Lux

Calvin stood in the Eterna City gym, mind lost in thought.

Many Citizens had shuttled inside the Eterna City gym, for obvious reasons, considering how well-protected the gym is.

"What did he mean?"

Calvin's brain was fried, he wanted to know, he wanted to know what the hell Nick was talking about.

He pulled out a pack of chewing gum, before taking one out, and after taking off the wrapper, flicked it into his mouth.

Calvin couldn't help but feel immense frustration, he wanted to know, if they were going to be rivals, he wanted to know at least something important about him.

He continued to chew the gum, sighing as he did so, he used some potions to heal up his Pokemon, and he also bought more, just in case.

As he was lost in thought, his mind drifted over to the fight he had with that member, he managed to squeeze out a win, but he had to use a "Secret" technique, a part of him was kind of glad Nick left, due to him being able to use his "Secret" technique.

Calvin have never felt such emotions before, ever since he started his journey, he was confident, energetic, and eccentric…

Yet, for the first time, he felt turmoil, he felt like he was staring at a brick wall he could never penetrate.

"Nick, I'm sorry…"

"But I can't just stand still and dwindle!"

He exited the gym and ran.

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Nick rubbed his eyes, sighing.

He stole some super potions from the dude he beat up, and also did some threatening, and now his The Pokemon was in good condition.

"Bellator, Sicarius." Nick whispered as he released the two Pokemon, who appeared in a flash of light.

"Sicarius, keep on guard." Nick explained, "Bellator if you sense anything approach us, warn me and Sicarius."

"Sicarius, I will probably have you scout out the aggressor, so be prepared," Nick said, "Let's go."

Nick walked through the outskirts of Eterna city, eventually arriving at the main city.

"This place is messed up…"

In the short time, he had left the city, somehow things escalated so quickly…

"What the hell happened here?!"

Suddenly, Nick's eyes widened…

Gardenia stood on her massive Torterra, roaring with might.

In front of her…

Was a Garchomp.

The two mighty Pokemon roared with power, the Garchomp charged with power, it was relatively small compared to adult males, so it was very clearly newly evolved.

"What…"

Suddenly, a wave of rocks was hurled at him, he narrowly dodged the sudden attack, Bellator also helped by shooting down some of the boulders with a clean Psybeam.

Sicarius readied for battle, but Nick ordered her to follow him, and they all retreated behind a building.

"That Garchomp isn't an opponent we are remotely close to beating." Nick said, "Fighting it will be the same as committing suicide, our chances of winning are slim."

Nick winced as he had a sudden headache, he cursed, knowing what was happening.

"Damn it, it seems as if I am nearing my limit…"

"I've been holding it back for too long."

"No, I have to hold on…'

"Maybe I should've shot that woman then…"

"The logical side of me was screaming at me to end her life, I knew she would be a threat…"

"But I yearn for satisfaction, killing her there wouldn't give me satisfaction, It wouldn't be a problem to lean into that part of me for once, would it?"

Nick was shaken away from his thoughts, as he sensed a burst of psychic energy, He hastily turned his body around.

Bellator launched a Psybeam, composed of an insane amount of Psychic energy, the target…

Was a Garchomp.

Terror screamed through his body, this Garchomp was bloodied, bruised, and battered.

It intercepted the psybeam with one swift swing of its bloodied claws, before aiming for Bellator.

"Sicarius!"

The Sneasel launched a cold, icy, wind, as the Garchomp groaned in pain, before shifting its target towards Sicarius.

It let out a roar of anger, Nick's eyes widened as he hastily released Sven, blood dripping from the Garchomp as it sharpened its claws, emitting a terrifying aura.

"Sven, Chain-strike into force palm!"

"There is no way we can outrun it, we have to fight back!"

The Riolu didn't know much, all he knew was that they were in hot trouble and needed to fight back, it launched a flurry of attacks at the Garchomp, finishing the combo off with a powered up attack.

The attack sent ripples against Garchomp's body, but the beast simply shrugged off the attack.

Its eyes glowed red before it violently swinger its two incredibly sharp rear blades, Sven leaped backward in shock, and the Garchomp sharpened its claws, before lunging at Sven.

"Sicarius night slash!" Nick shouted, But before the Weavile could use the attack, the Garchomp was already in front of it, Bellator hastily shot the Garchomp with a psybeam in the side, which only served to frustrate the beast.

His heart dropped as the Garchomp steered its attention away from Sicairus, onto Bellator.

In a sudden scream, the Garchomp sharpened its claws and charged at Bellator

Then, in one clean swing…

Blood splattered onto the ground…

"Bloodshed…"

"Pain…"

" Bloodshed…"

"Pain…"

" Loss"

A dark, eerie, fog clouded his consciousness

In a flash, Nick quickly managed to save Bellator from another brutal swipe/.

His previous, faint orange aura, exploded, and become pitch black in color.

No emotions could be seen in his pupils, as he stared down the beast, and recalled his Pokemon.

The Garchomp stared at Nick, Who stood still…

The mighty beast growled, but Nick didn't dare flinch.

The Garchomp seemed annoyed at his lack of response, as he growled angrily before releasing a blast of fire.

Nick stood still, as he felt the air around him heat up…

Suddenly, the gust of heat air was replaced by freezing, cold wind…

"Abomasnow, Blizzard!"

The Garchomp that stood in front of him instantly backed away, but it was too late as it was frozen solid.

"Oi!" Gardenia shouted as a massive Abomasnow was right behind her, "Are you okay?"

"Are your Pokemon hurt?" Gardenia asked, she sighed in frustration as she didn't get any response, "You know, throughout my days as a Pokémon trainer, I was taught to be unbiased…

"But, I am gonna say this blankly, you shouldn't be a trainer." Gardenia said, "It may be me being biased and thinking irrationally, but the way you handle things is very risky."

Nick remained silent, it was very clear he was aware of what Gardenia was saying but chose to ignore her words.

"Why did you stand still?" Gardenia asked, "Did you accept your death, right then and there?"

"If so, then you have failed as a trainer."

Nick kicked a pebble, before finally facing Gardenia, as the both of them stood in the middle of the chaotic city.

"The moment that one of my Pokémon died was the moment that I realized my place in this world," Nick said, quietly.

Gardenia's eyes widened, before regaining her composure.

"Boy, go back to the gym," Gardenia said, Nick stared blankly at her.

"I said, go back to the gym." Gardenia ordered, "I, as a gym leader, can revoke your trainer's license if I feel the need to since I have a valid reason to do so."

"Please, this is for your safety."

Gardenia remained still, and the dark clouds slowly dispersed from his mind.

"Alright…" Nick muttered, before slowly turning his body and taking slow steps.

He suddenly stopped, as it felt as if his mind exploded from pain.

He winced at the sudden burst of pain but continued.

Nick suddenly stopped, before sighing.

"Sorry, but I can't do this."

"What do you-"

And, in a burst, Nick ran full speed, and before Gardenia could react, he was gone.

"Boy…"

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Nick's legs screamed in pain as he stood in a street, a couple of blocks away. Nick barely stayed conscious from the pain, as he finally regained some composure.

"That speed feat…"

"It should've been impossible."

The reason he was able to move at such insane speeds, was by concentrating every fighting energy he could exert into his legs…

But doing so should've completely ripped off his legs, in the most gruesome and painful way possible, the human body just can't withstand it.

Nick gritted his teeth, as he saw his body in an entirely new light…

"Fuck, why…"

"WHY!"

Nick internally screamed, in the first place, he shouldn't have instinctively used and exerted that much force…

He was now in a vulnerable position, and he could barely even move his legs.

As he slowly began to regain his legs, he could feel raindrops scattering from the clouds above.

He looked at the dark clouds forming, as his jacket was hit by the small droplets of water.

Memories formed, as the drizzling rain started to ramp up…

The reason he had started his journey, wasn't to become the strongest…

It was to experience something, something he had never experienced before…

In times of such poor conditions, bright light always flashing, always on the brink of consciousness…

He sought one such experience.

"Why am I reaching this far in the first place?"

"To fulfill what?"

"Pride? Satisfaction? Thirst?"

"Bloodshed?"

The rain continued to grow stronger, and more powerful…

Eventually losing the once beauty and softness it once held.

"What is driving me to do this?"

"I've already satisfied my goal, so why am I reaching further?"

"I've already become strong once, why shall I reach even further?"

"Why…"

"Should I continue down this dangerous, path full of bloodshed ?"

Nick's mind was slowly succumbing to his doubts, starting to question his once childish image of surpassing the limit of this world…

Why was he so confident in himself back then?

Was it arrogance…

Or was there a reason to back it up?

The rain had now become a roaring storm, as he was pelted with the pouring rain, as his mind slowly drifted into…

Insanity

He was foolish, naive, he knew that out of everyone, he should've known the hardships of the human expectations…

As that was what led to everything

Every single ounce of pain, suffering, and atrocities he had seen and felt, was because of the human's never-ending thirst for power, thirst for greed…

And thirst for bloodshed.

It's inescapable, it was his desire for satisfaction that led to him sparing that…woman, that monster that committed several atrocities, he was aware of them, and he knew what she did, but in hopes of satisfaction, he spared her so that he could prepare a situation, where he would feel satisfaction, from murder.

Suddenly, it felt as if the roaring winds and pouring rain stopped…

As he turned his body round to see a lone man, standing atop the roof of the house to the right of him, stood a young-looking man, wearing full white, with a cloak.

Nick felt as if he was watching a magician from a TV show.

"Subject#743, named Nick Devolver, escaped facility #47 after experiencing a burst of fighting energy." The magician stated, Nick froze, as his heart pounded.

"The first-ever experiment to escape, inspiring many other subjects to revolt, and attempt to escape towards freedom." The man continued, "this led to many brutal deaths, but there were also numerous successful escapes, which lead to project multi to collapse."

Nick reached for the gun in his back pocket but was suddenly stopped after two Zoroarks suddenly appeared behind him grabbing his arms tightly.

"Who the fuck are you!" Nick shouted, as his leg throbbed in pain as the Zoroaks pushed him slightly.

"Subject# 768." The magician said Nick's eyes widened in shock, and he simply froze, speechless.

"You're…"Nick muttered hopelessly.

Nick sneered, this man…

Was incredibly dangerous.

"Now, normally I wouldn't care about other subjects, in fact, I don't know most of them!" The young man said, suddenly changing demeanor.

"Sorry in advance for suddenly breaking the tone I was setting, but I couldn't bear myself to act so seriously for too long!" The young man apologized, before continuing.

Nick was speechless and shocked.

"You see, I remember your face very vividly, as I had stolen a report." The man said, "The name is Adam by the way, and of how you managed to escape facility #47."

"So, naturally, I was quite impressed." Adam said, "You've gotta look at things from a lonely, aspiring boy, your accomplishment was the only thing that drove us, kids, to revolt!"

"Well, I wasn't really a kid huh, more like, a pre-teen…"

"Who cares." Adam continued, "anyways, word started to get around, totally not started by me…"

"And dozens of subjects, more than a third, revolted and attempted to flee," Adam said, voice growing less cheerful. "They were almost all captured."

"Torture, experimentation."

"Death."

"That was the fate they all received."Adam said, before covering his face with a hat, "only one or two escaped alive, me being one of them…"

Nick tensed up, as the memories slowly crept up…

"Adam…"

"You're Adam Desgo, right?" Nick said hesitantly, "the masterpiece of facility #4"

Adam remained silent, before taking his white hat off, "Yes."

"You were a part of the only three subjects to be considered tier 3." Nick said, "capable of manifesting…"

"Two types."

Adam suddenly gritted his teeth, "Correct…"

"That is the exact reason why my hatred towards Project multi is so deep," Adam explained, his eyes flaring a powerful red.

"I want to burn the living shit out of them!" Adam yelled, "I want them to incinerate them, I have the power to…"

"Yet I never could."

Nick nodded his head in sympathy.

Nick continued, "I'm sure you weren't here just to talk, right?"

"I kinda am," Adam said, his anger slowly subsiding.

"Well…I am sure you have more to say."

"Yes, Yes I do." Adam said, grinning "I've been searching for another survivor for quite some time, and now that I have finally found one, I have a proposition."

"Wait a second" Nick said, "I think when proposing something, you don't want them to be held in place, especially one that is injured?"

"That is a good point," Adam said, "But, you would have to give me that gun you have in your back pockets."

He snapped his fingers, and in a flash of red light the two Zoroarks disappeared, Nick reached for his back pocket and grabbed the gun, before throwing it at Adam, who caught it midair.

"I assume you don't have a gun permit?" Adam asked, Nick suddenly froze.

"Well-er, you see…" Nick blurted, he had forgotten that it is illegal for him to even own a gun, he internally slapped himself for glossing over this, crucial, fact.

Adam sighed, "Well, anyways."

"I propose that you join Team Unity," Adam said, narrowing his eyes.

Nick stared at Adam, trying to read what he is thinking.

"The Sinnoh Government might seem normal to those who are naive, but I know the dangerous truth of the Sinnoh Government." Adam said, "It is my duty as an Admin of Team Unity to recruit those who know the harsh reality, and I am sure that you of all people know the cruel ways the Sinnoh government operates."

Adam stared him down, as the howling wind allowed his cloak to flow freely in the air, "So please, join Team Unity on our mission to reform the Sinnoh government for the greater good."

"In my timeline, team unity mysteriously disappears after a battle in Sunyshore…"

"3 days before today."

Nick gulped, he knew what that meant, the timeline he is currently in is doomed to go in a different direction.

He wasn't sent back in time, he was sent to another timeline

Nick arrived at this conclusion simply because of how drastically different things are escalating compared to his versions of the events, and there was no way he could've affected it that drastically.

This could also mean that Team Unity could also differ greatly from the Team Unity that he knew, in his timeline, Team Unity sought desperately for peace, and during the "battle" of Sunyshore, they didn't really fight back.

But, one thing he knew, is that Adam Desgo was never a part of Team Unity, as reports confirmed all admins from Team Unity were at Sunyshore that day, and none of the admins that were described looked even remotely close to Adam.

This simple fact worries Nick, as Adam might shift Team Unity from one that focuses on reformation through peace, into one focused on revolution.

"I decline," Nick said, Adam's eyes narrowed, as his glistening white cloak was suddenly wrapped around him.

"Why?" Adam asked,

"Because doing so would put me at unnecessary risk." Nick replied.

Adam nodded, "Fine."

"You're scared, aren't you?"

Nick froze, as Adam's gaze locked onto him.

"Everything you do is out of cowardice."

"Wha-"

"You are a coward!" Adam yelled, "everything you do, you are foolish, selfish, coward!"

Nick simply stood still, unable to respond.

"You know, when I first heard about you, when I first read that damn file, I thought that you were some kind of, brave hero!"

"But, then I realized…"

"That you were no hero, you were a coward who fled, and caused the death of hundreds, if not thousands!" Adam shouted, "You inspired many, you inspired them to escape, you inspired them to charge blindly!"

"Only 3 people out of thousands managed to escape, the rest were all captured, and put through horrible, gruesome experiments and torture, before ultimately experiencing a painful end!" Adam hollered, "Even those who didn't flee went through immense pain, Before I managed to escape, I witnessed thousands die, I witnessed thousands experience pain unimaginable."

"You don't understand how it feels, if it weren't for you, none of us would've gone through the horrors we did!" Adam continued to shout, "Your selfish desire for freedom caused the suffering of so many!'

"Before we had food, shelter, and some sort of hygiene, might not be much, but we could still enjoy the remaining bit of joy we could experience…"

"Yet, when you, an 11 year old boy, escaped…"

"Everything fell apart, the fact you are still standing here is a miracle in of itself!"

The temperature around us began warm, despite the rainy weather, Nick was confident if it weren't for the rain fire would've already sparked.

"Not only that, but you also ran from the very thing that defines you," Adam said, Nick's eyes widened in shock.

"I'm not stupid, Devolver," Adam said, "I've been observing you the entire time, you've only used fighting energy, not a single ounce of Dark energy came from you, and I am very familiar with dark energy.

"You are afraid, aren't you?"

"You are running away from that side of you like the coward you are!" Adam shouted, he suddenly turned his back to Nick, as his cape soared through the heavy wind.

"Nick Devolver, if you keep denying yourself, one day you will end up regretting it." Adam said, "From now on refer to me by my code name, Lux"

"I recommend you heal up your Pokemon." Lux said, before throwing hyper potions, "see you around, Devolver…"

"Hopefully you'll accept who you really are."

In a flash, he disappeared, Nick observed his surroundings and saw the man hopping off of rooftops at incredible proficiency, in the shining night sky, with his white cloak soaring through the air.

"Adam Desgro…" Nick muttered, "maybe I should change the way I view things."

Then, in an explosion, Nick's eyes widened as he saw a Mighty Garchomp fly into the air, as screams pierced his ears…

"That's the gym!"

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Sorry for the Hiatus, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, and the best way to send feedback, like always, is to make a review! I will almost always respond to your reviews in under 48 hours, same with messaging, happy late Christmas/early new Year.