A dangerous game.
This is the story of when Lucario and Toshineko first met, a fateful encounter that would forge their rivalry. Two geniuses confronting each other. What will their encounter tell about the two?
Toshineko Hirozaki belongs to me.
Lucario is a Pokemon that belongs to Nintendo or Game Freak.
It was daytime. The Cameran Palace was empty and no humans were present. Lucario was the only one inside when a certain someone came running toward the entrance.
The door flew wide open, revealing a feline, a male gray anthro cat with green eyes, wearing a military uniform. His hat and belt bore a red cat symbol, and he wore black gloves on his front paws along with black boots on his back paws. He wore a cape on his back and only a part of his tail could be seen.
He stopped when he heard the sounds of footsteps, someone else was in the room.
Toshineko!
Turning around he instantly recognized the distinctive silhouette of the blue-furred, jackal-like Pokemon following him. Large metallic spikes protruding from it's yellow chest the back of it's powerful black furred hands.
A bemused smirk crept across the feline's face as he adjusted his lapels.
"I see. You are more prepared than I expected. You were waiting for me to come just so you could employ your dog tricks to use that weapon on me and trap me inside for good, weren't you?"
Lucario's eyes turned and he moved, showing Sir Aaron's staff. Toshineko nodded slightly as the two stared at each other. Toshineko took off his hat and placed it on one of the tables, which had a chessboard on it.
"You evidently don't know me at all, Lucario."
_On the contrary, I believe it's fairly evident that I do, you cold-hearted bastard! _
Toshineko scoffed at the Jackal's remark, casually walking over to a side table with a chessboard laid out on it. He picks up a pawn and makes his first move as Lucario interjected. _I will spare you five minutes if you have anything to say. _
Toshineko turned to face Lucario directly. The latter's gaze burned into Toshineko's eyes. A smirk appeared on the feline's face as if he hadn't flinched in fear at all.
"'What, you think I have that sort of time to waste on a puppy like you? Don't be so full of yourself! Now run along, play dead or whatever it is you do.'' Toshineko mocked Lucario.
Lucario's right paw clenched hard.
"Everything I had to say has already crossed your mind, Lucario," continued Toshineko.
_Then perhaps that what I was going to do to you has already crossed yours too, am I right? _
"Yeah, I know. You stand fast, alright."
_Absolutely. _
The two stared at each other for a while. Toshineko's wide, evil grin remained intact and his arms were crossed, while Lucario simply stood there with a serious expression on his face.
". . . You know what, Lucario? You remind me of that raccoon. Goes by the name of . . . who was that again? Kirios . . . Idiofyia? Eh, I'm sure I've pronounced his name right."
For a moment, Lucario stared at Toshineko's forehead. His eyes widened and went back to normal again.
_Oh . . . So it was you. You killed that poor raccoon who did everything he could to defend his own country from someone like you! I have to admit, though, what you did to defeat him was pretty clever and well thought out. _
Toshineko scoffed at his compliment, although Lucario's tone had been anything but complimentary. "High praise from you! It's a shame, though, because you could've joined me and we could've used our combined intellect to conquer him and take that technology for ourselves--but nope! You just had to be a pet that wields auras like a ninja or a Jedi, but a stupid doggy version."
Lucario grabbed the staff and showed it to Toshineko. _Do you know what this staff is? Aaron- sama used this staff to trap your evil presence before you killed him in cold blood. This staff is filled with the anger, vengeance, and anguish of my master. _
"Huh? Oh, you mean that human master of yours?" Toshineko sneered, shaking his head. ''Always the master's pet, are you? So I killed some random furless master in that cheesy outfit and a generic goody-two-shoes personality, so what?"
What did you say!?
"Even the blind rage of your master and you cannot compare with the great power that my army and I possessed. You stand in the way of not only an individual but also a mighty army, the full extent of which even you, with all your cleverness, have been unable to realize. Your master was an unbelievable moron to have stood up against me, and I believe that it would be best if you did not make the same mistake as that human, please."
Lucario clenched his paws hard as his body tensed up. Heat flooded through his core as his blood boiled.
I believe it would be best for my master if I sent you back to Hell. That's where you belong, Toshineko. If I am to die just like my master, so be it. But I won't let you get away with all your sins! You have tortured and killed innocent people and taken away what I loved the most in the world. And you will pay dearly for it---I promise you.
Toshineko raised his left eyebrow. He chuckled softly at first and then burst into loud laughter as though he was highly amused by what Lucario had said.
"Oh, man!!" Toshineko howled, laughing uproariously. "Oh, wait, you're serious? Okay, let me laugh even harder and louder.'' He proceeded to do just that--his voice echoed through the palace for a few seconds before it stopped. Glaring at Lucario with a grin on his face, he continued, "Alright, all jokes aside, I think you'd be better off barking at somebody else about justice.''
''We first crossed paths on that day where I was preparing my nukes. It was on the 15th of January, I think. Then, on the 17th of February, you exposed me and my Phantom Masks agents for the murder of four U.S. senators.
"Again, on the 21st of March, you figured out my Dokumoralnese code and didn't realize that that code contained a bunch of false messages, which allowed me to take over Osaka and gain some valuable information there. Nobody else could have recognized that language.
Finally, on the 23rd of July, you've placed me in such a terrible position by your persistence that I am in positive danger of losing my army and influence and being outwitted by someone like you,'' Toshineko finished.
Lucario was silent.
"The fact that I have a second archenemy dedicated to stopping me has made me regret letting you live. However, I can only blame myself for this situation. Do you want to know why?"
Again, Lucario said nothing, but Toshineko continued, ''Because you, Lucario, complete me as much as I complete you. Not only that, but there's something... unusual about you, Lucario.''
Yeah? What's that?
''Well, for one, you have become far, far more intelligent, powerful, and even slightly taller than other Lucarios. I mean, sure, they can communicate telepathically, but you're the only one who doesn't say or shout his name over and over and over again, like a broken record player. Plus, aside from your intellect that reminded me of the raccoon I killed, you have managed to cause me more trouble than anyone else in the world. But your blind devotion to getting revenge for your master will be your downfall."
_And why would you think so? _
"You see, Lucario, unlike you, I'm not bound by any human or trainer. Nor do I do the things they want me to do. I follow my conscience and ambition. You, on the other hand, follow your master's conscience. You have allowed yourself to be enslaved by your trainer's ambition--you worship him like a God, and follow his every order. You only wanted to get revenge on me because deep down, you loved that master of yours. You allow your blind rage to get the best of you. You failed and disappointed him. You could've save him when you had the chance, but you just stood and watched. To be honest, I feel kind of sorry for Sir Aaron, having to deal with a coward dog like you. In fact, killing him was my only act of kindness, that way he won't have to deal with a sad excuse of a Pokemon like you. Am I wrong?"
Lucario looked at the ground and closed his eyes. Yes, you are wrong. Aaron-sama may have been my master, but he wasn't a power-hungry dictator like you! He wouldn't have allowed such lawlessness, chaos, despair, and terror upon his people. And he certainly didn't want to harm Princess Lin or anyone else. He's the aura master with honor and a heart. And you have neither.
Toshineko chuckled. "Very flattering. It seems that what I said did not shake your belief in justice, order, peace, friendship and Sir Aaron in the slightest. Very impressive . . . I can see now why you're my most worthy opponent yet and why you're the one I really need to outwit and kill.''
As he spoke, Toshineko approached the chessboard and pulled out a sword with a steel scabbard. Pointing the tip of the blade directly at the white king, he said, "This is a duel between you and me, Lucario. You hope to send me to the lowest depths of Hell. You dream of defeating me. If you are clever enough to bring destruction on me, rest assured, I shall do the same for you.'' He lifted his sword directly toward Lucario, before putting it back into its sheath.
He grabbed his hat and put it back on, before walking by Lucario and to the entrance. Lucario turned around, inhaled deeply and said, You have caused as much trouble to me as I did for you, ''General'' Toshineko Hirozaki.
Toshineko stopped in his tracks and glanced at Lucario.
So let me give you one compliment in return. When I say that if I were assured of the outcome that would bring your downfall, I would, for the sake of my master and the earth, cheerfully put you in a position to be checkmated, he said, crossing his arms.
"Oh, I can promise you who's gonna win . . . And it won't be you!" Toshineko spat out, closing the door and leaving the palace. Just before he walked away, he turned to find Lucario gazing at him from one of the windows. The two shared a glance with exactly the same expression on their face. Then Toshineko looked away and continued to walk ahead.
_Toshineko . . . When will our battle end? _