Before I know it, the 6 hybrids have leaped into action. Luckily, Bolt reacts faster than I can. The drilbur gijinka is only a few feet away when Bolt bursts forward and clamps his jaw into her side. She yelps, but mostly in surprise and not pain. Either way, it shocks me out of my daze, and I'm back into the action.
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that the hybrids have already separated the three of us. Raiden's got his hands full with the butterfree and tailow, who are surprisingly good at dodging his electric attacks. As for Kaveh, he got stuck with the beedrill and Gwen. He's managing to dodge their attacks, but for who knows how long? I get the feeling he doesn't know how to fight that well.
Wait a minute, that's only 5... All of a sudden, a loud screech comes from above me, like nails on a chalkboard. I look up just in time to get an up-close and personal view of the golbat hybrid's fangs. I dive out of the way just in time to not get bitten in half. Damn, that guy's mouth is huge! "Bolt, use Spark!" Immediately, my electrike slams into the bat's back, coated in sparking electricity. He's batted away, giving me the chance to reach for my belt.
"Two against one guys? Come on, that's not really fair." A sly grin comes onto my face, I just can't help it. "It's a good thing I have another Pokémon, huh?" With that, I fling the pokeball I'm holding into the air. With a blast of black and white light, a new Pokémon appears before me. He adopts the fiercest expression he can, but even that looks pretty adorable.
"Pan, pancham!"
"How come you didn't tell me you had another Pokémon!" Raiden shouts over the fight. Really? He's focusing on that while we're in the middle of a fight? I need to have a talk with that kid.
"Not the time!" I yell back. What is with him lately? But then again, I don't have time to deal with it now. Bigger issues, Dean. "Lee, Karate Chop on that drilbur! Bolt, keep up with those electric attacks!" Both of my Pokémon comply immediately and leap into action. Lee is the first to attack, being a lot closer to his target. His paw glows white and he jumps into the air to get a better hit in. The drilbur hybrid is too slow, and gets bashed over the head with a powerful chop. Meanwhile, Bolt was having a field day with the golbat hybrid. He had since gotten back into the air, but was quickly knocked down with a Spark from Bolt. He plowed into him, knocking the poison/flying type back into the ground.
The ground type reels for a few moments before regaining her balance and composure. Seems her skull isn't all that hard after all. The golbat made his way back into the sky with his wings. It seemed it was time for a counter-attack. The drilbur gijinka jumps into the air and dives into the ground, joining her claws together. She leaves a wide hole into the earth behind her. Damn it, she's using Dig. There's no way I can tell when or where she'll pop up again. As for the golbat, well, his wings begin to glow white, and he flies forward at high speed. Before any of us can do anything, he clips Lee in the stomach with one pair of wings, sending him flying backward into the ground.
"Lee!" The pancham gets back to his feet with a bit of difficulty. Scratches from various rocks and sharp things along the ground , and obviously the wide gash from the Wing Attack, cover his body. He shakes his head, most likely to get his focus back. He was hit hard after all.
"Pan!" He still seems pretty ready to fight, so start the next command. "Lee, use Comet Punch!" He starts out at a run, paws balled into a fist. He jumps to the golbat, knocking him to the ground with a strong punch, only to start with a flurry of lighter punches when he gets the chance.
Eventually, he lets up, allowing me to prepare the next attack. "Bolt, Spark again!" My electrike starts to generate electricity around himself, but a strange tremor begins under him. Oh no. Bolt looks down just in time to see the ground erupt beneath him. Out of it comes the drilbur hybrid, claws first. She plows into him, launching him upwards and into the air. In one quick movement, she follows and swipes him down. I can't believe I forgot about her! One more hit like that and he's done for!
"Bolt, can you still fight?"
"Trike!" I guess I can take that as a yes. First things first, we need to take out that golbat hybrid. He'll be easier to beat with how many hits he's taken.
"Finish off the golbat! Spark and Bullet Punch!" Lee and Bolt leap into action. Bolt is the first to reach him, and the bat is unable to get away in time. He plows into him at full force. And that gives Lee the chance to strike. A flurry of punches follow. At the end of everything, the hybrid is out cold on the ground. And obviously, to the rage of his drilbur partner.
"Andrew!" She screams, the first words I've heard from either of them this entire fight. And those words are filled with unbridled rage. But instead of charging at Bolt or Lee, she turns her sights on me. Claws extended, she dashes toward me at full speed. Neither of my Pokémon will be able to make it in time. Just as she reaches me, she lunges out with a silver claw. I dive to the ground out of pure instinct. She tumbles over me, but obviously isn't down for the count.
I roll over just in time to see the hybrid lunging down with her left claw, aiming straight for my chest. I manage to roll to the side enough to dodge. Her claw gets buried in the dirt, long enough for me to kick her in the stomach. And damn, it hurt. It's like kicking a freaking boulder! But it's apparently enough to wind her to the point where I can stand up and move out of range.
Finally, Bolt and Lee get over to me. "Let's finish this up! Ice Fang and Karate Chop!" Before the woman can react, a wolf and panda Pokémon are upon her. First comes being bitten in the arm with a jaw full of ice. Mist leaks into the air. She screams. And just in time, Lee jumps up to slam her over the head with a glowing chop. On more cry and she's on the ground, KO'd.
I let out a long sigh. Finally, it's over. Who knew hybrids were so hard to beat? Raiden was a pushover when we fought him. Wait a minute...
"If you're done over there, I could use a little help over here!" Speak of the devil. He's got the butterfree hybrid down, but the tailow has him on the ropes. She flies around, pecking at him with every dive. By the looks of his purple-tinted skin, he's poisoned, probably by the butterfree before it passed out. I've got a pecha berry, but I think we'll have to KO that hybrid before he calms down enough to use it.
"You guys think you're good enough to fight a little more?"
"Pancham!"
"Electrike!" Okay then.
"Lee, bring that Tailow to the ground! Bolt, get ready to use Spark." Bolt begins to charge up electricity while Lee charges forward. His fists glow white as he starts jumps to attack the hybrid. Just as she tries to dive at Raiden, she gets hit with a punch to the face. Immediately Bolt races forward. Just as she hits the ground, an electrike is there with a full-powered electric charge. She gets plowed into a tree, still sparking faintly. She's out cold.
"Hey, Raiden. You okay?" I make my way over to him, but before I can even get there, he collapses. I guess he was poisoned longer than I thought. In a frenzy, I start digging through my bag for the pecha berry. At the very least, it will keep him conscious. "Here, eat this. It'll cure you in a few minutes." Raiden takes the berry, and shoves it in his mouth, obviously mad. About what, I'm not really sure. I have bigger fish to fry now. I pull out some potions to heal Lee and Bolt up, they'd be in no shape to finish this up otherwise.
Surprisingly, Kaveh's been holding his own pretty well. By the looks of it, he's been dodging and using absorb when he can. But he won't hold out much longer. He is up against Gwen and her lackey after all. Two-on-one and two of them are extremely competent fighters. I'm surprised he's held out this long.
"Spark, Bolt." Since the beedrill gijinka hasn't noticed us yet, he's completely caught off guard. Evidently, Gwen is surprised too. He flies right past her, a green streak practically glued to his back. Gwen looks around in surprise, obviously noticing her fallen squad. But her look of surprise soon turns to rage.
"You beat all of them? How?" Her voice is filled with unbridled rage. "I'll kill both of you!" She leaps into action, pulling her other candy-cane colored lance from its sheath on her back. She rushes forward, aiming for Kaveh with both of her lances pointed straight at his heart. However, a black and white figure crashes right into her side, setting her off course and into the ground.
Way to go, Lee!
"What the hell!" Gwen shouts, picking herself back up. But she doesn't look damaged in the slightest. She's obviously a lot tougher than those mooks from before. This is going to be harder than I thought.
Gwen bats Lee away in a rage, eliciting a sharp cry of pain. His small form crashes into a nearby tree, splintering it visibly. One look confirms he's been knocked out. I take out his pokeball and return him to it. "You did well, Lee. Take a rest." Now back to the fight. "Bolt, use-" Before I know it, Gwen has her lance aimed straight at my chest, a smug look on her face. How did she get here so fast? And is it just me, or are her eyes glowing red?
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Kaveh running toward us. Unfortunately, she sees him too. In an instant, a lance is right at Kaveh's stomach. He stopped just in time to avoid becoming a grovyle-kabob.
The forest is silent for a good few moments, but it feels like an eternity. My heart is pounding in my chest so hard it feels like it'll burst out of my chest, and sweat is running in rivers down my face.
"You know, I think I'll take my time and enjoy killing you," Gwen finally says. A small smile forms on her face. "You were so much more trouble than I thought you'd be. Of course, nothing the perfect hunter can't handle. And to think, I didn't even have to power up." She moves her lance up to my face, the shining point right between my eyes. "I think I'll tear up that cute face of yours first. No one should look like that. It's not very fair, don't you think?"
All of a sudden, a roar shakes the very air. Gwen looks toward the source in surprise, just long enough for me to push the lance out of my face and break away. Kaveh takes the cue and hops backward, soon far out of range. Bolt rushes forward, already cloaked in electricity.
But he never makes it all the way.
Out of the trees bursts a gigantic blast of flame. And it heads right for Gwen. She jumps out of the way just in time, glaring at the tree line. Padding out is a pack of arcanine and growlithe. What are they doing here?
"Hey, you made it!" Raiden shouts. He's still pretty out of it, but eventually managed to force himself to a tree to lean against. "What took you so long?" The leader of the pack barks loudly at him, which is evidently enough to make him shut up. I need to learn that.
Another one barks at Gwen repeatedly, and she seems to tense at it. I have no idea what it's saying, but I'm pretty sure it was a threat.
"You know, I think it's time I left," Gwen mutters, just loud enough to hear. A harsh frown is on her face. She holds up her arm and presses a button on the wristband on her shoulder. Immediately, a young child appears next to her, enveloped in a blue glow for a moment. When it fades, I can tell he has a weird green goo lightly coating his skin. What was a seven year-old doing here? And with her?
"So, the infamous Gwen calls for help, that's hilarious!" The boy giggles for a second before laying his hand on her arm. "Time to go then!"
"Wait, who are you?" I shout at them. But they're already gone in a short flash of blue light. I don't think they even heard me.
Everyone lets out a long sigh of exhaustion. But at least it's over, finally over.
"So, you're leaving?"
Kaveh nods forlornly. He has an old bag strapped over his shoulder, filled to the brim with his belongings. It was mostly medicine and ingredients, but whatever. Stuff is stuff. "Gwen will just come back for me. I don't want to put the pack in danger anymore."
"You have any idea where you're going to go?" Raiden asks. He's practically covered in makeshift bandages. He took way more damage in that fight yesterday than we thought. At least we've got a good healer with us.
"Yeah, Haika's leading me somewhere else. Far away from here." As if on cue, the arcanine comes out of the cave, seemingly ready to go.
"Well then, I guess this is good-bye," I say. "It's been fun." I reach my hand out for him to shake it. He takes it.
"Yeah, I guess it is. Bye. You too, Raiden."
"No, I don't think it is." What's he going on about now? "Think about how many times we've said goodbye to each other before. And I always show up again."
"Mostly with another injury," Kaveh mutters.
"I have no doubt that we'll see each other again. Real soon too. So this isn't good-bye. Just 'see you again'." Wow, that was pretty deep, coming from him anyway. Maybe I don't give him enough credit.
Kaveh smiles weakly. "Yeah, I guess it is. See you later then." He waves and climbs onto Haika's back. "And stay out of trouble, you two. Good luck."
And with that, they're gone, off into the darkness of the forest. It looks like Haika doesn't like wasting time.
We stand in silence for a few moments, not really feeling the need to say anything. Until Raiden finally breaks the silence. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah."