Part III - Black Shuck
Jim ran. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Around him, the world was on fire. Tall ships sailed on the horizon, launching Pokémon attacks from a great distance to bombard the landscape. Towns and forests were ablaze and other humans and Pokémon ran in their own panic. Behind Jim a human-shaped spectral figure pursued him. The figure hobbled upon its one leg and cackled as it pursued Jim, Zoey, and Ralph. Zoey turned around to launch a ghostly purple ball of energy at the spectre, which simply laughed harder as it absorbed the attack. It then reached one of its arms out to grab Zoey who disappeared into the spectre with a soundless scream.
"Zoey!" Ralph cried.
Another figure emerged from behind the human spectre, a massive shadowy parrot-like Pokémon whose head resembled an eighth note. The new spectre charged up an attack of its own before unleashing glowing rings from its beak accompanied by a deafening shriek.
"A Hyper Voice! Take-!" Ralph began before being hit by the powerful attack and knocked to the ground.
The human spectre wasted no time in taking Ralph next; he did not even have time to try and scream.
Jim kept running as the figure cackled again. "Have you no inclinations to save your siblings, Jim!?" it cried.
Jim wanted to turn around, but his survivor's instinct made him keep running.
"I'll barter with you!" the spectre offered. "If you tell to me the whereabouts of the Captain, I'll see them released!"
Jim still kept running.
At least until something grabbed him by his shoulders.
He looked up to see the glowing red eyes of the shadowy parrot Pokémon that was carrying him in its talons, right back towards the spectral human. The human grinned as Jim was brought close to its face.
"Where's the Captain, Jim?" the human spectre asked, his voice deceptively calm. "Where is he?"
Jim was paralyzed by fear; he could not bring himself to speak even if he wanted to.
"Perhaps you're in need some more persuasion?" the human spectre asked with a wicked grin.
Then the spectre gestured to its shadowy companion. It flew a bit higher above the human and dropped Jim from its grip. Jim screamed as he plummeted into the human spectre's open mouth.
"And then I sat up straight in bed, breathing heavily and matted with a cold sweat," Jim concluded with a drowsy slur as he washed dirty dishes. Nightmares like the one he had just recounted had been keeping him from sleeping well for the last few days since the Captain's story.
"That does sound truly awful," Ralph said, himself looking for want of sleep.
"Did a nightmare plague you as that one did me?" Jim asked, slightly taken aback.
"Aye," Ralph replied succinctly. "Its terror seems lesser compared to your own, however. It was simply myself locked in a cell aboard some buccaneer's brigantine. Only the worst gruel and seawater was fed to me for every meal. I thought I would perish before I awakened."
Jim grimaced. Given Ralph's history when it came to sailing, that was probably the worst nightmare he could have.
"Has Zoey not been afflicted by these terrors as we have?" Ralph queried.
"If she has, she seems little inclined to tell us of them now," Jim replied as he looked out of the kitchen towards the dining area.
Amid the patrons dining upon their breakfast or simply having a drink, one extra table was covered with mostly burned out candles. A poster hung from the side of the table facing the guests. It read, "AlmOsT BuRNeD ouT cANDeles" with several other words scribbled out around it. Some words were still legible through the scribble attempts, such as "GlAss," "CuRDleD mIlK," and "emPTy BOTTles."
Zoey was still getting used to upper and lowercase lettering.
Even still, she had not sold any of her mostly burned out candles. However, the confident look she wore upon her face showed that she was unperturbed by her lack of sales. Ms. Zoroark also bore a smile on her face as she entered the kitchen with dirty dishes still looking back at her daughter.
"How she fills me with a mother's pride," she said wistfully.
"Pardon me, Ms. Zoroark," Ralph queried. "But she's not likely to sell much of her stock, should she sell any."
"Perhaps she shan't," Ms. Zoroark conceded. "But she is still attempting to make money for herself. Should success or failure meet with her, it means she learns the business trade. Why many of my early business investments were grand failures at first."
"How do you mean?" Jim asked as he took the dirty dishes from his caretaker to begin washing them.
Ms. Zoroark chuckled. "They're stories much too long to tell amidst the working hours, but I promise to tell you three someday. I think you'll find the mayonnaise and lemonade stand story especially amusing."
Jim and Ralph could only stare blankly at the implications.
"Cease with your staring and return to work," Ms. Zoroark ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," the boys replied.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon passed. It felt a lot more hectic than it really was. With Zoey running her candle stand, Jim, Ralph, and Ms. Zoroark had to fill the void left behind by the absent Zorua. It was difficult, but not impossible; there had been much busier days than this where they were down a worker. Once the previous evening's guests had eaten and departed it grew much quieter and the family sat down to have their own lunch.
The overall quietness of the late afternoon meant that it was very obvious when a new guest walked in.
Through the front door strode a black dog-like Pokémon with a thin black tail that ended in an arrowhead tip. It was a Houndoom; a Houndoom that was perhaps the seediest guest the inn had seen since the Captain. Much like the absent Blastoise, the Houndoom had many marks of battle upon it. Healed bruises dotted its whole body, while a few scars were clear on its face and torso. The most visible battle mark the Houndoom wore was it's broken left horn; only about an inch remained upon its head, the rest was gone. Ralph recoiled at the sight, Jim grimaced, and Zoey simply stared.
The Houndoom took notice of the stares it was receiving and chuckled. It was a decidedly unnerving sound that laced mirth with selfish glee.
The Houndoom asked something in its own masculine sounding Pokémon speech.
"Quite fine," Ms. Zoroark replied as she rose from her seat. "Can we be of some assistance to you, mister…?"
The Houndoom gave its reply, sounding decidedly smug yet not exactly demanding at the same time. Jim could not understand a word the new guest said so he turned to Ralph.
"What does he say?" he asked quietly.
"He says his name isn't of any import and that his only desire is some rum," Ralph translated, though he still eyed the inn's Dark and Fire Type guest with concern and suspicion.
The Houndoom took a seat at one of the tables while Ms. Zoroark got him his drink. When she placed the bowl of rum in front of him he drank with restraint and cleanliness that was bizarre to see after watching the Captain's drinking ways. He was otherwise quiet while he enjoyed his beverage.
Then Ms. Zoroark headed downstairs to the cellar. He looked up and once she was out of sight and earshot he turned his gaze to the kids; Jim and Ralph still at a table finishing their lunches, and Zoey at her stand for almost-burned-out candles.
The Houndoom said something in Pokémon speech; again, Jim could not understand, but Ralph's sudden shaking was not a good sign. Even Zoey seemed unnerved.
The Houndoom spoke again with a questioning tone, sounding much more insistent this time.
"What does he ask?" Jim asked.
"He asks one of us to go to him," Zoey answered. "He has a question."
"I can't understand his words," Jim muttered nervously.
Ralph would have added his thoughts if he could stop shaking long enough to speak.
The Houndoom's expression gradually changed as none of the kids moved. It shifted from deceptively friendly to impatience and from there to annoyance. He took in a breath, seemingly to calm himself, before looking to Zoey directly and speaking to her.
Zoey hesitated before silently nodding. She put on a brave face before approaching the guest. She jumped up onto the table so she was at eye level with the Dark Pokémon.
"What is your question?" she asked.
The Houndoom gave his reply.
"He searches for some Pokémon," Zoey translated. "This Pokémon is known as 'Billy Bones' by name."
Jim looked at Ralph with relief but also slight confusion; "Billy Bones" was the name of the pirate Flint's partner Pokémon from the Captain's story, was it not?
"No current guest here bears the name of 'Billy', never mind 'Billy Bones,'" Jim finally said. "Neither did any recent guests if memory serves."
"Only by its presence in stories do we even recognize the name at all," Ralph agreed.
The Houndoom went quiet for a minute, seemingly to ponder something. Once he seemed to come to a conclusion he said something again.
Zoey and Ralph took on grim looks at whatever the Houndoom had said.
"What does he say now?" Jim asked.
"He says Billy Bones may have called himself by another name, such as 'the Captain,'" Zoey started.
"And that he is a Blastoise with a spyglass adorned around his neck," Ralph continued.
Jim gained his own somewhat frightened look. The Captain's warnings about other sailors rang out in his head and he imagined the same was happening to Zoey and Ralph. This Houndoom did not seem like much of a sailor, rare was the Fire Type Pokémon who took up the profession, but his knowledge of the Captain's moniker, his species, and even what he wore every day gave Jim cause to fear this guest. His referring to "Billy Bones" as though the character still lived was equally troubling.
The Houndoom waited for the kids to say something. When they did not, he started talking again with Zoey translating as he spoke.
"'I knows I strike fear into your hearts, kiddies,'" Zoey began, adding in an accent and phonetics the Houndoom seemed to lack. "But I only seek to pay my matey Bill a visit. That is all. And I is quite certain he's been here. The smells of a Blastoise who spends too much time near the sea; they unmistakably coat this dining room."
The kids gulped. They could not really hide the scent of someone who had effectively become a permanent resident.
"'So where's he gone to?'" Zoey translated as the Houndoom concluded.
"He's not here," Jim blurted out before he could stop himself.
Zoey and Ralph looked to Jim in shock, while the Houndoom nodded calmly and appreciatively. The Houndoom spoke once more as he got up from his seat, leaving behind his unfinished rum, and parked himself next to the door that led outside. He placed himself in such a manner that when the door opened inward, it would hide him from whoever was entering.
"Am I correct in guessing he shall simply await the Captain's return?" Jim asked.
"Aye, he shall," Zoey confirmed. "He'll wait there, out of our way until then."
Eventually, Ms. Zoroark finally emerged from the kitchen after her trip to the cellar. She eyed the Houndoom oddly as he set himself up to sleep in his new spot.
"Why does the new guest rest by the door?" she asked.
Zoey scurried over to her mother and climbed up through her mane to whisper to her. "Mother, we would be wise to discuss this away from his ears," she said.
The family casually snuck back into the cellar and quietly shut the door as the Houndoom began lightly snoring. Once downstairs and out of earshot, the kids quickly relayed all that the Houndoom had asked of them once Ms. Zoroark had left the room. She listened intently, occasionally casting glances up the stairs.
"A troubling development to be sure," Ms. Zoroark finally said. "It seems the Captain's past might be catching up with him."
"How do you mean?" Zoey asked.
"The Captain did not tell you when you asked him?" Ms. Zoroark asked.
"No, his only words were to watch for sailors coming to the inn," Ralph explained.
Ms. Zoroark nodded. "I see; then I shall make him explain upon his return now that one of his consequences sleeps upon our landing," she said.
"Are we to allow the Houndoom here?" Jim asked anxiously.
"Unfortunately he seems unlikely to leave but for force of attack or gaining what he seeks," Ms. Zoroark admitted. "I hope the Captain will send him off without much hassle."
Zoey could not help but snicker at the idea that the usually drunk and occasionally belligerent Captain would send this guest off peacefully.
The Houndoom at least stayed true to his word. He did not move from where he soundly slept, allowing the others to continue to work around the inn. Guests looking for food trickled in and out through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. The Captain, however, remained away well into the early hours of the night. Only as Jim and Zoey were out hanging the lantern did they see he was finally returning to the inn. With what they hoped was not a suspicious amount of hurry, they returned inside to alert the others.
"The Captain approaches," Jim said to Ms. Zoroark as she worked in the kitchen.
She nodded in acknowledgement and quickly finished what she had been doing before turning her attention back to the dining area. The kids followed suit.
Sure enough, the door outside opened and the Captain entered. A light presence of precipitation was visible on his face and body, either sweat or sea spray. Whatever it was, it was very easily noted by the nose of the Houndoom still sleeping behind the door which hid him from the Captain's eyes. The Houndoom's placement had worked perfectly, and as his nose twitched from detecting the smell of the Captain, he woke up and quietly rose. He waited for the Captain to perform his customary inspection of the inn's current patrons and descend from the landing into the dining area proper before getting up and closing the door as the Captain had forgotten to.
Then the Houndoom spoke out, loud enough for all to hear.
The Captain briefly froze in place at the voice before quickly turning around. A look of horror was now on his face as the colour simultaneously seemed to drain from it.
The Houndoom spoke again, quieter this time now that he had the Captain's attention, while also adding a smug taunting tone to whatever he was saying.
"Black Shuck!" the Captain cried out. "How- why have you come here!?"
As the Houndoom, or "Black Shuck" as was apparently his name, made his reply he took a seat at the table where his unfinished rum still sat. He seemed to invite the Captain to take the chair across from him.
The Blastoise in question hesitated and looked to the kitchen. He saw the family of innkeepers watching through the doorway. "Madam Zoroark," he said. "Your wards would be better for not seeing what might very well happen next."
Ms. Zoroark nodded before turning to Jim, Zoey, and Ralph. "Kids, to the cellar with you," she ordered. "You shan't hear even the loudest clatter down there."
The kids nodded and silently obeyed; sort of. They did go to the cellar and Ralph went to the bottom of the stairs where he would hear nothing, but Zoey stayed at the top to listen as best she could through the door. Jim accompanied her in the eavesdropping, though he still could not understand what was said by Black Shuck. Zoey translated for him as the meeting unfolded above.
"[Now, Billy,]" Black Shuck said. "[For this to turn into an affront to innocent eyes and ears, there be no need. Though if stories from yer life 'ave been heard by theirs, I can't imagine them kids be innocent no more.]"
"Rarely is what we wish to happen and what does happen one and the same," the Captain replied in a surly tone. "Your presence here makes a fine example of that. Now speak your desires with all haste."
"[Why 'tis as I told those kids. I is here only to visit me matey Billy Bones the Blastoise,]" Black Shuck continued, sounding almost friendly. "[Maybe conduct a little business with him.]"
"Never have I heard a more naked and pointless lie in my life, so say no more of them. Did the man with one leg send you after me?" the Captain accused.
Black Shuck chuckled. "[Even if he did, I'm drawn to this area anyways; a dear friend o' mine, and yers, came this way and never returned home. I cannot imagine why.]"
The Captain growled lowly. "He made the grave mistake of trying to steal from me. He's been feeding fishy Pokémon for more than a fortnight since I bested him." His water cannons clicked into a firing position. "I defy you to make the same mistake."
Black Shuck rose in his seat and placed his forelegs on the table. His tail flicked back forth in hostility. "[Yew know that yew mean nothing anymore, and yew know what I want. So hand it over and yew can stay here and live the rest of yer days drinking yerself to yer grave,]" he growled.
"It belongs to me!" The Captain shouted. "And 'tis mine give to who I wish to have it as Flint did before me!"
It became a standoff, both the Captain and Black Shuck waiting to see what the other did next. Several of the other guests retreated, either upstairs to the rooms they had rented or out of the building altogether. Ms. Zoroark did nothing to stop them since she was similarly on edge. There had been a few fights in her inn before, and the result always included a mess that needed cleaning up. However, the fights seldom involved Pokémon attacks being thrown into the mix. This one almost certainly would.
Black Shuck finally did something; his mouth began to glow and electricity began to crackle through his teeth. "[I say only one more time, Billy,]" he said. "[Hand it over, and I'll leave yew alone for good. We'll leave you alone for good.]"
The Captain remained defiant in his response. "You must take it from my lifeless husk."
That's torn it, Ms. Zoroark thought as Black Shuck snarled in clear frustration.
Black Shuck then let out an enraged roar and leapt from his seat at the Captain, Thunder Fang readied up and sending electric bolts out of his opened mouth. The Blastoise responded by blasting a blue ball of energy from one of his cannons. Black Shuck just managed to avoid a direct hit from the Water Pulse by shifting his body in mid-air before landing on his four paws, though he had unintentionally depowered his Thunder Fang to do it. However, of more concern was that he landed right in front of the Captain, whose left hand glowed with power.
"A Brick Break for you, filthy scum!" the Captain cried as he hit his opponent.
Black Shuck let out a cry as he was thrown into a table, which shattered upon impact. He managed to shake it off and get up to launch a stream of dark purple energy rings at the Captain. The Blastoise braced himself and shrugged the Dark Pulse off before advancing on the Houndoom. He suddenly stopped though, confusing Black Shuck until a shadow came over him.
A very angry Zoroark was bearing down on him with her claws glowing an eerie black in a Night Slash attack.
Black Shuck leapt out of the way, leaving Ms. Zoroark to strike the floor where he had just been. "[This ain't of any concern to you, stay out of it!]" Black Shuck barked at the interloping Illusion Fox.
"You have attacked my guest, and started a brawl within my inn," Ms. Zoroark replied tersely. "You have made it my concern."
"[Then you and your home shall burn!]" Black Shuck cried angrily before launching a jet stream of fire at his new opponent.
A powerful jet stream of water quickly doused the Flamethrower before it could set anything ablaze. Black Shuck quickly turned to the source of the attack: the Captain, who was presently preparing the water cannon that was not showing any residue from recent use.
"Worry not, Black Shuck," the Captain added tauntingly. "The outside is plenty spacious for our battling needs."
Black Shuck turned around and realized he had accidentally placed himself in front of the door.
The next Hydro Pump hit its mark. It blasted Black Shuck through the door, destroying it in the process. He struggled to get up. The Brick Break was bad enough, but the direct hit from that Hydro Pump had nearly taken him out of the fight. As it was, Black Shuck just managed to get back onto his paws and quickly take stock of his new surroundings. He was outside, unsurprisingly, and it was now night with a half-moon ascending into the sky. He was standing in the pathway from the main road to the Admiral Benbow, only a few feet from what was now a doorway.
In that doorway was a still quite angry looking Blastoise whose left arm was glowing again.
"Another Brick Break for you, Black Shuck!" the Captain cried as he brought his glowing arm down, accidentally taking a chuck out of the hanging sign as he did so.
This time Black Shuck was able to evade the attack, which slammed into the ground with enough force to leave a miniature crater. Black Shuck finally had the opening he was hoping for. In spite of his weakened state, he was able to lunge at the Captain with another Thunder Fang and bite his opponent on the left shoulder, shocking the water type with the super effective Electric Type attack.
The Captain restrained a cry of pain and tried his best to work through the electricity coursing through him to power up a final move to finish off Black Shuck. The Houndoom did not move from the left shoulder, meaning he did not see what the Captain was powering up in his right fist until he was hitting him with it.
"Mega Punch!" the Captain cried through his agony.
He drove his empowered fist into Black Shuck's abdomen, disconnecting his attacker from his shoulder and sending him into the air towards the tree line on the other side of the roadway. The Captain could hear the sound of greenery rustling as Black Shuck came to the ground. He smirked in satisfaction before a grim realization dawned upon his face. He turned and tried to walk back into the inn, but faltered on the first step and collapsed to one knee. In spite of himself, he struggled back into the Admiral Benbow Inn. Ms. Zoroark was in the dining area watching him return. Jim, Zoey, and Ralph had emerged from the cellar and were also watching from the doorway to the kitchen.
The Captain laughed lightly as he came down the stairs from the landing. "Seems Black Shuck's skills in a fight have improved since last I saw him," he said. He gained a confident smirk. "Yet still he cannot defeat me."
"Billy," Ms. Zoroark said, addressing the Blastoise by what must be his true name. "You look unwell, are you hurt?"
Billy Bones shook the remark off by grabbing Black Shuck's abandoned bowl of rum and drinking it. "Nay, I'm well enough," he said. "And all the better for it, with haste I leave must!"
"Leave?" Zoey said as she emerged from the kitchen fully.
"Why, Captain?" Jim inquired as the Captain tried to head for the stairs.
"To- Black Shuck is merely- the second come- more shall-!" Billy Bones cried out, before suddenly stopping and collapsing forward without warning.
"Captain!" the kids cried out before rushing to his side.
With effort, they turned the Captain over on his back, horrified to see his eyes remained wide open while his breathing had suddenly ceased.
"What has happened!? What do we do!?" Ralph cried out in panic.
Ms. Zoroark dashed into the kitchen and returned with the pair of bellows that usually sat next to the stove. "Take this and try to restore his breathing," she ordered. "I shall attempt to retrieve Dr. Joy with all the speed I can."
Ms. Zoroark jumped to and ran out the door of the inn, transforming into a large armoured raven like Pokémon and taking off into the night sky.
"You two hold shut his mouth, I'll work the bellows," Jim said.
Zoey and Ralph quickly did so, closing the Blastoise's mouth around the primitive air pump. Jim, with his more dexterous hands and limbs, worked the bellows to deliver air into Billy Bones' body.
"Are you not to push on his chest to try and restart breathing?" Zoey asked.
"If you wish to try and push through his shell, I shan't stop you," Jim pointed out.
Zoey decided against it and instead kept to her current task. How long they worked at it they did not know, nor did they care to. The Captain still did not seem to be breathing when Ms. Zoroark returned through the door with Dr. Joy right behind her.
"Away with you all," the physician ordered. The kids instantly obeyed and crowded around Ms. Zoroark.
Dr. Joy checked over the Blastoise with gloved hands and gained a grim look.
"Diagnosis, doctor?" Ms. Zoroark asked.
"He has suffered a stroke," Dr. Joy reported. "Ms. Zoroark, you must help me move him to his bed; he may yet live in spite of this poison of his own making."
Ms. Zoroark transformed into a Pangoro and hefted the still unmoving Billy Bones onto her back. As she followed the Doctor upstairs, she noticed the kids were following her once she reached the door to Bones' room.
"Stay here, children," Ms. Zoroark kindly instructed.
"But-" Jim started.
"I assure you," Dr. Joy interjected. "The procedure I shall perform is not for the faint or innocent of heart."
The kids stopped as the adults entered and closed the door, though they still stayed close by to listen. Zoey even pressed her ear up against the small crevice between the door and the frame. The Doctor was having Ms. Zoroark hold onto a basin of sorts and the sound of a liquid draining into it could be heard faintly. The draining eventually stopped and about a minute later Ms. Zoroark, back as her usual self, opened the door to allow the kids in.
The Captain had his eyes closed and was breathing with some regularity again. A white cloth with a dark red spot was tied onto his arm. Dr. Joy was removing the gloves from her hands and placing them in a small bag.
"He shall live," Dr. Joy reported.
"When shall he awaken, doctor?" Jim asked.
"I do not know for certain," she replied. "It may be a few too many hours."
A sudden snorting noise came from the Blastoise in question. It was followed by a yawn and his eyes slowly blinking open.
"Or perhaps a few seconds," the surprised Doctor amended.
The Blastoise turned to the sound of voices. He looked at Dr. Joy with a measure of coldness, but to the innkeeper family with reasonable warmth. His eyes suddenly widened as a thought seemed to come to him.
"Where is Black Shuck?" he asked with an audible effort.
"He is quite gone," Ms. Zoroark replied.
"He was blasted out of the inn by your Hydro Pump. Then, with one blow, you sent him into the forest across the road!" Zoey squeaked.
The Blastoise chuckled. "Then I remain the toughest sailor in Galar," he remarked with satisfaction.
"Indeed, tough enough even to survive a stroke for as long as you did, it seems," Dr. Joy added with slight sarcasm. "You've continued to drink rum in great excess have you not, Mr. Bones?"
"You speak as though it were a bad thing," Billy Bones replied with a minor sneer.
"It shall be, and much worse when it gives you a second stroke," Dr. Joy replied with an audible lack of patience for Bones' disrespect. "You should consider yourself lucky that I successfully pulled you from the grip of death, though it was hardly for your own sake that I did."
Billy Bones snorted and tried to get up, but found he could barely move. He looked to the Doctor for an explanation.
"You shall stay in bed for the next week; then you should have enough blood in yourself to be fully mobile again," she explained. "But know this," she added in a warning tone. "One glass of rum shan't be the death of you, but one glass begets another, which begets another, which begets another, and so on until another stroke or other such blight strikes you. And that second blight shall most definitely be what closes your curtain."
Billy Bones grunted in annoyance but did not say anything more before closing his eyes and attempting to return to sleep.
The other exited his room with relative silence. Ms. Zoroark told Dr. Joy of the Houndoom called "Black Shuck" who had visited the inn and attacked the Captain as the Doctor prepared to depart.
"I shall have the constable put out a notice to watch for this one-horned Houndoom you speak of," Dr. Joy said. "An uncommon sight in Galar made all the easier to spot, with such a mark."
The Doctor took her leave with a "good night." The Admiral Benbow's owning family cleaned up the destroyed table and door pieces then placed them amongst the firewood in the kitchen, before retiring to their beds after such a harrowing day and night.