Chapter 11: Siege

It had only been a few days since the incident with Crystal, but everything had seemed to improve for Blade. Shadow was starting to act….well as relaxed as he could be, he wasn't constantly emanating a desire to slaughter and destroy. And Pyre was well, easily the nicest pokemon Blade had ever met. He'd taught Blade things that Shadow just didn't seem to grasp. Like fun, at that very moment, Blade was hiding in a tree holding back fits of laughter as Pyre ran around looking for him. The little red charmander was turning over rocks and walking through trees, he even went through one in such a way that he had a little leaf beard on his face when he got out.

Then he looked up, and saw Blade hiding in the tree "Found ya haha!"

Pyre smiled as the sneasel jumped from the tree and laughed with him "Yeah you did! Hehehe." It was nice, even Shadow could agree. Nothing happened for a few days, no fights, no arguments, and no drama. Happiness, Blade wasn't exactly used to the feeling, but he was certainly starting to enjoy it. He still felt uneasy of course, something as foreign as happiness seemed like it was some form of bad omen. Something was gonna happen, he just felt it in his gut.

"Blade, Blade….Blaaaaaaade!" Pyre snapped with his claws finally getting Blade's attention. "Ya zoned out there bud, you alright?"

The sneasel just nodded but was still unsure "Y-yeah, but….does anything feel off to you? Like something bad is gonna happen soon?"

"Hmm, well, I admit I have a bad feeling, but it might just be my stomach, are you hungry Blade?" Pyre asked, his mind back on its apparent single track.

Blade replied in an uninterested tone "Not really, I guess I'm just being paranoid."

"Well, let's head back, Shadow will get worried if we take too long" Pyre said, putting his claws behind his head and casually strolling back to the building. Blade followed himz, keeping his eyes peeled for anything out of place. He had a feeling that he was overreacting, but he was going to be careful nonetheless. The walk was short and uneventful, but that did nothing to put Blade at ease. "Hey, I can tell you're worried, but don't be. If anything happens me and Shadow will deal with it." For some reason Pyre's attitude about the situation did manage to bring some ease to Blade, but not nearly enough. They reached the entrance and Pyre spoke again "You go on ahead, tell Shadow I need to talk to him, oh but take your time getting to him please. I'd prefer that this didn't end quickly."

Blade shrugged it off, Pyre knew what he was doing after all. 'What is that Charmander going on about?' Blade thought walking through the entrance.

"Well, you're strong right?" The crimson scaled charmander called out to the forest.

"Naturally" A Samurott emerged from behind a tree "I'd ask if you are strong as well, but that would be a waste of time. A charmander like you could never defeat me, or my team." A mienfoo, a scolipede, and a galvantula came from behind Samurott.

"Hehehe, oh please take your time Blade, I'm gonna have some fun!" Pyre laughed as a massive grin spread over his face "If you really believe that, then let's go, I'll fight the strongest guy you've got."

Samurott smirked, stepping forth "That would be me, would you like to…"

"Oh totally, I accept your surrender" Pyre smirked as well now "Or were you thinking that just cause you're evolved and a water type that you'd beat me? There's more to fighting than types big guy, but I'm a good sport, I'll even give you the first move." Pyre held out his arms leaving himself wide open to an attack.

Samurott simply waited "I refuse to strike you while you are not ready. "

Pyre smiled and raised his claws "I like you, you seem like a chill guy, sucks we have to fight."

"You could always just.." Samurott was cut off again.

"Look I know, hand over the sneasel and nothing bad happens, but that's boring, I wanna fight!"

Seeing no alternative Samurott fired a Hydro Pump at Pyre. It was a direct hit knocking the charmander down. "You are brave, I respect your tenacity, but this outcome was GGGAAHHH" Samurott was cut off again, this time because all of the air was forced out of him in one hit. He looked down and saw the sapphire blue color of Pyre's tail, then a little further down the charmander himself hitting with a mega punch.

"What? You thought you could one shot me dude?! You hit hard sure, " Pyre pulled back and jumped using a mega punch again, this time slamming his fist into Samurott's face "But I hit HARDER!!!!" Pyre sent Samurott flying into a tree stunned by the unbelievable turn of events. And the icing on the cake, Pyre was unscathed. He had taken the full force of Samurott's hydro pump and didn't seem to be hurt at all. "That's not everything you have right?" Pyre walked past Samurott's team smiling happily. Samurott got up visibly weakened. "Aww, you're not as fun as I thought, tell ya what let's even the playing field." Pyre pointed with his thumb back at the three other pokemon that followed Samurott "They get to join in. Otherwise this battle is gonna get mad boring. What do ya say?" The charmander held out his claw and glanced back at the building "Nah give me a minute, things are just about to get fun bro." Samurott took Pyre's claw and stood up. Pyre smiled at Samurott and spoke again to him "You alright? I didn't hit ya too hard did I, it was just two punches after all?"

"I'm….fine…what is wrong with you? Why are you worrying about your opponents like this?" Samurott was intrigued by Pyre. What kind of person worries about the people that threaten them.

"Oh, well I just thought, if you were gonna try for a peaceful solution first you couldn't be all bad right?" Without warning Galvantula tackled Pyre to the ground. Moments later Samurott pushed her off of the charmander and pulled him to his feet.

"If you are really so willing to show honor in this fight….I'm afraid I can't fight as you wish, to fight you four on one would bring a stain upon my own honor."

Pyre continued smiling and replied sincerely "Then you should definitely run away, from what I can tell, your masters won't like being deserted."

"Are you quite done?" Shadow's voice penetrated the very air around them "I've run out of patience. And more are coming."

"Come on Shadow, I'm trying to have fun here. You just take Blade and get outta here, I got this!" Pyre smiled, but not the overconfident smug smile he had moments ago, but a smile of pure excitement.

Then a new voice rang out followed by Pyre being blasted by a massive hydro pump all the way back to the overgrown building "Blastoise, HYDRO PUMP!"

"Pyre?!" Shadow showed a small hint of concern in his voice.

Then the opposing voice spoke again revealing a masked human and his partner, the blastoise, this blastoise was different from others, twin cannons on its arms, and one massive cannon on its back "Surrender the sneasel now, or we'll show no mercy. Blastoise, take aim at the darkrai."

Blade came from the building's entrance. "Come along Blade, our stay has been short…I'm terribly sorry Pyre, I know you loved this place." Shadow took Blade by the claw and lead him away from the danger.

"Stop or we will attack you" the human called out from behind his mask.

"It's unwise to look away from your opponent you know?" Shadow glanced back then embracing Blade closely teleported with a few parting words "I leave them in your hands Pyre."

As soon as they were gone Pyre got up once again, still with barely a scratch. He yawned audibly. "Sorry about that, kinda took a nap when ya slammed me" Pyre spoke seemingly half asleep "But I gotta get back to that television show in there. So why don't you just run along? Or were you still gonna try to…" Pyre was cut off as the building behind him exploded. He simply stared forward at them and blinked a few times. "Welp, time to start wandering again" he called out, smiling once again "But I guess I can't just let ya off the hook, ya just destroyed all my snacks dude. I guess I'll just have to give a bit of effort huh." He lowered his body and got into a fighting stance, his grin widening to its very limits. "Now, let's do this!"

*With Shadow and Blade*

A swift glance back where the building was showed a small plume of smoke. The building was destroyed, but that wasn't the most noticeable feature in the distance. That was the pillar of flames not licking or spreading to the trees. "That charmander really is something else entirely. Its impressive what he's capable of. And to think if he actually wanted to he could probably become as strong as I am." Shadow spoke with an odd sense of fondness and admiration. "Though that is simply because" he glanced down at his arm for a moment seemingly in thought. "Not that that changed much, but it freed him from his worries, and opened his potential." Blade watched as Shadow pondered his past. "Oh, my apologies dear, I wasn't intentionally ignoring you, did you say something?"

"N-no I just" Blade blushed at being called dear "I was just listening is all."