Jack was out on a run, scouting the woods with Falcata and his other Pokémon. The woods were full of dangerous Pokémon and poachers, and Jack was keeping the peace. Keeping the humans safe from Pokémon, and keeping Pokémon safe from humans.
He was in the treetops, running along branches, and scouring the ground below, looking for threats.
A voice stopped him.
It was Celebi.
Guardian, you must return to Cobweb Hollow. The Gym is in danger.
There were now four Trainers again in their little group. James, Cate, Trevor, and Audrey traveled on a long dirt path through the savannah. The sun beat hot overhead, and the savannah stretched out endlessly as far as they could see in every direction. They could see herds and packs of Pokémon off in the distance, and of course, James suggested that they find some to catch.
"Come on, guys, it looks like there are a lot of strong Pokémon here."
Trevor replied, exhausted, "Can't we just, like, rest? Or focus on getting to Canopy?"
"You heard what Audrey's dad said. Every Gym battle is going to get harder and harder. We need to train for this next badge. No better way than by battling. Plus, we'll need more Pokémon if we want to keep strengthening our teams. Come on, let's go hunting."
James went off running into the tall grass of the savannah, expecting the others to follow. They did, although Trevor did so somewhat reluctantly. James found a rocky outcropping overlooking a large flat plain.
"Okay, we're going to wait here and set up a trap for incoming Pokémon. Cate, have your Joltik get ready to use its web abilities. Audrey, what Pokémon do you have and how can we use them in this battle?"
"Well," she responded timidly, "I just have the Pokémon that my dad gave me. She's a Petilil. She's small, but she'll grow."
"Hmm, let me think. A Petilil. Will she know something like Sleep Powder?"
"Yeah, I think so. And Stun Spore."
"Perfect. As soon as some Pokémon enter that area down there, we need to hit them with all of our status ailments. Then we can go about catching them. I can have Shisa herd them so they don't get away. Look, here some come."
Coming into the ridge was a herd of Pokémon. Like a herd of antelope, horses, and deer, it was a mix of many Pokémon species. Zebstrika and Blitzle, Rapidash and Ponyta, Sawsbuck and Deerling, Girafarig, Stantler, Tauros, Bouffalant. They had evidently all formed some sort of beneficial herd relationship. It was soon evident why. A mighty roar echoed over the plains, and a fierce pack of Pyroar appeared. They charged at the herd, and the cornered Pokémon all began to scatter.
"Okay, change of plans," suggested James. "We let them scatter a bit, and then we'll swoop in and try to catch some of the stragglers. How does that sound?"
"That sounds pretty dangerous," objected Trevor. "What if those Pyroar try to attack us? What if there are too many Pokémon for us to battle? What if-"
"Shh. We're going to do this. And it's going to work out." He looked to Audrey and Cate for encouragement. They nodded hesitantly.
Cate responded, "Trevor's right that it's dangerous, but if we're smart about it, we can catch some good Pokémon. And save them from those Pyroar."
"Right. Okay, wait for my signal." James watched the ongoing attack with a predator's eye, waiting for their moment. Then he saw an opening. Most of the Pyroar had chased off the bulk of the herd, and hiding near the Trainers' outcropping was a small group of abandoned young. They had been cut off from their parents, and the Pyroar hadn't noticed them.
"Go go! Follow me. Remember what I said about status attacks. Start with that."
They leapt out of their hiding spot to find a Blitzle, Deerling, and Ponyta huddled against the outcropping. They were quickly hit with a Sticky Web, a Stun Spore, and a Sleep Powder.
"Trevor, Pyroar is a Fire-type. We'll need you to help defend if any of them decide to come back. Celeste should be able to put up a good fight."
Trevor gulped but nodded. He stood ready with Celeste and his poor Feebas. Behind him he could hear the sounds of Pokémon being caught as they were zapped into Pokéballs. In front of him he heard an angry roar. Bounding down from the outcropping of rock came a lithe female Pyroar, its sleek mane flowing back in the wind. The rest of the pride had moved on, but it looked like this one had found some new prey. It stalked toward Trevor.
"Celeste, protect us!" Trevor yelled desperately.
The Marill started creating big droplets of water that began to orbit the group. They started orbiting quickly and turned into a series of Aqua Rings. They pulsed gently, protecting the Trainers and their Pokémon.
"Yes! Okay Celeste, hit her with an Aqua Jet!"
The Pyroar growled hungrily at the group from outside the ring. From the safety of their water shelter, Celeste fired a torrent of water at their hunter. It didn't faint her, but it was enough to make her leave for easier prey.
James clapped Trevor on the shoulder. "Way to go, man. That was great."
"Heh, well, I didn't really know what I was doing. Celeste did most of the work." Trevor shrugged embarrassedly.
"I thought you did great," said Cate.
Audrey interjected, "Well, let's get ourselves to the next town. We've got some new Pokémon, I think we're ready for another Badge!"
They arrived to find a city in chaos. Its inhabitants were running amok as white-uniformed grunts were trying to round them up and take their Pokéballs. The center of the confusion was the Pokémon Gym. The Canopy Gym was a Flying type Gym, and perched on top of it was a wizened old man with an aquiline nose. He was dressed in a dark green suit with wings attached to the arms. Perched alongside him was a Pokémon, a vulture, a cruel-looking bird with a bone in its feathers. Cate thought it was a Mandibuzz, but it looked different. It had the right form but seemed to be made of black slime. Its talons were long and razor sharp. Its wings extended further than they should because of the way the slime reached out in grasping tendrils.
"This is wrong." Cate said in a hushed tone. "That Pokémon is wrong." She nodded to the black Mandibuzz.
"Yeah, and who's that guy?" James asked as the vulture-like man continued to survey the savagery from his post.
"Um, guys, run!" Trevor shouted, pulling Cate toward him as he ran off. They were being followed by a pair of Celestial grunts.
"Harry, stop those kids!" the female agent said to her partner.
"Way ahead of you, Tracy," he said smugly.
Before any of the Trainers had a chance to wonder what that meant, a dark blur sped past them, knocking them over.
Harry pumped his fist. "Haha, yes! Good Pursuit, Snikt!"
The Trainers looked up to see a Sneasel standing in front of them while the two grunts approached from behind. "Get in a circle, back to back; Pokémon out!" said James, quickly taking charge. "Shisa, Fire Spin to stop those two from getting closer! Someone will have to deal with that Sneasel."
"Sleipzle!" called Cate, sending out her new Blitzle against the Sneasel. He was followed by Audrey's little bulb-like Petilil.
"Good. Now Trevor, help us again with that Aqua Ring."
"Will do."
The Sneasel lunged in toward the Petilil with its razor claws. Cate's Blitzle moved wickedly fast to intercept the blow, tackling Sneasel to the ground.
"Hmm," the female grunt sneered. "Well, Harry, these kids are putting up something of a fight now, aren't they? More than anybody else in this town. Go, Bamf." She lazily tossed a Pokéball in front of her, and a floating yellow fox rose up off of the ground.
The two Trainers were now surrounded, the two grunts and an Abra in front of them and a Sneasel in back. The Sneasel was trying to cut down the Petilil with an ice attack, barely staying ahead of Sleipzle. Meanwhile, the Abra was placing a Light Screen to further trap them in.
"Shisa, you need to break through that Light Screen! Take Down!"
As Petilil was readying a powder attack to paralyze the Sneasel, it feinted left then quickly darted in to the right with an Ice Punch, knocking out Petilil.
"No!" yelled Audrey, calling back her Petilil into its Pokéball.
As Sneasel was gloating, the black electric zebra knocked him down and pinned him to the ground, angrily sending electricity coursing through him. Cate looked shocked.
"Yes! Er-oh, okay, that's enough, Sleipzle. He's down. Sleipzle, stop!"
Harry looked like he was holding back tears. "Return, Snikt…"
"Now's our chance to run!" yelled Audrey.
"No, we need to stop them from attacking anyone else. I'm almost through the Light Screen."
"Harry, it's time to get out of here. Hold on to me. Bamf, Teleport." The Light Screen vanished, and so did the two grunts with their Abra.
"Crap, they got away." James clenched his fist. "Okay, so these people are part of the same group we saw back in the forest and back in Axis City. They're attacking the city and taking away people's Pokémon. We need to stop them. Mainly, we need to stop the old vulture man, he seems to be in charge of this. Everybody be ready, especially you, Cate. We'll need your Electric types for sure."
The group started sneaking from building to building, approaching the Pokémon Gym in the center of town. There was a battle happening around the Gym. There was a kid who looked to be about their age riding a large metallic quadruped. He seemed to be one of the only people who still had his Pokémon with him. He was surrounded by the white-clothed grunts and their Pokémon. His Lairon was thrashing back and forth, trying to fend them all off.
"Come on, let's go help him!" yelled James, rushing forward. "Go Epona!" He threw his new Ponyta out in front of him. "Go, Flame Charge into the group and try to disperse them."
She was followed by Sleipzle and Audrey's new Deerling. The three Pokémon charged forward, giving the boy and his Lairon some room to breathe.
"Uh, thanks, guys! I'm Aaron. Nice to meet you. Okay, now let's kick some butt!"
The battle raged only briefly, until the vulture motioned to his shadowy, slimy Mandibuzz. It spread its wings menacingly, its bone adornment a striking white contrast to the blackness of its body. It dove at the Trainers and started battering their Pokémon. Shisa ran up the back of the Lairon and jumped off in a fiery tackle, but he was knocked straight down to the ground. Lairon started kicking up rocks at it, but it deflected them with its wings. It flew up, circled around, and then fell in a dive straight for Deerling. Before it could attack, suddenly a mat was lifted up, shielding the whole team of Trainers. The dark Mandibuzz was then distracted by a barrage of Water Shurikens.
A mysterious man in blue armor appeared next to them. "Come, with me. Greninja, come." He hit a button on his wrist, and they all teleported away.
