Faceless

Slateport City was known as the most industrial port in Hoenn with its large cruise ships and exports appearing from all over the world. Culture, flair and beauty was given to its city centre with trees expanded far full of marketplaces and of course the Slateport Arena, the home of the battle and contest tournaments. In addition, its Pokemon Centre was first class to suit its newly developed surroundings and Pokemon Trainers would often spend weeks at a time training here in preparation for tournaments or nearby gym battles. Rod had headed there straight away to register, Nurse Joy sensing his enthusiasm as she smiled and began to input data into her computer. Everything was done through the Pokemon Centre nowadays, making it easy for trainers to register for nearly every event imaginable in Hoenn. The sun beat down from above as usual, summer now coming to a steady end with a glimpse of autumn appearing through the browning of leaves and trees. Hoenn still remained beautiful as it prepared for the cooler temperatures of the year, but still its beaches remained full of families and tourists enjoying the heat that most of the world avoided.

The Slateport markets remained bustling with people throughout the day with the afternoon continuing, however many heads had began to turn towards a specific girl whose voice had risen dramatically since arriving. Emma ran from stall to stall, throwing clothes repeatedly out of bins and displays with her eyes in bliss and joy. Rod and Forrest continued to chase her down, their legs and arms growing more tired from holding bags full of random shirts and socks to even Pokemon food as they breathed heavily. Emma cried, with some families hurriedly moving away from her presence, "Rod! Forrest! Quick there's some more beautiful clothes here, we have to get it!"

Rod slumped forwards, his brown hair blowing gently in the sea breeze as he muttered under his breath, "How on earth is she affording all this stuff?"

Forrest laughed, tapping Rod's back to force him back up, "I guess if you work for Devon Corporation your whole life, your savings triple!"

"I need to be training for the tournament, there's going to be a lot of tough trainers there!"

That had been bugging Rod's mind ever since they arrived and register for the event, and the list he had seen of names had grown exponentially over the last few days with the tournament beginning after the weekend. No familiar names had appeared yet to him, but Nurse Joy had hinted at a variety of local trainers with a few who had travelled internationally just to compete! He would have to be at his best, and warming up rather than shopping for clothes that Emma probably would even wear. Sighing, he followed Forrest towards Emma's calls through the crowd with money spilling from her new handbag to an excitedly looking merchant as he passed more Pokemon food across.

Placing a silver bottle in Rod's hand, Emma exclaimed, "We used to sell those at Devon Corporation! Pokeblocks!"

Forrest took the bottle and looked at them before shaking his head, "I remember when trainers used to make these themselves and now they are just made in factories." He opened the lid and sniffed before looking away, repulsed, with Emma snatching them back and placing it back into yet another bag as she smiled and continue to weave her way, at a surprisingly fast rate through the crowded streets. Rod could only look in astonishment at how fast she moved, her voice still trailing and toppling over even the loudest of children crying. Forrest raised a hand towards Rod and said, "Give me your bags, and I'll return them to our room at the Pokemon Centre. Try to make sure she doesn't buy too much to carry."

Rod nodded, sighing in relief as he passed the heavy bags over before beginning to move through the crowd with Forrest turning the other direction. Rod already knew he wasn't going to come back for them, being the smarter one and probably heading to the beach and relaxing with his friend forced to chase down a shopaholic. Random faces and dense crowd hit Rod fast as Emma's voice continued to disappear into the far distant of the marketplace where the stalls were much smaller and the crowd more hurriedly moving through. Before finally bursting into an area of open space with children running after Wingull and splashing into random puddles from overnight rain, Rod had realised he had lost all sight of Emma completely.

Looking around, semi-casually, and adjusting his headband, Rod took a Pokeball from his pocket and threw it up into the sky above. Bursting into a white flash of light, Starly appeared above as children looked up in awe with Rod smiling at them. It would be easier to locate Emma from the sky, and Rod called up, "Starly, I've lost Emma! Do you mind having a look up ahead?"

The Starling Bird Pokemon tweeted back happily and took off ahead as Rod jogged behind it below trying to dodge other tourists and buyers. She couldn't have gotten far, but yet the disappearance of her voice seemed very strange indeed and different to what half of Slateport City would have been used to hearing for the early afternoon. Moving quickly now as random merchants tried to heckle him closer to look at their imported goods, something tasted very bland in in Rod's mouth, almost like poison creeping into him. Instincts kicked in and he moved fast now, pushing people over as he knew something was seriously wrong. Jumping over a bench in the middle of the square, his bag swinging on his back, as some elder women screamed in shock as he ran past with Starly circling above looking lost and confused.

The end of the market appeared, a road stretched with apartment blocks and buildings appeared with cars coppered due to the sea breeze. Emma was not here, and in fact the entire area seemed undisturbed and frighteningly normal with tourists and locals joining the busy market place behind with smells of hotdogs and fries cheapening the air. Starly landed on Rod's shoulder, looking upset as Rod smiled and patted its back and feathers softly before muttering, "Don't worry Starly, we'll find her. I just have no idea where she could have gone."

His mind exploded into imagination as he shivered in fright; kidnapped, taken from the world? Anything could have happened, and immediately, Rod knew he had to contact Officer Jenny immediately. Sending Starly back into the sky above to keep searching, Rod pounded down the road as head began to turn at his sweaty face moving through the streets quickly. Turning down road by road, some children kicking a football around to small Pokemon battles appearing, Rod found no clues whatsoever and worry continued to spread through his body. There was nothing, just absolutely no reason behind this at all, why would Emma just vanish like that?

Slowing his stride, as a large truck pulled ahead of him, forcing Rod down a darkened alleyway with another road at the end to link, he began to think and look around him. Emma was resourceful, and she was carrying at least a ton of new clothes in bags as well, but they were not in sight at all. Avoiding the dark puddles below him, movement was suddenly heard from all around as Starly screeched and dived down from above. Fire and sparks flashed from all sides as Rod dived down in shock, his entire body jumping as he yelled in shock feeling heat catch his arm and legs. Rolling through the puddles, the clothes now sodden with water and dirt, he tried to regain balance and his bearings. Starly continued to screech from nearby as Rod finally stopped rolling and scrambled to his feet with his mouth instantly dropping.

A dragon stood before him as Rod could literally feel his heart pounding in his ears with fright and fear now combining as he took a step back. Starly landed on his shoulder, shivering in the shock with the entire alleyway growing darker. No escape, and Rod shakeably took out his Pokedex as it spluttered, "Salamence, the Dragon Pokemon, and the final evolution of Bagon. This Pokemon is known to be able to fly and release powerful blasts of fire at long range."

Dragon and Flying Type, but it was absolutely enormous and larger than anything Rod had ever seen before. Its bloodshot red wings extended out as it screeched, baring fangs towards them both as Rod turned and attempted to run with Starly screeching in fear. Another jolt of fire had him retreating instantly as Salamence roared loudly, echoing around its enemies immediately. A cool voice then spoke from behind, human but incredible distasteful with Rod spinning around, feeling as it this was all planned. A man appeared from upon the Salamence as he jumped to the ground acrobatically, the sunlight catching his bald head and thin sunglasses. His teeth were horribly disfigured, but his white tuxedo immediately proved his wealth and money, "Gullible, predictable and obvious. Exactly why I hate coming out here."

Scratching his head, confused and feeling defensive, Rod retorted, "What do you want with me? I have other things to do!"

"Let me make this simple, so your eleven year old mind can process it." The man spoke with severe confidence that was left hanging around the alleyway as Rod literally felt the anger rising in his blood. "A girl has been with you for a while, and I want her. Simple?"

"Girl?" Rod's mind immediately began to flash in epiphany and understanding as he gripped his fists hard, a hand plunging into his pocket to grip a Pokeball. This man was must be after Emma, and he was sent here for some reason. What had she said in the past? On the S.S. Tidal towards Dewford Island, she had warned Rod and Forrest about Devon Corporation coming after her as she broke out. He had let that completely slip his mind, and now they were here and Rod had a steaming Dragon Pokemon facing him ready to chomp him to bits. Taking a Pokeball from his pocket, and pointing it directly towards the assailant, Rod spat back, "Emma doesn't want to go back to Devon Corporation."

"I'm making this easy for you, show me where she is and we will have no trouble. You can continue on your fun game of an adventure, and she can come with me."

"I can't help you."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Rod was in no way going to help this man, especially with Emma trusting him to keep her safe especially from threats regardless of what this persons relationship was with her. Was this guy in charge of Devon, Emma's Father, or just some grunt they had sent with a hyper-powerful Pokemon to threaten a child in a backstreet alleyway? Blackmail was on the cards, and Rod was now in no mood to play any games. Emma hadn't been found by this man though, she had escaped or hidden, therefore he changed his plans and came after her close travelling partner. Whipping his right arm forward, another Pokeball exploded high above as Rod cried, "Fletchinder, use Flame Charge! Starly, use Whirlwind! Let's get out of here!"

Rod turned away and began to run as Salamence prepared to unleash another Flamethrower towards him, but his Pokemon had already acted. Starly unleashed a powerful as the fire was completely deflected towards the Devon man, his screams of pure pain now appearing behind with Fletchinder firing down from above a perfected Flame Charge. Rod waved at them, as they instantly followed him from above, with the scorching sunlight now setting down on the pavement. Rod thundered down onto the main street as a flash of a police vehicle appeared up ahead, and with Salamence's roar from behind, Rod had to reach Officer Jenny.

No more flame appeared from behind as Rod darted across a small pocket park with Officer Jenny's blue hair appearing from a park bench. Wheeling around a corner, her face shocked as she spilled her soda in surprise, swearing quietly and looking up, "Watch where you're going, young man! I'm on break!"

Breathing heavily, and panting, Rod gasped revealing his burned and charred arms, "Man...back there...Devon...attacked...me!"

"Excuse me? Who attacked you?" Officer Jenny stood up, now her face returning to the normal authoritative look before she continued. "Explain, who attacked and why are you burned."

Rod was too tired to explain and pointed at the sky behind her as Officer Jenny wheeled around and jumped back in shock. A man and a large Salamence took off from the centre of Slateport City as they disappeared high into the blue sky above before shooting across the ocean with terrific speed with the horizon greeting them. Jenny shook her head and muttered, "He's back...the Faceless."

…

Devon leaned back on his leather armchair at the top of the Devon Corporation towers, his greying brown hair glistening in the evening sunset. His transceiver buzzed in his hand, where it had been for the last hours awaiting an important call. Immediately picking it up, he muttered in a croaky voice, "Do you have Emma?"

"No, you didn't tell me she was going to hide or expect me coming."

The returning voice was one of pure arrogance and slight frustration with Devon immediately wanting to cancel his services. He called himself the Faceless because of his unknown identity and extreme knowledge of the Hoenn underworld, but importantly he was a contracted poacher. He had captured nearly every Pokemon known to mankind, hiding them somewhere to be sold and auctioned off at extortionate prices, but this time he had been hired to track down a human. Devon replied angrily thumping his arm down on the side, "I've paid you money, now bring her to me."

"I don't like going after humans, why don't you control your own children?"

"Bring her to me, and you will be rewarded double."

"If you want it done fast, let me use force."

Devon hung up, refusing that offer as he did not want Emma hurt in any regard but he desperately needed her back at the corporation. More workers had escaped and work had slowed as a result towards the many new inventions and experiments being tested. Devon Corporation controlled Hoenn, and its success had been built dedication and commitment to a life of learning and science. Steven Stone managed to escape it completely, but his mind was already filled full of great ideas, Emma Devon would have to return to fulfil her true destiny. Standing up and pacing the office slowly, Devon steadily pushed over all the family pictures of when Emma was born and growing up. This was more than a family matter, this was for science and Emma had to come back.

She had to.

…

Emma had returned to the Pokemon Centre as Rod ran around Slateport searching for her, but it was her only way to escape. Sobbing uncontrollably into Rod's shoulders as he held her tight, he could only feel sympathy for her even though his anger at peaked with how she had baited him to get attacked. Forrest had been quietly reading an article on the public computer with Emma apologising in the background, but the damage had been done and many hours later in the twilight, answers had begun to be formed.

Forrest coughed, placing a half full mug of coffee down as other trainers began packing up various supplies to get ready for bed in their rooms upstairs, and spoke, "The Faceless is a contracted Pokemon Poacher, he steals Pokemon and is incredibly dangerous. I'm surprised you still have your Pokemon, Rod."

Fletchinder and Starly had escape with ease from the air after attacking the Salamence, but Rod saw no noticeable damage on the Dragon Pokemon as it flew away, its scales shining in the sun. Emma sat down, still in tears, as Rod replied curiously, "He wasn't after my Pokemon though, he tried to blackmail me for Emma. None of his attacks were made to hurt me directly."

"That's strange...he is so dangerous and well connected. I can't imagine Devon Corporation would send someone like him to get Emma though."

Shaking her head, Emma spluttered through the tears, "My Father is insane! I knew he would do something crazy like this, and now you all are going to get hurt because of me!"

Her shrieks echoed as the volume of the room died down slightly, but the creaking of the nearby door was the next noise to appear. The voice that spoke from the hallway was one of authoritativeness and confidence as Rod looked up, "The Faceless won't go anywhere near to you all. I can assure that."

Familiarity flooded through Rod's mind as they all stared at the individual standing there, almost like ray of light in a place so dark. Forrest dropped his mug in shock as it shattered on the ground, the pieces of porcelain filtering across the room.

Rod gasped, "It can't be..."