: - Clover? Marie?
Red: - Hello, Ace.
Ace: - Anyone else gonna show up?
Splat and Teresa enter the room
Splat: - We're the last ones.
Ace: - Ok
Teresa: - Ace? I'm worried about you.
Ace: - Why?
Max: - What do you mean "why"?
Ace: - I don't understand why my mother would need to worry about me.
Rocky: - Do you really not remember, Ace?
Ace: - Huh?
Citrine enters the room
Citrine: - Sorry I'm late
Ace: - Any other late parties?
Splat: - No, that's it
Clover: - Anyway, Ace, your teammates have told me that you had a Mew living in your body
Ace: - Is shocked by what Clover said
Teresa: - Is that true, Ace?
Ace: - I—uh-eh... sigh Yes, but I don't think he is in my mind right now. I don't feel his presence.
Marie: - So you're saying he left?
Ace: - That is a possibility. I don't know for sure cause it seems I was asleep for a long time.
Splat: - He did leave. Many of us saw him leave your body after you, well he, and Flynn raced to the balcony right over there. Points to the balcony
Ace: - Looks over to the balcony. Ok?
Ace thinks for a moment, then looks at his wrists
Ace: - Wait, how is that possible?
Splat: - It appeared that the Mew took over your body completely during the time he and Flynn were racing.
Ace: - On these paws? Holds up his paws which shows that his wounds reopened
Splat: - Uses psychic to grab some bandages, then repatches Ace's wrists Yup, good thing I had my medkit with me.
Rocky: - Ace's wounds reopened?
Max: - You didn't notice that at 'the finish line'?
Rocky: - No?
Max: - Anyway, Ace.
Ace: - Yes, Max?
Max: - Why was your fur black?
Ace: - Black? My fur is yellow, white, and olive green
Rocky: - It was black when you left the infirmary
Ace: - You mean when that Mew took over my body and he forced me to run out of the infirmary
Teresa: - It appeared to have changed right before the Mew took over
Ace: - I was in control when that happened?!
Splat: - Yup. And you shot dark lightning at us.
Ace: - I did?
Rocky: - mhm
Marie: - Sounds like what I expected from the Mew of Shadows
Ace: - Huh?
Max: - What are you talking about?
Marie: - Yup. Kai is real trickster, and a good one if you're not careful
Ace: - Shocked again How do you know his name?
Marie: - Oh I knew he was in you the entire time
Rocky: - Wait, what?! How?!
Marie: - My fur can sense the presence of any pokémon nearby, even if they're hidden, like in another mon's mind
Ace: - Ok. That explains how you know about Kai, but what about my fur allegedly turning black?
Nathan appears
Nathan: - And there's a crowd
Ace: - Nathan?!
Rocky: - Another Mew?
Max: - Ace, how do you know this Mew?
Ace: - Well-
Teresa: - It's not just Ace who knows Nathan
Flynn: - Huh?
Teresa: - Our whole family knows him
Rocky: - Ok
Ace: - Alright, now, about my fur changing color.
Splat: - Right. Turns to face everyone. Some of you may know this, but all pokémon have a sort of dark power within them; and no, I'm not talking about typings. This power can often be brought out when the mon in question has a high build-up of rage and anger. Because of the nature of this power, many pokémon often refer to this power as "Rage Mode". When a mon is in this state, their power is boosted by about 20%, but they often don't have a sense of their surroundings, and attack anyone and/or anything they see. Many have seen mons enter this state, most of those who have triggered rage mode have caused massive amounts of destruction to the nearby areas and towns, leading to getting themselves severely injured, or killed in some cases. However, there have been very few mons who have entered rage mode, but were able to keep their cool, and used that power to help those around them.
Ace: - How do you know so much about that power?
Splat: - Closes his eyes and focuses. A black aura swirls up from his legs and covers his whole body. Then it quickly vanishes, revealing an Umbreon with black fur, red rings, and pupil less red eyes
Clover: - Splat, since when could you go in that state?
Splat: - For about 20 years at this point
Ace: - Wait, what? You can get your fur to turn black too?!
Splat: - Yup, and I'm one of the few who can control themselves while in this state
Nathan: - Wow, Splat, I've known you for years, yet this is the first time I've seen you like this
Marie: - This is my first time seeing you like this as well
Max: - Same here
Clover: - I've been trying to get that state myself since you first told me about this, and I still haven't been able to do so.
Ace: - Wait, you can do that as well, Clover?
Clover: - Well not really. I tried to do it, but I failed at it many times.
Ace: - Do you think I can learn how to control my rage at all?
Splat: - I am sure you can do it, with some practice.
Ace: - Ok then, but I guess this will take a long time, since Splat said he was doing this for 20 years.
Splat: - Just because I said I've been able to be in this state for 20 years doesn't mean that it took me 20 years to control myself while like this.
Clover: - Well then, how long did it take you to control yourself in that state?
Splat: - About 3 weeks. I do know of others who are also able to control their rage like that, but it took them around 8-10 weeks.
Ace: - Well you're a dark type, so of course you were able to control yourself quicker.
Splat: - Maybe, but I do know of 1 non-dark type mon, who was able to control their rage in this state within 1 week, so there might be other ways of learning to control rage mode than the way I figured it out.
Ace: - Do you think I will be able to control my rage that quickly?
Splat: - Sure you can.
Rocky: - How did you manage to control your rage mode?
Splat: - Simply put, I just focused my mind on things that keep me sane. Whether that be my friends such as you guys, things I like to do in my off-time, or just overall keeping myself in check of being aware of what's happening around me.
Clover: - So Ace would just need to keep his mind on stuff like that so he doesn't lose control and start attacking everyone in the guild.
Splat: - It could be that kind of stuff that he needs to focus on to keep his cool, it could be something else that does a better job. It could only take him a week to figure out how to control his rage mode, it could be 3 weeks like me, it could take him 10 weeks like most of the others who have also controlled their rage mode.
Ace: - I just hope I can control myself quick enough to not cause a lot of damage to the guild or the pokémon in it.
Clover: - Which is why Splat is going to be part of your team until you learn to control your rage.
Ace: - Excuse me?
Splat: - Nods with confirmation as he exits his rage mode, with the dark aura wisping away from his body like a fire going out, and the orange and green coloring return to his body.
Ace: - So if we go on missions, we'll be a team of 5?
Clover: - You mean when you go on missions, yes.
Ace: - "When"?
Clover: - Holds his paw out, revealing 5 badges
Rocky: - GASP! Looks shocked, then smiles
Clover: - Congratulations, Team Thunderstorm, you're an official team of the Guild of Infinity
Rocky and Ace: - REALLY?! Wags their tails
Clover: - Yup. Here are your badges. Unhooks Ace's leg
Ace: - Finally, the shackle is off
Max: - I can put it back if you want me to
Ace: - Eyes flash red as he gives Max a death stare
Rocky: - Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax!
Max: - Hmmmmm sticks tongue out at Rocky
Rocky: - Prepares to use Razor Shell, and chases Max around the room
Marie: - Grabs both Rocky and Max Are we done now, children?
Rocky calms down
Marie: - Ok
Clover: - Gives each of the members of Team Thunderstorm their badges, as well as Splat There you go. With those you can leave any dungeon you find yourselves in at any time and teleport back to the guild, communicate with each other no matter how far apart you may be, and check the status of each member on your team, including yourself, and any mons you manage to recruit on your missions.
Ace: - Thank you so much, GuildMaster
Clover: - You may just call me Clover. I don't mind if you don't use that title when addressing me
Ace: - Oh. Well, thanks anyway
A small rumbling is heard in the room
Citrine: - What was that?
Ace: - That was me. I just realized I haven't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday, so I'm starving.
Clover: - Well, why don't we have a feast in the guild hall to celebrate your acceptance as a new team?
Rocky: - That's a great idea
Ace: - I agree
Splat: - Well, let's head over there now teleports everyone over to the guild hall
End of Chapter 8