Chapter Text
Creature AU:
The forest was quiet, the only sounds coming from the meat that Poochyena tore off a bone as she ate. The human was part of the reason why it was so quiet, but it wasn’t the only one.
A village had built up in a nearby clearing. Zigzagoon figured out they were seeking the secrets of eternal life and had come to their home to research it. For a long time they destroyed their forest and hunted down their enemies and allies alike.
Poochyena was going to face the threat like she faced all threats, alone. But the few she saw as tolerable allies pushed back and in time she faced down the threats with them in tow. Together, they killed the head human, a man who had done so many experiments on himself in his quest for eternal life that his skin had turned gold.
It was disgusting flesh, tasting more metallic than meat, but Poochyena couldn’t go hunting. Hunting would mean leaving her friend behind. Her friend, who struck the final blow and who had been the first to reach out to Poochyena, truly.
Poochyena had taken bites out of her friend, before she was her friend, and she didn’t react like all the others. She minded and made it clear by fighting back, but she stuck around. She kept bothering Poochyena until it wasn’t a bother at all. She helped her train and battle and learn so that the humans couldn’t take what was hers ever again.
She had grown and grown and in that final battle she began saying Mightyena more than any other name. She hadn’t been the only one.
She watched Paras, her dear friend, and eyed the mushroom that had grown beyond any she had before. It was removed, the golden human’s final act as her claw pierced his skin.
Poochyena guarded her friend, and waited for the others to come back.
The human village was left abandoned without their leader. It could be ransacked for food and shelter even. Most importantly, Zigzagzoon believed it could hold the key to healing their friend.
There were other pokémon out in the forest, however. Some who fought alongside them, others who didn’t. None of them were keen to be allies with them after Paras released her spores during the fight. It helped, but some saw it as an attack on them as well.
The sound of grass being crushed made Poochyena stand. It turned to face the noise and growled as a group of humans tried to approach.
Zigzagoon hadn’t been completely right it seemed.
They spoke in their language and pointed at the mushroom, then at Paras. Poochyena barked, the only warning she would give, just like Paras taught her to. Warn first. If they continued, it was on them.
The humans didn’t listen. They approached and Poochyena fought back. She crunched and she snarled and she went for their throats.
It wasn’t enough. There were too many, each with their own pokémon to fight alongside them. Poochyena roared, putting all her energy until it burst out of her in a dark pulse that hit everyone.
It still wasn’t enough. They kicked her down and reached for her friend. She had failed.
They stumbled, losing strength in their legs and coordination. She moved Paras to this location for a reason. The trees acted as a canopy, shielding them from the sun.
The shadows came to life, rising up to grab hold of human and pokémon alike. Marshadow formed from the mists and threw a punch that knocked out one of the humans in one blow, his strength being enhanced by the power he drained from them.
Marshadow wasn’t the only new arrival. Drifloom broke through the canopy and wrapped his tendrils around one of the humans, quickly rising back in the air and taking the human with him. Sableye appeared and disappeared too quickly for anyone not used to her presence to register. A moment later the remaining humans tripped over themselves, their footwear tied together, and the pokémon were hit by one of her claw attacks, the pain not registering until it was too late.
As Poochyena got up, the human Drifloom grabbed fell and died on impact. They finished off the rest as a group, protecting Paras and the mushroom they sought.
After a short rest with the battle finished, the familiar sounds of Zigzagoon moving reached her ears. She was dragging a large bag of things she stole from the village and didn’t pause at the sight of the battle.
She was probably the first one to notice and ordered the others to return.
“Zag, zag,” she said.
Poochyena growled out a reply. She still got it wrong.
Zigzagoon ignored her and danced over to Paras, back and forth like she normally did. She nudged their friend and dropped some food in front of her.
Marshadow’s mist bubbled and Zigzagoon tsked. She grabbed the berries and nudged them into Paras’ mouth. Marshadow appeared next to them and helped her chew.
Drifloom and Sableye were playing with the dead bodies, finding what they had on them.
Poochynea stayed on guard.
She heard snickers when the pair found a pokéball. It looked empty and she almost jumped back when Drifloom tossed it onto Sableye. Light burst as she was dragged into the ball.
Marshadow made a sound that was a scream, however he might try and deny it. Drifloom tried to calm him down, but Marshadow’s anger at him was only beaten by his concern for Sableye. He focused on the pokéball and destroyed it in a single punch.
Sableye reappeared, managing to look annoyed at Marshadow. As ghostly hands were pointed at Drifloom, Sableye’s crystals rotated and she used an ability to pull out a different pokéball. She pressed down on it and Drifloom was sent inside, already keyed to the device.
They had evidently done this before, with no issues. Poochyena returned to her lookout while Marshadow sputtered in confusion.
It was much simpler to just ignore their antics. Like always, things calmed down and they returned to what they were supposed to be doing.
While they did all their tasks, Zigzagoon returned to her sack of loot. Her paws were good at swiping, but not so good at using. Neither were Poochyena’s, so Sableye got called over to help. Marshadow made a noise and Zigzagoon shook her head, down, left, and down, then up, right, and up, then down, left, and down again. He was too strong, the human devices would break.
Drifloom hovered over to her while his better friend was occupied. He reached a tendril down to her and she bit at it. He laughed and turned it to a game where he would annoy her until she got fed up and tried to bite again.
He stopped laughing when she got a hold of him. Poochyena pulled him down and put her two front paws on his head to keep him trapped. He called out to the others, but they all knew it was deserved.
Eventually she got bored and let him go, returning to watching over Paras.
It wasn’t until Zigzagoon made an attempt for the mushroom that Poochyena reacted to anything. She barked, stopping her from zagging to the fallen plant-thing.
Zigzagoon mewled her plan and Poochyena growled back. The mushroom was part of Paras. Why would she need to eat it?
Consume, Zigzagoon corrected in a tsk. The mushroom hadn’t really been part of Paras, but it gave her the enormous strength she used to beat the golden human. She had allowed it to grow on her, sapping her strength in order to use her for her own goals.
It had been a parasite, worming its way into their friend, hurting her without them knowing.
Poochyena let out a soft whine as she continued to explain. If Paras consumes the mushroom the correct way, she could regain her strength without it taking over again. To do that Zigzagoon had needed materials and tools from the humans.
The others seemed just as shocked. It hadn’t been just Poochyena left out, but she still felt betrayed.
Why hadn’t Paras told her?
She lifted her head up and howled.
She couldn’t ask if her friend was dead.
Poochyena could spend the rest of their life together knocking her friend’s head with her paw for not talking to her, but she had to live first. That sounded best.
Zigzagoon took the mushroom, using a tarp to push it without touching it. Sableye used her ghostly hands to smash the mushroom without really touching it and Zigzagoon mixed the remains with other ingredients she found in the village until she had a potion.
They carried it to Paras and slowly tipped it into her mouth. As she drank it, she gained more and more strength. Light lit up behind her dulled eyes. She began swallowing without their help, moving her claws against the grass, until she could hold up her own weight.
The drink was gone. Paras looked at them all and muttered, “Par?”
The single action was too much and she fell back down. Drifloom helped her lift up again, but Zigzagoon chided him and had them all give her a rest.
She would be fine, but it would take more time. The mushroom had taken root inside her very bones and now her body was getting rid of it.
It would be a long and painful process, but Poochyena would guard her friend throughout it all.
Post-Ward AU:
A world filled with creatures that could do just about anything and had a focus on battling wasn’t anything strange to Tattletale.
The heroes acted like it was some sort of impossibility with how their understanding of the multiverse worked, but they should have known better considering where their power came from and the fact that they still housed Nilbog. A world where someone like him had won wasn’t too surprising given how fucked up this cycle was.
Sure, the hole that tore to this dimension had been scary at first, but that was for reasons unrelated to the cute monsters that could fit in your pocket with a handy technology. What was really scary, what made Tattletale tilt her head in its implausibility, was the fact that the ruins she was exploring were over a thousand years old.
A lot of shit happened in a thousand years. Especially with wildlife that could hurl fire bombs or call down lightning bolts whenever a kid got too close to tall grass. This temple being half-way navigable was a miracle itself. Doubly so for whatever time fuckery to happen for pokémon to have been around for that long.
Maybe it was a miracle. She was here for that exact reason, after all.
Rumor has it there was a pokémon that granted wishes inside this temple. People had scoured for it for centuries, but never found anything. They assumed it was false.
Tattletale knew better.
It was about the timing. There was a comet that would pass above them, one that circled this Earth once every thousand years. Tattletale had found records of it and matched it to legends told about this wish-granting pokémon. She couldn’t use her power to double check her work, but the altar with a skylight all but confirmed her suspicions. The comet was already in view, just not centered yet.
Tonight, the mythical Jirachi would appear. Tonight, Tattletale would have her wish come true.
“Tattletale!”
So long as the annoying heroes didn’t get in the way.
Parian and Flechette navigated the ruins much easier than she did. It was always easier to follow someone after they disengaged all the traps.
Tattletale shook her head. She forgot the number one rule of the old action movies. Someone would always appear right as you were about to snag a relic.
Flechette, ever the charmer, pointed her crossbow at her. It was habit and none of them really cared or thought she’d shoot, but it was annoying to see.
“Ladies. Shouldn’t you be having more relationship problems?”
Flechette frowned. Maybe she would shoot.
“You know why we’re here. Please, let us have this. In honor of our old team,” Parian asked, more used to talking to her than Flechette.
Tattletale looked up at the old altar, the comet inching closer to the markings etched so long ago. About one minute. She needed to stall.
“No can do,” she said, as she reached into her pocket and grabbed a shrunken pokéball.
“It’s to save the world,” Flechette said.
Tattletale smiled. “That old chestnut.”
“We’re losing. The Machiavelli Collective will take over the network before the night is over. The Wardens are doing all that they can, but–”
“But you need help, don’t you? You need me, my power, what I figured out.”
“We do,” Parian allowed.
“Well tough shit. I gave your bosses warnings well in advance. I told you what to do to mitigate the issue. Not my fault you were too busy fighting with Neo York to get it done. I did my part to save Perpetuity. The fucked up shit you heroes did in the mean time isn’t on me.”
Flechette flinched as Tattletale’s voice raised.
“That’s not fair,” Parian said, taking a step forward. “I’m sorry we left you, but it has been better. I thought you’d be fine with that.”
“Better? Tell me Parian, do you enjoy your meetings with Legend? Do you enjoy reporting to the man who sat safe and sound on his ass in his little base while your family was torn apart?”
“That was a long time ago.”
“How have the surgeons been then? Can’t use mine anymore, they’re dirty, evil for working with a villain like me. I’m sure the Wardens are giving you the best healthcare in all the many worlds. Just like the old Protectorate did.”
“Do you have to be such a bitch?” Flechette asked. “What people said about you never mattered to you. I know why you’re hurting, but I also know you want–”
“You don’t know shit. You think I wanted you to take all my friends and allies away and let them die in vain? You two know me so well.”
“They chose to be heroes.”
“Roman. Chastity. Brian again.”
“You know it’s not our fault.”
“Aid–,” Tattletale stopped herself.
Neither said anything.
They stood there and as the seconds passed the altar began to glow.
“I’m being selfish. The idiot princes won’t actually destroy the world. Perpetuity will get conquered and the Wardens will be scattered, but let’s be honest, that might be the best thing for those shithole institutions.”
“You’re giving up,” Parian accused.
Tattletale shook her head and said, “I’m reprioritizing. I’ve done as much as I can to alleviate things, but now I’m done.”
They looked at each other, at the altar that was changing to crystal behind her, then at her directly.
“I didn’t want to fight you, Tattletale.” Parian looked solemn as she levitated needles into the air.
Flechette raised her crossbow. “We’ll talk after. Okay?”
“All this time and you still think I’m stupid enough to do this without a plan. Thunder wave Mimikyu.”
Her ghost pokémon fell through the ceiling to stun the two heroes. Parian was hit, but Flechette dodged out of the way and fired her crossbow at Tattletale’s hand.
The bolt stabbed her and destroyed the pokéball she was holding, releasing her Swadloon. Without needing a command, her leaf-wrapped pokémon shot a web at Flechette, sticking her to the ground, unable to move.
“Thanks girl,” Tattletale said, leaning down to pet the creature with her uninjured hand. Mimikyu flew forward to get a pet of his own and she obliged.
Swadloon applied the webbing to Parian to stop her when the stunned effect went away. Tattletale looked at the two of them, before turning to the pokémon that was appearing inside the crystal.
“Told ya to learn from the locals.”
“We were busy,” Flechette said as she struggled against the web.
“So was I.”
Tattletale placed her bleeding hand on the crystal and it shattered on contact. The mythical pokémon Jirachi opened its eyes, slowly yawning as it woke from its millennia-long nap.
“You can still make the right choice,” Parian said, her teeth clenched from the stun effect still.
Jirachi made a noise and flew around her.
Flechette sighed and asked, “I don’t suppose we can steal the wish by saying our own?”
“You have to write it down on the paper attached to Jirachi’s head.”
Hearing its name, Jirachi flew close to Tattletale, looking curious.
“Hey there little guy.” She raised a pen. “Mind if I write something?”
To her surprise, the pokémon snatched the pen out of her hand and played with it. It threw it up in the air, balanced it on its head, and then gave itself a curly mustache.
Mimikyu flew up to it and they started to giggle together. Swadloon made a noise like a tired sigh and jumped up from the ground to grab Mimikyu in a hug, dragging him down to the ground.
Despite being able to phase through the hold, Mimikyu leaned into the hug and Swadloon’s grumpy expression shifted to a more neutral one.
Tattletale tried to massage the growing headache at her two tykes' antics. Jirachi looked down and laughed again, handing her pen back.
She went for one of the notes on its head, but it veered away.
Frowning, she said, “It’ll just take a moment.”
Jirachi shook its head.
“Maybe you aren’t worthy?” Flechette suggested.
Annoyingly, she may be right. The local legends said you needed someone with a good soul to sing or talk in order to get a wish. Tattletale had really hoped that wasn’t the case.
Fuck. None of them were qualified.
“I could battle you,” she told Jirachi. It tilted its head and she sighed. “You can grant wishes. I’d lose.”
Jirachi nodded and continued its circular flying.
“Fuck. Fuck.”
Tattletale paced around the room, her two pokémon looking at her in concern.
“So much time and effort and I have to be a good person to get a wish. God fucking dammit.”
“Maybe–”
“Shut up!” Tattletale screamed at Parian. “None of us can. I couldn’t do all the dirty jobs the heroes needed done. They couldn't even funnel all of it to you and the other ex-villains. The City of Forever is built on bad people doing terrible things. We’re fucked.”
For a moment the only thing she heard was her own haggard breathing. Predictably, Lily ruined that.
“You really put all your hopes onto this.”
She laughed. “And you idiots followed me.”
“What were you going to wish for?” Sabah asked. “The dead to come back?”
Tattletale sat down, leaning against the altar while Jirachi flew above her. She smiled. “Maybe. It’d stop Kenzie’s problems. One of them, anyway.”
“Wait, you don’t know what you were going to wish for?”
“Figured I’d get the wording down by the time I got here. The myths say you can’t game the wish, but I thought if I was really clever I could throw in a way to stop the Machiavellis and get what I want.”
Jirachi giggled above her.
“I still don’t get why we can’t wish the immediate problem away and work on the death stuff after. Sure, resurrections have stalled for now, but who knows about the future.”
Tattletale turned to show a mocking smile to Lily. “It’s been a whole apocalypse since it shut down and I don’t think we’re getting it after this new one’s done. Then they’ll be another and another and so on. There’s always bigger issues.”
“That’s defeatist.”
“But it’s true. I just… I just wish these problems could be solved without sacrificing anyone. That’s what we’re building up to again. It always happens. Little ways, permanent ways. Tomorrow the threat’s going to be taken care of, but when I look around, the people I care for will be cut down. Then it’ll happen again, until one day I’m all by myself. This stupid second trigger didn’t even help.”
“... What?” Lily asked.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah. My stupid shard decided I had enough. Between us, I think it just wanted a new way to examine how this cycle went tits up and took the first opportunity that showed.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Sabah asked. Jirachi cheered, as if repeating the question without understanding the context.
Tattletale raised an eyebrow. “So I can be accused of trying to manipulate you back to the side of villainy? Nah. Like I said, it wasn’t that bad. Nothing like Brian’s.”
“How did your power change?”
“Lily!”
“What? You can’t say you’re not curious.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Tattletale said. “Won’t stop my friends from dying. You two sadly included in that category.”
“Bitch, we won’t die. You’re enjoying people not knowing your power again, aren’t you?”
“That is a benefit, I won’t– Hey!”
Jirachi had flown down to her and snagged her pen again. She had been holding it in her injured hand and the way it pulled dug into the wound, getting blood on it.
Then it reached up and grabbed a note off its head.
“What are you writing down?”
Finished writing, Jirachi made a noise, almost like a cooing. It dropped the pen and leaned forward, putting a hand on her forehead.
Then it put the note on its head and her vision went white as a wish was made.
…
The sun was shining. It was the next day, her power informed her, and the city hadn’t been conquered.
She felt someone who should be dead pull her into a hug.
“Lisa!”
Trainer AU:
“Yuh-oh.”
Brian looked away from his book to see what Lisa was talking about.
The trainer Rachel was fighting was very visibly fuming, however quiet she tried to be. He raised an eyebrow.
“Did no one tell her we aren’t league-approved?”
“She’s fighting Rachel.”
“So no.”
Sighing, he bookmarked his page with the creased photo of the gang and closed the book. It was as good of a spot as any. The spy was still trying to find what pokémon was used to poison the gym leader and Lisa hadn’t spoiled the ending yet.
Getting up from under the shade of the tree, he walked over to the clearing where six different dog pokémon were jumping and snapping at a butterfree.
Jeez, how new was this girl? She wasn’t dressed like the bug-enthusiasts, so it wasn’t out of love for the type. Maybe more rock types, based on the huge hiking bag she wore. Could be she wasn’t in tune with the popular styles trainers tended to wear.
He could appreciate that, even if it was out of ignorance rather than choice. Whether she knew it or not she was throwing off anyone’s guesses about her team.
The trainer saw him and recalled her pokémon without substituting a new one in. That’d be another mistake.
Rachel was quick to call it out, “Hey! We aren’t done.”
“Everything alright?” He asked.
“You in charge here?” The trainer demanded.
“None of us are. This is a group thing. Sorry to get off on the wrong foot, I’m Brian.”
“I’m Taylor. Wh–”
“And I’m pissed,” Rachel interrupted. “We were in the middle of a battle.”
“More like a shakedown,” Taylor shot back.
Brian addressed Rachel first, knowing it was better than ignoring her. His past attempts usually ended with a new set of bandages to apply.
“You’re supposed to explain how we do things, otherwise we can’t get the money at the end.”
“That’s stupid.”
“You’ve told me.”
“Needs repeating. We could just take the money.”
Taylor bristled at that and Lisa chimed in from the shade, “That sort of thing is why we’re having to break Alec and Aisha out of jail later today.”
“You guys are criminals?” Taylor asked.
Brian shook his head and lied, “Posting bail. My sister and her friend are just dumbasses. Let me explain the rules and you can decide if you want to keep battling. That good?”
It took a moment, but she nodded. He stopped a smile when he saw her hand reach to her belt where her main six were clipped on.
She wasn’t stupid. Good.
“You’ve caught on that we aren’t league-approved.”
“Approved or sanctioned? Important difference.”
He smiled, “Approved, which means there’s a lot of fines thrown our way if we break league rules.”
She eyed the dogs, “Like multiple pokémon without declaring a double or triple battle.”
“Yup. Can I ask, how’d you find out about us? We aren’t exactly on any well-trodden path.”
The forest they were camping in could be nice, but the other gangs tended to trash it during their fights. It was why they were here today. They wanted to get some last minute experience before attacking the jail later.
Taylor hesitated. “Let’s just say there’s been some issues with the league. What’s the gray line you guys are operating in to not be arrested?”
“A gentleman’s agreement really. In exchange for not snitching, you get to play by unofficial rules. Multiple pokémon, illegal moves and items, heck, even banned pokémon if you’re someone really adventurous. Our only thing is to not be a dick. If you lose, you still cough up the money at the end. If anyone asks, this thing is legitimate.”
“Doesn’t sound too secure.”
“It’s more of a side-gig. You interested?”
“Just to be clear, this goes both ways? I can have multiple out while not necessarily matching Rachel’s number?”
“Yup. As many as you can train and keep listening to you. If you got seven or even eight that follow you without mutiny, sure.”
Taylor’s eyes lit up, “And all I have to do is keep quiet?”
“Yeah. Go wild. Rache will appreciate that, won’t you?” He raised his voice at the end and she grumped a yes.
“Better for my dogs to get experience and they won’t do that against someone who doesn’t know how to fight.” She emphasized the words while glaring.
He turned back to Taylor. “So, you still in?”
Eyes still shining, Taylor spoke in an excited voice, “I’ll take you all on, at once.”
Brian opened his mouth, but no sound came out. It slowly turned to an incredulous grin, even as Lisa skipped over with one of her own.
“Did I hear that right?”
“Someone got me banned because they said something similar to you, but went back on it after I won. There’s no way you can make that claim if it’s one versus three. If you really think the rules are as stupid as I do, then I might be a reoccurring challenger.”
Lisa let out her Natu, who was immediately shivering as it waddled around.
Brian was pretty sure that was the one that could see the future to a degree. He looked at Taylor again.
Even a balanced team of eight shouldn’t win. We’re fine.
The thought didn’t comfort him with the degree of glee she was expressing.
“You sure?” He asked. When she nodded, he and Lisa backed up to Rachel, who still had all her pokémon out. They threw out their full teams and extra two and waited.
Seeing all of them together won back his confidence. They had every possibility covered.
The overeagerness could be from her getting banned and finding a group that wouldn’t mind even if that reputation was true. Maybe after they won, he could convince Lisa to not take her winnings, no point in asking Rachel, and ask if Taylor wanted to join up with them. If she was already banned, she’d have nothing to fear and it’d be a lot easier getting Aisha and Alec out with another hand.
Then he heard Lisa’s sharp intake as Taylor took off her hiking backpack and all his plans quickly deflated.
“Here we go!”
As Taylor threw the bag with all her might, Brian had a startling realization.
This girl never heard of a PC!
Dozens and dozens of pokéballs flew out. Dozens and dozens of pokémon were appearing– primarily bug types but he saw some water ones and others that were lost in the sea of bugs. They filled the field and air above, all eyes on them.
There were so many eyes.
“You guys ready?” Taylor shouted over the cacophony of buzzing, droning, chittering, and who knows what else.
“They all look well trained,” Brian bemoaned. Where did she find the time? The reason the league limited the numbers so much was because the more there were, the higher the chance of the pokémon acting against their trainer instead.
Rachel spoke next, “My Arcanine won’t be able to burn them all.”
“And I only have two flying types,” Lisa said, hugging her Natu after it jumped into her arms in fear. “Think we lose here.”
They spent a year without any losses, Alec and Aisha’s recklessness aside.
“Fuck that,” Brian said. “Let’s give her a challenge.”
“What’s the plan?”
“Easy. We run like cowards.”
Rachel looked annoyed. Lisa laughed.
“It’s just to use the thicker woods to limit how many we have to deal with.”
“Next time say that instead of calling us cowards.”
This is why he didn’t make jokes.
“Remember, anything goes!” Brian shouted back at Taylor and instantly gave the order. “Undersiders, tactical retreat!”
He heard Taylor’s disbelieving shouts as they and their pokémon ran into the forest.
“You can run, but you can’t hide!”
“This girl’s crazy,” Lisa said as she huffed for air.
“I know.”
“We’re asking her to join, yeah?”
“Absolutely.”