StevenZX12 : 2020 Update: Hey guys! I hope that you all enjoyed the last chapter! The revamping of the story is well under way. I started my officer job yesterday :D I have to say that stepping back into a military base felt good, right and very nostalgic. Like a missing piece in my life had been added back. Anyhow, that is enough rambling. A special thanks to Mystic47 for still willing to keep contact with me and read this story through 2 borderline 3 year hiatuses. You really rock and I value your friendship. On to the chapter now!
Last time on Legend of Quetzar:
Andre and Snow had a rather intense moment the night before, which got to makes us wonder actually what does the two of them feels for each other. Sven has kept to himself, mostly going toward Jade City Gym. And yet another person has made his entrance. Ricardo the Cowboy has challenged Snow to a battle, and initially taking an early lead, the Desperado's Somberado has completely turned the battle around, putting Snow in an utter disadvantage. Who will win this confrontation after all? The beautiful White haired teen or the Macho Cowboy?
Chapter 10: Somberado, A Cowboy's best friend. A maiden's worst nightmare
The ghostly sombrero wielding pokemon had Andre locked in place with his finger barrel posed on his forehead. Ricardo darkly chuckled, tipping his hat off so only a shadow could be seen over his eyes, as if the sheer vicious nature of his best pokemon was too much for him to see.
'Meet my partner, Cortés Somberado!' He introduced, letting go of his hat.
The ghost pokemon looked like sort some of cross between a notmal specter and a gringo from Mexico in the real world. The poncho atop of its head and the poncho really gave off that impression. The pokemon was levitating and possessed a black, ethereal body. A low, eerie chuckle was heard when the pokemon lifted his finger gun off Andre's head and slowly returned to Ricardo's side without as much of a sound.
Frankly, Andre was completely frightened. To have a gun pointed at your head was bad enough, but to actually have a creepy ghost pokemon do it was something straight out a nightmare. The poor lentimas native quivered violently, his bravado gone without a trace. He quietely retreated to the sidelines, humbled and terrified. His Pokemon came to his side to help him calm down.
Snow for her part was as frightened as her best friend was. She had never seen that pokemon, but she could somehow feel how strong and vicious that otherworldly pokemon was. Wanting to know more about him, she pulled out her pokedex and scanned the outlaw pokemon floting before her.
Somberado, the Dark/Ghost outlaw pokemon. Legend has it that Somberado was born of souls that got lost in the vast emptiness of the desert. Now it is forced to wander the badlands endlessly. Most specimen of these species will often wander within the urban areas in search for food. They are among the kind of pokemon that are the most difficult to train, due to their sassiness and violent nature.
This description didn't have much to reassure the white haired teen, who could already see the bond between Somberado and Ricardo, despite being a roguish pokemon that was hard to control. This made Snow even more worried was that the pokemon before her had fainted two of her pokemon without breaking a single sweat. That cheap Shot attack was terrible, and seemed to strike her pokemon only on their vulnerable point.
''What was that attack you used to knock out my Pokemon?'' She asked, warily eyeing the Ghost/Dark type while her Vulpix came into position.
The cowboy teen smile before running his hands in his hair disdainfully. 'I'll tell you if you win, but I promise I won't use it anymore, the match would be far too easy if I just used that attack over and over.'' He finished before looking at Snow again. However, this time, a look of appreciation was on his face, the kind of which made Andre twitch.
Snow however didn't appreciate the look she was given. It honestly made her think she was but a piece of meat or something ''What?'' She questioned.
Ricardo didn't miss a beat: ''I wouldn't be that rough with a fragile, beautiful doll such as yourself!''
''What the heck!'' Andre angrily shouted, not believing his ears. How could this guy flirt and insult the same person in the span of a few minutes? The desperado should make up his mind before he really steps in and moves him away from Snow ASAP.. The nerve of the guy!
Aguade looked at his trainer with interest, sparing a chuckld despite the direness of the situation. "" Hehehe...Seems that someone is getting jealous over there." The salt lizard snickered, witnessing the reaction of his black haired trainer.
"Well I heard these two even kissed last night, well that's Foliat hypothesis as of why she was so happy this morning!" The pepper bunny pokemon commented, smiling a little to himself.
"Whatever, it seems that Andre dosen't appreciate." snickered the little water pokemon.
Indeed, Andre wasn't pleased, to say the least. The boy felt oddly challenged, he didn't like the way he was talking to her. Especially calling a beautiful doll. Not only that sounded like a very cheesy pick up line, he even called her fragile, something that even as lovely and delicate as she looked, he would never call her, not wanting to incur her wrath.
Making up his mind, the raven haired teen opened his mouth to make it clear to the stuck up teen what he though about the way he treated his Snow. He paused...now realizing what he was thinking.
''My snow?'' he thought. "Since when have I thought of her as being mine? She's a great…beautiful friend, but not only now isn't time for such thoughts, my mother always told to think of anyone as my property, especially women. What the fuck am I thinking here, Snow needs me alert, not acting like some clingy puppy! Focus, you useless tangela!" Andre chastised himself in a matter of seconds. Now focused, he looked at the battle...and his jaw dropped.
Snow's panic had changed into something more...sinister. Whatever indecision and meek she had exuded was now gone. The lovely silver eyes that reflected all the gentleness in the world were now cold as ice, yet as blazing as a burning inferno. Snow Nightshade was pissed off. Pissed at this, stranger for insulting her then flirting with her as if her feelings did not matter, that she was just some object to be admired and nothing more. She was pissed at herself for thinking that the battle was over after she had dispatched the Octillery and embarassing herself in front of a boy she increasingly liked and felt should never see her mess up and finally, mad at said boy for trying to intervene despite her forbidding him to. A faint Silvery aura formed around her, and her hair started to quiver eerily, as if they were carried by some phantom wind. her silver eyes grew darker and the silver aura around her made her white and blue clothes shine even more. The expression on her face showed that she wasn't going to mess around with him. It was a face of competitive anger and indignation. She was mesmerizing…but she looked terrifying, so much that Andre, his pokemon and even Somberado shuffled back from such magnetic anger. The Silver hue transferred to her Vulpix, who soon after, started to glow Orange, raising the temperature around them up several degrees. She slowly lift a finger and pointed it to the sky. As they all looked up, they realized that the sun had turned really harsh. The ghost pokemon seemed to be affected by the intense sunlight that lit up the entire area and floated a little back. Snow looked so pissed off that she could have been mistaken for some oriental battle deity. She first turned to Andre, looking at him straight in the eyes. Andre gulped...If he thought that an angry Snow could be fearful , a pissed off Snow might be scarier than his own family. Snow very quickly conveyed her feelings to the raven-haired.
"Andre, dear, If you try to interfere one more...well you understand, don't you?" She asked the teenager with such a sweetly sweet tone that it turned his insides completely into putty. Andre was completely entranced by the whole spectacle, his legs suddenly felt as if they were made of cement. It was fascinating, yet completely unnatural. The authority he felt behind those words made his entire body go stiff... "Seriously...Who was this girl anyway...?"Andre wondered as Snow, satisfied by her effectiveness at ordering Andre around, turned slowly toward Ricardo.
The small figure watching the proceedings from afar also looked pissed, to add some extra oomph to her displeasure, she synchronized with the white haired teen from afar. Just a smidgeon, but it still produced impressive results.
:'What have you DARED to call me?'' She asked, her voice, while still feminine, was some tone deeper...and trembling with rage. Curiously, the unnatural wind around the teen picked up, taking a faint, but distinct reddish tint. Snow's vulpix also briefly saw the same tint around her, empowering her like ever before.
Ricardo Gulped , trying not to be mesmerized by the sheer beauty she exuded and ignoring the strange desire to kneel down before her, and replied , gaining his confidence back: " I said that you are a beautiful, fragile..."
The desperado did not get to finish his Sentence.
*Smack*
The shiny Vulpix, angered because the cocky boy had the gall of repeating what he had said like the clueless idiot he was, quick attacked past Somberado to whack the Cowboy hat wearing teen in the face with her six tails.
"You would dare open your mug in front of us? Watch your mouth in her presence, lest we kick your butt real good so you can learn your place Peasant." Growled Vulpix, returning to Snow's side.
🎵 - Legend of Zelda: Levias battle theme - 🎵
Ricardo had already fought his fair share of trainers over the years...but none of them commanded such an intimidation factor like this white haired maiden. He had to defeat her before he turned into that other guy..."Let's get this battle Over with! Somberado, let's start by using Bullet Seed!" Ricardo commanded as he had enough of this feeling of reverence that she commanded.
Snow took no time in countering that move. "Vulpix, dodge it gracefully, like when we practiced with Andre."
As the seed came rapidly toward the fire fox pokemon, she jumped and spun around the spread bullet technique with such grace and perfection it was as if she could see the attack in slow motion. The red furred pokemon then landed on her paws and crouched down, in preparation of the next command.
"Good job Vixen! Now, let's turn the terrain to our advantage, run around the field and use ember!" She shouted, trusting her hand forward
Ricardo was quick to counter, not wanting to be outplayed by that shining beauty. "Cortés, stay on your guard for whatever she's doing and fire Bullet Seed!"
As the poltergeist took a more defensive position, shootimg volleys of speeding seed projectiles at the fire fox Pokemon, said Vixen started to shoot ember at seemingly random spots, but the heat and steam that soon rose from all the touched spot started to elevate as form column of fire. It was an unbelievable strong effect for an ember attack...
Ricardo was rather puzzled, but he guessed that it wouldn't be too much of an issue. ''Cortés, Approach with Shadow Sneak, then use bullet Punch!' The red haired teen commanded, studying the battlefield to figure out Snow's strategy. Looking up, he saw Snow smiling at him. The kind of smile that meant that he just had made a terrible mistake.
The ghost pokemon tried to merge with his shadow so he could swiftly approach Vixen, but from the moment the Outlaw pokemon plunged in the shadows, he wailed in pain and quickly levitated away from the field, sears marks covering his "clothing"
''So this why Snow smiled. She must have known that heating the ground like that would prevent somberado to be able to slither away for safety. How clever. That's my girl!' Andre thought, not taking his eyes once off this battle.
Snow's aura became even fiercer as a twisted grin appeared on her face. Frankly it was quite strange to wonder if that grin made he look lovelier or more frightening. Snow herself felt great, powerful even…and she could feel it…Her Vulpix was empowered like never before. Something, somewhere must have granted her grace. For the second time during this battle, she felt like she could do anything, beat anyone, and have her way with anybody. It was as if a phantom voice was telling her to grasp what she desired and go for it! Right now, she really wanted to show Andre her progress and wanted to pound Ricardo to the ground. Slapping her knees, the fierce tempered teen let out a loud growl and showed that foxy smile of hers, something that didn't escape the gaze of the now blushing Andre. Even Ricardo allowed some crimson to dust his cheeks. The battle had to continue however and continue it did, with Snow now taking the iniciative."Vixen, shoot various embers toward the sky then use quick attack!''
"Coming right up princess!" Vulpix howled before launching a flurry of ember attacks at the sky then launching herself at Somberado. The order was odd, but to Vulpox, there was no fear to have, no hesitation whatsoever. Snow was in command now, and she would act!
Ricardo was taken by surprise by that move, an ember falling from the sky wouldn't really do anything to Somberado's defenses, and quick attack would normally do no damage at all.
''I do not know what you are thinking, but that move will fail. Cortés, the ground is too hot for Shadow sneak. Bullet Punch toward the sky, shoot those embers down!" The cowboy enthousiast paraded, not even seeing the trap that he just walked in. "Hehehehehe...shooting stuff..." Somberado eerilly chattered in his language, slightly unnerving Vixen who shot right through Somberado in her quick attack.
Snow showed a carnivorous smile." I've got to thank you for that Cowboy!'' She showboated
''Why?''
''Just watch out for the light!" The girl smugly announced while pointing the sky.
Indeed, a chain explosion was initiated when the two moves came in contact with each other. The problem with Firing the move with his barrel like fingers, was that a small amount of grease was created in order to fire. In other words, should the bullets come in contact with anything flammable...or with fire itself, an explosion would occur… And that is exactly what happened. An explosion was created and blinded the two opponents with their pokemon with the glittering smoke that was created. "Ai Caramba, que furioso..." Murmured the dark/ghost type as he was rocked backwards by the explosion and landed on his back. The perfect chance for a finish!
Snow did not miss it either "Now Vulpix! Let's show them our trump card, Extrasensory!" The unovian teen shouted, making the reddish aura around her to brighten. The light grew even more intense and so did the drought, who seemed to dry out any ounce of water present in the surrounding grass. The Vulpix then let out a fierce howl that seemed to chill the bones of many bystanders, who had stopped their training to watch the battle unfolding in front of their eyes. Once charged up, The Vulpix launched a multicolor reality distording laser at Somberado, who wailed in pain before the attack created an explosion. For several seconds, it was utter silence. Everybody present was stunned into silence. Whatever unnatural power Snow seemingly had been bestowed with vanished without a trace, the drought fading completely as the white haired teenager dropped to one knee, absolutely exhausted.
The small framed creature smiled, the battle seemingly having ended. It would teach that stupid native not to mess with girls. Satisfied with what she acconplished, the figure vanished from her spot. She would keep an eye for this pretty girl for sure.
Ricardo was completely stunned for a good 30 second, His Somberado had never been defeated in battle before. And now he had lost to a Vulpix out of all things... He felt so ashamed...that he didnt have the words to return his sombrero wearing Pokemon...yet, something in his mind, or was it the strong, phantomatic bond one created with their starter Pokemon, told him to still his tongue.
Snow was exhausted. She didn't know if it was the heat of the battle or the fact that she had been hyper focused for so long, but she was positively drained. Her Vulpix too, as she strutted regally, but slowly in the direction of Snow Nightshade; "We sure showed him! Right Snow?" The six tailed fox cheered, a tired smile on her face.
How quickly this lovely smile turned into a rictus of terror?...how tragic... is a funny thing. It is so finnicky, so unpredictable...and so adept at breaking one's delusion of victory...
"To whom did you show anything, you cabrón fox?" An eerie voice disdainfully whispered, terrorizing everyone present aside of Ricardo, who honestly looked very relieved.
🎵 - Dragon Ball Super - The final deathmatch -🎵
Like an immortal Zombie, Somberado rose from the shadows. His Sombrero was damaged, his poncho seared and burnt, but the look on his face was very expressive for a ghost. He was pissed. To hell with the restriction on cheap shot. He wanted to skin that fox alive and send her trainer to the afterlife as fast as possible. When he fully materialized, he let out a bloodcurling cry that made the wind pick up around him. The ghost/dark turned to Ricardo. He pointed at the Vulpix, then at his gun barrel fingers. Ricardo got the message. Throwing his head back, he let out a crazy laugh in which all his cruelty, all his tension, all his bloodlust seemed to be present!
"You really thought you could defeat me with those pretty light shows. But in the end, wild doe... The only thing ya can do is sully my Cortés's clothes. Now look at the damn ghost! He's angry. You will pay for this! Somberado, Unlucky Luke combo!" Ricardo commanded as Somberado wordlessly sunk into the shadows.
Snow was stunned, her cheeks burning in shame for having been caught overconfident for the second time in the same battle. She was panicking, as whatever the Unlucky Luke Combo meant, it was not going to be pretty! "Don't let him catch you Vixen, quick attack around the field!" She commanded as the tired fox executed. However, some some reason, she was moving much more slowly, as if what was supposed to be a quick attack suddenly had the word 'quick' sucked out of it. Ricardo smiled. If that was the case, his Somberado finally had gotten serious!
"Now Somberado!" The desperado shouted, trusting his hand upwards. Snow's and everyone present looked up momentarily, but there was nothing there. It only lasted a moment, but when everyone looked back onto the field, it was easily a dozen Somberados, all completely darkened by ghost energy that were staring down a vulpix who just lacked the energy to keep up her speeding antics...All of these ghosts chuckled eerily before one by one, they pointed their gun barrel like fingers at Snow's canine pokemon.
Snow eyes widened. He wouldn't actually do what she tought he'd do.
Ricardo lowered his hat so his eyes were hidden and turned away. "Teotia, luegos nos, perdone...Que su teyolitia duerme in paz." He muttered reverently. He then lifted his right hand up dramatically, and let it fall to his side.
"Cemanahualt Yahpalli..." Completed Somberado as his shadows started to circle Snow's Vulpix at high speeds. Vulpix was trapped. What came next, was one of the most brutal scene that Pokemon center had ever seen.
An absolute torrent of dark powered bullets assaulted the poor fire type, rounds and rounds of critical cheap shots attack that left the fox with no chance. The cries of pain of the fire type pierced the sky to the point where it physically hurt to hear them. Snow almost blacked out on the spot, her bond with the fire fox Pokemon making her much more atune with her canine companion. The problem was that Somberado wasn't stopping.
Andre, visibly shocked by the whole ordeal, very quickly decided that this was going way too far. "Snow, for the love of Arceus! Recall your Vulpix! He's going to ...to... Ahh fuck this!" He warned then stopped when he saw that Snow was unresponsive. He moved to the line of fire to rescue a still wailing Vulpix when one of the shadows turned to him and fired a cheap shot right in front of him, the critical bullet exploding in front of his feet, sending him forcefully against a tree... He hurt his back, but his adrenaline made him vaguely unaware of the pain for the time being. As he stood up, he was immediately stopped by a humongus bull!
Ricardo looked at him meanly. "Do you not know the sacred rules of battle you dumb idiota? You aren't allowed to interfere. Stand down, bucko, or me El Rojo will send you away rodeo style!" He shouted while he watched a now badly wounded Fox being mercilessly gunned down Somberado's shadowy dance of death.
Snow was in a world of hurt. She had felt so superior, so right in her early dismantling of Ricardo. She had felt so in control...now, by her own design, she had probably allowed her starter pokemon to be eliminated from the running forever...she only had one desire, get inside that circle of death and take the place of her starter. Sadly, her body was more focused on self-preservation, those bullets firing at high speed locking her feets into place. This contributed also to make her feel even more miserable. Unlike Andre, she didn't even possess the courage to put her life on the line for her Pokemon.
"Stop...please stop...i lost...it's enough! STOP HURTING HER ALREADY!" Snow shouted, tears streaming down her face. This sight broke everybody's heart, excluding Ricardo's who simply lifted up his hand indicating that it was time to wrap this up.
Somberado sent a downward shot toward the vixen, who was lifted in the air, then the ghost type pokemon punched the fox pokemon hard toward Snow, who jumped to catch her...and got dragged to the floor by the force...
Amazingly enough, the Vulpix was actually not even knocked out. She weakly looked up at her trainers soft arms and smiled. "At last, peace..." weakly. Everything hurt...her tail, her snout, her paws, her ribs...the Somberado had litterally rained death on her. But at the end, was happy to be in Snow's arms for what she truly believed was her final moments.
"Please, tell me you are okay Vixen…Open your eyes, tell me you are alright…" Snow pleaded, gently stroking her fur, her poor heart one strand away from breaking
"I am…don't...worry.. It's...not your fault...We tried our best...we'll get him...and his entire un..couth race...next...ti.." The little fox pokemon weakly whispered before her eyes rolled over and her body grew limp and no more sound was made.
"Vixen? Vixen..come on girl stay with me...VIXEN ...! VIX..not like this.." Snow pleaded.. nothing could be done. Vulpix was gone.
Snow, at this very moment, broke down in sobs. She cried and wailed hugging her piercing cry crushed the heart of everybody present, for they just had witnessed the very rare death of a pokemon. Ricardo didn't seem phased at all. And what he said before leaving stayed on her mind.
"Pathetic. And you claimed to have me all figured out earlier? Laughable. This is reality, wild doe. Being cute won't bring results. Petty light shows won't be enough for true battle hardened trainers. I am not that old and not that experienced, but i know what needs to be done to win. This wasn't even my final form. I suggest you come back from where you came from, you don't have..." He said before Andre cutted him off.
"Shut up and leave. The next time you come before me I will slit your throat." Andre said so darkly his own pokemon did not reconize him. Ricardo must have felt it too because he after that, not adding any other words as Andre ran to her friend
Andre got up and walked to the crying teenager, hugging her. Snow didn't even seem to notice, as she fainted in his arms. Andre knew that inside of her, somehow, she was utterly damaged and he could feel the heavy mental damage that it had caused her somehow..
The teenager ran toward the pokemon center at blinding speed, dodging various person while lifting his traveling companion in his arms. Upon reaching the center, panting, he called for help.
"Oh my Lord! What have happened to these two…' Nurse Joy gasped upon seeing the sorry state both Snow and Vixen were…
"Some douchebag hurt them badly, but that ain't important right now the Vulpix isn't breathing please treat them, I don't wanna lose any of them…" Andre implored...just now realizing that he was crying as well.
Touched,, the caring nurse immediately called blissey aides and they rushed both Snow and Vulpix to the Pokemon and Human ER room respectively. '' Do not worry, we'll take good care of the both of them. Have faith! Now please wait in the Lobby while we treat them.'' The nurse soothingly said before running with her assistant to the treatment room.
Seeing that he could no longer do anything for his dear friend, the black haired teen lowered his head and went back in the Lobby.
Sven returned shortly afterward, his hands full of bags and supplies, as well as some little gifts for Snow regarding her upcoming contest. The older teen immediately spotted the glum faced Andre, and instinctively knew that something horribly wrong was going on.
'What's going on in there?'' He asked the apathetic teen, sitting next to him.
'' Snow and Vulpix got beated by a d*ckhead named Ricardo. Next time I see this B*stard, he's dead. I don't care if I go to San Scrafty's federal afterward!' Andre angrily explained, growling in distress.
Snow was taken aback. That definitely did not sound like normal Andre at all.' Whoa! Calm down now. You may rip his head off later, but right now, Snow is going to need you. Focus on her first, and then get his rear off." Sven tipped, patting Andre's head like a big brother.
''I feel like I didn't do shit to stop it…I could have showed her better things…shower her m.." Andre trailed, berating himself over Snow's condition and her lack of decisivemess.
Sven had enough already "Andre..."
'Yeah?' The raven haired boy replied, barely lifting his face toward Sven.
"Lemme see how you grit those teets" The older teen replied
'Wh…What?'
Some loud "SMACK! SMACK-SMACK.." were heard. Even people at the other side of the center winced at how loud they were.
Andre held his smarting cheeks in pain… 'What were these for!' The teen groaned…
Sven crossed his arms. 'You were being a whinard and I felt like I needed to wake you up some slaps."
The teen thought carefully then added ; "What happened to Snow isn't your fault and you even ran to try to stop the combo. RIght now you got to stop uselessly beating yourself over and help Snow recover from her shock you idiot! You can't prepare for every situations and play the hero all the time. Wanting to protect is admirable, but nothing good will happem if you get yourself killed. By tje way, i see you wince, i know you are hurt. You acting tough looks cool but might be your undoing if you continue. Now stay put and i'll search for an ice pack for your back." Sven resolutely said before standing up to get the first aid kit.
* 2 hours later... *
Andre had patched up by Sven, his back bandaged as it was still hurting from the impact. The nurse came to greet them a little later. Both Sven and Andre felt their time stop. Both Aguade, who had came out out of worry and had been nevously clutched by Andre ever since and Gilla, who had stayed on Sven shoulder for the most part, also tensed up. They could practically taste the fear they exuded. The nurse put their fear to rest very quickly.
''The two girls are safe but have suffered a lot of stress The Vulpix was treated to the best of our ability. She will need rest, but she'll recover. For all the injuries she received, no vital area was targeted. She only passed out the way she did because her body needed to shut down to start repairing the damage. Perhaps your name is Andre? Snow wants to see you. Do not stay talking to her too long. She needs to rest a lot." Nurse joy gently encouraged Andre, who said a timid thanks with a small smile before rushing to his friend's bed.
Andre felt his heart break when he entered in his friend's room. She was looking outside as the moonlight seemed to once again bask her in a dim, etheral glow. However, this time, instead of enchancing her beauty...it just seemed to highlight how devastated her face looked. When Andre sat next to her, Snow gently leaned on him and uttered words that froze the lentimas native to the core.
"Andre...i want to go back home and quit being a trainer"
To be continued
StevenZ12: Well, this story definitely turned several shades darker...but I believe that it'll be fine.
Andre to choose his words very carefully to keep Snow close...and reignitimg her passion. You'll see alla dat in the next chapter. Once again, big shoutout to Mystic47 for beimg awesome. Dont be afraid to review :D
Stay safe people!