Chapter 197: The Curtains Call
Sachiko stepped out from the deeper shadows, the nearly two-meter tall Blaziken moving silently beside her, embers still glowing faintly at its wrists and ankles.
The message was unmistakable: negotiations were over. The Gym Leader, cornered and desperate, seemed to finally grasp the finality of his situation. The coordinated attack, the missing stash from his secret compartment – the pieces clicked into place with horrifying clarity. His face twisted into a mask of feral rage.
"You think you've won?!" he snarled, voice thick with desperation. "If I'm going down, I'm not going quietly!"
He fumbled at his belt, pulling out one last Poké Ball. His hand trembled, hesitation warring with fury, but with a final grit of his teeth, he hurled it forward.
A beam of red light solidified into a Pokémon that made both Xiu and Sachiko pause. The Gym Leader didn't wait to see its effect; the moment the ball left his hand, he turned and bolted into the darkness, scrambling away like the cornered Rattata he was.
The Pokémon that materialized was a Beedrill, but unlike any Xiu had seen before. It was leaner than average, its abdomen streamlined, its twin stingers scarred and pitted from countless battles. Yet, it was undeniably old. Its wings beat weakly, barely keeping its frail body aloft, causing it to bob slightly in the air. Its multifaceted eyes were clouded, milky white.
Despite its age and apparent frailty, however, an oppressive aura lingered around it – the residual pressure of a once-powerful ace Pokémon. It hung in the air, a silent warning that made Xiu instinctively tense, as if those scarred stingers could bridge the distance in an instant. A ghost of its former power.
But Sachiko and her Blaziken weren't intimidated by ghosts. Blaziken took a step forward, its own fierce aura easily shattering the lingering pressure of the aged Beedrill. Sachiko raised her hand, ready to give the command to attack.
"Wait," Xiu's voice was quiet but firm as he placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "The plan, Sachiko. He's the target." He nodded towards the direction the Gym Leader had fled. "This one… leave it to me."
Sachiko glanced back, surprised, perhaps wanting to warn him. "But this Beedrill—"
"Trust me," Xiu interrupted gently, offering a faint, confident smile. He smoothly tossed his own Poké Ball. With a flash of light, Scizor materialized, its black and gold carapace gleaming, standing even taller than the imposing Blaziken.
Seeing the unique Scizor, Sachiko's curiosity flickered, but she understood the urgency. Time was critical. She gave a curt nod. "Be careful, Xiu." Then, directing Blaziken, she bypassed the ancient Beedrill, resuming the pursuit of the Gym Leader.
Scizor immediately sensed the strange pressure emanating from the old Beedrill, tensing, its pincers slightly raised. Xiu placed a calming hand on its metallic arm. "Hold, Scizor."
He then walked forward slowly, cautiously approaching the hovering, aged Pokémon. It feels… tired. Worn out.
"I mean you no harm," Xiu said softly, pitching his voice clearly with psychic power. "I'm not your enemy. I'm investigating the death of the previous Gym Leader here. Was he your trainer?"
The Beedrill seemed to twitch at the mention of the previous leader, its head tilting slightly towards the sound of Xiu's voice, confirming his suspicions. Its reaction was sluggish, lacking any aggression.
"The man who just ran," Xiu continued, stepping closer still, "was he involved in your trainer's death?"
The Beedrill made no move to attack, merely hovering, its wings buzzing unevenly, seemingly struggling just to perceive its surroundings. Xiu noticed the discarded Poké Ball lying on the ground near where it had materialized – the one the fleeing Gym Leader had thrown. It had a unique, slightly archaic design etched onto its surface.
It was customized, certainly belonging to the original owner.
On impulse, Xiu raised his hand, focusing his intent on the unique ball, mentally issuing the recall command.
Fwoosh.
The Beedrill dissolved into red light and flowed back into the Poké Ball without any resistance.
Xiu blinked, holding the surprisingly heavy, custom ball in his hand. It… just let itself be recalled? He examined the ball for a second longer. This could be important. A direct link to the past.
But there was no time for contemplation. He recalled Scizor, and with a subtle gesture, Abra emerged from the shadows, psychically smoothing over any lingering footprints or disturbances in the immediate area. Can't stay here. Xiu pocketed the unique Poké Ball and moved quickly, following the direction Sachiko had taken.
He caught up to find Blaziken locked in fierce combat with another large Bug-type Pokémon – a powerful Pinsir, its massive horns clashing against Blaziken's fiery limbs. The Gym Leader was huddled nearby, trapped against a crumbling wall, watching the fight with wide, terrified eyes.
"What's taking so long?" Xiu's voice cut through the sounds of battle.
Sachiko glanced back, a flicker of surprise at his quick return, but she didn't ask questions, simply nodded towards the fight. "He had one more ace up his sleeve."
Xiu's gaze turned cold as he assessed the situation. This looks too much like a real battle. They need to finish it, make it look like a brutal, failed hit, not a capture attempt gone wrong. "Sachiko, end it. Now," he ordered, his tone sharp. "Drawing this out makes the whole setup look suspicious. We need him incapacitated for the 'authorities', remember?"
Sachiko gave a curt, decisive nod to Blaziken.
The Fire-Fighting type didn't hesitate. Flames erupted violently from its wrists, engulfing its fists. It lunged forward, punching Pinsir squarely in the carapace. The moment of impact, fire exploded outwards, enveloping the Bug-type.
The sheer force of the blow sent Pinsir flying backward, crashing into a wall. When the flames subsided, the Pinsir lay still, smoke curling from its charred shell. Cooked through.
Just then, the distinct sound of tires screeching to a halt echoed from the streets beyond the plaza. Official vehicles.
The Gym Leader, who had sunk into despair, suddenly looked up, a desperate glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Help! Over here! Help me!" he screamed towards the approaching sounds.
Blaziken reacted instantly, likely on a silent cue from Sachiko. It leaped high, flames bursting from its legs, transforming once more into a descending meteor aimed directly at the shouting Gym Leader.
CRASH!
A section of the wall behind the Gym Leader exploded inwards under the force of the kick. Blaziken landed nimbly on the rubble.
"My part's done," Xiu stated flatly, already turning. "Go."
He didn't wait for Sachiko's acknowledgment. Melting back into the shadows, Abra cloaking his retreat, Xiu vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Sachiko, retrieving Blaziken, also made a swift exit in another direction.
Seconds later, uniformed personnel swarmed the area – the official Rapid Response Team.
"Quickly, spread out!"
"Signs of life here! He's breathing!"
"We have wounded!"
"Secure the perimeter! Find the assailant!"
They worked with practiced efficiency, extracting the Gym Leader from the debris. He was alive, miraculously, though covered in dust, limbs bent at unnatural angles, multiple bones clearly broken. He had survived, albeit barely.
From the rubble near him, they dragged another figure – the charred remains of the Beedrill that Blaziken had supposedly defeated earlier. Its abdomen was crushed, obliterated by the force of Blaziken's final kick. It had apparently been near the Gym Leader and inadvertently shielded him from the lethal impact.
A final, unintentional sacrifice.
An ambulance, conveniently nearby, arrived quickly to transport the critically injured Gym Leader for treatment. As the Response Team's vehicles departed, sirens fading, Xiu noted from a distant rooftop that they looked remarkably similar to the ones used by Nurse Joy's security detail earlier.
The plaza fell silent again, save for the rustling of unseen observers – local informants and gossipmongers drawn by the commotion, eager for scraps of information.
But Xiu was long gone. He was already heading towards a secure, anonymous location miles away. Time to examine the catch. He never liked counting his spoils too close to the scene of the crime.
That would be just stupid.