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As Eden calmed down and his other pokemon settled, including Nyx who soon roosted in a nearby pile of freshly grown leaves in a small tree, Aaron began to cook. Zachary watched in mild interest, having not seen a portable cooking set. It had been forever since he had cooked a real meal. The best food he got was when he stayed at a city or Pokemon Center. He had loved to cook-- and still did, but have yet to try to cook out in a campsite. "How in the world do you even set up a cooking station here in the wild like that? I couldn't believe working on it without a stove or countertop to work with ingredients, let alone travel without refrigerating fresh ingredients for that matter." Zachary asked. [break][break] The memories of Zachary and Dizzy in the kitchen, put the Delphox in a hungry mood as his stomach audibly growled, making the fox blush with embarrassment. [break][break] The food was really interesting to see displayed. Seemed Arron was a bit of a cook too, and beat the simple pokemon poffins, food and rations Zachary brought for himself. His own stomach growled with interest as he soon joined in-- but not before his surrounding Pokemon jumped and almost steam-rolled over him to get some! [break][break] Dizzy happily ate the food, followed by Nyx, and Espeon nibbling on the salad. [break][break] Zachary took his share, gingerly eating it. It felt nice to have a hot meal out in the wilds. "How did you learn to cook suitable for a camp site? I'd love to know. I used to cook a lot myself but it usually is better for me when in an actual kitchen." Zachary said as his Pokemon all enjoyed their meals. [break][break] It was a rare moment of peace, while in this place. [break][break]

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦ Safe at the camp and now eating cooked food. [break]
✦ XXXXX

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As Dizzy, Eden and the others ate happily with what food Zachary could provide and Aaron's offerings, it made Zachary aware how much he wanted to return to cooking again. It was a lovely hobby of his and one he would gladly return to to feed his Pokemon delicious food. "I should look into a portable grill or something. I'm a pretty good cook too, but that kind of got lost when I started traveling. So far its only been portable food on the road, or meals at the pokemon center. Without a real kitchen, can't really do much myself. But I do enjoy cooking too. My dad taught me well for that," Zachary shared, recalling time when he cooked with the help of Dizzy-- the Braixen at the time wearing a chef's hat. [break][break] The memories of Zachary and Dizzy in the kitchen, put the Delphox in a hungry mood as his stomach audibly growled, making the fox blush with embarrassment. [break][break] As their meal ended and they cleaned up, Zachary let his pokemon wander the small garden that Eden had helped create. It did feel safe in this little garden. Even Nyx perched herself on a large revived tree. The little owl happily hooted in turn with its internal 'clock' . [break][break] With a sigh, Zachary turned to Aaron. "So... what do we know so far? This other world seems to be teeming with Pokemon with potentially a corrupt aura? A series of ruins and those Golruck guarding them. Really can't put this puzzle together easily, " Zachary stated, hoping to get some idea what this place was exactly. The fact they could come and go from it was safe enough, but it made him nervous to be in a strange land with no clear explanation of what was safe and what wasn't. Especially if they intended to spend the night. [break][break]

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦ Safe at the camp and now eating cooked food. [break]
✦ XXXXX

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"Daylight" was fading, as they did discuss their situation a bit. In the end, they were explorers in this strange land. However, the fact Zachary didn't understand their attackers' motivations was unsettling. In the end, theorizing wasn't exactly constructive as he too felt exhausted. Dizzy gave a loud and unrestrained Yawn, as did his other pokemon, now with full bellies. Eden curled up in a small nest of leaves, and Nyx perched herself on a nearby tree, her wings tucked in and cozy as she 'stood' there dozing off to sleep. [break][break] Tired himself, Zachary soon got out his sleeping mat and covers. He took off his shoes, slipped into his sack and soon tried to sleep-- Dizzy sleeping just a foot or so away as the furry fox's natural heat kept them warm even without the fire. [break][break]

---

[break][break] Night came though, and things got worst. While it was dark-- everyone was at peace till rustles could be heard in the woods, and shadows grew closer to the grove Eden had grown.
Sensitive to the sounds-- Nyx soon fluttered her eyes open and with Foresight saw the encroaching shadows. [break][break] "HOOOT!" Nyx cawed in alarm and took flight, flying circles around the grove to try and wake them up. The little bird was quite the look-out! Hearing the quacking, Zachary woke up-- still half asleep as he rose up to hear the racket. "What's going--" [break][break] Zachary was startled to see Nyx flying right for him-- and collided head first into the bird, crashing into him. [break][break] "Brrah! Stomp! NYX!" Zachary said, having nearly had his eye poked out by Nyx's beak in her panicked state. He took hold of the round owl and petted her to get her to calm down. "What's wrong? Why are you so upset--?!" [break][break] Zachary didn't have to look long as shadowy figures were beginning to show up around the campsite. Aaron clearly had his own to fend off, as Zachary realized they were under attack. The shadows-- appeared to be all duplicates of them?! [break][break] By now, all of Zachary's active Pokemon were out and about, about to respond to the threat. Dizzy gave a bark of alarm, brandishing his flaming stick. "Jeez-- what's going on already?! " Zachary gasped as he turned around-- [break][break][break][break]-- and was met by a shadowy version of himself! His eyes widend with shock, now face to face with a shadowy copy of himself. However, unlike Aaron, this one was solitary, and just grinned at Zachary with its odd, fiery red eyes. [break][break] "Wh-what is this?" Zachary gasped, growing scared and terrified. [break][break] "Heh... pathetic!" Zachary's shadow spoke. Which was a surprise-- as Aaron was not so vocal. Zachary's however... was a whole lot more personal. "Why would anyone want to follow you, let alone you as a Gym Leader? It's quite sad, so why don't you just hang up the towel now and die under some rock already. We both know the truth why you really became a trainer, after all." he spoke, acting as cool as Zachary could be-- but his words sharp as a dagger to the heart. [break][break] Zachary's response to his words showed, clearly hurt and in denial. He backed up, afraid by the shadowy version that spoke about him. "You wanted to become a Pokemon Trainer cause you were lonely. You had no friends, no one liked you-- no matter what you tried. They called you names, they spread lies about you-- so you call your friends the Pokemon in your care? Tell me, are they really friends if they didn't have a choice than to be with you?" the shadow spat at Zachary. [break][break] Zachary's eyes widened with fright and denial. "T-That's not true! My pokemon choose me, and everyone I choose I worked hard to raise them well and happy. They are my friends! Who the hell are you to say otherwise!?" Zachary demanded. [break][break] Hearing such hurtful words from his shadow-- Dizzy began to bark loud, trying to disway Zachary from listening to such hurtful, cruel words-- but he couldn't hear them. It wasn't just slaunder, it was some kind of dark effect directed at Zachary too! [break][break]"Come on. Surely you must get it by now. I am you, and you're me." [break][break] "A trainer who can't make friends with other humans. That is the definition of lonely. If that is the case, who would willingly want to join you as a Gym Leader? How do you expect to lead one-- if no one would even look up to you? Face it-- your dream is worthless. Just like you are..." [break][break] Zachary trembled and tears began to fall down his cheeks. He wanted to deny it, he wanted to scream-- but to what point? [break][break] "BRRAAK!!" Dizzy growled-- and was answered by a swirl of rainbow-flames that shot overhead and lunged right at the shadow! [break][break] The shadow was washed away by the flames, as Dizzy took point and center! [break][break] Snapping out of it, Zachary looked up to see his Delphox before him. Though focused on the evil shadow-- Dizzy turned and gave a firm and clear look to Zachary. The fox's sharp eyes directing his feelings right at him. Feelings That Zachary couldn't doubt but feel in turn. [break][break] Devotion. Care. Friendship. Faith. [break][break] No matter Zachary's doubts and the words of the shadow-- Dizzy proved his feelings for Zachary. The Delphox would gladly risk his life to defend his dearest friend. The human boy that raised and cared for him for years since he was a little Finniken. [break][break] That love and friendship wouldn't go unanswered-- and Dizzy would make the shadow pay for trying to hurt Zachary's feelings. [break][break] The shadow began to peek through the flames-- to reveal its form. It no longer resembled Zachary, but now a Delphox! A shiny Delphox! Brandishing its own stick, it too conjured blackish flames, prepared to attack! [break][break]

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦ Attacked by "Shadow Zachary" [break]
✦ XXXXX

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Things were growing creepy to chaotic! The 'shadows' continued to attack, shapeshifting into one enemy to another. The shadow became Dizzy and now attempting to use fire attacks to to best Zachary's real Dizzy! The difference in their appearance made them clear to tell them apart-- but their moves were something else! They were equally strong! [break][break] Aaron was also dealing with his own battle-- both physical and now psychological too, as the shadow lashed out verbally at him too. Of course it was hard to interpret with each with their own baggage! He was strong though and held his own--[break][break] But Zachary who wreslted with his own inner demons, clearly had more baggage than he would of admitted. Even as Dizzy clashed with the shadow Delphox-- the voice of the shadow self continued to torment Zachary. [break][break] "One day I'll become a gym leader. I'll earn the respect to help people and be met by challengers who would seek out my guidance to help them grow... What a joke! The real reason is you want the respect of one. To have people seek you out, instead of you seeking them-- and then turning their back on you. Why do you even care?!" the shadow's voice jeered on to torment Zachary. [break][break] "STOP IT!!" Zachary cried, covering his ears in head as the voices of his doubts exposed his feelings like a sharp knife. [break][break]As the voices continued-- Zachary's own shadow extended and the same red eyes appeared from them. Slowly something came up-- a ghastly shiny Ceruledge-like shadow, rising up behind Zachary. The source of the shadows-- or rather their leader! "No one cares about you! You deserve to be alone!" the voice jeered as the Ceruledge raised its blade to bring down on Zachary to cut his head off! [break][break] "HOOOOOOT!!" Zachary's Hoothoot cried-- spying the ghastly assailant. Seeing Zachary in its sight, Hoothoot didn't even hesitate as the little owl flew-- and rammed into Zachary, knocking him out of the way! [break][break] Zachary was sent to the ground-- and looked to soon see the Ceruledge bring down a ghastly blade of Phantom Force to strike Hoothoot, who sacrificed herself to save him! "NYX NO!!" [break][break] SLASH!! [break][break] The blade went right through the round Hoothoot, making the bird flinch in mid air and cover herself in vain defense. After a moment-- the bird was frozen, but soon opened its eyes. It let out a confused 'coo' as if to say 'what happened?" [break][break] Even more so, the ghostly Ceruledge seemed baffled too! The owl continued to hover in mid air-- baffled why the blade didn't hurt her. [break][break] Much was going through Zachary's mind. The little bird had saved him-- but more than that, the shadow like Ceruledge, was a ghost. His mind flashed with an epiphany! "That's right... Hoothoot isn't a psychic type. It's a flying and NORMAL type! And that means... Ghost attacks can't hurt it!" Zachary realized. Getting up, he looked to his equally baffled Hoothoot. "And that's not all... Nyx can reveal their secrets!" Zachary said as he got up with resolve. "Nyx-- use Foresight! Use it on all of them!" [break][break] The confused Hoothoot heard her trainer's words-- and quickly took action. From its big, round eyes-- a bright beam of red light came from the owl! The beam flashed right into the Ceruledge, and briefly shocked it with its blinding gleam! [break][break] MOreso-- Nyx cast its Foresight on the other shadow Pokemon around too-- revealing its ghostly weaknesses and even weakening some, allowing the fight to be easier for Aaron. [break][break] Despite the jeers of offense and self-doubt and defeat... the courage and care Dizzy and Nyx showed to him, made him understand one truth. His devotion to his pokemon was not one-sided. They did care for him. If there were any doubts about their feelings towards him, they were gone. "I know the truth. I may of been lonely back then... but my love for my Pokemon was not a delusion. They ARE my friends. I love that my own Pokemon care for me! It makes me strong! " Zachary shouted, prepared to go on the offense! [break][break]

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦The "Shadow" transformed into a Ceruledge, and attempts to kill Zachary. Nyx intervenes and pushes him out of the way. [break]
✦ Nyx is unaffected by "Phantom Force" being a 'normal type'-- revealing Nyx's true potential. She uses "Foresight" exposing all the shadow's ghostly vulnerabilities.

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The little owl's Foresight soon casted on the other shadows of the other rpokemon-- exposing their 'ghost-like' traits and neutralizing them! For other pokemon there, they now stood a better chance. Eden attacked her copy with a simple Tackle-- making successful contact! Dizzy was able to hit it with a strong Psychock-- and neutralized his shadow without too much difficult. [break][break] All that was left was the Ceruledge who had invaded, perhaps even spawning the shadows itself? Either way it was the 'commander' of the group. It flinched at the Foresight-- but its eyes burned with renewed anger at the little owl. [break][break] It soon charged, attempting a "Shadow Claw" upon it with its blades. Once again-- Hoothoot pretty much slipped through it, with both agility and its immunity! Cerulege was a creature driven by rage-- and not smarts to not catch on sooner! [break][break] "I'm through with you! Nyx-- use Extrasensory! " Zachary shouted. [break][break] Nyx;s eyes glowed with psychic power and soon let out a loud cry! Rainbow-colored rings of light fired forth, along with a shock of sound that fired right at the Ceruledge! Normally, a psychic attack wasn't much good against a ghost. But something happened! [break][break] The attack landed and knocked the ghostly armor well off its feet, sending it clattering into a nearby tree! [break][break] It appeared Nyx had Tinted Lens -- a rare ability that made less effective moves more powerful! In this case, the Hoothoot's psychic attacks were able to grow stronger against an enemy who resisted such attacks! [break][break] Broken free from the shackles of his doubt, Zachary glared at the Ceruledge, no longer listening to its ghostly taunts. [break][break] In that moment, the Ceruledge soon melted back into shadow! It broke down like a cloud-- and faded into the trees of the woods, disappearing. [break][break]A sigh of relief came to Zachary, as they had cleared out the last of the shadows of their end. While relieved-- Zachary had begun to get a feeling what this place was... and what drove the forces here. [break][break] His deep thought was interrupted by Nyx, as she happily fluttered through the air-- proud and happy she had won her very first pokemon battle! She soon landed on Zachary's shoulder and began to nuzzle him, tickling his face. [break][break] "Okay! Okay-Nyx! Easy! Haha--!"

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦Nyx's unique immunity and Tinted Lens ability helped beat Ceruledge, revealing her true potential. [break]
✦ Shadow Ceruledge is defeated and retreats.

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Nyx returned to her perch on Zachary's shoulder after it was done nuzzling her trainer. Aaron was a welcomed comfort as he congratulated Zachary for his efforts in the battle. It was a surprise, and a welcomed victory in this strange world. As they recovered, dawn came and Zachary got ready to pack up their camp. However... a new arrival came before Aaron. [break][break] A strange little shadow-like pokemon appeared. Baffled, Zachary scanned it into the Pokedex-- indicating was indeed a rare and mystical Pokemon! [break][break] Aaron didn't hesitate and started to battle with it, attempting to bind it with his haunted tree and seed attacks! [break][break] Dizzy growled as it spied the shadow, realizing it WAS the shadow that was after them-- not just Ceruledge himself. [break][break] "Careful Arron! We have no idea how strong that thing is? It might be just like Victini!" the psychic trainer warned. [break][break]

Aaron Toral

NOTES

✦ Expedition 2.[break]
✦Nyx's unique immunity and Tinted Lens ability helped beat Ceruledge, revealing her true potential. [break]
✦ Shadow Ceruledge is defeated and retreats.