I woke up from the light shining through the window. Guess we had slept in later than intended. Melanie had covered the top half of her face, shielding herself from the sunlight so it wouldn't bother her. I kissed the top of her head, then carefully got free of her embrace before getting up.
I had started on my morning stuff when I heard a knock on the bathroom door.
"Welcome back, Lexie." I had noticed as I got up that she wasn't present, so I figured she'd already gone out.
"Thanks. I'll let you finish up, then I'm taking over. I didn't wake you because I figured you'd wanted to sleep in, after yesterday." Lexie said.
"I appreciate it. I'll be out in a few more minutes, so you won't be waiting long." I went ahead and finished up, before stepping out. Lexie went in right after, and I heard the water start up. It honestly seems kind of ironic that a fire type doesn't mind water. But, no matter what your type is, a warm shower still feels great. Though, I doubt anything from the Charizard line would willingly get anywhere near it.
I heard rustling from the bed I'd slept in, and then Melanie sat up and stretched.
"Good morning." I said softly.
"Morning." She got up from the bed.
"Sleep well?"
"Yes, very well. I was really, really tired, after yesterday." We shared a quick kiss. "It's too bad your morning stuff is already done, I would've liked to join in. I didn't get a shower of my own, last night."
"It's fine. I'd rather you get some rest when you really need it. Lexie is in right now, but you can have it when she's done." I sat down and waited for them to finish up their things. A knock on the connecting door, told us that the others were up.
Following the remainder of the routine that everyone knows by now, we left the Pokemon Center. It was nice to see people smile and wave as we walked through the damaged city. Mewtwo, though he had a small smile, didn't really seem comfortable with the attention.
Considering what he had gone through previously, I can't really say I blame him. At least it's positive attention being directed his way, this time.
"What's our plan for today?" Kaorah asked.
"We haven't run a dungeon in a while, have we?" I had already begun to seek out a spot for a portal. "Well, that's our plan. We'll run a dungeon, then we'll go for the gym. That is, if it's open. If not, we can always just help out a little more, like we did yesterday." When I found a space that was clear, I cast the spell, pulling open one of the portals we've gotten so used to.
"Interesting little thing," I said as we started to step through, "Palkia and Giratina had figured out how to get into these. And then the System patched it pretty quickly."
"They actually figured out how to get in here? That's…kinda impressive." Solais commented.
"I'm surprised the System updated that quickly." Mewtwo said.
"Yeah. Makes you wonder if there actually are monitors." Kaorah said.
"I think there are, but they're not allowed to make contact with any players, outside of character creation." I said. "Although, I believe that they might make contact if it's an emergency. The most I ever see from them is the changes that are made in an update. Someone has to be writing those, though there's no telling if it's an AI or not." It doesn't seem robotic enough to be an AI, yet it's not something like Starbound's AVIAN mod, either.
Onto what we're here for, the dungeon itself. The start room seems much larger than the ones that came before. A simple thought brought the map up and…well then.
"Alright guys, looks like we're in for the long haul on this one." I told the others.
"How long, exactly?" Mewtwo asked. I brought up the map for everyone else to see. "Wow. We might have to split this one up." He traced the map with a finger. "It looks like there's extra paths that all lead to the same point, too."
"Could have puzzles in each one as well. Generally our dungeon runs have all been a straight line with lots of fighting." Pidgeotto commented. "We may actually have to split up, ourselves, and look for things."
"You're right about that. Mewtwo, give us a sensory scan so we know what to expect as far as enemies go." Mewtwo bowed his head for a moment, and I felt the pulse of energy as it passed over.
"There's not as many enemies as we're used to seeing, here. I can't see into the boss room or any further." He marked each of the spots on the map, as close as possible to where he sensed any contacts. "However, there may be traps or other unpleasant surprises scattered around."
"Like Pokemon waiting to ambush us."
"Exactly. So, no matter which way we split up, each group gets someone capable of sensing others. But our sensors are also the ones who will solve things. I don't think there's anything keeping us from passing between routes."
"Alright. Any ideas for splitting up?"
"I should be okay on my own, since we're not dealing with any bosses."
"I'll take Pidgeotto and Solais." Melanie said.
"And that leaves us with Lexie." Kaorah said.
"That's all sorted out. Next thing is related to any hidden items. We'll go back and search for them once we're on the other end. Mewtwo, how is the path laid out?"
"One path goes underground," he traced the left path, "one goes above, and looks to be split up." He traced the right. "The third, goes straight down the middle. As you've seen, it's also the most populated. It's possible the upper route can provide information for the lower paths. Melanie, how's your telepathic range?" He asked.
"It should be enough for us. If it's not, you can always boost it." Melanie answered him.
"Perfect. That means, we're all set." Mewtwo crunched an Empowerment Seed, powering up into his mega form. "I'm going straight down the middle. If there's any from the side routes, I'll draw their attention when I go. The other paths are yours." The door into the first area opened as he approached. "See you in a few minutes." He stepped out without another word, his blades flaring to life as he entered battle.
Him passing the door also tripped the System, causing a notification to appear.
[Dungeon Start]
[Objective: clear the dungeon]
[Rewards; 3,000 EXP, 5,000 cash, 3x Empowerment Seeds]
[Rare rewards; 3x Gacha Tokens, random TMs or TRs]
[Exotic reward; Mega Stone]
Pretty interesting to see a Mega Stone appear as a reward. The fact it's classed as an exotic reward, means it's not likely that we'll get one, but we'll see. I'm willing to bet that the Luck attribute will start having an effect on loot rarities going forward. Up to a point anyway, I don't think it'll get to the point we start tripping over the things.
Also, seeing Empowerment Seeds become a regular reward is a surprise, but definitely not unwelcome. Since it's been stated they are only found in dungeons anyways. Besides, as far as Mega Stones go, I think I'd rather those be a quest reward. Whether it be affinity related or something else, is up to the System to decide, I guess.
"I've gotta wonder, what do you think one of those seeds would do to me?" Lexie asked.
"No idea…partial Gigantamax, maybe…or it would just put you into awakened status, which is a major boost to what you can do, but it's not as good as a transformation."
"The only way to find out for sure is to try one, but I think that should be saved for when it's actually needed." Lexie said.
"You're right. Although, we usually end up having everyone eat one before the dungeon ends. Now that I think of it…Empowerment Seed transformations don't seem quite as strong as they should be."
Melanie's group departed while we were talking, heading for the route on the right, leaving the left one for us.
"What do you mean by that?" Kaorah asked as we began to walk out to our path.
"Think about it, and how easy the new forms are to control. I get that it might be my attributes sharing, but it's likely that isn't the case. Unless it specifically says so at some point." I said.
"Huh, so like…our transformations are strong, but not as powerful as they could be,"
"Because it's from an Empowerment Seed and not a Mega Stone, exactly." I finished for her.
"That's an interesting idea." As Kaorah was speaking, Lexie went ahead of us to scout things out.
"Yeah, but think about this. The System, earlier on, suggested that Mega Stone transformations would act like Devil Trigger."
"From DMC?"
"That's right. Which means, it's possible that having a Mega Stone makes it much stronger. Mewtwo can likely learn to shift forms without needing a stone, too. I think it'll work like this. Empowerment Seeds are like a level one transformation, strong but not nearly like the other two. It's to encourage us to find the stronger forms."
"Then, comes the Mega Stones themselves, granting much more power than the Seeds do. They have a time limit, but I'm willing to guess it's pretty generous, and the time limit can be removed by using a key stone, making it similar to the Seed transformation."
"And then we come to the last, transformation at will. I can only see this being a sign of true mastery over the power. Mewtwo, at least in alternate worlds, is capable of Mega Evolving without needing either stone. Granted, it's the Y form, but still." I finished my explanation.
"That's an interesting way to think about things." Kaorah said. "You should share it with the others, when you get the chance to."
"Oh, absolutely. If we can figure out how to reach that point, it'll be a major boost for the team, overall." Lexie returned to us. "Anyways, Lexie, what did you find?"
"I saw spots in the floor that looked like squares were cut into the ground, and small holes in the wall. I'm light-footed, so the plates won't be an issue for me. But you two need to be careful." Lexie told us.
"I can go under the ground and guide you through the safe spots to step." Kaorah said. "Stepping on one could be trouble for all three of us. Any sign of mines?"
"Mines? Like, digging under--"
"No, not that sort. Mines, as in you step wrong, and kaboom." I said.
"Yikes…well, no, I didn't see anything of the sort. Wait, what happens if we run out of HP?"
"If I remember right, it'll look like we died, but we actually don't. We'll just leave behind a copy and the real us will be ejected. If I run out, we all get ejected immediately."
"Well, that's a relief…but that also makes it an escort mission…but escorting someone capable of not only defending themselves, but also capable of going without one…mostly."
"Hey, I'm not an NPC that's dumb enough to wander into something that'll get me killed."
"Well, yeah, there's that."
"Plus, he's the most experienced here. I've asked Mewtwo about his memory dive. He's shared quite a bit of info on the games Zeryph has experience with, even showed me some things." Kaorah said. "Man, I wish we had someone like Volt to give us speed boosts."
"Speed boosts like that are kinda addictive. Once you start speed running, it's hard to stop, especially once you know how fun it is. But it's equally as challenging, as things can go wrong."
"Oh, I know. Maybe, if Zeraora joins the team, we can figure out…wait, now that I think of it, it's electricity-based, right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Damn…so that means I'm the only one who can't benefit from it. That sucks."
"Well at least, weight training helps out." The sounds of battle above, barely reached our ears. "Sounds like Mewtwo has engaged the enemy. Come on, we're going now, better to try and reach the other end at the same time. Keep an eye out for any hidden things on the way there." I said. Then, we started to move towards the other end.
[Melanie's Group]
Pidgeotto slowed his flight and landed, then waved back towards the others behind him. Melanie and Solais caught up shortly after. What they were looking at, was a long path of separated platforms, all above a pit with a bottom they couldn't see.
"Well…this could be interesting." Solais was the first to speak.
"Think those platforms are close enough to jump?" Melanie asked.
"They should be. Pidgeotto's not quite big enough to carry me over." Solais said. "They're likely positioned specifically so they're far enough for Zeryph to really need to jump, so they shouldn't be much trouble for us."
"But Kaorah would be having trouble with these. Although, she's one of the fastest on the team, as far as ground speed goes." Pidgeotto said.
"I could catch Solais if she fell…if she wasn't a Dark Type." Melanie noticed the lights coming from her left. "Looks like Mewtwo has engaged in battle. I can provide support from up here with my magic, but we also need to get moving."
"Zeryph's group has also started to move through their path." Pidgeotto said. "Guess that means we should get going, as well." Though Mewtwo had said the lower path went underground, it did still have a way for light to get down. From their angle, the group could just barely see through into the tunnel.
"Yes, let's go. We shouldn't take too long. Pidgeotto, we'll leave chest hunting to you." Melanie said.
"Gotcha. I'll look out for anything else that might help, as well."
"Solais, can your danger senses detect traps?"
"I...don't know. I've never tried it."
"Alright. Cross behind me, then, and I'll handle it for now. We'll have to try that in training later on." The group of three began to move, with Pidgeotto taking to the air, both to search for hidden items and for other secrets.
In his search, he decided to dive down and check the pillars lower down, only to have his vision flash for a moment, and he was back at the start of the platforms.
"Whoa!" He hit the ground, then pulled himself back up before shaking off the impact.
"Are you alright?" Melanie asked him.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine, I didn't hit hard." He got back into the air. "If you fall, it teleports you back to the start. I tried to fly down, and it got me unexpectedly."
"Well, that's good to know. Still, we should be careful. The teleport doesn't mean it'll stop the fall from hurting. How far do you think we have to fall?" Melanie asked him.
"Doesn't seem far, at all. Just a little bit further than one of those ledge hops on a route, at least."
"Well, now that we know, we can pick up our pace a little bit. Still, be careful with your jumps." Melanie said to Solais.
"Got it. Let's go." They began to cross over the pit, with Melanie occasionally stopping to hurl a lightning bolt or a fireball at the path below, helping Mewtwo with the crowd of enemies he had to deal with.
[Mewtwo]
Despite being outnumbered, he remained calm, letting his enemies be on the offense. They weren't as intelligent as real Pokemon, as seen before. Without someone guiding them, they were little more than a horde of enemy drones.
But that didn't mean they weren't dangerous. Even with his transformation, Mewtwo knew he could get overwhelmed. Still, Melanie's long-ranged support was definitely welcomed. Her aim was very, very good. Not once did one of her attacks get near him, as far as the lightning went.
He could sense the fireballs long before they got near, so there wasn't as much need to be careful with them. With his eyes closed, Mewtwo let his senses guide him. The idea of having a Lucario on the team came to mind.
He remembered the battle in the last dungeon they ran. The old, one-eyed Lucario that had been his toughest challenge so far. Both encounters had helped him, and he didn't feel upset over the loss he had taken.
It had taught him a great lesson for future battles. Pacing himself and acting defensively was just as good a tactic as fighting offensively. His meditation had also greatly helped. Keeping his mind calm and clear really helped, allowing him to better focus on battle.
Such as right now. The Pokemon he faced, if they could even be called that, weren't able to break through his guard. Whether he realized it or not, his use of his senses to defend himself, was a lot like the defensive move, Detect. Although, against these enemies, the chance of something slipping through was nonexistent.
The enemy simply charged him, not stopping to think about ways to get through his guard, or attempting to flank him. As far as enemies on the ground went. Those in the air definitely tried, but almost always failed. Once Melanie's ranged support had started, that had changed.
Instead of attacking the group directly, the Gardevoir had been covering his sides, and behind him, while he focused on what was in front. As he continued to fight, the enemy seemed to continuously gain reinforcements as he went. However, he could tell that it was gradually lessening, the further along the path he went.
'I find myself wondering, how the others would've done on this path.' He thought, 'it's possible Kaorah would rush right through without a moment of hesitation, leaving the survivors for whoever is behind her. I can't say the same for Melanie, as she relies on her team to keep her safe from enough enemies getting close to her.' He ducked under the swipe from a Scyther, replying with a Psystrike to the Bug Pokemon's thorax. While it didn't do much damage, considering type advantages, it still forced his enemy back.
The Scyther then took a fireball from above, shattering into small flakes of light. 'I'll have to thank her for that, later.' Mewtwo channeled energy into his right palm, before sweeping his hand outwards, sending out a Shadow Ball and allowing it to cut a path through the enemy. 'I can't really guess at how Zeryph would handle this. He doesn't really do any fighting, himself, instead choosing to guide us through planning. As a Trainer should, but I wouldn't be against the idea of him fighting through this, personally.'
Mewtwo blocked a hit from a Machamp, then retaliated with a swift series of Psystrikes, destroying the false-Pokemon in mere seconds. 'In fact, I think he'd enjoy it. If he were able to fight like the rest of us can. I'm not saying he's not capable of course, just that his combat ability isn't the same as the rest of ours.'
'Perhaps I should suggest the idea of getting a Lucario. Although, I'm sure he already plans to do so.' He teleported out of the way of an incoming attack. 'Focus. There will be plenty of time for thoughts later. I have a battle to worry about.'
[Zeryph]
Kaorah, Lexie, and I, were the first ones to reach the door leading to the first boss. We'd found a switch along the way, hidden just out of sight. It seems that it did do something, as one of the door's lights had turned green. The light that was connected to the path Melanie's group took, turned green shortly after we arrived.
Mewtwo's hasn't changed, so either he hasn't found his, or it's tied to the enemies he has to defeat. Melanie's group arrived, not long after their light changed color, so we were all just waiting on Mewtwo now.
"How's Mewtwo doing?" I asked.
"Looked like he was almost done." Melanie said. "He had more enemies turn up as he started to fight. I covered him from above, when he needed it." That explains why she looks to be slightly winded.
"Take a moment to sit down and rest." I offered her some water, which she accepted. "Once he catches up, we'll let him take a breather if he needs it, then we'll move on." It was several minutes longer before Mewtwo caught up with us. He didn't seem tired, but wasn't against the idea of taking a break anyways.
The light for his path had turned green as soon as he passed the end, so it was tied to simply reaching the end of the path, rather than finding something hidden. I'm going to guess that his path didn't have hidden items anywhere, since it was purely focused on battle.
"Get any drops from the enemies?" I asked him.
"No, I didn't get anything. Didn't sense anything hidden, either." That confirms my guess, so there's no need to go and check for anything.
"Alrighty then. Is everyone ready to continue onwards?" After I was sure, I approached the door to the boss arena. It hissed as it began to open. The boss was waiting for us on the other side, one who I didn't expect.
Well, after Zeraora being a boss, plus some of the others we've faced, it's hard to surprise me as far as the bosses go, without it really being unexpected.
In this case though, what faced us was a Houndoom.
[Zeph]
Kinda funny that the Houndoom is named Zeph, especially after I previously mentioned the idea of naming one that. It's definitely a reference, to a fan game, but still.
[Houndoom]
[HP: 500/500]
[Level 15 dungeon boss]
Not really much information to go off of. It didn't show what moves he has, this time. He had already been mega evolved, as well. By the way, interesting choice of name. I feel like this one's given name is a reference to "Pokemon Unbound" as well.
[Melanie, focus on evasive movements rather than trying to use your barriers. They're not going to do you any good here.] Melanie nodded. [Everyone else, spread out, get his attention and watch out for his flames. Kaorah, get underground and prepare to attack him.] Kaorah dropped her weights and dove into the ground, while the others scattered.
Melanie chose to stay back with me. She was our primary ranged fighter, after all, so it was better for her to stay in the back. I could tell that Libero had already kicked in for Lexie, shifting her into the Fighting Type. It would do her much better here than remaining as a Fire Type.
"I'll keep his attention as best I can, support me as you're able to." Mewtwo said, dropping his own weights before engaging the enemy. Though his Psychic Type wouldn't help him with the enemy's location, it did still give him a way to sense attacks, and the enemy's position, by sensing the heat they put off.
Zeph's response was to immediately send a fireball his way, only for Mewtwo to teleport out of its path, switching places with Lexie. Lexie shifted types, using the Fire Type to kick the fireball right back, forcing the enemy to dodge it. I find myself wondering when he figured out how to use teleport to trade places with someone. If I had to guess, he got it from the Loki Warframe.
With that in mind, I got an idea for something we could use in future battles. Something that could be real mean if pulled off properly. If he can switch with allies, Mewtwo can also switch places with the enemy, which means, forcing the enemy to take their own attack, or the attack of an ally.
If he could learn Double Team, he could really mess with his opponents. It's too bad he doesn't have Aura Sphere, as that could really help out here. Lexie closed the distance with the enemy, using a kick to force him up into the air, allowing Pidgeotto to land a Wing Attack, in order to send him back to the ground.
Their attacks together was enough to drop him to 275. He responded with Flamethrower, causing everyone to scatter again. Solais barely caught the attack with her horn, wincing slightly as she jumped away. She didn't look like she got a burn out of it, at least.
Solais being grazed was enough to get the enemy's attention on her. Zeph charged right away, intent on attacking as soon as possible, only to have to break his charge because of the Payback sent his way, although it wouldn't do as much damage as normal.
His dodge put him right into Kaorah's upward path, and he was hit from below, hard. Kaorah's hit launched him into the air, only for him to be sent back towards the ground when she rotated and hit him again with Dragon Tail. He didn't get to hit the ground, as Lexie intercepted his path, using a kick to launch him towards one of the arena walls.
Kaorah, freed of her weights, was more than fast enough to beat him there, and she was ready for when he hit the ground, putting him in range of an Earthquake, which finished off the last of his HP. He dissolved into flakes of light, much like the other bosses we've beaten.
"That was…unexpectedly quick." Mewtwo commented.
"Yeah, it was, but given how long this dungeon's supposed to be, I can't say I'm surprised." For those wondering, this dungeon has three boss chambers, with multiple paths between each one. The paths between each are much longer than normal, and I'm willing to bet that it's likely going to test how we handle smaller groups. Looking ahead, it seems like the paths towards the final arena, are much longer than the rest. And, there's one for each of us, meaning...we're gonna be all on our own.
"Be ready to split up even more as we go. I don't think we're all going to have to face enemies, but still." The chamber exit opened up for us. This one looks like one of the classic horde paths. I gave seeds to Solais and Kaorah, as they were going to be helping to clear the path. The rest of us waited for them to get a head start, then we started to move.
"I find myself wondering, what does that ability of yours feel like?" Melanie asked. It took a moment to figure out her question was meant for Lexie.
"Honestly, it's kind of hard to explain. Libero is…as you already know, strong. It's…normally limited to what moves I know, so that I can always get an attack bonus. Normally, I have to be preparing a move in order to shift. But, it seems that now I'm able to change Type at will."
"As for what it feels like…well, I don't think I can really explain that accurately. I feel at my best when I'm a Fire Type, sure, but the others bring their own unique feeling, and that makes it much harder to explain. Fighting Type feels…alright, I guess. Poison Type feels wrong, but it's necessary. Electric Type feels like…being hyped up by caffeine, honestly."
"Flying Type…I feel lighter, much lighter, but it doesn't feel right without wings. Psychic…is hard to explain. I normally don't really mess around with it, though…if I got to really practice, I might be able to learn to use it. Ground…feels a little strange, tough to explain, as well. I guess I just feel…sturdier, maybe."
"Dark Type, honestly, is one of my favorite ones, aside from Electric, Fighting, and my natural Typing. Bug Type feels…very strange. Steel, I feel sluggish, yet sturdier than the other types, and then…"
"What is it?" I asked.
"Ghost…Type." Lexie shuddered. "That one feels…wrong, unnatural. I won't lie, it's handy when it does have a use but, as someone who's actually alive…I just…hate it. I hate shifting into Ghost Type, and I'd rather be completely unable to."
"Well, so long as you don't need to use Shadow Ball, you won't need to shift to that type. Besides, for dealing with Ghost and Psychic types, you still have Dark."
"Yeah, you're right. But I won't be using Ghost. However…there's one smile positive to Ghost Type, phasing through objects."
"You could probably troll your enemies with that one, if you figured out how." Pidgeotto said.
"Oh, sure…and then we'll have her phasing through objects and enemies attacks, while taunting her enemies…kinda like Tobi with Kamui."
"Like…who?"
"Right, that's something you wouldn't get, as you haven't been with us that long." The only reason Pidgeotto knows what that is, is because of Mewtwo.
"Explain it later. I'm gonna jump in with the others." With that, Lexie ran off into the fray.
"I guess her explanation helped answer your question, didn't it?" I asked Melanie.
"Sure did. Although, I would imagine that the one who can better explain it, is Arceus. Since he has access to all types, not a limited list. Though to be fair, Lexie does already have a lot to choose from." Melanie answered.
"Yeah. Though not as much as Arceus, or a Silvally for that matter, she does have plenty. Which means she's one of our most adaptive fighters. Thing is, she can't really learn attacks for some of her Types. I think a better focus would be to train to use Libero defensively, for the attacks she just can't avoid." The rest of the group started to come back, as we were talking. They had finished clearing out the enemies crowding the path ahead.
With the path clear, we started to head for the next boss arena.
[????]
A kunai in hand, a Greninja charged the enemy. His attack met a strong defense, and the counter defeated him in one hit.
A low growl broke the silence in the dark room.
An Absol, in a different form, engaged an angered Dragon, and defended herself well. An unexpected attack threw off her focus, and she was cut down in a near instant.
A dark purple aura of negativity flared to life, chilling the air around its owner.
A Lucario, who engaged the Dragon and the Bird in battle, only to be blinded and set aflame by a human.
Another growl, much louder this time. A scraping sound filled the chamber as sharp claws scratched the metal floor.
A nine-tailed fox, cloaked in glowing armor. Power in the palms of his hands and in every inch of his body. He almost won, almost, but it wouldn't be enough. Without being the real thing, he just wasn't able to manage it. An attempt at an all out attack, disrupted by his head separating from the rest of his body. Caused by an unexpected attack from below.
Another low growl, the image of a human and his team flickered through the mind. A swipe at open air dispelled it into mist.
He attempted to get after the human with Payback. He almost had him, but the Dragon was faster. In a moment, he went from being so close to victory, to total failure. His body split in half at the waist.
His anger boiling over, his aura of hate flared, and he roared.
[Zeryph]
We stopped short of the door when a muffled sound from the other side reached our ears.
"What the hell was that?" Mewtwo asked.
"Bad news. Be ready for anything." I answered, as the door began to open. The light shined into the chamber, stopping just short of a form in the shadows. Slowly, it turned towards us, a single red eye with a slit pupil, stared at us from the darkness.
"You…" his voice sounds oddly familiar. "You did this to me." He slowly stepped out of the shadows.
[Vengeful Spirit Zoroark]
[Level 12]
[HP 2000/2000]
[Angered by his previous defeat, an old enemy returns for a second round. Be ready, because there's no messing around, this time.]
"No illusions, this time. I'll fight you myself." Dark energy swirled around him, and his claws began to glow. He suddenly vanished from sight. I suddenly felt like I was in serious danger. From how everyone else is reacting, I think that's the case. "I'm going to make you SUFFER!" His voice came from just behind me...