Chapter 8: Stolen

Sylvie and Sarah were snoring in their beds when Lindsey and Zachary woke up, Snivy and the others awakening.
"Hey, the Sylveons are still asleep!" said Zachary. "I wonder what would keep them up all night... Maybe the cries of the Sawk and Throh training in the forest?"
Lindsey grabbed Sylvie, and shook her.
"Wake up! We're challenging Lenora today!" said Lindsey.
"Don't shake me." muttered Sylvie, half-asleep.
"I have some Lavaridge cookies for you..."
Sylvie jolted awake, and started drooling.
"Lavaridge cookies? Where?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide open.
"Here! Have them for waking up!" said Lindsey.
She smiled, and threw Sylvie a cookie.
Sylvie wolfed it down, rubbing crumbs from her cheeks and grinning.
Meanwhile, Zachary vigorously shook Sarah.
"Wake up! I want to see the artifacts in the museum!" cried Zachary.
"I never knew you liked old things." said Lindsey.
Ignoring his traveling companion, Zachary took something out of his backpack, straightened his red cap, and waved a Mago berry.
"I have a tasty Mago berry, Sarah..." said Zachary.
"Zzzzzz." replied Sarah.
"Um... here is some Slow Makeup!" said Zachary, taking out a Poke-Makeup dish and sliding his Mago berry in his bag.
"Makeup? Give me it so I can look pretty!" said Sarah, jolting awake.
Sylvie chuckled as Zachary brushed on makeup on Sarah, making Sarah look more and more petite and stylish.
"Now that we're all awake, we're going to eat breakfast downstairs while you can go to the Nacrene Museum in advance!" said Lindsey cheerfully.
Typhlosion and Ignacio yawned, while Snivy and Oshawott cheered.
"Well, I guess we can see the infamous warehouses and railroad tracks then!" said Sylvie.
"I don't see the point of retro things. They're outdated, rusty, old..." muttered Sarah.
"Hey, Ms. Grouchy, cheer up! We'll have some time to enjoy some peace and quiet, okay?" replied Sylvie, nudging her.
"If you say so." grumbled Sarah, licking her leg to try to straighten her fur.
As the Pokemon went out the door one-by-one, Ignacio shook her head, beard swishing in the draft of the AC.
"I have a bad feeling that something will happen.." muttered Ignacio.

They ventured out into the streets, Ignacio and Typhlosion guarding the crowd of little Pokemon to make sure that no thieves or over-enthusiastic children could harm them.
Several Lillipups sniffed and wandered over to them, but one glare from Ignacio would send them away.
As they approached the museum, Sylvie smiled.
"Thanks, Ignacio and Typhlosion. Next time I approach a Castelia City crowd, I'll ask you two to come along." said Sylvie.
Ignacio winked, her steely cold expression she wore while battling or glaring peeled off like a banana.
"You're welcome, Sylvie. I like seeing Pokemon flee from me... too bad that this Hydreigon you talk about doesn't realize that its a pleasure few get to enjoy." sad Ignacio.
"Say, Ignacio, why were you named a boy's name if you're a girl?" asked Sarah, butting in.
Ignacio's cold steel face was applied on again.
"I do not know, twin of my friend, but do not ask me that... or feel the wrath of my claws." hissed Ignacio, glaring down at the small Sylveon.
"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" cried Sarah, backing away.
"Hello there, it seems as if a Pokemon group is visiting today! That will cost 1000 PokeDollars." said the girl at the door politely.
Typhlosion tossed her a thousand-dollar bill, flashing his pearly white fangs.
"You may enter! Remember, our security is top-notch, we guard our artifacts fiercely!" said the lady as the doors swung open for them.
To prove it, the lady snapped her fingers. Thousands of intricate lasers and security cameras popped up, disguised using Kecleon-esque technology.
"Woah! I would worry more about my skin than the artifacts!" exclaimed Oshawott, thumping his seashell.
"Don't worry. These lasers and security cameras are made to not harm human nor Pokemon alike." said Sylvie.
"Since when were you the nerd?" growled Snivy, her hands crossed.
Sylvie raised her eyebrows, if she had any over her blue eyes.
"Well, grinch, I listen to the tour guides going around Unova when I traveled as a wild Pokemon, thankyouverymuch." replied Sylvie, tossing her ribbons like it wasn't a big deal.
Snivy let out a large haarumph like Clay the Gym Leader, and rolled her eyes.
As they entered, Typhlosion's eyes lit up.
"Hey! Free Poffins!" he exclaimed.
"Can we have some?" exclaimed Shiro, his blue rings flashing.
Typhlosion chuckled.
"No, I'm eating them all!" said Typhlosion.
"Oh, come on! Some of us are hungry!" grumbled Archeops and Shiro in unison.
"Wow, you two are like Siamese Twins!" remarked Ignacio. "Inseparable emotions!"
Sylvie and Sarah glared at her as well as Ignacio herself could.
"Never mind about that. Still, you guys seem to be inseparable!" said Ignacio quickly, fidgeting.
Typhlosion watched their conversation as he indulged himself on Oran Berry Poffins, and sighed.
Reaching into the basket of poffins, he took a Persim Berry Poffin and gave it to Shiro. Shiro ate it like a Gulpin.
"Thanks, dude! Could you pass 'em out, if you were joking? ...At least, I take it that way..." said Shiro between huge bites.
"No worries, I was joking. Who's ready for a Poffin feast?" said Typhlosion, giving Shiro a noogie.
"Hey!" said Archen, clawing Typhlosion.
Ignacio glared at the Pokemon.
"You know, he still could take away your share..." said Ignacio.
She didn't need to say any more.
"Okay, okay! Sorry!" said Archen.
Ignacio smiled.
"That's more like it."

After everyone finished their Poffins, Sylvie took the opportunity to show off what she knew.
"So, this is the skeleton of a Pokemon that flew around the world! It resembles a Dragonite for some reason..." said Sylvie as they approached a giant skeleton propped up on metal tubes.
"Ooh!" said Ignacio and Archen.
Just as they started to admire the majesty of the bones, a black-haired girl ran over to them. For some reason, she had bionic arms.
"Wow! The prehistoric Pokemon Archen! What a pleasure to see it! May I please borrow him so I can take a few...aah, tests?" asked the girl. She gently petted Archen, and he seemed to relax.
"Not if I cannot supervise the tests." said Shiro.
"Oh, okay! The more, the merrier! Say, I would like to have all of you come along so that I can learn more about Pokemon! I'm a new scientist, after all!" replied the girl.
"How... can she understand us?" stuttered Ignacio, in utter amazement.
"Oh, its simple!" gleefully said the girl. "Its all this technology stuff... whatever. I just want to learn more, now!"
"No." said Typhlosion, holding up his paw.
"No?" squeaked the girl, clearly surprised.
Typhlosion put his paw down, and glared at the girl.
"Only two Pokemon may go with you at one time. Its for safety." said Typhlosion.
The girl sighed.
"Fine, if you insist. Come on, Shiro and Archen, we have a lot to do!"
As Shiro and Archen followed the odd girl, Snivy raised an eyebrow.
"I'm no detective, but that seems... suspicious. How does she know Shiro and Archen's names? And why is she a cyborg?" growled Snivy.
"Hey everyone, we're back! Lets go challenge Lenora!" exclaimed two voices.
The Pokemon heard rapid running behind them, then the sensation of disappearing into their balls.
Hmm... thought Sylvie. I hate to admit it, but Snivy is right. Who is the girl, and why IS she a cyborg?

Sylvie looked through the pale, black plastic of her Luxury ball, enjoying the AC inside and other various perks included in the fancy Pokeball.
Just as the bumping on Lindsey's belt was already bad enough, a staircase to the gym came up.
Sylvie groaned as the jolts and jerks of Lindsey's rapid leg movement bounced her around like a Voltorb mistaken for a bouncy ball.
"Stop! Stop! Okay?!" exclaimed Sylvie, pawing at her ball crazily.
Snivy and Ignacio next to her shared her pain, clearly, shown by their disoriented faces and motion of clutching their bellies.
"Oh... my poffin..." groaned Ignacio, looking as if her bile was rising.
"Ugh... I hate this ritual..." moaned Snivy, clutching her belly as if she were about to have a bellyache.
Just as the worst bumping ensued, Lindsey got to the top and decided to sit down.
The balls rotating to make sure their balls weren't sat on, Sylvie saw nothing but a wooden bench.
"Zachary, solve all the puzzles ahead for me. I think all those Village Sandwiches and pancakes are getting to my tummy." moaned Lindsey.
"Aw, come on! Why do I have to do it?" grumbled Zachary, who was clearly face-palming.
A large growl came from outside, which either meant that a stressed Pokemon was nearby or that Zachary's belly was growling.
Clearly, it was the latter.
"Because. I'll get you some food at the restaurant next to the museum once we beat Lenora." said Lindsey.
Smart girl, thought Sylvie.
"Fine. Wait here. I'll send Arc- Wait, where is Archen? He's not in his Pokeball!" cried Zachary. "Ugh!"
Lindsey chuckled.
 "I'm sure that Archen is outside playing with the wild Pokemon. Just send Typhlosion back so I can follow you, don't worry. I'm sure Shiro would be a good candidate."
Sylvie sighed as she heard Zachary rummage through his bag.
"I wish that humans understood us, because it hurts for us to know stuff they don't." muttered Sylvie.
When she was a little Pokemon, an Eevee with her sister, mother and father (named Sol, a Glaceon, killed by Team Plasma when they were testing his DNA) worshipping the life and destruction Pokemon, Ariel always reminded her to never, ever wish carelessly or bad things would happen. Sylvie didn't keep it in mind, although that rule was something she still believed in, for some reason.
"Argh!" cried Zachary. "Shiro isn't with me either!"
Lindsey seemed to roll her eyes.
"I'm sure Shiro might be in the Pinwheel Forest exploring somewhere. Relax, just go clear the pathway for me. Make sure that they don't see me sneak into the Gym." said Lindsey.
Zachary sighed.
"Yes, boss." he muttered sarcastically.
Sylvie sighed.
"Okay, everyone! Come on out and stretch your legs! Let's go train in the Pinwheel Forest!" said Lindsey.
A large finger groped down, and pressed the button on Sylvie's Luxury Ball. Immediately Sylvie popped out, bright light and all.
"Wow, the smell of fresh air." said Sylvie. Of course, it just sounded like "Syl-veon!" to Lindsey, but she still communicated a sense of happiness cross-species.
Snivy popped out, as cross as ever, from her Poke Ball.
"Ugh. Dust." grumbled Snivy.
In a last flash of light, Ignacio came out.
"Wow! Look at those meteors in the corner!" remarked Ignacio.
Lindsey smiled.
"Well, you three, I'm thinking of this place where Ignacio can use her Surf move.."
Lindsey didn't get to finish her sentence.
Three figures swooped down, glaring at them, and stood up from their three-legged position.
A girl swooped down in the middle, a black ribbon over her mouth and nose.
In horror, Sylvie realized she looked a lot like the scientist that took Shiro and Archen for testing.
The girl sneered.
"Ha! I have control over the legendaries Keldeo, Terrakion and a Spiritomb, along with your precious Shiro and Archen!" growled the girl.
"Liar! Bastard! Thief!" cried Sarah.
The girl sneered.
"For your information, my name is Ani." said the girl.
"Ani... why is that name so familiar?" wondered Lindsey.
"You took Shiro and Archen!" snarled Sylvie. "I will never forgive you!"
Lunging, Sylvie tried to bite Ani, but Ani slapped Sylvie away, and Sylvie yelped as something hit her.
"No! Sylvie! You're paralyzed!" said Lindsey.
"Hmph. My bionic limbs let off a field of static, paralyzing the Sylveon. Sadly, we are not after the rare Pokemon. We are after this... specimen." smirked Ani.
"Wait!"
"Ciao, Lindsey and Zachary."
The three ninja-like men around her held up nozzles, and smoke sprayed out.
"Argh! The cliched smoke trick!" snarled Ignacio.
Sylvie heard the bulky Samurott run towards the spot where the thieves were, then heard her curse.
"Ugh...koff...Shiro...coff.." coughed Sylvie, running through the smoke.
It was too late.
The skull of the mighty skeleton was gone, and the guards were running around in a panic.
Just as the smoke cleared, Typhlosion ran back with a Basic Badge in his mouth.
"Look! Look! Zachary got a Basic Badge! He says that Lindsey can challenge the Nacrene Gym now!" said Typhlosion, but he was cut off by the sight of the missing skull.
"Hey. Did something happen?" he asked Ignacio.
Ignacio quickly explained everything as quickly as she could.
"This is NOT a good sign. It seems as if we should pursue them. I'm going to get Zachary." said Typhlosion.
Sylvie clenched her paws.
"I won't let Ani get away with this! She seems to be connected with Team Plasma somehow..." growled Sylvie.
Sarah put a paw on Sylvie's shaking shoulder.
"Calm down, sis, we'll get Shiro and Archen back. Heck, we don't even have proof that they have been captured to be 'on term' with Team Plasma!" soothed Sarah, stroking Sylvie.
Suddenly, a cold sensation came over Sylvie as she heard some cackling.
"Well, now you have proof." said a voice. "I am Dark Shiro, with Dark Keldeo, Dark Archen, Dark Kennedy and Dark Terrakion, and we are the Shadow Elite."
Author's Note: Ooh, the cliffhanger! How drastically hated by all! Sorry about the cliffhanger, its late right now. Okay, I hope you liked yet ANOTHER long chapter, so please enjoy the ongoing story!