CONTENT WARNING
Descriptions of violence, descriptions of predation, Pokemon death.
OREBURGH GYM, 11:00
Appearances could be deceiving.
So thought a young man, as he watched the newly minted Gym leader Roark hand out his second badge of the day. The first one was to a sort of short gym challenger with a Turtwig and a Nosepass, who had been a good enough battler that the young man was confident that he would thrive in the gym challenge. Roark had put in slightly more effort than he usually did on early badges, trying to put up a good fight despite the type disadvantage, but the guy had escaped with both teammates conscious, and his Nosepass hardly scratched.
The second guy, on the other hand…
When the blond beanpole had marched into the challenger's box after embracing the first guy, who was presumably his friend, and declared that Roark stood no chance before sending out a Chimchar onto the field, the young man had scoffed. Roark wouldn't soften his blows, especially considering that he had just gone harder on the previous challenger. It would be obvious if Roark threw the match at this point, and the young man felt bad for this cocky guy.
Roark had raised an eyebrow, sending in his Onix once again, only to watch in amazement as the challenger's Chimchar ran circles around it, scorching the rock snake with Ember after Ember as it groaned in pain and bewilderment. The Chimchar walked away from the battle victorious, finishing off the Onix with a surprise Brick Break at an order of "Persim" from the challenger.
Seriously? Code words? The young man would expect that from a seven-year-old playing pretend, not a seventeen-year-old battling a Gym leader.
When the challenger had sent in his Starly (two teammates weak to rock?) against Roark's Archen, it seemed like he wouldn't win so easily. However, at another shout of "Persim," his Starly had dashed forward with a Steel Wing, slamming the Archen before it could even take flight.
Roark won that matchup, his Archen knocking the Starly out of the sky with Ancient Power, but the challenger's Chimchar had returned with a vengeance, with the challenger firing his own Embers to supplement the attack. Roark's Archen stood no chance, and the challenger had whooped happily and blew the cheering crowd a kiss when he received the Coal badge.
Unbelievable.
The young man had been planning on staying for longer and watching another battle or two, but right when the next challenger had stepped up to the challenger's box, he felt them.
Enforcer.
The voice in his head was as powerful and alien as it was when he had first heard it. He could see no source of the voice, but he had learned by now that the cells were likely there, watching.
We are needed.
The young man- no, the Enforcer- felt a gentle but insistent tugging sensation, to a location outside the Gym. Without a second thought, he stood up and walked out the door, leaving the gym battle that had just started behind, forgotten.
The sensation led him to a secluded alley, where Zygarde was waiting, in the shape of a large canine Pokemon.
Good. You were prompt. Zygarde shook themselves, much as a canine Pokemon would.
We sensed a disturbance. One that we must set right.
The Enforcer had long since learned that Zygarde could hear his thoughts if they were clearly articulated, but he still preferred verbal communication if it was possible. "And what is that disturbance?"
It is an intruder. Zygarde's voice was calm as ever. We bear it no ill will, for it did not choose to be sent here. But now it is here, and it is a danger.
The Enforcer gritted his teeth. He was still getting used to Zygarde's roundabout manners of speaking. "Okay, but what is it?" Well, no. He would get the same kind of cop-out answer.
We can hear your annoyance with us, Enforcer.
The Enforcer winced. "Sorry. What do you want me to do about this, besides escorting you there? If this is dangerous enough to involve you, my other Pokemon aren't likely to be of much help yet."
You are too quick to discount your own partners, chastised Zygarde. You have done an admirable job of training them. They are extremely powerful compared to others of similar experience, and we have no doubt that they will be your stalwart allies in the days to come. However, in this instance, you are correct. The duty you must perform is to serve as our eyes and ears until we may show ourselves to the intruder. We would… prefer not to take on this threat alone, so you should attempt to gain backup.
The Enforcer nodded. "Gotcha. You want me to find this intruder, call the cops on them, and then let you know when they show up."
That is an apt summary.
"All right." The Enforcer shifted his Pokeballs to his pockets. "And you can't just show up there because…?"
The intruder can sense our power, and the power of others who are similar. The other ones that humans call legendaries. If it were to sense us too early, then it would attack first. If this beast gets the element of surprise, the best-case scenario would end in a victory tainted with the deaths of the innocent.
There was a short pause, and when Zygarde spoke again, their voice was colored with a faint sense of amusement. Believe us, if your presence was not necessary, we would have handled this ourselves. It is important to give you time to grow and develop as a trainer, and as a person. We are not Azelf or the Swords, to run our Favored into the ground with ceaseless commands and duties. We have only called on you because it is of paramount importance that we do not err.
The Enforcer chose not to dwell on this casual slight delivered by a literal deity, to several other literal deities, and instead focused on being grateful. "I appreciate it. Which way should I go?"
We will guide you.
Sure enough, the Enforcer immediately felt a compulsion to go in a direction. He set off at a jog, not wanting to tire himself out, but still eager to reach his destination. The line that Zygarde had dropped about the deaths of the innocent sat heavy in his mind.
It was about ten minutes and a few turns later when Zygarde spoke again, their voice faint from distance.
Stop. This is the place.
He was in an alley, a more or less forgotten corner of Oreburgh near the mines. The miners were all likely in the mine at this point, and wouldn't come out until an hour or two from now for lunch.
That was good. The less people around, the better, from what the Enforcer knew so far.
He squinted into the shadows- the alley, despite the time, was still surprisingly dark- and looked for his target. It wasn't long until he spotted movement.
Red skin, bulging with unnatural-looking muscle. Four tall legs that tapered to sharp points. Two massive, bulky arms and translucent orange wings. A long, shining grey needle attached to a short, flat face with twitching antennae. The creature's needle, similar to a proboscis, was stabbed into a Skiddo, and even as the Enforcer watched, the creature began to suck its victim dry, the Skiddo's body fluids draining out alarmingly quickly as its skin loosened around its bones. He thought the Skiddo was dead, until it let out a weak bleat of pain.
What the fuck.
That is our intruder, whispered Zygarde, their voice still muffled. The Enforcer selfishly wished for their reassuring presence.
Do not worry, said Zygarde, picking up on his thoughts. It has not yet been here long. We are the first on the site, but this will draw the Favored like a lamp draws Mothim. We should have backup soon.
How many people in Oreburgh were Favored by a legendary Pokemon, and hid it so well that nobody else had any idea? Sinnoh's few publicly known Favored often hinted that they were not as special as people said they were, only the most willing to reveal themselves.
We can name at least two currently in this city, as well as several others who are currently under scrutiny for selection. More than that, we cannot say. And you may speak, added Zygarde. The intruder's hearing is poor. It relies on scent, and we have masked yours for the time being as a precaution.
The Enforcer released a breath that he didn't know he was holding. "Then, I think I'll give the League a call."
That would be wise.
With shaking hands, the Enforcer pulled out his phone, dialing 223 and hitting call. He lifted it to his ear, not daring to take his eyes off the strange monster.
"League emergency services. How can we help you?" said the kind voice of a man on the other end of the line.
"I'm in Oreburgh, in an alley near the mines." The Enforcer scanned his surroundings quickly. "Looks like I'm behind a large warehouse."
"Understood," said the man. "And the cause of your call?"
The Enforcer willed his voice not to tremble. "There's… um, I'm not exactly sure what it is. But it's tall, about eight feet, and it's got red skin and-"
"This is not funny," snapped the man, in a cold voice that was the polar opposite of his previous demeanor. The Enforcer flinched away from the phone. "The League makes mistakes. The broadcasts were one. We are investigating the cause of those, and will work to remedy the issue. But when people like you fake emergencies to ridicule us, it does not help."
The Enforcer blinked. What? "Sir, I-"
"If you must prank call someone, I suggest that you choose a victim who has time to spare on your antics."
A long beep signaled that he had been hung up on. Utterly mystified, he began to dial 223 again, hoping for a more receptive audience.
Do not bother. Your efforts will be wasted. Zygarde sounded troubled. This is an issue we had not foreseen.
"What does it mean?"
That there are more malicious forces at work. Zygarde hissed faintly. The Enforcer took comfort in the fact that they seemed to be approaching, as their voice was becoming clearer. They are like Ariados, carefully laying their web in the shadows, then chasing their prey into their trap... We must tread with caution, Enforcer.
Footfalls echoed quietly throughout the alley, and the Enforcer flinched before remembering that the "intruder" wouldn't be able to hear it. He turned around to face the newcomer.
A surprisingly familiar figure joined the Enforcer, with a belt of four Pokeballs and a mask that covered the lower part of his face. He wore a hooded jacket that would have covered his messy red hair, had he bothered to keep the hood up. He nodded in greeting.
"A friend told me that we had some trouble here after I wrapped up that gym battle," he said to the Enforcer, who stared in disbelief. "So, you know what, if you don't tell, I won't either."
"That's fair," said the Enforcer, his voice weak. Gym Leader Roark was Favored by a legendary? How had the public not noticed? Did the League even know about this?
They do not. The leader's… benefactor is prone to drama and secrecy. And then Zygarde scoffed. We do not like admitting it, but you are likely safe in his hands. He should be more than able to take care of this threat, with the help of us and the leader's other Pokemon partners.
"My friend says not to use your Pokemon, by the way," continued Roark. "He says that against this fellow, less targets is better."
The Enforcer felt small. "Then, what…"
Roark shrugged. "Oh, I don't think you need your Pokemon to be a help here. Fey, right?"
The Enforcer nodded. How did Roark know that?
"Great! I don't know if this guy feels the same emotions as we do, but can you try and distract him?"
The Enforcer gawked at Roark. "What?"
Roark shrugged. "You look pretty fit. Fit enough that I think you could outrun the thing. So if you could lure it out to the mines, I could follow and go to town with my rock Pokemon."
"The mines? Aren't there people, you know, mining in there?"
"The mines are closed today." Roark grinned. "Call it a precaution."
Unbelievable.
"So," continued Roark, "you up for the job?" His face suddenly lost all of its joviality. "You can say no, you know. I think that I can handle this myself, if it comes down to it. Your help would be appreciated, but I won't force you. I won't make a gym challenger risk their life."
It was a nice sentiment. But Zygarde had Favored him. He wasn't going to squander that honor on running and hiding from what little duties he was given. Well, maybe not little duties, but the point still stood.
The creature dropped the Skiddo, which was now little more than a heap of bones and desiccated flesh. The Enforcer took a deep breath.
"I've got this."
OREBURGH MINES, 11:45
Roark hadn't told him that the damn thing could fly.
Granted, Roark probably knew just as much as he did, and the Enforcer had seen and noted the creature's wings. But when he had nudged its emotions (which were more or less the same as those of any other Pokemon) to feed its anger and irritation before slapping a trash can and yelling to get its attention, he had expected the thing to scuttle after him on its four pointy legs. Instead, it had flexed its arms like some wrestler, leaped into the air, and flew straight at him, wings fluttering madly to keep it airborne.
The Enforcer did not stay there to bemoan his fate, for he did not want to follow in the Skiddo's footsteps. He immediately turned tail and sprinted towards the mines.
A metallic, reverberating buzz from behind him told him that the creature was following, as did his affinity, which could sense the thing's overpowering desire. He wished he could feel flattered, but the desire was probably to suck the meat off his bones.
Luckily, the mines were not far. He reached the entrance, where a lone Machoke was lying on its back, its eyes closed as it napped.
The poor Machoke hardly stood a chance. By the time it had even woken up and realized that it was in danger, the creature had swooped down on it and impaled it through the neck. The Enforcer didn't stick around to watch its grisly fate, throwing open the gates and stepping inside. He hesitated, though, aware that he would have to be present in some capacity to lure the creature towards him.
It was only about fifteen seconds before the cries of the Machoke faded, and only a few more until the creature raised its head and shook blood off its proboscis. It hissed as a transparent but reddish fluid dripped from its arm where the dying Machoke had gotten off a Dual Chop, but it seemed to be otherwise unharmed as it turned back towards the Enforcer, leaping towards him.
The Enforcer had been reading the creature's emotions, though, and had gotten an idea of when he would be attacked. He jumped out of the way of the attack, avoiding getting speared by the needle and instead getting hit by the creature's muscled arm.
The Enforcer landed on his stomach, quickly rolling back to his feet. His whole side throbbed where the creature had rammed him, and he had a feeling that would leave a nasty bruise.
Good.
Zygarde spoke up, breaking their silence. They formed as a tall biped with a tail and four wings at the entrance of the mine, fencing the beast in. This form was larger than any other that the Enforcer had seen, towering at over four times his own height. Green and black dust-like particles streamed off of their body, and they seemed to radiate power.
The leader should join us now.
Roark, as if on cue, burst into the mines, his hands on his Pokeballs. His eyes went to Zygarde, and his eyebrows rose.
"Um, hi." He blinked. "My friend says that… um, you shouldn't be here, Zygarde."
When Zygarde spoke again, Roark could hear them as well. We are sure that cave-dwelling dog used coarser language. Tell him that he could benefit from stretching his stubby legs every once in a while, instead of lazing about and ordering his henchmen around like the fat old Honchkrow he is.
Roark blinked, taken entirely aback. The Enforcer felt an intense satisfaction at seeing that expression on someone else's face for once.
Zygarde did not wait for Roark to regain his wits. They raised a hand, and purple energy began to build at their white fingers.
Leader, we could use the assistance of your partners, said Zygarde softly. We are powerful, but we are only an incarnation. A representative of a greater whole.
The Dragon Pulse blasted away from Zygarde's hand, the beam roaring through the air and striking the creature straight in the chest. It flinched back, but the attack was not nearly enough to bring it down.
Three flashes of white light heralded Roark's own Pokemon joining the fray. An Aerodactyl, a Rampardos, and a Golem roared in unison at the intruder.
To its credit, the beast did not flinch in the face of its numerous adversaries. It lunged forward to bring its closed fist down on the Golem's head, but the Golem sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the Hammer Arm that left thin cracks on the mine's floor. In return, the Golem opened its mouth and unleashed a Flamethrower, the fiery onslaught scorching the beast's side.
The beast buzzed angrily, but what could have been a slightly even match quickly turned into a beatdown. Roark's three rock-types assailed the creature with attack after attack as their trainer shouted commands and encouragement. The Enforcer, from the sidelines, riled up the beast's anger with his affinity, encouraging it to go for more reckless attacks as the battle's tides turned against it.
And Zygarde stood at their spot at the entry of the mine, launching Dragon Pulse after Dragon Pulse, striking the beast repeatedly. When the creature lunged at them with a final, desperate Hammer Arm, they simply dissolved into a cloud of tiny cells, only to reform directly behind the beast and wrap their arms around it, lifting it off the ground and squeezing.
The creature thrashed and screeched, but Zygarde's Bind was inescapable, and soon enough, the beast went limp in their grasp.
Zygarde dropped the motionless creature, which made a thud as it struck the ground.
It is not dead. Zygarde stared down at their foe. And we lack the ability to send it back to its home. Those who can do so are otherwise occupied, we think. Their head turned to Roark.
Your team may deal the killing blow, leader. You are a skilled battler and a talented person. Always remember that you deserve better than your lot.
Roark shook his head, a serious expression on his face. "Thank you, but I am happy with my… friend, and my position."
We are sorry to hear that, but it is your decision. Zygarde nodded decisively, a surprisingly human gesture from the legendary. Enforcer, we will speak again soon.
Zygarde dissolved into cells, the black and green specks drifting out of the mine.
Roark huffed. "Well then. Crusher?"
Roark's Golem stepped forward, and opened its mouth once again. A torrent of flame singed the beast's small head, not stopping for thirty solid seconds until the Golem's mouth snapped back shut. The smell of fried flesh filled the mine.
Roark met the Enforcer's eyes, and his face crinkled into what must have been a grin, under the mask. "What do you say to helping me dispose of this lug? Or should we call the authorities on it? Can't do everything ourselves."
The Enforcer shook his head, thinking of the League's response to his call. "I don't think that would be very helpful. The League was… less than willing to believe me when I first called them about this."
Roark's eyebrows furrowed, but then realization crossed his face, followed by hard anger. "Is that so. I think I have an idea, then. Let's teach the League to take their jobs seriously, eh?"
The Enforcer frowned. "Aren't you part of the League yourself?"
"Gym leader Roark is part of the League. I'm the Claymore of Justice. I do what I want." He grinned again. "Surely you understand, Enforcer."
The Enforcer grinned back. "I'm definitely starting to."
NOTES
The Enforcer is back! Recognize that first line? heh
lmfao Barry walloping Roark. Look, Barry is really good at battles. Possibly better than Claus and Dawn, at the moment.
I use "they," "them," "us," and "we" for Zygarde, because that's what they ARE, kind of. They're a group of cells, functioning together.
Oh, hi, Buzzwole.
And here's a little more insight on the effects of the prank calls/false broadcasts/misinformation/glitch/whatever. I'll not talk too much about that, and let you draw your own conclusions. :)
Roark's "benefactor" is Terrakion, in case you didn't get it from the "stubby legs" and "claymore of justice"
We are powerful, but we are only an incarnation. A representative of a greater whole.
que
Those who can do so are otherwise occupied, we think.
que
I love the conclusion, lmao. "GYM LEADER ROARK is League, you're speaking to Terrakion's agent of fuckery, so yeah there you GO"- Roark
I loved writing this chapter. It's easily my favorite part that I've written so far. I hope you readers agree!