Chapter 2 – Keith's New Partner
Xavier and Iara escaped from their Poké Balls with two synchronised pops. Having allegedly put effort into their escape, the two panted lightly as they looked around.
"Damnit...must've ran off when we weren't looking," Xavier complained. Iara immediately spotted the rock pile during her surveying. Panicky, she ran towards it and struggled and strained to move a single boulder. Xavier, too, spotted the heap; he was also panicky, but kept his temperament masterfully. Sighing, he approached the tiny Vaporeon.
"Here, let me." Xavier held onto the rock tightly as he strained to pull it back. "Alex! You three okay in there!?" he cried. Iara squealed and leapt away as Xavier succeeded in moving one boulder. The humans were still nowhere to be seen, however. Xavier growled deeply; someone was going to pay dearly for this despicable act. One by one, Xavier pushed the rocks away with sheer brute force. As soon as Xavier and Iara spotted a shoulder, a flicker of hope sparked in their hearts, despite it bleeding. Xavier was careful with the rest of the rocks; he now knew Keith, Alexa and Keenan were inside, and decided to not take any chances with their health. One false move could mean the absolute demise for all three of them. Iara watched anxiously as Xavier worked harder and harder to clear away the rocky prison.
Finally, Xavier could stop; Keith, Alexa and Keenan were free. Keenan was entirely unharmed, thanks to his sister's shielding. Alexa herself would have sustained more damage if Keith hadn't protected her as well as Keenan, escaping with only a cut to her leg and a few bruises here and there. Keith, however, sustained the most damage; his back was bruised and cut, and his shoulder was bleeding due to a large cut. Keith was slumped over the Thorndyke kin, and Alexa held her brother in her arms, all of them by now on their knees. Buizel held onto Keith's shorts. Xavier, exhausted from the work, panted with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
"You okay?" he asked worriedly. Keith dared not to move at risk of doing further harm to his back.
"I-I think so," Keenan replied, shaken up from the whole experience. Xavier proceeded to help Keith onto his feet as painlessly as possible.
"I think one of them hit my leg...it stings," Alexa complained, looking down at the long and dusty cut down her leg. As she looked, she couldn't tell what was making her injury sting; she assumed it was either the dust around it or the fact that it was across her knee, which would inevitably make the wound sting as soon as she moved her knee.
"Aagh...my back...!" Keith complained, wincing from the agony of the countless bruising to his back. Xavier laughed nervously.
"Well this is a good start, huh? They left."
"Damn," Keith cussed under his breath. Xavier moved one final rock to let the humans out of the rock circle. Alexa flinched at every step, but looked back at the circular formation of the leftover boulders.
"Kinda clever, though," she admitted. "Skarmory used Roar to send the Pokémon back to their Poké Balls and Rock Tomb to-"
"Try and kill us," Keenan said, looking a little wound up. Keith laughed a little.
"Too bad for them that it didn't work...sucks to be them if we meet again."
"Not with that back of yours," Xavier cautioned. Iara greeted Keenan with a friendly nuzzle. Xavier looked back at his own trainer, and spotted the blood running down the rest of her leg. "Or with that leg of yours."
"We don't even know where they went, so I don't think meeting them again is going to be possible right now," Alexa sighed.
The group suddenly focused their attention on another incoming vehicle. It was a jet green 4x4, not dissimilar to Jordan's own 4x4, with a bleach blonde man in the driving seat and a Grovyle in the passenger seat. The driver of the vehicle stood up in his seat and swerved over the door without opening it. His Grovyle mimicked his manoeuvre. Alexa noted the man's uniform; he wore a simple navy blue baseball cap with matching polo shirt and combat shorts. There was a distinct logo on one side of his shirt; in bright yellow stitching, the Cliff Preserve logo was sewn on the left hand side. The very same logo was sewn into the centre of his cap. Grovyle possessed an arm band matching the colours of the man's uniform, logo and all.
"Is everyone all right?" the man asked with concern.
"Who-?"
"It's okay, I'm the good guy," the man smiled. "Willis Mitchell, Preserve Officer."
"Grovyle," Grovyle added, giving the group a little salute. Feeling at ease, Alexa smiled.
"Alexa, Top Ranger," she replied in the same friendly manner. "You were almost poached, Officer."
"That explains those rocks," Willis mused. "Hop in; I'll take you guys to sick bay."
Despite her leg wound, Alexa helped Xavier in helping Keith into the preserve Jeep. The preserve logo was painted on the doors in yellow paint. Willis directed Keenan and Iara to the passengers seat, and the pair sat next to Grovyle. Iara and Grovyle immediately struck up a conversation while Xavier helped Alexa and Keith into the back, with Buizel following. Willis literally jumped back into the 4x4 and drove off carefully.
Elsewhere...
Jordan, Gabby and Andy walked down a set of stairs leading into a basement of sorts. The lights were off, so the contents of the basement couldn't all be identified; at the most, one could see various different crates and cages, but there were also varying silhouettes around the room. There were claw marks on the walls, blood stains on the floor and walls, and the floor itself was damaged because of, presumably, cages being dragged along the floor. Andy dragged a cage down with him, with a brown Deerling with a yellow spot below its neck unconscious in the middle of it. Andy looked at Jordan in confusion.
"So...what're we doing with this thing again?" he asked. "We've already got the Sawsbuck like we wanted."
"It's got nothin' going for it," Jordan began, lighting up another cigarette. "But it might get us some dough if we sell it."
"That's about all it's got going for it," Andy sighed as Jordan exhaled the deadly smoke.
"Hey, do you think those pests are dead?" Gabby asked, almost at random. She hadn't sounded concerned, nor was she curious in the slightest, leaving Andy confused about her question.
"Not my problem," Jordan said plainly as he made his way over to the grey and blue toolbox sat on one side of the basement.
"It was your Skarmory that did the deed," Gabby said as she followed Jordan.
"My previous statement still stands, Gabby," Jordan sighed, taking out a large syringe from the toolbox.
"Ah well. Even if they survived, I doubt they can stop us," Andy smirked. Picking out a large blade, which could be used to skin something, Jordan closed the toolbox and stood upright.
"When you're done sounding like a cliché comic book villain," he sighed. "Check the Deerling over; can't get a good price if it's losing a leg."
"I'd personally get rid of the thing right here and now, boss," Andy said, looking at the seemingly worthless foal.
"Look, we had to take it because the Sawsbuck wouldn't get away from it," Jordan explained, filling the syringe with some kind of clear liquid from a brown bottle. "We wanted the Sawsbuck on its own, but ended up with two for the price of one. Might as well put that Deerling to use as well," he added, flicking the syringe a little. "Know this, though, Andy; if it gets away, it doesn't matter. But try not to let it anyway."
"No problem," Andy complied. Taking the two essentials with him, Jordan left the basement. Gabby followed him out of the basement. Andy dragged Deerling's cage a little further before leaving it near the foot of the staircase.
Keith, Alexa and Keenan sat in what appeared to be a typical doctor's examining room. Keith was shirtless with a bandage wrapped around his torso and a dressing on his shoulder. Alexa sat next to him with a bandage around her knee. Keenan sat on a nearby chair, with Iara on his lap and Buizel on his shoulder. Willis sat on another chair in front of Keith and Alexa, listening intently as the two young Rangers explained what transpired prior to the officer's arrival. Grovyle, arms folded, leaned against a wall behind Willis; while he looked bored out of his mind, he, too, was keenly listening to the tale.
"Huh; that explains a lot," Willis began. "The Safari Warden warned me about this. From what you described, the trio whose Skarmory buried you was the same trio who raided the Safari Zone last week." Keith's eyes widened at the new development. He was instantly curious.
"What happened then?" he asked.
"The warden's told us the poachers got away with at least an Ursaring, a Ponyta, a Scyther and a Pinsir," Willis replied.
"At least?" Alexa questioned.
"He's yet to make a proper count," Willis elaborated. Xavier huffed; he'd taken the form of an Aipom, and was hanging from the curtain rail near the examination chair Keith and Alexa sat on.
"And it's taking him a week to make that count, because..?"
"Let's just say he feels the Pokémon need to calm down before he gets a proper figure," Willis said with a nervous smile.
"They're agitated?" Alexa assumed.
"For safety reasons, he's closed the Safari Zone to the public," Willis concluded. Keith looked disheartened.
"...I think we've got our hands full with this one," he sighed. Alexa nodded in agreement.
"Think we should regroup, Alex?" Keenan asked worriedly. He, Keith and Xavier awaited Alexa's response, as if she was the one in charge of the entire investigation when the reality was that the investigation was jointed. During her silence, Alexa was comprehending what had happened to them in her mind, and recognised that Keenan was shaken up from having been buried alive, and Keith felt discouraged because of the fact that the poachers got the better of them on the first encounter. Alexa was demoralised for the very same reason. She lowered her head.
"...yeah..." she said finally, almost under her breath. Xavier jumped down from the curtain rail, changing back into his Zoroark form as he fell, and faced Alexa.
"Hey, come on now, chin up! It's only our first encounter with those bums, I doubt the next ones will result in a near death experience! Come on, don't give up yet!" Alexa sighed.
"You're right. Thanks, Xavier." Despite what she said, Xavier wasn't convinced that her heart was behind those words. He put a claw to his chin as he noticed the bandaged wounds on her and Keith.
"Maybe you should recover first, though," he said quietly, assuming he was encouraging the teens too soon.
"I'll inform the Safari Warden about what you told me, Alexa," Willis smiled. "And I'll see if the police can help as well."
"Somehow I don't think the police will be in any hurry to do anything about it, but thanks, Willis," Keenan said.
The little Deerling began to stir inside his prison. It took him a while for his vision to come back to him, but, as soon as it did, he shot up like a dart, hastily looking around at the unfamiliar and ominous surroundings. Terrified, he backed into one corner of the cage as far as he possibly could, still looking around as he did, hoping to make sense of the shadows around him. Andy approached the cage and looked down at the hyperventilating foal.
"About time you woke up," Andy complained. "I've been bored out of my mind waiting for you. At least now I can start a proper health check." Andy walked away from the cage momentarily. Taking advantage of Andy's absence, Deerling surveyed the area once more, but he couldn't make out the silhouettes hanging from the ceiling, no matter how hard he tried to see through the darkness. He could hardly make out a thing, which terrified him even more. Tears began to flow from his emerald green eyes.
Andy returned with an Arbok slithering alongside him. Andy crouched down in front of the cage. He showed no concern for the Deerling's frightened state of mind.
"Right, out you come," Andy said simply, opening the cage door. Deerling didn't budge; he was too frightened to make any form of noise and movement. He almost stopped breathing entirely. Andy sighed. " I said, come on," he said, losing patience. He reached into the cage, in an attempt to grab the frightened foal. In self-defence, Deerling slammed both front hooves down on Andy's hand. Yelling in pain, Andy retracted his arm and held onto his hand. Deerling ran out of the cage and quickly looked around for an exit.
"Oh no you don't! Arbok!"
"CHAARRR!" Arbok lunged at Deerling, but he pranced away from Arbok's venomous jaws, crashing mouth first into the gravel. Andy stood up as Arbok persisted in pursuing the panicky Deerling around the basement.
"Don't let it get away, Arbok!" Andy shouted furiously.
"CHAARR!" Arbok darted towards Deerling, poisonous fangs at the ready. Deerling braced himself as the flora-shaped tuft on his head shone brightly. Three different coloured beams burst forth from the tuft; one bright cyan, one golden yellow, and the other red-orange. The beams struck Arbok just below its mouth and sent it flying into one of the crates. With Andy distracted by his Arbok, Deerling raced up the steps, tripping up along the way, and broke out of the basement. Noticing the Deerling had escaped, Andy merely recalled his fatigued Arbok back into its Poké Ball and raced after the defiant foal.
"Get back here!" Andy yelled furiously. Deerling raced across the strange building and out of the front door, which was carelessly left open. Jordan, with an empty syringe in his hand, watched as Andy chased the Deerling. He sighed.
"GABBY! You didn't close the door again!" he fumed as he slammed the door behind Andy.
Deerling sped off into the woodlands. Andy couldn't keep up with Deerling on foot, but he soon released his Fearow from his Poké Ball. Contrary to Keenan's own Fearow, Andy's looked much more ferocious. Andy hopped onto his Fearow's back and the bird Pokémon soared into the air.
In a more peaceful part of the region, Darcy and Xavier, who had taken the form of an Arcanine, walked slowly down the rural path. Darcy had Keenan and Iara on her back, while Xavier had Keith, Alexa and Buizel on his. Keith sat behind Alexa, and Buizel was on Keith's shoulder. The walk felt long, for nobody dared to speak. Darcy and Xavier exchanged worried looks at one another; Keenan and the two Rangers knew they had little to worry about, and they couldn't understand why nobody was willing to talk. Finally, Keenan broke the silence.
"Alex?"
"Yeah?" Alexa asked.
"Why did you shield me?" Keenan asked. Alexa sighed.
"You're my brother; I didn't want you to get hurt," she explained. "I didn't think I needed to tell you that."
"I didn't want either of you to get hurt; that's why I shielded you, Alexa," Keith added.
"Thanks," Alexa said. Xavier looked towards Alexa, carrying a reassuring smile, hoping to cheer her up.
"The main thing is you all got out of it lightly."
"I dunno about that when it comes to me, though," Keith sighed.
"Either way, one of you's got to be the lucky charm," Xavier smiled. Keith smiled a little.
"Mine's Alexa, no doubt." Alexa remained silent, which worried Xavier and Keenan greatly.
"M-maybe...maybe the professor can ask Sven and Wendy to help," Keenan suggested.
"I don't know about that; they weren't exactly a brilliant help during Kincaid's final moments," Keith said sourly.
"I'm just exhausted," Alexa admitted. "It's nothing to worry about..."
"What, do you think you came back on duty too soon?" Keith asked worriedly.
"No," Alexa said instantly. "I spent too long off duty as it is; I only wanted a fortnight, but I guess karma caught up with me and gave me that chest infection..."
"Maybe it's because you're still rusty," Xavier suggested, facing forward again to look at where he was going. He didn't want to crash into a tree or something. "How long has it been since you recovered from it anyway?"
"About a month," Alexa guessed. "I don't know, though...could be two. I lost track a while back."
"BUI!" Buizel pointed up at the sky. Keith, Alexa, Keenan and Xavier spotted the tiny figure of Andy on his Fearow scanning the area below them.
"That jerk again?" Xavier sighed. Everyone watched as Fearow dived down towards the ground. Fearow flew back up, but with Deerling caught in his mighty talons. Buizel panicked, and quickly pitied the victim.
"It's the driver, I think...Xavier, can you help that Pokémon?" Alexa asked. Xavier smirked.
"Can and will," he complied. He waited for Keith and Alexa to climb off of his back before leaping into the air. As he leapt, his magenta energy wave moved quickly down his body, changing his form from Arcanine to Dragonite as he soared towards the villainous Fearow.
Andy spotted Xavier's transformation and eagerly awaited his arrival. Deerling cried in Fearow's firm grip. Xavier confronted Andy.
"Let the Deerling go, Junk Monkey!" Xavier demanded.
"No thanks; I'd rather keep it alive," Andy replied, pointing down. Looking down, Xavier realised that his demand wasn't the best one to make, especially at that altitude. He looked back at Andy.
"Same, but I'd rather he be free from you!" he shouted.
"Listen, I don't have a problem with ignoring that thing, but orders is orders," Andy shrugged. Xavier immediately noticed the swollen hand. "I need to take it back."
"Since your boss tried to kill my pals, I can't let you do that. By the way, what happened to your hand anyway? Looks like you dipped it in grape juice or something."
"The little bastard stomped on it," Andy explained through his teeth, furious at Deerling's earlier attack on him. "I swear, if Jordan didn't want to try and sell it, I would've killed the fucking thing myself."
"Hey, whoa, watch the language! There's a minor present," Xavier said, hinting the trembling Deerling.
"I don't care. Now, if you'll excuse me, Deerling has an appointment with possible clients."
"You're not excused," Xavier said simply as his fist shone in a red-yellow light. Fearow flew up slightly, attempting to dodge the attack, but Xavier smirked; he wanted Fearow to move up. The fist struck the bird's chest, causing his grip on Deerling to break entirely. Deerling cried as he fell. His cries were short-lived, as he'd noticed Xavier had caught him before he fell too far. Xavier began to fly back to Alexa.
"Don't you worry, little guy, you'll be safe now," Xavier smiled. Deerling's smile was also short-lived when he spotted Fearow closing in on Xavier.
Xavier cried in pain as Fearow struck him dead in the centre of his back. He dropped Deerling, who began to scream again as he fell. Xavier's illusion faded and he, too, began to fall.
Deerling closed his eyes tightly, anticipating his demise. As soon as he felt another pair of arms holding onto him, he looked around in confusion and realised that Keith had caught him. Alexa tried to help Xavier, but the Zoroark fell on top of her and they both fell to the ground. Keith and Deerling looked down at them; they were both giddy from the impact.
"Whoa! You okay?!" Keith asked. Before Alexa could answer, if she could, Keith's attention turned to Andy, who descended in front of him. Keenan ignored Andy and tried to help Alexa and Xavier. Deerling recognised Andy and tried to hide away in Keith's arms. Andy was livid.
"Hand it over!" he demanded. Keith, despite not fully understanding Andy's motives for wanting the little Pokémon, stood up for Deerling.
"Not likely. Do me a favour and tell your boss we're still hanging. And we'll stop him," he said snidely.
"I doubt it. Give me the Deerling and I'll let you live," Andy threatened.
"You'll be going away empty handed," Keith stated as Xavier finally stood up. Despite his back pain, Xavier confronted Andy and ignited a small flame above his claw.
"Or will there be Roast Fearow on the menu?" he asked rhetorically. Andy remained silent, mentally considering his options. He wanted to make Deerling pay for potentially breaking his hand, but, at the same time, he knew that Jordan wasn't desperate to sell off the Season Pokémon.
"...fine. But know this, Spiky; Jordan will have your head as a trophy."
"I dare him to try," Keith said nastily.
"You'll eat those words...Keith," Andy smirked. He looked towards Alexa and Keenan. "Don't think you two are off the hook either; if you get in our way, Jordan won't hesitate to kill you, slowly and painfully."
"Wh- we didn't even do anything!" Keenan exclaimed.
"Yet. Oh, and, uh, Alexa? This is a genuine piece of advice for you; stay away from Gabby, she's looking for a catfight," Andy said, on a more casual note.
"Thanks for the warning," Alexa said sarcastically as Fearow flew away.
With Andy out of sight, Deerling finally lifted his head and looked around at his heroes. He sighed with relief and happily nuzzled Keith's chest. The act confused Keith, but he and Buizel were happy to know Deerling was safe. Alexa, Xavier, Keenan and Darcy gathered around him.
"What would Mr Sunshine want with this little dude anyway?" Xavier asked.
"I don't know, and I'd rather not find out," Alexa said quietly.
"Aww, he' so cute!" Despite Keenan's compliment, Deerling huddled up to Keith, hiding from those around him. Alexa smiled.
"And is already feeling safe with you, Keith," she added.
"Hey, can't Rangers have more than one partner Pokémon?" Keenan asked quickly.
"Yeah, but one at a time," Keith replied, not fully understanding the reason behind the young boy's curiosity.
"And Buizel would need a place to stay in the meantime," Alexa continued. "Ryder could keep him company at home." Keith looked between Keenan and Alexa in confusion.
"What're you implying?" he asked.
"If he's happy with it, Deerling could be your partner Pokémon number two," Alexa smiled. Deerling's ears twitched and smiled joyfully at the idea.
"Well..." Keith didn't look so sure.
"Oh come on, Keith! Alex can call upon any one of us 43 Pokémon to be her partner!" Xavier said encouragingly, emphasising the number forty-three. Alexa laughed nervously.
"Besides, if Buizel needs a rest, Deerling can take over," Keenan added. Keith sighed and smiled.
"Okay, you got me; I'll keep him," he said. Deerling licked Keith happily. Buizel was glad to have a new friend.
"By the way, why not give Deerling and Buizel nicknames?" Alexa suggested. Keith, Deerling and Buizel all faced her in confusion.
"Pardon?" Keith asked.
"Nicknames," Alexa replied. "Y'know, like how my Zoroark's nickname is Xavier or how Keenan's Rapidash has Darcy as her nickname. I find that giving Pokémon nicknames helps give a Pokémon a sense of identity, and not make them generic, if you will."
"..huh. Never thought about that," Keith said quietly.
"So how about it?" Keenan questioned eagerly.
"How do I know what to nickname them?" Keith asked.
"You'll know," Alexa smiled. Keith smiled nervously.
"That doesn't exactly help with anything," he chuckled. "Uh..." He looked at Deerling first. "Uh..." He looked back at Alexa. "Help?" Alexa laughed as she walked over to Deerling.
"Let me see...I think...Robbie." Deerling's eyes seemed to light up; he loved his new nickname. Robbie.
"Well he likes it at any rate," Keith smiled.
"Buizel's turn! What to name him...?" Alexa pondered.
"Bui!" Buizel insisted. Alexa looked at him in confusion.
"Yeah?"
"Bui," Buizel nodded.
"Whuh?" Alexa looked at Keith, smiling.
"Buizel's already chosen his nickname; Reese."
"Robbie and Reese...sounds good to me," Keenan smiled.
"I like them," Keith smiled. Keith placed Robbie back down on the floor, allowing him to walk on his own four hooves. He stayed close to his new friend as they, Alexa, Xavier, Darcy, with Keenan and Iara back on her back, and Buizel all continued their walk down the rural road.
"By the way, do Pokémon Trainers nickname their Pokémon?" Keith asked.
"Not all of them," Alexa replied. "Most don't bother, to be honest."
Gabby watched as Jordan moved away from his latest masterpiece, hidden in the shadows of the basement.
"Another fine piece," Gabby praised. "Damn you're good."
"Sucking up to me isn't working, Gabby, try something else," Jordan said plainly. He spotted Andy walking down the stairs, his hand still swollen.
"Jordan? I lost the Deerling," he said, somewhat tensely.
"Just as well; no takers for it," Jordan shrugged.
"I dunno why; it's cute," Gabby smiled.
"That explains it," Jordan grumbled.
"There's more. Those kids are alive."
"Huh?!" Gabby was in utter disbelief.
"Keith, Alexa and Keenan? Hm." Jordan didn't appear too bothered about Andy's bombshell. Gabby faced him in shock.
"You're not worried?"
"No." Jordan gave the tiniest of smiles. "But this could be interesting..."
To be continued...