TRAINER ID
Name: Daniel Ingram
Badges: 3
Account: 34,115 credits
Location: Lavaridge Town

DANIEL'S TEAM
Ralts (Apollo) - Male
Corphish (Duran) - Male
Eevee (Orion) - Male
Trapinch - Female

"Looks like backup arrived," Walker commented with a grin.

"Yeah, and it looks like they're getting stomped, not too dissimilar from your team if you haven't noticed," I retorted.

It was true, at least mostly. Though it was difficult to make out sides or who was winning outside, I had to assume things were going rather well for us if people were able to flee the Pokécenter. If Vito was out there like I suspected based on a couple of the familiar Pokémon I'd caught a glimpse of, I had a lot of confidence that he would come out on top. After all, the guy had participated in the Ever Grande Conference – how many Rockets could boast such an accomplishment?

As for what was happening in the room, we were doing exceptionally well. Apollo was beginning to look a little worn down from the constant Teleporting and barrage of attacks he'd been throwing out, yet he was unharmed and definitely in better shape than the Mawile, who appeared to be both deeply confused and struggling to stay conscious. It was stumbling around and snapping its maw in a blind rage, but it was at a point where Apollo no longer needed to constantly Teleport, only on the rare occasion that his opponent happened to get too close for comfort. The Mawile only remained in the fray by force of will and primal rage alone. I wasn't sure if that was a product of Pokérus, the species, or some mixture of the two, but I felt confident that the battle was moments from ending in our favor.

Duran's battle with the Houndoom was admittedly less certain. Though Houndoom was undoubtedly favoring frontal, physical attacks, it seemed to be less enraged and confused than the Mawile, and its mental faculties were still allowing it to employ some strategy and ranged attacks. When Duran wasn't dodging a Thunder Fang or Bite, he was warding off Flamerthrowers and the occasional Dark Pulse. Thankfully, he had avoided all direct attacks and only taken a couple of glancing blows when he couldn't get Protect up fast enough, yet he still had plenty of fight left in him. He was taking my instructions not to get touched physically very seriously, and although not being able to brawl or grab onto his opponent was hindering his ability to fight he was still doing remarkably well, launching Bubblebeams and Water Guns when the opportunity arose.

Problem was, that wasn't very often. Duran was constantly on the run and there was a risk of him running out of steam before he brought down his relentless opponent. In an attempt not to allow physical contact, we had handicapped him in a way that was difficult for him to overcome. Forget the fact that he had a type advantage and should have been able to blast Houndoom from a distance – it didn't count for much when he hardly ever got to leverage it. Houndoom was remarkably agile and fast for its size, and could not only quickly close any distance Duran tried to keep between them, but could leap and twist its way out most of the incoming water attacks that Duran did somehow manage to send at it.

Duran had surely dealt more damage, but the Houndoom did little to show it. Duran was in a tougher spot as far as remaining stamina, something that the Houndoom seemed to have in spades, and I could easily see the tides turning if things kept going how they were. If Apollo wasn't able to offer his assistance soon, or if I kept having Duran fight with the disadvantage of not allowing him to brawl, it was only a matter of time before Duran's slight lead fell by the wayside. If he got caught by one of Houndoom's Thunder Fangs or got dehydrated enough that he no longer had the mobility Aqua Jet provided, things would get bad fast.

"The only reason you and your team are still standing is because I allow you to, and because you've made the wise choice to stay far away from me," Walker remarked as he continued to shovel Pokéballs into his backpack.

"Is that so?" I asked, unconvinced. Though I felt like we were winning, I honestly wasn't in a massive hurry to finish things up. Ultimately, the outcome of the Rocket's heist would depend on what was going on out front, I was just trying to slow the man down and keep him from leaving.

"I'll admit that your Ralts is beating Mawile, but that's a newer acquisition who's still deep in the throws of Pokérus. The virus is extremely handy in some situations, but detrimental in others. Mawile could possibly still win if I cared enough to give direct orders – that Astonish she used before losing her head was quite effective. As things stand now, she's too mindlessly enraged to problem-solve against a ranged opponent like your Ralts. My Houndoom, on the other hand, is no longer suffering from the adverse effects of the virus and has simply been toying with you until I say otherwise. Look no further than her tail for proof of that, or if you'd like I can show you what it looks like when I'm taking an opponent seriously?"

I glanced at the Houndoom, and saw that Walker was correct about the tail flicking back and forth furiously as she continued to give chase. As I watched the Houndoom in a new light, my heart dropped as I saw the truth in what he was saying.

Houndoom was playing – the attacks she threw out didn't have much force or intent behind them, and she seemed to be enjoying the chase Duran gave her more than the idea of actually getting ahold of him.

"What are you talking about? Both of your Pokémon are infected, but only one has the symptoms?" I asked, mentally urging Apollo to wrap his fight up as fast as possible so he could help Duran.

"Not surprising that you don't know, the League has been very selective in what information they've chosen to share. My guess is they want to strike the perfect level of fear-mongering, just to keep people compliant with their silly lockdown while avoiding a full-blown panic. You might have heard that Pokérus takes a day or two to really take hold of the host while it works its way into the bloodstream and into the brain. Your Pokémon could be infected and you wouldn't even know, assuming it happened recently enough. But once it's worked its way into the Pokémon's system, there's some brain swelling that results in the adverse effects you're seeing with Mawile. It causes some mild confusion, aggression, and an overall lack of critical thought. After the brain swelling finally recedes after a week or two, and once the virus is settled in, you can begin to see the true effects of the virus. You see, Pokérus is actually beneficial for a Pokémon to have in the long term, a fact I'm sure the League isn't keen on sharing. It's a symbiotic relationship – it survives by feeding off type energy, any type energy, and it helps the Pokémon grow so it has a larger well to feed from and can ensure its survival. Pokémon learn faster, push themselves beyond their normal limits, and can even evolve sooner. It's nothing quite as drastic as the negative symptoms caused by the brain swelling, but over time the benefits are undeniable."

"That sounds ridiculous, and I don't believe that for a second," I argued, not wanting to take the Rocket at his word. "You expect me to believe that you know more about it than the League? It hasn't even been a week, yet you're claiming to know what happens well after that."

He sighed in exasperation. "There you go again, believing all the slop the League has shoveled out like a mindless Mareep. The virus isn't new kid, just resurfaced, and the League knows far more about it than they let on. It's been over a hundred years since it's been sighted, and it's gone by different names in the past, but–"

Suddenly, a man Teleported in with a Claydol, and I felt my anxiety spike as I saw their uniform and realized they were not here to help me.

Another Rocket, and this one seemed to be a higher rank. Unlike all the other Rockets who wore black, this man was wearing white, and there were subtle differences that made him appear slightly more formal, such as the presence of a collar, sleeve cuffs, and pants more akin to slacks. Despite that, the red 'R' printed on the chest pocket left no room for confusion as to the man's affiliation, and I felt my heart drop at the realization that help might not be coming after all.

"Took ya long enough," Walker growled in annoyance at his comrade.

"Wrap up, it's time we get going. Where's Fiona?" the man asked calmly, looking around the room to take in the scene before settling on the ongoing battles my team was engaged in with a look of disinterest. "And why are you toying with this boy?"

"Fifi was in the lobby, but she must have let her guard down or abandoned her post. I haven't had a chance to check on her, I've been a little preoccupied. As for the kid, take another look – he's on the watch list. What are the chances, right? Figured it was best to just keep him occupied and we could just snag him on the way out."

The man snorted in amusement as he cast me with an appraising look, "You're right, he is on the watch list. He's designated as a low-priority retrieval though, that's hardly worth jeopardizing this mission over."

"He hasn't had the balls to approach me, and he seems to think he's going to win those battles. I figured there wasn't any harm in letting him play hero while I worked. He's been keeping me entertained, if nothing else."

"Well hurry up, we're leaving. We're already allocating more resources than we can spare here, this was supposed to be clean," the man scolded disapprovingly.

"Don't look at me, I don't know what happened. Dom must not be doing too shabby though, because this kid is the only one who's bothered me."

"Dom was on the verge of being overwhelmed, we arrived just in time. The damn gym leader still had her personal Charizard, somehow it didn't get infected. There's also a Ranger out there who's elite level, or at least damn close, and more are likely to arrive soon. Swan is holding them off for now, but –"

The Claydol's eyes suddenly began to glow a bright red, and a thick series of barriers appeared around it – so dense that you could barely even see the Pokémon within. The outer layer began to vibrate violently, shattering under whatever invisible pressure was being applied as the next layer began to do the same.

Whatever was happening looked like some sort of crushing force, pressing inward in a horrifyingly violent attempt to reach the target. Another layer shattered, and I couldn't help but notice that each barrier layer was taking increasingly longer to break. I wasn't sure if that meant that the inner layers were stronger, or if whatever was happening was losing power with each layer it had to force its way through.

Though I wasn't sure exactly what I was witnessing, it was obvious that the Claydol was repelling a powerful attack. Every hair on my body stood on end as I watched paralyzed by a mixture of fear and awe, because there wasn't a single doubt in my mind that the overwhelming majority of living beings who took the full brunt of whatever attack that was would likely be killed instantly, human and Pokémon alike.

Another layer shattered, and I realized that the last layer of defenses that the Claydol had erected was different from the others, and more familiar – a dense Protect, leading me to think the others had been Reflect. There was a deep humming sound as the barrier quivered and subtle waves rippled across the surface, but the pressure being applied slowly dissipated and the Protect held.

That firmly reinforced to me just how important Protect could be, and how much further it could be mastered from what my team had. I'd always considered Duran somewhat of an expert at the move, due to his natural inclination toward the move and quick mastery of it. But compared to what I'd just witnessed, he was a complete novice. Even with my mind racing and my heart pounding, I made sure to mentally note to never stop Protect training, no matter how proficient I thought my team was at it. Against an attack of that magnitude, it could easily spell the difference between life and death.

The higher-ranked Rocket gave his Claydol an approving nod. "An admirable Future Sight indeed. Hopefully Swan has dispatched that Alakazam, it could be troublesome," the man commented, seemingly more impressed than bothered by the attack that had me rattled to my core.

The man turned to address me, "Daniel, right? Recall your team and come with us, and I can personally guarantee that you'll be free to go by sundown. We only wish to talk, but if you continue to make things difficult, I can't promise the safety of you or your team."

I grimaced, glancing around to quickly take stock of the situation. Apollo was hammering the Mawile with Confusion, who was on its knees fighting desperately to stay conscious but no longer actively fighting back. It was just too stubborn and enraged to go down, and Apollo was struggling to finish things off if him resorting to Confusion was any indicator.

Duran wasn't having much better luck. I watched as he managed to land a glancing Water Gun, but he had to retreat once again and was getting very close to getting caught in the Houndoom's mouth. He was slowing down and using less water, and the Houndoom looked like it was still thoroughly enjoying the chase.

Maybe we could have taken the Houndoom if I'd decided to let Duran get physical, or if Apollo could help, but it was increasingly unlikely. Apollo could fight, no doubt, but he was worn down from the effort it had taken to stay away from his opponent and deal meaningful damage through his type disadvantages against his psychic and fairy attacks. The Houndoom seemed to have more stamina remaining than Duran and Apollo combined, and if it had only been 'playing' this entire time…

Well, it didn't matter. Even if my team was completely fresh, there wasn't a chance in hell we could take the Claydol, I knew that for certain. It was probably at the elite level, and I didn't see any way we'd possibly be able to beat it.

I only had two options, and they were both extremely risky. Either I took the Rocket at his word that my team and I would be safe if I complied, or I needed to stall on the increasingly slim hope that somebody would soon intervene.

I'd like to say it was an easy decision, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't seriously consider recalling my team. I was scared, so much so that my hands were trembling and my knees felt weak. I didn't want to risk their lives in what seemed to be an unwinnable battle – one that would probably be over in ten seconds flat if the Houndoom got serious and the Claydol got involved. But I knew that I'd deeply regret it if I backed down. Even if they were true to their word and would let me go after some sort of talk, I'd never be able to live with myself if I selfishly let Team Rocket make off with hundreds of Pokémon for my own benefit.

Not to mention, I simply couldn't fathom putting my faith in the word of a Rocket. I could fully believe that I was indeed on a list of some sort, since I had been recognized multiple times now by different Rockets and it was something I had been afraid of some time ago. I'd largely forgotten about that possibility after the Rockets had receded into the shadows, and I'd have expected that if they were looking for me that it would be for vengeance on behalf of their incarcerated teammate, Keegan.

But them claiming they simply 'wanted to talk', and guaranteeing that I'd walk away with my team? I didn't trust that for a second. Still, it felt like a glimmer of hope in an otherwise increasingly bleak situation, and there was this tiny part of me that couldn't help but wonder if that was the only way me and my team would make it out of this in one piece.

Surrender myself to Team Rocket, or stall and fight to our last breath. Either choice I made, I was putting a lot of faith in powers beyond my control. Both options sucked, and it felt like no matter what decision I chose, I was rolling the dice on if I'd ever see Duran and Apollo again.

Though neither option was without extreme risk, there was only one that I could justify putting my faith in. I took a deep breath, and I felt Apollo's approval and unwavering trust through our link as he prepared himself for what I had in mind.

"I can tell when I'm grossly outmatched, so I'm extremely tempted to take you up on your offer," I started, trying to speak more calmly and confidently than I felt. "You'll have to forgive me if I find it hard to believe you, though. How can I trust that you'll let me walk away with my team, especially when I don't even know the name of the person promising me that? No offense, but the last time I ran into a Rocket they tried to rob me in my sleep and shot an entire clip of their gun at me when I defended myself. I'm not sure what there is to 'talk' about, it seems far more likely that you'd just want to get revenge for your buddy."

To my surprise, the man nodded approvingly. "You're skeptical. That's fair, and smart. Most people in your position would struggle to think rationally, and would fall back to their primal instincts of fight or flight. It takes humility to admit your shortcomings, and a great deal of courage to put your life in the hands of a stranger. We aren't in the business of killing children when it can be helped, and even stealing Pokémon is something we take no pleasure in. But sometimes, one must do things that are unsavory out of necessity. Keegan was always rather rash, so I'm not terribly surprised to hear what happened, although I am regretful. He insisted on being allowed to operate alone, and we allowed it because he proved to be valuable on occasion. Even so, we wouldn't seek retribution against a trainer who simply defended themselves, that's reserved for those who purposely go out of their way to hinder us or draw our ire. He initiated things, took a gamble, and lost – that's his own doing."

"Then why would you want me if I did nothing wrong?" I asked, not understanding the logic of why I'd be on a list if that's how they viewed things.

"One of our higher-ups would simply like to speak with you, I'm afraid I don't know any more than that. It might be about Keegan, but if I had to guess it's something else. We normally wouldn't be interested in the story behind one low-level Rocket getting themselves arrested."

"I'm not sure if that should comfort or concern me," I admitted as the ground shook again from whatever was going on outside.

"Regardless, you need to make a decision. Will you come cordially, or will you require our assistance? If you choose the latter, you and your team's safety can't be guaranteed," he warned.

"You still never told me your name," I pointed out, trying my best to keep the conversation going however I could without making it abundantly obvious I was stalling.

"It's Dorian, not that it matters. Now decide. My patience is running thin, boy. Recall your Pokémon, I won't say it again."

"It's kinda hard to trust you'd let me go unharmed when you aren't giving me any choice in–" I tried, interrupted by Walker whistling.

Houndoom let loose a deep Howl, a look of deadly seriousness in her eyes as gave chase to Duran with newfound vigor and purpose.

Play time was over, that much was clear. I knew we wouldn't last more than a few seconds now that the battle was beginning in earnest, but the chaos outside was still raging and I needed to do anything I could to slow them down in the hopes that somebody would come to my aid. My attempts to stall through conversation had reached its limit, but there was still one thing we could do.

"Now!" I sent Apollo through our link.

Apollo Teleported beside Walker and let loose the strongest Disarming Voice he could muster at point-blank range, knocking him off his feet and causing the backpack to once again spill Pokéballs all over the floor.

Nurse Joy had inspired the idea, but I'd been holding onto it as a last resort, since I knew I'd only get one chance. It wouldn't do me any favors in what was sure to be a quick and brutal beatdown, as it was all but guaranteed to really piss them off, but it was the only way I could prevent them from making off with so many Pokémon, and could possibly buy more time for somebody else to possibly intervene, however slim the chances were.

I might have felt some sense of relief at seeing a sea of Pokéballs rolling across the floor if not for the fact that Duran let loose a bellowing cry in pain as the Houndoom finally got her teeth around him. Duran was no more than a ragdoll as the Houndoom shook its head violently, electricity arcing as it delivered a powerful shock to my crustacean. As I immediately raised his Net Ball to click the return button, the ball lurched out of my hand and sailed to the far side of the room, forcing me to watch in horror as Duran was thrashed about and continually pumped with electricity.

"Now, now. None of that. You had your chance to recall them," the man chided as Apollo's Pokéball was ripped from my other hand as well. As Duran fell unconscious and was tossed aside with sparks crackling across from his limp form, Apollo was surrounded by psychic energy and flung across the room, violently slamming into the wall. He crumpled to the floor but remained conscious, evidenced by the fear and helplessness I could feel over our link.

It should have been obvious to me based on the fact that the Claydol had been constantly levitating in the air, but it was extremely adept at telekinesis. This was further emphasized by the fact that it had begun levitating the spilled Pokéballs back into the bag, multiple at a time, all while relieving me of my Pokéballs, tossing Apollo, and keeping its own body airborne. It occurred to me that the Claydol could defeat my entire team without even using a proper battle move – a realization that both infuriated and terrified me.

I felt Apollo's presence shield my mind protectively as a foreign presence made itself known – the Claydol no doubt. I could feel as it began appraising my defenses, pushing and prodding as Apollo and I denied access.

I felt Apollo wrap around my mind protectively as a foreign presence made itself known, probing my defenses with bursts of pressure. I instantly knew what was happening, and focused every ounce of willpower I had in keeping it from breaking into my mind.

"Interesting. Claydol informs me you've got admirable mental defenses, particularly for a trainer your age," I heard Dorian remark, a hint of amusement in his voice. "However, you really shouldn't resist. I'm sure you are well aware of the risks that come with having your defenses broken. The more force that is required to do so, the greater the potential for damage. Don't make this any worse than it needs to be, kid."

No. Hell no. No way I was going to submit my mind to the Rocket and his Claydol. Duran was out of commission and Apollo was not only battered and exhausted, but had no hope of winning in a fight against the Claydol. This was our last stand – our absolute last way to buy even a few seconds for somebody to possibly intervene, however unlikely that seemed.

It was dumb to resist, borderline suicidal. I knew that, and still I did it without a second thought. In the back of my mind, I could faintly hear the familiar sound of Samantha yelling at me that I was being an idiot, and briefly wondered if she might have picked another word for how colossally ill-advised this particular decision was. But I'd long since passed the point of surrender, there was no choice but to fully commit to the decision I'd made, no matter how dangerous.

My mind is mine. I'd trained for this, and I still had Apollo helping to reinforce my defenses, who I hoped they might not realize was still conscious and assisting me.

I gritted my teeth as the Claydol's presence went from probing to oppressive, pressure bearing down on me beyond what I'd ever conceived possible. I could feel Apollo desperately struggling to keep my mind safe, his determination mixed with growing helplessness as the pain I felt became absolutely debilitating, taking away my awareness of the world around me as I was brought to my knees.

During Stella's testing of my mental defenses, it had felt like the walls around my mind were slowly sinking underwater with pressure being applied to the walls as it sunk deeper and deeper. It had always been a gradual thing, yet I'd never felt seriously threatened that Stella might actually be about to overcome our defenses. Sure, she was supposedly holding back, but there was always a part of me that believed Apollo and I were uniquely adept at mental defense. After all, I felt I had pretty good control over my mind thanks to all the meditation practice I'd done, and Apollo was a natural telepath with access to Calm Mind. Stella's telepathic assaults had been uncomfortable, so much so that I was often left with massive migraines and struggled to do something as simple as continue walking while under attack, but I'd never been brought to my knees or felt truly threatened.

But this… Well, it almost didn't merit comparison, but the difference was like gradually sinking to the bottom of a swimming pool that was ten feet deep versus riding a bullet train directly to the deepest recesses of the Hoenn sea.

Despite putting as much willpower as I could into keeping my mind closed off and Apollo fighting desperately to keep my proverbial walls from collapsing, we never stood a chance. I'd like to think we put up an admirable fight, but I can't rightfully say how long we lasted. I had zero awareness of anything outside the endless pressure bearing down on my mind – I couldn't see or hear anything, and I didn't even register the fact that my body had crumpled to the floor.

Nothing existed but the ever-increasing pressure and Apollo's presence clinging to me in a desperate attempt to help keep me safe. It was nearly impossible to do, but I tried my best to focus on the mantra I'd learned and what it meant.

My mind is mine.

I focused on those words and put everything I had into keeping myself from succumbing to the ever-increasing pressure. Not that it helped much – I only managed to repeat it a few times until I was completely unable to focus on anything but the excruciating pain I felt.

I was spiraling into a dark sea of nothingness. The only things that still existed were pressure, pain, and Apollo's presence – desperate, scared, and horrifyingly inferior.

After an unknown length of time I couldn't possibly hope to quantify, that too vanished. I felt my link with Apollo snap, his presence entirely vanishing from my mind.

It was so jarring that it brought me the briefest moment of clarity that I might have just felt my starter die.

But I had no way of checking – everything beyond what was happening in my mind was far out of reach. Even something as simple as opening my eyes to check on him was impossible as the pressure bearing down on me spiked with Apollo's reinforcement gone. As much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't even hold onto the thought that Apollo might be dead. It was quickly buried by the presence that was overwhelming me, and I was left with nothing but the pain of my mind being violently assaulted.

I was likely kicking and screaming on the floor as I soiled myself, but I can't say for sure. I had zero perception of anything outside my mind, and to this day I can't say for certain what all transpired in that room after I began to be telepathically assaulted. All I can say for sure is that I fought like hell to survive, because it truly felt like I was dying. I couldn't even say for sure if my mind was compromised or not, or if my defenses had given way at the same time Apollo's presence left me. There was nothing but the presence completely wrapped around me, oppressively crushing me with pain that somehow just kept escalating despite feeling as though I'd long since hit the limits of what was possible.

It felt like an eternity, but eventually the pressure relented. For a brief moment I thought I might have died or lost consciousness, but the lingering pain coupled with my senses slowly returning convinced me otherwise. I heard a pounding sound beyond the rhythmic pumping of blood in my head, and eventually managed to force myself to open my eyes after considerable effort.

I was greeted by light. The bright fluorescent lights that lit the Pokécenter medical bay assailed my vision as my brain struggled to resume normal processing of my senses. Yet as my vision began to come back to me, I found that the overhead lights weren't actually the brightest thing I was seeing, and also found the source of the banging sound I'd been hearing.

It was Apollo – not only growing in size and shining with the familiar light of evolution, but doing so as he was repeatedly being slammed into the wall by the Claydol, who I could only guess was currently being subjected to a telepathic counter-attack by my starter.

I tried to call out to him and get to my feet, adrenaline and instincts driving me to do anything I could to help. But my body wasn't functioning properly, my brain struggling to send even the most basic of commands to my body, which I still couldn't feel. My voice came out as little more than a slurred, whispered rasp and my limbs buckled non-cooperatively when attempting to put weight on them. I only barely managed to keep my eyes open, watching in horror as Apollo was continually beaten and his glowing slowly subsided, revealing his new form – battered and bloody.

He was bigger, roughly twice as large, and if I wasn't wholly consumed with panic and worry I likely would have mourned the fact that he would no longer neatly fit on my shoulder as he always had. But I couldn't focus on anything but the beating he was taking, his limbs dangling helplessly at his side as attempts at Protect kept flickering around him in a vain effort to cushion being slammed against the wall, only to wink and shatter from the force of the impacts. His horns were glowing, which he now had two of running across each side on the top of his head, so I knew he was putting up the best fight that he could.

It just wasn't enough. Even as a Kirlia, he didn't stand a chance against the Claydol.

Despite having just evolved, he was already battered and bleeding. A stream of red ran down his body and dripped off his right leg, and the impact crater in the wall that only grew each time Apollo was telekinetically slammed into it was increasingly stained with his blood.

Tears already flowing from my eyes due to the pain, I only managed to let out a shaky sob – in relief that Apollo was still alive, pride that he'd evolved, and absolute horror that I was likely watching the final moments before the death of my starter and closest friend. I tried to cry out for help, for anyone to save us, but my feeble attempts were barely audible even to myself and my body still refused to cooperate.

The situation was completely out of our hands, and I knew that whatever telepathic battle Apollo was engaged in was hopeless. Judging by the pained spasming he had started to do, I could only assume that his attack had been repelled and he was now facing something similar to what I just had, only with the added issue of the physical attack he was also enduring.

I fought to get upright and vocalize something that anybody might have a chance at hearing, yet my world began to fade. Between my mind being battered, my numb body being unresponsive despite my best efforts and the adrenaline pumping through my body, and the hyperventilating I was doing from my helplessness at the situation as my starter was being beaten to a bloody pulp, consciousness was slipping away despite my best efforts to fight it.

It felt like an eternity until I lost consciousness, but in all likelihood it transpired in a matter of seconds. Eventually though, my body gave up all attempts at cooperation and fell back to the ground, and as I struggled desperately to stave off the creeping darkness that threatened to consume me, I vaguely registered the presence of a loud bang, the heat of a raging fire, and multiple people shouting things I couldn't hope to make sense of.

Try as I might to retain what little sense of fleeting awareness remained, there was a point where I succumbed to the creeping darkness and slipped away into an endless abyss of nothingness, finally relieved of all my pain and despair.

A/N: Heh. Tricked you into thinking Duran would evolve first. We can't have that now, can we?

Really sorry for the late chapter. I've had a lot going on in life, and my usual beta readers have been busy so editing has been a slow and painful process. I'll try to be more on top of it, but I'd rather be a little late than push out chapters riddled with typos and grammar issues, and I don't doubt they still exist in this chapter despite my best efforts. If you think you'd be interested in helping to beta read chapters before they are published, let me know on discord. I appreciate you regardless, thanks for reading.

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