Chapter 25
Gift
The morning was still young, but already Blindhollow had been transformed into a brand new town. The sun sparkled on the waters of the pond beside the mound of the town's possessions. A Herdier knocked the chair that had once served as a throne off of the mound. It clunked against the dirt, and the Pokémon nearby cheered as they plucked or excavated their belongings from the assortment. Most of Blindhollow's residents however formed a loose crowd around the fallen Raizula.
"Squirtle, you're okay!"
As with the evolution of his body, Quil's voice had changed to become different, yet still similar to the way it had used to be. That softly passionate quality remained, but his voice had grown louder and slightly deeper with his larger frame.
The newly-fledged Quilava dashed to Squirtle and nuzzled him with the soft fur of his face. Squirtle was thrilled to see Quil had made it through the battle in one piece, too, and returned the sentiment with a hug and pat on the back. Rather, he tried to, but he could no longer get his arms around even the front of Quil's new body. Plus, even summoning the energy to lift his arms had his body complaining.
"Wow, you're small!" Quil remarked, looking down from a height twice Squirtle's own.
"No," Squirtle laughed. "You're big! How did evolution feel, big guy?"
Quil smiled shyly as he noticed the crowd watching their interaction closely with expressions of amusement or joy. Squirtle found talking with Quil to be easier now that he could see his friend's eyes. Currently, they shone with relaxed delight.
The eyes really are the window to the soul, he mused.
"How did it feel? Strange. I felt this energy inside me break loose, stretching and pushing every inch of me. It was hotter than fire! The experience was definitely positive though, the whole time." His hind paw began to brush through the dirt in the shape of a circle, but it stopped as Quil looked down at it and wiggled his toes. "It's hard to describe, now that I'm trying."
"I think I can understand a little bit how it feels to be in a new body, if you catch my meaning," said Squirtle, mindful of the crowd. "I'm surprised you were able to act so quickly after you'd just evolved!"
"At the end I felt...capable. So I went for a Quick Attack." He frowned down at Squirtle. "I wasn't going to let you get shocked. Not after what we've been through."
Squirtle was in too good of a mood to reflect Quil's serious demeanor, but he kept his words somber even if he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Trust me, I appreciate it. You acted right in the nick of time. It was perfect. We won because of that, you know. Somehow. I'm not sure..." He trailed off, not wanting to reveal how clueless he was in front of a sizable portion of Blindhollow's Pokémon. They had a reputation and image to uphold now.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" said a Furret with a pink bandana around her neck to Squirtle and Quil. It was obvious she'd been waiting for their conversation to lapse before she spoke up. "I finally have my favorite bandana back, and we'll have visitors to Blindhollow again. I can't wait! Thank you! And congratulations on the evolution!"
On the heels of the Furret's thanks, two more Pokémon began to speak at the same time. The Braixen motioned for the Raticate to go first. He chattered out a matter-of-fact string of sentences. "You've done good here today, you two. My whole family thanks you. Even my cousin Renny, and he's not a nice Raticate. You should be proud. Congrats on the evolution, Quilava." His eyes jumped to Raizula. "I'm ashamed I didn't join the battle sooner. She's not a Pokémon you'd want to cross. Come by our nest in the inner ring houses if you need anything."
The Braixen smiled broadly and bowed to them both before beginning. "I can finally leave Blindhollow to gather the supplies I need to continue my sewing and embroidery work. It's all thanks to Viper, Hayzin, that Cubone, and of course you two. You want anything made or mended, anything at all, you let me know, alright?"
And so it went. Most Pokémon insisted on thanking them and congratulating Quil on evolving, and most offered to help them out in the best ways they knew how. Gradually, Squirtle began to understand what exactly had won them the battle. The spectators had been torn between wanting to restore Blindhollow by defeating Raizula, and fearing her retribution should she win. While Squirtle was Wrapped by the Lickilicky, Quil's actions had been inspiring. He'd shouted his determination to not let Raizula win, proving his dedication to his cause. He'd shown courage by facing down a Lickilicky and Raizula herself. And he'd shown his camaraderie by saving Squirtle. All in full view of the spectators. The evolution was icing on the cake, seen as proof of his heroism and inner strength. That spirit of courage, dedication, and camaraderie had been infectious, and a good fraction of the bystanders had responded with the same spirit.
Unexpectedly, Squirtle was faced with a new Pokémon custom: gift-giving. A pair of Pidgey draped a square of orange cloth over Quil's forelegs as he stood on his hind ones, insisting that they take the gift in return for making things right in Blindhollow. The cloth was unremarkable but for the golden thread forming an elegant but jagged pattern around the center. Quil bowed his long body as he might when showing respect to a worthy foe. He did not even attempt to refuse the cloth, though Squirtle wagered that Quil felt undeserving of receiving an actual gift. Evidently there was more to gift-giving among Pokémon than Squirtle understood. He was glad the Pidgey had dropped the gift on Quil instead of him.
The Pidgey explained that the cloth was known as a Special Band, and could be folded and worn anywhere on the body to reap its benefit. They said that the benefit, as best as they could understand, was an increase in the effectiveness of one's elemental moves as long as the band was worn. As if letting them in on a secret, one of the Pidgey whispered that the cloth was rumored to have been worn by Ravar, a Staraptor famous in stories for her legendary skill in aerial battles. They said the Special Band had absorbed some of her signature Sky Attack move's power for all time. Squirtle was eager to examine the cloth in more detail, and even try it out, but he refrained from being distracted during this almost formal occasion.
Interspersed between the gift-less Pokémon were others who insisted on providing material proof of their thanks. Each time, Quil accepted the gift without complaint, though he definitely looked to be uncomfortable with the gratitude. Squirtle personally found the gifts to be unnecessary, but he greatly appreciated the kindness. He wanted to thank the Pokémon for their presents but politely refuse, except he feared that in this culture, rejecting a gift without offending the gift-giver was impossible. All accounted for, they'd been given the Special Band, a lovely blue ribbon with no special properties, and three bags of coins totaling an unknown sum. Quil placed the cloth and ribbon on top of his thick neck, and Squirtle tied the money bags to the two ends to keep everything anchored.
When the parade of gratitude finished, Quil looked more than slightly embarrassed by all the praise and idolizing. He laid his head low while on all fours, his new natural stance. For Squirtle's part, he tried to take it all in stride. They'd accomplished something great. He was proud though he tried not to let it go to his head. He sensed the crowd was still looking for something from them, a final word or grand finale. Squirtle took the lead on giving a speech to save Quil further embarrassment.
"You are all very welcome, and thank you for all of the kind words, offers of services, and gifts. Please realize that it wasn't exactly us who stopped Raizula today. It was all of you. We only had to show you that if you stand together, no one Pokémon can ever rule you. Together, you can prevent anything like this from ever happening again. That's all I have to say," he finished feebly. Not an inspiring speech, but hopefully it satisfied their expectations of him as a leader.
"What do we do with Raizula?" asked the Arcanine. All eyes returned to Squirtle again. He looked at Quil, buying time. His friend's eyes widened slightly, and he shook his head. Squirtle thought he followed Quil's train of thought: 'The Prison? No!' Squirtle folded his arms and focused on the problem. Even if they threw her in the Prison, she could probably break out. The Electric boost was obscene in how much power it granted. Perhaps counter-measures could be designed and implemented, but the whole idea seemed backward. He'd already said that no Pokémon could rule them if they stood together as Quil and he had shown them. Why did Raizula even need to be locked away?
"What do you do with Raizula? This is your town, not ours. But if you ask me, there's no need to lock her up. There will always be Electric-types. No amount of chains or brute force will stop them. Unity, confidence, courage – those will be your protection."
He turned away from the crowd and the attention, hiding a strained smile from the corniness of his speech, but he remembered one detail that had been nagging at him and turned back. "Oh, and all of those Pokémon who sided with Raizula and fought against you today, don't hold it against them. They only joined her because they didn't want to get on Raizula's bad side, just like most of you who stayed on the sidelines. You're all Blindhollow Pokémon at the end of the day, remember that."
While some of the assembled Pokémon nodded agreement, many looked confused. Squirtle realized he must have used too many human expressions or said something very non-Pokémon. He suppressed a sigh of annoyance. This was in large part why Quil needed to do the talking. The damage was done though. He stepped away with Quil and waited for the spotlight to pass. After a brief discussion with Quil, Squirtle went to take up a Rufflet on her offer of using her home as a place to stay as long as they needed.
On the way to the Rufflet's house in one of the middle rings of Blindhollow, they passed by Viper. She was chatting up a storm at the center of a small crowd of her own. She agreed to meet Squirtle and Quil at the Rufflet's place later on in the day, once she'd caught up with some of the Pokémon she knew. Viper was particularly excited about Quil's evolution, going so far as to neglect the other Pokémon in favor of asking Quil questions about how tough he felt. Quil answered them until Squirtle not-so-subtly indicated that they should get going.
After, they found Hayzin where he'd been defeated by the Sandslash. Quil explained there was nothing that most Pokémon could do to help a Pokémon who'd fainted in battle. Only Pokémon with healing abilities, such as Audino, could be of use. Thus, it was common practice to simply leave the unconscious Pokémon alone until they regained consciousness naturally. That level of neglect felt cruel to Squirtle, but he logically agreed that he could do nothing to help Hayzin.
Luckily, the Zebstrika stirred as they spoke around him. Hayzin was greatly pleased by the news of their success at deposing Raizula and restoring Blindhollow, despite his groggy state. He congratulated Quil on his evolution with a note of surprise in his tone, and agreed to meet them at the Rufflet's house once he'd recovered and talked to a few of the Pokémon around town. He offered his own house in Blindhollow as a meeting place, but Squirtle said he didn't want to go back on accepting the Rufflet's help.
The pair found Bein sitting on the ground and leaning on his bone. Bein expressed pleasure at the team's success in the battle. He almost sounded happy about it, too. Squirtle made it a point to thank Bein for personally contending with Raizula and absorbing her Electric moves. The Cubone grunted, then explained that Raizula had called for support in taking Bein down once she realized how effective of a counter he was. He'd been quickly laid low by four Pokémon too scared of Raizula to disobey. The Chespin landed the finishing blow. Quil offered to carry Bein up to the Rufflet's house to rest, but he said he'd prefer the dirt where he was until he felt up to hiking up the crater slope.
Finally, Quil and Squirtle followed the Rufflet's directions to a spacious but messy two-room house. The smaller room looked like a simple kitchen or dining room judging by the food stains and leftovers in the corners. The larger room was breezy from all of the windows, including one makeshift hole high up in the wall facing uphill that looked to have been created by unprofessionally ripping up the wall. Feathers, bowls, cups, empty nutshells, paper, straw, and other refuse were scattered around the floor amid the sole furniture of a table, posts for perching, and a high stool with a straw nest on top. Squirtle regretted not inspecting the place before accepting the Rufflet's offer, but when the Rufflet herself landed on the hole in the wall near the ceiling to check up on them, Squirtle was polite and grateful. She fluttered off leaving Squirtle and Quil alone for the first time in two days.
Quil clearly did not mind the mess as much as Squirtle, as he settled down on some loose feathers with no hesitation. Now that he was a Quilava, when he curled up, his body was long enough to actually curl. He was now opposite to Squirtle's rigid and discrete body plan. Quil smiled self-consciously as he wrestled with becoming comfortable in his new body, and Squirtle helped unburden Quil from the gifts on his neck.
"So much for evolving at that volcano," Squirtle remarked as Quil struggled.
"I know!" said Quil. "I don't get it. I was supposed to go to Iyrodenin to evolve like every other Cyndaquil: my parents, my brother Quindo – every other Cyndaquil I've ever heard of! Why did I evolve so soon? We're not even close to Iyrodenin."
Squirtle speculated on the possibilities. The first was obvious. Quil had been lied to. Squirtle did not know Quil's family and their reasoning behind lying to Quil and sending him away, but Quil had no proof that the volcano would do anything. Only word of mouth, and the fact that his brother had left home a Cyndaquil and come back a Quilava. The volcano's power might be a hoax.
"Quil, is it possible that the volcano, Iyo...whatever, isn't responsible for a Cyndaquil's evolution? Is it possible that your family...wasn't entirely truthful?"
The Quilava recoiled at the words. "No, no, that can't be right. My father isn't the type of 'mon who tells lies. My brother wouldn't...though he did sometimes act funny when I talked to him about his journey." He shook his head. "No, the Pilgrimage is a journey that every Cyndaquil takes, and we're all told to go to the same place. How could a lie survive for so long in so many places, so many families?"
To that, Squirtle had no answer. Quil spoke again with accusation in his voice. "Why did I evolve early if the volcano isn't responsible? I left home about two weeks ago. Before that, I had only a little battle experience. I wasn't even close to evolving. But now I'm a Quilava. Can you explain that?"
Squirtle didn't allow Quil's anger to get on his nerves. He'd be upset too if he had to cope with the possibility that he'd been lied to his entire life. Being in a new body was disorienting and frightening, also. He knew that from his own experience.
What was the explanation for Quil's early evolution? Perhaps the volcano could cause evolution, but it didn't necessarily have to. His friend was definitely correct that he'd evolved very quickly after leaving home. His human memories informed him that Pokémon in the wild took years to evolve naturally, not weeks. Yet he also recalled that Pokémon trainers could enormously accelerate the process through hard work. Something about practicing with a trainer, hearing and obeying their commands, allowed Pokémon to seize their potential. Squirtle knew little about Pokémon training, but that was the general reasoning for why a decent trainer's Pokémon tended to be superior to their counterparts in the wild.
Squirtle could also recall other suspected influences on the rate of a Pokémon's battling improvement. Many were topics of active research, but that was never his field. Some subscribed to the theory that Pokémon improved so rapidly under a trainer due to the aspect of teamwork and partnership. They believed that synergy was key to a Pokémon's development. Others believed a trainer's personality had to be in sync with their Pokémon for optimal improvement. Still others had zany ideas about a trainer's pheromones, or the weather affecting a Pokémon's genetics. Theories abounded, and maybe the future's most accepted theory had yet to be proposed. Pokémon remained mysterious creatures.
"I'm not certain Quil. I do know that where I come from, when a human helps a Pokémon to become tougher and stronger, the process is usually much faster than if the Pokémon were living in the wild. Some part of me is still human. In one way or another, my humanity could somehow be influencing you."
Squirtle cringed. How presumptuous of him to declare the reason for Quil's evolution to be his own influence as a human. It was the best guess he had, but it sounded egocentric when spoken aloud.
However, Quil seemed receptive to the idea. "How exactly does that happen? What do the human do to the Pokémon?"
"Humans," Squirtle corrected. "They're called Pokémon trainers, because they work with Pokémon on their battling. Order them to use certain moves, formulate strategies, develop the Pokémon's advantages and shore up their weaknesses. A good trainer constantly pushes both the Pokémon and him or herself to improve."
Abruptly, Squirtle experienced a revelation. He knew Quil had had the same thought by the way his ears twitched.
"That's exactly what you've been doing since we've been traveling together!"
Without fully understanding why, Squirtle felt his face flush with warmth. The pieces fit together perfectly. All this time, and Squirtle had never realized he'd often behaved extremely similarly to the way a human trainer would. The explanation was too good to reject. Squirtle was responsible for Quil's swift improvement on the battlefield, as well as his prompt evolution.
That raised a host of other questions. Squirtle judged he was about as powerful as pre-evolution Quil. Was he training himself, too? The human aspect meshing with the Squirtle aspect to form a self-sustaining trainer-Pokémon duo? If Quil was being physically affected by him, what part of Squirtle's behavior was generating the effects? Giving commands? Employing strategies that most Pokémon wouldn't think of? Or merely his presence as a being that wasn't a natural Pokémon? What about the others? Would Bein evolve the next day because of him?
His head felt like it was spinning. He grabbed it with both hands, feeling the short claws dimple into his taut skin. If he was right, and he felt certain that he was, Squirtle was now more than a Pokémon with a human's mind and memories. He had a highly valuable ability. What should he do with it?
"You think your idea is right, don't you?" Quil asked. His voice was low, toneless. "Really, you're the one responsible for my evolution."
"No," said Squirtle immediately, snapping out of his thoughts. "No, that's not what my idea means. If I'm right, it means I've somehow brought out the best in you. The moves, the desire to improve, the practice, that's all you. It happened faster than in other Pokémon but you put in the work. You didn't take any shortcuts."
"I don't think it's a coincidence that I evolved when I saved you," Quil said after a moment. "Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, I bet your trainer idea is right."
That response did not bode well for how Quil felt about his evolution. Guilt squeezed Squirtle's heart, an emotion he despised. He looked out a window toward Blindhollow's watering hole while he racked his mind for something to say to make Quil feel better. If Quil chalked up his worth to the presence of a human companion, his self-esteem would be in dire straits. Not to mention their friendship.
"Quil, the world has changed. Some unknown force boosted the power of Electric-types or Electric moves. I've been transformed and sent to this new land, and I don't know why. Whatever's causing all of the instability might also be responsible for your early evolution. We don't have any proof that my traveling with you is what's making you improve faster than you would normally. And you evolving to save me may be a coincidence; you were being brave, and about to take on two Pokémon at once. One of them being Raizula! That sounds like a normal trigger for evolution."
Squirtle wondered if he actually meant what he was saying. Some of what he said felt hollow, but some of it came off as reasonable. Was he willing to lie to Quil to set him at ease?
Again, Quil took a moment before answering. "Thank you for trying to make me feel better. I need some time to think this over. After all, I left home for Iyrodenin in order to evolve. Now I'm a Quilava, so I don't need to go there anymore. I don't...I think I'm going to take a walk, okay?
"Quil, wait, let's talk about this some more."
His friend hesitated at the doorway when Squirtle spoke, but he shook his head and his rear fires passed over the threshold. Squirtle could only watch helplessly as Quil walked slowly toward the outskirts of Blindhollow, alone.
Blindhollow's pool of water was gorgeous. Squirtle sat on the edge, not even dipping his toes or tail inside. Pokémon used the pool as a water source for drinking and cleaning, so he had no desire to swim in it again unless he was granted permission. Besides, he didn't feel up to swimming at the moment. Swimming would be a reward, a way to relax. It would help him think and sort through his problems, sure, but he hadn't earned it. He didn't deserve the water right now. So he sat and admired it. No more than that.
The water really was beautiful, the way the light was reflected. Any water was beautiful when you were a Squirtle, he supposed. Fire-types likely felt the same way about fire, and Grass-types about plants. Every Pokémon naturally loved their element. That would never change, no matter how crazy the world became.
Quil had certainly changed. Gone was the Cyndaquil afraid of stepping on anyone's toes, and too insecure to produce fire. Evolving wasn't what changed Quil. The evolution was a byproduct of his personal growth. He'd practiced battling, gained self-confidence, and stepped up as a leader. Like him, Quil refused to idly watch as Pokémon suffered around him while it was in his capacity to help. From their experiences over the last week, Quil had changed.
The change was an improvement, in Squirtle's opinion. Everyone deserved confidence, pride in who they were. Everyone deserved a voice along with the strength to speak out against someone or something they didn't agree with. Quil had those qualities now. He was a different Pokémon. Yet the core of who he was remained, the part that Squirtle valued as a friend. The easy laugh. The way he would always think before speaking. The quiet passion that could sometimes be smothered but never extinguished. Quil had changed, but he was still Quil.
Squirtle only wished that Quil could see himself that way. It wasn't Squirtle who had brought about the changes, even if he was indeed responsible for accelerating them. Quil was his own Pokémon, a being ultimately independent of all others like every other Pokémon. Only Quil could change who he was. If he could not come to see that on his own, Squirtle doubted he himself could do anything to help him. To see Quil's self-esteem steadily blossom only for it to wilt now would be devastating for both of them.
Please, Quil. Don't hate me. Don't hate yourself. You've grown and evolved because of your efforts, not mine. Please see that.
"Squirtle! What are you doing down here alone?"
He glanced up to see Wartortle approaching him with a relaxed smile on his face. Unlike some of the other townsfolk who had noticed him sitting at the water's edge, Wartortle had no reservations about greeting him.
"Hi, Wartortle. I've just been thinking about Quil. I'm sure you saw him evolve. He's not sure he's earned his evolution. I'm worried about him."
The larger Pokémon sat down beside Squirtle. "I can't say if you know this, but evolution can be a frightening time for some Pokémon. Wasn't for me, but some 'mon need time to adjust. Having your body become something new can be a jarring change. Give it a while Squirtle, that's my advice."
Could it be that simple? Squirtle hoped so. "Thanks Wartortle. And thanks a whole lot more for shooting me that Blast Seed. I wouldn't have won against that Pidgeotto without it, you know."
Wartortle knocked on the back of Squirtle's shell with his claws. "Ha, I know, why do you think I gave it to you? Marvelous seeds, aren't they? So much ferocity in such a tiny package."
"Were you carrying all of those seeds with the intention of supplying Pokémon like me who needed help?"
Wartortle dipped his fluffy tail into the water, producing some gentle waves. Squirtle considered that permission enough to touch the water himself, and followed suit. The water was lovely.
"You guessed it, Squirtle. When I saw you and Quil gathering up a crowd, I knew Blindhollow was about to see something big. I couldn't see a better opportunity for my collection to be put to good use, so I gathered some seeds up and shot one over to any Pokémon fighting against Raizula or the 'mon on her side. Shame that some of these dolts didn't know what to do with the seeds. They live in the same town as my Nursery, for Kyogre's sake!" He raised both arms in exasperation. "More than a few of my seeds were abused, ruined." A sigh. "Anyway, we won. That's the important bit."
Squirtle took his mind off of Quil's plight for the time being in order to focus on some ideas for his team's future that had been stewing in his head.
"I see now exactly how useful even one seed can be in a battle. If I could, I would carry around an assortment of berries and seeds before fighting an important battle like the one today. How expensive are your seeds, Wartortle?"
"Money-wise? We're not talking about ordinary food here, or a new picnic basket," he cautioned. "Most of my seeds are invaluable. I'd place a single one of my Vile Seed at two or three hundred Poké."
Squirtle knew next to nothing about the economy in these lands, so he took three hundred Poké to be a huge sum of money. Therefore he would need a truly exorbitant amount to purchase adequate supplies for his team, should they attempt a revolution like Blindhollow's anywhere else. He'd need to become the richest Squirtle the world had ever seen. That would be wildly difficult in a world wherein most individuals had no need for money and, as such, never touched a coin in their lives. Nevertheless, seeds were the tool he needed most. Passing up a deal with the Wartortle sitting right next to him would be a mistake he'd regret in the days to come, he felt.
"Will you be at your Nursery later Wartortle? I'd like to do business with you either this afternoon or tomorrow morning."
Wartortle sounded quite surprised. "You do? You realize I said two or three hundred Poké, don't you?"
Squirtle said nothing. Wartortle went on in an incredulous tone. "Nothing personal, but these seeds are worth a lot of money. I can't give them out, even when you've done a great service today by coming to Blindhollow and standing up to Raizula. Tourists will sometimes buy one seed when they visit my Nursery, but most 'mon...do you have a profession Squirtle? What do you do?"
"Right now? Traveling liberator," said Squirtle with a smile.
Wartortle returned it in a distracted fashion. "Hm. Well, sure, come by the Nursery if you'd like. Eleven times out of ten, that's where I'll be."
Squirtle guessed that was a joke Wartortle used often, but he chuckled anyway. "Great." He brought up the topic of the Withdraw technique he'd learned and used, and they chatted for a while about the times when it had proven useful and not so useful. Wartortle commented on a Bubble technique he thought he'd seen used in the chaos of the battle, confirming the name of the move for Squirtle. They discussed the pros and cons of Water Gun and Bubble in different situations. For the most part, it sounded like Wartortle used whatever technique his gut told him to use, but that didn't stop him from observing when certain techniques worked out favorably or poorly for him.
After Squirtle said goodbye and headed back to the Rufflet's house. Every Pokémon he passed smiled at him, if they didn't praise or thank him outright. The adulation was nice, of course, but with Quil feeling the way he did about his evolution, Squirtle now felt undeserving of Blindhollow's gratitude. Was he a con artist? Had he rigged the fight's outcome, by priming Quil to evolve? Quil had saved him from Raizula and the Lickilicky, but would that be the last time they battled together?
Squirtle breathed a sigh of relief when he found Quil amongst the others in the airy room, though his friend avoided his eyes. Either Quil had not finished worrying about his evolution, or he'd reached a conclusion that brought him no satisfaction. The others did not appear to notice their disconnect in the short time before Viper asked Quil and him a question.
"Whadja wanna talk about, you two?" she said. She was coiled up next to Hayzin, who appeared attentive despite his lounging posture, and Bein, who was spinning his bone into acrobatics above his head as he followed the conversation. Three ivory bones rested in a pile next to the Cubone. Squirtle remembered seeing them back in Bein's abode at Karprest, lined up along others in a rack.
"Nothing from me," said Quil with stiff appreciation, "except a thank-you for all of your congratulations on my evolution. I wouldn't have evolved unless we came here, so I appreciate us freeing Blindhollow together."
Viper began to move her head about excitedly, no doubt about to ask more questions about how tough Quil felt now that he'd evolved. Squirtle hurriedly delved into his first topic.
"It was my idea for us to meet up again. Thanks for coming, and very nice work both before and during the battle, all of you. Quil, nice speech delivery, that definitely set the mood for the Pokémon of Blindhollow to fight with us later." Quil beamed with genuine pleasure before his smile grew strained.
"Bein, thank you for noticing Raizula setting her sights on me personally, and improvising by covering my back." The Cubone paused in his bone-flipping, and returned a solemn nod.
"Hayzin, obviously you were key to showing everyone that we had a chance. You must have taken down, what, thirty, fifty, seventy Pokémon?"
The Zebstrika replied evenly. "I find it a shame we were forced to battle to settle things. I've met every Pokémon that I struck down. I live with them. Nevertheless, thank you, Squirtle. We all did our part during the fight."
Squirtle cursed his lack of tact. "I agree. I wish Raizula would have left Blindhollow after we called her out in front of everyone. On the other hand, I'm happy we planned together for the possibility of a melee. And Viper, good fighting out there." He hesitated, torn for a moment between addressing the issue in his mind and preserving everyone's contentment. The harder part of him won. "Though, I feel obligated to say something in case we ever work together again as a team in the future. Viper, please remember you're part of something greater when we go in with a plan. If you skimp on your role, then the plan falls apart. Everyone suffers. I thought we agreed you'd be helping Hayzin fight the general resistance, not trying to take down Raizula. She was being occupied by Bein, as agreed. Do you know what I'm saying?"
Her tongue flicked out before her reply. "Squirtle, you talk funny. Where you from, anyway?"
"What?" said Squirtle, not expecting the change in topic. He fumbled for a good answer.
"They're both from Steady Steppe," said Bein to Viper. Squirtle's heart felt like it had skipped a beat. Bein was covering for him? That meant Bein suspected something odd about Squirtle's origin! Then he recalled that Quil had lied for him, many days ago, when they'd first met Bein coming into Karprest.
"No way? That's far, like a week or two west, right?" Viper asked, dragging on the idle conversation. It dawned on Squirtle that she was intentionally taking the discussion away from the matter he'd brought up. Her smoothness at diverting the topic highlighted how practiced she was at the tactic. Squirtle refused to push her further by bringing the topic back up, or else the meeting might end poorly. A private conversation might be more appropriate, but it could wait until a time when they were executing a plan together again, if ever.
However, he doubted Viper's ability to be compliant with any plan, no matter how convinced she was of its validity. The Seviper was simply too impulsive and rash. Squirtle took her to be a here-and-now kind of Pokémon, not one to think before acting. How could he ever work with such a personality? She was the antithesis to planning. Not a Pokémon he foresaw working with happily and successfully in the future.
"You've definitely earned congratulations yourself, Squirtle," Hayzin cut in pointedly. "Your planning allowed us a chance in a battle that began with seemingly impossible odds. Your ability to strategize and work under stress is remarkable."
"It is," added Bein, with a tone of impressed curiosity.
Hayzin continued. "I must admit I was skeptical after leaving Cavetown of how useful all of your scheming and calculating would be. I see now the benefit of being so meticulous. You've a gift, Squirtle. One I haven't seen before in any Pokémon, even along all my travels as a Blitzle. Thank you for your efforts."
Quil let out what could have been a spirited growl or a small roar. Hayzin added a cheerful whinny, and Viper an easy hiss. Bein tapped his skull helmet a few times with his bone to make some noise. It took Squirtle a moment to realize they were giving him a cheer. He'd expected applause, but clapping involved two hands. The practice would never have arisen in Pokémon culture.
"Alright, alright, thank you." He fought to not blush. Playing a card from Viper's deck, he said, "What are each of your plans now?"
Viper grew excited when she replied. "I'll be training around Blindhollow, getting ready to wicker-whack in Blindhollow's annual battling tournament. It's three short months away! That's what I was doing before Raizula blagged up our town."
Makes sense that there's a competition for fighting in a Pokémon town, Squirtle thought. Almost every Pokémon I've seen is passionate about battling in one way or another.
"I'll be returning to my family in Cavetown," said Hayzin. "From there, probably back here to Blindhollow. It is our home, and where we've chosen to raise Dashar and Rappard."
"Going back to Cavetown myself," said Bein, stepping forward and making eye contact with the much taller Zebstrika. "Head back together?"
As Hayzin agreed, Squirtle held up his hands and waved them. "Hold on a moment. Don't you think we're being hasty here? You're all ready to go home and call it quits?"
His question was met with a puzzled silence. Viper's tongue darted out and back in. Squirtle clarified his meaning.
"Together, we five took Raizula down. We freed Blindhollow. We all saw how much it meant to everyone here. I hope I'm not alone in saying that it felt fantastic to be able to make a difference for so many Pokémon. Why not travel elsewhere, and repeat what we did today?"
Bein lowered his gaze in contemplative fashion. Quil was silent, but Viper hissed quietly in a way that reminded Squirtle of someone saying 'Hmm'.
"Do you have somewhere in mind, Squirtle?" asked Hayzin slowly.
"I've thought about how we can do the most good, and I've reached certain conclusions. I know we can't very well help Pokémon who live in the wild against malicious Electric-types, but what we can do is fix other Pokémon settlements like Blindhollow. I imagine most regions are negatively affected by the Electric boost, so we'll have our work cut out for us."
"Ha, so you want us to be some kind of traveling liberation team?" said Viper with a tone between quizzical and disbelieving. "I'm not afraid of any battle, but that sounds a little spangled to me Squirtle!"
Hayzin seemed to share her view, for once. "The outcome today could have been very poor for us. I believe we have Quil's inspiring show of tenacity to thank for our close victory. I can't see us being as successful as we were today anywhere else."
Quil and Bein gave no input, and Squirtle itched to know their opinions. Especially Quil's. With the Quilava's original purpose in leaving home now fulfilled, would he still be enthusiastic about combating the harmful results of the Electric boost?
"I have some ideas to make sure that next time success is assured. Of course I've never been part of a 'traveling liberation team' before, so some of my ideas might not play out so well. But I know some will definitely pan out. They'll give us the edge we need."
Seeing that no one looked entirely convinced, he allowed them a glimpse of his vision. "For example, during the battle today, Wartortle tossed me a Blast Seed while I dueled a Pidgeotto. Using that seed enabled me to win when I otherwise would have been knocked out then and there." Squirtle didn't have to force any enthusiasm into his voice. It came naturally. "If we got our hands on more seeds like that, and we brought them with us on our next, uh, 'job' I suppose, any important battle could be made far easier for us. And I know there are problems associated with that idea to tackle, but I've already begun working on them."
His hands had grown animated as he spoke, and now he let them drop to their resting position by his sides. "That's the first of some ideas I have brewing. We could brainstorm together, talk out a strategy, and help out Pokémon in other places too. I know we can do this. We've already done it once already. What do you think?"
Squirtle grew nervous as his companions eyed each other and waited for the others to speak first. When Hayzin spoke, it was with a reticence that worried Squirtle.
"I cannot charge into the battle you propose, Squirtle. Blindhollow is my home, so I helped you fight here. Elsewhere..." He shook his head with a light snort. "Besides, I cannot choose for myself where to go anymore. I have a family to care for. I would need to speak to them about this first. You understand my position, don't you?"
"I do." With a grimace, he added, "I guess I'm asking a lot, aren't I?"
"You sure are, but I'll join up with you again!" said Viper. "Beating up bad Zappers, exciting battles, I'll be there! Bound to be great practice for the tournament here. I hope we get some more 'mon to come too. It'll be crazy fun!" She prodded her tail in Bein's direction. "You coming, Bein?"
The Cubone patted the top bone on his small pile. "I do construction. And I've got my tools back. I don't do showdowns and adventuring. Not a fan of all this traveling, either. Don't see my place in this 'liberation team'. Still. I see how I can be useful. Type and all." His eyes flicked to Hayzin for a second. "Need to think about it more. See what our team looks like. Hear your plans."
"Quil?" Viper prompted.
"I wasn't making up the things I said to Raizula in front of the town," said Quil steadily. "I hate seeing 'mon like Raizula abusing their power, and I would hate for my family to be in a situation like the one we saw here. I'll join Squirtle in doing what he can about Zappers taking advantage of their power. By now I think he's proven that he knows what he's doing. Usually."
The others chuckled in their own way at what they presumed was a small joke by Quil. Squirtle forced a smile onto his face to encourage that false presumption, but his stomach turned at his friend's final word. Quil blamed him for eliciting a premature evolution. They'd continue working together which was welcome news, but as it stood, their relationship was fractured.
"Who's your next opponent, Squirtle?" asked Hayzin. All eyes turned to him. He blinked stupidly for a moment until he could make sense of what could only be a Pokémon figure of speech.
"My next step has tentatively been for us to return to Cavetown. That'll work out well, since you two were already going that way." He gestured to Hayzin and Bein. "We need more support for our next job to guarantee our success. More supplies, which means more money, and definitely more Pokémon to come along next time. That means establishing our reputation by telling everyone what we did here. Witnesses wouldn't hurt. Plus, I want to rub it in that Monferno's face." A devilish smile stole across his face.
"Rub what in his face?" said Viper. "The witnesses?"
"No, no, our achievement, our reputation, that's what I meant. Anyway, before we go, I want to capitalize on the fame and gratitude we have here. Rushing back to Cavetown isn't essential, so are you all okay with leaving tomorrow morning?"
The consensus was that leaving first thing the following morning would be perfect. Squirtle would have enjoyed chatting with the others for a while, but he could see now a list of tasks he needed to accomplish before leaving Blindhollow. The list accumulated entries the longer he considered, so he had no time for conversation. He headed for the doorway with some parting instructions.
"If you can, please spread the word that we're leaving at first light. I'll be around Blindhollow if you need me."
Striding out into the sun, and plotting an efficient course to bring him to the places and Pokémon he needed to see, Squirtle wondered at his own productivity.
Past-me, I hope that you chose to become a Pokémon specifically to help out during this crisis, because that's what I'm committing myself to. I'm pulling out all the stops here. I'm giving this my all. I don't think I've ever so fully dedicated myself to a cause before. So much strategizing. So much worrying, optimizing, decision-making. It's paid off once, but that was lucky and with an embarrassing amount of outside assistance. Can I make a difference a second time, a third time?
I hope I don't let everyone down.