Provocation

If it were possible for this man to capture her attention any more than he had, Katy would be genuinely amazed. A fire Deviant—and a good one at that—with an experienced Pokémon team and a morale that convicted him, a maintenance man at an important federal manufacturing agency, to take action against something that was not right (and not to mention rather good looking). What that action was? Katy would not be finding out today. William had proceeded to entirely ignore her attempts to go around his brick wall. That was all right though. He still hadn't made her leave. So, there was still time to learn his story. She was certain there was a hero in him somewhere.

She followed him when he started walking of course. When she asked where they were going, he said back to the police station to see what had come from the investigation. It was obvious he wanted to stick close to this case. And this was by far the most exciting thing that had ever happened in her life. She wasn't about to let it go.

On their way to the urban part of Bourbonville, the bushes ahead rustled and William stopped when a Stantler with a relatively small rack stepped out into their path. It snorted at William and spread its hooves apart.

"Shoo," he said, waving his hand a little.

The Stantler snorted again and pawed at the ground under it.

William lit his fist ablaze and waved some embers at it to scare it off. But the Pokémon was not backing down. It lowered its head as if it were ready to charge. "Okay, asshole," William dug in his bag and cracked open a Poké Ball. His fluffy Eevee gave a happy trill and circled around his ankles, loving on the legs of his pants. He pointed at the Stantler. "Run it off, Eevee."

Eevee looked up at him then proceeded to continue his face-love.

"Eevee—" William crouched down to the fluff and pointed at the Stantler at his Pokémon's eye level. "Run it off. Scare it away. Okay? Quick Attack."

Eevee gave a questioning squeak and looked to the deer. He stared at its antlers, watching the brown spheres in their centers.

"No, no, don't look at its things—"

"Brroo?" Eevee kept staring and began to blink, wobbling a little.

"No, no, no, no—"

The fluff fell over on his side, eyes rolling around in his head like he'd spun around too fast. "Rooo?"

"Oh my God."

The Stantler snorted again and this time it charged.

"Look out!" Katy clutched Ralts to her chest and hurried out of the way.

William stepped in front of his Eevee and planted his weight. The deer straightened its spine, ready to throw him out of the way but the man caught its antlers. "Rrgh!" The force pushed his heels through the dirt, but William held his ground. "Fuck OFF!" He twisted the antlers in his strong grip and threw the deer sideways, making it stagger and stumble to maintain its balance. He stomped at it, throwing up a flash of fire from the ground. But this didn't seem to deter it. Stantler was now apparently too pissed off by being thrown by its antlers to be frightened away now. It pawed at the dirt again and tossed its head. William lit both fists on fire. "Motherfucker, I will end you—"

A flash of light made everyone blink. The Stantler promptly stopped moving and blinked. It shook its head about and staggered. It snorted in frustration and tried to walk but its joints collapsed, and it just fell on its folded legs. It shook its head again as if it were having similar problems to what Eevee was having. William turned around.

Ralts let go of her hat and laid her little hands back against Katy's arm that held her close. "Wah."

Katy looked down at the tiny thing. "Did you do that?"

A small grin spread across her face.

William huffed. "Good job. See, Eevee?" He looked down at his Pokémon, "Ralts took out a Stantler. You could have done that if you hadn't stared at its things." He nudged the fluff with his shoe.

"Rroof?" Eevee tried to stand but just fell over again.

"Aw, don't be mean to him," Katy set down the Ralts to pick up William's Pokémon gently. "He didn't know not to stare at Stantler's antlers. Did you, buddy?" She scratched the top of his head.

Still dizzy and eyes still rolling around, the Eevee attempted to lean into the direction of her fingers.

"Well, he knows now. You're gonna battle the next wild one, Eevee. You've got to get some actual experience." William stepped around the Stantler that was still lying on its folded legs. He stopped when there was a tug on his pants. He looked down to find the Ralts at his ankle, reaching her little white arms up at him. "All right." The man leaned down and carefully picked up the Pokémon and set her on his shoulder. The Ralts looked as happy as she had ever looked since rescuing her. Katy followed with a giggle, still petting Eevee in her arms.

At the police station, William and Katy were practically ignored. They sat and waited for twenty minutes before an officer came out to ask them to repeat everything they told the one behind the desk—then left again and they waited about another twenty minutes. Katy expected they would want to bring them into an office, sit and talk with them, maybe ask them a few more questions depending on what they found with their investigation. But when the next officer came out, the interaction was about the last thing Katy anticipated.

"We've declared it suicide; there's no investigation anymore," said the policewoman.

William blinked. "How do you know?"

"Because of the glass in the bathtub with the body."

He blinked again. "This guy worked for Advancement Inc. Did you check for prints? Did you ask his co-workers questions?"

"There's no need; everything points to suicide." The officer shook her head.

"No, it does not." William stood up and Katy became a little concerned. She didn't think it particularly wise to show a loss of patience with law enforcement. "If he were going to slit his own throat, why would he break his window to do it? Why not get a knife?"

"If he was murdered, why didn't the killer use a knife," the woman combatted.

"To make it LOOK like suicide!" William raised his voice. "Did you check this guy's mental health records? Was there a history of depression? Trouble at work? Family issues? Was he scared of something or someone?"

"Depression often goes undetected up to the point of suicide, Mr. Milord. Thank you for your concern, but the case is closed. Good day." She turned and walked away down the hall again.

William turned back to Katy, exasperated. "What the fuck?"

She shrugged. "I guess they want to be done with it."

"They didn't even question his co-workers or his family," he said irritably. "They can't call it case closed if they didn't even cover all their bases."

Katy glanced at the Herdier that eyed them suspiciously. "William, keep your voice down." She stood up, still hugging Eevee. "Let's just go."

"No, they need to do their FUCKING JOBS," he shouted at passersby officers.

"William!" Katy gripped the man's arm and pulled him to the door. She ushered him outside to the stoop of the station. The Ralts on his shoulder had begun to frown and slap his shoulder in anger with little growls that were less than intimidating. "Can you not provoke the police, please? I don't want to go to jail."

"I'll tell you what the fuck is going on, they are IN on it. They're IN on it," he rambled. Ralts huffed and puffed on his shoulder. "They're in Advancement's pocket and they're brushing this under the rug because whatever the fuck Taron knew THEY know, too, and they're keeping it under wraps!"

"Sshhh!" Katy hissed. "Please! This is not the place to be making such accusations." She gripped his arm again and guided him down the steps of the stoop.

"Oh this shit is getting shut down. I'll take it straight to the damn state," he went on. He didn't stop until they were nearly off the stoop—and a Pokémon swept up in their path, a fiery Infernape, baring its fangs in greeting.

Katy gasped and grinned at it. "Hi, there! Look at you!"

"YOUUU!" sang a voice from across the street. A tall, blonde young man crossed the road at a jog with a large Arcanine by his side, then stood between the two fire types and laughed a big, fake-evil laugh.

"Oh my God," William groaned, "Not now."

"Oh yes, now," said the guy. He threw up his fists in a sparring pose and his Infernape mimicked his stance, both of them bouncing on their feet. "Let's go, pal. Eye contact. You godda fight."

"That's not how it works," William said lazily.

"Well, I ain't lettin' you off this stoop until you do, sucka. Let's GO. You scared? Think big bad Ripley can't take me and my fellas anymore?" He rocked and pretended to brush his shoulders off, as did his Infernape.

"You are legitimately the most annoying human being I've ever met."

"Then shut me up, yo." He and his monkey gave a taunting gesture of beckoning. "Let's go." The Arcanine barked and stuck its butt up in the air playfully.

Katy looked to William.

He sighed. The man dug in his pocket and tossed out his Charizard's Poké Ball. Ripley fabricated from her light in the street and locked eyes with the Arcanine and the Infernape.

"OOAH! AH AH AH!" The monkey's flames on its head flared to life as he pounded on his chest in challenge.

And Ripley simply snorted a puff of smoke before the two Pokémon charged at her.