Arbustos the bloody-leaf tree

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In Argules the sun slowly began to set over the horizon as part of the city prepared to retire to their happy and innocent homes, Cody Charmeleon already in his royal quarters which consisted of an extremely luxurious place. His bed was large with decorative ornaments and a soft mattress, on his right and left side there were dressers with drawers, a large closet, a private bathroom, a coat rack in the shape of a Sudowoodo and a beautiful balcony overlooking the sunset which Charmeleon watched as he took off his soldier cape and hung it on the coat rack.



The Pokémon with a serious face closes his eyes and rests his head on the cape and takes a deep breath, so he begins to remember his first day of work like a movie in his head, everything was so intense and complicated that Cody almost thought it would be his first and last day. The pokémon was still digesting all the events, since the cruelty of Nicon Kricketune, the macabre statues that showed despair, the coldness of Rex Lucario and especially the biggest reason for dissatisfaction being the reaction of Queen Lencia Charizard, his mother who as always was indifferent and distant.



Cody then takes his face out of his blue cape, taking a deep breath he slowly directs his gaze to his balcony looking at the landscape of Argules from afar, the pokémon can even feel the warmth of the sunset slowly giving way to the cold of the night with the moonrise, the Charmeleon gives a groan of resentment turning against the horizon to again lean frustrated his head on the icy blue cape, that while growling he felt like talking to you:



- KrrGrrrrrr....ARRRGGG WHAT THE FUCK, I'm going to keep risking myself day and night having to encounter these THESE SHIT creatures all the damn time.... Grrrrrrr....Urrrf What was the reason I got myself into this damn nightmare?



Cody then remembers the brief part of the conversation he heard from Lucius Feraligatr with his mother, he said something about "he will still be a great king, until then he needs to learn a lot", the Charmeleon at that moment confirmed those words as the truth for choosing such a destiny. However, he lied to the counselor and his mother, after all there were endless easier ways to achieve such learning, no, Cody knew that the reason he was putting his life at risk against Hellstalkers was his late and beloved father.



Magnus Charizard was an extremely kind king, however, he possessed neither the physical strength nor the charisma of Lencia because he was neither blue-blooded nor trained like the queen since he came from the commoners. This cost the monarch of Argules dearly, in a historical event that occurred shortly after "the Umbra conflicts" named the "War of Fear and Respect" consisting of conflicts sometimes civil or otherwise between the clans and the mob initiated when one tried to bribe and manipulate the activities and business of the others.



During one such conflict was that of the Fateye clan composed of Dragon-type Pokémon in which they orchestrated an ambush to kill the entire family of mobsters of the Whitel group composed of Ice types, the monarchs learned of the plans due to the clan's loyalty to them. However, the king wanted to intervene because he thought it was immoral to decimate an entire family as if they were all guilty, but the queen did not share these feelings because she valued the loyalty and services of the clan so much that she did not want to get involved in the massacre, and in order to prevent her husband from causing problems to the clan she ordered all subjects including guards, police and lawyers not to interfere with the death penalty with the charge of treason for the disobedient.



Magnus did not accept his wife's order, he would not be able to bear his conscience allowing a slaughter of guilty or innocent pokémon in favor of the supremacy of a clan loyal to the crown, however, the Charizard could not get allies to stop the barbaric act due to Lencia's strong influence. Even so, he decided to act the way he thought was right, and without warning, he went alone to face the clan and prevent the massacre. However, he wasn't strong or influential enough, and he exposed the Fateye clan's intention to the mafia, and as a collateral consequence, he created a series of Hellstalkers from both the Fateye clan and the mafia, who felt mutually betrayed by the kingdom.



To show their revolt with the queen, they cold-bloodedly cut off King Charizard's wings without showing mercy in the slowest way possible, as well as turning him to stone to immortalize the agonizing pain. However, before they sent the statue to the queen the members of the clan and the mob turned Hellstalkers were killed and devoured by hungry Beserker from the forest, the battle among them was something so brutal and intense that all the stone-transformed ended up being totally shattered including the innocent King who only wanted to avoid the massacre.


Cody recalled that his mother had not spared him from learning about what had happened to his father even though he was still a little Charmander, because of the queen's philosophy of life, which was “Smart Pokémon learn from their own mistakes, wise Pokémon learn from the mistakes of others.” In this way she taught him that recklessness, insubordination, and kindness are weaknesses that the Pokémon Network does not have the luxury of having, after all it was the king's mistakes that cut his life short, and it was because of his weakness as well as that of the Hellstalkers and the Beserkers who took advantage of it that the Charmander prince was a fatherless orphan.


This was Cody's reason for fighting, all his hatred for the Hellstalkers who took his beloved father away, vowing that one day he would have his revenge, consisting of eradicating every last one of them so his father could finally rest in peace. The Charmeleon then scratched his head, remembering his whole goal and why he couldn't give up.


Cody didn't feel all that hatred that was in him before and he really was afraid of dying, Charmeleon's recollection of his hatred and his little appreciation for you mixed with his frustration made him fight intensely with various other Pokémon to alleviate those feelings. However, doing something like bullying would go against everything his father taught about justice and kindness, with that in mind he just waited for the smallest of reasons to get into a fight and massacre his opponent, Charmeleon then takes his face out of his blue cape already more relieved, with that he looks at the ceiling still talking to himself, but this time more serene:


- What happened? Why don't I see any sense in acting like this anymore? What makes me want to live instead of dying in battle?


*ZUMMM* ZUUUMMM*



Suddenly a sound of vibration starts coming from Cody's dresser, scaring him because it was something unexpected, the Charmeleon gives a small frustrated growl because someone interrupted his moment of reflection. However, when he sees who it was, a smile appears on Charmeleon's face, making him run to get his Gadget on top of the dresser and answer the call.



For those who don't know, the gadget was one of the first inventions made by these Pokémon independent of humans, being inspired by the most modern smartphones. The object was shaped like a Bronzor and worked with the same energy source as the old pokeballs, sharing the same network, serving both to communicate and to carry small objects. At that fateful moment who made the call was the son of the royal advisor Luke Croconaw, who Cody answers already talking all happy and expecting only positive things:



- Luke, I'm in my room now, what time are you coming here? You're missing the sunset, remember we agreed to talk here after the first day after graduation?



The prince's voice didn't even sound the same as when he was talking to Rex Lucario or Lencia Charizard, the tone was so quiet and cheerful it sounded like even another Pokémon. Luke Croconaw could see on the other end of the line through the screen of the phone the animated Charmeleon, he was still walking in the forest outside Argules with Saren Larvitar at his side returning home after training in the dungeon, the real reason for the call was for Croconaw to make an excuse not to show up because of exhaustion in training:



- Gee Cody, I guess I'll miss the sunset, but I'll spend some of the evening with you to make up for it and we can talk about our days hihi. Just... Hang on a second, I'll drop Saren off at home and get something ready for him, and I'll be right there with you.



With a smile noticeably forced Luke immediately hangs up the call to not prolong the conversation and avoid being discovered, the Pokémon then lowers his head taking a deep breath visibly uncomfortable putting away his gadget in his backpack. Saren notices his brother's behavior by holding his brother's hand gently:


- Luke, I thought you said you were going to cook for me and go to sleep, you seem to be exhausted.... Why didn't you tell Cody what you really meant?


Croconaw then smiles and strokes his little brother's head with his other hand, he then stops walking and faces Larvitar:


- I don't know, for me it's kind of hard to say "no" to Cody, he's a great friend and I wouldn't want to see him get sad or upset.... I kind of like to see him smile, when I first met him, he was a Charmander who was always serious and sulking like he was angry at everything...


Luke then stops talking when he notices the expression of his younger brother, Saren was looking at Croconaw as if he was thinking about obscene things, something that bothers Luke. Ignoring the Larvitar the latter just continues on his way to town since he would now have to arrive in more of a hurry, only after taking a few steps the Croconaw feels that Saren had grabbed his tail:


- Look at that, you're bringing work home hehehe. I can't believe you attached those laces to your tail, you thought you'd go unnoticed with that, didn't you?


Luke holds his breath already annoyed by his brother grabbing his tail and accusing him, he then uses his strength on the limb to throw the inconvenient Larvitar which is thrown falling into his big brother's arms:


- Yes, I took the laces from the stone to practice PP manipulation, outside let's admit it looks nice tied to my tail like that.


Saren crosses his arms angrily at Croconaw, for he still wanted to keep the cap but now his older brother had owned it and now he had another accessory as if the red scarf wasn't enough. Luke understands his brother's frustration for having already gone through the same thing younger, with this in mind Croconaw explains as he made his way to Argules not having kept the laces merely for aesthetics but to train the power, intending to return it to his stepmother as soon as possible.



Luke then felt a calm wind on his yellow chin as he noticed his brother sleeping in his arms, the Water Pokémon didn't know whether to be relieved that his brother hadn't been saddened by what had happened or angry that he had slept through his justification. The city was getting closer and closer, finally Croconaw breathed a sigh of relief, having finally arrived at the trail lit by torches of fire which would lead to it, that was the safest way to reach the kingdom, especially because of the fact that night had already fallen, leaving the forest already dark naturally in complete darkness.



As he walked calmly on the opposite side of the path a very beautiful and elegant Servine wearing a hat with a white daisy and a scarf of the same color, accompanied by a Ursaring who looked much more handsome than usual wearing a worn shirt from a local Unite team. Luke felt tense and stopped walking, trembling a little he quickly gave way to these Pokémon getting out of the way for noticing their strength just by looking, while they passed Croconaw was admiring them maybe feeling a little jealous because they were a formed team, when passing Luke, the Servine stopped for an instant her walk turning to face him:



- Your scarf is very cute, it matches your seductive ruby red eyes.... Careful little cutie, it's dangerous for young people to walk through this forest at night.



Servine's voice was sweet and welcoming, yet strangely Croconaw felt as if her gaze was that of an assassin, almost as if she wanted to jump on his neck and strangle him, admiring every second of his suffering:



- Thank you, madam, be careful too, I wish you luck in whatever you are going to do in the forest.



Ursaring growls, turning his face to Croconaw and going back on his way, but Servine smiles, placing her small paw near her green mouth and slowly approaching Luke, who without understanding why has become as red as his scarf at the approach. The female looks at Larvitar sleeping comfortably in Croconaw's chubby arms, with an adorable smile she positions her head next to Luke's saying softly:



- I am Mei, enchanted...



Luke could barely move at that moment and a sensation almost similar to danger grew more and more, Mei then put her little paws on Croconaw's arms almost as if she was going to touch Saren, something that scares Luke a little and he reacts by turning his back to the Servine who gives a small frightened sigh:



- Lu-Lu-Luke, my name is Luke...Gulp



Mei again brings one of her paws closer to her mouth giving a slight giggle at Croconaw's reaction, this caused her to lower her gaze which allowed her to see those laces tied to the Pokémon Water's tail, Servine licks her lips having slightly inappropriate thoughts for the moment, however:



- WE HAVE TIME MEI, THEN YOU FLIRT WITH THIS BRAT, WALK AT ONCE!



Shouted Theo Ursaring already annoyed with all that unnecessary flirting, his attitude annoyed a little Mei who wanted to provoke Luke some more to create an opportunity for a future petrification, however really his partner was right and they could not waste more time. Even being frustrated the Servine still had one last move in mind, she pulled Croconaw's face close to hers stealing a sweet and long kiss, that was so unexpected for Luke in which he was completely surrendered by the female making him drop Saren on the floor letting her prolong the kiss, when finishing the Servine bite her lips and say in a nice way:



- I hope we meet again, I loved your look, don't forget me.



Mei after this singular first impression just turns back, delicately fixing her scarf and following her way down the path next to Ursaring, the Croconaw puts his hand gently on his jaw, barely able to speak because of the shock, just closing his eyes remembering how good it was. Servine didn't know it, but she had just given innocent Luke his first kiss something that really moved him, suddenly Croconaw feels a horrible pain as if something is crushing his foot:



- GHAAAAAA!!! An... OW MY ARCEUS, SAREN!!! SORRY, SORRY, SORRY!!!



Quickly Luke gathers his brother from the ground picking the dirt off of him apprehensively, however from the looks of it the little Larvitar was still sleeping peacefully possibly not even realizing all that happened. Relieved Croconaw holds his brother and follows the rest of the way limping to Argules because of his sore foot, already in their accommodation Luke sees no sign of his father and realizes everything is the same as when they left, taking advantage of his brother's deep sleep he just put him comfortable in bed and thus can leave soon after to see Cody.



Far away from Argules in the dense forest Mei kept walking behind her partner Theo almost reaching the meeting place, annoyed with the forest undergrowth on his fur the Ursaring begins to scratch himself:



- ARRRRRG, that damn bush DAMMIT, I've itched my armpit so much I look like a Slaking beserker. Why do we have to go visit Arbustos? GHAAA ITCHY DAMN ITCH!



Servine takes a deep breath on Theo's shore:



- I believe it is due to the Soldier, I was in the morning near the Lampent I attacked and saw a team of them. It looks like it will be even more complicated for us to feed, the Purple One has already made it very complicated and now we will still have to take care that the Soldiers do not capture us, a lady like me should not have to deal with such problems.



Ursaring growls in frustration having had a nasty encounter last night being beaten up by Purple while trying to petrify a Pokémon in town, his luck was that he petrified Mei's neighbor in addition to his disguise as a civilian consisting of a player in a rough sport making the remaining injuries look like consequences of his training rather than a ferocious attack. The mysterious Purple as the Hellstalkers called him was a phantom Zoroark, he only appeared at night and his name was due to his bright purple hair as the only sound they could hear from him was his breathing as he viciously attacked them.



After a long walk the duo of Hellstalkers arrive at a place without any living tree hidden in a cold fog with several ancient lapids of human beings illuminated only by the light of the gloomy moonlight, Mei looks to the left noticing even with the fog some roots moving among the lapids of the place already knowing who would be the illustrious owner of them. Theo was still furious due to the Arbustos and branches in his hair not making it any easier the fog was blinding him, at this moment a root touches his foot something that infuriates the great Ursaring making him stomp hard on the piece of wood:



- GHRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

The great roar of pain abruptly interrupts the silence of the human cemetery making Theo fall to the ground startled, the Servine just gives a slight laugh sitting on a tombstone already with her civilian look changed to her Hellstalker one without her hat and her scarf wrapped like a white scarf holding her trusty fan. The fog soon begins to dissipate revealing behind some gravestones and coming from the dense forest other Hellstalkers join them, now with that fog only blocking the cemetery's exits Ursaring was starting to tremble with a bad feeling; suddenly his sense of danger proves correct when coming out of the ground several roots grab the Hellstalker's thick neck lifting him up:



- YOU SON OF A DITTO, HOW DARE YOU STEP ON ME!?



A giant Trevenant with red leaves on its head appeared right there in front of everyone coming out of the fog, that was the main Hellstalker of the surrounding owner of the territory near Argules, the reddish-leaved tree the Great Arbustos. The ghost Pokémon had already claimed countless victims in its eternity as Hellstaker, the sign that represented this was what gave rise to its nickname "tree of blood leaves."



- UUUNNNF FORGIVE ME ARBUSTOS, HAAAAH PLEASE, I THOUGHT GUUULP IT WAS A NORMAL PLANT, UNNNNNF I SWEAR I WON'T DO IT AGAIN, SPARE ME, SPARE ME!!!



The Trevenant squeezed Theo's neck very hard with a visible intent to kill him there even having even the other Hellstalkers luring him to torture or abuse him before that, Mei was amused watching the suffering of her partner struggling breathlessly. However unfortunately for her Theo was more useful alive, she then stood up from the tombstone approaching gracefully while waving her fan:



- Your majestic blood leaf tree, please spare my ally, if not for him Purple would have killed me last night, leave him alive so I can continue to benefit from his stupidity.



Arbustos looked with disdain at Servine, who was not shaken by the Trevenant's obvious superior power, and so that Ursaring's insubordination would not go unpunished, he pierced the Pokémon's left arm with the root on which it had stepped, throwing it to the ground. Theo destroyed some lapids still breathing with difficulty and now had marks on his neck and a broken arm, but he would be fine:



- Thank you for granting my request Arbustos, forgive the inconvenience. I will return to my post and take care of my partner.



Mei closes her fan bowing to Arbustos going towards her partner while the great Trevenant begins his speech, the Servine didn't even pay attention to the beginning of this one just looking and counting all the other Hellstalkers present there. As she got close to Ursaring she bent down close to his head, the Pokémon seemed to say a "thank you" with difficulty due to breathlessness and pain, Mei put the fan near her Servine's mouth to signal to her partner asking for his silence:



- The Soldier has already started acting in and around Argules, be careful when making your random attacks within the city be alert, low level hellstalkers should petrify victims with their partners, high level ones need to have at least one lower level partner and if they don't have one create. The main plans have been delayed, not interrupted, I need everyone to get powerful as soon as possible.



A Baltoy respectfully waited for Arbustos to finish his words before standing up and approaching him, Mei noticed that on the Pokémon's back there were signs of puncture marks as well as cuts characteristic of the attack made by Purple:



- Arbustos, I was attacked last night by Purple near the kingdom, if it wasn't for the first rays of sunlight and managing to take casualties after the attack I might not even be here anymore. I think it's time we gave that filthy pest an answer!


Baltoy's voice showed the anger and disdain at the ghost Zoroark a feeling shared by several Hellstalkers there, Arbustos looked around smiling starting to laugh macabrely as the requests continued, the Trevenant then raised his two large arms silencing everyone there and stopping his laughter:



- If you think you are capable of dealing with him go ahead, I don't need to and won't do anything.... I bet many here already know, but for those who don't the Purple One is called Akeldama and he was once like a Hellstalker like us.



Tempers then flared, everyone faced each other and started whispering and having several questions and even insults for this Akeldama:



- Arrrg one of us? aa...aaar How is he able to hurt us and go against Dark Matter then?



Servine looks away as she hears the babbling of her severely wounded partner lying on the ground, then can't help but giggle slightly at the ironic situation he was in:



- Arbustos is on our side and Dark Matter's, and unless you're a masochist and think he just made hot love to you, the guy left you in tatters, so don't ask dumb questions hehehehe. The only question relevant to this question is "how does a top level Hellstalker manage to go against Dark Matter?"


Again, Arbustos raises his two arms causing all the other Hellstalkers to shut up to hear him, even Ursaring held back his cries of pain so the great Trevenant wouldn't get angry:


- We don't have to do the dirty work this time, USE YOUR HEADS! The hunting season has begun, we Hellstalkers are the prey, and he is a Hellstalker... But we know he's a traitor, the Soldiers don't. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, at least as long as they don't serve as food to increase our power.... Ghuhuhu...huhuhu....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!