[Pokémon] Brewing A Storm and Black Night Clouds

[Sgt Shock]

Chapter 11: What Makes a Monster?

"I am the good guy. The protagonist within the pages of a standard novel, then why does the author of this life decided to pose against this normal concept of life. Good wins over evil. Then why did I lose to him? Why am I not dead? Why I am I so mad? The second try I've had to stop this killer had slipped through my hands like the blood that was poured on those white sands that day. Why does this story take such an awkward turn to create such an unsightly beast? A larger monster crunches on the bones of the smaller on. It is such as sick idiom. Why it true? Do I have the heart to be a monster to easily consume the evil? Why is this battle raging within me? I am I becoming that monster, ogre, or demon. A monster created by Law just as blood thirsty as a criminal. Gabriel, I'm going to clip your wings from your body. One by one your feathers will fall from your back into the pool of blood below you. I want to extinguish your flame with my rains. You're not getting away with this. A man with no morals isn't a man at all. But I'm going to meet you on your side, the one that paved with bodies. Make you understand. Make you hate me just as much as I hate you. What makes monsters? People do. Different reasons, same result. I'm after you. So prepare bro. It's long road ahead. Tread carefully. Don't fall early. Remember you will fall to the King. The King of Lightning...doesn't expect to strike three times in a row. "

The night sky seemed to respond with his thoughts, the star glimmered in impression.

*
​

The window was open when Romy came in. It was the middle of the night. She didn't expect him to pull off something like this. The nurses had told her that he was acting rather oddly and not to see him. But this wasn't the thing that she had expected. It was like he had disappeared into vapor, leaving her behind like condensation of glass. She nervously bit the ends of her nails. She was the first to notice his disappearance and she wished that she wasn't.

She brushed the red hair from his face and placed her precious flower arrangements of yellow and white lilies on the nightstand. Romy gazed out of the window into the starry sky. She closed her eyes to understand what was painting itself before her. She couldn't fathom the current happens. It was nothing like she had expected in the past. A tapping on her shoulder brought Romy back to reality. A nurse's face was against hers.

"Where did Mr. Surge go?" the nurse asked moving her head further into Romy's line of vision.

"He was gone before I got here. Nothing..." Romy hated those words. It felt like it was saying them was admitting that this wasn't a dream.

"Should I send for a search party?" the nurse said getting a bit frantic.

"I suppose. Even if I said no, you will do it anyway," Romy said pressing her hand against the pane of the window more.

"Yes. I would," the Nurse admitted.

"Then go. You won't find him…" Romy was sure of that fact. If Josh wanted to leave, no one could find him.

The nurse looked a bit shocked with those words. Who will not want a search party for their friends? The best of the best Arcanines, Growlithes, Furrets, and more would be on the case. How could she decline such an offer even if she was going to do it regardless? They will find him in less than a second. But this lady, she is resisting this. She was more than sure that this was something of complete futility.

"Don't you want to find your friend?"

"Of course, I do. But he needs to find himself first. I guess that's more important than me."

A petal broke away from the flower. Romy watched the petal flutter to the ground before she picked it up. The flower seemed to be a full strength when it got here, now it was welting. Maybe the negative energy was affecting it, maybe it was grown poorly, maybe an unexplained phenomenon. But one thing was definite, that it represented her broken spirit. It was only by sheer luck that Josh survived that attack. She placed the flower petal out of the window and it fell to the street below.

"Please leave now..." Romy said as she watched the yellow petal fall aimlessly to the blackness of the road below.

The nurse slipped out of the door silently to leave the girl alone. Romy clutched her hand tightly as she continued to glance out of the window of the hospital. Where could he have gone? Why is he gone?

"Be safe...please be safe.... "

Romy grabbed the rest of the flowers from the arrangement. One by one, she threw the out of the window to watch them fall. She stopped at the last flower and stared at it for some time. She took the one out of her hair and threw that one instead. She put the yellow flower in her hair to represent the suddenly missing Josh. She didn't want to cry anymore. She held back the tears. It was too much. Her breath was broken by those tears.

"Josh. Wherever you are, please don't do anything stupid."

*
​

"I've heard something interesting. Josh disappeared off of the map..." Fleur said more happy than usual if that was possible.

"You're the happy one today," Jiro remarked to Fleur. "And you haven't said a word since Josh's demise," the second statement aimed at Gabriel.

For reason, he hadn't. Words wouldn't come to his mouth. He has been thinking about it. It's just been settling in his mind that he might cause Josh to relinquish his life as trainer. Honestly, he wanted to relinquish his life period. It saddened him on the fact that he just ridden a rival easily. He expected more in their second encounter, it was depressing. But he had to admit that he put up a better fight than last time. It wasn't the fact that he beat him that had him shaken. It was the fact that he won't be able to thrash him if he quit or went off somewhere and died was the thing that kept him silent.

"Maybe I was a little over the top with that last blow..." Gabriel pondered to himself.

"Are you ready to get Romy now?" Fleur asked as she bounced up and down waiting for the response.

"You don't mind if I interrupt," Jiro said looking at Gabriel, he okay the interruption. "That would be very illogical right now, Fleur. We hurt two of the Interpol police officers. It would be better if we stayed low."

"Jiro is right. I thought that you were leaving us after the Cinnabar Island mission?" Gabriel eyes darted towards his friend.

"I'm staying around for a bit longer," Jiro said. There were two reasons to this, one that Gabriel knew while the other he had to read between the lines. JIro couldn't help but to steal a glance at Fleur.

"Oh," maybe Gabriel was wrong, maybe they are compatible. He waved it off.

'I guess I stay too. The mission isn't done. So what's next for us," Fleur said brushing the hair from her shoulders.

"Well...this one is going to be fun."

Gabriel pulled a white envelope out of his jacket and turned it around to allow the others to see the red seal. Fleur looked at it for a couple of minutes noticing the black "R" on the back. She squealed from happiness and seized the letter. She basically ripped opened the envelope as quick as she possible could to pull out the rather thick paper inside. She read it over and squealed loudly again above a frequency that was dog whisper could achieve if it could be used on humans.

"Is this an invitation to the Team Rocket's Black Ball?" Fleur was jumping up and down.

"Yes. Team Rocket invited the Kanto Killer Mafia as a trap. We are the entertainment."

"I'm not going to be involved in the killing..." Jiro stated.

"Directly," Gabriel added. He wasn't involved in the killings at Cinnabar Island though so he basically was not involved. "You will be the one to find this criminal in the crowd. You're better at observing that I am," Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Do we get to dress up?!?" Fleur asked.

"It is a formal," Gabriel answered.

The mixture between a yell, a scream, and a squeal created with vocal alchemy was produced from Fleur's mouth. Before anything else could be said, Fleur seized Jiro's arm and began making their way into Viridian City. She obviously wanted to go shopping for formal clothes and Jiro was obviously forced to be her date. Jiro above anything hated clothes shopping so that was probably going to be an interesting trip for Fleur. Gabriel laughed.

He stood in solitary for a moment. For some reason, he felt something was watching. A fragrance of death seemed to be fluttered in the air. Gabriel turned around quickly thinking that he saw someone but in the end he just saw yet another Rattata dash across the dusty road. He deduced that his mind was playing tricks on him and headed in the city along with his two traveling partners.

*
​

"What's wrong little sis? You haven't been right since you brought back Logan's Noctowl."

"I'm worried about someone."

"Who is it?"

"A friend has gone missing from the hospital."

"Who is it?"

"Josh Surge...."

"You mean the guy from the hospital that was in critical condition when the police found him on the Seafoam Island. He's missing from the hospital. Is he even healthy enough to get away that far?"

Kael along with Romy was driving dirt bikes up until those words were said. Being around two older brothers had gotten her into to this kind of thing. Kael had quickly noticed that something was wrong with his sister due to her erratic driving, she was better than the both of them combine. The bikes were off now and both of them sat on the grass together. Kael's large hand petted his little sister's head. He gave a warm smile.

"Do you know who hurt him? The Police have been very secretive about it...." Kael said softly.



"I know...I can't tell. Wayne told me not to. It's a delicate situation," Romy said. "Indeed it is," she added in her consciousness.

"What if I helped you?"

"What?" Romy's face changed to that "how" expression that people get when proposed something.

"I'll help you find information on Mr. Josh. I am a Ranger you know. Tracking is one of my strong points," Kael seemed to be proud at that statement. "We should start with his main communication. Who would know where he would have gone?"

"His dad," Romy paused. "His dad hasn't created some search party yet..."

The thought struck Romy like a bolt of lightning, how ironic that was. Why hasn't Mr. Matis Surge sent a search party? The man's obviously really crazy about these sorts of things. He was in a war. You would think that he would be the first to send a fleet of airplanes or something to find his son. Kael seemed pleased to bring up the thoughts in his sister mind.

"You mind coming with me to Vermilion," she asked Kael.

"Don't mind at all, sis."

"Do you think that Logan will come too?" Romy asked.

Kael pounded his fist. That was the answer. Romy just smiled. A sibling rivalry was fun when you weren't involved. Especially when one brother is 7'0, 305 pounds and the other was 5'3, 151. Kael could normally get what he wanted from Logan, which mostly consisted with what Romy needed. In conclusion, Logan learned fast that it sucked being the middle child.

"Romy...." a voice from the inside shouted.

"What?"

"An old friend of mine wants to talk to you!"

Romy and Kael turned to each other trying to wonder who exactly could be calling here and wanting to speak with Romy. Nobody that Kael knew actually fit that description. Romy had more of a clue at this point.

Romy entered first since Kael would have to bend down to get through the door. Leonard stood with the phone off the hook, handing it in Romy's general direction. Romy took that wireless phone and sat down on the black leather couch within the living room. The breathing of the other side seemed rather urgent.

"Hello...?" Romy didn't realize that she added an interrogative twist to the greeting word.

"This is Lt. Surge." It was indeed him.

"Uh....hi?" Romy said hi as though with another interrogative twist.

"I figured...I..." Surge was tripping badly over his own words. It then occurred that it must be awkward calling the person that he forced to drive a boat of illegal pokemon. She quickly concurred. "I apologized to your dad about the whole thing I didn't want to talk about that anymore when Josh was here..."

"It's not important now. What's important is finding Josh?"

Surge's voice plummeted silently. Like she had expected, he knew where Josh went. But Romy quickly found that Surge falling silent was never a good thing. She waited for the man to talk. When he didn't, she restarted the conversation.

"So....you do know where he is?"

"Yeah...but I can't tell. He gave me that glare. That glare that his mom used to give me. But...I convinced him to write a letter to you, Romy..."

"W-what?" Romy's face lost all of its color.

"Come to pick it up. Please," Surge saying please wasn't a good sign either.

"I will," Romy said.

"Okay goodbye."

Romy was met with a ring tone. Romy placed the wireless phone back to its base before standing up. Leonard expected her to say something but she just walked out of the house quickly grabbing a set of keys to her brother's car. Kael looked at his dad before pursuing her. He gave the okay and he followed her out quickly.

Romy quickly entered a small car on the driver's side and prepared to start it but was stopped by Kael's large hand reaching through window. He pulled the key from the ignition and opened the door. He threw Romy over his shoulder and placed her in the back seat.

"Nah. You're not going to drive," Kael stated.

"But..."

"I am, so no excuses. I have another passenger to get."

Kael walked away with the keys in hand from the small car back into the house. Soon after he was carrying Logan on his back like he was a child and placed him in the passenger seat of the car. Kael then walked around and took his seat in the driver's side. Romy still couldn't figure out how Kael had the ability to fit in this compact car. He pulled it off and almost (key word) looked comfortable. But like him never going to evolve his Duskull, he was never going to get rid of this car.

"Thanks Logan for coming along!" Kael said as though he did it voluntarily.

"No problem, brother," Logan sneered.

"To Vermilion City, Kael," Romy requested.

"Right," Kael nodded his head.

*
​

"How do I look?"

Jiro thought she looked amazing. It was a lavender dress that beautifully swayed as she walked. It was cut at her shoulders and was embossed with amethyst around the collar. It shimmered when the light struck in different directions which made her ginger colored hair look rather stunning. She wore long white gloves that reached her elbows and elaborate white heels to finish her outfit. Jiro's face turned as red as a tomato viewing Fluer move elegantly with the dress.

"You look nice...." Jiro said tapping his chubby fingertips together.

"You think. Don't worry I found a matching shirt for you," Fleur said picking up a lavender shirt.

"Jiro, you look bad in red..." Gabriel said walking in, referring to the redness on his face.

"Oh don't be silly. What are you going to wear," Fleur said twisting her hand to offer it to Jiro. He accepted.

"I'm a coordinator remember. I have a special suit coming in from Lilycove. You two won't see it until the night of the performance..."

"About your contest...." Jiro began to ask but was stopped by Gabriel's hand.

"It's in a week. I know. Don't you think I've been practicing?"

'Using Josh as a training dummy," Fleur cocked her head.

"I suppose so. Too bad he wasn't strong enough."

As soon as the words left his lips, Gabriel thought figured within the crowd. The man gave a slight glare towards him with blood red eyes before disappearing with the crowd. From where he stood, it appeared to be a familiar face. He clinched his teeth as the man's silhouette dissolved further in the maelstrom of bodies. "Josh…" Gabriel whispered. With that the man seemingly disappeared. Gabriel tried to shake of the images within his head. In the end, he figured that his mind was playing with him once again before sighing. Jiro head Gabriel's sigh but quickly noted it as something of boredom not something of confusion.

"You have a mission and a contest next week," Jiro stated.

"It's not that. I'll talk to you later."

"Oh it's because I'm here. You guys aren't trying to DITCH me..." Fleur shot evilly.

"No. No we are not," Jiro pleaded.

"We're really not. Unless you want us too," Gabriel smirked.

"NO. Carry on," Fleur waved it off and proceeded back into the dressing room to change back to her normal clothes.

Once she was gone, Gabriel looked towards the area that he thought Josh was standing. He closed his eyes to calm himself. Why he was suddenly frightened? Even if it was Josh, why was fear instilled in his heart? He couldn't even produce an answer for this simple question.

"Is something wrong?"

"No-It's just. Did you see someone over there?" If Jiro could hear Gabriel's heart beat, he would have known he was lying.

"I've seen no one that we haven't seen for about hour now. We've been in here for some time," Jiro answered truthfully.

"Oh. Mind playing tricks on me..."

'Who did you see?" Jiro asked. He paused when he realized the answer. "Josh wasn't it."

Gabriel shot a glare toward Jiro. Jiro remained calm at the pure mass of intimidation that Gabriel was giving off. That coolness angered Gabriel even more. But after a while he flicked his hair calmly before returning to his normal cool-headed nature. Jiro's eyes saw the transformation between the two expressions.

"Why am I seeing someone that I already destroyed? He's probably dead on and gone," Gabriel's clutched his eye, cursing it for making such an illusion.

"He's disappearance from the hospital rattles me slightly," Jiro noted. He didn't sound rattled.

"Don't you get all worried about a dead man as well," Gabriel said. It was foolish for both of them to be disoriented from a dead man. Jiro gave a laugh.

"But I have a question for you," Jiro suddenly began to choke on his words.

"Does Fleur like you?"

"Urgh...is it that obvious?"

Gabriel grinned broadly, Jiro assumed that as a yes. Jiro tried so hard to mask that feeling that he felt when he met Fleur to only fine that it was easy to see like that sky. He hung his head.

"You know. She had killer intent washed over her skin. But I can't help but to like her."
"She probably thinks you're a goody two shoes..." Jiro looked to Gabriel when he said it. "Well it's TRUE. You're the son of Bruno Shiba of the Kanto Elite Four. What does she expect, you to be some ruthless killer? Just tell her that."

"Can a killer and a pacifist really fall in love?"

"Psh. If I could pardon a cliché, anything can happen," Gabriel rolled his eyes. In honesty, if it wasn't Jiro talking he wouldn't even say something as cheesy as that. Nor would he care to listen in the first place.

"I'm back!!!"

Fleur skipped down the aisles both hands filled with bags. She was obviously wealthier than Gabriel had first anticipated. That in itself was another key difference between Fleur and Jiro. She easily just blew off a thousand dollars, not like that was something that Gabriel cared about because he did that daily on contest. But to see someone else do it, it was a bit of a surprise. Compared to Jiro who barely had money for food since he and his dad mostly sent the money to their family in Johto, she was spending like there was no care in the world. This would actually be the first formal anything that Jiro had ever been to. Too bad it had to be on that Gabriel had to dispose of a crime leader. But nevertheless, it would be a nice night for him.

"So. Jiro, I've bought the tux for you."

"Thanks...I'll have to pay you back."

"Oh no sweetie, you don't. I'm an opera singer back at Hearthome City. I get paid big bucks for performances there."

"And you wanted the job at the Celadon Gym because..."Gabriel held on to the end of the sentence with his brow shooting upward.

"That was before I got my job at Hearthome City. Gabriel," Fleur said only Gabriel's name between her teeth. "She ruined the job my dad recommended me for."

"But you got one better..." Gabriel trailed off still not seeing her motive.

"It's the PRINCIPLE. P.R.I.N.C.I.P.L.E! She stole that from me!" Fleur roared.

"I can't believe she just spelled that out..." Gabriel blinked twice before responding further. "School rival or something," Gabriel asked.

"She's not my rival she's my arch-nemesis!" Fleur clutched the bag's string handle when she said it. "But never mind that," Fleur's voice snapped back into her normal tone.

"She's your girlfriend..." Gabriel said walking away.

"W-what? She's not my girlfriend...yet..." Jiro face flushed when he said it.

Gabriel laughed as he exited the store. Jiro had to admit, Gabriel always put him in a rather awkward positions. If they were not childhood friends, he would have hated him.

*
​

"Hello. Mr. Surge."

"Hello Romy, didn't expect to see you again so soon. And who are these two gentlemen?"

"These two are my brothers, Kael and Logan Kimura."

"Hello Mr. Surge," Kael nodded

"Hello Sir," Logan followed suit.

"Good gentlemen. Logan is slouching a bit but that's okay. Come it."

Romy and her brothers entered the house this time, not the gym. It was pretty early in the morning so the gym wasn't open when they got there. An older gentleman had given them direction to Surge's house, which honestly he could have just pointed since it was right behind the gym.

They followed Surge in. Kael was actually grateful that their doors were tall enough for him, mainly because Surge himself was a tall man himself. Overall, they were very impressed at the father's house.

Once you entered the house you were meant with the foyer. The light reflected on the dark stained hardwood floor and entered into the next room. To their right was the white carpeted stairway to the upstairs bedrooms. Against the wall of the stairs and to the left of the door was a dark wood small table. Upon it was just one thing. It was a picture of a young Josh, Lt. Surge, and a beautiful woman. Romy found her picking of the framed picture while her brothers when on to enter into the living room. She stared at the picture for a couple of minutes before being caught by Surge who popped back in. She quickly placed it back but he already saw.

"Everyone looks at it. Don't worry," Surge said staring over to the picture himself.

They seemed so happy. A young Josh was clutched tightly in his mother's arms. The woman in the picture was smiling warmly while Surge tried to struggling trying to keep his cold one. Her darker brown hair to her shoulders as she cocked her head for the picture. Her eyes were green, the source of the greenish glow that appeared in Josh's blue eyes. She appeared to be rather delicate with her light skin and gentle features. It almost reminded Romy of herself.

"She fell in love with a thug....like me," Lt. Surge said. "Yuki..." he sighed.

"Let's go. I'm sorry I brought it up," Romy said.

"I think that is best," Surge spoke, chest deflating from a large exhale.

If Romy wasn't so good at reading Josh, she wouldn't have saw that his dad was holding back tears just then. Surge entered the room before Romy could observe any further, Romy sighed. It reminded her so much of Josh. She too wanted to cry just then.

Surge sat in the white recliner on the other side of the vast living room. The carpet was a light green color that appeared to be white at first. In the middle of the room was a rug, most likely from Haruba Village in Almia. It was a darker green color with elaborate design renditions of the legendary beast; Raikou, Entei, and Suicune.

There was a fire place on the northern wall. Three pieces of sitting furniture faced it; a love seat, a sofa, and the recliner. The love seat and the sofa was light green cloth with wooden frames. The recliner however was white leather that surprisingly meshed with the entire room. A long wooden table was set between all the sitting arrangements. It appeared to be rather cozy place.

Romy decided to sit with Logan who had kicked his feet upon the table. Surge surprisingly hadn't said anything about it. Kael was already reading over at the note that Josh had left but passed it to Romy before he had the chance to finish it. Romy took the paper and began to read it.

"Romy,

This isn't something that I wanted you to read. My dad convinced me otherwise saying that people always regret the things that they didn't say. I couldn't face you. I can't face anyone actually. You saved me back there. I am grateful. But how can I respond to my savior? How can I repay the same savoir that I am not strong enough to protect? Tonight has been a tough one for me. Looking at those stars, I'm thinking they are against me as well. They chastise me as I walk away from the people that I care about. It's not the fact of space, Romy. But I don't want you to see what I'm willing to become to stop him. No not just him. It is the entire world's crimes that have me bothered. It sickens me that people that are willingly to destroy with the use of pokemon for their advantage; as well as pokemon that are willingly to destroy on their own accord, not because their master said so. To stop this, I'm willing to become a monster, a beast. I don't want you to see this transformation but I'm sure that you will see the results."

Romy couldn't bring herself to view the rest of that letter. She felt like crying but her body seemed to be moving incredibly slow. She mustered up some more strength to read the remainder of the note.

"I'm not sure what path this road to monstrosity leads. Remember that visitor that came to the hospital. The woman had told me the locations of Gabriel as well as this quote, "To beat a monster. One must become a larger one." She was right. I didn't want to admit that. I thought was an irrelative detail stamped upon the main picture. Yet the quote was the picture while the location was just the watermark in the background. She had foresaw the lost and painted the road that I should take to defeat him. I want to take that road. I want to defeat the evil.

To you Romy I have some words I want to say personally. Protect yourself. Become strong. Don't let them get to you before I come back. Keep a watch on Nick, Naomi, Wayne, and the other members of KRPD. Become a better warrior.

I'm not going to tell you where I'm going. It's far. I don't want you away from Kanto for so long. I will build my team to grow with me. Don't bother to call because I will not answer. I'm not going to enclose a time that I will be back. I may come back in a week; I may come back in a month, maybe a year. But I will return. I will stop this crime that plaguing the streets that we want to walk on.

So promise me this. Open your heart to someone else. You may not like the person that I turn myself into. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone that would love you.

-Josh"

By the time that Romy got to the end of the letter, the paper was wet with tears. She clutched it tightly as she put the paper back on the table.

"Kael....Logan..." Romy said still keeping her voice strong.

"Yes." "Yeah." The brother responded.

"Teach me everything that you know. I want...I want to become stronger."

"We accept," Logan was surprisingly the one that said this. "I'll teach you all I know as well."

"You would really do it, Logan?"

"Yeah, Logan," Kael responded. "You're willing to get your lazy butt up and do something."

"Whatever Kael, I can't stand to see little sis, cry."

"Hmph. The "genius" is really getting out there and doing something. Of course I'm going to help to Romy. I'll help train your pokemon."

"Thanks guys."

Surge, despite him saying little to nothing at all since entering, stood up. Of course, he smacked Logan's feet off the table as hard as he could but he didn't say anything else. He was obviously smiling but what they didn't see was the small stream of tears falling from his face. It reminded him of Yuki.

"Good girl...." Surge said exiting the room. "Stay as long as you like the three of you."

 

[Eliminator Jr.]

As soon as he entered the quicker he exited, as simple as that.

I think it should probably be "the sooner he entered the quicker he exited".

It was long and extricating like the small tunnel was getting longer and longer the more that he walked.

Maybe you mean "excruciatingly boring" or something along those lines. Extricating means being released from like a tough situation or something (according to the dictionary, I've never heard the word before so I checked what it meant). Also the sentence could be restructured maybe, like "It was long and *whatever word goes here*, as if the small tunnel was getting longer with every step he took" or something. I don't know, I had something really good to suggest for that, but I forgot it.

Every other time, he would be with his dad as he searched the area for a legendary electric pokemon. Josh will wait near the water

You switch from past to present tense here. The will should be changed to a would.

Okay, I'm not going to correct the whole thing because it'd take way too long, but you should probably look over your posts and do a bit of editing before posting them. If English is your second language or something I'm sorry if this comes off as harsh, I'm only trying to help.

Now as for the actual story, I've read up until the end of chapter two so far, and it's pretty good. I like how you've built up Surge to be strong and commandeering of his son on the outside but actually indecisive on the inside, and how you've worked in memories about the Elekid who couldn't defend its owner all those years ago to explain why he didn't want Josh to keep his Pokémon unevolved. Anyway, I'll read some more of it a bit later, but keep up the good work. Just make sure to check your work before posting it.

 

[Sgt Shock]

I think it should probably be "the sooner he entered the quicker he exited".


Maybe you mean "excruciatingly boring" or something along those lines. Extricating means being released from like a tough situation or something (according to the dictionary, I've never heard the word before so I checked what it meant). Also the sentence could be restructured maybe, like "It was long and *whatever word goes here*, as if the small tunnel was getting longer with every step he took" or something. I don't know, I had something really good to suggest for that, but I forgot it.

EDIT: :p I used the second meaning for excruciating which means great pain. But I see where you are coming from. I strongly thing agonizing would have been a better choice of wording.

You switch from past to present tense here. The will should be changed to a would.

Okay, I'm not going to correct the whole thing because it'd take way too long, but you should probably look over your posts and do a bit of editing before posting them. If English is your second language or something I'm sorry if this comes off as harsh, I'm only trying to help.

I don't think that you were coming off harsh at all. I think you pointed out the mistakes real well actually. A teacher pointed out my past and present tense and I need to work on that. English isn't my second language. I just make casual mistakes. :P Hope it isn't that bad to portray me as such.

Now as for the actual story, I've read up until the end of chapter two so far, and it's pretty good. I like how you've built up Surge to be strong and commandeering of his son on the outside but actually indecisive on the inside, and how you've worked in memories about the Elekid who couldn't defend its owner all those years ago to explain why he didn't want Josh to keep his Pokémon unevolved. Anyway, I'll read some more of it a bit later, but keep up the good work. Just make sure to check your work before posting it.

I think that you did a great job. I do really need to check the work more closely than I have. I'm just so excited to share with people because I already know what happens. lol. But I promise I will fix the mistakes. Thanks a lot for actually reviewing. You have been a real help.

 

[Sgt Shock]

Whew. To all of my readers and future readers. I have finished revamping all the current chapters to this point; grammatically as well as adding portions of the story in that I forgot. Though it may not be completely perfect, it is a great improvement. I will be happy to give you all Chapter 12 (the final chapter of Brewing a Storm) tomorrow and then we will be heading to the much better Black Night Clouds.

This is basically an update for anyone that is reading and to you all. Keep reading.

 

[Sgt Shock]

No joke. When I did this chapter before, I didn't like. Now I have redone this chapter. I love it. Especially the end. I love monologues even though technically they are not monologues but whatever. Well, on with the reading.

*
​

Chapter 12: To the Messenger…

"Wow...."

"No kidding."

Gabriel had to admit that even he was impressed. A person wouldn't have thought Team Rocket could get this snazzy. Though it was held in an underground facility, the appeal of the decorations seemed to have transformed the unappealing outside into something of a sanctuary. It was traditional ball. There were thick silk drapes created from Umbreon's fur outlining the outside of the sides of the wall. The dark color of the fur was accented by the red fur of its brother, Flareon, to form the crimson R within drapery. There were long tables were on each side of the room and a modern wood organ was put on the opposite wall as the entrance. The lights were had a certain appealing sparkle to them. They create a dangerous but elegant mood when it was reflected against the maple colored hardwood floor. The temperature within was held warm enough for the women and their attire while keeping it cool enough for the women. The balance made it something of a contradiction, but a comfortable one.

Gabriel observed the spectrum of colored dress and tuxedos that even impressed the optimum chic fashion mindful. Many of the women were dress in varied materials such as lace, silk, and velvet. The men weren't far behind with high class tuxedos to match their feminine counterparts. Both sides, Team Rocket as well as Kanto Killer Mafia, kept their pokemon out of their pokeballs. Gabriel wasn't quite sure if they were protection or for show. There were distinct different in the taste of pokemon that the two groups possessed. Team Rocket was surprisingly the ones with the better taste of pokemon in Gabriel's opinion; they held esteemed pokemon such as Persian, Arbok, Vileplume, as well many others. Gabriel also had to admit that the Kanto Killer Mafia held pokemon that a mafia could use to intimidate their rivals; Gliscor, Heracrosses, Mighyena were some of these pokemon. There was one man in particular left Gabriel wondering which of the parties that he belonged to. He held an Arcanine which appeared to both majestic and perilous—the best of both worlds.

The man beside the Arcanine appeared to be rather hazardous himself as he stroked the mane of his dog. The man's face was filled with scars in the general pattern of his own pokemon. He had the cream color hair that gave reminiscences his own pokemon as well. His eyes were a golden color but in the lights it reflected like animal. The man stood tall but he had only reached the height of Gabriel himself. The man shot a stare at Gabriel before cuing him to come over.
Gabriel extended his hand, the man accepted without turning in the general direction. His handshake was firm, almost like he was going to crush his arm. Above that, Gabriel found this rude but he wasn't going to tell that to him. The two men released the grip at the same time.

"So, you're the people that supposed to get this job finished..." the man stroke what appeared to be his mane.

"That is the case, if you are willing to pay..."

"Money has no value," the voice silky voice stated, money was only paper to him.

"But isn't Team Rocket just doing this for the money," Gabriel looked at him not expecting an answer.

"That's childish and immature thinking. We're out for much more now. So money is not an option. Name your price."

"Name my price. Expect it to be much," Gabriel causally tossed it in the conversation.
"On my word as n Rocket Executive, I will pay handsomely," the man paused as he closed his eyes. "I will pay as long as my name is Cray Creek."

"Okay Mr. Creek," Gabriel liked a paying customer. "Where is the victim?

"He has yet to arrive. It's kind of disappointing really. I wanted him to be the first one here."

Cray pulled out his pair of sunglasses and pushed them upon his face. He then poured himself a glass of punch and began sipping the drink. Gabriel took this time to walk away but the man grabbed his shoulder tightly forcing Gabriel to jerk back into position. Cray placed the cup upside down. He released his grip on Gabriel soon after. He obviously had something else he wanted to say. Again, Gabriel wanted to say something to this man, but he kept it to himself due to the impending dangerous glistening in his eyes.

"Do you mind entertaining the guest while we wait?" Cray asked. It was blunt as well as sudden.

"What am I supposed to do?" Gabriel shrugged.

"You're a coordinator from what I have heard. The missy over there is a vocalist and I've heard the ranger over there is an instrumentalist," Cray said referring to Gabriel, Fleur, and Jiro respectively.

"So you know a lot, Mr. Creek," Gabriel said awed. How did he obtain this information? Gabriel chose not to pursue this further.

"I expect many clients you have taken do not know you. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't see your...past work."

"Like...." Gabriel truly wanted to test what he knew. Then he would be even more impressed.

"Like when you fought that kid, the first and second time. My sons have been watching."

Cray pulled a brown cigar out of his pocket. He snapped his finger. His Arcanine straightened it stance to shoot embers from its mouth to light the cigar. Cray slipped the cigar in his mouth, taking a breath from it. Gabriel folded his arms and tapped against his shoulder expecting Cray to finish his statement. Obviously, Cray was one for dramatic pauses. He took another breath of the silky silver smoke to exhale it through his nose before speaking.

"Josh Surge was it," Cray's eyes flashed golden when he said it. Gabriel's smirk evolved into a smile.

"Josh Surge?" Gabriel played like he knew nothing.

"Josh Surge, the name of the kid that you defeated twice; once at Celadon City's gym and the second about a couple days ago at Seafoam Island."

"Ooooh. You're good," Gabriel's impression reached its peak. He enjoyed such a well informed audience. It made the experience that much sweeter.

"Now if you please. I have to attend to the rest of my guest. I will pay you something extra if you provide us something to watch."

"This is going to cost you," Gabriel said testing the man one more time.

"Money isn't an option. If you must test me..."

Cray stuffed his hands in the confines of his dark red tuxedo. From it, he pulled a bright red diamond. He placed the diamond underneath the cup he set upside down earlier in the conversation. He headed towards the crowds of other guest. Gabriel grabbed the diamond from the table. He liked it; the gem reminded him of blood for some reason. It was just as expensive as the Clampearl's pearl. Gabriel slid the diamond within his pocket.

Gabriel straightened the jacket of his tuxedo. Like his normal clothes, it mimicked the look of a Blaziken with a different color scheme. It was a white tuxedo with a red frilly undershirt and collar with a red cummberband to match. His hair was completely out this time, showing the full length being to about the back of his neck.. His nails were painted different than normal as well; they were red with white flames on them.

"Looks like someone got an early pay..." Jiro said walking up.

"I assume that I did. Anyway....will you mind helping me amuse these people until the target arrives?" Gabriel figured he should at least ask before throwing them on stage.

"I will!" Fleur said raising her hand.

"I guess..." Jiro said. "I don't have my guitar though."

"I'll be glad to let you borrow mine."

A young man with strawberry blonde hair walked up. He was dressed in a standard black tuxedo mainly due to his hair being too bold for almost any other color. Within his grasp, he held a beautifully crafted guitar. The man studied Jiro for a moment. He then passed the guitar to him. Jiro held on to it for a moment to feel it out.

"You know. That guitar suits you. How about you have it?" the man stated.

"Really..." Jiro marveled the guitar. It was much more of a higher quality than he was used to. He began to strum it.

"Sure. I have another. I brought both since I heard from dad that a guitarist was coming."

"Thanks man. What's your name?"

"Troy Creek," Troy extended his hand.

"Jiro Shiba," Jiro grasped his hand.

"I am pleased to meet you, Jiro. You are the only one that I haven't heard about in this little posse," Troy looked toward Fleur. "I've heard of you. You are Fleurette Bard hailing from Hearthome. You are famous singer there and I have even personally enjoyed one of your performances." Fleur seemed to be very pleased with that statement. "Of course, I have heard of you. You are the famous coordinator, Gabriel 'Redheart' Kirk. I'm pleased to meet all of you."

Troy shook Gabriel's and Fleur's hands before continuing to watch Jiro. Jiro had begun practicing with the guitar leaving Troy to find himself impressed with the man's ability. He played like his soul was pouring out of the strings. Fleur was more than impressed, she was astounded. Gabriel just watched. Jiro had gotten better than the last time, but he knew it wasn't his best. It was a practice run. Gabriel was the only one that could have known that. Gabriel knew his friend's best as did Jiro knew Gabriel's best. They were each other's biggest critic and biggest fan.

"Wow...man. You're good," Troy exclaimed.

"I've been better," Jiro stared at Gabriel for the confirmation.

"It was a good practice jam," Gabriel admitted it. "A little more flare here and there would be nice."

"You better give these people a show tonight," Jiro smirked. "I can tell when you mess up."

"Let's go, Jiro. I want to sing with your guitar!" Fleur suddenly busted out.

"W-what?"

Redness consumed the Jiro's face as Fleur grabbed his hand. They dashed (more like Jiro was being dragged) to the higher leveled stage portion of the room. Fleur quickly removed the previous people from the stage and stationed herself at the microphone. She began to warm up with a light song with a back up with Jiro's melody. The entire area went silent. Only the sweet voice of Fleur and Jiro's guitar strings was heard.

"My god...they are amazing..." Troy jaw dropped as he spoke the words.

"I'm presume they are," Gabriel hated to admit but they were stealing the show with a practice song.

"But to the mission at hand. You're the one that defeated Josh. Correct?"

"Was it printed in the newspapers or something without my permission?" Gabriel said sarcastically.

"You must be pretty talented to beat. My dad found him quite the asset for defeating me."

"Josh beat you?!?" Gabriel said before roaring out into laughter. No one took heed of this however due to Fleur's and Jiro's performance on stage.

"What do you mean by that?"

Gabriel's laughter continued lightly for a couple more minute. After that, it just became a small chuckle as he looked at Troy in amusement. "Was this man serious when he said he lost to Josh?" The laughing in Gabriel's head became louder and louder. But on the outside he was back normal.

"You're part of Team Rocket...correct?" Gabriel asked trying to keep his expression smooth.

"Yes," Troy said sternly. Troy did not like where this was going.

"You are going to need to man up. I mean losing to Josh is absolutely pathetic."

"It wasn't just him. He was assisted by that little girl," Troy roared.

"Romy. You lost to Romy Kimura," Gabriel kept himself from roaring into further laughter. "How can you look at yourself in the mirror," Gabriel blew the rest of his laughter air (or lack thereof) out of his mouth.

"They are strong...mentally. I'm not good at double battles by myself.

"Perhaps you're not good at battling at all," Gabriel pressed his sleeve against his lips like he was hiding what he just said.

"You're a bastard. I hope you know that."

"Oh. I'm well aware of that fact. At any rate, is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"I wouldn't get overconfident with Josh. Dad found him a bit of a concern. He has the potential."

Upon that statement, Gabriel walked away. He knew "the potential" was there. He wouldn't have chosen him as his rival for no apparent reason. But that wasn't a reason to lose to him. He was still a weakling. A person couldn't change what they were meant to be. An antelope could never change the fact that it is the pray of the lion. Though it has potential to run away, it will never defeat the lion. It was elementary.

"Hopefully, he becomes a threat enough for me to get free money then," Gabriel said flicking a flare of purple flames towards Troy way.

"I wouldn't get too cocky...." Troy stomped the ember out.

Jiro and Fleur finished about several different songs before Gabriel took the stage. This was his normal habitat. It was his world. The stage was something he has been accustomed to since he was very young. Stage fright was nothing more than an amateur excuse for not being cut for spotlight. Gabriel none of these feelings, he wanted the best performance no matter if it was a crowd of young children or a crowd of criminals.

Gabriel sent out both Zuri and Rainey out of their pokeballs. From there, he began doing several routines that he used from practice. There were many featured attacks within the warm up routine; Surf, Whirlpool, Psychic, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, and many more were seen. Though it wasn't seen visible in Gabriel, he had to get used to actually feel out having a Blaziken. He had wanted this all of his life. Blaziken was his dream pokemon. He had wished to have one since he was a young child—now it was here at his side.

"Zuri, are you ready for some action?" Gabriel said with pride.

Zuri rolled her eyes, was he serious when he said that. She was always ready. Gabriel found himself laughing lowly. They had too much in common. He guessed that was the bond that they created, on created on superiority.

"Flamethrower, Double Kick, and Aerial Ace. Aout Flamme."

Zuri shot a stream of flames into the air to form a large disc of fire. Zuri then kicked first to get into the air and the second to break through the disc of flames. She cut through into the ring of fire with several flying aerial aces to cut it into sections. Zuri landed on the ground on both feet, sticking the landing perfectly. Gabriel was impressed along with the rest of the crowd. She could never do that when she was a Combusken. To see the fruit of their practice was something unlike happiness that Gabriel had felt. But now it was the time to follow up.

"Rainey. Follow up with Surf through the Aout Flamme. Whirlpool, then Surf once more to finish our masterpiece, the Fleur D'Bleur!

Rainey shot into the air through the ring of flames. Water shot from his mouth into on to the ground to create a large geyser though the middle of the ring as well as through the openings created by the Aerial Aces. Rainey then dove into the geyser causing it to spiral. From there, he surfed causing the water to go through the cracks more to form petals. At the end, Rainey shot to the top to sit upon of the flame and water flower. This was Fleur D'Bleur, the Blue Blossom. Honestly, Gabriel had expected it to fall on its face but it was executed perfectly. But in the end was a beautiful depiction of a fire and water working together to create this marvel.

The crowd erupted of with applause especially from Fleur. Her name was within the performance so she couldn't abstain herself from standing up to clap madly with the rest of the crowd. But out of all the people that were clapping tonight, there was one person that Gabriel's eyes locked upon. He was sitting at the punch table with an aluminum can within his hand. No one saw the man since all eyes was on Gabriel and his now fading masterpiece. The man's blue eyes seemed to mock him as he clapped along with the rest of the crowd against his can. Gabriel was sure it was him. The man stood up and exited like a ghost at his own funeral. Even though the man had left, Gabriel caught a glimpse of his blonde hair, he clinched his teeth. "Josh..."

"That was an amazing performance, sir!" Gabriel found his hand being clasped tightly by a rather scrawny individual.

"Thanks...." Gabriel hardly noticed his hand being gripped but instead, his eyes focused on the empty space where he thought to have seen Josh.

Gabriel soon focused himself to look at the man instead of the mirage that had appeared before him. The man was obviously someone important. The man's hand was iced with gems of all colors. He appeared to be an ancient gentleman since his skin was figuratively melting off his skeleton. Despite this, he had a firm grip.

The man looked like he was about to die there. He's skin was basically hanging off of his skull, eyes sunken in with blackness around them, and wrinkles all over him. The man's hair draped across his face, the silver strings fell behind his ears; only the top of his head was bare. His skin was a bit lighter, but had areas of dark spots from his aging. Gabriel quickly deemed this man as pathetic in his mind even though he was graciously shaking his hand.

"Not to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Gabriel said withdrawing his hand.

"Vincent Allister, leader of the Kanto Killer," the man greeted Gabriel with a smile. Gabriel returned one for a difference reason.

"So this is my target." Gabriel looked to Cray who seemed to writing into the air for the man's demise with his smoke. "So, Mr. Allister, do you mind that we speak outside for a moment?"

"What for," Vincent seemed to have no idea.

"I'm interested in the Mafia's services. I'm in desperate need of some protection. I'm a famous person. That's how I got this invitation to this ball," Gabriel acting was phenomenal, he sounded as though he was in distress. "I have people after me." To some degree that was true. To Gabriel that had no significant value.

"Alright son. Let's step out for a moment."

Gabriel finally stepped off the stage as well helping the aged gentlemen off of it as well. He returned both Zuri and Rainey to their pokeball as soon as Rainey descended from the geyser. Vincent himself had give Gabriel some stares but it wasn't stares that he would have suspected anything. The both of them descended down the small flight of stairs before Vincent reunited with his bodyguards. These guards seemed to have no pokemon on them but they carry guns. Gabriel assumed that was equally intimidating. Gabriel stared for some more time at the guards. "Of course he has bodyguards. Geez, that's lame. But I guess that makes things far from boring."

Gabriel opened the door for Vincent as though he was opening the gates to the Hell for him. Vincent entered into the blackness of the night as did Gabriel. They were now on the outside of Viridian City. The sounds of Beedrills as well as other bug pokemon lingered in the air. The moon was out, creating a bridge of pure white light down the dirt road. Gabriel took more steps to close the gap between Vincent and himself. Plans changed when guns were loading and more guards appeared. The barrels of the guns suddenly directed to Gabriel. He put his hands up.

"Looks like that man's tip actually paid off," Vincent kept his back towards Gabriel. "Too bad."

"You are prepared for me...." Gabriel began laughing, it became consumed the night sky.
"You could be entertaining," Gabriel remained collected. "It still annoys me though that someone ruined the surprise party."

"Gun him down men."

The men positioned their guns on Gabriel's head. But before their fingers could pull the trigger, the metal of their guns began melt. The molten black liquid started burn their flesh while some of the guns exploded sending their wielders backwards. Gabriel twirled the flames that were created in his hand; like last time, his flames were red. He seemed aggravated since his eyes flashed the colors of his flames, red. Vincent pulled out his pokeball as did the rest of the guards. Gabriel seemed annoyed at that too. He thought the guards did not have pokemon.

"Who told you that I was going to try to kill you tonight?" Gabriel's voice carried the annoyance that was in his eyes.

"I have my ways to get information, Mr. Kirk. Now surrender."

"Surrender...I think not."

"What do you plan to do? Die like a dog."

"I think you should check what is happening to your guards."

Vincent's head turned when he began hearing grunts coming from the back of him. His bodyguards fell one by one without Gabriel moving at all. Before Vincent knew it, all fifty of the guards were defeated leaving only Vincent standing. From the shadows came the two assailants who just easily dispatched. Jiro and Fleur walked out from the shadows standing over the now conscious group of protectors. Fleur kept Nosferatu close while Jiro walked along beside his partner pokemon, a Lucario.

"Sorry to use you like this, Travik," Jiro apologized to the Lucario. It accepted.

"I'm actually happy," Gabriel gave a sick twist to the word happy. "You saved me some trouble," Gabriel said as Vincent stood quaking. Gabriel gave an empty smirk. "Now back to business."

"I'm not going to be defeated by a group of kids."

"Kids..." Gabriel threw his pokeball. "You are going to eat those words. I could kill you right now. But I'm going to give you a fighting chance."

Zuri shot from the pokeball, landing on the ground. Vincent sighed as he withdrew the pokeball he was holding and pulled out another one. This one appeared to be his strongest of all of them that he held. It was even held in a special ball much in the same fashion Gabriel kept his. Vincent threw the pokeball to reveal a Honchkrow. The bird's sleek black feathers fell from its body as it perched on his master's arm. It seemingly groomed its black feather crest that resembled a hat before sending out a cry. Zuri was unimpressed, a trait shared by her master as well.

"Nice little pokemon you have there," Gabriel remarked.

"I have one too," Fleur shouted suddenly interrupting the conversation from afar.

"I also have the advantage. You precious Blaziken won't touch...." Vincent began but stopped when the Blaziken began sprinting towards his Honchkrow and him.

As to prove him wrong, Zuri touched the Honchkrow with her talons as soon as the Honchkrow began to take flight. The Honchkrow flew backwards feeling disrespected at the young pokemon's competence. Gabriel snickered.


"Looks like your Honchkrow is just a frail as you are."

"How dare you insult me, child," Vincent took a better stance.

"Ah.. insult. You...." Gabriel paused. "Your very being standing in my presence is an insult in itself."

"You don't know how to corner a dragon son. To me you mean nothing. Drill Peck, Honchkrow."

The Honchkrow dove quickly towards Zuri in a drilling motion hitting her directly in the chest. She flew backwards from the blast but managed to stand up after it. The Honchkrow remained altitude above Zuri. Zuri seemed disgusted on the cheap shot and prepared for an attack. Gabriel gave a notion for Zuri to hold off until he finished talking with this horrible excuse for a human being in front of him.

"Listen. Vincent. I won't show you how to corner a dragon. I'll show you how to slay one."

"It's nice talking, Mr. Kirk. But I'm the one with the advantage here. You mean nothing more to me than a blossoming assassin that has bitten more off than he can possibly chew. Now, he's choking," Vincent's confidence was more than rising now.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening. I lack the ability to speak with dead people. Forgive me. I have better things to do."

Zuri jumped straight up from the ground to where Honchkrow was hovering. It flipped backwards to send the Honchkrow plummeting to the ground underneath with a powerful Mega Kick. Vincent clutched his hand's tightly causing blood to spew from it. That was an amazing grip for a person of that age. Gabriel just smiled.

"Ooh. That is a bad wound. You shouldn't do that to yourself. I would be glad to have done it for you," Gabriel mentioned.

"I've had enough of this. Psychic, Honchkrow."

From the dust of the battlefield, the Honchkrow began to glow a black aura. Zuri was shot backwards by the powerful telekinetic blow sending it toppling into one of the buildings. The Honchkrow regained its flight before diving in for another Drill Peck. It was dead on sending its beak almost through Zuri's skin. It had Zuri pinned to the wall while blood poured from the wound. This Honchkrow was surprisingly effective, getting three super-effective moves off on Zuri in the entire span of the battle. Jiro and Fleur had become slightly concerned on Gabriel's progress in this battle; he was losing.

"Have you had enough, child?" Vincent mocked.

"Yes I have...." Gabriel hung his head. "Just kidding, I haven't played like this in a long time."

"This isn't a game. Honchkrow, Drill Peck!"

"Not this again. Let's do some spinning of our own, Zuri. Fire Spin, Double Kick."

The Honchkrow began spinning more and more into Zuri's shoulder. But before even more damage could be done, Zuri began spinning into a large tower of flames that sent the Honchkrow flying into the air engulfed in the blaze. Zuri followed up with her famous double kicks in the air. The Honchkrow managed to dodge the second allowing it to fly lowly back to its master side panting. Gabriel seemed disgusted now.

"It can still fly?" Gabriel's frustration was setting in once more. "I'm very angry now."

"I'm not happy that your Blaziken is standing either. But let's wrap this up. I have a party to attend to."

"Let's wrap it up indeed."

The Honchkrow was suddenly sent flying in a ball of flames by the powerful Blaze Kick. The attack was dead on. The sounds of crackling feathers and flesh could be heard as the bird was sent to the ground or perhaps it's grave. Vincent's heart shattered as his Honchkrow was so easily defeated. He watched the flames eat at his Honchkrow's body as it begged for its life. It was nothing he could do.

"Wow....one shot...." Fleur said as she seized Nosferatu from the air.

"They were playing with him the entire time. Gabriel has this....habit," Jiro paused staring at Gabriel for a couple of seconds. "Gabriel has a habit of fooling people by fighting half-hearted. When he get serious however, he turns into him…"Jiro kept him to be an ambiguous entity.

"So, what do you plan to do to me? You killed my favorite pokemon!" Vincent shouted.

"You won't be missing it long," Gabriel's eyes flashed in the moonlight. "I plan to kill you as well..."

Gabriel walked up to the man slowly. Vincent began to back away. The world seemed to slow down as Gabriel closed the gap between them. The crickets stopped singing, the air became stiff, and the moon seemed to stop the clouds around it to view what was going to happen next. Gabriel stopped walked allowing Vincent to take more steps back.

"It's a shame that I'm going to have to mess this tuxedo up."

Anticlimactically, it was a thud. Vincent's body hit the ground, his skull crashed into the ground, splitting it allowing the final grasp from the Grim Reaper to take a hold of him. Gabriel ran up to him to find that he was already dead suddenly. He looked like he was killed, just then. Gabriel moved the man's head aside to see an entering and exiting wound through the man's temples. It was like a small string was inserted through his brain, wrapped around it, and split it into pieces. Gabriel never felt so angry in his life. Gabriel set the body on fire to assure that he will at least get the reward.

"Who killed Vincent?!?" the suspense rivaled any movie that Fleur had seen.

"Tarvik feels an aura...a powerful one. It is a mixture between a dark and a light one. He has never seen anything like this before.

Gabriel looked around to find this soul stealer. The only soul stealer was himself, no other. There were none to be found. He pounded his fist against his palm, a body language he had never done. Gabriel's eyes scanned one more time. A shadowy figure appeared before him this time. The man sat on the shingled green shingled roof of one of the buildings of Viridian City. He was toying with what appeared to be pure electricity between his fingers. When Gabriel had finally locked on to him, the electricity dispersed.

"I thought I'll give a message before I left....Gabriel..." a voice rung in the air. "I decided a more personal touch," he spoke touch like the touch of death that he just gave to Vincent.

"Josh? You killed this man," Gabriel chuckled in laughter.

"Yes..." Josh's voice mellowed sickly with that affirmation. "You want to hear how I did it? It was genius actually. I sent a stream of electricity through his eardrum that traveled through the fissures in his brain. Then I expanded it, stopping all brain functions. I shot it out on the other side of his cranium just for the added touch…"

"I didn't think that you had it in you," Gabriel remained short. He didn't want to show the slight fear in his voice.

"In me...." Josh gave a somewhat sinister chuckle. "You planted it in me. I just have to let it grow."

"You're willing to go these lengths. Just to defeat me. You are so interesting."

"Interesting, can I take that as a compliment? But alas, I'll be leaving your presence for some time."

"That's very cowardly. You are running away from your troubles. I can do some major damage while you're gone. Are you willingly to give up those lives that can take? Perhaps Romy will be next."

"You wouldn't..." Josh laughed the most insane laugh he had given. "I'm more than sure that you wouldn't. Attacking more of the KRPD will cause trouble to you despite your status. Besides, your beloved contest in less than a week. You wouldn't miss that. I could crash it anytime, ruining your precious reputation. "

"I'm tired of hearing his voice," Fleur was in a sweat now. His voice was like a madman scrapping his knife against your bedroom window. She couldn't stand it anymore. "Nosferatu, Dark Pulse."

"Child, don't flatter yourself..."

Nosferatu shot a stream of blackened energy towards the shadow that was apparently Josh. A silhouette of a creature extended his hand. A wall of electricity blocked the attack. It was Volt, wrapped in shadows like his master was. Its eyes glowed as it sat beside its master.

"Stay out of this," Josh said bitterly. "I know you're attentions to kill Romy, Fleur."

"Tell me how you know my name?!?" Fleur shouted.

"KRPD is linked to all of the computers in the regions. Finding information on the three of you wasn't difficult at all. Jiro is the only one I respect here. As long as he stays out of my way...I won't kill you…"

"I'm glad to hear that. But I will protect these two with my life..."

"You are willing to risk your life for this scum," Josh sent a branch of electricity to force Fleur and Jiro to step back. "What a pity...I'll just have to critically injury you then. But making threats isn't the reason I'm here, Mr. Shiba. I'm here to give a message to the messenger of death."

Gabriel could feel Josh's eyes staring a hole through him from afar. Those blue eyes were like a possessed demon. It was like he was entering his brain by just staring. Gabriel wanted to avoid the darts that was his line of vision but couldn't. He felt like his eyes was everywhere, his thoughts everywhere. It melted evilly into the surfaces of the land, water, grass, and air. Gabriel hadn't felt anything like this before. Even Zuri could feel it.

"Gabriel Kirk. I devoted on my life to destroy you. I will throw away all of my emotions to do it. I'm becoming your justice. I'm becoming your anti-venom. I'm removing your cancer from this society. You want to know why. I'm a monster. I'm willing to eat the flesh that is stretched off your body one cell at a time," Josh's breathing became that of an animal when he said that. "But not now, I'm going to have to learn to keep that beast away until I see you again. When that day comes, I'm going to reach my Nirvana. But until we meet again, Gabriel Kirk, Au revoir. Isn't that what you said at the Pokemon Center that day we met?"

"You cannot be serious about what you just said. You can't be a monster. You don't have it in you."

"To tell the truth, I enjoy the way Vincent's body motionless plopped on the floor. I have to get use to this feeling though. The feeling of euphoria from a kill that feels a person has as well the ephemeral time that you have to feel it. So, I'm not kidding."

"Do you have anything else you want to say to me?"

"There is one thing. Good luck on your contest," Josh said mockingly added.

Gabriel suddenly shot out a stream of fire from what burned in his soul at the moment. The flames appeared engulfed Josh but when they subsided he was no longer there. The air had kept his malice. It crept on everyone's skin that had the ability to feel at the moment.

"We will meet again...." his voice melted into the air.

His voice died into the wind, so did the emotions within them. At any other time, Gabriel would have been completely amused by his statements. Gabriel couldn't explain. He couldn't laugh, smile, smirk or anything that he normally did when he approached a situation. He stared blankly into the space. The stars seemed to be dying as well.

"Maybe making such an enemy...wasn't the smartest of your decisions," Jiro remarked, he too was speechless.

"Nonsense...." Gabriel spat.

Even saying that, he knew it was the truth.

 

[Sgt Shock]

Intermission: Bursting Storm Clouds

"Josh..."

Romy found herself playing with the flower in her hair. She touched its smooth surface that seemed to sublimely fuse with the rest of her hair. She couldn't help but to take the flower out of her hair to look at it. Today she chose a marigold. The orange petals of the flower were a symbol of despair. She chose this plant for that reason; she couldn't get her mind off of Josh. She couldn't help it. She avoided going to the KRPD today for the fact it reminded her. She expected to see his face around every corner, only to be disappointed at every turn seeing that he wasn't here. It felt like a nightmare that how somehow lost its way into the daylight. Romy couldn't shake of this feeling.

"Gabriel, Josh isn't the only one that is after you and your goons," Romy placed the marigold on the ground. "When we meet again.....I'm going to hurt you."

Romy tears began to swell up in her eyes. She hated crying but she has been doing it a lot lately. It reminded her when her mother. The ill memories of her mother leaving her children and husband for another man sent the same boiling tears down her face. Those tears were created of anger.

The tears silently fell to the ground soaking the marigold in a light mist of water. Romy knew that this had to be done. She was going to get stronger to face Gabriel without fear. Face anyone without fear for that matter. She couldn't stand it that the person that she actually liked had disappeared. She never had gotten that close to a person before, even in that short period of time together. She wanted that connection back. That connection that she did not have with anyone else, felt like it was dissolving in her hand.

"I miss you, Josh."

She looked into the night of the sky. Rain clouds seemed to cake together to form larger ones. Romy was met with a rain fall soon after observing these clouds. It was cold. It too reminded her of Josh. Like a far off memory fading into black. She couldn't help but to think about these things. She clutched her arms to her chest embracing the cold. It was her salvation. Her skin felt frozen to the muscles underneath. She couldn't move. She just let the rain fall on her.

"I...." her words were sealed by the frigid air that had embraced her around her neck.

An umbrella shielded her from the rain. The sound of the rain pita patted against the blue umbrella falling down beside Romy's feet. An arm wrapped around her shoulder, for a minute she thought that it was Josh. She wanted to cry though the comforting feeling of it was there, it wasn't him. She knew that. It was her brother's embrace; she wanted to fall asleep within it. That's not the embrace that she wanted.

'Kael...."

Romy buried herself in Kael's stomach holding tightly to his waist. She couldn't stop crying even in the comforting embrace of her brother's arms. "They won't stop falling." Romy spoke in her thoughts since her mouth couldn't muster the words.

"I wish...he will just come back..." Romy said.

"Don't worry. He will. .." Kael reassured. "But he might not be the same when he comes back...."

"He might be a monster. People shouldn't act like monster..." Romy said her voice melting in the rain.

"Unless they are cornered by one," Kael retaliated. "Let's go back inside, you'll get a cold.

Romy grabbed around her brothers arm and hugged it tightly. He always knew what to say even when she had no words. She wasn't happy but she felt better. The storm clouds began to subside for a moment yet a streak of lightning told them that the storm wasn't over. A clap of thunder echoed in the air.

"Josh…"

Kael guided his sister into the door of the house. Romy wanted to enter into the frame of the door to regain her warmth but she also wanted to stay out in the cold to wait for him. The storm felt as though it was speaking with her, telling her a story on Josh's progress. She wanted to hear the rest of the anecdote that the storm could tell. Though, she succumbed to her brother's request. But she did have one thing that she wanted to tell the storm before it left.

"Tell him…I'm willing to wait."

*
​

"Things are going to get fun from now on," Gabriel had recovered fully from Josh's threats.

"Fun. You shouldn't say things like that, Gabriel. You created a beast. Now you have to learn to tame it."

"You really shouldn't say things like that," Gabriel always hated Jiro's way to dampen the mood.

"My apologies," Jiro sighed after saying that. "You're heading back to Hoenn then."

"Temporarily, I have a couple of contest as well as going home for some time."

"I have to report back to Almia. I'll be back as soon as I can. So stay out of trouble. Fleur..." Jiro paused. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going with Gabriel. He still hasn't held up his end of the bargain," Fleur toyed with her earrings a bit.

"Fleur, I'm a busy man. I have a life you know. Besides I'm giving you a free ticket to my contest. That should be a girl's biggest dream. "

"Hmph..." Fleur said continuing to toy with her earrings with a bit more vigor.

"You should get going Jiro."

"I won't be late, Gabriel. Stay safe."

Jiro tossed his bag over his shoulder. He began to ascend on the stairway of the helicopter. Gabriel had set up two; the first was to get Jiro back to Almia whilst the other for sent Fleur and himself to Hoenn. It was a parting for now. It was bittersweet in the sense that he has been traveling with them despite his morals being in the "right place". He was the balance that they needed. Now he was leaving the yin-yang with only the darkness portion.

"Be safe in your missions," Fleur said happily.

"No you two be safe. Josh will be after you."

"You're still worried about that nobody," Fleur rolled her eyes. Even though she had said it, she wanted to whip the words right back into her mouth.

"Don't make any irrational decision while I'm gone," Jiro looked directly at Gabriel when he said it.

"I PROMISE. I'm not that much of a trouble maker."

"I'm going now."

"Take care, friend."

"Take care..." Jiro looked at Fleur for a couple of moments. "I want both of you to be careful."

Jiro walked into the black helicopter. The engine was now revved as well as the propellers rapidly turning. The sounds of the machine had now dominated the area leaving speech impossible. Jiro gave a thumb up as he closed the black door of the helicopter with a slam. Soon after the door was closed, the helicopter began to rise into the air. It rose into the clouds of twilight above.

"So...you like him don't you..." Gabriel said eyes shifted towards Fleur.

"W-what?!?" Fleur's voice became highly defensive.

"That's why you came. You wanted to get closer to him," Gabriel prodded her defense even more.

"I-"it was no use of lying. "You got me. But now that he's gone I can hate you all I want. You lousy-!"

"Save the compliments for later. We have a long helicopter ride," Gabriel knew that she hated him too.

"Argh. You self-absorbed...."

"Compliments later, you're so ahead yourself."

Gabriel looked up into the crimson-orange sky with seemingly painted purple clouds hanging underneath. The black silhouette in the distance of the scenery began coming closer towards their direction. It was their ride to Hoenn. Gabriel picked up his bags as did Fleur with hers. The large plane suddenly busted through the clouds. It almost appeared to be a commercial one being rather large in length and in height. It was red with a large orange stripe down the side. That was the key for telling anyone that this was a private plane of the Kirk family.

"Don't you think that this is a bit large for a private plane?" Fleur asked.

"Please. The best of the best for me, darling," Gabriel put his fingers to his lips.

"Argh. You can be so..."

"Shut up....already," Gabriel said turned his head, eyes becoming a bit evil.

"Those eyes....are pure evil. Too bad they don't affect me like they do others," Fleur said smiling. Only his flames could coerce her to do anything.

"Hmph. You will if I was serious. I saw you back when I pulled out the red flames..." Gabriel voiced almost sounded like a flirtation death taunting you with its sickle.

"You better be serious the next time you fight Josh."

"I thought that he was nothing," Gabriel referenced back to Fleur statements only minutes ago. "Don't tell me that you were showing off in front of your crush, Mrs. Bard."

"Whatever. But...I feel...like something is happening as we speak. Like a demon been awakened."

Gabriel chose not to respond to that. The plane had finished docking so responding to such things like that was something that he felt was below him as well as impossible. The door of the plane was opened sending a stairway for them to come aboard. Fleur took the lead and Gabriel followed. He looked back at the palette of the sky. Maybe a demon was born. He just couldn't wait for it to blow its fire towards his way.

He boarded the ship and took the lone seat near the window. A glass Lum Berry juice had been poured for him. He sipped it as the airplane prepared to lift off.

"I knew I made the right decision when I chose you as my enemy, Josh Surge."

*

​

"So, you've made it to Sinnoh..."

"It's nice here...."

"We've been there a couple of times. How long do you plan on being in Sinnoh?"

"I haven't decided. I'm doing some business with the S.R.P.D. It will be less than a year though. Don't tell anyone."

"You sound different…"

"Dad...." Josh's voice trailed a bit. "Do you remember our discussion about you joining Team Rocket?"

"What about it?"

"Remember saying a violent void was in your heart after you left the war. The one that you couldn't fill no matter how hard you tried,"

"I do."

"I think I inherited that void. I can feel it. Is it like a thirst for blood?"

"That's a good way to say. It was."

"Yeah, I have it. I think I'll make good use of it."

"I figured this will happen. Control yourself, son. That's all I can say. Don't do things that you will regret."

"I doubt that I will. I'm tired of this world that is consumed in the greed of their hypocritical concepts. The man or woman that took my mother away from me is still walking this earth. Is that fair? Is that justice?" Josh took the paused from his father as a no. "No. It's not. So I've taken things in my own have. I've chosen...to dispose of these swine. These people make it hard to stomach life itself."

"Why feed an emotion that has no power, son? Hate isn't going to make you stronger."

"I'm not depending of a fragile emotion as hate. Why would I? I just want revenge. Not for myself. For the people who lies dead in their graves from another, for the women that clutches their pillows at knife from the memories of their rape, for young children without parents to go to. I'm being the true invoker of justice."
"Take this into consideration. What if you turn into one of those murderers just to get revenge?"

"That's my own goal. Give them a taste of their own bitter medicine that they force down the innocent people's throat," Josh gave a rippling laughter. "Is it hard to hear? Josh seemed sadistically intrigued. "By your silence, I suspect that it is."

"I can't stop you..."

"No. You can't. It was a pleasure to talk with you, dad. Keep in touch.

"I will."

The dreaded clicking sound ended the conversation. Lt. Surge placed the phone back on its base and sat back down in his chair. If it wasn't a weekday, the gym would be closed. His mind was too astray to even battle trainers at all of his strength. Hearing his son's voice like that zapped him of all strength that he had built up calling him in the first place. It reminded him of him during and shortly after the war. That malevolent voice tone was something that he hated to hear.

But he was left with no choice but to accept it. His son was miles away training in the mountains in where Yuki once lived. Josh was serious about this monster ordeal. It made Surge want to take a gun to his head. The fact was he was making the exact mistake that he made when he joined Team Rocket in a different way. A father's largest desire is for their son not to make a mistake as himself. Yet his son trailed down the road that Surge himself tried to blockade.

Surge arose from his chair and exited the gym. Once outside, he looked out into the sea. The waters were restless, splashing recklessly into the shore taking everything with it. Storm clouds were coming for the northeast, the direction of Celadon. Rain was about to come.

"Rain...." Surge said to himself.

"Mr. Surge. Your coffee, sir."

"Thank you, Tucker."

Surge took the cup of coffee from the gentlemen. It was only slightly warm so he could easily grasp it without getting burned. He sipped it the lightly, clearing his throat thereafter.

"Aren't you worried..." Tucker said stroking his mustache.

"Of course I am...I'm a paranoid bastard, remember?"

"You seem a lot calmer than usual though."

"Calmer? I presume that I am...." Surge paused for a moment. "I was wondering something, Tucker."

"What is it, old chap?"

"Don't call me old chap," Surge said between sips. "Was I that reckless when I was a teen?"

"Obviously, you surpassed me in rank."

"How does reckless and rank work together?" Surge's face contorted.

"You were a rather reckless individual. That helped you on the battlefield because you were not afraid of death. You were rude, apathetic, cruel...." the list of negative adjectives went on for a while. Surge coughed to break the chain. "But, you were clever and intelligent. Why do you ask?"

"Josh is the same. He might have another list of negative adjectives as well..." Surge said sarcastically. "He's obviously inherited his better traits from his mom. I just hope my traits don't get the best of him."

"You're not a bad person, Matis."

"I just did bad things."

It began raining lightly, causing the pellets of water to spear through the water's surface. It made interesting background music for the conversation since it felt like a grim tone in the first place.

"Your son is not making a mistake. In a sense of things, his intentions are good."

"A mistake is a mistake even if the intention is good, Tucker. He's going about it the wrong way. He's throwing his morals just to get stronger. He'll learn...that he needs people and morals."

"Like the plants need the rain," Tucker offered the metaphor.

"No, like the clouds need the wind. It helps them to go where they want to be," Surge finished.

"That was rather poetic for a soldier."

"I try..." Surge said shrugging.

Surge entered back into the Vermilion Gym with a cup of now rainwater. He splashed the contents against the wall of the green mug. He couldn't explain it. But he felt sad.

"You're a soldier by blood no doubt. Thought your heart is crafted on good intention, it's becoming tainted. Don't let your soldier blood be the clouds of your thought. Be strong. Maybe you will change the path that this world is going."

 

[Sgt Shock]

A Bridge under a Night Rain: Astraphobia

His finger was firmly on the trigger as he watched. Two more guards in the building stirred as they inspected the dead body. He had shot the man in the crest of his forehead, his blood and brains now pouring from the perfectly sized ellipse. Watching them squirm was the only reason he used the scope now, he hardly used it for aiming despite him being several meters away in a different building. His blue eyes flashed an ill glow as he shot two more bullets killing the remaining of the Galactic Grunts in the room. It was nothing more than a game now, he was the player, and they were tragic antagonist that was destined to die by the hero's hand. He learned to enjoy this.

It's been six months since he had joined the Sinnoh Region Police Department. He was more than used to spilling blood now. It was his job. He was employed at the job of sniper when as well as interrogation on the regular basis but today he wanted the more personal touch. It was his last mission at Sinnoh before returning to his homeland.

"Nice shooting, Raijin," the radio rumbled in his ear.

"The job isn't over yet. I'm going in."

"Do as you wish, be careful," the person on the other end knew of his capabilities, giving him orders had no purpose. His brain was programmed to missions, and like a robot was programmed to do its duty.

Rajiin, the sniper in question, pulled up the window of his sniping spot. He was preparing himself to go within the headquarters from the window he just shot through. He pulled out his pokeball and tossed it revealing a white-feathered Staraptor. The bird hovered out of the window waiting for its master. Raijin strapped his sniper rifle to his back before proceeding to jump out of the window to be caught promptly by his Staraptor. It made much more of a stealthier pokemon than his other flying type which he uses for battle mostly.

The policemen and his pokemon crashed through the window of the headquarters. It was a surprisingly smooth landing even though he hadn't truly done it in a long time. He observed the three bodies that were laid waste by his bullets. Their blood glistened in a sick beauty with the glass and the rays of sunlight. His expression was unchanged but the look in his eyes showed the he enjoyed it, much more than he should.

Raijin as well as his Staraptor, Raguel, continued through the narrow passages of the headquarters. There were about five hostages, each life was important. There would be no second chances, no resets. So, taking a life of the criminal would take priority of letting the hostages die. The criminal's life would be easily replaced by a thief, a rapist, or a murderer around the world. He willingly to take them and enjoyed doing so. Raijin knew what he wanted to do, what he had to do, and what had to be done. The mission was absolute.

"Intru--"

Before yet another grunt could even get the word clearly out of his mouth, it was muffled by Raijin's hands. The blue haired grunt tried to pry himself away from Raijin's grip only to find it to be futile. Raijin wrapped his arms around the man's neck only for it to crunch awkwardly under the sheer force of his grasp. He released the man for him to flop helplessly on the floor. For the fourth kill in the day, he seemed to be the least impressed with that one. He continued down the hallway with the bird flying lowly beside him.

Proceeding through the various twist and turns of the headquarters, he found himself spilling more and more blood with more complexes kills. While some was less subtle, others were cruel. Raguel kept its own as well. Its talons ripped through the flesh, its beak pierced through flesh. The purity of its wings was now tainted with the red liquid that washed over its master's face. After its last kill, ripping through a heart of a grunt, it flew back to its master. Raijin petted him for it success. It gave a low squawk.

"Very nicely done," Raijin's voice was venomous, cruel, and sadistic even. People would have thought he was the antagonist if he wasn't the opposite.

Raguel cleaned its wing as it roosted on its master's shoulder. Raijin's blue eyes gave a gaze to his pokemon before continuing through the last doors of the corridor only to be meant with a guard.

The guard seemed to study the man extensively with his eyes. Why wasn't he informed of this intruder much earlier? Yeah, he heard the glass shattered but he took it more than just another pointless attempt by the police as a scare tactic. But here is this man, standing in front of him. He appeared to be more of an assassin than a policeman. He wore a black cloak reaching down to his feet with various buckles, pockets, and chains within the general cloth. The only source of color on this man's clothing was the yellow streak of lightning on the top of his hood and the golden S.R.P.D star and shield on his right shoulder. Raijin's boot strapped against the tile as he stepped forwards.

"Prepare..." the guard's voice lost all the power that intended.

"Likewise," Raijin spoke.

The guard quickly threw out his pokemon. A small Stunky shot from the pokeball, leaving Raijin to give an amused chuckle of laughter. He turned Raguel to his pokeball before taking another step forward. The guard clinched his teeth with even more worry than before. The guard's heart pounded against the ribs of his stomach. For some reason, the man was just as intimidating without a pokemon. He took a deep breath figuring in the end he had the advantage.

"Stunky, Sludge Bomb," the guard panicked when he said it.

The purple skunk heeded his master's order, shooting a purple glob of hazardous venom from its mouth. Raijin dodged it inhumanly taking another step towards the guard as he did so. The Stunky continued its rays of poison, none in which connected. With one last ounce of its power, the Stunky shot a larger bomb than before, sending it flying into the white walls of the building. Raijin seemed to hardly move an inch, physically, to dodge it. It appeared to just phase right through him. The guard's face contorted like any man's would if an attack just went through a person's like they were an apparition. Sweat now covered the guard's face.

"You're wondering how I dodged that attack," Raijin took his last step that stood between him, the guard, and his pokemon. "I am lightning in flesh. I am the streak of fear that is instilled in everyone's heart during the time of a storm. When you were young, you were quaking underneath the sheets of your bed as the electricity danced across the sky. Even when you are older, you learned to respect it. Now let me show you, why lightning should be respected and feared."

With that, Raijin sent a streak of lightning through the grunt's heart, sending him toppling down dead. The bolt was sent corkscrewing through the man's chest, burning his heart as well as anything in the area. It was a grotesque but rather silent way to die. The lightning only formed one crackle of thunder. But even a silent death was a death. The man's eyes were glazed over in whiteness.

The Stunky, now without a master, sprinted in fear as though it was next. Raijin's crystal glance shimmered in disgust at the pokemon's cowardice. He shoved the revolt away from his expression as he entered into the door, once guarded by the now deceased grunt.

Raijin assessed the situation to see the hostages wounded to what appeared to be a bomb-like contraption. He walked carefully forward only to be beckoned by one of the hostages not to come forward with a rapid shaking of the head. Raijin placed his hand on the ground, sent a small wave of electricity through the ground of the room, and disabled all technology with the room. The astonished looks on the five hostages were unanimous for the fact that he disabled all the security as well as avoided to activate the bomb. He approached the hostages and began to unwrap all of them; three men, a woman, and a child.

"Thank you sir," the woman was the first to apologize. The men and the young child did so as well.

"There is no need," Raijin expanded a pokeball. "Rikani will guide all of you out."

The three men bowed as well as the woman before heading out of the room. The child stared up at Raijin who was pondering an escape route for his plan. The small child tugged on Raijin's cloak to catch his attention.

"You're Raijin the Scar..." the boy was lost of words.

"Yes, that is I. You need to escape," Raijin threw 'Rikani's' ball, sending it crashing into the ground. "Now."

A Luxray lunged out of the ball and like her master, evaluated the situation. After a good survey, Rikani nodded her head. She grabbed the child and threw him over her shoulder onto her back. Rikani ran out of the room to lead the five out of the building. She was more than capable.

Raijin himself only had one more thing that he wanted to do with this mission. Despite the mission itself being over, he personally had a goal entering this building. He eyed the bomb for a moment, and then looked for the detonator. To his surprise, it was on the desk to his right. He had finally come to terms why Team Galactic grunts were grunts. They possessed the competence of a fly.

He knew too well that there were other Galactic members in this headquarters. The thought of ending their lives was the only thing on his mind. "There are two people in this world," Raijin thought to himself. "The weak and the strong. I dare say...this group is the former. Goodbye Galactic…"

Raijin exited with the device tightly in hand. Death had its own hold the air. Though there were no longer hostages, there were about to be victims. They were about to be victims of their own crime from an impromptu judging from the God of Lightning. It was a fitting way to be leave a mark on Sinnoh.

 

[Sgt Shock]

Black Night Clouds

Chapter 1: My Reunion, Our Seclusion

Jubilife City, Sinnoh Region Police Department

"It's has been quite some time since you've stepped on Kanto soil…"

"Six months hasn't it?"

"It must be a bitter sweetness to it, you know. I mean you've been a way quite a lot of times, things probably has changed."

"Onyx, do you not think I know that?"

"I'm just saying, Deputy Commissioner Raijin, that they might not recognize you."

"Please, call me by my real name."

"Now isn't that a bit gauche. You normally would snap at me if I even murmured the first letter."

"They are going to be calling me by that name, I should get used to it."

"While we are on a first name basis, you should call me Lynx," the man named Lynx paused. "What was your name again, I forgot."

"Josh. Josh Surge."

"Ah, I remember," Lynx gave a shrug. "You progressed pretty fast in the ranks here, but you left yourself an enigma. You just appeared on our doorstep fore say. "

Inspector Onyx or Lynx Kruger studied his younger-however superior-officer. He couldn't understand how this person could be serious for just a sixteen year old. He found himself comparing himself to the young man. Lynx was thirty-five year old man with children and a wife while this man was a loner with only a father that he mentioned scarcely in the conversation. Even comparing their eyes now he found vast difference. Though Lynx's were black as night, his had this sense of a warm and caring father. Though a normally easier on the eyes color, Josh's blue eyes were cold, conniving. Lynx lacked this callous look in his expression. Just being around him made him feel like Josh was going to pull something underhanded or tricky—just like the time at the Galactic Headquarters. Lynx mentally cringed at the thought.

Lynx however was entirely different for that matter. He was basically the "good cop" of the partnership. Lynx's messy black hair tied loosely in a ponytail, soft green eyes, and genuine smile made him a hard person to hate. He was shorter, more maturely built, with slightly wrinkles under his eyes to show the difference in age. But the difference in mature level wasn't there at all. Both of them were men created from a different mold.

"So how do you like me as a partner during our time?" Lynx asked.

"You're nice," when Josh had said that it almost sounded like insult—Lynx was oblivious to this. "I always get partnered with the good hearted people," Josh made the statement with his eyes shooting towards Lynx. Lynx took the compliment in stride.

"Your attentions are good," Lynx sure hoped so, at times he questioned that himself. "You just have a bit more kick than people are used to. Even me" Lynx laughed lightly. "You had a partner in K.R.P.D?"

"It was young lady actually," Josh's voice remained detached. Lynx had expected a little more emotion to that than he gave.

"Ooooh," Lynx was interested nevertheless. "Tell more."

"Her name was Rosemary Kimura," Josh left the name without a description, like it was another name that he just knew.

"Do you mean Deputy Commissioner Kimura from K.R.P.D?" Lynx recognized the name from the television.

"Yes, that is the one."

"I guess you aren't the only one on a mean-streak, Mr. Surge," Lynx said amused.

"I presume that's the case.

Lynx's face had turned to a featureless expression. This kid was too young to not look at the people in front of him. Josh had changed drastically both physically and psychologically. He was only a bit taller within those six months yet he seemed to look more so like a giant now. His body seemed to have caught with his height, since he seemed much broader than he has. Josh had kept the military style Mohawk; however he kept his hair beyond just a shaved length. His eyes were darker and appeared more sinister. The most noticeable change was written across of his skin—scars. These scars were gifts from various missions; they were around his arms, legs, fingertips, face, almost everywhere. The most identifiable scar was the three deep gashes over his left eye in particular from an out of control Fearow. Both the Fearow and its trainer ended up regretted. In short, Josh wasn't the punk he used to be.

"So, are you ready to go?"

"I just want to get this over with," Josh referred to the reunion, more than actually going back to work there.

The conversation basically was halted due to the two men pushing through the waves of people entering into the S.R.P.D. Josh seemingly glided through the people unlike Lynx who clumsily fumble through crowds. For some reason, Josh seemed to be thinking more about this return than he initially wanted. Things seemed to pour into his head that he wanted to just push away onto the silver tiles of the center. Just this large amount of people reminded him on how small K.R.P.D was in comparison. Josh could feel these waves of nostalgia even though he was miles away especially when he opened the door to the elevator. It donned to him that he was going back. It was nothing more than a thought than an actual feeling. The two men walked within the blue-carpeted room.

"You had a look in your eye just a moment ago. Are you anxious?" Though Lynx had seen the look, he didn't know how to decipher it.

The elevator's music filled the space where the conversation should have been. Lynx tried to take in the man's expression, absorb it to get a better understanding of it. He was failing miserably. There was nothing to explore, it was like there was no other reminiscence of a soul left within him. Yet there was something that made him human—something that bridged the monster and the human. What or who was that remaining plank of wood on the bridge?

*​

Later that day...
Saffron City, Kanto Region Police Department

"Romy," Katrine knocked on the wooden door to assure entrance was permitted.

"Katrine, you may enter," Romy flashed a smile as she repositioned her chair to face the door instead of the window.

"We are having visitors today. Actually more like transfers really."

"Transfers," Romy slammed her elbow on the face of her desk, pressing the back of her hand to her lips. "How come I wasn't informed of this?"

"Dad told me not to inform you on anything of the guest. It's a surprise."

"Don't tell me it's someone from H.R.P.D," she hated those pricks. "I don't want to talk to them today."

"Madam Deputy. I cannot tell you."

Romy fiddled with the ends of her hair for some time before actually picking up the glass of water from her desk. Fiddling with her hair had become a nervous habit now, especially with her promotion. But her nerves had never stopped her from making a clear cut decision. Now she wasn't making a decision or anything, it was just nerves. Who could it be? She pondered this but Katrine stopped her before her logic could get going.

"So how is your pokemon?" Katrine said changing the subject.

"There are fine. So who is it?" Romy said changing the subject back.

"I can't tell!" Katrine shouted.

"Bring Wayne in here. I strangle it off of him," Romy said keeping her voice remaining very calm voice.

"Romy, it's someone that coming her from Sinnoh to our north."

"That would explain the planes," Romy sighed. "Sinnoh, that's a bit far," Romy said toying with her hair again.

"He wants an audience with everybody in attendance."

"He?" Romy caught on the pronoun.

"Oops," Katrine quickly put her hands over her mouth.

"So it's a male from Sinnoh. That rules out the Chief of Police there." The Chief of Police in Sinnoh was a woman, so obviously she wasn't the one coming. "I don't know anyone from Sinnoh that would know me."

"Right, right, no one from Sinnoh that you know..." Katrine began to sweat. Romy caught onto the sweat streaming from her face as well.

"So....it might be someone that I know...."

This display of conversion showed that Romy was now a master of interrogation. She had the sweetest attitude while she was pressing you against the grill. She kept a smile on her face. To create an even more flawless one, she would close her eyes and tilt her head. But her light voice would get the information from you that she wanted. She knew what to say, how to word it, and what she wanted to get from it. It was like she was manipulating your very mind, which was a scary feeling.
Romy decided that she didn't want to know now. It would probably ruin the surprise, and her particular liked being surprised. Surprise kept the world interesting. Ultimately, she chose not to pursue the issue any more. Katrine wiped the beads of sweat from her face realizing that Romy had moved on with the rest of her paperwork.

"I've heard it's a Deputy Commissioner like you, Romy. He's coming with one of his inspectors."

"That's quite an important piece of information. Why is he coming?"

"I don't know. But I've heard the Deputy Commissioner there is pretty good."

"Can you at least give me his accomplishments? Not a name though," Romy said verbally stating that she didn't want the name stated.

"Okay. Like I said he's the Deputy Commissioner of Sinnoh Police Region Department. Since he had appeared, Sinnoh's crime rate has decrease about 45%. Even Team Galactic's new boss, Saturn, had tough time with him. The man defeated Saturn effortlessly. They say that he thinks like a villain and just as ruthless. Recently, he killed a group of criminals before the criminals could kill five hostages. Get this, after he saved the group of hostages, he blew the building with the criminals inside," Katrine made the last part sound like some folktale.

"That was his work?" Romy asked. "I remember seeing it on the news. Sounds like a real scary person."

"I can tell you this. They gave him the nickname, Raijin the Scar."

"Why is that?" Romy put her index finger to her cheek.

"I'm not sure about the name, Raijin. However, the title "The Scar" was given because of the three striped scar on his left eye from a Fearow's talon."

"What was the Fearow doing?"

"Katrine, Rosemary! The guest is here," Nick's voice interrupted the conversion.

"I guess we can ask him," Romy said a bit pleased.

Romy finished her water and placed the glass firmly on the table. She stood up. The only clear difference from her in the six months was her hair. She kept it the length of her back, wound tightly in a large red braid. She kept her signature flower. But her personality had turned. She was a calmer, more controlled over what she says or does for that matter. She was always in control and always smiling. But when it came to business, she came to business.

Romy dusted the small particles of dust from her white skirt and fixed her small black jacket. She seemed to be pleased at meeting this guest.

"Katrine, where are we supposed to meet?"

"The Dining Hall, Naomi prepared a meal for the men."

"Alright, let's not be late, Katrine."

Katrine nodded and exited the room subsequently. Romy neatened the stack of papers piled on her desk and opened the window as well to allow circulation. Romy looked around the room for a couple of moment to see if anything was in order. She looked to her file cabinet, to the flowers, to the paintings on the wall, all the furniture, and then back to her desk again. She then viewed the hardwood floor to notice that one of her flower pots had crashed into the floor. A single flower was in the pot that gentle crashed into the ground, a marigold. She sighed. "I'll get that later." With that handle, everything else looked as though it was in order. She exited the office, locking the door behind her.

*​

K.R.P.D Dining Hall

"The prodigal king returns," Lynx shouted in Josh's stead.

"He's...Raijin....the Scar?"

Josh with Lynx by his side walked into the spacious area dubbed the dining hall. The room itself did not strike many memories to Josh. It was like another space to him since he truly never entered the room, was it new? Josh couldn't tell at the moment. However there were many people in the room that weren't new, rather nostalgic faces.

His mind seemingly locked on to all the familiar faces in the crowd; Naomi, Wayne, Katrine, Nick, and Romy. His lip curled to make a smirk. Lynx seemed to be slightly shocked with that smirk. He hardly ever smiled but when he did, he kept it for a reason that wasn't happiness (even though it was unclear that even that was of happiness). Romy studied Josh from the spot behind Wayne's back. She didn't like that smirk that he had on his face, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling. Wayne gave a look to Romy from the corner of his eye. He honestly expected her to be much happier additionally tons of more animated that she was. He assumed it to be nerves.

Josh paced the perimeter of the room studying everyone he knew and those he didn't. Josh approached Nick first, it was the least he could as an apology. He was standing upright now, so Josh quickly assumed that he was okay. Josh gave him a loose hug before Nick spoke.

"Josh! You're Raijin the Scar," Nick stated.

"I assume that I am," Josh's eyes became flat as a song's ending. "I'm glad to see that you're alive. I left before I could see you recover," Josh tried to muster up enough emotion to make it convincing.

"It's fine. I'm just shocked that you are the Raijin. I thought you would be a lower rank than Deputy Commissioner."

"Was that an insult?" Josh scratched the sideburns for his face. "Witty as ever, Nick."

Nick laughed. "I try"

Romy found herself analyzing his voice pattern now. The calmness was basically dissolved from his voice leaving a rather gruff sounding residue as voice. She couldn't explain it. It was like a voice of serial killer, it even had a degree of sadism. Like the killer was control over everything his felt except his urge to kill. She couldn't come to terms if she liked it or not. But one thing was for sure, it sent chills down her spine when he spoke.

Josh continued his way down the row, Lynx followed not too far behind introducing himself. For some reason, she wanted him to stay further up the room. She wanted to examine him more. But her time for this assessment was quickly winding down with his progress now to Naomi positioned in the middle of the room.

"Naomi," Josh's eyes lowered to the shorter, albeit older woman.

"Josh, you have grown," Naomi stated.

"Really, I haven't seen it," Josh looked away.

"You really have. You're filled in a bit more. What do they eat in Sinnoh?" Naomi said jokingly.

"I've been bulking up for obvious reasons."

"Do you want to tell her the time that you and Volt took down a Mamoswine?" Lynx said smirking.

"You had to bring that up...didn't you?" Josh stared down Lynx.

"Should I tell them that Volt and you did it barehanded?" Lynx smiled broaden.

"I did what was needed of me. At that point, it was tossing a Mamoswine to knock it unconscious. It was charging towards the village and I didn't want to kill it, so Volt and I knocked it out personally."

Everybody's mouth in the room dropped. Romy could have swore she could have heard her jaw shatter on the tiled floor. Wayne dropped the mug of coffee he was drinking when it processed through his mind forcing him to kneel down to pick up the pieces. Naomi helped Wayne out considering she needed to think about what was just said.

"He went from struggling to even battle to tossing Mamoswines over his head in six month....beast...." Nick said to himself.

"My god. What training did they go through?" Naomi said picking up the shards of earthenware mug.

"What the hell happened in those mountains? Should I pay a visit?" Wayne thought.

Josh glared down Lynx for a couple minutes. He really didn't want to brag about particularly. He did because it needed to be done. Snowpoint would have been trampled if he didn't. All he wanted is to protect those people, good thing he didn't mention how Team Galactic was involved there. He had to teach them a lesson in pain for that. It was blood on the snow that day.

"So how did you get that scar?" Wayne asked picking up the remaining smaller pieces of the mug.

"You can't even say. You knew that was coming..." Lynx said helping Naomi and Wayne up.

Josh touched the three deep gashes over his left eye. What should he tell them? But before he could speak, Lynx took the conversion full speed ahead.

"A trainer lost control of their Fearow somehow leaving Josh to take care of it. What was that guy's name, Josh?"

"It was some Bird Keeper person that wanted to battle me because our eyes met or something of that nature."

"He might have well had an exclamation point over his head," Lynx shrugged. "Anyway, he was too weak of a trainer to fight with his newly evolved Fearow and it clawed at Josh's eye. Josh grabbed it and bit it in the neck to stop it from attacking," Lynx's expression seemed to be in amusement while Josh had none.

"He bit..." Katrine started.

"A Fearow..." Wayne continued.

"To stop it..." Nick finished the sentence.

"My god...." Romy finished the train of thought.

"My eight would hurt it. It would be a waste of time and effort for them..." Josh said defending himself but to no avail. "So I proceed to my own defense."

"Wow...." Wayne said surprisingly.

"Nevermind this," Josh found all of this small talk irrelevant. "I just glad that I'm back," Josh finally glaring at Romy, who hasn't said anything directly to each other since Josh entered the room.

Josh finally made it to Romy and Wayne at the end of the chain of people. He wasn't smiling in full; he lost that ability to do so. He extended his hand, Wayne took it. Wayne looked down to see that his hand was almost crushed under Josh's sheer power.

"What a firm handshake," Wayne said looking the grasp on his fingertips.

"Thanks..." Josh said blankly, releasing the grasp.

"Do you want to catch up with Romy?" Wayne said suddenly throwing the words in his face.


Josh said nothing. Instead he looked behind Wayne's shoulder to find Romy. Romy walked from behind Wayne and extended her hand. Josh looked at it for a moment but didn't extend his hand back. Romy withdrew the handshake. She was obviously angry at Josh now.

"Honestly...I was expecting a greeting like this..."

Romy suddenly felt Josh's lips against hers. She could feel her skin and his. Josh rubbed his thumb against her face, to push her hair away from his vision. It was surreal; she didn't know what to think. Six months ago, wouldn't have thought this day was possible. She could feel her heart about exploded, racing at a speed to rival any man-made or god-made creature or machine on this planet. But it was gone before she could think anything else. The broke the kiss in something similar to a slow motion.

"Damn...that was bold..." Wayne said looking at the two staring at each other.

"Oh wow didn't expect that..." Naomi whispered.

"Kid got sass...." Nick replied.

"How come I'm not surprised?" Lynx said looking to Wayne. "He's been bold before. Normally it's more emotionless bold but it doesn't surprised me."

"The kid...changed a lot."

The sound of Romy's hand against Josh's face echoed in the room. Josh had relatively no expression. Romy breathing was heavy. She couldn't come to terms to why exactly her palm connected with his face but it happened. Josh just turned his eyes as he stroked the side of his face to soothe the pain.

"Well…that was unexpected as well," Naomi said sweating.

Romy wrapped her arms around Josh and he held onto her as well. She pushed herself away after a couple of seconds, she was blushing, and he wasn't. She straightened her stance preparing for what he may say. He just stared at her blankly. Nothing could break that emotionless glance. It was rather angering to a person who waited for his return which felt like an eternity.

"Miss Kimura..." he began.

"Josh, you know formalities aren't needed," Romy reassured.

"Perhaps they are not."

"Especially with an introduction like that..." Romy said between her teeth.

"We need to catch up," Josh stated. "I have things that only your ears should hear."

"Deputy Commissioner Kimura and Surge, you may leave if it is of importance," Wayne stating.

"I was planning on leaving before you said that, Wayne." Josh was making a line in the sand for Wayne to cross.

"Kid has spunk now...." Nick folded his arm.

"May I be excused, Wayne?" Romy asked out of respect. Josh's job truly wasn't on the line so he could say anything he wanted at the moment. She however couldn't.

"Go on ahead...." Wayne said, aghast.

Romy and Josh left the room together leaving Katrine, as well as all of the adults in the cafeteria alone. As soon as the two steel doors closed, the room was enveloped in conversion. A mass number of them were the connections between Raijin and Josh, despite them obviously being the same person—an alter-ego to say the least. Wayne wanted to know personally from a person that had seen the change, that person being Lynx.

"Inspector Lynx..." Wayne started.

"Ya," the Inspector scratched his head when he spoke. It was obviously a habit.

"Who taught that kid...."

"What, his mannerism or his fighting style?" Lynx asked sarcastically.

"Yeah...both..."

"I don't know who taught him the assassination techniques. However he wasn't like that, personality wise, when we first got him. He hardly ever talked actually, that was until...he met him."

"Met who?" Katrine was the one that asked.

"His mentor," Lynx answered.

"Mentor. Like the Chief of Sinnoh?" Katrine asked again.

"No...Fuya isn't one to take up an apprentice. Besides she's a woman."

"I could have told you that she doesn't take apprentices...." Wayne spoke that in spite.

"He's mentor...was actually on the other side of the law. A felon actually..." Lynx rubbed his chin as he said it.

"What could he have learned from someone like that?!?" Katrine almost shouted.

"He apparently learned quite a bit. It might have been deliberate, it might have not been. But he learned from that man."

"I see...."

"Well let's talk about the rest over the meal."

As on command, a warm plate of food was being served by a young man. The young man placed the food on the table and quickly scurried off. The group of law officials took their place at the table preparing themselves for a long feast as well as a long talk.

 

[D. Lawride]

Heya! Sorry, but I've only recently started the reading. Imanaged to read to the end of chapter 2 of the first story, and now read the first one of this. Assuming they're "different" stories. In the sense they're like two books. I'm getting confuzzled with myself.

Anyway, I like the work you did with Surge and his son in the first ones, and the organization of the police department - which is something barely mentioned anywhere - was pretty good. Now speaking in both, of course. Josh's personality also seems contrasting between the first chapters of the two stories, which I could say its good, considering the context, right?

Now, some corrections you might want to make. I didn't remark on all, but these seem to be the ones that caught my eye. They're a bit big, so careful. <.<

Spoiler:

"Six months hasn't it."

A minor error in terms of punctuation. "Six months, hasn't it?" Might be what you meant.

"It must be a better sweetness to it, you know. I mean you've been a way quite a lot of times, things probably has changed."

Where "better" might mean "bitter". In my opinion, anyways. Maybe I'm wrong. <.<

Inspector Onyx or Lynx Kruger studied his younger however superior officer.

Now, this might be contradicting for some peple, and others might agree on it.

"Inspector Onyx or Lynx Kruger studied his younger - however superior - officer."

Adding a "-" might be useful where they're put above.

it was like there were no other reminiscence of a soul left within him

"It was like there was no other(...)"

There are fine. So who is it?

"They're fine." Its common to make the mistake because what's written isn't much how its heard spoken.

and she particular liked being surprised

"...and her in particular(...)" I'm not 100% sure if the correct term is "her".

But however there were many people in the room that wasn't new,

You might consider using either "However" or "But" because you'd be repeating yourself as it is above. Also, "...there were many people in the room that weren't new(...]" Is a change you might want to make.

"I thought that you will still be a lower rank that Deputy Commissioner."
"Romy swear she could have heard her jaw shatter"

A confusion in terms of the verbs, I think. In the context it was, it would probably be "I thought(...) you were still" instead of "you will still be". Also "Romy swore(...)" might be the correct way.

"What is the hell happened in those mountains? Should I pay a visit?" Wayne thought.

"It was some Bird Keeper person that wanted to battle me because our eyes met or something of that nature."

"He might have well had an exclamation point over his head,"

This reference to the mechanic made my day. xD

So, summing it all, though, its a pretty interesting story I will definitely try to read when I get time. Keep at it!

 

[Sgt Shock]

Heya! Sorry, but I've only recently started the reading. Imanaged to read to the end of chapter 2 of the first story, and now read the first one of this. Assuming they're "different" stories. In the sense they're like two books. I'm getting confuzzled with myself.

To answer you question. Yes. Black Night Clouds six months after the happenings of Brewing A Storm. Essentially it is the second book.

Anyway, I like the work you did with Surge and his son in the first ones, and the organization of the police department - which is something barely mentioned anywhere - was pretty good. Now speaking in both, of course. Josh's personality also seems contrasting between the first chapters of the two stories, which I could say its good, considering the context, right?

Yep, Josh has changed drastically between now and earlier. I'm going to keep it at that because I don't want to ruin anything else. >_<

I'm glad that you caught the reference. My god, I'm so happy that people actually noticed that. :)

Corrections. Yeah. I didn't notice they were that big....*cringes* Correcting it now. So thanks.

Overall it is pleasing to see that someone is reading. Keep it up.

EDIT: Fixed all the problems that you saw as well as some that I saw. >_> I'm such a clux. I just want to get the fleeting thought out of my head. :(

 

[Eliminator Jr.]

It was 11:58. "Are these the last two minutes of his life?" He stared off into the sky. Was he going to ascend up to the clouds today?

This was the only mistake I can remember. There were one or two other grammatical ones but I'm pretty dodgy with grammar so I don't want to say "do this" then realise I'm wrong. If this guy is thinking to himself in the quotation marks, then the his should be changed to my.

Anyway, I've just read Chapter Three, this story's picking up a lot. Your writing is great and you're good at description and stuff. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more but I'm going to take a break because your chapters are like novels XD But yeah nice work. Very entertaining read.

 

[Sgt Shock]

Anyway, I've just read Chapter Three, this story's picking up a lot. Your writing is great and you're good at description and stuff. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more but I'm going to take a break because your chapters are like novels XD But yeah nice work. Very entertaining read.

Ha ha. I don't even realize they are that long really. XD But thanks. I will change that mistake as well. :D

 

[Sgt Shock]

Chapter 2: Sprinkle of Rain...

"It has been quite some time…"

"That it has. These months in Kanto have been tough," Romy blew the rim of the teacup to cool contents down.

"All of you did well without me. Did you run into with Gabriel or his goons?" Josh eyes darted upwards to view Romy's face. Her face was serene; he took that as an unsaid no.

"He has not. Gabriel's been on a tour of contest in Hoenn. It would pose...difficult to attack him there or for him to attack us here for that matter," Romy said making rather light of the situation.

"He hasn't tried to kill you yet? I'm more than sure you are his next target," Josh's eyes were still gazing up at Romy despite the position of his head changing.

"I've tried to get the help of the H.R.P.D. But they do not believe me that Gabriel is responsible for the killings. His parents have more than enough power over there."

"I'm well aware..." Josh's voice rumbled.

"I must admit you are much more different," Romy remarked.

"I've had some tribulations. I've been taught things that I couldn't see before."

"Like what?"

Romy forced herself to actually sit across from him. From the beginning of the conversation, she had been circulating around him like a vulture viewing a fallen animal. She felt uneasy talking with him even if he was the person she was looking for a half of a year. It just felt different now. It was like she was not even speaking with someone her own age anymore. It posed difficult to hold a conversation; it felt like water in her hand, it just slipped right through.

"I've seen the things that evil creatures are capable of. I've seen life as it is. A cold and merciless place for both humans and pokemon," Josh finally looked down to observe his now empty steak plate.

Josh placed his fingertip within the pool of red steak sauce on the right of the plate. He moved his finger from side to side smearing it on the teal colored plate. He then took the remaining sauce that he didn't smear on the plate and licked it from his finger. The entire notion caused a severed breath to enter into Romy's lungs. It reminded her of an animal.

"You've seen it too with Team Rocket. You know what exactly I am talking about. How did you cope with it?" Josh asked.

"I have seen some gruesome sites in my time as Deputy Commissioner. But all that you can do is get the people behind it all," Romy stating back to what she has seen in those six months.

"See. I couldn't cope with it. I'm becoming a larger and larger animal to stop these fiends. Losing parts and parts of me as I do so. I don't want to stop myself from sinking into the abyss. But it is one fragment of me that I couldn't shake off. A remaining piece of the puzzle that stops me from becoming, so I gave my last piece of emotion to you…"

Romy touched her lips; she still felt the warmth from the kiss. That was the last piece of emotion that he had. What was that supposed to mean? What did he see or hear during his time in Sinnoh to make him like this? What exactly created the being known as Raijin the Scar? She needed to know these answers from the man's lips. She didn't know who was standing or rather sitting in front of her anymore.

"What did you see in Sinnoh?

"I saw the truth..."

Romy's vision deterred from its normal path to view Josh's left eye. The pupil of that eye was pure silver now; so when he said that he saw the truth, it gave the appearance of a demon. Romy's heart began to thud abnormally. She clutched tightly to her skirt waiting what he would say next. Josh gave a slow blank before starting his sentence again.

"There is an order in life that must be protected. No matter the cause. Something as simple and fragile as emotions cannot be tolerated in the real world. To protect this thing, someone has to be the martyr to protect this order. I chose to give up things that could interfere in my missions. I chose to give up the light. It was blinding my way to my true purpose. It means nothing to me anymore. "

"How do your..." Romy was at a loss of words.

"How do my pokemon think about this?" Josh finished the sentence; he cracked his jaw thereafter from a pain of talking. "I've chosen this path with them. They know that I no longer feel like I used to. I care for them, and they know. But they know I feel nothing for taking a life now as well as protecting one. Honor has lost is meaning. Why can't people come to terms with the truth? Methods such as manipulation, deception, and control are the most efficient way to defeat a foe. Why should we have a chosen set of rules to play by while the enemy gets away with anything? Our pride gets in the way. Therefore...."

"No more, Josh!" Romy shouted. "Where did you get these ideas from? I mean. What about being a role model for people?"

"What is exactly a role model? It's nothing more than a ploy. People always search for a hero they can model themselves after. Why should I put on a face to be someone else's pillar of strength? They need to become their own. I found mine."

"I...why? Why did you leave to become like this, Josh?" Romy spoke under her breath.

"To protect you...." Josh said even though it wasn't completely meant for his thoughts only.

"Protecting doesn't mean you have to give up everything else in the process. Josh!" Romy swung her hand,this time it was caught.

"It's the path that I've chosen. I just need you to be my light in the dark. You can be the person everyone looks up to. You can be loved by the people of the regions. You can be everything. Just walk a different road than what I have chosen. I've become what I hated the most. I'm a regular hypocrite. Tossing morals away just to become stronger," Josh put Romy's hand on the table and placed his over it.

Romy stared at him from the other side. She didn't notice that she was even crying until the drops of water fell on white tablet cloth beneath her chin. She wasn't sobbing, she was overwhelmed. She felt a small fissure in her heart that she thought was going to be mended today become wider.

"Hold on to that piece of my heart, Romy...."

Josh took his hand away from Romy and stood up to look through the window. If he had any more feelings left in his body, he would be crying too right now. But he couldn't, tears were a sign of weakness. Without the drips of water to relieve the burden he carried, it left him to think about what he just said. He had no regret, he lost that too. He just glanced over his shoulder to look at Romy. Romy's tears had stopped with the only evidence being the wet stain on the sleeve of her jacket.

"We will stop all this from spiraling lower than it is..." Romy spoke softly.

"I don't think it could get any lower without burning in brimstone."

Romy and Josh took their chance to take in the silence. They needed it right now. They could feel each other drift apart through the currents of stillness. They were no longer in the room together. They felt like miles apart. Romy wanted to reach out while Josh wanted to drift further into sea. The confliction within the tranquility left lurking despondency in the room.

*​

"So do you mind telling us about his mentor now that you have eaten?" Katrine said anxiously.

"Yeah, Yeah. I'll tell you just promise that all of you will listen. Just pay attention."

"We are a bit anxious to hear..." Nick explained.

"Alright, I'll tell you the best that I can," Lynx explained. "The story begins six months ago during Josh's first job for S.R.P.D…"

Lynx began telling the story as best as he could, leaving everyone in the room silently awaiting the anecdote.

*​

Six Months Ago
Sinnoh, Sunyshore City Asylum

"So you're the new guard, I was expecting someone a bit older."

"You're Cyrus....from Team Galactic...."

"Team Galactic? Those worthless puppets of flesh. They are nothing to me anymore. I abandoned them long ago. Those simpletons meant nothing to me then and they mean nothing to be now. So sit, boy. If you're going to be the one watching me, you should make yourself comfortable."

Josh heeded the man's advice, taking his seat in front of the man within the small white room. The man glared at Josh from the confines of his now long blue hair. He sat in the middle of the brightly lit room, arms restrained tightly to his chest in a white straitjacket. His square jaw seemingly cracked when he spoke while his dark eyes wondered. The bridges of his eyebrow seemed to fall flat on his blank expression. This man was Cyrus, formally Team Galactic, a fallen idealist of his own mind.

"Child, you have that look in your eyes. That thirst for revenge against the people who wronged you. Ha. You're wondering how I know that look. I had to glare at the look every time I walked by a mirror."

"I'm nothing like you. You're a soulless freak who only thinks of himself as the God of a New Earth."

"To have that taken from me was the worst mistake that this world could have made. Look at it child, look at all the lives being lost from this ongoing warfare between what's good and what's evil. What's right and what's wrong. These unsightly wars of ethics leave many without family, without home, without people to go to. That's why I chose to leave all my feeling about this world behind. It's hopeless case. Denying me as God was the nail in the coffin for this world."

"I won't allow you to say things like that. You're not the person that will change this world. You lost that chance when you sunk into the darkness."

"You have admiral traits, I must admit. Too bad it didn't help you in Kanto did it?"

"What did you say?!?"

Josh grabbed the collar of Cyrus' straitjacket and slammed him against the wall. Cyrus' expression remained solid even when Josh increased the pressure tenfold. It almost felt like the wall was going to implode on several occasions. After a couple of moment of seething, Josh soon loosened the grasp. Josh threw Cyrus to the ground in the process. Cyrus gave a weak chuckle, it was amusing to him.

"Child, tell me your name? I want to know it," Cyrus sudden spoke still laying on his side.

"Josh Surge," Josh couldn't pin the reason for him telling his name.

"Well, Mr. Surge," Cyrus brought himself to an upright position. "Do you honestly expect to be the sprinkle of rain on the barren wasteland known as this world?"

"Why do you say that?"

"You have a look in your eye that I don't like as well. Your foolish sense of justice gets you nowhere. Do you think that you can change the world at its current state?"

"I believe in the law...it would bring justice to those who have done the world wrong."

"So you plan to take these villains into custody for them to only escape."

"You're in custody aren't you? It means it's a working system," Josh defended.

"That's because I chose to be here. It's not hard to evade the police. I lost everything at that pillar that day and had nothing to live for. The knife was obvious an option, choosing that would have liberated me from this wretched rock. However, I will not allow this world to live without me—it's only source of life and sense."

"You're not the only source of life here. You can't change the world, Cyrus!"

"And can you?" Cyrus expected a response from Josh, he didn't get one. "You are imperfect as the rest of human race out there. Imperfection is nothing more than agreeing that you can't achieve perfection. You are defeated before you even start. It's amusing really. People can't achieve their true potential until they strive for perfection. Perfection at all cost disregarding all emotions."

*​

"The kid took what Cyrus said to heart. No matter how he cut it. He felt like he was right. His current methods for defeating injustice weren't working so he turned to his. It surprisingly worked wonders for him....job wise," Lynx sighed.

"So Josh is walking down a path of hell to serve justice...?" Wayne's face gave a unique expression when he said it. It sounded awkward when he heard himself speak it. But it sounded truthful as well.

"With lack of better terms, you could say that. He's doesn't give the opponent anything that they wouldn't expect from themselves. The kid is ruthless," Lynx shrugged.

"I'm assuming he has his eight. All law enforcement is recommended to use eight pokemon due to the new law opposed to the trainer six." Nick asked.

"Yeah he's got eight. It's a pretty powerful set too. The team fits him nicely."

"He only had three when he left," Naomi tapped against her cheek. "What's his team?"

"Ah..." Lynx paused; it was the obvious next question. "See I can't tell you that. He'll have to show you. He doesn't like people to know."

"Hm...I guess we will be seeing it then," Katrine sighed. "So you two are the Sinnoh's reinforcements. I never guessed they would send an Inspector and the Deputy Commissioner. Things must be calm up there."

"Josh has scared them senseless. Before he left, he kill fifty of Team Galactic members with their own Galactic bomb. Even with him gone they wouldn't dare to attack. Chief Fuya figured that it would be better for Kanto if he went. I couldn't agree more."

Lynx finished the last portion of his bread as he stood up. He brushed the crumbs off of his jeans. He hadn't expected to entire room to be blanked by a wave of silence. Maybe he was just used to telling the stories about his partner that he was oblivious to what exactly he was saying. He scratched the sideburns that interceded with his cheek bone. He hadn't planned on saying this yet, but he felt like this was a good time.

"With Raijin the Scar around," he began. "Consider your criminals dead."

Not captured, dead. Never once, a person that Josh encountered came to a cell. They all went to a grave. He would always use some underhanded reason to justify his actions—never once he was condemned for it. It left a bitter taste in Lynx's mouth; however Josh would always put an innocent person's life before criminals. To Josh, they lost their will to live and they were better off dead.

Lynx began heading to the door. He stopped when he grasped the silver bar of the door. The cafeteria was silently absorbing the thoughts. "They might not realize it, but the kid is washed in blood now." He closed the door behind him; leaving the room to settle in their own contemplation.

~

Interesting Author Note

I love doing monologues. You don't even know. The one with Cyrus is only one of many in the story. I mean you should read his monologues in the game. I couldn't help but incorporate his speech making skills (also inherited by Josh). I just thought I tell you that. This chapter was pretty short compared to my other ones.
​

 

[Sgt Shock]

Interesting author note:

I'm slowing down on my updates to about one a week (or every five days) for the sheer fact that I have too many chapters to update (I am to about Chapter 13 on Black Night Clouds O_o). I'm also resting from actually writing the story due to that fact. This will A, let new readers to catch up, and B, let me work on two of my other novels. :D

Keep it coming everyone.

 

[D. Lawride]

So, a retrospective, right? Gotta love this kind of chapters.

I read through the chapter indeed, Josh's personality, per say, seemed eerily similar to someone else's personality. I had one of those "Could it really be...?" thoughts when you mentioned Cyrus for the first time in the chapter. Nice move in it!

I love doing monologues. You don't even know. The one with Cyrus is only one of many in the story. I mean you should read his monologues in the game. I couldn't help but incorporate his speech making skills (also inherited by Josh). I just thought I tell you that. This chapter was pretty short compared to my other ones.

Yeah, each and every one of Cyrus's speeches in the games had a morbidly good taste to them. Another note, I didn't really notice if it was really shorter or not - it felt the same size as the others. o_o

"You're in custody aren't you? It means it's a working system," Josh defended.

The quick response over there is easily pictured and definitely worth the laugh I gave at it in the middle of such a "serious" situation in the pragmatic. Good job there, too!

Now, for my usual section of some stuff you might want to correct (beware spoilers :p):

Spoiler:

These months in Kanto has been tough.

"Has" should probably be replaced with "Have".

It would pose...difficult(...)

I might be wrong about this one, but in the context, I believe you meant difficulties.

Romy said making rather light of the situation.

Once again, I might be wrong. But perhaps "Romy said, making the situation rather lighter(...)" would fit better.

"I've seen the things that evil are capable of

Between that evil and are capable of, you might have forgotten something. People, perhaps?

"It was gruesome sites that I've seen

"It were the most gruesome", maybe?

Losing parts and parts of me as do so

Two parts might be missing in this sentence. First, you might consider adding an I between "as" and "do so". I don't really remember the context (I've been writing the review for an hour xD), but adding the "I" might fix it.

What did that supposed to mean?

"What was that supposed to mean?" might be the correct way of putting it.

I care for them they know

Not really an error, but I thought you would consider putting it this way:
"I care for them, and they know".

Those simpletons meant nothing to be then and they mean nothing to be now.

I had some doubts about the "be", so maybe you misspelled it and wrote "be" instead of "me"? I didn't quite understand. (The Be, not the sentence.)

Cyrus a weak chuckle, it was amusing to him.

Aside a personality error - just kidding, who am I to say that? - you should maybe put "Cyrus gave a weak chuckle(...)"

You can't change the world, Cyrus?"

I actually thought about considering this or not, but the interrogation mark might actually be an exclamation mark, at least I think. Then again, you're the author, you might have intended it that way. :p

So, all in all, it was a great retrospective chapter. I'll keep reading. ^^

 

[Sgt Shock]

So, a retrospective, right? Gotta love this kind of chapters.

I read through the chapter indeed, Josh's personality, per say, seemed eerily similar to someone else's personality. I had one of those "Could it really be...?" thoughts when you mentioned Cyrus for the first time in the chapter. Nice move in it!

Why thanks. :D I was hoping people to be like hm... Josh's dialogue sounds familiar. Who could it be?:D

Yeah, each and every one of Cyrus's speeches in the games had a morbidly good taste to them. Another note, I didn't really notice if it was really shorter or not - it felt the same size as the others. o_o

Interesting enough, I found them rather appealing especially for a Pokemon game. They are amazing.

EDIT: Finished all edits made by D. Lawride. Thanks man.

The quick response over there is easily pictured and definitely worth the laugh I gave at it in the middle of such a "serious" situation in the pragmatic. Good job there, too!

I couldn't help myself when I made that dialogue. XD ha ha. I needed a witty comeback.

All in all. I think I'll did pretty well grammar wise. As you usual, I thank you for pointing out the grammar mistakes I did miss in my proofreading.

It seems like you like Black Night Clouds a lot. :D It's fun to write to the point I have to stop myself some time. Thanks for the review.

 

[Sgt Shock]

Chapter 3: A Broken Mirror Makes Good Knives

"Finish this, Karele, Magical Leaf the Politoed."

The remaining of the opponent's point dwindled into nothingness with that unavoidable attack. The gentle gown of the pokemon fluttered as it spiraled to the ground after a clean execution. The remaining multicolored leaves of the pokemon gently dispersed to create this sort of glass confetti as though it was celebrating its own victory. The pokemon, a Gardevoir, floated to its trainer, wrapping its green arms around his neck to form an embrace. Its red eyes never left the sinking Politoed of her coordinator's opponent. It brushed its green hair with the look of boredom written across the very gentle face. It both pitied the trainer as well as the pokemon bound to it for being weak—something worth being pitied, especially in the finals.

"The winner of the Slateport City Contest, home region hero, Gabriel Kirk," the announcer finally proclaim though the match had been over for about five minutes now.

Gabriel waved to all of the fans in the crowds as he stood on of the floating water platform of Slateport City Coliseum. It was a satisfying win for the most part since he put himself at a disadvantage entering the water pokemon themed contest. Aside from the silver platforms that Gabriel and his pokemon stood on, the rest of the arena was clear water that washed in from the port. All the water pokemon had the ability to run, hide, attack at full strength, as well as an aqueous shield for protection. This led Gabriel to an epiphany, to enter the tournament without the aid of any of those clear cut advantages. Gabriel possessed a water pokemon, Rainey, but what exactly would that prove. That he could fight on the same level, no, a higher level. He thought not. He was more than talented at water pokemon battles. So he tried something new. He succeeded with much more success than he initially planned.

So now he stood there with yet another Nurse Joy presenting him a ribbon. Gabriel found the ribbon to be unattractive compared to his last couple; this one being only a normal pokemon crest with an aquamarine ribbon. The ribbon itself wasn't even made of the flashy material that he liked. He sighed, taking it with a smile. In all honesty, he wasn't smiling for the fans exactly. He was smiling mainly on the fact that he thought the competition was a complete folly. No one would know that however, to them he was just another carefree coordinator that just won his contest.

"This is what this completion has now. People that they call coordinators, waste of time."

"Do you have anything to say Mr. Gabriel?" the announcer said suddenly manifested, shoving the microphone in Gabriel's face.

"No, I don't. I'm just glad to be here!" Gabriel spoke that in a convincing tone.

"I give you my congratulation on your tenth straight win. What will you do now? Is it Lilycove for you?" The announcer badgered Gabriel further.

"Thanks and like everyone else here," Gabriel took the microphone. "You'll have to wait and see."

Gabriel pushed him gently into the water. It was followed soon a crash of the waves, leaving Gabriel to laugh lightly—this laugh, however was fake as well. He walked onto the glass floor to the back stage area as the crowd cheered for him as he left. He put his finger to his chin. Like everyone else around him, they were in the palm of his hand. But he had to admit this was drudging now. It felt like he was going to an office now, not a contest. One after another: he entered, won, got the ribbon, left the arena, and then repeated. The flare of it all was gone now, like a dying fire in rain. No one was a challenge. Perfection was something that felt almost absolute to him, he was tough. He returned Karele, who was lightly hovering while around his neck, to her pokeball on that thought.

Gabriel continued to his private dressing room. As usual, the door was decorated with an assortment of flowers and letters. Gabriel had not the time to read through all of them, he was already bored out of his mind already. Indulging himself in praise that he already knew was pointless so he just entered. To his surprise, someone was in there.

"Good show. Do coordinators always have to match their pokemon.

"Of course, Fleur, it's only appropriate," Gabriel cover his mouth with his hand amused. "But I must admit, you did a great job designing it."

"Why thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment fore say, I'm just stating facts. Without me, the attire would be garbage."

The costume in question was a tuxedo, created by Fleur's own hands. The jacket of the suit as well as the pants was a clean white color, as Gardevior skin. The undershirt was a light moss color with a red tie to match the horn within the crest of Karele's chest. The length of the jacket was about to the end of his thigh to mimic the length of Karele's elegant gown like body. In turn, it gave a stunning look of the coordinator and the pokemon making it appear as though they were going to a ball themselves. It was like everyone in the crowd was given an invitation to observe the beautiful dance that they had performed. Gabriel did not disappoint.

Fleur eyed Gabriel a bit more and laughed a bit. He hated to admit that she was a good asset to have around. Of course, she wanted him to pay her back two fold with the mission she had assign him. That didn't matter right now. She just moved her hair from her eyes and crossed her legs; straightening her white sun gown as she did so.

"So, did you enjoy the show?" Gabriel asked.

"It was....normal for you," Fleur mocked.

"That is what makes it boring," Gabriel seemed to agree even though that was meant to be an insult.

"Perhaps you should go back to your side job," Fleur throwing in a hint for him to actually get her job done.

Gabriel had to admit, he had blown it off for several months now. She has been more patient than he imagined, so he planned to milk that patience as long as he needed. But obvious that she was at the end of her wit and Gabriel was at the end of his amusement. To each his own, they were at the end of something. They needed something to change.

"So where is Mrs. Romy? I haven't been keeping up with the things in Kanto lately."

"Actually, she has become the K.R.P.D Deputy Commissioner in this short period of time. I've heard she is actually really strong now. A fitting muse for enjoy for you, correct," Fleur said almost like she was manipulating him.
"Oh, I'm well aware of what she is now. I said where, not how she was doing. Get with the program," Gabriel waved her off amusingly.

"Argh..." she grumbled.

"She is at Saffron City at the moment," another voice drifted into the room.

"When did you get here...?

Gabriel's eyes turned to view the person who gave him such good information. It was familiar face that he saw in the crowd today—Jiro. Jiro sat in the corner of the room, cross-legged with his eyes closed. Gabriel smirked noticing that Jiro had become thinner; it was evident since he was wearing a tank top. This was either from a lack of food or he becoming more disciplined than he already was. Gabriel could not decide so he left that unresolved. Jiro's hair was only slightly longer when Gabriel had last seen him but a lot more messy. Other than that, he hasn't changed much. Gabriel was actually kind of happy to see him.

"So how's the ranger job?"

"Fulfilling," the one word made it clear that Jiro was telling the truth.

"That answer wasn't the answer that I wanted to hear because I'm just bored..." Gabriel's voice was obviously very truthful as well. "I never got to meet with the coordinator with honey-colored hair either..." Gabriel noted.
"I thought you were doing well coordinating. You had a spectacular win today, did you not?

"I'm doing too well. It's almost like I'm perfect," Gabriel took that thought in for a while. "Well maybe I am perfect but that's not the point...."

"Don't be too excited. I have something to give you."

Jiro, with his eyes still closed, pulled a white envelope from his bag. He placed it on the ground. With a flick of his hand, the envelope slid its way to Gabriel's feet. Gabriel kneeled down to pick it up. He opened it slowly, and examined the insides. There were pictures as well as a request for a man's head. He was actually surprised that the general list of murders that this person committed especially being a person of law enforcement. The picture was pretty disturbing of all the mangled members of team Galactic from their Galactic bomb. It captured the cataclysm perfectly. There were bodies, upon bodies heavily burned by the sheer power of the bomb. None of the faces was recognizable anymore, almost like death wanted them to remain as nameless as they were. Gabriel's face transformed to more of a half smirk.

"This man's....hands are the same color as yours."

"If you mean drenched in blood, than you are right," Gabriel gave a soft laughter. "This man's sound interesting..." Gabriel laughter progress manically. "This man, Raijin the Scar, is there no picture him? I want to glare into his merciless eyes."

"I cannot do anything about that. I'm just the messenger. I obtained this during your contest. It was by a man by the name Saturn who requested this man's death for the death of his men. He figured that you would take such request."

"Rajin, what is he? Is he a demon? I would love to fight a demon for he could breathe his infernal flames," Gabriel's voice of amusement became that of insanity. "Where can I find this man?" His voice became calm again.

"He is currently in Kanto that moment. He is part of the interpol visiting Kanto division as reinforcements. Raijin as well as his partner Onyx is in Saffron right now."

"With Romy..." Fleur perked up. "Two birds with one stone."

"That's such an ugly expression, but the truth nevertheless. Two people will die."

"Raijin and now Romy isn't something you can just toy with. Both of them are high ranked members of the Interpol. That's not an easy task. To put it into perspective, they are equal if not greater than the fourth member of the Elite Four - almost champion level. They shouldn't be underestimated."

"You are comparing them to the likes of Lucian, Drake, Karen, and formerly Lance. That's a bold assumption, Jiro," Fleur said biting her thumb afterwards.

"Raijin, in particular, defeated Lance in battle if that's not proof enough. A former champion and master of dragon types in a sparring match," Jiro shook his head. "He shouldn't be taken lightly."

"All this trainer talk is making me sick. You can take this music somewhere else if you think you could scare me out of my pray."

"Remember, Gabriel. My dad is part of the Elite Four; even he could touch Lance a battle."

"Your dad and my skills do not equal, Jiro. What do you not understand?" Gabriel waved his finger.

"Ha ha..." Jiro laughed instead of doing what he wanted to, that being wringing Gabriel's throat.

"So, let me call my dad to get me some transportation over there. I would hate my hawk and my canary to migrate any further," Gabriel speaking about Raijin and Romy respectively.

Gabriel walked to his bag and pulled out a white cell phone. He pressed the numbers quickly before shoving the phone to his ear. After a couple of minutes of ringing, the phone was answered.

"Son?" the man's deepened sophisticated voice huffed.

"Dad," Gabriel's voice almost sounded genuinely sweet.

"Sorry for the wait. I was playing tennis with Garland."

"Have you won yet?"

"Nah…"

Gabriel's stepfather, Cliff Kirk, was probably the nicest yet richest person that you would probably meet. He was the owner of a wide spread airline and boating company by the name of Aeolus Incorporated so he always provided the transportation needed for Gabriel's endeavors. Beyond just that, he was a huge fan of contest. He would normally come to Gabriel's contest when he had time—something that Gabriel's mother had stopped doing years back. The man hardly had a flaw; he possessed intelligence, humor, and business skills. Yet, he happened to be completely oblivious of the nasty double life that his son lived. That wasn't the end of cluelessness, especially about his wife. Other than that, he was just a great person that enjoyed playing tennis with his Golduck, Garland.

"Do you need something? You were great out there. Too bad that I couldn't be there for it," the man sounded upset about not being there for his son performance, step-son's performance rather.

"I just want transportation again. I have business to attend to in Kanto," Gabriel kept his voice upbeat. He wanted to keep his step-father oblivious to his other job.

"Oh yes. Well then, I'll send Blair with the airplane. How was the contest win?"

"It was great! I won first place, yet again."

"That's phenomenal!" Gabriel could visualize Cliff waving his arms as he said that. "I guess you can't stay on the phone much then."

"No, I cannot," Gabriel mentioned "Thanks dad. Love you."

"Love you too, son."

Gabriel clicked off the telephone and rolled his eyes. Obviously he was acting. It was a different act than what he performed in front of those crowds of people. This one seemed more defined like he has been working on it for several years to perfect it. Of course, he liked the man he called his father though he quite technically wasn't his father at all. He never really had an argument with the man nor did show any obvious hate towards him. He just thought of him more of a tool to get what he want.

"You almost sound like meant that...did you?" Fleur asked.

"Meant what, my sweet dandelion?" Gabriel's voice returned to that sweetness on command.

"That. You don't even act yourself around your own father...." Fleur looked towards Jiro for answers. He was mediating so none was received.

"My my. I thought that would even fool you. Maybe I'm getting a bit...rusty..."

"I just know who you really are."

"Fooling people who memorized your true color is hard indeed. But nevertheless, an actor can only play his part," Gabriel brushed his hair from his face once more. "Shouldn't we be going? I have some flowers I need to pick from the Garden of Life."

Jiro finally stood up from the ground. He tossed his bag to the other side of his shoulder. He walked towards the door, he began to turn the knob but was stopped. He sighed slightly. He remembered a time when Gabriel actually could love people, understand people.

"Would you kill your step-father if you had the chance, Gabriel...?" Jiro asked.

Gabriel remained quiet. He squirmed his way in front of the door to allow himself to open it for his friend. A unique expression was written on his face. Gabriel glanced up to view his friend's impassive expression; he was waiting for his answer. Gabriel wrapped his mind an answer, and with no effort, he spoke it.

"Yes. I would gladly take his life for the right price."

The door made its last click against the back of the opposing wall. Jiro left soon after. "Maybe a monster with a blood as cold as his could knock him out of this trance..." Jiro stuffed his hands in his pockets and prepared himself to go back to Kanto.

*​

"So what's wrong, Romy? You do not seem yourself."

"What's wrong? Nothing…it's nothing."

"Your face is like a sheet of paper. Something has to be wrong. Are you sick?"

"He's a beast now...."

"W-who?"

"Josh. He....." Romy paused as she tugged on her jacket. "He's a monster. It's like I could visibly see the blood on his hands. Just dripping from his fingertips, I could see the murder in his face. The man I once knew died in those mountains. All that's left is a cold shell of a judge."

"So you do not love him?" Katrine panicked.

"How can you love a person who cannot feel love anymore?"

"I--" Katrine was left speechless.

"You don't understand how it feels when you are around him. He thinks because its meaningful destruction is right. He assumed this attitude that emotions are nothing more than worthless items that can be tossed away."

Romy could come to a conclusion that blossomed in her head. The flakes of snow that Josh had endured during his time at Snowpoint had frozen his heart. He himself then crushed it soon after. Now he was nothing like who he was. If she could have turned back the hands of that day, she would be winding the clock back right now. Things just felt so different. He felt so different. His skin even felt cold when he placed his hand upon hers. Romy wanted to be that light that guided him out of the darkness not be the one that kept it at bay. She did not want to tell Katrine this, so she remained quiet.

"It is not his emotions...that he needs any more. It's not.....me...that he needs anymore," Romy finished.

"He just kissed....you..." Katrine rebuked.

"As of then....he let me go too. The last thing that he held close into this world," Romy heaved.

Romy pushed open the window of her office. She sat upon the window pane; she needed a hug right now. She needed something the comfort her from this pain. She gazed down at her pokeballs. She grabbed one and glared at it for a couple of moments before tossing it without looking back. A pokemon smoothly exited its pokeball and wrapped its arms around her. It knew that she was feeling upset. It grabbed around her waist tightly but gently as well. She petted it while still looking out of the window.

"Zirk..."

Zirk now towered of his trainer. As of three months ago, he was a Nidoking. The muscled violet body kept close to its trainer while its dark eyes gazed down to her. Its cheek basically ran up against hers without his large horn touching her. It also wrapped his tail around her to form another embrace to comfort her further. Romy rubbed in teal inside of his ears as she continued to lose herself in the blueness of the sky.

"Shall I leave?" Katrine interrupted but Romy did not give an answer.

Zirk darted a look towards her and nodded his head. Katrine obeyed the pokemon's request and exited. Katrine did want to tell her about what she found about Josh. About those fifty people that he killed that day before he left Sinnoh. But this wasn't the time or the place, so she found herself glaring at Romy from the crack in the door that was gradually closing by her own hand. The door snapped into place leaving Romy alone with her pokemon.

"Thank you, Zirk..." Romy noted. The pokemon gave a low grumble to assure that it was okay.

*​

"We have to see how good you have gotten..."

"Do you have to honestly? I believe that would be a waste of my efforts, Wayne."

"It's a simple mission."

"Simple....crime isn't simple. Just tell me what you need me to do before I run through your files and find one myself."

"Dually noted..."

Wayne took a gulp from his beer before slamming into the desk. "Well...damn...this kid is like talking to a brick wall." Wayne hadn't really thought of the mission until now so he scurried through the paper hurriedly to find something. "He's very liable to kill me right now." Wanye thought as he flipped the files frantically. He was stopped by Josh who picked out a white piece of paper from the folder. He glanced over it before placing it back down.

"I'll take that one," Josh's voice rung sickly toneless.

"Uh...yeah," Wayne peaked from under the face down paper. "We have been trying to pin this man down for about a month or so...."

"I've read the information," Josh assured. "He more like skimmed..." Wayne thought.

"He's dangerous...." "Wait...should I have said that?"

Josh gave a blank look before smacking the beer can from the desk. Wayne watched as the silver can flew across the room to slam into the file cabinet. Wayne shifted his mouth in a bit of surprise. That can was half full, he wanted to finish it. Now he couldn't. Too bad he wasn't nearly drunk enough to not look at Josh's expression.

"I don't care, Mr. Black. If you need to exterminate a pest, you call an exterminator. I'm just going to make him an example."

"And my liquid bread had something to do with this...how?" Wayne pondered. "I guess that's true."

"Hm...I'll leave now. I have a general idea where this man is headed."

"Damn....how....?" "How is that possible?" Wayne reworded from the initial thought.

"Simple...I know his next target..." Josh's eyes glistened. It almost looked red.

"Is he a demon? I'm more than sure he's a demon. This dude is a DEMON," Wayne thought hysterically. "You go get that person. I'm more than sure you're capable..."

"I'll be leaving," Josh headed for the door.

"Wait. How about a partner to go with you," Wayne could at least recommend.

"I normally like working alone against thugs like this."

"How did I know he's going to say that?" "I still recommend that you bring someone."

"Choose. I always have Lynx."

"He knows you're capable." "Hell. I know you're capable. Your eyes sparked red just then." "But someone of our branch should come with you so we won't look so..."

"Pathetic...." Josh finished. Wayne didn't find it funny. Josh was probably completely serious when he said it.

"First he smacks my drink out of my hand and then he disses my unit. Who gave this punk a chance in the first freakin' place!" "Anyway, I'm sad that you feel this way. Please proceed to bring Romy along with you."

"Hmph...You're so predictable. But, sorry, I'll pass. Romy doesn't need to see the swine being brought the butcher."

Josh left with that point made. Wayne had to admit though, the kid seemed completely confident in his fighting prowess now despite him being a complete jerk just then. But he did miss the kid before he went on that quest. He was like a salvation that was given by being baptized in fire—a double edged sword. Wayne almost thought that he should have grabbed someone on deathrow to this. It was probably the same caliber that Josh was going to give.

Wayne turned over the piece of paper to see the man's face that Josh was probably going to dismantle right now. It was a thin faced man of a rather pale completion. His eyes were a deep green color while his short hair was a dark black. Beside him was a larger tad-pole like creature with bulging muscle as well as a hypnotic whirl on its stomach. This man, Mr. Ergo Gild was a high ranking criminal within the Kanto Region. Armed robbery, assault, arson, murder; name it, Gild has done it. The towns could never pin anything on him and anyone close was either killed the next hour or silenced permanently by the beatings of his Poliwrath or the poison of his Dustox. He was a very dangerous man. But now is a different story, his adversary is very much a demon himself. That what he was worried about.

"I have a better observer in mind..." Wayne thought.

*​

Fuchsia City, Night

"Dynamic Punch, Poliwrath..."

"Weakling...show him, Volt. Thunder Punch-Gilgamesh..."

Volt swept muscled Poliwrath off of his feet to knock them into the air. Volt proceeded to pound the Poliwrath repeatedly with its fist enhanced with electricity. Volt then slammed the Poliwrath into the ground with a powerful thud, shattering all the tiles in the room with the earthquake. This was the power of Volt now easily disposing the opponent. Volt, now an Electivire, stood over the bloodied body of the beast. Volt peered down at the fading blackness of the Poliwrath's eyes and turned its back. Josh gave a half smile towards the man as his hand quaked on his empty pokeball. It shattered under pressure.

"Give up, Mr. Gild. There is nowhere else for you to go," Josh mocked as he approached the skinny man on the other side of the room.

Ergo Gild stepped back a couple of step; he was fresh out of pokemon and ideas. He could feel his hand quaking now as he stared at Josh from the other side of the room. His slender face was flushed of its color and he felt like he was about to cry now. He had never seen anyone be so brutal to a pokemon. Was he next? The strings of Ergo's black hair fell over his face as the sounds of Josh's black boots cracking the broken tiles underneath became louder. When horrid crunching of tile stopped, Josh was in front of him. The air chilled around him as Josh stared down.

"Ergo Gild..." Josh spoke. "You're life will end here...."

"But can't you just take me in..." Ergo felt the words lounged in his throat like a candy being consumed too fast.

"Take you in," Josh paused. "People are evil by nature. People are misguided by instinct. Only a selected few has the ability to achieve innocence. Saying they will change for better usually mean that they will never. They say that just to harp on the mercy of the person whom has their life clutched tightly in their hands. So no. I will not give you my mercy. Not after what you did to the people you cared about."

"But officers can only kill in self-defense."

"I'm defended myself. You attacked me, remember."

"You took the attack...on purpose."

Josh's tongue licked the trickled blood from his cheek. Earlier in the battle, Josh took an Air Cutter from Ergo's Dustox. Of course, Josh wasn't expecting it since Air Cutter could only obtain a move like that through tutoring, but he had the opportunity to dodge it as well. He chose not to for this moment.

Ergo could feel the intent now. He could feel that burning desire for Josh to see him dead. Though Ergo himself clutched a dagger in his hand, his body was frozen. When he had grabbed the courage to thrust forward, he was stopped by a tremendous grip from Volt's hand. Josh licked the blade before ordering Volt to crush the man's hand. Volt obeyed breaking the man's wrist in two. Ergo gave a shrill from the pain, while Josh just gazed upon as he writhed.

"You're a monster," Ergo said between his tears of anguish.

"I have enjoyed our battle, Mr. Gild," Josh raised his hand, lightning circled around it. "But now you die."

"Flamethrower, Molt."

A stream of flame interrupted Josh, forcing him to step backwards. This left Josh sharply glared from of the corner of his eye. Wayne stood with his Magmortar standing proudly beside him. Molt had its cannon like arms folded and its eyes closed as its master walked towards Josh. Wayne seized Josh's collar forcefully taking him to the ground. Like a reminiscence of Cyrus, he showed no emotion even while pinned to the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" Wayne barked.

"Obviously you didn't hear me when I said I was exterminating a pest..."

"His children are present. Did you forget that?!?"

"His children would have been the victim. The best thing I could have done for them was to kill the slime that was about to kill them. They would have the pleasure to know that he is gone forever out of their lives."

"Josh..." Wayne sighed heavily. "You're coming with me, Ergo."

Wayne proceeded to read him his rights. Afterwards, the rest of Wayne's men took Ergo away. Ergo managed to catch the glance that Josh was giving him, he closed his eyes in fear. The best thing that ever happened to him was being carried away in these silver cuffs; anything to keep him away from Josh.

"Wayne. Don't get in my way like that," Josh would have sounded upset if he didn't sound like anything at all.

"That was very much illegal. You're lucky that you're not being taken away in those cuffs too," Wayne spat. "Did you ever think about Volt? How he had to watch you kill try to kill that man?"

"He has watched me kill many people. He himself had killed many pokemon. All my pokemon has," Josh remarked.

Volt, who had taken his time enough tend to the Ergo's children, looked from the corner of his scarred clear eye. It had seen many of the people that Josh had killed. It was numb to it. The Electivire whipped its larger body towards Wayne before extending its arms in a greeting. Wayne hugged him tightly. It wrapped its wire like tails around Wayne, being careful not to electrocute him in the process. He was still rather kind, though he too had showed some degree of change. During that battle, he showed a different side, almost like an animal was within him. He was fierce, strong, and emotionless in battle. But outside of battle, he was as kind as ever. Too bad his trainer could not know the difference.

"How have you been, boy?" Wayne asked.

Volt just nodded its head. Wayne rubbed him on Volt's stomach. Wayne could feel it. He could feel this pokemon's tension. It didn't like killing. Wayne's eyes darted towards the Poliwrath. It was dead. Volt regretted the unrestricted punches that he unleashed on this opponent. Yet it couldn't bring himself to stop. It was his master's will, it wasn't going to disobey that. So it killed, pushing its own emotions aside as it did so.

"I know boy…" Wayne spoke.

"-vire…." Volt kept its voice low.

Wayne rubbed the pokemon on the small orb like antenna on his head. Josh gazed at the interaction, almost envying it if he could. Yet he showed no regret towards it all, his pokemon and him vowed on this. Josh wasn't about to withdraw his vow.

"It looks your pokemon is just as worried about me as I am..." Wayne remarked.

"Hm. Perhaps. He has been a bit different as of late."

"No, you have been very different as of late, Josh," Wayne said to himself. "I appreciate that you found Ergo. I would never have guessed, Fuchsia."

"You followed me here. I don't remember tell you anything about me coming here."

"You're right. You didn't tell me anything. But do you not remember I wanted someone in my branch to see you in action. I decided ultimately that would be me..." Wayne glared at him. He was mad.

"You're eyes looks furious. Are you mad at me?"

"Damn right. You have to get your priorities straight. Your intentions are good but your actions are like a fragmented mirror. I don't know if they are good or bad. You seemed to be enjoying the pleasure of battle which would be fine if didn't have that killer intent."

"I'm making use of the mirror that has been broken. I forged a knife out of it. Emotions are nothing more than just tools I can use to manipulate. It is as simple as that. You use what you have. So, do not criticize me for things I've already observed. Volt, return."

Josh returned Volt to his pokeball as he walked passed Wayne. Josh gave a whet glare at Wayne from the corner of his eyes. They seemed to have that flash in them again, that vermillion desire to kill. Wayne would in fact be fearful at them if he wasn't pissed at the time. So at the moment, Wayne was unaffected. They shared this glance for a couple of moment before Josh kept walking forward.

"I'm glad that you had the pleasure to see me in action..."

With that he was off, Blacktooth the Aerodactyl swooped from out of his pokeball allowing Josh to grab his talon. He ascended in the air. They shared the certain look now; the both of them were predators, seizing people throat allowing them to dangle from their teeth. Wayne thought of them unfitting at first, now they were perfect. Both of them being monsters of the same mold, Blacktooth went on instinct, what was Josh's excuse?

"I have to think of something to bring that kid back..." Wayne exclaimed.

With that, he was off as well. He had enough on his plate to think about right now.

~

Author's note

Fun chapter to right actually. I wanted to show Josh's relentlessness, so why not like that. :D Gabriel re-entering the scene is going to be pretty huge. Next chapter is going to be a nice break from all this emotional thing, due to an introduction of quite possibly my favorite character.

Tell me what do you think. Comment and review.

EDIT: I totally forgot to mention. I have a reference to a friend fan fiction in this chapter. You see, our fan fictions are happening around the same time--though we tried to keep our paths as far away as possible for it won't be a complete joint. When Gabriel mentioned, that he didn't get a chance to see the girl with Honey-colored hair, he was talking about Cassandra's hair from Convergent Paths by Nokyo-Chan.
​

 

[Legendarian Mistress]

*exhales deeply*

Man, that was one hell of a good fic to read. A long time ago, I never used to be into violence and M rated stuff, but now that I've seen and read enough of it, it's like water off a duck's back. I want to commend you, Sgt. Shock, for, by far, being a better fan-fic author than I could ever be. Keep up the good work.

 

[Sgt Shock]

*exhales deeply*

Man, that was one hell of a good fic to read. A long time ago, I never used to be into violence and M rated stuff, but now that I've seen and read enough of it, it's like water off a duck's back. I want to commend you, Sgt. Shock, for, by far, being a better fan-fic author than I could ever be. Keep up the good work.

*exhales deeply as well*

Whew. I feel a lot better now. Thanks a ton for the encouragement. I was truly hoping that my fan fiction wouldn't be a turn off because of the rating. I am more than glad to hear that it is something that people can read and not cringe. It is my first try at a fan fiction that haven't fell on its face and I'm glad that people actually read it.

Thanks for the compliment as well. I try my best to improve. I even hope to get better. I greatly appreciate the time you put reading my fan fiction, and I can say that I can go on with this fan fiction now that I know readers are actually enjoying it.

 

[Sgt Shock]

This is more of a warning. My new character has some colorful language, so be warned. You'll see why I made his language so bad. :D lol. It fits his personality real well. On with the story.

~
​

Chapter 4: How Loud Can A T. Rex Roar?

Any other time, Romy wouldn't think about coming to a bar. However this time, she needed someone other than Katrine to talk to at the moment, so she resorted to her partner. Soon after Josh transferred out of Kanto to Sinnoh, Romy was given a new partner to work aside. Of course, they didn't share the same bond as Josh and herself, they held a different one after a while. He was more like an older brother to her; she could never see him as anything else. So, know where he was on a Friday night wasn't difficult at all, especially when she knew he so well. There were two reasons to suspect that he was here; reason one was that it was payday and the second was that he would always get wasted on Friday. If Romy was lucky, she could catch him before he was completely incoherent.

Romy slipped through the wooden doors of the pub, virtually unseen by everyone within the building. She searched the crowd trying to not be noticed by any of the person, she was much too young to be in here. The dim light and the dark hardwood floor made it pretty difficult for anyone to see anyone. A counter stretched out across the entire length of the building. The light fixture was ruggedly shifting from side to side, an attribution to the not so sturdy neck and the reckless blades of the ceiling fan. Throughout the entire tavern, there were about ten tables, each with three or more chairs. The table themselves seemed to be worn while some were actually bearing cracks. However, cracked the tables were people sat within them—the place was filled to the brim.

Romy tried to manage to stay as low so she could not to be seen by anyone. This task seemed to be much harder than she anticipated especially with the wondering eyes of the bartender. Romy patiently waited for the man's vision to be distracted. When it did, she sprinted to the other side of the pub, hiding her small body behind many of the men's larger ones. It was there where she spotted him within the crowd.

The husky man was sitting at the far side of the tavern with a large mug of beer clutched tightly in his hand. His eye was halfway glazed over from the intoxication but it was obvious that he was still coherent (by barely). Romy slipped into the chair beside him. He hadn't noticed until she ran her fingers through his messy black hair.

"Romy? There are two of you..." the man remarked, even his normally clear voice was severed by his slurring voice.

"Rex? I need you to stop just for one minute," Romy eased Rex's hand down that possessed the mug of beer.

"Alright...I've already had about eight..." Rex gave a thunderous laugh.
"So...what's on your mind?"

"Besides the smell of alcohol....it's almost like Wayne's office." "I'm having a problem."

"With who, doll?" Rex hiccuped. "Wayne's drinking partner never surprises me. You would think Rex was his son..."

"I'm having a problem with a friend...." Romy started.

"You want me to cream 'em," for a drunk person, that was pretty clearly spoken.

Right now, she wanted to take him up on that offer. Seeing Josh's icy expression broken by Rex's gigantic fist would be something pleasurable to see at the moment. But, giving Josh a fight wasn't probably the thing she was exactly looking for. In the end, she denied the thought in her head all together. She continued with a different approach.

"Hypothetically..." Romy smiled. "I have a friend that is become more and more..."

The word barbaric but that described Rex by a long shot, so she retracted. Romy shuffled through the corridors of her mind to search for a word to replace it. Yet, she couldn't find a word that would adequately describe Josh. It felt like it was impossible.

"If it's so..." Rex was interrupted by a hiccup. "If it's so hypothetical, why are you thinkin' so hard?"

For a man who just drank through eight mugs of beer, he was dead on. Even when consuming alcohol, Rex never missed a beat. He went by his hunches more than anything else, logic took a backseat when he battled or took any problem. Though that sounded very logical, he probably didn't think much about it. The thought probably just crossed his mind and he said it, like many of the things that he did.

"Nevermind..." Romy lost the urge to tell him.

"It's about the guy..." Rex couldn't pin his name on it. All he could remember at the moment was his blonde hair. "I don't like 'em..." Rex admitted.

"You don't like Josh?" Romy questioned.

"And by the look..." Rex burped loudly. "on your face, you don't like 'em either."

"He's a good guy," Romy resisted the urge of saying "was". She didn't want to put it into the past.

"The man is much more than he's worth."

"You have to see on your own. He's really kind..."

Rex's features collapse upon his face before he smiled broadly. He straightened his shoulders, as much as a half-way drunken person could, and slammed his large fist on the table. He looked Romy dead in the eye leaving Romy no choice but to look back.

"If you say he's kind, than show me. Bring it out of him," Rex roared.

"As soon you get sober," Romy added.

Rex's gave another one of his rather thunderous laugh, clapping his hand ceremoniously. He gave a smile before gulping down the ninth mug. Romy took this time to leave the man alone with his work. She rubbed the man's shoulder before scurrying off. That was her partner. He was the gruff, heavy-metal loving, giant known as Rex Cordell that Romy learned to love over the six months.

"I guess I have to see you later, Terry," Romy spoke.

Even drunk, his body seemed flinch from the sound of his first name. He hated being called Terry, long preferring his nickname "Rex". But he seemed to be slightly numb to it in comparison to his normal reactions to his name—which was yelling at the top of his lungs.

"See ya at work…" Rex slumped.

"That's if you don't have to kill a Rampardos-sized hangover," Romy eyed the bartender to assure her escape.

"Urgh...hangovers," Rex muttered.

"That's why you don't drink kids. See you at work," Romy waved.

Romy slid out of the small wooden chair heading quietly to the door as soon as the bartender's attention was distracted.

*​

Next Morning
Saffron City Condominiums

"Hell. I shouldn't have drunk all of those beers...."

Rex staggered out of his bed to get to his feet. He hated damn hangovers but loved beer. He couldn't prioritize which one that he liked or disliked more. So he dealt with both. Rex lied within his bed for a couple more moments; technically, he had no choice since the room was spinning. Rex gazed at the alarm clock that was still going off. He couldn't successfully read the numbers. To him it looked like"5481" but it was actually "7:56". On top of that, it wouldn't stop moving for he could hit the alarm off. He swatted at for several moments, missing it seven times before quitting. To top it all off, his head was pounding through his skill; for a moment he thought he could feel parts of his brain ooze from his ears.

"Why...?" Rex murmured.

He gave an attempt to get out of his bed, but instead he just kind of flopped out of it. One of the pokeballs that he kept on the cabinet fell off and opened. A small rodent appeared from the ball. The pokemon had sand colored skin, big black eyes, long white claws on both its hands and feet, and an array of browns spikes on its back. It was a Sandslash, one of two of Rex's first pokemon.

It kind of poked at his trainer for a while. Rex rolled over on the floored to stare up at his pokemon. It cocked its head at it downed master. It started to kick him repeatedly to get him off of the ground. Rex grumbled.

"I hate hangovers...Ace...."

"Slash...." Ace the Sandslash folded his arms.

"Ah...whatever..."

Rex got to his feet. His legs felt like jelly when he walked towards the bathroom. He promptly guessed that this is what happens when you drank about two hundred dollars of beer (he had a high tolerance to alcohol). Rex found the strength to stumble to the bathroom of his condo with Ace following not too far behind. Rex kneeled over his sink for a couple of seconds allowing the boiling in his stomach to cease. Ace seemingly looked at his master for some time, kind of scolding him.

"I know. I have to go to work today. Romy would be pissed if I didn't..."

He twisted the knob of the sink to allow water to shoot into the white basin. Though his vision doubled slightly as he did it, he cupped his hands, he caught the water successfully. He splashed the water into his face. He cursed himself since it was far too hot but, it successfully got him out of his trance for the most part. Until then, the image in the mirror was only a blur of colors. He could now see himself fully within it.

He could now see his rather chubby sized face. Despite him having thicker facial features, his face had a sense of definition. His jaw line was strongly chiseled and his cheek bones slightly visible. The point of his chin was covered with black facial hair much in the same ways as his head. His black-colored eyes were rounded but the end had sharpness to them. The color of his skin was a lighter tan color, one of the many traits that he had of his dad.

Like the thickness of his face, the body followed. He was a relatively larger individual, towering over many of the people that he normally kept in contact with. This was followed by his rather enormous build. As many remarked, though he accepted with pride, he possessed a rather large gullet to fit with his larger sized body. He wasn't a huge fan of working out. Drawing, music, and battling was more his thing. Too bad drinking was too.

"Can ya leave now?" Rex looked down at Ace. "I'm kind of getting dress here."

Ace just shrugged and left out of the bathroom pleasantly declining in watching his master do anything involving removal of clothing. It closed the door behind him.

Soon after taking his shower, Rex felt a little better than he had. Normally it took him some time before he halfway recovered from his hangovers but today was different. It almost felt like an accomplishment. He still felt a bit sick, but at least he didn't crash in the shower. However, he could still feel like something was bothering him.

"I remember Romy coming to see me at the bar...." Rex twisted the knob of the shower.

Rex slid the door open of his shower, stepping out of it carefully. His black hair was still dripping massively so he reached for the towel hanging up the bar. He dried himself off still trying to remember everything that he said to Romy.

"She must really care about that guy. Something about the guy irks me in a way a guy doesn't like to be irked." Rex began putting on various articles of clothing. "He's just dangerous. Not to just criminal but to everyone around 'em. Not to mention he's not one to party with."

Rex gave a loud yawn and he threw the blue t-shirt over his head before trying to realize how they got there in the first place. He shrugged before exiting the bathroom to see his partner sitting beside Ace. Romy flashed a smile towards him.

"Romy?" Rex flashed a smile back.

"Rex," Romy scratched behind Ace's ear as she said it. "You don't look bad for a person who had to drink himself to oblivion yesterday."

"Hey. I partied yesterday, business today. Simple as that," Rex gave a half smile. He wished he could put this hangover aside though.

"Ha ha...." Romy's laugh was weak, something was wrong.

"Romy?" Rex sat on the bed on the other side of Ace. "What's wrong?"

"Josh almost killed a man yesterday."

"He probably had no choice," Rex acclaimed through diplomacy or making excuses for anyone was never his strong points.

"He had a choice....the man was out of pokemon, he disarmed him. Even then he wanted to kill him."


Just the same way that Rex wanted to kill him right now. This Josh fellow wasn't realizing that he was hurting more than just himself. He was hurting everyone that cared about him. Rex couldn't stand that.

"Do you want me to crack his skull?" Rex suddenly remarked.

"W-what?" Romy said in shock. It held much more of a threat than yesterday since he was sober and knew what he was saying.

"Do you want me...?"

"I heard you the first time. NO, you don't need to go viking on him."

"Come on! That's why the call me the Terror of the Waves, Romy. I can smash that puny wench's head off of wimpy his shoulders!" the words came out like a roar. But overall, Romy found it to be completely amusing coupled with Rex's facial expressions.

"Do all people from Cianwood City like this?"

"Nah. Just my dad and I," Rex stuck his tongue out. "But seriously, if he's hurting you without even touching ya, you might need to cut him off."

"I can't do that...Rex."

"What made him like that...?"

"Gabriel...." Romy's voice faded, making it sound unfamiliar in her own throat. "An assassin from Lilycove City," she choked.

Romy's hands were now trembling. It was involuntary like a blink or taking in air. She couldn't come to terms with what to say after that. That one man caused so much trouble. Gabriel had sowed the seeds of darkness resting within Josh's soul. She hated him.

"And why isn't this person been caught yet?" Rex's brow raised in confusion, it was perplexing.

"He's basically untouchable. His mom....is the president of Hoenn region....if we hurt him..."

"Doesn't Josh know this?!?"

"He knows. He's willingly to risk it. He probably would encourage a war right now. I can see it. He hates the...." Romy couldn't bring herself to say the word. "World."

"Man. I wish the world was easy. Like you can just level you your pokemon and about the sixth or seventh gym and random trainer will stop the entire bad guy force. It would make our life better."

"Then we would be out of a job," Romy said shrugging.

Romy's finally stopped shaking. She had regained her normal calm charm. Until then, she did not notice that Rex was holding her hand. She slipped her hand from his grasp and smiled.

"See you at work..."

She left out of the room quickly. Rex found himself smiling. She still held her heart to for that devil.

"I'm too old for her anyway..." he sighed. They were only four years apart.

Rex put Ace on the back of his neck as well as picking up all eight pokeballs, including the empty one that Ace rested. He placed all of them on his pocket and headed out too, slipping on a pair of sandals exiting the door.

*​

KRPD Headquarters, Saffron

"Raijin, the God of Thunder. An appearance of a demon, but sits in the heavens in Japanese Mythology, I'm much more of a Norse fan myself."

"How are you?" Josh questioned.

"One of two of your partners..."

Rex approached Josh to relay him the news. As precaution for Josh's recent actions, he was instated two different partners; Romy and Rex was chosen. Josh's face soured slightly on the idea. He barely even read half of the paper before sliding it back over to Rex. Rex smirked in amusement.

"You're stuck with us, pal..."

Josh seemed to be slightly amused at the man that walked into the door. He didn't even appear like a warrior or a battler. He seemed like the normal twenty year old you will see cruising upon a Mantine somewhere in the middle of the ocean. He kept these words to himself but the seemed to have written themselves upon his emotionless expressions. The differences between them were there even by the way they stood.

"What is your problem?" Rex stated.

"This world honestly, allowing people like him to run around without prosecution," the "him" being Gabriel. He referred most people of criminal nature by a pronoun though so it was ambiguous. Among those, child and peasant as well as man and woman were high on his list.

"Let me have you know! Never mind, I don't want to talk about it to someone who obviously doesn't care. I'm your partner now along with a person that cares for your sorry ass."

His expression didn't change. It didn't melt like ice or condense like vapor. It remained the same. The only person that cared about him, despite their short time together, he wanted to cut off. He wanted to devote all of his energies for a perfect world, not realizing that this world would never be perfect. His eyes remained steadily glaring at Rex leaving Rex wanting to rip them out of his sockets.

"Fine. The both of you are my partners," he concluded, his voice remaining calm and assured. "But stay out of my when I'm working."

"Oh, you're real cool. But remember this. You need people. People always are not going to need you. Get that through your %&#$*# head. You don't seem to understand. Romy #$%#@$ loves you...." Rex roared. "I don't know how. I don't know why. I don't even know how someone could physically like YOU. But she does. She has faith in you and ARGH!"

The thoughts couldn't fathom in Josh head. They seemingly bounced off of his skull. He was numb to them like an anesthetic had been pumped directly into the bounds of his brain. The words didn't even come to mind. He left those words with that kiss. He left feeling with that kiss. He left "LOVE" with that kiss. The four letters no longer held a meaning. He devoted his life to protecting people.

"You may not have noticed. But some criminals do things for the best of their family interest. Not are criminal deserves death."

"How dare you preach to me and I do not even know your name?" Josh interrupted. Josh's blue-green colored eyes sharply glared at Rex. For such a unique combination of colors, they harbored pain. Rex couldn't stand it.

"I was right when I first saw you," Rex started. "In cafeteria, though you appeared to be in control of your emotion, you're nothing more than a JERK! Go DIE in a fire!"

Rex turned quickly out of the small room and slammed the door behind him.

"By the way, my name is REX CORDELL! REMEMBER IT!"

*​

"Rex? What wrong, nephew?"

Naomi was met with an array of mumbling word that sounded something between an awkward mix of a Pokemon and a caveman. Rex had inherited many of the traits that her brother that included the rather unique anger expressions. One in fact being showing his bottom row of teeth over his upper lip when he was angry. It almost made him look barbaric. Naomi laughed lightly.

"What's wrong?"

"That Josh guy. He...."

"No cursing..." Naomi inserted.

"He freakin' annoys me. He thinks he's this region's savior. No, he thinks he's the world's savior."

"He wasn't anything like this before Sinnoh, Rex. What transpired made him who he is? But I believe there are some fragments of the old Josh in there. He just is shoving it aside. He knows that it's wrong but in his mind he's doing what's right."

"But my dad...my dad wasn't perfect either. He changed his life around after jail...how can Josh deny people that chance?"

"I don't know, Rex."

"Already feel like I'm going to throw up. He didn't help much."

"You should head to the bathroom."

"I'll think I'll do that.

Naomi gave a smile to Rex allowing him to leave. Rex seemingly dashed away in the direction of the bathroom. Naomi just smiled. That was another thing he had inherited from her brother, a love for beer and the hate for its consequence with it. She smiled delightfully before flicking her red hair. No matter how much they disliked each other, they would have to work together. She began walking towards Wayne's office.

*​

Airport, Pewter City

The plane descended a couple more feet before throwing the latch open, sending a stairway smashing into the heliport. A red carpet was rolled out from the stairs to the slate colored concentrate. A man descended from the stair; like a crimson angel. He was dress in a long red fur coat that was particularly heavy with fur around the collar. His nails were painted black with a unique flame nail art on the surface of them. His eyes sharply gazed like a hawk. This was Gabriel and he was back in the Kanto region.
From behind him was Fleur, dressed in a beautifully in a white dress with yellow lace and Jiro who was dressed rather ordinary compared to the other two. Fleur and Jiro kind of looked in opposite directions to view the town below.

"Looks like nothing has changed in this dreadful region," Gabriel flicked his hair as he said it.

"Should we head to Saffron?" Fleur asked.

"We shall," Gabriel eyes kind of met hers. She wasn't expecting a yes.
"I think you are making a mistake Gabriel," Jiro mentioned.

"I'm not going to fight him," Gabriel beckoned. "Fighting a group of people is sooooooo not my taste."

"Then what do you suggest," Jiro was afraid to asked.

"I think it would be better if you just tagged along a found out."

Jiro frowned. He didn't like the way that sounded. Of course he wasn't going to fight groups of people. He preferred the more finesse, an assault more beautiful. Whatever he was planning, it wasn't something that he approved up. The death sparkled in his eyes when he said it, what exactly was going on now.

"Time to play, Elle," Gabriel spoke.

Gabriel pulled a red and blue pokeball from the inside of his coat. On the top of the pokeball it possessed small wings sprawled. Gabriel tossed it in the air to showing a Swellow with the reversed color scheme of a normal one. Its feathers were crimson as Gabriel's coat but its talons and various other feathers were blue. Gabriel jumped up to grab the talon of the Elle. It was rather strong, picking Gabriel's weight effortlessly off of the ground.

"Meet me there."

"Why couldn't we take the plane there?"

"Geez. Don't question me anymore, Fleur. Especially with dumb ones," Gabriel's faces turned serious.

"Fine..."

Fleur pulled out a pokeball from her purse. She glanced at Jiro for a minute noticing that he only uses his Lucario so he lacked possession of flying type. Good thing she was a flying type specialist. She pulled another pokeball from his back.

"Angel and Concetto. Take flight, my pokemon."

She threw the pokeballs in the air showing a beautiful golden Pidgeot and a Honchkrow. The both gently circled in the air above the both of them. She grabbed onto the Angel the Pidgeot allowing Jiro to grab onto Concetto the Honchkrow. They ascended to the sky, heading for the general direction of the Saffron City.