Hi everybody. I decided to post my most recent Fan Fic on the Forums. I'm probably new for you, as I've never posted anything here. But well... I've written a few Fan Fics through the time. This one is the one I'm intending to finish.
This story takes place in Orre, ten years after the events in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. It grabs elements and plot from both Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD. This surged because I really like those games. However, many things were wrong with them. That's why I decided to write it: to expand the plot of said games and create a whole new story in the process.
This isn't a Trainer Fic. It's based in Pokémon, but it's more like Adventure and Dark mixed, with a few "Trainer" kicked in. It'll be limited to battles mostly, though. The main focus is a big mission that will decide Orre's destiny. I rated it PG-13, as it's bound to contain a few swears and quite a bit of violence.
I can't say more without spoiling stuff, so, come and read about...
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Uprise of Cipher.
Prologue: Chronicles of Orre.
“We got him at last!” Claimed the leading grunt, the Rogue Soldier, which commanded the blue forces behind him. A group of five guys had an old man apprehended. All of them wore blue armor-like clothes, and had a weird helmet covering their faces. One of them didn’t wear the helmet: a young guy with short, blue hair. All of them wore the orange scarf: the sign of Cipher’s Army. They were crossing through the open arena that used to be the Deep Colosseum. Completely abandoned now, the old subterranean area now just served one purpose: the entrance to the Headquarters further underground. The group went through the hollow space quickly, and reached an elevator. All of them got in, still keeping hold of the old man that had given up by now.
“The Boss will be really pleased! We’ll manage to get out a big heck of information from this coot.” Said another grunt. As the leading one pushed the elevator’s “Down” button, one of them was really ashamed of all that. The blue-haired guy felt bad for doing the dirty things he had to do. But there wasn’t anything else he could do: if he disobeyed, his life would come to a sudden end. He just refrained from making any comment on that issue, until the moment came. As he looked at the flashy lights around the elevator, it stopped. The group then got into Cipher’s Underground Headquarters.
As they went down, they got into a huge room. There was a lobby with tables and chairs. White neon lights illuminated the place, as an endless amount of people chatted and drank in the lobby. Many of them were Cipher Soldiers like the ones that formed the group. Many pictures of Pokémon and people surrounded the lobby’s wall. The atmosphere was quite dark, though, because the place was many meters underground. At the far end of the big room, assorted in a neat way, a bunch of elevators could be seen. However, they weren’t regular elevators. The group stepped into the biggest one, and all of them disappeared just like this.
The group re-appeared in another room. It was a long hall, with many Cipher Soldiers hanging all over it. The hall had light bulbs instead of neon lights, which made it way darker than the previous room. There were many automatic doors at both sides of the long hall. As the group walked on, they chatted, very pleased with themselves because of the successful mission.
“We’re just some steps away from the Boss’ office.” Said the Rogue Soldier. They were approaching a big door that glittered with blue and gold sparkles all over it. As they were nearer of that door, the blue-haired guy stood back: he just hoped that the other soldiers would notice…
One of the soldiers turned back, as he noticed that the helmet-less comrade stopped walking all of a sudden. “Won’t you come?”
“Nope. You can’t go in like that…”
“Who says so?”
“I bet the Boss must be busy right now… how about you allow me to torture our hostage a bit?”
The Rogue Soldier turned back, angry about what had just popped out. He walked toward the blue-haired guy, but it was unknown if he was angry at all, since the helmet he wore covered his eyes. “Look, Ray: you’ve betrayed us before when you say you’re going to ‘torture our hostages’. We’re not going to fall for it this time!” The voice of the soldier proved that he was indeed angered.
“But this time I’m serious!”
“Don’t start with that crap again. You’ve allowed the escape of our latest hostages… you’re lucky that the Boss hasn’t ordered your execution by now. You did a great job in this mission. Don’t let it go to waste!”
“Trust me… I’m not going to allow escape this time.”
The angered soldier thought about it for a while, until he shook his head with a sign of disapproval, and said: “OK… I’ll trust you a last time. If you allow him to escape, I WILL get you executed! Go into your room, and make a good job. A good opening torture will soften him, and he’ll reveal the information we need. I’ll be back in one hour!” The leading soldier went back with the group and sent them to their rooms, while he got hold of the old man and handed him to Ray.
Ray got hold of the old man before he could move. He then went slowly inside his room, which was behind a door out of many in that long hall. As he entered, he closed the door with key, and released the old man from his seemingly strong arms.
The old man screamed and tried to escape, but as he saw that Ray didn’t start any sort of torture, he calmed down. The room was almost filled in complete darkness, as a low-power bulb was the only light source. There was a bed, and a computer. A bunch of clothes and magazines were spread out all around the messy place. Ray was a very untidy person.
“Sit down in the bed, please… I want to know a few things I’m sure you’re informed of.” Ray was serious, like he hadn’t been before. The old man felt a weird trust towards Ray: he couldn’t explain it. Deep within him, however, the old man hoped that the blue-haired boy that was talking to him would become a hero, and save Orre, as the Legendary Hero did back then…
The old man finally took a seat in the bed of that gloomy, poorly illuminated room. “OK, boy… I feel like I can trust you on that. You seem to be just a beginning soldier after all.”
Ray got hold of a chair that was near the room’s computer, and went near the bed. He then sat in front of the old man, and started the conversation: “Your name is Harland, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’m Orre’s spokesman. I keep track of all events and situations that concern this very region…”
“I see. That’s why Cipher wanted you. Um…”
“Before you keep it going, kid, I have a question: are you dissing Cipher?”
Ray just smirked at that question, and limited himself to nod at the old man’s assumption. “I see… that’s why you’ve released all the previous hostages, and you haven’t tortured me.”
Ray now felt burning from inside, and expressed his reasons at Harland, with a burning fury from deep inside his heart: “Yeah… Cipher ruined my life. They killed my family, destroyed my Pokémon from inside and obliged me to work for them. I have no other choice… I wouldn’t be there if I had refused.”
“My most sincere apologies… I guess you want to know the current situation of Orre. You would’ve preferred death than this destiny, I feel. There must be a reason for you to remain alive…”
Ray was still looking at Harland with his red eyes. Still, he couldn’t deny it: he wanted to stay alive. One reason was his Pokémon and all the other corrupted Pokémon that now plagued Orre. And the other reason was a friend… his only friend. “Sorry, but…”
“You don’t need to tell me your reasons, Ray. I understand how you feel. Still, I want to help you, as it seems you’re the only one capable of it. I feel it…” Harland had a strong will. It could be easily noticed: his black eyes, even if a bit hammered by the pass of the years, projected full determination. His overall body complexion showed he wasn’t ordinary old man. His hair still brimmed in a radiant black tone, despite his advanced age…
“You really think so?” Ray had helped other hostages, but no one had shown as much trust as Harland did. Even he was impressed, and now confirmed what Harland had just said: “Yeah… I want to know how did Cipher rise from its downfall at Wes’ hands. How did that organization took over the whole region… I want to know.”
“I see… Nascour must keep a big amount of the information for himself.”
“You know Boss Nascour?” Ray was completely shocked with finding that a complete outsider was well versed about Cipher’s hierarchy and the very Boss.
“I know more than you think, Ray… anyway. Guess I have no time to lose, as the Rogue Soldier will come in less than one hour.”
“That’s right! We must hurry… please tell me. What do you know about Cipher’s up rise and the inability of Orre to respond? I want as much details as possible, please…”
“And you’ll have them…” Harland cleared his throat for what would surely be a long chronicle: “As you know, Cipher managed to control a big part of Orre about fifteen years ago. They started as an underground syndicate founded by the most renowned miner of the Under: Evice Es Cade. The miner was formerly part of the Es Cade family, the governors of Phenac City. However, he was abandoned as he bestowed completely evil tendencies. Evice promised revenge to his own family, and with the years, he formed a huge wealth in the formerly mining town of the Under.”
“With his endless wealth, Evice managed to form a big group. He hired many criminals of the Orre Region, and even managed to lure in many powerful Trainers of the now cancelled Orre League. One of them is the actual Head of the organization: Nascour. With the aid of those criminals, Trainers and even a bunch of scientists, Evice created Cipher. The new organization started as an underground group, but it grew without control in a small lapse of some months. The ones that conformed the organization recruited Trainers all over the region, and also formed an alliance with the expert thieves of Team Snagem. They provided Snagem with the technology to actually steal Pokémon off their Trainers. They just had to give Cipher the best Pokémon they could steal in return.”
“In addition, the leader of the scientists hired by Evice, and last champion of the Orre League, Ein, created the Shadow Pokémon. They would work wonders for Evice’s scheme. Soon enough, Cipher had grown to be an unstoppable organization, having an army of humans and Pokémon alike. However, they couldn’t go further in their feat of conquering Orre. They had control over the Under and Pyrite Town, but soon enough, a former member of their affiliate Team Snagem, the Orre Hero, Wes, unearthed their intentions and trumped the whole organization, little by little.”
Ray was listening with an attention rare in himself. Not even the current situation of the Region could shift him from knowing the background of this awful age. The dark underground room was out of his mind now: Harland’s story was his only focus. “You have any questions up to here?” Said Harland. He was concerned about Ray’s thoughts…
“No. Not really. It’s interesting to know Cipher’s beginnings… but I hope you can tell me about their up rise from their slump now…” Ray was impatient to know how they could go unnoticed by Wes, and how no one in the whole region could stop them at all.
“OK… I’ll tell you. I just wanted you to know some of Cipher’s background. Let me continue. As Wes brought Cipher down in a lapse of mere weeks, the organization almost stumbled. Even their further efforts of taking Wes down were proved useless, as Wes himself disposed of the last traces of both Team Snagem and Cipher. Evice had lost ALL control he ever had over Orre, and was now in jail, seeing as how his escape plan was stopped by the legendary Ho-Oh, whom was watching over Wes and his friend, Rui.” Ray was quite impressed with that claim. He couldn’t help but ask: “Ho-Oh? The Legendary Ho-Oh? But, why it protected someone like Wes, whom used to be a criminal like Evice himself?”
“Yes. It’s weird as of why did Ho-Oh choose Wes. To this day, that mystery remains unsolved. Still, Ho-Oh observed Wes’ determination. He wanted to save the Shadow Pokémon, to revert them to what they used to be. It’s also unknown as of today why Wes betrayed Team Snagem and went into his quest for saving all the Shadow Pokémon. Still, Ho-Oh has been named as the Protector of the relationship Pokémon-Human. As it saw Wes’ desire, Ho-Oh knew it was right to support his success. At least that’s what I think…”
“Interesting… sorry. Please continue.” Harland took a deep breath, wheezing strongly. Ray was concerned about him, and went into his mess of clothes and magazines. As Ray went through the dirty stuff, he got a small bottle of water out of it, and handed it to Harland. “Please, drink some.” Harland grabbed the bottle, and drank a big amount of water off it. “Thanks, Ray. You’re very kind.”
“It’s the least I can do for you. If you need something else, tell me.” Ray then went back to his chair, still eager of hearing more of the story he completely ignored. Harland cleared his throat and started to talk again: “Wes freed the Region from Cipher’s menace. However, there was a fact that he ignored completely. A fact that would soon turn things around: Evice had a back-up plan.”
“A back-up plan?” Things were starting to get interesting. Inside the faint and messy room of his, Ray would finally hear the truth… “Yeah. Wes actually had a chance, but he ignored that the apparently former Cipher Admins were still working for Cipher’s rebirth. He defeated them for the third time in the Deep Colosseum. Apparently, they didn’t work for Cipher anymore, and just became full-on Trainers. Or at least that’s what Wes thought.”
“The Deep Colosseum? You mean the entrance of the Headquarters? Did it exist 15 years ago?” That impressed Ray too.
“Yes, and it was instrumental in Cipher’s recovery. Wes never went beyond the Colosseum, but there, those very Headquarters were being built. Evice and Nascour, whom were in jail at the time, knew it wouldn’t be long before they could escape. Their plan consisted on fooling Wes in that Cipher and Snagem were done for. The Admins managed to keep Wes off their real intentions. It took about five years, but the basic structure for those Underground Headquarters were completed without Wes knowing a thing about it… and then, the second phase of Evice’s plan was executed by his childhood friend, Greevil.”
“Greevil? You mean Nascour’s Left Hand?”
“Yes. It was ten years ago. Greevil followed Evice’s commands as the organization started its slow recovery. Greevil formed a new group, and stood as the new boss of Cipher. He dismissed all the old Admins to avoid suspicious thoughts from people. His objective was to keep the development of Shadow Pokémon still active. You probably know about that big Pyramid that’s being ran by Cipher, and Citadark Isle?”
“Yes, I do. That pyramid is where Shadow Pokémon are mass-produced. Citadark Isle is the second Headquarter of Cipher.”
“Indeed. Greevil built both places, in his attempt to bring Cipher back to power. His isolated plan was stopped, though. A small kid named Michael, a good friend of Professor Krane, stopped the plans of the new Cipher. However, he also ended up clueless in the actual plot of Cipher. Greevil’s plan succeeded, as they managed to create the most fearsome Shadow Pokémon.”
“What? What’s it about? Greevil created an even more wicked Shadow Pokémon?”
“He surely did. With the help of Ein, of course, who worked in the background. The Shadow Pokémon with code name: ‘XD-001’. It was the Legendary Lugia. It was a terrifying creation, out of the sick mind of those scientists. I believe they’re now producing more Shadow Pokémon under that classification, but I’m not sure. Even so, Michael managed to bring them down, Snag the Shadow Pokémon produced for that feat, and even purify XD-001, with the help of Prof. Krane’s Purify Chamber”
“I see. Well… I don’t remember much of it. I was 4 years old back then, and I just heard of an attack in the Pyrite TV Station…”
“Yep. It was just a work in the shadows. Cipher is actually glad that it wasn’t spread out at all. Plus, as you must be aware, the Under was abandoned around that time. That was perfect for Cipher, as they now would have their HQs completely unknown from everyone…”
“As Greevil’s plan was foiled, both Evice and Nascour escaped from jail. The escape had all of Orre in expectation. Even Wes, whom was now resting in Agate Village, got on his feet to find the escapees. However, neither was found. Michael also helped, but couldn’t find them either. Wes, Michael and the police thought they probably died in the vastness of the desert before they could even make it to their scarce followers. But they were completely wrong…”
“Evice and Nascour made it to the Under, which was now completely abandoned. Then they went into the just-finished Underground Headquarters. Down there, the up rise had just started. Unnoticed by Wes, Michael, and Orre as a whole, Cipher started to gather more followers than ever. Of all conditions and status, people started to flow inside the organization. Soon, their members highly outnumbered the last batch when Wes defeated them. It was also helped when the leftovers of Team Snagem merged with Cipher. Gonzap, the boss of Snagem, became the newest Admin, and with both criminal organizations now together, there would be trouble… but everybody in the surface ignored that.”
“It took Cipher about two years to create an army of Trainers, criminals and Pokémon. Ein managed to improve the Shadow Pokémon. The drawbacks were pretty much eliminated, and Shadow Pokémon now could double as normal Pokémon. The Snag Machines were improved to such a degree that now it’s almost impossible to distinguish between a Snag Machine and a normal glove. Cipher was ready to strike Orre with all they had. But they had a few worries: Wes and Michael. They probably could stop Cipher in its tracks again… but they had plans for them too.”
“It was the first thing Cipher did in the surface. A group of Elite Soldiers infiltrated into Agate Village, in one of Wes’ usual strolls through the sacred forest where he had purified all of the old Shadow Pokémon. There, the Peons attacked in a surprise strike. Wes couldn’t retaliate and fell in their hands. They also got hold of all of Wes’ Pokémon, while Cipher’s hackers got the Pokémon he had stored in the Personal Storage System. Wes has never been seen ever since. The notice of Wes’ apparent death stroke Rui, whom had just lost her grandparents: Eagun and Belluh. Rui went into a state of mental insanity: all the people she cared for was gone… forever. She’s still in her grandparent’s house to this day, completely out of herself. A huge sadness has rendered her completely unaware of the things that would come…”
“Then, in another swift attack, they surprised Professor Krane. As Michael and his family lived there, it was a very fast mission. They destroyed Krane’s Laboratory and the Purify Chamber. Michael and his family were apprehended and sent to jail, alongside Krane. They also got hold of all the Pokémon Michael had saved, including Lugia. It still surprises me how they didn’t kill them all, as they did with Wes…”
Ray couldn’t believe what he was hearing: apparently, Wes was dead. The great hero of Orre was gone. Michael, the other guy that had stopped Cipher, was now in jail. “So, that’s how Cipher managed to take control?”
“Yes… but that was just the point of the iceberg. As soon as Wes and Michael got out of their way, their take over was immediate and reckless. Their next action was so awful, so dreadful, that it still remains in the memories of the people that witnessed it and managed to survive…”
“What? What did they do that was so terrible?” Ray could swear he saw a silent tear slipping from Harland at that point. The old man whipped it with his arm, and then kept on going: “They attacked Phenac City in an indescribable rage. They used Shadow Pokémon to destroy the whole city and kill about 85% of their inhabitants. They just allowed the youngsters to live, and some people managed to escape their wrath. To this day, this event is proof of Cipher’s power and domain over the whole Orre Region. Such event is known as the “Phenac Raid” among the survivors. The youngsters Evice allowed to live are now on Cipher’s files… at least most of them.”
“That’s awful! How could they do that? Destroying a whole city and their people…” Ray felt a sudden fury within himself. He now hated Cipher even more. There was another feeling: he felt his friend was related in some way to Phenac City. He thought it was just a weird feeling created by his sudden rage… only that. Ray tried to calm down, and asked gently to Harland to continue: “The event was so awful that Evice died that very day. He probably couldn’t withstand seeing so much destruction created by him… showing he was human after all. Still, Nascour took control of Cipher, and the conquest of Orre continued.”
“Next was Agate Village. Pretty much all the Orre population but Cipher members were completely scared off what they could do to them if they didn’t obey. In addition, the former Agate Elders were dead; Wes was nowhere, probably dead; and Rui was so immersed in her own messed mind that she didn’t even move from her grandparent’s house. Dakim took over the village with ease. Then, Miror B. recovered Pyrite Town. It was easy, since neither Duking nor Silva could do anything. The Orre population was scared, and they just stood back in fear as Nascour took over the entire Region.”
It was unbelievable. By means of fear, Cipher had managed to have Orre at mercy. Wes and Michael were gone, and no Trainer seemed to stand up to their wrath. Ray felt more fury with every word of Harland. He now hated Cipher more than he ever did… “Well… Venus got the ruined Phenac City. She hasn’t cared for the rebuild of it, save the Stadium and her own facility. This way, everyone won’t forget of what Cipher is capable of. Gonzap took over the Eclo Canyon, where a concealed prison exists. That was the prison where Evice and Nascour used to be caged. Also, Gonzap rebuilt the destroyed Snagem Hideout, and it became another Base for the organization.”
“Ein became Nascour’s Right Hand, and was now free to reopen the Shadow Pokémon Lab, and in the course of the coming seven years, a city was built from the Laboratory. That city is known as Opal City nowadays, and Ein governs it. That way, Ein managed to legalize Shadow Pokémon in Orre, and it still conducts awful experiments in Pokémon. Snattle, one of the Admins that worked under Greevil’s orders, took charge of the old Orre Colosseum, which used to be the place for the Final Tournament of the Orre League. A mirage for many, it’s unknown whether it still exists or not…”
“Gorigan, another of Greevil’s cronies, took over Mt. Battle. That place is now an area where new recruits are trained roughly so they can attain their full potential… you must’ve been there at one point.” Ray just nodded. He still remembered the awful years of training, ever since he was 7 years old, eight years ago.
“It didn’t end there, though. Lovrina took over the Gateon Port, which interrupted communication between Orre and other Regions, confining everyone to Cipher’s reign. Chobin, a scientist obsessed with mechanic Pokémon, is in charge of the Pyramid, and is supported by one of Greevil’s bodyguards, Ardos. Greevil is in charge of Citadark Isle, of course, and is protected by his most loyal bodyguard, Eldes.”
“I guess that’s it… I know what I wanted to know all thanks to you. My deepest gratitude, Harland…” Ray was burning from inside, and he wanted to burn his pile of clothes and magazines, in hopes for Cipher to burn with it. Harland got another gulp from the water bottle that was left near him. He looked at Ray, and saw a big desire of saving everyone: Pokémon and people alike. “Wait… there’s more.”
“No. You’ve told me more than enough. It’s been almost an hour… and I won’t allow you to get killed. Get up, Mr. Harland… come with me.” Ray got up of the chair he was at, and Harland got up from the bed. The small bulb that gave light to the small room went off as Ray flipped the light switch. He was completely used to his room already, and he knew what to do. Going through darkness, and after tripping with the pile of clothes and magazines, Ray took Harland to a secret passageway. Harland didn’t know where they were going, but he trusted Ray somehow. The young blue-haired guy walked long meters through a tunnel he dug up by himself. He had helped many hostages to escape through that tunnel before, just after the teleporters in each room had been removed because of them being used by Ray for releasing the hostages. Still, Ray was an astute person, and he made that tunnel that took to the surface. He could’ve left long ago, but he didn’t want to leave without her… his dearest friend.
After two minutes of walking, light could be seen at the tunnel’s end. A few minutes after that, Ray and Harland were out. The evening Sun was now hiding behind the mountains in the horizon. The isolated wasteland that was Orre’s desert shone in a deluded orange color, like the setting Sun. A small sandstorm whipped permanently all over the desert. Harland was saved: he could escape now.
Meanwhile, down in Cipher’s Headquarters, the Rogue Soldier had been calling at Ray’s door without answer. He was infuriated, and he knew what that meant. With a powerful kick, he brought the door down. As the soldier saw a room enveloped in darkness, he was now sure. He turned on the light of the room, and found the tunnel. When he walked through the untidy room, he just smirked as he thought, “You’re mine, Ray…”
Harland was soothed by Ray’s help. Not only he didn’t torture him, but Ray also helped him to escape. “Thank you, Ray. I’ll go back to my place. If you ever get out, you know where to find me…” Harland smiled at Ray, whom was impressed of the old man’s trust toward him. “Don’t lose time, Harland! Escape.” Harland nodded and got a Poké Ball out of his long jacket. He threw it to the ground… “Go, Flygon!” The Ball opened, and the Dragon Pokémon spouted out of it in a shining flow of energy. As it took form, it let out a shriek: “Fly!” The majestic Pokémon contrasted with the orange shine of the desert, and its green body was glowing in a deep, dark color. Its big, red eyes looked at Harland, and it responded by bowing: Flygon probably knew what to do.
Harland climbed on Flygon’s back, as the Pokémon extended its wings. It then took off with a powerful flap of its wings. Its long hair moved with the flow of the sandstorm. Harland looked back at Ray before getting on the way, and gave him a last word: “You can do it, Ray. Wes and Michael did it. You can too… I’ll be looking forward to see you again. Thank you…” Flygon flapped its powerful wings again, and it flew through the sandstorm. It then disappeared, with Harland on it. Ray waved timidly at the now invisible Trainer and Pokémon. As he looked at the setting Sun, he made up his mind: it was time to take action. He had been waiting so much for that, and now he knew exactly how awful Cipher was. He couldn’t stop the governing organization alone, though. Maybe he could convince her… and then, that feeling he had of his friend’s relationship with Phenac City returned. He had to look at it next.
Ray was so immersed in thoughts, that only when someone grabbed him from his arms and then wrapped his neck with the long, red outfit that covered the stalker’s arm, he returned to reality.
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you. I KNEW IT! But now I’ve got you. It’s over for you, Ray. We’re off to see Boss Nascour!”
-------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that's it. I hope you like it. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Until next time!
This story takes place in Orre, ten years after the events in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. It grabs elements and plot from both Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD. This surged because I really like those games. However, many things were wrong with them. That's why I decided to write it: to expand the plot of said games and create a whole new story in the process.
This isn't a Trainer Fic. It's based in Pokémon, but it's more like Adventure and Dark mixed, with a few "Trainer" kicked in. It'll be limited to battles mostly, though. The main focus is a big mission that will decide Orre's destiny. I rated it PG-13, as it's bound to contain a few swears and quite a bit of violence.
I can't say more without spoiling stuff, so, come and read about...
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Uprise of Cipher.
Prologue: Chronicles of Orre.
“We got him at last!” Claimed the leading grunt, the Rogue Soldier, which commanded the blue forces behind him. A group of five guys had an old man apprehended. All of them wore blue armor-like clothes, and had a weird helmet covering their faces. One of them didn’t wear the helmet: a young guy with short, blue hair. All of them wore the orange scarf: the sign of Cipher’s Army. They were crossing through the open arena that used to be the Deep Colosseum. Completely abandoned now, the old subterranean area now just served one purpose: the entrance to the Headquarters further underground. The group went through the hollow space quickly, and reached an elevator. All of them got in, still keeping hold of the old man that had given up by now.
“The Boss will be really pleased! We’ll manage to get out a big heck of information from this coot.” Said another grunt. As the leading one pushed the elevator’s “Down” button, one of them was really ashamed of all that. The blue-haired guy felt bad for doing the dirty things he had to do. But there wasn’t anything else he could do: if he disobeyed, his life would come to a sudden end. He just refrained from making any comment on that issue, until the moment came. As he looked at the flashy lights around the elevator, it stopped. The group then got into Cipher’s Underground Headquarters.
As they went down, they got into a huge room. There was a lobby with tables and chairs. White neon lights illuminated the place, as an endless amount of people chatted and drank in the lobby. Many of them were Cipher Soldiers like the ones that formed the group. Many pictures of Pokémon and people surrounded the lobby’s wall. The atmosphere was quite dark, though, because the place was many meters underground. At the far end of the big room, assorted in a neat way, a bunch of elevators could be seen. However, they weren’t regular elevators. The group stepped into the biggest one, and all of them disappeared just like this.
The group re-appeared in another room. It was a long hall, with many Cipher Soldiers hanging all over it. The hall had light bulbs instead of neon lights, which made it way darker than the previous room. There were many automatic doors at both sides of the long hall. As the group walked on, they chatted, very pleased with themselves because of the successful mission.
“We’re just some steps away from the Boss’ office.” Said the Rogue Soldier. They were approaching a big door that glittered with blue and gold sparkles all over it. As they were nearer of that door, the blue-haired guy stood back: he just hoped that the other soldiers would notice…
One of the soldiers turned back, as he noticed that the helmet-less comrade stopped walking all of a sudden. “Won’t you come?”
“Nope. You can’t go in like that…”
“Who says so?”
“I bet the Boss must be busy right now… how about you allow me to torture our hostage a bit?”
The Rogue Soldier turned back, angry about what had just popped out. He walked toward the blue-haired guy, but it was unknown if he was angry at all, since the helmet he wore covered his eyes. “Look, Ray: you’ve betrayed us before when you say you’re going to ‘torture our hostages’. We’re not going to fall for it this time!” The voice of the soldier proved that he was indeed angered.
“But this time I’m serious!”
“Don’t start with that crap again. You’ve allowed the escape of our latest hostages… you’re lucky that the Boss hasn’t ordered your execution by now. You did a great job in this mission. Don’t let it go to waste!”
“Trust me… I’m not going to allow escape this time.”
The angered soldier thought about it for a while, until he shook his head with a sign of disapproval, and said: “OK… I’ll trust you a last time. If you allow him to escape, I WILL get you executed! Go into your room, and make a good job. A good opening torture will soften him, and he’ll reveal the information we need. I’ll be back in one hour!” The leading soldier went back with the group and sent them to their rooms, while he got hold of the old man and handed him to Ray.
Ray got hold of the old man before he could move. He then went slowly inside his room, which was behind a door out of many in that long hall. As he entered, he closed the door with key, and released the old man from his seemingly strong arms.
The old man screamed and tried to escape, but as he saw that Ray didn’t start any sort of torture, he calmed down. The room was almost filled in complete darkness, as a low-power bulb was the only light source. There was a bed, and a computer. A bunch of clothes and magazines were spread out all around the messy place. Ray was a very untidy person.
“Sit down in the bed, please… I want to know a few things I’m sure you’re informed of.” Ray was serious, like he hadn’t been before. The old man felt a weird trust towards Ray: he couldn’t explain it. Deep within him, however, the old man hoped that the blue-haired boy that was talking to him would become a hero, and save Orre, as the Legendary Hero did back then…
The old man finally took a seat in the bed of that gloomy, poorly illuminated room. “OK, boy… I feel like I can trust you on that. You seem to be just a beginning soldier after all.”
Ray got hold of a chair that was near the room’s computer, and went near the bed. He then sat in front of the old man, and started the conversation: “Your name is Harland, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’m Orre’s spokesman. I keep track of all events and situations that concern this very region…”
“I see. That’s why Cipher wanted you. Um…”
“Before you keep it going, kid, I have a question: are you dissing Cipher?”
Ray just smirked at that question, and limited himself to nod at the old man’s assumption. “I see… that’s why you’ve released all the previous hostages, and you haven’t tortured me.”
Ray now felt burning from inside, and expressed his reasons at Harland, with a burning fury from deep inside his heart: “Yeah… Cipher ruined my life. They killed my family, destroyed my Pokémon from inside and obliged me to work for them. I have no other choice… I wouldn’t be there if I had refused.”
“My most sincere apologies… I guess you want to know the current situation of Orre. You would’ve preferred death than this destiny, I feel. There must be a reason for you to remain alive…”
Ray was still looking at Harland with his red eyes. Still, he couldn’t deny it: he wanted to stay alive. One reason was his Pokémon and all the other corrupted Pokémon that now plagued Orre. And the other reason was a friend… his only friend. “Sorry, but…”
“You don’t need to tell me your reasons, Ray. I understand how you feel. Still, I want to help you, as it seems you’re the only one capable of it. I feel it…” Harland had a strong will. It could be easily noticed: his black eyes, even if a bit hammered by the pass of the years, projected full determination. His overall body complexion showed he wasn’t ordinary old man. His hair still brimmed in a radiant black tone, despite his advanced age…
“You really think so?” Ray had helped other hostages, but no one had shown as much trust as Harland did. Even he was impressed, and now confirmed what Harland had just said: “Yeah… I want to know how did Cipher rise from its downfall at Wes’ hands. How did that organization took over the whole region… I want to know.”
“I see… Nascour must keep a big amount of the information for himself.”
“You know Boss Nascour?” Ray was completely shocked with finding that a complete outsider was well versed about Cipher’s hierarchy and the very Boss.
“I know more than you think, Ray… anyway. Guess I have no time to lose, as the Rogue Soldier will come in less than one hour.”
“That’s right! We must hurry… please tell me. What do you know about Cipher’s up rise and the inability of Orre to respond? I want as much details as possible, please…”
“And you’ll have them…” Harland cleared his throat for what would surely be a long chronicle: “As you know, Cipher managed to control a big part of Orre about fifteen years ago. They started as an underground syndicate founded by the most renowned miner of the Under: Evice Es Cade. The miner was formerly part of the Es Cade family, the governors of Phenac City. However, he was abandoned as he bestowed completely evil tendencies. Evice promised revenge to his own family, and with the years, he formed a huge wealth in the formerly mining town of the Under.”
“With his endless wealth, Evice managed to form a big group. He hired many criminals of the Orre Region, and even managed to lure in many powerful Trainers of the now cancelled Orre League. One of them is the actual Head of the organization: Nascour. With the aid of those criminals, Trainers and even a bunch of scientists, Evice created Cipher. The new organization started as an underground group, but it grew without control in a small lapse of some months. The ones that conformed the organization recruited Trainers all over the region, and also formed an alliance with the expert thieves of Team Snagem. They provided Snagem with the technology to actually steal Pokémon off their Trainers. They just had to give Cipher the best Pokémon they could steal in return.”
“In addition, the leader of the scientists hired by Evice, and last champion of the Orre League, Ein, created the Shadow Pokémon. They would work wonders for Evice’s scheme. Soon enough, Cipher had grown to be an unstoppable organization, having an army of humans and Pokémon alike. However, they couldn’t go further in their feat of conquering Orre. They had control over the Under and Pyrite Town, but soon enough, a former member of their affiliate Team Snagem, the Orre Hero, Wes, unearthed their intentions and trumped the whole organization, little by little.”
Ray was listening with an attention rare in himself. Not even the current situation of the Region could shift him from knowing the background of this awful age. The dark underground room was out of his mind now: Harland’s story was his only focus. “You have any questions up to here?” Said Harland. He was concerned about Ray’s thoughts…
“No. Not really. It’s interesting to know Cipher’s beginnings… but I hope you can tell me about their up rise from their slump now…” Ray was impatient to know how they could go unnoticed by Wes, and how no one in the whole region could stop them at all.
“OK… I’ll tell you. I just wanted you to know some of Cipher’s background. Let me continue. As Wes brought Cipher down in a lapse of mere weeks, the organization almost stumbled. Even their further efforts of taking Wes down were proved useless, as Wes himself disposed of the last traces of both Team Snagem and Cipher. Evice had lost ALL control he ever had over Orre, and was now in jail, seeing as how his escape plan was stopped by the legendary Ho-Oh, whom was watching over Wes and his friend, Rui.” Ray was quite impressed with that claim. He couldn’t help but ask: “Ho-Oh? The Legendary Ho-Oh? But, why it protected someone like Wes, whom used to be a criminal like Evice himself?”
“Yes. It’s weird as of why did Ho-Oh choose Wes. To this day, that mystery remains unsolved. Still, Ho-Oh observed Wes’ determination. He wanted to save the Shadow Pokémon, to revert them to what they used to be. It’s also unknown as of today why Wes betrayed Team Snagem and went into his quest for saving all the Shadow Pokémon. Still, Ho-Oh has been named as the Protector of the relationship Pokémon-Human. As it saw Wes’ desire, Ho-Oh knew it was right to support his success. At least that’s what I think…”
“Interesting… sorry. Please continue.” Harland took a deep breath, wheezing strongly. Ray was concerned about him, and went into his mess of clothes and magazines. As Ray went through the dirty stuff, he got a small bottle of water out of it, and handed it to Harland. “Please, drink some.” Harland grabbed the bottle, and drank a big amount of water off it. “Thanks, Ray. You’re very kind.”
“It’s the least I can do for you. If you need something else, tell me.” Ray then went back to his chair, still eager of hearing more of the story he completely ignored. Harland cleared his throat and started to talk again: “Wes freed the Region from Cipher’s menace. However, there was a fact that he ignored completely. A fact that would soon turn things around: Evice had a back-up plan.”
“A back-up plan?” Things were starting to get interesting. Inside the faint and messy room of his, Ray would finally hear the truth… “Yeah. Wes actually had a chance, but he ignored that the apparently former Cipher Admins were still working for Cipher’s rebirth. He defeated them for the third time in the Deep Colosseum. Apparently, they didn’t work for Cipher anymore, and just became full-on Trainers. Or at least that’s what Wes thought.”
“The Deep Colosseum? You mean the entrance of the Headquarters? Did it exist 15 years ago?” That impressed Ray too.
“Yes, and it was instrumental in Cipher’s recovery. Wes never went beyond the Colosseum, but there, those very Headquarters were being built. Evice and Nascour, whom were in jail at the time, knew it wouldn’t be long before they could escape. Their plan consisted on fooling Wes in that Cipher and Snagem were done for. The Admins managed to keep Wes off their real intentions. It took about five years, but the basic structure for those Underground Headquarters were completed without Wes knowing a thing about it… and then, the second phase of Evice’s plan was executed by his childhood friend, Greevil.”
“Greevil? You mean Nascour’s Left Hand?”
“Yes. It was ten years ago. Greevil followed Evice’s commands as the organization started its slow recovery. Greevil formed a new group, and stood as the new boss of Cipher. He dismissed all the old Admins to avoid suspicious thoughts from people. His objective was to keep the development of Shadow Pokémon still active. You probably know about that big Pyramid that’s being ran by Cipher, and Citadark Isle?”
“Yes, I do. That pyramid is where Shadow Pokémon are mass-produced. Citadark Isle is the second Headquarter of Cipher.”
“Indeed. Greevil built both places, in his attempt to bring Cipher back to power. His isolated plan was stopped, though. A small kid named Michael, a good friend of Professor Krane, stopped the plans of the new Cipher. However, he also ended up clueless in the actual plot of Cipher. Greevil’s plan succeeded, as they managed to create the most fearsome Shadow Pokémon.”
“What? What’s it about? Greevil created an even more wicked Shadow Pokémon?”
“He surely did. With the help of Ein, of course, who worked in the background. The Shadow Pokémon with code name: ‘XD-001’. It was the Legendary Lugia. It was a terrifying creation, out of the sick mind of those scientists. I believe they’re now producing more Shadow Pokémon under that classification, but I’m not sure. Even so, Michael managed to bring them down, Snag the Shadow Pokémon produced for that feat, and even purify XD-001, with the help of Prof. Krane’s Purify Chamber”
“I see. Well… I don’t remember much of it. I was 4 years old back then, and I just heard of an attack in the Pyrite TV Station…”
“Yep. It was just a work in the shadows. Cipher is actually glad that it wasn’t spread out at all. Plus, as you must be aware, the Under was abandoned around that time. That was perfect for Cipher, as they now would have their HQs completely unknown from everyone…”
“As Greevil’s plan was foiled, both Evice and Nascour escaped from jail. The escape had all of Orre in expectation. Even Wes, whom was now resting in Agate Village, got on his feet to find the escapees. However, neither was found. Michael also helped, but couldn’t find them either. Wes, Michael and the police thought they probably died in the vastness of the desert before they could even make it to their scarce followers. But they were completely wrong…”
“Evice and Nascour made it to the Under, which was now completely abandoned. Then they went into the just-finished Underground Headquarters. Down there, the up rise had just started. Unnoticed by Wes, Michael, and Orre as a whole, Cipher started to gather more followers than ever. Of all conditions and status, people started to flow inside the organization. Soon, their members highly outnumbered the last batch when Wes defeated them. It was also helped when the leftovers of Team Snagem merged with Cipher. Gonzap, the boss of Snagem, became the newest Admin, and with both criminal organizations now together, there would be trouble… but everybody in the surface ignored that.”
“It took Cipher about two years to create an army of Trainers, criminals and Pokémon. Ein managed to improve the Shadow Pokémon. The drawbacks were pretty much eliminated, and Shadow Pokémon now could double as normal Pokémon. The Snag Machines were improved to such a degree that now it’s almost impossible to distinguish between a Snag Machine and a normal glove. Cipher was ready to strike Orre with all they had. But they had a few worries: Wes and Michael. They probably could stop Cipher in its tracks again… but they had plans for them too.”
“It was the first thing Cipher did in the surface. A group of Elite Soldiers infiltrated into Agate Village, in one of Wes’ usual strolls through the sacred forest where he had purified all of the old Shadow Pokémon. There, the Peons attacked in a surprise strike. Wes couldn’t retaliate and fell in their hands. They also got hold of all of Wes’ Pokémon, while Cipher’s hackers got the Pokémon he had stored in the Personal Storage System. Wes has never been seen ever since. The notice of Wes’ apparent death stroke Rui, whom had just lost her grandparents: Eagun and Belluh. Rui went into a state of mental insanity: all the people she cared for was gone… forever. She’s still in her grandparent’s house to this day, completely out of herself. A huge sadness has rendered her completely unaware of the things that would come…”
“Then, in another swift attack, they surprised Professor Krane. As Michael and his family lived there, it was a very fast mission. They destroyed Krane’s Laboratory and the Purify Chamber. Michael and his family were apprehended and sent to jail, alongside Krane. They also got hold of all the Pokémon Michael had saved, including Lugia. It still surprises me how they didn’t kill them all, as they did with Wes…”
Ray couldn’t believe what he was hearing: apparently, Wes was dead. The great hero of Orre was gone. Michael, the other guy that had stopped Cipher, was now in jail. “So, that’s how Cipher managed to take control?”
“Yes… but that was just the point of the iceberg. As soon as Wes and Michael got out of their way, their take over was immediate and reckless. Their next action was so awful, so dreadful, that it still remains in the memories of the people that witnessed it and managed to survive…”
“What? What did they do that was so terrible?” Ray could swear he saw a silent tear slipping from Harland at that point. The old man whipped it with his arm, and then kept on going: “They attacked Phenac City in an indescribable rage. They used Shadow Pokémon to destroy the whole city and kill about 85% of their inhabitants. They just allowed the youngsters to live, and some people managed to escape their wrath. To this day, this event is proof of Cipher’s power and domain over the whole Orre Region. Such event is known as the “Phenac Raid” among the survivors. The youngsters Evice allowed to live are now on Cipher’s files… at least most of them.”
“That’s awful! How could they do that? Destroying a whole city and their people…” Ray felt a sudden fury within himself. He now hated Cipher even more. There was another feeling: he felt his friend was related in some way to Phenac City. He thought it was just a weird feeling created by his sudden rage… only that. Ray tried to calm down, and asked gently to Harland to continue: “The event was so awful that Evice died that very day. He probably couldn’t withstand seeing so much destruction created by him… showing he was human after all. Still, Nascour took control of Cipher, and the conquest of Orre continued.”
“Next was Agate Village. Pretty much all the Orre population but Cipher members were completely scared off what they could do to them if they didn’t obey. In addition, the former Agate Elders were dead; Wes was nowhere, probably dead; and Rui was so immersed in her own messed mind that she didn’t even move from her grandparent’s house. Dakim took over the village with ease. Then, Miror B. recovered Pyrite Town. It was easy, since neither Duking nor Silva could do anything. The Orre population was scared, and they just stood back in fear as Nascour took over the entire Region.”
It was unbelievable. By means of fear, Cipher had managed to have Orre at mercy. Wes and Michael were gone, and no Trainer seemed to stand up to their wrath. Ray felt more fury with every word of Harland. He now hated Cipher more than he ever did… “Well… Venus got the ruined Phenac City. She hasn’t cared for the rebuild of it, save the Stadium and her own facility. This way, everyone won’t forget of what Cipher is capable of. Gonzap took over the Eclo Canyon, where a concealed prison exists. That was the prison where Evice and Nascour used to be caged. Also, Gonzap rebuilt the destroyed Snagem Hideout, and it became another Base for the organization.”
“Ein became Nascour’s Right Hand, and was now free to reopen the Shadow Pokémon Lab, and in the course of the coming seven years, a city was built from the Laboratory. That city is known as Opal City nowadays, and Ein governs it. That way, Ein managed to legalize Shadow Pokémon in Orre, and it still conducts awful experiments in Pokémon. Snattle, one of the Admins that worked under Greevil’s orders, took charge of the old Orre Colosseum, which used to be the place for the Final Tournament of the Orre League. A mirage for many, it’s unknown whether it still exists or not…”
“Gorigan, another of Greevil’s cronies, took over Mt. Battle. That place is now an area where new recruits are trained roughly so they can attain their full potential… you must’ve been there at one point.” Ray just nodded. He still remembered the awful years of training, ever since he was 7 years old, eight years ago.
“It didn’t end there, though. Lovrina took over the Gateon Port, which interrupted communication between Orre and other Regions, confining everyone to Cipher’s reign. Chobin, a scientist obsessed with mechanic Pokémon, is in charge of the Pyramid, and is supported by one of Greevil’s bodyguards, Ardos. Greevil is in charge of Citadark Isle, of course, and is protected by his most loyal bodyguard, Eldes.”
“I guess that’s it… I know what I wanted to know all thanks to you. My deepest gratitude, Harland…” Ray was burning from inside, and he wanted to burn his pile of clothes and magazines, in hopes for Cipher to burn with it. Harland got another gulp from the water bottle that was left near him. He looked at Ray, and saw a big desire of saving everyone: Pokémon and people alike. “Wait… there’s more.”
“No. You’ve told me more than enough. It’s been almost an hour… and I won’t allow you to get killed. Get up, Mr. Harland… come with me.” Ray got up of the chair he was at, and Harland got up from the bed. The small bulb that gave light to the small room went off as Ray flipped the light switch. He was completely used to his room already, and he knew what to do. Going through darkness, and after tripping with the pile of clothes and magazines, Ray took Harland to a secret passageway. Harland didn’t know where they were going, but he trusted Ray somehow. The young blue-haired guy walked long meters through a tunnel he dug up by himself. He had helped many hostages to escape through that tunnel before, just after the teleporters in each room had been removed because of them being used by Ray for releasing the hostages. Still, Ray was an astute person, and he made that tunnel that took to the surface. He could’ve left long ago, but he didn’t want to leave without her… his dearest friend.
After two minutes of walking, light could be seen at the tunnel’s end. A few minutes after that, Ray and Harland were out. The evening Sun was now hiding behind the mountains in the horizon. The isolated wasteland that was Orre’s desert shone in a deluded orange color, like the setting Sun. A small sandstorm whipped permanently all over the desert. Harland was saved: he could escape now.
Meanwhile, down in Cipher’s Headquarters, the Rogue Soldier had been calling at Ray’s door without answer. He was infuriated, and he knew what that meant. With a powerful kick, he brought the door down. As the soldier saw a room enveloped in darkness, he was now sure. He turned on the light of the room, and found the tunnel. When he walked through the untidy room, he just smirked as he thought, “You’re mine, Ray…”
Harland was soothed by Ray’s help. Not only he didn’t torture him, but Ray also helped him to escape. “Thank you, Ray. I’ll go back to my place. If you ever get out, you know where to find me…” Harland smiled at Ray, whom was impressed of the old man’s trust toward him. “Don’t lose time, Harland! Escape.” Harland nodded and got a Poké Ball out of his long jacket. He threw it to the ground… “Go, Flygon!” The Ball opened, and the Dragon Pokémon spouted out of it in a shining flow of energy. As it took form, it let out a shriek: “Fly!” The majestic Pokémon contrasted with the orange shine of the desert, and its green body was glowing in a deep, dark color. Its big, red eyes looked at Harland, and it responded by bowing: Flygon probably knew what to do.
Harland climbed on Flygon’s back, as the Pokémon extended its wings. It then took off with a powerful flap of its wings. Its long hair moved with the flow of the sandstorm. Harland looked back at Ray before getting on the way, and gave him a last word: “You can do it, Ray. Wes and Michael did it. You can too… I’ll be looking forward to see you again. Thank you…” Flygon flapped its powerful wings again, and it flew through the sandstorm. It then disappeared, with Harland on it. Ray waved timidly at the now invisible Trainer and Pokémon. As he looked at the setting Sun, he made up his mind: it was time to take action. He had been waiting so much for that, and now he knew exactly how awful Cipher was. He couldn’t stop the governing organization alone, though. Maybe he could convince her… and then, that feeling he had of his friend’s relationship with Phenac City returned. He had to look at it next.
Ray was so immersed in thoughts, that only when someone grabbed him from his arms and then wrapped his neck with the long, red outfit that covered the stalker’s arm, he returned to reality.
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you. I KNEW IT! But now I’ve got you. It’s over for you, Ray. We’re off to see Boss Nascour!”
-------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that's it. I hope you like it. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Until next time!
Last edited:
