The last time I fought Leo, he beat me. He wanted to prove to me that Rocket Reborn would be a serious threat, and could come for me at any time.

If he wanted to scare me away from my self-appointed task, he failed. He just made me mad. I’ve wanted a rematch ever since.

Well, I’ve gotten my wish…

But two things have changed, neither of them for the better. One, I’m facing Leo’s whole team, rather than just one of his Pokémon. If Rhyperior was any indication of his power as a trainer, I truly have my work cut out for me.

Two…

My opponent isn’t truly Leo at all. Some evil force connected to the Twisting seems to be controlling him. I don’t even know if Leo knows what’s going on while he’s a prisoner in his own body, which some demon has stolen.

Whatever the case…

…things have taken a sinister turn.



CHAPTER SIXTEEN



Stage Two




As a fugitive – both from the law and her old organization – Mandy couldn’t go to Pokémon Centers to heal her Pokémon most of the time. But that was hardly a problem for her. Criminal organizations like Rocket Reborn and Team Rocket before them knew of places in every town where trainers could heal in a hurry when they wanted to keep a low profile. It wasn’t always free, but these places could do it with relatively little overhead, so it didn’t cost much.

Mandy exited the Chinese restaurant that was used as a front for one such place, and started to walk down the street. She was well-aware that Jessica would likely send all of her troops after her, and that the chains she had been restrained with when she had made that bargain would likely become a permanent fixture of her accommodations if she was caught again. If she was lucky.

So, she was going to leave town and lie low for a few weeks, until the heat was off. Then maybe she could…

Her eyes twitched.

Instinctively, she spun around and aimed a kick at the one behind her. When she saw Leo dodging aside, she knew she wasn’t overreacting. She quickly made a fighting stance.

“You can’t sneak up on a Battle Girl, Leo,” she snarled. “So, how much did Jessica put on my head?”

“Six million,” said Leo. “But I really don’t care for it…”

“Yeah?” said Mandy. “The only way I’m going back to her is in a box.”

“Sounds a bit too messy for my tastes,” said Leo. “Actually, Mandy, I was hoping for a Pokémon battle from you…”

He lifted a pokeball.

“One with even greater stakes than a Double Dare…”

Mandy raised an eyebrow.

She had a general idea of what he had in mind…

She smirked.

“Really?” she said. “Pick your poison…”


* * * * * * * * * *



Nurse Joy looked at the four pokeballs that contained Dawn, Dusk, Magmortar, and Gengar.

“Good grief, you two,” she said, looking at a screen. “You say you were involved in a two-on-two? What Pokémon did your opponent use? Latios and Latias?”

“It’s a very long story, Joy,” said Starbuck. “Can you just heal them?”

“They’re hurt pretty bad, Starbuck,” said Joy. “I’ll have to keep them for overnight observation.”

Shadow sighed.

“Looks like we’re staying in Blueberry Cove another night,” she said. “I’m really getting sick of this town.”

“And it looks like we’re changing our teams,” said Starbuck.

Then his cell phone beeped.

“Text message,” said Starbuck, looking at it.

He read the note.

“Percy wants to talk to us on the video phone.”

“What’s the matter?” said Lisa, walking to the counter.

“We’ll soon find out,” said Starbuck, turning on the video phone.

Percy’s face appeared.

“Oh, there you are, Conrad,” said Percival. “I was able to look up that information on Butch and Cassidy you wanted. It wasn’t hard…”

“Oh?” said Starbuck.

“Let’s see,” he said, looking at a screen. “Eleven years ago, they attempted a robbery which was supposedly going to be the proverbial ‘big score’. Their target was an artifact called the Heaven’s Pipe, which was found at an archaeological dig at Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh. They succeeded, but were arrested soon after.”

“Heaven’s Pipe?” said Starbuck, surprised.

“Yes, a very mysterious object,” said Percival. “It was named the Heaven’s Pipe because it was found inside the core of an excavated meteorite that split open when it was dug out. No-one was ever sure what its purpose was, or where it came from. It was a strange flute-like object, but it couldn’t make any sound when blown, and the runes carved on it had no meaning in any known language. Some believed that it was… extraterrestrial in origin.

“The strange part is, the Heaven’s Pipe wasn’t in their possession when they were taken into custody, and they didn’t reveal its location… Most assumed that they had a rich buyer who was interested in such curiosities. In any event, the Heaven’s Pipe was never seen again.”

“Eleven years ago…” muttered Starbuck. “Mandy would have been ten… They probably sent her to boarding school because…”

“Because they thought they’d be caught?” said Shadow.

“Maybe…” said Starbuck.

“Anyway, they were charged with grand larceny,” said Percival, “and because they were repeat offenders, given a very stiff sentence. The sentence as stood was twenty years.

“While in prison, they apparently made far more use of their privilege to speak to their lawyer than most inmates, giving him various instructions for account transactions and deliveries… They didn’t make much sense when they were looked into…”

“Paying for their daughter’s schooling,” muttered Lisa. “And sending her care packages. They used a web of intermediaries to distract anyone who tried to follow the trail.

“And apparently they were too ashamed to tell her that they were in prison.”

“Anyway,” said Percival, “despite the secrecy, they were model prisoners, didn’t get into trouble, were paroled a little over two years ago, and now live in Canalave City in Sinnoh.

“But there is one thing I found out, and it’s the strangest part… According to records, they did indeed have a daughter, named Miranda…”

“Mandy is short for Miranda,” said Starbuck. “Go on…”

“Well…” said Percival. “According to this, she died of leukemia when she was seven.”

Shadow and Starbuck looked at each other.

“Percy…” said Shadow, “the Mandy we met was a very adult woman who had a picture of herself with her parents when she was ten. How could…”

“Percy, I’m gonna take a random shot here…” said Starbuck. “Do records say that there was no funeral, her parents had her cremated, and whoever wrote the coroner’s report retired less than a month later?”

Percival looked at the screen behind him.

“Yes, yes, and… yes,” he said.

‘There’s your answer,” said Starbuck.

“What?” said Shadow.

“Butch and Cassidy wanted their daughter’s existence to stay hidden for some reason,” said Starbuck. “Being criminals by profession, they clearly bribed a coroner to forge a report saying that she was dead.

“Then they gave her a new identity. Mandy saw nothing wrong with this… She knew her parents were criminals, and criminals change their identities all the time.

“So Butch and Cassidy were able to hide their daughter’s existence from the law when they were in prison, paying for her schooling via intermediaries set up by a lawyer who was clearly not on the right side of the law either. All their letters were sent by this lawyer after they dictated them to him in private conversation, so the prison screening process wouldn’t see them, and he sent the care packages too. Mandy would remain unbothered by the authorities, and never be questioned…

“Question is, why? Why did they have to hide their daughter so much?”

He sighed.

“Mandy has a right to know where her parents are,” said Lisa.

“Yeah…” said Starbuck. “And maybe we should ask her if the letters her folks sent made any mention of this thing…

“It may well be that Butch and Cassidy were afraid that they’d be caught by the police if they tried to steal the Heaven’s Pipe…

“But there’s another possibility…”

“What?” asked Shadow.

“They may have thought that the Pipe wasn’t just any precious artifact,” said Starbuck. “They may have thought that stealing it might be playing with fire…

“Maybe even eternal fire.”

As he said that, thunder started to rumble.

“It’s clouding up outside…” said Nurse Joy. “Might be starting to rain.”

Then a loud screech rang threw the air.

Starbuck, Shadow, and Lisa recognized it only too well. They would never forget it.

That was the voice of the Twisting.

No sooner than their minds comprehended that, than a woman’s scream followed.

“That was Mandy,” said Starbuck.

“Are you sure?” said Shadow.

“Yes, and that wasn’t a normal scream,” said Starbuck, turning towards the phone. “We would have heard it if this Center was soundproofed. We didn’t hear that with our ears. It was a scream that reached the soul.

“Mandy is in big, big, trouble…

“Shadow… Once I’m done, get the strongest Pokémon you have…”

“May I ask why we should rush to save someone who attacked us?” asked Shadow.

“Because,” said Starbuck, “I don’t think her life is the only thing that’s in danger… The Twisting is starting to lose its subtlety…”


* * * * * * * * * *



“Why do I feel like we’re running into a lion’s den?” asked Lisa, as they ran down the street.

“Probably because we are,” said Starbuck.

“In there.”

He pointed to a large parking garage.

They ran in, Starbuck and Shadow jumping over the guardrail. Lisa couldn’t possibly do the same, and stepped over.

Behind them, a small form followed them it. It was the Buneary again, having tracked Starbuck down again.

“Buneary?” it said, as it watched the humans run into the garage.

It slowly followed them.

“Mandy!” shouted Starbuck. “Mandy…”

He turned his head.

“MANDY!”

He had expected Mandy to be in trouble, but he didn’t expect this.

Lying in the middle of the parking lot was a large, black gemstone, the size and shape of a coffin. Mandy was inside it, like a fly trapped in amber.

Starbuck ran up to it. He was relieved to see that she was still breathing, albeit very slowly. Her arms were crossed over her chest, in the same position as those of a body at a funeral.

“What the heck?” asked Shadow. “What is this?”

Starbuck felt around the huge gemstone.

“No seams…” he said. “No hinges… There’s no way to open this… It’s like the stone was formed around her, like real amber.”

“That’s impossible,” said Lisa. “Gemstones like that can’t form in less than an hour. And amber isn’t black.”

“That’s because it isn’t a gemstone,” said a voice.

They all turned, and saw Leo, leaning against the wall several dozen feet away. He was partially hidden in the shadow, but there was no mistaking it was him.

“It’s darkness,” he said. “Darkness made solid.

“But don’t fret, she’s alive, for now. Although she isn’t very happy. She’s in a deep sleep, in which she’s experiencing her worst nightmares. Least of all is the beating I just gave her.”

“What did you do to her, Leo?” asked Starbuck, standing up.

Leo chuckled.

“She agreed to a very foolish wager,” he said. “It appeared simple… The winner could do anything he or she wanted to the loser.

“Even if she had a general idea of what her fate may have been if she lost, she really had no idea, or she wouldn’t have agreed to it. She didn’t realize what I wanted until it was too late.”

“What did you want from her?” demanded Starbuck.

“Everything she had,” said Leo. “Body, soul, and spirit. And I gift-wrapped them rather nicely, don’t you think?”

“This is crazy…” said Shadow. “Leo was a tough Pokémon trainer, but he wasn’t a black sorcerer…”

“Who are you?” asked Starbuck.

Leo’s eyes glowed.

“I am one of three servants of the being from whom the anger generates,” he said.

“The Twisting?” asked Starbuck.

“That is what humans call it,” said the thing with Leo’s face. “I won’t give the master’s name now, but in the human language, we three are called Darkness, Destruction, and Death.

“We were formed by his own anger, which grew so intense, it was given life. But we are but bodiless phantoms, and can only interact with others by using human hosts.

“Leo is the best one I’ve had so far. He’s strong and healthy… I may be able to last almost a year before he burns out…”

“You fiend!” shouted Starbuck. “Have you no decency?”

“He’s pure rage, Starbuck,” said Lisa. “He’s the embodiment of a negative emotion. I think the answer to that question is a definite no.”

“So which one are you?” asked Starbuck.

The creature sighed.

“I sealed Mandy inside a coffin made of solid darkness,” he said. “Which one do you think?!”

“Oh… right…” said Starbuck, looking at Mandy.

“If it makes you feel any better,” said Darkness, “I bear her no malice. She’ll only be the appetizer once I report back to the master. She was bait to lure you here.

“You see, you’ve become a danger. The master simply can’t allow you to find any more of the Plates. So I have to put an end to your little quest right here.”

He moved his jacket aside, revealing his pokeball bandoleer.

“You want to Pokémon battle?” asked Starbuck. “Couldn’t a demon like you subdue me some other way?”

“Maybe not,” said Lisa. “The Twisting only has power over Pokémon. Maybe Pokémon battling is the only form of combat that these specters can manage.”

“On the other hand,” said Darkness, “you can attack me all you want. I don’t care. Any wound you inflict on me will only hurt poor Leo’s body. And if it becomes too damaged, I’ll be able to seize another. Perhaps your girlfriend’s?”

Shadow gulped.

“Listen you…” started Starbuck.

He stopped.

“I almost called you a monster… Can’t do that… It would insult the Pokémon.

“Fine, I’ll battle you… And if I win, you let Mandy and Leo go!”

Darkness laughed.

“You want me to wager two victims in exchange for one?” asked Darkness. “That’s an uneven wager.”

Starbuck covered his eyes.

“I’ll wager myself and Shadow, then,” he said.

“HEY!” shouted Shadow. “Don’t I get a say in this?!”

“Too late, Shadow,” said Darkness. “I don’t allow takebacks. I agree.”

Shadow grabbed Starbuck by the arm.

“Listen, buster,” he said, “maybe you didn’t notice something… We were barely able to defeat Mandy two against one. This guy wiped her out!”

Starbuck sighed.

Shadow was right.

He looked at the demon that was possessing Leo Solsby…

He had a feeling he was in for the fight of his life…

He looked at his pokeballs.

The only Pokémon he has that I know about is Rhyperior, he thought. Assuming that this creature is using Leo’s Pokémon, and he likely is. Rhyperior’s greatest weakness is Water, so I’ll save Swampert for when he sends that out.

But wait… Swampert is vulnerable to Ground moves, and his Rhyperior knows Earthquake… That might not be a good idea…

“If you aren’t going to move, I will!” shouted Darkness. “Go, Weavile!”

He threw out a pokeball, and a nasty-looking Weavile leapt out.

Starbuck blinked. He could swear that there was a dark aura of some sort around this Pokémon that wasn’t present in most Weavile.

He threw a pokeball of his own.

“Go, Hitmonlee!” he shouted.

His pokeball opened, and the much sought-after Fighting Pokémon with powerful legs leapt out.

“Hitmonlee!” it said.

“Not bad for a start,” said Darkness. “Weavile, use Swords Dance.”

Weavile’s eyes glowed, as it started to move in the mystical battle-dance that was commonly known for Pokémon who used physical attacks. It started to glow with a different aura, and its eyes shone in the dim light of the garage.

Got to go in for a strike when it’s distracted, thought Starbuck.

“Get him!” he shouted. “Blaze Kick!”

Hitmonlee grunted, and then started to burn with fire. It leapt at the Weavile…

Weavile broke out of its dance, and quickly caught the foot as it fell towards its face. It made an upward toss, and Hitmonlee did a somersault, landing on its feet.

“Hitmonlee…” it said, forming a fighting stance.

“Time to give you a sample of true power,” said Darkness. “Weavile… Ice Claw.”

“Ice Claw?” said Shadow. “What the heck is…”

Weavile’s eyes glowed with a light that could best be described as madness. Then its left claw glowed with pale white energy…

It made a slash across Hitmonlee’s chest so quick, the Fighter couldn’t react. Hitmonlee screamed, and fell to its knees.

“Hitmonlee…” it gasped. “Hitmonlee…”

“What sort of move is that?” shouted Starbuck.

“Be proud,” said Darkness. “You three are witnessing Stage Two.”

“Stage Two??” shouted Starbuck.

“When I took control of Leo,” said Darkness, “I was able to speed up the Twisting’s effect on his Pokémon. All six of them have reached Stage Two of the Twisting. They are more savage and brutal then they were before, AND, they each know a move that has not been documented anywhere else. A lethal attack that only Pokémon in Stage Two can learn.”

“Good lord…” said Starbuck. “So… What the whole world is suffering from now is just the early stage? The Twisting is going to get worse?”

“Indeed,” said Darkness. “Better I end it for you now, so you won’t be around to experience it when Stage Two spreads to the whole world!”

“Hitmonlee!” shouted Hitmonlee.

It leapt at Weavile, clearly angry from the terrible wound it had been given. Its fists started hammering into its foe, in a terrible Brick Break. Weavile staggered under the blows, and then finally collapsed.

Darkness chuckled as he recalled Weavile.

“I can already tell just what move your Hitmonlee will learn once it reaches Stage Two,” he said. “Would you like me to tell you?”

“NO!” shouted Starbuck. “I’m taking you down, Stage Two or no Stage Two!”

But the truth is, he thought, I feel like I just jumped into a pool without checking to see if there was water in it…


* * * * * * * * * *



Darkness wasn’t entirely correct about the effect his spell had on Mandy.

She was fast asleep, but her dreams were not nightmares. After all, she had spent three years locked up with Digger and Jessica goading her and leaving her uncertain each day as to whether she would be executed the next. Not much scared her anymore.

As she slept, she remembered her past…

She remembered one day that stood out when she was ten, only five months after her parents left her at boarding school. The whole dormitory rushed when the matron shouted “Mail call!” and she was excited when she was handed a package that was even larger than the care packages that her parents usually sent her. It was marked “Fragile”, and had been mailed with several insurance stamps.

But it came with a very mysterious letter:


Dear Mandy,

We love you more than we can say. We don’t ask much of you, but we need a favor, and much depends on it. We wish we could explain more fully, but we cannot.

Inside this package is an item. The favor we ask is for you to protect it. We cannot explain what it does or what it is for, but it must be protected, and you are the only one we trust.

Put it someplace secure. Do not sell it. Do not flaunt it in front of your friends.

And whatever you do, no matter how much we beg, no matter what offers we try to make to you from this point on, you must never, ever, give it back to us. If you truly love and respect us as your parents, you will do this for us.

Study hard, and make the two of us proud. We hope to see you soon.

Love,


Mum and Dad


She read this crazed letter several times before she finally opened the package to see what her parents had sent her. And when she lifted it out of the box, a chill ran down her spine…


* * * * * * * * * *



Buneary watched, even though it was terrified. Darkness hadn’t seen it yet, but it was rooted to the spot in fear, and perhaps didn’t realize that Darkness likely wouldn’t care about it one way or the other.

It didn’t want to run either. On a small level, it knew that Starbuck was in trouble. It had been around Starbuck for so long, it now loved him very much, even though Starbuck didn’t seem to reciprocate any affection it showed him. It wondered if there was anything it could do to help, even though it could likely do nothing.

Darkness threw out another pokeball.

It opened, and a small Pokémon emerged.

Starbuck winced. It was a Ditto. And it had the same dark aura surrounding it.

“Ditto, Transform,” said Darkness.

Ditto glowed with energy, and started to change shape, turning into an exact copy of Hitmonlee.

“My Pokémon knows all of the moves yours does now,” said Darkness. “Just try to take it down.”

“Don’t worry, Starbuck!” shouted Lisa. “A Ditto can learn all the moves of its opponent, but it’s never as good at using them!”

Hitmonlee and Ditto faced each other, and took fighting stances, looking like two martial artists about to spar…

Then the blows started to exchange. Each Pokémon started throwing punches and kicks at the other, blocking their opponents’ blows in between throwing ones of their own. Their kicks became charged with fire at times, and their punches glowed with pure energy.

They paused and glared at each other for a second.

“Your Ditto has a major weakness,” said Starbuck. “It can only use Hitmonlee’s moves. Who knows a Hitmonlee’s moves better than a Hitmonlee? There’s nothing your Pokémon can do that can surprise mine.”

“Oh no?” said Darkness.

“Ditto, use Dark Triangle.”

The Ditto started to concentrate.

Dark Triangle? thought Starbuck, in shock. My Pokémon… can’t do that…

It’s another Stage Two move…

Then the fake Hitmonlee seemingly split into three Hitmonlee, which surrounded the real one. All of a sudden, Hitmonlee was assaulted by kicks from all sides, as the three Pokémon in one mercilessly assaulted it.

Then, all three kicked it at the same time, and Hitmonlee collapsed.

“Hitmonlee…” it groaned.

The three fake Hitmonlee fused into one, and took some deep breaths.

Strange… thought Starbuck.

He recalled Hitmonlee.

Ditto seems to be somewhat dizzy after doing that…

I have a feeling that these Stage Two moves are physically draining on the Pokémon who uses them. Clearly, each of these moves has a cost.

He looked at his pokeballs.

Ditto has the Limber ability, so Luxray would be a waste of time… And it’s a Normal Pokémon, so Dusknoir won’t work…

“I choose Donphan!” he shouted.

His pokeball opened, and Donphan leapt out. It stepped forward, causing the floor to tremble.

“Ditto, Transform again,” said Darkness.

The fake Hitmonlee shifted shape again, turning into a copy of Donphan this time.

Have to take this guy out before it manages another Dark Triangle, thought Starbuck. I just hope that one Stage Two move is a Pokémon’s bona fide limit.

“GO!” shouted Starbuck. “Giga Impact!”

“Donphan!” shouted the Pokémon.

It charged at its twin like a bull, glowing with pure energy, and struck it hard with its forehead. The fake Donphan screamed, and tumbled over, collapsing ten feet away.

“It may have taken the form of Donphan,” said Starbuck, “but it still had the Defense of a Ditto… In other words, like silly putty.”

“Very clever, Conrad,” said Darkness, recalling Ditto.

He threw out another pokeball.

Starbuck sighed as he saw what it was.

It was a Starmie.

That was trouble.


* * * * * * * * * *



Mandy’s dreams shifted again.

It was now three months after she had received that mysterious package from her parents. She had finally decided to do something. She was a bright little girl, after all.

She had told the matron that she was going to the movies. She hated lying, but what was she going to tell her? She wouldn’t have been allowed to go into town if she had said she wanted to go to the bank.

She hated banks, especially this one. It was a very old institution, and the inside was a large and cavernous structure. She shivered as she sat waiting for her turn, holding the package with its strange contents.

“May I help you, young lady?” said a voice.

Mandy nervously looked up, and saw the face of the elderly bank officer.

“Yes, hello,” she said. “Uhm, I believe I have a trust fund here…”

She handed him her ID card.

“Mmm-hmm,” he said, looking at it. “Yes, but you realize, you’re far too young to withdraw money from it.”

“Yes, I know,” said Mandy, “but I also know that it entitles me to certain… benefits that your institution provides.

“See, I’d like to… open a safe deposit box.”

The bank officer gave her an odd look.

“Mmm… Yes, I can do that…” he said, sitting down at his desk.

He started to type some information into his computer.

“Any specific type of box?”

“A secure one,” said Mandy.

“Hmm…” said the officer. “And how long do you intend to keep this box?”

Mandy sighed.

“I’m… not sure,” she said. “For as long as I’m able.”

The bank officer looked at her.

“That’s a pretty long time,” he said. “I know it’s none of my business, but what exactly could a young lady like you need to store that’s so important?”

“Something I’m supposed to protect,” said Mandy.

The officer didn’t ask any more questions. Like he said, it was really none of his business.

Fifteen minutes later, he led Mandy to the vault, where she placed the package in one of the hundreds of metal safes. He locked it shut, and set the digital combination lock. She was given a copy of the deposit form, and was on her way.

As she exited the bank, she felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders…


* * * * * * * * * *



Donphan sputtered, as the Hydro Pump from the Starmie drenched it.

“Donphan…” it growled, looking at the colored starfish.

Better use Donphan’s secret weapon before Starmie takes it out, thought Starbuck.

“Donphan, use Stealth Rock,” said Starbuck.

“Huh?” said Darkness.

Donphan glowed with energy, and the floor started to shake. Rocks started to tear from the concrete floor, and started to float in the air, moving slowly in a jumbled pattern.

“Smart,” said Shadow. “Now, each time Darkness sends out a new Pokémon, it’ll get clobbered. Like one free attack for Starbuck.”

“It might give Starbuck the initial advantage,” said Lisa. “But I have a feeling that Darkness may be saving his better Pokémon for later.”

“You fight well, Conrad,” said Darkness. “But you don’t realize one thing…”

He pointed, and another Hydro Pump hit Donphan. It sputtered angrily.

“My master may desire living sacrifices,” he said, “but I don’t need them. I am nourished by anger itself.

“Not only does the rage coming from my own Pokémon invigorate me, but so does that of yours. Your Pokémon have not escaped the Twisting any more than Mandy’s did. They may only be Stage One, but their anger still feeds me.

“And I find it delectable…”

“Yeah?” shouted Starbuck. “Eat this!

“Donphan, Giga Impact again!”

Donphan glowed, and charged at Starmie like he did before…

“Psychic attack!” shouted Darkness.

A wave of Psychic energy shot at Donphan, and Donphan screamed before collapsing in mid-stride.

“I also gain energy from the anger of humans,” said Darkness. “So be all means, lash out at me all you want. It whets my appetite!”

Starbuck recalled Donphan.

He’s right, he thought. More than likely, that was the mistake Mandy made…

He closed his eyes.

Have to be calm… As much as I want to strangle him, I have to be calm… I can’t sink to his level…

He threw another pokeball.



Continued…