Back in the present, Umbreon was racked with worry. Had she rushed into this? Was she so blinded by a desire to be in love that allowed herself to be sucked in too deep? But what else could she do? Bisharp would kill her if he found out she was having second thoughts. He beat Sableye when he refused to kill those two women back in Hydroton. He was a man who didn't want weakness, even for a second. He'd probably find someone else to replace. Hell, he was already searching for mercenaries to help fight off the Senshu
She needed to find a way out. If not to escape, then at least for peace of mind. Perhaps if she knew that she could leave at any time, that would give her some sense of security. Maybe she'd actually run. Maybe she wouldn't. What mattered was that she had an out if everything went south.
It was then that she noticed that someone was watching her. Her ability to see through the dark allowed her to spot a Flareon hiding amongst the brush. Who was he? He was in an incredible amount of danger. Why on earth would ever be watching them unless he was…with…the Senshi.
He was Senshi.
Umbreon immediately moved towards Flareon. If he was relaying their location to the Senshi, then it was only a matter of time before they came storming there, and all the training in the world wouldn't help in the slightest when there is a horde of trained Pokemon descending down upon them. Flareon quickly realized that he had been spotted and started sprinting into the woods. The two jumped and slipped past logs and branches littered across the forest floor.
Eventually, she chased Flareon to a cliff. The fire type looked back anxiously over the edge. Odds are, he wouldn't survive the fall. Umbreon knew that. She told him,
"You know I can't let you leave. How much have you been telling the Senshi?"
"I am not at liberty to share that information," said Flareon, "You can't kill me. The Senshi know where I am." She should've known the Senshi had some way of tracking him. She needed to be very careful here. What she needed to make sure of was to keep him from learning anything more about their plans. Hopefully, she didn't have to kill him.
"Do you even want to be there?" asked Flareon. Umbreon was immediately thrown off by that question. What was he talkIng about? He had no idea what she was thinking.
"Of…Of course I do," she insisted, "This is my home, my family! I won't let you destroy it." Then, Flareon's expression softened into a sympathetic look. A look Umbreon was very familiar with. No, this was a trap. He was a Senshi. He wanted to lull her into a false sense of security and trap her. She needed to be vigilant.
"You don't look enthused," said Flareon.
"You don't know me," said Umbreon.
"I know the look of someone who needs help," said Flareon, "This doesn't look like a family."
"Well," said Umbreon, "It is!"
"Are you scared of that Bisharp?" asked Flareon. That question made Umbreon's voice catch inside her throat. She was…but does she admit that now, to him, of all people of the world? No. He was just trying to get into her head. She was not going to fall for this trick again. Not again would she let someone befriend her, only to leave her alone once again.
"I think you are," he said, "No one should ever be scared of those who love you."
"I'm not scared!" yelled Umbreon. Just then, she looked back, frightened that Bisharp had heard her. She may have wanted Flareon gone, but not killed.
It was that moment of fear that gave Flareon all the confirmation that he needed. He started walking towards her. Umbreon turned around to see this and stepped back,
"Stay away!" she said, "He'll kill you!"
"I can handle myself," said Flareon, "The person I am worried about most is you."
"S-Stop it!" yelled Umbreon.
"Stop trying to help someone in need of saving? Sorry, but I cannot do that," said Flareon with reassuring confidence. Umbreon froze. In this moment, where everything was on the line, she was frozen. She couldn't just stand there. She had to do something, anything.
It was then that Flareon placed a paw on her cheek. Umbreon blushed slightly as she locked eyes with him. In this moment, she felt something she didn't know how to describe. Like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, she felt like she could…lie down. Read a nice book by the fire and just…chill. This…this was wrong. She shouldn't be feeling like this, should she? Flareon seemed to read her mind,
"You've been doing a lot of running, haven't you? You don't need to hide. Come with me. We can protect you from him."
This was it. That escape she was looking for. Her out. If everything went to hell, then she had her way to get away from this whole cult nonsense. However, the question has changed. Does she take this chance? The Senshi weren't to be trusted. She had been hunted down by criminals and no one gave a damn about her. Why are they reaching out to her now? However, there was the undeniable fact that Bisharp was getting angrier. All of that failure very well could be getting to him and unpredictability is terrifying. She was, by far and away, the weakest link of the group. If he were to snap and use any of them as an example, she was the first in line…but this group was the only thing she had to a family. The only people that cared about her in the slightest. Sure, Bisharp could be cruel, and Malamar belongs in prison, but Sableye and Druddigon have provided her a home, something she never had before. She couldn't just abandon them.
She shook her head and backed away from Flareon.
"Leave. I'm not going to leave. You're not going to change my mind," she said quietly. Flareon just quietly watched. A frown on his face, but he was filled with determination.
Umbreon was a victim. Someone who needed to be saved, because that is what a hero does. Protect those who cannot protect themselves.
The Phantom Corp had been making moves as well. Operation Blackout had a date. However, Gengar had another job to do. He just needed Donquixote's approval. Once more, he knocked on the door to the boss's office. There was no response. Gengar took a breath and opened the door. The office was chillingly empty. An overwhelming darkness surrounded him like a fog. The only light was a slowly dying candle with a black and red flame. Gengar almost shut the door right then and there, but fuck it, you know. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. The Don didn't like to be interrupted during this time.
Walking past the organ, Gengar approached an ornate desk. It was a simple dark oak desk with little gold designs near the bottom. Resting on the desk was a book with a cross on it. A human relic from the days of the Roman Empire, a little sect of religion that believed that Arceus had birthed a son. A human son. Gengar thought it was total nonsense, aside from that fire and brimstone part. The Vulgate as the Romans called it. There was also a stack of detailed papers, listing off names and important things to remember. Especially since the Don was currently forgetting.
Sitting at the desk was a pulsating black and red sphere, about the size of a bear. The black and the red shifted and crackled around. You could hear the sounds of dozens of voices distorted and warped into an unholy chorus. Some sounded vaguely like a conversation. Some sounded like the winds themselves were howling in tortured agony. Gengar had killed people. He had heard the sounds of people's last breath, gargled gasps of air from a cut throat, that shrill screech from a torn larynx and the tortured death rattle from the cruelest of deaths. Gengar never wanted to hear the noises that sphere made ever again.
Finally, the sphere slowly faded away, revealing the shape of Donquxiote, who was facing the wall. Gengar watched silently as he stood up. The stack of papers telekinetically floated in front of him, and Donquixote began to read. For what felt like hours, Gengar watched as Donquixote thoroughly read through each and every one of those papers like a historian in an old library, combing through and memorizing every detail. Gengar looked back, seeing no one behind him. He then looked to his left, then his right.
"You must be Jester, aren't you?" said Donquixote. Gengar flinched,
"Y-Y-Yeah, yeah. That's me," he said. Donquixote then continued, all the while still reading the papers,
"What makes a man is dedication. It is one thing to preach about right and wrong, but it is a whole other matter to practice right and wrong. It is so easy to say you have the best of intentions whilst simultaneously seeking glory or cruelty. To make a man, you must abide by your own principles. Take the Vulgate. "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Yehoshua." Galatians 3:28. That passage clearly means that all are equal to each other, and indeed, Yehoshua would treat everyone, from the most treasured of kings, to the lowest of paupers with love and care. One should not issue a command if he himself isn't willing to follow that order. That is why I erase my memories. I practice what I preach, and you ought to do the same." he said.
"Right, right. I'll…get on that," said Gengar. The Don really loved his philosophical monologues. "I don't why you're obsessed with that fu…with that human book. All due respect, sir, but they fumbled the ball so we could make the game-winning touchdown." Donquxiote places those papers back on his desk, turned around, and smiled at Gengar,
"Oh, Jester. You close-minded fool. Yes, the humans were wiped out, but that does not mean they left nothing of value behind. This book is the oldest object I allow myself to remember. I may not be the son of god, but like Yehoshua, I shall enlighten this world into a better one. One free of strife, trauma, mistakes, and failure. That is my dream."
"...Right," said Gengar, who was slightly weirded out by all of this, "Look, I just need your permission to go on a mission. I didn't come here for a lecture on Vulgate studies." Donquxiote glared at Gengar, who quickly realized what he had said and shut up.
"Very well, what did you have in mind?"
"Okay, so," he took a quick breath before continuing, "Look, I don't know how, but Pangoro is back. He's got a new gang of gaggle-fucks running around and they look like they could be a threat, and if that isn't enough, the fucking Darkrai cult is back and it's only a matter of time before they get the Eclipse Gem from the Senshi," explained Gengar.
"What are you proposing? I have no interest in the Eclipse Gem. The power of a god is immense, but all it takes is one traitor, one inattentive fool, one honest mistake for someone to take that gem and everything I have worked for would go to waste," said Donquixote. Gengar shook his head,
"I wasn't saying we take the gem. I just want to keep tabs on the Midnight Brotherhood," said Gengar, "If anything goes wrong, I can be there and cut them off."
"Interesting," said Donquixote, "But what about Pangoro?"
"He's being a little pussy after getting his ass kicked in Fortren," said Gengar, "He's a non-issue right now. Still, if you want me to watch them, hook me up with someone who can teleport and I can watch both of them, no problem!"
Donquxiote grinned slightly. Gengar could sense an iota of pride coming from the leader of the Phantom Corp. Still, Gengar's smile wasn't a comfortable one.
"Very well, you have my blessing. I would watch the cult if I were you. Should Darkrai be summoned, I need someone who can quickly grab the Eclipse Gem and either hide it, or destroy it. I do not care which," he said. Sighing with relief, Gengar turned around to leave,
"Thanks, boss. I won't let you down," he said as he opened the door, accidentally allowing Vida in. Gengar waved goodbye as he shut the door behind him.
Great, now he could give the gang a heads-up that shit will go down.
Back in Donquixote's office
"You must be Vida, aren't you?" asked Donquxiote. Vida nodded,
"Yes, master," she said, "I am third in command-"
"Behind Dreadnaught, I know," said Donquixote, "He is a man worthy of my memory. Anyway, what is it that you need?"
"I wish to inform you that we are ready," she said. Donquixote flashed that horrifying smile of his as she remarked,
"Excellent. Inform everyone that we are going ahead of schedule."
"Yes, master," said Vida, "Do you want me to inform Jester?"
"No," said Don, darkly. Vida knowingly nodded and quietly left Donquixote's office, leaving him alone. Looking over his notes, Donquixote reviewed why he had made that decision. For Gengar, he had written down,
"Jester's loyalty is waning. He must not be involved with Operation Blackout. His next mission will be his last."