TEAM: Lucy (Chikorita) & Jackson (Hoothoot), Surpurna (Pidgey) & Venio (Bellsprout)
"In this docile route, we made our rounds, and now it's time for our trek to sprout… um…
We're not down and out, stepping past the shroud, finding out what it's all about!
To the sun I adore, its rays galore, shining down upon this Johto path once more,
But at its core, here to settle the score, we're the elite escort four!
Roko's the friend that Wesley's leading,
Leaving New Bark to track a Pokémon thieving,
Off on a grand adventure with the only best of teams proceeding!
Face our poison cloud!
Wings that beat so proud!
Know our names! We're Surpurna—"
"That's me!"
"Venio!"
"That's me!"
"Jackson!"
"That's me!"
"Lucy!"
Her paw met leaf and wings in an improvised high five, and the Chikorita hummed before continuing, bobbing her head as she did.
"In this docile route, we made our rounds, and now it's time to finally spro-o-o-o-out… um…"
There was nothing like hearing a good rallying cry, Wesley knew Lucy had a knack for those. He couldn't help but feel some secondhand pride seeing them celebrating the routine they rehearsed on the spot. If only his Pokégear wasn't keeping him busy.
"Mom, I spent a whole day preparing for this, of course I packed extra clothes… I can buy extra food next town over, don't worry. Okay. Okay, I'll be sure to call you so you know where I am. I won't forget to pick up anything you send me, it'll be okay."
"Just making sure. Take care during your trip, okay? Love you, Sparks."
Despite being demanded the attention, he couldn't help his smile. "Love you too, mom."
Wesley waited an extra second before hanging up, and when he flipped down his Pokégear's screen, he raised an eyebrow at the snickering brunette walking alongside him. "What?"
"Pfft… Okay, Sparks…" And there Roko was, trying and failing to stifle her smile. "I forgot she still calls you that…"
"Hey, it's appropriate, and personally, I like it." Wesley crossed his arms. He had to blow away the part of his bright yellow hair that liked to hang in front of his eyes. Roko was still amused by its electrifying hue for some reason. "Well, go ahead. Laugh it up, Lyra."
"Hmm!" That clearly got a reaction out of her, but her gaze wasn't any less sharp. "Using the surname I was given is a bit too formal, don't you think, Mr. Hibana?"
Something might as well have shattered in the distance with how much of a wallop that felt to Wesley's ears. He quickly grinned and waved off the horrific honorific. "You know what I'd rather you just call me Sparks."
"Mmm, Wesley is fine." From the way she smiled and strolled ahead it didn't seem like she paid any mind to the idea.
Wesley rolled his eyes. He was glad Roko was the endearing kind of know-it-all, and the endearing kind of company to boot. It made sure her visits to New Bark Town were always interesting, though this was the first time he ever tried traveling with her proper. If this was any indication of what the next several days would be like… He could get used to this. Maybe.
Professor Elm took great care in making sure the both of them were stocked for this. Pokéballs, Potions, these Pokédex things, and in Roko's case, she got to have the lab's Totodile to help protect her, just in case. She was also given a Pokémon Egg, incubator capsule held in her arms and all, and unless she was meant to hit someone on the head with it, it was probably not to help protect her. And Wesley thought he was the errand boy.
Whatever the case, this errand boy was ready to evolve into a thief hunter.
"Hasn't it been a day since you ran into that guy?" Even while Roko had put on her earphones, she gave him a look as if she had read his thoughts. "How are you so sure you'll find him again?"
Or maybe Wesley's determined face was all too easy to read. "Little known fact about Route 29. It's one of the most docile routes there is. It's Route 29, where everything is fine!" He scanned the faintly stirring patches of grass with an ever certain knowing grin. A scurrying Sentret here, a Pidgey passing there… "If there was a fight, an intense one even, there'd undoubtedly be eyes on it."
Which meant that as soon as he caught a lead, tracking that thief down and delivering justice would be inevitable. Where he spotted empty grass, he could see the headlines already. Wesley, New Bark Town hero.
"You seem pretty sure of yourself." Roko tilted her head to match his gaze. "You are still going to help me make it back to Goldenrod, right?"
He blinked to let her know that she still had his attention. "Of course, of course, I wouldn't forget. I know the professor talked about the sudden aggressive Pokémon phenomenon. That's what me and the elite escort four are here for!" A burst of sprayed water briefly brought Wesley's attention to Roko's Marill, who had tried bouncing his way into Lucy's roll call. He simply laughed. "I can water both plants with one bottle. Getting you home safe and sound from whatever's going on, and maybe catching a no-good redhead along the way. Who knows, maybe these incidents are linked."
"Umm…" A voice squeaked from a patch of nearby grass. "…did you say something about aggressive Pokémon?"
"As if it was right on cue." Wesley's smile held a hint of pride as he looked for the voice. Approaching from the nearby ledge was a purple-furred Pokémon. He knelt down to meet it as it scampered his way. "Hey, little guy."
The Rattata leered at him. "Girl."
Oops. Shorter whiskers. "Right, sorry, little girl."
Her eyes narrowed further. "Not little."
Wesley's palm was this close to striking his forehead. Roko was better at this than him. Rather than sighing, he cleared his throat and proceeded cordially. "Do you live here on Route 29, by any chance?"
The Rattata's gaze relaxed into a curious stare. "I actually lived on Route 46, closer to Blackthorn, but I heard about the commotion that happened here yesterday. Right on cue is right, are you looking for one of those Pokémon pilferers?"
"You betcha. Do you know anything?"
She sat up with a perked smile, curling a paw into a fist and slamming it against the other. "Mind if I come along with you guys? I've got a bone to pick with those thefty types. I only saw that redhead head into the next city over, but I've got a good nose for sniffing other things out."
The mention of that red haired red handed thief definitely swung the offer in Wesley's favor, but he still took a second to think about it. He knew a fiery gaze when he saw one, the kind that wanted to be heard. Maybe it was just her spunky tone, maybe it was his own optimism, or maybe it was just the nostalgia of encountering a Pokémon who wanted to stick around that started to convince him. Whatever it was, Wesley was reminded of himself, and that was enough for him.
He glanced back to see his lively Pokémon group of four doing a marching chant around a signpost. Venio leading, of course. "Well, if you'd like to come along, I'm not gonna refuse some extra help." He extended an open palm towards the Pokémon. "Name's Wesley."
The Rattata curiously inspected his handshake offer, sniffing before meeting it with her paw. It was tiny in comparison. "Squeakers. Though you can call me Esqu, or just Cue. Nice to meet you, boss."
Wesley didn't expect the nicknames, but he wasn't going to look a gift Rapidash in the mouth. He looked the gift Rattata in the eyes and accepted her offer to lead the way forward. Maybe she'd be onto something.
The rest of the route was ran with a motivated stride, and Roko was busy telling her Marill off when that had happened. Wesley couldn't help his smirk at the sight of seeing her and the other Pokémon grouping up to follow him, attempting to catch up to his stride. Roko especially clutched that incubator with surprising haste, running to catch up with a pace that would've had her holding onto her hat if she had one. She was always better at running than he was…
"Wesley!" She called after him, bewildered. "Is this Rattata our new escort now?"
Wesley's gaze back at her spoke of nothing less than pride. "Roko, it takes a special level of trust to follow this kind of lead, and that's exactly what I have! Sometimes the proof is in the pudding, and by pudding, I mean the Pokémon!"
Thankfully, the rush didn't last much longer. Wesley wasn't gonna let Roko trip and fall just because a Rattata told him to, he was better than that. Going for a rowdy run on this route almost felt like breaking the law, and Cue seemed to know as much at least. When the stroll slowed down, the Rattata proved to be very chatty with Wesley's team, and while the five Pokémon marched on, Wesley stuck to Roko's side.
He noted the jingling from his bag and the charm that she still wore, and that was worth a proud smile of his own. Roko didn't seem to catch him staring, at least. Her earphones were on, probably listening to some of the historical radio chatter from her Pokégear. Or perhaps it was some of the music from other regions she liked so much.
Cherrygrove was in sight, and they all slowed down to stop and smell the flowers. But not even a few steps in, and Roko was the first to react to the screeching in the distance.
Wesley saw it all happen. Roko shut her eyes, nearly staggering as she did. He caught her by the shoulders before she could keel over, only to notice his Pokémon faltering too. Something was hurting them, so—Pokéballs, Pokéballs, okay, return everyone. Pokéball stasis should keep them safe, so—wait, Cue!
"You hear that noise, boss…?"
He didn't think twice about the commitment that came with using an empty Pokéball on the Rattata like this, but it was a good thing he had spares. Three shakes, click, okay, he hoped she wouldn't mind. The Pokémon were safe, good, it was also good that the Pokémon Center was nearby. Just had to lead Roko there…
Before the sliding door separated them, Wesley saw her pained expression and met it with a silent nod. Staying in there should keep her safe, and the Egg too. He figured her hearing must've been too sensitive for this, so whatever this commotion was, he was going to check it out.
It was time to move. Cherrygrove was never, never met with this kind of havoc, so this was personal. He saw one of the youngster trainers running back into town, headed for the Pokémon Center. Was something happening in the route ahead…?
Howling winds seemed to pick up in bursts. Past the houses, past the Poké Mart, by the trees leading to the next route. Towards the sounds of pained and agitated cries were… a large flock of Pidgeotto?
One was quick to turn its eyes towards him. "Whoa!" He stepped to the side, a sharp gust of wind barely grazing his cheek. "Pidgeotto don't usually appear here…!"
Another piercing screech. It still had its sights on him, he had his hand on a Pokéball and braced his ears, here came the talons—
"Jackson!"
One word, and Jackson's yelling cry was enough to drown out that Pidgeotto. The booming attack was just enough to throw it off balance and scare it off.
Wesley breathed out a sigh of relief, feeling for his hat which was thankfully still intact. "Sorry to call you so suddenly…" He saw the way Jackson flapped to the ground with an unusually strained look. Was the screeching causing that…? "Do you think you can still fight?"
"After that stinging I'm hearing, I'm definitely not falling back asleep." His bright red eyes blinked a bunch before glaring ahead, a yawn looking like the last thing on his mind. "Not an Uproar though… but whatever it is, I can fly in there and show 'em a real Uproar."
"Don't." Wesley held an arm in front of him, stopping him with a breath. He recalled the youngster who ran, noting the number of Pidgeotto swerving and diving ahead. "This isn't something we can fix by brute forcing it…" He felt for another Pokéball, out came Lucy. "Just hang in there and distract them. Do you think you can keep them out of town?"
Where the Chikorita stood, her stance faltered, similarly hindered by the bird noise, but she still faced Wesley with a confident little smile. "This isn't the first time we've fought a Pidgeotto." Jackson hopped to her side, sharing her bravery. "This should be no sweat for the two of us, you know."
Wesley nodded alongside her. He had no reason to doubt them, and just in time too. Another screech, here came another gust of wind…!
He stumbled through the grass, diving out of the way. Closer to the chaos, but away from his Pokémon. Judging from the sounds of Razor Leaf attacks slicing through the wind and Jackson calling out aiming signals, they had that under control. With Lucy's tenacity and Jackson's foresight, they could handle anything.
Quiet breaths were taken as Wesley quietly shuffled through the grass, being as discreet as possible, keeping his eyes on the angry flock. Wings were thrashed as Pidgeotto continued to abruptly screech at each other and everything that moved. They weren't normally this hostile or territorial, let alone in a habitat where Pidgey were at their most docile. Yet it didn't look like they were trying to drive each other away, more just… fighting for the sake of it? Not in the fun kind, though…
It took the pained cries of other Pokémon tossed by the gusts of wind to realize that the Pidgeotto had other targets in mind. Groups of Caterpie and Weedle had the same idea of hiding in the grass, but some weren't so lucky in staying out of sight.
Wesley saw a Pidgeotto flapping up a swirl of wind and was quick to act. Two more Pokéballs, go—! "Surpurna! Venio!"
His Pidgey and Bellsprout were quicker on the draw, one neutralizing the Gust with her own and the other ensnaring the attacker with a Vine Whip to the legs. That successful tightening snap had Wesley letting out a sigh of relief as he watched both moves play out. He kept an eye low to make sure the trembling wild Pokémon scurried away safely, which they did hastily. Just like his own Pokémon, there was something in the air that seemed to be weakening them, but how…?
"Rrgh…" Surpurna had lowered to the ground, shutting her eyes with an aching look. "It feels like something's… trying to speak to me…"
Venio shared Wesley's confused stare, even as his roots skidded against the ground from the way his vines still pulled. "The Pidgeotto?"
The Pidgey was shaking more than everyone else. "No, it's—"
"Bwaaugh!"
Wesley blinked, and Venio was hurled into the air by the Pidgeotto his vine held onto. He was a sitting duck up there, Pokéball, Pokéball—return!
The Pokéball's beam struck the Bellsprout just in time, shrinking back just as Wesley ducked in the grass. These Pidgeotto were stronger than he thought, and if Venio couldn't hold one back…
"We should end this quickly…" Surpurna quickly stepped beside him, a stern worry in her gaze. Her talons scratched against the dirt as she stretched her wings. "Should I blow some sand at them?"
"No Sand Attacks… Their eyes might be too keen for that…" Wesley held onto his cap as he kept his eyes on the closest screeching Pidgeotto. It was searching for its next target, from the looks of things… "Poison would probably just make it angrier. If the three of us can time it right, get it close enough, maybe a gust of Sleep Powder will do the job." Venio's Pokéball was still clutched in his other hand. Even from inside there, Wesley could tell the Bellsprout got the memo.
Surpurna nodded, a telltale sign she knew to remain on standby. Wesley continued creeping forward, watching the Pidgeotto's movements. Its eyes were honed somewhere among the patches of grass, towards a particularly green spot. Was something there? Wait, a Spinarak…?!
It was time to move…! "Sleep Powder!" Wesley quickly cried out, tossing Venio's Pokéball over his shoulder. With any luck, the combo attack would reach this Pidgeotto immediately, but it was already preparing to dive towards the—
Had to act quick, bag, Pokéball, okay. It was a clear shot, clear throw, just aim for the Spinarak—gotcha! One shake…
The Pidgeotto was taking the plunge. If the Pokéball were to burst open, then—
Two shakes.
Wesley wouldn't take that risk. He bolted ahead. He faced the sharp glint of those talons mere seconds before he held his arms in front of his face.
Three shakes—
"Agh!" Talons clamped down, claws digging tight into his forearms, squeezing the pained noise out of him. Wesley was face-to-face with the Pidgeotto, subject to its furious cry until it faded silent, quickly succumbing to a spontaneous gust of wind laced with Sleep Powder.
Click!
As the Pidgeotto fell to the ground, so did Wesley. He made sure not to inhale the passing breeze, though he still had to suck in a breath feeling the stinging cuts those talons left. His hand wandered around the grass until he found the Pokéball. At the very least, the Spinarak was safe, and as far as he could tell, the Pokémon was grateful.
What was supposed to be a quieting breeze picked up instantly. Wesley got up and turned his head just in time to see what had silenced the rest of the Pidgeotto. It was the same Gust that blew the Sleep Powder his way, only expelled with such force that it spread to the rest of the flock as well in a sudden burst. The draft passed in a startlingly swift movement before petering out, leaving only the fading caws of the Pidgeotto falling into slumber.
For what was supposed to be a Gust, it was unusually strong. Wesley almost couldn't believe Surpurna managed to unleash an attack that powerful, let alone one that was able to overwhelm all those Pidgeotto. And then he saw her collapse onto the ground.
"Surpurna!" He was quick to run, kneeling as he did. Despite her exhaustion, she was still conscious, whew…. "Are you okay? It was almost like you whipped up a hurricane back there…"
"I'm well. Tired… but well. Though I'm not sure what came over me..." The Pidgey blinked slowly, her startled gaze looking around herself. "It just felt like there was this power… trying to claw its way out of me. And I just had to let it all out."
"Hmm…" Wesley wished he knew what that meant. This wasn't something that ever happened before. But what he did know was that she was tired, so it was back into the Pokéball for her.
A quick glance around himself showed that Lucy, Jackson, and Venio had all rejoined his side as well, looking similarly worse for wear, but at the same time, relieved.
"The rest of us are all… pretty winded too." Venio had the biggest smile out of all of them.
Jackson was less amused, folding his wings to his sides before yawning. "If anyone else is going to take a nap, I should be the next…"
Lucy adjusted her hibiscus with her leaf, smiling up at Wesley with a dutiful nod despite her evident exhaustion. "I can still hear some ringing… but we kept them out of Cherrygrove! So that's something. And… I'm too sore to think of a word that rhymes with Cherrygrove."
"Alright, message received. Get in here." Wesley was proud of them all, and some rest in their Pokéballs was just what they deserved. With all that settled, a trip to the Pokémon Center to get patched up sounded just about right for everyone. Wait, right, there was also the matter of releasing the Spinarak he just saved…
The winds stirred again. Wings were flapping again. Wesley didn't need to look behind him to see that the flock had started to wake up. And judging from the cries that pierced through the breeze's silence, the fury of the Pidgeotto was far from over.
Wesley felt the glares, bracing himself for the talons. He felt dread where he stood, and then, a chill.
A different wind swept through the path, one laced in ice, one quick to catch the flock from behind. It wasn't enough to silence their anger, but it slowed them down enough to draw attention away from Wesley. And in his surprise, he saw the Sneasel that blew the Icy Wind. Amidst the flash of cold blue, there was the presence of that red haired boy.
He spared Wesley a mere passing glance before dismissing him entirely. His Sneasel was quick to match his pace as they both dashed further along the path. The path back into Cherrygrove.
"Hey!" Wesley scrambled to follow. The peeved flock of Pidgeotto was the least of his concerns, as were his pained arms he clutched, he just needed to do this one thing…!
Back down the path. The redhead looked to be in a hurry, shady gaze looking for something. Something about the trees? He was eyeing one of the trees next to the Poké Mart—
Before Wesley could catch up, the Sneasel acted again. Another breath of ice engulfed the tree, before its claws sliced through it in one blow. The trunk of it fell over, but instead of the bluntness of wood, it landed with the startling weight of metal.
"What the…?!" Property damage was the only thing on Wesley's shocked mind. "Alright, you! Stop!"
He had already pulled out a Pokéball, and with it, Cue had joined his side, the Rattata ready to fight. Wesley was sure, actually sure, he had this in the bag. There was nowhere to run, he had a Rattata to back him up, and… and…
The redhead wasn't intimidated. He just stood there, unphased by the threat, shameless in the damage he just caused, a sigh on his face. From his jacket, he pulled out two more Pokéballs, and two more Pokémon joined his side alongside his Sneasel. A Magnemite and a Gastly.
"You don't want to do this." The redhead's frown only held disappointment as he said that.
Wesley wanted to call out a move, but seeing the three Pokémon he would have to go up against, he couldn't bring himself to. In the midst of all he mustered, the weight of his winded breathing was starting to take its toll on him. He knew how exhausted he was, and he knew how exhausted the rest of his team was too. Cue glanced at him, a stare that insisted on making a move, on doing something, but…
He didn't want to admit it, but the redhead was right. A glimpse of his Rattata's face of disbelief was all he saw before he recalled her. He didn't want to push her too hard, not like this. For a second, he expected the worst. More destruction, more thievery, more of whatever he'd be unable to stop. But the redhead boy simply recalled his Pokémon with a look that was as dismissive as always.
And then he ran. Ran out of Cherrygrove, ran back down the path he came, and all fell silent.
Wesley held his head low. The stillness had settled in, as did his empty hands. For a moment, Cherrygrove seemed to quiet back to normal as well. Someone was walking his way.
"A shame. If only someone would do something about that no-good Sneasel boy…" It was the Guide Gent who stepped out and noticed him, staring down the path as if sharing his own conviction. "You'll confront him again like the nice boy you are, won't you, Wesley?"
Wesley slowly lifted his gaze and turned it into a nod. Couldn't say no to the face that everybody could love. Of course he'd confront that redhead again. That's what he was setting out from New Bark for. To catch that thief, to get through the aggressive Pokémon situation, and escort…
"Wesley!"
Just like last time, Wesley was greeted by a very concerned Roko, except this time he couldn't smile through the signs of damage. The cuts on his sleeves spoke for themselves. So did her "are you okay?" face.
He couldn't shrug off the expectantly worried look on her eyes. "We tried to hold them off but we're a bit… worse for wear now."
Roko had left incubator carrying duty to her Marill, leaving her pursing her lip as she checked his arms. "I asked some of the people in the Pokémon Center about what was going on. They told me about the Pidgeotto suddenly appearing there and the trainers that couldn't hold them off. So to fight them yourself… that was very brave of you, Wesley." There was a warmth behind her eyes, a hint of admiration in her smile. "Okay, maybe a bit reckless, but still brave."
Wesley knew she was sugarcoating things just a bit, but a reminder that his efforts kept everyone safe was enough for him. "I'll take it." A hint of his own proud smile was back before he knew it. Even if his arms stung from where she held them. "If that's all settled… I think me and the elite escort four are due for some Pokémon Center time." Technically five, but four rolled off the tongue better.
Roko quickly drew her hands back, gaze briefly trailing off before she cleared her throat. "You're right. I can't imagine you or any of the other wild Pokémon holding up well after that." Her curious eyes moved to look over his shoulder. "By the way… how did you end up calming down all those Pidgeotto?"
Wesley blinked. "How did I… huh?"
He was so swept up in his pursuit that he forgot about the Pidgeotto that had since gone quiet. Roko stepped ahead, and Wesley followed her gaze to see that sure enough, the flock had calmed down. They seemed more disoriented than anything, as if they had broken out of a trance.
"Uh…" Wesley could only shrug. "I guess it just… happened."
His eyes fell upon the sliced tree that still lay on the ground. Rather, what was now clearly a metal pole adorned with leaves, blasted with ice before being slashed at. The flock quieted down after this was cut down, right? What did that redhead do…?