Cianwood City Pokemon Center:
Sunset nearly dropped the phone when she heard what Fluttershy had to say. She’d been suspecting it of course, but to have her worse fears about Lucario’s state of mind confirmed were… disturbing to say the least.
“Are… Are you sure?” Sunset stuttered out nervously, wanting to make sure she hadn’t misheard. No, that wasn’t accurate. She was hoping to have misheard her fellow Sandgem Town native. “P-Please tell me you’re joking, please,” Sunset pleaded. Flareon let out a small whimper beside her.
“No… No,” Fluttershy said sadly, a tear dripping from one of her turquoise blue eyes. “From everything you’ve told me, right down to Lucario’s behavior, I can say with the utmost certainty that he was abused by his former… Trainer.”
Fluttershy struggled to get the last word out, as if the very idea of somebody so vile being a Pokemon Trainer didn’t quite register in her mind. Sunset couldn’t blame her, she was just as disgusted with the idea of such a person herself.
The fact of the matter was, Sunset knew people like whoever formerly “Trained” Lucario existed, often times in criminal organizations like Team Rocket or her home region’s Team Galactic. They only saw Pokemon as tools, means to an end. Never did they once even think of them as friends, partners… Family. That’s what a Pokemon team was to Sunset, a family you cared for. Cried with, laughed with, and celebrated with.
But alas, there were some people out there in the Pokemon world who didn’t think like Sunset. It was a rarity, thankfully, but it happened on occasion where Sunset ran into people who should never have been handed their Trainer’s License at the age of sixteen, to begin with, in Sunset’s mind.
Sunset’s fists curled up into balls and she let out a snarl of fury.
“Please tell me there’s some way to find out who… which bastard did this!” She growled out. None of her team bothered lecturing her on language this time, as they all shared the same sentiment. Even if Rufflet was far too young to even hear these words, or even understand half of the conversation that was going on, (He was only barely hatched after all) he knew his trainer was upset.
“Please… Please tell me everything’s going to be alright with Meema,” the Eaglet Pokémon whimpered. Even if he could barely understand what was going on, or the gravity of the situation, he knew somebody had hurt his mother in some way.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine, don’t worry Rufflet,” Dragonair said reassuringly. Over in the Ecruteak City Pokemon Center, the mood had gone from a sheer ruckus to stone dead silent as the various Pokemon had heard Fluttershy’s conversation with Sunset over the videophone.
Umbreon, in particular, looked to be charging up a Shadow Ball while Fluttershy’s Ariados was clicking his facial pincers together nastily.
“Well, there might be a way. Did Lucario have a Pokeball near him when you found him collapsed on the beach?” Fluttershy asked. Sunset frowned to herself. She knew all Pokeballs bought were registered to whoever bought them, but now that Fluttershy brought it up, she never thought once about looking for it.
“Didn’t see one at the time, too busy trying to stem the blood flow and worry about getting Nurse Joy,” Sunset replied.
“I’ll go out and look, Sunset,” Talon stated, finally awake. He’d been listening in on this whole conversation, growing angrier by the minute. He unfolded his wings before he flew out the Pokemon Center doors in a flash of fire and flame.
“In the meantime, I’d say the best bet on finding out who Lucario used to belong to is asking him himself,” Sunset stated and Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide as saucers.
“No, no, no… Bad idea!” Fluttershy said quickly. “He’s more likely to lash out at you, attack you again like before if you ask him outright. Better to let Talonfl-”
“And what if Talon turns up with nothing?” Sunset shouted angrily, her eyes seemingly ablaze with fire. “That Lucario looked exhausted! He could have ran for miles for all we know! His Pokeball might never be found! I have to at least try and talk to him…” Sunset snapped, her voice turning softer at the end as she slammed her hand on the table. Sadder as well as tears dripped onto the floor. Sunset sniffled and wiped away the tears before she looked right at Fluttershy.
“You understand why I’m doing this don’t you? Somebody broke that Lucario, and I’ll be damned if I let them get away with it, and possibly do it to another Pokemon!” Sunset exclaimed and Fluttershy nodded.
“I… I understand. Just… Just be careful okay?” She asked nervously. “I just don’t want to see you do something stupid and get yourself hurt, okay?”
Suddenly, on his own violation, there was a bright blue flash as Ninetales popped out of his Pokeball on his own violation, his signature tails flowing behind him as he looked towards his trainer/big sister figure.
“Be that as it may, I still don’t feel confident letting you waltz in there by your lonesome,” the Fox Pokémon stated firmly. “I’m your trainer, and it’s my job to protect you in any way I can. That Lucario wants to pick a fight with somebody, he can pick it with me.”
“By Arceus…” Flareon whispered in shock. “So you’re not a brainless vain idiot, after all.”
“Shut it firepuff, I can still give you a good heaping of my Ice Beam attack you know. Give you a new meaning of the term freezer burn quicker than you can blink,” Ninetales snapped, glaring at his Rival/Best friend, even if he wouldn’t admit to the last part.
“Try it, and watch me use my Take Down on you,” the little Flame Pokémon retorted with the rest of Sunset’s team rolling their eyes in unison at the two’s usual antics.
“What happened to the innocent little Eevee I raised…?” Sunset thought to herself.
“He became an arrogant little waste of space with a big mouth who can’t back up his claims,” Ninetales muttered and Flareon snorted fire out of his nostrils again.
“You’re one to talk. You’ve gotten yourself a big head as well, as well as far too much love for your own appearance!” the fox-like Pokemon snapped back.
“Hello? Ninetales here? We’re naturally beautiful!” the Pokemon in question retorted.
At last, Mismagius finally spoke up, shooting them both a glare to end their squabble.
“Can you two save your little… Well, I won’t say the words I’m thinking in front of Rufflet, but you know exactly what I mean. Just put it aside for now, okay? Far more important matters to worry about I should think,” the Magical Pokémon asked in exasperation. The two Pokemon glared at each other for a brief moment before sighing and muttering (Half-hearted) apologies to Mismagius under their breaths. She gave them an evil look and they apologized much more sincerely this time.
As Sunset and Ninetales took the long walk to Lucario’s room where he was still in recovery, Sunset thought back to a few days before.
One Week Ago: Route 47
An explosion rumbled off the cliffsides as a pillar of black smoke rose high into the afternoon sky. Currently, Sunset was in the midst of a battle atop a cliff, the waves crashing against the rock walls below.
In front of her stood a good-sized mouse-like Pokemon, orange in color with a tan belly and what looked to have lightning bolts for ears and another bolt at the end of a long whip-like tail. Behind that stood a trainer, her prismatic hair in a ponytail wearing black pants, and a white tank top with a rainbow-colored lightning bolt matching her hairstyle perfectly. Off to the side, snoozing contently in the sun was a large black and light blue lynx-like Pokemon, or “Raijin” as he preferred to be known.
On the other end of the makeshift battlefield, winds off the sea gusting through the trees making them sway was Sunset, dressed in her usual attire. That is, a black leather jacket and a largely orange skirt with black and purple colored cowgirl boots. Next to her was Ninetales.
“Raichu, Mega Punch now!” Rainbow ordered, and the aptly named Mouse Pokémon charged one of its fists with a glowing blue energy. Raichu then set about delivering the devastating fighting type move to Ninetales’ side as he tried to rush out of the way. Ninetales yelped in pain as he was sent flying backwards into the grass. He let out a low growl as he picked himself up off the ground.
“Ready to give up yet?” Raichu smirked. “You’re just a pretty little fox, and that’s the end of it.”
“I’ll take any compliments thrown my way, especially ones that compliment my looks,” Ninetales said with a cocky, arrogant tone before his eyes narrowed. “But trust me, dude, there’s more to me then just looks.”
“Hah! Final match-up, and you’ve lost one Pokemon, and you’re probably about to lose another!” Rainbow laughed cockily. Sunset gritted her teeth.
“Don’t forget, this battle could go either way still, you lost one as well remember? This isn’t over yet,” Sunset reminded. “Ninetales, Ice Beam now!”
“Right, no way I’m losing to this trainer, especially after how idiotic Flareon proved to be with his tactics! Alright you little rat, one flash-freeze coming right up!” Ninetales barked before drawing his head back and firing a solid beam of ice, freezing Raichu in a crystal of ice long before he had time to react.
Ninetales allowed himself a smirk, the battle was over. However, he was soon forced to re-evaluate his opinion when Raichu glowed a bright yellow before the crystalline structure exploded as lightning bolts flew everywhere before Raichu ran forwards his body encompassed with a cloak of yellow energy.
“Rai-Rai-Rai-RAIIIIIICHHHUUU!” He shouted as he ran faster and faster using his evolution line’s signature attack: Volt Tackle. Ninetales’ eyes widened before he leaped over Raichu at the very last second and then came crashing down, all nine of his magnificent tales coated in what looked to be steel.
Raichu found himself flung into a boulder, smashing it to pieces by the sheer force of the powerful Iron Tail move. Rainbow sighed, hanging her head in defeat before she sprayed a Super Potion on her Pokemon before returning him to his Pokeball in a beam of red energy.
“Heh, told you I’m more than just a pretty face.” Ninetales laughed haughtily.
However, just as they were about to shake hands for giving each a good battle, both trainers’ attentions were then drawn to the top of a higher cliff as they saw an almost pure white Pokemon, resembling a giant cat of some sort. It had a dark midnight blue face and a horn shaped like a crescent moon protruding out of one side of its head.
“Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. Absol live in steep mountainous regions, and rarely venture down into areas inhabited by humans, but should an Absol be seen by humans, it is said that catastrophe is soon to follow. However, it only generally appears when it senses an impending natural disaster. As a result, it was mistaken as a doom-bringer.” Rainbow’s Pokedex explained.
Sunset and Rainbow both took a step back as the Absol leaped off the cliff, looked directly at Sunset for a few moments before running back into the wilderness…
“What the Hell was that all about…?” Sunset thought.
Now:
“Could this have been what Absol was warning me about? Lucario? Did it know what was about to happen between me and him? Did it know we were going to meet?” Sunset asked herself.
“Beats the Hell out of me. I’ve never really understood that particular Pokemon,” Ninetales replied. “Your guess is as good as mine…”
Soon, they entered Lucario’s room. The Pokemon once again had his back to them, staring out the window, seemingly watching the Duckletts outside swim in a small pond. Nearby, a lime green toned woman handed out ice creams from a stand along with her Vanillish. He let out a small sigh of sadness at the sight before the appendages on his head went up as he detected Sunset and Ninetales’ presence.
“Why have you come?” He asked telepathically, a slight edge in his tone. Not just anger, but Sunset heard the slightest hint of fear in it as well.
“I just want to talk, that’s all,” Sunset explained. “I’m not going to harm you, I promise.”
“Yeah… That’s what he said once…” Lucario whispered, almost too softly to be heard. Almost. Sunset’s eyes widened. So it was a guy who did this to Lucario.
“He? Who’s he?” Sunset inquired carefully. Lucario’s head whirled around in anger, turning to face Sunset with a furious expression on his face.
“He is none of your business. Leave, now. Before I’m forced to do something I regret,” Lucario stated in a warning tone. But Sunset was as stubborn as ever, unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your perspective of things.
“No, not until I-”
Lucario growled and his eyes narrowed as he snarled “I warned you…” and charged towards Sunset readying another Force Palm attack. Suddenly, a blinding white flash knocked Lucario onto the floor sending him sprawling.
Before him stood Ninetales, protectively standing in front of Sunset, pure rage looking down on him. As vain and narcissistic as Ninetales might have been, Sunset was once again given a swift reminder why the Ninetales species were looked upon as guardians and deities in the Alola region.
“Try that again, and you’ll be getting more than just a Take Down,” Ninetales warned Lucario as he picked himself up off the floor of the Center. Both human and Pokemon alike noted the distinct drop in temperature in the air, with Sunset rubbing her arms as she shivered and a small cloud forming near her mouth as she breathed. “Now please… can we just talk like civilized mons?”
Lucario looked at the Ninetales’ expression, and at Sunset’s worried, caring look. He let out a long sigh. “Alright, here’s what happened…”
Meanwhile, not that far away Talon was soaring over a small woodland when he saw it, something glinting in the sunlight in a small clearing down below. He swooped down for a closer look and then he saw the shattered remains of a Pokeball, along with a pool of dried blood in the grass.
He grabbed the two halves of the Ball, before taking to the skies once again…