Dungeon 48 – Vendetta
by NavarAt the insistence of Scar, Percival had taken time from his now busy schedule to arrange another meeting with the locals. In the words of his mentor, “show them that our new ruler is a benevolent one”.
Percival rose from his now king-sized bed and took a quick glance at his bedroom. The place was larger than what he was used to, and the very air around him smelled regal, noble. The large glassy windows gave him a view of the kingdom he was ruling over. Before he could think more, someone knocked.
“Your majesty, we have your cape and suit ready,” a voice from behind the door said. Percival recognized it as Vulcan’s. What a joy.
King or not, talking with others was still very much a challenge for him, even with the experience he acquired on the journey to get to the point he currently was. Truthfully, he hated it, but it came with the job.
“I’m on my way.” Percival said. Before his day could begin, he decided to do a few stretches, to work up those muscles. Vulcan could wait. Besides, what could he complain about? Percival was the king now.
To start things off, the Lucario laid on his stomach and placed his hands flat beneath his shoulders. Percival stretched, getting more comfortable the more he did it, and after about twenty seconds, he stopped, slowly standing up.
Here goes nothing… with a long sigh, he walked to the door and opened, soon getting out of the way so Vulcan could get inside.
The dragon put down pieces of armor on a table nearby and then showed Percival a large, black cape. Vulcan looked at the king and smiled. “Good morning. Seems like it’ll be a long day ahead. Are you sure you’re ready?”
Percival picked the clothing, putting them on as he answered. “A little too late for that question, hm? We can’t back away from this now.”
“That much is true. But there is nothing wrong with asking, eh?” Vulcan hummed. He then looked at Percival’s head, a bit confused. “You don’t seem to have your crown on.”
“I just woke up. I’ll put it on before we go,” he replied, adjusting the cape on his back.
Vulcan nodded in reply, folding his arms on his back. “Very well. Shall I tell you the schedule for today?”
What came after this was a small chuckle from Percival, followed by a snap of fingers. “First, talk with the royal guard. Now that I am in charge, I would like to see how my knights are. Then, handle the Chewtle situation. After this, we will try to contact other towns in the continent, as a way of gathering allies.”
“Well done, my lord,” Vulcan got on his knees, bowing down to the Lucario. “I am sure this town will be safe with you in charge.”
Getting his ego stroked never felt so good . “Of course. Now… let us properly begin the day.”
Right at the entrance to the town, a serpentine Pokémon slinked in. With pristine green scales that shone in the light of the sun, she slithered around, hissing out every so often.
Her body crawled across the grassy floor, and her tail swished. Her small arms barely moved, and she only looked forward, almost as if she was eager to finally arrive in town.
The Serperior stopped in front of two Fraxure guards, who pointed spears at her. She blinked, ready to pounce, but had enough restraint to prevent herself from doing that.
“Can’t a lady visit her family in peace?” Serperior asked, hissing at the two dragons.
“Sorry, ma’am.” One of them replied. He looked disoriented, and was checking out the snake from top to bottom. His eyes sparkled, imagining many things to do if he was able. The dragon was in his own reality, and if not for his fellow guard punching his arm, he would’ve stayed like that. “H-Hey!”
“You did that to yourself dude. Anyway… yeah, we’re just not used to having visitors,” the other one said, looking at the snake. “Maybe it’s because of the new king, he’s trying to open the border…”
“I don’t care about the king. I just want to visit my nana,” she rolled her eyes. “Can I go in now?”
She noticed that the staring hadn’t stopped, that the Fraxure still set his sights on her. Being objectified like that was disgusting, and oh , how she wanted to maim him on the spot. Except doing it would raise suspicions for her, something she clearly didn’t want.
The Fraxure on her left stepped closer. “Hold on, ma’am. Let’s not get too hasty. You’re really pretty, y’know? So why not slow down and let me take you for a ride, eh?”
“No, thanks.” Serperior deadpanned. If only she could cross her stubby arms…
His companion chuckled. “You just got friendzoned, dude. Just let her in. You’ll get a mate sometime.”
Already sick and tired of that nonsense, Serperior crawled inside the town, leaving the two idiots behind. As she entered, she looked up, seeing the castle in the distance.
I see. So that’s where he is now. After all these years… I’ve finally found him!
A wicked smile spread across the snake’s face as she stuck out her tongue, snarling. Venom dropped from her snout into the ground, and she sighed. Serperior gritted her teeth, unable to take her eyes off the castle.
Well, I can’t keep him waiting, can I? Time to see what you’re made of, king .
Serperior continued to crawl, her rage bubbling inside like hot water. She wasn’t letting this chance slip by, not at all. Even if it were the last thing she’d do, she was getting the answers she so desperately sought.
After all, it’s not for me. It’s for you… sis. You deserve closure. I do too. This is my, no… our chance to get it. And I don’t plan to fail.
To properly start his day, Percival had planned a robust breakfast for himself and his allies, and now stood in the dining room, ready to begin. To have a meal fit for a king, as a certain Zoroark would say, if he was there.
Joining him were Scar and Lilith, who positioned themselves on the large table, while Percival stood up with his head up high. Things were going fine, and he felt like the day was going to be a good one.
“Very well. Let’s begin this, shall we?” Percival snapped his fingers and in a second a bunch of Fraxure entered the area, holding silver plates. The Lucario then extended both of his arms, like he tried to hold on to his two teammates there. Scar looked at him and nodded in silence, while Lilith waved at him.
“Greetings, my loyal subjects. I hope the breakfast I present to you is enjoyable, and I have requested that my chefs prepare the best their abilities can provide.”
Lilith clapped her hands and giggled, managing a snort. “That seems too dramatic, even for you, Percy!”
He instantly sat down, crossing his arms and blushing. “Shut it. I was trying to act. Let’s just eat.”
“While I think the gesture was entertaining, perhaps it would be wiser to only do it when you’re talking with the citizens.” Scar pointed out.
Percival didn’t reply, waiting for the waiters to put their plates. After another snap, the Fraxure approached the three, putting down the platers and opening them to reveal their contents.
Turns out they had exceeded Percival’s expectations, as each of the plates contained a different dish. For Percival, a big pancake was present, topped with chocolate sauce. He smelled the aroma and stopped himself from licking his lips, though opted to eat with the utensils.
For Lilith, she received a slice of pie. From the sweet scent it had, she assumed it was made from apples. Nonetheless, she took a piece out, munching on it. As for Scar, his meal was nothing more than a sandwich and juice. A very simple dish, but the bread was crunchy enough for him to enjoy, and the meat inside was well done. Overall, a pleasant experience for him.
“How are you finding your breakfast?” The king asked, using a napkin to rub off some of the chocolate on his snout. He eagerly waited to hear their opinions.
“Not gonna lie…” Lilith looked at the canine with a smile, showing her teeth that were now colored blue. “Love it. Please do this more often!”
“Delightful,” Scar motioned to a passerby Frazure, who gave him a cup containing smoking hot tea. “Hm, perhaps I should have done this sooner. Alas, the conditions were not met…”
Percival tilted his head. “Do what?”
…Ah, I was careless, Scar sipped from his tea. “I had never tried this type of tea before. That was what I meant.”
It was for only a moment, but Percival had sensed something… odd about Scar’s aura. He tried focusing on it more, but it faded as quick as it came. How weird. The Marowak’s aura was generally calm and collected, but Percival felt a spike in it, like Scar was trying to hide something.
“I don’t know about y’all, but I’m stuffed!” Lilith said, pushing the plate away from herself. “Gonna read a few books, don’t interrupt me!”
“Halt,” Scar interrupted, sipping more of the tea. “There is a matter I wish to discuss with the two of you. Do not worry, Percival. It should not take too long.”
The trio walked across one of the castle’s halls, followed by two guards who, by Percival’s orders, stood away from his teammates, so they could talk in private(or as private as a king could be).
“Let me begin by talking about one thing you possess that will further my goal.” Scar stopped as he looked at Percival. His usual neutral expression was no more, and he almost seemed to smile.
“See that stone on your crown?” Lilith asked. She opened her purse and took out a notebook, opening right away and showing a page containing a crystal just like the one on his crown.
“What’s so important about it?” The king tilted his head. “…Is this about your so-called Lord? Because… honestly, I’m not really interested in him.”
“I am aware,” Scar said. “I never intended to convert you to our ways, but we have helped each other achieve our goals. You have a town to rule, to spread your justice to.”
“And you have helped me. It’s been a while since I had any nightmares,” he replied, smiling. “…If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that maybe I can hope to settle down one day.”
Scar mused. “Settle down, perhaps start a family of your own? Have you thought about children?”
“…Not really, no.” Percival whined. And besides, I’m not really boyfriend material.
“I see. Anyhow, I must discuss something now. It is related to my Lord, yes. We need your help.”
Every word of what he said was right. Percival didn’t even try denying that, and he didn’t want to. Part of the deal he made months ago was to help them as well, that wasn’t up for debate.
“Of course. What about the jewel?”
Lilith tapped the notebook. Scar took a step forward, standing next to her, while Percival stared at the page. It was undoubtedly the same crystal.
“This is called Darkinium-Z.” Lilith explained, shoving the notebook back on her purse. “A very ancient weapon, used to seal Necrozma away. It contains massive amounts of energy, I’m sure you can tell.”
Percival blinked. He had noticed how charged the thing was, even when it rested on his crown. So it was that powerful?
“We require two more of these crystals.” Scar stated. “They are the Ghostium-Z and the Buginium-Z.”
“Hm,” he couldn’t help but theorize something related to the names of the jewels. They all seemed to be themed after Pokémon types. Curious. “I see. Of course I’ll help. You can take my jewel, I don’t really want it.”
“Nope!” Lilith shrugged. “That thing’s insanely powerful. It’s contained on your crown, but if someone were to hold it without any protection…”
“They would surely lose their mind.” Scar finished. “Which is why you should hold on to it for now, while Miss Lilith searches for the other crystals. Is that alright?”
“…Of course.”
The snake continued on her path, walking across the streets and following the sight of the castle. While she wanted nothing more than to get inside, she felt like hearing what the town thought of the “king” would help her.
First, she looked to the side and eavesdropped on a conversation between a Druddigon and a Dragapult.
“I wasn’t sure at first, but seems like the Lucario has got it figured out!” Dragapult said, giving off a smug grin.
“Something ain’t right about it,” Druddigon replied with a huff. “Can’t believe they did that to our king… I’m not accepting that mutt anytime soon!”
The two dragons locked eyes with one another before moving on with their conversation.
Druddigon huffed. “I knew the king, the real king had made a mistake when he started talking with that religious lunatic…”
“But look, I actually have money to feed my kids!” Dragapult beamed, starting to float in the air from sheer excitement.
“…I guess that’s true. Still, my gut tells me there’s something wrong.”
Hm. It’s conflicting, Serperior thought, shaking her head right after. No. I need to do this. I need it. I-It’s what she would’ve wanted…
She was about to leave, when she heard another bit of the chat between the dragons.
“I’ve heard he’s giving a speech today,” Druddigon stated. “Now, if only I could go there and kick his ass… then I could bring the king back!”
Dragapult rolled her eyes. “That seems dangerous. Don’t you have better things to do?”
Serperior couldn’t help but feel like that sentence was for her as well, so she slithered out of the dragons’ view. She sighed, getting ready to tackle this self-imposed mission. You can do this. Remember who you’re fighting for…
She sighed, looking up and frowning. That’s when she came up with a plan to meet this so-called king. His guards would surely drive her away, and the only one she wanted to fight was Percival.
…Fine. I can be stealthy, if that’s what I need to do. Serperior hissed and crawled away, looking for somewhere to hide for the time being.
Memories flooded back to a time long gone. To someone close to her, a sister. Someone that she never saw again, taken away by a psychopath. And she waited. Waited. And waited more. But her sister never came back home, until she was declared dead. A decision that shattered Serperior’s heart into a million pieces.
Her killer was never brought to justice, until then. Until that moment. She could hardly wait any longer.
A large audience gathered in the city’s center, being prevented from getting any closer to the king by several guards. Of course, Scar was by Percival’s side, waving at the inhabitants, while the monarch had a small smile spread on his face.
Subjects. Well, I probably shouldn’t call them that. Then… what? People? Citizens? Denizens? So many words…
As he looked at the audience he could tell by their auras how some of them were still wary about his intentions, and others had accepted him by now. It was just as he predicted, but with enough time he hoped to convince even those that seemed angry at him for taking the place of the former monarch.
However, one of them stood out to him. An aura that was seeping with rage to its very core. Percival blinked and tried to find out who had these feelings, until his eyes locked on a Serperior.
…Something’s wrong. I can feel it. Who… is that? She… s-she seems familiar!
His movement slowed down; Percival could not, despite all his efforts, take his eyes off that Serperior. And she was the same, her glare was cold and angry, it was obvious that she knew him from somewhere.
But from where ? He didn’t hang out with any member of the Snivy line. Not since—
Oh.
“…Morgan,” Percival whispered. He was still looking at the Serperior, but now he was sure about where she came from. Was she the same one he killed…? No. It couldn’t be.
With a frown, Percival ignored her. He extended his hand to the population, forcing himself to smile. “I am sure you must have a lot of questions. I also know that words mean nothing, when compared to actions.”
Murmurs could be heard around the audience, but Percival failed to understand what they meant. And with so many citizens, checking their aura was next to impossible, not to mention unethical.
“Therefore, I will start an auxiliary program. You will receive an additional payment, if the requirements are met.”
This time, a huge part of them gasped. The murmurs intensified, making Percival smile.
“What are the requirements, you might ask? For starters, I shall—”
In the blink of an eye, the Serperior lunged in at Percival, baring her fangs at him. His first reaction was to use his armplates to protect against the bite.
The second reaction was to punch her, causing the Serperior to stumble backwards. And then the guards nearby rushed to arrest her, but stopped once Percival raised his arm.
“I can deal with her myself,” he said, eyeing the grass-type. “What are you doing here?”
“You really don’t know why?!” Serperior answered, hissing and sticking out her tongue. Her tail swished like a predator trying to strike its prey.
Sighing, Percival simply created an energy bone on his right hand. “Not exactly , but I have an idea. You’re agitated, and I can sense your killing intent. Are you trying to murder the king right in front of his guards and people?”
“Someone like you shouldn’t be lecturing me like that!” Her body burned. Literally. It was enveloped in bluish flames, not belonging to any fire-type. No. Percival widened his eyes, realizing those were the flames of an enraged dragon.
She jumped at him again, but this time, Serperior was faster, and she managed to hit Percival. The impact caused him to grunt, and the burning soon followed. But that was not the end. Soon, Serperior wrapped her body around his, exerting as much pressure as she could.
“G-Gah!” Percival groaned, grabbing the Serperior’s body in an attempt to remove her.
Scar watched the battle unfold, grasping his club and snarling. His tail swished at the sight, but he couldn’t do anything, at least not until Percival asked for his help.
And while the two were fighting, the citizens were keen to see how it would end. They whispered to themselves, some were rooting for the king, others wanted a draw, and a small number was hoping for Serperior to come out as the victor.
“I’m sorry… f-for whatever happened to you!” Percival grunted, panting as he tried to breathe.
He then clawed her body, enough to free his arms. Then, Percival punched Serperior in the blink of an eye, unleashing a deafening nose that forced her away from him.
“It isn’t my fault! I was a child !” Percival screamed, creating another energy bone.
“…I don’t care ! I-I… I need closure! And you’re giving it to me!” Serperior hissed, opening her mouth. A green energy sphere formed around it, before she launched it at him.
Closure…
Percival hit the sphere with the club he held, throwing it into the air. A frown appeared in his face as he looked at Serperior. Despite him being forced to fight her, her words resonated with him.
“You’re just out for revenge!” He appealed, trying to reason with her. “I’m not your enemy, I-I’m… sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
Something inside him changed. Percival no longer wanted to fight, or resist her attempts to kill him. So he got on his knees, and then bowed to her.
Serperior was clearly dumbstruck by the act, her tail swishing, and her eyes widened. “W-What?! What do you think you’re doing?”
“I… don’t want to fight. I am truly sorry for what happened to you. And if I could help, I would. But it’s not possible.”
“Y-You… I will k—”
Before she could react further, Scar hit her head with his club, knocking her out. He huffed and said nothing else to Percival, instead ordering the guards to take her to jail.
…She wanted closure. I wanted that too, long ago. Even if I was forced to, I-I shouldn’t have killed that Servine. But I was a child!
Percival looked at his paws, trembling. When was the last time he felt like this?
Being tortured. Losing my childhood. My innocence. Does it justify all the bloodshed? All the things I do, and for what? To satisfy this… this sense of being important, of being an ally of justice?
Questions he wanted to answer later.
What was most important for Percival now was doing damage control. That, and finishing the conference.
So after the guards escorted Serperior out of the area, he was free to continue his speech.
“You must have even more questions now.” Percival said, touching his chest. “I will answer as many as I can.”
A Meowstic raised their arms, holding a microphone. “Your Majesty, who was that Serperior? Why did she try to attack you?”
Of course those were the first questions asked. At least it wasn’t something as troubling as the reason Serperior wanted him dead. Compared to that, it was a piece of cake.
The best way to lie is by saying a half-truth. In that case…
“Hm. How do I say this… we were coached under the same teacher.” Percival answered with a flick of his cape. “Yes. I have been trained since I was little in the art of fighting. It is part of the reason why I have been able to ascend as a king.”
He then frowned, drooping his ears in a display of sorrow. “…Our teacher passed away, and she blames me for it. The truth is: Master turned into a feral.”
The Meowstic gasped, lowering the microphone. Percival took that as a sign of no more questions. Meaning that it was time to focus on what he was there to talk about.
“As I was saying before we were… interrupted, my auxiliary program will be named “Drednaw Program”, in honor of a family me and a friend are trying to help.” He hoped that Chewtle was in the audience to hear this.
Clearing his throat, Percival continued. “This program will finance medical assistance to all those in need, and I will hire the best doctors of the entire continent, if needed.”
“We will expand this town, we will thrive ! No longer hidden in the shadows, we will be the prime example of what everyone should strive for!”
A multitude of cheers was the only answer Percival could hope for, but they went beyond that.
“Hail to the king! Hail to the king! Hail! Hail!”
The audience chirped, some howled in excitement, others were whistling, and Percival knew he could count on them. He raised his arm in the air in an inviting way, looking at everyone with a big smile.
“Thank you, thank you. I could not wish for better subjects. I promise… I shall do my best for you all, and for this town.”
He bowed to them all, his tail wagged from the pure joy he felt right then. And the doubts that plagued his mind a while ago even seemed to disappear.
This is what I wanted. And I’ll work for a better future. I… I’m happy. But… I wish Brian and Meggie could see this. Well, I’m sure they’ll find it soon enough. Maybe I’ll even visit them someday.
After the rush and thrill of the conference, Percival thought he could really get some time for himself. And by that, he meant that he was going to pay a visit to Serperior without telling anyone about it.
Which wasn’t hard to do. As the king, he had authority over basically everyone there(how the power didn’t go to his head was another story). All he needed was to walk to the large building with reinforced barriers.
Brian would have a field day if he was here. Oh well.
He bit his lower lip, whining a little. However, that moment was short-lived, as Percival asked the two guards, a Grovyle and a Bayleef, to let him in.
“Of course, your Majesty!” The two replied.
Being king has its advantages, huh? He thought, going inside the prison. The place was dull, at least for him. Gray bricks, multiple cells, everything was depressing.
As he walked, Percival managed to stop a little before his objective to look at one of the cells. Inside was a familiar and angry figure: the former king.
“Ah… I was about to ask why you were looking for me,” he said, Percival noticing a mix of anger and lament in his voice. “But it seems you merely stopped to mock me. Is it not enough that you took my throne away?”
“I took it because I had to. You were hurting your people.” Percival stated bluntly, preparing to leave.
“And who told you that? Scar? Do you trust him with your life?”
His movements stopped. What was that question? Percival was about to leave again, but was intrigued enough by what Edgar said that he wanted to talk more with him.
“Scar is a fool,” Edgar huffed smoke, snarling at the Lucario. “A moron that believes in some forsaken deity. He dragged me into his nonsense, and by the looks of it, you too…”
“I was not dragged,” he raised a brow in annoyance. “Look, I’m only agreeing to help him because he helped me, too. I have nothing to do with his search for Necrozma.”
“You… don’t know the full story, do you?” This time, Edgar laughed at his face. “My, my. He managed to create a team of fools ! ”
“If you think he’s a fool, then why support his journey? Why not cut ties with him?”
“Scar convinced me. He knew how to get into my heart, how to play with my weakness . Told me exactly what I wanted to hear.”
“…What exactly did he tell you?”
Edgar refused to answer entirely. He turned around in disgust, before slapping his tail on the ground. “…Like you, I wanted my kingdom to thrive. I-I wasn’t even supposed to be the king, my brother was the older one. He’s gone now, so I had to take his place.”
Percival grunted. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Scar told me that he could help me achieve greatness, if I helped him achieve his. And I just happened to believe him. So, in a way… just like you.”
Realizing that, Percival’s heart skipped a beat. He could stay and ask more, but that might raise suspicion. Without any other option, he continued on his way to meet the Serperior.
The rest of the prisoners were unknown to him, and frankly, he couldn’t care less about them. At the end of the hall, he managed to sense the same, angry aura he felt earlier.
And there she was, the Serperior. She laid down on the ground with closed eyes, but once she heard the steps coming from Percival, she lunged in, only for the bars to repel her.
“Top-notch technology. I don’t think you’ll be escaping anytime soon.”
“Did you come to finish the job…?” Serperior asked, panting. There were tears in her eyes, as much as she tried to hold them in.
“No. I just want to talk.” Percival sat next to the wall and looked straight at her. “…Look, I’m really sorry about her.”
“Oh, are you?! Saying you’re sorry won’t bring my sister back!”
Those words stung. Percival was unsure what to do, or what to say. He knew that nothing was going to change her mind, but at the very least, he could try comforting her as much as possible.
“I know, I know. But… I also know that you want answers, so I’ll give them to you. After that, you’re free to decide what you want to do.”
“…I’m listening.”
Now, where to start? Maybe Morgan. He was responsible for their kidnapping, after all.
“I got taken away from my family when I was eight, forced to undergo experiments, all done by this mad scientist,” Percival replied, removing the armor on his chest and showing the scars hidden beneath his grown fur. “That’s how I got this. I fought off a Houndoom. Me, a mere child… fighting for my life .”
No reply. Taking that as his chance to continue, Percival looked at her. He still felt rage, but also noticed that she had calmed down.
“One of my final tests was to fight a Servine. Maya. That was her name. I won, but… she died.”
“I know that.” Serperior stated.
“Then you know that it wasn’t my fault! If I hadn’t done it, then it was me that was going to die!”
“You thought that… because you told me a sob story about your childhood… I would change my mind? I know who did it, I know the entire thing! One of Morgan’s associates told me!”
“Associates?” Percival blinked. They’re all… dead, right?
Then he realized. “T-That Heracross?!”
“Bring. Her. Back.” Serperior shouted, ramming against the cell again and again. Her scales fell down, the tears released, and blood dripped from her body. “Bring my sister back!”
Percival stood up, panting heavily as he watched the scene unfold. It was too much, too much for him to see. The Lucario stood up slowly, walking away from her. Whatever he hoped to do wasn’t happening. She was too stuck in her ways.
…Maybe I am guilty.
He left the prison feeling worse than when he entered.
Scar ordered a few Gengar to help him move his things to the inside of the mansion. As much as he hated to admit it, the place was better than his house, more comfy, and cozy too.
Ah. This is no time to act like a child with a new toy. There is still much to be done. He mused.
With a snap of his fingers, the ghosts went to do their job, while Scar ventured into the hall. Just as he closed the door behind him, Lilith joined, flashing her usual toothy grin.
“Sup. Everything alright?”
“Our journey to the shrines is drawing near, so yes. We just need to deal with a few more things here before we can go and finish this crusade.”
Lilith yawned, before looking out of the hall’s windows. She smiled once more, her heart thumping. After so long trying, they were so close… so close to the goal of their journey.
“I take it one of those things is waiting for Max to come back?”
Scar nodded, folding his arms on his back. “That, and figuring out a way to resist the Darkinium-Z. And speaking of that bothersome stone, have you figured it out?”
“…Nah. I could try using a looplet, that might be our best shot. But it’d have to be some pretty strong one.”
Then what was she waiting for? Scar gave her a stern look and she promptly left to work on it.
Ah… my Lord… your day of reckoning is near. And I shall be there with you.
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