FR Nuzlocke Chapter 7: Busted: Part 2

Eddy walked away from his desk, grabbing a hold of Zanas' jacket collar and pulled the confused trainer toward the front exit of the Center. Zanas yelped as he was being taken by force. With the weight of the team keeping him off balance, he could do little but hop backwards out the door.

The patients and nurses all silently watched in confusion as the blue-haired nurse forcefully pulled the young boy from the building. As the doors slid closed, their gossiping broke the silence.

Eddy led the desperately hopping Zanas out through the front doors, toward the two large trees that stood adjacent to the Center. The team, with some assistance to Hector from Babe, lept off the young trainer. He regained his balance and grabbed Eddy's hand. Zanas bent it backwards with ease, bringing the nurse down to one knee.

Eddy tried to let out a scream of pain, but couldn't manage to make the noise as his hand was bent further and further back. Only gasping high pitched cries were heard between the nurse's begging for his hand back, which Zanas took time returning.

"What the hell was that for?!" Eddy cried, jumping to his feet as he nervously rubbed his wrist.

"That's the question I should be asking you, you nosy rodent." Zanas growled. Prince opened his mouth to comment, but one glare from the trainer made the Rattata back down.

Eddy massaged his wrist, rolling it in circles to test if it were broken. ""Moderate to severe bruising, no permanent damage," Eddy looked to Zanas, who looked ready to do more damage than bruises.

The team, minus the Medapod, circled around Eddy, making sure he couldn't make any quick escapes. His back now facing one of the trees and all eyes shooting daggers, Eddy put up his hands in compliance and kept out of reaching distance from the trainer and his Pokémon. His moods were still jumping from scared to serious within seconds of each other, just like in the Center before.

"You have one heck of an anger problem. Did you not get enough hugs growing up?"

Zanas clenched his jaw and took a step forward, halting as Eddy spoke. "Hey now, save that anger for the real fight."

"Glad we agree that this won't be a 'real' fight." Zanas walked closer to the Nurse.

Eddy didn't move back, though even if he wanted to, a tree blocked his path. Instead he merely tucked on arm under the other, placing the top hand on his face and cocking his head to the side. He looked like he was leaning on an invisible desk or ledge. As Zanas stormed closer, Eddy paced back and forth in the small confines of the circle, talking to himself.

"I'm a schemer, not a fighter. Never have been, really. Not after that whole Petalburg incident. Of course I never have seen the point of throwing my own punches when I could simply…"

Zanas grabbed the man's lab coat and shoved him into the Tree so hard he slumped forward against Zanas' hands. Then Zanas pushed his forearm against Eddy's windpipe and held it there. Eddy's feet dangled off the ground.

"You are going to stop digging up files, starting today."

Eddy merely chuckled haltingly. "Sorry…it's kind of my profession to pry into everyone's personal information."

Zanas pressed tighter, resisting the urge to sock the guy in his prick sneer. "Then you'll stop digging up files on me!"

Eddy chuckled again, never letting up his infuriating smile. "Are you kidding? After the break we got from finding you, there is no way I could just forget you exist. Especially since the big hounds already have."

We? Zanas let go of Eddy's throat and took a step back, letting the nurse slid to the ground, his back still against the tree. "How many know about me?" Zanas asked in a shaky voice, his body trembling now.

Eddy put up his hands in a defense gesture once more, his sneer now a sincere smile. "There is only one other person who knows about you, and they know about as much as I do."

"Quit lying!" Zanas yelled.

All eyes shifted to Zanas who continued to shake. He no longer looked angry, but afraid, though is glare never gave way.

Eddy looked up to the shaking boy, mirroring his glare back at him as he got to his feet.

"Hey, I may be a creeper, but I never lie."

His glare eased up, replaced by the sincere smile again. "I only told one other person about what I found in your file, and little else." Eddy chuckled. "Mostly because there wasn't much else to even tell him."

For a long while, the group stood there in silence, the team looking back and forth between the two humans, neither of their expressions changing. Zanas remained angry and scared and Eddy continued to wear an oddly friendly smile. The silence finally broke, when Zanas eased up and spoke quieter than anyone had heard before. "Why did you tell me about what you found if you're not even going to do anything about it?

Eddy's smile widened. "Who said I wasn't?"

The stares switched back to Eddy, who had no problem having the attention from everyone, folding his arms again as he paced back and forth.

"Like I said, I'm not going to report you to the League, and for one big reason," Eddy stopped suddenly, clenching his jaw and raising his hands to his face for dramatic effect. "I can't stand those self-important bastards. With their, impressive win ratios and their fancy cloths and, 'This steak isn't cooked properly for my palate' and."

'Get on with it!" Everyone yelled. Eddy, jumped at the sudden boom of sounds, adjusted his jacket and continued to pace.

"…So since I…care little for the League as government officials and as celebrities, I'll instead help you."

Zanas looked to his Pokémon, who expressed similar skepticism to their trainer, "That's your only reason? You don't like how the League runs the region?"

"Well, the Elite Poor especially." Eddy grinned at his own joke. However, not so much as a chuckle came from anyone around him.

"Aren't they called the Elite Four?" Duke asked, raising a paw.

Zanas clenched his fingers between his eyes, trying his hardest to hold back a smile. He turned to explain to Duke, but remembered the company they had. Eddy watched Zanas intently, like how the scientists at Oak's labs did with the test Pokémon. It made the trainer feel uneasy.

"I'll…explain later." Babe told the young Pokémon. Duke accepted this with a smile and turned his glare back at the mean Nurse.

"Look," Eddy began. "Just let me tinker with your file a bit. Add some more credible torus crap in there, maybe a few false recommendations from…family member's you've known most of your life."

"And in return?"

Eddy sneered once more. "You help me get to Cerulean City."





The large doors creaked open to his home. Even so deep into the building he could hear the sounds of footsteps, as loud as church bells. The muscular tanned and brown haired man sat in a cross legged position, his hands balled into fists and pressed together.

He kept perfectly still while his breathing stayed in a calm steady pace. After a bit of yelling between two young voices, sounds of broken ground, sliced rocks and burning flames could be heard deeper toward the entrance of the Gym. A gleeful smile spread across his face.

So, someone finally breaks my boredom.

It didn't take long for Brock's self-acclaimed apprentice to be defeated. The child had promise but he was always to rash and impatient to handle any Pokémon Battle well. The boy's shrill cry's of a sour defeat rang through his ear's, making it slightly harder to concentrate.

"I don't care if you defeated me, you'll never beat Brock. He is the greatest! Never ever ever!"

I appreciate the sentiment…but please stop talking.

Finally the footsteps made their way toward Brock. He didn't bother before, but now he made out two human footsteps and a party of claws and paws clapping against the stone and gravel floors. Whoever was here to challenge him was prepared. Or at least they should be.

Brock stood up tall at 6'2", standing over the two guests on top of a large boulder. He wore a grey vest/jacket with black shoulders with sleeves that stretched down to just above his elbows and a black collar with green buttons. The upper mid section of the vest had a slightly out of place organ color scheme to it that stopped just before his ribs and started just after the collar of the jacket.

Before the footsteps grew closer, Brock put a hand up and asked them to stop.

"If you walk too much closer you'll be standing in the middle of the battlefield?" Brock heard only the creatures and one set off human footsteps take a few steps back. The second person seemed to already know the rules here.

"State your name and business here." Brock chuckled as he broke from the practiced speech. "As if I didn't already know."

A breath could be heard from the guest to his left, but the voice that came first sounded toward the right.

"You have fresh meat." The voice rang through Brock's ears, his meditative focus, what was left of it, shattering completely, but not his smile. Brock opened his eyes, and sure enough, his old friend Eddy Joy stood at the opposite end of the field.

Brock quickly ran over and picked up his old friend, squeezing him as he usually did. Eddy let out a small cry, but managed to laugh off the pain.

"A simple…h-hello would due fine." Eddy wheezed as Brock set him down.

"Oh don't be such a wimp. You've taken worse beating from your sister. Speaking of which how is she."

Before Eddy could answer, Brock felt a hand taping his shoulder. The Gym Leader turned to face the trainer, happy to see a new face after so long. However the new face didn't seem so happy to see him.

"What's with the terrified expression?"



"Y-your eyes…" Zanas gasped. The rest of the team looked at the same tan face and spikey hair cut as their trainer, but all focus was on the man's pure white eyes. A dull shady white, like a blind man's, but just like Zanas'. White iris eyes.

Duke looked to Zanas and the other man, moving his paws to his mouth then back away. Unsure which to do.

"Whet te hell is wrong with you boyo?" Hector asked gruffly.

Duke looked to the Medapod, his eyes wide with a yearning to speak, but his paws keeping his mouth shut. After looking between the two trainers again Duke turned to Hector, and the others of the team who now shared Hector's curiosity.

"I don't get this," Duke whimpered. "I don't know who's playing the game anymore…."