Both Zakkuro and Jackson flew back as they deflected their opposing moves. More howling rose from the cave and the mighty screech of Primeape made the Zoroark and Riolu freeze in place.
"What in Arceus's name was that?!? Are those—"
"MANKEY!"
Zakkuro fled to the trees as the towering hordes of Mankey came spilling out of the cave screeching with fury. Jackson ran after Zakkuro a split second before the wave of the Mankey crashed down on him.
He hugged Ramses's body close to him, the added weight slowing him a bit but he kept in long strides still. Once he caught up with Zakkuro she barked,
"Oi! I know the runt is weighing you down. Let me carry him!"
"And why would I give him to you?! You've been trying to kitnap him!"
Jackson growled back before he nearly tripped over a stone. A Mankey had just missed his tail by a hair. Jackson's heart nearly stopped in his chest. Zakkuro sneered.
"That is exactly why you should give him to me!"
Jackson growled and threw Ramses at the Zoroark. Her thick, curly mane exploded and caught the small Riolu like a net and he was swallowed up by dark red and black fur. Jackson and Zakurro ran side by side through the trees and undergrowth, evading swarms of Mankey and dodging their throws and hits.
Jackson looked around as they continued through the forest, although some parts looked familiar to him. He alerted Zakkuro with a howl.
"Hey, Zoromad! I know a hiding place! Follow me!"
Zakkuro nodded and matched Jackson step by step.
"Ai. You lead the way and I'll throw them off our scent!"
Jackson's eyes darted around for what he was looking for. Meanwhile Zakkuro activated her illusion, clouds of dust swirled in the air behind her and fell onto the Mankey, disorienting many of them but still more hordes pursued them. For her next trick Zakkuro made ferocious Pokémon jump out at the mankey. Even more turned away, startled and afraid until only a few determined mankey hordes were left right in front of Primeape, who was fuming like a Torcoal and erupting with as much fury as Entei himself. The orb at the end of Zakkuro's mane glowed brightly before she conjured up one last illusion. As it appeared, the mankey immediately fainted from sheer terror and Primeape stopped near dead in his tracks. A Sylveon as tall as the tree tops gazed down cutely at Primeape and purred. Jackson and Zakkuro looked back just as Primeape turned a ghastly pale white and screamed.
Jackson darted towards a river and wadded in, the swift current nearly knocking him off his feet. Zakkuro stood next to him and stared puzzled.
"Don't tell me we have to jump in."
"There's an underwater cave with air in it further down! The only way in is through the river!"
"I despise getting wet...!"
"Come on, Primeape won't be fooled by your illusion for long!"
Jackson jumped in and Zakkuro reluctantly followed suit, the winding river carrying them swiftly downstream until they bumped into a boulder. Jackson clutched its rough sides and shimmed around it where the water was flowing away from and under it, where he went into an opening barely big enough for Zakkuro to get into. Zakkuro narrowed her eyes and squeezed through, hauling herself onto a cold stone floor. The boulder was hollow, and the water outside roared like an ocean around them. Zakkuro shook out her fur, dumping Ramses onto the floor and crouched near the entrance and gazed at a crack in the boulder where air was let in. Jackson scooped up Ramses and put an ear to his chest. Hearing his heartbeat, the Riolu sighed with relief. Zakkuro began to groom her thick and unruly mane.
"Told you he wasn't dead. You're welcome."
Jackson didn't look up at her as he growled, "It's your fault we're in this mess. You kitnapped my friend."
"We wouldn't be in this mess if you had mind your own business."
"You were stealing from our village! Probably to help yourself get rich!"
Zakkuro's hackles raised and she stalked toward Jackson, spitting rage in her words.
"To help my Clan! The Zormads are weak and starving, getting beaten and bullied by the Mankey Clan. Month by month we are pushed further out of the forest! We have nothing on our backs, nothing to sell, so we steal! It's what every other clan thinks we do anyway Thieving Zoroarks that only care about themselves."
Jackson gazed at Zakkuro, his ears pressed against his head. She went on, circling him now.
"You Lucario are the ones that care about yourselves. You care about no other clan but your own and are happy to take whatever part of the forest the Mankey clan leaves scraps left for you.
We didn't start stealing until Primeape came to power and started pushing us back. Then your clan joined in and pushed us even further from our homes. And I've heard of you. The Lucario Chieftain's son that attacks without aura. You paralyzed my sister with a focus punch. You must be a peculiar specimen to your fellow clan members. Choosing not to use your aura. Or..."
Jackson cut her off there.
"Shut up. I only follow orders. You can't pin this on me! Or my clan! This is all Primeape's fault. Him and his Mankey Clan terrorizing everyone. I'm sorry about what happened to you and your Clan but it's out of my control."
"Well, it is time to stop playing the blame game. But things are not out of your control yet. You're the Chief's son. I'm the Zoroark Chief's daughter. And you have that secret bomb of a runt there. Surely we can do something to stop Primeape."
Jackson's eyes widened in disbelief.
Zakkuro sat back on the far side of the boulder, her eyes narrowed.
"You? You're The Zoroark Chief's Daughter?! You are...feared by many of the warriors in my Clan. Huh. You're less impressive up close."
Zakkuro ignored his comment but only sneered.Ramses stirred from his unconscious state, suddenly jolting awake next to Jackson. He looked around.
"Holy Mew...where am I— AND WHAT'S SHE DOING HERE?!"
Jackson pat his friend on the shoulder.
"Calm down, Ram. She just helped us get away from Primeape. Probably the only thing she can do besides steal and do invisibility tricks." He teased, turning up his snout.
"Hey, I've been trying to find weaknesses in the Mankey Clan for months now. Have you or you clan been doing that? No. I've stricken many deals with Primeape, but he's no fool. Made me his enemy after I asked too many questions about the Mankey Clan hideout."
Ramses shifted in his seat, uneasy.
"Primeape must be no joke..."
Zakkuro nodded.
"He also takes prisoners. Many from my clan have ended up in their hidden prisons after skirmishes with the Mankey Clan. And the last time I talked to him before I was his enemy, he said he planned on hitting your Clan next. With his full army of Mankey, he can destroy your entire village."
Ramses was as pale as a ghost now, looking ready to faint again.
"H-how do you know for sure he'll attack with his full army?"
"Because he used his entire army to destroy my Clan's permanent village. The same will surely happen to yours."
Jackson crossed his arms over his chest "That's if we don't stop him in his tracks. I'll go back to the village and tell my father- I mean Chief-"
Ramses pumped up his fists.
"And our clan will fight along side yours to wipe out those howler Mankeys!"
"That'd sound like a good plan if my mother weren't so spiteful and vengeful. She'd love to see your clan destroyed. Knowing her, she'd probably attack with Primeape to get revenge since your clan didn't help ours."
"You're right. Grown ups suck..."
Jackson growled. Zakkuro looked offended. "Hey, I'm almost fully grown!"
"Yeah and almost as bad as them."
"If we can't get our leaders to fight for us, we'll have to fight this one all on our own! We'll be a team!"
Ramses's starry eyes shone with determination and hope. He went up to Zakkuro and bowed.
"Zormad, we're forming an alliance— a friendship! with you so we can defeat this common enemy. I'm Ramses!"
Jackson raised a paw.
"The name's Jackson, by the way."
Zakkuro shook Ramses's hand and nodded, smirking in a less mischievous manner, but more intrigued.
"It's Zakkuro. Alright then Ramses, Jackson. Hopefully this alliance will work in our favor and we can stop Primeape and Mankey goons."
"We'll be a team. I work better in cooperating teams." Jackson said coolly, standing to his feet.
Zakkuro with her much taller stature stayed crouched against the cave wall, her smirk morphing into a grin.
"Well if we're going to be a team, we'll need a team name. How about team . . ."_
"Team JackZakkRam? RamZakkJack?"
Jackson shrugged. Ramses shook his head. "No, that sounds horrible. How about The Crusaders?"
Zakkuro scratched her chin with a claw. "No...no... How about Team JRZ?"
"J for Jackson, R for Ramses, and Z for Zakkuro? That's real simple..." Jackson frowned.
Ramses jumped up and cheered, "Yes! TEAM JRZ! TEAM JRZ! TEAM JRZ!"
And thus an alliance began between two Clans and a team was formed. A team that would bring order back to the forest. Team JRZ.Our band of heroes had formed! More to come soon! Much live and apprieciation, peeeaaaace!~