XxxxX
The frigid air bit into my skin as I pressed forward, my breath visible in the dim light. With Rukia by my side and Milotic leading the way, the darkness of the cave felt slightly less oppressive. Despite Milotic's ancient appearance, she moved with a regal grace that inspired confidence. The urgency in her movements kept my adrenaline pumping, knowing that Hunter J's crew could be nearby.
"Stay close, Rukia," I whispered, glancing at her. She nodded, her eyes sharp and alert, ready for any threat.
Milotic led us through a series of twisting tunnels, each turn making me more wary. The silence was broken only by the occasional drip of water or the faint echo of our footsteps. My mind raced with thoughts of Nova, Aria, and Aster, hoping they were safe and unharmed.
After what felt like hours, we reached a larger cavern where the sound of rushing water filled the air. In the center, a pool glowed with an eerie light, casting shadows on the cavern walls. Milotic paused at the edge, turning to us with a determined look.
"Milotic, is this where they're holding the others?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, and I felt a surge of determination. I clenched my fists, ready to face whatever awaited us. "Alright, let's do this."
As we approached the pool, a sudden noise made me freeze. Voices echoed from a nearby tunnel, and I quickly motioned for Rukia and Milotic to hide. We ducked behind a large rock, peering out to see a group of poachers entering the cavern, dragging cages filled with struggling Pokémon.
My heart pounded in my chest as I recognized some of the captured Pokémon from earlier. Around a dozen feebas, a few Machops in a cage next to a Machoke with far to many wounds, a tank-like cage with a Whiscash and two small Barboach… damn these poachers.
The sight of their frightened faces fueled my anger. These bastards would pay for what they'd done.
"Alright, let's get these cages loaded up. Boss wants them ready for transport," one of the poachers barked, his voice gruff and commanding.
I exchanged a glance with Rukia, her eyes burning with the same resolve I felt. Her body trembled with barely restrained fury, and I could see the fierce anger in her eyes as she remembered her own traumatic experience.
Rukia started to move forward, but I quickly placed a hand on her head. "Rukia, wait. I know you're angry, but we can't rush in. There are too many of them. We need a plan."
Rukia growled softly, her fur bristling with anger. "Vull..."
I knelt down next to her, my voice soft but urgent. "Rukia, listen to me. I understand how you feel. I hate them too. But if we charge in without a plan, we could get captured, and those Pokémon won't stand a chance. We have to be smart about this."
She looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and understanding. After a moment, she nodded, the fierce determination returning. "Vulpix..."
"Okay, here's the plan," I continued, outlining the steps. "First, use Confuse Ray on as many poachers as you can. That should disorient them and give us an advantage. I'll take out any who come too close. Milotic, I need you to use Aqua Tail to break the cages. Once the Pokémon are free, we can direct them to escape through the tunnels we came from."
Milotic nodded, her graceful form poised and ready. Rukia's eyes gleamed with fierce resolve, and I felt a surge of pride and confidence in my team.
"Alright, let's do this," I said, giving Rukia a reassuring pat. "Stay safe, and let's show these poachers what happens when they mess with our friends."
With a deep breath, I stepped out from behind the rock, my voice steady and firm. "Hey! I think you guys misplaced something!"
The poachers spun around, surprise and anger flashing across their faces. "Who the hell are you?" one of them snarled, reaching for a Poké Ball.
"Just someone who's really not a fan of poachers," I replied, feeling the aura surge within me. "Rukia, Confuse Ray!"
Rukia leaped forward, her eyes glowing as she released a wave of confusing energy, disorienting the poachers and their Pokémon. They stumbled and cursed, trying to regain their footing.
Milotic surged forward without waiting for any command, her tail glowing with water energy as she slammed it into one of the cages, shattering it and freeing the trapped Pokémon inside. The freed Pokémon, a group of frightened Feebas, quickly scattered, finding safety in the pool.
"Rukia, Ice Shard!" I called out.
Rukia unleashed a barrage of sharp ice shards, targeting the poachers' Pokémon and forcing them back. The confusion and chaos worked to our advantage as the poachers struggled to control the situation.
One of the poachers managed to release a Houndoom, its fiery breath lighting up the cavern. "Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
"Rukia, Protect!" I shouted.
Rukia conjured a protective barrier just in time, the flames dissipating harmlessly against it. Milotic, without missing a beat, retaliated with a powerful Hydro Pump, dousing the Houndoom and knocking it back.
The poachers regrouped, anger and desperation clear in their eyes. "We need to stop them! Don't let any more get away!" one of them shouted.
"Rukia, Icy Wind!" I commanded.
Rukia unleashed a chilling gust of wind, freezing the ground and creating a slippery surface that sent poachers and their Pokémon tumbling. Despite their setback, the poachers began to release more Pokémon, ready to overwhelm us with sheer numbers.
"Rukia, keep using Confuse Ray on the new Pokémon!" I ordered. "Milotic, keep breaking open the cages. We need to free as many as we can!"
Rukia's eyes glowed again as she targeted the newly released Pokémon, but the strain was starting to show. Her breath was coming in shorter bursts, and her movements were becoming slower.
Milotic, though regal and powerful, was also showing signs of fatigue. Her Aqua Tail was less forceful, but she pressed on with determination, breaking open cages and freeing more Pokémon.
I clenched my fists, knowing we couldn't keep this up for much longer. We needed to turn the tide. "Rukia, try to hold them off with Payback!"
Rukia nodded, her eyes fierce as she charged into the fray, her body glowing with dark energy as she struck back at the poachers' Pokémon with all her might. Each hit sent waves of power radiating through the cavern, but it was clear she was reaching her limit.
One of the poachers released a Gyarados, its massive form towering over us. "Gyarados, Hyper Beam!"
"Rukia, get down!" I shouted, diving to the side as the powerful beam of energy shot through the cavern, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Milotic moved with what grace she could muster, positioning herself between the Gyarados and the fleeing Pokémon. Without needing any direction, she began to counter the Gyarados' powerful moves with precision, using her agility and experience to dodge its attacks. The cavern shook with the intensity of their battle, and it was clear that Milotic was wearing down the Gyarados, even as she tired herself.
Suddenly, reinforcements arrived for the poachers. More of them swarmed into the cavern, carting in more captured Pokémon. My heart sank as I saw what was in those cages, struggling and calling out for my help, my team.
"Rukia, we need to get them out of here!" I yelled, desperation creeping into my voice.
Rukia nodded, her determination unwavering despite her exhaustion. She unleashed another Confuse Ray, but the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming us.
Milotic, locked in a brutal fight with Gyarados, continued her battle. The Gyarados roared, launching a powerful Dragon Rage that sent shockwaves through the cavern, nearly knocking me off my feet. Milotic countered with an Ice Beam, the two attacks colliding and creating an explosion of steam and debris.
A sense of uselessness washed over me, what good was I doing standing here? Rukia was doing all the fighting and she was getting more and more tired by the moment with each attack. Milotic was fighting that behemoth of a Gyarados and somehow standing her ground… I need to do something, anything!
My chest tightened as I stood and watched the battle continue, my heart pounding rapidly as I watched Milotic and that damn Gyarados trading blows. The sheer destruction forcing me to snap out of my mind to dodge some flying debris.
No time for freezing up Rusk. You might end up with some sort of aura overuse at this point, or whatever the fuck happens when you've burned through as much aura as you have this quickly. But now you really need to focus.
"Hold them off with an icy wind Rukia! I need a moment to try something!" calling out to her as I feel for my aura, attempting to channel it like I had earlier to reinforce myself. Feeling it slowly flow throughout my body as it had done before, but this time, it seemed to pass by everywhere only to coalesce in my arms.
What-t-the hell?! My arms feel like they're going to burst! Why isn't it working like before?
Panic set in as I struggled to understand what was happening. My arms began to glow a deeper purple with a small wisp of blue mixed in, before it started to slowly ripple outside my palms like a calm breeze.
… what the fuck? Confusion sparked as I tried to figure out what was going on with my aura, I had zero training or understanding behind it, but it seemed to always do something different every time I was in a dangerous situation… like I wasn't the one behind the wheel, but I have no clue why.
Shaking the thought from my mind for the moment, an idea sparked and I cupped my hands together. The two currents started to swirl around, slowly speeding up and forming an Aura Sphere.
"Rukia, just a bit longer!" I shouted, my voice tinged with urgency.
Rukia nodded, her breath coming in short bursts as she unleashed a flurry of icy snow, creating a temporary barrier between us and the poachers. The intense minute of forming the attack felt like an eternity. My arms shook with the effort, but the Aura Sphere slowly took shape, the energy rippling and swirling between my hands.
With a final push, I sent out the sphere. It was small, flimsy, and pathetic compared to what I remember it looking like in the games, but it did its job. The Aura Sphere cleared an opening through the poachers, allowing us to charge ahead towards the cages containing my team.
The moment I let the aura fully disconnect from my body, I felt a huge drop in my energy, nearly making me drop to the floor with how little I had left. Catching myself on the wall we had backed up to, I forced myself back up and pushed on ahead through the gap I had made.
Huffing in exhaustion as I ran over to my team, a relieved chuckle escaped me as they were within an arms reach.
As I got to the cages, I quickly assessed the cages, simple metal not like the reinforced ones they used on the other Pokémon. The metal bars were thick and sturdy, but I had an idea. "Nova, use Ember on the bars! Rukia, follow up with Ice Shard to cool them down!"
Nova unleashed small bursts of flames, heating the metal until it glowed red-hot. Without missing a beat, Rukia followed up with a barrage of sharp ice shards, cooling the metal rapidly. The sudden temperature change caused the bars to crack and weaken.
"Now, everyone, push!" I commanded.
With a collective effort, we forced the weakened bars open, creating an opening large enough for Nova, Aria, and Aster to escape their cages. Despite his injured leg, Nova stood defiantly by my side. Aria and Aster were ready for battle, their eyes burning with determination. As I reached them, I felt a sense of relief wash over me, but the battle was far from over.
Glancing over, I see Milotic still locked in combat with the Gyarados. She was holding her own, but it was clear the fight was taking its toll.
With my team reunited, we had a better chance of turning the tide. "Nova, use Ember on those poachers! Aria, String Shot to immobilize them! Aster, Quick Wing on the Gyarados, give Milotic some support!"
Nova's embers flared up, creating small bursts of fire that forced the poachers back. Aria's webbing tangled their feet, slowing their movements. Aster combined her Quick Attack and Steel Wing, delivering a powerful attack to the Gyarados, staggering the giant serpent, and giving Milotic a moment to recover as she glowed green for a second as she used Recover.
Just as it seemed we were gaining the upper hand, the Gyarados roared and launched another Hyper Beam directly towards me. I barely had time to react, but Milotic moved with astonishing speed, placing herself between me and the attack. The beam struck her full force, and she cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground.
"Milotic!" I shouted, rushing to her side. She was badly injured, unable to continue fighting. My heart ached seeing her in such a state, but I knew we had to keep going.
Rukia, Nova, Aria, and Aster rallied around me, their resolve stronger than ever. But it wasn't just us anymore. From the side caves, more Pokémon began to emerge. I recognized them immediately – they were more of the same Pokémon species that Milotic had freed earlier in the fight.
A group of Whiscash, several Machoke, and even a strong-looking Machamp charged forward, joining our fight against the poachers.
The Pokémon, finally getting the chance at revenge against the bastards that stole their families from them, attacked with ferocity. The Whiscash used powerful Water Pulse attacks to pelt the poachers and their Pokémon, while the Machoke and Machamp used their brute strength to create chaos and disarm the poachers, knocking them out. Their combined forces were overwhelming and making swift work of the poachers and their Pokémon.
With the poachers being driven back, I turned my attention to the Gyarados. It was still thrashing about, trying to regain control of the situation. Milotic had bought us some time, but she was down, and we needed to finish this quickly.
"Aster, we need to bring that Gyarados down for good. Use Tailwind to boost everyone's speed!" I commanded.
Aster nodded and flapped her wings, creating a powerful gust of wind that swirled around us, enhancing our movements. With the speed boost, we had a better chance of outmaneuvering the massive serpent.
"Nova, get ready! Aria, you too! We're going to hit it with everything we've got," I shouted, feeling the adrenaline surge through my veins.
Nova crouched low, concentrating as he prepared for a quick attack. Aria's eyes gleamed with determination as she positioned herself for a combo move.
"Aster, use Quick Wing again! Nova, follow up with Extrasensory! Aria, use Poison Jab!"
Aster darted forward, her wings glowing with a metallic sheen as she struck the Gyarados with Quick Wing. The Gyarados roared in pain and fury, its attention momentarily diverted.
Nova, moving with blinding speed, focused his psychic energy and hit the Gyarados with Extrasensory, causing it to reel back. At the same time, Aria darted in, her front leg glowing purple as she hit Gyarados with poison jab.
The combined attacks were taking their toll on the Gyarados. It thrashed and roared, but it was weakening. I could see the exhaustion in its eyes, the fight slowly draining out of it.
With one final, desperate effort, the Gyarados reared back and launched aa final Hyper Beam directly at us. There was no time to dodge.
"Rukia, Protect!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the cavern.
Rukia leaped forward, summoning a protective barrier just in time. The Hyper Beam collided with the shield, the force of the attack making a crater around the protect sphere but leaving us unharmed.
As the dust settled, the Gyarados collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to continue. The cavern fell silent, the battle finally over.
I stood there, panting, and covered in sweat, my aura slowly fading as the immediate danger passed. We had done it. We had won.
Turning to Milotic, I knelt down and gently stroked her head. "Thanks for taking that hit, Milotic. You really saved my ass back there."
Milotic cooed softly, a faint smile on her face despite her pain. I turned to the family Pokémon and nodded. "Appreciate the assist, folks. Couldn't have done it without you."
With the immediate threat gone, I took a moment to reunite with my team. "Nova, Aria, Aster, Rukia – you guys did amazing. I'm so proud of all of you."
I reached into my bag and pulled out some healing items. "Hold still, buddy. Let's get you patched up." Speaking to Nova, as he had overworked his injured leg at some point either before the fight or during it, it'll probably take another few days for it to heal up now…
Aria scuttled around the cavern, using her strongest webbing to tie up the unconscious poachers. "Good work, Aria. Make sure they can't get away." She nodded and continued her task, ensuring the poachers were securely bound.
Aster landed beside me, her feathers ruffled but otherwise unhurt. "You did great out there, Aster. Thank you." She nuzzled my hand affectionately before perching on a nearby rock, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.
Rukia, still panting from the exertion, settled beside me. "You were incredible, Rukia. Thank you for protecting us."
With my team taken care of, I turned my attention to Milotic. She was breathing heavily, her eyes dull with fatigue and pain. "Hang in there, Milotic. I've got some healing items left." I started to apply a potion to her wounds, but she gently stopped me with a nudge of her head.
Her eyes met mine, and I saw the exhaustion and acceptance there. Her age had finally caught up to her. She looked over to the group of Feebas, her kin, who were warbling out calls to her.
Milotic made soft, soothing sounds in response, saying her goodbyes. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized what was happening. I had known that Pokémon could die in this world, thanks to what happened back in Jubilife with that Granbull, but seeing it up close and personal was a different experience altogether.
"Milotic, no..." I choked out, tears streaming down my face. "You can't go. You fought so hard."
She cooed softly, her eyes filled with gratitude and peace. She had fought her final battle to protect her kin and had done so valiantly. The Feebas gathered around her, their cries a mournful chorus.
I felt so much at that moment – sorrow, anger, helplessness. I cursed out Hunter J and everything she had caused. "Damn you, Hunter J. Damn you for everything you've done."
As Milotic's breathing slowed and finally stopped, I bowed my head in respect. She had been a true warrior, and I would honor her memory.
After a moment of silence, I began to search through the wreckage of the poachers' stuff. Among the scattered items, something caught my eye – a stone with a strange, rainbow-hued glow. It looked like a geode, but something about it seemed special.
I picked it up, feeling the smooth, cool surface in my hand. "What are you?" I muttered to myself. If it was important enough for the poachers to grab, it must have some significance. I'll figure out what makes it so special later.
With the strange geode tucked into my bag, I gathered my team and the remaining Pokémon. We had to move on, but not before giving Milotic a proper farewell. The Feebas stayed by her side, mourning their loss, but I knew they would find the strength to move on, just like we had to.
As we started moving, I noticed another piece of equipment among the wreckage – a small GPS device with a map of the caves. I picked it up and examined it, realizing it could help us navigate our way out.
"Alright, everyone," I said, turning to my team and the family Pokémon. "We need to find our way out of here. Let's see if this GPS can help us."
While navigating through the tunnels, I noticed another piece of equipment among the wreckage – an antenna. A spark of hope hit me, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket. To my surprise, I finally had service again. The poachers must have been jamming all signals inside the cave and that's why I couldn't contact Rowan for help, and at some point during the battle it was destroyed by either a Pokémon or some debris.
I quickly dialed Professor Rowan's number, and after a few rings, he answered. "Rusk? Is that you? We've been worried sick!"
"Yeah, it's me," I said, relief flooding my voice. "I'm sorry for disappearing like that, Professor. It's been a wild ride. I need to report what happened."
"Tell me everything," Rowan urged, his voice filled with concern and curiosity.
I took a deep breath. "It started when I got attacked by an Ursaring. I tried to escape across a bridge, but it collapsed, and I got swept into a river. The current was too strong, and I ended up getting pulled into an underwater cave entrance. I wandered for a while, me and my team got separated because of that damn river and eventually I got attacked by a giant golem and fell even further into this cave system…That's where I met Milotic. She saved me from drowning in the lake I fell into and healed me."
"That's incredible," Rowan said. "And then what happened?"
"We discovered that Hunter J's poachers were operating in the caves. They had captured a bunch of Pokémon, including Milotic's family. We teamed up, and with the help of Rukia who ended up in the same lake I did, found Nova, Aria, and Aster captured by the poachers after we ambushed them and freed them, we managed to fight off the poachers and free the other captive Pokémon with the help of all their families. But... Milotic didn't make it. She fought valiantly to the end, and took a hit for me from a Gyarados..."
Rowan was silent for a moment, absorbing the news. "I'm sorry to hear about that. She sounds like a remarkable Pokémon."
"She was," I agreed, my voice heavy with emotion. "We have the poachers tied up, but we need some officers down here to arrest them. We're deep in the caves, but I found a GPS device that should help them find us."
"Good thinking," Rowan said. "I'll send a team right away. Can you hold out until they arrive?"
"I'm feeling pretty drained from everything," I admitted. "But we'll rest until the officers get here. We can't afford to let the poachers escape."
"Understood. Help is on the way, Rusk. Stay safe," Rowan said, his voice filled with concern.
"Thanks, Prof," I said, ending the call.
I turned to my team and the family Pokémon. "Alright, everyone. Let's find a good spot to rest and wait for backup. We've done our part, and now it's time to for me to finally crash after all this crazy shit."
We moved to a quieter part of the cavern, away from the wreckage and the poachers. I set the GPS device to track our location and sent a ping to Rowan. Just as I was about to lay down, a splash of water hit my face.
"What the...?" I muttered, looking around. A Feebas was splashing water at me, trying to get my attention.
Curious, I walked over to the water's edge where the Feebas was. The Feebas 'talked' to me with a series of "Fee-Bas! Fee-fee" sounds and made a pointing motion at me as best as it could before challenging me to a fight.
"You want to join the team, huh?" I asked, understanding its determination. "Alright, let's do this."
I turned to my team and noted that Aster was the least worn out from the battle. Despite being incredibly tired, she nodded at me, ready to fight.
"Aster, you're up," I said, giving her a reassuring nod.
Aster stepped forward, her wings twitching in anticipation. The Feebas splashed in the water, its eyes determined. This wasn't going to be an easy battle.
"Alright, Aster. Start with Quick Attack!" I commanded.
Aster blurred forward with incredible speed, striking the Feebas before it had a chance to react. The impact sent ripples through the water, but the Feebas quickly recovered and countered with a surprising Tackle, sending Aster back a few steps.
"Aster, shake it off! Use Steel Wing!" I called out.
Aster's wings glowed with a metallic sheen as she soared into the air and swooped down, striking the Feebas with precision. The Feebas was knocked back, but it wasn't done yet. It retaliated with a powerful Brine attack, sending a torrent of water crashing into Aster. The salty water stung, and Aster struggled to regain her balance.
"Stay strong, Aster! Use Double Team!" I shouted.
Aster multiplied, creating several copies of herself around the Feebas. The Feebas looked around, trying to determine which one was real. It launched another Tackle at one of the clones, but it passed right through, hitting nothing but air.
"Now, Aster, hit it with Aerial Ace!" I commanded.
Aster and her clones darted in, and the real Aster struck the Feebas with a precise and powerful Aerial Ace. The Feebas was knocked back, struggling to stay afloat.
The Feebas, despite its exhaustion, managed to gather its strength and unleashed another Brine attack, catching Aster off guard and hitting her squarely. Aster winced in pain but didn't falter.
"Aster, finish it with Quick Wing!" I yelled.
Combining Quick Attack and Steel Wing, Aster shot forward with blinding speed, her wings glowing brightly. She struck the Feebas with full force, and the impact sent the Feebas skidding across the water.
The Feebas lay still for a moment, and I held my breath. Then, it slowly started to get back up, but its movements were weak and unsteady. It had fought valiantly, but it was at its limit.
I took a Poké Ball and threw it at the Feebas. The ball shook a few times before finally clicking shut. I had caught the Feebas.
"Welcome to the team," I said, sending out the Feebas. I crouched down and looked at him. "You know, all of my Pokémon have names. Do you want one too?"
The Feebas nodded eagerly.
I thought for a moment, remembering how badass and regal his mother had looked while fighting. "How about Triton? A son of Poseidon. It feels fitting."
The Feebas, now dubbed Triton, seemed pleased with the name.
"Triton, spend the remaining time here with your family," I told him. "We won't be back here for a long time due to the journey we're going on."
Triton nodded and swam back to his kin, warbling softly to them. I watched him for a moment, feeling a sense of peace and closure.
I reached into my satchel and pulled out my sleeping bag, rolling it out on the cavern floor. The exhaustion from the day's events hit me like a ton of bricks. I lay down, passing out immediately after the comforting warmth of Nova curls up next to me.
On my chest, the pendant sat, the edges of the feather frayed and worn, the vibrant hues it originally carried dimmed down slightly.
I woke up to the sound of voices and the clatter of equipment. Blinking groggily, I sat up and saw a group of officers entering the cave. At the forefront was an Officer Jenny, flanked by two more officer Jenny's and around ten other officers behind them, which were thankfully regular people... and not more Jenny's… I didn't think my brain could process that at the moment.
One of the three Jenny's approached me. "Rusk, right? I'm Officer Jenny from Oreburgh City. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just exhausted," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "We managed to tie up the poachers. They're over there," I pointed towards the corner where Aria had secured them with her strongest webbing.
She nodded. "Great work. We'll take it from here. You should rest."
"Thanks, Officer," I said, still marveling at the sight of three Jenny's coordinating their efforts seamlessly.
As the officers began securing the poachers and tending to the injured Pokémon, I couldn't help but feel a sense of surrealism. Seeing the three identical Officer Jenny's working together was a strange reminder of the unique quirks of this world.
One of the Jenny's noticed my lingering gaze and smiled. "It's a bit uncanny, isn't it? We're used to it, but I can imagine it's quite a sight for anyone not used to seeing it."
I chuckled. "Yeah, it's definitely something."
"Don't worry, we've got everything under control. You did great here," she said reassuringly.
I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. "Thanks. It's been... a day? Few days? I'm not a hundred percent sure how long I've been down here now."
"You and your team should get some rest. We'll get everything here and give you a ride back up," she said firmly.
"Appreciate it," I replied, grateful for their support.
As the officers worked efficiently, I leaned back against the cave wall, watching them with a sense of relief. Despite the exhaustion, a small smile crept onto my face. We had faced a great challenge and come out victorious.
XxxxX
The cave was silent except for the muffled footsteps of the officers as they moved around, securing the poachers and helping the Pokémon. In a dark corner of the cavern, a lone figure moved quietly, avoiding the officers' attention. One of the poachers, who had managed to hide himself during the chaos of the battle, slipped away unnoticed.
His heart pounded in his chest as he navigated through the tunnels, using his knowledge of the cave system to find an exit. Once he was far enough from the cavern, he pulled out a small, concealed communicator
"Boss, it's me," he whispered urgently into the device. "We got a problem."
Hunter J's expression darkened as she received the call. She was still fuming from her recent failure to capture her two targets, a Gardevoir and a Pikachu with a strength far exceeding its evolutionary stage. The poacher's report only added to her frustration.
"What is it?" she demanded, her voice cold and menacing.
The poacher's voice trembled slightly. "The operation in the cave... it's been compromised. Some kid and his Pokémon managed to fight us off and free the captives. Most of our team has been captured by the authorities."
Hunter J's eyes narrowed, her anger simmering just below the surface. "And how did this happen?"
"It was that kid, I didn't catch his name. He's got some rare and strong Pokémon on his team and... some kind of powers. He teamed up with the Milotic we stole the feebas from and the other captive Pokémon's families. They overwhelmed us," the poacher explained, his voice growing more desperate.
Hunter J clenched her fists, seething with rage. "You let a kid ruin our operation? And you ran away like a coward?"
"I'm sorry, Boss," the poacher stammered. "There was nothing I could do. The officers are on their way to arrest the others."
Hunter J took a deep breath, trying to calm her fury. "Fine. Stay hidden and find out where they're taking the captives. We need to salvage what we can from this mess."
"Understood," the poacher replied, his voice filled with relief.
Hunter J ended the call, her mind racing with plans for retaliation. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. She would make sure the boy and his friends paid for disrupting her operation. And next time, she wouldn't underestimate them.
XxxxX
Annnnddd that's a wrap folks! Chapter 15 is complete! How did yall like it?
We have a new Pokémon on the team, and Rusk is completely wiped out from his little caving adventure.
Now best time of every chapter, Chapter question time! This one is more plot relevant so please be sure to comment your choice. I'm thinking at some point for the next Pokémon, see I want him to end up with maybe 8 or so Pokémon, his sixth will be caught when he goes to compete in the Rota tournament, and seeing as how it's a more medieval style for the ball and such, I'm wanting a noble Pokémon for then, so comment Monk, Soldier, or Knight for your choice. I won't say which type is which, but there is a psychic, fighting, and dark type.
Oh, and any suggestions on what other Pokémon he might capture to fill in slot 7 and 8