Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

          Brendan blinked awake and slowly sat up.  It was quiet… too quiet.  So the TV wasn’t running, nor was the radio.  Not even the study hum of his father’s exercise equipment was present.  Slowly, oh so slowly as if breathing too hard would shatter it, Brendan pulled out his Pokenav and checked the time.  9:47.  A full two hours and fifteen minutes past when his father left.

The boy got out of bed the cold wooden floors meeting his bare feet.  He shivered at the contact still not fully used to hard wood.  He’d only been in Hoenn a few weeks, but now he was here he was going to make it count.  So he was going to make his parents get back together.  How was beyond him but he had to believe!  Brendan smiled revealing a row of razor sharp teeth as he pulled out his trainer belt.  

Two pokeballs adorned it, the only benefit of his parents fighting, in Brendan’s mind was that they both competed to give him a starter.  So he had two!  Numbie his Numel and Vah his Carvanah.  Brendan snapped the belt around his waist and released Numbie.

Numbie lazily looked up at his trainer letting out a small content cry as they saw their trainers smile.  Slowly they got up and followed their friend out of the bedroom.  The job was simple and almost all the Numel was trained to do thus far.  Numbie looked up at their trainer as he bit back a nervous chuckle.  There was the second thing.  Numbie leaned on their trainers leg as Brendan paused.  Numbie was proud to say, if they could actually talk, that they weren’t like any other Numel in the world.  Their hump was just cool enough to be perfectly comfortably warm, they were smaller than most Numel and extraordinarily fluffy.  And lo, Numbie was in their own supported opinion, the worlds best comfort pokemon.

Brendan ruffled his fur and picked his Numel up.  Slowly he walked around the entire penthouse.  It was luxurious as his father liked it.  It clearly wasn’t ment for kids looking far more like some sort of rich man’s bachelor pad.  The place was either sparsely furnished or luxurious with no in between save for the odd bit of decoration like a hunk of red Gyarados scales, or what happened whenever a Clampearl evolved into both of their evolutions simultaneously.  Clearly no place for a kid, but the knives had been put away and it was clean, enough to keep the boy safe and healthy.

The first room was the in home gym.  Empty.  Than was his fathers bedroom.  Empty.  Brendan avoided looking at the ruined version of what once was a happy family photo.  It was of his father Archie, and Brendan’s four or five year old self at the beach.  Glowing smiles on both their faces.  The part where his papa should have been simply wasn’t there.  Brendan couldn’t remember that day, he was too young and all those innocent beach trips bleed into each other– but he’d seen the photo what must have been ten thousand times as it’d been on his nightstand back home in Johto.  Numbie nuzzled his arm and Brendan continued slowly almost reluctantly tearing himself away from the photo.  Next was the kitchen.  Empty.  Living room?  Empty.  The rooftop pool?  Empty.  Not even the bathrooms were occupied.  Best clue of all was his fathers blazer being missing from the elevator closet.

Brendan smiled now certain that he was alone in the penthouse.  Now it was time for the plan!

Did anyone know he was setting out on a Pokémon journey?  Nope– no humans knew save for Brendan.  Numbie, Ilex and Vah knew, they had too.  Vah was in truth excited and had been trying to train for weeks now, even before her trainer set the date.  They’d be useful for hunting down his Pa, especially once she evolved.  So Vah was likely to be his main battling Pokémon if he got dragged in.

Brendan reached under his bed and pulled out a shoe box.  Opening it Brendan pulled out a small yellow bag that would rest on his hip.  As he fashioned and adjusted the bag the pokeball that’d been hidden underneath the trainer bag popped open.  The boy smiled as Ilex flew around his head, he didn’t know what Ilex was but they were his actual and true starter.  The onion fairy was a pacifist so he’d never battle with them.  He placed Numbie and Vah’s pokeballs onto the strap of his bag, and tucked Ilex’s pokeball into the key items pocket.  They were a companion so he didn’t count Ilex as his starter– that was Numbie as Brendan had opened his Pa’s gift first when he had turned ten a few days ago.

Brendan grabbed his notebook and onced over the list.  His father was a powerful man, and Brendan knew his father would hunt him down and wouldn’t stop as both of his parents were stubborn as a Camerupt.  Distortion the only reason he was setting out was that they were too stubborn to make up, and Brendan knew that he was stubborn enough to make them make up.

Quickly he grabbed everything he needed, first aid kit, the stash of cash his father kept in a cabinet, a standard Pokenav of some model Brendan didn’t care to know.  He then trusted his Pokémon to pack from there; Ilex zipped around grabbing food and some water bottles.  Brendan grabbed a plain T-shirt, some sorts and hiking boots Numbie grabbed the camping gear as by that point Brendan was dressed so he sorted everything into his appropriate pockets of the trainer bag. Ilex kept putting the hat into the bag and eventually Brendan just let it.  His hairline scars weren’t too bad were they?

It took about fourty five minutes before Brendan recalled all of his Pokémon and rushed out to the elevator.  

Pa lived further west, he wasn’t sure what city or town but it was west!  West Hoenn, and Pa loved the heat as much as Brendan did, he could remember his father being annoyed at how they both rather just sit in the hot sand.  So Lavaridge was the first stop.  Fire and lava sounded just like his Pa, Maxie.  But first was getting out of Lilycove.  So the docks of Lilycove to the port in Rustburo, finally he’d go around to Lavaridge find his Pa and drag him to Lilycove for them to make up!

Then he’d have a happy family again!  Brendan looked up as the elevator dinged and he rushed out.  He’d have to take some back ally’s to avoid the HNN building where Father worked, he’d been dragged to a company party and as fun as all the gossip was he knew all of his father’s associates knew him.  The only one the boy could recall was that one of them had an adorable Azumarill.  Curse his fathers pridefulness, strong genetics and boastfulness!  That however had turned what should have been a fifteen minute walk into a fourty five minutes.  He just made it and got on board.  Immediately as Brendon sat down he relaxed.  On the boat he was safe, almost out.

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Archie hummed as the elevator dinged and he stepped into his penthouse immediately removing his blazer and hung it on its hook.  He stepped out of the elevator closet.  His son didn’t greet him odd; dark as well.  The Aqua boss closed his eyes and listened.  Dead quiet.

His eyes snapped open and he rushed to his sons room.  It was a mess as it always was.  But not like this.  Less like a herd of Donphan ran through and more like the gods battled in here.  Archie clenched his fist and ripped his phone out of his pants pocket and dialed a number.  Matt, his most loyal grunt and currently in the running for a promotion even if Matt didn’t know.  Archie exhaled silently recalling how his son liked Matt’s Pokémon.  He clicked on the contact.

Chapter Text

Brendan blinked as his Pokenav buzzed.  Pulling it out he paled reading the message.  ‘Missing child alert - Brendan Landon Ruby’.  He swallowed before he stuffed his Pokenav back into his bag and dug into his other items pocket.  Silently he thanked Ilex for grabbing the box of face masks they’d gotten from goodness knows where.  He pulled out the box and opened it quickly figured out how to put the mask on.  Ilex always knew what was best Brendan noted in his head as he put the hat on; hiding his very identifiable double hairline scars.  

Brendan looked through his bag, something he should have done earlier as Ilex had both human intelligence and opposable thumbs.  Just a box of Ilex’s favorite treats– he’d have to get more for his little savior.  Ilex had always been a darling and this just proved Ilex’s heroic nature; and such goodness needed to be rewarded.  Thankfully the rest of the ride was uneventful.

Brendan walked off the boat looking around Rustburo.  He quickly rushed off the dock and tucked himself into an ally.  He pulled out his Pokenav and quickly looked up a map.  Route 115 to Fallarbor town.  Brendan blinked looking down at his bag before Ilex popped free.  Brendan dug out one of Ilex’s sweets and passed it to them.  Ilex happily chittered taking it.  “Do you want to explore?  You’re a grass type right?”  Ilex chirped before flying off.  Brendan smiled watching– he’d felt bad about keeping Ilex couped up in a pokeball under his bed.  They’d always deserved better but he knew that Ilex was special as even a baby could tell.

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Several thousand feet away hidden in the shadowy corners of Rustburos business district, three figures watched a fountain intently.  They’d just broke the bars of the filter and soon Mr. Stone would walk past.  They were dressed in the uniforms of the Hoenn water works company, but anyone who worked at the Hoenn water works company wouldn’t just be standing creepily in an ally.

The red head glanced at her two companions; a shorter man and a bald man.  “How do you think the boss is taking it?”  The shorter man shrugged as he crossed his arms.  He looked away as the bald man looked confused.

“Shelly, what do you mean?  What happened with the boss?”  Both of the others looked at the bald one.  The stout one spoke up first.

“Amber do you pay attention to the news at all?”  He asked softly.

“Do you even own a Pokenav?”  The redhead asked tentatively.  “There was a massive announcement earlier today.”

The bald one looked between the two confused before the short one crossed his arms.  “The boss’s son Brendan was declared missing early yesterday morning.”  The shorter one began.  “He’s been going crazy using all of his resources and contacts to find him.  He got an alert sent out and everything despite the fact the kids a runaway.”  The bald one ran a hand over his bandana looking down at his two companions.

“By Kyogre’s fins.”  The other two hummed and the woman nodded.

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Brendan walked through the city having long since decided it’d be best to explore every town he passed through.  He didn’t know where his Pa was in Hoenn, just that his Pa was in Hoenn.  Brendan looked down at his bag frowning.  Vah really wanted to get stronger and if everything went according to plan he’d be out for less than a week.  Should he take a detour to the gym for her?

Brendan nodded.  Probably.  She’d like it.  Brendan looked up his eyebrows furrowed as he saw a crowd forming by a water fountain.

He blinked as he saw a caramel haired girl next to a blue haired man which he recognized as Mr. Stone– who according to father was a bastard who cared only about money and reputation.  Brendan rushed over and heard what was going on.  The president’s castform had been sucked into the fountains filtration system.

“I'll help!”  Brendan announced his gaze briefly meeting the girls, her eyes were nice.  She nodded releasing an Aron who immediately sank into the fountain’s depth of about a foot and a half.  He hardly had time to pull out Vah’s pokeball before the red and blue fish dove into the water.

“Rono!  Eat through the bars!”  She shouted and the Aron began to work away.  Brendon watched as the Pokémon ate through the bars before Vah… slipped through?  Brendon narrowed his eyes thinking before the castform was pushed through.  Brendon reached his hand into the pool as the girl explained something to some people and Mr. Stone. Deep red spread throughout the pool.  Brendan’s eyes widened as he snatched the weirdly fluffy Pokémon, the Aron and Vah.  The second the Carvanah was out of the water she hissed loudly.  Her spines all stood at attention as the fish bared her teeth at whatever was in the pool.  Her tail was bleeding as Brendan passed the Pokemon back to their trainers.

“Something’s in the–!”  Brendan leapt back as Vah spat out an Aqua jet as strong as she could make it.  

It hit one of two larger and stronger Carvanah.  It shook it off easily as its companions, another Carvanah and the odd Lombre fled towards the forest with castform in maw.  Vah hissed as her trainer looked down at her; a mix of fury and jealousy on their face.  She had yet to figure out the water type ‘floating’ technique but apparently that was normal development according to father.

Brendan growled and chased after as did the girl and Mr. Stone somewhat surprisingly.  As they chased the Carvanah and Lombre down the girl spoke.  “They had a sort of markin on em!”  Brendan nodded swiftly as he used Vah’s hissing like some sort of carnivorous radar powered by spite and rage— a rather apt description of the Carvanah species as a whole.

Brendan squeezed his eyes shut as he, the girl and an already winded Mr. Stone ran through some brush.  His mask was still intact from what the boy could feel.

The pair of kids plus the old man burst into a clearing their eyes landing on the Carvanah.  Brendan’s eyes narrowed as did Vah’s.

“Destiny bond all three but not the Castform.”  The command was quiet yet decisive.  Mr. Stone looked at Brendan and Vah almost suspiciously.  This was a battle against three opponents, one of which was evolved.  So higher leveled than Vah and Numbie put together.  Ilex was Ho-oh knows where but they probably weren’t much stronger and a pacifist.  Vah thankfully had a move that would take them out when she was taken out.

The girl pulled out a Torchic, Vigoroth and her Aron jumped down joining the fray as three trainers leapt into view.  

A uniform?  Brendan blinked realizing that he must have seen it somewhere.  It was almost familiar.  He looked at the leftmost trainer before the girl shouted.  “Hey that’s the same symbol that’s on those Pokémon!”  That’s the Azumarill trainer!  Father’s friend, Matt!  Brendan pulled his mask up further and his hat down as he couldn’t have the Azumarill trainer recognize him.

“A destiny bond right off the bat?  Must realize how weak you are.”  A female trainer with curly red hair jeered.  Brendan fixed his mask eyeing the Lombre that side stepped so they were in front of the lady– must be the things trainer.  Brendan had never much liked the line save for Lotad as it was cute.

“Don’t think I gotta say what that does right?”  Matt added looking at the tallest of the group who groaned.  The Carvanah with the Castform floated before Matt.

“I know how to battle.”  He answered bluntly.  “For example… Carvanah!  Use Crunch on the Aron!”

Vah let out a few pleased clicks between the few seconds the attack began and it would hit as she knew what would come next.  Brendan wound up his throwing arm and hurled his Carvanah.  Vah took the crunch as she went flying at the larger landing in its maw– it hit her armored red underbelly but still had the intended effect.

Four pokemon went limp, all simultaneously fainted.  Five pairs of eyes stared fixated on the pair of fainted Carvanah.  Brendan pulled out his pokeball in the stunned silence that followed and recalled Vah silently whispering his thanks to his Pokémon.  That’s when things roared back to life.

“What the fuck.”  The red haired woman spoke her expression both exasperated and stunned at what had just transpired.  The girl and everyone else stared at Brendan failing to notice the Castform freeing themselves.  Brendan shrugged biting back a bit of a laugh, oh father and Pa would both love this story later!

“Vah can’t swim through the air yet so…”  He gestured at the Carvanah Vah had taken the attack from.  “Gotta do the next best thing.”

“So that was hurling your Carvanah like my son once hurled a Geodude?”  Mr. Stone asked as the three trainers shared a look before nodding.  They recalled their Pokémon before two tossed out new Pokémon.  Brendan stepped back placing a hand on Numbie’s ball, the girl raised her fists as if to fight the Azumarill and Gorebyss herself.

The Castform chittered looking overhead at the cloudy sky.  Brendan threw out Numbie and Matt reacted to the familiar Pokémon his eyes widened.  “Brendan?  What the hell are you doing all the way out in Rustburo?”  Brendan remained silent not even acknowledging the man’s words.  The girl and Mr. Stone looked at him as both remembered that name; the boy from the missing persons report.

“Numbie, use growl.”  Brendan spoke as he looked down at his darling Numbie.  He wouldn’t be able to stand even a Snoms chance in Cinnabar.  He looked at the Castform as the Azumarill’s defense fell.  May exhaled.

“Tori Scratch the Azumarill!  Rono, tackle them too, Sloth you know the deal!”  Brendan’s eyes narrowed a bit of fear budding in his stomach as it did next to nothing.  He stepped towards the girl.

“We’ll need to run.”  She nodded.  The duo turned to the CEO.  The humidity dropped, The girls eyes widened, she grabbed the boy before yanking him back.  He opened his mouth just in time to see the older man get blasted by a Hydro pump.

Numbie was hit as well.  Instantly he fainted.  The girl was up as the castform’s form changed.  Brendan recalled Numbie as he stood up.  He may be out of the fight but he wasn’t done.  He ran over to where Mr. Stone was along with the lady.  Her back was too him.  A swift kick to the knee and she was down.  She turned around to try and see him but Brendan gave a few more kicks, he didn’t know nor care how many, plus an accidental one to the face before he grabbed Mr. Stone by his ankles and dragged the man away.  A hydro pump required medical attention, a lot of medical care.  So he’d head to the hospital while the girl held them back, she was clearly stronger and as the sun revealed itself holding her own.

“Rustburo hospital!”  He shouted before finding himself in the trees.  Ilex flittered into view and accompanied the boy her green paws glowing pink whenever Brendan grew sore and tired, the sound of ringing comforting him instinctively.  Ilex knew healing moves, they were a happy support Pokemon not a battler.  But not even they were strong enough to heal Mr. Stone.

Chapter Text

A trio of grunts walked into their bosses office.  All three were tense– if not terrified.  A mission failed… well there wasn’t much worse.  Especially since their boss was garenteed to be in a mood foul enough to be studied in a lab, and it was about to get worse.  Much worse.

The woman stepped forward, her right eye was swollen shut but she had yet to get it treated.  Honestly she was more worried about the bruising on her midriff.  She put the part on his desk.  “We got the part…” She swallowed.  She opened her mouth to speak but the boss beat her to the punch.

“Shelly.  What the distortion happened to your eye?”  Shelly put her hand to the black eye.  Her good eye met Archie’s– eyes that mirrored the ones of the boy who’d beat her.  There wasn’t a lick of concern in it.

“That is the second part of our report.  Your son is in Rustburo however we failed to recover him.”  Shelly explained.  If she didn’t have her bosses full attention than, she certainly did now.  Matt stepped forward clearing his throat.

“I was able to positively identify him based upon his hybrid Pokémon and unorthodox batting method.”  Archie nodded muttering something about a Numbie.  Only Matt knew who Numbie was and why the boss would mention it.  

Than the second part registered.  His eyebrow quirk.  “Unorthodox?  What do you mean by…?”  Matt inhaled slowly before Amber spoke.

“He had his Carvanah use destiny bond on our Pokemon than intentionally hurled his Pokemon into the way of an attack to faint our Pokémon in one fell swoop.”  Amber left out the fact it was his Pokemon who fainted the Carvanah.  The other two looking at him told Archie that it was Amber’s Pokemon who fainted Vah.

He looked the trio over deciding that a change of topic was needed.

“And what of Mr. Stone?”  And the air immediately grew tense.  He knew that they’d failed in some egregious category.  Archie rested his face on his open hand covering his mouth.  Promotions were likely out of the window even if Team Aqua needed admins.

Shelly exhaled as Matt and Amber leaned towards her, behind her as if to hide.

“We failed to capture him and there are two witnesses Brendan being one of them.”

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Brendan fixed his mask as he stepped out of the hospital.  It was already past lunch so he’d have to set out for Fallbor in the morning.  So a small plan formed in his head.

Pokecenter, lunch, cheap hotel, train a bit and take on Roxanne for Vah.  Than wondering the city.  Rustburo was a larger pokecenter so it’d offer room and board but he was currently a missing person.  So if he tried to than he’d be dragged back to his father; a second escape attempt would be harder than seeing Lugia.

He exhaled and began to walk.

“Hey!”  Brendan jumped and turned around.  It was the pretty girl with the nice eyes.  “You’re the boy with the Carvanah?”  Brendan nodded.

“Her names Vah.”  He stated before tossing her out.  She’d come to in the hospital but was still pretty banged up.  She looked around eyes gleaming with bloodlust as she was picked up.  Her gills flared as she let out an annoyed clicking sound, she wasn’t battling.  The girl nodded.

“My names May.  What’s yours?”

“Brendan.”  He responded curtly.  Not for being rude but nerves at being found.  “So what brings you to Rustburo?”  Small talk.

“Oh I’m doing the gym circuit!  Theres one here in Rustburo.  What about you?”

“Walking the Fish hook.”  That was somewhat true.  The fish hook path was a multi town route encompassing Petelburg, Rustburo, Fallbor and either Lavaridge or Mauvile depending on who you asked.  May nodded before Brendan continued.  “I’ll be taking on any gym in my route as Vah here loves the thrill of battle.”

May immediately lit up.  “So you’ve battled my dad?  He’s the Petelburg gym leader.”  Brendan had never stepped foot in Petelburg and had no intention.  Brendan shook his head.

“No, I decided to start in Rustburo and the fish hook is the only way to get to Lavaridge currently.”  He explained, although that wasn’t completely true.  

The Rusturf tunnel was almost finished and it’d be faster than walking the fish hook.  But if Pa wasn’t in Lavaridge going by the fish hook had the best chance of encountering him.  Besides in two days it’d be complete and swarmed by father’s reporters.

May was quiet for a moment before she lit up.  Before Brendan could protest she grabbed his hand and yanked him off in some direction.  The boy had to hold on to his Carvanah for dear life.  

For a brief moment he was reminded of his Pa, before his parents were fighting and he was acting all mean and mopey.  Back then; once Brendan was too big to pick up for Pa, he’d take his hand and show him some rocks he found talking on and on about it.  Brendan never got what his Pa was talking about much to his Father’s amusement back then.

“Well if Roxanne is going to be your first gym badge let’s train together!”

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Brendan exhaled before smiling as he bit back a laugh.  The pokemon save for May’s Vigoroth, Sloth and Vah were flopped on the ground throughout the small clearing.

When they’d arrived it’d been pristine.  Now hours later as the sun set— it looked like some Donphan were fighting for territory here, and not just two.  There was an Aron shaped hole in one tree, patches of grass and underbrush scorched away and a charred black tree.  Shrubbery was torn all about the clearing and a random hole dug into the dirt.  Said Vigoroth was still eagerly digging the hole deeper with both Tori, May’s Torchic and Numbie watching closely.  May plopped down as Rono climbed into her lap.  Brendan recalled Vah before the female trainer spoke.

“Hey Brendan?  Are Numel supposed to eat bugs?  I always thought they ate rocks, grass and the like.”  Brendan looked over at the weird looking Numel who was now digging alongside Sloth.

“Numbie…” Brendan began before pausing.  “They’ve always been an odd one— he’ll go after anything.  Father tried to ban him from the kitchen after he ate the imported slowpoke tails.”  Meat was almost always a no no for Numel, Camerupt could sometimes eat the stuff but not often.  Oddly Numbie didn’t get sick and only bit the Nurse Joy.  That was how they learned his bite was so weird.  Brendan glanced at May and saw that her eyes were narrowed as she stared down the unaware Numbie.

“Brendan?  Would you mind making a diversion to Verdenturf.”  Brendan shook his head as May began to elaborate.  “The other Hoenn Dexholder, a boy by the name Wally is there.  He does Pokémon research, he’d love to meet Numbie.  Might even know why the little guy looks like…” May trailed off as Brendan nodded.

His eyes wondered over all of Numbie’s oddest attributes.  The unruly fluffy mane around his neck, the feathery fur just above his hooves and the pale fluff of a tail.  Brendan grunted as Numbie climbed into his lap.  The numb Pokémon clearly didn’t realize that they decidedly not a lap Pokémon.  His sharp hooves dug into his trainer before the Pokémon settled down.  Brendon exhaled no longer bothering to try and tame the beast, as with all Numel, they were particularly dense and particularly stubborn.

“My Pa probably knows why Numbie looks like this.  He bred Numbie from his own Camerupt and Feldspar looks normal.”  Brendan spoke as he traced the peaks where tan fur would shift to orange.  There’d probably be three instead of the normal two when Numbie evolved, just like Feldspar.  

Brendan looked Numbie over looking for when the Numel would start to fall asleep… oddly Numbie didn’t look too droopy.  In fact they looked peppier than usual, which didn’t mean much.  “Looks like Numbie is staying up…” He paused half expecting the Pokémon to finally fall asleep.  They didn’t.  “Weird.”  Still wide awake.  “We can head to the gym now.”  Brendan picked Numbie up and they were still up and alert.  

May recalled her trio of Pokemon and the two kids walked back towards Route 116.  Occasionally May would look over at Numbie and Brendan.  Both the kids jumped as a scream rang through the air, they shared a look before running in the direction of Rusturf tunnel.

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Courtney tossed her head back laughing before she got off of her Ninetails; Geode.  The pair shared a look before she stepped into the cave.

Clearly she’d stepped into something— Tabitha was watching as Blaise tapped his foot arms crossed.  All eyes were on Maxie, for once he was up and about.  The boss was pacing back and forth, back and forth.  He was managing a fairly straight line; so for once he was sober.  He was still smoking like a chimney and practically flinging around the cigarette.

For a moment she wondered if they’d run out of alcohol, but a cursory look around revealed a few probably unopened cans and a few bottles which were definitely full.

“Apparently his son just went missing from his exes house.”  Tabitha explained.  Courtney sat next to the largest and watched as Blaise tried to keep Maxie from storming out of the cave and burning the region until he found them.  They couldn’t operate in the open, mostly due to Team Aqua.

“I’ll look for him.  Any photo—“ Courtney cut herself off as a small thing flittered out of the bosses pocket.  Geode snatched it and gave them to her.

It was a burned photo of two men, one a younger Maxie and the other rendered unidentifiable.  Both were playing with a little boy on the beach.  The kid had Maxie’s sharper features easily identifiable even as baby fat clung to their face and even widows peak.  Seeing Maxie so willingly near water was jarring, or so happy.  Courtney stood up and left wondering if maybe just maybe the kid was looking for their dad.  It’d be perfect.  Someone who wants to be found will be found

Chapter Text

Brendan smiled as he and May walked towards the Rustburo gym.  His father had done many stories on the gym circuit.  One about four years ago focused on this gym, so he had the information.
Information one of the best weapons he had.  His father mad absolute sure he knew it and had it.  ‘If you walk into a situation and know everything there is to know about it, and use it well… victory is but assured.’  That’d been driven into his skull since he’d moved in with his father.
He glanced at May who was petting Ilex and holding them like one would a Meowth.  Brendan smiled.  “Ilex likes you.  Their normally shy.”  May lit up as Ilex made a little ringing sound in agreement.  She ruffled Ilex’s antennae and the odd little onion kicked her feet.
He looked towards the gym as Ilex wiggled out of May’s hold.  “Theres a gym test, from what I’ve heard it’s an actual test.”  May deflated.  “Shouldn’t be to hard, besides if Miss. Roxanne accepts double battles it’s possible that maybe only one of us would have to take it.”  Brendan contemplated aloud as he opened the gym door.
The two of them stepped in and Brendan adjusted both his hat and mask.  They took their seats and Brendan released Numbie.  The Numel crawled into his lap but remained alert even as Brendan ran his hands through the Pokémon’s fluff.  Brendan ignored this but contemplated taking Numbie to the pokecenter later.  Didn’t want them to be sick.
He looked up as a bunch of stereotypical nerds and supernerds walked in.  Then down as Roxanne walked through the door.  He didn’t listen to her bit about the test.  He glanced over as May raised her hand.
“Yes?”  Roxanne answered in a plain yet peppy voice.  Reminded him of the news anchors who worked for his father.
“Are double battles allowed?  What’s the deal for those?”  May asked and Brendan nodded.  Roxanne blinked putting a hand to her cheek in contemplation as she looked away.  Double battles were unusual at best.  The gym leader was quiet for a moment rocking back and forth on her feet.
“Hmmm….” She began.  “Well those types of battle are unusual at best.  Do you have a partner?”
May nodded as Brendan stood up.
“Both of you will take the test, if even one of you lands in the ninetieth percentile you two will have the opportunity to battle me.”  She turned to the other trainers taking the test.  “Whichever one of you scores the highest will still get to battle me today.”
May looked at Brendan some mild panic.  “Brendan, what does that mean?  Ninetieth percentile?”
Brendan shook his head.  “My dad explained it to me once… didn’t stick.  So we’ll just have to do our best just as before.”  Roxanne passed them their tests and they began.

They both scored well.

Brendan took to the field on May’s right.  “I’m certain that you both know how a league officiated double battle goes!  Both challengers will have one Pokemon and if that Pokémon faints the challenger fails.  The gym leader will have two Pokémon out at the field at all times and as challengers you need to knock both of them out or display an appropriate amount of technical skills to receive their gym badges at my discretion.”  Roxanne quoted.
May nodded pulling out her Aron’s pokeball.  Brendan for Vah’s but Numbie took the opportunity to leap from his arms onto the field.  Brendan stepped back as Numbie’s whined digging their hooves into the ground.
Brendan moved to Numbie’s ball to recall them but made eye contact with the Pokémon.
“Guess you want to battle her huh?”  Numbie nodded as Roxanne’s Nosepass and Geodude entered the field.  Brendan pursed his lips before his arm fell to his side.  Too late anyways.  “I trust you.”
“Numbie Growl Geodude!”  Numbie growled and the Geodudes defenses dropped.  Roxanne frowned.
“Geodude defense curl!”  She shouted.
“Rono can’t move!”  May shouted.  Roxanne smirked.
“It’s the use of Nosepass’s ability Magnet pull–“  Brendan stopped listening.  Nosepass was to be out first, the bigger threat.
“Numbie charge forward, push Nosepass back with tackle and blast them .  Push em towards the Geodude.”  He ordered softly so Roxanne wouldn’t hear.  She was too busy monologuing until Numbie charged forward.
“What is your Numel crossed with!  They don’t move that fast!”  Roxanne shouted as Numbie slammed into Nosepass sparking from their excess fur.  Brendan smiled as he noticed something, it dealt extra damage.  An ability aside from the normal?  Fascinating.  Numbie reared on their hind legs and blasted the Nosepass with the largest eruption the baby Pokémon could muster from their hump.  Just as Rono had hours earlier— the Nosepass went higher.
“Bulldoze!”  Brendan shouted.
“Add in with Dig Rono!”  May exclaimed pumping her fists.  Brendan laughed as Roxanne stepped back.  Rono burrowed underground eager to move again.
“Nosepass Harden!  Geodude Rock tomb!”
The Nosepass’s metal body shined as it toughened up.  Geodude raised their fists.  Brendan’s eyes narrowed and…
Geodude was in the area of effect for bulldoze!  Not the epicenter but it was good.  Brendan and May braced themselves as boulders rained down.  He couldn’t see Numbie but he knew it would be super effective due to Numbie’s fire typing.  Brendan stepped back exhaling.  Numbie had certainly fainted.  But he couldn’t see the Numel so he couldn’t recall them.
He turned towards May’s battle.  Nosepass was down on their last leg same less so with Geodude.
“Tackle!”  It hit and Rono was stuck again.  Brendan frowned before an ember flew out from the rock tomb.  Nosepass finally went down!  He looked through the cracks and caught a glimpse of matted pale yellow orange fur moving around around in a chamber.
It’d be too risky to direct Numbie out.  A rock could fall and take him out as by all accounts Numbie should have fainted.  Brendan couldn’t stop smiling, Numbie wasn’t out of this yet!
“Numbie use the rocks as coverage!”  Numbie bleated in response.  Numbie wasn’t mobile due to the rock tomb.
“Rono dig to finish off Geodude!”  Rono went under and Geodude went down.  Brendan waited for Roxanne to recall her Pokémon and Brendan rushed to the rock tomb.  He found Numbie’s little chamber and instantly recalled them and let them out.
He hoisted the ground type up and spun them around.  “Numbie you glorious Pokémon you did amazing!”  Numbie bleated before being let down onto the ground.
“You weren’t planning on using your Numel were you?”  Brendan looked over at Roxanne blinking.  He shook his head.  Roxanne kneeled down to Numbie’s level and received a testy snort.  She took a decently sized step back.
“Is this normal behavior?”  Brendan shook his head.
“No.  Numbie’s been acting off, normally he’d of napped through the whole thing but today he’s been abnormally alert.”  May looked concerned as did Brendan.
“Do you know what Numbie is crossed with?”  Brendan shook his head, the idea of his Numel not being purebred was foreign but it made sense.  Numbie was always abhorrently fluffy according to father and the photos of other Numel Brendan had seen.  Still cute, but lacked Numbie’s neck fluff, tail and feathery hooves.
Roxanne hummed before she reached out a hand to Numbie but was stopped by a rather smoky snort.
She brushed it off with a sigh as she stood up.  “Well it’d be best if you two run off to a pokecenter.  Anyways here.”  She held out two badges.  “It is my honor as Rustburo cities gym leader to present you two with the Stone badge.”
May gleefully took hers; practically snatched it from Roxanne’s hand bouncing in place.  Brendan however took his and rather precariously and with a reasonable amount of regret attached it to the side of his hat without removing said hat.  He did prick himself several times but he doubted he was bleeding.  Roxanne quirked an eyebrow at that.
“Thank you for the badge Miss. Roxanne.  I best be going.”  He scooped up his Numel and turned to leave.  He didn’t want to be questioned and he had plaques to be; namely wherever his Pa was.  “Thank you May.  I hope we meet again but I have to get Numbie to the Pokémon center before he faints where he stands.”  Brendan smiled before he left with a very brisk pace.  He caught Roxanne’s last words.
“That boy is hiding something.”

<><>•—💧🍃🔥🍃💧—•<><>

Numbie darted away from the Pokecenter lady— his tail making a fan shape as he growled at her completely fluffed out.  Worry bubbled in Brendan.
“Did you find anything?”  He asked as he picked Numbie up.  Instantly they calmed down in his arms.  The nurse shook her head.
“Your Numel’s affinity for the fighting type is abnormally high but unusual type affinities are to be expected in hybrid Pokemon such as yours.”  She explained.  Brendan looked at the Pokémon in his arms and finally Numbie had fallen asleep.
Ilex zipped in chirping nervously.  Brendan looked up at the Pokémon before a shriek cut through the air and Numbie leapt down and ran.  Brendan’s eyes widened before he ran after Numbie against Ilex’s protests.

<><>•—💧🍃🔥🍃💧—•<><>

Finally Brendan stopped.  Rusturf tunnel.  Brendan approached slowly as Numbie rooted around at… a cave in.  Brendan ran over picking Numbie up but the numel wormed free.
“Numbie!”  Numbie looked up at Brendan.  “What are you doing?”  Numbie placed their front hooves on the rock and pushed with a bleat their back hooves digging into the dirt below.  “People are stuck in there?”  Numbie brayed loudly.  This wasn’t good.
“Hey kid it’s best you stand back!”  A woman answered as she ran over.  Definitely wasn’t a construction worker.  Brendan doubted that blouses were allowed to be worn by construction workers, especially without safety gear.  She was somewhat familiar.
“Theres people stuck in there.  My Pokémon could sense it.”  Brendan stated his eyes following Numbie darting around.  The woman tilted her head eyes narrowing in contemplation as she looked between Brendan and Numbie.  Suddenly she straightened up as Brendan raised his nonexistent hackles.  Her eyes widened and she snapped her fingers.
“Wait!  Your the boss’s kid, Brendan!”
Brendan had he known any swear words would have and ran!  “Wait!”  He recalled Numbie as he ran.  He darted deeper into the cave over the rockslide until he saw a girl in a black and red dress.  He paused and stepped back.  She smiled as she stepped forward.  He stepped back again.
The girl pulled out a burned piece of paper and smiled.
“Brendan Landon Ruby?”  She asked her voice soft yet held a lethal quality like a Serviper.  “Are you looking for a Maxie?  Your father?”
“Pa.”  Brendan corrected swiftly and a small curt nod.  That took her by some surprise, good.  But she shook it off with a smile.
“I know where he is.  Care to join me?”  She asked with a smile as she offered her hand to him.
Brendan glanced away.  This was his best shot at finding Pa quickly.  Once he found Pa he could drag him back home and force Father and Pa to reconcile.  Finally things would be good!  But…
She could be lying.  Every part of her screamed bad news.  In which case he’d be putting himself in a lot of danger.  Father made sure he knew the dangers of strangers, showing him the more tame news stories while hiding the worst.  Brendan knew his father hid the particularly nasty ones as he’d found digital copies once.  
She was in a red outfit ,wasn’t the red uniform from the Team in Red uniforms but she certainly looked it.  A bit of a gamble of a plan quickly popped up in Brendan’s head.
“I don’t trust you…” Her face fell.  “Yet.  If you’ll take me to my Pa as you say you wouldn’t mind if I ask for some form of insurance.  Something you’ll temporarily give me to help assure me that you’ll take me to my father.”  Brendan stated and the woman smiled before it fell.
“What kind of thing?”  She asked softly.
“Something valuable to be returned quickly upon me seeing my Pa.”  Brendan explained.  “It won’t matter once I see my Pa.”  She exhaled and pulled out two pokeballs.  She released one, a Ninetales but passed both balls to Brendan.
“Fine.”  She got on her Ninetale’s back and motioned for Brendan to follow onto the Pokemon’s back.  Brendan quickly secured the Pokeballs into the key items pocket of his bag.  Then he slowly got onto the pokemon’s back.

Chapter Text

Brendan slowly stumbled off the Ninetales and looked around.  It was mountainous and hot– looking around showed Mt. Chimney very nearby but not Lavaridge.  Too far northwest if he hazarded a guess.  He shook his head and pulled off his hat and mask shoving them haphazardly into his bag.

He stepped away from Courtney, as he’d learned her name on the trip over.  He glanced up eyes narrowing a bit as he caught sight of a rather ominous pokemon… an Absol.

He stepped back as the Pokemon stared down at him.  Why did they have such human faces!  He turned away from the spinx-like Pokemon and towards the cave.

Courtney wasn’t doing anything.

“Brendan?”  He knew that voice.  A nasally raspy thing that grated on most people’s nerves yet Brendan couldn’t help but relax at the sheer familiarity.  He shot around his eyes instantly finding the near emanciated figure figure of his Pa.  He teared up looking at his Pa, he’d gotten skinnier and his hair was clumped together rather than the fluffier mess he played with on occasion when little.

Brendan cried and ran over.  He didn’t care as his Pa hit the ground with an ‘oof’ as his hands dug into the fabric of his cloak thingy.  He buried his face into his Pa’s chest, half to hide the tears and snot, half to mess with later with the mess– he’d say that Father taught him well.

“Hey there Brenny.  I’d ask if you missed me but it’s clear you did.”  Maxie groaned as he sat up running his hand through his sons hair.  It was a dark brown, almost black if not for a rusty hue.  Brighter than last he saw the boy, and even more so at the roots.  Good– the child had always taken too much after his other father.  It was cute when he was little and those fundamental cracks in his marriage had yet to reveal themselves.

Slowly they separated and Maxie quirked an eyebrow seeing his son toss some pokeballs back to Courtney.  Why did he have her pokeballs?  “Brenny why did you…?”

“Didn’t trust her so if she was to take me anywhere so I made her give me her pokeballs first like a form of insurance.”  Maxie glanced at the girl and she nodded looking over her pokeballs likely making sure that everyone was there.

“You weren’t tempted to take any of them?”  Maxie began knowing that his son’s team was so much weaker that’s Courtney’s, something Maxie was determined to remedy quickly.  But her Pokémon were high leveled and would be amazing assets to his sons team.  The boy shook his head moving back off of Maxie’s lap much to the relief of his joints.  The boy was heavy having unfortunately inherited Archie’s broadness, and looking like Maxie’s height.

“I was but father told me to always keep my word and I said I’d give them back.”  Hypocrite.  Archie would have taken those Pokémon the lying arbok he was.  “Even if I want to get stronger I want to with my Pokemon.”  Maxie smiled getting up and Brendan very quickly followed.

“Good.  Pokémon raised by hand are always the strongest and most loyal Pokémon a trainer can have.”  Maxie stated subconsciously quoting his ex husband.  Brendan however noticed and beamed.

“That’s exactly what father says!”  Maxie sputtered his headache coming back full force.  He wasn’t sure whether to be offended at the notion he was anything like Archie, or to take pride in the fact that his own son compared him to a man he clearly idolized to some extent.  He would have been offended and there’d be fire had it been anyone else.

Maxie exhaled deciding it’d be best to handle it with some modicum of grace for his son.  He’d still need a drink in the near future, he’d have Blaise or Tabitha get some.

“Well than, since it’s been so long how about we catch up?”  Maxie asked and Brendan nodded eagerly allowing himself to be led inside the cave.  Maxie cast a wary glance towards the Absol.  Damned thing had been hanging around for weeks.

<><>•—💧🍃🔥🍃💧—•<><>

Brendan jumped back laughing a little.  “Vah!  Ice fang into effective!”  Vah zipped forward and bit down on Tabitha’s Torcoal.  Right by the hole in the shell.

“Torc don’t let them!”  Brendan smiled as the Torcoal erupted a cloud of smoke sending the Carvanah up.  Damage is to be expected in a battle, and some strategies require taking it.

Time slowed as Vah charged her attack and a Water jet slammed into the vent in Torcoal’s shell.  Torcoal made some sound like a dying beast as Tabitha sputtered.  The air quality improved as Vah bit down again this time with a poison fang.

Brendan looked away from the battle as he heard his Pa laugh.  Big mistake.

“Stone Edge yourself!”  Brendan shot around just in time to see Torcoal launch itself into the air with a series of Stone edges, they were retreated into their shell so minimal if any damage.  Vah fainted near instantly.  Brendan exhaled as the Torcoal fainted as well.  Destiny bond.  

Brendan exhaled his eyes wondering to where the Absol had made their nest over the past few weeks.  As always the sphinx like Pokémon stared down at them.  It was unsettling always being watched so he retreated to behind his Pa.  Pa looked up towards the Pokémon.

“Tabitha weren’t you supposed to chase that thing– absol away?”  Maxie corrected.  Tabitha looked up crossing his arms and huffed.

“I did.  Looks like it came back.”  Tabitha stated as Blaise walked into view and past Tabitha.  Brendan noted that the pair shared a look and Tabitha nodded.  Suspicious.  

Blaise walked over to Maxie.  “I’m here to report my findings…” He looked down at Brendan.  “Preferably in private.”  As always.  Brendan watched as the three men retreated into the cave.

The absol chittered and jumped down.  They slinked close to the boys side and looked up blinking in the direction that Ilex had vanished to hours earlier.  Their eyes narrowed their expression one of distrust as they looked to the cave.  They stepped closer to the cave and made a whining noise as they shook their head.  Brendan nodded trying to understand what the absol meant.  “I should listen in huh?”

He walked into the cavern and hid behind a large boulder, he just needed to hear not see so he pressed his whole body against the cave wall.  The Absol followed their tail quickly wagging yet their expression was more pissed.  Guess tail wagging meant agitation in Absol?  Opposite of standard canine body language.  They sat down next to Brendan.

“No I am not using my son as a bargaining chip.”  Pa!  What is going on.  Brendan resisted the urge to peak over the boulder.

“Don’t look at him as your son.  He’s Archie’s son, and with that?”  Blaise.

“I still can’t believe that you and that guy were married and had a kid.”  Tabitha.

“Exactly!”  Blaise began.  “You never spoke of that kid or the marriage.  It’s clear that you left that life behind.  When was the last time you even saw him?”  When he gave him Numbie, Brendan knew.

“Does it even matter?  He’s my kid and Archie is after him.  What could we even have him give us that would equal even a tenth as valuable as Brendan is to me.”  Maxie spat.

“We’d be able to get back to work without you being so distracted.”  Tabitha stated.

“Team Aqua is being significantly more volatile and the region is practically on fire as Archie has started up numerous man hunts for the boy.  We haven’t gotten anything done in the two months he’s been here.”  Blaise defended his position.

“You said yourself not ten minutes ago that nothing would have been done regardless.”  Maxie retorted and Brendan could practically see them crossing his arms and the glare that always accompanied whenever his Pa’s tone was like that.

“Because Archie has the entire region on high alert for even a sign of the boy.”  Blaise corrected.

“It’s been two months how high alert could they still be?”  Maxie asked.

“You’d be surprised.”  Tabitha began.

“It’s really only gotten worse, he has a whole missing child campaign and it’s working.  Seventeen non runaways have been found this month alone.”  Blaise finished.  

“He’s my son.”  Maxie reaffirmed stiffly.

“If it comes out that you, the Magma boss have been harboring the Ruby boy, heritage and custody agreements be damned.  You’ll be tried as a kidnapper atop everything else.”  Blaise stated.

“Exactly and a man that rich has scary lawyers.”  Tabitha agreed.

“I know exactly how scary those lawyers are as I faced them four years ago and he took everything from me… team Magma is all I have left!”

“Than choose to use the boy as a bargaining chip and preserve the team.  Team Aqua is going to find out about Brendan eventually.”

“This conversation is–“ Brendan didn’t hear the rest of his Pa’s sentence as the absol grabbed his sleeve and ran out of the cave.  She– Brendan determined that the absol was a she, leapt back to her perch as Brendan was left in the clearing as Vah popped free and nuzzled into Brendan’s arms.

Brendan could feel her augmented swim bladder rising and falling rapidly as Maxie walked into the sun.  He’d nearly caught them.

Brendan looked at the absol and smiled, she smiled back.

<><>•—💧🍃🔥🍃💧—•<><>

May looked around with Wally along route 216.

“Are you certain he’s here?”  The boy asked as May nodded.  The odd onion Pokémon on her shoulder nodded as well.

“He’s gotta be, I sent him this way so you could see his Numel.  I’ve never seen anything like it!”  Wally looked at his friend frowning.

“May, that’s the eighteenth time you’ve said that.  Why do you even think he’s around here?”

“His Pokémon is!”  May gestured to the little fairy.

“That’s his?”

“Yes!”