Sinners: Arc 2

A/N: Update, finally! Took long enough, eh?



This is not the entirety of the "Corrupted" storyline. With the main work so ungodly large, I have decided to chop it into three or four pieces and upload them separately, with a good deal of cutting to make them more manageable. While this chapter is far shorter than my usual fare, I should be able to finish editing the next chunk in a few days.



Yes, you heard me right. I'll be attempting the shorter-chapter, more-frequent-update gambit. If there's enough popular support for it once the "Corrupted" storyline is done, I may continue with the shorter and more often updated chapters in the future.



Here is part one, "Tainted". Exhausted physically and mentally from the trials of the desert and his encounter with Miyako, Slash finds his powers becoming manipulated by the ever-strengthening veil of the Shadow. Hope you enjoy!



Word count: ~6500



*****



Chapter 25: Tainted







Though sunrise was not far off, one wouldn't know it by the sky. Starless and filled with choking curtains of ash, this part of Hoenn was like a poisoned heart, throbbing sickeningly and pumping its tainted blood across the northwest.



Standing just outside of the thick canvas tent, Slash Firestorm, trainer of only two months, stared off into the darkness, shivering and irritable, his expression blank. He was cold. The air had the bite of winter rather than the nip of fall, and he was not dressed for it. His teeth rattled uncontrollably.



The chill seemed to make his terrible headache even worse. He wasn't sure if it was due to Miyako manipulating his mind or Psymakio repairing it, but it felt like his doors had been slammed for hours on end. Had he ever been drunk in his young life, Slash would have thought this to be the mother of all hangovers.



Though his face appeared blank, he was not zoning out. On the contrary; despite his physical and mental fatigue, he had never felt so...alert...in his life. He was looking at the webs, of course. Yesterday the sight of them, thick and wriggling, had nearly made him vomit, but now they felt almost...empowering. Where they brushed his skin, he felt a bit warmer. While they didn't feel entirely natural---their signature was vastly different from his own dark energy, and for the first time he wondered if there was more than one kind of darkness (it would explain much)---they didn't feel as foreign and disgusting as they had the previous day.



In fact, the sight of them was almost comforting.



He progged at them with his dark-enhanced senses, carefully watching for any sign of pain or discomfort from his sleeping mate. Whenever his focus moved onto a web, the strand vibrated, like a spiderweb touched by an insect. He was interacting with the strange substance, feeling it absorb his power and alter it before returning it. It was more parasitism than symbiosis, but he wasn't entirely fearful of this fact. Perhaps it was because the power being returned was greater than the power being sucked out.



A dirty hand, shivering from the cold, tentatively reached out and clutched one of the thicker bundles. Yes, it was warm, comfortingly so. Mere moments after touching it, a flash of images ran through his head---being licked by Growlithe, graduating in the top ten of his trainer class, standing over his uncle's sleeping body and raising a knife.



Slash released the web, practically hearing the buzzy twang from the level that these strings actually existed in. Though there was no residue left on his hand---none he could see, anyway---he wiped it on his jeans, lip curling in disgust. It was disconcerting, the way these dark tendrils played with his powers. While they felt almost pleasant to the touch, they nonetheless resonated with something sinister. The veil showed him what he wanted, regardless of whether or not wanting it was right, and after what had happened in the desert, that idea frightened him. A shadow of his former nausea returned, and his headache intensified. He could feel his RAGE door shivering lightly in its frame, looking for an excuse to be opened. The Dark Core, hanging from the top of his void, pulsed powerfully.



This was not a good place to be, not for someone like him. Whatever powers he had, whether his own gifts or those given to him from somewhere else, they would be a liability here. Ever since he had blanked those Cacturne, he had resisted the urge to use his dark powers, but the temptation was growing stronger...as though that one taste, brief as it was, would make him crave it forever. From behind the RAGE door he heard half-mad whispers, proclaiming all the things he could do with those powers. If he was cold, he could swaddle the dark energy around himself like an invisible cocoon and warm himself. If he was in danger, he could wrap a barrier around his body that would effortlessly block any Dark-natured attack, regardless of its strength. And if he needed to kill someone...



He jumped, startled, as a whimpering creature came waddling out of the tent at his feet. Cacnea. He knelt down and motioned the child to his side. The little thing looked terrified. He noticed him purposely avoid touching the strands of the veil.



"You can see it, can't you?" Slash asked in a whisper. The dark webbing seemed drawn to Cacnea in the same way that it was drawn to him; it moved towards the Pokemon like a plant towards sunlight. "You don't like it very much, either, huh? It's creepy..."



Cacnea made a wordless cry of discomfort and snuggled closer to his father. The Pokemon looked a little pale, presumably from lack of moonlight. While there had been precious little moonlight that made it through the shifting sands of the desert, it was still enough for Cacnea and Cacturne to survive. Here, though, under the ash, there was not enough---the night had been almost completely lightless. Slash instinctively sent a gentle trickle of his dark energy to the creature's heart, fueling Cacnea's core the same way as he had in the desert.



"That's another thing," he whispered, more to himself than Cacnea. "For all of the selfish, destructive things I can do with my powers, I was still able to save you at birth, and without hurting Psymakio in the process. And I can feed you like this, and yet my abilities don't seem diminished from. Everything I've been told about light and darkness feels...incomplete. I know that that entity was stretching the truth, but..."



He looked down at Cacnea, who was clawing the ash happily by his side, clearly less frightened now that he was being 'fed'. While he couldn't see well in the low light, Slash thought that the Pokemon's color had brightened considerably. The direct infusion of dark energy into his core had done wonders, though the child was still avoiding the veil. They huddled together in the cold, an unusual pair of lonely adventurers.



"I wish I could talk to Quiero. He told Psymakio that the only way to use Dark power is to think of oneself, but that can't be true...Dark-type Pokemon protect themselves and their packmates with their powers, and I was able to save and feed you with mine. There has to be another way, one that lets you use dark powers without becoming the kind of monster that Jirachians believe Dark-types to be. I've got to find out how to do it."



Slash leaned back against the side of the tent, trying to keep the threads of the veil from touching him. That was another problem, this...Shadow. Its darkness was different from his own. A simple prog showed that it matched neither his own dark energy nor the potent stuff in the Dark Core. It was something else, and whatever it was, it was dangerous. Everything touched by those strands was being subtly changed, whether ground or air or living thing.



They were becoming corrupted.



Yes, that was about right. The veil of the Shadow was like a disease, a mutated offshoot of Darkness, warping everything it came into contact with. According to Quiero, the corruption would eventually reach the point where lifeforms would transform into twisted mockeries of their former selves, killing everything around them before turning on each other. Things weren't nearly that bad yet, but Slash could sense the early symptoms beginning already, and he suspected that those with Dark natures would be especially susceptible to it.



The thought of losing himself to his rage had been terrifying, but at least then Psymakio might be able to restrain him. The thought of transforming into some sort of mindless, hideous monster and attacking his pack...that was unspeakable.



And he had no idea when the physical symptoms might begin to manifest. For all he knew, he was in the early stages right now.



[Boom?]



Slash glanced down at Cacnea, who was staring at the enormous ash column that was just now becoming visible in the scant light. With all of his worrying about the veil's effects on his powers, he had nearly forgotten about its effects on the volcano.



"Yeah, boom. When the others wake up, we're going to be heading closer to it. Is that okay?"



The Pokemon shook his head, apparently as frightened of Chimney as he was of the shadowy tendrils. Slash picked him up and climbed to his feet, trying to keep the web from touching his son. He didn't know if it had the same effect on Pokemon, but he'd rather not chance it. It would upset the little cactus, in any case.



"We have to. Even if we fled now, we wouldn't be far enough away when it blows. But if we can stop the problem at its source, the volcano might calm down. I know that it's scary...I know that all of this is scary...but we might be able to undo it. Can you be brave?"



Cacnea wriggled in his arms and looked back at the tent, an action that translated to "I want mommy". A little jealous, Slash wrapped his dark energy around the small creature, draping the two of them like a cloak. The webbing seemed to be repelled by it. Cacnea calmed somewhat, feeling safe in his father's powerful and familiar aura.



['Kay. Brave.]



Good boy, Slash whispered, sending his words through the dark energy rather than audibly or telepathically. If things get too scary, I can put you in a Pokeball. It'd be like going to sleep for a while.



[No. Mom, dad.]



All right, then.



Cacnea closed his eyes, and Slash was glad. The tendrils of the veil were rapidly adapting to the cloak, and while they did not penetrate it, they were no longer repelled by it, either. They attached to the shield and began pumping their strange, invisible venom into it, the same way they pumped it into everything else. Slash strengthened the shield and pulled it tighter.



-----------------



Even during sleep, Psymakio had a vague sense of what was going on around her. So when the presence of her mate and adopted son simply vanished, she woke up in a frightened shock.



She sat up, glanced around the tent, and threw open her progging senses as wide as she could. She could sense the camp, large and full of minds and just now starting to wake up, but not Slash or Cacnea. The dissonant feedback from the veil weakened her abilities somewhat, but she should still be able to sense them unless they were very, very far away...or if they were dead.



Climbing to her feet and careful not to step on her sleeping packmates, she ran to the entrance of the tent and threw the flaps open. She stared, unblinking. Standing outside, staring out at the mountains, were her mate and son. Both were safe and unharmed. She tried and failed to prog them; it was as though some sort of interference was blocking all of her senses from touching Slash. The relief flooding through her at the sight of them faded as she realized that even the mating bond was silent; the last time something like that had happened, Slash had cut his lifespan down to a mere six months.



Master!



No response. Whatever was wrong with him, it was affecting her telepathy, as well. She reached out, half-expecting to be blocked by a barrier, and touched his shoulder. Slash jumped in surprise, dropping Cacnea onto the ground with a thump and making the cactus burst into tears. He whirled around, numb hand dropping to the haft of his knife, before he realized who had touched him. The interference disappeared as suddenly as it had come, and Psymakio was able to prog them both once more...but her mate's aura seemed to pulse with something harsh and cold.



"Damn it, Gardie, what the hell? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" he asked, more angrily than he had intended. She winced at his voice and took a step back, eyes dropping to the ground.



"I'm sorry, Psymakio, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You just surprised me, is all. Come here and give me a hug."



After a moment's hesitation, Gardevoir stepped forward and hugged him tightly, checking all of her mental connections to him as she did so. The frightening aura from before had disappeared, and he felt normal to her once again. She nuzzled his neck and tried to hold back her tears; he had not yelled at her since their battle with Maxie, and it had shocked her.



Master, I couldn't sense you at all, not even over the mating bond. After what happened last night, I was worried that something might have happened...



"Nothing happened, sweetheart. I guess you could feel me because...well, Cacnea was just afraid of the...veil-web stuff, so I put a cloak of dark energy around us to keep it off. I didn't know that it would stop you from sensing us. I wouldn't have done it if I had known, especially not after last night."



Don't do it again, alright? I was scared, and then you...



"I promise. And I'm sorry I yelled at you, so please, don't be sad. It breaks my heart to know I made you feel that way. You were just being a good mate and mother."



She seemed to perk up at that, and he gave her another squeeze before releasing her. She knelt down and laid a hand on Cacnea, who was still sniffling from being frightened and dropped on the ground, as well as being separated from his father's dark aura.



Listen, little one, you can't hide from the nasty stuff like that, okay? I know that it's scary, but...when you hide behind something like that, your mommy can't find you. You and daddy have different powers than me, and they're invisible to me, so you can't do that anymore.



[But...yucky!]



I know the dark stuff is yucky, but if you're hiding like that, and you get into trouble, I won't be able to help you...



Cacnea kept whining, and Slash hunched down next to his mate. "How about this, little guy. We can hide from it, but only if your mommy is awake and right next to us. It's not fair for us to worry her, you know. She only wants to keep us both safe."



Still sniffling, the child nodded. ['Kay.]



"Good. Now go back inside the tent with the others. Me and mommy need to talk. You go lay down with your friends."



['Kay.] The little cactus waddled into the tent, leaving the mates alone. The camp was mostly quiet, giving them a degree of privacy. Slash resisted the urge to make physical contact with Gardevoir, especially after all that had transpired.



"Psymakio..."



Yes, master?



"The real reason I snapped at you...wasn't because you surprised me. It's because...this veil is starting to affect me and my powers. It's probably affecting everyone here, but my dark heart...and that Dark Core, whatever it is...it'll make me more vulnerable to it. Cacnea is feeling the effects as well, and I bet Corphish will too, but...my darkness is closer to the veil than theirs. I don't know why, but that's how it is."



She didn't reply. It was true, and she didn't know of any way to change that fact.



"I'm not sure how fast this corruption process works, but...if it ever looks like I'm losing control, promise me that you'll restrain me before I hurt someone. I don't care how you have to do it. If you need to enter my mind and slam my doors shut, don't hesitate. If you need to knock me out, do it. And if I should start to transform into one of Quiero's monsters...promise me you won't let me hurt you or the others. Do what has to be done."



Gardevoir looked at him in horror, disbelieving. I...I could never do something like that! Ever! Our mating bond prevents it from even becoming a possibility, master!



"I have a feeling that if the corruption ever becomes that bad, our mating bond will allow you to use force to subdue me. And if I ever reach the point of no return...our bond will likely no longer recognize me as your mate. It'll let you do what has to be done. Promise me that you won't let me hurt any of you. I'd rather die at your hands than have that happen. Please...if you love me, you'll promise me."



I promise, Psymakio whispered miserably, though she was not sure if she could keep such a promise if it ever came down to it. Her fear deepened as she noticed that the ominous feeling in the air seemed to be swirling around her mate like a tornado, interacting with his aura. Master, why are you bringing this up now? Are you...are you suffering symptoms of this?



He looked at the ground, unable to meet her gaze. "We don't know what the symptoms are, but...I am being affected. Nothing serious, not yet, but...I'm on edge. Irritable. Part of it's from everything that's happened in the desert and with Miyako, I know that, but...not all of it. My powers aren't the same as the energy in the air, but they're close, and the webs are trying to make them...sync up. If I feel like this now, days away from the source, who knows what it'll be like when we're actually there, at its source, with a thousand reasons to use my powers?" Slash gestured at the tent, where Cacnea was snoozing with the other Pokemon. "Some of my dark abilities are benign, but never forget that the same power that saved his life is also what killed his mother. And I don't know where the dividing line is."



Gardevoir touched his hand, warming it far better than the threads could ever hope to. It was a real heat, her touch, not an imitation. Never forget what I told you, either. I'm going to guide you through your powers, the light and the dark. If there's a way to control your dark powers and use them safely, I'll help you find it. If not, I'll help you lock them away. And if you lose control...I'll be right here to bring you back to sanity. With our love, your hearts are balanced, light and dark in equal measure. You can only lose control if you forget that.



"Or if I lose you."



The pair fell into silence at that, thinking of what happened when Quiero lost his mate.



"What do you think happened to her?"



I don't know. After I confronted her, she fled your mind completely. I can't sense any traces of her, though with my powers hampered by the veil...there's no way to be sure.



"Do you think she believed you? Is that why she panicked, because the truth was so shocking?"



The memories and feelings I gave her with that kiss would have felt as real as our conversation feels now...but considering her mental state, I can't be sure that she didn't reject it. She rejected so many other obvious truths that I suppose she could have. Still, even if she didn't cross over to the next world, I don't think she'll be back anytime soon.



Slash nodded, hissing at the pain caused by doing so. The throbbing in his temples was maddening. "Psymakio, what happened? My head feels terrible..."



I'm afraid that both me and Miyako are to blame for your pain, master. Miyako controlled you by manipulating your doors. In some cases she simply opened or closed a door, but sometimes she locked a door that was previously unlocked, or forced open a door that was not meant to be open. In order to repair your mind, I had to undo all of her changes. Because I had to force open some of the doors she locked, there's some lingering damage. I'm sorry, but...there was no other way.



"It's alright. I'm glad you did, but damn, it hurts."



But as soon as he said that, he felt the pain begin to diminish. An expression of patient endurance was on his mate's face. He was about to tell her that she didn't have to absorb his pain when he glanced into his void and saw just how flimsy and makeshift the patchwork was. Psymakio had done the best she could, and it would hold, but a good deal of his mind was held together with the psychic equivalent of scotch tape. It would take a while to 'set', too.



"Thank you," he whispered instead. "Thanks for fixing my mind...and for saving me. If you hadn't have come when you did, I think she would have killed me. What would have happened if I died in my void?"



You would have died, period. A body without a mind is just a corpse. And if she had killed you, her soul would have been damned forever.



"What about Angel? I know that she wasn't really a separate entity, but...she was your mating gift to me, and if ever I needed help with my powers, now is the time. Is she gone for good?"



She can be repaired...in time. The damage Miyako did to her is extensive. In any case, it will require a bond renewal...a simpler sort of mating...in order to revive her. We can't do it out here, not in these conditions, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while.



Slash nodded, though he wasn't pleased about it. "For her to be able to control me like that...to destroy Angel...she must have been even more powerful than Angel suspected. I guess it's because she's been around for so long. A normal Gardevoir would only have twenty years or so to grow strong, but she had more than a century of life, and who knows how many years after dying. So much time to be alone..."



Her madness was part of the reason your mental damage was so severe. She had all that raw power, but without the sanity and patience to control it. For example, I could perhaps safely unlock one of your doors during the course of a night or two, though it would be quite difficult. But Miyako just...ripped them open as she saw fit. I tried to go into your mind right then and stop her, but she blocked me out. It wasn't until your very life was in danger that I managed to slip through her defenses, and even then it was only because she was losing her concentration that I made it through.



"Did you know that she was pregnant before the...illusion? Was that part of Quiero's message to you?"



No...though I did find it unusual that he didn't mention it to me. A hundred years was more than enough time for them to have many children. What took them so long? And why would they wait until a time of war to do it?



"Maybe they didn't wait. All we know is that hybrids were once possible...maybe it was extremely rare."



Perhaps. I...I can't find myself hating her, master, isn't that strange? I want to...after what she did to your mind, and after she nearly killed you, I want to hate her very much...but I can't bring myself to do it. Bad enough for her to lose her mate, but her child, as well? Terrible. She whimpered and clutched Slash's hand between her own. Angel told you that I would die if something happened to you, right?



Slash nodded. "She said that you literally couldn't live without each me, and I would eventually become the same as you in that regard."



That's how it is for Gardevoir and Gallade...the mating bond is so strong that when one mate is lost, the other almost always dies soon after. But death doesn't always follow the loss of a mate...there is one thing that will keep the survivor alive, one thing important enough to override the instinct to follow their mate into death.



"Children?"



Yes. It is extremely stressful on the parent, and they almost always die after their children are old enough to leave the nest, but they can survive until then. It's what our kind does...we protect those we love, no matter how hard it is on us. Quiero lost control of his dark heart when he lost them both...I imagine that he was afflicted by this corruption phenomenon, or he would likely have died immediately...and condemned Miyako to wander the world as a ghost until she could cross over on her own strength. But with the loss of her mate and her unborn child, she just...



"Went crazy with grief. Crazy enough to nearly kill someone she thought was her mate."



Gardevoir's teary eyes flickered towards him. Do you hate her, Slash?



He wanted to say no. He wanted to say that he understand Miyako's pain and couldn't blame her for what she did. But the dark heart at Slash's core, normally held in check by the love bound within the heart of light, was overflowing with rage. The threads of the Shadow's veil dug into him, tainted and twisting, giving the more vicious part of him strength. Yes, it hated her. She had all but effortlessly manipulated his perception, dancing him about like a puppet to fit her fantasies. And when those fantasies finally began breaking down, the crazy bitch tried to kill him. The memory of being so utterly helpless and at someone else's mercy made him want to smash something. The pounding headache that lingered didn't help matters. Did Psymakio have to be so clumsy with the repairs? It was his fucking mind, after all, not some broken toy.



"I hope that we never have to go through that ever again," he finally replied.



Gardevoir, aware that he didn't answer her question, examined him curiously. Their bond was fluctuating wildly, filled with some sort of mental static. The pain she was draining from him suddenly doubled in intensity, and she instinctively broke the link in surprise. Slash clutched his temples as the pain surged back into him, cursing in agony.



I'm sorry, master, I just---



"You can stop draining my pain," he interrupted icily. "I'll deal with it on my own."



But you---



"If I can't handle a little headache, I may as well turn back right now. I'm fine."



Okay...if you say so. The static in their bond grew louder, to the point where she couldn't make out any of his emotions. The bond...we're off-sync. Let me try to adjust it back to normal...



"Is it so damn hard to stay out of my head for five fucking minutes?"



Psymakio flinched as though struck. Biting her lip and staring down at the flows of ash at her feet, she withdrew from his mind and stood very still and quiet. Slash's heart sank at the sight of her. He knew what he was feeling over their bond, and it was submission. Not the pleasant, playful kind from their mating; she was showing submission because she was afraid of him.



He tried to apologize, but the words wouldn't come. Worse still, his dark heart insisted that he owed her no apology. She had tampered with his mind, just like Miyako had, and pain caused from incompetent repairs was just as intolerable as pain caused from malevolence. He clamped down on those bitter feelings, burying them as deep as he could, hating himself for thinking them for even a moment. He reached for his light-filled heart, but the pain swelled at the attempt and made concentration impossible. It was like trying to grasp water.



"Gardie, I'm---"



"Ah, awake already?"



Slash turned to find Saibara standing a few yards away, dressed warmly and carrying a covered plate of food. He motioned at Gardevoir, and Slash found himself itching to break the old man's hand. "What's wrong with her?"



"It's none of your concern. We're just getting ready to leave."



"I see. Well, I wish you luck...the journey will be rather hard, especially since the ashfall has picked up since yesterday. Are you sure that you have enough supplies?"



(Plenty, I wish you'd choke on some of them, old man)



"Plenty."



Gardevoir felt a pulse of anger coming from her mate, and with it directed at someone else, she finally allowed herself to look up. Slash's fists were clenched at his side, practically shaking with rage. His conflicting hearts flickered like flames in a gale, and she instinctively took a step away from him. Had she the same powers as Slash, she would have seen countless strands of darkness pumping their toxin into his body. Even without that sight, she could practically feel it.



"Well, good, then." Saibara shook his head at the sight of the volcano, tsk-tsk'ing as he did so. "So much destruction in such a short time...it's a tragedy. I wonder what's made Jirachi so angry lately? Our town was always faithful to him. Well, considering how far Hoenn has fallen in recent years, I suppose I can't be surprised that something like this is happening. The entire country will have to pay for the sins of the wicked."



"What do you mean?" Slash asked with false curiosity, and Psymakio found herself wanting to shout at the old man to shut up. Her mate was practically exploding with anger, and this sort of conversation was exactly what he didn't need right now. She wanted to try to soothe him, perhaps check his mind to see if his RAGE door was intact, but the sting of his anger was still strong. She did not dare.



"There are so many signs of the decay. More and more trainers use Dark-types nowadays, as though it's okay to let those murderous beasts walk free as long as they're on a leash. Did they learn nothing from the Tyranitar attacks in Johto? The Pokemon League even permitted their use in sanctioned matches! Our money, our taxes, going to pay for the League to sanction those monsters! It's deplorable! What's next, letting Absol repopulate the countryside? We'll have volcanoes going off every day if that happens..."



"Actually, I'm thankful for the Pokemon League's decision. I have a Cacnea and a Corphish in my team, you know. Their evolved forms are Dark-types. A couple years ago I wouldn't have been able to use Corphish in my battle with Watson."



"Those two are different. At least you can repress their evolution, keep them from being corrupted. The League's even accepting full-Darks now! How can we expect Jirachi to favor our government when it allows tainted beasts the same freedom as the pure creatures?"



"There's nothing tainted about Dark-types," Slash suddenly spat, glaring at Saibara the same way he glared at the Cacturne he'd killed. "They're just as much a part of nature as every other Pokemon, and they have just as much right to live their lives as you do."



The old man gaped at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Slash didn't give him a chance to respond.



"You stand around, crying like a frightened child, wondering why Jirachi is angry and why he'd do this to you." He winked at Saibara mockingly. "It must be easy, being so gullible. Instead of blaming yourself, you can blame Jirachi for your failure to save so many of your people. There's a word for that, and it's cowardice. You're responsible for these people's plight. You're the reason why Team Aqua is rummaging through your belongings and pissing on your dead."



"Listen to me, you brat---"



"Have you any clue how foolish you sound? If Jirachi is real and in control, he is responsible for damning you in the first place! A petty, brute of an entity that toys with the lives of others, killing them at his whim...should such a creature really exist, it should be hunted down and killed. Jirachi deserves death far more than a pack of oh-so-scary Pokemon with powers beyond your understanding---"



Saibara slapped Slash across the face, but the young man simply grinned. The red hand print showed clearly on his chilled cheek.



"What know you of Darkness, old man? You think that because you can kill an unarmed, unsuspecting Pokemon, it makes you strong? One day you'll come across the wrong Dark-type and it'll kill you. And you'll deserve it."



Master, you're drawing unwanted attention! Please, let it go! He doesn't know any other way of thinking!



"Don't defend his stupidity," Slash growled out loud, barely noticing and not caring that a crowd was starting to form around them. "Their kind is responsible for the state Hoenn is in. For years they've tried to force their garbage down our throats, telling us what Pokemon are good and which are evil, trying to kill what they don't understand. They try to influence the real world with their fairy tales, and I'm sick of it! And when a little bit of progress is made, you want to tear it away and go back to the stupid ages, where Dark-types weren't just culled to 'acceptable numbers', but actively exterminated. You make me want to puke."



(He's going to get himself killed! I have to do something, even if he hates me for it!)



"I make you want to puke? You come here, you and your half-dark abominations eat our food and accept our shelter, and then you have the gall to speak out in the defense of those monsters? To blaspheme our faith, the one thing that's kept us alive this long?"



"The only reason you're still alive is because---"



Before he could finish the words that would damn them---because I allow it---Psymakio broke her fearful paralysis and wrenched her way back into Slash's mind. He attempted to block her entry, but she had broken through Miyako's defenses, and she had much stronger resistance than his untrained mind could offer. She found his RAGE door, hanging open and pouring out some terrible-smelling wind that seemed laden with color---a putrid purple, the color of bruises---and tried to close it. Slash resisted, but even with the veil of the Shadow manipulating his powers, Psymakio was far stronger than him in terms of psychic abilities, and the door slammed shut with a painful thud. The bitter taste in their bond dissipated within seconds, and she was relieved. Slash was suddenly flushed with shame, fear, and the realization that he had a dozen trainers and their Pokemon surrounding him, all of whom had heard his little speech. Angry whispers flew among them.



He looked at Gardevoir, anguish haunting his face. She nodded at him, forgiving him before he had a chance to apologize. There was no time for apologizing.



Quickly, master, we need to leave. Diffuse this as best as you can. We'll talk about it when we're out of here.



I...yes. You're right.



"I think I should take my leave," Slash said, forcing aside his pride and attempting to sound humble. As foolish as his outburst had been, he had said nothing that he did not believe, and letting the argument simply drop took more strength than he expected. Saibara glared at him, wrinkled cheeks aflame.



"Yes, you should. Get out of here. Without Jirachi's grace, you'll never survive against the dragon, but at this point, I care not. Leave and never cross our sight again."



Biting back a retort, Slash and Gardevoir entered their tent and collected their supplies. A moment later, the entire pack was leaving the camp, the other Pokemon half-asleep and not knowing why they were heading out so early. Cacnea, firmly held in his mother's arms, kept reaching for Slash and asking for his powerful aura. Slash simply stared at his feet as they left the camp, miserable and exhausted from the spent adrenaline. Psymakio, feeling his despair, took his hand as soon as they were out of sight of the camp, unsure if doing so was wise but unable to stop herself. For better or for worse, he was her mate, and she had to stand by his side, even at times like these.



Especially at times like these.



-------------------------



Far away, two entities watched the sunrise with matching expressions of fearful concern.



Did you feel that?



How could I not? The shockwaves were nearly as powerful as the ghost's.



The purple eyes of the larger creature flickered towards the west, towards the source of the disturbance. Things are falling apart faster than I could have imagined. That boy...his powers are going to become even more unstable if he gets any closer to it. He's going to go from loose-lipped to outright dangerous.



You saw what just happened. As strong as he is, the girl can keep him under control.



I hope so, for both their sakes. I can appreciate how addicting such power can be. Now that he's touched it once, he will want it always. That he is human will only make things worse. Things are always more complicated when humans are involved.



I think you underestimate the girl. While it goes against every fiber of her being to defy her mate, she will do so if he puts himself in danger. She has both the will and the ability.



Perhaps, but keep this in mind: the Dark Core wasn't behind that shockwave. It was his own strength that went out of control just now. I didn't realize that he was so powerful. The strength of his dark heart nearly rivals Kiako's. Do you think that she's strong enough to restrain such power? It is much more difficult to defend yourself against a lover than an enemy.



The smaller creature nodded fiercely. She is dependent on him...perhaps too much so...but she is not weak. Just watch and wait. They will survive.



They must survive. If my dreams are accurate, then both of them are needed to stop this impending catastrophe. Frail as they are, both are critical to the world's future.



------------------------



To be continued.