"Where did he go?"

Red, perched on my shoulder seemed to share my frustration. It was one of the rare time where I keenly felt that the injuries I'd received when I was just a little girl were a real disability. Running was a big no-no. I could do short distance, I could jog, but trying to catch up with someone? Yeah. Not happening in this life time.

"Dammit," Red growled from my shoulder. "That monster got away."

I shared the feeling, and I felt slightly mortified. It was my fault after all.

"Sorry, Red."

"No. I didn't mean. . . It's not your fault. We probably shouldn't have tried to catch him in the first place. I mean, he's a member of a terrorist organization. Who knows what he's capable of. And we're not strong enough to just battle every bad guy we meet yet."

"Hum. . . Guys? I got his scent," Shenzu said, tail wagging just a little bit.

"Good," Rosemary said. "Perhaps speed is not the way to go here. Working to your strengths might be a better idea my lady."

"Right." I said, feeling a bit better.

She was right. Speed was never going to be a good strategy for me.

"Alright team. Let's follow the trail and see where it takes us, shall we? Then we'll decide what to do."

So we followed Shenzu through brush until we arrived near what looked like an abandoned construction site crossed with a mineshaft. An old man was waiting beside the cave's entrance, leaning against the walls. He was breathing heavily, tears threatening to spill.

"Are you alright sir?"

"That man," he said, anger and grief thick in his voice. "He kidnapped my darling Peeko and murdered her parents in cold blood. I'm out of useable pokemon. Oh please lass, tell me you'll help, I can't get in that cave by myself, not without a partner to help me."

"Of course I will," I replied, feeling as if someone was slowly freezing me, cold ice slowly spreading through my veins. "Shenzu, Rosemary, stay here with him, we can't leave him here defenseless. Red, Blues, Sever, lets go."

We made our way in, and I could see fairly well. The mist and growth in the cave was slightly fluorescent, bathing the entire place in a soft green light.

"Mistress," Sever said in his raspy voice. "I suggest caution. The pokemon living in this cave, they have driven out every other living things from this place. They rule this place. They would not take it kindly if we were to disrupt them."

"Noted," I said, making an effort to move quietly.

Up ahead, the grunt had no such concern. He was cursing loudly, his voice bouncing wildly off the rocky walls, echoing through the tunnel. It was a few minutes before I could make him out ahead. He was hitting boulders trying to push them out of his way and saying things he really shouldn't have been saying and were more than likely, impossible to do. The cold feeling in my chest intensified. I had never been a believer in using pokemon to attack humans, but at the moment. . . knowing he'd murdered pokemon just to gain an hostage, that he was a terrorist. . I was tempted.

"Damnit. I thought this tunnel was suppose to be finished! Some getaway this is turning out to be," he growled.

"Hey, jerk," I said. "How about you hand over what you've stolen and that poor pokemon and I won't have to get nasty with you?"

He jumped and turned around and I almost smirked. Some terrorist he turned out of it if a teenager could startled him this badly.

"I got a better idea. First, I'm going to kill your pokemon, then, I'm going to use you as an hostage instead. Hell, you'll probably enjoy it."

"Blues, go. Quick attack!"

She tried, but I saw right away that this grunt was cleverer than the last one I'd faced. His poochyena hit her with sand attack before biting down on her. He started shaking her like a chew toy and my heart almost skipped a beat. I froze. I didn't know how to get her out of this. It never occurred to me to recall her. Thankfully, Red wasn't frozen like me.

"YOU LET HER GO!" he screamed as he leaped towards his friend.

A torchic left the ground, a combusken kicked the poochyena into next week. He stood between tall between Blues and the Aqua grunt, claws fully extended, feathers puffed up and smoldering. I could tell he wanted to finish this, finish them both permanently and I was tempted, oh so tempted to let him.

"If he doesn't released the wingull in the next ten seconds . . ." I began, angrily, unsure of whether I meant it or not.

"Alright! Alright, no need to get all uptight," he said, dropping the parcel and the pokeball on the ground. "You win. I'm leaving. Psycho."

I let him go. I'm not proud of it. If I'd try to detain him, I don't know what I would have told Red to do to him. I don't know if he would have listened to me or not. But we never got to find out. I picked up Blues in my arms and noticed she was barely breathing.

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry baby girl," I said, feeling the tears falling and not caring. "You're going to be okay, I promise. We'll get you to the pokemon center. I just need you to get in your pokeball until then okay?"

"Kay 'liza. Sorry I wasn't strong enough."

"You were beautiful darling, just shhh for now okay? We'll talk later."

I recalled her and my breath rattled in my chest. I slid down against the cave wall and only then did I start shaking. A moment later, Red was by my side, leaning against me silently, offering comfort. Too close. This had been way too close. I'd been cocky, sure that I could take on another of the Aqua grunts just because I'd gotten lucky once. I'd forgotten that they were terrorists for a moment, forgot to take the him seriously and Blues had almost paid the price.

"Never again," I said, deciding that I'd stay out of their way.

It wasn't my job, after all. That's what we had the Rangers and Gym Leaders for, right? I was just a normal trainer. I couldn't risk my pokemon's life against people who would be doing their best to kill them.

"It's up to you Liz," Red said after a moment. "You know I'll back you no matter what. Even if you decided to become some sort of dictator, or something. I'll always be by your side. Always."

"Thanks Red."

"But. . . I just want you to think of something, kay?"

"Sure."

"All it takes for evil to win is for good people to stand by and do nothing."

"..."

"I'm not trying to change your mind or anything. Really, I'm good with whatever you decide. But I've gotten to know you, ya? I know it goes against your nature to just stand aside if you see something bad going on."

"You could die Red, you all could. I. . . I don't think I could keep going if anything happened to you. . . but you're right. Who would I be if I just let scum like that get away with what they want? The Rangers can't be everywhere unfortunately. I just. . .I don't know what to do."

"That's easy," he scoffed. "We just have to get stronger. You're a great trainer, with you guiding and training us, we'll soon be invincible. You'll see."

"Thanks Red. You're the best. You know that though, right?"

"I do. That's why you picked me, isn't it?"

I finally found the strength to smile and he did to. He got back on his feet, and helped me back to mine.

"We should probably bring Peeko back to her trainer, don't you think? And that moron is probably going to have an aneurysm soon if he doesn't get his goods back."

"True. Let's go."

I could tell he was smiling without looking at him. His words had made me realize something, a truth I never really had thought about. As the champion, if I could pull it off, the safety of the entire region would be up to me. I'd have to break my promise to my dad completely. The people had to know they could count on me. Even now. Even before I had my first badge. Otherwise, what was the point?