A/N - We return to the main story today! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks so much for all reads, reviews, faves and follows!
Writing has slowed down the past few weeks. I've had tendonitis in my hands (apparently not carpal tunnel!) so I've needed to rest. I've been gradually getting a lot better, so hopefully this wont impact my progress to avoid any further hiatuses. I managed to write a healthy amount two days ago, so I'm easing myself back into things. It makes me appreciate the hefty buffer I have to keep content coming!
For Mainframe Saga fans, this has given me time to read over the story again to refresh myself for when I return to it after Rekindled =D I'm still working my way through it, astonished at how much I've forgotten XD But I am once again tumbling down the Sonic rabbit hole!
42 - A Murder of Murkrow
Enigma watched Faith's small frame vanish beyond the gates of Stonehaven. She closed it behind her, but he didn't hear the lock. He'd manged to bust it when he'd picked it earlier. His current mind-set was making him clumsy.
He bit his lip and turned his gaze to the square, but he was barely seeing it. His mind was swirling. Why had he told her so much? What was it about that mawile that had made him spill his darkest thoughts like that? A heavy dark cloud had fallen over him, thicker and more oppressive than usual. Memories cascaded through his mind like a filthy waterfall.
The heartless expression on Hydreigon's face as he murdered Enigma's parents.
The anger that swelled inside him as he clutched his mate's warm, lifeless body.
The screech of terror of the first pokemon who's life he'd taken.
The first time he'd felt a victim's frantic pulse against his paw.
Hot blood and fur surrounding him as he found himself trapped in the body of that lycanroc.
The final memory made him stumble away from the tree as he stared at the imaginary image unfolding before him. Lou's dead body covered in blood yet sporting no visible wounds. Killing had become so easy. He didn't even feel anything anymore. So why did that haunt him so much? Was it because it had been an accident?
It was as if something had shredded him in two and he'd been watching that mis-step outside his own body, shouting accusations at himself. Yet he'd so casually killed Rio and felt nothing.
Just like a monster…
With a yell, he spun around and rammed his fist into the trunk of the tree. Rough bark skinned his knuckles but it didn't stop him launching another strike, then another. Before long he stood panting, letting his sore paws hang at his sides. Blood and fur streaked the trunk of the tree, the dull throb in his paws bringing him back to reality.
That Faith… he'd felt nothing when he'd told her to kill him. And she'd declined. Any other pokemon would have just done it. Get rid of the monster that stalked their streets, taking lives as if they were nothing. She should have just done it. Next time he might not offer such an easy win.
He raised a paw to his chest and brushed his claws over his sore knuckles. The sting made him hiss and he clutched it to his scarf. Well at least he still felt something.
He slumped sideways against the tree and turned to look back at the village square. Pokemon were still milling about, but he couldn't see Harlequin anymore. Was what Faith said really true? Had Harlequin changed sides, fighting alongside the Outcasts? And why would the Outcasts even accept such a pokemon? Harlequin had taken their own fair share of lives. Perhaps not as many as Enigma. Harlequin stuck to their job, taking down their targets. Enigma took out anyone in his way.
'You want to change. I can hear it in your voice.'
"Get out of my head, Faith," Enigma hissed. He rolled his head against the tree.
'You regret everything you've done. And you can change. It's possible.'
Was it?
Enigma opened his eyes, finding himself still staring down at the square.
Was it really possible? If so, it wouldn't be easy. Old habits were hard to break.
And who would even want him?
He closed his eyes again and cradled his sore paws. Faith had told him Xerneas would forgive him. That name… he couldn't remember much about what he'd read back as a hatchling. He barely even remembered what he'd done with that book. After what had happened to his mate he'd never touched it again.
He pushed himself back from the tree, giving one last glance at the square. Blue flashes showed Harlequin's location under the table. Hiding. Had the zorua really switched sides? Or were they still a prisoner to that meowstic and her friends? Part of him wanted to find out. The other… if Harlequin really had changed, if they really were leading a better life, then he had no place in it.
He turned from the village to climb further up the mountain, each step pushing him further and further into a smog of loneliness. It smothered him until he could barely breathe, filling his chest until he begun to sink to his knees, gasping. Harsh, screeching caws cut through his mind and Enigma snapped back to reality. He took a few deep breaths as he focused on the noise, confusion replacing that bitter fog.
Murkrow?
The cries were relentless. Enigma stiffened and looked to the sky, died pink as the sun stretched its dozy rays over the clouds. As he turned his head to follow the war cries screaming from behind him his heart lurched. A huge black cloud of flapping wings spread across the dawn sky. Murkrow. A lot of them. And they had their sights set on Stonehaven.
...
Cleo's paws struggled to keep up with the jaunty music. Mischief swung her around under his arm and pulled her back into himself, twirling as far into the dancing pokemon as they could. Cleo caught a glimpse of her friends around the table, meeting Harlequin's blue eyes. The zorua still hadn't left their hiding place, observing Cleo and Mischief with a look of bewilderment. It was only a fleeting glimpse as Mischief swung her away and the view became blocked by a bewear and her ursaring companion.
The music sped up and Mischief took both Cleo's paws and skipped her back and forth with what she felt was significantly more grace than she possessed. He raised one paw and swung her away from him then back under it, catching her against his chest. He gazed at her for a moment as he held her there, turning her gently back towards the table. The warmth of his body melted through her fur, and she tore her eyes away from his to stare over his shoulder into the crowd.
"I don't think I've ever seen you smile like this," he said.
Cleo tried to hide her flushing face. "Hey, I can be happy."
"I know, but you seem more relaxed." He shrugged and twirled her again, keeping pace with the tempo. "Just something I noticed."
Relaxed? She glanced away from him, clenching her paw into his furry shoulder. Maybe she had been more relaxed. It was nice to spend time with her friends, not worrying about an attack from the Darkness. The last time she'd felt that way, they'd been in the Fairy Garden. But this wasn't the Fairy Garden. Should she really be letting her guard down?
The thought didn't have much time to stick as the song came to an end and Mischief brought their dance to a close with an elaborate flourish. Cleo found herself tossed to the end of his arm, and he held her like that for a moment before tugging her back towards him. The whimsicott beamed at her, but he was out of breath, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly as he turned his eyes back towards the table.
"I think I could use a rest," he said. "Shall we get something to eat?"
Cleo caught her own breath and nodded. "That sounds like a great idea."
As they slipped through the crowd to rejoin their friends, Cleo spotted Faith chatting to Harlequin. She'd lost sight of the mawile earlier, but Faith gave her a beaming smile as Cleo joined them. Harlequin had emerged from their hiding spot, and their nose crinkled with distaste at Cleo and Mischief. Spark was scampering back and forth on the tabletop with Scout as he swung a berry stem like a sword.
"Welcome back!" the dedenne called over her shoulder before diving behind a glass of oran juice.
"Oh Cleo!" Faith clapped her paws and chuckled. "That was too adorable!"
Cleo paused with her paw stretched towards a plate while Mischief poured her a drink. "What was?"
"You two!" Faith flashed Mischief a grin as he passed her. "You looked like you were having fun."
"Oh we were!" Mischief exclaimed as he helped himself to the remaining cheri muffins.
"So when's the wedding?" Spark asked, wincing as Scout caught her ear with his makeshift sword.
"Wedding?" Cleo's muzzle twisted in a frown. "It was just a dance!"
Faith covered her mouth and chuckled, and Harlequin gave a derisive snort.
"I'll never understand this nonsense," the zorua mumbled.
"Really?" Faith inclined her head on one side. "Have you never been in love?"
Cleo almost choked on her drink and Mischief patted her back a few times.
"Nope," said Harlequin, oblivious to Cleo as they reached for a strip of dried fish. "Don't want to be either."
Faith made a thoughtful noise but didn't press the topic.
Scout dashed across the table, drawing all their eyes. Electricity streamed after him, flashing across the plates and soaring over Harlequin's head. It struck Faith in the muzzle and she leapt back with a yelp, raising a paw to her face. Scout screeched to a halt and rounded on Harlequin. The zorua's sapphire eyes widened as the hatchling jabbed at their nose with the berry stem.
"Hey!" Scout barked. "What do you think you're doing? You should be protecting that pretty mawile!" The sentret looked up at Faith and puffed out his chest. "Don't worry, Ma'am, your knight is here!"
Another flurry of static lit up the table and struck the little sentret, making his fur fluff out.
Spark skidded to a halt beside him and rubbed behind one ear. "Oops!"
Scout dropped the berry stem and looked down at himself, his eyes wide with amazement.
Harlequin snorted laughter and had to dig their claws into the tablecloth to stop themselves from falling over. "You look like a colbur berry!"
The rest of the pokemon burst out laughing, and Cleo had to wipe her eyes with a paw. The little sentret did look ridiculous! Scout joined in their laughter, falling flat onto his stomach.
"Oh boy!" said Spark between giggles. "I'm sorry about that, Scout!"
"Goodness, what happened?" Sandpaw trotted over to them and traced her eyes over her son. "Oh, Scout! You do get into some mischief, don't you?" She smoothed out the static with a gentle paw and chuckled.
"Not in front of my friends!" Scout swatted his mother's paw away and frowned. "A hero needs dignity!"
Sandpaw raised a claw and opened her mouth to scold him, but her words were cut off as a deep wailing siren blared through the air. The dancing was brought to a stop, and Cleo stiffened as she turned to see what had caused the alarm. The sentries from the streets filed into the square, shouting commands that were drowned out by the siren and frantic voices. Their pleas for order were ignored as pokemon fled from the square.
Then Cleo saw it. A mass of flapping ebony wings descending on the square. Red eyes flashed in the dim light and talons glinted as they stretched out to rake at their targets. Among them, Cleo spotted a scrawny honchkrow. The large bird swooped over the square, shouting commands at her troops before slicing her claws through the canopy of the music stage.
The square descended into chaos as pokemon shoved their way through the crowd in a bid for freedom. Cleo grunted as she was pushed against the table, and she ducked as a murkrow swooped close to her head. Electricity flashed above her and the murkrow fell to the ground to be trampled under frantic feet.
Cleo shouted a cry for order that fell on deaf ears, then turned her attention to the birds. Ordinarily she'd join the masses, trying to control them as she lead them to safety. But she wasn't useless against murkrow anymore. She uncurled her ears and let out a loud yell, sending a flash of pink towards an oncoming assault. The murkrows' eyes widened as they were blown back before dropping into the chaos. More swiftly took their place, raking at Cleo before she had the chance to launch a second attack.
A flash of light beside her signalled Faith had taken on her mega form. One of the mawile's horns swung over Cleo's head and Faith commanded her to duck as she brought the other one around. Cleo dropped to all-fours, and stunned murkrow flopped to the ground around her.
Cleo's heart pounded as she tried to keep up with what was going on. Everything happened so quickly yet it seemed to go in slow motion. A flash of electricity lit up the square, and she caught a glimpse of Tinker as he gestured with his paws to guide a mass of frightened, wounded pokemon towards the streets. Murkrow soon filled her vision, static dancing over their oily wings as they fell, stiff, to the ground to be crushed under the feet of a bewear.
Cleo stood back up and joined Faith, launching another disarming voice at the thinning flock around them. The honchkrow swerved overhead, giving a hoarse cry to her flock. The sky was black with flapping wings, and a fraction of them shot down towards the square.
"There's too many of them!" Cleo gasped.
"Keep fighting!" Faith swung her horns, clipping the wings of the closest bird. It twirled away from her, catching its comrades with its sharp talons.
Cleo uncurled her ears again, and the eyes of the murkrow flashed. They swarmed towards her, beating at her face with their wings, turning her cry into a yelp. Something struck her in the back of the head and pain stunned her ears, causing her to lurch forwards. Spots danced across her vision and she raised her paws in a feeble attempt to stop the flock's raking claws and tearing beaks as they slashed at her arms and ears. Black, flapping wings overwhelmed her and she screamed, lowering herself to the ground. Electricity coursed through her body, stiffening her muscles, and an alarmed caw echoed through the flock. The murkrow around her dropped like lead as they took the full force of the attack, static dancing over their spasming wings.
Spark landed on Cleo's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Cleo's voice came out husky and she rubbed at her stiff limbs. "Thanks for the help."
Spark left her shoulder to rush into the crowd, her attacks lighting up the square, causing the shadows to strobe in a disorienting fashion.
Cleo pushed herself to her feet. Her muscles jerked uncomfortably as the electricity left her body, and she rubbed idly at her raw shoulder. There was no time for rest. She crept through the square, launching her attacks to take down the murkrow. Those that got too close met her claws as she tore her way through to find a better spot to fight. There were so many. Too many for the Guild to deal with alone. A tug at her wrist told her she'd reached the end of Harlequin's leash. She looked back to keep a track of her friends, noting Faith as she snatched birds out of the air with her horns. Spark's electricity signalled her location like a beacon as the tiny dedenne dashed around the square, stunning murkrow with her discharge. Harlequin was still beneath the table watching the events unfold with wide, sapphire eyes. Cleo tutted. Why had she expected any different. She tore her gaze away to keep searching for Mischief, but there was no sign of his sparkling pink lights. Where was he?
Worry gripped Cleo and she turned to scour the crowd for him, searching through the mass of scrabbling bodies and flapping wings. She met his orange eyes peering out from beneath the table several feet away from Harlequin. The whimsicott's entire body trembled as he cowered behind the edge of the tablecloth. He was hiding?! They needed him! Cleo bit her lip and tore her eyes away, feeling rage boil up inside her. She turned back towards him, opening her mouth to yell at him to help. But it was cut off as an explosion of sparks filled the air. The honchkrow dropped like a cannonball towards the table, a tiny orange body in her beak. The massive corvid somersaulted, tossing Spark's tiny body to the ground.
"Spark!" Cleo screamed.
She dashed towards her, but two soldiers barred her way as they were pushed back by the murkrow flock. Cleo twisted towards the vicious birds and yelled at the top of her lungs. Pink light blasted back the murkrow, stunning those closest. She flashed a back-handed scratch as the birds tried to get closer to her, swatting one of them out of the air with a startled caw. She glanced back towards the table. Scout stood over Spark's fallen body, waving his paws at three murkrow as they lashed out at him with wings and claws.
Cleo's heart lurched. What was he doing? Where was Sandpaw?
The tiny sentret shouted something, but Cleo couldn't hear it over the din of beating wings and war cries. One of the murkrow clipped Scout's ears with its claws and he ducked, raising his arms to defend himself. The bird went in for a second attack, but it was knocked backwards as a streak of black and blue tackled it from the air.
Harlequin stood over the sentret, baring their canines at the murkrow. Their jaws snapped at those unfortunate enough to get too close, and the zorua pressed themselves to the ground, sheltering Scout and Spark beneath their belly.
The two remaining murkrow rose back into the air, their eyes flashing with malice. They stretched their talons with the intention to maim and swooped towards Harlequin. A shadow ball struck one of them in the stomach, causing a startled caw from its companion. The remaining bird watched its friend flop to the ground before Harlequin, but it soon joined it as another shadow ball exploded off its beak.
Cleo raised her head to see where the attacks had come from, but more birds broke away from the swarm above them and replaced the fallen in the square. She staggered back from beating wings and fired a blind disarming voice into the flock. Her back met warm fur and she jerked her head back to catch a glance from Meredith. The delphox aimed a flaming branch towards the murkrow, sending out a stream of fire. Birds dropped around him, filling the air with the stench of burning feathers and flesh.
"We must keep pushing them back," he told her. "Don't lose heart, Cleo, we have the upper paw."
"Do we?" Cleo gasped, turning her attention back to the battle.
"Yes."
Cleo found it hard to believe. Until she realised the murkrow hadn't been mobbing her as she'd searched for her friend. A few feet away, the bewear and ursaring were tearing the birds out of the air and lobbing them into the walls. The exploud and his band members blasted the birds with deafening bursts of sound. Mulch sheltered hatchlings behind him as he sprayed acid into the air, while a blissey and stantler stood on either side of him, protecting the children from splashes with light screen.
Cleo couldn't get over how many pokemon were still standing in the square, fighting. The murkrow flock was a lot smaller. The cobbles were littered with black, feathery bodies which were crushed underfoot as Meredith's allies pushed back. Cleo found her second wind, and joined the delphox with her disarming voice.
The honchkrow swerved overhead, her red eyes scanning over the battle. She jerked her head left and right, a calculating look in her eyes. Then she let out a sharp commanding caw.
The flock broke away from their battle, rising into the air. Cleo set off another disarming voice, clipping the retreating murkrow and knocking one of them from the air. She wasn't the only one to get in another attack. Several of the murkrow broke into a panic, rising higher than their leader. The honchkrow didn't seem to mind. She gave one last look at the square below, no fear in her eyes. It was almost a look of success that made Cleo's blood run cold.
With another caw, the honchkrow lead her flock away from Stonehaven into the mountains.
Meredith stood beside Cleo, panting for breath. Cleo couldn't take her eyes off the retreating flock. Her fists were clenched tight at her sides as fury welled up inside her. What had they wanted? Was Hydreigon still looking for them? And why fall back? That honchkrow hadn't appeared to have been thinking she'd lost.
Cleo barely saw Faith arrive beside her. The mawile crept carefully over the murkrow bodies, frowning sadly at them.
"It was only a matter of time," said Meredith. "It won't be long before the rest of the Darkness knows about us now."
Cleo's heart skipped a beat and she looked up at the delphox. That was it, wasn't it? The flock were going to break the news of a village hiding in the valley. The meowstic's heart broke at the thought and she screwed her eyes shut.
Ahead of her, the blissey had broken away from the children to assist a wigglituff, checking over the fallen Stonehaven pokemon. Faith nodded towards them and placed a paw on Cleo's shoulder.
"I'm going to help them," Faith explained. "You check on Spark."
Spark! Cleo jerked her head towards the table. Harlequin had already stood up and was nosing at the dedenne, their blue eyes frantic. Scout crouched beside Spark, shaking her shoulder with a paw. Cleo jogged over towards her fallen friend, her heart galloping. The tiny dedenne stirred, raising a paw to push Scout away. But Cleo didn't slow her pace. She let out a sigh of relief and skidded to a halt beside Spark.
"You're okay," she gasped.
"Of course I am," Spark croaked, rubbing at her back. "Pass me a berry, would ya?"
"Scout!" Sandpaw's cry made them all look up, and she stampeded towards them. She only stopped when she'd scooped up her child. "Scout! Oh my goodness, you're okay!"
"I'm fine, Mum!" Scout pulled his face back from the furret's smothering kisses. "Harlequin saved me! He wouldn't let them hurt me!"
Sandpaw turned to stare at the zorua. Harlequin stood with their head lowered, avoiding the furret's gaze. Red welts showed beneath their black pelt, and their fur was matted with blood around their ears and neck. Sandpaw's expression softened and she took a step towards Harlequin.
"You did?" Sandpaw's voice choked and she dropped to her knees to pull the zorua into a crushing hug. "Thank you so much!"
Harlequin stiffened, the fur along their spine bristling. Their blue eyes widened with surprise, oblivious to Scout struggling against their ruff.
The sentret spat black fur from his mouth and his nose crinkled with disgust. "You taste like dust!"
Sandpaw broke into sobs, burying her face into Harlequin's neck. The zorua shifted with unease and pushed the furret back with a blue paw.
"It's fine," Harlequin muttered. "I wasn't gonna let them hurt a kid."
Sandpaw released the zorua and wiped a paw across her eyes. "I can't thank you enough. He's all I have left."
"You protected Spark, too," said Cleo slowly, drawing a surprised look from the dedenne. "Thank you."
"Wait, what?" Spark looked between Cleo and the bewildered zorua. "She did?"
Harlequin shuffled their paws and stood up, muttering, "I'm going to look for some berries."
Cleo felt a heavy paw on her shoulder and she looked up into Meredith's warm face. "I'm glad your friend is okay. We're collecting the wounded. If you need any help, please see one of our nurses."
"Spark needs someone." Cleo reached down to scoop up her fallen companion. "I'll take her."
"Don't bother." Spark waved her off and stretched, wincing. "We should help too. There are pokemon way worse off than us. We can get looked at after."
Cleo looked out at the battlefield. Spark was right, there were pokemon much more in need. Tinker stood barking orders to the Guild as they gathered up the fallen onto stretchers. There was no sign of the wigglituff, but the blissey was aiding the soldiers with her heal pulse on the worse victims.
Harlequin returned to drop a few oran berries beside Spark then plodded around Cleo's feet and flipped one of the murkrow over with a blue paw. The zorua let out a grunt and muttered, "Hydreigon must be getting desperate."
Cleo raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to question Harlequin, but Meredith caught her eye.
"I should get back out there," he said. "Are you sure you're happy to assist me? You both look quite beaten up."
Spark had already tucked into an oran berry and mumbled a reply around a mouth of pulp.
"We're fine," said Cleo, pushing herself to her feet. "Just a few scratches. Where can we start?"
"Can I help?" Mischief's quiet voice made Cleo look up, and her fur bristled.
The whimsicott stood beside Meredith, looking out at the battlefield. He was still trembling, and his face was wet with tears.
"Of course you can," said Meredith. "Assist the soldiers with their stretchers if you can. Or you can help with clearing up the murkrow?" He gave Mischief a nod and moved out to join Tinker.
Cleo couldn't take her eyes off Mischief. She clenched her jaw and balled her fists. "Where were you earlier?"
Mischief jerked his head towards her. "I-"
"Hiding!" Cleo spat. "You were hiding! When we needed you!"
"I'm sorry! I told you, I don't want to-"
"I don't want to hear it." Cleo's voice came out as a growl. "That's not how the Guild works. We help, not hide, no matter what the cost." She choked on the final words and glanced down at Spark.
The dedenne was still rubbing her back. Two tiny black seeds dropped at her feet and she looked up at Harlequin.
"Eat them," the zorua told her. "For the pain."
Spark's muzzle creased and she shook her head. "What are they?"
"Poppy seeds." Harlequin turned their back and continued examining the fallen murkrow.
Mischief gazed down at Spark as she nudged one of the seeds, and he rubbed his arm. "I want to help. Please?"
"Fine," Cleo spat. "Help the soldiers clean up the bodies. Just stay out of my way."
She turned her back on the whimsicott and marched across the square towards Tinker and Meredith. Harlequin yelped as they had no choice but to follow the seething meowstic. It was going to be a long night. Cleo just deeply hoped the honchkrow didn't show up for Round Two.
...
Enigma moved unseen through the streets, slipping into the dark empty alleyways. The soldiers and sentries had flocked to the square to assist in the battle and collect the injured. Enigma didn't know what had driven him to help those Outcasts. When he'd seen those murkrow swoop towards Harlequin, he'd just… acted. One shadow ball after another, each one hitting its target. Every murkrow he'd struck had dropped as if it had been struck by lightning. Enigma had only stopped when he'd heard a movement behind him, blending into the shadows so the frantic soldier didn't see him.
Enigma stared down at his paws, still seeing the murkrow dropping in his mind. Yurlik's troops weren't usually that easy to deal with. Was that the pokerus taking effect, or were those murkrow just feeble little weaklings? He hadn't recognised the honchkrow. A female… Yurlik would never employ them. Were they even with the Darkness?
Enigma shook his head and leapt through the gate like mist. He paused to look back at the square and flexed his claws. So he'd helped them. He'd helped the Outcasts. He gave a single, unfeeling laugh and turned his back on Stonehaven. Perhaps the mawile was right. Perhaps he could use his powers to help others.
Striking unseen from the shadows, slaying the Darkness.
Slaying… He clenched his jaws and muttered under his breath. Was taking lives really all he was good for?
He shook his head again as if trying to dispel a dark cloud, and turned to climb the path through the trees. A cold drop of water bounced off his muzzle and he looked up at the dark sky. Not a star in sight. Another drop struck his face, then his mane. Ignoring it, he pressed on up the slope, leaving Stonehaven behind.
...
Review Replies:
Williamlap - I'm so glad you enjoyed Hero. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I do enjoy Enigma and Harlequin's dynamic and it was fun to explore its origins. I plan to write a story for Harlequin too in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks for reading everyone! Please R&R! =D