Chapter X

Entry #45:

Today, I stumbled across pirates. They were odd, though. They called themselves the Aqua Crew. They kept trying to steal things from innocent people.

They seem harmless enough.

For now, at least

August stared down at the Shroomish. It was one of the smallest Pokémon she had ever seen – almost like a blown-up mushroom with beady black eyes pasted onto it. No arms, no hands, and even its little round feet were as small as her own fist.

"That's the dangerous monster that rules the whole forest?" August asked.

The self-acclaimed 'prince' of Hoenn quivered behind her. "Yes."

"It's tiny."

"Don't be deceived by its… deceitful ways. It is a monster."

August had to bite back her smile.

Since she had kicked the boy's arse in a battle – or, well, since Percy the Poochyena had repeatedly torn apart his Zigzagoon despite his endless supply of potions – she had been given the privilege of hunting down and claiming the dangerous Shroomish of Petalburg Woods. And yet, the small mushroom looked ever so harmless by her boots.

"Fine, then," she said. "Come here, little guy."

Then, she lowered her arm, reaching to scoop it up.

And all hell broke loose.

Vines surged from the ground – dozens of long, green pillars, forcing Petalburg Woods to shudder. In that moment, the dappled sunlight amid the boughs and roots, waving through the bright leaves and berries, seemed to disappear; blue and white mist laced across the dance of green, and the trees melted back into dark silhouettes.

August threw out her arm, latching onto a nearby branch. The vines ripped through the ground, roaring for her, for her Pokémon, for anything in its path.

It was just a small mushroom. And yet, those vines were growing bigger – one had already smothered over her Silcoon, wrapping around it with the Shroomish's wrath and fury. Other vines were weaving hungrily through the ground, swirling in and out of the trees, latching onto her Mudkip's leg.

Between one blink at the next, vines had clung to August's wrist. She stumbled back, falling onto the ground, watching as her Pokémon were bound by ropes of green.

And August had to face it.

She had sweat falling into her eyes because of a mushroom.

All her Pokémon were caught – her Zigzagoon, Poochyena, Mudkip, Silcoon, everyone except—

"Sword!" August called out. "Do something!"

The Wingull simply stared at her. It glanced over at the raging Shroomish. Then, it squawked.

Something told August that the squawk meant, Absolutely not!

August felt the danger then.

The Shroomish really had no seconds thoughts about her, about her team. The vines would suffocate them all. It would crush the breath out of their lungs, choke them, kill them.

"Sword, you daft thing! Do something!"

Something about her own harsh words – something about the way she said daft – forced Sword the Wingull to take a shaky breath. Then, as more vines exploded through the woods, Sword began to cut through them with her wings. Her face stung, her little Wingull heart was beating so hard that it ached, and her wings felt as limp as wet rags, but she cut and cut and cut. Tumbling through the branches, vines in her beak, choking on leaves that fell into her mouth.

She knew the vines were following her. The pain was digging into the feathers at her wings, trying to latch onto her and drag her back.

Still, she spun around and chopped through them. She drilled her beak into each one, launching sharp claws blindly towards the vines, moving so close until—

The vines were dwindling. Faltering.

And she realised she was inches away from the Shroomish's face.

Finally, the mushroom's face seemed shocked – pale, even, for all its green spots across its face.

August felt her own heart soar just a little as the Wingull began to wrap her talons around the Shroomish. The vines around her slackened, and she was up on her feet, racing towards the Wingull.

"Sword, that was…" Her own words couldn't quite make any shapes on her mouth. The adrenaline of it all had clogged her entire being – from her shaking fingers to her wide grin.

She could have suffocated.

And yet, that had been… fun?

August glanced down at the Shroomish in her Wingull's claws.

"Well," she said softly. "If you'd like, you can come with us and—"

Just like that, it happened.

A terrible stench – like puke up her nose. Then, rough hands were tossing her aside, a boot was burrowed into her Wingfull's wing, and the Shroomish was being snatched up into the air—

A pirate.

His clothes were shredded, from his blue and white blouse, right down to his britches. Even his gloves and bandana – black, with skulls painted over them – were barely hanging onto his greasy fingers and hair.

"So this is the menace of Petalburg Woods," he growled.

Sword whimpered as his boot plunged deeper into her wing. August found herself scowling.

"Hey!" she called out. "That Shroomish… I was dealing with it!"

The pirate turned towards her, snorting. "I'm a pirate. Everything is mine, girlie."

"I was a pirate, too. That's not how it works."

He laughed at her, then. Laughed like it had been the funniest joke in the world – that this girl, in her crease-free blouse and long pants, with a soft voice and a posh tilt to her words, was once a pirate.

"Alright, then," he said, shaking his head. "How does it work then, Miss Pirate?"

August straightened her shoulders. "For one, we aren't cowards. We earn our loot, fair and square."

"Fair and square?" he repeated. "Lass, that's the opposite of what a pirate does."

For a moment, August felt her cheeks grow hot.

He was probably right – after all, her father was a far more civilised pirate than… well, every other pirate. It was all because he married into the Backlots, the nobles, and was crowned legionary. Perhaps he wasn't the best example of a pirate.

Still, August powered on.

"Well, look at me," she pointed out. "I'm a small girl with only one arm. And you still feel so cowardly that you can't fight me – you have to snatch it away from me?"

"I'm savin' ya, girlie. One day, you'll be grateful I didn't spill your guts around here."

There it was.

August smiled ever so sweetly.

"Oh?" she said. "Is that what a pirate does, then? Save girlies?"

His face shifted and morphed then and there. Darkened into a hot shade of red – teeth bared, eyes wide, forehead creased.

"I think you're lying," August continued. "Deep inside, you know this girlie has what it takes to kick yer arse."

Perhaps it was the adrenaline. Perhaps it was the sight of the Shroomish – weak and bruised in the man's arms.

But, as the pirate advanced, his eyes murderous as he tore a sword from his belt, August felt no fear. Quick as silver, her Mudkip was there, standing beside the pirate's boot, stopping his charge short. As he tripped and tumbled forwards, her Wingull was there, slamming the pirate's chest with her beak. Then, with her Poochyena biting on the man's knee, he completely topped onto the ground.

Her Zigzagoon retrieved the sword. August smiled triumphantly.

"Well, sir, it seems—"

The blow caught her on the back of her head, sending her reeling. There was no time to catch her breath - no time to even process the warm blood dripping down her neck.

Another pirate.

His yellow teeth were barred as he lunged, swinging with his blade for her face.

August didn't even think. She just moved.

Out of the way, rolling onto the grass, crying out—

She heard a cracking sound. The sound of something snapping – a whip flicking skin.

And, as she glanced up, she saw the Shroomish from before.

Somehow, that Shroomish had sliced its vines through the air, curling around the pirates. Then, with a shriek, the little mushroom sent the pirates hurtling through the trees.

Despite the pain, August stared at the Shroomish, gaping. The Shroomish stared back, its button eyes moving from August, to the Zigzagoon with the sword-filled mouth and the Poochyena with a bruised eye, to the Wingull who had slashed through the vines and the Mudkip who had a glowing blue thing in his stomach.

And, of course, the Silcoon. Who had done absolutely nothing the whole time.

It was that moment that Clarisse the Shroomish had officially decided to join August and the team.

They spent days recovering from the pirates. August had her head bandaged by her own Pokémon, and they slowly trekked through the woods.

One thing August very quickly learnt was that her tiny mushroom Pokémon was absolutely terrifying.

Clarisse the Shroomish seemed to take enjoyment out of using her vines to pluck out innocent Magikarp from nearby lakes, tossing them onto the land and watching them flop about until they moaned in desperation. She couldn't have been sure, but August could have sworn that Clarisse was making cackling sounds.

Her other Pokémon watched, all of them mildly concerned.

"Hey!" a voice called out behind them. "I am Lady Cindy, Hoenn Royalty, cousin of Lisia! How dare you take all the Magikarp out of our lake!"

August gestured towards the Shroomish. "It's not me."

That didn't stop Lady Cindy from attacking them with her Zigzagoon. And, of course, when her Zigzagoon was bruised and weak from Clarisse's vines, Landy Cindy beckoned it back – only to feed it with a purple vial.

"You have a potion thing too?" August called out. "Seriously? You can't just—"

"I am Hoenn Royalty, and cousin of Lisia! I can do anything I want!"

Entry #50:

I've decided that, pirates or not, nothing still is quite as annoying as rich folks.