Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 44: There's Always Room to Improve(Blood)

Okay, so I said this story's rating would change eventually, and I think this chapter may be the one that changes it, if not certainly next chapter because I'm ahead right now and have the next two chapters ready to type.

So about the T rating: It's specifically just for these next two chapters simply because of the amount of blood in the descriptions this chapter, and a surprise next chapter that will probably go down as one of Virus Version's infamous moments. I do not write excessive cursing because then my story will lose the serious tone that's comes with it. In fact, after the Bug Catching Contest, I've decided to go generically light heart for the first few chapters after the contest, to try and drown out the violence that happens until then.

So please read and review

6 Years ago...

Location: Lily of the Valley Conference

Seth's POV

"This journey." Zero sighed. "All those battle and adventures...And all that training for the Sinnoh League...Was it really all for nothing? How could I go out there and lose like THAT?

It was only Zero and I in an empty stadium. Rosen was back at the hotel, and Flora, Lilligant, and Roselia had all stayed in Sunnyshore. Sunset was upon us. And Zero once again wanted the day to be over following the total annihilation of his entire pokemon team at the hands Pokemon Trainer Diamond.

'Well, losing without defeating a single pokemon will do that to anybody." We were approached by a light brown haired woman wearing a pale blue dress and a long sleeved overshirt decorated with and orange ribbon.

"And you are?" I asked.

"Just call me Jasmine." The woman replied. She then turned to Zero, who was just staring into the distance. "Whatever happened before can't be helped now, for all that matters now is what you'll do from here on out."

Zero sighed as he looked at Jasmine.

"You may be strong now, but there's always room to improve." Jasmine's word stuck not just with Zero, but with me too. Those were the last words she said to Zero, for she was just passing by.

"So what'll you do when your journey's over?" I asked.

"No, my journey's just beginning." Zero replied. "But Seth..." his eyes narrowed. "This journey will be different. Once I leave home again, I won't come back until I find my father, until I get stronger as well."

"Will you tell MY father, Rosen?" I asked.

"Well...well to tell the truth, I don't think I can bring myself to tell him OR Mother. It would probably cause a rift between us as a family. So I decided that I would just leave without telling anybody, except you of course, Little Bro."

We all have our own ways to become stronger...

Location: National Park

Chapel's POV

Here at the Bug Catching Contest's starting point, trainers were quickly starting to gather with their captured bug pokemon. Hours had passed, and with sunset visible, the day was almost over. Dustin and Zangoose were both taken to the Pokemon Center to have human and pokemon doctors treat their respective poison. Because Seth had picked Mawile as his partner pokemon, Chikorita had spent the day with me at the starting point.

All this and still I can't help but wonder; who or what was responsible for the damage caused to Dustin and Zangoose? A dark aura? If Seth was planning on trying to catch what I believed to be a shadow pokemon, a lot more could be on the line that just a prize for a simple game called 'Catch the Pokemon'. These shadow pokemon will stop at nothing to go as far as to even kill whomever opposes them. I just hope Seth knows what he's getting himself into...

Seth's POV

"Pokeball, grab it!" I said as I threw my Park Ball at a downed Yanmega.

Once the Park Ball made contact with Yanmega, Yanmega was forced inside by a red arc of energy as the Park Ball landed beside a fair sized tree. Moments of blinking from the Park Ball's center was followed by a click that indicated Yanmega had been captured.

Once again, Mawile was standing tall following a victory at the Bug Catching Contest as I walked passed her, approaching the Park Ball that contained my newly caught Yanmega.

"So will you keep THIS one?" Alice asked.

Alice and Mawile were my only company here in the forest. And I intended to answer Alice's question without directly addressing her when I picked up the Park Ball and immediately scanned Yanmega using my pokedex.

Current moveset: Ancientpower...

"That's all?" I questioned casually. "Sorry, but I think I'll pass on you."

I quickly tossed the Park Ball, which released a blue arc that freed Yanmega, indicating that Yanmega had been released back into the wild.

"So why go through the trouble of catching a pokemon you'll just release seconds later?" Alice asked. "I mean, that's the third pokemon you've released today."

"The experience Mawile gains defeating these wild pokemon is rewarding enough," I started as I began walking deeper into the forest ,"Besides, I'm only here to claim the big prize: whatever shadow pokemon lies in this forest."

Alice and Mawile both followed me.

"But you've been saying that all day. We've been out here for hours and haven't found one trace of what you believe to be a shadow pokemon. What IS a shadow pokemon anyway?"

"Why are you following me?" I asked annoyed. "You don't have to be here, you know."

"Well, YOU never answered my questioned." Alice replied. "Don't you think I'm pretty?"

"Hmm." I looked around, noticing that barely any trainers were left compared to this morning, The trainers have probably captured their desired pokemon, and returned to the contest's staring point by now. I wouldn't be surprised if the contest's final judging was underway as we speak. But THAT was none of my concern.

With the sun setting, and the sky changing from blue to a red color, the forest was supposed to be getting darker over the next hour or so. But night time wasn't going to stop my search for the shadow pokemon.

"Um, Seth?" Alice called my name.

"Hm?" I answered as I turned around to see Alice holding out a small basket of fruit toward me. That basket was so small, it looked like it could conveniently fit in one's backpack. "Huh?"

"We've been out here all day." Alice started. "I know I don't have to follow you around, but I could imagine myself alone in a dark forest at night. My point is, I don't want to be left alone, and I'll folow you all night if I have to. And if that's the case, I certainly wouldn't want either of us to starve."

I stared at the basket nitently, realizing that I have not eaten all day.

"Come on, I know YOU'VE been out here without food all day too. The fruit could be ours to share for the night ahead," Alice explained. "But only if you tell me I'm pretty."

Lucy's POV

"First Nincada, then a Whirlipede, and now a Yanmega..." I stared at my three pokeballs containing pokemon that were all captured and immediately released by Zero's younger brother, Seth throughout the day. "Weak, but they'll do for now, especially when I'll need them to battle the big prize"

Of course, I had no idea what shadow pokemon lurked in the forest, and looking for it would only become more difficult with evening approaching.

But still, this was my big chance to climb up the rankings of Team Neo Snagem. I was already in line to become Commander 22's replacement following her defeat at the hands of Pokeball Expert Kurt back in Ilex Forest. And with a powerful shadow pokemon at my disposal, I would surely become the favorite.

I continued deep into the blackening woods, noticing the complete emptiness, lack of trainers, and even a lack of wild pokemon.

"Surely the Bug Catching Contest would've ended by now." I said to myself. "Not that it's any of my concern."

I could only assume that something was here, preventing the area's natural order due to it being near night time, and there being not even one nocturnal pokemon out and about right now.

"Well, the less pokemon I see, the closer I believe I'll be toward the shadow pokemon."

Seth's POV

"Come on Chapel, pick up!" I whispered to myself annoyed as I finished a strawberry that was given to be by Alice.

I was attempting to contact Chapel on my Pokegear, to see if she could obtain any information as to who or what exactly attacked Dustin and Zangoose earlier today, but no avail. My Pokegear w as out of range for any service.

I sighed heavily as I put my Pokegear away.

"Um Seth, maybe being 'out of range' means we've wandered too deep into the forest." Alice stayed close to me, as well as Mawile.

I didn't want to admit that Alice was right. The forest was dark and empty, we had no way to contact anyone, my Pokegear's map feature wasn't specific enough to point out our exact location, and it was becoming near impossible for me to navigate through the dark.

I stopped abruptly and paused before finally realizing "We're lost..." But that wasn't enough to keep me from searching.

"Seth, I think we should turn back." Alice said. "We don't know what lurks out here at night.'

"Maw Mawile." For once, Mawile actually agreed with Alice.

"You do what you want. I'm staying here to search." I asserted myself.

"But I'm scared." Alice grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but Alice was determined not to allow any separation.

Is THAT what it's like having THAT much emotion? Because I didn't know, I really couldn't judge Alice or ANYbody who would be creeped out by the ghastly setting. So I let her hold me tight as Mawile followed us with a nasty glared toward Alice.

As we moved, I eventually caught sight of a red stain on the grass.

"What IS that?" Alice asked.

Mawile slowly touched the stain using her maw, and was horrified by that red color that had rubbed off on her.

"Blood..." I muttered. "And it's still wet too."

Not too far ahead of the blood stain, we found another blood stain that was a bigger spread than the last.

"More blood?" I tried not to let it get to me, but to no avail. The more we moved, the more blood that was found around us, I spotted a crippled Pidgey with red stained feathers leaning up against a tree, but I still refused to pay any mind to the amount of red that just kept growing the more we moved, until we moved so deep that there was no more green as the grass now looked as if it was covered by a layer of bloody red.

"Sss..." something echoed...

The many deaths this blood came from...I began to wonder if my blood would soon join the layer that covered the grass. Will I live to see another day?

"Sss..."

"Mawile, stop it." I turned to Mawile, whom I believed was making that ghastly noise.

"Maw?" Mawile was confused.

"I don't think that's Mawile making that sound." Alice said as she looked at me.

"Sss." The sound was creeping closer and closer with each passing second. This had even got Mawile freaked out, and she braced herself as a reaction. We both braced ourselves for what could be a battle of everything to lose, and everything to gain. It was a matter of life or death, and I was willing to put my life on the line if it meant growing strong enough to defeat Neo Snagem.

"Show yourself!" I asserted my presence, ready for whatever was lurking to finally reveal itself.

"Sss." The sound was near, very near. But still no sign of whatever 'it' may be.

"That sound, it's frightening," Alice started, "But where is it coming from?"

"Aa-aann..." We heard a faint cry nearby, which I believed was the answer to Alice's question.

With Alice still holding my arm, and Mawile still following, I slowly made my way a few feet deeper into the wood, only to notice a pokemon lying against a nearby tree, covered in blood.

"Mawile!" Mawile rushed over to the downed pokemon, and gasped at what she saw up close, as did Alice.

It was a Zangoose...But this Zangoose was different from the one Dustin had earlier. This one had blood dripping all over. It was badly poison, and part of it's fur was ripped right off it's skin.

"Zan..."

"What happened to it?" Alice asked as she started shivering.

"Zan...goose." Zangoose had fallen over as it's eyes closed. Not even a subtle move was made after, giving me a perfect indication of what had happened-

"-Zangoose is dead..." I said.

"Sss..." My eyes widened, as I could now feel 'it' right by us. 'It' was just behind the tree Zangoose just passed away on.

I didn't want to show myself to 'it' because I didn't know what 'it' was. But I didn't have to, because it crept it's way passed the tree, and right in front of Alice and I.

"Oh...ah!" I didn't want Alice's loud reaction to provoke 'it', so I put a hand over her mouth for a moment and kept her from screaming.

I tried myself to keep calm, but when 'it' was finally in sight, I looked in it's eyes. When I looked in it's eyes, I saw...I saw the color of my own blood! In those eyes, I saw the deaths of both Alice and myself. Right then and there, I felt the return of a certain emotion. And emotion that expresses great desperation and weakness, an emotion I never wanted to feel again. This...this was fear, as I could now imagine being put into a state of eternal slumber once my head hit blood colored grass.

"Gasp!" I gasped as O backed myself and Alice away, while Mawile was paralyzed in fear and couldn't move away from the 'sleeping' Zangoose.

I wanted to run away from my fear, but I couldn't let that emotion get the best of me and risk Fear being released from my heart. So I tried to regain my focus, and broke eye contact with 'it'.

'It' was the shadow pokemon surrounded by a dark aura. This shadow pokemon was a black serpentine with blood colored eyes, and yellow hexagonal marking the ran from it's head, to it's blade-like tail.

"I-i-it's a S-S-Seviper." Alice was filled with just as much fear as I.

"But this one...I can feel it's thirst for blood...It's frightening. But-" My eyes narrowed as I tried to supress my fear with a desire to become stronger, but-

"-Ah yes, I see it in your eyes. Rather than dreams and friendship, you thrive off of your own nightmare and hatred for THAT organization." I remembered what Lucy said to me this morning. But will my nightmares actually make me stronger?

"Mawile, Iron Head!" My words came out, but Mawile was unable to move. She was paralyzed in fear, and tears went down her face as she stared at the Seviper with her eyes wide open. I guessed the fear was getting to her worse than me.

I looked at Alice only to see that she was crying as well, while shivering on top of that.

"Alice?" I questioned. "Alice!"

"Sss." Those eyes are...They're death itself. The Seviper slowly turned toward me with a sinister smirk.

I would have reached for Gible's or Elekid's pokeball, but that Seviper could have react immediately in a way that would probably end with my bare bone scattered around this blood bath of a black forest.

"At this point, I guess I'm on my own." My confidence level was at little or nothing, but I slowly transitioned to a defensive stance, readying for Seviper's assault.

"Sssaa!" The blood eyed serpentine lunged at me. It's gaping mouth was open too, revealing blood colored fangs.

My eyes shot wide open at the oncoming traffic. Come on! I can't let my fear control me again! I've got to move!

I was just able to duck, barely dodging the Seviper.

"Sssvipaa!" Seviper lunged at me one more time, this time using it's venomous tail glowing a purple aura.

"Poison Tail?" In my mind, I was beginning to panic, and couldn't find it in myself to dodge the black serpenting a second time.

"Ng..." Poison Tail struck me right in my stomach. I grabbed Seviper's tail, refusing to let go as I gasped for air. I then looked at Seviper, one of my two eyes wincing and saying, "You will be captured...by me..."

"Sss..." Seviper reacted by immediately trying to pull away to prepare for an attack, but my grip was fastened on it's tail, limiting it's movement as it struggled desperately to free itself.

If I could just hold on until Seviper's energy runs low...

"Saa!" It tried to wrap itself around me, but I quickly pressed my back against the tree that was behind me. The tree was just wide enough to keep the blood eyed snake's Wrap from working.

"Seth?" Alice questioned, while tears continued down her face. "You're not scared?"

"M...Mawile." I tried calling out to Mawile again, but it was no use. "Mawile!

"Sss..."

"Alice." I called out. "I need you to get Mawile."

The dark aura around Seviper was roaring. It was providing Seviper with energy... I knew I couldn't hold my grip forever, I just needed Mawile NOW.

"Alice!" I needed Alice to hurry up.

"Okay. Mawile!" Alice called out to the Deceiver Pokemon as she approached her. "Mawile.

"Maw?" As soon as Alice put a hand on Mawile's maw, Mawile looked as if she just snapped out of a hallucination or nightmare.

"You're back..." Alice started to wiper her tears away, as did Mawile.

"Mawile."

"Wile?" As soon as Mawile's eyes met the sight of Seviper and I, her eyes widened before narrowing as she prepared a Power-Up Punch without the need for any command.

"Se?" Seviper caught sight of a Mawile who started toward it with both hands glowing a brownish white aura. "Ssaaa!" Seviper tried desperately to slither away from Mawile's path, but it was no use, forI held it's tail for just long enough for Mawile to land two Power-Up Punches, sending Seviper eto the bloody grass ground briefly.

"Maw Mawile!" Mawile called out ot me.

"It's down! Quick, use a Pokeball!" Alice added.

"Right!" I complied and quickly took out a pokeball. "Pokeball, grab it!"

Seviper was down, and the pokeball was thrown. Everything was in line for me to make the capture...before-

"Yan!" the thrown pokeball was slapped onto the blood covered grass by a Yanmega.

"Yanmega?" Alice and I both questioned.

"Yes, I know. Ironic isn't it?" A voice said.

"Huh?" Alice, Mawile, and I looked around until we all spotted an approaching Lucy who accompanied the Yanmega.

"It's ironic how you never expect the defeat you'll soon suffer...at the hands of the very bug pokemon you rejected Seth. Know why?" Lucy asked.

I made no reply...

"Because you're not the only one after the big prize." Lucy said as Yanmegaheld Seviper down. "You know what they say: one person's trash is another person's treasure."

To Be Continued...

So yes, capturing a shadow pokemon is basically whole new ballgame. Not much else to say other than stayed tuned for next chapter.