This chapter was finished three months ago. Yeah. (Sorry)

For some reason I convinced myself that this chapter was absolutely terrible. Reading back now, it's not perfect, but at least acceptable enough for me to post it.

Major Announcement: For the past months I've been putting some time into learning more about creative writing. I've decided a month ago that I would do a rewrite of the current chapters of this story, mostly because the plot has been slipping away from what little planning I had done. Saying that, though, there won't be any major plot changes in the rewrite, except for this chapter.

The rewrite of chapter 1 is about 60% done. Once it's finished it'll replace the current chapter. FFN won't send a notification, but if you're in the PercentVerse discord, there might be an announcement there.

Word count is 3573

The agent informed us that he would be arriving at our house as soon as the smog dissipates enough for him to drive. He advised us to get some rest before then, as he would be keeping us up for a long time. Then he hung up. Of course, none of us were able to fall asleep.

At eleven-thirty-six p.m., Erik showed up wearing a full hazmat suit. My parents hurried to prepare some comforts for him. When we settled down, he broke the news.

"—I'm sorry, ma'am, but your child and his friend are in danger."

"You mean… the smog…"

"Yes, they are part of a coordinated attack towards your son. They don't know you're here specifically, but it's only a matter of time."

My mother buried her face in her palms.

There was a group of elementals out there trying to hunt us down. Why? No idea. Maybe we'll find out.

My mother raised her head and bit her lips hard enough that they turned white. "I think you got the wrong person, sir. Sorin's never done anything."

Erik shook his head and adjusted his shirt. "Sorry, perhaps I didn't make it very clear. Your son is not their prime objective, that would be Clara."

"And what did she do?"

"It not so much what she did, but rather… Well, you have here the Sallowes' daughter."

There's that name again.

My father looked up from pouring tea for our guest. "Sallowe? As in, the heads of Willow Corporations?"

"Oh! You can do telepathy. This will make my job much easier. Yes, they are the Flareon's parents. I'm sure you can understand why she would be a valuable target."

Billionaires. Clara's parents are billionaires.

I looked towards her, but her gaze was fixed on her paws.

Willow Corporation was a massive company that focused on two branches—medical supplies and tourism. The revelation made me view Clara in a new light. For having such a significant background, she showed no hints of it.

My mother leaned back on the couch and rested a hand on her forehead. She looked ready to faint.

"No need to worry, though," Erik continued. "We can guarantee you and the children's safety. However, that will mean us taking your son and Clara into our protection. I just need your permission."

"Must Sorin go too?" My father frowned.

"While he's not directly involved, we suspect that he was marked as an enemy due to his encounter with the Houndoom. I can't tell you if they'll attack you or not. The choice is yours."

The fact that the Houndoom was involved unsettled me greatly. He didn't act entirely sane, so there might not be reason for whatever he wanted to do.

"What do you think, son?" My father put down the kettle—which was almost too big for him—and sat down next to me.

I had a choice between family and safety. I looked at my parents, then at Clara, and back.

There was no way Clara could stay with us. Would she want me to go with her?

My gaze rested on my mother, now lying back with her eyes tightly shut, clearly still in conflict. Family comes first. But what would they want me to do? They would want me here with them, but maybe they care about my safety more. I might also endanger them just by staying.

It seems that I shouldn't stay, but…

Maybe they can come with us?

Both options seemed wrong.

"You can wait to decide," Erik said, much to my relief. "I want to ask some questions first. Ma'am, do you mind leaving us for a few minutes?"

"Uh?" My mother jolted upright and rubbed her eyes. "Oh! Yes, yes. I'll go to another room."

The agent waited until she left, then took out a notebook and a pen. "I need you to recount your encounter with the Houndoom if you're comfortable with it." I nodded, and he turned to my father. "You can translate, yes?"

"Yes," my father confirmed.

I began retelling what happened during the fight, as well as during the fire at Whistler. The agent scribbled on his notebook, occasionally looking up to ask me to clarify a few points. I didn't describe all the details, partially because I didn't want to, but also because I couldn't remember all that well. It all felt blurry.

"Clara?" the agent prompted the Flareon after I finished. Clara hadn't uttered a single word. "Do you have anything to add?"

"No. That's all of it."

"Right." Erik shifted in his seat and began to flip through his notes. He paused at a particular page for a long moment before speaking. "Tell me if any of this is inaccurate. You did not see any others, elemental or human, that were possibly involved, besides the Houndoom. The Houndoom himself is very likely to be mentally unstable. He is also capable of controlling his powers to a high level. He attempted to fatally injure Clara during the fight, and tried the same with you, Sorin, after the initial attempt was unsuccessful. He is aware of the effects of the toxins in his fire."

"…Yes, that sounds right." I looked to Clara, and she nodded.

"How did you cure it, then?"

"Mostly cured," I corrected. "Clara did all the work."

"Uh…" Clara stalled. "It was just strawberries."

"Strawberries?" The agent frowned, then widened his eyes. "Oh! Because they are the Earth counterpart to rawst berries! It makes sense that they will have a similar effect on elementals, although to a lesser scale, if I had to guess. That's brilliant thinking, Clara. You may have saved Sorin's life."

Clara seemed too embarrassed to say anything.

"Ahm." My father did the telepathic equivalent of clearing his throat. "If I may ask, sir. Where do you come into all of this?"

"You asked the question. I'll be forced to terminate you now." Erik said deadpan. He then waved a hand after receiving no response from any of us. "Sorry, bad time for jokes. I'm investigating a potential criminal organization."

"Already?"

"Man's greed knows no bounds. Anyways, yes. The world is never short of people who would jump at the opportunity to exploit others when they are vulnerable." The agent put an arm around the couch. "Speaking of vulnerable, Clara, you understand that you must leave here as soon as possible?"

"Do my parents know about this?" Clara asked.

"We haven't had a chance to inform them since they seemed to have blocked all remote contacting methods. However, we do know they are in the Vancouver area and are most likely looking for you. That's where we will be going next."

Clara nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"And about you, Sorin. Made a decision yet?"

"Dad?" I redirected the question.

"As much as I would love for you to stay, son, I think you should go. We have no means of protecting you here. I'm sure your mother would say the same."

That was the answer I was expecting, but also the one I was most afraid of. I really, really didn't want to leave my family, especially after only just reuniting with them. My father had a reluctant frown on his face, but his eyes were resolute. It would be selfish for me to stay, I realized.

Clara must have noticed the conflict on my face. She walked over and looked at me in the eyes. "If it helps, I would like you to come, too. I'd feel more comfortable with you there. You saved my life twice, after all."

I let out a long, shaky breath.

It is settled, then.

"Well, you saved mine too." I dipped my head. "I'll go."

My father nodded in approval. "Sorin will leave with you," he told Erik.

"Great! Shall we tell Ms. Breon?"

"We should."

We found my mother in the kitchen with a glass of water. She was staring out a window, deep in thought. The noise of our entrance alerted her, and she turned towards us.

"You're leaving?" she asked, looking directly at me. She, too, knew what the decision had to be.

I nodded.

"Before you go," she took a sip of water before putting it down, "I have something for you."

She walked over to a cabinet and took out a leather pouch with some convoluted straps. "I was making a bag for you but looks like I won't be able to finish it. It's complete enough that you should be able to use it. Here, I'll help you try it on."

I lowered my head and allowed her to slide the bag on. One strap went over my shoulders and under the fluff in front. Another tightened around my chest just above my stomach. A third strap went on my back and a fourth connected them all together. The pouch rested comfortably on my left side. She gave me a ruffle on the head when she finished.

I walked around to get a feel for it, and even hopped around a little. The bag was secured nicely and didn't move.

"This is amazing!" my father commented. "Where did you learn to make something like this?"

"Just some research online, and some trial and error. I had Clara as a test model."—Clara grinned at me—"Can you reach that pocket there? I only had enough time to sew one on."

There was an extra pocket attached to the side of the bag. I twisted my head and was easily able to touch it with my mouth. That will come in handy.

"Thank you, Mom!"

My father relayed the message. I fiddled with my new accessory some more, and when I looked back up, my mother had tears in her eyes. I had the sudden urge to lick her face.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" My father placed a paw on her hand.

"I had everything thought out just hours ago…"

"Hey, I know all this was a bit sudden, but we'll be alright, and Sorin'll be alright as well."

"I'm fine. It's difficult, but I'm fine."

"I'm, ah…" Erik scratched his head. "I'm sorry to bring this situation upon you, ma'am."

"It's all my fault, too," Clara added.

"None of that, Clara," my father reprimanded. "We've been through this."

We sat still for a short while.

"One last hug before you go." My mother stretched her arms out.

Well, I had to give this one to her.

I walked over and leaned into her. She gave me a squeeze before letting me go.

"And you too, Clara." She pulled the Flareon onto her lap without waiting for a response. "Be safe out there, wherever you're going."

"We will," I whispered, despite knowing that she couldn't understand me.

The agent got up to put on his hazmat suit but hesitated when he grabbed it. "Ah, screw this suit. The smog's not that dangerous. I'll leave it with you, it can shield a few elemental attacks when needed. The stuff outside is pretty much normal smoke—elementals are largely immune to it, and humans don't get affected much unless they stay in it for a long time."

He pulled out a spare gas mask—of course, he would have one just lying around.

"When will you come back?" my mother asked out of nowhere. The question was on the back of all of our minds, though it had been all but forgotten amidst everything else that was happening.

"When everything settles down," the agent responded. "Within a few months, hopefully."

Hopefully.

No one dared to say anything to that. A few months was a long time, and even that was uncertain. We can only hope.

"Well, we'll get going then."

I started out but looked back. My mother was drying her eyes with a napkin. My father patted her hand and pointed towards the stairs. She nodded and walked away.

My father's eyes were glimmering too. He waved. I gave him one last "bye" before turning and following Erik out of the door. We immediately went in his car to avoid the smoke.

"I hate teary goodbyes," the agent commented. "Try not to worry too much. Next destination is Vancouver, but before that, we're going to visit some friends and find a place to rest."

— % —

I tried my best to follow Erik's advice and relax, but the view along the way didn't help. As we got closer to the more populated areas, it became obvious that things were not well. Every fifth or sixth building showed signs of damage—cracked walls, shattered windows, stains, charred marks, and even collapsed roofs. Lights and power lines were mostly destroyed, making the night particularly dark. Plenty of elementals roamed the streets free, especially nocturnal ones like Umbreon and Murkrow. No humans were in sight—to be expected at this hour, I suppose—except when we drove by a gas station, and it was open, much to my astonishment.

"That's not an odd case, actually," Erik told us. "If you come to this area during the day, you'll see quite a few businesses still up and running—groceries, pet stores, and others. There are even elementals that come and manage some shops. It's a way for them to retain some normalcy."

"Well," he continued, "essential businesses are supposed to stay open, but not many of them are. If you haven't heard, the local transformation rate here is over fifty percent, meaning most if not all households were affected. The authorities are trying to organize everything, but they are sorely lacking in manpower. Most of their resources are being spent on controlling the chaos in the cities." He smirked. "Though I must say, being served a cold drink after work by a cute, fluffy creature is certainly an experience."

I tried to make a noise in acknowledgement, but only a yawn came out. I turned to Clara to find her curled up. A sense of déjà vu welled up inside me. We had been in the same situation, same time of day not too long ago. This time, instead of heading towards home, we're leaving it.

The road turned into a forest soon after. I stared at the repetitive pattern of trees going by, felt the steady rhythm of the pickup driving on the bumpy road, and eventually dozed off.

— % —

Of all things, I did not expect to wake up in what seemed to be a makeshift hospital. We were in an ancient-looking church. A few beds were set up, with bandaged up elementals resting on them. An Audino and a Chansey were going around and checking on the injured. Clara was still sound asleep on a bed next to mine. Erik was leaned against the wall in a corner, browsing on his phone.

I sat up and smoothened up some ruffled fur—not quite grooming like what cats do. My instincts would probably teach me if I tried, but for now, I was still not comfortable with it.

An impromptu TV setup caught my eye. Someone has hooked up a satellite receiver to a laptop, and now it's displaying the news channel on mute and subtitles. The quality was low for modern standards, but it was clear enough to watch.

"…here to talk about elementals' biological needs. Take it away, Doctor."

"Thank you. Most elementals are actually closer to us humans than animals. For example, if you have an elemental that resembles a canine, the common knowledge that dogs can't eat chocolate won't apply."

"So no weird dietary restrictions? They're not lactose intolerant, or anything like that?"

"No, not generally. If you are unsure, the safest bet is fruits. From what we have seen so far, every elemental can eat fruits without a problem."

"When in doubt, give them fruits. Got it."

"If we go off the Pokémon games, we can expect there to be over 800 species of these creatures. Each one is unique and has special abilities and needs, but there are patterns we can follow. The type is one of their most important attributes. For example, an ice type will be more comfortable in a cool environment."

"By the way, if you haven't yet, check out the website Bulbapedia. You can find detailed information on most elementals there. Some stuff on there is exaggerated or inaccurate, but it's the best we've got in these circumstances. Sorry, continue, Doc."

"Yes. Often Pokémon—elementals are based on real-life, or sometimes mythological creatures. That is another tool we can use to infer the needs of the particular species. Bulbapedia is the best way to find out, in this case.

"AS always, use common sense. And no, they don't like pet food."

"Alright, thank you, Doc. Ladies and gentlemen, this has been—"

Clara stirred, drawing my attention away from the screen. She did a cute yawn, then lifted her head and blinked. I hopped off my bed and walked over to her.

"Morning!"

"Morning, Sorin." She took in our surroundings. "Where are we?"

I shook my head. "No clue."

Erik noticed us and beckoned us over. "Had a nice rest, you two? Here, grab a bite to eat, then I'll introduce you to who we'll be travelling with."

He presented us with a tray of tea and biscuits. I had to raise an eyebrow at how prepared everything was. Laid out were towels for us to clean our paws, straws for drinking, and thin biscuits that were easy to hold even without proper hands. All that so we were able to eat in a somewhat civilized manner.

As if on cue, the Audino and Chansey I noticed earlier approached us right as we finishing munching on our snacks. Erik excused himself and left with the laptop.

Clara greeted them, "Hi, I—"

"Clara and Sorin, yes," The Audino immediately cut her off. "I've heard plenty about you from Erik."

Clara and I exchanged a glance.

"Henry, and my partner's Maria. We're former doctors. Erik asked me to stay behind for… Sorin, you've got some condition?"

I was taken aback by the Audino's almost aggressive introduction, a stark contrast from his non-threatening appearance. "Yes?"

"Come here. Let me inspect you."

I did so, and he placed one of his feelers on my back. "Hm, weird rhythm… Poisoning, perhaps?"

He could tell from just listening? "Yeah, how did you—"

"What symptoms are you experiencing?"

"Uh," I flinched, "rare flairs of pain?"

"Where, exactly?"

"I can't really tell. Maybe, um, skin?"

"Is it a throbbing pain, a sting, or something else?"

"Sting?" His assault of questions made me a little nervous.

"Your natural metabolism should drive the toxins out of your body within a few days. Not much to do otherwise." His ears twitched, and he turned away. "Excuse me."

Henry sped off to tend to a patient that was growing restless. Meanwhile, I was still recovering from the whirlwind that was the Audino. "That was… intense."

The Chansey lightly cleared her throat. "Apologies. My husband can be overwhelming at times. I… ah, Sorin, is it?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you don't mind, what is your relationship with Clara?"

"Oh." That question was probably going to come up a lot more. "We met after the transformation at Whistler and sort of stuck together since then."

"I see." Maria frowned. "Sorry you got dragged into this mess, then. I should warn you—we're likely to end up in some very difficult circumstances."

"No warning for me?" Clara asked half-jokingly.

"You don't— Did Erik not"—her eyes widened—"Oh. I should have realized."

"Realized what?"

"Nevermind." She shook her head. "It is not my place to talk about it."

"Am I missing… something…" Clara trailed off because an Espeon has just entered the building. She seemed to be fixated on the newcomer, while mumbling something that sounded like "omigosh-itssobeautiful."

"Hello?"

For a second I thought my father was here, but no. This voice was distinctively feminine.

"Hello!" Clara answered very enthusiastically. She spun in a circle. "Sorry, I was not prepared to see an Espeon in real life. You're so pretty!"

"Thank you." The Espeon smiled. "You're quite cute yourself. I'm Avie, by the way. You're Clara, right?"

"Yep!"

Avie looked towards me. "And you are…?"

"I'm Sorin," I replied.

"Sorin? Is that your given name?"

"Yeah."

"It's unique. I like it."

"…thanks?" Why am I getting embarrassed? "Ahm. Thanks! So will you be travelling with us as well?"

"Yes, I will."

Clara perked. "Wait, really?"

Avie chuckled. "I'm Eric's personal translator."

"He has a what?" I was impressed. "How does he have so many connections already?"

"Not quite. He picked me off the streets… literally."

"Erik's wild," Maria commented. The Chansey had been so quiet I almost forgot she was there. "He wanted a translator, so he started asking every psychic type he saw."

"It worked, didn't it?"

I started at Erik's voice. When did he get here?

"Anyways, we should be ready to depart. Hey, Doctor!" He called to Henry.

The Audino came over. "We're leaving?"

"We are. I've got the van."

"Wait, what about the injured elementals here?" I asked.

Henry waved. "They can take care of themselves. I've given them instructions."

"Who are they, anyway?"

"Local transformed," Erik answered. "They get hurt here and there in the chaos. It's not as bad here as it is in the cities. I haven't been, but I've heard it isn't a pretty sight."