Chapter Text
“What’s got you going to route 212, Yuu?” the cab driver, Hideki, asked.
My father didn’t trust automobiles, trains either, but they were too convenient for getting around. If he were around to see an airplane he might’ve lost it.
“Another job. Some unknown pokemon is terrorizing a local farm.” I replied.
I often get requests from people to handle unruly pokemon; and requests from pokemon to deal with abusive humans. Only between humans and pokemon though, someone else can handle the rest. It would be nice if pokemon could pay me too, but every now and then I get something worth selling.
“I couldn’t help but notice that baton you carry around, Yuu. I’ve heard rumors that you actually fight the pokemon yourself. Is… is that really true? Surely you’re hiding a pokemon or two.”
“Pokeballs never sat right with me, so I don’t use ‘em. Violence isn’t my first response regardless, but it isn’t a rare one either. Also this isn’t a simple baton, it’s a retractable staff.”
“How do you do it though? Taking a hit or two from a pokemon isn’t too bad, but actually subduing one? You’d have to be a freak of nature to do that. No offense,” the scruffy driver stated.
Suddenly my nerves go bad. Of all the ways he could’ve described it. There’s no way people know… right? No, my strength is unusual, of course people would take notice. As long as they don’t wonder why, it’s fine by me.
“Genetics and training. Maybe some luck too.”
“Hmph, if you say so.”
Hearthome was a relatively new city compared to the likes of Saffron and Goldenrod, but it was rapidly becoming one of the most favored places in the nation to live. Most of my requests come from here. I frequent the city so much I’m beginning to learn the names of the taxi drivers. Hearthome’s close distance to Solaceon is really convenient, the only thing keeping me from moving out of there is my childhood home.
“Hideki, have you heard anything about this attack? You said the pokemon was unknown.” I inquire.
“Hmm, I’ve heard chatter about an elongated Sneasel. Nothing besides that though, I think folks are being paranoid. In any case people think it looks creepy.”
Could it be? I’ve never seen one, but it reminds me of a pokemon my father told me about. When he was younger, all sorts of pokemon existed that you can’t find today. Some gained new forms since then, some no longer exist in the region, and some seemingly ceased to exist. I’ve only heard tales of these pokemon, but the age of Hisui was still less than a century ago, some stragglers have to exist today. Will I fight it? Will they teach me about that lost age? Either way I can hardly contain my excitement.
“I see, I can’t thank you enough for that,” I said.
“Really? Eh, you’re welcome. By the way, where did you want to be dropped off? From the main road or in front of the farm?”
“Off the main road is fine, it’s too dangerous for you if we go further.”
“Appreciated Yuu, I was really hoping that would be your answer.” Hideki sighed.
Eventually a clearing approaches on the horizon, sparse trees and lush grass surround the wide dirt road towards my target. At the end I think I see what looks like a building. I made sure to show up early, I was alerted last night so the culprit may still be nearby. I pay my fee and set my feet to the soil.
“Thanks Hideki, I’m sure I’ll see you another day.”
“You aren’t gonna walk back to town are you? Taxis don’t frequent this area, ain't that backpack weighing you down?”
“It’s no big deal, I only take rides out of convenience, not necessity.”
“Alright… Good luck Yuu.”
I hear the vehicle take off towards Hearthome behind me. Briskly walking down the dirt road I take a moment to admire the sights, it looks gorgeous at sunrise. The surrounding pokemon seem to think so too, I hope I don’t have to ruin this peace. Off the road, audible faint steps draw my attention. I look towards the sound of wet steps to see a Roselia trailing behind me.
“I really hope it’s not another trainer, Sugiishi should scare them off,” the plant-like creature muttered.
“I’m not a trainer, just here to deal with a disturbance,” I state without slowing my steps.
“Wha! How did you hear that? Let alone understand me?”
“Part of the job. Now, who’s this Sugiishi?”
“Hmph! Like I’d tell you!” the pokemon exclaims before strutting off.
Could’ve ended worse, but I guess the surrounding pokemon don’t have much sympathy for the farm. Deeper into the property I start to see slash marks, similar to that of a Weavile but more methodical. Fences destroyed, half the crops slashed to unrecognizable debris. The building I saw from the main road turned out to be a freshly painted barn. A kicked in door, broken windows, and cut support beams; a heavy storm could topple it if the winds hit the building just right. Given it’s two stories, that could be really bad news. It’s almost hard to believe a pokemon did this, everything looks so deliberate.
“Hello?” a meek voice sputters from the direction of the barn.
A short middle aged man with a shivering Shellos by his side emerges from the damaged building where the door should be. He didn’t seem like an unscrupulous man.
“Are you the one that called last night? I’m Sukehiro Yuuzen, feel free to call me Yuu,” I greeted him with an extended hand.
“Y-yes, but I didn’t get to tell you everything, it had just happened when we first spoke. At a distance it looked like a woman with long claws, I’m not even sure if it was truly a pokemon the more I think of it! Maybe it’s a legendary, or a demon!”
“I assure you, it’s very likely a normal pokemon, rare or otherwise. Now stay inside, I’m going to provoke it.”
“W-where are your pokemon Mr. Sukehiro?”
“Not needed, and please, call me Yuu.”
I hear the man and his Shellos slink inside as I saunter to the center of the plantation. I close my eyes and listen intently… Nothing at all. But I’m willing to bet they’re still nearby, the damage to the farm is easily recoverable. Meaning this was a warning, they should intent to come back. I hate doing this, but it often works when I need an aggressor to show themselves. I check to see if the farmer is inside, he is, no prying eyes. I leap several meters into the air and let out a fierce cry.
“GRRAAAAAAGHH!!!”
I hate doing this, it’s so embarrassing. I know my client heard it too, the culprit better be here. I drop down to the dirt crossroads and wait again with my eyes shut for a sound… It’s faint but I hear rustling, could be anything though.
Thph Thph… Thph Thph…
It’s a biped.
“Yuu? Why are you just standing there, are you meditating?” The farmer questions.
“Please go back inside sir.”
“But!”
The rustling morphs into louder footsteps, it’s them.
Tff-Tff Tff-Tff
Please be what I think you are, please.
“They’re coming.” I warn.
The broken door makes a pitiful sound as the farmer retreats. I turn my head towards the increasing footsteps and open my eyes. There they are, a grey bipedal pokemon stands before me. Indeed they look like an elongated Sneaslel, but there’s other features too. Long forearms ending in large razor sharp claws that resemble blades more than the nails of a Weavile, and the feather on its ear is overgrown like a long lock of hair. And despite the anger on its face, the facial features lacked the wickedness a Sneasel or Weavile would have.
This was a Sneasler, just like the ones my father told me about. Ten years of peacekeeping and not once did I ever see a Hisuian pokemon, I was beginning to believe they were all lost to time. It takes all my restraint to not grin from ear to ear.
“What the hell are you doing here? It couldn’t have been you that made that roar,” the pokemon asked with a womanly voice.
“It was, I came here answering a call about a farm. I don’t think I have to ask, but that was you wasn’t it?”
“And they sent you?! Another human? If humans were that strong, that invader would have bested me himself!”
“We all have our strengths, but again was it you? If it was—why?”
The Sneasler cocked her head with a disgusted expression and rested her knuckles on her hip.
“Are you dense, you stupid bastard? You couldn’t tell from the claw marks, and the footprints? The old man may as well ask for a refund!”
“I just wanted to make sure, for accountability. Why did you do it anyway? You felt like he intruded upon this place I assume.”
“Felt like?!”
The Sneasler stomps towards me, arms stretched outward. I try not to flinch.
“Don’t play dumb with me cotton head… your kind has been ransacking this land for decades.” she accused with a glare.
Ever since the Galaxy Team concluded their expedition into Hisui—now Sinnoh, people from Kanto and Johto have rapidly settled into the region. The Diamond and Pearl clans slowly dissolved. ‘Ransacking’ is a harsh term, but they have treated the land with an irreverence that unnerves me. Most of them are good people, if not ignorant. That’s where I come in, so I thought. I’m the last member of the Diamond Clan, the least I can do is smooth this transition any way I can.
“This is a farm, if humans and pokemon are to live together, there has to be enough food to sustai-” immediately l lurch my entire body to the right, dodging a swing of her arm.
“I’ve had enough of your preaching, you wannabe priest,” she snarled, winding up her next strike.
I grab my baton and extend it with a swing, shoving the metal staff between her claws. We both shove against each other, waiting for the other to give.
“I have no interest in preaching, I just repeat what’s apparent to me,” I explained with a belabored breath.
“You think you’re hot shit because you can hold a pokemon back for a few seconds?”
The Sneasler begins to swing her free arm towards me, I retract my staff from her claws and sweep her legs with a kick. Losing balance, she gracelessly falls on her rear end.
“Give up, please,” I request.
The Sneasler hung her head as she sat on the loamy soil. Was she so humiliated she can’t even speak to me?
“Please can we talk about this?” I ask
Silence. I take a step further, for a moment, one of her fingers twitches.
“Idiot.”
Shit.
The pokemon lurches towards me, assaulting me with heavy kicks and punches with the blunt of her claws rather than slashes. Her speed is nearly beyond comprehension; less than a second after her insult a foot lodged itself in my abdomen, then an uppercut to my jaw. I couldn’t even remember the half-dozen other strikes she landed on me, Close Combat? If she lands another attack after this I’m through. I fall to my knees, gasping for air. I shakily lift my head up to see the pokemon looming over me.
“The worst kind of thieves are ones who think they’re doing you a favor, posturing about unity while your kind raze our lands. People like you make me sick, at least the others are honest about it. To think you didn’t have any pokemon to protect you, is your ego so inflated that you thought you didn’t need one? You might be worse than the rest of them!” The weasel scolded.
I guess certain principles are incomprehensible to some people. I’ve fought all sorts of pokemon, but none of them ever scolded me for fighting without pokemon. Am I really the dishonest one? Clutching my stomach I attempt to force my diaphragm to move.
“I-I never cared… for pokeballs…” I weakly mutter.
“Tragic, now you’re going to die a fool.”
For some reason, even though I dislike the idea of fighting pokemon—it gives me a rush like no other, I fear it comes from my mother’s side. The blood rushing through every part of my being, the tests of strength, all while my instincts tell me to run away. I enjoyed the thrill of the fight too much, but winning was always worth it. My body aches, but I rise on my two feet. She’s slower than she was before, and her defenses are lowered. I tilt my head towards the sky sporting a wide grin.
“What’re you smiling for, black sheep? You have a death wish?”
“Haha… ha. I’m just… thankful for my own foolishness.” I choke out.
I crouch down and take in the deepest breath I can muster. My legs are still good, just little bruised.
“Are you conceding defeat? Or asking me to strike you down?” she asked.
I burst off the ground and leap into the humid morning air as high as I can, the ground beneath me curves slightly, and for a moment I could swear the broadside of Hearthome City was visible to me. I aim my legs and gravity does the rest, demanding my descent from the morning shy back to the earth. I see a grey and purple dot below and aim for it, I see her back up and then run. My descent gets faster and faster, until…
“Aughhh!!!” she wailed
My knees slammed directly onto her collarbone, her body collapsing instantly. I crawl off of her and roll over before leaning up, clutching my knees. It was exhilarating. I worry if the impulses of my mother’s lineage will get me killed one day, I keep trying to temper myself—but once blows are thrown I have a tendency to get carried away.
“How.. what the hell are you?” she exhaled, defeated.
Slowly I come back to my senses, I’m thankful pokemon are so durable. I weakly shift my backpack to my front and pull out a small tincture, I unscrew the top and move the dropper attached to the lid to her lips. I squeeze the end of the dropper and a drop of the liquid enters her mouth, it’s just enough to awaken her, but she should lack the energy to fight. The Sneasler’s head jerks forward and her eyes go wide. She looks towards me and her face slowly darkens.
“Are you ready to talk now?” I ask once again.