Chapter 10: A Visit to the West Side
At long last, winter had arrived. The once green, grassy fields were covered in slush and frost, life seeming to come to an icy standstill. The nearby trees already had snow on every branch, clumps of it occasionally falling onto the ground with a brief thud, a noise that was almost instantly smothered by the cold silence that seemed to engulf the entire valley. The water in the nearby lakes was so tranquil that one could barely tell if they weren't already frozen.
Having just awoken from a deep slumber, Ember and Absol emerged from a small grove they found the previous night, observing the frozen fields in wonder. In the space of but a single night of heavy snowfall, the entire world around them had been covered in a thick blanket of white, the skies above a dark grey. It was an almost overwhelmingly beautiful sight.
The freezing early morning air was as stagnant as the nearby lakes. Ember watched her frozen breath in amusement for a few moments before gazing at the scenery again. Until arriving in the wild, she'd almost never truly experienced the wonders of winter for herself, outside of her Pokeball. She loved the sensation of the powerful, nipping cold, deciding not to warm herself up right away.
Next to her, Absol yawned, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. He looked around the snow-drenched plains in mild surprise, slowly stretching himself out.
"Well," he said groggily. "That was a fast snowfall."
Ember walked over to one of the lakes, leaning down and lapping up the icy cold water in her mouth, which felt incredibly refreshing and completely erased the remnants of her grogginess. Next to her, Absol did the same. Once they had their fill and were completely awake, Absol led the way through the valley, Ember following at his side.
"Life might get a little harder from here," Absol said. "Food is going to become scarce now that winter has fully set in. We'll have a hard time hunting and traveling."
"You mean we'll need to decide carefully when to hunt and when to keep moving?" Ember asked.
Absol nodded. "I'm afraid we might not make very much progress at all. It goes against most laws of survival to travel across regions like this, especially during winter, and it could get very difficult to stay alive with the way we're carrying on."
Ember didn't respond. Now that she thought about it, traveling across the region at this time seemed like a very bad idea. How could they even make progress and still be able to find food? If she were alone, she might have been more willing to take the risk, but she didn't want to put Absol in harm's way. Two conflicting instincts and loyalties clashed within her. Finally, she stopped walking, turning to her companion.
"Absol…we could stop here and stay at the grove," she said finally.
Taken aback, Absol turned to her as well.
"You mean for the day?" he asked.
Ember shook her head. "I can wait to get back to Rose. We could stay here for the winter and keep looking for her during spring, if you want."
"…You realize that this winter will last many months, and during that time, we may lose your master for good? She may even move on to an entirely different region, for all we know."
Ember looked down for a moment, a tight knot in her stomach.
"I know," she said softly. "But if it means we'll both survive, I'll take that chance."
When she looked back at Absol, she almost gasped in shock at the look he gave her. His eyes were filled with such tender compassion and adoration that it reached inside her, touching her soul. He gave her a warm, gentle smile that made her heart beat faster than when she used to run with her Choice Scarf on.
"That's a truly caring thought, Ember," he said. "But you don't have to worry too much. This isn't the first time I've had to travel through a region in the winter with someone just as cheerful, and it may be tough, but we'll make it. I promised I'd help you find your trainer, and I intend to do it."
Ember was speechless. She looked at Absol for a few moments in stunned silence. A thousand thoughts sprang into her mind. She wanted to express how grateful she was to Absol for helping her so much, and his willingness to continue doing so despite all that was against them, but she didn't know how. Only one thing came to mind. Unable to think of another way, Ember took a tentative step forward.
Then, she ran to Absol and nuzzled up against him, hugging him tightly. Absol put his paw around her and returned the gesture. They continued for a few moments, the cold world around them forgotten. Finally, their embrace slowly came to an end, Ember politely stepping back, gazing fondly at him.
"Thank you so much," she said quietly. "I'm…I'm so lucky to have you with me, Absol."
"Believe me, I feel the same way about you," he replied.
"But wait, there's one thing I don't understand. Why are you so willing to return me to my trainer? I thought you hated humans."
Absol sighed. "That's true. My opinion of humans hasn't changed, but don't forget, both the East and West sides are here, and they're all after you. As much as I hate to admit it, no matter how greatly I detest trainers, and no matter how much I want you with me, getting you back to Rose is the only way to keep you safe, so I will. Besides, if your trainer is as good as you say, you should be alright. Now, come on, we need to get moving before it really gets cold."
With that, Ember continued to follow Absol through the snowbound land, finding herself walking a little closer to him than before. Ever wary for the odd trainer or wild Pokémon, they carefully made their way through the vast wilderness around them, crossing frigid streams, sifting through thickets and moving unseen through the trees, keeping a watchful eye for prey. It was only when they reached the first forest they'd seen for miles that Absol stopped.
"Hold it," he whispered suddenly.
Ember halted, looking at him curiously.
"What is it?" she whispered back.
"Look at that, between those two trees. Do you see it?"
Ember followed his gaze between the trees. The first thing she saw was a pair of antlers. She felt her fur begin to bristle. Soon, the antlers moved to a different spot, and Ember got a good look at the creature. It was a large male Sawsbuck, obviously in its winter form.
"Perfect," Absol muttered. "If we catch that Sawsbuck, we might be able to travel the entire day without hunger. You ready?"
The old Ember would have hesitated. But she now felt a deep instinct begin to take control. She'd felt the faintest traces of it back when she hunted smaller game with Absol, like Farfetch'd, but now it was there in full. She didn't know it, but it was her hunting instinct, passed down through her ancestors for eons. She knew exactly what to do.
Absol recognized this, not even needing her reply to know she was ready. With that, he and Ember ever so carefully began to creep forward on their bellies through the trees. If they were like shadows before, now they were the ghosts of those shadows as they stalked their prey, as silent as the icebound land around them.
Ember crept off in a different direction, circling around the Sawsbuck from behind while Absol came toward it from the front. The Pokémon seemed unaware of their approach, continuing to drink from a small stream nearby. Despite their hungry bellies, Ember and Absol used infinite caution and patience when nearing their prey. Even as they came within pouncing distance, they waited until they were certain of the kill before making their move.
Ember lost sight of Absol for a moment, his white fur almost perfectly camouflaging him with the snow. Suddenly, he pounced at the Sawsbuck, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Ember waited patiently for her moment to strike, baring her fangs eagerly. Absol bit at the neck of the Sawsbuck and burned him at close range with Flamethrower, but the Pokémon managed to throw him off and run in the opposite direction, right toward Ember.
Seizing her chance, Ember leapt out of her hiding place in the thicket, launching a Fire Blast. The flames bathed the Sawsbuck, knocking him to the ground. Yet, somehow, despite both their fire moves connecting perfectly, the Sawsbuck still managed to stand up, fleeing at surprising speed despite its wounds and running out of sight.
Knowing they could easily follow the tracks and Sawsbuck's trail of blood on the ground, Ember and Absol darted after their prey, chasing him through the forest at top speed, dodging the trees and shrubs, determined to catch their quarry.
Finally, they found themselves in a large, circular clearing. Slightly ahead of them, the Sawsbuck stumbled to the ground, probably thanks to its injuries. Ember and Absol were on him in an instant, clawing and biting their foe, Sawsbuck fighting uselessly against them. It was over in seconds. Finally, the deer-like Pokémon ceased struggling, eyes glazing over.
Ember and Absol stood triumphantly over their caught prey for a moment. They had won, and they would easily have enough food to last the day, perhaps even the next.
"That was good hunting, Ember," Absol complimented. "It seems like you're becoming more of a wild Pokémon every day."
Strangely, Ember didn't feel as much resentment toward being called a wild Pokémon as before. In fact, she almost felt proud to receive the praise.
However, she was snapped out of her thoughts by a sudden movement. She looked at the Sawsbuck, seeing its body begin to melt.
"What in the name of…?" Ember began.
The two watched in awe and horror as the Sawsbuck slowly transformed. Gone was the deer-like prey they had just caught, replaced by a purple, blob-like substance. It was a Ditto!
Before they could even react, the blob-Pokémon suddenly slithered away at a surprisingly swift speed, disappearing behind a few nearby rocks, possibly even transforming into one. Ember and Absol looked on in shock and rage, both at being tricked and at losing their dinner.
"Well, well, well," they heard a snide voice say behind them. "That was easier than expected."
The two pivoted to see a dark blue, crow-like Pokémon perched on a nearby branch sneering at them.
"Great, Houndoom's left-hand beak is here," Absol said dryly. "What do you want this time, Honchkrow?"
As the Honchkrow cawed out a chuckle, Ember began to recognize the Pokémon from a vague memory. She recalled seeing Absol talk to him in a dream she had many nights ago. Maybe it wasn't a dream at all? Whoever he was, Ember had a feeling he couldn't be trusted.
"You know, Absol, sometimes I get the distinct impression you don't like me very much," Honchkrow said derisively. "Anyway, I was actually hoping I could get you and Ember to come with me."
"You just can't take a hint, can you?" Absol spat.
"Ah, but the circumstances are a little different this time. You are no-doubt aware that the East Side has reached this side of the region as well?"
"If I wasn't before, I certainly am now. So what?"
"Well, this time, Houndoom wants to speak with you two personally. We'd like you and Ember to be our guests."
"Prisoners, you mean," Absol shot back.
"I'd hoped it wouldn't come to that," Honchkrow retorted. "I expect you will see reason for once and come quietly."
Absol chuckled darkly. "Sorry, I don't associate reason with the West Side. Now get lost."
Honchkrow squawked loudly and raised his wing. As if out of nowhere, a Magmortar, an Infernape, a Hydreigon, a Zoroark, a Blaziken, a Shiftry, and a Scrafty suddenly appeared from behind the surrounding trees, encircling Ember and Absol and cutting off all paths of escape. In the middle of the stronger part of their force was a large, powerful-looking Arcanine, who stepped past the others and faced Ember and Absol.
"Heh, you see, you don't actually have much choice in the matter," Honchkrow announced smugly.
"The West Side has need of your assistance," the Arcanine announced calmly. "Will you come quietly, or will we have to knock you out?"
"Try the latter, and we'll see how long you last," Absol replied.
Ember glanced worriedly at her companion. The calm light in his eyes was gone, replaced by a rage that defied all rationality.
"Absol, I don't think we can win this," she whispered. "All my moves are weak against them, Drought would only hurt us and Arcanine has Flash Fire. I'm useless here."
"Don't worry," he whispered back. "I'll take care of everything."
"You can't beat them all by yourself!"
"Watch me."
Absol charged at Arcanine, aiming a Sucker Punch. However, the Arcanine suddenly struck first with Extremespeed, knocking him back. When Absol tried to finish the attack, the Scrafty got in his way and took the hit, which did almost nothing against its Fighting-type body. Absol was then smashed back by the Infernape's Close Combat, landing painfully where he started, his body numb with agony from the devastating blows. As if that weren't enough, Honchkrow used Toxic on him. Ember winced as Absol became badly poisoned, even worse than before.
"If you continue, we'll be forced to kill you and take Ember to see Houndoom alone," Arcanine warned.
But Absol was well beyond the point of listening, his mind taken over by a primal fury. He managed to stand and charge back into combat, this time using Stone Edge. The "fight" went much the same way, the only difference being that it was Hydreigon who took the attack and Blaziken who smashed Absol with Sky Uppercut, sending him sprawling backwards. Absol's vision grew blurry and he tasted blood in his mouth, his head throbbing horribly. He also began to feel the effects of the poison setting in again. It was not a pleasant sensation to relive.
"This is your last chance," Arcanine warned. "Surrender and come quietly or die."
Absol defiantly stood up again, despite the agonizing pain of his injuries. However, when he tried to charge forward, another Fire Pokémon stepped in his way, grabbing him and holding him back. Angrily, he prepared to blast it with Stone Edge.
"Absol, please stop!" the Pokémon pleaded.
Somehow, the words managed to reach Absol despite his combat rage, and he stopped for a moment, looking down at the one in his way. The Fire Pokémon holding him back was Ember.
"What are you doing?!" he shouted. "Get out of my way!"
"I won't," she replied firmly. "You can't handle them all on your own. Please stop this."
"That Ninetails has both Drought and common sense!" Honchkrow cawed. "What more could we ask for?"
Ignoring him, Absol continued to hold her gaze. "Ember, we can't give in to them! They're bloodthirsty parasites who feed off of the weakness of others! We must fight them to the end!"
"And what end is that?" Ember shot back. "You getting killed and leaving me alone? I can't live with that. I know how you must feel, but I won't sit here and watch you get hurt."
"You should listen to her, Absol," Honchkrow said wisely.
"When I'm done with your goon squad, I'll tear off your feathers one by one and cram them up your beak, Honchkrow!" Absol barked.
He tried to rush at Arcanine again, but Ember still managed to hold him back.
"This is a hopeless fight, Absol," she said desperately. "They knew exactly what we would do and covered all our weaknesses."
"I don't care!" Absol roared. "I can still beat them! All I need to do is predict their attacks. I'll be fine!"
Ember grabbed Absol with equal ferocity and looked him right in the eyes.
"That's exactly what you said to me when we went through the cave," she said.
Ember saw his anger slightly fade, replaced by a look of surprise.
"You told me you'd be fine right after we beat Rypherior," Ember continued, her voice breaking. "A few minutes later, you were on your side, dying from poison. I nearly lost you that day. I'm not strong enough to lose you again. You always tell me to trust you, but now I need you to trust me too, Absol."
Ember held his gaze for a long time, the silence in the air almost palpable. Finally, Absol's expression softened. She saw the anger begin to melt away from his eyes, his former calm slowly returning. Her words had gotten through to him.
"I do trust you, Ember," he said softly. "You're right. I can't leave you alone now. You win."
"My, my, how very touching," Honchkrow taunted. "Someone get that Ninetails an Oscar!"
"Shut your beak, Honchkrow," Arcanine barked. "Take them and let's go."
With that, the fire and dark Pokémon stepped into formation around them, Ember and Absol grudgingly allowing their enemies to escort them away, preparing themselves for the worst.
About an hour later, they arrived at their destination. The group of fire Pokémon had taken them to an old, abandoned town built almost entirely upon solid rock. There were many decrepit buildings littering the area, adding to the melancholy atmosphere. Ember and Absol instantly grew uneasy when they saw the entire area crawling with Fire and\or Dark Pokémon with various secondary types, such as Ghost, Flying, Poison, and many others, all of them recruits of the West Side.
As they passed through the streets, occasionally receiving a sneer from the surrounding Pokémon, Ember and Absol, still trapped in the formation of fire and dark Pokémon, saw a large cavern entrance. Upon further inspection, it looked like an old mine, no-doubt previously used by the humans who used to live in the town. Outside of it, two crude banners with a flame symbol on them were hanging nearby, slightly flapping in the breeze. Nearby, the Ditto they saw before saluted Arcanine and his forces as they approached.
"Welcome to our base," Honchkrow announced smugly. "Houndoom is inside, and I'm sure he's very eager to see you. Or, at least, one of you."
"I almost feel sorry for him," Absol retorted. "What a dump you guys live in."
The insult was met with a sharp blow to the head from Arcanine. Absol's vision swam a bit. He didn't really care, though he did notice Ember stiffen slightly. Honchkrow opened his beak to retort as well, but a sharp glance from Arcanine made him reconsider. Finally, their group entered the abandoned mine. The cave was surprisingly bright. Absol sighed a bit. He had hoped it would be dark inside, which might have given him and Ember a chance to escape.
It only grew brighter as they descended deeper into the mine. There were several incredibly large fires blazing nearby, multiple fire Pokémon relaxing near them or keeping them going, many of them eating caught and cooked game. The flames were burning so brightly they couldn't even see the materials that kept them blazing.
Absol groaned slightly. He knew no fire Pokémon would mind the heat, but he was already starting to sweat profusely. The poison steadily weakening his body didn't help much. He glanced bitterly at Honchkrow, who was flying up near the darkened cavern ceiling, well out of reach of the heat.
Ember didn't mind the temperature, but she still felt uncomfortable inside the West Side-ruled mine, and even more so when she saw how much the heat was affecting Absol, despite his admirable attempts to conceal it. When she was certain no one would see it, she gently used Hidden Power Ice to try and cool him off. The softened rays of energy washing over him seemed to do the trick, and he gave her a small smile to show his thanks.
As they went deeper and deeper into the hellish, fiery depths of the mine, they saw more and more tunnels branching off from their main path, hundreds of fire Pokémon passing in and out of view. Many of them were carrying or storing caught game, medicine, and battle items, others resting or building energy from the fires. They knew most of the tunnels were probably recently created by the West Side.
It was then that the full weight of where they were sank in. This was the very heart of the West Side. All their main forces were here. All their massive supplies and resources were stored nearby. All their chief soldiers and commanders received their orders here. And above all, Houndoom was here. Ember was stunned at the size of the lair. It was easily as large as Rypherior's cavern as far as width was concerned, and it took a full seventeen minutes of walking before they even came close to the end.
Eventually, they reached the back of the mine, which seemed relatively empty, save for the incredibly massive fire burning in the back of the room, casting shadows every which way. The other fire Pokémon stepped out of the formation and stood at the rear of the room, blocking the exit in case of an escape attempt. Arcanine stood before Ember and Absol, in front of the raging bonfire.
"You're about to meet our leader, so don't try anything abnormally stupid," he warned.
Absol chuckled a bit. "For him to go to all this trouble to find us, he must have something interesting to say. Let's see him already."
Suddenly, the fire behind them blazed even brighter, almost blindingly.
"As you wish," a voice boomed.
Suddenly, a large shadow appeared within the flames. Stepping out of the very fire itself, a black-and-red, four-legged Pokémon with a spiked tail, two large horns on his head, and a skeletal crest on his scruff appeared before them, devilishly backlit by the blazing bonfire. He grinned at them, his shimmering, dagger-like fangs easily visible despite the backlight.
"It's been a long time, eh, Absol?" said Houndoom.
"Not long enough," Absol muttered.
"I see my soldiers had to poison you. What a pity. Here, Blaziken, take care of that, will you?"
Blaziken tossed Absol and antidote. Absol drank it down, feeling the poison expelled from his system.
Houndoom turned to Ember, his grin widening.
"And who do we have here?" he asked soothingly.
"Like you don't know," Ember retorted.
Houndoom laughed. "I see she's picked up a few things from you, Absol. Namely, your attitude. Oh, well, nobody's perfect. I trust your stay hasn't been too unpleasant?"
"It just got a whole lot more unpleasant," Absol replied.
Houndoom chuckled again. "You certainly like to hold grudges, it seems. Sadly, I'd prefer to skip the formalities as well. Now, then, what was your name? Ember? Ah, that's a fine name. Anyway, Ember, I was hoping I could persuade you to help our cause against the East Side. I know Absol's probably told you a lot of sordid tales about us, but if you listen to me for a few moments, I think I can convince you we're not all that bad."
"I might have been in a more understanding mood if you hadn't kidnapped us," Ember replied curtly.
"Yes, I'm so sorry about that. I wouldn't have resorted to that method if you were alone, but I knew that with Absol playing guardian to you against us, there was no alternative. Please understand, I mean you no harm."
"Yeah, sure," Absol scoffed. "Just like all the other Pokémon you tricked here."
Houndoom glanced back at Absol. "Are you making a generalization, or are you referring to someone in particular? Yourself, perhaps? Or was it Elsa?"
Ember looked at Absol, seeing him grimace slightly.
"What is he talking about?" she asked.
Houndoom smirked. "Ah, he hasn't told you the story? Well, at least you two will have something to talk about when you help me against the East Side. That is, Ember, if you're willing to assist us."
Ember turned back to Houndoom, surprised that he didn't seem as vicious as Absol described.
"All I've been hearing about lately is why you people want me to join you," she said. "What do you want me to do, anyway?"
"So glad you asked. If you want the truth, I admit, it's mostly for your ability Drought, although I certainly wouldn't mind having a tournament-viable, competitively trained fire type on my side. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find good, EV-trained Fire Pokémon around here. Anyway, it can't have escaped your attention that the East Side is here now, and I'm not entirely confident we have the numbers or resources to hold them off. But if we had your ability on our side—if we had you on our side-our army would be nigh invincible. We could defeat the East Side in a day. Isn't that what you want?"
Ember shrugged. "Am I really the only Ninetails in the entire region who has Drought?"
"Probably not, but you're the only one in the wild. Drought Ninetails are more valuable to trainers as a commodity than to simply be released. The fact that you're here is what makes you unique."
"Well, fine, but how do I know you can be trusted any more than Luxray?"
Houndoom smirked. "I'm sure Absol has told you all about how horrible he thinks we are, but I assure you, he's looking at us from an extremely biased opinion. He's had a few bad run-ins with us, and it's left him with a very sour outlook on our cause. But I promise you, once we regain control over the region, the Pokémon here will have freedom, and you could become one of our highest elites."
"I find that a little hard to believe," Ember said.
"I know it sounds outlandish, but think of all the lives we could help with our resources once the gang wars are over. Think of all the lives you could help when you were given a position of power like the one I'm offering! Doesn't that seem like a cause worth fighting for?"
"Absol tells me that you were the one who started the gang war."
Houndoom nodded condescendingly. "I'm sure he has. In fact, I'm sure he's told you that we're somehow even worse than Luxray, but—"
"I never said that," Absol cut in.
Houndoom looked at him curiously.
"I don't think you're worse than Luxray," Absol continued. "I think you're exactly the same as him. The only difference between you is that while he rules through fear and power, you rule through ignorance and that wagging silver tongue of yours. You even use the same ranking system for your soldiers."
Houndoom chuckled. "Luxray copied me as far as ranking system is concerned. Anyway, I just love how you think you're better than us, despite all the Pokémon you've killed in the past. It's amazing how stubborn you can be sometimes. No wonder you were abandoned by your trainer without a second thought. Twice."
Absol visibly recoiled, as if struck. Satisfied, Houndoom turned back to Ember, smiling.
"Ember, unlike Absol, I'm not going to force you to do what I want you to do. In fact, if you want to leave, go right ahead."
Houndoom nodded toward the fire Pokémon at the back of the room, who stepped out of the way of the exit.
"You mean you're just going to let us go?" Ember asked incredulously.
"Well, no," Houndoom said sadly. "Just you. I'm afraid I can't let Absol go right away. He's a bit too dangerous and unpredictable, as I'm sure you've seen. But you can leave at any time. In fact, why don't you go outside and think over my proposal? Take a little walk, enjoy the fresh air, and when you've decided what you want to do, I'll be right here, waiting for you."
"What if I just run away and don't come back?"
Houndoom shrugged. "That's your choice. There's nothing I can do to stop you. But I'm sure you'll see reason, unlike our friend here. Just think about what I'm offering. I'm not asking you to destroy the East Side, or even fight them, if you don't want to. All I'm asking is that you lend us your power, and in return, I'll do my best to see that you get to live a happy life."
"Absol too?" Ember asked.
"Of course! I'm sure once Absol is done scheming to kill me, we'll all get along famously. We've had our differences in the past, but after the East Side is gone, there will be no reason for any more enmity between us. You two can do whatever you want, live in complete freedom, and you'll have the West Side as your friends and allies."
"If Ember joins you, she'll be dead within a week," Absol spat. "If you put her on the battlefield and make her use Drought, every soldier from the East Side will try to kill her immediately, just like all the other Drought Ninetails you put out there. You must have run out of them since you are going through all this trouble for Ember. You're just making her a bigger target."
Houndoom smiled. "The only difference is that my armies and I can protect her, unlike you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You couldn't even keep Ember safe. We found her and brought her here with almost no trouble, and I even heard you took her through Rypherior's cavern without a second thought. She deserves so much more than that. If it's left up to you, Luxray will have her killed in no time. We can give her a safe and pleasant life here, which is more than you could ever have done for her."
For the third time since they entered the mine, Absol was left speechless. Houndoom turned to Ember once again.
"You've no doubt seen the way the East Side has been spreading terror to the region," he said. "They've been causing oppression and famines wherever they go. Why, I heard that you got caught up in a nasty fight with them when they were trying to kill a herd of Audino."
Ember smirked. "You sure have been hearing a lot of things lately."
Houndoom's eyes widened slightly. He looked at Absol for a moment.
"She really is picking things up from you."
Despite everything, the faintest traces of a grin crossed Absol's features. Houndoom shrugged and turned back to Ember.
"Well, since I'm a caring person, I won't hold that against you," he said. "Anyway, would you like to go outside and think my proposal over, or are you still unconvinced?"
Ember looked down in silence for a long moment. The only sound that could be heard in the mine was the crackling of the bonfire. Finally, she looked at Houndoom again.
"I think you're right, but I don't want to force Absol to do anything he doesn't want to," she said. "If I join you, will you let him go?"
Houndoom grinned widely. "I knew your intelligence matched your looks! Yes, he can go wherever he likes, with my blessing even!"
Absol looked at Ember in shock. "What?! Ember, you can't join that lunatic! You know he just wants to use you to take over the region!"
"How do you know?" Ember shot back. "Maybe you're too quick to judge him. Maybe he just wants to defend the region from the East Side. I think it would be wrong not to help."
"Ember, don't do this, I beg you! I've seen the way he runs things firsthand. You don't know the kinds of lengths he's willing to go to get what he wants! Everything he's offered you is a lie!"
Houndoom chuckled. "My, my, you sound desperate. It certainly suits you."
"Absol, I thought you said you trusted me before," Ember insisted. "This is what I think is the best thing to do."
There was a long, dead silence. Finally, Ember turned and walked over to Houndoom, standing at his side. Absol scoffed, noticing that Houndoom seemed quite pleased with that arrangement.
"Guards, make way for our dear friend to exit the mine," Houndoom said cheerfully. "Absol, you're free to go. I hope you take comfort in knowing you took part in the victory of the West Side."
Absol glared bitterly at Houndoom before dejectedly turning to the exit, glancing sadly at Ember one last time before he did so. When he and Ember weren't looking, Houndoom nodded to the Blaziken standing nearby, who nodded back, receiving the message. The Blaziken decided he would wait until Absol was outside the abandoned town before killing him.
"Now, then, Ember," Houndoom said jovially. "I just want you to know you made a very smart decision in joining us. Is there anything you want? A place to rest? Food, perhaps? I'm at your service."
She thought for a moment. "Well, there is one thing I'd like."
"Anything. Name it."
Ember smiled. "I think I'd like to see your ugly horns twisted around your neck."
She suddenly swung around, blowing Honchkrow away with Fire Blast. He fell screeching to the ground, cawing and flapping his burning feathers wildly. Before the others could even react, Absol had already darted back, launching Psycho Cut at Arcanine. The Lion-like Pokémon was sent reeling across the room, landing with a thud several feet away, groaning. The guards nearby rushed toward them.
Suddenly, Absol jumped forward, reaching out a forepaw and grabbing Houndoom by the throat with his claws. The guards stopped in their tracks when they saw their leader in Absol's grasp. Ember stood at Absol's side, keeping a wary eye on them. Houndoom snarled furiously.
"I guess you're not as smart as I thought," he seethed. "You still refuse to join me after everything I've offered?"
Ember smirked. "Refuse? I never even considered it."
"It's not too late to change your mind, you know. We still have options here."
"We might have options, but you certainly don't," she replied. "Sorry, I guess Absol's good traits rubbed off on me a bit too much. I hope this doesn't put a damper on our relationship."
Houndoom scoffed, his eyes straining to meet Absol's.
"You think this makes any difference?" he asked smugly. "I know all your moves, Absol. Your Sucker Punch won't work since I'm not attacking, Psycho Cut can't damage Dark types, Flamethrower would only power up my Flash Fire and Swords Dance has nothing effective to boost. Even with your claws on my throat, you don't have any ability or move that can even slightly damage me. Ember can't touch me either, since Fire Blast and Will-o-wisp would be absorbed by my ability, Solarbeam takes too long to charge and Hidden Power Ice is too weak, not to mention I'm at least twenty levels higher than both of you. There's a reason I let you two get so close to me. There's nothing you can do."
Absol smiled calmly, though it never reached his eyes.
"You're absolutely right, Houndoom," he replied. "Or, at least, you would be, if Ember hadn't kindly brought me a lovely TM for Stone Edge a few days back."
For the first time, a nervous light crossed Houndoom's eyes. He glanced uneasily at his guards.
"Now, now, boys, let's not do anything hasty," he said. "I think it wouldn't hurt to let Ember and Absol go this time."
The fire Pokémon slowly stepped out of their way.
"Much obliged," Absol said, grinning. "Now, then, let's go, shall we?"
Ember and Absol cautiously dragged Houndoom through the mine. Ember occasionally glanced behind them in case of pursuers. As they proceeded through the tunnels, a few fire Pokémon looked at them in shock and rage. Houndoom signaled them not to approach. He valued his life above all else. Ember and Absol still kept their eyes open for any possible attackers, ready to use Houndoom's Flash Fire-protected body as a shield if needed.
At last, they reached the exit, stepping into the bright sunlight again. Crossing through the town while keeping a careful eye on the myriads of Fire and Dark Pokémon that roamed the streets was no easy task, and occasionally one of them would try to attack, which would be quickly responded to with Absol holding Houndoom in front of the attack while Ember countered with whatever move did the most damage, usually followed by Houndoom warning the aggressor not to attack again.
Finally, they made their way to the edge of the city. There was a massive wall of Fire, Dark, Ghost, Poison, Flying, and Ground Pokémon following them closely, looking for any opportunity to strike. Houndoom smirked.
"So, what do you two think you're going to do?" he asked calmly. "You can't possibly hope to keep me a prisoner for your entire journey to who-knows-where, and killing me will only spell your doom. Maybe you should reconsider my offer while you can still breathe."
"Your advice is duly noted," Absol replied while keeping his eyes on the nearby enemies.
"And ignored," Ember added, also watching carefully.
Suddenly, from behind one of the buildings, Arcanine jumped out at them. Before they could even react, he used Extremespeed and slammed into Absol, knocking him to the side. Houndoom reacted almost instantly, twisting his neck and blasting Absol with Heat Wave. Absol lost his grip and fell backwards, badly injured from the blows.
Ember quickly used a full-strength Hidden Power Ice at point blank, the move crashing into Houndoom and Arcanine. It did very little damage, but it distracted them just long enough for Absol to fire a Stone Edge. He wanted to aim for Houndoom, but Arcanine and his Extremespeed was the bigger threat, so Absol grudgingly blasted him again, knocking him aside. All the nearby West Side Pokémon launched a rushing wave of attacks at them, but Ember and Absol were already running at full speed down the large hill leading away from the town, most of the moves missing as they fled into the tall grass.
Houndoom watched their shrinking forms in the distance, bitterly shaking his head. Arcanine limped over and stood at his side.
"Are you okay, leader?" he asked.
"Am I okay?!" Houndoom yelled irately. "We just had two Pokémon waltz the entire length of our biggest and most heavily fortified base, and you ask me if I'm okay?!"
"Shall I go after them?"
"No, simply chasing them through these valleys won't get us anywhere. Send out the decoy."
Ember and Absol had run for nearly thirty minutes before stopping to catch their breath. After a while, they continued at a brisk walk, ready to start running again at a moment's notice. It was becoming darker now as the sun started to set, the slushy ground beneath them shining a golden yellow.
"Are they still behind us?" Ember asked between breaths.
Absol glanced back through the trees as they entered the forest where they had chased the fake Sawsbuck, his eyes allowing him to see all the way across the rapidly darkening horizon.
"It looks like they've given up, at least as far as direct pursuit is concerned," he said. "Still, it's best to be careful. They probably have a few more tricks up their sleeve."
Ember followed Absol through the woods, jumping at every loud sound she heard. She occasionally thought she saw a Pokémon out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look, nothing was there. She tried to tell herself it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but after what they'd just been through, reason lost out to fear.
As they went, they periodically scanned the woods nearby, moving as swiftly and silently as they could to avoid pursuers. The setting sun causing the snow to turn yellow and orange was a blessing, as Ember's fur was of a similar color, making her harder to see by any hidden enemies. Absol's fur naturally blended in as well.
Suddenly, however, Ember spotted an odd, multi-colored form up ahead. She glanced at Absol, and he gave her the sign that he saw it as well. The two moved far more slowly, creeping on their bellies toward the figure. As they steadily drew closer, Ember began to make out reptilian features on the mostly green creature. At last, she recognized the Pokémon.
It was the Keckleon she met back in the city!
"Absol, wait!" she said when she saw he was about to attack.
Absol paused, looking at her. "What is it?"
"I recognize that Pokémon. It's the Keckleon I met in the city when I was searching for a cure to your poison. He's the one who gave me the TM for Stone Edge. What's he doing all the way out here?"
"I don't know, and I don't like it."
Ember shook her head. "No, no, I'm telling you, he's friendly. He helped me out before. We can trust him."
As they got a better look, they saw that Keckleon was limping slightly, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain. When he saw them, he looked at them pleadingly.
"Ember, it's me, Keckleon! Can you help me?" he called. "I'm injured badly."
"We have to help him," Ember said quickly. "I'll bet the West Side did this. They're probably after him too. Let's heal him."
She was about to run ahead, but Absol held her back.
"He's not even hurt," he warned.
Ember was about to argue, but Absol's firm, authoritative tone and demeanor made her hesitate. She reluctantly began to follow him away from Keckleon. The reptilian Pokémon glared angrily at them as they went.
"Time for plan B," he muttered.
Keckleon suddenly stopped limping and clutching his side. He raised his hands and fired a Shadow Ball at Ember. Absol leapt in the way, taking the attack. He didn't even grunt as the black ball of energy hit him, dissipating. Absol quickly retaliated with a Flamethrower, but the Keckleon was already gone, his camouflaging skills no-doubt at work. Ember stood there, stunned, her mouth hanging open slightly. Why had Keckleon done that?
Without warning, a Rock Slide flew at her from the nearby trees. Absol shoved her out of the way just in time to avoid it. Snapping herself out of her daze, Ember retaliated with a Fire Blast, the flames flying out of sight. She heard a loud cry of pain, realizing she'd hit her target, whatever her target was. From the far left, she saw a streak of fire shoot out from between the trees. Absol dodged to the right, avoiding the Overheat just in time.
At first, Ember was worried that all the flames might cause a forest fire, but she realized the snow and slush would prevent that risk. This was very planned out by the West Side. She quickly looked to the left and right. West Side Pokémon began swarming into the area around them. She made out the form of a Gengar fading in and out of view, and she waited for the right moment to strike. Then, as soon as it got too close, she dodged its Hypnosis and nailed it with another Fire Blast.
On his end, Absol saw a Magmortar tromping up to him. It used Focus Blast, which would have been more than enough to take him down in one shot. But Focus Blast was notoriously inaccurate, and he managed to leap out of the way just in time, firing a Stone Edge as he landed. Then, before the Magmortar could fire again, he finished it off with Sucker Punch.
They were slowly becoming surrounded again. More and more West Side agents were pouring into the woods, cutting off their escape routes. The entire woods had become a battlefield, with energy bolts, flames, stones and other attacks flying in every direction, the snow barely quelling the harsh noise. Absol crushed a Volcarona in one Stone Edge thanks to its weak type, the powerful bug Pokémon smashing through a tree as it fell out of the sky.
Suddenly, a Toxicroak leapt out at Ember, nailing her with Poison Jab. She felt the wind get knocked out of her as she fell back, but she managed to hit the toad-like Pokémon with Fire Blast, knocking it out. She didn't dare use Drought, since it would power up any other fire Pokémon they faced as well. Nearby, Absol shot a Stone Edge into the air, shooting down a Mandibuzz. He also fired another Stone Edge and knocked out a Heatmor before it could burn him.
Ember saw a Darmanitan charging at her, and she quickly used Fire Blast, which didn't do too much damage to its fire-infused body. She didn't have any other moves that could damage it as much, so she tried a Hidden Power Ice, which did almost nothing. The beast reared back, about to use Close Combat, but thankfully Absol took it out with Psycho Cut a second before it reached her, quickly turning back to engage a nearby Drapion.
A Weavile bolted at Ember, moving at incredible speeds. It used Night Slash, cutting her side. She felt a burning agony as its horrible, jagged claws raked across her side and forepaw. She tried to use Fire Blast, but nothing happened. Shocked, she tried again, but nothing came out, save for a few tiny sparks. Then, the horrible realization hit her.
She was out of Power Points for Fire Blast!
She swiftly used Will-o-wisp, which burned the Weavile and held it back for the moment. Ember quickly made a calculation. She and Absol always made sure to carry any extra Ether and Elixir they found to restore Power Points after every battle, but she couldn't reach the bag in time while they were fighting off so many Pokémon.
"Absol, I'm running out of shots!" she called over her shoulder. "What's the plan?"
Absol tried to launch another Stone Edge, but he saw that he was out of Power Points for that as well. Realizing she was right, he turned and used a Psycho Cut on one of the largest nearby trees. The move sliced right through the base, causing the tree to topple over and crash down, smashing into several of the fire Pokémon and blocking the other agents' path.
"Here's the plan: Run for it!" he shouted.
Ember and Absol quickly ran out of the forest, moving as fast as they could while avoiding any stray shots from their hindered pursuers. Absol's idea of collapsing the tree seemed to work quite well, as they weren't followed out of the woods right away. Once they were certain they were a safe distance Ember and Absol stopped in the nearby plains, ducking into the tall grass.
"Well, that was close," Absol said between breaths.
"You mean that they almost caught us?" Ember asked.
"No, I mean that if they did, those would have been horrible last words."
Despite everything, Ember found herself laughing a bit. However, she then remembered she was out of Power Points, and that their enemies would soon be upon them.
"I'm all out of Fire Blasts," she said. "How about you?"
Absol nodded. "I'm empty on Stone Edges, and I've got almost no Sucker Punches left either. Let's check the bag."
Absol slung the bag onto the ground, opening it up. When he looked inside, he snarled angrily.
"We're all out of Ether and Elixir," he said.
Ember bitterly muttered a highly vulgar curse. Absol raised an eyebrow.
"Where did you learn that vocabulary?" he asked.
"My master."
"Ah."
Suddenly, they heard a loud bang and crash nearby, followed by several battle cries.
"Here they come," Absol murmured. "We'll have to make do with what we have, then find a way to restore our Power Points later."
Ember nodded, though she was beginning to feel very weak for some reason. She shrugged it off, forcing herself to get ready for battle as the noises and cries drew nearer. Finally, the enemy arrived, charging at them and roaring angrily. They saw the burned Weavile and wounded Mandibuzz in the lead. Next to them were a Simisear, a Chandelure, a Stoutland and a Mismagius. And at the very back of their forces was the Blaziken from before, obviously the Hunting Leader.
The two ran to meet them, Absol using Flamethrower on the Weavile and Ember using Hidden Power Ice on the Mandibuzz, knocking them both out immediately. The Chandelure used Calm Mind, boosting its special stats. Absol quickly used his last Sucker Punch on the Mismagius before it could strike them both with Ominous Wind, taking the ghost Pokémon out.
The Stoutland used Retaliate, coming at Ember in what was sure to be a killing blow. She swiftly used Will-o-wisp just in time to soften the blow, but it still felt like getting smashed by a train. It was all she could do to remain conscious. She managed to stand up just in time to avoid a Shadow Ball from Chandelure, Absol striking the ghost Pokémon back with Psycho Cut.
The move did a solid amount of damage, but it wasn't enough to take out the Chandelure. The Simisear fired off a Focus Blast at Absol. He tried to dodge, but apparently his luck had run out. The move connected, sending him flying backwards. He landed painfully on the ground, quivering from the force of the attack.
Enraged, Ember charged to his side, keeping the other Pokémon at bay with a spread of Hidden Power Ice attacks. With her free paw, she quickly went through the still open trainer bag, managing to pull free their last Hyper Potion. As soon as she saw an opening, she quickly gave it to Absol, who managed to open it up and take a dose.
Revitalized, he leapt back up just in time to bathe Stoutland with a close-range Flamethrower before it could reach Ember again, finally taking the burned Pokémon down. Meanwhile, Ember charged up a Solarbeam, waiting for the opportune moment to use it. The Simisear launched another Focus Blast, but this time, Absol managed to avoid it. He struck back with another Psycho Cut, but before the Simisear could even recover from that, Ember stepped forward and used her Solarbeam, blasting it away. Simisear was finished.
The Blaziken watched and waited at a safe distance, slowly building up his ability Speed Boost. Chandelure launched a Flamethrower, Ember and Absol carefully avoiding the single attack. Ember charged up another Solarbeam. The Chandelure saw this and used Shadow Ball, but Absol leapt in the way again and took the un-effective attack, which hurt a little more thanks to Calm Mind but was still tolerable.
Ember used Solarbeam, which only slightly hurt the Chandelure. Absol followed it up with a Psycho Cut, the only move he had left that could even damage it. Thankfully, that seemed to be enough. The Chandelure let out an eerie moan and collapsed, its flames going out.
Ember and Absol, weary, weakened and nearly out of moves and items, turned to face their last opponent. The Hunting Leader scrutinized them with interest.
"Houndoom was right about you two," Blaziken said. "You certainly have what it takes to join the West Side, maybe even as commanders."
"Too bad he'll never get the chance to find out," Absol retorted. "Now either stand and fight, or do what all you West Side leaders do best: run away."
Blaziken laughed. "My ability Speed Boost slowly increases my movement speed the longer I'm in battle. I'm at maximum speed now. You can't hit me, and you can't escape. You're helpless."
"Don't bet on it."
Smirking, the Hunting Leader took his combat stance, eyeing Ember and Absol warily. The two circled him from the left and right sides, waiting to strike.
Absol quickly used Psycho Cut, but Blaziken swiftly dodged the move, counter attacking with Sky Uppercut. This time, it was Ember who ran forward to take the attack in Absol's stead. Blaziken smashed her full force with the move, sending her flying backwards. Enraged, Absol leapt over Ember and aimed a Psycho Cut at the surprised Blaziken, nailing him dead-on with the super-effective move. Blaziken was flung through the air for several feet before crashing to the ground.
It was a critical hit.
Although it appeared that Blaziken was finished, Absol decided to make sure. While Blaziken struggled to stand back up in a daze, Absol slowly aimed and launched one last Psycho Cut. The move was too much for the weakened Hunting Leader. Blaziken collapsed to the ground, unmoving. Absol walked over and checked for a pulse. Nothing. Blaziken was dead.
Ember slowly opened her eyes, traces of the familiar black mist on her vision. She was feeling even weaker than before, but she supposed it was natural after a battle like that. Still, it didn't feel natural. In fact, she felt very sick. She was immensely relieved to see Absol coming toward her. She also saw Blaziken lying nearby. When Absol saw the look in her eyes, he glanced at the unmoving form of the Hunting Leader as well.
"I had no choice," he said. "If I let Blaziken live, he would have come after us again with a bigger force."
"No, I'm not upset about that," she quickly reassured him.
Ember slowly stood, her legs quivering slightly. Absol looked at her again, concerned.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I don't know…I feel kind of sick. Maybe a little dizzy, too."
Absol put his surprisingly warm paw on her shoulder and carefully scrutinized her wounds. She knew he was only thinking of her health, but it was all she could do to avoid blushing as his eyes moved up and down, examining every injured part of her body.
"Were you hit by any poison attacks during the fight?" he asked.
Ember thought back, remembering the moves used in the woods.
"I think a Toxicroak got me with a Poison Jab," she replied.
"Is your head throbbing?"
"A little, yeah."
Absol nodded slowly. "Then there's no doubt about it. You've been poisoned."
Ember felt a brief stab of panic, but it faded as Absol pulled a Full Restore they found near the contest hall out of the bag. He placed the nozzle in her mouth, giving her a full dose. She drank the slightly bitter contents down, beginning to feel refreshed. The only wound on her body that didn't close or stop bleeding was the nasty cut she received from Weavile. She felt greatly relieved, knowing the poison was expelled from her system.
"Was that what it felt like?" she asked.
Absol nodded, taking a Super Potion from the bag and drinking it down. He looked at the large gash on her forepaw.
"That's a pretty nasty cut there," he said. "I'm surprised the Full Restore didn't get rid of it."
"Yeah, the Weavile gave it to me when we were in the woods," Ember replied bitterly.
"Weavile are known for that. They take pride in cleaving flesh from bone in every strike. Blaziken's last attack probably didn't help much, either. We should bandage that before it gets infected, especially considering you were just poisoned."
Absol rummaged through the bag, looking for a suitable material. He suddenly raised an eyebrow. Ember felt a pang of guilt as Absol pulled out the ribbon she found back in the abandoned Contest Hall.
"Was this the ribbon you were wearing before?" he asked.
"I…uh…thought it looked nice, so…I kind of put it in the bag when you weren't looking. Sorry."
Absol chuckled, using it to dress the wound. The ribbon made a surprisingly good bandage. He carefully tied it around Ember's paw, covering the cut and stopping the bleeding. Ember glanced at it admiringly.
"Well, I've always wanted to wear one of these, but I didn't think it would be like this," she said.
She said it with such a straight face that it made Absol burst out laughing. He looked back at the forest after a few moments, seeing the myriads of unconscious and dead West Side agents littering the ground.
"I think that's the last of them for now," he said. "We can relax for a while. I doubt that Keckleon stuck around to see the results of the fight anyway."
Ember nodded, still a little crestfallen that Keckleon was a West Side agent.
"Hey, Absol, how did you know Keckleon was setting up that ambush?" she asked.
"I've been on both ends of that trick before."
Ember's eyes widened slightly. She was at a loss for words for a moment.
"Oh…" was all she got out.
There was a brief silence as they watched the last few moments of the sunset, Ember contemplating what Absol said. It was almost impossible to picture Absol doing what Keckleon did. Finally, she looked back at him.
"You used to work for Houndoom, didn't you?" she asked gently.
Absol nodded sadly. "It was a few years ago. I'll tell you the whole story some other time when we're not in possible danger, if that's okay."
Ember nodded as well, deciding not to press the matter. She knew he would tell her everything when he was ready.
"Oh, and Ember…thanks," Absol added.
"Huh? What for?"
"…For sticking with me instead of joining Houndoom."
Ember laughed. "Oh, come on, it wasn't even a contest. Thank you for trusting me."
"Wait a minute…are you trying to tell me that you planned that whole thing out from the beginning?"
Ember grinned sheepishly. "Well, no…I guess most of it just came to me as I went along."
Absol smiled. He then glanced at the skies, which had long since fully darkened.
"We should get some rest. It's been a long day."
Chapter 11: An Old Friend