Chapter 1: Life, Chosen And Taken
AbraPunk
Cosmic Guardian
this fic will be entirely just me being as edgy as I want to be. I’ll have a few other fics like that, but this is the first. enjoy.
gore, death, a lot of misanthropy/nihilism
Rain smothered the concrete, drowned the flickering streetlamps, and battered any unfortunate souls who were out in the storm.
Human and Pokémon alike scurried to and fro across the sidewalks, trying in vain to find some respite from the relentless downpour.
For prey, it was hell on the senses, nature’s assault to punish those who were foolish enough to be outside.
For a predator, it was paradise, an opportunity that came often, a chance to be cloaked by nature itself.
On this particular occasion, one such predator was stalking his prey, high amongst the rooftops, away from prying eyes and cameras.
An Absol leapt from building to building, keeping himself low, so that the fur on his stomach brushed against the rough concrete and steel.
He peeked his head over the ledge, and quickly spotted his target scurrying away, away from other humans, away from safety.
A nearby fire escape proved most useful, as the Absol gracefully bounded downwards, careful not to make too much noise, rickety as this structure was.
Once his paws were on solid, wet ground, he set off at a measured trot. He would appear to be nothing more than a stray, perhaps looking for food or shelter.
A perfect disguise, and one most easy to slip into and out of.
He followed his target from a distance, never getting too close, and never straying too far.
Neon-laden streets gave way to dingy, secluded alleyways and side roads, buildings of glass and metal degrading into those of brick and wood.
He knew there would be no cameras around here, for the natural order dictated that crime be rampant, and killers ran wild through these dark, lifeless streets.
Killers like himself.
There was no need for subtlety anymore, for screams would not be heard, and for those who did, they would not care.
Such was the way of humans. Caring not for anyone or anything else.
He closed the distance with his target, before he lunged.
Claws sliced open the delicate flesh at the back of the man’s legs, just above the feet.
The human shouted and collapsed, immobilized, as he bled out onto the sidewalk.
The Absol, with some effort, managed to flip the man around so that he was on his back, staring up at his imminent death.
He savored the look of fear, the way the pupils dilated within wide eyes, the trembling of the lip…
Fangs sank deep into the man’s throat and yanked, pulling the muscle and flesh off.
The Absol dropped the lump of flesh on the road, before turning and tearing open the man’s stomach.
He was hungry, and he wasn’t about to let an opportunity like this pass.
♤ ♤ ♤
After he’d had his fill, he’d found an alley nestled in between two buildings and rested there for the night. Any humans who went past wouldn’t question his presence; wild Pokémon were plentiful around the area, and indeed, even within the space he’d found, there was a Vibrava and Timburr.
None of them interacted with each other, constantly giving side-eyes, as if wary of attacks. They were right, and smart, to be cautious. Hospitality to those one didn’t know only meant death.
Eventually, they all fell into an uneasy sleep, and silently parted ways when the sun rose, neither knowing nor caring whether any of them would cross paths again.
As the Absol walked down still-slick roads, and through the busy streets, he took some time to glance around every now and then.
It was as he’d expected for humanity. Nothing but hatred and corruption.
Two humans tussled on the ground as onlookers laughed and recorded it. Across the street, a man kicked a Lillipup away for simply walking by him. There was a uniformed officer nearby, idly watching all of this happen. He made no effort to stop any of it.
The Absol snarled. If this was how humanity treated each other, and the world, then there would be no sorrow when they were all dead.
He passed by a storefront, with a display case of multiple televisions stacked atop one another.
“We have an incoming report that millionaire Richard Ancharo has been found dead. Earlier this morning—”
The Absol had stopped to look at the televisions as the news report played out. A surge of satisfaction swelled within him. His target’s death would hopefully have an effect on others, and they would all stop ruining the world—
His train of thought trailed off as he noticed a few people glaring at him. For what? He was just minding his business. Ah, well, he supposed his kind wasn’t so common around this area, and… well, a stray Pokémon watching the news wasn’t entirely common either.
Out of spite, and nothing else, he turned his attention back to the news.
“—baffling officials. Again, the fatal attack is under investigation, and we’ll have another report ready when officials have found a suspect.”
And that was that. Now they were talking about gas prices and other meaningless things.
But… something stuck with him.
Fatal.
Deadly. Disastrous.
Words to describe him, and what he would soon do for the sake of the world— and, also, for his hatred of humanity.
Wild Pokémon typically didn’t adopt names— there was simply no use for them. Those that did, however, only reserved the right to earn a name once they felt they were worthy of one— or if they simply happened upon one by circumstance. Or… far more mundane, but names could be given by friends or family, usually upon request.
This Absol had never considered having a name, for he figured it would serve him no good. But now… he had an idea.
He could be known as Fatal, and his name would be unknown to the humans, but strike fear and awe into any Pokémon who heard it.
Yes, that would be his name. From this moment forth, he would be known as Fatal.
He surged with pride as he mentally repeated his name over and over again, rolling it around as though he were tasting a delectable piece of human flesh.
It was perfect.
He needed to return with this information as soon as possible.
So he turned and quickly set off down streets and narrow paths, past the bustling city, past the dingy alleys, and down a secluded wooded road.
His paws crunched the well-trodden earth beneath him as gnarled trees loomed over him like demons ready to drag him to hell.
No humans ever came down this road, he knew that much. Apparently, it had been closed-off many, many years ago, when a human had killed many others in the area.
The area was deemed “too dangerous” for human life, and was thus barred from the public eye.
That didn’t stop Pokémon from living in the area, of course.
Fatal slunk around trees, and finally spotted his destination in the distance.
The abandoned farmhouse that he called home awaited him, as it always did. The rotting, twisted wood exterior, and cobweb-covered, dusty windows portrayed an air of disuse.
That wasn’t entirely true, of course.
He slipped through a small hole in the side of the farmhouse, and was greeted with the familiar sight of the well-kept hideout.
Soft lighting filled the room, casting light on the many stolen items that decorated the place: a television, a desk with a computer, chairs, and other furniture.
Fatal strode over to a Rhyperior.
“Hello. I have good news to report. I would appreciate if you gathered everyone else.”
The Rhyperior nodded. “On it.”
He left, and Fatal had nothing else to do except wait.
It was only a matter of seconds before two more Pokémon emerged: a Scyther— who Fatal knew was named Shiv— and a Tinkaton. Rhyperior trailed them from behind, clearly eager to hear whatever Fatal had to say.
Once they were all in a rough circle, Fatal spoke up.
“You all will be pleased to hear that Ancharo is dead.”
They were indeed pleased; Shiv and the Rhyperior nodded, while the Tinkaton whooped loudly, which was thankfully muffled slightly by the mask he wore.
Fatal waited a moment more before continuing. “This is only somewhat related, but while I was returning, I happened upon a news report, and the language used in it intrigued me.” He paused briefly. “I have decided upon a name for myself. From now on, I shall be known as Fatal.”
Rhyperior blinked. “Oh, nice one! Definitely suits you.”
Shiv folded her arms. “Heh, s’about time you joined the name club.”
The Tinkaton could only offer an enthusiastic clap. “Hell yeah!”
Fatal couldn’t help but crack a tiny smile at the positive reception. “Thank you all for accepting this. That was all for now.”
Tinkaton held up a hand. “That’s great, really, but I’m curious… what are you going to do now? You said Ancharo was your only target, and, well, none of us have anyone else to go after, so…?”
Fatal smirked. This was the perfect opportunity. He’d thought about this while he’d walked through the city, and once he said it, there would be no turning back.
Not like there ever was.
If he could really, truly, do this, he would cripple humanity, and they would struggle to ever recover from it. It would be the opening salvo of a new war, a war for Pokémon freedom.
“I’m going to take down the League.”
