Dave sat back on a fallen tree, perusing his map by the dim lantern light. He looked up on the sky and sighed.
"Still no word from Aki?" A voice asked from behind him. Dave turned to see Toji leaning against a nearby tree, also looking up into the night sky.
"Still nothing," Dave confirmed and then sighed. "I have no idea how she and her group are doing."
"No news might be good news," Toji suggested with a small shrug. "Maybe she's not sending word of her victory because she's coming to assist us and doesn't want the messenger pidgey to be intercepted?"
"Or maybe she and all of her team are dead," Dave replied, still looking up at the sky as if he thought he might catch a glimpse of a small flying type carrying a message. "Crushed under an onix."
"Well, we won't know until we either finish our job or she sends word," Toji said.
"We'll be done after tomorrow night," Dave said. "I just hope we can make it all back."
"Well, I doubt studying that map for another hour will do anything but make you tired," Toji told the other man.
"I don't want to miss something," Dave stared at the map again. "They put up a good fight last time. I don't want to underestimate that group and lose people unnecessarily."
"Which is why you were so cautious with that first attack?" Toji stated. "And why you waited so long to attack them again?"
"I'm not going to lie, yes, that was the reason," Dave admitted, still staring at the map. "It's bad enough we had to leave Aki and her people behind. I'm not going to risk your lives when we've got the target in our sights, still days away from help or escape."
"I guess that we got lucky when that kid got hurt," Toji said, looking into the forest. Dave wondered if the other man was deliberately avoiding his gaze. "It slowed them down, gave us some more time."
"I guess we did get lucky," Dave replied. "We could have gotten luckier and killed him quickly. Or we could have gotten extremely lucky and knocked him and his pokémon out so that we could have psychic wipe his memory instead of killing him."
"Hmmm," Toji hummed in a manner that struck Dave as noncommittal.
"But we probably won't get that lucky," Dave moved to try and look at Toji's face, but it was just outside of the feeble light of his lantern. "And he won't either."
"Poor kid."
"It's how the world works," Dave sighed, giving up on seeing the man's face. "Sometimes something has to be destroyed if you want to create something new."
"You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs?" Toji quipped.
"Maybe," Dave shrugged. "Look if you think there's a way to spare the kid, without endangering our mission or our team, then I'd love to hear it."
"I don't," Toji replied. "I made my peace with his death. Just like I've made my peace with that woman's death."
"I know," Dave looked down at his hands. "I made a mistake and now we've got to kill two innocent bystanders."
"Heh," Dave looked up at the sound and saw Toji staring at him, a smirk on the purple haired man's face. "See, this is why I like working with you. You're getting mad at yourself, rather than at the target who decided to randomly switch mugs, or at the bystanders that have decided to protect the target."
"If I had made a better plan, or had a back-up plan- "Dave began, but Toji cut him off.
"And if the back-up plan had failed? Or if some fluke had ruined your other plan and raised an alarm?" Toji asked. "Shit happens. But most people blame the shit. You, you blame yourself for not wearing gloves."
"It's reassuring," Toji continued, walking over to stand behind Dave's shoulder. "And if I'm going to have to kill a child, then I'd rather do it under your command, because at least that way I'm pretty sure that it's absolutely necessary."
"Thanks," Dave said with a pale, small, smile. "I think."
Toji clasped a hand on the sitting man's shoulder. "But, when you've spent these last couple hours awake, when you could be sleeping, staring at a map that you've already memorized, that's when I start to worry. Maybe you should go to sleep now. We'll need you at your best tomorrow."
Dave sighed. He knew that the other man was probably correct. But they were already in their current situation because he hadn't prepared enough earlier.
His conflict must have shown on his face because Toji rolled his eyes and huffed.
"Go to bed." The purple haired man sighed. "I know the plan. I'll look over the map when I'm on watch and tell you if I noticed anything that could go wrong."
Dave took a deep breath. "Okay," he agreed.
And then the man who had murdered the café owner named Ted went off to enjoy a night's rest.
Morning came and the group from the village greeted it with bleary eyes, groans, and fumbling for breakfast.
After feeding his pokémon, Ash wandered over to Melanie to join her for breakfast. He hoped that human company might do something to make the energy bar more tolerable. Or at least he would have someone to complain to.
He found her looking over a map with the Yin-Li Memorial Pokémon Center marked in red, pointing at parts of the map and muttering.
"I think we're here," Ash said, pointing to a spot on the map that fit the landmarks around them.
"That fits," Melanie sighed. "Thank you."
"How far do we still have to go?" Ash inquired. Melanie muttered some more and Ash watched her take some measurements.
"We're still three days out," Melanie answered when she was done.
"I thought it was only a seven-day journey?"
"It was," Melanie answered, refolding the map. "But we lost some time after that attack and we've had to move slower because of your injury."
"We shouldn't have done that," Ash said clenching a fist. "We should have pushed on-"
"And maybe we would be at the pokémon center by now," Melanie interrupted. "Or maybe they would have attacked us as we traveled in the night when they saw how much time we were making. And maybe you would have pushed yourself so hard that you could no longer stand when they found us."
Ash looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say.
Melanie sighed. "Of course, it's also possible that we might have stumbled over some sort of aid closer to the pokémon center. It's impossible to know all the consequences of our choices in the moment we make it. We just have to make the best choices we can in the moment and hope that things will work out for the best."
"What if they don't?" Ash asked, still looking at the ground.
"Then we just have to live with the consequences the best we can," Melanie said with a shrug. "I won't tell you to quit worrying, but you'll just have to accept that we've made our choice already. Worry about the next choices we'll have to make."
Ash found himself constantly uncomfortable during the day's journey. He kept feeling a tenseness in the back of his neck, like there was some predator about to pounce, like there was an arrow drawn and pointed at him, as if he would have to whirl around at any moment to defend himself.
The tenseness combined with the whip-wound actually made the day somewhat painful. Ash would find himself tensing and then jerking in pain as the action aggravated his earlier injury.
It was a thoroughly miserable morning.
When noon came a grumpy Ash found himself traveling next to Charmander after Pikachu decided that he should patrol the group. Ash wondered if Pikachu had just wanted to escape Ash's mutterings.
Stupid bellsprouts, if I see them again, I'm going to have Pikachu shock them until they cry, Ash muttered.
Uh, Charmander began, but stopped when the grumpy human looked at him.
What? Ash grumbled.
Nevermind, Charmander looked away as they walked along.
You clearly had something on your mind, Ash growled. Just say it.
Well, since Team Rocket has already found us, can we do some of that Flamethrower training you were talking about earlier? Charmander asked, fidgeting with his claws.
Sorry, Ash grimaced. Even if they have our general position, we don't want to make things easier for them.
Oh, Charmander looked down at the ground and his shoulder's slumped. Okay. Sorry to bother you then.
But, Ash said, quickly switching gears when he saw Charmander's dejected manner, there is something you can try practicing.
Really? Charmander asked, perking up.
Well, Flamethrower is a long-range attack, but you can do some work on the power and the heat aspects without being too visible, Ash said. For now, you can try mixing in the hot air with your flames.
How… how do I do that? Charmander asked.
Oh, uh…. Ouch! Ash tried to rub the back of his head, much to his back's displeasure. Hate those bellsprouts so much….. let's see, what did Growlithe have to say about fire-type attacks again? Right, so I think you need to mix the air in the same place you make your fire.
Like taking a deep breath? Charmander asked. I think I already do that when I use Ember.
Not exactly, Ash said. You've got to mix it, not just use it to propel the flames. Hmmm…. What did Growlithe tell me…. she did say it was hard to do at first, but it gets easier once you learn it.
Well what's the trick? Charmander said. If they had been standing instead of walking, he would have been impatiently tapping his foot.
What did she say….? I think it was that you need to hold part of your breath? Or at least while you're learning this trick? I'm not too clear on all the details Ash's brow furrowed in concentration. Let's try that now actually. Take a deep breath and let most of it out, but not all. Hold what's left.
Charmander complied with the instructions, chest expanding with his inhale. He slowly let out the air and then stopped.
It feels weird, Charmander said in a choked voice.
Yeah, it does, Ash, who had decided to try the breath technique himself to see what it felt like, said before exhaling. Okay, now I think you'll need to start making your flames now. Don't exhale though.
Charmander nodded. Ash figured that he had probably started producing flames internally.
Now, take in a deep breath and exhale quickly, Ash commanded. Charmander complied. A shower of sparks fell from his mouth, alongside a puff of flame, and Ash could see the distortions in the air where the hot gases billowed out of the center of the scarlet blaze.
I've never done that before! Charmander exclaimed. But I don't see what that has to do with Flamethrower….
Well, that can come much later, Ash reassured the small fire-type. But this is how you can add power to your attacks. And later you can learn how to shape the air and mix it with your flames better, and that's how you can do Flamethrower.
Really? Charmander didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't look skeptical either.
Really, Ash nodded. For now, why don't you work on a new fire attack?
What sort of attack?
A short ranged one, just focus on mixing the hot air in with your flames for now, Ash explained. Don't worry about range or temperature. This is just a flare-up.
What should we call it? Charmander asked, eyes bright with excitement.
I don't know yet, Ash replied. Let's see what it looks like when you're done with it first!
Charmander began to practice the process of mixing in hot air with his flames as the sun reached its apex in the sky and then began its descent. Ash walked with him and watched as the attack started to solidify. Instead of the previous display, Charmander slowly released a plume of fire that bloomed with a billowing of hot gas.
It was slow and Ash couldn't think of a safe way to test its power but it was something new for Charmander. It was something that he had never been able to do before.
It was progress.
They decided to be done working on the move in the hours between noon and evening, when the shadows had grown, but the light of the sun had barely changed color, and everyone knows that the last hours of full sunlight are drawing to a close. Charmander was breathing hard by the time they were done and he smelt heavily of smoke.
How did I do? The fire-type asked. His voice was full of energy, but he wouldn't, or couldn't, meet Ash's eyes.
It's gone great! Ash answered. I mean, it's nowhere near done, but you've come so far in a single day! I can't wait to be able to test it!
Really? Charmander finally looked up, eyes shining with excitement.
Yes! It doesn't have any range, but it might have a lot of power! Ash grinned. Especially once we start working on temperature as well! I don't know much about physics, but we're dumping extra oxygen into your flames, and if I'm remembering what growlithe told me, it's after you've already made them, so they should be stronger than what you usually make!
What if you're not right? Charmander inquired.
Then I don't know what will happen, Ash answered with a shrug. But hey! At least you're starting to learn an important skill…. I hope.
Huh?
Nothing, nothing, Ash gently shook his head. We'll just want to talk to another fire type to make sure that I didn't mess anything up.
Sure, Charmander shrugged. What should we call it?
Hmmm… can you show it to me one more time? Ash asked. Charmander complied. He drew in a deep breath, exhaled part of it, and then inhaled again. Fire burned within him and Charmander let it out. A plume of flame burst from his mouth and then rapidly burst apart from its center into streams of fire, all surrounded by a rapidly moving heat haze. Ash thought it looked kind of like a flower growing up and then blooming out.
Fire Bloom, Ash said, snapping his fingers. It looks like a flower, so we can call it Fire Bloom!
Okay! Charmander nodded.
Now we just got to wait until we're at the pokémon center so we can test it out! Ash exclaimed, rubbing his hands together with glee. This is going to be so cool!
Yeah! Charmander said, bouncing up down with excitement. I've learned a new fire attack! This is so awesome!
Or maybe we'll get lucky and there'll be an even earlier opportunity to test this!
Yeah, like a wild pokémon attack, Charmander nodded with eager anticipation.
Well, I was thinking more like a river, but that works too, Ash replied, still grinning. Let's just hope we get lucky and have a chance to test this out soon!
"Do you have a visual yet?" Dave asked Anne. The green haired woman was kneeling next to her ralts, once again using the pokémon's psychic abilities to view the enemy from a distance.
The sun was halfway over the horizon, the last golden-red rays filtering through the vibrant dying leaves. Long shadows lay everywhere within the forest, leaving Dave's team drenched in darkness as they sat, stood, and knelt around Anne and her ralts.
"Partial visual," Anne replied, her head engulfed the purple glow of her pokémon's power. "It looks like they're setting up camp now."
"Are all the enemy pokémon accounted for?"
Anne's brow furrowed in concentration for several seconds before she replied. "Yes. I have a visual on all the pervious unique combatants. I'm seeing the bulbasaur, the charmander, the pikachu, the butterfree, the pidgeotto, and I'm seeing a group of squirtles."
"No way to determine if all the squirtles are accounted for though," Dave muttered to himself. "But I don't think it will make much of a difference." He nodded and then continued. "Okay, this is what we'll do. We'll wait until they've started going to sleep, and then I want you to make a map. After that, we'll take up our positions, and tonight's work can begin."
Squirtle stared out into the forest night, bored out of his mind, and fighting off sleep.
He sighed.
The water-type knew why standing watch was so important, none of the pokémon in the group knew Sleep Talk, so someone needed to be awake to provide an initial response if they were attacked.
But just because Squirtle understood why he had to stand watch, that didn't mean he had to like the boring task of sitting around and looking at darkness.
About half of his squad were sitting with him during his watch; most of them were keeping themselves awake by bickering with each other and one or two of them seemed to have nodded off. Squirtle didn't know whether to wake them or just to envy them.
The worst part-
Boss! One of Squirtle's comrades spoke up, interrupting Squirtle's train of thought. I think I heard something.
Where? Squirtle was instantly alert, thoughts of sleep gone from his mind.
There, the other squirtle said, pointing out into the dark forest that surrounded them. It was pretty quiet. It might have been nothing.
Well, I'm going to go check it out in case it's not, Squirtle said, standing up and walking in the direction the other squirtle had pointed. He wasn't expecting to find anything. None of the various nights and the watches he had stood had been very eventful. This one-
"Now!" A human voice could be heard in the forest, not shouting, but not bothering to hide itself either.
Squirtle ducked his head into his shell right away. Something, or multiple somethings, whistled through the air. Squirtle could feel sharp impacts all over the surface of his shell, and hear the sounds of something sharp and deadly pass through the space his head had been.
We've got company! Squirtle shouted as he popped his head back out. Start blasting!
Water Gun attacks lanced out into the darkness, the harsh rushing sound of high-velocity water filling the clearing.
Branches snapped and bark shattered as the attacks streamed out into the darkness but Squirtle didn't hear the sounds of any people or pokémon being hit.
We're under attack! Squirtle shouted to wake the rest of the group, everyone up and at 'em!
He could hear a commotion coming from behind him as his warning stirred the rest of the camp into action.
And then he was forced to shut his eyes as fire flared to his side, a lance of flame spearing into the camp and setting one of the three tents ablaze.
Squirtle blasted a Bubblebeam at the source of the fire, but the damage had already been done. His night vision had been ruined and he couldn't tell what effect his attack had.
Orange light flared once more, from the other side of the camp. Another tent had been set ablaze. The members of the Squirtle Squad who hadn't been on watch were trying to douse the flames, jets of water arcing through the night.
"Everyone stop!" Squirtle heard Ash shout. "Get down! Now!"
To Squirtle's surprise the jets of water ceased and Squirtle was able to see other members of the Squirtle Squad diving to the ground at Ash's command. Silvery needles whistled in the space their heads had been moments before, followed by the whirring whooshing sound of a cubone's club being thrown.
Squirtle turned his attention back to his part of the fight. Bubbles and Bubblebeam everyone! Let's flush them away!
At his command squirtles launched Bubble and Bubblebeam attacks, streams of ovaloid bubbles blasting into the trees. Squirtle and his squad kept up the attack, watery-projectiles constantly exploding within the darkness. Branches snapped, bark shattered, bushes were torn apart, and the trunks themselves began to groan under the sustained attacks.
Squirtle could hear the sounds of fighting behind him; the sounds of pokémon grunting, yelling; the sounds of attacks being launched, and the sounds of incoming attacks. Humans were shouting as well, but Squirtle couldn't spare any attention to figure out what they were saying.
More needles pierced the night, interrupting the Bubblebeam and Bubble assault as the squirtles flinched, the Poison Sting attack rattling off their shells and stabbing into their faces. Squirtle ducked into his shell while the needles flew around him, rolling to the side and then popping back up.
Something was moving in the tree canopies, illuminated by the burning tents. Squirtle could make out winged forms moving closer. He blasted away at forms with Water Gun attacks, but they dodged.
And then they were on the Squad, opening their mouths and letting loose supersonic waves. Squirtles clutched at the sides of their heads as they endured the attack. Squirtle turned his attention away from the attacking zubats and back towards the dark forest where the needles had originated. Once again, he fired forth a Bubblebeam, hoping to suppress the Poison Sting attacks.
We can't keep doing this! One of the other squirtles with Squirtle shouted before launching a Bubblebeam attack of her own. They're taking us apart! She continued between attacks.
I know! Squirtle responded between attacks of his own. Drive off those zubats! And then we'll go on the offensive!
A barrage of bursting bubbles blasted the zubats, sending them tumbling through the air and away from the other members of the Squirtle Squad. The two unaffected squirtles rushed over to help their confused comrades.
How bad is it? Squirtle asked while his unaffected comrade covered them with Bubblebeams.
I can fight, I think, the squirtle answered, forepaw on his head as he picked himself up off the ground. But don't ask me any hard questions, alright?
Sure, Squirtle nodded and grinned, we didn't keep you around for your brains anyway.
He checked on the other two squirtles that had been hit by the Supersonic attack, finding they were in a similar condition. Two of water-types had needles sticking out of their faces, but not in sufficient quantities to poison them.
Squirtle Squad to me! Squirtle shouted, making himself heard over the din of battle. Let's show these assholes what we're made of!
He heard shouts and cheers from behind him, and the sounds of running paws. His squad rallied around him. Squirtle re-adjusted his sunglasses and then pointed out at the forest.
Squirtle Squad, char-
"Stop!" Ash's shout cut through the night. Squirtle turned to face the human, snarl in his throat, glare forming on his face, but the boy continued to shout. "Get back here! They're trying to split us up! They'll get us easy that way!"
Squirtle's snarl died before it could get passed his mouth.
In that moment, the water type realized that Ash had been correct. If they charged off now, then all the fighters with the village would be separated and Team Rocket could overwhelm them.
Something painful, hot, and squirming shot through Squirtle. It took the pokémon a moment to recognize it as shame. He had nearly gotten his squad killed and the rest of the village would have joined them soon after.
"Everyone stay together!" Ash kept shouting. "Group up!"
The Squirtle Squad didn't react at first. But then Squirtle spoke up.
Let's do as he says, the water-type said, head bowed. Regroup in the center of the camp.
And then the Squirtle Squad followed the boy's command.
"Doesn't look like they took the bait," Toji said, lowering his night vision goggles. "We can keep trying this for a little while longer. Maybe they'll eventually take it?"
"I don't think so," Dave replied, lowering his own goggles.
The two of them were laying down, propped on tree roots, watching the fight. A bug type pokémon with a red and black body and yellow and purple legs, an ariados, stood next to them. Fallen branches littered the ground around them and the trees had small craters from the various bubble attacks.
"The trainer managed to pull the squirtles back," Dave continued. "In all likelihood he knows what we're up to."
"Then we're going with plan B?" Toji inquired.
"Looks like," Dave nodded, grabbing a pokéball and a small radio from his belt. "Everyone, we're moving on to the other plan. Release all of your pokémon behind the screens and then begin the assault. Remember your targets."
Various calls of affirmation came back over the radio as Dave clipped it back to his belt. He turned around to find Toji rapidly unfolding and setting up a structure of black fabric. It was what the grunts referred to as a battle-blind, meant to obscure the flash of light that accompanied a pokémon when it was let out of its pokéball.
"Go Girafarig! Go Pointers!" White light blazed behind the shrouding structure as Dave called forth his pokémon. Girafarig and a nidorino appeared, joining the ariados.
"Go Biters! Go Bristles!" Toji called out, throwing two pokéballs of his own. A dog like pokémon with jet black fur on its back and feet and silver-grey fur everywhere else, a mightyena, stood before them. Next to it stood a smaller pokémon, with grey black fur on its face and feet and silver-grey fur everywhere else, a poochyena.
"Remember your target?" Dave asked.
"Yes dad," Toji rolled his eyes. "We've got the butterfree."
"And don't forget to eat your vegetables," Dave replied with a shit-eating grin.
"I hate you sometimes," Toji shook his head and sighed.
He and his pokémon were then off to kill a child and his pokémon.
AN: I'd like to thank BlackCatSpecialist for beta reading.
I'd also like thank everyone who left a review/comment.
I hope everyone's staying safe.
Don't forget to review!