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...
...(Dammit... What did you do...? Why did you time travel?! You... doing that in this dimension in its current state will only prove... disastrous.)...
...
[Cruce was sent from his world to this Forgotten Dimension to destroy it. Technically speaking, this is in his mind. Since the Forgotten Dimension is nothing but a memory, only Cruce inhabits it as a mental world. He sides neither with Darkness or Light. Ever since he has come to this world with this resolve given to him, he has met Celebi, who has understood what must be done, but he also believes that he is the one who could stop it by time traveling. He does so, but his actions are corrupted in this formless world. In going back in time, everything has been undone. The point which he returns to is the point upon the Pokémon World which he locates Mew, injured by Mewtwo, who has taken a Time Gear.]
...
[Celebi does not remember ever meeting Cruce...]
...
[No one does.]
...
[Cruce must now find the easiest way to end life on all worlds. The only way that can be done in his view is to harness each of the world's power sources... But that comes with difficulty and resistance.]
...
THE POKEMON WORLD
~~Beach Cave~~
...
[From a flash of light, Cruce appears in the Beach Cave Pit, where Mewtwo awaits Lucario... He is standing with a Time Gear hovering nearby, siphoning its energy.]
Cruce: [Standing, confused. He holds a hand to his head.] ...Ah... Dammit, Celebi... That wasn't what I had in mind. Apparently, you had it in mind. Wh--...? [Turns to Mewtwo.]
Mewtwo: ...And you would be?
Cruce: ... (Mewtwo...? What's he doing here? ...Where is "here"?) ...[Looks around.] ...s**t... [Shakes his head.] What did you do, Chris...?!
Mewtwo: ...What troubles you, human? This is a most unusual appearance... though I am certain you are aware.
Cruce: I am... My name is Cruce, and I may look like a human. But you never know, I could be anything.
Mewtwo: Is that so? Prove this, shape shifter.
Cruce: ...I'm not that naive, nor am I bluffing, but I'm not gonna reveal my powers.
Mewtwo: Very well... Wherever you may originate, you simply cannot know of me. Darkness cares not of who interrupts its goals.
Cruce: Darkness...? (He's with Darkness? ...) And what goals would those be?
Mewtwo: You expect me to inform you of them?
Cruce: Touché... Mewtwo.
Mewtwo: So you know of me...
Cruce: Yes, I do, but that's aside the point... Could you at least tell me what you need this... Time Gear for...? (This is... the Pokémon World... I remember now. The Guild, Treasure Town... Adam, Al, and Eve... Is this still the Forgotten Dimension...?)
Mewtwo: ...Hm... Very well, if you must know. I seek to harness the powers of each Time Gear so that this world may fall to Darkness... Indeed, I am not alone. Darkness has spread across Fantasy, seeking goals very similar. All of the energy sources of each world... will be ours.
Cruce: So that's Darkness' plan...
Mewtwo: ...Hmhm, that is but a small fraction.
Cruce: (The energy sources... Would that bring instant death? Taking each Time Gear from this world would cause paralysis, not death... And any interference in time anyway may prove worse for my cause... or even better. Hmm...)
Mewtwo: ...Who do you side with, human?
Cruce: What do you mean...?
Mewtwo: There is Darkness... There is Light... Whom do you support?
Cruce: Wouldn't the majority be Light? [He paces back and forth now, arms behind his back.] I don't side with Light, but neither do I side with Darkness. I like to call my side Grayness... Where I come from, there are 4 sides: Light, Darkness, Grayness, and Hellspawned. I'm the Connector of the Eclipses, hence my title in Grayness...
Mewtwo: The Connector of the Eclipses?! A human?! You must be him... You liar... Your name is not Cruce... it is Chris.
Cruce: [He stops, facing Mewtwo.] Chris...? That's what they thought... before the actual Chris brought me to this world. The small green one... [Shakes his head.] I am not Chris. I'm Cruce... But what you told me... about Eclipses... That means they live in this dimension too. They hold the key to the worlds as well, all the more reason I must destroy them. [He clenches a fist.] Not an easy task...
Mewtwo: You seek destruction quite like that of Darkness... You radiate a terrifying aura... You must be speaking the truth, Cruce.
Cruce: It's... worse than Darkness... I have to destroy this dimension.. because it can't exist like it does anymore...
Mewtwo: ...Hm, so, would you fight the Darkness if it stood in your way?
Cruce: Absolutely... and I know it will... because not even Darkness would believe my goals are sane.
Mewtwo: Brave words, human...
Cruce: ...They are true words...
Mewtwo: Then show me... Show me your power. Only through battle will I completely believe you...
Lucario: [From behind Cruce.] Mewtwo!! ...Who is this...?
Celebi: A human?! What's a human doing here...?
Cruce: [Turns his head... he smirks at the sight of Celebi.] ... [Turns back to Mewtwo.] Forget it. Looks like you have another challenge that I don't intend on interfering with... [He moves off to the side, leaning up against the cave wall with his arms crossed.]
...
[They watch Cruce silently.]
...
[He does not say anything.]
Mewtwo: [Turns to the group.] Hmph... You should not have come. Lucario, you know very well of what happened to Mew.
Al: [Swallows nervously.] At least he tried to stop you!
Mewtwo: Silence, child! Your inferior thoughts will play no part here...
Al: Urk... [Backs up.] ...
Lucario: Do not let his words frighten you... He is all talk. Mewtwo! [Points at Mewtwo.] That Time Gear is not yours, and you will surrender it!
Mewtwo: Darkness does not surrender... Hmhm... [Purplish energy begins swirling around him.]
Celebi: Darkness?! You shouldn't be messing around with that kind of power...Listen, you'd better call this project off... You don't know what you're getting yourself into...
Mewtwo: How could you possibly understand my plot? You are a mere child, and this expands far beyond your whimsical comprehension.
Celebi: You think I don't understand what you're trying to do, when in Reality, hint hint by the way, I really know what's going on... The Apocolypse.
Mewtwo: [A quick face gesture of surprise, and then he regains his cool.] ...You... I know who you are now... I have been told of you...
Celebi: ...[Drops his arms.] You... know me?
Mewtwo: Hmm... Perhaps this is not the correct time for conflict...
Cruce: [Chuckles.] (Yeah, run Mewtwo... Run like Darkness always does.)
Lucario: It is too late for that.
Mewtwo: ...Hmhmm... I am afraid you are wrong Lucario... It is never too late for Darkness... [A swirling vortex of black and purple spirals into existence behind Mewtwo... a dark corridor.] I do not have enough power to travel to Reality... but I know where I can find it... [Four creatures that are completely pitch black, excluding their bright, various colored eyes, appear from the vortex.]
Celebi: [Gasps.] What!?
Lucario: What the devil--!? [Steps forward.]
Mewtwo: Until we meet again...[Begins walking backwards into the portal.]
Lucario: No! [Dashes for the portal... But the four shadow-like beings block the way, and Mewtwo escapes into an unidentified world.] Ergh!!
Al: What?!
[One of the shadowy figures delivers a tackles Lucario, sending him flying back. Regaining his balance, he lands perfectly on his feet.]
Lucario: Curse that Mewtwo...
Al: But what are these!?
Lucario: ...That, I am unsure of...
Celebi: ...Nightmares...
Cruce: (Nightmares...? Here too?)
[Lucario turns to Celebi.]
Lucario: You know about these?
Celebi: Yes... They invaded this world once... During The Ethereal Cross... The Overlord of Misery, Naught controlled them...
Lucario: Hmm... [Turns to the "Nightmares" again. They look like humane figures with black hooded cloaks over their shadowy bodies.] So, Mewtwo controls these...?
Celebi: He shouldn't be able to... Unless Naught's still challenging me...
Al: Guys! That portal is still open! Maybe if we defeat these, we'll be able to follow Mewtwo!
Lucario: [Prepares himself.] Is there anything I should know about these, Chris?
Celebi: They have abnormal strength, and favor dark sorcery! This is the most common form of Nightmares, so they shouldn't be much of a problem... I hope...
Lucario: Understood. You two back there, prepare yourselves.
Al: Got it!
Adam: Ok!
...
[These Nightmares have no quarrel with Cruce, though they are aware of him.]
...
[After a quick moment, one of the Nightmares raises an arm, and a shadowy orb appears in front of it. The Nightmare pushes the orb toward Lucario.]
Lucario: [Throws his arm out, palm facing the orb, which gets caught in his hand.]
Celebi: That'll explode, look out!
Lucario: [Hurls the orb back at the Nightmare that threw it, and just inches from the creature's face, it explodes... However, no harm was done...] Hmm... Puzzling foes... Hm?! [Instanly glances down at the floor beneath him. It is a puddle of Darkness. Lucario quickly reacts by leaping backwards, performing a backflip with the jump, and landing perfectly. The puddle of blackness bursts straight up like a rising pillar of Darkness.] ... [One of the Nightmares is missing from the group... There are three... Lucario immediately performs an Aura-enhanced spinning hook kick, hoping to hit the Nightmare behind him. He does, but the creature vanishes on contact. Assuming it has warped behind him again, which it has, he turns around and thrusts his Aura-flaming palm forward into the Nightmare, but it phases completely through the creature's chest... It stands still, staring at Lucario mischeivously.]
Celebi: [Soars high into the air, and then dives, attempting to charge right into the Nightmare facing Lucario... However, a sudden wall of dark purple energy flashes as Celebi makes contact with it. He flies backward, unable to regain his aerial balance. Before he can crash into a pile of boulders near Cruce, action is taken. Cruce, without even moving, summons a large hand of dark matter to catch Celebi. The dark hand brings Celebi closer to Cruce and sets him down.]
Al: Chris! Are you okay?!
[By now, Lucario is free, but constantly pursued by the Nightmare from behind.]
Celebi: Yeah, I'm good! [Turns to Cruce.] Th-thank you... That was you, wasn't it?
Cruce: [He nods, smirking at Celebi.] It was.
Celebi: How did you do that...?
Cruce: Just a little special benefits being a freak has given me.
Celebi: ...C-could you help us out?
Cruce: This is your battle. I wanna see what you guys can do.
Lucario: Rah! [Attempts to strike the Nightmare again. As it vanishes, he turns his head.] Have I missed something?
Celebi: [Turns to Lucario.] Erf... Lucario! The Nightmare's eyes are red! And the color of their eyes is the color of the element they are weak against!
Lucario: Red... [Thrusts his elbow backwards and hits the creature, but it vanishes again.] Adam!
Adam: [Attentive, he rushes to where he thinks the shield was when Celebi hit it.] Uh-huh?
Lucario: This creature is weak against fire, and you are a fire-type! I need you to use any fire related ability you have on this thing!
Adam: I understand but... What about the force field?!
Lucario: Grr... That complicates things... [Standing unaware, the creature now towers over him. A shadowy axe materializes in its hands. Quickly realizing he is being stalked constantly, Lucario spins around, somewhat shocked that the creature is actually attacking now. He reacts with a double-palm thrust into the chest of the creature... It vanishes.]
Cruce: Okay... [Calls out.] Adam! Who summoned this force field? The Nightmare with red eyes. What is that Nightmare weak against? Put the pieces together! Any energy that Nightmare summons is a part of him!
Adam: I already see where this is going! [Inhales... and the exhales an ember that shoots toward the shield, which flashes and shatters as the flames reach it.] Alright!
Lucario: Excellent! Quickly, come here!
Celebi: [Turns to Cruce.] Whoa... How'd you know?
Cruce: [Now watching with more anxiety.] I've done this dance before... Not the same, but similar...
[As Adam begins running to Lucario, the Nightmare reappears behind Lucario, quickly stunning Adam... Then it comes to him...]
Adam: Lucario, jump! [Begins running toward Lucario.]
Lucario: Hm!? Ah! [Suddenly leaps into the air.]
Adam: Take this! [Inhales, then exhales another ember. It reaches the Nightmare and completely devours the creature... There is no trace left of that Nightmare.]
Lucario: [Lands.] Excellent work, Adam.
Celebi: [Cheers.] That's it!
Cruce: Very nice.
Lucario: [Turns his head to the group. There are only two.] Huh!? [Glances for the other that is missing. He looks at Adam, then Celebi and Cruce, then... Al!] Al! Behind you!
Al: What!? Ah!! [Dashes out of the way. Just as he does so, the Nightmare's large axe drops to the ground, creating a small ditch.] Whoa... [Begins shaking.]
Lucario: [Squints, hoping to see its eyes... They are blue.] ...Perfect! Al, that one is yours!
Al: Huh!? Wha--!? What do I do!? [Panics. The creature approaches him with the axe.]
Celebi: It's weak to water! C'mon Al!
Cruce: I'd recommend Water Gun.
Al: [Because of his quick surge of panic, he almost forgets he is a water-type.] Oh! Got it! [Inhales quickly, and spits a stream of water at the Nightmare, which literally dissolves in the water and disappears completely.]
Celebi: [Throws an arm in the air.] Woo-hoo! Way to go, Al!
[The two other Nightmares warp and appear right in front of Adam and Al.]
Adam: Whoa!!
Al: Whaa!
...
Lucario: [Observing the Nightmares...] Hmmm...
[Adam and Al both begin backing up with the Nightmares advancing upon them. They are backing up into eachother and will need to stop soon... Unless...]
Lucario: Adam! Yours is blue, and Al! Yours is red!
Adam: Hmm? Ohh... I understand...
Al: ...Ok... I think I got it...
[Al and Adam continue backing up... The Nightmares continue to advance upon them... Finally, the two reach eachother's backs... The Nightmares are preparing to attack.]
Al: Ready, Adam?
Adam: Ready...
Al: On three... one... two...
...three!!!
[Adam and Al spin around and leap in two different directions, now facing the opposite Nightmares. They use their attacks, ember and water gun, which eliminate the shadowy creatures completely.]
Lucario: Very well done!
Celebi: [Jumps cheerfully and begins hovering.] Yeah!! Way to go, you two! Why do I feel so childishly hyper...? ...Must be this strange form.
Cruce: Mm? Childishly hyper? You are a cute little Celebi... of course your childishly hyper.
Celebi: ...Oh... So I'm cute now, aren't I?
Cruce: Isn't it obvious?
Al: We did it!
Adam: Phew... That took some strategizing.
Cruce: [As Celebi turns to him with a concerned look, Cruce nods.] You guys are tough enough. I'm in.
Celebi: [He nods, turning back to the rest of the group.] C'mon guys! We have to chase Mewtwo and reclaim that Time Gear he stole.
Al: Right! Without that, who knows what could happen...?
Lucario: Let us be on our way!
[The four dash into the portal. They are followed by Cruce, who simply walks into it.]
Cruce: (Maybe the best strategy for now is to follow Chris... Darkness always comes close to getting what they want, and if this world is anything like mine, which it is, then Chris will come to a showdown with Darkness when they are so close to their goals... That's when I must take over for them and complete those goals twofold.)
...
[Minutes pass...]
...
[The five finally reach the end of the portal, and are spit out on a road leading into a city. Mewtwo and some Nightmares are gathered are something cornered by a building wall.]
Mewtwo: You will pay for that dearly...
Childish, Intelligent Voice: [All he has is a wrench.] Stay back!! I...I'm not afraid of you!
Mewtwo: You fool. You cannot defeat us... Prepare to be vanquished. [The Nightmares begin to advance...]
Celebi: [Soars up.] Stop right there!
Lucario: [Charging a ball of Aura.] Hrrrah!!! [Releases it directly at Mewtwo.]
Mewtwo: Hm!? [Turns his head just as he had heard Celebi, and spins around at the ball of Aura, throwing both arms out and fending it off with his own energy. It disappears... Mewtwo grins evilly.] Hmhmhmm... I knew you would come...
[The Nightmares instantly warp around Lucario, Al, Adam, Celebi, and Cruce They have surrounded them entirely, with no way out, at least not for anyone who cannot summon a dark corridor. Their eyes are green and light blue... Wind and ice.]
Lucario: No!! Their eyes... We can't battle them! It's a trap...
Cruce: (So they operate based on all of the elements...? That's new.)
Mewtwo: [He notes Cruce in the group.] Hm...? Hmph... Yes... You are persistent, and much, much too hasty... Now, you chose... Fight, surrender, or retreat... I can assure you that victory is impossible. [The Time Gear floats beside him, and it is generating a shield around him.]
Al: ...The Time Gear! It's... protecting Mewtwo...
Adam: Oh no... What do we do now?
Cruce: I dunno, maybe take it...?
Celebi: Oh yeah, smarty pants. Good solution.
Cruce: Hmhm.
Lucario: Grrr... Dirty tricks, Mewtwo... [Sighs.] We have no choice. We left Mew injured, and must return to his aid. There is no way I will ever surrender... But for now, we will have to fall back.
Celebi: (Grr... Mewtwo... Hey, who's...?) Look! Over there!
Cruce: Is that Tails...?
Al: It looks like someone's being blocked by Mewtwo!
Lucario: Leave the innocent alone, Mewtwo...
Mewtwo: Oh, him? [Grabs the "innocent child" by the fur on his neck.] Hmhmhm.
Childish, Intelligent Voice: [Struggling.] Let me go!! Put me down!
Celebi: [Gasps.] Tails!!!
Cruce: So it is...
[The bright orange, two-tailed fox cannot seem to break free of Mewtwo's grasp, but he instantly notices that his name has been called.]
Tails: What!? You know my name!?
Mewtwo: The fool got in my way... An easy way to throw his life away... If you know him, then away with all of you... I have more important matters to attend to.
[Mewtwo, using telekinesis, throws Tails into the portal, and, assuring the Nightmares clear a way, forcefully pushes the other four back into the portal as well, using his power... Cruce is easily capable of resisting that.]
Mewtwo: And that young, unfortunate pest will suffer a unique fate for slowing my progress... Hm?... You. You are still here?
Cruce: Of course I am.
Mewtwo: So you side with them then?
Cruce: I haven't decided... but for the meantime, I'm interested in that Chris' cause.
Mewtwo: Which makes you the enemy after all. Nightmares, seize him! [He points at Cruce. Each of the Nightmares gather around him quickly.]
Cruce: [Flairs both arms out, black electricity bulging forth in the form of a concentrated wave that only travels a few meters from his body. This dark energy is so focused that it wipes out the Nightmares entirely, regardless of their weakness.]
Mewtwo: Im-impossible! Those could not be defeated with that power...
Cruce: They just were. It's obvious you have no idea what kind of power this is.
Mewtwo: [Awestruck.] ...
Cruce: [He smirks.] I told you everything Mewtwo. You did not believe me... And still, that's your choice. [He turns around.] No matter what, none of you, Darkness or Light, are safe from the truth. [He walks casually into the portal.]
...
[With that, another moment of teleportation follows...]
...
~~Treasure Town...~~
[They find themselves floating in midair above the beach in front of Beach Cave. They fall into the sand with cluttered impact. Mew, startled, sits up swiftly... As he does this, Cruce appears. Instead of in midair, he appears standing on the other side of Mew.]
Lucario: [Pushes himself to his feet, brushing off some sand.] Curse that Mewtwo...
Celebi: [Sitting up.]He got away... with a Time Gear...
Al: [Standing.] That's not good... But... how could we defeat him?
Lucario: We couldn't... He's consumed in such Darkness now...
Cruce: (On the contrary.) [Crosses his arms. He turns to Tails.] Um... Something happened...
Celebi: What's that? [He looks to Cruce.]
Tails: Ah, my head... What happened?
Celebi: Oh! [Turns his head to Tails.] Tai--Tails!?
Tails: [Startled, he jumps to his feet, unaware.] What, huh!? What's going on!? [He fails to realize that he is no longer in his original form... rather something else...]
Lucario: [Turns to Tails.] So was this the one Mewtwo was--...He was not a Shinx to begin with, was he?
Cruce: Tails was definitely not a Shinx.
Al: Chris, is he a friend of yours?
Celebi: Yeah. Tails! [Flies to Tails.]
Tails: Whoa, what happened to me?! ...Um... Who are you guys? What's going on here?
Celebi: Tails, it's me, Chris!
Tails: Huh? Chris...?
Celebi: Yeah, I know... I was turned into this creature, just like you were turned into that!
Tails: Chris, am I glad to see you! Ah, finally... A friendly face I trust...
Celebi: I could say the same thing. Are you okay? Mewtwo didn't hurt you did he?
Tails: I think I'm fine... I just... don't know what I am.
Lucario: You are a Shinx. an electric-type Pokemon.
Adam: Another... Who underwent the transformation into a Pokémon.
Tails: Pokémon? Whoa... Chris, what's been going on lately?
Celebi: ...Ah, well... Um...
Mew: You are all okay!
Celebi: Uh--Mew!! How are you?
Cruce: (So this is Mew... I don't feel any Connection, but I am in a different dimension after all. He's an Eclipse... How many Eclipses are there in these worlds? Is there one? Or is it like my dimension...? One major Eclipse, and two guardians...)
Mew: I've regained some strength... But, I can assume Mewtwo got away...
Lucario: It cannot be helped at the moment...
Mew:... And... Might I ask, was a Shinx also traveling with you to begin with?
Celebi: ...Oh... This is Tails. He's an Eclipse, like you Mew.
Cruce: !! [Looks at Tails.]
Tails: Huh!? [Turns to Mew.]
Tails & Mew: [Both.] You're an Eclipse too!?
...
Celebi: Hmm... Well... two good friends under one sky.
Mew: I have to say, this is a surprise!
Tails: I agree... Wow.
Cruce: (So, Tails is an Eclipse here... Is he... an Eclipse in Dreamland too? ...In my dimension?)
[The group turns to Cruce, confused at the human's presence.]
Celebi: So, um... Mr. Human guy... Where the heck did you come from anyway?
Lucario: Indeed. Who exactly might you be?
Cruce: Ah, sorry. I didn't get the chance to introduce myself. I'm Cruce. Cruce Ifai. True, I'm not from this world. Universe, even.
Al: You're not from this universe?!
Tails: You looks so much like Chris when he was a human!
Mew: He does, doesn't he?
Cruce: Heh, so I've been told...
Lucario: What is your purpose here, Cruce?
Cruce: Hmm... (I can't tell them... Light would freak.) My purpose, I guess... is to side with whoever is strongest... I came here so quickly, I haven't really understood what is going on.
Celebi: We saw you talking to Mewtwo in the cave... What did he say?
Cruce: I told him who I was, but then he got suspicious. He wanted to battle me, but then you guys stepped in...
Lucario: ...Hm... I can see how Mewtwo wished to battle you. There is a frightening aura radiating from your body... In any case, I am Lucario. Well met.
Celebi: I'm Chris! No, I didn't always look like this. I was a human who looked like you... A little different, but like you.
Al: I'm Al!
Adam: My name's Adam. I was a human too. Seems like we all were.
Tails: Except me! I'm Tails.
Mew: And I'm Mew.
Cruce: Such a well thought out introduction, despite the lack of time being given for it.
Celebi: ...So Cruce...?
Cruce: Yeah? [Looks down at Celebi.]
Celebi: Why do you look like me?
Cruce: [Smiles, kneeling down to Celebi's level.] Well... [He pets Celebi's head.] I wouldn't exactly know that, hmhm. I wish I did though... Maybe I'll find the answer soon enough.
Celebi: [Smiles back at Cruce.] You're... pretty nice... I thought you were a little scary at first, but...
Cruce: Aw, thanks... (I... I'm doing it again. Even as Celebi forgets to remember me, which is good, I still can't help but feel close to him. It's gotta be because he's the Connector in this dimension... I feel for him, because he's... he's me...)
...
(How can I end someone like that...?)
...
--E N D I N G--
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Status:
If you've kept up thus far, well... actually, it's a little simple to keep up with, really. =|
It's that old Sync storyline with Cruce inserted in it. And guess what? It's good! =D
By my standards... that is...
