Heyo!

So, I realized that because of my work scheudle, writing two fics at once just isn't plausible at the moment. Sooooo... Fever Dreams probably won't start for a bit. Maybe. XD

That being said, we are in the final third of this fic, and with everything going right, we might possibly get an early August release date for my new fic. I am very, very excited for it. :)

Anyways, it's time to truly start the 'battle arc' of this fic, I hope everyone enjoys and I will catch everyone later! :D

Chapter 29: Erin vs Gurbo

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Erin coughed as she slowly pressed herself up from off of the floor, wincing a bit from the fall. It hadn't necessarily been a huge fall, although a quick glance up at the night sky told her she was going to need to find another exit if she wanted to get out.

She sweatdropped, realizing she was so far down that she couldn't even hear the other two from up above. How far down did Ceren send them?

A squeal took her attention from the hole, and she narrowed her eyes as they stayed on Gurbo, who was wailing in some incoherent babble as he stared longingly up at the hole they had fallen down.

An unending stream of tears were falling down his face. "Oh no, we are going to starve down here." He whimpered in despair. "There's no way out, we are going to die."

Erin cocked her head. "Wait, didn't you guys make these tunnels?" She asked, genuinely confused.

Gurbo blinked stupidly at her and for a moment an awkward silence passed between them. Suddenly, his face lit back up and he pounded a curled-up fist into his free tentacle. "Oh yeah! There's an entrance really close by." He said, his mood completely shifting as Erin face vaultered at his stupidity.

She sat up, placing her hand on her head in both exasperation and exhaustion. Her body was still badly burned from Max's attack, and a look at her chest told her she was going to have a nasty scar in the future. Her breathing felt tight as she swore she could feel her heart wanting to come out of the wound.

As small rocks landed sporadically around her, she somehow found the strength to get back on her feet, glaring daggers at Gurbo. With heavy breaths and a bite of her lip, she stood square to him, readying herself to continue battling.

Gurbo returned to a semi-serious disposition as well as he got ready to fight her again. "Silly girl, you're already a walking corpse and I've barely even started on you." He taunted.

Erin slightly shook as she closed her eyes. "Keep quiet." She muttered, not wanting to show him he was right. Although, she secretly knew he was right. She was moving purely on her refusal to fall as she should've been well knocked out by now.

The mark where Max had bit on her shoulder was starting to throb as well, as blood poured from the wound onto the ground. Secretly, she wished desperately that she had her satchel with her to at least alleviate the burns her body was slowly weakening from.

This isn't good…. I'm going to pass out if I don't take care of my burns. I have to defeat him as quickly as possible. I just need to remember to keep my head.

Her breath was coming out in loud huffs as she lit a light blue ball of energy in her hands in spite of the pain. Taking a final deep one, she steadied her wobbling as she got ready to fight through the pain.

Gurbo was less than amused. "I'll show you a world a no-good member can enter!" He yelled shrilly. "With my tentacles, charmingly flexible body and wit, I will take you down." While he said this, Erin did feel slightly relieved at the open cut on his head, knowing she inflicted some damage.

Erin didn't respond, not wanting to waste her breath quite yet. Instead, she came to him, ready to take him on. He blinked in surprise at her boldness before a look of pure rage adorned his face. Erin had to dance out of the way as the Octillery started throwing a temper tantrum, using his tentacles, head, and any other body part he could find in order to strike her.

"FRUSTRATION!"

Gurbo's attack was fierce, denting the ground where he would miss her, but Erin was graceful in her dodging abilities. As he went to punch her with three of his tentacles, she elegantly twisted her body out of the way from his attack.

She propped herself on one hand, dissipating the orb of light she had in her free hand as her back was now turned to Gurbo, shocking him.

Using her now empty hand to grab one of his tentacles, she pulled herself around to face him, the light blue ball of energy now formed in her other hand. Seeing she now had a free shot, she brought down her attack, aiming for a direct hit.

"HIDDEN POWER!"

Gurbo looked pissed. "Huh?" He whacked her hand out of the way, spinning in her in mid air. "Try countering this while you're in midair!"

With that squeal, he sped up the barrage of what was now pure punches of unyielding rage. Erin, however, kept her head level, managing to snake her way out of the relentless attack. She smiled in satisfaction as she saw Gurbo was only getting angrier, making his attack pattern that much easier to predict and dodge. Sweat was pouring on her face, but determination shone brighter in her eyes.

I'm not going to beat him by dodging alone.

Gurbo went for another punch, and this time Erin shot a vine up to the hole they had come from. Using his tentacle to spin around the punch, she pulled herself using a ledge before suddenly letting go when she was a little higher than him.

She turned back around as the light blue ball of energy had formed again, and this time she made sure it connected. Striking Gurbo right in the mouth, he let out a gasp of shock as his head was rocked backwards.

Landing gracefully, she charged a light green aura on her tail again as Gurbo was disorientated from the attack. Seeing she had a massive opening for a critical hit, she twisted her body to land another hit.

As she did, she froze when she saw the state of the Octillery she was aiming to attack. It was momentarily, but she saw the look of helplessness on his face as he tried to return to his senses. During this brief pause, Erin lost her balance and stumbled forward, barely managing to catch herself from taking an awkward fall.

Dammit, not again, she thought inwardly, cursing herself for not following through on her attack. It's just like the Passimian, I need to do this for Axl…and the entire city.

Gurbo had gotten a hold on his surroundings now and looked angrier than before. "NOW YOU'VE MADE ME HOPPING MAD!" He squealed overdramatically, a small welt forming on top of his head.

Erin's huffs were turning into wheezes as she struggled to rack her brain. Her bite and burn wound were leaking blood, making her feel weaker than usual.

Gurbo hadn't seemed to notice this exhaustion in his rage. "I'm going to give you a clobbering!" He yelled, a vein protruding near his welt in anger. "If you think your puny little attacks are going to do anything, you're mistaken. I don't care that you have a type advantage!"

Erin glared back at him. "Maybe you're right…" She murmured, feeling feverish now. "But even then, I cannot lose this. So many lives are at stake if we let you guys win."

She took a minute to stare up at Gurbo, realizing that even the relatively small Octopus was still hovering around a foot taller than her. She knew firsthand how little power she had compared to most guildmembers, especially due to her small size…

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"Weak…weak ...weak.." The voice belonged to Nigel, Erin's instructor, as her Leaf Blade attacks didn't faze the Malamar. It was long and drolling, irritating an already frustrated Erin.

A tentacle wrapped around her leg and slammed her into the ground, making her cough as the breath left her body. They were alone on a training ground, with Nigel having brought her here for one-on-one training instructions.

Nigel picked her up again by the ankle. "You're weak, Winters. I wouldn't lose sleep if you decided to become a criminal tomorrow." His taunts were dead toned as he stared lazily at her. "You're smart, but brains without the brawn to back it up is just as dangerous as its opposite in this field. Some of the smartest beings on this planet are wanted men."

Erin went to strike him with a Vine Whip attack, managing a hit on him. Landing on her feet, she went to follow through with a Leaf Blade, stopping short when she saw him staring dazed off at the building he taught in.

This didn't mean he was caught off guard as a tentacle wrapped around her body, immobilizing her.

He hummed to himself, still gazing at the building. "I've been asking him to get that building painted for months." He wondered out loud slowly. "Everyone is going to think I'm boring if the building looks that dull."

Erin tried to wriggle out of the Malamar's tight grip, a little annoyed. "That's not fair!" She cried indignantly, going limp in defeat as she was unable to do anything.

Nigel returned his gaze to her and shook his head in disappointment, dropping her with a small thud on the ground. Picking herself up, she dusted the front of her body off, embarrassed.

After a second, Nigel closed his eyes. "I hate to break this to you, Winters, but I could probably count on my fingers how many criminals will give you a fair fight." He took another pause, almost as if he was waiting for a laugh. "The joke being I don't have any fingers."

Erin sweatdropped. "I get it." She said, waving her hand.

He opened his eyes, looking more serious. "You've got tools I cannot teach you, Winters. Intelligence, grit, a strong will, and the 'fight to the death' type of determination to help others. Unfortunately, the latter is also your downfall."

Erin looked away sheepishly. "I just couldn't live with myself knowing I hurt someone badly, even a criminal." She confessed.

Nigel let out a breath of air through his nose. "That type of thinking will get you and others killed. You're entering a world where one day you might be forced to kill yourself to ensure the safety of someone innocent. Or yourself."

Erin's eyes darkened and she couldn't bring herself to look at him for a second. Not that she didn't agree with him, but that she knew he was right. She needed to stop freezing in those situations.

The criminals the guilds dealt with were so much more powerful than the average outlaw and she was already at a disadvantage because of her size. Still…

She glanced at him. "Have any of the Guildmasters had to…kill someone…" She asked hesitantly.

Nigel didn't let her gaze go. "I reckon they wouldn't be able to become a Guildmaster if they didn't." He replied, before quickly continuing. "Now, make no mistake. A guildmember should not kill unless they have to, there are more than one way to stop threats no matter the level. You're a smart girl, Winters, you'll know when what to do in the moment. It's important to keep your eyes in front of you but remember what's behind you is even more precious."

Erin nodded, feeling more motivated. "Right. Can we go again?"

To her surprise, Nigel gave her a rare, albeit creepy, grin. "Of course."

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Erin wheezed as she clutched her chest, looking back on her training with Nigel. Pulling back her hand, she saw the blood was still wet, burning her chest like a pool of magma.

They were back to standing across from each other, although some satisfaction creeped in her as she saw Gurbo was a little winded himself. Granted, the one injury he did manage to receive was through his own stupidity, but Erin couldn't help but let a prickle of pride creep in at the sight of his head wound.

Gurbo raised his tentacles again. "You hear me, miss big britches?! You're going down on the very next attack, so prepare yourself for the clobbering of a lifetime!" He squealed, getting ready to strike her with whatever he was planning.

Erin gritted her teeth. "Seriously, do you have a mute option?" She huffed.

Deciding not to let him get the jump on her, she rushed him with a Leaf Blade attack, jumping up and bringing it down in a ferocious manner.

Gurbo, meanwhile, positioned his tentacles over himself, arranging them in a circular array over his chest to block her attack.

"PROTECT!"

The attacks collided and neither broke each other for a minute, with Erin especially not being able to break the Octillery's strong defense. Suddenly, he splayed his tentacles apart, catching Erin off guard and leaving her open in mid-air, much to her horror.

Her eyes stretched as she realized she was completely helpless. "Oh no…" She muttered, trapped in suspense.

Gurbo's eyes lit up and he tilted his head back. "HEADBUTT!" He squealed, smashing his head into Erin's chest.

Pain exploded as he hit her right in the severe burn wound, making her cough up blood. Her eyes completely rolled back to her head, and she felt nauseous from the amount of pain she was currently in.

As her wounds screamed in pain, she braced herself for the end.

To make matters worse, Gurbo used his head to fling Erin up towards the ceiling of the tunnel they were in, throwing her with such force that she threw up a bit more blood. She stayed there for a moment, the ground becoming a thick fog to her.

Too exhausted to defend herself further, she didn't bother reacting as gravity harshly returned her to the ground below, falling with a sickening thud to the ground.

Gurbo quickly scattered up to her. "It's not over yet, I won't let you leave this cave! CONSTRICT!"

Erin gasped as strong tentacles wrapped around her body and throat, slowly crushing her. She tried to scream in pain, but the only sound she could make was a pathetic choking sound as Gurbo's powerful tentacle felt like it would destroy her windpipe.

Tears started to leak from her eyes, fusing with the blood that leaked from her mouth and nose. Her vision was growing dimmer, and her head was becoming lighter as she slowly started to lose control of her reality.

She was going to die in this tunnel.

Everything she had trained for, and she couldn't even last a week in the Justice Guild. Maybe her mom was right, this was too much for her. She was going to die to Gurbo of all things…

I can't beat him. I can't beat anyone. I keep losing and losing…

As the thoughts raced to her mind, she didn't know if it was a message from Arceus, her life flashing before her eyes, or just pure loopiness form the blood loss, but she suddenly remembered that day at the coffee shop with her parents.

Her mothers voice echoed in her head. "Just promise to keep giving whatever it is your all."

As did her fathers. "And if you fail, don't give up. Just try again.

She suddenly pictured her dad, who lived alone now. She thought of how she still hadn't called him yet, and how much it would hurt him to find out his daughter died.

She thought of Karl, of how his innocent view on the world was shattered because of these guys. She thought of how he must view himself now as a Hazaranmon instead of the lovable child he was.

Then flashes of Liza came to her mind. The Luxray was fighting valiantly right now for her life because of these guys. If Erin got any vibe from her time with Liza, is that she would never give up.

She thought of her Guildmaster and the rest of the city. Everyone was either protecting or needed to be protected, which is why she became a guildmember in the first place. She knew that despite her flaws, she needed to help those who couldn't help themselves. If she fell here, she couldn't save the city she PROMISED to protect.

Then…she thought of Axl.

Arceus, was the guy confusing as all hell if nothing else. One second, he's just this random Pokemon that lived to get under the skin of others, the next he's one of the bravest, strongest and yet softest souls she's ever met. However, in this moment, even he needed her.

He didn't just need her to be at her strongest, he needed her to be even stronger than that. He needed her to reach a level she had never reached before in her life. He had saved her and showed her exactly the type of guildmember she wanted to become.

One that could save anyone.

Her eyes snapped back to reality, and she glared at Gurbo, surprising him a little as he thought her bones would've been crushed by now.

She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to fight through the absolute blob of pain that was threatening to kill her. Because it didn't matter how much pain she was in, how much blood she spilled, or how close to death she walked.

She worked too damn hard to die here.

Her eyes drifted to the cut that was on Gurbo's head and an idea came to her.

You like attacking wounds, huh?

Using the strength she had left, she whipped one of her vines out from her back, jamming it directly in the cut Gurbo had on his head. The pain caused him to squeal in pain, causing him to let go of one of her arms as he tried to remove her vine from his head.

However, this was what Erin wanted, as she removed her vine and replaced it with a finger. Gripping him with everyone she had, she mustered everything she had before she completely slipped from the world.

"L-Leech Seed!" She managed to cough as the parasite-like seeds came out of the deposits from her fingers, latching themselves in his head.

She made sure it wasn't deep enough where he would die an absolutely terrifying death, but it did its job as vines suddenly erupted from his head, ensnaring him and stealing his energy. However, it was the unsettling feeling of it being directly in his head that made him let out a shrill shriek of terror as he let go of Erin to get the seeds out of his head as quickly as possible.

Erin gasped and choked for air as she rolled away from him, propping herself back up as she ignored the pain that wanted to take her.

Gurbo was flailing uselessly around, freaked out from the vines that were attacking him from his own head. His massive tentacles made their removal impossible and was stuck to do nothing but completely lose his cool.

For a second, Erin paused, but quickly squashed them down before she could freeze.

This was it.

She needed to do this.

A light green aura lit up her tail and she charged at Gurbo, jumping in the air once more. She swore she felt the entirety of everyone behind her as she leapt, letting out a scream of determination as she brought everything she had left into one final attack.

Gurbo, meanwhile, couldn't even see her in the entanglement he was currently stuck in, tears rolling down his face as he wildly whipped around trying to find something to stop the creepy feeling.

Meaning, he was unprepared as he took a direct hit to the top of his head.

"LEAF BLADE!"

With Erin's scream, she brought her attack down on Gurbo, hitting him so hard that the seed rolled back out of his head. His eyes went completely white as the critical hit landed on him.

As she followed through, Erin fell ungracefully to the ground, immediately jumping back up to defend herself if needed. She was wheezing, bleeding and still fighting to even stand.

So when she saw the Octillery lying motionless on the ground, letting out feeble whimpers in his knocked out state, she finally smiled.

At first, she couldn't believe it, waiting for him to pop back up with some quip or annoying words. But when he didn't move after a couple of minutes, she finally fell to her kness.

She couldn't help but laugh. "I did it…" She whispered, tears falling down her face as the smile wouldn't leave her face. Her wounds ached, her body burned and she could feel herself slipping from consciousness as well, but she gripped the ground in pride.

Mom….Dad…I did it ... .I'm officially…

"A Guildmember…" She managed to get out before succumbing to her injuries finally, a smile plastered on her face as she fell forward as well, sound asleep before she hit the ground. She let herself once more fall into the swirling darkness as light from the hole above became slowly more distant….