June 9th, First Year
Two months. Two hunters circled their catch, their eyes narrowed against the blinding summer sun as they crept forward through the damp undergrowth. One held up three fingers, not daring to reveal their location as they quickly moved so that they were to the side of their catch- an Ursaring. An unorthodox catch for sure, but the benefits of catching one far outweighed the risks.
The two figures closed in. Jaku snuck around the creature until she was nearly behind it and waited for her partner's signal. The Ursaring continued sniffing at the grass. Shige, her fellow clanmate and a senior-ranking scout, blew the whistle just a few paces in front of the bear. The kill was on.
Jaku lunged forward and sunk her blade deep into the beast's neck, curving the blade to cut into the bear's jaws. Shige exploded from the undergrowth and sliced open the Ursaring's eyes, hacking its legs to bring it down to the ground. With a heave, the two hunters regrouped and in unison, carved through the beast's exposed belly.
"Looks like we're eating well tonight," Shige panted, careful to avoid smearing blood on his tunic as he put away his dagger. "Though, you didn't cut deep enough in your first attack; you might want to fix that in the future."
"I know what I'm doing," Jaku retorted.
In the growing months, Shige had grown quite egotistical and it had begun to grate on her nerves. She figured he had been angry or perhaps jealous that Adaman had sent her on a special mission. He would take any and all opportunities to one-up her accomplishments. If Jaku had managed to catch two Bibarels, Shige would disappear for half the day only to come back with three Golducks and an open wound bragging about how he had "put in the extra work". If Jaku gathered a hearty amount of medicinal leeks on her patrol, Shige would take an extra patrol and come back covered in thorns and an extra two baskets' worth.
If Keiji, the second-in-command of the Diamond Heath, has asked for volunteers for a mission, Shige would purposefully make up some excuse as to why he should get chosen over her and his favorite excuse- much to Jaku's ire- was that he was a man. He was 'logically' stronger, faster, and could endure more. Most of which Jaku knew were lies, seeing as how the man couldn't climb trees and didn't know how to swim. It had gotten to the point where Jaku had begun going out of her way to avoid getting grouped together with the man.
She wouldn't have to bear it for much longer. Jaku was finally on the course of becoming a full-fledged clan member which meant that she could pick and choose her own patrols rather than being voluntold. She could take up whatever job she wanted to so long as Keiji, Morito- the Diamond Heath's leader- or Adaman approved of it.
"I'll bind its legs," Jaku snapped, stowing away her saber as she moved to the cooling body. "Mind grabbing the others so we can take this thing back to camp? I don't fancy straining my back before the day's end."
Shige eyed the pokéballs at her belt and then her with a disapproving glance before disappearing into the undergrowth, his saber knocking loudly against his hip as he went. Once Jaku thought he'd truly gone, Lilith broke out of her pokéball and began licking the blood off of her arms and chest.
"Don't worry. We'll catch some more soon enough," she grunted, giving her partner a good scratch between the ears as she ruffled the thick fur along its face. Not seeming to be content with her answer, Lilith stalked away into the bog followed closely by Ghost, Jaku's newly acquired Luxray. The creature had stayed by her side ever since her bout with Lord Wyrdeer. Lilith and Ghost always preferred to catch their own food so they often hunted together. At least they weren't snarling at each other like they had been before.
When Jaku had returned to the mirelands with her four pokémon, Adaman had warned her that keeping so many partners -carnivorous pokémon, too- was dangerous. That she was responsible for keeping them well-fed and away from the clan children. It had never been a problem so long as they had been with her, but Jaku had the feeling that things would soon change. Shige had even suggested that she consider creating her own hut.
"Some rangers prefer living on their own," he had said a week ago as they talked over the communal dinner. "Some do it because they can't control the pokémon they have and don't want to cause an accident." He gave her a knowing look, scowling as his eyes traveled to the pokéballs at her side. "You weren't here when Nori was eaten by his own pokémon. A shame, that. Let's just hope it doesn't happen to you."
Lilith was a big pokémon; large enough that she couldn't fit in Jaku's tent alone and large enough that she was banned from walking freely in the village. None of her pokémon were permitted to sleep outside their pokéballs at night and that was something she knew they all loathed equally being strangely affectionate creatures. But then, all of her pokémon were well behaved and with a bit of whining and pushing, she allowed them to curl up beside her at night.
She had been drafting plans with Karsh, a ranger in charge of construction in the clan, but was unsure where she would want to build. Jaku wasn't a warden but she wasn't exactly shaping up to be a regular ranger either. To her knowledge, only one other person in the clan had pokémon and they had three Psyducks that stuck to the nearby Lake Valor and only helped with fishing.
That made Jaku's position in the clan a bit tricky. Having so many pokémon made her a bit revered and feared within the clan. Having quelled a noble- an allegedly dangerous noble that had a bodycount such as Lord Wyrdeer under her belt- put her at a position where she was often sent to deal with intruding or vicious pokémon or was often consulted about what should be done about a specific species. Jaku was no pokémon professor and could only give her best guess at times; guesses that more often than not worked to her surprise. She had heard talk that Adaman was planning something special for her- some role or position of some kind. But then, Jaku figured that it was all just speculation. She'd believe it when she heard it from Adaman himself. And that was all excluding the strange but well-meaning man that had been following her around like a lost puppy, Emmet.
After their initial meeting in the Obsidian Fieldlands and the subsequential tense walk back to the nearby fieldlands encampment, Jaku had tried to point the man in the right direction to finding Ingo; especially after the bombshells that the man had unceremoniously dropped onto her during their little chit-chat.
The first bombshell was that Emmet was- like her and Akari and Ingo- from another point in time. "The future" is what he had said, looking none too pleased about it. He had traveled with the help of a legendary pokémon; a legendary pokémon that had looked absolutely thrilled to see her and was loath to stop clutching onto her face during their sparse meetings whenever they ran into one another.
The second was that he and Ingo were twin brothers. What a shocker. Their voices were only a smidgen different- Emmet's pitch was higher by a small margin but not so much that Jaku could tell them apart if they were all in the same room. He had the same slanted and tired silver eyes. The same unruly sideburns and silver hair. The same professional manner of speaking, complete with odd euphemisms. They even wore similar attire- similar hats and jackets.
The third bombshell was that, apparently, Emmet had known her from the future; that they had once worked together. That she had once gone by a different name- one that didn't feel right using now that her given name had a backstory behind it when she could remember nothing about the former. And throughout their walk back to safety, Jaku had gotten the distinct impression that though they had once worked together, that they certainly hadn't gotten along very well. Or maybe that was just a one-sided street?
Emmet had seemed nice enough at first. He had offered to help patch up her wounds. He had offered to help heal up her pokémon. He had carefully led the way and had assisted her in traversing the steeper sections of the woods given her dizziness and bodily wounds at the time. However, Jaku had remembered Emmet's first statement; he had come looking solely for Ingo. As far as Jaku was concerned, she was on her own. She hadn't minded; she didn't know them too well and didn't expect much from them either. She had been on her own since the moment she had first landed in Hisui. She could find her own way home if it ever crossed her mind.
After a week of recovering from the fight with Lord Wyrdeer and a week of settling back into her new routine, the two had run into each other yet again. Emmet had had no luck running into Ingo, but he had kept running into the enraged wildlife. It was almost comical. Jaku had run into the elusive warden several times over in the past two months and not a single time had Emmet managed to catch him. It had gotten to the point where Emmet had started following her around in hopes of encountering his wayward brother.
Adaman was entertaining Emmet by letting him stay around the Diamond Heath solely due to the fact that Emmet wasn't hiding anything when it came to where he had come from and how he had come to travel to Hisui. After all, Almighty Sinnoh was the ruler of time according to the Diamond Clan. A person that could completely disregard time was, in fact, regarded as a god to literally everybody else in the clan apart from Jaku. Especially given the fact that Emmet had touted Celebi with him and Adaman had nearly lost his mind when Emmet took the time out of his busy day to explain to him how the legendary pokémon operated.
Thankfully, Jaku hadn't seen Emmet nor Celebi as of late. She was a tad appreciative of their absence. Something about the man's presence- especially when he was near her or when Celebi would latch onto her without prompting- made Jaku incredibly uneasy. Sure, she had helped him catch an alpha Combee and an unruly Electabuzz, but he gave her the distinct impression that her presence wasn't wanted; that the impression of him disliking her was still very much present if a little misunderstood.
"You are just begging to get mauled by a wild pokémon, aren't you?"
Jaku hissed as a pair of hands came down roughly on her shoulders. She jumped up, already moving to unsheathe her blade. "Shige! Will you stop scaring me like that?"
"You really ought to not zone out out here." He plopped down next to her with a bag of berries, popping a few of the smaller ones into his mouth. "Especially since your trial is in two days."
"No, really?" Jaku remarked sarcastically. "You'd think I'd know how to handle myself." In a scathing tone, she added, "I forget- which one of us has four pokémon and which one one of us has zero? Which one of us has successfully quelled a noble?"
Shige bristled. "Don't go getting a big head now! Just because you somehow managed to pull off your little stunt with Lord Wyrdeer doesn't mean you're invincible! Even a rookie apprentice would know better than to drop their guard outside of camp."
"First of all, I didn't 'somehow manage'," Jaku shot back, her hands balling into fists. "I did my job. I went up there, I found Lord Wyrdeer, and my pokémon and I dealt with him." She grabbed her pack and slung it over her back, scowling. "Stop trying to ego-trip me and make me out as a lesser person. I'm just doing what Adaman asks me to do; I can't help the fact that you get tickled pink over literally everything."
"I'm not ego-tripping you. I'm just telling it as it is," Shige sniffed. "You don't have to get so emotional about it. You don't take criticism very well, do you?"
Jaku was nearly about to explode. "Here we go again," she growled. "You know, talking to you is like talking to a brick wall nowadays. All you ever want to believe is your own thoughts. Heaven forbid somebody calls you out for having your head up your ass."
The brush rustled and a familiar face poked out. "Are you two arguing again?"
Jaku turned toward Egel. "Yeah, Shige seems to think he knows everything and that he's better than everybody." With a sneer and a pointed glare at Shige, she added mockingly, "He doesn't take criticism very well."
"Don't listen to her, Egel. She's just being moody. You know how women get."
The older scout crossed his arms and shook his head. "Rookies," he grumbled. "You two are adults; you should be able to solve your own arguments; not squabble like rowdy Murkrows."
"I'm not solving anything," Jaku retorted. "There is no argument. Here's the fact: Shige is being a hypocritical asshole and I'm taking this catch back to camp because that's what Keiji tasked me to do today. I'm doing my job like I'm supposed to do." She then turned to Egel. "I'm heading back to camp alone. My pokémon will accompany me to the gates as per usual." She had taken a step away before Egel had loudly cleared his throat.
"That won't be necessary." Egel then gestured for Shige. "You're the senior-ranking scout, Shige. You take this catch back to camp. The others allowed me to circle back and look for you two. Link up with them. I want a word alone with Jaku, here."
Shige quickly got to his feet, sending Jaku a smug grin as he affixed a few ropes to the bear's pelt. "Sure thing, Egel. I'll go grab the others so that we can leave. See you back at camp."
Once the two were alone and Egel had walked her out toward a darker section of mangrove trees, Jaku immediately whirled upon the older man, annoyance clear in her tone. "Thank you so much for proving my point, but you know what? I don't even care at this point. So long as I don't have to deal with him until tomorrow. What's this talk all about?"
Egel held up his hands, his electricity-scarred arm slightly lower than the other. "Easy now. Don't bite my head off. I'm not taking any sides nor am I taking you aside about whatever you two were arguing about back there."
Jaku sighed, reclining against a nearby tree. "Yeah… yeah, sorry. Didn't mean to lump you in like that. My bad." She took a moment to compose herself before meeting Egel's gaze. "What's up? What did you take me aside for?"
"Your upcoming trial. I've been meaning to ask you about it for a while now but haven't found the time." He waved his injured arm to-and-fro before resting the bandaged appendage at his side. "So? Are you nervous?"
Jaku shrugged, reluctantly sitting back down. "Not really. Keiji told me that Adaman was planning on upping the ante since I can train pokémon but I doubt it'll be anything too difficult. It can't be much worse than- oh I don't know-" she shot Egel a knowing grin- "dealing with an enraged Luxray in the middle of the night."
"Don't you have a Luxray now?" Egel queried, taking a swig from his waterskin. "I guess you're not too scared of them despite that little incident."
Jaku grinned playfully at the older man. "Would you believe me if I said Ghost was the very same Luxray from that 'little incident'?"
Egel went silent for a long moment, eyeing her with an expression akin to disbelief. "You're joking."
"It was a bad tooth. That's why it attacked us- it couldn't hunt properly. Remember, we knocked it out? Yeah, apparently he's making it up by being my buddy. A very fluffy, somewhat staticky buddy. He makes a good blanket, though."
"You're lying."
"Nope. Not lying. He's still got that scar in his shoulder from where we stabbed him. He's a gentle boy now that he's not skin and bones. Still doesn't like it when I interrupt him while he's eating but he's still a cat at heart."
Egel started forward, chuckling. "You trust that thing?"
"First of all, his name is 'Ghost' and yes, I trust him. He was a big help in quelling Lord Wyrdeer. I wouldn't have managed it if not for him." Jaku smiled. "Who knows? Maybe if you're up for the task, I could reintroduce you two? I'm sure he remembers you. He's really sweet, Egel."
The man huffed. "I'll believe it when I see it but for now, it'd be too soon. Though, if you're that inclined to work with hostile pokémon, I doubt you'll have any issue with what Adaman has planned for you."
"You know what he's planning," Jaku commented.
"I do," he nodded. "But I'm not telling you anything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and ready for your trial. Oh and just remember-" Egel gently set a hand on her shoulder- "that you can back out at any time. I know you're plenty strong," he had added hastily upon her glaring at him, "but I'm saying this more as a friend and not as a 'I don't think you're ready enough' kind of person."
"Huh," Jaku sneered. "Yeah, I know a guy like that. But no matter. I'm ready for whatever Adaman throws at me."
"That's the spirit. Now let's get back to camp before it gets dark."
Two days had given her no time to prepare herself for her trial. Before the sun had even risen, Jaku was ripped out of her bed, blindfolded, stripped of her pokémon belt, and taken out of the camp. Two pairs of hands guided her by her shoulders for what seemed like hours until she could feel the wet earth sinking beneath her boots. The blindfold was then ripped off and she was forced onto her knees.
Jaku flinched as she tried to acclimate to the bright sunlight overhead. Before her stood someone she didn't think would even show up for her trial: Warden Arezu. The red-haired woman bounced on the balls of her feet, her eyes looking anywhere but at Jaku as a group of rangers and guardsmen fanned out at her sides.
They stood in a wide clearing bordered by lush mangrove trees, a cacophony of chirps and croaks resounding through the air. Stacked stones and carved mud statues stood at the sides of the wooden pike walls, pieces of cobalt cloth fluttering in the wind. Two large braziers burned hot, smoke furling into the sky.
"Jaku," Arezu began. "Today is your trial day but I'm sure you already know that! O-of course you would know that!" the older woman stuttered. "Adaman put me in charge of directing this trial so let's get right down to it. You've got experience with pokémon- you work with them well- so your trial is going to involve- replicate really- working with pokémon. It's different than what we usually do. From what the Diamond Clan does. It's a work in progress."
"…I see."
"This one should be fun, actually." Arezu's voice wavered as the guards and rangers gave her some funny looks. Jaku didn't pay any mind to them, though. "You're going to be tracking down one of our rangers after sundown. His name is Shige. As I was made aware, you two often patrol together so you should know what he looks like. And in case you don't- just in case- we wrapped him with red linen. You can't miss him."
Jaku gave a deep sigh. Of course. Of course I have to deal with him today. "Alright. What's the catch?"
Arezu beamed. "It's a game of capture the flag and you're not the only person looking for Shige!" Three other rangers stepped forward into the clearing, bright yellow scarves tied around their waists and arms. Beside them were one pokémon each. "You have to find Shige wherever he is and get him back to camp before these three do. You're allowed to use force, but you can't sic your pokémon on them. Oh! And you can only use one pokémon."
One of the rangers gave her a malicious smile, calling for a Pachirisu to join him. "And we won't make it easy either," the man drawled. "It's a three-on-one. Think of us as predatory pokémon looking for an easy meal."
"And you can't use pokémon that can fly, swim, or crawl underground to try to get around the other rangers. No playing dirty! The chase has to stay topside where you can be seen and chased!" Arezu declared. "The first one back to the camp with Shige in tow is the winner. If it's not you, then you fail! Make sense?"
"I suppose it does?" Jaku nodded.
"Good! Then we'll start your trial in just a few moments. I just have to make sure everything is- uh- ready to go?"
"No worries. Take your time."
Another one of the rangers nudged her, a Lickilicky tagging along at his heels. "None of us were told where Shige was put so we're all a bit blind," he muttered. He was much taller than her with his long dark hair in thick dreads. "This is the first time I've gotten to bring Lichi along for a trial. I hope we have some fun out there." He gave her a patient smile and then his grin widened, exposing a set of sharp canines. "Do your best," he jeered.
Jaku had a plan; a risky but simple plan. That was, she would cover herself head-to-toe in mud and sod and stay atop the ridge surrounding the Scarlet Bog. There would be no way that anyone would get to the camp without her knowing about it and Arezu had never mentioned having to get to Shige first. She would just wait for the other three rangers to start the hunt and then she'd swoop in and steal the catch before they could retaliate. She would pass this exam easily. Especially with Ghost on the prowl.
On the way there, Jaku had noticed that something was… off. She would walk through clearings where the wind would suddenly stop and the grass would stop moving, the river sluggish and the surface of the bog almost frozen in time. She ignored her environment and focused solely on moving forward. She needed to concentrate on the task before her.
Jaku paused. Something had moved just to the southwest of the ridge. Ghost perked up, whiskers twitching and eyes glowing gold. Its tail tip quivered, and its claws slid out to grip the rocks. Ghost gave her a nod and began to creep forward, leading her down the slope by the tip of its tail as they approached the source of the noise.
They grew closer and as the sun vanished over the horizon, Jaku could make out two pairs of human footprints in the thick mud. Undergrowth crashed apart in the distance. She had rehearsed her plan with Ghost as they arrived but now, the prospect of engaging this potential stranger made her heart race. One false step, and she could end up chasing her intruder over the finish line and failing her assessment.
She ducked low under a branching fern, directly Ghost to creep in beside her as the pokémon used its x-ray like vision to scan through the tangling trees. It paused and then nudged Jaku's ear with its nose; the sign to move closer. When Jaku took the initiative and creeped forward, moving aside the undergrowth to stare at what she had heard, she grimaced. It was the ranger with the Lickilicky and Shige.
Both of the men were covered with mud and sod like her, creeping low to avoid detection. Shige had his hands bound in front of him with vines and rope and he was gagged, staring headlong at the grass looking quite bored as the ranger from before heaved him over his shoulder as though he weighed less than a sack of potatoes.
That far along, neither of them would be expecting an attack from behind with the element of surprise. Jaku steeled herself and gave the signal to attack. Ghost slammed into the Lickilicky, enveloping the offending pokémon in a wave of blinding electricity. The obscured ranger whipped around, a delighted, almost frenzied grin on his face as he stood to his full height.
Jaku's mind flashed immediately to the image of Lord Wyrdeer looming over her, its eyes glazed over and its mouth dripping with foam. The ranger before her stood loosely like a puppet cut from its strings, the bolts of lightning from Ghost casting his face in sharp, disturbing shadows. At her fear-struck expression, his grin grew even wider.
He effortlessly tossed Shige to the side like a broken toy and drew from his sheath a long engraved metal dagger. "There you are, little Bonsly" he growled lowly. "I was wondering when you were going to come out from hiding."
Jaku had not been expecting the man to lunge at her like a wild animal. He caught her right in the gut with a fist and sent her sprawling into the mud, his dagger flashing in the moonlight. Jaku slowly recoiled from the hit and braced as the man came down upon her, forcing her knee into the man's belly. He didn't so much as flinch, seeming to smile even harder at the contact. Another flash of his dagger and Jaku feigned to the side. There's no way I can overpower this guy. I'm outta here!
Jaku shoved her hand into the man's eyes and whistled. In a flash, Ghost had thrown itself into the man and had sent him skittering across the clearing. The ranger landed gracefully on his hands and flipped himself over onto his feet, his eyes flashing with pure malice as he rose.
"Lichi, Screech!" Drips of mud exploded into the air as the man's pokémon let out a ghastly wail, Jaku forcing her hands over her ears. Ghost recoiled back as though it had been struck, the pokémon's eyes scrunching with pain as it retreated back to Jaku's side to defend her.
"Ghost, focus on that ranger! Electric Terrain!" Jaku swept her free hand over Ghost's back before ducking away, trying to send a quiet message to focus on attacking. Jolts of electricity sparked underfoot, illuminating the woods and in turn the two wielders and their partners. At least he had heard her. "Thundershock!"
"Protect!"
The flash of lightning from Ghost met a clear, fluid barrier almost instantaneously, the enemy ranger seizing Shige by the binds around his arm as he dragged him away. Jaku huffed and gave chase, calling another Thunder Wave to put the Lickilicky behind him. The chase was on. Either she caught up to the ranger and claimed Shige as her prize or that man would beat her to the finish line. Tricky bastard. I see what you're going for.
Ghost raced ahead of her and the enemy ranger with ease, spreading a wall of electricity that stopped the man square in his tracks. When he had attempted to flee to the side, Jaku met him head on with a swipe of her own dagger. He parried, forcing her back with his greater height and weight into the mud once more.
Ghost moved to lunge at the enemy ranger but was interrupted as the Lickilicky emerged from the ground and performed a Giga Impact that made the ground quake. Jaku couldn't see the two pokémon fighting anymore, too focused on the man straddling her as he aimed at the arm holding her dagger.
"Get off me!" Jaku hissed. She wasn't above spitting.
"Or what?" the enemy ranger spat back, forcing one of her legs back down from where she'd been bracing to kick him in the groin. He chuckled darkly and sank all of his weight on top of her legs, effectively pinning her. "Are you gonna cry?" he teased, sinking lower so that they were chest-to-chest. "You gonna call for help?" He caught her hand as she moved to cuff him across the face, taking both of her wrists in one massive hand, the other sheathing his dagger. He then winked at her, readjusting his legs underneath her pelvis.
Oh hell no. Jaku reared back and headbutted the man with everything she could, using her temporary freedom to claw at the ranger's eyes with her fingernails. "Get the hell off me or I'll tear your eyes out!" He flinched and Jaku used the opportunity to tear at the man's eyelids.
He yelled and cursed at her, Jaku kicking him away as she tried to flee. The ranger managed to get an impressive grip on her thigh and pulled her back down with ease. The position would've been particularly suggestive if not for the murderous look on the man's face. "You little weasel! You're not escaping that easily!"
"Ghost! Electric Terrain!"
"Your partner can't help you now." The man sunk his hands into her scalp and forced her face into mud, locking his legs around her own again. Jaku bucked back, using her free arm to stab her dagger into the man's exposed thigh. The man yelled and Jaku finally kicked him away, stumbling on the slippery land as she grabbed Shige by his bound arms and dragged him away. Frantic footsteps sped after her and the accompanying heavy breathing told her that the enemy ranger was right on her heels.
Jaku couldn't make any sudden stops while dragging Shige along and she couldn't carry him either like the enemy ranger could. She would just have to resort to different tactics. The footsteps behind her grew louder and closer, threatening to overlap hers at any moment. "Ghost! Thunder Wave!"
She slipped, the enemy ranger just barely missing the tree where she had been a second prior. The metal dagger sank into the trunk with a loud shunk and now the fear of that man had truly been set into her bones. This man is actually trying to kill me, holy shit. I need to get the fuck out of here.
Jaku forced Shige behind her into the undergrowth and hacked back at her attacker with her saber, tearing at his yellow scarf in the process as she called for another Thunder Wave, her back to a tree. To her surprise, the ranger dropped his dagger altogether in favor of using his hands. He managed to find and seize one of her forearms, pushing her up against the trunk of a tree until they were chest-to-chest yet again.
She could feel his heart racing in his chest, his body too warm and too close and his heavy breathing too loud in her ears. Something hard rubbed up against her stomach and she felt her skin begin to crawl with apprehension and disgust. She cuffed him hard against the face, sneering when her nails glittered red in the moonlight; a successful hit!
"Oh? You've got claws alright, I'll give you that. But that's just a cheap trick." He leveraged his body weight and pressed into her harder, immobilizing her legs which had at the point been inching up to kick at him. "Going somewhere?" he laughed quietly, slowly winning the power struggle as he wrestled the dagger out of her hands, tossing it away into the darkness. "You're a feisty one but there's only so much a small thing like you could do to me. Just keep your mouth shut." Before Jaku could claw at him again, he seized her wrist, resuming the position they had been in before. "Don't fight me. I'll make it quick."
"Ghost! Thunder Wave!"
Jaku screamed and thrashed in the enemy ranger's hold but to no avail. Every scream she let out made him squeeze her wrists a little tighter. Made him lean against her a bit more. He had moved his free hand to the small of her back, taking his sweet time as he forced one knee between her legs. Every curse and swear she spat at him caused him to smile wider.
"Thanks for the easy win. Good girl," the enemy ranger drawled, toying with the edge of her belt. "Who knew it'd be so easy to overpower somebody so much-" his free hand found its way to her throat, giving it a light squeeze- "smaller than me? Good little Bonsly. Now play nice."
Jaku was panicking. She knew she was panicking. He's going to strangle me to death! Is this just part of the trial or am I actually going to die out here? The pain of him squeezing her wrists together was starting to become unbearable. With what little air was left in her, Jaku gave a final command, desperate for the incoming move to connect. "Ghost! Thunder Wave!"
With one last forceful shove, Jaku managed to force the ranger a few inches away from her, putting him right into the range of Ghost's paralyzing move. The enemy ranger froze and crumpled to his feet, his deranged grin sinking into a pissed grimace. Jaku seized Shige by his arm and scrambled away gasping for breath and desperate to escape the edge of the bog. Anything to get away from that deranged lunatic.
She gave a quick halt to stop, hurriedly loading Shige onto Ghost's back as the electric-type took off with Jaku in close pursuit. They seemed to make it a good distance away from the treeline but the chase had not ended yet. A whistle in the air alluded to an incoming attack. Boulders slammed into the ground next to Ghost, nearly knocking her partner off of its paws.
The ranger came sprinting like a madman out of the woods, his eyes crazed but focused as he quickly began to gain ground on her. The light of the upcoming braziers made the enemy ranger look even more sinister. Jaku ran faster, refusing to glance behind her as the squelching footsteps grew louder and louder. "Keep running, Ghost! Take him home!" she yelled.
She then spun around and blocked the enemy ranger's way, catching him around the midriff before dragging him down to the ground. If the Lickilicky gave chase, Jaku didn't see it. She straddled him, trying with great difficulty to pin his wrists down as the larger man playfully thrashed about. He got a foot up under her straining legs and easily knocked her over, switching positions. And when he continued his violent assault on her arms and neck, she kicked, shoved and clawed at the ranger. It wasn't very effective. He had figured out her tricks by then. The sounds of pokémon battling in the distance grew fainter and fainter.
"Looks like your friend is gone!" he cackled, pulling out a muddy dagger from his waistband. My dagger. "And you're all alone. You've been a good little chase but it's time to give up." He forced her onto her stomach and kneeled on her back, holding the tip of the wooden dagger against the back of her neck. "Should've just held still back in the woods."
Jaku raised her head and turned, spitting mud directly into the man's face. "Fuck you." She hissed as her face was shoved back into the turf. "You won't get your victory so easily. Ghost has Shige. All he has to do is cross the finish line and I pass. You lose."
The enemy ranger chuckled. "Oh, I know about that. That's not what I chased you to do." He put his face up right next to her ear, his voice low and gravelly. "I think you know exactly what I intend to do to you-"
"That's enough!"
The pair paused as an angry voice exploded in the clearing. Footsteps raced toward them. The enemy ranger atop her was unceremoniously torn off of her and thrown bodily into the dirt, his dagger flying off into the undergrowth. A pair of hands seized Jaku from underneath her arms and hauled her onto her feet, steadying her.
Emmet grimaced as he righted her. "You are injured. Again. Why?"
"Blame that asshole," she grunted. "Nearly had a fucking heart attack and he thinks it's funny." She stole her arm out of the man's grip, shooting him a grateful smile. "Thanks for the assist. Thought he was going to strangle me to death."
The enemy ranger quickly got to his feet, schooling his expression to how it had been before the trial started; sympathetic. Unassuming. Gentle. At Jaku's doleful glare, he stared right back at her.
"Leave it to Akanti to scare the living daylights out of our challenger." Adaman shook his head as he approached, giving the enemy ranger an exhausted glare. "It's supposed to be thrilling; not terrifying. You do this every single time, you- ugh! Nevermind." He then gave Jaku an approving smile. "You passed your trial, Jaku. Good thinking using your Luxray as a backup."
One of the three trial rangers- the one with the Pachirisu- took up her other side. "Are you good? I thought you were legitimately being mauled by a wild pokémon the way you were screaming."
Jaku snorted. "Then where the hell were you while I was getting viciously assaulted by 'Handsy' over there? You and that other guy? Where were y'all at?" She narrowed her eyes when the ranger moved away, surprised when Emmet continued to help her stay on her feet. She hadn't noticed how lightheaded she had become.
Adaman clicked his tongue and started toward the hills. "Come on, both of you. And Akanti? A word about your… strategy."
The man- Akanti, Jaku now knew- nervously rubbed at the back of his head and nodded. "Of course, Adaman." Jaku could only stare as the two walked off in the lead, leaving her alone with a very relieved and very shocked looking Arezu and an annoyed Emmet.
"Yeah, so I was going to warn you about Akanti earlier," Arezu started, gently guiding Jaku along as they started up the hill toward the settlement. "He likes scaring the pants off of the candidates. No, let me rephrase that. He loves terrifying the new candidates. I have no idea why. I'm so sorry, I should've-"
"I am never going near that man ever again," Jaku growled. "I'll strangle him the next time I see him- see if he thinks it's funny or exciting."
The clan celebrated Jaku's graduation as a full-fledged ranger with a feast that same night and perhaps a lot of mead and irresponsible drinking took place as well. Jaku found a nice, quiet table to sit at, her back to the tent wall as Peanut snuggled up in her lap. It wound its ribbon feelers around her bruised wrists, instilling a sense of peace into her that Jaku just couldn't accept.
"You don't look too happy."
Jaku looked up as a familiar face sat down across from her. Almost immediately, a tiny pair of hands settled themselves inside her hair, tiny wings fluttering in her peripheral vision. "Celebi, we talked about this," Jaku grumbled. She carefully removed the legendary pokémon from underneath her headscarf and instead nestled the tiny fairy pokémon in her lap alongside Peanut. "What are you doing here, Emmet? I thought you were still looking for leads on where Ingo is."
Emmet gave her a sour glare as he crossed his arms on the table, bringing the fur-lined hood of his uniform closer around his body. "I am. There are no leads. I do not know how but my brother is moving too fast to be tracked." He then added, "Adaman asked that I check on the status of your cab." His silver eyes shot to the thick bruises along her wrists and throat. "You do not seem well. Do you want me to accompany you to Rez? Those bruises look nasty and I am-" Emmet paused in his speech- "Adaman was wondering whether you wanted Akanti to be reprimanded."
"Can I 'reprimand' him with a steel pole? Preferably to his skull?" Jaku joked sarcastically. "I don't care what happens to him as long as I never have to see him again. I'd beat his ass if I could get away with it, but alas, I wouldn't. That man is disgusting, though."
"What was he saying to you when we arrived?" Emmet asked innocently.
"He was being a creep and a pervert. The entire time he was chasing me, he was just toying with me. Using any excuse he could to touch me." Jaku shuddered. "Now that I mention it, I think I need a shower. But to answer your question, I think he intended to rape me. Obviously, I didn't let him; not without a proper fight, anyhow. And thanks again for knocking that asshole off of me earlier," Jaku muttered. "I owe you one. Really, I do. There's only so much I could've done when that guy was three times my weight. I get the feeling he was actually trying to kill me."
Emmet blanched, rising from his seat. "I will… report that to Adaman. He will see whether punitive action will be taken or not. I will put in a word for you."
"Hold on now. I didn't take you as the clan's newest messenger boy." Jaku crossed her arms on the table. "I've been meaning to ask; have you tried figuring out where your brother lives? He's the warden of the highlands, so I'd guess that he lives somewhere in the mountains. Either that or with the Pearl Clan."
"I know that," Emmet groaned, taking his head in his hands as he sat back down. "I have asked. Everybody. In Jubilife Village. They-" he paused, his silver eyes catching on the shadows at the edge of the camp- "They do not like me very much."
"I thought you'd blend right in with that costume of yours," Jaku added sarcastically, eyeing his ripped Gingko Guild uniform that he had been using as a disguise. "Wait. Why don't you just ask Warden Melli? They share the highlands. If anything, that guy could point you in the right direction."
"Could he now?" Emmet paused. "Is he here, do you know?"
"I don't think so. I haven't seen him in quite some time. Though, if you follow the marked trail through the highlands, I hear his hut is marked by a sign. That, or just Adaman to send correspondence." Jaku then stood and scooted off of her seat. "I'm gonna go now. It's been fun. See you around, Emmet."
Jaku was a bit relieved to get away from the rest of the camp once the festivities began to die down. All she wanted was some peace and quiet. To reflect. Or maybe, just to be alone. Truly alone. To her surprise, nobody else had been milling about along the shore of Lake Valor. Moonlight glinted on the still surface of the lake and Jaku only then noticed it again: the distinct lack of birdsong or the lap of waves along the shore. It was not the type of quiet that brought peace but the kind that drew one's questions toward the source.
Jaku figured that she would have to wash off all the mud caked to her skin anyhow and that it would have been the perfect time to do so despite the eerie atmosphere surrounding the area. She removed her boots, released her partners, and gently entered a sectioned-off portion of the lake, clothes and all. The water parted but it did not ripple outwards. Strange.
Something floated over the surface of the water, its golden ribbon-like tendrils drawing her in closer as if attempting to hypnotize. Jaku felt a headache begin to build behind her eyes and winced, trying to exit the lake. She couldn't move. Something smooth and ice-cold trailed around her legs and pulled her off of the lake bed toward the small island in the middle.
Jaku tried yelling to get her pokémon's attention but quickly found that they were frozen along the bank, staring in the direction of the party, seemingly not having heard her cries for help. Even her own voice seemed to die out immediately after it had left her lips. No echo, no nothing. Just static.
The creature beneath the waves brought her toward the shore of the lake island, forcing her onto the soft sand with its wide, wet muzzle: a Gyarados. The headache worsened. Without much of a choice, Jaku stumbled up to the island, finding no secret entrance or cave. Why did I think there would be one here?
"BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE BEEN HERE."
Jaku froze. That had not been the voice of a human. The ground shuddered and swayed under her as she was forced down onto her knees, but she could still see. A large clawed foot sank into the mud before her, the limb thicker than her own torso. Whatever it was, she knew that she was not supposed to look at it so she shut her eyes tightly.
"YOUR PRESENCE BRINGS INSTABILITY." The creature set down another large foot, a new kind of chill settling into her body. "YOUR STUMBLING UPON THIS PARADOX TEARS AT THE FABRIC OF TIME WHICH CANNOT BE MENDED UNTIL THE GEARS ARE RESTORED TO THEIR PROPER PLACES." The creature's breath was now on her back, causing the dirt to spray up into the air. "I WILL GUIDE YOU AS MY CHAMPION. COLLECT THE GEARS OF TIME AND RETURN THEM TO ME. COLLECT THEM AND THAT WHICH HAS BEEN SEPARATED FROM YOU WILL RETURN."
Jaku snapped back to on the shore of Lake Valor, staring at the sea of frozen waves frozen around her, her waterlogged garments clumped around her legs and waist. Was I just hallucinating? She rose to leave, fearing the implications of its truth when she felt a new weight settle around her neck.
A thick silvery object hung around her neck on a string of blue-and-white beads, its ornate center glowing teal under the moonlight. No. It looked like her questions months ago were finally being answered; her purpose in Hisui. Her ultimate task. Jaku silently wished that Akanti would've gone through with trying to strangle her earlier and retreated back toward the camp, her body cold and her fingers trembling.