Damien's Tale Ch. 4 - Unusual Readings

Author's Note: This chapter should be as long as Brandon's first chapter, his is a template for chapter size.


"Who is he?", "There's a stranger in our room!". I opened my eyes, and looked up stunned for a few seconds. "Who are you?", came a soft voice.

I regained full awareness, and remembered the events of the previous night. The punch, the fight, the infirmary, and finally the dark room I was presently in.

I saw a slightly groggy faced eevee, "Who are you?", the eevee calmly asked. "I-i'm Damien.", I stuttered with fear in my voice.

"Oh, well, hi Damien, my name's Kathryn, but most people call me Kate. I hope we didn't startle you.". "Yeah, you kinda did, wait, 'we'?". "Oh yes, we. Damien, meet James, and Connor.", Kate replied cheerfully, pointing at a squirtle, and crobat.

"So why did we find you in our spare bed, lucario!", the squirtle furiously growled. Kate interjected, and pushed him over onto his shell, "Sorry, James feels the need to interrogate everything, but he does raise a good question, why are you here?".

I sat up so I could see their faces clearly, and replied, "Well, I'm a new Pokeuman to the base, and I was assigned this room with you guys.", "Oh, so why did you come in after curfew?", the crobat I assumed was Connor politely asked.

"Well I was trying to find my way here concentrating hard on the map when I bumped into Hugh. Luckily Jeremy heard the commotion, and saved me. I started bleeding, I'm guessing because of my chest spike growing, and had to go to the nurse to check it out. . .", Kate interrupted me, and curiously told me to look at my chest, I looked down, but didn't see any evidence of a spike, it was like there was never a spike to begin with, just a human's bare chest in all it's human plainness.

I replied curiously, "What, it should have grown at least a little over night, shouldn't it?". "Yes, it probably should have Damien. You should find nurse Heartgood, and ask her about it. She'll know what's wrong.".

I slowly got up out of the bed, and stretched my legs, which hadn't changed either, in fact, nothing seemed to have changed. Kate helped me to my feet which I still hadn't gotten used to. "Guys, you're going to miss breakfast, HURRY!", "Alright, alright James, calm down. I'm going to help Damien find nurse Heartgood first.", Kate shouted back.

As Kate, and I headed down the hallway I felt a slight pain in my ears, they felt numb, and tingly. I could only hear static, and a weird silence. We reached nurse Heartgood's office, but not before my eyes felt hazy, and dopey. The nurse looked like she was holding some sort of syringe, she stabbed it into my shoulder, but that just seemed to increase the feelings.

All I could see was white blankness, it was almost like. . . No, not again. "Hello young one, don't worry there are no tests this time, you are going to wake up differently, and you won't be able to move temporarily. The liquid in the syringe the nurse injected you with is called 'Pokeumous Controlis', it fights a rare illness that some humans can temporarily get if their transformation go's to slowly. You are going to wake up soon, but you may see hallucinations for a while. Oh and your transformation is going slowly because you have. . .", Ninetales was cut off by my awakening.

"Damien, Damien can you hear me?", "Yes, yes nurse, I'm awake.". "Alright, excellent, I'm glad you are. Some people stay unconscious for days. So you're probably wondering what happened, and what I injec. . .", I stopped her there, "Actually, I may know than you think.", I replied cheerfully.

"Well that's strange, hardly any people know about it, and considering you're new to the world of Pokemon, this is very strange indeed. Speaking of strange, have you been wondering why you didn't changed at all over night?", "Ahh yeah, kinda nurse, why is that?". "Well, I'm not quite sure, there are lots of reasons why this could be happening, the most likely being that you had an illness before you started the transformation, like a cold or something. You'll be alright within a few days, I've made sure Ms. Yepergniss has kept some breakfast for you.".

Just then I saw a bunch of my new friends come in, they were my roommates, as well as Jeremy, and Skarr, all happily smiling at me to see that I was ok.

Behind them was a small figure, it must have the head master, Endoss. He jumped up on the bed next to me, and proudly spoke, "You alright son, you gave us quite a scare. You're one of the first we've had with this illness, but don't worry it's temporary."

Ms. Heartgood chimed in, and said, "Head master, may I speak with you privately.". I knew exactly what Ms. Heartgood was showing him, but I kept quite.

"Oh Damien, you can leave now, you should be fine.", the nurse said plainly.

I leapt up, and pushed the covers off my body. My friends quickly followed me out the room, and were full of questions, but I was to tired to answer them all. Jeremy noticed, and said, "Enough, let him have a rest.", everyone suddenly went silent.

We walked until we got back to the mess hall where my friends went off to their classes. I saw the cheerful face of what I assumed was Ms. Yepergniss, she was a round, and glee Pokemon, a snorlax to be exact. "Well hello there, you must be Damie. . .", chef Yepergniss had done what all snorlax's do best, sleep.

I grabbed the tray she had left out for me, and sat down in the empty cafeteria. I opened up the lit which had kept the food hot till now, and took a look inside. I saw baked beans on toast, grapes picked off the bush at just the perfect time, and finally the peace de résistance, a stack of plain pancakes, but they were better than the best flavored pancakes you'd ever tried. If you tried to find the most flavorsome foods in the world, then compare them to these you wouldn't be able to.

Once I had finished the stack, I returned the tray to where I saw the other dirty trays were, I was about to leave when I heard the load speaker boom, "Would Damien the lucario please go to Head master Endoss' office now please. That is all.". I left the cafeteria, and headed for Endoss' office, What could he want? I pondered nervously still walking down through the crystal filled walls.

As I approached the double doors labeled '#172 | Head Master's Office', I over heard Endoss, and nurse Heartgood once again, but this time I heard more clearly, "He's not aware yet, but it's going to happen soon.", "Yes, but if we can stall it just a bit longer we could. . .", "Wait, do you hear that?". Endoss came to the doors, and opened them speedily, "Hello Damien, I was just talking to Ms. Heartgood about umm, some new untested medical equipment, but what I really want to talk to you about are your classes.", Endoss stopped for a moment, "Nurse, we'll talk later.". "Alright Damien, your transformation seems to be going slow, and so you can't attend your battle, and P.E classes.", "Yeah I've heard about that, so what do you want me to do with my spare time?", "Well, you have a few options; you can fill the spaces with study time in your room or the library, you could attend extra classes, but I have a special task specifically for you. I need you to go on an important mission outside the base, no one can know about this except you, and myself, do you understand?", "Yes I do, but I'm not allowed outside the base, and. . .", "Shh, that's why no one must know. I need you to infiltrate a Pokextinction base, and find a Pokeuman called Gailin, he's also a pichu, and is highly valued to this base, and we need him here. I would get one of the PRT members, but some of them have been coming back to the base brainwashed, and since your transformation is going slowly your brain can't decide whether to let the lucario body, and mind set in, that's what will stop you from being brainwashed. Now the reason I'm sending you without authorization is that Gailin is my brother, and I don't know what I would do without him. Can I trust you to not tell anyone of this important assignment, we will cover for you while you're gone.", I stuttered trying to take in all the information, "Y-yes head master you can trust me. So Gailin's your brother, and you want me to help him escape their base?", Endoss was just smiling while nodding

At that moment I heard the double doors slam open, and in came a buff looking machamp with a look of terror in his eyes. He managed to mumble out, "S-sir, there's a break in at the main entrance, it's some Pokextinctionists demanding we hand over something they called, 'The Vault', what should we do?". Endoss calmly replied, "Clear out all Pokeumans from their rooms, and take them to the safe room. I'll take the vault, and lure them out of the base.", "Yes sir.", the machamp replied, and quickly exited the room. "Endoss, do you want me to help gather the other Pokeumans?", I quickly stumbled out, "Yes Damien, that would be a tremendous help, thank you.", I smiled, and replied, "No problem sir.", as I exited after the machamp.

There was a loud voice over the speakers, "Pokeumans, some Pokextinction members have broken into the base, stay calm, and exit your rooms, PRT members will escort you to the safe room. Now, to the Pokextinctionists, I, head master Endoss am taking 'The Vault' with me outside the base, meet me at the main entrance if you want it!", I knew straight away Endoss wouldn't just hand over this vault item, but I also couldn't figure out what his plan was. As I made my way past some PRT members, one of them told me to follow the others, but I replied with, "Endoss told me to help to gather Pokeumans.", he just nodded then turned around, and walked away. I went past a few doors before seeing one open, I took a look inside, and saw a riolu stuck under a beam that had fallen on top of them. Behind the riolu was a squirtle, the same one I had woken up to, it was James trying to lift the beam up. I thought for a moment then spoke, "James, step back, I have an idea.", I hope this works, I thought. Then I boomed, "Psychic!", and the beam started jiggling. Before long the beam started to move upwards leaving enough room for the riolu to escape. After the riolu was out, I dropped the beam, panting hard as I did. James smiled curiously, and yelled, "How'd you do that?! Your not even fully transformed, and you did an advanced move!", I stood there stunned, thinking about what James had just said. It was weird that I could use psychic that well without being fully transformed. . .

The riolu was trembling, but spoke, "T-thanks m-mister.", all I did was give a cheerful smile which was short lived as a Pokextinctionist came through the door, "Heh heh, we found some lost ones boys.", he said. I suddenly felt my body move without my permission, just like on the first day, it was like a burst of adrenaline, and courage racing through my body, I yelled out, "Aura beam!", not knowing the move I had just spoken out as I shot the beam. The Pokextinctionists flew backwards about fifty feet off the balcony. James spoke up, and said, "Wow! What move was that?!", I turned around, and replied, "I don't know, how could I do that, I don't think it's even a move?", "Well whatever it was, it's awesome!", James shouted. I then escorted the two young Pokeumans to the safe room, which I didn't need the map to find, "Stay here with the others, I'm going back to look for more of us.", I boomed, trying to sound respected. But before I did that, the roof collapsed, trapping some PRT members, as well as myself on one side of the room. Luckily all the none PRT members were on the other side.

Soon after the roof collapsed, some Pokextinctionists flew down using jetpacks while yelling at a figure that was bounding from the edges of the gigantic room, "Give us the vault!", I knew automatically who it was, it was of course Endoss. His jumps seemed to start getting slower, and Endoss looked to be getting tired. That's when Ms. Heartgood came running in with a bunch of cyan looking candy bars, she yelled out, "Head master, catch!", and threw one up in the air, but the bar came up short, luckily a pidgeotto swooped in, and caught it in it's mouth, speeding over to Endoss, delivering it straight to his hands, "Excellent work William.", Endoss called out while biting into the candy bar. Endoss started to glow, and electricity started flowing around him, the cyan bars must provide some sort of power, or energy boost. "Thunder shock!", he yelled at the top of his lungs, and a beam of lightning came crashing down, but didn't just hit one target, it had split up into about 20 separate strikes that all hit, but there were a few that survived the attack. They quickly lifted their hands up, and dropped the stun guns they were holding seeing Endoss' move, as well as the many PRT members surrounding them. We all suddenly heard Endoss' voice boom from a speaker, "Surround them, don't let them escape! Now tell us what you want with the vault!". "We'll never talk to scum like you pathetic mutations!", yelled one of the Pokextinctionists. All Endoss did was raise his tail charging it up so they could see. One of the Pokexinctionists spoke stammering, "Ok ok ok,we w-were sent here t-to. . .", he was cut off by his sudden vaporization caused by another Pokextinctionist. My face was awe struck, the Pokextinctionist had vaporized his own fellow member without a second thought, "Would anyone else like to reveal our mission to the enemy?!", all the others just shook their heads.

Endoss growled, "You Pokextinctionists are sick! Tell us what you want with the vault!". "Do you really think we'd tell you are plan, you pathetic waste of a body!", furiously boomed the obvious leader of the group. Endoss squinted, and said, "We have you surrounded, how do you intend to escape. Even if you did you wouldn't have the vault.". "Oh you may have captured us, but we have something to counter that, you see we don't intend to get out alive. Oh, and let me also tell you, we've had a very 'explosive' time.", we all knew what that meant immediately. Everything seemed to slow down as I saw a ditto catapult over the top of us, and increase in size large enough to wrap around the Pokextinctionists. The ditto then became a type of crystal, "Mark, what are you doing?! Get away from there!", I heard Endoss yell, but it was to late, the Pokextinctionists blew up, and the ditto had absorbed the impact. He transformed back into his pink flabby form, there were bruises, and blood all over his body. After about ten minutes the PRT had broken a way through the rubble in front of the safe room. Students pouring out of the giant vault doors, but just then I saw a feminine looking sudowoodo pushing their way through the crowd with it's branch like arms, "Let me through please, I'm his girlfriend.". I thought for a moment, She probably heard Endoss talking to Mark, and that's why she was pushing her way through the crowd.

The sudowoodo ran over to Mark, and started crying, "Mark, please talk to me, wake up, please.". The bloody ditto opened his eyes, and started speaking heavily, trembling as he did, "Babe, is that you? I'll be ok, the nurse can take care for me.". "I won't leave your side.", the sudowoodo sadly muttered out, still with tears in her eyes. Right at that moment some of the PRT came in, and lifted him off the ground onto a stretcher. "Thank Arceus he's alive.", nurse Heartgood said cheerfully. Endoss came up to the stretcher, and jumped onto it, "What you did today Mark, it was honorable, noble, and brave. You've defended this base from the Pokextinctionists once again.", Endoss beamed, and jumped off the stretcher. "Thank you head master, I was just doing my jo. . .", getting cut off by his passing out.

Later on when the mess the Pokextinctions left was cleared, Endoss called me to his office. "Damien, as we were talking about before, you are going to infiltrate the Pokextinction base, and rescue my brother.". "Do you want me to leave now sir?", I asked curiously. "No, immediate departure would mean people might see you leaving the base, or even question why you are. You may sleep tonight, wake up early tomorrow, and return to my office. I will give you some supplies, and send you out the secret exit, just incase anyone is up at that time.". "Yes sir.", I stated with a respectful tone, and a stern face. "Damien, you're a good person, and I know you will make me proud. Also please do not call me sir.". I just replied with, "I understand Endoss.", trying not to be to formal. Then I took a quick glance at the time, it was 8:30 meaning curfew was soon. "Damien, I saw you look at that clock, I guess it's time for us to say good night, or as you teenagers might put it, 'GN'.", I did a little half grin, said good night, and left Endoss' office.

Heading back to room #124, I felt something emerging from around the corner. "Who's there?", I tried to say with a stern expression, but it just came out in a trembling tone. "It's just me.", said the young squirtle I had met this morning. "So what were you, and Endoss talking about?". I looked down gloomily, "Sorry James, I'm not allowed to talk about it.". He glanced at me, and used those big puppy dog eyes of his, "Come on, you can tell me, I'm the best at keeping secrets.". I started to say, "Well Endoss said. . .". "What Endoss doesn't know won't hurt him.", he quickly commented. "Ok fine then.", I sighed, "Endoss wants me to go on a mission outside the base, and he wants me to infiltrate a Pokextinction base to save his brother.". "He wants you to what?!", James almost shouted. "Shhh, don't tell anyone. If Endoss found out that I told you, he would probably use his thunder shock on me.". James smirked, and quietly spoke, "Damien, you have nothing to worry about, my lips are sealed. No one will ever know about your mission.".

As we approached our room, I decided to ask James why he was out this late. James was silent for a moment, then sighed, "I was trying to find out what Endoss, and you were talking about.". "You did what now?!", I half yelled trying to be as calm as I could, "You tried to spy on our conversation?!". "I have a reason for spying though, I wanted to figure out what was in his secret cabernet under his desk.". I gave him a look of disdain before saying, "James, you know you shouldn't be spying on other people's conversations, people might see you as untrustworthy.". He then used his puppy dog eyes again, and spoke, "I'm sorry, it's just that he's so secretive about 'The Vault', and that cabernet of his.".

We were just standing there, and talking for so long that we lost track of time, that's when we saw an old looking mismagius come past knocking on all the doors. She was telling the students that it was curfew. We opened the door to our room to see an unpleasant sight, a Pokextinctionist, there must have been one that didn't join the others when they exploded. He was holding a knife up to Kate's neck, 'Oh Damien, we've been expecting you.', he menacingly grinned while showing his crooked yellow teeth. "What do you want?!', I yelled trying to intimidate him, which was pointless as he had a knife. His face suddenly went dark, and serious, "Don't try shouting to get the PRT to help, we've made sure they're all in other parts of the base. Now down to business, do you know why your transformation is progressing slowly?". I gave him a curious look, "It's because I had an illness, but it's gone now because I was injected with Pokeumous Controlis.". "You seriously believe in the crap they're feeding you. No, your transformation is slow becau. . .". I turned around to see Jeremy leaning against the door, "So you think you can just walk into my lucario friend's room, and threaten him like this.". The Pokextinctionist gave a snide grin, "I have a knife to this filthy Pokemon's neck, you will do everything I say, or you'll be stuck with a throat less eevee!". Jeremy utilized his extremely calm voice, and said, "Calm down, we'll do what you want. Here, I'm moving out of the way, you can make your escape.".

The Pokextinctionist slowly walked to the door, then pushed Kate hard at Jeremy, and ran away. Jeremy gave me a grin of deviousness, "We have all the exits blocked off, I alerted the other PRT members before I came in here.".

"Thanks Jeremy, that could have ended badly.", I said giving him a discouraged grin. "It's my job, no problem.", Jeremy stated while also giving a smile slightly more present than my own.

I turned around to Kate, and walked towards her to comfort her, "Are you ok Kate?". With a more than slight tremble Kate spoke, "Y-yeah I'm alright, I j-just need some time alone for a bit.". That's when James came out from the bed he was hiding under, "Is he gone? Do we get to sleep now?". Jeremy gave his trade mark smirk of deviousness, "Yes James, no one shall come in again. It's been a long day, and we all need some sleep.". With that Jeremy said good night, and left the room, while the rest of us not including Connor sat down on our beds.

I then wondered why he wasn't here, "Hey Kate, do you know where Connor is?". "Yeah I do, he got hit by some falling debris from the attack today, his left wing was injured at the tip while his right wing got a small tear at the base, but his head took the strongest hit by a big crystal that knock him out, nurse Heartgood says he's in a comma, but luckily Mark saved him before he was crushed by a bigger crystal boulder.". "I hope he comes out of it soon.", I said while almost yawning.

The three of us decided to just go to sleep then so I tried to use psychic to switch the light button, but failed, it seemed I could only do it this afternoon. James saw that I failed, and laughed under his breath. Kate heard what James said, and yelled, "HEY! Leave him alone, he's not even transformed yet, and he's already doing these moves!". Kate must have sent fear into his soul, because the next thing I heard was a mumbled apology from his trembling voice, and his foot steps on the ground near the light switch.

The hole room cascaded into darkness as the lights turned off, I was so tired from the day, I just fell asleep straight away.

"Hello again young one.", came the all to familiar voice, "Are you ready for the third challenge?". I unenthusiastically spoke, "You know Ninetales, I'm very tired from the day, can we just have a rest from the challenges?", "I'm sorry Damien, but this is more important than you know.". Sighing while being curious I asked, "What are the challenges for? And why me?". Ninetales just laughed, "You're very curious, I'll tell you another time, just trust me that these challenges are important.".

"Alright then, make this a quick challenge.", I mumbled while sighing. He grinned before quickly speaking, "Young one, you should be enthusiastic, others dream of the things I'm showing you. You know, not many people have the opportunity to speak with real spirits in their dreams.". Slowly changing my sighed face into a wide smile I beamed, "I guess you're right, this is something special, and I shouldn't waste it. Alright let's go!".

Ninetales lifted his paw just like the first time when he stopped my aura sphere, and a pikachu appeared, but behind it was a figure that was known without thinking, it was Ash the Pokémon trainer from the show, then Ninetales boomed, "I give to you young one, the third challenge!". "I can guess what this challenge is about, and if I'm right Ash won't give up, not until he wins.". Ninetales gave a grin of curiosity, "Young one you surprise me every time we talk.".

That's when I heard the familiar voice of Ash shout, "Alright Pikachu, use quick attack!". I had to react quickly so I shouted back, "Iron tail!", not being able to think of another move in time. Pikachu, and myself were about to collide when Ash yelled, "Pikachu now! Use rock smash!". At that Pikachu screeched, "Pika!", and dove into the ground slightly, pushing a rock his body size from the ground. I was running so fast that I knew I was going to collide with it, so I yelled out, "Aura sphere!", trying to blow it up, but Pikachu got in front of it, and Ash said, "Use iron tail!", with that Pikachu's tail glowed white just like Endoss' did back during the Pokextinction attack. Pikachu plunged his tail into my aura sphere sending it right back at me, I jumped into the air to dodge it, but Pikachu used his iron tail again flinging the rock towards me, I had no way of dodging it, so I just took the hit which sent me back about twenty meters. "Alright Pikachu, way to go!" , beamed Ash with a glimmer of pride in his eyes.

As I was lying there on the ground just thinking about that combo Pikachu had just done, but I didn't have much time to think as Pikachu was charging towards me with a shinning iron tail, "Pikachu use double team!", came Ash's loud excited voice. I lifted my aura sensors up to find the electric type's aura, and found one of the Pikachus had a slightly brighter aura than the others, so I charged up my iron tail as well to counter it. Suddenly I saw Pikachu right in front of my face, at that I ducked under his tail, and smashed my own tail into his countering it, that wasn't it though, I snapped back around faster than a snorlax that's smelt an open buffet, and shouted, "Force palm!", hitting him in the side of his ribs with my palm which knocked him back all the way to Ash's feet.

Ash yelled out worriedly while kneeling down to him, "Pikachu!". I saw a stream of angry tears running down his face, "Pikachu, get up.", at that Pikachu flipped onto his feet, and got into a battle stance. The mood on Ash's face changed immediately to a happy mood with a look of battle anger mixed in, "Alright Pikachu, let's finish this with thunder!". Again I had to react quickly so I breathed in thinking of a move that might match thunder, as I was breathing in I felt aura swarming in, and then I felt it rush out, and I boomed, "Dragon pulse!", which echoed through out the hole room, actually knocked Ash, and Ninetales over. Our attacks were about to hit each other, but then Ash, and Pikachu suddenly vanished, leaving only Ninetales, and myself, but the room we were in was changing, "Ninetales, what's happening?!", I yelled seeing the scenery change to a place where fire was everywhere, there were buildings that looked like they were burnt down, and smashed to the ground.

I looked straight up to see a sky full of flying Pokémon, but there was a particular point in the sky that Ninetales pointed out, it was hard to see, but it looked like three large flying types, an electric type, a fire type, and a water,  no ice type, but there was a figure floating behind them, the figure was bipedal, and a whitish grey with a large purple tail, Oh no, this can only be. . . , was all I could think.

The figure's face was hidden by the darkness of the night sky, at that moment Ninetales, and myself heard a screeching. A gigantic creature appeared, it's shriek shook the ground knocking over buildings that just fell over, some of the buildings' structures were just vaporized by it. Light shone  into it's face from one of the broken street lights, it was the face of Arceus. "Ninetales, what's happening?!", I asked confused. Ninetales was just looking down as if he was thinking about something. Ninetales sighed, "Young one. . . This appears to be a vision of a possible future, a premonition. . . A future where Mr. X has won the war on Pokeumans.". "But Ninetales, why am I seeing this premonition.", I asked again curious. "Well young one, some Pokeumans get special powers like being able to change their size at will, astral projection, or the very rare aura channeling. It seems you may have the ability to see premonitions, this is a very respectable power, and is considered very powerful, but don't tell anyone of your power, even Endoss, and Kate. Others will seek to use your power for evil purposes.".

At that instant there was a blurred voice, "*am**n.". Ninetales turned his head towards me, "Young one, it seems it is time for us to part, I wish you a safe journey on your mission.". "Thanks Ninetales, I'll see you again in a couple of nights.", I said cheerfully with a grin, and waving of my paw.

"*am**n. . . Damien, hello. Did you sleep well? Are you ready for your journey today, I came in to make sure you got up.". Endoss whispered. "Yes I'm ready Endoss.".


Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it, thank you all for reading, the next chapter should be out within two weeks