This fan fiction is rated M for blood, gore, dismemberment, strong language, and suggestive themes. If you do not like the listed then do not read, I do not own Pokémon or associated Medias.
***

He who was trapped

Vix held onto her trainer’s arm as they slowly returned to their hotel. Her throat was sore and her newly evolved body was racked with fatigue.

“How are you feeling?” Anthony worried.

“Tired, I had to dig deep to evolve,” the Delphox replied.

“And your throat?” her trainer paused. Vix took a moment to think before she replied.

“It hurts, but I know it is nowhere as bad as what the Malamar did,” she finally answered.

“I guess we’re pretty lucky I didn’t have one of my ice-axes with me,” the teen shrugged. Anthony suddenly felt the weight of his starter press into him.

“Whoa Vix, I’m sorry I…” he paused when the Delphox collapsed into his chest. “Okay easy, there’s a bench just over there…”

“I-I’m alright, just coming down from adrenaline,” the fire type panted.

“Alright, we’re almost to the hotel,” the trainer cooed as he cradled the Delphox in his arms.

“I didn’t want to evolve like this, I wanted to wait until you were…”

“Older,” Anthony finished. “Don’t worry about it, okay? You get the bed while I set up on the floor with my sleeping bag.”

“No you get the bed and I’ll sleep on the floor,” the fire type protested.

“Vix, I don’t think you’re in much shape to protest.” The teen sighed as he entered the lobby to the hotel. Anthony stopped when he saw Blair waiting in the lobby with a worried look upon her face.

~Ah good, you two are alright,~ she sighed once she caught sight of them.

“Yeah, more or less,” Vix chuckled.

“I guess Vix and I need to speak with you,” Anthony said when he noticed the suspicions look from the Meowstic.

~ Yes you do, but first we need to get out of Geosenge,~ the psychic type huffed.

“Where’s Tony and Dillon?” the teen asked as Blair led the way to the elevator.

~ They are already out the east side exit of Geosenge.~

“I just need to pack my bag and get my team…”

~ Already done, Mary and her Alakazam Jugo are waiting for us. If the breeders are watching the hotel they will think we are setting out in the morning,~ she explained as she pressed the button for the third floor. As the Elevator lurched upwards Anthony and Vix took the time to explain the events that led to the Delphox’s evolution.

~ That is very troubling,~ she said with a shake of her head. ~Once we get to Shalour city you are getting those scratches looked at by a professional doctor.~

“Should we still be worried about Fay?” Anthony asked worried.

“No,” Vix answered. “Our battle was less about winning or losing, but about dominance. I basically established that I was the… Alpha Bitch and said that you were my mate.”

~Have you two mated?~ the cat turned as they neared Anthony’s hotel room.

“No,” the trainer sighed. “But not out of the lack of temptation.”

“We are planning on sleeping separately,” Vix added.

“Wow, she talks….” a stout female ranger balked in a thick southern accent when Anthony entered the room with Blair and Vix.

“Of course I talk,” the Delphox deadpanned.

“Sorry, not use to hearing a mon’ speakin’ English,” the human laughed. “Anyway Anthony, I got your stuff packed and ready.”

“Why are we leaving so suddenly?” the trainer asked as he let the Delphox stand in the doorway.

“We’ve been getting chatter that the Breeders are stirred up somethin’ fierce and they’re raising a holy ruckus just south of here,” Mary explained as she handed over the teen’s pack and a new belt with his team clicked into a quick release mechanism. “So it’s sure ain’t safe for you here anymore.”

“Why?” Anthony asked as he accepted the belt.

“Well rumor has it that they caught up to your doppelganger and beat ‘em till he talked. Well now we got word that they sent one of their best hunters here to do you in but then he went dark and now the BBB are blaming us rangers for doing him in,” she continued. “Now we are abandoning the old plan and we are gonna stick ya in Shalour city while we try and take out their leaders and break up this gang.”

“How long will it take, and why are we abandoning the old plan?” Anthony worried.

“Cause the triple B can’t get close. You see both Korrina and her teacher are both aura users and they can sniff out a BBB agent a mile away. It also helps that the Tower of Mastery is practically a fort,” The ranger further explained. “Unfortunately there is no tellin’ how long it will take to bust up this gang but I fear it might get a tad bloody before it’s over. Now I think I’ve gabbed enough, so you go ahead n’ shut that door and stand by me and Jugo.”

Vix stepped out of the doorway and closed the door behind her as her trainer strung the new belt about his waist. Unfortunately the fire type failed to notice one her roomy ear tufts get caught in the door jamb, causing her to give a sharp yip in surprise.

“Ow, ow, ow,” she whimpered as she tried to pull the thick fur free. Blair quickly opened the door to free the Delphox from the embarrassing situation.

“I think we should get those trimmed,” Anthony offered.

“Yeah…” Vix answered teary-eyed.

~We can get them trimmed after we get to Shalour city,~ the Meowstic conveyed.

“Right, everyone ready?” Mary concluded as the trainer and the two Pokémon gathered around her.

“Yeah,” Anthony nodded.

“Good, Jugo could you be a dear and teleport us to Tony?” the female ranger summoned an old Alakazam. The psychic type clicked his spoons together and in a brief second the group was displaced from the hotel room to a darkened road next to Tony in his red leather coat.

“Woah, that was weird,” the trainer staggered from the stark change of environment.

“Try it when you are blind,” Vix groaned.

“Hmf,” the Alakazam huffed when the Delphox spoke English.

“You hush up now Jugo, you know she had to learn English while Anthony recovered,” his trainer chastised.

“Anthony… Vix?” Tony balked. “Vix evolved!”

“Yeah, it’s kind of a long story,” the teen laughed as he scooped the fire type back up.

“What’s wrong, can’t you put her in her ball?”

“Can’t with as weak as she is now, it’ll lock her into stasis. And I used up my revives training against you,” Anthony shrugged.

“Fine, let’s just get moving,” the ranger huffed. Tony and Mary led the way towards Reflection Cave while Anthony and Dillon struggled to maintain the brisk pace.

“I can sense them back in Geosenge,” Vix announced. “They’re splitting up, four trainers going south and four trainers going east.”

“Wow, before you had a pretty limited range on your telepathy,” Anthony observed.

“I’m a true psychic type now, if I wanted to I could probably stretch my mind to um… what city is your uncle from?” the Delphox asked.

“Anyway we were about a mile out when Mary teleported to us,” Tony interrupted.

“Jugo?” the female trainer turned.

“Alakazam,” the psychic type answered.

“Ah good, we’re under the illusion of the ranger’s Zoroark corps. We can slow down now,” The stout woman supplied.

“Illusion?” Anthony paled.

“Sure, on occasion Rangers ‘ave encountered Zoroarks disguisin’ themselves as humans,” she placated.

“And some even become Rangers,” Tony finished.

“I, I had no idea,” Anthony laughed nervously.

~Psychic types like myself or Jugo can easily pick them out, and those that are discovered and join the ranger corps are assigned to espionage or for a more relevant application of throwing off pursuers, ~ Blair added.

“Ala,” Jugo spoke as he pointed one of his spoons to the lone figure on the road. As the party of trainers neared the figure it became clear that it was a large Gourgeist.

“Blossom?” Anthony recognized.

“I know you are there,” the ghost spoke as if she was aware of the presence of the group.

“Ah have a Gourgeist on the road dat is aware of dah illusion, but she ain’t no threat. Go ahead n’ let her in,” Mary announced into her radio. Seconds later the Gourgeist seemed much more acutely aware of the Rangers and their trainer charges.

“The cave is not far,” Blossom announced. “And I know of a place within the cave that would be safe from the Breeders’ prying eyes. It would be wise to bed down there for the rest of the night.”

Tony was about to give a retort when his Meowstic cut him off.

~It would be wise to follow her advice,~ she conveyed. The ranger turned a harsh gaze to the cat but she merely dismissed it with a quick gesture towards Anthony who lagged behind with Vix still cradled in his arms.

~We can’t make it through the cave in one night Tony, not with Anthony and Vix in the state they are in.~

“You’re right,” he sighed. “Blossom, I am assuming you will lead us to this refuge inside the cave?”

“Of course,” the Gourgeist grinned. “This way.”

The ghost led the group around the main entrance to Reflection Cave until they came to an unassuming patch of smooth rock.

“You sure this ain’t a joke?” Mary questioned when their ghostly guide gestured to the wall.

“No jokes, this is an entrance…”

“An entrance that only a ghost can use,” Anthony finished.

“Exactly, I can pass along my ability to become incorporeal, but alas it only effects your physical body,” Blossom beamed.

“Wait, does that mean?” Dillon balked.

“Yes, you all will have to leave your clothes and gear behind,” the ghost almost gleefully announced. “But do not worry, the Carbink and Mr. Mime will ferry them to the sanctuary.”

“Anthony, Dillon, you two are going in first,” Tony commanded. “And Blair, I want you to go with them as well.”

~Be careful Tony,~ the Meowstic transmitted.

“Relax, I got Denryu with me,” the ranger placated as he summoned his Ampharos.

“Meowstic,” Blair spoke in her natural tongue before she took the two trainers to a patch of bushes.

“Ditto,” Her mate replied as she stepped out of sight.

“You’ll have to help me through Vix,” Anthony sighed as he stepped away from the ginger trainer to strip in private.

“I know, only one leg and all that,” The Delphox cooed. “But I don’t think I’ll be much help in covering your injuries, being that I’m still flat chested.”

~I will take care of that,~ Blair informed.

“How?” the teen asked as he stuffed his jacket into his bag.

~While I am nowhere near the skill of a Zoroark in casting illusions, I can make a believable one for one, maybe two people,~ the cat explained.

“And while I might not be too comfortable being next to a naked Dillon, I can if I have to,” Vix added.

“Okay,” the young trainer swallowed. “Um, don’t look okay?”

“I’m blind, can’t see anything,” the Delphox chuckled.

~And I doubt it’s much different from Tony’s,~ Blair huffed as the teen removed his pants and underwear.

“Anthony, are you ready?” Blossom asked.

“Y,yeah,” the youth stammered as his nude body was assaulted by the brisk night air.

“Okay, you and Vix are first,” The ghost whispered. Vix helped her trainer to his feet and to the smooth stone wall.

“You’re warm,” The teen gushed as the Gourgeist entangled them in her ethereal hair. Both trainer and Pokémon felt a bizarre hollow feeling as the animated hair left them.

“I-is this how a ghost feels?” the Delphox asked.

“Yes,” Blossom sighed. “Now go ahead and go through.”

Anthony gingerly touched the solid rock face only to have his fingers glide through like it was nothing more than thick water. When the teen pressed his hand farther into the wall a mysterious force seemed to grab him.

“Gah!” he gasped when the force gave a firm tug on his wrist.

“Relax, it’s just Helen helping you through,” Blossom placated.

“She’s communicating with me Anthony, and she’s telling us to hold our breath,” Vix conveyed as she placed her paw through the surface of the stone wall. The trainer could sense the unease in his Delphox’s voice as she spoke. They both took a deep breath before they allowed the ghost on the other side to pull them through the wall. The pair was deposited on a muddy cave floor before a very old Mismagius.

“Phew, you youngsters aren’t light,” she chuckled with a warm smile. “I suppose I need to introduce myself, my name is Helen.”

“M-my name is Anthony O’kai,” the teen stammered as he clung tightly to his starter.

“Anthony O’kai… it was a sad thing what happened that terrible day,” the ghost spoke solemnly.

“You know what happened?”

“I knew your mother, Anthony… oh excuse me you must be cold,” the Mismagius gasped when she noticed the young trainer was shivering on the cold muddy ground. “Here, this used to belong to an old and very good friend of mine.”

The teen felt a large white duster draped over him and his Delphox.

“Thank you, but you said you knew my mother?” Anthony asked as he stood with the aid of Vix.

“Yes, she visited me often before that day, ever since Arthur vanished,” the ghost recounted as she led the pair to a dimly lit room filled with roughhewn crystal furniture.

“What happened to him?” the trainer questioned.

“I don’t know, but he and nearly his entire team just vanished after a trip to Liberty garden,” she shrugged.

“Family rumor is that he was killed,” Anthony added.

“Who was Arthur?” Vix asked.

“He was my mother’s half-brother and held the title of the Unova Champion for about two years, but then he just gave up the title and vanished into obscurity,” the teen explained.

“Oh man that was weird!” Dillon exclaimed he stepped into the living room-like cave. Anthony turned to see that his rival had found the pile of clothing and dressed himself with an old dirty table cloth.

~Tony and Mary will be joining us soon,~ Blair conveyed as she entered with Dillon.

“Good, I will go assist them through,” Helen nodded before she gestured to the table-like crystal that held crystalline cups filled with a steaming liquid. “Feel free to help yourselves to some tea.”

The small group waited for the Mismagius to leave before they sat down before the tea cups.

“So, how did your talk with Pepper go?” the teen idly asked before he took a careful sip of the hot liquid.

“Not too terrible, Pepper can be a bit headstrong, but I think we came to a bit of an understanding,” the ginger shrugged. “But I know that we are far from being friends.”

“That is understandable, it’s hard for people to see you’ve turned over a new leaf,” Anthony enlightened. Before Dillon could reply a commotion broke out at where they entered in at the cave.

“Damn it ghost! Let me go!” they heard Mary scream. “I ‘ave to go back n help Tony out!”

Anthony managed to hop back to the hallway with surprising agility to see the female ranger fighting against the Gourgeist.

“Relax, Jugo is with him, but he needs you here to teleport!” Blossom tried. Seconds later a soft pop sounded in the tunnel as Tony, a mega-evolved Denryu and the Alakazam appeared next to the ranger and ghost.

“Shit!” Tony cursed, “How did they find us so fast?”

“Ampharos,” the electric dragon sighed as it nursed a badly burned flipper.

“Is everyone alright?” Helen asked.

“Mostly,” Tony shrugged as he brandished a burned hand and arm. “They were aiming for me with those flamethrowers. Denryu managed to intercept most of them but one managed to wing us as Jugo teleported us out.”

“Did they see where Mary entered in at?” the Mismagius worried.

“No, I led them away before Mary went through,” he answered. “They seemed to be using a Lucario to see through the illusion.”

“I know how to jam their aura sense, but you will have to stay here until they move on,” the ghost added.

“Alright, we’ll bunker down here, but if we get a chance we are making a break for Shalour City,” Tony sighed as he applied a salve to his burns.

“Meowstic,” Blair huffed as she stepped to her trainer’s side.

“I’m alright Blair, I’ve gotten worse on that Houndoom fight bust,” he placated.

~I’m tired, and I think we should turn in,~ she transmitted.

“Yeah,” Tony agreed.

“First I would like to see if Helen can help my Honedge,” Anthony announced.

“I will see what I can do,” the Mismagius sighed before turning to a Carbink that watched from afar. “Malachite, could you take the rangers to their rooms, and bring me this Trainer’s Pokémon?”

“Carbink,” the fairy bowed before it led the two rangers away.

“What was the commotion?” Vix asked as she slowly followed the wall with her paw.

“Oh Vix! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you behind!” Anthony exclaimed. The Delphox carefully picked her way to her trainer and took his hand in her paw.

“It’s okay, it was just unnerving to be left in an unfamiliar place without my cane and no energy to summon up an Extrasensory,” she chuckled.

“I am still sorry, I shouldn’t…”

“Achem, I am sure you two are deeply in love but I must take care of the aura sealing, so if we can hurry up with seeing to your Honedge,” Helen interrupted.

“Sorry,” Anthony gulped as the elder ghost led him and his starter down a separate corridor.

“Now, while Malachite is retrieving your Pokémon, what can you tell me about your Honedge’s ailment?” the Mismagius asked.

“Um…” the teen swallowed as he tried to fight back the terrible memories that still haunted him.

“He’s haunted by a fragment of a Malamar,” Vix supplied.

“I see, and what does this fragment call itself?”

“Malice,” the Delphox answered.

“Heh, well this Malice certainly made it easy to identify what it is. Is the original Malamar still alive?” Helen turned.

“No, I killed it,” the fire type sighed.

“I think I know how to… remove it,” the ghost smiled as a Carbink arrived with Anthony’s new belt. “If you could retrieve your Honedge’s ball, I would like to meet this Malice for myself.”

The trainer took his belt from the fairy type and passed Amidamaru’s pokeball to the ancient Mismagius. Helen pressed the release button on the face of the pokeball and her grin only widened as she watched the trembling Amaru materialize.

“Can you help him?” Anthony asked.

“What is it that you are afraid of Vix?” the Mismagius turned, ignoring what the trainer asked.

“Water, I can’t swim,” the Delphox gulped.

“And you Anthony?”

“Losing my loved ones, but how does that help Amaru?” the teen puzzled.

“Heh, my dear boy I am a Mismagius, I feed on fear and what plagues your Honedge is not Malice but Cowardice—the Malamar’s fear of death,” Helen laughed. “And with as much fear as I sense now it would be a waste to simply consume it all at once.”

The ghost turned Amaru’s eye-like jewel towards a crystal mirror as her ethereal claws began stroking the Honedge’s tassel.

“Greetings Amaru, my name is Helen,” she said in a sing-song voice. “You can relax, you have nothing to fear.”

The smaller ghost gave a sharp click of protest between its shudders.

“You can trust me Amidamaru, just relax and release your burden,” the elder soothed. Slowly Amaru’s tassel began to unwind from his scabbard and his single eye opened. Light filled the mirror and began to spill onto the Honedge and Mismagius behind him. The steel type fought the urge to evolve but the elder ghost soothed his soldier-like spirit with a familiar yet unknown song.

“Courage,” Amaru heard with in his being as he felt his body change. The light receded and Amaru could see that his body had changed into a form he recognized as a Doublade.

“Malice is gone?” he clicked.

“I trapped him in the mirror, he can no longer hurt anyone,” Helen smiled as she gestured to a tiny Inkay huddled in the corner of the reflective crystal.

“Amaru?” Anthony breathed as he crept closer to the Doublade. The Pokémon turned and recognized its trainer and Delphox helping him stand. The ghost clicked one of its blades in reply.

“You’ve missed much, Amidamaru, I can fill you when we join the others,” Vix sighed.

“Now that that is done, I will leave you three in Malachite’s care while I go and see to the aura sealing,” Helen explained as she gestured to the Carbink that originally held Anthony’s belt. The tiny fairy led the trainer to a large cave partitioned into several rooms.

“Ah, you’re back…” Tony paused when he saw the teen’s newly evolved Doublade. “Is, is he safe?”

“Yes,” Anthony nodded adamantly.

“Alright, but I don’t want you using him in any battles until he gets a proper evaluation,” the ranger informed.

“Fine,” Anthony huffed. “So, which one’s mine?”

“You and I are going to share that one, and we need to have a bit of a discussion,” Tony spoke as he pointed to the farthest room. The teen turned to see that his pack and clothing were already next to the ranger’s tent.

“We’re not sharing a tent.” The young trainer stated.

“No, but I need speak with you in private and my tent is better for that,” Tony placated. Anthony’s heart started hammering as the ranger led the way into his tent.

~Anthony relax, it might be something related to what Blair said about dropping his papers,~ Vix conveyed. The Delphox helped her trainer through the entrance way of Tony’s tent before settling down next to him. Tony took his seat across from Anthony with Blair and started to tend to his burned hand.

“So,” he started. “How’s your chest?”

The teen remained silent as he tried to think of a reasonable excuse.

“Anthony, does this have something to do with April being a Zoroark?” the ranger continued. The trainer flinched when he heard Fay’s name for her human disguise.

“Y-yes,” he stuttered.

“I see,” Tony sighed. “Look you don’t have to tell me the details, but tell me this, is she right now dangerous to you or anyone here?”

“No,” Vix answered. “In a pack mentality she is shunned from… our pack, she won’t follow.”

“Okay,” the ranger sighed again. “Okay, may I see the scratches? I’ve been in enough scrapes to know how to treat injuries like this.”

Anthony swallowed as he turned to his starter.

“It’s okay Anthony, it’s for the best,” she spoke.

“You… you told him?” he balked.

“They’re infected again Anthony, I can smell it,” Vix cooed. The teen swallowed once again before he unwrapped the oversized duster and exposed the three long gashes on his chest.

“Geez, I wish you told me about these sooner,” Tony grimaced. “Alright, lay back.”

The teen held the coat close to his waist as he laid on his back. The ranger finished wrapping up his burned hand and started to carefully probe the inflamed wound.

“How did you take care of the infection before?” he asked.

“L-Lucy took care of it w-with aromatherapy,” Anthony stuttered as the ranger started to clean the painful wound.

“Well it’s not the worst I’ve seen, but it will need stitches,” the ranger spoke. “Blair if you could, you’re far more skilled at setting stitches than I am.”

~Not to mention that your right hand is injured,~ the cat huffed. Anthony felt Vix’s paw grasp his hand as the Meowstic set to work with a sterilized needle and thread held aloft by her Telekinisis.
***

A man hurried down a dark alley way in Lumiose city. He carried with him a heavy briefcase filled with a party’s worth of black pokeballs. The BBB agent rounded a corner and stepped into a small café. The clerk looked up from the counter to size up the haggled man but his gaze was drawn to the transparent case the agent carried.

“Standby,” the clerk spoke as he slowly stepped down the counter and pressed a hidden button. Slowly the old china cabinet rattled to the side and revealed a hidden stair case. The presumed currier stepped through the doorway and the false cabinet slid back over the entrance. The man pulled a loose cloth over his nose and mouth to ward off the stench of the kennels that housed thousands of Pokémon listed as product for the BBB. He crossed the way to the far side of the crated Pokémon to the genetics lab. The man removed the cloth from his face and put in a pair of ear plugs to ward off the screams that emanated from a few of the cages. Once the agent reached the elevator he breathed a sigh of relief as the doors closed as he removed the ear plugs.

The elevator descended to the lowest level of the abandoned Flare base where the currier stepped into a large office.

“Sir, I managed to retrieve David’s team. Only one loss of product,” the agent announced.

“What was the loss?” a voice spoke from the turned office chair.

“Weavile female, designated Scythe nine-thirteen. Its euthanasia capsule was activated, but I went ahead and reversed the kill command from the rest of David’s team.”

“Good, David had good product with him,” the man in the chair spoke coldly. “How did David die?”

“His throat was torn out, looked like a large Vulpine, possibly Zoroark, from the claw marks,” the agent answered.

“I see, probably a mate to the Zoroark we captured that posed as Anthony,” the leader mused.

“Sir, if I may, why are we going after this trainer?”

“Because, I believe this trainer was once a younger me, and I hope to end his naivety before his team fails him,” the Elite trainer spoke.

“Sir?”

“I fought against Team Flare once, and watched as my team fell one by one to their Pokémon and I was powerless to stop them,” he explained. “As my team lay broken at my feet I realized that they were not perfect, they failed because they were not the strongest and so I began searching for a means to obtain the strongest Pokémon possible.”

“And that was how you came across the Black Ball Breeders?”

“Indeed. They had the resources I needed and they needed a leader to steer them in the right direction, but just before I could exact my revenge I got word that Team Flare was defeated and Lysandre had died. My glory was stolen by a young trainer who coddled and loved his Pokémon, and in a fit of rage I challenged this trainer. I watched that damn Ampharos and Chesnaught sweep through nearly my entire team until I was left with a Gourgeist, so I ordered it to self-destruct and not to hold anything back. Heh, the stupid Chesnaught grabbed the ghost and tucked it into itself while the Ampharos grabbed its trainer to protect him. He wanted to get me arrested but I simply stated that I used a valid tactic in the league guidelines, and I walked away.” The man gloated. “But now I see this trainer passing on his sentimental knowledge to this child and I seek to correct him. Pokémon are not friends, they are simply tools.”
***

“How are you feeling Anthony?” Vix asked as she crawled into her trainer’s tent.

“Better, the stitches don’t hurt anymore, just itch,” he sighed as he lay on his sleeping bag. “What about you?”

“Still tired, but I am starting to recover from that battle,” The Delphox cooed as she joined the teen on the sleeping bag. Her paw rested on the fresh bandages that wrapped around Anthony’s chest. The pair just laid there as they listened to the sounds of the crystal cave around them and soon they drifted off to sleep.
***

Well now that went on longer than I expected, sorry for my hiatus but for those of you paying attention to my journals I had my reasons for taking so long. Anyway I hoped you all enjoyed the new chapter

Your ever crazy and recovering

Kolofox