CHAPTER 16- Reencounter With Nadim


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The night in Argules was very cold and lonely, the climate of fear was still present and because of that there were not so many citizens walking the streets besides those who really depended on the night to have their sustenance. Nadim Druddigon walked accompanied by Luke Croconaw who walked in front of him with Aurora Ribombee inside the red scarf of the Water type, the Pokémon Dragon for not wearing his clothes which were torn by his outbreak Hellstalker managed to enter the city quietly, after all without them they had no way to recognize him and because he is accompanied by two villagers the gatekeepers saw no problem.
Druddigon felt ashamed and humiliated for having become a Hellstalker, he had lost almost two months of his life and had no memory of how he had been corrupted. When he lifted his head to see who it was, Nadim's eyes got soaked, it was his partner Nonato Dottler, who was wearing a pink outfit apparently covering everything about him except his feet and face, the Bug-type was running towards Druddigon with care because he was balancing a bag on his head.
Croconaw moves out of the way smiling, quickly Dottler throws himself into Nadim's arms knocking the bag off his head, Druddigon is happy but very apprehensive for fear of hurting his little partner with his embrace, however:

— It's okay Nadim, you can hug Nonato without fear, in these two months he and Aurora have sewn a lot of clothes for you to wear together when you are not on a mission.... — Luke picks up the bag from the floor and pulls out a huge pink sweater. — With this you can hug whoever you want, no one will ever suffer with your affection, what do you think?

Nadim thanks him and finally he can give Nonato a hug without fear, something that he wished for years, after the hug Druddigon put on the clothes made by the Pokémon Bug that fit well on the Dragon type. The four talked briefly right there on the deserted street, after all there was still a problem to be solved dealing with Nadim's reputation, tarnished by the fact that he had once been a Hellstalker, but before they could come to a conclusion, they all heard a shout:

— STOP IT!!! — Said Naz to Gabite as he landed on the ground.

The Pokémon look in the direction of Naz's shout, the Soldier was patrolling the town by jumping between the roofs of houses and climbing the buildings, she seemed to have suspected the four Pokémon talking there at night, however upon realizing that the Dottler present there was Nonato the Gabite quickly got into combat position. As if tempers weren't heated enough already, Naz had recognized Nadim and gave him a voice of arrest on the charge of being a Hellstalker, in fear the Druddigon stepped back a bit with his partner Dottler staying in front of him.

Seeing she was not obeyed, the Soldier shakes her gold bracelets with orange stripes, this movement promptly activates the rattles and the incense in the tips of the bands making a fight something imminent. Aurora comes out of Luke's scarf placing herself in front of the Soldier, the Gabite then comes out of her attack position shaking her arms to move away the Ribombee which was very close to her face, Aurora then tells the reasons for the Soldier not to attack even telling her the story invented by Croconaw.
Naz on the other hand remained unyielding ordering Ribombee to stop pestering, Luke remembering the interviews given by Rex Lucario at Time Flowers and his training with Akeldama, pleads for before starting the attack Gabite to use her soldier skills in order to identify the Matter Aura in Nadim. The three Pokémon there promised not to get in the way anymore in case Naz finds something suspicious, Naz annoyed and a little irritated look at the Pokémon present quickly, after taking a deep breath and calming down a little the Soldier nods in agreement with the terms.
Using her affinity with Ground-type, Soldier could detect the aura of the Pokémon around her, and for that she only needed to provoke short vibrations in the ground, so Gabite closes her eyes and then stomps quickly and strongly on the ground, the lay Pokémon did not understand the reason for her doing such a thing, and the vibration created by her was imperceptible to Pokémon without affinity with Ground-type. Naz then opens her eyes again in astonishment, the Soldier places her claws near her mouth covering it, directing her attention to Nadim asking him things like his name, and what he remembered.
Druddigon's answers to Gabite confirmed it was the same Pokémon in which Cody Charmeleon accused it of being a Hellstalker, it was something totally unexpected and new, Naz wasn't sure how to proceed, however, he kept his cool so as not to show weakness to those present there. Gabite takes out of a fanny pack her Gadget communicating with someone, suddenly a strong wind current is felt by everyone there:

— I came as fast as I could, what is the reason I used the emergency call? — said Lucario calmly, already very close to Naz.

The Soldier did not expect her boss to appear so immediately, startled and wondering how he had arrived so quickly, the wind felt earlier made it clear to the Croconaw of the red scarf that Rex used the Extreme Speed blow to arrive so fast, Naz pointed to the Druddigon justifying the reason for his call. Lucario's expression became more and more hostile as Gabite spoke, and before she finished her account, the Metal Pokémon, already out of patience, just covered her mouth with its paw to shut her up:

— NAZ, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU CALLED ME TO TELL SUCH NONSENSE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A HELLSTALKER TO RETURN TO HIS ORDINARY STATE. — Rex holds Naz's shoulder and pushes her behind him while looking angrily at Nadim. — AND I'LL PROVE IT! — Lucario closes one of his paws while hitting the other with an open palm.

Sensing the danger just by seeing the look of the Soldier, the Druddigon cringes with fear turning his back to the same still hugging his partner who was trying to calm him down, Luke and Aurora just watched everything without understanding the gravity of the situation. Rex then touches his white collar which shines intensely in blue color, that blue glow makes everyone close their eyes briefly, when they open, they realize Lucario using a large white armor in which covered him from head to waist completely, the Soldier then opens a paw while hitting a punch in it and says smiling sadistically:

— I rarely use the second power of my sacred item, however this is necessary, no need to worry.... — Rex then moves forward to punch Nadim. — I ONLY NEED ONE PUNCH TO REVEAL YOUR LIES, YOU FILTHY HELLSTALKER!

When faced with such injustice, Croconaw instinctively stands between Druddigon and the white-armored Lucario with his arms wide open and his eyes closed:

— STOOOOOP IT!!! — yelled Luke ready to receive the punch in Nadim's place.

But luckily for the Croconaw with the red scarf, Rex's fist stopped frighteningly close to his muzzle, suddenly Lucario's armor began to shake and then violently repelled the Soldier away from the Network, as Rex was dragged on the ground his armor disappeared giving way to his white collar. The Gabite then ran to the aid of his boss fallen with pain, Luke breathed breathless opening his eyes slowly not holding up standing falling sitting on the floor shocked by the occurrence, the Ribombee then flew quickly to the front of the Pokémon Water punching him lightly on the nose saying how stupid and reckless he was to do something stupid like that:

— Our items are created by Madame Xerneas, when used against someone other than Hellstalker, Beserker or against a defenseless being a safety mechanism is activated, this prevents us from attacking Network Pokémon or abusing our items. — States Naz to the Network while using the melody of his rattles to retrieve Lucario, saying that so they wouldn't be alarmed.

It doesn't take long for Lucario to regain consciousness; however, he was now much more enraged than before getting up in a careless manner even pushing Gabite in the process:

— FILTHY TOTODILE, HOW DARE YOU STAND IN FRONT OF ME! — babbled an angry Rex almost as if he were a Beseker.

The Soldier then goes quickly to the Croconaw in which remained sitting on the floor, before giving any chance for Luke to react, Rex at the height of his fury raises the Pokémon by its red scarf with enough force and violence to knock Aurora from the muzzle of the ally:

— TOTODILE SON OF A DITTO, YOU DARED TO STAND IN FRONT OF ME!? — shouts an enraged Lucario. — WANT SO MUCH TO TAKE A PUNCH?! — Rex then closes one of his paws forming a fist. — I MAKE SURE TO GIVE YOU ONE NOW!

The Pokémon then gives a roar approaching his fist of the face of Croconaw defenseless, but Cody arrives just in time holding the paw of the Pokémon metal intervening in that punch. The Charmeleon said nothing, standing above the Soldier flying with the aid of his blue cape, Rex then gives a brief growl and swings his paw pulling it out of Cody's grasp and then releases the red scarf dropping Croconaw to the ground:

— He really wasn't worth the effort.... — Said Lucario frustrated that he had not taken revenge for Luke's petulance.

The three Networkers there approached Croconaw asking about his well-being, however Luke was embarrassed by everything and Rex's words stirred him, the Pokémon seemed to be paralyzed on the ground. However, defying his boss once again, the Charmeleon landed and held out its claw for Croconaw to hold, Luke was redder than his fins and his scarf together trembling nervously he held Cody's claw in which pulls him gently:

— You just don't get tired of being in trouble, do you Luke? — Said the Charmeleon smiling teasingly as he lifted his friend, when Croconaw was already standing he dropped his hand gently.

With Rex's anger problem being temporarily resolved, both Cody and Naz were against using force against Druddigon as it could cause serious collateral damage in which no one but Lucario was willing to pay. Rex then irritated suggests that they send Nadim to Madame Xerneas, it was the most sensible idea after all Madame is the best Pokémon to know if someone is or not being controlled by Dark Matter, all the Soldier agree with the proposal almost without hesitation and having their reservations like sending a Delibird to accompany Druddigon through the orb for him to report everything to the Soldier boss.

— So, we are decided, Nadim will come with us to the castle to send him with a Delibird through the orb to Madame Xerneas, one way or another you will meet her. — Said Lucario imperatively looking at Druddigon, then he directs his attention to Croconaw. — The Totodile and his friend Combee didn't take a single credit for all this here, both of you shouldn't even be meddling in Soldier affairs, be thankful AND VERY THANKFUL, after all you'll only leave here with a warning, if I catch you two meddling again, you'll wish you'd been petrified by a Hellstalker!

Luke and Aurora just bow their heads to Rex, Lucario turns to both of them and then he signals with his hand for Druddigon to accompany him and Druddigon obeys without any protest. The Croconaw then takes a deep breath raising his head, he saw the three Soldier take his friend away with a certain peace in his chest for having finally saved Nadim's life, however unlike him the Ribombee seemed restless flying in circles:

— LUKE, LUKE, LUKE, HAVE YOU SEEN NONATO?! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE! — Affirmed Aurora worried, Luke just smiles and points to Druddigon's back, Ribombee turned seeing Dottler comfortable on his partner's back camouflaged with his cute outfit on his partner's pink sweater, she just gives a slight laugh waving to him next to Croconaw while inside she wished them both happiness.

Meanwhile, in the humble part of Argules, Mei Servine sipped tea brewed with Revival Herb leaves quietly while watching some program on Time Flower sitting on her bed relaxing in the darkness of her room. Suddenly, the Hellstalker notices through the light coming from the Time Flower a restless shadow hanging around her room:

— It is not polite to be spying on a female's room, come out at once. — Spoken Servine giving a slight sigh for having her moment of leisure interrupted, the shadow moves to the front of Mei from it slowly comes out a Shedinja with a mark of lipstick on his forehead, the Pokémon then asks with a somber tone typical of the species. — Was your mission to corrupt the royal advisor's son successful?

Mei rolls her eyes briefly, then states that she hasn't been successful in turning Croconaw into Hellstalker on account of him not only appearing to like how he's been living but also being too settled, all of which makes the link impossible since she would need strong negative emotions to do so or at least corner him. Shedinja's species showed emotions in a distinctive way, with that Servine didn't know if he had gotten angry at the failure or something, but that's when the Pokémon Ghost said:

— Trap him, we need as many allies as possible and one from inside the palace is extremely necessary, according to our intelligence besides being close to royalty is highly vulnerable. — The Shedinja after giving his order just leaves the room entering a shadow in which he disappears, Mei thinks a little shaking with her furry tessen.

Not being able to fail anymore she understood that she would need a well-made plan, it would have to be something accurate in which she would break Luke enough to make a link, the Servine gives a sadistic smile while licking her lips. The mission that seemed very easy became even more interesting, Mei excitedly would prepare everything in the intention of making her big show come to life, the dramatic story of the poor most underrated Pokémon in the palace being the one that would bring ruin to an entire kingdom.