The afternoon sun slowly started to sink behind the ocean’s horizon. Landon, Tsuname, Zeru, and May were once again walking through the area. Phanpy let out a yawn while walking at her trainer’s feet. The stripes in the sky seemed to stretch out a bit towards each other slightly. “Hmmmm…” Landon examined the Rainbow wing closely and in deep though. Toya mimicked her trainer by doing the same. “I wonder why Team Subject was after this Rainbow Wing?” He asked himself, but May came up to answer him. “Landon, why don’t you get rid of that thing? They were probably just thugs trying to sell it for some quick cash.” She suggested, but Landon shook his head. “No; they tried too hard to get it. Besides, they said they were after me too, remember?” Landon looked to her. “So getting rid of it really wouldn’t change the fact that they’d still be after you, right?” Zeru stated. “I guess you really can’t go anywhere without getting into trouble, can you?” Tsuname grinned. Landon grinned back at her. With all the weird things that always happened to him, it was starting to look that way. Suddenly, Landon came to an abrupt stop; the world around him started to whirl around and around wildly. He could feel his feet slowly slipping away from the ground. Both the Rainbow Wing and the Crystal Bell blinked in perfect rhythm with each other. Landon tried to move, but had no such luck. “Tsuname…Zeru? May? Can any of you hear me?” He called. All he got back was the was the whistling of rushing wind. Toya gripped his shoulder tightly so she wouldn’t fall off. The world spun faster and harder like one of those hurl-a-whirl rides. “This is too much—I’m feeling nauseous!” Landon exclaimed.

       The world stopped spinning only when Landon gave up on struggling against it. Both he and his Poke’mon free floated in a vast blue and starry unknown. He felt as light as the air itself. “Ohaaa….” The young samurai opened his eyes slowly. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. It felt like his contact lenses were kicked out of his eyes, for everything was blurry to him. How they got out, he hadn’t the slightest clue.“…Toya…where are my glasses? Could ya’ give ‘em to me?” He asked. “Mudkip!” Toya floated over to her trainer and bumped into his backpack. She clenched his glasses in her teeth and offered them to him by bumping his arm. “Thanks a lot.” As soon as Landon put his glasses on, he blinked, sweating nervously. He was starting straight down on a lush, grassy field. The horizon around him blended with the ocean, indicating the field was probably an island. Compared to his surroundings, Landon’s body was transparent. “Wha-what is this place?” He voiced. The Rainbow Wing was no longer in his hands, but the Crystal Bell was still glowing dimly. Below him, Landon could see a bunch of wild movements as if some kind of battle was taking place. “Kuuuu!” A howl echoed as the Poke’mon Suicune raced across the grass. Right behind it was the bird Poke’mon Landon saw atop the train entrance. Its body plumes were a sunset red, tipped with gold. As it flew, a trial of rainbow light followed close behind it. “That’s Ho-oh!” Landon exclaimed. He watched the two legendary Poke’mon race across the field. If they went any further, he would lose them. “C’mon, Toya,” Landon started to float forward, followed closely by his Poke’mon. He wondered what they were running from. “Huh! Huh! Huh!” Suicune panted underneath its running. Ho-oh was in the same tired condition. “Suicune, is it still following us?” Ho-oh clucked. Landon didn’t flinch—he was one of very few people who understood Poke’mon speech. “Obviously not—I can still sense it.” Suicune said. From the grassy ground, a thick, black-purple liquid shot up into the air. The two legendaries slid to an abrupt halt, growling. The liquid rose over them threateningly, increasing its size with each second. From it, two slanted red eyes opened slowly. The dark liquid oozed all around the circumference of the area. Suicune started to sweat and clenched its teeth; it took a step backwards, but knew it was futile. “Did you really think you could escape me?” The liquid’s deep voice echoed throughout the area. “I’ll show you what happen to those who try to protect humans!” Without warning, its form lunged towards the two Poke’mon. Suicune and Ho-oh arched their backs to ready themselves for a fight. “Haaaa!” A sharp line of shadow liquid bolted through the air sharply at them. Ho-oh let out a loud caw as it spat a stream of rose-colored flames from its beak. The liquid caught a blaze quickly, shivering away. “Kuuu!” Suicune’s Crystal erupted with a beam that shone in the colors of the Aurora Borealis. The purple fluid dispersed from the attack—that’s when the two legendaries made a break for it. Across the grass they sprinted without looking back. The shadow liquid sloshed its way after them like melted rubber. A trail of powder snow flowed from behind Suicune’s body. Whenever it touched a part of its pursuer, it froze instantly. “Kaaaa!” “Kuuuu!” Suicune and Ho-oh blasted through any opposing part of the shadow’s substance in their way. “Gotcha’!” “Urrr!” Suicune let out a canine whimper as a thick thread of shadow gunk struck it sharply in the shoulder. It crashed to the ground, temporarily unable to move. “Ack!” Ho-oh was forced to ascend wildly as a group of threads chased after it. One hooked around its talon and pulled it back. The sudden decrease in its speed caused the other threads to catch up and stop it completely. “Kaaaa-kaaa!” “Kuuu!!” The two Poke’mon cawed and howled as the shadow fluid wrapped around their body like sticky bubblegum. No matter how hard they kicked and struggled, they couldn’t shake themselves free. Tighter and tighter the wraps squeezed their victims. “A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” The shadow let out a maniacally sinister laughter. With a clench of its form, Suicune’s and Ho-oh’s bodies flashed a quick, but threatening purple. The two Poke’mon’s struggling slowed to mere leg kicks and trembles. They no longer had the strength to keep up their resistance. “Oh-no!” Landon gave a gasp at the helpless-looking situation “Now, I’ll put an end to you troublemakers. You have nowhere to run and are practically powerless!” The shadow exclaimed. Ho-oh was pinned to the ground. The best it appeared it could do was raise its head. “We may not be…able to run—” “But we still have powers!” Both Ho-oh’s and Suicune’s eyes lit up brightly. Landon took a sharp intake—he could feel their energy from the sky! “Kuuuu!!!” “Kaaaa!” The two legendary Poke’mon let out an earth-shaking cry. From Suicune’s crystal, a glowing marble-shaped sphere drifted into the air. A feather from Ho-oh’s wing was plucked by the air. The two items shot into the air, whizzing right by Landon and to the moon. “…Mudkip-mudkip!” Toya pointed upwards. Landon gazed at the moon; the orb in the sky started to glow as blue as the Crystal Bell. There was a sizzling sound, followed by a group of wispy white smoke. “What’s going on down there?” Landon did the best he cold to get to his feet, but it was kind of hard while he was free-floating. “Whaaaaaaa!!!” The shadow let out a shrill wail as its body became engulfed in sizzling smoke. Its grip around the two legendary Poke’mon weakened, allowing them to crawl away. “Whaaat?! What have you done to me?!” It cried shrilly again. From all around, its form started to evaporate with the smoke. Just then, Ho-oh and Suicune looked to Landon. “Dah!” He and Toya jumped a little. They were staring right at him—as if they knew he was there the entire time. “Wake up, Lan!” They exclaimed. At that notion, the Crystal Bell burst with a bright blue light.

 

       “Lan! Wake up Lan!” “It’s no use; he’s out like a light.” “I know what can wake him up. Phealine, use your Cat Fleas ability.” “Phea-phea!” Landon’s eyes twitched a little bit. “…!! Whaaaaa!!” Landon jumped up into the air. He started scratching all around his body. “Not funny—not funny at all—itchy—itchy!” He cried. Toya was shaken awake by her trainer’s cries. She opened her eyes and focused on the lush green grass around her. Tsuname, May, and Zeru stood around the two with concerned expressions on their faces. They were both back in the lake area in which they started in. The Crystal Bell around Landon’s neck was still glowing dimly. “Well….at least he’s up.” Zeru blinked. Phealine’s cat fleas never really lasted long; after a few minutes, Landon had stopped scratching and plopped on the grass. He realized that his glasses were no longer on his face and his contact lenses were back. Just like the Crystal Bell, the Rainbow wing continued to glimmer. “What just happened, Lan?” Tsuname asked, bending over to him, “One minute, we’re all walking, and then you just up and fall.” “I….” Landon hesitated and scratched his hair. He was about to tell them, but wasn’t quite sure he believed it himself. It was as if he was hurled into a memory of the island. “It was wild—” “NAAAAA!!” A couple of familiar screams echoed throughout the lake area. From over the hill, Team Darkhorn was sprinting with a trail of dust behind them. Right on their tails was a more numerous group of aggressive Scyther. “Yoshi, I thought you got rid of that junk?!” Tsubimi cried while trying to catch her breath. “I thought so too!” Yoshimari replied. The two zoomed right by Landon and his friends, causing their hair to sway. They all watched, clueless, as the Scyther followed the scent of the food on their clothes. “…..” Toya blinked. Landon sweated and let his eyes dot anime style. “Finally; someone else is dong the chasing.” He thought. “Let’s get going.” Zeru pointed to the dome-shaped building in the distant trees, “We’re almost to the check point. If we hurry, we won’t have to sleep on the ground.”

 

       Night snatched away the sunlight quickly and relentlessly. The moon took the place of the sun and the stars assisted it in lighting the black sky. Nocturnal bug Poke’mon fluttered silently through the air. Landon gazed at the hotel as he approached it; it looked very much like a Poke’mon Center, only taller. The colors of red-on-white complimented the building very well. Through the windows, the lights of those who had already made it were on. Those and the lobby lights as well. Toya was already sleeping across Landon’s shoulder. The other Poke’mon just walked groggily besides their trainers. Tsuname let out a yawn as the kids walked along the main path. “I can’t wait to hit the shower.” She said. “I think I might skip the shower and go straight to bed.” Zeru stated. “For all our sakes—don’t skip the shower!” May cracked and Zeru frowned at her. Landon was the first to reach the door of the building and pushed the door open. The lobby of the Poke’mon Center was vast; orange tiles made up the floor and blended with the pink wallpaper. Couches and sofas littered the corners and sidewalls. “Hi! over here please.” Behind the counter, a woman in a white nurse’s gown and cap waved to them. She had pink hair with the pig-tails in two loops and her eyes were blue. For some reason, Landon got a strange, cold feeling from the Poke’mon nurse. Still, he and his friends headed towards the counter. “Hi, Nurse Joy.” May smiled. Nurse Joy smiled back to her, “Nice to meet you all, but I need you to release all of your Poke’mon for a checkup.” “A checkup?” Landon blinked, “But all of my Poke’mon are fine.” “That may be, but the rules of this contest state that all Trainer Poke’mon should have a checkup.” Nurse Joy insisted. Landon was the first to pull his five poke’balls from his belt. He tossed them all into the air, “I choose everybody!” The poke’balls burst open in a flash of bright light. Out of three poke’balls, Raichu, Tambourine, and Volbeat jumped. One of the other poke’balls revealed Landon’s grass-type Poke’mon, Bayleef. Bayleef’s quadruped body was a greenish-yellow. About her neck was a necklace of leaves and one big leaf grew from the top of her head. Bayleef blinked her crimson eyes and wagged her very short tail. The other poke’ball burst open to release a small buggy Poke’mon known as Trapinch. The quadruped Poke’mon’s body was orange with white on the underside and its head—complete with powerful jaws—was as big as its body. “Thank you, I’ll take yours first.” Nurse Joy opened the door to the counter and allowed Landon’s Poke’mon to walk behind. “I’ll be back for the rest of your Poke’mon.”

 

       Landon flipped on the light to the room he and Zeru had rented after their Poke’mon were checked. The girls’ room was right next to theirs. The room consisted of two beds, a desk, television, and a bathroom. “Hey, Zeru,” Landon stated as he started to put on his pajamas. Toya and Phanpy quickly jumped off their trainers’ shoulder and dashed under the bed pillow; being girls in a room of boys didn’t really tip the scales in their favor. “What’s up?” Zeru pulled his pajama top over his head. “Ever since we got on this island, I’ve been sensing some kind of…” “Darkness?” He finished for him. “How’d you know?” Landon blinked. “Just call it a guess. At any rate, nothing has really happened beside Team Subject. Just don’t worry about it.” Zeru plopped onto his bed and Phanpy jumped on his stomach. Landon gazed out the window. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his friend; it was just that he had a feeling that things were only going to get worse. “Mudkip-mudkip,” Toya jumped onto his shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his. She could tell he was worried. “I’m fine,” Landon buttoned the shirt of his blue pajamas. “Maybe Zeru’s right; perhaps I am too worried.” He gazed up at the moon floating between the streaks in the sky.

 

       High atop the Kita Tower Fortress, Dr. Niotra stood on the roof of the north wing with his arms folded. The moonlight glared off his balding head as he gazed down on the island. A light breeze blew across the air against his silhouetted black cape. The only things on the island below that moved were nocturnal bug and bird Poke’mon, for everyone was asleep. “…and now, it begins….” Dr. Niotra spoke to himself. His eyes wandered from the lush forest area, to the rocky mountain area; the vast lake area, to the wide field area. “Finally, after years of preparation, the Dark Seed Plan can finally take root. None of these pathetic humans or Poke’mon can even attempt to try and stand in my way.” He held out his hand to reveal a glowing Dark Seed. “Humans, Poke’mon—it doesn’t really matter—all shall become slaves to the Somber Blossom. And now, Northside Island….” Dr. Niotra held up his hand, “Realize your destiny! AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!” As his voice echoed, a group of dim purple clouds soared into the sky. At first, there were only a few small wisps of air cotton. But as the seconds rolled by, more and more found their way to each other. There was a jump of thunder and the clouds began to rain heavily. But instead of spewing water, they shot out glowing Dark Seeds. “Sen-tret?” In the forest area, a group of Sentret, scouting ferret-like Poke’mon, gazed into the sky. Bird Poke’mon like Murkrow and Noctowl started flapping in mid-air. Magikarp and Goldeen splashed around the lake wildly and the rock-Poke’mon, Geodude, scattered from their mountain home. Being in very good tune with nature, Poke’mon often sensed danger before humans did. The Dark Seeds touched down on the island swiftly, drifting into the bodies of any nearby human or Poke’mon. Some reacted by running while those who were asleep remained asleep. They spread across every single part of the island, not allowing one being to go untouched. Dr. Niotra’s laughs were carried along the night wind.



       In the lake area hotel, the humans and Poke’mon slept soundly. The Dark Seeds crept through the walls like ghosts, drifting into the hallways. They floated from the bottom floor all the way to the third floor. If a seed sensed an unaffected host, it would faze right through the door and enter its victims body unnoticed. In the girls’ room, Tsuname slept with the covers over her head. May, However, had kicked her blankets off and was snoring and drooling all over her night gown. Phealine was curled up next to her and it was a wonder she didn’t get crushed. Through the door, a group of nine Dark Seeds entered in search of the host bodies. Six shot themselves into the poke’balls on the desk and the other three darted towards the sleepers. One entered May’s body through the arm and another bolted into Phealine’s back. But as soon as the last Dark Seed got within an inch of Tsuname, it went up in a small flame. From under her blanket, Tsuname sat up with a frown on her face. She was dressed in a pink mid-drift and black pants. The Amber Bell around her neck was glowing dangerously. “…just as I thought. They’re finally here.” She spoke.

       Toya was nestled so close to Landon’s face, she could’ve kissed him with the slightest of movements. The young trainer slept soundlessly without a single worry. Zeru, who was drooling, grinned in his sleep. “…heh-heh…go get ‘em, Phanpy…” “Phaaa…” Phanpy rolled underneath her trainer’s arm. Even though he was asleep, Landon could feel a coldness crawling nearer to him. It was a complete mystery if his subconscious would allow him to remember it, though. Just as suspected, a team of Dark Seeds materialized through the door and into the room. They didn’t spend time being nosey; they immediately went towards their targets. They drove themselves into Landon’s poke’balls, then into Zeru’s. One planted itself within Phanpy, and another zoomed to Zeru’s chest. One darted straight for the unsuspecting samurai; the Crystal Bell lit up dimly and the Dark Seed blew away in a slight gust of wind. “Oh…” Landon just turned over. His hair was no longer in its tail and flew everywhere. “…..Hhh!” Suddenly, Zeru’s eyes snapped open. Phanpy’s eyes followed right after. They both had a spacey expression on their faces—like zombies. They sat up in bed, got out, and started for the door. While walking, Zeru picked up his belt of poke’balls from the nightstand. “…huh? Zeru?” Landon slowly opened his eyes. He slowly sat up; Toya stuck to him like glue even in her sleep by clinging to his shoulder. Landon couldn’t really see much without corrective eyewear, but his ears worked perfectly. He could even make out Zeru’s silhouetted figure by the moonlight. “Hey, Zeru, where’re ya’ goin’ so late at night?....Zeru?” He opened his eyes fully now to try and see better. He heard Zeru wrench the doorknob; as soon as the door opened, a cold wind blew across Landon’s face. “Whoa!” He got to his feet on the bed. “Mudkip!” PIRNG! Toya landed on her bottom of the mattress. “Mud-kip-kip,” She rubbed her tail. Zeru left out of the room, shutting the door behind him.



       There was a click as Landon turned the lights on. He knew where his clothes were, so he didn’t have to use his glasses to find them or put them on. Landon picked up his glasses and put them on his face. “Toya, something bad is going on—I can sense it. Now, I’ll get to the bottom of it.” He said while putting his black gloves on. Toya jumped onto his shoulder and slapped her trainer’s head to tell him she was ready. Grabbing his sword and poke’balls, Landon stepped out of the door. “Whoa!” He did a double take. The hallways were filled with tons of people walking towards the main lobby. They all had the same zombied expression on their faces and, thanks to the Crystal Bell, Landon could see a thin aura around them. Landon could see Zeru and Phanpy make their way down the stairway. “Zeru…” He started across the floor, still glancing down the balcony. He didn’t really feel safe walking amongst the mesmerized crowd and that made him a little jumpy. “….” “Lan—” “KYA!” SHING!! “Hold up!” Tsuname backed away from Landon’s drawn reverse-blade sword with her hands up in the air. “Oh….” Landon blinked and blushed, sweating anime style. The black headband around Tsuname’s head snapped in half and fell to the floor. “Deh!” Tsuname gulped. Landon drew back his sword to the sheath and scratched his head. “Sorry, Tsune—I didn’t know it was you.” “What was I supposed to do? Throw something at your head to let you know it was me?” Tsuname hissed, “Now, let’s follow May and Zeru before we lose ‘em.” She pointed down the steps. The two walked down the hallway after their friends and the other people. Amongst the crowd, they could see Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. “Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny? What’s going on around here?” Landon thought to himself, “It’s as if they’re being….controlled or something. If that’s the case, I wonder how it happened. And how come Tsune and I aren’t affected?”

                           Poke’mon.EXE
                                   Light of the Night


THIS IS THE END OF PART 5. SEE YA' IN PART SIX!!