Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 36: Jacob

"Marshadow."

Marshadow nodded.

"So, are you the one who's behind all this? Did you make the Pokémon go wild?"

"No. You think you know what's happening, sit down and let me tell you the truth."

I didn't move. Marshadow shrugged, "You don't trust me?"

I snarled, ready to move should he attack. "Sorry Pal, not by a long shot."

He sighed, "Too bad, I've been so lonely, but I don't like anyone so not a big problem, let's get this over with." He sat down on the ground and crossed his legs, he looked me in the eye. "Where to start? What would you like know?"

"Did you make the Pokémon go wild?"

Marshadow looked disappointed.

"How rude, you didn't even ask my name."

"So?"

"So, it's polite."

"Fine, you are?"

"Hi there, you're Jacob, a human turned Eevee and I'm Marv, I'm a Marshadow, and yeah, oh, I'm also guardian of the Shadow Crystal, or at least, I was."

My ears pricked up, "You're the guardian of the Shadow Crystal?"

"That's what I said."

I looked around only just noticing the craters in the walls and floor, even the ceiling had scorch marks on it.

"What happened here...?" I asked in a whisper.

"Let me start from the beginning, long ago, the first King Alcarmia had three sons. One day, the King discovered an injured Pokémon, the King took it in and raised it as his most beloved, fourth son. The King's other sons became jealous, so they plotted to kill the one whom the King loved."

"I thought the Princes wanted to kill their father not his Pokémon?"

"People believe that because in the Prince's efforts to kill the Pokémon King Alcarmia was placed in great danger. The three princes chased the Pokémon far away, having it hunted by all with the promise of a large reward for its death. The King was devastated by his Sons' treason, he banished them."

I relaxed now, lying down I listened intently as Marv continued his story.

"The King had lost all those whom he had loved, he was overcome with anger and sadness, he began to die. The King's Pokémon saw this, he travelled to the three princes and from each one he gathered a Tear of Regret. Using his power, the King's Pokémon turned these tears into small gemstones. He returned to Alcarmia castle and presented the Tears of Princes to the King, the King began to cry, the Pokémon took the King's tears and turned them into a giant crystal, trapping the Kings hatred and evil inside. In that moment the King was at peace, he died a happy man, but evil is contagious. The crystal began affecting those around it, making them cold, bitter and yes, even wild. The crystal was dangerous, so it was brought here for safekeeping. I am Marshadow, the Gloomdweller Pokémon and one of the very few who cannot be affected by the crystal, it was decided I should protect it."

Marshadow looked down at the ground and was silent for a while, there was a frown on his face. I had to know. "What happened next?"

"No-one realised, the King's Pokémon, and my friend, when he created the crystal some of its evil entered him. It grew, he began to hate people, they had cost him his best friend and the only one who he had ever loved. He returned here seeking the crystal, he had been consumed by it's evil but more than that, like you, he was angry, he was stupid enough to embrace the darkness."

I gulped and looked at my paws. "How did you know?"

"I can feel it's evil inside you, I felt it when you were first controlled by it, I felt it when you embraced it, you loved it. It was sick."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"You didn't even try to resist, you gave yourself to it. You'd been controlled by the crystal before, you knew its power, but still you let it swallow you, you used it. What if it had completely consumed you? What if you never came back? What if-"

"I know!" I shouted and rose quickly onto my paws, my head was down, Marshadow gasped when I raised it again.

Shadows covered the left half of my face, black lighting pulsed around the right side of my body, my eyes were wide and glassy, shadows dripped between my teeth. I stumbled forward and fell onto my stomach, I looked at Marv, my eyes begging for help.

"I couldn't stop it, I'm scared Marv, please, please help me."

Marv gulped and looked at me sadly.

"The only thing that can stop the Shadow Crystal, that can purge you of it's evil, are the Tears of Princes."

I swallowed, trying to calm myself and slow my rapid heart. "How, what must I do?"

"Gather the Tears, they can remove the darkness in you, then use them to save my friend who also has been consumed by evil."

"Your friend, the King's Pokémon, who is it?"

"He is the Mythical Thunderclap Pokémon, Zeraora."