ToT Chapter 1- Part 1: Making allies

As the day started to advance in Tabira, Zack and Alex are moving to complete a mission from Vander, the leader of the trackers.


"So, what is our mission?" Zack asked.

"It says that we have to beat a bandit named Xavier who's been causing trouble. Either we fight him or persuade him to leave." Alex read.

"Mmm, for what I see he's not cualifieded to call him a bandit, from my perspective. So, what do you think we should do with him?"


Alex thought for a moment, analysing the situation. Finally he spoke:


"It will be easy to chose to fight him, but it's not going to solve the problem. He will be attaking again."

"We chose persuation then." Zack said

"Yeah, but actually, I was thinking of something different in this case"

"Oh?"

"We need people who can help us, and we both know, bandits sometimes have some useful information."

" I see where are you heading. Just leave this to me. I have an idea to how we're going to convince him."


After they agreed, they followed the road where Xavier was spotted. He has beated multiple times by other teams and he still refuse to change. Alex hope that this plan works, but if it not, at least they'll convince him to leave. They walked for some time, and then he appeared.


"Halt, you strangers!!!" Xavier spoke. "My name is Xavier and you will have the honour to battle me for your belongings"

'Good thing we didn't brought anything with us, besides of the empty back Zack carries behind his wing. Oh boy, this will be a huge downfall for him' Alex thought.

"Now, prepare yousevles for..." Xavier began, but he was interrupted by Zack.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT. So THIS is your way to steal thing? It's more something that an amateur will do"


That commentary was strong enough to put Xavier out of place. After some time he recovered just a little before he speak again.


"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked.


Zack begans to degrade him. "We both know exactly what I mean. A duel of honour?, really? A proffesional bandit will be swift and precise, leaving the target a small margin to respond and making sure that his identity will remain hidden. But what you're doing right now, it's acceptable from a teenager, NOT AN ADULT!" 

Xavier couldn't respond of anything of what Zack says. 'He's breaking down' Alex though. 'Just a little longer'. Since Zack was one of the hardest bandits in their homeland, he has a strong position in the discussion. He reveals who he was to Xavier and disarmed him, piece by piece. He even made the supposition of what. In a last attempt to save what is left of his dignity, he said:


"If that's what you think of me, then prove it and fight me." But his voice was to weak to take it seriously.


Both Alex and Zack looked at him in a way that it says 'This is the only thing you can say?'. That was enough to break him completly. He slowly walked away and sat in the nearest tree. Then he began to cry in silence, humilliated and defeated.

'I guess that was too much, but now we can talk to him with more calm' Zack thought.

They approached to him and waited until he calmed down.


"What are you're going to do now Xavier?" Alex spoke.

"I...-I...-I'll stop. Doing these duels are whay I've enjoyed most, but..." He trailed off for a bit. "Now without it, I don't know what to do."

"Sorry if I was a little harsh on you, but that's the truth. You think what are you doing is fun, but trust me, the reality it's a lot worse."


Xavier didn't say more and lowered his head.


'Now it's the time' Alex realised. "Well, if you don't have anything else to do, why don't you come with us?"

"Wh-what?" Xavier asked, not believing what he is hearing.

"You said that you have nothing else to do, we can help you with that. We need someone who knows the roads and the dangers of this place. We can share with you some food and a place to stay if that is good to you. What do you think Zack?" Alex smirked.

"If you think he will help us, fine by me." Zack responds.

"But why are you going to help me? I tried to battle you." Xavier said.

"Let's just say some pokémon are worthy of a second chance and you have some talents that could be really helpful. Besides you remind me the time when Zack and I are fighting against eachother, until he started to listen to me and joined me later, and we need people we can trust." Alex told him.

"But what about Vander and the guilds?" Xavier asked, worried for the first time about putting them in trouble. "They're not going to take lightly 

"Our objective was to stop you and we did it. They didn't say anything more about "talking" with you." Zack responded

"We're not including in our team here in Tabira for your and our safe, but since we're comming from another place with another rules, you can say that, unofficially, you're a member of Shadow fox. We just have to convince them that we will watch over you all the time and you'll pay for your crimes." Alex decided.

"I - don't know what to say, thank you." He felt grateful and, somehow, he would return all the favors they doing it.

"But before I forget it you'll have to follow some rules with us. The first and most obvius, don't steal. Second, you'll have to return everything you stole, either the object or money to compensate it. And third, stop being a womanizer. I mean it, because I heard a houndour named Penelope, and from the looks of it she was REALLY irritated." Alex said.

"It's just I love when she's angry." Xavier said with a grin on his face.

"Unless you want to awake the hell and test how much fire you can resist, you better not." Zack warned him.

"Okay, okay. Just one last thing, because I'm still afraid. Do you think I can handle this?" Xavier asked.

Alex thought for a moment, and after that he said: "Well, that depends entirely on you. But here's one thing: if you worried about yourself, then think of it as another "Duel of honour", but this time it's against your old self and, instead of belongings, it's your honor you're fighting for." 


Then Xavier stood up. 'Maybe this is what I really need' he thought for himself.


"We'll find you a way to get to our house, since we have experience on sneaking missions." Zack said.

"Well, everything is set up. So, we're on the same boat?" Alex offered a paw as he speaks

"Yeah, count me in"

And Alex and Xavier shook paws.