As the emblem of fire awakens, he shall be confronted by darkness within...


Chapter 21
A Dark, Troubling Awakening

Pokemon Lab – Orre…

Takuya slowly opened his eyes once more. He felt tired yet invigorated at the same time. His eyes stung for a moment, due to a bright illumination over him.
As his vision cleared from blurs and speckles, he saw Professor Elm looking back at him with Professor Rowan. Takuya was under an operating room lights, shining over his face and body.
“Takuya, can you hear me?” Elm spoke. He snapped his fingers a few times around Takuya’s ears, observing his reflexes.
“Refexes are good.” Rowan said. “Pulse and vitals are stable.”
“…Hey, guys.” Takuya said. “What happened? Where’s Kasi and Avery?” He started to sit up, propping himself onto his elbows.
“Hold on, Takuya!” Elm protested, placing a hand on his chest. “You’ve just barely awoken after being on life support, and after all you’ve gone through…”
“He’ll be fine.” A voice spoke from across the room. “Don’t worry about it so much, Elm. I’ll keep an eye on him, so he doesn’t get into any trouble. Right now, his cousin and best friend need him.”
Takuya sat up fully when he heard those words, at attention. He looked around, and saw he was in a Pokemon lab. Though its appearance didn’t give off hostility, like the Team Midnight Lab in Sinnoh or the Cipher Key Lair. Takuya turned towards the side of the room, seeing an individual leaning in the doorway, dressed in a trenchcoat and long shorts. It was another Splice, based off Mew! Or something like it! Though Takuya could tell this new Splice didn’t have any malicious intent…
“What’s going on? Who are you?” Takuya asked calmly, getting off the exam table. “What has happened?”
The Splice turned to face Takuya. “A lot. A hell of a lot… I’d better introduce myself before going any further. My name is Dante, and I have been doing everything in my power to keep Kasi and Avery unharmed, as well as saving your life. As for what has happened… I had better let Kasi tell you the bad news. But first, you need to get dressed, because I doubt that she wants to see you bearing all to the world, and then some…”
Takuya then realized he was completely naked, as Dante picked up some denim cargo pants and cloth underwear off a shelf near the door with some athletic anklet socks and a leather belt. He proceeded to toss them over to Takuya, who caught them with relative ease.
After Takuya was dressed, Dante escorted him through the lab as he caught him up on most of the current events he had missed while on life support, including Venin’s defection from Team Midnight.
“I appreciate you helping us.” Takuya thanked Dante as they walked. “However, I don’t understand why Kasi has to tell me this ‘bad news’ you have spoken of.”
“That’s because she’s the one choosing to bear the burden.” Dante explained. “Kasi clearly instructed everyone here that only she wanted to tell you about the event, and no one else before her.”
They paused at a closed door to another room. Dante pressed a few buttons on the keypad, as if placing a call. Kasi was on the screen a few moments later.
“Yes?” Kasi asked, sounding sad. Takuya now knew whatever had transpired while he was out wasn’t good.
“It’s Dante. I’ve got Takuya here with me.” Dante explained. “He wants to see you.”
The door mechanism then unlocked. “Come in…”
Dante hit another button on the panel, and the door slid opened, star-trek style. “After you.”
Takuya walked into the room. He saw Kasi and Venin in the room. Kasi was sitting in a chair next to a bed that was hidden by surgical curtains, along with its occupant. Venin was also near the bed, though he kneeling on the floor with some prayer beads in one of his hands, an open book in front of him as he read some Buddhist prayers. He stopped and set the prayer beads down once he heard Takuya step through the door.
Upon seeing Takuya, Kasi ran forward and hugged him. “Takuya…”
They both embraced each other, relieved to know the other was unharmed. “It’s good to see you, again Kasi. For a while, while I was unconscious… I thought I would never be able to see this moment come to fruition.”
“I’m just glad you are well again…” Kasi said, her eyes shut tightly.
“Dante told me that something has happened, and that only you would tell me about it.” Takuya said, getting to the point.
Kasi looked down at the ground for a moment. She then took Takuya’s hand, and they walked over to the bed.
Kasi then reluctantly drew the curtains back, showing the occupant of the bed.
Takuya’s heart sank when he saw that it was Avery! His left arm was hooked up to several intravenous injectors, a ventilator wrapped around his head and mouth.
“Oh god!” He ran up to Avery, dread in his eyes. “What happened? How did he end up like this?”
“Reaper…” Venin said. His tone was bitter, reflective to the potency of Arsenic and Hemlock. “He used his venom on Avery.” Venin bared his teeth in anger at the surfacing memory with a growl. “The Professors are doing everything they can to help him, but the venom’s potency is high. Avery’s been stuck with a high fever the past few hours, but he’s hanging in there.”
Takuya hung his head, staring at nothing but the floor. Anger at Reaper flashed in his eyes, filling him with rage.
Takuya then heard a voice. A whispering, reverberating voice.
(Avery was too weak to take Reaper on… The fool should have known better. He has reaped what he sowed. Let him die…)
Takuya raised his head after hearing the voice. He recognized it wasn’t anyone in the room, as he knew the sounds of the voices present. This new voice, however, was veiled in mystery. Filled with wrath and resentment.
“Takuya?” Kasi asked, noticing his changed demeanor.
“…I’m sorry, Kasi. I need some time alone.” Takuya said. “Don’t worry, I’m not mad at you. I just need some time to process this.”
Takuya exited the room and hurried down the hall to one of the living quarters. He went into one of the empty rooms, closing and locking the door behind him. What was that voice, he wondered?
(That Voice? Is that what you are going to refer to me as?) The voice spoke up again with mocking acrimony.
“Where are you?” Takuya asked, his voice in a dangerously low tone. “Show yourself.”
(Show myself?) The voice let out a dark, insane laugh. (You mean you don’t remember?)
“Remember what?” Takuya demanded.
(You are so naive, Takuya…) The voice spoke. (Well, I guess I’m going to have to throw you a bone... Look In the mirror, Takuya. Look at your reflection...)
Takuya was starting to tire of this game. But did as the voice had requested. He walked over to a nearby dresser, complete with mirror, looking at his reflection.
What he saw filled him with a terrified zeal! He was indeed standing there, his own reflection looking normal… But someone was standing behind him! Which Takuya knew was impossible, seeing he was the only one in the room! Even more alarming, this individual that stood behind him appeared to be a carbon copy of himself, despite some features that were clearly different: His eyes were pure, solid black with dotted red for pupils that glowed with deep ire, an evil grin set on his face.
(Now you see me…) The individual spoke in the mirror. (A proper hello to you, Takuya… My dear, willing host. You can call me Aries.)
“What’s going on?” Takuya raised his voice slightly. “Where did you come from?”
(The answer to that is obvious.) Aries replied coolly. He closed the distance between him and Takuya, his head right next to Takuya’s ear. (It all started with this…) Aries brought a hand up to the right side of Takuya’s chest, pointing to the X-shaped scar that it bore. (…The first betrayal of your beloved battle partner. He brought me into being, with this very scar he left on you. That’s only half of the story, though.)
“Half the story?” Takuya had a feeling he wasn’t going to like where this dark persona was driving the conversation.
(Oh yes… You see, what really brought me out was the collar…) Aries referred to the control collar that Denzel had used on him back in the colosseum. (…It nurtured me, gave me sustenance with the pain it inflicted. I fed off that pain like the sweetest fruit… It nurtured me, gave me strength, gave me form… Thought… Will… And now I am part of you. A part that you won’t be able to rid yourself of.)
Takuya spun around, infuriated at this dark manifestation. There was nothing behind him, as he initially assumed. What was going on? Was this all in his head?
(Deny it all you want, but you can’t contain me forever…) Takuya then felt a sharp pain tear through his skull, falling to his knees as he clutched the sides of his head. (Sooner or later, I will take control… I will show myself to the world, and everyone you know. It’s only a matter of time, Takuya…)
The pain disappeared when Aries stopped talking. Takuya rose back onto his feet, trying to make heads or tails of what he just saw in the mirror.