Beyond the Darkness A Pokemon Platinum Nuzlocke

Chapter 4
Cries of Thunder

*The following Morning*

Elena had buried Paco behind the Pokecenter near the forest. Now she was sitting on the beach, lost in thought as she listened to the waves.

"Elena?" Starkk asked her. He was worried about his trainer, she hasn't spoken since they had buried Paco that morning. It would seem that she didn't fully understand the consequences of being a trainer.

"This isn't what I signed up for." Elena whispered, as she brought her knees close to her face.

"Elena, you can't blame yourself for what happened. This is real life. It's not like it is on T.V." Starkk explained.

"Paco was still practically a baby. He didn't asked for this." Elena said, feeling tears escaping her eyes.

Starkk was about to say something when there was a loud clash of thunder, and a flash of lightning. Hearing the loud sound made Elena and Starkk go tense.

"What was that?!" she asked in a panic.

"Maybe we should go see what it is." Starkk suggested, climbing onto Elena's shoulder. With a curt nod, Elena started running towards Route 202.

***
Route 202

A young Shinx was just thrown into a tree. The young cub was covered in bruises and he had a small cut on his forehead. Struggling to get up, he felt something pick him up by the scruff of his neck.

"Get up. We're not done yet." a harsh voice said.

The shinx glared at the one that had just picked him up, once he was on the ground. A Luxray was starring at the cub with anger.

"Come on, runt. You're so hopeless." a voice called out. The small Shinx glanced behind it's father, seeing it's older brothers and sisters.

"I'm not a runt and I'm not hopeless! I can't help it if the rest of you are able to use Shock Wave!" he shouted.

The Luxray took a step closer to his son as his body started to give of a few sparks. "What did you just say, boy?" he asked in a dangerously low tone.

The shinx folded his ears back in fear. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean- Ahhh!" the shinx was cut off by getting struck by his father's Shock Wave. Still attacking it's son, the Luxray felt something hit it on the head.

Elena and Starkk had seen the whole thing. It wasn't right, forcing a pokemon to use an attack that it didn't even know yet. Without thinking, Elena threw a rock at the enraged Luxray. Apparently the electric type pokemon felt the rock, as it turned it's head to the two other creatures. The look alone was enough to paralyze Elena with fear.

"T-that's a s-scary face." she whispered to herself.

The shinx that was attacked ran as fast as he could to get in front of Elena and it's parent. It tried to use Leer but it seemed to have no effect on the Luxray.

With a low snarl, the large pokemon came charging at the three. With his fangs bared, the Luxray started to produce sparks from it's teeth. Elena brought the small Shinx close to her, trying to protect it with her own body. Starkk was ready to attack when a figure stopped the cat-like pokemon in it tracks.

Glancing back at the pokemon that was protecting Starkk and his trainer, it was a Gallaide.

"Elena!" a voice called out from behind the trio.

Turning back, Elena saw Lucas and Rowan."Elena get out of there!" Rowan shouted.

Looking at the injured Shinx, Elena brought out a Pokeball and gently tapped the Pokemon's head. Looking up in confusion, the Shinx was being sucked into the machine. All were silent while the red and white ball wiggled within Elena's hand. Finally, after what seemed like several minutes, the ball stopped with a "Ting". The Luxray just stared at the girl that had just captured it's son.

Lucas ran over to the girl and grabbed her hand, trying to pull her to safety. Elena fallowed with Starkk hanging on to her shoulder.

"Elena, are you crazy?! Trying to fight a Luxray?!" Lucas shouted at her as they reached the Pokecenter.

"Lucas I-" Elena started, but she closed her mouth, not exactly sure of what to say.

Finally they were at the Pokecenter, now they could have the shinx checked out. The Nurse led the two kids to an examination table and left them for a moment. Elena took out the Shinx's Pokeball and let the small cat-like creature out.

"W-where am I? Who are you? What did you do to my father?!" he hissed at Elena.


"Hey, take it easy." Starkk said, trying to calm down the Shinx.

"No! We were only training! That's how Dad trains with all of us! He may seem harsh, but he's not what you think!" the shinx shouted.

"What's he saying?" Lucas asked. He couldn't fully understand what was going on, but the Shinx sounded really upset.

"If he was only training you, then why was he battling you and not any of the other's?" Elena asked.

"Dad said that he didn't want the others to cheat. That they would take advantage that I only know two moves." the shinx explained, although he was still mad.

"Still, that kind of training was kind of hard to watch. We just noticed a huge bolt of lightening and we ran to see what it was. I just assumed the worst and I didn't stop to think. I'm sorry." Elena said quietly.

The Shinx sighed as the nurse came into the room with some bandages. Elena and Lucas left so the nurse could do her job.

"Elena?" Lucas asked. Elena sat on the floor, Starkk was now in her lap.

"I don't blame Shinx if he want's to go back with his family. I didn't even think if he wanted to be caught. Just like I did with Paco. How would you feel if some strange person caught you and took you away from your home?" Elena asked. She wasn't really talking to anyone, but this made everyone think about it.

In the other room with the Shinx, the small cub was giving the nurse a bit of a hard time. "Won't you hold still?" the nurse asked the shinx. The window was open to let a breeze to come through, this was really a "Window of opportunity".

Hopping off the table he climbed out of the window and ran towards the small forest. "Ohh, Shinx's trainer's gonna be mad at me." the nurse said quietly.

Running through the grass, the small Shinx made it to a small clearing. Looking around he saw a strange stone with writing on it.

"What's that?" he asked himself.

"It's called a Memorial stone." a soft gruff voice said from behind the shinx.

The shinx looked behind him and saw his father coming towards him.

"Dad, I-" the shinx started only to be stopped.

The Luxray sat by his son and looked at the stone. "I should be sorry, for training you so hard." the Luxray explained.

He saw the girl from before, that was just a few hours ago. He saw her crying while she had buried her Pokemon. The chimchar was trying to hold his tears, to be strong for his trainer.

"I think you should go with that girl, Bejamin." the Luxray said.

The Shinx, Bejamin, looked at his father with scared eyes.

"Y-you're sending me away?" he asked with big eyes. The Luxray shook his head, "No, you were captured by that human girl. So you belong to her now." he said softly.

"B-but I don't want to go with her, Dad. I want to stay here with you and everyone else!" Bejamin cried, hugging his father's leg. Tears slowly falling down the Luxray's face as his son was crying.

Meanwhile, back with Elena, Starkk, and Lucas. The nurse had just informed them that the Shinx had run off.

"I'm so sorry!" the nurse said, bowing her head in shame.

Elena sighed, "It's ok, he was probably scared. Come on Starkk, let's go look." she said.

"I'll help you look." Lucas offered.

With a small nod, Elena took off and Lucas went outside looking around town.

"Starkk, can you try behind the Pokecenter?" Elena asked.

"Sure thing." Starkk said. Hopping down, he climbed out the window and headed into the small forest.

After a while of searching, Elena and Lucas returned at the Pokecenter with no results.

"Any luck?" Lucas asked, panting slightly.

"No sign of the little guy." Elena said. I just hope Starkk is having better luck. she thought looking at the forest behind the Pokecenter.

Back in the forest, Starkk was still looking for the Shinx. After a few minutes, he heard the sound of crying. With curiosity, Starkk followed the sound. After walking through the bushes, Starkk found himself at Paco's grave. Paco. Starkk thought sadly. The sound of crying was a little louder. Looking around, Starkk found the Luxray from before, the little Shinx was with him. Starkk watched silently, waiting for one of the two to notice him.

Looking up slightly, Bejamin noticed the Chimchar from before. He knew that he belonged to the girl that had caught him.

Letting go of his father's leg, he decided to speak up for himself. "I don't want to go with you! You can't make me! I'm gonna stay here with my Dad." he said. Stomping his paw at the last sentence.

Starkk put his hands up in defense. "Hey, take it easy. No one's going to force you to do anything you don't want to. You don't have to worry about being forced to go anywhere." Starkk explained.

"Oh, but you should be worried. Very, very worried."