Redemption (Guzma x Reader)

Hero on Many Levels

Y/N POV

Two Years Ago...

The fog was unbearably thick as I rushed into the Spear Pillar. Time and Space were created here, and it was Time and Space that had been in danger. I was exhausted, my Pokemon were on their last legs, and the real fight hadn't even begun. As I walked closer to the summit, darkness enveloped the space around me. However, there was something heavy in the air.

The darkness was alive.

I choked on the dread and pressed forward. I may not be responsible for the people of this region but I would be damned if villains were going to hurt them.

Agonizing roars echoed off of my surroundings and encouraged a quicker pace. The fog lifted to reveal a small group of people at the feet of two entangled legendary Pokemon. 

The leader turned to look at me, his crooked smile contrasting his steep widow's peak and business attire. 

"I've heard there was a busy Beedrill flying around making my partners jobs difficult. That wouldn't have been you, right?" A condescending sarcasm cased every word.

"Of course it was me." I cleared my throat and stood my ground, "I am Y/N, reigning Champion of the Alola region, and I won't let your plans come to fruition."

I feigned confidence to try and scare these baddies away, but alas, it was for nothing. The group all at once stood in formation to protect their boss. I sighed in frustration. Victory was not something I saw myself celebrating.

Hope came to me in the form of a hand lent to me by a friend. The pressure on my shoulder came from Sinnoh's own champion herself, and she squeezed gently. Behind her were two others from her very own Elite Four. 

"Go save them. We've got your back." Champion Cynthia said, smiling softly.

I swallowed hard and brought Arcanine out of her rest. My companions followed my lead and we charged the wall of opposing trainers.

~ ~ ~

Beaten and practically running on fumed, I dragged myself to the leader. He just stood by and watched as his goons were defeated one by one. His lacking concern for his people's well beings only fueled my rage.

"How inconvenient." He scoffed.

"Just who do you think you are?" I shouted, evidently enraged, " You don't treat people like this!"

"Giovanni." He brushed off my venom and smirked, "They know their place."

I was stunned at how nonchalant he was with verbally discarding his crew. The anguished cried of the entrapped Pokemon filled the gaps in our silence. 

"What are you planning to do?" I hissed.

Giovanni sized me up and scoffed at my question. He turned away and walked closer to the Legendary Pokemon. It was clearer now that they were being tightly held by black tendrils, and their resistance only made their suffering more severe. 

"I am going to fix the world. I have been thwarted again and again but this time... This time things will be better." 

Obviously the words of a mad man. No good can come from this, this evil that he's producing. My throat tightened up as Dialga's roar shook the very earth beneath us. I looked over to Arcanine, her fur stood on end and she grew more agitated with each outcry. 

"Go after that man. Use your weight to pin him down and keep him there until I can fix this, okay?" I whispered to her, "Use whatever means necessary to keep him down."

She was hesitant to follow my instruction, but followed through with a regretful huff. She charged Giovanni while his back was towards us and tackled him to the ground. Violence towards people is rarely a tactic used since it's seen as dirty but I'm desperate. I can't risk whatever he might be hiding up his sleeve. 

Ignoring his angry screams and profuse usage of profanity, I crept closer to the two Gods of Time and Space. The air got heavier with every step and took the breath out of my lungs. I could feel their pain and panic and I damn near lost my mind. I called out my team and told them to dump everything they had into trying to take out the restraints.

The angry black tendrils seemed to flicker for just a moment and that sparked a fire in all of us. Cynthia caught up to us and offered everything she could. Between the both of our teams, it seemed like we would pull trough this. Excitement spread like wildfire at the sight of this nightmare coming to an end.

The excitement was cut unbelievably short when Giovanni's screams of anger twisted into a shrill howl that was wet with pain. 

I snapped my attention to him and saw Arcanine tearing into his arm. She nearly ripped it off by the time we all saw. 

"Arcanine, RELEASE!!" I barked.

The now bloodied beast whimpered in submission to my command and backed off the man. I tried to rush to him to provide some sort of medical attention but was stopped by some of his Admins.

Through the roars of the tortured legends and the screams of determination from my friends, I couldn't hear the words they mouthed to me as they helped him up. They were trying to escape. I could feel their rage towards me. I had a feeling this wasn't over.

I was torn, but allowed them to leave. The matter at hand needed my presence more than some mob boss I could bring to justice later. They were probably going to seek medical attention, which eased my conscience.

Just as he escaped, the massive pokemon were freed from their prisons. It was a deafening shatter that ushered in our victory. We all fell to the ground, exhaustion making noodles of our legs and the beasts of time and space bowed to us in gratitude before disappearing into their respective voids.

The silence around us was the most painful thing of all. It left almost a ringing noise in my ears.

"They're all gone." Cynthia pointed out.

She was right. We were the only ones left on the summit. Every last Rocket member managed to flee in the chaos.

"Y/N, I thought you had him, what happened?" Cynthia pressed.

"I did, but I didn't want to maime him. I should've been more specific when sending my Pokemon to subdue him.." I trailed off, my ability to explain myself confidently was hindered by the exhaustion I felt, "When Arcanine backed off some of his Admins swooped in and carried him away."

She sighed, but brought me in for a hug, "They're notorious for causing trouble  and moving on once they're made. No one's been able to catch them before. We were close but it's nothing to beat yourself up over. We did something amazing today. I'll let this be the Looker's problem now. Let's go home. We've earned a drink."