As usual, feedback is greatly appreciated
My dad would be all over my ass right about now. Telling me how fear tactics would only cause this guy to get more agitated, and thus more likely to slit the hostage's throat. I'd probably retort back that it could go either way, then he'd tell me that it'd be easier to just take the shot.
And thus, out of a sudden urge to not kill the suspect, I'd attempt to negotiate, if even only a little. I found myself a lot more calm then I probably should have been. In the end I didn't care, I would need all the mental clarity I could get.
Kira and Scarlet were looking between me and the Sableye. I stayed put in my stance, ready for anything. "This is your first and only warning, if you make a move other than to surrender your weapon and hostage, my next shot will make sure you'll be dead before you hit the ground."
"Pfft, you'll risk the life of the kid? And for what? To catch an old crook like me?" the Sableye taunted.
I wanted to laugh, laugh like some maniacal villain about to kill the hero in some TV show. This clown actually thought I'd miss a shot like this. My expression stayed stone-cold serious, my tone still even but rising in aggression. "Surrender your weapon and hostage."
"Still going with that huh? Well how about this." He lifted the iron spike above his head. The crack of my weapon echoed around the area as the Sableye screamed in pain. The iron thorn splattered along the ground with two of its claw-like fingers still holding onto it, trailing blood as it went. I holstered my weapon, not wanting to waste more ammo in this encounter.
My wand snapped into position in my hands, pointed at his sniveling form while Kira and Scarlet carefully approached. I hoped that this guy was done now that he basically lost two 'fingers'…
The Oshawott had retreated behind me, its breathing rapid and uneven. I looked down to him, seeing Kira and Scarlet had the situation under control from here. "You alright?"
"Wh- what are y- you?" it frightfully asked. A faint bit of admiration in its eyes.
I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Just a human with a…" I stopped short, noticing a Pangoro in a hood going right towards Kira and Scarlet. "HEY, STOP WHERE YOU-"
Burning erupted across my right shoulder as something knocked me away and onto the floor. I grunted in great pain and dove for cover behind a nearby stand as another purple projectile collided where I was.
I peeked over my cover, seeing a familiar looking Slowbro with a Shelder on its left arm. Could this be the same one from my… 'vision' in the mystery dungeon?
The frightened Oshawott stumbled back, unable to run as it was lifted into the air through the Slowbro's powers. A dark chuckle came from it as a shield made of psychic energy manifested around itself.
Who the hell were these guys? And what the hell did they want with the Oshawott?
"Fuck psychics…" I mumbled angrily to myself. The burning subsided, and I had only one way to fight back… well, I had one way to fight against the Slowbro anyway. I'd have to break the shield.
I turned my attention to the second battle that broke out, Kira and Scarlet were locked in a two on two against the hurt Sableye and a Pangoro in a hood. From cover I dual wielded the wand and my nineteen-eleven.
The wand hummed with power like it was feeding off of my rising anger. I jumped from my cover and thrusted the want out towards the Slowbro, the humming turning into a loud swoosh as a bright red projectile launched from out of it.
A sizable explosion rocked the shield, causing it to shatter into millions of tiny pieces as they winked out of existence. The shocked Slowbro stepped back as I took aim and fired twice, blood sputtering out of two holes in the shoulder and leg.
I laughed. "What's wrong asshole? You were acting so tough just a second ago-" My side erupted with pain as my feet left the ground. The breath in my lungs knocked out of me from my back colliding with a wooden stand.
I coughed and wheezed, flailing about as I attempted to crawl away from the rapidly approaching Pangoro. My fingers frantically gripped a blast seed I fished out, it's arm glowed a bright white as it swung towards my face.
The blast seed exploded after making impact with its face, sending it stumbling backwards into Scarlet's range. Her crimson ribbon shot out and gripped its right arm tightly.
"No, no, WAIT-" it's cries were cut off, replaced by pained screaming as her ribbon glowed green. Her merciless gaze bore into its eyes as it fell to its knees.
Her sheath winded up for a swing. "Silence, filth."
A meaty thwack later, the Pangoro laid unconscious. Her ribbon returned to waving behind her as she turned back to the Sableye. Kira had her back to me and Scarlet, the desperation in our last opponent's gaze turned into a devious smile.
Our resident healer dove forward with electricity arcing in her hands. Her opponent's smile morphed to a snarl as it jumped between her legs and into her shadow, I realized where it was going.
I grabbed onto the Pangoro, its rough fur providing more than enough grip. Sure enough, it's shadow grew as it was pulled into it, taking me with them. A familiar cold coursed through me as I realized the horrid decision I just made.
Something else was pulled into this odd dimension, and if I had to guess… it'd be the Slowbro. The cold intensified like it knew I was a stranger to it's embrace, the light of the sun returned as I was spat back out.
We were in a different part of Narkin, closer to the Guild. The crowd of Pokémon stared in disbelief as I slowly rose to my feet. The Sableye and its barely conscious friends were in front of me, my last opponent could barely stand.
All the better for me.
"I'm going to give you one final chance," I said as I grit my teeth, the soreness beginning to kick in full force. "Surrender, or those two claws I shot off will be the least of your worries-"
The Pangoro and Slowbro disappeared in a bright flash of light. A blur of purple collided with my chest, tackling me to the floor with its claws raised above its head poised to strike.
I grabbed its arms, a loud thud sounding out as I flinged it into a nearby wall. I picked it's almost limp form up over my head and violently threw it into the ground behind me, skidding to a stop in the middle of the road.
It struggled to get up, only able to weakly stare in my direction. I scowled, running as fast as I could. The Sableye was using shadow sneak again to get away.
The shadow grew, but it's face scratched up in disbelief, something stopped it from leaving. My curiosity turned to surprise as a Phantump launched out of the ground beneath the Sableye.
"Knock 'em down, Blair."
The sound of rocks colliding briefly shook the area as a Bisharp was launched into the air. "Better late than never," the Bisharp exclaimed as it's blades glowed in a dark energy. They met in the air, Blair's rapid slashing furiously pummeling the already exhausted Sableye.
He winded up a powerful kick, the bottom of his right leg starting to glow with the same dark energy. A resounding boom echoed out as it landed, sending the Sableye into the ground hard.
Blair did a backflip on his decent, gracefully landing meters away from the crumpled up form of our opponent. Both he and his partner dramatically bowed towards the crowd. They cheered happily, barely any eyes even registering that I was even there.
I breathed a sigh of relief, it was over, even if only for a fleeting moment.
But still the question remained.
Who were these guys? And what did they want with the Oshawott? I didn't know where the Slowbro and the Pangoro ended up, but maybe we could get that information out of the Sableye…
I was already at my limit with these clowns as is. A broad daylight kidnapping? What were they thinking? The voice of my dad invaded my mind, telling me to treat them with dignity, that maybe they were made to do this by outside forces. If he was here, I'd retort that they still chose to do it.
Speaking of my dad… I wonder if these guys had anything to do with the Pokémon who took him...
Man, I'm really gonna lose my mind before I even get the chance to rescue him, aren't I? Or I'm gonna end up doing something stupid that'll bite me in the ass. I just have to adapt, and do it fast. What might usually be fine back home, might not be fine here.
The crowd looked distracted enough by 'Team Shade' for me to make my exit and find Kira and Scarlet. I'd rather not be around a bunch of Pokémon I don't know.
I dusted myself off, putting on my hood before starting to walk away. Hoping that my friends from another world had both my missing wand and nineteen-eleven. Both were knocked away after I got punched, I hoped that they were intact.
"Hey, wait."
I spun around, expecting the Sableye to be charging directly at me again. My fears calmed, replaced by embarrassment for being so jumpy. What have I fallen to?
The Phantump looked me over with a concerned look on its face. "You took on three of them alone?"
"No, I was with my team."
Blair picked up the unconscious form of the Sableye. He turned to face me with a humorous expression. "How'd you end up here then?"
"Ask the Sableye," I sarcastically retorted. "And if you'll excuse me, I have to find my- oh, never mind."
I spotted Kira and Scarlet running up the cobblestone road towards us, the Gardevoir's bag kept rigidly still by her powers. The Oshawott from before was glued to the space behind her, fear still flowing through it's demeanor.
Poor thing was probably scared senseless still, hardly able to do anything other than be on the verge of having a panic attack. A small part of me wondered if it'd even be able to sleep tonight. Or even a week from now.
A water otter with PTSD is the last thing I'd want to end up counseling. I'd pity the person who has to… especially if it's Kira.
The Gardevoir levitated to me my missing items without a word, probably sensing my fear for their safety. I didn't bother reloading any of my firearms out of a lack of concern, instead wearily putting my missing one back where it belonged.
I never realized just how small the wand actually was, barely even the length of my tightened fist to my elbow. It fit surprisingly well strapped near the top of my vest on the inside of my coat.
Scarlet glanced around before looking at me. "What happened to the other two?"
"Flash of light, then they disappeared. I was thinking the Slowbro teleported them out… but I haven't figured out why the Sableye would've stayed behind if that was the case." I stared at the crumpled form, the only indictable reason for it to be alive being bated breathing.
"Maybe it just got cocky," Scarlet murmured. "Thought it could take you out and bring you with it through the shadows."
I chuckled. "Heh, I picked the fucker up and threw it into a wall. I'm just surprised it was faking being downed."
"Cowardly, but I would expect nothing less from such scum- wait, you threw it into a wall?"
I rolled my eyes. I found the situation quite funny. "Yep, then I picked the guy up again and chucked him over the top of my head."
"How strong are you?" she asked curiously.
"Not very, if I'm being honest." I rubbed my left bicep, still beneath my sweater and shirt. "I'm a little stronger than your average twenty one year old, but if you're looking for strength, my dad will surprise you with how strong he is."
She turned away, if I had to guess… it was because of guilt. "If we- when we find your father, I will be sure to ask him."
I nodded, wordlessly walking to Kira and Team Shade. Scarlet didn't have any visual cues for me to catch to tell me of her mood, but her voice betrayed her more than anything.
Blair sighed, waving at someone in the crowd who seemed ecstatic by the gesture. The Bisharp smiled and folded his arms behind his back. I found it oddly funny, it was a pose I made quite a lot. Usually followed by a salute.
"So, doc, seeing as you outrank us… what's our next move?" he asked.
Kira briefly glared at the unconscious Sableye. "We take him to the Guild to be held there until further notice. Then we figure out why they wanted you, little guy," she finished as she turned to the Oshawott.
"M- my name is Oz."
A part of my cruel mind wanted to laugh. To make a joke that only I would understand, but I held off… if only barely. I still smiled a little, more so to lighten the mood. "I'm Mason."
"I'm Est," the Phantump declared happily.
The Bisharp bowed. "I'm Blair, and she is my partner."
"What about y- you?" Oz pointed at me.
I gestured to Kira and Scarlet. "I'm with them."
"We should get going," the Gardevoir doctor interjected. "You can ask more questions when we get to the Guild." Oz timidly nodded as Kira pushed on her badge, the rest of us all following suit.
What a day to be alive.
I was quite astonished by the human's performance.
Swift, decisive, with just the right amount of dubious moral coding and a hint of arrogance to make a fine combatant. I could feel his vindication infecting the very air itself as he nearly got revenge on the Slowbro for the cheap shot.
Even after he got punched by the Pangoro and got sent flying into that berry stand… the human still pulled it together and pulled a counter attack. Creating an opening for that Chosen Honedge to take it down.
This was valuable intel, and all I did for it was be in the right place at the right time.
And I still managed to get some blast seeds for Luson, who knew that stalking led to such rewards?
I almost felt bad for the human, but I still had my job to do. Luson and I needed him alive. Even if I had to help him a little bit until we were ready to collect.
But how do we fight such a thing? Not head on, that'd be for sure. No, we'll play slow if we have to. I'm willing to wait… though I'm not so sure my dear brother would agree.
Weaving my way around the crowd was easy. They were distracted by the heroes of the day, the ones who 'try to make the world a better place'. Or simply hide behind that badge for nothing more than personal gain.
And honestly, I've seen far more of the latter in my life. I don't see the point in trying to stop it anymore. I've lost far too much far too quickly trying to do that, it just isn't worth it. I could go on forever about trivial things, but Luson was waiting. And I hate it when he gets cranky.
The crowds thinned the closer I got to the outside.
Recent rumors of Lycoris being back intrigued me, I never knew much about the mysterious group outside of what I could gather. But from what I could tell.. our current employer might be working for them.
It didn't matter, in the end, so long as they kept up with their side of the deal… all would be fine.
Quietly, I made my way out of Narkin. It was high time I discussed with our employer on where to proceed from here…
I had to take a quick step back.
Three suspects, one of them exposed themselves and called for an 'escape orb' while threatening the Oshawott's life. If we didn't intervene, the Sableye would be the only suspect on the run. But we did intervene, causing two other Pokémon who I'd assume to be its partners to get involved. They must've been the insurance.
They were prepared to take a team like us on, but they underestimated me, and Scarlet is far scarier than what I would like to believe. So their asses got kicked, and I still felt like shit after that punch.
Red flags had gone off in my head, I doubted those clowns would be the only ones sent after the Oshawott if they were willing to stage that level of a kidnapping op in broad daylight. Maybe I'll keep an eye on little Oz… just in case.
All of us were sitting in a tavern, one close to the Guild. Apparently it was popular for that reason. It had those old western style doors that flapped open like in the movies, and the atmosphere itself reflected that vibe.
We didn't know what the whole deal with Oz was, but I had the feeling that we were going to find out soon enough. After the whole sendoff for the Sableye at the Guild, we decided to come here and eat.
And while we were here… Blair was proving to be… interesting.
"How the hell do you even manage that?" I asked in surprised stupor. "And I thought I was reckless…"
The Bisharp laughed, his partner joining in as I stayed deathly silent. "Oh, if you thought that accident breaking my arm was bad enough… we got our pay docked for the involved job."
"They're leaving out the part where they yelled at the previous Guild Masters, got in a verbal argument, then proceeded to almost start a physical fight with them." Kira added.
"Well that's one thing we got in common," I sat back in my seat. "I got fired from my first job over a lack of respect for authority."
Blair perked up. "Did they deserve it?"
"... My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner."
"Ugh," Kira groaned. "You're not going to be a good influence are you?"
I rolled my eyes and folded my arms. "Hey, I will follow orders no problem so long as the person giving them isn't an asshole. Respect should be earned, not given away for free."
"Are most humans like you?" Est asked.
"No, some of my views are actually more extreme than most people. Spent a lot of my life trying to fit in with those around me, I eventually just stopped trying."
Blair smiled, a small look of understanding on him. "I know that feeling. My family never learned to adapt to the changing world, instead they cling to what the old clans used to do."
"I honestly haven't asked much about the history of this world, why don't we trade a question or two about the subject?" I suggested.
"Sure, and I'll ask first," the Bisharp declared. "From what I've been told about you, you've got training of some kind. What is it in?"
I pulled out my revolver and twirled it in my fingers. "Been shooting revolvers and pistols since I was thirteen, I'm just really good with them naturally. The skill only got better after training to become a Police officer. I would be here all day telling you about the things they trained me for, and the extra stuff I ended up taking and transitioning into."
"Why don't you tell us?" Kira sarcastically asked.
With a roll of my eyes, I holstered my revolver. "Good question, but it's my turn to ask something. And that question I have is what you know about the mystery dungeons."
"Their origin is unknown, but speculated to be just after the disappearance of Celebi. Why they exist is unknown. Most useful information is unknown, honestly. Except for one thing... Lycoris is suspected to have played a role in their creation." Kira monotoned. "My turn. You've shown off some interesting inventions you humans use, what's the medicine side like?"
I chuckled. "Do you know what surgery is?" I gestured to my legs. "Say my legs were broken, just like when you found me. Instead of having psychic powers fix it from the outside, cause we don't have anything like that in our world, we have to cut open the leg and fix the bones structure and find a way to keep it together before stitching everything up." The Gardevoir doctor's face looked on in shock and fear.
Blair took a sip of his drink, his smile still bright and friendly as ever. "Wasn't expecting to find out your people healed by stabbing one another in the right places, ha!"
"A- are you awake during this horrific process?" Kira asked in abject horror.
I laughed. Finding her fear of this subject rather amusing. "Hell no, you'll get some anesthetics and it's all good. Anyways, it's my turn again. How explored is the world at large? From what I hear, it makes it seem like there is so much to see still."
"That's because there is," Est answered in a mysterious tone. "It's dangerous to go without a few friends out there into the unknown. Pokémon are always finding new things, from ruins, to more weird things they can't explain. Etyth is the newest region as well, so that doesn't help very much."
I nodded along. "Are you interested in doing that sort of thing? Exploring the… 'frontier'?"
"It's fun, but we're more interested in helping the Pokémon in these places." Est happily answered.
Kira froze, seemingly staring out into space. A sigh escaped her as she put a hand to her forehead. "Merek wants to talk to me about Oz and his situation. Do you both want to come with me or stay here with them?"
"I'd rather stay here," I said. Some part of me was enjoying their company.
Scarlet stayed motionless as she responded. "I am staying here as well."
"Then I'll be back soon, hopefully. I'm only across the road if anything happens." she said before pushing on her badge and disappearing.
Blair narrowed his eyes. "So, where those loud bangs we heard while we were at the Guild you?"
"Nah, that was this little thing. I'll show you its features…"
Our scouting had gone quite well. We found what we suspected to be the location of the place, but something was off. We didn't find many signs that anything was here. The untrained eye would've missed a few things though...
"Ronin, come here," I called out to my Gallade companion.
He jumped over to me. "What'd you find?"
I held the odd metal piece in my hand. Cold as can be, covered in dirt but still shone in the sun. It looked similar to what Mason used in his weapons…
Except much bigger.
"Is that what I think it is?" he asked.
I nodded grimly. A chill ran through my body as I tossed it away. "Lycoris still has those golden masked monsters after all..."
