Many sadistic waves of laughter seemingly surrounded us. The sight of merciless beatings given by these extremists to helpless people and Pokémon, it put horror into my very soul. I held my sister as close as possible to my chest in our prone position, shielding her eyes from witnessing the suffering before us. I thanked Arceus that they hadn't noticed my hiding spot in the brush, or had bothered to check. If we stayed inside the school, we would have been caught; the three-story building already looked cleared out.
"Cry little weakling! No one is coming to save you!" one of them yelled, laughing as he struck one of the students down while the other gladly watched, patches of blood soaking into the gravel. Next to the collapsed student, was his motionless Pokémon.
There were so many. Any chance of escape felt hopeless. I held Dawn tighter the instant she started shaking as I swallowed hard, unable to find any courage in my heart full of fear.
An explosion behind the building made me wide-eyed. I quickly realized that each of those intruders locked their attention on the heavy smoke and rushed off toward it. That was my only chance.
With Dawn in my arms, I rushed to stand and ran toward a small storage-looking structure which I knew had an entrance to the city's main sewer system, hoping nobody saw us. The single door and part of the flimsy steel wall were completely missing seemingly from a Pokémon attack. I wasted no time and rushed inside before having Dawn hang onto me while I began climbing down the metal ladder into the darkness.
"This way!"
A jolt of fear surged through my heart as I immediately froze and looked up where the voice came from. Panicking, I rapidly searched around us for any ideas before laying eyes on a narrow opening just big enough for a person to fit. The only problem was that there was no floor; it was the ceiling for the sewer below that pipes ran through. And it was at least a fifteen-foot drop.
"Find him!" another yelled with authority.
I had no choice. Using the pipes to lift us, I planted a foot on the front concrete wall in front of me and the other foot behind against the other wall that my back was against, trying my best to inch over and out of sight from above. I gritted my teeth, feeling my body tense and my hands moisten up. Dawn whined as she did her best to tighten her grip on me, looking down. I quickly stopped moving when I was sure we were safely out of view and used a hand to gently raise her head so her teary eyes were staring directly at mine.
I brought a finger to my mouth, hushing her quietly. "Shhhhhhh."
Dawn turned silent and mirrored my gesture. "Shhhh," she repeated, knowing exactly what I wanted.
We waited and listened. Footsteps and grunting rushed to the room above and quickly left as they started...
My mind stirred groggily before I lifted an eye open, the nightmare was crystal clear in my head like it was real and it just happened. Black paws instead of hands were the first thing I saw on my side position across the bed, bringing me back to reality. I blinked a couple of times before sharp aches shot throughout my stomach the second I moved, convincing me to stop.
It was two days since Farrah left and I've stayed bed-ridden the entire time. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as the constant ache I went through the day before, thankfully. But the recovery time forced me to spend a lot of it lost in my thoughts. It made sense why I dreamt about my sister; she was the only one I really wanted to see again. I couldn't begin to explain the hostility part of my dream, however; it just seemed to be a regular occurrence these days that I started thinking nothing of it.
Later that morning, there was a gentle knock at the door, disturbing my low chance of trying to get any more sleep. Leah quietly entered the room they kindly let me use, her aura emitting concern.
"Lucario?" she softly called as I lifted myself to a sitting position, wincing from a sharp ache as I met her gaze. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore, but better," I answered telepathically. It wasn't the complete truth, but it was enough. In all honesty, I was still in pain and it aided in my lack of rest. I didn't want to worry her more than she already was though.
Farrah's aunt hummed in uncertainty as she entered to sit on the bed next to me. "Can I see your bandages?" I lifted my right arm which was wrapped in gauze by my elbow, allowing her to examine it. "Looks like it's holding." Then she checked the bandages that were wrapped around my stomach; the area causing me the most discomfort. I did my best not to show any reaction when she applied a little pressure to tighten the knots. "We should really send you to the Pokémon Centre..."
"I'll be ok."
Leah wasn't convinced, but she didn't push either. Besides, Pokéballs were useless against me. She would have needed to drive me to the next town. "We'll be headed out for a while. Do you need anything before we leave?"
I shook my head. "No, thanks. I just need to rest a little more."
She frowned and stood, stopping by the door. "Lucario, you don't have to go. I heard the weather may get too bad for travelling. We're happy to let you stay if you don't have a home. "
I did consider her offer when she asked me the first time yesterday. And although I did appreciate it, staying wasn't something I was about to burden them with. Rain never stopped me either. "Thank you. But there's somewhere I need to be." The only reason I lied was because I felt like she wouldn't take no for an answer; it was already awkward enough when Farrah was with me.
Still, Leah waited by the door like she expected me to change my mind. But that was quickly interrupted when her youngest nudged herself past the door, pausing when we locked eyes before gazing at her mom with a piece of fabric in her hands.
"Go on," Leah whispered, encouraging her daughter forward. Hesitantly, Lynn held what she was holding close and shyly made her way to me. It was when she reached the bed that I realized she held my scarf which was neatly folded in her arms. Without a word, Lynn gently put the violet scarf beside me and retreated back to her mom. "We washed it for you," Leah explained, smiling at her daughter's actions. "Hope you don't mind."
I grinned, only answering Leah so I didn't scare Lynn. "Thank you." It was a relief her daughter recovered from her sickness.
Leah returned the smile before looking down at the little girl, directing her out. "Come. Let Lucario rest," she said but paused to look back at me. "Stay safe. Remember, you are always welcome here." With that, she stepped out and gently closed the door.
Careful of my injuries, I lowered myself onto my back again. I didn't have the slightest idea how to return such kindness; I figured I'll have to at least visit them later down the road. Probably without Farrah...
Just thinking about her forced my mind back to that conflict, feeling it already beginning to ruin my mood.
I sat up again around noon after giving myself more time to sleep. The house was quiet and once I realized I wasn't feeling a mix of emotions from those usually at home, I was convinced Leah and her family hadn't returned yet.
Which I wanted anyway; made it easier to leave without being forced to say goodbye…
My eyes fell to Farrah's bag once I sat along the edge of the bed, letting my feet hang off the side. The scene naturally replayed in my head. The fact that she didn't fight to keep us together upset me. She simply just, left. Farrah didn't have a choice, I understood that. And I knew for a fact her dad would have never wanted me around.
But she could have tried...
A sharp ache in my head made me wince and grasp my forehead with a paw.
I don't know... Maybe I just wanted a proper goodbye... if anything.
Go home; the final words she said to me before leaving to live her own life. How could I? She made it sound so simple.
The silence got to me, reminding me that I was still awake. I reopened my eyes, found my scarf and loosely tied it around my neck. Even though the butler was most likely going to change the sheets, I felt obligated to make the bed. Shortly thereafter, I took the bracelet Sam gave me and secured it to my wrist. Next was my bag. I placed it on the bed before going through my belongings, inevitably finding Dawn's drawing as I lost myself staring at it.
I'm not as strong as a lucario should be... The thoughts and memories are me, but with the body of a Pokémon. I don't belong in either world the way I was. I'm not sure I ever will be.
I breathed lightly, carefully placing the drawing in its own small pocket so it wouldn't deform. Even a simple task like that proved ridiculously difficult with paws Then there was my Pokedex, the very device they'd use to find out that the Cyan my family knew no longer existed so long as I had it on me.
With an uneasy mind, I zipped the bag up and set it next to Farrah's on the floor before leaving without anything but my scarf and bracelet. I paused when I reached the door, turning halfway back into the bedroom.
Maybe one day, we'll see each other again, Farrah...
The door closed with a soft click, sealing my decision. There was no going back to what I had; she was gone, and I was alone once more.
The butler noticed me when I stepped onto the main floor from upstairs, surprising me since I assumed everyone left. "Good afternoon Lucario," he greeted professionally, setting aside a box he was carrying as his ampharos stopped behind him, a package also in its grasp. It caught me off guard when both of them stood in front of me to bow. "Very unfortunate news regarding Miss Farrah. You have my sympathy. If you have any requests, please don't hesitate."
I didn't say anything at first. Leah and Eric must have told him. At that point though, I didn't care if he knew that I used telepathy. James was offering, so I used the opportunity. "There is one thing, if it's not too much trouble," I said, watching them hide their surprise so well.
James stood to his full height, as did his Pokémon. "Of course."
"I'll be leaving my bag here with Farrah's. But there's a Pokedex inside mine that was given to me," I explained, gazing to the floor as I thought about my mom. "If anyone comes looking for it, tell them... I'll be home soon." It was easy to feel his curiosity, but I was glad he didn't ask any questions.
"Leave it to us," the ampharos confidently spoke up, surprising me with the change of attitude from when we first met.
"Of course, Lucario," James acknowledged.
"And if I don't come back, give it to Farrah."
The man gave me a pitied look, his emotions pulsing a faint feeling of sympathy. "I have served the family for several years. Trust me when I say that you and Miss Farrah will be missed. Mrs Leah and Mr Eric encourage family to protect one another. They will ensure the safety of both you and Miss Farrah to the best of their ability."
I gazed away, hoping they would take action sooner than later. "If not for me, then at least for her," I answered, only to him. "That's all I ask." My future was something they didn't have to worry about. But I'd hate to see Farrah forced to live with an abusive father.
James kept his professionalism and refrained from showing too much emotion. "We wish you the best on your journey," he said, the two of them bowing one last time.
I met their eyes and nodded my appreciation. "Thank you." With a silent, inward breath, I turned and opened the front door before stepping out into the dark clouds of the chilly, overcast day. The sudden, cold gust against my fur was enough to hit me with the harsh reality that I was alone once again. Tas, the lantern, he was in good hands with Leah's kids...
The change didn't settle into my heart until I was on the other side of the main lake, beyond the town. I felt secluded and lost with no one to talk to. My time with Farrah felt as though I've been with her for years when in actuality, it was only a small fraction of that. From where I left the house, to the side of the lake where the trees got dense, I kept thinking of what to do or where to go. But each thought inevitably brought me back to Farrah, as much as I tried to prevent that.
I groaned from the aching in my stomach as I clenched my belly, collapsing against a tree. It didn't help that I felt like I was going to be sick at any point. The pain had me thinking if something was actually broken. I'd have to go all the way back to Mahogany Town if that was the case.
With all the time in the world to myself, I decided to sit and wait for my stomach to settle. Farrah wasn't the only one I missed; there was Wild and Linx too. Even through her tough exterior, the espeon was finally warming up to me. And Wild's energy was unmatched. Sadly, I never got to say goodbye to either of them.
The day was only getting darker, like another storm was coming. The lack of Pokémon around only supported that guess. With an empty beach in the distance and the surface of the lake looking pretty rough, I could only assume that that was the case.
Then came the rain, slowly at first, ruining what little optimism I had left for the day. I gritted my teeth and clenched a paw. The day couldn't get any worse. Thunder roared in the distance, motivating me to force myself onto my feet and move on. Not five minutes into the walk along the lake that the winds picked up to dangerous levels, breaking thin branches off trees and blowing small debris everywhere.
Where did this storm come from?
I planted myself behind a tree, using a paw to shield my eyes from the wind. The sky flashed for a split second before vibrating everything below with a loud bang of thunder and lightning. I needed to find shelter but I had no idea where to go.
It was then that a shrill cry pierced through the storm so loud that it had me on my knees frantically trying to cover my ears. But it was no use. My ears ached and my head throbbed so bad that I thought I was going deaf.
When it stopped, I clenched my head and fought through the migraine until it was bearable before standing again. I've never heard any Pokémon making such a horrible sound, that loud. It was almost unnatural. I stepped out from the trees onto the sand of the beach and immediately froze in shock when I laid eyes on what hovered above the lake next to the town.
A lugia… It barely flapped its large wings and yet it remained airborne with little to no effort. I couldn't believe it…
But it didn't look exactly how I remembered seeing it from a Pokémon textbook. It looked like it was watching the town from above, but from behind a metallic shield that covered most of its face, including its eyes. And a black ring ran around its white neck, almost like a collar.
I read that a lugia was capable of creating storms, even hurricanes. Those storms across the region, the flooding, even this storm… Was it possible? All that damage from one Pokémon…?
I planted the toes of my feet into the sand, bracing myself from the wind as I once again used my arms to shield my eyes from the dirt and sand being blown around. The lugia cried out again with the same fierce pitch. I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes, feeling the frequency trying to pry its way into my mind. Once it was over, I noticed the deep, hollow sounds of a helicopter in the distance. Sure enough, it hovered at a safe distance from the lugia when I saw it. But I couldn't understand why it was pointed toward the town like the lugia was.
Then it felt like every strand of fur on my body naturally lifted on alert as my instincts kicked in. The lugia's head reeled back, seemingly charging an attack in its beak.
It was going to attack the town.
My heart froze then seemingly jumped-started into overdrive as a blue flicker caught my attention to the water's surface from the corner of my eye. I went wide-eyed.
That blue figure, the Pokémon that knew me, it faced the lugia in a battle-ready stance atop the water on four legs, white ribbon-like strands flowing behind it seamlessly like a gentle breeze. His voice echoed in my mind, clear and calm as timed seemed to stop.
"This land will become barren, such as those that followed in the storm's wake."
The blue Pokémon then braced itself, charging an attack of his own that glowed a brilliant blue by his maw.
"Show me Cyan!" he roared in my mind, his voice deep and absolute. "Show me what you have learned!"
My mind and body had never been so clear; I allowed the lucario in myself to take over. I growled, standing to face the legendary, and planted a foot back to charge an aura sphere between my paws.
Farrah may be gone, but her family is here.
They're good people. They don't deserve their lives taken away…
The pure dark-blue sphere hovered perfectly in my control as I focused on a critical point; the lugia's head. Without a second thought and my eyes locked on my target, I thrust the sphere forward, launching it with rapid speed as it homed in along with his attack. Our Aura Sheres exploded on contact, hitting the lugia directly where I wanted it to, effectively stopping its attack. Half a second later, the sound of the blast echoed back to us before the Legendary Pokémon cried out in a mixture of pain and anger as it lost its hover only for a moment. It seemed to be fazed and confused. Once the smoke cleared up, I noticed a portion of the armour missing from its head. Most of the blue blade on its right eye was visible now, but the lugia roared again, waving its head side to side like it was disoriented.
The helicopter behind it slowly began to circle cautiously around it until the lugia was enveloped in a dark beam of red before vanishing.
Then the aircraft turned in my direction, the dark glass of the cockpit staring me down like it knew exactly where I was and what I had done. A wave of shock and fear shot through my heart as I stepped back.
"Run."
I quickly turned to the blue Pokémon on the water to find he was already gone.
A loud snap echoed through the heavy rain from the helicopter as I quickly realized something spinning rapidly toward me.
Every strand of fur on my body stuck up like goosebumps as I panicked and turned, bolting into a sprint along the beach then into the dense forest. I was dodging a labyrinth of trees trying to run like my life depended on it, not bothering to look back. I could hear the spinning of what was chasing me, cutting through wind and rain like it was nothing. And the second I heard it dangerously close, another loud snap echoed as I dove out from my original path, rolling behind the large trunk of a standing tree. Whatever it was, I heard it fly past me before catching a glimpse of a swarm of octagon-shaped devices, each no bigger than a car's wheel. Once I caught my footing again, my heart dropped when I realized each of those devices stopped and hovered above me. I had no time to react the second I noticed that a few already surrounded me within arm's reach.
I screamed as bolts of electricity surged through and around me, each connected by those things that lifted me off the ground. My body and mind went into pure survival mode as I clenched my teeth and rapidly charged an Aura Sphere in front of my chest, thrusting it forward the second I was able to open an eye and catch sight of one of those devices. The electricity halted as I was suddenly dropped onto the grass again, trying to endure the sharp stinging and twitching until it was bearable. The disks that initially caught me were dead, even the other two my attack didn't touch. But the many others that hovered above me, threateningly waited as another wave of fear flashed through me.
I hesitated as I finally stood, not knowing what to do. Three more angled and flew toward me from the group, forcing me to act. The second those three took the same places of the ones before, I dove out of the way into a downward incline, narrowly missing the shock trap it tried again.
Without a second thought, I ran as quickly as I could, managing to dodge each trap as soon as it happened. Three at a time, those relenting things kept coming. Along the way, I began to notice the swarm thinning out, capturing Pokémon I had passed. I don't know how long I ran, evading, attacking, evading, attacking until I drained myself to the point I had to stop.
I turned back, breathing heavily. There were still so many hovering above me. A couple of unfortunate pineco got caught in the trap not far from where I came from, clearly in pain as they silently cried out. I growled, going against instinct as I charged a small Aura Sphere and hurled it at one of the devices, freeing them.
My gaze went skyward again, the ten or so devices staring me down, reminding me that they were still there. I was mentally against a wall; I was tired and knew that giving up was easier.
"I know you..."
I froze, my eyes going wide as I immediately looked back to that familiar soft voice of the ninetails I met just days ago, hiding from the downpour under the cover of a large tree. She worriedly met eyes with me after noticing my condition before taking a cautious step back at what stalked me from above.
No…
I heard the change in wind pattern above me and immediately looked up, only to confirm my suspicion that three devices out of the rest took aim on her. Faye stumbled back in panic at the threats spinning toward her as I took action. With the spike at my right paw formed into a Metal Claw, I sprinted at one of the devices and leapt up to it, slashing it cleanly into pieces, forcing the other two to fall lifeless onto the ground. I fortunately landed on my feet but I couldn't help but growl out from the soreness and aching.
The Metal Claw glowed white and transformed back into the spike as I locked eyes with Faye, urgently connecting our minds. "Run! Get back to your trainer!"
Her eyes quickly darted between me and the pieces of the broken machine across the grass, brows furrowed, confused. "What about you? And where is your trainer?" she said quickly.
I didn't answer, and instead focused my attention on the remaining threats above us, an Aura Sphere charged and ready. They hovered in place for a solid half-minute, all before flying off in the direction I fled from. I finally relaxed a little and dispersed the attack, collapsing into a kneel for a breather.
There was no way they gave up… Not after all that trouble…
I swallowed hard with a dry throat, remembering that Faye needed to think not only about herself but about her pup. "I can take care of myself," I finally answered telepathically, turning my head halfway to her. "But you need to get somewhere safe."
She searched one last time for danger before saying, "just be careful, okay?" The ninetails gave me one final glance, then she turned tail and ran, disappearing from view deeper into the forest.
At first, I assumed I was the sole target. But after witnessing other Pokémon getting captured, I wasn't so sure anymore. Regardless, I had to believe I wasn't beyond their reach just yet. I made to stand, feeling sharp aches in my stomach once I was on my feet that made me groan and growl. I was so focused on escaping that I nearly forgot about my old wounds.
Then a distant rumble of a truck engine forced my attention ahead of me; it was closing in. I should have realized sooner my actions wouldn't go without consequence. I should have had a plan. Once I stumbled over behind a tree, hidden away from the direction of the vehicle, I waited, clenching the fur of my belly from the aching.
The engine suddenly silenced before a couple of door slams echoed between the trees. There were no voices, but I could hear their footsteps slowly drawing closer.
One more sprint; that's all I had left in me. That, or I had to fight. Faye was probably too close; I couldn't risk having them stick around.
Only two stepped into my aura sight, both of them holding a two-handed underarm, weapon-like object. My heart started beating faster as I opened my eyes again, afraid of what they carried.
Luckily, they didn't know exactly where I was. But it was only a matter of time. The second I move, they'll see me…
My ears flickered as their footsteps crackled dead leaves across the grass, slowly creeping closer as I planted my back into the tree, quickly trying to think of a plan… -any plan. I was on the verge of panic.
A distant, hollow sound began in the direction where I assumed where the lake was; quiet at first but quickly becoming louder. I couldn't figure out what that sound was. The only similar sound I ever heard was a waterfall… The two people suddenly stopped moving as we all waited and listened.
Pretty soon I began to recognize the twisted sounds of trees snapping and collapsing, but in masses. I knew what was coming but I didn't want to believe it. I hesitated as I finally caught sight of the massive flood of water and broken trees that came barreling down toward me.
A flash of fear struck my heart as I turned and ran, frantically searching for any kind of higher ground in such a small valley.
"Contact!"
I didn't look back, but I didn't get far before I heard the hint of a gunshot among the rushing inbound wave. A large claw made of reinforced wire hit my left arm, tangling itself into a lock as the spiked ends pierced through my fur and skin. I was yanked back to a stop, yelling from the pain of the tension and spikes that drew a little blood from my arm from multiple spots. The cables were still attached to the launcher, which was held by one of my attackers.
"Sir!" the other one urgently called. "We need to move!"
I wrapped my free arm around the one main cable, found a grip, and pulled, relieving slightly less tension as we fought in pure strength. He was determined to catch me. Even through the red goggles, I could see his eyes stare at me like he couldn't fail.
"Sir!"
I stumbled back and quickly found my footing as he reluctantly dropped the launcher.
"Move!" he ordered his partner as I too turned tail and ran in the closing seconds.
I feared for my own safety. The wave was dangerously close and there was barely any higher ground to get to. I suddenly was yanked to a stop again, feeling like my arm was going to get torn completely off. I turned back and panicked, realizing the launcher was wedged under a downed tree with the rush of water only a bus-length away. There was no time. I immediately took cover behind the largest rock I could find and waited for the inevitable.
The wave hit my small boulder with enough force to nudge it as water crashed all around me. My heart was beating intensely. The wave rushed around its obstacle and I was pulled in. There was nothing to hold onto. With what little footing I still had in those few seconds, I leapt up and took a deep, desperate breath of air before being plunged back into the water.
I was tossed around like a ragdoll, bumping into rocks and broken trees in a wild ride I believed wasn't going to end. It wasn't until my back hit a large downed tree that I was able to claw and hold onto, nearly getting the air knocked out of me as the rush of water relentlessly tried pulling me under. The trunk was jammed between higher ground where it fell from and a large boulder, which began causing a blockade of trees that nearly slammed into me if I didn't pull myself out of the way.
"Don't let go! I'll get you out, just hang on!"
I tried as best as I could to look toward that voice, but I only saw someone at the water's edge along higher ground in complete distress. There was another in the water he was trying to help but they were hidden behind another fallen tree.
"Lake!" I heard a girl yell out.
"Hang on! Kyrie!"
Then she screamed for a second before her voice was quickly silenced by the rushing water that flashed my heart with shock. I felt the full extent of their panic, fear, and desperation which forced my mind to race toward a critical decision.
I gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, and bit the bullet, allowing the strong current to yank me under. The environment's aura was brought to life around me as I used all the strength I had to dodge large rocks and sharp trees while it carried me along the valley. I caught the girl's aura and charged forward as fast as I could until I finally took a hold of her arm. Almost immediately, I realized we were headed straight into a boulder. I nearly panicked and almost lost my aura concentration but I bit my tongue before pulling her into me, hoping by some miracle it would be me to collide with the rock instead of her. And it was. I slammed into the boulder back first, instantly losing the air I held as the water unforgivingly pushed us against it. With her in my arms, I made one last desperate attempt and leapt off the rock as hard as I could to one side.
I gasped for air and opened my eyes once resurfacing before realizing land was in reach. With one arm, I reached for a thick branch from a tree that was only half toppled. With our weight, it swung us just far enough for me to pull us out.
My heart froze when I saw she wasn't moving. Once I pulled her to a safe height, I turned her over. My chest spike must have impaled her a little because there was blood near her shoulder, staining her white dress with red. I panicked. She wasn't breathing…
After a second I regained control of myself and started CPR while trying to ignore the deep stinging in my arm and cries of my body. I breathed into her, pumped her chest as many times as I was taught, and repeated. Three cycles later and she came to, coughing out water as I fell back, nearly having a heart attack but extremely relieved. The girl turned and pushed herself up as she gasped for air, trying to fill her lungs again before finally laying her emerald eyes on me.
"Are you ok?" I asked her once I steadied myself a little, physically and mentally; yet I couldn't stop shaking from the shock and pain.
Her lengthy blonde hair covered her eyes when she looked down, coughing. She didn't seem to realize I was using telepathy. "I...I-I'm ok," she finally answered.
Hearing her say that felt like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders, making me finally collapse onto my back for rest. But when I heard her wince, I couldn't help but worry.
I quickly realized she was staring at me when I struggled to sit up, holding her shoulder while it still bled. "Wh…-who are you?"
Disregarding her question and ignoring my pain as best I could, I made to meet her to examine her wound closer. "How bad is it?"
"I said I'm ok," she said immediately, clearly wanting her question answered. Her aura, on the other hand, told me she was lying. That was when it seemed to click in her head that I didn't physically talk to her. "H-how are you talking?!" the girl exclaimed, going wide-eyed.
"Long story," I answered, falling into a kneel before trying to gently pry away her hand but she recoiled back a little. She was getting annoyed but seemed to hold back any outlash. "Please… I accidentally hurt you. I need to at least stop the bleeding."
"You're hurt too," she softly mentioned, gazing at the severed cable that was still attached to my arm. I realized too that my blood still slowly trickled from each needle, but more importantly, the cable snapped from the launcher. The bandages that once were tied around my stomach and arm, were ripped off as well.
"Don't worry about me," I eventually answered, loosening my scarf before ringing it out. Every move I made with that arm made me want to curse and growl, but I refrained myself. I gently rested a paw on her shoulder while I looked into her eyes, wanting her to trust me. Thankfully, she did and moved her hand before looking away. "This is going to hurt a little, but it'll help."
She didn't say anything, so I proceeded and tied the scarf around the wound, making sure it was tight. As expected, she whimpered and whined from the pain but went silent the second I finished.
The water relentlessly kept charging downhill, it's colour completely brown and full of debris from the damaged forest. I then turned and scanned around, just remembering another person trying to help her, but there wasn't a single soul in sight. Who knows how far we got carried…
"Can you walk?" I asked, meeting her eyes which fell from the question.
She shook her head, looking at her legs in disappointment. The girl kept quiet. I didn't see any injuries on her legs, but there was a strong sense of guilt I was feeling from her, so I didn't ask questions.
"It's not safe to stay here," I said, moving to help her.
"Kyrie!" a distant voice called, catching our attention. The same guy I saw trying to help her came running over. He stopped the second he realized I didn't move away from her and produced a Pokéball from his pocket. I didn't want a fight; I was in too much pain.
"Lake, it's ok! He's not aggressive!" she told him quickly.
He didn't seem to relax. "What about you? Are you ok?!"
"I'm ok," the girl answered softly like he was overreacting. "He saved my life…"
I held my arm that was aching the most, like it was slowly being ripped off and moved a little up the hill to sit down, letting him quickly rush over to her aid.
"He talks, Lake!" she quickly told him as she gazed up at him before eyeing me. "I can't believe it!" He didn't believe her.
He glanced at me once before going to scoop her up. "Pokémon can't talk Kyrie. Right now, we need to get you a hospital."
"Yes, he can! And I'm fine!" she defended, getting more upset than hurt. Still, he continued picking her up carefully in his arms even though she fought a little. The girl locked eyes with me, trying to wave me over. "Come with us! Please!"
"Kyrie… No."
Kyrie glared daggers at him, looking like she was daring Lake to say no again. "He saved my life," she slowly emphasized. "He's badly hurt, way more than I am. How can you say no when you're going to b-"
"Ok ok," he interrupted her, giving in as he mentioned me over.
The girl happily smiled at me. "C'mon!"
I sighed, not knowing what to do. I didn't want to put them in danger… I looked up and around in the sky. There were no signs of any threats and no more of those agents. With a growl from the pain, I forced myself to stand before slowly limping over to them, keeping my distance as I noticed the rushing water begin to settle and gradually lower.