Chapter 60: Attempted Change Of Heart

"Apologies, but…what?" The Darkrai asked calmly.

"These wackadoos are a cult devoted to you." Pyre said, smiling at his friend and pointing to the group of pokemon behind them.

"Of all people, why would they….nevermind, don't answer that, I don't wish to know." Shadow pressed his face into his palm then looked at them. "You there, kecleon?"

"Yes, Dark One?" The chameleon pokemon bowed to the Darkrai.

"Don't call me that." Shadow looked down upon him. "And stand up, I need your assistance."

The kecleon's face lit up. "Oh anything for you Dark One."

Shadow let out a sigh, it seemed there was now changing his mind about that at least.

"Do you wish us to hunt those blasphemous bastards that tried to kill you?"

The pitch black Pokemon shook his head. "No, they've earned their victory. And after everything I've done, I didn't deserve to survive."

"Oh that just isn't true sir! Your deeds saved each and every one of us!" Kecleon exclaimed. "Why if not for you, that Zoroark that attacked your companion would have violated me as he had for weeks on end. When you killed him in that brutal fashion, it saved me from such further horrors!"

Another Pokemon stepped up. An igglybuff. "Mister, if you didn't kill that Absol when she attacked your partner, she would have taken another of my siblings as dinner." They looked to a group of smaller igglybuff.

Another Pokemon stepped up, a Gabite, with three Gibble looking from between her legs. "Had you not slaughtered those Sneasel and Weavile, I may have lost these three as well as the other five eggs, and…my mate."

Kecleon stepped forward bowing down again. "It matters not if what you did was for us or yourself, you saved us! All of us" the other dozens of pokemon cheered for the Darkrai.

Shadow held up a claw silencing them all. "Regardless. I shouldn't have brutalized them. They may have been monsters…but I'm no better." Shadow closed his eye. "And, I have to be better than that now. I can't continue being a monster."

Kecleon frowned at this. "But you aren't a monster sir."

"Don't delude yourself. I was a monster." Shadow felt strange, he wanted to change, he wanted to be different, but he wasn't yet. "I want to change my ways, I shouldn't brutalize those I face." The Darkrai looked to his friends again.

"If ya really mean that Shadow" Pyre smiled up at him. "I got your back!"

"Me too!" Rai called approaching from behind.

Shadow turned back to face kecleon. "Now then, I need you to assist me. I need you to find my partner. If you've been following me long enough to find me here shortly after my untimely demise, you must have someone capable of tracking."

"If that is your wish, Dark One, then it shall be done!" Kecleon bowed down, before standing up, turning around and marching off toward the other Pokemon in their cult softly speaking to them until they dispersed. He returned a moment later and bowed one final time. "If you need our assistance, all you need to do is command it." And with that he left with the others.

"Soooo…uh, ya sure ya don't want to like, get them to stop worshiping you?" Rai asked.

"In time, but they want to help me, so I'll let them for now." Shadow lowered his head a moment. "So, how do I do it?"

"Do what" Pyre asked.

"How do I change?"

Pyre thought for a moment. "Hmmm, I'm not sure…."

"Maybe you just need to hold yourself back." Rai spoke up. "Force yourself to stop before you kill or torment someone."

"Easier said than done." The pitch black Pokemon folded his arms.

"That's why we're here! So we can help!"

Shadow gave the Charmander an almost happy look. Then he hovered higher into the air. "In that case, we should prepare."

*The Next Day*

Six pokemon were strewn about the large open field. Each laying beaten and bruised, barely alive, but still alive. The Darkrai had, for the first time in a long time, not taken a life during a battle. Something he was happy about. These six had appeared, according to them, to finish the job of killing Shadow. A mission they failed, but given Shadow spared them, they would be considered lucky.

However, one of them stood up again after a few moments and lunged at Shadow. And the Darkrai, on impulse seized them by the neck with a powerful grip crushing their throat in one swift movement.

Just as suddenly the others recovered and retreated. Shadow looked down at his once again blood soaked claws. He clenched his claws into fists. "Curses! I was trying to avoid this!"

"Hey, chill out bro!" Pyre walked up behind him with his arms casually behind his head. "We're trying to break you of that, but come on, a lifetime of brutal killing isn't gonna be undone in one try." Pyre gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't be so angry with yourself, the rest survived! So you did pretty good, all things considered!"

"Pyre's right dude, for the first time you've done really well!" The Raichu came to his other side, giving him a smile as well.

Shadow felt a slight reassurance at his friends' supportive words. "Thank you…both of you."

The two gave him a hug from both sides.

"No prob bro!"

"Yeah, you're our friend, we're not just gonna leave ya hanging when ya need us."

The Darkrai accepted the embrace and relaxed. "I need to try harder!"

"Well, then let's go looking around for someone for you to help!" Rai said happily.

"What?!"

"Good idea Rai, if you want to be less cruel you should try helping strangers!" Pyre nodded at his own words.

"Well, I suppose you're right. You two know this better than I do." He admitted as the two released their hug on him.

"And hey! There's someone right there!" Pyre pointed at a large pink creature in the distance. "Try asking them if they need help!"

Shadow hesitated for a moment, but pushed forward hovering slowly toward the pink creature, who upon seeing him smiled and waved. "Hey! How's it going! I haven't seen ya since I healed you."

Shadow was stunned, it was the Chansey he met before everything had happened. Before the train. Before Zacian cleaved him in two.

"Oh….well it's not exactly going well at the moment."

"Oh no, did something happen to your friend?" Chansey seemed genuinely concerned.

"I…couldn't save him." Shadow's voice sank. "Because I was a monster…because I gave others a reason to hate me, I couldn't save him…"

"Do you need help…someone to hear your problems?"

"No, my problems are obvious to see. But ..do you need help?" It was an odd thing for him to ask, but he knew it had to be done.

"Well, actually yes. I'm on my way to find someone, they're apparently injured and their family is worried. Could you help me find them?"

"Of course." Shadow nodded, prepared to find this pokemon in need.

Chansey smiled "oh thank you! Oh and apparently he's a Gallade, they said he'd probably be too hurt to walk in his condition. And if you felt inclined to ask, apparently he told them to leave him behind because they were in danger."

"I see, I will find him, I promise." It gave Shadow an odd sense of happiness offering to help someone. And with that Shadow took off into the sky.

*A Few Hours Later*

It had taken hours with so much land to search over, but Shadow found what he was looking for, the injured Gallade was standing against a rock, though standing was generous to say. When Shadow touched down in front of him the Gallade flinched away covering his face in fear.

Shadow made his move, gently pulling Gallade from the rock and helping him to remain stable. "Be not afraid, I have come to assist you. Your family is worried about you, I'll take you to someone who can fix up your wounds."

"I…thank you, I'm sorry I was scared, you startled me is all." Gallade apologized as he was half carried by the Darkrai.

Shadow held his focus forward, as he lifted the Gallade up and teleported them away. When they reappeared they were standing before Chansey who smiled widely and let out a sigh of relief at the sight of them. "Oh you saved him! Thank you so much!" Chansey moved closer as Shadow laid the dual type Pokemon on the ground carefully.

"Do not thank me. I'm not doing this to be appreciated. If helping others can help me to repent my past transgressions. I'll do so for as many as I meet." Shadow spoke confidently, the usual menace in his voice absent. "For now, I'll take my leave. Thank you again for helping me when you did."

Chansey smiled at him as he floated away. "Good luck."

Shadow took his movements slowly as he traversed the landscape. It allowed him time to admire the beauty of the landscape and it gave him an easy way to meet potential pokemon in need.

Suddenly he was surrounded by bug type Pokemon. Specifically a group of blipbug and wimpod. "You! Stop right there!"

Shadow halted his movements. "What are you doing?" He asked quizzically.

"We're capturing you! Doing so will prove to the other Pokemon around here that we aren't to be messed with!"

"Capturing me? With this little formation?" Shadow let out a chuckle. "For one, there are far too many blindspots here, as well as half of your group will flee at the first sign of danger. For two, your formation is too loose, aside from the obvious issue that I can fly, there are too many gaps between your members. Given your small size, numbers are crucial. Pushing one aside is far easier than pushing three."

"Are…..are you teaching us?"

"Please don't interrupt, if you are to catch your prey in the future you need to pick your targets better. I am not a normal opponent. However to beat anyone, skill and strategy is better than brute force. For instance if I were to blast one of these wimpod with any attack they'd likely all flee in terror." Shadow continued. "So it would be more efficient keeping them back and having them use longer range attacks. And even disregarding this formation, it would likely work better if you set traps for your enemy instead of encircling them."

"…..why….why didn't I think of that." The lead Blipbug said quietly.

"You're inexperienced. And really, why do you need to prove your strength? For many of you strength isn't your strongest area. It's your intellect if I'm not mistaken. So use that, don't try to outfight your enemy, outthink them. Use your mind to your advantage."

This lecture continued for a short duration in which each of the big Pokemon took a seat in front of the Darkrai.

"In summary, plan better for your targets, and if at all possible, just avoid conflict. I speak from experience, conflict is not worth it."

The bugs huddled together and let out a group wide "THANK YOU SIR!"

Shadow gave them a swift nod and floated away.

*A Short While Later*

Shadow had been floating through the plains of the area for only a few minutes when he stopped. He glanced around a moment seeing the sun slowly lowering beyond the horizon.

Shadow settled himself against a tree. Just like the one he found Blade under the day they met. And his thoughts began to flood in. 'It's the anniversary of the day we met.' He sighed as he laid his head against the tree. "Happy anniversary my love…I am sorry I could not save you…"

Pyre and Rai finally caught up to him and upon seeing him they came closer taking a seat beside him. "Don't bother asking us to leave. We're not going anywhere."

"Thank you…both of you."