The Messanger of Time

Chapter 12: Rise Of An Old Threat

~Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory~

"And that concludes our coverage of this bizarre incident. We'll bring you more as this story develops. In other news..."

Vincent turns away from the television after having watched a news feed about the events in Cerulean. He looks outside the window for a moment. "The Dragonite and Flygon they talked about..."

Larisa looks at him. "You think they could be Aerthos and Sierra?"

He nods slowly. "It's too much of a coincidence. It has to be them. Which means Christina and Melissa are there as well."

"Well, that's good, right? That means we can find them."

Vincent nods slowly. "It's been a while... I wonder how they're doing? And Hector... He and Lasuno are out there too."

Larisa lowers her ears at the mention of Lasuno's name, looking down. He turns to look at her for a second, then moves over to stroke her neck. "You miss him, don't you?"

She slowly nods. "Very much..."

Vincent wraps his arm around her to hug her. "It'll be okay... Once we find them, we'll all be together again."

She makes a quiet purr and closes her eyes. After a short time, Professor Oak walks into the lobby with two cups and a bowl on a tray. "I brought you two some tea."

The two turn to him, and Vincent smiles as he sets the tray on the coffee table and takes a seat on the couch. They then go over to sit down with him

"Thanks again for letting us stay here a while, Professor Oak."

Oak smiles and nods. "Of course. But young man, you really shouldn't be wandering around in the cold with just a blanket. It's really not good for you, or your friend."

Vincent sighs and takes one of the cups, blowing into it. "I don't exactly have anything warm to wear. Almost everything was damaged in the fire, so we took what we could salvage and left."

"And I would assume you never planned anything before you left here, did you?"

"...No."

Oak looks at him, then gets up. "Would you allow me a temporary leave?"

The two watch him as he walks out of the room, then look at each other. Vincent then takes a drink and Larisa leans down to the bowl, taking a sip. She then squeaks and jerks back, taking a few deep breaths, and Vincent blinks.

"Hot..?"

"No, it's cold!"

Vincent rolls his eyes at her sarcasm. "That's why you're supposed to blow on it and let it cool down first, silly."

Larisa shoots a glare at him, and he shrugs with a smile. "...Oh, shut it, you."

After a while, Oak comes back and calls to them. "Would you two come with me please?"

They look at him curiously, then get up and go out into the hall with him. He walks them down to another room and takes them inside. In this room, various shelves and hangers standing all over the place, all of them having different types of clothing ranging from pants and shorts, to shirts and sweaters, and even jackets of all sizes. Vincent looks around the room curiously.

"What is this...?"

Professor Oak walks through the room and then turns back to the two. "People have made donations over the years to allow new trainers and others in need of essential items to be able to have them. There is quite the selection to choose from. Since you have lost much recently, I believe it is only right that I let you have this small gift. Pick anything you see fitting."

Vincent looks back at him in surprise, but then feels a sense of reassurring gratefulness at this offer. "I don't know what to say..."

Oak smiles with a nod. "You needn't say anything. It's the least I could do for you. Your family has, in fact, given this town more than just their kind assistance. It would be terrible to let that go to waste. Consider this my own thanks."

Vincent smiles a little, and Larisa looks at him.

"Awww, are you gonna get all bubbly and mushy inside?"

Vincent blushes and looks down, shaking his head. "S-Shut up..."

The Latias giggles and hugs him, and Oak can't help but utter a laugh at it. Soon enough, they hear the doorbell ring, and Oak looks outside the room.

"I believe I should get that. Oh, do take your time!"

Vincent looks at him again and nods, and he walks by them and out of the room. They then look around the room, examining the different kinds of clothing.

After a short while, Vincent finally comes out of the room, dressed in a new attire. He now has a black fabric, zipped-up jacket, lined down the sleeves with a light-grey band which comes up and across the back of the collar, behind the hood. His necklace is tucked inside the jacket, over a plain, black t-shirt. He has loose, black jeans held with a belt, and laced, black leather shoes.

He looks at Larisa, who looks him over and giggles. "Well... You certainly do like your black."

He rolls his eyes. "It's warmer in the winter. It'll help. I picked out a couple sets for when it gets warmer, so I'll be fine."

"Just a couple?"

Vincent shakes his head. "I don't exactly feel like carrying twenty sets of clothes around with me while roaming around, especially since I need to be prepared for anything that comes. And having a bunch of things on me makes me just a bit less mobile."

Larisa sighs and nods. "Yeah, you're right... I just wish we didn't have to be roaming like this."

He reaches over and pets her head. "We won't have to forever. When all this is over, we'll be able to settle down and be at peace again."

The Latias coos softly and looks at him with a small smile. "Okay..."

He picks up a greyish-blue bag and slings it over his shoulder, then the two go down the hall and into the lobby. Here, they see Oak with another, familiar, individual. A male of Vincent's age, with medium-length, pitch black hair and wearing what appears to be a black, goth-style outfit. He has brown eyes, which look at Vincent and Larisa as they come into the room.

"Hey, Vincent. How're you doing?"

Vincent blinks and eyes him curiously. "Heeey, it's... you. Uhh... Raven, right?"

"Yep, that's it."

"...You were watching us before, when we were in the garden."

Raven nods and gets up from the couch. "Yeah. I heard about you guys before and what happened. Just wanted to know if you're okay."

Vincent shrugs a bit. "Better now... How come you're so interested? Seems like you're kinda following me around now."

"Actually, I came here to pick up my pokemon I left with Professor Oak yesterday."

Vincent narrows his eyes at this. "Your... pokemon? That means you're a trainer, then?"

Raven nods again. "Yeah, kind of. I got my buddy Pika a couple years ago, but I haven't gone out anywhere yet. Been too busy to do anything until about a week ago."

"...I see. To each their own, I guess."

Raven looks at him with curiosity. "You don't like trainers, do you?"

Vincent shakes his head. "It's not really that. Just the idea of putting pokemon into little capsules sort of peeves me. But if they seem to be fine with it, whatever."

Oak looks at them for a moment, then stands up. "Some people have their own ideals. Vincent's family trained and cared for dragons for many years, but never put them into pokeballs. And that's fine too."

Raven looks at him. "Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter, as long as they're taken care of."

Vincent nods slowly. "...So, where is your Pikachu, I'm assuming it is by the name?"

"Oh, right! Yeah, he's in the field outside. Could we go get him, Professor?"

Oak smiles. "Of course. Come with me."

Oak leads the two outside and into the fields nearby. After a time of walking around, they come to a small pond where some of the pokemon are wandering around. And under a tree, they see a Pikachu sleeping, its color a darker yellow and the black on its ears spiking off where they turn yellow.

Raven calls out to the small pokemon, whose ears twitch to the sound. It soon opens its eyes and looks around, then ahead to see him, and smiles. The Pikachu then jumps up and runs over, jumping up onto his shoulder.

Vincent watches with a bit of curiosity as the Pikachu nuzzles against Raven's head, and smiles a little at the sight. "I suppose he is happy then..."

Raven looks at him. "Of course he's happy."

Vincent nods slowly, then looks at Oak. "Hey... I think it's about time for me to go now."

The Professor nods and smiles to him. "Come back any time, young man."

Raven eyes him curiously. "Where are you planning on going?"

"It's... kind of hard to say."

"Come on, it can't be that bad."

Vincent sighs and turns off. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you. It's better I didn't tell anyone."

Larisa looks at him and puts her paw on his shoulder. "Vincent..."

Raven folds his arms, and Professor Oak looks between them. "...I think I should be returning to the lab now."

Vincent looks back at Oak, who nods back to him, before walking off towards the lab. He then turns to Raven, seeing that he doesn't appear willing to just drop the subject.

"Is it that bad to be a little concerned?"

"Why are you concerned? What's so significant about me that you have to know?"

Raven puts his arms down. "Because you lived in my hometown. I have every right to want to help out people here who need it."

Pika looks between them and blinks. "...Pi?"

Vincent eyes him, and responds, "It's Vincent..."

Pika blinks at him, and Raven furrows a brow. "Woah, wait... Did you just talk to him?"

"Yes."

"...You understand pokemon."

"Yes..."

Raven stares at him. "...Okay. I can get that, you talk to pokemon."

"It's not that... uncommon."

"Just a bit."

Vincent rolls his eyes and turns off. "Look, can I go?"

"Why won't you let me help y-"

"Because you'll get yourself killed, alright!?"

Everyone immediately falls silent. For several moments, the place seems to have become as quiet as a graveyard. And then, Larisa moves in front of Vincent.

"Vincent... Please try to calm down."

Vincent looks at her and shakes her head, and Raven speaks up. "No, I get it. You just don't want me getting involved because it's too much for me. But sometimes people try anyways. See you around, Vincent."

He walks off, and Vincent looks back at him as he disappears off in the distance. He sighs and turns back to Larisa.

"...Let's go. We've stayed too long..."

Larisa looks at him with a low, sad coo, then the two go off to the north, heading towards the exit of the town.

After a while, Raven turns back towards the lab. He stands there for a moment, and Pika looks at him with concern. He then shakes his head. "No, they're not going off alone."

He walks on, intent on getting back to Vincent, even if he has to follow at a distance so he isn't seen. Something about him has made him uncertain... And he wants answers.

- - - - -

"Hello there, Jack..."

Jack looks up from his desk, having been working on a device in his factory. And what he sees makes him drop the needle in his hand and step back.

"...James?"

"Surprised?" James smiles and walks towards him. And he squints his eyes, in disbelief.

"But... I thought you'd gone. What happened, did you just not go back?"

"Oh, you're not wrong. In fact, you're more right than you know."

Jack stares at him. "What do you mean? Why do you have that tone in your voice? And why are you wearing... black?"

James scoffs quietly and walks around Jack. "Hmm... Perhaps you won't understand."

He keeps his eyes on him, clearly concerned. And James turns around to face him.

"Let me just make it simple for you. I am not the brother you knew. James... Yes, he is gone. And in his place is someone who should've been here all along."

Jack backs up, into his desk. "What..?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm James' inner darkness... The part of him he cast away without a second thought, just because I was too... what's the word. Controlling? But he was just naive. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't even have been where he was all this time. And now, he's served his purpose. I'm here to reclaim what is mine. And you..."

Jack stares at him, his hand on the desk behind him to grab at a screwdriver. And James steps forward.

"...I need your assistance. You see, a certain old friend of ours is in the way of what I seek. You remember Vincent Verona?"

Jack keeps his eyes on him, grasping the screwdriver in his hand.

"What I need you to do... is simply to, let's say... create something. Admittedly, he's far too cautious around me to make attacking him a remotely possible task. But you? He trusts you... Therefore, what I need from you, is a weapon that can weaken him just enough for me to finish the job. Think you can do that... brother?"

Jack grunts. "Not for you... You're not my brother. You're just a psychopath in my brother's body." He swings around and makes one swift movement to send the screwdriver into James. But just an inch away from his body, his hand stops.

James stares at him with a smirk, his eyes glowing as his hands held out towards him. "...So close. Yet so far away." He closes his hands, and Jack yelps out, his wrist feeling as though it were being crushed and he drops the screwdriver on the ground. James then swings his hands out and smacks his chest, sending him backwards over the table, and into the shelves behind several yards away, causing the tools on it to fall to the floor as he then falls into the mess that was created.

James steps around the table and kneels down to Jack, placing his hand around his neck and picking him up.

"I'm gonna be generous... just because we're related. I'm gonna let you go for now. But I will return, in time. And when I do, I want you to make a decision. You will either help me, or you'll face a hell unlike anything you could imagine."

Jack looks at him, disoriented now, before he drops him. He then turns and walks away, soon fading away, and Jack eventually loses consciousness on the floor...