Zekiel Lucian
It was lonely travelling alone again but it was for the best considering I would only slow them down. Besides, I was going to leave the region eventually for a while. I didn't want to make it too hard to say goodbye to anyone either. I continued slowly as the light began dying out and glanced back the way I'd came from, perhaps I should've listened to Jay and Soren, I wasn't going to make it to Cario by the time it was dark. Not that I was scared, no one was even on this sorry excuse for a path. It just would've been nice to see the path between the rocks and ashfall but at least the light from my map kept me going in the right direction.
I sighed and stopped to lean against a large rock as I looked down to check my map again, I didn't want to think I was going the right way and end up lost again after all. I coughed as a breeze blew some ash in my face before looking at the screen, good, I was still going the right way. Once I was at Cario I could earn some money perhaps, or at least train a bit so I could earn money from trainers on my way to the port on Kleft Pass and finally get away from Drucan. If gaining money failed though... maybe I could work on the ship as payment.
I glanced around again out of boredom before going on my way again. Cario couldn't be too far away anymore, according to the map I was over halfway there. I heard a clacking behind me as rocks fell and bounced against the larger boulders and turned to look in the direction the sound had came from with worry. A shadow ducked behind a rock and I reached for Treecko's ball uneasily before seeing an aron peek out uneasily and take a few paces in my direction before running off again. I relaxed and continued on my way while the sky above continued to darken until the moon was above the Everlasting Peaks at my back. Ahead I could finally make out the lights from Cario and picked up my pace as more came into sight, as I couldn't wait to get inside a Pokémon Center to rest for the night before getting up early to find out how to earn some money.
The night went pretty well nothing unusual at least, but when I woke up it was to the sounds of fighting rather than my alarm. I scrambled to get out of bed, which only served to tangle me in the blanket more for a few seconds, before quickly changing and grabbing my things. If Cario was under attack then that meant I needed to be ready to run or fight. I had Ankou's ball in my hand as I snuck out through the window in my room and expected to see the common white and gold that Valhalla wore-which was in the fray-but mostly saw darkly clothed pokémon hunters. Why there was a sudden attack like this wasn't something I could figure out other than something of value had to be here that both groups wanted but I didn't want to be caught up in the middle of it.
I tried to stick to the shadows as I snuck off in the direction I hoped Rookrust was in rather than just into the forest. Unfortunately the sun hadn't risen far enough in the sky for me to be sure I was going in the right direction and I didn't want the light from the map to give away my position. It didn't matter though because I a moment later I felt grass wrap around my foot and trip me up while footsteps moved in closer as the hunter caught up to his pokémon.
"What do we have here? Stupid kid trying to escape eh?" The man walked around, stopping inches from my face. "Thought you'd get away with a valuable pokémon? Well kid, I'm gonna show you what happens to people like that."
"I don't have anything valuable with me, I swear." I tugged at the grass knot around my foot as I tried to break free.
"We'll just see 'bout that." He gave a gravelly chuckle. "Victreebel, show him a vine whip."
I shuddered before the attack even landed, though the pain was twice as bad as what my father had done with his belt and the brace I had done in anticipation of the pain was nothing against the stronger hits. I flinched and gritted my teeth before giving a cry of pain as it lashed down on the same spot once more, this time breaking the skin and letting blood flow down my back. Still, this guy had no reason to suspect I had any rare pokémon on me... I couldn't call out Ankou and prove I had something worth stealing. I just had to take this until... I actually didn't know when.
"Hit 'em harder than that! Get him to squeal and beg me to take what he has."
"Bel!" The grass type continued to use vine whip on me until I was trembling and bleeding from the wounds it had created; I still refused to talk or give this guy the satisfaction of winning.
"Bah. Dumb kid, don't know when to give up do ya?" I yelped as my ankle was twisted the wrong way as the man yanked me to my feet by the collar of my shirt. He gave me a superior expression as he took my pokéball before letting go and sending a heavy punch to my stomach while a kick to the head followed it.
I crashed back to the ground in pain, unsure if it was mostly from physically being attacked or from the similar memories of my parents doing this to me whenever I did something wrong. The only difference was Ankou had been there for me after I found him and Jay. Jay and Curse had always been there too. I couldn't remember how many times I stayed over at her place rather than my own in fear of what my parents would do. It had been a place of safety, more like a home than my own place.
I glared at the man and he turned his back and began walking away. Ankou was the only one here for me now from those times and I wasn't going to let him be stolen by a pokémon hunter. Treecko's ball was still in my pocket; that idiot hadn't even checked to see if I had other pokémon to fight back with. Ankou had always helped me out and now it was my turn.
A whine escaped my clenched jaw as I got up, alerting the man, but I didn't care. I needed his attention anyway. "Treecko, get him."
"Still some fight in ya, huh? I'll fix that." The man smirked and tossed Ankou's ball up and down in the air confidently. "Victreebel, toxic."
"Jump and get Ankou back!" I coughed as I finished giving the command before sinking to my knees as toxic poisoned me.
Treecko moved faster and was more cunning and easily disoriented the hunter before returning to my side with Ankou's ball. I shivered and gave his an approving look, though I knew I couldn't win, both of my pokémon were weak to poison type moves... not to mention I couldn't stand back up if I tried. The man obviously knew this too as he sauntered over.
"All over for ya kid." His beady eyes examined me, easily finding my weak spots, before kicking Treecko aside and dragging me up by my throat before slamming me back down and stomping on my ribs before moving away again as if waiting for me to fight back.
I shivered and rolled onto my side, trying to get up once again, before collapsing back onto the ground a moment later and coughing. I could taste blood in my mouth and I wouldn't be surprised if one of my ribs had been broken... they were bruised certainly. Treecko was back at my side, his back to me as he faced the hunter in preparation to fight. It never came to that though. A male pyroar doused the ground in front of us with fire, causing the pokémon hunter to flee along with his victreebel... seems like he was only brave when he knew he could win. Not that I was pleased considering the new person walking into my darkening vision was from Valhalla.
I stayed still as they moved closer, forcing myself not to shake as I anticipated another round of abuse. "Come on Pyroar, this guy is good for one thing at this point: feeding the mandibuzz. We need to go get the supplies with the others and find that teen who had been spotted with those brats boss said destroyed the base... Bet we'd get a lovely prize if we caught them."
I was sure they meant me and was suddenly glad I was too beaten to actually recognize with the help of the low lighting. Though, considering what I overheard I was wondering just what Jay and her friends had fallen into, and subsequently dragged me into the trouble as well. Treecko glanced back at me as the threats went away and seemed to be judging my injuries as he prodded at some of them, which made me wince and give a sound of pain.
"Treecko... stop." I shifted away from him, though it wasn't enough to avoid his short reach. "G-go get help..."
"Tree...?" He glanced around to where the Valhalla members were dispersing again after a tan, black haired lady barked several new orders at them.
They were starting to search through the bodies lying around both dead and injured as if looking for someone. A second important looking member, a man in a captain's uniform, walked over to the woman with a glowing blue egg cradled in his hands. I watched them exchange words but the search wasn't called off and I started getting the feeling that odd looking egg wasn't what they were searching for anymore... I needed to get up before one of them decided to identify me. My legs weren't injured, other than my ankle, but it was the spreading poison that kept me from getting up. Still... I had to try. I didn't want to die here after only a few days on my own no less!
My legs felt numb as I moved to get up, though pain swept through one of them as I put weight on my foot. That was quickly blotted out by the agony as I moved my back, fresh blood dripping down as I shakily stood up. The world was spinning and I staggered slightly before limping off in the direction of the forest, praying I wouldn't collapse or be noticed. Treecko was somewhere keeping guard as I retreated, though I didn't bother wasting what little focus I had to figure out where he was specifically. I nearly passed out but the pain that went through me as I fell brought me back to the hazy half consciousness I had been in before. To be honest I wasn't even sure if I was going towards Rookrust or just Cursed Way. Perhaps I was even going back to Iceshore and going to have to start my journey all over again... Not that I would be allowed to once my parents found me, they would probably keep me under their watch all day and maybe night too.
I shuddered from the thought of their screaming but it was the mental image of them slapping and beating me with a belt that made me tear up. I collapsed onto the ground a few yards into Spectral Woods and looked back to see Valhalla was finishing up their search. It was a relief they hadn't found me but now I was alone in the forest full of potentially aggressive pokémon and possibly going to die out here if no one came to my aid. I should've gone with Jay and her friends.
"Cko?" Treecko jumped down from a tree and walked back over to me.
"Go... get help... please..." I coughed. "I'll b-be fine."
He had a worried look in his eyes as he stared at me, eventually hurrying away to follow my command. I sighed and took out Ankou's pokéball, releasing him before letting my arm drop limply to the ground and feeling the sylveon's ribbons gingerly touch my hand while he gave a small cry.
"Veon?" He nuzzled me again before moving away.
"It's fine... Ankou... just... wait for Treecko to return with help. I-if he doesn't soon... just leave me here. Find Jay, she'll help you if I end up dying."
"Syl!"
I coughed again and closed my eyes, the strain of keeping them open was just adding to my pain. "Stay here and keep watch for danger. Warn me if someone shows up without Treecko... I can still try to run from Valhalla and anyone else. You've seen me in other bad times. But after getting this far, I won't die easily."