Bitter Work 3.10
November 21st, 2022.
I snapped to wakefulness, barely recalling Lillian sending out her entire team, and a flash of burning light before I was knocked out.
A sitrus berry was shoved into my face, and I chewed on it, feeling my aches and bruises fade and vanish as the miracle berry did its job. Please let this work…
I was leaning against someone, and opened my eyes to find that Akari had been dragging me away from… the utterly ruined site, as the Pokémon Pinchers stormed the area with their pokémon, and I gaped as I saw Lillian commanding her team, a long cut on her arm bandaged up as she shattered a man’s arm with a gentle swipe of her hand.
Her team was utterly monstrous as I saw the full power of a pokémon team unleashed. Excadrill tore through entire teams of fire and water types, Metallic Terrain bolstering his steel moves, air parting as he sped past the sound barrier.
A conkeldurr stood in his way, and suffered the consequences as a Crush Claw shattered bone with ease. A skarmory dove at his back, and was one-shotted by Corviknight with a devastating Power Trip, the dark energies shattering steel wings with their deadly strikes.
Aegislash did her part, using King’s Shield to block the devastating power of Slaking, and throwing a barrage of Shadow Balls to knock out pokémon of varying types.
Duraludon lashed out wildly against a Pincher’s luxray, Dragon Pulse knocking it out in a single burst. Ferrothorn was acting as another ironclad defense, using Spikes and Stealth Rock to block pokémon, Leech Seed to drain them, and Protect to block hits, along with Thunder Wave to paralyze.
Orthworm was moving through the ground, absorbing ground moves and knocking out pokémon with Heavy Slam and Body Press, and defending himself with Shed Tail. I couldn’t see her seventh but I knew they were around.
The leader… he had called himself Arley, he was fighting pokémon with his own two hands, fighting brutally and without mercy, and the only reason no one was dead was because their pokémon stood in his way.
“Do not get distracted! NOT HERE!” I shook my head at Akari’s shout, who sounded more afraid than… What was this?
I rolled as someone shouted a command. “Shadow Rush!” A houndoom let out a haunting howl, and I narrowly dodged the savage attack which was intercepted by Llayda with a fist of Liquidation, knocking out the enraged pokémon in a single strike.
My aura sense flared, and I almost threw up at the mutilated aura surrounding many of the pokémon around us. It wasn’t even one in ten, but it was a sense of Shadow that obscured their light, like someone had torn out their very heart and soul.
I wondered what Natsuo saw, and hoped he was okay.
I could hear the grunt snarl at us, protected by a weezing and a golbat. “Poison Gas! Let them choke on it!”
“Psybeam.” I ordered and Fennekin stepped up from where she had been hiding, firing a laser beam of pure psychic power. The blonde grunt scowled, and pulled out a huge baton that was suddenly electrified. Akari surged forward, twisted around the attempted strike and slammed her skull into the grunt, knocking him out.
That left the golbat to rage, poison dripping from its fangs, before getting frozen solid by an Ice Beam from— Jericho?!
He was fighting three liepard, all of which were poisoned while a grunt pulled out a revolver. He fired what looked like some type of… energy blast, and Jericho blocked it with a Confusion thrown rock which exploded into shrapnel that he then twisted into stony spires with Stealth Rock.
Jericho flung himself forward, and knocked the armed grunt on his ass, slapping away the weapon and crushing it underfoot. No one was dead so far but it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
I took a deep breath, and let my aura stretch out, letting it reach out to the connections I had made so far. All four of my pokémon perked up, and I counted backwards from ten as the battle in front of us raged on.
There was an ungodly amount of magnemite in the air, and I remembered what they meant. They were the favorite tool of poachers in this world, used to corral and contain pokémon with their paralysis, as well as making decent scouts with their levitation and Magnet Pull to capture steel types.
Oh.
They were after Lillian weren’t they? They wanted her team for themselves, and the presence of Shadow pokémon told me how they were going to control them.
“Fennekin, can you send your Fire Spin up into the sky?”
The aforementioned fox looked at me with confusion, and I offered a grim expression. “They’re after Lillian, after her pokémon.” Just as I said that, a swarm of magnemite began to surround Corviknight, their magnetic pull drawing him in like a relentless black hole, commanded by a magnezone with a rusted over exterior, bolts of lightning as wide as cars shot out across the field under its aegis.
Fennekin shook her head, and I clicked my tongue, frustrated. “Akari, does Ellis have any moves she can use to fan flames?”
Akari leaned her head back to dodge an Ember from a houndour, which was crushed by Happy, the pignite flaring up with every use of Flame Charge. “She’s been trying to learn Whirlwind, using Fairy Wind as a base along with Air Slash.”
“Then can she use it? We need to light up the sky, and fast.” Akari flinched at the magnemite swarm above, twisting and turning in a dance of electromagnetic forces. “Smokescreen might help too… if it can be made flammable enough.”
“Then we need to try.”
“Null!” I could hear a weary sounding Natsuo crying out as he was surrounded by grunts, three at a time with four geodudes.
One grunt just smirked. “Guess we found where those freaks ran off to huh? The bosses will be happy to get at least one of them back. Use Brick Break.”
Akari let out a whistle, and leaves suddenly cut the rock types down with impunity as what I thought was two odd looking roses was in fact a roselia, who began with Mega Drain, tendrils of grass energy latching on to the hapless rock types with a beatific smile on her face. She brushed along the grunts, and each collapsed under the effect of her fast acting poison.
“Friend of yours?” I asked sardonically, my heart pumping in my ears as I tried not to call into a panic attack. Again.
“I’ve been interested in catching her for a while, but we’ve mostly been getting to know each other.” Akari’s eyes were focused, narrowed like slits as she watched the skies, and pulled out a gem with the essence of air.
“So you’re in then?” I wasn’t sure the plan would work, but knocking those magnemite from the sky would give us breathing room.
“Yes.”
“Mirko, use Swift on the Pinchers in sight, we don’t need any distractions. Fennekin please use Calm Mind, gather as much power as you need. Llayda, do what you do best, let no one get past. Jericho, keep trapping the field.” I let their emotions sweep over me, letting myself get drawn into the current.
Akari threw out her own commands, and Happy began to belch out Smokescreen, chewing on a piece of charcoal. His magma tail burned hotter, and Ellis took the Flying Gem, drawing on its essence for her makeshift Whirlwind.
Fennekin used Calm Mind a total of four times, boosting both power and resistance in equal measure.
“Fire Spin, as high as you can make it, and throw it upwards into the sky!” I felt Fennekin draw on her aura, flames dancing around her fur as she opened her mouth— and an enormous vortex of flame took shape.
She directed it upward, as far as she could manage with her range, and Ellis fanned it further with an enhanced Whirlwind of air, and right towards the bulk of the swarm of magnemite.
They were swept up in the firestorm, the combination of heat, energy, further obscuring fuel in charcoal dust riddled Smokescreen and whirlwinds turned it into a self sustaining storm-force.
I stared as I watched the airborne Fire Spin swallow up dozens of magnemites, and even sent their numerous golbats and murkrows careening downwards as the wind force threw them off.
Holy shit.
Even the magnezone was caught up in the firestorm, and took a direct hit from someone’s mienshao with a super-effective Aura Sphere. Corviknight took advantage of the firestorm, riding the chaotic currents and using Air Slash to direct the flames, turning them into blades of air that were on fire!
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
A shadow rose over me, and before I could blink, I was pushed to the ground, and then pulled upwards by the collar of my shirt.
“Well, well, well. I see we’ve got a rookie here with some wisdom… but nowhere enough power to make up for it.”
I stared into the wizened face of Arley of the Pokémon Pinchers.
----------------------------------------
I shuddered as a hand was kept on my shoulder, pinning me in place as Arley swept away blood from his mouth where a pokémon had slugged him to no effect.
“Well, it seems like we’re at a crossroads here Ace. Here I was, thinking I’d demonstrate the power we have and yet you’re still alive.” He laughed loudly in my ear, and I hid a snarl as the thought of biting him crossed my mind.
But not as he was, whatever he has done to himself, he was every bit as strong, tough and fast as his slaking.
“What exactly does a member of the Societea want with a minor operation like this one?” Lillian was staring at me with concern, the battling pausing as Arley paraded me like a trophy.
Arley grinned. “A demonstration of power of course, our friends in Cipher have led us to create a whole new set of toys and weapons we needed to show off!” He gestured to their technology, and their pokémon. “Shadow Pokémon, what an incredible creation… and with our control gauntlets they’re now even greater! Alongside the power to equal that of pokémon in the hands of humanity! The secrets of Great Gavel, ours to take!”
He stomped one foot, leaving a sizable crater with barely a hint of effort.
I could see his aura, it was calm… still, and I could see his connection to slaking… it felt fake, artificial, distorted, the energy surging into his flesh without reserve, without compassion.
“Your point. Make it.” Lillian warned with a face as cold as ice and iron.
Arley just laughed. “My point, little Ace, is that we need strong pokémon for Shadow conversion, and we found it in you. So it’s quite simple, give up your pokémon, or you get to watch me shatter this girl’s spine.”
I shivered, my breath speeding up and my vision blurring as my anxiety spiked tenfold. This wasn’t what I had signed up for, I had wanted to go out on a journey for childish reasons, so I could learn more about this world… not this.
“Coward.” Lillian sounded pissed and Arley let out a booming laugh.
“We destroyed Dolce Island, so I very much don’t care. Surrender your pokémon, and I might consider letting the rest of these trainer’s and their pokémon go. Seven lives for over a hundred is an easy trade right?”
Lillian’s teeth clicked together in a snarl, turned her attention towards me… and her face softened. “Will you let them all go? If I do what you say?” I could see her pokémon coming down, nodding alongside her with sadness, frustration and shame radiating from them.
I felt ashamed… this shouldn’t… I won’t allow it.
But I can’t do anything, I had no power here.
The gem on my neck felt uncomfortably warm, and I let my head drop. I was useless here.
The gem pulsed brighter, and for a moment it was like a veil had been pulled back. I could feel the strange stone swirl with energies, I could feel the connections between my pokémon and myself, growing ever brighter. Mirko’s anxiety, anger and worry. Jericho’s cold rage and self loathing, Llayda’s whimsical yet tranquil fury and desire to inflict pain and Fennekin’s self-doubt and masked concern.
I glanced at the stone on his right hand, and wondered about it, and I could feel my aura connect with Mirko’s, melding deeply, and I reacted, as a sudden sense of invigoration and indignation took over my feelings.
I lunged, tearing myself right out of his titanium grip, straight for his gauntlet… and bit down on his arm without a scrap of hesitation.
Arley let out a high pitched scream, and I was punched in the stomach and tossed aside by the now enraged wrestler-looking leader. I had torn at his gauntlet, damaging it with my wild grappling.
He was holding his arm, and I held my stomach that flashed with pain at the impact.
His face twisted into an expression of inhuman rage, and I grinned up at him, despite no longer being able to move. “Fuck you.”
He charged forward, his aura exploding wildly, his fist becoming coated in a strange energy.
Mirko let out an ungodly shriek, launching forward into a Quick Attack, and Arley swatted her like a bug. She rolled along the ground, and found her footing in midair, using Cut to create a firm grip.
“Better idea, if you’re so eager to fight… maybe you should fight each other.” His other gauntlet began to flare with a mysterious energy, and radiated that energy towards an unprepared Mirko.
Makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop
I was hit with a gut punch as Mirko was forced to the ground, holding her face, her aura screaming as it was attacked by the strange shadow emitted by the gauntlet. It was reaching into our connections, tearing at them, manipulating them, trying to pull it away from me and towards him.
I couldn’t hear anything else except the beating of my heart in my ears, not the faint thump of moves and explosions, or the sound of orders and commands and dozens of people preparing for battle. Our bond began to break, and I poured all my hopes and dreams into the connection. The bond shattered.
But it refused.
I felt my aura move without my conscious input, building higher and higher without end, pouring like an endless river into Mirko, I pulled as deep as I could, letting it flood out into the world.
Mirko exploded into pure white energy tinged with divine gold, as the energy of evolution bled into reality. She grew, shapely legs extending onto the ground, ears unfolding again and again as they grew without restraint, muscular arms rippling into existence, and eyes the color of cerise glaring under the white aura.
“Return.” I whispered.
In a single blink, Mirko slammed into Arley like the fist of god.
----------------------------------------
I stared at my starter, blinking the fresh, blinding, awe inspiring light of her evolution out of my eyes. She had sent Arley flying with her Return, her cerise eyes flaring with utter rage and indignation. I could see her more clearly now, without that strange energy surrounding her form.
She had shed her small stature and cute form for one of elegance, beauty and glorious strength and speed, and I could feel our auras intertwined like the branches of two trees, and I blinked tears from my eyes as our connection grew deeper.
Mirko had become tall, easily standing a head more than I did, and her frame was curvaceous and yet powerful, covered in a soft down of brown fur, her cream colored lower body fur had migrated down to her knees, ankles and feet and upwards to her upper arms and her hands (regional difference?) and her ears curtained behind her and flexed so hard the air popped. Her face had become more expressive, and it was twisted into a visage of rage and fury, eyes the color of cerise glancing back to meet my own.
Rock crumbled, providing a warning that we weren’t done here. Arley laughed, rubbing at his jaw, and I could see his right gauntlet was broken, the jewel itself left unharmed.
“So you’ve got some power after all, girlie. It is unbelievably difficult for a pokémon like that to evolve, you sure showed me.” He sounded more amused than angry. “And her strength is amazing,” he cracked his knuckles. “But I was known as Arley the Destroyer for a reason. Let me show you why.”
He moved, and I barely kept up with his speed, Mirko blocking his strike at the last second with Thunder Punch. He took enough electricity to put down an elephant without even a flinch.
“Mimil!” Don’t you dare touch her!
The battle shifted into human versus pokémon, a dozen strikes thrown in the span of a matter of seconds, and I scrambled to get back up as the battle went in our favor with the leader’s distraction. More and more pokémon fell to the onslaught of angry trainers and pokémon alike, and Slaking stood there dully, with a blank expression on it’s face as it charged into another Giga Impact.
Which was blocked by Duraludon, a rejuvenated Lillian shouting the command without the pressure of swarms of magnemite and a hostage situation.
“Duraludon, Draco Meteor.” A massive and solid mass of dragon energy speared right through the dense energy of Giga Impact, and the whole field was rocked as it went off like a tactical nuke, a sphere of explosive power that sent out a shockwave that knocked me back down on my ass.
Arley’s battle lust took a downward plunge, the jewel on his right hand blinking and flashing erratically. The monstrous and gigantic slaking had finally been brought low, collapsing where it stood. But he didn’t stop fighting, instead becoming more pragmatic, fighting efficiently, rolling away from strikes and deflecting them when it wasn’t possible to avoid them.
“Slaking, wake up! HYPER BEAM!” He roared and to my horror his pokémon rose back up, even as it bled pools of blood, as it nursed broken burns and third degrees burns, dull silver eyes simply acceding to the order.
“NIR!” How about you chill out!
Jericho fired Ice Beam from his horn, plugging the slaking’s mouth with the ice that formed from the beam. His Hyper Beam detonated, flaring into the sky, the recoil shattering the ground around him.
Arley launched Mirko backwards with a single swing of his fist, and he muttered something into his collar “Bring us out!” I heard a mutter of a single letter (Who’s J?), and I felt a massive surge of psychic energy distort the fabric of reality.
He returned his slaking with an unreadable expression, and I was suddenly picked up by Mirko, my vision blurring as she hit top speed almost instantly. With a smirk Arley vanished into the void of psychic power, along with almost every member of the Pinchers with the exceptions of those caught by dark types, disrupting their escape with their strange fey energies.
I opened my mouth but no words came out, instead I felt exhausted.
And passed out.