Chapter 7: The Village Boy

A couple of days after the incident at the border, Chrom, Robin, and Sumia is with Reina for training as the other Shepherds watches them. She helps them train their new Pokémon partners in basic commands by doing a Triple Battle. Reina uses Éclair, Flamma, and Kuro as Chrom uses Luke, Robin uses Drago, and Sumia uses her new Pidgeon, who she named Skye.

"Éclair use Iron Tail, Flamma use Flame Charge, and Kuro use Night Slash!"

Reina's uses their respective moves at the three Shepherds' Pokémon.

"Luke use Leaf Blade!"

"Drago use Dragon Pulse!"

"Skye use Gust!"

The other three Pokémon use their moves as well making a collision of both sides moves. Both sides didn't move from their spot until…

"HALP! HALP!"

The Shepherds turn and see a young boy running to them. He wears beige trousers, a blue shirt, and a pot on his head for some strange reason.

"Halp! You gots to help us! I'm beggin' you, milords!"

"Slow down. What happened?" Chrom asks.

"Y-Yes, milord! Right away, milord! …Er, if it please, your Graciousness." The boy says.

"Maybe just hold off on titles for now. What's your name?" Chrom asks.

"Donny. Er, that is, Donnel… Your Majestyful. I live in the village just beyond, sir."

"I guess that'll do. Now what happened?"

Donnel explains to the Shepherds that a whole gang of brgands came to his village which is on a small island right off the coast and took over the place and even took some of the villagers hostage, one of them being his mother. Chrom agrees to help him.

The group arrives at the coast and see a small boat, most likely Donnel's.

"Not to be rude or anything, but how are we going to get across?" Lissa asks. "That boat can fit up to four of us."

Reina cups her chin to think and snaps her fingers as an idea comes to her. "Mizu! Cait! Come on out!" She throws her Pokéballs in the air and releases her Hakuryuu and Enekoro as both unleash cries to announce their presence.

"Wh-What in tarnation?!" Donnel exclaims in shock.

"Don't worry, Donny. These creatures are friends." Chrom assures. "You may have heard of them as 'Magical Creatures', but they're really called Pokémon."

"'Pokémon'?"

"For what reason do you have for calling them out?" Frederick asks.

"Well, I thought that some could go in Donny's boat, some on Sumia's pegasus and the riders, and some with me on Mizu." Reina explains.

"On Mizu?" Ricken asks.

"Don't worry. Mizu and I do this sometimes when we saved a land Pokémon stranded on a rock before. I think she can carry up to two people on his back."

"Ryu." Mizu responds.

"But why is Cait out?" Sully asks.

Instead of answering, Reina turns to the Prime Pokémon. "Cait! I need you to make a path of solid ice with your strongest Ice Beam!"

Cait nods as she approaches to the water facing the ocean. Then a light blue ball forms in front of her mouth.

"Nyao!" Cait releases light blue beams towards the ocean, making it freeze on contact. When she is sure the ice is thick enough for horses and convoy to stand on, she goes ahead of them.

"That's really clever!" Robin complements. "So Pokémon's attacks can also be used like this?"

"Yep. Sometimes, if there is a path that is blocked, you can use Moves like this to make it."

"I see."

"Now let's get things moving!"

Everyone follows Reina's plan and make way towards the island in their respective mounts or on foot as dusk falls. Donnel who decides to hitch a ride on Mizu with Reina couldn't really stop gawking at the Pokémon who are with them.

When they are almost to the island, they hear a cry for help. "POKA–!"

"What was that?" Reina questions at what she heard.

"Dat was Quin!" Donnel exclaims.

"Who?"

The farm boy didn't answer as he jumps off from Mizu and rushes as fast as he can towards the end of the path, ignoring the Shepherds' calls. Donnel then jumps into the shallow waters before Cait could finish freezing the path.

"Nya?" She tilts her head in confusion.

Out of the trees, an orange and black pig-like creature, being chased by a small group of fur trimmed man.

"Quin!" Donnel calls.

The pig looks over to the sea and sees the boy, putting a smile on its face until one of its pursuers grabs it from behind.

"Oy! There's the wee piglet!" He says.

"Poka! Pokabu!" Quin struggles to break free.

"Ya varmits! Let 'im go!" Donnel demands trying to sound brave, but the brigands laugh at him.

Quin didn't like how they all laugh at his friend and faces his captor. "Poka!"

The brigand who is holding him raises him to his eye level. "Well lookie here. Someone doesn't like us laughing."

They all laugh again, annoying the pig-like creature even further.

Bu!" Unexpectedly, Quin releases a spiraling streams of red-orange flames at his captor, burning his face and forcing him to release Quin. The small pig takes the chance to run over to Donnel.

"Why that little–"

"Shadow Ball!" Reina calls out as she jumps off Mizu as a shadowy ball forms above Cait's mouth before releasing it at the brigands.

Seeing the ball coming at them, the brigands all move away from Donnel and Quin.

"…Great. Bandits." Chrom sighs and Donnel turns to see the rest of the Shepherds arrive onto shore.

"What's this? A little lordling come to watch over his chattel? Haw ha–" He pauses when he realizes who they are in front of him. "Aw, damn me! Sh-Shepherds!"

"That's right. So, what'll it be? Run and live? Or fight and die?"

"Rrgh!" The bandit quickly retreats as they watch him go.

Chrom sighs and looks back to the young villager. "Donnel, what were you thinking? Running off like that."

The boy then realize that he could've gotten himself killed, acting reckless like he had and bows. "A-Apologies, milord. But I couldn't let anything happen to Quin."

"Quin?"

"My pet pig, sir." Donnel gestures to the orange and black pig by his feet. The Shepherds take notice of the creature and see that it isn't any ordinary pig.

"Reina, this is a Pokémon, right?" Lissa asks the trainer.

"Yeah." She replies and gets her Zukan.

"Pokabu, the Fire Pig Pokémon. It can deftly dodge its foes attacks while shooting fireballs from its nose. It roasts berries before eats them."

Donnel looks at Quin in surprise and shock. "So you are one of 'dem Pokémon too?"

"Poka!" He nods.

"I hate to interrupt, but shouldn't we go after them?" Frederick asks.

"Ah! That's right! My village is this way! Follow me, Your Sirness!" Donnel says as the group takes off in one direction.

Meanwhile

"…And you're sure a'this?" Asks the head bandit as the rest of the bandit come back to the old fort from the coast hunting that funny looking pig.

"On the grave of my sainted mother, I swear it." The brigand says. "It was Chrom and his Shepherds, and no mistake!"

"Heh heh heh. A fancy lord'll fetch a high ransom form noble folk. We'll have the little man sqealin' for mercy in no time."

"We got nothin' left to take, sirs! Please, let our children go!" A middle-aged woman pleads.

"Quit yer bleatin'!"

Then the brigand seems to have notice something about the woman. "Oy, Roddick! I think this cow's the mum of the brat what ran away."

Roddick gets a closer look at the woman. "…Say, I know this one. You're the wife of the man what broke my rib last time we were 'ere!"

"And you killed him for it, monster! I wished he'd done you first…"

"Small wonder the brat's got more brass than brain if you're his mum. Guess we'll see for ourselves when we catch him, eh?" An evil smirk forms on his face. "Maybe we'll even make ya watch as we gut him! Bwa ha ha!"

Hearing this horrifies her. "N-No! Please, he's just a boy!"

At the same time

"This here's where they've taken up camp, Your Lordshipness." Donnel says gesturing towards the rubble of the forts.

"Er… right. Thanks, Donny. Stay close, now."

Donnel blinks in surprised. "Beg pardon, milord? You don't mean…? I… I can't fight, sir! I ain't never even stuck a pig before!"

"Oh, sorry. I just assumed… I mean… Look, just stay here. You'll be fine." Chrom says.

"I wish I was strong as you sirs and madams! Kick that scum out single handed, I would!" Donnel sighs disappointing himself.

"Then you should fight and grow stronger." Chrom offers.

"But I ain't–"

"No man is born a warrior, Donny. And farm work makes for fine training – a sickle's not far from a sword after all." Chrom pauses for a moment when Frederick hands him a bronze lance from the convoy and gives the said lance to Donnel. "Bandits may be tougher that wheat, but the principle's the same."

Donnel just looks at the lance at his hand and Quin at his feel who is giving him a determined look that he didn't expect from a normal pig.

"Ng… A-All right, milord. As you say, I'm no warrior, but these're my people. I gots to do what I can!"

Robin then gets in the center of the group. "All right, everyone! Here's the plan…"

Robin relays her plan to the Shepherds and she assigns Donnel with Reina to help him with his Pokémon and Stahl.

"Mizu, use Dragon Dance then follow it with Dragon Rush!" Reina commands her Hakuryu.

"Ryu!" Mizu's body becomes surrounded in a red and pink misty aura, then a red wave of light comes up raising her Attack and Speed. Then the crystal orb on her neck glows blue and releases a blue, dragon-shaped energy that covers her body. Mizu then slams into the brigand with full force. Before the Shepherds came to the brigand's hideout, Reina returns Cait for her to rest leaving Mizu to stay out.

"Golly! Dat dragon sure packs a wallop!" Donnel exclaims, but another bandit comes after him until Quin's body becomes covered in flames and crashes into the bandit following up with Donnel stabs him in the heart.

"Poka?"

"Yes, Quin. You pack a wallop too." He assures his Pokémon and the Pokabu smiles with pride.

Reina then notice Stahl gets nicked by some archers as he cuts down some more brigands and she quickly shoots arrows at them.

"Stahl! Are you all right?" Reina asks as she sees the scratches on the cavalier from both the arrows and the axes.

"…Yeah I'm fine, Reina. No worries." Stahl assures.

"At least let Lissa or Maribelle look at you." She suggests.

"I don't want to waste their energy. We got vulneraries…" Stahl trails off.

"Look out!" One more brigand comes his way towards them until Donnel blocks it in time with his lands and Quin gives the attacker a strong Tackle to knock him on his feet for Stahl to finish him.

Meanwhile

"Skye use Air Slash!"

Suddenly saw blades of compressed air come out of nowhere and blasts the brigands who are surrounded the villagers off their feet and disarming them. Soon after, Frederick and Sumia charging in stabbing them.

"You're all safe now." Sumia tells the villagers.

"Stay close to us as we will keep you safe." Frederick adds.

All the villagers sigh in relief as Sumia faces Skye. "Nice work, Skye."

"Pidgeo!" Skye squawks happily.

At the same time, the rest of the Shepherds with Donnel and Quin continues with their charge as slowly approach to Roddick.

"Luke!" Chrom shouts causing the Erureido to duck as Chrom stabs the brigand who was about to attack Luke from behind.

Luke then stands back up and turns to the prince. "Eru."

"You're welcome. However, we need to get to that bandits' leader."

He pointed to a high hill in the distance where he sees what he thinks to be the leader surrounded by his last remaining archers.

"Time these castle whelps learned what us wild-born men can do! Shoot 'em down!" Roddick commands his archers and they unleash their arrows towards Chrom.

Immediately, Luke gets in front of his trainer as he uses Protect to defend Chrom from incoming arrows.

"Thanks." Chrom says and Luke nods.

Just as the archers are going to fire more arrows, an electric orb explodes on the archers (Electro Ball) knocking them off the hill subsequently killing them. They them see Reina riding on Mizu as Éclair lands on her shoulder with Donnel and Stahl going ahead of them and facing Roddick. Once they get there, Donnel immediately faces the bandit leader, but he hits Donnel's pot-hat with his axe and gives him a hard punch in the gut that makes him skid across the ground.

"And stay down, little piggy!" The leader shouts.

"Donny!" Reina calls out she directs Mizu towards the village boy.

Stahl gives a determined glare at Roddick and right when he is going to ride towards him, Quin already runs ahead. "Where are you going?!"

"Pokabu!" Quin shouts as he releases a spiraling streams of red-orange flames at Roddick (Ember). It is strong enough to push him back, but not enough to knock him off his feet.

"Ha! Ya'll think a lil' flamin' breeze is enough for me?" He gloats until he feels something burning throughout his body. "Wh-What did that lil' pig chop do to me?!"

As Reina helps the village boy up, Donnel looks in confusion. "What just happened?"

The Pokémon Trainer smiles slightly. "That was a status effect from your Pokabu's move, Ember. If that move hits an opponent, there's a slight chance he'd burn them."

Donnel then grabs his spear with determination. "Now's ma chance!" He then runs over to his Pokabu's side and gives him a smile. "Thanks, Quin."

"Poka!"

Roddick still feels pain from the status effect. "Y-You think you can stop me?!"

"I sure can! Get ready!"

The two of them cross weapons as Donnel has the upper hand with Roddick being having flames by Burn, he manages to knock the bandit over and stands on top of him.

"This is for mah home! Yeeee-haw!" Donnel exclaims as she drives his lance through his heart killing him instantly.

~Later~

"We did it! We're rid of them bandits for good and all!" Donnel cheers as Quin jumps into his arms in happiness.

"A worthy victory, Donny. You fought well." Chrom praises.

Then they hear some footsteps and turn around to see Sumia and Frederick leading Donnel's mother towards them.

"Ma! Ma, it's me!" Donnel let go Quin and runs right into his mother's arms, relieving to see that she is safe.

"Oh, Donny! Thank goodness your safe! I was worried to death boy!" Donnel's mother says in between sobs. "But how did you manage to get away?"

"Thank Quin, Ma. He gave me a distraction, so ah can get help from these folks." Donnel explains.

Poka!" Quin greets.

His mother looks at the orange and black pig for a moment before turning to her son. "Donny… is this the reason ya'll been heading to the fields more than usual?"

"Heh heh… yes." He confesses awkwardly. In truth, he kept Quin a secret from her so she wouldn't freak out by his looks. However, it seems that she sees the intelligence in Quin that wasn't from a normal pig, so she bends down some and gives him a soft pat on the head.

"Thank you, Quin…" She says softly and turns to the Shepherds. "And I can't thank all of you enough for savin' by son and our village, milord." She then looks at her son. "Donny! Where are your manners?! Take a knee and thank his Lordliness!" She scolds earning some chuckles from the others.

"Er, I can't begin to repay all what you done for us, sir! Th-Thank you!" Donnel bows at Chrom.

"You let the charge, Donny. We just picked up the stragglers. Hone your potential and use it to keep this village safe."

"W-Wait! Please!"

"Something wrong?" Chrom asks raising a brow.

"I has a request, sir. If it pleases your Graceliness… Take me with you, milord! Lemme be a Shepherd like you! I'm good with livestock, I am! Please, sir!" Donnel begs.

His mother looks at him in shock. "Hush now, you fool boy!"

Donnel however, turns to her looking her straight in the eye. "I want to hone my… whatever he said. I wanna keep this place safe! I never thought I was good for nothing more than shovelin' dirt… But milord showed me there's more I can do. More I needs to be doing!"

"You needs to be knowin' your place, boy! A farmhand's no fit for a royal-"

"Actually, we'd be thrilled to have him. "Chrom interrupts. "The Shepherds need every good man we find, and your son fought bravely. And he won't be alone, I'm pretty sure Quin would want to come along as well, am I right?"

"Pokabu!" The Pokémon in question nods.

"Y-You're very kind to say as much, Your Lordshipness, but…" Donnel's mother sighs. "Well, you're a grown man now, Donny. I s'ppose you can make up your mind."

"Aw, Ma…"

"You just come home safe, love. I'll see that the village is still standin' when you return a hero." She looks at Quin in the eye and pats his head again. "You take good care of him, okay?"

"Poka!" He nods.

She gets up and walks back to the village. After taking several steps, she looks back and sees Donnel and Quin still where they are. "Well?! Off with you, then! Glory's waitin' boys!"

"I aint fightin' for glory, Ma. I'm fightin' for you! But if I do find some glory, I'll be sure to bring it home for you!" He declares, giving his mother one last hug before his leave.

"Just come home alive, Donny." She whispers hugging him back. She then feels something rubbing her leg and looks down to see Quin comforting her. "You promise to keep my boy safe, no matter what."

Po ka!" Quin looks at her in sheer determination, placing one of his front legs on his chest as if to say, 'Leave it to me!'

With the Shepherds newest recruits, Donnel and Quin, Reina sends Cait back out to re-freeze their ice path back to Ylisstol.

Pokabu – Tepig