Ch.21: Catch the Lightning Fast Thief! Team Ravenfield Vs. Tony!
The two sides kept their distance from one another, unsure about who would make the first move. All they did was keep their eyes on each other, while formulating a plan for either negotiation or escape. Neither side wanted to resort to unnecessary conflict, though the Dewott thief was more than willing to engage in a fight.
Speaking of which, he was still looking for a viable escape route he could take. As a thief, he had to learn to think outside the box. It's what made him the perceptive pickpocket he is today. You can't be a master thief and expect to make an escape through dumb luck. That's not how he rolls.
Though, from his current standing, dumb luck would have been nice.
Fact is, even with his quick thinking intellect, there was one factor that kept him from giving his adversaries the slip: his adversaries.
Only looking at them, he knew he was up against some tough opponents. Three of them could use magic, so he had no information about their preferred style of battle or what spells they mastered. Ella, while not a magic user, was still a Psychic Pokémon. If she trained her mind well enough, he could be dealing with someone who can drop a house on him.
If he were to use the roofs, they could easily follow him. If he tried charging through, one of them might have a counter for that. Simply turning tail and running back the way he came might not work with the psychic around.
There wasn't much he could do…at least, not much he could do as a normal Dewott. Being the gifted magic user he is, he had a few tricks up his sleeve. The four treasure hunters might know of his affinity to Storm Magic, but they don't know the kind of spells he has master over the years.
Decided to stall for time, he folded his arms behind his back and offered a friendly smile. "Well, nice to run into you all again. What are the odds of that?"
"With how you've been avoiding us, pretty slim," Ella replied.
"Avoiding you?" he gasped in fake surprise. "How absurd! That's quite the claim you're putting against me."
Flint groaned. "Save the theatrics for acting school. We know you robbed us. Wasn't too hard to figure out."
Tony grinned. "I'm a little hurt you thought so quickly of me." He shrugged. "I mean, sure, it's true, but to accuse me just like that," he snapped his fingers, "now that's just rude."
Gwyn stepped forward. "Tony, listen, we REALLY need that sack you took from Wes back. It has something important to us."
He reached into his pocket and pulled the sack out. "You mean this?"
Immediately, Wes noticed the bag looked much thinner. His eyes sharpened into a glare. "HEY! How much of my money did you use?!"
Tony peeked into the bag. "Huh…two-thirds, I guess." He laughed. "But they got me some delicious food! Some of the most expensive, I believe."
He clenched his teeth tightly. He couldn't stand having his precious valuables wasted so frivolously, especially when they're stolen by some common thief. "That's my freakin' money, you jerk!"
Ella gently jabbed the Umbreon's side. "Before you have a mental breakdown, we came here for something a little more important than some spent bits."
While it pained him to imagine it, the money wasn't their top priority at the moment. He released a shaky sigh before saying, "Tony, listen…you can…" He gulped. "You can…k-k-ke…keee-e-e…" This was a sentence that made his stomach turn.
Fortunately, Flint came to his recuse. "You can keep the money." A soft whimper escaped Wes' lips.
Now that was a first for the thief. Normally when someone he robbed finds him, they aren't as generous. Sometimes it involves pitchforks and rifles being fired at him. Other times it took slightly more violent behavior, like trying to kidnap him in a dark alleyway and beat him 'til he was purple. First part happened, but he came out bruise-free.
If they didn't want the money back, that meant…
Tony smirked knowingly and pocketed the money, then retrieved the orange key they sought for. "I take it this is why."
Flint nodded. "Yes, that's it. That key is kind of important to us, so if you'll kindly…" His younger brother slapped his paw over his mouth. "Hmm?!"
"Flint, you might not want to say that," he whispered warningly.
He pulled his paw off. "Why?"
He got his answer from the thief in front of them. "My, my, it's important, you say? Dear me, it'd be a shame if something awful happened to it." He bounced it in his hand. "Why is that exactly? Is it valuable? Is it linked to something else valuable? Or is it just a family heirloom you want back because it has sentimental value?"
Flint clenched his teeth. "We don't want to play your games. Give the key back now!"
Tony held his hand over his heart. "No need to be so aggressive, my friend. I'm but a humble villager trying to make a living off random junk." He dangled the key in front of them. "If this holds value to you, that means you have a price I can sell it for."
Gwyn gulped nervously. "L-Listen, we do need it, but we don't have anything to give you."
"Oh, I'm sure the rest of you have some bits to spare. Like say…all of them," he requested with a devious smile.
Ella stepped in front of the green Mew. "What she means is that we're not giving you anything. That's rightfully our property you have there and we're taking it back, whether it be like civilized adults or barbaric thugs. Take your pick, because I'm itching for a fight."
Tony sighed, folding his arms behind his head. "Sorry sweetheart, but that's not how life works. You can't expect everyone to just be a kind Samaritan and return belongings just because it's the right thing to do."
Wes narrowed his eyes. "But that's wrong. What gives you the right to rob people without seeing the consequences?"
"Gee, let me think," he said farcically, tapping his chin with the key and presenting a goofy smile. "Hmm, I'm not sure. Perhaps it falls under that same right where fellas like me get to rot on the streets and die while everyone else in the world goes on with their merry little lives like unfortunate rats like me are another daily nuisance," he finished, his tone getting increasing darker with each word. Gwyn jumped back with a light shiver while the other three stood their ground, though slightly anxious.
"I'm not sure if you noticed, but we're all trying our hardest to survive out here. This is the only place we have left to call home. We're not rich, we're not treasure hunters, and we're nobody's problem. The rest of the world sees us as scum that are 'a waste of oxygen' and 'using up precious resources for their own greedy intentions'."
The Dewott lowered his head with a chuckle. "Yeah…I've heard it all before. Rotten, rich bastards roll by these parts and breakdown our spirits." He shook his head. "It's the cruelest of scum the commonly comes here and destroy our confidence." He shrugged. "There's always the few charitable gents and lasses who pay us a visit, but…those few sparkling gems can't make up for the dark earth that surrounds us.
"You want to know why I became a thief? It's because I'm a selfish jerk who cares about his own life, seconded by my family. I don't give a crap about feelings or morality. I'm not willing to cross that line to murder, but I'll steal an entire ship if it'll put food on the table every night.
"Life isn't always fair. I've been given a front row seat to that disaster show a long time ago. My eyes are wide open to the truth. The world is full of sin and I decided to embrace it to survive."
Wes stared blankly at the Dewott before taking a step forward. "Tony…you can only go so far with this. Sooner or later, it's not going to be enough."
The thief scoffed. "Like you haven't pulled a move like that. Please, you treasure hunters would kill for a rare artifact."
"I would never cross that line," he retorted calmly. "I'll admit, I'm a bit of a pickpocket myself. Heck, I steal out of impulsion, not need. But even I know I can only take it so far, instinct or not."
"Don't go and try comparing your life to mine. You don't have to worry about scrounging for food every second of your life or wonder if you'll get some disease that'll cripple you and slowly weaken you to the point of death."
Well, I wouldn't know about that last part. The Umbreon could see the bits of frustration in his eyes. He could see that feeling before this argument escalated. This can't last any longer than it should. "Tony, there are other ways to care for yourself. I should know. I've been living in a crappy apartment for a while." He shook his head. "I know it's nothing to compare with you, but…I know the feeling of having to work hard to keep going."
His admission did calm the thief down a bit, but not enough to cooperate. "It doesn't matter. In this world, it's survival of the cleverest and fittest. I intend to keep that saying alive through me." He held the key up to them. "If your money or any of your valuables are worth the return of this key, I suggest you get smart and cooperate."
Flint narrowed his eyes, then whispered to Wes, "We've tried the humane route. We're gonna have to do things our way now."
The Umbreon sighed, but nodded in agreement. "When I give the signal, use your time stop spell and I'll take it back," he replied softly.
The brothers were in agreement and took a step forward. Tony sighed and bounced the key in his hand. Much like them, the Dewott decided it was time to take off the kiddie gloves and show them why he was a thief not to be trifled with.
"You are not the first of my victims to try and retaliate against me. And you'll certainly not be the last." He caught the key. "And, like all of them, you will find that you're in over your heads."
Gwyn pulled out her whip and snapped at the air with it. Ella crouched down as her eyes glowed with psychic energy. Flint adjusted his hat as his eyes glowed orange. Wes placed his paw over his Star Amulet.
The thief stared at the group and smirked. "I've had a long day. Dealing with idiots like the Anguis Organization, or hotshot hunters such as yourselves, I could use a day to stretch my legs and let off some steam. I think you five will do nicely." He held the key up. "How about we play a game of 'Keep Away'? Rules? If you catch me, you win and get the key back. Lose and you lose everything you hold precious to you."
Flint stepped forward as his eyes glowed brighter, preparing the time stop spell. "We're not obliging to such a ridiculous gamble."
He shrugged. "You don't have much of a choice. Agree or not, I win." He chuckled deviously. "How about I start off?" He reeled his arm back. "Go long!" With a mighty swing of his arm, the key went flying over them towards the sky.
As expected, their eyes immediately shifted to the flying relic in alert. "Someone get it!" Wes shouted. Gwyn twirled her whip and prepared to lasso it down.
Tony bent down, holding himself up on his hands and getting into a running position like one would see at the start of a race. His fur sparked as it developed its static appearance. Tiny bolts of electricity crackled across his fur, bouncing erratically off his body. With a smirk, he kicked off the ground, uttering two words to himself:
"Light Speed."
Gwyn cracked her whip at the key. It coiled at the end to wrap around the orange glowing relic. However, it would never reach as something interfered with her reach.
A solid splash of blue zipped pass her and socked her in the gut. Actually, everyone felt a similar experience. Each of them, almost simultaneously, felt a sharp blow to their sides, all while seeing a bolt of blue lightning. They were sent flying in opposite directions from each other and either crash into a wall or slammed against the dirt road, head first.
Wes immediately recovered and looked up at the key. Almost immediately, the same blue light zipped off the rooftops and grabbed the relic in a fast, perfect arc shape, landing on the roof parallel to the jumping point.
The light dispersed, revealing a grinning Dewott with the key in hand. He dangled it above them, laughing. "See? Bet you didn't see this coming."
Ella pulled herself up and glared at the thief. "The heck…how did he get up there so quickly?"
Flint peeled himself off the wall and staggered back, holding his head. "Can he freeze time, too?"
"No, it's not that," Wes said. "I saw him move, if only for a brief moment. He used some sort of…speed augmentation spell."
Tony chuckled. "How right you are. I told you, I have an affinity for Storm Magic. That means I am the master of the sky." He sent a current of electricity up his arm. "Everything you could do to stop me is utterly pointless. Anything you dish out at mean, I can avoid. Any plan you come up with, I'll always have a counter." He smirked. "You can only dream of matching my speed."
Ella growled. She darted her eyes at the ground and tore a piece of earth out of it with her mind, before hurling it at the smug thief. He moved his head a few inches out of range and safely let it fly pass him. He smiled down at her jeeringly.
"Really? A rock? You can't blast me with a psychic beam or something?" He sighed. "So uncreative with your abilities."
She narrowed her eyes. "You're REALLY asking for a beating."
He chuckled. "You're cute when you're mad." He looked around and frowned. "Where'd Gwyn go?"
His whiskers twitched in alert as the potion maker's whip circled around his body, preparing to ensnare him. He caught a brief glimpse of green behind him before smirking.
"Light Speed!" His body glowed blue before exploding off him.
From his point of view, time slowed to a crawl. Everything was still moving, but at a drastically slower speed. He turned around and smirked at Gwyn, whose face express a sense of triumph. He rolled his eyes at how silly she was acting.
He jumped out of the whip's ensnarement before grabbing the end and wrapping it around the defenseless Mew. He tied her up with a tight knot. He reached around in her pockets to see if she had bits on her, even checking her bag. He frowned, seeing they didn't bring anything outside of fighting equipment. Smart move, he had to admit.
He didn't have time to stand around. The effects of the spell didn't last very long. This wasn't actual light speed he was moving at, so he couldn't waste the precious seconds he had. So, he finished off his meddling by sweep kicking Gwyn so she'd be floating horizontally. He took a step back and sat down as time began to move normally.
Gwyn's vision went through a form of whiplash as she found herself suddenly rolling down the side of the roof she was on and crashing to the ground, all while tied up in her own whip. Said whip, with its pointy thorns, was poking at her skin, making her wince.
"Gwyn!" Flint ran over to her and untied her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine…" she sighed as she pushed herself up.
The two glared up at Tony as he laughed. "How long will it take you to see that you're at a disadvantage? I can counter anything you do without putting effort into it."
Flint stood up and adjusted his hat. "You may have speed, but I can do something even you can't counter."
Tony flipped to his feet. "I'd like to see you try."
Wes walked up to his brother's side and nodded. Flint's eyes flashed orange. "Time Stop!" His eyes pulsed.
Tony was confused by what happened, until he saw Wes had disappeared in an orange flash. He turned around just in time to receive a sharp kick to the face, knocking him through the roof across from them. He flew out from the other side and rolled across the ground.
He flipped up and rubbed his face. He felt a small cut on his cheek. Other than that, nothing serious. He glared up as Wes jumped over the house and landed in front of him.
The Umbreon smirked. "So, can't fight face to face, eh?"
Tony stared at him before giving a light scoff. "Oh please…" He dragged his foot back and got into a fighting stance. "I can hold my own fairly nice."
Wes grinned, the fires of determination burning brightly in his eyes. "Good!" He dashed at the Dewott and jumped, attempting to dropkick him.
The Dewott sidestepped and grabbed his foreleg, then slammed him against the ground. He pointed his finger out and charged Lightning Shot. Wes spun on his back and kicked his hand away, making him misfire at an empty patch of dirt. He flipped up and kicked him with his hind legs.
Tony flipped back and threw a Water Pulse. The Umbreon ducked under it and bolted straight ahead, headbutting him in the stomach.
He skidded back, but held his ground. "Not bad, but I don't play fair. Light Speed!" He disappeared in a flash of light.
Wes staggered forward before being bombarded by a stream of fast moving strikes, each followed by a blue glow. He tensed up to endure their painful hits as he tried to establish where the Dewott will appear once the spell ended.
Eventually, Tony reappeared in front of Wes as he threw a punch. Wes countered by using Shadow Ball, blocking the punch with it. The attack exploded and distanced the two away from each other.
Tony formed another Water Pulse, this time enhancing it with his magic, conducting electricity into the water. He slammed it down, sending a wave of electrified water down at the Umbreon. Wes placed his paw over his Star Amulet and activated it, turning his fur purple.
"Warp Pad!" The launch glyph appeared under his feet and propelled himself skyward, dodging the wave. A second glyph appeared and ricocheted him in the direction of Tony. The thief flipped back as Wes crashed into the ground.
I need to get out of here. "Light Speed!" His body glowed with electricity before he zipped off in a flash.
Wes pulled himself out of the ground and glared. "Hey!" He dashed down the road.
Tony appeared on a roof and looked back, seeing the Umbreon was much quicker than he thought. He was already covering ground. He clenched his teeth and tried to use Light Speed again, but his body only gave a light flicker.
"Ugh, dammit! Quick Step!"
His legs turned static before dashing off the roof and quickly traversing ground. Quick Step only tripled his running speed, so it wasn't as fast as Light Speed. That said, it was much easier to use and more reliable.
Wes saw he was losing the thief and growled. "Warp Pad!" The glyph appeared behind him. He jumped, pressed his hind legs against it, and ricocheted towards him.
Tony looked back and ducked just in time as the treasure hunter soared over his head. He jumped to his feet and stuck his finger out. "Lightning Shot!" The electric beam blasted from the digit.
Wes skidded to a stop, but was immediately hit with the electrifying spell, knocking him into a stack of boxes that fell over him.
Tony walked towards the boxes with his hands in his pockets. "Didn't stand a chance." He shrugged with a light smile. "Though, to be fair, you put up more of a challenge than anyone else who tried to retaliate against me. But, it still doesn't make a difference." He held his finger out as he charged another spell. "I'm always one step ahead of you."
A sharp kick nailed the back of his head. He staggered forward, his vision blurring a bit, before shaking it off and glaring at the Umbreon who stepped out of his Vortex Amulet's void.
He tucked the amulet under his shirt and smirked. "For every contingency you have against me, I'll always have two against you."
Despite being slightly dizzy, Tony smirked. "Is that so?"
He nodded. "And, don't forget, I'm not fighting alone."
The ground cracked behind the thief before a giant, red flytrap head poked out, with a set of razor sharp teeth. Tony jumped back in surprise. "What the heck?!"
"Draconian Tomb!" Gwyn's voice shouted from a distance.
The flytrap inhaled before firing gray flames that, rather than singing Tony, wrapped around him in a spherical shape. Once they closed in, the flames turned to harden rock, steaming from their rapid cooldown.
The sealed off sphere was devoid of light. Tony snapped his fingers to create a spark and looked around. "Hey! Let me out of here!"
Outside, Flint and the girls ran to Wes. "Nice work distracting him, Wes," his brother complimented.
Wes smiled. "Ah shucks, it was nothing!"
Ella walked over to the sphere and leaned against it with a snarky grin. "Guess you aren't as fast as you made yourself out to be."
Tony glared at the side her voice came from, before chuckled. "Oh, you treasure hunters are a delight. But if you think this is going to keep me trapped, you've got another thing coming."
Gwyn snickered. "Good luck! That trap will tank any of your attacks! Even if you do chip your way through, I'll just reseal it!"
The thief smirked. "Then I'll just destroy it all at once." He raised his hands as electricity traveled down his arms. "Dragon Thunderclap!" He struck his palms against each other, emitting a sharp clap that echoed powerful vibrations within the trap.
The group studied the sphere closely before gasping as cracks started popping up all around it. Gwyn commanded her plant to reseal it. It breathed the gray flames around the sphere, desperately attempting to cut off any chance of escaping. However, the vibrations only grew worse over time, cracks popping up faster than the plant could seal.
Eventually, the Dragon Thunderclap won out in the end and shattered the tomb, sending bits of rock in multiple directions. The gang ducked to avoid getting cut.
A flash of lighting zipped out of the dust and spun around the plant before landing on top of a roof. Tony smirked with his eyes shut.
Gwyn blinked in confusion before hearing her poor plant monster groan, then suddenly falling apart into shreds of plant matter. Millions of pieces landing in a pile.
She glared and pulled out her whip. She flung it at the ground, letting it burrow itself through the terrain.
Tony crouched as he prepared to jump out of the vine's way. His right whiskers twitched, then he rolled away from the vine extending from the ground and striking at the roof. "Lightning Shot!" He severed the end of the whip.
Gwyn shirked and retracted her damaged weapon. "Oh my poor baby!"
The thief, once again, tried to make a break for freedom, but a psychic blast knocked him off the roof. He didn't hit the ground as he was caught soon after by the same force. Ella strutted up to him and flicked his face with her tail. "Can't do much bound up like this."
If he could, he'd be shaking his head. "Oh Ella…you're such a naïve Pokémon." His body glowed with its static color. "I always have a trick to get out of these situations. Static Burst!"
His body emitted a short range pulse that knocked Ella back, losing concentration of her psychic hold. Tony landed on his feet and made a break down the road.
The Espeon pushed herself up and shook her head. She looked at her paw and saw her fur was standing up. She checked to see if the same effect occurred to the rest of her body. Surprise, surprise, it did. She looked like a fluffy bundled of cotton candy.
She deadpanned. "Ugh…"
Tony looked back to see if anyone was following him, but got tripped up by a surprised appearance from Flint, who appeared in an orange flash. He fired Flamethrower, but the thief reacted quickly and flipped out of the way, before firing an electrified Water Pulse at the Flareon. Flint countered with Shadow Ball, cancelling out both attacks.
"Lightning Shot!" Tony fired the beam of electricity, but it passed through the Flareon like nothing. "What the…" He looked around as multiple duplicates of Flint started appearing around him. "Oh great, an illusionist…"
The Flint clones inhaled and fired Flamethrower. Tony jumped into the air. He had to contort his body has several streaks of flames shot through the air.
"Alright, let's try this!" He flipped himself upside down and pointed his finger. "Lightning Shot: Lotus Bullets!" With rapid flicks of his finger, a shower of Lightning Shots.
Each shot perfectly nailed an illusionary copy of Flint, dissipating them in a single blast. Once all the clones were gone, he looked around for the real one.
"Magnification Rings x3!" He turned his head around in time to witness the Flareon's Flamethrower pass through the power enhancing spell, increasing its size greatly.
Tony smirked and formed a Water Pulse, electrified. Rather than throwing it at the attack, as it would take a miracle to cancel it out, he instead threw it skyward, using the force to push himself back to earth, narrowly escaping the scorching attack.
He landed on a roof. "Light Speed!" He zipped over to the slow moving Flareon and threw a sharp upper cut at his chin. Once his spell ended, Flint was sent flying across the village.
Gwyn witnessed this and enchanted one of her seeds before chucking it at her friend. Once it landed in his fur, cotton started growing out of it. By the time he landed, the shock of the fall absorbed the damage. She sighed in relief, wiping her brow.
Tony leaped off the roof, but, before he touched the ground, Wes jumped into action and headbutted the Dewott across the road. He skidded to a halt and fired a Water Pulse at him, which he countered with a Shadow Ball.
Tony wiped his lip as a bit of blood dripped down his face. "You're…putting me through more trouble than intended," he said with panting breath. "I can…respect a fighter like you."
Wes cracked his neck. "What can I say? I'm awesome." He narrowed his eyes as a grin stretched across his face. "I've been hoping for a battle. I've been meaning to test out some new spells I learned on my way here."
The thief chuckled lightly, then gripped his scalchops. "Well, I guess I should start putting effort in." He wielded his two weapons. "Razor Shell!" Blue energy surrounded the shells and extended out into blades. However, with a little magic, the blades turned into electricity. He swung the weapons around, leaving blue streaks in their movements. "Come at me with whatever fancy trick you got under your belt." He sprinted forward.
Wes tensed up as the Dewott leaped into the air and swung the blades down. He rolled out of the way and fired Shadow Ball. Tony reacted accordingly with a single slash, cutting the Ghost-Type move down the middle. The two halves collapsed in on each other and exploded.
The Umbreon jumped back from the smoke and fired a rapid stream of Shadow Balls. Tony dodged and weaved through them before kicking himself into the air. He spun vertically and came down on the treasure hunter with the intent to harm.
Reacting quickly, Wes shot his paws up and slammed them between the two lightning blades. As expected, his body erupted with electricity. His face twisted in pain.
Tony laughed. "Smooth move, treasure hunter! You're making my job easier!"
Wes fought through the agony and forced his lips into a toothy grin. "Magi…Effingo!"
The outline of his body glowed in purple light, confusing the thief. Suddenly, Wes released his hold on the electrical blades and jumped back. However, still holding down the blades was a purple crystal copy of Wes. It still had a tight hold on Tony's scalchops.
The treasure hunter leaped over the clone and came down with a spinning axe kick. Tony deactivated Razor Shell and flipped back in time.
Wes landed on his feet. "Magi Effingo!" Crystal copies of himself, a total of four, phased out of his being and slid to his side. He crouched down, the clones mirroring his movements, and dashed forward.
Tony smirked and extended his finger. "Lightning Shout: Lotus Bullets!" The barrage of Lightning Shots came flying at the group.
They weaved through the attacks, with only two getting hit and shattering to pieces. "Mystic Burst!" Wes, plus his remaining two clones, erupted in purple energy and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to his reaction speed, Tony was barely able to block the kicks of the two clones. The crushing blow to his arms made him wince, but he disposed of them with a quick Lightning Shot to the face.
They were only meant as a distraction, however, as Wes appeared behind him and tackled him, grinding him through the dirt. Tony glared up and muttered 'Light Speed' before unleashing a flurry of fast paced strikes around the Umbreon, not missing a beat with each carefully placed strike.
Wes clenched his teeth. There wasn't much he could do with the Dewott moving at such speeds. But, from careful observation, he knew the spell had a limit. He had to endure and wait it out.
Opportunity rewards the patient as Tony's spell eventually ended, allowing Wes to bite down in his ankle and slam him against the dirt.
Tony pushed himself up and dusted his vest off. He cracked his knuckles with an excited smirk. He was having the time of his life. "Oh yeah, I've been waiting for fun like this!"
Wes mimicked his expression. "So have I!"
The Dewott grabbed his scalchops and dashed forward. "Let's see if you can still keep up!"
A psychic blast from his right knocked him across the ground. He rolled and landed on his feet. Ella walked out from behind a building, her fur partially matted down. The fur on her head, though, was still standing on end.
She flicked her tail. "That…was for what you did to my fur."
Gwyn and Flint ran out and got into fighting position. "Give it up, Tony! All we want is that key! Don't make us take drastic measures!" Flint warned.
Gwyn shook her head. "Please don't! We don't have to keep fighting!"
Tony smirked. "What? You kidding? We just got started!" He activated the electric Razor Shell and swung the blades. "You four are putting up a much better fight than anyone I've ever faced! I don't want to stop now!" He chuckled. "I don't get a lot of fun around here. I'm constantly working to provide for my mother and sister. Doesn't leave much time for leisure."
"You call this leisure?!" Flint yelled.
"Buddy…" His arms sparked with electricity. "I've never felt more relaxed."
Even if he was their enemy, Wes had to admire his passion for fighting. It filled the flames in his eyes with the fuel to keep on battling. "I like your style!" He crouched down and smirked wildly. "Come on! Give me everything you got!"
Tony grinned. "With pleasure!"
With her brother still absent, Cheri decided she'll provide lunch for today. Sure, she never cooked a single thing in her life, but she does know how to make sandwiches. What better thing to eat than a delicious peanut butter and Grepa jelly sandwich? Granted, they didn't have Grepa jelly, so she resorted to mixing sugar and Grepa juice in a bowl and see if that'll work. She never made jelly before, so she had to keep her fingers crossed for the results.
She stirred the pot carefully, while shooting her mother a quick glance. "Sandwiches will be ready soon, Mom!"
The Raichu smiled at her daughter. "That's wonderful, sweetheart. I can't wait to taste them."
She grinned. "Me too! I hope I'm making the jelly right."
"I hope so, too. That'd be a 'Gre-pantuan' mess to clean up," she said with a chuckle.
Cheri slapped her face with a groan. "That wasn't even clever!"
"Aww, you're just 'jelly' of Mommy's masterful puns."
She rolled her eyes with a dry smirk. "Suuure…" Before she could go back to cooking, there was a knock on her door. "Huh? Tony's back!" She took the pot off the burner, making sure to turn off the burner too, and raced to the door. She placed her ear against the door. She cleared her throat and said, "Who are you? What's the password?"
"Who's that?" Cheri's eyes widened. She recognized that voice and it wasn't a comforting realization.
"It's Sapienti's brat of a sister," a second voice explained. Cheri jumped back after a second sharp knock. "Hey, open up!"
The Pikachu glanced at her mother, who had a look of worry matching her daughters. The young Sapienti put on a brave face and did her best to exhale her worries before saying, "You didn't answer the question~! Who are you?"
"We're…salesmen. We're giving out free candy!"
Cheri deadpanned. What did they take her for, a five-year-old? Who was stupid enough to fall for that lame trick?
She rolled her eyes and replied, "We don't want your business here. Get loss."
A third knock made her shriek. "Listen closely, brat. If you don't open this door, you're going to regret every second of your measly existence."
She turned away with a huff. "You don't scare me. Once my big brother finds out you're harassing me, he'll kick your butts."
"Is your big brother home?"
"Uh…" She looked to the side with a flinch. "…yes?"
The chuckling outside told her they weren't buying it. "So you and your mommy our all alone, eh?"
She turned on her heel and shouted, "I know who you jerks are! Get lost or else!"
"Oh no, a baby is threatening us! Whatever shall we do?!" one of them exclaimed sarcastically.
Cheri's cheeks glowed red with frustration. "I'm eight-years-old, jerks!"
She heard the ruder of the two get clonked on the head. "Quit screwing around. We don't know how long that lousy thief will be gone."
Cheri slowly walked backwards to the kitchen to reach for a weapon. "If you don't leave, I'm going to scream really loud! My big brother will hear me and beat you jerks up!"
"Cheri," her mother whispered harshly, "Stop antagonizing them."
The two thugs didn't respond. The girls looked at each other apprehensively, wondering why they went silent. The young Pikachu grabbed a knife and slowly crept towards the door. She didn't hear anything other than light shifting, so they were clearly still outside.
Then there was a click.
Cheri barely moved her head out of the way as a red bolt shattered through the door's lock and whizzed straight pass her face, nicking her cheek. She dropped the knife and fell on the ground. A searing wound went across her left cheek as tears brimmed at the edges of her eyes from the pain.
Her mother's eyes widened in horror. "CHERI!"
The door was kicked off its hinges and slammed on the ground with a loud 'thud'. Entering the hut was Pinsir and Dusclops, the former twirling a blunderbuss pistol in his hand.
Cheri's tears dripped on the floor as she held the bleeding wound. Darkness enveloped her peripherals, warning her of the danger looming above.
Pinsir bent down, his set of teeth rattling gleefully. "Not so tough now, are you?"
Fear and the need to survive thriving within her, she gripped the knife by her side and swung it at her aggressor. Pinsir caught the blade without a scratch. He plucked it out of her hands and tossed it to the side.
"Hand me the vial," he ordered Dusclops.
The ghost pulled the vial out of his jacket and passed it to him. He uncorked it and forced Cheri's mouth open. She struggled to tighten her jaw, but he was clearly the stronger of the two. The purple liquid flowed into her mouth. The vile taste made her want to spit it out, but he wouldn't allow it. He forced her to swallow it, all of it dripping down her throat.
Almost immediately, the Pikachu went limp and fell unconscious. Pinsir chuckled and stood up. "One down. Now for the-AGGGH!"
A blue energy bolt struck through his wrist, completely severing his right hand. The vial was caught by Dusclops' Psychic. He looked at his partner as he clenched his now burning and bleeding arm.
The stag beetle, eyes bloodshot in anger, turned towards the sick Raichu. "You…bitch!"
Cheri's mother forced herself to her feet, her legs clearly incapable of supporting her weight from lying in bed and her ill condition. However, seeing them break into their home AND assaulting her daughter…no illness was going to suppress her.
In her hands was a pistol similar to theirs. In the event they had a break in, Tony hid weapons under the floorboards. His mother didn't think they'd be necessary, but she is glad she didn't ask him to remove them.
Her eyes dipped down into a feral glare. Her teeth were clenched as a rabid snarl grumbled from behind them. "Stay…away…from my…daughter!" She fired again, puncturing the stag beetle's right shoulder.
"AGH!" He stumbled back. He growled at her. "Are you trying to tear my arm off?!"
She ignored him and shouted, "What did you do to her?!" She fired again.
This time, he dodged before the bolt could do any further damage to his arm. His pincers clicked together as an angry grumble escaped his mouth. "You'll soon find out. Get her!"
Dusclops glared and slowly walked forward. The angry Raichu fired three shots at him, but he deflected them with his Psychic. Before she could get off another shot, he flicked his fingers to the right and forced the gun to fly out of her hand. She made an effort to retrieve it, but she couldn't go two steps without collapsing.
She panted heavily as her heartbeat raced with panic. She looked up at the ghost and pleaded, "Please…please don't hurt my daughter…I beg of you!"
Pinsir growled. "As touching as that sounds, you and your family have crossed the line with us."
Dusclops grabbed her by the nightgown's collar and lifted her in the air. The vial floated over his shoulder as he used his psychic powers to force her mouth open. The liquid poured in and went down her throat. Instantly, her eyes glazed over and she fell unconscious.
He dropped her as Pinsir stumbled over to the kitchen. "I swear…this better be worth it, Aeternus," he muttered angrily.
He tucked his right arm under his left to keep the bleeding down. Using his left hand, he pulled out a small bottle, filled with flammable liquid. He poured it over the floor, in a large 'A' shape for the heck of it. He lit a match and tossed it on the insignia. Almost instantly, it was set ablaze.
The pair turned around and strolled out of the soon-to-be burning hut, leaving the unconscious females' fates to be decided.
Morgan stared at the golden decagon in his hand, with ten gems aligned with each corner. He hasn't picked this stupid thing up in years. He'd never imagine one of the gems would stop glowing. The trials one had to pass to even get their hands on it was too much to imagine.
Saying they had the key was too good to be true. They looked like they're still in college. Could they really have gotten the key? Did they actually survive the cave? They actually beat Randolph? How was it possible?
And yet…
"Wes Ravenfield…" he muttered. A Ravenfield. A freakin' Ravenfield. A name he hasn't heard for as long as he hasn't looked at this golden plate in his hand. Has it really been that long since he has seen his old pal? He could barely remember the crazy Jolteon.
He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. "How did that kid beat Randolph? Does he even have the key?" He pinched between his eyes. "It would explain their urgency, but…Garret's own son found it?" He groaned as he rubbed his face tiredly. He worked in a weary smirk. "Garret…you raised one hell of a son if he could take on one of the ten mages."
He dropped his hand in his lap and sighed. "So the end times are among us, huh? Never thought it would come so soon. I haven't even found a wife yet," he said jokingly, laughing to himself. It had a somber tone to it.
He rubbed his eyes and sighed once more. "If they do have the key, that means they're the ones in Cielo's prophecy. But only four of them? He mentioned six." He pushed himself up. "Guess they haven't found them yet." He walked towards his window and leaned against it with a thoughtful expression.
The Idol of Origin…that terrifying weapon has brought many nightmares to his mind years ago. He rid himself of those thoughts two or so years ago. He wasn't going to sleep well tonight.
He glared into the distance. If they've truly gotten one key, they were indeed worthy enough to save their planet. However, that also meant the shadows were making their return. He faced the power of their leader once before…he wished not to feel that same torment a second time.
He pressed his forehead against the window. Life was much simpler before that idol came into his life. He wished he found a way to destroy it or at least tear apart that map so no one could find it. But, if the shadows return, they won't rest until that weapon of mass destruction is in their clutches. They'd gladly raze the land to find it.
He shook his head. He needed a drink.
He reached for the flask behind his back and popped the lid off, chugging down the liquor inside. As he drank, something caught his eye. He put the flask down and squinted.
"Is that…smoke?" Instantly, a thought…a frightening thought, clicked in his mind. That was where Tony's sister and mother, Angel, lived. The flask slipped out of his hand, spilling his drink into the wood floor.
His eyes were wide in horror. "No…"
Purple, green, orange, light blue, and blue flashes strobed across the vacant streets of Fuego Village. Everyone watched from the safety of their homes as the five Pokémon battled fiercely. Judging from the minimum lack of damage to the homes, they were, at the very least, keeping their attacks from harming innocent bystanders.
Tony kicked a Shadow Ball into the sky, them sprinted towards Flint, socking him in the face. This turned out to be an illusion as it immediately shattered, revealing Gwyn's whip as it smacked him across the face. It wrapped around his ankle before she heaved him through the air and slammed him hard into the dirt.
He flipped up and gripped the whip. With a mighty tug, he pulled her over to him, grabbed her by the hair, and slammed her face against the dirt. Flint witnessed this and fired Flamethrower into the back of his head.
He stumbled forward, back of his head blackened, and turned. "Dragon Thunderclap!" He clapped and fired the sonic wave. The vibrations rushed throughout Flint's body before knocking him off his feet.
Ella dashed pass Tony as rubble orbited around her. As she did, the flying rubble fired at him with light blue streaks tailing them. The Dewott grabbed his scalchops and tore through them with Razor Shell.
Wes bolted at him head first and tackled him from behind. Tony stood his ground and kicked him off.
He flipped back and electrified his Razor Shell. He felt tired, weary, and bruised, but he never felt so alive in his life. "Oh yeah! Now we're cooking!"
Wes pushed himself up and rubbed his bruised side. He smirked back. "This is pretty fun."
"Yeah. I'm almost considering giving your key back." He chuckled. "Almost, at least."
Flint clenched his teeth as he picked himself off the ground. "You can't keep this up forever."
"You kidding? You four are just as worn out as me and it's only four on one. I'm kicking butt!"
Wes cracked his neck and got into a starting position. "Not for long. Mystic Burst!" His body erupted in the purple magic. "Bring it on!"
Tony's fur glowed with the static color. "With pleasure!"
They sprinted at each other, practically vanishing in an instant. They were within range to hit each other, but…
"Gordian Trap!"
Purple strings of energy came into view and wrapped around the two, restraining their movement in midair. All momentum came to a dead halt, with the wind of their speed hitting each other.
Wes struggled in his confinement. "The heck is this?!"
Tony glanced to the side, following the source of the string. Standing off to the side was Morgan. The tips of his fingers were emitting the purple string that held the two in place. He also noticed he looked out of breath and panicked.
Gwyn blinked. "Morgan?"
"What are you doing here?" Ella asked.
Tony, however, didn't look pleased. "Yo, Pops! What's the big idea? I was winning!"
"You were winning?!" Wes shouted, then let out a hearty laugh. "On the contrary, I have you on the ropes!"
"I don't give a crap about who's beating who!" Morgan shouted, his voice filled with anger and fear, catching Tony off guard. He released the two and shouted, "Tony, your mother and Cheri are in danger!"
Any and all ambition to continue his fun had suddenly vanished in nothingness. His heart was beating like a wild drum, his body shaking in panic, and his eyes wide open with fear. "What?!"
"Huh?!" Team Ravenfield sounded, filling them with worry.
Morgan pointed to the distance. "Look!"
Tony followed his finger, then his heart immediately fell. A tower of smoke was rising in the direction of his home. All rational was gone. Only fear.
"No…MOM! CHERI!" He made a mad sprint in the direction of the smoke. "LIGHT SPEED!" He vanished in a blue flash.
Wes and his friends looked at each other in concern. The Umbreon's eyes dipped into a glare before shouting, "Come on!" They raced after the Dewott. Morgan ran behind them.
He was jumping over roofs, pushing his way through boxes, running across walls; he was doing whatever he could to get home faster.
Time may have slowed for him, but every second that passes was another one closer to the death of his beloved family. He couldn't waste time, he couldn't! Nothing was going to keep him from saving them! He vowed to protect them, no matter the cost!
He vaulted over one last house before ending his spell. It left him exhausted, seeing as how he overused it during his battle. The rush of adrenaline pumping throughout his body kept him going.
Once time moved normally, he looked up at the horrifying sight. Flickering orange, engulfing the entire hut with deadly heat. Black clouds puffed out of the newly made holes in the roof. The wood was slowly turning black, creaking from the unstable weight it now had to support. It was going to fall at any minute.
He glared angrily and charged at the walls. He slammed his body against the exterior and rolled across the floor, then rolled to his feet. "MOM! CHERI!" He shielded his eyes from the thick smoke surrounding him.
Even with him being a Water-Type, the heat was unbearable to endure. It was like standing in an oven. The smoke would flow into his lungs and make him cough, nearly choking himself out.
He got low and looked for his mother and sister. His eyes landed on an unconscious Raichu, with a gun laying by her side. He knew it was the ones he kept in the floorboards. She wouldn't have used that unless someone broke into the house. This fire wasn't an accident. And he knew who started it.
If he wasn't so worried about his family's safety, he'd be going on a mad tirade.
He quickly crawled over to his mother and pushed her onto her back. "Mom! Are you okay?!" He placed his ear to her chest, listening for a heartbeat, then checked her breathing. She was fine, but her heart didn't sound right.
One notice he took out of her was the added features to her fur. White, vein like markings spread across her body. From the looks of it, they appeared to have just started growing. They started from the face and were slowly traveling down.
He wasn't sure what they were, but he didn't have time to worry about it. He pulled a handkerchief out of his vest and held it over her mouth to keep smoke from flying in. "Hang on-ack -Mom! I'm getting you and Cheri out of here!"
He peered through the smoke and saw his sister's body lying on the opposite side of the hut. He quickly dashed through, coughing on the harsh fumes, and grabbed her. He noticed that her body had the same white markings as well. What happened to them?
He was ready to run out of the house when he heard a loud creaking above. He looked up in time to see one of the support beams got burned through and fell down on them.
Tony dropped the girls and crossed his arms over his head. The heavy, searing wood pushed down on his, burning his wrists. He clenched his teeth, fighting through the unimaginable pain coursing through him.
He couldn't move the wood without hurting the girls or himself. The fire continued to spread towards them. He could use Light Speed, but he wasn't sure he had enough energy to make it last.
The wood continued to claim his strength as it pushed him to his knees. Tears streamed down his face, out of pain and worry for the safety of his family. He opened his eyes a bit to look at them. Their faces were twisted in pain and discomfort.
He was the reason they were hurting.
He dropped his head, letting the tears fall. "I'm sorry…I…I promise I'll get you two out of here…even at the cost of my life…" The wood pushed him down further until he was on his back. He pressed his hands against it to keep as off as possible. Burnt patches of skin showed through his fur.
Embers fell on his face. He tried to keep his eyes open. "Mom…Cheri…" He felt his world going dark. He couldn't breathe. "Someone…anyone…help…" His eyes were dangerously close to closing.
When all hope seemed to be loss, a flurry of green slashes cut through the support beam and reduced it to splinters. Tony's eyes widened slightly before feeling a seed being shoved into his mouth. He looked up and saw Wes, who appeared to be holding his breath.
Tony was surprised to see him here, even after the battle they went through. What surprised him more was that his lungs were filling with air. Whatever Wes force fed him was giving him a supply of oxygen, if only limited.
Wes helped him up before dipping his head under Cheri and sliding her onto his back. Seeing how he was helping the thief, he quickly grabbed his mother and followed him to the large hole in the wall.
More debris and fire rained on them, but the house suddenly became encased in a light blue field.
Ella was standing outside, sweating bullets as she tried to keep the entire house still. "Hurry…up!"
Wes and Tony jumped out of the house and collapsed. Ella released her hold on the house, letting the fire consume.
Flint climbed to the top of the house across from it. He pulled out a Freeze Charm and aimed it. "Magnification Ring x4!" It was a limit that, while manageable, took a lot out of him. It was worth it to keep the fire from spreading.
A blizzard of cold wind soon fired from the four multiplier rings and blew over the house. Fire began to turn to steam and burning wood froze over. Smoke soon turned to steam as the house slowly cooled down until it was completely covered in frost.
Flint sighed and slid down a house, landing on the ground with a thump. "Thank goodness…"
Tony pushed himself and rubbed his head. He then gasped and checked his mother again. Other than the markings spreading out over her body, she was fine. He ran over to Cheri after Wes set her down.
He gently held her in his arms. "Cheri?" He felt her for a pulse and checked her breathing. Thankfully, like her mother, she didn't get any smoke in her lungs. However, she still looked uncomfortable.
Gwyn walked up to them and stopped with a perplexed stare. She shook it off and asked, "Are they going to be okay?"
"I'm not sure," Morgan said as he picked Angel up. "They don't look well. We need to take them back to my office and make sure whatever…this is, isn't fatal."
Tony's heart nearly stopped. Fatal?
Morgan knew he brought fright to the Dewott's mind. "It might not be that, Tony. The sooner we get them to my office, the sooner we can help them."
Tears poured down his face as he held Cheri close to his chest. He sniffled before giving a nod. "A-Alright…" He stood up and followed him back to the pharmacy.
Ella helped Flint up, saying, "We should probably tag along and make sure they're alright."
Wes nodded. "Good idea."
Flint glanced at the destroyed home, his eyes glimmering sadly. "I didn't trust Tony, but…not in a million years could I bring myself to committing such a vile act. Who would do such a thing?"
"We can figure that out later," Wes said, as he looked straight ahead at the distraught Dewott, who was gently petting his sister's head. "I think Tony may need our support…"
"You think he'll take it? We ambushed him, after all," Ella reminded.
"It doesn't matter. I'm not standing by and letting him go through this emotional turmoil." He placed his paw over his heart. "I've been through this kind of pain, too. I want to help him."
Flint blinked, then smiled. "Same here."
Ella smiled. "I guess we're in agreement." She looked at Gwyn. "Right, Gwyn?"
The Mew seemed to be staring off into space as she watched the injured and sick electric rodents get farther and farther away. Her face was lowered in deep thought, like she was solving a complex problem with no resources to use.
Ella waved her paw at her face. "Yo, Gwyn? Anyone home?"
She blinked and shook her head. "S-Sorry…y-you're right, Tony might need us."
Wes nodded. "Let's hurry and catch up with them." They started running after the doctor and thief. Gwyn lingered behind a bit. Her mind was stuck on those strange markings on their fur. Vein like marks across the body…pain…
I've seen something like that before…could it be…?
She narrowed her eyes and raced after her friends. For their sake, and Tony's, they weren't what she was imagining.