Dimensions of Darkness Book 3: The Explorers of the Beyond
It's here, it's here, it's here at last! (Again!)
DIMENSIONS OF DARKNESS BOOK 3: THE EXPLORERS OF THE BEYOND
[Rated PG-13 for peril, mild fantasy violence, very mild language, and themes of death (Again)]
A note to all who read this: This is a sequel to Dimensions of Darkness Book 1: The Explorers of Nightmares and Dimensions of Darkness Book 2: The Explorers of the Core. If you haven't read the first two books, I suggest clicking on the links below and reading them first. (Again.)
Well, I know there wasn't much of a break between this book and the last one, but I was too anxious to wait any longer. And first, and most importantly, I'd like to thank everyone who read and critiqued on my last thread. I couldn't have done it without you! (Again.)
And just so that this opening post isn't exactly like the one from my last fic, I'll also add these words of wisdom courtesy of our beloved hero Dusknoir:
"Two wrongs may not make a right, but always remember that three rights make a left."
Spoiler:- Character List-Characters in the Beyond-SPOILERS!!!:
Piplup-A human from the future who was transformed into a Pokemon. He is generally well liked by all, probably because of his rather optimistic outlook on life. He will fight loyally for his friends and will always put the needs of others before his own. He and his partner Chimchar have saved the world three times before, but now they're the ones who need saving...
Chimchar-Piplup's best friend and partner. He is sometimes timid and is renowned to be a terrible comedian, but he is also a devoted explorer who will do anything for his friends.
Darkrai-An evil Pokemon who tried to take over the world three times. His current plans are unknown, but he finally has Piplup and Chimchar exactly where he wants them. He is wicked and cunning, and is not afraid to boast about it.
Deoxys-A mysterious Pokemon who is a close associate of Darkrai. He is a true strategical mastermind, with a mind bordering on Machiavellian. His cunning wit makes him a force to be reckoned with.
88-A Shieldon who is a former member of the Army of the Core. He is slightly smarter, but no more coordinated, than his best friend and partner, 89.
89-A Cranidos who is a former member of the Army of the Core. He is a first-class moron, but he has a good heart. He and 88 are collectively known as "Chowderheads".
Dragonite-A mysterious Pokemon who served as a jailer in Darkrai's prison. However, after breaking out Piplup and Chimchar, it becomes apparent that he is opposed to Darkrai, and is in fact a high-ranking member of the Resistance. He apparently harbors a dark secret involving the destruction of three villages. He is a member of the Infinity Knights.
Combusken-The adopted son of Darkrai and Cresselia. He was apparently disgraced in the eyes of Darkrai many years ago and he is constantly looking for a way to redeem his honor. With the arrival of Piplup and Chimchar, he may have just found the opportunity he needs...
Prinplup-The leader of the famous Team Liberty, a trio of freedom fighters. She's renowned for both her fighting skills and her beauty. She is a member of the Infinity Knights.
Charizard-A member of Team Liberty. He acts as the team's aerial searcher and battler.
Meganium-A member of Team Liberty. She acts as a healer and herbalist.
Slowbro-Combusken's caretaker, he is affectionately referred to as "Uncle". He was formally a general in the Army of the Beyond and a very good friend of Darkrai before retiring. While he seems to be a very laid-back and carefree Pokemon, complex thoughts run through his brain and he seems to have great plans for Combusken. However, he leaves Combusken to make decisions for himself, even if the results are less than hoped for.
Gothitelle-The adopted daughter of Darkrai and Cresselia and sister to Combusken. Commonly referred to as Darkrai's "perfect little princess", she is his most trusted advisor and his second-in-command. She is cold and ruthless and loves to toy with her foes. There is obvious animosity between her and Combusken.
Garchomp-A ruthless Pokemon who serves as a jailer in Darkrai's prison. He is deeply loyal to Darkrai, is clearly cautious of Deoxys, and was best friends with Dragonite before his betrayal. Now ashamed, he has sworn revenge against his former friend.
Lugia - The leader of the Resistance. He is incredibly powerful and mystical, possessing great wisdom and strength. He is the placeholder king of the Beyond.
Absol-A friend of Dragonite and general of the Resistance. He is rather gruff in his demeanor, but he means well. He is infamously indignant and is a member of the Infinity Knights.
Torterra, Milotic, and Darmanitan - Three close friends and members of the Infinity Knights.
Zoroark-An agent of Dialga who is positioned in the Beyond, he is known as "The Eyes of the Beyond". He is clearly interested in Piplup and his abilities.
Mismagius-A close friend of Gothitelle. She tends to be very somber and is rarely excited.
Froslass-A close friend of Gothitelle. She is always happy and can rarely stay in the same place for more than a couple of seconds.
Golduck-Deoxys's manservant. He is also Deoxys's sole friend, and the two have known each other for a long time. He is a very neutral Pokemon and can even get along with Darkrai. For some reason, he harbors a grudge against Dragonite.
Excadrill-The greatest blacksmith in the Beyond and an old friend of Dragonite. He is very blunt and is rough on the outside, but he has a good heart.
Magby-Excadrill's apprentice. Magby is a very nervous and jittery Pokemon, but he means well.
Giratina-An incredibly evil Pokemon who led a revolution against the original Dialga and Palkia over a thousand years ago. He was defeated and trapped in the dimension that is known as the Beyond, along with all of his followers. He disappeared many centuries ago, and is presumed to have eventually succumbed to madness and old age and died. However, his legacy lives on in the descendants of his followers, who control the Beyond to this day.
Swampert - One of the Merry Men. He's really the leader of the bunch, though he rarely plays the part. He goes by the stage name Benkei.
Mightyena - Self-proclaimed leader of the Merry Men, second-in-command to Swampert, and an incredibly outgoing Pokemon. He's an old friend of Charizard. He goes by the stage name Robin Hood.
Ninjask - One of the Merry Men. He goes by the stage name Alan-a-Dale.
Castform - One of the Merry Men. He goes by the stage name Much the Miller's Son.
Kadabra - A level-headed Pokemon who butts heads with Mightyena. He leads the camp on the edge of Gris Plain.
Golem - A respected general in the Resistance.
Blaziken - A no-nonsense female warrior of the Resistance. She apparently had a rough and troubled past.
Delcatty - A friend of Blaziken and fellow warrior of the Resistance. She hates sexists with a passion unrivaled by any but Beautifly.
Beautifly - A passionate feminist and friend of Blaziken. She has no problems with threatening violence on any who anger her.
Manectric - A lover, not a fighter, who is a friend of Blaziken. He believes himself to be popular with the ladies and he has a soft spot for Delcatty. He is absolutely despised by Beautifly, though he can't imagine why.
Noctowl-A close friend of Excadrill. He is apparently a figure of authority in the Resistance.
Scrafty-A mobster-like Pokemon and the boss of Darkrai's personal mafia. He is known to act much tougher than he actually is. He leads a gang of Scraggy.
Honchkrow-A gang leader and the boss of Deoxys's personal mafia. He acts tough, and he is pretty tough. He leads a gang of Murkrow.
Conkeldurr-The leader of the Republic, a rebel faction seeking control of the Beyond. He's tough, but doesn't have much support. He leads a gang of Timburr.
Raikou, Articuno, and Moltres - Three powerful Pokemon and lieutenants of Darkrai. They are generally known as the Big Three.
Genesect-A Pokemon created by Giratina's mad experimentation. It can't be controlled, yet Darkrai unleashed it again. Chimchar was able to reseal it with the sword Aureus. Though previously known simply as The Beast, it was named Genesect by Piplup. It has gone by multiple other names, including Robeetle, Buggun, and Steve.
Lickitung - The reigning chef of the Resistance. He speaks with a lisp, probably because of the massive tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Skarmory-A group of Pokemon who act as messengers and carriers for the Resistance.
Reshiram and Zekrom-Two immortals who were present in the Beyond. One served under Giratina while the other kept an eye on them. Both are dead now.
Spoiler:- Character List-Characters on Earth-SPOILERS!!!:
Grovyle-A Pokemon from the future and a good friend of Piplup and Chimchar. He is incredibly loyal to his friends and will do anything to keep them safe, even if it means putting his own life on the line.
Dusknoir-A Pokemon from the future. He was formerly the arch-enemy of Piplup, Chimchar, and Grovyle, but he developed a friendship with Grovyle while they worked together to stop Primal Dialga. He is now a good friend to the three and is always a reliable ally. After becoming a good Pokemon, his personality has become much more friendly and outgoing. Chimchar is jealous of him because people find Dusknoir's humor funnier than his own.
Celebi-Another Pokemon from the future. She is a good friend of Piplup and Chimchar and has a not-so-secret crush on Grovyle. She is very kind to all and will offer her life to any cause worthy enough to gain her support.
Wigglytuff-The Guildmaster of the Wigglytuff Guild. He serves as a mentor to Piplup, Chimchar, and all of the other apprentices. He is always cheery and jolly, even in the face of the most menacing foes.
Chatot-Wigglytuff's best friend and second-in-command. He is sometimes pushy and fussy, but he has everyone's best interests at heart.
Chimecho, Bidoof, Sunflora, Loudred, Corphish, Diglett, Dugtrio, and Croagunk-The Wigglytuff Guild apprentices and good friends of Piplup and Chimchar.
Lucario-A Pokemon from the Core and a renowned Aura master. He is somewhat rash and easy to anger.
Mew-A Pokemon from the Core and a good friend of Lucario, who she seems to harbor unspoken feelings for. She's a great healer and herbalist. She is more cautious and level-headed than Lucario, but she is a force to be feared when she is angered.
Shiftry-A newcomer to Treasure Town. He offers his help in finding Piplup and Chimchar by contacting his "underground" agents.
Pawniard, Hitmontop, and Cacnea-Shiftry's friends and followers. They are deeply loyal to him.
Armaldo-Wigglytuff's old exploring master and a former outlaw. He may seem gruff on the outside, but in reality, he is a big softie.
Sceptile-A Pokemon from the future and enemy of Grovyle and Dusknoir. He disappeared after being captured in the Core, and his whearabouts are unknown.
Cresselia-A legendary Pokemon and member of Team Pokepals, after she helped defeat her rival Darkrai. She is originally from the Beyond and is/was Darkrai's wife before escaping to Earth. (I say is/was because I'm not really sure how divorce works in the Pokemon world.)
A shadowy figure darted across the rocky soil towards the towering mansion ahead. He reached the large wooden door and knocked three times in quick succession. Slowly, the door creaked open and the head of a blue duck peeked out.
"Good evening, Golduck," the shadowy figure greeted.
"Ah, Master Darkrai!" the Pokemon named Golduck smiled. He bowed deeply and swung the door open farther. "I presume you are here to meet with Master Deoxys?"
Darkrai nodded and moved inside. "Yes, of course. I must speak to him immediately."
"Yes, of course," Golduck bowed again. "I will go and fetch him. Please, take a seat." He turned away and strode up the large flight of stairs along the wall. Darkrai floated forward into the enormous sitting room. There were a large number of comfy chairs sitting in a half-circle around the stone fireplace, which now held a roaring fire. Darkrai plopped down into one of the chairs nearest to the fire and sighed contentedly. The room was lit only by the fire, causing the shadows to dance on the walls and the large wooden bookshelves which lined the room. The shadows around Darkrai seemed to writhe even more violently than the rest, however.
"Ah, Darkrai, how good it is to see you."
Darkrai looked up to see a humanoid orange Pokemon walking down the staircase. A purple gem gleamed in the center of his chest. "Hello, Deoxys. I must say that you really know how to live. I never quite get used to the luxuries of this mansion."
"Let's cease with the pleasantries," Deoxys said softly, sitting down in the chair opposite Darkrai. He clapped his hands and Golduck appeared at his side.
"Yes, Master Deoxys?"
"Golduck, old friend, please go get some tea for our guest," Deoxys ordered. "I'll take some as well. Of course, don't forget to pour yourself a cup too."
Golduck bowed. "I will put the kettle on immediately." He hurried off towards the kitchen.
Deoxys turned back to Darkrai. "Now, judging by the urgency in which you demanded for me to open a portal, I can only imagine that something came up in the Core."
"Yes, there were difficulties," Darkrai nodded sheepishly. "Despite the fact that I unleashed Rayquaza to face them, and despite the fact that I even possessed Regigigas to battle them, I was still defeated. Piplup simply proved to be too strong yet again."
Deoxys sighed. "Darkrai, there are entire books dedicated to your failures."
"But," Darkrai interjected. "It was all for the greater good."
"How so?" Deoxys raised an eyebrow. "Just what did you pull off?"
Darkrai smiled maliciously. "When I entered the portal back here to the Beyond...I brought Piplup and Chimchar with me."
Deoxys had trained himself not to show facial emotions in reaction to any news, but he was hardly able to contain his gasp of surprise. "You actually managed to bring Piplup and Chimchar here? Incredible."
"Yes, it truly is," Darkrai gloated. "Right now, I have them locked up in Garchomp and Dragonite's jail. Two soldiers from the Core got sucked into the portal along with Piplup and Chimchar, and they're in the jail with them."
"Are you sure that is wise?" Deoxys inquired. "Piplup and Chimchar are incredibly resourceful. Dragonite and Garchomp are certainly capable, and the cell doors can withstand virtually any attack, but those two have found their way out of similar situations before."
"Trust me, they won't be escaping this time," Darkrai assured.
Deoxys scoffed. "Trust you? I can only trust you as far as I can throw you."
"You're one to talk," Darkrai growled. "But hey, even if Piplup and Chimchar do manage to escape, which they won't, then where are they going to go?"
"There are always the revolutionaries," Deoxys said.
"Yes, that is true," Darkrai admitted. "But we could hunt them down before they ever make it that far. But they will never escape the jail. There is only one thing they have to look forward to in their worthless lives."
Deoxys hid his smile, already knowing what Darkrai was going to say. "And that would be?"
Darkrai's smile was devoid of any emotion. "Their execution date."
Hope you all like it! It's short, I know, but it's just a taste of what's to come, so it can't be too long.
Anyway, this prologue starts in on something which will actually be focused on quite often throughout the rest of the fic: The relationship between Darkrai and Deoxys. The two are on the same side, it is true. They are partners when it comes to command of the Beyond, and they work together very often. However, they are not friends. Far from it, they will freely admit that they despise each other. But still, for the good of the Beyond, they work together to take down their foes. And they are a truly lethal combination...
Last edited by GalladeRocks; 25th November 2012 at 12:33 AM.
Dimensions of Darkness Book 3: The Explorers of the Beyond
Reply With Quote