pokemon mystery dungeon spy(2)

Prologue
Quite a fearsome foe.
An unexpected enemy has appeared. While once all pokemon thought this certain being was a kind, gentle being, they were in for a surprise when all the residents of Treasure Town were slaughtered by the gentle one.
Clearly Shaymin was not so gentle now.
What was it that made this pokemon, one of the kindest of them all, become such a fearsome beast? Was it the pain of being regarded as weak? Was it the neglect it received from humans and other pokemon? Whatever it was, Shaymin has undergone a drastic change. Fearsome and deadly, this demon of the land and sky has begun it's massacre of all the pokemon it sees. Primal eyes and a ferocious face have caused this once adorable pokemon to strike fear into it's very admirers. However, Shaymin is not without enemies.
Three pokemon have joined together to create a resistance against Shaymin's massacre. Low Snow, the Snover, Lift the Dragonite, and Ferno the Chimchar have banded together in an effort to defeat Shaymin. Shaymin flies in the sky, killing with a deadly vantage point, while it hides in the grass it calls home. How do you fight a foe who can kill with no regret, and hide out in the open? How many pokemon will die before this threat is brought down? If Low Snow, Lift and Ferno act quickly, then it won't be long before Shaymin can be brought down, a tyrant lord bent on taking revenge on all those that were once called stronger than itself.
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“How far is it?”
“Be patient, we’re almost there. It’s just a few more yards.”
“Agh, I’ve never been patient, you know that Low.”
Low Snow, Ferno, and Lift. The three Pokémon who have dared attempt to oppose Shaymin have been searching for the source of a ticking noise. The noise has been enough to discourage visits, but that is hard considering the location of the sound:
In the middle of the most populated area of Treeshroud Forest.
The reason it’s populated is because it’s simple: it’s a maze. Each corridor is a twisted world, with each passage acting like a mirror in almost every detail. This particular section is dangerous, and the bomb –The trio’s assumption of the source of the noise- is in the center of the maze, right by the stairs. Anyone who entered or exited would trigger the explosion, which would wipe out Treeshroud Forest and all inside. That is why the trio are trying to dispose of it.
“Agh, this is getting too annoying for me.” Ferno was never the patient one. He preferred to get things done quick and easy. He was the fastest of the group, and also the most tempered.
“Why don’t we just take a break and sit down while the bomb blows up and kills us all?” Low Snow offered sarcastically. He was the brains of the group, and also the most cynical.
“We don’t even know it’s a bomb genius!”
“Would you like to stay and find out? Now shut up and get moving.” Low Snow continued on while Ferno and Lift followed. Ferno continued grumbling while Lift was silent. He was the muscle, but he was also quiet and reserved. He barely spoke.
Suddenly, the ticking got louder and faster. The trio tensed as they knew what was happening.
“Hurry up; this way.” Low Snow pointed towards another tunnel which lead to the ticking noise. And there, in the middle of the room, lay the bomb. Low Snow desperately wanted to say “Told you.” to Ferno, but it wasn’t the time. In fact, they had no time. The bomb would blow in less than thirty seconds.
“Lift, can you throw this into the air so it blows up there?” Lift shook his head “Sorry, no.” Low Snow wondered why. Lift must have seen his expression. “My muscles aren’t my strongest area. My wings and attacks are. It’s too heavy to make float, and I can’t attack it without it blowing up.” Low Snow grunted. Ferno was examining every inch of the bomb.
“I can’t find anything to disable it.” Ferno’s face was pale, his hands shaking. Low Snow thought of everything. 16 seconds left.
thou“Isn’t there anything that can be done?! Think!” Ten seconds.
“Freeze it? It might work.” 7. Low Snow took a deep breath, preparing to use an Icy Wind”
“Move!” A voice shot out. An Absol burst through, stabbed the bomb, then threw it upwards. The bomb shot into the air as the last seconds appeared on the clock.
“No sweat. You almost ruined it. Never freeze what you do—” He stopped as the ground grew black underneath him, as did the sky.
“Peek-a-boo!” The area flashed with intense light once more. Absol was gone. Ferno gasped, scared. Low Snow looked up and recoiled.
The Absol was heading towards the bomb, just as it exploded.
And it did. As the bomb exploded, the Absol was caught in the explosion. The intense blast incinerated his body instantly. The lights went dark once more.
“A fool you are, PR. You should never tinker with toys you don’t know. Remember my name you three, for it is the name of your future killer: Dusknoir!” Dusknoir laughed once more, then the area grew bright once more. The hero who saved the area, the one who didn’t even have time to introduce himself, had just died.
“Something tells me we’ll be seeing more of Dusknoir.” Lift stated. Low Snow and Ferno reluctantly agreed.
So, this is how it turns out eh? Low Snow thought, after leaving the Treeshroud Forest. An assassin who works for the worst tyrant in the world is trying to crush all resistance? Fitting. I never thought things could go this badly. Now it’s not just a matter of finding Shaymin, now it’s a matter of trying to survive to find Shaymin.
The group passed a roaring waterfall. The mist produced by the crashes of water covered the rocks behind.
“Hey,” Ferno began, “I’m covered in dirt from the forest, can we take a small break?
“Wouldn’t your fire go out?” Lift pointed out. Ferno shook his head. “I can go to the mist. It’ll cover my body in water, and I’ll still be able to guard my flame.” Ferno left without another word. Lift and Low Snow shrugged, and entered the water. Lift tensed up instantly.
“Coooold…!” He stuttered. Low Snow couldn’t notice anything, however. Then he realized it. Lift was a Dragon and Flying type. That meant he was four times weak against the cold, so any cold region had four times the effect on him. Low Snow was part ice, but also part grass. He could feel a bit of the cold, but he had no idea how cold it could be for Lift. A few seconds later, Ferno screamed, and burst out of the waterfall, landing on the land by the way he entered.
“Ferno!” Low Snow shouted. Lift burst out of the water, as did Low Snow. They approached their ally, covered in blood and bruises.
“There’s something behind the falls! I just relaxed by the mist, and a foot just slammed into me. I couldn’t see what it was though.”
Lift fired a Hyper Beam into the waterfall. A figure jumped out of the way, landing just in front of the team, ready for a fight.
It was a small Riolu.
“Who are you to interrupt my training?” He shouted, pointing a finger at Ferno.
“Ferno, member of the Shaymin Resistance!” The Riolu recoiled as if he had been hit.
“I see. So you oppose Shaymin. I apologize for my earlier action. You can’t trust anyone these days. My name is Karis. I’m training to defeat Shaymin. You see, this waterfall is actually one of the only intact training grounds in the world. The weight of the water allows for one to strengthen their muscles in a variety of ways, as well as for calming one’s mind.” Low Snow nodded.
“So you’re training here to oppose Shaymin. You know, we could always use new recruits.” Low Snow smiled at the last word. Karis’ face lit up with joy.
“Would you like to join?” Lift asked. Karis nodded happily.
“I’d love to! I’ve been—” Karis never finished. The area flickered as if the sun was blotted out.
“No!” Ferno shouted.
“Everyone, run!” Low Snow shouted. The pitter-patter of feet slamming against the ground was heard in many directions.
“So sorry, but you can’t escape. After all, who controls the pawns in this game? I do!” Low Snow recognized the voice, as did Ferno and Lift.
“Dusknoir!” They all shouted.
“Correct! Now then, how about we take down Low Snow? He’s always been the biggest threat to Shaymin! Now, are you Low Snow? It doesn’t matter, just die!” The sound of rushing water was heard, and the lights flashed intensely. Low Snow, Lift and Ferno were separated from each other, but they could still hear one another. Karis, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found.
“Guys! To the waterfall!” Ferno shouted. “Find Karis!” Lift took off into the air as Ferno leaped into the trees. Low Snow ran towards the direction of the waterfall.
As soon as everyone approached, they gasped at the sight.
Karis lay on the ground, squirming around, unable to breath. Whenever he opened his mouth, a torrent of water came out.
“He’s drowning! We need to do something!” Low Snow shouted. Ferno and Lift stood where they were.
“It’s too late Low. Look at his eyes. They’re failing. He’s giving less resistance. The water is trapped inside his body. Unless you want to cut him up and watch him bleed to death, there’s no way to save him.” Lift stated. Ferno looked away, disgusted that he couldn’t do anything to their new ally. Karis eventually stopped moving. His eyes closed, and his entire body went limp.
“I can’t believe this.” Low Snow said. “Why is it that everyone that helps us dies?”
“They’re threats. Dusknoir wants to eliminate those threats for Shaymin. More recruits mean more chances of winning.” Lift explained.
“If our new recruits die, however, then we’ll be discouraged from recruiting new ones.” continued Ferno.
“Because we want to limit the lives lost to the lowest amount possible, which means we won’t recruit anymore.” Low Snow finished.
“So what do we do? Threaten more lives by recruiting, or stop and be annihilated?” Ferno asked. Low Snow sighed, unsure.
“This isn’t something we can decide easily. We’ll have to think about it.” He replied at last.
“Think of it soon. The more we travel, the more chances there are of recruiting.” Lift said. Low Snow nodded, understanding. “Let’s go.”
And the trio set out. They headed towards Apple Forest.
The trio arrived at Apple Forest days later. The forest was wilting, and rotten apples lay on the ground, but the trio had to reach the Golden Apple said to lie below the roots of the Perfect Apple Tree. A Golden Apple is a perfect weapon against Shaymin. Eating it is said to restore one to perfect condition. It is also said to be irresistible to any with darkness in their hearts. However, only one Golden Apple is said to sprout each year, and the trio had to obtain this one. Another year waited, and Shaymin would stand tall at a destroyed world.
After the group entered the forest, it was clear Shaymin’s influence was already affecting the forest. Ferno cursed at their luck.
“Primals,” he said, “The lot of them. Just our luck.” Ferno grumbled on as the trio headed towards the forest.
A few floors later, and countless Primals fought, the group found themselves in the core of the forest. A large tree stood in the middle, countless Perfect Apples growing on the branches. The name of the tree echoed in Low Snow’s mind.
“Yggdrasil.” He muttered. Lift and Ferno ignored him and went around the back of the tree.
“WAAH!” He shouted, jumping from behind the tree. Ferno stood, poised for battle. Low Snow and Lift were tensed and ready to guard, but not ready to attack just yet. Out from the tree, a Typhlosion leaped out from one of the branches, carrying a few Perfect Apples. From behind the tree, a Mudkip poked his head out.
“Hiiiii.” He cheered, waving a paw in a ‘hello’ gesture. Ferno had a questioning look on his head, and he waved his hand in a ‘rainbow’ gesture.
“Hello and why are you intruding on our home?” The Typhlosion asked calmly.
“Simple. This isn’t private property. We came searching for the Golden Apple.” The Typhlosion seemed shocked by the statement.
“Shaymin opposers or supporters?” He asked.
“Opposers.” Lift answered. Typhlosion nodded.
“I’m Blood. That there is Mudkip.” Mudkip waved again. “This is our home after it was destroyed by Shaymin. There are other places that could hold us, but we’ve been waiting for the Golden Apple for months now. As a result, you should be able to realize we’re no fans of Shaymin either. In fact, tomorrow is the day the Golden Apple seed sprouts. Take a rest here for the night. We’ll leave tomorrow. With the Golden Apple, Shaymin can’t stand a chance.” Blood left without another word. Mudkip lay down by the trunk of the tree while Lift, Low Snow and Ferno shrugged and slept through the night.
“Wake up. It’s starting.” Lift’s eyes snapped open. He looked around and saw that Low Snow and Ferno were already awake. Mudkip was nowhere to be found, while Typhlosion was waiting by the tree.
“Where’s Mudkip?” Lift asked.
“You’ll see soon enough.” Blood answered. Lift seemed suspicious. But in the end, he was distracted from another thought by the tree in the center, Yggdrasil, rising upwards. Underneath, Mudkip was lifting it up by using his back. He seemed to be using little effort. Underneath, something golden sparkled. Blood reached for it. Low Snow, Lift and Ferno were happy. They’re one weapon against Shaymin was ready. Now, they just had to find Shaymin.
*Flash*. The area went dark. Another eclipse. Lift, Low Snow, and Ferno froze, tense and sweating. Ferno cursed.
“Mudkip, Blood, be careful. He’s here. Shaymin’s slave. He’ll kill one of us. He’s already done that before.” Lift said. Blood understood. Mudkip was frozen with a tree on his back.
“Quick, I’m glad to see that. It’ll delay the time you suffer.” Dusknoir cackled. The area flashed many times, and each member only had the time to see leaves thrown towards the tree. Slashes and screams were heard, and Dusknoir left. The eclipse ended.
“Blood? Mudkip? Are you both OK?” Lift asked. Low Snow, Ferno and Lift gathered towards the tree. Blood was unharmed. Mudkip, however, had numerous cuts on his body. As a result, there was already a puddle of blood flowing underneath him. Due to the narrow hole he was standing in, the puddle gathered to his stomach. Mudkip coughed up blood as a spasm of pain racked his body.
“Hel…p…” He groaned. His body gave way, and the tree collapsed. Blood (not the character) flew out of the chasm that was dug. Blood (character) was in shock. The apple was safe, but he had just lost his greatest friend.
“I swear I will avenge you Mudkip. Mark my words Dusknoir. After Shaymin, you’re next.” Blood hissed.
Everywhere we go, someone dies. Thought Ferno, as the quartet left the forest. Low Snow was tasked with keeping the Golden Apple, as he was the most careful out of the entire group. Blood was calm, but depressed after Mudkip’s death. He rarely spoke. There was barely any talking for the past few days. The main focus was to find Shaymin, and that meant going to a populated area that wasn’t destroyed. Unfortunately, that could also be a way to dig their own graves. When the location was chosen, Ferno nearly fainted.
“Are you high?!” He had screamed.
“C’mon, it’s the best place to go.” Low Snow whined. Lift nodded, and Blood was silent.
“Kecleon Island. The island no non-Kecleon has ever seen? You’re insane. You are really off the edge with that. Are you a Kecleon wearing a Snover costume? Or are you just mentally unstable? There is no way we can find Kecleon Island!”
Three days later, the quartet was traveling towards the coast. Island basically meant ‘Somewhere-isolated-in-water’. As such, the cast was hoping to hitch a ride on Lift to scour the coast. Blood’s fire light could also illuminate the area, making it easier.
Crack. Everyone reflexively about-faced and fired different attacks. Hyper Beam, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, and Ice Beam were all fired in the same direction. At the same time, three figures fired a Hyper Beam, Fire Blast, and another Hyper Beam. The four-to-three attacks collided and produced a large explosion. Smoke and flames scattered around the entire area. The ground and scenery was scorched black with soot.
“There’s a great way to get attention.” Low Snow grumbled. As the smoke began to clear out, the ground underneath the quartet gave way. Two figures looked over the edge of the hole. One of them was a black Ninetails. The other was a Kangaskhan.
“Well, these four are the ones who were in our way?” The Ninetails said.
“I guess so.” The Kangaskhan replied.
“Who are you?!” Ferno shouted. The Ninetails smirked.
“Dragon. This is Kaid. And the one who put you in that hole is Ripulse.” As if on cue, a Dunsparce came out of the ground. Dragon took a breath to speak, but the area flashed intensly, even more than when that someone made an appearance.
“Remember, always guard your back. Otherwise, you’ll have lethal venom injected into you.” The group in the hole tensed.
“Dusknoir!” Blood shouted in rage.
“Correctamundo! Who shall die now?” A swipe was heard, a scream, and tumbling on the ground. The area flashed even more, and a body was found in the hole.
“Kaid!!!” Dragon shouted, rushing into the hole. Ripulse gasped in horror.
“No!” He shouted, and dug into the ground. He reappeared a second later, in front of Kaid.
“Poi… son… hurts…” She gasped.
“Damn!” Dragon growled. The quartet stared in shock. Kaid blew one last breath, and her eyes faded out. Her muscles relaxed, and all life disappeared from her body.
“I’m sorry for my earlier behavior” Dragon apologized, after helping Low Snow, Lift, Blood and Ferno out of the hole. “It’s hard to trust anyone nowadays.”
“It’s alright. As long as you’re not an ally of Shaymin, we’re good.” Low Snow said. Dragon bowed.
“Thank you. My name is Dragon.”
“Mine is Ripulse, but I go by Ri.” The Dunsparce said.
“I’m Low Snow.”
“Ferno.”
“Lift.”
“Blood.”
“And you’re all opposing Shaymin? Incredible. Most dare not venture in even a group exceeding four people. I thought ours was the largest traveling group for the longest time.”
“Well, if you’d like, feel free to join us.” Low Snow said.
“And I’m assuming you want to attract Shaymin?” Dragon said, a hint of worry in his voice.”
“Yes. We have something we’re sure can help save everyone.” Low Snow uncovered the Golden Apple. Ri’s and Dragon’s eyes lit up with joy upon seeing the glowing fruit.
“So this is the Golden Apple. That’s why you’re confident.”
“Exactly right. That’s why we need a large group. Shaymin will strike, and this precious fruit will fulfill it’s need.” Low Snow explained.
“A risky plan, but it could work. Very well. Ri? What do you say?”
“You know my answer. Everything’s risky now, so why bother trying to avoid them?”
“True enough. We’ll help you fight Shaymin. Attract him in any way possible.” Dragon grinned happily, and walked away, the rest of the cast trailing behind.
More days gone by. No sign of Shaymin. Everyone’s getting agitated. Anger brewing up between people. Dragon and Blood seem to have a feuds every often. It’s as though everyone has a death wish. They want to stare Death in the face, and feed it a golden apple. Bizarre.
Flashes. Everyone tenses and stays quiet when they happen. Logical explanations for them though. Lightning, the most common. Storms brewing up every day. The longest lasted three days from start to finish.
Finally, a lake. Everyone relaxes. Bright and sunny outside. Most of the cast bathes, while the fire-types clean themselves other ways. No love for water, obviously.
And a flash on that sunny day. No lightning, no fierce winds, no crash of sound. Everyone freezes, scared. Sweat beads down faces. More flashing. Everyone has trouble breathing. No one moves an inch. Not a millimeter. Not enough.
“Boo!” The area darkens, and the wind roars fiercely. Lift shouts out for help, but no one can find him. The wind is counteracted by an equal, if not fiercer wind. Dusknoir gasps at the power.
“Scared?” The other voice asks.
“You!” Dusknoir hisses.
“Mm hmm. I finally guessed right. I need to broaden my powers. Too many have died Dusknoir. Far too many. One more must fall. And that is you!”
Dusknoir screams as the wind whips up a tornado, felt by the cast. Dusknoir destroys the tornado by distracting Defender with a Hyper Beam. In the confusion, Dusknoir retreats.
“Consider yourselves lucky rodents. Defender was here now, but some other day, you will all die. I swear it.” Dusknoir’s voice was twisted with pure rage and hatred. Probably from being cheated out of another victim. The area slowly came back to the usual light, and everyone was fine.
“Defender eh?” Blood asked. “No one dies today I suppose.”
“Let’s hope not.” Dragon replied. Everyone gathered up their belongings and moved once more, eager to be away from a spot which was a recent target.
“Great, this looks like it’s going to be fun.” Ferno remarked sarcastically. Ahead of the group lay a large, barren desert.
“Lighten up.” Low Snow scolded. “There’s another way around the desert if you want to go that way alone, but it’s about eight days of traveling when through here is about three. You want to go that way alone?”
“Fine, fine, I see your point. Let’s just get this finished. I like the heat, but the sand, I could do without.” Ferno mumbled. Lift sighed in annoyance, and continued with the group into the dunes.
“How long have we been out here?!” Ferno demanded, shaking his foot free of sand.
“About an hour.” Ri responded. “Low said it would take about three days. Feel free to turn back and go for eight days.”
“No thanks.” Ferno retorted sharply. “I’ll take my chances with Sandstorms.” Ferno continued walking, leaving small footprints in the sand, only for them to be swept away soon after. Dragon sighs.
“Is he always hot-headed like that?” He asked plainly. Lift and Low Snow nodded.
“Every time.” Lift said.
“Well, at least we’ll have some entertainment on this trek.” Blood chuckled. Dragon grinned in response.
Flash. Another, stronger flash. This time, one that blinded everyone.
“No!” Blood shouted.
“Sorry to rain on this parade, but they could use some entertainment in the underworld.
“Sandstorms, hmm? Well, how about I grant your wish?” Dusknoir cackled, and a ferocious wind started blowing.
“No!” Someone shouted. Someone screamed, and everyone recognized the terror.
“Ferno!”
“Too late!” Dusknoir laughed maniacally. “Let’s hope the critics in Hell aren’t too harsh on a stupid monkey like this!” The area flashed once more, and everyone looked around as their eyesight adjusted. Low Snow thought that for a second, he could see a red sandstorm in the distance.
A great depression overcame the entire group. Ferno was one of the first members of the resistance cadre. The loss of such a close ally was obviously heart-breaking.
The end of the desert was in sight. The sand was misleading. Even after a day of traveling, the group appeared no less closer than it did that same 24 hours ago. Everyone missed Ferno’s constant complaining. Lift sighed. The silence was worse than the heat.
“This desert doesn’t seem to end.” Blood stated. “The sun is bearing down on us, and the sand just goes on forever. No wonder so many pokemon died…” Blood stopped short, recalling the horrible blood-storm that swallowed Ferno. An awkward silence fell onto the group. Finally, Low Snow said “Well, no use moping around. We’ll honor Ferno and everyone else once we finish our task, but right now, we need to find Shaymin.” Flash. Everyone sweats and curses.
“Ooh, you people are quick. After about… five times, you finally figure out what this means, hmm?”
“Dusknoir!’
“The most important of them all, yes. Now, who shall die next? Eeeny, meeny, miny, moe… You! Let’s see you drill your way out of this one!”
“Drill…” Ri thought. The thought occurred to him. The only things he couldn’t dig through were those that sank. In the desert, that quality could only be found in the ground.
“Quicksand!” He shouted. The ground beneath him gave way. Ri started sinking, slowly at first, then faster. Within 10-15 seconds, he was gone. The light returned to the area, and as everyone found a patch of wet-looking sand, it slowly covered up, muffling to screams that sunk beneath the earth.
“Great.” Blood muttered. “We can’t take three steps without Dusknoir killing one of us.”
“His mind is probably broken by Shaymin.” Lift said. “Who in their right minds would agree to slaughter countless victims?”
“Anyone who wanted power would.” Dragon replied. “Power buys loyalty. Given the chance, would you rather die along with countless other victims, or live and have a seat of power in the new world order? The mind does different things depending on the circumstance. If Dusknoir agreed to the deal, Shaymin probably broke his mind into a don’t-think-just-kill state.”
“You think Shaymin would do that?” Blood asked. Dragon nodded.
“Of course. Shaymin destroys entire cities, turning his back on the explosions and screams he causes. If he can do that, Dusknoir can kill a few pokemon with no problem on his conscious, or lack thereof.”
“Interesting.” Low Snow said. “Shaymin can warp minds? Wouldn’t he do that to all pokemon?”
“I doubt it.” Dragon replied. “If Dusknoir agreed to a deal, then Shaymin probably infiltrated his mind with no resistance. Thus, he could turn right and wrong against each other, eventually switching spots in his mind. Wrong would be right in his case. Killing would be right.”
“Right?” Flash. Everyone tenses. A disturbing laugh. “You don’t honestly believe that, do you? I do this of my own free will, because I want to. Just like how I want to do this, after Defender got in my way. Time to finish the job.” A slice is heard, and a roar of pain. The area brightens again. Dusknoir killed someone. He killed someone he couldn’t kill before. Lift’s head, chest and right arm lay on the floor. Beside those remains lay his legs and left arm.
“Incredible. How many have died today?” Dragon said. The remains of Lift were buried underground. The eyes that seemed to scream at whoever looked at them remained burned in Dragon’s mind.
“Who knows? We might all be dead by the end of the day.” Blood stated.
“Unless Dusknoir is one of us.” Low said. Dragon and Blood looked at him.
“Who else could track our location if he was involved? It’s easier to track when you’re hidden in plain sight.”
“Impossible.” Blood retorted. “I don’t see a Dusknoir among us.”
“Who said Dusknoir was his species? We haven’t gotten a good look at him. He always hid behind the darkness. He probably didn’t even shapeshift into a Dusknoir, he probably just stayed his usual self and killed.
“Why go to all that trouble? Why wait days between each kill until now?”
“Because,” Dragon began. “That way, it wouldn’t seem obvious. Kill occasionally. Let them live for a while. Then slowly advance in the speed of killing. Until everyone dies in one day. Until Dusknoir shows his face and kills us. Until he decides to show his treacherous hide.”
“So what can we do until he shows himself?” Low asks. Dragon looks up at the darkening sky.
“We wait. The ideal time to both kill us and reveal himself is at night, when it’s dark. There’s a clearing in that forest to the northeast. Let’s go.”
About an hour or two later, the group was settled around the fire Blood made. The trio was looking at each other oddly; each suspecting one of them was Dusknoir. In a sense, they were right.
“One of us here is Dusknoir.” Low Snow said.
“The other two will either die or kill Dusknoir.” Blood responded.
“If Dusknoir wins, the world ends. If the two innocent win, then they move on to Shaymin with the Golden Apple in hand. Low, please put the Golden Apple behind that tree.” Dragon pointed to a tree quite a way from the campfire, but surrounded on all sides. Only accessible by the front. It was both an ideal hiding and trapping spot.
“Well, shall we begin?” Dragon said.
“How do we decide who Dusknoir is?” Blood asked.
“We can vote, or we can all have a fight, which would lead the winner to be Dusknoir. Not ideal, and easy to hide. I say a vote.” Low Snow offered.
“A vote it is.” Blood responded. “So, who’s willing to go first?”
No one responded to Blood’s offer. He sighed, and pointed at Dragon.
“He’s smart, logical, and more or less heartless. He’s thought of almost every angle. I say it’s Dragon.” Sweat began to pour on Dragon’s head.
“I say it’s Low. Here from the beginning. Easy to track fresh prey if they’re close to you, especially at the beginning of a terrible journey. One that was sabotaged by treachery.”
“So that leaves me, eh?” Low Snow sighed. “Fine, my vote is… myself.” And Low Snow reached out his arm, stabbing Dragon in the chest. Dragon’s lung exploded, as he saw the green mud oozing out of the wound Low Snow still had his hand in. Blood was paralyzed by the sudden movement. Low Snow twisted and Dragon cried out in pain. He struggled to take a breath, not because he couldn’t, but because he didn’t want to. Low Snow had stabbed poison into his lung. Every breath intoxicated his system. He was literally breathing out fumes. Blood charged at Low Snow, the latter of who grabbed the former by the snout. He threw him into a tree meters away, snapping it in half. Blood oozed from Blood’s back, but he still tried to harm Low Snow. After multiple raking and snapping, Blood slashed Low Snow’s chest from shoulder to hip crosswise. The traitor screamed in pain, similar to what the now-deceased Dragon had been doing moments ago.
“How could you do in your own friends?!” Blood demanded. The comfort Low Snow offered after Mudkip’s death bit him twice as hard as it should have.
Low Snow laughed. “Simple. Trash has no reason to live, except to serve lord Shaymin. Trust is the natural poison of the world. Never turn your back to an enemy, even if you don’t know they’re an enemy.” Low Snow charged at Blood using the poison on his arm in an attempt to kill him. Blood’s speed and power were enough to repel Low Snow, as was the type advantage.
An Overheat from Blood nearly fainted Low Snow, leaving him burned and near-death. Low Snow relied heavily on his arm and various tricks from his mutation. The mutation that allowed him to break the natural laws of Moves. Blood had used his most powerful move, one that lowered his strength, but he still kept up his constant attacks, including Flamethrower and Flame Wheel. Low Snow’s speed was surpassed by that of Blood’s. More than once, Low Snow had been at Blood’s mercy, only to slip away by a hair’s breadth.
Blood and Low Snow were both exhausted. Low Snow knew he couldn’t win by playing fairly. So, he did something even a Ditto couldn’t do. He morphed into a Mudkip. Blood stared at the form of his deceased friend.
“Hiya Blood!” Low shouted cheerily, in Mudkip’s body. “You didn’t really think I was dead, did you?” Blood couldn’t respond. Seeing his friend alive, even though he knew that this was a trap paralyzed him. Mudkip moved forward, and Blood did nothing. He was barely even breathing.
“Listen, you’ve hurt me a lot. Is it OK if I repay the favor?” An incredibly long claw sprouted out of Mudkip’s right forepaw. He raised it, shifted back into Low Snow, and said “See you later, idiot!”
A flurry of wings dropped from the sky. An orange mane, gray fur, bloodshot eyes, and a face that seemed to radiate malice.
Primal Shaymin.
“They’re all gone, Master.” Low Snow crushed the hidden Golden Apple in his hand. Shaymin grinned.
“Well done, Dusknoir.”
“Nothing to it. The last fool was too caught up in-” Low Snow shifted into Mudkip “-seeing his dear friend again.” He shifted back. “He didn’t even notice my claw. He didn’t feel any pain when the claw stabbed him, and bisected him. I have to say, Mightyena do have a lot of blood. Funny. Blood was full of blood and hot-blooded too.” Low Snow chuckled evilly.
“No one else opposes us?”
“If there is someone, they aren’t important. You just have to destroy this world before a year passes. That Golden Apple tree is incredibly had to destroy. Better to finish this garbage bin off before another minor threat arrives.”
“Good. Well then, a world waits to be ruled. Shall we?”
“I’m done for the night. Two murders in a row really tired me out. That last idiot hurt me pretty badly. I’m gonna rest for a while. Have fun. Save me some fools before you recycle this garbage can.”
“I will.”