Aurea rounds up whoever is willing to fight while Hilda makes peace with her oldest friend. However, the Seventh Squadron are no slouches either.
Chapter 4: Wildfire
The adult male Unfezant appreciated the high altitude of his nest greatly. As the leader of his flock, it allowed him to hear anything loud and potentially dangerous in his neck of the woods. It also made for a peaceful place to roost with the freshest air that the sea of trees before him could offer him.
Unfezant had only just started to stretch his wings with a yawn and sat down to Roost his power back to one hundred percent when...
[DAD, WAKE UP!]
The Proud Pokemon squawked awake with his eyes wide open and his legs springing up. The pink wattle on his face waved its ribbons menacingly in response to any and all threat. When he saw the tiny Pidove responsible for the disturbance, Unfezant made a stern frown that made his son gulp immediately.
[Oh... you were... resting,] the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon sheepishly realized, touching down in the nest. He felt terribly smaller before his father.
[This better be good, son,] Unfezant warned, holding his head up high and mighty. [If Hilda's stuck up another tree, she can find her way down herself.] He was often unaware of his own dad jokes.
Pidove sunk his head into his neck tensely. He was so busy worrying about Hilda that he forgot how his father could be rather uptight as flock leader. The Proud Pokemon often made everyone else's business his business if he felt that it was a disturbance to the peace. So of course, Hilda wasn't exactly his favorite human.
[Out with it, son!] Unfezant squawked. [What's the tomboy gotten into this time?]
Pidove plucked up courage to speak up to his father and minimize Hilda's involvement. [Thieves have just stole the Pokemon from the Junipers,] he reported, his chest puffed up like he was one of his father's Tranquill on patrol. [They've also taken Hilda's starter Pokemon, an Oshawott.]
[What in tarnation are poachers wan' with us?] Unfezant questioned incredulously. [They got any of our own?]
[Not yet, dad, but they're camped out at the cell cabin,] Pidove went on. [I know you have... mixed feelings about Hilda but-]
["But" nothing, son!] Unfezant declared, snapping out of his drowsiness. [I ain't lettin' no crooks squat in my neck o' the woods.]
The Proud Pokemon flapped his wings to go into an immediate hover, nearly blowing a bracing Pidove away in the kicked up draft. The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon caught the breeze in opening his wings and steadied himself.
[Shouldn't we sound the alarm?] Pidove asked, already following his father.
[And send the forest into a tizzy?] Unfezant asked rhetorically while already hovering on ahead. [Best we assest the sitch first, son.]
A strong flap of his wings allowed the Proud Pokemon to surge on ahead and leave Pidove. The Tiny Pigeon Pokemon began to charge up his Quick Attack if only to hopefully keep up with father.
[Thanks for waiting up...] Pidove sighed irately while he picked up speed.
Aurea Juniper had often had to get her hands literally dirty to complete her research. One project involving the origins of Trubbish, actual trash brought to life by chemical waste before cleaner energy sources were enforced more. One takeaway that made it into the Pokedex was how long a victim of their poison burps were comatose.
It was one week, two hours, five minutes and fifty seven seconds.
The reason it came to Aurea's mind was that holding Hilda's socks forced her appreciate the stench of Trubbish all the more. Even keeping it at arm's length didn't help period. It didn't help that it took her longer than expected to reach southwest just past the laboratory. The trees at least became less dense thankfully.
"Dad, please remind Hilda to change her socks more," Aurea groaned, turning her head away as far as she could. "Just because she can talk to Pokemon doesn't mean she should stink like them."
"You take what you can get," Cedric reassured on the X-Transceiver, the reception marginally improved. "Have any Pokemon responded to Hilda's, erm, Sweet Scent?"
Aurea looked around at the trees and on the ground. There were indeed Pokemon that were staring at directly at her and visibly sniffing the potent odor she had. However, most from Patrat to Pidove kept their distance whether they recognized the very familiarized face of Aurea Juniper.
"Just bunch of weird looks that I can't exactly blame," Aurea answered in discomfort. "I think Hilda's foot odor might be a new type of Repel."
"Let's not call the Battle Company so soon," Cedric chortled. "Remember, a good Professor waits until-"
The elder Juniper's wisdom of the ages was cut off when Aurea took what could only be described as a cannonball to her spine. Nearly all the wind was knocked out of her before she hit the ground face first and felt her tiny assailant bouncing on her bruised back.
"-inspiration strikes..." was all Aurea could hear from her stupefied father.
[Hilda! Hilda! Hilda!]
Said "inspiration" was a Lillipup bouncing up and down on the pounced Professor's back, barking shrilly yet excitedly. Aurea managed to push up off the ground even with the back pain and quickly recognized who had given her the local greeting.
"Hello... Lilly..." she grunted after spitting out dirt.
Aurea felt marginally better upon hearing a series of low toned barks. Harry the Herdier quickly rushed in and leaped over the Professor while snatching Lilly by the nape of her neck. He placed his surprised little sister down on the ground right in front of Aurea.
[Lilly...] Harry sternly reprimanded.
[But I smelled Hilda,] Lilly whimpered, baby-doll eyes and everything.
[But did you see Hilda?] Harry pointed out, motioning his head towards a recovering Aurea.
Lilly looked to find the Professor standing back up steadily and wincing in pain while rubbing her back. It took a second for her to realize that the taller woman with the wavy orange-brown hair and lab coat was not, to her further surprise, Hilda.
[Maybe... it's the latest fashion?] Lilly earnestly suggested with her brand of cluelessness. [Human dress-ups are weird.]
Harry sighed in beleaguerment. [It's Professor Juniper,] he finally cut to the chase. [Hilda's guardian.]
[Oh!] Lilly realized before her mistake finally sunk in. [Oooooo...]
Aurea, all the while, stood back up after finishing a few gulps of Fresh Water and felt the pain to her back subside.
"Everything under control?" Cedric fretfully asked, hurting for a proper view. "What just happened?"
An angered Aurea was about to give out some choice words about the whole situation. However, a remorseful Lilly came over with such wide eyes of sorrow and whimpers that immediately quelled most of the Professor's frustration.
Aurea sighed in a paternal, her frown melting into a slight grin. "Let's just say Hilda's little friend has been working on her Tackles," she confessed, kneeling down to forgive Lilly with a pet on the head. "Just don't tell her the lure actually worked for the sake of her ego."
"Heh, I remember my first meet-cute with Lily." Cedric laughed knowingly. "My spine still feels like paste."
The Lillipup panted while wagging her tail affectionately when Harry trotted over and brought over the stinky socks in his teeth. Aurea saw the worry in the Herdier's eyes when he set it down and barked inquisitively, reminding her exactly what she was here.
Even Lilly's smile turned back into a serious frown when she saw the socks up close. She remembered how Hilda had been very keen about her little signaling systems in case something had gone wrong.
"I don't need to talk to Pokemon to know what you're worried about," Aurea solemnly guessed, standing back up. "There's a lot to catch you up on..."
Simon sat himself up straight to stretch out his back after doing a full read-out on the twentieth Joltik in their haul. Bianca had always been on his case about his bad posture that even he was catching himself slouch more than he was willing to admit it. The small stool that they had to sit at didn't help matters.
"Now I know where the budget didn't go into," he muttered, filing away his scan report. "Sammy, how's shield integrity?" He grabbed a piece of chocolate to keep his sugar buzz going and swallowed just before realizing her didn't get an answer. "Sam?"
Simon turned around to his annoyance but hardly any disappointment. Right behind him, Sammy was bopping to whatever new Anime she'd become obsessed with while typing on what was clearly a web browser. Simon stood up and strolled over to her desk to discover that, indeed, she was typing up a Tumblr draft about Blorbo from her shows.
"Of course..." her twin brother muttered before getting up.
Sammy was just reaching the epic chorus of the song when the swift removal of one of her wireless earbuds throws off her groove. She swung around to find her very irate brother giving her an incredulous "What the actual hell" stare with his hands stretch out.
"For the record," Sammy began indignantly, stepping up to snatch her earbud back, "I was written an encoded message for any would be recruits in my fandom."
Simon knew better than to take her whinging seriously with a moan and a roll of his eyes. "Just tell me if you've helped restore the force-field already," he wearily asked, rubbing sweat off his irritated face.
"I finished that ages ago," Sammy retorted roughly before sitting back down at her laptop. "It's just a simple diversion of power from the generator." She opened up a window that visualized the energy flow to the shields. "Amateur hour really."
"That's barely ever ten percent for the cabin," Simon balked at the fluxuating graphs over his sister's shoulder. "You were suppose to help it regenerate slowly."
"So the air conditioning will conk out," Sammy rolled her eyes jealously. "Serves them right for saddling us with the grunt work." A few keyboard strokes diverted an addition three percent to Simon's beleaguerment. "Plus, I added a little more bounce to the force-field."
A loud WHAM sent ripples through the transparent dome while making Simon jump.
"See?" Sammy gloated, unfazed.
Unfezant caught himself with a steadied flap of his wings after what felt like a rubber wall forced him backwards. [Dagnabbit all,] the furious fowl exclaimed, still a touch dizzy. [Now who put t'at t'ere?]
[I did warn you about the force-field, dad,] Pidove panted upon catching up. [Remember?]
Unfezant felt embarrassed but shook his head in order to regaining his bearings. ['course y' did, son,] he assert, straightening his posture proudly. [Jus' feelin' it out so you wouldn't blunder into it.]
[Right...] Pidove groaned. [We should be able to break through it if we batter it enough.]
[Well, why didnja say so, son?] Unfezant exclaimed when he wasted no time in channeling his Flying-type Energy. [Battering bad eggs is my bread and butter.]
[Shouldn't we wait for Hilda?] Pidove insisted, flying in front of his father.
[Wait for what?!] Unfezant balked, flying above his son. [For that tomboy to muck it up as usual?] He made a strong flap of his wing to unleash a pair of energized air currents straight towards the campsite.
WHAM!
The sound of what he thought was thunder snapped Oshawott out of his sugar crash. He jumped in fright with a yelp from bad memories of Electric-type attacks and darted around for the incoming attack. The sight of the cage cooled his jets with a dismal reminder of reality until another crash of thunder gained his curiosity.
WHAM!
It was coming from outside.
Bright roused from his nap and rose his groggily head with his Patrat themed sleep mask. "Weatherman didn't say crud about a storm," he groaned in annoyance, stirring on the bed just behind the window.
WHAM!
"Urrrrrrrgh, it's not," Vanessa growled from her futon, not nearly caught up on her sleep. "Some birdbrain probably bashed itself into the force-field." She laid on her front with the pillow over her head to block the sound. "Again!"
WHAM!
Bright, still blinded, went so far as to turn on his earcom. "Contrary to popular belief, loud noises aren't ASMR," he yawned. "Some of us need sleep."
A frantic sounding Sammy didn't even get a word in before Bright carelessly tossed his com aside to snore most ironically.
Oshawott's eyes widened when he finally realized what that "thunder" was. The same noise that Pidove made when he attacked the force-field. In fact, he could make out the force-field's electrical barrier starting to short when he leaned in and looked through the window.
Had Hilda come for him?
Did Pidove really fly back to find her?
Did he dare hope?
Cheren and Bianca had been sleeping more lightly when the proverbial knocking at their door began. They didn't waste time rushing out of the cabin while equipping their Armor. Right out the gate, the shield was visible in its growing instability.
WHAM!
"Simon, Sammy!" Cheren cried out, rushing to the twins. "Status report now!"
Simon was hunched over Sammy while she desperately pounded her keyboard. "Some giant Unfezant's actually bombarding our defenses," he replied in exasperation. "They don't even have a Trainer, just... a really bad mood."
"How long can we hold out?" Bianca asked, desperately hoping for the best.
WHAM!
"We could lose stabilization any minute," Sammy cursed, gritting her teeth. "Ten tops unless our feathered friend tires out quickly."
"How are Bright and Vanessa sleep through this?" Simon honestly asked, glaring back at the cabin.
"It's a Castelian thing," Bianca wearily sighed.
Cheren had glanced up during Sammy's rundown to find the hovering Unfezant and found them panting after their consecutive series of Air Slash. Not wasting this opening, he took out his Personal Computer and selected the correct device from his inventory.
"Sammy, drop the shields flat!" the Seventh Squadron's leader commanded.
"Are you-?" Sammy began to question before she turned towards the boss man, "-crazy?" Simon and Bianca join her in surprise when they see Cheren wield a red device tied to his wrist with a white handle for him to grip.
"X Attack: Electric, Activate!" he declared while inserting a yellow disc into his Wonder Launcher's slot. "Sammy, on my mark!" His arm was aimed at the Unfezant when they seemed to be raring for another go.
Now about to argue with a likely madman, Sammy typed away to flip the force-field's kill switch. "Pulling the plug..." she announced with apprehension, "...now!"
Unfezant and Pidove shared the same sense of surprise when the force-field just vanished as quickly as their wings flapped. The Proud Pokemon especially had just prepared yet another Air Slash but was left panting heavily from his cut off assault.
[Guess they found me too hot t' handle,] Unfezant proclaimed with a triumphant smirk.
[This seems... too easy,] Pidove suggested cautiously. [Why would they just dropped their protection like that?] He then noticed a shiny glint where Cheren was standing and found the Knight suited up while holding up a strange piece of wristwear.
It didn't take long for Pidove to see that it was being intentionally aimed. Right up towards them.
['cause they know when to fold 'em,] Unfezant proclaimed while flying down towards the campsite. [Not that I'll pull my punches-]
[Dad, LOOK OUT!]
Pidove's warning came in too late right after Cheren's Wonder Launcher fired a glowing yellow disc straight up towards his father. Unfezant was dumbfounded by the sight of something so unassuming until it struck him in the chest. The Proud Pokemon dropped like a rock when what felt like a compressed Thunderbolt burst all over him.
[NO!] Pidove cried while he dove after his father desperately.
"Sammy, restore defenses!" Cheren's voice called out. "Drain the generator if you have to."
Pidove recognized the head honcho's voice just in time to stop while his father hit the grass like a rock. He would've resumed his pursuit if the force-field didn't suddenly reappear around the campgrounds and soon turned invisible.
[Dad?!] Pidove cried while he desperately rammed the shield. [Dad, get out there!] He was too emotional to keep himself from bounce off of the invisible dome.
Unfezant tried to get back up faster but felt his body tense from electrical volts paralyzing his body by the nerve and slowing him down. He managed to get back up on his talons with a few light flaps of his wings and heaved his chest heavily.
[Try t'... sucker punch me... will ya?] the Proud Pokemon slurred from a slight headache. [No more Mister Friendly Feath- OW!] Unfezant was initially annoyed by what felt like a rock hitting him in the head but his frown soon gained shades of dread.
The rock was an Ultra Ball.
[Darn...] was all Unfezant could say before the Poke Ball opened up.
Pidove's heart sank deeper than ever. He could only look helplessly at his father being changed into red plasmic energy and sucked into the Ultra Ball. Only the sight of Cheren coming to collect came close to snapping him out of his cold shock.
[Gotta find Hilda...] Pidove repeatedly panted to himself, urging his wings to get him away. [Gotta find Hilda...]
Sammy let out the deepest breath she'd ever taken before leaning back in her chair, her head hanging listlessly. "Shields are back up," she groaned, lack of sleep starting to catch up with her. "Assuming that's the worst of it..."
"Looking like that..." Simon sighed, glancing up sympathetically towards the retreating Pidove. "Boss man sure knows how to get his point across..."
His eyes lowered towards Cheren who was just standing there, looking at the Ultra Ball with disgust. Thankfully, Bianca was saving him and Sammy the trouble by walking up to their leader from behind.
"You did what you had to," Bianca reassured, putting her right hand on Cheren's right shoulder. "We'll release him once we're ready to go."
Cheren still glared down at the Ultra Ball while clenching it in contempt. "I'm afraid you're making it sound too simple," he scoffed intently, adjusting his glasses for focus. "Get your Wonder Launcher ready, everybody."
Simon and Sammy snap out of their weariness on this note from the cold splash of surprise.
"It was just a wild Pokemon," Sammy put forth. "Most will be smart enough to go away."
"That's an order!" Cheren demanded while he made a beeline for the cabin. "Bianca, tell Bright and Vanessa that nap time over while I try to raise communications."
"If you say so..." Bianca gulped while following, a tough unnerved by her partner's sharpened gaze.
Cheren couldn't not think about it all while he closed in on the door. Hilda's talking to her Pokemon. The Pidove. And now the Unfezant. The former Trainer in him was screaming at him that there weren't the coincidences his fellow Knights took them for.
Something had to be done.
Over the logs and past the thinning trees. Hilda knew the directions to Watcher's family den by heart after years and was faster about it thanks to some considerable motivation this particular day. She even went so far as to jump over two at the risk of tripping.
However, Hilda had just hopped over the third log when she saw a mumbling Watchog eying a bush for fresh Oran Berries and being very particular. A Watchog with a summer straw hat tied to her head, one that the young lady remember buying.
Hilda stopped to pant and let a smile grow on her face. "Ma Hog!" she exclaimed in a rare spell of delight.
The female Watchog snapped out of her hyperfixation to find Hilda rushing over with a happy wave. [Hilda, mah child!] Ma Hog grinned. [Yerra a sight f' sore eyes!]
She met Hilda in the middle by scurrying up and hugging her across the waist. The rookie happily returned it with a pat on the head.
[Where's t' time gone, honestly?] Ma Hog giggled motherly, looking Hilda up and down. [Ah still remember when y' barely reach my shoulders.]
"Back when you tanned my hide good," Hilda snickered back. "Man, I was such a brat back then."
[Whaddaya mean 'was'?] Ma Hog sassed back. [Now where's that l'il Oshawott of your's.] Hilda's smile dimming down escaped her initially. [Imma pinch his cheeks so good-]
"That's... actually what I was coming to see you about," Hilda uneasily transitioned, remembering that time was uncertain. "Do you know where Watcher is?"
Ma Hog's sweet demeanor shifted to sour in seconds. [T'at troublemaking son of mine's doing his time,] she declared with tight folding her arms, her foot tapping in irritation. [Now t'at yer here, he can finally face the music.]
Hilda gulped ever so slightly at Watcher's mother letting her temper rise and remembered how she could do more than apply blush to one's tush. "You didn't have to-" she began to insist, hoping she could lessen the Lookout Pokemon's harsh sentence.
But a firm-faced Ma Hog cut Hilda off by grabbing her by wristband and pulling the rookie past the berry bush, surprising the human with the lurch forth. [Oh, yes I did,] the mother Watchog fumed, her natural strength barely straining against Hilda's resistance. [Only went easy on 'im 'cause he had the decency to 'fess up.]
"No one snitched on him?" Hilda exclaimed, surprised by Watcher's thoughtfulness.
[Feh, don't give 'im too much credit,] the strict mother upheld. [Jus' make sure he apologizes all proper like, y'hear?]
They briskly past quite a few trees, plenty of idling Pokemon and berry bushes that Hilda snatched a snack or two from when Ma Hog wasn't looking. It did comfort her to see all the familiar landmarks on this trail. A tree stump that she'd read stories to her friends. A patch of dirt that made for a fun mud fight after a rainy day.
A little nostalgia in dark times really helped.
Hilda found herself in familiar territory: a modest clearing with a big hollow tree in the middle. Big enough for a family of Watchogs and their Patrats. Even a lost little girl they took pity on. Hilda would've enjoyed the memories when Ma Hog finally stopped. At least, she would've if she wasn't thrown for a loop by an unusual house guest.
"Old Stouty?" Hilda exclaimed in surprised.
The elderly Stoutland roused from his nap just in front of the den's entrance and smiled warmly. [Hilda, as I live and breath,] the old coot chortled, despite his slower start. [How's the Trainer life treating you, whippersnapper?]
A giddy Hilda couldn't help herself and rushed forward to bury her face in Stouty's thick fur on his left side. The old dog chortled from her tickling nuzzles, remember when she was small enough to bury completely underneath him for warmth.
[Some things really do never change...] Stouty grinned warmly, enjoying the full body pets he was getting.
"Ooooooo, I'm so sorry I never visited more," Hilda happily apologized with such a squeak in her voice. "I didn't even bring you a treat."
['fraid processed foods 're a no go,] Ma Hog cut in, strolling in after allowing their moment. [Lily and Harry moseyed him over here so I could treat his fever last night.]
"Oh no..." Hilda gasped, backing away to give Old Stouty his distance.
[I'll be right as rain in no time, thanks to Ma Hog's bedside manners,] the Big-Hearted Pokemon reassured, weakly getting up to at least stretch. [In fact, I can smell better and tell that you skipped out on bathing this morning from a mile away.]
"That hard to miss, huh...?" Hilda blushed, remembering the Pokemon's greater sense of smell.
Ma Hog clicked her tongue in disappointment. [Ah'd give mah tail for some hot water and t'at shampoo stuff,] she sighed, shaking her head to scold Hilda. [Honestly, y'all humans c'n be so wasteful.]
"Uh... hey!" the embarrassed rookie interjected awkwardly. "Didn't you say Watcher was around here 'doing time,' Ma?"
[Ah put him to work taking care of Stouty's needs,] Ma Hog answered, snorting her nose in disapproval. [Believe me, I ran him ragged.]
"I'm... touched but you really didn't have to..." Hilda assured, squatting down. "He seemed sorry enough when the dust settled." Though the harsh memory made her gaze sink.
[Ah, you humans go too soft on yer youngin's,] Ma Hog dismissed stubbornly, wagging her paw in Hilda's face. [Out here, there's a little thing called 'tough love' if you wan' 'em tusslin' halfway decent.]
"And you wonder where he gets it..." Hilda muttered, remembered the culture clash between wild Pokemon and humans.
[Ah beg yer pardon?] Ma Hog sharply retorted, giving a borderline Leer.
Hilda clammed up upon recognizing the mother Watchog's tone of voice, falling on her bottom. The kind that once preceded a younger Trainer-to-be getting her buttocks too swollen for her shorts. She was thankful when Old Stouty gave out a rough cough to divert their attention.
[Ah, speak of the devil,] the Big-Hearted Pokemon announced, looking to the left of the ladies. [The rabble-rouser's even gotten all the berries I asked for.]
Hilda and Ma Hog turned their heads almost immediately to quite the sight. The rookie felt mildly sorry for Watcher when she saw how he staggered carefully carrying a big pile of berries and blocked his face in the process. Ma Hog, however, folded her arms firmly beneath her equally firm face.
[Y' remembered th' water this time, boy?] the Lookout Pokemon's mother demanded.
[Yes...] Watcher's worn-out voice groaned, held back by the water in his cheeks.
["Yes" what, son?] Ma Hog firmly demanded further.
[Y-Yes, Man,] Watcher hastily corrected.
A very sympathetic Hilda decides to cut the Watchog some slack by stepping forward and meeting him halfway, much to Ma Hog's dismay. She was just in time to keep the Lookout Pokemon from stepping on a loose rock in the grass.
"I'll take it from here," she claimed, reaching out to take some of the berries blocking Watcher's vision.
[Appreciate it, Ma'am,] Watcher started to thank, his load lightening one berry at a time. [I was- wait...] He quickly recognized the voice mere seconds before before Hilda's face came into view.
[Hilda?!] Watcher exclaimed, water spilling out of his jaws. [W-what are you-?]
He was so walloped by surprise that he forgot to keep the rest of the berries in his arms. Hilda backed away fast before she could step on any of them.
"I'll... just get these over to Old Stouty," she offered awkwardly before backing away towards the elderly Stoutland
[F'r some reason known only to the Great Dragon t'emself,] Ma Hog irrately began, eying her son sternly, [Hilda came t' bury the hatchet.]
[Really?] Watcher asked in disbelief.
[Jus' go over to her yourself,] Ma Hog insisted, looping around to push her son forward. [And mind yer manners this time.]
Watcher stumbled forth before looking right at Hilda. There she was, feeding one berry at a time to the weary Stouty and smiling all the while. It was as if his little... exchange with Oshawott had never happened.
But it did.
Watcher slapped both of his cheeks to snap him back into focus and marched right up towards Hilda, insisting to himself to not cop out like a coward. Though this didn't stop his feet from feeling a touch bit nippy when he saw Hilda turn her eyes his way. The Watchog stopped, finding her gaze soft but not entirely forgiving.
[Not that Ah'm 'xpectin' forgiveness or nothing...] Watcher began with a firm enough expression forward. [I am mighty sorry for putting the little guy through it.] He restrained himself from looking away no matter how much he wanted to. [If y' wanna get a few licks in, I... won't-]
However, the back-half of Watcher's apology is cut short when Hilda surprised him with an embrace so big it lifts him off the grass by inches. She nuzzled her right cheek against his furry chest affectionately while his jaws hung dumbfoundedly.
Old Stouty ate his berries one at a time, keeping to himself with a warm twinkle in his eyes.
"You went over the line but I didn't do much to pull back myself..." Hilda promised softly, having had these words stuck in her head for hours. "I didn't realize how jealous you were until... well..." She set Watcher down slowly to look him in the eye. "Even if you messed up, I could never hold it against you."
The Watchog looked back into Hilda's soft eyes and found the warm, fuzzy feeling that they always gave him.
Since the very beginning...
The explosion woke the two up with a start.
[Y' heard t'at to, didn' ya?] Patrat asked Lillipup, his eyes snapping open fast. [Some big boom just over yonder.] The Scout Pokemon rose up from their nap under a tree's shade and bounced onto his hind paws, squinting to find the source.
[It sounded like it came from that dirt road,] Lillipup yawned, stretching his stubby legs in getting up. [We're not suppose to go there...]
[What our folks won't know won't hurt us,] Patrat insisted back, feeling adventurous. ['sides, there could be real battle goin' down with real Trainers.]
[Think we can take them on?] Lillipup asked, his tail wagging eagerly.
[Is Ma a pain in the patootie?] Patrat rhetorically asked before scampering forward. [Move it or lose it!]
The troublesome two raced like Ma Hog was on the warpath, eager to take part in the supposed battle with every leap over rocks and roots alike. Lillipup was so caught up in the fun that he tackled Patrat and caused them to tumble down a slope like a soccer ball. They slid to the bottom apart, flat on their backs but laughing from the thrills.
Their laughter died down when a strangle kind of sobbing grabbed their attention. It was female. Human. This made their grins drop into a perfect mix of curiosity and concern. Their ears were sharp enough but it was the unfamiliar scent that narrowed it down to a lonely hollow tree just across the clearing they were in.
Patrat and Liilipup kept their traps shut while they snuck up to the tree one tippy-toe at a time. Each youngster had been warned of Pokemon that will pretend to be weak and helpless before ensnaring prey. They looked into the dark within the tree with their eyes seeing clearly from a distance.
"...mommy... please..."
A barefoot, brown haired little girl had her face buried in her bent knees, sitting in the dark with choking cries. Patrat and Lillipup had seen humans around these neck of the woods here and there but not a kid so little.
[She's mighty pint-sized for a Trainer,] Patrat remarked. [Mighty scared too.]
The young girl slowed her crying to look up at whoever was spying on her.
[I don't think she's a Trainer,] Lillipup remarked, feeling sorry for their find. [She's probably a kid who got lost in these parts.]
She sniffled in intrigue when she saw the two Normal-types in their back and forth.
[This far out?] Patrat hmmmmed with suspicion. [Somethin' don' smell right.]
[Well, I think she smells just fine,] Lillipup pouted before going into the hollow up to the girl.
[Hey!] Patrat protested with a hushed cry.
[Are you okay, Miss..?] He put on his most innocent face with his tongue out, something his folks taught him when approaching humans.
The young girl's eyes still had a few tears but her sad frown has softened into a bemused stare. Still sad yet… endeared by these critters who had come over to check on her well-being.
"H-Hilda…" she sniffed, her nose dripping. "M… my name is Hilda…" She let her knees lower, feeling more at ease with the happy puppy by her side.
[It's good to meet you, Hilda,] Lillipup replied, his tail wagging.
[Wait a sec there…] Patrat began in curiosity, heading into the tree. [Did she just talked back to you?]
[No way,] Lillipup dismissed, looking at Patrat incredulously. [People can't talk to Pokemon.]
"Well… not all people can..." Hilda answered, gulping awkwardly.
[See, she-] Lillipup began before realizing Hilda wasn't talking to herself. [Whoa!]
[Well, pluck mah Pidoves!] Patrat exclaimed, coming up to Hilda with a more excited look in his eyes. [What a find!]
Hilda couldn't help but smile a touch more over the two's excitement over their "discovery" when she felt her stomach rumbling. Rather audibly too as it got the attention of Lillipup and Patrat.
"You... wouldn't happen to know where I could find some food, would you?"
[Alright, alright,] Ma Hog curtly cut in, snapping Hilda and Watcher out of their nostalgia trip. [Y'all might be bosom buddies again but t'ere's still an Oshawott that deserves a proper apology.]
[Y-ye'h,] Watcher agreed awkwardly before turning towards Hilda. [If he'll let me...]
"You can do one better," she claimed with a more serious frown. "You can save him from poachers."
Watcher and Ma Hog's expression of aghast went without saying, their jaws dropping simultaneously. However, Old Stouty forgot about his fever and sprung on all fours with a most vicious scowl.
[Not time for bad jokes, Hilda,] Ma Hog concernly chastised, not entirely unconvinced in her tone. [We don' get any hunters in these parts.]
"We do now," Hilda replied without a shred of levity in her eyes. "They're holed up at the campsite around the Cell Tower, checking their spoils."
[Who'd try t' mess wit' the Junipers?] Watcher questioned, still baffled by how much had happen in half an afternoon. [T'ey're either crazy or stupid.]
"We'll find out when we get the team together with Auntie Aurea," Hilda insisted, swallowing hard. "There just might be enough time left... if we're lucky."
[You can count me in, youngsters,] Old Stouty barked from the top of his lungs, making everyone jump. [This dog still knows a trick or two from my day and-]
However, his heroic speech were cut off by his rough coughing. Everyone back away to avoid catching what he had.
[Maybe y' can remember to "lay down" and "stay,"] Ma Hog fussed to her patient. [Unless y' plan to beat 'em with germs.]
[Well... it's a thought...] Old Stouty sheepishly whimpered, hanging his head in embarrassment.
Hilda took a deep breath and tried to put on a more reassuring smile. "Thank you for the offer, Stouty," she warmly promised, scratching the Stoutland on the head. "All goes well and you won't have to bail us out... again."
[Ah know Ah ain't leaving Oshawott for dead,] Watcher promised, pounding his left palm with his right paw. [What can t'em crook throw to us we ain't seen before?] He was just sharing a cocksure grin with Hilda when...
[Hilda, it's dad!] Pidove's squawking pierced through the air. [They got dad!]
Everybody looked up in alarm to find the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon flapping his wings frantically and flying towards them with the most distressed look on his face.
[Just had t' ask, didn' Ah?] Watcher bemoaned under his breath, his dread shared all around him.
Hilda regains a friend while Pidove might've just lost his father. Can the Wonder Launchers be countered with A Breakout Hit?
Thank you for reading my fanfiction. Write up a comment or a full blown review about what you liked or loathed about my work. I can roll with the punches so let me have it.
However, I am not looking for any artists. I know that the ones badgering my in my Inbox are out to bleed me for every cent that I have. Please go away. I only want feedback. If I want art to commission, I will see out artists myself.