Chapter Text
The crisp autumn air stung at her cheeks as Harmony made her way down the street, cold fingers tugging her thick cream cardigan over her navy blue blouse. Her thick brown curly hair hung down her back with her side fringe covering the left side of her face, the maroon streaks blending in nicely.
Her maroon pants clung to her legs as her trainers thudded on the pavement. She adjusted her glasses as they passed a few shop windows, quickly checking the wind hadn’t knocked her hair askew. The leaves that decorated the sides of the street had begun to turn a blend of orange and yellow, the colder weather slowly coming into play as they stretched closer to winter. It was her favourite season, the perfect weather for walking around with a hot drink.
Her Houndoom patiently trotted at her side, warm nose occasionally nudging her numb fingers to prompt her to gently rub at the top of its head. The fiery canine was one of her main team, proving to be a fierce fighter with his rash personality. Several scars lined the Pokemon’s face in vertical streaks, a particularly deep scar ran across the length of his left eye, well established scar tissue present from the incident a few years ago when he had been a Houndour in Galar. His lone eye was sharp and added to his already intimidating appearance as he trotted at her side.
She held a new pouch in the crook of her elbow, the logo for Quasartico Inc. printed on the cover. “Ahh I can’t wait to try out your Mega Stone tonight, Gin!” She grinned, fingers curling underneath the Houndoom’s chin to rub affectionately. The canine’s tongue lolled at the contact, pressing further into her palm before sniffing at the pouch. “Not yet, we’ll test it out tonight and see what we can do. Those trainers won’t know what hit them.” She cooed, excited to see what new skills and strategies they could do with another mega evolved Pokemon. She had been putting it off for a while now, her Houndoom was too headstrong in the heat of battle. More than once she had to prematurely recall him before he was seriously injured, his feisty nature not allowing him to back down easily. They had grown stronger together over the years even before arriving in Lumiose, but she did worry Mega Evolution would increase his impulsive and reckless behaviour.
Harmony had participated in the ZA Royale last night to save up some money for the Houndoominite stone. With there being numerous reports of Rogue Mega Evolution, that kept her busy most of the day which didn’t leave much room for resting at night. She was planning on taking this morning off until a text message came through to meet up for coffee. There was a persistent fluttering in her chest as she read the name on her phone screen, answering yes almost immediately. She looked forward to meeting up with the mob boss whenever she could, the pair of them growing closer while working together to protect Lumoise City. He had been a constant comfort in the last few weeks, both of them being similar in age than she was with the rest of Team MZ.
And so, she and her Pokemon had been up and out the door at first light, barely throwing a wave to Naveen as they slipped outside and down the street. The morning rush for work had barely begun and she had been glad to beat the crowds that usually lined the roads and streets. Luckily, they still had a Houndoominite in stock when she arrived. The battle Royale had proven to be busier than ever, with more and more trainers rushing to grab stones as they competed to push past Rank C. Her and Gin slipped out the door when they were done, her new purchase in hand. She stifled a yawn with her palm as they rounded the corner, her Rotom phone pinging with a new message incoming.
“I’m outside. Don’t be late.”
She couldn’t help the grin as she read the text, noting the time that they had allocated to meet up was about 5 minutes away and she would be on time at the pace they were currently going. Heat collected in her cheeks at the thought of meeting up again. The two of them had become closer over the past few weeks, exchanging more and more frequent text messages to the occasional phone call to meeting face to face for a coffee or a quick bite to eat.
Harmony had begun to chip away at his icy exterior that was presented to the rest of the city. While they had not exchanged stories of their past and the shaky ladder they had climbed up to get to their current positions quite yet, they were moving forward and becoming closer with each meeting. She couldn’t deny that she found the man attractive, all sharp suits and clever wit. The more time she spent with him, the more time they had begun to appreciate each other's company. They had drifted to each other as a nice respite from their busy worklives. And while she didn’t officially work for the Syndicate, she was trusted enough to handle the odd job here and there.
At first, she could have strangled Urbain for getting them into debt with a shady mafia syndicate, her palms sweating the first time she and Lida walked through the doors together but still determined to work out some kind of solution. They had quickly managed to tackle the ever present list of jobs that were presented, sacrificing sleep and rest in order to chip away at the debt. Corbeau had been impressed with her aptitude for solving his tasks and even more with her battling. Their passion for battling both mirrored each other, manic grins on their faces before they both started battling with their teams. She made sure to rotate her roster often to keep things exciting, her main Pokemon being Raichu and Houndoom, both of these that she had been with since she was young. And an Alpha Pidgeot she had managed to capture early on around Rank S during her stay in Lumiose City. But the other three slots were a constant rotation which had delighted her opponent when he had to think on his feet. She hadn’t quite managed to make anyone else stick in the team the same as the first three yet.
Harmony felt her cheeks warm as the Rust Syndicate boss came into her sight, lips already forming into a grin as she gave him a little wave as she huddied her pace. Sharp golden eyes spotted her over the rim of his glasses, a small smile tugging at his lips as he raised his own hand in greeting. He wore his signature black and purple coat to ward off the chill, a thick dark purple knitted jumper underneath. Two mugs of coffee already sat ready and waiting on the table, a chocolate croissant waiting by her drink. The cafe they had picked was off the high street in a much quieter area with less traffic. The table sat under a tree decorated with amber leaves, providing some shade on the cold autumn morning.
As Harmony approached, Corbeau rose from his seat to pull out her chair, head tilted slightly to indicate she came and sat. “Good morning, ma cheri,” He greeted. A dusting of pink coloured her cheeks as she took the seat, hand gently brushing at his arm in thanks as he walked back to his place. She still had no idea what those little phrases were that he sometimes said but she could guess at the warm tone he always used.
“You know, you don’t have to do that every time we meet up,” She laughed, blue eyes watching her Houndoom happily trot and rub its head against the boss’s forearm to get some attention. Her canine had taken an almost instant liking to the mafia boss ever since they met, sometimes she wondered if he liked Corbeau’s company over hers. He would certainly fit right in with his scarred face when Corbeau needed someone intimidating. “But thank you.” She added, fingers curling gratefully around the warm mug as she tucked a strand of curly hair behind her ear.
“Please, I do have some standards.” He scoffed, lips tugging into a smirk as he moved to scratch both of Houndoom’s cheeks which got his tail wagging furiously. Corbeau’s fingers brushed gently over his scarred eye, which was a huge feat in itself that Gin trusted him enough to touch the vulnerable area. Her heart warmed at the two of them, Corbeau looking younger as he allowed his guard to drop around her Pokemon. They both seemed to have a knack for bonding with Pokemon and hers had taken a quick shine to him since they had started talking. That being said, she was also partial to rubbing the giant head of his Scolipede and Arbok whenever she dropped by his office, which was getting more and more frequent. The Rust Syndicate was a large organisation, having played an active part in keeping the city safe so it was always bustling with activity. She felt afraid of disturbing the rhythm of their work but was always made to feel welcome. Still, Harmony was glad for these little moments where it was just the two of them in private away from prying eyes and ears.
“Thanks for ordering for me. What have you got?” She enquired, blue eyes roaming over his own croissant although it had a green filling poking out the side. She had mentioned a few times her favourite pastry filling had been chocolate however she had always seen Corbeau order different things. She had quite the sweet tooth when it came to food and wasn’t very fussy.
“Macha filling,” Came the reply, his lips taking a deep drink of his hot coffee, “I don’t particularly care for sweet things.” He said with a grin, a little nod to his Poison type speciality. Harmony rolled her eyes playfully, taking a sip of her own drink before they rolled into deeper conversation as Gin began to curl up under the table.
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The late morning sun rose above their heads, the tree providing adequate shade as the duo were lost in deep conversation. Initially they discussed business of new projects that were developing across the city with the focus of protecting civilians and dealing with rogue mega evolution. Team MZ were still at the forefront of any damage control at present, which worked well with the Rust Syndicate who mopped up the physical work with structures and helped with citizens in trouble. And while Urbain was still the official leader of Team MZ, Corbeau much, much preferred to deal with Harmony in pretty much every aspect.
“Yeah, it’s-”
A yawn interrupted her speaking, blinking blurry tears from her eyes as they refocused on Corbeau whose eyes narrowed slightly at the action. It was a good job that Corbeau had ordered her a coffee today to keep her going, the caffeine was a welcome addition. Harmony did prefer a hot chocolate at times, however being up all day and night left her desiring caffeine. Being from Galar, she did also prefer tea but she also liked to branch out and try different drinks. Luckily for her, Lumoise had plenty of options for that.
“You look tired today,” He offered, lips tugging into a small frown at the sight of dark circles under her eyes. “Is Urbain letting you rest enough?” He worded it like a barbed dagger, his gaze sharpening as the words left his tongue. She would be stupid to not have noticed the… friction between the two men at times. Urbain always somehow came up in their conversations and Harmony couldn’t help but detect some… jealousy? Rivalry? They were both rather standoffish with each other when she was in the same space. But she saw Urbain as a friend only, they had become close since she arrived in the city. Same as Naveen and Lida. While they all worked as a team, Urbain was certainly not her keeper and even the idea of it had her snorting and rolling her eyes.
“Urbain isn’t my keeper, we work together but I manage my own schedule.” She shook her head, taking the last bite of her pastry. “I could probably take a bit of rest today. With the Rogue Mega Evolutions cropping up in the day and the battle royale at night…” She trailed off, eyes sliding to her Houndoom who had now curled up on the seat between them. “I wanted to save up to get a Houndoominite,” She murmured, placing her new pouch and mega stone on the table for him to inspect.
“I see,” His slender fingers rolled the purple and black stone across his palms before placing it back into the pouch, his golden eyes finding hers again, “If you ever need help, you know you can always come to me.” He offered off, voice dropping lower as he leaned closer. It was no secret that Corbeau and the Syndicate had a lot of money. Even his office was decorated with items that were probably one of a kind and imported from Kanto. She had no hope of ever matching his wealth, and while she appreciated his offer was always supportive she could manage on her own as she always had. Even when she had nothing but the clothes on her back, Pichu and Houndour they had managed without handouts. They had struggled hard but they had managed.
“I know, I know I can come to you. But I can handle it by myself, I feel like I’ve earned it by doing it this way, you know? Gin has been working so hard for me, I wanted to repay him. Especially since he’s been helping around the city.” She replied, grateful smile on her face as her curly hair blew around her face with the autumn breeze, eyes landing on her snoozing Houndoom. Her hand reached out to gently stroke his spine, her fingertips grazing over his bony ridges as she heard Corbeau hum in thought.
“My favourite do-gooder,” He smirked over the rim of his coffee, although his sharp eyes softened as they landed on the sleeping Houndoom, the words were directed at her. “You’ve had him before you came to Lumoise then?” He enquired, head tilting slightly.
“He was my second ever Pokemon, he protected me and Pichu when we were young and on the streets. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.” She sighed, frowning at the memory. They had struggled massively when they were young, her own parents having died and no family to support her. “Ah, sorry it’s not the most glamorous subject.” She waved, eyes shifting to the road in embarrassment. Living life on the streets was harsh, where she met Pichu and then eventually Houndour. The feisty canine got into more scraps than she had ever seen, his reckless nature blooming through even as a pup as they all fought to keep safe. Herself and Pichu were certainly not as scrappy, and would have easily starved or froze to death if Gin had not been present to hunt for food and shelter.
“Then I owe him a great debt if he kept you safe. And it’s not embarrassing. You never have to be embarrassed around me.” Corbeau replied, also reaching down to trace his fingers across the sleeping Pokemon’s back in affection. “Who else would I spend all my free time with if you weren’t here?” He smirked, delighting in the colour that rose to her face. He so loved to tease, to pull reactions out of this girl who wasn’t afraid of him. Didn’t cower at the sight of him or snarl in disgust. Instead, she seemed drawn to him as he was to her. Her story intrigued him, but he felt it wasn’t the right time to prod at her for further information. That small snippet surprised him, stomach uncomfortably squeezing at the thought of her younger self being in trouble in the same way he was, starving and homeless. She was a puzzle that he was slowly picking apart to read the full picture, each new piece of information leaving him thirsty for more and more.
Harmony felt her skin warm at her cheeks and neck in a blush, her own hands putting down her finished mug as another cold breeze raced up the street, reply dying on her tongue as she shuddered. His smirk fell as she shivered involuntarily, shoulders hunching to protect against the breeze. She should have really put a thicker coat on rather than a cardigan which allowed the wind to rip through the thick stitching. They must have a cold snap coming.
Corbeau’s tongue clicked as he stood, shoulders shrugging his thick coat off as he walked around to drape it gently over her shoulders as she squeaked out a thank you. His slender fingers tugged it around her front securely before he came back to his seat, now only clad in his thick designer jumper that probably cost more than the entire coffee shop.
“You’re cold. Can't have you catch your death out here, can we?” He offered, hands coming across the table to gently envelop hers to protect from the wind. She was grateful as her fingers were beginning to go numb from the cold, the warmth of her coffee long faded as she drank it. She felt her cheeks flash positively scarlet as she struggled to spit out a reply. Corbeau’s face offered no hint of embarrassment or hesitation that holding hands was an abnormal thing for them to do.
“Y-You don’t have to take your coat off! Won’t you be cold? I’m alright, really.” She spluttered, fingers beginning to pull away before he tightened his grip to keep them in place. A soft look fell over his face, as though this was the most normal thing in the world.
“No, it seems only one of us thought to dress for the weather. I wouldn’t be a good boss if I allowed my subordinates to get sick under my watch. I need to take care of yo-everyone, or people get worked into the ground and get sick,” His voice dropped an octave lower, thumbs gently stroking the tops of her hands in a soothing motion. Her mind whirled at the implications of his confession and the words that she managed to catch before he corrected himself. His eyes drifted to her reddened cheeks, a playful smirk crossing his lips that he was enjoying seeing her flustered, “Belle.”
“Corbeau…”
“I don’t trust that Urbain is taking good care of you. You look exhausted.” He frowned, golden eyes roaming over her face. He couldn’t help the small jab at Urbain, the fool was so preoccupied that he was allowing herself to run into the ground. Did he even notice? How could he not? His eyes landed on the bags under her eyes, still visible despite her make up, the way her lids blinked sluggishly the longer they stayed and chatted, the occasional cough that was creeping up on her that indicated the start of a chest infection. And the bruises that peaked out from the sleeves of her cardigan from a rogue Pokemon’s lucky hit. Her generosity as a trainer and person had quickly made him warm to her, their goals aligning almost seamlessly. He found that she had been on his mind more often than not, his thoughts drifting away to her whenever he had a spare few minutes. Her wellbeing was often at the forefront of his mind.
He found himself drawn to her at all times in the day, a small text here and there or even a phone call when she had time if they couldn’t meet face to face. His mood had shifted on the more tranquil side after her visits and then he became notably more irritated and clipped when he didn’t see her often. He wasn’t a fool, he was well aware of his growing feelings for her. It was a shame she was recruited by Urbain first when she arrived in Lumoise. The boy proved a constant nuisance whenever he had the pleasure of meeting Team MZ and Corbeau couldn’t help but wonder how their relationship would have blossomed if he had picked her up first at the train station. But nevermind.
“I am a little tired. But I really wanted to see you, before something else came up and then we wouldn’t get another chance for a week.” She sighed, ducking her head down as another cold breeze swept down the street. “It’s a nice break from all the running around when we have a chance to finally talk without anyone interrupting.” Corbeau let out a soft sigh, his gaze softening again as he squeezed her cold fingers beneath his.
“I understand, and you can always text or call me. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I just want you to be careful. People make mistakes when they’re tired and then they get hurt.” His fingers traced higher on her wrists, gently soothing over the fading bruises that decorated her forearms. He hated the thought of her hurt, especially if she didn’t tell him. An uncomfortable constriction squeezed his ribs at the times in the past when she was injured and he hadn’t known. She would most likely limp back to Hotel Z and inform her friends, but Corbeau wasn’t always included in the debrief. As much as he wanted to be. He wanted her to tell him everything, every cut and scrape so he could soothe and mend.
Arceus, what was happening to him? When did he grow so soft? The only other person who had seen this side of him had been Philippe and he made sure to keep a firm lid on it. He had a reputation to uphold with his grunts and the wider community in Lumoise. He maintained his business persona to get what he wanted, to make his influence stretch as far as it could to ensure things were done correctly. But with her… he allowed his mask to slip a little, especially in the empty street with their only witness being a snoozing Houndoom.
“I will, thank you Corbeau.” She murmured, a grin stretching on her face as she twisted her hands so her palms were facing upward to give him a squeeze back in gratitude. His words warmed her, and would definitely be playing over and over in her mind on the walk home. She would rest for the remainder of the day, feeling a creeping drowsiness slowly start to take hold of her despite the coffee. She was now much warmer and comfier with his thick coat over her shoulders and her hands resting in his. “Corbeau, I…” She started before a lone car pulled into the pavement.
Corbeau’s eyes slid over to the door as it opened, his hands slowly retreating from hers as their moment was interrupted. She was delighted to see Corbeau’s neck beginning to flush in annoyance as Philippe stepped out, his eyes looking almost knowingly at the pair of them.
“Hi Philippe!” She waved, “Do you want a drink?” She asked, hands planting on the table to get up and order him one although she had the feeling he wasn’t here for a chit chat. Her Houndoom stirred, lone eye peeking at the larger man before closing again after deeming him a non-threat.
“Hi Harmony, no I’m good. Boss.” He nodded at Corbeau who returned the gesture, his head tilting in curiosity at his secondhand man. Corbeau’s face twisted into visible irritation as their private moment had been interrupted, a scowl settling on his lips. “Sorry Boss, some trouble that the grunts have found that needs your attention. You need to come and look at it.” He explained, a frown decorating his lips as he took in the sour expression of the younger man.
“It had better be big trouble if I need to come personally,” He grumbled, pushing his chair back as he moved to stand up. His rotom phone flashed up from his pocket, muted while they had been chatting. “Fuck’s sake,” His scowl fell further as he read what must have been numerous text messages with the issue. Harmony mirrored his actions and rose, placing both their plates and cups on top of each other for easier clean up. Her Houndoom noted her movements and rose into a lazy stretch before rising and padding to her side.
A heavy sigh left his eyes as he turned to Harmony, “I’m sorry but they need me. I’ll give you a lift home?” He offered, irritation waning as he frowned at her. As loath as he was to interrupt their chat, this was an issue he couldn’t ignore. To the point Philippe had personally come to interrupt also, then it required his full attention. He still had a business to run.
“No, no. It’s fine, please go help them. I can walk home, it’ll wake me up.” She waved her hands in a dismissive motion. She knew he was a busy man, and the fact she had taken up a few hours of his time today was more than enough. She began to unbutton his coat that he had draped over her shoulders when he furiously shook his head and stepped forward to readjust it over her shoulders. His fingers swept her curly hair out from underneath the collar of the coat, his finger tips lightly adjusting her glasses securely on her nose before stepping back in satisfaction.
“Give it back tomorrow. We’ll meet again for breakfast, same time?” He asked, a fond smile on his face as he took in her appearance, Philippe mostly forgotten in the background as he hovered by the car looking anywhere but at the two of them. “Please go home and rest.” A blush dusted her cheeks at the close proximity as she grinned and nodded.
“I will. I’m paying for tomorrow though, or you’ll be having coffee by yourself.”
“Pff, fine.” He dismissed and rolled his eyes, a gentle smile still on his lips. His hand came up to gently rub at Houndoom’s head before turning his back toward the car. “Text me when you’re home.” Harmony nodded and waited until he was seated in the backseat, Philippe closing the door before walking around to the drivers side and giving her a curt nod before getting in. She gave a small wave as the car pulled away, unsure if Corbeau had seen it from the backseat due to the blacked out windows. Although she was sure he would be watching her until they were out of sight.
With the car rolling down the road, Harmony turned to Houndoom and let out a weary sign. Her Pokemon nudged her hand with his head, comforting rumble in his chest. “I’m okay boy, just tired. Shall we go home?” She cooed, fingers grabbing the edges of Corbeau’s thick coat to wrap further around herself before she started walking home. Moving around did help her wake up, feeling herself become more alert as they wandered into the busier sections of the city.
Her lungs constricted into more frequent coughs as she walked, the cold wind racing through the streets. She couldn’t wait to go to bed, throat starting with a dull ache and her limbs feeling heavy with fatigue as they walked on. Her Houndoom faithfully trotted at her side, snout up and alert as they walked through the streets. As much as she understood Corbeau had to help the grunts, a small part of her wished Philippe could have handled it. Surely it wasn’t a rogue mega evolution? Surely Corbeau would have told her then and there? Though he had been worried for her wellbeing so would he tell her? She let out a weary sigh at her overthinking, the front doors of Hotel Z coming into focus.
The warmth of the lounge hit her as she entered, giving a small wave and smile to Naveen as he still remained seated with another of his custom commissions in his hands before heading toward the lifts. She had barely got her room door closed before she flopped down onto her bed with a loud groan. Gin leapt onto the foot of the bed, eagerly curling up and closing his eye to also sleep. Rolling over, she shrugged off Corbeau’s coat, placing it neatly on the chair of her dressing table so it didn’t get creased. She sighed as his cologne lingered on the material, thoughts once more drifting to him as she lay back down and closed her eyes, glasses left on the side table.
Her Rotom phone floated out of her pocket before she managed a quick text, thoughts becoming sleepy with fatigue. Fingers sleepily tapped out a message.
“I’m home! Just got into my room.” - Harmony
“Good, please rest. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.” - Corbeau
His reply came almost instantly, her lips tugging upward as she read the words. He always sounded so formal over texts. And it was true that he was like this in person, but she felt he was becoming much more comfortable around her. Today’s conversations were a testament to that. She felt herself smiling at the thought that he was worried about her. She had looked after herself for years by herself. She had only just started to learn to lean on Team MZ for support when she needed it, could she also let Corbeau in too?
But is that what she wanted? She definitely wasn’t opposed, she felt so comfortable around the Rust Syndicate Boss. He maintained his harsh and intimidating persona but she had been able to see what was underneath that. He was getting more open around her, becoming softer the more time they had spent together. His voice offered no judgement when she mentioned she had basically lived on the streets. Surprise had followed, she expected him to turn his nose up at a little street urchin in comparison to his wealth that he was surely born into. But it seemed that she could still be surprised too.
Brrrrrtz. Brrrrrrrrtz.
Harmony had allowed her eyes to slip closed, happy to doze on top of the covers before her Rotom phone began to buzz with an incoming call. With a loud groin of annoyance, she rubbed her eyes as she reached back for her glasses on the nightstand, eyes squinting at the blurry name on the screen. Was it Corbeau again?
“Harmony! There’s a Mega Evolved Pokemon that’s running rampant down in the Bleu district! It’s a trained Pokemon but it’s gone out of control, I really need your help. Can you come now?!” Urbain called, his voice sounding frantic as panicked shouts sounded in the background. Instantly Harmony sat up in the bed, blinking furiously to erode sleep from her mind.
“I’ll be right there!” She replied, phone hovering by her ears as she ran to put her boots on. Urbain cancelled the phone call, satisfied that back up was coming. Harmony swayed slightly as she stood up, her body aching that she was now getting back up again. Her blue eyes roamed over Corbeau's jacket that sat on the back of the chair and guilt gnawed at her insides from their previous conversation.
People make mistakes when they’re tired and then they get hurt.
She winced knowing he would be furious knowing she had run back outside, especially to tackle a rogue mega evolved pokemon when she was already exhausted and developing a cough. And after texting him that she had made it safely back into her room to boot. Should she tell him? No…. he would just worry when he already had another situation on his side that needed his attention. She was a big girl, she would handle this with Urbain. She could just get this wrapped up today and be back home before nightfall, right? Urbain was a competent trainer but his team didn’t have the same reach as hers. Harmony had a roaster of Pokemon up her sleeve to swap and change as the situation called for.
Corbeau’s coat forgotten, she clicked her tongue to signal to Gin that it was time to go, her canine eagerly jumping to its feet with a growl. A quick pat on his head as they waited for the lift doors to open. A few coughs escaped her lungs, feeling the stretch and burn in her ribs. Definitely bad timing but what could she do?
“Just one more, boy, then we’ll relax, yeah?” She murmured, fingers scratching underneath his chin as he nipped at her fingers. She should have really asked what Pokemon it was so she could potentially switch her Pokemon around but they didn’t have time. The screams in the background worried her, usually rogue pokemon were territorial, yes, but they kept to their home location and didn’t venture too far from it. Was this one in a public place, attacking people? She didn’t have time to visit a Pokemon centre to change, she would just have to go straight there with Houndoom, Raichu and Pidgeot.
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To say the Bleu District was a complete and utter fucking disaster would be an understatement. Corbeau and Philippe had arrived in due haste, their grunts doing as much as they could to do damage control. Corbeau’s polished shoes clicked on the pavement as they left the car, furious scowl on his face at the chaos around them. People and Pokemon alike were rushing and screaming in all directions. Massive booms and quakes rocked the buildings and structures around them with the destruction ahead.
“Philippe, get the grunts to clear as many people out of the area as you can and set up a perimeter to section the area. Join me when you’re done.” He ordered, sharp golden eyes flashing at his second in command before nodding and parting ways. His fingers closed around Arbok’s pokeball before he allowed the snake to emerge with a light toss. His partner emerged with a loud hiss, teeth flashing in the sunlight before slithering next to Corbeau as they charged toward the commotion. A deep grimace pulled at his lips at the destruction, what on earth was causing it?
At least Harmony was safe in bed.
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Harmony slowed to a fast walk as her fourth coughing fit overtook her, palm covering her mouth as she tried to stop it. Gin trotted next to her, fangs eagerly displayed as his lone eye took in the rising smoke and fire up the street. People and Pokemon alike fled the carnage, deep rumbles shaking the earth as they kept moving toward it.
“Urbain!” She called, blue eyes finding her friend up ahead, his Manectric stood next to him who turned at her voice. Urbain waved, a grateful smile on his face as he jogged over to meet her half way. “What’s happening?!” She gasped, another loud rumbling quaking the earth, Urbain’s hands shot out to steady her shoulders before she toppled over.
“A trainer mega evolved his Salamence during a battle but it went crazy! It’s attacking anything it sees, I can’t see if anyone is trapped or hurt because of all the smoke.” He grimaced, turning back to the chaos before he started to run toward it with Harmony hot on his heels. A quick whistle had Gin running in tandem with Manectric, the two canines snarling in anticipation as they neared the destruction.
Harmony sucked in a deep breath as she neared the site, the edges of buildings had crumbled with the force of impact from pokemon attacks. Thick dust coated the air, wrecking havoc on her lungs the second they entered it, her fingers rushing to pull up her cardigan over her nose to protect from the air pollution. Her eyes squinted through the dust that collected on her glasses as they neared the center of the chaos, Urbain gaping in shock next to her as they slowed down.
The Mega Salamence was up ahead, it looked like an Alpha to boot with its sheer size. Deafening roars pierced the air, the great beast throwing itself into an Outrage against people, pokemon and even other wild Alpha Pokemon. Its wings had melded into a sharp sickle which it used to swiftly fly around the area before violently crashing into the ground to attack an Alpha Krookodile. The pair of them erupted into a savage array of attacks now that Salamence was on the ground, the ground quaking again at the sheer force of their frenzied attacks as neither Pokemon seemed like they would be stopping anytime soon.
Other alpha pokemon seemed drawn to the commotion, a Gyarados emerging from a nearby pond while a Gengar melted upward through the floor. Their piercing crimson eyes were drawn to the two main fighters, crying out before rushing forward to pile up in a larger battle. Harmony winced in sympathy as more attacks were launched into the air, creating more dust and debris which set her coughing off again.
Urbain turned to her frantically, hand coming to rest on her shoulder as she leant forward to try and clear her lungs, frame shivering with exhaustion of keeping on her feet. Gin turned back immediately to whine at her, snout pushing against her leg. “Harmony, what’s wrong?? Are you sick?” He asked, brows furrowed as he took in her haggard appearance. He hadn’t taken much notice when she arrived, too busy focusing on the chaos ahead.
“N-no, no I’m fine. We need to get closer, we’ll have to-”“You will do no such fucking thing.” Came a furious voice from behind the pair, causing her and Urbain to both freeze at the tone.