There's really nothing I can say about this chapter. Just...read it and leave a review.
Chapter 9:
The Intrepid Officer
"The boundaries that divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends and the other begins?" –Edgar Allen Poe
"Alright, everyone! Lunchtime!"
Kachi gladly set down the load of rubble he was carrying and wiped his brow. The reconstruction of the town was going well. A lot of damage was left, but at least everyone had a place to stay now. Even the dead, few as they were, had been buried. At least no one had to live in the jail-cells if they didn't belong there anymore. Plus, most of the rubble was cleared away now. He had actually been carrying the last of it. But now he went over and joined the other workers for lunch.
Meadow was among the servers. She grinned and waved at him as he passed and he smiled back. She brought such joy and light to his life, especially after the tough cases he sometimes had to deal with. For instance, the current one. The case of Lord Sable.
He received his food with a nod and a grateful smile. The server smiled at him. "Doing alright, officer Kachi?"
"Yes, thank you!" he said. He gave the food an appreciative sniff. "Mm! Smells great! Give my compliments to the cook!"
She laughed and turned to serve the next in line. Kachi sighed contentedly. Of all the police, the townsfolk seemed to like him the best. He didn't really bother about why that was. Most likely it was his desire to help where he could. Like he had with Keski and Bolt. Speaking of them, he had heard that Keski hadn't woken up since the attack. Something about 'aura deprivation', though since Cotton was the one who had told him and the jumpluff spoke very quickly he wasn't sure of the details. Nothing unusual there.
No, if anyone was acting unusual, it was Medi. Her normal, bemused behavior was gone, replaced by sullen fits and sulking. It was quite strange and the pikachu police officer couldn't make heads or tails of it.
He took a bite of the fresh-baked bread. Mmm! Nice and hearty. Maybe if there was a bit of butter it would be better, but there wasn't any to be had. Too bad. Besides, he had more important concerns at the moment. Lord Sable was up to something. It seemed certain that he was somehow involved in the attacks. But how? He'd been in the town during all the last two. He couldn't have been directly involved, could he? So was he a part of some larger organization?
The pikachu's head spun round and round in a cacophony of questions. Out of it, though, one course of action emerged. He needed evidence. It was all well and good to tell what he'd seen, but without proof it would be just his word against Sable's and whoever the dark-type could pay to testify on his behalf. So the real problem became how to get that evidence. He had to act soon too. Whatever Lord Sable had planned, assuming he was somehow involved with these attacks, it couldn't be good. Too many had already been hurt and even one death was too much.
He hoped Keski would be okay…
For once in his life, Keski's dreams were happy. It was a memory, but a pleasant one from before he evolved. He was sitting on a mountain plateau, eating an apple, beside an ancient lucario with a grizzled muzzle and faded fur. Keski bit deep into the apple, savoring the juice as it dribbled down his chin. His gold fur shone brightly in the evening light and contentment rested in his heart like a roosting bird. But a question nagged at the back of his mind, digging into him until he had to ask it.
"Master," he said, turning to the lucario beside him, "Why does my father hate me?"
The lucario blinked rapidly. He had been about to doze off and so it took him a few seconds to collect himself. "Keski…" He sighed.
"Don't say he doesn't! I know he does!" Keski bit into the apple and chewed it, still talking. "I just want to know why. That's all. No one ever told me why."
"Well…you weren't exactly…" The lucario looked into his eyes and sighed. "Keski, you have to understand, your father is a very important person in Northmarch and you…well, you are, in a way, a very narrow-minded way, a mistake."
Keski blinked, the words stabbing him like knives. "I'm a mistake?" he stammered.
"No, you are a creature of Arceus," his master said with the slight growl that crept into his voice whenever he was being serious, "Never forget that."
"Then why does my father think I'm a mistake?"
"Because, Keski, your mother is not your father's mate," the old lucario explained. "He never…intended for you to be born. Because you were, you are a very big embarrassment to him."
Keski nodded and looked down, digesting this. He finished the apple and threw the core away, watching it roll off the edge and fall down the cliff below. "I wish you were my father…" he muttered. He felt arms wrap around him from behind and lift him up into a hug. It was warm and he felt safe. He wriggled and turned around, returning the embrace happily.
"I do too," his master said, voice choked with emotion as he stroked Keski's head. The riolu didn't notice though. All he knew was that he felt safe and happy in the old lucario's arms.
The scene faded and Keski lay content, drifting off into deeper slumber where no dreams venture. When he awoke later that day, he didn't remember why but the feeling of peace and contentment persisted. Thanks to this, he only rolled his eyes and sighed when he saw Bolt sleeping at the foot of his bed, laying on his back and snoring softly with all four feet in the air.
Still sleepy, he rolled over and tucked his arms under his head for comfort. The bed was comfortable enough, but he'd gotten into the habit of using his arms as a pillow a while ago and it was notoriously hard to stop. Sleep tugged at his mind again and he almost fell into it. The word 'gold' went through his mind like an alarm bell. He squinted. Gold. Why were his upper arms gold?
His eyes widened. With one, frantic movement, he kicked the covers off and rolled off of bed. He landed on his tail with a 'thump' and gritted his teeth in pain. It passed quickly though and he was about to look down at himself when he hesitated. Then, after a moment had passed, he braced himself and looked down.
Shining gold fur met his gaze, almost gleaming in the light of the guestroom. All traces of dye were gone, leaving only the natural luster of his coat. All warmth left his body, leaving him feeling cold and frozen. He swallowed, but instead of collapsing he began to pace furiously, mind racing in a vicious circle at a thousand miles an hour. Who knew? What were they going to do? Would they kill him? No, that was ridiculous. But they might turn him into the authorities. He'd be made a spectacle of. A freak side-show. No, no, not now! He would run away before that happened. Disappear into the wilds. No one would ever find him.
But wait! How long had he been out? What if Tyrone had already discovered his location? Even after the years he'd spent on the island with Bolt, he doubted that tyranitar had forgotten him. Those things lived forever and Tyrone was practically as old as the mountains themselves! He wouldn't be able to forget him, especially since he had been responsible for driving him and his subjects out of their kingdom!
The door opened softly behind him and he whirled, crouched in a fighting stance. When a zoroark entered, he growled from the back of his throat. So Tyrone had found him already. That complicated things. The intruder raised an eyebrow. "News travels quickly, I see," Keski spat, "If you value your life, assassin, you'll turn around and go back to whatever crevice Tyrone is hiding in these days!"
The zoroark blinked. "Um…I think you have the wrong idea. My name is Shadow. I'm the Starchaser Guild's best agent, as it were."
"Right," Keski growled, not convinced, "Then leave. Now."
Shadow shifted awkwardly. "I'm the one who brought you back to the guild, you know. After you killed the cacturne." Keski's gaze grew sharper. "I just had a question I wanted to ask. I'm a bit too curious sometimes. I lost my memory, you see, so…" Keski's fighting stance did not slacken in the slightest. Shadow huffed, annoyed. "Look, I just want to know why your fur is such an odd color, okay? That is all. I've been checking in every so often, but this is the first time you've been awake."
"You want to know why?" Keski snarled, "I'll show you why!" He crouched down to gather power and then leapt right for the zoroark. He missed. Shadow moved aside incredibly quickly and Keski's fist slammed into the wall.
"Hey!" Shadow said in alarm. He ducked a wild right hook and raised both arms to block a left jab. "Stop it!"
"You aren't kill me!" Keski growled. Suddenly, his head spun. Weakness sprang upon him like a hunter on prey and he collapsed, groaning. Shadow knelt beside him in alarm.
"What? What's wrong? Strange stuff happens sometimes to people around me. Are you al-" The zoroark reeled back, clutching his midriff right under the ribs where Keski had socked him. The wind was driven out of him and he gasped desperately for air. Keski stood shakily, stumbling a few times, and crouched in his favorite fighting stance. "Giratina take you! What the hell was that for?!" Shadow snapped, coughing.
"Stranger comes into my room and turns out to be a zoroark, I automatically assume they are out for my blood," Keski said coldly, "Now come on! I haven't got all day!"
Anger clouded Shadow's face and his blue eyes flashed. "I told you to stop," he said in a voice that froze Keski's marrow. The lucario stepped away, eyes wide, as Shadow advanced. "I carried you back to the guild. Whatever reasons you have for dying your fur, I thought they must be important. And so thanks to me, your secret isn't the talk of the town. I was just a bit curious. That's all, got it? If you don't want to tell me, if you don't even want me in the room, fine. I'll leave."
Keski frowned. "So…you're not an assassin?" Shadow glared at him scornfully. "Right. So does anyone else know about…this?" He gestured to the gold fur that covered most of his body.
Shadow smiled smugly. "Could be. Not for me to say. I'm not wanted here. Though Master Majyk did want to talk with you." He turned and was out the door in a flash. Keski gulped.
"I'm sunk," he said. On the bed, Bolt stirred.
"Who's sunk?" he asked.
Keski looked at him dubiously. "Seriously? That's all you heard?"
Bolt blinked. "Why? Did something happen?"
Keski sighed. "Why do I even bother? Now where is the dye? I need to get it back in my fur before…" There was a knock at the door. "Ahh! Um, don't come in! I'm…um…grooming my fur!"
Bolt stared at him. "No you're not. You're just standing in the middle of the room."
"Keski," Emerald's voice came through the wood door, "It's us. Master Majyk and the top ranking members of the guild want to talk with you."
"Come in!" Bolt called. Keski's look was one of fear crossed with disbelief.
"Bolt!" he said, stunned.
"Keski, you've been asleep for several days! They all know!" Bolt explained. Keski, in a panic, dove behind the bed and out of sight. The door opened and Emerald came in first, quickly followed by Mendigo, Slicer, and of course Master Majyk. Bolt smiled in greeting and rolled upright. "Hi!"
"Hello, Bolt," Emerald said, giving him a warm smile. She set down the basket she had been carrying. "I brought you some biscuits and honey."
Bolt's eyes lit up. "Wow! You're the best, Emerald!"
"What about me then?" Mendigo asked, sounding a little crestfallen.
"You're creepy," Bolt replied.
"Aw, you know just what to say!" the shedinja responded with a laugh.
Slicer pushed past the others and scanned the room critically. "Alright," the kabutops said in a harsh, grating voice, "Where is he?"
"Who?" Bolt asked innocently.
"Bolt, we heard Keski talking to you from the hall," Majyk said. The jolteon grinned sheepishly. "Keski, I know you are here. I can sense your mind. Please, come out from under the bed."
All eyes fell on that particular piece of furniture. Slowly, very slowly, Keski's paw appeared. Then the other. Bit by bit, he emerged and stood upright before them. He gulped nervously and looked down. A shudder ran through his body, like a gust of cold air had just blow over him or like someone had just stepped on his grave. For a long moment, no one spoke.
"What's the matter, Keski?" Mendigo asked somewhat lightly, though it was a bit forced, "You look like you're about to face the executioner." Keski flinched.
"What's your problem?" Slicer grunted.
Keski opened his mouth to reply, but then shut it again. "Please…" he choked out, "Go away."
"Keski…" Emerald said softly. She approached and knelt beside him, but he scrambled away into the corner with wide eyes. "Keski, stop it," she snapped, "We aren't here to kill you. Gold fur is not really all that different than black fur. It actually looks a lot nicer, if you want to know my personal opinion."
"I…I'm not afraid of you killing me," Keski stammered.
"Good, because we aren't going to," Emerald stated, "And we aren't going to sell you out either."
"Wait, why would we even think of doing that?" Mendigo asked, "Does someone really want a gold-furred rug?"
Bolt blinked. "A rug? Out of fur? Since when do they do that?"
Slicer turned toward the shedinja, annoyed. "No, idiot. There is perhaps one shiny Pokémon in each generation. So there would be some very unscrupulous Pokémon that want them. Remember that Eevee you, Emerald, and I rescued? The grey one?"
"Oh, right," Mendigo said, feeling slightly foolish, "I guess that sort of thing would have more attraction to people who, you know, buy stuff. Me? I don't eat. I don't sleep. And I really have no use for luxuries."
"Why's that?" Bolt asked.
"I'm a floating shell. I can hear, see, and sort of feel. Food though? Competely wasted on me."
"If it helps," Emerald said softly, placing a paw on Keski's shoulder, "The rest of the guild doesn't know. Ryke would never shut up if he knew your fur was gold." She shuddered. "And that's a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy…"
"See, Keski?" Bolt said, smiling at him, "I told you everything's alright!"
"Actually, you didn't…" Keski muttered. He looked around at each of the Starchasers. "So…my fur means nothing to you then?" They shook their heads. Keski visibly relaxed, let himself fall back, and slid down the wall into a sitting position. "That's a relief…"
Emerald beamed at him. "Well good then. Now you need more rest. You're suffering from aura deprivation and you'll be weak for the next few days."
"Well, I did use a lot of it fighting the cacturne…" Keski muttered as an explanation.
"Yes, we know," the gardevoir said, offering him a hand and pulling him to his feet, "Now, we still have work to do. There is always more work to do, especially with the town is such disarray. But if you want a book or a meal, just send Bolt up and someone will get it for you."
"I will, thanks," Keski responded. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and watched Slicer, Mendigo, and Emerald file out. Only Master Majyk remained. A vague sense of apprehension came over Keski. The alakazam cleared his throat. "Yes?" the lucario asked.
"The others do not know about you. They truly think your fur is the only thing that sets you apart. But I know now who you are, Keski. And I can't say I'm exactly pleased," Majyk said. A stab of fear went through the young lucario. "We are a rather localized community here. We don't bother with the outside world much. But I take a greater interest than most because my long life has taught me that even events in distant lands can affect us here."
Bolt leapt off the foot of the bed and in between Keski and Majyk. Sparks flowed across his fur and he adopted a determined expression. "Keski's my friend! I won't let you hurt him!" he declared.
"My dear jolteon," Majyk said, "When did I ever say that? I merely wished to give you a bit of advice and a warning." He cleared his throat. "Keski, you played an integral role in defending this town. I have observed you closely these past few weeks and I can only say that you appear to have changed dramatically from the stories I have heard told about you. Now, I know about Northmarch and the hundred-year war it waged on the dark-types and I know about your part in ending it. So I would imagine that you are rather uncomfortable with seeing them accepted into society here. But rest assured, they are not the evil monsters you were taught to believe and if I discover you trying to kill any, I will lock you up myself. Are we clear?"
Keski nodded wordlessly. The master of the Starchaser Guild sighed and approached him. "You thought you were a hero, didn't you? But then, you disappeared and somehow ended up on Bolt's home, didn't you?" Keski nodded again. "And there, you learned the truth of your actions and now they torment you. Am I correct?"
The lucario stared at him, bewildered, but then he looked down. Tears appeared in his eyes and he said, "Yes…"
Majyk regarded him silently for a moment. "I am so very sorry…"
Keski tensed. "Thanks…" He sighed. "By the way, a zoroark came in here claiming to be Shadow. Is that true?"
"Yes," Majyk said, "And if you think your past is unsavory, then his is downright evil."
A few minutes later, Bolt and Keski were alone. The lucario sat silently, wrapped up in his own, dismal thoughts. Bolt watched him worriedly. "You going to be okay?" he asked.
"He knows…" Keski said softly, "Bolt, he knows who I really am! I knew I shouldn't have left! I knew I should have stayed on the island!" He leapt to his feet and began pacing rapidly back and forth. "The world hasn't forgotten me after all. Why did I come?! Why did I…" He whirled and punched the wall, leaving a small spider-web of cracks. "I'M AN IDIOT!"
"Dad asked you to keep an eye on me," Bolt answered, "And if you're an idiot, what am I?"
"A moron."
"What's the difference?"
"The spelling."
"But you're smarter than me!"
"Bolt, just…stop please." Keski took a deep breath. "I just need to think…"
"Then stop working yourself up into a frenzy, sit down, and think," Bolt suggested. Keski glared at him. "Sit," Bolt said insistently. Keski rolled his eyes and sat. "Now, this is just like when Dad and I found you on the beach. Did Lady Ho-Oh, Entei, Suicune, or Dad destroy you? No. They didn't. And I'm pretty sure that Majyk and the others won't either."
"I'm not afraid of that," Keski replied.
"Then what are you afraid of?" Bolt asked, a little exasperated.
Keski hesitated, seeking the best way to answer. "I guess I'm afraid of my past catching up with me," he admitted, "It's just…I left it behind. But it…well, it literally blacks out the light. Every time someone realizes who I am, the chance of it catching me goes up."
"Hey! I'll be here with you, no matter what happens!" Bolt said cheerfully.
"I'm supposed to be protecting you," Keski countered, "Not the other way around."
"But that's what friends are for, Keski," Bolt said, "We'll protect each other! Deal?" He extended his paw with an earnest look.
The lucario smiled and took it. Sure, it didn't solve the problem and he knew thinking about would keep him up at night, but Bolt's eagerness made it hard to not cheer up some. "Deal."
Kachi trudged back to the police station, paw-sore and weary. The work was done for the day and everyone was headed home. He had told Meadow that he had one more thing to do tonight before he came home. He had to tell Pyre something very important, but it shouldn't take too long so she should go ahead and make dinner. The pikachu sighed. He still had no proof, but, evidence or not, he had decided to at least inform Pyre of his suspicions. If the quilava required proof, then he would fall back on his original plan and get him some.
He walked in just as the quilava police chief was haphazardly shoving the various papers on his desk into whatever drawer he thought they were supposed to go in. At the sound of the opening door, he looked up sharply but then relaxed when he saw who it was. "Oh, I was afraid you were Cascade."
"Sorry to disappoint," Kachi said with a grin, "I'm not exactly as pretty as she is, am I?"
The quilava barked out a short laugh. "Nope. Not at all. So what can I do for you?" he asked, "Hope it's quick though. I can hear my bed calling me from here."
Kachi raised an eyebrow. "Anyone else in it?"
"Funny…" Pyre muttered, "Anyway, what's up?"
"Um," Kachi rubbed the back of his head nervously, "See the thing is…" He took a deep breath and said very quickly, "I think I know who's behind the recent attacks."
Pyre stared at him for a long moment. "Well?"
"Uh, right!" Kachi cleared his throat. "Lord Sable. I overheard him talking to himself during the battle. It seems he's connected to the attacks somehow. Maybe he even instigated them."
"Lord Sable?" Pyre repeated, "The visitor from the capitol?" Kachi nodded, biting his lip. The quilava's stared at him. "What possible motive could he have?"
"I'm not sure, but I think that the Starchasers are involved somehow. Maybe he's one of their enemies? Maybe he's a crime boss and they busted one of his operations?"
The quilava's eyes hardened. "Not too far-fetched, considering some of the stories I've heard about what goes on in the capitol…" He leaned back and sighed. "Do you have evidence?"
"No…" Kachi said under his breath.
"Then currently, there is nothing we can do," Pyre said, "However…if you were to find any, then we could arrest him. Of course, the implications of arresting the director of the Royal Press would be drastic, so it would have to be conclusive." Kachi nodded glumly. "Oh, and by the way, we need someone to deliver several files to Lord Sable. Maybe you would consider doing it? It might give you a chance to…make sure that we do not have a criminal among us."
Kachi blinked. "Now?"
"Yes."
"I don't know. Meadow is making dinner."
"Then you better hope you find evidence quickly."
"Is that an order?" Kachi asked.
"No," Pyre replied, "But, if he is responsible, we cannot afford to let him get away with it. And we must act quickly to stop him too."
The pikachu sighed and nodded. "Alright, where is the file?"
About a half hour later, he was standing outside the sableye's guest quarters. Jasper had been very nervous when he opened the door and when Kachi had mentioned Lord Sable the persian had practically jumped out of his fur. The pikachu approached the door warily, hesitating to knock. Steeling his nerves, he rapped three times on the carved wood. There was no response. With more confidence, he pushed it open and entered a sort of sitting room. Muffled voices came from the back, where another door led to the bedroom. Curious, he approached and placed one ear against it.
"Any word from the Management, Roxy?" he heard Lord Sable ask.
"Yes, Lord Sable! The Director will be calling you tonight."
"When?"
"Soon."
"I wonder what he wants," Lord Sable mused, "Probably going to berate me for getting two of his precious test subjects killed. Eh, who cares? Their Reprogramming was sloppy anyway." There was a pause. "Well, I guess it'll be a good time to discuss Phase Two with him. There are still some details that need ironing out. Arresting an entire guild takes a large amount of troops, after all." He laughed to himself as if that was a joke. There was a humming, buzzing sound that Kachi could not identify. "There he is now. Hand me the communicator, Roxy."
"Here you are, Lord Sable!"
"Thanks, doll." There was a slight pause. "Sable here. Of course it's you, you don't have to say it. Wastes time and I deplore waste. By the way, how are things in space? What? Now I'm wasting time? Yeah, I guess that true. Straight to business then?"
Kachi took a step away from the door. This was all very interesting, but he couldn't take a conversation with him and show it to Pyre. If they were going to be talking with someone in there, then now was the perfect time to look around. He moved toward the desk and quietly opened the first drawer. Immediately, he found something that struck his interest. A large, stuffed envelope labeled 'Progress Report: Fall of the Thirteenth year'. Silently, he took it out, opened it, and began reading.
As of this quarter, we have successful trained forty scientists in the use of the old human tech we have recovered. The process of Reprogramming is steadily being refined. Already we have improved its effectiveness above the levels the humans could accomplish. All positive emotions have been suppressed, but we are still not entirely satisfied. Too much of the subject's original personality remains, hampering their effectiveness by approximately forty percent. It also leaves open the possibility of returning them to their previous state. When this has occurred, the subjects sometimes received large boosts in power and were very resistant to an additional Reprogramming. They had to be put down.
Kachi skimmed over the rest of the report, learning several interesting things but nothing that tied directly to Lord Sable or the attacks. At least, not until the very end. A small note at the bottom that he almost disregarded sent a shudder down his spine.
Our orbiting facility remains undetected as of yet, though something will have to be done about Rayquaza shortly. Also, two of the Mistress's seven servants have already crossed over. One has merged with a bandit chief in the eastern hills. The other has found a prominent lord in the Seafoam Empire named Lord Sable. To all operatives receiving this, their missions take precedence over any other concerns for they alone have the power to defeat the Sealbearers, free our Mistress, and bring about the Day of Burning Skies.
All hail the Queen of Air and Darkness!
"The Day of Burning Skies?" Kachi muttered, "What's that?" There was a loud shout from inside the bedroom and he jumped. Quickly, he stuffed the paper back in the file, stored it away, and stepped out from behind the desk. After a few moments of acting inconspicuous, nothing happened. The door remained closed. So, curious, he once again approached it and eavesdropped.
"Sure thing," Lord Sable said, "Sorry about that outburst a second ago. Greed is a bit of a delicate issue for me. Yes, I know you understand. Uh-huh. Whatever. I'll read it the second this conversation ends. Yeah, bye." Another short pause. "Roxy, did a courier bring anything today?"
"Oh, yes! Let's see, it's somewhere over here. Let me go get it."
Alarmed, Kachi stepped away from the door and behind a curtain. The bedroom door opened and an emolga exited, humming happily to herself. She picked a sealed enveloped off the desk, turned around, and walked right back to Sable's room. She didn't even suspect that Kachi was watching her warily. The pikachu waited a minute and then scurried back to the door just in time to hear Lord Sable shout.
"GOLD?! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN HE HAD GOLD FUR?!"
"Who has gold fur?" Roxy asked, alarmed at Sable's sudden outburst.
"THAT BLASTED LUCARIO WHO KILLED THE CACTURNE, THAT'S WHO!"
"What, is that what the report says?" Roxy asked with a meek voice.
"Yes, yes it does," Sable said, voice tense but calming down, "This, this is the end battle report. Since this was the first official field test, both the cacturne and the hariyama were linked up to a monitoring system. Now, the cacturne's was mostly destroyed when it regenerated, but the mental uplink was intact. Looks like our little friend Keski's black fur is dyed and the rain washed it away. The cacturne's last thoughts were about the gold-furred lucario it was fighting." He chuckled darkly. "The Golden Demon, right here under my nose. Arceus must not be trying very hard to win if he's giving me this sort of opportunity!"
"Golden Demon, Lord Sable?" Roxy asked.
"Tch, I forget how little people in the Seafoam Empire care about the outside world sometimes," Sable said, "Allow me to give you the short version, my dear assistant. Not too many years ago, the two kingdoms of Northmarch and Midnight were at war. Northmarch was ruled by a rather zealous group of nobles who believed that the Midnight Kingdom deserved to be wiped off the map. So, they mounted a crusade. It stagnated and for several years the fightin just dragged on and on with no end in sight. Then, out of nowhere, the forces of Northmarch found a new leader: a lucario with golden fur.
"He was absolutely a monster. Nothing they did could stop him. They'd hit him again and again with everything they had and he'd just stand back up, howl at them, and charge right back into battle, stronger than ever. In Northmarch he was called the 'Golden Saint' because they believed his power was a blessing from Arceus himself, a sign that they were destined to win. But in the Midnight Kingdom, he was known as the Golden Demon."
"What happened to him?" Roxy asked.
"No one knows," Sable replied with a mysterious tone, "He disappeared shortly after the war was won. Northmarch conquered the Midnight Kingdom, driving the Dark-types that lived there into the mountains. But no one knew where the gold-furred beast disappeared to. Until now, of course. And now, we're going to catch him! Oh, with that kind of power under my command, no one will be able to deny me anything I want!" Sable cackled in wicked delight. "Imagine being able to ignore any wounds and fight on! Once we Reprogram him, he will be truly unstoppable!"
Kachi backed away from the door slowly, eyes wide. Just what had he gotten himself into? The human technology was insane enough, but at least that made sense. Sure, everyone knew of the old human structures that dotted the landscape and a few archeologists were obsessed with figuring out how the stuff worked. But to most, humans were practically a legend and only a few, long-lived Pokémon remembered the time when they had walked the earth! And what was this about Keski? The Northmarch Crusade?! That had always seemed so far away and he'd never paid much attention to it. But now it appeared he should have paid more! Kachi shook his head to clear it. The world was quickly coming apart around him and this was not the ideal location to try and piece it back together.
He turned back to the desk. He had to get some evidence. He glanced at the case file he was supposed to deliver. It probably wasn't such a good idea anymore. Lord Sable didn't need more information on Keski. The desk. Everything he needed was there in the desk. Just take the files and run. Don't look back. Run!
Heart hammering, the pikachu scampered back to the desk and slid open the drawer again. He scanned the papers there, looking for the file he had shoved back in there. In his rush, he didn't notice all the noise he was making or the bedroom door slowly open and two eyes like gemstones peer out.
"There you are," Kachi said in triumph, yanking the file out of the drawer. He stepped around the furniture and made for the door, but Sable's voice pulled him up short.
"Found what you were looking for, officer?" Lord Sable called, "I was unaware the police made a habit of searching through private files out here." Kachi nearly jumped out of his fur. He paled, turning as white as a ghost. "Oh I'm sorry," Sable said indolently, "Am I interrupting?"
"Ah, I, uh, hi!" Kachi stammered, breaking out in a cold sweat. He tried to force a smile onto his face. "I was just…delivering something. Um, where did I put it? One sec. I think it's in the hall. I'll be right back…"
Lord Sable grinned at him like a predator does to its prey. "Oh why bother lying? A good spy knows when he's been caught. Let's put aside the annoying little bit where you prove just how bad a liar you are, hmm? Now, I believe that there belongs to me." He held out his hand for the file. "If you would be so kind…" Reluctantly, Kachi handed it back to him. "Now…what to do with you? I don't suppose you would tell me everything you overheard or read, would you?" Kachi shook his head. "I didn't think so."
Kachi eyes flicked around the room, looking for an exit. The emolga stood in the door to the bedroom and watched the exchange with a curious expression. He might be able to make a dash for the hall, depending upon how fast Lord Sable was. He couldn't be that fast, could he? Certainly a pikachu could beat a sableye any day, right? Mind made up, Kachi began edging in that direction.
"Tell me, though, what did you plan to do after you had stolen this, hmm?" Sable asked, "And don't bother trying to deceive me. It would just insult me."
Kachi took a deep breath and weighed his options. Talking meant more time until he turned hostile, which meant more time to prepare to run. So, he told him. "I heard you on the roof the night of the battle. I know you had something to do with the attacks!"
Understanding flooded Sable's eyes. "But you needed proof. I see. How…interesting. And what did you deduce, oh intrepid officer?"
Kachi's eyes hardened. "That you are part of something much larger than just this town and that it needs to be stopped."
Sable laughed. "Oh, I like you! You were scared at first, but now that you're face to face with the danger you speak boldly and without reservation! I could use underlings like you. Interested?"
Kachi shook his head. "No."
"Hmph. And why not?"
"You just orchestrated several attacks on the people I dedicated my like to defend!" Kachi snapped. He stepped forward, cheeks sparking. He forgot his fear, even if only for a moment. At last he had the answer. He had someone he could hold responsible for the senseless violence that he had seen. His righteous anger gave him strength. "You hurt my friends, friends I've had since childhood! You terrorized this entire community and killed several members of it! And that's not even the worst part! Because of you, I had to hug my little sister and watch her walk away crying because she and I might never see each other again!"
"And what if I offered to make sure that this entire town was spared from any future involvement in our plans in exchange for your service?" Lord Sable asked, a bemused smile on his face.
"I wouldn't be able to trust you. Besides, I trust Master Majyk. He's the real leader of this town and he can protect us much better than any promise from you can," Kachi said defiantly.
"And if I threatened to destroy this town? To kill them all?"
"Then I suppose I better expose you for what you are before you have the chance, now, shouldn't I?" Kachi said icily. He held out his paw. "I changed my mind. I think I'll be taking that file with me now."
Sable stared blankly at him for a long moment. "Well now, this is a surprise," he muttered, "So you are trying to be the one who cannot be bought? Do you know how rare this is? Do you know how rare it is that I do not get what I want?" A flash of anger passed across his face. "One in a million! One in one three-times-damned million!"
"And what is it that you want?" Kachi asked, crossing his arms and glaring.
"What do I…? What do I…? Excuse me a second." Lord Sable turned around, threw his head back, and laughed a crazy, unhinged cackle. Kachi's bravery withered somewhat, mixing with caution once more. "What do I want?" Sable repeated in a hiss, turning slightly to leer at the pikachu. "What don't I want?! I want it all! Life! Money! Power! I want the empire at my feet! Males, females, children of all species! I want them all to be mine! I want…I want…I want the world and everything in it!"
Kachi took a step back. "Just who do you think you are?"
"I know who I am!" Sable chuckled, "I am GREED! The hunger, the craving for everything! I want it, I want it! And I will not stop until I have it! I will have everything!" A ghastly, purple light enveloped his claws and chuckled. "But…like you, there are some things I can't have. So…anything I can't possess…" He took a step forward. "I will DESTROY!"
He leapt across the room as if shot from a cannon, claws aglow with deadly energy. Kachi yelped in surprise and stumbled backwards, releasing a small jolt of electricity more on instinct than anything else. It struck Lord Sable head on and he went limp in mid-air. Instantly paralyzed, he tumbled to the ground in a heap. His claws grazed Kachi's leg, leaving a shallow gash, but he lay unmoving on the floor. Alarmed, Roxy made a dash at the pikachu, but he swatted her aside with his tail, seized the file of evidence in his mouth, and ran for the exit. A trail of blood ran down his leg, but he ignored the pain and just focused on getting out.
Instead of pursuing him, Roxy tended to Lord Sable and managed to bring him out of the paralysis relatively quickly. However, instead of being upset, he seemed almost pleased. "Roxy," he said with a reassuring, soothing smile, "Get me a pictures of everyone he knows and the Shift orb Medi provided for us. I'm going hunting."
Kachi ran through the streets on all fours. First priority, get the file to Pyre. The more people knew about this the less chance of being individually targeted. Sure, it was great and all to speak bravely, but he really had no desire to die today. Meadow would be left all alone.
He froze. Meadow! Night had fallen and she was all alone at the house! What if, while he was gone, Sable kidnapped her! He took a deep breath. Alright, calm down, calm down. New first priortity: get home, grab Meadow, then take her and the evidence down to the police station. Someone had to be on duty there, even if Pyre and Cascade were gone for the day. They could both be safe there.
He changed paths, headed for home. The gash on his leg began to sting. With all the mud and grime left around from the cleanup, he wouldn't be surprised if it became infected, but he'd have to deal with that later. If only it wasn't slowing him down so much.
He gasped as a flash of pain travelled up it and lit up his chest like fire. Was this poison? But the wound looked fine. It was just a clean cut! However, ghosts were known for being masters of curses, poisons, confusion, and other nasty tricks, and that was just the friendly ones! A pecha berry, he had a pecha berry with his emergency supplies. If it was poison, that should stave it off long enough for him to get better treatment.
A few blocks from home he stumbled and fell on his face. His leg burned with fatigue. It wasn't much like poison anymore but something else. "Maybe this is how Casade felt…when she was hit by that…hariyama…" he muttered to himself through gritted teeth. He might have given up right then and lain in the street, but then Meadow's face flashed before his mind. Sable couldn't get to her first. He had to beat him!
With every ounce of his remaining strength, he rose to his feet. Dragging his wounded leg behind him, he walked slowly but with intense purpose toward his house. The door was shut, the lights were on, and there was no sign of anyone having forced their way in. He breathed a sigh of relief and mounted the first step, but Meadow's voice brought him up short.
"Big brother?" she called. Kachi looked left sharply. There she was, peering around the corner of the house with a frightened expression on her face. "Don't go in. They're inside the house looking for something."
Kachi almost sobbed in relief. He staggered over to where she was. "There you are," he said, a warm smile on his face. She took a step back, but he grabbed her paw. "Come on, we're leaving. We'll be safe at the police station."
"Brother! You're hurt!" she said in alarm.
"Yes, I know," the pikachu replied, "We'll take care of it when we get to safety!"
"Brother, wait!" Meadow cried. Kachi turned and she held out her arms for a hug. "Tell me it's going to be alright?"
Kachi took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay Meadow," he said softly. She smiled at him, but something about it was off. Shrugging it off, Kachi stroked her head. "It will be al-"
A fiery pain lit up his throat. He choked suddenly and staggered backwards, clutching at it. His paws came away soaked in red. He couldn't breathe. His throat made strange, gurgling noises. Shock and confusion fell over his face. Meadow's paws had long, sharp nails like claws on them and they were covered in blood. His blood.
He stumbled backwards and fell over. His head struck the wooden wall and the world began to darken. Meadow strode over to him, that same grin on her face. She pried the file of evidence out of his grip and dangled it over his head. "I'll take this, thank you very much," she crooned.
"Meadow…" Kachi managed to choke out, "Why…?"
"Shh, sleep," the pichu said. Kachi reached one paw out toward her but fell back. Shadows swam before his eyes. She leaned over and nuzzled his face one last time.
"Meadow…" he croaked, "I…lo…"
"Goodbye, Officer Kachi," she said. Then he felt a stabbing pain in his chest and gasped. Then, after one last effort to hang on, his head fell back, his eyes glassed over, and he knew no more.
Instantly, Meadow's form dissolved. In her place stood Lord Sable, grinning like a maniac. He examined his prize. There was a little bit of blood on the stolen file, but he could always get another copy. The important thing was that he had once again achieved victory. He looked down at his victim and laughed softly. "And so it shall be with all who oppose me," he muttered, "Hmm, but I still have a bit of the Shift Orb's power left and I can't let myself be seen near this location. I believe it is time to begin Phase Two."
His form blurred, changing into that of a female weavile. It didn't look exactly like Medi, but it was close enough to fool anyone in the dark. Satisfied with his disguise, he set off into the dark, headed back to Jasper's residence for a hot bath and good dinner.
Meadow opened the front door of the house she and her brother shared. Had those been people she had heard? Was Kachi home? He was rather late already. His dinner was cold. She huffed in annoyance. He'd promised that he would be home soon! He promised! She'd even tried to bake him a cake. He probably didn't remember, but this was the anniversary of the day he'd become a police officer. So, with all the bad stuff that had been happening, she figured he could use something to cheer him up.
She peered around nervously and shivered. It was dark tonight. Hopefully he'd come home soon…
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted his yellow fur in the alley by the side of their house. She let out a relieved sigh. "There you are!" she said cheerfully, bounding toward him, "What are you doing in the…?"
She froze, unable to process what she was seeing. Sightless eyes stared back at her and the ground was washed red.
Her scream tore the night asunder.
