Zach Raines
Gradie Aevum
Auryn Galliade
Lucario
Did you tell them it would bring them closer to God?
So that's how you can call this your baptism.
So that's how you can call this your baptism.
I'll be the servant who drives purity through the heart.
And as you fall to your knees, save grace to angels we prayed.
((As written by The Fullmetal Princess, Kestral Silverdust, and Sadistic Biscuit...))
The setting sun washed over the large lawn of the Chimera Corp complex, coating the building and all surrounding areas in a warm orange-pink. In the middle of this large lawn stood a single man. Lanky in his build, around 6 feet in height, and some would think that he almost looked emaciated. A thin shadow of facial hair covered his chin, leading anyone who saw him to believe that this man hadn't been properly groomed in several days. As if to add to this impression, a half-smoked cigarette hung out of the corner of the man's mouth.
The man's clothing was professional, yet very tattered. Scuffed, black dress shoes and slacks, as well as a cuffed white shirt and black sweater vest; thin angular lines creating a diamond pattern in the woven fabric. His blood-red tie tucked and tied neatly. All in all messy, but professional-looking, but what really set the man off was an old tattered lab coat with stains of all colors and substances, even blood, laying crookedly over his right arm.
He finished his cigarette and strolled into the building, breezing past the front desk and boarding an elevator for the office of one "Mr. Raines." Upon exiting the elevator, the man pushed through the door to the front office foyer. The startled secretary attempted to stop him, “Mr. Raines is out, sir. Do you have an appointment?”
The man looked at the secretary squarely, “Che...” And then, as if she didn't even exist, waltzed straight into the office. He took a seat in the large room, placing his cigarette box and lighter on the desk in front of him and lit another cigarette, waiting for his appointment.
~
~
~Zach Raines had been out with Auryn Galliade discussing the direction of their company. Upon returning to his office his secretary attempted to warn him of the intruder in his domain. Raines simply ignored her grunting lightly, waving a hand in her direction. He opened the door to his lovely office only to be greeted with the sight of a bedraggled man slumped in one of the guest seats, holding a lit cigarette over the marble ashtray on his desk.
Raines perked an eyebrow up at the stranger. Flitting his bangs out of his face, he smirked slightly at the sight of the man, preparing to call security if the situation got out of hand.
"What, pray tell, is your business here?" Zach said, lighting a cigarette as he walked casually by and set his briefcase on the floor.
The bedraggled man in the seat gave Raines a casual look, as if he expected such an event. He took a small puff of his own cigarette and gave a sly grin. "My business? I have no business... I'm simply looking for something, Mr. Raines."
Raines stopped slightly as he was pulling himself up from his stooping position to look at the man. "And what exactly separates you from any other fool attempting to seek my audience? What causes you to defile my sanctum, having disregarded the entire social etiquette of an appointment? And with such disgustingly acrid cigarettes..." Raines queried as he leaned back in his modern chair embroidered with his initials upon its back taking a drag from his premium blend cigarette.
The older male chuckled again, quite entertained by the Vice President. "Well now... How you've grown. You know Mr. Raines, from what I recall, you definitely couldn't hurl insults like that even a year ago! Still, all of that aside; I think the answers to your questions are fairly obvious. What separates me from all of those fools, is just that... My intelligence. I'm here to offer you the future."
Raines ignored the man's hints and broke down to the main point. “To what could you possibly offer a future? It appears that you can barely dress yourself, let alone hold to your claims of higher intellect." Raines jeered. He didn't take kindly to people who dared to step out of line.
The man looked at Raines in the same way that a parent may look at a child when that child misbehaves. His smile soon returned, though, as he spoke his next words. "Your generation is famous for it's undeserving arrogance. I'm sure you think that you clawed your way to the top of this corporation because of your intelligence. I'm going to let you in on a little secret... You got here because you know how to talk to people. Personally, I waste no stock in humans. No... Well, myself I depend on, and am passionate in the use of true knowledge to further this world's potential. In fact, I was creating life from nothing before you were even out of diapers, something that your little office has never, and will never, equal."
Zach raised an eyebrow, feeling the smooth, curved surface of the security button underneath his desk drawer. One more outburst would have the man surrounded on all sides by no less than eight heavily armed guards. Zach had a feeling that the man knew the thin ice upon which he tread. "You've got my attention, but I trust there will be no more outbursts or contention between us. I'm certain we can be civil, agreed?"
The tattered man looked serious for a second and took another drag of his cigarette as he nodded slightly in response. "Of course."
Zach smiled as he leaned in to pull the ashtray towards him and away from the stranger. His lip twitched at the sight of the foreign ashes in his tray. He disregarded this and flicked the butt end of his cigarette onto the lip of the tray. "Now, I can only assume that you've sought me out because we are also now experimenting with Pokemon DNA." Zach said taking another drag before he continued with a slightly strained voice due to the smoke. "However, what exactly could you offer Chimera Corp's endeavor, Mr...?"
The man interjected with a restrained passion in his voice, not so much an outburst, more like an urgency. "Dr... Dr. Aevum."
"Well, DR. Aevum. What do you propose we do to further Chimera Corp's development?" Zach said leaning back again.
The doctor chuckled once more, taking a thoughtful drag from his cigarette, smoke billowing out from his nostrils as he exhaled. Aevum looked down slightly. "To your company, I offer what can be taken away and applied from my research... However, I do this not for your company; I do this because I need to continue my work in Pokemon DNA. As I mentioned earlier, my last laboratory experiment resulted in a little... Issue. That, of course, was not my doing. Much like the rest of my life... My work was taken from me. I simply ask that you provide me with a lab and a place to stay.”
Zach looked at him derisively before replying. "So you intend to have this corporation provide you with materials for your experimentation, and we stand to gain absolutely no benefits from doing so? You demand to gain without any services? You come in here to tell me to give you what you want because you want it? You stand on a quickly burning platform Dr. Aevum. I suggest you convince me quickly if you value your life." Zach warned feeling the cool touch of the security button once more.
Aevum smiled, as if his goal was to rile the otherwise cool-natured man. "Gain nothing? What on earth do you mean, Mr. Raines! As I said, if my research is allowed to continue with your resources and labs, Chimera Corp will gain the fruits of my work! Fruits like Mewtwo... Or maybe something you're more familiar with...?" At that, Aevum reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black ball, middle finger sliding along the silken surface as if looking for something. A small click sounds as a button is pressed on the ball, making it grow to standard PokeBall size. "...Something like this, perhaps?"
Raines nearly fell out of his seat at the sight of the Black Ball. He instinctively reached for his belt, feeling for his own Black Ball which housed his Spiritomb. When he felt it, he was a bit puzzled as to how Aevum managed to acquire one, but once again, he disregarded it. "What hand did you have in Project Mewtwo?" Raines demanded.
The doctor outright laughed. "What hand did I have in it? What hand?! My good man, I was the hand! I created Mewtwo. I created the Black Ball in my hand, as well as the one on your belt, Mr. Raines!”
"So you must have quite an impressive level of experience in the way of Pokemon genetics. In order to even get onto our team you would need an advanced degree in that particular field, but you claim to have headed Project Mewtwo. I don't suppose you have any documents to prove this, do you?" Zach inquired.
The older man nodded, producing a small folder, and slid it over the desk to Zach. Inside were all of his legal documents. He grinned. "That's it, though... The only resume I produce is compiled purely from my past results."
Zach leaned in and skimmed over several of the files. "These documents seem to contain evidence that at least validates your claims, but I'll need to call in the President before I can make any true decisions towards your future in Chimera Corp."
The doctor smiled and nodded. "Of course. I'm a very patient man."
Zach then clicked a button on the other side of the control panel beneath his desk drawer. A clicking sound issued over the intercom at the center of the ceiling, from which a woman's voice sounded. "Can I do something for you, Mr. Raines?"
"Send President Galliade to my office, please. It's rather urgent.”
"Yes sir, Mr. Raines."
"Now, before my superior arrives. I noticed that this Black Ball is rather specifically engineered for my purposes. It can capture any Dark-type Pokemon, and clearly was rather difficult to create. So I must ask:
'Why me?'"
The doctor leaned down, his mussed hair covering his eyes. A strange grin appears on his face. “Why? Why, indeed? Maybe you were in the right place at the right time...? Or maybe it was an early "Thank you." gift. Who knows, really?"
Zach smirked, knowing full-well that the Doctor knew. "I'm fairly sure that there is more to it than that, Doctor. I wasn't simply picked at random. I was chosen. This is far too coincidental."
Aevum looked up again, that wicked grin still on his face. "Don't be so full of yourself, Mr. Raines. We're all victims of chance at some point or another. Gods are no exception to this fact."
"Don't speak of gods as though you-" Zach started but was interrupted by his office door opening and Auryn's Lucario poking it's head in.
~~
~Auryn was nose deep in his copy of 'Oak's Origin of Pokemon' when he received word that Zach wanted him. He shot a quick, emotionless glance at his beloved Lucario who merely nodded in response, holding the door open for his master to walk through. The platinum blonde stood slowly, closing the book and tucking it neatly under his arm, and walked out of the room, not a single word uttered on his part.
Lucario would have been the first thing anyone in Zach's office would have seen had they been looking. The humanoid Pokemon held the heavy door open for Auryn once again and the boy walked in, locking eyes with Zach briefly to alert the man to his presence. Another glance was spared in the direction of the haggard looking man, though it was just as uncaring as the one directed at Zach. He could only assume that this man was part of the reason his reading was interrupted. The blonde boy silently took a seat across from his second in command, the only thing separating them being a thin, sleek, black desk with chrome leggings. Lucario stood ever vigilant beside him as Auryn waited to hear what Zach wanted with him.
The haggard old man in the chair was staring at the young boy's Lucario. His eyes were wide, as if he was looking at one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. His gaze then floated upward to the boy's arm, and a grimace marred his features. He looked at Mr. Raines crossly. "Y-you're joking. This is the president of the company?! This man can't be much older than 20 years!"
Auryn sighed and rested his elbow on the arm of his chair, lifting his hand to set his chin on his slender knuckles and stared at the man. "I'm not." he replied simply.
Dr Aevum's wide-eyed stare turned back into his usual stoic expression as he grumbled. "Well that much is apparent, considering the trash that currently rests in your hands."
"Leave." The word was simple, yet so much unspoken power rested behind it.
The doctor looked startled again. "Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry, Mr. President! That...err... That came out very wrong. It's just, you must understand, the book that you currently hold is actually my work with the name of a filthy liar painted on the front. Professor Oak and I worked together in my younger years, but he betrayed me and stole my research. Then as if that wasn't insult enough, the codger had me ejected from our lab--his lab." The last pronoun was uttered with what Auryn or Zach could only pin as pure malice.
Raines narrowed in on the doctor's insecurities when dealing with actual displays of power. He laughed inwardly as he watched Aevum's foundation crumble, imagining his platform burning ever more quickly. "I highly recommend that you respect the President as his word is final. Your entire future rests solely on this young man's whim. A wrong word would have you blacklisted by Chimera Corp, and that's not something that... Any of us want."
Lucario smirked and nodded, crossing his arms as if to portray what Auryn was feeling. The reaction was expected. The young blonde relaxed a bit, placing the book, cover-down, on his lap, fingers laced neatly atop the tome.
The Vice President turned his attentions to the young blonde. "Now, Mr. Galliade. It appears that this man, Dr. Aevum, would like a word with you about his possible employment with our company. His files show that he is an excellent geneticist and apparently was at the head of Project Mewtwo twenty years ago. He graduated top of his class and worked directly under Professor Oak. If there were such a thing, I'd say he's overqualified."
Dr. Aevum grinned widely, reaching down as the two conversed and began to cradle a miniature PokeBall in his hands. "Why, thank you so very much for saying so, Mr. Raines!"
"While we may have conflicting views and personalities, your resume speaks for itself." Zach said, lacing his fingers together. "What do you think Auryn?"
Auryn nodded thinking to himself and looking up at his Lucario who only nodded in kind. When his gaze returned to Zach, he simply said. "His terms?"
"What indeed are your terms, Dr. Aevum?" Zach asked with a raised eyebrow.
Aevum smiled genuinely. "My terms are simple... I require only room and board, as well as a laboratory and resources to continue my passionate research. Chimera Corp will be fully entitled to any breakthroughs and developments that I make along the way, but... I do have one serious condition." At that, he released the PokeBall, and a Haunter appeared next to him. It displayed a very calm and polite demeanor, uncharacteristic for it's species. The Doctor continued. "I wish to be isolated. The only thing other minds have ever done to me is steal from me and hold me back. I wish for Requiem," He motions to his Haunter, "To be my only companion in the lab."
Auryn looked down into his hands; thinking. It wasn't such a bad idea, though he didn't want the Doctor to be completely alone. He would need supervision, but the blonde could talk to Zach about that once basics were established. The boy lifted his head and looked directly at Dr. Aevum as if to speak, but it wasn't his voice that sounded. The voice was much deeper, velvety and smooth. All else was silent as Lucario spoke. "'B' Lab is not currently in use, likewise, it is our largest lab; outfitted with a small apartment. All the resources you need can be found in 'B' Lab. In a few moments, Auryn and I will bring you there, but for now, we ask that you wait in the hallway. Zach and Auryn need to discuss some things in private."
The good Doctor smiled and nodded, standing and motioning to Requiem, as the rather well behaved Haunter floated out of the room, passing right through the door. The doctor stood, walking to Auryn and extending a hand. "Thank you very much, Mr. President"
Auryn merely stared at the hand, showing no intention of taking it. Human contact wasn't something the boy was very comfortable with.
The doctor saw in the young man's face an identical look that he too had as a younger man. He understood a dislike of human contact. He simply smiled and nodded. Then the man turned and walked to Raines, extending his hand again. "And thank you, Mr. Raines."
Zach stood up, arms folded and spoke before taking his hand.
"As long as you give Chimera Corp what it's after, we'll be fine." Zach said as he took the hand firmly. "Oh, and call me 'Zach'. We are colleagues after all."
Aevum nodded and smiled once again, as genuinely as he could. "Why, of course, and you may call me 'Gradi'." He walked to the door, making a swift and quiet exit as he stood outside with his Haunter. The sight before the secretary must have been strange, as Dr. Aevum and Requiem had a strange way of silent communication.
"Now, I can only assume that you and I both know that we have no reason to trust him... Certainly not alone. What do you propose we do Auryn?" Zach said once they were alone, leaning back once more.
"Lab assistants." The boy had slumped a bit in his seat, noticeably more relaxed now that their presence was devoid of company. It was obvious that Auryn was more comfortable around his Second in Command.
"A decent idea, but conflict would arise if we didn't at least meet his criteria halfway. I'd say that access to the Delta Sector of 'B' Lab should be off limits to anyone other than him. At least then he is observed but has his seclusion."
Auryn nodded slowly, seeing the potential controversy. He stood and walked slowly toward the door, Lucario following him closely.
"Alright, but just to be clear: he's out of his mind. That much was apparent, right, Auryn?" Zach asked, using his signature eyebrow raise.
The navy humanoid Pokemon began to open the door, but Auryn stopped him, turning and smirking at Zach as he spoke the longest sentence the Second in Command had ever heard him speak. "Chimera Corp isn't exactly known for hiring the sane and well-mannered." With that he and Lucario were out the door where the waiting Dr. Aevum stood.
Zach folded his arms on his desk and leaned forward.
The Vice President pressed the intercom button once more and waited for his secretary's voice to sound from the speakers above. "Yes, Mr. Raines?"
"Send in the lab workers from 'C' Lab. I think promotions are in order." A slender smirk snaked across Zach's face as the sentence came to a close.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Raines."
His eyes closed and his head lolled backwards. “This should be interesting...”
~~
~The good Doctor smiled at the both the President and Lucario as they emerged, holding the outer office door open to the hallway for the two fellows. "Lead the way, gentlemen."
Without even taking notice of the good doctor, Auryn started down the hallway in the direction of the aviary, where his Dragonair was waiting to carry them to Eterna Forest. “I hope you don't mind travel by Dragonair.” The Pokemon smirked. Lucario walked alongside Dr. Aevum and spoke once again, albeit lowly. "Please feel free to ask the President any questions you are curious about, but know that I will be answering for him."
The doctor looked at the Lucario, giving a small, different, sort of smile and leaned down as he walked. "Well, Lucario... you're no god Pokemon...but you are certainly a very impressive specimen." The doctor straightened his tie as if he was flustered... He was never good at human contact, but he was openly homosexual. He spoke again, but in a deeper voice. "If you'd ever like to...you know...come down to 'B' Lab for a visit, feel free... We could... Experiment." That almost seemed to Lucario as a genuine invitation to be a subject for science... That is, until the doctor gave him a small and suggestive wink, and simply continued onward.
Auryn chuckled inwardly, genuinely amused by the doctor's antics, but Lucario couldn't help but stare, eyes wide, mouth agape. Everything seemed innocent up until that wink.
'Auryn, what do I tell him?' Lucario was, for once, at a loss for words. The blonde silently chuckled once more.
'Tell him whatever you want. He invited you, not me. You should be flattered, you are a beautiful Pokemon, Lucario.'
The humanoid was less than amused by his master's childish response. 'Some help you are.' But he was met only with an amused feeling from the boy.
Lucario cleared his throat a bit before speaking. "I... Erm... I suppose if it's for scientific purposes..." The Pokemon was still a bit baffled by the blatant invitation. "Nothing else. Auryn doesn't like when I'm away from him."
By this time, the two men and their Pokemon were atop Auryn's Dragonair, wind whipping their hair about their faces.They were very close to the Old Chateau in Eterna Forest, underneath which lay 'B' Lab.
Auryn led them all into the basement. Across the room was a large sliding door. The President unlocked the padlock and slid open the heavy iron doors, motioning for the others to follow him in. He flipped all the switches and every light in the underground building shone. The lab was surprisingly cool as it was supposed to be unused, which would lead one as intelligent as the doctor to believe that it was, in fact, being used for something, but hadn't been occupied for quite some time.
"This way." Auryn spoke as he led them to Delta Sector. Lucario continued speaking from here. "Over here is Delta Sector, the restricted access lab. Beta Sector is the main lab. Your living quarters are directly connected to this area, in Alpha Sector. Gamma Sector is home to any physical materials you'll need for your experiments. All documents and notes as well as some top secret research that you will be expected to keep to yourself are located in Epsilon Sector." Lucario paused. "As in: Do not speak of this outside of Chimera Corp."
The doctor gave another one of his snide grins. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I rarely speak of my work on the best of occasions... And even then, only to those I trust, or my superiors. Besides, I have no intentions of leaving this laboratory, much less the Chimera Corp campus."
"Good." Auryn spoke up quietly as he stood in front of a shady-looking door. Lucario interjected to prevent his master from having to speak so much, knowing that Auryn disliked talking in general. "Before we give you your resources, I think it is only fitting that you know where these resources are coming from."
The blonde boy slid open the steel door to reveal a battered-looking Arceus; held down by shimmering wires and caged behind steel bars. It was a sight to behold. The god Pokemon was struggling against it's bindings, but to no avail. That much was apparent by the thunderous roars and the air of electric power exuding from the monumental beast. The President and Vice President of Chimera Corp had literally captured god, and the Doctor couldn't have been more impressed. Lucario continued speaking while he was able. "We've found that no PokeBall can contain its awesome power, but it's amazing how useful steel and iron can be in ways of containment."
Dr. Aevum, as well as Requiem, stared wide-eyed and mouths agape at the beautiful creature, Arceus. The man dropped to his knees, totally stunned at seeing the very incarnation of a god sitting before him, at his disposal... Never before had he been closer to realizing his work's ultimate potential. He looked at Auryn, then realized the situation and shifted his stunned gaze to Lucario. The beginnings of a beautiful masterwork in his sight now. He had but one question. His voice was thin and raspy as he looked at the Pokemon.
"C-can I-I...c-can I play with it?"
I'll be the torch to burn it all on down into the ground,
And there's a filter you need...
So now on angels we prey...
