The old Garchomp laughed ruefully to himself, encountering his old friend for the first time in years. "Ah, Shade! I should've known it was you," he said, chuckling.
The Zoroark turned around, vulnerable, no illusion to hide behind this time. He wore a sly smile, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"I thought you'd never arrive," Shade purred. "I was thinking you were dead, Slasher! Dragons like you have far too many weaknesses."
"Heh, like you're one to talk. You were almost killed by a Caterpie!" Slasher teased, memories of his childhood with Shade flooding back. Oh, how he wished he could turn back time.
"At least I have learned from my mistakes," Shade murmured. "Come, my comrade. Let me show you what I have been doing all these years."
Slasher followed Shade into the temple behind him, a building of ornately carved stone. Moonlight shone down upon the two Pokemon as they approached a pedestal in the centre.
Shade walked up to the pedestal, delicately picking up something unlike anything Slasher had ever seen. He stepped closer, admiring the strange object: a black, pearl-like orb, swirling with darkness. Slasher stared at it in awe.
"See, my friend? This is where I have been, these many years. I have been searching for this, the Erebus Orb, the doorway to our perfect world," Shade explained. "We used to play together, Slasher. We used to dream together of a world we'd rule together, one that would obey our commands. Not just all Pokemon, but the land and sea themselves! Doesn't that sound perfect?"
Slasher's face fell, returning to reality. "Shade, we were kids. Grow up, like I did."
Shade tilted his head to the side. "Whatever do you mean? Have you given up on our dream? Weren't you always searching for power?"
Slasher nodded. "Yes, I was, until I found a mate and had kids. Now, all I want is happiness, something I already have. What does that funky orb even do?"
Shade started to stroke the orb as if it were his pet. "It contains immense power. This orb holds a spirit of darkness, or so ancient writings say. This spirit is told to be so strong, only a being born from darkness can hold the orb without descending into madness."
"Heh, I don't believe any ancient mumbo-jumbo. I bet that thing is about as powerful as any old rock!" Slasher laughed.
"Trust me, my old friend. We can rule this world together!" Shade encouraged.
"Trust you? Shade, I only came here because I wanted you to come back to the village! Now, I see you're completely crazy!"
"I see..." Shade muttered to himself. "Are you sure you want to decline my offer?"
Slasher sighed. "Yes, old friend. I'm afraid this 'infinite power' is simply not for me, at least, not anymore. Why do you want to control everything, anyway?"
Shade shook his head. "This world is imperfect; I wish to change that," he growled, looking Slasher in the eye. "Only fools like you stand in my way."
Suddenly, five Weavile leaped from the shadows, surrounding Slasher. Each one held shards of ice in their hands, sharpened like daggers.
Slasher's eyes widened in horror. "Shade, I thought we were-"
"We were friends," Shade interrupted, speaking calmly. "However, we are friends no longer. I have been dreaming of controlling this world ever since we were children. Now, I won't let anyone stop me."
Slasher didn't dare move, eyeing the Weavile, considering how he might escape. "Please, just let me go. I won't get in your way. I won't try to stop you at all!"
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple," Shade said, smiling. "I know you. I know that you'd blab to the first Pokemon you meet. Heck, you might even tell the trees!"
"I won't, I'll stay silent. I promise, Shade!" Slasher begged. "Please, let me live!"
Shade set the Erebus Orb down on the pedestal, slowly walking towards Slasher.
"Ask me again on your knees," Shade growled.
Slasher complied, almost trembling with fear. "Please, let me live!"
"Bow," Shade commanded.
Slasher could feel the Weavile staring him down, finding his weak spots. He could feel himself getting more vulnerable by the second. Knowing there was no way Shade would spare him, he didn’t try to blink away his tears. All he could do was follow Shade’s commands, and hope.
“Please, let me live,” Slasher pleaded, down on all fours.
The Zoroark smiled maliciously. “Lower.”
Defeated, Slasher put his forehead to the ground. “Please, Shade, let me live,” he sobbed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shade strode over to the pedestal, picking up the Erebus Orb again. “You know, Slasher, I’m rather disappointed in you. I thought you would have put up more of a fight! Oh well, I’m not complaining.”
“If you want to kill me, just do it already!” Slasher cried.
“Oh, but wouldn’t you be so disappointed?” Shade asked, grinning slyly. “You’ve come all this way, only to miss the dawn of a new era, the beginning of my perfect world? Why would you want to die before seeing what you could have shared with me? Never fear, my friend, I’ll make you watch.”
With a flick of his wrist the five Weavile attacked, holding Slasher down, their icy blades at his throat. He struggled to escape their grip, but they held fast.
Shade cackled in his joy, holding the orb above his head. “Now, Slasher, witness my ascent, my triumph. Witness a dark sun rise above this wretched world, the beginning of a glorious new day. Today, I rule!”
Everything happened in slow motion. Shade brought his hand down, the orb falling to the ground. Slasher could only watch in horror as the orb shattered like glass, along with everything the world had ever known.
The Zoroark turned around, vulnerable, no illusion to hide behind this time. He wore a sly smile, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"I thought you'd never arrive," Shade purred. "I was thinking you were dead, Slasher! Dragons like you have far too many weaknesses."
"Heh, like you're one to talk. You were almost killed by a Caterpie!" Slasher teased, memories of his childhood with Shade flooding back. Oh, how he wished he could turn back time.
"At least I have learned from my mistakes," Shade murmured. "Come, my comrade. Let me show you what I have been doing all these years."
Slasher followed Shade into the temple behind him, a building of ornately carved stone. Moonlight shone down upon the two Pokemon as they approached a pedestal in the centre.
Shade walked up to the pedestal, delicately picking up something unlike anything Slasher had ever seen. He stepped closer, admiring the strange object: a black, pearl-like orb, swirling with darkness. Slasher stared at it in awe.
"See, my friend? This is where I have been, these many years. I have been searching for this, the Erebus Orb, the doorway to our perfect world," Shade explained. "We used to play together, Slasher. We used to dream together of a world we'd rule together, one that would obey our commands. Not just all Pokemon, but the land and sea themselves! Doesn't that sound perfect?"
Slasher's face fell, returning to reality. "Shade, we were kids. Grow up, like I did."
Shade tilted his head to the side. "Whatever do you mean? Have you given up on our dream? Weren't you always searching for power?"
Slasher nodded. "Yes, I was, until I found a mate and had kids. Now, all I want is happiness, something I already have. What does that funky orb even do?"
Shade started to stroke the orb as if it were his pet. "It contains immense power. This orb holds a spirit of darkness, or so ancient writings say. This spirit is told to be so strong, only a being born from darkness can hold the orb without descending into madness."
"Heh, I don't believe any ancient mumbo-jumbo. I bet that thing is about as powerful as any old rock!" Slasher laughed.
"Trust me, my old friend. We can rule this world together!" Shade encouraged.
"Trust you? Shade, I only came here because I wanted you to come back to the village! Now, I see you're completely crazy!"
"I see..." Shade muttered to himself. "Are you sure you want to decline my offer?"
Slasher sighed. "Yes, old friend. I'm afraid this 'infinite power' is simply not for me, at least, not anymore. Why do you want to control everything, anyway?"
Shade shook his head. "This world is imperfect; I wish to change that," he growled, looking Slasher in the eye. "Only fools like you stand in my way."
Suddenly, five Weavile leaped from the shadows, surrounding Slasher. Each one held shards of ice in their hands, sharpened like daggers.
Slasher's eyes widened in horror. "Shade, I thought we were-"
"We were friends," Shade interrupted, speaking calmly. "However, we are friends no longer. I have been dreaming of controlling this world ever since we were children. Now, I won't let anyone stop me."
Slasher didn't dare move, eyeing the Weavile, considering how he might escape. "Please, just let me go. I won't get in your way. I won't try to stop you at all!"
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple," Shade said, smiling. "I know you. I know that you'd blab to the first Pokemon you meet. Heck, you might even tell the trees!"
"I won't, I'll stay silent. I promise, Shade!" Slasher begged. "Please, let me live!"
Shade set the Erebus Orb down on the pedestal, slowly walking towards Slasher.
"Ask me again on your knees," Shade growled.
Slasher complied, almost trembling with fear. "Please, let me live!"
"Bow," Shade commanded.
Slasher could feel the Weavile staring him down, finding his weak spots. He could feel himself getting more vulnerable by the second. Knowing there was no way Shade would spare him, he didn’t try to blink away his tears. All he could do was follow Shade’s commands, and hope.
“Please, let me live,” Slasher pleaded, down on all fours.
The Zoroark smiled maliciously. “Lower.”
Defeated, Slasher put his forehead to the ground. “Please, Shade, let me live,” he sobbed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shade strode over to the pedestal, picking up the Erebus Orb again. “You know, Slasher, I’m rather disappointed in you. I thought you would have put up more of a fight! Oh well, I’m not complaining.”
“If you want to kill me, just do it already!” Slasher cried.
“Oh, but wouldn’t you be so disappointed?” Shade asked, grinning slyly. “You’ve come all this way, only to miss the dawn of a new era, the beginning of my perfect world? Why would you want to die before seeing what you could have shared with me? Never fear, my friend, I’ll make you watch.”
With a flick of his wrist the five Weavile attacked, holding Slasher down, their icy blades at his throat. He struggled to escape their grip, but they held fast.
Shade cackled in his joy, holding the orb above his head. “Now, Slasher, witness my ascent, my triumph. Witness a dark sun rise above this wretched world, the beginning of a glorious new day. Today, I rule!”
Everything happened in slow motion. Shade brought his hand down, the orb falling to the ground. Slasher could only watch in horror as the orb shattered like glass, along with everything the world had ever known.