THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

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Luke Croconaw walked quietly into the palace of Argules with his brother Saren Larvitar sleeping in his arms, the walk was even quite long and tiring because of the heavy Rock type being carried. As he hurried along the castle towers to his family's quarters Luke admired the bright moon on the horizon, the Pokémon wondered what he could do after all he couldn't use his MPP because of his promise to his stepmother and without using that the chances of fighting and winning were nil.

It doesn't take long for Croconaw to finally arrive at his family's quarters, finally, Luke goes to his brother's room which was quite disorganized with several children's toys and training toys scattered around. Without waking his brother Luke uses the Dragon type energy in his tail because of the Dragon Dance, and with this power he passes his tail gently on Saren's bed to remove dust and some toys on top of it, finally with everything done he lovingly puts his brother in bed wrapping him and giving him a little kiss on the forehead:


- Sleep well Saren, thanks for joining me today.... No doubt having you there made me feel like the strongest Pokémon in the world, unfortunately I can't show that to anyone, I'm just happy to at least be able to show it to you.


Taking a deep breath, Croconaw pulled his scarf a little to see the pendant on his cord. He was just asking for things to be easier now with graduation, because he was almost at his limit. Luke then left his brother's room quietly so as not to disturb him, with a quick check he noticed the absence of his father Lucius Feraligatr something already expected by him and imagining that his mother would arrive soon the Croconaw left to meet the prince.

The tower where Cody Charmeleon's quarters were located was by far the most protected of the whole castle as well as the most luxurious and large, there was no shortage of Charmander and Charmeleon guards constantly stopping Croconaw so that he could identify himself. Already at the door of Cody's room before he is identified for the fiftieth time the prince himself wearing only his blue sash opens the door of his room going up to Luke with his intense flame showing his impatience:


- Urrrf finally you have arrived Luke, let's go right in. I want to know everything about your day.

The Charmeleon then holds Croconaw's hand with his claw in a gentle way so as not to hurt him pulling him to his room, as soon as Cody enters and closes the big door the prince points to his balcony where immediately Luke starts slowly observing his friend's luxurious room:


- Wow Cody your day must have been very hectic for you not to even wait until dawn to talk to me, anyway I'm super curious hehehe. How is this elite team that everyone says is amazing?


Turning to look at Charmeleon the Croconaw notices something bothering the Fire-type Pokémon in which it was watching the floor with its head down, Luke then sees a tear fall under Cody's luxurious carpet leaving the Water-type Pokémon's heart with a squeeze:


- Cody... What's going on with.... HUMMMPH?!


Like lightning Charmeleon jumps on Croconaw's neck stealing a kiss just like Servine had done earlier, however this kiss was very different in several ways. The first was that Luke didn't for a second see Cody in such a romantic way seeing him as his best friend and another brother, the second was Croconaw's confused feeling of wanting to surrender that display of affection.

During that warm kiss Charmeleon remembered the question he had asked earlier, he couldn't remember why he had lost the hatred in his heart, but that kiss reminded him of the day when his heart stopped being bitter. It all happened on an ordinary school day, there during the battle training Cody still in the form of Charmander sent seventeen students to the hospital in serious condition leaving the rest wounded, however for the Network this was a widely accepted behavior especially for those who would follow careers in which they would need to confront Beserker.

After being praised and even boasted by many Pokémon Cody was tired of so much flattery and went to the bathroom to be more alone, what the Charmander didn't expect was to find one of the beaten Pokémon there, a Totodile with a red butterfly tie. This Totodile's arm was covered with bandages and the Pokémon had lost several teeth, so much so that it is customary for the species to keep its mouth open while that Totodile kept its mouth closed:


- Urrrf, look if you came to congratulate me, I'm not in the mood to hear it, okay? I know I did a great job, I can see it in your blown-up face.


Said the closed-eyed Charmander with a smile on his face, however Pokémon Water's reaction was totally different as it slapped Cody so hard on the face causing him to go to the ground:


- THANK YOU?! YOU ARE NOT ONLY A MADMAN BUT A PSYCHOPATH, LOOK HOW YOU LEFT ME, I HAVE FOUR FRIENDS IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF YOU. YOU ARE AS BAD AS A BESERKER.... GULP....ARRR...ARRRR....


Without giving Totodile a chance to continue his insults, the Charmender leapt from the ground straight into its neck raising the Pokémon Water while squeezing its throat, Cody's gaze seemed empty from so much hatred which it conveyed even with its tail burning intensely:


- How dare you compare me to a Beserker you are weakling, if you couldn't stop me you are the problem not me... Keep your mouth shut unless you want to lose the rest of the teeth in your mouth.

said the prince as the totem pole squirmed on its paws, which didn't loosen their grip, showing its ruthlessness, after a while the totem pole stopped fighting and a large amount of water came out of its mouth as it collapsed in Cody's hands. The Charmander knew what that meant almost immediately dropping to the ground and shaking him, he placed his head close to the Totodile's chest unable to hear his breathing:


- Aw no, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, PLEASE DON'T GO DIE NOW, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, WHAT HAVE I DONE?! LET'S WAKE UP, PLEASE WAKE UP!!!


The prince starts shaking Totodile without getting an answer, feeling terrible about what happened, he then stands up looking around restlessly:


- PLEASE DON'T DIE, I'LL GO FOR HELP!


Just as he was about to run for help, Totodile holds up Charmander's flaming tail, and the Pokémon with the butterfly tie laughs, leaving the prince confused. Getting up Totodile scrambles to his throat breathing hard and even coughing:


- I'm not dead, I was only pretending to be dead... I assumed you would only stop when you were done with me, so I gave you what you wanted. But I admit, I thought you were going to leave or eat me and not call for help hehehe, I'm sorry, I'm glad you have some morale in you.... Are you ok?


When he recovered and explained himself, he imagined that that Charmander would advance on him again or even get very angry, but his reaction defied everything the Totodile expected as the prince cried like the young man he was:


- It's okay with you, ow sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you like that, actually I even wanted to for what you did, but I didn't want to see you cry.


The Totodile was trying in every way to apologize to the Charmander who just moved fast on him, the Pokémon Water was expecting a mortal blow and already heard Audino's footsteps to take him to the emergency room. But again, the prince did something unexpected, giving Totodile a loving hug:


- I'm sorry, I *SNIF* didn't mean to hurt you, no *HUFF* it was you and our class that deserved this, but *SNIF* I'm so angry, I wanted so much *SNIF* to vent, but..., but.... *HUFF* but I never wanted to kill anyone, and when you got like that, *SNIF* I... I... for Arceus I felt terrible.


Charmander spoke, stuttering and crying a lot, in a way that Totodile's empathy couldn't handle the guilt of his actions so he corresponded the hug by closing his arms on the prince's back and crying along with him until they both calmed their hearts and sorrows. Since that day the Pokémon have become great friends, it was a surprise to everyone in the class since Cody never got along with anyone and even though Luke had a few friends his friendship with Charmander was much greater.

Luke visited Cody's quarters almost frequently to talk about his days and responsibilities, the Charmander was aware of the Totodile's physical weakness and the Totodile was aware of his friend's emotional distress, so both always helped each other, Luke's approval in school was due to Cody's help. However, these days something seemed to have gotten completely out of control and the feelings of that Charmander changed, he no longer saw the former Totodile as a friend but as his partner for life as if all the love he felt for Luke swallowed his hatred for the Hellstalkers and Beserkers:


- Haff huff Cody, stop... What are you, what are you doing?


Croconaw asks as he pulls Charmeleon away from the kiss, Cody comes back to reality seeing himself on top of Luke who looked scared and panting under his bed, Charmeleon gets off him turning his face begging forgiveness going towards the balcony being illuminated by the moon. The Fire Pokémon leaned his elbows on the balcony putting his claws over his eyes, he was very ashamed of what he had just done to his best friend and feared it would be the last time he would see him.

Cody couldn't accept losing Croconaw like that without a fight, he turned to face his friend again and jumped a little when he saw Luke standing right in front of him on the balcony looking at him with his red eyes. Croconaw just held the Charmeleon's claws, which were shaking a lot, Cody's blue eyes were getting heavier and heavier as he couldn't take what was coming:


- How long have you been thinking about me like this?


Speaking with an affectionate voice showing curiosity and surprise in his gaze Croconaw waited patiently for the answer to his question, Charmeleon remained tense feeling a chill in his stomach much greater than the icy wind blowing on that moonlit night:


- Shortly after I opened up to you, I helped you train by watching your weak movements.... All I remember thinking was that I wanted you by my side, I feel as if you were the perfect Pokémon to give me empathy.... You make this monster a prince, and I want to make you my husband.


Luke felt a very strong heat in his chest because of his heart beating fast, he was already going to accept the prince's request at that moment if it wasn't for what happened with Mei earlier. That was exactly the first thing the Croconaw wanted to talk about with his friend, after all his first kiss had been with that elegant Servine and to make matters worse he had felt attracted to her:

- Cody this is not easy for me at all, so much has happened today... I'm sorry, but there is no way I can accept being your boyfriend, NOT NOW at least... I want to better understand my feelings.


Feeling frustrated with his friend's words towards his declaration, Cody just let’s go of Luke's hands, turning his back to his friend and going towards the moonlight on the balcony, then strangely the Pokémon starts to laugh looking at the sky:


- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, YEAH YEAH, it must be hard for you to receive a declaration from the prince, only I know what your choice will be and I will be here waiting until you accept my feelings hehehe. I think I created a weird mood today; can we see each other again tomorrow? I feel finished.


Croconaw feels the regret in the words of Charmeleon which he tried to disguise with arrogance, he stretches his arm wanting to reach him only that it does not take long he retracts it closing his eyes opening them with regret looking at the back of Cody who in turn looked at the moon with his head up:


- I understand, sorry I can't correspond with you for the moment, I can come back tomorrow, anything I am here.... Good night Cody.

- Good night Luke. Hehe


Feeling the sadness in the air, not wanting to make everything worse after his encounter with Mei Servine, the Croconaw holds tight his water drop pendant following his way back to the lodge. As soon as Luke started walking, he couldn't tell, with the moonlight as his only witness the proud prince cried for the second time in his life with his head held high wondering if he had ended his love story before it even began.

While this was going on, in the lodge Saren who was sleeping peacefully in his bed woke up startled by having had a nightmare, in the dream the Pokémon remembered the statue of Ribombee which he saw with his older brother when they were going to visit the dungeon. Larvitar noticed everything dark and went into his brother and his parents' room, the Pokémon doesn't see anyone there making it much worse as his stomach starts to ache from hunger:


- Damn Luke, you might as well have left me something to eat.... Urrrk, at this hour he must be with Cody and the security won't let me arrive at all, besides that going to daddy must be even worse.... MOM, that's it! She's probably coming back from the forest, I can wait for her on the trail. Keheheh...


Without any concern, being sure that he would succeed in his endeavor, Saren leaves with only a black backpack for the street late at night going towards the exit of the city in the hope of finding his mother. Croconaw continued to walk through the corridors of the castle sad for what he had done to Cody, the Pokémon just contemplated his water drop pendant in which he kept moving insistently lost in his thoughts:

- You know what? I've known Cody for years and I'm going to lose him just because of some strange Servine. I won't forgive myself if I make such a Mudbray decision like that, I'm GOING THERE NOW AN....hm?


As he turned to go back to the tower where Cody lived Luke noticed a small Pokémon walking down the street, going up to a balcony of the palace and taking a closer look he immediately notices that:


- SAREN YOU IDIOT, COME BACK DAMN YOU, COME BACK!!!


However, because of the distance or perhaps Larvitar's haste he didn't even notice his brother's cries of desperation, growling Croconaw decides to jump the balcony and use his PP manipulation on the Aqua Tail to propel it like a spring close to his little brother. However just as he stuck his leg out of the balcony a large Charizard held his arm tightly, this was one of the castle guards guarding the place at night:


- 'Brat this is a forbidden area for airspace circulation, the use of Aqua Jet or Waterfall as well as any movement of those types is expressly forbidden!


Luke gritted his teeth and tensed up, he retracted his leg and excused himself to Charizard, running towards the exit as fast as he could, the calmer Croconaw wondered what would happen if Charizard hadn't stopped him. He would be in big trouble, not only for using a move that inflicted the castle's airspace but also for throwing away years of secrecy between him and Nai Tyranitar.

Saren was still walking quietly to the entrance of the town when he hears a strange noise coming from an abandoned wasteland with a giant wild grass, Larvitar gives a smile imagining it to be a Pokémon Ghost type trying to get a play on him or on unsuspecting people. Enjoying this kind of play and hoping to see a Ghost type up close at night, Larvitar innocently follows the sound into the large wilderness of the abandoned lot; however, as he gets closer to the sound, he can hear cries for help or someone calling for reinforcements:


- THIS IS OFFICER RIANO, CALL FOR BACKUP, A DRAPION IS TURNING US ALL INTO.... GHAAAAAAAA!!!


When he hears the last shout instinctively Saren jumps the big bush witnessing the moment in which a Granbull is caught by the neck being lifted by one of the big claws of a Drapion wearing an apron, the Pokémon Fairy was wearing a Pokémon police hat and its fangs glowed with a very light blue showing the use of the Ice Fang movement. However, because his head was immobilized by the Drapion's large claws, he had no way to use the move. Little by little, then, Officer Riano stopped moving, but without showing suffering, because his body was being transformed from neck to toe into a statue:

- But..., but what is that?!


Trembling with fear Larvitar walks backwards a little noticing around him something horrible, several police Pokémon were with an expression of terror or agony immortalized as statues, Saren puts his small paws on his face feeling pure despair remembering Ribombee from earlier. Imagining that Drapion hadn't seen him yet, Larvitar begins to walk backwards delicately, but as soon as he turns around, the claw on the back of Drapion grabs him around the waist and lifts him into the air:


- GHAAAAAAAAAAAA, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!! LET ME GO, LET ME GO, HELP! AAAAAAAAAWWWW!!! AAAAAWWWW!


Saren squirmed as he screamed in great fright, the Drapion then turned his large terrifying body to look at the prey in which he had just captured:


- HELP, LUKE, LUKEEEE, HELP ME LUKEEEE!!! PLEASE LUKEEEEEEEEEE!


The Drapion seemed to smile at Larvitar's desperation, getting closer and closer to increase even more Larvitar's anguish, however, coming out of the bushes without warning a red figure appears using what seems to be the Ice Punch move at full power. The blow critically hits the Drapion, which spins on the axis of its own spine, thus releasing Saren from his grip. As he falls sitting on the ground, Larvitar gets up smiling, thinking that it was his brother because of the Ice Punch.

But what he sees is another Croconaw, one that wore a red hood covering its entire face, leaving only its large teeth, much larger and sharper than its brother's, and inside the hood it had a bright red look as if it desired blood, behind the Pokémon there were what seemed to be two red stripes which seemed to stay in the air due to the very power that Pokémon released. Saren became very frightened again, taking long, trembling steps backwards, as he walked away, he could hear the grunts of that Croconaw as if it was trying to say something, Larvitar no longer had any doubts that that was not Luke but a Beserker:


- What... What by Arceus is that creature?!