"Where's Kiki?" I ask as we start off.
"She's staying behind," Urian answered. "She has patients she has to attend to here, and she's not one for travel either."
"Yeah, she would always complain on Guild trips about how she would rather be home reading a book alone than out in the woods surrounded by other pokemon," Eva chipped in. The other members of our group all giggled at that.
After that, we all got quiet and focused on walking, following a well-traveled road to the village. As it got darker Urian and Sparky lit up the road with Flash, glowing just enough that we could see where we were going. We kept walking for a couple hours, Casey and I swapping out who dragged the sled when the other got tired, eventually reaching a small forest.
Following the road through it, the area the light that the Flash from Sparky and Urian covered got smaller as the stars and moon got blocked out by the trees. We kept walking, slowing our pace a little, as we kept our guard up. Everyone scanned the woodline, keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of movement and listening for anything out of the ordinary.
"BOO!" I hear behind me, causing me to jump, fur standing on end. Spooks broke into laughter at the sight of me getting scared.
"Spooks, that's not very nice," Casey scolded. "You need to apologize."
"Sorry," she said to me, downcast.
"It's ok," I tell Spooks. "I just got surprised by the sudden noise is all."
"Well, you'd best not do that again," Casey spoke to Spooks. "We're lucky to have these lovely three as our escorts. I'm sure you don't want to lose their trust, or would you have preferred Team Blue Blaze?"
"Ew, no," Spooks said. "Those boys only care about doing things fast."
"Then you'd best not do that again," Casey replied.
After that, the rest of our journey went smoothly, with us exiting the forest in another hour or so into an area of hilly open fields. We kept on the road for another half-hour before seeing lights and what looked like a massive campsite in the distance. It took us another half-hour to get there, and when we did we saw pokemon running all around the camp, some tending to the wounded, others handing out food and eating, and some giving orders and sending groups of Guild members off to do tasks. We walked through the small city of tents slowly, making our way towards the center when a large Wartortle covered in scars from previous battles saw us and waved us down.
"Casey!" He shouted, waving with a smile. "Over here honey!" Casey dropped the sled's rope and dashed over to him, embracing him tightly.
"Oh Wally, how have you been sweetheart?" Casey asked him.
"I've been good, but doing better now that you're here," he answered, hugging her tightly back.
Walking close to Sparky and Eva, I quietly asked "What's the deal between those two?"
"They're married," Eva answered as the two of them separated and began to chat.
"Oh," I said. "Is that common?"
"It can be, depending on where you're from," Sparky answered. "We'd better get these two apart though or we'll never be able to finish our mission tonight." Walking up to them Sparky tapped Wally on the shoulder.
"Sparky, how are you doing kid?" Wally asked, seeing him.
"I'm doing ok Commander," he said, "but I need you to get us those field reports so we can get them back to the Guildmaster."
"Oh, right, those," Wally said. "Go to the big tent at the center and look for Chase. He'll have the reports you need. And grab a couple Reviver seeds from him too, we brought too many."
"Roger that," Sparky said, saluting quickly, then running back to us. "Let's go," he motioned to the center of the camp, leading the way.
We made our way to the center, passing many injured and sorrowful looking pokemon on the way. I looked at a couple of them and saw they were dirty, had multiple cuts, and bruised all over, but not injured to the point where they were likely to die anytime soon. Moving away from all the injured pokemon we found ourselves at the tent Wally described and went inside.
Inside there were a few small desks scrapped together from what looked like spare wood and salvage. There was only a lone Charmelion at the back, sitting at a desk with a couple stacks of paper neatly placed on either side. As we got closer he looked up and began to grin.
"Sparky! And Eva too!" He exclaimed happily. "And who might your friend be?" He asks, gesturing to me.
"I'm Steven," I introduce myself. "But you can call me Dusk."
"Well Dusk, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Chase," he says. "What brings you three all the way out here?"
"We're here on Guildmaster's orders," Eva told him. "We just finished escorting the medical group here, and now we need to pick up the field reports. Oh, and Wally told us to get som reviver seeds from you."
"Sure thing," Chase told us. "Got them right here." He got up and grabbed the smaller stack on the desk and a few seeds from a bag behind it, walking to us. He handed the stack of papers and seeds to Sparky, who put it in his bag. "Before you go, I wanted to let you know that we found your parents."
"You did?!" Eva exclaimed. "Are they alive? Are they ok?"
"Yes, they're alive and well right now," he reassured her. "They're currently out helping the Guild look for the last few missing villagers. We're lucky there have been no casualties so far, but we still have a lot of work to do in order to find the last ones who aren't here yet. So don't worry about them, they're going to be ok. I'll let them know you two came by when they get back."
"Thank you," Eva says, jumping up to hug him, tears running down her face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sparky next to me had a smile on his face as a single tear fell from his eye.
"No problem kiddo," Chase smiled, hugging her back lightly. "Now, you need to leave soon or you won't get back before sunrise."
"Ok," Eva said, wiping some tears from her face as she let go of him. She turned around and happily shouted "Let's go!" She raced out of the tent, Sparky and I rushing after her.
"Stay safe you three," Chase called after us.
We ran out of the camp, Eva and Sparky clearly in a much better mood. We kept running, getting back on the road, until Eva finally stopped, worn out. Breathing heavily, I catch up to them and take a moment to catch my breath, sitting down.
"Oops," she said, looking at me struggling to catch my breath again. "My bad Dusk, I just was so happy I kind of forgot about you."
"It's fine," I wheezed. "I'm just glad your parents are alright." Finally catching my breath, I stood up. "I agree that we should finish this mission as quickly as possible, but I really don't want to run anymore. The energy from the sitrus berry I had earlier is starting to wear off, and I'm not sure I could last the whole way back."
"Yeah, sorry," she said, looking down.
"Look, I can keep going, just not that fast," I tell her. "So let's get going, just...slower."
She nods, looking at me, and then Sparky nods as well and we set off again, but just at a fast walking pace. We make it back to the woods, and Sparky used Flash again, leading the way. We keep our eyes peeled and listen for anything unusual.
We're not even that far into the forest when I hear "-elp."
I stop in place and listen again as Eva comes up behind me. "What's wrong Dusk?" she asked. "Do you need us to take a break?"
I hold up a paw to motion her to be quiet for a moment when I hear it again.
"help."
"I hear someone calling for help," I tell her.
"I don't hear anything," she says, frowning. "Sparky, come here real quick."
Sparky came over and asked "What's up? Something wrong?"
"Dusk says he heard someone calling for help," she tells him. "I need you to listen as well."
Sparky nodded understandingly, listening with us. We sat there for a moment, and right as I was going to tell them it was probably nothing, I heard it again.
"help. please help me."
"Did you hear that?" I asked them.
"No," Sparky answered, shaking his head.
"Nope," Eva replied. "You're probably imagining it. You haven't slept since last night after all."
"Yeah, you're probably rig-" I began to say, shaking my head.
"someone help me. please, momma, don't die on me. help, someone, anyone"
I definitely heard it this time, no doubt. "Did you guys not hear it just now?"
"Dusk, dude, you're freaking me out. There's no one out here except for us," Sparky told me. "Leave it alone, we still have a mission to complete and I want to get to bed before sunrise."
"No!" I shout. "I definitely hear someone calling for help, and I'm not going to leave them. That's wrong!"
I bolted off into the dimly lit woods in the direction that I heard the voice, ignoring Sparky and Eva's calling after me to stop. I kept going for a bit, then stopped, realizing what I had just done. Unable to hear my friends anymore, I was about to turn back when I heard a faint sobbing.
"im sorry momma," the voice from earlier said. "im sorry."
I walked in the direction of the sobbing, with it getting louder and louder until I came into a moonlit clearing where I saw a Pichu leaning against an injured Raichu who lay facedown unconscious, sobbing. I go over to her and tap her on the shoulder. She jumps, turning her head slowly, tears pouring down her face.
Seeing my badge she shouts "Oh, Mr Guild member, please help my momma. She's hurt and I can't move her since I'm too small." She looked up at me eyes full of tears as she sniffles and held back more crying. I put a paw on her head to reasure her and gently rub it to calm her down.
"I'll do what I can," I tell her. "Don't worry, everything will be ok."
'I have no idea what I'm doing,' I think to myself, panicking internally. 'What have I gotten myself into?'
I look over at the little Pichu's mother and try to determine the best way to get her back to Sparky and Eva. I don't have a sled, but I am in a forest, and there should be materials to make one here. I look around and see vines both big and small growing off the forest floor, clinging to trees and tall bushes, and fallen branches galore.
'Perfect, everything I'll need to make a makeshift sled,' I think to myself.
I get to work collecting the materials and start building it, using vines to hold the branches and twigs together. The little Pichu stayed close to her mother, but watched in wonder as I worked in the moonlight. It took me about half an hour to get it sturdy enough to survive a short one-way trip, but it was finally complete.
Pulling over the finished makeshift sled to the injured Raichu's side, I could see that she had a small cut on her upper back and both of her legs were twisted in directions they definitely shouldn't be. Realizing this, I grab a few more vines and branches and splint both of her legs before attempting to move her. Just as I'm about to roll the Raichu onto the sled I hear a noise from my badge.
"-bzz- Dusk? Dusk? Can you hear me? -bzz-" I hear Sparky's voice say worriedly from my badge.
I touch my badge and say "Yes, Sparky! I can hear you! Can you hear me?"
"-bzz- Yes, oh thank Arceus. What were you thinking, running off like that? -bzz-" Eva replied this time, scolding me.
"I followed the voice I told you two I heard earlier. Good thing I didn't listen to you guys, because I found a Pichu and an injured Raichu out here in the woods."
"-bzz- You what?! -bzz-" both of my friends exclaimed.
"We're in a clearing, and I'm about to load her up on a makeshift sled. If you stay where you are I'll try to make my way to you guys," I tell them. There was silence for a moment.
"-bzz- You better make it back safe then. I'll raise the brightness of my Flash so you can find us easier. -bzz-" Sparky finally says.
"-bzz- I hope you know how stupid that was, running off on your own. Just get back here quick. -bzz-" Eva added.
Returning to the task at hand, I rolled the Raichu onto the sled, securing her to it with a couple vines across her chest, and put the vines I had set up in place of where the rope would be in my mouth.
"Hop on," I tell the little Pichu through the vines in my mouth.
She clambers onto the sled with her mother and I start off, following the trail of trampled plants and broken branches that marked the path I took to get here. As I walked the sled would bounce on occasion, hitting a rock or bump, stirring the sleeping mother from her slumber slightly. Eventually I saw the light from Sparky's Flash and began to head directly for him.
Coming out of the woodline, makeshift sled in tow, I see Sparky and Eva on the road, staring at me. They ran over and had me stop, checking the state of the Raichu I was dragging. They both looked in disbelief at the pokemon on the sled I had made.
"Well, I was going to yell at you for running off alone and to stop chasing voices that don't exist, but I guess I have to eat my words now, huh Dusk?" Eva whispered to me.
"I mean, you're not wrong about me being stupid for running off alone," I said quietly, spitting the vines out, looking down. "I'm sorry if I worried you guys. It won't happen again."
"You're right," Sparky said, smacking me on the head with a paw, "because next time, I'll trust your judgment and follow you."
"Sorry," I say again, not really sure how to respond.
"Don't worry about it," Sparky tells me. "What's done is done. Now let's get this little Pichu's mother to the camp so she can get treated."
"Shouldn't we give her something to help right now?" I ask.
"We would if we had any items that cou-" Sparky began to say, before putting a paw to his forehead in realization. "Right. Reviver seeds."
Pulling one out from our bag we gave it to the Raichu, who glowed brightly for a moment as the seed just disappeared. She began to stir, opening her eyes slowly. She looked around, seeing the three of us with her daughter.
"Hello ma'am," Sparky said politely. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes," she replied quietly.
"Momma!" the Pichu exclaimed, clambering up onto the sled and hugging her arm tightly.
"Hey sweetheart, your momma is fine, dont cry now, ok?" she told her daughter. "Where are we?" she asked us.
"We're in the Twilight woods," Eva answered her. "Dusk here found you and your daughter in the woods and brought you both to us."
"Last I remember, I was in the Twilight plains with Pam, running from the pokemon attacking the village," she tells us. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Sparky tells her, "but we're lucky our friend Dusk didn't listen to us. We almost didn't find you."
"Look, as much as I'd love to chat all night, we ought to get you to someone with proper medical training," Eva interrupted. "You have two broken legs and many minor cuts and bruises from the looks of things. We'd best get going sooner than later."
The Raichu nodded as we got into formation to walk back to the camp we just left, taking the vines to the sled in my mouth again. Getting thete took us another hour, with each of us taking turns carrying Pichu or dragging the sled with her mother. When we got near we saw multiple pokemon come running straight for us from the camp. Getting closer we saw Chase leading the group.
"Sparky? Eva? What are you doing back he-" he asked, stopping when he saw Pichu riding on Eva's back, passed out and the sled I was dragging and who was on it. "Quick, someone take that sled from Dusk here and get Pam somewhere warm! These three just found Ray and her child!"
Two pokemon from the camp group, a Machoke and a Treeco, came over too our group to take Pam and Ray from us. Spitting out the vine, I handed it to Machoke, who took it from me gently, patting me on the back.
"Careful with her," I warned the Machoke. "She has a cut on her back and both of her legs are broken."
He nodded as he carefully picked the sled up and carried it into the camp, followed by Treeco, who carried a sleepy Pam in his arms. The camp group followed those two, with the exception of Chase, who stayed behind with us. We all watched as the group made their way into the camp and massive uproar of cheering could be heard.
Turning back to us, Chase asked, "So where did you three find Ray? We couldn't find her anywhere, and she and her daughter were the last ones missing."
"Well, WE didn't find her per-say as much as Dusk here did," Sparky admitted.
"Really now?" Chase said surprised.
I sighed and told Chase the whole story. At the end he looked me up and down, then promptly smacked me on the forehead with a chop.
"Ow!" I shout in pain, dazed.
"That was extremely foolish of you to run off on your own," he chastised me. "However...I do have to commend your bravery and quick thinking. We need more Teams with pokemon like you. Just make sure you never do anything that stupid again."
"I won't," I tell him, rubbing my poor forehead with a paw.
"Well, as long as you understand," he said, trailing off. "You three better hurry back to the Guild if you get back by sunrise. And if you want to beat the reset of the Twilight Forest."
"The reset?" I ask.
"I'll explain on the way," Sparky told me, putting a paw on my shoulder.
"Wait!" Chase called out, seeing us turn to leave. "Here, eat these energy-boosting poffins." He handed each of us a red cube the size of my paw.
"Thanks," Eva said, quickly swallowing it down, Sparky and I following suit.
"Let's go," I say, immediately feeling fresh energy rushing through my veins. We turned around and began to jog off back to the Guild.
"Stay safe," Chase called after us as we ran off.
'Tonight is going to be a long one,' I thought as we sped away from the camp. 'I just hope there's no more excitement in store for us tonight...'