Pookamon

The things we do (Azrael)

The dark shape perched on the gate post like some sort of obscene crow, overseeing the battle field. Azrael watched, and waited. He was a hunter, a born observer. He was waiting for the time to strike. It was nightfall, approaching dawn and he was wondering if his new target was about. From what he had gathered, she could be anywhere in this rather large garden, but he suspected she was in the house. From here he could see most of the grounds and there seemed to be a large amount of Pokemon about, too many to warrant an attack. He was not suicidal. Besides, he was here only for Brooke. He had nothing against the people that ran this place, although he had heard a little about them. The woman had a rare Pokemon (well, once, now she had many), so had been the target for Team Rocket for a while. She was now married to a young man whom Azrael understood had deserted Team Rocket a long time ago. Therefore he was also technically a traitor and the assassin would kill him if he got the chance. But he was not about to go out of his way to do so, it was too dangerous and his target was Brooke.

He cursed the man, James, that he had attacked earlier this night. Certainly, James had given him the information he needed but he wanted to know the man was dead. And he hadn’t been sure. The people downstairs had become aware of the event and prevented him giving the poor soul a proper farewell. Azrael put a lot of value into giving proper goodbyes to those he had slain. But no matter.

He had a job to do.

And he would do it well.

Stripping off his cloak and clothing he transformed into a Umbreon. Although true Pokemon could sense immediately that he was not one of them, at least this form gave him a slight advantage. He hid his clothing behind a rosemary bush and stole across the field. A small group of nidoran, out grazing in the early dawn, scurried away as he approached them. They could sense there was something wrong about him, something dark. He made his way across to the lake, where he picked up the scent of a Vaporeon-morph, slightly fishy, smelling of salt and wet fur. She had been here, but where was she now? The scent of an Eevee, a true Eevee, mingled in with it and that of a woman, human, whom Azrael took to be Kataryna, proprietor of the sanctuary.

<<What are you doing here?>> A voice demanded and Azrael whirled to find himself nose to nose with a large Growlithe.

<<Nothing,>> he replied, taking a step back, closer to the water. He had no love of Fire Pokemon, being a Darkness type himself. Of course, he had skills this Growlithe was sure not to realise.

The dog snarled. <<Intruder!>> And flamed at him. Azrael threw himself back into the water at the last minute, the resulting splash showering the poor Puppy Pokemon. The Growlithe whimpered and fell back, wounded by the water.

And Azrael struck. He may not have his weapon, he may not have his humanoid form, but he did have something. Surprise and power.

He was large for a Umbreon and sent the Growlithe sprawling, straddling the fire puppy. The light seared his legs and claws, but he ignored that, pain was nothing to one such as himself, it merely made him stronger.

<<Now,>> he demanded, <<my purpose here is very minor and I am sure you do not wish to be inconvenienced further, so kindly, tell me where the Vaporeon girl is!>>

The puppy whimpered. Azrael dug his claws in.

<<I will not betray my master!>> It whimpered in pain.

<<Then, prepare for what comes,>> Azrael struck it with the power of darkness, the power of shadow and watched as the puppy drew back, overwhelmed by its own dark emotions and past sorrows.

<<She’s in the barn,>> it whimpered, under the terrible assault.

<<Thank you kindly,>> Azrael clambered off the terrified creature and strode boldly away, at least he would not have to venture into the house, barns were so much easier to enter…