Perhaps a slightly longer story is in order. (hmm… what say you Melos?[1] Perhaps the Lilly Commune. Yes.) A bit of background information, the Lilly Commune was an isolationist Zangoose community, a fortress really. Zangoose are culturally wary of other species and have tended to create separate communities scattered around Arceus’ Glory. The Lilly Commune being the worst of the bunch. They spoke to no one, traded nothing, and only left the walls to hunt and drive away “Trespassers”. I have my own opinions about isolationism but that is not the worst of it I’m afraid.

The Lilly Commune apparently had a specific taste of entertainment, gladiatorial combat. They were careful, only grabbing the uncollared to avoid suspicion. They would capture pokemon and pit them against each other in a fight to the death. Their favorite fighters being their hated enemies, sevipers. This, fittingly enough, would lead to their downfall. We have little knowledge about the inner workings of the Commune as they kept very little on paper, and the only written account is of one of their victims. Specifically, a confessionary diary written by one Seviper Lillykiller. I’m sure that surname makes it clear who this pokemon is and why his diary is of such historical value.

Lillykiller was one of these gladiators, but a special one. He was not captured from the forest, but born in captivity. His mother was abused by her captors and bore an egg. The egg was then raised to be a “Champion.” The favored of the arena. Raised from birth to do one thing, kill. Not hunt, not fight, kill and kill to entertain his captors. Even joining the guild his teammates could see the effect of that. His team leader Taver Toucannon noted, “Watching Seviper work is beautiful, and terrifying. I often had to remind my team to focus on their fights. Sometimes Seviper’s victories would drive off whatever creatures remained; such was his skill.”

Lillykiller would later become a solo-adventurer to great success. While his life could fill an entire book in and of itself, we will only be touching in the downfall of the Lilly Compound from Lillykiller’s perspective.

Warning, the following contains graphic descriptions of abuse, death, gore, and suicidal thoughts. If these upset you please do not continue.[2]

Excerpt from the personal diaries of Seviper Lillykiller. Released by Dr. Kira Drowzee.

I don’t want to write this. I really don’t. Just thinking about it hurts, even years after the fact. But I have to, for Ava.[3]

That day started like the others, Mr. Feeder came in with my breakfast and we talked. I told him all about my last fight, and he told me about the mountains again. I had a fascination with mountains at the time. I couldn’t really picture something so tall as above the clouds, but Mr. Feeder had been there. I also made it to a mountain once, it was just like he said. Beautiful, the forest sprawling and the dark spots of the clouds drifting like great flying beasts.

I noticed that something was wrong but didn’t say anything, wrong questions were punished. I figured it was because this was my 500th battle. I would be free after I won according to the promise of the Matriarch[4]. I was excited, I would be able to walk outside. Mr. Feeder left to feed the others and I dreamt about finding a mountain and reaching the top. Then Mr. Feeder came again, which surprised me. He only came once a day with breakfast. He told me he would be leading me to the arena today. I was excited. I’m a damn good fighter and Mr. Feeder never watched me fight before. I realized I wouldn’t be able to tell him about it when I won so I didn’t question it.

Then we were in the arena. I saw the seats filled to the brim, for my last fight. I smiled and waved, they cheered as always, laughing. I didn’t realize that they knew. They fucking knew and were laughing at my smiling face. I waited through the Matriarch’s speech, talking about me, how I would be free if I won. Then the crowd booed. That wasn’t right, I thought. The crowd always cheers. She then waved her arms and my challenger was revealed.

I looked to the other side of the arena, and saw Mr. Feeder, holding a spear[5]. He had no armor like the other Zangoose I had fought, just the spear. I was so confused at this point I didn’t realize he was walking towards me until the spear was thrust at my face. I dodged, barely. My body quaking, mind on fire wondering why Mr. Feeder was attacking me. He was my friend, he told me stories, held me after the guards used me letting me cry into his shoulder. He was the only friend I had in this loveless place, and in a moment of clarity I realize it was a lie.

A sinister lie as a last resort. A safeguard against this exact scenario where I grew too strong, too close to freedom. It hurt so much. It still hurts so much. I don’t really remember thinking after that. I simply acted in pain and hurt. I coiled up and shoved my blade into the ground. I was crying but I didn’t make a sound. Some thought about him not deserving my tears. I stared at the dirt, not looking at him.

Maybe I could have found it in me to kill him, but I’m glad I didn’t. I realize now I was trying to deny them spectacle, but that motive wasn’t put into words in my mind.

I didn’t look at him even as I saw his feet approach. I waited for the spear to hit me, my short, little life flashing before my eyes[6] and I realize that I would never know what lay beyond the arena and my cage. I also realized that I didn’t care, not if the rest of the world was like this. In that final moment I felt so completely empty that I welcomed the spear. It never came. I saw it stab the ground and Mr. Feeder walked away. He shouted something I couldn’t hear, my thoughts so far away it took hypnotism to remember. “I cannot kill my own blood.”

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Even now I think back, to the times he comforted me, spoke with me, spent in silence with me. I can only imagine that he was simply one of the many who took my mother, but he claimed me that day. Suddenly I was back, the emptiness still there but something else was there with it. Something I cannot put into words because that feeling was taken just as quickly as it appeared when several spears pierced his chest.

He didn’t move, or scream. I think he was also denying the crowd but I can’t be sure. I hope that was it and not shock. He looked back, our eyes met even as he coughed up blood. He smiled and a guard sliced his head off with his claws. It rolled to my left; face pointed away. I screamed then. I demanded it all to stop, to slow down why was it all happening so damn fast. Then next thing I know I was tearing out the guts of a third guard. I wish I could claim to have blacked out again as more came but I did not. I already decided that I would die only after taking every single mon here down with me.

I started with the guards, spinning between their moves as I always did. Curving my body, swaying in time with the rhythm of battle. Head, leg, stomach, heart, arm, neck, each move killed. The guards stopped coming all at once and I didn’t so much as blink before moving on to the crowd. I took one female and thrust my blade into her guts, spilling intestines and a full womb. I sliced into it also as she screamed. I went for a male next, his leg severed and lungs punctured. That’s how I remember it really. Male, Female, Child, Arms, and Legs all of it from one second to the next was passed by and paid for with blood.

I left the arena for the first time and saw the fleeing Matriarch. She was my next target of course. The only thing I remember from her was calling to seal the gates so that I couldn’t escape. Mon kept getting in my way. I would kill her, her children, her followers, every single creature in this place until I put down. I chased her, bodies in my wake. When she made it to a structure she turned and faced me with her guard. They didn’t last long. And when we were face to face I didn’t so much as allow a single word come out of that lying mouth of hers.

Throat slit I paused my war to watch her bleed out, slowly as she tried to crawl away. I only moved on when she finally stopped moving. Again, the rhythm began. I went house to house, searching every room, checking every nook and cranny. Males holding their mates. Females holding their children. Kids hiding in alleys and cupboards. I did not stop. Every noise was just blood to be spilled. Every gasp a throat to be slit. Every sob must be silenced. Blood painted the compound red.

I can see their faces even now. I young one I found hiding in an empty tub, female, scared, begging for her daddy. I split her skull. Blood mixed with brains in the empty tub and I moved on. A male with no mate held his son, begging me to spare his child. I did not. I speared him through the chest with my tail, reaching the son behind him and killing them both. I waited for the lucky shot. The final blow. I had wounds from head to blade and I was so tired. Surely one of these bastards would kill me. Please. Just kill me. Don’t you want to live? Apparently not.

I slew one last female, realized I was in the center of the compound and heard only silence. I waited for the claw to drop. For the last mon to reveal themselves and end me, for my wounds to take me. But they were flesh wounds. I would recover, I would live on. Then I saw the woman’s eggs and something in me broke. I blacked out then, stupidly enough I don’t remember leaving the compound in some sick twist of fate. I can remember every face of every life I took that day but I don’t remember doing the one decent thing I did with my life. 2 eggs in a basket, covered in hay around my neck. Ava and Emmy. I took them

I am sorry, Ava, for ending it short today but I can’t do more. Ava, I want you to know that I still love you. You have been my guiding light for all these years. The one thing that I am truly proud of in this world. My time in the arena is blanketed in shame. My achievements of the guild are empty compared to you. I will never stop loving you. And if you cannot forgive me, I understand. It changes nothing. Never forget that it changes nothing.

The crimes of the Lilly Compound were many. Since the revelations there are strict rules for all such compounds including mandatory trade agreements and regular visits from guild representatives to ensure compliance with the laws of civility.

I want to point out a few things here. Firstly, I want to explain that this is one retelling in this diary. This day is retold with different details not touched on as Lillykiller works through this. Secondly, Lillykiller was officially pardoned of his crimes by Guildmaster Willow Toxicroak, citing extenuating circumstance. Finally, I want to say that though Seviper Lillykiller is now dead he lived a very fulfilling life recorded in his diaries that were made public by his request upon his death. I add his story here only to examine the dangers of isolationism.

Isolationism is inherently dangerous, for both the people isolated and the world at large. The primary danger is the warping of civil norms. The Lilly compound had been isolated from the outside for so long that their moral character suffered greatly. Ideas of superiority, and moral relativism became rampant. If you were a part of them, you were above everyone else. Us vs Them in its absolute worst form. This lead to morals being dependent on the people involved. Rape was bad if you did it to a clan mate. But it was fine done to a non-clan mate. This happens every time a group practices complete isolationism without fail.

The secondary danger is the direct danger to anyone nearby. If the non-clan mates are not people why not invade? Why not kidnap them and put them into an arena for our entertainment. Why not raise a kid to be a killing machine? Thankfully this led to self-destruction and not a war. The last thing the Guild needs is an internal war with the empire breathing down our necks.

Isolationism in its purest sense has been banned thankfully, but if the dangers are forgotten I fear what may come in the future. The guilds were lucky that Lillykiller had a somewhat solid character for a seviper. Imagine if someone so skilled in death became an enemy of the guilds. It is a terrifying thought. I pray to Arceus it never happens.

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[1] He didn’t listen at all

[2] Seriously, this shit is fucked up.

[3] Ava is Lillykiller’s adopted daughter, the only survivor of the Lilly compound.

[4] Zangoose compounds always run by a head female called a Matriarch.

[5] Zangoose compounds used weapons against poor type matchups to supplement their weakness. Few pokemon use weapons as it is considered a sign of personal weakness

[6] Lillykiller was estimated to be between 16-19 winters at the time.