Zinnia glared at what remained of the house. Something was wrong. She had been sure after she blasted off the first Dragon Pulse the poacher would come running, but nothing! And even after three more had been fired, he still didn't respond!
"Noivern, Boomburst!" She called and the dragon responded immediately, blasting a continuous wave of sound that ripped through the ground outside the house, creating a deep ditch, destroying several of the solar panels. But there was still no sign of the poacher.
"Wiss?" Aster murmured as she poked her head out from behind her trainer. Without taking her eyes off the building, Zinnia reached down and rubbed her head gently.
"Don't worry. We'll find them. Then, we'll crush them." She said reassuringly. "Let's go get a closer look."
As the three approached the house, they were all on high alert. Looking for any signs of a counter attack. But to their surprise, they reached the ruined building with no resistance. In fact, they didn't even see any movement in any of the holes in the wall.
"Noivern, sentry." Zinnia ordered. "Aster and I will go in and check for them. You stay here and don't let them out if they make a break for it." With a nod of her head and a massive beat of her wings, the bar Pokémon took to the sky! Flying high into the air, ensuring she had enough space to see an attack coming before it hit.
As the girl entered the house, she pulled a dagger from under her cloak and effortlessly spun it in her hand so the end of the handle was next to her thumb.
She had long learned that in the criminal underworld that some people armed themselves with more than just Pokémon. Her ears were still ringing from when a gun had gone off right next to her head.
As she scanned the house, she saw it was pretty unremarkable. Some ruined furniture, smashed windows, a beat up run. Nothing that would arouse the suspicion of any busting authorities.
But that was expected.
"Aster, do your thing." Zinnia said as the Pokémon jumped into the ground.
Upon landing, Aster raised her ear and opened her mouth, then began releasing a very faint cry, echoing off the surrounding area. She spun on the spot, still releasing her cry and after a full rotation, she immediately ran over to into the kitchen, stopping in front of one of the cabinets.
"Way to go, Aster!" Zinnia said, rushing over to the Pokémon and kneeling next to her. Immediately, she gave the doors a hard pull only to find them locked, hard! Whatever was being used to hold them together wasn't your standard lock.
"Spot on as usual." She said taking a step away. "No need for a lock like this unless there's something behind it they don't want us seeing. What do you say we test his lock for him?" A grin spread across the girl's face. "Aster, Hyper Voice!"
"Wwwwwhhhhiiissssmmmuuurrrr!"
The deafening cry blasted right through the wood revealing a ladder that led down into the basement.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here." Zinnias said, stepping forward and grabbing the first rug. Aster jumping into the hood of her cloak. "Let's see what our little friend is hiding down here. And hopefully, introduce ourselves!"
As they descended the ladder, Aster kept a look out for any threats behind her trainer. Meanwhile, Zinnia kept her dagger clenched tightly in her hand, ready to react to any threat that might be detected.
But to their surprise, nobody attacked them. Hell, Aster didn't even see anyone to challenge them.
Upon reaching the bottom floor, they found themselves in a large room with a curtain surrounding the ladder. Carefully, Zinnia spread them open just enough to peak behind it. And immediately her jaw fell open.
It was a massive room with at least sixty caged Pokémon. From Zigzagoon to Tropius, every type of Pokémon that lived in the area had been captured and caged down here, all covered in injuries.
"What a piece of filth!" Zinnia snarled as she clenched her dagger tighter in her hand. "How many Pokémon is he planning to give to the Delta Reapers?! Most of them don't even look like they're in any condition to be sold!"
Carefully, the dark haired girl stepped through the curtain and rushed to one of the cages.
"Don't worry. I'm going to get you out of here!" She said, reaching out for the cage.
The moment her fingers touched it, there was a powerful spark of electricity, making her wrench her hand back.
"Ouch! Damn! I should have seen that coming." She murmured. "At least now I know what to look for! If it's an electric cage, then there should be a remote for the locks. IT shouldn't be too hard to find given the state of-."
"Mur!"
Aster's warning shriek pierced the air, making the dark haired girl spin around just in time to block the Poison Tail from a Seviper! The attack knocked her back towards one of the cages, forcing her to dig her blade into the ground to stop in time.
"Shit!" She cried as her dagger snapped. "I just got that, you dick!"
The snake Pokémon replied with a hiss, then launched forward with the same attack! This time swinging wide, so the girl could only dodge backwards.
But instead of dodging back, Zinnia shot forward! Throwing her arms up, blocking the attack at the base of the tail where the poison couldn't escape from.
"Not bad! You've clearly seen battle before!" She said, a grin spreading across her face, much to the shock of the poison type. "But so have I! And unfortunately for you, I've been trained by the best warriors of my tribe! I'm not like those pansy ass league trainers! I can fight just as well as I can lead!"
Immediately she grabbed the Pokémon's tail, holding it tightly as it tried to tug itself free.
Zinnia's eyes lit up as she looked right at the Pokémon. "Now, I normally don't like to hurt others, but for a poacher like you, I can't afford to hold back! So, I'll make this quick! After all, I've got Pokémon to rescue and a poacher to beat! Aster, Hyper Voice!"
"WWWWWWHHHIIISSSSMMMUUURRRR
The next instant, the room filled with the cry of the whisper Pokémon as the Seviper was blasted away, landing several feet away in a heap. And as it pulled itself upright, Aster jumped out of Zinnia's cloak and landed between them, glaring at her opponent.
"Alright, let's dance!" Zinnia said, punching her fists together.
"Wwwwwhhhiiiissssmmmuuurrrr!"
Serena's head shot up at the sound echoing from the back of the cave. "That sounded like Aster!" She said as Kay looked up from guiding a Rhyhorn towards the boat with the large cage.
"Good. That probably means Zinnia's got his attention! Now let's do our part and get the Pokémon together!" She replied, then she turned her attention back to her charge. They had decided to round up all the Pokémon, then get them all on board at the time. That way nobody was left behind. And so far they were quite successful!
"Think she'll be okay?" Serena asked, making Kay snort.
"Trust me, if she's half as good as you claim, she'll be fine." The rescue worker replied. "If anything, we should be more worried about getting out of here before that maniac brings the entire place down on-!"
Bang!
Before either of them could react, a rock slammed into the boat, knocking out one of its supports!
"No!"
"Get down!"
Kay tackled Serena to the ground just in time as several more rocks flew past, smashing into the boat, one ripping the steering wheel and everything around off! The others slammed into the stolen Pokémon, sending the uninjured ones scattering and the ones that were hit were knocked unconscious with a single hit!
As the attacks slammed all around, Serena realized it meant for them! He hadn't seen them mixed in with all the Pokémon and was just attacking blindly, not caring if he hurt the Pokémon at all!
"Caught you, little thieves!" Arnold yelled as he approached from the back of the cave, face red with rage. "You think I'm an amateur?! I've implanted trackers in both my girls in case they ever tried to run! And when I see both of them booking it, of course I'd realize something was wrong!"
His face contorted with both disgust and rage as he spoke, letting both girls crawl behind a nearby rock to use as cover, their Pokémon doing the same.
"When I finish both of you, I'll go get them and teach them a powerful lesson about obedience! I would have thought they she have learned not to text me after that worthless woman left, but I guess those little shits are to stupid to learn! No matter, breaking some bones should do the trick! And believe me, that's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you!"
Disgust rose in Serena's stomach. It was hard to believe someone could be so horrible! Even team Flare had some decency! This man had none! Monster couldn't even begin to describe him! He was the definition of heartless!
Beside her, Kay's face was a mask of pure rage, one that almost mirrored Arnold! Her fists were clenched so tight they were trembling! She wanted payback for everything he had done last night when he took her entire life away!
Without hesitation, both girls stepped out of their cover confronting the horrible excuse for a living being.
"I'm not scared of you, you piece of trash!" Kay yelled, going off her face, Serena wouldn't be surprised if she just ran at him. She was livid!
"You lie, hurt and steal, yet take no responsibility for your actions! You aren't a man, you're a coward! My parents fought tooth and nail to keep people like you from harming Pokémon and now it's my turn! People like you are exactly what's wrong with this region!" Kay took a threatening step forward as she spoke, eyes burning holes into Arnold's head. "I'm ending this right now! By tomorrow, you'll be locked up and wishing you'd never been born!"
The large man just let out a laugh at the girl's threat. Clearly he wasn't intimidated.
"Don't try to act tough girl! You didn't stand a chance against me last night and you don't stand a chance now!" He leered forward with a horrible grin. "And even if by some miracle you did, I'll be out by the weekend! The Delta Reapers need people like me for what their planning next! How else will they supply their troops with the necessary armaments?! I give them Pokémon at a fraction of their actual worth! They need me!"
"Armaments?! Is that all Pokémon are to you?! Tools to be bought, traded and used?!" Serena yelled. "Their living creatures! We're supposed to live in harmony with them! As friends and partners! They're not yours to use as you see fit!"
"Hah! Like you Coordinators are any different!" He yelled. "You only ever catch cute or pretty Pokémon! If it's ugly, weak or can't do what you want, then you trade it away! You're the same as me! So don't go acting all high and mighty just because the laws are fine with the way you use your tools! I've fought the law for my entire life! And I have no plans to change any time soon!"
The blonde performer felt a heat rising in her stomach, smothering her fear. And for the first time in her life, she wanted to hurt somebody!
They man, who viewed himself as some kind of god, who had the right to do whatever he wanted with anyone he pleased, had done something not even the members of team Flare hadn't! Right now, more than anything, she wanted to beat him up and shut him up for good!
"I don't have to justify anything to you." Serena said, a calm rage boiling within her. "You're going to spend the rest of your miserable life in prison where you belong! I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
"Then come and get me, little girl! Golem, Rock Blast!"
The rock Pokémon reacted immediately, firing several boulders towards the blonde. But this time she was ready! And she wasn't alone!
"Pancham, Dark Pulse! Braixen, Hidden Power! Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"
"Dodo, Tri-Attack! JB, Water Pulse!"
The five attacks clashed with the rocks, canceling them out. Debris rained down bringing the attack to a sudden halt as both sides ducked for cover as they were showered with dust from the rocks. But the one encounter had told both sides the direction this battle was going to take.
If it took all five of Serena's and Kay's Pokémon to counter one attack from Arnold's, then they would have quite an uphill battle!
And if that wasn't bad enough, Sylveon couldn't battle! So that meant she had to hang back and be on the defense the whole time! And if she got hit by one attack it could cause permanent dama-!
"Rock Blast once more!"
Immediately Pancham was blasted backwards as a huge rock came through the smoke right towards him! Caught off guard, he didn't have time to dodge and took the full brunt of the attack!
"Heads up!" Kay yelled as more rocks flew through the smoke, each one aimed with terrifying accuracy given the smoke screen! Luckily, the first attack had put everyone on guard and they were able to just barely dodge, letting the attacks smash through several of the rocks across the beach.
"H-how?!" Serena said, utter bewilderment on her face. Not even Ash could attack that well without seeing his target! As she looked at the damage, she noticed something odd. One of the rocks had been blasted at a large rock several feet away from any of their Pokémon. Why was that one so off center?
"How cares?! We need to go on the offensive!" Kay yelled, snapping Serena from her thoughts! "Dodo, Fury Attack! JB, stay close behind!"
Both Pokémon charged at their trainers' command, running through the rapidly disappearing smoke with Dodrio in the front.
The Golem threw up its arms to protect its face! Being too slow to dodge, it could only sit there as the attack from all three heads landed against it with such blinding speed the blonde couldn't count the attacks!
Clearly Kay had much more battle experience than Serena.
With the rock type pinned in place, JB used the opportunity to slide behind it for a pincer assault. And he had positioned himself to be right at the base of the Pokémon mass.
"Now, Waterfall! And don't let it come back down!" Kay yelled, a grin on her face. She clearly thought she had the advantage, but When Serena saw a smile appearing on Arnold's face, she realized he had wanted this!
"Watch ou-!"
"Discharge, now!"
Before either of them could react, the area around Golem lit up with a huge burst of electricity, shocking both Dodo and JB so painfully they cried out in pain. Both immediately tried to get away, but suddenly, the dust that covered them hardened, then began pulling them closer to the rock type.
"Dodo! JB!" Kay screamed in horror as she watched her Pokémon struggle to escape. But try as they might, the sand kept them in range of the powerful attack!
"Pancham, Stone Edge! Knock that Golem off balance!" Serena yelled and immediately, her Pokémon punched the ground causing several glowing blue rocks to spring up from the ground towards the battle!
"No you don't! Golem, take out that runt!" Arnold yelled.
Faster than either of the girls thought was Possible, the poacher's Pokémon grabbed the two normal types and threw them right at the fighting type like a baseball! A fast one at that!
Pancham's eyes widened, but before he couldn't stop the attack, JB was hit by one of the stones jetting out of the ground! Dodo was luckier, missing the attack, but she flew out above the ocean!
"Sylveon, catch!"
"Veon!" The fairy type cried, her ribbons shooting out and wrapping around the bird's torso just before she hit the water.
"Nice catch. Thank you so much." Kay said as Sylveon said as she gently set the flying type down next to her trainer. As she knelt down to tend to the flying type, JB limped over to his partner and gave her a supportive smile as she rose with the help of her trainer.
"Humf! You brats are so stubborn! Just hurry up and die already!" Both girls turned their attention back to Arnold as he spoke. "Stupid little brats like you should learn to listen to their superior! You share that annoying trait with my girls and their whore of a mother! But I suppose that what happens when you let women into place they have no right being! They should just stay in the kitchen where they belong!"
Kay immediately let out a growl quickly rising to her feet, but thankfully didn't act rash. Apparently, the first round of getting thrashed had put her on high alert. She might be a bit hard headed, but she understood that this was one battle they couldn't afford to lose.
"Damn it! What do we do now?!" She snarled, eyes moving from the Golem to Arnold, then back again. "Would it have killed Zinnia to mention the fact that Alola Golems can use electric moves as well?! Would have been really nice to have the info that it was a special attacker!"
"I don't think it can just use electric moves." Serena said, causing the rescue worker to glance over at her. "You saw it too, didn't you? It can control magnetic waves, or something like that. I bet that's also how it was able to tell where our Pokémon were despite the smoke screen. And if it can sense as well as control electricity at that level, I think it's a safe bet to say that Alola Golems aren't just using electric attacks, but are actually electric types!"
"An electric type…Golem?" Kay said in disbelief, her eyes wide. "Is it even possible for a different environment to cause such a radical change to a Pokémon that it would develop a completely different type?"
"I can't think of any else." Serena replied. "It explains everything, the electric fire, the way it can control electricity, how it can use such a powerful move. But if I'm right, we've got to be even more careful! It has advanced over more than half our team and the longer this battle drags on, the more damage we take, the greater our disadvantage gets. So we have to wrap this battle up quickly!"
"Haha! For a worthless brat, you've got a good head on your shoulders!" Arnold called in an arrogant tone. "But unfortunately for you, knowing that won't help you!"
He stepped forward to stand next to his Pokémon and rapped his knuckles against its hard rocky body.
"The Alola region is known as a national wonderland where Pokémon can grow into their full potential! In other words, this is the power Golems were always meant to possess! So why not save us both some time and give up right now?! If you do, I'll kill you both painlessly! I'll even sell your Pokémon to someone with reasonable motives and agendas! But if you keep pissing me off, then I'll be keeping both of you chained up until I've had my fill!" He said licking his lips. "Blondie is such a pretty little thing, I can think of a few ways to enjoy her!"
Serena's stomach lurched in disgust. Just hearing that made the comments he had made to Ana even worse.
"Shut your mouth!" Kay snapped, eyes burning with anger. She made another aggressive step towards him, but this time she didn't charge in. "A disgusting slime like you-!"
"Shut it, goody-two-shoes!" Arnold yelled, cutting the girl off. "I'm not in the mood to listen to another long winded speech! So just shut up and die already! You aren't worth a single penny, so just begone! Golem, Discharge! And hit all of them!"
The Golem roared and released huge blots of electricity flying towards them! It was spread so wide and far it looked impossible to dodge!
"Dodo! JB! Protect! And cover Serena's Pokémon!"
Immediately the two normal types slid in front of the blonde Pokémon and created a sphere around themselves. As the electricity hit the shield, it bounced off harmlessly, slamming into the ceiling above them where the attack dislodged several stalagmites!
"Heads up! Dodge it by dancing!"
"JB, Block the rocks with a Water Pulse wall!"
As Serena Pokémon danced around the debris, JB slammed the ground with a powerful Water Pulse creating a huge wave around both him and Dodo. The water had so much force behind it, the rocks were forced away! Several flying back together the Golem!
Unfortunately, Arnold saw this as well.
"Shot them down! Rock blast!" He yelled. And with terrifying accuracy, the rock type blasted each rock out of the air, leaving only a trail of water in its wake.
"Now, Dodo! Tri-Attack!"
"Drrio!" The bird Pokémon cried as it formed a triangle with its three beaks, each one glow a different color which also radiated energy into the lines connecting them. Then with a screech, he launched the attack at the Golem.
"Braixen, Fire Blast! Dodge let it dodge!"
"Braix!" The fire type yelled as she directed her stick at the Golem, firing a blast he flames at it at such an angle, it wouldn't be able to dodge both attacks.
With a deep snarl of frustration, Arnold bellowed out a conman in response.
"Golem, use Stone Edge as a shield!"
"Gol!"
Smashing its hand into the ground, it raised several large stones in front of itself, blocking both attacks effortlessly! But they weren't done yet!
"Now, Rock Blast again! Bring the ceiling down! Bury them alive!"
From behind the sharped stones, the Pokémon fired several stones at the ceiling above its opponents! The force they generated caused the entire cave to echo loudly as more debris fell from the ceiling, only this time, it was coming down like rain!
"Protect!" Kay screamed and her Pokémon raised their shields just in time to avoid injuries! Unfortunately, unlike before, they weren't in a position to protect Serena's team. And with no hope of dodging so much debris, they simply had to run out of the area and hope they weren't hit by anything too big!
With her years of dancing in the wilds, Sylveon was able to dodge any major hits and landed in the shallow water at the entrance of the cave. But Pancham and Braixen weren't as light on their feet!
"Pan!" The panda Pokémon cried as a large stone struck him in the head, breaking his glasses and sending him crashing to the ground!
A little ways in front of him, Braixen was forced to throw herself out of the way as a huge piece of the ceiling came crashing down right behind her! The force it created sent a shockwave through the fire type sending her flying into the water next to Sylveon.
Arnold grinned as he saw the scene play out in front of him. His eyes moved from the fire and fairy type to the panda Pokémon who was bleeding from the head.
"One down! Golem, strength!" He roared and immediately his Pokémon ripped one of the stones for the ground and angled it like a freaking javelin! And as he took aim at the downed Pokémon, Serena's heart skipped a beat!
"Pancham get out of there!" She screamed, but said Pokémon was dazed! He tried to struggle to his feet, but fell almost immediately!
Glancing behind her, the blonde saw her other Pokémon were too far to do anything! And as the Golem pulled back, stone in hand, she instantly made a move to run towards her Pokémon! She didn't know what she could do, but she wasn't leaving her beloved partner out there all alone!
But before she had even taken a single step, Golem hurled the stone right at Pancham! Eyes wide, Serena wouldn't even have time to scream before the sharp rock impaled her Pokémon as she could only watch helplessly from the side! She-!
"Dodo!"
Suddenly, a blur shot towards Pancham, and an instant before the fighting type could be speared like a fish, Dodo scooped him up and got out of the way in a second!
"We got your back!" Kay said, giving Serena a thumbs up, making the blonde smile in relief.
Across the room, Arnold let out a scream of frustration. His face was turning red with rage that these two girls were giving him so much trouble!
"Why you! Golem, strength again! Kill them both!" He screamed and Golem immediately ripped out another stone and began taking aim again. This time leading her throw to hit them both!
"Oh no you don't! Double Team, let's go!"
Dodo's body glowed for half a second, then she spilt into no less than five different copies of herself! Each one carrying a Pancham in her beak! And as the sharp stone priced one of the copies, it disappeared the moment it touched!
"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!" Arnold screamed, stomping his feet. "Hurry up and kill them! Strength, Rapid fire! Find the right one and kill it!"
Kay's eyes lit up as both Pokémon got closer to Golem despite the stones cutting down the doubles. "Now's our chance! Serena, let's hit them with our best moves!"
"Right!"
As the last double faded, Dodo and Pancham shot towards Golem, running at top speed towards it. Reacting on instinct, it reached for another stone only to find none were left! At the same time, Arnold realized he needed a new plan!
"Golem, Stone Edge!"
Punching the ground, Golem raised several sharp stones towards charging Pokémon.
But right before Dodo and Pancham were hit by the attack, the three headed Pokémon suddenly leapt into the air, soaring high into the air and over the attack!
"No way!"
Arnold, Braixen, Sylveon, Pancham, and even Serena were caught completely off guard! They had never imagined that Dodo could jump so high! It was incredible!
"Now! Tri-Attack!" Kay screamed, snapping Serena out of her daze. Realizing now was the moment, the blonde immediately called out to her Pokémon.
"Pancham, use Dark pulse!"
"Pan!"
"Drio!"
As the two attacks shot down towards Golem, Arnold let out a snarl, fists clenched tightly.
"Discharge NOW!" He screamed and immediately both attacks were blocked by a tangled web of electricity that pushed them back, overpowering them like it was nothing!
"Not good! Braixen, use Fire Blast!" Serena yelled, her voice betraying her fear. Beside her, Kay called out as well. "JB, Water Pulse! Draw its fire!"
Immediately both Pokémon launched their attacks which raced towards the rock type with great speed! The heat turned the water boiling as it flew across the cave!
"Block them!"
Suddenly crashes Golem shift its Discharge to fire outward towards the incoming attacks, clashing with them stopping them as well! Now the Golem was at the center of a huge electrical burst that was blocking four attacks at once!
Fortunately, with its attention split, the attack wasn't heading towards Pancham and Dodo anymore. In fact, several bolts were shooting off and crashing into the ceiling, dislodging dust which rained down, actually creating a smoke screen that blocked the two Pokémon from view as they flew through the air. But it wouldn't last for long. And the moment the bird Pokémon landed, she jumped back putting distance between herself and the powerful rock type.
"Damn it! We keep hitting a stalemate!" Kay snarled, she glared across the field as Dodo skidded to a stop next to her. "We need to stun him long enough to get in a good hit!BSerena any ideas?"
Unfortunately the blonde didn't have any. She knew enough about battles that you played to the strength of your Pokémon and the weakness of your opponents, but right now, she didn't see a single opening. And if that wasn't bad enough, she still had no idea what else the Golem was capable of!
As she stared across at the Pokémon and its trainer, she began wondering if it would be smarter to pull back and come up with a better strategy. But that meant leaving the Pokémon with the poacher who would undoubtedly be more prepared for them before. And then she still didn't know what had happened to Zinnia. If she had been captured by Arnold, then he not only did he have a hostage, he had already crippled their stronger fighter! In which case, retreat wasn't an opt-!
Suddenly, the Golem let out a cry of surprise, stumbling backwards as if it was scared of something.
Eyes wide, Serena glanced over at her partner to see if she had done something, but she looked just as surprised. But if neither had attacked, then what had-?
"How about we stay here and guard the Pokémon just in case? After all, you'll be at a huge disadvantage down here, whereas we won't!"
That's right! Now Serena remembered! Ana had said that when she had been hiding in that hole! Arnold was at a disadvantage down here! But they weren't! Why?!
As her heart began hammering against her chest, the Coordinator turned and squinted at the Ceiling. She had a theory. And if she was right, they just might be able to pull off a victory!
Sure enough, she saw what she was looking for. Water was dripping from the ceiling. It must have reacted to the water! Meaning it hadn't completely lost its weakness to it! If so then…
"Kay!" Serena yelled, causing said girl to glance over. "I've got a plan! Do you think you could bring down the ceiling above the Golem before it can get out of the way?!"
"I-Yeah! I think I should!" She replied a little confused. "But I'm going to need both my Pokémon and a distraction! But I'm not sure how much those rocks are going to do!"
"I just need it pinned for a few seconds! That's all!"
Kay stared at Serena for a few seconds, then turned back to their opponents with a grin. "Well, it's not like I've got a better idea! Let's give it a try! Dodo! JB! You two catch all that?!"
"Rio!"
"Bee!"
"Right, let's go!" Serena said, turning as well to face Arnold. "Pancham, use Stone Edge! Braixen, go!"
"Pam!" The panda Pokémon yelled, slamming his fist into the ground causing the large rocks to shoot out of the ground, heading towards the Golem. At the same time, Braixen leapt up onto the rocks and began making her way towards her opponents.
"I don't think so brat! Golem, Rock Blast!" Arnold screamed. And as the first rock smashed through the Stone Edge, Golem took aim for where Braixen would after falling.
But instead, another rock shot up, letting the fire Pokémon land gracefully then leap up again, effortlessly dancing higher and higher as the Stone Edge attack kept catching her.
Caught completely off guard, Golem began firing at random, but its attacks kept missing as the fox danced through the sky above it!
And the moment he landed his final attack, Serena acted!
"Now! Fire blast!"
With a cry, Braixen concentrated on spreading her fire as far as she could, then fired a huge burst of flames, completely cutting off Golem and Arnold's vision! And with the attack spread across such a large area, the electric type had nowhere to dodge!
It covered its head as the flames crashed down on top of it! Burning the stone with incredible heat. Yet despite taking the hit, Arnold just let out a laugh.
"Stupid brat! An attack from that distance isn't going to do anything! You're just wasting your time! Golem, take out the stupid Pancham! Rock Blast!"
"Gol!" It cried, emerging from the flames almost completely unharmed! With a hard gaze, he fixed his launcher at the Panda Pokémon.
But before it could fire. There was a sudden roar from the other side of the cave! Looking over, both trainers saw Dodo wrapped in what looked like blue flames that covered it head to toe!
"Now Dodo! Fire the Sky Attack! JB, Super Fang! Bring the house down!" Kay yelled and immediately both Pokémon shot forward, flying right towards the ceiling with their most powerful attack!
"Pancham! Braixen! Lock Golem in place! Flamethrower and Stone Edge!" Serena yelled! And before Arnold could react, Golem was surrounded by several sharp rocks from Pancham! And right as it moved to break them, Braixen shot a jet of fire down, turning the stones molten! Burning anyone they touched!
"Damn it, Golem! Get out of there!" Arnold screamed, but it was too late! JB and Dodo smashed into the ceiling causing huge chunks of rocks and water to rain down on the Pokémon!
"Golem!" The Pokémon cried, eyes wide as it was buried by several pounds of rock! The shockwave knocked the molten rocks surrounding it away! And when the dust cleared, everyone saw that the rock type was trapped underneath all the rubble!
"Yes! It worked!" Kay celebrated! But her enthusiasm died very quickly as she saw the Golem still very conscious and very angry!
"Use strength! Get out of there right now!" Arnold screamed, clearly at the end of his patience. "You stupid Pokémon! It should be child's play to crush these little brats! So hurry up and do it!"
Body glowing with power, Golem slammed its hands against the ground and started to push itself up. The rock and rubble began to shift and fall away as the massive Pokémon rose! Fury was clear in its face. It must have a temperament similar to it's trainer!
But right as it had made enough headway that it could rise to one knee, Serena took action!
"Now Sylveon! Use Fairy Wind! And add water to the attack!"
"Veon!" The fairy cried, her ribbon immediately began whipping around underwater as she created a powerful pink wind! And with a cry, she sent the powerful gust, now filled with water, right at Golem's stomach!
"Gol!" The Pokémon cried as the attack sourced a direct hit! It staggered under the weight of the rocks and the pain of the attack, but to the utter horror of the two Coordinators, not only did it not fall, it gritted its teeth and continued to rise!
"JB! Water Pulse rapid fire!" Kay yelled, realizing Serena's plan hadn't worked as intended! And said blonde was quick to throw something else at the living tank in front of them.
"Pancham, Dark Pulse!"
The beaver Pokémon began hurling his attacks into Golem's head, trying desperately to stun or confuse it. Meanwhile, the Panda Pokémon launched a beam of dark energy that slammed into his opponent's legs in an attempt to knock it over! And while neither got the desired results, the additional attacks brought its progress to a complete halt!
"Yes! Great jobs guys!" Kay exclaimed. "Now keep this up ti he's worn out!" Beside her, Serena let out a sigh of relief. As long as they kept this up, victory was theirs! Sure, it wasn't the flashy knock Ash always got, but given the circumstances, she wasn't going to complain.
As the scene played out in front of Arnold, a vein appeared in his temple. He couldn't believe these kids were pushing him this far! He hadn't felt this powerless in years, not since the fall of team Magma, his main clients!
When the Delta Reapers had risen to power, he had sworn that he wouldn't feel helpless ever again! He knew only a select few ever got to join their ranks. Only the best of the best we're allowed in. And he had been chosen to be the next to enter their ranks! After all, they were gearing up for something big! Why else would they suddenly increase their protection fees so suddenly and drastically?
And when he had stood before their leader, Decard, he knew there and then that he was meant for something better than stealing wild Pokémon! He would ascend the rank of the Reapers and stand next to the man himself! He would show him that he was the best poacher in the region and nobody else would ever be close!
And from that highest point, he would never be small, weak, or powerless ever again!
"Golem, Discharge! Follow the water back to its source!" Arnold bellowed, his words making Serena's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that!
But before she could react, Golem released a powerful shockwave of electricity that raced through the water and towards her Pokémon!
"Sylveon, Dodge It!" She screamed, but it was too late! The electricity shot through the Pokémon and then into the water at its feet! The end result was a huge electric bath that Serena could feel from land!
"Veon!" The fairy screamed in agony! The shock fired her fur and sent her ribbons into convulsing movements! The pain was so great, she couldn't keep up her attack. And as the wind died down, so did the stream of water and of course the electric attack.
But the damage was done. And with a weak wobble, Sylveon collapsed in the water unconscious.
"SYLVEON!" Serena screamed as she rushed over to her Pokémon, sliding on her knees next to her partner. On the shore, Braixen stood, eyes wide as she looked at the fairy's burnt body. She knew that she wasn't supposed to battle, but they had needed her! And now she might be facing lifetime injuries for this battle!
Slowly, Serena lifted her Pokémon's head out of the water and examined her for any serious damage. Fortunately, she didn't see anything immediately beyond her burnt fur, but she was far from an expert. They needed to get Sylveon to a Pokémon Center as soon as they could!
"You were amazing. Take a good rest." The blonde said as she recalled her partner. The Pokémon didn't stir at her trainer's words and as she disappeared back into her Pokéball, both Serena and Braixen struggled to stop themselves from crying.
"Gol!"
Turning back to the battle, Serena saw in horror that Golem once again started to free itself from the rubble! It had definitely taken a beating, but still had enough strength to fight! And behind it, Arnold let out a laugh!
"Stupid little girl!" He yelled, looking right at Serena. "Did you really think you could beat me!? I'm the best poacher in the Hoenn region! A brat like you could never touch me! But after making me waste all this time, I'm going to make sure I sell your Pokémon to the worst people imaginable! The kind that breaks them without a battle!"
Arnold let out a laugh as Serena felt that same fear rising in her stomach. She didn't even know exactly what he meant, but she didn't want to know! And the thought of her partners being taken away from her once again felt like a very real possibility.
But she wordlessly stood as another enormous burned inside her. One that was so strong, it smothered the fear and drove it from her mind!
"No." She breathed out, making Arnold narrow his eyes at her.
"No! I won't let you take another Pokémon!" She yelled, her righteous fury spilling over as she and Braixen both took a step forward. "Not mine! Not Kay's! And not another wild Pokémon either! I won't let a greedy, abuse's man like you run around doing whatever you please! I'm going to stop you here and now!"
With her fear all smothered, Serena and Braixen took another step forward, both had their burning gaze fixed on the poacher, who snarled at them as they approached.
"You think that a little nothing like you can take the likes of me!?" He bellowed, standing to his full height, face a bright red. "Fine! Come and get me, little girl! I'll crush you like a bug! Golem, Stone Edge!"
Despite not being completely free, Golem slammed his fist into the ground, creating a wall of sharp stone blocking Dodo and JB's attacks. Then, with its other hand, it punched the ground again, this time sending the stone towards Serena and Braixen.
But they were ready.
Serena threw herself to the side, dodging the attack that was aimed at them. Meanwhile, Braixen leapt into the air, timing her jump so she could use the stone as a springboard!
Now high above the Pokémon and well outside of any of its attacks, the fox Pokémon narrowed her eyes as she concentrated all her mind on the largest stone the Golem had created!
"Psychic, now!"
"Brai!" The Pokémon cried, her mind completely focused, she pointed at the stone with her wand as her eyes lit up and a glowing aura appeared around the rock. And as she lifted her wand to the heavens, the rock was ripped out of the ground and hovered slightly above the ground!
"Xen!" With that, she hurled the stone, pointing forward, towards the wide eyed Golem!
"Lem!" It screamed as it frantically tried to escape, but it was still stuck! And do it it's position it had gotten in from launching the Stone Edge, it couldn't couldn't shake loss in time!
Bang!
With a deafening bang, the rock slammed into Golem, freeing it from the rubble and sending it flying across the cave, smashing through several stalagmites before it crashed into the far side of the cave, embedding itself in the wall!
"Yes!" Serena cried happily as Braixen landed next to her. "You did it! You mastered psychic! Way to go Braix-!"
She cut herself off as she saw her oldest partner wobble on the spot, her paws reaching up and holding her head. Despite the fact that Serena was pretty sure that she hadn't been hit in the head. Did Psychic have some drawback Zinnia hadn't mentioned?
But before she could worry about that, a sudden groan caused her head to snap around to where the rock type had just been blasted.
To her utter horror, she saw one of Golem's eyes force itself open. Then, she heard a crunch as it began slowly pulling itself out of the wall!
Serena couldn't believe it! What did it take to knock this thing out?!
"Good work, boy!" Arnold yelled, eyes gleaming with malice. "I knew you were tougher than that! Now hurry up and destroy these losers before the pigs get here! We'll use them as hostages then-!"
"JB! DoDo! Sky Attack and Super Fang now!"
Serena turned just in time to see Kay's Pokémon shot forward and slam into the ceiling once again! Their combo attack caused more debris to rain down onto the Golem making him cry out! At the same time, they knocked several other rocks loose that were above Arnold! Prompting him to let out a high pitched scream as he threw himself trying to dodge the debris. Unfortunately for him, a large rock struck him in the head, sending him crashing to the ground where he lay still.
And his Pokémon wasn't doing much better!
This time the debris fell in front of the Pokémon, trapping him inside his own impression with such effectiveness only his head wasn't covered!
"Lem!?" Immediately, he started struggling to free himself, but the damage that had been done had left him weak. And in such a tight spot with now wiggle room, it soon becomes apparent he wasn't getting out anytime soon. With one last push, he lowered his head in defeat and let out a low grunt in surrender.
It was finally over!
As that reality washed over Serena, she let out a sigh of relief. Her legs felt weak as the adrenaline left her body and she slumped to the floor, shaking slightly.
"Phew! That was too close!" She said as she sent Kay an appreciative glance with a smile. "Thanks for the save. I don't think that would have ended well without you."
The rescue worker walked over to the blonde and offered her hand. "It was your plan that saved us." She said as she pulled Serena to her feet. "I didn't know your Pokémon could use Psychic. And that kind of strategy isn't something you normally see outside of higher level league battles. Where on earth did you learn that?"
Serena smiled awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head. Beside her, Braixen walked over. She must be feeling better as her head was no longer in her paws. Unconsciously, she reached out and began petting her first partner as she answered.
"Back in Kalos, I traveled with the trainer who wound up taking second place. I was a novice trainer back then, I had just started my journey. I learned everything I know about battle from watching him. As for Psychic, if I'm being honest, Braixen was taught it right before we met. And I don't think it's something she can do that often."
Despite her less than satisfactory answers, Kay just smiled at the blonde and the fox Pokémon. "No worries. You'll get there eventually." She said, reaching out and gently stroking Braixen's head. "It takes time to learn a new move. Especially one that powerful. Hell, most Pokémon can't until they reach their final evolution state! That fact you got that far while having another evolution to go is nothing short of incredible!"
Serena's awkward smile changed to a bashful one. She looked away from Kay and towards Braixen, who looked equally as bashful at the praise. Even though they had only known each other for a few days, Serena held someone like Kay in pretty high regard given how much she gave up to help Pokémon. It felt incredibly good to reserve praise from her and get an acknowledgment of her skill. And once this mess was dealt with, the blonde was already looking forward to facing the girl in a Pokémon cont-!
Bang!
"Aaahhh!"
The peaceful silence of their victory was shattered by Kay's scream as a bullet tore the skin on her shoulder. Dropping to the ground, the rescue worker clutched her now bleeding arm as her Pokémon raced forward, stepping in between her and where the bullet had come from, but they were too exhausted to counterattack! And with a quick turn, the blonde saw that they had celebrated too early!
Serena's heart stopped as Arnold staggered forward, one hand on his head, trying to stop the bleeding. The other was clenching a pistol he had pulled from his belt, smoke trailing from the end as he had just shot at them.
"Don't move!" He yelled through his gasps. "At this range I'll shoot all of you dead before any of you can make a move!" He tried to take a step forward, but staggered and had to lean against a rock for support.
"B-Bastard!" Kay snarled. She also tried to close distance, but fell as blood poured from her shoulder, causing Serena to kneel next to her, frantically pressing a handkerchief to her wound. And to her horror, she found a clean hole that had gone through some bone.
"Kay, don't move! You're bleeding!" She said, forcefully grabbed her by her uninjured shoulder, trying to rain the girl in. But she was well aware they were once again in a bad bind. Arnold had a gun! And given how he was still several feet away, he was out of range for any attack!
"HahahaHAHAHaha!" The poacher laughed psychotically, his face becoming deranged as he saw both trainers and their Pokémon at his mercy.
"Yes! Yes! Cower before me!" He ranted in an unhinged tone. "You stupid brats should have never crossed me! I'm the greatest poacher in the Hoenn region! Two little brats could never beat someone like me! I am going to become a king when this stupid island is taken by the Reapers! They have chosen me because I am the best! I am invincible! Hahahahaha!"
Serena and Kay cringed at his insane rambling, but both saw an opportunity. If they could keep him talking, they might be able to land a sneak attack on him before he shot again!
"When the Reapers take over? What do you mean?!" Kay yelled. "They've avoided direct combat for years! Why come out of hiding now?! What do you know?!" As she spoke, Serena signaled to Pancham, who wasn't in the group who were at gunpoint, and he began sneaking around the rocks, trying to get close enough to attack. He was almost there!
"I don't know why, but they've recently become much more active!" Arnold said, eyes trained on the girls. "They're after something and it's finally time for them to take it! And for that, they need manpower! And I am one chosen to ascend to their ranks and become a king in their new order!"
His tone was now a crazed one that was almost completely different then his normal angry tone. Serena wondered if the blow to his head was what was causing him to go crazy like this.
"Like a couple of kids could hope to defeat me!" He raved, his face becoming more horrifying as blood started covering more and more of it. He clearly needed a doctor or he'd bleed to death. Yet the way he acted almost made it seem like he didn't care. Or maybe the head trauma made it so he didn't know how badly he was hurt.
"Now, before I deal with you kids, let me crush your little transparent plan!"
Suddenly and without warning, he spun around and aimed right at the area where Pancham had just jumped out from! The panda Pokémon's eyes went wide as he saw the muzzle pointing at him! He couldn't attack fast enough to take Arnold out before he fired the gun! And at this range, there was no way he'd miss!
"Pancham!" Serena screamed! But even as she pushed past Kay's Pokémon and rushed towards Arnold, she knew deep down she'd never make it.
She had barely taken four steps when she saw his smile widened and his finger start to pull the trigger. A scream formed in her chest but even that wouldn't reach her precious Pokémon before the bullet did.
"Pan-!"
Suddenly, Arnold's arm was whipped around, discharging the gun at the ceiling as an invisible force pulled it skyward! The man let out a scream of surprise as he struggled to pull it down, but found it held firmly in place!
"What the hell is this!?" He screamed as a glowing aura appeared around his arm making Serena's eyes widen.
She recognized that move! Psychic! Immediately she looked behind her to see if it was Braixen the caster, but she looked just as confused as her trainer!
"You are a poor sport."
Immediately everyone in the cave whipped their heads towards the back of the cave at the new voice. And Serena almost let out a cry of relief.
Across the cave, walking calmly from the pen, Zinnia approached with Noivern right next to her, eyes glowing as she used her perfected Psychic.
"Who the hell are you!?" Arnold demanded, still struggling to free his hand. "Another stupid little kid getting in my way?! I'll crush you just like them! You'll regret the day you-!"
"Shut up."
Suddenly, Arnold's entire body was wrapped in the psychic energy and he let out a scream as he was lifted off the ground! And with him now helplessly flailing in the air, his face betrayed his fear.
"I despise people like you." Zinnia said as she calmly walked towards the poacher, who was spun upside down so he was face to face with the girl. "You enjoy having power over others, no matter what form it takes. And you're willing to beat, kill and steal just so sorry, worthless self doesn't have to face the reality that you are insignificant. Barely a footnote on someone else's grand journey. And with a resolve like this, that's all you'll ever be."
"W-What do you know!?" Arnold countered, but Serena could hear his fear. He must have realized that even by some miracle he got down and got Golem back in the fight, he didn't stand a chance against a trainer like Zinnia. Everything about her seemed to radiate power!
"I-I am the best poacher in the region! A little nothing like you could never comprehend some like-! Aaaahhhhh!" The poacher cut himself off with a shrill scream as he was lifted high into the air until he was closer to the ceiling than the ground!
"There's a very special libel among my people. It's called, Lilari Lif. Translation, a worthless life." Zinnia's voice grew dark as she spoke, her eyes narrowed with disgust as she gazed up at the man. "People who kill pointlessly in this fashion are labeled as such. And when you are labeled, it's custom to cut that plague off before it can infect the rest. It's for the greater good, you see. We even have special warriors who do the deed."
Serena's eyes widened at Zinnia as she spoke. Surely she wasn't going to…
"You definitely fit this category. Someone who lived to hurt others is a problem for everyone else in this world. People like you shouldn't be allowed to exist. You've only gotten this far because the justice system in this region is a failure. So I think I'll give you good old fashion tribal justice."
Zinnia reached up, positioning her hand to cover the now terrified man, then she slowly began to close her hand into a fist and to Serena's horror, she saw Noivern start slowly squeezing Arnold into himself, making him cry out in agony!
"N-No! Stop! Please!" He screamed, frantically struggling. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll change my way! I'll turn myself in! Just please! You're crushing me! STOP! Aaaahhhhh!"
Zinnia seemed completely deaf to his cries. She continued to close her hand, indicating how much force she wanted her Pokémon to use.
"Arnold…whatever your last name is, I, Zinnia, declare you Lilari Lif. You are revoked of all your rights. I revoke you of your place and family. You are no longer their flesh and blood. You are disgraced and will never be remembered in the generations to come. And with the power granted to me by the sky and her bounty, I sentence you to death, by crushing!"
Immediately, Serena's hand flew to her mouth as she felt bile build in her gut. Above them, Arnold immediately began screaming at the top of his lungs as the force squeezing him slowly began to intensify
"No! You can't! I'm sorry! I'll change my ways! I'll change my ways! Please stop this! I'll tell you about the Reapers! I'll give you everything I own! Take it! It's yours! Just let me go! Please!" He had tears in his eyes as he begged for his life to the girl who just blankly stared up at him.
Then, when he saw she had no mercy for him, he turned to Serena and Kay.
"Stop her! You know this isn't right! You must see that! This is inhumane! I'm already beaten! I'll go to jail! I'll spend the rest of my life there! I'll be good! Just please stop her! I don't want to die!"
Serena knew this was wrong, but she was in such a state of shock she couldn't find words! And it looked like Kay was in the same shocked state! Neither wanted to let someone, even if they were as vile as Arnold, to be judged and executed by Zinnia alone. And even then, being crushed to death was just plain unnecessarily cruel!
"Shut up." Zinnia said as both girls sat in stunned silence. "You have no right to beg for mercy after all the people and Pokémon you've hurt! Your time has come. Except it with some dignity."
She gave the sobbing man one last disgusting look, then closed her hand into a fist!
"Nnnnnnnnoooooooo! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Arnold's scream was cut off as he began convulsing in the air, his entire body being pressed together. Tears and spit flying off his face as he tried to plead more, but his lungs were already being crushed by the power of the dragon's mind!
And before anyone could brace for it, the cave was soon filled with the horrible sound of bones snapping as they broke under the immense pressure!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
That was it!
The screaming, the snapping, the way blood was already starting to pool out of his body, Serena wasn't sure what had made her act, but she knew she had to stop this horrible execution!
She ran forward, right at Zinnia! She knew a trainer at her level would react if she gave a command, so she had to do this on her own! And while she didn't know what she was going to do, she knew she had to do something!
"Zinnia! Sto-!"
Suddenly, Zinnia threw her fist to the side, hand opening as she went! And Arnold's body reacted accordingly! Flying across the cave where he slammed into a stalagmite with one last sickening crack, then fell to the ground unconscious, but alive.
"You're lucky I'm not one of those warriors." Zinnia said as she looked down at his unconscious form. His eyes were still open and tears and mucus smeared his face. His mouth hung open and a trail of drool mixed with blood pooled on the ground next to him. But even when the dark haired girl stepped over him, casting her shadow over him, he didn't wake.
"Disgusting vermin. Be grateful you weren't the one." She said, spitting on his face, then she turned away and walked back towards the pen.
Serena stood in shocked silence as she watched the trainer walking away. And after a few seconds, she immediately tried to rush over to the girl and demanded to know why she had done that!
But she hadn't taken more than a single step before Kay grabbed her arm, bringing her to a stop.
Turning, she saw the rescue worker shook her head, her expression giving a very clear message. "Don't pick fights you can't win. Or could die."
Serena bit her lip as she turned back to look at the strange girl who was calling her Pokémon back. She knew Kay was right. Zinnia was clearly not completely stable and for the safety of both herself and her Pokémon, she needed to part ways quickly and on good terms.
But as she was about to turn away, some movement caught her eyes. Looking back at the girl she was caught completely off guard at what she was seeing.
Zinnia's hand was shaking! Trembling as if she was scared or something! And while the blonde couldn't see her face, she wanted to believe that the battle and her actions were weighing on her mind.
And as that thought passed through her head, Aster, who was sitting in Zinnia's hood, nodded at the blonde as if she knew what she was thinking.
A little while later.
"There we go." Kay said as she leaned back from Sylveon. She had been treating the pink Pokémon after the police had finished questioning them as it was going to take the medication personnel a bit longer to arrive.
"How is she?" Serena asked worriedly as she knelt next to them. "She won't have any long lasting injuries, will she?"
The blonde felt relief flood through her as the rescue worker shook her head.
"No. She'll make a full recovery in a few weeks." She explained gently as she stood. "But until then, NO BATTLING! I can not express that enough. She is not to strain herself in any way, shape or form. No long walks, no dancing, no practice. So basically, she'll be sitting out your next contest."
Serena let out a sigh of relief as she gently stroked her Pokémon's fur.
"Thank goodness." She breathed out. It was SO good to hear that. She had been afraid she had done permanent damage!
"Veon."
Looking down, Serena saw Sylveon wrap one of her ribbons around her wrist. She smiled up at her trainer and nuzzled her head against her arm in an affectionate way. She must have sensed her wrecked emotions and wanted to confirm her.
With a smile, Serena pulled Sylveon into a hug, being careful not to hurt her. And the Pokémon responded by wrapping more ribbons around the blonde.
After a few minutes, the two parted and Serena recalled the pink Pokémon back into her ball for some much needed rest. She then turned to Kay, who was facing her as she was looking over at the remains of the building and the police as they took caged Pokémon to their cars.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Serena asked hesitantly. "With the poachers caught and cops swarming all over the area, I doubt anyone else is going to be too quick to try to come in and set up shop." She paused for a second unsure of how to continue.
"If you wanted…you could travel with-."
"I think I'm going to head to Lilycove." Kay said in a decisive tone as she turned to face the blonde, a hopeful smile on her face. "All these Pokémon need rehabilitation. I'm going to make sure they all get to places where they can receive the care they need. And once they're all settled, I'm going straight to the Pokémon league and asking them to look into the poacher issue!"
As she locked eyes with Serena, the blonde could see the fire that burned within them. A passion just like Ash when he was in a battle. Doing something because they wanted to, because it was for their dream.
"I know it might be a while, but I'm going to help every Pokémon in Hoenn! This battle was just the first phase of something much bigger. I don't know what the Reapers are up to, but I doubt Arnold was their only supplier. The league ignored my parents, but after what we just heard, they won't be able to ignore it any longer. And once they take action, it'll spell the ending of the Reapers once and for all!"
Kay slammed her fist into her palm as she spoke with passion. The sadness and rage that had practically been covering her ever since they had met seemed to have finally disappeared.
"So, I'm guessing your next stop is Fortree city. Going to give their new contest hall a try?" Kay asked with a smile, to which Serena nodded.
"Then I guess the next time we meet, we'll be rivals! I'm already looking forward to facing off against you in a contest setting. And when that day comes, may the best woman win!"
With that, the two clasped hands, staring intently at each other. Both were already looking forward to that battle!
But before either could say anything else, another voice called out to them, breaking their focus and turning it to a much more pressing matter.
"So, it turns out the pigs can't move Arnold to Lilycove cause his injuries." Zinnia said as she walked over, hand stuffed in her pockets. "So he's going to stay here until the medical personnel determine his fit for transfer. Fortunately, they seem to be on higher alert for some reason. Their gonna have two full teams of officers come here to make sure he can't escape. I'm sure that Narcissist is going to have Skitties when he hears he becomes the center of attention. What a loser!"
The girl let out a laugh as she stopped in front of the other two girls. Despite what had just happened in the cave, Serena noticed she had her trademark grin on her face causing the blonde a fair amount of confusion. Had her trembling back there been something else?
"So, your Pokémon all healed up?" Zinnia asked Serena casually. "If so, I'd like to split before the poacher comes around and… well ya know. Rattata me out. That's one conversation I'd prefer not to have."
"Right, you go on ahead. I'll meet you at the edge of the road to Fortree. I want to say goodbye to Kay." Serena said, causing the dark haired girl to nod, then turned and casually walked towards the tree line before disappearing into the foliage.
"Serena, one last piece of advice." The rescue workers said once she was sure Zinnia was out of earshot. "Technically, it's not my business, but if you want my opinion, you should cut ties with that girl as quickly as you can. Someone like her is extremely dangerous to EVERYONE around her."
The blonde bit her lip nervously as she glanced at the tree line. She was well aware of how dangerous that girl could be. And while she wanted to believe the girl had some remorse, but with only a trembling hand to act as evidence, she was grateful their time together was limited.
"I know. Thank you for your concern. We agreed to go to Fortree together. After that, I plan to split off, even if that means taking the long way to my next contest."
Kay smiled at Serena, then she pulled something out of her bag and handed it to the blonde who looked at it curiously. It looked like a gun, but it was bright red and the muzzle was far too big for a bullet. She had never seen this before.
"It's a flare gun." Kay explained as Serena took it carefully. "Shoot this into the air if you're ever in trouble and everyone in the area will run to your location. If you ever feel threatened by Zinnia, use this."
Serena bit her lip and said nothing. She wished she could assure Kay she wouldn't need it. In fact, back in Kalos, she might have. But she was quickly learning that Hoenn, for all its beauty, held some terrifying things and people.
With a nod, she slipped the flare gun into her backpack and gave Kay a reassuring smile. "Thank you." She said, then with a deep breath, she turned to words the path that led towards the next stop on her journey and with shaky legs, made her way to meet the dark haired girl.
Kay watched her as she disappeared down a bend. Despite not wanting to overstep her boundaries, she couldn't help but fear for Serena. As surprisingly skilled Serena was, she was no match for Zinnia. And the odds of her holding her own long enough for help to arrive were slim to none.
Unsure of what to do, Kay took a deep breath. She had lost so much in such a short time, she didn't want to lose another.
Taking a deep breath, she took her phone out of her pocket and quickly dialed a number. And as it picked up, she felt a wave of relief as she heard the operator on the other side speak.
"Fortree police. How can we help you today?"
"Hi. I…I wanted to report a potential…crime I think I saw." Kay said shakily. "It's not in your city, but the suspect is heading there. I think she's highly dangerous. I think she has somehow blackmailed someone into traveling with her."
"Okay, tell me everything." The person on the other end said in a serious tone.