Chapter 23

Gathering

Fi dipped her two-tone tail into the wash basin once again. Her mother said that when she was still an Eevee, she would soak and comb her tail three times in a row. Three it was for her mother, so three times it would be for Fi. Even when darkened by moisture, the almond and hazelnut colors were beautiful together. She could already picture her bushy tail gleaming once the sun rose a bit higher, as it did every day.

Fi dragged her comb through the long, silky strands of her tail using her mouth. Though her tail was soaking wet, saturating the woolen towel beneath it, the sensation of the comb smoothing and shaping her fur was wonderful as always. Her sister had used the comb every day until she became a Leafeon and her tail transformed into an embodiment of her new element. However, she hadn't passed it onto Fi until a few days ago, when she'd fled Blindhollow. A parting gift that Fi cherished by putting it to good use. As long as she groomed her tail with the comb every day, her sister didn't feel quite as far away. Maybe she was thinking of Fi right now in return, wherever she might be.

With her tail in prime condition, Fi lugged both the wash basin and her bucket back into her room. The house was empty nowadays. Empty of occupants, save herself. Empty of sound, of movement, of joy. Empty of life. Its location on the outer ring of Blindhollow only exacerbated the solitude of Fi's daily existence. Even though most of her friends and acquaintances in Blindhollow had not managed to get away, they were never in the mood for conversation anymore. Always, it was discussion of what needed to be done for the day, or what they'd lost, or Raizula's newest law. Serious matters. Fi curled up with her tail in front of her nose.

Amidst her planning for the eleventh time how to flee Blindhollow without being seen, her ear twitched. Someone was coming...from outside? From outside Blindhollow? That meant a traveler who would have to pay the toll, or worse. A traveler who was wasting their time coming to what was once a wonderful tourist destination, but was now the last place anyone would want to be. Why were they coming here? Hadn't word spread? Wouldn't every Pokémon know by now not to visit Blindhollow?

Now Fi could tell the sound was coming from multiple 'mon tramping down the western path toward the outer ring in Blindhollow's design of concentric rings of buildings. To be more precise, they were walking toward her house! She peeked around her doorway, and her heart fell. None of them had any possessions on them, which meant they couldn't pay the toll.

In the lead were a Cyndaquil and a Squirtle. She recognized them immediately as the pair who had been caught by Keer the Mandibuzz and brought before Raizula a few days ago at dawn. They'd been lucky to be released having only offered a seed. Fi had envied them as they walked cautiously out of town without penalty. She couldn't fathom why were they coming back.

Their demeanor was entirely different now though. They walked not quite with a confident swagger, but nonetheless evenly and with determination. The Cyndaquil's expression was hard to read, but the Squirtle's jaw was set. His eyes focused on her. Fi wanted to shrink out of sight, but they'd all seen her now. Hiding would be pointless if they wanted to talk to her. Besides, there was some emotion in the Squirtle's eyes when he looked at her. Sympathy, or even just the desire to speak with her.

Dwarfing the two small Pokémon in the lead were Hayzin and Viper. She knew both of them well, since she'd hatched in Blindhollow and gotten to know all the townsfolk. Viper was the boisterous type, always challenging others to battles or spending days fighting wilders for practice. Hayzin she liked better because of the stories from far and wide he would tell. With Hayzin, you knew every word was true and factual. Were it only Hayzin and Viper, she would have called out to them and asked them why they'd come back, but the strangers surrounding them and their sense of purpose stopped her.

Amazingly, those two were looking around Blindhollow cautiously, as if they hadn't lived there for years. Viper had that characteristic challenge in her red eyes. Fi suspected that was more from habit, and less from a desire to take on anyone in the town. Hayzin eyed the familiar surroundings more passively, like he was soaking up the mood. When he saw her peeking out, a small smile appeared on the end of his muzzle. She barely managed to return it.

A Cubone was in the back of the group. Fi could see it through Hayzin's legs. She wasn't sure what to make of it, thanks to the skull covering its face. It looked to be holding its bone really tightly, but maybe it always did.

"Come with us," said the Cyndaquil once they'd all arrived at the doorstep of her family's erstwhile home. His voice was low, but expressive. "Today we're ending the rule of Raizula. Everyone in Blindhollow can join us."

Fi couldn't help but sputter out a laugh. She looked incredulously at Hayzin and Viper. Using head gestures, both of them silently suggested she return her attention to the Cyndaquil. Their expressions were serious. She complied, focusing again on the little Cyndaquil. He was only an unevolved 'mon, and though his words were steady, he didn't sound completely convinced himself. In fact, his words sounded rehearsed. They didn't flow like casual speech. Fi was not the boldest Tauros in the herd, but her sister used to always remark on how perceptive she was.

"You met with Raizula. You know what she's capable of! She's not alone, either. What are you going to do against them?"

One of the Cyndaquil's hind legs began inscribing circles in the dirt. He appeared to glance at the Squirtle, who shook his head faintly, before facing her once again.

"You'll see, if you come with us. You shouldn't have to live under a 'mon like Raizula. No one should. Not here, not in Heartless Heights, not in Wildfire Fields, not anywhere!" His leg stopped. "We're going to fix Blindhollow. Will you come with us and see?"

All five of them watched for her answer. She tried to bury her face in her furry collar, but as always, couldn't bend her neck enough to do it. The attention of so many on her was intimidating. How could she give an answer when they weren't even letting her think?

"Listen," the Cyndaquil continued. She twisted her ears forward even more to better hear him. "All you'd have to do is follow behind us. No danger, no eyes on you. I think I know how you feel." He chuckled. "Never thought I'd be doing this, myself. I really think it'll be okay in the end. Come with us, please?"

Viper's head was almost quivering with what looked like a great effort to keep her mouth shut. Her bladed tail slashed the air above her. Hayzin gave Fi a nod and another soft smile, but she could tell it was a show to make her feel at ease. The Cubone was inscrutable and made no reaction, but the Squirtle smiled and nodded as well. She didn't know him at all, but she guessed that was a show too.

The Cyndaquil at least sounded sincere. By the time he'd finished talking, she knew everything he said couldn't have been a preplanned speech. His enthusiasm was almost infectious. The fact that he was traveling with two 'mon she'd known all her life meant that he was trustworthy to a degree, too. What did she have to lose? She'd go with them, but only so long as she wasn't involved in any confrontation with Raizula and her close supporters. And only so long as she could stay out of the focus of attention.

"Alright, I'll come with you. Where are we going?"

The Cyndaquil gave a little cheer, throwing his forelimbs up. "Next we're going to visit your neighbor, whoever that might be!"

Not bad, Squirtle thought as they moved onto the next building in the ring with the Eevee in tow. Whether it was a house, a shop, a cafe, a bank, or even Wartortle's Seed Nursery, the plan was to vacate the building of all of its Pokémon and keep moving. With luck, the plan would continue smoothly as they spiraled down to the center of Blindhollow. Then...well, he didn't want to think about then.

Fortunately Viper had been able to master her urges to blather some encouragement to the Eevee during Quil's speech. One of the purposes of gathering Blindhollow's residents was to radiate confidence and competence, not to get friendly with everyone. Not only was there insufficient time for that, but Squirtle needed to properly prep their group's appearance and reputation should they somehow succeed at Blindhollow. In spite of the plan, Quil's speech had derailed and become something more organic. Squirtle allowed himself to relax though. What Quil said had worked. More support for the decision Squirtle had made in Cavetown for Quil to do most of the talking.

The evolution of Axew waited at the next door. Squirtle could not recall its name, despite the restoration of most of his memory. Broken? Breaker? Something like that. Quil began his dialogue the same way as with the Eevee, word for word. The rest of them remained silent. Squirtle tried to look encouraging and fearless.

"You're ending her rule?" the Pokémon exclaimed, and his voice grew fierce. "Let's go! She'll pay for her attitude. She thinks she's the Kyurem of Blind Prairie, she does. What are we waiting for?" He leaped out next to Viper, who had to bend her body to avoid a red-tipped tusk.

Squirtle traded a look with Quil. That was easy, his face said.

As the group continued, growing all the while, Squirtle found that most of Blindhollow's denizens had a disposition somewhere between the Eevee's and the evolved Axew's. Some needed no persuasion, others needed firm encouragement. Sometimes, Squirtle motioned for Bein at the back to prod or otherwise get some of their timid followers to step out of the crowd for visibility. He figured the Pokémon they were trying to persuade would see the Eevee, for example, and join them if only to not be that one Pokémon who stayed behind. Other times, the Pokémon they were trying to convince would take one look at Hayzin, and join them at once. Evidently his Electric typing was enough confidence for them.

Some Pokémon they met were unashamedly eager to shake things up at Blindhollow, but some only agreed to follow and watch whatever was bound to unfold from a safe distance. Some displayed no reluctance at openly displaying their allegiance to Squirtle and Quil. Yet one Scraggy, in the second-to-outermost ring of structures calmly explained that they were bound to fail before Raizula's superior might and leadership. That comment nettled Squirtle's ego, and he fought to keep his mouth shut. Quil looked more deflated than angry, and moved on without defending himself.

Not every Pokémon agreed to tag along and observe the proceedings. Squirtle secretly smiled when he noticed three out of every four that claiming they would stay put had nonetheless stepped into the trailing crowd at some point. Hardly anyone was willing to miss what was about to happen. His smile soured when he realized once again exactly how responsible he was for the fate of Blindhollow. If he could not pull his weight, if his plan was faulty, if he made a misstep, everyone would know and everyone would suffer for it.

By the time they arrived at the halfway point in their downward spiral through Blindhollow, Pokémon were coming outside of their own accord to see the commotion. Most entered the crowd soon after to ask whomever they knew best what was happening. That saved Quil the trouble of having to stop at doors and convince the Pokémon to follow them. Their door-to-door displays of bravado had become a self-sustaining parade.

Squirtle eyed the Flying-types circling the crowd, and wondered if Chando the Charizard could hear the fuss on the surface from within his dark cell. Of course the Charizard had not made an appearance, but a different familiar face had: Wartortle. It was neither the place nor the time for a conversation, but Wartortle made his support clear in the grave nod he gave Squirtle from the crowd's outskirts. In Wartortle's arms were ten or twenty seeds in a variety of shapes and sizes. Squirtle lacked the expertise to identify them with alacrity, but he certainly recognized a couple. He wondered why the Wartortle was carrying seeds around with him before being distracted by a glimpse of the water at the crater's center.

Now outside the innermost ring, Squirtle could see the watering hole through the alleys between buildings. The sight stirred a longing in Squirtle's heart as usual, but the feeling was demolished by the sight of Raizula atop her treasure hoard. Unlike the first time he and Quil had met her, she was standing in front of her throne. She faced the huge gathering of Pokémon making the final circuit around Blindhollow, the picture of brooding malevolence. Eyes narrowed, lips frowning, ears twisted backward and down, tail swishing restlessly behind her.

Squirtle tried to stare daringly at her from his position at the head of the crowd, but when sparks fell from her cheeks, he lost his courage. He looked instead to the skies and spotted Keer in the air above Raizula's hoard, no doubt gathering an accurate report for Raizula's ears. The Sandslash and Persian were also present in the same positions as they had been a few days prior, even though the hoard had become larger. The Persian, for one, looked rather uncomfortable, which raised Squirtle's spirits some.

At last, the moment arrived. Quil, Squirtle, Hayzin, Viper, and Bein continued their march directly into the center of town. Here there was nowhere to hide. Here, Blindhollow would learn its future. Squirtle stopped forty feet away from Raizula, the Sandslash, and the Persian, with the pool of water on his right. Forty feet was too far to be comfortable speaking distance, but with a hostile Electric-type on the other side of those forty feet, even that distance was barely large enough to offer a measure of comfort. Keer swooped down out of the sky, landing on Raizula's chair back and beginning to murmur through her beak into Raizula's ear.

Squirtle stole a glance behind him over his aqua blue tail and stifled a 'No!' of disappointment. Very few of the Pokémon they gathered had joined them in actually approaching Raizula for a confrontation. The Axew evolution, a Turtwig, and a Herdier were the only ones. The rest of the crowd was spreading out so that each Pokémon could see and hear what was said. The encircling movement naturally resulted in a half-circle of spectators far enough from the action to probably be safe, but close enough to not have their view obstructed by the inner buildings.

If it came to an all-out brawl, Squirtle conceded that their forces outnumbered Raizula's, but he also knew that Keer, the Persian, and the Sandslash were not to be underestimated. The individual skill and experience of the combatants were greater determinants of any fight's outcome than the numbers on each side. They would need all the help they could get. With luck, one or two of the Flying-types circling Blindhollow's center would dive down to help them if a battle broke out. The silhouette of a Pidgeot high above was especially threatening.

The movement of the crowd ceased. Every one of them was quiet. No growling, no whispering. They had an air of expectation. Squirtle wanted to say they seemed hopeful and excited, but their expressions told him the reverse. After all, even those who'd been so enthusiastic and supportive when Quil spoke to them had now abandoned them for the safety of the crowd when a showdown seemed imminent. If Squirtle had to guess, he would say that the Pokémon of Blindhollow were here to see what happened, not in anticipation of a successful revolution.

Did Raizula appear that invulnerable to them? Surely she could be brought down, one way or the other. Couldn't she? Raizula faced them down with a deep frown. The Sandslash and Persian had stood up from their relaxed positions, and Keer the Mandibuzz watched attentively from the back of Raizula's throne.

The plan called for Quil to start talking right about now. Squirtle watched his friend's fire with his peripheral vision. If it began to falter, he would do his best to speak. That was part of the personal plan he had for himself. His fear was groundless, as Quil projected his voice even louder than his usual. He'd had practice as of late.

"Raizula, I said this the last time we met, and now I say it again because nothing has changed. What you're doing here in Blindhollow is wrong! Pokémon should not have their lives controlled by a ruler they never asked for. Pokémon everywhere should be free to hold onto what is dear to them. Pokémon should be able to freely enter and leave communities, and to travel or settle as they please."

Quil shuddered, and the vibration was visible in his fire as well. His voice quieted but swelled in conviction. "It's wrong, so wrong how the Pokémon around you are forced to live. Can't you see that? Can't you see the injustice you've created? Just because you're a Zapper with all of that power, doesn't mean you're any better than the other Pokémon here. It doesn't mean you're allowed to abuse everyone around you!"

For a moment, as the sound of his shout faded from the air, Squirtle saw Raizula's expression soften. Quil's words might be making an impact.

"I'm only a Cyndaquil, but I won't watch this suffering continue while doing nothing. My family lives in a grassland a lot like this one, and I would never wish this kind of life on them. I'm here shouting up at you Raizula not only because it's the right thing to do, but because I would do the same for my family!"

When Quil spoke next, he used the level tone of voice with which he'd first spoke. Back to the rehearsed speech.

"I ask you now to step down from the throne you've built at the cost of your fellow Blindhollow and Blind Prairie Pokémon. I ask you to return what you've taken, to declare Blindhollow free once more, and to never again take on the role of tyrant to any Pokémon. I ask-"

Raizula broke in with a peal of laughter. "Tyrant? Cyndaquil, I'm a leader. My power unites everyone. It makes the area safe under my protection. Don't you think there are some wonderfully strong Pokémon in the Prairie that would get the wild in their eyes and, oh, I don't know, attack Wartortle's Nursery for its seeds? Do you think maybe this town needs a guardian? Someone who won't hesitate to unleash lightning on every threat?"

Squirtle almost took a step back in his surprise. What a wily Pokémon! He had not expected a thoughtful, reasonable response. Raizula was actually raising a fine point, whether it was true or not. The truth would be hard to prove. Talking was good though; he could work with a discussion like this.

Raizula hadn't stopped talking. "It's not my fault that 'mon have been leaving Blindhollow, nor is it my fault that not everyone here is satisfied with some decisions I've made. I've only done my best to protect Blindhollow." Her teeth gleamed as she smiled.

"Your 'toll' has taken away the valued possessions of most if not all of the Pokémon here!" Quil retorted. "And I bet those with no possessions at all aren't allowed to leave!"

The accusations gave Raizula pause, but she soon found her bearings. "I've found that the lovely gifts I've received are much safer under my watchful eyes and the eyes of my...close advisers." She gestured with her tail at the Mandibuzz, Persian, and Sandslash. "No one here wants their things damaged or stolen by anyone living in Blind Prairie, or by their fellow Blindhollow Pokémon. There are some truly crazy Electrics out there. Crazy Pokémon, crazy times to live."

She paused. "Oh, and what you said about Pokémon not being allowed to leave: I love Blindhollow, I really, honestly do. I only want everyone to stay and enjoy it more. I want Blindhollow to be a fabulous place to live, and it can all happen under my firm but benevolent rule. Nothing needs to change here." She smirked. "You're wasting your time shouting, little Cyndee-quill. You'll tire yourself out."

Squirtle began to snarl on Quil's behalf, but cut himself off. Resorting to snarling in front of the crowd would not improve his image. How cruel, to poke fun at Quil's naturally quiet voice in front of so many Pokémon. His desire to depose Raizula doubled in that moment. She was going down. How though?

The crowd had reacted with some measure of surprise to Raizula's words. Apparently they'd never heard her address them before, or she'd never justified her tyranny with specific reasons. Now, when she finally had spoken, she spoke with guile. If Squirtle could shut her down logically, win that debate, maybe the crowd would lose their complacency. The crowd was everything. With the full force of the crowd of Pokémon on his side, anything was possible. Words would be his most powerful attack here.

"You call yourself a leader," he called up to Raizula for all to hear. "I call you a bully. No one asked for you to come here and change everything. No one wanted you to safeguard their possessions, or to protect them from whatever threats you've made up in your own head. That's bullying, not leading."

Raizula drew herself up, and her cheeks discharged some short-lived sparks. Squirtle forced himself to continue. If she lost her head and shocked him outright, he'd be a martyr figure. Provoking her might be the solution to fully gain the crowd.

"There's no progress here. All I see is stagnation. You want Blindhollow to be a fantastic place to live? You've only made it worse. Blindhollow is the saddest place I've visited in my travels, actually. The societies and settlements that grow and prosper are the ones led by the selfless. You're a selfish Raichu that's abusing the Electric boost at the cost of all the Pokémon you see around you. I'm sure it feels great, you vile Pokémon, but it ends today."

Squirtle himself felt great, to be able to vent his anger and speak so savagely to Raizula in front of an attentive audience. Yet the reaction he got out of the crowd was not what he wanted. One by one, their heads turned to face Raizula. They were gauging her reaction. Watching her face contort with rage. Waiting for the explosion. There was no inspiration or righteous outrage written on the faces of the crowd. Only fear.

Every eye was on Raizula. Her words shook with hot fury. "Enough. I'll tear that smile off your face, you tiny upstart. The time for talk is over."

She raised her head and swept her forearm across the semi-circle of the crowd. "All of you! Those loyal to me, or those who fear my wrath, come here. Fight with me. This'll be over in a moment, so join the winning side or face some very unpleasant consequences. Now!"

Squirtle's resolve was shaken, and Quil said nothing. No one from behind them spoke up. Raizula had the floor, and she was fully exploiting that fact. The crowd broke apart as roughly a quarter of the Pokémon scrambled forward to the treasure hoard. The ones who did not come forward retreated to the inner ring of buildings to watch from the shadows. With admirable courage, some of the crowd rebelled against Raizula's direct order by joining the small band behind Squirtle and Quil.

After a rough headcount, Squirtle felt like his breath had been forcibly ripped from his lungs. The battle would be thirteen versus approximately fifty. No chance. In a minute or two, he'd be blasted personally by a furious Raichu. He had no idea where or in what condition he would wake up, if at all. Fighting with thirteen versus fifty would be pointless. A better strategy would be to cast off all dignity and honor, then sprint out of Blindhollow.

As he considered those thoughts with his stomach tossing and turning, his eyes roamed over the opposing force. Some of them were examining the collection of possessions during the lull. He saw more than one expression shift from fear to resolve. One Furret's tiny paw fingered a pink bandana fondly, and it openly glared up at Raizula. The bandana matched its fur quite nicely. A pair of Torchic whispered to each other, and one of them glanced at Raizula as its expression darkened. Then it glanced at the nearest Pokémon, a Furfrou, and its feathers puffed up slightly. It looked like it was planning to attack a member of its own side.

Maybe there was hope after all.

Quil found his voice once more. "Raizula's rule ends right now, and you can be a part of it! Don't fight against us, help us!"

Raizula screamed one word as yellow sparks flew: "Attack!"