A vulgar title, for sure (I’ll change it if it’s too much) but one that I think is fitting for what this story will eventually become. there’s seriously something wrong with me. I already have one Pokémon story that I’ve done nothing with so far since posting the first chapter on here, and I’ve got ideas for both a Digimon crossover and a one-shot or two. This one is going to end up stupidly ambitious (and likely unfinished) but I decided I’d share the very beginnings, before we get to the Damnation part.
I’m taking some creative liberties, and the liberties are gonna be crazy just a bit later into the story, but let’s just see if this interests anyone, first!
“There ya go, all brushed up.”
Gloria set down the brush she had been using as her Cinderace, Hotshot, looked at himself in the mirror and gave her a thumbs up for her fur care efforts. Most people don’t realize just how much work goes into caring for a Pokémon when they get one. If she had to be honest, she was one of them. She had a great many Pokémon to her name, and each one required different forms of care. The furry ones needed brushed, the metal ones needed shined and polished, and they all liked different kinds of food. Caring for them was a hassle at times, but a hassle Gloria thoroughly enjoyed, especially on Sundays, specially dedicated for the purpose.
“All right, who’s next-“
She was cut off by a loud knock at her door, and her eyes lit up as she went to answer the door. “Bout time she showed up!”
Gloria opened the door and stopped short. Rather than the blue and pink Legendary Pokémon she expected, she was met with the blue and white uniform of none other than Postwick’s resident Officer Jenny.
“Uh, hello officer. What can I do ya for?”
The officer looked behind Gloria, into the house.
“You wouldn’t happen to know where Zacian is, do you?”
Gloria had to resist the urge to scowl at the officer.
“Sorry, Zacian’s not here right now. Even if she was, she doesn’t take autograph requests, even from officers. But she might be in a nice mood after her grooming today, if you’ll come back later-“
Officer Jenny pulled out a pair of handcuffs. “I’m not here for an autograph. I’m here because there’s been a robbery, and the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta are the primary suspects. You’re gonna need to come with me.”
—— At the Police Station ——
Hop stood up, putting grabbing the bars of his cell, as Gloria was escorted in by Officer Jenny. “Gloria, aw man, they got you too? Has Jenny told you anything? All I got was some nonsense about Zacian and Zamazenta being thieves!”
Gloria grunted angrily as she was uncuffed and put into the cell across from Hop. Jenny walked away without a word, ignoring Hop’s requests for more information, as well as his mandatory phone call. He gave up, turning to Gloria as she sat down on the bed in her cell. “Gloria, are you okay?”
She turned and looked at Hop. “About as fine as I could be, Grooming Day ruined and getting arrested. Zacian and Zamazenta, thieves? Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous? I mean, hello, they- we saved Galar! And now we’re being treated like common thieves?”
Hop sighed, sitting on his own bed. “Why do you think they’re keeping us here. Aren’t there supposed to be interrogations, or something?”
Gloria pointed to the camera above the door leading to the cells.
“They’re recording us. Probably waiting to see if we try to make up stories, which is what guilty people would do.”
Hop glared at the camera. “We don’t even know what was stolen! The worst thing is that they actually believe Zacian and Zamazenta stole something. They’d never! And especially not if we asked them to, like they seem to think we did.”
Gloria lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “I guess all we can do is wait. They’ll come for us sooner or later, and the less distressed we act, the more they’ll believe us when we say we’re innocent.”
— Later —
Gloria and Hop sat side by side, Officer Jenny staring at them intently from across the table. After what felt like hours of waiting, they finally seemed to decide that Hop and Gloria weren’t plotting anything in the cells and brought them both in to be interrogated at once.
“Do you know why you’re here?” Jenny began. The pair shook their heads.
“You said Zacian and Zamazenta were the prime suspects of a robbery, and since we’re their pals, you assumed we had something to do with it.” Gloria said. Hop nodded in agreement. Jenny sighed.
“Off the record, I don’t really believe you, or even the Legendaries did anything. But the facts are the facts, and my superiors are especially concerned, given what was stolen.” Noting the looks on the pair’s faces, she pulled out a folder and laid it in front of them. Opening it, she revealed a picture. Clearly depicted was Zacian and Zamazenta, in some sort of vault, approaching a pokeball on a pedestal. Gloria’s eyes widened.
“That’s not…”
“It is,” Jenny stated. “That’s the pokeball containing Eternatus. And it’s gone.”
Hop and Gloria were stunned.
“Surely it’s a fake! They’d never! That image has to be fudged! Or maybe it was a Ghost-type Pokémon, something using illusions! Or- or-“
Jenny cut Hop off with a wave of her hand, revealing another image.
“This is the vault door. It was built to keep even Pokémon out. But as you can see, it was sliced down the side, here, where the hinges were. Easily.”
Gloria paled. “Behemoth Blade.”
Jenny looked at Hop. “And this dent, here, was caused by something ramming the door at high speeds- enough to knock it to the floor after the hinges were cut off.”
Hop looked at the distinctly shield-shaped dent.
“Behemoth Bash.”
Gloria put her head in her hands.
“I can’t believe they’d do something like this. Those two are the most lawful Pokémon in this entire region, if not the world! And steal Eternatus? Why would they do that of all things?!”
Jenny closed the folder. “Well, they do hate Eternatus. Given how it clearly hasn’t been released, and no demands or ransoms have been made, they could be trying to hide it somewhere, or even try to destroy it and Eternatus in one go-“
“And that’s a bad thing, why?”
Before Jenny could respond, Hop, who had picked up the photos again, looked up and said:
“They’re in Crowned form!”
Gloria and Jenny looked at him. Hop pointed at the picture of the two Legends, as well as the dent in the vault door.
“Zacian and Zamazenta. They’re clearly in Crowned form in this picture and they only could’ve used Behemoth Blade and Bash in Crowned form, too!”
Gloria’s eyes widened in realization, but Jenny looked confused.
“What does that mean?”
Hop explained. “Zacian and Zamazenta have two forms. Their base forms, which we use in Trainer battles, and their stronger Crowned forms, where they actually use their Sword and Shield, and their Behemoth attacks. Thing is, they can’t use those forms without the Rusted Sword and Shield.”
Gloria nodded. “Hop’s right. They don’t like using their Crowned forms for everyday battles. We only ever use them when wild Dynamaxed Pokémon start causing trouble. When we’re not using them, we keep the Rusty Sword and Shield at the shrine in the Slumbering Weald.”
Hop nodded eagerly.
“There’s not been a Dynamax Pokemon problem in weeks! If they’re still at the shrine, any Dog Pokémon could easily tell if they’ve been used lately. If no one’s been at the shrine, they couldn’t possibly have done it!”
Jenny nodded in thought as Gloria grinned. “You’re a genius, Hop!”
Hop chuckled. “I do have my moments…”
Jenny smiled. “I’ll have the K-9 unit check it out. In the meantime-“
An officer stepped into the interrogation room.
“Sorry to interrupt ma’am, but your cousin’s on the line. Says the suspects were seen again at the scene of the crime.”
Hop and Gloria exchanged glances at one another.
To be continued…
…
…
…
”Is it done?”
”Yes. They performed most admirably. No one suspects a thing.”
”Bring it to me… Ah. Hello there… cousin.”