Scarso Zuruzukin's Story

Across Nimbasa City, the dark shadow spread, darkening the skies and bringing a rain of flashing lights and streaks of lightning. The rumble of thunder was intense, and several crystals would begin arising from cracks in the earth at various locations. The ground became tainted and corrupted around each crystal formation, and the air, in general, began to feel more oppressive. Trainers throughout the area had their moments of panic, running for shelter, with the Pokemon Center quickly filling to capacity. The flashing lights outside raining from the sky stung and harmed Pokemon and Trainer alike, and many sought treatment for the scrapes they took.

--

Inside the Pokemon Center, as the nurses worked tirelessly, a Scrafty turned to raise its shades and observe the Trainer standing beside it. The Trainer looked frightened, scared, and a little exhausted, with her tank top and shorts having done little to protect her from the flashing lights. She was scratched all over, and her clothing was tattered. The televisions and radios were on the fritz, and many Trainers were trying to get them working again.

The Scrafty pondered the turn of events. Just hours ago, it was a bright and sunny day, with a grand fight occurring at the large stadium, and then the fight had to be interrupted. This followed. It vexed the Scrafty. Something was up, and it wasn't sure what, but it was big.

--

Elsewhere, inside the Theater, another location where Trainer and Pokemon were taking shelter, several Trainers were trying to get a radio and television working to see if they could get any news on what was going down. Everyone was on edge, and volunteers were helping any Trainers and Pokemon who ran inside the building to get medical aid as needed. Aiding their efforts was a Beheeyem, one that seemed to know the move Heal Pulse, and was quite proficient at treating even the humans, alongside the Pokemon.

To it, this whole circumstance stood out as odd. Peculiar. Yet, the feeling it got was not unlike the one it had when a Zoroark was trying to terrorize the region on the down low several years ago. Only this felt like it was going to get worse, rather than better.

--

Every corner of the city was soon shrouded in the darkness, and few Trainers or Pokemon willingly were still outdoors. What would happen next was unknown.

The doors to the Nimbasa City Pokemon Center slid open and in walked a rather petite looking Pokemon. It was as casual as any Pokemon that walked in there, a chimp-like Fire-Type with orange fur, a yellow belly with a swirl in his chest, a rear that was constantly lit, and blue eyes that immediately began scanning the place. There were some oddities about it though. For one, he was walking in alone, which wasn't too weird. But two, he had a knapsack on his left side, which was slightly strange for Pokemon with trainers and a bit more strange for wildings. And three, he walked in seemingly unscathed, not even looking tired from all the weather effects outside...although it did seem to be letting up on the rain slightly.

Many of the people inside turned to see who or what had walked through. He caught a few curious and skeptical glances. Very few actually seemed to recognize that he was a Chimchar and those that did just stared longer. But everyone had their own worries on their mind to really give two thoughts about the strange walk-in, so they tended to their business...which was helping their Pokemon, caring for their own wounds, and listening for any report on the static-like radio that didn't seem to be working anytime soon.

The Chimchar glanced around with an analytical eye, as if he was scoping the place out, before turning to one of the Pokemon next to him and striking up a conversation. It would be too far away for the Scrafty to hear.

Radegast made sure his helmet was securely on, and stepped into the Pokemon Centre with Touko. “At least it’s stopping. Flying might not be a bad idea.” he said as he stepped closer to a window to check the skies. I guess I’m getting more used to riding pokemon now…

As he waited for Touko to finish swapping out her team, Radegast’s eyes wandered, until he spotted a certain Chimchar. His face was concealed, so his smile wasn’t exactly visible. Before he could extend a psychic probe to discreetly contact Crimson, Touko returned and asked something in another language. “Huh?” Radegast asked.

“She asked where you got me,” Reggie replied. Generations of existence have given him time to be fluent in nearly every language within Ruulan space, “You never did learn the native language of Kanto.”

Radegast nodded slowly. He knew Ruulan Common- it was standard across Ruula- but the other language that seemed to be gaining more and more popularity was a subject he would have taken had he not run away. Still, to answer her question, “He’s always been around,” Radegast replied, ”Reggie’s family to me.”

The Scrafty kept his cool as he stood beside the counter, just waiting and observing. His Scraggy were already out and about, though the past few days of making the Center his new hangout revealed that the weather was subsiding, something he immediately took note of.

Then the Chimchar walked in. That was something you didn't see every day in Unova. He kept a close eye on the Chimchar's actions. Seeing Touko and Radegast walk in next. The two Trainers. Chimchar probably belonged to them. The Scrafty said nothing, only lifting his shutter shades to get a better look momentarily.

Crimson was finished talking to the Minccino, having learned nothing he didn't already know. He was about to move on to someone else when a familiar face entered his peripherals. Actually...two familiar faces, considering he knew Touko too. But it was the knightly-clad figure he knew was hiding a Gallade-like face that made him grin.

Making sure he looked as natural as possible, he slowly found his way over to Radegast's side.

"You're a slight ways away from Castelia, aren't 'cha?" he said, his tone verifying that he was glad to see him, "How'd things go over there?"

He had to assume fairly well as he did end up finding Touko throughout all this madness. But whether or not she'd recognize him...that was the ultimate question. To be fair, they had both fought together and against each other over a few encounters, so he had to imagine she would. Besides, there was something about his posture and stance, something about that gleam in his eyes that gave him an identity.

Fortunately, Crimson spotted him and approached as well. “Hey man,” Radegast replied with a wave of his Limiter-clad arm.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed the Scrafty was looking at them. The shades didn’t exactly hide the fact that the Scrafty’s head was pointed in their general direction and not turning around much. Radegast kept his psychic voice short-range just in case, only picked up within a metre and change. “Not too hot, I’m afraid. The scientist is gone, but the name I got was Nendel. We’re gonna head to Driftveil to check up on my cousins.”

”Different cousins.” Reggie added, in case Crimson thought of the crazy one that had allied herself with the Rebellion.

“Cori and Nadine never took on a championship, but I remembered they followed news on that sorta thing. It wouldn’t hurt to check on them given what’s happening anyway. After that, we’ll investigate Nendel’s work, see if we can find anythi-” Radegast then noticed Crimson had something that seemed very important to say. ”Unless there’s already something?”

"Ah, there it is. This search function is really something." Touko finally logged out and held up Unfezant's Poké Ball. Having been captured early in her journey several years ago, it seemed more than a little beat up, but still functional. "So hang on tight. I dunno if he can handle two people. The guards might see us, but I doubt they'll give chase even if they do. Sigilyph are very much the type to stick to a routine."

She stepped outside and shouted back. "Hey, you coming? Looked like you saw someone you knew back there. Make it quick, no telling when that weather might come back." The Unfezant came out with a proud tweet, shaking its red headdress to try to attract any mates.

"All right. I need you to use Fly to take us to the Driftveil center, ok?" A quick nod and a trill of acknowledgement, and they were all ready to go save for the armored figure.

Crimson nodded before pulling out Dr. Nendal's business card he'd collected and handing it to him, "It actually perfect that you're going to Driftveil. Evidently, he has a series of labs scattered throughout the world and his headquarters is located just outside the city limits of that particular town. Chances are, he'll have left notes or something that can help us figure out how to stop this Diancie. I guess since you're heading that way, do you mind checking the place out?"

His gaze went to Touko as she shouted back to Radegast. A noise of amusement escaped his own mouth, "She's as determined as ever. That or she doesn't recognize me." He looked back to Radegast, "Either way, sounds like you both are in a rush, so I'll fill you in on the details later. But there's a couple things you should know."

He leaned in closer, making sure Radegast was going to be the only one to hear this, "First, keep your eyes peeled for a woman named Lovrina. Long, pink ponytails, bright green eyes. Hard to miss. From what I gathered, she's the one who actually knows about this strange power Diancie has and had a big hand in developing it. Maybe even created it. She's the new Nendal, though. Second, if you run into a person named James who has a Gardevoir friend named Shirona, they're allies. They're already checking the place out so there's a good chance you'll run into them. And third, of course, be careful. You can't save your friends and defeat your enemies if you're dead, so...try not to die." He gave him a wink of assurance to tell him that despite the heavy words, his tone was definitely light.

"Be seeing ya. Good luck," Crimson gave a casual wave as he turned around and continued to walk through the crowd of people, talking with the Pokemon he ran into.

Well… this is amazing! Radegast was beaming under his visor as he received the business card. Crimson must have struck a gold mine of intel while everyone was split up. It only made Radegast wonder just how much more everyone else had gathered. ”Thanks man!” He replied.

The laboratory mentioned located near Driftveil looks to be another such gold mine, which gave him even more reason to head over there as soon as possible. Crimson then ”Lovrina pink pigtails new scientist. James and Shirona are allies. Good luck don’t die. Got it.” He flashed a thumbs-up. “Take care, Crimson.”

As Crimson vanished into the crowd once more, Radegast looked to Touko and nodded. "There’s been a breakthrough. We should hurry."

The two of them headed out of the Pokemon Centre. Radegast smiled to Touko’s Unfezant. Judging by the magnificent pink crown, Radegast recalled from old textbooks that this was a male.

Touko was already riding. Without thinking much on the connotations, Radegast got on behind her. Before he did, however, he did apply some psychic power in an attempt to make himself lighter, to ease the burden for the Unfezant. Carrying two teenagers and their gear did strike Radegast as a bit too much.

There was an almost unnoticeable drain as Radegast’s attempt managed to work. Soon, they were all on their way to Driftveil.

As the Chimchar continued to talk to the Pokemon in the Pokemon center, he started hearing repeated responses. Saw nothing before the skies went dark. Took shelter in the Pokemon Center. Awaiting the clearing of the skies since then. A couple who had already been there was watching the battle between Touko and Iris until the weather delay struck. All the same, there was nothing new to discover, it seemed. It was at this point that he began to wonder if asking around would yield any results he hadn't come across already.

One more... the thought ran through his head as he made his approach on another Pokemon...a Scrafty leaning against the wall, relaxed and almost unreadable with the shades he wore. To Crimson at least, it seemed a bit odd, given the situation. But people carried many faces, he knew from his countless adventures.

"Sup?" he acknowledged, giving the Scrafty a half-wave as he leaned against the wall next to him, "What brought you in here?"

The Scrafty's silence spoke volumes to Crimson and he shrugged in response.

"Not much of a talker, eh?" he grinned softly, "I get that. Or if you're not in the mood, I get that too."

Just then, the eyes of everyone turned to the sudden change of picture on the TV, broadcasting some Breaking News. The Chimchar's eyes turned with them and saw the queen, presenting herself in front of the people for the first time. Not a single murmur ripped through the crowd of people, a dead silence enveloping everyone as she gave her speech, a callous display of power and capability, but also...a promise to her subjects.

"Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully as he glanced towards the onlookers. Most of the people were confused and frightened, from what he could tell. Queen Melaine's terrifying rise into power had certainly done a number on so many of them. But it was the contradiction of words and body language that had many turning their heads, trying to comprehend what she was saying. But they continued to watch as the speech turned into a spectacle, setting the stage for an arena fight between her and the six powerful trainers she had spoken about.

"Welp. I'm gonna go and watch...maybe learn a thing or two on how to deal with this queen," Crimson stood up and gave the Scrafty a passing stare before walking towards one of the monitors broadcasting the fight, "Feel free to join me if ya want."

With that, he sat down and started studying, analyzing moves being presented on screen. While this Diancie's brash and stubborn nature seemed reliable enough, he wasn't sure if she would ever display her abilities again. So, he'd take the opportunity to learn.

Having been mostly dismissive of the small Chimp Pokemon, the Scrafy finally responded.

You know the words she speaks are empty. But many here... They will buy it. Scared people need someone to turn to, no matter who that is. But you know that already, don't you?

Looking up to the screen, he watched the fight occurring, watching as the Diancie began using its array of powers.

She's one of those? That ain't good. Not one bit. That'll make what I need to do a whole lot harder.

He had to admit...watching the torture on screen was proving difficult. As audible gasps of shock and horror emanated from the others in the room, Crimson's eyes narrowed and his temper flared slightly. The Scrafty would feel a little extra heat radiating from him. If he was keen enough, he would actually feel a strong aura hiding underneath it.

But with closed eyes, a smooth inhale, and a barely audible exhale, the heat died down and the Chimchar took his casual demeanor once more. He did recall one important detail out of that initial exchange, however.

"She knows Wonder Guard," he pointed out to the Scrafty, gesturing towards the screen, "Didja see those tiny particles that flew through the air after that Lucario's Aura Sphere disappeared? That only happens if you don't use a super strong move against a Shedinja. They have it, too. Watch for it on the next attack."

He couldn't bring up Wonder Guard knowledge without recalling his battle against Obelisk, the Shedinja that proved to be a tiny terror for the Isle Defenders a few years back. While he wasn't a Psychic Rebellion associate, he definitely had his own brutal lifestyle and wasn't letting anyone control him. And so talks turned to blows and Crimson learned the lesson of Wonder Guard the hard way. He had Tag and Maya to thank for ending up victorious in that little skirmish.

"So..." he tapped his knee as he turned towards the Scrafty, recalling his last comment, "What's your plan then, Mr...?"

But he got no response. The Scrafty was either too transfixed on the fight to talk or simply didn't want to talk to him. That was fine, Crimson decided. He wasn't about making enemies unless they pronounced themselves as the enemy first. More specifically, he didn't want to appear annoying. With a dismissive shrug, his attention turned back to the fight.

The battle raged on and as he watched, he learned more and more about the Diancie. The effect of the weather around them that slowly wore down on the competitors, both physically and mentally. The ineffective use of Status Conditions that seemed to reflect off her and back towards the one who cast it. The high-power attacks she dished out in return. She had no real defensive capabilities herself, but given her conditions, she didn't really need to pour her efforts into defense. Whatever Dr. Nendal had done to her, she could now wipe out most Pokemon before a single one could land a significant hit on her. But she wasn't unstoppable. She had weak points. She could be defeated.

And as he was figuring this out, an idea began to hatch in his mind. One that was a bit crazy, even for his taste. But if all went well and he could do what he needed to, he could tie up several loose ends along the way. He just needed to put on his biggest Zane impression.

A cold shiver went down his spine at the thought of that. He was not Zane. He would never be.

But he grinned in a friendly manner as he gave a wave to the Scrafty, "Well, be seeing ya, I guess."

He glanced one more time towards the screen. A Lucario and it's Trainer were just stepping into the fray, beginning their first attack. From what he could glean, this was the last line of defense. He had to hurry.

He bolted out the front door of the Pokemon Center, sprinting through one of the alleyways of Nimbasa, and ran for the desert. He was very careful to avoid the detection of the patrolling minions, catching their view before they could his and either letting them go past or moving past them before they could spot him. When he entered the outskirts and stood on the sand of the desert, he shifted into his Electric Form and burst forward, running towards Nimbasa City. His Electric Form was faster and he needed all the speed he could get. He wished he had the Power Boots to make him even faster, but he reckoned Tag needed them more. For that matter, he wished he had brought along the Power Bat. That would make his task ahead a lot easier.

But those were fleeting thoughts as the real concerning issue pressed in the forefront of his mind: How long could that Lucario hold out for?

The Scrafty smiled.

Sorry. I can't share my plans yet. But take care little dude. Don't do anything troublesome.