Early in the morning, all the trainers were gathered in the battlefield as both Professors stood there waiting for them with many more workers and assistants.
"Good morning, Kota. Up for today's battles?"
Alain met Kota at the corridor, then the two made their way towards the battlefield while chatting.
"Morning. Battle huh… Can you beat me?"
Asked Kota as he turned to look at Alain. So far, four days passed and Alain fought Kota at least three times with no draws, victory was still a long way.
"Not now but, I will. Someday, and definitely!"
Replied Alain with a determined expression. Kota shifted his eyes back to the path while a soft chuckle escaped from his mouth.
"Many said that exact words to me. I am still waiting for that day."
After saying that, Koya stayed silent the entire way to the battlefield making Alain ponder at the thought if that 'day' was near or just too far.
"Alain! Kota! Come."
Steven waved his hands towards the two and gestured them to come beside him. Alder, Cynthia and Alice were already waiting with the Professors.
"So, now that you all are here. I would like to introduce you all to a new Professor who will join us today."
Smiling, Professor Riccky then called someone to the battlefield while the trainers were full of curiosity as to who this new Professor was.
"Hi. Nice to meet you all!"
Walking in front of the trainers, she smiled and greeted everyone with pleasant words.
Professor Plum, best pokemon biologist and the mother of Kota. Reaching near fifties, she had slight wrinkles and white hair.
Kota's face darkened, he lowered his eyes and stared blankly at the ground while many deep memories resurfaced.
'W-Why did y-ou? S-son?'
'I, I-I, I am sorry! I-I really am!'
Kota quickly shook his head and clenched his jaws. He broke through the flash of images and focused on what was before him now.
"I am here to check and examine your pokemon to see if there's any changes in them after using Mega Evolution. If there is, I would love to study about it. Please excuse my rude words."
Professor Plum shared her reason for her presence today. Well no one could have done anything even if she didn't inform about it anyways.
"As you all know, today is the official Mega Evolution battle. The footages captured today shall be sent to all the researchers, scientists and many more people, do remember this. So I hope, you will give your best today!"
Sycamore encouraged with some important words in his sentences. Kota had listened carefully so he wondered if this footage would be sent to news channels as well.
"The official battles will start in a few hours. First we will decide who will fight whom."
Riccky quickly have them pieces of paper then let them write their names in them. Later, each one will step forward and pick one unknown folded piece of paper, whoever's name will be on the paper, would fight the picker.
As simple as it sounds.
And so, the battles were as follows:
Kota—Alder
Alain—Cynthia
Alice-Steven
It was quite an exciting way to decide the battles. The first battle would be Alain versus Cynthia, then Kota versus Alder and lastly Alice versus Steven.
* * *
While Alain and Cynthia were preparing and warming up for the battle together with their Pokemon, Plum approached Kota who sat under the shades of a tree near the battlefield.
"Mum…"
Said Kota. His emotionless eyes stared at Plum with indifference as if she was a total stranger to him.
"Son…"
Plum slowly stepped in front of Kota then crouched down before him while her face had hints of sorrow and pain.
"How are you?"
"Fine."
His words were like honey to her ears, a bitter smile appeared on her face while her eyes were turning moist.
"Son, I-I apologize for any mistake I made in the past. I truly have suffered this entire time far away from you. Please, show pity to this weak and lonely mother, return to me, son."
Tears slowly flowed down her eyes as she looked at Kota, her son's face. It was four years ago, when she last talked to him face to face.
Kota turned his face away, then got up from the ground wanting to escape this depressing scenario.
Grab!
"Son why? Why are you trying to live alone? I will do as you say, I will stay silent for my entire life but please forgive this mother. Please, son. Please!"
Gripping tightly on Kota's right hand, begged Plum with desperation. Her voice was soft and weak.
"Let me go, Mum. It's better for you to stay away from me. It's better for everyone to stay away from me."
Freeing himself from her grip, Kota quickly went to his room and locked the door.
Still on that spot, Plum clenched her fists tightly while her eyes bled in a river of tears.
* * *
Inside the room, Kota sat on his bed and lowered his head. His eyes closed trying hard not to see the images from his past life.
'Save me!'
'What did I do to you?'
'Why son? Why?'
'Please! Please don't kill me!'
The whispers of deads, entered his ears. The soft ticking of the wall clock behind him on the old wall of the living room sounded.
"!!"
As he opened his eyes, he saw red. His hands, covered in red blood still fresh and giving of the scent of death, trembled uncontrollably.
'Son. Hear me son. We are family, son.'
'Mom doesn't want you to leave! Stay with us, son.'
The two voice, a male and the other female, echoed in the living room. His stiff neck moved his head and his eyes saw a man wearing glasses on his left. Then, he looked towards his right and saw a woman with a cherry-like smile.
'Don't do it!'
'Please drop the knife.'
Looking back at his hand, his eyes widened when he saw a knife dripping in warm blood. His legs, were already half submerged in a pool of blood.
In shock and fear, he dropped the bloody knife in the pool, which sank down leaving behind a huge ripple on the surface.
Tens of pairs of bleeding hands rose from the surface of the blood pool and grabbed his legs trying to pull him deeper in the blood.
"No! Nooo!"
He shouted, kicked the hands but their grips were tight. Suddenly, he felt two figures hugging him from both his sides.
"Mum? Dad?"
"!!"
With distorted faces, numerous cuts on their body and bleeding skin, his mother and father hugged him tightly.
'W-Why did y-ou? S-son?'
'Please don't kill me, son!'
"Ahhhhh! Ahh!"
Screaming on top of his lungs, Kota pushed away both the cold corpses away from him. Unfortunately by now half his body was already in blood.
He tried reaching out for the door of the living room but the hands of all the victims of his murdering hands grabbed and pulled him harder.
'Hehe! Come! Come!'
'Join us! Join us!'
'Forever in darkness! Where no light is there!'
"No! Go away! I am not dead! No!"
Kota roared loudly. His eyes turned darker and his face distorted in various emotions.
He bit on those hands, he ripped their flesh and skinned the skin with his finger nails.
Blood rained down on him, Blood flowed down on him, Blood buried him, but he didn't stop.
Struggling, he finally reached the door.
Grabbing it tightly, he opened it with a full swung. A bright white light welcomed him and all the blood gushed out of the living room to the open.
"Haah! Hah! Haah! Haah!"
"I, haah! I will not die! I will live! Haah!"
Panting, Kota looked around him and saw that he had returned back to his room. Everything was the same, nothing changed.
No blood, no dead bodies.
Lying on the bed, Kota stared blankly at the ceiling. The reason he was afraid to mix with a family, was a huge secret from the past.
He was scared to face it all again.
He was still just a little kid frightened to see what was under the bed.
So he locked himself in the wardrobe with a sole beating heart.
He let the steer to his mind, everything in its control.
Somewhere in his body, there he was still alive, a kid wanting to live a happy life with his family and loves once.
Darkness was slowly sipping in, consuming his mind.
"Ha ha… Ha… Haha ahahaha hahahaha!"
His maniacal laughter filled the room. His dark eyes closed and a stiff and wild grinn bloomed on his face.