While Taze and the others embark on their quest to deal with their traitorous "friend", Flint remains along side his lucario teacher, Albel. Together with Tora the trio make for a frightening squad and their sights become locked on a cavernous Taka base.

Be prepared for MORTAL KOMBAT! *chuckles* Big fight scene this chapter, along with the usual bits of character and all that. Read and enjoy peoples, and tell me what you think while you're at it.

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Characters & Story © Me
Pokemon © Nintendo

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Retribution
Chapter 3
By Mecha-MightyenaDOR



Flint grumbled, growling lightly as he cracked his neck, stretching out his body as his shift of night watch neared its end, and by extension it was almost time for them to resume moving. Not far Albel’s back was against a tree as he continued to sleep in a semi-alert state, body ready to move on a moment’s notice, his katana resting against his body. Tora was also sleeping in a ready state, laying much closer to the absol, her armor and weapon nearby in case she needed them quickly. He walked around a bit, ears and eyes honing to make sure no one was nearby when suddenly he thought he heard something in the distance. The absol had his blade on his back as he ventured ahead a little way to scout out the source of the noise, nearing the edge of the brush on a hill when he finally saw it.

The Taka empire was marching toward a plateau’s cliff face, a hole just barely visible along the base of the wall of earth. The dark type glared, turning to get Albel and Tora and inform them they had found the outpost they had been looking for. “Hey, wake up.”

The lucario’s eyes shot open, quickly falling on Flint, “What is it?”

Tora yawned as she sat up, taking a brush to her fluff as she turned to look at Flint as he reported what he saw. When he finished she chuckled, “Alright than, we’ve found the target, shall we get a quick breakfast than move in to deal with them?”

Albel tapped a claw against the tree he was laying against before looking back to Flint, “You say there was a large group still moving toward the place right?” Flint gave a nod, “They’ll be on high alert and might seal the cave if they see us coming…but if we move in after the group is inside…they’ll be busy getting the new arrivals situated.”

“So a quick breakfast than we go in master?” Flint looked to the fighting/steel type, who gave a nod of his head. “Alright, we have our plan.”

“Well I wouldn’t call it that since we only know when we’re going in.” Tora chuckled, “But it’s something at least.” She pulled out a bag and opened it, revealing a small stash of berries she had collected during the walking. Albel settled for cutting down a couple fruit from one of the nearby trees, Flint accepting the lopunny’s offer of eating with her.

*****

“What the hell is that thing?” A human Taka grunt pointed to a monstrosity that had arrived just that morning along with the general Garland. “Is that one of the chimera that that psycho Anubis concocts?”

“Looks like it, certainly isn’t any pokemon I’ve seen…well parts of it anyway.” A nidoqueen responded as she hefted a box onto a truck before motioning for it to get moving. “Well that’s the last of the metal and plates. Good thing too…you hear what’s coming J?”

“I can hazard a guess…more troops, a general and a chimera too. We can expect company…so it might be time to make ourselves scarce Miranda.” He stretched out neck out, shaking his head, “I don’t want to be here when those kids show up.”

Miranda chuckled, “Oh it’s much worse than the kids, apparently it’s a certain lucario and absol.”

“Oh fuck…than I really don’t want to be here when shit hits the fan.” He shuddered, “I don’t wanna know if even half those rumors are true.”

The poison type mon laughed, “oh you’re such a coward J…you’ll never impress any girls acting like that.”

J waved off the assertion, “there’s a difference between cowardice and just being smart. Besides you’re one to talk…how many males…”

“Nidoqueens are actually quite attractive in the pokemon world. Especially for the larger males…ohhh, like that hunky charizard over there.” Miranda grinned as she eyed up the fire type.

“Chris? Ha, good luck with that, he’s already taken…plus he doesn’t swing for your team.” J chuckled.

“Really!? Oh darn it…” she sighed and shrugged, “Oh well…plenty of other studs in the stables.”

“Isn’t it water types in the sea?”

Miranda smirked, “I hate sea food.”

J groaned, “Oh arceus I walked right into that…” he sighed shaking his head, “Well come on, we’ve got to refill the water vats from the lake.” The nidoqueen chuckled a bit more as she followed him out one of the tunnels to a nearby lake.

*****

“Taze?”

The quilava blinked, looking back to see Derra walking up to him, “What is it? And why are you up so early?”

She smiled lightly, “I could ask you the same you know…why are you up so early?” She took a seat beside him.

“I just woke up…” he looked away, Derra gently resting a tentacle on his shoulder. She could see he wasn’t telling her the whole truth, “Ugh…okay I haven’t been getting much sleep at all really…” he sighed, “I keep having these weird dreams…it’s a bunch of shapes and colors and just…I don’t know how to describe it.”

“How long has this been going on?” Derra tilted her head, worried.

“Since Leonel…” he ground his teeth, flames starting to spark up before he took a breath, “I think it might be connected to…to what I do now…all the psychic fire stuff.” He sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed his face, “Sometimes I think I see things…like faces…fire…I see a lot of fire…”

“Taze…”

“Weird thing is I don’t feel that tired…just…really unnerved you know.” He sighed, “something in my gut…I don’t know how to really explain it.”

Derra pulled him into a hug, “Maybe you’re trying to tell yourself something.”

“Like what?”

Derra was silent for a bit, mentally preparing herself for what was sure to come, “Well…maybe you should try and stop fighting with Azur all the time.”

Taze glared, growling, “I wouldn’t fight with her if she wasn’t such a…”

“That right there Taze…it’s not just her fault we’re here…we all believed Leonel was our friend you know.”

The quilava scoffed, “That’s true but it’s not just that…she absolutely refuses to accept that she’s not fit to lead…you know I’m right about this.” Taze kept talking before Derra could interrupt him, “Anytime I pointed out how flawed a plan was she just insulted me and acted like she always knew what was best! Because of her we wound up in countless traps, and need I remind you she was very quick to accuse me of being a traitor.”

“She messed up Taze…it happens…but does that really justify acting just like she did? You keep saying she’s worthless whenever she argues against your plan.” Derra was practically pleading, her voice wavering, “She’s made mistakes, but so have the rest of us. Can you please at least try and not fight with her anymore…we can’t afford to fight like this all the time.”

Taze grumbled, growling low as he just stared off ahead, not saying anything for over a minute, “…Fine! But if she opens her mouth just to make a snide remark I won’t just let it slide. Stupid bitch did nothing but run her mouth before and look where that got us.”

Derra sighed, “Alright…I’ll talk to her.” She supposed it was better than nothing…if both of them could try to be civil it might lead to them making up and stopping all the arguing. “You want some breakfast Taze?”

“I’ve been eating now and again.” He pointed to a nearby berry bush he’d been taking berries from, “Thanks though Derra.”

The poochyena smiled, giving him another hug, “That’s what family is for.”

Taze looked back to her before cracking a smile, “Right.” He gave her a little hug in return before she went back to check on the others. Taze was hardly convinced Derra could get Azur to act like any less of a spoiled little brat, but it obviously meant a lot to the poochyena that he at least TRY to be nice. Slowly his thoughts shifted back to the main goal of their march, Leonel. Taze’s eyes narrowed as some pebbles started rising into the air, eyes starting to glow as he pictured the luxio’s face. It was accepted that they had most likely missed catching the bastard, but there was still hope they could pick up the trail and run him down before long. The pebbles suddenly launched forward with purple fire coating them, shooting into a tree as the fire mon imagined what he’d do to the traitor.

*****

A startled cry was silenced before it could really begin, instead a choking gurgle the only thing that could be heard. Albel swiped the blood off his blade as they moved further into the tunnel system, reaching a fork with one path leading up and other down. Taking the high elevation the tunnel eventually opened up into a large open cavern, surrounded by other tunnels that lead to various exits and some that lead only into the earth. “It’s a mine.” Tora looked around, seeing the various tools and equipment that betrayed the purpose of the outpost, “But what are they mining?”

Albel kneeled down, “Whatever it is they sent off most of it already…those tire tracks were made by a truck carrying a heavy load…and they’re fresh.”

Flint grumbled lightly, “So we missed a chance to really hurt them and deny them supplies…but it would still be worth taking the place out all the same.”

Albel nodded, looking around the raised section of the cavern they were on, “This looks to be the quarters area…plenty of soldiers will pour out soon…but it looks like a number are already down in the quarry.”

“Including one of their chimera it looks like.” Tora pointed to a large creature near the middle of the open area. It was larger than the people and pokemon around it, its head resembled Groudon’s with the massive land mon’s spikes going down the creatures sides. Its back possessed the wings of a scissor along with the bug/steel mon’s claw in place of a left hand. The right hand was also gone, replaced this time with a lance from an escavalier with the Unova natives head crest on the top of the creatures skull.

“I don’t recognize parts of that thing…it must be newly made.” Flint tensed, body giving a small shudder, “I’ll take it on.”

Tora blinked, “You sure?”

Albel chuckled, “Fine…Tora, go down there with him…deal with the vermin while he duels…I’ll take care of the trash up here.” He turned and started moving toward the structures on the ridge. “Let’s go!” He burst into a full run, charging up an aura sphere in his metal claw before unleashing the attack and causing all hell to break loose.

Flint and Tora leapt down into the quarry, weapons ready as they took out two soldiers upon land. The absol made an immediate b-line for the monster, Tora providing support by keeping off the various grunt soldiers. The lopunny than saw a gallade making a charge straight for flint, clad in armor he looked more important than the rest of the soldiers. Tora moved to intercept, swinging her blade only for the fighting/psychic type to block the strike and leap back. “Sorry buddy, but my cute friend there already has a dance partner, but I’ll be happy to play with you.”

“Damn rabbit…I’ll break you.” Garland growled, “You face the great general Garland, you’ll die first…than that insufferable absol will follow soon after.” Tora just rolled her eyes, not impressed as the battle was on.

Flint grunted as he was flung back by the chimera’s strike, the creature grinning maliciously as it stood its ground. The absol glared, growling low as he ran in against the beast which reared back its lance and countered charged with a fell stinger. Flint growled, leaping to the side and quickly turn to jump right back toward his opponent, sword swing to leave a wicked blow. However the scissor claw stopped the blade mid-swing, the monster laughing as it tossed the absol away. Hitting the ground with a dull thump, Flint winced and groaned as he rolled along the dirt before righting himself back onto his feet. A back flip followed soon after, the dark type barely avoiding an X-scissor strike as he struggled to regain the offensive. A barrage of fell stingers followed swiftly after, the absol growling in frustration as he dodged the strikes.

The chimera cackled as it kept launching attack after attack, claw and lance ripping through the air as it tried to find supple flesh. Flint grunted as he was sent skidding back, growling low as he eyed his opponent. The absol sheathed his blade, the weapon wasn’t doing any good for now adjusting his stance since he no longer had to compensate for the sword. The chimera dragged its lance arm along the ground, kicking up dust as it cackled again before it rushed in. Flint growled, before using an ice beam along the ground and robbing the beast of any traction, a play out of Tora’s book. It’s solid footing stolen, the monster slipped and crashed against the ground, skidding along the ice a bit.

An opening made, Flint rushed in, blasting at the downed beast with ice beams and shadow balls. The beast wailed in pain under the barrage, smashing at the ground to break the ice, getting its footing back as it flew forward at the absol. The lance arm tore up the ground as the chimera brought it to bare against the dark mon, slashing with the appendage but hitting nothing but air. Flint rolled to the side, wind kicking up around his body as he pulled his blade back out, unleashing a razor wind at the beast’s side. The blow cut into its flesh, another bellow of agony coming from its throat as it turned tearing up the ground with its weapon arms.

“What’s wrong? Not made to take ranged attacks? Seems like a pretty big design flaw if you were sent against us.” Flint smirked, the beast letting out a guttural roar of rage. Suddenly the creatures size increased, muscles straining as it glared at the absol. “Bulk up huh? Alright…I’ll just keep my distance.” Flint took several leaps back, covering his movements with a barrage of shadow balls, the chimera roaring in defiance as it charged. Flint smirked, using ice beam on the ground again, this time using it to slide along without issue around the beast, pelting it with more ice beams and shadow ball blasts.

“Gah! Insufferable rabbit!” Garland snarled, slashing wildly at Tora, “Stay still and die!” Tora scoffed, rolling her eyes as she blocked the blows, spinning around and kicking him square in the face. The psychic/fighting type growled, rushing in with a psycho cut, the strike again being blocked before a lopunny foot imbedded itself into his gut, Tora using her leg to lift him up before throwing him. “Wow you really aren’t that good are you?”

Garland rose to his feet, glaring as his teeth clenched. “I’ll show you…worthless rat.” The gallade’s eyes glowed, before he disappeared, rematerializing behind the rabbit pokemon and slamming his arm into her back. He quickly followed with another blow, and another, Tora quickly put on the defensive, struggling to regain her footing after the surprise attack. The assault was relentless, Garland not letting up as he pressed in, keeping her on the defensive, though he still wasn’t getting any blows through.

Before the exchange could continue though, the experiment slammed into the ground next to them, forcing both fighters to back off from one another. Garland turned to glare at the absol, a patch of ice used to make the monstrosity slip and fall. The chimera was up, roaring in anger again as it grew even more, Flint adjusting his stance slightly as he drew his sword again, wind kicking up once more. As the monster lunged forward, Flint crouched low, muscles tensing as he waited for the moment. The sound of the massive creature’s foot falls echoed in the cave, time slowing to crawl as each step cracked the earth, its body stampeding forward. As it reared its arms back for an X-Scissor strike, Flint’s legs went to work, pushing his body up and over the beast as its blow passed harmlessly.

Both of their momentums allowed the absol to fly over the back of the creature, sword carving through the air as several razor winds tore their way through the cave. Several struck at the back of the chimera, one however careened upward into the roof of the cavern. As the monstrosity turned and rushed forward once again, Flint just stood in place, sheathing his blade and smirking as a stalactite fell and impaled the creature. The massive chunk of pointed rock instantly brought the roaring beast down, Garland hissing as he considered continuing the fight but Albel was finished up top and on his way down.

“This isn’t over absol! I’ll gut you yet!” his eyes glowed before he vanished with a teleport.

The lucario landed near the two, “Hmm…not bad pup…” he looked over the constructed creature, “That arm and head crest…definitely not from a pokemon native to here.” He chuckled, “Good, maybe their next construct will prove an even better fight.”

“Not so long as they stay as stupid as this one was.” Flint cracked his neck, a large grin on his face. This was it…full-fledged proof that his call had been correct, that joining Albel had allowed him to grow stronger. This was a new breed of beast, made for physical combat on both the offensive and defensive scale, and he took it down alone. There was no doubt now, Albel was his path to greater power.

**********

Sima’s expression was cold, an icy glare the only thing that served to hint to his displeasure. “It would appear that Albel and his two little flunkies are going to be more trouble than I originally gave them credit for.”

“So it would seem my lord.” Lamie hissed lightly, “My lord, might I suggest sending me to deal with this situation?” Sima tapped a clawed finger on the arm of his throne, deep in thought before motioning for her to go. The seviper obeyed, slithering away as he sat in thoughtful silence.