Chapter 7: Fishy Savior
"Weavile wants us to escape. Poochyena and I, anyway," Dustin stated once more, "I don't know why, but that's the only answer that makes sense."
"So what then? We just walk into a trap?" Eidolon asked.
"Yeah, we do. We walk right into Weavile's den and spring her trap."
"That's not a plan!" Poochyena grimaced, "That's the opposite of a plan! That's a….not plan!"
Dustin sighed, shaking his head. "It's the only option we have. Being aware that it's a trap is helpful...wait, I got something. Eidolon, what did Weavile do with that Magikarp?"
"Huh?" Eidolon responded, bewildered, "The sewer karp? Probably chucked it in the little pond in her room or somethin'. Doubt she gave it much thought considerin' it's feral."
"We can use that. She planned for me and Poochyena to break out, and she probably expected you to turn on her, but she couldn't possibly have planned for that Magikarp to get involved."
"Dustin I hear ya and all, but what use is a Magikarp in all this?" Eidolon asked, "It's wild and the only thing it seems to do is follow ya around."
"Just wait, I have an idea. Eidolon, take us back to Weavile. Lucario, hold on. We're going to get you out of there no matter what!"
Lucario waved the group off as Eidolon led Dustin and Poochyena back through the Moonstone Hideout to Weavile's room. She was waiting for them, as expected, sitting with confidence on her stone throne and twirling a key around one of her claws.
"That was certainly a touch slower than expected. Still I am impressed, you actually did manage to break out after all. Humans always struck me as resourceful but I'll confess that I had my doubts. You've passed with flying colors," she sneered, rising from her seat.
"I'd say something snarky here, but honestly I have nothing. Let's just drop the preconceived notion that you didn't intend for this all to happen, alright? I know you wanted us to come here," Dustin met Weavile's eyes with his own, unfazed.
"Impressive indeed! Fine then, I won't toy with you. This was a test to prove if you really were who I thought you were. Once those crystals started falling I knew another human was soon to follow. Some people might think that it's just a passive event, but I'm no fool. Something that drives Pokemon mad if they touch them? Come now, something isn't right about it. So I told the gang to keep an eye out for others looking for the crystals, and keep an especially close eye out for-"
Weavile casually dodged as Dustin chucked his bone club at her, and then sidestepped it once more as it returned to the sender. She shook a clawed finger in the air, wiggling it with a 'tsk, tsk'.
"Yes, yes, monologues are ever boring. Please don't interrupt, it's ever so rude. I'll just get to the point. I know you're a human, I know you need the crystals, and I know humans are little apocalypse engines. The longer you're here the faster this world heads towards the end, so if I get rid of you we can delay things a bit and find our own solution."
"That...that doesn't make sense. All the past apocalypses were stopped by humans directly!" Poochyena barked.
"Yes, it mustn't make sense to someone like you. That's fine," Weavile snapped her claws and a trio of Sneasel appeared from the shadows. Each wore a bandanna bearing a different color- red, yellow, blue. "Not every end comes in the same way. Let's just say I know more about what's going on than you do. Now, come! Fall upon the skewers."
The Sneasel leapt out towards Dustin's group, each picking its own target. Eidolon vanished into the shadows, Poochyena rolled to the ground with her Sneasel, and Dustin smacked his away with his club. When the Sneasel stood up again, it appeared unharmed. Dustin couldn't help but notice, however, that the bandanna around its neck that had once been blue was now yellow. No time to focus on that though, as he quickly scanned the room for a pond where the Magikarp might be kept. There, in the corner of the room, he saw it. He began to make a dash for it before falling to the ground, a clawed hand wrapped around his ankle. The Sneasel had lunged for him and grabbed him and wasn't letting go.
Poochyena wasn't having much better luck. She and Sneasel tumbled around on the ground, biting and clawing at one another in a flurry of fur and dust. She grew more and more aggressive as they struggled against one another, frustrated that it seemed like nothing she did was having any effect. Likewise Eidolon, who had been popping in and out of shadows to get Sneasel to throw themself against the walls and floors, was seeing no notable progress. For a brief moment, though, each bandanna on the Sneasel trio was yellow. At that moment, Dustin had an idea.
Before Poochyena could strike at her foe, Dustin beat the Sneasel around his ankles over the head with his club. The Sneasel recoiled in pain, bringing their claws to their head and moaning. It hit, it had actually dealt damage! Not missing a beat, Dustin ran to the pond and grabbed the Magikarp within. Magikarp in turn responded by flailing with reckless abandon in Dustin's hands. Dustin readied his fish, took aim, and launched it at Weavile! She had been focused on Poochyena and Sneasel tussling it out that the sudden fish to the face had caught her completely off guard, throwing her out of her seat.
"Nailed it!" Dustin shouted, pumping his arm with joy. Weavile, however, was less pleased. She attempted to rush towards Dustin, only to slip on the sopping wet Magikarp that now flopped with great fury on the ground.
This was his chance. Readying his club and tightening his Power Band, Dustin mustered his strength and brought the hammer down on Weavile! She shrieked and swiped at his ankles, knocking him prone. Weavile attempted to rise to her feet once more, only to be struck in the head by the flopping fish. Frustrated by this useless Pokemon's constant interference, she kicked it out of the way. In doing so, she sent it flying into the Sneasel that had been attacking Dustin prior and sent the two crashing into a wall.
"Clever trick. Let's make sure you never get to pull it again."
Weavile attempted to swipe at Dustin who deflected the strike with his club. Her reflexes had been slowed from the prior damage, just enough for him to predict where she might strike next. And so it continued, Weavile constantly attempting to claw at Dustin's face and Dustin deflecting the strikes with his club. He was still prone on the floor, however, and he couldn't keep the defensive position forever. He cast a quick glance at his team, only to see Poochyena pinned against the ground and Eidolon nowhere to be seen. He gulped, and held his club up, ready for the worse. Weavile readied her claws, knowing that her opponent had finally cracked.
Just then, however, she was struck in the back by a powerful blast of blue energy. Everyone stopped in place, realizing that the door to the room had been blown down. In the doorway stood Lucario, Eidolon right by his side with a wide grin.
"Hey! Hey! Sorry I was slow, it was tricky gettin' the Sneasel away from the key!" Eidolon laughed with pride, "Now Lucario! You got the rest, right?"
Lucario cracked his knuckles and glared at Weavile, who's eyes had gone wide. Not missing his own chance, Dustin threw himself up and nailed Weavile square in the chest with his bony head. With a sharp exhale, she fell to the ground. The Sneasel trio, seeing their leader fall, quickly abandoned their targets and fled before anyone could grab them. Poochyena began attempting a chase, only for Lucario to stop her.
"Don't waste extra effort, child. You are hurt, and they are not worth the time."
She seemed disappointed, but complied. The group gathered around Weavile, propping her back on her stone throne and tying her in place with rope. When she awoke, they stared her down with eyes full of righteous anger and general fury.
"Seems you beat me, then? That stupid fish…"
Magikarp didn't respond, simply flopping about.
"Who hired you for the kidnapping, Weavile? You've done quite insidious things before, but never something quite this large," Lucario asked.
"Meganium, who else?" she laughed, "I mean sincerely, who else would have ordered a kidnapping of a mayoral candidate in the middle of an election? I hope I don't have to explain why."
"Uh...can you explain why? Just...for….the record!" Poochyena said, confusion in her voice.
"Bless your heart child. Fine. He wanted his political rival gone, and swore to ease his investigations into the Moonstones. I believe you had an encounter with his bodyguard in his personal office earlier, correct?"
Dustin and Eidolon exchanged a quick look.
"Yeah, we did," Dustin responded, "I thought it was weird that you had a full office down here. Makes more sense now."
"Also makes sense why you had that big ol' bear guy here too," Eidolon added. "Gotta say I didn't really think about it at the time though. Was too worried about him eatin' my face."
"Now then, I suppose you'll have me arrested? Thrown away forever?" Weavile smirked. Lucario simply nodded, unimpressed.
"Of course. And we're not going to make any careless errors about it either. I'm going to have you transferred to Zygarde's control."
Poochyena's ears perked up. "Zygarde? The Zygarde? You know him?"
"Of course," Lucario nodded, "But we can discuss that more later. For now, we need to get back to the surface and expose this little scheme while Meganium's party is still going on."
"I'll lead you out," Eidolon said, heading towards one of the doors leading from Weavile's room. Lucario carried Weavile, still tied up, as the group followed him out from the sewers back to the beach where Poochyena had snuck in to the sewers a few nights prior. From there, they returned to the mayor's home and burst into the grand dining hall where the mayor appeared to be in the middle of a speech. All present were shocked into silence, and all eyes were on the group as they took to the stage. Meganium, amazingly, managed to keep his composure as Lucario addressed the crowd.
"I've been an explorer for many years, and a rescuer for just as long," he stated, with only a slight hint of anger in his voice, "But never did I expect to be the one rescued. Tonight was a disaster in many ways, but it was thanks to these three Pokemon that I am able to be with you all once again."
He motioned to Dustin and crew, who responded with sky waves and gentle smiles. Lucario nodded and continued.
"Tonight was no freak accident. Tonight was an example of a calculated crime by the head Moonstone herself, and an accomplice."
Dustin noticed that Meganium began to sweat a little and shift his weight towards his back feet.
"I will give that accomplice the chance to reveal themselves to the public and answer for their crimes. Should they choose not to, however, I will have no qualms revealing them for myself."
Lucario glared towards Meganium out the side of his eye. Meganium was silent, how own eyes darting around the room. The second he attempted to make a break for it, however, Dustin threw his club towards the mayor's legs and knocked him prone. Poochyena, reading Dustin's cue, rushed over and pinned the mayor down as best as she could.
"Honestly," Lucario continued, "I had assumed that you had some dignity but it would appear that this isn't the case. Regardless, I once again have the children to thank. Yes, good people of Nebulane, the criminal among us tonight was our own mayor Meganium!"
The crowd erupted into a cacophony of voices. Shouts of protest, dismay, anger, and more came from the gathered audience. Some Pokemon even took to throwing various foods and silverware at the mayor. Poochyena took a few berries to the face, but overall seemed more focused on keeping her bared fangs aimed at the mayor's face.
With an order from Lucario, Magnezone and Magnemite of the local police took to the stage to arrest Meganium and take him away. They went to do the same to Weavile, but Lucario waved them off. Once Meganium had been taken away and the crowd dispersed, Lucario led everyone to his office at the Explorer's Society. He had two large Pokemon take Weavile to an undisclosed location before addressing Dustin, Eidolon, and Poochyena.
"I am extremely grateful for what you three have done for me today. You've done a service to myself, the city, and the Society. If there is something I can do for you, name it."
"I got somethin'," Eidolon spoke, hesitant. "Could you...wipe my criminal record? I've done some bad things, and hurt a lotta people. I know this doesn't take all that back but like...I wanna start over. Start new. Do good."
Lucario placed his elbows on the desk and locked his paws together, contemplating.
"L-listen! I understand if ya can't I just-"
"I will. I'll see to it that any bounties on you are lifted. I would also like to offer you the same opportunity that I will offer these other two. I would like you all to join the Society and work as members for me."
Eidolon's eyes went wide. "R-really? That's great! That's beyond great!"
"I can't."
All eyes fell on Poochyena.
"I made a promise to mama that I'd go and train under Zygarde. I really appreciate the offer, Lucario sir, I do. I know it's a big offer and I'm silly to turn it down, but I can't."
Lucario nodded. "I understand. So, for you, I'll help you get Zygarde's Camp and provide any supplies you might need for the journey. And, if you're ever in Nebulane again, I'll be at your aid. What about you, Cubone?"
Dustin looked at everyone in the room. Both Eidolon and Poochyena looked at him expectantly. He had a choice.
"I...I think I'll stay with Poochyena. I don't really understand how big of an offer this is, but I also promised Poochyena I'd go to Zygarde with her. She's got a promise to keep, and I do too. Plus I need to figure out what this human stuff is about."
"Understood. The same offer Poochyena has applies to you. I hope to see you both again someday."
"Yeah, me too," Eidolon added, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I really wanna work with ya again. Promise I'll be less of a pain next time!"
They all laughed. It was strange, inside Dustin felt like something was missing. He still had no idea who he was or what was going on, but in this moment he was happy. His first memories he could recall here were good ones, and Poochyena had proven to be really fun to be around. He couldn't help but feel like he had made friends. Real ones.
And honestly, he couldn't ask for anything more.