AN: After several years and quite a bit of anxiety, this story is seeing the light of day. This is the first story I started writing after a long hiatus from fanfiction, predating anything else I've posted here. As such, it is not meant to be continuous with the same universe set up in both The Long Road and the Short Story Collection, though the characterization is consistent with my general head canon for these characters.

Note: There are some scenes of violence, though none are graphic enough to warrant more than the T rating. If there are any readers who may be concerned about this kind of content, I can provide a warning at the beginning of chapters. Please let me know if you would like these warnings, otherwise I will leave them out in the interest of maintaining the suspense of the story.

I hope you enjoy.

Deal with the Devil

[Chapter 1]

The ringing of the telephone interrupted the staring contest I was having with the stack of papers that had appeared on my desk that morning. I blinked, and with a silent promise that they may have won this battle, but not the war, I answered.

"Hello, Steven Stone speaking."

"Steven, my boy! How are you doing?" The booming voice on the other end of the line needed no introduction.

"Ah, Wattson, I'm doing well. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Wahaha that's good to hear! Everyone is too glum these days."

He wasn't wrong, per se. Things had been slow with the League lately, so the Elite Four had agreed to take a short recess for the week. I had taken the opportunity to catch up on some paperwork for the league, and also to help out my father with the research on the Devon submarine currently in development. With the recent discovery of the ancient forms of both Kyogre and Groudon, a research expedition had been funded to travel to the newly discovered seafloor cavern in an attempt to learn more about their primal power. With such an exciting opportunity, it had been all hands on deck at Devon since the grant had passed. My father was working overtime nearly every day, and I had offered to spend my free time to help with the expedition's preparations. Needless to say, in the last few weeks I hadn't spent much time socializing, and from the sounds of it, neither had anyone else.

"Anyway, I know you like to get right to the point, so here's why I called. Would you be able to stop by New Mauville and check out what's been causing these funky readings we've been getting?"

"Funky readings?"

"Come now, it's official scientific jargon! Wahahaha!"

I managed a chuckle. Wattson had never been an analytical mind. Perhaps that's why the man had such influence in Mauville; a Leader of the people, not some scientific shut-in.

"So something odd is happening in New Mauville, and you'd like me to check it out?"

"You've got it, my boy! I'd do it myself, but we've got festival preparations to celebrate the opening of the new Food Court. You can't have a battle café and have the Mauville Gym Leader not be in attendance! That and you've always been a whiz at computers. Troubleshooting is probably more your style than mine."

Not the most thrilling assignment, if I was honest, but as my eyes trailed across the mess I called my desk, I quickly reconsidered the desire to reject Wattson's request; my stellar win-loss record would be in jeopardy if I took any more defeats from the unflappable paperwork before me. I needed to get out of the League office, and what was the harm in helping out not just a Gym Leader, but a friend?

"It's not a problem, Wattson. I've been cooped up inside for far too long, I could use a chance to stretch my legs and look at something other than fine print. I can be there later today, if that's all right."

"Wahahaha that'd be perfect!"

"So what exactly should I be looking for when I arrive?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure," Wattson sounded genuinely puzzled. "We've had some odd power fluctuations from the main computer core. I figured you may have a better idea than me if you got your hands on the control panel down there. I'm all thumbs when it comes to that kinda stuff, wahaha! Nuts and bolts are more my style. Anyway, the main computer is at the back of the second level. I'll have a map of the place sent to your PokeNav. Well, I won't, but someone at the Gym is bound to know how to do it!"

"I can certainly take a look at the mainframe. Although, won't I need some sort of access credentials to log in?"

"Ah, it shouldn't be a problem, my boy. Your Devon credentials should get you in. They did purchase the rights to all of Mauville Holding's property way back when. I bet your dad would know where to find the password."

My father. As soon as he had gotten the go ahead, he had poured every waking hour into the Seafloor Expedition preparations. No challenge was too great for the Devon Corporation, although I knew the real reason he became so personally invested in the expedition was that, like me, the man couldn't resist the thrill of adventure. No human had ever been down to the depths of the Mossdeep-Sootopolis Trench. Being able to have a hand in exploring uncharted territories was a dream come true. If I didn't already know the truth, I swear the family motto could have been 'Leave no stone unturned'. Once my father had his mind made up, he was nothing short of thorough and exhaustive in his quest to achieve his goal. I guess that runs in the family too.

"I'll give my father a call when I'm on my way. Thank you, Wattson. Hopefully I can get to the bottom of your troubles before the festival. I'd certainly like to come by to see you battle at the new Food Court."

"Wahahaha, fantastic! I hope it's not too much trouble. Oh, one more thing…" His tone dropped, and I felt my eyes narrow. Wattson was never one to be so serious.

"I would make sure your pokemon are well rested, because if you show up at the Food Court, I may have to challenge you to a battle myself! Wahahaha!"

I sighed and laughed into the receiver. "Of course, I would be happy to oblige. Although I have to issue a warning of my own; my team has been eager for a good battle for some time now. Make sure to wrap up any preliminary matches as smoothly as you can."

"Wahaha, I'm getting all charged up just thinkin' about it! Thanks for helping an old man out. One of these days you'll have to teach me a thing or two about all these fancy computer systems!"

"It would be my pleasure. I'll see you at the festival. Goodbye, Wattson."

"Bye, Steven. And thanks again!"

I hung up the phone and smiled to myself. Mainframe terminal troubleshooting wasn't the most glamorous task, but at least it would get me out of Ever Grande for a while. As much as I loved reading and research, I needed to get away from this paperwork for a spell. And although it wasn't true field work, it would be nice to have my partners at my side for something other than official League duty.

The desk chair slid back with a small squeak as I strode across the room to the casework on the far side. I slid the glass panel open and gave a warm smile to the pokeballs resting inside.

"Are you ready to go on an adventure? It's not the most exciting one, I know, but it's better than being cooped up here, I promise."

The pokeballs rocked gently, giving me all the assurance I needed that my team was just as eager to escape Ever Grande as I was. I collected the pokeballs and attached them to my belt. It felt like overkill to bring all six, but it felt unfair to leave any behind, especially with Wattson's challenge at the Food Court afterward.

"Would any of you prefer to stay home for this one?"

When no quiver of movement came from the pokeballs at my hip, I had my answer.

"Okay then, let's go to New Mauville. Skarmory, if you please." I stepped out into the fresh Ever Grande City air, and tossed a pokeball. My trusty steel-winged pokemon appeared and greeted me with a sharp metallic cry followed by a softer trill as I patted its crest. "It's good to take a trip with you again, too."

Skarmory dipped its back toward me, and I mounted the bird with ease.

"Let's go."

With another cry, Skarmory spread its wings and we took off into the late morning sky.

We touched down on Route 110 around one in the afternoon. Fortunate timing, as my father was probably wrapping up his lunch-time meeting and would be available for a quick phone call about the New Mauville mainframe credentials.

I pulled out my PokeNav and rubbed Skarmory's neck absentmindedly as we rested under the shade of the bike path. The unimpeded sun overhead was a bit too intense for the both of us. A dark suit and a metal body didn't fare well in direct Hoenn sunshine. The call only rang twice before the familiar voice picked up.

"Son! What a pleasant surprise! How is everything going with the research and the League?"

"Hi, Dad. Things are a bit slow, with the League I mean. It's given me more time to work on the expedition research. Although that's not actually why I'm calling." I had to cut right to the chase, or else he'd happily spend the better part of an hour wanting to chit chat about every little thing. Not that I didn't want to talk with my father, I just didn't have the luxury of time right at the moment.

"No? Oh, then do tell. Have you found yourself a lovely young lady during the down time? You can always confide in your old man y'know!"

I groaned. It was definitely loud enough for him to have heard on the other end of the line. I didn't care.

"No, Dad. It's actually about New Mauville. Specifically the mainframe computer access codes."

"Oh." He didn't try to hide the disappointment in his tone. I ignored the comment and continued.

"Wattson mentioned that the company would have the codes to the central computer since they purchased all of Mauville Holding Company's property. Can you dig up those codes and send them to me? I'm doing a favor for Wattson and I need to be able to log in."

"Ah, codes for New Mauville, eh?" I could hear papers shuffling in the background. "Give me one second. I think I know where to find them." More shuffling, then the clack of keyboard keys. "What's Wattson got you doing down there anyway? Isn't New Mauville his pet project?"

"I'm not really sure, to be honest. He asked me to take a look at the mainframe to see if it's the cause of some strange energy fluctuations they've been getting. Computers really aren't his forte."

"Well, you be careful down there, Steven. You never know what could be behind some odd happenings in an abandoned underground city."

"I'll be careful, Dad, you know me." My PokeNav beeped twice, and I quickly glanced at the screen to confirm that the log in codes had safely arrived. There's no doubt, for all of my father's teasing, he never lost focus on the task at hand. Like father, like son.

"I got them, thanks, Dad. I don't anticipate too much hassle with this one though. I'll probably remain in Mauville proper when I'm finished. Wattson mentioned there's a festival going on to celebrate the new Food Court grand opening. An appearance by someone from the League could make it even more festive."

"That's the spirit! I'll keep an eye on the BuzzNav for word of your imminent victory." That got a genuine laugh from me. Despite everything, my father had always been my biggest fan.

"I'll make it quick so I can jump back into the expedition research."

"Nonsense! I'd say you've earned some time off, son. Relax and have fun at the festival. The research can wait until you get back."

"Thanks, Dad. I've got to go."

"Goodbye, Steven."

I was already on my feet as I hung up my PokeNav. As I turned to return Skarmory to his pokeball, a small signboard caught my eye. The red graffiti scrawled across it appeared to be claiming the shady area beneath the bike path as territory of some self-proclaimed group. 'Team Magma Rulez' indeed… Confident I hadn't infringed upon any unwritten neighborhood gang rules, I strode toward the yawning entry portal of New Mauville.

As I headed down the slope to the main gate, I noticed the underground city held a certain chill in the air. Not musty or earthy like the caves I was so fond of, but more crisp and clinical, with enough hints of dust to remind me that no one had lived down in these halls for a long time. Still, it wasn't as stale as I had been expecting. I parted the main gate with one code from my father's list, and made my way deeper into the city toward the staircase that led down to the second level. Wattson had been true to his word and had supplied a crude, yet helpful map of the path to the mainframe computer. Part of me wondered if he had managed the feat on his own.

The stairway to the second level was actually quite easy to find. It was located almost ceremonially at the dead center of the floor plate across from the portal from which I arrived. Although it appeared to be prominently featured, it lacked any decorative adornments, save for the slowly pulsing amber emergency lights that dotted the entire level.

I held back a twinge of disappointment at its simplicity. Perhaps I had become too accustomed to searching the ruins of ancient civilizations and their ornately crafted structures. Continuing its dissimilarity to the ruins I was secretly pining for, the city appeared to be in sound condition despite its abandonment. Yet, piled around the mouth of the stair heading down to the lower level was an impressive amount of construction equipment, including barriers that were placed deliberately to block the way.

"Cradily, I need your help." A flash of light revealed the fossil pokemon, who landed with a quiet thud to my immediate right. "Let's clear this debris out of the way and make sure the passage is in good structural condition. The last thing I need is to take a dive down some neglected underground stairs." Better safe than sorry.

Cradily crooned in agreement. Her tendrils reached out and lifted the barriers out of the way, placing them gently to the side. Once the heavy lifting was done, Cradily closed her eyes and her movements slowed. She began to scan the adjacent ground with her roots; the concrete and tile floor being receptive to her sensitive touch. Moments later, a nod of her head and quick series of chirrups told me she found no defects.

"Well done. Thank you, Cradily." She nuzzled my shoulder in reply, tendrils happily flicking back and forth, and I recalled her back to her pokeball. I set off again, down deeper into the abandoned city.

The second level of New Mauville was much more expansive than the first. I was surprised how far the central stair descended. When the stairwell opened out onto the second floor plate, the ceiling was so far above me that the supporting structure vanished into darkness. The sparse lighting in the cavernous space did little to dispel the gloom, so in order to properly navigate, I would need some assistance. I reached to my belt for a different pokeball, and tossed it into the dimly lit chamber. Claydol hung suspended in the air, slowly twirling on its axis as it surveyed our surroundings. A hollow hum emanated from its earthen body.

"It's not our usual spelunking trip, you're right. Would you mind being my eyes for the time being? I neglected to bring my light with me this time."

Another hum sounded and a curious blue aura materialized around its form. Claydol could use its psychic energy to reach out along our path and locate anything that was hiding in the shadows.

"Thank you, Claydol." I held up my PokeNav for it to see. "Here's the path we'll need to take, can you take the lead?" The muti-eyed pokemon studied the PokeNav for a moment, and then hovered off in the direction marked on the map. I fell in behind my pokemon as it forged a path through the darkness.

I could faintly see blue outlines forming around the objects in our path as Claydol continued its scan. I was beginning to notice a trend to the scenery as we passed by our fourth set of generator towers. Boxes of construction tools and supplies were piled on the floor. Power cables and battery cells littered the halls. Pokemon storage system terminals were in various stages of repair, as well as the same healing systems found in modern PokeCenters.

This city hadn't been conceived as a solution to simply house the expanding population of Hoenn's busiest cities. It seemed as if it was intended to function as a survival shelter should disaster ever strike, rendering one or multiple cities unfit for human habitation. The chilling realization sent the hair at the back of my neck on end. Despite its gloomy appearance, New Mauville was probably primed and ready for occupation at a moment's notice. No wonder Wattson had continued to keep an eye on it even after all this time. Claydol must have sensed my surprise and it turned to face me with a quizzical whistle.

"Ah, it's nothing important." I mustered an apologetic smile. "Let's keep going."

We continued on in silence for some time, taking several turns that carried us further from the central stairway. I was beginning to get antsy. We hadn't encountered any wild pokemon thus far, and the silence had become a bit unnerving. Although I was used to spending long periods of time alone underground, caves at least had a constant supply of sound to hold your attention. Trickling water, shifting soil, slight whispers of the air moving through cave passages. In New Mauville, all of those things were replaced with oppressive stillness, save for the sound of my own feet treading across the metal flooring. The trip to the mainframe probably wouldn't have taken this long with the proper amount of illumination.

"If only Wattson could have included the location of the light switches on his plan…" I grumbled to no one in particular.

Although perhaps someone heard me, because I was greeted with a rustle of activity off to my left. I turned to face the sudden sound, catching a glimpse of something in the dim light that looked to be red and white. My gaze narrowed as I peered into the darkness.

"Claydol, let's see what's in the shadows over there."

The desert doll pokemon bobbed in front of me and turned one of its many eyes toward the direction of the noise. A faint psychic glow surrounded two objects, perfectly spherical in nature. Claydol wasn't on edge with the discovery, and it resonated a faint call toward the pair. A crackling reply was heard, and I sighed.

"Just a pair of Voltorb. I hope we didn't startle them too badly."

Claydol turned back toward me and echoed a negative that the Voltorb were not upset with our intrusion.

"That's a relief."

It was then that I realized how close we actually were to the pair of pokemon. The passageways through which we were navigating had shrunk in scale dramatically since our arrival on the second level. I couldn't decide if having the walls so close made the darkness more or less oppressive than in the wide open space of the main entry. In any case, I made a mental note to stay aware of my proximity to any wild pokemon we may encounter. I certainly didn't want to stir up any nests and cause trouble for the local electric type population.

As we progressed further through the smaller hallways, I noticed a peculiar trend. It seemed that all of the pokemon we encountered seemed to be traveling in pairs. Two Voltob here, two Magnemite there. Exclusively electric types, and always with a partner. The type wasn't as surprising as the number. I would have to remember to ask Wattson about this behavior, and if it was unique to the electric types found in New Mauville, or if it was common amongst all electric pokemon regardless of habitat.

Finally, after what felt like hours of winding through more of the narrow corridors, Claydol's psychic scan outlined a doorway dead ahead of us.

"That's it. Behind that door should be the mainframe computer room." I consulted the map one last time before pocketing the device. "It looks to be a pretty large space, with the computer terminal at the center. Let's go." I toggled the door release, and as it slid open we stepped inside.

The scale of the mainframe room was almost as impressive as the first room we encountered on the second floor. Claydol's scan picked up on more generators and cables in a rough semi-circle leading up to the towering computer console at the middle of the room. It made sense; it would take an incredible amount of electricity to make sure the super computer in charge of all of the systems for an underground city ran smoothly and without interruption.

The door from which we entered was off to the side of the room, so I followed a curving line of electrical equipment in a path toward the mainframe's location. It was still too dark to see clearly, so I asked Claydol to continue to scan as I used the mainframe's faintly glowing screens as a beacon toward which we headed. Claydol hummed intermittently as its psychic energy picked up the presence of several more pairs of wild electric pokemon huddled behind the hulking mass of the generators.

Stepping over several bundles of cables as we neared the center of the space, Claydol turned its eyes up toward the mainframe tower. We were almost there, so I slipped my PokeNav out from my pocket and began to thumb through to my father's list of passcodes. I had stopped paying attention to where I was walking, and a sharp reverberation from Claydol broke my concentration from my device. But Claydol's alert was not to warn me of a tripping hazard. No sooner had my eyes shot up, the clunk of an electrical relay being thrown echoed across the space. Then the world went white.

The overhead lights of the chamber had been turned on at full power, and I was blinded. I threw both hands up to shield my eyes, but it was far too late. Having become accustomed to the dimly lit halls of the city for so long turned the normally comfortable illumination into a crippling amount of light. I stumbled backward from the shock, and Claydol's pained cries beside me told me my partner had suffered a similar ocular fate. I relinquished one hand to my belt to fumble for its pokeball, while the other remained firmly clamped over my face in an attempt to soothe my seared retinas.

"Claydol, return!"

As the panicked pokemon's cries were silenced by its retreat into the pokeball, other sounds began to rise to my attention. My eyes were currently useless, but not my ears. There were other beings here besides myself and the wild pokemon. Multiple other beings. My pulse began to pound, the adrenaline from the sudden blindness beginning to hit my system, and now increasing from the realization that I was not alone.

"Who's there?" I strained to open my eyes, but I still couldn't make anything out other than white, searing blurs. I tried to remember the direction I had come from, and took several cautious steps back.

I needed eyes on the room; I needed a member of my team who hadn't become accustomed to the darkness. I grabbed for another pokeball on my belt. My most trusted partner.

"Metagross, get ready!" With a metallic roar, I heard the four heavy legs of my starter slam into the metal deck. The familiar prickle of its psychic energy appeared at the back of my mind. Metagross and I were in sync, I could feel its energy and mood from the connection our minds shared. It wasn't a perfect means of communication; Metagross couldn't speak to me, but it could convey enough emotion to tell me what we were facing. And from the feel of it, it wasn't good.

The telltale sounds of pokemon being released from their pokeballs came from all sides. This was definitely not good. We were surrounded. I strained my eyes again to see if I could discern anything new. Not much better, but I could now make out some shadowy forms against the white backdrop. Metagross was the darkest thing in front of me, and beyond that I could make out some blurry black and red forms. Pokemon or human, I couldn't tell, but if pokeballs were involved, it meant there were trainers here, somewhere.

Were these trainers down here for a reason? Had I intruded on their territory, never mind they should be considered trespassers themselves. Or was this some sort of trap, intending to snare unsuspecting visitors who haphazardly ventured to the underground city? I briefly wondered if I could try reasoning with these trainers instead of having to escalate to a physical altercation. I then realized I probably already had escalated the situation by summoning Metagross to my side. It was still worth a shot, after all, I was blind as a Zubat. I held up my hands, palms out in a placating gesture.

"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I'm just here to do some maintenance on the central computer. I can come back another time if this isn't convenient."

"You're not going anywhere," said a voice to my left.

Well that settles that… But I wasn't giving up. One last attempt at diplomacy.

"Ah, I'd rather not have to battle my way out of here. If you could please just allow me to head back the way I came, I won't bother you again."

"What makes you think this is going to be a battle, huh?" This one was from behind me.

"You are trainers, correct?" Now it's a ploy to stall for time. Getting out of here would be much simpler if I could regain my vision. My hands fell back to my sides as I took on more of a casual stance. No need to raise their alarm any more than I already had. "Isn't that what two trainers do when they cross paths?"

"I dunno if you could really call us trainers." The first voice again.

"Hey! That's enough. Keep your mouth shut. We're not here to have a chat." This new voice was from my right.

I could feel Metagross's anxiousness at the back of my mind. These people weren't going to let us stall any longer. We had to take action, and quickly. I tested my eyes once more. Blurry forms were taking clearer shapes now. I could make out the trainers from their pokemon. They appeared to be wearing the same sort of red jumpsuit, and had us encircled, as far as I could tell. I managed to get a glimpse of the bank of generators we had passed on the way in. It was behind the authoritative voice from my right. That's where we'd be headed.

"I guess you leave me no choice… Metagross, bullet punch. To the right!" I flung my hand in the direction of the last voice.

I felt the rush of air fly past me as Metagross heeded my command with a metallic cry. I forced my eyes open as far as I could and saw that Metagross had broken through the circle of trainers with ease. I leaned into a sprint to follow through the opening it had created.

I was too slow.

As Metagross crashed through the line of opposing trainers, it slammed to a halt in a cluster of generators. Before I could react, I heard them crackle to life. An icy terror gripped my veins. Those generators were live, and fully charged to boot. If I had bothered to pay attention to the piles of cables strewn across the ground when I entered, I would have noticed they were all tethered to either a generator or an electric type pokemon. These people were using the wild pokemon to power up the abandoned generators. No wonder I had only seen them in pairs, they would act as AC current, charging the generators in alternating pulses of polarity. And now on my command, my most powerful partner had directed its attack straight through the line of them.

"Metagross!"

My pokemon only had enough time to meet my gaze before the generators exploded in a ball of flame and sparks. The psychic connection at the back of my mind vanished as the exit path to the door was engulfed in fire. My miscalculation had cost me my escape route, and my partner.

"Damn it!" My hand flew to my belt, grasping another pokeball. By now, my eyes had finally become accustomed to the overhead lights, and I could make out the details of my assailants. The estimation of a red jumpsuit was surprisingly close. A red over-shirt and pants covered what appeared to be an insulating red under layer. A red hood with small dark horns shrouded the head of each trainer, and across the chest was emblazoned a bold "M". A Mightyena snarled somewhere behind me, and I snapped back to attention. I felt the hair on my arms and neck stand on end.

"Game over, pretty boy."

I spun to face the owner of that voice, clicking the pokeball from my belt.

Before I had a chance to release it, a silver gleam flashed past my vision. And then another. And another, all falling from above.

With my arm drawn back mid-throw, I realized too late what I was seeing. Magnemite had been carefully hidden in the rafters above, and were now tumbling down all around me. No doubt they were bloated with electric charge from the generators. That explained why I had felt my hair rise. The air was ripe with static. And then it exploded in a burst of electricity.

The thunder wave hit with such force that it felt as if I had been lifted off my feet and thrown across the room. In reality, I was frozen where I stood, locked in the electricity's deadly embrace. Current coursed through my body, arresting neural signals before they could reach my frozen limbs. Every muscle screamed with pain, but nothing escaped my lips.

After what felt like minutes, the surge of electricity fizzled out, and as the charge dissipated I crumpled unceremoniously from its clutches into a heap on the cool metal deck. Through the tingling numbness I could hear the plodding of rubberized boots drawing near. No amount of mental pleading was going to force my limbs obey. They were dead weight, the paralysis anchoring me within the useless shell of my body.

The last thing I remembered was the faint sensation of a psychic twinge at the back of my skull. Even as a shadow loomed over me, that faint connection was hope enough to send my final plea.

'If you can hear me, run! Get to the surface, get help!'

A boot made solid contact with the side of my head, and stars burst across my vision. Unable to fight against the haziness that quickly took hold, my eyes drifted shut, and the world was engulfed in darkness once again.