Chapter 12: Not Long Past

Cold….a strange feeling that was foreign to the darkrai. Everything was cold and he felt, well, tired as though at any moment his consciousness would fade away again. Beeps and whistles were all he could hear. That and soft breathes.

"Char…char….char" his cellmate was unconscious as was the third with them.

"Chu, chu Rai, chuuu" his voice was soft, barely audible over the machines. Then another sound came.

"Doctor, don't you think this is a little much? What if they have the opposite reaction to the treatment, splicing so recklessly could kill them all!?" The voice was that of a young man, still a teenager by human standards "This is too dangerous for the pokemon."

"I've told you before Lyte, that progress demands sacrifice" an older less compassionate voice seemed to boom over the teen "It doesn't matter what the subjects are, if we do not test them we'll never make any forward progress and funding will be cut, we'll be shut down and we'll be loose ends to tie up. Is that what you want for yourself? I thought you wanted to be a Professor one day?" The young man stared through the glass at the three pokemon, a deep sadness in his eyes. From there Shadow could make out his face, gentle features, innocent green eyes, a small nose, and the untidy spiky blue hair on his head. He noticed the faint glimmer of crimson red coming from Shadow's eye. And the two humans left as quickly as they came.

*Hours Later*

Shadow was restrained to a table, tubes fed into his body at random areas. He could barely see that the two pokemon with him were in the same shape he was. And the humans were back. A wall of white coats behind the glass. At the far back he saw the boy, Lyte. He looked unsure of himself. Then the older man spoke as the other scientists went to work. "Gene splicing test 6-339, the subjects A Charmander, a Raichu, and a Darkrai. The intention of the experiment is to test whether or not through genetic engineering we can make pokemon stronger, potentially add immunities. The goal is to Immunize the charmander and raichu to psychic attacks by splicing their DNA with this darkrai's. And to test if this darkrai will hold a great grasp of fire and electric type abilities. Begin the test."

Pain, that was also a foreign concept to Shadow. But clearly not the other two pokemon with him. The painful howls and cries were almost deafening to him. The scientists all watched as the three writhed from the pain. Shadow felt his rage building. Like a small kindling growing into a raging inferno, and that feeling struck like an electric current. Perhaps the humans were right in their theory. But Shadow didn't care, such needless cruelty toward innocent unprovoked pokemon like the two with him made him feel sick. But there was one silver lining as he grew accustomed to the pain he managed to see through the glass. Lyte was holding some sort of controller and he looked horrified by the display beyond the glass. He shook his head violently and pressed a button on the remote. The restraints on the pokemon released and the tubes connecting them came off without a mark on any of them. Before the humans had a chance to react Shadow was beyond the glass with them. Without hesitation Shadow began slaughtering the scientists one by one. Within minutes they were dead, all except the boy Lyte, simply lowered his head awaiting death. "Compassion like yours doesn't come around often, leave this place, I will not harm you" he stated looking down upon the boy. Lyte walked toward the door then turned back and pressed a button on one of the many consoles in the room. The door in the test room opened and Lyte looked at Shadow giving a respectful bow and leaving. 'I suppose I can't abandon you can I?' Shadow thought as he collected the two unconscious pokemon. He lifted them, and felt an odd connection to them and glimpsed at their memories. 'So this raichu has a reason to stay. Since I have nothing better to do, I shall assist you.'

Though he reached the door to escape he simply couldn't the humans were in the way, and while he could simply kill them all, he made a different decision. "Now that I've proven to be superior to your pathetic defenses, I have a few demands, you will no longer sedate us, your tests will not threaten our lives, and you will treat us properly. Otherwise you'll be making me put forth unnecessary effort to send you to the distortion world."

Moments after he made his demands he saw Lyte return. "As the officially named head of research, for you in particular, I find your terms agreeable." The teenager said as he lead them to a separate, more accommodating section of the facility. "Why stay" Lyte asked as he came to a large doorway.

"I decided to help this raichu with something. I'm not entirely sure what it is yet, but I'll be helping him with it." Shadow said as the doorway opened to a man made habitat for pokemon. It was massive, filled with every biome and pokemon type imaginable.

"Please, make yourselves at home." Lyte said allowing them through.