Chapter 4 Dangerous Poaching
Their mission sounded simple—but hard to complete—even for the ones who dubbed themselves the "Shadow Triad." It was best to come prepared. The three brothers decided to split themselves across the region. Dark positioned himself in Eastern Unova, while Shadow placed himself in Western Unova. Umbra, himself, was positioned in the center.
He smirked, things were going well. Recently, Shadow reported finding a girl who "understands the hearts of dragons." He said he'd keep a close watch on her…
Iris peered through some briars. Their sharp thorns scratched at her face, she ignored it, and kept her gaze steady.
Just in front of her was the base of the poacher that Roxie told her about. It was well-hidden. Even with her expertise of the forest, it took her a good three hours to locate.
She took a deep breath, trying to formulate a plan. Plans really weren't her style, but she wanted to be careful. Her usual would be to try and rush him. She wondered if she should go with that, and use raw power to win. I have the skills to, she thought, as she gripped Hydreigon's Poke Ball tightly.
The poacher hadn't kidnapped any Pokemon while she had been watching him—she hadn't actually seen him physically, but she could see his base—sometimes she could hear the cries of desperate Pokemon within. It was an old, unused concrete building. She prayed he wasn't packing up to leave.
She took a deep breath, she'd have to try. She didn't want to make any sudden movements in case the poacher's Pokemon were on guard.
She tiptoed toward the window—just to see what the inside contained.
Suddenly, she came to an abrupt halt. She didn't want to, but she couldn't walk a step forward. It felt as though there was a barrier keeping her from entering the area.
She gave the force field a soft tap. She thought back when Drayden had started to teach her—she could remember it vividly—her opponent had been a Gothita. Under Iris's command, her Fraxture would continue to try and use his Dual Chop, but it barely did any damage. Sometimes, no damage was taken at all.
Drayden had told her that it had been a move called "Reflect" that was keeping Fraxture at bay. He didn't tell her how to break it; it was her job to figure that out. She remembered that it only shattered when she had frantically ordered a Brick Break, even with it going against her instincts.
"Haxorus, use Brick Break!" she said and threw her poke ball.
The ax Pokemon popped out of its ball with a mighty roar. His tail swished vigorously back and forth. His small arm glowed blue and he charged at the barrier.
Iris heard a sharp crack when the barrier broke. Swiftly she returned Haxorus to his Poke Ball and ran toward the entrance of the building.
There were no side doors—only a few windows which were too small to fit though. She hissed through her teeth. It would be almost impossible to barge through the front without the poacher noticing. She gritted her teeth, deep in thought.
"Vibrava, come on out!"
She grabbed a Poke Ball from her sleeve and gave it a toss. A small Pokemon appeared, its wings beating fervently. He hovered and let out a small screech of greeting.
Vibrava had always been an unruly Pokemon, even as a Trapinch. He was her newest addition and they were still getting used to each other.
She crouched down to his level.
"Ok Vibrava, some mean people have Pokemon being kept in that building—I want to save them and I need your help. I want you to create a distraction with your sound. When they come after you I want you to get away as fast as you can, you hear me?" Vibrava's green eyes gleamed and flew off behind the warehouse.
He was one of her fastest Pokemon, but he was stubborn. She hoped his attitude wouldn't get the best of him.
Edging herself toward the side of the building and behind some bushes, she waited.
Vibrava let out a loud screech. She could sense his powerful wings beating—she could tell he was determined too.
She bit her thumbnail in anxious wait. Vibrava's screeches began to die down, and then started up again.
"What is that racket?" she heard a deep voice shout. A bulky man soon walked out. His footsteps were fast—a Gothorita followed him. She guessed that was the Pokemon responsible for the Reflect.
Iris crept once again toward the entrance. The door was left a crack open. Ever quietly she pulled the door open a bit more so she could fit through.
It was dark. She could see cages of many Pokemon. Once her eyes adjusted, she could see several Swablu were kept captive, a few Koffing and many Sewaddle. There were simply tons of Pokemon being kept in the warehouse.
"Are you back? What was making that noise, another Pokemon?" Iris froze as she heard a voice behind her. She didn't know there were two people.
"Hello? Are you here?" The man sounded rather irritated, but his voice was kept in a casual tone. Iris suppressed a shudder.
"Hydreigon use Ice Beam!" she said as she tossed her ball. The large, violet Pokemon popped out. Her two heads fired a bright, sky-blue beam at the man. He swiftly dodged it. Iris heard a flick, and then the lights turned on.
"Oh, who are you? I suppose you are brave, trying to sneak in like that," he said. He let out a laugh. He was a tall, lean man with spiky brown hair. "That's quite a Pokemon there, little girl." After all, dragon Pokemon like Hydreigon are difficult to raise. "Who gave it to you—your daddy?"
Iris frowned. "I'm Iris, f-from the Village of Dragons. I'm here to stop you and I won't give up until I do. You should free those Pokemon now, or feel my Pokemons' wrath."
"As if words will stop me, listen kid, I'm just here trying to make a dollar. You'd be surprised how much common Pokemon can be sold on the black market to stupid folk. In the end of it all it's their fault for even buying them, not mine. What's wrong with stealing a few Pokemon? It's not like trainers don't do that all the time." he said with a shrug, his lips pulled into a sly smirk.
"But it's not right, you shouldn't—"
"Arbok use your poison sting." The cobra Pokemon raised up, and stooped its head. Hissing, it shot out several small, iridescent spikes from its mouth.
Iris's eyes widened as she jumped away, the attack was directed at her feet.
"Hyrdeigon, Fire Blast now!" The savage Pokemon arched up, and released a powerful flame from her mouth and other two heads, aiming at the large purple snake.
Arbok wriggled its long body like a worm—avoiding the attack—by a hair. Frustrated, Iris growled.
"Dragon Tail!" the man ordered, while snapping his fingers. Swiftly a Seviper used its long tail and hit Hydreigon. With a flash, her Pokemon was sent back and Druddigon popped out. Iris gritted her teeth, not her main choice, but he would do.
The man's snakes appeared at his sides and reared up in a battle-ready mode.
"Seviper use your Haze, Arbok use Sludge Bomb!" Seviper quickly began to release a foul smelling fog from its mouth.
"Druddigon, try your Dragon Claw on Arbok." Iris said with a cough. She couldn't see; she hoped Druddigon could aim his attacks appropriately. "You can do it Drudiggon, try and feel for its motions in the ground!" Iris felt around in her sleeve for Haxorus's or Hydreigon's Poke Ball. The battle would get nowhere like this.
"Gothorita, Psychic!" Suddenly, Iris couldn't move. The fog cleared and Druddigon was stuck in his position. She fought but her arms were constrained.
The tall man with spiky brown hair smiled deviously. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Seviper use Poison Tail, Arbok Ice Fang!" he said, and then snapped his fingers.
The cobra Pokemon ferociously bit down on Drudiggon. He let out a whimper of pain.
Iris was mortified—she couldn't move and Seviper was coming straight toward her. Its knife-like tail met her leg and she shrieked. The psychic must have worn off or the viper Pokemon's strength ripped through the attack that held her. She felt her body being thrown across the room like a baseball. She met the wall with a sickening thump.
She tried to get up, but her leg stung and she keeled over. "Druddi—" she let out a violent cough. A metallic taste filled her mouth. The sharp pain in her leg was unforgiving; it was getting harder and harder to feel her consciousness. She had to stay awake, she had to. She couldn't stop now, not like this.
The men let out a hardy laugh. They were laughing at her—because she couldn't stop them. Their laughs began to silence, even though the two were clearly still having a fit. Saliva fell from her mouth, most likely mixed with blood.
Everything began to fade, everything felt cold. In the midst of it all she saw a green serpentine creature. Its powerful tail set up like a spring, ready to unleash a Dragon Tail—it was a trick to power up Dragon Tail that Dragon Masters have used for centuries—something Drayden used, something she used because he taught her…and then she succumbed to a blank darkness.
"Iris, do you remember how to heal poisoning without the use of Pecha Berries?" it was Drayden's gruff voice. He must have been quizzing her today.
"There's always antidote," she said with a laugh. Why had he brought this up? "Burdock root, if you dig it up you can grind it to a powder and get rid of the poison effect. It's how herbal stores make their Heal Powder."
"Can you help it?" Iris looked up, surprised. It was no longer Drayden's voice but someone else's. He just disappeared.
Iris peered down at the sick Pokemon. She couldn't make out what the Pokemon was, but its breath was short and its wound was deep. Iris searched in her backpack and she found some of the herb. Carefully she applied it, hoping the Pokemon wouldn't lash out in self-defense.
The Pokemon tensed at first, but then relaxed.
"Good girl!" Iris cooed. She was a sweet Pokemon.
"Ahaha! I think she likes you, Iris." the boy said. His voice was warm and kind—like that of a close friend.
Soon the area they were in began to darken, wind howled, and snow began to fall. The leaves around her turned to ice.
"Iris?" the voice she heard was hollow and distant. It scared her.
"Iris?" the voice repeated.
-:-
Iris bolted awake. Where was she? How long was she out? She looked around; there were a lot of trees and ferns. She felt something cold and heavy on her legs. Her eyes widened when she saw two bright, red, gleaming eyes staring back at her. Iris tensed. It was of a Serperior—its tongue flicked in and out, but overall the grass snake Pokemon looked happy to see her, she relaxed as the Pokemon didn't seem like a threat.
"Are you ok?" Iris gasped and visibly flinched. She didn't think anyone else was around. She looked toward the voice—it was Cilan. She relaxed a bit, but she was still on edge. What was he doing here? Did he save her? Her mind was reeling.
"Don't be afraid." he said. His voice was always so unnaturally cold.
"I'm not afraid! Did you…save me?"
He gave her a curt nod.
"But why? How did you find me?"
He shrugged. "I couldn't just leave you there."
"How long was I out?"
Cilan looked up at the sky, his acid-green eyes distant. "A few hours, I suppose. I might have lost track, to be perfectly honest." He sat down beside her, a notebook in his arms. "Don't worry, those people didn't leave yet."
Iris tried to get up, but her leg had a piercing pain. She let out a small squeak.
"I wouldn't move if I were you—that leg's pretty bad still. I think some of that poison got to you. I treated it though." he pointed at her leg; she looked down. It was covered in a white cloth and looked a little swollen.
"Thank you…" she said quietly. "But what if those people leave?"
"I have Simisage watching over them. He'll tell us if they get ready to leave. Just rest for now."
Her leg really hurt, though Serperior's cold body made her feel better. She moved her hand to her side, and brushed against another Pokemon—it was Vibrava. She sighed contently and maneuvered her body a bit closer to him. Briefly she closed her eyes. From what it seemed it was late afternoon, going on night. Cilan was right in that she would have to rest. Her heart dropped a bit, she really didn't want to.
It was silent.
"Cilan, if you don't mind me asking, what is that notebook for?" she said quietly.
"You broke out in a fever a few times; I had to get water from a creek to bring it down. You seem to be feeling better now."
Iris blinked. He completely ignored her question—lest he didn't hear her.
"Do you record your journey?" she asked, pointing at the notebook. He let out a sigh.
"Not really. This is important stuff, that doesn't concern you." His voice was sharp.
"Sorry," she said, and looked away. She was exhausted and her body felt like a dead weight.
He frowned.
"Iris, do you know of an herb or plant that helps with headaches?"
"I've heard willow can. Once I get better I can help find you some leaves."
"Thank you," he paused for a moment. Iris closed her eyes. "I think we should combine our forces." Iris looked up at him shocked.
"You mean against the poachers?" Cilan shook his head no. His green flicks swayed.
"I mean I think we should travel together, after we take care of the poachers, of course."
Iris swallowed. She didn't know how she felt about that. She was grateful for him to save her, but something about this felt really sudden. She barely knew him and still found him creepy.
"But Cilan, we're rivals. You'll know all my tricks if we travel together."
"And you'll know mine." he countered. She could tell he was adamant about this. Her belly shifted uncomfortably.
"I don't know…"
"We can look out for one another."
"I don't need any help." She huffed. Cilan glanced down at her leg, and she guiltily looked away. It was thanks to him that she even made it out of there ok. "I guess you have a point." she said, even though she hated to admit it. What could she even do right now? She was dependent on him for now—and who knows for how many days?
He nodded his head and looked toward the sky.
"Hey Cilan, how did you find me in that warehouse?" Cilan turned to face her. He stayed quiet for a moment, all the while looking directly into her eyes.
"It was thanks to your Vibrava. He came to me when you were in trouble and showed me where you were." He looked back up at the sky—the stars now out.
Vibrava bolted up, and started chattering. Iris's heart pounded, whatever Cilan had said got Vibrava going. She swallowed nervously; Vibrava was disagreeing with Cilan's statement. Iris shuddered. This implied that Vibrava hadn't shown Cilan that she was in trouble.
Cilan didn't show any response to Vibrava's behavior—he looked absorbed in his own thoughts.
If Vibrava didn't show Cilan where she was, why would he lie about it? If it had been a coincidence, why didn't he say so? What was there to hide? Her heart dropped and her face chilled.
Did this mean he had been following her this whole time?
