Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 162: Time Before Time Part 4

Location: Circle N

Following their bout with Dusknoir, Seth and Yukiko made their way to the Nuclear Facility located on the outskirts of Prypiat – also known as Circle N.

It was as if the elevator had been ascending forever. Seth and Yukiko stood silent, taking in the view of a ruined Prypiat. What could've happened to make such a city so desolate? Why was Commander 15 here? These questions were on the minds of Seth and Yukiko, and they weren't exactly expecting them to be answered. Seth would rather eliminate Neo Snagem now and ask questions later.

It was like ascending to the heights of heaven itself. When the elevator indicated that the top floor was near, it slowed its ascent.

As the elevator stopped, the door slowly slid open. The top floor of Circle N was expansive and spacious, with various equipment scattered throughout. Who knew what these devices were for?

"…"

"…"

The footsteps of Seth and Yukiko echoed throughout the spacious room as their feet touched the all-white floor. These footsteps were heard by the man standing at the edge of the room, looking out the giant window and overlooking the city.

"I've been expecting you." 15 didn't turn to face Seth. His gaze remained fixated on the city below as he addressed his challenger, "How did you like Prypiat? A wonderful small city, isn't it? It's a shame that it ultimately crumbled at the hands of cruel fate."

"Cut the crap." Seth wasn't interested in small talk. "You know why I'm here."

"You came to take my life, is that right?" 15 knew, but he was not put off. "Before we start our fight, allow me to ask you a question."

"Hm?" Yukiko tilted her head in confusion.

"What do you make of Rose having ties with Tean Beo Snagem?" 15 asked.

"What's it to you?" Seth responded.

"Rose wasn't exactly excited that you won our previous fight. Could it be that your'e more indifferent than you reputation says?"

"…" Deep down, Seth acknowledged that 15 was correct. He acknowledged it, but had no interest in addressing it out loud.

"I've heard all about you: the young man whose selfish actions plunged Ecruteak City further into the hands of Neo Snagem. You're the exiled stepson of our leader: Commander 01 Atticus. Your vendetta against Neo Snagem stems from what Atticus did to you in the past, and now you desire nothing more than to exact vengeance. You loathe Neo Snagem with all you being, and resent Rose because of this. You perceive Rose as a threat, because her very existence is a product of the family that left you behind."

"Why are you telling me this?" Seth asked.

"You go back and forth with Rose because of her familial ties with the organization, yet you share those same ties."

Seth furrowed his eyebrows.

"You would definitely welcome your Mother Flora with open arms, so why not Rose? Rose is the spitting image of Flora…and the fact that you would even entertain wanting to save your Mother…makes you nothing but a hypocrite."

Seth genuinely had no response. Yukiko could see his fist clenched and teeth gritted.

"Rose is even starting to compare you to Atticus…"

Seth was being called out, and being compared to the man he hated more than anyone else in this world.

How long has it been since Seth felt genuine emotion? This was the first time in what felt like forever. The lack of a heart was not enough to subdue Seth's newest emotion: Quiet anger.

Quiet anger…Bastion could see it on Seth's face from the reflection in the window.

What angered Seth the most…was that Commander 15 was correct.

"Would you even stop Rose if she decided to come with me?" Bastion asked.

"I…" Since the start of this journey, Seth had made it an effort to denounce his humanity…but his humanity is ultimately the reason why he can't become truly heartless. Ironic, isn't it? Don't blame Seth. He IS only human, after all. "I don't intend on giving Rose the opportunity to make that decision.

Seth began radiating a dark aura, his left eye turning purple. There was no doubt about it – Seth was now Fear, and Fear was done talking to Bastion.

Yukiko watched as Fear rushed a concentration of dark energy at Bastion.

"…" 15's back was still facing Fear. His gaze remained fixed on the ruined city as the darkness quickly surrounded him.

"This is the end for you!" As Fear's purple eye began glowing, the dark energy rushed to 15's neck.

Fear directed the darkness to crush 15's neck. "…" But that didn't happen. Instead, Bastion summoned forth his own dark aura. "I'm afraid that trick won't work on me."

15's aura was a lighter shad of darkness than the one Fear possessed. It was here, surrounded by darkness, that Lord Bastion finally turned to face Fear.

"Let us do battle!"

This was Commander 15's call to commence the opening act! Once this call was made, Fear and Bastion rushed their respective dark aura at each other. The two streams of darkness collided. In the struggle shockwaves of dark energy could be seen emanating from the clash. The struggle between the two dark energies culminated in the darkness disappearing for a moment before creating a huge explosion.

Once said explosion subsided, Fear decided to take things into his own hands, lunging at Bastion while cloaked in dark energy.

Bastion smirked.

Fear raised his fist, ready to strike Bastion in the face. But Bastion raised his hand and caught Fear's fist, successfully intercepting the attempted strike.

"So, you intend on skipping the Pokemon Battling? You want to kill me with your own hands, don't you?" Bastion was amused.

Fear housed great dark powers, but that didn't change the fact that Bastion was bigger than him. Bastion was a burly man with a muscular build, so intercepting Fear's punch was a simple task.

"What will you do now?" Bastion asked.

"Hmph!" Not willing to stay on the sideline, Yukiko readied her first attack. The human-formed Froslass produced an Ice Shard in the shape of a kunai and attempted to pierce Bastion's hand.

While still grasping Fear's fist, Bastion avoided Yukiko's attempted stabs multiple times with great reflex.

Upon seeing her slashes avoided, Yukiko then directed her kunai at Bastion's arm.

"!"

Yukiko stood still. Bastion stood still. The sound of ice clashing with metal echoed throughout the room. Fear's eyes narrowed, while Yukiko's eyes widened. The hand that wasn't grasping onto Fear's fist…that was the hand Bastion used to intercept Yukiko's kunai.

"Heh." His fist wasn't empty.

What Bastion held in the grasp of his other hand was a single Pokeball. Yukiko's kunai struck this Pokeball dead center.

Bastion used the momentary 'cease-fire' to call forth more dark energy. This dark energy was used to push both Fear and Yukiko back to the other side of the expansive room.

Standstill.

"Impressive." Commander 15 applauded. "Fear and Yukiko; Seth and Froslass. You're both just as strong as you were the last time we fought."

Fear wasn't moved by Bastion's flattery.

"But of course, I know you can do better than this." Bastion keyed in on Fear specifically, "What I really wish to see is that new form you achieved last time."

Of course, Bastion was referring to the new form Seth achieved in their previous outing: Darkness Grade 2. The form where Seth donned a skeletal mask, where his abdomen and left arm were turned skeletal, where his black jacket flowed like a cape, and where he brandished his own Reaper's Scythe…

"I was amazed when I first saw that form; so amazed that I thought I couldn't win once Dusknoir was defeated." 15 started, "Since that fight, I've been thinking. I've never seen anyone in the organization achieve Darkness Grade 2 – including our most powerful Commanders. What you achieve was unparalleled power. However…" 15 smirked, "Such power comes with significant drawbacks. Tell me, how long were you in that comatose after using Darkness Grade 2?"

Yumi and Chapel had previously told Seth that he remained in that comatose for over a week, give or take. Seth/Fear haven't used Darkness Grade 2 since his previous fight with 15…

"You know, I've been holding back my powers too." 15 remarked.

"What do you mean?" Yukiko asked.

"You haven't noticed it?" 15 questioned, "I've yet to use my virus power. As you've witness, I'm able to manipulate concentrations of darkness like Seth. However, I've never showed you what unique powers I possess."

15 was right. He did not use his virus power during their last fight either. When Seth and Froslass were dragged to the Realm Between Life and Death…that was all Dusknoir's powers as a Reaper.

The dark aura surrounding 15 began turning white. This white light quickly spread throughout the entire top floor of Circle N.

"What's going on?" Fear/Seth kept his guard up but was perplexed. The white aura surrounded everything…to the point where nothing was visible in Circle N. Not the equipment. Not the floor. Not the giant window. Not the view of the ruined city of Prypiat below. All that was visible to Fear/Seth was 15 himself.

"The power I possess will lock you within the confines of what Prypiat was 30 years ago. You and everyone you know will live in Prypiat. You will love. You will lose. You will lose what you love. It is up to you to build upon these connections to save Prypiat from the nuclear disaster that will occur. Do you have what it takes to save this town in 7 days?"

"!" The white light became blinding to the point where Fear/Seth and Yukiko had to cover their eyes.

'I hope you will learn to love Rose through this too…' 15 didn't say this out loud. If Seth were to fight his way out of the Prypiat Disaster and defeat 15, this would be 15's parting gift to Rose…

What lied ahead for Seth? Only time would tell. Though time is something Seth will come to wish he had more of. Will Seth be able to overcome Prypiat's impending doom and defeat Commander 15?

To Be Continued…