lurking-observer

[lurking-observer]

———

[AUDIO: Just a recording of, well… Pokémon noises, mostly, specifically Swoobat and Zoroark sounds. But for anyone able to understand or translate Pokéspeak, you can tell it’s a conversation.

???: { “Nox?” }

Nox: { “Hm?” }

???: { “Um, well, first of all, I… wanted to thank you for helping me get my friends back. Even after we’ve had our differences before...” }

Nox: { “Hm. Well, it’s as I said, I was only helping because I have nothing better to do. But you’re welcome, I suppose. How are your teammates faring now?” }

???: { “They’re doing okay…! Kilobyte is still a bit shaken from everything, but Lumi and I are making plans on how we’re gonna get back to our trainer���” }

Nox: { “Going back to them? Despite the fact that you have all the freedom in the world now?” }

???: { “W-well… yeah? We love our trainer, a lot. Of course we’re going back.” }

Nox: { “…Hmph. I’ll never understand Pokémon like you, you know. Why swear yourself to a trainer? Allow them to keep you confined within Pokéballs, let them limit the way you live?” }

Nox: { “You say your humans help you accomplish strengths you wouldn’t be able to achieve alone. Yet look at me, a Pokémon who’s managed to get plenty strong without a single word of guidance from a human.” }

???: { “Re-really? You got that strong all on your own? You never even trained with N?” }

Nox: { “Why would I? He and I are entirely different beings. What would a human know about perfecting a Pokémon’s combat skills?” }

???: { “W-well… I’ve improved a lot with Blake’s strategies. They can’t fly, but they’re still really creative with how to use my aerial maneuvers in battle. I’ve even come up with a few new moves by myself, going off what they’ve taught me! I don’t think I would’ve discovered I had that kinda strength without them…” }

Nox: { “Tch. What you’re describing is just learned helplessness. You think you’d be nothing without them, but I assure you those tactics you’ve learned are ones you could’ve easily developed yourself had you put the work into it.” }

???: { “That isn’t it at all! I listen to Blake because I trust them and value what they think, not because I think I’m helpless without them! It’s a… “moo-too-all” effort, or whatever that word Cordelia taught me is. I… geez, why do you have such a huge problem with humans and Pokémon working together, anyways?” }

Nox: { “Because they hold us back. They see us as lesser lifeforms. Things they feel they can control and can do away with at a whim if we become too inconvenient for them. They think they’ll hold power over us as long as they ensure we rely on them. Don’t you see it, too? In no way can a human and Pokémon be on true equal footing.” }

???: { “No, not really. Blake’s never made me feel that way… If anything, they’ve made me feel valued. They listen, they respect me… they didn’t stop me from leaving when I did...” }

Nox: { “I think a part of you understands, even if you don’t realize it, little whelp. Would you have taken off on your own if you didn’t feel Blake would hold you back in saving your friends?” }

???: { “That isn’t why I left! I did it because I didn’t want to risk them getting even more hurt. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t the best thing to do, but… I never planned on leaving them forever. They’re my family.” }

???: { “…You know, what I can’t wrap my head around is why you’re so against people and Pokémon partnering up, but you have a human partner of your own.” }

Nox: { “Tch. I thought it was made abundantly clear that N isn’t my trainer.” }

???: { “But he’s your family, right? Just like how Blake is my family…” }

Nox: { “You see, the difference is that your team and your trainer are the illusion of a family. All held up by a power imbalance you refuse to acknowledge. Me and N? We’ve been together since birth. Through tragedy and strife, through loss of family. And unlike your trainer, who is just… mucking about aimlessly, me and N’s alliance was formed from wanting justice for what happened to our kin. To ensure it doesn’t happen to others. Why have you been tagging along with Blake all this time, really?” }

???: { “…” }

???: { …I’ll be honest, I was still really young when I joined the team. But I do remember it was right after my mama passed… I remember seeing Blake, thinking that blue jacket of theirs looked like a Swoobat. So I went with them. Looking back, it was kinda silly… but I was alone after I lost my mama. I mean, there were other Woobats, but I didn’t really know any of them. Even if it was just a mixup at first, I don’t regret it. King and Cordelia ended up being like new mamas to me. Phaedra, Kilobyte, and Lumi all became my best friends! And Blake… they let me get to see a lot of things I never would’ve gotten to see if I’d stayed in that cave.” }

Nox: { “You might’ve. You have your wings. The entire sky is yours to explore. Why let yourself be grounded by a human?” }

???: { “No, I mean I never would’ve had it in me to leave my cave if I hadn’t met Blake. I probably would’ve gotten eaten by somethin’ eventually, or- or I just would’ve been alone for the rest of my life.” }

Nox: { “Well, you might’ve grown up to find a mate. Have a family. Build a new swarm all on your own. You know, the natural way your species lives.” }

???: { “I guess, but who says that kinda life isn’t open to me now? Look, all I know is that whatever happens in the future, I want Blake and my team there with me. I’ve never felt grounded by anything, Blake’s always made me feel like the impossible was possible!” }

???: { “Doesn’t Mr. N make you feel that way? Like you can accomplish anything together?” }

Nox: { “I-…” }

???: { “…However you feel about him, if he means as much as you say he does to you, you should tell him. The fact that you’re able to speak to each other makes you both super lucky, in my opinion… There’s a lot of things I’ve wanted to say to Blake that I couldn’t.” }

Nox: { “Tell him what? There’s nothing more to say. Once this is all finally over, he and I will go our separate ways. I will be free, and he will become the king he was meant to be. It was set in stone from the start.” }

???: { “…Is that really what you want? To live apart from each other?” }

Nox: { “It is what’s necessary.” }

???: { “…You know, you talk a lot about freedom, but if your meaning of ‘freedom’ is abandoning all your loved ones and… living on your own, or whatever way nature dictates, then is it something really worth having?” }

Nox: { “What are you talking about? Freedom is something all living creatures need.” }

???: { “Of course it is! But… I think you and I have very different ideas on what freedom is.” }

Nox: { “…” }

???: { “I think you should talk to Mr. N… tell him you don’t want to be apart from him.” }

Nox: { “Now when on earth did I ever say that?!” }

???: { “Pssh- Psychic-type, remember? I may not be the strongest one out there, but I can kinda pick up on other creature’s feelings. Even if they’re not saying them out loud.” }

Nox: { “…You are young and naive, Swoobat. There are far more many layers to this issue than just severing a few Pokémon and human friendships. If we do not separate ourselves from them, they will destroy us.” }

???: { “What? You mean like bad people who hurt Pokémon? I know those exist! Who’d ya think took my mama from me?” }

Nox: { “So what? Her death meant nothing to you?” }

???: { “Of course it did! It felt like the end of the world to me…” }

Nox: { “Then you should know. You should know how it feels to never want another Pokémon to experience something so unjust ever again!” }

???: { “Of course I don’t! But… there are. There’s probably going to be, and I can’t control that. There’s more that takes mama’s away than just humans, you know… in your world, Pokémon like me won’t have trainers who might be able to give them another chance!” }

Nox: { “So? Pokémon can handle themselves. We did for eons before humans came into the mix.” }

???: { “Well, humans are on this planet with us now! And maybe that isn’t a good thing for all Pokémon, but it is for a lot more than you think! There are some of us who never would’ve had a chance out in the wild. Would you have had a chance without N, after you lost your family?!” }

Nox: { “I…” }

???: { “We’re all living under the same sky, Nox… no matter how much we all fight, we can’t change that. The least we can do is try to be there and listen to each other. That may be hard to do sometimes, especially when we don’t all speak the same language, but it’s the only way. So stop with this lie you’re selling yourself, that everything can be fixed by one person and one dragon!” }

Nox: { “…You really are that pink hooligan’s Pokémon, huh…” }

???: { “Blake? Yeah, I am. And it’s helped make me the most kick-butt Swoobat in Unova! And… so much more.” }

???: { “So, come on!” }

Nox: { “What?” }

???: { “Before me and my friends leave, let’s go find Mr. N and talk to him! We can end this all without anyone getting hurt that way. I’m sure if you tell him the truth about how you feel, he’ll listen! He’s your family, after all. I can be there to cheer you on.” }

???: { “Ooh, and maybe we can get him and Blake to be friends again, too! They like each other a lot, I can tell, they’re just hurt and say a lotta things they don’t mean. Do you think maybe they’d like to go on the Ferris Wheel again, or is that in poor taste after-” }

???: { “Huh? Nox, where are you going?” }

Nox: { “I refuse to have any part in this.” }

???: { “Whaaat? Why?” }

Nox: { “Why? Why do you and your allies have to keep asking us ‘why’? I don’t know how many times N, Team Plasma or I need to preach it to all of you- we are going to liberate the Pokémon of this world and there is nothing you can do about it. We can’t stop now, not for anyone.” }

???: { “Come ooooon! Even after all that stuff I said, you’re still on about this?” }

???: { “This isn’t the way and you know it, Nox! Why are you clinging so hard to this notion that you’re better off leaving N? That you can’t build a better world togeth-” }

Slam!

???: { “Ack-!” }

Nox: { “Because unlike you, I refuse to dishonor the ones I’ve lost to the wretched humankind! N may not be like the rest of them, but that doesn’t change the fact that he and I belong to two entirely different worlds! It’s not my fault that you cannot understand sacrifice for the greater good.” }

???: { “B-But—” }

Nox: { “Enough. I am sick of beings like you prattling on to me about the power of ‘love’ and ‘kindness’... Those things alone never saved any of the Pokémon I’ve seen lost over the years! You think I need to open my eyes? They’ve been open for two, long decades-” }

???: { “C-Can’t… breathe-” }

Nox: { “…! Ghhg…” }

???: { *Cough-* “N-Nox? What’s happening to you? Th-that aura coming off your fur-” }

Nox: { “Don’t come any closer! I… Gah! I need to get away from this place…” }

???: { “Nox?! Nox, wait! Don’t go-!” }

End audio.]

———

[lurking-observer]

———

[VIDEO: The video is taken from a ceiling perspective. First thing you see is the same Lampent and Eelektrik from before dashing down a long, dark hallway in what looks like a castle, dimly illuminated by the Ghost-type’s otherworldly flame. The two are murmuring to each other as they move with haste, seeming like they’re in a hurry to flee this place.

Just as they reach the end of the corridor, an ominous growl reverberates past the walls, making them freeze in their tracks. Lampent shrieks quietly and hooks one of its arms around the Eelektrik, yanking it behind a stone brick pillar, then dims its glow to be just barely visible.

It keeps its metal arms coiled around the other Pokémon’s mouth to keep it quiet, neither daring to let out a peep when something dark and foreboding lurks this way. Around the corner of the two-way path up ahead appears maybe the biggest Hydreigon you’ve ever seen, hide and bristly black fur gnarled with countless old scars. The monstrous dragon prowls past, craning its neck up to suck in a deep, lungful of air, likely trying to pick up the scent of the two smaller Pokémon.

It lets its head drop back down, and the beast goes unnervingly still. Then, with a ferocious amount of strength it slams itself into the bulky pillar Lampent and Eelektrik had been using as cover, knocking it down as easily as a tower of paper cups.

Lampent grabs its friend underneath its arm in a football carry and books it the way they came. Honing in on its prey, Hydreigon bellows and snaps forward at a speed the tiny ‘mons can’t hope to outrun. It closes on the pair faster than you can blink, maw unhinged and seconds away from crunching down brutally on the Lampent’s fragile glass exterior, and then-

A sharp gust of wind in a half-disc shape cuts into its side. Briefly knocked off balance, the Hydreigon swivels around in the direction the attack came from, providing the perfect opportunity for Lampent and Eelektrik to keep running. Before they can make their getaway, though, some fuzzy black and red shape comes descending from the ceiling and scooping them into its arms while Hydreigon is looking away. The dark dragon notices and tries to gnash its fangs at it, but its mouth clamps down on nothing but air.

Furious at the intruders on its turf getting away, it begins to storm off down the hall. Just before the video ends, you think you catch the silhouette of a Swoobat swooping overhead.

End video.]

———

[lurking-observer]

———

[AUDIO: For a while, it’s just… silence. You hear the sound of the wind whistling dully, in an echo-y way that makes you wonder if this is being filmed underground. Eventually, though, it picks up something else- footsteps? No, wing beats. Whatever’s flying by flutters around for a while, until you hear a shriek and a thump.

Nox: You. What are you doing here?

???: Swoobaaa! Swoobat swoo! { “Get off! Lemme go!” }

Nox: And why should I? You should know we don’t take too kindly to trespassers.

???: Swoo swoo! Swoobat swoo swoobat! { “I don’t want trouble! I just want to save my friends!” }

Nox: Your… friends?

???: Swoobat swoo swoo, swoo bat bat swoo! { “They were taken by those Team Plasma jerks, I gotta save them!” }

Nox: …

(Rustle.)

???: Swoo swoo… { “Thank you…” }

Nox: Sigh… How did you even find this place, whelp?

???: Swoobat swoo swoo swoo… bat swoobat swoo. Bat bat swoobat swoo, swoo bat swoo. { “I followed the direction I remembered seeing Zekrom leaving back at the raid and… just kept going. Eventually, I picked up the sound a lot of people really deep underground, and tracked it here.” }

???: Bat bat swoo… swoobat bat? { “This place… just what is it?” }

Nox: It’s a castle, obviously.

???: Swoo swoo… swoobat? { “A castle’s that’s… underground?” }

Nox: …Yes. It won’t be soon, though.

???: Bat bat bat, swoo bat bat? { “Team Plasma, this is where you all live?” }

Nox: …

???: …Swoobat swoo swoo bat? Bat bat swoo? { “…Aren’t you usually with Mr. N? Where is he?” }

Nox: You sure ask a lot of questions. If you really need to know, he’s… preoccupied with his kingly duties.

???: Swoo. Swoo swoobat… swoo swoo swoobat? { “Oh. Um, so… are my friends with him?” }

Nox: No… I can lead you to your friends. Lucky for you, you’ll get to skip over the saving part. They’ve already made their escape.

???: Swoobat?! Swoo swoo… bat bat swoo? Swoo bat swoo bat? { “Really?! Wait a minute… why are you helping me? Aren’t you and I on different sides?” }

Nox: I’m doing this because I have nothing better to do. Don’t get any wrong ideas.

Nox: Now come, your friends should be reaching the east wing by now.

???: …Swoo… { …Alright… }

End audio.]

———

[lurking-observer]

———

[VIDEO: Two Pokémon are shown locked in a cage- a Lampent and an Eelektrik, huddled close together and eyeing their near pitch-black surroundings nervously. Offscreen, there’s a conversation taking place. The Pokémon’s eyes seem drawn to wherever the voices are coming from.

“Where did you find these two Pokémon…?”

“D-during the Opelucid Gym raid, my lord! They were attacking us, and we couldn’t see the trainer anywhere around, so we decided to snag them too.”

“Why are they still being kept in a cage? I thought I told you to let all the Pokémon out in the gardens so I could look them over!”

“W-we wanted to, sire! But these two were especially aggressive! We couldn’t open the cage door without one of them trying to attack us!”

As the exchange in the background continues, the Lampent begins to float here and there around the cage, searching for something. Eventually, it drifts over the far end, coiling its hook-like hands around the bars. It then whistles softly at the Eelektrik to get its attention, urging it to wriggle over.

“Then why didn’t you come get me?”

“U-uhm… we were under Lord Zinzolin’s order to leave them alone for now…”

“Yet I just caught you looking like you were about to carry them off somewhere. Why?”

“B-because— uh-”

Eelektrik clacks curiously and watches as Lampent summons small, flickering wisps of flame in its hands, which dance around the metal bars with a dim violet glow and gradually start to heat them up.

“You know what? Never mind. Just- release them into the garden and I’ll look them over later.”

“But Lord Zinzolin told me to-”

“Does it look like I care whatever Zinzolin says? I hold higher rank over him. Bring them to the garden!”

“Y-yes, Lord N…”

Once the bars are heated into a vibrant, orange-y red, Lampent musters all its strength to pull them apart, creating a hole large enough for it and its companion to fit through. It ushers the Eelektrik forwards first, then slips out in tow. As the two make their getaway into the dark, you hear a set of footsteps in the background echoing.

“Good. I’ll come give them a check up once I’m done for my work today. Keep an eye on them in the meantime.”

Once the footsteps are gone, you hear a sigh, before a pair of light blue boots approaches the cage.

“Man, that kid’s gotten weirdly insufferable as of late. I can’t wait til Ghetsis overth- Huh?”

The pair of feet’s owner comes to a halt before the now empty cage, picking it up to inspect the hole in its side. “Ohhh dragons, this is bad…”

———

[lurking-observer]

…They both think I’m corrupted. That I’ve become some kind of monster. Ha…

I guess they aren’t wrong. I always feel on the verge of losing myself to- whatever these dark things are inside of me. Telling me to close my heart. Telling me it’s the only way to survive.

The only thing that kept me from succumbing to it was N. Knowing he needed me. But he doesn’t anymore. He definitely won’t, once all of this is over. Haha. I knew I was going to lose him. I knew it from the start. We agreed to it that I would return to the wild. I just never thought it would be so soon. Or like this.

…I’m foolish enough to still not want to leave. To want to keep watching over him, just for a little while. I’ll just… lurk around for a while. Then disappear silently without anyone noticing. Like I always do.

[lurking-observer]

I would be concerned if I wasn’t. Illusion tricks never get old~

I cannot wait to see the hope drain from that vile little pest’s eyes. To see that fire flicker out faster than they can blink, reduced to nothing but ashes.

All their nonsense about people and Pokémon needing each other- I await that exact moment where that ideology they cling so tightly too as “truth” comes crumbling apart, and just like the rest of the world they’ll have no other choice but to surrender. When their Pokémon finally come to their senses and leave them for dead, when they’re stripped of everything they thought made them worth something…

[lurking-observer]

I cannot wait to see the hope drain from that vile little pest’s eyes. To see that fire flicker out faster than they can blink, reduced to nothing but ashes.

All their nonsense about people and Pokémon needing each other- I await that exact moment where that ideology they cling so tightly too as “truth” comes crumbling apart, and just like the rest of the world they’ll have no other choice but to surrender. When their Pokémon finally come to their senses and leave them for dead, when they’re stripped of everything they thought made them worth something…

[lurking-observer]

I love when everything falls into place perfectly.

[lurking-observer]

hope core <3

[lurking-observer]

…They’ve left us.

Our own sisters. All for that- that vile little-

…

Something must be done about this.

[lurking-observer]

All pokemon should be given a gun

[lurking-observer]

Hm... I suppose while I'm out, I might as well do a bit of investigating. What happened to our sisters...

[lurking-observer]

———

[VIDEO: The camera is set up on a tree stump, right next to a beaten path. Eventually, you see what looks to be a young trainer coming down the road, humming to themself cheerfully.

When they’re about halfway across the screen, a pebble suddenly comes flying from the bushes and hits them in the head. “Ow!” They yelp, rubbing the sore spot where the rock hit and growling under their breath. Their head whips around in search of the culprit, all the while oblivious to the shadowy mass creeping up behind them.

The shadow leaps past them, making them shriek in alarm and fall to their side. The instigator reveals itself to be a Zoroark, standing in the way of the trainer with a Pokéball held in its maw. It drops the capsule at its feet, stopping it from rolling away by placing a firm paw on it.

The trainer sees the Pokéball, and then their eyes go wide as they pat at the now empty space on their belt. Stumbling to their feet, they fling an arm out to take back their stolen partner. “Give that back, that’s my-!”

The Zoroark stamps down on the Pokéball, shattering it with a great amount of force and causing it to explode with a white light. From it appears a Swanna. The feathery white Pokémon lets out a confused honk, ruffling its wings as it looks around, seeming confused as to why it’s been let out.

Then, the Zoroark nips harshly at its tail fathers, starting the avian and causing it to take to the skies with frantic wing-flaps.

“SWANNA!” The trainer cries, moving to dash after their runaway ‘Mon. “No no no- come back!”

They don’t get far, as the Zoroark swiftly sweeps under them and knocks them off their feet, sending them face-planting into the dirt. The trainers lands with a dull thud and and “oof”, before pushing themself up onto their knees and glaring at the dark fox as it now begins to circle them.

“G-get away from me!” They shout feebly, grabbing some nearby dirt and flinging it at the attacking Pokémon. “I have to get my Swanna! Leave me alone you monster!”

The Zoroark just nonchalantly ducks away from the cloud of dirt that’s thrown at it, but then gives a peeved growl when the trainer calls it a “monster”. Emitting a low snarl, it crouches low to the ground as its fur begins to sizzle with black and purple mist.

A row of metal spikes suddenly jab out from the ground around it in a circle, deadly points aimed straight for the trainer. The kid screams and scrambles away seconds before they can get stabbed, scurrying away in the opposite direction their Swanna took off in.

Once the kid is long gone, the Zoroark relaxes once more, and the spikes around it fade away in a black mist similar to the kind that had been trailing off its fur before. Although the black wisps have faded, you notice the purple ones still linger… and you also catch the way the Dark-Type’s eyes flicker with red as it looks down at the shattered Pokéball smugly, seeming pleased with itself.

End video.]

———

[lurking-observer]

Atmosphere at home is so gloomy today. Maybe I should go out and find some trainers to throw rocks at. Try and smash whatever Pokéballs they have on them, too~

[lurking-observer]

Shadowfication... huh.

[lurking-observer]

Sigh. Filled my daily trouble quota but still being crushed under the relentless weight of boredom.

Hm… now that I have access to technology once more…

…might not hurt to check in on that server again.

[lurking-observer]

Ah. Humans. The hoops they will jump through to defend their beliefs is such an amusing spectacle to watch.

That is one thing I will miss about them when we are worlds apart.