Chapter 41

Every few weeks or so, Ethan's rations would slim down and he'd make his way to Isador. Still not adjusted to the harsh winter weather, he hadn't much to wear beyond a thin rain slicker. To combat this, he often wore a thick wool sweater underneath and a scarf around most of his face.

Having a decent size fortune, he'd been living off his storage of cash for the years he'd been in Birtan. However, he was starting to hit rock bottom and knew it was time to pack up and head back to Kanto. (Or Johto if the mood took him).

"C'mon boy." He called to Rusty, who was wandering around behind him. The locals didn't seem to mind his giant Steelix being out of his ball. Whenever he came into town, he let his Pokemon stretch his limbs, giving him a little more room to socialize. Every time they traveled through the island, the owner of the local bakery always gave Rusty a couple poffins while Ethan did his shopping. There were a lot of good people in Birtan. So much so that he was bound to miss them when he went back home.

Walking by a miscellaneous shop on the main drag, Ethan took notice of several Pokemon toys in the window.

Inside, several children were trouncing about. One, a little boy, snatched a stuffed Magnemite from an employee who had to reach it on the top shelf. Rushing to his parents, the boy tossed the toy up on the counter for purchase.

Ethan watched as they made their purchase, leaving the store with the child skipping happily between his parents, his new item clenched tight in his grasp.

Dad, when is mom coming home?

Turning the band on his ring finger, he blew into his hands to warm them.

Dad? Where's mom?

Coming up behind his trainer, Rusty must've noticed his waning mood because he nudged him lovingly.

"I'm fine." Ethan lied, stoking the top of his Pokemon's head. "Lets head back to the bay, I want to get home before dark." As they continued on their journey, slogging through slushy walkways, Ethan took notice of certain...individuals. Most of the locals were heavily clothed, scurrying from shops to their stone cabins. On occasion though, he'd see a person, always male, wearing thin coats and walking with their faces covered and their heads down.

Usually this wouldn't bother him, but there was something about them that unnerved him.

Then again, maybe he was just being anxious.

Living alone on an island like a hermit wasn't healthy for the mind. And aside from the occasional person poking around, he was on his own. (With Rusty of course).

Granted, there was still that Breccia girl.

He didn't know too much about her, but she was a bright one. Seeing her work with Pokemon, her talent in raising and caring for them, reminded him of his younger years. She was smart. It made him yearn for when he was her age, full of energy and vitality.

People like her had a bright future.

Then again...the same was said about him at one point.

And Lee...

Sighing, his shoulders slouched as the boat came into view.

There wasn't a day Lee didn't cross his mind, even after all these years. He had no hatred for his son, nor did he take offense to the boy needing to take a breather. He missed him though, and he waited for the day he came home.

Regardless, Lee would benefit being around someone like Breccia.

Glancing behind his shoulder, he took notice when Rusty stopped. "What's wrong boy?" Instead of acknowledging the question, Rusty turned his blind eyes back from where they came, staring at the toy store. It was then that he noticed those same men, two, skulking around the establishment.

This couldn't be coincidence. Ethan had enough run ins with shady types back in the day to know when something was up.

"Stay here buddy." He saw both men glancing into the windows, much like how he had, but they were huddled together.

(If they were planning to rob the place, they weren't being very conspicuous).

Heading in their direction, they must've noticed because they bolted in opposite paths.

What happened next took Ethan a moment to unpack. He was glancing out at one of the strange men when he was pushed into the snow. What pushed him was an explosion, blowing outward from inside the store. The windows shattered and the force threw him from his feet, face planting into the snow and sliding a ways.

On shaking arms, he levered himself up, the profuse ringing in his ear blocking out the screams around him. When his vision and hearing came into focus, he looked back and saw the store engulfed in sulfer and fire. Several cars around were over turned, one flipped on its roof.

A woman stood near one, holding onto her child while trying to navigate her away from the wreckage.

"Mama!" The little girl yelled, her words being the first Ethan could hear when reality came back to him. "Poochey! We have to get Poochey!"

The mother tried to go near the vehicle, where a terrified creature's screams could be heard, but it too was catching in flames and was too hot to approach.

Stumbling to his feet, Ethan struggled to walk, ignoring the chaos around him.

The little girl saw him approaching and reached out with a quivering mouth and tears in her eyes. "My Poochey, we can't reach him!"

The eviscerated black vehicle had a maimed, scared Poochyena trapped inside. Ethan could see it through the side windows. The fire took it from the back, engulfing the case and traveling closer to the petrified Pokemon as it squealed and scurried closer to the dash.

Ethan contemplated breaking out the dash, but doing so would cause an updraft. However, the driver's window was down far enough he could wrestle the poor creature out.

Laying on his side, he reached into the car, ignoring the heat as it neared him.

"It's okay..." He tried to reassure the Poochyena to approach. The Pokemon sniffed his fingers, shying away. "Look at me...I won't hurt you." He could smell the melting plastic of his coat, and the smell of hair burning away on his arm. "Come on..." He stretched as far as he could, and, after a bit more coaxing, was able to grab the scruff on the back of the Poochyena's neck.

The Pokemon tried to nip and struggled against his captor, but was plucked free regardless.

The little girl scooped him up the moment he was free, kissing her Poochey on his forehead. Grateful, she rushed over and gave Ethan a hug. "Thank you!"

Ethan looked past the flames and frantic people, trying to find Rusty.

He hadn't expected his day to be so chaotic. Every trip he took to the mainland was usually uneventful.

Following the marks in the snow, he ran between two buildings, out into an open back ally area covered in sleet and Ice. "Rusty!" He saw his Steelix, backed into a corner by a couple errand Umbreons, one of which turned when Ethan called out to his Pokemon.

It made an attempt to charge him, but was sideswiped when Rusty whipped its tail around and knocked it into a nearby wall. Despite this, it was barely fazed and landed on its feet as if it hadn't been touched.

Its pulsating, red eyes locked on and for a moment, Ethan felt a shiver at the pure malice they contained. No matter how hard Rusty tried, the other Pokemon weren't affected by his attacks, almost as if he were a mere breeze against a harrowing storm.

Luckily for the two of them, a few of the locals heard the struggle and came running. With the combination of their Pokemon they were able to beat the Umbreon back. One was knocked out cold while the other, upon being overpowered, grew spooked and took off running.

The billows of smoke could still be seen, filling the sky above. Even after the flames were put out, the store was nothing more than burned framework. Several injuries later, Ethan waited until the drama died down before approaching the unconscious Umbreon laying limp in the snow.

One of the locals tried to stop him but he ignored them.

Crouching down, he took notice of a small, white chip attached to the back of it's skull.

It came off easy enough, even with a little blood being dislodged with it.

Those men...

Holding it up into the light, he tried to ignore his thoughts.

These poor creatures...he'd wager those strangers had something to do with it.

Rusty, following the sound of his trainer's voice, slithered up behind him as Ethan retrieved the injured Pokemon from the ground. "Lets get this one to the clinic. Maybe we can find the other on our way there."