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**Luna and Thief:

The Orange Isles Chapter Seven: The Little Things**

A painful singe pulled his tail to the earth as he gave robust pants. The fit of exhaustion slipped down his entire pelt - a cough came over his otherwise now burned lungs. The Pikachu angled his tail as he just slammed Machoke’s massive fist towards the wall. It narrowly allowed Aura evasion from the blow. Her staff was in pieces from Machoke’s first thrown punch, and it left her eyes full in surprise and thrill. Machoke’s eyes had been dilated; the two massive whip-set fists held the intention to shatter their opponent.

“He’s fast!” The Lucario worryingly commented before a gentle grin came over her face. “I get to go all out!” Aura mentioned and jolted past another swift punch; the second one had shattered against the rock wall. Scarf had no way of keeping up with them, even with all his training – even with his Laser Focus, it had been challenging to keep up with Seo, let alone Aura.

The canyon was a better bet, yet he could see the rocks tremble with every thump of the ground. That Pikachu had to focus on the higher ground since Iron Tail needed a little more height to really put the weight down. It left the Pikachu to dig his paws into the rock packed earth below him while the Machoke’s sturdy legs shook the very ground below him – even planted his legs wobbled in the soil without support. Aura ducked into his next blow like some nimble snake as her paws playfully rotated the broken stems of her bone rush – she held onto it as the sparkles of energy malformed and changed. It was the vertical slam that made her drop to the ground and narrowly miss the Machoke’s next blow before the aura took up a shape.

One in each paw and held by a handle as though to make an L shape.

The Machoke punched right through her defense but had no way of keeping up with her speed, and now Aura held the shards as Tonfa’s; the risky dart forward left Scarf mortified. She formed them right out of the remnants of her move and swiftly swung around the Machoke with a narrow and low lean. His fist had cracked in the mountainside, where the truck had been, and the landslide reoccurred. He had just begun to sprint to try and find a better angle on the Machoke. His hesitation helped him read the situation. Scarf had skidded as the dirt upturned and held his ground with a pant. A thin raspy sound came from his throat as he looked at all the debris while focused on Machoke’s abs.

“His belt is cracked, and that paint doesn’t come off. Just like a shadow!” The Pikachu stumbled to his feet and pulled a stance as Aura half knelt. The Machoke went for a low kick; she was flexible enough to touch the ground using her Tonfa’s and the tips of her feet to evade Low kick – she became lower than it intending to keep her feet planted. She was much in a yoga position – her flexibility had been beyond impressive; it left the Lucario to snap to a lowered pose after the swift kick shot by and push into Machoke. From Prone to her forward toss to her feet – legs accurate and powerful enough to snap pressure points… If not tendons with ease. Aura let off a flurry of blows to its abdomen with a snap of the Tonfa’s the moment her feet touched the earth. There was a system to the combo, and it left the Pikachu to cough and feel the ground surge beneath his feet. Her wrists rotated with the blows, a rotation of swift stabs and whips from impossibly tight staffs – every slam began to spark.

She used Thunder Punch to boost it? Where could she have learned that…? Every time she hits something, she’s making small pockets of electricity in the air. The static is making me spark too. Paid attention for the whole talk, did you?

The Pikachu tossed a snark grin. She sees me as useful; I’m glad. Now old chap; find an opening – help the young lady. Scarf pushed to his feet as the static fluttered and sparked through his fur with little crackles – the Lucario kept light on her feet regardless of the Machokes' onslaught of thick and straight forward counter attacks. The blows from her Tonfa had down truly little to him, but enough to keep her alive. One punch and she’s out cold or dead. The Lucario had taken a few narrow misdirections as the terrain had changed; Scarf had to stay on the ready as Aura snapped her arms forward and struck the Machoke straight in the jawline so hard that it cracked. Scarf winced to the sound… with every rotation she got faster and faster, the condensed aura in her paws was much stronger than the more prolonged staff – it held its shape, and every blow left it to flash in its sky-blue color.

The massive thing hardly flinched and backhanded the Lucario with a solid fist. It sent her back through the air; her Tonfa had just gotten into position to take the brunt of the blow as she skidded, and then the Machoke had moved in. Scarf saw a tree close enough and sprinted upward – using his claws to dig into the bark. He hadn’t time to reach the top and launched his iron tail from higher in the air – barely above the Machokes head and discharged mid-air to get the distance he needed. The blow of his sparked Iron Tail had just broken the Machoke’s massive posture as Scarf winced – his tail pulsed with pain, and in worry, he could’ve broken it just to feebly move that paw. Aura had only been able to block and with the added force from the Pikachu… she was able to misdirect her opponent by a skim of her blue fur.

If the Tonfa’s she had were real wood or steel, her arms would have fractured from wrist to elbow.

Yet the essence in her paws held their own and absorbed the blow as all things of spirit did; it glowed and wavered to absorb the shock – like a thick hollow tube made of alloys. The Pikachu continued to prowl for his opening; his claws dug into the bark - the Machoke was aware of him now just as quickly as he pulled up to Aura on the recovery with a wild kick; she darted rearward and twisted to deflect herself away from the straight forward blow.

How the hell did he!? The smoke and dust had finally hit the Pikachu as the Machoke went off like a bullet. Those massive fists slammed nearby the Lucario; she nimbly touched her back to the ground to evade another wild swing of his fist. His speed had increased, and it left Aura to sharpen her eyes as though the adrenaline hit her harder. For the fighter, she was – lightweight and defenseless in a way; she could slip through any space and find a spot to land a blow. Yet the Machoke was unfazed by every single one as another slam went for her skull – it would crush and compress her into the ground with how hard it slammed it’s fisting down. It even cracked the packed down earth below them.

He froze from paralysis after a moment – Scarf’s Iron tail had discharged on the blow…? It injured Pikachu earlier and stirred the effect! The tail, the base had been pulled. Sparks had shot into all different directions as the Pikachu darted rapidly away from the wild and escalated Machoke.

He fought it off for that long? The Lucario nimble dove in and slammed a focus palm move with her Tonfa. The straight thrust had been perfect and dug clean into the Machoke’s floating rib with the aura infused longer side outward. It left Aura to flick her tail – naturally, she could feel its emotions. The crack was all Scarf needed to hear to know that it fractured or crumpled from the compressive strength of her Bone Rush.

Aura was unfazed, thanks to her condensed Bone Rush still in her paws. The amount of focus she had was beyond Scarf’s comprehension, yet the Pikachu took a stance and stirred the static in between his ears. It left them to burn and ring as he took a pose and gave a sharp, focused eye – like a marksman… the clouds above had darkened as the spark slammed down into the Machokes skull and flicked bright gold sparks across the ground. Aura began to giggle as the huge Machoke slammed to the ground from the ThunderBolt. Scarf had worried about how the move drained him. It left his cheeks to feel empty in a way, stopped the pain in them for the time being, and the recoil hit just as hard, even though he had been grounded.

“Whoa!” She commented with a delighted tone and applied some of her potions to her injuries, a Hyper Potion. “That was one hell of a fight – I swear he may not have been fighting competitively!” She expressed and stretched out a little, “I haven’t needed to rely on these in so long! Thanks for the kick tail battle, buddy!” The Lucario expressed as the Machoke had laid on the ground, motionless. Scarf didn’t pull his eyes away from it for a second.

“Restart your move. I don’t think it’s out yet.” The Pikachu mentioned, “It’s feigned, take a defense.” He continued to say as Aura gave a little shrug and took up a position, a staff in her paws that instant. The Machoke didn’t move after half a minute, and that left Aura to give Scarf a glance.

“What are you on about? It’s definitely out cold, I broke maybe three ribs on it – probably flailed it; its knuckles are shattered, and it’s suffering some serious paralysis.” The Lucario expressed and stretched out her arms. The Machoke hadn’t moved at all; that’s what the Pikachu realized at once. There wasn’t a single spark that flicked from it.

“It’s figh-”

As her right paw went for her left to stretch out her muscles, Scarf let out a raspy cry of a sound. He had called it an Aura barely had the second to turn her head when the Machoke rammed its fist right against her shoulder; it left her face blue from the shock of pain. An afterimage that Scarf couldn’t keep up with. That sent her through the woods in a daze – far enough that Scarf lost sight of her in seconds. Just a silent thud in the ground left him to yelp out her name as the Machoke had darted towards him and ripped him into the tree before he could even recognize that it happened. Its fist had crawled around the Pikachu’s smaller body and viciously squeezed – his skull against the wood.

Needless to say, it cracked that one joint in his back that he couldn’t get to… rest was just trying to grind his bones down into dust and meal for his organs to deal with. The sudden lock of those fingers around him left him to cough and whine as a whimper slipped out of his muzzle. His whole body had writhed with enough pain that he began to glow blue in his cheeks and spit up saliva.

Blood even.

There wasn’t a word to be said, save for the paralytic feeling that crawled up his spine in a few moments. It was crushing him to death, and he had no way of escape. Just a silent whimper crawled through his near broken body as blood began to pool around Machoke’s fingers. A flicker shocked across the Machokes paw, and before the Pikachu’s sharper daze, something had bent back the fingers and set him to wheeze and breathe.

It felt he held for an eternity, but the reality had been half a second.

He could have been dead. The fight had erupted between Leafeon and the Machamp; it hadn’t been too keen on the idea of having his hand cut off by the Leafeon’s tail, one that glowed with a strange hue of purple. Moonlight had jumped over-top of Scarf and used his slender, subtle furred body to cover him – the scarf and tassels that hung low brushed gently against the Pikachu’s pelt.

“Old geezer, that thing would have popped you.” He mentioned coldly as Scarf coughed with a minor shrug.

“Hey… Aura needed a paw.” The Pikachu softly quipped in a way that left the Espeon to groan and presume a stance overtop of the smaller Pikachu. Leafeon had proven to be more than enough of an opponent for the Machoke to handle, much to Pikachu’s confusion. The moment it came at him with the intent to kill, where Leafeon could sense the bloodlust, he’d simply respond by hacking off another piece as though to get the Machoke to stop his outburst of strange and near drugged rage. His tail had glossed over with purple hues…?

Moonlight was reinforcing his tail, playing the entire support role.

Eventually, Leafeon brought it to the point that it suffered from blood loss, yet he refused to kill the Machoke directly.

All Leafeon did was peacefully request that it stand down in the same calm and friendly tone he usually spoke with. There was no competition. They had been in a logging path.

For whatever reason, unknown to Scarf that Machoke refused to back down as his mind went blank with a murky pool of distorted voices.

I think it… it crushed my spine, but I can feel the heat in my legs. I shouldn’t risk moving at all. The Espeon had given him a coarse look over from head to toe as his gemstone continued to glow bright pin-purple; his eyes felt strange, a slow lackluster of color that sucked out of him as though they were made of faint white-pink chalk. There were these slight pops and forces of pressure all against Scarf’s back as though it slowly aired and cushioned out his spinal column. Moonlight had delicately realigned his spinal column and the nerve with it; small shocks of pain went through his back and left the Pikachu to lightly vomit. The sudden rippling burn had touched his gut and moved to rid the tears. A sound couldn’t come out of his throat, just pure fright that left his heart to throb against his chest.

“Lucky, you don’t seem to have any fractures, but your stomach pouch is ripped and your spinal column was compressed. You’ll live and walk.” The Espeon had expressed with this strange confidence that Scarf always saw in him, yet it seemed frantic or terrified in its own way. The Pikachu was speechless to what the Espeon said. There was a smug tone like his pride blinded him. It was more prevalent in Leafeon’s sunlight than anywhere else, and the effect boosted the Leafeon to boot. In seconds Moonlight had grabbed different berries with Psychic alone and grounded uproots to create a crudely crushed in the mixture. It seemed like a paste by the end – sifting with natural materials. All while Leafeon had fought the injured and grotesque Machoke alone and surprisingly that Leafeon was hardly touched in the fight. He could jolt back and use the woods to his absolute advantage. Words refused to grace the Machoke’s ears, and as Moonlight had applied that strange tincture of paste, he made midair; with clean water out of anywhere… the Leafeon had shot between the Machokes legs – only to spring and slash his tail upwards with a jump. The slash had run deep through the Machoke’s back – a pointless injury that helped fuel the inevitable rampage.

Pikachu felt something seep into his skin in his distractions; it stung all over, but eventually, he felt as though the blood had stopped - the pain remained, along with that sharp burning weight along his tummy. That left Moonlight to wince, and pant after - the glow from his gem had fluttered and dulled.

“That’ll hold until we get to a center; I just… just cleaned and patched up the tear in your stomach. Try not to move for now until the paste settles.” The Espeon said and shakenly pushed to his feet as Scarf tilted his head in confusion; his entire stomach felt like dry needles stabbed into every section of it and left his gut to burn in ways he hadn’t felt before… enough that he could breathe raggedly.

I’ve never seen a Pokemon do that before. This is a first. Only Chancy and the like can heal a Pokemon as injured as I am; potions maybe. My back doesn’t sting as much, and I feel like the blood is flowing to my legs. I can even feel the wind against them when, for a moment, I couldn’t. Chanceys don’t heal like that, though… what did you do, Moonlight? The Pikachu gently coughed as he ‘lay in the gutter.’ The dirt had kicked around him as his lungs had slowly filled with air and dust.

“M – Moonlight, forget me. He landed a dreadful hit on Aura; she flew into the woods. You have to find her now.” The Pikachu gently pleaded, “I have to trust Leafeon with my life, but I have to trust you with hers; please go.” Scarf kindly pointed a claw towards a direction where the branches had broken. “Luckily, he didn’t slam her into the wall, but… I don’t know if she could break the fall in time.” Scarf continued to talk as he looked around the murky world; his eyes were lightly bloodshot as he coughed. The blood didn’t concern him. The worst of the pain had already faded because Moonlight worked that fast, faster than any human ever could. It left him to realize something.

I think I get it… you hesitate. That’s the awkward thing I sense in you. When you don’t, you can’t control it. You silently panic and question yourself. Recluse behind your pain. You fight that by getting cocky and self-confident, self-empathy would help you understand that.

Scarf gently blinked as something chirped and cried all around him. A rumble had come to the road, and he struggled to look towards the vehicle that stopped. Three humans stepped out as Leafeon narrowly plated himself with diamond-edged leaves. Scales of armor covered his pelt; he began to store energy even as the Machoke went to strike down at him and only met with what resembled a bone thick thorn bush that slashed deep into the Machoke as though they were claws.

Razer leaf… as a defense? He’s wearing it like armor? Cushioned scales. That Machoke should have bled out already, but it’s like it’s fighting dead… or unconsciously – I can see its eyes the way they are. The Pikachu felt his vision tunnel while the human had walked past him and towards Griffin. Scent had touched the air, one that mortified him. Leafeon had hesitated at that moment as the Machoke had stalled and turned its head, wandered towards the silhouettes right before a sharp sound and crackle stabbed and dropped Machoke at once while the scent of oil and steel ran through Scarf’s nose. The strange sparks left his body to fill with adrenaline. The volts had been huge enough to arc in the air.

“Not bad for a battery! Leave it to bleed out – who cares; if it can’t kill four Pokemon at once, even like that. It’s just cannon fodder.” They mentioned and casually released a massive black block down by Scarf’s feet on the pass. A taser, a strangely powerful one too.

They had firearms to boot, and Scarf had felt petrified about them since that little show in Viridian City.

Scarf hadn’t a single ounce of strength to move his body as they got closer and closer to Griffin, Melody, and Brad, casually walking down the trail without a moment of hesitation. That Pikachu had gone stable and frozen, just as severely as Leafeon had been. When a sudden beam from Griffin’s belt shot off and returned someone from afar, the man that stood in the middle had adjusted a bandana that rested around his face and curiously leaned towards Griffin. They all looked like specks in the distance now, but the Pikachu couldn’t risk moving and only swore that he saw Absol and Lycanroc down the trail – alive. The posture seemed strange… the strange human’s head tilted as though to stare at them tauntingly, yet it made Brad clear his throat politely – Scarf heard the nervous gulp. All the man did was turn his head to his comrades; it showed off the splattered, strange blue skull on his bandana in that dim fading sunlight – a warning for a storm to come… before he swiftly twisted his arm from his side and shot a handgun.

Seo:

It was the crack that made her ears go numb; the pain in her head dulled, and the aches in her joints settled into place as her heart began to pound without feeling. It beat to the point that it hurt after a moment as she watched the dyed haired, brown and blond young man hit the ground with a painful grunt through a grit of teeth and a sharp exhale. He had firmly covered and put pressure on the wound with his open palm after he weaned off the shock like it was a trained reflex or adrenaline. It punched his shoulder and left Brad to try and slow his breaths even though Absol could feel his heart pound and slam feebly; she could feel it in the dirt below her paws. Her eyes sharpened as her jawline lightly clicked to free her fangs.

I don’t see an exit wound on the cub. There’s blood pouring over the entry wound, but there’s no trickle behind it. He’s not yelling either. It hit something.

As Brad slowly calmed down and looked at the masked stranger with a softer eye, Griffin had shown his hands as Melody stayed frozen in place. The Snivy in her lap had barely moved much now although its eyes were wide open; Smokey and Lycanroc both stayed rigid as Brad held himself firmly to the ground while the stranger had begun to talk – noticed how Brad put pressure on the wound with a small sharp shriek. He had this entire getup going. It was impossible to see their face while they lightly talked into a device. The helmet they wore felt more like a strange goggle-helm mix; one that had been blacked out entirely like he came out of some Apocalyptic movie – yet it didn’t cover his chin in any way or his mouth, the memento of a Bandana with a skull print on it glowed back at them instead.

This strange white-blue and black arrow-head patterned bandana with a camouflaged skull print. Like it was custom made. Absol had gently waved her tail in a short, tight motion. A constant twitch rang through it as her body stilled numbly.

The box over his lips distorted his voice in a way that left them all quiet.

“I have your attention wonderful. Now I hope this laid down a few ground rules when speaking with me. I talk, you listen, and your wounded friend doesn’t bleed out on his way down the mountain.” The voice rang in the air and left her with a tinge of hatred that burned through her chest. She knew of that strange device, yet she could never hear the users' voice. A Pokemon…? Absol had begun to stare at the box and occasionally saw the clipped pistol that the man held.

He used a Rotom to disguise his voice…. This human had used a Pokemon for one literal, single purpose in its life.

“So I would like to make you a deal. I think it’s a wonderful one. The binder you have in your hands, I want it. You managed to move that landslide; we’ve been trying for months but can’t risk our materials… ‘leaving.’ So, I thank you for that.” The human half glanced at Absol, yet he didn’t give a second one as he lightly nodded his head. “The next… I want you to realize, Mister Fletching, that Bandit is our property now.” They said as Griffin held his place, yet Absol felt everything seethe with anger and his resolve to hold his ground. “That’s simply it. Do that, and I’ll give you a medical kit for your friend. Don’t… well, I implore you to reconsider.” The man had checked the breach of the firearm, one that left Griffin to widen his eyes as Brad panted tediously. His breaths were slow, and he held the wound together.

It’s a smaller gun; did you come here knowing that you’d shoot a seventeen-year-old? What kind of sick… You aimed for flesh; everyone is too scared to realize it, but I know those small guns – they rattle bones.

How many children and teens have you shot to play this disgusting game?

The Absol twitched lightly as Smokey had stayed defensive while he covered Melody, Snivy, and Lycanroc with his body. Her body had felt numb as her heart continued to pound against her chest. A second wind filled the tips of her ears to the pads on her feet.

Humans are harder to kill far away because those guns are dangerous – more so then any Pokemon – they could kill anything with them. Fear and dread had entirely paralyzed Griffin from head to toe. He just snapped in the same spot as a wooden sculpture. The man in the mask and helm duo began to tilt his head and mocked

“Tick tock. I can take your silence as a yes.” He continued to say as he held out an open hand, barrel pointed at him. “If you’d kindly hand over the binder, I’ll be on my way.” Griffin had slowly tilted his head down to it. The adrenaline ran through him; Absol knew he had been dazed. “That’s the one, the one you’re holding. You Fletchings sure are smart… I had a curious transaction with your brother Logan recently.” Griffin had partially flinched when he said that. “He was smart and cooperated entirely… what was his friends' name…? Charlie, I believe. The round shattered his collarbone.” There had been a light chuckle. “Ironic. So please hand me the binder before I become impatient. It could be like Charlie, a seven-sixty-two by thirty-nine high caliber round going into your friend; Hoskin.” Griffin gently nodded as the hairs rose on his arms and slowly went to extend his hand as something bounced off the book and left Griffin and the masked man to stare at a strange glossy silver ball that idly thumped to the ground between both groups.

It looked like a weight for a fishing net; or a strange Pokeball… one that suddenly expulsed like a condensed smoke bomb filled their lungs. Absol could smell the faint tinge of gas or a chemical that made her head spin, and her legs wobble. Absol darted her legs back, and half curled her body as the Bandana worn stranger repulsed and turned his body; his getup was no gas mask. Her tail angled in that instant of confusion and went for a durable, vicious, and well-placed slash across the back of the man’s knee. She watched the shape hit the dirt and instinctively jolted away from a sense of hot smoke.

A gunshot rang in the air as something crackled and sparked. Absol had angled herself towards the cliff wall. She knew what a gun was in the least.

What the barrel of one was in the least.

It let her know plenty well to avoid it, yet as her bones had cracked and her muscles ached, not even the stress of her bind could break that of her age.

A wrong move let her crumple to the ground, even though her still reflexed muscles moved like she was just younger enough. Absol had watched the barrel glint in that row of strange chemicals mist and dirt-like smoke around them. She couldn’t risk the fraction to stall and tried to hastily jump out of the way.

That bullet could travel anywhere around the islands, even though she barely understood how far it could really go. She only understood a straight line, like sunlight that warned her to move in her greyscale world.

The flash and flicker went off. She had dodged it preemptively to stay away from that smaller deadly tunnel even though it risked hitting the dirt. The terrain was treacherous for her thanks to the Sandslash… that finally crumpled from all the commotion; The Smokey silhouette told her that he was near cut in half.

These humans aren’t using Pokemon like Griffin would - They’re using or forcing a tactic into them… the Pokemon are Fodder. Complete cannon fodder. The silvery-steel and gold glint came into her view while she skidded into the dirt, down into the earth.

The world went black for a moment… yet Absol realized that another grace of luck or experience had granted her.

Absol ducked into one of the tunnels Sandslash dug; the light from outside dimly glimmered above her with a sunlit gale. Dust and dirt had fallen just as she went to move – the paralytic and frightful crack shocked her hip and left her quietly silent.

The pain ran through her, and she firmly clenched and rolled her aged muscles. It left her popped hip to snap back into place. Yet to growl and spitefully stare at the light with her teeth bared wasn’t much of a better alternative.

She knew that the gun would kill her… until a massive silhouette had consumed the glint and shook the narrow hole around. The humans began to yell something, yet Absol had felt another pain of shock as an intense stab of color entered her world.

I can’t risk climbing out from here, but I have no stamina left to crawl up. I need a faster way out, or I’ll get caved in. Perish Song is sure to connect now, waste everything I got.

Absol had already figured out her answer and unleashed a vast sweep with her tail; She forced her body to twist and rotate as she let out a fury of swipes at the earth with her tail and combined them with Aerial Ace to physically boost her up by wind alone.

The momentum launched her back to the top, where her paws had gripped into the packed rock. Right then… a massive leg swung downward and just missed her skull, one that nearly made her lose her grip with the earth too.

The ground shook and vibrated as broken jaggedly bladed cheeks sat upon the stranger's skull as it’s scaled serpentine body turned rearward with a violent swing of their tail at two human shapes. The masked man knocked right off the cliffside. She saw the body ragdoll through the plume off oddly mixed smoke and confusion, but she didn’t hear a resounding ‘thud’ just ditto from somewhere. A sound like that motor she heard earlier ran through her mind after seconds passed… every thump that touched her thoughts left her body in shock, right as a set of paws went for her.

Vibrava wasn’t a traitor, but Haxorus was. He willingly came along when they first met him. It was clear… he knew Absol.

The idea shocked her trance when she realized that she had stared at Snivy to notice a different thought.

I would have willingly left too.

That thought preached right as her body became weightless. A massive drift against the ground left her to bite something that glowed at her. Everything told her to fight whatever threat had come around her slowly darkening world as she clamped down on this strange glass-gel stick.

Unlike the Sandslash, she’d fight until she crumpled over dead… and her jaws had held on even after she finally passed out –Perish Song made its rebound.

The awakening hadn’t been all that rude, Haxorus had actually fought off the three strangers, but the silver capsule that dropped out of nowhere had zero explanation. Leafeon explained it had been another trainer; their smell was all over the mountain – he dared to bet Zangoose. When he saw that Absol could fight the gun, he asked how she did, and the Absol got into a weary conversation, even though Bandit knew more about them.

She just didn’t have the same experience Seo had against them.

Leafeon seemed utterly terrified about them, and Absol understood that fear tenfold. She had even explained about the barrel and that wherever its points were a dangerous line, one that can’t be stopped.

It seemed the Haxorus didn’t feel much too threatened by it now. He said that it barely punched the mountain.

A deadly wind or force… he called it yet weaker and clearly overestimated.

Leafeon had been more skeptical and expressed

“Then it explains those humans with the funny vests they train to use them?” She only nodded and stared off at the shadow in the bushes nearby them.

Brad had been standing… Melody and Griffin couldn’t risk pulling the bullet out there, not when he could suffer from so many other things. All they could do was walk down the mountain after they both applied dressings. Absol had a chilly thought run down her back as she looked at the medical kit or the one Melody had on her now.

If Melody left, instead, Brad would be dead – none of them know how to treat wounds. Why do you…? You’re nowhere near the type. You look thin and weak, clinging to your pet for support.

She felt her chin bounce that numb expression ran over her; the forest now had looked unfamiliar, like they took an entirely unusual way down.

“Sc…” She couldn’t believe that name was about to come up, and then Aura had walked up to her with a partial limp.

“He’s fine for now.”

“What…?”

“Yeah, I got some scratches, but my bone rush let me recover the blow – I simply used Electric Punch on impact and shattered the staff.” She explained, “Whenever they break, there’s a gust of force. I just applied for medicine and ran back; Machoke is entirely dead. Like bled out dead, emaciated dead.” The Lucario continued to say – the word didn’t really phase her, but she still spoke it in a chilly manner. Absol knew it was from the adrenaline that had finally tapered off.

You’re lying, Damnit; you took one hell of a blow. Tell me… I can see it.

Then she lightly twisted and revealed that she carried the Pikachu in her arms. He had eventually fallen unconscious, and it left Aura to sigh tiredly. Brad had frozen and lightly held his arm up in a fist; he kept it low from view and then took out a little mirror.

With a teen, bullet in his left shoulder… though his arm still trembled and twitched regardless of how he held himself upright. The round was more substantial than a twenty-two and left Absol to tilt her head when she picked up on something subtle about his body language.

Being so close to them all the time had its benefits.

You always stand a certain way and never extend your left arm out. Shot before on your left side… but from what? That’s the side your bracelet is on… the one with the keystone. I want to see you with your shirt off. Where did you get shot before? Please tell me that’s some terrible ricochet accident. Absol bitterly growled as grain had pushed to her hair. It made her breathe as her trainers’ scent from his fur tickled her nose. Griffin had carried her on her back; according to Brad, they couldn’t pair anything until they got to the next area; and pointed to a stick in the ground.

“I… it’s a…. research camera when they’re active – understand something clearly at last? My uncle says dealers of all sorts hide them to look after illegal trade routes. Usually, drug or gun dealers – human and Pokemon traffickers.” Brad appeared to have gone full-on ‘Cop’ to Griffin and Melody, but he fought to keep his breathing under control - Aura had helped him with that with a match to his rhythm and slowed her own alongside. She didn’t have the strength to look around and had to trust them as Moonlight had trembled, coughed, and spat up blood, lagging behind… it made Absol turn her head weakly.

Moonlight had worn this strange little vest over his body, one that had fit him perfectly. That funny little vest… had two indents and steel that ran out of it.

That snapped her world into a black and white reality; she looked back at the Espeon stagger and then bit Griffin’s shoulder lightly – tugged at him.

Griffin never saw the Espeon come out of his Pokeball or even return to it. Just like the race, Moonlight jumped out… this time with a vest and took two rounds for Griffin; center mass.

Griffin had stalled and silently opened his mouth when Absol clamped down. All the Espeon could do was push against Leafeon and hide the vest from Griffin when he finally turned to see them both. Silently he mewled, and Moonlight leaned on Leafeon like he was a crutch – all while his gemstone had lightly glowed into that cream- green colored Leafeon’s coat. It felt like he looked Griffin down as though to say, ‘I’m fine.’ With his usual sass yet Absol noticed the welts on his body already.

“B… Bra…” Moonlight began to say.

“Scarf is in worst shape than the boy; I’m fine.” Absol sharply returned with a weaker tone as Brad had looked back at them and used the mirror to look over the bushes. “I can smell blood, bile from him – I figure he vomited…”

“Yeah, it’s a motion camera. These also turn on for Pokeball’s. If you change one or catch a Pokemon, they’d know what kind right away. We’d give ourselves to them.” Brad quietly muttered and always redirected a whole bunch of stories he heard and things he asked questions about. “There’s no recording equipment by the looks of it – just picture, come on; we need to get to a center or a doctor somehow,” Brad replied and fought the urge to touch a well-fashioned tourniquet that Melody had pale-faced made; Brad’s shoulder had dyed with slowly red-stained fabric. Somehow, Melody had the integrity to hold on throughout it, and that left Absol to push herself once more to walk, even though the pain had shaken through her body. Griffin half stirred and somberly smiled back without full eye contact.

“You can trust us. I’m sorry for making you fight. I got us all into this mess, I know… just I… can’t lose Bandit.” Griffin silently said, but Absol had learned to recognize lips years ago.

It’s what she found interesting about Luna.

The name dared to touch her lips again… Yet all she could end with was Seo

That frightfully wonderful time where she had come at peace with everything she hated.

This had been one of those times with Griffin.

It felt like being in the arms of a veterinarian, one that had been willing to sacrifice for them. How much, she didn’t know.

That’s what his feeling came to be. The kind that knew to push forward and carry with him. The odd, stressful serenity had left Seo’s black and white world dazzle in accents of color. Something new came along to her eyes, silvers with gentle swirls of precious gems infused to create this ocean of colorful static. Her coughs had woken her up as she found that she fainted again on Griffin’s back. He applied revival when they stopped at a higher point, the air had grown thinner, and the trees had been scarcer to their left. They stayed in the bushes in silence as though it became a prayer itself and only followed the steady hand gestures that Brad used. He stayed low to the ground and moved from bush to bush in a way that minimized the effort of the terrain. Although he hadn’t appeared to be the brightest with many things… Absol had already figured him out in her stupor. The faint effect of the drug had kicked in, even though Melody silently became paranoid - she had looked white or ghastly. Melody had to stop for water regularly, yet Brad didn’t make a peep about it. In his eyes, they could survive out there for longer; Absol knew that she could.

It wasn’t worth knocking on death’s door yet.

Griffin hadn’t made a peep, silently swore at himself. His endurance was strange for someone of his build. A herculean one, but… his shape needed training. They stopped when they came toward a cliff on one side of the path.

“Melody. How agile is Smokey? Can he carry both you and…” Brad lightly began to pant and silently spoke? “Snivy down the mountain here and to the mainland? You’re going to be sick; I can see it.” Absol had glanced at her reply.

“I can’t leave you… both. None of you know how to use these.” She began to say, “If I leave… you’re feeling dizzy, you’ve lost blood, Brad. I can help you both.” Griffin sighed tenderly and nodded.

“We need to find a cavern or anything. A Pokemon den even, I can’t care… We need somewhere safe on this island. You told your Uncle where we were, Officer Jean would be angry; but we have the binder still.” Griffin silently replied. They nearly mouthed the words to one another. Absol certainly couldn’t hear it and left her eyes to wander as she stared up at Brad. “Why does this seem so… convenient?”

“My uncle has access to my Pokedex; all of them have a built-in GPS. It’ll just take a while for them to gain access – the Pokemon Committee and Police can see it whenever they need to.” Absol felt her ear twitch as she turned to a Pokemon that looked their way, a bird that instantly ducked its head into the branches and leaves as though it were never there, to begin with. “Luckily, those cameras aren’t hooked up to the same software; I mean, the police would find them all if that were the case.” Brad laughed lightly, or half wheezed as Absol stared at the branches where that Pidgey was.

Damn wild types, weak critters. They see a Pokemon like I, and they all cower… hide. When it comes to it, the aggression humans can do. Pokemon run and flee. Only something weak would escape from a wounded human child. She half growled against Griffin’s shoulders.

I’m not losing her either, Griffin.

Then her tail pleasantly swayed down the Absol’s back – if Luna had healed her tail, that was proof of Arceus. She only flicked it over and scratched her back lightly; it was something… someone used to do.

When fur had been there.

A lapse of consciousness led to a storm that bellowed - roared into a sea as her horn dully twitched in the dim light. Griffin had used some more potion on them, as Melody had re sanitized and dressed Brad’s injury. She was… scared, panicky before Griffin unexpectedly walked up after sitting in his usual way. Looking at the palms of his hands and fidgeting.

“I’ve… seen you do that the first time, dressing it down, c – can I wrap? You look ill.” Griffin mentioned as Smokey had lightly come between them. The Houndoom looked as though he would tear that human apart. Moonlight was the most interesting. Leafeon had helped heal him with his Sunny Day; this little orb or wisp above them both, Moonlight didn’t have the strength to argue with him. They had some conversation about how… Leafeon said it took much more than mind or body, a complexity of layers – pathways.

Moonlight argued that it sounded like the brain and networks; the nervous system – all these strange human terms that Absol had only heard being tossed around.

“It could always be Moonlight. That’s your traitor.”

A rippled voice ran through her pelt as the Absol just contrasted her eyes in a way that made her tilt her head. “Kill him and be done with it. Kill the Espeon, and you won’t lose her.”

The voice had trembled down her back once more as the simple realization settled in once more for her.

When used for too long, Bind had strange repercussions on the user; they varied for all Pokemon. Absol’s reaction had been that this frightening second thought or voice always crammed itself into her head at the worse or most random moments.

That notion made her stall.

I have this second voice, but Chesshira can’t… affect me? I’ve always been able to hear all the human voices with it around; why? But why does Luna suddenly act all prey-like? Staring at muzzles… reading lips and looking with her head on a swivel? Why use Heal Bell so much? It’s like she doesn’t have an option.

It left the voice to express every forefront thought in her skull to pelt her with the most straightforward answer.

The most notable was that Griffin refused to throw her in the fray, even if he knew she could hold her ground regardless.

Yet to expect anything from him now seemed strange. The fighting already got too dangerous for all of them. That was plain, even as Seo saw Moonlight lower his head to the Pikachu’s stomach and begun to crudely heal him once more.

The name had still angered her. The Pikachu deserved more justice than that.

If Griffin gave her a name like that, she’d piss on it.

The bitter thought ran down her otherwise tame mind as it left her to lay against the harsh terrain below her. Cold and soaked, but they couldn’t risk a fire even in the cavern.

Even Leafeon’s dull light that healed Moonlight’s bruises had gone away – the vest was back in the Pokeball long before then, and the Leafeon had studiously looked through the Espeon’s lack-luster coat… half lay on him with the strange warm star squished between them both after a while.

“I don’t know what that strange thing is, but you haven’t broken anything – you’re bruised horridly. I want one like it.” The Leafeon laughed tenderly. Moonlight hadn’t taken an exact path to them – in a way, Griffin and everyone left them. They may have been why he looked the way he did. Terrified. Wishing he could apologize to an animal with the confidence they understood and him in turn.

Griffin had the gall to wrap Brad’s shoulder, the same way that Melody had done. All she said was that he tied it strangely – neatly, something seemed familiar about it.

Brad had gently panted as Melody had gone through the first aid kit and recounted what they had.

“Everything is here to treat you, the bandages held nicely – I believe the bleeding has stopped but… the bullet is still stuck in there, and I can’t take it out. Can you feel your arm? Hand? Anything numb?”

“You’ve asked me that every five or so minutes.” Brad calmly commented back. In turn, he had kept that bracelet out for the walk – like he needed a little luck to get through it.

“If it loses feeling at all, I need to know – it could be serious.” Brad had shut himself in a bit as Griffin began to hand out Pokemon kibble. Brad watched him methodically, one scrap of human food, and Griffin would be torn to ribbons – she could see it in Brad’s eyes from where she lay.

Or he just literally wanted to throttle Griffin left and right.

“A – Aura is…” Scarf wearily started as Moonlight gently huffed back at the Pikachu, who uncomfortably lay against the rocky floor.

“I didn’t have time to save her or even look for her. She’s alive; I could tell by the force she excelled in the woods. You went out for a good while – I was terrified you died or went comatose. Reminded me a bit of Luna…” The Espeon explained and shook his head. “The mixture of roots and leaves… berries – it’s like a paste that helps with injuries. A… After seeing… what I saw in Viridian. I kinda understand what I can do…? Never mind. It hurts so much to do. I’m sorry if I caused you to pain in turn.”

“I’m alive. Why would I care about pain? That only reminds me that I am… and when it’s not – it’s my heart beating.” Scarf lightly stretched with his back to the ground. Seo had flicked an ear to Pikachu’s words.

“Don’t do that.” Moonlight replied, and Scarf went neutral. “J-”

“Bring him here. Let him lay on my side.” Absol began to say and caught both their attention. “It’ll be easy to place him; I seldom move when I sleep.” Absol continued in her calm and weary voice – the one that watched her tone as not to hurt her throat. “He won’t need to worry about the terrain; if we all huddle into one corner, we’ll be warm. Luna would be out, wouldn’t she?” Leafeon’s pelt suddenly fluffed out and became oddly wiry.

“S – Sleepwalking? She doesn’t know her limits, Absol. I barely know them myself.” Leafeon continued to say as the Absol tilted her head. “It could hurt her badly, especially in her current condition!”

I see. You are a cub sitter. Strange, you knew all of them? Then what of the voice I have thoughts of? She’s weak… but her accent is much like Luna’s. Those humans are brutish monsters - I keep thinking about the stupor I was in this morning; I couldn’t wake Luna up, but I heard you say a name.

Lumine.

I think she escaped with me years ago or tried to; she’d be your age by now. I remember… The thoughts had barely entered her subconsciousness, as this strange, haunting sound touched her ears. A constant single thump, this offset to her own heartbeat; Absol had learned it by now.

The Chesshira appeared to connect to those with unfortunate defects or age.

With Esi, the sound felt constant. Luna gets so horrified when she hears it. When she goes deaf too, can she?

Absol’s tail flickered and poised as her heart gently began to thump – the sound had clung to the back of her skull. Of course, it’s a male creature… We have a Chesshira somewhere in the Archipelago? Haven’t we had enough of this hellish fighting?

The older Absol felt her mind cut short as she realized that Moonlight placed Scarf on her side. It left this near gentle buzz to run through her pelt, and since she never changed her type mid-fight, the shocks felt like she absorbed the power she needed. Absol looked to Moonlight, Leafeon… the Pikachu with the weird name and solely kept silent as the night drew into a misty morning haze where rain slammed down against the rocks outside. They got lucky – Griffin always carried extra food and water around and had been able to return the Pikachu after Brad checked the map.

He used a Heal ball to replace his Software Ball.

Absol flickered her tail while they clung in the corner of that cavern; the sunlight had just been peering in.

Why are there no sounds of a rescue? We are on Valencia island if that human’s uncle really is a commissioner; the police would be coming in shortly to check, surely.

Everyone is going to get arrested… They’d take all of us away from them. I can’t let that happen, not yet.

Absol gently stirred against the rough and uncomfortable terrain below her as the winds picked up through the morning light. She angled her tail. As usual, she poised it and waited for any sound…

Just that strange idle thump touched her ears, no different than how it happened to that deaf Vulpix that lay in the center of everyone. It sounded like a strange footprint or a drum that beat in rhythmic silence. One constant perfectly rhymed thump… and nothing else throughout the night.

Then there was another patter, and Absol rolled her body to take her stance as the Pikachu on her had lightly squeaked. He clung patches of her fur, and that left her aware of the little weight on her right; eventually, an eye perked up, and an ear twitched as an all too suspicious Umbreon stuck their head into the cavern.

“There you are! My trainer noticed some patrol boats near Mandarin. We’ve been searching all night here. Smart to hide, important things are going on!” He took one step forward, and Absol solely angled her tail in a way that left his paw to stall. “That’s a lot of pressure from an elder like yourself. The human looks hurt.”

“Why didn’t you come sooner? You were here. You threw that smoke bomb – your trainer, right?” The Umbreon went blank.

“Smoke? No, my trainer doesn’t need a cheap trick like that, just his bow.” The Umbreon replied, “Now then, I found you, but we should get you somewhere safe; I noticed the dead Machoke and Sandslash.” The Umbreon asked, yet Absol replied with her silence and the look in her eyes.

The Umbreon could even take Bandit down.

His fur held more luster and color then even Leafeon’s. He naturally flaunted a pressure that matched many Pokemon she knew; yet as the human footsteps began to carry themselves to the cavern, Absol only fell back into her routine and clung to Griffin’s side as he delicately held the binder in his hands and helped Brad up – even though he looked white, pale and sickly all around… Yet the young man still held about for Melody; she had clung to Smokey. The Houndoom had to carry Melody and Snivy on his back as Luna finally woke up from the noise. This gentle sense of light, tender pressure pushed against Absol’s breast as she stalled her legs.

Psychic? It’s so mild; it feels like a bubble around her. I don’t think she realizes it – does she even understand that she can’t hear? That she was born deaf? Absol lightly growled and cleared her throat; the pain left her world to dimly ignite in greys, whites, and blacks as she stared down the small redwood fox that confusingly looked around the cavern; then Absol said her name, and Luna didn’t respond for the first second… like she always did. As though Absol’s voice had to touch her blanket of psychic around her.

“Hm? Absol, where are we?” Luna turned to face her as the Absol tilted her head and looked the small Vulpix over.

Stunted and deaf, and yet you make a veil of psychic… no. Extrasensory and heal bell…? Bandit already knew. She never told us, but Bandit knew. That’s why she got you to train it; I only wonder if you hear us or just hear the voices you want to hear. What you imagine… Psychic types help you out naturally; Moonlight may too, considering his constant headaches.

_ All Psychic types do something like that when there’s something wrong with themselves… you’ve never learned about that. _

The Absol flicked her tail once again as Griffin returned Luna to her capsule; the footfalls had squished softly in a smooth grass line as Brad wearily looked to the early sunlight.

“Stay… down,” Brad muttered out softly. “It’s not the police.” He’d say, stared at them from around the corner; he barely risked much of a glance that hid all his body from around the smaller cavern they had been in. Melody softly went over to him.

“We need to change your dressing again. Trust me… please.” Melody commented back. “It does look strange, how Griffin tied it – I don’t think he applied enough pressure on the finish. I didn’t… sleep because of it. Worried.” Melody silently said back to him, “I can help… You’re sweating a little.” Brad softly took in a breath.

“… You’re right.” Brad mentioned back to her with a softer voice and a sharper look.

“Take these too.” Melody softly muttered back. “Have some water with it. I can’t give you antibiotics, even though there are some in the kit. These should relieve the pain.” Seo had wearily glanced out at the pathway as the Umbreon only glanced at them with a tilt of its skull.

“It’s not me.” He’d comment in reply, “But we can get you safely from here.” He continued to say as Seo glanced at him.

Those eyes are a little dilated for this light, that Pidgey… smelled odd. Seo tilted her scalp too.

“Vaporeon is with me too, our owner… and Shadow is close by.” The Absol twitched her ear.

It is the Umbreon from earlier on, Valencia. We know Shadow is safe, and well, Logan said so himself.

“Can you help me convince humans to follow us, no matter what?” Seo began to pant slowly as her greyscale had softly rippled into streaks of colors. Now she could see the near blue-black fur and bright yellow gold streaks on his pelt. It made her back tremble.

What…? Bind isn’t holding right – it’s from Perish Song. I slept all through the night. It drained the move entirely? Not me?

Damnit. I’m going to pass out again and soon.

“Dude the Umbreon.” A voice called out as Griffin, Melody and Brad’s heart just sank.

“Shut it.” Another voice commented back. “We don’t have a lot of time. Find those kids. Bring them here. Focus.” It continued to say as the other shrugged.

“Our Pokemon will find them. They can’t just hide from us. Anyways, they’re so used to the smell of Repel that they know who’s using it.” The voice said back, “We got like, thirty guys out here and dozens of cameras. Relax a little, fuck.” They said in return, Brad had this look that Absol couldn’t quite place… yet she gave a little sigh. “No Pokemon is getting past us. Nice Netplay, by the by. A freaking Haxorus can’t believe it’s that one – too bad they’re not so bulletproof.”

There’s a third one; he’s going to jump around the corner with a gun – it’s a distraction idiot. Seo felt her body tilt forward as though it dared to crumple below her. I think I damaged a few nerves, curse this riddled old body. I’m not done. Absol tried to move again while the pain set in for her. Bind had worn off and quickly… yet because of Moonlight’s little psychic show, Griffin watched that the night earlier. When the Vaporeon came around the other bend with a cap and dropped it to their feet, Griffin knew that it belonged to Logan. Griffin’s last Heal Ball had been for Scarf, and she had no other chance now that the humans had been there to change capsules – not with their mobile devices.

Griffin would have to carry her… if he decided to at all.