Chapter 127: Black and Gold
"Back… with me?" Xiu repeated groggily, still slumped against the doorframe, trying to process Professor Oak's words through the fog of exhaustion.
"Yes," Oak confirmed, looking slightly puzzled by Xiu's confusion. "Your Scizor brought you and Abra back to the warehouse right after it evolved. Don't you remember?"
"Wait... Scizor…? Brought us back?" Xiu vaguely recalled the intense light, the feeling of being ejected from the psychic link, then blackness. He hadn't registered anything after that. "It was a success huh... but perhaps," he mumbled, piecing it together, "it was reacting defensively? To the unfamiliar environment after evolving? Instinctively retreated to the place it felt safest…" He offered the weak explanation, unsure himself.
"Hmm, possible," Oak conceded. "Regardless, you should rest." He stepped aside again, allowing Xiu passage. "Go get cleaned up. I'll… reheat some instant noodles."
— — —
"Professor," Xiu declared later, slurping down the surprisingly palatable instant noodles with genuine appreciation, "these are truly delicious! Masterfully prepared!"
He wasn't just being polite. After years of surviving on cheap, poorly made instant ramen in his previous life, he considered himself something of a connoisseur. Oak's version – noodles cooked to perfect al dente, broth seasoned simply but effectively, served piping hot – was genuinely impressive— a true hidden talent.
The simple, warm meal did wonders to restore his strength, clearing the last vestiges of weakness from his limbs.
"You!" Professor Oak retorted, though the anger seemed feigned, replaced by exasperated amusement. "Still thinking about food after nearly killing yourself, you lunatic!"
"Thank you for the compliment, Professor!" Xiu beamed, completely unfazed by the insult.
"Okay, okay," Oak sighed, waving a dismissive hand, though a faint smile played on his lips. He seemed relieved to see Xiu back to his usual (if slightly peculiar) self. He paused, then added, his expression turning serious again. "But… jokes aside, Xiu. I suggest you go check on your… Scizor."
The smile instantly vanished from Xiu's face. Oak wouldn't bring it up without reason. 'The evolution… it had been forced, chaotic. Had something gone wrong? Had there been unforeseen consequences?' He remembered the feeling of Scyther's consciousness dissolving into chaos just before the light…
Without a word, Xiu quickly finished his noodles, thanked Oak again, and retrieved Scizor's Poké Ball, his hand trembling slightly. He stared at the smooth sphere for a long moment, bracing himself, then pressed the release button.
Red light coalesced, solidifying into the transformed Pokémon. Scizor. It stood before him, vastly different from the Scyther he knew.
Taller, easily exceeding two meters now. Its body structure was more robust, segmented, reminiscent of a powerful ant warrior. The slender limbs had thickened, encased in smooth, metallic plating. Spikes and sharp edges were minimized, replaced by rounded contours. Its feet were smaller, more compact, ending in two sharp talons.
The iconic scythes were gone, transformed into massive, heavy pincers, gleaming dully. The delicate wings were now smaller, seemingly vestigial, perhaps aiding in balance or minor adjustments rather than true flight. Its head was rounder, the sharp angles smoothed, the three crest-spikes elongated. The overall impression was one of armored power, brute strength replacing agile grace.
However, the most striking change, the one that made Xiu inhale sharply, was the color. Normal Scizor were a vibrant crimson red with black accents. This Scizor… was the reverse. Its primary exoskeleton was a deep, matte black, like polished obsidian. The areas that should have been black – joints, accents, the 'eye' patterns on the pincers – were instead a stunning, metallic gold. The golden eye-patterns on the black pincers seemed to almost glow, mirroring the intense golden hue that now filled its irises, surrounding small black pupils.
Xiu stared, momentarily speechless. Yet… here it was. Real. Standing before him.
'This… is too much,' he thought, feeling a surge of disbelief— but undeniable admiration soon followed. It was… cool as f*ck. Incredibly so. The standard red and black Scizor was cool, yes. However, this black and gold coloration… it exuded an aura of mystery, of power held in reserve, like some nocturnal hunter or ancient guardian. Combined with its imposing height and powerful build… it was breathtaking. Coldly, dangerously, beautiful.
"Not bad, right?" Xiu finally murmured, turning towards Professor Oak, trying to sound casual despite the awe he felt. "Quite awesome, don't you think?"
Oak just glanced at him dryly. Xiu's attempt at nonchalance after his earlier stunned silence was rather transparent.
"Haha! Well, it's certainly… unexpected," Xiu admitted, quickly releasing Abra again. Need to check its condition.
Abra appeared, looking significantly better than Xiu himself felt after their shared ordeal. Still tired, perhaps, but stable. It immediately floated over towards Scizor, sensing the familiar presence beneath the transformed exterior.
"Alright," Xiu said, turning back to Oak, shaking off his awe, focusing on practicalities. "I need to run a scan. On both of them." He quickly explained his concerns – Abra's psychic strain from maintaining the link, Scizor's potentially unstable state after the forced, anomalous evolution. "Can't take any chances."
"My thoughts exactly," Oak agreed readily. "Use the main lab for a full medical checkup."
— — —
Back upstairs, Xiu carefully guided the newly evolved Scizor onto the examination platform. It moved somewhat stiffly, clearly unaccustomed to its new weight and altered body mechanics. Abra underwent its own scans first.
"Good news on Abra," Oak reported after reviewing the initial readings. "No sign of lasting neurological damage from the psychic feedback. Severely depleted energy reserves, yes, but recovering steadily. The extended rest in the Poké Ball helped." He looked relieved. "Your intervention… however reckless… seems to have prevented the worst."
Then, they turned their attention to Scizor. The physical scans confirmed what Xiu had suspected – increased mass, denser exoskeleton, altered energy signatures consistent with its new steel typing. Everything seemed… stable. Healthy, even. No lingering signs of the chaotic energy from before.
"Remarkable," Oak murmured, studying Scizor's energy profile. "The evolution seems to have completely stabilized its system, fully integrated the metallic elements…" He trailed off, frowning at a specific reading.
"Professor?" Xiu asked anxiously. "Is something wrong?"
"Not wrong," Oak replied slowly. "Just… unexpected." He pointed to a section of the analysis comparing Scizor's current elemental composition to the baseline data from the scythe fragments. "Remember how we confirmed Scyther's body seemed to transmute absorbed metals into a preferred configuration, regardless of the source?"
"Yes?"
"Well," Oak continued, "it seems the evolutionary process itself also involved a significant transmutation. The final composition of Scizor's exoskeleton… it's not just iron, or chromium, or nickel. It's a unique, complex bio-metallic alloy, unlike anything I've encountered before. Predominantly iron, yes, but with those other trace elements integrated in a highly specific, crystalline structure." He looked up at Xiu, excitement returning to his eyes. "This isn't just a color variation, Xiu! This black and gold Scizor… its fundamental composition might be unique!"
Before Xiu could fully process the implications of that, Oak continued, pointing to another section of the report. "And look here. Energy readings. Its internal energy signature… it's stabilized, yes, but it's also… different than a standard Scizor's profile." He looked thoughtful. "As if the chaotic energy didn't just naturally dissipate during evolution, but was somehow… incorporated?"
He looked back at Scizor, then at Xiu. "This requires further study. Much further study."
Xiu felt a familiar sense of unease return. 'Here we go again.'