I have mentioned collars a few times, and perhaps I should go into depth for the record. I do not know if collars will still be used in the future and I feel it should be stated at least to make it clear. I also find the history of collars fascinating.[1] You see, in the earliest days of the guild, there was a, well not a war but certainly a fight for supremacy between wild predators and the herbivores in town.

Collars came as a compromise of sorts (though it really stretches the word compromise, more like a, no one can win so this is what we’ll settle for sort of business). All that was originally agreed was that Townsfolk would signify their alliance with a colored cloth that was made visible. Wild pokemon gave their word not to hunt pokemon who did this, in exchange, guilds would no longer actively hunt abiding predators as well as deal with imposters.

But how did it come to that; one might ask.[2] Well, there were two prevailing mindsets responsible. Dungeon towns had popped up in many places and to the average Town dwe1ller, wild predators were evil monsters while predators viewed towns as threats to natural order. Since this is an anthology, I may as well further describe these views with stories told around the time.

The first is a story used, primarily, to scare children around the Luminous Dungeon in the southern part of The Empire. A place that had focused on purging a particular pokemon from the area. The memories of said pokemon still haunt folks in the area to this day.

Prima was a young buneary. Her fur was soft, her tail perky, and the skip in her step was full of joy. She had left her house to wander the town, but soon grew bored. She wandered and wandered till she made it to the front gates.

The buneary stopped and pondered the gates. Prima had been told time and time again to stay in town. The forest is dangerous. Monsters lived in the forest. Prima sighed; she was bored though. She shook herself. She wasn’t scared of monsters! She was a big girl and she could see flowers that mom would love.

Prima nodded to herself once more, a few flowers and she’d be right back. Walking up to the gate she looked out on the path. The trees lining the empty dirt road. She looked back at the town, the street empty of anyone who would stop her. That could end any moment.

Step step.

Prima froze. Waiting for a monster to jump out at her. She waited, and waited, but there was nothing but the wind. Prima sighed and headed to the flowers she saw. She went over to the tree they were under when

SNAP!

Prima whipped her head around, ears down to fight, but the forest was empty. Prima looked back at the town.

“Just the flowers,” She said to herself. She turned, and headed to the tree they were under.

The wind blew through the leaves in an eerie whisper that had Prima once more checking her surroundings. The town was still there, she just needed the flowers, that’s all. She could get some stupid flowers. Prima turned to the flowers and once again headed towards the tree they were under.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Prima tilted her head as she slowed down, why haven’t I gotten to the flowers yet? She wondered. The tree wasn’t very far but every time she looked at them they were no closer than before. Prima looked one last time at the village, looking the same as ever, just as empty. That’s not right, she thought as she turned back. Looking once more to the flowers, Prima froze. Icy fear ran through her body, from the tip of her ears to the last hair on her tail.

A large black figure stood not 3 big hops from her, holding the flowers, The thing had dark red eyes that stuck Prima to the spot as surely as if she’d been tied to a stone. A smile of yellow teeth slowly stretched across the black muzzle, a halo of blood red hair framed the strong thin body, powerful legs and sharp red claws.

The beast ran a pink tongue across its lips and flexed its claws. Prima spun, and froze again, seeing nothing but trees where the town once stood. She felt a rush of warm air on the back of her neck, fur standing on end as the monster whispered in her ears, “Run”.

Prima bolted, weaving in and out of trees as fast as she- THWACK! Prima was on the ground, fire spreading over her face as blood poured down her nose. Looking up, she watched the space between two thick trees that she had run into dissolve into a single massive oak. She knew right then that she wasn’t going home. Her mother had told her about this monster.

“Zoroark” she whimpered, A beast able to trick your eyes, ears, and nose. The most dangerous monster, one with no mercy in its heart. She couldn’t escape, she couldn’t fight back, all she could do was wait for the thing to be done with her. The zoroark took its time, its prey sufficiently broken. It grabbed the scruff of Prima’s neck, and savored her screams as it devoured the child, its teeth as red as its claws and hair. The beast left nothing but bones as it disappeared into the night.

A tad gruesome[3] but highly effective I am told. Again, this was from pre-collar days, when the primary motive was survival for the towns. Making sure children understood that they must never leave alone because they would be killed and eaten. The fear towns had of predators is palpable in the story.

How the narrator only refers to the zoroark as “It” as opposed to he or she. It is a beast, not a pokemon. This is a natural devaluing of pokemon that happens even today. There are still pokemon, herbivores and carnivores alike who call the other “It.” This was especially true for towns who were frightened for their families and friends.

Now, again, zoroarks were driven from the southern region of The Empire after a local warlord who employed wild ones was overthrown. No, to clarify the vast majority of zoroark cannot make trees appear out of thin air like in the story. Very few have the skill and ability to project illusions that far from their bodies. Only a small handful have ever existed who would be able to pull something off like what we hear about in this story.

Many people fail to understand this, and even today zoroarks are met with the most prejudice of any pokemon. At least sevipers have their own sense of honor, at least you can trust your eyes while in the same room with them. The stress of the unknown makes even tolerating zoroarks a test in charity that too many fail.

Many of them choose to live isolated in the wild, leading to the issues associated with generations of isolationist activity. Zoroarks rarely do well in high population settings, and react poorly to confrontation. They are territorial, especially against each other, and since people insist on treating them as untrustworthy monsters, they end up being just that. A self-fulfilling prophecy of hate.

I’m not saying that the wild pokemon were any better mind you. They had their own prejudices against the pokemon in towns. (Plenty of hate to go around, right?) A deep breath

----------------------------------------

[1] You find all history fascinating, doesn’t mean it is.

[2] Literally no one asked.

[3] A “tad” was it?