- Vagabond - Male Reader x Pokémon

Chapter 31: No Surprises

(AN: I want thoughts. I've never been a big Buizel guy, but I feel like Buizel is synonymous with Sinnoh teams, and I liked Ash's Buizel in the show, so I feel obliged to include it. Give me your opinions. Note: this is not me asking for what Pokémon you want on the team, I've already got most of the Pokémon who will be a part of the team already planned out. Unrelated, my current head cannon for [Y/N]'s voice is Joey Wheeler from the Yugioh dub. This may explain some of his dialogue...)

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[Hunter's Camp, Route 203]

"You should use this free-time to reflect on just how bat-shit crazy and awful you really are..."[Y/N] voice was laced with a sharp, sarcastic edge, as he gently patted the last conscious hunter's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, before pulling back, not wanting to linger too close. The guy was massive, easily twice his size, and even while bound in a thick rope, he still looked like he could easily snap [Y/N] in half without breaking a sweat. "Because this is it, bucko. The last taste of freedom you'll be getting before you're rotting in a cell for the rest of your miserable life."

The hunter grunted, his eyes narrowed beneath a bald, scarred brow, a mark that travelled down one cheek. He said nothing, likely more shocked than anything at the idea of being beaten by someone like [Y/N]. He acted like some idiot, but his Pokémon were strong, there was no denying that...

Staravia perched high on one of the tent's upper beams, his sharp talons gripping the wood tightly. His black, beady eyes remained locked on the hunter like a predator sizing up its prey. The bird Pokémon seemed to pulse with newfound strength after his evolution, his body larger, wings stronger, and his gaze fiercer. He'd pushed beyond his limit in that fight, and it showed in his unwavering stance.

"Oh, I've gotta see what the Pokédex says about you!" [Y/N] mumbled, as he tore the device from his damp pockets. The device snapped open with a metallic thunk, and it immediately began scanning Staravia. "Staravia, the Starling Pokémon." It spoke out in that familiar synthetic voice. "Staravia is the evolved form of Starly. Staravia fly around in forests and fields in search of bug Pokémon. Recognizing their own weakness, they always live within big groups, although fierce scuffles break out between various flocks. When alone, a Staravia cries noisily."

Outside, the rain continued its relentless downpour, the storm raging without pause. Thunder rumbled somewhere off in the distance, and the habitual pitter-patter of rain against the canvas made the scene feel oddly intimate, despite the wreckage that lay beneath the shelter. What had once been a raucous gathering of drinking, laughter, and song was now an eerie silence, punctuated by the groans of injured hunters and the rustling of rope. The tent itself had become a battlefield, littered with unconscious bodies, each sporting bruises, cuts and burns. Scorched patches of armour and torn fabric showed the brutal efficiency with which [Y/N] and his Pokémon had dismantled the camp...

A few of the downed hunters had faces barely recognisable beneath blackened, soot-streaked marks, courtesy of Chimchar's burning ferocity. Others had bruises forming in the shape of beak and talon, evidence of Staravia's relentless aerial assault. The ground was a mess of trampled dirt, blood, and discarded gear. If someone found them now, there'd surely be some questions that needed answering, serious questions. However, [Y/N] was confident that he and his team could vanish long before any investigation caught up with them. Self-defence, he thought. That's all this was. After all, these were poachers, scum who exploited and abused Pokémon. Any damage done to them was well-earned in his eyes.

He smirked silently at the thought, knowing full well that he was pushing the boundaries of self-defence law to its absolute limit.

"Alright, team. Huddle up." He called out, clapping his hands together. The command was enough to snap his Pokémon into attention, and they scrambled towards him, eager for their next instruction. Staravia remained perched above, watching the scene like some battle-hardened sentinel...