Chapter 54
A pony with a dark blue coat and a mane only a few hues lighter trotted through the streets of Neighagra Falls with haste. Everypony in his path moved out of the way and let him pass without as much as a second thought, for they knew this pony. They all knew who he was and what he did for their town.
Very few ponies really knew this police pony though, his serious attitude deterring most who wanted to approach him. But the same thing that kept them away from him made them respect him. He was the sole reason why the crime rate of their little tourist-heavy town was so low, and any cases that did pop up would be solved swiftly and justly under his iron hoof. Protocol was a goal-oriented pony who always kept his calm and serious demeanour about himself. Yes, this was what most ponies of Neighagra Falls thought about him.
Protocol was having a bad day.
He slammed the door to the his office shut behind him and let his disguise drop, revealing his true self as a changeling.
His desk was neatly organized: papers in neat piles, a vase with a fake flower—gift from a case he solved years back—and a lone picture of himself after his graduation.
He grabbed it all in his hooves and threw it against the wall, the wase and the picture shattering from the impact, the papers fluttering randomly as they were scattered everywhere.
He looked up to the ceiling and the scattered papers that were still floating down and let out a primal, frustrated scream.
Protocol was having a very bad day.
The station was empty, but if somepony was close enough they could have heard him. Protocol did not care. His carefully crafted persona of a calm, serious pony who always had things under control came crashing down around him.
He was left panting on the floor when he had finally screamed his throat raw. Protocol was a mess, his mind was a mess, all over one single case. That damned case, he cursed. The case that had kept him up nights working for days, that had him skipping meals as he was desperately searching was clues, leads, and proof.
He had dealt with impossible cases before, but they had never been impossible like this one was, and they had never been personal. He very rarely let ponies in, rarely allowed himself to make new friends, his identity as a changeling just did not allow it, not really. But after Olivia, a former Pokemon Ranger, showed up, he took a liking to her. She was funny, just as obsessed with justice as he was, and she proved herself more than a few times while they worked together too. He had even gone so far as to reveal his true nature to her, and she had accepted him for who he was. He had to reveal it twice though, because she had lost her memories after somepony had tried to kill her, or maybe they wanted her to lose her memories.
No, not somepony, he knew who had done it, he knew it all to well. It was a Pokemon, a Leafeon that went by the name Vernus. He knew it, he had known it for a while, he just could not prove it!
He had solved impossible cases, tracked down thieves through the forest after it had snowed. But this Celestia-damned Leafeon was always one step ahead of him. He had “confirmed” his suspicions when he came across a hut nearby where Olivia was found, a hut that seemed like it had been grown. The plants themselves twisted and agreed to form the shelter, just like they had at that warehouse they lived at, just like the ones Vernus had built. It looked exactly the same. He had entertained the possibility that another Grass-type could have done it, but his training and instinct told him otherwise.
Any artist, had their style, signatures and methods they leaned towards, unconsciously or otherwise. As Protocol had learned, Vernus was no different. He heavily used vines in his work, and intertwined them in a pattern, they never went over one another or crossed, but danced or flowed elegantly as they held up whatever structure he had created them for. This was what he had seen in their home, and it was exactly the same in the cabin, where, he suspected they had taken Olivia and drugged her.
But he had no real proof, not anymore. He sorted through the papers that littered the floor, pushing the ones he did not need out of the way without any care, until he found what he was looking for: a picture of the “crime scene”. He had taken samples from the hut, to compare them to the foliage inside the home of Vernus and all the others. He had taken pictures; there was no blood, tissue or obvious dna samples, but perhaps he would find some later when he returned with a proper crime scene investigation team, he had thought. He was sure he had won, he had gotten cocky… and so, when he did come across Vernus and his marefriend, Zoey, he had taken the disguise of their mutual friend Mary Care and done a light interrogation. Nothing to make them suspect him, but enough that he would get a feel for them.
But he had let on too much, his hubris had gotten the better of him. When they returned the next day, there was no tree or cabin to be found. If it had burned there would be some traces, but all that was left was a small brown spot in the grass where a tree once stood.
It was if someone had just erased it from existence, or maybe it had rotted away, shriveled up and died within that single night.
Was that even possible? No magic he knew of could do anything like that, not without leaving some major traces behind. Could a grass Pokemon do that?
If that was not bad enough, all the samples he had taken had also shriveled up and died within their test tubes.
He still had the photos, the last piece of tangible evidence he had left. But they were useless. He had taken a squad to their home after they had discovered the disappearance of the cabin, dead set on confronting the green scum in his own home, using the pictures, comparing them to Vernus`s own plant construction within their home to frame him. It was not much, in the moment he was unsure if it would have been enough, but it had not mattered anyway. The signs, the artistic signature and the style of building that he had observed had been entirely replaced. The new walls looked almost the same, only different. Gone were the heavy use of vines, gone vere them dancing next to another to make the structural integrity. The new walls looked just as artistic as they had done before, just different. Wood was more heavily used now, smaller branched being woven together into knots and intricate designs to form floral patterns all over. It was all changed.
Of course, none of the other residents had seen or heard any of this rebuilding. But perhaps they were just protecting him. Covering for him...that's what he wanted to believe. However, he had truly not sensed any dishonesty from any of them. No, it was only Vernus and his accomplice that had acted strange during that meeting.
Yes, accomplice. You see, Protocol prided himself in being a fairly good judge of character, it came with the job and from being a changeling. Vernus, to him, was a enigma. During their meeting, the Leafeon had not been evasive, afraid or anything he could expect a criminal to act when confronted. No, he had been his usual gleeful self, inviting them in, answering any questions they had and had pretended to be as helpful as possible. It infuriated Protocol to no end, he was playing with him!
Instead, it was Zoey the Zangoose, his lover who had been acting very suspiciously. He had already suspected that the two lovers were in it together, but that meeting had sold it. She had been aggressive, brash, and rude. Nothing too unusual, that was who she was on a good day after all, but she had also been nervous under the entire meeting, glancing his way and looking away when she thought he had caught her. And every time he pushed them a little harder, she pulled on the bottom of her purple sweater, she had some very obvious tells. Yes, she was involved. What part she played in Olivia's memory loss… he was not sure just yet, but he knew she was involved somehow.
But if any of that was to matter, then he had to find some new clues, some concrete proof.
Protocol pushed himself up, almost slipping on a paper under his hoof. He could clean up later, he was the chief, no one would question him or his methods anyway. For now, he had a warehouse to stakeout.
For the life of him, Protocol did not understand half of the things that went on in that home, or how they got anything done with how much chaos there was. The first day was mostly just spent learning their routines and getting a grasp on how the social structure worked. To his understanding, the Leafeon and Zangoose were in charge, they cooked, or one of them did. The Leafeon wanted to help but was always chased out of the kitchen with threats of violence if he touched anything. For a couple they sure did fight a lot. They treated the sick or injured who were staying there temporarily. Yes, that was one of the first major things he found out. Most of the Pokemon there did not live there full time, but used the warehouse as a hospital of sorts.
They also organized activities for those willing. Everything from physical training to confidence boosting exercises. It truly did seem like they were good individuals who wanted to help… but he knew better. He knew what they had done. He did not think that they were faking it, no, even the worst criminal had different sides to them, nopony was innately evil.
The second day introduced some new elements as two more of the warehouses permanent residents came home from Canterlot. He would have to keep an eye out for those, his cover was nearly blow from the literal storm the little cat, the Skitty, had caused.
Knocking on a door before entering it considered polite, even if it is at a friend’s home. But if it’s your own home, knocking is silly and unnecessary. One might just go in or even kick the door open. Chii wanted to make a bit more of an entrance.
Only the ones closest to the door heard the vocal cue to the attack and had time to jump out of the way.
“Blizzard!”
The frozen tempest threw the door open in its might, the hinges fighting to hold onto the door. Icy wind assaulted every corner of the warehouse. Wave upon wave of cold made the inhabitants huddle together once the initial shock had worn off.
But as soon as it had come, the blizzard dissipated, leaving a light sheet of frost covering the ground and specks of snow floating down from the ceiling. Most of the Pokémon inside was dumbstruck, not entirely sure what had happened, what they should do about it or how to feel.
“We have returned!” Proudly stating and striking a pose in the doorway, was their very own troublemaker. Chii.
A resigned Brawly sighed as he moved up behind Chii, more tired than anything else. He knew he should scold the little Skitty, but she stepped away from the doorway in a hurry. Was she in such a hurry to greet everyone or- oh…
A white and purple blur was upon him in an instant, stopping just where Chii had been standing a moment earlier.
“You get back here this instant, young lady!”
No, Protocol had no idea how their so called `family` worked. The Zangoose, Zoey, chased after the Skitty while the Mienshao greeted the Leafeon. They seemed more like friends or companions than a proper family, at least according to his definition of the word.
It was not until later that day, closer to the evening that something interesting happened. The Leafeon left the house, and ventured deeper into the forest. Protocol abandoned his hiding spot and followed as close as he dared. At first he had just thought that his target had picked a random direction into the forest, but at closer inspection, he did spot a path. It was small, hidden within the foliage, not used by many or often, but definitely a path. Interesting.
Protocol followed from a distance, he made his way down from the roof, being careful that nopony was watching before he carefully followed Vernus into the forest. He had to stay closer than what he would have liked to keep up with the Leafeon, the path had such twists and turns within the thick foliage that he would lose him otherwise.
What are you after? Protocol pondered. Then he froze, and the Leafeon stopped, his ears twisting around. He dared not move a muscle, he dared not breathe. He was confident that he was well enough hidden that he would not be spotted if Vernus looked in his direction. But he did not want to take that chance.
Lady luck was on his side however, as Vernus continued on down the path, finally letting Protocol breathe out in relief.
After about fifteen minutes, they reached a truly peculiar sight. It was a hidden garden within the foods, rows upon rows of plants, berries and herbs. All neatly organized, well kept and nurtured for. But that was peculiar was that it was places so out of the way.
True, Protocol knew next to nothing about farming, so maybe this location has something that made it the ideal garden.
Or perhaps, it was to keep it away from prying eyes.
He waited until the Leafeon had removed gathered the berries he came there for, and another ten minutes after that before he came out from the shadows and descended upon the garden. It was truly well cared for, he could see the amount of work and effort that went into it. Inside the forest, taking a hidden path.
There were very few of the plants that he recognized, other than the obvious ones that everypony knew of, but one dres his attention. Away from the other plants, planted to they had room for themselves were a few light blue flowers. Five pedals on the outer ring, and another five smaller one in a inner circle, pointing upwards with a few stems reaching up from within, all ending on small round bulbs. Poison Joke. It was not illegal, not per se. But a pony would need a special license to grow them, something he doubted the Leafeon had. If he grew something like that, who knew what other treasures the garden would reveal to him.
However, he would not find out any more by staying and risking somepony else returning and catching him in the act. So he photographed the entire place, giving each plant their own shot and a final one of the entire place. He knew a botanist who owed him a favor. He did not want to arrest or fine the Leafeon on such a small thing as keeping illegal or poisonous foliage. But it was something he could use, a place he could pressure.
“I told you to let this go!” Protocol was more used to yelling at his subordinates than being on the receiving end. But, when Olivia found out what he was doing, tartarus was raised in his living room.
He was in his natural changeling form, as it was most comfortable for him, and also a sign of trust between him and his friend. A trust she believed that he had gone and broken by going behind her back. Protocol did not see it that way.
“I followed the leads on a potential interest, all according to the laws and regulations. You can't expect me to just drop everything after what was done against you?” As he saw it, he had done nothing wrong, and he had a hard time understanding her rage. “You wanted nothing to do with it, I respected that, but I did not drag you into it this time, you found out on your own and came to me!” It was not a quiet argument, voiced was raised on both sides with emotions flying high.
“I am happy! Why can't you respect that and let this be.” She cried out in frustration. Sparks flew out of her coat and blackened spots on the floor around her. “I… do you have any idea how hard it was for me to learn to live with this?” She screamed at him. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill forth. “I wanted to put myself in your shoes. To delve into the path of revenge, of justice.” She walked over to him and hopped up on the sofa. Resting her head on her paws. “I am happier than I have been in years. I had to work so hard to convince myself that happiness was something I wanted… something I deserved.” The last part was added in a whisper.
Protocol was at a loss for words. He just stood there in the middle of the room, staring at her, at his friend. Her blue and yellow fur still had small sparks dancing across it, and her face was hidden behind her paws.
“Everyone deserves to be happy.” Protocol said as he climbed onto the seat besides her. “I remember how miserable you were after we took you home from the hospital. You did not eat, refused to walk outside, we basically had to drag you to the shower to get you to clean yourself.” It had been a horrible period for her, when she had been truly depressed. “But I can't just forget what was done to you. They need to be brought to justice!”
“THEY TRIED TO KILL ME! O-or at the very least they did not care if I did or not.” Olivia started to quiver, her voice cracked and her breathing came out in short shallow breaths. “I'm scared. I know you want to do the right thing Protocol… you always do. It's what drew me to you in the beginning and made us become friends. B-but I’m scared that if you dig too deep into this. That they will come back to try to finish me.”
Suddenly it all made sense to Protocol. He had never stopped pushing forward, it was everything he knew. But in doing so, he had made things worse for his friend. And still…
“I can't just let this go.” It was who he was at his core, he could not change that. “I will do everything to make sure that you are safe… but I can't stop this and let those criminals run free.”
Silence stretched out after that. Olivia stared at Protocol, her eyes still wet, though she had stopped shaking. She was taking deep breaths trying to calm down once again.
Protocol stared back, his large unblinking changeling eyes staring deeply into hers. He was like a rock, his ideals unmoving and unshakable. For better and for worse.
“I know.”
It was getting late in the warehouse, the day’s last rays of sunlight shone through the windows in the roof and a few cracks in the wall, illuminating the cozy insides where some Pokémon were gathering in small piles, sharing heat as they got ready for the night ahead of them.
Chii was not taking part of such a pile, instead she had burrowed into her blanket, with only her tail and face sticking out, allowing her to keep view of everyone before she too welcomed the embrace of the night. She liked having that small measure of control, knowing where everyone was. Everyone except Ethan… he still had not come home since the Contest. Brawly kept telling her that he would show up soon. But she knew that was not true, she could see it in everyone's eyes. No one knew where he was or when he would come back to them. Zoey had also forbidden her from looking for him. But she missed him, she really did. Not only that, she was scared. Ethan always told his family everything, he never just disappeared. She would have ignored Zoey's order… but she had no idea where to even look. Nowhere to start. Nothing. She was just a small Skitty who had to pretend that everything was alright. Who had to continue to put up a fake smile so that the others would not worry about her. With Ethan gone, they had enough to worry about as it was...
A sharp heavy knocking sound broke the comfortable silence that had filled their home, and quite a few awoke with a cry of surprise, setting off a chain reaction. Within a few seconds the entire home was buzzing with confusion.
“I got it, I got it!” A voice called out over all the others, “Man, who would bother to come all the way out here this late.” A Mienshao with bed hair walked over to the door, while a curious Skitty watched him closely.
“Good evening, Brawly,” a firm commanding voice spoke after he opened the door. For there were no visitors who had come to their home late at night, but instead the police officer Protocol, flanked by two more police ponies at his sides. “I would like to do this smooth and calmly in consideration to the others who live here,” he did not gesture but let his eyes wander across the insides of the warehouse. “So, would you please get Vernus and Zoey.” Chii froze as Protocol looked right in her direction, she had no idea what was happening. What did that creepy pony want with her family?
“Mind if I ask why?” Brawly inquired, and Protocol looked back to him, his normally stoic neutral expression turning into a rather creepy smile.
“Well, you see. Your-”
“What’s going on here?” The resident Leafeon arrived after having heard some commotion going on at the front door.
“Ah, just the Leafeon I was looking for.”
“Do you know anything about this?” Brawly looked at Vernus with concern.
“No I don't, I have no idea what he's doing here.” Both of them were nervous, but none of them could see the fear-stricken Chii who was witnessing it all.
“I'm afraid lying won't do you any good at this moment.” The police changeling in disguise shook his head. “Vernus the Leafeon, you and Zoey the Zangoose are officially under arrest.” The two police ponies behind Protocol stepped forward, each of them carrying a pair of special handcuffs.
“Protocol!” From behind Brawly, stumbled a Vulpix who had seen better days. Jenny's fur had started to grow back in, but was still mangy in certain places. She had gotten rid of most of the bandages, the only ones that remained were located where her tails used to be. “What is the meaning of this! On what charges are you making this arrest!” To say that she was angry was an understatement. Protocol was her friend as well, that he had gone around her back on this was an insult she would not tolerate.
“Jenny, let me handle this, just go back inside!” Vernus hissed. Quite a few of the Pokémon who lived there had overheard them and the discord was growing between them. “You need to keep everyone calm.” But Jenny was not bulging.
“Ma’am, please move or we will be forced to move you.” His voice was calm and level, but it had a heaviness to it that signalled to everyone who heard that he meant business. “I'm not obliged to tell you. But, since you are his friend, and have helped me and the station in the past, it's okay. The charges are possession of illegal substance. Multiple accounts of cultivating dangerous and illegal flora without proper permit,” Jenny started to lose his composure as the charges were being listed and Vernus pushed her aside and stood in front of Protocol. “Tampering with evidence, and kidnapping with attempted murder.”
The silencer was eerie. Brawly and Jenny stood there in shock. He was usually such a laid back guy, with nothing facing him, not really. But now he had no words whatsoever. He just stared at Protocol, opening and closing his mouth, yet no words came. He wanted to protest, to deny these charges made against his friend. But when he looked to his side at Vernus, who just stared down at the ground in defeat… could it be true?
Jenny was furious as well, at Protocol for going behind her back, but more so at Vernus, at the ones she had been living at, the ones that had helped her when she was at her lowest, the ones she had trusted! To think that they had done something as hideous as that?
“Vernus, is this true?!” She yelled at him with as much force as she could muster.
Vernus refused to look up to meet their eyes. What he and Zoey had done had been a gamble, one that, in the end, had failed. In a way, he was thankful that Ethan was away. He was not sure how he would have explained this to him. “Go get Zoey,” he said to Brawly even as he said it, the words felt wrong and alien. Like he had not been the one to say them. “Just go… I'll explain everything later.” He added to the both of them.
Soon enough, only Vernus and Jenny stood before the police ponies.
“I trusted you…” Jenny said in a low voice, dripping with venom.
“So, will you be coming willingly?” Protocol asked, his horn alit with magic, a precaution.
He did not answer, but nodded solemnly. In a way, he felt relieved. Even if he and Zoey had been caught, even if they were going to jail. They had not asked for Ethan, so, in that way, they had still protected his secret. He could live with that.
“T-they are lying, right?” A small, meek voice spoke. “Please Uncle Vernus, don't go with them. They are lying! Right, Jenny? They are lying, tell them!”
“Miss, please st-” Protocol held out his hoof, silencing the other police pony besides him.
“Chii,” Vernus looked up to the small Skitty in front of him. She had not made a sound when she jumped down. “I thought you had fallen asleep. It's rather late for small Skittys.” The sight of her nearly broke his heart. Brawly had looked lost, but Chii was absolutely devastated. Her normally thin, small eyes were wide open, shaking. She was grasping her tail, with its three little feelers in her front paws, like a small child might hug their stuffed toy for safety. She was looking at him for answers, answers he was not sure how to give her.
Going with Protocol would have been easy. But explaining it to Chii, explaining why he had to go. He was not sure if he was brave enough to do that.
“I will explain everything later, Chii, I will explain it later. They will be able to visit, right?” Vernus looked over to Protocol who nodded. “Right. I had wished to keep you away from this, you deserve so much better, Chii… you will be so much better than any of us.” He managed a smile, however small it was.
“B-but you are good. You help other Pokémon who need help, you help Ethan take care of them, help them find better homes… you helped me, you found me a home.” Her voice was shaking and she squeezed her tail harder. “They are l-lying.” She stared into his eyes with hopelessness, she wanted to believe in him with all her might, but, “please don't leave me.”
“Chii… come here,” Vernus walked up to her and sat down, wrapping his tail around her small body, pulling her close. “Sometimes,” he started, struggling to find the right words, “sometimes, good people do bad things.” She latched onto his fur and buried her face into it. “They might do them for the right reasons. Or reasons that seem right to them, but are wrong to everyone else.”
“S-so it was a good thing, and they are wrong! You have to tell them, they are wrong. They are wrong.”
“No, Chii. What I did was not either of those.” He still had his doubts, but in his mind, what he did was still the right thing to do. But Chii was not allowed to see it that way. She was too pure, to good. She could be better than any of them, all of them. She had that opportunity. “I did a bad thing, a really bad thing.” He could see her heart break as she took a step back and stared up at him. “My intentions for doing it does not matter. It was wrong.” He and Zoey would be examples for her. It would hurt, it would hurt her so much. But hopefully, she would come out better for it. “That's why I have to go with the police ponies.”
He leaned down and gently nuzzled Chii. She was still in shock, but she felt the physical gesture and returned it, rubbing the side of her face against his. “Take care of Brawly and Ethan, and Jenny too… they will need you. I love you, Chii.” He moved away from her, he did not want to leave, but he had no choice. “I'm ready,” he sat down in front of Protocol and held out his front paws.
The police pony nodded and used the smaller of the two sets, clamping the small iron circle down around each leg, with a metal chain linking the two. He would still be able to move and walk with it on, but the tight chain would severely limit his movement.
“And your marefriend?” Protocol looked down on Vernus, who was testing out his cuffs.
“She will be right along,” he looked up at Protocols horn, “your spell, will it hurt or just stun.” He asked, making Protocol blink in surprise.
“Stun mostly, though it is certainly not pleasant to be hit by… why, are you planning anything?” But Vernus shook his head.
“No… but you may have to use it nonetheless. I don't think Zoey will come quietly.”
A primal scream tore through the warehouse. The police ponies besides Protocol flinched by the sheer volume and hostility of it. A white blur shot past the still shocked Chii, who stared ahead with empty eyes, past Jenny who kept looking at Vernus with a mix of hatred and disgust, past the door to the warehouse and right towards Protocol.
If you had blinked, you would have missed it. Vernus had surrendered willingly, to make it easy on his friends and family. He saw no reason in fighting. Zoey however, had murder in her wild eyes. Claws at the ready and positioned to spear Protocol as she charged. She wanted him dead. But Protocol was a veteran, and he had been ready. His spell discharged after Zoey crossed the door threshold. A white lightning bolt arced out from the tip of his horn, it left a soft blue line behind it as it traveled forward through the air before striking Zoey right in her chest. She lit up, sparks of magical electricity pulsing through her form, and her face contorted like she was giving off a silent scream. It was definitely not painless.
She collapsed to the ground in a heap, smoke rising from her back, the spell had done its job so the other police pony went up and cuffed her aswell, with a larger pair around her front paws. Vernus looked at the entire scene acting out, doing nothing. He hoped that the spell had not hurt her too bad, but it was for the best that it went down that way.
Protocol used his magic once more and levitated Zoey and put her on his back.
“Let’s go,” it was a order to the two police ponies following him, as well as to Vernus. They turned around, and slowly started heading back to town.
“Not Zoey too. L-leave my family alone!” Another pang in his heart as Chii called out again. Looking back he saw that she was fighting against Brawly's grip, tears now flowing freely down her little cheeks. “Don't take my family! Please, please. They are all I have. Please d-d-don't take them!” She shrieked from the top of her little lungs. “P-please!” Even Jenny had to look away, she was angry, furious, but the scene before her was too much, even for her.
He wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, that things would work out. But the tug one of the police ponies gave him forced him to look away and keep walking. He had nothing else to say to her anyway, and he did not want her to see him as he began to cry silently as well. Chii continued to scream after them the entire time, eventually they got too far away to hear her, Vernus hoped that Brawly would manage to calm her down. He also began to feel some anger build up inside of him. Where the hell was Ethan anyway? Chii seriously needed him right now, and he was gone in the wind. It was enough to make a Leafeon want to lash out at something, anything.
“Calm down before you do something you will regret,” Protocol called out to him, sensing the anger and nipping it in the bud before anything happened.
He was right, nothing good would come from taking his anger out on them anyway. But he was curious. If Protocol was taking them in, then he must have found some serious evidence. Something they had forgotten or missed when they were removing it.
Oh well. He would deny everything as far as he could, unless what Protocol had on them was so ironproof that it would not matter. They would know later anyway. Right now, he lacked the energy to do anything but follow.
“What do you mean you remember?” Protocol exclaimed in a shock of emotions, quite unlike him.
“I don't remember everything, its… bits and pieces.” Olivia admitted. It had taken quite some coaxing for her to get this far. Protocol had thought that she had been hiding something. It had been a gut feeling, but when she had dropped that bombshell… he was at a loss.
“Why did you not come to be sooner then!?” To say that Protocol was upset and angry would have been an understatement. “All I did for you, for this case, and you tell me it was all for nothing!”
“It would not have mattered if you would just have listened to me in the first place!” Olivia yelled right back at him. “Do you think this has been easy for me!?”
“I… b-but...no, no of course not.” Protocol sighed heavily. “I just… why did you not say anything sooner?” He could not for the life of him fathom why anypony would keep something like that hidden.
“Do you think I liked it? To know that the ones that assaulted me lived that close?” She started shaking. “I was terrified… terrified of what they would do to me if they learned that I knew. If they would try again… or just kill me this time.”
He could not be mad at that, or frustrated, no matter how much he wanted. “I could have protected you.” He spoke softly. “You saw them regularly, we… we even had lunch with them.” Underneath his nose all that time. “I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you.” He wrapped his front hooves around her neck, hugging her.
“I know you would have tried,” she spoke weakly, not hugging back, but leaning into it. “B-but I was afraid of my life… I, I did not want to die. I don't want to die.”
He held her close and stroked her fur as she let her emotions flow freely, feelings that had been bottled up and kept under lock for such a long time. Minutes passed with neither of them saying a word, Protocol just wanted to protect her, and in his hooves, Olivia felt safe.
“How much do you remember?” She just wanted to stay like that, but after everything that he had done for her, he deserved some answers.
“Bits and pieces, like I said.” Olivia admitted as they separated and Protocol sat down in front of her once again. “I remember most of the actual assault and… kidnapping,” the experience of being forcibly drugged like that was something that made her sick when she thought about it. It was a haze, hours melting into each other, with her body being on fire. “But memories from earlier are… not all there. They said that Ethan had something to do with it… but I have no idea what. I can't remember.” She knew that something was missing, like a jigsaw puzzle where someone had stolen a few pieces.
“Its okay, you are safe now.” He now knew that Zoey the Zangoose and Vernus the Leafeon had been the one to assault her. But how did Ethan fit into it all? He had no idea, but once they arrested those two, he would make them tell him. “Those two will not hurt anypony again, not after today…
In another part of Equestria, far, far away from Neighagra Falls, far away from Canterlot even, somewhere between the Smokey Mountains and Galloping Gorge, there was a small village. It was so small and new, that it would not be found on most maps, and the inhabitants there liked it that way. It was a close knitted community where anypony knew everypony. New ponies were rare, and it was even rarer that any of them stuck around. But this little village had recently gotten itself a new addition. A light grey unicorn with a black mane and a scarred cutie mark had arrived in town, and had integrated himself rather quickly. The native ponies had been sceptical of the newcomer in the beginning, but he had proven himself to be hardworking and trustworthy. And soon, everypony knew of the new pony who had arrived, seemingly out of nowhere seeking a new beginning.
Nopony questioned where he came from, or what his past where. They were simple ponies, and life was good. And so life continued as normal once more.
But one individual knew this pony, knew what he was hiding. The scarred cutiemark was new, but he still recognized him. The tone of his coat, the way he spoke, his dialect and the way he carried himself. It was no doubt in his mind that he had finally found him. After such a long time, tracking him across Equestria.
“Shady…”
He had built a new life for himself in that village, a new start. He genuinely looked happy with his new beginning. He thought he was safe, he had finally begun to let his guard down.
That would make it so much sweeter when he would take it all away. Shady had wasted his chances, there would be no happy ending him. There was no place for justice there. It would be a place, without any mercy. The time had come to reap the hate he’d sown…
It was judgement day
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Well now Ethan is probably gonna get arrested for the thing they originally kidnapped Olivia for... or not considering that Olivia has no evidence other than her word that a murder occurred, and her general defense was for arresting him was 'Pokemon can't be used as witnesses since they're easy to manipulate'
Someone's been listening to The Count of Monte Cristo.
8688076
I was waiting for someone to catch that^^ Ye, I love the Count of Monte Cristo Musical^^
So everything is finally coming to a head.
The climax is going to be interesting indeed.
There was no place for justice there. It would be a place, without any mercy. The time had come to reap the hate he’d sown…
It was judgement day
Don’t think I didn’t catch that little tid bit there
Count is one of my favorite musicals haha
It has been a long 4 year journey for this story to be written and while I have only came here recently to read it I want to mainly say one thing:
Thank you for writing this story into what it has become and while I do not know if and/or when you are continuing it I appreciate what you have done and respect whatever happens to the fate of this story.
Sincerely,
BJC
8897463
Thank you for the kind comment^^
The new chapter will be out in a few weeks, i refuse to abandon this project after having come so long. We will all see how it ends real soon.
I would like to know if he is alone of if his pokemon followed him again, I mean it's one of my avourite pokemon, but so far I haven't exactly enjoyed the "trainer and his six pokemon in Equesteria" thing.
9086695
If its the latest events, then he is not followed immadiatly, if its more from the start, then he is not followed immediatly, a few from his "gang" or his patients show up over time. He is not really a Trainer though, I have tried to do something different than that whole usual formula.
9088548
Okay that is enough to give it a chance I guess.
9095757
Nah well I'm not to sure if those hints can really only mean that he is gay if you understand him but I would have to see them to be sure.
Well now I only hope we get a nice new romance option for him and I kind of hope that only because this happened, that Vernus isn't getting his chance with her.
I'm never to sure how to explain it, but it feels a bit to much as if it was supposed to be this way and no other if Vernus should suddenly date her without her probably....uhhhm whatever time she maybe needs to accept her being turned down and developing new feelings for someone else. I mean there are people with those love at first sight moments.
9096955
I tried to not rush it. You will see how it develops, but you were right in the comment that She needs time.