Rise of the Shadows!

[Kamalia]

The Blaziken tilted her head at the Garchomp, an affectionate look on her face. She gently stroked his face from his temple to his chin before carefully lifting his head off of her lap and sliding on her back to lie beside him. She snuggled against him. "I wonder if we'll ever be like that one day." She murmured to herself, then instantly felt rather girly and a bit childish for fantasizing about the romantic part of her life. She shook her head as if to clear the thought. Well, she had the excuse of it being quite a nice wish. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

[Magnakilro]

Chomp yawned. He laid down snuggling against Rikki and fell asleep.

[Moonlost]

((Hmm, seems I didn't miss too much... well, beyond the forming of the sunrise anyway. Alas I think Dr. Insins is about to put a stake in the heart of that little group. Hope to be on earlier tomorrow. Here comes yet another Moonlost Wall of Text! (tm). Going though my theories about the dusk virus. Please feel free to know if I've gone waaaay to far away from the original idea. ))

Dr. Insins drummed his fingers in an irritated fashion. Project Shepherd had been following him around like a lost puppy, only instead of bringing him torn up shoes and sticks Kanmimpi had been bringing back pokemon to the complex. At first, he had been curious and a little hopeful. Perhaps she was trying to rally together the dusk again? Or maybe she was herding them to him so he could check their blood. But as the days passed, the less he believed that to be true. Most of these pokemon were uninfected. The few that were weren't helpful to him. Now his complex was filling up with unwanted pokemon, creatures that disturbed his research for pats and hugs. He almost longed for the ones who snarled an spitted at him. At least they stayed out of his way.

He sighed, shoving his frustration to the side for a moment. He looked down at the notes in his hand; personal notes relating Project Shepherd that had somehow survived the carnage. He skimmed over them idly, reminiscing.
Day #122 - Tests with new enhancement virus continue. Subjects 25 though to 65 show remarkable promise even without genetic modifications or grafting. Noticing many subjects seem to be prone to berserking. Advising further observation before introducing virus to previous and future experiments.
Day #157 - Enhancement virus has been codenamed "Dusk" due to the pigmentation deformaties that happen whenever a subject is infected. Berserking side effect controlable with Mendolapine and psionic suggestion. Moving forward with introducing "Dusk" to other subjects.
Day #162 - Berserking side effect seen more frequently amongst subjects, subjects seem unaffected by Mendolapine. Switching medication to Clozranol and bringing in more psychic pokemon to try and keep control over this.
Day # 185 - Psychic pokemon barely keeping up with the strain, unsitable long-term solution. Subjects unaffected by Clozranol. Emergency meeting between the head reserchers.
Day # 186 - "Dusk" was designed not only to enchance the recipient's natural reflexes, strength and intelect, but to also increase aggression. It does this by inhabiting the brain and producing a number of Corticosteroids. We did not take into account the natural psionic abilities most pokemon have. Tests and observations shows that the virus has mutated to use this natural Psyhcic talent to form a hive mind like effect; increasing the psychosis effects seen in previous patients 10 fold.
Introducing non-infected psionics into this hive mind has the potentual to limit these psychosis outbreaks. However, it would take either a ridiculous ammount of Psychic pokemon or the aid of some psychic legendaries. Since the former isn't an option, plans are being drawn to manufature the latter. Project Shepherd will begin tomorrow.

Project Shepherd.... If they had more time, it may have worked. But it was rushed due to neccessity. Sloppy work had given sloppy results. Many of the Shepherds died as soon as they were born. The few that survived weren't powerful enough to keep the hive mind under control. Had he had more time, he could have made something glorious. But now the dusk were far too numerous for Shepherd to work, the virus mutated too much for him to work it without a recent strain.

He sighed. The only way now to stop this was to cure it. To edaricate his work. He knew he should be objective, but he couldn't help but feel remorseful. The only problem with the Dusk was that they were out of control. In all other respects, his creation had worked perfectly. Even now as they spread across the land, killing or infecting all they saw, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride. It hurt thinking that he'd have to destroy it.
Still, if he had plans on doing any more reserch, he'd have to find some way to stop this. And sitting here wasn't helping him any. He stood up, streched, picked up his coat and walked outside, gently pushing asside the throng of pokemon that went to greet him. He needed to find those samples. He let Maclayi out of her ball and once again mounted up. "Take us back around to that cave. I want to try reasoning with that uninfected group again."
The Tropius nodded, then took off into the skies. She flew quickly to the cave, not noticing the mass of dusk underneth them.

((... I wanted to catch my other characters up, but I dare not make this post any longer XD ))

[Azunara]

Solara had taken guard at the cave entrance, flopping down, tired. Zerak sat down next to her, still cackling quietly. Then Solara stiffened, teeth bared as she rose. Wing beats. Heading this way...The human. A snarl broke through her, bristling as her claws raked the ground. Her tail lashed, and she gave a soft, angry hiss, "How dare he come..." She said, and Zerak looked from the entrance and the fast coming human to his sister. He had no love of them herself, but she was practically frothing.

[rubybeam]

Kanmimpi had flicked her tails still remebering when she had contorl over the dusk, amybe she cojuld showthe human she had found a cure? she had walked into the room holding the crystal which would have been her dead brother, he was gone though so she placed it on his desk and walked out of the room

[Magnakilro]

Chomp had woken up. He walked to the entrance, watching the human

[Kira]

Kyuu sighed as she flicked her ears, not really able to sleep. She glanced up at Mewtwo, then over at everyone else. She sighe again and pushed herself away from Mewtwo to stand and strech before she moved silently to the berry pile, an ear perked in the direction of the cave entrance. She tugged out one of her Mago berries and started to chew on it, walking to the entrance with the others, tail flicking and curling slowly.

---

Daray looked around for a moment before he smacked his left hand into his forehead. He didn't really have to Look for Giratina. Lord Giratina..may I request a favor of you?

[Magnakilro]

Deoxys woke up. He looked at the cave entrance, seeing a human approached, "If he brought that damn cat-fox thing...."

[Moonlost]

Seventeen's head jolted up suddenly, her nostrils flaring. The scent was oh so fait, almost drowned out by the smell of her kin, but it was there. Her muzzle split into a snarl. HE was near. Sparks began to jump from her body, her paws started clawing at the gorund. She needed to find him and tear him to shreds.
"Hey!" Venin yelped, jumping back from Seventeen's sparking body. "Mind keeping your energy to yourself?!"
Gamin lifted his head, trying to catch the scent as well, but nothing stood out to his nose.
Seventeen charged forward, eyes to the air, searching.... A speck in the distance. Was it him? Dare she risk letting him get away just to check?
She roared, letting loose a bolt of lightning at the skyward figure. She saw it hit and grinned, rushing to reach where it landed.

~

Insins was deep in thought. How would he approach this band of wild pokemon? He didn't expect his earlier, subtle attempts to work. A direct confrontation seemed best. Answer all their questions... or at least as much as he could without revealing all his secrets. If they didn't listen, well it was their loss. He was fairly sure he coud find some alternative to get samples he needed.
His thoughts were interupted by a searing light that sparked from the ground. Maclayi gasped in surprise and angled her wings to dodge the bolt, but it came too fast, too sudden. She screamed in pain as she plummeted to the ground. Insins held onto her neck tightly, although it was a futile gesture. From this height, their fall would be fatal. At the last minute, Maclayi spread her leaf like wings, slowing their descent just enough so they wouldn't die from it. The resulting crash still caused the scientist to black out for a few seconds.
Everything hurt. Inins grunted, trying to get up, but the resulting pain was too much and he fell back down again. A sudden weight was placed onto his back and hot breath lapped at his neck. He heard a familiar, deep, feral snarl. He found himself wishing the fall had killed him, it would have been far more merciful.

~

Baaz wished he was still asleep. The cold didn't touch him there and the blinding white flurry was replaced with warm, scintillating colours. But consiousness dragged him away from slumber once more. He sighed and creaked open his eyes...
Only to be greeted with the sight of two Murkrows sitting very close to his face.
He gasped in surprise and sat up. The two birds hopped forward, their heads cocked to the side. One of them was covered in light pink feathers, the other in blue-black.
"Who are you?" The pink one asked, rustling it's wings as it did so.
"My name is Baaz, please fogive my pelt. Although stained by the black of the Dusk curse, I mean you no harm." He lowered his head.
"What do you want?" The black Murkrow jumed forward, fluffing its feathers up.
"I'm sorry," The big arcanine replied, feeling he had intruded upon their home without asking. "I mearly came into your cave to sleep the night. I'll take my leave of you now." He stood up and padded outside.
The cold hit him like a wall. It hadn't been very warm inside the cave, but this... He breathed out a blast of flame and began to pad forward once more.
The two Murkrows looked at one another, then took flight, following the arcanine into the snow.

[Lupis]

A few Dusk fliers had seen the crash of Dr. Insins. They flew circles overhead like vultures, cawing a conversation to one another.
"Is that a scientist? You know what Scarab told us!"
"I don't know! I want to kill it!"
"If we go down there, Seventeen will kill us first!"
"Fine! Lets tell Scarab!"

Scarab looked up as the Fliers approached. They perched on a branch near his head, cawing excitedly.
"Scarab-"
"Human-"
"Seventeen-"
"Crash-"
"Scientist!"
He took a moment to piece together the garbled message, then pinned them with a gaze. "Are you ssssure? Go back and inform Sssseventeen that the human isss not to be killed." He tapped his chin with a scythe. "Hhhowever, let hher hhhave hhher fun. We do not want the hhhuman thinking of usss asss merccciful." The birds nodded and flew off towards Seventeen's troop.

[Azunara]

Solara lashed her tail, smirking as something happened and he crashed. "He deserved it," She said quietly, claws clicking the ground as she tilted her head, watching.

[Magnakilro]

Chomp looked out the cave, hearing the crash, "What the hell?"

[Azunara]

"Something struck the them and they fell down. Not sure what. They haven't gotten back into the air, so something bad is happening." Zerak added, "I'm willing to check it out, if anyone else wants to come?"

[Magnakilro]

Chomp nodded, "I'm going too"

[Kira]

Kyuu smiled slightly. "I'll go, if you'll let me." She flicked her tail and looked out again.
Mewtwo gave Kyuu a small look before he looked away. He had a feeling that everyone should just stayed, but there was nothing he could do to make them.

Shia moved over, having remained silent for much too long. "I'll go as well.."

[Azunara]

Solara looked eager to go, but Zerak shook his head, "Stay here, Soly. You'd like kill him rather than get information out of him." He said, giving the espeon a brief grin, then nodded to Chomp, "Right. We should move quickly, I have a bad feeling." At the input from Shia and Kyuu, he nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

[Magnakilro]

Chomp lowered to all fours and began heading out, keeping quiet and remaining cautious.

[Kira]

Shia stopped her fur from crackling and slunk off, glad for her patches of dark fur.
Kyuu frowned at herself before thinking hard, forcing her fur to turn darker in colour before she went off after the others, being as quiet as she could be..aside from her occasional tripping.

[Azunara]

Zerak also slipped along, padding along with the others.

[Magnakilro]

Chomp began sniffing around. He quietly looked at the others and pointed in the direction the human's scent came from.