We're back with another installment! We hope to hear your thoughts, as always!
As Dawn pulled her sun hat further down on her head, she tried out the name of the foreign pokemon again. "Pi-dove."
The little gray flying types fluttered around the streets, particularly darting around Ash as Pikachu, on his shoulder, crumbled a few slices of toast leftover from their breakfast. Empoleon wasn't as pleased to have them try to rest on his crown, but tolerated them with all the wavering patience one would expect from him.
"I'd kinda wanna catch one," Ash mused. "If I wasn't so focused on working on the team I've already got ready… Between Misdreavus and Rosa, and a few others, there's just too many newbies already needing to get beefed up. Plus, my older team members need attention, too…"
Dawn patted Ash's shoulder. "I'm sure your little army will be well ready by the time the league comes around. No need to worry!"
Ash nodded as Pikachu brushed off the crumbs from the long broken up toast off his paws.
"So, what was today's plan again? Boccer?"
"That's tonight," Dawn corrected. "We're going to go see a musical at twelve! Belle and the Machamp!" The coordinator clasped her hands together with glee. "I remember reading the fairytale that's based on when my old elementary school would order books on loan from the Canalave library! It's a Kalosian fairytale, but they're all so romantic and-"
In the middle of her spiel, Dawn had been knocked to the side.
"Empo!"
The water type rushed to her aid, offering his flipper to his trainer as she fretted over her sun dress being dirtied by the side walk.
"Hey!" Ash yelled, raising a fist. "Watch where you're going, jerk!"
"Pika!"
No sooner had Dawn righted herself than another figure, slimmer and more polite, slammed into her. Once again on her back, Dawn rubbed the back of her head while the figure on top of her whimpered in pain.
"Zoroark!" Dawn yelped, eyes wide as she looked at the figure on top of her. "You again!" She reached up, hugging the dark type. "Oh, Ash, Unova is the Zoroark homeland! Where's your baby?"
Panicking, the Zoroark shook free of Dawn's grasp, eyes wide in confusion. She looked between the two trainers and their pokemon, tense and fearful.
"... Dawn, I don't think that's the Zoroark from that time," he muttered. That Zoroark had been hearty and incredibly muscular. That mother was suited for battle and well trained to it. This Zoroark was muscular, yes, but the way her ribs poked through betrayed the fact that she was not the same incredibly healthy, robust creature that the other Zoroark had been.
"Pi Pika?" Pikachu asked, finally asking what the group was dying to know.
"... Roark. Zoro zoro." She bowed her head, looking pitiful with her ears flopping. "Zoroark! Zo!" She was clearly pleading as she looked up.
"Pi! Pikapi, Pikaka, Pikachu!" he demanded.
Ash, not needing his aura abilities to understand basic emotions, furrowed his brows. "She's chasing that jerk, huh?" He clenched a fist. "Well, you might not be our old friend, but we'll help you out! Let's go get her!"
As Ash ran, Pikachu clung to him and the Zoroark followed. Dawn lifted the hem of her skirt a little as she followed, lagging a bit behind with Empoleon.
"Zoroarks must be an unlucky bunch, huh?" she muttered to her starter.
"C'mon… Where'd she run off to?" Ash grunted, peering down a grimy alleyway that he swore he'd seen the mysterious figure vanish into. They'd scoured Nimbasa, heading from the bright and flashy attractions into the less prided apartment complexes, dodging the occasional pokemon that came across their path. They'd sworn they'd seen a few sentient trash bags…?
But, no devilish runaways could be found.
Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure what she'd done. But, to put a pokemon in such distress… Well, it had to be bad. The trainer grimaced, gripping the brim of his visor. He really didn't want to deal with these kinds of dirtbags right now, nor was he comforted by the dark, unfamiliar streets that had become a maze for the group. The thought was actually starting to make him shake.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu's voice rang out, alerted by his trainer's shivering that rattled him atop his shoulder.
"...Sorry, buddy. This ain't what I wanted to get into."
Ash swallowed, looking back to the panting and snarling Illusion Fox that sniffed at the pavement for clues. The sickness in Ash's stomach was pushed to the backburner. "But, we've gotta help. Right?" Was Pikachu worried, too?
"Pi… Pika!" Pikachu hesitated, but agreed, nonetheless. It was the right thing to do!
"Hey, are ya feeling better now…? You think you could run again?" Ash queried, noting that the dark type was beginning to catch her breath. Zoroark could sprint like a blur, he knew that much; but apparently, it came in short bursts, in this one's case. It was no wonder she'd been eluded.
A huff followed, and the grey fox nodded along. Her nose returned to the pavement, tracing through the alleyway.
When one's panting stopped, another's followed. Dawn stumbled into step with the group, resting her hands on her knees. "Man… So much for vacation." She hadn't been prepared for this. One look at the fretting creature, though, made her feel petty for her complaints. "Any luck?"
"Not yet," Ash shook his head.
A snarl told him otherwise.
"I think she's got a scent. Come on!"
Zoroark was followed down the length of the alley, which split into two paths between buildings. Graffiti and stacked cardboard boxes were passed and ignored in a sprint down the path to the left.
A pile of stacked, battered trashcans blocked Zoroark's path. This had to be an obstruction. She'd been this way, then. That was enough incentive for her to bound over the garbage, carelessly knocking cans and grime aside in her haste.
Following not far behind, Ash stumbled to a halt. "Man, that's nasty…" He recoiled, covering his nose with a free hand. "This that creep's idea of a trap?"
"Either that, or this city's got some serious cleaning up to do…" Dawn hovered behind Ash, mimicking his disgust. "Wait… Cleaning up; that's it! Empoleon, why don't you clear the way with a Hydro Pump!?"
"Pol!" Empoleon waddled forward, proudly waving a wing to goad Ash aside. He'd handle this! With ease, in fact, as he spewed a fierce jet of water from his mouth, blasting the cans aside with ease, and piled garbage with them.
The aftermath left the alley scattered with muck.
"Good job, Empoleon!" Dawn praised, but she cringed once more. "This is still disgusting…"
"We'll just have to be careful and step through," Ash argued. "Zoroark needs us!" He cleared the garbage with careful bounds, stepping through the first before sprinting into daylight. "Come on!"
Dawn reluctantly agreed without a word, carefully stepping on any clean patch of pavement she could before hurrying along, conscious to hold her sundress high above the ground.
"Any sight of her?" Dawn queried hopefully, finally catching up with Ash. A few vacant apartments stood on what appeared to be city limits.
"None from me," Ash shook his head. "But, Zoroark is sure she's around here somewhere. Right?"
The aforementioned pokemon poked her head out of a broken window with a sullen expression. Apparently, the abandoned buildings held no sign of her. But, she was sure she'd had her scent…
"Pika…" Pikachu sprung to hang over the window sill, his ears hanging low. He'd even scurried into narrow passages and rooms, but little could be found, aside from the occasional bug type he didn't recognize. Stout, crimson bugs had taken their territory very seriously; he thanked his lucky stars that the more willing to fight Zoroark had been nearby.
"Bummer… I guess that woulda been too obvious, huh." Ash shoved his hands into his pockets, leaning against an ashy, crack-riddled brick wall. A glance to the left sparked his attention.
"Check it out." Ash squinted, peering down a path laid with moss and broken cement. Past another apartment or two laid what had to be city limits; half-finished buildings and construction projects were scattered across flattened ground.
"Maybe she's hiding out there. Whaddya think?"
"It would be harder to hide there…" Dawn mused. "But, she might be counting on Zoroark thinking that!"
"It's worth a try. Whaddya say?" Ash turned his attention to the fox perched above, and his companion alongside her.
The huge mass of red and black fur sprung from the window, making a mad dash towards her destination, springing over railings and small, purple, feline-like pokemon that hissed in return.
"Looks like we got our answer. C'mon!" A waiting arm was held out, quickly boarded by Pikachu, before Ash took off in pursuit of the Illusion Fox, and the culprit.
"We're right behind you!" Dawn asserted, hurrying along as quickly as she could manage in her summer wear. Empoleon followed.
The situation was grim as the suitable setting. Abandoned skeletons of buildings with intentions long obsolete laid vulnerable, awaiting rust, rain, and the elements. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder once more as the group slowed. From the center of the construction site, many paths diverged. The electric type springed up red metal beams to seek out a higher perch.
Similarly, the Zoroark jumped atop a small pile of concrete sewer pipes. Her ears twitched as she strained for any sign of her quarry.
Dawn, Empoleon, and Ash all tensed below.
Suddenly, a click of something slender against metal caused a groaning noise. The group looked up, eyes going wide at the sight of beams falling from their long forgotten perch and straight for the group.
"Roark!" their new ally called, clasping her paws together and whirling them into the wind, setting off a Night Daze. The beams were thrust into each other, many scattering off course. One fatal beam, however, was still headed for our heroes!
Pikachu and Empoleon were no slouches, though. In the time that Zoroark had set off her Night Daze, Empoleon had readied a Steel Wing and Pikachu an Iron Tail. The little yellow mouse was diving down to divvy the beam as Empoleon bounced it back up away from his loved ones.
As the nullified threat clattered harmless on either side of a shuddering Ash and a furious Dawn, Zoroark barked in the distance. She glared at the culprit.
The woman stood atop another building's forgotten remains, a strange pokemon that looked like a mix between a Forretress and a UFO floating beside her. A better look at the culprit revealed a tall, toned woman with sickly green hair in a short cut, a long bang swept over her forehead. Shades with a Gyarados Tooth headset equipped disguised her eyes, and a dark, simplistic outfit allowed her to blend in with the dingy setting.
She flinched. In the time she considered her escape, the group had already come to the bottom of the building she was cooped up in. Even worse, that Zoroark and Pikachu would be up in moments if they could only determine that she would not come down to them!
So, she decided to bluff.
"You're so nosy! Mind your business and make like you didn't see what you saw!" she snarled.
"Fat chance!" Ash yelled back.
"Whatever you're holding onto, hand it over!" Dawn added.
The thief frowned before trying to turn tail and run.
Pikachu and the Zoroark were upon her, as she predicted.
Making greater haste in her panic, the Zoroark reached out with a swipe of her claws, slashing a long sliver in the culprit's clothes, and the entire cloth covering the package she held. A small cube of a cage was revealed, hosting a sniveling Zorua. ~Get… Get me outta here!~
Whirling around with fear in her eyes, the thief yelled at the cub. "Be quiet! I'll shake you good if you don't… Ugh, you're worth too much to shake."
A loud, feral snarl came from Zoroark's mouth, blood red claws digging into the dirt.
"Worth too much…?" Dawn whispered. "Is she gonna sell it?!"
Ash frowned. "I've heard of breeder's fees, but… I think she's talking about selling it on the down-low. I don't think anyone really buys wild pokemon…!"
The trainer's first instinct was to jump the creep. Instead of aggression, though, he felt an odd anxiety he couldn't quite put his finger on. His breaths were quick and without rhythm.
Ash could feel Pikachu's paws digging into his shoulder, retreating as far back as the mouse could possibly crawl without falling off.
Pikachu's beady eyes closed in on the small cage, and he quickly regretted it. It wasn't long ago that he was in that spot, and what followed… His stomach was already turning before he decided to block the thought out. "Pikapi…" He uttered, giving himself a quick reminder that he was safe with his partner.
An oddly gloveless hand reached up to stroke the mouse's fur.
The woman cocked a brow. Had she intimidated the boy and his pokemon, somehow? To come as far as they had to chase her, they weren't yellow-bellied Stunfisks. But, she wouldn't look a gift-Ponyta in the mouth. A sneer crawled up her cheeks.
"If you want to turn tail and run, you still have a chance! You don't want to get creamed by Ferrothorn, do you?" She gestured to her floating pokemon, who screeched in return, shooting Ash and Pikachu a menacing glare.
It was only then that Dawn caught on to her companions' shivering. Her own hand reached to pat Ash's shoulder, her gaze fixed on the thief. "Hey, no need to worry. Dawn's got your back!"
"Yeah… I know." Ash exhaled, looking over to the coordinator. "But that's when I-"
"I mean it, this time. You know I'd never leave you hanging!"
"Right…" Ash forced a smile, turning back towards Pikachu. "Hey, buddy… I know it's a long shot, but we could use your help right now. You in?"
Ash quickly felt guilty when he watched the color drain from his best friend's face. Nary a squeak came from his mouth, surely from guilt. They made eye contact before Pikachu broke it, shrinking behind the collar of his button-up.
"Hey, sorry… You don't have to." Ash reached to gently stroke his cheek. "I'll just…" Ash slung a small, inconspicuous knapsack off his shoulder to fumble for an occupied pokeball.
A growl interrupted Ash, and a huge, dingy, scarlet mane stood in his way.
Zoroark stood on all fours, snarling through drool-tinged fangs. Her claws dug at the dirt floor of the unfinished structure, and she turned to make eye contact with the messy-haired meddler.
If he'd go to these lengths to help a strange pokemon, he was trustworthy, as far as the Illusion Fox was concerned. With her precious cub on the line, even, it wasn't as if she had a choice.
If she could, she'd tear her limb from limb.
"You're fighting with us, huh…? Thanks, Zoroark." Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Having another ally was admittedly comforting. He reached for his Pokedex to scan its moves.
"No data found."
"Shoot," Ash whispered, folding away his 'dex. "That thing's still not updated… How am I gonna figure out what moves you have?" He frowned, resting a hand on his hip.
A lightbulb went off, then. "Hey, you know the way you battle better than I do. How about you do your thing until I figure out what you can do?"
Zoroark turned back to her newfound ally, nodding her head. While the stakes were high and there was little time to waste, it was best to keep things simple. And, it wasn't as if she didn't know how to brawl.
"It's your funeral, kid." The woman grabbed a pokeball, nearly dropping it when her headset buzzed. With a grunt, she tapped it, getting an earful of a gruff voice shouting through.
"Ay, Anima! I thought I told ya to meet me out by the slums with my Zorua! I'm not paying ya to sit on your ass!"
Anima scowled. Big city clients were so obnoxious. "I was on my way, but a few kids decided to play hero. I'll be over as soon as they're out of my way. Your pokemon is healthy and secured, so try having a little patience."
"Gotta be those Snivy-huggers dressed up like knights runnin' around," the voice spat, continuing before she could respond. "Just get the job done. You got an hour before I cut back on your reward." Static on the feed told the woman that he'd hung up.
"You brats are holding me up. Out of my way!" Anima scowled, tossing a pokeball upward. A flash of light gifted her another ally in the form of a large, pink sea creature that floated alongside Ferrothorn.
"Empol!" Empoleon squawked, waddling his way over to aid Ash and Dawn. His steps were sluggish, though, held back by labored breaths. With all of that running on the way over, he was exhausted.
"Empoleon…? You're real tired, aren't you, big guy?" Dawn held out the penguin's pokeball, recalling him. "You ought to rest for now. I'll just use… Typhlosion!"
A tossed pokeball made way for the Volcano pokemon, who quickly took in her surroundings, sensing a familiar tension among her companions. If it was time to put down another crook, she was ripe for the job! A fanning of roaring flames along her back told everyone else that much.
Anima grimaced. Facing two fully evolved pokemon wasn't ideal, but she'd make do. "Ferrothorn, use Pin Missile!"
The rotating pokemon rumbled, launching a myriad of explosive needles towards Zoroark and Typhlosion.
"A bug type move… That can't be good for Zoroark," Dawn thought aloud. "Typhlosion, knock those off, with Swift!"
A glittering swarm of stars intercepted the other barrage, setting off what amounted to a wave of emerald fireworks. Were this a battle for sport, Dawn might've taken more time to appreciate the results.
Appreciative of Typhlosion's defense, Zoroark set out to return the favor. Her large form vanished, a speeding shadow zipping across the fray in her place. The dark mass then smashed into Ferrothorn.
Ash and Dawn both winced when they heard a howl of pain.
The dark type quickly recoiled, briefly holding a paw over her shoulder, where she'd been jabbed with a particularly sharp barb. Perhaps attacking a pokemon she'd never seen before wasn't the best idea.
Sympathetic, ash frowned. "Ouch… So hitting that thing head-on is gonna leave a mark. You alright, Zoroark?"
The pokemon eyed her offspring up above and nodded. It would take far more than that to deter her.
"Cool. And I think that was Feint Attack. That's one move down."
"Persistent, but not very smart," Anima muttered. "Hydro Pump, on that Typhlosion!"
The command was enough to put Dawn on alert. With furrowed brows, she hopped back, throwing a hand upward, "Typhlosion, let's use your Counter Shield, with Flamethrower!"
"Hey, you might wanna pull back," Ash warned his new ally.
The Zoroark squinted. She'd never heard of whatever this 'Counter Shield' move was. But, she crept back, nonetheless.
None too soon, as Typhlosion quickly became a spinning, roaring wall of flames, splitting Hydro Pump's jet down the middle, like a hot knife through butter. Steam rose from the impact, and flashes of heat lashed out at Jellicent and Ferrothorn. The latter recoiled, while the former was unhindered.
"What kind of…!?" Anima raised an arm to fend herself from the heat.
"That move was the work of a Pokemon Coordinator," Dawn finished for her foe, "and a little teamwork with an equally talented trainer." A wink was offered to Ash; if she could boost his spirits any, everything would be better off.
Her words left a smile on Ash's face, and he leaned forward, glaring daggers at their opponent. This was no time to enjoy one's self, but his focus was a good sign, as far as Dawn was concerned.
With that worry aside, she threw a hand forward again. "Typhlosion, Double Edge!"
The wall of flames split apart, the large badger sprinting, coated in wispy flames, before throwing herself at Jellicent in a full-body tackle. She'd flatten that squid in no time.
Much to the pokemon's dismay, and her trainer's, she passed through thin air, stumbling and skidding across the dirt floor. She'd made no contact at all.
"It didn't hit!?" Dawn's mouth gaped.
"It's gotta be a ghost type, then." Ash grimaced.
"A coordinator," the thief noted. Then, these two were foreigners. They weren't familiar with Unovan pokemon at all. She was going to use that to her advantage.
"Then, both of their pokemon are gonna be hard to hit." Normally, Ash enjoyed a challenge like this. But, all he could do was try to puzzle a way out of this dilemma.
"Punish it," Anima ordered to the spectral water type. "Hydro Pump!"
Floating and spinning about, Jellicent prepared a jet to douse Typhlosion.
Ash wasted no time, pointing towards Jellicent. "Zoroark, Feint Attack! Don't let it get Typhlosion!"
The Illusion Fox complied, seemingly disappearing from view.
Jellicent howled a ghostly moan, feeling a sudden streak of pain along its body. The same shadow that had attacked Ferrothorn had struck her.
Anima bore her teeth. "Grab it, with Wring Out!"
Gelatinous tendrils circled around Zoroark, pulling her in with a tight, unforgiving grip.
Yelping from the pressure applied to her abdomen, the fretted fox writhed and and squirmed. With her forelegs pinned to her sides, though, the struggle only bought her an irritating, mocking chant from the successful predator. She was already bracing to be swallowed whole.
"Zoroark!" Ash called, clutching his fists. The sight of a pokemon being restrained against their will was the last thing he wanted to see right now. He was having a hard time thinking his way out of this, in fact, focusing on chasing the unsavory thoughts out of his head like a pesky Beedrill.
Anima, for the first time since this chase began, bore a smile. Things were finally turning in her favor. "Now, Leech Seed, on that Typhlosion!"
A large seed was spat from the pokemon's metallic mouth, latching onto the Volcano pokemon. Digging into the latter's belly, Leech Seed spring a number of vines around Typhlosion's body.
"Typhlosion!" Dawn's brows furrowed. "We have to help Ash and Zoroark, right now. You ready?"
"Ty!" The fire type roared, even as she tried her best to rip the vines from her midsection.
"Then, let's dazzle them! Use Smokescreen!"
Typhlosion spit out a thick cloud of soot and smoke, obscuring the field in a blanket of confusion.
Zoroark coughed and hacked. How was this supposed to help!?
"You're not as bright as you think," Anima remarked. "You know your pokemon can't see mine, either, don't you?"
"You're not on the bright side, either," Dawn snapped, speaking through grit teeth. "Lucky for you, we're about to light things up! Typhlosion, use Swift!"
"On these pokemon?" The thief quirked a brow, unimpressed. How stupid was this girl?
Dawn's wordplay snapped Ash back into reality. So, that's what she was up to! "Hey, Zoroark! Close your eyes and keep 'em shut tight!"
The dark type was as confused as could be, but she obliged, opting, reluctantly, to bury her head into Jellicent's arms.
A dazzling flurry of stars shot into the smoky fray, spinning and flashing about within. Bright flashes of light within the dark and dingy clouds lit up like brilliant stars in the sky, assaulting Ferrothorn and Jellicent with blinding light.
From the outside, the earthbound imitation of a starry sky looked beautiful, to boot.
Maybe later, Dawn would have time to appreciate the irony.
In the meantime, Ash shouted into the fray. "Now's your chance! Get outta there!"
Zoroark felt the grip on her loosen, and tore free from Jellicent's grip.
Hoping for the best, Ash followed up. "Use Feint Attack!"
She hadn't even waited for his command. Tracking Jellicent's scent, Zoroark sprung at her former captor without mercy, knocking it aside. She took the opportunity to sniff her allies out and return to Ash's side.
"There ya go!" Ash blurted out, flooded with relief when he saw the ashy mane. "Good job! You too, Dawn!" A thumbs-up was raised to the girl.
Dawn winked in return. "I did say I'd have your back, remember?"
Zoroark eyed the two, perplexed. These two seemed oddly… Cooperative?
By now, the smog had cleared, leaving the group with little time to waste. Catching on, Dawn took initiative. "Now, Typhlosion, let's get rid of that Leech Seed! Use Flamethrower-!"
"Pin Missile, on Zoroark!" Anima interrupted. Letting Typhlosion run wild was fatal to Ferrothorn. If these two were the bleeding hearts they were proving themselves to be, this would buy her time.
Ferrothorn fired another array of pointed projectiles towards its mammalian foe.
"Darn it," Dawn muttered. "Use it to stop that Pin Missile!"
An unwelcome sensation ran through Typhlosion as she was sapped of her strength, but she launched the flames past her ally, burning the incoming needles to a crisp.
Zoroark guarded herself from the heat, looking towards her protector. The situation continued to baffle her. She was tempted to thank the fire type.
A call for 'Hydro Pump' prevented her, though, as a torrent pulverized Typhlosion.
The large badger shrieked, skidding backwards. The jet left her feet and lower body caked with mud. Her brilliant flames dimmed into rebellious flickers, and she replied to Jellicent with an indignant hiss.
How dare she muddy her lush coat!?
"Typhlosion!" Dawn called out in worry. "You're not hurt too bad, are you?"
The Volcano pokemon shook her head. But, that was more of a prideful answer than an honest one.
Icy blue eyes bordered by scarlet markings narrowed, glaring daggers at the floating specter who'd dared to injure her protector. After their last encounter, she really had no love for the jellyfish to begin with. A loud, feral cry grabbed its attention, and everyone else's.
And, Jellicent was met with a harsh, violent gaze. Drooling fangs were bared, and the irises within her blue orbs narrowed to barely visible slits. A dark aura, somehow, was cast from her stare.
Even as a terrifying creature itself, Jellicent shuddered, floating back towards Anima. Something told the obedient pokemon that it wasn't going to make it out of this battle unharmed. In her fright, she found herself struggling to move.
"That's Scary Face," Ash observed. "And, hell, is it…" He wouldn't want to run into this Zoroark in a dark alley.
And, what an opportunity, Dawn thought. "If you've still got it in you, Flamethrower!"
Typhlosion was eager to retaliate. Having had a moment to regain her strength, she spat a hot stream of flames towards Ferrothorn.
The worst was about to come. Anima's fingers clutched tightly around the cold steel of the handle to Zorua's cage. "Gyro Ball!"
Ferrothorn did as told and spun like a top, surrounded in a bright, steely glow. Its barbed body became little more than a living buzzsaw, slicing at the hot flames that came its way.
Much like Hydro Pump against Typhlosion's Counter Shield, her own attack was split down the middle, spraying back in her direction.
She, herself, was bathed in flames.
Awfully fortunate to be a fire type right now. And, it came with a bonus!
Leech Seed and its many sprouts were incinerated in the process.
"Tough luck," Ash barked. "You roasted your own move!"
"I'd thank you," Dawn started. "But, on the other hand, I won't."
Anima's teeth were grinding, at this point. "Scald that Zoroark!"
Jellicent struck back again, drenching Zoroark in boiling water.
Ash and Dawn, to their horror, were greeted with a loud shriek.
The Illusion Fox writhed, doing her best to shake the hot, steaming water out of her fur. A meager mist was shook free, but steam still rose from her form. Struck with a burn, she hissed.
"Zoroark!" Ash's fingers dug into his palm. What a nasty move!
"A water type move that can burn!? I've never heard of that," Dawn thought aloud.
"You don't have to take that! Feint Attack, right back!"
Fighting through that assault wasn't particularly pleasant, but one look at her cub reignited Zoroark's resolve. She sprinted forward on all fours, crossing Jellicent in the form of a black streak.
Jellicent recoiled, spinning with her momentum.
"Well, that didn't do a lot," Ash noted, disappointed.
"She's burned, remember? Doesn't that make your attacks weaker?" Dawn reminded Ash.
"Oh, right… What else could go wrong?"
"Use Hex!"
The water type raised her tentacles, and wisps of violet energy followed, gathering above her head. The eerie energy wove together, combining to form what looked to be a huge red eye .
Ash swallowed. "Me and my big mouth."
A flurry of crimson rings blasted from its iris, pulverizing Zoroark.
"It may be a ghost type move, but it's nasty to any pokemon with a status affliction," Anima boasted. "Are you ready to admit you're playing with the big girls and beat it? Or do you want me to keep hurting your pokemon?"
"You slimy, no-good… Creep!" Ash hissed, returning his attention to his ally. "Are you hanging in there, Zoroark?"
The Illusion Fox laid in a furry heap, pushing upon shuddering legs. Ghastly pain and uncomfortable heat kept her from doing much more than sitting up. Half-lidded eyes remained open, though, still stubborn.
'Bingo,' Anima thought to herself. "I gave you a choice. Finish it, with Gyro Ball!"
Ferrothorn launched its large, round, spiny body, shooting for Zoroark like a deadly spinning top.
Two particularly furry forelegs were hoisted above the pokemon's head. The stubborn will to survive hadn't failed her before, and it wouldn't fail her now. A web of crimson and violet drifted about her claws, meeting their apex when they were smashed into the dirt.
"That's the move the other Zoroark used!" Dawn caught on with a gasp. "Take cover, guys!"
Typhlosion braced herself, as did Ash and Pikachu.
The impact set off a violent, ground-shaking shockwave of dark hues, blowing dust and wind every which way.
Ferrothorn screeched, rattled by the explosion enough to be upheaved into the air.
A glint appeared in Dawn's eye as she saw an opportunity. "Typhlosion, Flamethrower, now!"
The Volcano pokemon gathered her strength, launching a crimson jet of flames that struck Ferrothorn's underside. The pokemon was seared, hovering just above ground. If not for another flicker of energy sapped through Leech Seed, Ferrothorn surely would've collapsed outright.
Just what Anima'd been afraid of. She pursed her lips together. There was only way out of this she could think of.
"Ferrothorn, Self-Destruct!"
The Thorn Pod pokemon began to rumble and shine, quickly becoming a ticking time bomb.
"That's no good," Ash delivered the obvious. "Zoroark… You hangin' in there?"
A low whine was the pokemon's answer. After Night Daze, her paws had nearly gone numb, haunted by the insidious burn from Scald.
"I think we're gonna need your help here, Dawn!"
"Right!" Dawn nodded. "Typhlosion, help us out one more time, with Counter Shield!"
Typhlosion staggered in front of her ally, spinning once more into a twister of flames that surrounded both pokemon.
A loud, thunderous bang told them the blast had gone off. The shock blowing away the flames and rattling Typhlosion served as extra evidence.
An unconscious Ferrothorn was recalled in a red flash of light. Anima grimaced, backing up against the exposed steel beams that formed a net along the unfinished wall. Naturally, Jellicent survived Self-Destruct. But, so did Zoroark and Typhlosion, if only barely. The odds weren't good here.
This wasn't recognized by the poacher alone. Zoroark pushed herself up onto all fours, making one step after the next towards the captor of her child. Bloodlust shone in her glimmering teal eyes.
She was getting her baby back, and this woman was going to pay dearly.
Anima could feel her heart beginning to race. This was bad news. "Jelliecnt, Scald!"
The floating jellyfish huffed, launching another steaming wave towards her foe.
'Not this time,' the fox recited in her head as she leapt aside, avoiding a scalding puddle at her feet. 'Not now'
It was time to make a run for it. Anima held out her second pokeball. "Jellicent, return!"
The red beam of light aimed for Jellicent and shot forward.
Its target was quickly stolen, slashed aside by a strike of a trio of red claws.
Jellicent howled a ghostly howl, knocked to the earth in an unconscious heap.
"Good job!" Ash praised. Finally, this battle was over.
Anima swallowed. There went her last line of defense. The pokeball activated again.
Its stream of light was broken by Zoroark's shaggy foreleg. The Illusion Fox pinned Jellicent under her weight, casting a manic gleam at the downed foe. Her chest heaved, weighed by the anguish of her suffering young. What they did to him, she'd pay it back two-fold.
Ash's brows descended, irises growing thin when the gravity of the situation became real. "Zoroark, it's over! That's enough!"
"We already won," Dawn added. Somehow, she had the feeling that wasn't incentive enough.
Ash's face twisted in horror when claws pressed to what could pass for Jellicent's throat, if it had one at all. "Zoroark, please, stop!"
She did, if only because of the searing pain of her burn. Reminded of her status once again, she flinched.
That gave Anima all the time she needed to recall Jellicent. She backed up, feeling around desperately for a way out. A fault in the wall behind her gave her a great deal of relief. She spun, delivering a strong kick to the shoddy material.
A hole in the wall collapsed. With a quick look out, she judged that the fall would be minimal, and likely safe enough for a quick getaway. "You stupid kids… You've probably lost me a client!" Her fists trembled, nails digging into her palm.
"She's getting away!" Ash announced. "Hand over Zorua, already!"
"If you won't, we'll make you," Dawn threatened. "Typhlosion, use Swift!" She ordered, sprinting towards the cement incline that kept Anima above the rest.
A swarm of golden stars were sent flying towards the thief.
In a fright, Anima recoiled, losing her grip of the cage. She chose survival over success, leaping out the hole in the wall. She wasn't spared the wrath of Swift, knocked unceremoniously to the ground.
Meanwhile, Zorua's cage hit the cement, earning a squeak from the pokemon before it tumbled over the ledge. He yelped.
The impact never came, though; he found himself in the arms of a blue-haired girl, cradling the enclosure. He sniffled, meeting the gaze of a pair of blue eyes deeper in hue than his.
~Owww… Thanks.~
For the first time in probably an hour, Dawn bore a genuine smile. "You're safe now, little guy. The witch scrammed!"
Aching in more places she knew what to do with, the poacher desperately scrambled off, leaning against the other side of a beam, for the time being. She huffed, laying back. "Talk about a screw-up…"
She was out of the group's sight and out of the group's immediate worries. The Zoroark, Ash, and Pikachu alike all rushed over to surround Dawn.
~Open it, open it!~ the Zoroark pleaded, her eyes quivering. ~Please!~
"... We don't have the key," Ash suddenly realized in horror. "It's too small for us to try to break open!"
"No need to worry!" Dawn assured, reaching into her bag. She got out her ever-present beauty supplies and there was the hairpin Aya had given her! The coordinator hummed lightly as she inserted it into the lock. Though a few sparks flew, eventually the cage yielded to Dawn's pestering. Out leaped the Zorua, straight into his mother's open arms.
Both wept openly.
~Mama!~
~Rura…!~
Ash helped Dawn up as the two dark types cuddled. Pikachu felt a sweetness come over him at the scene. Maybe it was Ash rubbing off on him, but moments like this were so darn cute! He couldn't stand it.
But, just as it had been sweet, it grew grim. The Zoroark fell over, moving to her side just enough to avoid crushing her cub.
~Mama!~
Ash and Dawn rushed over, on either side of the dark type.
"The burn! It's still hurting her!" Dawn noticed.
Ash nodded before trying to reach down to lift the fox. She snarled in pain but resisted biting Ash. Still, she recoiled, collapsing on the cool dirt.
"I can't pick her up," Ash groaned. "What're we gonna do?!" He paused, grimacing. "Hey, so… We just met, and we're strangers… But, let's not be, okay? I'm Ash, this is Pikachu, and that's Dawn."
Confused but compliant, the Zoroark answered in turn. ~I am Meema. This is my son, Rura.~
"Okay. Listen, Meema, you may not like this, but we can get you to help only if you let me catch you. I'll let you go right after if you want! But, it's the only way to get you to a Pokemon Center."
The dark type grew still before she sighed. ~You may catch me. Let Dawn carry my son. You've shown that I can trust you, Ash. Please do not betray me.~
Ash got out a pokeball. "I won't, Meema. I promise." With that, he clicked the red light. He watched with a heavy heart as Rura tried not to freak out at the disappearance of his mother.
Dawn knelt down, opening her arms to the cub. "C'mere, little guy. Let's get some help for your mom. You could probably use a check up yourself!"
~... What's a check up?~ he asked after getting into Dawn's grip.
Soon, the group was at the hospital. While Dawn remained in the back with the Nurse Joy who was checking up on a surprisingly feisty Rura, Ash was speaking with Professor Oak. A pokeball blipped into existence as the two spoke.
"Well, there's your Zoroark," Oak said in an absent manner. "You know, Ash, I've been thinking about what you talked to me about earlier, with Pikachu. What are you going to do?"
"I'll battle without him," Ash said as if it were the most natural conclusion.
Oak clicked his tongue. "What about when you need a full team? Like, against Silver? You told me that boy was rather intense, was he not? You need your full party."
Ash looked to the side, where Pikachu was seated with Empoleon, watching the news. Judging by the way his ears twitched, he knew they were talking about him - not that it would have changed the answer Ash gave.
"He's not leaving my side." Ash huffed. "I'll make due."
"Your bond is that strong, huh?" Oak said, almost jealous. He had grown close to some of his pokemon during his years, but never as close as Ash and Pikachu were.
Suddenly, the sparkling of an epiphany washed over him.
"Your bond!" He coughed into his hand after his sudden outburst. "Ash, would you say that, after your recent trauma, Pikachu provides emotional support to you?"
Raising a brow, Ash nodded. "Well, yeah."
"Excellent! Well, I don't know if you know or not, given you're a spry thing, but certain trainers with disabilities and other needs can get what are called support pokemon. They're a seventh member in addition to a trainer's regular party. Now, the various leagues all have different regulations and almost all require paperwork for the exception, But, I think you and Pikachu might qualify!"
The professor brought a hand under his chin, mulling it over.
"The only stipulation is that the support pokemon cannot participate in trainer battles while it has this registration given to it. It's strictly forbidden by the various storage system overseers; in your case, that would be me since you board your pokemon on my ranch." He shrugged. "Think you can keep from having to make me revoke this privilege? Just don't abuse it."
Ash's heart lifted. He turned to yell to his companion. "Hey! Buddy, that sound alright to you!"
Empoleon, who hadn't been aware of what was going on, flinched at Ash's yell. He was even more confused when Pikachu turned around to hop onto the couch's back and nodded at Ash.
"Great! Pikachu and I both agree!"
"Good, good. Well, let's see here.. I can do a system override to give you a seventh pokemon, but until I can get the documentation officialized by the Indigo League, I'm afraid you'll have to postpone participating in the conference." Oak hesitated. "I'm… Not sure if any gym leaders would be allowed to battle you in their gyms, either. Oh well. The coast is still being checked out here. It's not like you'll be seeing Silver before I can fax some paperwork to league headquarters."
Ash nodded. "Thanks, Professor Oak. This means a lot. Can you send me back my seventh member, then?"
Oak briefly looked over the newly received pokemon bench, slightly out of view of the monitor. After a moment, there was a click on his end and a short flurry of typing. Then, Ash's pokeball appeared!
"Thanks! See you!"
With that, Ash put his pokeball back on his belt and walked back to the check up room, getting a nod of permission from the nurse at the front desk. When he opened up the clinic room door, he spotted a mischievous Rura with cotton swabs sticking out of his ears and a silly look on his face. Dawn and the nurse Joy alike were laughing.
~Bleeeeh! Bleh bleh! I'm a big scary Sawsbuck, and it's cloud season! Bleeeh!~
Ash couldn't help but grin as well. "What a show, Rura! But, you mind handing over that seat? I gotta let your mom get checked out."
~Oh!~ the cub cooed, nodding. He leapt into Dawn's lap, quickly shaking out the cotton swabs. ~All yours!~
The nurse shook her head, picking up the cotton swab and changing the paper cover on the patient examining table.
Ash then released Meema, who landed in a sitting position on the table, but, after realizing her friends, cub, and only one strange human were present, allowed herself to collapse onto her stomach.
"Oh, my!" Nurse Joy gasped. "What a nasty Scald-burn she has! Hold on, I've got to get a burn heal and some salve and bandages for her!" The nurse looked into the cabinets, pulling out a large bottle of water. "Here, help her drink this! I'll be right back."
Meema licked her lips at the sight of the bottled water. The special mineral water afforded only to the precious pokemon of trainers was very rare in the wild. The healing springs that produced the water were all either claimed by wild pokemon packs or equally secluded by human settlements. Meema hadn't tasted it since she was very young.
And, yet, without hesitation, Ash took the bottle, opening the cap. She expected him to take the first sip, to drink his fill, but… He offered it to her. The dark type blinded, shocked. When Ash tilted his head, she worried she had offended him and grabbed the bottle, half grateful and half greedy with the swiftness she gulped it down. Half way done downing the bottle, she stopped, guilt overwhelming her.
~Rura!~ She looked at her cub. ~Rura, are you thirsty?!~
The cub shook his head. ~No, Mama! The Dawn gave me some milk! It was in a bottle, though, I didn't drink it right out of her! It was really rich and creamy! She said it came from a Mill-tank?~
Milk? Meema looked to Dawn, who smiled as if she felt guilty and embarrassed. What for? Oh! Dawn was rather young. Perhaps she worried that giving a cub milk might send the wrong impression if worded poorly? The dark type took another greedy gulp of her water as she looked at Ash out of the corner of her eye. Considering their cooperation earlier and the fact they commanded the other pokemon, she could only assume they were the alphas. Perhaps that was why Dawn was embarrassed. She was feeding someone else's cub in front of her mate.
Finished with the bottle, Meema dipped her head to Dawn. ~Thank you for looking after my son. Rura, come here. Don't impose on Dawn any longer.~
~Okay, Mama!~ Hopping off Dawn's lap, the little fox jumped right into his mother's hair, disappearing into it.
Soon, Nurse Joy returned and bandaged Meema. After a quick spray of the burn heal, the wounds were on their way to healing. The salve and bandages were only to make sure the healing was complete and that no marks would be left behind.
"There!" the woman said. "You, though, mister, need to start feeding your pokemon more! She's underweight." She shook her head. "I can see you're new to the region, but Zoroark are top predators. Make sure to feed her plenty of high protein pokechow, and don't skimp on it, either!"
Somehow knowing it would be useless to explain the full situation to the nurse, Ash lifted his hands. "Gotcha! Sorry, used to Ninetales! Hahaha…!"
"Good. Now, if that's all, you're all dismissed. I've got more patients to see!"
After collecting Pikachu and Empoleon, our heroes traveled back into the forests shortly outside of Nimbasa. It was here, in this secluded spot, that they felt safe having Meema out of her pokeball and Rura losing his disguise as a Piplup. This also elevated Empoleon's raging jealousy.
As Rura cuddled his mother, Dawn crossed her arms.
"Aw, I was getting used to having an arm pokemon again!"
"Empo!"
"Empoleon, get real! You'll always be my number one guy, but there's no way for me to carry you anymore! No way!"
Rolling his eyes at Dawn and Empoleon's bickering, he coughed. "Now that we're not in danger, how's about we all get to know each other for real?" He plopped on the ground, thumbing at himself. "I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town! I'm a trainer and my dream is to become a pokemon master!" He whipped out his badge case, puffing out his chest. "I'm pretty darn close, too!"
Confused by the shiny metal but too grateful to Ash to retort, Meema just nodded her head as Rura played with the bauble of her hair.
Dawn joined him on the ground. "I'm Dawn of Twinleaf Town. I'm a coordinator. My dream is to create a combination of beauty and strength so magnificent it'll be remembered for ages!"
Not waiting for Pikachu, Empoleon spoke up, posing dramatically as he stood. "Empoleon! Empo Empo! Empooooleon!"
The electric type chuckled. "Pi! Pikachu-chu! Pika~!"
~I am Meema,~ the Zoroark began, ~My son and I live alone. We do not have a pack.~ She cocked her head, wanting to ask a question, but not daring to ask it, yet.
~M'name's Rura! I like… I… Jokes!~
"You certainly do," Dawn agreed. She giggled. "You'd make a great contest pokemon. You need to stay with your mom, though."
Ash raised his chin. "Actually, Meema, I was going to ask, do you guys wanna stay with us? You seem to kinda be, uh, well… struggling?" He was trying his best not to be rude.
Meema's ears flopped back, embarrassed. Yet, she felt a warmth in her heart. She'd have a pack again! One that could provide well and was kind. Her son would live in safety. Even if she was an underdog here, if they treated the least of them so well that they would freely give fresh waters…! She would do well to stay.
So, on all fours, Meema bowed. After a pause, Rura mimicked his mother. ~I would happily join your pack and follow you.~
Unsure of what was happening, but figuring it was all well, Ash nodded. "Uh, right. Say, Rura, you wanna go with me, or Dawn? You two get along well. But, it's Meema's choice, too…"
Fretting, Meema glanced down at her son. She would love to have Rura always with her, but if the leader of the pack's mate, the other leader, really wanted to have her son around and she treated him so well, she wouldn't fuss about it. Probably. If they were always together it would be fine. Right?
Rura, similarly, grew quiet.
Dawn spoke up. "We wouldn't keep you apart! When Ash is using Meema, I'll use you, Rura. Meema, do you remember that little lab place you went to?"
~With the grassland behind it?~
"Yeah, that one! You'll both go there at the same time. It's safe! Ash's other pokemon are there, so you'll always be among friends!"
Meema's eyes widened. Ash led a mighty group! She was lucky. If all she had to do for this trainer was battle for him, she was getting an incredible deal! She had to fight in the wild, and for that she didn't get good things for her son or friends, or even anyone to help her lick her wounds except her poor cub.
~You consider me too highly!~ Meema blurted.
Ash laughed and shook his head. "That's what we're supposed to do!"
"Well, if that's settled, let's… Oh! Here. A premier ball! Rura, do you like it? If I had a dark ball or a luxury ball, I'd offer you it, but I only ever can get pokeballs… One day, I'll put my whole team in really nice pokeballs!" she insisted.
Rura shrugged. ~Doesn't matter to me!~
With that, Dawn tossed the pokeball at Rura. As soon as she did, panic washed over her. "... My pokeballs go to my mom's house! We've got to hurry to the pokemon center, Rura won't know where he is!"
~Is he okay?!~ Meema suddenly snapped, fearful. Had they tricked her?!
With Dawn already running off and Empoleon in her wake, Ash shook his head.
"He's fine, Dawn just overreacts. We can get him back like how we got you back. But, say… You wanna stop at this place with me and Pikachu before we meet her at the pokemon center? We gotta get food."
That was all it took took to get Meema's attention. Though she longed for her cub already, she now trusted Dawn; if her cub would be waiting for her when she got back, she would happily greet him with a meal.
Meema blinked, looking down at the pile of brown, dry crumbles before her. She looked at Pikachu and Empoleon happily eating them, as well as berries and the occasional swipe off the great pile in the middle of the table where food the Zoroark distinctly recognized as human sat, piping and hot.
Was… Was she meant to eat these brown pellets? They looked like…!
Yet, she looked at Pikachu eating them. Her son sat between her and Dawn, taking portions from Dawn's own plate without worry or fear.
Between her distrust of the brown food and her growing anxiety, Meema found that she could not eat. Was it permissible for her to eat? Would her new alphas allow it? She supposed today she had earned her keep with the battle, but what about always?
"Pi," the electric mouse said, breaking her out of her internal worries. "Pikachu!"
"... Zo," she agreed. Meema did need to keep up her strength.
These brown pellets looked the least appetizing, though... And, Rura was eating his fill, so perhaps she could eat this without worry…! Or, stash part of it in her fur. He might get hungry later. Wrapping her hair around her, the dark type began putting two pellets in her hair for every one she ate. No one seemed to notice. The paranoid mother took contentment in this. Her pack was going to allow her to care for her son. She didn't know if feasts would always be this plentiful, after all.
With most of the food put away except for a few wontons, Ash spoke up. "So, Meema, Rura, you guys know what me and Dawn do. What do you guys wanna do? Are you okay battling with me, Meema? Rura's probably gonna do contests with Dawn."
Mouth filled with bone marrow from the one he'd crushed, the cub mentally spoke: ~I am gonna do contests! Dawn said you can do cool things and I like cool things! I'm gonna be the coolest!~
Meema quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Rura wouldn't displease their new alphas. Now, onto her duties. ~If you wish for me to battle for you, I will. I will offer my strength and body to this pack.~
She was talking funny again, Ash noted with an uncomfortable smile. "Aaaalright then. Glad we're on the same page! Now, let's get to training. First thing's first, we both need to know your moves! That means… Aw, crap! We never updated our pokedexes!"
Dawn, Pikachu, and Empoleon laughed at Ash's frustration. Rura, who didn't truly understand why they were laughing but was enjoying the company, joined in before leaping across the table, cuddling Ash's cheek. The trainer accepted the gesture, sticking his tongue out at Dawn.
Meema, meanwhile, waited while they laughed. Her new pack was strange.
But, she felt things would be better from here on out.
