Far From Yesterday (Marissonshipping Fanfic)

Chapter 24

"Watch your fingers– they ain't afraid to take one off!"

Lucas grunted as the container holding him was jostled, slamming against the side of the wooden crate. Everything was dark except for several small holes that lined the top that allowed him to breath. Rough fingers could be seen gripping the opening as they carried him along. For a moment the Manetric had the temptation to send a spark of electricity at them, but he knew the satisfaction wouldn't be worth the punishment.

They weren't gentle as they set him down, slamming the crate against the ground– which caused his body to slam against the wall. He let out a growl, sparks racing across his body, but their footsteps were already fading as they headed off to haul in another cage. He pushed himself to his feet, careful to stay silent as he sniffed the air.

The scent of many Pokemon drifted past his nose– intermingled with the smell of humans and blood. It seemed that their long commute was over, and they had arrived at another ring. Despite having reached their next destination, he still had no idea how long he would be in this cage. He may be thrown into the battle right away, or sit here for days until he was pitted into a match. But in reality the Manectric didn't care either way– time just blurred together for him in the underground.

After Alex had escaped the facility, it hadn't taken long for the humans to overpower him as he tried to hold them off, even with the new found strength he had gotten with evolution. They had dragged him back into confinement, and within twenty-four hours he had been sold. At first he hadn't been worried, just grateful that Alex had been able to get away, thinking that the humans wouldn't do anything worse than locking him up like they had so many times before.

And then the fights had began.

They weren't battles– he had been in battles before. The trainer that had first captured him had tried to place him in several, but he had never stood for any of it. It never took much to bolt off of the field, or to simply dodge attacks while his so-called trainer tried to shout their orders. It was all a game, both to him and the humans.

But the underground matches were something else entirely. Battling rings that were deep pits, not allowing him any escape when he was dumped onto the field. Another Pokemon being dropped on the other side– but it was no loyal Pokemon waiting for orders. He remembered the way that Simisage had looked at him, nothing but a bloodlust in its eyes as the humans had gathered around the pit.

And with a yowl, it had attacked. Not the elemental energy of their moves, but a primal anger surrounding him as he charged. Claws had slashed at him, raking against his fur, breaking the skin. No hesitation in drawing blood, fangs snapping for his throat. His lightning had barely been enough to keep the crazed creature back, the humans watching cheering excitedly overhead. Lucas hadn't had time to think– his instincts from his days in the wild kicking in. A desire for survival rushing through him as he sank his fangs into the Pokemon's throat.

It had been over in seconds, but it had cemented his new reality. That fight had been the first of many– but it had also been the simplest. The Simisage had been desperate, no desire to fight, but rather a desire to live driving him. That same desire had become rooted in Lucas, and it had been the only reason why he had survived the fights that had come since. But even then... nothing could tear the guilt rooted in Lucas' heart.

In the wild he had hunted, and in the wild he had help to defend his pack– but this was different. The humans were forcing them to fight to the death, and they didn't have any other option. They were forced into the rings, and if they wanted to live they had to kill. But yet surviving only meant surviving to fight another battle.

And Lucas had had enough.

He had already decided after the last fight he had been pitted in, when he had seen the Growlithe laying dead at his feet, that he would be fighting no more. Whatever battle they put him in next time was going to be his last, because he wasn't going to kill another Pokemon, he wasn't going to give into what these humans wanted.