Chapter 26

Recognition

TOK! TOK!

The heavy taps on his back sent vibrations through his entire body, waking Squirtle up much more effectively than a shake on the arm or a raised voice. Because every inch of him was encapsulated within his strong shell, every inch of him felt any blow to his exterior.

On another day, being woken up in such a vigorous fashion might have annoyed him, but today Squirtle was glad he hadn't been allowed to sleep in. He could see the brightening blue color of the sky through the hole high up in the wall. The sun was rising, if it had not already escaped the horizon's grasp. It would not become him to be late to leading the procession out of Blindhollow, no matter how weary he felt from the activities both before and after the previous day's crucial battle. He popped his head, tail, arms, and legs out of his shell and out into the cool air of the hospitable Rufflet's house.

As he did so, he reflected on his new form. Looking back, the body plan of a human was comically gangly in comparison. Had he really been that...awkward? The current length of his arms and legs made so much more sense. His core was his fortress. Without it, he'd be worse than naked. Deformed. He'd had hair as a human, too. Getting in his eyes, smothering his head, growing out of most of his body like an infectious disease. And where would he be without his tail? He'd be thrown off balance with no tail.

Bein was the only other Pokémon in the room. The Cubone silently jabbed his bone in the direction of the nearest window, indicating the time of day.

"Thanks for waking me Bein. Guess I owe you yet again?"

He grunted, but it almost sounded like a single laugh, so Squirtle counted it as a victory. Together they left the house and walked slowly up to the lip of the crater nearest to Cavetown. The crowd was as large as Squirtle had predicted, if it could be called as such. Six more Pokémon were gathered. Hayzin, nodding in greeting. Viper, inching back and forth impatiently. Quil, looking pointedly down the path toward their destination. The three newcomers were an Eevee, Snubbull, and a Flying-type species for which Squirtle had never wound up learning the name.

Squirtle had already spoken to the Eevee and Snubbull the previous day. They had both wanted to leave Blindhollow on an earlier date, but Raizula and her cohort had prevented them. The Eevee, Fi, was the same Eevee that had been their first stop coming into Blindhollow before the battle. Now she sought to travel to Cavetown to potentially meet up with her sister. The Snubbull, who called herself Gwala, was the quiet type. Squirtle had no idea why she wanted to go with them to Cavetown, but he knew the more Pokémon that came with them, the more impressive their party would appear upon arrival in Cavetown. The faster word would spread. The more substantial their reputation would grow. The easier it would be to enact his plans.

The Flying-type had similar coloration and shape to a Pidove, but it was larger and had a distinctive ruff of black feathers around the back of its neck as well as rosy markings above its eyes. Its tail was a single large feather tipped with black. The Pokémon strode over to Squirtle on impressive pink talons and introduced itself as Peroo. After its wingstroke had been stopped by Squirtle's forehead, it spoke in a curiously quick manner.

"Is it quite alright if I fly along with you 'till we reach Cavetown then? Been grounded in Blindhollow for a smidgeon too long. Raizula's Flyers had the skies locked down 'till you all showed up, especially that Mandibuzz, Keer. I can't wait to go on a proper cruise again, know what I mean?"

"Certainly, please come along. The more the merrier." Seeing the Pokémon's naturally fierce eyes blink in incomprehension, he added, "An expression where I come from. Ready to go?"

"Ah, yeah, you got it Squirtle. Actually, I wanted to ask you about a spot of trouble I've been in. A bunch of 'mon have been in the same trouble, really. I talked to your Quilava friend, and he said to talk to you. See, there's a meeting place that we use over in Mistyfern. Not a town exactly, but a few of the local 'mon like myself like to meet up to discuss the happenings, fix any big problems, help each other out. Except now there's this Zapper, a Pachirisu, who's gone and taken over the place, basically. None of us can do a thing about it, since he easily whoops anyone in a fight that so much as looks at him wrong."

"Sorry," Squirtle interrupted. "Where's Mistyfern exactly?"

"Oh, Mistyfern Jungle, it's a big region of cloudy jungle on the other side of the mountains." He motioned with a wing at the snowy peaks to the north, northeast, and the smaller mountains to the east. "Plenty of ferns, and it's misty all the time. Mistyfern, right? I left our little gathering spot once we saw how absurdly powerful that Pachirisu was, but I didn't realize every Zapper was like that. I got stuck here in Blindhollow, but I'm almost glad I did, seeing as I got to witness what you and your pals were doing. So I was thinking maybe you could do a repeat over in Mistyfern, eh?"

Squirtle was neither displeased nor surprised by the news. It was only a matter of time before Pokémon would be asking his team for help in other regions. Requests for assistance were a natural byproduct of his attempts to maximize his team's notoriety. He didn't believe his team's services would be called for until they arrived in Cavetown, but that was no matter. This Flying-type Pokémon would not be turned away because of Squirtle's ill-preparedness. He'd thought ahead.

"Peroo, I'm happy you brought this up. Unfortunately we have to go to Cavetown first to attend to a few matters. I can't promise that us five personally will be able to travel to Mistyfern Jungle to deal with that Pachirisu, but I can promise that your issue will be resolved. You'll see, once we get to Cavetown." Assuming we have the reception that I'm hoping for, Squirtle added in his head.

The Flying-type bobbed his head and neck forward. "Righty-o, thanks Squirtle. Let's get to Cavetown quick-like then, shall we? I'll be up there, generally speaking." He flicked his beak to the skies before hopping off the ground and flapping away.

Once he did, Squirtle got a good look at his companions' reactions to the Pokémon's request. Viper won the award for 'Most Surprised', while Quil certainly earned 'Most Appreciative' by the flattered smile he wore. The request was more evidence that they'd truly made a positive difference in Blindhollow. Their intervention was enough to inspire others to seek out their help elsewhere. No words were said about the conversation, but Squirtle reckoned none were needed.

Hayzin came over to Squirtle and spoke in a lowered voice. "More gifts were offered to us yesterday afternoon, like you predicted. One was even left outside the door overnight. We put them in one of the bags. Are we bringing them with us?"

"Perfect, yes. We'll probably need them, whatever they are. I figured not every Pokémon would want to express their appreciation in front of the whole town."

"And the bag of seeds and berries? Speaking of which, where did all those come from?" The Zebstrika tried to sound casual, but Squirtle wagered he was more curious than he let on. As a Blindhollow resident, Hayzin could be well aware of how pricey Wartortle's seeds were.

"We're definitely bringing those. I spoke to certain Pokémon around town yesterday, especially the ones who said to talk to them if we ever needed anything. They obliged. And I also spent most of the money we were given at Wartortle's Nursery."

"I see. Audacious of you, Squirtle."

Did he mean to say that he was impressed, or that Squirtle was being reckless? Either way, the deeds had already been done. Squirtle nodded and stepped past the Zebstrika to the fore of the small gathering of Pokémon and bags. Everyone was ready to leave. Fi and Gwala offered to help carry the baggage, but Viper insisted on carrying it all herself. The feat was hardly impressive, since the baggage consisted of three plain sacks that couldn't have weighed more than the load that she had bore two days prior: Quil and Bein.

"I got it, stop fussing. I won't let it fall and spill," Viper said with irritation after minute two of Squirtle securing the bags to her back. He used some rope he'd requested from an adoring Buneary in Blindhollow's outer ring.

With the gear taken care of, Squirtle quickly went over his expectations for the journey back to Cavetown. "We're in no great rush to return to Cavetown, so let's all save our strength when we run into battles. There's no way we can lose as a group of eight. Battles will definitely happen though. I imagine the delicious smells coming from the berry and seed bag will be more than enough to attract some wild Pokémon."

"Oh yeah," said Gwala the Snubbull after an audible pair of sniffs through his shiny black nose.

"Once we get to Cavetown, but before we go our separate ways, please come to the commons with me. I want to announce our triumph at Blindhollow to as many Pokémon as possible while we're all together. Anything else we need to talk about before we get going?"

No questions or concerns were raised. The path to Cavetown awaited.

The Scyther buzzed its wings in one last attempt to keep its balance before staggering backward and falling into the grass lining the path. Bein let the bone he'd been brandishing lower to his side. After a bow to the Scyther, he returned to the other bones he'd dropped and scooped them under one arm. Viper launched back into her story about the time she'd chased a Sandshrew into the tunnel it had dug. Squirtle had long since zoned out her voice. He suspected the others had too.

Quil had done most of the legwork in the battle. The others had let him. Evidently it was customary among Pokémon living in groups to allow any newly-evolved Pokémon a chance to fully enjoy their new capabilities. Besides, the Scyther was weak to Fire. Even after Quil's third use of his Ember that day, he still looked pleasantly surprised at the fire's intensity.

In the lull following the battle, Squirtle wondered at the reasoning behind a wild-dwelling Pokémon's desire to fight such a large group. The instinctual drive to fight any and all intruders had to be overwhelmingly powerful, yet he could still usually see a glimmer of doubt in the Pokémon's eyes each time the group encountered a wilder. Would he be driven by the same need to battle if he made the wilderness his home? According to Quil's explanation on their first day together, he would. Squirtle shuddered as he imagined himself mindlessly attacking passers-by in his territory.

For perhaps the tenth time, a shadow swept across the path in front of them and Squirtle jumped. Of course it was only Peroo soaring a hundred feet off the ground. Periodically he would rest his wings by walking along with the group, but never for long. He was a Pokémon of the sky – a Tranquill, Squirtle had learned on the road. Squirtle passed a few minutes imagining the wonders of flight. He bet Peroo would carry him, if he asked politely. He could hold onto the Tranquill's talons and feel the rush of wind as they left the earth behind. If Quil could sustain no injuries being knocked off a cliff, Bein could carry more than twice his weight, and Squirtle could jump five times his height, then a Tranquill could surely lift a smaller Pokémon into the sky. The only problem was that asking for a joy ride was totally improper behavior for the leader figure that he now was. It would be juvenile and unnecessary. So he refrained.

What he could do instead to satiate his curiosity was try on the gifts that were reputed to enhance one's abilities. He'd been holding off so as to not appear eager to experiment with a phenomenon that his peers considered ordinary. Squirtle recognized that he learned little about Pokémon training in his old life, yet he had absolutely no recollection of any items like the Special Band that waited within the bags. Like the extraordinary seeds that he'd seen in Wartortle's Seed Nursery, items like the Special Band seemed to be endemic to whatever land he now traveled.

Fi and Gwala chatted under their breath behind Viper, who continued telling her tale to what she believed to be an attentive audience. In the story, Viper burst out of the tunnel into an underground nest full of angry Krookodile. Squirtle shook his head. How would she have even been able to see what Pokémon they were? It would have been pitch black. He walked alongside the Seviper and untied the bag containing all of the accessories with which they'd left Blindhollow.

The orange cloth was the Special Band, the gray cloth with the six black dots was the Defense Scarf, and the yellow headband with violet accents was the Detect Band. The first would supposedly improve one's elemental potency, the second could make one resistant to physical strikes, and the third somehow improved one's ability to avoid attacks. There was also the pretty blue ribbon, but its previous owner did not say it had any special properties. Each of the enhancement items had a story behind it, like the legendary Staraptor that wore the Special Band when it used its Sky Attack against its foes. The accessories' origin stories made them sound like they were artifacts from an era of epic battles and larger-than-life struggles between good and evil. Squirtle doubted every word. He was also skeptical of the accessories' ability to provide any benefit beyond the placebo effect. The time had come to test their worth.

When he folded and tied the Special Band bandana-style around the top rim of his shell, Squirtle felt absolutely no different. His hopes plummeted. Bringing the fabric with them had been a waste of effort.

"How's it feel? Can you feel super bluper power gushing through you?" Viper had stopped her story to watch Squirtle try on the Special Band.

"No, I feel the same as always." He kept the disappointment out of his voice so as to not reveal that his dreams had been crushed. "It's a dud."

"Haven't tried it yet," Bein pointed out. "Shoot your water."

Squirtle rolled his eyes. Bein didn't deserve it, but the distinct lack of the anticipated extraordinary effects had fouled his mood. He aimed his head down the path and let fly a quick Water Gun.

The water from his Pool flowed into his mouth more readily than ever before. As the water streamed past his lips, he sensed that the flow rate was greater than anything he'd produced previously. Water, so much water! The speed of the water, too, had increased. In fact, everything about the technique was noticeably improved. The overall effect was a simply better Water Gun. The improvement was not massive, but it was still there. Too great to be written off as a result of his own hopeful perceptions. The Special Band really worked!

"Wow," Fi murmured. She looked avoided everyone's gaze as most eyes turned to her. "I've never seen someone use a scarf before. It works, right?"

Squirtle nodded, grinning, as Viper said, "C'mon, try the others on!"

He untied the Special Band and replaced it with the Defense Scarf. Again, he felt no different until Viper swatted him with the flat of her tail blade. The impact on his chin felt more distant than he would have expected, as if some of the force behind the hit had been lost somewhere along the way. Squirtle was too excited by the effect of the scarf to be upset with Viper going for his face.

The Detect Band was the most exciting of all, as it distinctly warped Squirtle's perception of the world from the moment he tightened it around his forehead. Motion stood out. The scenery appeared no different, but the way the Pokémon around him moved now appeared more important in his eyes. When Bein took a swing at him with his customary bone, the weapon was like a brilliant beacon that drew his full attention. He still couldn't avoid the bone slamming into his shell, but Squirtle figured that predicting and dodging attacks would be easier due to the automatic, perfect focus that the Detect Band inspired.

"Try them all on at once," said Viper, her head bobbing like mad. "Then let's do a practice battle. Viper versus mega-Squirtle!"

He was too thrilled by the wondrous effects of the items to say no. However, when he tied the Special Band back on with the Detect Band still wrapped around his forehead, Squirtle found himself afflicted by a sudden malaise. Then the nausea came. Before he could find out what throwing up felt like as a Squirtle, he hastily untied the Special Band. The discomfort lingered for a minute but gradually subsided.

"I've never seen a 'mon wearing more than one such accessory," said Hayzin. "I expect that's why. I apologize, I could have warned you."

Squirtle waved away the apology as he finally felt like himself again. The time for fun was over though. Time to get down to business. "Don't worry about it. I probably would have tried it myself anyway to be sure. While we have them out, we should decide who wears which scarf, in case we do end up traveling together once again. It would be a mistake to not make use of them. Every advantage counts."

"I sure don't need one," scoffed Viper immediately. "I can pull my weight in any battle without help!"

Other than Viper's rejection of the accessories, no one else gave any input. The silence held a note of expectation. Squirtle grew irritated, then frustrated when still no one spoke. He had tried to encourage open discussions. He'd made sure that his plans and stratagems were democratic suggestions, not authoritarian commandments. Why, then, were they all waiting for him to voice his personal opinion? Had he babied them so much? Could they not think for themselves? The Pokémon around him were certainly not idiots. More than once though, Squirtle had brought up a topic for discussion only to look back minutes later and realize that the 'conversation' had been more of a one-sided speech than an equal dialogue.

Finally, Quil came to the rescue. "Hayzin, maybe you should wear the Detect Band. You might be targeted in the next gigantic battle, since you're...you know."

"True," said the Zebstrika. "For the same reason, it's also probably important for me to remain up and fighting. Not to raise my personal importance out of proportion, but I do have the potential to inflict damage on a large scale nowadays."

They both glanced at Squirtle, seemingly for approval. He nodded. "Right. Then Bein, if you come with us on the next job, I think you should wear the Defense Scarf. You'll be targeted too, as a Grounder. A smart Electric-type will order his or her allies to prioritize taking you down."

Bein's expression did not change. "If I go with you, I'll wear it. Not a problem."

"Who's gonna wear the Special Band?" asked Gwala, who'd been following the conversation with an expression between excitement and confusion.

"Down to you two," said Viper with a sweep of her blade in the direction of Quil and Squirtle. "Why don't you keep it, Squirtle? Quil just evolved."

A flare of anger arose from some part of Squirtle's mind. Was Viper saying he was weak? Lately Squirtle wasn't sure he could differentiate between his Squirtle body's feelings and drives, and his humanity. The line between the two blurred more every day he lived this new life. Segregating and preserving his humanity was like trying to hold water in his hands.

"You think I need the Special Band?" He tried to make it sound like a playful jab.

"Nah, that's not what I meant," Viper said with a tactful tone of voice. The inflection sounded misplaced coming from her. "Still, Quil evolved yesterday, and that means..."

"She didn't mean to be degrading, Squirtle," Hayzin reassured.

"No big deal, I'll be the one to wear it when we leave from Cavetown," Squirtle said with finality.

Through the last few pieces of conversation, Quil had become suddenly interested in the mountaintops of Heartless Heights. The sight of his friend pretending to ignore the conversation stirred the coals of Squirtle's anger once again. How dare Quil be so aloof during the discussion? Did he think himself superior to Squirtle now that he was a Quilava? Did he lose interest in the conversation because he assumed the Special Band should go to Squirtle, the weakling Water-type?

"Tch," Squirtle practically spat as the group lapsed into silence for the first time on the journey. Not even Viper broke it. Squirtle threw the three items back into the bag and secured it with the others.

Inevitably, in the peaceful wilderness, Squirtle's bitter thoughts lost steam. The sights and sounds of the untamed grassland and open sky were enough to calm anyone, given enough time. His rage eased into anxiety. Squirtle could count on two hands, to a total of six fingers, the number of times he'd felt angry after his transformation. Whatever was making him mad about the insinuation that he should wear the Special Band needed to be addressed. He was not the type of person who was easily angered.

While Squirtle recognized that he had grown fond and even proud of his skill in battle, he did not feel so egotistical as to take serious offense to the suggestion that someone else's moves surpassed his own. Unless Quil was that 'someone else'. Quil was the problem. Squirtle may be jealous of Quil's evolution. That was a fine explanation, and no doubt common among Pokémon. He could see himself being jealous of that. Or, maybe Squirtle was feeling guilty about possibly forcing Quil into what he now was. Maybe he was mad that Quil was giving him the cold shoulder. Or that Quil was blaming him for expediting the evolution.

Thankfully, all of those possibilities shared one fact in common: they could be addressed by an honest conversation. Like most problems in a friendship, it could be resolved by simply talking about it. Squirtle's opinion, however, had not changed: Quil needed to see for himself that he was his own Pokémon. No matter what effects Squirtle's presence had on him, Quil was responsible for his own development. By the way the Quilava was behaving toward him though, it seemed he'd reached a conclusion out of line with that viewpoint. Quil seemed to be holding his evolution against Squirtle. His friend had said he needed some time alone to think about it. Well, he'd gotten his time. Tomorrow morning, Squirtle promised himself that he would talk to Quil face to face.

Squirtle's worries about Quil's sense of independence and self-confidence persisted through the day. A few battles later, each made effortless by the uneven odds, the day was done. Bein swiftly excavated a huge hole off the path, and they all piled in to rest. An hour or two before noon the next day, the group reached the foothills marking the border between Blind Prairie and Heartless Heights. It was also the deadline that Squirtle set for himself for talking to Quil. If he was being honest with himself, he dreaded talking to Quil. The outcome of the conversation could be disastrous. Nevertheless, being on such poor terms with Quil was making him behave unlike himself. Squirtle needed harmony, finality. That was the sort of person or Pokémon he was. Nothing left up in the air.

"Quil," he said after a deep breath. "I want to talk to you. Would you walk with me further up the path for a while?"

"Alright."

Once the two were out of earshot, Quil spoke while Squirtle was only opening his mouth. His expression was thoughtful. "Sorry I've been distant. Like I said, I wanted to think on my own about where I am in my life."

Hooray, Quil didn't hate him! "Right, I understand. Have you...reflected more on your evolution?"

"Oh, that. Yeah. If you're right about the human trainer effect, and I think that we both think you are, then you traveling and battling with me sped up my improvement a whole lot. No one with my small amount of experience evolves, it's unheard of! But I also think you were right when you said that I'm the one who improved myself and grew stronger. Not you, or anyone else."

Squirtle could not help but smile in relief as Quil continued. "We practiced, we improved, we worked hard. It wasn't like I did nothing. Even if the process was shortened by you, I should be celebrating my evolution, not wondering if I deserve it." A small, perhaps apologetic smile came onto Quil's face. "Besides, you didn't mean to do it, so I can't expect you to have asked permission first."

"Oh, Quil, fantastic! I'm so glad you see it that way! Although, you bring up a good point. I don't have to keep doing what I've been doing if it has this unwanted enhancing effect on the Pokémon around me. Do you want me to stop acting so much like a trainer? I can step down, so to speak, and fight silently and instinctively like other Pokémon. That might work."

Quil's eyes wandered upward thoughtfully for a moment before he said, "No, please keep acting like your normal self. This phenomenon, however it works, is a good thing. I'm sure of that now. Together, we can all get stronger quick. Every advantage counts, right?"

Days had passed since Squirtle, Quil, and Bein had arrived at Cavetown for the first time. Yet still many Pokémon remained by the main entrance, waiting for someone or something. In fact, the number of waiting Pokémon had grown. Squirtle recalled well the disappointed expressions come over the faces of the two Croconaw, or the Crustle, as they crested the path and came into the view of Cavetown's morose sentinels that first time. The interested, even hopeful expressions he saw this time around were thus even more positive by contrast.

"Aren't you the 'mon with the crazy idea to 'take back Blindhollow'?" asked a Bonsly, as the Donphan serving as sentry waved them in with her trunk.

"Yep!" said Quil. Squirtle had asked him to be the team's voice in Cavetown again for consistency's sake. His new form would be showcased from the forefront, too. "Come with us to the commons if you'd like to hear about it."

As the group descended into the tunnel and Squirtle's eyes adjusted to the low bioluminescent glow, the Bonsly wasn't the only Pokémon who followed them. Whispers and exclamations of curiosity or surprise followed where they passed. The poise that Squirtle had asked his team to exhibit while in Cavetown paid off, since they were soon leading a crowd into the commons. He was reminded of the march to the bottom of Blindhollow. In some ways, the outcome of the announcement in the commons would be just as impactful to Squirtle's plans as the battle of Blindhollow was. That outcome was mostly up to Quil, but Squirtle was much less worried about Quil's ability to speak in front of Cavetown's Pokémon this time.

When they reached that same mushroom cluster in the commons, and Squirtle fully turned around at last, he could feel the blood drain from his face. Hundreds of Pokémon. Hundreds. The rest of Cavetown had to be empty, and there had to be more refugees than ever in order to justify the numbers present in the commons. More still were pushing into the crowded first portion of the cavern. Pokémon shifted deeper inside, even going past the mushroom cluster to make room. The team was surrounded by an attentive mass of Pokémon. Murmurs and mutterings echoed in the huge cavern. Squirtle caught snippets from the nearest Pokémon.

"...a Quilava now. I wonder what happened in..."

"...new Snubbull, Eevee, Tranquill, so where else could they have gone if not..."

"...that Zebstrika again! Help me Groudon I'll teach him not to show his stripes in my home, with..."

"...impossible for them to have actually beaten that Raichu. I heard she's..."

Squirtle motioned to the rest of the team to take positions on the shorter mushrooms. Peroo, Fi, and Gwala all showed reluctance, but obeyed. The stalk of Hayzin's chosen mushroom bent and snapped when he leaped atop. A few Pokémon laughed as he stood on the rocky ground instead with his chin high. Squirtle gave Quil a nod after about a minute. He wanted the rumors and guesses percolating as long as possible without letting the crowd simmer down and begin to file out from losing interest.

"Hello, thank you for coming!" Quil sounded more confident this time. His now deeper and louder voice supported that confidence. "A few days ago, I stood on this mushroom as a Cyndaquil and said we would stop what was happening in Blindhollow. What I'm about to say might sound unbelievable to you, but we have proof, and anyone who goes to Blindhollow now can see for themselves."

He paused dramatically as a teasing smile stole onto his short snout. Quil was going to enjoy this, and why not? He'd earned it. He should be proud.

"We did it."

The cavern erupted into isolated conversations, shouts of approval, disapproval, disbelief, requests for details, demands for the 'truth'. Through it all, Quil said nothing. His smile grew lopsided, and wavered. Squirtle began to give an encouraging thumbs-up, but switched it to a triumphant fist. Many Pokémon lacked hands, let alone thumbs. Squirtle's own digit barely qualified as a thumb, compared to the true human thumb. The closed fist would have a better chance of being understood.

The clamor died away while a few miniature debates began. Two or three minutes into the unproductive arguments, a Geodude shouted that she knew a pair of Pidgey who could vouch for Quil's words about what had happened in Blindhollow. She said the Pidgey had been present during the climactic battle. The two Pidgey themselves took off from their perches in the crowd, confirming that Raizula had been deposed and the town freed. Fi, Peroo, and Gwala followed on the heels of the assurances of the two Pidgey with their own testimony of the events at Blindhollow. Squirtle had warned them they would probably need to confirm Quil's story for the Pokémon of Cavetown, and they did their parts admirably. Fi's voice quivered and she watched her front paws as she talked, but the crowd thankfully seemed to interpret that as anxiety, not dishonesty. Only then did Squirtle estimate the crowd was truly beginning to believe Quil's words.

Quil continued his speech at last, talking about what exactly happened at Blindhollow. Pokémon in the crowd shouted questions, and Quil replied without missing a beat. The speech took on a back-and-forth nature that Squirtle was sure gave them credibility. As they had discussed, Quil finished the speech with positivity.

"Blindhollow will never again have problems with crazy Zappers. We've made sure of that. But we're not done. No, we're going to help everywhere else that is suffering because of Zappers taking advantage of their power. I bet a lot of you are coming from places like that, and we want to restore them to the way they used to be."

The crowd's reaction was stronger than Squirtle had anticipated. What sounded like half of the Pokémon present yelled out their appeals for help. Squirtle didn't recognize any of the names or locations called out except for two or three mentions of Karprest and Stolt.

Quil held up his forepaws as if to fend off all the requests. "Okay, okay, thank you. We're going to be putting up a, er, board or something. It'll be outside wherever we stay here in Cavetown, which, I'm not really sure..."

Squirtle hopped up onto the highest mushroom with Quil. "Once we've chosen a place to base ourselves here in Cavetown, could that Smeargle please install a board nearby for everyone to post up the known Electric-type issues? We'd also love to have a few other Pokémon to help us out, so if you want to be a part of our efforts, please stop by tomorrow."

More than a few eager nods or other signals of enthusiastic approval could be seen in the gathered Pokémon. As he clambered down and gestured for Quil to continue, Squirtle breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Being too demanding would have soured the mood, but everyone was excited to help.

"That's about all we have to say," Quil said. "In a couple of days we're leaving again for some other area, and we won't fail. We will help the Pokémon we find against whatever Zapper is causing problems. Please help us out in our preparations if you can. Together, we're stronger than any bad Zapper!"

A shudder of emotion went through Squirtle at his friend's words. For a moment, he was larger than life. A force for good in a world gone mad. He was making an actual difference. Doing what he was meant to do. He felt small before the enormity of their mission. Humbled. As the crowd cried its bestial cheer, Squirtle's eyes shone with a kind of wonder. Then with fire.

The hour that followed passed in a blur. The crowd was not done with them, even if they were done with the crowd. Apparently their audience was too eager or excited to stop by the team's base of operations at a later time. Pokémon wanted assurances from Quil that they would truly be safe to return to Blindhollow. There were entreaties for assistance with this or that Electric-type, as well as demands that bordered on threats for Squirtle's team to help them out immediately. Some Pokémon wanted to speak to them simply to give personal thanks or praise. Again, some Pokémon offered gifts. Quil accepted all of them, supporting Squirtle's theory that refusing a gift would be an insult. Still others promised them gifts in exchange for assistance with this or that Electric-type back home. These promises planted the seeds of an idea in Squirtle's mind as he encouraged them to post their issues on the board later on.

Fortunately, a few of their visitors offered more than material possessions. Services. A long-time resident of Cavetown who could connect them with whatever Pokémon they needed to see. The Bunnelby leader of the digging team that could hollow out whatever caves they needed to get a base of operations set up. A Leavanny skilled at working with materials and silk thread. A cook from the kitchen who offered to cater food to them when they were too busy to come down to the diner.

Last of all came the Pokémon that Squirtle had most been looking forward to seeing. The Monferno practically dragged his feet as he approached Squirtle and Quil with his eyes downcast. Squirtle arranged his features to their most pompous configuration.

"Ehh, gotta tell ya, I'm real sorry about makin' fun of your speech that other day. Hee, I can see now you weren't playin'. Sorry 'bout that." The Fire-type's tail curled and he stole a glance at their faces for a reaction.

Squirtle dropped his look of superiority. How could he gloat when the Monferno was genuinely ashamed and repentant?

"It's okay," Quil said. "We accept your apology, right Squirtle?"

"Hm. Yes, we do. Thanks for waiting all this time to apologize."

The Monferno was not satisfied. "How can I make it up to ya? I don't have anything to give, but the guilt's been hitting me like a Hyper Beam since you came back to town. You need anything?"

Quil looked to Squirtle. He thought of what pieces were still missing from his plan after all the offers of assistance they'd received from the rest of the Pokémon in Cavetown. There was that one job he needed done, but offering it to the Monferno would be a silly idea. And yet...maybe a skeptic with a conscience was exactly what he needed.

"If you really want to help, and if you live in Cavetown, you can be our banker."

"Banker? What's a banker?"

"You know, a pers-uh, that is, a Pokémon in charge of a bank."

The Monferno glanced at Quil, whose expression of confusion matched the Monferno's. Squirtle was puzzled as he saw that not Hayzin, Viper, Bein, or any of the other Pokémon nearby knew what he was talking about. No one knew what a banker was?

Oh, so Pokémon don't have banks. Right. Time to teach basic economics.

"A bank is a place where Pokémon can store their money or possessions so that they'll be safe. When we're traveling to deal with the next Electric-type, we won't be bringing everything we own with us. We'll need to pick up some things when we return though, so that's where you would come in. You'd have the Poké and the items safe and sound."

"Hee, you must have a lot of stuff to need a banker!" said the Monferno.

"Interesting," Hayzin put in. "That explains what we'll be doing with all of this." He nudged the pile of gifts and offerings with a hoof.

"How about it?" asked Squirtle.

The Monferno's reply bore no hesitation. "If being your banker is whatcha need, then I'm your Pokémon, hee! Name's Nape."

The rest of the day was spent capitalizing on gratitude and otherwise profiting from the team's reception in order to bring the schemes of Squirtle's mind to fruition. As one of the lauded heroes, Squirtle was able to commandeer a small piece of Cavetown as the team's temporary base of operations. A few minutes' walk through the labyrinthine network of tunnels placed them at the end of a medium-diameter tunnel far from the hubbub at the core of Cavetown. The tunnel's end wasn't much, but it would serve. Their Phanpy guide explained that there were many tunnels in Cavetown that saw little use. Some were unfinished, some led to the surface, and some led deep into Heartless Heights and parts unknown.

When Squirtle wondered aloud where a good place would be to serve as their bank, Nape the Monferno suggested a nearby cavern with an uncommon qualities. It was known as The Lattice, and once Nape led them there, Squirtle could see why. The cavern featured stalactites and stalagmites galore, along with reticulated stone arches criss-crossing every which way. The walls were honeycombed with holes, and at no point was the floor an easy walk. The room was a geological marvel.

Nape looked pleased at the awe-stricken expressions. "Hee, it's not the only cavern in Cavetown like this, but it's the craziest one. Not many Pokémon can navigate The Lattice like I can, not even Flyers, so I wager it'll be easy for me to keep your things safe and hidden in the nooks and pockets all around."

To demonstrate, the Monferno ran up the nearest stalagmite, launched himself at a thin horizontal column of stone, and swung out of sight in the blink of an eye. He returned to the group from a different part of the Lattice, using his tail and feet equally as often as his hands to maneuver his body through the natural obstacle course.

"Perfect," said Squirtle, and motioned for everyone to leave their bags with Nape. Bein deposited all of his bones except his favored one, too.

While returning to the base, which Viper very creatively dubbed 'Team Base', Hayzin expressed his desire to reunite with his mate Flinyta. He promised to let Squirtle know his final decision regarding his future with the team. He said his goodbyes, and Bein made a similar promise. The rest of the group followed suit. Hayzin, Bein, Gwala, Fi, and Peroo all departed. Squirtle, Quil, and Viper followed the Phanpy in a significantly quieter procession.

Already, a small crowd was forming at the dead-end tunnel now known as Team Base. Squirtle knew why they'd come, but he was surprised at how quickly. Apparently the resourcefulness of a Pokémon in need could not be underestimated. A familiar Smeargle and Donphan trickled in from the tunnel, and Squirtle motioned them to the front. The Donphan's tusks bore a load of wooden planks and panels with a jingling metal bucket. The Smeargle brought nothing except the natural paintbrush of a tail. Squirtle peeked inside the bucket to behold thick nails of the same gray-black as the bucket.

After instructing the duo on the specifics of how he wanted the board installed, Squirtle soon grew impatient watching the two at their slow work. There was still so much to do! Quil must have noticed his anxiety, as he offered to supervise the progress and put the crowd at ease while Squirtle moved on to his next task. Viper remained with Quil as Squirtle returned to inner Cavetown.

The tasks that Squirtle had imagined taking an hour ended up taking far longer. They'd been overly simplified in his mind, fledgling ideas that would surely work themselves out when the time came. The devil was in the details. Still, he felt accomplished upon returning to Team Base at what he judged to be the end of the day. Time was tricky in the subterranean town. The environment was perpetually lit by the calm white glow of the fungi, never dimming or brightening.

The relief on Quil's face was unmistakable as Squirtle came into view. He and Viper were practically surrounded by Pokémon, no doubt fending off an endless flow of requests for assistance in fixing the issues caused by this or that Electric-type. Quil said something about the team needing to sleep to be successful, and the remaining Pokémon finally left them in peace.

"Finally, you're back," said Quil. He sounded exhausted. Squirtle felt a pang of guilt though he was certainly weary himself. Viper apparently lacked the energy to voice any words at all.

"I accomplished much of what I wanted to do, thanks to you two holding down the fort. No one's used the board yet?"

The wall near the tunnel's end now featured a neat, modest, eight by six foot message board. Squirtle had asked it to be made of removable wooden slats, so that a Pokémon could take an empty slat out, scratch in their request with a claw or sharp rock, and then reinsert the slat. The format also allowed Squirtle the ability to rearrange the slats to his liking, though he did not yet have any idea of what order might make sense. The board was currently blank.

"I insisted that no one use it yet," Quil explained. "I think we deserve a break from worrying about Zapper problems, if only for one day. Everyone promised they'd wait until morning. A Togekiss said that would be in ten or eleven hours. That means it's evening now right? Feels like it."

Squirtle smiled up at his friend. "Good idea. A night without any pleas for help while we're trying to sleep sounds much more restful. Speaking of, want to head to the kitchen for a meal before getting some sleep?"

The attention the three received while eating was simultaneously gratifying and annoying. Being a celebrity was a double-edged sword. Their fellow diners wanted detailed accounts of the battle against Raizula and her supporters. Some asked to see their battling techniques. Viper obliged, and Squirtle and Quil allowed her to represent them in the matter. She proceeded to slash her tail through the air and bite at an imagined Raichu. The purple poison coating the blade of her tail and sizable fangs was certainly not imaginary. To Squirtle's relief, no Pokémon was poisoned during the demonstration. After dinner, the three settled down to sleep on the least jagged and thus most comfortable rocky surface in Team Base. The spot turned out to be the smooth top of a boulder left behind from the tunnel's digging efforts an unknown time ago.

In the morning, or what felt like morning, the three went to check on the request board and found once again a small crowd of Pokémon awaiting their arrival. Two or three Pokémon in the front eagerly began talking about the help they required. Squirtle did not give them a chance to get rolling. More crowds was not what he wanted to deal with first thing in the morning.

"Yes, we understand, the Electric boost is causing problems everywhere," he said in a raised voice so that all could hear. "That's what the point of the board is! Please just write on the board instead of watching us sleep like this! You simply take out one of these..."

He looked at the board while reaching for one of the removable wooden slats. His hand stopped.

Quil and Viper were both frozen beside him, completely ignoring the crowd.

"Yeesh," said Viper. "I'm still dreaming, right? That's got to be it."

"Krow's luck," said Quil, almost too softly to be heard. "What can we do against that?"