Chapter 13: Taken

"Of course we escaped not long after that, that raichu just stayed to rescue a pikachu he loved. And I helped him, and that charmander, well you met him. He's just over there" Shadow pointed at the pillar of fire beside the destroyed structure "It's incredible what one can do, when they are altered. A pity really, none of us asked to be so, but fate has a way of making things happen. Whether you want it or not. Not that it matters, once fate has seen fit to complicate your life, you tend to take control of your own fate. You've done so yourself Blade. You were alone for so long, and instead of letting fate guide you to your death, you fought and survived until you found me."

"But you found me, remember" Blade said, looking at Shadow. Blade watched as Shadow held his hand out in the direction of the pillar of flames which suddenly dissipated.

A sound cut through the sudden silence "Whoooooooo Yeah, get destroyed guys hahahahahaha! Come on, I'm taking all challengers now who's next? Hahahahaha!" Pyre was apparently very loud to be heard from so far away.

"Well, he's having fun, let's get out of here." Blade started walking away, not even sure of a destination. Shadow for once followed behind him. Neither questioned where they were going as long as they were together.

*Several Days Later*

The events of the previous days had been forgotten, and the two simply traveled forth, not worrying about anything at all. Ever since last time, they had not encountered any more hunters. That gave them little reassurance. Shadow always knew, he knew that they would continue tracking Blade, and if he had any say in it, he would find out why. Considering how long it had been, they had to be closing in. There was a darkness looming, one that made even Shadow uneasy. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew something bad was going to happen, and he knew it was happening soon. Then he felt a tug, as though something we're pulling him away. He shouldn't leave Blade, and he knew it, but that force pulled at him like a magnet. "I'm afraid something requires my attention Blade, I'll be back soon." He spoke experiencing more unease than he ever has in his life.

"Alright, hurry back I guess" Blade said as his stride didn't falter or break. It really baffled him how many forests there were in the world. He'd been through so many. But he still remembered the first one he saw. Years of wandering and suffering in a cold damp chasm, well it left him happy to be out of the cold. He found that he hated the cold, the very thought of it made him sick. He glanced back as Shadow disappeared into the ground. Blade smiled, even though they didn't say or act like it, they loved each other. And Blade always knew Shadow would come back. He always did…right?

Regardless of how he felt about it, Shadow always had a good reason and he always came back. But the world, being as it is, saw fit to complicate things. "Ssssssso, we finally found the little Sssssssneasel" a voice came from an Arbok in a tree.

"Don't hurt him, your master wants him alive right?" A familiar female voice called out as Crystal, the sableye from before, came around the tree. "Don't fight us Blade, you won't be able to win without Shadow protecting you." Several more pokemon came from the trees. Arbok, Ekans, Zangoose, Magmortar, Electivire, and Scraggy. Crystal continued "Now give yourself up, or do you really plan to fight us all?" Blade thought about it, every instinct in his body told him to run or fight, but he knew he wasn't going to escape, and he knew he couldn't beat them. He simply sat down and accepted it. Crystal walked up to him smirking like she had won. And she grabbed his claws binding them with rope.

"Thissssss seems far too easy Sssssableye" Arbok spoke slithering to Crystal.

"Well, if Shadow were here it wouldn't have been." She replied smiling "Now take him away, this wretched little fuck has been between me and the love of my life. Now that he's out of the way, Shadow can finally be with me."

Blade was blown away by what Crystal was saying. He began to thrash and tell "Shadow could never love someone like you, who'd so easily sell out their fellow pokemon for a human!"

"Oh sweet naïve, wretched, Blade" she spoke "anyone would do this for love, once you're gone Shadow will be broken and he'll be all mine."

Blade did something unexpected, he laughed. "Hahahahahahahahahaha" his laugh echoed around "You are real fucking stupid you dumb bitch!"

Crystal smacked him across the face cutting him. A small stream of blood trickled out of the cut. "Shut your mouth WHORE! I know he only wants you cause you fucked him!"

"Wooooow, your way dumber than I thought. I've never fucked anyone, but you just fucked yourself."

"What, what are you talking about?"

"Ya know Shadow ripped someone's tongue out and almost drowned them with their own blood, just cause he insulted me" Blade laughed to himself "I wonder what he'll do to you, when he finds out about this. It'll be cruel, and probably ironic, like carving a heart into your face before he rips off your limbs! Hahahahaha and don't even get me started on the rest of you. Twist you snakes into knots, pull you inside out, honestly I'm excited!"

One of them struck him in the head and carried him off. Crystal sat down and awaited Shadow's return.

*With Shadow*

"What is it you want Cresselia?" Shadow asked, looking around the dark sky.

"Brother don't be so upset."

"I don't have time for this." Shadow was becoming irritated.

"Shadow, what you're doing is dangerous." Cresselia was showing deep concern "Attachment to one with a lifespan so drastically short compared to your own. It will kill you."

"As if I care, if Arceus really wants a new nightmare spewing pawn in his little world he can make one. It's my life, if I give it up because I'm in love that's my decision and even you can't talk me out of it sister."

"I had to know if you actually cared about him." Cresselia showed compassion "That said, I believe you should hurry back. I'm sure he misses you."

Shadow didn't bother responding, he simply flew to the ground and teleported back. The sight that greeted him was disturbing. There was no trace of Blade, he'd always followed the sneasel's tracks, but there were none to follow, just a small dent in the grass that was his size, and just a few feet away Crystal was waiting. "Oh Shadow it's been too long."

"Where is Blade?" Shadow was in no mood for Crystal's games.

"We don't need to worry about him anymore. They caught him and he's not an issue anymore" Crystal smiled and hugged Shadow. The darkrai stopped at the indent in the ground noticing a small red speck. Crystal saw it as well "oh don't worry, he fought back so I had to cut him a little."

She was slammed against a tree. The look in Shadow's eye was beyond terrifying. It took on a crimson, blood red color. "You did what?!" Shadow's voice seemed different, layered almost, as if he spoke in several tones at once, each tone darker and overlapping each other giving his voice a twisted demonic sound. He pressed his claw to her chest.

"Shad-ow what are you?" She choked out the words.

"You're so keen to give me your heart" Shadow said pressing the tips of his claw to her chest and pushing puncturing holes in her chest "Then I'll take it!" He pushed his claw through, despite being a ghost type Crystal's body was still corporeal, and so ethereal blood began to cascade from her chest. Shadow never broke eye contact as he pushed in, he found his prize, the sableye's heart and he gripped it tight in his claw before tearing it out. "But since it holds no value to me," Shadow crushed it in his claw splattering his arm and face before dropping her abruptly "I'll dispose of it." Shadow left the ghost dead on the ground and chuckled "Who knew you could kill a ghost?" Then he flew off following every small detail he could tracking Blade down.