Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 42: Gamble of Fate
Alright, so this chapter will conclude Noah's backstory. Now I've noticed an error these last two chapters, and as a result, Noah's age for the flashback chapters have been changed to thirteen years old, and have occurred one year before the started of Seth's journey. I'm sorry for yet another late update, but I needed to find a way to execute Noah's entire stint with Neo Snagem in one chapter, and as a result, you guys get one of my longer chapters. So please read and review.
Flashback
Noah's POV
"It is a new day, Noah. A day where you become a part of the future dynasty known as Team Neo Snagem."
I turned around to see Wes, who proceeded to greet me in a 'good morning' fashion.
"Where's my mother?" I asked.
"Sakura?" Wes questioned. "She was assigned a room separate from yours for reasons I believe you are too young to understand."
"Hm?"
"Don't worry." Magnaeton's trainer approached me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll see her soon."
"Uh, 18?" Bagon's trainer addressed the guy who had his hand on my shoulder. "You do realize our battle isn't over yet, right?"
I looked at who Bagon's trainer called 18. He was average height, but was slightly burly as well. His Team Neo Snagem vest was zipped up, covering a black t-shirt. He had on beige shorts, black medium length socks, and brown high top boots.
"Alright." 18 replied. "We all know you're gonna win. You always win."
"Then why did you challenge me in the first place?" Bagon's trainer asked.
18 sighed, and looked at me as he took his hand off my shoulder. "This is what you'll have to put up with too, trust me."
"What I'll have to deal with?" I questioned as I looked at Bagon's trainer. "Hmm..."
"Her name is Yuna, Commander 04 of Team Neo Snagem." 18 replied.
This girl looked...odd, even for a story like this, where people have more than one hair color .
Yuna looked to be about twelve years old. She had two blonde bangs that covered each of her ears. Her hair in the back was shoulder length, and was black with a magenta sheen along the edges of the lower half. Her abnormal amethyst colored eyes certainly got my attention. She wore a slim fit, long sleeve black shirt, and a beige colored vest that only went down past her chest. She wore dark blue short shorts, white thigh high socks, and black, knee high boots.
"She's also earned the nickname: The Queen of Games. But if you ask me, her name should be Mary Sue." 18 said.
"Mary Sue?" I questioned as I looked at 18.
"There's a reason why Yuna's ranked so high as a part of Neo Snagem." Wes replied.
"I'll just say it straight. Yuna. Never. Loses." 18 added. "Games, missions, pokemon battles, you name it. I mean, she makes even Commander 24 (Chapter 12) look like a noob, and 24 is obsessed with games. Hell, not even Wes or Atticus can defeat her in a pokemon battle."
No way...This girl, she's stronger than even Wes?
I turned to Wes, who simply smiled at what 18 said.
"So, why is she still ranked lower than you?" I asked.
"Because she is only twelve years old. Not too long ago, a four year old Commander 26 betrayed Team Neo Snagem (Chapter 15)." Wes replied. "The rebellious ways of 'little children' have not been tolerated since. But 04? She is an exception, her skills and her loyalty to Neo Snagem have rewarded her with very ranking at such a young age." Wes started back upstairs. "Noah, follow me. I'll take you to see your mother."
Followed by 18 & Magneton, 04 & Bagon, and Poochyena & I, Wes directed us through many elevators, hallways, and main rooms before stopping ni front of a particular large, silver door. Where it led to, I wasn't sure, but today was a good day to find out.
"Your mother waits for you inside, where you two will be officially initiated into this organization." Wes put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile. The attention of 04 and 18 were also on me. "Noah, today is the beginning of your forever, as well as Sakura's. Are you ready?"
I gave Wes a warm smile and nodded. "Yes, yes I am."
Wes nodded back at me, as he face the door once more.
As the silver double doors opened, the light coming from behind was creeping it's way out as the whole hallway became a shade lighter. This light...it was blinding. Despite covering my eyes, I still felt as though I whited out.
Location: Team Neo Snagem's Chamber of Commerce
Behind the door was a huge chamber heavily decorated with various plants and portraits. One particular portrait that got my attention was one that featured a man with very a mustache, as well as eyebrows. Wes simply stated that this man, known as Gonzap, was once the leader of the original Team Snagem. He said Gonzap was a 'pathetic excuse for a leader' compared to Atticus and even himself.
So Gonzap aside, with several white clothed tables throughout the huge chamber decorated with plenty of mouth watering food on top, and all of Neo Snagem's commanders and unranked grunts present, this felt more like a banquet than an initiation. Purple marbled walls and ceilings, black marbled floors, and still no windows? This was definitely a change up from the 'bare minimum' life style my mother and I have endured for the longest time.
"Hmmm..." Poochyena and I were looking for Mother. "Where IS she?"
"Like Wes said: We'll see her soon enough." 04 replied.
"Sakura will momentarily arrive, and when that time comes, she will be given the rank of Commander 07: a woman who gambles her fate as if it would be decided by the flip of a single coin."
Wes pulled out a coin from his blue jacket pocket.
I asked Wes about my own ranking, but Wes said I would have to work my way up as an unranked grunt and prove my loyalty to Team Neo Snagem first. He said that Neo Snagem has stopped granting 'children' such power ever since the betrayal of Commander 26.
After about twenty minutes, everyone had settled in to their seats in the Chamber of Commerce. Poochyena and I sat at a table that included Commanders 04, 18, and a very loud 19 who wouldn't stop complaining about 'whatever' until we were all finally addressed by our leader: Commander 01, Atticus.
"And so, our Team will grow even more powerful today, as we welcome our newest commander: Commander 07, Sakura!" Atticus announced.
Wes told me Atticus was NEVER this formal, except for events such as this.
"To be gifted with such a high rank so early on..." Wes started. "However, she IS only a replacement for our previous Commander 07, Luck, whose gambling finally took a turn for the worst, and led to his downfall, unfortunately."
With everyone's attention on the center of the chamber, a dark aura started to generate. After a few seconds, my mother emerged from the dark aura.
But she looked...different.
She now had purple eyes, and cherry colored was in a ponytail that went down to her lower back, Her bangs were now amethyst and covered her right eye. She wore a white vest that went down just below her chest, and wore a cherry, sleeveless shirt underneath. Although she wore no sleeves, she did wear long, black gloves to cover her arms. Red lipstick, black stockings, and red high heels were the rest of her features.
The sound of her heels tapping on the marbled floors was all that was audible as everyone kept their silence, waiting for Sakura to reach the center of the room. And once the sound of her footsteps stopped-
"- As former Commander 07, Luck's replacement, you will be entitled to all of Luck's pokemon, as well as powers that will be bestowed upon you by yours truly." Atticus said.
Sakura remained silent as she stared at the ground with indifference in her eyes.
Without word, Atticus took out two pokeballs. Then, Atticus and the two pokeballs started glowing a familiar dark aura as the pokeballs started floating toward my mother. Call me crazy, but I believed Atticus was controlling the pokeballs, using what I thought to be telekinetic powers.
"No way..." Just who WAS Atticus?
"Once you accept these two pokemon, there's no turning back," Atticus said. "Will you continue?"
Sakura looked up to Atticus with a determined looked in her eyes. "Yes, yes I am." She grabbed the two pokeballs, which meant that she was now apart of what could be 'The' dynasty of Team Neo Snagem.
We have now entered the window of opportunity. But I think of it not as a window, but rather as a door to tomorrow. From sleeping on the cold grounds of Goldenrod to sleeping under the grounds of Goldenrod, safe and sound. Our lives have changed. But I still ask: Will our lives change us. Will Mother ever abandon her gambles of fate, or will she cause her own downfall once more, and return the both of us to our daily lives within the slums of Goldenrod? Only time would tell...
358 days later...
Location: Agate Village of the Orre Region
"Mightyena, use Shadow Ball!" I commanded.
A battle between 04 and I was just a good way to pass the time while we were on a reconnaissance mission in Agate Village. Our mission was to try and find any connection between Relic Forest of Orre and Ilex Forest of Johto.
"Hmph, you try to strike me with nothing but a simple head on attack." 04 closed her eyes and looked down as Shadow Ball neared her Bagon. "Brute strength isn't the only way to claim victory..."
Shadow Ball created a cloud of smoke upon contact with Bagon. Moments later, the smoke cleared, showing a Bagon down on it's back, looked at the sunset sky.
"Did...did I win?" I questioned as I slowly approached Bagon.
"Ar?" Mightyena questioned.
"You lack the ability to sense deception..." 04 looked at Mightyena, who returned her gaze.
Suddenly, Mightyena was struck and downed by a Flamethrower that came from a Bagon who was standing as if it never took ay damage at all.
"But?" I questioned.
"Like I said: brute strength isn't the only way to win a battle." 04 approached the downed Mightyena. "You could do what I did, and 'play possum."
"04..." I started. "You never lose. How do you do it?"
"She doesn't even evolve all her pokemon either," 18 and Mother were by Agate Village's waterfall, observing our battle. "I'm telling you, she wins because she's a Mary Sue."
"Mind over muscle, always." 04 crossed her arms as she stood tall over Mightyena. "This applies in pokemon battles too."
"Mind over muscle my ass!" 18 mocked. "Do you honestly think a lowly Magikarp could defeat the almighty Arceus with a simple strategy?"
"That's exactly what I think." 04 started toward Relic Forest to begin our mission. "Of course, thanks to strategy I always win, regardless of type or level."
18 and Bagon were not too far behind 04. I looked down at Mightyena, and then at Sakura, who was still near the waterfall. "We're only getting stronger, Mother..."
Mother got up and walked right past me, without word as she also started toward Relic Forest.
I was saddened. Ever since we joined Team Neo Snagem, Mother has never really talked to me. As a Commander, she's always been busy. Some days she would appear indifferent to my presence, and others she would be visibly bitter from the amount of stress that came with being such a high ranking commander. Her days off, she would spend in Goldenrod gambling away what money she had. The losses were adding up, and her gambles of fate were draining away the luck that had acted like a drug for my mother. Despite all this, being aligned with Team Neo Snagem kept her from losing everything once again as her income remained stable. Over the last 358, there was no change for the better in Mother, and I was beginning to worry about how her paranoia would affect everyone, and more importantly, me...
"Mom, how come we don't talk anymore?" I asked as I fed the downed Mightyena a Sitrus Berry.
Sakura gave no reply.
"Mom!" Why have we drifted apart?
Location: Relic Forest
As the highest ranking commander present, 04 was to lead the way despite being only thirteen years old. Despite Relic Forest quite the lush and welcoming feel to it, there were no wild pokemon seen. Of course, this was to be expected given the fact that the Orre region has a reputation of having little or no wild pokemon at all.
"-Okay 04, I know you've probably never lost a battle, but let's be real, you can't win forever." 18 was up ahead rambling about 04's winning ways. He's probably just jealous when all is said and done.
"I don't get it," 04 said to herself.
"Get what?" I asked.
"I know wild pokemon are few and far between here in Orre. But still, a large forest with no sign of breathing life?" 04 replied. "You know, Wes is the one who assigned us this mission. But out of everyone in Neo Snagem, Wes is the most familiar with Orre. So why did he not just do this mission himself?"
"Atticus may have objected. He IS the only person ranked higher than Wes after all." I guessed.
"Hmph." Sakura took out a pokeball that emitted a dark aura. "Honchkrow, help us cover more ground!"
"Krow!" Scouting the unfamiliar forest, Honchkrow immediately followed 07's direct order.
18 sighed. "You know, Wes could've at least given us a specific item, or place, or what not to look for. I mean-"
"-If you paid attention, you'd know that locating the Relic Stone was our main goal on reconnaissance. 'A part of the Earth that acts as a second ground for Celebi' is just another one of Wes' indirect answers to describe 'A stone that acts as Celebi's second shrine." 04 explained calmly.
48 minutes later...
The sun is setting, and a moonless night was upon us. A moonless night in which we are all accompanied by only pure darkness as the forest trees shielded us from the light of the stars.
I tried on two occasions to walk beside my mother, but she acted as if nobody was there, adding subtle haste to her pace.
"Mom?" I got the same 'no response' from her.
"Krow!" Honchkrow returned to us.
"What is it?" 18 ran toward Honchkrow, who landed right in front of Sakura.
"Have you found something?" Sakura asked.
Honchkrow nodded yes.
"07, you and Honchkrow take the lead now." Yuna simply stopped as Sakura, 18, and Honchkrow took the lead.
I sighed as I simply followed Yuna, who walked right in front of me.
"You're worried about Sakura, right?" 04 was the first to notice as I simply looked at her, indifferent to her abnormal black and pink hair to this point. "People change, Noah. For all we know, the woman you knew in your mother may have been swallowed up by the shadows. Or maybe her many gambles have changed her fate as to who she is as a person."
Without reaction, I looked down, thinking about what 04 told me until we had finally reached our destination: the yard of the Relic Stone.
We all stood on a single platform of stone, where a pillar stood at the center-a pillar 04 described as the Relic Stone.
"The Relic Stone..." Sakura said to herself.
"Now what?" 18 questioned as Mightyena went up to the pillar, sniffing out of curiosity.
"It is said that Celebi and the Relic Stone are what connects the regions of Johto and Orre. But the problem is that so few have seen Celebi before, the legend might not even be real." 04 explained.
"I always thought Celebi was a myth." I said. "The legend can't be true."
"Arf arf!" Mightyena sounded as if he found something.
04 walked behind the pillar. "Well does THIS look like a myth to you?"
I slowly followed 04, and was sent into a state of awe at what I saw.
What I saw were two girls, a Ninjask, and a Sylveon who all appeared the be resting against the pillar. The first girl had long red hair, and looked to be ten years old. The second girl looked to be thirteen and had long pink hair. I was guessing the Ninjask and Sylveon were her's. But what surprised me was what she was holding in her arms; the Time ravel Pokemon, Celebi.
"Um, excuse me..." I shook the red haired girl's shoulder in an attempt to wake her up.
"Hey..." 04 did the same to the pink haired girl holding Celebi.
"Er..." They both started to come to. Groggy they were, but they were surely waking up.
The pink haired girl opened her blue eyes and stared at me. "Wha? YOU?" She looked at me half awake.
"Are you o-" 04 tried to grab the pink haired girl's shoulder, but the girl slapped 04's hand away as her eyes narrowed. The sound of skin smacking woke the Sylveon and Ninjask from their slumber, as well as the red haired girl.
"Listen Miss, we just want to know if you're alright." My voice was gentle. I didn't want to give these girls OR their pokemon the impression we were their enemy. That would bring us much unnecessary trouble from Agate Village.
"That 'nice' act doesn't fool me!" The pink haired girl yelled. "I know very well who you guys are!"
"Huh?" These girls...Do they know about Team Neo Snagem?
"Hiding who we are is pointless if they already know who we are, and what we are after." 04 said.
"But we've no reason to antagonize them! If I remember, this is only a simple recon mission, nothing more!"
"Putting in some extra effort won't do Neo Snagem any harm in the long run, kid." 18 argued.
"But-" I was interrupted.
"-An unranked grunt such as yourself has no say in an argument with three commanders such as us." Sakura said coldly to me.
"Mom?" I questioned.
Stop calling me your mother, you lowly grunt." Sakura began to assert her authority.
"..." Mother...did she really view me as an insubordinate rahter than her son? "Mom, you said we'd always stick together! You said we'd always love each other. But you've changed. Why have we grown apart?"
"Because I grew up...And now you need to grow up." Sakura replied. "The mother you've come to know and love is long gone. I'll be honest: no, I no longer see you as my son anymore. You're just apart of a parade of lowly grunts who shouldn't be questioning my authority such as I. People change, Noah."
07 readied to use her Snag Machine on the still sleeping Celebi, while I mentally cringed at her harsh words. If a lowly grunt like me is basically a nobody in this organization...
"Now Celebi, come to m-" I tackled my mother-no...I tackled Commander 07 to the ground.
"Get out of here!" Trying to keep 07 down, I prompted the two girls and their pokemon to flee Relic Forest before 04 and 18 had a chance to react.
""He's helping us?" The red haired girl questioned.
"Come on!" While holding Celebi, the two girls and their pokemon quickly started to flee. Mightyena attempted to pursue, but I called against it. Mightyena's first loyalty WAS toward me after all.
Despite my actions, Commanders 04 and 18 still started their pursuit on the two girls, leaving just 07, Mightyena, and myself in the yard of the Relic Stone.
I rose from the ground in a casual manner, and stared at a 07 who was on her knees, slowly rising to her feet. While staring at her, my facial expression went from stoic to concerned over the next few seconds.
"Mom." I started. "Are you o-" She slapped me while rising to her feet.
"You filthy insubordinate!" 07 yelled. "That Celebi could've belonged to Neo Snagem!"
"Arf arf!" Mightyena started toward 07 with a Bite attack in my defense, but-
"Mightyena!" Mightyena stopped in his tracks as I called out to him. "Mightyena, don't do it. She, is my mother."
"Fine, if you're willnig to go down without a fight-" 07 started, "-Honchkrow!"
Honchkrow?
"Arr!" Without warning, Mightyena was struck by a critical impact Sky Attack at the hands of a Honchkrow who was still outside of it's pokeball.
"No, Mightyena!" Mightyena was down.
"Lucky shot, Honchkrow. And speaking od luck-" 07 pulled out a pokeball and held it out to Mightyena. "Why don't I try my luck on the gamble of fate once more. Let's just hope fate gives me a lucky snag on the first try!" 07 threw a pokeball at the downed Mightyena using her Snag Machine. When the pokeball opened, it was as if a hand came out and grabbed Mightyena, forcing him into the pokeball.
"...Why?" I watched as the pokeball motioned on the ground, awaiting the outcome of 07's gamble of fate. Seconds laters, the ball clicked shut, indicating that Mightyena had been snagged. "Mightyena...Mightyena!"
There was nothing I could do. Without a Snag Machine of my own, I couldn't try and take Mightyena back. And without any more pokemon, I had no defense adainst a Honchkrow who remained outside of it's pokeball. I dropped to my knees, cringing at the realization that thel oving mother I was knew had been swallowed whole by the power that had been given to her 358 days ago. Beginning to regret my decision to join Neo Snagem in the first place, I knew I needed to free my mother from this organization. But 'I knew I needed' would only be half complete for now, for I knew my time serving Neo Snagem was coming to an abrupt end. My fate was sealed. I guess maybe the gamble of fate just wasn't on my side...
The next day...
Location: Team Neo Snagem's Chamber of Commerce
By the time we returned to Neo SnagemHeadquarters last night, 07 and I had gotten news of Celebi and the two girls' escape from 04 and 18. As I was defeated and delivered back to Neo Snagem Headquarters, I was transport to solitary confinement for 'opposing and striking a commander', and there I remained until I was scheduled to to meet with Commanders 02 and 00 to decide my fate.
Neo Snagem's top ten (or eleven) commanders were all here to determine a verdict for me, with the exception of Commander 01, Atticus.
From Yuna to Zero, or Kurayami (03) to Shadow(10), they all looked like they couldn't care less about a lowly grunt such as myself.
Wes appeared to be analyzing 07's facial expression, while keepingto himself.
"-Give us one reason not to lock you up and leave you to rot." Zero demanded a reply.
Rather than reply, I simply looked at 07, who's chin was down as she stared at the ground. A second later, she looked in my direction, and I quickly looke away.
"Noah!" All Zero wanted was a reply.
"Perhaps I should crush his mind." 10 suggested. "He could be what we call 'an example' of what will happen to every other unranked grunt should they ever oppose a commander."
"Hmph. You all base your decisiob based on your own judgement, rather than what was supposed to be accomplished during the mission." Wes said.
Everyone, even Zero, stopped to listen to what Wes had to say.
"The fact is, the job was simply to perform reconnaissance, nothing else. Any action performed after the mission's completion si irrelevant, whether we choose to accept it or not." Wes paused for a moment as he looked at 07, then to 04, and then back to me as his eyes narrowed. "But, I sense much change in you, Noah. A type of change that can't be trusted by the rest of us, myself included. And without my trust, you only remain an embodiment of suspicion here. You won't be confined OR excecuted, Noah. Instead, you'll be banished from this organization, never to show your face again."
On the way out, it was only Wes and I...
"If you wish to get toyur mother back, you must become stronger..." Wes said.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked.
"You and I, and you mother too...We all have a common enemy that's closer to us than the rest of you guys think. That 'enemy' is connected to a certain I've lost. I'll be the first to admit, I can't defeat this 'enemy' by myself. And because of that, I needed very skilled assistance to aid me, which prompted me to create Neo Snagem in hopes of creating a force that even IT, or technically HE can't stop." Wes explained.
"Who's he?" I asked.
"Atticus. You know very well who he is." Wes replied. "Atticus may not know it, but he's everybody's biggest threat, even to himself. That shadows have-" Wes stopped.
"What?"
"-No...just go? Wes said. "When you reutnr to Goldenrod, be prepared for a uphill battle- the fight fo the life of your mother."
Those were the last words Wes said to me as he simply turned his back away from me. I turned my back away from Wes as well, as I started away from Neo Snagem Headquarters. Banished from Neo Snagem, my 'forever' had been cut short.
The next few days were spent wanderin endlessly, without a specific destination in mind. From the abandoned house, to Azalea Town, memories of the night I met Chiyo started to surface. Memories that included the misadventures of my mother, Poochyena, and I.
"Have you ever thought about becoming a Pokemon Trainer?" I remembered my mother asking me.
That question...It guided me through the cities Violet and Cherrygrove, and finally, to New Bark Town.
For Mother...For Chiyo, Poochyena, Wes, and for me...There was so much on the line that I knew I couldn't do it alone. With a party of powerful pokemon by my side, I knew that I could triumph over Team Neo Snagem and save my mother from the shadows that cloud her mind, And the first step would eventually start in New Bark Town.
End Flashback...
"The day I arrived in New Bark Town was the day I met you three." I turned to Quilava, then to Seth, and then an upset Chikorita who was standing next to Mawile, glaring at Quilava. "The coin I hold...it symbolizes the gamble of fate I have taken to rescue my mother. But have no sympathy for me , Setg. We're still rivals after all.
Seth nodded with an indifferent facial expression. i swear, it's as if he had no emotions or something, and I never really notice until now, because unlike our previous encounters, that Yumi girl wasn't here to speak up for him.
"Just who IS our true eneym?" Chapel asked. "It's about time we found out. Our question has remained without an answer for too long now."
"And I'm afraid it'll remain that way, Chapel." A voice replied as we heard a group a footsteps approaching.
It was Wes, and he was accompanied by quite the surprising party. Former Champion Lance, Goldenrod Gym Leader, Whitney, and a black haired girl I didn't know who was being led by an Espeon I believed to be hers.
"Wes..."
"Shall we skip the formalities and get straight to the point?" Wes asked.
To Be Continued...
Alright, for a VERY long Author's Note:
So that's Noah for you guys. I know that all the flashback chapters may seem like a drag to some of you, but I do intent for this story to be more slow paced, emotional, and tragic that a lot of fics I read on here. This is the first time I've ever written any story at all, and I've spent the last 30 or so chapters trying to develop my own writing style rather than imitating someone else, and looking back at an unedited chapter 3, I've seen my growth and I have no regrets about changing it up.
And now for characters, I know very well that Seth is the main character, but that doesn't mean he's the center of the universe. He's only one of MANY people who has made contact with Missingno. I mean, I've tried very hard not to make my OC's Mary Sues. If not for Yumi and Chapel, I could venture to guess that someone probably would've punched Seth in the mouth, considering how he spares nobody's emotions. Hell, Rose is his YOUNGER sister, and she could beat him to a bloody pulp if she wanted to. My point is, I'm trying to give all my OC's their time to shine, at least before the time comes when Seth's shadow powers from Missingno are FINALLY unlocked, which is coming soon, but not too soon.
Speaking of OC's, I hope you guys have seen the new cover art for my OC Rose. I have Chapel nearly complete, and even a Yuna who was just introduced this chapter. Yuna, by the way, is actually my attempt at a female ripoff version of Yugi Muto from Yu-Gi-Oh! Which is why she have never lost a battle before. I'm actually debating whether she will have some of the characteristics Yami Yugi had in Season 0. But I do have her picture ready and she does share ALOT of traits with Yugi, but you guys might have to wait to see her, because I really want to put Chapel up next.
So, if you bothered to read the VERY long Author's Note, all I have to say is look forward to finally see Seth kick some ass, which could probably actually change this story's rating.