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Colosseum: The Rise of Cipher - Prologue

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If anybody on the street came up to another person and asked what was the most hellish, most detestable region of the Pokémon world imaginable, Orre would easily be in the top three at least. It was nothing but endless sand and rocky canyons, a place so devoid of life, even the wild Pokémon stayed far, far away from it.

But that was nothing compared to the outright lawlessness that lurked within Orre. Though there was a Mayor and a very tiny police force to maintain control over the region's precious water supply, they were completely powerless in keeping order as the Gangs roamed free. Pokémon Trainers bound together in the name of survival, the Gangs did as they wanted, when they wanted, and no one dared challenge them otherwise. Even the Pokémon League refused to touch the region with anything remotely resembling control. And so Orre continued to fester like a big, untreated sore.

Every so often, some wide-eyed Pokémon Trainers hailing from one of the big-name regions like Kanto or Sinnoh would arrive via ship, thinking that they could make a name for themselves in conquering the most brutal of regions. Most of the time, the lethal combination of the Gangs and the desert utterly destroyed them, forcing them to return home in shame.

Today was going to be one such day, though the trio of Pokémon Trainers riding in the transport hoverbus remained unaware. "Man, this is great!" one Trainer stupidly proclaimed. "I don't see what the big deal is about this place. I've done enough desert traveling in Hoenn to know what it takes to make it out here."

"Maybe so, but I hear these so-called Colosseums pack the heat," came another, older Trainer who seemed to be the leader of the group. "That's why I brought the best Pokémon I've got."

"ETA to Phenac City, 5 minutes," announced the driver as he looked back toward the kids with annoyance. "A word of advice, kids," he added. "Shut up."

The third kid shruged. "Man, is that guy mean," he said. "I tell you, you won't hear that sort of attitude in Kanto."

The driver only scowled. He, like many others in Orre, detested strangers, especially those from the mainlands. Mindless, spoiled, badge-obsessed brats, thinking they own everything, the driver muttered inwardly. God, I wish I could just take a 12-gauge and- BANG!

That BANG was too real for the driver's thoughts. In fact, everybody on the bus heard it. The vehicle began jerking and slowing down, eventually landing on the sand with a soft thud. "Stay on the bus, brats!" the driver ordered as he got up and stepped outside to pop the hood and survey the damage. Sure enough, the engine had blown a gasket.

The first Trainer looked up. "He said it's only five minutes to Phenac, right?" The other two nodded. "We can walk from here. C'mon!" The Trainers left the bus and walked out into the desert.

The driver noticed, but spat in contempt. They'll regret coming here, he thought. Just wait...

--------------------

Five minutes later...

"C'mon, admit it. We're lost."

"We are not!" the lead Trainer argued. "The map says that Phenac City is just beyond the next dune."

"You said that three dunes ago," his friend retorted. "Look, let's just go back to the bus and wait for the guy to get it running again."

"I'm with him." the third Trainer added. "Anything's better than dying of heatstroke."

"Fine, you pansies, but I'm gonna keep going." Scowling, the lead Trainer continued to march forward. "It's not like we're gonna get picked on by kids or anything."

A loud mechanical ROAR sounded from out of nowhere, making everybody jump as three large vehicles resembling one-wheeled motorcycles nearly clipped them from behind. The bikes then pulled to a stop in front of the kids, revealing their drivers as a band of bald-headed men in red-and-black camo uniforms. They did not look friendly, as evidenced when one of the drivers, a tall man wearing reflective sunglasses, stepped off and drew a knife at the three Trainers.

"Look, boys... fresh meat," he called out, getting laughs and hoots from the pack.

The lead Trainer took a step back, but held a defiant expression. "You better tell us who you are," he demanded.

"Who we are? We're Team Snagem, and we rule the desert," the leader answered. "Hand over your Pokémon and any other valuables now!"

The lead Trainer relaxed his gaze and smirked in confidence. "Oh, I see. You're another band of wannabe Rockets." He turned to his friends. "C'mon, guys! Let's take down these lame-named rejects."

The three Trainers pulled out Poké Balls to release their Pokémon in defense. The Snagems, in turn, countered with their own Pokémon, and it wasn't long before it turned into a full-scale war. From a distance, the driver looked up towards the fight and snorted, then went back to his work.

Meanwhile, up on a rocky outcropping, a few more Snagems were busy wheeling out a large device. It was a yellow, boxy-looking machine with a powerful arm at its side. At the helm of the device was a lone Snagem, who adjusted some controls and moved the machine towards the fight.

"Targets have been sighted. Coordinates set," the Snagem announced. "Begin loading ammunition." A pair of Snagems took a small box of Poké Balls and placed them inside the machine. "Standby... FIRE!" With a jerk of a lever, the mechanical arm fired the Poké Balls with the velocity of bullets, each ball glowing with an odd aura.

Before the Trainers even knew what had happened, the Poké Balls slammed into their Pokémon and opened up, pulling the unfortunate creatures into each capsule and locking them inside. They couldn't understand what was happening. Poké Balls weren't supposed to capture Pokémon that were already owned by others, but it didn't seem to stop the machine as it fired more Poké Balls and stole away more Pokémon, allowing the Snagems to grab the balls and run towards the rocks.

Eventually, all the Trainers were wiped clean of their Pokémon, and the Snagems were whooping and hollering in victory. Down below, two of the Trainers were running back to the bus in fear. The third, however, was glaring daggers at the group.

"You... you jerks!" the lead Trainer shouted. "Those were my only Pokémon you stole from me. I've got no others."

One of the Snagems grinned evilly. "Aw, poor baby. Lost all his friends," he taunted. "Well, you'd better go catch more Pokémon. Oh, wait... There isn't any out here!" Everybody was laughing madly.

"Why you..." the Trainer began marching up towards the gang, ready to punch their lights out. He didn't get far, though, as one of the group stepped forward to meet him. He was a tall person, though he looked no older than a teenager. Unlike the Snagems, he had sandy-blond hair and wore a long, blue overcoat. "Stand aside, pal!" the Trainer shouted.

"Or what?" the stranger replied. "Don't you realize the stupidity of picking a fight with Team Snagem?"

"Yeah, you tell 'em, Wes!" a random Snagem shouted. "Knock his block off!"

"Oh, it's on!" The Trainer put up his fists and took a swing at Wes, but he simply dodged and grabbed his arm, then twisted it behind his back. The Trainer screamed in pain.

"Like I said," Wes continued, his calm expression unchanging. "Stupid."

The Trainer whimpered. "Please... please don't hurt me..."

"If you value your life, you're gonna go to Gateon Port and catch the first ship out of here."

"I... I don't have any Pokémon."

"True..." Wes rubbed his chin. "Hey, Wakin, you think you can spare this guy something?"

The leader laughed, the glint of the sun reflecting off of his silver shades. "Well, let's see..." Scrounging through the back cargo hold, Wakin pulled out a Poké Ball and placed it on the machine's hand. An omnious glow flashed over it. "Previous ID tag blanked. Ready for ID reassignment," a computerized voice announced. Wakin then tossed the ball back to the Trainer, which opened at his feet to reveal a pathetic-looking Magikarp.

"Better start training," Wes said as he released his grip and walked away. The rest of the Snagems followed, as did Wakin and his machine. Soon, all that was left was a lone Trainer and a Magikarp that flopped helplessly on the sand like... well... a fish out of water. Sighing, the Trainer took a spare Poké Ball and captured it without resistance, then returned to the bus, his confidence shattered.

The driver looked up at the kids with a cruel smile. "Welcome to Orre. Now go home." The Trainers had no objections as they got on the bus, silently waiting for him to finish the repairs and turn back around to Gateon Port.

--------------------

It was nightfall by the time the Snagems reached Eclo Canyon, and the harsh daytime heat was already giving way to bitter nighttime cold as they maneuvered their Rumblers through the twisting stone routes, the one-wheeled hoverbikes earning their name from the loud rumbling of high-octane mayhem that echoed throughout the canyon in their wake. The noise eventually quieted down as the Snagems approached a large building sitting smack-dab in the center. A pair of Snagems immediately saw the approaching group and ran inside. After a few seconds, a large garage door opened up, allowing the other Snagems to ride their bikes inside and park them within the safety of their lair.

Dismounting from their rides, the Snagems grabbed several burlap sacks of Poké Balls and walked through the open doors into the main halls of the Snagem Hideout. The interior decor was barely stylish, mostly consisting of rusted doors and walls that had only the faintest amount of welding. Various junk sat scattered about throughout the halls, from leaking gas drums to broken vending machines. As far as the Snagems were concerned, function was more important than flash. So long as they had shelter, they didn't care about looking pretty.

There was, however, one exception to the ramshackle design. Saluting a guard, the Snagems entered a room that was, in every sense of the word, elegant. Comfortable chairs and finely-designed coffee tables decorated a beautifully carpeted room. Overseeing the room from the far end was a large, muscular man sitting behind a half-circular desk. Nearby, a well-worn Skarmory sat menacingly on its perch, its heavily-scratched metal wings imposing authority over the intruders. A mural of the Snagem insignia was laid out behind them, making it clear to the Snagems that this was their rightful Boss.

"So, you're back," the man said with a grin. He wore the same uniform as the Snagems, with various scars decorating his well-built chest. His mustache and eyebrows were long and spindly, almost gravity-defying as they twitched with every breath. "Whaddya got?"

"Gonzap, sir!" Wakin saluted as he approached his boss, flanked by Wes and the guard from outside. "We've got a lot of Pokémon for you." Several of the Snagems laid down their burlap bags and opened them up, allowing lots of Poké Balls to fall to the floor. Gonzap licked his lips in anticipation. "Gotta say, Boss," Wakin continued, "that Snag Turret is the best investment you've ever made. We're easily pulling triple that of what we used to get from the Snag Gauntlets."

"Another spectacular haul, boys," Gonzap grinned as he went through the Poké Balls. "All of you wait outside." There were silent groans, but all the Snagems obliged. As usual, Gonzap insisted on sampling every haul. They knew that he would take all the highest-quality Pokémon for himself while his top subordinates got second dibs. Everybody else would get to fight over the third-rate leftovers, but they knew they'd at least be getting something, and so they held their peace.

As the crowd dispersed, Wes was about to leave with them when Gonzap spoke up. "Where're you goin' Wes? Sit down for a moment." Wes sighed, but turned back towards Gonzap as the burly man took a bottle of wine and a pair of glasses from his desk. "Drink?"

"No thanks," Wes politely replied.

"Oh well. Here, Skarr." Undaunted, Gonzap poured himself a glass, then casually passed his Skarmory a second. The old Flying-type was no stranger to alcohol, which it proved by quietly sipping from the top of the glass. "I heard how you showed a lippy Trainer who was boss," he continued. "How'd he take it? Painfully, I hope."

"Of course." Wes smiled as he reclined on a couch. "Kids like him need to learn that Orre's no place for 'em, and someone's gotta be the teacher. Might as well be me."

Gonzap laughed raucously. "That's what I like about you, Wes," he replied. "You know how to get your point across." The Snagem Head drew another glass and poured some wine. "C'mon, have a drink. It's not like you're gonna be going anywhere tonight."

"Nah, I'm good," he answered. "Anyway, I'm turning in for the night. See ya."

"Don't forget. Tomorrow, we've got that convoy of buses rolling through the canyons. I want my best Snaggers to be fully rested for it, especially you, Wes." Gonzap glared at his young friend. "I won't tolerate any failures on your end."

Wes smirked. "I know."

--------------------

As Wes entered the ramshackle room that was his quarters, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of Poké Balls. Depressing the triggers, the balls popped open to reveal their occupants: an Espeon and an Umbreon. The two Pokémon immediately leapt up on Wes and growled happily. "C'mon, Ebony, Ivory. Down, boys."

Despite the slightly overbearing affection, Wes smiled. Ebony (the Umbreon) and Ivory (the Espeon) had been his most trusted friends since they first met. They weren't much for conversation, but they always stood by him, which was more than Wes could say for some of the lowlifes he had associated himself with in the past.

His job done for today, Wes kicked off his boots and sat down on a makeshift cot in the corner. As he sat, a ringing sound started to play in his coat, and he removed the source of the sound. It was his Pokémon Digital Assistant (P*DA), and the sound meant that it had e-mail for him. Wes brought it up to read:

Wes,
I don't know what you've been doing this past month, but I can't wait any longer! I need that evidence soon. There's been a lot of problems at my end and some nasty rumors going around.


Wes entered in a response and hit SEND:

To whoever you are,
I understand your eagerness, but it's taken me this long to get as far as I have. Fortunately, I have all I think I'll need to finish up. Make sure you have my payment at the drop spot, and watch for the news.
Wes.


Switching the device off, Wes flopped down on his cot and looked up towards the ceiling in thought, with Ebony and Ivory curled up nearby. At the moment, Wes was in deep thought about both the e-mail and his position in the Snagems. It's getting close to the deadline, he realized. Didn't think I'd last this long with Team Snagem as it is.

He had to admit that it was a fairly rewarding job. Team Snagem gave him ample payment per Pokémon snagged, and he had the trust of the Snagem Boss himself, which was hard enough for actual Snagems to get as it was. But Wes was also a person who never backed down on his word or settled for a half-finished job, so he knew that it was time to hold up his end of the bargain with his client. Still, if he went through with this, Gonzap would have his goons chase him to no end. The man was never good at forgiveness.

Eventually, Wes made his decision and sat up. "By now all the Snagems are bunked in for the night," he explained to the Eons as he reached down under the cot and pulled out a burlap bag. "Time to put in some late hours."

--------------------

As morning shone over Eclo Canyon, with not a single sign of life in sight, Gonzap stood on the hideout roof and looked over the desolate wastes like a king surveying his kingdom. At his feet, Skarr cawed, eager to get some morning exercise in. Gonzap nodded and took Skarr onto his arm, where he helped hoist his pet into the air. Watching his Pokémon soar over the rocks and sands, Gonzap went back inside to his office, where a large group of Snagems stood at attention in front of his desk. They were ready to do anything for their boss, without question or hesitation.

"Alright, boys. This is it," Gonzap began as he took his seat. "In less than an hour, the first group of buses will be rolling through, and that's where the big money lies. We've got people coming from as far as Hoenn, and that means all sorts of rare and powerful Pokémon. I want every Snag Machine armed and every Snagem ready to attack. We pull this off, and we'll have all the cash we need to retire in style."

"Yes, sir!"

"Anyway, roll call!" Gonzap read off a clipboard. "Wakin, Biden, Agrev! You're all here, of course. Jedo and Driton... check. Fuston... here. Wes... Wes..." He looked around the room impatiently. "Wes?"

BOOOOOM! The sound rocked the entire hideout, sending Snagems running every which way in confusion and fear. After a moment, Wakin looked up. "That came from the garage!" he shouted. In an instant, Gonzap was leading virtually every Snagem in the hideout towards the garage.

As they arrived, they saw what could only be described as intentional sabotage. Flames were burning madly. Various mechanical deviced were slagged beyond repair. All the Rumblers were completely totaled... save for one as its unmistakable engine noise sounded from outside a large hole in the wall. Gonzap and his band dashed outside, just in time to see it down the canyon... plus its driver. "It's Wes!" one of them shouted.

Indeed, Wes had turned to wave at his ex-teammates. "Thanks for the dirtbike, dirtbags!" he shouted as his vehicle vanished from sight. As he reached the edge of the canyon, Wes reached for a detonator and hit the button, blowing the rest of the Snagem Hideout to complete pieces. With a laugh, Wes floored the gas and left Eclo Canyon, pausing only to steal a glance at a strange package that was sitting in the sidecar with his Eons.

As the Snagems ran for cover from the debris and flames, Gonzap merely stood there, clutching his fingers and cursing a blue streak. "You little... After all I've... I... You..." With a scream, the Snagem leader turned to his grunts. "You four, put out the fires! Rest of you, salvage anything you can from the wreckage!"

Wakin ran up to him. "Gonzap, sir! You've got a call in your office. It's him..." He wiped his head in a fearful sweat. "What do I tell him?"

"Tell him... that we've got a problem," Gonzap morosely replied, then gritted his teeth in anger, "and I'm going to fix it." High up in the sky, Skarr circled almost forebodingly as it watched the chaos unfold.
The first chapter of my Pokemon Colosseum novelization.

EDIT: I put this chapter up on DA to gauge interest, but apparently there isn't any. Fortunately, I've got more chapters already up on FF.net, so go there if you want more. [link]

Pokemon (c) Game Freak, Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
This story (c) ME!
© 2011 - 2024 Maetch
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Cataclyptic's avatar
Good job with the prolouge!