Max whooped in joy as the first Wristband's screen slowly dimmed as it shut off. He peered out between the leaves, and saw that several Pokémon had stopped battling, and that their eyes were filled with confusion. A Rapidash nearby neighed in sudden victory, and as she dashed away from his captors, all of the Slaves who had also belonged to the destroyed Wristband fled to the forest, suddenly liberated. Max's smile quickly turned into a stare of horror as he realized that majority of the stampede was headed for him. He cried out, and threw his arms around his head to shield himself from the impact, but as water flows around a rock in the river, the Pokemon avoided him, afraid that he was another Master about to Enslave them again.
When the sound of fleeing wings and feet dulled out behind him, and Max slowly opened his eyes, he found the Rapidash from before appraising him sinisterly. Max gulped in fear as it took a malicious step forward, its hoof pawing the ground. Max crawled backwards quickly, and found that his back bumped into something sturdy; as he glanced up, he saw his Gallade standing protectively over him. A brief, tense moment followed; Rizio's arms sharpened into threatening blades, and the Rapidash's fiery mane became to grow in size as it pulled back it's lips and showed it large, square teeth.
Finally, the Rapidash walked slowly to Max's side, her head tilted curiously to the side as she appraised him. She thought you were another Team Origin member, Rizio explained, his posture relaxing greatly. I explained that you were the one who freed them…she says she will help stand guard until this is over. Slowly, so as not to scare the human again, Seara lowered her long nose to the boy's chest, and pressed gently against him, begging to be petted. Max obliged quickly, afraid to anger her again, and the Rapidash nickered in pleasure at his kind, painless hand.
Max then quickly rose, thanked her for volunteering to stay behind, and turned his attention to the battlefield. His eyes scoured the battlefield, his ears ringing with the din of falling combatants, until he found the tell tale sign of her pearly white fur through the crowd. Ember had just broken through into the human's base, and just as soon as he had seen her, a huge Tyranitar reared up high, blocking the view of the Alpha from him.
A sudden shadow soared into the sky, high above the area where he had seen Ember moments before. As the dot made a beeline for Max, Yulta grew nervous, and began to prepare a Dragon Breath, when Max commanded her to stop. The Ledian zipping towards him somersaulted in the air, threw another Wristband at his feet, and dove back into battle, Tackling a nearby Wartortle.
Max caught it clumsily, and ran back to the protection of the denser shadows, away from the tree line. Seara pawed the ground nervously as she saw the screen begin to glow at Max's touch. He twist knobs and tapped the screen quickly, trying to disable it faster than the first one. Finally, the glowing screen showed a red box, and Max pressed his thumb deftly to it, and waited. Minutes ticked by. This wasn't something to be rushed. After a few more seconds, the Wristband beeped, and the screen said "Fingerprint Acknowledge: Self Destruct". The screen darkened again, and Max dropped it to the ground as the sparks flew from the tiny device as the internal hard drive short circuited itself. He gazed out across the plains, and more Enslaved Pokemon were now Free, and fleeing the battle.
Max breathed deeply, feeling slightly at better ease, knowing that he was making progress. The stars in the sky were suddenly blotted out, and the world around the battlefield grew dark as the sounds of countless wings beat the air earnestly. Max looked up, and a legion of every Flying type known to man was soaring towards him; he had been discovered.
Run! Rizio shouted, grabbing Max around the waist, and throwing him onto Dailyn's back. Yulta hopped into his lap just in time, and instantly, Max was whisked away, his Dodrio's claws tearing at the dirt beneath them.
Ember looked to the sky, and saw that much of their opponents were leaving the onslaught to search the woods for Max. "We must protect the boy!" Ember shouted, her order ringing loudly in the ears of her army. "Half of you go and protect him, the other half, stay here to take the Wristbands!" The lake of thrashing bodies split and warped, until half of the Free Pokemon were chasing done the Enslaved, knocking them from the air with Ice Beams and Electro Balls. Satisfied that she had done all she could to protect him, Ember turned back to the battle at hand.
Max clung desperately to the middle neck of his Pokemon, his eyes darting about in the twilight of the forest's canopy. All around, he could hear the wings of his pursuers, but as they darted amongst the branches and leaves, he could pin down their exact location. A Masquerain from above String Shotted Dailyn's legs, and he crashed to the ground with a cry of surprise. Max landed on his back, clutching his Goomy to his chest protectively. As Max looked up, talons and beaks reached for him, trying to hurt or capture him, but he was always saved just in the nick of time. His Pokémon surrounded him , driving off the attackers desperately.
"We can't keep this up!" Ebiwan hollered, another Ice Punch landing harshly on a Starly's face.
"Get him out of here!" Screeched Dailyn from the ground, where he still laid tangled, his long neck allowing him to Peck away anyone who came too close. Finally, the cavalry arrived, and Ember's Pokemon caught up to the frenzy, charging in with battle cries.
"We need cover over here!" Seara called loudly. In response, a huge Skuntank ally dashed over and spewed forth a deep Smokescreen, blinding all in the area. Screams of panic and fear rose from both sides of the army, and Ebiwan and Rizio threw Max onto the Rapidash's back.
"Keep him safe," Dailyn's sad head called from the ground, while the other two began tearing at the webbing around its thin legs.
Seara nodded, and with a flick of her flame tail, charged away so fast that Max lost his breath. Her fiery mane lit the way a short distance in front of her as she galloped, deftly dodging in time any obstacle that appeared before her. When they finally cleared the smoke, she kept running, unsure of where to go.
"We can't go too far!" Max shouted in her ear over the pounding of her hooves. "I have more Wristbands to destroy!" Seara searched left and right, and found a small den. Kneeling, she let the boy off of her back, and using her sharp horn, forced him into the hole. "You're joking," Max snorted as Seara began piling leaves atop him. He swatted them away and began to climb out of the ground. Seara trumpeted angrily, and jabbed him in the chest with her horn painfully. Sighing with irritation, he curled up in the moist soil, trying to be comfortable. When Seara finally felt her foliage cover would hide him from prying eyes, she backed away slowly, her eyes never leaving Max's. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to accept his fate. "Fine, I'll stay here till you come back." Snorting in approval, Seara turned, and galloped back to the battlefield.
The growing noise of war was suddenly amplified as she broke through the brush. In front of her, the battlefield was beginning to be soaked with blood, as well as rain. "You, Vaporeon!" Seara called. Mar turned and appraised her herald. "Bring me to your Alpha, I have important news!"
"Follow me," Mar smirked. Dipping, swirling, and squeezing through the battlefield the Water type moved through combatants as water through a crack in a boulder. Wherever she went, she Attracted her foes, causing them to pause momentarily in her beauty, and allowing Ember's soldiers to find an opening in the enemy's defense.
Seara suddenly trampled into the center of Team Origin's base, and found it more chaotic than the battle surrounding it. They weaved through the battle, but progress was slow, as they constantly had to stop to defend themselves.
"Alpha, this Rapidash claims to have news for you!" Mar called, her high voice, floating above the cries of pain. I glanced at the horse.
"I've never met her." At my words, Mar turned threateningly towards the stranger, instantly suspecting a trap to hurt her Alpha.
"I am a friend of Max's." She began to stomp the ground menacingly. I glanced at her again, thought for a moment, then told Mar to stand down and return to the fight. As she flitted away, I turned my full attention to the horse, the battle raging around us.
"What has happened?" I asked sternly, concerned for our only hope. A Serperior began to Wrap around me, but a quick Overheat sent it away rapidly.
"The Enslaved found him, and I had to move him. He is safe and hidden, but without protection. Should he be found again, there won't be anyone to defend them."
I nodded, and thought carefully. "The less Pokémon that know where he is, the better." I summoned Legion, and he fluttered next to me, his wings lowered in a submissive bow. "You and Seara here are to be Max's guardians for the remainder of the struggle. You two will be responsible for delivering the Wristbands to him as they come into our possession; be ready at any moment." My watched as my dominance began to work into the muscles of the Rapidash, newly Freed. She and Legion bowed. As I ordered them back to battle, Legion took off immediately, while Seara seemed to try to wrestle with my superiority. I growled at her threateningly, and with a frustrated glare, she submitted to me, and reared into the fray.
I turned to Sergio, who was battling three Pokémon alone. I jumped beside him, a Confuse Ray sending the group into disarray as we picked them off, one by one. I turned to a rather small female Master, whose Captured and Enslaved Pokémon were guarding decisively. My mate and I began to drill into the shield of bodies, working our way through with pain staking slowness. A Banette on our side Shadow Sneaked through the ranks and began to tear through the protective layer from the inside. The girl shrieked in panic and from her pocket, drew a small, marble sized, coiled Collar from her pocket and raised it high, aiming to Enslave me. From the sky, Legion dove, and Pecking at her wrist, began to tear the device from her raised arm. As she shouted with pain, I swept her feet from beneath her with my tails. She fell roughly onto her back, and Sergio and I held her down with our paws and fangs as Legion finally ripped the Wristband from her. He soared high quickly, and began heading to the forest with his bloody trophy.
Sergio and I jumped off of her, and began beating back her loyal Pokémon that had finally risen to their feet again. We battled for what felt like an eternity when suddenly our adversaries about faced and fled as Max destroyed the Wristband they were under the control of. Only her Captured Bayleef and Beautifly remained. As I began to spit a Incinerate, the two Pokémon were bathed in a red light and returned to their Poke balls. The human turned and fled with a wild and desperate scream. With a hungry growl, I began to tear after her.
"Ember!" Sergio shouted after me. I skidded to a halt and glared back at him. "She doesn't matter, leave her! We still have six Wristbands to get!" With an irritated sigh that spewed a tiny flame, I turned around and dove back into the mash of convulsing bodies, my maw dripping with live flames.