The truck rattled as it barreled through the forest. Outside, the frosted trees bristled against the wind, snow, and loose branches falling off. Moxy was hunched in her seat, thankful for the green drape over the convoy that shielded her from the wintry conditions. Her red hood was donned, but she lifted it to see the other four people she was traveling with.
With their assault rifles, bulletproof vests, and gear hanging from their belts, she took them for typical operators. Except for Zee, who sat beside Moxy in the truck. There was a crazy look in her eyes, which Moxy attributed to a spike in adrenaline for what they were about to face.
She wished Aiden were here. He'd be able to calm her down. Unfortunately, he was asked to help a flanking crew.
Just keep your head down, Moxy. Do as you're told, and nothing more. Do as you're told, and n-
"Here." Moxy was caught off-guard when one of the operators across her, a sharp and shrewd woman, lifted her right pant sleeve to reveal a small revolver with wooden accents. She undid its holster and offered its handle to Moxy.
"I was told a weapon wasn't part of my ordnance…" Moxy mumbled, tightening her grip around her backpack. However, the woman gave her a frown and shook the weapon towards her.
"You're part of our squadron. If one of us gets attacked in close quarters, you need to be able to defend us."
"I'm just a medic." Moxy tried to explain. "I-"
"Shut the hell up and take it," The man sitting beside the woman said. His voice was just as intimidating as the tinted goggles he wore. Wordlessly, she took the pistol and laid it between her legs.
Moxy couldn't help it. This was the first time since Rustboro that she felt a looming sense of dread. Most times, the adrenaline helped her overcome her anxiety. However, that was because she usually knew what she was getting into. As far as she could tell, she was diving head-first into an unknown danger.
"Just got word they've started the ambush. Everyone remembers the game plan?" The last man asked, standing and taking hold of a handlebar above him. Unlike the other two, he was dressed in a white tank top, detached red hood, and bulletproof vest, but nothing more. His tribal tattoos were visible on his hairy, toned arms, and an unlit cigarette hung out of his mouth.
"Operators will support the Admin and drive CLAW back. Infiltrators will flank, and then secure the package. Medics will stand behind the operators and provide first aid. Do not, and I repeat, do not let the package escape. The package was identified to be a male wearing a white lab coat, so it should stick out like a Flaffy among Mightyena's. You are all Magma soldiers who've been recognized by the communis as the best of the legion. Do not disappoint him! Ave Magma!"
"Ave Magma!" Everyone on the truck shouted in unison except for Moxy.
"Hoods on. We're a go." The tattooed man finished, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth before stomping on it as the vehicle came to a screeching halt.
"We got this!" Zee exalted beside Moxy, grinning like a maniac. Moxy wondered how Zee had so much energy in such a dire situation.
"GO, GO, GO!" the woman shouted, her teammates jumping out of the convoy. Moxy swallowed her fear and followed them into the snow.
It was chaos. The first thing she noticed was the large, fierce Aggron in the middle of the smoky clearing. It planted a foot forward and roared as silver energy charged in the forefront of its menacing helmet. A bolt of energy zipped forward, ripping a hole through a black SUV and toppling it on its side just as three soldiers dove away. Moxy recognized the blue and black military outfits the opposition wore, tell-tale signs of CLAW units. The CLAW soldiers took cover behind their only other vehicle as an onslaught of energy bullets peppered it.
"We got them now!" Moxy recognized the familiar voice. It was Quinn, riding the Aggron by one of the handles fitted onto its back. The Aggron began to charge another Flash Cannon, but a flash of multicolored light appeared in front of the CLAW vehicle.
"Slreen!" a sword-like pokemon cried, jutting the shield in the middle of its body forward as the Flash Cannon met it head-on. A hexagonal shield appeared, and the Flash Cannon bounced off it harmlessly.
"Aegislash! Shadow Ball!" a female CLAW soldier ordered her Pokémon. Unlike the other soldiers, she was covered head to toe in steel body armor and wore a black beret, which Moxy assumed signified a higher rank.
The Aegislash jumped out of its shield before firing a glob of phantasmal energy straight between the Aggron's eyes.
"GRAAAAAN!" the Aggron roared, its face smoking with ghastly, purple fire. Quinn jumped off the Aggron as it stumbled backward, almost crushing a Team Magma grunt in its wake. The Aggron stayed upright and held one of its small arms up as another Shadow Ball hit it.
"That Aegislash isn't going dow- GAH!"
Moxy darted her attention to her fellow Team Magma member, the woman who gave her the pistol. The woman, who had used the Aggron as cover, collapsed on her back. Blood oozed from her clutched shoulder. One of the CLAW soldiers by the vehicle released an orange-pelted hound with a fiery white mane. The Arcanine barked before molten lava charged in its mouth. The glob shot out like a mortar, directly toward the incapacitated woman.
"Aggron! Dive right!" Quinn yelled. The Aggron dove in front of the Flame Burst, and Moxy struggled to keep her balance as the area shook.
The blinding light from the Flame Burst stunned her, but her disorientation fizzled away when she heard Quinn scream for a medic.
Shit, was all Moxy could think as she bolted towards the woman. Quinn gave Moxy a glare that said 'fix this' before running back into the fray.
"Dammit, I got hit," the woman groaned. Moxy moved her hand away, revealing the blood-soaked wound.
"I have to get this bu…" Moxy could feel her insides churn. "y-your sleeve is in the way."
The paling woman nodded and ripped her sleeve off. With a shaky hand, Moxy took out surgical forceps and a roll of white cloth. She undid a strand of cloth and gestured for the woman to open her mouth.
"I'm going to pull the bullet out," Moxy whispered. The woman stuffed the cloth between her teeth and nodded. Moxy dug the forceps into the wound. The woman's muffled scream curdled Moxy's blood, but she was too far in to stop. It didn't take long until Moxy clasped something metal.
"I got it!" Moxy said, gently pulling the brass bullet out. She took back the cloth and applied pressure to the wound. It didn't take more than a minute to bandage her shoulder, however makeshift it was. Moxy looked up at the woman, who was breathing heavily.
"T-thanks…" the woman panted. Her pained expression was gone, replaced with a slight smile. "Remind me to buy you a drink when we get back."
"I, um, don't drink-"
The Aggron's roar startled them both. The woman hoisted herself to her feet, rifle in hand. After a nod, she peeked around the Aggron and began firing at the CLAW soldiers.
The Aegislash wasn't backing down as it continued to bombard Team Magma with Shadow Balls. When the Aggron tried to fire another Flash Cannon, the Pokémon jumped back into its shield and deflected the attack with its King's Shield.
Moxy took a few steps backward. Her heart was pumping fear, and her ears couldn't handle the sounds of cracking gunfire. She gazed down at her blood-soaked hands, and only one thought crossed her mind.
What did I get myself into?
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught something moving through the dark trees just outside the clearing. Upon further scrutiny, she realized the figure wore a white coat, unlike the CLAW soldiers, and more like something Chloe might wear.
The scientist! Moxy was about to shout, but something held her tongue. She peeked at Quinn, who was riding the Aggron with a mad grin. The grin of a bully, someone who cared for no one but himself.
The envy that swirled in her mind came from her chest as if she were enchanted, like a fire burning away all her reasoning to leave nothing but the ashes of hatred. And it swirled and swirled until a single thought screamed in her mind.
I deserve to be the hero of this operation! Not him!
Fortunately, nobody was paying her any mind. She slipped unseen through the forest surrounding the clearing, the scientist still in her sights. She only hoped no one would need her services until she was finished.
A/N: I have just uploaded this fic to AO3. I believe this site hates links, so just replace the "dot" with an actual dot in the link: archiveofourown dot org/works/59170285/chapters/150877921 I will be cross-updating on both sites in case I have viewers here who prefer AO3. Thanks again for reading, more to come.
Cheers!