Pokémon Police Force Chapter 42: Severance Package
I was still exhausted after the ordeal at the Octagon, so I slept most of the way back to Winoa. From what I was told, Drapion carried me back to town as Emerald and the others filled in Teams AWD and Razor Wind about my power.
Fortunately, my mask wasn't destroyed during my transformations. The only casualty (other than the arm bindings) was the buckles that kept the mask on my face. Those were easily replaced.
I woke up an undetermined amount of time later on the police ship. Turns out, I was taken to a hammock and both Snow and Weavile were in my room, chatting it up.
"Oh, Argyle's up!" Said Snow.
"Thank Xerneas for that," said Weavile, "you've given me enough heart attacks for one lifetime, young man."
"Where are we?" I asked, ignoring Weavile's comment.
"On a ship heading back to Beacon," said Snow, "from there it's just a few days to get to Neo City."
"They need to drop off prisoners," explained Weavile, "Neo City has the biggest police lockup around. No clue why the international police isn't handling it."
"Hey Weavile, this may seem a weird thing to ask right now, but as you've been all over the world, have you ever heard tell of a place called the Harvest Temple?"
"The Harvest Temple? I've been there. Every explorer worth their salt has been there. None have managed to get in though."
"Why not? Traps? Locks?"
"Locks mostly. The entrance is sealed with a massive stone door set into thick stone grooves. Exploration Teams and thieves alike have been there, none have been able to get past the doors."
"Why do you ask?" Asked Snow.
"Remember the Crown?"
"You mean the Crown of Plenty?" Asked Snow.
"Crown of Plenty? Did you actually manage to steal a prize like that!?" Said Weavile in shock.
"Yeah. I had a dream about it. I was told to take the Crown to the temple. Alone."
"More of this alone crap?" Said Snow, a hint of annoyance in her voice, "for the last time, we're help-!"
"I'm just relaying a message. They said that the true owner of the Crown would only speak to me if I entered the temple alone."
"Snow, we will take him there," said Weavile, "but you will not follow him into the temple."
"But-" began Snow and I.
"This is not open for debate," said Weavile, "did this dream specify what day you were to be there?"
"The spring equinox."
"Okay, here's the plan. After our sojourn in Neo City, we'll head to the Narrows. Afterward, we go northeast to Treeshroud Forest. The Harvest Temple lies within," explained Weavile, "as soon as you are able, get to the galley. Arbok has been slaving away over the stove."
"Arbok can cook?" Asked Snow.
"Like you wouldn't believe," said Weavile, "word of warning, don't eat his soufflé."
Weavile left with those words.
"So… what's Weavile's angle?" I asked, "I can't figure that woman out."
Snow sighed.
"Take it from a girl," said Snow, "some women are impossible for men to figure out. All because men don't think like women."
"I'm lost."
"Girls are complicated. Give up trying to figure us out."
"What does that make you, Mrs. Open Book?"
"You have not figured me out."
"Keep dreaming."
As for myself, I was up on deck practicing my psychic powers. I was levitating my stick in air and trying to keep it perfectly still even as the ship bobs up and down in the soft waves. It is an exercise meant to train yourself to maintain control.
Keldeo was watching me as I trained. He never made a sound, making sure I was able to concentrate as much as possible. Until he suddenly spoke.
"Emerald, Argyle's up."
The sudden noise almost made me lose it. However, I managed to make it look natural as I grabbed the stick.
"Keldeo, what was that for? I'm trying to concentrate."
"I'm serious. He just arrived on deck."
I followed Keldeo's gaze behind me. Lo and behold, Argyle was on deck, leaning over the railing. He was casting his gaze on the vast sea beyond. Snow was with him.
"Argyle!"
I ran to Argyle's side and joined him, followed shortly by Jessie.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Much better after the nap and meal," Argyle said, "Arbok's a much better chef than I gave him credit for."
"Argyle I…," began Jessie, "sorry about, well… everything."
"All is forgiven," said Argyle, "but… why did you send an army after me?"
"I didn't send an army," said Jessie with a confused expression.
"Tell that to the 200 Pokémon I had to fight to get to the Octagon."
"Wait a minute… who was leading the army?"
"Carracosta. He shown us a letter with your handwriting."
"OF ALL THE CRAZY-!" Spat Jessie, "fine. As soon as we disembark, I'm heading back home. I've got to straighten out a minion or two."
She cracked her knuckles when she said "straighten out".
That is when the fur on the back of my neck stood up. A clear warning of danger. As we're on a ship, that can only mean-.
"Everybody hit the deck!" I shouted.
I dropped down at once, followed by Snow and then Emerald. A violent splash on our port side made my warning hit home. Everyone hit the deck.
"Snow!" I yelled.
"On it!" She replied, getting up, "attention everyone, I'm commanding this vessel now!"
Another splash as everyone got back up.
"Slowbro, take the helm!" Shouted Snow, "I need someone fearless behind the wheel."
"Got it!"
Slowbro ran to the wheel and began piloting the craft with a focused confidence.
"Magnezone! How many cannons we got?"
"BZZT! TWENTY CANNONS BUT NOT ENOUGH AMMUNITION FOR A DRAWN-OUT BATTLE! BZZT!"
"We'll have to be smart about this," said Snow, "anyone with ranged Moves, keep those cannonballs away from us! Argyle, I be needing ye on the bow. I need to know just what we be dealing with."
(What's with the sudden pirate talk?)
Shaking that thought from my head, I ran to the bow. The vague silhouette of a single ship was visible even from here. I closed my right eye and allowed Zygarde to carry my gaze to the ship in question.
The ship was no bigger than our own, but seemed to be carrying even more crew members than our own. Each Pokémon looked even meaner than the one next to it, yet all seemed vaguely familiar to me. The deck was lined with cannons on both sides. My eyes eventually found the flag.
"Oh no, not them!" Said Argyle in shock.
"Spotter! What be the problem?" Asked Snow.
"It's the Dune Bandits!" Said Argyle.
Every lawman worth their salt has heard tell of the Dune Bandits. They are a ruthless gang of thieves that has no qualms about killing their marks. Everyone in their outfit has a price on their heads and are all wanted dead or alive.
"The Dune Bandits?" Asked Sheriashuu, "don't they operate on the Sandy Continent? What are they doing here?"
"They're here for me," answered Argyle.
"Why would they travel all this way for you?" Asked Meloetta.
"Cor Blimey!" Shouted Snow in surprise, "stop doing that!"
"No time to explain. I can't let them find me."
"So, you seem to be familiar with these guys," said Virizion, "what do you suggest we do?"
"Cooperate with them for now and don't get in their way. There will be deaths if you do."
Argyle began walking below deck.
"This cannon fire is a warning to not try anything stupid," he said, "don't worry about me. I have a plan."
Argyle then vanished from sight.
"Argyle has even more skeletons in his closet?" Asked Sal, "seriously, this is, what? Five now?"
"What do we do?" Asked Zangoose.
"Aye, we be followin' Argyle fer now," said Snow, "don't be makin' any sudden moves, but be ready to fight."
We all got into position, with Snow, Slowbro, Magnezone and Gumshoos at the helm. No one dared speak as the hostile ship drew near.
The ship was like the vessel that Snow's crew used to run, but smaller. It was clearly built for speed but was still full of cannons. The flag that was flying was emblazoned with a brilliantly shining sun overlaid with a small sandy dune and two overlapping arrows.
The crew was really a skeleton crew. I counted around thirty Pokémon, each as dangerous-looking as the last. It was really amazing that they managed to man the ship with so small a crew.
"Drop the anchor ye bilge rats!" Shouted Snow.
The anchor shot into the sea with a mighty splash and the ship sat firm in the waves. Our aggressors came up on our port side and dropped their own anchor. A gangplank was dropped and ten of the Dune Bandits boarded our ship.
"What be the idea ye landlubbers!?" Asked Snow, "we not be takin' kindly to the cannonballs, mate."
"No sudden moves," said the leader, a Sceptile, "we're looking for a stowaway."
"This is a police vessel," said Gumshoos, "there are no stowaways here."
"Don't lie to us," said Sceptile, "Gabite?"
The Gabite standing to Sceptile's right stepped forward and unfurled a parchment. It was one of Argyle's old wanted posters.
"A Sneasel by the name of Argyle," explained Gabite, "he owes the Dune Bandits a great deal."
"Search the ship," said Sceptile, "if any of you interfere you will die."
Jessie took a step forward, but I stopped her.
"Jessie don't," I whispered, "this ball is in Argyle's court now."
"I'll follow them," whispered Keldeo.
"Take Sheriashuu with you," I whispered back, "stay out of their way, but-."
"I know what I'm doing. Sheriashuu, come."
Half of the Dune Bandits disappeared into the hull of the ship, followed by Keldeo and Sheriashuu. The rest of them began tearing apart the deck. Searching through every barrel, every crate, every nook and cranny. They even looked in places that Argyle couldn't possibly fit. After over an hour of this, the Dune Bandits reunited on deck.
"No sign of him," said a Mightyena.
"Guess your informants were wrong," said Gabite.
"No matter," said Sceptile, "plenty of other ships left Winoa today. We'll check them all if we have to."
Sceptile walked right up to Snow.
"I assume you're the captain," he said, "what's your name?"
"I be Cap'n Glacier," lied Snow.
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Asked Mightyena.
"Well, Captain Glacier, if I find out you all have been lying to me, I'll make you watch as I relieve each and every one of your crew of their heads," warned Sceptile, "let's go."
"You are more than welcome to try," whispered Terrakion.
The Dune Bandits returned to their ship and the gangplanks were raised. After their anchor was lifted, the ship lurched away.
"That was way too close," said Lopunny, "I was on edge the whole time."
"How did things go down there?" I asked.
"They searched everywhere, even inside the brig," said Sheriashuu, "no sign of Argyle anywhere."
"Wherever Argyle hid, he done a great job of it," said Milotic.
"BZZT! WE'D BEST BE GETTING ON OUR WAY. BZZT!"
One of the Magnemites constantly following Magnezone around took control of the wheel back from Slowbro.
"Weigh anchor!" Shouted Snow, "Let go and hull to run free!"
"What she said!" Said Gumshoos.
"Where is Argyle anyway?" Asked Sal.
We all looked around. Where could Argyle have hidden?
"Almost… there…"
"That sounded like…" said Gallade.
There was the unmistakable sound of claws on wood.
"Over there!" Shouted Gardevoir.
Argyle was on the outside of the ship, grasping the railing. His fur was so wet that it looked like someone had drowned him.
Without warning, Sheriashuu ran to him and wrapped her long arm fur around Argyle's neck and threw him onto the deck. Afterward, she released his neck.
"Emerald! Get him warmed up!" Shouted Sheriashuu.
Somehow Emerald wrapped fire around her paws. She began slowing moving her hands over my body, letting the fire evaporate all of the water off of me.
"What happened?" Asked Meloetta.
"Cor blimey!" Shouted Snow in shock.
I gagged for a bit.
"I had to hide in the one place they'd never check," I said, "under the ship."
"Under?" Asked Rhyperior.
"The ship!?" Asked Arbok.
"I descended with the anchor," I explained, "and then swam under the hull. Speaking of which, you have quite the Binacle problem down there. They're rather rude to boot."
"Why are these guys after you?" Asked Sal, as she helped me sit up.
"It's a Dune Bandit severance package," I explained, "they're here to kill me."
"They want to kill you?" Asked Roserade.
"Well, more like torture me to death."
"What did you steal from them?" Asked Jessie.
"He said 'severance package'," said Cobalion, "were you once one of them?"
"Unfortunately."
Everyone backed away in shock.
(They think I'm a killer, don't they?)
"It's not as bad as you may think," I explained, "I broke into this one house looking for valuables, but found nothing. Little did I know that I stumbled into a Dune Bandit entrance exam. The house was built to be near impregnable."
"They forced you to join?" Asked Snow.
"The Dune Bandits are often called the forty thieves because there are only forty of them. No more. No less," I explained, "they abducted me and forced me to participate in a challenge."
"BZZT! WHAT CHALLENGE? BZZT!" Asked the Magnemite from the wheel.
"Simple enough. They already had forty members, so the challenge was: only one man survives."
"You killed someone?" Asked Slowbro.
"I survived," I said, "I had to do it or they'd kill me right there."
Everyone became silent as I continued.
"I went AWOL as soon as I was able. This all happened five years ago. I've been running from them ever since."
"Wow," said Sal.
"Meloetta," said Emerald, "is there any way that Argyle can get rid of them?"
"Don't know," she replied, "I chose not to see anything beyond Yveltal."
"I'm actually not at all concerned with them anymore," I admitted, "finding out that I have a living weapon living inside my head kind of put everything in perspective."
"Speaking of which," began Jessie, "I haven't heard much from it lately."
"Neither have I," said Snow, "not a peep during that whole Octagon event either."
"Come to think of it, it hasn't even been talking to me," I said, "let's see if I can get its attention."
Argyle began glowing a brilliant, yet familiar green hue. I had no clue what he was trying to do. In the past, Argyle would just allow the Core to temporarily take control of his body.
(What is he up to?)
Argyle threw a sphere of green energy in much the same way that a ball player would pitch a baseball. The sphere shot a short distance away then stopped in midair. Then it began changing shape, growing a body, a tail and a head. It then grew two lopsided eyes and a hexagon on its stomach.
"Zygarde, wake up," ordered Argyle.
"I am not asleep," replied the faux Zygarde Core.
"What is that!?" Shouted Gumshoos in surprise.
"Zygarde," explained Argyle, "or rather an image of the Core that resides within me."
"I've heard so much about you," I said, "pleased to finally make your acquaintance."
"Likewise. Could you dispel this image already? I don't feel comfortable about this."
"Answer me first," said Argyle, "why have you been so quiet?"
"It… was my fault," said Zygarde, "the reason Sheriashuu had to die was because of me."
"No, it wasn't," said Argyle, "it was my fault. I let my anger get the better of me."
"Well, in retrospect, I knew how much your mother meant to you. I shouldn't have poked that Mega Beedrill's hive," said Sheriashuu.
"You aren't listening!" Said Zygarde, "Argyle couldn't control himself because he had no ability to!"
We all stopped talking and looked at the image.
"Ever since my creation at the hand of the planet itself, I have never known any emotion," explained Zygarde, "anger, sadness, joy, fear, happiness, I knew none of these. There is a reason I take over when Argyle reaches his emotional breaking point."
Zygarde paused.
"When I joined with Argyle, I began feeling whatever he feels. All the moments of happiness as well as misery. Let's go back to that fateful day. When Argyle got enraged at Sheriashuu the exact same emotion flooded into me."
"And since you're a stranger to emotions, you had no way to cope with the sudden onslaught," finished Cobalion.
"When that happened, the only instinct you had was a brutal killing instinct," deduced Sal.
"Sorry about that," said Sheriashuu.
"I've never blamed you," said Zygarde, "I blamed myself and succumbed to a deep spiral of guilt."
"So that's why you've been so quiet," said Argyle, "you still blame yourself for what happened."
"It isn't just you," said Slowbro, "Admiral Sneezy has been blaming himself too."
I heard Milotic snicker.
"So, it's a three-way pity party," I said, "maybe you ought to make up with each other and brush it all under the rug."
Zygarde's image looked right at me.
"I'm not kissing her," it said, "that's Argyle's job."
"I said make up not make out!" I snapped.
"Forgive me, I'm kind of out of the loop when it comes to your hip, young lingo," said Zygarde.
Jessie sighed and shrugged.
"Well, you heard the parasite," said Argyle.
Argyle swept up Sheriashuu and planted a kiss right on her lips, to which he received a sharp smack as a reward.
"That won't work anymore, pervert," said Sheriashuu.
Sheriashuu then surprised everyone by pulling Argyle into another kiss.
"I do the surprise kisses from now on!" Said Sheriashuu.
"Uhh… what just happened?" Asked Lopunny.
"This is better than any soap opera I've ever seen!" Said Terrakion.
It was a good ten minutes before Terrakion realized everyone was staring at him.
"What!?"
"I don't know exactly what's going on here," said Weavile, "but I get the gist of it."
She turned toward Argyle.
"Argyle, have you performed the Rite of Kerauos?" Asked Weavile.
"I have… no idea what you're talking about so I'll say no," replied Argyle.
Weavile smirked.
"I thought so. The Rite of Kerauos is a coming of age ceremony that all Sneasel and Weavile must run. Those who don't spend their lives in a chasm of guilt."
Argyle chose that moment to dispel Zygarde's image.
"Is it really that bad?" Asked Jessie.
"Weaviles and our like are natural thieves, but we're known by one thing above all else. We live in the moment, not caring about what the future holds or what mistakes happened in the past," explained Weavile, "this rite teaches us the way."
"So, the reason that Argyle has most of his problems is that he dwells too long on them?" Asked Virizion.
"Tis a trap most of us fall into," said Weavile, "our species is kind of slow to forgive and forget."
"Tell me about it," said Sheriashuu.
Weavile kind of gave me no choice. Again. She was going to take me through the rite and I had no say in the matter. I miss being able to make my own choices.
(The Harvest Temple is in Treeshroud Forest. With the Dune Bandits chasing me, it won't be safe for them with me.)
I looked out over the sea.
(As soon as I get a chance, I'm leaving. I can't endanger their lives by traveling in this large group.)
