Here's chapter three. Our favorite female Zangoose makes an important decision, and we get a good look at Seviper's resolve. Now if Razara could only come up with a nickname for Seviper…
Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Enter Team Crush Fang
The next morning, the Poké Pals Guild started the day off with their morning cheers, and with Thomas the early riser back in town, that meant getting up an hour earlier. Either that or a wandering and bored Riolu.
"How can he survive on six hours of sleep…?" Piplup yawned. "It doesn't make sense… The guy's a nut…"
"I think it's awe-inspiring. And at least we know that that's our navigator/strategist in there," Chimchar said with a smile. "If his IQ really stayed the same, then he could go to Luminous Spring and evolve into Lucario anytime. So why wait?"
"By that logic, we could evolve anytime we wanted, too. We're beyond the required level," Piplup yawned.
"Do you need to hit the hay for a couple more hours, Master?" Chimchar asked teasingly.
"Yeah. Can you guys hand out assignments?" Piplup nodded drowsily and requested.
"Yes, of course, Guild Master," Chimchar and Thomas said as they saluted him.
"Thanks. Okay, you all listen up! Chimchar and Thomas the Riolu are putting you up to your assignments today! I'm going into my chamber for a nap…" Piplup announced and waddled back into his chamber.
"Okay! Excadrill, as per usual, you'll update the boards. Team Poké Friends, you'll do assignments from the Job Bulletin and Outlaw Notice Boards," Thomas assigned.
"Marill, Pachirisu, and Azurill, we need you to take a quick trip to Oran Forest and stock up on as many Oran Berries as you can find. You're all pretty strong for young kids, so we trust it'll be a breeze," Chimchar assigned.
"Basically, you're sending my brother and Pachirisu on a date and you want me to chaperone!" Azurill giggled as Marill and Pachirisu's faces turned Cheri Berry red.
"Minccino and Eevee are on sentry duty. Lastly, Spoink, you'll also be taking up jobs," Thomas concluded.
"I can't believe that it's him," Snivy muttered, referring to Thomas.
"This is even loonier than me," Pidove remarked quietly.
"How does anyone just change like that?" Spoink wondered.
"I'm getting a lot of bewildered stares from you all… Yes, it's really me. I don't know why I'm a Riolu now, but I'm not complaining. Now, come on! Work doesn't do itself!" Thomas said encouragingly. "Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!"
"HOORAY!" the apprentices cheered and got to work.
Eevee, who was beneath the sentry grate, spotted Seviper. She called out, "Pokémon detected!"
"Whose footprint?" Minccino called from inside the guild.
"Uh…there is none! It looks like a serpent's body. Uh… Oh! It's Seviper! The Pokémon is Seviper!" Eevee called back. "Hey, Seviper! You know, you're a well liked guy!"
"What?" Seviper hissed into the grate, confused.
"Well, you seem like the kind of guy that females would love to be around," Eevee elaborated, trying not to completely spill out her friend and ex-client's feelings. "Do you happen to have your eye on someone?"
"Well…yesss," Seviper confessed. "I guessss Oshawott never got the chance to tell you. I've fallen for Razara…"
"The Zangoose?" Eevee asked, partly surprised to hear him say that. She had hoped that he would reciprocate Razara's feelings, but she never believed it would actually happen.
"Yesss. The very sssame one that wasss ressscued a few daysss ago," Seviper admitted.
"Wow! Well, I hope it works out well for you two. I'm pulling for you!" Eevee exclaimed supportively. This made Seviper do what would be a snake's version of smiling. In spite of how bizarre the union of a Zangoose and a Seviper sounded, there were Pokémon who believed that it could work.
Seviper slithered inside to find Team Razor Wind, and his blood started to boil. Trying to ignore his instinctive anger, he went over to the Outlaw Notice Board and looked at the bounties. There was a job to catch the outlaw Barbaracle, who was last seen in hiding near the Concealed Ruins. He decided on that job. The reward was, after the Poké Pals Guild's share was subtracted, 700 Poké. He was about to grab it with his blade-like tail when he was suddenly tail-to-claw with the Zangoose of Team Razor Wind. He hissed, "What, Zangoossse? You want thisss?"
"Yeah. You got a problem with that?" Zangoose asked roughly, ready to rumble in a moment's notice.
"Asss a matter of fact, I do. After all, I saw it firssst," Seviper hissed menacingly.
"Zangoose, c-come on! We can take another job!" Sandslash begged, not wanting his leader to start a fight inside the guild.
"Yeah! There are plenty of stronger outlaws for us to take on!" Scyther agreed as he started to pull his friend away.
"Keep your scaly self away from my sister!" Zangoose warned.
"I sssaved her life and she herssself sssaid that she enjoysss my company!" Seviper spat at him.
"Razara said that?" Zangoose ceased struggling to stand his ground against Scyther's pull. "Well…if that's how it is…and even though I don't like it, I'll accept how she feels. But if you even think of hurting her, blood will answer blood."
"Agreed," Seviper seethed and took the Barbaracle job, leaving a growling Zangoose with his concerned teammates.
In the Concealed Ruins, he made his way down until he eventually caught up to Barbaracle. He readied himself, knowing that not only was Barbaracle very strong, but also that the Collective Pokémon's appendages had minds of their own. It would be like trying to predict the movements of seven opponents at once. The head of Barbaracle asked, "So you intend to catch us?"
"You refer to yourssself in the plural tenssse, but you are one entity. Interesssting," Seviper remarked. "I've heard that SSSpiritomb ssspeak in a sssimilar manner."
"Don't ignore us!" Barbaracle roared at him. "Explorers will never catch the Powerhouse Barbaracle!"
That's right. Barbaracle is strong as it is, but his abilities are Tough Claws, which raises physical attack power, and Sniper, which gives a deadly boost to direct hits! I've got to stay sharp! Seviper thought. I'm not exploring for my sake anymore, but for Razara as well. I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of her!
"Take this! Stone Edge!" Barbaracle fired the first attack. Seviper, making use of his flexible body, charged forward and dodged the razor sharp stones simultaneously. He planned to use Bite when he had an opening. He was getting closer and closer. Wait for it… Wait for it… He lunged, but was swatted out of the way by one of Barbaracle's arms. "Nice try, snake boy!"
"I'll show you!" Seviper hissed. "Have a tassste of my Poissson Fang, jerk!" He slithered in a zigzag pattern, trying to confuse the outlaw. He lunged again. Again, an arm came out at him, but he coiled around it this time. "That won't get me twice! I'm not fighting for myssself, sssee! There'sss sssomeone important to me that I have to prove myssself worthy of!" He bite into the Water- and Rock-type's hard body, trying to poison his foe.
"Nnh! Why you! We don't care about that! We're only here for the treasure and it matters not who gets in the way, worm!" Barbaracle shouted, smashing Seviper into the ancient stone wall. Dazed, Seviper coughed up some blood and loosened his grip on Barbaracle, falling onto the floor of the ruins.
"I will defeat you…" Seviper groaned. His head was pounding, but he couldn't give up. Razara would never take him as a mate if he gave up so easily. "Poison Fang!" Lunging at Barbaracle's leg, Seviper bit in, injecting as much poison as he could.
"Get off!" Barbaracle yelled as he kicked the viper off.
This isn't good! I'm running low on energy… Vision…blurry… Seviper grimaced.
"Get ready! Here we come!" Barbaracle warned, crossing his arms. "Cross Chop!" He was about to chop down on Seviper when something got in the way, intercepting with long claws.
"I thought you needed a helping paw," a sweet, beautiful voice giggled. Seviper's eyes widened in wonder. It was Razara!
"Drat…the arm and leg he bit…they are going numb…" Barbaracle groaned, Seviper's poison eating away at his strength. It certainly seemed to slow him down.
"Now, you're going down!" Razara assured Barbaracle. "Iron Tail!" With her fluffy tail turning steely, she smacked Barbaracle. "Now, follow up with Crush Claw!" She swiped at him with her sharp claws. In spite of the type disadvantage that the move had, it did very well against the outlaw. "I'll finish it with Thunderbolt!" She promptly zapped Barbaracle, knocking him out.
"Razara…" Seviper moaned, tears coming to his eyes.
"I owe you, you know," Razara reminded him with a smile. "The more I've thought about it, the more I think that what I'm about to ask is the best way to make it up to you."
"What are you…?" Seviper started to ask.
"Will you form an exploration team with me?" Razara asked. Seviper focused on the female Zangoose's eyes to stay conscious enough to nod. Excited, she exclaimed, "Alright! Then from this day forth, we're Team Crush Fang!"
"Team Crush Fang… I love it…" Seviper told her, almost blurting out that he loved her. "It'sss been a while sssince I've worked with othersss. I think I'll enjoy thisss…"
"And that Barbaracle is our first arrest," Razara decided. She gave Seviper an Oran Berry, and then she trussed up Barbaracle a smidgeon on the tight side.
Later, at the guild, Piplup was registering Razara as an official explorer and, therefore, was officiating Team Crush Fang. Piplup announced, "All registered! Chimchar, ready the towels!"
"Say what…?" Razara barely asked as Piplup blasted her with Hydro Pump. She was soon soaked and began to shake her drenched fur dry. Chimchar gave her a towel, and that was when she noticed her new Explorer Badge. "The gem is silver…"
"Well, you've formed a team with a Silver Rank explorer. What'd you expect?" Piplup asked rhetorically.
"Congratulations, Razara!" Thomas congratulated her. He turned to Seviper and said, "Congrats to you, too, Seviper!"
"Thank you…" Seviper absentmindedly thanked him. He blushed and thought of all the good times he would soon have with Razara.
"Actually, we could probably stand to have new guild members. You feel up to it?" Piplup offered. Razara looked hopefully at Seviper. There was no way he could have said no. They were teammates now, not to mention he didn't want to displease her, so all he could do was nod.
"Yes! Oh, thank you, Seviper! Remind me to give you a nickname later!" Razara exclaimed and kissed Seviper between the eyes.
"Alright! Our head count is up to thirteen!" Thomas exclaimed.
"Welcome, welcome!" Piplup welcomed them into the guild. "Welcome, dear new friends! Since Seviper has prior experience, we won't go through the basic training that we do with everyone else."
"Ooh! I can't wait to be your student, Seviper!" the she-Zangoose exclaimed as she cuddled up to him.
"We ought to get you a school girl uniform!" Thomas humorously suggested.
"What's a school girl?" Razara asked. She was confused, as was everyone else. "Is that a human thing?"
"Well…yeah," the Riolu admitted.