Chapter 15 – After Math

A/N: This is a original Pokemon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.

Time: 18:00

Location: Lapis Ward

It was the same day. The day Percival challenged the third Reborn Gym. The day that Corey's life vanished from this world. And the Day that an explosion occurred at Reborn's Grand Stairway.

Though Percival and Lucille weren't currently concerned with that. As of this moment they were traveling into deep Lapis Ward. Corey had previously jumped off of Beryl Bridge, Percival and Lucille could only hope that he survived. Though their hope fell as they found a crowd of people near Lapis Gym.

Once they got to the front, they found Corey… though he did not survive. Lucille covered her mouth in horror, while Percival felt guilt at his inability to do anything. "…"

"This is horrifying…" Neither Percival or Lucille noticed a girl with black hair wearing a kimono beside them. this girl was a friend/ rival Victoria.

Though none of them were as shocked as a small girl, younger than anyone currently there. She had purple hair and a green dress. Her face was pale. "I—W-what is…"

Victoria the first to react, placed her hand on the girl. "Shelly, honey, step away from there."

"W-why did… I-" She buried her head into Victoria tears were clear to the people around her

"Oh, goodness," Victoria worried even more. "No, don't cry. It's gonna be okay. Let's get you inside."

"I-I can't—breathe…" The girl, shelly started to hyperventilate. "Isn't—Isn't t-that…"

"It doesn't matter, honey. Come on." Victoria once again tried to get Shelly away from the body.

"… Yeah, it'll be fine. Just come on." Percival tried to help Victoria reassure the girl.

"T-that's Heather's-" Shelly still in a panic started to shout.

Though she was interrupted by two figures up on a roof of a nearby building. "Aster and Eclipse reporting. Agent Beryl Confirmed Deceased."

"h-huh? Team Meteor?" Lucille said in surprised of their arrival.

"Don't tell me you guys did this!" once realizing who they were Victoria shouted at them.

"As if!" Aster shouted back. "That was OUR—"

Aster then gut elbowed by the woman beside him. "Aster, shush. Listen here. It's best for everyone if you keep your nose out of Meteor's business. Come on, Aster. We confirmed the subject. Mission clear."

"Right!" aster shouted. "They'll need us at the Stairway."

"The Stairway…" Lucille, Percival and Victoria said in surprise.

"No way!" Victoria shouted. "Team Meteor was behind the explosion at the Grand Stairway too?"

"Nooo, a Sunkern did it." Eclipse responded in a sarcastic tone. "Of course, it was us! Tell them everything, why don't you?"

"Uh… Okay." Aster agreed to Eclipses sarcasm. "Apparently, underneath the Stairway there's a—"

Once again Aster got elbowed by Eclipse. "That was sarcasm, you idiot! Come on!"

"So, it was…" Aster responded. Disappearing with Eclipse.

"Ugh…" Percival groaned from many types of discomfort.

"I'm so sorry you've had to see all this, Shelly." Victoria said to the still petrified girl. "Let's just go inside, calm down, and—"

"Aah!" Lucille then screamed noticing a person on the wall. It was if the entire body was made up of shadows.

"When did he get there?!" Victoria said in surprise.

"The hell?!" Percival didn't recognize the person and reached for a pokeball, ready to attack.

"…" The shadow person was silent.

"Oh… T-that's Shade…" Shelly looked up and recognized the person. "W-what do you want, Shade?"

"…" Shade was still silent as he moved to the lifeless body of Corey.

"Shade? Isn't that…" Victoria tried to remember where she heard the name before

"He's…" Lucille looked in surprise as the body of Corey started to disappear. "He's taking away the body."
"…" as soon as the body disappeared, so did Shade.

"And just like that he's gone…" Victoria commented slightly disturbed.

"How strange…" Percival also commented, not really trusting the guy.

"Let's go inside before anything else weird happens." Victoria asked.

"O-okay…" Shelly said, leading everyone into the Gym.

Once everyone got inside of the Lapis Gym, Percival and Victoria sat the small girl, Shelly on to her bed. They stayed in the room, where Victoria started to explain why she was there. "Hi, Percy, Lucy."

"It's good to see you." Lucille responded with a faint smile

"What are you doing here?" Percival asked.

"I came here to challenge the Gym Leader," Victoria pointed to the girl on the bed. "Shelly, but I'm really worried about her."

"a girl that age, seeing something like this… so am I." Percival said in a low voice so Shelly might not here. "She looks to be about 11 if not 12. Even if she wasn't no one should ever have to see that."

"Percy." Lucille, seemed a bit perturbed with what he said.

"I'm not trying to say anything bad… It' just, no one should lose someone who's close at a young age." Percival continued. "I might not know how she was before, but her eyes say it all. She's distancing herself from reality."

"You're right…" Victoria agreed, "She seems a lot more distant then she was mid-battle."

"…" Lucille was silent, feeling powerless to help.

"Still… There's something going on." Victoria changed the subject. "First the Stairway blows up, and now Team Meteor comes to look at a dead man? Was the person who died an agent-?"

"Victoria." Percival stopped Victoria's question. "Not in front of her."

"…" Shelly was listening into the conversation, but was silent throughout it.

"Sorry…" Victoria looked down hearted.

"Um, we know where they are going." Lucille added, "We can just go get some answers from them. They said it has to do something with the Grand Stairway."

"You're right. I'll go see what's up, come along if you want." Victoria then turned to Shelly. "Shelly, I'm going to take off for a little while, okay? Is there anything I can get for you?"

"N-no… I'm sorry." Shelly apologized.

"Why are apologizing?" Percival asked.

"For making you guys worry…" Shelly looked down

"Oh, no, please. I know I don't even know you; I just want to do whatever I can do to help." Victoria smiled patting her on the head. "Look, I'll be back soon, okay? Take it easy."

As Victoria started to leave, Lucille turned to Percival. "Come on, we should help her."

Percival started to leave before looking at the small girl on the bed. Seeing her face of sadness… Percival stopped. "no, you yourself should be good enough back up for Victoria."

"Huh?" Lucille was surprised. "You're not coming?"

"No." Percival went close to Lucille so that Shelly couldn't hear. "Shelly doesn't seem to be in a good place right now. I… I just don't have it in me to leave her alone. Leaving her alone will only make it worse, I know this… So please, don't question it. Just go after Victoria, and give her back up."

Seeing Percival like this startled Lucille. To her Percival had always been someone strong, and almost invulnerable person. Though looking at him now, she saw that he was showing some type of weakness. But even so, she didn't pursue the matter. "I'm sure you have you're reason. Try to cheer Shelly up. Show her some of the Percival Charm."

"I will." Percival smiled at that. "Don't do anything stupid, you hear?"

"I'll try." Lucille now smiling left the gym in pursuit of Victoria.

As Lucille left, Shelly turned to Percival. "H-heather was the one of the only friends I ever had… I hope she's okay."

"I've met her earlier…" Percival said, Corey's last request echoed into his ears. Though with where Percival was now, there was nothing he could do. Though he had to reassure Shelly currently. "She seems to be the type to be strong. I'm sure she'll be okay."

Time: 20:00

Location: Grand Stairway

Lucille chased after Victoria to the Grand Stairway. Though when she arrived Victoria was nowhere to be seen. Even after entering the giant hole, into the cave system inside of the Stairway. Looking about Lucille noticed some sort of tracks, a struggle of sorts. Lucille thought that Victoria was outnumbered and captured.

Deciding that she could handle it, Lucille delved deeper into the cave. She continued down, far below the earth's surface, she had felt like she had been traveling for hours. She continued, until the cavern changed. The walls were no longer jagged and rocky like a cave, it was still stone but instead it was man made. Though in the wall their sigil's carved into the walls, the sigils were glowing from some type of mystic energy.

"What is this place?" Lucille looked at the walls in wonder, though inside she felt some sort of unease. An unease, as if it was painful to be in this place. The air was harder to breathe.

"Greetings, Trainer." Lucille heard a voice call out to her, she looked and saw a tall man standing there. He wore a brown trench coat and had a long ponytail. He stood even though he made no movement to attack. he was still intimidating.

"…" Next to the man stood a kid with black hair, the Black Demon Nero. Nero seemed to under some sort of weight as well. and although Lucille expected Nero to attack, he stood at attention. Deep respect to the man in the trench coat.

"Tell me something." The man then asked. The voice had nothing of malice, nor was it loud, but each word had echoed. "Did you, as a citizen of this city, have any inkling of this place beneath it?"

"N-no…" Lucille stuttered from the immense pressure of this man.

"I suspect not. Even a child from this city, didn't even know." The man referenced Nero. "After all most people do not. Most people are ignorant to the centuries of history right beneath their calloused feet. And do you know, Trainer, what is beyond that Gate?"

"…" Lucille looked on in confusion at the doorway in front of them.

The Man smiled. "I will tell you. It is the very core of Reborn. This is a sacred place. A place from where the world began. So, tell me, trainer. How insolent, how utterly ignorant, must one be to build such a wretched city right over this precious holy land? For THAT is Reborn. The city of insolence. Ironically, they built it from the symbols of that which it occludes. Ruby, the seal of pain. Sapphire, the seal of love. Emerald, the seal of faith. And Amethyst, the seal of the beyond each one is a key. When the four are brought together, Reborn's true power—its sacred rite—will be restored! We will be rid of this malignant junkyard and beauty can be restored to the world."

As the Man went through the different crystals, colors appeared on the door. Red, blue, green, and purple. Though the words, scared Lucille. "A-are y-you…"

"You will walk away safely." The man said. Nero was uncaring. "Your friend can go too. She's just ahead. Nero, make sure the grunts let them go."

"Yes, sir." Nero bowed to the man. Starting his walk to the left of the door to where the hostage was.

The man looked to Lucille once more. "But when you leave, take this place with you. Share this place with the world. Remind them: This world which they have undone will itself be their undoing."

"…" Lucille gulped at the man's words. She then followed after Nero.

"Eh…" Aster was stupefied by Nero's demand. "The boss says to let them go?"

"Yes," Nero responded, angry.

"But they know too much!" Eclipse responded.

"It's your fault for that." Nero spat back. "If you just believed my words at what happened. You would have never gone to Lapis and spill secrets."

"We weren't…" Aster tried to argue back, but was ultimately stopped by Nero's angry glare. "Ugh… Fine!"

With that Aster Unlocked the cuffs on Victoria. Once unlocked Victoria glared at all Aster, Eclipse, and Nero. "…"

"Walk away quietly." Nero glared back, demanding. "I really hate disobeying orders from, him."

"So, Corey was part of Team Meteor." Victoria said. "you said, "if you believe my words, you would never have spilled secrets.""

"No Comment." Nero glared at the girl, he just released. "Aster, Eclipse start going. I'll make sure that they don't pursue."

"S-sure." The Two grunts agreed. Fleeing away from an angry Nero.

"Corey was part of Team Meteor…" Lucille realized, something then. "That's why you attacked those Police officers in Beryl. If Corey was caught, it would devastate his daughter… you stopped them, from capturing him, so when he died… he'd have nothing wrong about him…"

"Shut up." Nero growled.

Lucille shook a bit from fear, but did not falter. "Y-you were there on the bridge, weren't you?"

"… I was." Nero admitted, looking at Lucille directly into the eyes. "Don't think that I didn't hear what you said. "just like I saw"."

"…" Lucille for better or worse didn't know how to respond against that. Why was he interested in her saying that?

"You're like me." Nero declared. "Marked by an Absol, it might not have joined you directly, but it is watching you. Telling you of what disaster will come next. So, let's see who goes next."

Nero then disappeared, vanishing into the cave with his Zoroark.

"What the heck does that mean?" Lucille turned to Victoria worried.

"I don't know…" Victoria responded. "Um, don't worry, I'm not hurt or anything. All their boss did was talk to me about that gate up there."
"You too?" Lucille asked, curious what the gate has to do with anything. "It's strange…"

"Do you think maybe it's better for them somehow if people know about this place?" Victoria questioned.

"I don't know… though it feels strange down here." Lucille said, falling slightly.

"Woah are you okay?" Victoria caught her.

"I… I don't know… I feel faint…" Lucille coughed out. Her breathing was becoming ragged.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here. Let's get back to Lapis gym." Victoria place her arm around Lucille. "Can you stand?"

"I… think so..." Lucille nodded.