"It's okay," I whispered soothingly. "I won't hurt you, I promise." The tiny Joltik cowered in the corner of the room, his entire body shaking. I made sure to crouch several feet away, but he was still frightened. I felt a burning anger towards those who had made him this way, but I had to keep face to show that I wouldn't harm him.
"Look, I won't harm you," I slowly outstretched my hand, but he made himself smaller. What really surprised me was that he wasn't even attempting to shock me with electricity. I withdrew my hand, then grabbed a pokeball. I took a couple steps back, then turned away from Joltik, releasing Greninja, then Mawile.
I hunkered down next to them, keeping a watchful eye on Joltik to see what he was doing. "Look, he was abused by a couple people and Pokemon. I don't know if you two could help convince him that we won't do the same thing to him, but it's worth a shot. I... I want to help him overcome his fear if possible, so I wanted him to come along with us on our journey."
Greninja and Mawile shared a look before nodding to me. Mawile went first, slowly walking towards Joltik. She had a bright smile, but when her back jaw twitched, Joltik huddled closer to the corner. Mawile walked back to me with a dejected look on her face. I patted her on the shoulder and looked to Greninja. He nodded and sat cross-legged a couple feet from Joltik. He blew bubbles from his mouth, maneuvering them with his webbed hands, allowing them to dance in the air. Joltik seemed to be mesmerized for a couple seconds before curling up again.
Greninja didn't seem discouraged however. He unwrapped his tongue from around his neck, extending it towards Joltik. He seemed to speak in a low tone and Joltik seemed to shake less. I had no idea what they were saying, but I could feel Greninja's emotions. Loneliness, rejection, despair. But then came joy, acceptance, exhilaration, and a feeling I couldn't quite place... I held my hand to my heart, allowing myself to smile as I closed my eyes, soaking in that feeling. I saw Alex, Robert, Jessie, James, Meowth, Arcanine, and all the rest of my beloved family.
Greninja had drawn back his tongue and now he held out a webbed hand to Joltik, his head tilted slightly. "Grenin?"
Joltik's shaking had all but stopped as he seemed to glance from me to him. He slowly extended one of his legs hesitantly, then drew it back slightly. His eyes still looked fearful, but he edged forwards just a little, settling the tip of his front leg on the edge of Greninja's finger.
"Gren," Greninja said softly, extending his hand some more to slide it under the small Electric type and pick him up gently in his palm. He used his other hand to rub his back, not even flinching when small sparks spiked from Joltik's fur. He started to shake harder when I scooted closer and I held out my hand just an inch from him, but not touching.
"I promise," I said softly. "I won't ever harm you. I swear to help you overcome this fear." I smiled warmly now. "And should you ever strive to grow, me and my Pokemon will always be willing to lend a hand. No matter what."
I knelt down next to one of the crates, narrowing my eyes in disgust at the contents. I was almost certain these were illegal drugs. Team Rocket did its fair share of dealings with similar products, though its main business dealt mostly with Pokemon. I couldn't help but remember what Robert had said a couple days earlier.
"Even before I left for Kalos, the crime rate in Unova had gone up, especially in the cities..."
Then there were those three who had been beating up Cubchoo and Joltik for fun. I stood, realizing that Unova was a darker place than I had previously believed.
Robert came over, fitting the lid back on the crate. "We can't do much yet, so once we get back we'll notify the proper authorities."
I nodded, signaling for Greninja to come down from the tree. He leaped down and we all began heading back to the farm. Alex shot me a glance, but didn't say anything. I smiled when she looked away. She tended to have a sense of knowing when something was bothering me. I hesitated, almost ready to convey my feelings on the drug situation, when Greninja stopped dead, body tensing as he went on alert.
"Guys, stop," I said, coming to a halt. Robert, Alex, and Florges all looked back at me and Greninja in confusion. I looked around. I could only hear the sound of wind blowing through the trees, but there was definitely something off. "Greninja-" I was abruptly cut off as something slammed into me, knocking my breath away as I flew past several trees before I slammed into one. I groaned, falling to the earth as the world spun around me. I could hear fighting break out just ahead, so I knew that whoever had attacked me were engaging my friends.
"Zeno!" I heard Alex yell and I forced myself to lift my head, vision slightly blurry. The trees seemed to be whipped around as if a strong gust was blowing against them. I vaguely saw Greninja get blasted into some bushes as a gas filled the area. Alex, Robert, Florges, and Greninja were now hidden from view, but then a pink wind blasted it away as Florges shot out, carrying Alex above her with her psychic powers. Greninja leaped skywards and landed in a tree as what I now recognized as a type of cargo helicopter lowering a ladder. Several figures descended and hurried off up the river.
"Get to the crates! We need those out of here ASAP!"
"Hey, what should we do with the witnesses?"
"Load up anyone unconscious! Get rid of the rest!"
Florges came to a stop next to me, looking exhausted as she lowered Alex to the ground. She was unhurt, albeit unconscious. Florges soon collapsed next to me, the gas probably finally taking effect.
As I stood, my head starting to clear, I could see a big brute of a guy climbing back up the ladder with someone thrown over his shoulder. My eyes widened when my brain registered that blonde hair. I let out Lucario, ordering him to watch over Alex and Florges. I rushed forwards as the gas finally disappeared. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark beam shooting towards me, but Greninja leaped down in front of me, taking the attack for me. He was pushed back into me, sending us both rolling on the ground.
"Well well, look who it is," a woman's voice said with a sickly sweet tone. "We meet again. How is that ugly bug doing?"
Greninja and I both got to our feet as I recognized our attackers. It was the same woman from the alley in Aspertia. She flicked her dark bangs as her Purrloin balanced on her left shoulder, eyes narrowed at us.
"Shouldn't you be locked up right now?" I snarled.
"Oh dear, it seems like you hate me," she gasped with fake shock. She then smirked. "Well, needless to say, I won't be answering any questions you have. After all, you'll be dead quite soon."
I heard footsteps behind me and I looked to see that lanky blonde from the alley as well, the Scraggy and Timburr beside him. He sneered. "Looks like we got you right where we want you."
I cursed myself silently. I should have called out more Pokemon while I had the chance. Now Robert was being hauled into the helicopter and I couldn't do a thing to stop it from happening. Greninja and I moved to stand back-to-back as the enemy trapped us closer together. I heard the helicopter fly further upriver towards where the crates were located. Getting rid of the evidence it seemed.
"What the heck did we stumble into?" I thought, letting a calm feeling pass over me. We had a chance to get out of this if we did this right. I looked back at the woman. "Why capture our friend and kill us?"
She tutted. "I did say I wasn't going to be answering your questions silly boy." She flexed her fingers, her red nails looking very much like bloody claws. "I think you need to be taught a lesson."
"No," I narrowed my eyes. "Let me teach you one." Beside me, Greninja slammed his palm onto the ground, three geysers of water bursting around us. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, I shot forwards, slamming my fist into the woman's stomach. She gasped in pain as she tumbled backwards, Purrloin leaping off her, landing on the ground and running towards me, claws growing longer. Greninja tossed a blade back to me as he burst towards the other enemies. I grabbed the water blade midair and slashed out, striking Purrloin in the middle and sending her flying away.
Greninja leaped over the blonde's head, curling his tongue around his middle and flinging him into the river. Greninja twisted and landed facing the Scraggy and Timburr. Both charged, the Scraggy jutting out his knee and the Timburr looking to impale. Multiple copies of Greninja formed and both Fighting types shot through a fake. Scraggy crashed hard into the ground, crying out as it held its injured knee. Timburr ripped his log from the ground and proceeded to try and cut down any Greninja he could, but the real one shot him in the back with a shuriken. Scraggy went down next before he could recover and Greninja shot back towards Zeno, finishing off the Purrloin.
"You've been beaten again," I stood over the woman. "I hope this time you learned not to mess with us." The wind picked up around us and I heard the helicopter approaching. I turned my head to see it about to fly over us, slowing down so it hovered over the river. The door slid open and a tall brown haired man in a business suit stood in the opening, seeming unperturbed by the fierce gales whipped up by the rotors. A Natu clung to his shoulder, eyes closed. The man locked gazes with me and I got the impression he wasn't some normal person. Behind him I saw the hulking outline of the guy who had kidnapped Robert.
"Give me my friend back!" I shouted, Greninja preparing a shuriken. "Or else!"
The man sighed, pushing up his glasses, his eyes hidden by the reflection of the light. "Is that so, boy?" His voice was magnified like he was speaking softly into a megaphone. "Do you even realize the situation you're in?" He sighed again. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Trainers are the sort to go headlong into danger without thinking, not even perceiving what they're getting themselves into." He lifted his head, his piercing brown eyes staring at me with contempt. "Consider yourself lucky. You'll die quickly here if you submit. Meanwhile this friend of yours, well, who knows what might become of him once he's transferred." He rubbed his Pokemon on the head. "Natu."
Natu opened his eyes and instantly my vision went blurry, my thoughts jumbling up. I stumbled back, groaning as my senses went haywire. I saw something move in my blurry vision and I fell, pain erupting in my face. Then a clam wind washed over me and my mind cleared. I saw Lucario rush past me, a wave of aura having washed over me. Greninja was beside me, having taken down the woman once more. Lucario planted his feet, forming a powerful sphere of aura between his palms and firing it at the helicopter. The aircraft flew upwards, narrowly missing the attack.
The business man shook his head. "Well, it seems you got quite the Pokemon with you. Natu, carry them along." He produced a pokeball from behind him, opening it. A flash of light zapped down on the ground several meters away and an Electivire rose, roaring as he crashed his fists together, electricity sparking off of him. "Kill the humans and then return once you are done. We got what we needed." He turned away as his Natu's eyes glowed, the bodies of the people and Pokemon we had taken down floating alongside the helicopter as it flew over the treetops.
Before I had time to even turn to look back at the Electivire, it had sprung forwards, fists cloaked in electricity. Greninja leaped in front of me, forming a long dark blade as he intercepted the attack, crying out as he tried to hold the enemy back. Lucario leaped over the Electric type, firing a sphere of aura into the enemy's arms. Electivire jumped back then rushed forwards once more. This time Greninja and Lucario attacked as one.
Greninja went low, swinging a blade. Electivire leaped over it, crashing his fist into Lucario's. Both Pokemon glared at one another before being forced back by their own energy. Lucario extended one palm away from the other, forming a long bone and twirling it in his paws. Greninja threw two shurikens, each one colliding with Electivire before he could react. Lucario leaped at him, slamming the bone down towards his head. Electivire swung up a hand, gripping the bone and swinging Lucario behind him. Greninja slammed a Water Pulse into his chest, but a burst of electricity sent him flying backwards. Now Electivire turned his gaze onto me. I only managed to stumbled back a step before he was looming over me, electrified fist raised, murder gleaming in his red eyes.
